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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Proclaims March 25th as North Carolina Equal Pay Day, Celebrates Women’s History Month

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Proclaims March 25th as North Carolina Equal Pay Day, Celebrates Women’s History Month

    Governor Stein Proclaims March 25th as North Carolina Equal Pay Day, Celebrates Women’s History Month
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Josh Stein proclaimed March 25 as North Carolina Equal Pay Day to highlight ongoing gender pay disparities and to encourage government, business, and nonprofit sectors to close the wage gap for all women.

    Equal Pay Day marks the point in the year that women must work on average, to make equal to what their male counterparts earned during the previous year. Women in North Carolina and across the United States continue to experience a significant wage gap, earning less than men for performing the same work, with women of color facing even larger disparities.

    “Closing the gender pay gap would make our families, our economy, and our state more prosperous,” said Governor Josh Stein. “I am committed to making sure that every North Carolinian has an equal opportunity for success in our state.” 

    “Eliminating pay inequities would strengthen our economy and improve quality of life for North Carolina’s women, children, and families,” said North Carolina Department of Administration Secretary Gabriel J. Esparza. “More than half the state’s population are women and many women are the primary breadwinners for their families. We must continue to find and develop creative ways to ensure that North Carolinians receive equal pay for equal work. Your pay should be determined by your skill, your experience and your effort, not your gender.”   

    According to The State of Working Women: The 2023 State of Working North Carolina report, in 2022, women working full-time earned $2.04 less than the median hourly wage for men. The wage disparity was even wider for women of color, with Latina women earning $7.23 less and Black women earning $3.45 less than the median hourly wage for men of all races.

    To help address the gender pay gap for women workers in North Carolina, since 2019, state government agencies no longer use salary history in the hiring process, as relying on past salary history can perpetuate unfairly lower pay for women doing the same work as men.

    Earlier this week, Governor Stein hosted women leaders from across the state at the Executive Mansion for the Women’s History Month Reception, in line with this year’s theme “Women in Leadership.” At the event, Governor Stein signed the proclamation recognizing March as Women’s History Month.

    To attract more women and girls to careers in state government, the NC Council for Women and Youth Involvement hosts the Lady Cardinal Mentorship Program for high school girls each summer. The program nurtures the girls’ interest in STEM careers within state government by offering practical experience in the field. Fifty-seven girls have completed the program since its beginning.

    Career awareness programs such as Students@Work also help ensure North Carolina youth have equal footing in the professional world, by exposing middle school students to careers they may not otherwise discover.

    Last month, Governor Stein commemorated the 15-year anniversary of the Students@Work program, which offers career awareness opportunities in high-demand professions including biotechnology and construction, occupations that are typically known to have a low percentage of female employees. To improve pay inequities, more programs are needed to get young people, including young women, interested in high-growth and high-earning careers. 

    Mar 25, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Members look into bolstering support for trade policies, fast-tracking digital trade growth

    Source: WTO

    Headline: Members look into bolstering support for trade policies, fast-tracking digital trade growth

    The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) noted that Aid-for-Trade disbursements reached USD 48 billion in 2023, representing a 5 per cent decrease from 2022.  While most funds were channelled towards strengthening infrastructure and productive sectors, the OECD noted, only 2 per cent of Aid for Trade was allocated to trade policy and regulations.
    Representatives from Australia, Barbados, the Pacific Islands Forum and the United Kingdom shared their insights into ways to increase the participation of developing economies in the multilateral trading system. They highlighted that it is important for economies to develop and implement national strategies and to coordinate effectively with development partners. For example, progress in implementing the Pacific Aid-for-Trade Strategy, covering services, e-commerce, trade facilitation and quality infrastructure, was acknowledged.
    The financial support dedicated to the WTO accession of Comoros and Timor-Leste was highlighted. Speakers also acknowledged the support provided under the Advisory Centre on WTO Law, the Enhanced Integrated Framework, the Fish Fund and the Standards and Trade Development Facility.
    The role of cooperation among developing economies in strengthening these economies’ trade capacities was also recognized. Speakers welcomed greater collaboration with the private sector on scaling up financial support.
    Members also examined the European Union’s 2024 Aid for Trade Progress Report. As one of the top donors of Aid for Trade, the European Union and its member states provided 36 per cent of the total disbursements in 2022, accounting for EUR 22 billion. The report also highlighted the role of Aid for Trade in creating an enabling environment for investments under the EU’s Global Gateway investment strategy.
    According to the Digital Trade Integration Database of the European University Institute, the level of integration into digital trade differs widely across economies, with fewer enabling policies observed in lower-income economies.  The database contains information on the digital trade policies of 146 economies.
    Speakers noted that in Africa, digital trade integration is being held back by regulatory fragmentation, infrastructure gaps and limited access of small businesses to digital markets.
    To bolster the continent’s digital trade expansion, speakers underlined the importance of technical assistance and capacity-building activities to harmonize digital trade regulations, investments in broadband and logistics and greater access of small businesses to digital trade finance. For example, speakers stressed the importance of fully implementing the Digital Trade Protocol of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Estimates indicate this could increase intra-regional trade in services by up to 10.3 per cent.
    More information on the WTO-led Aid for Trade initiative can be found here.

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    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: What do the Trump administration’s sanctions on the ICC mean for justice and human rights?

    Source: Amnesty International –

    On 6 February 2025, United States President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order authorizing sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan. This Executive Order is intended to stop the ICC from undertaking its independent mandate. It also poses a significant threat to the ICC and its staff.  UN experts strongly condemned the move, calling it “an attack on global rule of law” that undermines international justice.

    This Executive Order is similar to one issued by President Trump towards the end of his first term in 2020, which was later lifted by President Biden. Trump’s new executive action is a direct response to the ICC’s efforts to hold Israeli nationals accountable for alleged crimes under international law in Palestine. In November 2024, the court issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as al-Qassam brigades commander Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    By imposing sanctions on the ICC, the Trump administration is undermining efforts to deliver justice, not only to Palestinians, but to victims of the most serious crimes everywhere. This includes people in Afghanistan, Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Darfur (Sudan), DRC, Libya, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, the Philippines, Ukraine and Venezuela, where the ICC is currently conducting investigations or has issued arrest warrants.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Unlawful Expulsions to El Salvador Endanger Lives Amid Ongoing State of Emergency

    Source: Amnesty International –

    In response to the recent unlawful expulsion of 238 Venezuelan nationals from the United States to El Salvador under the allegation that they belong to the criminal group Tren de Aragua, despite a court order barring their removal, Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International, said the following:

    “The expulsion of 238 individuals from the United States to El Salvador, despite a court order explicitly barring their removal, represents not only a flagrant disregard of the United States’ human rights obligations, but also a dangerous step toward authoritarian practices as the Trump administration ignored and is now calling for the firing of a federal judge of the United States Judiciary. This is also a dangerous endorsement of President Bukele’s punitive security agenda.

    The expulsion of 238 individuals from the United States to El Salvador, despite a court order explicitly barring their removal represents not only a flagrant disregard of the United States’ human rights obligations, but also a dangerous step toward authoritarian practices as the Trump administration ignored and is now calling for the firing of a federal judge of the United States Judiciary. This is also a dangerous endorsement of President Bukele’s punitive security agenda

    -Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International

    “According to available public information, the people expelled include individuals who were in the midst of ongoing court processes, were arrested while complying with their immigration obligations, were already granted protections in the United States including under the Convention Against Torture, and were labeled as gang members for their tattoos or connection to the Venezuelan state of Aragua with no other evidence. In fact, even U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have since admitted “many” had no criminal record at all and some were removed because of a perception they may commit crimes in the future. Importantly, these expulsions are not deportations, a legal process defined in U.S. law. They were expelled without removal orders, seemingly to serve an indefinite prison sentence under a system where fundamental human rights are routinely ignored.

    El Salvador under President Bukele has become emblematic of an alarming trend in the Americas—where mass incarceration, unchecked executive power, and the criminalization of marginalized communities are being touted as solutions to crime. Amnesty International has extensively documented the inhumane conditions within detentions centers in El Salvador, including the Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT), where those removed are now being held. Reports indicate extreme overcrowding, lack of access to adequate medical care, and widespread ill-treatment amounting to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. Additionally, Salvadoran organizations have reported more than 300 deaths of individuals while in state custody, some of them showing clear signs of violence. No individual should be subjected to such conditions.

    There is a clear and troubling connection between President Bukele’s so-called “security” model in El Salvador and recent actions taken by the United States regarding migrants and people seeking safety. Both rely on a lack of due process and the criminalization of individuals based on discriminatory criteria (…) These policies are deeply unjust and violate international human rights standards

    -Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International

    There is a clear and troubling connection between President Bukele’s so-called “security” model in El Salvador and recent actions taken by the United States regarding migrants and people seeking safety. Both rely on a lack of due process and the criminalization of individuals based on discriminatory criteria. In El Salvador, this discrimination targets people living in impoverished communities, those with precarious jobs, limited education, or visible tattoos. Similarly, in the United States, Venezuelans fleeing hardship and seeking safety are branded as criminals based upon tattoos, their connection to the State of Aragua in Venezuela, and racist lies about associations with transnational criminal groups originating in their home country. These policies are deeply unjust and violate international human rights standards.

    The principle of non-refoulement, a cornerstone of international human rights law, unequivocally prohibits states from returning, removing, or transferring individuals to any country where they would face a real risk of serious human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, torture, or ill-treatment. By removing individuals to El Salvador under these circumstances, the United States has placed them in grave danger and failed to uphold its obligations its legal obligations. Meanwhile, El Salvador must be held accountable for facilitating policies that violate the rights of migrants and people seeking safety. Any subsequent removal of the individuals from El Salvador to Venezuela would also violate the principle of non-refoulement. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has called on States to ensure that Venezuelans are not deported, expelled or forced to return to Venezuela. Amnesty International has called for an absolute ban on all deportations of individuals to Venezuela given that the country is experiencing a situation of massive human rights violations.   

    On 27 March 2025, El Salvador will reach its third consecutive year under a state of emergency, a regime that has institutionalized patterns of abuse that are now being echoed beyond its borders, further eroding the international human rights framework (…) Rather than condemning these practices, other governments, such as the United States, appear to be emulating them

    -Ana Piquer, Americas director at Amnesty International

    What is particularly concerning is that the erosion of due process in El Salvador is now being normalized—both domestically and internationally. Rather than condemning these practices, other governments, such as the United States, appear to be emulating them. This is the dangerous consequence of authoritarian practices becoming systematic and recurring: they evolve from isolated abuses into official state policy. On 27 March 2025, El Salvador will reach its third consecutive year under a state of emergency, a regime that has institutionalized patterns of abuse that are now being echoed beyond its borders, further eroding the international human rights framework.

    Amnesty International urges the government of El Salvador, and all countries throughout the Americas, to resist participation in unjust deportation and removal schemes.

    Amnesty International urges the government of El Salvador, and all countries throughout the Americas, to resist participation in unjust deportation and removal schemes

    -Ana Piquer,  Americas director at Amnesty International

    Salvadoran authorities must urgently restore due process throughout the country and guarantee the human rights, safety, and dignity of all individuals currently detained, including the more than 84,000 people arrested under the ongoing state of emergency. The Salvadoran government must ensure its policies and practices do not facilitate further human rights abuses or place vulnerable individuals at risk.

    We also call on the US government to immediately return those that were illegally removed to El Salvador and halt any subsequent expulsions under this executive order, comply with the decisions of the US Judiciary, and immediately halt all plans for mass detentions and deportations, and reestablish the right to asylum at the United States’ southern border.  

    Amnesty International stands in solidarity with those impacted by this unjust policy and will continue to advocate for the protection of human rights in the Americas and beyond.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: In Dialogue with Malta, Experts of the Committee on Enforced Disappearances Ask about Efforts to Establish a Stand-Alone Law on Enforced Disappearance and Prevent Disappearances of Migrants

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    Committee Experts Commemorate the Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice in Argentina and the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims

    The Committee on Enforced Disappearances today concluded its consideration of the initial report of Malta on its implementation of the International Convention on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.  Committee Experts asked questions on the State’s efforts to establish a stand-alone law on enforced disappearance and a national human rights institution, and to prevent disappearances of migrants.

    Several experts raised concerns that the State party did not have a stand-alone crime of enforced disappearance.  Fidelis Kanyongolo, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked about steps taken to establish an autonomous offence of enforced disappearance with appropriate penalties.

    Barbara Lochbihler, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the human rights and equality commission bill, which would establish a national human rights institution, had not yet been enacted.  What parts of the bill were under review and what was the timeline for its adoption?

    Ms. Lochbihler also cited reports of tactics of non-assistance to migrants and refugees in distress at sea, as well as pushbacks to Libya, leading to deaths and disappearances.  Refugees in Libya were reportedly kept in appalling conditions, and exposed to abuse, extortion, abduction and human trafficking.  What measures had the State party taken to prevent disappearances of migrants and dangerous pushbacks at sea?

    Introducing the report, Fiorella Fenech Vella, Office of the State Advocate of Malta and head of the delegation, said Malta had consistently recognised that enforced disappearance was a crime under customary international law, and the State had classified enforced disappearances as inhumane acts under its umbrella provision of crimes against humanity since its independence in 1964.

    The delegation added that Malta had no reported cases of enforced disappearance and the State party criminalised all elements of the crime of enforced disappearance, though it did not have a stand-alone crime of enforced disappearance or plans to create one.

    The establishment of an independent national human rights institution remained a high priority for Malta, Ms. Fenech Vella said.  The equality and human rights commission bill had been previously presented to Parliament; however, the legislative process was halted due to the dissolution of Parliament for the 2022 general elections.  Since then, efforts had been made to develop the bill to ensure full compliance with the Paris Principles and relevant European Union directives.  The delegation could not provide a timeline for its adoption, however.

    The delegation said Malta had saved several migrants at sea.  Maltese authorities acted on distress calls at sea in accordance with relevant international laws and had not engaged in any pushbacks to Libya. The Government signed a memorandum of understanding with Libya in 2020 on setting up coordination centres in Tripoli and Malta to improve the reception of migrants and combat trafficking in the region.

    In concluding remarks, Ms. Fenech Vella said the dialogue was an essential component for further strengthening Malta’s implementation of the Convention and for strengthening protections for rights holders in the State.  The State party would carefully analyse and take into account the Committee’s recommendations in its development of laws and policies.

    Olivier de Frouville, Committee Chair, in concluding remarks, said the State party and the Committee’s common goal was to ensure the implementation of the Convention.  Mr. de Frouville called on Malta and other States that had ratified the Convention to petition States that had not ratified to do so.  The Committee looked forward to continuing to work with Malta in future.

    The delegation of Malta consisted of representatives of the Ministry for Home Affairs, Security and Employment; Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Tourism; Office of the State Advocate; Office of the Attorney General; Ministry for Justice and Reform of the Construction Industry; and the Permanent Mission of Malta to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

    At the end of the first day of the dialogue, the Committee heard statements marking the Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice in Argentina and the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims.

    Horacio Ravenna, Committee Vice-Chair, recounted that 49 years ago, the armed forces in Argentina initiated a coup against the State’s leadership and imposed a military dictatorship.  In this era, when many political dissidents were subjected to enforced disappearance, the exiled mothers of victims led the fight and bravely spoke out.  On this day, the Committee honoured persons who had passed away and continued to raise public awareness for the next generations, so that the horrendous crime could be eradicated forever.

    Mr. de Frouville, Committee Chair, said all needed to remember the courageous struggle of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, whose actions had led to the development of the Convention.

    The Committee will issue its concluding observations on the report of Malta at the end of its twenty-eighth session, which concludes on 4 April.  Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.  The programme of work and other documents related to the session can be found here.

    The Committee will next meet in public on Friday, 4 April at 5 p.m. to close its twenty-eighth session.

    Report

    The Committee has before it the initial report of Malta (CED/C/MLT/1).

    Presentation of Report

    FIORELLA FENECH VELLA, Office of the State Advocate of Malta and head of the delegation, said the dialogue was an opportunity to reaffirm Malta’s unwavering commitment to the Convention and its unwavering support to the United Nations human rights treaty bodies.  Malta had consistently recognised that enforced disappearance was a crime under customary international law amounting to torture, inhuman and degrading treatment.  The State had classified enforced disappearances as inhumane acts under its umbrella provision of crimes against humanity since its independence in 1964. It also signed in February of last year the Ljubljana-Hague Convention on prosecuting war crimes and genocide, which would help deliver justice to victims of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, facilitating effective international cooperation in domestic investigations and prosecutions.

    Malta’s 1964 Constitution and Bill of Rights, adopted upon Malta’s establishment as a State, enshrined key rights, including the right to life; protection against arbitrary arrest or detention, and inhuman treatment; the right to a fair hearing; and the prohibition of deportation, among others.  The Constitution stipulated that detention could only occur under lawful conditions.  The International Criminal Court Act incorporated international crimes, including enforced disappearances categorised as crimes against humanity, into the State’s law.  Malta had ratified several international treaties aimed at preventing enforced disappearances and protecting human rights, including the European Convention on Human Rights; had ratified several United Nations human rights treaties and their protocols; and had accepted communications procedures under a number of these.  It was constantly reviewing the Committee’s communications procedure and would keep it updated on any developments.

    Combatting trafficking in persons remained a priority for the State.  Malta had launched a national strategy and action plan on combatting trafficking in human beings in Malta (2024-2030), which aimed to strengthen the necessary national framework required to prevent human trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute offenders of this crime.  Anti-trafficking actions were being developed to address root causes, risks, threats, new methods used by traffickers, and demand.  The strategy took a human rights-focused, gender-sensitive, interdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral approach.  The Police, via the Vulnerable Victims Unit, conducted investigations into human trafficking and collaborated closely with the Financial Crime Investigation Department to effectively target traffickers and prevent them from reaping financial gains from their criminal activities.  In 2024, Malta initiated two prosecutions which combined human trafficking charges with money laundering charges, with legal proceedings currently underway.

    Victims of human rights violations – including heirs of individuals subjected to enforced disappearances – were entitled to initiate court proceedings against the State Advocate in the First Hall of Malta’s Civil Court.  An individual could only be presumed dead when their absence had lasted for a continuous period exceeding 10 years.  The Constitutional Court could issue orders to safeguard affected individuals’ rights and ensure that any law, entity or individual, including all State officials, in breach of fundamental human rights were held accountable.  Even the President could face legal action for acts committed outside the scope of functions of the Office. 

    Malta had incorporated effective remedies for victims of human rights violations in its legislation. The State was in full compliance with article 17(3) of the Convention, which mandated that official registers of individuals deprived of liberty were maintained by the appropriate authorities and updated as necessary.

    The establishment of an independent national human rights institution in accordance with the Paris Principles remained a high priority for Malta.  The equality and human rights commission bill had been previously presented to Parliament; however, the legislative process was halted due to the dissolution of Parliament for the 2022 general elections. Since then, efforts were ongoing to further develop the bill to ensure full compliance with the Paris Principles and European Union directives that established minimum standards for equality bodies’ independence, resources and powers.  The proposed institution was conceived to function as an independent, well-resourced, and effective entity to be endowed with the necessary legal mandate to promote and protect human rights fervently.

    Malta was resolutely committed to the promotion and protection of human rights, including related to enforced disappearances, and ensuring justice and accountability.  The State party’s efforts reflected its moral commitment to uphold the dignity and rights of all individuals.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    BARBARA LOCHBIHLER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the human rights and equality commission bill, which would establish a national human rights institution, had not yet been enacted.  What parts of the bill were under review and what was the timeline for its adoption? Why had the State party not yet accepted the Committee’s competence to receive individual and inter-State communications?  Had any national courts directly invoked the Convention?  Why had the State party not consulted with civil society organizations in preparing the report?

    FIDELIS KANYONGOLO, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the emergency powers act empowered the President to make necessary regulations for public safety, health and the defence of Malta in states of emergency.  Had the President ever exercised this power?  Which legal provisions specifically guaranteed non-derogation from legislation stipulating the right of every person to be protected from enforced disappearances during states of emergency?

    Was State legislation in line with article two of the Convention?  What steps had been taken to establish an autonomous offence of enforced disappearance with penalties commensurate to the seriousness of the offence in State legislation?  Did the State party have a law which established its jurisdiction over the offence of enforced disappearance committed outside of Malta when the alleged offender was present in the country, including in cases where the alleged offender was not subject to military law and when the crime was not a crime against humanity?

    There was no up-to-date statistical information available on the number of disappeared persons or persons involved in enforced disappearances in Malta.  What challenges was the State party facing in this regard?  What plans did it have to systematically collect data on enforced disappearances in future?  How many cases of enforced disappearance had been investigated by the State?  What measures had been taken to ensure the impartiality of such investigations and that public officers allegedly involved in the crime did not take part in the proceedings?

    Malta’s whistleblower act offered some degree of protection to whistleblowers and witnesses.  However, it did not extend its protection to members of a “disciplined force”, the Security Service or persons employed in the foreign, consular or diplomatic service of the Government.  What measures were in place to protect such internal whistleblowers and witnesses, as well as relatives of victims and defence counsel? Did the Code of Ethics of Police Officers provide protection to police officers who witnessed acts of violence, inhumane or offensive treatment?

    Had the State party concluded any extradition agreement with other State parties?  Had it participated in mutual legal assistance and cooperation with other States in respect to offences of enforced disappearances and abduction? Were there any inter-country procedures in place to govern the search for and release of disappeared persons, and the identification and return of their remains in case of death?

    A Committee Expert asked whether the Convention could be directly enforced in Malta.  The State party did not have a stand-alone crime of enforced disappearance.  What mechanisms were in place to harmonise domestic law with the Convention?

    Another Committee Expert asked about plans to involve civil society in the development of State party reports.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said Malta had no reported cases of enforced disappearance and the State maintained a robust legal framework to prevent occurrences of enforced disappearance. The Criminal Code classified enforced disappearance as a crime against humanity.  It was in line with article two of the Convention.  All cases of suspected enforced disappearance and missing persons were treated with the highest priority by the police and promptly investigated.  Authorities immediately checked detention records after reports of missing persons. Investigations utilised a range of forensic techniques and legal electronic surveillance tools.  In cases of cross-border activities, the State party engaged with Interpol in investigations.  The police compiled a centralised system containing all reports of missing persons and disappearances, which was used to track searches and investigations.

    Several oversight mechanisms were in place to investigate alleged human rights violations by State officials, including the police’s internal investigation unit.  The police conducted regular human rights training, which addressed the prohibition of enforced disappearance and arbitrary detention. Early warning mechanisms were in place to identify arbitrary detentions at an early stage.  All persons in police custody needed to be registered in the police detention registry.  The maximum period of police detention, which was 48 hours, could be extended for an equivalent period for serious offences when permitted by a magistrate.

    The Criminal Code stated that detained persons had the right to a lawyer and to communicate with consular authorities if they were foreigners.  When detained persons required an interpreter, one needed to be provided without delay.  Police officers were required to follow the Police Code of Ethics, considering the potential effects of their actions.  They were required to take immediate action to protect people and private property from violence.

    Persons subjected to extradition proceedings had the right to engage with lawyers and to appeal extradition decisions.  Malta had the competence to try cases of enforced disappearance that were crimes against humanity committed inside and outside of Malta.  When unable to extradite a person accused of enforced disappearance, the State had the competence to prosecute the person domestically.  Malta had colonial-era extradition agreements with the United States, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.  It was bound by the European Convention on Extradition, which superseded any provisions implemented by bilateral agreements.  There had been no cases of extradition of persons accused of enforced disappearance, but there were cases related to abduction and trafficking in persons.

    Detention services had a central registry of detentions.  All immigration detentions and involuntary admissions to psychiatric institutions were registered.  Persons under arrest could challenge the lawfulness of their detention at any time. The detention of persons in places that were not classified as prisons was an offence.  Police investigations into trafficking cases checked for enforced disappearance.  Persons who had conspired to commit enforced disappearance were prosecuted.  All public officers accused of enforced disappearance or abductions were immediately suspended and were not involved in searches or investigations.

    Maltese law was derogable; Parliament had the power to change national laws, except for the Constitution.  All directives given by the President needed to be in line with the Constitution, which prevailed in cases where domestic legislation conflicted with it.  Parliament could not make amendments to laws without reaching a two-thirds majority, meaning that the ruling party could not impose laws on its own.

    The bill establishing the national human rights institution had been suspended in 2022 due to the general election and assessment of it had started afresh.  Malta was not able to provide a date for the enactment of the bill. There were no civil society organizations active in the field of enforced disappearance in Malta.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    FIDELIS KANYONGOLO, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked about the State party’s jurisdiction over enforced disappearances that did not amount to crimes against humanity.  Suspensions could be imposed by the heads of government departments in cases of allegations against inferiors.  Were there provisions that ensured that heads of departments exercised this discretion from the beginning of investigations and for their entire duration?  To what extent did domestic legislation address concealment of the fate or whereabouts of disappeared persons?  To what extent was the State obliged to investigate when enforced disappearance was perpetrated by non-State actors?  Was the right to be protected from enforced disappearance derogable in Malta?  Could persons be extradited to places where they could be subjected to enforced disappearance?  Were police officers who reported enforced disappearances to persons other than their superior officers protected under whistle-blower legislation?

    BARBARA LOCHBIHLER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said enforced disappearances related to issues such as trafficking in persons and migration. Why were civil society organizations that dealt with these issues not involved in preparing the State party’s report?

    Another Committee Expert asked if State legislation addressed the act of aiding and abetting the crime of trafficking in persons.  There were barriers to enforced disappearance being invoked as grounds for an extradition in Malta due to the principle of double jeopardy, which required both the extraditing and receiving States to have the same laws on the crime.  How would the State party address this issue?

    A Committee Expert asked if the Executive, the Attorney General, non-governmental organizations or private individuals had the power to develop legal norms that could be assessed and approved by the legislature.

    One Committee Expert said the Committee was delighted that Malta had never recorded cases of enforced disappearances, but the Convention required that the State party set up legal mechanisms, including a stand-alone offence of enforced disappearance, that would allow it to deal with enforced disappearances that could occur on national territory in future.

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the State party criminalised all elements of the crime of enforced disappearance, though it did not have a stand-alone crime of enforced disappearance or plans to create one. The State party could prosecute all cases of enforced disappearance occurring on its territory.  The emergency powers of the President had never been applied.  The delegation was unable to provide a timeline for the adoption of the bill establishing the national human rights institution.

    There were no bilateral agreements that Malta had concluded that addressed enforced disappearances.  Acts that constituted offences to the laws of Malta were extraditable offences.  Double criminality was adopted in most extradition cases.  When offences listed as grounds for extradition in a foreign State’s extradition request were not included in Malta’s laws, the State party was obliged to indicate an applicable domestic law.  How certain countries interpreted trafficking in persons crimes could differ, which could lead to complications.  The State party needed to do its best to find common ground between jurisdictions in cases of this kind.

    Comprehensive witness protection measures were in place.  Witnesses whose safety was at risk were entitled to identity changes and relocation measures.  Punishments could be mitigated based on witnesses’ cooperation.

    When there were allegations against a police officer, the officer involved was immediately suspended.  When a civil servant under suspicion of having committed a crime was suspended, they could appeal their suspension with the civil service complaints authority.

    Malta was a Westminster democracy, so the Executive could not submit draft laws for consideration, but citizens could.

    State laws addressed aiding and abetting crimes of human trafficking and abduction, including financing and supporting the crime and making use of products obtained through the crime of trafficking in persons.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    BARBARA LOCHBIHLER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked about mechanisms applied prior to an extradition to assess whether persons could be at risk of enforced disappearance.  Did registers of detained persons include all the details required by the Convention? Were registers regularly updated? Had the State party revised its legal definition of “places of deprivation of liberty” in line with the recommendation of the Sub-Committee for the Prevention of Torture

    Malta’s policies and practices reportedly increased the risk of enforced disappearances of migrants and victims of trafficking.  Tactics of non-assistance or delay in assistance to migrants and refugees in distress at sea, as well as pushbacks to Libya, violating the non-refoulement principle, had led to deaths and disappearances of migrants at sea.  The widespread use of immigration detention and alleged episodes of violence in pre-removal detention centres also continued to be a human rights concern in Malta.  The State party had been called on to stop pushbacks at sea to Libya, which could not be considered a safe space.  Refugees in Libya were reportedly kept in appalling conditions, and exposed to abuse, extortion, abduction and human trafficking.  What measures had the State party taken to prevent disappearances of migrants and dangerous pushbacks at sea?  Malta had had a Memorandum of Understanding with Libya since 2020 that included the funding of two coordination centres in Libya.  What were the contents of this memorandum and how did it prevent migrant pushbacks? 

    Open centres for migrants in Malta reportedly lacked space, forcing the State party to place migrants in detention centres.  Could the delegation update the Committee on this practice?  Were there migration detention facilities that were not operated by the detention service?  What progress had been made in establishing a central register for detained migrants? How long was the maximum and minimum period of migrant detention?  Could data on the nationality of detained migrants be provided?  What was the timeline for extending the mandate of the national preventive mechanism?

    Did the content of training activities referred to in the reply to the list of issues address the Convention? Was the State party planning on providing human rights training to medical personnel in prisons, members of the judiciary, immigration personnel and social workers?  Would training address illegal intercountry adoptions?

    Did national laws place a time limit on access by victims of enforced disappearance and their relatives to reparation?  Did laws address victims’ relatives’ rights to information and property?

    What policies and measures had been taken to protect children, particularly unaccompanied minors, from enforced disappearances in the context of migration and trafficking?  Could the delegation provide figures on trafficking of children?  How had the State party’s policies on illegal intercountry adoption developed, taking into account international norms on the practice?

    FIDELIS KANYONGOLO, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the State party’s obligations under the Convention still existed, although there were no recorded cases of enforced disappearance in the State.  Were there plans to expand the definition of “victims” in Malta’s victims of crime act to align it with article 24 of the Convention, particularly to include family members of individuals who had suffered harm as a result of enforced disappearances that had not directly caused deaths?  What measures were in place to provide victims’ relatives the right to know the progress of investigations and the fate of disappeared persons, and the right to be returned remains in cases of death?  Did relatives have the right to various forms of reparation, including restitution, rehabilitation, and guarantees of non-repetition?  Were there laws that obliged the State to continue the investigation of cases until the fate of the disappeared person had been clarified?  Had measures been taken in law and practice to guarantee the right of people in Malta to establish and participate freely in associations attempting to establish the fate of disappeared persons and to assist victims and relatives?

    Another Committee Expert asked how detained persons were informed of their rights, including their right to counsel? How were women and children protected in cases of enforced disappearance?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said no person was to be subjected to inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment during extradition proceedings.  Persons were not to be returned if they could be subjected to inhumane treatment or other human rights violations.  Under European arrest warrant laws, the State was bound by a 10-day surrender period, during which time persons subjected to extradition proceedings could appeal the extradition.  Last year, a judgement was made by the Court of Criminal Appeal deciding to prevent the extradition of a person to Romania due to deficiencies in prison conditions in that State.

    Malta was in the process of amending the whistleblowers act so that whistleblowers who were members of the disciplinary forces and other persons would be protected under the act.

    Malta’s laws on trafficking in persons were in line with international norms and ensured protection for vulnerable groups, including women and children.  The victims of crime act ensured that victims had access to legal aid, psychological support and shelter, and granted them the right to be informed about the progress of legal proceedings. The Malta police had a unit for investigating trafficking and non-governmental organizations provided shelters and support for victims.  Training was provided to police on identifying victims of trafficking.  The State party had ratified several international norms on trafficking, including the Palermo Protocol.

    Records of immigration detention were kept in an online database that relevant State authorities could access.  Data was recorded upon admission to migrant facilities.  Many police officers had participated in training courses addressing human rights, investigating missing persons, and victim and witness protection.

    The judiciary had received training on the rights of victims, including to access compensation and justice.  The definition in the victims of crime act was not the only definition of a “victim” in State legislation.  Victims had the right to be understood, and were informed about the protection and legal aid measures they were entitled to and methods of accessing compensation. There were many avenues to compensation under Malta’s legislation, including provisions in the Criminal Code addressing compensation and a process for obtaining compensation for civil cases. Agencies had been established to ensure victims received timely individual assessments regarding the support measures they were entitled to.  The State party prioritised the protection of vulnerable victims and victims of serious crimes, guarding against intimidation and reprisals against victims.  Child victims testified to magistrates in separate rooms to trial rooms to prevent traumatisation.

    Migration remained a challenge for Malta, as the State was located on a major migration route. It had saved several migrants at sea over the past 20 years.  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees had assisted the State party to improve its asylum system and to establish services such as migrant health services and return counselling.  The State party was dedicated to meeting its human rights obligations regarding migrants, to providing protection to those who needed it, and to returning other migrants in a safe and humane manner.  Maltese authorities acted on distress calls at sea in accordance with relevant international laws. 

    Malta had not engaged in any pushbacks to Libya and there had been no occurrences of collective expulsions.  The Government signed a memorandum of understanding with Libya in 2020 on setting up coordination centres in Tripoli and Malta to improve reception of migrants and combat trafficking in the region.  Libyan authorities needed to be given the necessary resources to combat migrant smuggling.  The memorandum of understanding had led to reduced loss of life in the Mediterranean region.

    The detention of migrants was enforced on clear legal grounds.  Detention orders were issued following individual assessments and only as a last resort.  Such orders were subject to an automatic review and subsequent reviews every 14 days. Migrants were notified of removal decisions verbally and in writing.  Removal orders provided explanations of the reasons for the order and options for voluntary removals.  All return activities were monitored by an independent monitoring board. Free legal aid and interpretation services were provided in legal proceedings on removals.

    All unaccompanied minors were protected by care orders issued by the courts.  They were cared for by the agency for the welfare of asylum seekers, which collaborated with the police force and reported signs of trafficking and risks of minors leaving the country without consent.

    Overcrowding in detention and open centres had not been a problem since 2021.  Malta’s open centre was closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The centre was reopened in 2021 and an additional centre was constructed, resolving the problem.  The current occupancy rate in detention centres was less than 30 per cent. Violence in detention centres was not an issue.  Independent correctional centre monitoring boards had been appointed as the State’s national preventive mechanism.  These boards submitted regular reports to the State regarding conditions in detention centres.

    The legal status of victims of enforced disappearance was defined in the Civil Code, which specified that the assets of such persons were managed by curators who were appointed by the courts.  There were safeguards on victims’ assets.  Courts ensured the protection and supervision of unattended children. The directorate for child protection services operated a children’s house and had powers to carry out and request investigations into cases of violations of children’s rights.

    The Constitution provided for freedom of association.  Any person was entitled to associate regarding issues of enforced disappearance.  No legislation could restrict the freedom of association of any person.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    BARBARA LOCHBIHLER, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the State party had formed a further memorandum of understanding with Libya in 2024.  Did it address the prevention of enforced disappearance?  Some persons employed by the Libyan Coastguard were reportedly themselves involved in trafficking in persons.  How did the State party respond to these reports?  How did it respond to reports that Maltese authorities had failed to rescue over 200 migrants whose vessel sank in the Mediterranean in 2013?  Did migrants deprived of liberty have the right to a lawyer?  Did the State party address the situation of potentially disappeared persons in its work on locating missing migrants?  Had the State party referenced the Committee’s general comment on illegal intercountry adoptions in its regulations on the practice?

    FIDELIS KANYONGOLO, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, asked about amendments being contemplated for the whistleblowers act and the potential timeline for their adoption.  Did registers of persons deprived of liberty include all details stipulated in article 17 (3) of the Convention?  Were the State’s registers interconnected and interoperable?  Did the State’s various definitions of “victims” reflect the breadth of the definition of victims in article 24 of the Convention?  Were victims entitled to compensation and remedies as broadly defined in article 24 (5)?  Mr. Kanyongolo appreciated the details provided by the delegation regarding Malta’s legislation.

    Another Committee Expert said the State party had proceedings to declare absences and deaths. What procedure was used to declare disappearances?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said that when a person was charged with a criminal offence, victims could participate in criminal proceedings and could file a petition to claim compensation. The Criminal Code included a compensation scheme.  Under Maltese law, victims could also file actions against the Government before the Civil Court requesting damages.  Damages were timebound and could be renewed after certain periods.  In cases where breaches of human rights were found, courts could grant pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages.  Victims also had the right to file applications for reparation with the Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights.

    Adoptions were regulated by State laws and there was an authority that oversaw adoptions, including intercountry adoptions, to ensure that they were legal.

    Migrants were granted the same rights as other individuals in criminal proceedings, including the right to a lawyer, the right to contact family members, and the right to medical assistance as required.  They were given information on their rights upon detainment in a language that they understood.

    The memorandum of understanding with Libya had been renewed in 2024 with the same terms and conditions of the previous one.  It aimed to dismantle trafficking activities and prevent the loss of life of migrants at sea.  When the State party received requests for information on missing migrants at sea, responsible authorities conducted necessary investigations.  Malta abided by its international obligations and had never relinquished a search case for migrants in distress at sea.

    Amendments to the whistleblower act were still in the drafting stage and the delegation could not provide a timeline for its adoption.

    Malta was in full compliance with article 17 (3) of the Convention.  Registers of detained persons were maintained by authorities and updated as necessary.  They included the detainees’ personal details, and the time of and reason for arrest, among other details.  Registers were regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with domestic and international norms.

    The Civil Code defined the process for declaring absences.  Disappeared persons could be declared as absentees.  Presumptive heirs of absentees could file petitions to courts to obtain their assets.  The will of the absentee was opened after 10 years of absence, and courts determined who received assets in cases where the absentee had not made a will.

    Closing Remarks

    OLIVIER DE FROUVILLE, Committee Chair, thanked the delegation for the dialogue.  The Committee would prepare concluding observations based on the topics discussed and call on the State party to report on implementation of these concluding observations after a certain period.  The Committee would decide whether or not to hold a follow-up dialogue with Malta based on its assessment of this report.  The State party and the Committee’s common goal was to ensure the implementation of the Convention.  Mr. de Frouville called on Malta and other States that had ratified the Convention to petition States that had not ratified to do so.  The Committee looked forward to continuing to work with Malta in future.

    FIORELLA FENECH VELLA, Office of the State Advocate of Malta and head of the delegation, said the delegation had engaged fully with the Committee in the dialogue.  The Committee had posed pertinent questions related to the implementation of the Convention.  The dialogue was an essential component for further strengthening Malta’s implementation and for strengthening protections for rights holders in the State.  Malta had never implemented policies that had amounted to enforced disappearance, a reflection of its dedication to promoting human rights principles.  The State party would carefully analyse and take into account the Committee’s recommendations in its development of laws and policies.

    Statements Marking the Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice in Argentina and the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims

    At the end of the first day of the dialogue, HORACIO RAVENNA, Committee Vice-Chairperson, said that 24 March was a special day in Argentina, the Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice. Forty-nine years ago today, the armed forces in Argentina initiated a coup against the State’s leadership and imposed a dictatorship.  Several similar coups were also carried out in other countries in South and Latin America. Many political dissidents were killed, arbitrarily detained and subjected to enforced disappearance in this era as part of Operation Condor, and legislation in many countries did not sufficiently address the phenomenon of enforced disappearance.  In this context, the exiled mothers of victims of enforced disappearance led the fight and bravely spoke out, meeting in Paris to discuss the issue, and these discussions led to the development of the Convention, which had been in force for 14 years.  Today, the Committee honoured persons who had passed away and continued to raise public awareness for the next generations, so that the horrendous crime could be eradicated forever.

    OLIVIER DE FROUVILLE, Committee Chair, said today was also, in addition to being the Day of Remembrance for Truth and Justice, the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims. All needed to remember the courageous struggle of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, whose actions had led to the development of the Convention.  They had spoken the truth bravely to combat dictatorships.

     

     

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

     

     

    CED25.007E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘We don’t have a cultural place for men as victims’: why men often don’t tell anyone about sexual abuse

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Vita Pilkington, Research Fellow, PhD Candidate in men’s experiences of sexual trauma, The University of Melbourne

    Kristi Blokhin/Shutterstock

    In Australia, it’s estimated almost one in five boys (18.8%) experience child sexual abuse. And at least one in 16 men (6.1%) experience sexual violence after age 15.

    However, many boys and men don’t tell others about these experiences. Studies show men are less likely to disclose sexual abuse and assaults than women.

    It also takes boys and men longer to first disclose sexual abuse or assaults. On average, men wait 21 years before telling anyone about being abused.

    This is a problem because talking to others is often an important part of understanding and recovering from these traumatic experiences. When boys and men don’t discuss these experiences, it risks their mental health problems and isolation becoming worse and they don’t get the support they need.

    We wanted to understand what prevents boys and men from telling others about sexual abuse and assaults (or “sexual trauma”). So we conducted a systematic review, where we pooled together evidence from a range of studies on the topic.

    We found 69 relevant studies, which included more than 10,500 boys and men who had experienced sexual trauma from around the world. Studies were published in 23 countries across six continents, with most studies from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Two studies were published in Australia.

    Our new findings offer clues as to how we can break down the barriers preventing men and boys from discussing sexual trauma.

    Many boys and men don’t tell anyone if they’ve been victim to sexual violence.
    gpointstudio/Shutterstock

    Upending masculine identities

    We found across countries and cultures, boys’ and men’s sexual trauma affected their masculine identities. This included feeling as though they are not “real men”, or that they’re weak for having been targeted and assaulted.

    In one study, a participant explained:

    Sexual abuse to a man is an abuse against his manhood as well.

    Almost universally, boys and men suffered intense feelings of shame and guilt about being victimised, and many blamed themselves for years to decades.

    Many boys and men said they were worried others would think they were gay if they disclosed being abused or assaulted. This harmful stereotype reflects widespread homophobic attitudes as well as mistaken beliefs about survivors of abuse and assaults.

    Sexual abuse against boys and men has been long been overlooked, dismissed and misunderstood. The taboo nature of the issue was felt by participants. As a therapist who supported male survivors of abuse said in one study:

    We don’t have a cultural place for men as victims.

    LGBTQIA+ men face additional barriers to disclosure. Some experienced distress surrounding concerns abuse or assaults somehow cause, or contribute to, their sexualities. Many also reported receiving unsupportive and homophobic responses when they disclosed abuse and assaults to others. This includes their stories being minimised and dismissed, or suggestions they must have consented given their attraction to other men.

    Stigma if they do tell

    In many cases, boys and men who tried to tell others about their sexual trauma were met with stigmatising and unhelpful responses. Some were blamed, told they were making it up, or even mocked.

    Others were discouraged from speaking out about their experiences again. In some countries, people tell boys and men not to talk about being abused or assaulted because this is seen as bringing shame on themselves and their families.

    Boys and men who were assaulted by women were often told their experiences can’t be classified as abuse or assaults, or aren’t bad enough to warrant support.

    Understanding why men don’t talk

    Many of these barriers to disclosure are linked to harmful myths about sexual abuse and assaults among boys and men. These include mistaken beliefs that men are not abused or assaulted, and that only gay men are abused or assaulted.

    What’s more, many people believe experiencing sexual abuse or assaults is at odds with socially-held ideas about how men “should” behave: for example, constantly demonstrating physical strength, dominance, self-reliance and toughness.

    These strict ideas about what it means to be a man appear to prevent many boys and men from disclosing sexual trauma, and impact how others respond when they do disclose.

    It can also mean boys and men try to bury their difficulties after sexual trauma because they feel they’re expected to be unemotional and cope with their problems independently.

    If men don’t feel comfortable telling anyone about their experience, they can’t get help.
    Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

    What can we do better?

    We know having experienced sexual trauma is closely linked to significant mental health problems in boys and men. These include substance abuse and addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and even suicide.

    Receiving unsupportive and stigmatising responses when they try to seek help only makes these issues worse, and adds to cycles of silence and shame.

    We must break down barriers that stop boys and men disclosing these traumatic experiences. Doing so could save lives.

    Helping boys and men disclose sexual trauma isn’t just about encouraging them to come forward. We need to make sure other people are prepared to respond safely when they choose to speak up.

    There are many ways to raise awareness of the fact sexual abuse and assault happens to boys and men. For example, television shows such as Baby Reindeer helped put this issue at the forefront of conversation. Public health campaigns that explicitly bring boys and men into discussions about sexual trauma can also be helpful.

    We also need to do more to make sure boys and men who experience sexual trauma have suitable places to go for support. Australia has some services doing vital work in this space, such as the Survivors & Mates Support Network. However, more funding and support is crucial so men across the country have safe spaces to discuss and recover from their experiences.

    The National Sexual Assault, Family and Domestic Violence Counselling Line – 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.

    Vita Pilkington led this project and receives funding from the Melbourne Research Scholarship and the Margaret Cohan Research Scholarship, both awarded by the University of Melbourne.

    Sarah Bendall has been awarded a NHMRC Investigator Grant to support research surrounding understanding and treating trauma in young people with mental health difficulties. She has previously held a NHMRC Early Career Fellowship and a McCusker Philanthropic Foundation Fellowship. She advises government on trauma and youth mental health policy, including Victoria’s statewide trauma service (Transforming Trauma Victoria).

    Zac Seidler receives funding from an NHMRC Investigator Grant. He is also the Global Director of Research with the Movember Institute of Men’s Health.

    – ref. ‘We don’t have a cultural place for men as victims’: why men often don’t tell anyone about sexual abuse – https://theconversation.com/we-dont-have-a-cultural-place-for-men-as-victims-why-men-often-dont-tell-anyone-about-sexual-abuse-252630

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The collapse of Hudson’s Bay signals a turning point for Canadian legacy retailers

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Xiaodan Pan, Associate Professor, John Molson School of Business, Concordia University

    Hudson’s Bay Company has begun liquidating all but six of its stores. After the 352-year-old retailer filed for creditor protection amid mounting debt and operational losses in early March, a court gave it permission to start the liquidation process.

    Founded in 1670 as a fur-trading enterprise, Hudson’s Bay grew into one of Canada’s most iconic department store chains. But with nearly all locations set to close by June 30 and its loyalty programs suspended, the future of Hudson’s Bay remains uncertain.

    The retailer’s financial troubles raise broader questions about the viability of traditional department stores in an increasingly fast-paced, digitally driven retail environment.



    Read more:
    Hudson’s Bay liquidation: What happens when a company goes bankrupt?

    Modernization efforts

    In recent years, Hudson’s Bay attempted to modernize by blending its physical retail footprint with a growing digital presence. This included launching a revamped e-commerce platform and creating an online marketplace that allowed third-party sellers to broaden its product assortment.

    In 2021, Hudson’s Bay split its e-commerce and physical store divisions into separate entities: The Bay Online, focused on digital retail, and Hudson’s Bay, dedicated to in-store shopping experiences.

    But despite these efforts, Hudson’s Bay has struggled to differentiate its online platform in an overcrowded and highly competitive digital landscape, all while maintaining its physical presence.

    The rise of off-price retailers

    In sharp contrast to the struggles of legacy department stores, off-price retailers such as Winners, Marshalls and TJ Maxx continue to thrive. Their success is largely due to their ability to attract consumers across a wide range of income levels by offering brand-name merchandise at large discounts.

    In Canada, Winners alone has expanded to more than 300 stores nationwide, while Marshalls has added more than 100 locations. Combined, they significantly outnumber Hudson’s Bay’s approximately 80 stores.

    Off-price retailers have also gained a competitive edge through real estate choices, favouring open-air shopping centres and strip malls that provide greater accessibility and ample parking, which are benefits that many Hudson’s Bay urban locations lack.

    The off-price model thrives on an ever-changing merchandise mix. Buyers continuously source fashion, designer labels and home goods from a broad spectrum of vendors. This approach keeps assortments fresh and also ensures fast inventory turnover, reducing holding costs and supporting lower prices.

    This retail model has demonstrated resilience across economic cycles. In times of inflation or financial uncertainty, foot traffic to off-price stores typically increases as consumers become more price-sensitive — further eroding the market share of traditional department stores.

    The pressures from digital retailers

    The rapid rise of e-commerce has presented a significant challenge for traditional department stores. Over the past decade, online shopping in Canada has grown substantially, with monthly online retail sales surpassing three billion Canadian dollars.

    E-commerce now accounts for 11 to 12 per cent of total retail sales, with categories like fashion, hobby and leisure, electronics and furniture and home goods accounting for around 75 per cent of all retail e-commerce sales in Canada.

    In the general merchandise space, Amazon controls more than 40 per cent of Canada’s e-commerce market. Retail giants like Walmart and Costco have also expanded their digital capabilities. These players undercut the traditional value proposition of department stores.

    The large investments required in distribution capabilities has made it increasingly difficult for smaller competitors, such as Hudson’s Bay, to match the delivery speeds and product assortments of these retail heavyweights.

    In niche merchandise categories, specialized retailers have also chipped away at department stores’ customer bases. Sephora and Shoppers Drug Mart dominate the beauty and personal care market, while Lululemon, Nike and Zara rank among the top online stores in fashion.

    Ikea, Wayfair and other direct-to-consumer brands lead the online home goods and furniture market, while Canadian-based Holt Renfrew and France-based LVMH are both leaders in the luxury market.

    Adding to the challenge are international digital disruptors such as Shein and Temu, which have have rapidly gained ground in Canada. In 2023, Shein led the country’s online fashion segment with e-commerce net sales of approximately US$1.4 billion.

    Temu — an ultra-low-price platform that entered Canada in 2023 — became the country’s most-downloaded iPhone app by the end of 2024. These platforms are challenging legacy retailers by offering aggressive pricing, free shipping and vast product assortments.

    Pathways to reinvention

    With almost all of its stores closing and its loyalty programs suspended, the future of Hudson’s Bay is in question. While its brand recognition remains strong, it’s unclear whether it will be able to come back from the brink it’s now on.

    For any struggling legacy retailer looking to survive in today’s evolving market, reinvention is essential. Department stores and legacy retailers will need to reinvent themselves across five key dimensions:

    1. Reposition the brand: Canadian retailers can redefine their core value propositions, emphasizing what makes them unique. Their uniqueness may lie in their Canadian heritage, for instance. Brands like Roots and Canada Goose have been successful with this strategy.

    2. Rethink retail formats: The age of downtown retailing continues to fade, especially as remote work reduces foot traffic in urban centres. Large-scale covered malls are also declining, given the demise of anchor department store retailers and the rise of e-commerce. Canadian retailers should explore alternate formats, such as neighbourhood-based, category-specific outlets tailored to community preferences.

    3. Optimize physical presence: Strategic location decisions are crucial. Physical retailers must right-size their physical footprints — closing underperforming locations while reinvesting in high-traffic, high-return outlets. Future expansion should favour asset-light, data-informed models based on actual consumer demand.

    4. Improve in-store experiences: To draw customers back into stores, shopping must become experiential. Immersive displays, personalized service and community-centric events could make a visit to a physical store more memorable and engaging for customers.

    5. Integrating physical and digital channels: A cohesive digital and physical strategy is essential. Technologies such as augmented reality fitting rooms, virtual showrooms, click-and-collect options and AI-powered personalization could bridge the gap between online and in-store shopping.

    A defining moment for Canadian retailers

    Canadian retailing stands at a pivotal crossroads. The collapse of legacy department stores, the dominance of e-commerce giants and the rise of off-price and digital-first competitors all signal a permanent shift in how consumers shop.

    A long legacy alone does not secure survival. As seen with the collapses of Sears, Eaton’s and now Hudson’s Bay, failure to adapt can lead to obsolescence. The retail landscape is now defined by agility, innovation and the ability to meet consumers where they are.

    For retailers still standing, the lesson is clear: nostalgia is not a business model. Shoppers are now more price-conscious, convenience-driven and digitally engaged than ever before. Companies unwilling or unable to evolve will likely face the same fate as the retail giants that came before them.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The collapse of Hudson’s Bay signals a turning point for Canadian legacy retailers – https://theconversation.com/the-collapse-of-hudsons-bay-signals-a-turning-point-for-canadian-legacy-retailers-252705

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Seizing Fake Pills | CBP

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    The trade of counterfeit and pirated goods threatens America’s innovation economy, the competitiveness of our businesses, the livelihoods of U.S. workers, and, in some cases, national security and the health and safety of consumers. Protect yourself and your family by avoiding potentially dangerous counterfeit items.

    Trade of illegitimate goods is associated with smuggling and other criminal activities, and often funds criminal enterprises. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and partner government agencies work side-by-side to protect the intellectual property rights of American businesses. Safeguarding them from unfair competition, and loss of consumer trust, while upholding American innovation and ingenuity.

    Instagram ➤ https://instagram.com/CBPgov
    Facebook ➤ https://facebook.com/CBPgov
    Twitter ➤ https://twitter.com/CBP
    Official Website ➤ https://www.cbp.gov

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKLumCHPCZ4

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Victims of Slavery & amp;Transatlantic Slave Trade & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

    Highlights:
    Victims of Slavery and Transatlantic Slave Trade
    Detained and Missing Staff
    Syria/Security Council
    Occupied Palestinian Territory
    UN Interim Force In Lebanon
    Democratic Republic of the Congo
    Democratic Republic of the Congo / Mediation
    Burundi
    Sudan
    South Sudan
    Ukraine
    Myanmar
    Ecuador
    Child Mortality

    VICTIMS OF SLAVERY AND TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE
    Today is the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. The Secretary-General spoke at the General Assembly event to mark the Day and said that the transatlantic slave trade is an indelible stain on the conscience of humanity.
    Today, he said, we remember the women, children, and men forced to work in agonizing conditions, savagely punished, and deprived of their dignity and human rights, and we take strength in their resistance and demands for justice.
    The Secretary-General said the obscene profits derived from chattel slavery and the racist ideologies that underpinned the trade are still with us, and he urged everyone to play their part in building inclusive societies free from the evils of racism.

    DETAINED AND MISSING STAFF
    Today is the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members. One hundred and one personnel were arrested or detained last year alone. In total, at least 52 of UN personnel are still in detention globally.
    In his message, the Secretary-General says we stand with all those detained, and with their families and loved ones, as we call for their immediate release and safe return.
    He urges governments to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel, and to continue pursuing accountability and justice for these crimes, while enhancing support and protection.
    And in a video message, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said that the rights of all U.N. staff must be fully respected.
    Out of the 52 detained colleagues, 23 as you know are arbitrarily detained in Yemen alone. Eight of those are from the Human Rights Office. “Their continued detention is a grave injustice,” Mr. Türk said.
    On this Day, the UN renews the calls for their immediate and unconditional release.

    SYRIA/SECURITY COUNCIL
    This morning at the Security Council, the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, told Council members that Syria stands at a crossroads: either to return to violence or to overcome the conflict and revive the economy. To take the right path, Syria needs increased and continued international support, he said.
    For his part, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, said that we are making progress on the humanitarian front. We are now using more routes to deliver aid.
    He added that the reality is still grim. 16 million people – nearly three-quarters of the Syrian population – lack sufficient food, water, shelter, and medicine. We need to move with greater urgency, while we can – he said.

    Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=25%20March%202025

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8EmEq44Veo

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: UN Chief urges to combat racial discrimination and hate | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Remarks by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, o the General Assembly to mark the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

    The transatlantic slave trade is an indelible stain on the conscience of humanity.

    For more than four centuries, enslaved Africans were kidnapped and trafficked; dehumanized, abused and exploited.

    The depth and scale of the cruelty, inhumanity, and depravity of this practice is incomprehensible.

    So, too, is the suffering, fear, pain and misery endured by those millions of people exploited for profit.

    Today, we reflect on families ripped apart and communities decimated.

    We remember the women, children, and men forced to work in agonizing conditions, savagely punished, and deprived of their dignity and human rights.

    And we take strength in their resistance and demands for justice:

    From revolution in Haiti, to the underground railroad in the United States, to countless individual acts of courage and defiance.

    I deeply regret that several countries – including my own – were engaged in this immoral trade…

    A trade driven by greed and built on lies – particularly the lie of white supremacy…

    A trade enabled by insurers, bankers, shipping companies, legal systems and more…

    That saw individuals, institutions and corporations amass unimaginable wealth on the back of human suffering.

    When slavery was officially abolished, it was not the enslaved who were compensated, but the enslavers – receiving reparations equivalent to billions of dollars in today’s money.

    In an even crueler twist, some slaves were forced to pay compensation.

    Haiti had to fund payouts to those who had profited from its suffering – all in the name of securing its independence.

    Dear Friends,

    Today is not only a day of remembrance.

    It is also a day to reflect on the enduring legacies of slavery and colonialism and to strengthen our resolve to combat those evils today.

    The obscene profits derived from chattel slavery and the racist ideologies that underpinned the trade are still with us.

    Systemic racism has been embedded into institutions, cultures, and social systems.

    And deeply rooted exclusion, racial discrimination and violence continue to undermine the ability of many people of African descent to thrive and achieve their full potential.

    For too long, the crimes of the transatlantic slave trade – and their ongoing impact – have remained unacknowledged, unspoken, and unaddressed:

    Links to slavery were buried…

    Histories were rewritten, minimized or overlooked…

    Ongoing harms were excused or dismissed…

    And perpetrators seemed to hope their actions would be lost to the past.

    Dear Friends,

    They were wrong.

    Thanks to the tireless work of affected leaders and communities, calls to acknowledge and repair the past can no longer be ignored.

    This year, at both the African Union Summit and the Caribbean Community Heads of Government Meeting, I heard leader after leader make a powerful case for reparatory justice.

    Some institutions and states are taking steps to acknowledge and address their pasts…

    Museums and public spaces are commemorating the resistance of people of African descent, and celebrating their vast contribution to societies.

    This is a start.

    But we need much more.

    The horrors of the transatlantic slave trade are an undeniable fact.

    Acknowledging this truth is not only necessary – it is vital for addressing past wrongs, healing the present, and building a future of dignity and justice for all.

    It is also important that reparatory justice frameworks are grounded in international human rights law….

    Developed with the participation of affected communities…

    And acknowledge the terrible harms caused.

    I urge everyone to play their part in building inclusive societies free from the evils of racism:

    That means countries complying with their international obligations – including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights…

    Implementing the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination…

    And becoming Parties to the Convention if they are not already.

    It means business leaders promoting equality and combatting racism.

    And it means civil society, and everyday people continuing to push for justice, and taking a stand against racism wherever and whenever it appears.

    Excellencies,

    This mission is at the heart of the United Nations.

    The human dignity of every person is our founding creed.

    We must stand with everyone, everywhere to combat racial discrimination and hate, and to defend the human rights and dignity of all.

    Thank you.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSFSTQyWWHY

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
    Section 1.  Purpose.  The continued use of paper-based payments by the Federal Government, including checks and money orders, flowing into and out of the United States General Fund, which might be thought of as America’s bank account, imposes unnecessary costs; delays; and risks of fraud, lost payments, theft, and inefficiencies.  Mail theft complaints have increased substantially since the COVID-19 pandemic.  Historically, Department of the Treasury checks are 16 times more likely to be reported lost or stolen, returned undeliverable, or altered than an electronic funds transfer (EFT).  Maintaining the physical infrastructure and specialized technology for digitizing paper records cost the American taxpayer over $657 million in Fiscal Year 2024 alone.
    This order promotes operational efficiency by mandating the transition to electronic payments for all Federal disbursements and receipts by digitizing payments to the extent permissible under applicable law (but not, for avoidance of doubt, to establish a Central Bank Digital Currency).  
    Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States to defend against financial fraud and improper payments, increase efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the security of Federal payments.
    Sec. 3.  Phase Out of Paper Check Disbursements and Receipts.  (a)  Effective September 30, 2025, and to the extent permitted by law, the Secretary of the Treasury shall cease issuing paper checks for all Federal disbursements inclusive of intragovernmental payments, benefits payments, vendor payments, and tax refunds, except as specified in section 4 of this order.
    (b)  All executive departments and agencies (agencies) shall comply with this directive by transitioning to EFT methods, including direct deposit, prepaid card accounts, and other digital payment options, and take all steps necessary to enroll recipients in EFT payments, except as specified in section 4 of this order.
    (c)  As soon as practicable, and to the extent permitted by law, all payments made to the Federal Government shall be processed electronically, except as specified in section 4 of this order.
    (d)  The Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take appropriate action to eliminate the need for the Department of the Treasury’s physical lockbox services and expedite requirements to receive the payment of Federal receipts, including fees, fines, loans, and taxes, through electronic means except as specified in section 4 of this order.
    (e)  The Secretary of the Treasury shall support agencies’ transition to digital payment methods, including by providing access through the Department of the Treasury’s centralized payment systems to:
    (i)    direct deposits;
    (ii)   debit and credit card payments;
    (iii)  digital wallets and real-time payment systems; and
    (iv)   other modern electronic payment options.
    Sec. 4.  Exceptions and Accommodations for the Phase Out of Paper Check Disbursements and Receipts.  (a)  The Secretary of the Treasury, shall review and, as appropriate, revise procedures for granting limited exceptions where electronic payment and collection methods are not feasible, including exceptions for:
    (i)    individuals who do not have access to banking services or electronic payment systems;
    (ii)   certain emergency payments where electronic disbursement would cause undue hardship, as contemplated in 31 C.F.R. Part 208;
    (iii)  national security- or law enforcement-related activities where non-EFT transactions are necessary or desirable; and
    (iv)   other circumstances as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, as reflected in regulations or other guidance.
    (b)  Individuals or entities qualifying for an exception under this section or other applicable law shall be provided alternative payment options.
    Sec. 5.  Implementation and Compliance of Electronic Transactions.  (a)  The Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the heads of agencies, shall develop and implement a comprehensive public awareness campaign to inform Federal payment recipients of the transition to electronic payments, including guidance on accessing and setting up digital payment options.
    (b)  Agencies shall coordinate with the Department of the Treasury to facilitate a smooth transition to digital payments, ensuring that affected individuals and entities receive adequate support.
    (c)  The Secretary of the Treasury shall work with financial institutions, consumer groups, and other stakeholders to address financial access for unbanked and underbanked populations.
    (d)  The Secretary of the Treasury and the heads of agencies shall take all necessary steps to protect classified information and systems, as well as personally identifiable information and tax return information, through the implementation of this order.
    Sec. 6.  Reporting Requirements.  (a)  The heads of agencies shall submit a compliance plan to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget within 90 days of the date of this order detailing their strategy for eliminating paper-based transactions.
    (b)  The Secretary of the Treasury shall submit an implementation report to the President through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy within 180 days of the date of this order detailing progress on the matters set forth in this order.
    Sec. 7.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

    DONALD J. TRUMP
    THE WHITE HOUSE,    March 25, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Protecting America’s Bank Account Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-left”> By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
    Section 1. Purpose.  Promoting financial integrity and operational efficiency are critical responsibilities of the Federal Government.  The Federal Government processes trillions of dollars annually in disbursements to individuals, businesses, and organizations, and in receipts from taxes, fees, and other payments to finance daily and long-term Government operations.  These transactions flow into and out of the United States General Fund (General Fund), which might be thought of as America’s bank account.  In Fiscal Year 2024, $33.9 trillion flowed into the General Fund and $33.6 trillion flowed out of the account, including $5.87 trillion (less net interest) in benefits, grants, loans, vendor payments, and other disbursements. 
    The Department of the Treasury is the largest financial payment manager of the Federal Government and is responsible for safeguarding the General Fund, but lacks sufficient controls to track transactions flowing through the General Fund to determine if they were proper.  To enforce sufficient controls and ensure accountability to American taxpayers, the Department of the Treasury requires financial information from executive departments and agencies (agencies) beyond what they currently provide.
    Financial fraud threatens the integrity of Federal programs and undermines trust in Government.  Agencies’ past underinvestment in technology and longstanding challenges with access to accurate data has prevented them from more fully safeguarding taxpayer dollars against fraud and improper payments.  The Government Accountability Office estimates that the Federal Government loses between $233 and $521 billion annually to fraud.
    In addition to being an efficient steward of taxpayer funds, the Federal Government, on behalf of the American public, must seek to ensure that financial information is accurate and that there is transparency with respect to how taxpayer dollars are being used.  Today, Federal funds are disbursed both by the Department of the Treasury and various Federal Government entities that are authorized to issue their own disbursements known as Non-Treasury Disbursing Offices (NTDOs).  In Fiscal Year 2024, NTDOs were estimated to be responsible for 181 million payments totaling over $1.5 trillion (approximately 22 percent of all Federal Government dollars disbursed). This fragmentation of disbursing authority, together with the proliferation of non-standard financial management systems across the Federal Government, leads to expensive, disjointed, and duplicative financial reporting, lack of financial traceability, complicated financial management, opacity, increased operational risks, and decreased ability of the Department of the Treasury to provide centralized oversight.
    This order promotes financial integrity by enabling the Department of the Treasury to more easily conduct improper payment and fraud prevention screening prior to disbursing funds on behalf of agencies.  This order increases transparency and accountability by requiring agencies to provide the Department of the Treasury with the information needed to track transactions through the General Fund in greater detail.  This order also promotes operational efficiency by returning disbursing functions to the Department of the Treasury when possible and consolidating and standardizing core Federal financial systems.
    Sec. 2.  Policy.  It is the policy of the United States to defend against financial fraud and improper payments, increase transparency and accountability around the Federal Government’s operations and financial condition, increase efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the security of Federal payments.
    Sec. 3.  Treasury Verification of Agency Payments Information.  (a)  The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB Director), shall update guidance and enhance systems to ensure that all payments made by the Department of the Treasury on behalf of agencies pursuant to the Secretary of the Treasury’s disbursing authority, including 31 U.S.C. 3321, are subject to pre-certification verification processes established by the Secretary of the Treasury and conducted by agencies and the Department of the Treasury for the purposes of defending against financial fraud and improper payments, to the greatest extent permitted by law.  Such guidance shall set forth guidelines for compliance with the Do Not Pay Working System as described in 31 U.S.C. 3351 et seq., and such other payment, account, and payee validation programs and services that the Secretary of the Treasury and the OMB Director determine to be beneficial for reducing financial fraud and improper payments.
    (b)  In accordance with 31 U.S.C. 3354, the heads of all agencies shall cooperate with the Secretary of the Treasury to fulfill their obligations to determine payment or award eligibility through pre-certification and pre-award procedures, as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, including pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and section 4 of this order to prevent fraud and improper payments.
    (c)  The Secretary of the Treasury is directed to minimize administrative barriers to accessing and using data to prevent fraud and improper payments by exercising the authority in 31 U.S.C. 3351 et seq. to waive the requirements of 5 U.S.C. 552a(o), in consultation with the OMB Director, in any case or class of cases for computer matching activities, to the extent permissible by law.
    (d)  Within 90 days of the date of this order, agency heads shall review and modify, as applicable, their relevant system of records notices under the Privacy Act of 1974 to include a “routine use” that allows for the disclosure of records to the Department of the Treasury for the purposes of identifying, preventing, or recouping fraud and improper payments, to the extent permissible by law. 
    (e)  The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the OMB Director, shall issue guidance to agency heads on the circumstances in which agency heads, to the extent permissible by law, may provide the Secretary of the Treasury with access to data necessary for the purposes of detecting and preventing fraud and improper payments, as well as data for payment information verification (and not, for example, data such as health records).
    Sec. 4.  Implementation and Compliance of Payment Verification.  (a)  Agency heads, through designated agency officials (Certifying Officers or COs), who are responsible for verifying that disbursements made by the Federal Government are legal, proper, and correct, and for performing the duties in 31 U.S.C. 3528, shall comply with the disbursement requirements and instructions, including pre-certification requirements, published by the Secretary of the Treasury.
    (b)  The Secretary of the Treasury shall consider, as appropriate, issuing instructions to agencies to enforce the following pre-certification criteria for disbursement requests submitted by COs (Vouchers) before they are certified for payment by the CO:
    (i)     Funds are available at the time the obligation is incurred.  If an obligation is incurred when funds are not available, then the CO shall not certify the payment.
    (ii)    The amount of the payment and the name of the payee on the Voucher are correct, in conformance with the Department of the Treasury’s prescribed standard format.
    (iii)   A proper Social Security Number, Taxpayer Identification Number, Employer Identification Number, Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or Payee ID Number is provided for each payee on the Voucher, as applicable.
    (iv)    The appropriation or fund from which the payment will be made is available for the purpose set forth in the Voucher and indicated with the appropriate Treasury Account Symbol/Business Event Type Code.
    (v)     Payees are not deceased individuals, to the greatest extent permitted by law.
    (vi)    The account number provided on the Voucher is held at a financial institution and is open, valid, and belongs to the payee or valid designee of payee.
    (vii)   Contracts or agreements are referenced on the Voucher by providing the contract number, referred to as the Procurement Instrument Identifier, where applicable.
    (viii)  Financial assistance awards (non-aggregate) are referenced on the Voucher by providing the award number, referred to as the Federal Award Identification Number, where applicable.
    (ix)    For summary schedules, the payments on the Voucher are submitted in conformance with the Department of the Treasury prescribed standard formats for such schedules.
    (c)  Agency heads shall submit payment files other than with respect to same-day payments to the Secretary of the Treasury or the Secretary’s designee with sufficient lead time prior to the date of disbursement as determined by the Department of the Treasury and provided in the requirements and instructions issued pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section, to allow for fraud and improper payment screening, to the extent permissible by law.  With respect to same-day payments, agency heads shall submit payment files to the Secretary of the Treasury or the Secretary’s designee as much in advance as reasonably practicable.
    (d)  In issuing requirements and instructions pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of the Treasury shall consider whether it would be appropriate to provide that the Department of the Treasury’s Chief Disbursing Officer return to the relevant agency for reconciliation any payments that do not pass the pre-certification verification processes established pursuant to section 3(a) of this order and notify the designated CO.  
    (e)  The Secretary of the Treasury shall include in the guidance issued pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, or in other regulations or guidance, a transparent process for agencies to request exemptions from some or all of the payment verification requirements for specific payments or categories of payments.
    Sec. 5.  Core Financial System Consolidation.  (a)  Within 180 days of the date of this order, the OMB Director shall issue guidance that directs agencies described in 31 U.S.C. 901(b) (CFO Act agencies) to consolidate their core financial systems.
    (b)  As soon as practicable, but not later than 180 days of the date of this order, the OMB Director, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, shall issue guidance directing all non-CFO Act agencies to consolidate transactional financial management services under a single provider approved by the Department of the Treasury.
    (c)  As soon as practicable, all heads of CFO Act agencies shall use standard financial management solutions available through the Financial Management Marketplace, administered by the Financial Management Quality Service Management Office.
    (d)  Agency heads shall ensure that core financial systems comply with Federal accounting and financial reporting standards and relevant regulations, orders, guidance documents, policy statements, and other agency actions published by the Department of the Treasury from time to time.
    Sec. 6.  Reduction of NTDOs.  (a)  Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of the Treasury shall assess whether to maintain disbursing authority that it has delegated to agencies pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 3321(b) and issue notices to revoke such delegations, as appropriate, in accordance with applicable law.  
    (b)  The heads of agencies with disbursing authority under 31 U.S.C. 3321(c), including the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Attorney General (but excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the Supreme Court and other entities of the Federal Government outside the Executive Branch) will work with the Secretary of the Treasury to delegate the performance of their disbursing activities, other than with respect to classified payments, to the Department of the Treasury’s Chief Disbursing Officer in accordance with applicable law. 
    (c)  Notwithstanding subsections (a) or (b) of this section, the Secretary of the Treasury may continue to delegate disbursing authority to NTDOs at other agencies when doing so would align with significant Government priorities.  Any remaining NTDOs are required to report daily to the Department of the Treasury’s centralized accounting and reporting system in accordance with then-current Department of the Treasury guidance and applicable law.
    (d)  The Secretary of the Treasury shall develop a plan to centralize and manage all payments previously disbursed by NTDOs, ensuring seamless continuity of Government payments.
    (e)  The Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with agency heads, shall establish a transition plan for agencies currently operating as NTDOs, including staffing adjustments, system integrations, and legal or regulatory modifications necessary for full consolidation.
    (f)  The heads of agencies with disbursing authority delegated to the agency under 33 U.S.C. 3321(b) shall decommission all internal payment systems and use the Department of the Treasury’s disbursement systems, except and to the extent authorized by the Department of the Treasury or otherwise required by applicable law.
    Sec. 7.  Reporting and Implementation Requirements.  (a)  The heads of all agencies shall submit a compliance plan to the OMB Director within 90 days of the date of this order detailing their strategy for:
    (i)    transitioning disbursing authority to the Department of the Treasury, as applicable and as contemplated by this order;
    (ii)   updating and integrating systems with Department of the Treasury platforms;
    (iii)  procedures to verify payment information as contemplated by this order; and
    (iv)   transmitting information associated with improper payments to the Department of the Treasury in accordance with standards and reporting specifications established by the OMB Director in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury as contemplated by this order.
    (b)  The Secretary of the Treasury shall submit an implementation report to the President through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy within 180 days of the date of this order detailing progress on the matters set forth in this order.
    (c)  The Secretary of the Treasury and agency heads shall take all necessary steps to protect classified information and systems, as well as personally identifiable information and tax return information, through the implementation of this order.
    Sec. 8.  General Provisions.  (a)  Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
    (i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
    (ii)  the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
    (b)  This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (c)  This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
    DONALD J. TRUMP
    THE WHITE HOUSE,
        March 25, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Immediate Declassification of Materials Related to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crossfire Hurricane Investigation

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-left”>MEMORANDUM FOR THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
                   THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
                   THE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
    SUBJECT:       Immediate Declassification of Materials Related to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Crossfire Hurricane Investigation
    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby direct the following:
    Except as provided below, I have determined that all of the materials referenced in the Presidential Memorandum of January 19, 2021 (Declassification of Certain Materials Related to the FBI’s Crossfire Hurricane Investigation), are no longer classified.
    I have further determined that the material proposed for redaction by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in a cover letter dated January 17, 2021, remains classified.
    My decision to declassify the materials described above does not extend to materials that must be protected from disclosure pursuant to orders of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and does not require the disclosure of certain personally identifiable information or any other materials that must be protected from disclosure under applicable law.
    Subject to the exceptions identified above, the Attorney General shall make declassified materials described in this memorandum available to the public immediately.  
                                  DONALD J. TRUMP

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Klobuchar, Colleagues Press USDA to Not Take Food Away from Food Banks and Hungry Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, joined U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and 24 of their colleagues in pressing the U.S. Department of Agriculture for more information about the cancellation of previously-approved funding through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) for food banks and other emergency food providers. This would take food away from hungry Americans already facing high grocery prices and hurt American farmers who are being squeezed by tariffs and other cuts to domestic markets.
    “We write regarding the reported cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in previously approved funding for food banks and other emergency food providers through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP),” wrote the Senators. “A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy.” 
    “If true, this major shift in a program utilized by emergency food providers in every state in the nation will have a significant and damaging impact upon millions of people who depend upon this program for critical food assistance,” the Senators continued. “In addition, this program consists of purchases of U.S. commodities at a time when America’s growers and producers are struggling due to tariffs, proposed tariffs, animal disease and many other challenges.”
    In addition to Senators Luján and Klobuchar, the letter was signed by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ron Wyden (D-Oreg.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Jeff Merkley (D-Oreg.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Angus King (I-Maine), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.).
    This letter comes following a roundtable discussion Senator Luján convened last week at Roadrunner Food Bank in Albuquerque where he discussed the specific needs of New Mexico food banks with stakeholders.
    The full letter is available here and below. 
    Dear Secretary Rollins: 
    We write regarding the reported cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in previously approved funding for food banks and other emergency food providers through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). A cancellation of these funds could result in $500 million in lost food provisions to feed millions of Americans at a time when the need for food shelves is extremely high due to costly groceries and an uncertain economy. If true, this major shift in a program utilized by emergency food providers in every state in the nation will have a significant and damaging impact upon millions of people who depend upon this program for critical food assistance. 
    In addition, this program consists of purchases of U.S. commodities at a time when America’s growers and producers are struggling due to tariffs, proposed tariffs, animal disease and many other challenges. 
    According to recent statistics, nearly one in every seven Americans have faced food insecurity. Many of these households turn to community and emergency relief organizations such as food banks and food pantries to help them obtain sufficient nutrition. In 2023 alone, 50 million Americans turned to emergency food providers, according to a report from Feeding America, America’s largest network of food banks. While food banks rely on a variety of sources (including private) to obtain food for distribution through their networks, federally purchased commodities are a key part of how they provide nutritious meals to Americans.  
    Due to this reported change, a number of us have heard that trucks delivering American-grown foods may not arrive. These trucks represent hundreds of thousands of nutritious meals containing poultry, fruits, vegetables, and dairy. If confirmed, the cancellation of this previously announced funding also comes on top of the cancellation of Local Food for School Program and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program funding, which also helps farmers deliver nutritious foods to schools and food banks. These cuts will deprive Americans of food assistance, emergency food providers of necessary support to carry out their work, and American farmers of vital domestic markets. 
    To help us understand USDA’s actions and their impact on communities around the country, we ask that you answer the following questions. 
    Has USDA cancelled previously approved purchases of food provided through TEFAP? If so, what level of funding has been cancelled thus far and when will state agencies be notified of any cancelled TEFAP purchases? 
    Does USDA plan to cancel additional purchases of food provided through TEFAP? 
    Has USDA paused any TEFAP food orders or purchases? If so, what is the current status of those orders or purchases? Does USDA intend to un-pause these funds?  
    Please provide information on what types of funding, by commodity, have been cancelled and the financial impact of those cancellations on producers such as pork, chicken, turkey and dairy farmers. 
    Is the funding announced on October 1, 2024 and detailed in the implementation memo that the Food and Nutrition Service sent to state agencies on December 2 rescinded? 
    Does USDA intend to use Commodity Credit Corporation funds in Fiscal Year 2025 for future purchases that will be distributed through TEFAP?  
    We ask for a prompt response to these questions by the end of the week. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy helps introduce bipartisan bill to help injured combat veterans receive full military benefits

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and colleagues in reintroducing the bipartisan Major Richard Star Act. The bill would allow combat-injured veterans with fewer than 20 years of military service to receive full retirement benefits—without reduction—concurrent with their disability compensation. 

    “Our veterans made heroic scarifies to protect our nation. I’m proud to help introduce the Major Richard Star Act to make sure that Louisiana’s and America’s brave veterans are able to receive retirement benefits and disability compensation,” said Kennedy.

    Currently, only veterans with over 20 years of military service and a 50% or more disabled rating can qualify to receive Department of Defense retirement and Department of Veterans Affairs disability payments concurrently.

    Major Richard Star was a decorated war veteran after whom this legislation is named. Major Star retired due to combat related injuries and passed away from cancer in 2021.

    Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.),  James Risch (R-Idaho), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) also cosponsored the bill. 

    The full bill text is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Province funds replacement of flood-damaged dikes in Merritt

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    New funding from the Province will allow the City of Merritt to rebuild two damaged dikes to higher standards to better protect against flooding and keep people safe.

    The Province is providing the City of Merritt with $60 million to relocate and rebuild two critical dikes, on both banks of the Coldwater River, that were damaged during the flooding of November 2021.

    “Today marks a significant step forward in the City of Merritt’s recovery from the 2021 atmospheric river event, which was devastating for the community,” said Kelly Greene, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness. “Moving and rebuilding these dikes will allow the river to flow more naturally, bringing ecosystem benefits while better protecting Merritt from future flooding. We’ll continue to support communities throughout B.C. as they recover from the 2021 event to keep people safe and better prepared.”

    Intense rainfall caused the Coldwater River to overflow its banks, leading to failure of the dikes and catastrophic flooding in Merritt. Because the flooding changed the course of the river, the dikes could not be rebuilt at the existing locations and must be rebuilt at alternative sites.

    “This $60-million investment is a game-changer for Merritt,” said Micheal Goetz, mayor of Merritt. “The construction of dikes 129 and 130 means our community can finally breathe a sigh of relief, knowing we are taking real steps to protect our homes, businesses, and vital infrastructure. This funding brings us closer to a safer, more resilient future — one where we can face the future with greater confidence and security.”

    This funding will allow the City of Merritt to reconstruct the dikes to modern standards and acquire land to build the dikes in new locations. These projects are part of the City of Merritt’s flood mitigation plan to restore and protect the community after the 2021 flooding. Other key projects in the plan, being undertaken with support of the local First Nations, include ecosystem restoration, riverbank restoration and armouring to prevent erosion. Relocating and rebuilding the two dikes will also help reduce flood risks to downstream communities and benefit the local ecosystem by preserving the natural flow of the river.

    “The Shackan Indian Band is happy to see our neighbours receive the needed funding for rebuilding these dikes, helping the city mitigate risks from future flooding,” said Chief Lindsay Tighe, Shackan Indian Band. “The flooding in 2021 has been absolutely devastating to our communities; some of our community members remain evacuated as Shackan continues to recover. Our support is a step toward a stronger relationship with the City of Merritt and neighbours, as we all depend on a healthy Nicola Valley. It is encouraging to see various partners throughout the Nicola Valley continuing to work together three years after the devastating flooding, to make our communities stronger and more resilient. ”

    Rebuilding these key dikes is one of several flood-mitigation and restoration projects funded by the Province to support the City of Merritt. Other projects include reconstructing the Middlesboro Bridge, rebuilding dikes and banks along the Coldwater River, road repairs, park restorations and water-well restorations.

    Learn More:

    For information about disaster and climate-risk reduction, visit ClimateReadyBC: https://www.ClimateReadyBC.ca

    For more information about the City of Merritt’s flood mitigation plan, visit: https://flood.merritt.ca/

    To learn more about the City of Merritt, visit: https://www.merritt.ca/

    A backgrounder follows.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: More than 500 affordable homes open in Greater Victoria

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Chief Ronald Sam, Songhees Nation –

    “qʷɫaʔəléutxʷ (Camas House) represents a new chapter for the Songhees Nation, one of growth, community and home. This long-awaited housing project is a vital step in ensuring some of our members have a place to live, thrive and stay connected to our land, our community and culture.”

    Rohini Arora, parliamentary secretary for child care –

    “Creating new child care spaces when we build new homes for working families just makes sense. We are increasing access to child care and also helping parents with the cost of child care. These child care spaces will be part of the fee-reduction program, which is another way that our government is helping lift working people up, especially women, and building stronger local economies.”  

    Nina Krieger, MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake –

    “These new homes are a vital addition to our community, providing people more affordable housing options that meet their diverse needs. I am grateful to all partners involved who made it possible to open the doors of the new homes and provide safe places for families, seniors and others needing extra support to secure stable housing.”

    Darlene Rotchford, MLA for Esquimalt-Colwood –

    “Families, seniors and individuals are starting to move into the 137 new, affordable homes in Esquimalt. These new homes will serve as a great foundation for people looking to establish or maintain roots in the community. It would not have been possible without the generous contributions of partners who demonstrated what can be done when we work together for the community.”

    Carolina Ibarra, CEO, Pacifica Housing –

    “We are proud to be part of this significant step toward addressing the pressing need for affordable housing in our region. The Ferns, with its 88 units, represents more than just a place to live; it’s a community built to support families, individuals and children. We are grateful to the Province for their ongoing commitment to affordable housing and for supporting the delivery of over 500 affordable homes across Greater Victoria.”

    Elin Bjarnason, CEO, Victoria Cool Aid Society –

    “We are extraordinarily proud that Crosstown brings together, under one roof, so many of the services and supports people need to heal. Supportive and affordable housing, health care and a path to recovery, and nutritious meals: all available and without the barriers that prevent people from seeking and accessing care.”

    Kevin Albers, CEO, M’akola Housing Society –

    “M’akola Housing Society is honoured to partner with the Songhees Nation in bringing qʷɫaʔəléutxʷ (Camas House) to life. This project represents more than just housing, it is a beacon of hope, resilience and cultural connection for the community. As the property manager, we are committed to ensuring that qʷɫaʔəléutxʷ becomes a place where individuals and families can build a strong foundation for their futures, rooted in their traditions and identity.”

    Peter Parker, board chair, Dawson Heights Housing Society –

    “Partnered with BC Housing and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and drawing on 60 years of successful affordable housing experience, Dawson Heights Housing Society is thrilled to be opening the third and final phase of our redevelopment project. The Woodlands at Dawson Heights offers 85 much-needed affordable homes for seniors.”

    Virginia Holden, executive director, Greater Victoria Housing Society –

    “With the new Lions at Fleming building, we are responding to community needs with an eye toward the future. By replacing an outdated structure that no longer served our community, we are proud to introduce a vibrant, sustainable space that includes much-needed family units and innovative environmental features. Together, we are building for the future and contributing to thriving communities.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Rubio meets with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio meets with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the Department of State, on March 25, 2025.

    ———
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    X: https://x.com/StateDept
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
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    Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: http://ow.ly/diiN30ro7Cw

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
    Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
    White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
    Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwlxmUdpiEY

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Is This Any Way to Run a Budget?

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

    Unlike the federal government, families and private-sector businesses have to keep spending in line with earnings. To do so, they budget, estimating what their income will be and making sure their planned expenditures don’t exceed it.

    The federal government is the largest financial entity in the world. You would think its budgeting would take the most time and effort and involve more detail than any other organization. You would be wrong. 

    I come from the private sector, and I know the time, effort and detail businesses put into preparing budgets. If the numbers are good, a budget review meeting can be a breeze. If not, managers have a lot of explaining to do. When it comes to spending American taxpayer dollars and the money we borrow to cover massive deficit spending, the analysis and oversight by lawmakers is woefully inadequate.

    The 535 members of Congress could be considered the board of directors, and the news media as the watchdog auditor, of a financial entity that spends more than $7 trillion a year. Yet when I asked my colleagues and the media a few years ago during an omnibus spending debate how much the federal government spent in total, no one offered an answer. My guess is most simply didn’t know because we never talk about it and there is no formal process to review total spending. We appropriate less than 25% of total federal outlays in any given year, and the rest, mandatory spending and entitlements, is on autopilot. 

    This lack of attention has allowed spending to soar 63%, from $4,447 billion in fiscal 2019 to a projected $7,266 billion in fiscal 2025. In January on these pages I proposed three options for returning to a more reasonable pre-pandemic level of spending. All used projected 2025 spending for Social Security, Medicare and interest. Other spending in these baseline options was adjusted to account for population growth and inflation. Adjusting Bill Clinton’s 1998, Barack Obama’s 2014 and Donald Trump’s 2019 total outlays results in baseline budgets of $5,496 billion, $6,199 billion and $6,496 billion, respectively. The Senate budget resolution used Mr. Trump’s 2021 budget projection for 2025, yielding a baseline amount of $6,061 billion.

    Since we’ve already accounted for population growth and inflation in all these options, why are we spending $770 billion to $1.77 trillion above these previous years’ population- and inflation-adjusted outlays? In the private sector, that is exactly what business managers would have to explain to upper management in a line-by-line budget review. We should apply the same rigorous examination to federal spending.

    A group of senators representing various factions of the Republican conference and a similar group of House Republicans should join a budget review panel with members of the administration to listen to representatives of the departments explain each line-item expenditure. Spending that didn’t exist before the pandemic or that exceeds previous years should be considered for elimination or reduced. Spending that can’t be defended or has been identified by the Department of Government Efficiency as waste, fraud or abuse should be cut. 

    No one can predict what level of spending would survive this scrutiny, but it would be significantly lower than current levels. Democrats have no interest in reducing spending levels, so Republicans will have to use the rescission process for discretionary spending reductions and budget reconciliation for mandatory spending. 

    This review can be done expeditiously. The 2025 budget has 2,481 individual expenditure line items, which could be reviewed in time to provide congressional committees the information they need to draft legislation for rescission packages and fulfillment of budget reconciliation instructions. Returning to a pre-pandemic spending level combined with enacting pro-growth tax polices and repealing the economy-crushing tax increase scheduled for 2026 could make balancing the federal budget achievable. 

    The election of President Trump and Republican majorities in the House and Senate have given America a historic chance to reduce the size, scope and cost of the federal government. With federal debt totaling $36.4 trillion and interest expense exceeding defense spending, it’s vital that the U.S. seize this opportunity. 

    Mr. Johnson, a Republican, is a U.S. senator from Wisconsin.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE, partners’ rapid response locate suspect at Newark airport attempting to flee the US

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, assisted by New York/New Jersey Port Authority Police, the United States Customs and Border Protection and Federal Air Marshals Service, located and apprehended a Hungarian national at the Newark Liberty International Airport March 13 who was wanted for allegedly raping a child.

    Mihaly Bodner was arrested on a Hornell City Court warrant for first degree statutory rape of a child under 13 years of age by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Newark.

    “When our team at Newark’s airport received a call from HSI Buffalo that the suspect was believed to be attempting to flee the United States, they immediately coordinated a search for the individual” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Newark Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “I commend the efficiency of the subject matter experts who utilized their skills and advanced technology to locate the target without incident. Their actions proved how the partnership of law enforcement agencies is the most valuable resource in leading investigations and achieving mission success.”

    Bodnar admitted to law enforcement that he was attempting to flee the country on an outbound international flight the same day. He will be prosecuted by the Stueben County District Attorney’s Office, New York.

    “This is the way law enforcement is supposed to work – together,” said Steuben County District Attorney Brooks Baker. “Using experience and expertise to maximize all available resources, city, county and federal agencies were able to take a child predator off the streets to face justice.”

    Sgt. Tom Aini, an investigator with the Hornell County Police Department in New York was credited with confirming the identity of the suspect and rapidly engaging with other law enforcement partners to assist in the arrest and prevent Bodnar from leaving the United States.

    Stueben County DA said Bodnar could face up to 25 years in prison.

    The charges and allegations are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Follow-up to the EU-CLASI Joint Declaration – E-001941/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Following the meeting of 28 September 2023 between ministers responsible for internal security from the EU and CLASI (Latin American Committee on Internal Security), the first EU-CLASI senior officials meeting was held on 30 May 2024.

    On that occasion, working procedures to structure and make permanent the cooperation between the two regions were agreed[1]. Further to the ministers’ call for regular meetings, it was proposed that an EU-CLASI meeting cycle be established.

    The EU-CLASI meeting cycle spans 18 months (three consecutive semesters) and comprises three meeting configurations, involving ministers and senior officials.

    The next ministerial meeting is due to take place in the first half of 2025, in Brussels.

    The preparatory meeting held on 28 November 2024, co-chaired by the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU and the pro tempore Presidency of CLASI, the Republic of Ecuador, allowed senior officials of EU and CLASI instances to take stock of the progress made during the cycle, with a view to reporting on the outcome to the ministerial meeting.

    EU-CLASI cooperation benefits from the support of the EU’s Europe-Latin America assistance programme against transnational organised crime (EL PAcCTO).

    Since 2017, EL PAcCTO has helped foster a strategic partnership between the EU and Latin America and the Caribbean region in the fight against organised crime.

    In its second phase of implementation, EL PAcCTO 2.0, running from 2024 to 2027, continues to be a crucial instrument for supporting the launch and implementation of key initiatives within and between these regions.

    The EU’s cooperation with the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean on drug-related matters is also pursued through the EU-CELAC Coordination and Cooperation Mechanism on Drugs.

    The Mechanism is supported by the EU cooperation programme on drugs policies between Latin America, the Caribbean and the EU ( COPOLAD).

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Council Bluffs Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – A Council Bluffs woman and man were sentenced on March 20, 2025 to federal prison for their roles in conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

    According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Heather Lee Vore, 34, and Nicholas Carl Thomas, 42, facilitated the distribution of methamphetamine in Council Bluffs, Omaha, and elsewhere. Vore sent money to a drug source of supply in Mexico, and recruited others, including Thomas, to communicate with the Mexican source of supply and send money to Mexico for meth.

    On January 16, 2025, Vore received a ten-year prison sentence, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. On March 20, 2025, Thomas received a twelve-year sentence, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Have your say on Upper Smoky land use

    Located in west-central Alberta, the Upper Smoky covers more than 13,000 square kilometres south of Grande Prairie. It contains rolling hills, mountains, forests and glacial valleys, with a wide range of wildlife calling it home. Every day, the area is used for many activities, including energy, forestry, recreation and traditional Indigenous land use. Land-use planning will help direct what activities take place in the future across this unique area.

    Alberta’s government has developed a draft sub-regional plan, along with associated regulatory details, based on discussions with residents, Indigenous communities, local governments, industry and others. Starting on March 27, all Albertans are invited to have their say and help determine how land in the Upper Smoky should be used.

    “The Upper Smoky is a diverse and breathtaking part of our province. It’s also the heart of many of our key industries and Alberta’s economy. We want to hear from anyone living in the area who is passionate about creating jobs, growing rural communities and supporting sustainable conservation in the area, so we can create the best plans possible to meet these demands.”

    Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas

    Sub-regional plans help provide opportunities for Albertans to work and play, improve the overall landscape and enable Indigenous traditional land uses. Part of the Upper Smoky plan includes work to restore caribou habitat, which is a specialized activity that helps create local jobs. The draft plan also identifies conservation areas and potential direction for forestry, grazing, recreation, energy development, tourism and many other activities.

    The plan is not final, and the content proposed in the draft materials is designed to help generate input and detailed feedback from those most impacted. Public engagement opens on March 27 and runs until June 25 and can be completed online.

    The input from Albertans will be used to finalize the plan and ultimately, support economic growth, environmental stewardship and strong communities in the Upper Smoky sub-region.

    Alberta’s government will continue working with Indigenous communities and organizations, local governments, industry and others as the Upper Smoky sub-regional plan is finalized and then implemented.

    Quick facts

    • The Upper Smoky sub-region is located south of Grande Prairie and encompasses Grande Cache, Kakwa Wildland Park and about half of Willmore Wilderness Park. It is adjacent to Jasper National Park and covers 13,216 square kilometres.
    • The draft sub-regional plan and associated regulatory details are not final, and they are designed to help generate input from across the province.
    • The Upper Smoky sub-regional plan is the third of 11 plans covering 15 caribou ranges being developed in Alberta.
    • Significant progress has been made toward caribou habitat restoration in west-central Alberta, particularly in the Little Smoky and A La Peche caribou ranges, where more than 2,600 kilometres of seismic lines have been treated and assessed since 2020, and 1.8 million trees have been planted.
    • The sub-region contains natural resources including timber, petroleum and natural gas, coal, metallic and industrial minerals, sand and gravel, and livestock grazing forages.
    • Approximately $21.2 billion of Alberta’s gross domestic product (GDP) was derived from this sub-region in 2020, which is about 6 per cent of the province’s GDP.

    Related information

    • Upper Smoky Sub-Regional Plan engagement
    • Sub-regional planning engagements
    • South Saskatchewan regional planning

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Announces America 250 NC Grants to 58 Counties

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Announces America 250 NC Grants to 58 Counties

    N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Announces America 250 NC Grants to 58 Counties
    jejohnson6

    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ America 250 NC initiative has dispersed nearly $1.2 million in a second round of grant funds across 58 counties in the state. The grant-funded projects include new cultural events, physical and digital exhibits, historical markers, and more all inspired by North Carolina’s revolutionary history and the themes of America 250 NC. The America 250 NC Grants are designed to spark programs and activities on a local level to create a memorable and meaningful commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.

    “These America 250 NC grants will help local N.C. communities to more fully participate in the nationwide commemoration of our nation’s founding,” said DNCR Secretary Pamela Brewington Cashwell. “We look forward to working with communities across the state to build a memorable and meaningful celebration for all North Carolinians.”

    In June 2024, DNCR issued nearly $900,000 across 34 counties in the first round of America 250 NC grants. Between the two rounds, $2.1 million in grant funds has been awarded in 74 of the state’s 100 counties. The second round of grant awards completed this funding initiative and no additional grant opportunities are currently planned. A list of current awardees is available online.

    In 2026, America will commemorate 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the development of a new nation dedicated to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

    In the years since, our country has undergone many changes and faced many challenges. This commemoration offers a unique opportunity to reflect upon our country’s founding ideals. Explore the pivotal events, places, and voices, both historical and modern, that have shaped our state and country from the Halifax Resolves to the civil rights movement, and beyond.

    America 250 NC is North Carolina’s commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary and is led by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

    For more information, visit america250.nc.gov.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Mar 25, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Historic Halifax State Historic Site Hosts  ‘Halifax Resolves Days: Prelude to Revolution’ on April 11-12, 2025

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Historic Halifax State Historic Site Hosts  ‘Halifax Resolves Days: Prelude to Revolution’ on April 11-12, 2025

    Historic Halifax State Historic Site Hosts  ‘Halifax Resolves Days: Prelude to Revolution’ on April 11-12, 2025
    jejohnson6

     On April 12, 1776, the 4th Provincial Congress in session at Halifax, N.C., passed a resolution that became known as “The Halifax Resolves.” In this document, North Carolinians declared their grievances against British rule and encouraged their delegates in the Continental Congress to vote for independence. It was the first official action of any of the 13 colonies calling for independence.

    Historic Halifax State Historic Site will commemorate the 249th anniversary of the Halifax Resolves with an exciting two-day event. Immerse yourself in the past as skilled historians bring to life the Revolutionary-era citizens of Halifax. Discover the pivotal role North Carolina and its people played in shaping the destiny of America. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with history firsthand.

    Festivities begin on Friday, April 11. Steven Green will present a lecture about American Indian Patriots at 9 a.m. in the Commissioners Room at the Historic Court House. Later that day, at 11 a.m., Tom King will lecture on the life of the Rev. Edward Drumgoole at the First Baptist Church of Halifax. Both lectures on Friday are sponsored by the Halifax County’s A250 Churches, Genealogy, and Cemeteries Committee. At 10 a.m. members of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe will hold a ceremony at Magazine Springs. Guided tours of historic buildings and living history demonstrations are available from noon-5 p.m.

    On Saturday, April 12, the Sons of the American Revolution will host a wreath-laying ceremony at the site of the Colonial Courthouse at 10 a.m., followed by the Historical Halifax Restoration Association’s annual commemoration ceremony at 2 p.m. Guided tours of historic buildings, living history, historic vignettes, and artillery demonstrations will be ongoing from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., the historic Saint Mark’s Episcopal Church will offer a community church service — all welcome to attend. To finish the night, a free concert on the steps of the Historic Courthouse on King Street will begin at 7 p.m. The concert is sponsored by the Town of Halifax and made possible through funding by America 250 NC.

    Special programming by supporting community partners will occur in Halifax on both days. The Bradford-Denton House will offer ongoing hearth cooking, blacksmithing, and other living history demonstrations. The Royal White Hart Lodge #2 will be open for tours. A variety of food trucks will be available throughout the weekend. All activities are free.

    A full schedule of events and a site map will be available online at https://www.america250.nc.gov. For more information, please call Historic Halifax State Historic Site at (252) 583-7191.

    About Historic Halifax State Historic Site
    Located on the Roanoke River, the town of Halifax developed into a commercial and political center at the time of the American Revolution. North Carolina’s Fourth Provincial Congress met in Halifax in the spring of 1776 where it unanimously adopted a document on April 12 that became knowns as the “Halifax Resolves,” the first official action by an entire colony recommending independence from England. A temporary visitor center operates  Tuesday-Saturday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m., from the Tap Room tavern (101 N. King St.). The site is  
    closed Sunday, Monday, and most major holidays

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Mar 25, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: State Historic Preservation Office Begins Graham County Comprehensive Architectural Survey

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: State Historic Preservation Office Begins Graham County Comprehensive Architectural Survey

    State Historic Preservation Office Begins Graham County Comprehensive Architectural Survey
    jejohnson6

    Graham County has been chosen as the subject of a comprehensive survey of historic buildings and landscapes planned to take place in 2025. The 2025 architectural survey will intensively document historic buildings and landscapes from the 19th century through the 1970s. Data gathered during the survey will assist Graham County in planning for the preservation of its historic resources for years to come.

    Dr. Michael Ann Williams and Audrey Thomas, architectural survey specialists with the State Historic Preservation Office (HPO), will complete the project. They will conduct fieldwork from April to May, with the project concluding in late 2025.

    Architectural survey entails documentation of buildings and landscapes that are at least 50 years old. Fieldworkers take photographs, draw site plans, and collect oral history from people they meet on site. They conduct a limited amount of archival research to establish countywide patterns of historical development. Properties that appear to be potentially eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, either individually or as historic districts, will be identified. National Register properties are potentially eligible for state and federal tax credits for certified historic rehabilitation. The Graham County Comprehensive Architectural Survey will culminate in a final report that analyzes the history of the county through the lens of its historic architecture.

    After the survey, the HPO will retain all materials from the survey as part of the statewide architectural record. Public access to the information will be available through HPOWEB, the HPO’s geographic information system, which is accessible online at http://gis.ncdcr.gov/hpoweb/. The survey material will facilitate the environmental review necessary for state and federal undertakings and will aid in planning for future economic and community development projects. Survey products also will be useful for the continued development of heritage tourism programs in Graham County.

    For more information on the Graham County Comprehensive Architectural Survey, contact Elizabeth C. King, Architectural Survey Coordinator for the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, at elizabeth.king@dncr.nc.gov or 828-250-3108, or Michael Ann Williams at michaelann.williams@dncr.nc.gov or Audrey Thomas at audrey.thomas@dncr.nc.gov or 828-296-7230.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.
    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Mar 25, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: FINNOVATE ACQUISITION CORP. ANNOUNCES POSTPONEMENT OF SHAREHOLDER MEETING TO 10:00 AM EASTERN TIME MARCH 28, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Boston, MA, March 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Finnovate Acquisition Corp. (“Finnovate”) (OTC: “FNVUF”, “FNVTF”, “FNVWF”) announced today that its upcoming extraordinary general meeting of shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) to approve its proposed initial business combination which was initially scheduled for January 30, 2025 and had been postponed to March 27, 2025, will be further postponed to 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time on Friday, March 28, 2025. At the Special Meeting, shareholders of Finnovate will be asked to vote on proposals to approve, among other things, its proposed initial business combination (the “Business Combination”) with Scage International Limited, a Cayman Islands exempted company (“Scage International” or the “Company”), Scage Future, a Cayman Islands exempted company (“Pubco”), Hero 1, a Cayman Islands exempted company and a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Pubco (“Merger Sub I”), and Hero 2, a Cayman Islands exempted company and a direct wholly owned subsidiary of Pubco (“Merger Sub II”) pursuant to a Business Combination Agreement (as amended, the “Business Combination Agreement”). There is no change to the location, the record date, the purpose or any of the proposals to be acted upon at the Special Meeting.

    On March 13, 2025, Scage International received approval for listing from the China Securities Regulatory Commission. CSRC approval is one of the conditions for consuming the Business Combination. Now the CSRC approval has been received, Finnovate has decided to postpone the Special Meeting to allow more time for the parties to proceed to satisfy the remaining closing conditions under the Business Combination Agreement, including obtaining approval for the listing of Pubco’s securities on Nasdaq.

    As a result of this change, the Special Meeting will now be held at 10:00 a.m., Eastern time, on Friday, March 28, 2025, at the office of Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP located at 1345 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10105 and via a live webcast at https://www.cstproxy.com/finnovateacquisition/2025. Also, as a result of this change, the deadline for holders of Finnovate’s Class A ordinary shares issued in its initial public offering to submit their shares for redemption in connection with the Business Combination is being further extended to 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on Wednesday March 26, 2025.

    The proposed resolutions to be considered at the Special Meeting remains the same as that set out in the definitive proxy statement and other relevant documents that was been mailed to shareholders of Finnovate as of the record date of January 6, 2025. SHAREHOLDERS OF FINNOVATE AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES ARE URGED TO READ, THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, AND AMENDMENTS THERETO IN CONNECTION WITH FINNOVATE’S SOLICITATION OF PROXIES FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING OF ITS SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD TO APPROVE THE BUSINESS COMBINATION, a copy of which can be accessed via the following link: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1857855/000121390025001247/ea0226944-01.htm.

    Finnovate plans to continue to solicit proxies from shareholders during the period prior to the Special Meeting. Only the holders of Finnovate’s ordinary shares as of the close of business on January 6, 2025, the record date for the Special Meeting, are entitled to vote at the Special Meeting.

    About Finnovate Acquisition Corp.

    Finnovate Acquisition Corp. is a blank check company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with the purpose of acquiring one and more businesses and assets, via a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, and reorganization.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    The information in this Press Release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “estimate,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” “expect,” “continue,” “should,” “would,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “seek,” “target,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “future,” “outlook” or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of financial and performance metrics and projections of market opportunity and market share; references with respect to the anticipated benefits of the proposed transactions contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement (the “Business Combination”) and the projected future financial performance of Finnovate and the Company’s operating companies following the proposed Business Combination; changes in the market for the Company’s products and services and expansion plans and opportunities; the Company’s ability to successfully execute its expansion plans and business initiatives; ability for the Company to raise funds to support its business; the sources and uses of cash of the proposed Business Combination; the anticipated capitalization and enterprise value of the combined company following the consummation of the proposed Business Combination; the projected technological developments of the Company and its competitors; ability of the Company to control costs associated with operations; the ability to manufacture efficiently at scale; anticipated investments in research and development and the effect of these investments and timing related to commercial product launches; and expectations related to the terms, approvals and timing of the proposed Business Combination. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of the Company’s and Finnovate’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of the Company and Finnovate. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Business Combination Agreement; the risk that the Business Combination disrupts current plans and operations as a result of the announcement and consummation of the transactions described herein; the inability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the Business Combination; the ability to obtain or maintain the listing of the Pubco’s securities on The Nasdaq Stock Market, following the Business Combination, including having the requisite number of shareholders; costs related to the Business Combination; changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; risks relating to the uncertainty of certain projected financial information with respect to the Company; the Company’s ability to successfully and timely develop, manufacture, sell and expand its technology and products, including implement its growth strategy; the Company’s ability to adequately manage any supply chain risks, including the purchase of a sufficient supply of critical components incorporated into its product offerings; risks relating to the Company’s operations and business, including information technology and cybersecurity risks, failure to adequately forecast supply and demand, loss of key customers and deterioration in relationships between the Company and its employees; the Company’s ability to successfully collaborate with business partners; demand for the Company’s current and future offerings; risks that orders that have been placed for the Company’s products are cancelled or modified; risks related to increased competition; risks relating to potential disruption in the transportation and shipping infrastructure, including trade policies and export controls; risks that the Company is unable to secure or protect its intellectual property; risks of product liability or regulatory lawsuits relating to the Company products and services; risks that the post-combination company experiences difficulties managing its growth and expanding operations; the uncertain effects of certain geopolitical developments; the inability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the proposed Business Combination, including the risk that any required shareholder or regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the proposed Business Combination; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the Company, Finnovate, Pubco or others following announcement of the proposed Business Combination and transactions contemplated thereby; the ability of the Company to execute its business model, including market acceptance of its planned products and services and achieving sufficient production volumes at acceptable quality levels and prices; technological improvements by the Company’s peers and competitors; and those risk factors discussed in documents of Pubco and Finnovate filed, or to be filed, with the SEC. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that neither Finnovate nor the Company presently know or that Finnovate and the Company currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect Finnovate’s, Pubco’s and the Company’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. Finnovate, Pubco and the Company anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause Finnovate’s, Pubco’s and the Company’s assessments to change. However, while Finnovate, Pubco and the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Finnovate, Pubco and the Company specifically disclaim any obligation to do so. Readers are referred to the most recent reports filed with the SEC by Finnovate. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made, and we undertake no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 

    Additional Information

    Pubco and the Company filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form F-4, which has been declared effective by SEC (the “Registration Statement”). The Registration Statement includes a definitive proxy statement of Finnovate and a prospectus in connection with the proposed Business Combination involving Finnovate, Pubco, Hero 1, Hero 2 and the Company pursuant to the Business Combination Agreement. The definitive proxy statement and other relevant documents has been mailed to shareholders of Finnovate as of the record date of January 6, 2025. SHAREHOLDERS OF FINNOVATE AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES ARE URGED TO READ, THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT, AND AMENDMENTS THERETO IN CONNECTION WITH FINNOVATE’S SOLICITATION OF PROXIES FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING OF ITS SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD TO APPROVE THE BUSINESS COMBINATION BECAUSE THESE DOCUMENTS WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT FINNOVATE, THE COMPANY, PUBCO AND THE BUSINESS COMBINATION.

    Participants in The Solicitation

    Pubco, Finnovate, the Company, and their respective directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the shareholders of Finnovate in connection with the Business Combination. Information regarding the officers and directors of Finnovate is set forth in the Registration Statement. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants are also included in the Registration Statement and other relevant documents to be filed or has been filed with the SEC.

    No Offer Or Solicitation

    This Press Release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

    INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT

    Finnovate Acquisition Corp.
    Calvin Kung
    265 Franklin Street
    Suite 1702
    Boston, MA 02110
    +1 (424) 253-0908 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: As generative AI becomes more sophisticated, it’s harder to distinguish the real from the deepfake

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Andreea Pocol, PhD candidate, Computer Science, University of Waterloo

    The text-to-image model DALL-E uses generative adversarial networks (GANs) to generate images. (Shutterstock)

    In the age of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), the phrase “I’ll believe it when I see it” no longer stands. Not only is GenAI able to generate manipulated representations of people, but it can also be used to generate entirely fictitious people and scenarios.



    Read more:
    The use of deepfakes can sow doubt, creating confusion and distrust in viewers

    GenAI tools are affordable and accessible to all, and AI-generated images are becoming ubiquitous. If you’ve been doom-scrolling through your news or Instagram feeds, chances are you’ve scrolled past an AI-generated image without even realizing it.

    As a computer science researcher and PhD candidate at the University of Waterloo, I’m increasingly concerned by my own inability to discern what’s real from what’s AI-generated.

    My research team conducted a survey where nearly 300 participants were asked to classify a set of images as real or fake. The average classification accuracy of participants was 61 per cent in 2022. Participants were more likely to correctly classify real images than fake ones. It’s likely that accuracy is much lower today thanks to the rapidly improving GenAI technology.

    We also analyzed their responses using text mining and keyword extraction to learn the common justifications participants provided for their classifications. It was immediately apparent that, in a generated image, a person’s eyes were considered the telltale indicator that the image was probably AI-generated. AI also struggled to produce realistic teeth, ears and hair.

    But these tools are constantly improving. The telltale signs we could once use to detect AI-generated images are no longer reliable.

    Improving images

    Researchers began exploring the use of GANs for image and video synthesis in 2014. The seminal paper “Generative Adversarial Nets” introduced the adversarial process of GANs. Although this paper does not mention deepfakes, it was the springboard for GAN-based deepfakes.

    Some early examples of GenAI art which used GANs include the “DeepDream” images created by Google engineer Alexander Mordvintsev in 2015.

    But in 2017, the term “deepfake” was officially born after a Reddit user, whose username was “deepfakes,” used GANs to generate synthetic celebrity pornography.

    In 2019, software engineer Philip Wang created the “ThisPersonDoesNotExist” website, which used GANs to generate realistic-looking images of people. That same year, the release of the deepfake detection challenge, which sought new and improved deepfake detection models, garnered widespread attention and led to the rise of deepfakes.



    Read more:
    How to combat the unethical and costly use of deepfakes

    About a decade later, one of the authors of the “Generative Adversarial Nets” paper — Canadian computer scientist Yoshua Bengio — began sharing his concerns about the need to regulate AI due to the potential dangers such technology could pose to humanity.

    Bengio and other AI trailblazers signed an open letter in 2024, calling for better deepfake regulation. He also led the first International AI Safety Report, which was published at the beginning of 2025.

    Hao Li, deepfake pioneer and one of the world’s top deepfake artists, conceded in a manner eerily reminiscent of Robert Oppenheimer’s famous “Now I Am Become Death” quote:

    “This is developing more rapidly than I thought. Soon, it’s going to get to the point where there is no way that we can actually detect ‘deepfakes’ anymore, so we have to look at other types of solutions.”

    The new disinformation

    Big tech companies have indeed been encouraging the development of algorithms that can detect deepfakes. These algorithms commonly look for the following signs to determine if content is a deepfake:

    • Number of words spoken per sentence, or the speech rate (the average human speech rate is 120-150 words per minute),
    • Facial expressions, based on known co-ordinates of the human eyes, eyebrows, nose, lips, teeth and facial contours,
    • Reflections in the eyes, which tends to be unconvincing (either missing or oversimplified),
    • Image saturation, with AI-generated images being less saturated and containing a lower number of underexposed pixels compared to pictures taken by an HDR camera.

    But even these traditional deepfake detection algorithms suffer several drawbacks. They are usually trained on high-resolution images, so they may fail at detecting low-resolution surveillance footage or when the subject is poorly illuminated or posing in an unrecognized way.

    Despite flimsy and inadequate attempts at regulation, rogue players continue to use deepfakes and text-to-image AI synthesis for nefarious purposes. The consequences of this unregulated use range from political destabilization at a national and global level to the destruction of reputations caused by very personal attacks.

    Disinformation isn’t new, but the modes of propagating it are constantly changing. Deepfakes can be used not only to spread disinformation — that is, to posit that something false is true — but also to create plausible deniability and posit that something true is false.

    It’s safe to say that in today’s world, seeing will never be believing again. What might once have been irrefutable evidence could very well be an AI-generated image.

    Andreea Pocol receives funding from NSERC.

    – ref. As generative AI becomes more sophisticated, it’s harder to distinguish the real from the deepfake – https://theconversation.com/as-generative-ai-becomes-more-sophisticated-its-harder-to-distinguish-the-real-from-the-deepfake-225768

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sudan’s civil war: What military advances mean, and where the country could be heading next

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Christopher Tounsel, Associate Professor of History, University of Washington

    A Sudanese man celebrates as the military enters the central city of Wad Madani, pushing out the Rapid Support Forces in January 2025. AP Photo/Marwan Ali

    A series of advances by the Sudanese military has led some observers to posit that the African nation’s yearslong civil war could be at a crucial turning point.

    Even if it were to end tomorrow, the bloody conflict would have left the Sudanese people scarred by violence that has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions of people. But the recent victories by the military do not spell the end of its adversary, a rebel paramilitary group that still holds large areas in Sudan.

    The Conversation turned to Christopher Tounsel, a historian of modern Sudan at the University of Washington, to explain what the war has cost and where it could turn now.

    Can you give a summary of the civil war to date?

    On April 15, 2023, fighting broke out in Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces, or SAF – led by de facto head of state Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan – and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known colloquially as “Hemedti.” The RSF emerged out of the feared Janjaweed militia that had terrorized the Darfur region of Sudan.

    While the SAF and RSF previously worked together to forcibly remove longtime President Omar al-Bashir from power in 2019, they later split amid a power struggle that turned deadly.

    The major point of contention was the disputed timeline for RSF integration into the national military, with the RSF preferring a 10-year process to the SAF’s preferred two-year plan.

    By early April 2023, the government deployed SAF troops along the streets of the capital, Khartoum, while RSF forces took up locations throughout the country. Matters came to a head when explosions and gunfire rocked Khartoum on April 15 of that year. The two forces have been in conflict ever since.

    To human toll of the civil war has been staggering. As of February 2025, estimates of those killed from the conflict and its related causes, including lack of sufficient medical facilities and hunger, have ranged from 20,000 to 150,000 – a wide gulf that, according to Humanitarian Research Lab executive director Nathaniel Raymond, is partially due to the fact that the dead or displaced are still being counted.

    The conflict has displaced more than 14 million people, a number that demographically makes the Sudan situation the world’s worst displacement crisis. Nearly half of Sudan’s population is “acutely food insecure,” according to the U.N.’s World Food Programme. Another 638,000 face “catastrophic levels of hunger” – the world’s highest number.

    How have recent developments changed the war?

    The SAF has recently scored a slew of victories. At time of writing, the Sudanese military controls much of the country’s southeastern border with Ethiopia, the Red Sea coast – and, with it, Sudan’s strategically important Port Sudan – and parts of the country’s metropolitan center located at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile rivers.

    Further, the SAF has reclaimed much of the White Nile and Gezira provinces and broken an RSF siege of North Kordofan’s provincial capital of el-Obeid. In perhaps the most important development, the army in late March recaptured the RSF’s last major stronghold in Khartoum, the Presidential Palace.

    A fighter loyal to the Sudanese army patrols a market area in Khartoum on March 24, 2025.
    AFP via Getty Images

    Each of these actions indicates that the SAF is taking an increasingly proactive approach in the war. Such positive momentum could not only serve to reassure the Sudanese populace that the SAF is the country’s strongest force but also signal to foreign powers that it is, and will continue to be, the country’s legitimate authority moving forward.

    And yet, there are other indications that the RSF is in no rush to concede defeat. Despite the SAF’s advances, the RSF has strengthened its control over nearly all of Darfur, Sudan’s massive western region that shares a lengthy border with neighboring Chad.

    It is here that the RSF has been accused of committing genocide against non-Arab communities, and only the besieged capital of North Darfur, El Fasher, stands in the way of total RSF hegemony in the region. The RSF also controls territory to the south, along Sudan’s borders with the Central African Republic and South Sudan.

    The fact that the SAF and RSF are entrenched in their respective regional strongholds casts doubt on the significance of the military’s recent victories.

    Could Sudan be heading to partition?

    As a historian who spent years writing about South Sudanese separatism, I find it somewhat unfathomable to imagine that Sudan would further splinter into different countries. Given the current state of affairs, however, partition is not outside the realm of possibility. In February, during a summit in Kenya, the RSF and its allies officially commenced plans to create a rival government.

    The African Union’s 55 member states are said to be split on the issue of Sudanese partition and the question of whether any entity linked with the RSF should be accepted. In January, during the waning days of U.S. President Joe Biden’s presidency, Washington determined that the RSF and its allies had committed genocide and sanctioned Hemedti, the RSF leader, prohibiting him and his family from traveling to the U.S. and freezing any American assets he may hold.

    Any attempt to entertain partition could be read as an acknowledgment of the legitimacy of the RSF and would also create a dangerous precedent for other leaders who have been accused of human rights violations.

    In addition to the RSF’s perceived lack of moral legitimacy, there is also the recent precedent of South Sudan’s secession. South Sudan, since seceding from Sudan in 2011, has experienced enormous difficulties. Roughly 2½ years into independence, the nation erupted into a civil war waged largely along ethnic lines. Since the conclusion of that war in 2018, the world’s youngest nation continues to struggle with intergroup violence, food insecurity and sanctions resulting from human rights violations.

    Simply put, recent Sudanese history has shown that partition is not a risk-free solution to civil war.

    How has shifting geopolitics affected the conflict?

    It is important to understand that the conflict’s ripples extend far beyond Sudan’s borders. Similarly, the actions of countries such as the U.S., Russia and China have an impact on the war.

    Sudanese people line up to collect a charity ‘iftar’ fast-breaking meal in Omdourman on March 19, 2025.
    Ebrahim Hamid/AFP via Getty Images

    President Donald Trump’s executive order freezing contributions from the U.S. government’s development organization, USAID, has shuttered approximately 80% of the emergency food kitchens established to help those impacted by the conflict. An estimated 2 million people have been affected by this development.

    Russian financial and military contributions have been credited with helping the SAF achieve its gains in recent months. Russia has long desired a Red Sea naval base near Port Sudan, and the expulsion of Russia’s fleet from Syria following the fall of President Bashar Assad increased the importance of such a base.

    And then there is China. A major importer of Sudanese crude oil, China engaged in conversations to renegotiate oil cooperation agreements with Sudan in October 2024 with the hopes of increasing oil production amid the war. An end to the war – and, with it, protecting the flow of oil through pipelines vulnerable to attack – would benefit both members of this bilateral relationship.

    As the war enters its third year, the outlook remains frustratingly difficult to discern.

    Christopher Tounsel has previously received funding from the Council of American Overseas Research Centers.

    – ref. Sudan’s civil war: What military advances mean, and where the country could be heading next – https://theconversation.com/sudans-civil-war-what-military-advances-mean-and-where-the-country-could-be-heading-next-253007

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Warner Speaks at Senate Intelligence Committee Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO OF SEN. WARNER’S OPENING REMARKS IS AVAILABLE HERE

    WASHINGTON – Today, Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) delivered opening remarks at the Intelligence Committee’s annual Worldwide Threats Assessment hearing.

    Sen. Warner’s opening remarks as delivered are below:

    Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good morning, everybody, and I want to thank all the witnesses for being here.

    I got to say, I’ve been on the committee now for 14 years, and this year’s assessment is clearly one of the most complicated and challenging in my tenure on the committee.

    And I want to get into that in a moment, but I want to, first of all, address the recent story that broke in the news.

    Yesterday, we stunningly learned that senior members of this administration and according to reports, two of our witnesses here today, were members of a group chat that discussed highly sensitive and likely classified information that supposedly even included ‘weapons packages, targets and timing,’ and included the name of an active CIA agent.

    Putting aside for a moment that classified information should never be discussed over an unclassified system, it’s also just mind boggling to me that all these senior folks were on this line and nobody bothered to even check, security hygiene 101…

    Who are all the names? Who are they?

    Well, it apparently includes a journalist.

    And no matter how much the Secretary of Defense or others want to disparage him, this journalist had at least the ethics to not report everything he heard.

    The question I raise is: everybody on this committee gets briefed on security protocols. They’re told you don’t make calls outside of SCIFs of this kind of classified nature.

    Director Gabbard is the executive in charge of all keeping our secrets safe. Were these government devices? Or were they personal devices? Have the devices been collected to make sure there’s no malware?

    There’s plenty of declassified information that shows that our adversaries, China and Russia, are trying to break in to encrypted systems like Signal.

    I can just say this. If this was the case of a military officer, or an intelligence officer, and they had this kind of behavior, they would be fired. I think this is one more example of the kind of sloppy, careless, incompetent behavior, particularly towards classified information, that this is not a one off or a first time error.

    Let me take a couple of minutes and review some of the other reckless choices that this administration has made regarding our national security. We all recall it seems like it wasn’t that long ago, but less than two months ago, in the first two weeks, the administration canceled all U.S. foreign assistance.

    Now, some may say, how can that how bad can that be, its foreign assistance?

    Well, U.S. foreign assistance paid for the units in Ukraine to provide air defense to civilian cities being attacked by Russia.

    Foreign assistance paid for guarding camps in Syria, where ISIS fighters are to be detained.

    Foreign assistance paid for programs abroad that ensure that diseases like Ebola don’t come home.

    And until recently, it paid for the construction of a railway in Africa that would have help given the United States much needed access to critical minerals in Congo.

    Now that project… China is going to try to finance it as well.

    In the first two weeks, the administration fired several of our most experienced FBI agents, including the head of the criminal Investigative submission, the head of the intelligence division, the head of the Counterterrorism division, the heads of the New York, Washington and Miami field office, all individuals who were distinctly and directly responsible for helping to keep America safe.

    The irony a little bit, was the recently dismissed head of the counterterrorism division was involved in disrupting the ISIS attacks planned for Oklahoma City and Philadelphia and helped lead the effort to bring to justice the key planner of the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan, who killed 13 U.S. servicemen and 150 civilians.

    That very Abbey Gate effort was actually praised by the president in his state of the Union address.

    The administration’s response to these agents’ good works and years of service was to force these folks out.

    It’s hard to imagine how that makes our country safer.

    Nor can I understand how Americans are made more secure by firing more than 300 staff at the National Nuclear Security Administration, including those responsible for overseeing the security and safety of the nuclear stockpile, or by ousting 130 employees at CSA.

    The agency directly responsible for trying to take on China’s salt typhoon attack again. After Salt Typhoon, I would have thought folks on that group chat might have thought twice.

    Or how are we made safer by sacking a thousand employees at the CDC and NIH. We’re actually directly working on trying to keep our country safe from disease by pushing out hundreds of intelligence officers.

    The amazing thing is our intelligence officers, they’re not interchangeable like a Twitter coder. Our country makes $20,000 to $40,000 of an investment just in getting a security clearance.

    It literally goes into six figures when you take the training involved. Can anyone tell how firing probationary individuals without any consideration for merit or expertise is an efficient use of taxpayer dollars?

    And just to make clear that yesterday’s story in the Atlantic was not this rookie one-off, it’s a pattern.

    I want to acknowledge Director Ratcliffe was not here in his position with this took place.

    But again, earlier in the administration, when a new unclassified network was used, thereby exposing literally hundreds of CIA officers’ identities.

    Those folks can’t go into the field now.

    How does that make our government more efficient?

    You know, again, this pattern of an amazing, cavalier attitude towards classified information is reckless and sloppy.

    And perhaps what troubles me most is the way the administration has decided that we can take on all of our problems by ourselves without any need for friends or allies.

    I agree that we’ve got to put America’s priorities first, but American first cannot mean America alone.

    The intelligence we gather to keep Americans safe depends on a lot of allies around the world who have access to sources that we don’t have.

    That’s sharing of information saves lives. And it’s not hypothetical.

    We all remember (because it was declassified) last year when Austria worked with our community to make sure to expose a plot against Taylor Swift in Vienna that could have killed literally hundreds of individuals.

    However, these relationships are not built in stone. They’re not dictated by law. Things like the Five Eyes are based on trust built on decades, but so often that trust is now breaking literally overnight.

    Yet suddenly, for no reason that I can understand, the United States is starting to act like our adversaries are our friends. Voting in the UN with Russia, Belarus and North Korea. It’s a rogues gallery if ever heard one.

    Treating our allies like adversaries, whether it’s threats to take over Greenland or over the Panama Canal, a destructive trade war with Canada, or literally threatening to kick Canada out of the Five Eyes, I feel our credibility is being enormously undermined with our allies, who I believe, and I think most of us on this committee, regardless of party believes, makes our country safer and stronger.

    But how can our allies ever trust us as the kind of partner we used to be when we, without consultation or notice, for example, stop sharing information to Ukraine in its war for survival against Russia. Or how can our allies not only not trust our government, but potentially not our businesses with such arbitrary political decision?

    Let me give you a few examples. You know, as a result of a lot of work from this committee and others in Congress, we made sure America’s commercial space industry is second to none from space to launch to commercial sensing and communications.

    The United States has taken a lead. Yet overnight, this administration called into question the reliability of American commercial tech industry.

    When maps are and other commercial space companies were directed to stop sharing intelligence with Ukraine.

    I’m going to tell you… I’m a business guy. Can’t say longer than being an elected official, but pretty close. That shockwave across all of commercial space and frankly, not just commercial space. I’ve heard it from some of our hyperscalers, in the tech community, has sent an enormous chill.

    Who’s going to hire an American commercial space company, government or foreign business with the ability to have that taken down so arbitrarily?

    It’s not just in the case of commercial space.

    We’ve seen that Canada, Germany, Portugal have all been saying they’re rethinking buying F-35s.

    I’ve heard from Microsoft and Google directly, and Amazon that they’re having questions about whether they can still sell their services.

    We’ve also seen foreign adversaries and friends take advantage of this RIF in our national security areas, and our scientists.

    Germany has already put out ads trying to attract some of our best scientists who’ve been RIFed and the Chinese intelligence agencies are posting on social media sites in the hopes of luring individuals with that national security clearance who’ve been pushed out, perhaps arbitrarily, to come into their service.

    So, no, the signal fiasco is not a one off. It is, unfortunately, a pattern we’re seeing too often repeated.

    I fear that we feel the erosion of trust from our workplace, from our companies, and from our allies and partners can’t be put back in the bottle overnight. Make no mistake, these actions make America less safe.

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

    MIL OSI USA News –