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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Capito Opening Statement at Hearing to Review Labor Budget Request

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    [embedded content]

    Click here or on the image above to watch Chairman Capito’s opening remarks from the hearing. 

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), chaired a hearing with U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to consider the president’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request.  

    Below is the opening statement of Chairman Capito as prepared for delivery: 

    “Good morning. Secretary Chavez-DeRemer, thank you for being here today to testify to the President’s fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Department of Labor. 

    “I am pleased to be joined by Senator Baldwin, the ranking member of the subcommittee. I am also happy to have the chair of the full committee, Senator Susan Collins, with us today. Thank you, Senator Collins, for your strong leadership and your tireless efforts to get us back to regular order. 

    “Following four years of reckless spending under the Biden administration, President Trump is taking steps to rein in our bloated bureaucracy and ensure that taxpayer dollars are being well spent. 

    “The department’s request proposes to reduce funding for the agency by $4.6 billion, a decrease of nearly 35%. We look forward to hearing your testimony and discussing in greater detail your priorities, new proposals, and programs you think we should consider scaling back.  

    “This month, we continued to receive good news about the strength of the American economy. Our economy has added jobs every month since President Trump took office and the unemployment rate remained steady this past month at 4.2%. However, millions of Americans are still underemployed or have stopped looking for work altogether.

    “We need to make sure that Americans have access to training programs – especially those that provide on-the-job training and those focused on in-demand jobs, which in West Virginia includes important industries like coal mining and healthcare. I’d like to see the department take innovative approaches to expand apprenticeship opportunities to new programs and fields as a lot of worthy apprenticeship opportunities don’t fit the current registered apprenticeship model. I’m interested in hearing more about how the Make America Skilled Again grant program will increase flexibility and improve outcomes for workers looking to upskill and advance in their careers. 

    “I’ve also been a long-time champion of expanding and strengthening the early childhood education workforce through apprenticeships. Giving our educators a clear pathway to successful careers opens the door to higher quality and better coverage of care, helping both families and childcare workers in West Virginia. 

    “Having a highly-skilled workforce is critical, but it is only half of the equation. We must also continue advancing common-sense solutions to create an economic environment where businesses can thrive and create good, well-paying jobs. I have been pleased to see this administration take steps to rein in unnecessary regulatory burdens that make it harder for businesses to create jobs.

    “Earlier this month, the Department of Labor announced it will no longer enforce the Biden administration’s misguided independent contractor rule, which jeopardized the ability of as many as 70 million freelancers, rideshare drivers, and other independent workers to earn a living in a way that best fits their needs and schedules.  

    “This rule would take away the freedom for West Virginia real estate agents, truck drivers, freelance writers, and other self-employed workers to choose their own hours and work around other life priorities — like going back to school or raising children.

    “I hope to see this administration continue to remove bureaucratic red tape to allow companies to expand their workforce, grow their businesses, and show their employees how much they’re valued in a growing economy. 

    “However, to be clear, not all regulations are bad. It is important to have appropriate protections in place to keep hard-working West Virginians, including our miners, safe. West Virginia is the second largest producer of coal in the country. For generations, coal miners in West Virginia have helped keep the lights on across the country. But doing so has sometimes come at a great price. In the last couple decades, West Virginia has experienced major mining tragedies at the Upper Big Branch Mine and Sago Mine, which claimed 29 and 12 lives, respectively.

    “I hope to hear more about the administration’s plans to ensure our workplaces are safe so that our workers are able to return home to their loved ones at the end of each day.  

    “Secretary Chavez-DeRemer, as the Fiscal Year 26 appropriations process moves forward, I know we will continue to work together to identify priorities and find common ground on how best to responsibly allocate taxpayers’ resources. Thank you again for being here today.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Capito Questions Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer During Appropriations Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    [embedded content]
    Click here or the image above to watch Senator Capito’s questions.
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), questioned U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer during a hearing to consider the president’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request. 
    HIGHLIGHTS:
    ON WEST VIRGINIA HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS:
    SENATOR CAPITO: “Madam Secretary, we’ve talked about this issue, but it’s about the West Virginia Department of Transportation and the Davis-Bacon wage determinations for highway construction. They’re just unworkable…The Biden wage determinations left out key job classifications that are commonly used on highway projects. It’s been very frustrating. The absence of these classifications has required West Virginia DOT to go through a complicated administrative process with DOL to determine proper wages…We’re missing the construction season here…there has been significant delays in not only advertising, but also in awarding construction projects…So will you commit to continue working with me to resolve this issue, to ensure that West Virginia’s highway construction projects can begin without undue burden?” 
    ON WEST VIRGINIA’S MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION OFFICES: 
    SENATOR CAPITO: “Let’s talk about MSHA. I mentioned it in my opening statements, obviously it’s important to a state like West Virginia, the health and safety of our nation’s miners. I’m really concerned because I’m hearing from my constituents that MSHA offices in West Virginia are closing. I’m worried that will reduce the number of mine inspections, which are essential to ensuring that the coal that powers our nation is mined safely and the workers return home to their families. West Virginia’s know far too well the importance of keeping our miners safe on the job.” 
    SECRETARY CHAVEZ-DEREMER: “My goal as the agency head is to make sure every worker is protected. As far as it relates to the MSHA offices, we’re working with GSA, that is under GSA’s purview, I’m working with them and advocating for those leases to stay open.” 
    ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS IN WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: 
    SENATOR CAPITO: “What has worked in some instances in West Virginia has been a public-private partnership with workforce programs. Where students who are maybe a junior or senior, maybe they’re career and technical, maybe they’re in regular high school, or are unsure as to what direction they want to go. I’ll use Toyota as an example. They work with the local community college to do a blended work study program that at the end, really can result in a full-time job, a life job at with a great company, Toyota.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Celebrates Removal of Destructive Amodei Lands Proposal From Extreme House Budget Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following statement applauding the news that Congressman Mark Amodei’s (R-NV-02) hastily-drafted and misguided proposal to sell off public lands in Nevada was removed from the House Republicans’ extreme budget reconciliation package that they passed this morning. 
    “It’s great news for Nevada that Congressman Amodei’s flawed, hastily-drafted proposal to sell our state’s public lands has been removed from the extreme House Republican budget that passed today. This proposal would have led to Nevada losing out on the opportunity for hundreds of millions of dollars in funding so that it could instead pay for more tax cuts for billionaires,” said Senator Rosen. “I’ll keep working in the Senate to make sure my Washoe and Pershing County Lands Bills, which have been endorsed by a wide range of stakeholders in Nevada, are passed.”
    The flawed amendment proposed by Congressman Amodei would have sold off nearly 16,000 acres of public lands in Washoe County and hundreds of thousands of acres of public lands in Pershing County to pay for Congressional Republicans’ budget reconciliation proposal. It would have abandoned key provisions in the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act, also known as the Washoe County Lands Bill, and directed funds from public land sales in Nevada to the U.S. Treasury, instead of keeping the funding in Nevada. It also ignored the balance struck in the Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act.
    Senator Rosen’s Washoe County Lands Bill would: 
    Permanently protect a million acres of public lands, which Congressman Amodei cut in his proposal.
    Promote sustainable growth and economic development by directing over 15,200 acres of public lands to be made eligible for sale, all of which must be assessed for its suitability for new affordable housing. An additional 33 acres are set aside to only be sold for affordable housing. Any land sold for affordable housing would have to be sold at less than fair market value.
    Support local Tribal communities by expanding land held in trust by more than 8,400 acres for the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, 11,300 acres for the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, and over 1,000 acres for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, none of which was in the Amodei proposal.
    Provide local governments over 3,700 acres for public purposes such as parks, water treatment facilities, fire stations, and schools, all of which was excluded from the Amodei proposal. Land is specifically conveyed to Washoe County, the City of Reno, the City of Sparks, the Incline Village General Improvement District, the Gerlach General Improvement District, the State of Nevada, the Truckee River Flood Management Authority, the Washoe County School District, and the University of Nevada, Reno.
    Keep proceeds from land sales in Nevada for priorities like education and restoration around the Truckee River.
    For years, Senator Rosen has worked closely with a wide range of stakeholders across Washoe County to develop this comprehensive legislation. In 2023, she unveiled a working draft of the bill and collected feedback from hundreds of Nevadans during a public comment period, which she then incorporated into this legislation, which was previously introduced last year with the support of local government officials, conservation advocates, and business leaders.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Rosen, Rick Scott Pass Their Bipartisan Resolution Recognizing Jewish American Heritage Month Unanimously in Senate

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    In Remarks, Rosen Calls Out Heinous Murder of Israeli Embassy Employees at Jewish Museum Event
    Video can be found HERE.
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Rick Scott (R-FL) took to the Senate floor to condemn last night’s antisemitic attack in Washington, DC and pass their bipartisan resolution recognizing May as Jewish Heritage American Month. The resolution celebrates the many contributions of Jewish Americans to the United States and calls on elected officials, faith leaders, and civil society leaders to condemn and combat any and all acts of antisemitism. 
    “Like so many other Jews in America and around the world, I woke up this morning heartbroken by the news of yet another unspeakable act of antisemitic violence that occurred late last night. This shooting was antisemitism — plain and simple,” said Senator Rosen. “We cannot be silent. There is a desperate need to confront dangerous and growing antisemitism in our country and around the world, and to show that bigoted efforts to intimidate us will not work. That’s why I’m proud to have passed my bipartisan resolution with Senator Rick Scott to recognize and celebrate Jewish Americans and their accomplishments, and to encourage greater understanding. Together, we’ll continue working to build a more inclusive and welcoming America, where Jewish Americans can freely and proudly express their faith and identity.”
    “I am proud to once again recognize Jewish American Heritage Month with the unanimous passage of our bipartisan resolution honoring the profound contributions of Jewish Americans to our nation’s history, culture, and success,” said Senator Rick Scott. “As we continue to see a disturbing rise in antisemitism following Hamas terrorists’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, and in the wake of the tragic killing of two staff members from the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday night, this resolution reaffirms America’s strong and united commitment to stand with Jewish Americans and against hatred in all forms. In Florida, we are blessed to have incredible Jewish communities that enrich every part of our state. I am as committed as ever to working with leaders at the local, state, and federal levels to ensure these communities are safe, supported, and empowered to live freely and pursue the American Dream.”
    For years, Senator Rosen has worked across party lines to combat antisemitism and prevent efforts to do so from becoming politicized. In February, Rosen introduced the bipartisan Antisemitism Awareness Act, which directs the Department of Education to use the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when investigating antisemitic acts on college campuses. Earlier this year, Rosen introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen Holocaust education. Last year, Rosen’s bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Never Again Education Act became law. Rosen helped launch the first-ever Senate Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism with Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and led the push to create the first-ever national strategy to counter antisemitism. Senator Rosen also helped introduce a bipartisan resolution denouncing antisemitism at institutions of higher education, which passed the Senate unanimously.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal Statement on DHS Order Blocking International Students at Harvard

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

    SEATTLE, WA — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, released the following statement regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) announcement that they are revoking Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, ending international students’ ability to study at the school.

    “This is a remarkably dangerous and unlawful action from the Trump Administration. The decision to revoke Harvard’s SEVP certification is solely to settle a score and shut down any dissent, not to protect our national security. This decision will now throw thousands of students’ lives into limbo as they face an uncertain future in a foreign land that had previously welcomed them and their talents. As a foreign student myself when I first came to America, I can only imagine the sacrifices, the planning and the investment that has already gone into the decision to come here — to revoke these visas now is outrageous. 

    “And to attempt to deny the ability of Harvard to take any foreign students is both unlawful and deeply detrimental to our country’s own ability to innovate and attract talent from all over the world.  For generations, this country’s universities have been the bedrock of learning, and a thriving place for free speech, learning and growth. Trump is now turning them into places of fear, uncertainty, and chaos.

    “This action simply deters talent from coming to the United States, and is nothing more than a wannabe dictator trying to bully people into silence. It will weaken our educational institutions and our ability to innovate and hurt America and Americans.”

    As the Trump Administration continues to target immigrant students, Jayapal has been a vocal leader in the effort to protect them. She led a group of 142 Members of Congress in demanding answers regarding the termination of students’ legal status at schools across the country earlier this month.  

    Issues: Arts & Education, Immigration

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: $1 billion of Māori funding gone

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    The Government should hang its head in shame after a budget that takes a knife to more Māori programmes.

    “In Budget 2024 more than $300 million was cut from Māori specific initiatives – Te Arawhiti, The Māori Health Authority, and Māori TV. Budget 2025 cuts even deeper with around $750 million cut from Māori Housing, Māori economic funds, Māori Education and programmes like Māori trades training,” Māori Development spokesperson, Willie Jackson said.

    “Over the two budgets, Tama Potaka has now slashed more than $1 billion of Māori specific funding and that is shameful.

    “Louise Upston has also made the shameful choice to stop funding Māori trade training when Māori unemployment has risen to 10.5 percent, with no plan to support Māori into meaningful jobs.

    “The biggest hit is in Māori housing. Whai Kainga Whai Oranga and the whole Māori housing programme has been scrapped. In total $624 million has been wiped from the books.

    “Tama Potaka is ignoring the housing data showing Māori are in the most need and has chosen to wash his hands of Māori housing.

    “This government is providing a mere $3 million per year worth of new funding for Māori Wardens and the Māori Women’s Welfare League – yet has increased its ministerial budget for international travel by $2 million per year.

    “At the same time, David Seymour is introducing his Regulatory Standards Bill under urgency that extinguishes more Māori rights, cementing this government’s lack of care towards Māori.

    “This government has proven once again that it has turned its back on the Māori-Crown relationship,” Willie Jackson said.

    Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray Presses FDA Commissioner on Senseless and Inefficient Mass Firings, Conflicts of Interest at FDA & Trump Admin Laying the Groundwork to Rip Away Mifepristone

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Murray Grills Trump’s FDA Nominee on Cancellation of Critical Vaccine Meeting, Upholding Science on Mifepristone, Contraception

    ***WATCH: Senator Murray Q&A with Commissioner Makary***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, at a Senate Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA) Subcommittee hearing on the fiscal year 2026 budget request for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, grilled FDA Commissioner Marty Makary on the Trump administration’s reckless and chaotic efforts to fire thousands of critical employees at the FDA, conflicts of interest at the agency, and the Trump administration’s attempts to lay the groundwork to rip away access to mifepristone based on discredited junk science from anti-abortion activists.

    In opening comments, Vice Chair Murray said:

    “Commissioner Makary, the FDA has a really important job to do. Lives literally are at stake. And that work requires the utmost diligence, and care, and commitment to following the science and upholding FDA’s gold standard. We all expect to walk into the drugstore and know that what we are buying has passed a safety and efficacy standard. And we have to be assured of that, and we have to be assured that the work’s been done—that we don’t have to question that.  

    “So, I don’t think it’s careful leadership when one-in-five people across the FDA are fired, only to frantically then bring some back—because you didn’t stop and think two seconds about whether these jobs were actually important.

    “We really, Mr. Chairman, cannot cheap out on the FDA, and expect to maintain the gold standard that means that people know that drugs are safe.

    “We can’t just cut, cut, cut and hope no one gets sick when you’re slow to issue a recall, or hope no one needs that medicine that had its approval delayed, or hope there isn’t another infant formula issue while your staff are getting fired, or getting rehired, or wherever they are.

    “This work really takes investments, this Committee knows that, and it expects expert staff—like the people that have been shoved out the door. Drug approvals are already getting delayed. Food and drug safety inspections are lagging behind.

    “We are going in the wrong direction, fast. We still have yet to see from you a full budget request from you. That is unacceptable.

    “You are now testifying that the budget proposes to slash FDA by more than 11 percent. That’s actually news to all of us—and I will tell you right now, that is not going to fly. It is reckless, and it is not going to happen as long as I have anything to say about it.”

    [FDA STAFFING]

    Senator Murray began her questioning by pressing Dr. Makary on the harm and inefficacy caused by the Trump administration’s mass layoffs and efforts to push out qualified employees across FDA, which have resulted in more than 4,000 staff leaving the agency since the beginning of the Trump administration. “Commissioner Makary, when it comes to your mass firing of FDA employees, in April, you said, ‘I can tell you there were no cuts to scientists or inspectors.’ Well that is not true,” Senator Murray said. “I think Senator Ossoff covered that, and I think the point here is that all of this firing and rehiring—I don’t see how that’s efficient. Frankly, it kind of shows that you don’t know what you’re doing—and you’re breaking things in the process here. So, let me ask you a question, and hopefully it is an easy one for you. Does it save taxpayer dollars to fire staff who work in centers that are fully funded by user fees—not taxpayer dollars—yes or no?”

    “You asked me to do an assessment of the staff when I came here for my confirmation hearing, and I hear that you’re criticizing me for bringing back some individuals after the cuts that I was not a part of,” replied Commissioner Makary.

    “That’s good—I’m just saying in the long run, this has been very inefficient,” Senator Murray replied. “But my question to you is not about that it, and I know you’ve covered it with several other members. So does it save taxpayer dollars to fire staff who work with centers that are fully funded by user fees, not taxpayer dollars. Is that efficient?”

    “The cuts were to HR, IT, communications—,” Commissioner Makary said.

    Senator Murray pressed, “They’re funded by user fees, it is not saving any money.”

    “In part,” Commissioner Markey interjected.

    “But many of the staff you fired were in centers that are actually fully funded by user fees. You know that, correct?” Senator Murray clarified.

    Commissioner Makary continued to dodge.

    “I’m asking you a specific question about the centers that are fully funded by user fees,” Senator Murray continued.

    “That’s one center. That’s the tobacco center,” Commissioner Makary said. “You just said we can’t just keep cut and cut—we can’t keep hiring and hiring, the agency doubled since 2007. So, let me ask you, what is the right number of employees?”

    “No, you’re here to answer my questions here, and I’m going to ask some more,” Senator Murray replied. “Without critical support staff you fired, inspectors cannot plan their trips. They cannot do their jobs. I want to ask you, what percent of planned inspections has FDA missed since those April 1st firings?”

    Commissioner Makary said, “In the 12 labs that we have that evaluate food products in the food inspection realm, there are no—as of last week, I just did a check—there are no backlogs. They are running at 100 percent efficiency. There are no drug approval delays despite the—you know, what people want to attribute—”

    “That is not what I’ve been told. I have been told—and I would like you to go back and check and report back to us, because we know that some of the planned inspections… that were supposed to take place have been missed. And, to me, why that’s so important, if there is not inspections, the public doesn’t have the information that they need. I am going to run out of time, so I want to move on,” Senator Murray replied.

    “There are no cuts to inspectors,” Commissioner Makary said.

    “Will you go back and check for me, please?” asked Senator Murray.

    “Absolutely,” replied Commissioner Makary.

    [CONFLICTS OF INTEREST]

    Senator Murray continued by asking about reports of eyebrow-raising conflicts of interest at FDA: “I understand that the FOIA staff producing documents related to ongoing litigation by the Children’s Health Defense—Secretary Kennedy’s organization—was shielded from the RIFs, while other FOIA staff are responsible for FOIA responses at other FDA centers were targeted for termination. Is that true?,” Murray asked.

    “That’s not true, senator, we have our FOIA staff. They continue to work at the FDA. I’ve made sure that all the FOIA staff at the FDA are doing their job. We are also using AI to reduce the burden on that staff,” responded Commissioner Makary.

    Senator Murray pressed, “Well for the record, my understanding is that the Children’s Health Defense FOIA staff were not fired when other ones were… And that seems like a real conflict of interest to me, considering that the Secretary’s extensive history with that organization, Children’s Health Defense, and his goal to remove authorizations for vaccines. So, I just want that on the record—”

    “It’s not true. Well, all FOIA staff are in place,” Commissioner Makary continued to claim.

    [MIFEPRISTONE]

    Senator Murray moved on to her next question, pressing Commissioner Makary on the Trump administration’s attempts to lay the groundwork to restrict access to medication abortion based on junk science being pushed by anti-abortion extremists. Murray asked: “If a study came out saying that people who took a certain medication experience a certain rate of ‘serious adverse events,’ but the study’s authors refused to say what they were counting as an adverse event—would raise some serious questions about the study’s validity?”

    “Yes, senator. So I have the natural inquisition of a scientist that’s done a lot of research. So, I would want to see the underlying data, yes,” replied Commissioner Makary.

    “I am, of course, talking about the recent sham ‘study’ from the Ethics and Public Policy Center—it’s an anti-abortion group, it’s bank-rolled by extremists, they fought to overturn Roe v. Wade,” Murray said. “And this ‘study,’ if you can call it that, is unsound and has been widely panned by medical experts. But, days after its release, you and Secretary Kennedy are now suggesting we need a ‘complete review’ on the safety of mifepristone.”

    “Now, to be clear: mifepristone has been proven safe and effective in more than 100 studies over three decades. And the people that are now pushing that bogus ‘study’ and saying mifepristone is dangerous for women are the exact same people who think that abortion is never necessary to save a woman’s life, and that 10-year-olds should somehow be forced into childbirth. I believe that this administration is laying the groundwork to rip away access to medication abortion across the country,” Murray said. “This has not gotten enough attention. And I know you’d prefer to keep it that way, but I want you to know: I’m not going to let that happen.”

    “I have not seen that study, Senator, and you have not seen that study. So how can you call it a sham, bogus study? Neither of us have seen the study, the underlying data, or the methodology,” Commissioner Makary said.

    “Actually, that’s not true,” Murray replied. The Ethics and Public Policy Center is an anti-abortion advocacy group that was an advisory board member for Project 2025, has submitted amicus briefs to the Supreme Court opposing mifepristone, and does not believe in life-saving abortions—putting them far outside the medical mainstream. As the Washington Post fact-check of the ‘study’ points out, unlike most credible medical studies, the Ethics and Public Policy Center report did not undergo a formal external peer review before publication and “moreover, the report oddly does not reveal the database it used”—making it impossible for anyone to view the underlying data. That hasn’t stopped the anti-abortion Ethics and Public Policy Center from launching an activist campaign around the release of the data and even admitting the goal was to “eliminate” abortion pills.

    On May 14th in a HELP Committee hearing with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Jr. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) secured a commitment from Secretary Kennedy that HHS and FDA would review what RFK Jr. referred to as “alarming” new data on mifepristone—referencing the EPCC study alone. “It’s alarming, and it indicates that at the very least, the label should be changed,” Secretary Kennedy said. “I’ve asked Marty Makary at the FDA to do a complete review and report back.” Senator Hawley secured the same commitment from President Trump’s nominee to serve as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services in a HELP Committee hearing on May 8th—again, based solely on the EPCC ‘study’ that has not been peer-reviewed or published in a medical journal and has attracted widespread scrutiny for appearing to dramatically overstate what it characterizes as “serious adverse effects” associated with the pill.

    ____________________________________

    As a longtime appropriator and former Chair of the Senate HELP Committee, Senator Murray has a long history of demanding accountability and careful oversight when it comes to the safety of products families use every day. At the end of 2022, Senator Murray passed legislation giving FDA new authority to, for the first time ever, regulate the safety of cosmetic products and force a recall when necessary—and she successfully fought to secure funding for this important work last year as Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Senator Murray has also previously pressed FDA and industry for answers and action regarding asbestos in children’s make up kits, demanded answers from Johnson & Johnson regarding asbestos found in baby powder, and was a leading voice in holding FDA accountable and pushing for solutions following the infant formula contamination and shortage crisis in 2022.

    Senator Murray leads the Democratic caucus on reproductive health care and, throughout her career, has beat back countless Republican attempts to defund Planned Parenthood and other family planning services—and is widely credited with successfully pushing the Bush administration’s FDA to follow the science and make Plan B available over the counter. Senator Murray led the response in Congress to FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, a lawsuit brought by Republican anti-abortion extremists trying to rip away access to mifepristone, a safe and effective abortion medication that was approved by FDA in 2000—Murray led multiple amicus briefs, organized her colleagues, and raised the alarm at every turn. Last June, the Supreme Court dismissed the case on standing groups but Murray made clear that “the nationwide threat to medication abortion has not gone away—far from it. If Donald Trump and his anti-abortion allies return to power, they will do everything they can to rip away access to mifepristone and ban abortion nationwide.” Murray also spearheaded efforts in Congress urging the FDA to follow the science and review the application of Opill, the first over-the-counter birth control pill, after the FDA’s Advisory Committee voted unanimously to recommend FDA approval.

    In March, at Dr. Makary’s nomination hearing before the Senate HELP Committee, Senator Murray pressed Dr. Makary to commit to upholding the science on mifepristone and contraception—he refused to definitively answer her question.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: City centre opens up for more homes and jobs

    Source: Secondary teachers question rationale for changes to relationship education guidelines

    Taller buildings and increased development capacity are on the way for Auckland’s city centre, following Auckland Council’s decision to accept recommendations that will help deliver more homes, more businesses, and better access to the heart of Tāmaki Makaurau.  

    The decision was made by Auckland Council’s Policy and Planning Committee, which accepted in full a set of recommendations from the Independent Hearings Panel (IHP), an expert body established to hear public submissions and evidence on Plan Change 78. The IHP recommendations were based on extensive public input, expert evidence, and hearings.

    “As a city resident, I’m pleased plans to increase density to allow more growth in the central city under Plan Change 78 are now done and dusted. When I look at the swathes of people coming in and out of the city to work every day, this makes a lot of sense. It is also one of three growth areas highlighted in my manifesto”, says Mayor Wayne Brown.  

    Unlocking long-term capacity

    Chair of the committee, Councillor Richard Hills, says unlocking this amount of development capacity in the city centre makes room for well over four times the number of homes and businesses we have today. This enables around a 300 per cent increase in floor space. 

    “This is a positive step forward giving more people the chance to live, work, and study close to major transport, shops, and services, future-proofing our city for the people who live here now and the ones still to come. 

    “Our city centre is already one of Auckland’s fastest-growing residential areas and our largest employment hub. It supports around 159,000 workers and 15,500 businesses, contributing approximately 20 per cent of Auckland’s total GDP and around 8 per cent of New Zealand’s. 

    “Our decision today, will help create a more vibrant, bustling and lively city centre — one that’s alive with people, jobs, culture, and opportunity — like you see in successful cities around the world.” 

    “It also supports our investment in the City Rail Link and other city centre upgrades which is also helping to attract $6 billion of private-sector investment. This further strengthens the city centre’s role as a hub for jobs, housing, retail, hospitality, culture and community.” 

    What the changes involve

    Most of the changes the council publicly notified in Plan Change 78 were backed by the IHP with only a few minor differences, which advances the council’s overall growth strategy for the area. 

    Key changes include increasing building heights across much of the city centre and removing limits on floor areas to allow for a wider variety of building sizes and types. These changes are central to the council’s plan for more quality homes, businesses and services in the heart of Auckland and supporting a liveable, dynamic and attractive city centre. 

    18 midtown developments – recent, underway and planned – within 5 minutes’ walk of 3 Te Waihorotiu Station entrances. Station entrances shown in blue on map.

    What’s next for Auckland’s growth plan? 

    With the council’s decisions now made, they will be notified by 30 May 2025. Once notified they will be included in the Auckland Unitary Plan and are expected to become operative in June 2025. 

    Outside of the city centre, Auckland Council is working on a new plan change that will deal with two of the biggest challenges we face in our region – strengthening rules to better protect people from natural hazards such as flooding and enabling more housing in the right places, especially near large centres and transport hubs. On its own the legislation that underpins Plan Change 78 does not let us tackle the challenges that floods pose or consider the government’s proposal to opt out of the MDRS. 

    For this work to proceed, a change in legislation is required to allow the council to withdraw the remainder of Plan Change 78, except for the city centre decisions made today, which is being considered as part of the government’s RMA reforms. The council is currently working on an approach while we wait for central government to give the go ahead. 

    Key Changes

    • Maximum building heights have significantly increased within the City Centre Zone. In many areas, including along the western edge, height limits will increase from 30 metres to 72.5 metres, roughly 20+ storeys. In the core of the city centre there will be unlimited height (subject controls to protect sunlight access to key parks and open space, significant views of the harbour and maunga, and historic heritage). 

    • The council’s changes in the publicly notified Plan Change 78 allowed for four times more development capacity in the city centre over what currently exists. The IHP has made further changes to allow for even more capacity. 

    • Modelling is underway to calculate the differences between the notified capacity and the further increases made by the council’s decision today. 

    • Floor Area Ratios — planning rules that limit how much total floor space can be built on a site — have been removed. This will allow far more flexible building designs for commercial and residential use and allows for more efficient land use, as long as buildings meet other adaptable urban design rules.

    • The western edge of Karangahape Road will increase heights from 15 metres to between 35 and 72.5 metres, depending on the building type, allowing more development in a walkable, well-connected area near rapid transit. This does not affect historic heritage protections for Karangahape Road currently in place.

    • The council accepted IHP recommendations to slightly reduce the Karangahape Road Precinct by removing a small block that includes 538 and 582 Karangahape Road. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: More Teachers to benefit from flexible working

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    More Teachers to benefit from flexible working

    Government extend successful programme that supports teachers to plan lessons from home, job-share or work flexible hours.

    More teachers are expected to benefit from flexible working thanks to a successful initiative that will help improve teacher retention and deliver high standards for pupils. 

    The Government’s Flexible Working Ambassadors Programme has been extended for a further year to support more schools across the country, enabling teachers to plan lessons from home, job-share or work flexible hours – so they have the time and energy to be at the front of the classroom, delivering high and rising standards for children.

    As part of its Plan for Change, the Government is committed to recruiting an additional 6,500 expert teachers over the course of this Parliament, so every young person has access to an excellent education. The quality of teaching is the single biggest driver of higher standards in schools.

    Hundreds of millions of pounds are also being invested by Government to offer tax free financial incentives and professional development to attract and keep the best and brightest teachers across the country, alongside targeted action to improve teachers’ workload and wellbeing.

    This action is working, with two thousand more secondary school teachers training this year than last, a 25% increase in the number of people accepting teacher training places in STEM subjects, and more teachers forecasted to stay in the profession.

    The announcement today follows the Government accepting the schoolteachers’ pay body recommendation which will give teachers a pay boost of 4% from this September, taking a major step towards re-establish teaching as an attractive, expert profession. 

    This builds on the work already underway to drive high and rising standards for all schools, including a stronger accountability system through reforms to Ofsted inspection, new regional improvement teams to tackle poorly performing schools, and a new, rich and broad curriculum so pupils are set up for life, work and the future.

    Schools Minister, Catherine McKinnell said:

    My number one priority is making sure every child has an expert teacher at the front of their classroom, as we know high-quality teaching makes the biggest difference to education outcomes.

    We highly value our brilliant teachers, and they deserve working conditions that recognise their professionalism and support their wellbeing. 

    I’ve seen first-hand how working flexibly can transform teachers’ lives for the better and drive high and rising high standards for their pupils. Our Flexible Working Ambassadors Programme will help make sure we deliver on our pledge to recruit and retain more teachers.

    The latest figures show that 46 per cent of teachers had a flexible working arrangement in place in 2024, up by 6 percentage points since 2022. But with 47 per cent of teaching staff who said they were considered leaving state education citing a lack of flexible working opportunities as one of the reasons, the Government is going further and faster to ensure every school supports their staff’s working lives in modern, practical ways – delivering the best possible education for children and young people.

    Evidence shows a high-quality teacher can make around half a GCSE grade difference per pupil per subject, showing the importance of allowing teachers to work flexibly, to retain the best teachers and help children achieve and thrive. 

    Research also found 82 per cent of school leaders offering flexible working agreed that it had helped to retain teachers who might otherwise leave. 62 per cent of parents said children being taught by two teachers in a job-share arrangement had no impact, or a positive impact, on their child

    CEO of Reach Schools, Rebecca Cramer said:

    Flexible Working is imperative to keep great teachers in the classroom.  Through the FWAMS programme we have supported schools to employ a culture of openness and communication around how teachers work.

    Schools that think innovatively and embrace change around teachers’ work arrangements enhance teacher well-being and productivity and ultimately have a positive impact on the young people in our classrooms.

    Director of Humanities and Social Sciences at Reach Academy Feltham, Sarah Corrigan said:

    Flexible working has allowed me to stay in the classroom doing something that I love. Without the option of part-time work and some full-time flex, I would have struggled with my work life balance and would have left the teaching profession. 

    Reach has supported me to return from maternity leave on a part-time basis. Also, like all other teachers in our school, I have been encouraged to take advantage of flex to ensure that I don’t miss the big events in my and my family’s lives by using term time annual leave and compressed hours.

    The programme is free to all schools and helps to drive the culture change needed, by offering a range of practical support and resources for schools and teachers.

    The extension means more schools can get involved in every region of the country, with a focus on supporting schools in disadvantaged areas, as well as special and alternative provision schools where there can be additional challenges. 

    The Government is also leading the way in modernising the education sector by harnessing the power of AI to free up teachers’ time and unlock more pupil interactions.

    Using AI can reduce time spent on admin by several hours a week which is critical to retaining good teachers and bringing more people into the profession – so that teaching can once again be a profession that sparks joy, not burnout.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Thousands of young people set to benefit from new support into work and training

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Thousands of young people set to benefit from new support into work and training

    Thousands of young people across England will receive targeted support into work, under a new £45 million scheme launched by the Work and Pensions Secretary.

    • Landmark programme to support thousands of 18 to 21 year olds into education, work and training officially launches in Liverpool.
    • Marks major win in the Government’s Youth Guarantee to ensure all young people have the chance to upskill, earn or learn.
    • Comes as part of the Government’s Plan for Change to drive growth and break down barriers to opportunity by helping people into work.

    Thousands of young people across England will receive targeted support into work, under a new £45 million scheme launched by the Work and Pensions Secretary.

    The Youth Guarantee trailblazers will match young people to job or training opportunities and will provide all-important foundations for the national roll-out of the programme, ensuring all 18 to 21 year olds in England can access help to find work – breaking down barriers to opportunity as part of the Plan for Change.

    The trailblazers will play a key role in helping the government understand which local structures are most effective and in identifying the organisations best placed to deliver targeted support.

    They will also develop innovative ways to identify, engage and sustain contact with young people most at risk of falling out of education, employment or training.

    It comes as new ONS figures published today (Friday 23 May 2025) will reveal the number of young people not in education, employment or training, with the current figure standing at 987,000.

    Liverpool City Region is one of eight areas across England set to receive a £5 million investment into work with 18 to 21 year olds most at risk of falling out of education or employment.

    In its first year, the City Region aims to support tens of thousands of young people. Within this, the trailblazer will focus on vulnerable young people often facing the most complex barriers, including care leavers, nearly 40% of whom are not in employment, education or training.

    They will receive a range of support including work and training opportunities, free travel passes, mental health support and money advice.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

    Young people are our future – and yet for too long they have been denied access to the opportunities and support they need.

    At Liverpool FC, the home of champions, we are championing young people to get the skills, education and jobs they require to achieve their ambitions.

    We are investing £45 million – including almost £5m here in Liverpool – to deliver our Youth Guarantee, so every young person across England gets the chance to earn or learn, as we boost living standards and get Britain working under the Plan for Change.

    Further to this, Liverpool will work with over 600 employers to develop tailored roles and placements, and through the region’s BeMore portal which brings career and skills advice straight into your pocket. A panel made up of young people to ensure they are at the heart of decision making will also be set up.

    The city has already had success in tailoring support to meet the needs of young people, including:

    • Ethan who has cerebral palsy and had just finished university with no work experience. With the help of Liverpool, including support with housing, mental health and navigating familial challenges, Ethan gained part-time experience as a youth support worker and has since been offered a job with the Civil Service.
    • Luke who felt he was in a black hole searching for jobs but not being successful. He has since received an apprenticeship levy from Liverpool which meant he was able to do his Level 4 Marketing apprenticeship and now works in Product & Operations Market at Liverpool Football Club.
    • Ellie who decided to explore new career paths following mental health challenges. Through engaging with Liverpool, she was provided with a laptop in order to join the Movement to Work programme and has since been offered a job at the DWP.

    Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said:

    When I travel across our region, I feel fortunate to meet some of the best and brightest young people in the country. But for too long, too many of them have been held back from getting on in life, not because of a lack of talent, but by a lack of opportunity – and I have made it my mission to put that right.

    It’s because of the investments we’ve made, through initiatives like my Young Person’s Guarantee and BeMore, that we’ve been able to connect tens of thousands of people in our area with jobs and training opportunities. Now, backed by the government’s Plan for Change, we can go even further, giving even more young people the best possible start in life.

    Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said:

    Through our Plan for Change we are breaking down barriers to opportunity so every young person can get on in life, regardless of their background.

    The Youth Guarantee is a genuine game changer for young people in England. I’m delighted Liverpool is leading the way as one of our trailblazers – ensuring every young person has support to develop essential skills for work and life at the critical early stage of their careers.

    Every young person deserves the best life chances — and we won’t stop until everyone has a level playing field to succeed.

    Liz Kendall and Mayor Steve Rotheram unveiled the landmark programme at a careers fair in partnership with key Youth Guarantee partner, the Premier League.

    Hosted at the iconic Anfield Stadium, three days before the champions lift the Premier League Trophy, around one thousand 18 to 21 year olds attended with opportunities on offer from around 40 employers – including Liverpool FC Foundation, Everton in the Community, John Lewis, and Google.

    Clare Sumner, Chief Policy and Social Impact Officer at the Premier League, said:

    The Premier League and our clubs continue to support young people across the country with a range of positive opportunities that help them build self-confidence and fulfil their potential.

    The jobs fair at Anfield is the latest initiative supporting those who need it most in clubs’ local communities, and we will continue to work with Government to deliver similar events as part of the Youth Guarantee.

    The programme comes alongside an unprecedented £1 billion investment to support disabled people and those with long-term health conditions back into work, as well as major reforms to Jobcentres to better align their services with the needs of employers.

    Two youth trailblazers have already launched in London with more beginning to start work in the West of England, Tees Valley, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, West Midlands, and East Midlands

    As well as this, nine inactivity trailblazers backed by £125 million have been rolled out across England and Wales. These programmes will help areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity by connecting work, health and skills offers.

    Richard Rigby, Head of UK Government Affairs at The King’s Trust said:

    With almost one million young people across the UK waking up today with no job, no training, and no education to go to, the prominence being given to developing a Youth Guarantee is not only very welcome, but absolutely vital.

    Young people’s futures are worth fighting for. By getting behind them, we can all help to make the UK a healthier, wealthier, more positive, more cohesive place. The King’s Trust looks forward to working with local areas, including Liverpool City Region, to understand how we can help to deliver the Guarantee.

    Laura-Jane Rawlings MBE, Founder and CEO of Youth Employment UK, said:

    It is great to see the Youth Guarantee launch in Liverpool. The focus on providing young people with the tools that they need to transition into education, employment or training is critical.

    Young people, particularly those who are care experienced or care leavers face multiple barriers to accessing employment so I am pleased to see those barriers be recognised and tailored support put in place.

    Young people when in good quality employment not only add huge value to an employer but they are also much more like to feel fulfilled and happier.

    Susannah Hardyman MBE, CEO of Impetus, said:

    The Youth Guarantee Trailblazers are a vital step toward ensuring every young person – regardless of background – has the opportunity to thrive in employment. Targeted interventions are critical to reaching the young people furthest from the labour market.

    Our research shows that factors like socioeconomic disadvantage, lower educational qualifications, and geographic location can combine to make a young person nearly three times more likely to be not in education, employment, or training than average – but this is not inevitable.

    By connecting these young people with the right support and resources, we can spur economic growth, deliver on the Government’s opportunity mission, and transform lives.

    Sarah Yong, Director of Policy and External Affairs at the Youth Futures Foundation said:

    The launch of the eight trailblazers represents a positive first step in Government’s plans for its Youth Guarantee; we will await the learnings from these place-based approaches from this pilot year with interest.

    The voices and experiences of young people alongside high-quality evidence of what works will be crucial for the Government in further developing the Guarantee for national rollout.

    This comes as the government has, for the first time, linked immigration policy to our plan to deliver a higher skilled economy that backs British workers.

    Alongside boosting the National Living Wage, we are also creating more secure jobs through the Employment Rights Bill and overhauling Jobcentres as we Get Britain Working as part of the Plan for Change.

    Additional information:

    • The latest ONS young people not in education, employment or training statistics will be published on Friday 23 May at 9.30 here: Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), UK: May 2025 – Office for National Statistics
    • The eight youth trailblazers will be in: Liverpool, West Midlands, Tees Valley, East Midlands, West of England, and Cambridgeshire & Peterborough and two in London
    • Employment support measures are fully transferred to Northern Ireland. Jobcentre Plus services is reserved in both Scotland and Wales, but the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government also deliver other forms of employment support. The funding announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper is UK wide, the share of funding for devolved Governments will be calculated in the usual way.
    • The Youth Guarantee is an England only initiative, and trailblazer locations will reflect this since Skills, Education and Employment support are devolved in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
    • We will work closely with the devolved governments to share experiences and lessons learned.
    • Additionally, Wales have developed their own Young Persons Guarantee and Scotland also had one until recently (now a comprehensive offer for all age-groups)
    • The UK Government also plans to establish new governance arrangements with the Scottish and Welsh Governments to help frame discussions around the reform of Jobcentres and agree how best to work in partnership on shared employment ambition across devolved and reserved provision.
    • Movement to Work is a voluntary collaboration of leading employers in the UK, including the Department for Work and Pensions to help support young people into employment by providing vocational employment and work placement opportunities.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: State selects 24 students for West Virginia’s prestigious teaching scholarship  – West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission

    Source: US State of West Virginia

    Incoming college freshmen will receive $40,000 Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars award 

    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Twenty-four high school seniors who graduated this year have been selected as West Virginia’s sixth cohort of Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars. These students will receive the state’s newest and most prestigious scholarship of up to $10,000 per year – or $40,000 total – for their college education as they prepare to pursue rewarding careers as West Virginia teachers. 

    The Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program is a competitive scholarship for high school seniors and recent high school graduates with a passion for teaching and a history of high academic achievement, community service, and active involvement in extracurricular activities while in high school.

    “I’m incredibly proud of these young scholars, and I can’t wait to see what they accomplish over the next four years and beyond,” said Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia’s Chancellor of Higher Education. “This is West Virginia’s preeminent scholarship that is helping produce new generations of outstanding teachers who are eager to make a difference in their hometowns and in the Mountain State. We now have about 150 scholars pursuing their teaching careers right here at home, and we want them to know how important they are to the future of this great state.”

    The Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program is designed to help West Virginia address ongoing teacher shortages in the fields of math, science, special education, and elementary education. Recipients commit to teaching in one of these high-demand fields in West Virginia for at least five years after graduation. To give students the greatest chance at success, each is paired with a practicing classroom teacher mentor, who provides guidance throughout their college careers. 

    The 2025 Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars beginning their studies in West Virginia this fall are:  

    • Caelyn Bartley from Berkeley Springs High School will be studying elementary education at Shepherd University.
    • Haylee Chapman from Cabell Midland High School will be studying math at Marshall University.
    • Molli Taylor from East Fairmont High School will be studying special education at Fairmont State University.
    • Jenna Groves from Greenbrier East High School will be studying math at Concord University.
    • Donavin Penn from Greenbrier East High School will be studying elementary education at Marshall University.
    • Madison Sherman from Fisher will be studying elementary education at Shepherd University.
    • Abigail Lynch from Midland Trail High School will be studying elementary education at Fairmont State University.
    • Julia Oliverio from Morgantown High School will be studying math at West Virginia University.
    • Amelia Morgan from North Marion High School will be studying elementary education at Fairmont State University.
    • Kailyn Humphrey from Oak Hill High School will be studying elementary education at Concord University.
    • Sydney Davis from Parkersburg High School will be studying elementary education at West Virginia University.
    • Grace Martin from Petersburg High School will be studying elementary education at Shepherd University.
    • Audrey Mongold from Petersburg High School will be studying elementary education at West Virginia University.
    • Lucas Posey from Philip Barbour High School will be studying math at West Virginia University.
    • Miranda Gum from Pocahontas County High School will be studying elementary education at Glenville State University.
    • Elizabeth Handley from Point Pleasant High School will be studying elementary education at Marshall University.
    • Lukas Herrell from Sherman High School will be studying math at West Virginia State University.
    • Mary Morrison from St. Marys High School will be studying elementary education at WVU at Parkersburg.
    • Joshua Copley from Tug Valley High School will be studying science at Marshall University.
    • Carley Bryan from University High School will be studying elementary education at Fairmont State University.
    • Madalyn Brown from Westside High School will be studying elementary education at Concord University.
    • Ciera Faulstick from Wheeling Park High School will be studying elementary education at Wheeling Park High School.
    • Abigail Howard from Wheeling Park High School will be studying elementary education at West Virginia University.
    • Allison Hoffman from Winfield High School will be studying math at Marshall University.

    Scholar highlights will be featured throughout the month of July on the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s Facebook page.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Hirono Introduce the Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) introduced the Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act (REAHYA), legislation to authorize federal grants for comprehensive sex education programs and youth sexual health services, and end funding for harmful Title V abstinence-only programs. U.S. Representatives Alma Adams (D-NC-12) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07) will introduce companion legislation in the House. 

    Despite growing needs, young people across the country still lack access to comprehensive, evidence-based sex education and sexual health services. REAHYA aims to change that by creating federal grants that would fund programs at high schools, colleges, and organizations to support the sexual health and agency of students and young people. This legislation would also require program grantees to promote gender equity and offer instruction that is inclusive of young people with varying gender identities, gender expressions, and sexual orientations.

    “Young people need access to comprehensive sex education and sexual health services in order to make informed, responsible, and healthy decisions,” said Senator Booker. “Too many young adults are still receiving outdated and inaccurate information when it comes to making decisions about their sexual health, especially in underserved communities. This legislation aims to ensure sex education and sexual health programs are accessible and inclusive to everyone.” 

    “For too long, young people in our country have faced barriers to comprehensive, evidence-informed sex education and access to sexual health services, especially in underserved communities,” said Senator Hirono. “I am proud to reintroduce this legislation to help provide young people with the tools and knowledge they need to make informed decisions regarding their sexual health and to help them develop healthy relationships, while also promoting gender equity and offering education that is inclusive to people of all identities, expressions, and sexual orientations.”

    “For too long, our country’s sex education and sexual health resources have not met the needs of our young people, especially in underserved communities,” said Congresswoman Adams. “The Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act will arm our youth with the information and resources they need to make informed decisions on their bodies and their futures. Together we can work to reduce health disparities in our underserved communities and build a healthier future for generations to come.”

    “As the Trump administration continues to attack our reproductive rights and bodily autonomy and restricting access to scientifically accurate health information, this legislation is critical to protect and enhance young people’s access to comprehensive, culturally responsive, and equitable sex education,” said Congresswoman Jayapal. “REAHYA will equip young people with the necessary tools to make informed decisions about their relationships, sexual health, and overall well-being. This is an important step toward addressing disparities related to race, gender, and sexuality in current sex education programs, while also working to reduce rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.”

    Specifically, REAHYA would:

    1. Authorize funding for sex education programs at elementary and secondary schools, youth-serving organizations, and institutions of higher education;
    2. Ensure these programs are age-appropriate, medically accurate, and evidence-based;
    3. Provide grants for sex education teacher training;
    4. Establish grants for youth-serving organizations or health entities to deliver sexual health services for underserved youth; and
    5. Repeal the Title V Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Program.

    The Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act is endorsed by the following organizations: SiX Action, Equality California, Silver State Equality, American Humanist Association, Reproductive Health Access Project, AIDS United, National Council of Jewish Women, New Voices for Reproductive Justice, PWN-USA Ohio, Power to Decide, EducateUS, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, Ipas US, Ibis Reproductive Health, NASTAD, SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, Physicians for Reproductive Health, National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association, Healthy Teen Network, Reproductive Freedom for All, The Arc of the United States, ACA Consumer Advocacy, National Partnership for Women & Families, ETR, National Network of Abortion Funds, Center for Biological Diversity, In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda, Advocates for Youth, Guttmacher Institute, Vivent Health, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity.

    The Real Education and Access for Healthy Youth Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA).

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Erica Stanford – Growing and strengthening the education workforce

    Source: NZ Music Month takes to the streets

    The Government is ensuring more Kiwi kids benefit from quality teaching and leadership in the classroom by growing the number of teachers and backing school leaders through Budget 2025.

    “We know the most important part of a child’s education is the quality of the teacher in front of them. Developing the workforce of the future is one of my priorities for the education system. 

    “We want to grow, promote and support the education workforce by backing and strengthening our educators who every day deliver real change in the classroom,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says.

    To do this we are creating over 1,600 Full Time Equivalent teaching and learning support roles by 2028.

    Key Budget 2025 investments include:

    • $33 million to expand the School Onsite Training Programme (SOTP) by 530 places over four years and powering up marketing to reach more potential teachers in New Zealand and overseas.
    • $30 million to support up to 800 teachers over four years to access an Aspiring Principal Programme and doubling the Leadership Advisory Service from 16 to 32 Leadership Advisors.
    • $53 million to fund approximately 115,000 teacher registrations and practicing certificates over three years.
    • $3 million to deliver targeted professional learning and development to teacher aides.
    • $5 million into Professional Learning and Development for Literacy, Maths and Assessment, for 450-500 teachers working across Years 0-10.
    • $14.7 million into professional learning and development for up to 51,000 teachers and kaiako to develop their skills and proficiency in te reo Māori and tikanga to levels where they can confidently use it in the classroom. 

    “This Government is implementing an ambitious education reform programme that is defined by pace, clarity and outcomes. It is crucial we support the teaching workforce who is leading this reform.  

    “This builds on our continued commitment to support our fantastic teachers. We want to grow the skills and knowledge in our workforce. This not only benefits our educators, but gives our tamariki the very best chance to thrive at school and beyond,” Ms Stanford says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NZ Budget 2025: funding growth at the expense of pay equity for women could cost National in the long run

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Curtin, Professor of Politics and Policy, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Pay equity protest outside parliament on budget day, May 22 2025. Getty Images

    In 1936, when the National Party was created through a merger of the United and Reform parties, there was a recognition among the power brokers that attracting women’s votes was crucial.

    National’s women’s organisations were integral to mobilising support. Throughout the 1940s, the party’s publicity material promised the women of New Zealand a happy family life. This was a consistent approach over the next 20 years, and National was rewarded with the women’s vote.

    Intermittent research on gender differences in vote choice between 1963 and 1993 indicate women made up between 45% and 51% of National’s support compared to 36% and 43% of Labour’s support.

    After 1996, this trend became less consistent. The New Zealand Election Study indicates a decreasing share of the women’s vote going to National, and fluctuations in vote choice among both women and men.

    Given the advent of proportional representation, some volatility may be expected. But there are also some constants. There is evidence women are more likely than men to support government spending on social policy, and they are significantly less likely than men to vote for National’s coalition partners NZ First and ACT.

    Now, with Budget 2025 – in particular its reliance on funds that would otherwise have gone towards settling pay equity claims – National’s historical success at attracting the women’s vote may be under threat.

    Growth before pay equity

    The budget represents a ruthless determination to deliver economic growth, including through its centrepiece “Investment Boost” tax breaks for businesses investing in productive assets.

    There is additional funding for health, defence, education and disability services, and the establishment of a social investment fund, and the budget left national superannuation untouched (for the remainder of this coalition government’s term, at least).

    It focused instead on KiwiSaver. Contributions from employers and employees will increase from 3% to 4%, while the government contribution will be halved for those earning under NZ$180,000 and cancelled for those earning over this amount.

    In summary, the new operational spend comes to $6.7 billion while savings, reprioritised spending and revenue-raising initiatives totalled $5.3 billion. As a result, the government has produced the lowest operational allowance in a decade ($1.3 billion) and promised $4 billion in new capital expenditure.

    But it was the radical restructuring and cancellation of pay equity for a range of undervalued female-dominated occupations that funded this budget. Almost half of the $12 billion recouped will be spent on the business tax incentives.

    The government expects the initiative will increase GDP and wages by 1% to 1.5% over the next 20 years. But given the gender-segregated structure of New Zealand’s labour market, it may take some time for women to benefit from the Investment Boost.

    Pay equity peril: Finance Minister Nicola Willis delivers the budget while Prime Minister Christopher Luxon looks on.
    Getty Images

    The gender gap and economic growth

    Applying a systematic and evidence-based gender analysis as part of the budget preparation process would have revealed more inclusive ways of delivering economic growth.

    For example, OECD modelling demonstrates the historical importance of increases in women’s labour market participation for economic growth, but notes that persistent gender gaps remain in productive capcity and hours of employment.

    Closing these gaps could potentially add a 0.1 percentage point of additional economic growth per year, culminating in a 3.9% boost to GDP in the next 35 years.

    Moreover, increasing women’s labour force participation may be a valuable mechanism to limit declines in the size of the labour force, given the rapidly ageing population.

    Such an outcome would require increased government investment in childcare and early childhood education for under twos, ideally for more than 20 hours per week.

    This would be a significant investment, given OECD data shows the net cost of childcare in New Zealand is as much as 38% of a two-earner couple’s average earnings (after accounting for government subsidies or benefits). This is considerably more expensive than most OECD member states.

    Potential cost to National

    Income and spending averages often mask more extreme impacts for different groups of women and men. For example, traditional economic models value labour used in the production of goods and services in the “market economy” but exclude the production of goods and services for their own use.

    For wāhine Māori, non-market work includes care for whānau, community and land, as well as upholding the mana of the marae, and the intergenerational transfer of knowledge.

    Finally, implementing pay equity, recognising the economic value of the unpaid care economy, and providing increased financial support for childcare, would also contribute to closing the gender pension gap.

    Westpac data shows men have an average KiwiSaver balance 16% higher than women’s, most likely attributable to gender wage gaps and parenting career breaks.

    Therefore the reduction in government contributions to KiwiSaver, and National’s desire to lift the retirement age, matter more to women because statistically they have a longer retirement to fund.

    Budget 2025 came at a cost to many women in New Zealand, and it may yet come at a cost for National.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. NZ Budget 2025: funding growth at the expense of pay equity for women could cost National in the long run – https://theconversation.com/nz-budget-2025-funding-growth-at-the-expense-of-pay-equity-for-women-could-cost-national-in-the-long-run-257225

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Head knocks and ultra-violence: viral games Run It Straight and Power Slap put sports safety back centuries

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Christopher Yorke, Lecturer in sport management, Western Sydney University

    runitstraight24/instagram.com, The Conversation, CC BY

    Created in Australia, “Run It Straight” is a new, ultra-violent combat sport.

    Across a 20×4 metre grassed “battlefield,” players charge at full speed toward one another.

    Alternating between carrying the ball (ball runner) and defending (tackler), victory is awarded via knockout (a competitor cannot continue), or a judge’s decision based on an athlete’s dominance during the collisions.

    Despite neuroscientists issuing grave warnings about the brutal sport’s risks, Run It Straight’s viral popularity, including endorsement among high profile athletes, is accelerating.

    A growing scene

    This month, Melbourne hosted the inaugural “RUNIT Championship League” event.

    Footage showed some participants convulsing after their collisions as the winner celebrated, surrounded by children.

    Drawing hundreds of spectators and millions of online views, the full-speed collision challenge is already turning its violence and social media footprint into commercial success abroad, securing interest in the United States.

    The sport held some events in New Zealand this week, but one was was halted by Auckland Council due to safety concerns and failure to secure necessary permits.

    A history of sport and violence

    In ancient times, symbolic cultural displays of power and physical dominance featured in combat sports such as wrestling, boxing, pankration (a mixed martial art combining boxing and wrestling) and even armoured foot races.

    This brutal entertainment is reflected in contemporary collision sports such as the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australian Football League (AFL).

    In recent decades however, the danger of concussion has resulted in most contact sports changing rules and regulations to protect athletes from head injuries.

    Various measures have been implemented to mitigate, eliminate and treat head trauma.

    The Australian government is exerting influence and committing material resources to support athletes living with brain issues such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).



    Read more:
    When does the love of the game outweigh the cost? ABC’s Plum brings rugby league’s concussion crisis to the fore

    Considering this multi-pronged effort to make contact sports safer, the violence of Run It Straight is jarring.

    Why are these new sports so popular?

    With its origins as a social media challenge, Run It Straight is perfect content for short-form social media platforms: an entire competition can be distilled into a 30-second highlight.

    Run It Straight’s accessible and minimalist format is also attractive to fans compared to many collision sports that have complex rules and strategies. This can be a barrier to interest, engagement and commercial returns.

    Run It Straight and other emerging, violent sports such as Power Slap (a fight sport where contestants slap each other so hard they can be knocked unconscious) are simplistic and brutal.

    But athletes in most traditional collision sports use their physical ability and skill to evade contact. Similarly, boxing is not just about strikes to the head, it is punch evasion, physical fitness and point scoring.

    But the visual spectacle and shock of two people running toward one another for an inevitable collision is a form of violence that appeals to an increasing number of sport fans.

    The risks involved

    Run It Straight is a new sport, and to our knowledge there is no empirical peer-reviewed research focusing on it.

    But many neurologists have expressed concerns about its total disregard for scientific evidence showing repeated head trauma damages brain health.

    With Run it Straight appearing to lack the medical resources and infrastructure of professional sports organisations, and with the competition’s expressed intent to have participants collide at high speed, the risk of significant injury is high.

    Power Slap, though, has been the subject of empirical research. A 2024 study reported many of the sport’s combatants showed visible signs of concussion (motor incoordination, slowness to get up and blank and vacant looks during bouts).

    An opportunity for ‘traditional’ sports?

    The rise of Run It Straight and Power Slap creates a unique opportunity for the governing bodies of contact codes such as AFL, NRL and rugby union to highlight what sets them apart.

    Key to this is athlete safety. For years, governing bodies in these codes have invested time and resources to implement concussion management protocols at professional and community levels.

    Currently, the tournament-based format for individual adult participants allows Run It Straight to operate without the broader governance responsibilities of football codes.

    However, it is because of those governance responsibilities that the football codes can amplify their athlete wellbeing credentials to reassure participants and parents who may be nervous about concussion risks.

    Second, the football codes are organised team sports played with multiple players on a team, facilitating skill acquisition, teamwork, mental wellbeing and physical fitness. While there appears to be a degree of camaraderie during Run It Straight events, it is evidently a one-on-one competition.

    Ultimately, the rise and evident popularity of Run It Straight and Power Slap provides a stark reminder there will always be a section of society that is drawn to high-risk behaviours.

    In turn, the football codes should look to highlight the value of balance and their athlete wellbeing credentials.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Head knocks and ultra-violence: viral games Run It Straight and Power Slap put sports safety back centuries – https://theconversation.com/head-knocks-and-ultra-violence-viral-games-run-it-straight-and-power-slap-put-sports-safety-back-centuries-256473

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Golden Dome: An aerospace engineer explains the proposed nationwide missile defense system

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Iain Boyd, Director of the Center for National Security Initiatives and Professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder

    Posters that President Donald Trump used to announce Golden Dome depict missile defense as a shield. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein

    President Donald Trump announced a plan to build a missile defense system, called the Golden Dome, on May 20, 2025. The system is intended to protect the United States from ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles, and missiles launched from space.

    Trump is calling for the current budget to allocate US$25 billion to launch the initiative, which the government projected will cost $175 billion. He said Golden Dome will be fully operational before the end of his term in three years and will provide close to 100% protection.

    The Conversation U.S. asked Iain Boyd, an aerospace engineer and director of the Center for National Security Initiatives at the University of Colorado Boulder, about the Golden Dome plan and the feasibility of Trump’s claims. Boyd receives funding for research unrelated to Golden Dome from defense contractor Lockheed Martin.

    Why does the United States need a missile shield?

    Several countries, including China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, have been developing missiles over the past few years that challenge the United States’ current missile defense systems.

    These weapons include updated ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, and new hypersonic missiles. They have been specifically developed to counter America’s highly advanced missile defense systems such as the Patriot and the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System.

    For example, the new hypersonic missiles are very high speed, operate in a region of the atmosphere where nothing else flies and are maneuverable. All of these aspects combined create a new challenge that requires a new, updated defensive approach.

    Russia has fired hypersonic missiles against Ukraine in the ongoing conflict. China parades its new hypersonic missiles in Tiananmen Square.

    So it’s reasonable to think that, to ensure the protection of its homeland and to aid its allies, the U.S. may need a new missile defense capability.

    Ukrainian forces are using the U.S.-made Patriot missile defense system against Russian ballistic missiles.

    What are the components of a national missile defense system?

    Such a defense system requires a global array of geographically distributed sensors that cover all phases of all missile trajectories.

    First, it is essential for the system to detect the missile threats as early as possible after launch, so some of the sensors must be located close to regions where adversaries may fire them, such as by China, Russia, North Korea and Iran. Then, it has to track the missiles along their trajectories as they travel hundreds or thousands of miles.

    These requirements are met by deploying a variety of sensors on a number of different platforms on the ground, at sea, in the air and in space. Interceptors are placed in locations that protect vital U.S. assets and usually aim to engage threats during the middle portion of the trajectory between launch and the terminal dive.

    The U.S. already has a broad array of sensors and interceptors in place around the world and in space primarily to protect the U.S. and its allies from ballistic missiles. The sensors would need to be expanded, including with more space-based sensors, to detect new missiles such as hypersonic missiles. The interceptors would need to be enhanced to enable them to address hypersonic weapons and other missiles and warheads that can maneuver.

    Does this technology exist?

    Intercepting hypersonic missiles specifically involves several steps.

    First, as explained above, a hostile missile must be detected and identified as a threat. Second, the threat must be tracked along all of its trajectory due to the ability of hypersonic missiles to maneuver. Third, an interceptor missile must be able to follow the threat and get close enough to it to disable or destroy it.

    The main new challenge here is the ability to track the hypersonic missile continuously. This requires new types of sensors to detect hypersonic vehicles and new sensor platforms that are able to provide a complete picture of the hypersonic trajectory. As described, Golden Dome would use the sensors in a layered approach in which they are installed on a variety of platforms in multiple domains, including ground, sea, air and space.

    These various platforms would need to have different types of sensors that are specifically designed to track hypersonic threats in different phases of their flight paths. These defensive systems will also be designed to address weapons fired from space. Much of the infrastructure will be multipurpose and able to defend against a variety of missile types.

    In terms of time frame for deployment, it is important to note that Golden Dome will build from the long legacy of existing U.S. missile defense systems. Another important aspect of Golden Dome is that some of the new capabilities have been under active development for years. In some ways, Golden Dome represents the commitment to actually deploy systems for which considerable progress has already been made.

    Is near 100% protection a realistic claim?

    Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system has been described as the most effective system of its kind anywhere in the world.

    But even Iron Dome is not 100% effective, and it has also been overwhelmed on occasion by Hamas and others who fire very large numbers of inexpensive missiles and rockets at it. So it is unlikely that any missile defense system will ever provide 100% protection.

    The more important goal here is to achieve deterrence, similar to the stalemate in the Cold War with the Soviet Union that was based on nuclear weapons. All of the new weapons that Golden Dome will defend against are very expensive. The U.S. is trying to change the calculus in an opponent’s thinking to the point where they will consider it not worth shooting their precious high-value missiles at the U.S. when they know there is a high probability of them not reaching their targets.

    CBS News covered President Donald Trump’s announcement.

    Is three years a feasible time frame?

    That seems to me like a very aggressive timeline, but with multiple countries now operating hypersonic missiles, there is a real sense of urgency.

    Existing missile defense systems on the ground, at sea and in the air can be expanded to include new, more capable sensors. Satellite systems are beginning to be put in place for the space layer. Sensors have been developed to track the new missile threats.

    Putting all of this highly complex system together, however, is likely to take more than three years. At the same time, if the U.S. fully commits to Golden Dome, a significant amount of progress can be made in this time.

    What does the president’s funding request tell you?

    President Trump is requesting a total budget for all defense spending of about $1 trillion in 2026. So, $25 billion to launch Golden Dome would represent only 2.5% of the total requested defense budget.

    Of course, that is still a lot of money, and a lot of other programs will need to be terminated to make it possible. But it is certainly financially achievable.

    How will Golden Dome differ from Iron Dome?

    Similar to Iron Dome, Golden Dome will consist of sensors and interceptor missiles but will be deployed over a much wider geographical region and for defense against a broader variety of threats in comparison with Iron Dome.

    A second-generation Golden Dome system in the future would likely use directed energy weapons such as high-energy lasers and high-power microwaves to destroy missiles. This approach would significantly increase the number of shots that defenders can take against ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles.

    Iain Boyd receives funding from the U.S. Department of Defense and Lockheed-Martin Corporation, a defense contractor that sells missile defense systems and could potentially benefit from the implementation of Golden Dome.

    – ref. Golden Dome: An aerospace engineer explains the proposed nationwide missile defense system – https://theconversation.com/golden-dome-an-aerospace-engineer-explains-the-proposed-nationwide-missile-defense-system-257408

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump admin blocks Harvard from enrolling int’l students

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    The U.S. Donald Trump administration on Thursday revoked Harvard University’s certification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), effectively barring the institution from enrolling new international students.

    U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced the decision. “Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country,” Noem said in a statement. “Enrolling international students is a privilege — not a right — and that privilege has been revoked due to Harvard’s repeated failure to comply with federal law.”

    DHS said that in addition to barring enrollment of future international students, “existing foreign students must transfer to lose their legal status.”

    In response, Harvard issued a statement calling the administration’s action unlawful and harmful.

    “We are fully committed to maintaining Harvard’s ability to host our international students and scholars, who hail from more than 140 countries and enrich the University — and this nation — immeasurably,” the statement said. “We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community. This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission.”

    The administration in April froze 2.2 billion U.S. dollars in federal grants to Harvard, after the university rejected demands that it eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, and evaluate international students for ideological concerns.

    As of the fall 2023 semester, international students made up over 27 percent of Harvard’s student body, according to university data.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Banks Call for End of Taxpayer-Funded Student Loans for Terrorists

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Jim Banks (R-IN) in introducing the No Loan Forgiveness for Terrorists Act. This bill prohibits students from receiving credit for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) while working at organizations that engage in illegal activities. The legislation works to codify an Executive Order from President Trump that would end taxpayer-funded student loan forgiveness for students that participate in illegal, anti-American behavior.
    “Hard-working Americans should not be footing the bill for radical students who support and embolden blatant terrorism. No one should be rewarded for wreaking havoc on college campuses. The President has ended taxpayer-funded loan forgiveness, and it is Congress’ job to make his Executive Order permanent. I look forward to working with my colleagues to move this legislation along and stop funding college for terrorists,” said Sen. Tuberville.
    “Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to pay student loans for radicals who aid terrorists, mutilate children, or promote illegal immigration. This bill codifies President Trump’s order to stop subsidizing anti-American extremism,” said Sen. Banks.
    Read full text of the bill here. 
    BACKGROUND:
    Sen. Tuberville currently serves as the Chairman of the HELP Subcommittee on Education and the American Family, where he has frequently spoken out against the antisemitism, riots, and lawlessness we are seeing on college campuses. He has expressed that people have the right to free speech in this country, but they do not have the right to riot or commit crimes. If these students – or paid activists in some cases – are breaking the law, they should go to jail.
    The No Loan Forgiveness for Terrorists Act would:
    Preventing students from receiving credit through the PSLF program while working at organizations that engage in the following activities:
    Aiding or abetting violations of federal immigration laws
    Materially supporting terrorism
    Materially supporting the castration or mutilation of children
    Aiding and abetting illegal discrimination
    Violating State tort laws, including against trespassing and disorderly conduct
    Last year, Sen. Tuberville also cosponsored the No Bailouts for Campus Criminals Act which would prevent pro-Hamas protestors convicted of a crime from having their student loans forgiven. 
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Tuberville Honors Two Fallen Alabamians Ahead of Memorial Day

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    “We may never have met Michael or Jason, yet they courageously were willing to give their lives for their fellow Americans. We will continue to share their stories to ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten.”
    WASHINGTON – This week, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) honored two of Alabama’s fallen soldiers and their families in advance of Memorial Day. On the Senate floor, Senator Tuberville shared the stories of U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Michael Wesley Hosey of Clay and U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Jason Barfield of Ashford.
    Earlier this month, Senator Tuberville also introduced a resolution that would designate May 2025 as “Fallen Heroes Memorial Month.”
    Excerpts from Senator Tuberville’s remarks can be found below and his full remarks can be found on Rumble or YouTube. 

    MICHAEL WESLEY HOSEY
    “For U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Michael Wesley Hosey, there was never a question in anyone’s mind as to what he wanted to do when he grew up. Every Career Day, he would always dress up as a soldier. Michael loved reading about history —and he loved our country. So much so, that his friends and family gave him the nickname, ‘’Merican…’”
    “Because Michael was only 17 when he graduated from Clay-Chalkville High School, his dad, also named Michael, had to sign his permission for him to enlist in the Army. As a Vietnam veteran, the elder Michael knew all too well what his son was signing up for. Yet, the Hosey family supported Michael’s decision to serve his country. There’s no question that this courageous young man also came from a courageous family.”
    “Michael had a giving heart and continued to earn the trust of the locals—especially all the kids. His sister Laurie recalls him always asking his family to send candy when they sent him a package. At first, she found this odd because Michael wasn’t a big candy eater, but they’d always send Skittles or gum. She later realized Michael wasn’t asking for candy [for] himself—but to share with all the kids in the country. Sadly, Michael lost his life on September 17, 2011, during Operation Enduring Freedom—one week before his 28th birthday. When sharing his story, Laurie wants us to remember that ‘Freedom is not free.’ It’s a reality that her and Michael’s parents—Condi and the older Michael—still carry with them every single day.”
    JASON BARFIELD
    “Jason lived his life with the goal of making a difference. His mom Kelli says that Jason believed that there was good in everyone—even if you couldn’t find it at first, that just meant just to dig a little bit deeper. Jason lived by the motto that ‘Every Day is A Good Day.’ He also had a gift for music and was in the band at Ashford, Alabama, High school. He enjoyed singing in church, playing the saxophone, and was teaching himself to play the piano. Jason’s hard work and talents earned him a four-year band scholarship to Huntington College—but he chose to forego the scholarship to enlist in the Marines, because he wanted to be part of the best.”
    “Jason surprised his family for Christmas in 2010 and spoke about his new goal to re-enlist in the military and become a chaplain. The Barfield’s didn’t know this would be their last holiday that they would spend together. Jason was killed in action on October 24, 2011, at the young age of 22. Sensing the danger that was ahead, Jason pushed eight of his fellow Marines, a native translator, and a K-9 out of the way from the booby trap explosion that would claim his own life. Jason’s platoon Sergeant Gunney Thrash, said, ‘His name and his actions for his fellow Marines will outlive all of us.’”
    ON IMPORTANCE OF MEMORIAL DAY
    “Michael Wesley Hosey and Jason Barfield are two young men who never got to start a family or fully pursue their dreams. We are forever grateful and indebted to them for their sacrifice that gives us the assurance to continue to sing the national anthem, not with a question mark—but with a declaration that we are the ‘land of the free and the home of the brave.’  I’m reminded of the words in John 15:13—’Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.’ We may never have met Michael or Jason, yet they courageously were willing to give their lives for their fellow Americans. We will continue to share their stories to ensure their sacrifices are never forgotten. As Memorial Day approaches, I hope we take the time to honor America’s fallen, along with the brave families who have been left behind. May we never forget that freedom is not free.”
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Introduces Legislation to Protect Public Sector Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Bill Text (PDF)
    Washington (May 22, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today introduced the Public Service Worker Protection Act, legislation that would extend federal health and safety protections to public sector workers nationwide. The legislation is cosponsored by Democratic Leader Chuck  Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). Representatives Chris Deluzio (PA-17) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) introduced companion legislation in the House earlier this month.
    Specifically, the Public Service Worker Protection Act would amend the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970 to extend worker health and safety protections to public sector workers who are currently excluded. Nearly half of states and territories do not extend comparable health and safety protections to public sector workers. 
    “For too long, public sector workers across the country have been left vulnerable to unsafe working conditions,” said Senator Markey. “The Public Service Worker Protection Act would give public sector workers who tirelessly serve our communities the protections they deserve and ensure they are not taken for granted while the Trump administration continues to attack them and their rights.”
    The legislation is endorsed by the American Federation of State County and Municipal workers (AFSCME), American Federation of Labor & Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), Communications Workers of America (CWA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and United Steelworkers (USW).
    “For far too long, public sector workers have endured serious, job-related health and safety threats every single day on the job, simply because they do not have the basic, common-sense protections their counterparts in the private sector have under OSHA,” saidAFSCME Council 93 Executive Director Mark Bernard. “Many workers have come to accept these dangers as part of the job. Thankfully, we have leaders in Washington like Senator Markey who refuse to stand idly by and let this injustice continue. We are very grateful for Senator Markey’s support and look forward to what should be strong bi-partisan support for his legislation.”    
    “At MassCOSH, we believe that no worker should have to choose between their safety and their livelihood,” said Tatiana Begault, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health (MassCOSH). “The Public Service Worker Protection Act represents a long-overdue recognition that all workers deserve equal protection under the law. We commend Senator Markey for his leadership and urge swift passage of this critical legislation.
    “Every worker deserves a safe workplace, whether they’re in public service or work in the private sector,” said American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) President Lee Saunders. “But nearly 8 million public service workers still aren’t guaranteed basic safety protections on the job. In 23 states, frontline workers like EMS responders, road crews, and corrections officers are excluded from OSHA coverage — even though public service workers report injuries at a rate 81% higher than those in the private sector. It’s time to fix that. On behalf of the 1.4 million public service workers of AFSCME, we thank Senator Markey for sponsoring the Public Service Worker Protection Act, which would finally extend OSHA protections to public service workers nationwide. And we urge Congress to pass this legislation without delay, because protecting our communities starts with protecting the workers who keep America running.”
    “Millions of public sector workers across 23 states are currently excluded from the Occupational Safety and Health Act, including thousands of USW members who serve as crossing guards, probationary officers, city workers and much more. Last month, we celebrated Workers Memorial Day where we recommitted ourselves to advancing workplace health and safety, we applaud Senator Markey for introducing the Public Sector Worker Protection Act to close this loophole and protect public sector workers,” said David McCall, President of United Steelworkers (USW) International.
    “More than 50 years after the introduction of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, too many of the workers who keep our cities and towns running are at risk of injury, illness, and even death on the job,” said Liz Shuler, President of the AFL-CIO. “The Public Service Worker Protection Act will ensure that these workers will finally have the full protections they are entitled to under federal law. This bill is an important step forward in our fight to make sure every worker comes home from work safe. We urge Congress to pass it without delay.”
    “The fight for workplace safety is foundational to why the labor movement exists and core to the AFT,” said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). “No worker should fear for their safety on the job. We are proud to stand with Senator Markey as he introduces the Public Service Worker Protection Act. Far too many public employees are not covered by a state OSHA plan. This legislation would change that and be a meaningful step towards safer workplaces. Congress should take it up without delay.”
    “Public service workers have dedicated their lives to improving our communities, often putting their communities’ needs ahead of their own. Relying on individual states to implement their own health and safety plans is simply not enough. These workers deserve federal protections now. CWA proudly supports the Public Service Worker Protection Act, which extends OSHA protections to the public sector workers who keep our cities and states running. We commend Senator Markey for his leadership on this vital issue and call for the swift passage of this important legislation,” said Dan Mauer, Director of Government Affairs, Communications Workers of America (CWA).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Deaf President Now! traces the powerful uprising that led to Deaf rights in the US – now again under threat

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gemma King, ARC DECRA Fellow in Screen Studies, Senior Lecturer in French Studies, Australian National University

    Archival footage shows Tim Rarus, Greg Hlibok, Bridgetta Bourne-Firl and Jerry Covell, in Apple TV+ Deaf President Now! Apple TV+

    In March 1988, students of the world’s only Deaf university started a revolution that made national news. Now, the first film to document this historic uprising is screening on Apple TV+.

    At the same time, American universities are grappling with the consequences of President Donald Trump’s war on diversity, equity and inclusion.

    Gallaudet, home of the Deaf Rights movement

    By 1988, Washington DC’s Gallaudet University had been educating Deaf students in American Sign Language (ASL) for 124 years. But it had never had a Deaf president.

    For the first time, two Deaf candidates were in the running for the top job. One was Gallaudet’s own Irving King Jordan. The second was Harvey Corson of the American School for the Deaf.

    The third was Elisabeth Zinser, a hearing woman from the University of North Carolina Greensboro. She had no experience of Deaf community or knowledge of ASL.

    As the hearing board of trustees met to choose a new leader, the student body waited with bated breath. Self-determination in higher education – by the Deaf, for the Deaf – was finally a possibility. But once again the board chose a hearing person, Zinser.

    When chair Jane Spilman was questioned about the choice, she replied, “Deaf people are not ready to function in a hearing world.”

    Incensed, Gallaudet students barricaded the campus, gave impassioned media interviews and took to marching. First they marched around the university – Zinser effigies burning – and then all the way to the Capitol.

    The Deaf President Now protest became national news, leading to the resignations of Zinser and Spilman, and the appointment of Jordan as president. It also helped propel the Disability Rights Movement, contributed to the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act and inspired Deaf Pride movements around the world.

    Jane Bassett Spilman and Elisabeth Zinser resigned as a result of the Deaf President Now movement.
    Apple TV+

    Timely, vital and imperfect

    The 2025 documentary Deaf President Now! opens with footage of a political act: not from the 1988 protests, but from the present day, as the movement’s original student leaders – Bridgetta Bourne, Jerry Covell, Greg Hlibok and Tim Rarus – advise on their interview setups.

    One alerts the crew they can’t see the interpreter. Another explains how much signing space they need in the frame. A third asks, joking but incisive, “What’s the microphone for?”

    These aren’t throwaway moments; they show how inclusion and authenticity are only possible when Deaf people are in control of their own stories.

    The film excels in exposing the paternalistic attitude and tightly-held hearing power that has long shaped Deaf education.

    The film’s most powerful moments are when it contrasts the board’s dismissive rhetoric against the eloquent, impassioned arguments of the Deaf student body. Through intimate interviews and carefully curated archival footage, the documentary dismantles prevailing presumption that Deaf individuals need hearing oversight to succeed.

    At the same time, the film embodies a paradox that mirrors its subject matter, as it is co-directed by hearing filmmaker Davis Guggenheim and Deaf director Nyle DiMarco.

    DiMarco has been active in the screen industry for more than a decade, in acting roles and as a producer on Netflix hits Deaf U (2020) and Audible (2021). Though his involvement represents progress, Guggenheim’s raises an uncomfortable question: when will Deaf filmmakers fully own their narratives and be entrusted to lead projects?

    Nyle DiMarco and Davis Guggenheim co-directed the documentary, with interviews from several of the movement’s leading figures.
    Apple TV+

    The collaboration reflects how stories celebrating Deaf empowerment often require hearing endorsement to reach a mainstream audience. The film’s distribution on Apple TV+ offers unprecedented visibility, but comes through channels controlled by hearing decision-makers.

    This production context reminds us true representation extends beyond what appears onscreen, to who controls the storytelling process — a revolution unfinished in Deaf cinema.

    Using film for Deaf empowerment

    The industry may remain exclusive, but the camera itself can be a tool for Deaf power. Throughout history, Deaf individuals have harnessed film as a means of resistance.

    The extensive archival footage in Deaf President Now! shows how, by 1988, film was already being used by the Deaf community as a form of advocacy. Through the blending of this footage with present-day interviews in ASL, we witness Deaf individuals taking ownership of their history and recounting it in their authentic language form.

    The documentary also mirrors how media attention was integral to spreading the protest’s message back in 1988. This culminated in a national broadcast of a live debate between Zinser and Greg Hlibok, the then student body president.

    To understand the film’s profound importance for the Deaf community, we must recognise how sign languages have historically been undocumented in their true form, with speech and writing considered superior modes of communication.

    Deaf culture, language and community are powerful forces of resistance that have continually defied mainstream oppression.

    Trump: a step back for the movement

    While the film was long overdue, its arrival now is eerily relevant. Trump’s push for conservative policies – part of what he calls “Project 2025” – seeks to dismantle programs and funding that serve minority students, including disability groups.

    Many of the protections in the Americans with Disabilities Act are under threat as a result, including fundamental rights to sign language and interpreting access in higher education and beyond.

    According to the New York Times, hundreds of terms including “accessibility”, “disability”, “minority” and “inequality” are being limited or outright removed from official government materials. In some cases, grant proposals and contracts have been automatically flagged for including “woke” terminology.

    The spirit of the Deaf President Now! resistance has never been more vital.

    But if Deaf history has taught us anything, it’s that the Deaf community forges a deep sense of pride and connection in the face of such pressures. And films like Deaf President Now! show us how integral film is to this resistance.

    Gemma King receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    Samuel Martin and Sofya Gollan do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Deaf President Now! traces the powerful uprising that led to Deaf rights in the US – now again under threat – https://theconversation.com/deaf-president-now-traces-the-powerful-uprising-that-led-to-deaf-rights-in-the-us-now-again-under-threat-257233

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: KiwiSaver at a crossroads: budget another missed opportunity to fix NZ’s underperforming retirement scheme

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Aaron Gilbert, Professor of Finance, Auckland University of Technology

    Lynn Grieveson/Getty Images

    When KiwiSaver was introduced in 2007 it was built on a stark reality: New Zealand Super alone will not be enough for most people to retire with dignity.

    As the population ages and the cost of superannuation continues to climb, the gap between what the state provides and what retirees actually need is only going to grow. KiwiSaver was designed to bridge that gap – to give New Zealanders a fighting chance at financial independence in retirement.

    But changes to KiwiSaver laid out in this year’s budget undermine what was already an underperforming scheme.

    Despite 17 years of operation, KiwiSaver balances remain shockingly low. As of mid-2024, the average sits around NZ$37,000. That’s barely enough for a couple of years’ worth of modest top-ups, let alone funding a comfortable retirement.

    For many nearing retirement, balances are even lower. And about 40% of members aren’t actively contributing. That includes people on contribution holidays, in irregular work, or who opted out altogether. Many accounts are effectively dormant “ghost accounts” created by auto-enrolment and never activated.

    Let’s be blunt: a retirement savings scheme that doesn’t result in meaningful savings for the majority of its members isn’t working.

    The 2025 Budget from the National Party, ACT and NZ First, included changes to the KiwiSaver scheme.
    Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

    Small cuts, big consequences

    KiwiSaver’s design isn’t its only problem. Political decisions have steadily chipped away at the scheme’s effectiveness. Every tweak and cut might seem minor on its own. But together they’ve eroded the core engine of the scheme: compounding contributions over time.

    Take the $1,000 kick-start payment from the state, scrapped in 2015. Left invested in a growth fund for 40 years, that single payment could have grown to over $8,000.

    Or look at the member tax credit – an annual payment made by the government to eligible members. The reduction from $1,042 to $521.43 might seem modest, but over a working life, that change alone could shave more than $70,000 off your KiwiSaver balance. This year’s budget has cut it further to $260.72.

    Then there’s the tax on employer contributions – the amount paid into KiwiSaver by employers. For someone earning $80,000 a year, that tax can reduce total contributions by around 1% of salary annually. Over 40 years, that means nearly $100,000 less at retirement.

    These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet. They’re the difference between retiring with options and retiring with anxiety. The $200,000 that past policy changes have stripped from the average KiwiSaver balance could have provided an extra $170 a week in retirement – enough to cover basics like food, power or transport.

    By eroding those balances now, we’re not saving money. We’re simply passing the bill to future governments and taxpayers who will have to pick up the slack.

    The worst time to weaken saving

    There’s never a good time to undermine a long-term savings scheme, but doing it during a cost-of-living crisis is especially reckless. People are already struggling to keep up with everyday expenses. Contributions to KiwiSaver – despite their long-term benefits – are one of the first things households cut when budgets are tight.

    If people start to believe KiwiSaver won’t be there for them – or that it’s not worth the effort – they’ll opt out or reduce contributions. And the scheme, already struggling with engagement, will lose even more ground.

    Which brings us to the current budget.

    The changes to the member tax credit will undermine the core purpose of KiwiSaver, reducing the amount people will retire with by another $35,000 for someone investing for 40 years in a growth fund.

    Income-testing the member tax credit, coming into effect on July 1 this year, is pitched as targeting support where it’s needed. But that assumes income is a good proxy for need. It isn’t. Plenty of people have high incomes now but low KiwiSaver balances due to career gaps, home purchases or starting late.

    If we want to better target support, base it on balances, not income. That would help those with low savings regardless of their current salary – and encourage rebuilding after big life expenses, such as buying a first home.

    Raising the minimum contribution rate from 3% to 4% of gross salary sounds promising. Nudging people into saving more is smart policy – in theory. Plus requiring higher employer contributions is a welcome benefit.

    But with households stretched thin, there’s a real risk people will just cease contributing at all. The danger is we end up with a headline policy that looks bold but delivers little – or worse, backfires.

    The bottom line

    The bigger issue? These are tweaks around the edges. They don’t address the fundamental problem: KiwiSaver is not set up to deliver retirement security at scale.

    Plenty of experts have put forward good ideas to improve it. But right now, the urgent priority isn’t invention – it’s protection. Every time we reduce incentives, chip away at contributions or confuse the message, we undermine the very idea that long-term saving is worth it.

    A retirement savings scheme only works if people trust it. That means policy stability. That means recognising KiwiSaver not as a cost, but as a commitment – a promise that if you put money aside during your working life, the system will have your back when you stop.

    KiwiSaver is at a crossroads. It can continue its slow drift into irrelevance –eroded by short-term thinking and piecemeal reform. Or it can be treated as the critical infrastructure it is: a tool for ensuring financial independence in retirement and relieving future pressure on the public purse.

    Budget decisions should honour KiwiSaver’s original promise. We owe future retirees – and future taxpayers – nothing less.

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

    – ref. KiwiSaver at a crossroads: budget another missed opportunity to fix NZ’s underperforming retirement scheme – https://theconversation.com/kiwisaver-at-a-crossroads-budget-another-missed-opportunity-to-fix-nzs-underperforming-retirement-scheme-257341

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why Donald Trump has put Asia on the precipice of a nuclear arms race

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Langford, Executive Director, Security & Defence PLuS and Professor, UNSW Sydney

    For the past 75 years, America’s nuclear umbrella has been the keystone that has kept East Asia’s great‑power rivalries from turning atomic.

    President Donald Trump’s second‑term “strategic reset” now threatens to crack that arch.

    By pressuring allies to shoulder more of the defence burden, hinting that US forces might walk if the cheques do not clear and flirting with a return to nuclear testing, Washington is signalling that its once‑ironclad nuclear guarantee is, at best, negotiable.

    In Seoul, Tokyo and even Taipei, a once-unthinkable idea — building nuclear weapons — has begun to look disturbingly pragmatic.

    Nuclear umbrella starting to fray

    Extended deterrence is the promise the United States will use its own nuclear weapons, if necessary, to repel an attack on an ally.

    The logic is brutally simple: if North Korea contemplates a strike on South Korea, it must fear an American retaliatory strike, as well.

    The pledge allows allies to forgo their own bombs, curbing nuclear proliferation while reinforcing US influence.

    The idea dates to Dwight D. Eisenhower’s “New Look” military strategy, which relied on the threat of “massive retaliation” against the Soviet Union to defend Europe and Asia at a discount: fewer troops, more warheads.

    John F. Kennedy replaced that hair‑trigger doctrine with a “flexible response” defence strategy. This widened the spectrum of options to respond to potential Soviet attacks, but kept the nuclear backstop in place.

    By the 1990s, the umbrella seemed almost ornamental. Russia’s nuclear arsenal had rusted, China was keeping to a “minimal deterrent” strategy (maintaining a small stockpile of weapons), and US supremacy looked overwhelming.

    In 2020, then-President Barack Obama’s Nuclear Posture Review reaffirmed the umbrella guarantee, though Obama had voiced aspirations for the long‑term abolition of nuclear weapons.

    Barack Obama’s 2009 speech advocating nuclear disarmament in Prague.

    The Biden administration then embraced a new term – “integrated deterrence”, which fused cyber, space and economic tools with nuclear forces to deter potential foes.

    In recent years, however, North Korea’s sprint towards intercontinental ballistic missiles and the modernisation and expansion of China’s nuclear arsenal began testing the faith of US allies.

    Trump has now turbo‑charged those doubts. He has mused that his “strategic reset” ties protection to payment. If NATO’s Article 5 (which obliges members to come to each other’s defence) is “conditional” on US allies paying their fair share, why would Asia be different?

    Reports the White House has weighed a resumption of underground nuclear tests – and, under the Biden administration, even a more extensive arsenal – have rattled non‑proliferation diplomats.

    A Politico analysis bluntly warns that sustaining global “extended deterrence” in two parts of the world (Europe and Asia) may be beyond Trump’s patience — or pocketbook.

    A regional nuclear arms race

    Allies are taking note. Last month, an Institute for Strategic Studies survey found officials in Europe and Asia openly questioning whether an American president would risk San Francisco to save Seoul.

    In South Korea, public backing for a bomb now tops 70%.

    Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is, for the first time since 1945, considering a “nuclear sharing” arrangement with the US. Some former defence officials have even called for a debate on nuclear weapons themselves.

    Taiwan’s legislators — long muzzled on the subject — whisper about a “porcupine” deterrent based on asymmetrical warfare and a modest nuclear capability.

    If one domino tips, several could follow. A South Korean nuclear weapon program would almost certainly spur Japan to act. That, in turn, would harden China’s strategic outlook, inviting a regional arms race and shredding the fragile Nuclear Non‑Proliferation Treaty.

    The respected international relations journal Foreign Policy has already dubbed Trump’s approach “a nuclear Pandora’s box.”

    The danger is not just about more warheads, but also the shorter decision times to use them.

    Three or four nuclear actors crammed into the world’s busiest sea lanes — with hypersonic missiles and AI‑driven, early‑warning systems — create hair‑trigger instability. One misread radar blip over the East China Sea could end in catastrophe.

    What does this mean for Australia?

    Australia, too, has long relied on the US umbrella without demanding an explicit nuclear clause in the ANZUS treaty.

    The AUKUS submarine pact with the US and UK deepens technological knowledge sharing, but does not deliver an Australian bomb. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insists the deal is about “deterrence, not offence,” yet the debate over funding nuclear-powered submarines exposes how tightly Australian strategy is lashed to American political will.

    A regional cascade of nuclear proliferation would confront Australia with agonising choices. Should it cling to the shrinking US umbrella, invest in a missile defence shield, or contemplate its own nuclear deterrent? Any such move towards its own weapon would collide with decades of proud non‑proliferation diplomacy and risk alienating Southeast Asian neighbours.

    More likely, Canberra will double down on alliance management — lobbying Washington to clarify its commitments, urging Seoul and Tokyo to stay the non‑nuclear course, and expanding regional defence exercises that make American resolve visible.

    In a neighbourhood bristling with new warheads, middle powers that remain non‑nuclear will need thicker conventional shields and sharper diplomatic tools.

    This means hardening Australia’s northern bases against a potential attack, accelerating its long‑range strike programs, and funding diplomatic initiatives that keep the Non-Proliferation Treaty alive.

    The Trump administration’s transactional posture risks broadcasting a deficit of will precisely when East Asian security hangs in the balance. If Washington allows confidence in extended deterrence to erode, history will not stand still; it will split the atom again, this time in Seoul, Tokyo or beyond.

    Australia has every incentive to prod its great power ally back toward strategic steadiness. The alternative is a region where the umbrellas proliferate — and, sooner or later, fail.

    Ian Langford is affiliated with the University of New South Wales.

    – ref. Why Donald Trump has put Asia on the precipice of a nuclear arms race – https://theconversation.com/why-donald-trump-has-put-asia-on-the-precipice-of-a-nuclear-arms-race-256577

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Budget 2025: Pacific Ministry faces major cuts, yet new initiatives aim for development

    By ‘Alakihihifo Vailala of PMN News

    Funding for New Zealand’s Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) is set to be reduced by almost $36 million in Budget 2025.

    This follows a cut of nearly $26 million in the 2024 budget.

    As part of these budgetary savings, the Tauola Business Fund will be closed. But, $6.3 million a year will remain to support Pacific economic and business development through the Pacific Business Trust and Pacific Business Village.

    The Budget cuts also affect the Tupu Aotearoa programme, which supports Pacific people in finding employment and training, alongside the Ministry of Social Development’s employment initiatives.

    While $5.25 million a year will still fund the programme, a total of $22 million a year has been cut over the last four years.

    The ministry will save almost $1 million by returning funding allocated for the Dawn Raids reconciliation programme from 2027/28 onwards.

    There are two years of limited funding left to complete the ministry Dawn Raids programmes, which support the Crown’s reconciliation efforts.

    Funding for Pasifika Wardens
    Despite these reductions, a new initiative providing funding for Pasifika Wardens will introduce $1 million of new spending over the next four years.

    The initiative will improve services to Pacific communities through capacity building, volunteer training, transportation, and enhanced administrative support.

    Funding for the National Fale Malae has ceased, as only $2.7 million of the allocated $10 million has been spent since funding was granted in Budget 2020.

    The remaining $6.6 million will be reprioritised over the next two years to address other priorities within the Arts, Culture and Heritage portfolio, including the National Music Centre.

    Foreign Affairs funding for the International Development Cooperation (IDC) projects, particularly focussed on the Pacific, is also affected. The IDC received an $800 million commitment in 2021 from the Labour government.

    The funding was time-limited, leading to a $200 million annual fiscal cliff starting in January 2026.

    Budget 2025 aims to mitigate this impact by providing ongoing, baselined funding of $100 million a year to cover half of the shortfall. An additional $5 million will address a $10 million annual shortfall in departmental funding.

    Support for IDC projects
    The new funding will support IDC projects, emphasising the Pacific region without being exclusively aimed at climate finance objectives. Overall, $367.5 million will be allocated to the IDC over four years.

    Finance Minister Nicola Willis said the Budget addressed a prominent fiscal cliff, especially concerning climate finance.

    “The Budget addresses this, at least in part, through ongoing, baselined funding of $100 million a year, focused on the Pacific,” she said in her Budget speech.

    “Members will not be surprised to know that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has made a case for more funding, and this will be looked at in future Budgets.”

    More funding has been allocated for new homework and tutoring services for learners in Years nine and 10 at schools with at least 50 percent Pacific students to meet the requirements for the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA).

    About 50 schools across New Zealand are expected to benefit from the initiative, which will receive nearly $7 million over the next four years, having been reprioritised from funding for the Pacific Education Programme.

    As a result, funding will be stopped for three programmes aimed at supporting Tu’u Mālohi, Pacific Reading Together and Developing Mathematical Inquiry Communities.

    Republished from Pacific Media Network News with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What’s the difference between skim milk and light milk?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Margaret Murray, Senior Lecturer, Nutrition, Swinburne University of Technology

    bodnar.photo/Shutterstock

    If you’re browsing the supermarket fridge for reduced-fat milk, it’s easy to be confused by the many different types.

    You can find options labelled skim, skimmed, skinny, no fat, extra light, lite, light, low fat, reduced fat, semi skim and HiLo (high calcium, low fat).

    So what’s the difference between two of these common milks – skim milk and light milk? How are they made? And which one’s healthier?

    What do they contain?

    Skim milk

    In Australia and New Zealand, skim milk is defined as milk that contains no more than 1.5% milk fat and has at least 3% protein. On the nutrition information panel this looks like less than 1.5 grams of fat and at least 3g protein per 100 millilitres of milk.

    But the fat content of skim milk can be as low as 0.1% or 0.1g per 100mL.

    Light milk

    Light milk is sometimes spelled “lite” but they’re essentially the same thing.

    While light milk is not specifically defined in Australia and New Zealand, the term “light” is defined for food generally. If we apply the rules to milk, we can say light milk must contain no more than 2.4% fat (2.4g fat per 100mL).

    In other words, light milk contains more fat than skim milk.

    You can find the fat content by reading the “total fat per 100mL” on the label’s nutrition information panel.

    How about other nutrients?

    The main nutritional difference between skim milk and light milk, apart from the fat content, is the energy content.

    Skim milk provides about 150 kilojoules of energy per 100mL whereas light milk provides about 220kJ per 100mL.

    Any milk sold as cow’s milk must contain at least 3% protein (3g protein per 100mL of milk). That includes skim or light milk. So there’s typically not much difference there.

    Likewise, the calcium content doesn’t differ much between skim milk and light milk. It is typically about 114 milligrams to 120mg per 100mL.

    You can check these and other details on the label’s nutrition information panel.

    How are they made?

    Skim milk and light milk are not made by watering down full-cream milk.

    Instead, full-cream milk is spun at high speeds in a device called a centrifuge. This causes the fat to separate and be removed, leaving behind milk containing less fat.

    Here’s how fat is removed to produce skim and light milk.

    Who should be drinking what?

    Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend we drink mostly reduced-fat milk – that is, milk containing no more than 2.4g fat per 100mL. Skim milk and light milk are both included in that category.

    The exception is for children under two years old, who are recommended full-cream milk to meet their growing needs.

    The reason our current guidelines recommend reduced-fat milk is that, since the 1970s, reduced-fat milk has been thought to help with reducing body weight and reducing the risk of heart disease. That’s because of its lower content of saturated fat and energy (kilojoules/calories) than full cream milk.

    However, more recent evidence has shown drinking full-cream milk is not associated with weight gain or health risks. In fact, eating or drinking dairy products of any type may help reduce the risk of obesity and other metabolic disorders (such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes), especially in children and adolescents.

    The science in this area continues to evolve. So the debate around whether there are health benefits to choosing reduced-fat milk over full cream milk is ongoing.

    Whether or not there any individual health benefits from choosing skim milk or light milk over full cream will vary depending on your current health status and broader dietary habits.

    For personalised health and dietary advice, speak to a health professional.

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

    – ref. What’s the difference between skim milk and light milk? – https://theconversation.com/whats-the-difference-between-skim-milk-and-light-milk-255608

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Russia is labelling Oscar Jenkins a ‘mercenary’, not a prisoner of war. What’s the difference – and why does this matter?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Shannon Bosch, Associate Professor (Law), Edith Cowan University

    Oscar Jenkins, a 33-year-old former teacher from Melbourne, was one of many foreigners who responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call in 2022 for volunteers to join Ukraine’s armed forces to help repel Russia’s invasion.

    In early 2024, Jenkins joined Ukraine’s International Legion of Territorial Defence, which has attracted some 20,000 fighters from 50 countries since the war began. He had no previous military experience, but this wasn’t a requirement to join.

    In December, Jenkins was captured by Russian forces in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine and accused of serving as a “mercenary” in Ukraine’s 66th Mechanised Brigade’s 402nd Rifle Battalion. He was tried in a Russian court and sentenced on May 16 to 13 years imprisonment in a maximum-security penal colony.

    When a foreigner volunteers to fight in a war, their legal status under international law can be complicated.

    Are they a soldier with the full authorisation of one of the warring parties to engage in hostilities? Or are they an illegal mercenary?

    And what happens if they are captured?

    Why legal status matters

    The answers to these questions have very real importance to the thousands of foreigners who have joined Ukraine’s International Legion since 2022.

    Russian authorities have classified all of Ukraine’s foreigner fighters as “mercenaries”. They’ve used this label to deny foreign fighters the status of “prisoner of war” (POW), with the requisite protections that come along with that under international humanitarian law.

    While foreigners are permitted under international law to enlist in the armed forces of a state for political or moral reasons, mercenaries have historically been outlawed due to their sole motivation being financial gain.

    International humanitarian law (the rules that govern war) define mercenaries as individuals who are not nationals or residents of a state engaged in war and are recruited to fight outside that state’s official armed forces.

    They are motivated solely by private gain (like money or promises of reward), often well in excess of what the traditional armed forces are paid. Mercenaries are essentially professional soldiers who sell their services to a state without any real ties to that country.

    Once a fighter is classified as a “mercenary”, they lose all the legal protections that are traditionally afforded lawful combatants.

    This includes prisoner of war status if they are captured and immunity from prosecution for fighting in a conflict. Prisoners of war are also entitled to humane treatment and access to food and medical care. And they cannot be subjected to sham trials or torture.

    According to my research, many of the foreign nationals who joined the International Legion were motivated by a desire to defend Ukraine against Russia’s aggression. They were sworn into Ukraine’s armed forces and paid the same as a Ukrainian soldier of equal rank.

    Once enlisted in the armed forces, they were immediately exempt from “mercenary” status, irrespective of their motivation for joining.

    As such, these foreign fighters should be entitled to the full range of protections guaranteed to members of Ukraine’s armed forces under the Geneva Conventions.

    Labelling lawful foreign members of the Ukrainian armed forces as “mercenaries”, and denying them their protections, is an abuse of international law.

    How can Australia protect its nationals?

    If an Australian enlists in Ukraine’s armed forces and is captured by Russian forces, there is a limited toolkit the Australian government can use to help him or her. However, it is not powerless.

    Through its embassy in Moscow, Australia can request access to detainees to assess their welfare while in prison. Russia can, however, decline this access. Details of a detainee’s capture may also be withheld.

    Australia can also apply diplomatic pressure to ensure humane treatment of prisoners and their full POW rights.

    This can be done by working with international bodies, such as the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention or organisations like the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), which can request access to detainees.

    It appears the government is already doing some of these things. According to Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the government has been working with Ukraine and the ICRC to advocate for Jenkins’ welfare and release, and providing consular support to Jenkins’ family.

    Australia also has an obligation to warn its citizens they will likely face severe consequences if they travel to Ukraine to fight and are captured by Russian forces, given Russia’s misuse of the “mercenary” label.

    Through back-channel negotiations, Australia could also push Ukraine or its allies to include Australians being held by Russia in future prisoner swaps.

    In January of this year, Ukraine and Russia carried out such an exchange of 470 prisoners from both nations. And in talks last week in Turkey, both sides agreed to release another 1,000 prisoners on each side.

    Such exchanges have involved foreign fighters in the past. In 2022, 10 foreign citizens were included in a prisoner swap, including five Britons, two Americans, a Croatian, a Swede and a Moroccan. Several of them had been convicted of being mercenaries and sentenced to death after a Russian sham trial.

    There is no guarantee Jenkins would qualify for such an exchange, however, if Russia continues to classify him as a mercenary.

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

    – ref. Russia is labelling Oscar Jenkins a ‘mercenary’, not a prisoner of war. What’s the difference – and why does this matter? – https://theconversation.com/russia-is-labelling-oscar-jenkins-a-mercenary-not-a-prisoner-of-war-whats-the-difference-and-why-does-this-matter-256996

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Semicolons are becoming increasingly rare; their disappearance should be resisted

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Roslyn Petelin, Honorary Associate Professor in Writing, The University of Queensland

    Tung Cheung/Shutterstock

    A recent study has found a 50% decline in the use of semicolons over the last two decades. The decline accelerates a longterm trend:

    In 1781, British literature featured a semicolon roughly every 90 words; by 2000, it had fallen to one every 205 words. Today, there’s just one semicolon for every 390 words.

    Further research reported that 67% of British students never or rarely use a semicolon; more than 50% did not know how to use it. Just 11% of respondents described themselves as frequent users.

    These findings may not be definitive. According to the Guardian, the Google Books Ngram Viewer database, which surveys novels and nonfiction, indicates that

    semicolon use in English rose by 388% between 1800 and 2006, before falling by 45% over the next 11 years. In 2017, however, it started a gradual recovery, with a 27% rise by 2022.

    Yet when you put the punctuation mark itself into the database, rather than the word “semicolon”, you get a quite different result – one that looks very much like a steady decline.

    Virulent detractors

    The semicolon first appeared in 1494, so it has been around for a long time. So have arguments about it.

    Its dectractors can be quite virulent. It is sometimes taken as a sign of affected elitism. Adrian Mole, the pretentious schoolboy protagonist of Sue Townsend’s popular novels, says snobbishly of Barry Kent, the skinhead bully at his school: “He wouldn’t know what a semicolon was if it fell into his beer.” Kurt Vonnegut (whose novels are not entirely free of semicolons) said semicolons represented “absolutely nothing” and using them just showed that you “went to college”.

    Kurt Vonnegut, antagonist of the semicolon.
    Bernard Gotfryd / Adam Cuerden, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    Other writers have expressed pure animosity. American journalist James Kilpatrick denounced the semicolon “girly”, “odious”, and the “most pusillanimous, sissified utterly useless mark of punctuation ever invented”.

    The utility of this much maligned punctuation mark in contemporary prose has been called into question. British author Ben McIntyre has claimed Stephen King “wouldn’t be seen dead in a ditch with a semicolon”.

    He obviously hasn’t read page 32 of King’s wonderful book On Writing, where King uses semicolons in three sentences in a row.

    Impeccable balance

    Before I defend the semicolon, it is worth clarifying what it actually does. Its two uses are as follows:

    1) it separates independent clauses, but establishes a relation between them. It suggests that the statements are too closely connected to stand as separate sentences. For example: “Speech is silver; silence is golden.”

    2) it can be used to clarify a complicated list. For example: “Remember to check your grammar, especially agreement of subjects and verbs; your spelling, especially of tricky words such as ‘liaison’; and your punctuation, especially your use of the apostrophe.”

    Semicolons have long played a prominent role in classic literature. Journalist Amelia Hill notes that Virginia Woolf relies heavily on semicolons in her meditation on time, Mrs Dalloway. The novel includes more than 1000 of them, often used in unorthodox ways, to capture the flow of its protagonist’s thoughts.

    Virginia Woolf, semicolon enthusiast.
    Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

    Other supporters of the semicolon include Salman Rushdie, John Updike, Donna Tartt, Mark Twain, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. Novelist Philip Hensher has celebrated the semicolon as “a cherished tool, elegant and rational.” In 1953, theatre critic Kenneth Tynan called it “the prize-winning supporting crutch of English prose”.

    In his essay Semicolons: A Love Story, Ben Dolnick refers to William James’s deft use of semicolons to pile on the clauses. He claims this is like saying to a reader, who is already holding one bag of groceries, “Here, I know it’s a lot, but can you take another?”

    “The image of the grocery bags,” observed Mary Norris, a highly respected copyeditor at the New Yorker, “reinforces the idea that semicolons are all about balance.” Harvard professor Louis Menand has praised as “impeccable” the balancing semicolon on a public service placard (allegedly amended by hand) that exhorted subway riders not to leave their newspapers behind on the train: “Please put it in a trash can; that’s good news for everyone.”

    The poet Lewis Thomas beautifully captures the elegance of a well-used semicolon in his essay Notes on Punctuation:

    The semicolon tells you there is still some question about the preceding full sentence; something needs to be added. It is almost always a greater pleasure to come across a semicolon than a full stop. The full stop tells you that is that; if you didn’t get all the meaning you wanted or expected, you got all the writer intended to parcel out and now you have to move along. But with a semicolon there you get a pleasant little feeling of expectancy; there is more to come; read on; it will get clearer.

    As Australian novelist David Malouf has argued, the semicolon still has a future, and an important function, in nuanced imaginative prose:

    I tend to write longer sentences and use the semicolon so as not to have to break the longer sentences into shorter ones that would suggest things are not connected that I want people to see as connected. Short sentences make for fast reading; often you want slow reading.

    We cannot do without the semicolon. The Apostrophe Protection Society is going along very strongly. I would be more than happy to join a Semicolon Supporting Society.

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

    – ref. Semicolons are becoming increasingly rare; their disappearance should be resisted – https://theconversation.com/semicolons-are-becoming-increasingly-rare-their-disappearance-should-be-resisted-257019

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why do I procrastinate? And can I do anything about it?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Catherine Houlihan, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, University of the Sunshine Coast

    Dima Berlin/Shutterstock

    Can you only start a boring admin task once your house is clean? Do you leave the trickiest emails to the end of the day?

    Delaying a goal or task – usually to do something less important instead – is known as procrastination and it affects many of us. Most people report procrastinating some of the time, but for others it can be chronic.

    While procrastination is common, it can be frustrating and lead to feelings of shame, guilt and anxiety.

    Here’s why you might be avoiding that task – and five steps to get on top of it.

    Am I procrastinating?

    You might find yourself putting off starting something, abandoning it before it’s finished or leaving it to the very last minute.

    Thoughts such as “I can catch up later” or “I’ll turn it in late” can be telltale signs of procrastination. Maybe you’ve Googled “Why do I procrastinate?” while procrastinating and have come across this article.

    Other times, you might not even be aware you’re doing it. Perhaps you look up and realise you’ve been scrolling online shopping and kitten videos for the past hour, instead of doing your assignment.

    Procrastination is not a character flaw, and it doesn’t mean you’re lazy or even bad at managing time. Framing it this way can make you feel even worse about the behaviour, and stops you learning the real reasons behind it.

    If you want to stop procrastinating, it’s important to understand why you do it in the first place.

    You may find yourself doing another, less urgent task, without even realising you’re procrastinating.
    Daenin/Shutterstock

    Why do I procrastinate?

    Procrastination can be a way of dealing with tricky emotions. Research shows we put off tasks we find boring or frustrating, as well as those we resent or that lack personal meaning.

    We may avoid tasks that create stress or painful emotions, such as completing a tax return where you owe a lot of money, or packing up a parent’s house after their death.

    There a few deeper reasons, too.

    Procrastination can be a sign of perfectionism. This is when an intense fear of failure – of getting something wrong – creates so much pressure to be perfect that it stops us from even getting started.

    People with low self-esteem also tend to procrastinate, whether or not they experience perfectionism. Here, it’s a negative self-view (“I’m not good at most things”) coupled with low confidence (“I probably won’t get it right”) that gets in the way of beginning a task.

    Distraction can be a factor, too. Most of us battle constant interruptions, with pings and alerts designed to redirect our attention. But being very easily distracted can also be a sign you’re avoiding the task.

    For some people, difficulty completing tasks could be a sign of an underlying issue such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. If you’re worried procrastination is affecting your day-to-day life, you can speak to your doctor to seek help.

    Distraction can be a factor.
    F8 Studio/Shutterstock

    Is procrastination ever helpful?

    It depends.

    Some people enjoy the pressure of a deadline. Leaving a task to the last minute can be a strategy to improve motivation or get it done in a limited time.

    Procrastination can also be a coping mechanism.

    Delaying unpleasant tasks may make us feel better in the moment. Avoiding the task may mean we don’t have to face the possibility of getting it wrong, or the negative emotions or consequences it involves.

    But this usually only works in the short term, and in the long term it’s more likely to cause problems.

    Procrastination can trigger self-criticism as well as negative emotions such as guilt and shame.

    In the long term it can also lead to mental health problems including anxiety and depression. Procrastinating has even been linked to poor outcomes in education – such as being caught copying in exams – and at work, including lower salaries and higher likelihood of unemployment.

    So what can we do about it?

    5 steps to tackling procrastination

    1. Face it – you’re procrastinating. Being able to identify and name these patterns is the first step to overcoming procrastination.

    2. Explore why. Understanding the underlying causes is key. Are you afraid of getting it wrong? Is your to-do list unrealistic? Or do you just love a tight deadline? If your procrastination results from perfectionism or low self-esteem you may wish to explore evidence-based treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy, with a therapist or through self-guided activities.

    3. Start prioritising. Take a good look at your to-do list. Are the most urgent or important things at the top? Have you given yourself enough time to complete the tasks? Breaking a task into smaller chunks and taking regular breaks will help prevent you from becoming overwhelmed. If you’re not sure what’s the most important, try talking it through with someone. If you tend to leave the most boring things to the last minute and then never get around to them, set some time aside at the start of each day to get these tasks done.

    4. Avoid distractions. Set your phone to “do not disturb”, hang a sign on the door, tell those around you you’ll be “offline” for a little while. Setting a clear start and end time can help you stick to this rule.

    5. Build in rewards. Life is hard work – be kind to yourself. Whenever you complete a difficult task or cross something off your to-do list, balance this by doing something more enjoyable. Building in rewards can make facing the to-do list a little bit easier.

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

    – ref. Why do I procrastinate? And can I do anything about it? – https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-procrastinate-and-can-i-do-anything-about-it-255770

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Evidence shows AI systems are already too much like humans. Will that be a problem?

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Sandra Peter, Director of Sydney Executive Plus, University of Sydney

    Studiostoks / Shutterstock

    What if we could design a machine that could read your emotions and intentions, write thoughtful, empathetic, perfectly timed responses — and seemingly know exactly what you need to hear? A machine so seductive, you wouldn’t even realise it’s artificial. What if we already have?

    In a comprehensive meta-analysis, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, we show that the latest generation of large language model-powered chatbots match and exceed most humans in their ability to communicate. A growing body of research shows these systems now reliably pass the Turing test, fooling humans into thinking they are interacting with another human.

    None of us was expecting the arrival of super communicators. Science fiction taught us that artificial intelligence (AI) would be highly rational and all-knowing, but lack humanity.

    Yet here we are. Recent experiments have shown that models such as GPT-4 outperform humans in writing persuasively and also empathetically. Another study found that large language models (LLMs) excel at assessing nuanced sentiment in human-written messages.

    LLMs are also masters at roleplay, assuming a wide range of personas and mimicking nuanced linguistic character styles. This is amplified by their ability to infer human beliefs and intentions from text. Of course, LLMs do not possess true empathy or social understanding – but they are highly effective mimicking machines.

    We call these systems “anthropomorphic agents”. Traditionally, anthropomorphism refers to ascribing human traits to non-human entities. However, LLMs genuinely display highly human-like qualities, so calls to avoid anthropomorphising LLMs will fall flat.

    This is a landmark moment: when you cannot tell the difference between talking to a human or an AI chatbot online.

    On the internet, nobody knows you’re an AI

    What does this mean? On the one hand, LLMs promise to make complex information more widely accessible via chat interfaces, tailoring messages to individual comprehension levels. This has applications across many domains, such as legal services or public health. In education, the roleplay abilities can be used to create Socratic tutors that ask personalised questions and help students learn.

    At the same time, these systems are seductive. Millions of users already interact with AI companion apps daily. Much has been said about the negative effects of companion apps, but anthropomorphic seduction comes with far wider implications.

    Users are ready to trust AI chatbots so much that they disclose highly personal information. Pair this with the bots’ highly persuasive qualities, and genuine concerns emerge.

    Recent research by AI company Anthropic further shows that its Claude 3 chatbot was at its most persuasive when allowed to fabricate information and engage in deception. Given AI chatbots have no moral inhibitions, they are poised to be much better at deception than humans.

    This opens the door to manipulation at scale, to spread disinformation, or create highly effective sales tactics. What could be more effective than a trusted companion casually recommending a product in conversation? ChatGPT has already begun to provide product recommendations in response to user questions. It’s only a short step to subtly weaving product recommendations into conversations – without you ever asking.

    What can be done?

    It is easy to call for regulation, but harder to work out the details.

    The first step is to raise awareness of these abilities. Regulation should prescribe disclosure – users need to always know that they interact with an AI, like the EU AI Act mandates. But this will not be enough, given the AI systems’ seductive qualities.

    The second step must be to better understand anthropomorphic qualities. So far, LLM tests measure “intelligence” and knowledge recall, but none so far measures the degree of “human likeness”. With a test like this, AI companies could be required to disclose anthropomorphic abilities with a rating system, and legislators could determine acceptable risk levels for certain contexts and age groups.

    The cautionary tale of social media, which was largely unregulated until much harm had been done, suggests there is some urgency. If governments take a hands-off approach, AI is likely to amplify existing problems with spreading of mis- and disinformation, or the loneliness epidemic. In fact, Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has already signalled that he would like to fill the void of real human contact with “AI friends”.

    Relying on AI companies to refrain from further humanising their systems seems ill-advised. All developments point in the opposite direction. OpenAI is working on making their systems more engaging and personable, with the ability to give your version of ChatGPT a specific “personality”. ChatGPT has generally become more chatty, often asking followup questions to keep the conversation going, and its voice mode adds even more seductive appeal.

    Much good can be done with anthropomorphic agents. Their persuasive abilities can be used for ill causes and for good ones, from fighting conspiracy theories to enticing users into donating and other prosocial behaviours.

    Yet we need a comprehensive agenda across the spectrum of design and development, deployment and use, and policy and regulation of conversational agents. When AI can inherently push our buttons, we shouldn’t let it change our systems.

    Jevin West receives funding from the National Science Foundation, the Knight Foundation, and others. The full list of funders and affiliated organizations can be found here: https://jevinwest.org/cv.html

    Kai Riemer and Sandra Peter do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Evidence shows AI systems are already too much like humans. Will that be a problem? – https://theconversation.com/evidence-shows-ai-systems-are-already-too-much-like-humans-will-that-be-a-problem-256980

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Please don’t tape your mouth at night, whatever TikTok says. A new study shows why this viral trend can be risky

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Moira Junge, Adjunct Clincal Associate Professor (Psychologist), Monash University

    K.IvanS/Shutterstock

    You might have heard of people using tape to literally keep their mouths shut while they sleep. Mouth taping has become a popular trend on social media, with many fans claiming it helps improve sleep and overall health.

    The purported benefits of mouth taping during sleep are largely anecdotal, and include claims of better airflow, less snoring, improved asthma symptoms, less of a dry mouth, being less likely to have bad breath, and better sleep quality.

    As the trend has gained momentum in recent years the claims have also come to include improved skin, mood and digestion – and even a sharper jawline.

    The rationale for mouth taping during sleep is to encourage breathing through the nose rather than through the mouth. When a person’s nasal passages are blocked, breathing switches from the nose to the mouth. Mouth breathing has been linked to conditions such as obstructive sleep apnoea.

    But is mouth taping an effective way to address these issues, and is it safe? A new review suggests taping your mouth shut while you sleep offers limited benefits – and could pose risks.

    What did the review find?

    In a new paper, Canadian researchers reviewed the scientific literature on mouth taping, searching for studies that mentioned terms such as “mouth breathing”, “mouth taping” and “sleep”.

    They searched specifically for studies looking at people with known mouth breathing and breathing-related sleeping problems such as obstructive sleep apnoea to understand the potential benefits and harms of mouth taping for this group.

    Obstructive sleep apnoea is a condition where your airway is partly or completely blocked at times while you’re asleep. This can cause you to stop breathing for short periods, called “apnoeas”. Apnoeas can happen many times a night, resulting in lowered oxygen levels in the blood as well as sleep disruption.

    The researchers found ten eligible studies published between 1999 and 2024, with a total of 213 participants. Eight studies looked at mouth taping, and two studies involved using a chin strap to keep the mouth shut.

    Only two studies identified any benefits of mouth taping for mild obstructive sleep apnoea. The observed improvements – to measures such as oxygen levels in the blood and number of apnoeas per hour – were modest.

    And although they were statistically significant, they were probably not clinically significant. This means these changes likely wouldn’t make much difference to symptoms or treatment decisions.

    The remainder of studies found no evidence mouth taping helps to treat mouth breathing or related conditions.

    Mouth taping has become a popular social media trend.
    K.IvanS/Shutterstock

    What’s more, four studies warned about potential serious harms. In particular, covering the mouth could pose a risk of asphyxiation (lack of oxygen that can lead to unconsciousness or death) for people whose mouth breathing is caused by significant blockage of the nasal airways. This kind of nasal obstruction could be a result of conditions such as hay fever, deviated septum, or enlarged tonsils.

    In other words, mouth taping is definitely not a good idea if you have a blocked nose, as it’s unsafe to have both the nose and the mouth obstructed at the same time during sleep.

    What’s the take-home message?

    The authors concluded there are very few benefits and some potential serious risks associated with mouth taping in people who are mouth breathers or have obstructive sleep apnoea.

    They did however note we need further high-quality evidence to better understand if mouth taping is safe and works.

    This review didn’t focus on any research relating to mouth taping for proposed improvements to mood, skin, digestion, sharper jaw lines and other things, so the researchers could not draw conclusions about the efficacy and safety of mouth taping for those purposes.

    Snoring is one of the problems mouth taping has been suggested to help with.
    Kleber Cordeiro/Shutterstock

    Internationally, qualified sleep health professionals do not recommend mouth taping.

    If you have concerns about your sleep, the best thing to do is to consult trusted scientific sources or a health-care professional who will be able to guide you to address the underlying causes of your sleep challenges.

    Trying social media trends such as mouth taping before you seek expert advice could lead to delays in diagnosing serious conditions for which there are evidence-based treatments available.

    Mouth taping should definitely not be attempted in children.

    It’s possible that in some healthy adults, without respiratory conditions, without significant sleep disorders, and who don’t have tape allergies, that mouth taping could pose little harm and produce some modest benefits. But we don’t have enough evidence yet to know one way or the other.

    Moira Junge is CEO of The Sleep Health Foundation. She is also affiliated with the Healthylife Health Advisory Board and is a psychologist and clinic director at Yarraville Health Group.

    – ref. Please don’t tape your mouth at night, whatever TikTok says. A new study shows why this viral trend can be risky – https://theconversation.com/please-dont-tape-your-mouth-at-night-whatever-tiktok-says-a-new-study-shows-why-this-viral-trend-can-be-risky-256901

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –