NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI USA: NREL Research Points Path to Higher Blends of Biodiesel

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    NREL researchers have identified strategies to blend more biomass-based diesel fuel into petroleum diesel. Photo from National Biodiesel Board, NREL

    Barriers that are currently preventing the use of greater percentages of biomass-based diesel fuel blended into petroleum diesel have been identified, along with strategies to overcome them, according to researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

    The bio-derived diesel fuel in use today is blended into petroleum diesel at a relatively low percentage, typically from 5% to 20%. An NREL team investigated the performance of much higher blends of biodiesel into both renewable diesel and petroleum diesel. They specifically examined blends of 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80%. A switch to using higher percentages of biomass-based diesel fuels would reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted by the transportation sector. Biodiesel is an oxygenate made from fats, oils, and greases. Renewable diesel is made from the same feedstocks but processed to be a hydrocarbon chemically similar to petroleum diesel.

    “It’s amazing to me, but there are thousands of papers published every year on biodiesel, and almost nobody looks at blends over 20%,” said NREL Senior Research Fellow Robert McCormick, corresponding author of the newly published research paper “Properties That Potentially Limit High-Level Blends of Biomass-Based Diesel Fuel,” which appears in the journal Energy & Fuels. “This research addresses a major data gap about biodiesel blends, both because it looks at high-level blends and because it looks at blends with renewable diesel as well as petroleum diesel. Biodiesel blends with renewable diesel are 100% renewable.”

    The paper was coauthored by researchers Gina Fioroni, Nimal Naser, and Jon Luecke, all also from NREL.

    The researchers examined biodiesel produced from soybean oil, which is the most common feedstock used in the United States to make the fuel. They pointed out that a detailed understanding about the properties of biodiesel blended at levels above 20% is lacking.

    Heavy-duty long-haul trucks and off-road equipment, marine shipping, and commercial aircraft are expected to continue requiring liquid fuels even as electrification of smaller vehicles ramps up. These fuels will need to be low-net greenhouse gas emissions—such as biodiesel and renewable diesel—and compatible with existing engines. The use of biodiesel and renewable diesel is forecast to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions from 40% to 86% compared to petroleum diesel, depending upon the feedstock used. 

    McCormick said with a biodiesel blend greater than about 50%, “you start to have property differences with petroleum that that could be problematic.” At less than 50%, the differences do not pose much of a challenge. 

    Challenges with biodiesel blends greater than 50% can be mitigated, however. For example, diesel fuels must be reformulated in winter months to ensure that the cloud point—the temperature where wax begins to form—is below the expected ambient temperature. Wax can cause fuel filter clogging such that the engine cannot operate. Biodiesel cloud point can be as low as 20°F but for soy biodiesel is around 32°F, making the use of 100% biodiesel problematic in areas with colder winters.  

    “This issue can be managed by reducing the blend level or by blending the biodiesel into different hydrocarbon blendstocks with a lower cloud point during the winter months—as is commonly done today for B20 [a blend of 20% biodiesel and 80% petroleum diesel],” McCormick said. “A similar strategy could be used to mitigate the high boiling point of biodiesel, which is near the top of the diesel boiling range.” 

    A hydrocarbon blendstock with a lower boiling point, such as kerosene, could be used for biodiesel blends over 50%, alleviating challenges in cold starting the engine, accumulation of fuel in the engine lubricant, and potentially failure of emission control catalysts to “light-off” or achieve high enough temperature.

    The research, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Office, also examined other fuel properties such as density, oxidation stability, and water content to determine whether these might limit the blending of biodiesel. Oxidation stability, for example, may be reduced as more biodiesel is blended, but the problem can be overcome by using higher levels of antioxidant additives.

    Significant future research is needed to address the challenges of high level biodiesel blends, particularly on how they impact diesel engine emission control systems. The NREL paper serves as a research road map for addressing these challenges.

    Learn more about NREL’s sustainable transportation and mobility research. Sign up for NREL’s quarterly transportation and mobility research newsletter, Sustainable Mobility Matters, to stay current on the latest news.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Former Government Official Arrested for Acting as Unregistered Agent of South Korean Government

    Source: US State of California

    Sue Mi Terry Provided South Korean Intelligence Officers Access, Information and Advocacy in Exchange for Luxury Goods and Funding

    Note: View the indictment here.

    Sue Mi Terry, 54, of New York, New York, was arrested yesterday and presented on criminal charges related to offenses under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

    According to court documents, after leaving U.S. government service and for more than a decade, Terry worked as an agent of the government of the Republic of Korea (ROK), commonly known as South Korea, without registering as a foreign agent with the Attorney General, as required by law. As covertly directed by ROK government officials, Terry publicly advocated ROK policy positions, disclosed non-public U.S. government information to ROK intelligence officers and enabled ROK officials to gain access to U.S. government officials. In exchange for these actions, ROK intelligence officers provided Terry with luxury goods, expensive dinners and more than $37,000 in funding for a public policy program focusing on Korean affairs that Terry controlled.

    From in or about 2001 to in or about 2011, Terry served in a series of positions in the U.S. government, including as an analyst on East Asian issues for the Central Intelligence Agency, as the Director for Korea, Japan and Oceanic Affairs for the White House National Security Council and as the Deputy National Intelligence Officer for East Asia at the National Intelligence Council. Since leaving government service in or about 2011, Terry has worked at academic institutions and think tanks in New York City and Washington, D.C. Terry has made media appearances, published articles and hosted conferences as a policy expert specializing in, among other things, South Korea, North Korea and various regional issues impacting Asia. Terry has also testified before Congress on at least three occasions regarding the U.S. government’s policy toward Korea.

    As she admitted in a voluntary interview with the FBI in 2023, Terry served as a valuable “source” of information for the ROK National Intelligence Service (ROK NIS), the primary intelligence agency for the ROK. For example, in or about June 2022, Terry participated in a private, off-the-record group meeting with a U.S. Secretary level official regarding the U.S. Government’s policy toward North Korea. Immediately after the meeting, Terry’s primary ROK NIS point of contact, or handler, picked up Terry in a car with ROK Embassy diplomatic plates. While in the car, Terry passed her handler detailed handwritten notes of her meeting, which were written on the letterhead of a think tank where Terry had recently worked. Terry’s handler then photographed the notes while still sitting in the car with Terry.

    Weeks later, at the request of her ROK NIS handler, Terry hosted a happy hour for Congressional staff. Although the happy hour was ostensibly on behalf of the think tank where Terry worked, the ROK NIS paid for it with Terry’s knowledge. Terry’s handler attended the event and posed as a diplomat, mingling with Congressional staff without disclosing that he was, in fact, an ROK intelligence officer. 

    ROK government rewarded Terry for her services. For example, Terry’s ROK NIS handlers gifted her a $2,950 Bottega Veneta handbag and a $3,450 Louis Vuitton handbag, both of which Terry selected during shopping trips with her handlers. One of Terry’s ROK NIS handlers also gifted her a $2,845 Dolce & Gabbana coat. In addition to luxury goods, Terry’s ROK NIS handlers provided her expensive meals, including at Michelin-starred restaurants. Terry’s ROK NIS handlers also deposited approximately $37,000 into an unrestricted “gift” account that Terry controlled at the think tank where she worked. In addition, ROK government officials paid Terry to write articles in both the U.S. and Korean press conveying positions and phrases dictated by the ROK government.

    Terry is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate FARA and one count of failure to register under FARA. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York and Executive Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI’s National Security Branch made the announcement. 

    The FBI’s Counterintelligence Division and New York Field Office are investigating the case with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle A. Wirshba, Alexander Li and Sam Adelsberg for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: L-1622 strike ends in Austintown

    Source: US International Brotherhood of Boilermakers

    That’s what union organizing and solidarity means: Even when we aren’t able to achieve our ultimate goal—even when we face something really tough—we stand together.

    Don Hamric, Executive Director-ISO

    The Local 1622 (Austintown, Ohio) strike that began against T&W Stamping in March has ended with Boilermakers returning to work Sept. 3. After more than five months on the picket line, the workers received guaranteed yearly raises, along with weekly incentives, but no retroactive compensation.

    “The members of L-1622 are grateful for the support of their community, Boilermakers from across the U.S. and Canada, other unions and so many people who reached out in solidarity and with supplies, gift cards and financial donations,” said Don Hamric, Executive Director-ISO. “This was a stressful time for them, and even as they stood together on the picket line, it meant a lot to know so many people were standing with them.

    “That’s what union organizing and solidarity means: Even when we aren’t able to achieve our ultimate goal—even when we face something really tough—we stand together.”

    L-1622 had been attempting to renegotiate a contract since November 2023, after the previous contract expired. The Boilermakers went on strike after filing unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board against T&W, protesting illegal actions by their employer. 

    Read a past article with more details about the cause of strike.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Navy to Christen Future USNS Lucy Stone

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    The U.S. Navy will christen the future USNS Lucy Stone (T-AO 209) during an 11 a.m. PST ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 21, in San Diego.

    The Honorable Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy, will deliver the ceremonial principal address. Remarks will also be provided by the Honorable Meredith Berger, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment, Vice Adm. Jeffery T. Jablon, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Installations and Logistics, and David J. Carver, President, General Dynamics NASSCO. In the time-honored Navy tradition, the ship’s sponsors and U.S. Navy ship introduction specialists who have helped bring to life over 100 ships in the past 20 years, Alicia Aadnesen and Debbie Simmons, will christen the ship with the traditional breaking of a bottle of champagne on the ship’s bow.

    The ship is named for American suffragist Lucy Stone, who joined other notable advocates such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Ernestine Rose, and Antoinette Brown Blackwell to petition for suffrage and abolition in the 19th century. Her efforts as a founder of the Women’s National Loyal League were essential to the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery.

    “Lucy Stone’s legacy of leadership and advocacy for equality reflects the values we uphold in the U.S Navy,” said Secretary Del Toro. “USNS Lucy Stone stands as a testament to our commitment to operational excellence and is a proud moment as we continue to build and strengthen our maritime capabilities.”

    The future USNS Lucy Stone will be the fifth Lewis-class fleet replenisher oiler and will be operated by the Navy’s Military Sealift Command. The oilers feature a substantial volume for oil, significant dry cargo capacity and aviation capability. T-AOs provide additional capacity to the Navy’s Combat Logistical Force and become the cornerstone of the fuel delivery system.

    PEO Ships, one of the Department of Defense’s largest acquisition organizations, is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships and craft, auxiliary ships, special mission ships, sealift ships and support ships.

    Media may direct queries to the Navy Office of Information at (703) 697-5342. More information on the Fleet Replenishment Oilers can be found at: 
    https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Files/Display-FactFiles/Article/2222909/fleet-replenishment-oilers-t-ao/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Hanover Bank Hosts Celebration to Thank Community

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MINEOLA, N.Y., Sept. 20, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Michael P. Puorro, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hanover Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: HNVR), the bank holding company for Hanover Community Bank, announced they hosted a cocktail party at their Hauppauge Business Banking center on Thursday, September 19, 2024 to thank the many people and businesses who have contributed to their success and welcomed them to Suffolk County.

    Hanover Bank recognizes that success is never accomplished alone. Since its expansion into Suffolk County, Hanover has received an enormous amount of support from its clients, the community, the businesses, and the leaders of this region. The scores of people and businesses that rolled out the red carpet for Hanover are all a part of the fabric and foundation that makes Suffolk County one of New York’s most vibrant business hubs. With a philosophy that success comes through helping others succeed, Hanover wishes to recognize all this support by showing its appreciation and celebrating so many friends and associates.

    Michael Puorro stated, “Being a part of the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge was the perfect choice for us when we decided to expand into Suffolk County. We have experienced such a tremendous amount of goodwill and enthusiasm that hosting this celebration is our way of thanking and honoring the many people who help us grow and succeed every day. This entire evening is dedicated to showing our appreciation and gratitude for the overwhelming warmth and welcome we have received.”

    The Hanover Bank building was developed and built as a state-of-the-art office facility and is located at 410 Motor Parkway, Hauppauge, NY. The developer and owner of this property, Craig Padover, President of Aresco 410 LLC, worked closely with Kelly Murphy, Executive Director and CEO, Suffolk County Industrial Development Association (IDA) to take this vacant lot and transform it into a Class-A office building.

    “Much like the theme behind this celebration, the development of this beautiful, thoughtful building is the true definition of collaboration and partnership,” said Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency CEO/Executive Director Kelly Murphy. “This newest addition serves as the official gateway into the Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge and represents endless opportunity for those who walk through its doors. Long Islanders pride themselves on their quality of life and Hanover Bank’s building mirrored that sentiment with their employee-focused design and amenities. We congratulate Hanover Bank for anchoring this property now and into the future as we wish them continued success in the years to come,” stated Ms. Murphy.

    “In a project spearheaded and implemented by the Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim, our building was one of the first in the Innovation Park at Hauppauge to fully understand and take advantage of the Town of Smithtown overlay zone change along with the Suffolk County sewer expansion allowing the building to rise over sixty feet. Further, we are thrilled that Hanover Bank is a part of 410 Motor Parkway’s success,” stated Craig Padover.

    Hanover Bank is so proud to contribute to the local and regional economy by employing approximately sixty-five people that operate from this business center. Logistically, this location allows us to further service the Long Island community with commercial, municipal, and consumer retail banking products. By contributing to the local economy, and by working and transacting business with many of Long Island’s most successful organizations and municipalities, our Hauppauge Business Banking Center allows us to leverage our existing relationships across business lines to deliver unparalleled service to this region.

    “There is much to celebrate and so many individuals to thank. We felt it was only fitting to recognize “the village” of people who have supported our growth, and last night was our way of showing our gratitude and letting them know how important they all are to us,” concluded Michael Puorro.

    About Hanover Community Bank and Hanover Bancorp, Inc.

    Hanover Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: HNVR), is the bank holding company for Hanover Community Bank, a commercial community bank focusing on highly personalized and efficient services and products responsive to client needs. Management and the Board of Directors are comprised of a select group of successful local businesspeople committed to the success of the Bank by knowing and understanding the metro-New York area’s financial needs and opportunities. Backed by state-of-the-art technology, Hanover offers a full range of financial services. Hanover employs a complete suite of consumer, commercial, and municipal banking products, and services, including multi-family and commercial mortgages, residential loans, business loans and lines of credit. Hanover also offers its customers access to 24-hour ATM service with no fees attached, free checking with interest, telephone banking, advanced technologies in mobile and internet banking for our consumer and business customers, safe deposit boxes and much more. The Company’s corporate administrative office is in Mineola, New York where it also operates a full-service branch office along with additional branch locations in Garden City Park, Hauppauge, Forest Hills, Flushing, Sunset Park, Rockefeller Center and Chinatown, New York and Freehold, New Jersey.

    Hanover Community Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and is an Equal Housing/Equal Opportunity Lender. For further information, call (516) 548-8500 or visit the Bank’s website at https://hanoverbank.com.

    Media and Press Contact:
    Annette Esposito
    First Vice President – Director of Marketing
    (516) 548-8500

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ERO Washington, D.C. arrests convicted Ethiopian felon charged with abduction, poisoning and sex crimes

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C. apprehended an unlawfully present 24-year-old Ethiopian felon charged in Northern Virginia with felony abduction of person with intent to defile; felony poison by other method; and felony object sexual penetration by force, threat or incapacity. Officers with ERO Washington, D.C.’s Special Response Team arrested Besam Semirali Bashwie Sept. 6 in Alexandria. Bashwie was previously convicted in Alexandria of conspiracy to violate racketeering provisions.

    “Besam Semirali Bashwie stands accused of some detestable and disturbing crimes against a Virginia resident,” said ERO Washington, D.C. Field Office Director Liana Castano. “ERO Washington, D.C. will not tolerate the victimization of our residents by egregious noncitizen criminals. We will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing such offenders from our neighborhoods.”

    Bashwie lawfully entered the United States April 19, 2019. However, he violated the lawful terms of his admission.

    Alexandria Police arrested Bashwie June 15, 2021, for racketeering charges.

    The Alexandria Circuit Court convicted Bashwie Jan. 25, 2022, of felony conspiracy to violate racketeering provisions and sentenced him to five years in prison. The court then suspended three years, 11 months and 26 days of the prison sentence.

    Fairfax County Police arrested Bashwie Jan. 19, 2023, for driving while intoxicated. Later that day, ERO lodged an immigration detainer against Bashwie with the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. The detention center refused to honor the and released Bashwie without notifying ERO Washington, D.C.

    Between Feb. 18 and May 16, authorities in Alexandria and Arlington arrested Bashwie for obstruction of justice; felony abduction of person with intent to defile; felony poison by other method; and felony object sexual penetration, by force, threat or incapacity.

    ERO Washington lodged an immigration detainer against Bashwie on May 16 with the Arlington County Jail; however, the jail refused to honor the ICE detainer and released Bashwie back into the community without notifying ERO Washington, D.C.

    Arlington County Police again arrested Bashwie May 30 for violating a protection order.

    Officers from ERO Washington, D.C.’s Special Response Team arrested Bashwie Sept. 6, 2024, in Alexandria.

    Detainers are critical public safety tools because they focus enforcement resources on removable noncitizens who have been arrested for criminal activity. Detainers increase the safety of all parties involved — ERO personnel, law enforcement officials, removable noncitizens and the public — by allowing an arrest to be made in a secure and controlled custodial setting as opposed to at-large within the community. Because detainers result in the direct transfer of a noncitizen from state or local custody to ERO custody, they also minimize the potential that an individual will reoffend. Additionally, detainers conserve scarce government resources by allowing ERO to take criminal noncitizens into custody directly rather than expending resources locating these individuals at-large.

    ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. The Executive Office for Immigration Review is a separate entity from the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case, determining if a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal or eligible for certain forms of relief from removal.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in your community on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROWashington.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Public Service Commission declares result based on written part of the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination (Ii), 2024

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 20 SEP 2024 9:27PM by PIB Delhi

    On the basis of the result of the written part of the National Defence Academy and Naval Academy Examination, (II) 2024 held by the Union Public Service Commission on 1st September, 2024, candidates with the under mentioned Roll Nos. have qualified for interview by the Services Selection Board(SSB) of the Ministry of Defence for Admission to Army, Navy and Air Force Wings of the National Defence Academy for the 154th Course and for the 116thIndian Naval Academy Course (INAC) commencing from 2nd July, 2025. The result is also available at Commission’s website www.upsc.gov.in.

    2. The candidature of all the candidates, whose Roll Nos. are shown in thelist is provisional. In accordance with the conditions of their admission to the examination, “candidates are requested to register themselves online on the Indian Army Recruiting website joinindianarmy.nic.in within two weeks of announcement of written result. The successful candidates would then be allotted Selection Centres and dates, of SSB interview which shall be communicated on registered e-mail ID. Any candidate who has already registered earlier on the site will not be required to do so. In case of any query/ Login problem, e-mail be forwarded to dir-recruiting6-mod[at]nic[dot]in.”

     “Candidates are also requested to submit original certificates of Age and Educational Qualification to respective Service Selection Boards (SSBs) during the SSB interview.” The candidates must not send the Original Certificates to the Union Public Service Commission. For any further information, the candidates may contact Facilitation Counter near Gate ‘C’ of the Commission, either in person or on telephone Nos. 011-23385271/011-23381125/011-23098543 between 10:00 hours and 17:00 hours on any working day. In addition for SSB/interview related matter the candidates may contact over telephone No. 011-26175473 or joinindianarmy.nic.in for Army as first choice, 011-23010097/

    Email:officer-navy[at]nic[dot]in or joinindiannavy.gov.in for Navy/Naval Academy as first choice and 011-23010231 Extn.7645/7646/7610 or www.careerindianairforce.cdac.in for Air Force as first choice.

    3 The mark-sheets of the candidates, will be put on the Commission’s website within fifteen (15) days from the date of publication of final result.(After concluding SSB Interviews) and will remain available on the website for a period of thirty (30) days.

    Click here to see Result:

    ****

    AG

    (Release ID: 2057218) Visitor Counter : 51

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Durbin Join Murray, Senate Democrats in Introducing Resolution to Recognize Patients’ Rights to Emergency Health Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    September 20, 2024
    Abortion Bans Have Delayed Emergency Medical Care. In Georgia, Experts Say Were This Mother’s Death Was Preventable.
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and 38 of their Democratic colleagues in introducing a Senate resolution to reinforce the standard that every patient has the basic right to emergency health care, including abortion care, regardless of where they live. The introduction comes as new reporting from ProPublica makes plain that Republican abortion bans are preventing women from receiving lifesaving emergency health care and resulting in preventable deaths.
    “When we warned Donald Trump and Senate Republicans that women would die if they succeeded in overturning Roe, they called us fearmongers. Tragically, it’s now painfully obvious that we were right,” Duckworth said. “We cannot wait for more women to die a preventable death because of Republicans’ draconian abortion bans—we must protect reproductive rights and women’s access to emergency medical care nationwide, and Democrats are working tirelessly to do just that.”
    “When a woman arrives at the emergency room, she should not be worried about whether or not she will receive necessary medical treatment.  Her family should not have to worry that their loved one may die because politics interfered with medical decision making.  But because the right-wing supermajority on the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade, as Donald Trump promised, that is exactly what is happening,” said Durbin.  “I’m joining my colleagues in introducing this legislation to make clear that we will not give up the fight for women to receive the medical care they need, especially in emergency circumstances where access to care is a matter of life and death.”
    Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade over two years ago, nearly two dozen US states led by Republicans have passed, banned or severely restricted access to abortion. These strict laws have created confusion around the treatment doctors can provide even when a pregnant patient’s life is in danger, as physicians fear that they may lose their medical license, be sued, or even charged with a felony if they perform life-saving emergency care. Despite the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act’s (EMTALA) requirements that Medicare-participating hospitals treat and stabilize pregnant patients in need of emergency medical care, women are being turned away from emergency rooms following the Dobbs decision.
    In Moyle v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court had the opportunity to reaffirm that federal law requires pregnant patients to have access to life-saving emergency care in every state, but instead, the Court dismissed the case and sent it back to the lower courts, effectively punting on making a decision on the case itself. While the litigation continues in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the health and lives of women remain at risk as uncertainty around emergency abortion care persists. 121 Congressional Republicans, including 26 Senators, filed an amicus brief arguing that EMTALA does not require hospitals to provide abortion care as emergency stabilizing care in order to save a patient’s life.
    In addition to Duckworth, Durbin and Murray, this resolution is co-led by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) and co-sponsored by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Marin Heinrich (D-NV), George Helmy (D-NJ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
    The resolution is endorsed by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Center for Reproductive Rights, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, Reproductive Freedom For All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, National Women’s Law Center, Physicians for Reproductive Health, Power to Decide, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, Guttmacher Institute, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, All* Above All, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, URGE: Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, National Council of Jewish Women and National Partnership for Women and Families.
    Last week, U.S. Representatives Emilia Sykes (D-OH-13) and Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ-11) introduced the House companion to yesterday’s Senate resolution.
    The full text of the resolution can be found on Senator Murray’s website.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canada Announces Significant Funding to Unlock More Critical Minerals Development in Northern British Columbia and the Yukon

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    September 20, 2024                                         Vancouver, British Columbia                                                                              Natural Resources Canada

    Investments in critical minerals infrastructure are essential to enable Canada to seize the generational opportunity of the transition to a low-carbon economy and capitalize on our rich mineral resources. Canada is well positioned to be a global leader and first-class producer of a wide variety of critical minerals that are essential to power the clean economy and, in turn, create good jobs and support economic opportunities across critical mineral value chains — from upstream exploration and extraction to downstream processing, manufacturing and recycling.

    Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, with the Honourable Josie Osborne, British Columbia’s Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, and the Honourable Ranj Pillai, Premier of the Yukon, announced up to $60 million in funding, pending final due diligence from Natural Resources Canada, for two critical minerals infrastructure developments in B.C.’s Golden Triangle and the Yukon. This funding would be provided through the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF).

    Galore Creek Mining Corporation (Galore Creek) is planning to construct a 43-kilometre access road to support the development of its copper mine located in Tahltan Territory in northwest B.C. The Galore Creek deposits contain over 12 billion pounds of copper and, once in production, will significantly increase Canada’s annual copper supply. The construction of the Galore Creek Access Road would link the mine project to existing road infrastructure, provide ground access to proposed mill and processing facilities, and provide the electricity transmission corridor allowing the Galore Creek mine to operate using BC Hydro’s low-emission electricity grid. Road improvements are integral to advancing critical minerals development in B.C.’s northwest, in partnership with First Nations. Pending final due diligence, Natural Resources Canada has conditionally approved an investment of up to $20 million under the CMIF for this project.

    The Government of Yukon is seeking to undertake pre-feasibility activities to advance a 765-kilometre, high-voltage transmission line network that would connect the Yukon electrical grid to the North American grid in B.C. This regional project has proposed energy infrastructure located in two priority regions for critical minerals development — Yukon’s Cassiar and Tanana regions and B.C.’s Golden Triangle. The transmission line could support projects producing critical minerals such as cobalt, copper, molybdenum, nickel, platinum group metals, tungsten and zinc in the Yukon and northern B.C. Pending final due diligence, Natural Resources Canada has conditionally approved an investment of up to $40 million under the CMIF for this project.

    The Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund is a key program under the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy to address infrastructure gaps and enable sustainable critical minerals production and connect resources to markets through various clean energy, electrification and transportation infrastructure projects. Future funding decisions for projects under the CMIF to further critical minerals infrastructure development are also expected in the coming months.

    These projects — which benefit from close collaboration under the B.C. and Yukon Regional Energy and Resource Tables — are, in addition to the recently announced Northwest BC Highway Corridor Improvements Project, key to facilitating critical minerals development in the Golden Triangle and Yukon. B.C.’s Golden Triangle has considerable mineral potential and holds approximately 75 percent of Canada’s known copper reserves. Copper is crucial in various industrial processes and a fundamental component in electrical wiring, electronics and renewable energy systems, including solar panels and wind turbines.

    Critical minerals are essential components in products used for clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles, electrical transmission lines and batteries. B.C. and the Yukon’s mining sectors provide many of the building blocks of clean technologies needed to fight climate change and build a clean economy. Across the country, clean energy solutions are providing enormous economic opportunity for Canada.

    Quotes

    “These two projects, under the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy’s flagship program, will develop the necessary infrastructure to access and transport our rich critical mineral resources in northern B.C. and the Yukon. Developments like these help mines get built faster, and they are a key element in seizing the generational opportunity before us. These investments are needed to support critical minerals development in the region, improve community access and safety, and create good mining jobs across British Columbia and the Yukon.”

    The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson

    Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

    “B.C. has the critical minerals that Canada and the world needs to build a clean economy. We have a generational opportunity to create good jobs, not only in northwest B.C. but also in communities across the province that supply and provide services to our mining sector. That’s why we are working with Canada and First Nations on key infrastructure upgrades needed to unlock billions of investments in new critical mineral mines like Galore Creek and provide new opportunities for people and communities.”

    The Honourable Josie Osborne

    B.C. Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation

    “The Grid Connect Project is more than an energy initiative: it presents a transformative opportunity for all Yukoners. By delivering clean, affordable and reliable clean energy, this project will not only power our homes but also drive economic and social growth. I thank our partners in British Columbia and the federal government for their collaboration on this important project, which will positively impact our northern communities. This is a proud milestone for our government on the path toward a more sustainable energy future.”

    The Honourable Ranj Pillai

    Premier of the Yukon 

    “This project will connect Canada’s two most western jurisdictions, helping bring the Yukon on to the North American power grid. It marks a significant step in our shared journey to build a more connected and resilient energy landscape for Yukoners while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. I extend my deepest thanks to everyone whose hard work and determination made this vision a reality. I look forward to seeing how it will enhance clean energy in the Yukon, help protect our incredible natural landscapes and fuel new opportunities for economic growth.”

    The Honourable John Streicker

    Yukon’s Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources

    “We’d like to thank Minister Wilkinson and the Government of Canada for their contribution to developing the Galore Creek Mine and, by extension, Canada’s critical minerals industry. Canada’s support for Galore Creek represents confidence in our project, our owners, the relationships we have fostered with the Tahltan Nation and our commitment to responsibly developing a world-class copper–gold mine.”

    Rob Mean

    General Manager, Galore Creek Mining Corporation

    “Galore Creek has the potential to significantly increase Canada’s production of the copper needed for the energy transition and global development, generating jobs and economic activity, in alignment with Teck’s focus as a Canadian-based energy transition metals company. This investment by the Government of Canada will support the development of infrastructure needed to advance critical mineral projects and strengthen the nation’s mining sector.”

    Jonathon Price

    President and Chief Executive Officer, Teck Resources Limited

    “Newmont is a 50/50 partner of the Galore Creek Project with Teck Resources. Galore Creek stands as Canada’s largest undeveloped copper project, poised to play a crucial role in the transition to a low-carbon economy. As global demand for copper surges, we will soon face a supply deficit that underscores the project’s significance. The investment through Canada’s Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund in a vital road for Galore Creek will help unlock the project and the broader region’s substantial critical mineral potential in northwest B.C.”

    Bernard Wessels

    Managing Director North America, Newmont Corporation

    Quick facts

    • Canada has developed its own critical minerals strategy with the aim of advancing the development of these resources and related value chains to drive the transition to a low-carbon economy and support advanced technology and manufacturing.

    • The Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy addresses five core objectives:

      o   supporting economic growth, competitiveness and job creation;

      o   promoting climate action and strong environmental management;

      o   enhancing global security and partnerships with allies;

      o   advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples; and

      o   fostering diverse and inclusive workforces and communities.

    • Canada’s whole-of-government approach to critical mineral development is collaborative, forward-looking, iterative, adaptive and long-term. The initiatives presented in the Strategy will be implemented and refined in collaboration with provincial, territorial, Indigenous, industry and other Canadian and international partners.

    • The CMIF is a key program under the Strategy to support enabling clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects necessary to increase Canada’s supply of responsibly sourced critical minerals.

    • The CMIF supports strategic priorities such as decarbonizing industrial mining operations, strengthening supply chains through transportation infrastructure and advancing economic reconciliation by supporting the participation of Indigenous Peoples in infrastructure and critical minerals projects.

    • In addition, the federal government is helping to develop Canada’s abundant critical minerals through NRCan’s Regional Energy and Resource Tables. These regional tables are joint partnerships with individual provinces and territories — in collaboration with Indigenous partners and with the input of key stakeholders — to identify and accelerate shared economic priorities for a low-carbon future in the energy and resource sectors.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Natural Resources Canada
    Media Relations
    343-292-6100
    media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    Cindy Caturao
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
    613-795-5638
    cindy.caturao@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gallego Urges Administration Not to Punish Arizona for Ozone Pollution Outside Its Control

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ruben Gallego (AZ-07)

    September 19, 2024

    WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03) sent a letter to the Environmental Protect Agency (EPA) urging it to expand its research and study of ozone levels in the Intermountain West to investigate why ozone concentrations are not decreasing despite repeated efforts by states and localities to implement ozone reduction policies.

    “Based on the EPA’s own Good Neighbor Ozone Modeling, over 80% of the emissions assigned to Arizona are not produced or controlled by residents, but rather come from Natural Sources, International Transport, and Interstate Transport,” Rep. Gallego wrote. “Furthermore, there is a concerning trend in which ozone levels remain the same or even increase in some areas even as rigorous emissions activities are being put in place. States and localities are struggling to understand this trend, and that is where we need the EPA’s assistance.”

    In the letter, Rep. Gallego asks the EPA to use its vast scientific resources and expertise to study the divergence between monitored ozone levels and documented reductions in ozone precursor emissions in the Intermountain West, improve understanding of background and baseline ozone levels, and examine the policy implications of ozone implementation, including transportation planning.

    The letter is supported by the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

    “While we are proud of the achievements and prosperity we have advanced in our region, we appreciate Rep. Gallego’s recognition that the challenge of addressing ozone pollution requires a better understanding of what is leading to rising ozone concentrations,” said Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke, Chair of MAG.

    “We appreciate Rep. Gallego for his proactive and practical approach to addressing Arizona’s unique air quality challenges. It’s crucial to have leaders in Washington who understand the need to balance environmental stewardship with economic development, and who are willing to push back against federal regulations that threaten Arizona’s job creation and competitiveness. We’re thankful for the Congressman’s leadership and look forward to continuing to work together to protect jobs and foster sustainable growth in Arizona,” said Arizona Chamber President & CEO Danny Seiden.

    “In my extensive conversations with stakeholders throughout Arizona, it is clear that local leaders are committed to protecting public health while continuing to grow sustainably, especially in the fields of clean energy production and green technology manufacturing,” Rep. Gallego concludes. “Doing so will require federal engagement as well as local buy-in, and the research requested here could go a long way in ensuring that local ozone reduction efforts are focused on the right factors.”

    Full text of the letter can be found HERE.

    The letter builds on Rep. Gallego’s work to ensure Maricopa County is not unfairly punished for pollution outside its control. Following his calls, last month the Administration announced the conditional approval of a new rule which will allow for new offsets to create clean air credits in Maricopa County.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Watson Coleman, Kim Lead Resolution Recognizing National Children’s Emotional Wellness Month

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman

    September 20, 2024

    Today, U.S. Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Young Kim (CA-40) introduced a bipartisan resolution to recognize September as National Children’s Emotional Wellness Month and to increase public awareness on the emotional health and mental wellness challenges that children and teenagers face.

    One in five children in the United States struggle with an emotional, mental, or behavioral disorder, and only 20% of these children receive the specialized care and treatment that they need, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

    “America’s children are facing a crisis. Suicide has become the 2nd leading cause of death of young people ages 10-14. This horrifying statistic is even more tragic when you consider that all of these deaths may have been prevented with the right intervention,” said Congresswoman Watson Coleman. “There are many causes of this crisis, from the impact of Covid-19 to social media, to the increased access to firearms, but we have the capacity to create the conditions in which all of our children have a shot at happy fulfilling lives. Children who have access to help can thrive. They’ve shown an ability to bounce back and become strong, happy, and resilient.  All that is required is for us to break through the partisan gridlock and get them the care they need. This resolution is an important step toward that goal and I thank Rep. Kim for her continued partnership on issues of children’s health.”

    “America’s youth are in crisis. We must ensure children receive adequate care and the therapeutic and educational resources they need to achieve their dream,” said Congresswoman Kim. “Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders, and investing in parents, the pediatric mental health workforce, and targeted programming improves children’s emotional wellness outcomes and livelihoods across American communities. That’s why I’m leading a bipartisan resolution to recognize September as National Children’s Emotional Wellness Month and expand awareness on the importance of children’s emotional and mental health.”

    “The Children and Families Coalition of Orange County wholeheartedly endorses this resolution and is eager to collaborate in any way possible to ensure its success,” said Valerie Banks, Project Director, Children and Families Coalition of Orange County. “We believe that this initiative will have a profound impact on the well-being of children in our community and beyond.”

    “I could not be more proud to have our organization tied to Children’s Emotional Wellness Month,” said Mara James, Founder and CEO, Extraordinary Lives Foundation (ELF) in Mission Viejo. Our end goal is to care for the mental and emotional needs of children and their families and the reason we created Children’s Emotional Wellness Week which we hope to grow exponentially in future years.”

    “As you know, the first years of life are the most crucial in the development of a young child. At the center of this development is attachment and bonding with the child’s primary caregiver, which provides a secure base for all other development. Social and emotional skills are the foundation for developing and maintaining positive and responsive relationships throughout life; the key to health and wellness,” said Sandy Avzaradel, M.S. Ed., Director, Start Well. “It is imperative that we help our communities understand the importance of building these skills at the earliest age possible. Start Well is in full support of the Extraordinary Lives Foundation and the work they do to ensure children receive the support they need to become resilient adults; Start Well fully endorses September as Children’s Emotional Wellness Month.”

    “Every child deserves the chance to thrive — to be nurtured, protected, cared for and cared about, emotionally and physically, so that they can learn, grow, and develop to their greatest potential…so these little ones can soar, living their dreams. But too many children never get that chance because anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions stand in the way, and that too often go undiagnosed and untreated. It’s never too late to provide the support that children and parents need — but it’s also never too early,” said Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You’re Expecting and founder of the What to Expect Project. “Research shows that the mental health of moms and dads from pregnancy, postpartum and beyond significantly impacts the mental health of the babies they love — and their future. Providing parents and children with mental health support throughout their journey is essential — and that’s why the What to Expect Project and I are proud to support this resolution to raise awareness about the importance of children’s emotional wellness.”

    Read the full resolution here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Carter statement on FTC suing PBMs over high insulin prices

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Earl L Buddy Carter (GA-01)

    Headline: Carter statement on FTC suing PBMs over high insulin prices

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-GA), a pharmacist by trade, issued the following statement after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) today sued the nation’s largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) – Optum Rx, Caremark, and Express Scripts – and their respective group purchasing organizations for spiking insulin prices, imperiling the health of over 8 million Americans:

    “PBMs are finally facing accountability after decades of stealing lives and hope from patients. In the early years of my pharmacy practice, insulin was affordable; now, the price is up 1,200% for some patients, forcing them to choose between paying for life-saving treatment and paying for gas, groceries, and other basic necessities. During this time, profits for Optum RX, Express Scripts, and Caremark have soared. What PBMs are doing to all patients, especially those who rely on insulin, is criminal. I applaud FTC Chair Lina Khan for taking this critical step and sending a message that PBMs’ days of abusing patients are coming to an end. It is time to bust this monopoly up for good.”

    Rep. Carter is a nationwide leader on health care reform, championing legislation to rein in PBMs including:

    • Drug Price Transparency in Medicaid Act, a bill that bans the use of spread pricing in Medicaid and ensures that pharmacists are fairly and adequately reimbursed for serving Medicaid patients.
    • PBM Accountability Act, a bill adding transparency to the drug supply chain by raising reporting requirements for PBMs.
    • Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act, a bill delinking PBM compensation from drug prices and limiting PBM income to a flat-dollar fee, taking away incentives to steer patients towards higher-cost drugs.

    Read more about PBM abuses here.


    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Webster and Colleagues Urge White House Action To Prevent Strike at East and Gulf Coast Ports

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Daniel Webster (11th District of Florida)

    Washington, D.C. — Florida Congressman Daniel Webster, R-Clermont, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, along with T&I Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) and republican members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, urged the Biden-Harris Administration to do everything in its power to prevent a work stoppage at East and Gulf coast ports that could lead to “dire impacts to our supply chains, our economy, and the American consumer.”
     
    In their letter to the White House, the 69 Members of Congress say, “Given the devastating economic consequences of a potential strike and the Administration’s lack of engagement to date, we urge you to give immediate attention to this matter, to aid in these negotiations, and find a reasonable resolution to these contract disputes.” They add that, “if a strike should occur, we urge the Administration to utilize every authority at its disposal to ensure the continuing flow of goods and avoid undue harm to American consumers and the Nation’s economy.”
     
    The leadership of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), the largest union of maritime workers in North America, has warned of a potential strike beginning October 1st if no agreement on a new labor contract is reached with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX).
     
    The Members of Congress reminded the Administration of the COVID-19 pandemics impact on the supply chain and highlighted their concerns about what could happen even with a comparatively brief work stoppage: “If a work stoppage occurred at East and Gulf Coast ports in October, estimates suggest that a one-week strike would take until mid-November to recover from and clear the backlog of cargo/ Estimates further suggest that a two-week strike would take until 2025 to fully recover from. Lengthier strikes would have an even greater cascading disruption. Any of these situations would have serious consequences for American consumers and the holiday season.”
     
    The letter comes after Republican Committee Members were briefed yesterday by users of the supply chain – including representatives from the National Retail Federation, the National Association of Manufacturers, the American Forest & Paper Association, the National Cotton Council, and the American Trucking Associations – on the anticipated impacts of a strike at East and Gulf Coast ports.
     
    Read the full letter here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: The 33rd Capacity Building Programme for the Civil Servants of Maldives successfully completed today at NCGG, New Delhi

    Source: Government of India

    The 33rd Capacity Building Programme for the Civil Servants of Maldives successfully completed today at NCGG, New Delhi

    This was the first programme of the second phase post signing of MoU between NCGG and CSC, Maldives to Train 1,000 Civil Servants over next five years (2024-2029)

    34 civil servants from key departments and ministries participated in the programme

    Posted On: 20 SEP 2024 8:45PM by PIB Delhi

    The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) successfully completed the 33rd Capacity Building Programme (CBP) for Civil Servants of Maldives today in New Delhi. The two-week program, was organized from 9th to 20th September 2024, in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Notably, this is the first program under the second phase for civil servants of Maldives following the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to train 1,000 Maldivian civil servants. The MoU was signed by India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and the Maldives’ Foreign Minister, Mr. Moosa Zameer, for the period 2024-2029. The current program was attended by 34 civil servants from the Maldives, including Assistant Directors, Senior Administrators, Council Officers, Faculties and Community Health Officers, representing key ministries and departments from Maldives.

    The valedictory session was chaired by Shri V. Srinivas, Director General of NCGG and Secretary of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), Government of India. In his address, he reflected on the achievements of the first phase capacity building programmes (2019-2024), during which over 1,000 Maldivian civil servants visited the NCGG. In his address he highlighted how technology has been used in the country to transform institutions and bring citizens closer to the government. He discussed about use of technology in Direct Benefit Transfers, Health, Education and Secretariat and use of Aadhar to bring about governance. He asked the participants to take the learnings from the programme as most of the challenges are common and apply them to bring about greater transparency and efficiency in government processes.

    During the Valedictory the participants also presented three insightful presentations on Bringing Transparency in Government Procurement in Maldives, Climate Change & its impact on Biodiversity in Maldives and Tourism in Maldives showcasing the learnings gained during the programme.

    Mrs. Fathmath Inaya from Civil Service Commission, Maldives and head of delegation, expressed her gratitude to the Indian government and the NCGG for the opportunity. She stated that all of them learnt and gained extensively from the program.

    Dr. B S Bisht, Associate Professor, NCGG and Course Coordinator of the programme while giving the welcome address and summary of the programme highlighted how the focus of the capacity building programme was to share India’s good governance models and best practices from various development schemes among others. He also shared that the second week of the programme had visits planned to Smart City Project and ITDA and Forest Research Institute (FRI) Dehradun, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), International Solar Alliance, Exposure visit to Indira Prayavaran Bahwan: India’s first Zero Energy Building, PM Sangrahalaya and visit to Taj Mahal to give a first hand view of India’s rich culture and heritage.

    The NCGG has till now trained civil servants from 33 countries including Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, Tunisia, Seychelles, Gambia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Laos, Vietnam, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Somalia, South Africa, Indonesia, Madagascar, Fiji, Mozambique, Cambodia, Madagascar, Fiji, Indonesia, South Africa among others.

    The programme was supervised and coordinated by Dr. B. S. Bisht, Course Coordinator, Dr. Sanjeev Sharma, Co-Course Coordinator, Shri. Brijesh Bisht, Training Assistant and Ms. Monisha Bahuguna, Young Professional along with the capacity building team of NCGG.

    *****

    AG

    (Release ID: 2057202) Visitor Counter : 37

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Food and Consumer Affairs Minister, Shri Pralhad V Joshi conducts office inspection of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution to mark Swachhata Hi Sewa Campaign 2024

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 20 SEP 2024 7:59PM by PIB Delhi

    The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, through its various subordinate offices, attached and autonomous offices observed day 4 of the Swachhata Hi Sewa Campaign 2024, themed “Swabhav Swachhata – Sanskaar Swachhata,” today.

    In order to ensure cleanliness, healthy working environment for effective operational efficiency within the Department, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Pralhad V Joshi along with Secretary and other senior officers conducted an inspection of departmental offices. During this inspection, the Minister visited various offices, engaging with staff members and advised the officials to maintain good working environment

    Cleanliness Activities continued: Cleanliness drive was held in BIS, NRL, Mohali. The employees cleaned the roadside area near the office and 4 tonnes garbage was collected and disposed properly. NTH, Varanasi and NCCF, New Delhi cleaned its office equipment like Lights, Fans, and ACs along with other electrical items.

    Before and after images of cleanliness drive held at BIS, NRL, Mohali (20-09-2024)

     

     

     

     

    Employees and staff of NTH, Varanasi cleaning office space and equipment (20-09-2024)

     

     

     

     

    Cleanliness Activities at NCCF, New Delhi

     

    Swachhata Workshop : A swachhata workshop was held at NTH (HQ) today with 12 events to discuss the importance of swachhata in office spaces and surroundings.

    Swachhata Workshop at NTH headquarters.

    Hindi Slogan Writing competition: 25 employees of the NTH (NWR) Jaipur  participated in slogan writing competition on the theme-Cleanliness and Hygiene which was organized on dated 20.09.2024.

     

     

     

    Hindi Slogan Writing competition held at NTH (NWR) Jaipur

     

    Swachhata hi Seva Selfie Points in NTH, Mumbai: NTH, Mumbai installed a 6 Selfie Booth outside office premises and 4 selfie booths inside the office premises to increase Jan Bhaagidari in the campaign. Many employees took photographs and selfies at the booth holding placards of Swachhata hi Sewa.

     

    NTH , Mumbai employees at the SHS Selfie Booth

     

    *****

    AD/NS

    (Release ID: 2057180) Visitor Counter : 41

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2024 Campaign

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Swachhata Hi Seva (SHS) 2024 Campaign

    Union Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar presides over inauguration of Mechanized Cleaning Vehicle, procured by Safaimitras under NAMASTE scheme, in Visakhapatnam

    Posted On: 20 SEP 2024 7:14PM by PIB Delhi

    Government of India is organizing the Swacchata Hi Seva (SHS) 2024 campaign, with the theme – ‘Swabhaav Swachhata, Sanskaar Swachhata’. Under this campaign a gamut of activities is being organized by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment to integrate Swachhata in day-to-day life.

    In pursuance of this goal, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, Dr. Virendra Kumar presided over the event at Visakhapatnam, on 19th September 2024, that witnessed the inauguration of mechanized cleaning vehicle procured by Safaimitras under the National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) scheme.

    One of the important components of the NAMASTE scheme is providing capital subsidies to Swachhata Karmis, who enter into long term work contracts with the Urban Local Bodies, for purchase of mechanized cleaning equipments/vehicles and make them Swachhata entrepreneurs.

    In pursuance of this aim, Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has released capital subsidy worth Rs. 2.29 crores to identified target groups in Visakhapatnam. This will enable 75 beneficiaries to purchase 15 mechanized cleaning equipments/vehicles worth Rs. 5.39 crores. Out of this, 10 vehicles have already been purchased by 50 Safaimitras, who have entered into contract with the Visakhapatnam Nagar Nigam.

    During the event, Dr. Virendra Kumar noted that the NAMASTE scheme is going a long-way in not only empowering the Safai Karamcharis socially and economically, but safeguarding their self-respect as well. He informed that till date under the scheme, profiling of around 46,035 sewer septic tank workers has been done. Further, PPE Kits have been allocated to around 3,498 such workers, while 3,617 workers have received Ayushmann Cards, the Minister added.

    Senior officers of the Visakhapatnam Nagar Nigam, District Administration, as well as Safai Karamcharis were present during the event.

    *****

    VM

    (Release ID: 2057153) Visitor Counter : 39

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Preparation of Special Campaign 4.0 in the Department of Fisheries

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 20 SEP 2024 7:23PM by PIB Delhi

    The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying is gearing up for the Special Campaign 4.0, an initiative by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG). The campaign to be launched from 2nd October to 31st October 2024 aims to institutionalize Swachhata (cleanliness) and minimize pendency in government offices. Special Campaign 4.0 will be carried out in two phases namely Preparatory Phase from 16th – 30th September 2024 and Implementation Phase from 02nd – 31st October, 2024.

    The Department of Fisheries is playing a key role in this nation-wide initiative to promote cleanliness, expedite the disposal of pending references, and streamline record management. The campaign is aligned with the government’s broader vision of improving governance through better office space management and operational efficiency.

    In preparation for the Special Campaign 4.0, Shri Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary, Department of Fisheries, chaired a preparatory meeting with Shri Sagar Mehra, JS (Administration), Department of Fisheries and other officers of the Department. The meeting focused on planning and execution of the activities and drive during the campaign at the Departmental level, as well as in all filed offices/units. Additionally, Shri Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary, Department of Fisheries, chaired a meeting with officers and officials from the Department’s field units, including Fishery Survey of India (FSI), Central Institute of Coastal Engineering for Fishery (CICEF), National Institute of Fisheries Post-Harvest Technology and Training (NIPHATT), National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical & Engineering Training (CIFNET), Coastal Aquaculture Authority (CAA). The meeting assessed the ongoing preparations for the Special Campaign across these institutions.

    During the Implementation Phase, the Department will be conducting special drives to dispose of pending references, with a specific focus on:

    • Disposal of pending references from the Hon’ble Ministers, Members of Parliament, State Governments, Inter-Ministerial communications, PMO references, Public Grievances, and Parliamentary Assurances.
    • Reviewing, Recording and weeding out physical files/records in compliance with the Central Secretariat Manual of Office Procedure (CSMOP) and the Public Records Act, 1993.
    • Segregating and disposal of unserviceable stores & office equipments to free up office space, Promoting cleanliness in office accommodation and complexes, reducing clutter, and ensuring an organized and productive work environment.

    As a preparatory exercise for the campaign, the Secretary (Fisheries), along with senior officials, conducted an inspection of the Department’s offices at Krishi Bhawan and Chanderlok Building in New Delhi. The inspection revealed an accumulation of old file/records, unserviceable stores and old magazines/newspapers in various sections/units. Immediate instructions were issued to ensure the timely segregation and disposal of old records/files and stores to improve record management and efficient use of office space.

    Special Campaign 4.0 is a reflection of the government’s commitment to improving governance through enhanced office management, cleanliness, and prompt resolution of pending matters.  The Department of Fisheries is  dedicated to making Swachhata a permanent part of its organizational culture and will continue to engage actively in the campaign to ensure a cleaner and more efficient work environment.

    *******

    SS

    (Release ID: 2057157) Visitor Counter : 50

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Passes Capito, Colleagues’ Bipartisan Resolution Dedicating September 2024 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) applauded the Senate passage of a bipartisan resolution she joined to designate September 2024 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among children past infancy; each year, more than 14,500 children under the age of 19 are diagnosed with cancer.
    “I’m proud to join my colleagues again in recognizing September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Since my Childhood Cancer STAR Act became law and was reauthorized last year, we have secured better outcomes for children fighting this terrible disease and grown our research capabilities, especially with institutions in West Virginia. I will continue to support initiatives that improve our understanding of childhood cancer, provide high-quality care for childhood cancer patients, and create better outcomes for survivors until we enter a world where cancer is a disease of the past,” Senator Capito said.
    Full text of the resolution can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Transcript of Senior Defense Official and a Senior Administration Official Background Briefing on Operation Inherent Resolve and the US-Iraq Bilateral Security Relationship Update

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  All right, well good morning, everyone. This is Major General Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary. Thanks very much for joining us today for today’s backgrounder on and update on Operation Inherent Resolve and the US-Iraq bilateral security relationship. As a reminder, today’s call is on background, attributable to a senior defense official and a senior administration official.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Hi, everybody. Thanks for joining here on a Friday. What we thought we’d do today, we don’t have any real news to make, but we want to kind of just put some context into some issues that have been out there related to the global coalition against ISIS. And particularly the mission in Iraq. So — and heading into the UNGA next week, and then a Counter-ISIS — the Counter-ISIS ministerial of the Global Coalition a week from Monday.

    So, this month marks the 10th anniversary of the formation of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. And after a decade of that coalition, and particularly the defeat of the territorial caliphate in Iraq and Syria, there have been discussions going on really over the last year about the evolution of the coalition and the mission.

    There is broad consensus with every member of the coalition that the coalition will continue. We do extraordinary work in terms of counter terrorist financing, counter foreign fighter flow and everything else, sharing information, sharing intelligence — with 10 years on so there will be evolutions in the overall mission.

    It’s a way to deepen and enhance the coalition and the cooperation and also kind of deepen and enhance our relationship with Iraq. I think it’s fair to say we’ve had great success in territorially defeating ISIS in the core regions of Iraq and Syria. However, we are all very mindful that ISIS, you can say is down, but they’re never quite out.

    We have done a number of very effective operations against ISIS just over the last few weeks in Iraq and Syria. We remain fully committed to the defeat of ISIS. The core threat, that is what we’re working on in Iraq and northeast Syria, something that is ongoing every day and that will very much continue into the future. And we have a good consensus with the Iraqis and our partners in Syria as well on that.

    So, what we’ve been talking about, and this really came out of the — when Prime Minister Sudani was here and visited the president in April. If you go back to the joint statement that we released there, we talked about the ultimate end of the coalition military mission in Iraq. And again, 10 years on, and a number of coalition partners who are interacting — who’ve been there for a decade, some of which are looking to move on from that mission. But of course, the United States is the core and we very much intend to continue to prosecute this mission against ISIS over the coming years.

    And so — but we will be transitioning away from the coalition military mission in Iraq more to enduring bilateral security partnerships. Again, that’s what the president and the prime minister discussed back in April. And since then, we’ve kind of been working with the Iraqis and importantly with all of our coalition partners to kind of determine when and how — what that might look like.

    And so, we haven’t reached any final conclusions. I think this will kind of unfold over the course of next week. We look forward to having very constructive discussions with Prime Minister Sudani and other prominent leaders, including those who have been central to this coalition. And then of course, the ministerial a week from Monday.

    I think it’s important though to emphasize that what we’re talking about is an evolution of the coalition mission, ultimately the ending of the coalition military mission in Iraq. This is not about any specific posture decisions or anything like that. So, I think those issues kind of tend to get conflated. And we just wanted to make clear really what this is.

    This is kind of coming out of the success after a decade of extraordinary international cooperation, of extraordinary cooperation between coalition partners, the Iraqi security forces, the US military in particular, just an unbelievable job they’ve done and kind of an evolution of this after a decade. It’s kind of the appropriate mark to do that and we’ll have more to discuss about it next week. And with that, I’ll turn it over to my colleague.

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Thanks. Good morning. This is the Senior Defense Official. So, just to underscore a couple of the comments that have been made — we’ve had all this year, really — starting in April really, outstanding discussions with our Iraqi colleagues in what we call the Higher Military Commission. This is a military-to-military dialog, obviously coordinated and informed by policymakers as well, to help determine exactly how this transition should take place, timing and then how it should transition into the bilateral security partnership.

    And we’ve had some agreed criteria that we’ve spoken about, looking at what is the threat of ISIS. As was mentioned, ISIS has definitely been severely defeated, certainly territorially defeated, and we want to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS, but the threat does remain, so we have to assess exactly the nature of that threat.

    The second criteria, the capability of the Iraqi security forces, which has significantly increased. We still do things in partnership with them, but we’ve seen that evolution of their capability. And then the broader operating environment, what includes the challenge of ISIS in Syria, which is a related threat in a neighboring country, and how we have to scope our transition to make sure we can still get after that threat as well.

    But those conversations have been very successful. They really flowed out of that meeting when Prime Minister Sudani was in Washington. As was mentioned all through this period and certainly even in recent weeks, we’ve continued to conduct very effective counter ISIS operations in Iraq and in Syria, with our Iraqi and with our Syrian Democratic Forces partners.

    ISIS is under real pressure as a result of those operations. And so, now as we get ready to make the announcement on the transition of the global coalition’s military mission in Iraq, we’ll be deepening the conversation with our Iraqi colleagues on the nature of that bilateral security partnership.

    We believe it will be quite deep and quite intense because that’s what both sides want. The Iraqi partners have made very clear to us that they are committed to continuing to work together to shape the future US Iraq bilateral security relationship to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS. We already have gotten fairly advanced into those discussions about what that looks like in terms of the kinds of training, the kinds of presence, the kinds of support for their capabilities.

    But this is an iterative conversation that will continue through and beyond the announcement that we hope we’ll be in a position to make at the end of next week. I think with that, I’ll take — I’ll pause.

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  Thank you, gentlemen. The first question will go to Associated Press Tara Copp. Tara, are you there? Okay, we’ll come back to Tara. Let’s go to Nancy Youssef, Wall Street Journal.

    Q:    Hi, I’m having a hard time understanding because the Iraqis said last month that this deal had been finalized, they outlined the timeline in which US forces would withdraw from Baghdad and then from the north. And you’re saying you can’t announce it yet, maybe next week. Can you help me understand why there’s not an agreement on how to announce it? And does this suggest there are disagreements about the specifics of the deal?

    And in light of the news out of Lebanon, can you speak at all about these potential strikes in Southern Beirut that have killed Ibrahim Akil, the number two in Hezbollah, what your assessment is? And what your you’re read is of Israel’s understanding and intelligence on Hezbollah operations given the sophistication of the strikes we’ve seen this week? Thank you.

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  Why don’t we start with our Senior Administration Official and then Senior Defense Official.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yeah, so I’ll keep the topic to the topic of the call. So, look, there’s a lot of discussions here because it shows it’s bilateral with us and Iraq. Those have been very constructive and successful, I think as Senior Defense Official mentioned, but also the number of coalition partners. So, we’re working to get this — we want to get this right and before we roll anything out formally.

    So, I would not say that everything is fully concluded. I think we made an awful lot of progress. I think heading into next week we’re in very good shape. But we’re not going to do anything that is not known to all of our coalition partners and that this is a broad — kind of a broad area of diplomatic engagement which is ongoing in multiple capitals.

    And so, it takes time to put everything together, dot every I, cross the T. But again, it’s a kind of a broad evolution of the mission and it does not speak to kind of more of the specifics of future posture which are discussions that will continue even beyond next week and the Counter-ISIS Ministerial on Monday.

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Just to add, the announcement we anticipate will be about the transition of the coalition, but many of those details of the mechanics of the transition and the next phases of the future US bilateral security partnership will take shape in discussions that will go beyond that announcement. Again, we made a lot of progress in the HMC discussions, also in the Joint Security Cooperation dialog we hosted when the Iraqi defense minister came here in July, but many of those conversations are going to continue beyond the announcement next week.

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  Thank you both. Let’s go to Washington Post, Missy Ryan.

    Q:    Hi there. I’m hoping — I know you don’t want to address the details of the plan, but it’s sort of already out there and the Iraqis have outlined it in pretty clear detail. But presuming that that all is correct, what they have said, could you talk about — either of you, [SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL or SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL] — could you talk about how you see this evolution in Iraq fitting into what’s going on in the rest of the region in terms of the conflict in Gaza, the episodic escalation that we’re seeing between Israel and Hezbollah, the sort of broader instability in the region, and the efforts that the administration has been making to bring about some sort of larger diplomatic resolution there? Thanks.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I would say, I mean, our presence and relationship and partnership with Iraq is important for overall regional stability. We think our — what we’ve done in Eastern Syria is important for stability in that part of Syria, given the vacuum that can easily open up where we would simply withdraw without a plan for what that might look like. So, I think we’ve been very deliberate, very careful about this.

    I think throughout the crisis that began on October 7 with Hamas’s attack into Israel, we have used diplomacy, we’ve used backchannel diplomacy, and we’ve used the direct and targeted application of military force and deterrence and maneuvers and deployments to deter and signal. And when necessary, the president, as I mentioned, has ordered the application of military force.

    I think we’ve done that not only to protect our people but also to deter and contain this overall conflict to the theater primarily in Gaza. We know that Iran and many of its proxy networks, including those who are in Iraq, had designs early in this crisis to significantly broaden the conflict into a regional conflict. They have not succeeded in doing that and we intend very much to continue.

    And I’ll turn it over to my Senior Defense Official colleague to speak more to this, but we very much will maintain that deterrent posture, because we are still in the crisis. There’s a lot of diplomacy going on behind the scenes and above board. But we — and of course obviously our relationship with Iraq, our presence in Iraq is fundamental to that. So, I would not — the Counter-ISIS mission has been ongoing throughout this crisis, I think doesn’t get as much attention. But we’ve done extremely effective Counter-ISIS operations and strikes even in the last two months.

    And that’s something that is going to continue even while this crisis is ongoing. And hopefully we will find diplomatic solutions to some of the issues obviously in Gaza and Lebanon. The question that was just asked we’re working at extremely hard, but there is a military dimension to this and we’re mindful of that. And I think we used that tool of national power effectively, deliberately. And we work with the president every day on this and Secretary of Defense and others. So, I’ll turn it over to [SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL].

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Yeah, look, I would just say that during this crisis, our partners across the region have looked to the United States to be present, to indicate that we are remaining present and active, to use our force posture and our other capabilities to defend our friends, to defend our own forces and to deter our adversaries. And in the case of the Counter-ISIS mission, to continue to prosecute that mission to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS.

    And what our friends have seen during this crisis is part of what we’re discussing here today. That presence is going to continue. Our partnerships are going to deepen — they may take different forms. They may evolve based on evolving conditions, based on evolving threats. But we will continue to remain present and to use our presence and our capabilities and our partnerships to address those common threats. So, this discussion is very much in keeping with that theme.

    Q:    Just to clarify, you’re not worried that this will give Iran some sort of greater positioning in the region at a moment of intense tension with Iran sort of like running through everything that you’re doing?

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  We are not.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  No, not at all.

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  We are remaining present and active in partnership with our allies and partners. Again, sometimes these things take different forms, but we’re not concerned about that. But [SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL] should speak to it as well.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  No, not at all. If anything, I think deepening our cooperation with Iraq in multiple areas, which we’re doing, is something that the Iranians clearly don’t want. The Iraqis have been enhancing their relations with Saudi Arabia in the Gulf and the broader Arab world. Obviously remains a very dynamic situation.

    But that’s something that’s also quite important. You look at the energy infrastructure buildouts from Southern Iraq into the Gulf, stuff that had just been talked about for a decade. Iraq actually capturing its flared gas working with Total and Western energy companies to do that, which ultimately weans themself off dependency of Iranian gas. This is all kind of part of a broader picture.

    So no, I would not draw an evolution of a coalition military mission after 10 years. Again, it’s important to — there’s a 10-year mark, very natural point. You have an inflection point and kind of an evolution of a mission into anything that would give any benefit to the Iranians. I think if anything, it’s quite the opposite.

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  Thank you. Let’s go to Al Hurra, Wafaa, Wafaa, are you there? Okay, we’ll come back. Next al-Arabiya, Joseph Haboush.

    Q:    Thanks. Can you guys hear me?

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  You’re very faint. If you can speak up a bit?

    Q:    How about now?

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  Still kind of quiet, but a little bit better.

    Q:    All right. Thanks for doing this. I just wanted to ask, on the heels of the CENTCOM announcements earlier this summer about ISIS on track to doubling the number of attacks this year as opposed to last year. And then these massive — or these pretty significant raids that we’ve seen, joint raids — joint raids between the Iraqis and us, and then the SDF and the US earlier this week.

    I mean how — can you just kind of clarify how this makes — the timing of it at least makes sense when we’re seeing these large-scale operations that have taken place previously but we haven’t always publicized in detail. So, is there any split between the policymakers and CENTCOM, SOCOM or the folks in the military. In terms of timing, can you just explain how that, at least publicly, would make sense to people here? Thank you.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yeah, I think the timing mainly is — it’s just — it’s a 10-year mark of a coalition and an evolution. But it’s also very consistent with the intelligence we’re seeing and what we’re doing and will continue to do, I want to emphasize that, against ISIS. So, I think it’s pretty much aligned to both of those things. But I’ll turn it over to my colleague.

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  Yeah, it is the 10-year mark, but it’s also a significantly different operating environment than when the coalition first undertook its mission. As I mentioned, ISIS has been territorially defeated. It doesn’t control those swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq that it once did. Millions of people who used to live under its genocidal rule, do not any longer. So, they’re kind of isolated in their desert encampments.

    And we have been able to, under the current coalition arrangement in the way you describe, continue to conduct operations that further weaken them, further prevent them — prevent them from conducting external operations and disrupt their command and control and their leadership, cadres.

    That ability is going to continue. It will continue during the course of this transition, which, by the way, even when it’s announced next week, takes some time to actually be implemented. So, many of these capabilities, even as we are doing them now in partnership with our Iraqi and our Syrian democratic Forces colleagues, will be able to continue.

    And then as the bilateral security relationship becomes the basis for our cooperation with Iraq in the course of the transition, again, which isn’t instantaneous, we will find that we’ll still be able to cooperate as we need to ensure that that mission can continue to be carried out — may be carried out differently, again, we talked about the evaluation of the threat, the evaluation of the Iraqi security force’s capability and the evaluation of the operating environment.

    All of that is scoped to ensure that there will be no lessening of pressure on ISIS as the transition from coalition to bilateral security partnership takes place.

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  Thank you. Let me try Associated Press again. Tara, are you on the line?

    Q:    Yes, I am. Thanks for doing this. I’m sorry if this has been asked before. I had to drop off at the very beginning. But have you seen any indication that ISIS has tried to exploit the October 7 instability? And especially right now with increased tensions being — have you seen them try to launch any additional operations?

    SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL:  We do see that there are continued attacks and attack planning by ISIS. I’m not sure I would attribute it specifically to October 7 or the crisis that’s followed October 7. They have their ideology; they have their ambitions. So, we definitely have seen a continued ISIS capability to try to conduct attacks, certainly to do some planning for attacks.

    But we’ve also during the same period, and without any distraction from our mission of the coalition and of our partners during the period of this crisis, we’ve been able to prosecute the defeat ISIS mission very, very successfully.

    MAJ GEN PAT RYDER:  And for our last question, we’ll try Al Hurra one more time. Wafaa, are you on the line? All right, she may have had to drop. All right, well, thank you very much for joining us again today. As a reminder, this discussion was on background attributable to a Senior Defense Official and a Senior Administration Official. Thanks very much for joining us. This concludes the backgrounder.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders, Vermont State Dental Society, University of Detroit Mercy, and Welch Announce Historic Effort to Advance Dental Care and Education Across State

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 20 — Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the Vermont State Dental Society (VSDS), University of Detroit Mercy (UDM), and Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today announced their historic effort to establish an innovative, new dental clinic and training program in Vermont. Through a VSDS-University of Detroit Mercy partnership, the initiative will bring UDM students to Vermont to complete their final years of training – strengthening the dental care provider pipeline and expanding access to much-needed care across the state. Vermont currently has no dental school.
    Sanders and Welch are working to secure $4.6 million in federal funding through the FY25 Congressionally Directed Spending process to support this initiative. The funding recently was approved by the Appropriations Committee and next needs to pass the House and the Senate before being signed into law by President Biden.
    “The suffering that the dental care crisis causes Vermonters and people across this country too often goes unseen and unaddressed,” said Sanders. “Far too many, especially in rural areas like Vermont, do not have access to a dentist, which forces them to either travel long distances or go without the care they need. In some Vermont counties, there is a year-long wait list. In others, there are no dentists at all who treat kids with Medicaid. And because we don’t have a dental school in the state, there’s no natural pipeline for dentists to train and eventually work in our communities. It is time for that to change. This historic initiative brings me a lot of hope for the care and education opportunities we can deliver to Vermont. I am proud to partner with the Vermont Dental Society, University of Detroit Mercy, and Senator Welch to make this a reality. Let’s get it done.”
    At a press conference on Friday, VSDS, UDM, Sanders, and Welch celebrated the program receiving its accreditation from the Commission of Dental Accreditation (CODA) – an essential step in establishing the teaching program in Vermont.
    “By partnering with University of Detroit Mercy, we are opening doors to educational opportunities that haven’t existed before in Vermont, and increasing access to oral health care for Vermonters as well,” said Justin Hurlburt DMD, board president of the Vermont State Dental Society. “We are excited to partner with Detroit Mercy on this opportunity to expand the dentistry workforce in the state,” he added.
    “University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry has a long tradition of graduating practice-ready clinicians and it is an honor to help bring the Detroit Mercy DDS program to the Green Mountain State,” said Mert N. Aksu DDS, JD, MHSA, Cert DPH dean of Detroit Mercy Dental. “UDM recognizes the need for dentists in Vermont, and looks forward to providing a program to educate and graduate dentists in the state.”
    “This accreditation is an important step forward in the process to expand access to dentists here in Vermont, so every patient can get the care they need. I look forward to working with Senator Sanders on this important issue, and will continue to advocate for more federal funding to support workforce development in dentistry and health care across our state,” said Welch.
    Left untreated, dental issues can lead to larger health problems. Nearly half of adults in the United States have some form of periodontal disease, which makes them two to three times more likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or other serious cardiovascular event. In 2019, there were 1.8 million visits to emergency rooms across the country for preventative dental conditions – a 62% increase from 2014.
    This new initiative will go a long way to increase oral health education opportunities and address the statewide dental provider shortage. Beginning in the fall of 2025, the partnership between VSDS and UDM will include two years of foundational and preclinical education at the UDM School of Dentistry campus in Detroit, Michigan, followed by two years of clinical and didactic education at a new dental clinic based in Chittenden County. Students would choose the Vermont residency option upon enrollment, increasing the likelihood that students will remain in Vermont to practice post-residency.
    University of Detroit Mercy-Vermont will house modern classrooms with on-site clinics to support its clinical education program and serve as a public health, Medicaid clinic to provide dental care to qualifying individuals. These students will not only work and learn in the new facility in Chittenden County, they will also do rotations in underserved areas around the state, including at Federally Qualified Health Centers and private dental practices. Current estimates show each class of students would see about 3,500 patients over a two-year period.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton, Colleagues to Gensler: Protect Americans’ Privacy and Halt CAT Filings

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353September 20, 2024
    Cotton, Colleagues to Gensler: Protect Americans’ Privacy and Halt CAT Filings 
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) led 13 of his Congressional Republican colleagues in sending a letter to Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler to call for the immediate suspension of the recently effective rule filings tied to the Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT). The letter warns that the SEC’s decision to allow these fillings to proceed without proper oversight is an affront to investors and endangers the impartiality of the judicial process. 
    Senators Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), John Boozman (R-Arkansas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Jerry Moran (R-Kansas), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Congressman French Hill (Arkansas-02), Congressman John Rose (Tennessee-06), Congressman Steve Womack (Arkansas-03), and Congressman Alex Mooney (West Virginia-02) co-signed the letter. 
    In part, the lawmakers wrote:
    “As members of Congress and Amici Curiae in these cases, we have a vested interest in ensuring that the Commission adheres to its statutory authority. The CAT poses profound risks to Americans’ individual liberty and personal privacy. Moreover, if a significant new tax is levied on American investors, the Courts must be afforded an opportunity to conduct a fair and impartial review.”
    Full text of the letter can be found here and below.
    September 20, 2024
    Chair Gensler,
    We write to express our concerns that the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) has not suspended the most recent immediately effective rule filings to establish fees related to the Consolidated Audit Trail (“CAT”). As you are aware, the legality of the funding model underpinning these filings as well as the CAT itself are being reviewed in the Fifth and Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals.’
    As members of Congress and Amici Curiae in these cases, we have a vested interest in ensuring that the Commission adheres to its statutory authority. The CAT poses profound risks to Americans’ individual liberty and personal privacy. Moreover, fi a significant new tax is levied on American investors, the Courts must be afforded an opportunity to conduct a fair and impartial review.
    The Commission has allowed the withdrawal of suspended fee filings, followed by the refiling of nearly identical ones, which effectively overrides its previous suspension and enables the immediate imposition of CAT fees with minimal notice to the industry. The Commission must suspend the CAT fees in order to allow market participants the opportunity to comment on these filings and to allow the legality of the entire CAT structure to be reviewed through the judicial process.
    Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. 
    Sincerely,
    ____________________
    Tom Cotton
    United States Senator

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: The First International Seminar on Parliamentary Diplomacy was held in Cuba

    THOUSAND OSI Translation. Region: Spanish/Latin America/UN –

    Source: Republic of Cuba

    First International Seminar on Parliamentary Diplomacy held in Cuba Havana, September 19, 2024. – Topics of relevance to the international community such as the defense of human rights, peaceful solutions and the preservation of world peace were presented this Thursday, from an academic perspective of parliaments, at the First International Seminar on Parliamentary Diplomacy. The meeting, which will run until Friday, took place at the National Capitol of Cuba, the institutional headquarters of the National Assembly of People’s Power (ANPP), with representation from around twenty nations. The event was established, according to Rogelio Sierra Díaz, Rector of the Higher Institute of International Relations, in the opening remarks, as a crucial space to analyze, with a high spirit of collaboration, “the challenges and opportunities that are currently faced with the aim of strengthening international law.”

    The special conference, led by the President of the Permanent Commission on International Relations of the ANPP and President of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament, Rolando González Patricio, focused on the myths and opportunities of parliamentary diplomacy. Dialogue and understanding, legislative harmonization, integration, mobilization in the confrontation and mitigation of climate change, defense of democracy, defense of international law, defense of peace, communicated González Patricio, “accumulate more than enough reasons to attend to and exercise, carefully and conscientiously, what we now call parliamentary diplomacy on the road to a much better world.”

    The event was chaired by the member of the Political Bureau and president of the ANPP, Esteban Lazo Hernández; the First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Gerardo Peñalver Portal, and the president of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, Fernando González Llort. (Cubaminrex-Granma)

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Publishes Final Rule to Improve Access to Medical Care for People with Disabilities

    Source: US State of California

    On the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Attorney General Merrick B. Garland signed a final rule under Title II of the ADA to improve access to medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) for people with disabilities. MDE includes equipment like medical examination tables, weight scales, dental chairs, x-ray machines and mammography machines. Accessible MDE is essential for people with disabilities to have equal access to medical care.

    The final rule is available for review on the Federal Register’s website at www.federalregister.gov. A fact sheet that provides information about the final rule is available on ada.gov.

    “Thirty-four years after passage of the ADA, people with disabilities should not have to forgo needed medical care due to inaccessible medical diagnostic equipment,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. “This rule marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to ensure that people with disabilities can get the medical treatment they need. Whether you are talking about access to mammograms or access to general OB/GYN services, it is critical that hospitals and doctors’ offices provide equipment that is accessible to patients with disabilities.” 

    The rule clarifies how public entities that use MDE, such as hospitals and health care clinics operated by state or local governments, can meet their obligations to ensure accessibility under the ADA. The department has heard from many individuals with disabilities who have been denied basic, critically important health care services because medical providers lacked accessible MDE. For example, patients with disabilities reported receiving only a cursory physical examination in their wheelchair because they could not be transferred to the examination table for a full examination. Other patients reported forgoing basic preventative health care, such as dental examinations and mammograms, because providers did not have accessible MDE.

    The rule adopts a technical standard for accessible MDE. The rule also establishes requirements that will help make accessible examination tables and weight scales more available. This will make it easier for people with disabilities — especially people who use wheelchairs — to receive medical care.

    For more information on the Civil Rights Division, please visit the department’s website at www.justice.gov/crt. For inquiries regarding the ADA, please contact the department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or visit the ADA website at www.ada.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Climate Pledge Arena to pay $477K in penalties, refunds as a result of AG Ferguson’s hidden fee investigation

    Source: Washington State News

    Court order ensures concertgoers who paid fee get money back with an additional $10

    SEATTLE — Climate Pledge Arena will pay $477,917 in penalties and refunds as a result of Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s investigation into a hidden fee the arena charged thousands of Washingtonians.

    From February 27, 2023, to July 22, 2023, Climate Pledge added a 3% fee to food and beverage purchases made at the arena. They did not disclose the fee in any way before customers made their purchase, in violation of Washington’s Consumer Protection Act. The Attorney General’s investigation revealed the company charged the fee on approximately 183,000 transactions over the course of 37 events, bringing in $162,917.16. The legally binding agreement is subject to court approval.

    As a condition for resolving his case, Ferguson required that Climate Pledge:

    • Conclude a class action lawsuit resulting in full restitution to all Washington consumers who were harmed, to be administered through a claims process, subject to court approval;
    • Pay affected customers who file a claim an additional $10 for their inconvenience and loss of their money in addition to the full refund;
    • Pay $315,000 to the Attorney General’s Office to pay for the cost of bringing the case, future enforcement work and, if necessary, cover claimants’ additional $10 payment if the $162,917.16 is insufficient; and
    • Disclose all fees it charges customers in the future.

    “Washington law is simple: If you charge a fee, you must clearly disclose that fee before someone pays it,” Ferguson said. “Climate Pledge was not doing that. Now they are paying the price. If you believe a company is charging hidden fees in Washington, contact my office.”

    Ferguson opened his investigation following a KIRO news story about the fee. State law requires companies to clearly disclose all added fees and charges to Washingtonians before they charge them. Instead, the fee was not disclosed at the arena kiosks or in digital payments. Attendees only learned about the fee if they asked for a receipt for their transaction.

    The arena stopped charging the fee following the KIRO story and the Attorney General’s Office confirmed the arena is not currently charging the fee. The court order ensures the arena does not charge any fees without appropriately informing people. If the arena does, the Attorney General’s Office can go to court for any violations.

    Assistant Attorney General Dan Davies handled the case for Washington.

    Honest Fees Initiative

    Companies caught charging hidden fees have paid more than $9.6 million as a result of Ferguson’s Honest Fees Initiative.

    Ferguson is calling on Washingtonians to check their bills, and, if they believe they contain hidden fees, to file a complaint at the Attorney General’s website here.

    Follow these easy steps to check your bill:

    1. Review your bill carefully for additional fees and taxes. Pay special attention to fees that appear to be government-imposed. Though they may appear to be, that may not be the case.
    2. Compare your bill against the advertised purchase price. Is it different? Were fees added on without being disclosed to you when you signed up?
    3. If you see a fee that was not included in the initial purchase price, or that you believe is deceptive, contact the Washington Attorney General’s Office at www.atg.wa.gov/file-complaint.

    Ferguson took the first major action as part of the initiative in December 2019, when global technology company CenturyLink paid $6.1 million to the State of Washington for adding charges to customer bills without accurately disclosing those fees, and failing to provide discounts that their sales agents had promised customers. In July 2020, Frontier Communications Northwest paid $900,000 to Washington to resolve an Attorney General’s Office investigation that found Frontier did not adequately disclose fees when advertising and selling its products, and misled subscribers about internet speeds it could provide. Later in July 2020, Charter Communications paid nearly $1 million for failing to disclose its “Broadcast TV Surcharge” to customers who ordered the company’s services online. In March 2021, Bothell-based TV and broadband internet provider Wave paid $900,000 to more than 23,000 customers who ordered the company’s services online and more than $300,000 to the Attorney General’s Office.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Brionna Aho, Communications Director, (360) 753-2727; Brionna.aho@atg.wa.gov

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James’ Office of Special Investigation Releases Report on Death of Elijah Muhammad

    Source: US State of New York

    NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI) today released its report on the death of Elijah Muhammad, who died on July 10, 2022 while incarcerated in the George R. Vierno Center (GRVC) on Rikers Island. Following a comprehensive investigation, including review of Department of Correction (DOC) staff incident reports and security camera footage, witness interviews, and comprehensive legal analysis, OSI concluded that a prosecutor would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt at trial that the correction officer staffed on Mr. Muhammad’s unit committed a crime, and therefore criminal charges would not be pursued.

    At 3:00 p.m. on July 10, 2022, the correction officer staffed on Mr. Muhammad’s unit witnessed Mr. Muhammad in a severely disoriented state. Mr. Muhammad appeared to have difficulty keeping his eyes open and standing upright, at one point slumping to the floor in a seated position. After being alerted by other incarcerated people in the housing unit, the correction officer held open Mr. Muhammad’s cell door while two incarcerated people helped him into his cell. However, in violation of DOC rules, the correction officer failed to call a medical emergency. He also failed to take any other action to assist Mr. Muhammad, such as administering Narcan.

    The correction officer continued to check on Mr. Muhammad periodically for two hours, until 5:13 p.m., sometimes stepping into Mr. Muhammad’s cell. The correction officer then did not check on Mr. Muhammad until 9:43 p.m.

    Other people housed in Mr. Muhammad’s unit continued to check on him throughout the evening. Beginning around 8:00 p.m., the incarcerated people who came to Mr. Muhammad’s door appeared to grow increasingly alarmed by what they saw through his cell window and began knocking on and kicking at his door. At 9:43 p.m., the correction officer went into Mr. Muhammad’s cell, where he found Mr. Muhammad unconscious, cold, and foaming at the nose. The officer recruited another correction officer to help, and together they moved Mr. Muhammad out of his cell and onto the ground to begin rendering aid. The correction officers called for medical staff, who then called for emergency medical services. Mr. Muhammad was declared dead in the housing unit at 10:30 p.m. The medical examiner found that the concentration of Fentanyl in Mr. Muhammad’s blood was a fatal dose.

    Following a preliminary assessment of the incident, OSI determined that the failure of the correction officer to call a medical emergency or provide immediate aid to Mr. Muhammad qualified as an omission, or failure to perform a duty imposed by law, which contributed to Mr. Muhammad’s death. Therefore, OSI conducted this investigation pursuant to Executive Law Section 70-b.

    Under New York law, proving criminally negligent homicide as an omission would require proving beyond a reasonable doubt, among other things, that the correction officer caused Mr. Muhammad’s death. In this case, the medical examiner determined that while providing Narcan when Mr. Muhammad was first observed in a disoriented state, or in the ensuing hours when the officer failed to check on Mr. Muhammad, might have increased his chance of survival, there is no guarantee that it would have saved his life. OSI concluded that although the correction officer’s failure to call a medical emergency or render aid contributed to his death, a prosecutor would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that this failure caused Mr. Muhammad’s death. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Joins Fight Against International Arms Trafficking

    Source: US State of California

    Friday, September 20, 2024

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

     
    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as part of a coalition of 14 attorneys general, submitted a multi-state letter to congressional leaders supporting the passage of the Caribbean Arms Trafficking Causes Harm Act (CATCH Act) and encouraging Congress to take additional steps to stop the flow of illegally trafficked firearms from the United States into the Caribbean. The flow of such illegally trafficked arms has led to a rise in gun violence in the Caribbean, and particularly in Haiti, which is experiencing deteriorating security conditions amidst increased gang violence, making it more challenging for international agencies to provided much-needed humanitarian aid.

    “We must stop the flow of illegal weapons from the United States to our neighbors in the Caribbean,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The CATCH Act is a step forward in the fight against gun violence in our nation and internationally. My office is committed to the safety and well-being of residents of California and beyond our borders. We will never stop pushing for commonsense measures to prevent gun violence.”

    The CATCH Act would require the U.S. Coordinator for Caribbean Firearms Prosecutions to provide an annual report to Congress on implementation of anti-arms-trafficking provisions, including the number, destination, and method of transportation of firearms, ammunition, and accessories in relation to investigations and prosecutions, and coordination of efforts with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, and any regional or international organizations. The letter urges Congress to consider additional ways to address illegal arms trafficking by providing sufficient resources to inspectors at U.S. ports and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), and requesting briefings from relevant U.S. agencies.

    Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the District of Columbia in filing the brief.

    A copy of the comment letter can be found here.
     

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Hochul Addresses Phones in Schools

    Source: US State of New York

    Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul delivered remarks on phones in schools at NYSUT’s “Disconnected” Conference in Albany.

    VIDEO of the event is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.

    AUDIO of the Governor’s remarks is available here.

    PHOTOS of the event will be available on the Governor’s Flickr page.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

    Thank you. Yes, this is an extraordinary gathering of people that we could not have foreseen. When we started to talk about this a year ago, a few enlightened people came forward, people like Melinda, but others were not so sure we could take on something so bold and audacious. But that’s right up my alley. I like to do that. The issues that others say are too hard to tackle and move on, I say, bring them on.

    But when I have allies like NYSUT and Melinda Person, and all the others gathered here, our school board members, our PTA, our school superintendents, our districts, our principals, parents – I can say there’s no stopping us.

    We could not have imagined, just a year ago, a day like today. Absolutely not. And to have so many people here willing to stand up and do what is right – I want to acknowledge some of my colleagues in government. I notice that Senator Shelley Mayer has joined us here, Senator Mayer. Assemblymember Pat Fahy has joined us, Pat Fahy. I saw Harvey Epstein here coming up from the city, Harvey, great to see you as well.

    The easiest thing in life is doing nothing. But when it comes to our kids on an issue like we’re talking about today, doing nothing is simply not an option. When I took office, I vowed change. I had seen that our mental health system here in the State of New York had languished from neglect. Forgotten. No one talked about it. But yet, New Yorkers were suffering. And you know who was suffering the most? Our kids.

    I can guarantee that every adult in this room does not wake up thinking about the pandemic anymore. COVID is in the rearview mirror for you. My friends, after listening to countless young people, it is still having an effect on their mental health today. What they went through for a year, a year and a half, two years, has profoundly impacted their quality of life and their well-being. We have to acknowledge that. We have to acknowledge that these kids are suffering.

    And I made a commitment to transform New York’s mental health system. And we do it, we don’t go halfway. We boosted funding by $1 billion to show our commitment. Investing in more psychiatric beds and services, and setting aside millions of dollars to help kids with programs: suicide prevention efforts, eating disorder care, peer to peer programs. But you know what was so important to me? Was the school-based mental health clinics that — when I was growing up, or my kids who are now adults were growing up — you wouldn’t have thought you needed. But today, we need them.

    And we listened to the kids, we listened to parents, and I could not ignore the trends that were emerging beyond the pandemic. What else was having such a detrimental effect on our kids’ mental health? And we learned that coinciding with the pandemic was the rise in addictive algorithms, intentionally designed by social media companies to grab your child, your student, and hold them — hold them captive.

    Every generation has struggles. I’m a former teenage girl. I know it’s not the easiest time in life. I raised a teenage girl. I’m still around to talk about it. And we’re very close now, okay? And none of this is news to you, but the parents and teachers of today are wrestling with something that is unprecedented. And you see this. All of you.

    I’m not telling you something that those of you who are in constant communication with our kids, our teachers, our administrators, our school boards, you know what I’m talking about. You are on the front lines. And I’m proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with NYSUT and educators to say that, first of all, we have to make sure there’s sufficient funding for our schools overall.

    We have increased school aid. We have increased school aid by over $5 billion in two years, the largest funding increase in history and fully funding Foundation Aid for the first time ever. Tier 6 retirement benefits there to help our teachers. Overhauling the reading curriculum.

    I listened to Melinda, I listened to Randi Weingarten, I listened to Mike Mulgrew about how we’re teaching in our schools, why we’re teaching reading, and phonics based on a system that was put in place 20 years ago and is not successful. So, I don’t mind reaching into the world and saying we can do better.

    All these investments have been made with one sole purpose: to do what’s best for our kids. But listen, there’s something else going on. What we had to do was address these algorithms aggressively because I’ll never forget one of the round tables I did locally with a number of high school students. They were describing to me what they were going through, and I felt as a mom, more than anything. My heart was breaking, because this young woman said to me, “We can’t put down the phones in schools. We can’t do it. You have to save us from ourselves.”

    This was a cry for help. It hits you right here when you’re a mom, you’re a parent, you’re a teacher who cares. You can’t ignore that. What she was referring to was the fact that she’d be ostracized. That she had to know that the kids were talking about what she was wearing that day or what she was saying, what she was doing in school or their meeting in the lavatory – she needed to be connected because if you weren’t, you were a social outcast. But just imagine a world where no one has the phone with them. No one is an outcast. No one has to worry about being bullied when they should be paying attention to their teacher in the front of the classroom. This is the world we’re talking about. The anxiety, the depression, the sadness that never seems to go away. I have close family members, I’m watching them, spiraling. They need help.

    So, we took on the social media companies. Not an easy task. I’ll tell you that right now, not for the faint of heart. But I said to them, with all these threats of litigation against us, you’re going to lose in court. Get out of the courtroom, and get into my conference room. We can work on this together. We don’t have to be adversarial, because I guarantee your corporate leadership, your CEOs, your employees also see what’s going on with the product you’re creating. And there must be limitations on this. Leave our children alone. Let them get some sleep at night. Don’t be bombarding them 24 hours a day with messaging that they did not ask for.

    That’s the whole nature of this. They’re taking information about your child, your student, and monetizing their mental health by bombarding them with advertising and messaging over and over again. They can go to social media sites if they want to. They can go to support groups. They can go where they want to go. But this is about them being on the receiving end of something they did not ask for.

    We changed the law. I thank our legislators. I thank Nily Rozic, I thank Andrew Gounardes, those two leaders for being champions and for standing with me and our Attorney General, Tish James. Last October we did a press conference with our teachers and everybody. And we said, we are going to make sure that New York leads. We’re going to be number one in the nation in terms of how far we are willing to go because the costs are so high if we do nothing. Online privacy – you should not be capturing information about our kids and selling it. You should not be hitting them during nighttime hours and parents should be able to be aware and turn off the addictive algorithms. You cannot send them this information anymore. And we got it through.

    The regulations being worked on and the rest of the nation is paying attention. Look at Instagram this past week. I’m not saying they went all the way. They have some more to do, but at least they took that step that everybody told me a year ago was impossible. “Wait, how will we ever know whether it’s someone under 18 or not? We don’t have the ability to do that. So, we cannot limit our activity with kids under 18.” I said, “Really? You’re tech companies, you know how to figure this out.” Surprise. They figured it out. And that’s what they did this week. I need others to do that.

    So, we’re looking at this. We’re looking at the Surgeon General report on how children are held captive. Three hours is dangerous, the average is five. I’m listening to teachers, 72 percent who say across the country this is a huge distraction. The teachers I met in person who said, “I’m in competition. I’m trying to teach, I’m trying to engage, make eye contact, have a relationship with these kids because that’s how I can create a bond. And they’re not even looking at me. I’m tired of this, this is getting too hard.”

    Those are direct quotes from teachers who want to do their jobs. We have to help them as well. So let me say this. We are doing something. We’re taking on the tech giants. They’re starting to come around. We need Washington to do more. You’ll hear more about that. And I thank Randi Weingarten for being a national leader on this and being our champion in Washington, D.C. Thank you, Randi. Thank you.

    But the cell phone in schools issue: I will tell you this, this has been an evolution for me personally. My kids were in middle school during Columbine, right? This is when you have that sense of security shaken to the core that something could happen to your child when they’re out of your watch. Something devastating. A shooting. A mass shooting. I was listening to a lot of people who thought that you need to have that connection all day long, just in case something happens. And I realized my first thought was wrong.

    When I listened to law enforcement who said, if there is a crisis on the school grounds, there is a shooter running loose. The last thing you want happening is for your child to be looking at their cell phone, maybe videoing, sending messages, trying to go viral, and not paying attention to the adult in the room who is trained to get them to safety.

    All I needed to hear was that from multiple members of law enforcement, and I said, you know what, you’re right. And I also want our kids to grow up free from this influence throughout the day. I can’t help what happens after hours, Mom and Dad, that’s up to all of you. We need to do more. We need to set the example as well. Let’s set the example as well.

    When it comes to the school day, I want our kids to be kids again. I want them to talk to each other in the hallways. I want them to yell and talk to each other in the schoolyard, I want them to communicate during lunchtime. I want them to develop the interpersonal relationships that are not occurring right now, because I’ve said this many times, our number one job is to raise adults, not raise kids. Our job is to raise adults, fully functioning adults who emerge from childhood with the social skills that they develop in school settings. They’re being denied that now, because the cell phone has taken over human interaction.

    We can stop this now. We can work with the kids who’ve already had to deal with the stress and the anxiety and all those pressures. We can help them, but wouldn’t it be fantastic to know that their younger siblings will enter a very different world, closer to our childhoods, when you went out and kicked a ball, you talked to someone on the phone for fun, you got together and went to the movies.

    Your world was not taken into a device. We owe that to our kids, my friends. We owe that to them. Let’s right the wrongs of the past, when nobody had the courage to stand up and say, this has gone too far. We do not have leaders, like Melinda Person and everybody in this room, say enough is enough. Let’s let our kids have a childhood free from this interference, this disruption.

    I guarantee they’ll be able to emerge fully functioning in technology, go to the tech jobs, all the opposition I’m hearing, I can find an answer and say, no, this is more important. My question is this: are you with me when it comes to saving our children right here and right now? Are you with me?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Urges Congress to Pass Legislation to Stop Gun Trafficking into Caribbean Countries

    Source: US State of New York

    NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today led a coalition of 12 attorneys general calling on Congress to take action to stop gun trafficking from the United States to Caribbean countries. In their letter, the attorneys general write that gun trafficking from the United States has contributed to gun violence in Caribbean countries, where many New Yorkers and Americans have families. The coalition outlines a number of measures Congress can take to help reduce gun trafficking into the Caribbean, including ensuring inspectors at ports have enough resources to make inspections and passing the Caribbean Arms Trafficking Causes Harm (CATCH) Act. The CATCH Act would provide state and federal governments with more information about gun trafficking into the Caribbean and determine which anti-gun trafficking methods are working to reduce gun violence.

    “American-made guns are flowing into Caribbean nations and communities and fueling violence, chaos, and senseless tragedies throughout the region,” said Attorney General James. “This issue hits especially close to home, as many New Yorkers have family in Caribbean nations who are enduring dangerous conditions, partially because of easy access to dangerous weapons from our country. We have a responsibility to address this crisis, and that is why I am calling on Congress to take action to stop gun trafficking into Caribbean countries. When we tackle the gun violence crisis from every angle, we protect everyone.”

    In their letter, Attorney General James and the coalition of attorneys general write that the number of guns smuggled into the Caribbean from the United States has surged in recent years and contributes significantly to gun violence in those countries. For instance, a 2023 United Nations report indicated that the United States has been a “principal source of firearms and munitions in Haiti.” Additionally, the Jamaican Security Ministry estimates that at least 200 guns are trafficked from the United States into the country each month. The attorneys general write that addressing the outbound flow of guns from the United States is “a service to our constituents,” many of whom have ties to family and loved ones in the Caribbean.

    Attorney General James and the coalition of attorneys general are calling on Congress to pass the CATCH Act, which would give both state and federal governments much-needed information about gun trafficking into Caribbean countries and anti-trafficking measures. In addition, the attorneys general are asking Congress to take additional steps to stop gun trafficking into those countries, including by:

    • Ensuring that inspectors at American ports are given sufficient resources to inspect shipments being sent from the United States to countries in the Caribbean; 
    • Ensuring that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has sufficient funding to inspect federal firearms licensees that are responsible for a disproportionate number of firearms that are traced after having been used in crimes in countries in the Caribbean; and
    • Requesting briefings from the United States Postal Service, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Justice about their ongoing efforts to interdict shipments of guns from the United States to countries in the Caribbean, with a focus on what additional resources and legal tools they need to accomplish this important task.

    Joining Attorney General James in sending today’s letter are the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.

    “I am appreciative of Attorney General James on these latest actions to stop gun trafficking from the U.S. to Caribbean nations,” said U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat. “I introduced legislation in Congress to reauthorize funding for the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), which further strengthens our actions to combat crime and illicit drug trafficking, while supporting peace and stability to the region. I commend Attorney General James and each of the attorneys general for their ongoing state-federal collaboration to stop the flow of gun trafficking between our nations.”

    “American gun manufacturers aren’t just flooding our own streets with weapons of war, they’re exporting our gun violence epidemic to neighboring nations like Haiti,” said U.S. Representative Dan Goldman. “I welcome Attorney General James’ leadership in calling for the stemming of illegal international gun trafficking and will continue working in Congress to crack down on illegal gun traffickers by finally passing commonsense gun safety legislation that safeguards communities both at home and abroad.” 

    “Gun trafficking is having devastating impacts on families here at home and around the world. We must do everything in our power to stop this illegal flow of weapons that is leading to deadly gun violence,” said U.S. Representative Joe Morelle. “As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have continually called for sufficient funding for ATF and increased resources to stop gun trafficking. I am grateful to Attorney General James for her leadership and partnership on this important issue and I look forward to our continued work together.” 

    “The unfettered flow of illegal guns from States without gun safety laws doesn’t just harm Americans—these weapons are being trafficked out of the country to facilitate crimes in Caribbean countries,” said U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler. “I applaud Attorney General James’ leadership to fight the epidemic of gun violence and will continue to support these commonsense efforts to end the trafficking of weapons both within and from the United States.”  

    “As we work to root out gun violence at home, we must also act to eliminate the scourge of arms trafficking on our neighbors,” said U.S. Representative Nydia M. Velázquez. “Weapons trafficking is currently fueling instability in Caribbean nations, particularly in Hati, where guns from the United States are empowering gangs to terrorize their communities, and I thank Attorney General James for highlighting this issue. Congress must pass the CATCH Act to help provide authorities with the information needed to disrupt trafficking networks and ultimately make the U.S. and the nations of the Caribbean safer.”  

    “We’ve long known that firearms are being trafficked around the US, flooding our communities with deadly weapons and putting our lives and safety at risk,” said Senator Zellnor Y. Myrie. “I’m proud to have written the nation’s first law to hold bad actors in the gun industry liable for reckless conduct that allows this situation to occur, and honored to stand with our Attorney General as she leads the fight against gun trafficking from the US to Caribbean nations.”              

    “We cannot turn a blind eye to the devastating impact that gun trafficking from the United States is having on our Caribbean neighbors and it is our duty to take action. The CATCH Act is a crucial step toward implementing effective measures to combat this crisis,” said Senator Roxanne J. Persaud. “I thank Attorney General James and the attorneys general for helping to protect communities both here and abroad from the scourge of gun violence.” 

    “Attorney General James’ leadership in calling for the CATCH Act is a vital step toward protecting our communities,” said Senator Luis Sepulveda. “Gun trafficking from the U.S. into the Caribbean has devastating consequences, and we must do everything in our power to combat this crisis. I stand firmly with the Attorney General in urging Congress to take action.”

    “America’s deadly gun epidemic is spreading like wildfire to vulnerable Caribbean nations,” said Assemblymember Khaleel M. Anderson. “Weapons trafficking from within the United States exports violence into the Caribbean, destabilizes island nations, and jeopardizes their sovereignty. We owe it to the millions in diaspora in New York to take meaningful action to stem the flow of illegal firearms into the Caribbean. I am proud to stand with Attorney General James in urging swift federal action to ensure justice and save countless innocent lives.” 

    “The unchecked flow of illegal guns from the United States into the Caribbean is fueling violence and destabilizing communities across the region,” said Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest. “Congress must act now to pass comprehensive legislation to stop gun trafficking, and I applaud Attorney General James for her leadership on this issue. Our Caribbean neighbors deserve safety, stability, and the ability to thrive without the constant threat of gun violence, which we know all too well here at home. By strengthening enforcement, closing loopholes, and promoting regional cooperation, we can protect lives on both sides of our borders and build a safer future for all.” 

    “Thank you, Attorney General James, for enforcing laws meant to protect the lives of Americans,” said Assemblymember Charles Lavine. “We all must continue to fight the pandemic of gun violence using all means necessary which includes action such as this and passing strong but sensible gun legislation.”   

    “The inexcusable violence that continues in the Caribbean cannot be fueled by trafficked American weapons,” said Assemblymember Michaelle C. Solages. “Congress must work collaboratively with states, local governments, and our international partners to ensure enough is being done to stop this gun trafficking. Passing the CATCH Act will help stop this outflow of weaponry which is making the humanitarian situation worse in Haiti and across the region. I commend Attorney General James and this coalition of state attorneys general for their efforts to make everyone safer from gun violence.” 

    “We commend Attorney General James for leading the charge to urge Congress to pass the CATCH Act which will help curb the devastating gang violence occurring in the Caribbean, most notably in Haiti,” said Assemblymember Clyde Vanel. “Curbing the flow of illegal firearms from the United States is critical to promote security in our hemisphere and it also deeply impacts families and communities here in New York, including many New Yorkers like myself who have direct ties to these regions. We must do all we can to protect our loved ones and foster stability both at home and abroad.” 

    “I join Attorney General James and concerned residents here and abroad in calling on Congress to take action to stop the illegal trafficking of guns from America to Caribbean countries,” said Assemblymember Latrice Walker. “Passing the Caribbean Arms Trafficking Causes Harm (CATCH) Act will help federal and local authorities figure out the best ways to combat the flow of weapons, which inevitably fall into the hands of criminals. I have many friends in my district in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and in neighboring communities who have relatives in Jamaica and Haiti, two of the countries that, unfortunately, are far too often destinations for these guns. This legislation would pay safety dividends to the people of the Caribbean. I urge Congress to pass it.” 

    “As the co-chair of the Anti-Gun Violence Subcommittee of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus, and an advocate for over 20 years, representing one of the largest Caribbean communities in New York, it is imperative that in efforts to heal our communities of gun violence, we continue to advocate for support beyond our borders by putting an end to gun trafficking,” said Assemblymember Monique Chandler-Waterman. “I stand with Attorney General James and my fellow colleagues in the legislature to highlight the urgent need to reduce gun trafficking impacting the peace and security of our beloved Caribbean nations. Supporting the CATCH Act is vital for state and federal governments to ensure we receive the necessary information to activate working methods to reduce gun trafficking.” 

    “As a strong supporter of long-overdue gun safety initiatives in the United States, I am especially cognizant of how preventing the flow of illegal firearms is both a matter of public safety and promoting in Caribbean nations just a short distance from America’s shores,” said Nassau County Legislature Deputy Minority Leader Arnold W. Drucker. “I applaud Attorney General James for spearheading a vital effort to disrupt international crime syndicates that enhances America’s security both at home and abroad.” 

    Since taking office in 2019, Attorney General James has removed more than 7,400 firearms from New York streets and communities through buyback events and takedowns of illegal gun trafficking rings. In May 2024, Attorney General James took more than 200 guns off the streets in Kingston and Watervliet. Attorney General James has also been a national leader in protecting New Yorkers from gun violence. In August 2024, Attorney General James led a coalition of 22 attorneys general in support of commonsense state and federal laws that regulate the sale of guns to keep communities safe. In April 2024, Attorney General James took down gun traffickers for selling ghost guns and other firearms in Central New York. In March 2024, Attorney General James secured a $7.8 million judgment against gun retailer Indie Guns for illegally selling ghost gun components in New York. In February 2024, Attorney General James announced the takedowns of a gun trafficking network that sold ghost guns and assault-style rifles and a narcotics trafficking network in Dutchess County.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Addresses Gender-Based Pay Discrimination in Lawsuit Against Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs

    Source: US State of California

    The Justice Department has reached a settlement agreement to resolve a gender-based pay discrimination lawsuit filed in January 2023 against the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs (WDMA). The lawsuit alleged that the WDMA discriminated against former employee Michelle Hartness, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, when it offered her a lower salary than similarly or less qualified men for a director position in the Wisconsin Division of Emergency Management. 

    Title VII is a federal statute that prohibits pay discrimination and other forms of employment discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin or religion.

    “It is time to close the gender pay gap which stands as one of the most pressing problems that we face in the labor market today. This settlement agreement demonstrates the Justice Department’s strong commitment to vindicating the rights of qualified job applicants and employees who are offered or paid less simply because they are women,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will continue to aggressively hold state and local government employers accountable when they unlawfully deny women the right to bring home the full paycheck they have rightly earned.”

    Under the settlement agreement, WDMA will pay Ms. Hartness a $175,000 monetary award. By signing the agreement, WDMA also confirms that it maintains antidiscrimination and other personnel policies to prevent compensation discrimination, including a pay-setting policy to establish consistency in setting salaries, and that it trains personnel on the pay-setting policy.

    Ms. Hartness filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC’s Milwaukee Area Office investigated the charge and found reasonable cause to believe that Ms. Hartness was discriminated against because of her sex.  After unsuccessful conciliation efforts, the EEOC referred the charge to the Justice Department.

    Senior Trial Attorneys Patricia Stasco, Chrisine Dinan and Catherine Sellers and Trial Attorney Young Choi of the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section handled the case.

    The full and fair enforcement of Title VII is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Employment Litigation Section is available at www.justice.gov/crt/ and www.justice.gov/crt/employment-litigation-section.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Texas Couple Charged in Multimillion-Dollar Tax Refund Fraud Scheme

    Source: US State of California

    A federal grand jury in Tyler, Texas, returned an indictment yesterday charging a Texas husband and wife with crimes related to their conspiracy to defraud the United States by seeking fraudulent tax refunds. 

    According to the indictment, from 2017 to 2023, Larry and Rebecca Kalmowitz filed false tax returns in the name of estates and trusts that sought $42 million in fraudulent refunds, ultimately receiving over $23 million from the IRS. The returns allegedly falsely reported interest income and large amounts of income tax withholdings to the IRS that resulted in large tax refunds to which they were not otherwise entitled. The Kalmowitzs allegedly created bank accounts in the names of the estates and trusts and deposited the fraudulently obtained tax refund checks into those accounts. They allegedly used the proceeds to purchase real property that they placed in the name of a nominee and to purchase luxury vehicles, including a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 and a Mercedes-Benz GLS450. When the IRS attempted to recover the fraudulent funds, the Kalmowitzs allegedly took steps to obstruct the recovery by, among other things, filing false forms to support the claimed income and withholdings and a false form to release a federal lien.

    Both were charged with mail fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the United States and filing a false claim against the United States. If convicted, the Kalmowitzs each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of mail fraud, a maximum penalty of 10 years for each count of money laundering, a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy to defraud the United States and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of filing a false claim against the United States. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Damien Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Zachary Cobb and Daniel Lipkowitz of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Locker for the Eastern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –