NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Laying the foundation for compassionate intervention

    [. Alberta’s government has prioritized investments into treatment capacity with 11 recovery communities and the removal of financial barriers for those in need of treatment and recovery. Alberta has also established the gold standard for access to opioid agonist therapy through the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program. With significant progress on the model, Alberta is taking the next step to move forward with promised legislation, known as compassionate intervention.

    Alberta’s government is continuing its work to develop compassionate intervention legislation. If passed, that legislation would allow family members, guardians, health care professionals, police or peace officers to request an addiction treatment order for Albertans who are a danger to themselves or others due to their addiction or substance use.

    To provide proper health care for these patients with complex addiction needs, Alberta’s government is building two compassionate intervention centres, each with capacity for 150 beds. The Northern Alberta Compassionate Intervention Centre will be built in Edmonton and the Southern Alberta Compassionate Intervention Centre will be built in Calgary. Construction is expected to begin in 2026 and be completed in 2029.

    “For those suffering from addiction there are two paths – they can let their addiction destroy and take their life or they can enter recovery. Alberta’s government is committed to providing a recovery-oriented system of care to ensure that those suffering from addiction have the opportunity to rebuild their lives. That’s why we are introducing compassionate intervention as another tool in the Alberta Recovery Model. This upcoming legislation will help keep our communities safe while ensuring our most vulnerable can access much-needed recovery supports.”

    Danielle Smith, Premier

    “We cannot – and will not – stand by and let addiction destroy our families and communities. These new facilities show a strong commitment to delivering on our promise for compassionate intervention, ensuring families are no longer forced to watch their loved ones suffer from the deadly disease of addiction.”

    Dan Williams, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction

    Compassionate intervention is a made-in-Alberta strategy to address the addiction crisis, taking evidence-based models used in other jurisdictions and tailoring them to meet the unique needs of Albertans. Already, Alberta has seen significant progress with the creation of the Alberta Recovery Model. Alberta saw a 39 per cent decrease in the number of people losing their lives to opioid addiction over the first ten months of 2024 compared with the same period in 2023. In contrast, British Columbia saw only a 13 per cent decline between 2023 and 2024.

    The Northern and Southern Alberta Compassionate Intervention Centres would help to continue decreasing the number of lives lost to addiction. The centres would serve as multi-functional facilities where patients will access a full spectrum of mental health and addiction supports to address complex needs. They would include spaces for intake assessments, medically supported detox, counselling, individual and group therapy, and more.

    The goal is to provide stabilization, assessment and treatment so Albertans can successfully transition to community supports, such as a recovery community, to continue their recovery journey.

    “We value our partnership with Alberta’s government as we work to save lives and bring people into recovery. But with new, increasingly deadly drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl, we can’t keep doing the same things and expect different results while people are dying. As Chief of Enoch Cree Nation, I support compassionate intervention and welcome investments that prioritize Indigenous culture and new approaches that truly meet the needs of our people.”

    Cody Thomas, chief, Enoch Cree Nation

    With an immediate need to provide compassionate intervention care, Alberta’s government is also exploring options to have temporary compassionate intervention beds more quickly available within existing facilities. 

    Under the upcoming legislation, individuals would need to meet specific criteria to be eligible for compassionate intervention assessment and treatment. Decisions would be made by an independent commission consisting of lawyers, physicians, and members of the public, which may include Indigenous elders. Treatment would be tailored to each patient’s needs and take place in a secure facility and in the community.

    “Tsuut’ina Nation is grateful for our relationship with the Ministry of Mental Health and Addiction. These new compassionate intervention centres are an important part of addressing the opioid addiction crisis. We are confident that these safe spaces, guided by elders and experts, will provide valuable support for individuals and families in need.”

    Roy Whitney, chief, Tsuut’ina Nation

    Safeguards would be built into the compassionate intervention legislation to ensure individual rights and freedoms are protected. Individuals would have access to legal support and the Health Advocate, and would retain the ability to appeal. Those who enter into compassionate intervention will undergo regular treatment reviews. Further details about compassionate intervention will be shared when legislation is introduced.

    “Today, I feel hopeful. I’m grateful for Alberta’s government because they have acknowledged the addiction crisis in Alberta and committed to proactive programs aimed at saving our loved ones. We must intervene to help people like my son reclaim their lives.”

    Amy Schiffner, mother of an adult suffering from addiction

    “This commitment to compassionate intervention is ensuring we bring as many people out of addiction as possible. It’s clear Alberta’s government is taking recovery seriously with significant investment into the delivery of compassionate intervention care.”

    Bruce Holstead, executive director, Fresh Start Recovery Centre

    “There is nothing more heart wrenching than families watching their loved one struggle with the illness of addiction. PEP Society welcomes this investment and action to establish compassionate intervention, and we look forward to having this resource to rebuild health and wellness in families across Alberta.”  

    Lerena Greig, executive director, Parents Empowering Parents (PEP) Society

    “We need to ask ourselves if it is better to leave someone to harm themselves with ongoing addiction or if we should compassionately intervene. The answer is obviously to intervene and do what we can to save someone’s life.”

    Earl Thiessen, executive director, Oxford House

    Advisory committees are being established to help guide and provide input on the implementation of compassionate intervention within the health system. Members will include representatives from Indigenous communities and families affected by addiction. Alberta’s government will also continue to consult with police and health professionals to establish a robust compassionate intervention system.

    Alberta’s government is making record investments and removing barriers to recovery-oriented supports for all Albertans. In addition to adding more than 10,000 new, publicly funded addiction treatment spaces, the province expanded access to the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program, which provides same-day access to life-saving treatment medication. Alberta’s government is also investing in 11 recovery communities, three of which are operational.

    Quick facts

    • Albertans struggling with opioid addiction can contact the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program (VODP) by calling 1-844-383-7688, seven days a week, from 6 a.m. to midnight daily. VODP provides same-day access to addiction medicine specialists. There is no waitlist.
    • Albertans can call 211 Alberta for information on services and supports in their community.

    Related information

    • Alberta Recovery Model

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Sally Harrell and Sen. Elena Parent Introduce Legislation to Create Voluntary “No Sell” Firearms List

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (February 24, 2025) — Last week, Sen. Sally Harrell (D–Atlanta) and Sen. Elena Parent (D–Atlanta) filed Senate Bill 224, “Donna’s Law,” to allow Georgia citizens at risk for suicidal ideations to place themselves on the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Firearms Checks List to protect themselves.

    Donna’s Law would allow individuals to place themselves on the list through a healthcare professional or under oath through a probate court in their county of residence. Once an individual applies, they would be placed on the NICS firearms checklist within 24 hours. The legislation also allows applicants to remove themselves from the list no sooner than seven days after they apply.

    “This is an important way we can support and protect people suffering from mental illness. Sadly, as I was working on this bill, a friend of my family took her life with a firearm,” said Sen. Harrell. “Studies show that suicides are often very hasty decisions that are not well thought out. Donna’s Law could help prevent people who are suffering from making impulsive decisions.”

    “The last few years, we’ve been very focused on finding better solutions to help people with mental health issues. Firearms are used in over half of suicides in Georgia. With firearms, there are very few second chances — about 85% of gun suicide attempts result in death,” said Sen. Parent. “We have the opportunity to offer an important tool to reduce the probability of death or self-harm to those who are suffering from mental health challenges and the professionals who treat them.”

    If passed, Georgia would become the fourth state to adopt this legislation. The law is named for Donna Nathan, who suffered from bipolar disorder for 30 years and voluntarily admitted herself to psychiatric treatment facilities to protect herself.  In 2018, she googled “gun stores,” drove to one, purchased a gun and shot herself, ending her life.

    For the full version of SB 224, read here.

    # # # #

    Sen. Sally Harrell represents the 40th Senate District which includes portions of DeKalb and Gwinnett County. She may be reached by phone at (404) 463-2260 via email at sally.harrell@senate.ga.gov.

    Sen. Elena Parent serves as Chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Caucus. She represents the 44th Senate District which includes portions of DeKalb and Clayton County. She may be reached at her office at (404) 656-5109 or by email at elena.parent@senate.ga.gov.

    For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Poll Shows Massive Support for President Trump and His Agenda

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    A new poll by Harvard CAPS-Harris reveals the majority of the country backs President Donald J. Trump and his actions to bring much-needed reforms that are making America great again.
    Americans overwhelmingly support President Trump’s agenda.
    81% support deporting criminal illegal immigrants.
    76% support a “full-scale effort to find and eliminate fraud and waste in government.”
    76% support closing the border with additional security and policies.
    69% support keeping men out of women’s sports.
    68% support government declaring there are only two genders.
    65% support ending race-based hiring in government.
    63% support “freezing and re-evaluating all foreign aid expenditures and the department that handled them.”
    61% support reciprocal tariffs.
    60% support direct U.S. negotiations with Russia to end the war in Ukraine.
    59% support cutting government spending already approved by Congress.
    57% support ending the ban on new offshore drilling.

    Most Americans approve of President Trump’s job performance — including pluralities of men, women, independents, and Americans who live in urban, suburban, and rural areas — while almost six-in-ten say he’s doing a better job than President Biden.
    Almost half of Americans believe the U.S. economy is “strong” under President Trump — the highest number since 2021 — while a plurality say his policies will make them “financially better off.”
    Americans are significantly more optimistic about the direction of the country, with those who say we’re on the right track up 14 points over last month.
    Americans strongly support President Trump’s effort to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in government.
    77% support a “full examination of all government expenditures.”
    72% agree there should be a government agency “focused on efficiency.”
    70% say government is “filled with waste, fraud, and inefficiency.”
    Two-thirds say Congress should join the “effort to reduce government expenditures.”

    Americans back President Trump’s action to protect American workers.
    61% support reciprocal tariffs.
    57% say tariffs are an “effective foreign and economic policy tool.”
    54% say tariffs will help get “concessions from other countries.”

    President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, and Attorney General Pam Bondi all enjoy net positive favorability.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER ANNOUNCES TRUMP & DOGE HEED HIS CALLS TO REVERSE BRUTAL CUTS TO 9/11 SURVIVOR HEALTH PROGRAM AND WILL REHIRE WORKERS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    New York, N.Y. – Following his all-out push to protect 9/11 health research and the workers rashly fired from the World Trade Center Health Program, U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer today released the following statement after DOGE, the CDC & the Trump Administration heeded his calls to restore the cuts and rehire the workers they fired, who provide critical care to 9/11 survivors and first responders:
    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk tried to cripple the 9/11 health fund and all they got was the ‘ole Brooklyn Salute. I made sure that President Trump, DOGE, and Secretary Kennedy heard us loud and clear: do not mess with our first responders and the healthcare of 9/11 survivors. This lifesaving program should have never been on the chopping block in the first place and so it makes sense that the Trump administration has done a complete about-face and heeded our calls to reverse these devastating cuts and rehire the dedicated staff of the World Trade Center Health Program. Today we saw what happens when New Yorkers fight back against disastrous job-killing decisions: Trump and Musk back off. When we say ‘Never Forget’ that means never wavering in our commitment to take care of those who answered the call on 9/11. I will continue to watch this issue like a hawk because the people who do this hard work and deserve these health funds are watching this back-and-forth with distrust and disgust. I will fight to make sure this program is protected from disruption and that no further cuts to staff or funding are made.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: A Palestinian-Israeli film is an Oscars favorite − so why is it so hard to see?

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Drew Paul, Associate Professor of Arabic, University of Tennessee

    Directors Basel Adra, left, and Yuval Abraham on stage at the 62nd New York Film Festival on Sept. 29, 2024. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

    For many low-budget, independent films, an Oscar nomination is a golden ticket.

    The publicity can translate into theatrical releases or rereleases, along with more on-demand rentals and sales.

    However, for “No Other Land,” a Palestinian-Israeli film nominated for best documentary at the 2025 Academy Awards, this exposure is unlikely to translate into commercial success in the U.S. That’s because the film has been unable to find a company to distribute it in America.

    “No Other Land” chronicles the efforts of Palestinian townspeople to combat an Israeli plan to demolish their villages in the West Bank and use the area as a military training ground. It was directed by four Palestinian and Israeli activists and journalists: Basel Adra, who is a resident of the area facing demolition, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor. While the filmmakers have organized screenings in a number of U.S. cities, the lack of a national distributor makes a broader release unlikely.

    Film distributors are a crucial but often unseen link in the chain that allows a film to reach cinemas and people’s living rooms. In recent years it has become more common for controversial award-winning films to run into issues finding a distributor. Palestinian films have encountered additional barriers.

    As a scholar of Arabic who has written about Palestinian cinema, I’m disheartened by the difficulties “No Other Land” has faced. But I’m not surprised.

    The role of film distributors

    Distributors are often invisible to moviegoers. But without one, it can be difficult for a film to find an audience.

    Distributors typically acquire rights to a film for a specific country or set of countries. They then market films to movie theaters, cinema chains and streaming platforms. As compensation, distributors receive a percentage of the revenue generated by theatrical and home releases.

    The film “Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat,” another finalist for best documentary, shows how this process typically works. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2024 and was acquired for distribution just a few months later by Kino Lorber, a major U.S.-based distributor of independent films.

    The inability to find a distributor is not itself noteworthy. No film is entitled to distribution, and most films by newer or unknown directors face long odds.

    However, it is unusual for a film like “No Other Land,” which has garnered critical acclaim and has been recognized at various film festivals and award shows. Some have pegged it as a favorite to win best documentary at the Academy Awards. And “No Other Land” has been able to find distributors in Europe, where it’s easily accessible on multiple streaming platforms.

    So why can’t “No Other Land” find a distributor in the U.S.?

    There are a couple of factors at play.

    Shying away from controversy

    In recent years, film critics have noticed a trend: Documentaries on controversial topics have faced distribution difficulties. These include a film about a campaign by Amazon workers to unionize and a documentary about Adam Kinzinger, one of the few Republican congresspeople to vote to impeach Donald Trump in 2021.

    The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, of course, has long stirred controversy. But the release of “No Other Land” comes at a time when the issue is particularly salient. The Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, and the ensuing Israeli bombardment and invasion of the Gaza Strip have become a polarizing issue in U.S. domestic politics, reflected in the campus protests and crackdowns in 2024. The filmmakers’ critical comments about the Israeli occupation of Palestine have also garnered backlash in Germany.

    Locals attend a screening of ‘No Other Land’ in the village of A-Tuwani in the West Bank on March 14, 2024.
    Yahel Gazit/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

    Yet the fact that this conflict has been in the news since October 2023 should also heighten audience interest in a film such as “No Other Land” – and, therefore, lead to increased sales, the metric that distributors care about the most.

    Indeed, an earlier film that also documents Palestinian protests against Israeli land expropriation, “5 Broken Cameras,” was a finalist for best documentary at the 2013 Academy Awards. It was able to find a U.S. distributor. However, it had the support of a major European Union documentary development program called Greenhouse. The support of an organization like Greenhouse, which had ties to numerous production and distribution companies in Europe and the U.S., can facilitate the process of finding a distributor.

    By contrast, “No Other Land,” although it has a Norwegian co-producer and received some funding from organizations in Europe and the U.S., was made primarily by a grassroots filmmaking collective.

    Stages for protest

    While distribution challenges may be recent, controversies surrounding Palestinian films are nothing new.

    Many of them stem from the fact that the system of film festivals, awards and distribution is primarily based on a movie’s nation of origin. Since there is no sovereign Palestinian state – and many countries and organizations have not recognized the state of Palestine – the question of how to categorize Palestinian films has been hard to resolve.

    In 2002, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rejected the first ever Palestinian film submitted to the best foreign language film category – Elia Suleiman’s “Divine Intervention” – because Palestine was not recognized as a country by the United Nations. The rules were changed for the following year’s awards ceremony.

    In 2021, the cast of the film “Let It Be Morning,” which had an Israeli director but primarily Palestinian actors, boycotted the Cannes Film Festival in protest of the film’s categorization as an Israeli film rather than a Palestinian one.

    Film festivals and other cultural venues have also become places to make statements about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and engage in protest. For example, at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017, the right-wing Israeli culture minister wore a controversial – and meme-worthy – dress that featured the Jerusalem skyline in support of Israeli claims of sovereignty over the holy city, despite the unresolved status of Jerusalem under international law.

    Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev wears a dress featuring the old city of Jerusalem during the Cannes Film Festival in 2017.
    Antonin Thuillier/AFP via Getty Images

    At the 2024 Academy Awards, a number of attendees, including Billie Eilish, Mark Ruffalo and Mahershala Ali, wore red pins in support of a ceasefire in Gaza, and pro-Palestine protesters delayed the start of the ceremonies.

    So even though a film like “No Other Land” addresses a topic of clear interest to many people in the U.S., it faces an uphill battle to finding a distributor.

    I wonder whether a win at the Oscars would even be enough.

    This article has been updated to clarify that the film was a collaborative effort between Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers.

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

    – ref. A Palestinian-Israeli film is an Oscars favorite − so why is it so hard to see? – https://theconversation.com/a-palestinian-israeli-film-is-an-oscars-favorite-so-why-is-it-so-hard-to-see-249233

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Enhanced support for local fire services

    Emergency situations bring an uncertainty that can leave the effect of stress and anxiety for many Albertans and their communities. Alberta’s local fire services hold a leading role in ensuring that Albertans and communities can navigate and make it through the uncertain times of an emergency through quick response and education around fire safety and prevention. 

    To further support municipalities in strengthening public safety during emergency situations, Alberta’s government is providing $585,000 to support municipal fire services and the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association (AFCA). In addition, Alberta’s government will establish a committee to strengthen ties between the provincial government, local governments and fire services to bolster public safety.

    “We are committed to public safety and improving how we support our brave and dedicated fire services. We appreciate the valuable feedback we received during our fire service review and look forward to the ongoing dialogue and collaboration we’ll achieve through the Provincial Fire Liaison Committee.”

    Ric McIver, Minister of Municipal Affairs

    Municipalities and their local fire services are often the first line of defence for an emergency, which makes it essential that firefighters receive training reflective of industry best standards. To ensure firefighters have access to the best training, Alberta’s government is providing a one-time increase of $500,000 for the Fire Services Training Program, bringing total funding to $1 million for training grants this year. This funding is available to all municipalities, Metis Settlements, and First Nations communities in Alberta and will prepare firefighters with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate emergency situations.

    “We appreciate the Government of Alberta’s commitment to strengthening local fire services. This investment will help ensure the safety of our residents, first responders, and communities. Together, we will build a stronger emergency response network to protect Albertans when they need it most.”

    Bob Marshall, reeve, County of Grande Prairie

    In addition to the funding available to municipalities, $85,000 will be provided to the AFCA to enhance their core competency tool, which municipalities can use to conduct risk assessments, develop appropriate fire service response plans and determine training needs. This new grant builds upon the Alberta government’s previous grant of $200,000 that was provided in 2024 to the AFCA to strengthen provincial fire reporting. Together, the core competency tool updates and improvements made to reporting will put municipal leaders in a better position to make well-informed decisions about local fire services and protection strategies for their communities.

    “The government support provided here today to our municipalities will play a crucial role in enhancing the skills and training of Alberta firefighters, ultimately leading to safer communities and continuously enhancing emergency response.”

    Chief Randy Schroeder, president, Alberta Fire Chiefs Association

    To further support the role of municipal fire services in strengthening public safety, a provincial fire liaison committee that will be made up of municipal, First Nations, Métis and fire service representatives is also under development. The diversity of the representatives on the committee will ensure that a variety of demographics, community sizes, skill sets and fire department structures are considered as part of its work. The committee is anticipated to be in place later this year.

    Quick facts

    • In Alberta, municipalities are responsible for determining local fire service levels, organization, budgets and training.
    • Examples of Municipal Affairs supports to Alberta’s fire services include:
      • Developing and implementing the provincial fire code.
      • Administering emergency responder service medals.
      • Administering the testing and certification for the fire service to the National Fire Protection Association Professional Qualification fire fighter standards.
      • Providing annual grants through the Fire Services Training Program.
    • The AFCA promotes, supports and facilitates best practices in fire protection and related emergency services and advocates on behalf of fire chiefs and departments in Alberta.

    Related information

    • Fire Services Training Program

    Related news

    • Enhancing public safety with fire service grants (June 3, 2024)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Repeat drug trafficker is heading back to prison another 15 years following ICE Rio Grande Valley, federal partner investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    MCALLEN, Texas — A South Texas man and convicted felon was sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking while on federal supervision, following an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in coordination with the ATF and Texas Department of Public Safety. The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation was conducted with assistance from the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and the Mission and Alton police departments.

    Salvador Noyola, 56, from Mission, Texas, was sentenced Feb. 20 by Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane to serve 188 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. On supervised release when he committed the crime, the court included 18 months as part of the sentence for violating that term. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane warned Noyola, stating “You’ve got to get out of this business… I hope that you will find another way to make money.” Noyola pleaded guilty May 3, 2024.

    ‘Today’s sentencing of a repeat drug trafficker to 15 years underscores the serious consequences of continuous involvement in these illegal activities. This significant penalty highlights our dedication to enforcing drug laws and maintaining public safety,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Rio Grande Valley Deputy Special Agent in Charge, Mark Lippa. “We hope this sentence acts as a powerful deterrent for others and reinforces the importance of adhering to the law. This outcome is a testament to the collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies working together to uphold justice and strive for a drug-free society.”

    According to court documents, in December 2023, authorities arrested Noyola following a search at his residence. At the time of the search, law enforcement seized over a kilogram of powdered cocaine.

    Noyola remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr., Lance Watt and Brittany Jensen from the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Metro-North to Expand Battery & Electric Powered Railcar Fleet

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced details of a major expansion of Metro-North Railroad’s railcar fleet, unveiling plans to add new trains that will provide New Haven Line service to Penn Station and four additional stations in the Bronx.

    “New York’s transportation system sets the standard for clean and reliable transit in North America, and we are further expanding and modernizing our transit system to better connect every community across the state,” Governor Hochul said. “I am committed to advancing environmentally-friendly and clean modes of transportation — that’s how we fight the climate crisis while delivering faster and more efficient service to riders.”

    In a first for North America, the passenger trains will be powered by battery- and electric-powered locomotives offering clean, green zero-emission service. The locomotives will generally draw electrical power from the overhead wires known as catenary, and switch to battery mode for tracks in and around Penn Station where electrical traction power has different characteristics. The Siemens Mobility Charger locomotives were based on the leading locomotive platform in Europe, the Vectron, and the Siemens battery and electric Charger locomotive is the next generation locomotive for North America.

    MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, “Transit is the antidote to climate change, and these locomotives — the first ever in North America — demonstrate, again, the MTA’s commitment to using innovation to green the region.”

    President of MTA Metro-North Railroad Catherine Rinaldi said, “In a few years, Metro-North’s Penn Access service will revolutionize how New Haven Line customers travel around the region, creating a link between communities in the Bronx and employment opportunities in West Midtown and along the New Haven Line in Westchester County and Connecticut. What better way to inaugurate this new service than with cutting edge battery-electric locomotives that will set a new standard for environmental friendliness and overall reliability?”

    MTA Chief of Rolling Stock Program Tim Mulligan said, “These new locomotives, powered exclusively by electricity but capable of operating on non-electrified lines via battery, will take a technology that is common in Europe and use it to revolutionize railroading in North America. The battery/electric locomotives will enable Metro-North to provide reliable, extremely environmentally friendly service using existing electrified infrastructure.”

    Siemens Mobility North America President and CEO Marc Buncher said, “On behalf of the more than 4,500 Siemens Mobility team members in the U.S., we are thrilled to bring battery/electric locomotives to the New York Metropolitan region. These American-Made locomotives will help to reinvent rail travel, offering more reliable and sustainable travel for millions of commuters each year.”

    If approved by the MTA Board — as anticipated on Wednesday — 13 battery- and electric-powered locomotives will be purchased by exercising an option on an existing contract with Siemens Mobility North America, which is already building 33 dual-mode locomotives for Metro-North that operate under diesel or third rail power.

    The new locomotives are expected to be similar in appearance to those 4,200-horsepower diesel/electric locomotives, known by the model number SC42-DM, which Metro-North unveiled in November 2024. The locomotives will pull or push coach cars, depending on the direction of travel, a configuration similar to Metro-North’s diesel trains.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Rio Grande Valley, federal partner investigation results in the sentencing of illegal alien for drug trafficking in South Texas

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    MCALLEN, Texas — A illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced for trafficking cocaine following an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Rio Grande Valley Office.

    Jorge Alberto Galindo-Vargas, 44, illegally residing in Mission, Texas, was sentenced Feb. 20 by Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane to serve 210 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. During the hearing, Galindo-Vargas spoke to the court noting that he had previously received a large sentence for drug trafficking at the age of 17. In handing down the sentence, in response to Galindo-Vargas statements, Judge Crane stated “Unfortunately, you’re in the cocaine business again, and that’s going to cost you another chunk of your life.” Galindo-Vargas pleaded guilty June 28, 2024.

    “The sentencing of this individual underscores our unwavering commitment to combatting drug trafficking and securing our borders,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Rio Grande Valley Deputy Special Agent in Charge, Mark Lippa. “This case is a testament to the tireless efforts of our dedicated agents and law enforcement partners who work diligently to ensure that those who engage in illegal activities are brought to justice. We remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities from the dangers posed by drug trafficking and to uphold the rule of law.”

    According to court documents, on Nov. 1, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop. Upon inspection, authorities discovered 12 kilograms of cocaine inside an ice chest inside the vehicle.

    Galindo-Vargas remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr., Lance Watt and Brittany Jensen from the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

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

    Learn more about ICE HSI’s mission to increase public safety in Central and South Texas communities on X: @HSI_SanAntonio.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Works to Give Maine People Access to Lower-Cost Prescription Drugs from Canada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation that would allow Americans to save money by importing the same medications from pharmacies in Canada — for less. The Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act would give Americans safe access to prescription drugs from Canada, which would help lower costs, increase access for consumers and positively impact the domestic market for consumers through increased competition.

    According the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), studies have shown that people in the United States often pay more for prescription drugs than in other developed countries. A 2024 report from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) found that Canadian drug prices are roughly 44% of those in the United States. Canada’s drug prices are generally lower than those in the United States because the Canadian government has implemented various mechanisms to lower the cost of prescription drugs. Last year, Florida became the first state to gain authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to import certain prescription drugs from Canada.

    “As we work to address the cost-of-living, making the prescription drug market more competitive is a simple way to help Americans — especially when we’re seeing our neighbors to the north enjoy lower out-of-pocket prices,” said Senator King. “The bipartisan Safe and Affordable Drugs From Canada Act would give Maine people the ability to purchase their prescriptions directly from pharmacies across the northern border at the market rate of a less expensive marketplace. This legislation is a commonsense step that will help Maine people save money and stay healthy.”

    In addition to Senator King, this legislation is cosponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

    Senator King has been a leader in working to reduce prescription drug costs. He also recently cosponsored bipartisan legislation which would require price disclosures on advertisements for prescription drugs in order to inform patients who are considering certain medications after seeing television commercials. He previously introduced legislation to prohibit pharmaceutical drug manufacturers from claiming tax deductions for consumer advertising expenses. Most recently, Senator King introduced the Responsibility in Drug Advertising Act, which would prohibit direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of a new drug in the first three years after the drug receives Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval.

    He has also supported a number of commonsense bills to drive down the costs of prescription medication in the United States including the historic Inflation Reduction Act. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, insulin fees are capped at $35 per month, Medicare is able to negotiate drug prices, and a $2,000 yearly cap on out-of-pocket expenses has been instituted for Medicare recipients.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Dr. Rand Paul Speaks on Fiscal Sanity and Stability, Introduces Amendment to Cut Spending by $1.5 Trillion

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    February 21, 2025

     Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343 

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) spoke on the Senate floor on fiscal sanity ahead of introducing his amendment to the Senate budget. Dr. Paul’s amendment would have put the country on a path toward fiscal stability by cutting spending by $1.5 trillion, mirroring the House Budget Resolution which will be considered next week. Dr. Paul’s amendment received a vote during the Senate’s marathon “vote-a-rama,” the final vote tally was 24-76.

    You can read Dr. Paul’s amendment HERE, and watch his floor speech HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN report urges Colombia to protect civilians amid ongoing violence

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    The UN human rights office (OHCHR) has issued a stark warning about ongoing violence in Colombia perpetrated by armed groups and criminal organisations, which threatens the country’s nearly ten year old peace accord. 

    The newly published report covering 2024, highlights the devastating impact on civilians, particularly Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant communities, and peasants.

    The report details how these armed groups use violence to exert control over the population, furthering their own economic interests and undermining governance.

    Catatumbo region

    The escalation of fighting in the Catatumbo region since mid-January, which resulted in over 52 deaths and the forced displacement of tens of thousands, underscores the severe suffering of civilians caught in the conflict.

    UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, emphasised the need for the Colombian Government to prioritise the protection of its population in negotiations with non-State armed groups.

    “Ensuring the State is present throughout Colombia and has unrestricted access to areas where these groups operate is essential to guarantee everyone’s rights.

    “This includes preventing the recruitment of children under the age of 18 and securing the immediate release of those already under the control of armed groups,” Mr. Türk stated.

    Child recruits

    The report reveals that 216 children were recruited by non-State armed groups in 2024, many of them from Indigenous communities.

    Mr Türk urged the authorities to take immediate measures to protect these vulnerable populations, particularly those at extreme risk due to the ongoing internal armed conflicts.

    In addition to the recruitment of children, OHCHR verified that 252 people were killed in 72 massacres last year.

    A further 89 human rights defenders were also killed during this period. The UN rights chief welcomed the resumption of dialogue between the State and civil society on the protection of human rights defenders but stressed that more needs to be done to ensure their safety, especially for those defending the environment.

    The report also calls for the prompt implementation of the Escazú Agreement, a regional environmental and human rights treaty ratified by Colombia last year.

    Environmental protections

    Mr. Türk highlighted the importance of this agreement in protecting both the environment and those who defend it.

    To accelerate the implementation of the Security Council and UN-backed 2016 Peace Agreement which ended decades of insurgency against the Government by FARC rebels, the report urges the Colombian authorities to prioritise the protection of civilians and strengthen governance in various regions.

    It also emphasises the need for coordinated efforts in implementing the Government’s security, total peace, and dismantling policies.

    Some progress

    Despite the challenges, the report acknowledges progress in several areas, including comprehensive rural reform and the work of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace – the transitional justice tribunal established by the Peace Agreement.

    Recent decisions to indict former commanders of the FARC-EP guerrilla and former high-ranking military officials with crimes against humanity and war crimes are seen as fundamental steps in the fight against impunity and in fulfilling the rights of victims to truth and justice.

    The report also welcomes ongoing reforms of the security sector, including the police and intelligence services, aimed at strengthening respect for human rights, transparency, and accountability.

    The willingness of these institutions to continue cooperating with the UN Human Rights Office is seen as a positive development.

    The report is scheduled to be presented to the Human Rights Council on 3 March 2025.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Fossil footprints reveal what may be the oldest known handcarts – new research

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Matthew Robert Bennett, Professor of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Bournemouth University

    If you’re a parent you’ve probably tried, at some point, to navigate the supermarket with a trolley, and at least one child in tow. But our new study suggests there was an ancient equivalent, dating to 22,000 years ago. This handcart, without wheels, was used before wheeled vehicles were invented around 5,000 years ago in the Middle East.

    Recently our research team discovered some remarkable fossil traces which might give a hint. These traces were found alongside some of the oldest known human footprints in the Americas at a place called White Sands in New Mexico.

    In the last few years, several footprint discoveries at this site have begun to rewrite early American history – pushing back the arrival of the first people to enter this land by 8,000 years.

    There is some controversy around the age (23,000 years old) of these footprints, with some researchers unhappy with our dating methods. But they provide a remarkable picture of past life on the margins of a large wetland at the end of the last ice age.

    The footprints tell stories, written in mud, of how people lived, hunted and survived in this land. Footprints connect people to the past in a way that a stone tool or archaeological artefact never can. Traditional archaeology is based on the discovery of stone tools. Most people today have never made a stone tool but almost all of us will have left a footprint at some time, even if it is only on the floor of the bathroom.

    Today, modern shopping trolleys can be found rusting in canals, rivers or abandoned in shrubbery. But ancient versions would have probably been of wood and simply rotted away. We know that transport technology must have existed.

    Everyone has stuff to transport, but we have no record of it until written histories. At White Sands, we found drag-marks made by the ends of wooden poles while excavating for fossil footprints. Sometimes these appear as just one trace, while at other times they occur as two parallel, equidistant traces.

    A pole or poles used in this fashion is called a travois. These drag-marks are preserved in dried mud that was buried by sediment and revealed by a combination of erosion and excavation. The drag-marks extend for dozens of metres before disappearing beneath overlying sediment. They clip barefoot human tracks along their length, suggesting the user dragged the travois over their own footprints as they went along.

    To help interpret these features, we conducted a series of tests on mud flats both in Dorset, UK, and on the coast of Maine, US. We used different combinations of poles to recreate simple, hand-pulled travois.

    In our experiments the pole-ends dragged along the mud truncate footprints in the same way as the fossil example in New Mexico. These features in the fossil examples were also always associated with lot of other human footprints travelling in a similar direction, many of which, judging by their size, were made by children.

    We believe the footprints and drag-marks tell a story of the movement of resources at the edge of this former wetland. Adults pulled the simple, probably improvised travois, while a group of children tagged along to the side and behind.

    The research team has benefited from the insight of the Indigenous peoples we work with at White Sands, and they interpret the marks in this way as well. We cannot discount that some of the marks may be made by dragging firewood, but this does not fit all the cases we found.

    Travois are known from historical documents and accounts of Indigenous peoples and their traditions. They were more commonly associated with dogs or horses, but they were pulled by humans in our tests.

    As such they represent early examples of the handcart or wheelbarrow, but without the wheel. The earliest record of a wheeled vehicle dates from Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq), in 2,500BC. We think the travois were probably improvised from tent poles, firewood and spears when the need arose.

    Maybe they were created to help move camp, or more likely, transport meat from a hunting-site. In the latter context the analogy with the shopping trolley comes to the fore, as does the pained expression of the adults faces as they quest for resources with a gaggle of children in tow.

    Matthew Robert Bennett receives funding from Arts and Humanities Research Council.

    Sally Christine Reynolds 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. Fossil footprints reveal what may be the oldest known handcarts – new research – https://theconversation.com/fossil-footprints-reveal-what-may-be-the-oldest-known-handcarts-new-research-250438

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Pushes to Permanently Repeal the Federal Death Tax

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, joined a bipartisan group of her colleagues in working to permanently repeal the federal estate tax, more commonly known as the death tax or inheritance tax.
    The Death Tax Repeal Act would end this purely punitive tax that has the potential to hit family-run farms and small businesses following the owner’s death. Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa).
    “Iowa farming families and entrepreneurs work for generations to establish farms and build small businesses that are essential to our state’s economy and rural communities,” said Senator Ernst. “They should not have to fear the loss of their livelihoods as they grieve a loved one. It’s time to eliminate this crippling tax burden and costly estate planning expenses once and for all.”
    Background:
    Ernst has been a strong opponent of the death tax, recognizing its burden on family-owned businesses, farms, and ranches. During the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), she supported efforts to repeal the tax. While the TCJA did not fully eliminate the death tax, it did double the estate and gift tax exemption to $10 million through 2025, easing the impact on many families. The Death Tax Repeal Actwould provide permanent relief.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Leads Senate Colleagues in Urging Secretary Rubio to Restore Critical Global Health Programs to Keep Americans Safe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led 20 colleagues in calling on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to urgently restore funding for global health, development, and humanitarian programs. In the wake of the Trump administration’s abrupt termination of key foreign assistance programs and personnel without review, the letter highlights the national security imperatives of U.S. global health efforts, which keep Americans safe, strengthen U.S. leadership, and increase global stability.

    “The Trump Administration’s freeze on foreign assistance and opaque waiver process, coupled with the attempted dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has significantly weakened our ability to respond to emergencies, left gaps in disease surveillance, and undermined global partnerships— leaving a vacuum that our adversaries are eager to fill,” the Senators wrote.  

    The Senators expressed concern that without American global health programs, current outbreaks of infectious diseases like Ebola, Marburg Virus, and Bird Flu have the potential for spreading to U.S. soil. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an infectious disease can spread from a remote village to a major city in the United States in as little as 36 hours. Additionally, the foreign assistance funding freeze has stopped critical Malaria interventions before peak transmission and paused many clinical trials and data collection endeavors that require continuous data collection. As a result, product development for desperately needed drugs and vaccines have been brought to a halt. 

    “The U.S. cannot afford to withdraw from the global stage. Weak health systems in already fragile regions create opportunities for infectious disease to spread unchecked, for extremist groups to gain influence, and for adversaries to expand their reach,” the Senators continued.

    The Senators warned Secretary Rubio that Russian leaders have publicly praised the decision to dismantle USAID, an agency that helps counter China’s efforts to expand its Belt and Road Initiative in Africa and Latin America. Additionally, China is already stepping in to fill the vacuum left by the United States at the World Health Organization.  

    “We urge you to reverse the damaging personnel actions at USAID, and swiftly restart U.S. investments in global health, development, and humanitarian aid—not just as a moral obligation, but as part of the necessary strategy to protect America’s national security. In the meantime, there must be a clear process to achieve and implement waivers for these critical programs… Restoring these investments and the professional staff with training and skillsets to implement these life-saving programs will strengthen global health security, reinforce our leadership on the world stage, and make us safer at home,” the Senators concluded.

    The letter is cosigned by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT),  Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chris Coons (D-DE), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). 

    To read the full text of the letter, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PREPARED REMARKS: Sanders Opening Statement in Hearing to Consider Chavez-DeRemer Nomination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today delivered an opening statement at the committee’s hearing on the nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer to serve as Secretary of Labor. 

    Sanders’ remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below and can be watched here.

    Let me begin by thanking the Biden administration for being the most pro-worker administration in modern history of this country. 

    The mission of the Department of Labor is to “foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage-earners, job-seekers and retirees of the United States, improve working conditions, advance opportunities for profitable employment and assure work-related benefits and rights.” That is the mission of the Department of Labor, and it’s a mission that is more important now, in my view, that it has ever been. 

    Mr. Chairman, for the past 50 years, our economy has been doing extraordinarily well. Never done better for the people on top. Top 1%, right now, is enjoying wealth and power in a way that has never existed in the history of America. 

    We now have the absurd situation – the disgraceful situation – where three people, Mr. Musk, Mr. Zuckerberg and Mr. Bezos are now worth over $900 billion. That is more wealth than the bottom half of American society: 170 million people. Is that really what America is supposed to be about? 

    In America, we have more income and wealth inequality than we have ever had. Over 60% of our people, as we speak right here, 60% of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck. I grew up in a family living paycheck-to-paycheck. That ain’t easy. Stress level: enormous. People trying to find out how they are going to get health care, how they are going to pay their rent, how they’re going to feed their kids, which is one of the reasons working-class people live six years shorter lives than the people on top. 

    Given this reality, of an economy working well for the billionaire class but not for working families, we need a labor secretary who, in fact, is going to be a champion of working families – not be ambiguous about it, but stand up for the working families of our country. 

    We need a labor secretary who understands we must raise the minimum wage. Now, $7.25. Federal minimum wage. Anybody think that anyone anywhere in America can live on $7.25 an hour?

    We need a labor secretary who will work each and every day to make it easier, not harder, for workers to exercise their constitutional right to form a union and collectively bargain for better wages and working conditions. 

    We need a labor secretary who understands that we must end, once and for all, the disastrous right-to-work laws in 28 states by repealing section 14B of Taft-Harley.

    We need a labor secretary who understands we must end the international embarrassment of America being the only major country on Earth that does not guarantee paid family and medical leave, or paid sick days. Imagine that. Only major country on Earth that does not guarantee paid family medical leave. 

    We need a labor secretary who understands it is unacceptable that women earn 75 cents on the dollar compared to men. 

    So Ms. Chavez-DeRemer, I have reviewed your record, and in many respects, especially given the nature of the nominees that Mr. Trump has brought forth, it is very good. You’re one of the few Republican members of Congress who cosponsored the PRO Act and the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, to make it easier for workers to form unions. 

    You have been a defender of union apprenticeship programs and you have fought to expand the concept of employee ownership – something I feel strongly about. Many unions have come out in support of your nomination, and that is an interesting development. I have spoken with you and union leaders who support your nomination. 

    But here is my concern: If you are confirmed, you will not only be in charge of enforcing more than 180 labor laws that are on the books today, you will be the president’s chief labor advisor. That is what you will be. 

    When it comes to labor policy, you will have to make a choice: Will you be a rubber stamp for the anti-worker agenda of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and other multi-billionaires who are blatantly anti-union? They don’t make any bones about it. Or will you stand with working families all over the country? 

    That is really the main issue. It’s not just your record. This is an unusual administration. In my view, we are moving toward an authoritarian society where one person has enormous power. Will you have the courage to say, Mr. President, that is unconstitutional, that is wrong, I will not stand with you. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PREPARED REMARKS: Sanders to Colleagues on Senate Floor: “Do You Have the Courage to Continue Telling the Truth When the President is Lying?”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today gave remarks on the floor of the Senate regarding President Trump’s lies and asking his colleagues when they will stand up to the president.
    Sanders’ remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below and can be watched HERE: 
    We live in difficult times – in times where people throughout our country are experiencing a great deal of anxiety for a number of reasons. And in the midst of all of that, it is important that we not forget what is taking place, not only in Ukraine, but back home here in the United States. 
    And back home, right now, tens of millions of Americans are struggling economically to keep their heads above water. 60% of our people are living paycheck to paycheck. 85 million are uninsured or underinsured. And we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major nation on Earth. 
    And as someone who has visited senior centers throughout the state of Vermont and has spoken to seniors throughout our country, I can tell you that there is a significant level of fear and anxiety among the older people in this country with regard to what’s happening right here in DC. 
    When we have a president of the United States and Republicans who are talking about massive cuts to Medicaid, let’s understand – and seniors do understand – that we are not just talking about throwing millions of kids off the health care that they have, at a time when we are the only major country on Earth not to provide health care to all people, not just kids, off of health care.
    We are talking about massive cuts to community health centers, which receive over 40% of their funding from Medicaid, and where millions of seniors go to get the primary care they need. 
    And at a time when we already have a major crisis in nursing home availability, let us understand that Medicaid provides funding for two out of every three seniors who live in nursing homes. In other words, massive cuts to Medicaid would be a disaster for senior citizens throughout this country. But it is not just Medicaid cuts that worry our seniors. 
    Today, quite unbelievably, 25% of people in our country who are 65 years of age or older are trying to survive on incomes of $15,000 a year or less. I, myself, do not know how anybody, let alone a senior with health care needs, can survive on $15,000 a year, but that is what 25% of our seniors are trying to do. 
    Mr. President, this issue of so many seniors struggling to get by, struggling to heat their homes, struggling to buy the food or the prescription drugs they need – this is an issue we must address. And it is a crisis that is unacceptable in the richest country in the history of the world. 
    And that is why, Mr. President, I am proud to tell you that within the next several weeks I, along with a number of cosponsors, will be introducing legislation that expands Social Security benefits and extends the solvency of Social Security for decades.
    We’re hearing a lot of talk about cutting Social Security. We should not be talking about cutting Social Security. We must be talking about expanding Social Security benefits. And the legislation that I will introduce will do just that. 
    It will expand social security benefits by $2,400 a year, and it would not raise taxes by one penny on the bottom 93% of Americans – those who make less than $250,000 a year. And how do we do that? By lifting the cap and applying the Social Security payroll tax on all income above $250,000.
    Unbelievably, under current law, a billionaire pays the same amount of money into Social Security as someone who makes $176,000 a year. Elon Musk, worth $400 billion, pays the same amount into Social Security as somebody who makes $176,000. That is because, under Social Security, there is an absurd cap on taxable income. 
    If we lifted that cap and made sure that millionaires and billionaires paid the same percentage of their income into Social Security as the working class of this country, we could extend the life of Social Security for generations to come and lift millions of seniors out of poverty. 
    Further, Mr. President, when we talk about the needs of senior citizens in this country, I want to mention that I will also be introducing legislation to expand Medicare to cover dental, vision, and hearing.
    It is unacceptable that millions of seniors are unable to read a newspaper because they cannot afford eyeglasses, can’t have conversations with their grandchildren because they can’t afford hearing aids, and have trouble eating because they cannot afford dentures. That should not be happening in the United States of America in the year 2025. 
    Expanding Medicare to cover dental, vision, and hearing is an extremely popular concept. Poll after poll shows that 80% of the American people – Democrats, Republicans, Independents – support doing just that. 
    All across this country there is a growing fear that the Trump administration is undermining the Constitution of our country – a Constitution which has kept us a free nation and an example, a model of the rest of the world, for the last 250 years. 
    During the last month alone, President Trump has attempted to usurp the powers of Congress illegally and unconstitutionally, refusing to fund programs passed by Congress. 
    He has illegally destroyed agencies like USAID and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that were created by Congress. And under the leadership of Mr. Musk, they have illegally and inappropriately gained access to tax data and Social Security data of millions of Americans. 
    Every day, they are acting in an illegal and unconstitutional manner. Just this week, President Trump tweeted, “he who saves his country does not violate any law.” 
    Wow. 
    In other words, Mr. Trump sees himself, the president of the United States, as above the law and immune from the basic rules of the Constitution and the separation of powers that have governed this country since the founding. 
    “Anything I want to do, I’m president, I can do it. It doesn’t matter what Congress says, it doesn’t matter what the Constitution says, it doesn’t matter what the rule of law is about. I don’t need to hear from anybody else.” 
    That’s not what Americans fought and died to preserve. In regard to the move to authoritarianism, let me say a few words about an area that I think has not gotten much attention at all. And that is Trump’s attack on the free press, which is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. The Founding Fathers of this country considered freedom of speech and free press to be enormously important. That was the First Amendment. 
    Mr. Trump has sued CBS and its parent company, Paramount, for $20 billion because he didn’t like how they edited an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. The company is now reportedly considering settling the lawsuit, and I certainly hope they do not do that, out of fear of retaliation from Trump’s FCC. 
    He did not like a television program on CBS. But you don’t sue somebody for $20 billion because you didn’t like the program. 
    And obviously, the intention of that lawsuit is clear: and that is that CBS, and every other network and media outlet, will now have to look over their shoulder. “Oh, my goodness, we’re saying something critical of Donald Trump. Is he going to sue us for $5 billion or $10 billion? Maybe we should not run that Maybe we should not do that investigative report.” 
    Not just CBS. In recent times he has sued ABC. He has sued Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram. He has sued the Des Moines Register. 
    What crime did a little newspaper in Iowa make? What was their crime? They ran a poll which turned out, in retrospect, to be inaccurate. So pollsters all over America, be careful.  
    How absurd is that? And what kind of threat is it to freedom of speech and expression in this country? 
    Mr. President, when we talk about the Trump administration’s movement toward authoritarianism, we should take note of another remarkable and troubling set of events that happened just this week. We saw the president of the United States openly aligning himself with the dictator of Russia, Vladimir Putin, to undermine the independence of Ukraine and abandon our closest democratic allies in Europe. 
    Trump made it clear that he sees one of the world’s most brutal dictators as his pal. And our long time democratic allies as his enemies. 
    It appears that Mr. Trump wants a world that is safe for authoritarians and oligarchs, but dangerous and unstable for democracies. And when we talk about authoritarianism, we have got to mention the growing phenomenon in this country of the Big Lie: say something that is blatantly untrue, repeat it over and over again and then blast that lie out on social media until people actually believe it. 
    Let me mention one of the very big lies that Trump said recently regarding the war in Ukraine. Earlier this week, the president said that Ukraine started the war. Trump said that Ukraine started the war. Really? 
    That is, as I hope every member of the Senate knows, an absolute lie. 
    Russia invaded Ukraine twice, first in 2014 and then again on February 24, 2022. And on that date, February 24, 2022, Putin’s tanks and troops rolled into Ukraine. And on that day, Russian aircraft began bombing targets all over Ukraine. 
    Russia started the war, period, end of discussion. Trump is lying. 
    Since Putin’s invasion over one million people having been killed or injured. Every single day, Russia continues to rain down hundreds of missiles and drones on Ukrainian cities. Putin’s forces have massacred civilians and captured Ukrainian children, bringing them back to Russian “re-education” camps. There atrocities led the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, in 2022, as a war criminal. 
    Further, Trump called Ukrainian President Zelensky – not Putin, but Zelensky, a dictator. And that obviously is not true either. Zelenskyy won 75% of the vote in free elections. And in the midst of a brutal war, Ukraine’s parliament continues to function and open and unfettered political debate takes place. 
    Trump recently claimed that our European allies have done little to support Ukraine in its fight against Putin’s invasion. He said the U.S. has contributed three times more than Europe. But that is another lie. In fact, Europe has provided more aid to Ukraine than the United States. 
    But it’s not just that Trump is lying again. That is not new. It’s what this all reveals about where we want to take our country and where we want the world to be moving – what direction.
    Trump is cozying up to Vladimir Putin. So who is Putin? And what kind of world does Putin want to build? 
    Putin is a dictator who crushed Russia’s movement toward democracy after the end of the Cold War. Russia now holds sham elections where Putin wins 90% of the vote, and authorities there do not even try to hide their ballot stuffing. 
    There it is no freedom of speech or free media in Putin’s Russia. Protests are violently suppressed. Tens of thousands of people are in prison for protesting Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Political dissidents are harassed or thrown into jail. The bravest, like Alexei Navalny are killed outright. Hundreds of thousands of Russians have fled Putin’s Russia since his invasion of Ukraine. 
    That, Mr. President, is the Russian leader that Donald Trump admires. But, Mr. President, my Republican colleagues know all of this. And what is particularly disturbing to me – and I believe the American people – is my colleagues, my Republican colleagues understand and know that Trump is lying. They know that Russia started the war, not Ukraine. They know that Putin is a dictator, not Zelensky. But their silence has been overwhelming on this issue. 
    I cannot tell you how many times I have sat here on the floor and I have listened to my Republican colleagues come to the Senate to condemn Vladimir Putin and his brutal invasion of Ukraine. And many of their remarks were right on the money. They were perceptive and they were right. 
    And my simple question to my Republican colleagues right now is: “Where are you now?”
    Last I heard, Mr. President, this is still a democracy. Last I heard, we are still allowed to disagree with the president of the United States, even if he is a member of your own party. Last I heard, we are allowed to call out the president when he lies – blatantly lies, even if he is a member of our own party. And what really bothers me is I know that many of my Republican colleagues understand all of this. 
    And I just want to give you an example of what is going on right now. Let me just quote a few of my Republican colleagues in statements they have made since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. These are Republican members of the United States Senate. And I’m not going to mention names right now. I don’t want to embarrass anybody, put anybody on the spot. But these are quotes. 
    One leading Republican said, “we must remember the instigator of this war was Russia. It was president Putin who launched an unprovoked attack on Ukraine.” And that Republican colleague was obviously right. 
    Another Republican said, and I quote. “I think Vladimir Putin started the war, I also believe, through bitter experience, that Vladimir Putin is a gangster.” That’s a Republican colleague. 
    A third Republican colleague said, “there is no equivalency between Vladimir Putin and President Zelensky. President Putin is evil and he has to be stopped.” 
    A fourth Republican said, when the war began, “today’s invasion of Ukraine by Russia is a premeditated and flagrant act of war. Putin has violated the border of a sovereign country.” And that senator later said, “anyone who is surprised by Putin’s deadly attack on a sovereign nation has not been paying attention. These are the actions of a mad man.” And just recently, that very same senator said, “Putin is not going to stop with Ukraine. If we abandon Ukraine and throw in the towel as some would like us to do, that is going to drastically change how people view the United States and how people rely on the United States and there will be major consequences.” 
    And a fifth Republican colleague here in the Senate called Putin a “thug” and compared him to Hitler. He said, “Vladimir Putin is not a legitimate leader. He is a war criminal that needs to be dealt with.” 
    That is what my Republican colleagues have said time and time again. 
    And the question is, now, do you have the courage to continue telling the truth when the president of the United States is lying? 
    This is an extraordinarily pivotal moment in American history. And all of us must have the courage to stand up for truth, to stand up for democracy, to oppose authoritarianism. 
    This is the moment. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis Announces Key Commerce Subcommittees for 119th Congress

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    February 24, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) today announced that she has been named to three subcommittees as part of her work on the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. 

    Senator Lummis will serve on the following subcommittees during the 119th Congress: 

    • Science, Manufacturing, and Competitiveness subcommittee 
    • Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy subcommittee 
    • Telecommunications and Media subcommittee 

    “I’m honored to be chosen to serve on these critical subcommittees and work on these important issues that impact the future of our country,” said Lummis. “These subcommittees tackle everything from the impacts of AI to our efforts to bring manufacturing back to the United States, and I’m excited to bring Wyoming’s unique perspective to these issues. I look forward to working on these subcommittees to provide true oversight and harness America’s unlimited innovation potential. I am excited to get to work.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Education Nominee McMahon Tells Warren and Kim She “Wholeheartedly” Agrees with Trump’s Plan to Abolish Department of Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    February 24, 2025
    Text of Questions for the Record (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.), member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, released responses to Committee questions for the record from Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, in which McMahon states that she “wholeheartedly” agrees with Trump’s plans to abolish the Department of Education (ED).
    “President Trump believes that the bureaucracy in Washington should be abolished so that we can return education to the states, where it belongs. I wholeheartedly support and agree with this mission,” wrote McMahon.
    This response was not the only troubling answer from Ms. McMahon. She also refused to commit to preserving ED’s role in carrying out any of its present responsibilities, including:
    Administering federal student aid
    Funding Career and Technical Education
    Funding HBCUs
    Protecting the civil rights of students
    Funding teacher training programs
    Monitoring student loan servicers
    Sponsoring academic research
    Notably, McMahon also appeared to support the Trump Administration’s funding freeze, which continues to cause chaos across the country, stating that “Every Administration has the right to review all funding obligations and ensure that funding is being distributed in a way that aligns with both Congressional intent and the priorities of the duly elected President of the United States.”
    “Linda McMahon has made herself clear: as Secretary of Education, she will do whatever Donald Trump asks her to do—including abolishing the entire department, which supports millions of students trying to receive an education,” said Senator Warren. “Confirming her as Education Secretary would be a disaster for students and teachers in all 50 states.”
    “Linda McMahon has made clear her top responsibility is complete and total loyalty to President Trump, including her openness to dissolve the very department she would be confirmed to run,” said Senator Kim. “As the administration’s illegal funding freeze threatens already scarce resources for schools and critical programs, her blind loyalty is dangerous. Instead of treating education as a public good that is a foundation for our society, the Trump administration is trying to demonize it and change it in ways that will leave many children vulnerable. We cannot let them.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cortez Masto Demand Transparency Regarding Termination of NNSA Personnel

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) sent a letter to President Trump’s Department of Energy (DOE) and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) regarding recent terminations of NNSA personnel. Given the NNSA’s role in maintaining and modernizing the American nuclear stockpile, largely done at the Nevada National Security Sites (NNSS), the senators expressed grave concern that the chaotic terminations could harm American national security.
    “NNSA personnel possess highly specialized expertise that is not easily replaceable, and any disruption to their work could have far-reaching consequences for U.S. national security and global nuclear stability,” wrote the Senators. “Reductions in staff, particularly among senior leadership and technical experts, could compromise the continuity of critical programs, modernization, and weaken the ability of the U.S. to respond to emerging nuclear threats.”
    “Adding to these concerns, there are reports the NNSA is now attempting to rehire the terminated employees but has been unable to contact some of them,” they continued. “The fact that the agency is struggling to restore essential personnel suggests these firings were premature, mismanaged, or not conducted with full consideration of the potential impacts on national security operations.”
    The senators asked that the following information about the terminations be made public:

     The total number of National Nuclear Security Administration employees who were terminated, including those in Nevada.
    Any planned future rounds of firings, including those in Nevada.
    The specific positions and responsibilities of these employees.
    How many employees, if any, have been successfully rehired.
    A detailed explanation of the rationale behind these terminations, including any financial, policy, or strategic considerations that led to these decisions.
    How the hiring freeze, put in place by the current administration, impacts the mission at NNSA.
    A detailed assessment on how these firings and then rehirings impact any future recruitment at the NNSA.

    The full text of the letter can be found here.
    Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto are champions for strengthening American national security, especially at sites like the NNSS. They have consistently voted to deliver critical funding to the NNSS. They also have a strong history of opposing nuclear waste disposal at Yucca Mountain and have introduced legislation to ensure the Secretary of Energy obtains written consent from state, local, and tribal leaders before allowing construction of a nuclear waste repository.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Helps Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Ensure All Purple Heart Recipients Can Transfer Benefits to Dependents

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) helped introduce the bipartisan Purple Heart Veterans Education Act to close a loophole that has denied some Purple Heart medal recipients the ability to transfer their GI Bill benefits to their dependents. This bipartisan bill would ensure that all veterans who have received a Purple Heart are able to transfer their benefits to dependents.
    “Nevada’s Purple Heart recipients are heroes who sacrificed themselves in service to our country,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m joining this bipartisan bill to help close an unfair loophole and ensure that all veterans who have earned a Purple Heart can ensure their families have access to the full benefits promised to them. I’ll continue to stand with the men and women who have served our nation proudly.”
    The Purple Heart medal is presented to servicemembers who have been wounded or killed as a result of enemy action while serving in the U.S. military. A Purple Heart is a solemn distinction that recognizes servicemembers who have greatly sacrificed themselves, or paid the ultimate price, while in the line of duty.
    Senator Rosen has worked consistently to deliver for Nevada’s veterans and help them receive their benefits. Earlier this year, she helped introduce bipartisan legislation to assist veterans with home ownership and increase awareness of VA resources. She announced that a bipartisan Rosen-backed bill to expand veterans benefits outreach became law. Senator Rosen’s bipartisan legislation to require the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to maintain a permanent helpline for veterans to use for information on VA services is now law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Import Lower-Cost Prescription Drugs from Canada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and a bipartisan group of her colleagues introduced the Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act, which would allow Americans to safely import prescription drugs from Canada, lowering costs, increasing access for consumers, and creating more competition in the pharmaceutical market.
    “Big drug companies are ripping off Americans and far too many families in Wisconsin are struggling to afford the prescription drugs they need to stay healthy —it’s just not right,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to work with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to help lower costs for Wisconsinites and ensure they can get the medications they need at a price they can afford.”
    Senator Baldwin has long championed bringing down prescription drug costs. In August 2022, Senator Baldwin helped pass the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to lower health care and prescription drug costs for older adults, people with disabilities, and families across the nation. Starting in January 2023, the IRA capped the cost of insulin for Medicare Part D beneficiaries at $35 a month for certain covered insulin products. The Baldwin-backed IRA also empowered Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices with 25 drugs that treat diabetes, cancers, and asthma currently under negotiation with more to come. The cost-savings for the first 10 drugs will go into effect in 2026 and is estimated to save taxpayers $6 billion a year. 
    Senator Baldwin also launched an investigation into the extremely high prices four large pharmaceutical companies charge for inhalers that 25 million Americans with asthma and 16 million Americans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) rely on to breathe. In just two months after the investigation was launched, three of the four pharmaceutical companies capped their out-of-pocket costs for their inhaler products at $35 per month in the United States.
    The bill is led by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Chuck Grassley and co-sponsored by Senators Angus King (I-ME), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: A just and lasting peace for Ukraine

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Three years ago today, Russia launched an illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine that has left hundreds of thousands dead and forced millions to flee. In the face of unimaginable hardship, Ukrainians have persevered and have fought for freedom and democracy. Canada has supported and will continue to support Ukraine in achieving just and lasting peace.

    The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, visited Kyiv today to reaffirm Canada’s unwavering support for Ukraine.

    During this visit, the Prime Minister highlighted the recent conclusion of negotiations between Canada and Ukraine on the terms of Canada’s $5 billion contribution to the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans mechanism. Canada will disburse the first half of its contribution, totalling $2.5 billion, in the coming days, with the remainder to follow soon. Announced last year at the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy, the ERA Loans will bring forward the future revenues from frozen Russian sovereign assets. This initiative will provide Ukraine with approximately $69 billion (US$50 billion).

    To maintain pressure on Russia, Prime Minister Trudeau announced new sanctions targeting 76 individuals and entities providing support for the Kremlin’s military industrial base, involved in the unlawful deportation or forced transfer of Ukrainian children, or supporting the Kremlin’s information operations capabilities, as well as senior Russian government officials and oligarchs who support Putin’s regime. In total, Canada has sanctioned more than 3,000 individuals and entities who are complicit in the violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and in gross and systematic human rights violations. The Prime Minister also announced that Canada is taking action against Russia’s shadow fleet by sanctioning 109 vessels based on their involvement in the transfer of sanctioned goods, including hydrocarbons whose revenue fuels Russia’s war machine.

    In response to Russia’s renewed attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which have left millions of civilians deprived of electricity, water, and heat, the Prime Minister also announced a $50 million contribution to help support Ukraine’s urgent efforts to repair and replace damaged energy equipment and critical infrastructure, in partnership with the Energy Community Secretariat. This builds on the $20 million in funding Canada announced last year in support of this initiative at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, in Lucerne, Switzerland.

    During a bilateral meeting with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Trudeau noted progress on Canada’s assistance commitments, including the delivery of military training and critical equipment, such as armoured combat vehicles and infantry fighting vehicles, ammunition, and F-16 landing systems and simulators. 

    Building on the $3.02 billion announced in the Agreement on Security Cooperation between Canada and Ukraine last year, the Prime Minister announced that $40 million of the total $3.02 billion in funding will be allocated to deliver urgently needed capabilities to the Armed Forces of Ukraine through the Danish Model and another $15 million toward supporting Canadian companies seeking to operate and invest in Ukraine’s defence sector.

    The Prime Minister announced new assistance measures for Ukraine totalling $118.5 million, including:

    • $92.3 million in development assistance to strengthen local community building, support small-scale livelihood recovery projects that address community needs, reduce poverty and break down barriers to women’s full participation, address food security issues, and support the return of deported children and missing persons by improving the resilience of Ukraine’s government, communities, civil society, and private sector.
    • $14 million in humanitarian assistance, including for the provision of food, shelter, water, sanitation, hygiene services, and mental health and psycho-social support to those in need.
    • $8 million for weapons threat reduction to provide critical personal protective equipment to Ukrainians facing chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, and to strengthen nuclear security in the country.
    • $4.25 million to support peace and stabilization operations, including assisting regional women’s rights organizations and ensuring representatives from civil society and media can work safely.
    • $82,000 for local initiatives that will support the physical and mental health of former Ukrainian prisoners of war.

    In total, Canada has committed over $19.7 billion in multifaceted assistance for Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

    In Kyiv, Prime Minister Trudeau joined President Zelenskyy and international partners to discuss the situation on the ground as well as Ukraine’s needs for military, financial, humanitarian, recovery, and other assistance. During a plenary session on the theme of “Defence and Security Strategy of Unity: Action Plan”, he delivered remarks commending the Ukrainian people for their bravery and resilience in the face of unjustified and brutal violence. He reaffirmed Canada’s position as an unshakeable ally who will continue to work with partners around the world to provide Ukraine with security and defence support – allowing it to recover, rebuild, and prosper.

    The Prime Minister also convened his G7 counterparts and President Zelenskyy for a hybrid meeting to further discuss support for Ukraine. He underlined the importance of G7 unity in supporting a just and lasting peace in Ukraine as well as Ukraine’s reconstruction and economic recovery, noting that these would be priorities for Canada throughout our G7 Presidency this year.

    The Prime Minister also attended a candle-lighting ceremony where he paid tribute to all those whose lives have been lost since the start of Russia’s aggression. Throughout his visit, he reiterated that Canada will always stand with Ukrainians as they continue to fight for freedom, justice, and democracy. We will defend a future for Ukraine that’s written by Ukrainians. We will defend a Ukraine that is strong and free. And we will be with Ukraine in this fight until a just and lasting peace is reached.

    Quotes

    “For three years now, Ukrainians have fought with courage and resilience against Russia’s brutal war of aggression. Their fight for democracy, freedom, and sovereignty is a fight that matters to us all. Today, in Kyiv, my message to Ukraine and Ukrainians is loud and clear: Canada will continue to stand with you in achieving just and lasting peace. We are strengthening our commitments, providing additional support, and working with our partners to secure peace and freedom for Ukraine. Slava Ukraini!”

    “Canada remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine and will continue to leverage sanctions to weaken Russia’s ability to wage its illegal war. By targeting its military-industrial base, exposing those responsible for crimes and abuses in occupied Ukrainian territories, and disrupting the oligarchs’ confidants and shadow fleet supporting the Russian regime, we are holding Russia accountable. For three years, Canada has stood with Ukraine, and we will stand by its side for as long as it takes.”

    “Since the start of Russia’s unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago, Canada has stood with the Ukrainian people. We remain unwavering in our commitment to continue providing Ukraine with critical military assistance to defend itself against Russia’s brutal aggression. Together with our Allies and partners, we will ensure Ukraine has the support it needs in the fight to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

    Quick Facts

    • This was Prime Minister Trudeau’s fourth visit to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. For this visit, the Prime Minister was accompanied by the Minister of National Defence, Bill Blair.
    • In Ukraine, the Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez.
    • During his visit, the Prime Minister also welcomed a new partnership with the NATO Science for Peace and Security project through which Natural Resources Canada will receive $2.1 million in funding to help create tools, establish key performance indicators, and identify opportunities for the reduction of fossil fuel dependency in military operations.
    • The sanctions announced today against Russia’s shadow fleet include 92 oil tankers involved in transferring Russian oil to third countries, nine liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers involved in transferring Russian LNG to third countries, and eight vessels involved in moving arms and related material to Russia from Iran and North Korea. Canada is also adopting new measures that will prohibit a wider range of sensitive goods and technologies from being exported from Canada to Russia.
    • The measures announced today build on other recent announcements, including:
      • Providing $440 million in military assistance for Ukraine, including funding for the procurement and delivery of large-calibre ammunition and various calibres of ammunition from Canadian industry, the production of military drones by Ukraine’s domestic defence industry, the delivery of high-resolution drone cameras, and the donation of winter gear, such as sleeping bags and winter boots.
      • Providing $15 million in funding to the Innovative Mine Action for Community Recovery in Ukraine project, to help enhance Ukraine’s national mine action capacity, reduce the threat of explosive ordinance, and promote economic recovery. Canada also announced $2.2 million for the Cybersecurity Assistance Project, to provide essential cybersecurity support services, equipment, and training urgently needed by Ukraine to combat malicious cyber activities.
      • Marking the first anniversary of the launch of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, which 41 states and the Council of Europe have joined in a collective commitment to bringing Ukrainian children home. With the help of Coalition Member States and other key international partners, Ukraine has successfully facilitated the safe return of nearly 600 children since the launch of the Coalition, and over 1000 to date. The Coalition is co-led by Canada and Ukraine.
      • Signing a Memorandum of Understanding between Canada and Ukraine to share information and expertise that will help members of Ukraine’s security and defence forces and their families have access to resources to transition to life after service.
    • Since the beginning of 2022, Canada has committed $19.7 billion in multifaceted support to Ukraine. This includes:
      • Over $12.4 billion in direct financial assistance, the highest in the G7 on a per capita basis.
      • $4.5 billion in military assistance, such as M777 howitzers, Leopard 2 main battle tanks, armoured combat support vehicles, hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition, high-resolution drone cameras, thermal clothing, body armour, fuel, and more.
      • Over $529 million in development assistance, including support to Ukraine’s energy system.
      • $372.2 million in humanitarian assistance, including support for emergency health interventions, protection services, and essentials such as shelter, water, sanitation, and food. Programming also addresses child protection, mental health support, and prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence.
      • Nearly $225 million in security and stabilization assistance.
    • In Kyiv, the Prime Minister highlighted the ongoing work of members of the Canadian Armed Forces in the United Kingdom and Poland under Operation UNIFIER. Since 2015, they have provided training on a range of military skills to over 40,000 Ukrainian troops. He noted that Canada continues to engage closely with Ukraine, Allies, and partners on how best to enhance support through Operation UNIFIER to help Ukraine defend itself.
    • Last year, on February 24, Prime Minister Trudeau and President Zelenskyy signed the historic Agreement on Security Cooperation between Canada and Ukraine, establishing a new strategic security partnership between our two countries. This included $3.02 billion in critical financial and military support to Ukraine for 2024.
    • As part of the 2024 Fall Economic Statement, the federal government announced last year its intention to double down on our efforts to support Ukraine, including through proposed legislative changes that will ensure profits from frozen Russian assets are used to rebuild Ukraine.
    • Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Canada has welcomed more than 220,000 Ukrainians. We are helping Ukrainian families find a safe, temporary home and have put support services in place for their arrival. This includes temporary financial assistance and access to federally funded settlement services, such as language training and employment-related services.
    • Canada and Ukraine have long been steadfast partners and close friends. In 1991, Canada became the first Western country to recognize Ukraine’s independence. Today, 1.3 million people of Ukrainian descent call Canada home – the largest Ukrainian diaspora in the Western world. In 2022, total bilateral trade between our two countries was valued at over $421 million.

    Related Product

    Associated Links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Iowa Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Summer Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Iowa of the March 24, 2025 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes that occurred June 16-July 23, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Buena Vista, Calhoun, Cass, Cedar, Cherokee, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Dickinson, Emmet, Hancock, Harrison, Humboldt, Ida, Kossuth, Lyon, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Muscatine, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Pottawattamie, Sac, Scott, Shelby, Sioux, Webster, Woodbury and Wright in Iowa, as well as the county of Rock Island in Illinois, Jackson, Martin, Nobles and Rock counties in Minnesota, Burt, Dakota, Douglas, Sarpy, Thurston and Washington counties in Nebraska, and Lincoln, Minnehaha and Union counties in South Dakota.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 24.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Department of Revenue issues first income tax refunds in 2025

    Source: US State of Oregon

    he Oregon Department of Revenue has begun distributing refunds for the 2024 tax year. Through February 17, the department has processed more than 400,000 tax returns. The first refunds of the year were issued Tuesday.

    Each year the department employs a refund hold period as part of the agency’s fraud prevention efforts. The hold period has been completed and most taxpayers can expect to receive their refunds within two weeks of the date their return is filed. Some returns, however, require additional review and can take up to 20 weeks before a refund is issued.

    Taxpayers can check the status of their refund by using the department’s Where’s My Refund? tool. The Department of Revenue recommends that taxpayers wait one week after they have electronically filed their return to use the Where’s My Refund tool.

    The Where’s My Refund? tool has been updated for 2025, providing more information about the status of their return to taxpayers who are signed into their Revenue Online account. Taxpayers who don’t already have a Revenue Online account can create one by following the Revenue Online link on the department’s website. Taxpayers who don’t have a Revenue Online account can still use the Where’s My Refund? tool but won’t be able to see the updated features.

    A video outlining the refund process and timelines is also available to help taxpayers understand the process.

    The department also offered a list of do’s and don’ts for filing to help with efficient processing and avoid unnecessary delays.

    Do file electronically and request direct deposit. On average, taxpayers who e-file their returns and request their refund via direct deposit receive their refund two weeks sooner than those who file paper returns and request paper refund checks.

    Don’t send a duplicate paper return. Taxpayers should file just once unless they need to make a change to their return. Sending a duplicate return will slow processing and delay your refund.

    Do make sure you have all tax records before filing. Having all necessary records is essential to filing a complete and accurate tax return and avoiding errors.

    Don’t get in a hurry and fail to report all your income. If income reported on a return doesn’t match the income reported by employers, the return, and any corresponding refund, will be delayed. If taxpayers receive more or corrected tax records after filing a return, they should file an amended return to report any changes.

    Do make sure you have a Revenue Online account. Before beginning the filing process, taxpayers should make sure their information is current in Revenue Online, the state’s internet tax portal. Those who don’t have a Revenue Online account can sign up on the agency’s website.

    To get tax forms, check the status of their refund, or make payments, visit our website or email questions.dor@dor.oregon.gov.

    You can also call 800-356-4222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired), we accept all relay calls.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Donald Trump wants to bring back plastic straws, but the world is going in another direction

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Randa Lindsey Kachef, Research affiliate, King’s College London

    David Pereiras / shutterstock

    Donald Trump recently surprised the world again by signing an action to end what he describes as the “forced use” of paper straws. Although there is some merit in the argument the White House presents that paper straws simply aren’t fit for purpose, what the paper straw revolution represents is the power of individual change in enacting progressive policy.

    Much like recent EU legislation which required all plastic bottles to have caps attached by a tether, the removal of items that tend to be easily littered is a way to help people be more environmentally cautious without any extra effort. Unfortunately, the paper straw appears to have failed in this endeavour.

    We should not stop this trajectory because of one fail, however. Even if paper straws are not a viable option, we mustn’t let their fate undermine all initiatives to reduce the impacts of single use plastics.

    The story behind the move away from plastic straws began in 2015, when a disturbing video of a turtle having a plastic straw removed from its nose went viral. Unfortunately this appears to be a common occurrence, with a video of a turtle with a plastic fork in its nose posted only a few months later. This shows plastic straws themselves are not the issue and that there is a wider problem that everyone should be aware of: plastic which ends up in the ocean is often mistaken for food and eaten by wildlife.

    Paper problems

    Admittedly, anyone who has used a paper straw will agree that they are not a viable alternative to plastic. The obvious complaint is that they get soggy too quickly. But there are several unseen components that show the switch to paper may not be as great as we once thought.

    Paper, but plastic-coated?
    Sia Footage / shutterstock

    To begin with, in an effort to keep them water-resistant, paper straws themselves are coated in plastic. This means they cannot be recycled. As they are an organic material, they release greenhouse gas when they decompose in landfill – they can however safely be incinerated, something that is not widely recommended for their plastic counterparts.

    As the demand for paper straws skyrocketed, this created a deficit in production, leading to the development of new manufacturing facilities, construction that in itself has a significant environmental impact. Meanwhile, the heavier weight of paper straws can lead to an increase in freighting fuel consumption and associated emissions.

    Flimsy plastics are more likely to be littered

    Anything, however, is better than plastic. A somewhat misleading statistic that plastic straws account for a mere 0.025% of ocean plastics has been circulating in the argument to bring them back. Although this is true by volume, it is not a correct representation of the sheer number of individual straws recorded in the environment which is suspected to be as many as 8.3 billion, about one per person on earth.

    The fact straws are so small and lightweight is a big part of the problem, since smaller and more easily fragmented items are far harder to collect. As litter, they punch above their weight.

    A child’s plastic beach toy may weigh as much as a few hundred plastic straws, but if littered the straws would do more harm to the environment and wildlife, and would look worse. As straws are made of polypropylene, a flimsier more brittle type of plastic, it doesn’t take much effort for them to break apart into bite sized pieces. Because of this, straws turn into microplastics much quicker than the toy, which has a higher chance of eventually being picked up.

    To this day, straws continue to to be on the top ten types of plastics found on beaches, and we have yet to see any videos of larger pollutants like those beach toys being pulled from the nose of any animal.

    Although we could argue indefinitely as to which straw materials are worse (reuseable metal or glass straws require water and a cleaning agent, another potential contaminant) the overarching sentiment is the most alarming component of Trump’s announcement.

    Paper straw pressue came from below

    The move towards paper straws was a refreshing direction in environmental preservation, in that it was initiated locally and by producers, not through legislation. In the summer of 2018 Seattle became the first US city to enforce a ban on plastic utensils, straws and cocktail sticks. Soon thereafter, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Alaska Airlines and many others announced they would stop the sale of plastic straws.

    Later that year, the UK government and European Union began consultations for national bans which came into effect in 2020 and 2021 respectively. In 2019 Canada followed suit with a ban coming into law in 2022.

    It was not until July of 2024 that the then US president, Joe Biden announced his plan to phase out single-use plastics (although the fact sheet and official press release has now been removed from the White House website). This was several years after the global movement got underway – accompanied by the first complaints from Trump on the topic in 2019.

    It is important to note that both the EU and UK bans on plastic straws included stirrers and cotton bud sticks. However their removal from the market caused little to no controversy, mostly because there are adequate alternatives.

    Litter producers can drive change

    What the movement towards paper straws represents is the power of producers to drive change, in a bottom-up approach. A similarly encouraging scenario can be seen in attitudes towards polystyrene.

    Back in 2019 Dunkin’ Donuts announced it would stop using foam cups in certain US markets, and delivered a full removal of the cups in the US by early 2020, while in January 2025 California introduced a state wide polystyrene ban. Meanwhile, negotiations on a global plastics agreement remain indecisive.

    In the wake of a pattern of stalemate and regressive policy, it is on the consumers and producers to take action. We must continue to support producers who invest in innovation to address these issues in a way that makes our lives easier and cleaner.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Randa Lindsey Kachef 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. Donald Trump wants to bring back plastic straws, but the world is going in another direction – https://theconversation.com/donald-trump-wants-to-bring-back-plastic-straws-but-the-world-is-going-in-another-direction-250449

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 351, STEWARD Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 351 would authorize appropriations totaling $34 million annually over the 2025-2029 period for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to award grants, collect data, and prepare reports for recycling and composting programs in the United States.

    CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted in 2025 and that the authorized amounts will be provided in each year. On that basis and using the spending patterns for similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $148 million over the 2025-2030 period and $22 million after 2030.

    Section 2 would authorize the appropriation of $30 million annually over the 2025-2029 period to EPA for grants to expand access to curbside recycling and construct transfer stations that aggregate recyclable materials for offsite processing. EPA would need to allocate 70 percent of the authorized amounts for grants to communities without access to recycling services or that have insufficient recycling capacity. Grant recipients, including states, local governments, Indian tribes, and public-private partnerships, would have to contribute at least 5 percent of a project’s total cost. The bill would require the agency to report on the program two years after the first grant is awarded and would authorize EPA to use up to 5 percent of the authorized funds for administrative purposes. CBO estimates that implementing that section would cost $128 million over the 2025-2030 period.

    Section 3 would authorize the appropriation of $4 million annually over the 2025-2029 period for EPA to collect data and prepare reports that include an inventory of facilities to recover materials in each state and a cost-benefit analysis of recycling and composting. The bill would require EPA to collect standardized recycling data twice a year from states, local communities, and Indian tribes and develop a national recycling rate. CBO estimates that implementing that section would cost $20 million over the 2025-2030 period.

    The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment).

    Table 1.

    Estimated Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation Under S. 351
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		  
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2025-2030

    Grants for Recycling Facilities

    		              

    Authorization

    30

    30

    30

    30

    30

    0

    150

    Estimated Outlays

    3

    15

    24

    29

    30

    27

    128

    Data Collection and Reporting

    		              

    Authorization

    4

    4

    4

    4

    4

    0

    20

    Estimated Outlays

    3

    4

    4

    4

    4

    1

    20

    Total Changes

    		              

    Authorization

    34

    34

    34

    34

    34

    0

    170

    Estimated Outlays

    6

    19

    28

    33

    34

    28

    148

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Aurora Swanson. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Feb 24, 2025 ATU Urges Congress to Invest in Transit Funding, Improve Safety, Boost Workforce Development in Transportation Bill

    Source: US Amalgamated Transit Union

    Bold Proposal for Upcoming Surface Transportation Bill Would be a Game Changer for Transit

    Silver Spring, MD – Calling on Congress to boost transit funding, improve safety, and invest in workforce development, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), the largest union representing public transit workers in the U.S., sent its new proposal for the upcoming federal surface transportation bill up to Capitol Hill.  

    The Union’s proposal, which is named “Your Ride is Here,” sets out a vision for the legislation, which will replace the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).

    “Issue number one is funding. As the COVID emergency funds under BIL dry up, transit agencies are staring out over a fiscal cliff. While some had the foresight to save their money for a rainy day, in all corners of America, it is now pouring,” said ATU International President John Costa.  

    Under current federal law, with few exceptions, transit systems may only use their Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds for capital projects. Operating assistance, including wages and benefits to provide service or even pay for fuel, is not an eligible expense.  The ATU’s proposal calls for giving agencies flexibility to use their FTA funds to keep service on the road. “The prohibition on transit operating assistance has been in place since 1998, and like many of the broken-down buses of that era, this outdated law has outlived its useful lifespan,” Costa continued.

    In addition, the Union endorses separate legislation by Rep. Hank Johnson and Sen. Chris Van Hollen that would create new programs to maintain and improve transit service. 

    With assaults on transit workers increasing more than 232 percent between 2014 and 2024, the ATU is calling for increased safety measures on public transit. The Union won a huge victory in the BIL on safety issues, requiring labor-management safety committees, with equal numbers on each side, giving workers a role in how Public Transit Agency Safety Plans (PTASPs) are developed and implemented.

    “We had Brothers in Seattle and Atlanta who were tragically murdered on the job just a few months ago. We need immediate improvements to the bus operator workstation to protect our members,” said Costa. “Not one more bus driver should be attacked on the job!  I have been to way too many funerals over the years. Enough is enough!”

    Under ATU’s proposal, no fixed-route or paratransit bus would be operated unless the vehicle is equipped with a barrier between the passenger and driver compartments that fully encloses the operator’s workstation, and prevents the unwanted entry of persons, fluids, and articles into the workstation.  In addition to secure workstations, ATU calls on Congress to fund unarmed transit ambassadors and fare enforcement inspectors to protect operators and deter disruptive behavior. “We should no longer be sitting ducks out there,” said Costa. “Sometimes, we all need a guardian angel by our side. It’s time to let our members concentrate on driving the bus, which is hard enough to do on its own.”

    With the transition to Zero Emissions Bus and changing technology in the industry, Your Ride is Here calls for increased investment in workforce development. Today, transit mechanics need more training to keep their jobs and perform them safely. Bus mechanics now require new skills and knowledge, including electric motor repair, computer literacy, and diagnostic troubleshooting. The ATU proposes to increase the amount that transit systems must set aside for workforce development training, including registered apprenticeships and other labor-management training programs under the Zero Emissions Bus Program.  “These new buses are highly sophisticated. No mechanic should be electrocuted because they haven’t received the training, they need to do their job,” Costa continued.

    Over the next year and a half, the ATU will mobilize its members to educate Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle in an effort to move our agenda and improve public transit for our riders. 

    The entire comprehensive report, which also covers other issues such as mictrotransit and autonomous buses, can be downloaded @ https://www.atu.org/pdfs/LEGIS_YourRideisHere.pdf

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Appoints Associate Circuit Judge for 16th Judicial Circuit, Fills Caldwell County Public Administrator Vacancy

    Source: US State of Missouri

    FEBRUARY 21, 2025

    Jefferson City — Today, Governor Mike Kehoe appointed a new Associate Circuit Judge for the 16th Judicial Circuit and filled the Public Administrator vacancy in Caldwell County. 

    John G. Gromowsky, of Kansas City, was appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Jackson County in the 16th Judicial Circuit. 
    Mr. Gromowsky is a seasoned attorney with extensive experience in both prosecution and defense. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army, where he served in several leadership roles, including a platoon leader and executive officer. Following his military service, he earned his Juris Doctor from DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. 
    Gromowsky began his legal career as a law clerk in Jackson County before serving in multiple roles in the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, including as a Drug Task Force Prosecutor, Community Prosecutor, and Violent Crimes Unit attorney. In private practice, he spent over 16 years as a defense lawyer, handling trial work and appeals, including cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Active in his community, Mr. Gromowsky has served on public safety committees, coached youth sports, and held leadership positions within a local bar association. Mr. Gromowsky will fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Lauren D. Barrett to the circuit court of the 16th Judicial Circuit. 

    Crystal McBrayer, of Kingston, was appointed as the Caldwell County Public Administrator.
    Ms. McBrayer is a longtime resident of Caldwell County and has experience in team leadership and community service. She is a graduate of Penny High School and currently works as a Sales Associate and team lead for Walmart. As Public Administrator, McBrayer will serve as the court-appointed guardian and conservator for individuals deemed incapacitated or disabled by the 43rd Judicial Circuit. She will also act as a personal representative for decedent estates and oversee the management of assets when no other responsible party is available.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Human Rights ‘Oxygen of Humanity’, Critical to Sustainable Peace, Says Secretary-General

    Source: United Nations 4

    Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to Human Rights Council, in New York today:

    We begin this session under the weight of a grim milestone — the third anniversary of the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine, in violation of the Charter of the United Nations.  More than 12,600 civilians killed, with many more injured.  Entire communities reduced to rubble.  Hospitals and schools destroyed.  We must spare no effort to bring an end to this conflict, and to achieve a just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions.

    Conflicts like the war in Ukraine exact a heavy toll.  A toll on people.  A toll on fundamental principles like territorial integrity, sovereignty and the rule of law.  And a toll on the vital business of this Council.

    Without respect for human rights — civil, cultural, economic, political and social — sustainable peace is a pipedream.  And like this Council, human rights shine a light in the darkest places.

    Through your work, and the work of the High Commissioner’s Office around the world, you’re supporting brave human rights defenders risking persecution, detention and even death.  You’re working with Governments, civil society and others to strengthen action on human rights.  And you’re supporting investigations and accountability.

    Five years ago, we launched our Call to Action for Human Rights, embedding human rights across the work of the United Nations around the world in close cooperation with our partners.  I will continue supporting this important work, and the High Commissioner’s Office, as we fight for human rights everywhere.  We have our work cut out for us.

    Human rights are the oxygen of humanity.  But, one by one, human rights are being suffocated.  By autocrats, crushing opposition because they fear what a truly empowered people would do.  By a patriarchy that keeps girls out of school, and women at arm’s length from basic rights.  By wars and violence that strip populations of their right to food, water and education. By warmongers who thumb their nose at international law, international humanitarian law and the UN Charter.

    Human rights are being suffocated by the climate crisis.  And by a morally bankrupt global financial system that too often obstructs the path to greater equality and sustainable development.  By runaway technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) that hold great promise, but also the ability to violate human rights at the touch of a button.  By growing intolerance against entire groups — from Indigenous Peoples, to migrants and refugees, to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and other identities (LGBTQI+) community, to persons with disabilities.  And by voices of division and anger who view human rights not as a boon to humanity, but as a barrier to the power, profit and control they seek.

    In short — human rights are on the ropes and being pummelled hard.  This represents a direct threat to all of the hard-won mechanisms and systems established over the last 80 years to protect and advance human rights.

    But, as the recently adopted Pact for the Future reminds us, human rights are, in fact, a source of solutions.  The Pact provides a playbook on how we can win the fight for human rights on several fronts.

    First — human rights through peace and peace through human rights.  Conflicts inflict human rights violations on a massive scale.  In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, violations of human rights have skyrocketed since the horrific Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023 and the intolerable levels of death and destruction in Gaza.

    And I am gravely concerned by the rising violence in the occupied West Bank by Israeli settlers and other violations, as well as calls for annexation. We are witnessing a precarious ceasefire.  We must avoid at all costs a resumption of hostilities.  The people in Gaza have already suffered too much.

    It’s time for a permanent ceasefire, the dignified release of all remaining hostages, irreversible progress towards a two-State solution, an end to the occupation and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, with Gaza as an integral part.

    In Sudan, bloodshed, displacement and famine are engulfing the country.  The warring parties must take immediate action to protect civilians, uphold human rights, cease hostilities and forge peace.  And domestic and international human rights monitoring and investigation mechanisms should be permitted to document what is happening on the ground.

    In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we see a deadly whirlwind of violence and horrifying human rights abuses, amplified by the recent M23 [23 March Movement] offensive, supported by the Rwandan Defence Forces. As more cities fall, the risk of a regional war rises.

    It’s time to silence the guns.  It’s time for diplomacy and dialogue.  The recent joint summit in the United Republic of Tanzania offered a way forward with a renewed call for an immediate ceasefire.  The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo must be respected.  The Congolese people deserve peace.

    In the Sahel, I call for a renewed regional dialogue to protect citizens from terrorism and systemic violations of human rights, and to create the conditions for sustainable development.

    In Myanmar, the situation has grown far worse in the four years since the military seized power and arbitrarily detained members of the democratically elected Government.  We need greater cooperation to bring an end to the hostilities and forge a path towards an inclusive democratic transition and a return to civilian rule, allowing for the safe return of the Rohingya refugees.

    And in Haiti, we are seeing massive human rights violations — including more than a million people displaced, and children facing a horrific increase in sexual violence and recruitment into gangs.  In the coming days, I will put forward proposals to the United Nations Security Council for greater stability and security for the people of Haiti — namely through an effective UN assistance mechanism to support the Multilateral Security Support mission, the national police and Haitian authorities.  A durable solution requires a political process — led and owned by the Haitian people — that restores democratic institutions through elections.

    The Pact for the Future calls for peace processes and approaches rooted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international law and the UN Charter.  It proposes specific actions to prioritize conflict prevention, mediation, resolution and peacebuilding.  And it includes a commitment to tackle the root causes of conflict, which are so often enmeshed in denials of basic human needs and rights.

    Second — the Pact for the Future advances human rights through development.  The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and human rights are fundamentally intertwined. They represent real human needs — health, food, water, education, decent work and social protection.

    With less than one fifth of the Goals on track, the Pact calls for a massive acceleration through an SDG Stimulus, reforming the global financial architecture, and taking meaningful action for countries drowning in debt.  This must include focused action to conquer the most widespread human rights abuse in history — inequality for women and girls.

    The Pact calls for investing in battling all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls, and ensuring their meaningful participation and leadership across all walks of life.  And along with the Declaration on Future Generations, the Pact calls for supporting the rights and futures of young people through decent work, removing barriers for youth participation, and enhancing training.  And the Global Digital Compact calls on nations to champion young innovators, nurture entrepreneurial spirit and equip the next generation with digital literacy and skills. 

    Third — the Pact for the Future recognizes that the rule of law and human rights go hand-in-hand.  The rule of law, when founded on human rights, is an essential pillar of protection.  It shields the most vulnerable.  It’s the first line of defence against crime and corruption.  It supports fair, just and inclusive economies and societies.  It holds perpetrators of human rights atrocities to account.  It enables civic space for people to make their voices heard — and for journalists to carry out their essential work, free from interference or threats.  And it reaffirms the world’s commitment to equal access to justice, good governance and transparent and accountable institutions.

    Fourth — human rights through climate action.  Last year was the hottest on record — capping the hottest decade on record.  Rising heat, melting glaciers and hotter oceans are a recipe for disaster.  Floods, droughts, deadly storms, hunger, mass displacement — our war on nature is also a war on human rights.  We must choose a different path.

    I salute the many Member States who legally recognize the right to a healthy environment — and I call on all countries to do the same.  Governments must keep their promise to produce new, economy-wide national climate action plans this year, well ahead of thirtieth UN Climate Change Conference in Brazil.  Those plans must limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5°C — including by accelerating the global energy transition.

    We also need a surge in finance for climate action in developing countries, to adapt to global heating, slash emissions and accelerate the renewables revolution, which represents a massive economic opportunity. We must stand up to the misleading campaign of many in the fossil fuel industry and its enablers who are aiding and abetting this madness, while also protecting and defending those on the front lines of climate justice.

    And fifth — human rights through stronger, better governance of technology.  As fast-moving technologies expand into every aspect of our lives, I am deeply concerned about human rights being undermined.

    At its best, social media is a meeting ground for people to exchange ideas and spark respectful debate.  But, it can also be an arena of fiery combat and blatant ignorance. A place where the poisons of misinformation, disinformation, racism, misogyny and hate speech are not only tolerated — but often encouraged.  Verbal violence online can easily spill into physical violence in real life.

    Recent rollbacks on social media fact-checking and content moderation are reopening the floodgates to more hate, more threats and more violence.  Make no mistake.  These rollbacks will lead to less free speech, not more, as people become increasingly fearful to engage on these platforms.  Meanwhile, the great promise of AI is matched by limitless peril to undermine human autonomy, human identity, human control — and yes, human rights.

    In the face of these threats, the Global Digital Compact brings the world together to ensure that human rights are not sacrificed on the altar of technology.  This includes working with digital companies and policymakers to extend human rights to every corner of cyberspace — including a new focus on information integrity across digital platforms.

    The Global Principles for Information Integrity I launched last year will support and inform this work as we push for a more humane information ecosystem.

    The Global Digital Compact also includes the first universal agreement on the governance of AI that brings every country to the table and commitments on capacity-building, so all countries and people benefit from AI’s potential.  By investing in affordable Internet, digital literacy and infrastructure.  By helping developing countries use AI to grow small businesses, improve public services and connect communities to new markets.  And by placing human rights at the centre of AI-driven systems.

    The Pact’s decisions to create an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and an ongoing Global Dialogue that ensure all countries have a voice in shaping its future are important steps forward.  We must implement them.

    We can help end the suffocation of human rights by breathing life into the Pact for the Future and the work of this Council.  Let’s do that together.  We don’t have a moment to lose.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –