Monthly Archives: May 2022

The NRA Foundation Awards 2022 State Fund Grant to the McGraw High School Clay Target League Team – Cortland Voice

Posted: May 17, 2022 at 7:40 pm

McGraw High School Clay Target League Trap Team. (Photo Source: NRA Foundation & McGraw Clay Target Team).

Press release from the NRA Foundation.

The NRA Foundation has awarded the McGraw High School Clay Target League Team a grant valued at $400 in the form of five cases of ammunition to benefit the team. We are thrilled to be recipients of another grant, said the coaches. Securing ammunition for our team is fundamental to our success, and we are truly grateful for the support of the NRA.

The students happily accepted the granted ammunition. They are in the midst of their third season, currently ranking in the top of Conference 2A against eight other high schools. Seventeen students are expected to compete in the 2022 New York State High School Clay Target League State Tournament in Bridgeport, NY for Trap which will be held on June 27, 2022. McGraw School also expects to have several individuals and hopefully a team represented at the USA High School Clay Target League National Championship in Michigan.

The Clay Target team is an extremely popular extra-curricular in our high school, says Melinda McCool, Superintendent of Schools. We are very grateful to the NRA for the support of our team. As an avid hunter, I am pleased with the efforts of our coaches and parents to encourage our children to participate safely and with respect.

Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is Americas oldest civil rights and sportsmens group. Five million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and is the leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military. Visit nra.org.

Established in 1990, The NRA Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that raises tax-deductible contributions in support of a wide range of firearm-related public interest activities of the National Rifle Association of America and other organizations that defend and foster the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans. These activities are designed to promote firearm and hunting safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those participating in the shootings sports, and to educate the general public about firearms in their historic, technological, and artistic context. More information about The NRA Foundation can be found online at http://www.nrafoundation.org.

Friends of NRA is a grassroots fund-raising program that fosters community involvement to organize and, with help from NRA field staff, plan community events for firearms enthusiasts. All net proceeds from Friends of NRA events are allocated to The NRA Foundation, the leading charitable organization in support of the shooting sports. Through NRA Foundation grants for equipment, training materials, range improvements, and more, qualified local, state, and national programs receive aid to involve and inspire a new generation of competitive shooters. Learn more about Friends of NRA at http://www.friendsofnra.org.

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Letter: Wheeler is vital to success in House – nwestiowa.com

Posted: at 7:40 pm

To The REVIEW:

It is with great enthusiasm that I endorse Rep. Skyler Wheeler in the June primary and the general election.

As a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, I know what effective leadership looks like, and I have observed Rep. Wheeler become one of the strongest and most consistent conservative voices in the Iowa House. His leadership has been vital in the passage of key pieces of legislation in support of our common-sense, foundational values.

Rep. Wheeler was a major voice in the passage of the Heartbeat Bill, which at the time of its passage was the strongest protection in the nation for our unborn children. He was also instrumental in the passage of other pieces of pro-life legislation, including the 24-hour waiting period, and most recently the Life Amendment to reverse the egregious Cady Court ruling that placed a fundamental right to abortion in the Iowa Constitution.

A strong advocate for the Second Amendment, Rep. Wheeler has been a leading voice in the passage of numerous Second Amendment initiatives, including protections for gun manufacturers against frivolous lawsuits intended to put them out of business, Constitutional Carry, and the Freedom Amendment, which when passed will add the right to keep and bear arms to the Iowa Constitution.

Rep. Wheeler stood with me as I worked to pass legislation to ban sanctuary cities in Iowa. He has been a strong voice for religious freedom. In every major fight for the advancement of our foundational values, Rep. Wheeler was and is in the thick of it, and his influence in the House Republican caucus is strong.

In the current legislative session, Rep. Wheeler led the fight to protect womens sports in Iowa. It was his tenacity, over a several-year period, which led to the enactment of these important protections into law.

Rep. Wheeler is one of the strongest and most steadfast conservative leaders in the Iowa House, and his integrity is without question. I respectfully and enthusiastically ask that he be supported in the primary and the general election. His courage and determination are vital to our continued success in the Iowa House.

Rep. Steven Holt,

Iowa House District 18,

Denison

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Letter: Wheeler is vital to success in House - nwestiowa.com

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Key bills seem headed to oblivion with conference committees at loggerheads – New Hampshire Business Review

Posted: at 7:40 pm

With new language added, cryptocurrency, homeless aid measures stir differences between Senate, House

The NH Senate and House are controlled by the same party, but that wasnt what it sounded like as initial committees of conference tried to work out their different versions of bills passed by each body.

Of course, there were many times on Monday when both sides could agree on several bills. Both sides compromised on bills about PFAS remediation and easing up on small hazardous waste generators (House Bill 1547), establishing a Medicaid dental benefit (HB 103), giving day care centers that are being investigated more of a fair shake (HB 230) and a bill giving hospital patients the right to designated a loved one to visit (HB 1439).

But then there was HB 1503, amended by the Senate to include language to support an old industry steel in a bill that seeks to promote an up-and-coming industry cryptocurrency. The House bill would update the Uniform Commercial Code, relative to exempting the exchange of open blockchain tokens from certain securities laws.

Rep. John Hunt, R-Rindge, said at the conference committee that it was offensive to add language to a bill that would require the state ot only use U.S. steel for large contracts, since it could raise the prices of state contracts.

The House had previously passed the steel bill Senate Bill 438 but then attached the language of HB 1171, a bill that would have eased cosmetology licensing requirements that the Senate sent to study at the end of last month.

If we start pointing fingers at each other, its important to realize that the Senate didnt fire the first shot, Sen. Sharon Carson. R-Londonderry. What do you want to do? Do you want us to walk away?

Hunt said that the cryptocurrency bill would eventually pass, so if the Senate wants to fall on its sword (when) here we have this golden opportunity and to put in a taxpayer subsidy to an old industry is not appropriate. It opens up a can of worms.

If it opens up a can of worms, we will take them as we get them, Carson replied. We have companies that manufacture steel here, and they provide good-paying jobs. We are protecting those business and keeping those people working.

While both sides talked vaguely about setting up another conference committee, as of Tuesday morning nothing was scheduled, and that wasnt a good sign for the measure. Conferees have until Thursday to sign off on all bills.

Homeless funding

Similarly, the Senates attempt to load the language of three other bills onto HB 1662 which deals with privacy obligations at the state Department of Health and Human Services seemed to be going nowhere at the conference on Monday.

One of the Senate amendments would have added $5 million in funding to aid the homeless, but the Senate conferees added a twist: The money would go to the towns based on Medicaid enrollment rather than homeless shelters.

There were two arguments behind the change: lots of homeless people dont reach the states shelters which combined have space for 965 people. Estimates of the number of homeless people in the state range between 1,500 and 4,000.

Second, it might be a better use of the states resources to prevent homelessness rather than just shelter people. House members were intrigued by the idea but rejected it for several reasons: It was not part of the budget process; it would be hard for each town to figure out how to spend the money; and it wasnt in the original language of either version of the bill.

The second amendment formerly SB 209 would have allowed employers to pay workers electronically, even if the employee would rather get a paper check. This wasnt the way the debate was framed by either side. Carson presented it as a way to give employees more options, including a debit card.

We are so far behind the times, said Carson, arguing that this is the way the state distributes welfare benefits. Only private employers are mired in a system suited to the 1940s. Its time we joined the modern age.

But House members were concerned about some of the safeguards the Senate put in to protect workers when it comes to debit cards. ;They shall be liable for late payment of wages whenever the replacement wages are provided after the designated payday, quoted Leonard Turcotte, R-Barrington. Really?

The House conferees biggest objection is the requirement that an employer would have to replace a lost, stolen or damaged card within 24 hours of being notified. What if this should happen over the weekend? Turcotte asked. He said the law should simply say the employer should inform the worker how he or she is to be paid and pay them that way.

The third add-on to HB 1662 was the language of SB 355, which would require that large online marketplaces that handle transactions themselves, such as Amazon and eBay, have to disclose sales of high volumes of merchandise. The bill, strongly supported by the NH Retail Association, would help law enforcement agencies track down criminal operations that buy up stolen merchandise from brick-and-mortar stores and dispose of it online.

House members continued to oppose including the language. Nonetheless they agreed to continue negotiations at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

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From worms to war: The unlikely beginnings of NATO’s next top general – POLITICO

Posted: at 7:39 pm

Cavoli President Joe Bidens nominee to lead U.S. European Command and become NATOs supreme allied commander in Europe would go on to graduate from Princeton University in 1987 with an A.B. in biology. His senior thesis, The Effect of Earthworms on the Vertical Distribution of Slime Molds in the Soil, didnt exactly foreshadow the career of a wartime military leader.

After graduating, he received his officer commission and joined the infantry, deploying to the first Gulf War and spending time in Italy and Germany. Along the way, he got a masters degree from Yale in Russian Studies, adding a fluency in that language to the Italian and French he had already picked up.

The Yale degree would normally result in a fork in an Army officers career. His new role as a foreign area officer focused on Russia, along with a stint on the Pentagons Joint Staff looking at Moscow, typically spells the end of operational deployments and four-star commands. But Cavoli has charted a career moving back and forth between front-line deployments to Afghanistan and leading infantry units to think tank and strategy jobs.

Hes had an unusual career progression compared to your average Army four-star, which I think is actually a good and encouraging thing, said Richard Hooker, former director for Europe and Russia for the National Security Council and dean of the NATO Defense College in Rome.

Since 2018, those two sides of his career path have been at work as Cavoli has sought to transform how and where U.S. and NATO forces train for war. If confirmed by the Senate to take the new job, hell be responsible for leading those troops in an increasingly uncertain showdown with the Kremlin, taking the helm of an expanding NATO that is expected to more than double its border with Russia once Finland joins the alliance.

A decorated combat vet and universally praised four-star Army general, Cavoli is poised to become NATOs top general just as the alliance tackles the biggest challenge of the post-Cold War era: How to confront and deter Vladimir Putin as he continues his unhinged campaign in Ukraine.

I dont think theres ever been a moment like this where a new commander has come in and had so much on his plate on the first day, said Leah Scheunemann, the deputy director of the Transatlantic Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council.

Cavoli wont come into the job cold. Having served as the head of the Armys Europe/Africa command since 2018, hes lived in Germany for the past four years spearheading a series of NATO exercises that have been the largest and most ambitious since the 1980s, bringing dozens of nations including non-NATO partners Finland and Sweden into the fold in unprecedented ways.

In getting the buy-in across the continent to hold complex, weekslong exercises that stretch across borders and involve ground, air and naval forces, Cavoli has forged the kinds of connections that will be critical in keeping the angsty 30-member NATO alliance rowing in the same direction.

Hell also take the helm during a reimagining in Washington and across Europe over how they plan to fund and equip their militaries.

For years, the prevailing policy view across NATO was to avoid provoking Putin, but many of those considerations were tossed aside the night of Feb. 24, when Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine.

Soon after, countries began rushing weapons to Ukrainian forces, and NATO members such as Poland, Germany, Romania and hopefuls Finland and Sweden pledged billions more in security funding.

As head of U.S. Army Europe, Cavoli has played an important role in that, and I think hell continue to press that work at European Command and in the dual role as NATOs supreme allied commander for Europe, Hooker said.

Some of the changes in how NATO operates predate Februarys invasion and Cavolis tenure at U.S. Army Europe. Around the time he was appointed to the job, plans were already being made for larger, more ambitious military exercises across the continent. The culmination of that effort was the Defender 2020 exercise, which sent 20,000 U.S.-based troops to Europe to drill alongside 17,000 European troops stretching from Finland to Romania in the largest NATO exercise since the end of the Cold War.

Those exercises, and new NATO deployments to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea to backstop the alliances smallest members, are a work in progress. The Baltic countries in particular are pushing for a permanent NATO and specifically American presence within their borders, a request that Brussels continues to weigh.

Those issues along with the unveiling next month of NATOs first new strategic concept since 2011 will be top of mind at a NATO summit in Madrid scheduled for late June, which will see the heads of state of member nations, and likely Sweden and Finland. The meeting could also be Cavolis coming out ceremony as the most powerful military officer on the continent.

From his first days in office, Cavoli is going to be in the position of implementing this new strategic concept, which will include how the alliance intends to deal with China for the first time, Scheunemann said.

Hell also have to grapple with the war in Ukraine, calls from the Baltic nations for hard commitments for a larger alliance presence, integrating Finland and Sweden, military modernization, and working with the European Unions plans to increase its own defense spending.

With huge training events across the continent and a war in Ukraine that has pulled in the entire NATO alliance, Cavoli also sweats the small stuff.

Cavolis tenure at U.S. Army Europe has seen the reestablishment of the Armys V Corps in Germany, which coordinates maneuvers and logistics between U.S. and NATO, a new U.S. headquarters in Pozna, Poland, along with expanded rotational deployments to Romania and Poland. He has also thrown himself into more intricate issues such as launching studies of railroad gauges and transportation infrastructure in Eastern Europe, which often still use Warsaw Pact standards, in an effort to smooth the movement of NATO troops and materiel.

U.S. Army Europe has shared that information with the local governments and the European Union, and has worked to persuade EU nations to adopt a standard form for requesting the shipment of supplies across national borders to ease the bureaucracy of moving equipment quickly between allied nations.

Were proving solutions that weve implemented, were quick and methodical about that, Cavoli said in a February 2022 interview with the Association of the United States Army, an advocacy group.

All of this work on both major exercises and trying to align infrastructure across NATO contributes to not only his understanding of the theater, but also has ensured hes well known across the continent, Hooker said. That is really important at a time like this.

Before he can jump into the hot seat of leading changes in the U.S. presence on the continent and bringing allies along, first Cavoli will have to make it through the Senate. Current EUCOM chief, Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters, was slated to leave the post this month, but may extend if the Senate cant confirm Cavoli before leaving town for the summer.

The Senate Armed Services Committee is working to squeeze in a hearing to take up Cavolis nomination this month, said a committee staffer, who asked not to be named in order to discuss future plans for the panel.

Veteran SASC member Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) told POLITICO in a statement that the close coordination between the U.S. and Europe has never been more important than today as we confront Russias barbaric invasion of Ukraine, and as Putin looks to expand the reach of his malign influence throughout Europe. She added that Cavoli has had an exemplary career.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) listens during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the conclusion of military operations in Afghanistan and plans for future counterterrorism operations on Sept. 28, 2021 in Washington.|Sarahbeth Maney/The New York Times via AP, Pool

The crucible for Cavolis generation of officers has been the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his two tours to Afghanistan in some ways tie his time as a multilingual strategist and frontline soldier together.

In early 2006, when the Pentagon was focused on the unfolding chaos in Iraq, the Taliban were increasing their attacks on small U.S. outposts across Afghanistan, particularly in the mountainous east.

Then-Lt. Col. Cavoli brought the 700 soldiers of his 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment into that Afghanistan. Their arrival in March was the start of what would prove to be a bloody, 16-month deployment to the Korengal and Pech valleys, places that have become synonymous with the searing American experience there. Valleys and villages taken at a high cost were abandoned, and plans for stability and an enduring Afghan government presence ended in frustration.

It crushes people. Theres a lot of human debris left behind from a deployment like that, Cavoli would later tell author Wesley Morgan for The Hardest Place, his book about fighting in the valleys. The stress from the deployment which was extended by four months at the last moment took such a toll that Cavoli would later need dental work to repair damage caused by constantly grinding his teeth.

He would spend several years after Afghanistan teaching and studying in Germany before heading back in 2011, where he deployed for a year as deputy commander of Regional Command-West, serving under an Italian general where Cavoli was able to brush up on his Italian in a command more focused on training Afghan troops than fighting.

With Afghanistan behind him, Cavoli returned to Washington as a colonel, where he headed back to the Pentagon to work as a fellow on the Armys Strategic Studies Group for then-Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno.

Dave Johnson, a retired Army colonel who studies changes in modern warfare at the RAND Corporation, was picked by Odierno to run the group, and brought Cavoli aboard. I told Odierno at the time, I still believe it: Chris was the best colonel Ive ever met. And Ive spent 50 years in and around the Army, Johnson said.

Johnson would later recommend Cavoli to work as Odiernos executive officer.

I just cant think of anybody as prepared from an intellectual perspective or a combat perspective, to take the Europe job at this moment, Johnson said. Hes worked with almost every ground force commander in Europe at some point, he knows the political and operational landscape.

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Opinion | How to Reinvigorate NATO and Deter Putin’s Aggression – POLITICO

Posted: at 7:39 pm

This wont happen unless Europeans rapidly commit themselves to a concrete action plan that requires each NATO member to fulfill strong and specific military obligations on an annual basis. No less important, governments must place their troops under the control of a unified command structure. If each country sends its fighters into the field under its own national commander, their separate forces would be overwhelmed by coordinated Russian assaults, especially in an era of lightning-fast weapons.

This raises a very real institution-building challenge for the continents political leaders. Only the European Union is in a realistic position to organize a broad-based military effort. Its parliament is directly elected by the citizens of all the states in the Union. After each election, the majority of delegates choose an executive commission currently led by Ursula von der Leyen to make key policy decisions. This body has the precious democratic legitimacy required to embark on such an unprecedented military initiative.

At present, however, the treaties defining the powers of the EU dont grant the Union any war-making authority whatsoever. Before the commission can step into the breach, another key institution the Council of Ministers must propose revisions that empower the commission to move forward with its rigorous demands upon the member states.

The council consists of the chief executives of each country. But fortunately, its current leader is Emmanuel Macron who staked his presidential campaign against Marine Le Pen on an emphatically continental vision of Frances future. Many commentators have downplayed Macrons achievement by emphasizing Le Pens success in generating popular support for her hard-right nationalist program. Yet the fact remains that Macron is the first French president who has won a second term in office in the last 20 years and he did so by a decisive 59-41 margin.

The French president is the continental leader with the strongest democratic mandate to expand the EU treaties to authorize collaboration with NATO to confront the Russian military threat. Indeed, Macron has already stated that [i]n the coming weeks, we need to bring to being a European proposal to forge a new security and stability order. We need to build it between Europeans, then share it with our allies in the NATO framework.

Here is where Joe Biden can play a crucial role. He should not only publicly encourage Macron and von der Leyen to begin the hard bargaining required to enact the dramatic revisions to EU law required before a European army can become a reality. Since the reorganization of NATO also requires Americas consent to treaty revisions, Biden should immediately announce his strong support for the necessary changes.

Normally, of course, it is virtually impossible to win the two-thirds Senate majority needed for treaty revisions. The Ukraine bloodbath, however, has dramatically transformed the political situation. With Macron and von der Leyen embarking on their own intensive efforts to reconstruct NATO, Biden will be in a strong position to gain the bipartisan support of a supermajority especially since the Europeans are now prepared, at long last, to pay their fair share of the overall defense effort. It will take a lot of hard work to develop a concrete action program for the new continental army and assure its effective implementation in each of the states of the European Union. If serious efforts to lay the legal foundations dont start immediately, Europe wont have a realistic chance of putting a fighting force on the ground by 2030.

Even if Democrats lose control of the Senate in 2022, this will be one of the rare issues where Capitol Hill will likely stand behind the president. In the meantime, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his team can offer concrete help to Macron and von der Leyen in their ambitious campaign to gain broad-based political support for the reconstruction of NATO on their side of the Atlantic.

Even with Americas help, their success is by no means assured. At best, it will take a year or two of wheeling-and-dealing before EU leaders can gain the legal authority to develop a concrete action program and assure its effective enforcement in each of the states of the European Union. Nevertheless, there will never be a better time to make this effort and if it succeeds, Putin and his successors will confront a decisive deterrent.

In giving their strong support to the European effort, however, Biden and the Senate should also insist that the new NATO remain faithful to its founding principles. In particular, when the treaty was first signed in 1949, NATO members attached a fundamental condition to their pledge of mutual military assistance. They made it clear that they would come to a countrys defense only if its government was making a good-faith effort to strengthen their free institutions. Otherwise, it could not rely on its NATO allies to come to its defense against attack.

Seventy-five years later, it is painfully apparent that some NATO countries are working to destroy freedom rather than strengthen it. Turkey is the most obvious example. Over the past decade, it has been transformed into an authoritarian state by Recep Tayyip Erdoan. Worse yet, Erdoan sent his army to help Syrias despotic regime fight NATOs troops battling against the very alliance he and his predecessors had pledged to support. Since Turkey is neither a reliable ally nor a defender of free institutions, Biden and the Senate should refuse to sign a treaty that continues to recognize it as a NATO member.

Hungary is a tougher case. Like Erdoan, Viktor Orbn has used his time in office to create an illiberal democracy, which decisively undermines NATOs founding commitment to freedom. Moreover, when he was running for reelection during the early days of the Ukraine war, he condemned Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as an enemy of the Hungarian nation and campaigned on a platform that opposed any EU sanctions against Russia for its invasion. He then used his control of the mass media to deny his opponents a fair opportunity to challenge his celebration of Putins aggression. As a consequence, Orbns landslide victory at the polls only dramatizes his success in entrenching his illiberal principles into the nations constitution.

At the very least, Biden should insist that Hungary be suspended from NATO until it can credibly reestablish that it has dramatically changed course and is on the way to rebuilding its free institutions. There is every reason to believe that the leadership in Brussels and Paris would respond to this American initiative with enthusiasm. Indeed, von der Leyen is already leading the commission down a rarely invoked path that would strip Hungary of the billion-dollar EU subsidies its government receives which Orbn now uses as a slush fund to sustain his dictatorial ambitions.

The commission is also seriously considering similar steps against Poland in response to its continuing defiance of decisions by the European Court of Justice, which has declared that the current government is violating fundamental principles of constitutional democracy to which the European Union is committed. If von der Leyen gains the necessary support to suspend Polands voting privileges in parliament until it complies with the courts demands, Biden should support its suspension from the Alliance as well.

The challenges ahead are extraordinary. But the reconstruction of NATO not only represents the Wests best chance to prevent future Russian aggression. It also offers an opportunity for the United States and Europe to revitalize the great Enlightenment tradition of liberal democracy against the nationalist demagogues seeking to destroy it on both sides of the Atlantic.

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Onu canvasses diversification of economy through STI | The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News News The Guardian Nigeria News Nigeria…

Posted: at 7:37 pm

Former Minister of Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ogbonaya Onu has emphasised the need for lawmakers and relevant government parastatals to deepen their knowledge in science, technology and innovation oversight functions.

Onu added that the challenges of sustainable development and governance that is currently facing Nigeria could be tackled through strategic approaches to research and innovation for diversification of the economy.

He stressed that for Nigeria to diversify, it must put science, technology and innovation on the front burner of its developmental agenda through efficient buy-in from the policy makers and users of the research outputs.

Onu who spoke at a programme organised by the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM) for National Assembly members and other key stakeholders, said it was time to connect the major players in Science Technology and Innovation management in Nigeria.

He lamented that Nigeria is still faced with the challenges of inefficient exploitation of its huge and abundant human and material resources for nation building, given her reliance on export of natural resources and raw/unprocessed commodities such as fossil fuel, cash crops, unprocessed solid minerals and others as the major sources of revenue for the economy.

Onu said this has exposed the country to economic instability occasioned by the vagaries of international commodities, market.

The minister also lamented that only a small proportion of entrepreneurial start-ups are engaged in radical innovation in the country, adding that in the era of rapidly changing technology and shortening product life-cycles, a countrys ability to develop and successfully commercialise innovations has become a key competitive strength.

He said: The only available option to change this trajectory is enhancing the diversification of our dear nations economy through application and deployment of cutting-edge research and innovation in all sectors of the economy: Agriculture, Biotechnology, Health, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Education, Nanotechnology, Space Technology, etc.

In order to get the needed impacts on society, research must be demand-driven and tailored towards solving societal problems and improving the quality of life of citizens. It has been irrefutably proven that ground-breaking research and commercialisation of research outcomes are bringing a paradigm shift in todays world and any nation wishing to develop and grow at a fast pace must opt for solution-based research. There is no better time for research than now when Nigerians are trying to look inwards to find alternatives by using locally developed technologies to address national challenges.

Director-General NACETEM, Professor Okechukwu Ukwuoma stated that the meeting was necessary at a time when the diversification agenda and National Economic Sustainability Plan of the current administration are geared at repositioning Nigeria towards bouncing back stronger from the ravaging impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.

Moving the economy from almost wholly resource-based to knowledge and innovation driven towards reclaiming the nations pride of place among the comity of nations and realising the great hopes and aspirations of our founding fathers at independence, there is no better veritable tool to turn to than science, technology and innovation. This thus makes this forum much more critical as the deployment of science, technology and innovation (STI) for short-term, medium-term and long-term benefits of Nigeria and the need to robustly fund STI will be its focus.

Chairman, Governing Board of NACETEM, Haastrup Olatunji noted that the research output of many countries is significantly affected by the amount of money dedicated to research and development (R&D).

Though greater investment does not always guarantee excellence, research shows that there is a strong correlation between the level of research excellence a country attains and the amount of money it dedicates to research and development.

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Onu canvasses diversification of economy through STI | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News News The Guardian Nigeria News Nigeria...

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Governor Mills Highlights Responsible Aquaculture as Opportunity to Create Jobs, Strengthen Economy, and Promote Maine Seafood | Office of Governor…

Posted: at 7:37 pm

Governor walks downtown Bath, stops by local businesses and encourages Maine people to shop local as part of visit to Sagadahoc County today

SAGADAHOC COUNTY During a roundtable with sea farmers from the New Meadows River Shellfish Co-op today, Governor Janet Mills highlighted her Administrations commitment to responsible aquaculture as an opportunity to strengthen and diversify Maines economy, generate good jobs, and provide Maine people with sustainable, locally-farmed seafood.

Gov. Mills shucks an oyster following aquaculture roundtable

To support Maines aquaculture sector, the Governor pointed to millions of dollars made available to Maine sea farmers through the States distribution of funding through the CARES Act, the Governors Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, the recently enacted supplemental budget, and the Working Waterfront Access Protection Program.

Aquaculture represents a promising opportunity to create new jobs, strengthen and diversify our economy, and expand Maines reputation as a premier destination for seafood, said Governor Mills. I have been proud to support Maine sea farmers as they overcome the pandemic, and my Administration will continue to support the responsible growth of this industry as it creates new jobs and builds on the strong foundation of our marine economy.

Aquaculture has steadily grown in Maine in recent years. According to the most recent economic impact report, its overall value is more than $100 million. Sea farmers apply to use public waters through the Maine Department of Marine Resource and undergo a rigorous permitting process based on State law.

The Governor was joined by Representative Jay McCreight (D-Harpswell), the Chair of the Legislatures Committee on Marine Resources, for the discussion. The Cooperative is composed of twelve shellfish farmers who operate in the greater waters of the New Meadows River from Small Point Harbor in Phippsburg to Princes Point in Brunswick to bring Maine people locally farmed, sustainable oysters and shellfish.

The Governor today also joined Senate Majority Leader Eloise Vitelli (D-Arrowsic) for a walking tour of downtown Bath, visiting Bath Sweet Shoppe, Union & Co, Now Youre Cooking, Lisa Maries Made in Maine Shop, and Renys. The Governor also visited the Bath Recovery Community Center and had lunch at the Kennebec Tavern. Following the tour, she expressed her optimism about the future and encouraged Maine people to shop local.

Downtown Bath is a beautiful community with tremendous history, great restaurants, and extraordinary small businesses, said Governor Mills. I love this community and Sagadahoc County, which have so much to offer our state. With inflation, I know times can be tough, but I am hopeful about the future and, as we head into the long-awaited summer, I encourage Maine people to get out and enjoy their communities, shop local, and support their local small businesses.

The Governors visit to Sagadahoc County comes as she travels across the state to meet with local business and community leaders. Last week, the Governor visited Piscataquis County.

Earlier in the day, Governor Mills also joined U.S. Senator Angus King and officials from Greater Portland METRO and Biddeford Saco Old Orchard Beach Transit to introduce four electric buses (two per agency) to their fleets.

Gov. Mills & Sen. Vitelli at Lisa Marie's Made in Maine Shop in Bath

Gov. Mills at Bath Recovery Community Center

Gov. Mills Helps Cut Ribbons on New Electric Buses

Gov. Mills at Now You're Cooking in Bath

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Gun Lake Investments taps former deal partner to run operations – MiBiz: West Michigan Business News

Posted: at 7:37 pm

After a seven-year career in tribal economic development at Wasyabek Development Co. LLC for his tribe, Jimmy TenBrink now finds himself heading up operations for a familiar tribal partner.

This month, TenBrink, a member of the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi, took a position as Chief Operating Officer at Grand Rapids-based Gun Lake Investments, the non-gaming economic development arm of the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians.

Its fitting that the last acquisition TenBrink led for Wasyabek was the $17.5 million deal in which the organization partnered with Gun Lake Investments to acquire McKay Tower in downtown Grand Rapids.

TenBrink recalls meeting with former Gun Lake Investments CEO Kurt Trevan and the two organizations respective legal teams to finalize the property deal.

The attorneys were a little shocked because we sat on the same side of the table and we gave each other a hug, TenBrink said. Thats not how most of their negotiations work, but in Indian Country, it is. You hug your brothers. You are happy when theyre successful.

TenBrink started as an early board member at Wasyabek before being selected by the organization to work on dealmaking, starting with real estate transactions and progressing to acquisitions of operating companies. He went on to serve as president of two of Wasyabeks subsidiaries, Nunica-based Baker Engineering LLC and Muskegon-based RSI Manufacturing.

At Gun Lake Investments, TenBrink joins the executive team of an organization thats about to undergo a set of strategic exercises with its new board and new CEO Monica King, who assumed the role at the start of the year.

Jimmy brings an energy and a passion to his work that I believe make him an excellent fit with the team and culture we have created at GLI, King said in a statement. With his expertise in business and private investments, as well as his experiences as a Tribal member and working in Indian Country, Jimmy will add a new depth of perspective as he leads GLI operations.

TenBrink spoke with Tribal Business News about his new role, the broader M&A outlook and his vision for economic development as a key tool for tribal sovereignty.

Im pretty fortunate to get a chance with Gun Lake. Theyre a great organization. Working with Monica has been great, and I see that shes worked with this board to create just a really awesome culture. Im really glad to be part of it. Realistically, it came down to values and belief. For me, knowing whats going on at Gun Lake and just wanting to be part of something thats bigger than me to leave this long-term footprint on Indian Country was super appealing to me.

To grow my career through various stages and opportunities with Wasyabek and with my tribe, it was a lot of fun. I got a chance to see and meet a lot of great people, I got a chance to work with a lot of great people. Having managed and run subsidiaries, having done mergers and acquisitions to even back in the day being on the board, I feel like I can translate a lot of that experience over to help Gun Lake accomplish their goals and their vision.

Probably more than anything, it opened my eyes to the differences that are out there among all the tribal nations and what theyre looking to accomplish with their diversification or economic development efforts. Whats going on in Indian Country is that every tribe can look at their resources, how theyd like to generate some diversification and their efforts in developing their own economies and determine their own path. Thats whats fun for me, helping and seeing and being part of that vision coming to fruition.

Yes, I think so. Thats Monicas background as well. As the former CFO at Eaton, shes got a lot of manufacturing background. And, to be very honest, its Michigan: Theres manufacturing everywhere you turn. Theres definitely a lot of great opportunities.

If you look at the advantages that we have as a minority-owned business in manufacturing, theyre very strong. There are great organizations like Steelcase and Stryker here in West Michigan, and of course the automotive industry, that values a diversified supplier base. Being able to leverage that, utilize it, acquire businesses that we can make stronger and keep here in Michigan for seven generations is an amazing opportunity.

From a pipeline perspective, real estate is still very strong. The operating entities are very strong. For me, I like to have very specific targets. This is an industry we want to focus on. Right now, Gun Lake has a lot of targets in a lot of different areas that might be bolt-on acquisitions to their current portfolio or they might be platform opportunities. So Im trying to get my arms around (those) opportunities.

Valuations have been high. Its a little concerning, but I think maybe interest rates will drive a little bit of change in that. Private equity and the M&A space has been a good investment for people to do. Its why the massive private equity firms are doing so well. Its a good place to invest and oftentimes beats the stock market with the returns theyve been able to generate. I still see that as being a great thing.

For Gun Lake no different than it was at WDC its finding the right investment, the right cultural fit, the right organization that has people that share the same values. Unlike typical PEs that are looking to step away, Gun Lake is looking to hold on to these for some period of time, potentially seven generations if it makes sense for the business.

I think that theres still a fair amount of business owners out there whove had a really good run and want to make sure their people and their teams are well taken care, that they have opportunities for growth and that they have strong financial support if the economy does slip into a recession here coming up. Maybe those are the right people for us to be talking to. Those owners dont want to just sell the business and step away, they want to make sure people are taken care of. They typically seem to align much more with the value systems of the tribe and what their goals are as well.

Absolutely. For me personally and this is more of a personal statement than a reflection on either tribe or either EDC I would love for Indian Country not to have to lean on any federal assistance, from grant programs or anything like that. Unfortunately, not all tribes have a revenue-generating resource, whether that be mineral resources or casino operations, so its not quite possible.

But if Indian Country can lean on Indian Country, I think those are great things for Indian Country as a whole. As a group thats been historically challenged with lower income situations, some of it is showing a model and giving tribes and tribal members hope for more that they can achieve more financially. When it comes to a career or a personal stake, whatever it is they would like to accomplish in their lives, they dont have to feel like theyre being held back or held down by anyone.

To be able to do that for Indian Country, thats my passion. Thats why Ive loved being here for the last seven or eight years doing this for Wasyabek and now for Gun Lake. Its trying to see tribal members be able to lift themselves up from this economic situation and where theyre at. As Native Americans, weve got to start pushing to show our youth and our children that theres more out there, that we can achieve more. We have a place as sovereign nations.

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EDITORS NOTE: This story was originally published in Tribal Business News and is reprinted with permission.

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Will Blending Hydrogen with Natural Gas be Effective? – AZoM

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Scientists from the US have presented research into the use of hydrogen blended with natural gas as a bridging energy to achieve long-term carbon neutrality. This strategy could potentially help meet net-zero targets whilst still ensuring energy security in the short term. Their review study has appeared in the journal Energies.

Study: Hydrogen Blending in Gas Pipeline NetworksA Review. Image Credit:petrmalinak/Shutterstock.com

Climate change is one of the main existential threats facing humanity in the 20th century. Carbon dioxide and methane are two of the most damaging greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for the alarming rise in global temperatures since the Industrial Revolution and subsequent environmental damage. Phasing out fossil fuels in favor of low-carbonrenewable energy sources and fuels is a key strategy for meeting zero-carbon emissions targets.

Hydrogen has been widely explored in recent decades as an alternative fuel and energy source. Aside from near-zero greenhouse gas emissions, hydrogen is a highly efficient energy carrier, is abundant, and eminently renewable, overcoming both emissions and supply issues. Hydrogen can be easily produced using water splitting methodsand, depending on its source, is incredibly clean. The most ideal source of hydrogen is renewable energy, and if produced in this manner, is termed green hydrogen.

kg of CO2 emitted per million kJ of energy for various fuels in 2020.Image Credit:Mahajan, D et al., Energies

Another advantage of hydrogen is that existing storage and transportation infrastructure can easily handle liquid hydrogen without the need for major alterations. A key resource that, whilst still producing 50.3 kg of CO2 per million KJ of energy, produces less carbon dioxide than gasoline and coal is natural gas. More energy-rich than other hydrocarbons, natural gas has applications in industry as a fuel and for electricity generation.

The extensive natural gas infrastructure that already exists has the potential to be repurposed for hydrogen storage and transportation, which will help realize the aims of the carbon-neutral economy.

Repurposing natural gas infrastructure, whilst presenting the most technologically mature strategy for realizing a hydrogen-based economy, faces several key technical challenges. Natural gas and hydrogen differ significantly in their properties, which means that it is not a simple case of just replacing natural gas with hydrogen in these systems.

Realizing a large-scale conversion of current infrastructure into a hydrogen-carrier system requires a comprehensive examination of factors such as production methods, storage, and transportation, and finding sufficient end-use applications for hydrogen. One solution is to progressively increase the proportion of hydrogen in hydrogen/methane blends over time to 100%, but this is a challenging endeavor for engineers and researchers. To successfully overcome the challenges, a coordinated, cross-functional approach must be taken.

The main aim of the new paper is to examine state-of-the-art knowledge and progress in research into the hydrogen economy, considering production, transportation of hydrogen blends, and commercial uses.

Properties and benefits of hydrogen/methane blends have been discussed by the authors in-depth, and an emphasis has been placed on safety concerns surrounding the use of methane/hydrogen blends. Density, viscosity, energy densities, and phase interactions are all causes ofconcern. Issues with pressure and leakage, pipeline stresses, and long-term hydrogen embrittlement are common with long-term hydrogen storage and transport and must be fully understood. These issues are being addressed by current projects.

The study has summarized current projects in different parts of the world. Demonstration projects including THyGA, HyDeploy, HyBlend, and THyGA are currently being supported by governments to elucidate a cost-effective pathway for achieving carbon reduction goals by 2050. Lessons learned from research into hydrogen blends and demonstration projects will help to realize the development of safer, more efficient, and compatible hydrogen fuel infrastructure.

A major impact on blended gas transport cost dynamics is caused by pressure reduction in blends. Increased energy is needed to transport blends to domestic and commercial users compared to natural gas alone. This increased cost can be mitigated by modifying flow rates and pressures. Techno-economic studies can play a key role in providing relevant information to address these issues.

(a) damaged boiler tube facture; (b) position of facture on the boiler tube.Image Credit:Mahajan, D et al., Energies

Four key challenges have been identified in the review study in Energies. End-use appliances such as heating equipment and burners may need design modifications to cope with increased combustion temperature and flame speeds. Additional compressors will be required to address challenges with lower energy transport and mass flow. The increased risk of leakage and explosion will require new safety standards and codes. Finally, there is an increased risk of long-term embrittlement and corrosion caused by hydrogen storage and transport.

Influence of hydrogen charging on 1018 steel. Image Credit:Mahajan, D et al., Energies

Whilst the review only touches upon the subject of hydrogen/methane blends and issues with current infrastructure and how to overcome them, the authors have laid a good foundation for future specific-topic related studies which will help the technology reach maturity.

Mahajan, D et al. (2022) Hydrogen Blending in Gas Pipeline NetworksA Review Energies 15(10) 3583 [online] mdpi.com. Available at:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/10/3582

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.

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GLOBAL ENERGY METALS CEO Invited to Participate as Panelist at Upcoming Cobalt Institute Conference to Discuss Cobalt as a Global Resource -…

Posted: at 7:37 pm

Vancouver, BC / TheNewswire / May 16, 2022 / Global Energy Metals Corporation (TSXV:GEMC) | (OTC:GBLEF) | (FSE:5GE1) (Global Energy Metals, the Company and/or GEMC), a company involved in investment exposure to the battery metals supply chain, is pleased to announce thatPresident & CEO, Mitchell Smith has been invited to participate as a panelist at the upcoming Cobalt Conference - Powering the Green Economy hosted by the Cobalt Institute on Tuesday May 17th, 2022 from 13:30 to 15:00 CET.

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This year, the Cobalt Conference Powering the Green Economy will look at the role of cobalt in powering the Green Economy and ensuring a sustainable future. The Conference will focus on four themes: the cobalt market, cobalt as a global resource, the just transition, and the circular economy.

Mr. Smith will participate in the Session 2 panel entitled "Cobalt as a Global Resource. It will be preceded with by an introductory statement by Kim Shedd, Mineral Commodity Specialist, United States Geological Survey. The session will look at the global nature of the Cobalt Market with a particular focus of the geographic diversity of reserves and supply.

Other panelists include:

Robert Ellenwood, President, New Providence Metals Marketing

Joe Kaderavek, CEO, Cobalt Blue

Michael Hollomon, Commercial Director, US Strategic Metals

Caspar Rawles, Chief Data Officer, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence

The era-defining shift from fossil fuels to clean energy is set to deliver an unprecedented new boom for commodities, and an opportunity for investors, as a range of critical minerals finally get the attention they deserve due to their essential role in delivering emissions-free power and transport. To meet global climate change targets, demand for minerals and metals, like cobalt, used in green technologies such as rechargeable batteries used in vehicle electrification is expected to rise exponentially, and yet these irreplaceable building blocks enabling the energy transition, are expected to be in short supply, in part due to concentration of production and processing.

But as the global initiative to transition away from many carbon-based forms of energy proceeds, so too does the urgency arise for sustainable sources for critical components that go into these green technologies.

Canada, through collaboration with the United States and other strategic nation partners, has benefit to having the critical mineral reserves, skilled workforce, infrastructure, technology and clean energy necessary to fuel a new lithium ion battery ecosystem.

During the event, Mitchell will represent both Global Energy Metals as well as the Battery Metals Association of Canada, of which he is a Director of, to share an outlook for the cobalt sector focusing on the fundamental changes impacting the battery metals market. During the panel discussion he intends to emphasize how Canada, and North America as a whole, can play a crucial role, through companies like Global Energy Metals, in identifying strategic opportunities and be globally competitive in the sector as demand for critical materials grows and the push to regionalize supply chains is prioritized in an effort to meet demand for new energy technologies.

For those attending the conference who would like to schedule a meeting with Mitchell during the event or alternatively would like to schedule a one-on-one meeting outside of the event, please do so by email at info@globalenergymetals.com or phone at +1 (604) 688-4219.

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About the Cobalt Institute

The Cobalt Institute is a trade association composed of producers, users, recyclers, and traders of cobalt. We promote the sustainable and responsible production and use of cobalt in all its forms.

For more information, please visit their website at https://www.cobaltinstitute.org/about-us/.

About the Battery Metals Association of Canada

The Battery Metals Association of Canada (BMAC) is a trade organization of entrepreneurs, explorers, developers and producers of battery metals and materials, who have joined together to support a rapidly changing energy landscape.

What we share is a desire to develop battery metals resources and to incorporate these materials into a battery production stream.

As a national non-profit association, BMAC will connect the industry and lead the effort to ensure Canada fully captures the abundant economic potential of its massive resources through the responsible and sustainable growth of Canadas battery metals supply chain.

For more information, please visit their website at https://www.bmacanada.org.

Global Energy Metals Corporation

(TSXV:GEMC | OTCQB:GBLEF | FSE:5GE1)

Global Energy Metals Corp. offers investment exposure to the growing rechargeable battery and electric vehicle market by building a diversified global portfolio of exploration and growth-stage battery mineralassets.

Global Energy Metals recognizes that the proliferation and growth of the electrified economy in the coming decades is underpinned by the availability of battery metals, including cobalt, nickel, copper, lithium and other raw materials. To be part of the solution and respond to this electrification movement, Global Energy Metals has taken a consolidate, partner and invest approach and in doing so have assembled and are advancing a portfolio of strategically significant investments in battery metal resources.

As demonstrated with the Companys current copper, nickel and cobalt projects in Canada, Australia, Norway and the United States, GEMC is investing-in, exploring and developing prospective, scaleable assets in established mining and processing jurisdictions in close proximity to end-use markets. Global Energy Metals is targeting projects with low logistics and processing risks, so that they can be fast tracked to enter the supply chain in thiscycle. The Company is also collaborating with industry peers to strengthen its exposure to these critical commodities and the associated technologies required for a cleaner future.

Securing exposure to these critical minerals powering the eMobility revolution is a generationalinvestment opportunity. Global Energy Metals believe the time to be part of this electrification movement.

For Further Information:

Global Energy Metals Corporation

#1501-128 West Pender Street

Vancouver, BC, V6B 1R8

Email: info@globalenergymetals.com

t. + 1 (604) 688-4219

http://www.globalenergymetals.com

Twitter: @EnergyMetals | @USBatteryMetals | @ElementMinerals

Subscribe to the GEMC eNewsletter

Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information:

Certain information in this release may constitute forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws and necessarily involve risks associated with regulatory approvals and timelines. Although Global Energy Metals believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that managements beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

GEMCs operations could be significantly adversely affected by the effects of a widespread global outbreak of a contagious disease, including the recent outbreak of illness caused by COVID-19. It is not possible to accurately predict the impact COVID-19 will have on operations and the ability of others to meet their obligations, including uncertainties relating to the ultimate geographic spread of the virus, the severity of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, and the length of travel and quarantine restrictions imposed by governments of affected countries. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could further affect operations and the ability to finance its operations.

For more information on Global Energy and the risks and challenges of their businesses, investors should review the filings that are available at http://www.sedar.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

We seek safe harbour.

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