NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Presses Interior Nominee on Protection of Public Lands

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a hearing of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENR), U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), ranking member of the Senate National Parks Subcommittee, pressed Leslie Beyer, the nominee to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Interior overseeing lands and minerals management, about transferring public land away from federal management for possible resource development without the approval of Congress. During the exchange, Senator King expressed concerns about these transfers, making clear that the more than 640 million acres of public land — which includes parks, forests and monuments — belongs to the American people.

    The hearing comes as the Trump Administration, in its first 100 days, has pushed aggressively to privatize federally managed lands and reshape environmental policy. Earlier this month, the Administration announced an initiative to inventory federally managed land and transfer “underutilized” land to states, cities or other private entities. These actions, alongside the drastic cuts to federal land agencies such as the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), could seriously undermine essential public land protections.

    “You answered Senator Heinrich about the conveyance of public lands. You said only Congress can do that. Can I press you a little bit further and say that you will not support the conveyance or transfer of public lands without congressional approval,” questioned Senator King.

    “Sir, if I am confirmed, I will follow the law as directed by congress,” responded Beyer.

    “Let me talk in general policy. Do you think there is any justification for the conveyance of public lands in a more general sense? And I do not mean in holdings and that kind of thing. We do those things all the time. I’m talking about a more broad program of conveyance of public lands to states or private interests. As a matter of policy, do you support that or do you oppose it,” asked Senator King.

    “I believe that not every acre of public land holds the exact same value, and that states know best in how they want to use their public lands,” replied Beyer.

    “Are you saying you are ok with conveying public lands to states? Is that what you just said,” questioned Senator King.  

    “I hope to be a calamity partner with congress on that,” said Beyer.

    “I hope you will take that seriously because I have grave concern about conveyance of public lands. It belongs to the public, and the public voice is right here,” finished Senator King.

    As a lifelong advocate for conservation and Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Senator King is among the Senate’s most prominent voices advocating for conservation. Senator King helped lead the passage the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) into law; the legislation that included the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF). Because of his work, in 2020, Senator King was awarded the inaugural National Park Foundation (NPF) “Hero” Award. Since the creation of the LRF, Senator King has pushed park leaders to discuss funding maintenance efforts, maintaining a sufficient NPS workforce, and managing growing park visitation.

    Senator King’s work on this legislation is the culmination of more than four decades of work on land conservation efforts in Maine, including helping to establish the Land for Maine’s Future program in 1987 and supporting extensive conservation projects during his time as Governor. Under King’s leadership in his eight years as Maine governor, he put more Maine land under conservation than in the state’s 175 year history.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Calls Out Republicans’ “Silence Of The Lambs” During Trump’s First 100 Days In Office

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    April 30, 2025

    Durbin announces his plan to come to the Senate Floor to highlight the President’s latest outrage—and the GOP’s inevitable silence in the face of it—until Republicans start using the voices they were elected to raise

    WASHINGTON – On President Donald Trump’s 100th day in office, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) called out his Republican colleagues for their silence as the President tests—and violates—the bounds of our Constitution, amasses power for himself as he tanks our economy, violates the rights of Americans, and destroys our image abroad.

    “The jury’s in. At the end of 100 days, the major polling firms across the United States went out and asked the American people so what do you think? What’s your impression of this new President? What’s your impression of the MAGA agenda? The results that came back don’t surprise me, but they might surprise some,” Durbin said. “Overwhelmingly, on every major issue that this administration has taken a position, the American people have said we don’t like it. We’re not happy with what’s happening in this country today.”

    Durbin continued, “For a hundred days, President Trump and his administration, mainly billionaire buddies like Elon Musk, have brought us chaos, wreaked havoc, sowed division. President Trump has undermined the Constitution, our system of checks and balances, and the rule of law. And through it all, I’m sad to report, my Republican colleagues have remained silent.”

    Durbin went on to outline some of the atrocities the Trump Administration has committed in the first 100 days of his second term, including the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia; Trump’s ill-conceived, mindless tariff tax war; threatening to withhold federal funds from higher education institutions to coerce them to give up their constitutional rights; and the Secretary of Defense violating national security protocol and sharing classified war plans in a Signal chat that mistakenly included a journalist.

    “Unelected billionaire Elon Musk and his DOGE brothers gut the federal government, leading to cuts to life-saving medical research, Americans unable to get their Social Security benefits, and threats to Medicaid. What was the response from the Republican side to these outrageous developments under the Trump Administration? Silence,” Durbin said.

    Durbin continued, “Never in our nation’s history has a co-equal branch of government so willfully rolled over and ceded their power. It is in fact the ‘silence of the lambs.’ The President is testing and violating the bounds of our Constitution, amassing power for himself as the economy tanks, violating the rights of Americans, and destroying our image abroad.”

    Durbin concluded, “My congressional Republican [colleagues] have the power to join us in an historic stand on so many areas that this President has violated. They have majorities in both chambers of Congress and, at private moments, many of them express outrage and horror at Trump’s dangerous abandonment of law, norms, and the will of the American people. But as our constituents suffer, out of fear of retaliation, Republicans remain silent. When we are elected Members of Congress, we swear an oath to the Constitution, not to any politician or any president. It’s time both parties remember that and lived accordingly. So, I’m coming to the floor regularly to highlight the President’s latest outrage and the GOP’s inevitable silence in the face of it. Until they start using the voices they were elected to raise, we are going to continue to have a pending constitutional crisis in this country.”

    Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Investing to help Albertans get hired

    [. Employment services are critical to helping Albertans find and explore career paths, employment and training options so they can get reconnected to the job market. Through Budget 2025, Alberta’s government is investing $185 million – an increase of almost $89 million – to expand employment supports for Albertans and help employers find, hire and train workers.

    “Our government is committed to creating opportunities for Albertans to find and maintain meaningful employment. That’s why we are making record investments to make it easier for Albertans to find a job, earn a paycheque and build a better future for themselves and their families.”

    Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services

    Alberta Career and Employment Information Services (CEIS) connects Albertans across the province with career, employment and training opportunities. Job seekers have access to a wide range of in-person and virtual services, including career counselling, job placements, career and job fairs and work-specific courses to eliminate barriers to employment. Alberta’s government provides more than 250 grants and contracts to employment service providers across the province to connect Albertans with the specialized supports they need to find and maintain employment. Budget 2025’s investments are anticipated to help more than 820,000 Albertans find and maintain jobs this year.

    “Budget 2025 was about meeting the challenge, and that includes in areas where we have labour shortages and helping Albertans find work. These supports will create jobs for Albertans who need it.”

    Nate Horner, Minister of Treasury Board and Finance

    Budget 2025 also doubles the province’s investments to support on-the-job training in collaboration with employers, including more than $20 million in simulated worksites. These sites provide Albertans with paid, hands-on experience and training from local employers from various industries to prepare for stable employment. There are currently five simulated worksites across the province in Calgary, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Millet and Fort Saskatchewan. Budget 2025’s additional investments will expand these simulated worksites to even more locations, ensuring the province is building the workforce needed to support Alberta’s success.

    “Our goal is to connect our clients with employers offering fair, sustainable wages, and help graduates move into careers that provide real economic security and stability. We’ve helped 175 Albertans overcome barriers to meaningful employment, and our graduates have achieved impressive results with 78 per cent of our clients becoming successfully employed. SkillBit’s success reflects the resilience and ambition of Albertans, and we are proud to continue this important work with renewed funding.”

    Jill Dean, president, Careers in Transition, Lives in Transition, SkillBit

    “Further investments in employment and income support programs show a recognition of the need to address Alberta’s population growth and the potential impacts of proposed U.S. Tariffs. These investments will provide Albertans with opportunities to achieve labour market success and financial independence despite economic uncertainties.”

    Joe MacKay, president and CEO, BGS Career Ventures

    “Thanks to the Alberta Government’s investment in career and employment services, Prospect Human Services supported over 14,000 Albertans and 900 employers last year. More than 80 per cent of our clients successfully moved toward employment, education, or training — strengthening Alberta’s workforce, families, and economy.”

    Kevin McNichol, CEO, Prospect Human Services

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

    Related information

    • Alberta employment supports
    • Training and Employment Services
    • Employment services directory

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: SIRT Investigating Death in RCMP Custody on James Smith Cree Nation

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on April 30, 2025

    On Monday April 28, 2025 at approximately 10:18 a.m., the Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) received a notification from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) regarding an in-custody death on the James Smith Cree Nation. 

    SIRT’s Civilian Executive Director accepted the notification as within SIRT’s mandate and directed an investigation by SIRT.

    On April 28 at approximately 7:55 a.m., the Melfort RCMP received the first of several calls reporting that a male on the James Smith Cree Nation had discharged bear spray within an occupied residence. Three RCMP members as well as James Smith Cree Nation community peacekeepers responded and located a 29-year-old male within the residence. The RCMP members spoke with the man and attempted de-escalation tactics while the man remained inside the residence. A short time later the man was informed that he would be taken into custody under the Mental Health Services Act and fled from the residence through the rear door. After a short foot pursuit, the man was taken into custody without the use of force and was handcuffed. A conducted energy weapon (CEW) was drawn during the pursuit but was not discharged during the encounter. 

    Shortly after being handcuffed, the male went into medical distress. RCMP members immediately contacted EMS for assistance and commenced first aid. While awaiting the arrival of EMS, RCMP and community peacekeepers from James Smith Cree Nation continued first aid, performing CPR and administering naloxone several times. At approximately 9:43 a.m., EMS arrived at the scene and assumed responsibility for the man’s care. Shortly thereafter, the man was pronounced deceased by EMS.

    Following the notification, a SIRT team consisting of the Civilian Executive Director and six SIRT investigators was deployed to Melfort and the James Smith Cree Nation to begin their investigation. A community liaison was also appointed pursuant to S.91.12 (1) (a) of The Police Act, 1990. SIRT’s investigation will examine the conduct of police during this incident, including the circumstances surrounding the man’s arrest and the cause of his death. The RCMP will maintain responsibility for any investigation into the original incident. No further information will be released at this time. A final report will be issued to the public within 90 days of the investigation ending.

    SIRT’s mandate is to investigate alleged cases of serious injury, death, sexual assault or interpersonal violence arising from the actions or omissions of on and off-duty police officers, or while an individual is in police custody.

    For updates on SIRT investigations, follow SIRT on X, formerly known as Twitter, at https://twitter.com/SIRT_SK. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal Statement on the Release of Mohsen Mahdawi

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

    WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, released the following statement after Mohsen Mahdawi was released from ICE detention.

    “Today, our legal system worked: Mohsen Mahdawi was finally released from ICE detention after being unlawfully detained for more than two weeks. Mohsen is a legal permanent resident who followed the law and was lured to a fake citizenship appointment where he was kidnapped by masked, hooded men. He has done nothing wrong other than use his constitutionally protected right to free speech. His detention was a disgrace and a threat to all of our liberties.  

    “Mohsen’s detention once again shows that Donald Trump lied when he said he was only going after ‘the worst of the worst.’ Instead, he has been launching an all-out assault on free speech rights and the very due process that our legal system is built on. Mohsen’s release is a testament to him and his family, his attorneys, and to the public that refused to back down — understanding that an attack on Mohsen Mahdawi is an attack on all of us. If Trump can do this to him, he can do the same to any of us. The First Amendment is not up for debate. Trump’s authoritarian playbook will not stand. We will not back down – and will continue our fight for justice for Mahmoud Khalil, Kilmar Abrego Garica, Rümeysa Öztürk, Alfredo Juarez Zeferino, and all the other immigrants kidnapped by this administration.”

    Issues: Civil Rights, Immigration

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Panetta Introduces Bill to Raise Cost of Living Adjustment for Local Military Personnel and Families

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

    Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) authored and introduced legislation that would address the absence of Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) for military service members and Department of Defense (DoD) civilian employees stationed in California’s 19th Congressional District.  California’s 19th Congressional District is home to seventeen military installations and more than 15,000 military and defense personnel, and is among the most expensive areas to live in the nation

    Cost of Living Adjustments are additional compensation for servicemembers and DoD civilians assigned to high-cost areas, intended to offset regional price disparities.  While San Francisco receives one of the highest COLA rates at 5%, neighboring areas within California’s 19th Congressional District, despite similar economic pressures, do not.  A recent report by the Bureau of Economic Analysis found that $100 worth of goods nationwide only buys $87 and $88 in the Salinas-Monterey and Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro areas.  That makes California’s 19th Congressional District one of the ten most expensive regions in the country. 

    “Many servicemembers and DoD civilians stationed in California’s 19th Congressional District are struggling to keep up with the high cost of living in one of the most expensive regions in the country,” said Rep. Panetta.  “My legislation would push the Department of Defense to reassess how COLA is calculated and ensure that our region, and military families who call it home, get a fair evaluation.  Our national security professionals serve us day-in and day-out, the least we can do is ensure that they have the compensation they deserve to continue that steadfast service.”

    The bill would direct the Pentagon to submit a detailed report to Congress assessing how COLA rates are determined, whether current methods accurately reflect economic realities, and if the district should qualify for COLA based on modern cost factors.  It would specifically require the Department of Defense to evaluate housing, groceries, transportation, and healthcare costs in California’s 19th Congressional District, and to compare the treatment of Monterey with nearby Santa Clara County, where COLA is currently granted.  The legislation would also ensure that housing benefits like Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) are not factored into COLA eligibility, as they serve different purposes.

    The legislation would not only provide Congress with transparency of how COLA decisions are made, but it could also prompt the Pentagon to reassess outdated formulas that fail to reflect the real cost of living on California’s Central Coast.

    Installations in California’s 19th Congressional District include:

    • Naval Postgraduate School
    • Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center
    • Naval Support Activity Monterey
    • Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center
    • Naval Research Lab
    • Coast Guard Station Monterey
    • Camp Roberts
    • Defense Manpower Data Center
    • Presidio of Monterey
    • Defense Personnel Security Research Center Operations
    • 514th Signal Company
    • Gourley VA-DOD Outpatient Clinic
    • California Medical Detachment
    • Army Analytics Group
    • Fort Hunter Liggett
    • Governor’s Military Council
    • Monterey Bay Defense Alliance

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Jimmy Panetta’s Statement on President Trump’s First 100 Days

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

    Washington, DC – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) released the following statement on the Administration’s first 100 days in office:

    “The first 100 days of the Trump Administration have been chaotic, costly, created economic uncertainty, challenged our constitution, and weakened our institutions, alliances, and credibility.  During the campaign, the President promised that on day one that he would reduce inflation, end the war in Ukraine, bring home the hostages from Gaza, and support America’s working families.  Instead, he has failed to fulfill any of those promises, overwhelmed us with a deluge of executive orders, and tried to distract us from his failures by talking about stealing Greenland, annexing Canada, running for a third term, and more.  Although the most successful part of the Administration’s agenda, increasing immigration enforcement, has significantly reduced the flow of crossings at the southern border, his deportation policy has become mired in legal challenges by disregarding due process, administrative carelessness, and defying courts of law.  The President’s self-imposed, short-sighted, and sweeping tariff policies have hurt our economy and are set to raise prices even higher with retaliation from our trading partners.  By giving Elon Musk unbridled power to cut federal programs and jobs, the Administration has jeopardized vital services like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food assistance, and scientific research.  Without a clear strategy in the Administration’s trade and foreign policies, our nation has pushed away our allies and created strategic opportunities for our adversaries.

    “President Trump made his intentions abundantly clear during the campaign. However, his chaotic actions, including instituting massive tariffs, challenging our constitution and courts, continued cozying up to dictators, and pardoning January 6 rioters appear to have no long-term strategy, degraded our credibility, and led to a steady decline in his national polling numbers on all major issues over the past 100 days. 

    “As I said from day one of this Administration, America’s system of checks and balances must flex its muscles. The courts don’t act as fast as the executive branch, but they continue to be the bulwark against the Administration’s overreach and violations of our Constitution.  Although the President has shown little interest in working with Congress to pass any long-term legislation, we will continue to work on bills that constrain the Administration’s destructive actions, investigate any abuses of power, and serve our constituents.  Over the past few decades, Congress has relinquished its authority to the executive branch on trade, commerce, agency oversight, and even warfare.  However, the actions of this Administration must be a wake-up call for Democrats and Republicans to come together and take back our constitutionally mandated power. But ultimately, as we have seen throughout the history of our nation, our democracy isn’t about one person, one court, or one legislative body.  It’s about the collective power of Americans.  The President’s first 100 days will not be anywhere near as important as the remaining 1360 days of his term, and why our system of checks and balances must stay strong, and we the people must stay together in our fight for our shared democratic values.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch on Trump’s 100 Days of Chaos: “100 days of giving a lot of rope and a lot of license to the Executive is 100 days too many. But it’s not too late for us in Congress to stand up…” 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined Democrats in holding the Senate floor last night to slam the first 100 days of Trump’s second term. In his remarks, Senator Welch highlighted the myriad ways this White House has caused chaos, including Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” or DOGE, Trump’s attacks on institutions like USAID and the Administration’s push to freeze colleges’ funding for research and development to cure diseases, and Trump’s tariffs and trade war. He also shared stories from Vermont businesses affected by the tariffs. 
    “It’s 100 days. It is time to assess. And whatever you may say about President Trump and the stated goals, there’s an obligation to act functionally to achieve those goals. Stating you want an outcome is a long way from implementing a plan and executing a plan to achieve it. And there is no plan,” said Senator Welch. “There is absolutely no plan.” 
    “It is time for this Congress to make an assessment of our obligation to the citizens we represent. When is enough, enough? When has the Executive gone too far? When is it that all of us should heed the pleas of the businesses, the enterprises in each of our states about this chaotic and very destructive tariff policy? When is it we will say ‘no more’ to an Executive pushing his weight around with private law firms, private employers, with our universities, and telling them unless they do it his way, they’ll pay an enormous price in lost governmental funding or access to things that they need?” Senator Welch concluded. “In my view, 100 days of giving a lot of rope and a lot of license to the Executive is 100 days too many. But it’s not too late for us in Congress to stand up for the separation of powers, the balance of powers, and the prerogatives of the United States Senate and the United States Congress.” 
    Watch his full remarks:  

    Key quotes from Senator Welch: 
    “Let’s talk first about DOGE. DOGE is about supposedly getting rid of waste, fraud, and abuse. There’s not a single member of this Congress who is in favor of waste, fraud, and abuse. But if you are going to do that, you look at a Department. What’s its goal?  How is it achieving it? Where is it coming up short? You do an assessment, and you do a plan. What DOGE did was essentially get the personnel list and then send out e-mails to every fifth or sixth person saying you’re fired because you did a lousy job. It is not at all on the level.  
    “And, as a result, the real goal becomes revealed. It’s not to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse. It’s to eliminate USAID. It’s to eliminate the Department of Education. It’s to eliminate the Social Security response team. That’s what’s going on. And the challenge for us—and this is bipartisan — is whether we as an independent branch of government want to look at what’s before our very eyes and address it or simply ignore it.” 
    ••• 
    “The tariffs…are going to be seen by historians as the absolute worst economic blunder in the last 100 years. Whether you’re a farmer in Vermont or in Utah or in the Dakotas, these tariffs are hammering you. Most of our farmers in the northern part of the country import fertilizer, import, in many cases, grain to feed our animals, from Canada. This tariff is going to hammer farmers who are already contending with what farmers every year have to contend with—very tight margins, the will of the weather. This is having real impact on them.  
    “In Vermont, we had roundtables to hear ‘how are these tariffs going to affect you?’ Number one, ‘what tariffs?’ ‘What are they today?’ Supposedly they were 25% yesterday, then they’re suspended, then they’re back on. They apply to this part, but not that part. There’s no possibility of anybody making a plan in order to run their business.  
    “By the way, these are folks who came in and are affected by the tariffs. They are not Republicans or Democrats or Independents. They are really folks just trying to make a living….What they’re talking about is the real-world impact of these crackpot tariffs that are on again, off again.  
    “Small business owner Jason Levinthal, founder of J skis said, ‘This is essentially a tax on the consumers.’ Something the administration won’t acknowledge itself.  
    “The president of Mad River Distillers, Mimi Buttenheim said, ‘Tariffs affect our manufacturing arm by raising the price of raw materials.’  
    “Jen Kimmich, co-founder of the Alchemist Brewery: ‘We don’t know how they are going to affect us. We just know they’re going to affect us.’  
    “John Lacy, CEO of Burton Snowboards, ne of the global enterprises founded in Vermont by Jake Burton and Donna carpenter: ‘How can you navigate the playbook when you don’t know what the rules of the road are?’ It’s a fair question. And it’s a question that President Trump feels he has no obligation to answer. This goes on and on.” 
    ••• 
    “Then there’s the next step—the overreach of power. The absolutely lawless abuse of Executive authority. What business is it of Donald Trump what are hiring practices are of an individual private corporation or firm? It is the business to enforce the law. But it’s not his business to be able to tell a law firm he’ll take contracts away. It’s not his business to be able to tell a law firm that [because they] had somebody who represented the government in a case against Trump or some Trump ally that they’re going to punish you…This is a complete overreach and extension by the president. Essentially to impose his own will, not enforce the law but to enforce his will as he arbitrarily wishes.  
    “What sense does it make that because of his vendetta about higher education, that instead of addressing those concerns and having discussions, he literally takes away billions of dollars of research that has gone not just to Harvard, our oldest institution, but the University of Alabama, the University of North Carolina. People, to our benefit, have dedicated their lives to scientific research. The United States government has provided support for research and development, and we’ve had cures for terrible diseases. But if they don’t do what Donald Trump says, he’ll take away grants…destroying research, destroying development.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Legislation considered under suspension of the Rules of the House of Representatives during the week of May 5, 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives announces bills that will be considered under suspension of the rules in that chamber. Under suspension, floor debate is limited, all floor amendments are prohibited, points of order against the bill are waived, and final passage requires a two-thirds majority vote.

    At the request of the Majority Leader and the House Committee on the Budget, CBO estimates the effects of those bills on direct spending and revenues. CBO has limited time to review the legislation before consideration. Although it is possible in most cases to determine whether the legislation would affect direct spending or revenues, time may be insufficient to estimate the magnitude of those effects. If CBO has prepared estimates for similar or identical legislation, a more detailed assessment of budgetary effects, including effects on spending subject to appropriation, may be included.

    CBO’s estimates of the bills that have been posted for possible consideration under suspension of the rules during the week of May 5, 2025, include:

    • H.R. 36, MEGOBARI Act
    • H.R. 530, ACES Act, as amended
    • H.R. 867, IGO Anti-Boycott Act
    • H.R. 1263, Strengthening the Quad Act
    • H.R. 1316, Maintaining American Superiority by Improving Export Control Transparency Act
    • H.R. 1486, Economic Espionage Prevention Act
    • H.R. 1503, Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2025
    • H.R. 1512, To amend the Taiwan Assurance Act of 2020 to require periodic reviews and updated reports relating to the Department of State’s Taiwan Guidelines
    • H.R. 1540, Falun Gong Protection Act
    • H.R. 1701, Strategic Ports Reporting Act
    • H.R. 1724, No Dollars to Uyghur Forced Labor Act
    • H.R. 1800, Solidify Iran Sanctions Act of 2025
    • H.R. 1912, Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act of 2025
    • H.R. 2416, Taiwan International Solidarity Act

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NREL-Led Research Effort Adds Salt, Boosts Performance of Perovskites

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Using an ionic salt to replace the fullerene layer in perovskite solar cells boosted their performance, efficiency, and durability, according to a global research effort led by scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

    The performance of the perovskite solar cell improved with the addition of an ionic salt.

    Their findings appear in the journal Science.

    The researchers said their findings point to a promising approach to advancing perovskite photovoltaic technologies toward commercialization. Perovskites refers to a crystalline structure that has proven highly efficient as a semiconductor material for absorbing sunlight. Work continues to improve the long-term stability of perovskite solar cells.

    Kai Zhu, a senior scientist at NREL and an architect of the research effort, said improvements involved changing the chemical composition of the electron transport layer in the perovskite solar cell. This layer is essential as it moves electrons triggered by sunlight through the cell, thereby generating electricity. The fullerene C60 is commonly used for the electron transport layer in inverted perovskite solar cells, but its molecular nature leads to a weak interface and limits the performance of the device. That is especially a problem with long-term stability.

    The researchers experimented with adding acids and chemical compounds that reacted with C60 to form an ionic salt referred to as CPMAC. The change resulted in a three-fold increase in the mechanical strength of the electron transport layer of the cell, which is crucial for long-term stability and durability.

    “That’s really the surprise, but it’s a very good surprise,” Zhu said.

    The inverted architecture of the perovskite solar cell refers to how the layers are deposited on the glass substrate. This construction is known for its high stability and integration into tandem solar cells.

    The research at NREL was supported in part by the Center for Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Semiconductors for Energy (CHOISE), an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences and the Solar Energy Technologies Office. The research reported the initial lab efficiency of the perovskite cells that used the ionic salt was 26.1%, vs. 25.5% for the C60 version.

    Using the CPMAC, the researchers obtained a 26% lab efficiency with about 2% degradation after 2,100 hours of operation at 65 degrees Celsius, and a 25.5% efficiency with about 5% degradation after 1,500 hours of operation at 85 degrees Celsius. For a minimodule made up of four subcells, six square centimeters, the lab efficiency was 23% with less than a 9% degradation after 2,200 hours of operation at 55 degrees Celsius.

    The paper is “C60-based ionic salt electron shuttle for high-performance inverted perovskite solar modules.” Other co-authors from NREL are Shuai You, Yifan Dong, Lei Chen, Matthew Beard, and Joseph Berry. Researchers who contributed to the work hailed from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Saudi Arabia) and Newcastle University (United Kingdom) in addition to CubicPV Inc., the University of Colorado Boulder, Arizona State University, and the University of Toledo.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson, legislators, and sheriffs urge swift passage of Administrative Subpoena Bill to protect childrenRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson today joined leading legislators and sheriffs from across the state at the Statehouse to call on the General Assembly to pass S.74, a critical bill that would expedite investigations into child sexual abuse material. 

    Speaking alongside Senator Greg Hembree (R-Horry), Representative Travis Moore (R-Spartanburg), and Sheriffs Carl Ritchie (Charleston County), Jay Koon (Lexington County), and Tony Breeden (York County), Wilson emphasized that time is critical when it comes to protecting children and catching predators. 

    “Every day that passes without S.74 becoming law is another day we risk leaving children vulnerable and giving child predators a head start,” Attorney General Wilson said. “This bill gives law enforcement the tools we need to act faster, protect more kids, and bring offenders to justice.” 

    Currently, the Attorney General’s Office must request subpoenas through the U.S. Attorney’s Office to access vital electronic records, a process that can take days or even months. S.74 would allow the Attorney General to issue administrative subpoenas directly, significantly speeding up the early stages of investigations while still requiring judicial approval for any subsequent search warrants. 

    “We’re talking about saving lives and preventing unimaginable harm,” Attorney General Wilson added. ”This is not about cutting corners; it’s about cutting red tape.” 

    S.74 has already passed in the Senate and the House in different forms. Attorney General Wilson and today’s coalition of leaders are urging lawmakers to work quickly to agree on the Senate’s version before the legislative session ends. 

    Senator Hembree, the bill’s lead sponsor, said, ”We have overwhelming bipartisan support. Now we need urgent action. Our children are counting on us.” 

    Representative Moore added, ”Law enforcement needs every lawful tool available to stay ahead of predators who are using technology to victimize the innocent. S.74 provides that, and we must finish the job.” 

    Sheriffs from across South Carolina echoed that sentiment, stressing the importance of faster access to electronic records to intervene before more harm is done. Charleston County Sheriff Carl Ritchie said, “The more time that goes by, the more we delay, the more harm that’s happening to our children, the more targets that these predators can identify. So, I would encourage everyone to make sure we get this passed.”

    Attorney General Wilson closed by thanking the General Assembly for its work so far, but made clear: ”The mission isn’t finished until this bill is on the Governor’s desk. Let’s get it done, for the children of South Carolina.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Charged with Possession of Child Pornography While Attempting to Enter the United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Alan Xavier Cabrera, 27, of Mexico, was arrested on April 25, 2025, and charged by criminal complaint for Possession of Child Pornography.

    According to the complaint, on April 25, 2025, Cabrera applied for entry into the United States at the port of entry in San Luis, Arizona with a B1/B2 travel visa. Based on Cabrera’s behavior, agents examined his cell phone and identified numerous images of child pornography, also known as Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). The material included images and videos that appeared to depict minors under the age of ten years old engaged in sexual acts on adult males.

    A conviction for Possession of Child Pornography carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both, and a term of supervised release up to life.

    A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.

    CASE NUMBER:           25-01524MJ
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-066_Cabrera

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Convening of the Annual General Meeting to approve the 2024 financial statements to be held on June 13, 2025 and evolution of the Atos Board of Directors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release

    Convening of the Annual General Meeting to approve the 2024 financial statements to be held on June 13, 2025 and evolution of the Atos Board of Directors

    Paris, France – April 30, 2025

    Convening of the 2025 Annual General Meeting

    The meeting notice (avis de réunion) for the General Meeting scheduled for June 13, 2025, containing the agenda, the draft resolutions, and the participation and voting procedures for this Meeting, will be published in the Official Legal Gazette (Bulletin des Annonces Légales Obligatoires – BALO) on May 5, 2025, and will be available on the Company’s website (https://atos.net/en/investors/annual-general-meeting).

    Evolution of the composition of Atos Board of Directors

    On the recommendation of the Nomination and Governance Committee, chaired by Lead Independent Director Elizabeth Tinkham, Atos’ Board of Directors has endorsed a series of proposed changes to its composition to be submitted for approval at the General Meeting convened for June 13, 2025. The proposed changes reflect the evolving needs identified by the Board and align with the Group’s ongoing transformation.

    It will be proposed to the vote of the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting:

    • to renew the terms of office of Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles and Jean-Jacques Morin as directors, for a duration that will expire at the end of the General Meeting called to approve the financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2027;
    • to appoint Surojit Chatterjee as new independent director, for a duration that will expire at the end of the General Meeting called to approve the financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2027; and
    • to ratify the appointment of Mandy Metten as a censor, for a duration of one year expiring at the end of the General Meeting called to approve the financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.

    The Board of Directors has also been informed that Elizabeth Tinkham has decided not to seek renewal of her term of office as director, which will expire at the end of the General Meeting of June 13, 2025.

    Subject to approval of the proposed resolutions by the Annual General Meeting, the Board of Directors will comprise eight members (in addition to the director representing employees) and one censor, including 87.5%1independent members (seven out of eight), 50%2women and six nationalities3represented on the Board.

    Philippe Salle, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Atos SE, declared:

    “I am pleased with the upcoming appointment of a highly qualified new director as well as the renewal of terms on our Board of Directors. These developments will support the continued effectiveness of the Board and help to strengthen its overall capabilities. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to Elizabeth Tinkham for her commitment, which has contributed meaningfully to advancing our mission and shared vision”.

    * * *

    About Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles

    Cofounder and President at Auxo, Co‑chair of the National Digital Council (Conseil National du Numérique) and non‑executive Board Director, Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles was first appointed to the Board of Directors of Atos SE on January 2, 2024, and currently chairs the CSR Committee and sits on the Remuneration Committee. Her experience at the intersection of senior public service and the private sector, along with her recognized expertise in digital transformation and sustainability issues, are valuable assets to the work of the Board.

    Biography of Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles

    Françoise Mercadal‑Delasalles began her career in senior public service at the Ministry of the Economy and Finance from 1988 to 1992, then at the Caisse des Dépôts from 2002 to 2008. Appointed Director of Resources and Innovation at Société Générale in 2008, she sat on the Group’s Executive Committee and steered its digital transition project. In 2018, Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles became CEO of Crédit du Nord, where she introduced digital tools to position the Group in new banking services and integrated ecological concerns into the company’s business model. In 2023, she co-founded Auxo, an integrated platform to manage extra-financial data and support companies in their transition to sustainability.

    Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles holds various non-executive positions on boards of directors and supervisory boards, notably that of Eurazeo. She has co-chaired the Conseil National du Numérique since 2021. She is a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honor), Officier du Mérite (Officer of the Order of Merit) and Chevalier du Mérite Agricole (Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit).

    Françoise Mercadal-Delasalles holds a degree in literature and law, and is a graduate of the Institut d’Études Politiques (IEP) de Paris, Sciences Po Paris and the École Nationale d’Administration (ENA).

    * * *

    About Jean-Jacques Morin

    Deputy CEO of the Accor Group and CEO of the Premium, Midscale & Economy Division, Jean-Jacques Morin was first appointed to the Atos SE Board of Directors on January 2, 2024, and currently chairs the Audit Committee. His strong financial background and strategic insight are major assets in helping Atos meet its current challenges, and he would continue to bring his valuable expertise and leadership to the Board’s work.

    Biography of Jean-Jacques Morin

    Jean-Jacques Morin began his professional career with Deloitte, where he spent five years in auditing and consulting roles in Paris and Montreal. From 1992 to 2005, he held various international positions, notably in the semiconductor sector with Motorola Semiconductors (USA, Switzerland, and France), ON Semiconductor (USA) and Communicant AG, a start-up in Berlin. In 2005, Jean-Jacques Morin joined Alstom as CFO of the Power sectors in Zurich, then in Transport, before being appointed Group CFO from 2013 to 2015. In 2015, Jean-Jacques Morin joined Accor’s Executive Committee as CFO. He is then appointed Group Deputy CEO in charge of Finance, Strategy, IT, Legal, Purchasing and Communications. In June 2023, in addition to his position as Group Deputy CEO, Jean-Jacques Morin took over the Premium, Midscale & Economy Division under his leadership, as CEO of the Division.

    Jean-Jacques Morin has held various non-executive positions, including with Orbis from 2016 to 2020 as a member of the Supervisory Board and the Audit Committee, and with Vallourec from 2018 to 2021 as a member of the Supervisory Board and Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of Adagio since 2022 and a member of the Board of Directors of AccorInvest since 2018. He was appointed Chairman of the Audit Committee of GROUPE REEL in 2024.

    Jean-Jacques Morin is a graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace, holds an MBA from Thunderbird (Arizona State University) and a DSCG from the Ordre des Experts Comptables.

    * * *

    About Surojit Chatterjee

    Founder and CEO of Ema Unlimited, a generative AI company, Surojit Chatterjee is a seasoned technology executive with over two decades of experience driving innovation across global companies. His deep expertise in artificial intelligence, combined with extensive product leadership at firms like Google, Coinbase and Flipkart, would bring strategic insight and forward-thinking vision to the Board.

    Biography of Surojit Chatterjee

    Surojit Chatterjee began his career in 1999 as a Software Developer at IBM before joining Oracle Corporation in a technical role. In 2005, he moved into product management at Symantec Corporation. He joined Google in 2007, where he held several leadership roles across payments, mobile products, and advertising. In 2015, he became Senior Vice President and Head of Product at Flipkart, before returning to Google in 2017 as Vice President of Product Management for Google Shopping. He joined Coinbase as Chief Product Officer in 2020 and founded Ema Unlimited, a generative AI startup, in 2023.

    Since 2024, Surojit Chatterjee has served on the Board of Directors of Meesho, a privately-owned Indian e-commerce company.

    Surojit Chatterjee holds a Bachelor in Technology in Computer Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, an MS in Computer Science from the University at Buffalo (SUNY), and an MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

    * * *

    About Mandy Metten

    Head of Group Executives and Strategic Functions in Atos and a long-standing leader within the Group, Mandy Metten was a member of the Board of Directors representing employees until January 31, 2025, when she was appointed censor subject to the General Meeting’s ratification. Her experience across organizational change, diversity initiatives and people development would continue to bring valuable insight to the Board’s work.

    Biography of Mandy Metten

    Mandy Metten began her professional journey within the ATOS Group as an Executive Management Consultant specializing in Digital Transformation, Innovation, and Change from October 2007 to June 2014, during which she demonstrated expertise in critical strategic areas. In June 2014, she assumed the role of Manager of Atos Young Professionals, designing and overseeing a comprehensive 2-year development program for young professionals, providing development with training, mentoring and client exposure. As from November 2018, Mandy Metten served as Global Head of Group Campus Management, defining and implementing the Group campus strategy globally, including diversity and inclusion initiatives. Mandy Metten took additional responsibilities at Eviden in April 2023 and currently serves as Head of Group Executives & Strategic Functions.

    Mandy Metten was Chairman of the works council of Atos from 2010 to 2015. She also served as the Dutch delegate on Atos Societas Europaea Council (SEC) from 2012 to January 2024 and was a member of the Board Participating Committee (2017- January 2024). From August 2023, she became a Commissaris (Member of the Board of Directors) for Atos Nederland, contributing to the company’s governance.

    Mandy Metten holds a master’s degree in social and organizational Psychology. She completed a multi-level curriculum in Strategy, Economy, and Finance at the LeFebvre Institute.

    * * *

    About Atos

    Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with circa 74,000 employees and annual revenue of circa €10 billion. European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high-performance computing, the Group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 68 countries. A pioneer in decarbonization services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonized digital for its clients. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea) and listed on Euronext Paris.

    The purpose of Atos is to help design the future of the information space. Its expertise and services support the development of knowledge, education and research in a multicultural approach and contribute to the development of scientific and technological excellence. Across the world, the Group enables its customers and employees, and members of societies at large to live, work and develop sustainably, in a safe and secure information space.

    Contacts

    Investor relations:

    David Pierre-Kahn | investors@atos.net | +33 6 28 51 45 96

    Sofiane El Amri | investors@atos.net | +33 6 29 34 85 67

    Individual shareholders: +33 8 05 65 00 75

    Press contact: globalprteam@atos.net

    1         In accordance with article 10.3 of the AFEP-MEDEF Code, the director representing employees is not taken into account in determining the percentage of independent members.
    2           In accordance with the law, the director representing employees is not taken into account in determining the parity ratio on the Board of Directors.
    3         Seven nationalities if the censor is taken into account.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Province moving forward on short-term rental rules

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Municipalities with fewer than 10,000 people, regional districts and resort municipalities are exempt from the principal-residence requirement but may request to opt in by March 31 of each year to take effect Nov. 1 of the same year.

    The three communities that have requested to opt in in 2025 are the Town of Creston, Salt Spring Island and Electoral Area B of the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (Revelstoke/Golden).

    Certain local governments can annually request by a resolution submitted to the minister of housing and municipal affairs to opt out of the principal-residence requirement if the community has a rental vacancy rate of 3% or more for two consecutive years. In addition, communities that have previously opted in can request to opt out without the vacancy-rate requirement.

    There are three communities that have made the decision to opt out of the principal-residence requirement, meaning that the principal-residence rules will not apply on Nov. 1, 2025. The communities are the District of Tofino, Electoral Area E of the Cowichan Valley Regional District (Cowichan Station/Sahtlam/Glenora) and Electoral Area G of the Cowichan Valley Regional District (Saltair/Thetis + Penelakut Islands). 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: DOGE’s AI surveillance risks silencing whistleblowers and weakening democracy

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Thomas Stuart, Lecturer in Communications, Gustavson School of Business, University of Victoria

    The United States Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is reportedly using artificial intelligence to surveil federal agency communications for anti-Donald Trump and anti-Elon Musk sentiment.

    AI tools now automate firings and assess U.S. federal employees’ sentiment and alignment with the administration’s “mission.” Musk, who has been appointed a “special government employee” by the U.S. president and leads DOGE, has framed these moves as an attempt to cut waste and increase efficiency.

    At least one agency, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has reportedly warned staff to watch what they say, type or do online.

    The move has been largely overshadowed by tariff debates and constitutional concerns. But research on AI and governance suggests surveillance may erode the transparency that defines public institutions.

    Now, with Musk signalling he may scale back his involvement with DOGE, questions remain about how the system will operate in his absence — and whether anyone will be tasked with dismantling it.

    Disruption replaces due process

    Musk has presented DOGE as a lean, tech-driven solution to government bloat — a message he has repeated in interviews and on social media. Artificial intelligence, he argues, can cut red tape, trim costs and optimize operations.

    However, within federal agencies, AI has been used less to support public servants than to evaluate them — and in some cases, to eliminate them.

    Since DOGE assumed control over key functions within the Office of Personnel Management in January, hundreds of federal employees have been dismissed without formal explanation. DOGE also restricted access to cloud systems and sidelined career officials.

    DOGE was established by Trump through an executive order on Jan. 20, 2025 and tasked with cutting federal spending.
    (Shutterstock)

    Concerns over data security soon followed. In March, a federal judge barred DOGE from accessing Treasury systems, citing a “chaotic and haphazard” approach that posed a “realistic danger” of exposing sensitive financial information.

    Internally, DOGE operates through tools more familiar to startups than government agencies. Staff use disappearing messages via the Signal messenger app and draft documents in Google Docs rather than approved federal platforms.

    Grok, a generative AI chatbot launched by Musk in 2023, has been integrated across departments, though its tasks remain unclear.

    How Doge’s AI targets workers

    Earlier this year, thousands of federal employees received an email from the Office of Personnel Management asking them to provide five bullet points listing what they accomplished that week. “Failure to respond,” Musk warned on X, “will be taken as a resignation.”

    The message triggered uncertainty across departments. Without clear legal guidance, many workers were left guessing whether silence would mean termination. The Department of Justice and several intelligence agencies warned staff not to respond.



    Read more:
    Musk’s ruthless approach to efficiency is not translating well to the U.S. government

    Others, like the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Transportation, instructed staff to comply with DOGE’s requests. HHS later warned responses could “be read by malign foreign actors.” The EPA distributed template responses to help staff navigate the demand.

    The following week, the Office of Personnel Management clarified participation was voluntary. By then, responses had already been processed.

    DOGE reportedly planned to feed the responses into a large language model to determine whether an employee was mission-critical. Musk later denied this, describing the exercise as a test “to see if the employee had a pulse.”

    DOGE’S algorithms judge allegiance

    According to reports, DOGE’s AI tools have now been deployed across agencies to monitor political sentiment of workers. There is no indication that these systems otherwise assess employee competence or efficacy.

    Trump administration officials reportedly said some government employees have been informed that DOGE is examining staff for signs of perceived disloyalty to both the Trump administration and Musk himself.

    When AI is used in this way — without transparency or clear performance frameworks — it optimizes for compliance rather than capability.

    AI designed to detect dissent offers little support for the work of public service. Rather than recognizing expertise or ethical judgment, these tools reduce complex decision-making to surface-level signs of loyalty.

    Effective collaboration between humans and AI depends on clear boundaries. AI might complement the public service by identifying patterns in data, for example. Humans though must retain authority over context and judgment. When AI polices allegiance, those boundaries collapse, sidelining human skill and integrity.

    AI surveillance rewrites workplace behaviour

    The inherent limitations of large language models amplify these risks. These models cannot reliably read nuance, navigate ethical grey areas or understand intent. Assigning surveillance or employee evaluations to these systems invites errors.

    Worse, such blunt tools force civil servants into self-censorship to avoid misinterpretation. Public service shifts from informed expertise to performative alignment.

    For employees, the consequences extend beyond flawed assessments. AI surveillance deployed through tools like Grok and Signal creates uncertainty about how performance is measured and by whom.

    As surveillance systems degrade psychological safety, employees disengage and become discouraged. Far from enhancing productivity, covert monitoring erodes trust in both management and mission.

    This atmosphere weakens accountability. Whistle-blowing often reflects loyalty to institutional values rather than defiance. By reframing personal beliefs and integrity as disloyalty, DOGE will silence mechanisms that safeguard transparency.

    AI surveillance becomes institutional

    Musk recently announced his involvement at DOGE “will drop significantly”, likely beginning in May. The move is attributed in part to pressure from Republicans urging Trump to distance himself from Musk, as well as pressure from Tesla investors.

    Despite his expected departure, around 100 DOGE employees — and the AI frameworks they manage — will remain embedded across federal departments. Musk’s departure may shift headlines, but it will leave structural risks embedded within federal operations.

    Once governments adopt new surveillance tools, they rarely dismantle them, regardless of whether their architect stays to oversee them. With no clear formal oversight beyond presidential discretion, the surveillance system is likely to outlast Musk’s tenure.

    Employees monitored for political conformity are less likely to raise concerns, report misconduct or challenge flawed directives.

    As human resource protocols are bypassed and oversight is diminished, the balance could shift from policy grounded in principle to regulations grounded in algorithms. Governance risks giving way to control, which could weaken the political neutrality of the civil service.

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

    – ref. DOGE’s AI surveillance risks silencing whistleblowers and weakening democracy – https://theconversation.com/doges-ai-surveillance-risks-silencing-whistleblowers-and-weakening-democracy-254358

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The ‘entourage effect’ — what we don’t know about how cannabis works

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jonathan Simone, Adjunct Professor of Biological Sciences, Brock University

    In the years since legalization, there has been a tremendous surge in the number of cannabis products available to Canadian consumers, many offering tailored experiences to enhance seemingly any mood or activity.

    Do you want something calming or uplifting? Are you looking to inspire focus, spark creativity or get a good night’s sleep? Do you prefer full-spectrum extracts or THC isolates?

    But how does one plant produce so many different experiences? Like many of its botanical relatives, cannabis is rich in active compounds. The prevailing view is that these compounds work together to shape the overall experience, a phenomenon known as the “entourage effect.”

    From a consumer standpoint, the idea of custom-tailored experiences guided by key active ingredients is appealing — and it certainly makes things easier. But in reality, it’s not so cut-and-dried.

    Making informed decisions as a cannabis consumer can seem overwhelming, and navigating a product menu can feel like it requires a chemistry degree. But how much do we really know about how cannabis works? And how well are we able to predict individual experiences based on a product’s composition?

    What’s in a high?

    Most research into cannabis’ effects has focused on two key compounds, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is non-intoxicating and thought to underlie many therapeutic effects of cannabis, whereas THC is the primary compound responsible for the classic cannabis high.

    Until recently, the most pertinent information available to cannabis consumers was the THC:CBD ratio, and from a regulatory standpoint, these are the only compounds required by Health Canada for product labels. But the cannabis plant produces over 500 potentially bioactive compounds, most notably cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids, with increasing emphasis being placed on how they interact to drive different experiences.

    The idea that the different components of cannabis work in concert, modulating one another’s activity to influence the overall experience, has been termed the “entourage effect.” Simply put, it seeks to explain the effects of cannabis beyond those of any individual component, such as THC or CBD, and offers an elegant explanation for a common question: how can products with the same amount of THC and CBD produce different effects?

    Indeed, the medical cannabis community has long-favoured full- and broad-spectrum products (those containing a varied chemical profile) over single-compound isolates such as purified THC or CBD, based on claims of superior safety and efficacy.

    Ask your local budtender for a recommendation and you will likely get a crash-course on terpene nomenclature, hearing words like limonene, myrcene, pinene and linalool.

    While this modern embrace of terpene pharmacology and natural product chemistry reflects a growing appreciation for the complexities of the cannabis plant, claims of entourage effects remain largely speculative, highlighting how much we’ve yet to learn.

    Sound science or smoke and mirrors?

    Initially coined by scientists in Israel and Italy in study published in 1998, the term “entourage effect” described interactions among endogenous cannabinoids (THC-and CBD-like molecules produced by the human body). The idea was that some of these compounds, which are inactive on their own, could enhance or modulate the activity of others, resulting in combined effects greater than the sum of their parts.

    It is important to note that this study did not examine plant-derived cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant, but rather structurally related compounds produced naturally in the brain and body. As such, the idea of cannabis-specific entourage effects did not emerge directly from the data itself, but from broader inferences drawn from that research that provided a rationale for the diverse effects often reported by cannabis users.

    Since then, and despite a lack of supporting evidence, the term has been widely adopted and adapted by the cannabis industry, often leveraged to differentiate products in an overly crowded market.

    The available support for entourage effects in humans is limited to a few small clinical and observational studies and meta-analyses that suggest whole-plant extracts may outperform isolates for conditions like chronic pain and pediatric epilepsy.

    However, these studies often use non-standardized extracts and are therefore unable to identify which chemical interactions are driving the effects. Further, direct comparisons of full-spectrum and isolate products are lacking, with most claims rooted in inferences made from pre-clinical (in other words, non-human) research and from studies of non-cannabis derived phytomolecules.

    That said, the entourage effect is a valid hypothesis and arguably the most promising in terms of explaining cannabis’s varied and nuanced effects. Similar effects have been described for other drug classes, though these interactions are often termed synergism and potentiation and typically involve just a few well-characterized compounds. In contrast, unlocking cannabis synergy requires untangling the interactions of hundreds of different molecules, many of which are still poorly understood.

    That complexity is what I’ve spent my career trying to understand. Researching how cannabis-derived compounds work in the brain and body, I have gained a considerable appreciation for how far our understanding of cannabis has come, how much we have still yet to uncover and how easy it is for enthusiasm to outpace evidence.

    Reading between the product lines

    As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, consumers need to approach product claims with a healthy dose of skepticism. There is no doubt the cannabis plant is a treasure trove of unexplored and underexplored bioactive molecules, and that we will continue to uncover interesting and unexpected interactions among them. But we are far from a complete picture.

    At present, the entourage effect remains a hypothesis more often co-opted for marketing than grounded in evidence. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong, but it does mean we should resist conflating convenient narratives with established science. This highlights an important question: where does the onus of responsibility for generating this new knowledge fall?

    If the cannabis industry continues invoking the entourage effect for marketing and product differentiation, then it should support and contribute to research that furthers the state of evidence.

    Relying solely on existing pre-clinical and academic studies in lieu of directly advancing the science and validating real-world product claims risks perpetuating hype at the expense of credibility. But industry is not alone in their duty. Government must also remedy the regulatory bottlenecks that impede new research.

    Establishing a credible, science-backed cannabis marketplace means moving beyond hype. It requires action, from industry and government, to generate the information consumers need to make informed decisions.

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

    – ref. The ‘entourage effect’ — what we don’t know about how cannabis works – https://theconversation.com/the-entourage-effect-what-we-dont-know-about-how-cannabis-works-251799

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Beyer On GDP Report: ??“The Economic Warning Lights Are All Flashing Red”??

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

    Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), who serves as the Senior House Democrat on Congress’ Joint Economic Committee, today reacted to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) release of its advance estimate for the gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter (Q1) of 2025. BEA found that: “Real gross domestic product (GDP) decreased at an annual rate of 0.3 percent in the first quarter of 2025… In the fourth quarter of 2024, real GDP increased 2.4 percent.”

    Beyer said:

    “Trump’s chaos is clearly and significantly raising the risk of a recession, and the economic warning lights are all flashing red.

    “The economy just shrank in the first three months of Trump’s presidency, after years of growth and a strong previous quarter. This GDP report also showed inflation rising, and all of this is before we even begin to see the worst impacts of Trump’s tariffs. Private sector hiring in April declined sharply, consumer confidence fell to its lowest point in three decades, and consumer expectations for the near-term economic performance are worse than they were at any point of the pandemic. Trump just had the worst stock market performance to start a presidency in over 50 years. Recession odds from economists and forecasters paint an increasingly grim picture.

    “The economic news is so bad that Trump is trying to distance himself from his own economic performance and blame others for an economy he declared, upon being sworn in 100 days ago, would ‘flourish’ ‘from this day forward.’ Even his own supporters will not believe these flimsy excuses. Trump inherited a strong economy and is running it into the ground with stupid and disastrous tariffs, as Republicans in Congress refuse to stop him.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Speaker Johnson Sits Down with Axios

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

    WASHINGTON — This morning, Speaker Johnson joined Axios’ Hans Nichols for a wide-ranging interview at an “Axios News Shapers” event. Speaker Johnson addressed the necessity of quickly codifying President Trump’s agenda into law, House Republicans’ efforts to strengthen and preserve Medicaid, and Democrats attempting to run their impeachment playbook again.

    Watch the full interview here

    On quickly codifying the Trump agenda into law:

    The treasury secretary said July 4 this week in public statements, and we applauded that. But I really hope we do it sooner. And here’s the reason why: this has nothing to do with pride of authorship in the House or any of that, we just want to deliver for the American people, and so do all of our Senate Republican colleagues on the America first agenda. The vehicle to deliver that is reconciliation. And the sooner we do it, the better Hans, because I think this will be a very important thing for stability.

    I think it’ll send a very important signal to the bond markets, the stock market, to investors and job creators here and around the world, and it’ll send a message to our allies and our enemies that America is serious. We have stabilized tax policy. Everyone will know what their tax rates are. That will be helpful for making decisions for companies and also, of course, we’re going to be deficit neutral or deficit reducing. We’re trying to reduce the debt. And I think that’s a really important message to send out there, that America is serious about our financial stability, and this bill is going to be that’s one of the many things that will be accomplished in it. 

    On strengthening and preserving Medicaid:

    The number of waste, fraud and abuse over a 10-year period, it’s $51 billion a year as an estimate. We think that’s a low estimate of just fraud, waste and abuse in Medicaid alone. Who could be for that? I mean, we have a responsibility to tighten this up. When you’re talking about work requirements, that’s over an 80% public approval rating. But you eliminate fraud, waste and abuse, you bring in work requirements, and you tighten up the program, and you can find a lot of savings. And the whole point here, the whole idea – make sure illegal aliens are not receiving it all the rest. The whole idea is that we’re trying to preserve the program.

    Democrats were frankly lying about the intention of Republicans. It’s so much so that we were able to get their ads and billboards taken down in swing districts by a cease and desist letter because it was based on nothing, they just made it up. I’ve been saying just everybody, please reserve judgment till we get the product out, but you’re going to see what the President said yesterday, accurately, that Medicaid and Medicare and Social Security are programs that are sacrosanct the people. They depend upon these things, and our job is to shore them up and make sure that they’re there, that we preserve the programs for the people who genuinely need and deserve it. 

    On Congressional Democrats impeachment theatrics:

    You know, we’ve already seen the movie. They tried it twice already, based on absolutely nothing, and they would do it again. I mean, Al Green filed impeachment articles like, I don’t know, the fifth day of Congress. I mean, I think he did it before the President took his oath. So, it shows you where they are. It’s all raw politics, and it’s terribly destructive for the country. I mean, it’s a waste of time. We need the American people expect their Congress to work. They expect Congress to work with the President. They want big things done. And we had a first, a really impressive first 100 days of the Trump administration. We’re just getting started. We have a lot of work to do, and we don’t have time for nonsense. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: School of Nursing Hosts Second Annual Research and Scholarship Day

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    On April 21st, more than 80 students, faculty, and staff gathered for the UConn School of Nursing’s second annual Research and Scholarship Day.

    The event featured a keynote speaker, podium presentations, poster displays, networking opportunities, and a luncheon.

    Keynote speaker Ann-Margaret Navarra, Ph.D., CPNP, FAAN, associate dean for research and innovation at Stony Brook University, did her presentation on “Nursing Research and Innovative Partnerships for the Promotion of Health Equity.” She offered in-person consultations for faculty and Ph.D./DNP students on research and scholarships.

    Ann-Margaret Navarra, PhD, CPNP, FAAN, associate dean for research and innovation at Stony Brook University giving her keynote address at SoN’s Research and Scholarship Day on April 21, 2025. (Ashley O’Connell / UConn Photo)

    The presentation was centered around her work involving HIV among adolescents and young adults. Promoting health equity across all populations and interprofessional collaboration were key takeaways from her presentation.

    Podium presenters included faculty and students whose work represents the depth and breadth of SoN scholarship.

    Carrie Morgan-Eaton, Ph.D., RNC-OB, C-EFM, CHSE, assistant clinical professor, presented her project, “Qualitative Analysis of Women’s Experiences of Postpartum POST-BIRTH Warning Signs Education.” Yashika Sharma, Ph.D., RN, an assistant professor, presented “Examining the Influence of Sexual Orientation-Related Nondiscrimination Laws on 30-Year CVD Risk Among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Adults.”

    Students from the SoN DNP and Ph.D. programs also provided podium presentations. Their presentations included “Meta-ethnography of the Experiences of Women of Color Who Survived Severe Maternal Morbidity or Birth Complications” (Cristina Mills, Ph.D. candidate) and “Palliative Care in the Emergency Room: A QI Project” (Rachel Butler, recent DNP graduate).

    SoN Honors student, Jahmiha Lindo, presented “Sepsis Knowledge Amongst Black Parents in the United States.”

    “The opportunity to conduct research that is directly benefiting my community, the Black community, is especially rewarding to me,” she said.

    It took her almost three years of research, literature reviews, approvals, funding, and applications, to get to this point in her career.

    “I feel getting to this moment and sharing the research and the data is really full circle,” Lindo said. “I’m just glad to add to the pool of information that is currently out there.”

    In total, 45 posters were showcased at the event covering nurses’ health and high-quality care, student success, symptoms and self- and family management across the lifespan, women’s and family health, health promotion across the lifespan, and health equity.

    School of Nursing faculty and students present their research during Research and Scholarship Day on Monday, April 21, 2025. (Coral Aponte / UConn Photo)

    “It’s a showcase of our Ph.D. students, our DNP students, and our undergrad students work of what they’re doing in their courses, and they bring it to life here,” said Louise Reagan, Ph.D., APRN, ANP-BC, FAANP, FAAN, associate professor and director of the Ph.D. program.

    “It’s phenomenal to see them all, and our speakers, doing some cutting-edge research,” she said.

    Attendees voted for their top three poster presenters on overall appearance of the poster and rigor.

    Michelle Cole, DNP, MSN, RN, CPN, an associate clinical professor here at UConn, received first place for her poster “Empowering Women: Enhancing Menstrual Health Knowledge and Access in Rural Guatemala.”

    Rejoicing in her win, she couldn’t help but relate to Navarra’s presentation on the importance of collaboration. She emphasized the help she received from her team – Morgan-Eaton and two graduate students – saying she wouldn’t be here without them. Her project was funded with a seed grant from the SoN Office of Research and Scholarship.

    Being recognized for her work was a very impactful moment for her.

    “I’m honored to have clinical work being recognized in this space and representing women from Guatemala,” she said. “It’s very nice because it has a deep meaning to me.”

    Katherine Bernier Carney, Ph.D., RN, received second place for her poster “Addressing Burnout Before the Bedside: A Pilot Mindfulness Intervention for Pre-licensure Nursing Students,” and Ph.D. candidate Ashwag Alhabodal earned third place for her poster on “Experiences of Family Caregivers of Individuals with Hypertension and Diabetes: A meta-ethnography.”

    Everyone is proud to show off their research and what they have done. In turn, everyone is interested in other individuals’ work creating a community of researchers comprised of faculty and students to network and connect.

    The event is meant to highlight and celebrate the work everyone in the UConn nursing community has done, and it did just that.

    This event is a “wonderful opportunity to highlight some of the important research and clinical scholarship conducted by our faculty and students and an opportunity to facilitate collaborations. I am grateful to our planning committee and staff for their assistance in organizing and running this meeting,” said Nancy Redeker, Ph.D., RN, FAHA, FAAN, senior associate dean for research & scholarship.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP News: Amid Proshares XRP Spot ETF Approval News, XenDex Fills Soft Cap as $XDX Price Surges Ahead of Major Exchange Listings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SYDNEY, April 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The XDX presale phase is reaching its climax. XenDex has officially filled its soft cap, and investors are now scrambling to secure the final remaining tokens before they’re gone for good.

    As the XRP ecosystem celebrates major milestones; from Brazil’s approval of the first XRP Spot ETF, to the SEC lawsuit withdrawal, and ProShares’ XRP Futures and Spot ETF greenlight — XenDex is perfectly positioned as the go-to decentralized exchange (DEX) solution built on Ripple’s native blockchain.

    Buy $XDX Now & Earn Rewards

    With $XDX token prices now increasing and exchange listings imminent, this is the final chance to buy before wider exposure, higher prices, and a full sellout.

    Top Exchange Listings Confirmed: Global Adoption Incoming

    Once the presale concludes, $XDX will be listed on top-tier centralized exchanges, setting the stage for mass adoption and significant liquidity.

    Confirmed exchange listings include:

    • Binance
    • Gate.io
    • BitMart
    • MEXC
    • FirstLedger
    • MagneticX

    Buy XDX Before Listing On Exchange

    These listings are expected to catapult $XDX into the spotlight, and early buyers are racing to front-run the rush.

    Buy $XDX Now Before It’s Gone: https://xendex.net/presale

    What Makes XenDex Unique, And Why You Should Join The Race

    More than just another DEX, XenDex is XRPL’s first all-in-one DeFi hub, solving long-standing gaps with powerful features, including:

    • AI-Powered Copy Trading – Mirror professional traders to minimize loss and maximize profit on our DEX
    • Non-Custodial Lending & Borrowing – Borrow and lend XRP and $XDX to earn rewards on XenDex Exchange
    • Cross-Chain Trading – Seamlessly swap XRP across networks like Solana and BNB on XenDex
    • Staking & Yield Farming – Earn rewards by providing liquidity to our XenDex liquidity pool
    • DAO Governance – Vote on XenDex’s future upgrades, listings, protocol improvements, etc.

    Purchase XDX At Lowest Presale Price

    Thousands have already joined the growing XenDex community across Telegram and Twitter, buying and locking in their tokens before the presale ends and the next price increase takes effect.

    “We’ve hit our soft cap, secured major listings, and entered the final presale phase,” said a XenDex spokesperson. “From here on, the price increases and soon, availability will vanish altogether.”

    With the clock ticking, and tokens disappearing by the minute, this is your final opportunity to be part of one of XRPL’s most explosive DeFi launches.

    Join Official XenDex Communities

    Website: https://xendex.net
    Presale: https://xendex.net/presale
    Telegram: https://t.me/xendexcommunity
    Twitter/X: https://x.com/xendex_xrp
    Docs: https://xdxdocs.gitbook.io

    Contact:
    Frank Richards
    Frank@xendex.net

    Disclaimer: This is a paid post provided by XenDex. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. We do not guarantee any claims, statements, or promises made in this article. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining-related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone, and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent advice if necessary. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector—including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining—complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility. Globenewswire does not endorse any content on this page.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b519307c-222b-4da1-a8cc-e176438a056b

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Shaheen Completes Weeklong “Medicaid Impact Tour” to Highlight the Disastrous Impact of Proposed Cuts to Medicaid

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – Last week, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) launched her “Medicaid Impact Tour”—a weeklong series of discussions across the Granite State to highlight the disastrous impact that Republican-led cuts to Medicaid would have on New Hampshire’s health care system and working families, including by raising the cost of health care and leaving thousands uninsured. The tour included stops in Berlin, Laconia, Claremont and Concord for meetings with health care providers, activists and Medicaid beneficiaries. You can watch Shaheen’s tour recap video here and view front page coverage of the tour here. 
    Shaheen’s tour comes as Congressional Republicans, led by President Trump and Elon Musk, work to advance legislation that will pave the way for steep cuts to Medicaid funding and would impact millions of people across the country. More than 180,000 people in New Hampshire use Medicaid for their insurance and half of those recipients are children. Under the Republican proposal, they will see significant changes to their coverage and more than 60,000 Granite Starters will be at risk of losing their coverage. This includes 7,600 patients that are currently receiving treatment for substance use disorders.  
    More Below: 
    Berlin Daily Sun: Shaheen hears from Medicaid recipients in Berlin 
    Some of those who will be most affected by possible cuts to Medicaid got to speak candidly with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) during a rural health roundtable at Northern Human Services in Berlin on Monday as Shaheen kicked off a weeklong “Medicaid Impact Tour.” 
    Getting the word out of how Medicaid and other bedrock social service programs impact people’s lives will come from the grassroots or ground up. It will be the first-hand experiences of New Hampshire residents who rely on these programs as part of meeting their daily needs that Shaheen will take back to Washington to advocate for keeping the programs fully funded. 
    Laconia Daily Sun: Shaheen hears from those who rely on Medicaid in Laconia, where a third of residents are enrolled 
    Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) listened to local leaders, health care providers and voters during a Medicaid Impact Tour roundtable discussion at Partnership for Public Health in Laconia on Tuesday afternoon. 
    A consensus of nonprofit leaders at the table said much of their funding comes from Medicaid, and any reduction is likely to mean fewer services. 
    Valley News: Proposed cuts to Medicaid worry Upper Valley health care providers, advocates 
    “Thinking about taking away health services people rely on for a tax break for the wealthiest Americans makes no sense,” U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said during a visit to Valley Regional Hospital in Claremont on Wednesday. 
    Without health insurance, residents would have to make decisions between putting food on the table and going to the doctor, Dr. Juliann Barrett, Valley Regional’s chief medical officer, pointed out during a roundtable discussion with Shaheen. “It would have a drastic impact on preventative services,” Barrett said. 
    Eagle Times: Shaheen meets with health care officials to discuss potential Medicaid funding cuts 
    Medicaid cuts of nearly $900 million could be on the horizon, and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen has been meeting with health care officials this week to get first-hand accounts about what this would do to the services they provide patients. 
    She noted that statewide one in seven people, or about 180,000 people, are enrolled in Medicaid in some form. That number is even more staggering in Claremont at a third of the population. 
    “You talked about the uncertainty, and one of the challenges we have in Washington is uncertainty,” Shaheen said. “It’s been very hard to get information that was being planned, particularly around health care.” 
    Concord Monitor: Trump’s cuts to federal funding draw concern from New Hampshire health advocates 
    On Thursday, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen met with public health leaders in Concord to address the effects of recent funding cuts on services in New Hampshire, criticizing the federal government’s decision to withdraw the funding without notice. 
    Shaheen said she plans to advocate strongly to her colleagues in Washington, D.C., about the real-world impact of these cuts on health care, providers and workers across New Hampshire. She added that confusion over the scope and consequences of the cuts isn’t limited to one side of the aisle. 
    “I think that was the goal, to keep people off balance, people uncertain, and it has a huge impact on morale, on the anxiety that people are feeling, not to mention the actual results at the fallout,” said Shaheen. “The only thing that’s going to change is when we are being able to build some coalitions with our Republican colleagues.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: SecDef: “The men and women of America want to join the U.S. military led by President Donald Trump.”

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    #Trump #DonaldTrump #PresidentTrump #POTUS #USA #America #SecDef #Military #PeteHegseth #Hegseth

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JiWYBcYHcA

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy, Cassidy introduce resolution commemorating 100 years of Southeastern Louisiana University

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sens. John Kennedy (R-La.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) recently introduced a resolution commemorating 100 years of Southeastern Louisiana University and the major impacts the institution has had on the lives of countless students across our state and the region. Southeastern has been celebrating its centennial since September 2024 and will continue to celebrate through December 2025. 

    “A quality education is key to both Louisiana and America’s future. By that measure, Southeastern Louisiana University ought to be proud of its life-changing impacts over the last 100 years—and its record-breaking graduation rate and enrollment increases this year prove that. I join countless Louisianians in celebrating all that Southeastern has done in the past century to brighten our state’s future,” said Kennedy. 

    “Southeastern Louisiana University has been training up the next leaders of our great state for 100 years. Their quality of education attracts students from all over, who then stay in Louisiana, raise families, and make our state even better. Keep making Louisiana proud!,” said Cassidy.

    “Southeastern is proud to have reached this significant milestone in our remarkable 100-year history. From our humble beginnings in 1925 to becoming a dynamic institution with over 150 programs of study, Southeastern’s success stems from the commitment of students, faculty, staff, and the communities that support us. We sincerely thank Senator Kennedy for authoring this proclamation in recognition of our Centennial year and look forward to celebrating with the communities we serve,” said William S. Wainwright, Southeastern Louisiana University President.

    The full text of the resolution is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Kansas Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by August Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Kansas of the May 30 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought occurring Aug. 6, 2024.

    The declaration covers the Kansas counties of Decatur, Gove, Logan, Rawlins, Sheridan, Sherman and Thomas.

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

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

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

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

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

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than May 30.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Hawaii Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by August Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Hawaii of the May 30 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought occurring Aug. 6, 2024.

    The declaration covers the Hawaii counties of Hawaii, Honolulu, Kalawao, Kauai and Maui.

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

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

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

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

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

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than May 30.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to North Dakota Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by August Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in North Dakota of the May 30 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought beginning Aug. 6, 2024.

    The declaration covers the North Dakota counties of Adams, Bowman and Slope as well as Fallon County in Montana and Harding County in South Dakota.

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

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

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

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

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

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than May 30.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Colorado Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by August Drought

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Colorado of the May 30 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the drought occurring Aug. 6, 2024.

    The declaration covers the Colorado counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Denver and Jefferson.

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

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

    “Through a declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, SBA provides critical financial assistance to help communities recover,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “We’re pleased to offer loans to small businesses and private nonprofits impacted by these disasters.”

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

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

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than May 30.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Landsat MSS products with inaccurate brightness values to be reprocessed

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Landsat MSS products with inaccurate brightness values to be reprocessed

    The USGS/NASA Calibration/Validation Team has recently discovered that over 44,000 Landsat 2 and Landsat 3 Multispectral Sensor (MSS) Level-1 products were processed in 2020 with a calibration parameter file (CPF) that contained incorrect gain/offset values.

    The incorrect values cause a slightly noticeable difference in the brightness (known as the digital number – DN) values of the pixels within an affected product—Band 4 and Band 5, specifically. The band data display higher or lower DN values than they should, resulting from the coefficient applied during Level-1 processing. 

    These images display Band 4 from Landsat 3 MSS acquired February 20, 1982. The left is the current product; the right image displays the corrected image.  

    A solution to rectify this issue and apply the correct CPF to the affected products has been identified. After Landsat systems are updated with the solution, Level-1 products will be reprocessed.  An new headline will be posted when the products are reprocessed. 

    Please visit the Landsat Collection 2 Known Issues webpage to access a list of the affected scenes.

    Return to all Landsat Headlines

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 990 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Fourth week in April as part of Operation Take Back America.

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 990 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Fourth week in April as part of Operation Take Back America.

    Since the inauguration of President Trump, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorneys for Southwestern Border Districts Charge More than 990 Illegal Aliens with Immigration-Related Crimes During the Fourth week in April as part of Operation Take Back America.

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Since the inauguration of President Trump, the Department of Justice is playing a critical role in Operation Take back America, a nationwide initiative to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    Last week, the U.S. Attorneys for Arizona, Central California, Southern California, New Mexico, Southern Texas, and Western Texas charged more than 990 defendants with criminal violations of U.S. immigration laws.

    The Southern District of Texas filed 237 cases in immigration and security-related matters. As part of those cases, 124 face allegations of illegally reentering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, firearms or sexual offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 106 people face charges of illegally entering the country, five cases involve various instances of human smuggling with the remainder relating to assault of an officer or other immigration-related crimes. As part of the cases filed this week, Carlos Verduco-Muniz faces charges of assault on a federal officer. He allegedly punched a Texas Military Department Specialist in the face during a pursuit to apprehend him near Rio Grande City. The charges allege he is a citizen and national of Mexico who was illegally present in the United States at the time of the assault.

    The Western District of Texas filed 344 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases. Among the new cases, Henry Cruz-Lemas, an illegal alien and a Honduran national previously convicted of aggravated kidnapping in September 2011 and sentenced to five years in prison. Cruz-Lemas was arrested on April 18 during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE ERO) investigation in San Antonio. He is charged with one count of illegal reentry of an alien. Jose Angel Escarcega-Briones, an illegal alien from Mexico, was found approximately four miles west of the Tornillo Port of Entry. Border Patrol Agents determined that he did not have immigration documents allowing him to be in the United States legally and that he has previously been removed from the United States five times. He has three prior convictions for illegal reentry as well as a federal drug trafficking conviction.

    The District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 232 defendants. Specifically, the United States filed 110 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 110 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed nine cases against 11 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. The United States also charged one individual with failing to register, as required by law.

    The Southern District of California filed 134 border-related cases this week, including charges of transportation of illegal aliens, bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, deported alien found in the United States, and importation of controlled substances.

    The Central District of California filed criminal charges against 32 defendants who allegedly illegally re-entered the United States after being removed. Many of the defendants charged were previously convicted of felonies before they were removed from the United States, offenses that include committing lewd and lascivious acts on a child under the age of 14 years. The crime of being found in the United States following removal carries a base penalty of up to two years in federal prison. Defendants who were removed after being convicted of a felony face a maximum 10-year penalty and defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

    The District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics for this week. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies. In the one-week period ending April 25, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico: 67 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326), 10 individuals were charged this week with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324), and 55 individuals were charged this week with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325).

    We are grateful for the hard work of our border prosecutors in bringing these cases and helping to make our border safe again. 

    MIL Security OSI –