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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Global: Can melatonin supplements really ‘reverse’ DNA damage caused by lack of sleep?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Timothy Hearn, Senior Lecturer in Bioinformatics, Anglia Ruskin University

    Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

    Sleep isn’t just a luxury, it’s a vital process that helps our bodies repair and
    rejuvenate. Researchers have started to uncover how the quality and timing of sleep can affect more than just how rested we feel – it might also affect the very blueprint of our cells: our DNA.

    A new study from Canada found that melatonin, a hormone known for its role in regulating sleep, might help reverse some of the DNA damage caused by years of poor sleep.

    Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland in our brains when darkness
    falls. It signals to our bodies that it’s time to wind down and prepare for sleep.
    Beyond its sleep-inducing properties, melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant.

    Antioxidants help protect our cells from oxidative stress – a condition in which an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants can damage important cellular
    components, including DNA. Oxidative DNA damage is thought to contribute to the development of diseases, such as cancer.

    Night-shift workers, who often battle irregular sleep patterns and diminished
    melatonin production due to exposure to artificial light, are at a particularly high risk.

    Their disrupted sleep cycles can lead to a reduced ability to repair oxidative DNA damage, which might, over time, increase their risk of developing serious health issues.

    What the research shows

    In the Canadian study, 40 participants who regularly worked night shifts were given either a 3mg melatonin supplement or a placebo before their daytime sleep. The researchers then measured the repair of oxidative DNA damage by analysing levels of a marker known as 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG) in urine samples. Higher levels of this marker indicate better DNA repair activity because damaged DNA is being successfully removed from cells.

    The study found that during the period of daytime sleep, participants who took
    melatonin showed an 80% increase in urinary 8-OH-dG compared to those who took
    the placebo. This result, although described as “borderline statistically significant”, suggests that melatonin may boost the body’s natural DNA repair mechanisms when the sleep schedule is disrupted. However, during subsequent night shifts – when melatonin levels naturally fall – the effect was not observed.

    These findings are consistent with earlier research indicating that melatonin not only has antioxidant properties but may also boost specific genes involved in the repair process. Melatonin, then, appears to help the body recognise and get rid of damaged segments of DNA, potentially reducing the long-term risks associated with accumulated cellular damage.

    Enhanced repair

    When headlines claim that melatonin supplements “reverse DNA damage”, it’s
    important to understand what that really means.

    The study does not suggest that melatonin completely erases years of accumulated DNA damage. Instead, it points to melatonin’s potential to enhance the body’s repair capacity. For people who have suffered from years of poor sleep – whether due to night shifts, insomnia or lifestyle factors – melatonin might help mitigate further damage by improving the efficiency of the body’s natural repair processes.

    While the idea of reversing DNA damage is certainly appealing, more research is needed. The study was relatively small, and its participants were exclusively night shift workers – a group with unique challenges regarding sleep and circadian rhythms, the body’s natural 24-hour cycle that controls sleep, wakefulness and eating.

    Larger trials, exploring different doses and long-term use, will be crucial to determine whether melatonin supplementation can have a broader application for those who don’t get enough sleep.

    What does this mean for you?

    The research adds an interesting piece to the puzzle of how sleep and overall health are interconnected. Melatonin supplements are already widely used to help regulate sleep patterns and combat jet lag, but are only available on prescription in the UK.

    This new evidence suggests that their benefits might extend beyond just helping you
    fall asleep – they could also play a role in maintaining the health of your DNA.
    While melatonin supplements might not completely “reverse” years of DNA damage
    from poor sleep, they do appear to boost the body’s natural repair processes – a
    hopeful sign that improved sleep quality, aided by melatonin, could be a key element in our quest for better health.

    That said, melatonin is not a magic bullet. A healthy lifestyle, including good sleep hygiene, balanced nutrition and regular exercise, remains essential for protecting your cells from damage.

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

    – ref. Can melatonin supplements really ‘reverse’ DNA damage caused by lack of sleep? – https://theconversation.com/can-melatonin-supplements-really-reverse-dna-damage-caused-by-lack-of-sleep-251559

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Money laundering plays a key role in every part of the illegal drugs industry – here’s how it works

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Mark Berry, Lecturer In Criminology, Bournemouth University

    R Mendoza/Shutterstock

    The global illicit drugs trade is estimated to be worth at least half a trillion US dollars each year. Drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin generate large revenues all along their supply chains, from where the products (and precursor materials) are grown or made – principally Colombia and Bolivia, China, Afghanistan, and the “golden triangle” of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand – to wherever the finished drugs are consumed.

    Earnings in the illicit drug trade are variable. Few people will make the kind of money that once put the Mexican former cartel boss Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán on the Forbes list of global billionaires. But while drug “kingpins” are the industry’s biggest individual earners, they do not hold the majority of the drug money that is generated throughout the global supply chain.

    Despite their frequent glamorisation in film and TV portrayals, drug cartels are basically international logistics companies. They work with distributors in different countries who deliver the drugs to regional wholesalers, who in turn supply the local retailers (dealers) who sell drugs to individuals.

    Everyone along the supply chain takes their cut, with most people making much more modest incomes than the millionaire drug traffickers of narcocorrido lore. In our interviews with illicit drug entrepreneurs in the US and UK, we routinely spoke to sellers whose incomes ranged from pocket money to providing a moderately comfortable life.


    Illicit drug use is damaging large parts of the world socially, politically and environmentally. Patterns of supply and demand are changing rapidly. In our longform series Addicted, leading experts bring you the latest insights on drug use and production as we ask: is it time to declare a planetary emergency?

    Around 70% to 80% of the overall revenue generated by illicit drugs is shared among the many wholesale and street-level dealers in destination countries such as the UK and US, where the price per gram is at its highest. How this money moves and is used to sustain the illicit drug trade should be an important part of any worthwhile counter-narcotics strategy. But it rarely is.

    Professional money launderers

    The people and organisations responsible for laundering drug revenues – that is, transforming them into untraceable money that can easily be spent, or into assets that can be held or sold – often exist under the radar of law enforcement and the media.

    Yet the ways illicit drug money is laundered are hardly a mystery. Techniques include wire transfers to offshore bank accounts, investments in shell companies or deposits in cash businesses, and buying foreign currencies or (to a small extent) cryptocurrencies. In addition, the straightforward physical transportation of cash across national borders is an often-used method known as a “bulk cash transfer”.

    The largest players in the illicit drugs industry, such as international cartels, national distributors and large-scale wholesalers, often use professional money launderers – some of whom have seemingly reputable jobs in the financial sector. In one recent case, US financial regulators fined TD Bank US$3 billion (£2.4 billion) – a record penalty for a bank – for facilitating the laundering of millions of dollars of drug cartel money.

    Over six years, more than 90% of the bank’s transactions went unmonitored, enabling “three money laundering networks to collectively transfer more than US$670 million through TD Bank accounts”. Then-US attorney general Merrick Garland commented: “By making its services convenient for criminals, [TD Bank] became one.”

    Video: CBC News.

    Some money laundering networks are as global as the drug supply chains they service. In June 2024, the US Department of Justice’s (DoJ) multi-year “Operation Fortune Runner” investigation saw LA-based associates of Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel charged with conspiring with money-laundering groups linked to a Chinese underground banking network. According to the IRS’s head of criminal investigation, Guy Ficco:

    Drug traffickers generate immense amounts of cash through their illicit operations. This case is a prime example of Chinese money launderers working hand-in-hand with drug traffickers to try to legitimise profits generated by drug activities.

    According to the DoJ, “many wealthy Chinese nationals” barred from transferring large amounts to the US by the Chinese government’s capital flight restrictions seek informal alternatives to the conventional banking system – including via schemes to launder illicit drug money. The DoJ explained how this works:

    The China-based investor contacts an individual who has US dollars available to sell in the United States. This seller of US dollars provides identifying information for a bank account in China, with instructions for the investor to deposit Chinese currency (renminbi) in that account. Once the owner of the account sees the deposit, an equivalent amount of US dollars is released to the buyer in the United States.

    These arrangements are not unique to Chinese actors. Similar arrangements occur throughout the world, including schemes to leverage the black market peso exchange and the Hawala international money transfer system.

    Professional launderers are both creating and exploiting vulnerabilities in the global financial system. Such corruption allows suspicious transactions to occur without proper checks or oversight. This not only reduces transparency in the financial system but erodes public trust in it.

    How cartels launder their money

    International drug cartels and national wholesalers have a smaller markup on their transactions, compared with retailers. But because they are responsible for moving enormous quantities of illicit drugs, they still generate millions of dollars worth of revenue.

    The most prolific known drug distributors in US history, Margarito Flores Jr and his twin brother Pedro, delivered billions of dollars worth of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines to their US and Canadian wholesale clients between 1998 and 2009. They were working for Guzmán and Ismeal “El Mayo” Zambada García, then leaders of the Sinaloa cartel, as well as the Mexican Beltrán Leyva brothers whose cartel bore their surname.

    Today, Margarito Flores Jr trains law enforcement across the US in the methods he and his brother used to traffic drugs and run their business. In January 2015, both men were sentenced to 14 years for drug trafficking – Margarito Flores Jr would later reach out to one of this article’s authors (R.V. Gundur) after reading his book, Trying to Make It: The Enterprises, Gangs, and People of the American Drug Trade, which includes a comprehensive account of the Flores crew’s activities.

    In a subsequent interview, he told us: “My brother and I estimate that, if we added up all of the money we sent back to Mexico over the decade we sold drugs, it was probably more than US$3.5 billion.”

    The billions they remitted to Mexico were used by Guzmán, Zambada and the Beltrán Levya brothers not only to expand their drug businesses, but to corrupt powerful figures such as Mexico’s former secretary of public security, Genaro García Luna.

    García Luna, who was Mexico’s highest-ranking law enforcement official from 2006 to 2012, was sentenced to nearly 40 years in prison in October 2024 after being found guilty of taking millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa cartel, as well as enabling the trafficking of more than a million kilograms of cocaine into the US. Flores explained to us:

    It’s important to understand that corruption impacts people at all levels of government. Our payoffs included local police and other people in the community, up to higher-positioned people in government. Lots of that money ended up funding the violent conflicts between cartels.

    While there has been widespread coverage of cartel drug money being laundered through high-profile businesses and banks such as Wachovia and HSBC, Flores suggested that “the money involved in the drug trade is a lot more than anybody really can understand”. The reason for this, he said, is that it’s very hard to track the flow of hard cash via lorries, boats, planes and even drones. Flores told us:

    It’s a misconception that everyone who makes a lot of money in drugs or other illegal business makes an effort to launder their money. My brother and I held much of what we earned in cash. We knew the government could eventually take everything [else].

    The twins were right: in time, that’s exactly what the US government did.

    ‘Everyday’ money laundering

    In our study of money laundering strategies used by people involved in the illicit drug trade in the UK and US, we found that street dealers do not typically undertake sophisticated laundering processes. Rather, they spend their cash on food and other routine living expenses. One independent UK drug dealer, whose experience was typical of many, used the money earned from his cocaine sales to buy groceries and pay bills for himself and his daughter.

    Spending money, even small amounts, gained through illegal activities is a money laundering offence – albeit one that is seldom prosecuted. As a result, these everyday activities that return illicit drug money to the legal economy are not well accounted for – even though the street value of drugs drives global market value estimates.

    Business-savvy street dealers can earn gross revenues that approach the earnings of high-paid white-collar workers. But they must disguise their earnings’ origins before they can spend them, of course, and various tactics are used to do this.

    Some dealers solicit close friends or family members to act as “strawmen”. These are people willing to put assets paid for by illicit drug money – such as cars, properties or even businesses – in their names on behalf of the dealer. Idris Elba’s character Stringer Bell in HBO’s The Wire was an accurate portrayal of someone investing in legal enterprises using illicit drug money.

    A guide to Stringer Bell’s character in The Wire. Video: Just an Observation.

    These strategies occur wherever illegal enterprise exists, and have done for well over a century. In the US, we interviewed wholesalers who had used family members to own houses and other properties on their behalf. This is done to mitigate against the risk of asset forfeiture should they be convicted of a crime. If an illicit enterprise can create a plausible beneficial owner who is not involved in crime, then the asset is harder to seize. This is why the Donald Trump administration’s recent suspension of beneficial owner oversight is problematic from a drug enforcement perspective.

    In liberal democracies, governments cannot investigate someone’s finances simply because they are related to criminals. The dirty money that is put into their accounts can also be disguised as legitimate income making it difficult to identify, although thorough investigations may uncover it.

    In the UK, we also talked to successful drug retailers who had set up local businesses in their own names. The EU’s law enforcement agency, Europol, has reported similar activities throughout Europe.

    Legal businesses are a common – and often hard-to-detect – vehicle to launder drug money. Bars, clubs, gyms, and hair, nail and tanning salons can be readily set up with drug money, as large cash infusions to establish a business are often not well scrutinised. These businesses are comparatively easy to run with significant cash flows, providing suitable cover for dirty money.

    For example, a beauty salon, especially one that offers high-value boutique services, could easily incorporate drug revenue into its financial accounts by reporting sales that do not occur. Tanning salons can be set up with little expense since they require only sunbeds and the rental of a property.

    Along with bars, clubs and salons, construction companies and restaurants stand out as other cash-intensive businesses with high volumes of transactions – characteristics that make good fronts for laundering money.

    It’s hard to spot a ‘dirty’ business

    There is no surefire way to tell whether a business is a laundering front. While some may look like enterprises struggling to stay afloat, others develop into viable operations that eventually no longer need dirty money to sustain them.

    Some drug dealers incorporate laundering practices within their legitimate jobs. Tradespeople such as electricians or plumbers, for example, can launder money by generating invoices for fake jobs, then reporting the income on their tax returns.

    In both the UK and US, tax authorities are not charged with evaluating the veracity of the funds reported, and are generally satisfied once tax is paid. In other words, they generally trust declared income as proof of legal business activity. Moreover, they, along with the police, lack the resources to investigate these businesses for money laundering.

    Through their legal businesses, many drug dealers pay significant taxes on their illegal revenue, and thus contribute to the economy.

    Paying income tax effectively renders this income laundered. It can be invested and used to set up other businesses, or to purchase cars and properties without suspicion. It can also bolster credit ratings, and improve access to legal financial services such as bank loans.

    Many small-time drug dealers start legal businesses in order to exit the illicit drug trade. We interviewed one cocaine dealer who had used his drug money to set up a retail electronics store; once it was successful, he stopped dealing. Similarly, the person behind a semi-legitimate nitrous oxide enterprise used his proceeds to set up a legitimate alcohol delivery service.

    Through self-laundering, these modest drug dealers transform their proceeds of crime into spendable cash – and may eventually leave criminality behind altogether.

    The (losing) battle against laundered money

    Across the world, anti-money laundering efforts against organised criminal gangs are notoriously ineffective.

    The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) – an intergovernmental organisation formed in 1999 to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism – assesses financial regulators’ anti-money laundering controls all over the world. Countries designated as a risk that require monitoring are placed on the task force’s “grey list”, while severe, high-risk countries go on its “black list”. Being put on these lists can result in a withdrawal of international investment and implementation of sanctions by other countries.

    Although developing countries have often scored badly in their assessments, there has been some progress. While Kenya remained on the grey list in 2024, for example, it was found to have strengthened its measures to tackle both money laundering and terrorist financing. In the same year, though, Lebanon was added to the grey list over concerns on both counts.

    The FATF’s evaluation processes are designed to provide an objective assessment of whether a country has implemented its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing recommendations. However, the success of the FATF’s anti-money laundering controls remains unclear.

    Video: The Financial Action Task Force.

    Often lost in the criminal financing narrative is the role of bulk cash transfers. Even in a world that is moving to cashless transactions, cash generally remains the primary currency of both the illicit drug trade and corruption.

    The biggest and most successful drug traffickers have significant cash reserves which are used to pay workers, replace drugs that are lost or seized, accrue assets, and bribe key officials.

    Reflecting on his former illicit enterprise, Margarito Flores observed: “For every kilo of cocaine or heroin or methamphetamine we sold in the US, at least a kilo of cash went back to Mexico.” For deals in Europe, Flores said: “Given the markup the further away you trade, the amount of cash sent back could be even higher – I would estimate it to be a kilo and a half.”

    Flores described the ineptitude of law enforcement in policing cash that was leaving the US:

    No matter how careful we were, my brother and I lost a handful of loads of drugs heading north [from Mexico into the US]. Heading south was different: we just had the money put on tractor trailers and had it driven it across the border. We never lost a dollar. That’s where politicians don’t pay enough attention. That cash lets traffickers keep doing business.

    Focus on the money as well as the drugs

    So long as demand for illicit drugs exists, the industry will continue – and the revenue it generates will be laundered.

    We believe that to curb the drugs trade, enforcement strategies need to go beyond simply capturing drugs and focus much more on capturing the money. Governments should go after reserves held not only by drug cartels but high-level distributors, such as those who replaced the Flores twins, and also wholesalers. People like these – comparatively high earners in destination countries – are the backbone of the illicit drugs trade.

    Transnational law enforcement should prioritise detecting and seizing bulk cash transfers. These high-volume proceeds underwrite the wellbeing of drug trafficking organisations. Digital tools, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, can be developed to create new techniques to track and trace suspicious transactions, although they alone won’t solve all laundering problems.

    Corruption of officials also remains a problem. Governments need to ensure their officials are well paid and sufficiently monitored in their roles – be they working in government, border control, banks, police departments or prisons. Unfortunately, the US has shirked its leadership in global anti-corruption efforts with the recent halting of the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bans the bribing of foreign officials.



    Read more:
    Mexico’s drug corruption has more to do with US demand than crooked politicians

    Anti-money laundering efforts need to be consistently supported and required. Lamentably, the US has undermined its anti-money laundering toolkit by suspending the enforcement of beneficial ownership information reporting requirements. Establishing beneficial ownership helps financial institutions to identify parties that are hiding their financial interests, which can be an indication of money laundering or other criminal activity.

    Similarly, foreign investment in producer countries can strengthen their capacity to counter laundering by supporting intelligence infrastructure and improved training. Recent cuts to USAid and the reduction of US State Department efforts in these areas is another indication that the US will no longer lead in these domains.

    As cash businesses provide an easy mechanism for cleaning money, moving to a cashless society that uses digital transactions may help ensure that money is traceable. At the same time, cryptomarkets provide a minor, but potentially increasing, pathway to hiding dirty money digitally.

    Ultimately, we should recognise the decades-long “war on drugs” for what it is: a policy costing trillions of dollars that combined mass incarceration with insufficient public health investment, and which has harmed the very communities the illicit drug trade affects the most. It is a difficult balance, but the pathway forward needs to reorient the objectives regarding drugs: invest in people, then go after the money that keeps the cartels, distributors and wholesalers afloat.

    For you: more from our Insights series:

    To hear about new Insights articles, join the hundreds of thousands of people who value The Conversation’s evidence-based news. Subscribe to our newsletter.

    Mark Berry received funding from the Dawes Trust for a prestigious PhD scholarship to undertake work that informs the contents of this article.

    R.V. Gundur received funding from the Economic and Social Research Council to undertake work that informs the contents of this article. He is also a professional member of the International Compliance Association.

    The authors wish to thank Margarito Flores Jr (kingpintoeducator.com) for his help with this article.

    – ref. Money laundering plays a key role in every part of the illegal drugs industry – here’s how it works – https://theconversation.com/money-laundering-plays-a-key-role-in-every-part-of-the-illegal-drugs-industry-heres-how-it-works-251288

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Choose compassion, reject cruelty to end HIV, says top UN rights official

    Source: United Nations 2

    Human Rights

    Global efforts to tackle the HIV/AIDS epidemic continue to remain insufficient, with deadly consequences, the UN Human Rights Council heard on Thursday.

    In a stark assessment of the current situation of the health crisis, Deputy UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif warned that more than nine million people do not receive treatment, while 4,000 girls and young women contract the virus every week.

    A staggering three-quarters of them live in sub-Saharan Africa, she noted, reminding Member States that while HIV is “entirely treatable and preventable…the world is off track in ending AIDS.”

    Stigma fuelling crisis

    “Stigma and discrimination are preventing concrete progress and paving the way for a resurgence of infections,” Ms. Al-Nashif said.

    “Together, we have the power and the responsibility to change this. When human rights are promoted, health is protected.”

    Other speakers echoed the need for human rights-based approaches to ensure universal access to treatment. They warned that discrimination and harmful laws targeting marginalized communities hinder access to prevention, testing and care.

    Keep rights at the core

    Florence Riako Anam of the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) quoted Nelson Mandela, saying that HIV is “more than a disease – it is a human rights issue.”

    In many countries, criminalization, stigma and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, drug use as well as sex work continue to obstruct HIV response efforts, with deadly consequences.

    GNP+, an NGO collecting data on stigma since 2008, has surveyed 100,000 people across 100 countries. The findings: nearly one in four respondents experienced HIV-related stigma.

    Break the barriers

    “To end AIDS for good, we must dismantle the human rights-related barriers that prevent certain populations from accessing the services they need and tackle the deep gender inequalities and underlying inequities that drive starkly different health outcomes,” said Vuyiseka Dubula, Head of Community, Rights and Gender at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

    Ms. Dubula, who lives with HIV in South Africa, noted that while global progress has been significant – new infections down by 61 per cent and AIDS-related deaths by 73 per cent in more than 100 countries over the last two decades—there is still much work to be done.

    “This is something to be proud of, but we can go even further in the next five years if we really are focused on ending HIV” Ms. Dubula said, referring to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3) on ensuring healthy lives for all.

    Compassion over cruelty

    Adeeba Kamarulzaman of the World Health Organization (WHO) Science Council and the Global Council on Inequality, AIDS and Pandemics echoed the need for more compassionate methods in tackling the epidemic.

    She pointed to Malaysia, her home country, which once faced a devastating HIV epidemic but has since made significant progress.

    In countries decriminalizing drug use, knowledge of HIV status is 15 per cent higher and HIV incidence is five per cent lower, she explained, adding that in places where sex work is decriminalized, infection rates are further reduced by 4.5 per cent.

    “When we choose compassion over cruelty, when we invest in people instead of punishing them, we save lives,” Dr. Kamarulzaman said.

    Persistent discrimination

    Erika Castellanos, a transgender woman and Executive Director of Global Action for Trans Equality, spoke of her experience in Belize, where LGBTIQ+ people faced up to 10 years in jail before 2016. Even after the law was overturned, little has changed.

    “The stigma, discrimination and institutional barriers persist in the systems that deny us dignity, in the services that exclude us and in the societies that still see us as less than human,” said Ms. Castellanos, who has lived with HIV for 20 years.

    “I am here because of the hard work, sweat, blood and tears of countless people, many of whom did not survive this epidemic,” she told the Human Rights Council.

    “I am alive – because of an HIV response that valued my life.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN emergency aid fund releases $110 million for neglected humanitarian crises

    Source: United Nations 2

    Humanitarian Aid

    Amid deep cuts to global humanitarian funding, the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund, CERF, on Thursday allocated $110 million to neglected crises across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

    The UN’s top aid official, Tom Fletcher, said that more than 300 million people urgently need assistance.

    But funding has been falling annually, and this year’s levels are projected to drop to a record low.

    “Brutal funding cuts don’t mean that humanitarian needs disappear; today’s emergency fund allocation channels resources swiftly to where they’re needed most,” he said.

    One third of the CERF money will support Sudan and neighbouring Chad, which is home to many uprooted Sudanese.

    The funds will also bolster the aid response in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Honduras, Mauritania, Niger, Somalia, Venezuela and Zambia.

    Part of the allocation will go towards life-saving initiatives to protect vulnerable people from climate shocks, too.

    Funding cuts impact aid for millions: UNICEF

    Funding cuts to overseas aid levels in multiple countries are severely limiting the UN Children Fund’s ability to reach millions of children in dire need, the agency’s Executive Director said on Thursday.

    UNICEF chief Catherine Russell highlighted cuts “by numerous donor countries follow two years of aid reductions at a time of unprecedented need.  Millions of children are affected by conflict, need to be vaccinated against deadly diseases such as measles and polio, and must be educated and kept healthy.”

    She added that needs are outpacing resources and despite introducing efficiencies and innovation to their work, UNICEF teams have stretched every contribution to its limit.

    “But there is no way around it, these new cuts are creating a global funding crisis that will put the lives of millions of additional children at risk.”

    Funded entirely by voluntary contributions, the UN children’s agency has helped save millions, making “historic progress”.

    Since 2000, global under-fives mortality has dropped by 50 per cent: “UNICEF implores all donors to continue to fund critical aid programs for the world’s children. We cannot fail them now,” Ms. Russell underlined.

    Afghanistan: Lives and livelihoods on the line

    Offering one snapshot of how cuts and shortfalls in aid are impacting one of the world’s most vulnerable nations, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric highlighted conditions in Afghanistan.

    “Our humanitarian colleagues warn that Afghanistan continues to face a severe humanitarian crisis defined by decades of conflict, entrenched poverty, climate-induced shocks and rising protection risks, especially for women and girls,” he told reporters at the regular daily briefing in New York.  

    More than half of the population – or 23 million people – need humanitarian assistance in the country, which has been run by the Taliban since they seized power from the democratically elected Government in August 2021.

    Nearly 3.5 million children under five and more than a million pregnant and breastfeeding women are expected to become acutely malnourished, while explosive hazards continue to pose a lethal threat following decades of brutal civil conflict.

    An estimated 55 people are killed or injured by ordnance every month – most of them are children.

    Cuts already taking a toll

    “Funding cuts are already significantly constraining the humanitarian community’s efforts to provide assistance to those most in need,” Mr Dujarric said.

    In the past month, more than 200 health facilities have closed, depriving 1.8 million people from essential health services.

    Malnutrition services for children have also been impacted.

    “Our humanitarian partners warn that aid funding cuts will cost both lives and livelihoods – and undermine development gains,” said the UN Spokesperson.  

    UN agencies and partners on the ground are urgently reprioritising programmes to ensure communities and areas most in need can be reached. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Michigan Businessman Found Guilty of Employment Tax Crimes

    Source: US State of Vermont

    A federal jury convicted a Michigan businessman yesterday for not paying employment taxes and not filing his own individual income tax returns.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dale Thrush, of Farwell, owned and operated several automotive repair service locations and a gas station. Thrush was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from his employees’ wages and paying those funds over to the IRS on behalf of his employees. From October 2014 through December 2016, Thrush withheld those funds from his employees’ wages but did not pay over the full amount of the withheld taxes to the IRS. Instead, Thrush used some of those funds to pay personal expenses, including the remodeling and construction costs for his wife’s business.

    In addition, Thrush did not file his own individual income tax returns for 2013 through 2016 despite being legally obligated to do so.

    Thrush was convicted of three counts of willful failure to pay payroll taxes and four counts of willful failure to file individual income tax returns. He was acquitted of seven counts of willful failure to pay payroll taxes.

    Thrush is scheduled to be sentenced on July 17. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of not paying employment taxes and a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each count of not filing his individual income tax returns. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorneys Mark McDonald and Evan Mulbry of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: TRANSCRIPT: Governor Phil Scott Highlights the Need to Address Education Reform This Legislative Session

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Montpelier, Vt. – At Governor Phil Scott’s weekly press conference, the Scott Administration reiterated the need to address education reform this legislative session. Vermonters made it clear they want to fix the education system because our kids are not getting what they deserve from the $2.4 billion we spend – and neither are our teachers or taxpayers. By fixing the system, it will benefit taxpayers and give a high-quality education to all students.

    Governor Scott: Good afternoon, thanks for being here. 

    As many remember, last year Vermonters saw a historic property tax increase with a high of 38% and an average increase of about 14%, which was significant considering inflation in many other areas. I think most Vermonters agreed that the system was broken and wasn’t sustainable.

    So, to avoid facing yet another spike, we communicated with school boards throughout the fall and asked them to be disciplined with their budgets to avoid a repeat of last year.

    And it appears most school boards did just that, and I want to thank them for their hard work because I know many had to make some tough decisions, which is never easy.

    But even with the majority of school budgets passing, which is good news, we can’t declare victory. We have to stay focused and follow through on making our education system more affordable and sustainable while producing greater opportunities for our kids.

    In the budget I presented to the Legislature in January, I proposed we use $77 million to buy down property tax rates so communities aren’t faced with another tax increase which was projected to be 6% if we do nothing.

    I know many critics will say that using one time money to buy down rates is fiscally irresponsible and short sighted, and I find it hard to disagree. That’s why my plan doesn’t stop there. This year is only a bridge to get us to where we need to be so we can reform the way education is funded without breaking the bank for taxpayers in the process.

    The bottom line is, we can’t buy down rates this year without the broader transformation that we must make because we’ll be faced with the same property tax problem next year, with an even larger increase.

    As I said, many school boards have done their part to keep spending from growing more than we can afford. And my team has presented a plan to make structural changes, to improve the outcomes for our students, make property taxes more predictable, and create more equitable opportunities for students.

    We also need the Legislature to do their part and address education transformation this session because we can’t afford to wait.

    At the end of last session, the Legislature passed 70 bills in three days, so I’m confident that if they stay focused, we can accomplish what I believe needs to be done this session.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2025-34 ATTORNEY GENERAL LOPEZ SECURES NATIONWIDE PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FOR DEFUNDING MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH INNOVATION RESEARCH

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    2025-34 ATTORNEY GENERAL LOPEZ SECURES NATIONWIDE PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FOR DEFUNDING MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH INNOVATION RESEARCH

    Posted on Mar 6, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

    KA ʻOIHANA O KA LOIO KUHINA

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    ANNE LOPEZ

    ATTORNEY GENERAL

    LOIO KUHINA

    ATTORNEY GENERAL LOPEZ SECURES NATIONWIDE PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FOR DEFUNDING MEDICAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH INNOVATION RESEARCH

     

    News Release 2025-34

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       

    March 5, 2025

    HONOLULU – Attorney General Anne Lopez and a coalition of 21 other attorneys general have secured a nationwide preliminary injunction in Massachusetts v. NIH. The order prevents the Trump Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from cutting billions of dollars in funds that support cutting-edge medical and public health research at universities and research institutions across the country regardless of whether their states have joined the lawsuit.

    “As the court confirmed, the Trump administration’s attempt to cut lifesaving, essential scientific and medical research funding for public health institutions was as illegal as it was arbitrary,” said Attorney General Lopez. “Once again, the courts are sending a clear message that President Trump’s efforts to paralyze the government through arbitrary funding cuts are illegal. The people of Hawaiʻi rightfully expect that the federal administration will act lawfully, and my department will work to protect the interests of this state.”

    “We sincerely appreciate the Attorney General’s efforts to obtain this injunction,” said University of Hawaiʻi Vice President for Research and Innovation Vassilis Syrmos. “NIH’s proposed drastic reduction of our facilities and administrative rate would result in the elimination of approximately $16.5M in funding that the University of Hawaiʻi uses to support its research programs and graduate students, including debt service payments for facilities that support translational research and clinical trials. As our state’s only medical school, JABSOM is required to do research that benefits our population. The level and quality of research cannot be sustained with the proposed cuts. The negative impact on communities in Hawaiʻi and elsewhere that already experience the highest rates of chronic disease, more severe health conditions, and shortened life expectancies, will be severe.”

    The state of Hawaiʻi is represented in this litigation by Special Assistant to the Attorney General Dave Day and Solicitor General Kalikoʻonālani Fernandes, who added: “We are very pleased with this decision. The relief obtained in this case for the University of Hawaiʻi underscores the importance of standing up for the rule of law and the interests of Hawaiʻi against unlawful federal actions.”

    The preliminary injunction protects critical funds that facilitate biomedical research, like lab, faculty, infrastructure, and utility costs. Without them, the lifesaving and life-changing medical research in which the United States has long been a leader, could be compromised.

    On February 10, less than six hours after the coalition filed its lawsuit against the Administration, a judge in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order against NIH, barring its attempts to cut the critical research funding. Today’s order takes the place of the temporary restraining order and prevents the Trump Administration from cutting this important category of funding as the case proceeds. It will remain in effect until a final ruling is made.

    The NIH is the primary source of federal funding for medical research in the United States. Medical research funding by NIH grants have led to innumerable scientific breakthroughs, including the discovery of treatment for cancers of all types and the first sequencing of DNA. Additionally, dozens of NIH-supported scientists have earned Nobel Prizes for their groundbreaking scientific work.

    Joining Hawaiʻi in this coalition are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. This lawsuit is being co-led by the attorneys general of Massachusetts, Illinois, and Michigan.

    # # #

     

    Media contacts:

    Dave Day

    Special Assistant to the Attorney General

    Office: 808-586-1284

    Email: [email protected]        

    Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

     

    Toni Schwartz
    Public Information Officer
    Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General
    Office: 808-586-1252
    Cell: 808-379-9249
    Email: [email protected] 

    Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp Signs AFY25 Budget – Delivering Hurricane Relief, Tax Refunds, and Major One-Time Investments

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp, joined by First Lady Marty Kemp, Lt. Governor Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, House and Senate Appropriations Chairmen Tillery and Hatchett, constitutional officers, and members of the Georgia General Assembly, today signed the Amended Budget for Fiscal Year 2025. 

    Excerpt of Governor Kemp’s Remarks

    …

    I want to start by thanking the great legislative partners you see behind us and those next to me, including Lt. Governor Burt Jones, Speaker Jon Burns, Chairman Blake Tillery, Chairman Matt Hatchett, and the members of the General Assembly from both chambers and parties who overwhelmingly voted for this budget.

    We’re also glad to be joined by the Constitutional Officers here with us today and the nation’s best First Lady, Marty Kemp!

    I also want to thank OPB Director Rick Dunn and his team for all the time and hard work they put into the budget process each year alongside our partners in the House and Senate Budget Offices and all the time and effort they still have left to give as we work on the big budget. Let’s give his team a round of applause.

    Today, I’ll sign the amended budget for Fiscal Year 2025… a budget that gives relief to Georgians devastated by Hurricane Helene… makes our schools and communities safer through strategic investments… and yet again returns hard-earned money to the taxpayers. 

    …

    All of this investment is designed to benefit our local communities but it’s also going to keep Georgians working in all parts of the state during these uncertain economic times.

    As we all know too well, inflation may have come down, but high prices haven’t. And that’s why this budget includes 1 billion dollars for another one-time refund for hardworking taxpayers!

    And as just a reminder to you all behind me, we still need the General Assembly to pass the enabling legislation.

    I’m sure some of these men and women up here will help us out with that later today!

    And as soon as we pass the second tax cut acceleration measure, we’ll be able to keep even more of Georgians’ money in their pockets… because they know how to spend it better than the government does!

    My goal working with the members of the General Assembly who have been such strong supporters in these measures has been to help Georgians fighting through 40-year-high inflation. 

    To give them a chance during these challenging times to keep their businesses going and provide for their families by putting more money in their pockets. And to help them and their children have good-paying jobs by developing an environment that attracts business and opportunity.

    That’s what people voted for in November of 2024; that’s what we’ve all been doing; and that’s what we’re going to keep doing!

    So, thank you, legislators, for helping us keep Georgia the best place to live, work, and raise a family through budgets like this.

    …

    You can watch Governor Kemp’s full remarks and the signing of the budget here.

    “This budget includes critical midyear adjustments for Georgia’s education system, economic development projects, transportation infrastructure and public safety,” said Lt. Governor Burt Jones. “Additionally, over $250 million is included for Georgia’s agriculture and timber communities impacted by Hurricane Helene, along with relief for our fellow Georgians and local communities for recovery and cleanup efforts. I want to thank Governor Kemp, Speaker Burns, Chairman Tillery, and all members of the Senate Appropriations Committee for their hard work to ensure we passed a balanced and fiscally conservative budget, as we prepare for fiscal year 2026. Georgia is a shining example of how to budget efficiently and effectively, while putting Georgian’s hard earned dollars back in their pockets. I look forward to our continued work to appropriate taxpayer dollars in a fiscally, conservative manner.”

    “This budget reaffirms Georgia’s commitment to making strategic investments that strengthen and uplift every community, family, and citizen across our great state—all while putting money back in the pockets of taxpayers,” said Speaker Jon Burns. “As we look ahead, the House is looking forward to working alongside Governor Kemp to continue prioritizing fiscally responsible and measured investments that secure the future success of our state for generations to come.”

    In addition to investments in healthcare, public safety, education, and returning $1 billion to taxpayers through a third one-time special tax refund, the amended budget includes investments and allocations for:

    • Hurricane Helene Relief: More then $867 million for response costs and relief, including but not limited to, one-time grants to public rural and critical access hospitals included in the major disaster declaration area to assist in financial stabilization and recovery efforts, disaster relief assistance to impacted farmers and timber producers, and grants to non-profits for Hurricane Helene rebuilding and recovery efforts.
    • Education and Workforce Development: $140 million in additional allocations to fully fund QBE and support our local school systems to help us build an unrivaled workforce as we work to make Georgia the Top State for Talent.
    • Public Safety and Corrections: More than $434 million in new funding for the Department of Corrections to fortify state facilities, invest in Corrections Officers, and equip them with the tools they need to be effective and efficient.
    • Fighting Human Trafficking: $3.5 million to design a recovery center for victims of human trafficking – an effort championed by First Lady Marty Kemp – and over $187,000 to expand the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit to the Macon and Augusta regions.
    • School Security: An additional $50 million in one-time funds for another round of security grants to all K-12 public schools.
    • Coastal Water Infrastructure: $501.7 million in funding for the development and construction of water infrastructure in Georgia’s coastal region to meet the growing demand due to historic economic development.
    • Local Water and Sewer Infrastructure: Over $266 million in funding for the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority to support water and sewer infrastructure development projects across Georgia.
    • Local Road Infrastructure: $265 million into the local maintenance and improvement grant program and $46 million to the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank’s grant and loan program. 
    • Combating Wildfires: $4.7 million for the Forestry Commission to purchase a new fire suppression helicopter

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Calian Announces Upcoming Participation at Investor Conference

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    OTTAWA, Ontario, March 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Calian® Group Ltd. (TSX:CGY), a diverse products and services company providing innovative healthcare, communications, learning and cybersecurity solutions, announced today that the Company will be participating at the following investor conference:

    37thAnnual ROTH Conference
    Date: March 17, 2025
    Location: Dana Point, CA

    About Calian

    www.calian.com

    We keep the world moving forward. Calian® helps people communicate, innovate, learn and lead safe and healthy lives. Every day, our employees live our values of customer commitment, integrity, innovation, respect and teamwork to engineer reliable solutions that solve complex challenges. That’s Confidence. Engineered. A stable and growing 40-year company, we are headquartered in Ottawa with offices and projects spanning North American, European and international markets. Visit calian.com to learn about innovative healthcare, communications, learning and cybersecurity solutions.

    Product or service names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

    Investor Relations inquiries:

    ir@calian.com

    DISCLAIMER
    Certain information included in this press release is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties. The results or events predicted in these statements may differ materially from actual results or events. Such statements are generally accompanied by words such as “intend”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect” or similar statements. Factors which could cause results or events to differ from current expectations include, among other things: the impact of price competition; scarce number of qualified professionals; the impact of rapid technological and market change; loss of business or credit risk with major customers; technical risks on fixed price projects; general industry and market conditions and growth rates; international growth and global economic conditions, and including currency exchange rate fluctuations; and the impact of consolidations in the business services industry. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, please see the Company’s most recent annual report and other reports filed by Calian with the Ontario Securities Commission. Calian disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No assurance can be given that actual results, performance or achievement expressed in, or implied by, forward-looking statements within this disclosure will occur, or if they do, that any benefits may be derived from them.

    Calian · Head Office · 770 Palladium Drive · Ottawa · Ontario · Canada · K2V 1C8
    Tel: 613.599.8600 · Fax: 613-592-3664 · General info email: info@calian.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: CSO-3 optical Earth-observation satellite successfully launched

    Source: Thales Group

    Headline: CSO-3 optical Earth-observation satellite successfully launched

    • The CSO system comprises three defense and security satellites
    • This trio has two distinct missions: reconnaissance for CSO-1 and CSO-3, and identification for CSO-2, affording higher resolution and refined analysis
    • The very-high-resolution optical instrument flying on each satellite is a marvel of technology built by prime contractor Thales Alenia Space

    Cannes, March  6th, 2025 – The CSO-3 military observation satellite has been successfully launched by Arianespace atop an Ariane 6 from Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana. Carrying a very-high-resolution optical instrument built by Thales Alenia Space, the joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), the satellite was developed by prime contractor Airbus Defence & Space for the French defense procurement agency DGA on behalf of the French Air and Space Force’s Space Command, with delegated oversight from the French space agency CNES.

    CSO © CNES

    The third and last component in the CSO system for France’s MUSIS* military program, CSO-3 will provide increased coverage and revisit capabilities to enable more effective conduct of military operations and faster crisis response.

    Designed to the most stringent intelligence and defense requirements, CSO-3 is equipped with a cutting-edge instrument developed by Thales Alenia Space. This instrument is the core of the mission, affording exceptional resolution and detail of Earth’s surface. Its unrivaled performance enables it to acquire imagery at extremely high resolution, even in low-light conditions and at night thanks to its infrared capabilities. Its advanced technologies include latest-generation optical systems and ultra-sensitive sensors. 

    CSO © CNES

    Like for the previous Helios 1, Helios 2 and Pleiades satellites, Thales Alenia Space designed strategic equipment for the CSO system, including the solar arrays, very-high-throughput image telemetry systems, and encryption/decryption modules to ensure data security and confidentiality. The company also supplied the system’s telemetry, tracking and control transponders.

    “The launch of CSO-3 is a major milestone for French sovereignty in space, both in terms of launch capabilities and satellite technology,” said Hervé Derrey, Thales Alenia Space CEO. “With the completion of this system, France is leading the way in optical space reconnaissance. The CSO system’s exceptional performance is based in particular on the optical instrument built by the teams at Thales Alenia Space and our industry partners. These unique skills in Europe are strategically important and demonstrate our ability to meet the new challenges facing French and European sovereignty.”

    *Multinational Space-based Imaging System for Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Observation

    About THALES ALENIA SPACE

    Drawing on over 40 years of experience and a unique combination of skills, expertise and cultures, Thales Alenia Space delivers innovative solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Governments and private industry alike count on Thales Alenia Space to design and build satellite-based systems that provide anytime, anywhere connections and positioning, monitor our planet, enhance management of its resources and explore our Solar System and beyond. Thales Alenia Space sees space as a new horizon, helping to build a better, more sustainable life on Earth. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the parent companies’ Space Alliance, which offers a complete range of services. Thales Alenia Space posted consolidated revenues of approximately €2.2 billion in 2023 and has around 8,600 employees in 8 countries, with 16 sites in Europe.
     

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Members share experiences on going beyond tariff codes to implement environmental measures

    Source: WTO

    Headline: Members share experiences on going beyond tariff codes to implement environmental measures

    Organized and moderated by Luis Oña-Garcés of Ecuador, the session featured experience-sharing by members implementing environmental measures which are controlled at the border based on tariff classification categories beyond the Harmonized System codes.
    A series of key questions guided delegations in addressing environmental measures implemented through tariff classification, exploring the use of specific codes and additional categories designed for this purpose. Other mechanisms used at the border, such as certifications or licences, were also analysed. Good practices identified in the implementation and monitoring of these measures were shared. The objective was to understand the challenges and results of these strategies.
    The European Union shared its process used to track trade in products covered by regulations of fluorinated greenhouse gases, ozone-depleting substances, and deforestation. This included the EU TARIC databases which identify specific products beyond 6-digit HS codes. This more exact definition helped customs operations by enhancing traceability and smoothing the cross-border process.
    The EU suggested that the World Customs Organization (WCO) put in place a project aimed at improving the classification of green technology and environmentally friendly products by refining definitions and collaborating with international organizations. The EU noted that updating the current HS system to recognize products under green initiatives and the circular economy will streamline processes, enhance policy enforcement, and improve trade efficiency and traceability.
    The United Kingdom indicated that collaboration between trade and customs is essential to understand limitations posed by the HS and to apply solutions that can be implemented at the border. The UK emphasized that differentiation of production processes or end-use, especially for environmental products, is challenging. It noted that national tariff lines and harmonized definitions/standards are alternatives to HS amendments.
    The UK presented a case study showing that HS codes have no precise categories for recycling, reuse and waste of textiles, which hamper monitoring trade. Discrepancies in customs classification and contamination cause trade barriers due to HS code definitions not conforming with industry procedures. To avoid this, the UK said greater WTO member cooperation can enhance knowledge of trade restrictions due to unclear HS nomenclature.
    The Dominican Republic reported on the successful implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and their integration into the country’s customs tariff system. It has introduced further subdivisions in its tariff structure, beyond the HS standard codes, to monitor environmentally sensitive products and institutionalised interagency planning and coordination through the creation of a Green Customs Department.
    Addressing challenges and opportunities, the Dominican Republic noted the obstacles encountered, particularly on outdated law frameworks, and emphasized the significance of effective technology-driven customs regulation and staff training to improve understanding and implementation of environmental policies while maintaining trade efficiency.
    Jamaica also highlighted its efforts in enforcing environmental policies on plastics pollution, hazardous waste treatment and disposal, and the development of renewable energy through customs policy. However, Jamaica noted the numerous challenges that hinder effective enforcement both at the national level and regionally within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). These include insufficient stakeholder knowledge of MEAs and lack of coordination among regulatory and customs institutions. Jamaica said that enforcement continues to be difficult despite advancement because of a shortage of resources and the need for additional interagency coordination. The country continues to modernize customs practices and simplify policies according to international environmental commitments, with the aim of striking a balance between trade facilitation and sustainability goals.
    The HS is a multipurpose international product nomenclature developed by the WCO. It comprises more than 5,000 commodity groups or categories, each of them identified by a six-digit code. See here for the current HS 2022 nomenclature.
    The system is used by 212 economies as a basis for their customs tariffs and for the collection of international trade statistics. Over 98% of the merchandise in international trade is classified in terms of the HS.
    A first thematic session on Greening the HS was held in June 2024. It provided a detailed presentation of the HS role and structure, including its potential and limitations in identifying goods of policy interest. The challenge of defining environmental goods and making them visible in the HS were discussed, as were proposed HS amendments by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.
    The Chair of the Committee on Market Access, Nicola Waterfield of Canada, said that the presentations gave members an opportunity to learn about a very wide range of challenges and solutions beyond the HS to implement their environmental policies. They also highlighted the crossovers between greening efforts and the work of the Committee on transparency in import and export restrictions and prohibitions which would be notified as quantitative restrictions.
    As with past thematic sessions in the Committee, and to respond to a demand by members, the WTO Secretariat will prepare a factual summary report based on information shared.

    Share

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Global Bodies – IPU report: Parliamentary gender gap narrowed over the past 30 years but progress stalled in 2024

    Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union

    Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday 6 March 2025 – A new IPU report analysing three decades of women in national parliaments reveals that the percentage of seats held by women has risen from 11.3% in 1995 to 27.2% in 2025.

    The IPU report Women in parliament 1995-2025 commemorates 30 years since the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the landmark UN framework which set out a roadmap for gender equality and women’s rights. (ref. https://www.ipu.org/resources/publications/reports/2025-03/women-in-parliament-1995-2025 )

    The report shows that, from 2000 to 2015, the proportion of women in parliament rose steadily. However, in recent years, this progress has slowed.

    And in 2024, despite a high number of elections with 73 chamber renewals globally, women’s parliamentary representation increased by only 0.3 percentage points, marking the slowest rate of progress since 2017.

    Parity achieved in six countries

    In 1995, no parliament had achieved gender parity.

    In 2025, six parliaments have parity or more women than men in their single or lower chambers (Rwanda, Cuba, Nicaragua, Mexico, Andorra and the United Arab Emirates).

    Regional differences

    The Americas have seen the most significant increase in women’s parliamentary participation, with a 22.7 percentage point gain across all chambers combined over 30 years. The region now has the highest average, with 35.4% of seats held by women.

    From leading the world 30 years ago for gender equality in parliament, Asia now lags behind; the region recorded the slowest growth with a gain of just 8.9 points since 1995.

    2024 elections: More diversity and prominence for gender issues

    Despite the current pushback against diversity in the United States, the November 2024 elections saw two Black women elected to the Senate for the first time and the first openly transgender person to be elected to Congress.

    The United Kingdom Parliament elected in 2024 is also the most ethnically diverse in the country’s history with Black, Asian and ethnic minorities, both men and women, comprising around 13% of the House of Commons.

    The report notes that gender issues, particularly abortion rights and issues of gender identity, had a polarizing effect on many of the elections last year, in some cases spurring an anti-feminist backlash and in others serving to mobilize female voters.

    Violence against women in politics

    The report also points to political violence against women in 2024 elections:

    Mexico’s 2024 election was one of its most violent, with an estimated 130 candidates, including 30 women, allegedly attacked, according to Data Cívica.

    In the Republic of Korea, a woman MP was physically attacked during the election campaign.

    In the United Kingdom, the 2024 election saw an “alarming rise” in candidate abuse according to a report by the country’s Electoral Commission, disproportionately affecting women.

    However, some countries, with IPU support, have taken noteworthy steps to address gender-based violence in elections and parliaments, including Australia and the United Republic of Tanzania.

    Proactive steps towards gender parity

    Countries which have taken steps towards ensuring greater gender balance have seen the most laudable progress.

    These steps include implementing well-designed quotas, making parliaments more gender-sensitive and addressing violence against women.

    The report underlines that two factors have made a significant difference in the share of women elected to parliaments: electoral systems – especially proportional representation or mixed systems – and gender quotas in any form.

    In countries with gender quotas in place, the proportion of women elected or appointed was 31.2% in 2024 compared to 16.8% in countries without.

    Quotes

    IPU President, Tulia Ackson: “True progress in women’s political representation requires political will, intentional steps and a long-term commitment. At a time when women’s rights are on the backfoot in some regions of the world, women’s leadership is more important than ever.”

    President of the IPU Forum of Women Parliamentarians, Cynthia López Castro: “The journey from 11% to 27% women in parliaments over 30 years shows us that change is possible, but also that our work is far from done as we aim for gender parity. We need to encourage the next generation to come forward and continue the fight.”

    IPU Secretary General, Martin Chungong: “IPU analysis shows that the gender glass ceiling in parliaments has cracked but is far from shattered. There has been progress but the backlash against women’s rights in some countries is extremely worrying. It will take both women and men to overcome these challenges and accelerate progress towards gender parity.”

    The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded in 1889 as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 181 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes peace, democracy and sustainable development. It helps parliaments become stronger, younger, greener, more innovative and gender-balanced. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Budget 2025: Increasing hospital capacity

    Alberta’s government is committed to enhancing health infrastructure to ensure that all Albertans have access to high-quality care when and where they need it. When designing health care infrastructure projects, it is common to include shelled (unfinished) and vacant spaces to accommodate future growth and adapt to changing needs and demand.

    All shelled and vacant space within Alberta’s health facilities will be identified and assessed to determine viable opportunities for future development. Strategically developing existing spaces is a cost-effective way to expand health care capacity faster, improving access to services and reducing wait times for patients across the province.

    If passed, Budget 2025 will help fulfil this commitment responsibly through the $10-million Develop Shelled and Vacant Space Capital Program. Under the new program, shelled and vacant spaces will be developed within existing health facilities throughout Alberta.  

    “Developing spaces that aren’t finished or are vacant is a faster and more affordable way to expand health care infrastructure. I am looking forward to identifying these development opportunities so we can increase capacity for Albertans as soon as possible.”

    Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

    Sites under consideration include the Peter Lougheed Centre and Tom Baker Centre in Calgary; the Mazankowski Heart Institute and Kaye Clinic in Edmonton; and the Queen Elizabeth II Ambulatory Care Centre in Grande Prairie.  

    The funding in the Capital Plan will be used to expedite development of these spaces, including comprehensive project costing and detailed planning before construction begins. By completing this groundwork upfront, the government will be able to make well-informed decisions during the approval process for future budgets.

    Alberta Infrastructure will lead the two-year planning process under the direction of Alberta Health, ensuring alignment with health care program and service needs.

    “This initiative to identify construction and renovation opportunities for underutilized spaces in hospitals will help our government improve health care capacity and better serve the needs of Albertans. We are proud to lead this program.”

    Martin Long, Minister of Infrastructure  

    Once the planning process is complete, additional capital funding will be allocated for construction under the new program. The design phase for selected projects could start as early as fall 2025.

    “Alberta Health Services will use existing facility space to expand hospital capacity and improve access to care. This investment will support patients by increasing beds and surgical capacity in our hospitals.”

    Andre Tremblay, interim president and CEO, Alberta Health Services

    This initiative is part of an even bigger ongoing expansion of hospitals across Alberta. If passed, Budget 2025 would include $265 million to increase operating room capacity as part of the Alberta Surgical Initiative capital program, as well as $11 million to advance plans for a stand-alone Stollery Children’s Hospital and $2 million to support plans for inpatient towers at both the Grey Nuns and Misericordia community hospitals that will add up to 700 beds.

    These investments build on the recently completed $84-million expansion of the intensive care, coronary care and endoscopy units at Rockyview General Hospital, which has increased staffed bed capacity by almost 50 per cent, as well as the opening of the world-class Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Calgary. The centre adds 160 inpatient beds within its 127,000 square metres of space, including more than 9,200 square metres dedicated to research. Both projects have already substantially increased capacity in the Calgary corridor.

    Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.

    Related information

    • Budget 2025

    Related news

    • Building on excellence in 2025 (Jan. 9, 2025)
    • Expanding cardiac services in southern Alberta (Oct. 22, 2024)
    • Investing in rural health facilities across Alberta (Sept. 24, 2024)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the white paper on the future of European defence – B10-0147/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Reinier Van Lanschot, Mārtiņš Staķis, Ville Niinistö, Damian Boeselager, Hannah Neumann, Maria Ohisalo, Sergey Lagodinsky, Virginijus Sinkevičius
    on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

    B10‑0147/2025

    European Parliament resolution on the white paper on the future of European defence

    (2025/2565(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to its previous resolutions on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine,

    – having regard its recommendation of 8 June 2022 to the Council and the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the EU’s Foreign, Security and Defence Policy after the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine[1],

    – having regard to the UN Charter,

    – having regard to the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, adopted by the Council on 21 March 2022,

    – having regard to the report by Sauli Niinistö, Special Adviser to the President of the European Commission, of 30 October 2024 entitled ‘Safer Together – Strengthening Europe’s Civilian and Military Preparedness and Readiness’,

    – having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas the President of the European Commission tasked the Commissioner for Defence and Space and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy with presenting a white paper on the future of European defence;

    B. whereas Parliament and experts have called for a white paper on defence for more than a decade;

    C. whereas the Strategic Compass was mainly drafted and negotiated before 24 February 2022; whereas the Strategic Compass is a very broad strategy that provides little guidance with regards to the urgent need to accomplish defence readiness and provide deterrence and defence capabilities to prepare for the most urgent military contingency;

    D. whereas there is an urgent need to strengthen parliamentary oversight of European defence in order to guarantee a sound democratic basis for this crucial policy area;

    E. whereas the European defence industrial actors not only face challenges but have also been able to profit from a much higher demand for defence products since February 2022, which has led to record profits, especially among prime contractors;

    F. whereas innovative defence and dual-use start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have not, in a comparable manner, been able to profit from relevant EU funds or orders from and funding by national governments compared to prime contractors;

    G. whereas the combined military spending efforts of EU Member States already exceed that of Russia but suffer from a lack of economies of scale and focus, highlighting the need for more efficiency and the streamlining of military expenses, in addition to the need for fresh investment;

    H. whereas the many concrete recommendations contained in the Niinistö report should guide the work on the white paper also because the report presents a comprehensive and holistic approach to preparedness and readiness that encompasses all civilian and military aspects; whereas the report underlines that the EU does not have a plan on what to do in the event of an armed attack against a Member State and that the EU currently lacks the comprehensive capacity to bring all necessary EU resources together in a coordinated manner across institutional and operational silos;

    I. whereas hybrid threats are designed to operate in the grey zone between peace and war, combining conventional and unconventional methods such as sabotage, espionage and political infiltration to undermine the EU’s stability and resilience; whereas cyberattacks have become a central element of these campaigns, exploiting the increasing digitalisation of critical sectors such as healthcare, finance and energy, causing cascading disruptions with potentially severe economic and societal consequences; whereas foreign information manipulation and interference complements these operations through the spreading of disinformation and propaganda to erode trust in democratic institutions and polarise public opinion; whereas the growing complexity, frequency and intensity of these threats underscore the pressing need to identify and implement effective solutions for safeguarding the EU’s security and resilience;

    J. whereas the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine is a wake-up call for the EU, presenting an immediate threat to the European and global security order and to the security of the EU and its Member States; whereas this conflict shows the urgent need for the Member States to define a common perception of threats and demonstrate genuine solidarity with the frontline Member States;

    K. whereas the EU’s ability to take decisive action in response to external threats has been repeatedly hampered by the requirement for unanimity, with certain Member States blocking or delaying critical military aid to Ukraine and hence undermining European security;

    L. whereas the Trump administration is proposing a normalisation of ties with Russia, and has threatened to withdraw the US military from the European continent; whereas it appears that the US administration has ceased to be a reliable ally within NATO, which has negative repercussions for the collective territorial defence of its members;

    1. Stresses the seriousness of the threats to the security of the European continent, which have reached a level unprecedented since the Second World War; expresses deep concern at the rise of geopolitical fractures, also within the West, new and renewed imperialist ambitions for domination by authoritarian powers, systemic rivalry between great powers, nationalist unilateralism, the primary and growing use of force, and violence by certain states and non-state actors in order to promote their political and economic interests or to resolve disputes;

    2. Recalls that the EU is a peace project and should strive towards peace and stability while condemning aggression; underlines that, in order to achieve peace and stability, we must support Ukraine and become more resilient ourselves;

    3. Believes that the war of aggression against Ukraine was part of Putin’s plan to reshape the Euro-Atlantic security architecture and that this plan has been thwarted thanks to the Ukrainian people’s heroic defence;

    4. Underlines that Russian acts of sabotage against critical European infrastructure, and Russia’s manipulation of and interference in EU and NATO countries, have significantly increased; stresses that experts believe that Russia might further escalate its aggressive acts and also attack EU Member States with conventional armed forces during the coming years;

    5. Deplores the fact that the President of the United States has suggested that the US may attempt to annex Greenland, which would be in breach of international law, create considerable instability for the Greenland Government and people and the whole region, further exacerbating the deterioration of relations within the Atlantic Alliance;

    6. Calls, therefore, for the EU to increase its efforts to shift the trajectory of Russia’s war against Ukraine and set the conditions for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace on Ukraine’s terms; underlines that defeating Russia in Ukraine and ensuring Ukraine’s future success are the most effective and cost-efficient investments in European security for the short and medium term;

    7. Urges the Member States to provide more arms and ammunition to Ukraine, in as large quantities and as quickly as possible, to enable Ukraine to liberate its territory and deter further Russian attacks;

    8. Calls for making a fast and significant increase in the financing of military support for Ukraine a key and structural component of the white paper; calls on the Member States to scale up direct investments in the capacity of the Ukrainian defence industry to mass-produce essential defence products (Danish model), specifically drones, air defence systems, artillery and long-range strike capabilities; proposes the allocation of a specific multibillion euro budget to the European Defence Industry Programme’s (EDIP) Ukraine Support Instrument reserved exactly for this purpose; stresses the need to explore legal avenues for fully seizing the frozen assets of sanctioned Russian individuals and the Russian Central Bank for use as grants for Ukraine’s expenditure on its defence and resilience needs and its reconstruction, in accordance with international law; condemns the veto imposed by the Hungarian Government on the European Peace Facility (EPF), which blocks more than EUR 6 billion and renders the EPF almost useless; stresses, further, the urgent need also to consider the option of creating an alternative ad hoc arrangement for those European countries that wish to support Ukraine militarily and finance that aid jointly;

    9. Demands the inclusion of a plan in the white paper that describes how the integration of the Ukrainian defence industry into the EU defence technological and industrial base (EDTIB) can be operationalised in the fastest and most efficient manner; recalls the urgency to properly finance EDIP’s Ukraine instrument; further proposes the provision of war insurance for critical EDTIB projects inside Ukraine; proposes the regular inclusion of Ukrainian Defence Ministry officials with observer status at meetings of relevant Council configurations;

    10. Expects the white paper on EU defence to define a new framework and the extent to which the EU must accomplish defence readiness and preparedness, in view of the most severe military contingencies, deter potential aggressors and defend itself also to assist NATO allies that are also EU Member States to become a credible European pillar in NATO;

    11. Stresses that the time has come to use the white paper process to clearly define what is meant by a true European defence union; recalls that the adoption of the Strategic Compass was only a starting point, but that its implementation remains necessary and requires an update to reflect the goals of deterrence and defence readiness;

    12. Deplores the reluctance of the Council and the EU Member States when it comes to addressing deep structural challenges of the European defence industrial landscape and the lack of ambition as regards cooperation between their armed forces at EU level; calls on the Member States to join forces and support a quantum leap towards a very ambitious and comprehensive framework on defence;

    13. Welcomes in principle the announcements made by the President of the Commission on 4 March 2025 regarding a ‘re-arm Europe’ initiative; stresses, however, that the planned investments should address the lack of cooperation and coordination between Member States, including measures guaranteeing full interoperability and making joint procurement the rule;

    14. Urges the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) and the Member States to use the white paper process for outlining a comprehensive framework that is composed of at least the following key components:

    (a) a precise description of scenarios in which the EU and its Member States would use security and military instruments that include the latest risk and threat assessments and range from the most extreme military contingencies to crisis management abroad,

    (b) elements of a military doctrine which describe in detail the military tasks related to the different scenarios, including cooperation with NATO, in particular through a more precise operationalisation and routine exercises for scenarios under Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU),

    (c) revised and adapted military headline goals, closely coordinated with the NATO Defence Planning Process, and a precise description of the necessary quantity and quality of military personnel, including training requirements and key military capabilities that are fully synchronised with the new NATO Force Model as regards EU NATO countries, such as strategic enablers, but also ammunition stocks, in order to fulfil current force generation targets,

    (d) proposals regarding armed forces cooperation structures that go beyond ad hoc arrangements, such as EU Battlegroups, including a strengthened Rapid Deployment Capacity (RDC), multinationally crewed strategic enablers (based on the Airborne Warning and Control System – AWACS – model) at EU level and additional permanent multinational military units with sufficient capabilities to provide deterrence and defence,

    (e) a description of the key parameters necessary for the establishment of an efficient and competitive single market for defence that would help Member States to reach the capability headline goals necessary for full defence readiness and equip our closest allies, such as Ukraine;

    15. Underlines that the EU must adopt a holistic and horizontal approach to security and defence by taking into account the many societal and systemic challenges it faces, such as climate change; emphasises the need for an impact assessment of current and future EU policies in order to find out how they can better support EU security and defence, including through other strategic objectives of the Union, especially the transition to a green, digital and just economy;

    16. States that major geopolitical shifts, amplified by the return of large-scale wars in our neighbourhood, have threatened and keep threatening the security of the EU and its citizens, that ‘business as usual’ is not an option, and that, to face the threats, the EU and its Member States must make EU-level cooperation of their armed forces and their defence industry the rule in order to create a capabilities-based EU defence union which can overcome threats and attacks against EU security;

    17. Strongly believes that more substantial progress needs to be made in operationalising Article 42(7) TEU and that a plan is needed on how to operationalise this solidarity policy in the white paper with respect to the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain Member States;

    18. Insists on the need to ensure better cooperation and coordination by taking stock of the will of the EU and the UK to become closer security partners; calls strongly for the creation of a European security council to coordinate actions between like-minded countries willing to form a vanguard in European defence cooperation and integration; calls for this European security council to serve as the foundation for a new European defence union, bringing together like-minded Member States and strategic partners that share a common security vision and mutual trust;

    19. Considers that current strategic documents, legislative proposals and studies such as the Strategic Compass, the European defence industrial strategy and the Niinistö report should finally inspire a concrete and comprehensive vision for the future of European defence, including specific goals, targets and roadmaps, which the white paper should constitute;

    20. Calls for the EU to better link common security and defence policy (CSDP) instruments with internal security tools and to strengthen dual-use and civil-military cooperation at EU level;

    21. Strongly supports the many good recommendations put forward by the Niinistö report; fully supports the report’s aim, which is ‘not to limit our level of preparedness to what is politically convenient’ but to address what is needed in order to cope with the most severe scenarios; insists on the importance of the upcoming preparedness Union strategy to put the EU on track for comprehensive preparedness, including a definition of EU-level vital societal and governmental functions, the development of EU-level preparedness baseline requirements for these functions, and ensuring the coherence of sectoral crisis plans at EU level; recommends, in particular, the Niinistö report recommendations aimed at empowering citizens to make societal resilience work, inspired by the Finnish concept of total defence;

    22. Calls for the EU to develop an EU risk assessment to identify cross-sectoral threats and the risks facing the EU as a whole, and supports the embedding of the ‘preparedness by design’ principle across the EU; insists on the need to develop a mandatory ‘security and preparedness check’ for future impact assessments and ‘stress-tests’ for current legislation as proposed by Niinistö; believes that there is a need to assess whether there are specific challenges that undermine the timely completion of projects identified as critical for effective military deterrence and the rapid arrival of capabilities to the eastern flank for military contingency;

    23. Invites the Commission and the Member States to explore the feasibility of an EU preparedness act to align EU and national efforts when possible;

    24. Calls for the EU and the Member States to set up and conduct an EU comprehensive preparedness exercise to test high-level decision-making and operational coordination;

    25. Calls for the CSDP to be guided by a human security approach and committed to the Women, Peace and Security Agenda; underlines the importance of other multilateral frameworks that strive to build a peaceful and stable future;

    26. Calls on the Member States to push for the deletion of the unanimity rule in foreign and security policy in the Council; asks for an amendment to Article 46(6) TEU to allow for qualified majority voting instead of unanimity in the management of permanent structured cooperation, with the exception of decisions leading to the creation of military missions or operations with an executive mandate under the CSDP, which must remain under unanimity;

    27. Proposes the strengthening of Parliament’s oversight and scrutiny role in line with the EU expanding its role in defence, including via delegated acts for the work programmes of the current and future defence industrial programmes and instruments that would allow for their implementation to be scrutinised, in particular the priorities set by the Commission concerning projects on priority capabilities; calls for a Parliament representative to be appointed to the new defence industrial readiness board proposed in EDIP, where currently none is provided for;

    28. Believes that the EU must acquire a clear understanding of what the actual gap is between the capability targets and defence capabilities of the Member States; stresses the need to ramp up defence industry production, as well as to have ever-ready production units to respond to foreign attacks or specific needs of its strategic partners;

    29. Considers regular threat analyses to be an absolute necessity and proposes synchronising their planning cycle with similar regular threat analyses within NATO and by key non-NATO partners;

    30. Reiterates its call to strengthen EU-NATO cooperation in order to build a more European NATO, particularly by fully aligning the EU’s Strategic Compass and NATO’s strategic concept, the EU’s Capability Development Plan and NATO’s Defence Planning Process capability targets, except for areas where there are clear special interests for the EU only; proposes the appointment of a permanent EU representative to NATO, including to the military committee on information exchange and the respective military operations;

    31. Calls for the EU to address the critical defence capability gaps and shortfalls and focus efforts on specific projects of common European interest that are too expensive for a single Member State to procure, in particular strategic enablers, but also large stockpiles of critical equipment, in order to provide genuine EU added value, which could most efficiently be jointly procured and managed by an EU framework through a special off-budget instrument; proposes, in particular, the establishment of the following capabilities:

    (a) integrated air defence and long-range strike systems, optimally by coordinating the ongoing development of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) with the European Long Range Strike Approach (ELSA),

    (b) suppression of enemy air defences,

    (c) multi-type drone force,

    (d) electronic warfare,

    (e) defensive and offensive cyber systems,

    (f) AWACS, aerial refuelling and long-range transport,

    (g) Command, control, communications and computers (C4) and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities and space assets critical for early warning, navigation, observation and communication,

    (h) Main Ground Combat System (MGCS),

    (i) Future Combat Aircraft System (FCAS);

    32. Urges the EU and the Member States to move from a ‘flow’ approach to a ‘stock’ approach, with mandatory targets for critical defence equipment; points to the need to ensure the socially and environmentally sustainable provision of relevant raw materials and to implement policies to close gaps in production and the labour market; stresses the urgent need to make defence production and stocking of ammunition and other products more security-relevant by developing plans on how to have a more decentralised and resilient network and joint stocks building on ‘readiness pools’ in regions facing a higher threat level and the possibility of large-scale conventional warfare;

    33. Calls for the EU to urgently adapt its tools to new realities by designing an administrative capacity to move much faster when faced with wars or other large-scale crises; stresses that this can be done by designing and putting in place binding rules, which can be triggered in emergency situations to accelerate administrative and legal procedures, and taking measures in the input side of the supply chain, for the quick production and delivery of military goods, or the construction of infrastructure projects for European mobility, identified as critical for defence;

    34. Urges the EU to take immediate action to pool resources and expertise in the field of cybersecurity, recognising that individual Member States face limited capabilities in this domain; strongly advocates for the development of a unified European approach to cyber forces; further insists on the swift creation of joint European cyber capabilities to effectively address the common challenges faced by all Member States in the rapidly evolving threat landscape, thereby strengthening the EU’s collective resilience and strategic autonomy in the digital realm;

    35. Calls for the EU to use the white paper to describe a plan that helps to remove unnecessary national regulatory obstacles that slow down military mobility without undermining public security; considers that the definition of military mobility should apply to dual-use infrastructures that cover all logistical aspects of mobility, and that for dual-use projects, adequate criteria should be properly applied in terms of funding provisions, in particular at EU level; stresses the need for significant investments in military mobility infrastructures to enhance cargo airlift capabilities, camps, depots, ports, air, sea and rail platforms, railway lines, railroad terminals, waterways, roads and bridges;

    36. Reiterates its full support for the RDC to achieve full operational capability at the latest by mid-2025, with at least 5 000 troops available for rescue and evacuation tasks, initial entry and stabilisation operations or temporary reinforcement of missions; proposes upgrading the RDC by transforming it into a permanent multinational force with its own strategic enablers and command and control, learning from the failed experience of the ad hoc EU Battlegroups;

    37. Calls on the VP/HR to launch a discussion with Member States in order to create additional permanent multinational units to respond to the changed threat landscape for the EU since the decision to create the RDC, especially in the light of Trump’s recent rapprochement towards Putin and comments regarding Greenland, which have increased the need for effective European deterrence and defence in line with the most extreme military contingencies;

    38. Proposes strengthening the current Eurocorps and making it a multinational corps with its own strategic enablers and command and control to which national brigades can be permanently attached with standardised, jointly procured equipment; stresses that such a multinational European corps can enable smaller Member States to fulfil their current force-generation targets, provide industry with aggregate demand through standardised, large-scale equipment orders and provide the EU with its own capability focused on deterrence and defence, including for candidate countries;

    39. Proposes the joint creation of crewed and owned strategic enablers at EU level, based on the model of NATO’s AWACS, which are too expensive for individual Member States and important for the security of the EU as a whole;

    40. Calls for the European Air Transport Command to be transformed into an ‘EU crisis-response air fleet’ comprising military transport aircraft held at European level and made available to Member States for deployments of equipment or troops, emergency evacuations or civil security missions;

    41. Reiterates its call for the Military Planning and Conduct Capability (MPCC) to benefit from adequate premises, staff, enhanced planning, command and control, and effective communication and information systems;

    42. Calls for a more ambitious concept for military training and relevant planning, command and control elements at EU level to be part of the white paper action plan, such as a fully equipped and well-staffed MPCC; believes that the EU must expand the training of Ukrainian forces in line with Ukrainian needs to enable a higher level of operational coordination between units, allow for the most effective force generation possible, and create conditions for European armed forces to learn lessons from them;

    43. Urges the EU Member States to decide on a united and clear medium- and long-term vision for the European defence industry aimed at helping to meet the capability headline goals;

    44. Stresses the urgent need to change the way defence industrial programmes are implemented across the EU; believes that it is of crucial importance to synchronise their work programmes with the revised headline goals in order to be able to focus on the most urgent and militarily important capability gaps; underlines the importance of overcoming a very broad distribution of scarce financial resources and the need to prevent any further ‘dual sourcing’ or similar duplications at EU level that would add to a high amount of duplications in Europe and to the low efficiency rate of the defence industrial base, which is still characterised by fragmentation;

    45. Stresses that capabilities and resources must be increased, and that the fragmentation of the defence market must be overcome via the creation of a single market for defence, where binding common rules apply guaranteeing fair competition and full interoperability of defence products; shares the view contained in Mario Draghi’s report on the future of European competitiveness that the EU must urgently boost competitiveness in the sector by various means, such as mergers (inspired by best practice, such as that of Airbus), and more competition between traditionally nationally entrenched defence firms, and decide on incentives directed towards the EU defence industry for sufficiently large public and private investments in security and defence;

    46. Believes that the white paper should build on the European defence industrial strategy (EDIS), in particular EDIP, and also develop a concept for a wartime economic cooperation contingency plan to prepare for mutual support in case of large-scale security crises, and deepen wartime economic communication to provide early warnings of hard, hybrid and cyber threats;

    47. Stresses that a single European defence market is a priority, as fragmentation and a lack of competitiveness hamper the capacity of the EU to assume more responsibility as a security provider; deplores the fact that neither the EU defence industrial programmes nor the increasing national defence budgets have led to a surge in EU-level defence industrial cooperation that would have allowed Member States to reach their own 2007 cooperation targets as set in the European Defence Agency (EDA) framework; recalls the persistent low levels of European collaboration since 24 February 2022, which, for research and development (R&D), were 14 % in 2022 and 6 % in 2023, and for joint procurement 18 % in 2023, while the EDA was unable to provide data for 2023 (but stressed that there was ‘a temporary slowdown’); stresses the urgent need to analyse the reasons for the unwillingness of Member States to use EU-level cooperation and see it as the main tool for defence investment;

    48. Strongly supports the idea to make EU-level cooperation the rule in the European defence industrial sector and commit to concrete numerical targets for cooperation as presented in EDIS, which focus in particular on joint procurement (at least 40 % by 2030), intra-EU trade (at least 35 % by 2030), and procurement of EU-made defence products (at least 50 % by 2030 and 60 % by 2035);

    49. Urges the Commission and the Council to address the dual challenge of joint military equipment production and its effective utilisation across Member States; calls for a comprehensive strategy to guarantee increased interoperability through the promotion of agreed civil and military standards, such as NATO standardisation agreements, within EU defence industrial programmes; demands a commitment to tying the funding of current and future instruments to the standardisation of and convergence on certification by NATO allies and to make current standards more precise; calls on the Commission to present concrete plans to overcome interoperability obstacles and ensure the efficient utilisation of jointly produced equipment by all participating Member States;

    50. Insists on the importance of European defence projects of common interest as presented in EDIP, which are critical to European defence readiness and preparedness; believes that these should support the industrial and technological capacities that underpin common capability priorities and that cannot be implemented alone, such as strategic enablers; proposes that, based on the capabilities’ headline goals, the Commissioner for Defence create a clear ‘output plan’ listing relevant quantified targets not just for strategic enablers but also for the most critical large-scale equipment needs, such as MGCS, FCAS and ESSI and ELSA, which would then be jointly procured and maintained throughout the life cycle of the product in order to achieve economies of scale and interoperability in the most effective and fastest way;

    51. Believes that a competitive and resilient European defence industry will also lead to a restructuring of the industrial landscape, including through mergers, which would also reduce the number of parallel programmes that waste financial resources, as well as a better regional distribution of production sites; considers that our defence policies should encourage the growth of EU centres of excellence, also according to the criteria of decentralisation, security and resilience; stresses the need to massively boost start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs in the sector as a priority and as a structural element of the section of the white paper pertaining to the single market for defence; stresses that for well-established or systemic actors in the defence sector, public investment should be accompanied by additional safeguards to ensure that public money is reinvested and not used for the purpose of generating profits for their shareholders, such as by windfall profit taxes;

    52. Proposes to create European regional EDTIB clusters uniting research, development, production and maintenance facilities to create regional economies of scale and focus areas of technological specialisation; calls for these clusters to be strategically spread throughout the EU to allow for continued manufacturing in times of crisis and to more evenly distribute the economic opportunities for SMEs and Member States with relatively small defence industries; calls for these clusters to be aligned with EDIP’s proposal for the Structure for European Armament Programme;

    53. Calls for more coherence in support of companies by reducing unnecessary administrative burdens and cutting red tape, and ensuring much easier access for small- and mid-cap companies within the defence sector;

    54. Calls for a comprehensive strategy to leverage current instruments such as the Defence Equity Facility and new initiatives such as EDIP’s Fund to Accelerate Defence Supply Chain Transformation; demands concrete commitments to increase the amount of funding per SME while ensuring transparency and accountability; requests the implementation of robust monitoring mechanisms to ensure that funds drive innovation and competitiveness among SMEs without distorting the market; demands, further, regular reporting on the impact and effectiveness of these financial instruments in supporting start-ups and SMEs in the defence industry and dual-use sector;

    55. Calls on the Commission to design a successor to the European Defence Fund (EDF) that supports common research and innovation all along the supply chain and lay the conditions to address technological challenges and provide European solutions to key capabilities gaps; calls for the establishment of a Commission agency with a specific focus on R&D with dual-use potential, taking inspiration from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; stresses the need to put a strong emphasis on EU-level support for the most disruptive and innovative technology via the creation of an accelerator hub for researching, developing and testing new breakthrough defence technologies, which would also contribute to economic competitiveness, bringing together industry, governments and the expert community; underlines that this organisation should nurture a risk-taking culture and be highly flexible by design; proposes, as a first step, that funding allocation should focus on a limited number of critical projects, including decarbonised defence and novel deterrence capabilities;

    56. Calls for the strengthening of energy resilience and the climate and environmental transition dimension under the successor to the EDF, and for the climate-proofing and decarbonisation (covering both adaptation and mitigation) of EU defence by design and across the five dimensions: operational, capability planning and development, multi-stakeholder engagement, governance, and R&D, for the benefit of the performance of military capabilities, the resilience of armed forces, and thus the competitiveness of the EDTIB;

    57. Is deeply convinced that the EU-level instruments should prioritise and massively increase support for SMEs and start-ups in the dual-use and defence sector; stresses the need to support SMEs and start-ups in bringing successfully tested prototypes to the market, including the scaling up of production; underlines the need to bridge the current funding gap as regards these important steps that would strengthen the EDTIB, including in close cooperation with the Ukrainian technological and defence industrial base;

    58. Insists on the need to remove barriers to market entry for defence products across the EU by reviewing the directives on the transfer of defence-related products and defence procurement; calls on the Commission to propose actions for better market access, smoother cross-border cooperation and increased security of supply, including by harmonising national export policies;

    59. Stresses the need to develop an effective EU-level armaments policy that includes the establishment of a functioning and effective external trade dimension that aims to support partners that face threats from aggressive authoritarian regimes and prevents arms deliveries to undemocratic aggressive regimes and regimes that make illegal use of them as assessed under the relevant international human rights and humanitarian law, in line with the current eight criteria under the Council Common Position on arms exports[2]; stresses the need to overcome the very narrow and national interpretation of Article 346 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) in this respect;

    60. Invites the Member States to actively participate in a priority-ordering mechanism for defence production which builds on security and defence capability mapping to help prioritise orders, contracts and the recruitment of employees in emergency situations;

    61. Strongly believes that a European preference must be the cornerstone of EU policies related to the European defence market, as a strategic imperative aimed at protecting European know-how; underlines that the European preference principle must be reflected in EU defence regulations in clear and unambiguous eligibility criteria; underlines, however, that exceptions for emergency military contingencies and projects critical for ensuring defence readiness should be built into these criteria;

    62. Calls for a crisis response instrument for securing European sovereignty based on the model of the US Defense Production Act, so that the EU has a tool which can be activated to react quickly to emergency wartime or crisis needs; calls for such a tool to include the following key components:

    (a) joint procurement of specific defence products,

    (b) prioritising the provision of critical materials, and prioritising orders, for specific supply chains, such as artillery munitions,

    (c) fast-tracking administrative and legal procedures for moving military equipment and troops, and where possible the construction of (infrastructure) projects critical for military mobility or other military readiness priority areas, while avoiding the circumvention of environmental protection provisions and building in necessary safeguards;

    63. Deplores the lack of willingness by Member States to invest in EU-level cooperation and urges them to reach the EU objectives on security and defence; highlights the fact that the cost of non-preparedness for the most extreme military contingencies would be higher than the cost of decisive EU preparedness; recalls that aggregate EU defence spending is insufficient and that very little national defence spending is coordinated or even pooled with other Member States or invested in European collaborative projects; calls for the EU and the Member States to work and agree on concrete measures and means for short- to long-term public and private investment;

    64. Notes that, according to the Commission President, the defence spending gap currently stands at EUR 500 billion for the next decade, but that, if the EU needs to develop its own military capabilities, experts estimate that this amount will have to rise significantly; underlines that the EU budget alone cannot fill the gap, but has an important role to play;

    65. Underlines that increases in defence investment should not compete with other public investment priorities, including social expenditure, territorial cohesion and climate transition, which are all relevant to our European security; reiterates that the most effective way to maintain such priorities is to release fresh investment for defence rather than repurpose already earmarked funding; further recalls that financing orientations should be anchored in a whole-of-society approach to resilience and therefore need to be broadly supported by European citizens, and that this support needs to be sustainable in the long term;

    66. Opposes any proposal aimed at repurposing cohesion policy funds from their long-term objectives and recalls that only strengthening Europe’s social and economic fabric and reducing territorial disparities will contribute to the balanced development and stability of all EU regions, and will ultimately reinforce the EU’s ability to defend itself against disinformation and foreign influence;

    67. Supports the Commission President’s announcement to create a new EU financial instrument to assist Member States in increasing their defence spending through loans backed by the EU budget; takes note of the intention to establish such a new instrument under Article 122 TFEU; recalls that while the EU Recovery Instrument, which allocated borrowed funds to various EU programmes, was established by a Council regulation under Article 122 TFEU, various EU programmes to which the resources were allocated, including the Recovery and Resilience Facility, were adopted through ‘codecision’, relying on Article 175 TFEU; calls on the Commission to adopt a similar legal structure, respecting the ordinary legislative procedure and ensuring the democratic legitimacy of any new EU financing instrument for defence;

    68. Welcomes the further extension of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group’s eligibility criteria to dual-use goods; welcomes the EIB Group’s 2022 Strategic European Security Initiative aimed at supporting innovation in dual-use technology; stresses that EIB investments should focus on innovative projects, but not expendable products such as ammunition; stresses that greater EIB investment in the defence sector can encourage commercial banks’ investment in the sector; calls on the EIB Group to review the impact of the extension of its new dual-use goods policy and insists that any further extension of lending in the sector should only take place if it has no negative impact on the overall financing costs of the bank or its investment pipeline, or on the contribution to financing the investment needed for enabling the EU to reach its climate goals;

    69. Considers that, complementing joint debt, further defence lending should be dealt with in a separate bank, as investment in defence cannot in principle be considered an environmental, social and governance investment; calls, therefore, on the Commission and the Member States to establish, as a matter of urgency, a new defence bank modelled on the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development that could address the global perspective of securing defence lending, while protecting other investment and allowing for allies to join;

    70. Takes note of the Commission President’s announcement on ‘activating the escape clause for defence investments’; underlines that, in view of other pressing policy priorities, the escape clause must be applied in a way that ensures that increases in defence expenditure do not lead to cuts in other areas and is conditional on being spent on developing common EU projects, including dual-use infrastructure such as railways, satellite systems and resilient power grids;

    71. Stresses that the current political context demonstrates that the recently adopted EU economic governance framework deprives governments of the financial resources needed to respond to current and new challenges; underlines that prioritising one policy area over another exacerbates rather than mitigates the multiple crises the EU is facing; calls for a review of the EU fiscal rules framework that would provide the long-term funding certainty required for investment in promoting the just transition, expanding European defence production capabilities and developing dual-use infrastructure, thereby underpinning a truly coordinated EU approach to investment policy;

    72. Insists that urgent needs cannot wait for the next multiannual financial framework (MMF); believes that, as long as Member States refuse to allocate more resources to a higher overall EU budget, including the creation of new own resources, and given the unanimity requirement to change both the MMF Regulation[3] and the Council’s Own-Resources Decision[4], and given the urgency, solutions for alternative funding must be considered without delay, including:

    (a) the urgent launch of a discussion with a view to establishing another off-budget financial facility[5] which would sufficiently pool and Europeanise parts of national defence budgets at EU level and address the entire life cycle of military capabilities, from collaborative R&D and joint procurement to joint maintenance, training and security of supply, and which is, like the current off-budget EPF, open to non-EU countries such as Norway and the UK; stresses therefore the need to improve decision-making and oversight procedures compared to the current EPF governance model,

    (b) the issuance of EU risk guarantees by the Commission to lower interest rates for participants in EU-level projects identified as critical for defence readiness,

    (c) a new EU debt programme along the lines of the NextGenerationEU backed by genuine own resources to repay the borrowed funds,

    (d) the creation of new genuine EU own resources to create additional revenue flows to finance security- and defence-related investments at EU level,

    (e) greater mobilisation of equity and private capital; reiterates therefore its call for more private investment in EU defence,

    (f) the creation of specific financial products so that private banks invest more in the defence sector,

    (g) the development of emergency procedures for projects established in response to major crises or wars;

    73. Believes that the next MFF should have a greater allocation of funds for common security and be more flexible in order to react to unforeseen crises and emergencies;

    74. Welcomes the proposals made in the recent Niinistö report as regards the financing of European defence; supports the setting up of a defending Europe facility and a securing Europe facility; equally welcomes and supports the proposal to establish an investment guarantee programme based on the model of InvestEU with open architecture to trigger private sector investment and to issue a ‘European preparedness bond standard’;

    75. Insists that robust mechanisms be implemented to ensure the efficient use of scarce EU budget resources and prevent any duplication of efforts in defence projects; requests a comprehensive review of current oversight procedures and the development of a transparent framework for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of EU-funded defence initiatives;

    76. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commissioner for Defence and Space, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council and the Commission.

     

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Mercosur – E-002261/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The EU-Mercosur agreement involves the Member States and the Mercosur countries[1]. Ukraine is not part of Mercosur and therefore the EU-Mercosur agreement will not regulate trade between the EU and Ukraine.

    Regarding sensitive EU agricultural products, such as beef, poultry, pigmeat, sugar, rice, honey and sweetcorn the EU has negotiated limited concessions in the form of tariff rate quotas that represent a small fraction of EU consumption, and using quota segmentation for some products, to avoid concentrating imports in the most sensitive part of the market.

    These partial openings will be introduced in gradual stages to allow for a smooth transition. The text of the 2019 agreement is publicly available at the Directorate General for Trade and Economic Security website[2].

    On 6 December 2024 at the Mercosur Summit in Montevideo, the EU and Mercosur reached a political agreement concluding the negotiations.

    The text of the negotiated outcome was published simultaneously in the site of the Commission[3] and the official sites of the Mercosur partners on 10 December 2024.

    • [1] Mercosur countries are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
    • [2] https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/eu-trade-relationships-country-and-region/countries-and-regions/mercosur/eu-mercosur-agreement/text-agreement_en
    • [3] See footnote 2.
    Last updated: 6 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the white paper on the future of European defence – B10-0144/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    B10‑0144/2025

    European Parliament resolution on the white paper on the future of European defence

    (2025/2565(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to the common security and defence policy (CSDP) and the common foreign and security policy (CFSP) of the EU,

    – having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 42 thereof,

    – having regard to Title III, Article 3 of the Protocol on the concerns of the Irish people on the Treaty of Lisbon,

    – having regard to the announced publication of the white paper on the future of European defence on 19 March 2025,

    – having regard to the Helsinki Accords,

    – having regard to the various European defence projects of recent years,

    – having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas, in line with the Treaties, the CSDP is part of the CFSP and is considered a policy framework through which Member States can develop a European strategic culture of security and defence, address conflicts and crises together, protect the Union and its citizens and strengthen international peace and security;

    B. whereas Article 42(2) TEU states that the Union’s CSDP must be compatible with the common security and defence policy established within the framework of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), under the North Atlantic Treaty;

    C. whereas NATO is largely dominated by the United States, and NATO membership entails a mandatory complementarity and compatibility of European weapons systems with US systems, hence impeding the strategic and operational autonomy of Member States and other European countries;

    D. whereas at the NATO Summit in Bucharest in 2008, the US Government pushed for Ukrainian NATO membership against the opinion of several Member States; whereas following the Russian invasion, the United States pushed EU Member States to systematically increase the quantity and quality of arms deliveries to Ukraine;

    E. whereas different Member States have different military and security policies, including policies of military neutrality;

    F. whereas the United States saw windfall benefits from the Ukraine war through an increase of US shale gas exports to the European Union; whereas the US Government now unjustly wishes to control Ukrainian mineral resources and negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine with Putin, without involving Ukraine and the European Union;

    G. whereas unlike nuclear weapon states such as India and the People’s Republic of China, NATO and Russia refuse to commit to a ‘no first use’ policy, whereby they would formally refrain from using nuclear weapons, except in retaliation to an attack by an enemy power using weapons of mass destruction;

    H. whereas the US Government has launched a high number of wars and military operations that violated international law and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations; whereas, in light of 2024 advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice, the United States’ ongoing military support for Israel might make it complicit in genocide and illegal occupation; whereas the participation of EU Member States in violations of international law, including in wars of aggression and military invasions contrary to international law against countries such as the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, have undermined global adherence to the principles of international law;

    I. whereas the United States has forwardly deployed new B61-12 gravity bombs on the territory of EU Member States, increasing the risk that these Member States will fall victim to preventive or retaliatory strikes related to US foreign policy;

    J. whereas Russia’s repeated acts of war and aggression, starting with the war against Georgia in 2008, the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the ongoing illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as an increasing number of acts of sabotage on critical infrastructure, have been factors in creating and exacerbating tensions;

    K. whereas Article 41(2) TEU prohibits charging expenditure arising from operations with military or defence implications to the Union budget;

    L. whereas the Commission has nevertheless launched several European defence projects over the last few years, including the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP), the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR), the European Defence Fund (EDF), the European Defence Industry Reinforcement through common Procurement Act (EDIRPA), the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) and, most recently, the European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS) and the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP);

    M. whereas according to 2023 Stockholm International Peace Research Institute figures, EU Member States, together with the United Kingdom, already spend more nominally on defence than all other countries in the world combined, with the exception of the United States;

    N. whereas in April 2021, the Commission estimated that increased cooperation between Member States in the field of security and defence could save between EUR 25 billion and EUR 100 billion every year;

    O. whereas the Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA) is planning to shut down more than four out of five of its hubs worldwide, reducing its diplomatic presence from around 100 delegations to 18 hubs;

    P. whereas in 2024, EU leaders agreed to cut EUR 2 billion from the EU’s external action budget in the multiannual financial framework for 2021-2027; whereas several Member States, such as France and Belgium, have also made cuts and reforms to their diplomacy services;

    Q. whereas Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a new common instrument to boost military spending across the EU to unlock up to EUR 800 billion of additional defence spending over the coming years;

    R. whereas even the military spending of the United States, which maintains over 700 military installations in over 70 countries, does not exceed 3.46 % of its GDP;

    S. whereas, nevertheless, the US Government, certain Member States and NATO and Commission officials are pushing for a further massive increase in defence expenditure, from an average of 1.9 % of GDP to 5 %;

    T. whereas even the military-oriented Niinisto Report, entitled ‘Safer Together –Strengthening Europe’s Civilian and Military Preparedness and Readiness’ highlights the fact that threats to the security of European citizens, including increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events, such as megadroughts, floods and heatwaves, and the risk of new pandemics, would require massive investment in public services;

    U. whereas while the Draghi report on the future of European competitiveness highlights the need for massive investment in a variety of sectors, including energy, pharmaceuticals and transport, the Commission has placed seven Member States under an excessive deficit procedure, pushing for harsh austerity and structural reforms in social and public expenses;

    V. whereas a further massive increase in military expenditure will instead lead to cuts in public services, and in social, climate and environmental spending throughout Europe, endangering the social and human security of European citizens;

    W. whereas the Commission is nonetheless considering the suspension of economic governance rules for military expenses;

    X. whereas the Commission has failed to present a fully autonomous assessment of European defence needs and priorities, relying instead on NATO assessments of critical gaps in defence capability;

    Y. whereas Türkiye, a NATO member, illegally occupies 37 % of Cyprus, an EU Member State;

    Z. whereas in international relations theory the ‘security dilemma’ refers to a phenomenon whereby actions, such as arms procurement, taken by a state actor to increase its own security provokes reactions from other states, such as increased arms procurement or preventive attacks, that ultimately lead to a decrease rather than an increase in the original state’s security;

    AA. whereas the 1975 Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, concluded in Helsinki between the United States, Canada, the Soviet Union and all of the countries of Europe, except Albania, played an important role in easing tensions between East and West during the Cold War;

    AB. whereas the Cold War collective security acquis has been systematically undermined by the United States’ withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM), the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and the Open Skies Treaty, systematically followed by Russian withdrawals, and by the Russian withdrawal from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe and from the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty;

    AC. whereas a new European security architecture will have to apply the principles of peaceful coexistence between countries with different political systems and offer security guarantees to all parties in order to avoid Europe being divided once again into two diametrically opposed blocs;

    Towards a European collective security architecture

    1. Recalls that the Treaties consider the CSDP part of the CFSP; asks, therefore, that any defence initiative at EU level be subordinated to a clear foreign and security policy and strategy for peace on the European continent;

    2. Rejects the militarisation of the EU and any belligerent objectives of the CSDP;

    3. Notes with great concern the diminishing respect for international and humanitarian law by parties all around the world, with Israel, Russia and the United States being flagrant examples; reiterates the need for European independence in shaping foreign and defence policy;

    4. Considers that in light of the United States’ past and ongoing violations of international law and the negative impact of US military interventions on neighbouring regions, the foreign, security and defence policy of the Union and Member States can no longer be aligned with the framework of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO); calls, therefore, on the European Council to start the process of revising the EU Treaties to remove this requirement from the TEU;

    5. Recalls that NATO and the EU are distinct organisations which serve very different purposes and whose membership is not even identical; regrets the conflation of NATO, a military alliance, with the EU;

    6. Is extremely worried by the fact that there are still more than 13 000 nuclear weapons scattered around the world, many of which can be deployed within minutes and could cause the end of humankind; notes with concern that despite a stated commitment to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, NATO’s nuclear member states invested USD 271 billion in nuclear weapons modernisation and maintenance between 2019 and 2023, while in 2023 China and Russia were the second and third largest spenders, with budgets of USD 11.9 billion and USD 8.3 billion respectively;

    7. Believes that NATO’s refusal to commit to a ‘no first use’ policy on nuclear weapons and the forward deployment of US nuclear weapons in Europe increases the risk of Europe becoming a target of nuclear strikes; demands, therefore, the withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from the territory of Member States; is deeply concerned about nuclear threats to European security, including veiled warnings about the use of tactical nuclear weapons and Russia’s lowering of its threshold for using nuclear weapons;

    8. Urges the Member States to work on a new long-term collective security architecture for Europe inspired by the principles of the Helsinki process and including the concept of mutual security guarantees; notes that a fundamental aspect of such an approach is respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations and a commitment to international law;

    9. Insists that a new European security architecture apply the principles of peaceful coexistence between countries with different political systems, and offer security guarantees to all parties;

    10. Calls on the Commission, in light of multiple threats ranging from climate-related catastrophes to pandemics, to abandon a narrow focus on military security and develop a policy centred on human security as defined in United Nations General Assembly resolution 66/290, which states that ‘human security is an approach to assist Member States in identifying and addressing widespread and cross-cutting challenges to the survival, livelihood and dignity of their people’ and calls for ‘people-centred, comprehensive, context-specific and prevention-oriented responses that strengthen the protection and empowerment of all people’;

    11. Calls on the Commission and Member States to seek inspiration from Austria, which has enshrined neutrality in its constitution, committing not to join military alliances and not to permit the establishment of any foreign military bases on its territory;

    12. Calls on the Commission and Member States to also look to the example set by Ireland, with its tradition of military neutrality; recalls that this tradition includes an active approach towards peace support operations and crisis management, contributions to conflict resolution and peacebuilding, work for human rights and development, and efforts to promote disarmament and the elimination of weapons of mass destruction;

    13. Regrets the attacks on Irish neutrality and recalls that the people of Ireland were guaranteed continued military neutrality, underpinned by a commitment to only undertake operations with a United Nations mandate, ahead of their ratification of the Lisbon Treaty;

    14. Reiterates its call on Türkiye, a NATO member, to withdraw its troops from Cyprus, an EU Member State, and to work constructively towards finding a viable and peaceful solution based on the relevant UN resolutions;

    15. Calls for unanimity voting on defence issues to be maintained within the Council to promote consensus-based solutions that foster much-needed unity;

    Diplomacy as the cornerstone of European security

    16. Believes that diplomacy should remain a cornerstone of EU foreign policy;

    17. Recalls that conflict prevention is paramount to any security and defence strategy; underlines the fact that diplomacy prevents and ends wars, and that every euro invested in conflict prevention saves around EUR 16 later on;

    18. Believes that, given the deteriorating security situation on several fronts and increasing geopolitical tensions, preventive diplomacy requires sustained and enhanced attention; calls, therefore, on the Commission and Member States to immediately reverse the cutbacks made to diplomatic representations;

    19. Believes that its systematic alignment with US foreign policy, most recently with regard to Israeli war crimes, ethnic cleansing and genocidal practices against Palestinians, has dramatically reduced the EU’s global diplomatic credibility and therefore worsened its security situation;

    20. Recalls that the participation of EU Member States in illegal military operations and the support for violations of international law abroad gravely endangers the security of EU citizens; urges the Commission and Member States to explore a non-aligned foreign and security policy stance based on the principles of the UN Charter, including peaceful conflict resolution, diplomacy and multilateralism;

    21. Believes that Europe has much to gain from diversifying its relations and maintaining diplomatic connections with as many countries as possible around the world;

    Arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation

    22. Is deeply concerned that world military expenditure continues to rise to new record levels; highlights the fact that an arms race will not create security for European citizens, but instead, in line with the security dilemma, heighten the risk of violent conflict; calls on the Commission to actively promote new arms control treaties;

    23. Recalls that the EU strategy against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction made non-proliferation a central goal of the EU’s CFSP, stating that ‘our objective is to prevent, deter, halt and, where possible, eliminate proliferation of concern worldwide’; calls, therefore, on Member States to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons;

    24. Notes that arms exports, also of small and light weapons, can fuel conflict and global terrorism and destabilise entire regions, states and societies, thereby thwarting sustainable development and crisis management efforts; calls on the Commission and Member States to strictly apply Council Common Position 2008/944/CFSP of 8 December 2008 defining common rules governing control of exports of military technology and equipment in order to avoid a worsening of the security situation in the EU’s immediate neighbourhood;

    25. Calls for the creation of a Directorate-General for Disarmament and Arms Control at the Commission;

    26. Demands an immediate arms embargo against Israel and any other country directly or indirectly involved in armed conflict, except in the case of those that are the victim of invasion by others, in order to stop EU complicity in war crimes, ethnic cleansing and genocidal practices, whether perpetrated by Israel or any other country; calls on the Commission and Member States to base their foreign and security policy on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law;

    Defence expenditure

    27. Urges the Commission and Member States to offer full transparency and a critical audit of the current defence expenditure within the Union, detailing why it estimates that European countries would be unable to defend themselves with budgets already vastly superior to those of most of the world’s countries;

    28. Notes with concern that the Commission has presented a new EUR 150 billion common defence fund; believes that an increase in defence spending is not the solution to finding a lasting peace and that cuts in the EU structural funds should not be used for this purpose, given how vital these funds are to the development of local communities across the EU;

    29. Notes that the share of GDP is not an adequate measure for the efficiency and impact of defence expenditure; calls on the Commission and Member States not to enter an arms race through a massive increase in defence budgets at the expense of both human and social security;

    30. Regards the NATO demand for complementarity and compatibility of European weapons systems with US systems as incompatible with European strategic autonomy; regrets that the Commission and the Council have failed to present a detailed assessment of European critical defence capability gaps; calls on both institutions to present such an assessment, including specific priorities, before considering increased defence expenditure; recalls that these should focus on defensive tasks, not on building capacities for military intervention all over the world;

    31. Recalls Commission estimates that increased cooperation between Member States in the field of security and defence could save up to EUR 100 billion every year; calls, in this regard, for inspiration to be drawn from existing intra-European cooperation structures, such as BACA, the Belgian-Dutch Naval cooperation BeNeSam and the Nordic Defence Cooperation, including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, which have increased the efficiency of the participating nations’ national defence, and to explore common synergies and facilitate efficient common solutions;

    32. Considers that the military cooperation commitments that may be assumed in collective security organisations should be considered in light of strict respect for the UN Charter;

    33. Rejects the allocation of appropriations on the EU budget to the EU’s militarisation; calls for the reallocation of EU budget funds earmarked for the ongoing militarisation of the EU and its programmes to respond to the social and economic needs of citizens and promote cohesion between Member States;

    34. Highlights the fact that there can be neither autonomy nor security without digital sovereignty; calls on the Commission to prioritise the development of a democratic, public-led digital stack that includes digital infrastructure as a service, and universal platforms, such as search engines and foundation AI models, governed by new public institutions with public and civil society representation;

    35. Calls for heightened cooperation between Member States on sectoral issues of critical infrastructure protection, such as submarine cables;

    Defence industry

    36. Recalls that over the past three years, the EU has adopted a number of new initiatives on defence, and that the new Commissioner for Defence and Space believes that an additional investment of EUR 500 billion is needed in the coming decade, though other sources speak of EUR 700 billion;

    37. Recalls that the previous EU programmes have been implemented with a lack of transparency with regard to the application of EU ethical guidelines, and that decision-making is extremely opaque and heavily influenced by arms industry lobbyists;

    38. States that without ethics in investment choices, the EU will contribute to the creation of a more dangerous and lawless world order, where imperialist powers can disregard international law without facing consequences, while countries of the global south are exploited for their resources;

    39. Calls, in addition, for the EU to adopt a policy of transparent, mission-oriented military spending, with more conscious spending at the service of a defined foreign policy to ensure greater efficiency;

    40. Recalls that under Article 41(2) TEU expenditure arising from operations having military or defence implications may not be charged to the EU budget; calls for a strict application of this article; demands a retroactive review of corresponding defence funds and budget lines and for their termination where needed;

    41. Expresses deep concern about the increased subsidies and public support for the military-industrial complex amid record total global military expenditure of USD 2 443 billion in 2023, making 2023 the ninth consecutive year in which military expenditure increased;

    42. Demands that European public money go to European companies and emphasises that public European companies should, by definition, remain in Europe, while private companies can relocate their activities if they so wish;

    43. Observes that leading arms companies have benefited shamelessly from the war in Ukraine; notes that Lockheed Martin alone distributed USD 6.8 billion of cash to shareholders in dividends and share repurchases in 2024; demands that windfall profits be taxed to finance climate adaptation, public health and housing, which are also components of a broader understanding of security;

    44. Considers that the use of public money should systematically correspond to a proportional public return on investment and not finance corporate profit;

    45. Stresses that focusing our resources, notably research and development spending, on the military sector will also slow down the development of other strategic industries with civilian purposes, such as renewable energy or pharmaceuticals;

    46. Adds that military spending does not address any of the major social or environmental challenges, and that, worse still, it reinforces polluting and energy-consuming industrial models, thus increasing pressure on resources and the climate, particularly critical materials;

    47. Believes that a massive increase in purchases of US-made goods would not only be detrimental to the European economy but would equally prolong Europe’s military dependence on the United States, while creating new industrial and technological constraints;

    48. Demands that the defence industry continue to be excluded from qualifying for the sustainability criteria with regard to investment;

    49. Calls for EIB financing to be strictly limited to civilian projects, excluding dual-use items;

    Reprioritising public services and social spending

    50. Is deeply concerned that militarisation, and specifically the ReArm Europe plan, is being used to further attack public services across the EU, which are already facing the suffocating effects of austerity measures imposed by the Commission;

    51. Is appalled by the fact that the Commission is willing to bend fiscal rules such as the Stability and Growth Pact to finance military spending, but considers it impossible to raise spending to fund crumbling public services and support social and economic upward convergence in Member States;

    52. Firmly insists that health, education, green mobility, climate adaptation, climate mitigation, biodiversity, food security and digital transition are elements of human security and should be considered priorities that require investments rather than budgetary cuts;

    53. Calls, in line with the concept of human security, for a reprioritisation of public services and social welfare spending, as well as for investments in fighting climate change, as imperative prerequisites for guaranteeing that people live in a safe and secure environment;

    °

    ° °

    54. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European External Action Service.

     

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley Reintroduce Legislation to Help Recreation and Wildfire Prevention Work in SW Oregon and Near Molalla River

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    March 06, 2025
    Washington D.C.— – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today reintroduced their legislation that would boost recreation opportunities in Southwestern Oregon and on the Molalla River in Clackamas County, while ensuring wildfire prevention work in both regions.
    The senators’ Oregon Recreation Enhancement (ORE) Act would create the Rogue Canyon Recreation Area and the Molalla Recreation Area, expand the Wild Rogue Wilderness Area, and prohibit destructive mining on pristine rivers in Southwestern Oregon.
    “Protecting our beautiful outdoor areas is central to Oregonians’ identities. By acting as good stewards to our public lands, we can both expand jobs in rural communities and preserve precious natural resources,” said Wyden. “This legislation is essential to boosting wildfire prevention and conservation projects that help the fight against the climate crisis.”
    “These areas are among Oregon’s most breathtaking landscapes and are vital in supporting the state’s economy and in addressing climate chaos,” Merkley said. “Protecting these natural areas not only fuels a robust outdoor recreation economy, but is also a part of who we are as Oregonians. It is our responsibility to protect these lands and headwaters from degradation and mining, increasingly intense wildfires, and other damaging impacts. Our lands and waters are our greatest resource, and it’s on us to ensure they are passed down to future generations in good shape.”?
    The ORE Act would make the following three designations:

    Molalla Recreation Area: Establish a 30,000-acre recreation area on the banks of the Molalla River in Clackamas County next to the Table Rock Wilderness Area.

    Rogue Canyon Recreation Area: Establish a 98,000-acre recreation area on the banks of the Rogue River in Southwestern Oregon next to the Wild Rogue Wilderness Area.

    Wild Rogue Wilderness Expansion: Expand the existing Wild Rogue Wilderness Area by about 60,000 acres. The federal land included within this expansion has been identified by federal land managers as land that should be protected and conserved.

    Each of these three proposed recreation and wilderness designations would require forest health, wildfire resiliency, and other wildfire prevention strategies in the region to continue.
    The ORE Act also would permanently prevent irresponsible mining on more than 100,000 acres of Forest Service land near the existing Kalmiopsis Wilderness Area. These areas are at the headwaters of several National Wild and Scenic Rivers, and support clean drinking water for thousands of Oregonians. After much public input and local consensus, the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management issued a 20-year mineral withdrawal for this area in 2016. 
    A one-pager of the legislation is here.
    “As the owner of a recreation-based business, I appreciate Senator Wyden and Merkley’s leadership in reintroducing the Oregon Recreation Enhancement Act to protect the headwaters of our region’s finest rivers.” said Dave Lacey owner of South Coast Tours in Gold Beach. “My community—and my business—depends on the clean water, salmon, and thriving ecosystems that earn our place its reputation as ‘America’s Wild Rivers Coast.’”
    “Across the State from the Gold Beach to Canby the drinking water for the vast majority of Oregonians comes from our public lands,” said David Moryc of American Rivers. “By championing these common sense, locally supported conservation measures Senators Wyden and Merkley are ensuring that the water we drink will remain clean and low-cost for future generations.”
    “My outfitting business offers four-day rafting trips on the Wild and Scenic Illinois and Rogue Rivers—two of the most extraordinary river experiences in the country. These trips not only provide visitors with unforgettable outdoor adventures but also drive significant economic support to local hotels, restaurants, and shops. The Rogue River watershed is a cornerstone of Southern Oregon’s economy, and preserving its pristine headwaters is essential for the future of these iconic river journeys.” said Zach Collier of Northwest Rafting Company. “I commend Senator Wyden and Senator Merkley for their dedication to protecting Southwest Oregon’s rivers and for championing the Oregon Recreation Enhancement Act to ensure these remarkable waterways remain safeguarded for generations to come.”
    “Our entire team is extremely appreciative of Senator Wyden’s and Merkley’s ongoing efforts to conserve and protect the remarkable wild steelhead and salmon-bearing rivers of southern Oregon,” said Ken Morrish of Fly Water Travel. “As international fly fishing travel experts deeply involved with the world’s premier anadromous fisheries, we know from experience that Southwest Oregon’s rivers are world class and just how worthy of protection they are.”
    “As an outfitter on the Rogue, we believe the river is unmeasurable. Wild rivers are crucial in providing not only healthy communities but also prosperous economics for these communities,” said Kait Bailey of Humble Heron Fly Fishing. “These rivers allow an experience for people to care for the outdoors and pass it on to future generations. The ORE Act will help spread tourism, income for businesses, outdoor school opportunities, family fun filled activities, and most importantly it will help bring people to OREGON. Humble Heron Fly Fishing thanks Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley for standing with their constituents and re-introducing legislation to protect the wild Rogue River.”
    “Southwestern Oregon has an extraordinary cast of National Wild and Scenic Rivers, including the Rogue, the Illinois, and the Smith,” said Tim Palmer, author of Field Guide to Oregon Rivers and America’s Wild and Scenic Rivers. “These are absolutely some of our nation’s finest rivers, and so protecting their headwaters is key to conserving their outstanding values—from crystal clean water, to robust salmon runs, to some of the very best recreation our region has to offer, including swimming, fishing, camping, and boating. I appreciate that Senators Wyden and Merkley have been strong leaders in conserving Oregon’s treasured rivers so that future generations can enjoy the waterways that make our state so special.”
    “Southwest Oregon’s Wild and Scenic rivers are truly national treasures,” said Ann Vileisis, President, Kalmiopsis Audubon Society, Port Orford. “They provide not only clean drinking water for local communities but also salmon runs that draw anglers from afar and many other outstanding recreation opportunities. We are grateful for Senator Wyden’s and Merkley’s leadership and longstanding efforts to conserve and protect the cherished wild rivers of our ‘Wild Rivers Coast.’”
    “The botanically-rich Rough and Ready Creek watershed is truly unique and beloved by all who know it—it’s also the headwaters of the exceptional National Wild and Scenic Illinois and Rogue rivers,” said Barbara Ullian, resident of Grants Pass, Oregon since 1947. “We’re thankful that Senator Wyden and Senator Merkley are working to protect our region’s very special rivers and the clean drinking water they provide to downstream communities.”
    “Growing up in rural Josephine County, I spent a lot of time on the Rogue and Illinois Rivers as a kid, and now my son is enjoying these rivers, too. They are amazing places where people can swim, boat, fish or just sit and watch the beautiful clear waters flow” said Allee Gustafson, Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Central Point. “Rivers are central to the social and economic fabric of rural communities in southern Oregon. Thanks to Senator Wyden and Senator Merkley for their leadership to protect these renowned but threatened watersheds and the amazing outdoor experiences that they provide.”
    The full text of the bill is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Secure Fair Pay for Truckers Working Overtime

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    March 06, 2025
    Washington D.C.— U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he has joined Senate colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation that would ensure truckers are compensated fairly for the hours that they are on the clock, including overtime.
    “Truck drivers are a central part of Oregon’s fast-moving economy, and they should be fairly compensated for their labor,” said Wyden. “I’ve heard throughout my nearly 1100 town halls how rural areas especially need career opportunities for young Oregonians and veterans. I’ll continue to keep my foot on the pedal for initiatives like this to help workers get their fair share and make it easier for small businesses and consumers to send and receive their outstanding Oregon goods.”
    In response to an Executive Order by former President Biden, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a Freight and Logistics Supply Chain Assessment in February 2022, which highlights high turnover rates and compensation issues in the trucking industry. Among its recommendations, the Department called on Congress to repeal the motor carrier provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to allow truckers to earn fair overtime pay.
    The Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers Act would repeal the motor carrier provision of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which excludes many truckers from overtime protections enjoyed by other workers.
    The legislation was introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., and introduced in the House by U.S. Representatives Mark Takano, D-Calif., and Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J. In addition to Wyden, the legislation is cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
    The Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers Act is supported by Teamsters and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
    “The exclusion of truck drivers from federal overtime protections must come to an end,” said Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien. “The Teamsters Union is proud to support the Guaranteeing Overtime for Truckers Act, which will right the decades long wrong that serves only to harm drivers to the benefit of their employers.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin, Senate Judiciary Democrats File Misconduct Complaint Against Interim U.S. Attorney Ed Martin With D.C. Bar

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    March 06, 2025
    Requesting a disciplinary investigation into Martin, SJC Dems cite multiple abuses of power by Martin
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, led all Senate Judiciary Democrats in filing a professional misconduct complaint against Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin with the D.C. Bar.
    In a letter to the Office of Disciplinary Counsel at the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, which handles complaints against lawyers who are barred in D.C., the Senators cite multiple abuses of power by Martin, including dismissing charges against his own client and using the threat of prosecution to intimidate government employees and chill the speech of private citizens.
    The Senators begin by articulating lapses in judgment involving failures to recuse from cases involving previous clients involved in the January 6th insurrection, writing: “While in private practice, Mr. Martin appeared as defense counsel in cases related to the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.  On January 21, 2025, Mr. Martin personally submitted a motion to dismiss the eight felony counts and two misdemeanors against Joseph Padilla, who had already been convicted and sentenced for these charges… Similarly, Mr. Martin appeared as defense counsel for January 6 defendant William Chrestman… Mr. Martin only moved to withdraw from his representation of Mr. Chrestman on February 4, 2025… There is also evidence indicating that Mr. Martin, since his appointment as Interim U.S. Attorney, has communicated directly with January 6 defendants who were not his clients.”
    The Senators continue by citing multiple threats of prosecution to intimidate government employees and chill the speech of private citizens, writing: “Since assuming the duties of Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Mr. Martin has also engaged in additional, repeated conduct that appears to violate Rule 8.4(d), as well as Rule 3.8’s special responsibilities for prosecutors. Specifically, Mr. Martin has made numerous extrajudicial statements that threaten prosecution with the apparent intent of intimidating government employees and chilling the speech of private citizens.”
    The Senators conclude with a request for a professional misconduct investigation into Martin, writing: “Mr. Martin’s conduct not only speaks to his fitness as a lawyer; his activities are part of a broader course of conduct by President Trump and his allies to undermine the traditional independence of Department of Justice investigations and prosecutions and the rule of law.  When a government lawyer, particularly one entrusted with a leadership role in the nation’s foremost law enforcement agency, commits serious violations of professional conduct, it undermines the integrity of our justice system and erodes public confidence in it. Public confidence would be further eroded if such serious misconduct is met with no consequences. Therefore, we submit this letter of complaint to respectfully request that the Office of the Disciplinary Counsel initiate an investigation and take appropriate disciplinary proceedings pursuant to Rule XI of the Rules Governing the District of Columbia Bar.”
    In addition to Durbin, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Adam Schiff (D-CA).
    For a PDF copy of the complaint against Interim U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Ed Martin, click here.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Amphibious Transport Dock – LPD

    Source: United States Navy

    Description Amphibious transport dock ships are warships that embark, transport and land elements of a landing force for a variety of expeditionary warfare missions.
     
    Features LPDs are used to transport and land Marines, their equipment, and supplies by embarked Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) or conventional landing craft and amphibious assault vehicles (AAV) augmented by helicopters or vertical take-off and landing aircraft (MV 22). These ships support amphibious assault, special operations, or expeditionary warfare missions and serve as secondary aviation platforms for amphibious operations.
     
    Background The LPD 17 San Antonio class is the functional replacement for over 41 ships including the LPD 4 Austin class, LSD 36 Anchorage class, LKA 113 Charleston class, and LST 1179 Newport class amphibious ships. The newly designated LPD Flight II ships (formerly LX(R)) will be the functional replacement for the LSD 41/49 Whidbey Island Class. The San Antonio class provides the Navy and Marine Corps with modern, sea-based platforms that are networked, survivable, and built to operate in the 21st century, with the MV-22 Osprey, the upgraded Amphibious Assault Vehicle, and future means by which Marines are delivered ashore. Construction on USS San Antonio (LPD 17), the first ship of the class, commenced in June 2000 and was delivered to the Navy in July 2005. USS New York (LPD 21) was the first of three LPD 17class ships built in honor of the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The ship’s bow stem was cast using 7.5 tons of steel salvaged from the World Trade Center. The Navy named the eighth and ninth ships of the class Arlington and Somerset, in honor of the victims of the attacks on the Pentagon and United Flight 93, respectively. Materials from those sites were also incorporated into the construction of each ship. USS Portland (LPD 27), the eleventh ship of the class, delivered in 2017. LPDs 28 and 29 are currently under construction at Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) on the Gulf Coast. As the 12th and 13th San Antonio class ships, LPDs 28 and 29 will perform the same missions as the previous 11 ships of the class while incorporating technically feasible cost reduction initiatives and class lessons learned. In 2018, the Navy made the decision to transition the LX(R) effort to a second flight of the LPD 17 design. LPD 30 will be the first of 13 planned LPD Flight II ships, for a total complement of 26 ships in the LPD 17 class.
     
    General Characteristics, San Antonio Class LPD Flights I and II
    Builder: Huntington Ingalls Industries
    Propulsion: Four sequentially turbocharged marine Colt-Pielstick Diesels, two shafts, 41,600 shaft horsepower
    Length: 684 feet
    Beam: 105 feet
    Displacement: Approximately 24,900 long tons (25,300 metric tons) full load
    Draft: 23 feet
    Speed: In excess of 22 knots (24.2 mph, 38.7 kph)
    Crew: Ship’s Company: 383 Sailors and 3 Marines. Embarked Landing Force: Flight I: 699 with surge capacity of 800; LPD 28/29:650; Flight II: 631.
    Armament: Two Mk 46 30 mm Close in Guns, fore and aft; two Rolling Airframe Missile launchers, fore and aft: ten .50 caliber machine guns
    Aircraft: Launch or land two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters or two MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft or up to four AH-1Z or UH-1Y or MH-60 helicopters
    Landing/Attack Craft: Two LCACs or one LCU; and 14 Amphibious Assault Vehicles
     
    Ships:
    USS San Antonio (LPD 17), Norfolk, Virginia
    USS New Orleans (LPD 18), Sasebo, Japan
    USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), Norfolk, Virginia
    USS Green Bay (LPD 20), Sasebo, Japan
    USS New York (LPD 21), Mayport, Florida
    USS San Diego (LPD 22), San Diego, California
    USS Anchorage (LPD 23), San Diego, California
    USS Arlington (LPD 24), Norfolk, Virginia
    USS Somerset (LPD 25), San Diego, California
    USS John P. Murtha (LPD 26), San Diego, California
    USS Portland (LPD 27), San Diego, California
    Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) – Under construction
    Richard M. McCool (LPD 29) – Under construction
    Harrisburg (LPD 30) – Under construction
    Pittsburgh (LPD 31)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India’s AI Revolution

    Source: Government of India (2)

    India’s AI Revolution

    A Roadmap to Viksit Bharat

    Posted On: 06 MAR 2025 4:09PM by PIB Delhi

    Introduction

    India is undergoing a remarkable transformation in Artificial Intelligence, driven by the visionary leadership of PM Modi. For the first time in India’s history, the government is actively shaping an AI ecosystem where computing power, GPUs, and research opportunities are accessible at an affordable cost.

    Unlike in the past, AI in India is no longer confined to a privileged few or dominated by global tech giants. Through forward-looking policies, the Modi government is empowering students, startups, and innovators with world-class AI infrastructure, fostering a truly level playing field. Initiatives such as the IndiaAI Mission and the establishment of Centres of Excellence for AI are strengthening the country’s AI ecosystem, paving the way for innovation and self-reliance in this critical sector.

    These efforts align with the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, where India aspires to become a global AI powerhouse, leveraging cutting-edge technology for economic growth, governance, and societal progress.

    AI Compute and Semiconductor Infrastructure

    India is rapidly building a strong AI computing and semiconductor infrastructure to support its growing digital economy. With the approval of the IndiaAI Mission in 2024, the government allocated ₹10,300 crore over five years to strengthen AI capabilities. A key focus of this mission is the development of a high-end common computing facility equipped with 18,693 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), making it one of the most extensive AI compute infrastructures globally. This capacity is nearly nine times that of the open-source AI model DeepSeek and about two-thirds of what ChatGPT operates on.

    Here are the key developments:

    • Scaling AI Compute Infrastructure: The initial phase of the mission has already made 10,000 GPUs available, with the remaining units to be added soon. This will enable the creation of indigenous AI solutions tailored to Indian languages and contexts.
    • Opening Access to High-Performance Computing: India has also pioneered the launch of an open GPU marketplace, making high-performance computing accessible to startups, researchers, and students. Unlike many countries where AI infrastructure is controlled by large corporations, this initiative ensures that small players have an opportunity to innovate.
    • Robust GPU Supply Chain: The government has selected 10 companies to supply the GPUs, ensuring a robust and diversified supply chain.
    • Indigenous GPU Capabilities: To further strengthen domestic capabilities, India aims to develop its own GPU within the next three to five years, reducing reliance on imported technology.
    • Affordable Compute Access: A new common compute facility will soon be launched, allowing researchers and startups to access GPU power at a highly subsidised rate of ₹100 per hour, compared to the global cost of $2.5 to $3 per hour.
    • Strengthening Semiconductor Manufacturing: In parallel, India is advancing semiconductor manufacturing, with five semiconductor plants under construction. These developments will not only support AI innovation but also reinforce India’s position in the global electronics sector.

     

    Advancing AI with Open Data and Centres of Excellence (CoE)

    Recognising the importance of data in AI development, the Modi government has launched the IndiaAI Dataset Platform to provide seamless access to high-quality, non-personal datasets. This platform will house the largest collection of anonymised data, empowering Indian startups and researchers to develop advanced AI applications. By ensuring diverse and abundant datasets, this initiative will drive AI-driven solutions across key sectors, enhancing innovation and accuracy.

    • IndiaAI Dataset Platform for Open Data Access: The platform will enable Indian startups and researchers to access a unified repository of high-quality, anonymised datasets, reducing barriers to AI innovation.
    • Boosting AI Model Accuracy with Diverse Data: By providing large-scale, non-personal datasets, the initiative will help reduce biases and improve the reliability of AI applications across domains such as agriculture, weather forecasting, and traffic management.
    • Centres of Excellence: The government has established three AI Centres of Excellence (CoE) in Healthcare, Agriculture, and Sustainable Cities in New Delhi. The Budget 2025 further announced a new CoE for AI in education with an outlay of ₹500 crore, making it the fourth such centre.
    • Skilling for AI-Driven Industries: Plans are in place for five National Centres of Excellence for Skilling, which will equip youth with industry-relevant expertise. These centres will be set up in collaboration with global partners to support the ‘Make for India, Make for the World’ vision in manufacturing and AI innovation.

     

    India’s AI Models & Language Technologies

    The government is facilitating the development of India’s own foundational models, including Large Language Models (LLMs) and problem-specific AI solutions tailored to Indian needs. To foster AI research, multiple Centres of Excellence have also been set up.

    • India’s Foundational Large Language Models: IndiaAI has launched an initiative to develop indigenous foundational AI models, including LLMs and Small Language Models (SLMs), through a call for proposals.
    • Digital India BHASHINI: An AI-led language translation platform designed to enable easy access to the internet and digital services in Indian languages, including voice-based access, and support content creation in Indian languages.
    • BharatGen: The world’s first government-funded multimodal LLM initiative, BharatGen was launched in 2024 in Delhi. It aims to enhance public service delivery and citizen engagement through foundational models in language, speech, and computer vision. BharatGen involves a consortium of AI researchers from premier academic institutions in India.
    • Sarvam-1 AI Model: A large language model optimised for Indian languages, Sarvam-1 has 2 billion parameters and supports ten major Indian languages. It is designed for applications such as language translation, text summarisation, and content generation.
    • Chitralekha: An open-source video transcreation platform developed by AI4Bhārat, Chitralekha enables users to generate and edit audio transcripts in various Indic languages.
    • Hanooman’s Everest 1.0: A multilingual AI system developed by SML, Everest 1.0 supports 35 Indian languages, with plans to expand to 90.

     

    AI Integration with Digital Public Infrastructure

    India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) has redefined digital innovation by combining public funding with private sector-led innovation. Platforms like Aadhaar, UPI, and DigiLocker serve as the foundation, while private entities build application-specific solutions on top of them. This model is now being enhanced with AI, integrating intelligent solutions into financial and governance platforms. The global appeal of India’s DPI was evident at the G20 Summit, where several countries expressed interest in adopting similar frameworks. Japan’s patent grant to India’s UPI payment system further underscores its scalability.

    For Mahakumbh 2025, AI-driven DPI solutions played a crucial role in managing the world’s largest human gathering. AI-powered tools monitored real-time railway passenger movement to optimise crowd dispersal in Prayagraj. The Bhashini-powered Kumbh Sah’AI’yak Chatbot enabled voice-based lost-and-found services, real-time translation, and multilingual assistance. Its integration with Indian Railways and UP Police streamlined communication, ensuring swift issue resolution. By leveraging AI with DPI, Mahakumbh 2025 set a global benchmark for tech-enabled, inclusive, and efficient event management.

    AI Talent & Workforce Development

    India’s workforce is at the heart of its digital revolution. The country is adding one Global Capability Center (GCC) every week, reinforcing its status as a preferred destination for global R&D and technological development. However, sustaining this growth will require continuous investment in education and skill development. The government is addressing this challenge by revamping university curricula to include AI, 5G, and semiconductor design, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. This ensures that graduates acquire job-ready skills, reducing the transition time between education and employment.

    • AI Talent Pipeline & AI Education: Under the IndiaAI Future Skills initiative, AI education is being expanded across undergraduate, postgraduate, and Ph.D. programs. Fellowships are being provided to full-time Ph.D. scholars researching AI in the top 50 NIRF-ranked institutes. To enhance accessibility, Data and AI Labs are being established in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, with a model IndiaAI Data Lab already set up at NIELIT Delhi.
    • India Ranks 1st in Global AI Skill Penetration: According to the Stanford AI Index 2024, India ranks first globally in AI skill penetration with a score of 2.8, ahead of the US (2.2) and Germany (1.9). AI talent concentration in India has grown by 263% since 2016, positioning the country as a major AI hub. India also leads in AI Skill Penetration for Women, with a score of 1.7, surpassing the US (1.2) and Israel (0.9).
    • AI Innovation: India has emerged as the fastest-growing developer population globally and ranks second in public generative AI projects on GitHub. The country is home to 16% of the world’s AI talent, showcasing its growing influence in AI innovation and adoption.
    • AI Talent Hubs: The India Skills Report 2024 by Wheebox forecasts that India’s AI industry will reach USD 28.8 billion by 2025, with a CAGR of 45%. The AI-skilled workforce has seen a 14-fold increase from 2016 to 2023, making India one of the top five fastest-growing AI talent hubs, alongside Singapore, Finland, Ireland, and Canada. The demand for AI professionals in India is projected to reach 1 million by 2026.

    AI Adoption & Industry Growth

    India’s Generative AI (GenAI) ecosystem has seen remarkable growth, even amid a global downturn. The country’s AI landscape is evolving from experimental use cases to scalable, production-ready solutions, reflecting its growing maturity.

    • Businesses Prioritising AI Investments: According to BCG, 80% of Indian companies consider AI a core strategic priority, surpassing the global average of 75%. Additionally, 69% plan to increase their tech investments in 2025, with one-third allocating over USD 25 million to AI initiatives.
    • GenAI Startup Funding: According to a November 2024 report by National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), Indian GenAI startup funding surged over six times quarter-on-quarter, reaching USD 51 million in Q2FY2025, driven by B2B and agentic AI startups.
    • AI Transforming Workplaces: The Randstad AI & Equity Report 2024 states that seven in 10 Indian employees used AI at work in 2024, up from five in 10 a year earlier, showcasing AI’s rapid integration into workplaces.
    • AI Empowering Small & Medium Businesses (SMBs): AI-driven technologies, such as autonomous agents, are helping SMBs scale efficiently, personalise customer experiences, and optimise operations. According to Salesforce, 78% of Indian SMBs using AI reported revenue growth, while 93% stated AI has contributed to increased revenues.
    • Rapid Expansion of India’s AI Economy: As per the BCG-NASSCOM Report 2024, India’s AI market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 25-35%, reinforcing its potential for innovation and job creation. While AI automates routine tasks, it is simultaneously generating new opportunities in data science, machine learning, and AI-driven applications.
    • AI Startup Support Ecosystem: India hosts 520+ tech incubators and accelerators, ranking third globally in active programs. 42% of these were established in the past five years, catering to the evolving needs of Indian startups. AI-focused accelerators like T-Hub MATH provide crucial mentorship in product development, business strategy, and scaling. In early 2024, MATH supported over 60 startups, with five actively discussing funding, highlighting India’s growing AI startup landscape.

     

    A Pragmatic AI Regulation Approach

    India’s pragmatic AI regulation balances innovation and accountability, steering clear of overregulation that could stifle growth and unchecked market-driven governance that may create monopolies. Instead of relying solely on legislation, India is investing in AI-driven safeguards, funding top universities and IITs to develop solutions for deep fakes, privacy risks, and cybersecurity threats. This techno-legal approach ensures AI remains a force for inclusive growth, fostering an ecosystem where innovation thrives while ethical concerns are proactively addressed.

    Conclusion

    India’s rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, underpinned by strategic government initiatives, have positioned the country as a global AI powerhouse. By expanding AI compute infrastructure, fostering indigenous AI models, enhancing digital public infrastructure, and investing in talent development, India is creating an inclusive and innovation-driven ecosystem. The emphasis on open data, affordable access to high-performance computing, and AI-driven solutions tailored to local needs ensures that the benefits of AI reach businesses, researchers, and citizens alike. As AI adoption accelerates across industries, India’s proactive approach is not only strengthening its digital economy but also paving the way for self-reliance in critical technologies. With a clear vision for the future, India is set to become a leader in AI innovation, shaping the global AI landscape in the years to come.

    Source: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology

    Click to see in PDF

    ***

    Santosh Kumar/ Ritu Kataria/ Saurabh Kalia

    (Release ID: 2108810) Visitor Counter : 108

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE investigation leads to Nevada man’s 11-year sentence for sex trafficking a minor

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Tyree Eugene Rideaux, 31, of Henderson, Nevada, was sentenced, Feb. 25, to 132 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, and subject to registering as lifetime sex offender due to an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations with significant assistance provided by the Mesa Police Department.

    Rideaux pleaded guilty to Sex Trafficking of a Minor on Sept. 16, 2024.  

    “As law enforcement officers, we are used to handling difficult encounters, but few can prepare us for working on human trafficking investigations involving vulnerable children,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Arizona Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola.

    Rideaux met the 16-year-old minor, Jane Doe, at a party in Phoenix a short time before Aug. 15, 2021. Jane Doe traveled with Rideaux and two other females to Inglewood, California. Rideaux told Jane Doe to pretend that she was 18 years old. Once in California, Rideaux placed Jane Doe on the “blade,” an area in a city known for high rates of prostitution. Rideaux assigned a fictitious name to Jane Doe and posted commercial sex advertisements of her online for sex buyers. Jane Doe gave the money she earned to Rideaux, as he directed her to do. On August 15, 2021, Jane Doe convinced a sex buyer to take her to a hospital where she could notify police and family, who returned her home.

    “Predators who traffic in teenagers and force them into prostitution to support the trafficker’s own lifestyle are deserving of the harshest sentences,” stated Rachel C. Hernandez, Acting United States Attorney. “I’m pleased with the excellent results in this case that came about through the diligent efforts of our law enforcement partners and our prosecutors.”

    “HSI is committed to ensuring sex traffickers face the fullest extent of the law by putting them behind bars for years – significant prison time rightly awaits this trafficker,” Burrola concluded.

    ICE HSI conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecutions.

    Report suspicious criminal activity to the ICE Tip Line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kachemak Bay’s Stony Waters

    Source: NASA

    The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 captured an image of Kachemak Bay’s turbid, cloudy waters on September 20, 2024. This cloudiness comes from glacial flour: bits of pulverized rock ground down by glaciers that has the consistency of flour. Several meltwater streams rich with the particles, sometimes called suspended sediment, absorb and scatter sunlight in ways that turn water a milky blue-green hue. The water that flows into the bay from the Grewingk-Yalik Glacier Complex to the east carries sediment-infused waters that transform the appearance of the bay during the summer, raising questions about how much the influx of sediment affects the bay’s marine life.
    Learn more about efforts to study Kachemak Bay’s sediment plumes.
    Text credit: Adam Voiland
    Image credit: NASA/Michala Garrison, USGS

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Invites You to Share Excitement of Agency’s SpaceX Crew-10 Launch

    Source: NASA

    NASA invites the public to take part in virtual activities for the launch of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station.
    NASA astronauts Anne McClain, commander, and Nichole Ayers, pilot, along with mission specialists JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, will embark on a flight aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the orbiting laboratory. The launch, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, is targeted for 7:48 p.m. EDT Wednesday, March 12, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
    The public can register to be a virtual launch guest and receive curated resources, interactive opportunities, timely launch updates, and a mission-specific collectible stamp for their virtual guest passport after liftoff – all sent straight to their inbox.
    A new way to collect and share stamps has arrived. Print one for your virtual guest passport and receive another, made special for sharing on social media. Don’t have a passport yet? Print one here and be ready to add a stamp!
    Want to learn more about the mission and NASA’s Commercial Crew Program? Follow along with the Crew-10 mission blog, Commercial Crew blog, @commercial_crew on X, or check out Commercial Crew on Facebook.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: What You Need to Know about NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Mission

    Source: NASA

    Four crew members are preparing to launch to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission to perform research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance activities aboard the microgravity laboratory.
    NASA astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
    The flight is the 10th crew rotation mission with SpaceX to the space station, and the 11th human spaceflight as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
    As teams progress through Dragon spacecraft milestones for Crew-10, they also are preparing a second-flight Falcon 9 booster for the mission. Once all rocket and spacecraft system checkouts are complete and all components are certified for flight, teams will mate Dragon to the Falcon 9 rocket in SpaceX’s hangar at the launch site. The integrated spacecraft and rocket will then be rolled to the pad and raised to vertical for a dry dress rehearsal with the crew and an integrated static fire test prior to launch.

    Selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2013, this will be McClain’s second spaceflight. A colonel in the U.S. Army, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and holds master’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering, International Security, and Strategic Studies. The Spokane, Washington, native was an instructor pilot in the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter and is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland. McClain has more than 2,300 flight hours in 24 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, including more than 800 in combat, and was a member of the U.S. Women’s National Rugby Team. On her first spaceflight, McClain spent 204 days as a flight engineer during Expeditions 58 and 59 and completed two spacewalks, totaling 13 hours and 8 minutes. Since then, she has served in various roles, including branch chief and space station assistant to the chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office. Follow @astroannimal on X and @astro_annimal on Instagram.
    This mission will be the first spaceflight for Ayers, who was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2021. Ayers is a major in the U.S. Air Force and the first member of NASA’s 2021 astronaut class named to a crew. The Colorado native graduated from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a minor in Russian, and was a member of the academy’s varsity volleyball team. She later earned a master’s in Computational and Applied Mathematics from Rice University in Houston. Ayers served as an instructor pilot and mission commander in the T-38 ADAIR and F-22 Raptor, leading multinational and multiservice missions worldwide. She has more than 1,400 total flight hours, including more than 200 in combat. Follow @astro_ayers on X and @astro_ayers on Instagram.
    With 113 days in space, Crew-10 will mark Onishi’s second trip to the space station. After being selected as an astronaut by JAXA in 2009, he flew as a flight engineer for Expeditions 48 and 49, becoming the first Japanese astronaut to robotically capture the Cygnus spacecraft. He also constructed a new experimental environment aboard Kibo, the station’s Japanese experiment module. After his first spaceflight, Onishi became certified as a JAXA flight director, leading the team responsible for operating Kibo from JAXA Mission Control in Tsukuba, Japan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Tokyo, and was a pilot for All Nippon Airways, flying more than 3,700 flight hours in the Boeing 767. Follow astro_onishi on X.
    The Crew-10 mission also will be Peskov’s first spaceflight. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, he earned a degree in Engineering from the Ulyanovsk Civil Aviation School and was a co-pilot on the Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft for airlines Nordwind and Ikar. Assigned as a test cosmonaut in 2020, he has additional experience in skydiving, zero-gravity training, scuba diving, and wilderness survival.

    Following liftoff, the Falcon 9 rocket will accelerate Dragon to approximately 17,500 mph. Once in orbit, the crew and SpaceX mission control in Hawthorne, California, will monitor a series of maneuvers that will guide Dragon to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module. The spacecraft is designed to dock autonomously, but the crew can take control and pilot manually, if necessary.
    After docking, Crew-10 will be welcomed aboard the station by the seven-member crew of Expedition 72 and conduct a short handover period on science and maintenance activities with the departing Crew-9 crew members. Then, NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will undock from the space station and return to Earth. Ahead of Crew-9 return, mission teams will review weather conditions at the splashdown sites off the coast of Florida prior to departure from station.
    Crew-10 will conduct new scientific research to prepare for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit and benefit humanity on Earth. The crew is scheduled to conduct material flammability tests for future spacecraft designs, engage with students via ham radio and use its existing hardware to test a backup lunar navigation solution, and participate in an integrated study to better understand physiological and psychological changes to the human body to provide valuable insights for future deep space missions.
    These are just a few of the more than 200 scientific experiments and technology demonstrations taking place during the mission.
    While aboard the orbiting laboratory, Crew-10 will welcome a Soyuz spacecraft with three new crew members, including NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, and they will bid farewell to the Soyuz carrying NASA astronaut Don Pettit. The crew also is expected to see the arrival of the SpaceX Dragon, Roscosmos Progress, and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft, as well as the short-duration private Axiom Mission 4 crew.
    The cadre will fly aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance, which previously flew NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3, Crew-5, and Crew-7 missions.
    Commercial crew missions enable NASA to maximize use of the space station, where astronauts have lived and worked continuously for more than 24 years, testing technologies, performing research, and developing the skills needed to operate future commercial destinations in low Earth orbit, and explore farther from Earth. Research conducted on the space station benefits people on Earth and paves the way for future long-duration missions to the Moon and beyond through NASA’s Artemis missions.
    Learn more about the space station, its research, and crew, at: https://www.nasa.gov/station

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Seeks Commercial Partner for Robots Aboard Space Station

    Source: NASA

    As NASA continues to enable a sustainable, cost-effective commercial space economy, the agency is seeking partnership proposals for the operations, sustaining engineering, and utilization of Astrobee, a free-flying robotic system aboard the International Space Station.
    The Announcement for Partnership Proposal contains instructions and criteria for transferring responsibility of the Astrobee system to a commercial provider. Submissions are due to NASA by Friday, March 21.
    Astrobee has operated aboard the space station since 2019, working autonomously or managed by flight controllers or researchers on the ground. Technology like the Astrobee system can help astronauts with routine duties, like inventory or documentation, freeing up time for complex work and additional experiments.
    The Astrobee system includes three cube-shaped robots aboard the space station, software, and a docking station for recharging. On the ground, three robots function as flight spares and are used for software and maintenance testing. The system is an important technology demonstration and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics outreach platform.
    The robots can fly freely through the station’s microgravity environment, with cameras and sensors to help guide them. Their perching arms can grasp station handrails or grab and hold items. Past experiments involving the Astrobee robots include testing mechanical adhesive technology, mapping the station, and identifying potential life support system issues.
    “Astrobee has been a beacon for robotic and autonomous research in space for many years, working with academia and industry partners across our country and internationally,” said Eugene Tu, center director at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, which led the Astrobee project. “We’re excited about the opportunity to continue this mission with a commercial partner.”
    As part of the agreement, the commercial partner will provide ground-based testing, equipment, and lab space as needed. The partner will be responsible for the Astrobee system through the end of the space station’s operational life. The commercial partner also will provide milestone objectives and ensure the continued development of Astrobee technology to support the future of commercial space.
    The International Space Station is a convergence of science, technology, and human innovation that enables research not possible on Earth. For more than 24 years, NASA has supported a continuous U.S. human presence aboard the orbiting laboratory, through which astronauts have learned to live and work in space for extended periods of time. The space station is a springboard for developing a low Earth orbit economy and NASA’s next great leaps in exploration, including missions to the Moon under Artemis and, ultimately, human exploration of Mars. 
    Learn more about the International Space Station, its research, and its crew, at: 
    https://www.nasa.gov/station
    Learn more about NASA Ames’ world-class research and development in aeronautics, science, and exploration technology at: 
    https://www.nasa.gov/ames
    -end-
    Tara FriesenAmes Research Center, Silicon Valley650-604-4789tara.l.friesen@nasa.gov
    Request for Proposals
    https://sam.gov/opp/ad273ca16c3a4068902797f07df543be/view

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Public Invited to Appeal or Comment on Flood Maps in Trinity County, Texas

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Public Invited to Appeal or Comment on Flood Maps in Trinity County, Texas

    Public Invited to Appeal or Comment on Flood Maps in Trinity County, Texas

    DENTON, Texas – Preliminary flood risk information and updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) are available for review in Trinity County, Texas. Residents and business owners are encouraged to review the latest information to learn about local flood risks and potential future flood insurance requirements.The updated maps were produced in coordination with local, state and FEMA officials. Significant community review of the maps has already taken place, but before the maps become final, community residents can identify any concerns or questions about the information provided and participate in the 90-day appeal and comment period.The 90-day appeal and comment period will begin on or around March 6, 2025. Appeals and comments may be submitted through June 4, 2025, for:The cities of Groveton and Trinity; and the unincorporated areas of Trinity CountyResidents may submit an appeal if they consider modeling or data used to create the map to be technically or scientifically incorrect.An appeal must include technical information, such as hydraulic or hydrologic data, to support the claim. Appeals cannot be based on the effects of proposed projects or projects started after the study is in progress.If property owners see incorrect information that does not change the flood hazard information — such as a missing or misspelled road name in the Special Flood Hazard Area or an incorrect corporate boundary — they can submit a written comment.The next step in the mapping process is to resolve all comments and appeals. Once these are resolved, FEMA will notify communities of the effective date of the final maps.To review the preliminary maps or submit appeals and comments, visit your local floodplain administrator (FPA). A FEMA Map Specialist can identify your community FPA. Specialists are available by telephone at 877-FEMA-MAP (877-336-2627) or by email at FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.gov.The preliminary maps may also be viewed online:The Flood Map Changes Viewer at http://msc.fema.gov/fmcv FEMA Map Service Center at http://msc.fema.gov/portalThe Base Level Engineering-to-FIRM Viewer at https://webapps.usgs.gov/fema/ble_firmFor more information about the flood maps:Use a live chat service about flood maps at floodmaps.fema.gov/fhm/fmx_main.html (just click on the “Live Chat Open” icon).Contact a FEMA Map Specialist by telephone at 877-FEMA-MAP (877-336-2627) or by email at FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.gov.There are cost-saving options available for those newly mapped into a high-risk flood zone. Learn more about your flood insurance options by talking with your insurance agent or visiting floodsmart.gov.
    toan.nguyen
    Thu, 03/06/2025 – 16:40

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Estill, Johnson, Simpson Counties Now Eligible for FEMA Assistance

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Estill, Johnson, Simpson Counties Now Eligible for FEMA Assistance

    Estill, Johnson, Simpson Counties Now Eligible for FEMA Assistance

    FRANKFORT, Ky — Additional counties in the commonwealth of Kentucky have been added to the major disaster declaration for Kentucky’s severe storms and flooding that took place from Feb. 14, 2025, and continuing. Homeowners and renters in Estill, Johnson and Simpson counties are eligible to apply for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program. FEMA may provide grants to help pay for temporary housing and essential home repairs as well as other serious disaster-related needs, such as medical and dental expenses, transportation, childcare, and moving and storage expenses. In addition to Estill, Johnson and Simpson counties, other counties eligible for IA include Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Harlan, Knott, Lee, Letcher, Martin, Owsley, Perry and Pike. The first step to receive FEMA assistance is to apply. There are four ways to apply: visit DisasterAssistance.gov, download the FEMA App or visit a Disaster Recovery Center or call the toll-free FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362, The phone line is open daily from 7 a.m. to midnight ET, and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA the number for that service.The deadline to apply for assistance for flooding is April 25, 2025. For an accessible video on how to apply for FEMA assistance, go to youtube.com/watch?v=WZGpWI2RCNw.For the latest information about Kentucky’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4860. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.
    sarah.cleary
    Thu, 03/06/2025 – 17:16

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2024 Associate Administrator Awards Honorees

    Source: NASA

    The ARMD 2024 Associate Administrator Awards were presented to NASA employees, contractors, and students or interns who distinguished themselves, either individually or as part of a group, through their overall approach to their work and through results they achieved during the award year.
    LEGEND: ARMD NASA CENTERSARC = Ames Research CenterAFRC = Armstrong Flight Research CenterGRC = Glenn Research CenterHQ = HeadquartersLaRC = Langley Research Center

    Honoree (Individual)Kenneth R. Lyons, ARCKenneth R. Lyons made significant contributions this past year that were successfully applied in advancing NASA’s state-of-the-art unsteady Pressure Sensitive Paint (uPSP) experimental measurement in NASA’s wind tunnels. Lyons was key to the development of innovative data processing capabilities such as custom software drivers necessary to transfer the high-speed uPSP data from NASA’s wind tunnels to its High-End Computer facility – as well as other data management and methodologies overall. The uPSP development team’s principal investigator referred to his work on replacing older legacy systems as a “masterpiece.”
    Honoree (Group)NASA GRX-810 Licensing TeamNASA’s GRX-810 Licensing Team demonstrated exemplary performance by developing a technologically significant new material, meeting community demands for rapid evaluation, and enabling broad industry availability through timely commercialization. The team’s efforts led to successful licensing to multiple parties, pioneering a novel approach for NASA by using co-exclusive licenses, and the negotiation of four co-exclusive licenses with commercial partners. This license structure will increase competition within the marketplace and provide incentive for each company to fast-track product development.Team Lead: Dr. Timothy M. Smith, GRCView Group Honorees
    Honorable MentionShishir Pandya, ARCShishir Pandya’s exemplary actions as the formulation and technical lead for the Propulsion/Airframe Integration (PAI) emerging technical challenge were instrumental in creating an actionable project plan that will examine complex aerodynamic interactions between sustainable propulsor technologies – such as open rotor concepts envisioned in programs like General Electric’s Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE). Pandya was instrumental in classifying the current PAI analysis capabilities at NASA, and scoping NASA’s, GE’s, and Boeing’s roles and responsibilities for open fan integration studies, both computational and experimental.
    Honorable Mention (Group)Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Propulsion TeamThe Revolutionary Vertical Lift and Technology project’s Electric Propulsion Team achieved major accomplishments – successfully completing a technical challenge to improve propulsion system component reliability by demonstrating significant improvements in 100-kilowatt electric motors. Through an integrated interdisciplinary approach including external partner collaborations, the team produced six major technological capabilities towards further development of NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility mission.Team Lead: Mark Valco, GRCView Honorable Mention Group Honorees
    Honorable Mention (Group)Self-Aligned Focusing Schlieren TeamThe Self-Aligned Focusing Schlieren Team developed a highly innovative and impactful Schlieren system that revolutionizes high-speed flow visualization in aeronautics research by enabling the use of a highly efficient, non-intrusive optical measurement technique in physically constrained environments. This new approach drastically improves efficiency in accurately capturing and analyzing complex, high-speed airflows around advanced aerospace vehicles in a non-intrusive manner – providing precise visualization without requiring the cumbersome alignment procedures of traditional Schlieren systems.Team Lead: Brett Bathel, LaRCView Honorable Mention Group Honorees

    HonoreeAnthony Nerone, GRCAnthony Nerone demonstrated strong leadership in formulating and leading the implementation of the Hybrid Thermally Efficient Core project. He has successfully set up a framework to establish a high-performing project team that has been an example for other Aeronautics projects. Nerone’s strong project management has led industry to accelerate the development of advanced engine technologies which have started to see infusion into products – continuing United States leadership in sustainable aviation.

    HonoreeDiana Fitzgerald, LaRC (Booz Allen Hamilton)Diana Fitzgerald has demonstrated innovation, responsiveness, and impact in her contributions to the Transformational Tools and Technologies (TTT) project. Her creative and comprehensive approach to enhancing TTT’s communication processes has significantly improved the efficiency and effectiveness of the project’s operations, enabling ARMD to advance critical strategic capabilities and partnerships. Her dedication has garnered widespread recognition from colleagues and leadership and has had a substantial and measurable impact.
    Honoree (Group)Airspace Operations Safety Program (AOSP) Resource Analyst GroupThe AOSP Resource Analyst Group worked tirelessly to skillfully review and analyze the NASA Aeronautics budget – preparing programs and projects for planning, budget, and execution inputs. Their extraordinary performance in numerous AOSP activities building, tracking, and executing milestones resulted in a smooth and transparent execution of the program’s annual budget. The group has gone beyond the call of duty and their hard work and dedication is reflected in their discipline and commitment to NASA through critical, time-sensitive attention to detail and solution-focused problem solving.Team Leads: Michele Dodson, HQ and Jeffrey Farlin, HQView Group Honorees
    Honorable Mention (Individual)Shannon Eichorn, GRCShannon Eichorn developed and authored a compelling, creative vision for the future of aeronautics research and of NASA’s working environment. She envisioned and described a future in which NASA’s aeronautics research goals, future technologies, workforce, and capabilities are in synergy to maximize research quality and impact. Eichorn presented this vision to numerous leaders and groups at NASA, and the excitement in the room at each presentation led to engaging follow-on discussions and several workstream groups requested Eichorn to present to their full group. Her efforts inspire not only ARMD, but the entire agency.

    HonoreeMatthew Webster, LaRCMatthew Webster has had significant impact and contributions to meeting goals in the Convergent Aeronautics Solutions and Transformational Tools and Technologies projects. In his short time at NASA, he has rapidly demonstrated exceptional ability to adapt and apply technical expertise across multiple NASA projects to advance towards project technical goals. Webster has shown his leadership ability, providing exceptional skills at creating a healthy team environment enabling the group to successfully meet project goals.
    Honorable MentionDahlia Pham, ARCDhalia Pham’s contributions as a system analyst, researcher, and teammate in support of NASA’s efforts in electrified aircraft propulsion have shown an ability to creatively solve problems, analyze impacts, present results with strong communication skills, and collaborate with and mentor others. Her technical acumen and leadership ability raise the bar, making her an established leader amongst her peers.

    HonoreeSalvatore Buccellato, LaRCSalvatore Buccellato identified collaborative opportunities in hypersonics research that were mutually beneficial to NASA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and other non-NASA entities through his program management experience and knowledge of NASA people and capabilities. Buccellato was able to leverage NASA and non-NASA expertise and capabilities, along with DARPA funding, to further mature and advance hypersonic technologies via ground and flight tests with the goal of enabling operational flight systems. His exemplary work helped to significantly advanced hypersonic technologies and its workforce, and are expected to lead to further partnered activities for NASA.

    Honoree (Group)Advanced Power Electronics Team, GRCThe Advanced Power Electronics Team of the Advanced Air Transport Technology project completed an ambitious design of a prototype flight-packaged, altitude-capable electric motor drive for aviation. Their work pushed past the state of the art in flight motor drives in several areas including power density, efficiency, and power quality – and is a steppingstone towards megawatt-level, cryogenically cooled motor drives. The electric motor design underwent many successful tests and exercises, and the team’s subsequent publications and expertise help the electrified aircraft industry push past several barriers. Team Leads: Matthew G. Granger, GRCView Group Honorees

    2024 AA Award Honorees PDF
    ARMD Associate Administrator Award

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2024 AA Awards for Technology and Innovation (Group)

    Source: NASA

    * Denotes Team Lead
    NASA Ames Research CenterJohn Lawson
    NASA Glenn Research CenterSteven M. ArnoldAaron B. BristerRobert W. CarterRobert H. EarpTimothy P. GabbChristopher J. GiuffrePaul R. GradlJason M. HannaBryan J. HarderAmy B. HiltabidelDale A. HopkinsChristopher A. KantzosMichael J. KulisGeoffrey S. MinterBrian T. NewbacherCallista M. PuchmeyerRichard W. RauserHarvey L. SchabesTimothy M. Smith*Aaron C. ThompsonMary F. WadelAustin J. WhittLaura G. Wilson
    NASA’s Marshall Space Flight CenterPaul Gradl
    HX5, LLCChristopher J. GiuffreAaron C. ThompsonAustin J. Whitt
    University of ToledoRichard W. Rauser

    2024 AA Award Honorees
    2024 AA Award Honorees PDF
    ARMD Associate Administrator Awards

    MIL OSI USA News –