Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Preparations underway for BFA Annual Conference 2025 in China’s Hainan
Category: Asia Pacific
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MIL-OSI China: Preparations underway for BFA Annual Conference 2025 in China’s Hainan
Workers decorate a venue for the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) in Boao, south China’s Hainan Province, March 19, 2025. With the theme “Asia in the changing World: Towards a shared Future,” the BFA Annual Conference 2025 will be held from March 25 to 28 in Boao. [Photo/Xinhua] This photo taken on March 20, 2025 shows posters of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) in Boao, south China’s Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua] This photo taken on March 19, 2025 shows the logo of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) at BFA International Conference Center in Boao, south China’s Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua] This photo taken on March 19, 2025 shows a view of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) International Conference Center in Boao, south China’s Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua] An aerial drone photo taken on March 20, 2025 shows a view in Boao, south China’s Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua] An aerial drone photo taken on March 16, 2025 shows a view in Boao, south China’s Hainan Province. [Photo/Xinhua] -
MIL-OSI Germany: Unchanged global climate policies will cost India 19% and world 15% of GDP by 2050 | Interview with The Economic Times
Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English
The interview was conducted by Deepshikha Sikarwar & Vinay Pandey.
How do you see US president Donald Trump’s election weighing in on the entire climate debate?
We are central bankers and supervisors, so we are non-political. We are data-dependent and science-based. We are here together to discuss the impact of climate and nature-related risks on our economies. Talking about climate change in general, there are two major risks: physical risks; meaning increasing numbers of droughts, floods, hurricanes and wildfires. And transition risks, which are the costs and consequences of the transition to net zero.
If climate policy falls short then, of course, economic and financial risks will increase. That’s what central banks must look at. We analyze the data and see what kind of impact climate change has on the economy. That’s our job. We must deal with these risks, and we will address them, also towards governments.
What does the withdrawal of the US Federal Reserve mean for NGFS and its agenda?
The NGFS was founded at the end of 2017. At that time, we were only eight members. Now we are 144. The Fed, as you just mentioned, left in January. Except for the US, none of the members have exited so far. Instead, thirteen new members have joined since I took over as NGFS Chair at the start of 2024. So, we are still a growing organization.
And our agenda stays the same, because it has nothing to do with the exit of one member. If we see deregulation, if we see climate being taken off the policy agenda, then we might see increasing physical risk, meaning an acceleration of climate change. And that might mean that we even become more vocal on the risks we see.
How do you see India’s progress? What more needs to be done?
It’s not up to me to judge the stance and actions of our colleagues from the Reserve Bank of India. I just mentioned our latest update on the long-term scenarios about GDP being 15 % lower, worldwide, than in a world without climate change. For India, the GDP loss is even bigger. If the world keeps its current policies unchanged, global temperatures are expected to rise by three degrees Celsius (on average). And this could cost India roughly 19 % of GDP by 2050, compared to a world without climate change. So, for India, we show that climate change can have even more serious consequences than elsewhere. And, at the same time, the scenarios show that India is among those countries who would benefit the most from a global transition towards net zero emissions.
You’ve said your actions are data dependent. What is the data telling us in terms of the economic impact of climate change? Because there is also a pushback.
We are analytical powerhouses. Our climate scenarios are our flagship product. We have set up different long-term scenarios. For example, a current policy scenario or a fragmented world one, where climate policy is delayed, divergent and/or insufficient across the globe. Or a scenario where policy would bring us to a Paris-aligned world. We look at what those different climate scenarios mean in economic terms, for GDP, inflation, productivity, and so on.
The fifth vintage of our long-term climate scenarios was published at the start of November last year. It told us that under the current policies scenario, global GDP will be 15 % lower globally in 2050 than it would be without climate change. This is a striking number, and in fact we have reason to believe that it doesn’t even show the full picture, because we do not yet have a full set of data. It does not reflect, for example, future sea level rises, or the kind of climate migration that we might see. When we have more data, we will get more insights, and the results might even change.
What has the conversation been like at the plenary in the backdrop of the US exit and what is the assessment of the progress made so far?
We’ve never seen such a strong commitment as we see here in India today. More than 100 people from over 60 countries came from all around the world to be here in person. Another 100 people participated virtually. We’ve never had so many senior level representatives from central banks and financial supervisors. We have more than 25 governors or deputy governors here in India at our annual meeting.
What we’ve reflected on today is how political headwinds, deregulation, impact our work. And our work stays the same, because we are non-political animals, and we stick to our mandates. With so many central banks from all over the world in our network, we all have different mandates. In emerging markets or developing countries, the mandates are often not as narrow as they are in, for example, Europe. So, we do have members with broader mandates. That allows them to do different things, such as promoting green finance or other financial sector development.
Most central banks have initiated some sort of action on tackling climate change and its economic impact. What is your assessment of the progress and what more is needed?
With 144 members from all over the globe, there are members at completely different stages, depending on when they started and how big their capacities are. Some members are very advanced, like the French, the Dutch, the UK, and there are those who have just started or are so small that they barely have capacity.
What are the advanced central banks doing? They have started with climate stress testing in the banking sector. For example, in Europe, we have already done a few climate stress tests. In India, Brazil and many countries in Africa, you see that climate change strongly affects food prices. We also see, in some African countries for example, that energy prices are significantly affected by climate change. We cannot rely on past data or experiences; we need a forward-looking perspective. There’s a lot of uncertainty and non-linearity. So, we must work in terms of scenarios.
When the NGFS was set up in December 2017, there were some central banks who thought, “oh my god, there’s climate change and we do not know at all whether this will affect our work, our mandates”. We thought, “this might be such a big threat that it’s better to collaborate, put together all the resources we have and to see what will come out”. This is why the NGFS was set up. Over the years, we have not only realized that climate change really matters to the economy but also confirmed that it affects our mandates.
The whole idea of this network is that we share our knowledge amongst our members. This is the benefit of being a member of the NGFS. And we also produce public goods like the scenarios mentioned, which can be used by financial sector players and policymakers beyond the network.
Different governments have different commitments to climate change and central banks have different mandates. Given that, how effective can this body be?
Climate policy is not part of our mandate. What governments do is another thing. Of course, our analysis shows that if governments take less action on climate, it will have a huge impact on the economy, often also on inflation.
You are right, central banks globally have a wide range of different tasks and mandates. But this is also the beauty of our network. 144 different organisations learn from each other. Many members – for example emerging markets – have a lot in common with each other. These countries often form groups among peers so that they can share experience and best practice.
Any thinking on short-term scenario mapping?
We will soon publish our short-term scenarios with a time horizon of three to five years, hopefully in the first half of the year. We think it is important to show what will happen within this time horizon.
Not many care about 2050 and 2100. Not many of us work over this time horizon. If you are a CEO, your contract lasts 3‑5 years. If you’re a politician, you want to be re-elected within 3‑5 years. A scenario which tells you what might happen in 2050, of course, really matters for human beings. But, to tell the story to someone who thinks short term, you need also short-term scenarios.
© The Times Group. All rigths reserved. -
MIL-OSI Australia: Seeking stunning photos of weather phenomena from across Australia
Source: Australia Safe Travel Advisories
21/03/2025
Issued: Friday 21 March 2025
Submit your best weather photos to the Bureau of Meteorology’s 2026 Australian Weather Calendar competition for the chance to be featured in the next edition.
The 2025 edition of the calendar featured an atmospheric foggy sunrise over Mornington, Western Australia, a glowing aurora australis from Squeaking Point, Tasmania and a stunning storm and rainbow combination in Nightcliff, Northern Territory.
Each year, 13 photos sent in by photographers from all corners of the country are selected by a panel of Bureau judges to feature on the calendar’s cover and each month.
The calendar includes a meteorological description explaining the science behind each of the phenomena, written by the Bureau’s meteorologists, beside each photo.
Senior Meteorologist Andrea Peace, one of the judges of the competition, encourages people from all corners of the country to send in their spectacular weather photos.
“The Bureau invites anyone who has taken a great weather photo anywhere in Australia to submit it for the next edition of the Australian Weather Calendar,” she said.
“One of the most rewarding parts of my position at the Bureau is being involved in judging the competition and seeing all the incredible photos submitted, featuring the diverse array of weather the Bureau forecasts in Australia.”
Competition entries close for judging at 5:00pm (AEDT) on 31 March 2025.
To be eligible for the calendar, photos must be original and with only minor adjustments accepted, which must be listed with the entry.
Images cannot be digitally enhanced, altered or manipulated (including via the use of filters and digital software).
The Bureau’s Australian Weather Calendar is released annually, with photo entries remaining open perpetually for future editions.
For the full terms and conditions of entry, and to submit a photo, visit: http://www.bom.gov.au/calendar/contest/
[ENDS]
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MIL-OSI Security: Federal Way, Washington woman indicted for bank and wire fraud for fake investment scheme
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Preyed on members of the Korean community falsely claiming status as an investment advisor
Seattle – A 52-year-old Federal Way, Washington woman was indicted this week by a federal grand jury for three counts of wire fraud and two counts of bank fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Jenni Yoon Jeong Lee allegedly held herself out to elderly members of the Korean community as an investment advisor. In reality, the investments went into accounts controlled by Lee and were used for her personal expenses. Lee allegedly defrauded at least 28 victims of over $3 million that was used for her expenses, her family’s expenses or to pay off earlier investors in the style of a Ponzi scheme.
“Ms. Lee held herself out as an experienced investment advisor offering her victims a guaranteed return on the funds they placed with her,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “However, the indictment notes that none of the money was invested and in fact, nearly $1 million of investor funds were accessed and spent at area casinos.”
According to the indictment, Lee created various business entities with names that made it seem they were financial investment companies. Lee opened and controlled bank accounts for these shell companies.
Lee held herself out as a financial advisor employed at the shell companies. She claimed both orally and in writing that she would place victim investments in funds that would guarantee a safe return, sometimes as high as 10%. She often represented that the principal was fully guaranteed so there was no risk associated with the investment.
Lee allegedly got the victims to write checks to one of the shell companies for ‘investment,’ or she induced the client to fund a self-directed IRA at a legitimate financial services company and give Lee access to manage the account. Lee would sometimes provide the financial services company with a promissory note to make it appear the client was loaning money to one of Lee’s shell companies. In this way she gained control of the investor funds.
In all Lee took in at least $3 million. Some money was paid back to investors making the full loss amount approximately $2.2 million. Of that, over $900,000 was withdrawn and spent at casinos.
The three counts of wire fraud are for specific transfers of funds from self-directed IRA accounts. The two counts of bank fraud are for depositing client checks into one of the shell corporation accounts. These counts are representative acts of the alleged scheme.
The charges in the indictment are punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean H. Waite
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MIL-Evening Report: Top Pacific diplomats ready for direct talks on Bougainville independence
By Leah Lowonbu, Stefan Armbruster and Harlyne Joku of BenarNews
The Pacific’s peak diplomatic bodies have signalled they are ready to engage with Papua New Guinea’s Autonomous Government of Bougainville as mediation begins on the delayed ratification of its successful 2019 independence referendum.
PNG and Bougainville’s leaders met in the capital Port Moresby this week with a moderator to start negotiations on the implementation of the UN-supervised Bougainville Peace Agreement and referendum.
Ahead of the talks, ABG’s President Ishmael Toroama moved to sideline a key sticking point over PNG parliamentary ratification of the vote, with the announcement last week that Bougainville would unilaterally declare independence on September 1, 2027.
The region’s two leading intergovernmental organisations — Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) and Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) — have traditionally deferred to member state PNG on discussion of Bougainville independence as an internal matter.
But as a declaration of nationhood becomes increasingly likely and near, there has been a subtle shift.
“It’s their [PNG’s] prerogative but if this matter were raised formally, even by Bougainville themselves, we can start discussion on that,” PIF Secretary-General Baron Waqa told a press briefing at its headquarters in Fiji on Monday.
“Whatever happens, I think the issue would have to be decided by our leaders later this year,” he said of the annual PIF meeting to be held in Solomon Islands in September.
Marked peace deal
The last time the Pacific’s leaders included discussion of Bougainville in their official communique was in 2004 to mark the disarmament of the island under the peace deal.Waqa said Bougainville had made no formal approach to PIF — a grouping of 18 Pacific states and territories — but it was closely monitoring developments on what could eventually lead to the creation of a new member state.
PNG Prime Minister James Marape (second from left) and Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama (right) during mediation in the capital Port Moresby this week. Image: Autonomous Government of Bougainville/BenarNews In 2024, Toroama told BenarNews he would be seeking observer status at the subregional MSG — grouping PNG, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia’s FLNKS — as Bougainville’s first diplomatic foray.
No application has been made yet but MSG acting Director-General Ilan Kiloe told BenarNews they were also keeping a close watch.
“Our rules and regulations require that we engage through PNG and we will take our cue from them,” Kiloe said, adding while the MSG respects the sovereignty of its members, “if requested, we will provide assistance” to Bougainville.
“The purpose and reason the MSG was established initially was to advance the collective interests of the Melanesian countries, in particular, to assist those yet to attain independence,” he said. “And to provide support towards their aim of becoming independent countries.”
Map showing Papua New Guinea, its neighboring countries and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. Map: BenarNews The 2001 peace agreement ended more than a decade of bloody conflict known as the Bougainville crisis, that resulted in the deaths of up to 15,000 people, and laid out a roadmap for disarmament and the referendum in 2019.
‘We need support’
Under the agreement, PNG retains responsibility for foreign affairs but allows for the ABG to engage externally for trade and with “regional organisations.”“We need countries to support us, we need to talk to those countries [ahead of independence],” Toroama told BenarNews last September.
The referendum on independence was supported by 97.7 percent of Bougainvillians and the outcome was due to be ratified by PNG’s Parliament in 2020, but was deferred because of the covid-19 pandemic.
Discussions by the two parties since on whether a simple or two-thirds majority vote by parliamentarians was required has further delayed the process.
Toroama stood firm on the issue of ratification on the first day of discussions moderated by New Zealand’s Sir Jerry Mataparae, saying his people voted for independence and the talks were to define the “new relationship” between two independent states.
Last week, the 15 members of the Bougainville Leaders Independence Consultation Forum issued a statement declaring PNG had no authority to veto the referendum result and recommended September 1, 2027 as the declaration date.
Bougainville Leaders Consultation Forum declaration setting September 1, 2027, as the date for their independence declaration. Image: AGB/BenarNews “As far as I am concerned, the process of negotiating independence was concluded with the referendum,” Toroama said.
Implementation moderation
“My understanding is that this moderation is about reaching agreement on implementing the referendum result of independence.”He told Marape “to take ownership and endorse independence in this 11th Parliament.”
PNG’s prime minister responded by praising the 25 years of peace “without a single bullet fired” but warned Bougainville was not ready for independence.
“Economic independence must precede political independence,” Marape said. “The long-term sustainability of Bougainville must be factored into these discussions.”
“About 95 percent of Bougainville’s budget is currently reliant on external support, including funding from the PNG government and international donors.”
Proposals to reopen Rio Tinto’s former Panguna gold and copper mine in Bougainville, that sparked its civil conflict, is a regular feature of debate about its economic future.
Front page of the Post-Courier newspaper after the first day of mediation on Bougainville’s independence this week. Image: Post-Courier/BenarNews Marape also suggested people may be secretly harbouring weapons in breach of the peace agreement and called on the UN to clarify the outcome of the disarmament process it supervised.
“Headlines have come out that guns remain in Bougainville. United Nations, how come guns remain in Bougainville?” Marape asked on Monday.
“You need to tell me. This is something you know. I thought all guns were removed from Bougainville.”
PNG relies on aid
By comparison, PNG has heavily relied on foreign financial assistance since independence, currently receiving at about US$320 million (1.3 billion kina) a year in budgetary support from Australia, and suffers regular tribal violence and massacres involving firearms including assault rifles.Bougainville Vice-President Patrick Nisira rejected Marape’s concerns about weapons, the Post-Courier newspaper reported.
“The usage of those guns, there is no evidence of that and if you look at the data on Bougainville where [there are] incidents of guns, it is actually very low,” he said.
Further talks are planned and are due to produce a report for the national Parliament by mid-2025, ahead of elections in Bougainville and PNG’s 50th anniversary celebrations in September.
Republished from BenarNews with permission.
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MIL-OSI Australia: Helping disengaged NSW youth get back in the game
Source: Government of Victoria 3
The Albanese and Minns Governments are partnering to connect disadvantaged young people with education, training and employment in NSW.
Both governments are investing $5 million each into the Get Back in the Game Program – helping local organisations deliver specialist support to young people aged 15 to 21.
The funding, through the $100 million Commonwealth Outcomes Fund, will support around 1,400 young people a year who may not have reached their full potential.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Get Back on Track would help to tackle intergenerational disadvantage in communities across NSW.
“This is all about helping more young people get great training, get a great job and get ahead,” the Treasurer said.
“No matter who you are or where you live, you deserve a decent education and a decent opportunity to earn a good living and provide for your loved ones.
“We’re backing local organisations to give local kids the opportunities they need and deserve.
“Programs like this one will help us tackle intergenerational disadvantage in communities right around Australia where a national approach on its own will never be enough.”
Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth, said investing in local partnerships ensures Government funding is tailored to the needs of young people and their communities.
“The Outcomes Fund will give community organisations under the Get Back in the Game Program the flexibility to design and deliver services for young people that recognises where they are at and will get the best results they need,” Minister Rishworth said.
“I am excited to be partnering with the NSW Government on the program so community organisations can get on with their important work with young people across NSW.”
Minister Whan said empowering our youth is crucial for building a stronger future for NSW.
“I’ve met some of the young people who have benefited from this program – it quite literally has changed their lives. From being disengaged from school to building a career. It is producing results for young people,” Minister Whan said.
“By investing in skills training and education opportunities, we are ensuring that no young person is left behind. This program will provide essential pathways for those who need it the most. Thank you to the Albanese Government for investing in this important program.”
Participants must be aged 15-21 and not be a current participant in any Commonwealth or NSW program or service supporting youth transitions to work or study.
The Get Back in the Game program is the last of the four projects to be announced from the first Expression of Interest process under the $100 million Commonwealth Outcomes Fund.
The Outcomes Fund gives providers the flexibility to tailor services to the needs of communities and young people. They receive payments when outcomes are achieved.
The Fund aims to achieve service delivery and funding reform as part of the over $200 million Targeting Entrenched Disadvantage package.
Sue Watson, Manager of Yourtown’s Get Back in the Game program, said that the program funding will make a real difference for disengaged youth.
“Yourtown works together with young people to uncover and supercharge their strengths, providing the practical training, education and skills development they need to land a job and break the cycle of unemployment,” Ms Watson said.
“Our program creates pathways to help young people unlock their potential and achieve a bright future. This funding makes a real difference to these young people.”
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MIL-OSI USA: Journalists, Federal Workers, and Unions File Lawsuit to Challenge Closure of U.S. Agency for Global Media
Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union
NEW YORK, N.Y.—Today, journalists, federal workers, and their unions sued the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), its Acting Director Victor Morales, and Special Adviser Kari Lake to challenge the unlawful shuttering of the agency and silencing of global media.
The lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, asserts that the agency has failed to fulfill its legally required functions and violated both the freedom of journalists and separation of powers when it ordered staff not to report to work, suspended contractors, turned off service, and locked the agency’s doors.
The plaintiffs include the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), The NewsGuild-CWA, the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and seven individual workers. VOA White House Bureau Chief Patsy Widakuswara is the lead plaintiff.
Government Accountability Project, a non-partisan civil rights defense and whistleblower protection organization, represents the seven individuals. New York City law firm Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP represents 11 of the 12 plaintiffs. AFGE, AFSCME, NewsGuild-CWA and AFSA are represented by Democracy Forward and their respective in-house legal departments. State Democracy Defenders Fund represents Reporters Sans Frontiers (RSF), Reporters Without Borders (RSF USA), AFGE, and AFSCME.
Altogether, these actions amount to an unprecedented attack on the freedom of press and threaten the reputation and credibility of VOA journalists and all USAGM networks. The filing reads:
“The VOA Journalists have devoted their careers to helping to build USAGM’s networks into a credible media force with global audiences in the hundreds of millions. They are dedicated public servants of the utmost integrity whom Defendants have maligned without basis as incompetent and, even worse, as ‘terrorist sympathizers.’ What is happening to the VOA Journalists is not just the chilling of First Amendment speech; it is a government shutdown of journalism, a prior restraint that kills content before it can be created.”
The plaintiffs seek immediate relief to reverse the shuttering of the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
This assault on VOA is an attack on international democracy and journalistic integrity.
“Voice of America was founded to spread the truth and fight propaganda from lawless authoritarian regimes—so it’s no surprise that the Trump administration is trying to dismantle it. This blatant political takeover isn’t just an attack on our members’ jobs—it’s an assault on press freedom, journalistic integrity, and democracy the world over,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley, whose union represents VOA and Office of Cuba Broadcasting employees. “These patriotic journalists and professionals have dedicated their careers to making sure regular people understand the truth, and AFGE will not stand by while this administration tries to silence them. That’s why we are joining this lawsuit with our partners—to defend our members, protect their rights, and uphold the truth they work tirelessly to promote across the globe.”
“The Voice of America was created to promote freedom of press and advance democratic values across the globe. Silencing this agency is nothing short of anti-American and a retaliatory attack on the independent journalists and workers who have dedicated their careers to fighting oppressive regimes and censorship. The voices and reporting of VOA professionals, including AFSCME members, are a beacon of freedom to people everywhere. We refuse to stand by as this administration violates the constitution to obstruct their work and diminishes America’s standing in the world as a leading democracy,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders.
“AFSCME members are proud of the work they do at Voice of America to develop and distribute free and independent news to hundreds of millions of citizens everywhere. The very existence of Voice of America is a testament to our nation’s commitment to protecting a free and independent press. This open assault on journalists and our jobs should alarm everyone, and we remain committed to fighting back whether we’re standing up to dictators abroad or our own leaders,” said AFSCME District Council 20 Executive Director Wayne Enoch.
“Our union was established by journalists to protect the workers that make a free press possible, and we are proud to continue that fight 91 years later,” said NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss. “America’s founders passionately believed that everyone has the right to free speech and a free press. The work of journalists at Radio Free Asia, Voice of America, Radio Free Europe and other newsrooms ensures that these fundamental American freedoms know no borders. Journalists across the globe fight every single day to hold power to account, expose corruption and provide communities with life-saving news. We’ll do whatever it takes to support that fight.”
“The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for Global Media undermines America’s soft power and global credibility,” said Tom Yazdgerdi, president of the American Foreign Service Association. “Foreign Service members have long served as trusted messengers and conduits of a fact-based, independent press—core to our nation’s democratic values. AFSA stands firmly against any efforts that compromise this mission.”
“This is another tragic attack on democracy. Over eight decades, VOA and its sister organizations have been renowned, evidenced by the over 400 million viewers, listeners and readers who tune in every day. That reputation is now in tatters. Our lawsuit is intended to stop the bleeding,” said David Seide, Government Accountability Project’s Senior Counsel.
“Our firm is honored to represent these clients in this historic fight. The people who gather the news, who write the news, who deliver the news, and who operate the equipment that distributes the news are the lifeblood of a democracy. Without them, the landscape of ideas and information would be a desert. The Voice of America is many, many voices; we are committed to having those voices heard in court — so they can get back to the business of speaking to the world,” said Andrew G. Celli, Jr.
“Free press is important for every American and is a cornerstone of our democracy. The abrupt and unlawful shutdown of the U.S. Agency for Global Media is yet another step in an accelerating extreme and authoritarian playbook that benefits no Americans and fails to make anyone in this country’s life better or easier. Silencing those who report the truth—especially those who have spent their careers countering disinformation worldwide—makes Americans less safe at home and abroad, and further compromises the United States’ leadership in the world. Democracy Forward is committed to protecting the American people and defending the integrity of a free and independent press,” said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward.
“The attempt to dismantle Voice of America and the US Agency for Global Media is an unconscionable and outright attack on press freedoms. A free and independent press is the bedrock of democracy both at home and abroad. We are proud to stand with Reporters Without Borders and coalition members in our critical fight to defend free and independent journalism,” said Ambassador Norman Eisen (ret.), executive chair of State Democracy Defenders Fund and counsel for Reporters Without Borders, AFGE and AFSCME.
“Authoritarian censorship regimes like the Kremlin and the Chinese Communist Party are loudly cheering for the death of Voice of America. It’s clear that Donald Trump’s action will encourage harsher crackdowns against journalists and press freedom, putting VOA and RSF staff, correspondents, volunteers, and supporters in greater danger. RSF is compelled to act to protect VOA and the broader press freedom community,” said Clayton Weimers, Executive Director, RSF USA.
“VOA reporting helps keep the public and local journalists informed about human rights violations, violence, protests and corruption — even in the world’s most censored countries. Trump’s decision is not only illegal, it’s a major blow to millions of citizens’ right to trustworthy information and an invaluable gift to the world’s biggest predators of press freedom. RSF is proud to champion this battle in US court, defending access to independent, reliable journalistic reporting for citizens worldwide,” said Thibaut Bruttin, Director General, Reporters sans frontières.
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MIL-OSI United Nations: General Assembly Adopts Texts, Marks International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
The poison of racism remains in the veins of global institutions, laws and everyday practices and must be fought in all its forms, speakers urged the General Assembly today, as the body commemorated the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in addition to taking action on three draft texts.
One of these, the draft resolution titled “Permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan” (document A/79/L.59), was introduced by that country’s representative. She affirmed neutrality as a fundamental principle of her nation’s foreign policy — “a beacon of peace, stability and constructive engagement in the international community for three decades”. The Assembly then adopted the draft resolution without a vote.
By the text, the Assembly called on Member States to respect and support this status of Turkmenistan and to respect its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. It further welcomed the decision of the Government of Turkmenistan to host an international forum, in December 2025, devoted to the International Year of Peace and Trust, the International Day of Neutrality and the thirtieth anniversary of the permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan.
The Assembly also adopted without a vote the draft decision titled “United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities” (document A/79/L.61). By its terms, the Assembly decided to convene the next such Conference in 2026. Also adopted without a vote was the draft decision titled “Speakers for the opening segment of the ‘World Social Summit’ under the title ‘the Second World Summit for Social Development’” (document A/79/L.65).
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
At the outset of the meeting, Philémon Yang (Cameroon), President of the General Assembly at its seventy-ninth session, recalled that peaceful protesters stood against injustice in Sharpeville, South Africa, 65 years ago. While 69 lives were lost that day, “their courage ignited a movement — one that continues today,” he stated. And, on the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination — to which 182 Member States are party — he said: “We must recommit to its provisions that prohibit racial discrimination in all its forms.” Further, he called on the international community to “take decisive action to enforce antidiscrimination laws and ensure they are effective”.
Urging States to invest in inclusive education, raise public awareness and challenge harmful stereotypes, he emphasized that the fight against racial discrimination is not just a moral duty, but essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. And, while Africa has long carried the weight of historical injustice, he stressed that the continent is also a beacon of resilience and leadership that “has shown the world how to successfully end abhorrent examples of institutional racism and bigotry”. The international community must therefore listen to African voices and fully integrate their perspective into global anti-racism efforts. Additionally, he called on the next generation to “carry forward the fight against racial discrimination with hope and determination”.
Speaking next was Courtenay Rattray, Chef de Cabinet of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General, who said that the poison of racism is the toxic legacy of historic enslavement and colonialism. Today, it continues to corrupt communities and erode the foundations of justice, stoked by “growing inequalities and algorithms that capitalize on polarizing content”, he stated. Forged amidst the civil rights and anti-Apartheid movements of the 1960s, the Convention remains a beacon of hope. Calling for its universal ratification, he urged business leadership, civil society and everyday people to take a stand against racism in all its forms.
Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, then emphasized that race, colour, descent or origin must never silence people, block their opportunities, make them targets or endanger their lives. While the Convention was a milestone treaty, she warned that “we once again find ourselves in a period of turmoil” — with racism still permeating institutions, social structures and everyday life in all societies. While diversity is profoundly human and enriches societies, “because of it, millions of people are treated as sub-human”, she stated. Condemning the resurgence of nationalist populism and ideologies of racial superiority, she called today’s gathering an opportunity for States, national human-rights institutions, civil society, the private sector and United Nations entities to commit to concrete steps to combat the scourge.
Echoing calls for universal ratification, Michał Balcerzak (Poland), Chair of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, also encouraged Member States to recognize the competence of his Committee to receive individual communications to provide effective access to justice for victims. “Formal ratification is essential, but not sufficient,” he said, noting that various provisions were included in the Convention to address historical injustice and structural racism — such as the obligation to adopt special or affirmative measures. “We witness today the challenging of these measures in many countries,” he pointed out, calling on States and judicial bodies to protect them. He added: “Racist and xenophobic discourse are not only increasing, but also encouraged by some politicians and public figures. This is not the time to remain silent.”
For her part, Sarah Lewis, Associate Professor at Harvard University, noted that she is “the descendant of enslaved men and women from, we believe, Ghana and Nigeria, and also from slave owners who came from the United Kingdom”. While this anniversary is a chance to salute the extraordinary progress made to confront racial discrimination, she emphasized that “much more is needed today in many parts of the world to combat injustice”. Stressing that the racial divide around the world is built on the fiction of racial superiority, she cited ignorance — for example, that slavery could ever be construed as beneficial for the skills it taught the enslaved. She recalled the words of civil-rights leader Frederick Douglass, who spoke of internalized narratives that seemed to justify inequity, making the case for the power of culture as an overlooked tool for ending racism. “He said it might take over 150 years for society here, and around the world, to understand these ideas,” she observed.
During the ensuing discussion, South Africa’s delegate recalled that, “on this day 65 years ago”, people gathered around police stations in his country without carrying the dompas — the document that restricted the movement of people based on their race. During this peaceful protest, Apartheid security forces and police opened fire on a crowd in Sharpeville, killing 69 and injuring 130. “Most were shot in the back,” he said. While the equal enjoyment of human rights is a basic principle of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — adopted in 1948 — he noted that, in 1965, “it was obvious that this was not a universal understanding”. This is why the global community recognized the need to establish international law to protect human rights, regardless of race. The Convention, he recalled, remains the only active legal instrument against racism and racial discrimination.
Echoing those sentiments, the representative of Equatorial Guinea, speaking for the African Group, stressed the need to address contemporary forms of racism and new forms of slavery, such as human trafficking. All States must eliminate systemic barriers and racial discrimination faced by people of African descent in housing, healthcare, education and other sectors. Further, global reparatory justice is crucial for equitable sustainable development. In a similar vein, Jamaica’s delegate, speaking for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said that the injustice of the transatlantic slave trade lingers and affects the lives of people of African descent today. He also expressed concern about “the growing incitement of hatred and intolerance, including through the use of new and emerging technologies”.
Echoing that, the representative of Greece, speaking for the Group of Western European and Other States, affirmed the collective “responsibility to address all factors that ignite racist harassment, hate speech, hate crimes and all other forms of incitement”. Moreover, nationalist and populist ideologies and rhetoric that erode social cohesion have no place in societies. The representative of Fiji, speaking for the Asia-Pacific Group, strongly condemned racial profiling and negative stereotyping on any grounds and against any persons. Meanwhile, Suriname’s delegate, speaking for the Group of Latin America and Caribbean Countries, expressed solidarity with all victims of racial discrimination around the world. He further highlighted the intersection of racial and gender discrimination, calling for gender-responsive policies.
However, the representative of the Russian Federation recalled that the international community is far from consensus on fighting racism, with the various documents and decisions adopted by the General Assembly lacking support from Western countries. “We all know that, in Europe, discrimination flourishes,” she said, spotlighting bans on studies in one’s native language and on participating in elections. Condemning Western Governments for “turning a blind eye” to their racist, xenophobic and colonialist pasts, she voiced support for the objectives of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent.
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MIL-OSI Submissions: Australia – Tiny but Mighty, Endangered Native Species Making a Comeback!
Source: Merlin EntertainmentsSEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium Releases, 252 Southern Pygmy Perch in a World-First for Conservation supported by NSW DPIRD FisheriesSydney, AUSTRALIA, Friday 21 March 2025 – In a world-first, SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium has bred and released 252 Southern pygmy perch (Nannoperca australis) at Lade Vale, New South Wales, marking a key milestone for conservation efforts to protect this native Endangered species.
“Though they are small, the Southern pygmy perch are mighty! They play a vital role in freshwater ecosystems by controlling insect populations and supporting biodiversity, which ensures the health of streams and wetlands,” said Laura Simmons, Head of Conservation, Welfare, and Education for SEA LIFE Aquariums Australia and New Zealand.“Four years ago, when the NSW Government’s Fisheries Division approached SEA LIFE Sydney, we embraced the challenge to take on custodianship, develop best practices within the aquarium, and ultimately breed the Southern pygmy perch for a cooperative breed-for-release program to encourage wild repopulation. We are incredibly proud of reaching this milestone, which marks a significant step in recovering the species and securing its future in Australia’s freshwater ecosystems,” she added.
Southern pygmy perch were once widely distributed and abundant in the Murray, Lachlan, and Murrumbidgee catchments. The species has now disappeared from most locations in NSW and has only been recorded from a handful of sites in the last 30 years.
The aquarium-bred Southern pygmy perch have been released into a waterway on a private property at Lade Vale, NSW, determined as a suitable habitat by the project experts. Post-release, project partners, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Fisheries and Gunning District Landcare, will closely monitor the fish to ensure their successful integration into the wild.“It’s exciting to be working with SEA LIFE Sydney and the local landcare group on new and innovative ways to re-establish this unique and important species back in the landscape”, said Luke Pearce, DPIRD Senior Fisheries Manager.Southern pygmy perch are threatened by habitat loss from flood control measures and dams, which disrupt river flow and temperature, as well as by competition and predation from invasive species like Redfin perch, common carp and Eastern gambusia.As part of its broader conservation strategy, SEA LIFE Sydney will continue to support research, breeding programs, and habitat restoration projects, collaborating with government and conservation partners to secure a future for the Southern pygmy perch and other vulnerable species within Australia and around the world.For more information on SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium’s conservation efforts or to plan a visit, please visit: www.visitsealife.com/sydney/conservation/local-conservation-projects/southern-pygmy-perch-breeding-programAbout Merlin Entertainments:
Merlin Entertainments is a world leader in branded entertainment destinations, offering a diverse portfolio of resort theme parks, city-centre gateway attractions and LEGOLAND® Resorts which span across the UK, US, Western Europe, China, and Asia Pacific. Dedicated to creating experiences that inspire joy and connection, Merlin welcomes more than 62 million guests annually to its growing estate, with over 140 sites across 23 countries. An expert in bringing world-famous entertainment brands to life, Merlin works with partners including the LEGO® Group, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Peppa Pig, DreamWorks and Ferrari to create destinations where guests can immerse themselves in a wide array of brand-driven worlds, rides and uplifting learning experiences.
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MIL-OSI New Zealand: Rotokākahi whenua to remain occupied during pause in works
Source: Mana i te whenua of RotokākahiMana i te whenua of Rotokākahi and supporters have announced their intent to stay on the whenua following news that works will be paused for a number of weeks to await a judge’s decision.There has been presence on the whenua for several months in opposition of the Lake Tarawera Sewerage Scheme by Rotorua Lakes Council. The pipeline’s planned route cuts through a wāhi tapu (sacred site). Over a hundred tūpuna perished during the 1886 eruption of Mt Tarawera, making the lake and its surrounds their final resting place.
The pause comes as part of an Environment Court case against the council. During this time, a judge will deliberate as to whether the council obtained proper consents for the project.
Te Whatanui Leka Taumalolo Skipwith (Tūhourangi) comments:
“This pause is another slight win in delayed works for our whānau, wāhi tapu, and te taiao.”“Our whānau / hapū presence will remain on the whenua, and we will continue to remain peaceful.”
“As the applicants, Rotokākahi Board of control, and Protect Rotokākahi Incorporated Society – for mana i te whenua Tūhourangi – Tūmatawera.”
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MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Murkowski Addresses the Alaska State Legislature
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
03.19.25
“We are all Alaskans; we are all invested in the future of this great place.”
Juneau, AK – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) today delivered her annual address to the Alaska State Legislature during a joint session at the Alaska State Capitol Building.
Murkowski thanked many of the legislators for their good work and recapped the progress the delegation has made for Alaska over the past year. While celebrating many Alaskans’ accomplishments, she expressed her concern for the indiscriminate firing of federal employees and the impacts the federal funding freeze will have on the state. Murkowski also spoke to areas where Alaska can work closely with the new administration, particularly resource development.
After her remarks, Murkowski took questions from the legislators on a variety of topics, which are available to watch in the video linked below.Senator Murkowski addresses the Alaska State Legislature on March 18, 2025.
Click here to watch the Senator’s remarks.
Below is the text of Murkowski’s remarks as delivered.
Good morning. We’ve got a full house, full crowd, and it is good to be home with all of you.
Mr. Speaker Edgmon and Mr. President Stevens, to our Majority Leaders Senator Giessel and Representative Kopp, Minority Leaders Senator Shower and Representative Costello, to all members of the Legislature: thank you for the opportunity to be back with you in these chambers.
I’ve had a good morning. I think I’ve been able to meet with the vast majority of you, exchanging conversation as Alaskans and as fellow lawmakers. Thank you for the time you have given me already, and for the hour that we will have this morning.
A lot of new faces, this is good to see. When you have a House with 10 new members, that’s impressive, this is good. And I love, and I will emphasize love, the fact that we have so many women in our House, more women than men. It has taken a little bit of time, but congratulations to all of you. I look forward to the many contributions that we will see.
At the same time that you see the new faces, there are many that I have known over the years. You have a few that I’ve actually served with. They’re more like friends and extended family. We’ve got Lyman back there in the corner. We’ve got Gary.
I know I’m supposed to be using your formal titles here, but you know, you look at these guys in their tenure here, these are the giants of the place. I think of you as the Ted Stevens and the Don Young of the Legislature. I’ll let you figure out which one’s which, but you’ve been around, been around a little bit of time.
Whether you’re new to public service or continuing this, thank you for stepping up. Thank you for engaging. Thank you for being in the arena at a time that our state needs each and every one of you.
So, for those of you that are new, you need to know, I start out every one of my legislative addresses, not talking about you, but talking about my family, because our families are so important to who we are and what we do.
When I got on the plane on Monday, coming out of Anchorage to come to Juneau, I run into Representative Costello, you, Mia, and I remembered when you first came to this body, your kids were young. They were about the same age as my kids were when I joined the Legislature. And I remember thinking mornings were when you’re leaving the kids and you’re saying, “have a good week,” instead of “have a good day at school.”
So, to each and every one of you who leave your families behind, or who bring them here and who uproot them to be part of this, thank you for what you do. Thank you for the sacrifice that you are making. Your children will be better because of your service. So, thank you for making those trips every Monday.
So, my family is doing well. The boys are good. They’re getting older, they’re both married. One is living in Anchorage, the other is living in Tennessee. They married great women. Verne is doing well, he is on both ends of the country, flying with me. We never fly on the same airplane, he’s always looking for more legroom, and I’m always so used to being squeezed into wherever I need to be.
My parents are well, thank you for inquiring. Dad is turning 91 here at the end of the month. They are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary at the end of this month, so they’re hanging in there.
As for me, I’ve spent a lot of time in Washington, DC this year. We’re beginning a new Congress and a new administration. This is actually our first recess of the year. Usually I come here during President’s Day, but this is our first recess that we have had, so you’re not going to find anyone that is happier about being home right now than me.
I wasn’t quite sure it was actually going to happen. We managed to avoid a government shutdown. That’s a good thing. But the end result was less than desirable. The Continuing Resolution that we will be operating under from now through the end of September is not what I would have hoped. We were dealing with a situation that I think was best described as a Morton’s Fork. For those of you who are not familiar with this term, it’s okay to look it up. Basically, it’s a choice between two equally bad options: a shutdown, which is never good, and a continuing resolution that doesn’t do much, if anything, to reduce the level of spending. It takes away the work we had done to identify what our priorities would be, and tells the administration, “here is the money,” but we’re not providing you with the details to administer it.
So, we’re moving forward and that’s going to be important. Beginning next week, we begin, in earnest, budget reconciliation. We can talk about it a little bit later if you want. But, before I get started, I want to recognize some of the good work that has gone on here, in this Legislature. Some of the good work that you are doing.
Representative Dibert, Senator Kawasaki, and Representative Carrick, I want to thank you for saying it loud and proud—it’s Denali. So, thank you for that. That resolution is really important. I thank you, I thank all 50 of you who voted for it.
Senators Wielechowski, Tobin, Cronk, and Hughes, Speaker Edgmon and Representatives Himschoot, Johnson, and Ruffridge, all of you who have been tackling K-12 funding with the Governor—thank you for what you’re doing there. I know this is hard, but there is nothing more important that we can do for Alaska’s future than focusing on our kids’ education. So, thank you for working through those hard things. I appreciate that.
To those of you who were part of the Joint Legislative Task Force on Alaska’s Seafood Industry, I’m not going to name all the names, but I was with you at the Commissioners’ task force meeting in January, and thank you for the good recommendations to help our fish, fishermen, fish processors, and coastal communities. Thank you. We need to take your recommendations and help you with implementation.
Senator Hughes, I appreciate what you’re doing on food security. These are important initiatives. I’m proud to support your work through the microgrants program I was able to create for Alaska, so there’s good work going on there.
Representative Stutes, Representative Tomaszewski, and all who supported HB 65—great work on your legislation for a new passenger dock in Seward and the economic development that will bring. Good work on so many of these initiatives that I appreciate.
On a personal level, Senator Olson and Representative Dibert, we’re glad you’re better and back to work. Glad to know that you are on the mend. I was able to earlier congratulate Representative Schrage on the birth of your daughter. So again, congratulations to you and your wife on the birth of your daughter, Emily.
Keep doing good work in all of these really important areas.
I’ve got some friends and colleagues in the gallery I want to introduce. I am going to try to introduce folks in the gallery because you might not be familiar with because they haven’t been in the gallery yet.
You’ve got a gentleman that is no stranger to you, Joe Plesha. He’s handling all of my communications. I don’t know whether we let him continue with the mustache, but I guess that’s who he is.
The gentleman seated on the end there, that is my Chief of Staff, Garrett Boyle. Garrett has been on my team now in this capacity since last April.
Next to Joe is Hali Gruber, who is my advisor for energy and natural resources. She was working previously for Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers on the House side, and did a great job over there. So, we were able to pick her up.
Next to her, we have my regional director here in Juneau, Kara Hollatz.
Next to Kara, we have Karina Waller. Karina has worked on the federal side for a long time before coming to me. She was with Senator Stevens a long time ago, btu has been heading up my state operations since last April.
So those are the new faces you’re going to see. You’re going to see more of my team wandering the halls, having meetings with you. This is a good opportunity for us, again, to start figuring where we can partner and work together.
I’m proud of the partnerships and relationships that we’re able to develop with one another. Don’t hesitate to call. Call me, call them, call all of us, get us engaged.
Back in Washington, DC, some of the things we’re doing there, we have made progress. It’s tough to sometimes think of what we did last year. It was an election year, right? Who was paying attention to anything about accomplishments. But we did.
One of the things I know Dan and I are particularly proud of is the effort we were able to advance across the finish line, which is to secure a commercially available icebreaker, and the Coast Guard’s commitment to homeport that vessel, called the Storis, here in Juneau.
We were able to secure cold weather pay for Alaska’s Air and Space Forces, and something that was quite personal to me, we were able to save the Alaska Air National Guard from cuts that would have cost 80 positions. That was really important.
We were able to secure $300 million for fishery disasters and passed legislation to reform the declaration process to work better for Alaska. This is something we need to keep doing more on. We’ve improved it, but the fact of the matter is the process still does not work for our fisherman, so we’re not letting up on that.
We broke ground on the Kenai Bluff Stabilization Project, this is one of many major infrastructure projects now underway around our state. This is one that many of you on the peninsula have been working on with us for a long time, so it’s good to see that going.
We were able to work with our military leaders to help Kake, Angoon, and Wrangell secure long overdue apologies for the bombings that wiped out their Native villages in the late 1800s. So, to be part of those ceremonies was quite impactful.
We increased funding to address natural hazards, including the landslides that continue to claim lives across Southeast. It’s great to see Jeremy Bynum here from Ketchikan, and to see the role that you played in your local government, and to see the impact that had on your community when we had a devastating loss just last year in Ketchikan.
We’ve been able to make some headway, finally, for better, more reliable weather observing systems, which we will deliver through the Don Young Alaska Aviation Safety Initiative, but we have more that we need to be doing on that. After the devastating Bering Air crash outside Nome, I think we’re all rightly focused on what we can be doing on aviation safety.
Then on the Congressionally Directed Spending process, we were able to advance dozens of community priorities. This was everything from housing for Sitka to the expansion of the University’s program for nurses and the allied healthcare workforce.
Then we were able to finish up some things that have been outstanding for a long time. We secured nearly all funding needed for an Alaska Veterans Cemetery in Fairbanks. I remember when Representative Guttenberg started that ages ago. We’re putting a new roof on the Palmer Pioneer Home after years of delay, seeing the threats from heavy snowfalls. And, a personal one, this is big for Frank and Nancy Murkowski, we finally repainted the Wrangell Post Office. Sometimes you take your wins where you can.
We also have good news this week. I’ve told many of you in our conversations, but I’ve been working with Secretary Lutnick and Secretary Rubio, and I’m able to confirm that our fishermen will be able to get out on the water on Thursday for the black cod and halibut opener. That was caught up in a process that most fishermen will not know, they don’t care to know how the sausage is made, they just want to know they’ll be able to get out on the water and be able to do their fishing. We were able to do that for them, so that was a good win.
We’ve accomplished a lot, and it takes hard work from the delegation, from you, from our teams, and from Alaskans across our state. Before I move on, I want to acknowledge someone that, as I’m looking in the gallery, I see my friend and our Lieutenant Governor, Nancy Dahlstrom. Thank you for joining us. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you back there before, but I don’t want to skip over your contributions and those of the Governor, and all that you do when we talk about working together to make things happen. So, thank you.
It really is our people that make the difference. And that’s what I want to focus on today.
It’s not just the great Alaskans who make us proud at the Olympics, like Kristen Faulkner from Homer, or who receive top honors from the National Endowment for the Arts, like Chief Reverend Dr. Gilbert Trimble from Arctic Village.
It’s not just the Alaskans who run James Beard award-winning restaurants, like Carolina and Heidi and Patricia at Lucky Wishbone in Anchorage. Or those who have built institutions, like Jack Hébert did with the Cold Climate Housing Research Center in Fairbanks. Or our military men and women, who we are proud to have serving in our state, and who come from all over the country.
We celebrate them all, as we should. But today, I want to talk about another set of people who make a difference, and these are Alaska’s federal employees. There are about 15,000 of them across our state. On a per capita basis, we have more than just about any state outside of Maryland and a couple of others. I want to give them the credit they are due—and express how disturbed I am by how they have been treated recently.
As I stand here, federal employees across Alaska are losing, or have lost, their jobs.
I can’t tell you with accuracy how many, because no one who has that information is either able to share it, or willing to share it.
What I do know is that these abrupt terminations have affected NOAA, the National Weather Service, the National Park Service, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, USDA Rural Development, the VA, and other federal agencies.
These terminations are indiscriminate and many, we are learning, are unlawful. They are being made regardless of performance and with little understanding of the function and value of each position. At a human level, they are traumatizing people and leaving holes in our communities.
As one couple said to us, they’re not just losing their jobs, they’re losing their lives. They’re losing their community. We heard that yesterday in a discission with some terminated employees.
No one should feel good about that.
Now I agree, and every single person in this chamber would agree that the federal government is too big. The debt is now above $36 trillion. We’re spending more on interest than national defense. So, I support the mission behind DOGE, to find efficiencies in government. This is our responsibility—you need to find them at the state level, we need to find them at the federal level. And reductions in the federal workforce make absolute sense, but let’s do it in the right way.
Not like this.
The Trump administration’s approach lacks the type of planning you need to avoid unintended consequences, and it lacks the fundamental decency you need when dealing with real people. Public servants are not our enemies. They’re our friends and neighbors; they are integral to our economy and our ability to function as a state and as a country.
Their work may go underappreciated. Maybe we don’t know what it is they’re doing, but that doesn’t make it any less important.
Just because I don’t know who is processing my renewal for my passport, all I care about is getting it in a timely manner. I’ll never know that person. And I’ll never know that they’ve been working at that same job for twelve years, and it is not glamorous, but they show up, and they work, and they give me and you what we’re hoping for. So, I want us to think about the value that comes to us from these public servants.
Today, I asked if there was any update on Mount Spurr. We’re all wondering when she’s going to pop her top. Do we want to go back to the days of KLM Flight 867, which lost its engines and 14,000 feet of altitude after flying through a cloud of ash? I don’t want that.
In a few weeks, I think it’s April 14, thousands of tourists will arrive here on the first cruise ship of the season—do we really think one or two people can handle them all at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitors Center? I was out there yesterday, and I don’t think a couple of people are going to be able to do it.
Do we no longer recognize that our weather forecasters save lives in our state?
Is it a good idea to fire the scientists who are tracking avian flu, given our status as a global flyway for migrating birds?
We had a conversation earlier this morning about the potential for a really bad fire season this year. With fire season starting yesterday, the earliest ever—do we really want to gut the support staff for the firefighters who will be on the front lines here?
I was able to visit with some folks yesterday, one was a NOAA fish biologist, he’s one of the guys doing the trawl surveys, which are so necessary to be able to give direction to the council on the management of our fisheries. The fish aren’t going to be able to save themselves. We need our fish biologists, our stream ecologists, they need our help.
I’m just as frustrated by the federal funding freeze—another area where Alaska faces disproportionate impact.
We have more than $1 billion in limbo, even though Congress approved the funding, a president signed it into law, and Alaskans secured these resources through competitive national processes.
Keep in perspective what’s being targeted will not put a dent in the deficit or balance the budget. But we’re going to see project costs go up. Construction seasons lost. Employees and contractors laid off. And we may lose some projects, entirely.
We worked for more than 20 years to get funding for Angoon’s Thayer Creek hydro project, and let me assure you, we are not about to let go of that. So, we have to keep working to advance all of this.
But again, this is happening indiscriminately, with little understanding of what projects mean for Alaska—how a small hydro project in the total scheme of things may not seem that substantial back in Washington, DC, but if you can reduce your reliance on expensive diesel in a community where you have no other option, don’t we want to encourage that? Making sure people understand the impacts, not only of a small little hydro project, but the impact on the victims of domestic violence who have no safe place to go.
I thank folks for weighing in. I kind of like this process, it can be a little unruly, a little rambunctious, but they are weighing in, and I welcome that. And then there are some very measured ways.
President Stevens and Speaker Edgmon, I got your letter. Senator Kiehl and Representatives Story and Hannan, I got yours, too. I accept the challenge. And I want you to know that I’m doing everything in my power to make the best of this.
We are engaging every day to identify where we are seeing challenges presented to us in Alaska, and ways we can work to address it and get it unlocked. I’ve been working directly with Cabinet Secretaries and folks at the White House. We are making some progress, and that’s good. But, a reminder: I’m one of three in the delegation. We all need your help. I can’t do my job alone.
When I ask you for these stories, when I ask you to share what you’re hearing from your folks back home, take us up on the offer. Don’t be afraid to give us too much. We can be more responsive and help more Alaskans when we do this all together. I’m opening the door to more work, but we’re going to pass it through both ways.
I also stood here in 2017 and said that as long as this Legislature wants to keep the Medicaid expansion, you should have that option.
My commitment remains to you. I did not support Medicaid cuts then, and I will not support them now. I know what it would mean to Alaskans, and I know what it would mean to you here in the Legislature. There may be some reasonable reforms we can make, and we have talked a little bit about them, about what we may be able to do in Medicaid, we do need to address the rising costs of these entitlement programs. But I just can’t be on board with anything that hurts our people or puts you in a budget hole.
Speaking of holes, I need to bring up a difficult subject: the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan. The STIP. The reality is Alaska is on pace to wind up hundreds of millions of dollars short of where we could and should be. I’m not here to point fingers, that is not my job, but I can’t solve this one. And the longer it takes to sort out, the more our contractors and communities will lose. So, let’s be working on that.
The same goes for the Alaska Marine Highway System. We’re about to enter the final year of our bipartisan infrastructure law. We’ve delivered $700 million and counting for AMHS, but the system isn’t modernized. It’s not on track for the long-term. There’s a plan for that, but it’s a draft on paper. Unless the State steps up on capital and operating expenses, we’ll have wasted a once-in-a-generation opportunity to do right by all who depend on our ferries.
Senator Bjorkman, I know you get it, and I commend your work on the Transportation Committee on federal funding, AMHS, the STIP, and more.
When federal dollars are on the table, we need to go after them, especially as spending is constrained. And when the delegation manages to throw a lifeline, I’d hope the State grabs it and uses it to reach stable ground.
We have enough problems, without creating more for ourselves. But that seems to be what we are doing.
The environment in Washington, DC is, let’s just say…challenging.
Take tariffs: that’s the topic of the day back in Washington, DC. But you can’t talk about them in isolation and say, “Washington, DC.” We can talk about it our own state’s Capitol here, and the impact.
This afternoon I’m going to be meeting with folks from the Alaska Forest Association, and I am going to hear their concerns about tariffs, and what it may mean for some of our small operators down south from here, with China’s retaliatory tariffs.
We also have Canada threatening tolls on goods trucked to our state. Whether they make good on that, we have no idea, but now we’re talking about what will we have to do to insulate ourself from that, will we have to revamp the PVSA. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t anticipate that we would be dealing with this in March of 2025.
Or foreign policy, I think you’ve seen some of my comments, but I have been stunned by a turn of events that threatens to abandon Ukraine and collapse long-standing alliances from NATO to NORAD.
We have two close neighbors. We’ve got Russia over here, and Canada over here. How we came to a place where we are fighting with Canada and placating Russia is beyond me. As long as we have to send up fighter jets to chase off Russian Bear Bombers from our ADIZ, I won’t trust Putin, and I’m not going to be quiet, I will continue to stand up and speak out.
I want to acknowledge, it’s easy to stand here and say something, but I can’t tell you how proud I am of those who do get that call and who go up and lead on these intercepts. It’s the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron up north, and it’s our Air National Guard helping to facilitate these intercepts through their refueling mission. We should be so exceptionally proud of the men and women that are serving us, honoring us every day, and taking these threats that we see as just another day at work. They are my everyday heroes, and I’m just so very grateful.
You’ve heard me describe a few things from the Trump administration that I oppose. When I feel strongly about it, I am going to say something about it. But there are also plenty of areas where I agree with the President.
We do need to secure our borders. We do need to stop the flow of fentanyl. Our trade relationships aren’t always fair. The war in Ukraine does need to end, and I am encouraged that there may be some progress here that we will actually see that end. Our partners and allies do need to step up for themselves and the defense of democracy.
Things are going to be different, for the next two to four years or beyond. We’re already seeing that.
Some of it will be difficult—I’m acknowledging that Alaskans are out of jobs, projects are stuck or canceled, volatility in the markets, the potential for trade wars or the collapse of international partnerships, to name a few.
Some of it has been difficult for a while—like in our fisheries, which need every bit of help we can give amid Russia’s war on fish, trade manipulations, lawsuits from extreme environmental groups, and climate change. This has been hard.
But some of it is also going to be notably better. There are good people we can work with to do good things for Alaska.
On fisheries, as we push to bring back our fish and crab, we recognize we have the ability to modernize. We need to reinvest. We need to recapitalize an aging fleet. The President’s push for more domestic shipbuilding can be great for us, and it can extend to Ketchikan, Seward, and more. So, these are good areas of cooperation.
We also have a chance to grow our private sector and reduce our dependence on the federal government. We need to embrace that, because it will benefit and could define our economy, our budget, and our quality of life for a generation or more.
We can put Alaska back on the global map for energy and resource production. Turn the NPR-A back into a petroleum reserve, as it was designated by law decades ago. We need to tap into the rich resources beneath a small fraction of the non-wilderness Coastal Plain. Reverse the political decision to reopen and reject the Ambler Road.
We can get Graphite One through permitting. Produce antimony, copper, nickel, tungsten, tin, and other critical minerals. Restore our federal timber harvests to more than a single—but beautiful—Christmas tree in front of the U.S. Capitol. Lift public land orders, complete conveyances, and ensure our Alaska Native veterans receive their rightful allotments. We can not only approve, but build the life-saving road to King Cove that has been sought for so long.
All of that is now right in front of us—and we are working hard through every person and every process available to us, including budget reconciliation—but there’s more.
After years of skepticism and doubt, I think we have a real chance to move forward on an Alaska natural gas pipeline. The President mentioned it in his recent address to Congress, and he’s given the project an incredible lift.
Here in Alaska, Senator Sullivan and Governor Dunleavy have helped bring Japan, Korea, and Taiwan into the conversation. There is movement and there is reason for encouragement as we think about our natural gas resources. And I thank them for working this.
You know I hate LNG imports with the white-hot fury of a thousand suns, but I will acknowledge, just this once, that maybe we can take those lemons and use them as part of a bigger plan to export our North Slope reserves.
There’s so much we can begin to partner on. Again, though, I would remind you—every one of our opportunities depends on our people. People make it all happen. People allow us to be resilient.
Resource development. Road construction. Fishing and tourism. Everything.
Our opportunities, our industries, require people. They depend on the essential workers who build our houses, keep us healthy, and teach and watch the kids while we work. To bring it full circle, our opportunities also depend on functional government—the men and women who do the trawls and the surveys, who issue permits, maintain visitor facilities, forecast the weather, and a whole lot more.
We have incredible potential, but it will take all sorts of people, doing all sorts of things, to realize it.
A big part of my job is to make sure we have people in place at the federal level who will help us. And at the state level, it’s a big part of yours.
We need to grow our own, for every facet of life in Alaska, so we can grow as a state. We need to take care of our own, so that people can stay and build and enjoy their lives here. And that means we need to work together to knock down every barrier we find in housing, schooling, childcare, healthcare, infrastructure, the cost of living, the cost of energy, and everything else.
Through it all, we also need to treat people like people—because we are all Alaskans, we are all invested in the future of this great place, and we all contribute to it in our own way.
We must treat one another with the respect and dignity that we would wish to be treated with ourselves. So, I wish you all success in this session; we’ve got a lot of work to do. And I believe you will find it, if you keep the Alaskan people front and center in everything you do. -
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash, Linton
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
One person has died and another is in critical condition after a crash on Tennent Drive / SH 57, southwest of Linton.
The crash involving two vehicles happened around 10:10pm last night.
One person died at the scene, while another was airlifted to Wellington Hospital, where they remain.
The road was closed while a scene examination was conducted, and was reopened about 2:25am.
The Serious Crash Unit attended the scene.
ENDS
Issued by the Police Media Centre
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MIL-OSI USA: Warren and Duckworth Demand Answers from Hegseth on Reports of Musk’s Planned Top-Secret Briefing on U.S. War Plans for China
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
March 21, 2025
Musk has extensive conflicts of interests, allegations of illegal drug use, and reports of previous problems protecting national security information
“Although they may satisfy his curiosity, there is no legitimate national security or other rationale for providing (top-secret war plans) to Mr. Musk.”
Text of Letter (PDF)
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), both members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote to the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, demanding clarity on meetings held by Elon Musk at the Pentagon today, with questions about whether he received a “top-secret briefing on U.S. war plans for China” that media reports indicated would have provided him with access to information that is “among the military’s most closely guarded secrets.”
Initial reports from the New York Times, later confirmed by the Wall Street Journal, indicated that Elon Musk was scheduled to receive such a briefing today, “because he asked for one.” But President Trump, Elon Musk and Secretary Hegseth indicated that they may have reversed course after this news became public. However, it still remains unclear what information Mr. Musk received at the Pentagon today.
“We hope that you did not share top-secret war plans with Mr. Musk today and do not do so in the future,” wrote the senators. “Although they may satisfy his curiosity, there is no legitimate national security or other rationale for providing this information to Mr. Musk – who is not a military or national security expert, is not a member of the President’s cabinet, and is not even serving as a permanent federal employee.”
Although Mr. Musk is ostensibly engaged in an effort to cut wasteful spending with his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), there is no need for him to obtain access to some of our most sensitive secrets in order to do so. Meanwhile, Mr. Musk’s conflicts of interest also raise significant concerns.
Mr. Musk has extensive business interests in China through his automotive company, including a factory in Shanghai that “was built with special permission from the Chinese government” and “now accounts for more than half of (the company)’s global deliveries.” Along with Mr. Musk’s “extensive financial interests in China,” in public, Mr. Musk has “avoided criticizing Beijing and signaled his willingness to work with the Chinese Community Party (CCP).” He has parroted CCP talking points – contrary to the current official U.S. foreign policy – that Taiwan is “an integral part of China” and should become a special administrative zone like Hong Kong.
“The military’s top-secret information is classified as top secret for a reason,” concluded the senators. “The unauthorized disclosure of such information to any one of our adversaries could pose exceptionally grave national security risks.”
The senators asked Secretary Hegseth a series of questions to establish an accurate accounting of Mr. Musk’s briefing, including precisely what information was provided to Mr. Musk today and why. -
MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Education Department was inspired by the Heritage Foundation’s decades-long disapproval of the agency
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Fred L. Pincus, Emeritus Professor of Sociology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
The Heritage Foundation flag flies over its building on July 30, 2024, in Washington, D.C. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images President Donald Trump issued an executive order on March 20, 2025, that calls for closing the U.S. Department of Education.
The president needs congressional approval to shutter the department. The order, however, directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.”
The executive order reflects many recommendations from the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, a conservative political initiative to revamp the federal government. But it’s worth noting that the foundation’s attempt to abolish the Education Department goes back more than 40 years.
The think tank first called for limiting the federal role in education in 1981. That’s when it issued its first Mandate for Leadership, a book offering conservative policy recommendations.
As a sociology professor focused on diversity and social inequality, I’ve followed the Heritage Foundation’s efforts to eliminate the Department of Education since 1981. Although the idea didn’t garner enough support 44 years ago, the current political climate makes conditions more favorable.
Mandate 1981
In its 1981 mandate, the Heritage Foundation struck now-familiar themes.
Its education policy recommendations included closing the Department of Education and “reducing its controls over American education.”
Additionally, the think tank called on lawmakers to repeal the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which provides federal funding for disadvantaged students in K-12, so that “the department’s influence on state and local education policy and practice through discretionary grant authority would disappear.”
And the Heritage Foundation called for ending federal support for programs it claimed were designed to “turn elementary- and secondary-school classrooms into vehicles for liberal-left social and political change …”
The Heritage Foundation building is seen on July 30, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
Andrew Harnik/Getty ImagesEducation experts disputed these proposed reforms just a few years later.
Four educational task forces, composed mainly of educators, corporate executives and politicians, published reports on education in 1983. All four reports were critical of the more liberal education policies of the 1960s and 1970s – such as an emphasis on student feelings about race, for example, rather than a focus on basic skills.
But they all saw the need for a strong federal role in education.
The four reports blamed the U.S. educational system for losing ground to Japan and Western Europe. And all called for more required courses rather than the “curriculum smorgasbord” that had become the norm in many public schools. They all wanted longer school days, longer school years and better-trained teachers.
Nevertheless, President Ronald Reagan tried unsuccessfully to abolish the Department of Education in 1983.
Project 2025
Jumping ahead more than 40 years, Project 2025 reflects many of the main themes the Heritage Foundation addressed in the 1981 mandate. The first line of Project 2025’s chapter on education states: “Federal education policy should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated.”
The charges of leftist indoctrination have expanded. Now, conservative advocates are calling to eliminate anything that has to do with diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.
Other executive orders that Trump has signed reflect these attitudes.
For example, they call for defending women from “gender ideology extremism” and eliminating “radical” DEI policies.
According to Project 2025, school choice – which gives students the freedom to choose schools that best fit their needs – should be promoted through tuition tax credits and vouchers that provide students with public funds to attend private school. And federal education programs should either be dismantled or moved to other federal departments.
Current political climate
In the 1980s, the Heritage Foundation was seen as part of the New Right, a coalition that opposed issues such as abortion, homosexuality and affirmative action. The GOP’s alliance with conservative evangelical Christians, mobilized by advocacy groups such as Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority, was picking up steam, but it was still seen as marginal.
By 2025, things have moved significantly to the right.
Conservative Republicans in Congress view the Heritage Foundation as an important voice in educational politics.
The far right is emboldened by Trump after his Cabinet appointments and pardons of Jan. 6 rioters.
And Christian Nationalism – the belief that the United States is defined by Christianity – has grown.
Paul Dans, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, speaks at the National Conservative Conference in Washington, D.C., on July 10, 2024.
Dominic Gwinn/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty ImagesTrump’s executive order does not abolish the Education Department. He needs congressional approval to do that.
But he has already weakened it. His administration recently canceled nearly $900 million in contracts at the Institute of Education Sciences, the independent research arm of the Education Department.
Despite public reluctance to eliminate the department – in February, 63% of U.S. residents said they opposed its elimination – it looks like Heritage Foundation influence could cause significant damage, with the additional firing of staff members and the reduced distribution of funds.
McMahon sent a directive to department employees in early March calling the dismantling of their agency a “final mission.”
Fred L. Pincus does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Education Department was inspired by the Heritage Foundation’s decades-long disapproval of the agency – https://theconversation.com/trumps-executive-order-to-dismantle-the-education-department-was-inspired-by-the-heritage-foundations-decades-long-disapproval-of-the-agency-250605
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MIL-OSI Security: 14 Charged in Federal Indictment Following Takedown of Violent Indianapolis Drug Trafficking Ring
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
INDIANAPOLIS— 14 individuals have been charged in a federal indictment alleging a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine in Indianapolis, Lafayette, and surrounding communities. The charges follow a successful law enforcement operation in which 13 total individuals have been arrested and are in federal custody. Eight individuals were arrested on March 21, 2025. The following lists the individuals indicted and the charges they face:
Defendant Charge(s) Tanesha M. Turner, 39 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Kidnapping
- Carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime
- Accessory to a crime after the fact
- Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Charles T. Dunson, 44 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
- Distribution of methamphetamine
- Possession of a machinegun
- Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Tre J. Dunn, 27 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
- Causing Death by Using a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
- Possessing, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
Nahamani I. Sargent, 34 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Retaliating against a witness
- Use of fire or explosives
- Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Byron A. Mason, 38 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Unlawful use of a cell phone
Adrian J. Bullock, 34 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Avery J. Bullock, 27 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute
John M. Whitfield, 37 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
Aaliyah Hackett, 23 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
- Unlawful use of a cell phone
Emorrie J. Dunn, 26 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
Chancelor R. Walker, 38 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
D’Ericka Lee, 30 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
Lamar T. Browning, 39 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
Mark C. Marshall, 57 - Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances
This was a multi-agency operation, involving ten agencies who assisted with the investigation and the arrests on the morning of March 21, 2025. Law enforcement has asked the public for assistance in locating fugitive Lamar T. Browning. He should be considered armed and dangerous. Those with information are asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
According to the indictment, all 14 defendants allegedly operated a drug trafficking conspiracy, selling meth, fentanyl, cocaine and heroin out of several trap houses in Indianapolis.
Some members of the conspiracy allegedly committed multiple acts of violence, including murder, firing gunshots, throwing Molotov cocktails at a home, kidnapping, and pistol-whipping in order to intimidate drug customers and rival drug dealers The violence was used as a tool to collect money owed to them by their drug customers, to protect the locations that they used to distribute drugs, and to retaliate against potential witnesses.
Specifically, Nahamani Sargent allegedly fired gunshots and threw Molotov cocktails at the home of a customer, believing that the victim had provided information about the conspiracy to law enforcement.
Additionally, Tanesha Turner allegedly kidnapped a victim at gunpoint and held them for ransom because they owed $40. Tre Dunn then allegedly shot the same victim for owing money and providing information to law enforcement.
Tre Dunn also allegedly aided and abetted the murder of a man because he disrespected him and his associate during a failed drug deal. Tanesha Turner then allegedly aided Dunn by driving him to another location following the murder to prevent his arrest.
If convicted, each defendant faces up to life in federal prison.
The following investigative agencies collaborated to make this investigation and recent warrant execution possible:
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (Indianapolis, Chicago, and Cincinnati SWAT)
- Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, SWAT
- Fishers Police Department, SWAT
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- United States Department of Agriculture
- Indiana Capitol Police Department
- Indiana Department of Homeland Security
- Johnson County Sheriff’s Department
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley A. Blackington and Kelsey Massa, who are prosecuting this case.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the 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). This operation is part of the Indiana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program.
An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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MIL-OSI: Silvaco Announces Departure of Chief Financial Officer
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Silvaco Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: SVCO) (“Silvaco” or the “Company”), a provider of TCAD, EDA software and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation, today announced that Chief Financial Officer, Ryan Benton, has resigned, effective April 11, 2025, to pursue a new career opportunity outside of the semiconductor design industry. Mr. Benton will assist the Company to ensure a successful transition of his responsibilities prior to his departure. His resignation is not the result of any disagreement regarding the Company’s operations, accounting, or other policies or practices.
Effective upon Mr. Benton’s resignation, Dr. Babak Taheri, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, will assume the roles of principal financial officer and principal accounting officer on an interim basis. Keith Tainsky, who leads the Company’s Financial Planning and Analysis function, will report directly to Dr. Taheri as Interim Chief Financial Officer upon Mr. Benton’s departure. Mr. Tainsky has held CFO and finance leadership positions at public and private companies in the semiconductor industry, including Exar Corporation and Amkor Technology. He joined Silvaco in 2023 and has been instrumental in the Company’s financial and business functions, including strategic planning, financings, mergers and acquisitions, and investor relations. In addition, Sherry Lin, Corporate Controller, will report directly to Dr. Taheri. She joined Silvaco in November 2023 and has been instrumental in leading the Company’s accounting and public company reporting function, preparation of periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and establishing the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
Silvaco has begun the process of engaging a search firm to assist in identifying Mr. Benton’s replacement.
“On behalf of our employees and Board of Directors, I want to thank Ryan for his leadership and contributions to the financial management and strategic direction of the Company. We wish him much success in his future endeavors,” said Silvaco CEO Babak Taheri. “I have the utmost confidence in Keith’s ability to lead our finance organization and ensure a seamless transition. Keith’s experience and deep understanding of our financial operations will be instrumental as we enter a new chapter for the company.”
“It has been a privilege to serve on Silvaco’s leadership team, and I am proud of our accomplishments,” said Mr. Benton. “The dedicated team at Silvaco is well-positioned to continue executing on its strategic vision to create shareholder value.”
In addition to announcing the Chief Financial Officer transition, the Company today reaffirmed its previously disclosed guidance for the first quarter and full year fiscal 2025, as provided in the Company’s press release issued on March 5, 2025. The Company expects to report first quarter fiscal 2025 results on May 7, 2025.
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on Silvaco’s current expectations. The words “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “project”, “will”, and similar phrases as they relate to Silvaco are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current views and assumptions of Silvaco and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations.These forward-looking statements include but are not limited to, statements regarding our future operating results, financial position, and guidance, our business strategy and plans, our objectives for future operations, our development or delivery of new or enhanced products, and anticipated results of those products for our customers, our competitive positioning, projected costs, technological capabilities, and plans, and macroeconomic trends.
A variety of risks and factors that are beyond our control could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including, without limitation, the following: (a) market conditions; (b) anticipated trends, challenges and growth in our business and the markets in which we operate; (c) our ability to appropriately respond to changing technologies on a timely and cost-effective basis; (d) the size and growth potential of the markets for our software solutions, and our ability to serve those markets; (e) our expectations regarding competition in our existing and new markets; (f) the level of demand in our customers’ end markets; (g) regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; (h) changes in trade policies, including the imposition of tariffs; (i) proposed new software solutions, services or developments; (j) our ability to attract and retain key management personnel; (k) our customer relationships and our ability to retain and expand our customer relationships; (l) our ability to diversify our customer base and develop relationships in new markets; (m) the strategies, prospects, plans, expectations, and objectives of management for future operations; (n) public health crises, pandemics, and epidemics and their effects on our business and our customers’ businesses; (o) the impact of the current conflicts between Ukraine and Russia and Israel and Hamas and the ongoing trade disputes among the United States and China on our business, financial condition or prospects, including extreme volatility in the global capital markets making debt or equity financing more difficult to obtain, more costly or more dilutive, delays and disruptions of the global supply chains and the business activities of our suppliers, distributors, customers and other business partners; (p) changes in general economic or business conditions or economic or demographic trends in the United States and foreign countries including changes in tariffs, interest rates and inflation; (q) our ability to raise additional capital; (r) our ability to accurately forecast demand for our software solutions; (s) our expectations regarding the outcome of any ongoing litigation; (t) our expectations regarding the period during which we qualify as an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act and as a smaller reporting company under the Exchange Act; (u) our expectations regarding our ability to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce intellectual property protection for our technology; (v) our status as a controlled company; (w) our use of the net proceeds from our initial public offering, and (x) our ability to successfully integrate, retain key personnel, and realize the anticipated benefits of the acquisition of Cadence’s PPC product line.
It is not possible for us to predict all risks, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements we may make. Accordingly, you should not rely on any of the forward-looking statements. Additional information relating to the uncertainty affecting the Silvaco’s business is contained in Silvaco’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These documents are available on the SEC Filings section of the Investor Relations section of Silvaco’s website at http://investors.silvaco.com/. These forward-looking statements represent Silvaco’s expectations as of the date of this press release. Subsequent events may cause these expectations to change, and Silvaco disclaims any obligations to update or alter these forward-looking statements in the future, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
About Silvaco
Silvaco is a provider of TCAD, EDA software, and SIP solutions that enable semiconductor design and digital twin modeling through AI software and innovation. Silvaco’s solutions are used for semiconductor and photonics processes, devices, and systems development across display, power devices, automotive, memory, high performance compute, foundries, photonics, internet of things, and 5G/6G mobile markets for complex SoC design. Silvaco is headquartered in Santa Clara, California, and has a global presence with offices located in North America, Europe, Brazil, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan. Learn more at silvaco.com.
Investor Contact:
Greg McNiff
investors@silvaco.comMedia Contact:
Farhad Hayat
press@silvaco.com -
MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: At Statewide Virtual Town Hall, Hickenlooper Addresses Top Concerns from Coloradans
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
Hickenlooper answered questions about Trump admin threats to our economy, national parks, scientific research, veteran care, and more
In case you missed it, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper held a statewide virtual town hall last week to answer questions from Coloradans about Trump’s attacks on our federal government and top-of-mind concerns from constituents.
More than 8,000 Coloradans from across the state attended the event live to ask questions and hear from Hickenlooper. Hickenlooper plans to hold in-person town halls across Colorado in the coming weeks. Since the beginning of his term, Hickenlooper has held at least four public town halls every year. Last year he held in-person town halls in Alamosa, Cortez, Eagle, Pueblo, and Walden.Watch the full video of the event HERE or see excerpts below:
On threats to Colorado’s public lands:
“Coloradans overwhelmingly support protecting our public lands. You look at any poll there’s 75%, 80%, sometimes 85% of voters who support protections for our public lands. That doesn’t seem to stop or slow down the Trump administration. They’re threatening all of that.”
“They’ve fired over 3,400 US Forest Service employees. 3,400. They fired another 2,300 workers from the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and there might even be another one. I mean, these are cuts that we’re going to feel. These are the folks who are being fired who are responsible for wildfire mitigation, for timber management, for all kinds of things. They are the people that remove hazardous fuels on federal lands, clean the campsites, or maintain the trails. This doesn’t all happen by itself. These cuts are going to put Colorado at a higher risk for wildfires. These cuts are going to hurt our economy.”
On protecting Medicaid:
“Health care is a right, not a privilege. Let’s recognize the Republicans’ budget for what it is: it’s a blatant attempt to strip critical services like Medicaid from Americans who need the help the most. They are stripping these critical services to fund these tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. Bottom line: millions are going to lose their healthcare and the ultra-wealthy get tax cuts that in all cases they don’t need, and in many cases they don’t want.”
“We have 1 million Coloradans that are enrolled in either Medicaid or CHIP: that’s almost 1 in 6 Coloradans. 60% of seniors in nursing homes are able to be there because they are covered by Medicaid. You cut Medicaid at that level, and you are going to have a lot of grandmothers and grandfathers out of their ear, bankrupt.”
“We stayed up all night a month ago fighting for amendments to protect access, to protect Medicaid, investments in renewable energy, veterans benefits. The Republicans blocked every single one. I think we can use those votes to let the public know what the Republicans have been doing. In other words, they are on the record by those votes. We made them vote on those amendments and bills so that they are on the record and when the time comes we will be able to make sure that they can be held accountable. When they go back to their states or to Colorado when they hold town halls, they are going to have to answer for those votes.”
On efforts to make government more efficient::
“The first time I got into politics in 2003 I ran on the premise that I was going to come in as mayor and make the city government smaller and yet do more, but I didn’t come in and say I was going to use an axe to make cuts.”
“…We went into each agency and made sure we knew what everyone was doing so we knew how we were spending the money and what we were getting for it so that we could really look for actual fraud, waste, and abuse. If that’s what we are about then I am game, but that’s not what the Trump administration is doing. They’re taking an axe and sledgehammer to our federal government without any concern on the impact it has on Coloradans or Americans. You just can’t throw our veterans, working families, or the services we all depend on under the bus by saying you are looking for fraud and abuse.”
On supporting our veterans:
“What is happening is a travesty of history… Ever since I got to the Senate I’ve made supporting veterans and enhancing VA care a priority. The PACT Act, like I said, advanced care to over a million veterans. The news that the Trump administration is planning to fire 80,000 staff from the Veterans Administration is beyond words. It’s insulting to our nation’s heroes.”
“…We introduced an amendment during the reconciliation process, which of course they ignored, but this was an amendment seeking to reverse workforce cuts and fill frontline vacancies like at the Veteran Health Administration, particularly personnel who provide access to healthcare for rural veterans. We’ve joined many of our colleagues sending a very direct letter to President Trump demanding fired veterans be reinstated across the federal government. We also supported a resolution condemning mass termination of VA employees.”
“I mean I just can’t imagine what these people are thinking… I mean, firing veterans serving our communities is not a way to find fraud, waste, and abuse. It is not waste. It is not fraud. It is not abuse.”
On the importance of trust in science:
“The American people look to us, to science, for trust and for accurate, factual information so they can have the freedom to raise their families without fear. Now again, I’m not saying all science is perfect. I’m not saying that one agency or another hasn’t made mistakes, but when trust is broken, things fall apart.”
“…Unfortunately, the new administration has elevated people into cabinet positions who peddle some of these anti-science claims and mistruths and misinformation. This threatens not just Coloradans but our country. It puts us at risk. That’s why funding for things like medical research through the NIH or climate research through NOAA is so important.” -
MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Speakers Warn of ‘Gazafication’ of West Bank, Urge Israel to End Illegal Settlements, Occupation
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
Israeli West Bank Operations Aimed at Dismantling Iran’s Terror Networks, Says Delegate
Speakers in the Security Council today warned of the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank and its “Gazafication” amid Israel’s ongoing counter-terrorism operations, which its representative described as efforts to dismantle Iran’s terror networks.
“The relentless expansion of Israeli settlements is dramatically altering the landscape and demographics of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, presenting an existential threat to the prospect of a contiguous, viable, independent Palestinian State,” said Sigrid Kaag, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process ad interim. Presenting the latest Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) — a measure calling on Israel to “immediately and completely cease all settlement activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem” — she pointed out that settlement activity has nevertheless continued at a high rate, with Israeli planning authorities advancing or approving approximately 10,600 housing units in settlements in the occupied West Bank, including 4,920 in East Jerusalem.
Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures accelerated across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, she continued, reporting that Israeli authorities demolished 460 structures and displaced 576 people, including 287 children and 149 women, because they did not possess Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain. Meanwhile, “alarming levels” of violence continued, with 123 Palestinians, including 6 women and 19 children, killed amidst Israeli forces’ air strikes, operations, armed exchanges and other incidents, she said, adding: “Most Palestinians were killed in the context of Israeli operations in Area A, including during exchanges of fire with armed Palestinians.”
Israel’s largest operation in the occupied West Bank since 2002 began on 21 January and has since expanded across the northern West Bank in what Israeli authorities described as a counter-terrorism operation, displacing 40,000 people, she continued. On 9 February, Israeli operations expanded into Nur Shams Camp in Tulkarem where Israel Defense Forces soldiers shot and killed two Palestinian women, one of whom was pregnant, she said, adding that two Palestinian children were killed by Israeli soldiers in incidents in Jenin and Hebron on 21 February, bringing the total number of children killed to eight across the occupied West Bank since the operation began. Detailing other developments in the occupied West Bank, including widespread movement restrictions, the arrest of 1,711 Palestinians, settler-related violence in 11 Palestinian towns and villages, and Palestinian attacks against Israelis, she called on both parties to refrain from provocative actions and inflammatory rhetoric, which has, unfortunately continued.
Echoing the Secretary-General’s observations on the implementation of resolution 2334 (2016), she drew attention to the emptying out of refugee camps in the northern West Bank during Israeli operations. She also voiced concern that any long-term presence of Israeli security forces in the camps would further undermine the Palestinian Authority and contravene Israel’s obligation to end its unlawful continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as affirmed by the International Court of Justice.
Clear Response Needed at International Conference in June
“Israel’s goal has always been maximum Palestinian land with minimum Palestinians,” said the Permanent Observer for the State of Palestine, adding: “Instead of ending its occupation, it is attempting to end the occupied people.” Pointing to the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the “most massive ethnic-cleansing campaign since 1967” in the northern West Bank, displacing 40,000 Palestinians in weeks, he underscored the need for accountability, emphasizing: “Confronted with this unprecedented Israeli escalation, there must be an unprecedented escalation of international measures in response.”
Voicing concern that Israel aims to entrench its occupation, rather than reverse or end it, he spotlighted the International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution in June, hoping it would be a platform for mobilization and action. “Israel’s intentions have never been clearer. The international response needs to be equally clear,” he emphasized, calling for “unprecedented decisions by States” to change the course of history.
Israel’s delegate, denouncing “morally obscene” remarks equating Israeli hostages with Palestinian terrorists “legally arrested by Israel”, said his country had “no choice” but to act decisively, considering Hamas’ rejection of the offer to release the remaining hostages for a continued ceasefire. It has struck targets with precision, eliminating “arch-terrorists” such as Mahmoud Abu Watfa, head of Hamas’ internal security forces and Issam al-Daalis, head of Hamas’ Government in Gaza. The group has a choice: “Come back to the table and negotiate or wait and watch as its leadership falls one by one.”
His country’s operations in “Judea and Samaria” intend to break down Iran’s terror networks there, he continued, citing 2,000 attempted terror attacks originating there over 11 months. The Palestinian Authority left the job of “taking care of the terror cells” in [refugee] camps in Jenin and Tulkarm to his country, he said, stressing that terrorists will be given no sanctuary, in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, Yemen or Iran.
United States Dismisses Passage of Resolution 2334 (2016) as ‘Mistake’
The United States’ delegate, characterizing the passage of the Council resolution 2334 (2016) as “a mistake”, called on the UN Secretary-General to join the United States in putting pressure on Hamas. Just as Hamas could end the war by releasing the hostages, Iran “could chose to join the community of nations by ending its support for terrorist proxy groups and providing transparency on its nuclear programme”, she added, reiterating her Government’s support for the Israel Defense Forces and the Palestinian Authority Security Forces in rooting out extremists in Jenin and Tulkarm. “The future of the Middle East must look different. Fresh thinking is needed for a better tomorrow,” she added.
France’s representative, however, stated that the reason evoked by Israel to justify its new massive bombardments does not hold water, and delays in the hostages’ release cannot justify the punishment of the entire people. Noting that settlements in the West Bank are becoming more violent, with active participation of Israeli security forces, he reiterated that France opposes any annexation in the West Bank or Gaza. To that end, his Government has been working with all countries to find a mechanism and to use ceasefire as a starting point for resuming dialogue.
Pakistan’s representative warned that “daily military raids, settler violence and illegal land annexations are part of a systematic effort to ethnically cleanse the Palestinian people in the West Bank,” he said. The Security Council, and the world community, cannot sit back and watch this ongoing ethnic cleansing. “A failure to halt this brutal war will unleash the worst instinct of powerful and predatory States,” he said, urging the elected Council members to initiate measures to end “this cruel war”. Somalia’s delegate called on States to present a united front against forced demographic changes, displacement from Palestinian communities or attempts to annex territories in either Gaza or the West Bank, a point echoed by China’s delegate, who urged Israel to “abandon its obsession with the use of force”.
Unchecked Settlements Darken Prospect of Palestine’s Statehood
Many speakers echoed alarm over the threat posed by unchecked settlement activities in the West Bank to the prospects for Palestinian statehood, with the representative of Denmark, Council President for March, who spoke in her national capacity, stating that such developments “rob Palestinians of their land, [and] push them into isolated enclaves, making it virtually impossible to form a connected and viable land for a future Palestinian State”. Any unilateral attempt to change the geography of the occupied Palestinian territories is unacceptable, she said, stating that some settlements come about through settler violence. She added: “We have the frameworks. What is needed is full implementation of resolution 2334 (2016).”
“We have been witnessing what many are calling the Gazafication of the West Bank,” echoed Slovenia’s delegate, noting that, not only dights, but also dynamics “remind us of Gaza”. “The one radical solution is a real peace,” he said, calling for the end of occupation and return of displaced persons. Pages of history already written, including those contained in the reports of accountability mechanisms, must be a wake-up call for a new chapter to take place, he added.
Greece’s representative, calling the Arab plan for Gaza’s recovery and reconstruction “a constructive proposal”, deplored the increase of settlement activity in the West Bank, a concern echoed by the representative of the Republic of Korea, who called the ongoing violence and vandalism by Israeli settlers unacceptable.
On that, the representative of the United Kingdom highlighted three rounds of sanctions on violent settlers and their supporters imposed by his country to bring accountability for abuses of human rights, in the absence of sufficient Israeli action. “The level of restrictions on Palestinian movement in the West Bank are crippling,” he observed, underscoring the importance of ensuring that religious freedoms are respected, especially during Ramadan.
Many speakers emphasized the urgent need for progress towards a political solution, including the delegates of Guyana and Panama, with the latter stating that, in the future, Gaza — free from extremist groups, together with the West Bank and East Jerusalem — can be integrated into a territorial and political structure. Sierra Leone’s representative, also calling for the political process to be revitalized, expressed hope for the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza, guided by the proposal tabled by the League of Arab States in Egypt.
Noting that the West Bank “risks repeating the Gaza scenario”, the representative of the Russian Federation underscored that what is happening in the West Bank is a “good illustration” that there is no alternative to political solutions. Israel’s settlement actions are aimed to undermine a two-State solution, he said, adding that, while Israel is using “crude force” to ensure their security, he said it is not surprising that the radical forces are popular among regular Palestinians. The only sensible alternative is for Israel to return to negotiations, he noted, stating that the Council can and should play a role in this process.
Algeria’s delegate said that the Israeli occupying Power’s objective in the West Bank is clear: total sovereignty over it. Their modus operandi is also well-known: killing, forced demolition, displacement, dispossession and settlement. Over 40,000 people have been forcibly displaced in the past two months in the West Bank. Striking a note of urgency, he asked: “When will we rise to the level of our obligations and impose respect and implementation for our collective decision to establish a Palestinian State with Al-Quds al-Sharif as its capital?”
Rounding out the meeting, the representative of Jordan recalled that the Arab League summit held in Cairo at the beginning of the month confirmed the bloc’s rejection of any attempt to displace the Palestinian people from their occupied lands, and approved the Gaza Early Recovery and Reconstruction Plan presented by Egypt. This is a comprehensive Arab plan, based on joint Egyptian-Palestinian efforts, to organize an international conference on recovery and reconstruction in Gaza, in cooperation with the UN, he said. Deploring the dangerous escalation in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, marked by recurrent military incursions into Palestinian towns, population displacements and home demolitions, he called on the Council and the international community to address these violations.
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MIL-OSI Global: A series that’s got parliament talking and an artist who influenced the civil service – what you should watch, see and play this week
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Naomi Joseph, Arts + Culture Editor
The “manosphere” is an online realm comprising social media accounts, websites and blogs. It’s a place where innocuous advice around men’s issues like health and fitness sits alongside violent and dangerous misogynistic rhetoric. It’s where “incels” were born and where Andrew Tate became a household name. The effect of this side of the internet on young men is becoming an increasingly worrying and urgent issue, one which has been powerfully explored in the Netflix series, Adolescence.
It follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller and his family after he is arrested on suspicion of the murder of a girl from his history class. Over its four episodes, it explores the rise of toxic masculinity, incel culture and the UK’s youth justice system.
It’s a harrowing show that its writer and star Stephen Graham and co-writer Jack Thorne hope “causes discussion and makes change”. I’d say it’s been pretty successful in that aim as it’s already been talked about by politicians who have called for it to be aired in parliament and schools. Our reviewer Megan Smith-Dobric, an expert in the treatment of young offenders, found it to be a deeply affecting drama that challenged the stereotypes of young offenders and exposed the broken youth justice system.
Read more:
I research the dehumanising treatment of young offenders – Netflix’s Adolescence gets it spot on
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Art in Oxford, theatre in Bristol
Art and culture can influence real-world change. Just look at the impact of Mr Bates vs The Post Office. The artist Barbara Steveni (1928 to 2020) harnessed the power of creativity when she set up the Artists Placement Group in 1966. This initiative sought to place artists in unlikely industries and institutions, like the civil service, with the idea that they could help solve problems and inform decisions from an outsider’s perspective.
A new exhibition at Modern Art Oxford, Barbara Steveni: I Find Myself, explores the impact of such an approach to art and social activism in Steveni’s work and life. It features collaborative works, pieces where human interaction is key and an archive that spans her 70-year career. Our reviewer Martin Lang, an expert in visual art, found it to be a thought-proving show exploring her pioneering contributions and her lasting impact on the art world.
Barbara Steveni: I Find Myself is on at Modern Art Oxford till June 8 2025
Read more:
Barbara Steveni: I Find Myself – a pioneering artist who influenced the civil service
If you’re in Bristol or plan on visiting in the next week, why not spend a night at the theatre watching the Bard’s tragi-comedy A Winter’s Tale at The Tobacco Factory? It seems an opportune moment to see this play about the healing power of time, nature and the turn of the seasons, as we start to experience the first few moments of spring.
Our reviewer Jo Lindsay Walton, a research fellow in arts, climate and technology, loves the original text but was relieved to find that theatre director and writer Robin Belfield had made some judicious cuts to some of the slower pastoral scenes. All in all, Walton found it to be a “secure, energetic, and richly nuanced” production.
A Winter’s Tale is on at The Tobacco Factory in Bristol until March 29 2025
Samurai and demons
If you want to travel further afield, without leaving your home, can we suggest Assasin’s Creed Shadows?
This new instalment takes on the Japanese civil war (1477 to 1600), where samurai and ninjas (known as shinobi) were fighting each other, the warlord Oda Nobunaga (aka “Demon King of the Sixth Heaven”) dominated and Japan as a whole was changing quickly. This provides for some truly sensational historical fiction and some wonderful wandering opportunities in the beautifully rendered world.
However, not everyone has been happy. The creators’ choice to make a protagonist of Yasuke, a slave turned samurai under Nobunaga, has garnered criticism from those who see his presence as a black man in the period as historically inaccurate. Fynn Holm, an expert in Japanese studies, writes that Sasuke existed and such criticisms ignore evidence of foreign influence in 16th-century Japan.
Read more:
Assassin’s Creed Shadows introduces a black samurai – that’s not as unprecedented as critics claim
If you and the family want to do something together, the record-breaking animated film Ne Zha 2 is finally hitting UK and Irish cinemas today. The film is about a legendary child warrior from Chinese mythology. Ne Zha was born a demon and is doomed to only to live three years. In this film, Ne Zha and squire Ao Bing must rebuild their souls after the epic events of the first film. However, before they can recover, a demon attacks their town.
This tale of a feisty demon child has taken the box office by storm, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time. Ming Gao grew up with the tales of Ne Zha. He writes about the Chinese-language film as a showcase of the country’s ambitions to expand its soft power while growing economic and strategic influence.
Ne Zha 2 is in cinemas now
Read more:
Ne Zha 2: the record-breaking Chinese animated film showcases China’s ambition on the global stage
– ref. A series that’s got parliament talking and an artist who influenced the civil service – what you should watch, see and play this week – https://theconversation.com/a-series-thats-got-parliament-talking-and-an-artist-who-influenced-the-civil-service-what-you-should-watch-see-and-play-this-week-252763
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MIL-OSI Canada: Canada Strengthens Wildfire Response Through Training
Source: Government of Canada News
On March 21, 2025, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson announced a $16.3-million investment in 25 projects through the Government of Canada’s Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate Program (FMWCC) – Training Fund to increase fire management capacity across the country.
Project Name: Peerless Trout First Nation Firefighter Training
Recipient: Peerless Trout First Nation
Location: Peerless Lake, Alberta
Funding from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan): $93,000
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 12 community members in Type II Wildland Firefighter Training, as they requested support to train additional crew members to ensure in-house capability to combat fires within their community.Project Name: Prince Albert Grant Council – Fire Guardians Pilot Project
Recipient: Prince Albert Development Corporation Management Co. Ltd.
Location: Prince Albert, Saskatchewan
Funding from NRCan: $946,330
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 20 youth in wildfire prevention and mitigation by providing opportunities for skills development and job coaching in the wildland fire industry. This will aim to address the need identified by the communities to improve local and regional capacity in northern fire prone regions.Project Name: Firefighter Training in the Whitefeather Forest
Recipient: Whitefeather Community Resource Managment Authority
Location: Red Lake/Pikangikum, Ontario
Funding from NRCan: $1,579,655
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 144 community members in Type II Wildland Firefighter Training in Pikangikum, which aims to address the identified need to develop a firefighting workforce that can be quickly mobilized to increase community preparedness and to support Indigenous-led approaches.Project Name: Firetack Training
Recipient: Sturgeon Lake Resources Ltd.
Location: Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, Alberta
Funding from NRCan: $214,272
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 48 community members in Type II Wildland Firefighter Training that is needed to address the low firefighter numbers available within the local community.Project Name: Wildland Firefighters TrainingRecipient: Sq’éwqel (Seabird Island)
Location: Agassiz, British Columbia
Funding from NRCan: $161,912
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 20 youth participants in Indigenous communities in wildfire prevention and mitigation by providing opportunities for skills development in the wildland fire industry, addressing a gap identified by the community to offer opportunity for youth to learn about wildfires, receive training and learn about career paths in this area.Project Name: Fire for the Future
Recipient: Muskeg Lake Cree Nation
Location: Marcelin, Saskatchewan
Funding from NRCan: $204,093Project Summary: This project supports the training of 30 community members in wildland fire training to address the need of the community to alleviate and mitigate the dangers of a wildfire by building capacity of First Nations in the region.
Project Name: Community-led Wildfire Risk Assessments and Mitigation Strategies
Recipient: Yukon First Nation Wildfire (YFNW)
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon
Funding from NRCan: $1,508,000
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 126 community members across various Yukon First Nations communities, situated in remote and forested areas, in basic wildfire training including traditional land management practices and emergency training to identify wildfire-risks and to host workshops to collaboratively develop mitigation strategies. This aims to address YFNW’s need to empower Indigenous communities to respond to wildfires.Project Name: IFNA Wildland Interface Firefighter Project
Recipient: Independent First Nations Alliance (IFNA)
Location: Sioux Lookout, Ontario
Funding from NRCan: $1,999,999
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 50 participants in Type I Wildland Firefighter Training, while also leveraging partnerships, technology and youth engagement, and will aim to address the identified need for additional trained staff and crews in IFNA’s remote communities to increase the capacity to manage wildfires locally.Project Name: Enhancing Wildfire Resilience in KO Communities
Recipient: Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO)
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario
Funding from NRCan: $329,109
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 25 youth in wildfire prevention and mitigation by providing opportunities for skills development and job coaching in the wildland fire industry, addressing the community’s need to build local fire management practices and enhance community resiliency to wildfires.Project Name: Lil’wat Forestry Wildland Firefighting Training
Recipient: Lil’wat Forestry Ventures LP
Location: Mount Currie, British Columbia
Funding from NRCan: $1,232,460
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 72 community members in Type II Wildland Firefighter Training, which aims to address Lil’wat Nations’ identified need to enhance resiliency to wildfire through the development of a community-based workforce with the skills to both prevent and respond to wildfires in the local area.Project Name: Firetack Training Retreat – Treaty 7
Recipient: Piikani Employment Services
Location: Brocket, Alberta
Funding from NRCan: $466,110
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 32 Treaty 7 First Nations and Métis community members in Type I Wildland Firefighter Training, addressing Piikani Employment Services’ identified need to have more trained and experienced wildland firefighters to respond to wildfires, both within Treaty 7 communities and Alberta.Project Name: Youth Wildfire Training
Recipient: National Indigenous Fire Safety Council
Location: Tyendinaga, Ontario
Funding from NRCan: $909,100
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 420 youth across Canada in wildfire prevention and mitigation, addressing the pressing needs of Indigenous communities facing with the escalating threat of wildfires and bridging the gaps in the shortage of trained Indigenous peoples in wildfire management roles.Project Name: Mamow Wuskaweewin – Moving Together
Recipient: Metis Settlements General Council
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Funding from NRCan: $499,330
Project Summary: This project supports training 320 participants in wildland firefighting, wildfire resiliency and reconciliation to address the need to involve and engage Metis Settlements people in wildfire management dialogues.Project Name: Fire Crew Training
Recipient: Geraldton Community Forest Inc. in partnership with Matawa First Nations Management
Location: Geraldton, Ontario
Funding from NRCan: $933,312
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 36 community members to a Type II standard across the nine Matawa Tribal Council communities, which aims to address the need for enhanced trained crews within Indigenous communities that have a real need for increased forest fire safety.Project Name: OKIB Wildland Fire Training
Recipient: Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB)
Location: Vernon, British Columbia
Funding from NRCan: $868,201
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 30 firefighters to a Type II and III standard, responding to OKIB’s need for improved wildfire response and addressing the shortage of certified Type II and III wildland firefighters within the community.Project Name: Responding to the Interface-Wildfire Training
Recipient: International Association of Fire Fighters
Location: Ottawa, Ontario
Funding from NRCan: $1,077,661
Project Summary: This project is in addition to a 2024 budget announcement and supports the training of wildland firefighter training to up to 925 structural and community-based fire personnel to address the need to better prepare and equip structural firefighters to fight wildfires, with a focus on the wildland urban interface.Project Name: MLTC Community Wild Fire Preparedness
Recipient: Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC)
Location: Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan
Funding from NRCan: $278,000Project Summary: This project supports the training of 170 participants to a Type II and III standard to address the communities’ identified need for additional support for wildfire training to increase their capacity to prepare for and respond to wildfire events.
Project Name: Firetrack Community Training Initiative
Recipient: Neyaskweyahk Wildland Firefighting
Location: Maskwacis, Alberta
Funding from NRCan: $93,078
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 16 community members in Type II Wildland Firefighter Training in Ermineskin Cree Nation, which aims to address the community’s need to have fully trained and skilled community members to join the workforce to respond to wildfires within the nation and support the efforts of the provincial government.Project Name: Building Wildfire Response Capacity Through Engagement With Local Wildfire Response Agencies
Recipient: Thompson Rivers UniversityLocation: Kamloops, British Columbia
Funding from NRCan: $1,692,156
Project Summary: This project supports the training of up to 260 firefighters. In partnership with BC Wildfire Service, Thompson Rivers University aims to address the need to enhance wildfire response capacity, particularly in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.Project Name: St’at’imc Climate Emergency Response and Preparation
Recipient: Lillooet Tribal Council
Location: Lillooet, British Columbia
Funding from NRCan: $612,916
Project Summary: This project supports the training of five firefighters to a Type II standard and 90 firefighters to a Type III standard in five St’at’imc communities of Bridge River, Cayoose Creek, Ts’kw’aylaxw First Nation, Tsal’alh and Xaxli’p that are continually and increasingly impacted by climate emergencies with annual risks of wildfires continuing to increase in severity.Project Name: Onion Lake Cree Nation Wildland Fire
Recipient: Onion Lake Cree Nation
Location: Onion Lake, Saskatchewan
Funding from NRCan: $31,050
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 16 firefighters to a Type II standard to address the identified need of Onion Lake Cree Nation for a well-trained local response team aiming to enhance community capacity and ensure an effective response to future wildfire events.Project Name: St’at’imc Youth Wildfire Pathways Project
Recipient: Sqwem Sqwem Consulting Services
Location: Lillooet, British Columbia
Funding from NRCan: $88,211Project Summary: This project supports the training of 20 youth in wildfire prevention and mitigation by providing youth with opportunities for skills development and job coaching in the wildland fire industry, which aims to address the identified need of St’at’imc nations to increase local capacity and resources available.
Project Name: Wildfire Training
Recipient: Lower Similkameen Indian Band
Location: Keremeos, British Columbia
Funding from NRCan: $188,083
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 30 participants in pre-burn and post-burn assessments, traditional ecological knowledge and community engagement in order to address the identified need of Lower Similkameen Indian Band to increase wildfire management capacity to better respond to wildfire events within their community.Project Name: SP100 Training for Bimose Member Communities
Recipient: Bimose Tribal Council
Location: Kenora, Ontario
Funding from NRCan: $157,033
Project Summary: This project supports the training of 48 firefighters in SP-100 Wildland Fire Fighter Certification in the 10 member First Nations: Eagle Lake First Nation, Iskatewizaagegan #39 Independent First Nation, Lac des Mille Lacs First Nation, Shoal Lake #40 First nation, Washagamsis Bay First Nation, Wabuskang First Nation, Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation, Wabaseemoong Independent Nations and Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek. The project aims to address the pressing need for enhanced wildfire response capabilities within Bimose First Nation communities.Project Name: Riding Mountain Indigenous Fire Guardians
Recipient: Keeseekoowenin First Nation
Location: Elphinstone, Manitoba
Funding from NRCan: $135,000Project Summary: This project supports the training of 30 Indigenous community members working towards becoming Indigenous Guardians, in collaboration with Parks Canada. This training will aim to provide participants with a variety of skills and competencies with the aim to increase the Nation’s capacity to actively and more efficiently manage wildfire on the traditional territory.
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MIL-OSI Australia: Research improving brain cancer treatment
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Professor Leonie Quinn, Canberra Brain Cancer Collaborative Lead and Research and Innovation Fund recipient
Canberra Brain Cancer Collaborative has created Canberra’s first Brain Cancer Biobank.
Headed by Professor Leonie Quinn and her team, the collaborative has been able to develop this with a $300,000 grant awarded in the 2022 Research Innovation Fundround.
The biobank stores brain cancer biospecimens and genomic data from patients treated at Canberra Hospital.
It contributes to Brain Cancer Biobanking Australia – a virtual biobank hub that allows researchers around the country to access brain cancer tissue, samples and data.
The information gathered by the biobank enables researchers at ANU’s John Curtin School of Medical Research to create 3D bio-printed ‘mini brains’.
This allows them to analyse how tumours grow and respond to treatment, and to trial new therapeutic drugs tailored to each patient. It is hoped this will help develop new cancer treatments and improve clinical care.
“The ACT Health Research Innovation Fund has provided us with an exciting opportunity to explore the complex environment where brain cancer occurs and ultimately develop new treatments,” Professor Quinn, Canberra Brain Cancer Collaborative Lead and Research and Innovation Fund recipient, said.
“The biobank will enable more personalised treatments, which are critical to improving survival rates and quality of life for people diagnosed with the disease. It will secure the ACT as a health research hub and improve the clinical experience of cancer patients around Australia.”
The Research and Innovation Fund is guided by Better Together: A strategic plan for research in the ACT health system 2022-2030.
Five fellowships through the Research Innovation Fund2023 have recently been announced, supporting early and mid-career Canberra health researchers.
The diverse research projects selected include enhancing post-diagnostic care for dementia patients, supporting community response to voluntary assisted dying, and studying allergies and immunodeficienciesof patients in the ACT.
For more information about the fund go to health.act.gov.au/research/centre-health-and-medical-research.
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MIL-OSI Australia: Celebrating Canberra’s multicultural champions
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Dr Lubna Alam from ALO Enlightened Women Inc, winner of the ACT Outstanding Excellence for Diversity and Inclusion award.
The ACT Multicultural Awards celebrate and recognise the outstanding contributions of individuals and organisations that continue to make Canberra a welcoming and inclusive city.
The 2023 recipients were awarded across five categories for their commitment in working towards a vibrant, diverse community, and to realising the benefits of this diversity in real ways.
- ACT Multicultural Individual Champion: Mijica Rose Lus
Rose supports multicultural communities in the ACT in a range of ways such as the Aurosokwo project, which included a range of activities from creating care packs, book drives, and medical outreach, to collaborating with local charities and organisations. - ACT Community Organisation (Multicultural Champion): ALO Enlightened Women Inc
ALO has made an important impact on the lives of hundreds of multicultural community members, in particular vulnerable migrant and refugee women, through its range of programs and services. - ACT Multicultural Arts, Media or Culture: Radio Manpasand
Since its beginning in 2004, Radio Manpasand’s commitment to serving the Indian and subcontinental movement is evident through its long-standing and impactful presence on the airwaves and beyond. - ACT Outstanding Excellence for Diversity and Inclusion: Dr Lubna Alam
Dr Alam is a co-founder of ALO Enlightened Women Inc., supporting and empowering vulnerable migrant women through the organisation. She is greatly involved in the wider multicultural community, providing assistance and leadership to support an inclusive society. - Lifetime Achievement Award: Domenic Mico OAM
For the past 50 years, Mr Mico has and continues to be deeply connected with the multicultural and arts communities in the ACT. As the former Artistic Director of the National Multicultural Festival, he was instrumental in the event’s development. He is also the former Director of the Tuggeranong Arts Centre and was involved in many other cultural and artistic events and programs in the community.
In addition to the winners listed above, six Highly Commended award recipients were recognised.
A complete list of the winners and highly commended recipients can be found on the Community Services Directorate website: act.gov.au/open/multicultural-awards-winners
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- ACT Multicultural Individual Champion: Mijica Rose Lus
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MIL-OSI Australia: Kingston park name commemorates Mr Alfred Stafford MBE
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Mr Stafford was the official driver of Prime Minster Robert Menzies for many years.
A park in Kingston has been named in commemoration of Gamilaroi and Darug man Mr Alfred George Stafford MBE.
The park, located adjacent to Trevillian Quay at the Kingston Foreshore estate, has been officially named Alf Stafford Park.
This honours Mr Stafford for his significant contributions to Canberra through his public service, sporting achievements and association with early Kingston.
Mr Stafford was an avid sportsman and the official driver of Prime Minster Robert Menzies for many years. An enduring friendship developed between the two men and their families.
He worked as a parliamentary driver and as a Ministerial Attendant at Parliament House, serving numerous Australian prime ministers before retiring in 1972.
Mr Stafford was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his dedicated service to several of Australia’s prime ministers.
Originally from Binnaway, NSW, Mr Stafford moved to Canberra in the 1930s and quickly became a prominent member of the Kingston community as a local business owner and cricketer.
He was captain of the Kingston district cricket club team and captained Federal Capital Territory Cricket Association representative team matches.
Alf Stafford’s family said they are proud of his achievements and are looking forward to his memory living on through the naming of Alf Stafford Park.
“Alf was a much loved and respected father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend,” Mr Stafford’s family said.
“There was a saying around Old Parliament House: ‘Prime Ministers come and go, but Alf Stafford goes on forever’, to which Alf would reply ‘I wish it was true’.
“Today, our family is proud to honour his wish. Through the unveiling of ‘Alf Stafford Park’, we pay respect to a true gentleman (the last of the hat tippers!) providing a legacy, ensuring Alf’s memory lives on,” his family said.
A portrait of Mr Stafford as a young man.
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MIL-OSI Australia: Canberra’s Skykraft take to space with PIP grant
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Skykraft’s Air Traffic Management satellites take off from California in June this year on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
A Canberra-based company is taking their satellites to space and notching up world first achievements in both the space industry and the global air navigation sector.
Skykraft is developing a constellation of more than 200 satellites in low-earth orbit to provide global Air Traffic Management (ATM) services from space.
These services will provide surveillance and communication capabilities for air traffic control, especially over remote or oceanic regions not covered by ground-based infrastructure.
In 2018-19 Skykraft applied for and won $1 million dollars in matched funding from the ACT Government’s Priority Investment Program (PIP). PIP grants foster innovation and collaboration between, industry, research institutions and universities to solve industry needs.
Skykraft was established in 2017 as a spin-off from The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra. Skykraft’s CEO, Dr Michael Frater, said funding early on from the ACT Government was the financial boost they needed to get things off the ground.
“The confidence from receiving the PIP funding, rather than being drip-fed small grants, created a big shift for us. It gave us the ability to build our team and focus on developing our product,” he said.
Skykraft’s recent successful trial of space-based voice communications in the Very High Frequency (VHF) aviation band demonstrated the feasibility of satellite communication directly with aircraft using existing equipment. This use of satellites in place of ground-based radio systems will allow global real-time communications between pilots and air traffic controllers for the first time.
“We are proud to have taken another step to bringing this world-first capability to market,” said Dr Michael Frater, CEO of Skykraft.
“VHF voice and data communication that covers the entire extent of an aircraft’s journey is the missing piece for Air Traffic Management and will unlock efficiency gains globally.”
Skykraft’s satellite manufacturing facility in Canberra is the centre for the design, build and operation of the more than 200 satellites that will make up the constellation providing space-based ATM services, which will commence operations in 2025.
This constellation will be maintained with a regular five-year satellite replenishment cycle. It will support a sustainable space manufacturing capability in the nation’s capital producing 40-50 satellites annually.
“Our manufacturing capability provides long-term employment for Canberrans in the advanced manufacturing sector,” Dr Frater said. “We’re also creating opportunities for companies from the Canberra region to input to the manufacturing process, with suppliers in Queanbeyan, Wodonga and Newcastle.”
In 2023, Skykraft put 10 satellites into space across two launches, more than tripling the total mass of Australian manufactured space objects ever placed in orbit.
Skykraft will continue this rapid pace as they deploy the full satellite constellation to deliver their ATM service globally.
The ACT Government’s PIP grant is currently open until 31 October 2023.
For more information visit the PIP website: act.gov.au/pip
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MIL-OSI Australia: Money saving tips for the savvy consumer
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
Comparing energy suppliers and carefully reviewing your bills are key steps in becoming an informed consumer.
Ongoing cost of living pressures continue to impact household budgets.
With all Canberrans trying to make their dollars stretch further, here are some tips that may help you become a savvy consumer and save some money along the way.
- Set up a realistic budget
- Shop around
- Read and keep paperwork in relation to purchases
- Look after your receipts
- Know your consumer guarantee rights and when you’re entitled to a refund, repair or replacement
- If something goes wrong with a purchase, talk to the business and describe the problem and explain how you would like them to fix it.
Learn more about consumer guarantees in the ACT.
Use unit pricing when grocery shopping
Considering unit pricing is one way to help you budget and save while grocery shopping.
Unit pricing at supermarkets shows not just the cost of a product, but the value of that product as a cost per standard unit of measurement. This is usually displayed on shelf labels.
Unit pricing allows you to compare the cost of grocery products quickly and accurately – for example between brands, specials and package sizes, between packaged and unpackaged, or between fresh and frozen.
Learn more about unit pricing.
Other tips to help you get the most out of your grocery shopping
- Meal plan and check what you’ve got in your cupboards, fridge and freezer before going shopping, so you use up things before they go out of date
- Write a shopping list
- Choose in season fruit and vegetables
- Shop around for the best prices
- Try supermarket or home brands.
Review your memberships and subscription services
Whether it’s a gym membership, newspaper subscription, streaming service or food delivery service you’re signed up to, it pays to review your memberships regularly. These small monthly costs can soon add up.
Before signing up to a new subscription, make sure you read and understand the terms and conditions and are aware of any ongoing fees before clicking through online.
When reviewing membership and subscription services consider:
- What services do I use?
- Is there a better deal or a cheaper plan?
- Is there a low-cost alternative?
- Can I rotate through subscriptions?
Look for the best deal before filling up
Feeling the pinch at the petrol bowser? Doing a little research before you fill up might help save you money.
While a lot of factors can influence the price you pay for fuel, a quick look at a petrol price app or website before you fill up can help you compare and save.
Have a look at the list of fuel price reporting apps and websites available.
https://www.fuelcheck.nsw.gov.au/app
Review your bills
When it comes to paying utilities or renewing annual insurances beware of paying a ‘loyalty or lazy tax’.
A loyalty tax refers to the practice of businesses offering lower rates or premiums to new customers while charging higher rates or premiums to long-term customers, who have been loyal to a company or institution for many years.
Consider comparison websites
It pays to shop around and compare premiums with other providers to ensure you’re getting the best product, premium or policy based on your circumstances.
To compare energy suppliers and make sure you’re getting the best deal, you can use the Australian Government’s Energy Made Easy website.
Using comparison websites can be helpful but they have limitations and may not cover all your options. ASIC’s Moneysmart website has tips on using comparison websites.
If you’re finding it hard to keep up with regular payments like gas, electricity and phone, visit Moneysmart for steps you can take to sort things out.
You can also call the free National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.
Visit ASIC’s Moneysmart website
ASIC’s Moneysmart website contains tips, tools and resources to help you manage your money, reduce your debt and plan for your future.
It also has information on budgeting, reducing living costs and getting help if you need it.
Find support
Do you know what concessions, rebates and other supports are available to Canberrans from the ACT Government? See what you might be eligible for.
If you require emergency support or financial assistance, you can find contact details for a range of support services on the Australian Government website.
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MIL-OSI Security: Federal Law Enforcement in Chicago Seizes $214 Million in Alleged “Pump and Dump” Investment Fraud Investigation; Seven Defendants Indicted
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
CHICAGO — Seven individuals have been indicted on criminal charges as part of a federal investigation that disrupted an alleged “pump-and-dump” investment fraud scheme and resulted in government seizures of approximately $214 million.
From November 2024 to February 2025, the defendants engaged in misleading promotion and coordinated trading of shares of China Liberal Education Holdings, Ltd., a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands that purported to provide educational services in China, according to an indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The scheme, known as a “pump-and-dump,” allegedly involved individuals in China posing as U.S.-based investment advisors on social media and messaging platforms and falsely promising significant returns from investments in the company. The misleading promotion and coordinated trading caused the stock price to artificially rise, at which point the defendants sold thousands of shares and made millions of dollars in profits, the indictment states. The stock price ultimately decreased significantly, at the expense of other investors, some of whom lost almost the entirety of their investment.
Charged with wire fraud and securities fraud are LIM XIANG JIE CEDRIC, 50, of Malaysia, MING-SHEN CHENG, 36, of Taiwan, KO SEN CHAI, 57, of Malaysia, KING SUNG WONG, 39, of Malaysia, SIONG WEE VUN, 37, of Malaysia, CHIEN LUNG MA, 54, of Taiwan, and KOK WAH WONG, 56, of Malaysia. The defendants are not in custody and warrants have been issued for their arrests.
During the investigation, federal law enforcement seized approximately $214 million in alleged proceeds from the fraud scheme. The funds are currently in U.S. custody. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago on Thursday filed a civil complaint seeking to have the money permanently forfeited to the United States, which would allow the government to return the money to victim investors.
The indictment and forfeiture complaint were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the SEC’s Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hasten represents the government.
Each count of securities fraud is punishable by up to 25 years in federal prison, while the maximum sentence for each count of wire fraud is 20 years. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If you believe you or someone you know may have been victimized by the fraud scheme charged in the indictment, you are encouraged to notify the FBI by completing this online form or calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
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MIL-OSI Economics: Transforming Grievance Redress: The AI Advantage – Inaugural Address by Shri Sanjay Malhotra, Governor, Reserve Bank of India – March 17, 2025 – at the Annual Conference of the RBI Ombudsmen, Mumbai
Source: Reserve Bank of India
I am delighted to participate in this year’s Annual Conference of the RBI Ombudsmen. The Reserve Bank has been organising this conference on or around the World Consumer Rights Day, that is, 15th March. World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated every year with the aim of raising global awareness about consumer rights and needs. We organise this conference to reflect on our achievements with regard to consumer services and to deliberate on how to improve services and reduce grievances. We need to improve consumer services, not only because it is our duty to do so, but because it is in our selfish interest to do so. In this age of competition, we would not survive long if we do not provide quality service to our consumers.
2. We have made tremendous strides in improving consumer services over the years. We have enabled internet banking and mobile banking. Most of the banking services, be it opening a deposit account, or taking a small loan have been digitised, adding to the convenience and speed. We are making record number of digital transactions through UPI and other means of digital payments. Many among the younger generation may have never visited a bank branch. We have even enabled opening of accounts using video KYC.
3. While we have enhanced customer experience over the years, the high number of customer grievances continues to be a matter of serious concern. I am told that last year (2023-24), the 95 Scheduled Commercial Banks alone received over 10 million complaints from their customers. If we take into account the complaints received at other RBI-regulated entities (REs), the number would be even higher. One may argue that this amounts to only four complaints per thousand accounts per year as there are about 2.5 billion bank accounts. But, for us, even one complaint is a cause of concern. We have 10 million complaints and with the rapidly growing customer base and expanding suite of products, this may grow, if we do not get our act together.
Customer satisfaction – a cornerstone for banking and other financial services
4. Excellent customer service, in fact excellent customer experience is a sine qua non in any service industry. Our effort should be to enhance the total customer experience. The experience should be such that there is no cause for a grievance that requires a redress. Let me state a fundamental truth: every complaint is a test of trust. When a consumer files a grievance – whether for a disputed transaction, a lapse in service, inappropriate pricing or charges or an unfair practice – it is a signal that our system has fallen short. Left unresolved, such issues can erode consumer confidence and tarnish the entire ecosystem.
5. I am reminded of a real story about customer service. Some of you, especially the management graduates, may have heard it but it is so appropriate for today’s theme that it is worth being retold. In the winter of 1975, in a town in Alaska, a man walked into a store and complained to the salesman present that the snow tyres that he bought some time ago were not holding. The salesman was a little puzzled. He said that he could not replace them but will check what he could do and went to the back of the store. Those of you, who have visited departmental stores in the USA, would know that refunds are processed at the back of the store. The salesman came back after some time and handed over some cash as refund and the customer left satisfied. Can anyone guess why this was unique, as no questions asked policy for refunds is fairly common in the USA? It is because the company in question is Nordstrom which does not even sell tyres. It sells apparel and shoes. But, for Nordstrom, customer comes first. Trusting him and winning his trust is more important than anything else.
6. Some say that this is not a true story. How is this possible? How could a company offer refund for a product which it never sold? Nordstrom, however, insists that this incident did take place. Nordstrom had acquired three stores from another company that sold miscellaneous articles including tyres. The customer did not realise that the store had changed and walked in with his complaint. The key message is that Nordstrom saw itself being in the business of customer service, and not just selling goods. We too need to realise that we are in the business of providing unalloyed customer service and not just selling banking and other financial services.
Top management to accord priority to customer service
7. I am sure you will all agree that we are indeed in the business of customer service. However, I suspect that we are not spending enough time on customer service and grievance redressal as a result of which not only are there a large number of complaints being received by banks and NBFCs but in the absence of satisfactory resolution, a large number of them are getting escalated to RBI Ombudsmen.
8. Let me give you some perspective. The number of complaints received under RBI’s Integrated Ombudsman Scheme increased at a compounded average growth rate of almost 50 per cent per year over last two years to 9.34 lakh in 2023-24. The number of complaints processed at the Office of RBI Ombudsman increased by 25 per cent from about 2,35,000 in 2022-23 to almost 2,94,000 in 2023-24. Not only are large number of complaints getting escalated, a large proportion of them – nearly 57 per cent of the maintainable complaints last year – required mediation or formal intervention by the RBI Ombudsmen. You would all agree that this is a highly unsatisfactory situation and needs our urgent attention.
9. I would, therefore, strongly urge all the MD&CEOs, Zonal and Regional Managers and the Branch Managers to spend some time every week, if not every day on grievance redressal. This is a must. All great CEOs find time to do it. We too must keep some time in our diary for improving customer service and grievance redressal.
Improving customer service systems
10. Customer complaints aren’t a nuisance – they are in fact opportunities to improve, innovate, and build trust. Handling them well can define your success. Each unresolved grievance is a missed opportunity for regulated entities to reaffirm customer trust and loyalty. It is also a warning signal as repeat complaints are often signs of systemic flaws. Today, complaints often surface on social media even before reaching official channels, highlighting the need for proactive measures.
11. The effort thus should be to not only resolve the complaints but also to ensure that the same type of complaint does not arise again. Many of the complaints like digital transaction disputes, unauthorized charges, or miscommunication frequently recur. These are clearcut symptoms of underlying issues in the overall customer service framework of the regulated entities. A thorough root cause analysis should be performed for each complaint so as to enable remedial action and avoid repetition of same type of complaint.
12. In fact, I would go a step further. Best service is not one in which there is no occasion for grievance redressal but one in which there is no occasion for the customer service department to step in. Systems should work seamlessly and conveniently so that customers do not have to call the branch or the customer service centre or talk to anyone in the Bank or NBFC. Systems have to be so user-friendly that customers can rely on self-service rather than being dependent on anyone else.
Improving internal grievance redressal systems
13. While improving systems to reduce grievances is important, setting up a robust grievance redressal system is equally important for all regulated entities. I would urge you all to review the same. While the regulations do not make any prescription for the organisational structure for grievance redressal, my experience suggests that there should be at least two levels for grievance redressal in large REs, with unresolved grievances getting escalated from the lower to the higher level. The highest level should be at a fairly high rank. This to ensure that requests do not get rejected without having been examined by a senior functionary who is empowered to take decisions in consumer interest. This will help reduce grievances getting escalated to the Ombudsman. It must also be ensured that there are sufficient number of grievance redress officers at all levels including in the Internal Ombudsman office.
14. I would also like to draw your attention to the misclassification of complaints as requests, queries, and disputes by the regulated entities. This results in the complainants’ grievances remaining unaddressed. Moreover, this is also a gross regulatory violation.
Major areas of service improvement
15. Let me now briefly allude to some of the major areas where we need to improve. These relate to KYC, digital frauds, mis-selling, and aggressive recovery practices.
16. As for KYC, we need to ensure that once a customer has submitted documents to a financial institution, we do not insist on obtaining the same documents again. Once the customer has updated his details, for example, his residential address, with one regulated entity of any financial sector regulator, it gets updated in CKYCR and other REs are notified of the updation. PML Rules made by the Department of Revenue in the Ministry of Finance and RBI’s Master Directions on KYC mandate regulated entities to check the CKYCR system before seeking KYC documents for opening an account. However, most banks and NBFCs have not enabled the same in their branches/business outlets, causing avoidable inconvenience to customers. This may be facilitated early. This will be in the interest of all.
17. Another important issue connected to customer protection is rising digital frauds. It is a matter of great concern that innocent customers continue to fall prey to scamsters. While this could be attributed to rise in digital transactions and innovative methods adopted by fraudsters, lack of customer awareness is also a major reason for the same. To mitigate this menace, REs not only need to put in place robust internal controls but also enhance digital financial literacy.
18. The issues of mis-selling and aggressive recovery practices have been highlighted earlier too. In this context too, I would request you to keep consumer interest supreme.
Embracing technology – the AI way
19. Let me now come to the theme of this year’s conference: AI’s potential to revolutionize grievance redressal. We are entering an exciting era where technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), can drive remarkable improvements in speed, accuracy, and fairness of complaint resolution.
20. AI can help categorize incoming complaints by urgency, complexity, or subject area, ensuring minimal delay in reaching the right people or the right team. AI can also help in optimising complaint routing. Further, it can assist in decision-making and reducing processing time.
21. Secondly, AI can be used to pinpoint systemic gaps by analysing both structured and unstructured data such as emails, chat logs, and call transcripts. This will aid in identifying training needs and guiding necessary process reforms. Using data from millions of consumer branch visits, call centre logs, mobile apps, and social media, a unified, AI-driven view of all these interactions can help identify common pain points more efficiently. Leveraging data analytics, sentiment analysis, and predictive models, AI can be used to analyse large volumes of data to detect spikes in issues – such as ATM failures or erroneous charges – and alert REs pre-emptively.
22. Lastly, in a linguistically diverse country like India, AI-driven chatbots and voice recognition tools can eliminate language barriers by operating in local languages. Moreover, the implementation of conversational AI in chatbots, voicebots, and advanced IVR systems can handle routine queries round the clock, thereby freeing people to focus on cases that require empathy and complex problem-solving.
23. In short, integrating AI at every stage – from complaint lodging to closure – can result in a seamless, efficient, and data-driven grievance redressal system. Such a framework not only reduces processing times and addresses repetitive complaints but also fosters equitable outcomes by mitigating human biases. It is time that the banking industry explores and pioneers the integration of technology – including AI – to strengthen the grievance resolution mechanisms and make it best in class across the globe.
Challenges and guardrails in AI driven grievance redressal system
24. While AI presents unparalleled opportunities, we need to be cognizant of the challenges and risks that its adoption poses. There are concerns on data privacy, algorithmic bias and complexity in AI-driven models. As we embrace AI in grievance redressal or any other process, we must also remain mindful of ethical considerations. Human oversight, bias mitigation and data privacy must be integrated into the AI Systems to ensure transparent and consistent outcomes.
Investing in human resources
25. While technology in all its forms is a powerful enabler, I would like to emphasise that it is no substitute for integrity, empathy, and human judgment. In a world increasingly driven by data, algorithms, and automation, it is all too easy to lose sight of the human element. Every transaction represents not just a number in a ledger, but the hard-earned savings of a family, the dreams of a small entrepreneur, or the lifelong savings of a senior citizen. It is, therefore, critical that REs continue to invest in human resources dedicated for customer service and grievance redressal. It is essential to invest in training of staff, especially in behavioural aspects of customer service. Moreover, the staff needs to be empowered to take decisions based on their judgement to redress consumer grievances, enhance customer satisfaction and win consumer trust.
RBI as a facilitator
26. In the end, I would like to assure you that, while we exhort you to provide services efficiently to customers, we in the Reserve Bank shall also provide various services, approvals, clarifications, etc. to the regulated entities in a timely manner. We already have a citizen’s charter. We are in the process of reviewing the charter. We will make the charter comprehensive to include all services that we offer either to the REs or directly to citizens. Moreover, we are reviewing the timelines for each service. It will be our endeavour to provide all approvals, etc. within the timelines. We are also making mandatory the use of PRAVAAH, which is RBI’s secure and centralised web-based portal for any individual or entity to seek authorisation, license or regulatory approval on any reference made to the Reserve Bank in a timely manner. This will help us in expediting the disposal of applications received by the Reserve Bank.
Conclusion
27. We stand at a pivotal juncture as India looks to realise its dream of a more resilient and inclusive Viksit Bharat. With the financial sector touching the lives of almost the entire population, we have a critical role. To succeed in this role, we must continue to enhance customer service and customer protection.
Thank you !
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MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada announces support for Cedar LNG
Source: Government of Canada News (2)
Initiative is set to be the largest Indigenous majority-owned infrastructure project in Canada
March 21, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario
The Government of Canada understands the importance of diversifying Canada’s export market opportunities, supporting Indigenous economic reconciliation objectives and ensuring development is aligned with our climate and environmental goals. Supporting large-scale innovative projects will position Canada for a cleaner and stronger economy—and when done thoughtfully and strategically, one that is competitive in a low-carbon world. The Cedar LNG Project will also connect Canada’s natural resources sector to more export markets while creating more economic opportunities for Indigenous peoples and Canadians.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, on behalf of the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced a contribution agreement under the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) of up to $200 million toward a $5.963 billion project with Cedar LNG Partners LP (Cedar LNG). This project will create approximately 300 full-time construction and trades jobs and 100 highly skilled jobs in Canada, with a strong focus on providing long term Indigenous employment opportunities. The project is expected to generate $275 million in gross domestic product (GDP) contributions over the construction phase and $85 million in annual GDP contributions during the operations phase.
Cedar LNG is a partnership between the Haisla Nation and Pembina Pipeline Corporation. This four‑year project consists of the construction, commissioning and operation of a new Indigenous majority-owned floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) processing facility and marine export terminal in Kitimat, British Columbia. The facility will be powered by clean hydroelectricity from B.C.’s grid and will produce ultra low-carbon LNG that has the potential to displace the use of higher-emitting forms of energy in Asia. Once operational, the facility will have the capacity to process and liquefy 400 million standard cubic feet of natural gas per day and produce 3.3 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year for international markets.
The Cedar LNG Project is a model for Indigenous ownership in natural resource projects. Partnering with Indigenous peoples, communities and businesses is critical to building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient natural resource sector in Canada. Cedar LNG will create jobs, drive economic growth, diversify our export markets, and support global energy security and the transition away from higher-emitting energy sources.
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MIL-OSI Canada: Defence Minister Bill Blair meets with British Secretary of State for Defence Grant Shapps
Source: Government of Canada News (2)
September 18, 2023 – London, United Kingdom – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
Today, the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, met with the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, Grant Shapps in London.
Minister Blair congratulated Secretary Shapps on his recent appointment and noted that he looks forward to building upon the excellent defence relationship between Canada and the United Kingdom. Minister Blair and Secretary Shapps condemned Russia’s ongoing, illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression against Ukraine, and discussed the ongoing collaboration between Canada and the United Kingdom to support Ukraine.
Through Operation UNIFIER, approximately 170 Canadian Armed Forces members are deployed in the United Kingdom, where they have trained 2,600 Ukrainian recruits in collaboration with the British Operation INTERFLEX. Minister Blair visited Camp Lydd on September 17, 2023, and saw first-hand how Canadian and British military members are working together. In addition, a Royal Canadian Air Force detachment is currently deployed in Prestwick, Scotland. The detachment operates three CC-130 Hercules aircraft and has delivered over 11 million pounds of Ukraine-bound military aid donated by Canada, partners, and allies.
As Minister Blair announced on September 17, 2023, Canada is also contributing $33 million (CAD) to the British-led partnership delivering high priority air defence equipment to Ukraine. Secretary Shapps welcomed this announcement, and both Minister Blair and Secretary Shapps looked forward to future collaboration between Canada and the United Kingdom in support of Ukraine.
Minister Blair discussed Canada’s ongoing efforts to update its defence policy and noted that several of Canada’s investments in military capabilities involve close collaboration with the United Kingdom. Through a $1.168 billion contract awarded in December 2022 to Leonardo United Kingdom Ltd, Canada is upgrading its Cormorant search and rescue helicopter fleet. In addition, Canada is investing in 15 new Canadian Surface Combatant warships, whose design will be based on BAE’s Type 26 warship, bolstering interoperability between the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Navy.
Minister Blair and Secretary Shapps also noted the ongoing participation of the Canadian and British militaries in joint exercises. More than 140 Royal Canadian Air Force personnel are currently participating in Exercise COBRA WARRIOR 23-2, a British-hosted multinational live-fly exercise held at Royal Air Force (RAF) station Waddington in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force is also participating in the ongoing Canadian-led Exercise CUTLASS FURY 2023 off the coast of Nova Scotia.
The two counterparts agreed to stay in close communication and looked forward to working together.
Quick Facts
- The defence and security relationship between Canada and the UK is rooted in history and fostered by the fact that Canada and the UK are Allies in NATO and engage in close cooperation in international organizations, including the United Nations and the Commonwealth, among others.
- The deep bond between Canada and the UK has been forged in peace and war, notably through the two World Wars, Korea, and in almost every major conflict for more than a century, including Afghanistan and Libya.
- 170 Canadian Armed Forces members are deployed to the UK through Operation UNIFIER.
- Since the beginning of 2022, Canada has committed over $8 billion in aid to Ukraine, including over $1.8 billion in military assistance.
- This includes AIM-7 missiles, 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks and an armoured recovery vehicle, a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) with associated munitions, 39 armoured combat support vehicles, anti-tank weapons, small arms, M777 howitzers and associated ammunition, high-resolution drone cameras, winter clothing, and more.
Associated Links
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MIL-OSI Security: Turtle Creek Resident Pleads Guilty to Narcotics Trafficking and Unlawful Possession of Firearm
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Timothy Mollett, 34, pleaded guilty to Counts One, Six, Thirteen, and Fourteen of the Superseding Indictment before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan on March 19, 2025.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around April 2019 to in and around July 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Mollett conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of cocaine, 28 grams or more of a mixture of crack, and quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Mollett was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others. Further, in and around July 2021, Mollett unlawfully possessed a firearm as a convicted felon, and did so in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for July 24, 2025. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Mollett. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Pennsylvania State Police, Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, Indiana County District Attorney’s Office, Cambria County Sheriff’s Office, Cambria Township Police Department, Indiana Borough Police Department, Johnstown Police Department, Upper Yoder Township Police Department, Richland Police Department, Ferndale Police Department, and other local law enforcement agencies.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
