Category: Americas

MIL-OSI USA: Office of the Governor — News Release — Governor Green to Travel to Washington, D.C.

Source: US State of Hawaii

Office of the Governor — News Release — Governor Green to Travel to Washington, D.C.

Posted on Jan 27, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom, Office of the Governor Press Releases

STATE OF HAWAIʻI
KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR
KE KIAʻĀINA

GOVERNOR GREEN TO TRAVEL TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 27, 2025

HONOLULU — Governor Josh Green, M.D., will travel to Washington, D.C., this week at the request of U.S. Senators and national health organizations to provide input regarding the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Governor Green has expressed concerns about the potential impact of Kennedy’s confirmation on Hawai‘i and the nation, emphasizing the importance of a science-driven approach to public health.

“Our people deserve a Health and Human Services Secretary who champions science, supports vaccines, and is committed to lowering costs while safeguarding health care access,” said Governor Green. “Mr. Kennedy’s lack of experience raises serious concerns about the future of critical programs like Medicare and Medicaid, which are lifelines for the people of Hawai‘i.”

Drawing on his extensive background as an emergency room physician, longtime Legislator, Lieutenant Governor and Governor, Dr. Green will highlight the potential risks of this nomination, which has drawn criticism from leading public health experts. In 2019 as Hawai‘i’s Lieutenant Governor, Dr. Green played a pivotal role in addressing a severe measles epidemic in Samoa. His hands-on efforts, including vaccinating tens of thousands of individuals, demonstrated the lifesaving importance of science-based public health initiatives.

The Governor will depart Hawai‘i on Monday evening, January 27, 2025, and return on Thursday afternoon, January 30, 2025. During his absence, Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke will serve as Acting Governor.

# # #

Media Contacts:  
Erika Engle
Press Secretary
Office of the Governor, State of Hawai‘i
Phone: 808-586-0120
Email: [email protected]

Makana McClellan
Director of Communications
Office of the Governor, State of Hawaiʻi
Cell: 808-265-0083
Email: [email protected]

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: JOINT PRESS RELEASE- Agreement between the Government of Samoa and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on Mutual Visa Exemption

Source: Government of Western Samoa

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[PRESS RELEASE]- The Government of the Independent State of Samoa and the Government of the People’s Republic of China has reaffirmed its joint commitment and partnership to strengthen relations and cooperation between both countries and to facilitate exchange of visits between citizens of both countries including promotion of people to people linkages and sub-national cooperation.

An Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption was signed today (23rd January 2025) between the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Mr Agafili Shem Leo and the Chinese Ambassador to Samoa His Excellency Mr Fei Mingxing during the celebration of the Chinese Spring Festival. On conclusion of the signing, the Prime Minister of Samoa, Honourable Fiame Naomi Mataafa delivered a few remarks followed by an Address by His Excellency Ambassador Fei . Both the Hon Prime Minister and Ambassador acknowledged that the visa exemption arrangement would benefit both countries substantially through ease of international travel. It was further recognized that this important development would also align with this year’s 50th Anniversary since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1975.

The Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption was one of the discussion issues at the bilateral meeting between the Honorable Prime Minister of Samoa and the President of the People’s Republic of China His Excellency Xi Jinping during the Prime Minister’s official visit to China from 20-28 November last year.

Aside from the Mutual Visa Exemption, the culmination of the Bilateral Meetings between the Hon Prime Minister and the Chinese Leaders included the signing of the:

• Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement

• MOU on Exchange and Cooperation in the field of Economic Development

• MOU on Establishing a Working Group on Promoting Unimpeded Trade

• MOU on the Global Development Initiative

• MOU on Education Collaboration and Exchanges

• Handover Certificate for the Fingerprint Testing Laboratory

The collaborative efforts and cooperation between the Governments of Samoa and China illustrate a shared commitment and mutual trust to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation.

The Government of Samoa and the Government of the People’s Republic of China will continue to pursue greater collaboration that will deliver on joint interests and agreed commitments to address key national development priorities that are in line with the Pathway for the Development of Samoa, and for the benefit of our two Peoples.

CAPTION- An Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption was signed today (23rd January 2025) between the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Mr Agafili Shem Leo and the Chinese Ambassador to Samoa His Excellency Mr Fei Mingxing during the celebration of the Chinese Spring Festival.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Government of Samoa.

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January 28, 2025

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 28, 2025

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Expert advisory group appointed by independent water commission

Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

The independent water commission announces members of the new advisory group

Expert advisory group appointed by independent water commission

Senior advisory group supporting Sir Jon Cunliffe on major water reset

Leading voices from areas including the environment, public health and investment have been announced today (28 January) as the new advisory group to the independent water commission, chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe.

Sir Chris Whitty (Chief Medical Officer), Richard Benwell (CEO, Wildlife & Countryside Link), Professor Isabelle Durance (Professor of Integrated Water Sciences at Cardiff University) and Peter Harrison (former CEO, Schroders) are among the nine members advising the commission in its major review of the water system.

A Call for Evidence will be published in February 2024 to bring in views from all interested parties on possible areas of reform.

The members are:

Richard Benwell (environment expert), Chief Executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, a coalition of environmental charities. Previously policy adviser to the Defra Secretary of State and worked in policy and advocacy roles for the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and RSPB.
Chris Whitty (public health expert), Chief Medical Officer for England and Chief Medical Adviser to the UK Government.
Professor Isabelle Durance (environmental science and Welsh water system expert), Founder and Director of the Water Research Institute at Cardiff University, and Professor of Integrated Water Sciences
Peter Harrison (investment expert), Former Group CEO at Schroders plc. Member of the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce (CMIT), Chair of the charity Business in the Community, and chair-designate of Morgan Sindall plc.
Dame Yve Buckland (consumers advocate), Founding Chair of the Consumer Council for Water (2005 –2015). Chair of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust since 2023.   
Jonathan Haskel (economics expert) Professor of Economics at Imperial College Business School. Previously board member at the UK Statistics Authority and a member of the Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England.
Philip Graham (infrastructure), Executive Director of Good Growth at Greater London Authority. Previously Chief Executive of the National Infrastructure Commission.
Jon Loveday (project delivery and commercial expert), Director of Infrastructure, Enterprise and Growth at the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA). Shareholder Non-Executive Director of Crossrail International and Sizewell C. Former Executive Director within the water, telecoms and energy sectors.
Stephen Peacock (planning and place-making expert), CEO of West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. Former CEO and Executive Director of growth and regeneration at Bristol City Council

The independent water commission was announced by the UK and Welsh governments in October 2024 to help deliver a reset of the water sector, chaired by Former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Sir Jon Cunliffe.

The upcoming Call for Evidence will look at the management of the overall water system, regulatory reform, and the role of water companies, owners and investors.

A set of recommendations will be delivered later this year to the Defra Secretary of State Steve Reed and Huw Irranca Davies, Wales’ Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.

Sir Jon Cunliffe, Chair of the independent water commission, said:

Since taking up this role I have seen the many complex challenges faced by the water sector in England and Wales. All sides know that change is clearly needed.

The calibre of expertise we have bought together in this group reflects the significance of the task ahead.

I know their insight and experience will be invaluable in recommending meaningful and long-term reforms to rebuild the trust that has been lost and deliver a thriving and sustainable water sector for the future. I look forward to our work together in the coming months.

As set out in the Terms of Reference, the Commission is operating independently of the UK and Welsh Ministers. The Chair and advisory group are supported by a Defra Secretariat.

Full biographies of all advisory group members are listed below.  

Name	Details
Richard Benwell (environment)	Richard Benwell is CEO of Wildlife & Countryside Link, a coalition of environmental charities. He is a Board member of UK Youth for Nature and the Broadway Initiative, and Chair of Oxfordshire’s Local Nature Partnership. Previously, he was Policy Adviser to the Secretary of State at DEFRA, and has worked in policy and advocacy roles for WWT and RSPB.
Sir Chris Whitty (public health)	Professor Sir Chris Whitty FRS is Chief Medical Officer for England (CMO) and head of the public health profession. He is an epidemiologist and NHS infectious disease consultant physician. Chris has worked with the Royal Academy of Engineering and others on solutions for the safe management of sewage.
Dame Yve Buckland (consumers)	Yve Buckland was the founding Chair of the Consumer Council for Water, holding the role between 2005 and 2015.  She has also held a number of roles in public health, including Chair of the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement at Warwick University (2005 – 2010), Pro-Chancellor of Aston University (2019 – 2023), and in 2022 Dame Yve was appointed Chair of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
Jonathan Haskel (economics)	Jonathan Haskel is Professor of Economics at Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London, where he has been since 2008.  He has previously taught at Queen Mary, University of London; Dartmouth College, USA and New York University, USA.  His research interests are productivity and growth.   In addition to his academic activities, he has been an External Member of the Reporting Panel of the Competition and Markets Authority (2001-2009); a non-Executive Director of the UK Statistics Authority (2016-2022) and an External Member of the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (2018-2024).
Philip Graham  (infrastructure)	Philip Graham was the founding Chief Executive of the National Infrastructure Commission from 2015-20, during which time he led its establishment as an independent arms-length body and delivered the UK’s first ever cross-cutting National Infrastructure Assessment. He is currently Executive Director for Good Growth at the Greater London Authority, where he leads the Mayor’s policies and programmes in relation to London’s environment, economy, infrastructure, and spatial development. He worked across areas in the Department for Transport, including leading the Airports Commission’s review of aviation capacity for Sir Howard Davies.
Jon Loveday (project management and delivery)	Jon Loveday is the Director of Infrastructure, Enterprise and Growth at the Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA), the government’s centre of expertise for infrastructure and major projects. He leads the expert delivery team advising on the set up of delivery bodies, commercial models and project delivery across the £800bn Government’s Major Projects Portfolio. Jon has held Executive roles for regulated utility companies and major construction and infrastructure contractors and has extensive experience of delivering major utility projects throughout the UK.
Peter Harrison (investors)	Peter Harrison was formally Group Chief Executive of Schroders plc, with over 35 years’ experience in the asset management industry. He is currently a member of the Capital Markets Industry Taskforce (CMIT), chair of the charity Business in the Community, and chair-designate of Morgan Sindall plc.
Professor Isabelle Durance (science and Welsh water system)	Isabelle Durance is Professor of Integrated Water Science and Director of the Water Research Institute at Cardiff University, recognised for its interdisciplinarity and extensive stakeholder reach that includes water companies, government and regulators. With multi-million-pound support, her personal research in the UK and overseas examines interactions between landscape change, biodiversity and ecosystem services.  Outside her academic role, she is involved extensively in various advisory capacities to government bodies, research councils, charities, industry and regulators – especially in the water sector.
Stephen Peacock (planning and place-making)	Stephen Peacock is Chief Executive of the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, responsible for £1 billion of investment to drive sustainable and inclusive growth across the most productive and fast-growing UK city region outside London. He has a commercial background in international energy and technology along with a track record of public sector leadership.  A former partner with a major professional services firm, Stephen was Chief Executive of Bristol City Council where his achievements include the creation of the award-winning City Leap public-private partnership.

Published 28 January 2025

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 28, 2025

MIL-OSI: 21Shares Adds to its “Core” Suite of Affordable Crypto Exchange-Traded Products with the Launch of the Solana Core Staking ETP (CSOL)

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

ZURICH, 28 January 2025 – 21Shares AG (“21Shares”), one of the world’s largest issuers of crypto exchange traded products (ETPs), today announced the launch of the 21Shares Solana Core Staking ETP (CSOL) on SIX Swiss Exchange. CSOL joins the 21Shares Bitcoin Core ETP (CBTC), the 21Shares Ethereum Core Staking ETP (ETHC) and the 21Shares Crypto Basket 10 Core ETP (HOLDX) as the fourth addition to the 21Shares’ “core” suite, which offers investors exposure to cutting-edge crypto technologies at exceptionally low fees.

Exchange Product Name Ticker ISIN Fee

SIX Swiss Exchange 21Shares Solana Core Staking ETP CSOL CH1385084384 0.35%

Solana is one of the top blockchain networks powering innovation, and – due to its high-speed and low fees – Solana is expected to reach an all-time high in Total Locked Value (TLV) in 2025, with net inflows of $1.2billion in 2024. With transaction costs less than $0.01 and an average of 2,400 transactions per second, Solana’s performance has led to a noticeable market shift that puts the network front and center in 2025. In addition, Solana has proven itself in the traditional finance ecosystem, evidenced by PayPal’s PYUSD stablecoin processing $13 billion as well as partnerships with Visa and Shopify to enable crypto payments. Further, institutional players like Franklin Templeton and Citibank are adopting Solana, underlining its potential to bridge crypto and traditional finance.¹

“Launched in 2020, Solana emerged as a clear solution to the outdated technology in the blockchain space. The Solana ecosystem evolved quickly, boasting unparalleled speeds and cost efficiency, making transacting on the network essential,” said Mandy Chiu, Head of Financial Product Development at 21Shares. “21Shares launched the world’s first Solana ETP in 2021. With the launch of CSOL, the firm is continuing to leverage its expertise and track record in crypto, product development savvy and operational excellence in order to provide investors with access to Solana, one of the top growing blockchain networks, at an incredibly affordable cost.”

With a management fee of 0.35%, CSOL offers innovative and cost-efficient exposure to a leading blockchain shaping the future. 100% physically backed, CSOL also benefits from staking rewards, which are seamlessly generated by adding the yield to the investor’s coin entitlement. By integrating staking rewards into 21Shares ETPs, investors enjoy a potential additional income stream without having to keep their assets locked, enhancing overall returns while maintaining exposure to the respective underlying assets. As of 23 January 2025, the average staking yield for Solana was 6.60%.²

For more details about the 21Shares Solana Core Staking ETP, including the factsheet, please click here.

Press Contact

Audrey Belloff, Head of Global Communications, audrey.belloff@21.co

About 21Shares

21Shares is one of the world’s first and largest issuers of crypto exchange traded products. We were founded to make cryptocurrency more accessible to investors, and to bridge the gap between traditional finance and decentralized finance. In 2018, 21Shares listed the world’s first physically-backed crypto ETP, and we have a six-year track-record of creating crypto exchange-traded funds that are listed on some of the biggest, most-liquid securities exchanges globally. In addition to our six-year track record, 21Shares offers investors best-in-class research and unparalleled client service.

21Shares is a member of 21.co, a global leader in decentralized finance. For more information, please visit www.21Shares.com.

DISCLAIMER

This document is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or subscribe for securities of 21Shares AG in any jurisdiction. Neither this document nor anything contained herein shall form the basis of, or be relied upon in connection with, any offer or commitment whatsoever or for any other purpose in any jurisdiction. Nothing in this document should be considered investment advice.

This document and the information contained herein are not for distribution in or into (directly or indirectly) the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan or any other jurisdiction in which the distribution or release would be unlawful.

This document does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in or into the United States, Canada, Australia or Japan. The securities of 21Shares AG to which these materials relate have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. There will not be a public offering of securities in the United States. Neither the US Securities and Exchange Commission nor any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States has approved or disapproved of an investment in the securities or passed on the accuracy or adequacy of the contents of this presentation. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence in the United States.

Within the United Kingdom, this document is only being distributed to and is only directed at: (i) to investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”); or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”); or (iii) persons who fall within Article 43(2) of the Order, including existing members and creditors of the Company or (iv) any other persons to whom this document can be lawfully distributed in circumstances where section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply. The securities are only available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire such securities will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

Exclusively for potential investors in any EEA Member State that has implemented the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) is made available on the Issuer’s website under www.21Shares.com.

The approval of the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) should not be understood as an endorsement by the SFSA of the securities offered or admitted to trading on a regulated market. Eligible potential investors should read the Issuer’s Base Prospectus (EU) and the relevant Final Terms before making an investment decision in order to understand the potential risks associated with the decision to invest in the securities. You are about to purchase a product that is not simple and may be difficult to understand.

This document constitutes advertisement within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 and the Swiss Financial Services Act (the “FinSA”) and not a prospectus. The 2024 Base Prospectus of 21Shares AG has been deposited pursuant to article 54(2) FinSA with BX Swiss AG in its function as Swiss prospectus review body within the meaning of article 52 FinSA. The 2024 Base Prospectus and the key information document for any products may be obtained at 21Shares AG’s website (https://21shares.com/ir/prospectus or https://21shares.com/ir/kids).

###

^¹ Source: 21Shares State of Crypto #13: Market Outlook 2025
^² Source: Coinbase, as of 23 January 2025

The MIL Network –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Vice Chair Murray, Ranking Member DeLauro Raise Alarm on New OMB Memoranda, Trump Administration’s Efforts to Defy Federal Law, Constitution to Withhold Approved Federal Funding

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
WASHINGTON — Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray and House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro today wrote to Acting Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Matthew J. Vaeth raising the alarm on President Trump’s unlawful executive orders and the new memoranda issued by OMB on Monday directing agencies to withhold vast swaths of approved federal funding.
In the letter, Murray and DeLauro wrote, “As leaders of the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, we write with extreme alarm about the Administration’s efforts to undermine Congress’s power of the purse, threaten our national security, and deny resources for states, localities, American families, and businesses.”
“The President has issued a number of Executive Orders to unilaterally freeze or contravene critical funding provided in bipartisan laws, sowing chaos across states, families, and communities. In that vein, you have now issued a series of Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memoranda that only further disarray and inefficiency—in particular, M-25-13, pursuant to which agencies will be ordered to stop vast swaths of federal financial assistance to states, families, and communities as of 5:00 PM ET on Tuesday, January 28,” continued Murray and DeLauro. “The scope of what you are ordering is breathtaking, unprecedented, and will have devastating consequences across the country. We write today to urge you in the strongest possible terms to uphold the law and the Constitution and ensure all federal resources are delivered in accordance with the law.”
“While we may have strong policy disagreements, we should all be united in upholding our nation’s laws and the Constitution. We will be relentless in our work with members on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers to protect Congress’s power of the purse. The law is the law—and we demand you in your role as Acting OMB Director reverse course to ensure requirements enacted into law are faithfully met and the nation’s spending laws are implemented as intended,” concluded the Democratic leaders of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees.
The full text of the letter is here. Fact sheets detailing how presidents lack power to unilaterally override spending laws and deny enacted funding to communities through impoundment can be found here and here.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Chinese celebrate Spring Festival with traditions, travels and shopping spree

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

With traditional fairs and shopping and travel booms over this year’s extended holiday, China is about to ring in the Spring Festival of the Year of the Snake, the first since its inclusion into the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list.
For Chinese across the world, the Spring Festival is a time for family reunions, festive traditions, holiday shopping and diverse cultural and tourism activities. This year, it falls on Jan. 29 with hundreds of millions of people traveling to reunite with families in the world’s largest annual human migration.
Celebrations today highlight both traditional and modern elements, from temple fairs, lantern displays, lion dances and intangible cultural heritage bazaars to village galas, light and drone shows, museum exhibitions, and travels at home and abroad.
This year, festive glee and activities are further boosted by the UNESCO recognition, pro-consumption policies and the extension of the traditional seven-day holiday by an extra day.

A performance is staged at the Hetou ancient street scenic area in Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province, Jan. 26, 2025. China is alive with vibrant celebrations with the Spring Festival just around the corner. (Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua)
FAMILY REUNIONS AND TRADITIONAL FESTIVITIES
For migrant workers like Zhang Changfu, a native of Baise in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, south China, the Spring Festival offers a rare opportunity for a family reunion.
“I’ve been working away from home for 20 years, but I return home every Spring Festival,” said Zhang, 41, who works as a machinist in the southwestern metropolis of Chengdu, adding that he is looking forward to taking his family to the local temple fair.
The temple fair, a panoply of folk performances, local delicacies and traditional handicrafts, is a familiar sight at this time of year. While such activities contain more traditional elements in the countryside, large cities like Beijing and Shanghai have a tradition of holding large-scale fairs.
For others, like Lin Jia who works in Nanjing, capital of east China’s Jiangsu Province, Spring Festival is the perfect time for a family tour. Lin’s parents and grandmother have traveled from Hunan Province to join her for the holiday.
Lin plans to take them sightseeing around the city after a New Year’s Eve dinner at a hotpot restaurant. “It’s both a reunion and a mini vacation,” she said.
This year, many cities are holding more traditional festive activities, motivated by the inscription of the Spring Festival on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December. The southwestern megacity of Chongqing has planned more than 100 intangible cultural heritage exhibitions, bazaars and performances during the holiday.
“We hope visitors can feel the strong festive ambiance and the special charm of our cultural heritage,” said Tang Mao, the organizer of a cultural heritage bazaar in Chongqing’s bustling Jiefangbei commercial area, where over 40 artisans display traditional crafts like paper-cutting, New Year picture drawing and sugar-figure making.
HOLIDAY SHOPPING
For centuries, shopping has been a crucial part of Spring Festival preparations: from nice food to new clothes and carefully chosen gifts.
Liu Fengmei, a woman in her 70s in Shanghai, traveled over an hour by subway to First Foodhall, a time-honored food store on the iconic Nanjing Road, to stock up on traditional holiday snacks.
A long queue is seen outside the store, which, like many across the country at this time of the year, is filled with festive decorations and a dazzling array of traditional foods.
Following the UNESCO recognition, Chinese consumers also appear to be particularly interested in goods with a cultural festival flair.
Li Gang with the Ministry of Commerce said sales of neo-Chinese-style jewelry and goods featuring intangible cultural heritages have grown by 52.6 percent and 26.6 percent in the month-long online shopping event for the festival initiated by the ministry.
In recent years, the Spring Festival shopping lists have included more imported goods, reflecting Chinese people’s rising purchasing power and growing appetite for imported quality goods.
Earlier this month, a cargo ship loaded with 20,000 tonnes of Chilean cherries arrived at the Nansha Port in south China’s Guangzhou, perfectly timed to offer a festive treat for millions ahead of the Spring Festival.
“Chilean cherries, Australian lobsters and Russian snow crabs … the prices of imported products are quite attractive, so I plan to prepare a New Year’s Eve dinner that blends both Chinese and foreign flavors,” said a customer surnamed Guo at a store of fresh-food chain Freshippo in Beijing.
Driven by government-subsidized trade-in programs, mobile phones, wearable devices, and green and smart home appliances are also highly sought-after items ahead of the festival, according to the ministry.
“Spending on New Year’s goods can offer a glimpse into the resilience and vitality of consumption throughout the year,” said Hong Tao, director of the Institute of Business Economics at Beijing Technology and Business University, who expects a new wave of holiday consumption growth.
Tourists take a selfie at Jiangjunshan Ski Resort in Altay, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 21, 2025. As the Spring Festival approaches, Altay in Xinjiang has ushered in peak tourist season. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)
HOLIDAY TRAVEL
In addition to local festivities, many are venturing farther afield to make the most of the eight-day Spring Festival holiday.
Fang Xue, a resident of Shanghai, plans to take her parents on a holiday trip to Shantou, a coastal city in Guangdong Province. “Traveling during the Spring Festival has become quite fashionable,” Fang said. “My parents in their 80s are very eager to travel.”
The extended holiday has given a boost to the travel industry. While tourist cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Chengdu are attracting large numbers of holidaymakers, smaller cities are also getting more travelers who wish to savor celebrations with local flavors, according to Fliggy, a leading online travel agency.
“Expectations for intangible cultural heritage activities are especially high during the first Spring Festival after the UNESCO recognition,” said Wang Liyang, operations manager at Fliggy.
Thanks to China’s further easing of visa policies, many Chinese cities are also witnessing an influx of international visitors, with many eager to experience the festival traditions.
“The UNESCO heritage status gives Spring Festival worldwide recognition and increases its appeal to international tourists,” said Zhou Huijie, an analyst at Trip.com research institute.
Trip.com Group has estimated that inbound bookings would jump by 203 percent during the Spring Festival, with tourists from the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, the United States, Australia, Thailand and Britain topping the list.
Lukas Muller from Germany is traveling in northeast China’s Jilin Province for skiing and to experience the Spring Festival.
“My friends and I will experience Chinese New Year up close, including eating dumplings, putting up spring couplets, setting off fireworks, and many other customs I’m not familiar with yet,” he said, also praising China’s visa-free policy that facilitated his trip.
Spring Festival serves as the most direct cultural window to understand the Chinese people and it is also a traditional festival with the most Chinese cultural characteristics, said Feng Jicai, a renowned Chinese writer who has long championed intangible cultural heritage protection.

MIL OSI China News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Spring Festival: A Chinese tradition with growing global appeal

Source: China State Council Information Office 2

Set against a vibrant orange backdrop, a bold green snake rises proudly on a commemorative stamp issued by La Poste Group, France’s postal service, earlier this month to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. 2025 marks the 21st consecutive year France has celebrated the Spring Festival with zodiac-themed stamps.

Actors perform the lion dance during the Lunar New Year celebration at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Jan. 24, 2025. (Photo by Winston Zhou/Xinhua)
At the close of 2024, UNESCO added the Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of traditional new year, to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. A year earlier, the 78th UN General Assembly recognized the Chinese New Year as an official UN holiday, underscoring the festival’s growing global presence.
Spring Festival customs are now celebrated in nearly 200 countries and regions, with almost 20 nations designating it as an official public holiday. Each year, around one-fifth of the global population takes part in this cherished tradition.
CUSTOMS WITH GLOBAL APPEAL
Spring Festival’s core customs — celebrating family reunions, wishing for good fortune and creating traditional crafts — captivate cultural enthusiasts worldwide with its unique approach to welcoming the new year.
In the Hungarian capital of Budapest, the streets of Chinatown bustled with a two-day Spring Festival celebration. Visitors took part in dumpling-making, calligraphy workshops and lantern crafting. This vibrant celebration mirrors a global trend where Spring Festival traditions are increasingly embraced across diverse cultures.
“It’s amazing to see the performances and learn about traditions that are so different yet so universal,” said Kata Szabo, a local resident who attended the event with her young daughter.

People watch a demonstration of sugar figure art during a temple fair celebrating the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year in Budapest, Hungary, on Jan. 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Hao)
To Giacomo Bechini, a 29-year-old web designer from Florence, Italy, this year’s Spring Festival is more than a holiday: It is an opportunity to connect with his wife’s Chinese heritage and immerse himself in the festival’s traditions.
His fascination with the Chinese Lunar Calendar, a lunisolar dating system, has deepened his appreciation even further. “It’s incredible how the Spring Festival is tied to a different calendar. I’ve been learning about its symbolic meanings and how the festivities last for days,” Bechini said.
For Tichaona Zimuto, a 34-year-old professional acrobat from Zimbabwe, Spring Festival traditions have evolved from a simple interest into a meaningful practice. About two weeks ago, Zimuto and his group, Blackstar Acrobatics, captivated a local audience in Harare with a rhythmic lion dance performance during a Spring Festival celebration.
The lion dance, which originated in ancient China, blends dance, music and martial arts, with performers mimicking a lion’s movements in elaborate costumes. This traditional art has grown on Zimuto over the past year.
“When I was wearing the lion dance costume, I just felt excited. I just felt great, something special. I just felt like a lion, a real lion,” he said.

A lion dance performance is staged at the 4th edition of the Chinese New Year cultural festival at the National Arts Center in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, Jan. 25, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Mengxin)
The Chinese New Year and its rich cultural heritage are also being shared in exciting new ways. Disney California Adventure Park recently launched its 2025 Lunar New Year celebrations, offering a lively blend of Asian cultural performances. Legendary Chinese warrior Mulan and her quick-witted dragon sidekick, Mushu, led the Lunar New Year procession, celebrating family, friendship and the hope for a prosperous year ahead.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia recently hosted a one-of-a-kind Spring Festival Market at the Cultural Palace in Riyadh, which buzzed with energy during its two-day run. The Chinese e-sports zone was a standout attraction, featuring popular titles such as “Black Myth: Wukong” and “Honor of Kings.”
Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, president of the Saudi National E-Sports Association, said e-sports are a powerful way to connect young people around the globe.
“We can create games about Saudi culture and bring them to China and the world,” he said.
VALUES OF UNIVERSAL RESONANCE
Beneath its traditional customs, the Chinese New Year carries a universal resonance of hope, family unity and aspirations for a better life — values that underpin its global appeal.
People believe that celebrating the Chinese New Year will bring them good luck, good fortune and happiness in the new year, said Heoun Thary, a 32-year-old Cambodian housewife.
She was referring to the recent Lunar New Year festivities in Phnom Penh, which drew hundreds of revelers. Thary noted that the event not only introduced Cambodians to Chinese traditions but also strengthened the bond between the two nations.
In Tanorn village, 60 km south of Phnom Penh, Cambodian villagers participating in a China-aided poverty alleviation project also embraced the spirit of the Spring Festival. The celebration featured red lanterns and couplets.
“People believe that celebrating the Chinese New Year can help increase their luck, promoting their business to make more money,” said Khlok Chamroeun, a 62-year-old deputy chief of the village.

People watch a lion dance performance at the 2025 Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day in Auckland, New Zealand, Jan. 25, 2025. The event was held here on Saturday. (Photo by Wu Jiaxiang/Xinhua)
In New Zealand, a Year of the Snake concert put together Eastern and Western musical traditions. Musicians from China’s Yijing Chamber Ensemble of the Central Conservatory of Music and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra performed in Christchurch, blending the pipa, erhu and bamboo flute with classical symphonies. “Music knows no boundaries. The unique qualities of Eastern and Western music can truly resonate with each other,” said Chinese Consul General He Ying.
This vision of harmony came alive at the United Nations in New York on Friday night. At a Lunar New Year celebration, Miguel Angel Moratinos, UN under-secretary-general and high representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, delivered Lunar New Year wishes in Chinese, “Chunjie Kuaile (Happy Spring Festival),” in the lobby of the main building at the UN Headquarters.
“The Lunar New Year marked the beginning of the Year of the Snake, which is associated with characteristics like wisdom, caution and strategy, and signifies transformation and growth,” he said.
“With the numerous challenges the world is facing, the spirit embodied by the Lunar New Year offers us a beacon of hope and positivity,” Moratinos said.

MIL OSI China News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI: Bitfarms Enters into a Binding LOI with HIVE Digital Technologies for the Sale of its Yguazu, Paraguay Site
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

-Bitfarms to reinvest capital in US growth opportunities-

-Accretive transaction values the completed site at ~$85 million and significantly reduces anticipated 2025 capital requirements-

-Rebalances YE 2025 proforma energy portfolio to ~80% North American & 20% international-

-Reduces expected average power costs by ~10%-

This news release constitutes a “designated news release” for the purposes of Bitfarms’ second amended and restated prospectus supplement dated December 17, 2024, to its short form base shelf prospectus dated November 10, 2023.

TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitfarms Ltd. (NASDAQ/TSX: BITF), a global vertically integrated Bitcoin data center company, today announced that it has entered into a binding Letter of Intent (“LOI”) to sell its 200 MW site in Yguazu, Paraguay to HIVE Digital Technologies, Ltd (“HIVE”). The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025.

Bitfarms CEO Ben Gagnon stated, “We are pleased to announce the sale of our Yguazu site to HIVE as we continue to streamline our operations and rebalance towards North America. Bitfarms will be reinvesting the capital from this sale towards its 1 GW growth pipeline in the U.S. for BTC and HPC/AI infrastructure which marks a significant milestone in our transition from an international Bitcoin miner to a North American energy and compute infrastructure company.”

“We remain fully committed to our current operations in Latin America, with three sites totaling 144 MW that all benefit from long-term power contracts, competitive pricing and geographical diversification. This shift towards U.S.-based assets is in-line with our strategy to diversify beyond Bitcoin mining and capitalize on the significant growth opportunities in HPC/AI.”

Terms
Under the terms of the binding LOI, HIVE will purchase from Bitfarms its 100% ownership stake of its Yguazu, Paraguay Bitcoin mining site. The proposed transaction values the completed site at approximately $85 million, inclusive of approximately $19 million of power deposits with ANDE and the assumption of remaining capital obligations.

Bitfarms to receive:
- $25 million upon closing of this transaction
- $31 million over 6 months following closing
- $19 million as reimbursement for power deposits made to ANDE by Bitfarms
- Approximately $10 million in remaining capital obligations
Transaction Benefits
- Significantly reduces Bitfarms’ anticipated 2025 capital requirements.
- Rebalances portfolio to ~80% North American and 20% International by YE 2025, when coupled with our acquisition of Stronghold Digital Mining, which is expected to close in the next couple of months.
- Reduces estimated average power costs by ~10%.
- Does not impact miner deployment schedule. Reduces YE 2025 MW capacity from 955 MW to 755 MW.
About Bitfarms Ltd.

Founded in 2017, Bitfarms is a global vertically integrated Bitcoin data center company that contributes its computational power to one or more mining pools from which it receives payment in Bitcoin. Bitfarms develops, owns, and operates vertically integrated mining facilities with in-house management and company-owned electrical engineering, installation service, and multiple onsite technical repair centers. The Company’s proprietary data analytics system delivers best-in-class operational performance and uptime.

Bitfarms currently has 12 operating Bitcoin data centers and two under development, as well as hosting agreements with two data centers, in four countries: Canada, the United States, Paraguay, and Argentina. Powered predominantly by environmentally friendly hydro-electric and long-term power contracts, Bitfarms is committed to using sustainable and often underutilized energy infrastructure.

To learn more about Bitfarms’ events, developments, and online communities:

www.bitfarms.com
https://www.facebook.com/bitfarms/
https://twitter.com/Bitfarms_io
https://www.instagram.com/bitfarms/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bitfarms/

Glossary of Terms
- Y/Y or M/M= year over year or month over month
- EH or EH/s = Exahash or exahash per second
- MW or MWh = Megawatts or megawatt hour
- HPC/AI = High Performance Computing / Artificial Intelligence
Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains certain “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” (collectively, “forward-looking information”) that are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release and are covered by safe harbors under Canadian and United States securities laws. The statements and information in this release regarding the sale of the Yguazu, Paraguay Site, the merits of the rebalancing operations to North America, the reinvestment of the proceeds of the sale for growth, the North American energy and compute infrastructure strategy, and other statements regarding future growth, plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking information. Any statements that involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as “expects”, or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, “plans”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “forecasts”, “estimates”, “prospects”, “believes” or “intends” or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results “may” or “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information.

This forward-looking information is based on assumptions and estimates of management of the Company at the time they were made, and involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to: an inability to complete the sale of the Yguazu, Paraguay Site on the terms as announced or at all; the reinvestment of the proceeds of the sale may not occur on an economic basis; the anticipated benefits of the rebalancing of operations to North America and the North American energy and compute infrastructure strategy may not be realized; expansion may not materialize as currently anticipated, or at all; the digital currency market; the ability to successfully mine Bitcoin; revenue may not increase as currently anticipated, or at all; it may not be possible to profitably liquidate the current Bitcoin inventory, or at all; a decline in Bitcoin prices may have a significant negative impact on operations; an increase in network difficulty may have a significant negative impact on operations; the volatility of Bitcoin prices; the anticipated growth and sustainability of hydroelectricity for the purposes of Bitcoin mining in the applicable jurisdictions; the inability to maintain reliable and economical sources of power for the Company to operate Bitcoin mining assets; the risks of an increase in the Company’s electricity costs, cost of natural gas, changes in currency exchange rates, energy curtailment or regulatory changes in the energy regimes in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates and the adverse impact on the Company’s profitability; the ability to complete current and future financings; the risk that a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting could result in a misstatement of the Company’s financial position that may lead to a material misstatement of the annual or interim consolidated financial statements if not prevented or detected on a timely basis; any regulations or laws that will prevent Bitfarms from operating its business; historical prices of Bitcoin and the ability to mine Bitcoin that will be consistent with historical prices; and the adoption or expansion of any regulation or law that will prevent Bitfarms from operating its business, or make it more costly to do so. For further information concerning these and other risks and uncertainties, refer to the Company’s filings on www.sedarplus.ca (which are also available on the website of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov), including the restated MD&A for the year-ended December 31, 2023, filed on December 9, 2024. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including factors that are currently unknown to or deemed immaterial by the Company. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking information other than as required by law . Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, or any other securities exchange or regulatory authority accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Investor Relations Contacts:

Tracy Krumme
SVP, Head of IR & Corp. Comms.
+1 786-671-5638
tkrumme@bitfarms.com

Media Contacts:

Caroline Brady Baker
Director, Communications
cbaker@bitfarms.com

The MIL Network –
January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA News: Reinstating Service Members Discharged Under the Military’s COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate

Source: The White House

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose and Policy. On August 24, 2021, the Secretary of Defense mandated that all service members receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The Secretary of Defense later rescinded the mandate on January 10, 2023. The vaccine mandate was an unfair, overbroad, and completely unnecessary burden on our service members. Further, the military unjustly discharged those who refused the vaccine, regardless of the years of service given to our Nation, after failing to grant many of them an exemption that they should have received. Federal Government redress of any wrongful dismissals is overdue.

Sec. 2. Redress. Consistent with the policies announced in section 1 of this order, the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of Homeland Security, as appropriate, shall take all necessary action permitted by law to:

(a) make reinstatement available to all members of the military (active and reserve) who were discharged solely for refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and who request to be reinstated;

(b) enable those service members reinstated under this section to revert to their former rank and receive full back pay, benefits, bonus payments, or compensation; and

(c) allow any service members who provide a written and sworn attestation that they voluntarily left the service or allowed their service to lapse according to appropriate procedures, rather than be vaccinated under the vaccine mandate, to return to service with no impact on their service status, rank, or pay.

Sec. 3. Additional Agency Responsibilities. (a) Nothing in this order precludes disciplinary or administrative action for conduct that is proscribed by chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (Uniform Code of Military Justice, 10 U.S.C. 801-946a).

(b) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall report to the President through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs on their progress in implementing this order.

Sec. 4. Severability. If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

January 27, 2025.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: January 27th, 2025 Heinrich, Luján Introduce Resolution Condemning Pardons of Individuals Found Guilty of Assaulting Capitol Police Officers

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
Resolution comes after Trump pardons 1,500 criminals convicted of violently assaulting police officers
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced a new resolution condemning the pardons of individuals who were found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police Officers.
The resolution follows the reckless action by President Trump, on the first day of his second term, to grant full, complete, and unconditional pardons to over 1,500 people charged, and in many cases already convicted and incarcerated, with committing crimes in the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and to commute the sentences of 14 others, including leaders of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, far-right militias. Among those pardoned by Trump were 169 people who pleaded guilty to assaulting police officers on January 6th. During the siege of the Capitol that day, over 80 U.S. Capitol Police Officers were assaulted, as well as over 60 officers from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.
The senators’ resolution, condemning the pardons for individuals who were found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police Officers, simply states: “Resolved, That the Senate disapproves of any pardons for individuals who were found guilty of assaulting Capitol Police officers.” This week, Senate Democrats will seek unanimous consent on the Senate floor to pass the resolution.
“These criminals used flagpoles, fire extinguishers and bear spray to assault the police securing the Capitol on January 6. No one who assaults a police officer should be given a ‘get out of jail free card’ from the President,” said Heinrich.
“What took place at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th is a stain on American history. The events of that have left a scar on many, including the law enforcement officers that defended the Capitol. President Trump’s pardons of violent criminals is a betrayal of the rule of law and our brave law enforcement officers,” said Luján. “I urge my Republican colleagues to join us in condemning this vicious attack on law enforcement and in showing the nation that political violence is unacceptable.”
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, approximately 1,572 defendants have been federally charged with crimes associated with the attack of the U.S. Capitol on January 6th. This includes approximately 598 charged with assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcement agents or officers or obstructing those officers during a civil disorder, including approximately 171 defendants charged with using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer. As proven in court, the weapons used and carried on the Capitol grounds during the January 6th attack include firearms; OC spray; tasers; edged weapons, including a sword, axes, hatchets, and knives; and makeshift weapons, such as destroyed office furniture, fencing, bike racks, stolen riot shields, baseball bats, hockey sticks, flagpoles, PVC piping, and reinforced knuckle gloves.
Among others, the individuals who assaulted law enforcement officers and were granted full, unconditional pardons by President Trump this week include:
Rockne Gerald Earles, of Chama, N.M., who pled guilty last year to two felony assault charges on Capitol Police officers. In one attack, captured on video, Earles wrestled a police officer to the steps outside the Capitol Building. That officer was later hospitalized with a concussion and missed 45 days of work due to his injuries. Earlier this month, federal prosecutors recommended a sentence of 52 months in prison for Earles.
Taylor James Johnatakis, of Kingston, Washington, was convicted of three felonies in November 2023, including assaulting officers. Prosecutors said that he “coordinated a violent assault on a line of police officers defending” the Capitol and that video shows he “used a metal barricade to attack officers head on and grabbed one officer to prevent him from defending himself against other attacking rioters.”
Julian Khater, who assaulted a U.S. police office—Brian Sicknick—and later pled guilty to assaulting a police officer with a dangerous weapon.
Robert Palmer, who attacked police with a fire extinguisher, a wooden plank, and a pole.
Tyler Bradley Dykes of Bluffton, South Carolina, who was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for stealing a police riot shield and twice using it against officers. He pleaded guilty to two felony counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers.
Devlyn Thompson, who hit a police officer with a metal baton.
Andrew Taake, of Houston, Texas, who was sentenced to a little more than six years for assaulting law enforcement officers with bear spray and a metal whip.
Christopher Quaglin, who federal prosecutors said “viciously assaulted numerous officers” and was one of the most violent rioters, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.
David Dempsey, who, according to prosecutors, “was one of the most violent rioters,” and received 20 years in prison. Prosecutors also said Dempsey had a “very significant history of arrests and convictions” prior to the January 6th attack.
Daniel Rodriguez, of Fontana, California, who plunged a stun gun into the neck of Washington Police Officer Michael Fanone multiple times.
Ryan Nichols, of Longview, Texas, who assaulted officers with pepper spray, and later on Jan. 6, at his hotel room, he called for additional violence.
Howard Richardson, of King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, who struck a police officer three times with a flagpole, hard enough to break the flagpole.
Robert Sanford, from Chester, Pennsylvania, who hit two police officers in the head with a fire extinguisher and threw a traffic cone at another officer.
Jonathan Munafo, of Albany, New York, who punched a police officer, stole the officer’s riot shield, and struck a Capitol office window with two poles.
The resolution is led by U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Andy Kim (D-N.J.). Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
The text of the resolution is here.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Capito Votes to Confirm Bessent for Treasury Secretary

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) issued the following statement after voting to confirm Scott Bessent to serve as the next Secretary of the Treasury.
“The American people, frustrated with the high cost of living and barriers to growth, elected President Trump to restore strength and confidence in the U.S. economy,” Senator Capito said. “Mr. Bessent is a well-qualified choice to lead the Treasury Department and I was proud to vote to confirm him. I am confident that Mr. Bessent will lead in this crucial position in a way that will support pro-growth economic policies, protect our national security, and improve global competitiveness.”

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA News: The National Day of Remembrance of the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz, 2025

Source: The White House

Today marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the Nazi concentration camp in Poland that stood at the center of the Holocaust and focus for their systematic slaughter of the Jewish people.     Between 1940 and 1945, more than one million Jews, religious leaders, disabled persons, and other innocent victims were viciously and mercilessly executed in Auschwitz at the hands of the evil Nazi regime — culminating in one of the darkest chapters in human history. On this solemn day, America joins the Jewish community, the people of Poland, and the entire world in mourning the lives lost, the souls battered, the heroes forgotten, and the countless men and women who gave their lives for the cause of freedom.
     Over those 5 gruesome years at Auschwitz, mothers and fathers lost their children, daughters and sons lost their parents, and wives and husbands lost their soulmates to the deadly scourge of anti-Semitism — leaving an unfillable void in their hearts. To those who lost family members and loved ones, we pray that Almighty God will grant you comfort and strength. To those who survived the atrocities at Auschwitz, we honor your courage, we salute your sacrifice, and we offer you our enduring love and unceasing gratitude. And to every person touched by the calamities of the Holocaust, we give you our unwavering devotion and eternal promise to never forget the evils that took place during that dark time in history.
     Sadly, despite decades of wisdom shared by survivors, years of reflection on the depravities committed, and decades of progress towards peace, the poison of anti-Semitism still courses through the veins of cowards in dark corners of the world. So today, we renew our promise that anti-Semitism has no place in a civilized society, no place in our foreign policy, and no place in the United States of America.
     In the years since the liberation of Auschwitz on this day eight decades ago, the grave offenses that took place during the Holocaust and the cries of the Jewish people have echoed throughout the halls of history. In the wake of the oppression, persecution, and injustice committed at Auschwitz and elsewhere in Europe, the Jewish people gallantly persevered to re-found their homeland in the modern State of Israel — our mighty friend. To this day, the Jewish people proudly represent the peak of human tenacity and the pinnacle of human triumph.
     As we commemorate this somber occasion, we pay tribute to the undying spirit of the Jewish community. We reaffirm our commitment to educating our children and every future generation about the horrors that took place within the confines of Auschwitz and other concentration and death camps. We renew our resolve to end anti-Semitism and religious bigotry of all forms. We proudly reassert our strong bonds of friendship with the State of Israel. And we declare the timeless truth that every human being is a child of God and inherently worthy of dignity and respect.
     NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 27, 2025, as a National Day of Remembrance of the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz. On this day, I call upon every American citizen to observe this day with programs, ceremonies, and prayers commemorating the victims of the Holocaust and honoring the sacrifices of the men and women who helped liberate the victims of the Nazis at Auschwitz.
     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-seventh day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA News: Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness

Source: The White House

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, and to ensure the readiness and effectiveness of our Armed Forces, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose. The United States military has a clear mission: to protect the American people and our homeland as the world’s most lethal and effective fighting force. Success in this existential mission requires a singular focus on developing the requisite warrior ethos, and the pursuit of military excellence cannot be diluted to accommodate political agendas or other ideologies harmful to unit cohesion.

Recently, however, the Armed Forces have been afflicted with radical gender ideology to appease activists unconcerned with the requirements of military service like physical and mental health, selflessness, and unit cohesion. Longstanding Department of Defense (DoD) policy (DoD Instruction (DoDI) 6130.03) provides that it is the policy of the DoD to ensure that service members are “[f]ree of medical conditions or physical defects that may reasonably be expected to require excessive time lost from duty for necessary treatment or hospitalization.” As a result, many mental and physical health conditions are incompatible with active duty, from conditions that require substantial medication or medical treatment to bipolar and related disorders, eating disorders, suicidality, and prior psychiatric hospitalization.

Consistent with the military mission and longstanding DoD policy, expressing a false “gender identity” divergent from an individual’s sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service. Beyond the hormonal and surgical medical interventions involved, adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual’s sex conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life. A man’s assertion that he is a woman, and his requirement that others honor this falsehood, is not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member.

For the sake of our Nation and the patriotic Americans who volunteer to serve it, military service must be reserved for those mentally and physically fit for duty. The Armed Forces must adhere to high mental and physical health standards to ensure our military can deploy, fight, and win, including in austere conditions and without the benefit of routine medical treatment or special provisions.

Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States Government to establish high standards for troop readiness, lethality, cohesion, honesty, humility, uniformity, and integrity. This policy is inconsistent with the medical, surgical, and mental health constraints on individuals with gender dysphoria. This policy is also inconsistent with shifting pronoun usage or use of pronouns that inaccurately reflect an individual’s sex.

Sec. 3. Definitions. The definitions in the Executive Order of January 20, 2025 (Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government) shall apply to this order.

Sec. 4. Implementation. (a) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) shall update DoDI 6130.03 Volume 1 (Medical Standards for Military Service: Appointment, Enlistment, or Induction (May 6, 2018), Incorporating Change 5 of May 28, 2024) and DoDI 6130.03 Volume 2 (Medical Standards for Military Service: Retention (September 4, 2020), Incorporating Change 1 of June 6, 2022) to reflect the purpose and policy of this Order.

(b) The Secretary shall promptly issue directives for DoD to end invented and identification-based pronoun usage to best achieve the policy outlined in section 2 of this order.

(c) Within 30 days of the date of this order, the Secretary shall:

(i)   identify all additional steps and issue guidance necessary to fully implement this order; and

(ii) submit to the President through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs a report that summarizes these steps.

(d) Absent extraordinary operational necessity, the Armed Forces shall neither allow males to use or share sleeping, changing, or bathing facilities designated for females, nor allow females to use or share sleeping, changing, or bathing facilities designated for males.

(e) Within 30 days of the issuance of the respective updates, directives, and guidance under subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall, with respect to the Coast Guard, issue updates, directives, and guidance consistent with the updates, directives, and guidance issued under subsections (a), (b), and (c) of this section.

Sec. 5. Implementing the Revocation of Executive Order 14004. (a) Pursuant to the Executive Order of January 20, 2025 (Initial Rescissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions), Executive Order 14004 of January 25, 2021 (Enabling All Qualified Americans To Serve Their Country in Uniform), has been revoked. Accordingly, all policies, directives, and guidance issued pursuant to Executive Order 14004 shall be rescinded to the extent inconsistent with the provisions of this order.

(b) The Secretary and, with respect to the Coast Guard, the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall take all necessary steps to implement the revocations described in subsection (a) of this section and ensure that all military departments and services fully comply with the provisions of this order.

Sec. 6. Severability. If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)    the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii)   the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    January 27, 2025.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA News: The Iron Dome for America
Source: The White House
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including my authority as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose. The threat of attack by ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, and other advanced aerial attacks, remains the most catastrophic threat facing the United States.
President Ronald Reagan endeavored to build an effective defense against nuclear attacks, and while this program resulted in many technological advances, it was canceled before its goal could be realized. And since the United States withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002 and initiated development of limited homeland missile defense, official United States homeland missile defense policy has remained only to stay ahead of rogue-nation threats and accidental or unauthorized missile launches.
Over the past 40 years, rather than lessening, the threat from next-generation strategic weapons has become more intense and complex with the development by peer and near-peer adversaries of next-generation delivery systems and their own homeland integrated air and missile defense capabilities.
Sec. 2. Policy. To further the goal of peace through strength, it is the policy of the United States that:
     (a) The United States will provide for the common defense of its citizens and the Nation by deploying and maintaining a next-generation missile defense shield;
     (b) The United States will deter — and defend its citizens and critical infrastructure against — any foreign aerial attack on the Homeland; and
     (c) The United States will guarantee its secure second-strike capability.
Sec. 3. Implementation. Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall:
     (a) Submit to the President a reference architecture, capabilities-based requirements, and an implementation plan for the next-generation missile defense shield. The architecture shall include, at a minimum, plans for:
(i)     Defense of the United States against ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other next-generation aerial attacks from peer, near-peer, and rogue adversaries;
(ii)    Acceleration of the deployment of the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor layer;
(iii)   Development and deployment of proliferated space-based interceptors capable of boost-phase intercept;
(iv)    Deployment of underlayer and terminal-phase intercept capabilities postured to defeat a countervalue attack;
(v)     Development and deployment of a custody layer of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture;
(vi)    Development and deployment of capabilities to defeat missile attacks prior to launch and in the boost phase;
(vii) Development and deployment of a secure supply chain for all components with next-generation security and resilience features; and
(viii) Development and deployment of non-kinetic capabilities to augment the kinetic defeat of ballistic, hypersonic, advanced cruise missiles, and other next-generation aerial attacks;
     (b) Review relevant authorities and organization of the Department of Defense to develop and deploy capabilities at the necessary speed to implement this directive;
     (c) Jointly with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, submit to the President a plan to fund this directive, allowing sufficient time for consideration by the President before finalization of the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget; and
     (d) In cooperation with United States Strategic Command and United States Northern Command, submit to the President:
(i)   An updated assessment of the strategic missile threat to the Homeland; and
(ii) A prioritized set of locations to progressively defend against a countervalue attack by nuclear adversaries.
Sec. 4. Allied and Theater Missile Defense Review. The United States continues to cooperate on missile defense with its allies and partners to aid in the defense of ally populations and troops and of forward-deployed United States troops. Following the submission to the President of the next-generation missile defense reference architecture under section 3(a) of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall direct a review of theater missile defense posture and initiatives to identify ways in which the United States and its allies and partners can:
     (a) Increase bilateral and multilateral cooperation on missile defense technology development, capabilities, and operations;
     (b) Improve theater missile defenses of forward-deployed United States troops and allied territories, troops, and populations; and
     (c) Increase and accelerate the provision of United States missile defense capabilities to allies and partners.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
1. the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
2. the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
     (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
     (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    January 27, 2025.
MIL OSI USA News –
January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA News: Restoring America’s Fighting Force

Source: The White House

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose. As Chief Executive and as Commander in Chief, I am committed to meritocracy and to the elimination of race-based and sex-based discrimination within the Armed Forces of the United States. No individual or group within our Armed Forces should be preferred or disadvantaged on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, color, or creed.

Unfortunately, in recent years civilian and uniformed leadership alike have implemented Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and their attendant race and sex preferences within the Armed Forces. These actions undermine leadership, merit, and unit cohesion, thereby eroding lethality and force readiness. They also violate Americans’ consciences by engaging in invidious race and sex discrimination.

Sec. 2. Policy. It is the policy of my Administration that the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security with regard to the United States Coast Guard (USCG), and every element of the Armed Forces should operate free from any preference based on race or sex.

Sec. 3. Definitions. (a) A “DEI office” means an office, division, job, or other unit of an institution established for the purpose of:

(i)   influencing hiring or employment practices at the institution with respect to race, sex, color, or ethnicity, other than through the use of color-blind and sex-neutral hiring processes; or

(ii) promoting differential treatment of or providing special benefits to individuals on the basis of race, sex, color, or ethnicity.

(b) The term “gender ideology” has the meaning given to that term in section 2(f) of the Executive Order of January 20, 2025, (Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government).

(c) The term “divisive concepts” has the meaning given to that term in section 2(a) of Executive Order 13950 of September 22, 2020 (Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping).

Sec. 4. Abolishing the DEI Bureaucracy. The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall abolish every DEI office within the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security with regard to the USCG, respectively, including any vestiges of DEI offices, such as sub-offices, programs, elements, or initiatives established to promote a race-based preferences system that subverts meritocracy, perpetuates unconstitutional discrimination, and promotes divisive concepts or gender ideology.

Sec. 5. Department of Defense Internal Review. The Secretary of Defense shall conduct an internal review that documents actions taken in pursuit of DEI initiatives, including all instances of race and sex discrimination and activities designed to promote a race- or sex-based preferences system. The report shall be delivered to the Secretary of Defense within 90 days of the date of this order.

Sec. 6. Protecting American Values. (a) The Department of Defense and the Armed Forces, including any educational institution operated or controlled thereby, are prohibited from promoting, advancing, or otherwise inculcating the following un-American, divisive, discriminatory, radical, extremist, and irrational theories:

(i)    “divisive concepts,” as defined in section 3(c) of this order, and “race or sex stereotyping,” or “race or sex scapegoating” as both terms are defined in section 2 of Executive Order 13950, as amended;

(ii)   that America’s founding documents are racist or sexist; and

(iii) “gender ideology,” as defined in section 3(b) of this order.

(b) The Department of Defense and the Armed Forces shall not hire employees, contractors, or consultants to teach the theories set forth in subsection (a) of this section.

(c) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall carefully review the leadership, curriculum, and instructors of the United States Service Academies and other defense academic institutions associated with their respective Departments to ensure alignment with this order. In addition, these institutions shall be required to teach that America and its founding documents remain the most powerful force for good in human history.

Sec. 7. Implementation. (a) The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall issue detailed guidance for the implementation of this order to their respective departments within 30 days of the date of this order.

(b) Within 180 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report through the Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy documenting the progress of their respective Departments in implementing this order, and any recommendations for action to fulfill the objectives of this order.

Sec. 8. Severability. If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other persons or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.

Sec. 9. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    January 27, 2025.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Denmark boosts Arctic defence following US interest in Greenland

Source: China State Council Information Office

Denmark has unveiled plans to bolster its military presence in the Arctic amid rising concerns over the U.S. interest in acquiring Greenland, a Danish-owned territory.

Danish Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen announced late Monday that the government will allocate 14.6 billion Danish krona (approximately $2 billion) to boost the defence of Greenland, Arctic Sea and Northern Atlantic. The decision follows an agreement among Danish political parties.

The plans will include three new arctic naval vessels and two long-range drones, increased surveillance and crisis training for the local residents. Poulsen said in a press conference that these preparations are just the initial phase, with further plans expected to be finalized by summer.

According to Danish Broadcasting Corporation, the new vessels would enter service within five or six years, expected to replace existing vessels.

When questioned about whether these measures would “calm down” U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in Greenland, Poulsen refrained from a direct response, underlining the importance of co-operation with NATO allies, including Canada, the United States and Norway.

President Trump has recently reiterated the U.S. interest in Greenland, which remains an autonomous area under Danish sovereignty.

Referring to an upcoming meeting on Tuesday with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Europe is in a serious situation. “With war on the continent and changes in the geopolitical reality. In such a time, unity is crucial.”

MIL OSI China News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: On Senate Floor, Warren Opposes Treasury Nominee for Backing Trump Billionaire Agenda

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

January 27, 2025

“[B]illionaires dominate the American economy, and Republicans plan to give them more tax breaks…And Mr. Bessent is another billionaire ready to do the hard work of cutting taxes for every billionaire in America, himself included.”

“Mr. Bessent has been an advocate for deregulating Wall Street and letting the Big Banks load up on risk…[an] approach [that] brought our economy to its knees in 2008…Trump wants to run that same economic play and Mr. Bessent is the guy he’s picked to do it.”

Video of Remarks (YouTube)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, delivered remarks on the floor of the U.S. Senate opposing the nomination of Mr. Scott Bessent for Secretary of the Treasury. Mr. Bessent’s views – including support for policies that compromise the stability of our financial system and support for tax policies that help billionaires instead of working families – have raised deep concerns for Senator Warren.

Remarks from Senator Elizabeth Warren
As Delivered
January 27, 2025

Madam President, I rise today in opposition of Scott Bessent to be the next Treasury Secretary and in support of tens of millions of working families who need a government on their side.

The Treasury Secretary is one of the President’s top economic advisors. He has the power to lower costs for hard-working people—or to give billionaires another break.

Now, Mr. Bessent has a long history as an investment manager helping rich clients get even richer. In fact, helping rich people get richer has been a profitable business for him. Mr. Bessent is now a billionaire himself. He owns not one, but two, multi-million dollar mansions, including one in the Bahamas, and has hundreds of millions in investments. Now, he’s spent a lot of money, but he’s saved money in one area: he hasn’t paid the taxes he owes. According to an analysis from the Congressional tax experts, Mr. Bessent has refused to pay $2 million in taxes that he owed on his hedge fund earnings just in the past 3 years. And Mr. Bessent has no demonstrated track record of fighting to make life better or more affordable for working people.

So let’s start with some of Trump’s economic plans that Mr. Bessent would be in charge of advancing.

Right now, Republicans in the White House and in Congress are working through their plans to extend tax breaks for billionaires and giant corporations – paid for in part with major cuts to health care.

In plain English, Republicans are hoping you won’t notice major budget cuts for nursing homes that take care of your grandpa or the cuts in school lunches for poor kids. Move grandpa out of the nursing home and let the little kids go hungry in order to make sure a tiny handful of billionaires get a few more truckloads of cash from Uncle Sam.

There’s a truth no one can escape: Someone has to pay to run this country. Folks like Scott Bessent think the burden should be just a little heavier on working people because billionaires like him are smarter than everyone else. One place or the other, someone has to pay.

So during his hearing, I asked Mr. Bessent about those cuts for billionaires. I asked if there were any billionaires already rich enough that they just didn’t need another tax cut.

He said, well, that it was unwise to single out anyone, not even billionaires.

You wouldn’t want to single out a billionaire like Jeff Bezos who pays a lower tax rate than a Boston public school teacher?

You wouldn’t want to single out a billionaire like Mark Zuckerberg whose company Meta paid a tax rate of just 11.5-percent in 2023 despite making nearly $40 billion in profits?

You wouldn’t want to single out a billionaire like Elon Musk who’s more focused on flying to Mars than making life better for working families here on Earth?

Those billionaires had better seats at Donald Trump’s inauguration than Trump’s own cabinet nominees.

Those billionaires dominate the American economy, and Republicans plan to give them more tax breaks. This is the payout for Trump’s quote ‘rich as hell donors.’ And Mr. Bessent is another billionaire ready to do the hard work of cutting taxes for every billionaire in America, himself included.

The top economic issue today is how do we lower costs for families and build an economy that works, not just for the wealthy and well-connected, but an economy that works for everyone.

I’m hammering out plans to make it a little easier for families to be able to pay their bills, to buy a home, and to build some financial security.

Trump’s tax breaks for billionaires is the same old Republican playbook of trickle down economics. Help the rich get richer and leave everyone else behind.

But that’s not the Trump administration’s only bad economic idea.

Mr. Bessent has been an advocate for deregulating Wall Street and letting the Big Banks load up on risk.

Deregulate Wall Street. Yeah, a lot of people remember how that approach brought our economy to its knees in 2008. People who remember include millions of people who lost their homes. The millions who lost their jobs. The millions who lost their savings. And now, once again, Trump wants to run that same economic play and Mr. Bessent is the guy he’s picked to do it.

We don’t need less oversight of the giant banks and Wall Street movers and shakers. Risk is building in the system.

The too-big-to-fail banks are quietly taking on riskier investments.

The shadowy private credit market has loaded up on highly leveraged loans.

And after waves of catastrophic losses, the insurance industry is facing a reckoning that even climate-change deniers can’t ignore.

Without significant changes, another financial crash is coming.

As we learned, those big crashes fall hardest on hard working people who are just trying to make a living. A billionaire willing to roll along on deregulation poses a threat to the economic well-being of every American. And a billionaire who supports more tax cuts for every single billionaire in America is not someone who is watching out for hard working families.

For me, this is simple.

I’m ready to work together with President Trump’s team wherever we agree to help families, but I’m also ready to fight like hell when Republicans pursue economic policies that load up the risk in our financial system or tax policies that mostly benefit billionaires.

I will vote NO on Mr. Bessent to be the next Secretary of the Treasury, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Thank you, Madam President, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: News 01/27/2025 Blackburn, Schatz Introduce Bill to Award Tennessean Roddie Edmonds with Congressional Gold Medal on Holocaust Remembrance Day

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) introduced the Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds Congressional Gold Medal Act, which would posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal to Master Sergeant Roderick “Roddie” Edmonds in recognition of his heroic actions during World War II:
“Roddie Edmonds’ bravery saved the lives of hundreds of Jewish-American soldiers during World War II, and his valor deserves official commendation,” said Senator Blackburn. “Today on Holocaust Remembrance Day, we recognize the tremendous courage of my fellow Tennessean who risked his life to protect his fellow countrymen from Nazi atrocities.”
“Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds showed incredible courage to stand up for what’s right,” said Senator Schatz. “At a time of rising anti-Semitism, this bill honoring his bravery reminds us the power of standing together in solidarity against hate – even in the toughest moments.”

Click here to download this photo of Senator Blackburn and World War II veterans during her trip to Normandy, France, for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.

BACKGROUND:

In 1944, Roddie Edmonds was captured by Nazi forces during the Battle of the Bulge. Taken to Stalag IX-A, a notorious POW camp in Ziegenhain, Germany, Edmonds, as the senior noncommissioned officer, was responsible for 1,292 men.
A month after his capture, he was ordered to separate the Jewish-American soldiers from the rest of the prisoners, a move that would likely result in their deaths. Defying the Nazi order, Edmonds commanded all of his men to stand together, declaring, “We are all Jews here,” when a German officer demanded to know who the Jewish soldiers were. With a gun pointed at his head, Edmonds refused to reveal their identities, stating that according to the Geneva Convention, only names, ranks, and serial numbers were required.
His bravery saved the lives of around 200 Jewish-American soldiers. Edmonds’ actions were later recognized posthumously by Yad Vashem, which honored him as “Righteous Among the Nations,” the first member of the U.S. Armed Forces and one of only five Americans to receive this distinction. As we approach the 80th anniversary of World War II’s conclusion and the 40th anniversary of his passing, it’s important to remember and honor the extraordinary courage of this “ordinary” soldier who risked his life to protect his fellow Americans.
Click here for bill text.

ENDORSEMENTS:

This legislation is endorsed by Roddie Edmonds’ son, Pastor Chris Edmonds, Project Legacy, and Richard Hurowitz, Co-Chair of the Roddie Edmonds Congressional Gold Medal Committee.
“With antisemitism and hatred on the rise, there’s no better time to honor my father than this year, the 80thanniversaries of his heroic actions, the liberation of Auschwitz, and the end of World War II. Like the story of Queen Esther in the Bible, dad’s moral courage is timeless and transformative—a story for such a time as this that inspires us all.” – Pastor Chris Edmonds, CEO of Roddie’s Code and Roddie Edmonds’ Son
“With alarming studies indicating that many young people lack awareness of the Holocaust and the disturbing rise of Holocaust denial, the decision to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Rodney Edmonds becomes even more significant as we commemorate the 80th anniversary of this pivotal moment in history.” – Ezra Friedlander, Founder of Project Legacy
“Roddie Edmonds was a true American hero and a great humanitarian. In a time of rising anti-Semitism and bigotry, it is more important than ever to honor those who risked their lives to save others at the nadir of humanity, the Holocaust. Roddie Edmonds is unique for having rescued not only Jews, but his fellow Jewish-American soldiers, and his incredible story is an object lesson for all who wish for a peaceful and kinder world” – Richard Hurowitz, Author of In the Garden of the Righteous: The Heroes Who Risked Their Lives to Save Jews During the Holocaust and Co-Chair of the Roddie Edmonds Congressional Gold Medal Committee

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Scott Statement on Confirmation of Scott Bessent

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the statement below following the confirmation of Scott Bessent to serve as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury:
“Scott Bessent’s confirmation is great news for the pockets of American taxpayers. He understands the cataclysmic repercussions the middle class will face if provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expire. With his great success as an entrepreneur, he will help ensure all Americans have the necessary tools to reach financial freedom. I am excited to work with the President and Secretary Bessent to unleash economic opportunity for all Americans!”

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Historic Week as the Golden Age Begins

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

Inauguration Day was a good day for America. Watching Donald Trump take the oath of office becoming the 47th President of the United States was an honor. It is time to not only make America great again, but make it even better after four years of disastrous Democratic policies.
President Trump is coming into office with more experience and a wariness of the deep state. Our job in the Senate is to make sure we confirm his cabinet so we can get to work and President Trump can fulfill his promises to the American people. We also need to expose the weaponization of government that happened during the last administration.
WATCH: Sen. Johnson on BBC News Special Inauguration Coverage
WATCH: Sen. Johnson on Newsmax

Attending the swearing-in ceremony of President Trump at the Capitol Rotunda: Sen. Mike Lee, Sen. Ron Johnson, Sen. Rand Paul, and Sen.Ted Cruz.
New Position as Chairman of PSI

I am honored to serve as chairman of the powerful Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. This subcommittee’s investigatory record spans decades and its reputation for conducting thorough oversight and exposing wrongdoing is unparalleled. It is my privilege to build on that legacy.
I look forward to working with Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal and other members of the subcommittee to uncover the truth on issues that are important to the American people. My hope is that the subcommittee’s work will be largely non-partisan. There should be nothing partisan about revealing the truth.
Absurd Spending Needs to Change

Current spending is completely unsustainable, unjustified, and absurd. We have to return to pre-pandemic spending levels. It’s time for a paradigm shift in the way we use our budgets.
The people that voted for President Trump do not expect the federal government is going to continue spending at President Biden and the Democrats’ spending levels.
On January 16, I spoke on the Senate floor to discuss the importance of returning to a reasonable pre-pandemic spending level and the massive deficit spending that is devaluing the U.S. dollar.
WATCH: Senate floor speech on government spending
READ: Badger Institute — Emergency ended; so should federal spending spree
WATCH: Politico First 100 Days Speaker Series on Tax Reform
Cabinet Confirmation Hearings

Since the start of the 119th Congress, we have been holding confirmation hearings for President Trump’s cabinet nominees.
Here are some highlights from the hearings I have participated in:
Kristi Noem: For too long the Department of Homeland Security has been completely misused. Their mission creep under the Biden administration has caused the agency to leave America vulnerable. I look forward to working with Kristi Noem as DHS Secretary to secure the homeland again.
Scott Bessent: The pick for Treasury Secretary and I agree that the U.S. does not have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem. I look forward to voting for Scott Bessent’s confirmation and working with him to reset spending levels to a reasonable pre-pandemic level.
Sean Duffy: I was proud to introduce Wisconsin’s own Sean Duffyin his confirmation hearing. Sean will be a strong and dedicated leader of the Department of Transportation, prioritizing safety and investing in infrastructure projects that connect our communities. We are fortunate that he is willing to serve the public again, and I recommend him as Secretary without reservation.
News from the 119th Congress

The Laken Riley Act passed Congress and will be the first bill signed into law by President Trump. I voted to pass the bill which will give local law enforcement and ICE more tools to combat illegal immigrants who commit crime in the United States.
I joined a letter to President Trump encouraging him to reinstate and broaden the life-affirming pro-life policies in the early days of his new administration and end the weaponization of the U.S. government against pro-life Americans and unborn children.
As part of the MAHA Caucus, we were pleased to see the FDA ban Red No. 3 from foods, dietary supplements, and ingested medicines. We look forward to addressing the root causes of chronic diseases and creating a healthier, stronger nation with President Trump and HHS nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Public Country-by-Country reporting
Source: Australian Department of Revenue

What is Public CBC reporting?
Public CBC reporting is a reporting regime which requires certain large multinational enterprises to publish selected tax information. The information must be reported either on a CBC basis or on an aggregated basis. The regime applies for reporting periods commencing from 1 July 2024.

The entities within the regime publish their Public CBC report by providing it to the ATO and then the ATO uploading it on data.gov.au. Public CBC reporting improves how information is shared with the public to help compare entity tax disclosures, to better assess whether an entity’s economic presence in a jurisdiction aligns with the amount of tax they pay in that jurisdiction.

Public CBC reporting requires disclosures about:
- the revenues, profits and income taxes of the global group
- the activities of the global group
- an entity’s international related party dealings.
Who is required to report?
An entity must report for a reporting period if all of the following apply to it:
- is a Public CBC reporting parent for the preceding period
- is an entity of the type specified
- satisfies the requirements for that reporting period.
An entity is of the type specified if it is any one of the following:
- constitutional corporation
- trust, provided each of the trustees is a constitutional corporation
- partnership, provided each of the partners is a constitutional corporation.
Entities meet the requirements for a reporting period if all of the following apply:
- they were a Public CBC reporting parent for a period that includes the whole or a part of the preceding reporting period
- they were a member of a Public CBC reporting group at any time during the reporting period
- at any point during the reporting period, they, or a member of their Public CBC reporting group, were an Australian resident or a foreign resident operating an Australian permanent establishment
- $10 million or more of their aggregated turnover for the reporting period was Australian-sourced
- they were not an exempt entity or included in a class of exempt entities.
Public CBC reporting registration
All Public CBC reporting parents are encouraged to register with the ATO as this simplifies:
- the giving of the Public CBC report to the ATO
- requesting an extension of time to provide the Public CBC report
- requesting an exemption from reporting obligations.
The registration form and instructions are under development and will be made available in 2025.
Public CBC reporting obligations

The Public CBC reporting parent entity must give the Public CBC report electronically to the ATO within 12 months after the end of the relevant reporting period.

An update to correct any material errors must be given to the ATO within 28 days of the Public CBC reporting parent identifying or otherwise becoming aware of that error.

Penalties apply for non-compliance.

The Public CBC reporting form and instructions are in development, they will be made available in 2025.

What does jurisdictional reporting mean?

For Australia and specified jurisdictions determined by the Minister, particular information must be published on a CBC basis.

For all other jurisdictions the CBC reporting group operates in, the Public CBC reporting parent has a choice to publish that same information on either a CBC basis or an aggregated basis.

Specified jurisdictions list

The Minister’s determination of jurisdictions for the purpose of Public CBC reporting is provided by legislative instrument. The Taxation Administration (Country by Country Reporting Jurisdictions) Determination 2024Opens in a new window outlines the specified jurisdictions.

Jurisdictions that have a comprehensive international tax agreement with Australia:
- Singapore
- Switzerland
Other jurisdictions:
- Andorra
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Aruba
- Barbados
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Belize
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Cook Islands
- Curacao
- Dominica
- Gibraltar
- Grenada
- Guernsey
- Hong Kong
- Isle of Man
- Jersey
- Liberia
- Mauritius
- Monaco
- Montserrat
- Nauru
- Niue
- Panama
- Republic of the Marshall Islands
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Maarten (Dutch Part)
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Seychelles
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- US Virgin Islands
- Vanuatu
Public CBC information to be reported
The Public CBC reporting parent is required to publish:
- its own legal name
- the names of each entity in the CBC reporting group
- a description of the CBC reporting group’s approach to tax
- information about Australia and specified jurisdictions, on a CBC basis
- information about its other jurisdictions, either on a CBC or aggregated basis.
Information required to be reported

If the Public CBC reporting parent chooses to report on a CBC basis for all jurisdictions that the group operates in, it does not need to publish any information on an aggregated basis. However, if the Public CBC reporting parent only publishes information on a CBC basis for Australia and the specified jurisdictions, it must publish information for all other jurisdictions on an aggregated basis.

Australia and specified jurisdictions

The information required to be reported for Australia and specified jurisdictions is:
- the name of the jurisdiction
- a description of main business activities
- the number of employees (on a full-time equivalent basis) at the end of the reporting period
- revenue from unrelated parties
- revenue from related parties that are not tax residents of the jurisdiction
- profit or loss before income tax
- book value at the end of the reporting period of tangible assets, other than cash and cash equivalents
- income tax paid (on a cash basis)
- income tax accrued (current year)
- the reasons for the difference between income tax accrued (current year) and the amount of income tax due if the income tax rate applicable to the jurisdiction were applied to profit and loss before income tax
- the currency used in calculating and presenting the above information.
Other jurisdictions (aggregated information)

The information required to be reported on an aggregated basis, for all other jurisdictions the group operates in, is, the aggregation of the following for all of those jurisdictions:
- a description of main business activities in those jurisdictions
- the number of employees (on a full-time equivalent basis) at the end of the reporting period
- revenue from unrelated parties
- revenue from related parties that are not tax residents of the jurisdiction in which that revenue is being derived
- profit or loss before income tax
- book value at the end of the reporting period of tangible assets, other than cash and cash equivalents
- income tax paid (on a cash basis)
- income tax accrued (current year)
- the currency used in calculating and presenting the above information.
The information required to be reported, has been adopted from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 207: Tax 2019 reporting standard. The GRI 207 may be used as a source of guidance in interpretating the publishing requirements. Regard may also be had to the BEPS Action 13 Guidance and the OECD Transfer Pricing Guidelines where they provide greater detail on the interpretation of terms.

Correction of errors

If a Public CBC reporting parent becomes aware of a material error contained in any of the information that has been published, the CBC reporting parent must correct the error by giving corrected information to the Commissioner in the approved form. This is required no later than 28 days after the entity becomes aware of the material error.

Penalties apply for non-compliance.
Publishing the information

The Public CBC reporting parent is required to publish the information on an Australian government website by giving the information in the approved form to the Commissioner.

The Public CBC reporting form and instructions are under development and will be made available in 2025.

The Commissioner’s role

The Commissioner will facilitate publication of the reported information as soon as practicable, on the Australian government website data.gov.au.

If a material error is corrected by the Public CBC reporting parent, the Commissioner will publish the corrected information on data.gov.au as soon as practicable.

The first publication is expected to be released in late 2026.

Extension of time to provide the Public CBC report

The Public CBC report is due within 12 months after the end of the relevant reporting period. For example, for the reporting period ending 30 June 2025, the Public CBC report is due by 30 June 2026.

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The primary purpose of the Public CBC regime is to enhance tax transparency. However, a Public CBC reporting parent may seek an exemption from reporting obligations, from the Commissioner. The Commissioner may exempt an entity (a ‘full exemption’) or specify that an entity is exempt from publishing information of a particular kind (a ‘partial exemption’) for a single reporting period.

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Guidance on exemptions will be made available in 2025. For more information, see Public country-by-country reporting transparency measure and exemption discretions.

MIL OSI News –
January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Barrasso Statement on the Confirmation of Scott Bessent as Treasury Secretary

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Wyoming John Barrasso

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Senate Majority Whip, released the following statement after voting to confirm Scott Bessent to be Secretary of the Department of Treasury.

“Scott Bessent has a clear vision to reignite America’s economy. He is going to be a strong partner in helping us lower prices, increase wages and create more American jobs. Secretary Bessent believes in unleashing American energy, cutting wasteful spending, and staying tough on our adversaries. Secretary Bessent will protect families in Wyoming and across the country from crushing regulations and devasting tax hikes.”

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025

MIL-OSI: Madison Pacific Properties Inc. announces Federal Court of Appeal judgement on tax reassessments appeal

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 27, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Madison Pacific Properties Inc. (the Parent Company) (TSX: MPC and MPC.C), a Vancouver-based real estate company announces judgement issued by the Federal Court of Appeal (“FCA”) on its tax reassessments appeal.

As previously reported in the Parent Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements and MD&A, the Parent Company and certain subsidiaries had received from the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) and Alberta Tax and Revenue Administration (“ATRA”) tax notices of reassessment for various taxation years. The reassessments denied the application and usage of certain non-capital losses, capital losses, deductions and investment tax credits arising from prior years. The Parent Company and its subsidiaries had filed notices of objection and notices of appeal to the reassessments with the CRA and ATRA.

The appeal with the Tax Court of Canada (“TCC”) for the Parent Company was heard in 2020, 2022 and in 2023 (the “Appeal”). The TCC released its judgement on the Appeal in December 2023 in favour of the CRA’s position, confirming the CRA’s reassessments. The decision denied the Parent Company’s ability to use certain carryforward losses for certain taxation years within its 2009 to 2017 taxation years. Additional taxes payable for the reassessed years plus estimated interest and awarded legal costs totals approximately $6.6 million and as at August 31, 2024, the Parent Company had paid $6.1 million to the CRA for the taxes and estimated interest on the reassessments.

In January 2024, the Parent Company filed a notice of appeal to the FCA to appeal the decision issued by the TCC on the Appeal (the “TCC Appeal”). On January 22, 2025, the TCC Appeal was heard by the FCA and on January 23, 2025 the FCA released its judgement dismissing the TCC Appeal. The Parent Company and its counsel are currently assessing whether to appeal the decision issued by the FCA. The Parent Company has also filed interest relief applications with the CRA to apply to waive arrears interest paid on the reassessments.

For a review of the risks and uncertainties to which the Parent Company is subject, see its most recently filed annual and interim MD&A.

For more information please contact:

Contact:	Mr. John DeLucchi	Ms. Bernice Yip
	President & CEO	Chief Financial Officer
Telephone:	(604) 732-6540	(604) 732-6540

Address:	389 West 6^th Avenue
	Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 1L1

The MIL Network –

January 28, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Senate Passes Rosen, Lankford, Booker, Cramer Resolution Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz

US Senate News:

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

The Bipartisan Resolution Also Commemorates International Holocaust Remembrance Day
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), James Lankford (R-OK), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) announced that the Senate unanimously passed their bipartisan resolution commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz in Nazi-occupied Poland and marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The resolution calls for the remembrance of the millions of innocent victims of the Nazi reign of terror, honors the legacy of the survivors of the Holocaust, and recommits to combatting all forms of antisemitism.
“Today marks 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz, when thousands of lives were saved, and the world was finally exposed to the horrors behind those walls,” said Senator Rosen. “The U.S. Senate passed this bipartisan resolution to recognize the six million Jews and millions of others who were brutally murdered by Nazis during one of the darkest chapters in human history. At a time when antisemitism and Holocaust denial are on the rise around the world, it has never been more important to remind the world of the atrocities committed by rampant anti-Jew hate and discrimination. By remembering the past, we can ensure Never Again truly means never again.”
“Eighty years ago today, good triumphed over the evil of the Holocaust as Allied Forces liberated Auschwitz,” said Senator Cramer. “We will never forget the atrocities of the Holocaust. In the wake of an alarming uptick in anti-semitism, we remember the murder of millions of Jews on this solemn day.”
The full text of the resolution can be read HERE.
Senator Rosen has been a leader in the fight to combat antisemitism and Holocaust denial and distortion. Last year, her bipartisan legislation with Senator Cramer to reauthorize the Never Again Education Act became law. She helped launch the first-ever Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism with Senator Lankford and led the push to create the first-ever national strategy to counter antisemitism. In 2023, Senator Rosen helped introduce a bipartisan resolution denouncing antisemitism at institutions of higher education, which passed the Senate unanimously. The following year, Senator Rosen hosted a roundtable discussion with students from across the country to discuss campus antisemitism.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Graham Votes to Confirm Bessent as Treasury Secretary

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today released the following statement after the Senate confirmed South Carolina native Scott Bessent as the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Treasury.

Bessent grew up in Little River. He is the founder and CEO of Key Square Group and has been in the financial services business for over 35 years. Graham praised President Trump for nominating Bessent for the post and introduced him at his nomination hearing before the Senate Finance Committee.

“It’s a very big day for South Carolina and our nation,” said Senator Graham. “Scott Bessent received strong bipartisan support to be the next Treasury Secretary. He will hit the ground running in support of President Trump’s America First Agenda. Scott is a great combination of academic excellence and real-world experience. It’s a long way to go from Little River to Secretary of the Treasury, and he has more than earned this prestigious position. Congratulations to Scott and his family as he begins this new, important journey.”

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: 01.27.2025 Sens. Cruz, Budd, Colleagues Introduce POLICE Act to Designate Assaulting a Law Enforcement Officer as a Deportable Offense

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) in introducing the Protect Our Law Enforcement with Immigration Control and Enforcement (POLICE) Act of 2025. The POLICE Act would strengthen federal law by explicitly designating the assault of a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responders as a deportable offense.
Upon introduction, Sen. Cruz said, “When illegal aliens commit violent crimes against a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or first responder, they must be held fully accountable and be swiftly deported. I am proud to join Senator Budd and my colleagues in introducing commonsense legislation to ensure that this becomes law.
The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.).
Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.-02) introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
Read the POLICE Act here.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Fischer Joins FOX Report to Discuss President’s Cabinet Nominees and Nuclear Deterrence

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) joined FOX Report with Jon Scott. She discussed the confirmation of President Trump’s Cabinet nominees and emphasized the importance of strengthening America’s nuclear deterrent. Senator Fischer also celebrated the recent confirmation of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense and former South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security.

During the interview, Senator Fischer highlighted the dangers posed by Democrats’ slow confirmation of Cabinet nominees, particularly those related to national security.

Click the image above to watch a video of Sen. Fischer’s remarks

Click here to download audio

Click here to download video

On Pete Hegseth’s Confirmation:

Jon Scott: Nebraska Senator Deb Fisher, a member of the Armed Services Committee, the Appropriations and Commerce Committees as well. So, you’re going to be a very busy Senator in this upcoming term, Senator Fischer.

First of all, let’s talk about the Hegseth nomination. He was even described by the Vice President as 90% dead early in the confirmation process, but he squeaked across the line with a tie-breaking vote by the Vice President. Give us your assessment.

Senator Fischer: Well, obviously the Secretary of Defense is an extremely important position in any administration. You know, this is one that should have been filled right away, and instead, the Democrats were doing a smear campaign trying to delay it as much as possible.

So, I was really, really happy that we were able to get Pete across the line last night. I was honored to attend his swearing-in earlier this morning at the Executive Office Building where he had his family, and a number of us from the Armed Services Committee were there for that. He’s going to do a great job. He showed that during his hearing. He had a good, solid hearing. I’ve had numerous conversations with him. I reviewed the materials that were out there. And this is the guy for the job who’s going to take care of our warriors. And he’s going to work to provide them with the resources they need so they can complete the missions they’re given.

On Preparing America’s Warfighters:

Jon Scott: Well, it’s going to be his job to reform the Pentagon, but obviously you and the Senate, on the Armed Services Committee, are going to have a big voice in that. What do you see as the reforms that this Pentagon needs?

Senator Fischer: Well, you know, we’ve had a number of discussions on that. The new Secretary has been very open about what he’s looking at. We have to look at recruitment and retention in our all-volunteer force. We have to make sure that we take care of the warfighters, that we have their backs. We need to train them so they have the proper readiness and training and can take on any situation. We need to make sure that we have a strong deterrent so that we don’t always have to send our military men and women into harm’s way.

Those are all things that the new Secretary has talked about. We’ve talked about working with him on that to be able to get those things done. You know, on Armed Services, I’m starting my 13th year on Armed Services Committee. Many of these issues come up over and over again. And I am hopeful that we have the commitment from the Secretary, we have the enthusiasm, we have the dedication to our warfighters from this man to get this done.

On Returning to Peace Through Strength:

Jon Scott: Peace through strength, is a mantra that President Trump and Pete Hegseth have repeated over and over again. They want a military that is lethal and ready to move, but lethal enough that it’s going to deter our enemies. Do you see that happening? I mean, do you see us in that situation, early in the Trump term?

Senator Fischer: You know, I’m really excited that the President and the new Secretary have embraced that Reagan term. You know, peace through strength. The Secretary and I, we talked about the priority for our nuclear deterrent, our nuclear triad, that is the bedrock of our entire national security.

It’s for ourselves, but also for our allies. They depend upon our nuclear umbrella as well. So, we’re going through a modernization program of all three legs of that triad. And in my conversations with the Secretary, we have really, really focused on the need to stay up on schedule, on all three of those legs. And make sure we have not just the weapons needed, but that those platforms are all ready to go too. We cannot afford to fall behind on this. That is true deterrence, and it’s deterrence to be able to show the strength, to show the commitment. And I think we have this administration now that has stepped up, and they are going to do that.

On the Dangers posed by Democrats’ Slow Confirmation of Cabinet Nominees:

Jon Scott: Former South Dakota Governor Christie Noem has been voted, confirmed to be Homeland Security Secretary. She may be taking the oath of office any minute now, and if she does, we’ll take our viewers there live, but give us your take on the pace of these confirmations.

Senator Fischer: Well, they’re slow, you know, this is really disappointing, but it’s also very dangerous that the Democrats are slow walking these nominations, especially these nominations that deal with our national security.

Secretary Noem when she is sworn in in a little bit, my neighbor to the north there is Governor Noem in South Dakota. She also is ready to start from day one. She’s going to be there, working with our border patrol, our other folks there on the southern border especially. And we’ve seen President Trump with his executive orders, step up right away, whether it’s with border chaos, whether it’s dealing with inflation prices out there, whether it’s dealing with our energy security, whether it’s dealing with our total national security package. So, we’re excited that she’s going to be sworn in here shortly.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Bipartisan Group of Colleagues Introduce Bill to Boost Transparency in Prescription Drug Advertisements
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

WISCONSIN – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and a bipartisan group of colleagues introduced the Drug-price Transparency for Consumers Act, a bill that would require price disclosures on advertisements for prescription drugs to empower patients and reduce Americans’ colossal spending on medications.

“Big drug companies spend billions of dollars on advertising, and it takes patients paying high prices to pay for it. These ads often push patients to the most expensive drugs, not the most effective ones, and patients deserve some transparency,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to work with my Democratic and Republican colleagues to shed light on Big Pharma’s tricks to gouge Wisconsinites and help lower costs.”

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that prescription drugs advertised directly to consumers accounted for 58 percent of Medicare’s spending on drugs between 2016 and 2018, while a 2023 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that two-thirds of advertised drugs offered “low therapeutic value.” By requiring direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertisements for prescription drugs to include a disclosure of the list price, patients can make informed choices when inundated with drug commercials and pharmaceutical companies may reconsider their pricing and advertising tactics. In recent years, the pharmaceutical industry has sued to keep the prices of their drugs out of their TV advertisements.

Each year, the pharmaceutical industry spends $6 billion in DTC drug advertising to fill the airwaves with ads, resulting in the average American seeing nine DTC ads each day. Studies show that these activities steer patients to more expensive drugs, even when a patient may not need the medication or a lower-cost generic is available. Studies show that patients are more likely to ask their doctor, and ultimately receive a prescription, for a specific drug when they have seen ads for it. For these reasons, most countries have banned DTC prescription drug advertising—the United States and New Zealand are the only industrialized nations to permit this practice.

Additionally, a Kaiser survey found that 88 percent of Americans support this price disclosure policy for advertisements.

Below are some key findings from the GAO report:
- Two-thirds of pharma’s spending between 2016 and 2018 on DTC ads ($12 billion out of $18 billion total) was concentrated on just 39 drugs. During this period, these advertised drugs accounted for 58 percent of Medicare’s spending on drugs ($320 billion out of $560 billion).
- In 2019, Humira had $500 million in DTC advertising, contributing to $2.4 billion in Medicare costs.
- Among the top 10 drugs with the highest cost to Medicare, four were also in the top 10 for advertising spending (Humira, Eliquis, Keytruda, Lyrica).
This legislation is also co-sponsored by Senators Dick Durbin (D–IL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Angus King (I-ME), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).

The legislation is endorsed by AARP, American Academy of Neurology, American College of Physicians, Patients for Affordable Drugs Now and Campaign for Sustainable Rx Pricing.
MIL OSI USA News –
January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Proud to Confirm Bessent as Treasury Secretary

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today regarding the confirmation of Scott Bessent as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury:

“The American people voted resoundingly to return to commonsense, pro-growth policies after four years of reckless spending and runaway inflation under the Biden Administration. Scott Bessent’s sharp financial foresight and private sector expertise will be immediate assets to the President as his Administration gets to work on urgent tax reform and widespread regulatory relief. Secretary Bessent is the right choice to get our fiscal house back in order, and I look forward to working with him in the years ahead.”

MIL OSI USA News –

January 28, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: ChildFund – Make the Case for Aid or Have It taken away
Source: ChildFund New Zealand

President Trump has issued an immediate stop-work order for all USA funded aid projects to align aid budgets with his foreign policy agenda.

This will cause chaos and suffering across the world, and will impact on some ChildFund New Zealand programmes and partners, says CEO of ChildFund NZ, Josie Pagani.

“It isn’t just USA aid programmes that are impacted – it’s any charity or donor who is working on a joint project with USA funding.”

ChildFund New Zealand is working with its ChildFund partner in America, to support food security and clean water projects in places like Kenya and Sri Lanka.

“With our USA partner we know we reach about 15,000 people in the vulnerable district of Batticaloa in Sri Lanka with nutritious food by supporting small-holder farmers. We know that we get clean water and good food to thousands of people who otherwise would not have it in countries like Kenya. We also know that 10,000 children in Sri Lanka are getting access to education through digital hubs, as well as thousands of children in Zambia, who otherwise would not have access to education.”

“All of that is at risk with this stop-work order.”

“We have been told that all US Aid funded projects have three months to evaluate each program based on three criteria:

Does the action make America safe?

Does it make America stronger?

Does it make America more prosperous?

“We welcome challenges about the effectiveness of aid. We should always hold ourselves accountable for success or failure when it comes to saving and improving the lives of people in some of the most vulnerable, war-torn or poorest places in the world.

New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters is in the process of reviewing New Zealand’s aid, and we welcome the review.

“But President Trump and Secretary of State, Marco Rubio are asking the wrong questions.”

“Aid is not there to make the donor countries rich or prosperous. There are better ways to do that.

The Focus of aid is to save lives, to lift children and communities out of extreme poverty, to stop people dying of preventable diseases, and to make sure every child and person has access to clean water and nutritious food, wherever they live.

Reducing the acute suffering of many millions of people reduces the likelihood of war, terrorism and political destabilisation. There is no doubt that effective aid programmes make us all safer.

The questions President Trump’s administration should be asking are:

Are we making a difference with aid?

Are local communities and institutions strong enough to continue the work after we leave?

Are we helping to make the poorest places less dependent on aid, and ultimately more prosperous?

“At ChildFund New Zealand that is the standard by which we measure our work. We ask ourselves these questions all the time. If the answer is no, we adapt, change what we’re doing and sometimes stop.”

“If we are achieving those goals, to answer President Trump’s questions, we can say ‘yes, we are helping to make New Zealand and our Pacific region a safer and stronger place’,” says Josie Pagani.

These are tough times and funding from all sources is at risk. Please help us continue the life-saving work we do by donating here: https://childfund.org.nz/?form=FUNFFXFVGBY
MIL OSI New Zealand News –
January 28, 2025

Exchange	Product Name	Ticker	ISIN	Fee
SIX Swiss Exchange	21Shares Solana Core Staking ETP	CSOL	CH1385084384	0.35%

Category: Americas

Office of the Governor — News Release — Governor Green to Travel to Washington, D.C.

Expert advisory group appointed by independent water commission

Senior advisory group supporting Sir Jon Cunliffe on major water reset

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Source: ChildFund New Zealand