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Category: Education

  • MIL-Evening Report: Victorian byelections: Liberals gain Prahran from Greens and Labor ahead in Werribee

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

    Byelections occurred on Saturday in the Victorian state seats of Prahran and Werribee. The Liberals gained Prahran from the Greens by a 51.6–48.4 margin, a 13.6% swing to the Liberals since the 2022 state election.

    Primary votes were 36.2% Liberals (up 4.8%), 36.2% Greens (down 0.6%), 12.8% for independent Tony Lupton, the Labor member for Prahran from 2002 to 2010, and 5.3% for another independent. Labor did not contest after winning 26.8% in 2022.

    The primary vote swings between the Greens and Liberals only explain 2.7% of the 13.6% two-candidate swing. In 2022, Labor preferences would have flowed strongly to the Greens, but at the byelection Lupton recommended preferences to the Liberals on his how-to-vote material. The Greens’ share of overall preferences plunged from nearly 80% in 2022 to 44%.

    In Werribee, Labor leads the Liberals by 50.6–49.4, a 10.4% swing to the Liberals since 2022. Primary votes are 29.0% Liberals (up 3.7%), 28.7% Labor (down 16.7%), 14.7% for independent Paul Hopper (up 8.8%), 7.5% Greens (up 0.7%), 7.3% Victorian Socialists (up 3.7%), 5.5% Legalise Cannabis (new) and 4.4% Family First (up 1.9%).

    Labor’s primary vote slumped in Werribee, but the Liberals were not the main beneficiary. There were just enough preferences from left-wing sources (Greens, Socialists and Legalise Cannabis) to put Labor over the line.

    The large majority of outstanding votes at these byelections will be postals. In postals counted so far in Werribee, the Liberals lead by 53–47, and they will need to increase that margin on remaining postals to erase Labor’s current lead. But later postals are usually better for left-wing parties than earlier ones.

    In Prahran, the Liberals lead the Greens on postals counted so far by 65–35. Later postals will probably be better for the Greens, but the Liberals will still win this byelection.

    In Prahran, the Greens should have been able to overcome a shift against them on preferences with an improved primary vote. Losing this seat, which they have held since the 2014 state election, is a dismal result for the Greens.

    Labor is likely to retain Werribee, but the slump in the Labor primary vote validates the recent Victorian Resolve poll that had Labor’s statewide primary vote at just 22% and the Liberals in a clear election-winning position.

    Victorian upper house reform delayed again

    Since winning government at the November 2014 election, Labor has done nothing to reform the upper house electoral system. The upper house still uses group ticket voting (GTV), which is no longer used in any other Australian jurisdiction.

    GTV was scrapped in New South Wales before the 2003 election, federally before 2016, in South Australia before 2018 and in Western Australia before this year’s March election. Other jurisdictions have never used GTV.

    The artificially strong preference flows produced by GTV can allow parties with very low vote share to win seats through preference deals by overtaking parties with a much higher vote. In a system where voters direct their own preferences, this does not occur.

    Analyst Kevin Bonham wrote on Friday that the parliamentary Victorian Electoral Matters Committee had recommended scrapping GTV, but the government has delayed any response until after the Committee publishes its final report in December. By this time, it will be difficult to make changes so that they can be implemented for the November 2026 election.

    Adrian Beaumont 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. Victorian byelections: Liberals gain Prahran from Greens and Labor ahead in Werribee – https://theconversation.com/victorian-byelections-liberals-gain-prahran-from-greens-and-labor-ahead-in-werribee-249446

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey: Trump and Musk Attack on National Institutes of Health Funding Is Targeted Attack on Massachusetts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Boston (February 8, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass), top Democrat on the Primary Health and Pensions Subcommittee of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released the following statement after the Trump administration announced significant cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding to support hospitals, universities, and research institutions conducting lifesaving research. The drastic limits on this funding would reduce the amount that these institutions are able to spend on researchers, laboratories, and students.  

    “Last night, Trump and Musk took drastic steps to make it harder to find a cure for cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, heart attacks, strokes, and other debilitating diseases that devastate millions of American families by illegally cutting National Institutes of Health funding.  

    “NIH funding is the lifeblood of Massachusetts’ innovation economy, creating jobs and fueling the engine for delivering lifesaving care and treatment across the country, and this is a direct attack on the Bay State. NIH isn’t just the National Institutes of Health, it’s the National Institutes of Hope, giving hope to patients and families for lifesaving medical discoveries.  

    “Instead of working to keep the American economy on the cutting edge, the Trump administration is bullying the Bay State and hamstringing U.S. leadership in medical research. Trump and Musk are cutting the research to cure the diseases that will soon overwhelm our ability to pay for treating millions who will be afflicted by these very same diseases. That’s not efficiency, that’s stupidity.  It’s not just bad values, it’s bad budgeting.   

    “This budget cut action is illegal. With billions in NIH funding going to both red and blue states, I urge all of my colleagues to join in opposing this overstep of presidential authority — driven by and for unelected billionaires – and not let these cuts stand.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Pillen Appoints Ramsey as District Court Judge for the Ninth Judicial District

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    . Pillen Appoints Ramsey as District Court Judge for the Ninth Judicial District

     LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced his appointment of Kane M. Ramsey as district court judge in the Ninth Judicial District.  This district consists of Buffalo and Hall counties.

    Ramsey has been a deputy county attorney with the Buffalo County Attorney’s Office since 2019. Prior to that, he was an associate attorney with the firm of Jacobsen, Orr, Lindstrom & Holbrook in Kearney.

    Ramsey received his bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL). He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law.

    The vacancy in the Ninth Judicial District was due to the appointment of Judge Ryan Carson to federal court.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Pillen Makes Appointment to Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    . Pillen Makes Appointment to Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

     

    LINCOLN, NE –Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced his appointment of Kurt Arganbright of Valentine to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Arganbright will serve as the representative for District 6.  His appointment is subject to confirmation by the Nebraska Legislature.

     

    Arganbright has been in private practice at Arganbright Law Office in Valentine since 2010 with expertise in agricultural law, real estate, estate planning and business planning. He also serves as county attorney for both Rock and Thomas counties. Additionally, his family owns and operates a cow-calf operation.

     

    Arganbright has served multiple entities in leadership roles including the Sandhills Cattle Association, Valentine Planning Commission, Agriculture Builders of Nebraska and the Nebraska State Bar Association.

     

    Arganbright has a degree in agricultural economics from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln (UNL). He received his juris doctor from the University of Nebraska College of Law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Pillen Testifies in Support of the Stand With Women Act

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    . The Governor’s testimony comes just two days after his trip to the White House where President Donald J. Trump signed the executive order: No Men in Women’s Sports. 

     

    In August 2023, Gov. Pillen signed his executive order establishing biological definitions for men and women and specifying that data collected on individuals by public schools, state agencies and offices reference the sex of the person at birth. He was the second governor in the nation to sign such an order and last month, hosted a news conference attended by athletes and state senators, supporting the introduction of LB89. 

     

    “We need to ensure that girls and women are not treated unfairly, especially in sports where men certainly have a physical, competitive advantage,” said Gov. Pillen. “Additionally, we need to afford girls and women the privacy and protection that they expect and deserve when they are in spaces where they could be most vulnerable to victimization.” 

     

    Much like the Governor’s executive order, LB89 also establishes biological definitions for men and women. Other provisions include:

    • Requiring signage designating that restrooms and locker rooms are specifically for use by either males or females
    • Prohibiting use of a restroom by a member of the opposite sex
    • Prohibiting biological boys or men from participating in girls’ or women’s sporting activities

     

    Requirements apply to schools, including post-secondary institutions, as well as state agencies. Exceptions are included for situations in which a member of the opposite sex would be allowed to enter a bathroom or locker room. 

     

    “I am thrilled that President Trump is fulfilling his promise to protect women and girls in athletics,” said Sen. Kauth. “This provides a supportive framework for states like Nebraska to implement bills like the Stand With Women Act to protect women and girls in all areas the state has responsibility. I look forward to strong support for the Stand With Women Act.” 

     

    Students from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, University of Nebraska — Kearney, high school and college athletes plus other advocates also spoke in favor of the bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Members Of Museum Heist Crew Found Guilty Of Conspiracy, Theft Of Major Artwork, And Concealment/Disposal Of Major Artwork

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicholas Dombek, age 54, of Thornhurst, Pennsylvania, Damien Boland, age 48, of Moscow, Pennsylvania, and Joseph Atsus, age 48, of Roaring Brook, Pennsylvania, were convicted on February 7, 2025, for conspiracy to commit theft of major artwork, concealment and disposal of major artwork, and interstate transportation of stolen property, as well as multiple related substantive offense, following a four-week jury trial before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion.

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Dombek, Boland, and Joseph Atsus were part of a larger nine-person conspiracy which lasted over 20 years and whose goal was to break into multiple museums and other institutions and steal priceless works of art, sports memorabilia, and other objects. Those objects include the following:

    • A Christy Matthewson jersey and two contracts signed by Matthewson stolen in 1999 from Keystone College in Factoryville, Pennsylvania;
    • “Le Grande Passion” by Andy Warhol and “Springs Winter” by Jackson Pollock stolen in 2005 from the Everhart Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania;
    • Ten (10) World Series rings, seven (7) other championship rings, and two (2) MVP plaques all belonging to Yogi Berra, worth over $1,000,000 stolen in 2014 from the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center in Little Falls, New Jersey;
    • Six (6) championship belts, including four belonging to Carmen Basilio and two belonging to Tony Zale, stolen in 2015 from the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York;
    • The Hickok Belt and MVP Trophy belonging to Roger Maris, stolen in 2016 from the Roger Maris Museum in Fargo, North Dakota;
    • The U.S. Amateur Trophy and a Hickok Belt awarded to Ben Hogan, stolen in 2012 from the USGA Golf Museum & Library;
    • Fourteen (14) trophies and other awards worth over $300,000, stolen in 2012 from the Harness Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Goshen, New York;
    • Five (5) trophies worth over $400,000, including the 1903 Belmont Stakes Trophy, stolen in 2013 from the National Racing Museum & Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York;
    • Eleven (11) trophies, including four (4) belonging to Art Wall, Jr., stolen in 2011 from the Scranton Country Club located in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania;
    • Three antique firearms worth a combined $1,000,000, stolen in 2006 from Space Farms Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey;
    • An 1903/1904 Tiffany Lamp stolen in 2010 from the Lackawanna Historical Society in Scranton, Pennsylvania,
    • “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Cropsey, worth approximately $500,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey;
    • Two antique firearms worth over $300,000, stolen in 2011 from Ringwood Manor in Ringwood, New Jersey;
    • $400,000 worth of gold nuggets, stolen in 2011 from the Sterling Hill Mining Museum in Ogdensburg, New Jersey;
    • Various gems, minerals, and other items stolen in 2017, from the Franklin Mineral Museum in Franklin, New Jersey;
    • An antique shotgun worth over $30,000, stolen in 2018 from Space Farms Zoo & Museum in Wantage, New Jersey;
    • Various jewelry, rings, and other items from various antique and jewelry stores in New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania.

    Five additional co-conspirators pled guilty pursuant to felony informations and are awaiting sentencing. Former co-defendant Alfred Atsus was acquitted of the three counts against him at trial.

    After stealing the above-described items, the conspirators would transport the stolen goods back to northeastern Pennsylvania, often the residence of Dombek, and melt the memorabilia down into easily transportable metal discs or bars.  The conspirators would then sell the raw metal to fences in the New York City area for hundreds or a few thousands of dollars, significantly less than the sports memorabilia would be worth at fair market value.

    Dombek burnt the painting “Upper Hudson” by Jasper Cropsey, valued at approximately $500,000, to avoid the painting being recovered by investigators and used as evidence against the members of the conspiracy. The whereabouts of many of the other paintings and stolen objects are currently unknown, however, several antique firearms stolen from the Space Farms Zoo and Museum and the Ringwood Manor Museum, both in New Jersey, were recovered by investigators.

    The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, the New Jersey State Police, the New York State Police, the New Jersey State Park Police, the Newport Police Department (Rhode Island), the Fargo Police Department (North Dakota), the Chester Police Department (New York), the Exeter Borough Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Scranton Police Department, the Franklin Police Department (New Jersey), the Village of Goshen Police Department (New York), the Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, D.C.), the West Milord Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Montclair Police Department (New Jersey), the Saratoga Springs Police Department (New York), the Canastota Police Department (New York), the South Abington Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Bernards Township Police Department (New Jersey), the Salisbury Township Police Department (Pennsylvania), the Montclair State University Police Department (New Jersey), the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office (Pennsylvania), the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office (New Jersey), the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (New York), and multiple other local law enforcement agencies from across the country.  Assistant United States Attorneys James M. Buchanan, Jenny Roberts, and Sean Camoni prosecuted the case.

    Sentencing is not yet scheduled.  The defendants face a maximum penalty of imprisonment for a term of five years for the conspiracy conviction and maximum penalties of ten years’ imprisonment for each additional count of conviction, as well as a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Future professionals begin their journey at the State University of Management

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On February 8, the State University of Management held an “Initiation into Future Professionals” event, timed to coincide with the celebration of Science Day.

    More than 500 tenth-graders from Moscow’s entrepreneurial classes gathered within the walls of the university.

    The curator of the city project “Entrepreneurial Class in a Moscow School” Gulnara Koshimbetova greeted the children and encouraged them to share their opinions about the training.

    “Today, this event is taking place in all the project partner universities. It is important that we have gathered at the State University of Management. The first half of the training year has passed, and you have an idea of the project. Perhaps you have ideas on how to make it more significant and effective. You can tell us about it in the feedback form, and we will take your wishes into account. Wear the badges of the entrepreneurial class with pride and may your path lead to great success,” Gulnara Kashulbekova wished.

    Nikolai Mikhailov, Advisor to the Rectorate of the State University of Management, also gave a speech.

    “It is no coincidence that representatives of the entrepreneurial classes gathered at the State University of Management, because our university has extensive experience in training managers not only for the public sector, but also for various sectors of the economy. From the presentation, you already learned that the State University of Management was founded in 1919. But recently, our historians have established that the university was actually created on the basis of the Alexander School, which opened back in 1879. And it turns out that the State University of Management is older. Our university is not only the first management university in the country, we are now restoring everything related to the engineering direction, including engineering and economics, which is especially in demand today,” noted Nikolai Nikolaevich.

    In addition, the advisor invited the children to the university’s Open Day, which will take place on March 26.

    The official part was continued by the Vice-Rector of our university, Pavel Pavlovsky, who spoke about the various entrepreneurial opportunities for schoolchildren.

    “I would like to name one more reason why GUU is an entrepreneurial university: it is young at heart. Just yesterday I was on the radio and the host said that an entrepreneur is someone who sees the difference between supply and demand and levels it out. I will add that entrepreneurship, in my opinion, is not so much about profit as it is about opportunities for people. We want to teach you how to create good for the country and benefit all citizens. For example, GUU master’s students are already implementing programs in federal camps, conducting a course on business and entrepreneurship, helping 14-17 year olds understand this area and realize themselves,” said Pavel Vladimirovich.

    The program of the event, along with official performances, included bright numbers from the KVN team of the State University of Management and the vocal group “StuDos”.

    After the concert, the tenth-graders took the Solemn Oath of Future Entrepreneurs and went to their classrooms, where they were treated to master classes from graduates of the State University of Management who had become successful entrepreneurs: Vice President of the Novard Group of Companies Sergey Sarkisov, founder of GoTrans Elmira Shagiakhmetova, and General Director of Project 21 Anesti Xinoupoulo.

    The guests talked about their path to success, encouraged the children to be brave and believe in themselves, and also answered questions from those gathered.

    In addition, throughout the event, GUU students conducted various activities for young guests and introduced them to the rich extracurricular activities of the university. The stands presented the V.I. Vernadsky EcoClub, the Mind Games Club, the StuDos Creative Team, the Business and Entrepreneurship Course Project, and the State University of Management Student Fire and Rescue Squad.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 02/08/2025

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko congratulated RUDN on its 65th anniversary

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko congratulated RUDN on its 65th anniversary

    18 hours ago

    Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko congratulated the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN) on its 65th anniversary.

    “Our President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has set the task of providing education in Russia for at least half a million foreign students by 2030. RUDN University is successfully solving this task, making a serious contribution to strengthening friendship and mutual understanding between people of different nationalities and cultures,” the Deputy Prime Minister noted.

    Over the years, the university’s teaching staff has trained tens of thousands of qualified specialists for the economics and social sphere.

    “Today, RUDN is a multidisciplinary scientific and educational center and a leading platform for global student exchange. More than 35 thousand students study at the university, 9 thousand of whom came to us from 160 countries. I am confident that talented, goal-oriented graduates will contribute to the promotion of fruitful international cooperation,” Dmitry Chernyshenko emphasized.

    The Deputy Prime Minister thanked the rector and the university team for their professionalism and dedicated service to Russian education and science, and wished the teachers and students good health, prosperity and new achievements.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US sovereign wealth fund: A feasible idea to invest strategically, or a giant opportunity for waste?

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Patrick J. Schena, Professor of Practice and International Business, Tufts University

    U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order to create a U.S. sovereign wealth fund on Feb. 3, 2025 Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

    Could the United States soon be joining the likes of Norway, Kuwait and Mongolia in having a national reserve to invest on projects of strategic interest? If President Donald Trump gets his way, then perhaps so.

    On Feb. 3, 2025, Trump issued an executive order calling for the creation of a U.S. sovereign wealth fund.

    This was not entirely unexpected. After all, the idea had been floated in September 2024 not only by the Trump team, but also by President Joe Biden’s Treasury Department.

    Many at the time, including myself, deemed it far-fetched at best. But with the initiative now gaining traction, the time is certainly ripe to imagine what a U.S. sovereign wealth fund might look like.

    What is a sovereign wealth fund?

    In their most basic form, sovereign wealth funds are pools of government savings, usually accumulated over many years through the sale of commodities, traded goods, government-owned companies and land-use rights, among other sources.

    They share a variety of objectives, such as stabilizing government finances, ensuring the funding of retirement or education programs, saving for future generations or even managing state-owned corporations.

    They generally diversify investment across assets, geographies and sectors, including some, such as sports and entertainment in the case of Saudi Arabia, that are aligned with national development goals.

    Sovereign wealth funds are usually associated with great wealth – Norway’s “oil fund” is estimated to be worth US$1.7 trillion. With regard to scale, Norway is hardly alone. And Norway’s fund is typical in another respect: sovereign wealth funds are often based in smaller countries with outsized natural resources, like Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, or even tiny Guyana in the Caribbean.

    In reality, most sovereign wealth funds are more modest in size relative to their gross domestic products.

    How long have SWFs been around?

    Sovereign wealth funds are hardly new. The so-called modern era of sovereign wealth funds dates to the early 1950s with the creation of the Kuwait Investment Board.

    But some government investment funds, such as the Texas Permanent School Fund, established in 1854, long predate the Kuwait Investment Board.

    As is evident in the case of Texas, there are many such funds already operating in the U.S., including those in Alaska, New Mexico and Wyoming – all of which identify as “sovereign wealth funds.” These, of course, are state funds, but the term “sovereign” is generously applied.

    Sovereign wealth funds often invest outside of their geographies, not only to diversify returns but to avoid stimulating higher inflation that may result from investing at home.

    In fact, the U.S. has benefited from investments by other countries’ sovereign wealth funds. Developed market economies like the U.S. are attractive destinations for investment, given the relative strength of their institutions and the scale and liquidity of their financial markets.

    Still, over the last decade there has been a rapid expansion in the number of sovereign wealth funds investing domestically, particularly in support of strategic national goals. Some of these include funds in Ireland, India and Indonesia.

    Their investment programs target critical sectors and national “champions,” with a goal to mobilize foreign capital for co-investment in local markets.

    Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo plays for Al-Nassr, in which Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has a controlling stake.
    Abdullah Ahmed/Getty Images

    The fundamental questions of a fund

    What could a U.S. sovereign wealth fund look like? Would it be well funded? And if so, how? Through taxes, treasury bond proceeds, budget transfers, tariffs?

    Would it invest globally or domestically? Could it be used to reinforce the Social Security system? Will it be used to tackle the dual deficits of budget and trade? Or will it have a strategic mandate – to enhance national security, energy security or climate security?

    These are all fundamental questions that must be carefully examined; creating a sovereign wealth fund should not be a backroom exercise. It needs to be conducted openly, with expert input and public deliberation.

    The process belies even more challenging organizational and governance decisions concerning the legal structure, ownership and management of the fund, the independence of its governing board, and its distance from government influence in its decisions.

    After all, the history of sovereign wealth funds is not without failed attempts. Take Malaysia’s 1MDB, which was usurped for political and personal gain and became a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal, or Venezuela’s macrostabilization and development funds, which were both effectively exhausted.

    In these cases – and others – the breakdown can be connected to failures in governance, both in design and culture, and ultimately traced back to politics.

    Where does the US start?

    It is interesting to note that it was George W. Bush’s Treasury Department during the financial crisis in 2008 that was most influential in encouraging sovereign wealth funds to define a framework of governance practices and principles.

    Known as the Santiago Principles, this set of 24 precepts, agreed to in 2008, are intended to ensure transparent and sound governance with adequate operational controls, risk management and accountability.

    To be successful and in line with the Santiago Principles, a U.S. sovereign wealth fund would have to be grounded in a functional governance structure that allows investment projects to be evaluated based on commercial merit.

    It would also need to be free of political interference and operate openly, transparently and at arm’s length from any personal or professional interests of any related parties.

    Where would it invest?

    The next thing to consider is the fund’s investment objectives and strategy. Trump has suggested that such a fund could be used to buy TikTok. But would that represent a strategic investment that advances the national competitiveness of the U.S.?

    Perhaps instead, a sovereign wealth fund might be better placed investing a majority of its capital in private markets and core infrastructure in the U.S. under a focused strategic mandate that directs money to key national priorities.

    Essential here is for the fund to be “additional.” That is to say it would invest in projects that other investors would not be able to finance on their own due to scale, difficulty or duration. In essence, the fund would “crowd in” investors, rather than crowding them out.

    And what about funding?

    Perhaps the most critical question still remains: Where will the money come from?

    Increased taxes are a nonstarter due to political will and, of course, Trump’s campaign commitments.

    Treasury bond issuances would only increase U.S. debtedness and likely lead to higher inflation. Allocations from the government’s own budget also seem to be a non-starter, as U.S. budget deficits have long been well-entrenched.

    The president has suggested that a fund could use tariff payments – but the reality of the tariff rollout is itself questionable and apparently open to negotiation.

    Malaysia’s 1MDB financed the Tun Razak Exchange tower, the tallest building in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. But it was also the source of the biggest corruption scandal in Malaysian history.
    Ore Huiying/Getty Images

    A more practical option may be a take on the traditional private equity limited partnership. In this model, the U.S. serves as general partner and joins other institutional investors – including other sovereign wealth funds – to invest in the fund.

    As general partner, the U.S. would appoint a management team that would select and manage the investments – for a fee, of course. Its mandate would be to target strong market returns, while advancing the strategic national interests of the U.S.

    The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund in India is one such example. This approach would require a smaller initial capital commitment from the U.S. and give the manager discretion over where and how to deploy capital. Needless to say, the call for strong foundational governance is reinforced under such a plan.

    To be clear: The challenges, constraints and risks of launching a U.S. sovereign wealth fund are orders of magnitude greater than similar endeavors in Guyana or Suriname.

    Imagining the creation of a fund is certainly feasible. But ensuring the fund will genuinely enhance the intergenerational welfare of all Americans may still be far-fetched.

    Patrick J. Schena has not in the last 4 years received grant funding to support his research. He collaborates in areas of mutual research interests with the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds for which he receives no compensation.

    – ref. US sovereign wealth fund: A feasible idea to invest strategically, or a giant opportunity for waste? – https://theconversation.com/us-sovereign-wealth-fund-a-feasible-idea-to-invest-strategically-or-a-giant-opportunity-for-waste-249005

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SPbGASU celebrates Russian Science Day with new achievements

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering –

    Russian Science Day was established by decree of the President of the Russian Federation in 1999 in honor of the 275th anniversary of the founding of the Russian Academy of Sciences. This is a professional holiday for those who have dedicated their lives to research that is important for the country, who contribute to scientific and technical progress and strive to look into the future.

    The focus of SPbGASU scientists is on such important topics as improving building materials, construction in permafrost conditions, improving labor safety, developing new methods for assessing the condition of historical buildings and their restoration, etc.

    Let us list just some of the scientific works of the past year. Mikhail Zhavoronkov, associate professor of the Department of Construction Materials Technology and Metrology, developed a setup for testing fiber concrete for crack resistance. Egor Golov, associate professor of the Department of Transport Systems and Road and Bridge Construction, proposed fundamental solutions for creating a digital twin of the road and transport infrastructure to improve road safety. Anna Grishina, associate professor of the Department of Construction Materials Technology and Metrology of St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, created an antifungal modifier that protects building materials.

    The laboratory of the Department of Construction Materials Technology and Metrology has completed studies of samples of plaster mortars and other finishing materials from the house of the architect Alexander Bryullov, which will help restore the building to its historical appearance. In the future, they will be used in the restoration of other objects.

    The research topic of Andrey Boyarintsev, senior lecturer of the Department of Geotechnics, is composite piles. In 2024, the young scientist patented his fifth invention. Together with a graduate of the master’s program, Alexandra Zybtseva, he created a device for accurately measuring the temperature of the soil, which is very important for construction.

    Yuri Zgoda, a postgraduate student at the Department of Information Systems and Technologies at SPbGASU, has developed a web application for high-performance computer modeling of thin-walled shell structures.

    In 2024, the university’s teachers and postgraduate students defended one dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Science (Associate Professor of the Department of Information Systems and Technologies Alexey Semenov) and 16 dissertations for the degree of Candidate of Science.

    Three patents for an invention, four for a utility model, 12 certificates of state registration of a computer program and two certificates of state registration of a database were received.

    The scientific and technical peer-reviewed journal “Bulletin of Civil Engineers” has maintained its status and has been assigned to category 1 in the List of Russian peer-reviewed scientific journals.

    The Startup Forsage project of the student scientific society won the competition for grants from the federal budget to support student scientific communities, organized by the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia.

    Significant events for the university include the scientific and technical conference for the 90th anniversary of the Department of Geotechnics, the international conference “Organization and Safety of Road Traffic in Large Cities”, the international scientific and practical conference “Information Modeling in Construction and Architecture”, and the international scientific and practical conference “Architecture. Construction. Transport. Economy”.

    We wish the scientists of SPbGASU progress, creative energy and new discoveries!

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Foreign tourists venture off the beaten path to explore Spring Festival traditions

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

    Foreign tourists venture off the beaten path to explore Spring Festival traditions

    BEIJING, Feb. 8 — When Sabah El Badaoui from Morocco arrived in China on a business trip, she never expected to be immersed in the full spectacle of the Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year.

    What started as a brief work visit quickly turned into what she called “an unforgettable cultural journey.” Traveling from Shanghai to Suzhou and Anhui in east China, she was captivated by the diverse traditions unique to each region.

    “Even within the Yangtze River Delta, every place has its unique customs,” she said. “The smaller the town, the livelier the Chinese New Year festivities.”

    Data shows that around 51 townships and villages across China welcomed foreign visitors for the first time, following the country’s expanded visa-free policies. As a result, lesser-known destinations are gaining traction among international tourists beyond major cities and famous landmarks.

    Places like Quanzhou in east China’s Fujian Province, known for its traditional hairpin festival, Chaozhou in Guangdong with its dynamic Yingge folk dance, and Zigong in Sichuan famed for its lantern displays, are emerging as sought-after cultural hotspots.

    For many foreign travelers, smaller cities and rural areas offer a more immersive cultural experience than China’s metropolitan centers.

    In northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, foreign visitors were delighted to see the region’s unique fusion of winter sports and Chinese Lunar New Year festivities.

    A Trip.com report revealed a 58 percent increase in international visitors to Xinjiang during the Spring Festival holiday, with the regional capital Urumqi ranking among the top three destinations for ice and snow tourism nationwide.

    Foreign visitors can book scenic spot tickets with valid IDs, such as passports or foreign permanent residence cards, while improved payment options have enhanced convenience, said Ma Beitao of Altay Prefecture’s tourism bureau.

    In Chibi, a county-level city in central China’s Hubei Province, this year’s Spring Festival saw a surge of visitors eager to experience its local cuisine, rich history and vibrant folk performances.

    Most foreign visitors to Yangloudong, an ancient town in Chibi, come from Southeast Asian countries, drawn by their deep interest in the Three Kingdoms period (220-280) and the region’s rich intangible cultural heritage, said Rao Jie, who works with a local tourism investment company.

    According to Xu Ying, an associate professor at Renmin University of China, the universal themes of the Spring Festival such as family reunion, gratitude and renewal are key to its global resonance.

    “These values transcend cultural and geographic boundaries,” she said. “When foreign visitors experience them firsthand, they gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture beyond just visual symbols.”

    Amid booming inbound tourism, cities across China are rolling out services to accommodate international travelers better. From expanding digital payment solutions to providing multilingual assistance at major attractions, efforts are underway to enhance the visitor experience.

    During the Spring Festival holiday, Hubei’s top tourist sites introduced online ticketing and seamless entry for foreign permanent residents, while over 1,000 new currency exchange points and foreign card-compatible POS machines were installed to better serve international visitors.

    In Wuxi, a rising tourist destination in east China’s Jiangsu Province popular among visitors from the Republic of Korea (ROK) due to its proximity, authorities have streamlined entry procedures and enhanced mobile payment options.

    “I saw pictures of Wuxi online and had to see it for myself,” said a visitor from the ROK. “It is even more beautiful than I expected.”

    Song Rui, director of the tourism research center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that immersing in the celebrations allows foreign visitors to experience modern China and the festival’s deeper values firsthand.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Audience with participants in the study visit for young priests and monks of the Eastern Orthodox Churches

    Source: The Holy See

    Audience with participants in the study visit for young priests and monks of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, 06.02.2025
    This morning, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the participants in the study visit for young priests and monks of the Eastern Orthodox Churches.
    The following is the address prepared by the Pope for the occasion and handed to those present at the audience:

    Prepared address
    Dear Brothers,
    “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” (Ps 133:1).  With these words of the Psalmist, I offer you a warm welcome and I express my joy for this visit of young priests and monks of the Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean, Malankara and Syrian Oriental Orthodox Churches. My fraternal greeting goes to Archbishop Khajag Barsamian and to Bishop Barnabas El-Soryani, who are accompanying you. Through you, I wish to greet my venerable and dear brothers, the heads of the Oriental Orthodox Churches.
    This is the fifth Study Visit for young Oriental Orthodox priests and monks organized by the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity. Similar visits for Catholic priests have been prepared by the Armenian Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. I am most grateful for this “exchange of gifts” promoted by the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, because it enables the dialogue of charity to go hand in hand with the dialogue of truth.
    Your visit has particular significance this year, as we celebrate the seventeenth centenary of the Council of Nicaea, the first ecumenical Council, which professed the Symbol of Faith shared by all Christians. I would like, then, to reflect with you on that term, “Symbol”, which in its threefold meaning has powerful ecumenical implications.
    In the theological sense, a symbol sets forth the ensemble of the principal truths of the Christian faith, which harmoniously complement one another. In this sense, the Nicene Creed, which synthetically sets forth the mystery of our salvation, is exemplary and unparalleled.
    The Symbol also has an ecclesiological significance. Not only does it unite truths, it also unites believers. In antiquity, the Greek word symbolon indicated half of a document broken in two, to be presented as a sign of identity. The Symbol thus serves as a sign of identity and communion between believers. Each individual possesses the faith as a “symbol”, which only finds its full unity together with others. We need one another in order to be able to confess the faith. That is why the Nicene Symbol, in its original version, uses the plural form, “We believe”. Carrying this image a step further, I would say that we Christians, still divided, are like “shards” who must recover unity in the confession of the one faith. For we hold the Symbol of our faith like a treasure in vessels of clay (cf. 2 Cor 4:7).
    And so, we come to the third meaning of the Symbol, its spiritual significance. We must never forget that the Creed is above all a prayer of praise that unites us to God: union with God necessarily takes place through unity among us Christians who proclaim the same faith. Whereas the devil divides, the Symbol unites! How beautiful it would be if, each time we proclaim the Creed, we felt united with Christians of all traditions! The proclamation of our common faith, in fact, requires before all else that we love one another, as the Eastern liturgy exhorts us to do before the recitation of the Creed: “Let us love one another, that in unity of spirit we may profess our faith in the Father, in the Son and in the Holy Spirit”.
    Dear brothers, I hope that your presence will become a “symbol” of our visible communion, as we persevere in pursuit of that full unity that the Lord Jesus so ardently desired (cf. Jn 17:21). I assure you of my prayer for each of you and for your Churches, and I count on your own prayers for me and for my ministry. May the Lord bless you and may the Mother of God protect you.
    And now, I would propose that we proclaim together the Nicene Creed, each of us in his own language. [I believe…]

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Blasts Republican Budget Blueprint to Target Middle Class Families, Health Care and Nutrition

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the following statement in response to Senate Republicans releasing their blueprint for a first budget reconciliation bill:

    “Republicans are making clear with their budget blueprint that they are serious about eliminating the Department of Education, cutting Medicaid and Medicare, and increasing wait times for veterans by slashing the VA. The Senate Republican Budget shows they are blindly following the lead of Elon Musk rather than the needs of the American people. This started with illegal impoundments, and then Musk and DOGE ransacking and infiltrating federal agencies to make arbitrary cuts—and based on the nearly $1 trillion in unspecified spending cuts assumed for this year alone, Republicans are not just okay with Elon Musk running wild, but are encouraging him to target schools, health care, transportation, and other services people who aren’t billionaires rely on.  

    “Let’s not lose sight of the fact that these cuts are a precursor to Republicans giving massive tax cuts to billionaires while blowing up the deficit and grinding services Americans depend on—like Medicaid and SNAP—down to the bone.  

    “Prices are rising and families need help. People are right to be outraged that Republicans’ first instinct is to deliver massive giveaways for billionaires while putting a target on nutrition and health care. The single biggest driver of our national debt since 2001 has been Republican tax cuts—and America can’t afford another round. Democrats are ready to right-size our budget by simply asking giant corporations and billionaires to pay their fair share in taxes, while still investing in health care, our schools, environment, and more. I will be on the side of regular working people when I arrive at Wednesday’s Budget Committee markup—not billionaires like Elon Musk.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Slams Indirect Cost Rate for NIH as Massive Indiscriminate Cut, Setting Back Progress on Lifesaving Research

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement in response to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announcing it would set the maximum reimbursement rate for indirect costs to 15%, creating a serious funding shortfall for research institutions of all types across the country. This move will dismantle the biomedical research system, stifle the development of new cures for disease, and rip treatments away from patients in need. It won’t produce cost savings; it will just shift costs to states who can’t afford to pay the difference. Importantly, this action by the Trump administration is illegal. Congress’ bipartisan Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Bill prohibits modifications to NIH’s indirect costs.   

    “By proposing an illegal and arbitrary indirect cost rate, Trump and Elon are functionally forcing an indiscriminate funding cut for research institutions across the country that will be nothing short of catastrophic for so much of the lifesaving research patients and families are counting on. This will derail major breakthroughs by forcing research institutions—like the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and the University of Washington in my state—to now scramble to make up this massive shortfall, almost certainly forcing layoffs across the country. Sick kids may not get the treatment they need. Clinical trials may be shut down abruptly with dangerous consequences. Just because Elon Musk doesn’t understand indirect costs doesn’t mean Americans should have to pay the price with their lives.  

    “These resources go toward things like construction, utility costs, and lab operation—if NIH cuts off this support, the research will come to a halt. This funding helps produce breakthroughs that change patients’ lives, prepare us for pandemics and other health threats, and ensure the U.S. continues to be the global leader in biomedical research. After a global pandemic that brought the world economy to a grinding halt and cost more than one million American lives, it’s unthinkable that Trump and Musk want to pull funding that will force public and private labs across America to shutter. I refuse to abandon the millions of families who are fighting cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, substance use disorders, and so much more—I hope Americans everywhere will speak out to reverse this haphazard and dangerous funding cut.”

    As a longtime appropriator and former Chair of the Senate HELP Committee, Murray has long fought to boost biomedical research, strengthen public health infrastructure, and make health care more affordable and accessible. Over her years as a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, she has secured billions of dollars in increases for biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health, and during her time as Chair of the HELP Committee she established the new ARPA-H research agency as part of her PREVENT Pandemics Act to advance some of the most cutting-edge research in the field. Senator Murray was also the lead Democratic negotiator of the bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act, which delivered a major federal investment to boost NIH research, among many other investments. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Everyday life and celebration of Russian science at the State University of Management

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On February 8, 1724, Peter I issued a decree on the development of science in the Russian state, as a result of which the first Academy of Sciences and Arts appeared in the country. It differed significantly from its Western counterparts by the presence of a university and a gymnasium in its structure, where talented young people studied regardless of their financial status, including commoners. In 1999, on the occasion of the 275th anniversary of the founding of the Academy, a holiday for all scientists, professors and students was established – Russian Science Day.

    Over the past year since the last holiday, the State University of Management has made significant progress in various scientific research and development. In 2024, 19 projects were completed, and 8 more are in the implementation stage. Two new dissertation councils were held: Regional and Sectoral Economics, Logistics and Transport Systems (jointly with BPU named after Shukhov). The number of RSCI publications exceeded 3,500 units, and VAK publications – 1,169.

    The Advanced Engineering School “RosGeoTech” continues its work together with the GGNTU named after Academician M.D. Millionshchikov. The projects ABRIS (Autonomous unmanned and robotic innovative systems in oil and gas, energy and construction engineering) and “GeoMap” (formation of an interactive map of geothermal resources of Russia) are being implemented. Within the framework of the first, for example, a droneport is being developed – a robotic complex for servicing UAVs.

    In the spring of 2024, young scientists from the State University of Management won a grant from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education to implement a large-scale high-tech project in the field of agro-industrial technologies. The digital village project is being developed in a consortium with the Omsk Agrarian Scientific Center (Omsk ASC) and the Udmurt State University (UdSU).

    Our scientists and the university management actively participate in various forums and conferences. During the year, 16 such events were attended. Among the largest of them, one can name the IV Congress of Young Scientists in Sirius, where two memorandums of cooperation were signed, an open meeting of the Expert Council on International Educational Scientific Cooperation of the State Duma of the Russian Federation was held, and a scientific session on the topic of opportunities for scientists to grow in rural areas.

    Young talents from our university also visit Moscow schools and share their knowledge there as part of the All-Russian campaign “Scientists to Schools”.

    Recently, employees of the Reverse Engineering Laboratory of the State University of Management conducted research on the issue of 3D scanning.

    Many orders for digitalization of technical documentation come to the inter-university design bureau based at the State University of Management. This work does not look revolutionary, but it has great practical significance for real productions, significantly facilitating their activities.

    And that’s not all we can talk about. Our university is preparing to test its own drone, developing a unified digital standard for passenger service, fulfilling orders from well-known developers and city authorities, modeling traffic flows, designing parts for road cleaning equipment, and is constantly looking for new partners.

    Projects of SUM scientists win various competitions, and the work of teachers is recognized with the highest prizes and awards. Thus, the team of the First Management headed by the rector Vladimir Stroyev received the Russian Federation Government Prize in the field of education, the head of the Laboratory of Convergent Expertise and Assessment of Technology Maturity Denis Serdechny won a special prize in the Competition for Young Scientists dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the director of the Center for Management of Engineering Projects Vladimir Filatov won in the nomination “My Pedagogical Initiative” of the All-Russian competition “My Country – My Russia”, and the director of the SUM Business Incubator Dmitry Rogov won the All-Russian competition of research “Russian Identity”.

    We don’t know yet what will happen next, but our scientists are ready to predict the future using the latest probabilistic methods based on the theory of decision-making under uncertainty. In the meantime, the Council of Young Scientists of the State University of Management shared its plans for the near future, in particular, the intention to hold the School of Young Scientists in February and the spring inter-university conference of young scientists.

    And today, as part of the “Science Festival,” a solemn ceremony of initiation and presentation of pre-professional class badges is taking place at the State University of Management, for more than 500 tenth-graders from 18 schools in the capital.

    We congratulate all those involved on the Day of Russian Science and wish them great discoveries, breakthrough developments, incredible ideas, and most importantly, the implementation of all their plans and a noticeable contribution to the cause of Russia achieving technological leadership.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 02/08/2025

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US stocks slump amid Trump’s reciprocal tariff plans

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    U.S. stocks tanked on Friday, as traders were unsettled by a mix of tariff and inflation news that added to the week’s volatility.

    U.S. stocks broadly declined, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling by 444.23 points, which is equivalent to a drop of 0.99 percent. The S&P 500 traded down by roughly 0.95 percent, and the Nasdaq Composite slid by 1.36 percent. Declines were observed across all sectors of the S&P 500 as investors reacted to prevailing economic uncertainty.

    The market took a hit after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his plans for reciprocal tariffs on trading partners, a move that could lead to an across-the-board increase in tariff rates to match those charged by the United States.

    “I’ll be announcing that next week reciprocal trade, so that we’re treated evenly with other countries,” said Trump during a meeting with visiting Japanese prime minister. “We’ll have a news conference, and we’ll lay it out pretty simple.”

    The preliminary reading of the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index indicated that consumer confidence in February fell to 67.8, notably lower than 71.3 anticipated by economists polled by Dow Jones. “Year-ahead inflation expectations jumped up from 3.3 percent last month to 4.3 percent this month, the highest reading since November 2023 and marking two consecutive months of unusually large increases,” said the survey.

    On the jobs front, the United States added 143,000 positions in January – a figure that fell short of December’s revised total of 307,000 and the 169,000 forecast by economists – while the unemployment rate eased to 4 percent, below the expected 4.1 percent, according to the data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics released Friday.

    Chicago Federal Reserve President Austan Goolsbee called the jobs report “solid” and said it showed “we’re settling into something like full employment.” He added that the central bank “may be on hold” for now, but he still sees interest rates moving lower over the “next 12-18 months.”

    In corporate news, Uber shares jumped more than 8 percent to a session high after billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, revealed that his firm holds over 30 million shares in the ride-share company, a stake valued at more than 2 billion U.S. dollars.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Multiple sectors report robust holiday growth

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Customers apply for subsidies under the trade-in program for consumer goods in Hangzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Oct. 31, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China’s consumption market gained momentum during the Spring Festival holiday spanning from Jan 28 through Tuesday, showing robust growth across multiple sectors including retail, tourism and cultural services, according to the latest data from the State Taxation Administration.

    By analyzing sales data from value-added tax invoices, the administration found that overall sales revenue in consumer-related industries surged by 10.8 percent compared to the same period last year. This uptick was driven by strong demand in commodity consumption, up 9.9 percent year-on-year, and an even more impressive 12.3 percent increase in services consumption.

    During the holiday, China’s efforts in promoting large-scale equipment upgrades and old-for-new trade of consumer goods have acted as a rocket booster for sales, especially for household goods and appliances.

    Consumers flocked to upgrade their homes, with sales of household appliances and audio-visual equipment soaring by 166.4 percent year-on-year. Household goods like televisions saw a staggering 226.8 percent year-on-year jump during the Spring Festival holiday, STA data showed.

    The surge was further propelled by subsidies on smartphones, smartwatches and digital products, which helped consumers enjoy significant savings. The telecommunications sector also soared, with sales of devices like mobile phones and smart tech climbing by 181.9 percent year-on-year, it added.

    Liu Dian, associate researcher at Fudan University’s China Institute, said that Spring Festival is a significant traditional holiday in China and an important window to observe the trends of the Chinese consumer market.

    “With consumption upgrading, Spring Festival spending is no longer limited to traditional needs, but is increasingly moving toward more experiential, personalized and high-quality choices,” Liu said.

    During this year’s holiday, the country’s tourism services were another bright spot, with revenues from the sector growing 37.5 percent compared to last year.

    With traditional cultural activities making a comeback, and new leisure trends gaining traction, the Spring Festival holiday became a record-setting season for tourism. Sightseeing, park-related services and amusement parks saw year-on-year growth of 81.9 percent, 59.5 percent and 14.1 percent, respectively. The booming homestay industry also capitalized on the trend, with revenue from local accommodation rising by 12.6 percent year-on-year.

    With the government prioritizing domestic consumption as a key economic driver, Liu predicted that China’s consumer market is expected to continue its strong momentum through the year.

    “China has placed expanding domestic demand as a top priority, providing strong policy support for the development of the consumer market in the coming months to come,” Liu added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Daines Introduce Legislation to Boost Job Growth, Support Virginia Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON —U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Steve Daines (R-MT), both members of the Senate Finance Committee, introduced legislation that will permanently extend the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) in order to encourage redevelopment and new construction in communities across the country, including Virginia. The New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act will permanently extend the NMTC, which attracts capital to low-income communities by providing private investors a 39 percent federal tax credit for investments made in businesses or economic development projects, including housing.

    “The New Markets Tax Credit is a vital tool in the fight to build more housing and encourage investment in communities that need it most. By leveraging this program, we can encourage economic development, expand opportunity and make housing more affordable for families across the country,” said Sen. Warner.

    “The New Markets Tax Credit spurs growth and creates jobs in our communities across Montana. Making this program permanent will encourage the opportunities and economic stability our country needs to continue thriving,” said Sen. Daines.

    NMTC investments take place in all 50 states. In the last 20 years, $81 billion in NMTC allocations has financed more than 8,500 businesses and projects with total project costs of over $130 billion. The NMTC Program created or retained more than 894,000 jobs and supported the construction of over 56.7 million square feet of manufacturing space, 94.5 million square feet of office space, and 67.2 million square feet of retail space across the country.

    The New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act is one of several bills Warner has introduced or plans to introduce in the 119th Congress to expand access to housing and make housing more affordable for Virginians.

    Joining Sens. Warner and Daines in introducing this legislation are Sens. John Boozman (R-AK.), Peter Welch (D-VT), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), John Hickenlooper (D-CO(), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Corey Booker (D-NJ).

    “The New Markets Tax Credit has been an essential tool for LISC to finance community revitalization work in Virginia and throughout the country. NMTCs have enabled LISC to finance a wide array of projects in disadvantaged communities, including the Petersburg Public Library, the Anna Julia Cooper School and The Market at 25th project in Richmond’s east end.  These projects provide important educational resources, community facilities, healthy food options and affordable housing for local residents.  LISC strongly supports the New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act and thanks Senator Warner for his leadership in making this vital tax credit permanent,” said Jane Ferrara, Executive Director, LISC Virginia.

    “Our New Markets Tax Credit allocation will allow Locus to fill project financing gaps by providing both equity and affordable debt to projects that may not move forward otherwise.  This financing tool will allow Locus to deepen its outreach efforts and drive more capital into projects that create jobs and drive economic development in areas that need it most,” said Clyde Cornett, CFO and Interim CEO, Locus.

    “New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) have proven to be vital tools in attracting billions in private investment into local communities. Every $1 of federal funding attracts $8 in private investment, which in turn creates jobs, enlivens communities, and spurs growth. We support a permanent NMTC program that can extend and amplify this efficient, market-driven solution in urban and rural areas across the country,” said Ellis Carr, President & CEO, Capital Impact Partners & CDC Small Business Finance.

    “New Markets Tax Credits have been a game-changer in Appalachia and have helped us create and retain over 8,170 jobs across the region, supporting economic development in underserved communities. We appreciate Senator Warner’s continued leadership and efforts to strengthen the program and to make the New Markets Tax Credits permanent,” said Bryan Phipps, President and CEO, People Incorporated.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Pioneer of nuclear submarines passes away at 99

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Huang Xuhua, chief designer of China’s first-generation nuclear submarines, died on Thursday evening in Wuhan, Hubei province. He was 99.
    Born in March 1926 to a family of doctors in Guangdong province, Huang was the third child of his parents.
    After spending his boyhood in wartime, he joined Shanghai Jiao Tong University to study shipbuilding. During the years at the university, the young man was exposed to strict academic training and learned about the communist revolution. He joined the Communist Party of China in April 1949, right before his graduation. After receiving his bachelor’s diploma, Huang started his lifelong career in China’s shipbuilding industry. In 1958, Huang was selected to join the research team tasked with designing China’s first nuclear-powered submarine.
    At the beginning of the design work, Huang and his colleagues found that China lacked the basic conditions to develop such a sophisticated hardware technology at that time.
    None of the researchers had any knowledge in that field, and since other countries were extremely protective of such technologies, they barely had any technical reference materials.
    Huang and his colleagues started by scouring newspapers and magazines for information.
    “It was extremely difficult to find a little piece of information,” the researcher recalled in 2020. “The information was either too fragmented or hard to tell whether it was true or false.”
    They finally came up with five plans after piecing together all the information they found and carefully analyzing and studying two US submarine models.
    The team members didn’t have any computers or digital calculators, so they used abacuses and rulers to solve problems. To ensure accurate calculation results, they were divided into three groups to do the math at the same time and would recalculate if the three values reached were not the same.
    Their work continued, despite the project was suspended from 1962 to 1965, when China was reeling under economic difficulties.
    In the following years, Huang and several other top engineers led the research and development for the nation’s first-generation nuclear submarines, the Type 09I nuclear-powered attack submarine and Type 09II nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine.
    After years of painstaking efforts, China finally built its first nuclear-powered submarine — the first Type 09I — in 1970, becoming the fifth nation to have such hardware.
    Huang’s name remained classified until 1987 when a magazine in Shanghai was allowed to publish a report on him, which only disclosed his family name of Huang.
    Even in his 90s, the designer used to visit his office at the Nuclear Submarine Institute in Wuhan every weekday morning to review and compile materials of his know-how and experience, and would also counsel young researchers on technical issues.
    The first product of Huang and his colleagues — a Type 09I nuclear-powered attack submarine — is now on display at the PLA Naval Museum in Qingdao, Shandong province, after more than 40 years of service.
    Due to his outstanding contributions, Huang was given the Medal of the Republic, China’s highest honor, in 2019.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China-Africa digital education center launched at Kenyan university

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

    NAIROBI, Feb. 7 — The China-Africa digital learning center was launched on Friday at the Open University of Kenya in Konza Technopolis city, about 65 kilometers southeast of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.

    Faculty members from the Open University of Kenya and Donghua University of China graced the ceremony of the China-Africa Regional Cooperation Center for Digital Education and the University of China’s Open Learning Center.

    Elijah Omwenga, vice-chancellor of the Open University of Kenya, said the launch of a digital skills development hub marked a milestone in Sino-Africa collaboration in the field of education.

    In September 2024, Donghua University and Open University of China signed a memorandum of understanding with Open University of Kenya to strengthen collaboration in digital education, said Omwenga.

    “The collaboration has four areas of focus, one of which is to host the Open Learning Center and the China-Africa Regional Cooperation Center for Digital Education,” Omwenga said.

    “Further it will include aspects of staff capacity building, development of both academic and non-academic programs, co-offering of the programs among other activities of mutual interest,” he added.

    Zhao Mingwei, director of the International Cooperation Office at Donghua University, said the launch of the digital learning center reaffirmed the vitality of Sino-Africa cooperation in the field of education and skills development.

    Both China and African partners are aligned in their quest to attain the fourth industrial revolution, necessitating practical cooperation to build the capacity of key players in the digital economy such as youth, Mingwei said.

    “We anticipate joint online programs that will break the geographical barriers and enable students and educators from both sides to share knowledge and experiences,” Mingwei said, adding that the digital learning center will act as a platform for cultural exchange and mutual understanding in a digital era.

    Josphat Mwasiagi, coordinator of the project management unit at Open University of Kenya, said the launch of the flagship digital education center will hasten Kenya’s transition to a resilient knowledge-based economy.

    Wang Xiangxu, deputy dean of the College of International Education at Open University of China, said that cutting-edge courses will be offered at the pioneer digital learning center in Kenya, upskilling the youth and broadening their worldview.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: President Trump Announces Appointments to the White House Faith Office

    Source: The White House

    President Donald Trump announced appointments to the White House Faith Office.

    Pastor Paula White-Cain will return to the White House as a Special Government Employee and Senior Advisor of the newly created White House Faith Office. In the last 40 years, White-Cain has expanded her influence globally in almost 200 countries, ministering, fighting for religious freedom and humanitarian rights, and advocating for the voiceless. She is the founder and president of Paula White Ministries and National Faith Advisory Board. She is president of City Destiny and the overseer and a teaching pastor at StoryLife Church in Florida. Paula previously served an advisor to President Trump in the White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative. She also served as chairwoman of the Evangelical Advisory Board (2016). Paula is a celebrated New York Times best-selling author, teacher, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, mentor, popular TV personality, and spirit-led preacher of God’s Word. She is married to legendary singer/songwriter Jonathan Cain of the iconic Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Journey.

    Jennifer S. Korn will return to the White House as a Deputy Assistant to the President and Faith Director of the newly created White House Faith Office after serving as Senior Advisor of National Faith Advisory Board, America’s largest faith coalition. Korn previously served President Trump all four years as Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison and during the 2016 Presidential Election leading Latino, Minority, Faith, Veteran and other coalition engagement for historic gains among these communities. Korn has served two decades working to elect officials and implement policies at the national and state levels to improve the lives of these important constituencies. Korn is also a proud military spouse.
     
    Jackson Lane will join the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Faith Engagement after serving as the Deputy Director of Faith Outreach for the Trump-Vance 2024 Campaign.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Joins Colleagues from Both Parties in Calling for Quick Implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act

    US Senate News:

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

    In December, Senator Rosen Helped Pass The Social Security Fairness Act To Allow Public Employees To Fully Access Their Social Security Benefits
    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined a bipartisan group of Senate colleagues in calling on the Trump Administration to immediately implement the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act, which Senator Rosen helped pass in December. This law provides full Social Security benefits for millions of public employees that were otherwise barred from accessing them. 
    “The Social Security Fairness Act restores full Social Security benefits for the millions of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public servants who are unfairly penalized by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO),” wrote the senators. 
    “The Social Security Administration’s website currently states, ‘SSA expects that it could take more than one year to adjust benefits and pay all retroactive benefits’ owed under the Social Security Fairness Act,” they continued. ‘We call for the immediate implementation of this legislation to provide prompt relief to the millions of Americans impacted by WEP and GPO.” 
    The full letter can be found HERE.
    Senator Rosen has been a staunch supporter of critical programs like Social Security and Medicare. She has vocally and repeatedly called to protect them and the benefits they provide to Nevadans. Last Congress, she renewed her commitment to fight against any attempts in Congress to cut Social Security and Medicare.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey Joins Senators Launching Probe Into DOGE’s Interference With Department of Education, Access to Federal Student Loan Data

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Musk’s Team May Have Obtained Access to Personal Information of Millions of Borrowers; Raises Concerns About Violations of the Law, Failure to Protect Sensitive Information
    “The millions of families who rely on ED to help them achieve the American Dream deserve answers about reports that an unelected billionaire and his team now have access to some of their most sensitive personal information.”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington (February 7, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and 13 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Acting Secretary of the Department of Education, Denise Carter, launching a probe into recent reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has infiltrated the Department of Education (ED) and that “DOGE staffers have gained access to federal student loan data, which includes personal information for millions of borrowers.”
    The letter was also signed by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    There are over 40 million federal student loan borrowers in the United States. ED’s student loan database contains millions of borrowers’ highly sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, marital status, and income data. 
    “This deeply troubling report raises questions about potential exposures of Americans’ private data, the abuse of this data by the Trump Administration, and whether officials who have access to the data may have violated the law or the federal government’s procedures for handling sensitive information,” wrote the senators.
    According to public reporting, “a handful of 19-to-24-year-old engineers linked to Musk’s companies, with unclear titles, could be bypassing regular security protocols” during DOGE’s infiltration of federal agencies. The senators also raised concerns that the access provided to DOGE-affiliated staff by the Department may violate the Privacy Act, which generally prohibits the disclosure of such information.
    “We are especially troubled by this reporting given President Trump’s stated pledge to abolish the Department,” concluded the lawmakers. “The millions of families who rely on ED to help them achieve the American Dream deserve answers about reports that an unelected billionaire and his team now have access to some of their most sensitive personal information.”
    Additional reporting suggests that DOGE has “fed sensitive data from across the Education Department into artificial intelligence software to probe the agency’s programs and spending.” The 16 senators requested answers from Acting Secretary Carter about DOGE’s access to federal student loan data and any other sensitive databases by February 13, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley Launch Probe into DOGE’s Interference with Department of Education, Access to Federal Student Loan Data

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    February 07, 2025

    Musk’s Team May Have Obtained Access to Personal Information of Millions of Borrowers; Raises Concerns About Violations of the Law, Failure to Protect Sensitive Information

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today demanded an investigation into recent reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)  staffers have gained access to federal student loan data, which includes personal information for millions of borrowers.

    In a letter to Acting U.S. Education Department Secretary Denise Carter from Wyden, Merkley and 14 senate colleagues, they wrote, “This deeply troubling report raises questions about potential exposures of Americans’ private data, the abuse of this data by the Trump Administration, and whether officials who have access to the data may have violated the law or the federal government’s procedures for handling sensitive information.” 

    There are more than 40 million federal student loan borrowers in the United States. And the Education Department’s student loan database contains millions of borrowers’ highly sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, marital status, and income data. 

    According to public reporting, “a handful of 19-to-24-year-old engineers linked to Musk’s companies, with unclear titles, could be bypassing regular security protocols” during DOGE’s infiltration of federal agencies. The senators also raised concerns that the access provided to DOGE-affiliated staff by the Department may violate the Privacy Act, which generally prohibits the disclosure of such information.

    “We are especially troubled by this reporting given President Trump’s stated pledge to abolish the Department,” concluded the lawmakers, adding that the millions of families who rely on the department “to help them achieve the American Dream deserve answers about reports that an unelected billionaire and his team now have access to some of their most sensitive personal information.”

    Additional reporting suggests that DOGE has “fed sensitive data from across the Education Department into artificial intelligence software” in order to target programs or areas to cut off federal spending The 16 senators demanded answers from Carter about DOGE’s access to federal student loan data and any other sensitive databases by February 13, 2025.

    Wyden and Merkley signed the letter led by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), alongside additional signers Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.). 

    The letter is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Continues Push to Reauthorize Program Supporting Rural Nevada Counties

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and 18 other Senate colleagues reintroduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the U.S. Forest Service’s Secure Rural Schools and Self-Determination Program (SRS) through Fiscal Year 2026. The legislation passed the Senate unanimously last Congress, but did not receive a vote in the House of Representatives.
    The SRS was originally enacted in 2000 to provide critical funding for schools, roads, and other services in rural counties across the country. For the many rural counties in Nevada that contain large amounts of federal land, these SRS payments provide critical funding for schools and infrastructure that would otherwise be paid for by property taxes. In 2023, Nevada counties received $4,975,394.51 in funding from the SRS program.
    “Nevada’s rural communities deserve funding and support, no matter what part of the state they are in,” said Cortez Masto. “Without SRS payments, Nevada’s rural schools would lack needed resources to teach future generations and pay educators, and rural roads and public safety programs could go unfunded. Congress must act quickly to reauthorize this program before our rural communities are left hanging.”
    “Reauthorizing Secure Rural Schools for three years will help counties with large tracts of federal forests meet the needs of residents and visitors,” said National Association of Counties Executive Director Matthew Chase. “Without SRS, counties would face, on average, an 80 percent drop in resources for infrastructure improvement, education programs and forest health projects. Many rural counties and school districts are already making difficult decisions due to a lack of funds. Counties applaud the leadership of Senators Crapo and Wyden and look forward to prompt passage of this vital legislation.”
    The full text of the bill can be found here.
    Senator Cortez Masto is a champion for Nevada’s rural communities, working across the aisle to deliver for families. She is leading legislation to support key tourism and outdoor industries in every corner of Nevada through economic development, and she’s fighting to pass her bipartisan bill to cut red tape for small businesses—including those in rural areas. She also ensured rural Nevada communities have better access to federal funds and services through the Rural Partners Network. In the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, she secured funding for rural schools and over $460 million for broadband. She also made sure the law included her legislation to help rural counties with internet access at local schools and streamline federal broadband funding to improve internet access for rural areas.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Leads Bipartisan Group in Introducing Bill to Improve Access to High-Quality Job Training

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. —U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tina Smith (D-MN), and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced the Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, bipartisan legislation to help more Americans get good-paying jobs by allowing students to use federal Pell Grants—need-based education grants for lower-income individuals—to pay for shorter-term job training programs for the first time. Currently, students can only use Pell Grants for two- and four-year colleges and universities. By expanding Pell Grant eligibility, the JOBS Act would help close the skills gap by allowing people to access job training they might otherwise be unable to afford but need for careers in high-demand fields. Senator Angus King is a cosponsor of the legislation.

    “Job training programs are proven, successful tools that help people gain the skills they need to prepare for rewarding careers,” said Senator Collins.  “By helping students in Maine and across the country access this career pathway, this bipartisan legislation would assist young people with obtaining good-paying jobs and make it easier for businesses to find qualified workers.”

    “When we give Maine people the tools and resources to access critical career education training, we’re setting them up for a lifetime of success,” said Senator King. “The bipartisan Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act will expand Pell Grant eligibility and, in turn, make a real difference for folks across our state by breaking down financial barriers and opening the door to good-paying jobs. Supporting and strengthening our workforce will also help ensure our businesses thrive with the help of highly-trained, hardworking Maine people. It’s a win-win.”

    “All across Maine there are lower-income people desperate to get the practical, relevant skills they need for good-paying jobs – but they can’t afford it. This legislation would remove the financial barriers that hold those people back. Just this year, one of our colleges struggled to fill a five-week welding course that cost about $1,000 – until they used one-time grant funds to make it tuition-free and about 100 people immediately signed up. The demand is there. The jobs are there. We need to fill the gap with affordable training. Pell Grants for short-term workforce training like that welding class would allow those students ongoing access to training that will fill critical jobs across Maine’s industries,” said David Daigler, President of the Maine Community College System.

    Thanks to historic investments like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the U.S. economy added 14.8 million jobs between January 2021 and January 2025. Senator Collins was part of the core group of 10 Senators who negotiated the text of the IIJA. Still, there remains a skilled labor shortage that is expected to intensify in the coming years, in part because unemployed Americans lack access to the job training needed to fill vacant jobs.

    The JOBS Act would allow Pell Grants to be used for high-quality job training programs that are at least eight weeks in length and lead to industry-recognized credentials or certificates. Under current law, Pell Grants can only be applied toward programs that are over 600 clock hours or at least 15 weeks in length, rendering students in shorter-term high-quality job training programs ineligible for this crucial assistance.

    Specifically, the JOBS Act would amend the Higher Education Act by:

    • Expanding Pell Grant eligibility to students enrolled in rigorous, high-quality, short-term skills and job training programs that lead to industry-recognized credentials and certificates, ultimately preparing them for employment in high-wage, high-skill industries;
    • Ensuring students who receive Pell Grants earn high-quality postsecondary credentials by requiring that they meet Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) standards, are recognized by employers or industry partnerships, align with the skill needs of the state or local economy, and receive approval from both the state workforce board and the U.S. Department of Education; and
    • Defining eligible job training programs as those that provide career and technical education at institutions such as community or technical colleges, meet minimum instructional time requirements, align with local or regional workforce needs, offer transferable credits for continued education, and equip students with licenses, certifications, or credentials that meet hiring requirements across multiple employers in the field.

    The legislation is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Boozman (R-AR), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dan Sullivan (D-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The JOBS Act is supported by Advance CTE, the American Association of Community Colleges, the Association for Career and Technical Education, the Association of Community College Trustees, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Business Roundtable, the Center for Law and Social Policy, the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance, Higher Learning Advocates, HP Inc., the Information Technology Industry Council, Jobs for the Future, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the National Association of Workforce Boards, the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, the National Skills Coalition, the Progressive Policy Institute, and Rebuilding America’s Middle Class.

    Full text of the bill is available here, and a summary of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Responsible Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence Critical, Speakers Say, as Economic and Social Council Concludes Its Coordination Segment

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Amid the fourth industrial revolution, responsible global governance of artificial intelligence (AI) is paramount, the Economic and Social Council heard today as speakers at its 2025 coordination segment explored the transformative potential of data, science, technology and innovation to advance sustainable development.

    The first of the four panel discussions held today — moderated by Mahlet Zeleke Redi, Focal Point of Global Youth Caucus on Decent Work and Sustainable Economies Major Group for Children and Youth — focused on “Creating employment and decent work opportunities for all”.

    It began with a fireside chat featuring José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), and Cynthia Samuel-Olonjuwon, Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Office for the United Nations.

    Mr. Salazar-Xirinachs, spotlighting the challenge of job creation, said that in the era of technological and AI revolutions, one of the key drivers of investment flows to countries is not just cheap but skilled labour.  Therefore, he stressed, the quality of education and vocational training systems and the digital skills of the labour force are essential for people to get good jobs and for countries to thrive.

    Ms. Samuel-Olonjuwon underscored that prioritizing decent work for young people pays back “sustained and multifaceted dividends” for their families and nations.  Technological transformation is rapidly driving change in the world of work and beyond, she observed, adding that “skills have become a priority”.  Noting the importance of education, training and entrepreneurship for young businesses, she said that policy actions should be guided by the actual needs of young people and “put them in the driver seat”.

    The panel began with Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), who underscored — via video message — that “creating decent jobs is the core of our mission” to fight poverty and hunger worldwide.  While spotlighting AI’s massive opportunities — including to improve productivity and competitiveness — he underlined the need to “close the existing digital divides”.  More specifically, it is crucial to address the potential downsides of digitalization and automation, including the risk of job losses and shifting production away from developing countries, he stressed, pointing to UNIDO’s projects which equip young people and women in developing countries with technical skills for decent jobs.

    Abdulaziz M. Alwasil (Saudi Arabia), Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women on its sixty-ninth session, stressed that an inclusive society cannot be built without gender equality.  The empowerment of women and girls is paramount, he said, adding that in many countries, women and girls are deprived of equal access to economic opportunities and leadership roles.  “This undermines the resilience of societies,” he stated, underscoring the need to push for policy outcomes that are “not just ambitious in rhetoric but transformative in practice”.

    “We gather here at a moment of profound reckoning” — from the devastating impacts of conflict and rise of authoritarianism to the assaults on fundamental human rights, said Veronica Brown, Women’s Major Group Coordinator for the Women’s Environment and Development Organization.  Warning against forces that aim to roll back hard-won gains in gender equality, she observed:  “Gender equality is too often treated as an add-on rather than a prerequisite for sustainable development.”

    Echoing her concerns, Jemimah Njuki, Chief of the Economic Empowerment section at the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), said the empowerment of women and girls is not just a moral imperative but a necessity for achieving all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ensuring a resilient economy.  Nevertheless, women face a 20 per cent gender pay gap and, in many countries, informal employment — where mostly women are to be found — is as high as 90 per cent.  Accordingly, she called for sustainable financing, ensuring that “gender equality remains at the heart of financial systems”.

    Georges-Simon Ulrich, Director General of the Federal Statistical Office of Switzerland and Chair of the Statistical Commission on its fifty-fifth session, speaking via videoconference, called for comprehensive data and statistical systems which permit evidence-based decision-making and detailed the Commission’s work towards supporting inclusive growth strategies and building resilient economies.

    The second panel, moderated by Quintin Chou-Lambert, Senior Adviser to the Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, focused on “Harnessing data, science, technology and innovation to advance digital progress”.

    The fireside chat included Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Chancellor of Nelson Mandela University, and Tomas Lamanauskas, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

    Ms. Fraser-Moleketi said public administration is responsible for ensuring that AI is used to improve lives.  Governance frameworks must leverage scientific expertise to do this, she said, calling for targeted interventions to address the digital divide and technological exclusion.

    Mr. Lamanauskas said:  “Done right, [AI] can mitigate 5-10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030”, and highlighted the “AI for Good summit” which showcases responsible innovation and spotlights AI solutions for each SDG.  He also drew attention to the UN System White Paper on AI Governance, which identifies pre-existing instruments that could also cover AI, from broad ethics to sector-specific technical guidelines. 

    The panel began with Muhammadou M.O. Kah (Gambia), Chair of the Commission on Science and Technology for Development on its twenty-eighth session, who stressed that “when we establish transparent and consistent data governance frameworks, we create an environment of legal certainty that empowers innovators, businesses and consumers alike”.  It is also crucial to establish clear avenues for redress, he said, underscoring the importance of interoperability — “by aligning our legal and technical standards, we could create pathways for seamless data flows that enhance cooperation and facilitate the global exchange of ideas and best practices”.

    Next, Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), highlighted its efforts to facilitate trade by streamlining trade-related processes and digitalizing the exchange of information.  ECE hosts the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business, which develops interoperable data exchange standards and policy recommendations, enabling seamless data exchange across systems, borders and value chains.  “Today, many products have AI embedded.  Ensuring their conformity and safety presents new challenges,” she said, adding that ECE has released guidance for regulatory compliance of products and services using embedded AI or other digital technologies.

    Julia Glidden, Group President of Ipsos Public Affairs, said that “it is easy to talk about sexy data-driven topics like GenAI, Edge Computing [and] geospatial intelligence”, but it is also essential to combine established technologies with sophisticated data analytics.  As an example, she said, her organization worked with Mondelez, a multinational food producer, to use data to understand cocoa farmers’ working conditions and economic growth.  Collecting reliable data meant reaching communities in remote areas, often traveling by foot, donkey and canoe to capture and transmit data from areas that often lack electricity, let alone Wi-Fi.  They did so “by using tablet devices enabled by Ipsos’s iField” technology, she added.

    Fernand Bale, Director of the Geographic and Digital Information Center of Côte d’Ivoire, said that because geospatial information integrates diverse data and scientific approaches, it “enables policymakers to process large amounts of data, thereby strengthening the interface between policy and science”.  Communities and Governments can use geospatial information and maps to visualize locations where critical infrastructure is needed, or areas affected by disasters, pollution or biodiversity loss.  By enhancing policies and capacities related to geospatial information, “we democratize access to data and knowledge”, he said.

    Moderated by Lok Bahadur Thapa (Nepal), Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council and co-facilitator of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, the sixth panel focused on “Financing and investment solutions for sustainable development in countries in special situations”.

    The speakers for the fireside chat were Jose Antonio Ocampo, Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, and Robert Powell, Special Representative of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    Mr. Ocampo noted that levelling the playing field is not enough for countries in special situations.  Debt and tax cooperation are “pressing problems”, he said, calling for interaction between regional and global institutions and urging the fulfilment of historical commitments for developing countries.  He observed that interaction with Governments and monitoring of graduating countries will uncover systemic inequalities on the ground. 

    Mr. Powell, stating that coordination and trust are critical for efficiency across the UN system, said that Member States in New York are responsible for ensuring that “messaging remains consistent”.  Noting that major financial reforms are already taking place, he spotlighted the Fund’s “historic” special drawing rights (SDRs) allocation of $650 billion and the creation of the Resilience and Sustainability Trust.

    The panel began with Rabab Fatima, High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, stressing that the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development must deliver a renewed global financing framework.

    For her part, Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), pointing to the term “countries in special situations”, observed that States’ perseverance and transformation potential make them “truly special”.  However, there is nothing “special” about small island developing States defaulting on their development to not default on their debt, she said, calling for maximizing the impact of development on technological progress.

    Mathew Gbonjubola, Co-Chair of the Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters, said that developing countries widely adopt the UN Model Double Taxation Convention.  The Committee also supports capacity-development activities and reviews standards — designed from the point of view of developed economies — through the prism of developing countries.  He added that giving the developing countries the ability to sit at the table in designing the world tax system is key.

    “Although Africa has integrated into the global financial system, its economies remain constrained by limited access to stable financing,” observed Claver Gatete, Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).  The continent’s debt exceeds $1 trillion, and its countries annually spend millions in debt servicing — “resources that could have been invested in other development priorities”, he noted.  Through the African High-Level Working Group, the Commission works to scale up bank financing and ensure better returns.

    “Over the past two days, we have witnessed the [Economic and Social Council] ecosystem in action, providing ideas and solutions on how to turbocharge implementation as we approach the 2030 deadline of the SDGs,” said Navid Hanif, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, in his closing remarks.  Noting that this year’s coordination segment was the first since the adoption of the Pact for the Future, he said it has delivered “a clear call to strengthen coordination within the UN system, reduce duplication and address misalignment of partnerships”.

    Anatolio Ndong Mba (Equatorial Guinea), Vice-President of the Economic and Social Council and Chair of the Coordination Segment, said that this year’s meeting has demonstrated that political will can elevate international cooperation to new heights and deliver concrete solutions. “The coordination segment is not just about reflection; it is about action and charting the way forward”, he stated, urging those present to carry forward the momentum and translate discussions into action.  He added:  “We have a responsibility to the people we represent.  The time for bold and coordinated leadership cannot be postponed anymore.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell, Colleagues Call for Reinstatement of Inspectors General Illegally Fired by President Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    02.07.25

    Cantwell, Colleagues Call for Reinstatement of Inspectors General Illegally Fired by President Trump

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined a group of 37 senators writing to President Trump strongly condemning the President’s recent order to remove Inspectors General (IGs) from at least 18 government agencies and called on the President to immediately reinstate the officials.

    According to the Inspector General Independence and Empowerment Act, which was signed into law in 2022, the President is required to provide a 30-day notice and substantive reasons for removal in writing to Congress before an Inspector General can be removed. President Trump failed to alert Congress or provide substantive reasoning.

    “These officials, which include those appointed by Presidents of both parties, including many during your first Administration, collectively conduct oversight of trillions of dollars of federal spending and the conduct of millions of federal employees,” wrote the senators. “Removing these non-partisan watchdogs without providing a substantive and non-political reason is not lawful, and undermines their independence, jeopardizing their critical mission to identify and root out waste, fraud, and abuse within federal programs.”

    The senators continued, “While the President has the authority to remove Inspectors General from office, Congress has established clear requirements to ensure such removals are transparent and are not politicized.  The law requires that the President provide a written 30-day notice to both Houses of Congress and include “the substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons for any such removal or transfer.” With respect to your firings Friday night, Congress has not received either the mandatory 30-day notice or a rationale for their removal. Because your actions violated the law, these Inspectors General should be reinstated immediately.”

    IGs are responsible for providing independent oversight of federal programs and play a key role in improving government efficiency and effectiveness. IGs were removed from at least 18 departments and agencies, including Departments of Defense, State, Education, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Energy, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Personnel Management, the Small Business Administration, the Social Security Administration, and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

    The letter was led by U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) and U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA). In addition to Sen. Cantwell, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Ed Markey (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and John Fetterman (D-PA). 

    The full text of the letter is available HERE and below.

    Dear Mr. President,  

    Your decision Friday evening to remove Inspectors General (IGs) from at least 18 offices across government—including those overseeing the Departments of Defense, State, Education, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Energy, Commerce, Agriculture, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Treasury, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Office of Personnel Management, the Small Business Administration, and the Social Security Administration, as well as the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction—does not comply with current law and could do lasting harm to IG independence.  These officials, which include those appointed by Presidents of both parties, including many during your first Administration, collectively conduct oversight of trillions of dollars of federal spending and the conduct of millions of federal employees.  Removing these non-partisan watchdogs without providing a substantive and non-political reason is not lawful, and undermines their independence, jeopardizing their critical mission to identify and root out waste, fraud, and abuse within federal programs. 

    Inspectors General are responsible for providing independent oversight of federal programs by working to root out waste, fraud, and abuse and protect taxpayer dollars – oversight our federal agencies desperately need.  They play a key role in improving government efficiency and effectiveness and have helped identify and recover billions of taxpayer dollars.  IG independence is the foundation of this work, and IGs must be free of political influence so that they can carry out their important mission with integrity and credibility.  The federal government and the American people count on these officials to operate in a professional and non-partisan way to hold our government accountable—regardless of who is in power.  Without strong, qualified, and independent officials to lead these critical efforts, the Administration risks wasting taxpayer dollars, and allowing fraud and misconduct to go unchecked. For example, just this week the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued an unlawful memo directing agencies to pause nearly all federal grants and loans, which significantly disrupts the administration of over a trillion dollars of critical assistance to communities, businesses, and organizations across the country.  It is especially vital to have independent watchdogs at each of these agencies to conduct oversight of the impacts of this unconstitutional and unprecedented directive.     

    While the President has the authority to remove Inspectors General from office, Congress has established clear requirements to ensure such removals are transparent and are not politicized.  The law requires that the President provide a written 30-day notice to both Houses of Congress and include “the substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons for any such removal or transfer.” With respect to your firings Friday night, Congress has not received either the mandatory 30-day notice or a rationale for their removal.  Because your actions violated the law, these Inspectors General should be reinstated immediately, until such time as you have provided in writing “the substantive rationale, including detailed and case-specific reasons” for each of the affected Inspectors General and the 30-day notice period has expired.   

    Lastly, if you believe it is necessary to place any of the affected IGs on administrative leave before the 30-day notice period has ended, the law requires that you submit a separate notification to Congress explaining how the IG presents a threat as defined in the Administrative Leave Act. 

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis Provides Regional State of the State to Boulder Chamber, Celebrates Colorado’s Schools, and Discusses Efforts to Build More Housing Coloradans Can Afford

    Source: US State of Colorado

    BOULDER/LARIMER/WELD COUNTIES – Today, Governor Polis made visits across through Boulder, Larimer, and Weld Counties. Governor Polis started the day by delivering a regional State of the State address to the Boulder Chamber of Commerce and local leaders.

    “I’m focused on the issues Coloradans care about most. From lowering costs by building more housing people can afford, expanding low-cost and convenient transit options, to investing in law enforcement to keep our communities safe, and ensuring all kids get the high-quality education needed to thrive, we are delivering real results. But in Colorado, good enough is not good enough, and we continue to climb higher to make Colorado more affordable, sustainable, and liveable for everyone,” said Governor Polis.

    Governor Polis then visited Rocky Mountain Elementary School in Longmont, a recipient of the Governor’s Math Bright Spot Award in 2023, and a Universal Preschool Provider.

    “Giving our students a strong start is important for their success in the classroom and our future workforce. As a Universal Free Preschool Provider and Bright Spot award recipient, Rocky Mountain Elementary demonstrates Colorado’s commitment to student success on a daily basis. I was thrilled to visit today to learn about the school’s success and see how their best practices can be applied to help students in all four corners of our state thrive,” said Governor Polis.

    After visiting Rocky Mountain Elementary School, Governor Polis will meet with Tracey Johnson, the General Manager of Clayton Homes to discuss how they are creating more housing that Coloradans can afford.

    “Like most Coloradans, the high cost of housing remains a top priority for me and my administration. Last year we made historic progress to break through the government barriers that prevented more housing from being built. Innovative builders like Clayton Homes are an important part of our next steps to build more housing Coloradans can afford and I was excited to learn about their work in the Fort Collins area,” said Governor Polis.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders Statement: Trump Claims He’s on the Side of the Working Class. Really?

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    BURLINGTON, Feb. 7 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), today released the following statement: 
    At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, when 60% of our people live paycheck to paycheck, millions of Americans understand that if they are going to make it to the middle class, they need to be in a trade union so they can negotiate for decent wages, benefits and working conditions.   
    When Trump campaigned for president, he claimed he was on the side of the working class. But that’s not what he’s delivering. Rather than standing up for average Americans, he’s protecting the interests of some of the wealthiest people in the world. 
    When Donald Trump fires the most pro-union General Counsel in the history of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and illegally removes a member of this independent board, he is not a champion of the working class. He is a champion of unfettered corporate greed and union busters.
    As a result of Trump’s unprecedented move, the NLRB no longer has a quorum and has effectively been shut down. What does this mean? It means that it will be far, far harder for workers to exercise their constitutional right to form a union and improve their standard of living. It means that during a union election, corporate bosses can illegally fire workers who vote to join a union. It means that corporate CEOs have free rein to illegally intimidate and coerce pro-union workers without recourse. It means that corporations can aggressively decide not to bargain in good faith with union workers or sign a first contract.   
    And because the NLRB is now dysfunctional, workers have no recourse.  
    Trump’s decision has already had disastrous consequences. Last week, workers at a Whole Foods grocery store in Philadelphia voted 130-100 to join the United Food and Commercial Workers union. But Whole Foods, owned by Jeff Bezos, has made it crystal clear that they will ignore this union victory and will not bargain with their union workers in good faith. Without a functioning NLRB, Whole Foods cannot be held accountable for its illegal behavior.   
    For months, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, the two wealthiest men alive, have been working overtime to abolish the NLRB. Why is that? These notorious anti-union billionaires want the absolute power to exploit their workers and violate labor law.  The lower the wages they pay, the more money they make. Since Election Day, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have become $184 billion richer and are now worth $669 billion. But, apparently, that’s not enough.  
    As the Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee I will continue working with the trade union movement to oppose Trump’s decision and make it easier for workers to join unions, not harder.

    MIL OSI USA News –