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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Global: Donald Trump is firing out presidential pardons and warnings of retribution. What happens next?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adam Quinn, Associate Professor in American and International Politics, University of Birmingham

    Donald Trump has now pardoned or commuted the sentences of around 1,500 January 6 protesters, including those who were convicted of crimes against police officers relating to the riot at the US Capitol.

    But use of the presidential pardon in the last few days was not restricted to the incoming president. On his last day in office, outgoing president Joe Biden signed a number of pre-emptive pardons in an effort, he suggested, to shield people from possible “retribution” at Trump’s hands.

    This included not just members of the House committee that investigated the Capitol riot, but also Anthony Fauci, former chief medical advisor to the president during the COVID pandemic, and Gen. Mark Milley, who retired in 2023 after four years as the nation’s most senior military officer, and whom Trump has previously suggested would have been executed for treason in a previous era.

    In December, Biden granted his son Hunter a sweeping pardon, and he extended the same to several other relatives in the final minutes of his presidency. In an accompanying statement he said: “Even when individuals have done nothing wrong — and in fact have done the right thing — and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances.”

    Such pardons may be greeted with ambivalence by some recipients. One person who received a pardon was Adam Schiff, now a US Senator and previously a House member who both served on the Jan 6 committee and was lead prosecutor in Trump’s first impeachment. He had previously declared he did not want such a pardon because, first, it was unnecessary since he had done nothing wrong, and, second, it set a bad precedent. We may find out in the months and years ahead whether he was right on either count.

    So how did we get here?

    A year ago, Trump faced a daunting obstacle course of criminal cases. Among them, he faced trial in New York for falsifying business records. Federal prosecutors had indicted him for trying to steal the 2020 election, and for illegally holding onto classified documents after his presidency ended. He also faced state-level election subversion charges in Georgia.

    By the time of his inauguration, however, his legal problems had been almost entirely resolved. He was convicted on the New York charges, but his punishment, an unconditional discharge, is a slap on the wrist. The greatest symbol of Trump’s victory over legal threats, however, is the shelving of the two federal cases against him. Both cases have now been dismissed at the request of the Justice Department because its policy prevents a criminal case against a sitting president. Even if this were not the case, as head of the executive branch Trump would have authority to order them dropped.



    Read more:
    Nixon’s official acts against his enemies list led to a bipartisan impeachment effort

    Trump enters a second term freer of personal legal jeopardy than he has been in years. He is convinced that the cases against him represented a weaponisation of the criminal justice system by his political opponents. Now restored to the highest office, there are widespread fears that he may wield federal power to retaliate against those he believes have wronged him.

    In the run-up to the election he spoke often about “retribution” against “the enemy within”. An NPR investigation of Trump’s rallies and social media posts since 2022 found more than 100 instances of his explicitly or implicitly threatening to “investigate, prosecute, jail or otherwise punish his perceived opponents”.

    He has repeated that he “would have every right” to go after those he believes have waged “lawfare” against him over the last several years.

    If he does decide to try, it is less likely than during his first term that top officials will block or dissuade him. Trump’s current nominee for attorney general, former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi, was part of his defence team during his 2020 impeachment, then an active supporter of his campaign to overturn the 2020 election. During her Senate confirmation hearing she refused to say that she would defy pressure from Trump, but she did say that “politics will not play a part” in deciding who to investigate. Few will have felt completely reassured.

    Even more concerningly, Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, the leading national criminal investigative agency, has resigned before the usual duration of his tenure, after Trump declared he intended to replace him with Kash Patel. Patel, more than any other senior Trump nominee, has spent his career at the heart of the post-2016 Maga movement. He held junior roles late in the first Trump administration, but in the years since he has advocated using criminal and civil prosecution to root out “conspirators” among journalists and government officials.

    Patel even published a book containing a list of “Members of the Executive Branch Deep State” (including both Democrats and Republican appointees), seen by some as an “enemies list”. This is an appointment that some believe suggests restraint is unlikely.



    Read more:
    Trump’s election interference case may be closed, but it still matters for America’s future

    The January 6 rioters and plotters were among the first beneficiaries of the transfer of power. While campaigning Trump had portrayed them as martyrs to his cause and pledged pardons. He made good on that promise on day one by pardoning or commuting sentences. He also ordered the Justice Department to dismiss all pending indictments.

    It remains to be seen what approach the new president will take toward those who have worked prominently against him. He had previously said that some who served on the Congressional committee investigating the attack on the Capitol ““should go to jail”, often singling out former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney, who also received a pre-emptive pardon from Biden. Trump has also suggested that Biden should have issued a pardon for himself.

    It is doubtful that targeted investigations could ultimately produce criminal convictions without some plausible case. For the time being at least, US courts and the jury system retain sufficient independence that blatantly groundless and malicious prosecutions would struggle to get that far against targets with the resources to defend themselves.

    But as previous federal probes have illustrated – such as those into the Clintons – even an investigation that ultimately stops short of bringing charges against its top targets can last years, impose significant legal expenses on those embroiled in it, and inflict stress and distraction.

    The aim of this kind of action may be to instil a climate of anticipatory fear in which outspoken criticism in the future seems, to most, more trouble than it is worth. The US is not there yet. But it is closer to such a state than it has been in any of our lifetimes.

    Adam Quinn has previously received research funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Charles Koch Foundation (CKF)

    – ref. Donald Trump is firing out presidential pardons and warnings of retribution. What happens next? – https://theconversation.com/donald-trump-is-firing-out-presidential-pardons-and-warnings-of-retribution-what-happens-next-247646

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Netflix’s La Palma’s ‘megatsunami’ has been debunked

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hannah Little, Lecturer in Communication and Media, University of Liverpool

    In the Netflix series La Palma, a Norwegian family goes on holiday to the Canary Islands when a young researcher discovers alarming signs of an imminent volcanic eruption. Cumbre Vieja is an active volcano on La Palma, which last erupted in 2021. The series culminates in a “megatsunami” capable of engulfing Europe and reaching as far as the west coast of the US.

    It’s a truly terrifying prospect.

    Disaster stories are hugely popular and La Palma is just the latest hit in the growing genre. In his book Disaster Mon Amour, the film critic David Thomson identifies the filmmakers’ goal of creating “a spectacle of devastation with cozy human interest”. But stories like La Palma can have real world impact.

    The series presents itself as being based on a real hypothesis, which is communicated by newscasters and a scientist in the title sequence of each episode. The tsunami expert Simon Day, whose research inspired the show, is also thanked in the closing credits. However, La Palma does nothing to capture the more up to date and reassuring science.

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    While volcanic events can trigger tsunamis, as experts in volcanoes and the communication of disaster, we can assure you that the eruption and subsequent rapid collapse of the island depicted in the series isn’t a plausible scenario that scientists are concerned about.

    What should be taken more seriously are localised tsunamis. Such “megatsunami” scenarios have been debunked in recent years you’ll be happy to hear.

    There have been more than 17 eruptions in the Canary Islands since the 1400s, none resulting in a “megatsunami” across the Atlantic.

    Stories have the power to communicate information about environmental risk for audiences. Following the release of the film, some have dug up the megatsunami hypothesis, raising it back into the public awareness.

    The idea of a “megatsunami”, triggered in the way it is in La Palma, first arose in a 2001 paper by the academic the series thanks in its credits, Simon Day and the geophysicist Steven Ward based on one extreme hypothetical scenario. This theory has since been proven false by subsequent studies that show that a Canary Islands eruption and collapse might reach the US with a maximum wave height similar to a storm surge at one to two metres , not the 25-metre waves depicted in La Palma. Newer research has also called into question the scale of the landslide used in the original study which would cause such a tsunami.

    Since the initial work, we understand a lot more about how large landslides and tsunamis occur, and the computer models used to test tsunami scenarios have improved. Research on the underwater landslide deposits has shown that these collapses occur in multiple, smaller steps, not one massive slide into the ocean. Such a large tsunami would leave telltale deposits in North and South America – but they are nowhere to be found.

    The importance of understanding the risk relating to real volcanoes was encapsulated during the 2021 eruption of Cumbre Vieja. As the eruption progressed, volcanologists received messages from concerned and frightened people fearing a megatsunami, which prompted the US Geological Survey to respond outlining why the hypothesis doesn’t carry. This was even before a major Netflix drama had recounted such an imaginary event.

    Volcanogenic tsunamis of all sizes are a real threat around the world and hazards experts want to know what our risks are so we can prepare and protect our communities. This becomes difficult when facts are diluted or distorted by stories like La Palma’s. Volcanologists with limited resources during an eruption end up spending more time debunking information rather than talking to the press about the potential dangers.

    During the 2021 eruption, the people of La Palma suffered greatly and continue to struggle with claiming compensation and rebuilding their homes or accessing their properties. Tourist numbers dropped to a third of pre-pandemic levels after 2021’s volcanic eruption.

    Misinformation about eruptions and their risks can add to the stress of those inhabiting or visiting volcanic islands, not only concerned about their own safety, but the security of an economy that relies heavily on tourism. With the right information, we can empower communities to prepare themselves and to act fast when the time comes.

    A lot of people watch Netflix, but not many people read scientific papers on volcanology. Given this, it might be that the responsibility of getting the science right and accurately representing risk should lie with the people with a captive audience. There is an opportunity to work with scientists to help spread the right information alongside promotion for future stories about such disasters.

    Simon Day was approached for comment but hadn’t responded by the time this article was published.

    Katy Chamberlain received funding to work on the 2021 La Palma eruption from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Urgency grant number: NE/ W007673/1

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

    – ref. Netflix’s La Palma’s ‘megatsunami’ has been debunked – https://theconversation.com/netflixs-la-palmas-megatsunami-has-been-debunked-246916

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why meteorologists are comparing Storm Éowyn to a bomb

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Suzanne Gray, Professor of Meteorology, University of Reading

    A satellite image of the British Isles during Storm Éowyn’s descent. ©EUMETSAT (2025), CC BY

    Storm Éowyn is today unleashing strong and damaging winds over the British Isles, and particularly over Ireland and Scotland.

    Air pressure at the centre of the storm plummeted 50 millibars in the 24 hours leading up to midnight on January 24. That’s more than twice what is required in the definition of “explosive cyclogenesis”, in other words, the development of a cyclonic (anticlockwise rotating) storm that is both rapid and severe – like a bomb going off. As a result, Éowyn can be termed a “bomb cyclone”.

    It is not unusual for winter storms in this part of the world to reach bomb cyclone status. However, only very few in recent years have shown a rate of deepening pressure that is comparable to that of Storm Éowyn.

    The exceptional intensity of Storm Éowyn was predicted and it has prompted the Met Office and Met Éireann to issue red warnings covering the whole island of Ireland and central and southern Scotland. This tells the public to expect widespread gusts of 80-90mph and up to 100mph in the most exposed locations. A record-breaking gust of 114 mph has this morning been provisionally reported at Mace Head on Ireland’s west coast.

    Similar intense storms have left widespread damage and tragically claimed lives. Some, such as the infamous Great Storm of 1987, have entered popular culture.

    Éowyn’s place in history

    The maximum gust during the Great Storm was measured as 115mph at Shoreham, on the west Sussex coast. However, the anemometer stopped recording immediately afterwards so the real peak may have been higher.

    A scientific paper has cast doubts on the UK national low-level wind gust record (so, excluding mountain summits) of 142mph. This was recorded at Kinnaird Head Lighthouse at Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire, Scotland on February 13 1989. The researchers documented brief power supply interruptions to the recording anemograph, which could have given a faulty reading.

    The record-highest wind gust measured in England sits at 122mph. This was recorded at the Needles, a very exposed site at the edge of the Isle of Wight, during Storm Eunice in February 2022. Two gusts of similar strength were recorded less than two years later (November 2023) in Brittany during Storm Ciarán.

    In Ireland, the strongest gust recorded by an inland low-altitude weather station was during ex-Hurricane Debbie in 1961, with 113mph measured at Malin Head, the most northerly point of mainland Ireland. A gust of 97mph was measured in October 2017 at Roche’s Point at the entrance to Cork harbour during ex-Hurricane Ophelia.

    The measurements we’re now seeing during the passage of Storm Éowyn are up there with those recorded during the most infamous storms of recent years and decades.

    What makes a storm ‘explode’

    Like making a cake, there are several key ingredients to cooking up an explosively developing bomb cyclone like Storm Éowyn.

    A strong jet stream – the ribbon of winds about six miles up in the atmosphere over the North Atlantic – is one. Winds here are currently exceeding 200 mph – their strength is linked to the strong temperature contrast between the cold plunge of air across the eastern US and the far warmer air over the western North Atlantic.

    This strong jet has provided the energy for the storm’s development and is also the cause of its race towards the UK across the North Atlantic. Storm Éowyn came to life off the eastern seaboard of the US during Wednesday January 22 and will have covered over 2,000 miles before it arrives off western Scotland by Friday midday.

    The low-pressure centre of Storm Éowyn crossed the jet stream from south to north en route, an ideal track for explosive development.

    Éowyn’s heavy rainfall as it tracks towards the UK is a result of another key ingredient for explosive storm development: deep clouds within the storm that generate energy when their water condenses. These clouds are fed by strong fluxes of heat and moisture from the warm ocean surface, and scientists have been detecting record-warm surface ocean temperatures in the North Atlantic in recent years.

    The role of climate change

    When a storm such as Éowyn occurs, people ponder the role of climate change in fuelling its strength. Our experiences of future storms will depend on what tracks these storms typically take and how that influences their intensity. Stormy weather is, of course, not unusual in the autumn and winter over the British Isles and it requires detailed research to attribute the strength of any specific storm to climate change.

    To date, the observed trends in storminess have not provided a conclusive link with climate change. The latest assessment report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, experts relating to all aspects of climate change who are convened by the United Nations, states that there is “low confidence” in the direction of trends in the number and intensity of extratropical storms (those that form outside of the warm band surrounding Earth’s equator) over the last century.

    One reason why it is difficult to make this link is that the position and variability of storminess is very dependent on the jet stream, and its position varies a lot from day to day, week to week, and beyond. Large-scale climate patterns such as the El-Niño Southern Oscillation and North Atlantic Oscillation, and sea surface temperatures and the extent of sea ice are also likely to be important factors.

    Despite this uncertainty, there are indications that in the future, winter storms may become more frequent and more clustered (such that several storms occur within a few days of each other), which can exacerbate their overall impact. The frequency of storms with extreme winds may also increase. Rainfall is highly likely to increase, as a warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture.

    Another thing that could change about intense storms in future is their propensity to develop “sting jets”. Sting jets are descending airstreams that can produce particularly destructive surface winds, as in the Great October storm, Storm Eunice and Storm Ciarán. Sting jets are short-lived and occur over very small areas, making them hard to predict and identify.

    There is speculation over whether a sting jet has descended during Storm Éowyn. Post-event verification will be needed. While the overall impact on wind speed is uncertain, the small number of studies that have considered sting jets in future cyclones have predicted an increase in their likelihood.

    Cyclones that are capable of producing sting jets also typically show more vigorous cloud development, consistent with the hypothesis that the intense storms of the future will be influenced by our hotter and wetter atmosphere.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Suzanne Gray has previously received or currently has funding from the Natural Environmental Research Council and AXA Research Fund to work on sting jet storms, and storms in the Arctic and Mediterranean regions.

    Ambrogio Volonté has previously received or currently has funding from the Natural Environmental Research Council, AXA Research Fund and the University of Reading to work on sting jet storms, and storms in the Arctic and Mediterranean regions.

    – ref. Why meteorologists are comparing Storm Éowyn to a bomb – https://theconversation.com/why-meteorologists-are-comparing-storm-eowyn-to-a-bomb-248203

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Regional improvement and innovation alliances: grant determination letters

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    An example of the section 31 letter issued to the lead local authorities in each of the 9 regional improvement and innovation alliances.

    Applies to England

    Documents

    Section 31 grant determination letter for regional improvement alliance investment

    PDF, 150 KB, 4 pages

    Details

    These letters set out how, as part of its children’s social care strategy, the Department for Education is funding key activities that aid the improvement of local authority children’s services.

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The rector of the State University of Management took part in the meeting of the State Council Commission on Personnel

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev took part in the first meeting of the State Council of the Russian Federation Commission on Personnel in 2025, which took place on January 22, 2025.

    The Chairman of the Commission, Governor of the Kaluga Region, and graduate of the State University of Management Vladislav Shapsha opened the meeting with a speech in which he spoke about work plans for this year.

    The event was attended by representatives of the Presidential Administration, the Government, the Federation Council, the State Duma, heads of regions, federal and regional ministries, and the scientific and business community. Among them were the Minister of Labor and Social Protection Anton Kotyakov, the First Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, a graduate of the State University of Management Vasily Osmakov, the Chairperson of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education, and Culture Liliya Gumerova, the President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Alexander Shokhin, and the Deputy Chairman of the State Council, Deputy Governor of the Kaluga Region, a graduate of our university Tatyana Leonova.

    The participants discussed the main areas of the Commission’s work in 2025 and approved the action plan for the year. The key task is to “land” in a number of pilot regions events related to technological sovereignty, regional personnel forecasts, and the professional education system, in accordance with the updated national objectives. At the same time, the entities participating in the project will be able to receive expert assessments from leading institutes, federal ministries, and subordinate institutions.

    The meeting participants identified assistance to veterans of the special military operation in adapting to civilian life, including in mastering a new profession, as a key priority.

    It was also decided that in February of this year, a visiting meeting would be held in the Kaluga region, in Obninsk, which would be dedicated to the human resources potential of Russian science.

    “We are working on mechanisms for mutual coordination of the goals of national projects. In our case, technological leadership with a regional personnel forecast and routing of students “school-SPO/university-employer”, – Vladislav Shapsha reported on his social networks.

    Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroev noted that he will take part in the next meeting of the Commission and share the experience of the State University of Management in this area.

    The national project “Personnel” was launched this year by decision of President Vladimir Putin. The main objective of the national project is to help prepare employees efficiently and quickly to meet the needs of employers. This can be achieved through the coordinated work of the state, educational institutions and companies. The national project is aimed at career guidance for schoolchildren and employment of recent graduates – measures are provided for the development of targeted training and industrial practices, the formation of a flexible system of professional standards, and increased labor mobility; to transform the approach to the professional development of already working Russians – assistance will be provided in changing professions or acquiring new skills; to create conditions for the development of business competencies in young people.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 01/24/2025

    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 United Kingdom: Culture Secretary speech at the Creative Industries Growth Summit

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy’s speech on government plans to grow the creative industries, at the Creative Industries Growth Summit in Gateshead.

    Welcome to the first Creative Industries Growth Summit. The first national and international gathering of the industries we have chosen to be the centre of our plan for economic growth. 

    Today I want to talk to you about how, together, we are going to take the brakes off our fastest growing industries and from design and TV to music, video games and fashion, we are going to unleash the power of our creative industries. 

    To grow our economy. To create good jobs, choices and chances for all our young people. To power the world through our dynamic creative industries. 

    It’s no accident that we chose to meet here in Gateshead. A town with a proud industrial history. Through iron, steel and coal the people of this town – and this region – powered us through the last century. And Gateshead is now at the forefront of Britain’s cultural renaissance. 

    Through great institutions like the Baltic and the Glasshouse, sculptures like the Angel of the North, and a growing film industry and video games industry across the region, Gateshead and the North East are a shining example – every bit as striking as the Millennium Bridge – of how you build a living, breathing bridge from our past to our future. 

    That potential exists in every nation and region of the United Kingdom. Where our world class creative industries have given us a uniquely British brilliance, from the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland, Derry Girls in Northern Ireland, the Hay Festival in Wales, the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham, and the British Museum in London which pulls in more visitors from around the world than any apart from in New York.

    But while governments of every stripe have appreciated the social value of our creative industries, they have consistently underpriced the huge economic potential of industries that are already among our most powerful engines of growth. That ends with us.

    I shouldn’t have to say it but I do. From theatre to fashion, advertising to publishing, the creative industries have grown one and a half times faster than the rest of the economy. You together in this room are responsible for creating one in seven jobs through the creative economy. You contribute £124 billion to our economy. Your industries generate nearly 6% of our GVA.

    Paul Simon once sang: “Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts.” There are only three countries that are net exporters of music. That is so uniquely true of Britain. We are the musicians, the creators, the storytellers, who tell our story, light up the world and power this economy. That is the talent and ambition that you have, that has built sectors that were worth more to the economy in 2022 than aerospace, life sciences and the automotive industries combined. 

    But too often you’ve done extraordinary things, not in partnership with your government, but despite it. You’ve been knocking on doors in Whitehall for far too long with a clear message. You want the stability that gives investors confidence to back you. You want a government willing to take a bulldozer to every barrier to growth.

    Well today we’re throwing those doors wide open. We share your passion. We match your ambition and we are going to back you to the hilt as one of only eight industries that we believe will power us through the next century.

    I’m delighted that Baroness Shriti Vadera has agreed to lead us through this new chapter as the next chair of our revamped Creative Industries Council. She and the titan that is Sir Peter Bazalgette have wasted no time in setting to work on the Sector Plan, which is our dedicated plan in the Industrial Strategy that will guide us forwards. 

    But as we put those plans in place to carry the torch forwards, you’ve been nothing but straight with us about what is holding you back. And we’ve heard it loud and clear. Investment, innovation, international competitiveness, and skills. So today in all of these areas we’re taking the brakes off our fastest growing industries and inviting you to motor ahead. 

    We’re starting by making sure you have the investment and backing you need. Like every part of the UK economy, the creative industries have amazing start-ups that struggle to scale up. The growth potential is huge, but the investments are often wrongly deemed too risky and this is particularly true outside London and the South East – forcing great British creative businesses to look overseas to scale.

    We are determined to keep that creative pound here in the UK. So as a first step to addressing that all-important finance barrier, the British Business Bank, which supports over £17 billion in finance for businesses already, is committing to increase the scale of its support for the creative industries. 

    Backing capital fund managers to invest in UK creatives, supporting those experts who understand the unique strengths of this sector in the UK. And we are asking the British Business Bank to report to us on its investment in the creative industries, so that we know the real world impact it is having.

    Secondly, we’re taking steps today to address some of the principal barriers to innovation, research and development investment. Time and again we’ve seen examples of creative businesses coming up with innovations that go on to benefit the wider economy. 

    3D modelling, pioneered for video games, is now employed by Rolls Royce in developing engines. 

    Visualisation technologies are helping bring down the backlog in the NHS, helping surgeons at hospitals like University College Hospital, to increase the number of prostate operations they do every year. That is lives changed because of the work you are doing.

    It’s why the Prime Minister’s Council of Science and Technology recommended that public investment in R&D in the creative industries reflect the size, economic contribution and future growth potential of the sector.

    So today we are announcing that we will strengthen the investment from our national research funding agency UKRI into creative R&D.

    This means building on the success of the Arts and Humanities Research Council, and programmes like the Creative Clusters Programme. It means UKRI will develop a specific new strategy to support the creative industries.

    And it means a long-term investment plan for innovation and growth in the sector, allowing us to build world-leading infrastructure around the UK. And again, to underline this commitment, the Government will ask UKRI to report on its investment in the creative industries.

    Because underpinning this is our belief that public and private investment should better reflect the creative industries’ contribution to the economy and its enormous growth potential. 

    But as we embrace new innovation across the country, we will do it in a way that works for creatives, rather than just paying lip service to your concerns. Creators have always been at the cutting edge of new technologies. 

    But we hear creators’ concerns and we recognise the worry that AI is an existential threat to livelihoods. There is no value without content. I want to assure you in the clearest possible terms: creatives are at the core of our AI strategy.

    When it comes to copyright we’re unambiguous in our desire for a copyright regime that provides creators with real control, transparency and ensures they can license their content.

    Thirdly, we’re taking on the skills shortages holding your industries back. We are proud to be supporting major investment projects like the Crown Works film studio in Sunderland. But too often what I hear from young people is that they could no more dream of getting those jobs than going to the moon. 

    That is not just a tragic waste of human potential. It’s bad business. 

    It’s why people like Stephen Knight, the creator of Peaky Blinders, who is working to bring in a film school in Birmingham, is recruiting and training 20% of his workforce from local postcodes. 

    It is essential for investors to know that they don’t have to incur the costs of shipping people in to work on a project, because that talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not.

    [political content]

    So, the Education Secretary has announced a review of the curriculum. As part of that we are putting creativity, art, music, culture and sport back at the heart of the curriculum, supporting culture and creativity through the education system.

    We’re going to introduce shorter apprenticeships from August 2025. This is one of our first steps towards a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy, recognising the particular needs of this sector.

    A movie can take six months to film, while the inflexible apprenticeship model we inherited requires a commitment to 12. We’re knocking down these needless hurdles and this is just the start.

    Skills England, along with DfE and my department, are now committing to work with creative employers to identify where else the apprenticeship system can be more flexible to help them get the skills they need, when they need them.

    We want kids growing up in Gateshead and Wigan to know that they have a contribution to make, that is seen and is valued. And that contribution is not just for Britain – it’s for the world.

    Because our creative industries aren’t just at the heart of our Industrial Strategy and our economic plan, but right at the centre of our ambition to reconnect Britain to the world.

    This week the Foreign Secretary and I put the creative industries at the heart of our new Soft Power Council which we lead together and we launched on Wednesday.

    We both know that when it comes to international competitiveness, we cannot afford to stand still. So in Europe we are working together to unlock closer cooperation to support our touring artists and those across the EU.

    We’ve wasted no time in introducing tax credits for VFX and independent film. A shining example of how industry and government working together drives investment, creates jobs and allows the best storytellers in the world to tell those stories to the world.

    And to drive the sector’s international impact, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade and I are extending the Music Export Growth Scheme, which will help great artists to take their talent to the next level. Because nobody has a monopoly on talent. 

    I spent three of the happiest years of my life just over the Tyne Bridge at Newcastle University. And apart from having to get used to being called a southerner, those years introduced me to the very rich culture and heritage here in the North East.

    And when I look around this region, it is obvious to me, as it is to so many of you, that this is a region that should be the Hollywood of the UK. With its innovation, its work ethic, its ability to reinvent and reimagine itself. 

    There is a reason why investors are clamouring to invest here. Not just the creativity of the people, and the strong local leadership, but the beauty of the backdrops and the sheer scale of the space to build film studios like Crown Works in Sunderland. 

    So it is extraordinary that for 19 of the last 20 years only two regions – London and the South East – have had the backing and investment to make a net contribution to the public purse. 

    Trying to grow the economy while ignoring the potential in most parts of Britain is like trying to fly a jet on only one engine. So as well as breaking down the barriers to investment, innovation and skills, we are going to build on what you’ve started through the Sector Plan – learning from the success of London as a global hub, to turbocharge the growth of the creative industries right across the UK. 

    There is huge untapped potential across our country, from the music industry in Liverpool to film and TV production here in the North East. And we know mayors and local businesses – like Kim McGuiness here in the North East and Tracy Brabin who has led trade delegations and created cultural collaborations all over the world – know better than anyone how to unlock this creativity, innovation, and growth. 

    That is why today we are announcing new funding for six Mayoral Strategic Authorities with high potential, which local leaders will be able to spend and invest on what they know local creative industry businesses need. They are: the North East, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, West Yorkshire, the West Midlands, and the West of England.

    This is just the first step in boosting growth in all parts of the country. The Sector Plan will include further support that will benefit all businesses wherever they are based. We will work with any part of the country that wants to prioritise the creative industries in their local growth plan.

    Alongside that, we are putting money where our mouth is. Today the Chancellor and I are committing £40 million of funding toward the creative industries in the next fiscal year. Including funding 127 businesses to take growth to the next level – including 11 here in the North East of England.

    That’s new funding for creators and creative businesses, major music labels, film studios and fashion houses. It is a serious sign of our belief in these industries and breaking down the barriers, so that many of you in this room can do the same.

    And this is just the first step. In the months ahead we will be taking more action, developing the Industrial Strategy across Whitehall and knocking down these barriers in the way of this sector’s growth.

    [political content]

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Response to Storm Éowyn

    Source: Scottish Government

    Severe weather and disruption expected to continue. 

    First Minister John Swinney has asked people to continue to follow Police Scotland advice not to travel during the red weather warning and to be mindful that dangerous conditions will persist for the rest of the evening while the amber warning remains in place. 

    It follows a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Resilience Room (SGoRR), which is co-ordinating the response to the damage and disruption caused by Storm Éowyn in Scotland. 

    SGoRR was updated on the current impacts, including: 

    • Currently around 100,000 households without power 
    • Severe transport disruption with rail, bus, flight, ferry and tram cancellations as well as road closures across the network 
    • 92% of the school estate in Scotland is closed 
    • Cancellation of non-urgent medical appointments 

    The First Minister said utility companies are working at pace to restore power as quickly as possible, however as conditions remain too dangerous for recovery teams to operate fully, welfare provisions are in place to support the most vulnerable. Members of the public are also being urged to plan ahead and continue to follow safety advice in the coming days, including checking for the latest road conditions, Scotrail services and public transport advice which are all expected to experience continued disruption.   

    First Minister John Swinney said: 

    “Storm Éowyn is an exceptional weather event and is causing significant impacts across Scotland, with multiple reports of fallen trees and blown over vehicles. What the Met Office predicted has come our way, with gusts of 100mph winds reported. 

    “I want to thank members of the public for largely following Police Scotland’s advice not to travel. However, this storm is not over yet. Even once the red weather warning expires, severe weather warnings for wind, snow and ice remain in place across much of the country tonight and into tomorrow morning. 

    “A high level of vigilance is still required. There are still too many lorries on the road and I urge all HGVs to follow Police Scotland advice not to travel during the red weather warning. 

    “We are also seeing reports of multiple power outages across Scotland and expect these to continue over the course of the day. It will take time to recover power and transport services across the country, as conditions still remain too dangerous for recovery teams to operate.  

    “Utilities companies are focused on supporting their most vulnerable customers and I’d encourage everyone to please look out for each other and take extra care during this time.” 

    Assistant Chief Constable Mark Sutherland, who is leading the multi-agency response to Storm Eowyn, said:

    “We have seen significant disruption across the country, particularly in the areas affected by the red weather warning. First and foremost, our thoughts are with those who have been injured and those impacted by the weather.

    “The high winds are forecast to continue, with Amber warnings in place into this evening and tomorrow morning.

    “It is concerning that there has been a large number of HGVs on the road. We have responded to 11 incidents so far where HGVs have overturned due to high winds and I want to reiterate the advice that you should not travel in or to areas under the red weather warning. Additionally, I would urge the public to avoid travelling in areas affected by the Amber warning and consider delaying your travel until conditions improve. We don’t ask you to do this lightly and we make this ask with public safety at the forefront of decision-making.

    “Roads are likely to be affected by debris for some time to come and motorists should drive with caution when it is safe to return to the roads.”

    Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Head of Operations Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Garry Mackay said:

    “Our Operations Control rooms are experiencing an extremely high number of 999 calls at the moment. Please only dial 999 and ask for us where there is an immediate risk of harm.

    “For fallen trees or obstacles that do not pose an immediate risk to the public or property, we are asking the public to please contact your local authority.”

    Background  

    SGoRR was attended by the Deputy First Minister, and Cabinet Secretaries for Health; Education; Transport; Justice; Rural Affairs and Islands; and Net Zero and Energy. They were joined by representatives from the Met Office, Police Scotland, Transport Scotland, SEPA, transport and utilities companies and resilience partners. 

    The latest Met Office weather warnings are available on the Met Office website.  

    Flood alerts are issued by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency and can be viewed on their website.   

    Advice on preparing for severe weather can be found on the Ready Scotland website.   

    Follow Traffic Scotland for the most up-to-date information on the trunk roads throughout the warning periods, via their website, social media channels and radio broadcasts. Updates on ScotRail services and road conditions are available online. 

    To report a power cut or damage to electricity power lines or substations call the SP Networks national Freephone number 105. More information on what to do during a storm can also be found on SP Energy Website. 

    During a power cut firefighters can be called to fires started by candles or portable heaters. For advice on how to stay safe during a power cut visit Scottish Fire and Rescue Website.  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Drake’s Leat uncovered as part of Armada Way regeneration project

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Wat-er interesting find. Who would have thought drains could be so fascinating, but they are when the contractor was none other than Sir Francis Drake!

    Contractors working on Armada Way are lifting the lid on a slice of Plymouth history – Drake’s Leat, which supplied the city’s water for several hundred years.

    Drake’s Leat opened in 1591 and ran for 17 miles from the River Meavy to the sea. As part of the contract, Drake was granted leases for six water mills along its course.

    Sections of the leat are still very visible on the moors and along the Tavistock Road at Derriford. This city centre section is buried several metres below the surface but is being in part uncovered as part of the preparation work for the regeneration scheme.

    As it is a known archaeological feature, AC Archaeology have been commissioned by the council to record its condition and preserve findings by record before it is covered over once more – in line with best practice to keep finds in situ wherever possible.

    The work will involve photographs and creating scaled drawings when the leat is exposed as well as sampling organic material, if there is suitable access.

    The leat was created at street level but now it’s a couple of metres down, which shows how much the lay of the land has changed. Blitz rubble was used as infill when the city centre was completely rebuilt after the war.

    The industrial revolution in the early 19th Century saw factories and foundries crop up in this location, all of which used water from the leat. Early Victorian maps show an iron works, a sawmill and a dye works in the area currently occupied by SpecSavers, Barclay’s Bank and B&M. A fabric production factory close to the site also produced sails for the Royal Navy.

    Councillor Mark Lowry, city centre champion said: “This stretch of the leat will be particularly interesting due to its reconstruction in the Victorian era to help serve the industries nearby. It will be fascinating to see what archaeologists find. It all adds to the story of Plymouth.”

    Part of the massive Armada Way Regeneration scheme will reference the leat. The water play area will follow its direction and there will be metal markers in the ground to indicate to people the location and direction and flow of the water through the leat.

    The leat fell out of fashion and out of use in the early 1800s when reservoirs were built to supply water to Plymouth’s rapidly expanding population. Two reservoirs were built at Drake’s Place currently part of the University of Plymouth campus on North Hill. The leat within the city centre area was covered over to prevent pollution and to reduce the danger to pedestrians, especially children.

    In 1826 the Corporation laid new iron pipes to supply water. Other reservoirs were built in the mid to late 1800s at Crownhill, Hartley, Roborough and Yelverton.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy announces $75.1 million in disaster aid for Hurricanes Ida, Laura

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $75,123,091 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grants for flood mitigation, debris removal and permanent repair projects. 
    “Hurricanes Ida and Laura devastated south Louisiana. This $75.1 million will help our communities rebuild and prepare for future storms by supporting flood mitigation, debris removal and permanent repair projects,” said Kennedy.
    The FEMA aid will fund the following:
    $23,362,422 to the Washington-St. Tammany Electric Cooperative for permanent repairs as a result of Hurricane Ida.
    $19,913,860 to the Terrebonne Parish School Board for permanent repairs as a direct result of Hurricane Ida.
    $7,330,271 to Terrebonne Parish for debris removal operations as a result of Hurricane Ida. 
    $4,844,147 to the Society of the Roman Catholic Church of the Diocese of Lake Charles for permanent repairs as a result of Hurricane Laura.
    $4,397,467 to the Grand Isle Independent Levee District for permanent repairs as a result of Hurricane Ida.
    $2,715,104 to the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office for emergency protective measures as a direct result of Hurricane Laura. 
    $1,943,643 to Livingston Parish for management costs as a result of Hurricane Ida. 
    $1,628,521 to the Grand Isle Independent Levee District for permanent repairs as a direct result of Hurricane Ida.
    $1,599,783 to the Office of Risk Management for permanent repairs as a result of Hurricane Ida. 
    $1,433,322 to the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans for permanent repairs as a result Hurricane Ida.
    1,261,153 to Jefferson Davis Electric Cooperative, Inc., for emergency protective measures as a result of Hurricane Laura.
    $1,247,038 to the Westwego Housing Authority for permanent repairs as a result of Hurricane Ida.
    $1,239,840 to Jefferson Parish for emergency protective measures as a direct result Hurricane Ida.
    $1,201,968 to the Louisiana Children’s Medical Center DBA LCMC Health (Children’s Hospital) for management costs as a result of Hurricane Ida.
    $1,004,552 to the Ochsner Clinic Foundation for emergency protective measures as a direct result of Hurricane Ida.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sexism linked to social ills for men and women, finds largest cross-cultural study of its kind

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Magdalena Zawisza, Associate Professor in Gender and Consumer Psychology, Director of Groups and Societies Research Centre and Chair of Faculty Athena Swan Committee, Anglia Ruskin University

    Feminism is facing a backlash, with women’s rights being rolled back in many countries and a significant number of people saying feminism has gone far enough or even too far. Yet women still face basic obstacles to education in some countries and are generally paid less than men. They still suffer from male violence and, in some places, face increasing restrictions to reproductive rights. There are even some places where families force midwives to kill their newborn girls.

    Many women are also fed up with doing both a full-time job and the lion’s share of domestic duties and unpaid caring jobs. It’s easy to wonder whether gender equality is simply impossible, especially as many men inaccurately perceive that gains for women equate losses for men.

    But there is hope. Our 62-nation psychological study, which is largest of its kind, suggests that gender equality benefits us all and sexism is harmful to everybody – women, men and nations in many surprising ways. As such, we all have an interest in promoting egalitarianism.

    As our findings show, sexism is linked with several social ills affecting us all. For example, higher sexism predicted lower GDP – indicating lower economic productivity. It also predicted a lower “global peace index”, meaning nation’s higher domestic and international conflict, militarisation and lower safety and security.

    Further, sexism was linked to a greater level of antidemocratic practices in a given country. Lastly, it even predicted shorter healthy lifespans (ones without chronic disease or disability) in women and men as measured with WHO’s Healthy Life Expectancy in Women and Men. For example, our data reveals that one point increase in sexism (measured from 0-5) is linked with a 9.12 months shorter lifespan in men and 8.88 months in women.

    While the type of analysis we did cannot directly prove that sexism causes these issues, the pattern of our findings aligns with theoretically driven predictions and with experiments that directly test such links on a smaller scale. It makes more sense to expect that sexism leads to poor health than that poor health leads to sexism, for example.

    Specifically, other research reports that sexism reduces human capital by restricting women’s education and job opportunities, thus depleting economic productivity. A country where most women work is likely to have much higher productivity than a country where all the women stay at home.

    Research also shows that sexist masculine norms encourage male violence contributing to greater conflict. And we know that sexism is linked to medical discrimination for women, such as less medical research on women and treating women’s complaints as less credible. This may lead to poorer health.

    Sexism prevents men from getting help with their mental and physical health.
    YURII MASLAK/Shutterstock

    For men, sexism discourages seeking help for psychological or medical problems, seeing it as weakness. It also encourages risk-taking, such as aggression or not using seatbelts. This may well cause a reduction in health and wellbeing.

    Two faces of sexism

    Importantly, our study also reveals that affectionate but patronising attitudes to women are also harmful to all – you might not even recognise them as sexist. And you are not alone.

    After 30 years of its conception, our research supports the ambivalent sexism theory. The theory proposes that sexism has two faces: hostile and benevolent. While both are ugly, the latter hides under the veil of superficial positivity. Hostile sexism is an open and overt hostility to non-traditional women and a desire to punish those who break norms, such as female politicians.

    Benevolent sexism, on the other hand, is superficially positive but patronising. It includes attitudes that reward traditional women, such as stay-at-home mums, by idealising them, offering them male protection and provision. This sounds innocent, but such beliefs imply women’s weakness.

    In fact, research has shown that exposure to benevolent sexism increases women’s acceptance of hostile sexism, decreases their work performance, and reduces their support for gender equality action.

    Both ideologies work together to maintain men’s power over women: they form a system of rewards and punishments akin to the iron fist (hostility) in a velvet glove (benevolence). Thus, hostile and benevolent sexism are internalised also by women.

    Our study shows that people who hold benevolent sexist views are also more likely to hold hostile sexist views, as the two correlate positively in 62 countries across five continents. Compared with 2000, when the last such study was done in 19 countries, average national sexism scores dropped a meagre 0.47 points (on a 0-5 scale). See our world map of this and other concepts we measured.

    While men are more sexist than women around the world, women’s beliefs about themselves are also sexist to some extent. Interestingly, as men’s hostile sexism increased, women embraced benevolent sexism more (sometimes outscoring men) – probably attempting to secure the promised protection and provision.

    Unfortunately, this benevolent promise appears false. Across our 62 countries, the higher benevolent sexism, the lower was the gender equality, women’s labour participation and the more time women spend on unpaid domestic chores.

    Taken together, our research suggests that it may well be in the interests of women, men and nations alike to tackle sexism for a better future for us all. In other words, women’s gains mean men’s gains too.

    Dr Magdalena Zawisza received funding for activities related to this study from from National Science Centre, Poland. She volunteers her expertise to Women on Boards CIC Leadership Committee and Think Tank, UK.

    This research was funded by a grant from the National Science Centre in Poland (grant 18 number: 2017/26/M/HS6/00360) awarded to Natasza Kosakowska-Berezecka

    – ref. Sexism linked to social ills for men and women, finds largest cross-cultural study of its kind – https://theconversation.com/sexism-linked-to-social-ills-for-men-and-women-finds-largest-cross-cultural-study-of-its-kind-247183

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Emotions change our perception of time – as demonstrated on The Traitors

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ruth Ogden, Professor of the Psychology of Time, Liverpool John Moores University

    In the UK version of the TV show The Traitors, contestants were given five minutes to find as much gold as they could, put it into cages and hoist them before the time ran out. There was a catch though – they weren’t given any information about when the five minutes were up.

    Instead, they had to use their internal sense of time to decide when to end the task. Stopping the task too soon meant they collected fewer gold pieces. Stopping the task too late would mean all their gold would be discarded. Accurate timing was therefore the key to success – but interestingly, they chose to end the task after just three minutes.

    Why are we so spectacularly bad at judging time? Can you time a minute or an hour perfectly without using a clock? You may be surprised to realise you are not as good at this as you think.

    We don’t have a clock in our brains that keeps track of time perfectly. As a result, time can often feel like it is passing more quickly or slowly than normal. This is because our experience of time is shaped by our activities and emotions.

    Emotional bias

    An extreme example of this is what happens when we think we are about to die. If you’ve ever been in a car accident, you have probably experienced the sensation that time is slowing down, and everything is happening in slow motion.

    When we experience extreme threats, flight or fight responses kick in, our heart rate increases and the insula, an area of the brain responsible for emotion processing, becomes activated. This change in our brain activity and bodies also appears to be responsible for distorting our sense of time.

    We actually demonstrated this in recent research where we explored how people perceived time when walking across a virtual crumbing ice bridge. Wearing a VR headset, participants were tasked with walking from one end of a mountain ice-bridge to the other.

    As they walked, the ice blocks beneath them would crack or give way entirely – causing them to “fall” to the ground. Throughout the task we monitored our participants heart-rate and how much they sweated.

    Our results show that people rarely felt like time passed as normal during this task. Instead, they often felt like time was passing more slowly than normal. Critically, those who experienced the biggest change in arousal during the task were the ones who were most likely to report that time was slowing down as they traversed the bridge. Controlling our emotions is therefore key to maintaining a stable and accurate sense of time.

    It’s not just near-death situation which distort our sense of time. Events during normal daily life govern how quickly we feel like time is passing. Research shows that time really does pass more quickly when we are happy, and it crawls at the pace of a snail when we are bored. These distortions to time are caused by changes in how much attention we pay to time.

    Our brains have a limited capacity. We only really attend to time when it is highly relevant to what we are currently doing, or when there is a high degree of uncertainty about time.

    When we are having fun and socialising with friends, time is rarely a priority, and as a result we pay less attention to its passing than normal. As a result, these types of positive events tend to feel like they are passing more quickly than normal.

    However, when we are dreading a future event, or desperate for a current one to end, we have a tendency to obsess over time. This causes us to pay more attention to time than normal, resulting in the sensation that it is passing slowly.

    Uncertainty over time

    Being uncertain about time has the same effect. When waiting for a delayed train, for example, our level of temporal uncertainty is high because we don’t know precisely when (if ever) our wait will end. Not knowing when an event will occur causes us to focus on time, and this fixation on time is the reason that it drags.

    Time drags when waiting for a train.
    zhukovvvlad/Shutterstock

    During The Traitors gold searching task, time seemed to fly for the contestants, making them feel like it has been five minutes when it had actually only been three. This is probably because the stress of finding the gold, while running around on uneven terrain, and constantly trying to keep an eye out for someone stabbing you in the back, took most if not all of their thinking capacity.

    As a result, despite the importance of time to the task, the contestants simply paid too little attention to time to accurately process it. This, coupled with the increased arousal caused by all the running around, and fear of getting the task wrong left them them hopelessly unable to accurately keep track of time. Ultimately changes in their attention and arousal resulted in them ending the task prematurely and missing out on much needed prize money.

    Understanding the ways in which attention and emotion affect our sense of time can help us to overcome the sense of time flying and dragging when we don’t want it to. If you find yourself in a state of distress, and sense that the world is slowing down around you, the best thing to do is to try to stay calm as reduce your level of arousal. This will help time to speed up.

    But when you find yourself clock-watching, perhaps waiting for a shift at work to end, distraction is key to making that time fly. By focusing on things other than time, you can trick yourself into feeling like time is passing more quickly, reducing how long you feel like you are in a state of torment.

    Ruth Ogden receives funding from The British Academy, The Wellcome Trust, the Economic and Social Research Council, CHANSE and Horizon 2020. This piece was written as part of the Wellcome Trust Project “After the End” 225238/Z/22/Z and the ESRC project TIMED (ES/X005321/1).

    – ref. Emotions change our perception of time – as demonstrated on The Traitors – https://theconversation.com/emotions-change-our-perception-of-time-as-demonstrated-on-the-traitors-248254

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump labels drug cartels as terrorist groups – what it means for Mexico and beyond

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Amalendu Misra, Professor of International Politics, Lancaster University

    Donald Trump returned to the US presidency on January 20 with a flurry of executive orders. This included the designation of criminal gangs and drug cartels operating south of the Mexico border as “foreign terrorist organisations” – a first for a US president. The state department will now decide which groups are added to the list.

    Trump’s disdain for the criminal fraternity in Latin America is not new. When announcing his first run for the presidency in 2015, Trump claimed the Mexican government was deliberately sending drugs, rapists and criminals to the US.

    To keep them out, he floated and later implemented a rigorous border protection programme. This led not only to mass deportations, but also the building of a concrete and metal wall along the US-Mexico border that spans hundreds of miles.

    In his new order, Trump claimed the “cartels have engaged in a campaign of violence and terror throughout the western hemisphere that has not only destabilised countries with significant importance for our national interests but also flooded the US with deadly drugs, violent criminals, and vicious gangs”.

    How will this order, if it eventually becomes law, impact the people towards whom it is directed?

    Fears of military action

    A terrorist designation expands the government’s ability to collect military intelligence on the cartels and prosecute people deemed to be offering any “material support” to these groups. However, some fear the designation will also make it politically easier for the US government to order direct military intervention against the cartels without having to go through Congress.

    During Trump’s first term, for instance, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was designated as a foreign terrorist organisation. Its head, General Qasem Soleimani, was killed by a US drone strike less than a year later. The Trump Administration cited its foreign terrorist organisation order as justification for its actions.

    Trump has not yet ruled out similar military action in Mexico. On January 20, while signing executive orders in the Oval Office, Trump was asked whether he would send the special forces to confront Mexico’s cartels. “Could happen. Stranger things have happened”, he replied. In the past, Trump has also apparently suggested a missile attack on Mexican drug labs.

    The idea of unilateral US military action against the cartels has always faced stiff opposition from Mexico. And in December, as plans to designate the cartels as terrorist organisations gathered steam, Trump’s Mexican counterpart Claudia Sheinbaum said: “We collaborate, we coordinate, we work together, but we will never subordinate ourselves … Mexico is a free, sovereign, independent country and we do not accept interference.”

    However, US military operations in Mexico may not be so far-fetched. The US has previously staged armed interventions in Latin America when it has felt its national interests were under threat. The ousting of Panama’s leader, Manuel Noriega, in 1989 is a good example.

    That year, the then US president George H.W. Bush ordered 20,000 American troops to invade Panama in an operation to “protect the lives of American citizens”. Noriega, who was arrested after spending days hiding in Panama City’s Vatican embassy, was wanted by US authorities for racketeering and drug trafficking.

    The invasion resulted in the deaths of 514 Panamanian soldiers and civilians (though the unofficial count is closer to 1,000), and three American servicemen.

    Power of persuasion

    The terrorist designation could, on the other hand, simply be a tactic to pressure governments across Latin America into taking tougher action against the gangs. We have already seen the likes of El Salvador’s iron-fisted president, Nayib Bukele, do the heavy lifting for the US, so far as countering criminal gangs is concerned.

    With US assistance, El Salvador currently operates the infamous Terrorism Confinement Center, a maximum security jail that holds high-ranking members of the country’s main criminal gangs. Its critics consider it a “black hole of human rights” and one of the harshest prisons in the world.

    Over the past few weeks, Trump has rebuked Sheinbaum for not doing enough to curtail the power of cartels operating in her country. He claimed earlier in January that Mexico was “essentially run by the cartels”.

    Trump’s proposed appointment of Colonel Ronald Johnson, a former Green Beret with extensive experience in US military intelligence, as ambassador to Mexico signals a potential shift in US strategy toward direct confrontation with the region’s governments to step in line.

    Trump can also buy compliance from governments in Latin America to do his bidding against the cartels, as was the case with Plan Colombia. Launched in 2000, the US-funded US$1 billion project (equivalent to roughly £1.5 billion today) provided foreign and military aid to Colombia in an attempt to fight the production and trafficking of illegal narcotics in the country.

    Plan Colombia was subject to considerable controversy. Its critics claim it led to gross human rights violations as well as the destruction of the environment and people’s livelihoods. But successive US administrations have maintained that Plan Colombia, which came to an end in 2015, was a success.

    The terrorist designation will usher in seismic changes in Latin America. Should Sheinbaum embrace Trump’s initiative, in part or in its entirety, then it is likely to lead to a civil war-like situation in Mexico, given the firepower and deep pockets the cartels have.

    In 2007, under the so-called Mérida Initative, the US donated at least US$1.5 billion to help the then Mexican president, Felipe Calderón, launch his “war on drugs”. The outcome of that war was disastrous, with tens of thousands of lives lost and its effects still being felt today.

    Amalendu Misra is a recipient of British Academy and Nuffield Foundation Grants.

    – ref. Trump labels drug cartels as terrorist groups – what it means for Mexico and beyond – https://theconversation.com/trump-labels-drug-cartels-as-terrorist-groups-what-it-means-for-mexico-and-beyond-248035

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Holocaust: how ‘rescue archaeology’ is tackling the impending loss of surviving witnesses

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tony Kushner, James Parkes Professor of Jewish/non-Jewish Relations, University of Southampton

    This year is the 80th anniversary of the Soviet army’s liberation of Auschwitz, the huge and complex concentration and death camp in which one million Jews were murdered.

    The theme of this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day is For a Better Future, a message of hope that is much needed in this extremely troubling world, where the far right is gaining power inside and outside of Europe.

    An issue which has troubled those, like myself, who are involved with Holocaust education and memorialisation for some time is what to do when the survivor generation passes on.

    This is no longer a theoretical concern. Every year, inevitably and at an accelerating rate, the numbers of Holocaust survivors diminishes. In the past few years in the UK alone, prominent survivors have been lost. Most recently Lily Ebert, aged 100, who late in life became famous through relating her harrowing story through the very modern media of TikTok.

    Speaking about her death, King Charles said: “Alongside other Holocaust survivors she became an integral part of the fabric of our nation; her extraordinary resilience and courage an example to us all, which will never be forgotten.”

    Indeed, many Holocaust survivors have been prominent in recent years, recounting their testimony to schools and the media. Holocaust Memorial Day, inaugurated at the start of the new millennium, has provided a special place for survivors at both a national and local level.

    This year at the University of Southampton, for example, we are privileged to have Janine Webber, a survivor of the Lvov ghetto in German-occupied Poland, speaking. She will relay to a diverse audience of all ages and backgrounds her life before, during and after the Holocaust.

    Through the Parkes Institute for the study of Jewish/non-Jewish relations, we have organised this city-wide event for over two decades. We know, however, that this may be one of the last times we will be privileged to have the survivors at the heart of our programme. In 2035 it will be the 90th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and by then few survivors, if any, will still be alive.



    Read more:
    Charlotte Delbo and the women of Convoy 31000: how researching their stories led me to a forgotten subcamp and Nazi lies in the Auschwitz archive

    There is a certain irony in the understandable angst about the devastating prospect of a world without Holocaust survivors (as well as their liberators, and those who helped Jewish people during their darkest hour).

    For many years after 1945, Holocaust survivors were not given the space to talk about their experiences – a silence that often extended to their children and wider families. It was only talking in their own small circles that these survivors felt that their experiences would be understood.

    Now the situation is very different. Survivors are honoured for their work in educating new generations born well after the second world war. King Charles’s heartfelt tribute to Ebert reflects a wider tendency. Many have been given honours, including a knighthood to the late survivor leader, Ben Helfgott, who died in 2023. Helfgott was one of over 700 child survivors who were flown to the UK in 1945 to recuperate and ended up making a huge contribution to the country.

    The Pride of Britain Awards honoured Sir Ben Helfgott in 2020.

    In the 1950s and 60s, when the first histories of the Holocaust were produced, the focus was on the perpetrators and the victims were voiceless and seen as “uneducated men” who had no place in accounts of the recent past. All of this changed in the late 20th century when the Holocaust grew in public awareness and interest.

    Belatedly, the survivors were rescued from obscurity and the human element of the tragedy came to the fore. Local and then international testimony projects emerged, the largest being the ongoing Visual History Archive which has interviewed close to 60,000 survivors, including of more recent genocides such as that in Rwanda.

    ‘Rescue archaeology’

    I have estimated that there may be up to 100,000 testimonies of Holocaust survivors in video, oral history and written format – perhaps the most related to any event in history. Most recently these interviews have been developed as interactive holograms where students and others can ask questions of the survivors such as the University of Southern California’s Dimensions project.

    These projects are a form of “rescue archaeology”, saving the testimony of survivors before it is too late. They are, especially in the hologram form, a way of directly confronting the dilemma of how to educate and commemorate without the survivors actually being present.

    The University of Southern California’s Dimensions in Testimony project.

    In 2000, the Imperial War Museum in London opened its first Holocaust galleries. Before then the Holocaust had rarely been confronted by this landmark museum. In 2019 a new permanent Holocaust exhibition was also opened. In both exhibitions, survivor testimony was a prominent and engaging feature. Video testimony especially can capture the attention of all age groups and backgrounds.

    But even with this remarkable resource of recorded Holocaust testimony, something huge and irreplaceable will be lost when we no longer have the survivors to tell their stories.

    Even when survivors are unfocused in their presentation, or they find it challenging to communicate what is ultimately indescribable, there has been a bond between them and their audience. In some ways their presence has made it too easy for those involved in education and commemoration to deal with the Holocaust.

    We must therefore find fresh ways of doing justice to their experiences, using their recorded experiences (including those who were killed but managed to write their testimony in the war itself through diaries) and finding creative ways of engaging a new generation to whom this is now distant history.

    It would be naive, however, to think that the post-survivor world will be an easy one to navigate. We have been lucky that the survivors have had the courage and energy to share their experiences and must regret that it took us so long to listen.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

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

    – ref. The Holocaust: how ‘rescue archaeology’ is tackling the impending loss of surviving witnesses – https://theconversation.com/the-holocaust-how-rescue-archaeology-is-tackling-the-impending-loss-of-surviving-witnesses-248202

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Holocaust poets who can help us to understand genocides past and present

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jean Boase-Beier, Emeritus Professor, School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing, University of East Anglia

    On Holocaust Memorial Day we remember the victims of the Nazi Holocaust in 1940s Europe and all those affected by later genocides.

    I believe that reading poetry is an important way to commemorate these victims because it is such a personal form.

    The events of the Holocaust are familiar to many people as dates and numbers. The first concentration camp opened in Dachau in 1933. In 1942 the infamous meeting at the Wannsee took place in Berlin to decide upon the “final solution” to the perceived problem of Jewish people in Germany and beyond.

    Some 6 million Jewish people were murdered, some 200,000 disabled and ill people were killed in Germany alone and 400,000 people were forcibly sterilised because they possessed traits the Nazis deemed undesirable.

    Such statistics are well documented by Holocaust historians. But behind these numbers, overwhelming in their sheer vastness, are individuals, those whose voices we hear especially clearly in poems.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    People wrote poetry as realisation grew of their likely fate even before the murderous events that later came to be called the Holocaust. Many wrote poetry about the Holocaust later, because they survived and wanted the world to hear their stories, or because they lost family members and wanted to remember them.

    Among those who wrote after the Holocaust was German poet Volker von Törne, who was wracked with vicarious guilt for his father’s Nazi past.

    But it is the poems written as the events of the Holocaust were unfolding that strike a particular chord. These are poems by prisoners facing execution, by Jewish members of society forced to live in overcrowded ghettos, by those in camps and those about to be transported to camps. Often such poems were written on odd scraps of paper, carefully hidden or buried in the ground, or smuggled out of prison, ghetto or camp.

    These writers, desperate to tell their stories, chose poetry because of its immediacy, its conciseness, its emotional impact and its ability to say what cannot easily be said in prose.

    Almost none of them wrote in English, so English speakers read them via translators who can speak their words for them, fashioning new versions that aim to capture the style of the originals with all its resonances and as much of their immediacy and impact as possible.

    Poets of the Holocaust

    Some Holocaust poets became famous, and their work has been translated many times. One of the best known, Paul Celan, was a Romanian-German poet. His parents died in the Holocaust. He died by suicide in 1970, having written some of the most memorable poems about the Holocaust, including Death-Fugue (1948), which described the repetitive and deadly rhythm of camp life and death.

    German poet Nelly Sachs, who escaped at the last minute to Sweden, won the Nobel prize in 1966. Her work is readily available in a number of excellent recent translations.

    Other famous poets of the Holocaust include Yiddish poet Abraham Sutzkever, Italian essayist Primo Levi and Hungarian poet Miklós Radnóti.

    But the stories told by these famous poets, important though they are, can only give a partial picture. Often the fine details of everyday experience, the fears and hopes of individual women, men and children, have a particular resonance in the work of lesser-known poets.

    Romanian-German poet Selma Meerbaum-Eisinger was only 17 when she wrote her poetry of fearful anticipation. She was transported to a concentration camp where she died a year later.

    Lithuanian poet Matilda Olkinaitė was murdered at 19. How would their poetry have developed had they lived? We will never know. But what they have left us, recreated through their translators, is a highly sensitive view of life in the chaos of approaching catastrophe.

    Voices in anthologies

    For readers who want a fuller picture of Holocaust poetry, anthologies are invaluable. They usually have an introduction, or notes, providing the context that is so crucial to understanding the poems.

    Two older anthologies, Holocaust Poetry by Hilda Schiff (1995) and Beyond Lament by Marguerite Striar (1998) are still very useful.

    More recently, I co-edited the anthology Poetry of the Holocaust (2019), which arose from a research project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. Our aim was to collect less well-known Holocaust poetry, and, with the help of 35 translators from languages as varied as Yiddish, Norwegian, Japanese and Hungarian, to present the poems in original and translation, with a contextual note for each.

    We tried to include a broader range of poems than earlier anthologies have tended to do. The anonymous Song of the Roma, for example, laments the fate of the more than 200,000 Gypsy, Roma and Traveller victims of the Nazis.

    Many poems in the anthology document very specific events, such as French writer Andrė Sarcq’s To the Twice-Murdered Men, which depicts the dreadful detail of his lover’s death at the hands of the Nazis, who treated gay men with unfathomable barbarity.

    Polish Resistance member Irena Bobowska suffered the cruel removal of the wheelchair upon which she depended. She imagined the world she has lost in So I Learn Life’s Greatest Art.

    German poet Alfred Schmidt-Sas wrote with extreme difficulty, as his hands were bound. He reflected on his imminent beheading in Strange Lightness of Life. And in My God, French poet Catherine Roux told of the horrifying and mundane details of her arrival in a concentration camp: “I’ve no hair / I’ve no hanky.”

    It is only by listening to these individual voices that we can really begin to understand what the many millions of Holocaust victims went through, and what victims of genocides all over the world have suffered and are suffering at this moment. Poetry helps us to do this.

    Jean Boase-Beier acts as Translations Editor for Arc Publications. She has received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council for research relevant to this article.

    – ref. The Holocaust poets who can help us to understand genocides past and present – https://theconversation.com/the-holocaust-poets-who-can-help-us-to-understand-genocides-past-and-present-248205

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Urges Senate to Confirm Hegseth and Rollins, Secure American Farmland with the FARM Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke on the Senate floor in support of Pete Hegseth, President Trump’s nominee to be Secretary of Defense, who will bring much-needed change to the Department of Defense.
    Additionally, Sen. Tuberville addressed legislation he reintroduced on Wednesday, the Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act. The FARM Act will help secure America’s agricultural industry and food supply chains from foreign adversaries by creating a permanent seat for the Secretary of Agriculture on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Additionally, Sen. Tuberville encouraged the Senate to move quickly on confirming President Trump’s pick for Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, who will fight for America’s farming communities and defend against foreign influence in the U.S. agricultural sector.
    Read Sen. Tuberville’s remarks below or watch on YouTube or Rumble.

    ON CONFIRMING PETE HEGSETH
    “Thank you, Mr. President,
    I want to reiterate what my colleague from Tennessee just talked about, the importance of the vote that we just took. Just a few minutes ago our nominee for new Secretary Defense, Pete Hegseth. 
    Now the procedure is, as we just voted, to close the vote and now, we wait 30 hours from just a few minutes ago and have the final vote on his nomination, which it looks like that he has the votes of a majority to be appointed, or sent to the White House, to be confirmed as the next Secretary of Defense.
    I’m on the Armed Services Committee, and I’ve watched four years of the destruction of the best military in our world, United States of America. It is a shame what has happened, the DEI, the woke agenda that’s being pushed on the troops in our country, to me, is embarrassing.
    I’m a military brat. My dad died on active duty in the military. Awarded five bronze stars and a Purple Heart at age 17 driving a tank across Europe after landing the first day at Normandy. We have to change course in our military, and we can talk about inflation and pumping gas and the crime and all the things that we’re having a lot of problems with, but if you don’t have a strong military to protect our borders and protect the citizens in our country from adversaries all over the world, we got problems. And it’s got to start there.
    Pete Hegseth is the choice, the right choice. I like his age, I like his demeanor, I like the things he brings to our military. He’s exciting and he will energize this military into the next decade. And I’m excited about that. 
    So, hopefully in about 30 hours we’ll vote tomorrow night around 9:00 and we’ll vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as our new Secretary of Defense.
    ON THE FARM ACT
    Now, I’d like to turn to national security threats in our Nation’s agriculture sector and food supply chains.
    I’m on the Ag Committee. Over the past few years, the United States has experienced a rapid increase in foreign investment in agricultural sector, particularly from China. We have to open our eyes. Bad things are happening around us. Growing foreign investment in agriculture and other essential industries like health care and energy is a direct threat to our country’s national security.
    You know for years now I’ve been sounding the alarm about foreign ownership of American farmland and other elements of our food chain. According to USDA data from December 2023,  foreign investors own approximately 45 million acres of U.S. agriculture land. Now let me say that again: 45 million acres of our forest and agriculture land in this country has been sold to foreign entities. Does that not scare us? What [did] we just see during COVID about our drug supply? We looked around, we looked for health care and help after COVID hit our hit our borders and what happened? We found out that it was all being made in China.
    So, 45 million acres, this represents over 1.5 million acres in one calendar year. Foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land in increased modestly from 2012 to [20]17 an average increase of 0.6 million acres per year, that’s 2012 to 2017. But since 2017, the number has skyrocketed to an average of 2.6 million acres a year that we’re selling, our farmland, to our adversaries. And it’s just not China. It’s Russia it’s other entities that don’t wish us well at the end of the day. So additionally, between 2010 and [20]21, entities or individuals from China increased their ownership of U.S. agriculture land more than twenty-fold from about 14,000 acres to 400,000 Acres. This is an unbelievable and unsustainable pace for the United States of America.
    Now, Alabama is experiencing, my state, this firsthand. We have the fourth largest amount of foreign owned agricultural land in the United States at 2.2 million acres, most of which is forest land. It’s not really agriculture in terms of growing row crops, it’s basically our forest. You know, I represent over 62,000 farmers in the state of Alabama. I hear from them time and time again about foreign activity in our agriculture community. Threats like these are something our states can’t handle all on their own.
    Which is why President Ford established, President Ford, established a Committee on Foreign Investments in the United States, also known in short terms, CFIUS. This was in 1975. In other words, this committee is supposed to keep an eye on foreign investments in our country. This is the governmental body that oversees the vetting process of foreign investments and acquisitions of American companies in the interest of national security. CFIUS is composed of nine members of President’s cabinet including the Secretaries of State, Treasury, Defense, Homeland Security, Commerce, and Energy. The Attorney General, the US Trade Representative, and the Director of Office of Science and Technology Policy also sit on this vetting board of industry and land in our country.
    Nowhere on that list did you hear me say the Secretary of Agriculture. Now why is that? […] Considering the massive increase in foreign investment in our country, we need additional oversight for what’s going on in our country. We got our eyes closed. Which is why yesterday I introduced the Foreign Adversary Risk Management Act, called the FARM Act, here on the floor that will accomplish three major things.
    First, it would add the Secretary of Agriculture as a permanent member of CFIUS. In other words, that somebody that’s going to help our agriculture people vet land that’s being bought by foreign entities. Second, it would protect U.S. agriculture industry from foreign control through transactions, mergers, and acquisitions, and agreements, and it would also designate agriculture supply chains as critical infrastructure and critical technology. Third, it would require a report to Congress on current and potential foreign investments in the U.S. agriculture industry. This legislation, folks, is long overdue.
    These foreign investments now reach into every aspect of agriculture industry and supply chains from farming and processing, to packaging and shipping. We cannot, and I repeat, we cannot allow our adversaries to have a foot in the door to our critical supply chains. Food security is national security. We must prioritize increased oversight of foreign investment, and our food supply chains especially those coming from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. 
    This starts with giving the agriculture community a permanent seat at the table of CFIUS. The FARM Act does just that.
    ON CONFIRMING BROOKE ROLLINS
    And there’s no better person to fill this permanent seat on CFIUS than my good friend, who we had a hearing today, as a new nominee for Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins. I’ve known Brooke for 30 years. I met her while I was coaching at Texas A&M. She was the student body president in 1994. The students saw then what President Trump, what they see in her today, her strong leadership and her conviction of agriculture. It will be no different when she becomes the Secretary of Agriculture for the United States of America. 
    Brooke was brought up in a small agricultural community of Glen Rose, Texas. She comes from several generations of American farmers. She participated in levels of 4-H and FFA. She raised livestock throughout her life. Now she is [a] mother, she’s involved in the show steer industry with her four children. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural development from A&M and later earned a law degree at the University of Texas. 
    Later at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, she was engaged with rural and agriculture communities throughout Texas. She led litigation efforts that focused on the defense of Texas landowners and farmers against federal interference and regulations. Next, Brooke went on to serve in several roles in President Trump’s White House. She served as the Director of Domestic Policy Council, Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives, and Director of The Office of American Innovation. In these roles, she helped roll back terrible EPA rules like Waters of the U.S., or WOTUS, that targeted farmers and ranchers. 
    After the White House, she joined the American First Policy Institute, where she focused on protecting U.S. farmland and foreign entities seeking to gain control, especially from the Chinese. At AFPI, she strove to improve American food security, independence, as well as support measures that defend U.S. agriculture trade. Brooke understands these many challenges.
    In short, Brooke is a conservative warrior and will be an excellent Ag Secretary. I look forward to working with her to secure our farmland from foreign entities and working with her on passing a Farm Bill that puts American producers first again.
    As Alabama’s voiced on the Senate Ag Committee, I will continue fighting to secure our agriculture supply chain so our agriculture community can continue to put food on the table. And that starts with someone like Brooke Rollins as our Secretary of Agriculture. She is a terrific nominee, and I look forward to working with her on the Committee.
    I expect to move, her to move easily through the Committee vote, and here on this floor. So, once she’s out of Committee, the Senate must vote on her for confirmation. She’ll do great. She’s perfect for the job and I ask that the Senate take up both efforts quickly to defend our agriculture communities which feeds not only the American people but the entire world.
    I yield the floor.”
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Forging the Future: Training Center Opens to Train Next Generation of Defense Manufacturers

    Source: United States Navy

    The Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) program, launched in 2021, has graduated more than 777 students from 45 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and Australia. About 25% of participants are veterans, and the program boasts a 90% job placement rate within the defense industrial base. New cohorts begin every eight weeks, offering a fast track to meaningful careers across five trades.

    The new National Training Center, a state-of-the-art, 100,000-square-foot facility on the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) campus, opened its doors on January 13. On that day, the center welcomed its first cohort of students, marking the beginning of an expanded operation that will train 1,000 students annually, creating a pipeline of skilled workers critical for building and maintaining the nation’s submarines and warships.

    “This facility helps address our immediate workforce needs,” said Frederick “Jay” Stefany, the Direct Reporting Program Manager for the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) Program. “It advances our efforts to restore our industrial base and ensure our industry partners have the skilled workforce they need to build and maintain the Navy’s fleet.”

    ATDM’s graduates are essential in addressing the maritime industry’s expanding workforce needs. The Navy’s shipbuilding plans include the construction of Columbia-class and Virginia-class submarines, along with more than 10 different classes of surface ships, including aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, amphibious warships, and support vessels. This unprecedented scale of shipbuilding requires a comprehensive strategy to rebuild America’s manufacturing capabilities. The establishment of the National Training Center marks a significant milestone in this endeavor.

    A National Imperative

    The MIB Program leads the Navy’s workforce development initiatives while advancing shipbuilding and repair capabilities through industrial base development, supply chain resilience, and advanced manufacturing technologies. With the U.S. manufacturing base having shrunk to a third of its size from 30 years ago, the program must overcome major challenges. One of these pressing challenges involves recruiting and training 140,000 new workers over the next decade for submarine production and sustainment, with an additional 110,000 workers needed for surface vessel construction and maintenance.

    “The decline in American manufacturing has created a critical skills gap,” said Erica Logan, Workforce Director for the MIB Program. “But we’re not just filling jobs—we’re rebuilding America’s maritime manufacturing capability and offering meaningful careers for the next

    generation of workers. Every graduate represents another step toward restoring our nation’s industrial strength.”

    This workforce development initiative is vital for both new construction and fleet maintenance, underscoring the strategic importance of programs like ATDM in maintaining America’s naval readiness. This national revitalization effort takes shape through individual success stories and community partnerships.

    The IALR campus, which hosts the National Training Center, also houses another key MIB Program initiative: the Navy’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence. This co-location creates a hub for maritime manufacturing innovation.

    Transforming Lives, Strengthening Communities

    Natasha Barnes, part of the inaugural class that began training January 13 in the new facility, represents a growing wave of skilled workers entering the defense manufacturing workforce.

    “ATDM has done an excellent job adapting during the transition into the new facility,” said Barnes, a CNC student. “It’s been an uplifting experience to learn in such a clean and well-maintained environment. I am very excited to see what the future holds for the program.”

    For Telly Tucker, president of the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), the program’s impact goes beyond the classroom.

    “This facility is about more than training—it’s about revitalizing southern Virginia,” Tucker said. “It’s creating jobs, fostering economic growth, and building a pipeline of skilled workers who will strengthen our nation’s security.”

    To deliver on this promise of regional revitalization and support to national security, the National Training Center provides intensive, hands-on preparation.

    Hands-On Training for Real-World Impact

    ATDM’s intensive, 16-week accelerated training program provides students with 600 hours of hands-on experience in one of five trades critical to maritime manufacturing: welding, CNC machining, additive manufacturing, quality assurance, and non-destructive testing. Training runs on three shifts, mirroring the 24/7 operations of the defense industry.

    “This program isn’t theoretical—it’s practical,” said Christa Reed, ATDM’s Interim Vice-President. “When our students graduate, they’re not just trained—they’re ready to hit the ground running.”

    The curriculum, developed in collaboration with industry leaders, ensures students are equipped with the skills and certifications needed to meet the Navy’s rigorous standards. By

    simulating real-world manufacturing environments, the program prepares graduates to succeed in high-demand roles. This focused training approach directly enhances America’s maritime security.

    A Shared Mission

    The opening of the National Training Center represents a milestone in the Navy’s efforts to address workforce challenges and bolster the maritime industrial base. For Stefany, it’s a reminder of how these efforts impact national security.

    “Every ship we build, every submarine we launch, is a promise to the American people,” Stefany said. “That promise begins here, with the people we train.”

    As the Navy ramps up its fleet expansion, programs like ATDM and the new National Training Center are creating a ripple effect—transforming communities, empowering individuals, and ensuring America’s maritime superiority. The center highlights innovation, collaboration, and resilience, its impact extending beyond Danville to strengthen America’s maritime future.

    For more information about ATDM and its programs, visit http://www.atdm.org.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: International Day of Education (24.01.25)

    Source: Republic of France in English
    The Republic of France has issued the following statement:

    On this International Day of Education, France renews its commitment to a lifelong quality education that is both inclusive and equitable. In keeping with our new international strategy on basic education (2024-2028), we are working with our partners to ensure that education has a prominent place on the international agenda.

    With 250 million children worldwide still deprived of schooling, Minister Delegate for Franophonie and International Partnerships Thani Mohamed-Soilihi welcomed those who make education their priority on a daily basis at the Hôtel du Ministre today.

    This event, which was organized in partnership with UNESCO, AFD and Coalition Éducation, reaffirmed the importance of investing in education for sustainable development and the key role it plays for peace and the protection of human rights, especially the rights of children. Two roundtables featured representatives of civil society groups, international organizations and AFD, as well as young activists, who discussed possible solutions to educational issues in anticipation of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, which will be held in Seville this summer.

    In 2024, the Minister Delegate for Francophonie reasserted the priority importance of education and training for French-language learning at the Villers-Cotterêts Francophonie summit. The new Collège international de Villers-Cotterêts will offer training in French-language educational frameworks as well as residences for teachers and education researchers in a multilingual environment.

    In 2025, the education of girls and gender equality in and through education will be central themes of the Feminist Foreign Policy Conference to be held in Paris.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to Defra denying emergency authorisation to Cruiser SB (a neonicotinoid pesticide)

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment to the Government’s decision to not grant emergency authorisation to a neonicotinoid pesticide. 

    Dr Scott Hayward, Lecturer and Leverhulme Research Fellow, University of Birmingham, said:

    “Definitely an evidence based decision. Ongoing research clearly shows significant effects of neonicotinoids on several pollinators species.  Research interest, and thus data, has been dominated by pollinator projects to date, but important to recognise that this is a biodiversity concern beyond just pollinators. There will be impacts on other insects and invertebrates (especially in the soil).

    “Our own work shows sub-lethal doses, as low as 9 ppb (parts per billion) can negatively affect bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) performance.  Some other bee and fly species species we’ve assessed don’t seem quite as vulnerable as B. terrestris – but we’ve only looked at relatively short (24 h) durations of exposure and very few species.

    “Sugar beet is somewhat of a special case because it doesn’t produce flowers until year 2 of growth, so the concerns that neonics are transferred to the pollen and/or nectar of the plant via seed coating is less of an issue than for other crops – because it is harvested before it produces flowers. However, even seed coating leaves neonic residues in the environment. 

    “Several ongoing projects are trying to model how residues persist in the environment across different habitat types and assess to risk to pollinators and other insects more generally.

    “Less data on what impact alternative pesticides might have, but simple fact is that pesticides targeting fundamental biological functions in pest species will likely have the same (sometimes greater) effects in non-target species.”

     

    Prof Dave Goulson, Professor of Biology at the University of Sussex, said:

    “For the last 4 years, our government ignored the recommendations of the Health and Safety Executive and the Expert Committee on Pesticides, both of which were of the opinion that this derogation request should not be granted. It is pleasing to see that our new government have followed scientific advice and refused the request. There is overwhelming evidence that neonicotinoids harm bees and other wildlife, and contaminate soils, waterways and wildflowers. There is no safe way to use them.

    “Farmers across Europe have been growing sugar beet without use of neonicotinoids, so this should not be an insurmountable problem.”

     

    Prof Toby Bruce, Professor of Insect Chemical Ecology at Keele University, said:

    “What are farmers supposed to do to protect their crops? Without insecticides sugar beet growers face up to 50% crop losses. If the government plans to ban pesticides (neonicotinoids in this case), then it should also plan to fund research into development of alternative approaches. The situation was previously considered an emergency because farmers are left with no control measures and have no way of protecting their crops from insect pests and the serious crop diseases that they transmit”.

    Declared interests

    Toby Bruce: “I don’t have any interests to declare.”

    No others received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump inherits the Guantánamo prison, complete with 4 ‘forever prisoners’

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Lisa Hajjar, Professor of Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara

    A control tower overlooks the Camp VI detention facility, at Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

    President Joe Biden’s record of handling the U.S. military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, is decidedly mixed. He succeeded in reducing the detainee population he inherited by more than half, but he compounded problems in the military commissions that the Bush administration had invented in the wake of the 9/11 attacks to try people captured in the “war on terror.” Now all the problems at Guantánamo are again President Donald Trump’s.

    When Biden took office in 2021, there were 40 prisoners. Today there are 15, the lowest number since the first 20 Muslim men and boys captured in Afghanistan were airlifted to the base on Jan. 11, 2002.

    Biden left Trump four people the U.S. will not release but also cannot put on trial – the so-called “forever prisoners.” He also left intact the troubled military commissions system, with three pending criminal cases against a total of six detainees.

    In December 2021, former chief military defense attorney Brig. Gen. John Baker testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee: “It is too late in the process for the current military commissions to do justice for anyone. The best that can be hoped for at this point … is to bring this sordid chapter of American history to an end.” Baker made clear that the only viable option is to resolve the cases with plea bargains for the defendants.

    Marine Brig. Gen. John Baker tells U.S. senators that there is no opportunity for justice to be done at Guantánamo.

    A chance to make progress

    There are three cases that have not yet gone to trial – the 9/11 case with four defendants facing charges for their connections with the attacks, the USS Cole bombing in October 2000 with one defendant and the Bali bombing in October 2002 with one defendant.

    The 9/11 and USS Cole cases have been stuck in the pretrial phase since Biden was Barack Obama’s vice president. In the summer of 2024, a breakthrough in the 9/11 case appeared imminent: Prosecutors and defense lawyers for three of the four defendants reportedly reached plea-bargain agreements. Khalid Sheikh Mohammad – the alleged “mastermind” of the attacks – Walid bin Attash and Mustafa Hawsawi agreed to plead guilty and accept life sentences in exchange for the government taking the death penalty off the table. There was no deal for the fourth 9/11 defendant, Ammar al-Baluchi.

    The deals were approved on July 31 by the top military officer overseeing the Guantánamo commissions, retired Brig. Gen. Susan Escallier. But two days later, Biden’s defense secretary, Lloyd Austin, stepped into the process and overrode Escallier – whom he had appointed. Austin announced that the plea deals were revoked.

    The judge, Air Force Col. Matthew McCall, decided to schedule plea hearings for early January. But after some legal back-and-forth that forced a stay, he had to cancel them. Biden left the case against three 9/11 defendants in limbo.

    The basement of this government building in Bucharest, Romania, held a secret CIA prison, one of many across the world.
    AP Photo

    Witness to the transition

    In mid-January 2025, I made my sixteenth reporting trip to Guantánamo. I came for closing arguments on a motion in the 9/11 case that seeks to suppress statements that Ammar al-Baluchi made to the FBI in January 2007. That was four months after he and 13 others were transferred to Guantánamo from CIA black sites where they were held for years. The litigation to suppress those statements started in 2019.

    In Chapter 10 of my book, “The War in Court: Inside the Long Fight against Torture,” I detail how the litigation on this suppression motion made public previously unknown details and under-acknowledged horrors of the CIA’s rendition, detention and interrogation program.

    These closing arguments were the culmination of six years of litigation on the key question in the 9/11 case: Does torture matter in the pursuit of justice in the military commissions?

    A drawing by Guantánamo detainee Abu Zubaydah depicts a person being waterboarded.
    Copyright Abu Zubaydah 2019. Licensed by Professor Mark Denbeaux, Seton Hall Law School

    Can Guantánamo be closed?

    Of the 780 people ever detained at Guantánamo, 540 were released during the presidency of George W. Bush, who established the detention facility. Obama, who signed an executive order on his second day in office pledging to close Guantánamo within a year, released 200.

    In his first term, Trump pledged to keep the facility open. The only man to leave Guantánamo during Trump’s first term was Ahmed al-Darbi, who was repatriated to Saudi Arabia in 2018 to serve out the remainder of his sentence from a 2014 plea bargain agreement.

    When Biden took office, he said that he supported shutting down the military prison at Guantánamo. In the early years of his presidency, there was a slow stream of transfers, mostly people who had been cleared for release long ago and were freed.

    In Biden’s last months, the pace of transfers quickened. In December 2024, a Kenyan detainee, two Malaysian members of al-Qaida who had pled guilty the previous January, and a Tunisian man who had been in Guantánamo since the day the facility was opened were all repatriated to their countries of origin and freed. In January 2024, 11 Yemenis were transported from the prison to Oman to be resettled.

    15 men left behind

    The Biden administration had also planned to repatriate a severely disabled Iraqi detainee, Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi, to serve out his plea-bargained sentence in a Baghdad prison. But a federal judge blocked that transfer, ruling that al-Iraqi would not get necessary medical treatment in Iraq and might be subject to abuse there.

    Al-Iraqi is one of the 15 that Biden left behind. Three of them – a Libyan, a Somali and a stateless Rohingya – have long been cleared for release. Their continuing detention without charges highlights a key element of the Guantánamo problem: No one can be released unless the U.S. government finds another country willing to accept them.

    One of the remaining detainees, Ali Bahlul, is serving a life sentence for conspiracy to commit war crimes. Six others, including the four 9/11 defendants, are awaiting their trials.

    There are also four detainees whom the government refuses to transfer but cannot put on trial for lack of evidence.

    The U.S. goverment says it cannot release Abu Zubaydah from Guantánamo because he would disclose classified interrogation techniques critics have labeled torture.
    U.S. Central Command via AP

    These so-called “forever prisoners” include Abu Zubaydah, a Saudi-born man of Palestinian descent who was taken into CIA custody in 2002 and was used as the guinea pig for the CIA torture program. The government long ago conceded that Abu Zubaydah was not a top leader of al-Qaida – in fact he was not even a member. But he will not be released because he knows how he was treated by the CIA, and that treatment remains highly classified.

    The newest forever prisoner is one of the original 9/11 defendants, Ramzi bin al-Shibh; in September 2023, he was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial. Now he is uncharged, unreleased and untreated for his psychological maladies that were caused by the torture he endured in CIA black sites.

    The ‘War on Terror’ is not over

    When Biden pulled U.S. troops out of Afghanistan in August 2021, he claimed to have ended America’s longest war – and repeated this claim in a January 2025 speech. But the Guantánamo prison remains open, and as long as it is, the “war on terror,” which first put U.S. troops in Afghanistan in 2001, is not over.

    How Trump will deal with Guantánamo is an open question. If he focuses on the death penalty, he will press ahead with military commission trials like his predecessors, hoping for unanimous guilty verdicts and death sentences. If he prioritizes cutting wasteful government spending, he will release additional detainees and allow the three plea bargain agreements to go into effect.

    No one I spoke to during my last trip was willing to predict what a second Trump term might bode for Guantánamo – except that it won’t be closed.

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

    – ref. Trump inherits the Guantánamo prison, complete with 4 ‘forever prisoners’ – https://theconversation.com/trump-inherits-the-guantanamo-prison-complete-with-4-forever-prisoners-247058

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Harrisburg University, Auditor General DeFoor, Members 1st Federal Credit Union Launch 12th Annual Student Financial Literacy Scholarship Competition

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    January 24, 2025 – Harrisburg, PA

    Harrisburg University, Auditor General DeFoor, Members 1st Federal Credit Union Launch 12th Annual Student Financial Literacy Scholarship Competition

    Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) Interim President David Schankweiler, Pennsylvania Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor, and Members 1st Federal Credit Union Assistant Vice President of Community Relations, Sara Firestone, launched the 12th annual Student Financial Literacy Scholarship Competition. The competition’s theme is: “What Does Financial Literacy Mean to Me?”

    Pennsylvania students in grades 9-12 are encouraged to submit a short essay or poem about financial literacy. Three winners and three honorable mentions will be selected and announced during Financial Literacy Month, which occurs every year in April.

    “The Financial Literacy Scholarship Competition is an event we look forward to each year,” said Harrisburg University Interim President David Schankweiler. “It’s a unique opportunity for us to work with leaders in Pennsylvania and to meet and inspire amazing students from across our Commonwealth. Hearing these students express what they’ve learned about being good stewards of their time and treasure is a great reminder that developing wise money management skills early in life sets us up for success well into the future. Harrisburg University is proud to play a key role in hosting this competition and to shine a spotlight on financial literacy.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Scott Meets with Trump Nominee to Lead Dept. of Labor

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, issued the following statement after meeting with Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer, President Trump’s nominee to serve as Secretary of Labor:

    “I found my meeting with Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer, President Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Labor, to be constructive. President Trump has worked to rebuild the working class and will make sure they have every opportunity to achieve their individual versions of the American Dream. I look forward to continuing to fight for and protect the rights of American workers and promote economic opportunity for all.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor appoints David Soanes and Niamh Moloney as members of the Prudential Regulation Committee

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    David Soanes and Niamh Moloney have been appointed as the new external members of Prudential Regulation Committee.

    Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has today confirmed that David Soanes and Niamh Moloney will join the Prudential Regulation Committee (PRC). They will both serve three-year terms on the Committee, which takes the most important decisions of the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), one of the UK’s financial regulators.

    They replace Jill May and Julia Black who completed their second terms in July 2024 and November 2024 respectively.

    David Soanes has been a career investment banker specialising in Financial Services, who has also sat on the board of UK Finance and the Leadership Council of The CityUK, and he is a former UK Country Head at UBS.

    Niamh Moloney is Professor of Financial Markets Law in the Law School at the London School of Economics and Political Science and is an Independent Non-Executive Director of the board of the Central Bank of Ireland. She specialises in financial regulation, institutional structures and supervision.

    Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer said:

    I am pleased to announce the appointments of David Soanes and Niamh Maloney to the Prudential Regulation Committee of the Bank of England.

    Both appointments will bring extensive experience of financial services to the role, and will support the regulators renewed focus on growth.

    Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England said:

    I am very pleased to welcome David Soanes and Niamh Moloney to the Prudential Regulation Committee. Between them they bring a great deal of experience and expertise to the role, and the committee’s work will benefit greatly from their insight.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Pupil Referral Unit to provide specialist support for Salford School Children

    Source: City of Salford

    Salford City Council’s new pupil referral unit (PRU) has officially opened. It aims to help children in the city who have been permanently excluded from school to re-engage with education and have positive futures.

    The Broadwalk Green PRU supports up to 55 pupils aged 11 to 14 years old who have either been excluded or are at risk of being. Children who attend the PRU have struggled to access mainstream education and most have been excluded from school. They may attend from six weeks to two years in some cases, with a balanced curriculum, very similar to that of a mainstream school.

    As part of the council’s strategy to create a fairer, greener and healthier city, as well as focusing on becoming a UNICEF-accredited Child Friendly City, the new unit provides extra support for pupils, delivering a provision that enables the pupils to make better progress and improve their life chances. 

    The focus is on encouraging and supporting personal development, building resilience and promoting academic progress in a safe, caring, inclusive and nurturing environment.

    The previous buildings on the site have been rebuilt and added to, to create the new unit. It cares for a different age range of pupils to other PRUs in Salford and provides for capacity for the city.

    Pupils starting their journey at Broadwalk Green will first be assessed in core curriculum subjects such as English, Maths and Science as well as Computing, Food Technology and Art. This enables staff to correctly gauge their ability, set work accordingly and provide any interventions that may be required, to then offer the best holistic support and an inclusive learning environment to all pupils.

    Councillor Jim Cammell, Lead Member for Children’s and Young People’s Services at Salford City Council, said: “Broadwalk Green PRU is a great addition to the support we provide for children and young people in Salford to have a high quality education and have fulfilling futures. 

    “Families of the children cared for at the unit benefit from the help they receive to support their children re-engage in learning. We believe to be most effective we need to work in partnership with parents and carers and other agencies to provide wrap around support.

    “PRUs help to close gaps in learning, identifying unmet needs, supporting children to recognise how to engage successfully with learning, opportunities to build positive relationships in an educational setting, as well as numerous experiences which build a love of learning.”

    After attending Broadwalk Green, some children will then move on to specialist settings and some back into mainstream schools with support from PRU staff.
     
    Staff at the PRU include teachers, teaching assistants, mentors, subject and SEND specialists, family support workers, outreach and re-integration support, and outdoor learning leaders.

    The PRU also runs an outreach team who work in high schools to prevent exclusion and will support re-integrations into schools from the PRU for those pupils ready to return.

    Working towards Salford becoming a UNICEF Child-Friendly City is a priority in the council’s corporate plan, to ensure Salford is a great place for children and young people to grow up and feel safe, cared for, heard and have quality opportunities to play, learn and work. This will take the council on the next stage of its journey to improve education outcomes, support children to have positive and successful futures, and champion the voices and rights of children and young people in the city.

    Share this

    Date published
    Friday 24 January 2025

    Press and media enquiries

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Applauds Historic Presidential Apology to Tribes for Federal Indian Boarding School Era, Affirms Commitment to Tribal Nations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    Seattle, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement in response to President Joe Biden’s historic and formal Presidential apology for the Federal Indian Boarding School era.

    “To have the President of the United States formally acknowledge the harms of our past and issue a direct apology to Tribal nations is powerfully important. It’s long past time for our government to fully come to terms with the horrific legacy of Indian boarding schools, which were designed to systematically strip away Native language, religion, and heritage—in brutal and traumatic ways. The next step is to pass our bipartisan bill to establish a Truth and Healing Commission so that we can help Native families and communities in Washington state and across the country heal from this painful chapter in our nation’s history.

    “Importantly, I am proud to have partnered with the Biden-Harris administration to deliver historic investments in our Tribal communities. As a voice for Washington state’s Tribes in the Senate, I will continue to fight to live up to our commitments to our Tribal partners with action and real, meaningful investments.”

    The bipartisan Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States Act (S.1723), cosponsored by Senator Murray, would establish a formal commission to investigate, document, and acknowledge the injustices of the federal government’s Indian boarding school policies. These policies include the ordered termination of Native cultures, religions, and languages; the removal and kidnapping of Native children; forced assimilation; and egregious human rights violations. The commission would also develop recommendations for how Congress could provide aid to Native families and communities and provide a forum for victims to speak about their personal experiences.

    For over 150 years, the federal government ran boarding schools that forcibly removed generations of Native children from their homes to boarding schools often far away. Native children at these schools endured physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and, as detailed in the Federal Indian Boarding School Investigative Report by the Department of the Interior (DOI), at least 973 children died in these schools. The federally-run Indian boarding school system was designed to assimilate Native Americans by destroying Native culture, language, and identity through harsh militaristic and assimilationist methods. There were 15 Indian boarding schools in the State of Washington. In April of 2023, as part of her “Road to Healing” tour, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland met with Native survivors of the federal Indian boarding school system and their descendants in Tulalip.

    Murray has been a strong advocate for Tribes in the United States Senate. Over the years, Murray has secured hard-won updates to the Violence Against Women Act to better protect Native women and fought to deliver the largest-ever federal investment in Tribes in the American Rescue Plan to support Tribal communities as they confronted the health and economic impacts of the pandemic.

    As Appropriations Chair, Murray protected funding for the Indian Health Service (IHS) despite tough budget caps and fought for a $61.4 million increase in Fiscal Year 2024 to ensure IHS can hire more providers to meet increased patient demand. Importantly, Murray secured advance appropriations for IHS for the upcoming fiscal year to provide more certainty and limit disruptions so the agency can better plan and provide continuity of care for Tribes. Murray has also been a strong advocate of the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) program. The IHBG is the largest source of federal resources for housing for Tribal communities—providing flexible funding for the construction for new affordable housing, rental assistance, housing improvements and rehabilitation, and other supportive housing-related services. Murray has fought to increase funding for the IHBG program every year, and in Fiscal Year 2024, as Appropriations Chair, she was able to secure a record $1.111 billion for the program—a $324 million increase over Fiscal Year 2023—in the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development spending bill signed into law in March of 2023. Across government spending, Murray has always fought to prioritize the needs of Washington state Tribal communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez Announces Winners of the 2024 Florida Space Art Contest for K-5 Students

    Source: US State of Florida

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez announced 12 finalists and two grand prize winners for the 2024 Florida Space Art Contest.

    “I am pleased to announce the finalists of the Third Annual Florida Space Art Contest,” said Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez. “Since the creation of the contest, we have received nearly 6,600 submissions, with a record-breaking number of submissions this year alone. I want to thank all the students who participated, and I look forward to recognizing the finalists.”

    “Seeing the creativity and imagination displayed by these young artists in designing Florida’s future spacesuits is truly inspiring,” said Rob Long, President and CEO of Space Florida. “Their artwork not only reflects their fascination with space but also highlights the bright future of space exploration. Congratulations to all the talented winners.”

    “Congratulations to this year’s winners and finalists for the Space Art Contest,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “Florida is the space capital of the nation, and it is important for students to learn our state’s rich history in space exploration.”

    Earlier this year, Lieutenant Governor Nuñez launched the 2024 Florida Space Art Contest and encouraged all students in grades K-5 across Florida to participate in the contest. Each student was instructed to submit an original, two-dimensional artwork based on this year’s theme: Suit Up! Florida’s Space Suit of the Future. The third annual contest received nearly 2,600 submissions.

    Submissions were broken down into two categories: K–2 and 3–5. Six art pieces from each group (12 total) were selected as finalists. Finalists will win two tickets to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Two lucky grand prize winners, one selected from each group, will have their artwork launched into space on an upcoming mission!

    The 12 finalists for this year’s 2024 Florida Space Art Contest are:

    • Paris McTaw, kindergarten student at Wauchula Elementary School
    • Michelle He, kindergarten student at Academy at the Lakes
    • Jason Ritnour, first grade student at Kenwood Elementary School
    • Vanessa Wesbur, first grade student at Wright Elementary School
    • Gabriel Angeli, second grade student at Lowry Elementary School
    • Penelope Wong, second grade student at Calusa Elementary School
    • Isabella Wesbur, third grade student at Northwest Florida Ballet Academie
    • Sharon Gao, third grade student at Mitchell Elementary School
    • Natalie Kimtia, fourth grade student at Christ’s Church Academy
    • Ethan Jimenez-Almesiga, fourth grade student at Florida Christian School
    • Annabelle Domingo, fifth grade student at John I. Smith K-8 Center
    • Laiona Lai, fifth grade student at Water Spring Elementary School

    The two grand prize winners for this year’s 2024 Space Art Contest are:

    • Gabriel Angeli, second student at Lowry Elementary School
    • Natalie Kimtia, fourth grade student at Christ’s Church Academy

    Our two grand prize winners will have their original art piece flown into space on an upcoming SpaceX mission targeted for this upcoming year!

    “Congratulations to the two grand prize winners,” said Lieutenant Governor Nuñez. “I look forward to recognizing their talent, creativity, and imagination in the near future.”

    Please visit FloridaSpaceArt.com to see the artwork of our finalists. Thank you to our sponsors, and to SpaceX, Space Florida, Florida Department of State Division of Arts and Culture, and the Florida Department of Education for their contributions to this contest.

    About Space Florida
    ‍Space Florida is where leading aerospace companies get everything they need to see their new ideas take off. As the state’s aerospace finance and development authority, Space Florida brings a mix of unrivaled experience, unmatched financial tools, and unbeatable location to the table by providing critical business financing opportunities for the aerospace industry, managing infrastructure investment in the state’s spaceport system, and facilitating research and development, workforce, education, and investment programs.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Going down a Wikipedia rabbit hole? Science says you’re one of these three types

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Polkinghorne, Adjunct Senior Industry Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University

    Johnson Martin / Unsplash

    If you’ve ever gone to look up a quick fact and just kept browsing from one article (or page, or video), to another, to another – then you know the feeling of “going down a rabbit hole”. This experience of curiosity-led online wandering has become synonymous with the free, user-created encyclopedia Wikipedia.

    Founded in 2001, Wikipedia is today one of the world’s most popular websites. With more users than Amazon, Netflix, TikTok or ChatGPT, the site is a go-to source for people to learn about and discover new interests.

    In new research involving more than 480,000 Wikipedia users in 14 languages across 50 countries, US researchers led by Dale Zhou at the University of Pennsylvania studied three distinctly different ways of going down the Wikipedia rabbit hole. These “curiosity styles” have been studied before, but not in such a large, diverse group of people using Wikipedia “naturalistically”, in daily life.

    The research may help us better understand the nature and importance of curiosity, its connections to wellbeing, and strategies for preventing the spread of false information.

    Wikipedia: first controversial, now mature, always popular

    When Wikipedia was new in the early 2000s, it sparked controversies. People such as librarians and lecturers voiced concerns about Wikipedia’s potential for platforming untrue or incomplete information.

    Today, the factuality of Wikipedia’s existing contents is less concerning than questions of bias, such as which topics the site’s volunteer editors deem noteworthy enough to include. There are global efforts to fill gaps in Wikipedia’s coverage, such as “edit-a-thons” to add entries on historically overlooked scientists and artists.

    Part of what made Wikipedia groundbreaking was how it satisfies people’s intrinsic learning needs by inviting navigation from page to page, luring readers into rabbit holes. This, combined with the site’s participatory approach to creating and verifying pages, sparked its rapid growth. These qualities have also sustained Wikipedia as a predominant everyday information source, globally.

    Research about Wikipedia has also evolved from early studies comparing it to the Encyclopedia Britannica.

    This new study examines data about Wikipedia readers’ activities. It looks at the different “architectural styles of curiosity” people embody when they navigate.

    Busybodys, hunters and dancers

    The new study explores the “knowledge networks” associated with the three main styles of curiosity: busybody, hunter and dancer. A knowledge network is a visual representation of how readers “weave a thread” across Wikipedia articles.

    As the researchers explain:

    The busybody scouts for loose threads of novelty, the hunter pursues specific answers in a projectile path, and the dancer leaps in creative breaks with tradition across typically siloed areas of knowledge.

    Earlier research had shown evidence of busybodies and hunters, and speculated about the existence of dancers. The new study confirms that busybodies and hunters exist in multiple countries and languages. It also details the dancer style, which has been more elusive to document.

    The researchers also identified geographical differences between curiosity styles.

    In all 14 languages studied, busybodies tend to read more about culture, media, food, art, philosophy and religion. Hunters in 12 out of 14 languages tend to read more about science, technology, engineering and maths.

    In German and English, hunters were more drawn to pages about history and society than busybodies. The opposite was true in Arabic, Bengali, Hindi, Dutch and Chinese.

    Dancers were identified by their forward leaps between disparate topics, as well as the diversity of their interests.

    The research team points out we still have much to learn about how curiosity is shaped by local norms. Relating these results to gender, ethnicity, access to education, and other elements will paint a fuller picture.

    Curiosity is beneficial, generally … and we have more to learn

    Overall, this study supports the benefits of freer, broader browsing and reading. Following our curiosity can help us become better informed and expand our worldviews, creativity and relationships.

    At the same time, people sometimes need closure more than they need exploration. This is not a bad thing or a sign of narrow-mindedness. In many situations there are benefits to moving on from information-seeking, and deciding we’ve learned enough for now.

    Endless curiosity can have downsides. This is especially true when it’s motivated not by the joy of learning, but by the discomfort of uncertainty and exclusion. As other research has found, for some people, curiosity can lead toward false information and conspiracy theories. When information has a sense of novelty, or a hint of being hidden by powerful elites, this can make it more appealing, even when it’s not true.

    The new study emphasises that different curiosity styles do not lead simply or universally to creativity or wellbeing. People’s contexts and circumstances vary.

    Each of us, like Goldilocks, can follow our curiosity to find not too much, not too little, but the information that is “just right”. The researchers also hint at evidence for a spectrum of new curiosity styles beyond the main three, which will surely spark more research in future.

    Stay curious and enjoy the rabbit hole

    This study also suggests ways Wikipedia (and sites like it) could better support curiosity-driven exploration. For example, rather than suggesting pages based on their popularity or similarity to other pages, Wikipedia could try showing readers their own dynamic knowledge network.

    As a Wikipedian would say, this new study is noteworthy. It shows how smaller-scale, exploratory research into people’s reading and browsing can be translated to a much larger scale across languages and cultures.

    As AI becomes more influential and the problems of misinformation grow, understanding technologies that shape our access to information – and how we use them – is more important than ever. We know YouTube recommendations can be a radicalising pipeline to extremist content, for example, and ChatGPT is largely indifferent to the truth.

    Studying Wikipedia readers reveals a rich picture of people’s freely expressed, diverse online curiosities. It shows an alternative to technologies built on narrower assumptions about what people value, how we learn, and how we want to explore online.

    Sarah Polkinghorne has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Association for Information Science & Technology, and RMIT University’s School of Global, Urban and Social Studies. She is also affiliated with the University of Alberta, and is a past president of the Canadian Association for Information Science.

    – ref. Going down a Wikipedia rabbit hole? Science says you’re one of these three types – https://theconversation.com/going-down-a-wikipedia-rabbit-hole-science-says-youre-one-of-these-three-types-242018

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Red Rocks with Green Spots at ‘Serpentine Rapids’

    Source: NASA

    2 min read

    After discovering and sampling the “leopard spots” of “Bright Angel,” it became apparent that Perseverance’s journey of discovery in this region was not yet finished. Approximately 20 sols (Martian days) after driving south across Neretva Vallis from Bright Angel, the rover discovered the enigmatic and unique red rocks of “Serpentine Rapids.”

    At Serpentine Rapids, Perseverance used its abrading bit to create an abrasion patch in a red rock outcrop named “Wallace Butte.” The 5-cm diameter abrasion patch revealed a striking array of white, black, and green colors within the rock. One of the biggest surprises for the rover team was the presence of the drab-green-colored spots within the abrasion patch, which are composed of dark-toned cores with fuzzy, light green rims.

    On Earth, red rocks — sometimes called “red beds” — generally get their color from oxidized iron (Fe3+), which is the same form of iron that makes our blood red, or the rusty red color of metal left outside. Green spots like those observed in the Wallace Butte abrasion are common in ancient “red beds” on Earth and form when liquid water percolates through the sediment before it hardens to rock, kicking off a chemical reaction that transforms oxidized iron to its reduced (Fe2+) form, resulting in a greenish hue. On Earth, microbes are sometimes involved in this iron reduction reaction. However, green spots can also result from decaying organic matter that creates localized reducing conditions. Interactions between sulfur and iron can also create iron-reducing conditions without the involvement of microbial life.

    Unfortunately, there was not enough room to safely place the rover arm containing the SHERLOC and PIXL instruments directly atop one of the green spots within the abrasion patch, so their composition remains a mystery. However, the team is always on the lookout for similar interesting and unexpected features in the rocks.

    The science and engineering teams are now dealing with incredibly steep terrain as Perseverance ascends the Jezero Crater rim. In the meantime, the Science Team is hanging on to the edge of their seats with excitement and wonder as Perseverance makes the steep climb out of the crater it has called home for the past two years. There is no shortage of wonder and excitement across the team as we contemplate what secrets the ancient rocks of the Jezero Crater rim may hold.

    Written by Adrian Broz, Postdoctoral Scientist, Purdue University/University of Oregon

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Read More (Grijalva Statement on President Biden’s Formal Apology on Indian Boarding Schools)

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul M Grijalva (D-AZ)

    Grijalva Statement on President Biden’s Formal Apology on Indian Boarding Schools

    WASHINGTON – U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on President Biden’s issuance of a formal apology to Native Americans for the federal government’s role in Indian boarding schools. For more than 150 years, the U.S. government removed Native American children from their homes and communities, forcing them to attend boarding schools, where they were physically, sexually, and psychological abused in an effort to erase their cultural identity.

    “Today’s apology brings into light one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history,” said Ranking Member Grijalva. “While there are no words or actions that can ever return to Indigenous peoples all that was taken from them or right the atrocities committed against them, a formal acknowledgment is a much needed and long overdue step in the path to healing. I want to thank President Biden and Secretary Haaland for their continued commitment to supporting Indian Country. But even more so, I want to express my deep reverence to Native communities for their resilience through pain, loss, and mourning in pursuing a true and full account of our history.”

    On May 12, 2022, under the leadership of then-Chair Grijalva, the Natural Resources Committee led the first-ever congressional hearing on the Indian boarding school era. The hearing featured testimony from boarding school survivors. U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Haaland has also led the first Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to investigate the forced assimilation efforts and injustices committed by the federal government through these schools. In this work, the Biden-Harris administration released reports in 2022 and 2024 that outlined the current and intergenerational impact of boarding schools and made policy recommendations.

    ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND

    During today’s visit to Gila River Indian community, President Biden also spoke to the administration’s many executive actions to support Indian Country, including the 2022 Memorandum on Uniform Standards for Tribal Consultation, which closely mirrors Ranking Member Grijalva’s landmark RESPECT Act.

    The Biden-Harris administration has also deployed historic investments in tribal communities through the American Rescue Plan, Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Ranking Member Grijalva and Natural Resources Committee Democrats were instrumental in securing these investments, including $2.5 billion for tribal water rights settlements, $216 million for climate adaptation and community relocation efforts, and $200 million to improve dams, water sanitation, and other facilities in the IIJA, as well as $235 million for climate resilience and $216 million for emergency drought relief in the IRA.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gabe Vasquez Hosts Discussion on Immigrant Workforce Development, Outdoor Equity

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gabe Vasquez’s (NM-02)

    LAS CRUCES, N.M. – On Thursday, October 17, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) hosted a roundtable discussion with local immigration and advocacy organizations to address workforce challenges facing immigrant communities. The conversation highlighted the essential role immigrant workers play in New Mexico’s economy, particularly in industries like health care, agriculture, education and energy. The event featured leaders from the Center for Civic Policy, The Semilla Project, OLÉ and Organized Power in Numbers. 

    “New Mexico’s economy depends on immigrant workers, whether it’s the farmworkers in Deming, the health care professionals in Albuquerque, or the teachers shaping the future of our state. If we want New Mexico to thrive, we need policies that reflect the realities of our workforce,” said Vasquez. “In Congress, I am committed to finding common sense solutions to meet the moment and create more opportunities for our communities.”

    Vasquez emphasized his Strengthening Our Workforce Act, a bill that would create a pathway for immigrants working in essential industries to remain in the U.S. legally. In addition to workforce challenges, the discussion touched on humane immigration policies. Vasquez also spoke about his Humane Accountability Act, which would hold detention centers accountable and ensure that families seeking asylum are treated with dignity.  

    Outdoor equity was also a prominent theme in the discussion. Vasquez strongly believes that everyone deserves access to the outdoors. Throughout his career in public service, Vasquez has led efforts to protect our lands, water and wildlife. That’s why, before serving in Congress, he created the nation’s first Outdoor Equity Fund, a program that is getting more Latinos outdoors all across New Mexico. 

    “After our enlightening discussion during the ‘Building Pathways’ event, it’s clear that our collaboration with leaders like Congressman Vasquez and Representative Small is pivotal,” said Jared Berenice Estrada, Advocacy & Programs Director at The Semilla Project. “This engagement highlights our commitment to integrating outdoor equity with clean energy and workforce development, ensuring that all communities, especially the underrepresented, have access to promising, sustainable career paths. The insights shared today energize our ongoing efforts to advocate for inclusive growth and environmental stewardship.”

    “Just a few weeks ago, I finally received my work permit through the Labor Based Deferred Action program (DALE). For the first time, I felt like I had control over my future. I now have the freedom to explore opportunities. I can go to school, start a business, and even join a union,” said Ruben Munoz, DALE work permit recipient. “I can also start a pre-apprenticeship with the New Mexico Building Trades as early as December. Their promise is to train me up so I can fulfill one of these clean energy jobs as a union apprentice and one day, union member. We need more programs like DALE and DACA to give people these opportunities. Everyone should have the right to work, to live without fear, and to contribute to their community.” 

    “We already have the workers New Mexico needs, and they are ready to be trained. Our real problem is not a labor shortage problem, it’s a worker authorization shortage problem,” said Janyce Cardenas, Campaign Manager at Organized Power in Numbers. “We, at Organized Power in Numbers believe the answer is to create more pathways to worker permits and citizenship so that the union good jobs with good pay and benefits that will be created by the clean energy industry are not only providing stability for workers and their families, but also will ensure New Mexico thrives for generations to come.” 

    The event was part of Vasquez’s ongoing efforts to engage with local and community leaders on how federal policies impact New Mexico’s diverse communities. He reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing immigration reform that strengthens the state’s economy while ensuring fair and humane treatment for all. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Joint press conference – Apia, Samoa

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister: I’ve just come from the opening session of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting here in Samoa. And apart from what was a rather extraordinary cultural display, including all the countries of the Pacific, including Australia, the speech of His Majesty King Charles was, of course, a highlight. King Charles spoke about the existential threat of climate change to our region. He also spoke about the need to not divide, but to come together in our common interest as a Commonwealth. And it was very well received by the heads of government and by the delegates to this important conference that comes at an important time, and the first time, of course, that CHOGM has been held here in the Pacific. We also heard from the Prime Minister Fiamē, and I was able to have a bilateral meeting with the Samoan Prime Minister this morning, after which, I had a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the UK, Keir Starmer, as well as I had a range of informal meetings while we were waiting for CHOGM to occur, with other Commonwealth leaders. The Pacific is, of course, a global leader in climate action, and Australia respects and supports that leadership. The meeting that we had today with the Prime Minister of Samoa, and other Pacific partners who we discussed with, was about galvanising action in our region, and it will be front and centre of the next two days deliberation. Australia and the United Kingdom, of course, are old friends, but we’re also close friends. And more than friends, we’re partners, and I’ve enjoyed a positive relationship with Prime Minister Starmer for some time. It’s the first time we’ve been able to meet face to face as Prime Ministers of our respective nations. We today discussed, importantly, our new climate and energy partnership that we will be delivering on. We have a common view about the challenge, but also the opportunity, that climate change action represents. We both are on the path to net zero through the transition, and we see that as an opportunity for new industries, new jobs and a new industrialisation of our respective countries. From Australia’s perspective, of course, a future made in Australia, from the UK’s perspective, a future made in the UK. And there’s a real opportunity for us to develop technologies together to make a difference, as well as look at cooperation in areas such as climate finance. The new partnership will allow us to explore cooperation right across the board in all of these areas. Today, also, we’re announcing grants on our Australia-UK Renewable Hydrogen Innovation Partnership Program. This is six companies in Australia, six companies and entities in the United Kingdom, cooperating and collaborating to make a difference with the emerging green hydrogen industry that has such promise to play a critical role in the transition to net zero, in the production of green metals, in a range of areas that will make a difference of lowering our emissions whilst producing new industries and new jobs and new opportunities for Australia, but also for the United Kingdom. Of course, we also discussed AUKUS and the progress that we are making together. And in December, the Foreign Minister and Defence Ministers of both countries will meet, and that will be the next step in making sure that we continue on that pathway, the optimum pathway, for the delivering of AUKUS, and both of us expressed our support for the progress that has been made. I will hand to the Foreign Minister, and then we’re happy to take some questions.

    Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs: Thanks very much, Prime Minister. Look, it’s fantastic to be here with the Prime Minister for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Obviously I had the Foreign Minister’s track yesterday and today is the important Head of Government Meeting, and it’s been a fantastic opportunity to engage with all members of the Commonwealth. Can I just say in relation to the partnership the Prime Minister has announced with Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. This is the Prime Minister’s first formal bilateral with the incoming government, and what a cracking start. Straight away, we’re set to work, working together on transforming our economies, on dealing with not just the existential threat, which is climate change, but all that we need to do economically for our own economies and for the world. So it’s a very exciting announcement that the Prime Minister is making today.

    Prime Minister: Happy to take some questions.

    Journalist: Prime Minister, the Prime Minister of Tuvalu has said that Australia is not doing enough to curb fossil fuel emissions. What do you say to that?

    Prime Minister: Well, I had positive discussions with Prime Minister Teo and other Pacific leaders here. They recognise that the challenge of climate change doesn’t mean that you can just flick a switch and act immediately. We need to make sure that energy security is prioritised in order to make sure that we have that support going forward. But we’ve worked very closely with our Falepili agreement with Tuvalu. The Prime Minister of Tuvalu was in Perth recently as well to pick up the vessel which will provide support there in Tuvalu. And I must say that the feedback I’ve had from Pacific leaders has been very welcoming of Australia’s leadership here in the Pacific when it comes to climate action.

    Journalist: Can I ask you further about climate change? Because the King’s speech was very interesting on the existential threat. He made some very dire warnings about what climate change could lead to without, well, global action, and I guess that means an agreement here. Now the King is usually meant to be above politics, isn’t he, but climate change is a very political issue. And in fact, politicians like Nigel Farage, for instance, once likened him to an eco-loony for taking a position on climate change. Admittedly, before he ascended the throne. Has he gone too far and beyond his official duties by being so political about climate change, or is he absolutely right to warn of division and conflict?

    Prime Minister: His Majesty is very passionate about the world in which he lives and about the responsibility that we have to future generations. It’s an issue which has characterised his public comments over a long period of time. He also made very strong comments in the Great Hall in Canberra. And in most parts of the world, with very few exceptions, climate change is above politics. It is about existential threat that exists to countries like Tuvalu and Kiribati. It’s about the world in which we live. It’s about our native fauna and flora. It’s about the natural disasters that we were warned would increase in intensity and in frequency. And that is precisely what we are seeing in Australia, but in other parts of the world as well, increased impact of climate change, whether it be rising sea levels, increased cyclones, increased bushfires, increased droughts, we are seeing the impact of climate change, that’s recognised by scientists around the world, and indeed one of the first world leaders to recognise the challenge of climate change and the need to act was Margaret Thatcher.

    Journalist: The King also talked about misinformation and the dangers of social media. It’s an area your government has worked on reform for. Have you discussed this topic with the leaders here today, and do you consider this an endorsement from the King?

    Prime Minister: Well, His Majesty, of course, speaks for himself, and he made comments about the world in which he resides. And social media is having an impact. It’s having an impact around the world, and much of that impact, of course, is positive. The capacity to communicate with each other is an important one. The use of new technologies to get information out there can be very important, but we also know that there can be a very negative impact as well. With misinformation, we’ve seen the use of artificial intelligence, including, fake information, and indeed, fake videos and a range of materials. And we know that social media when it comes to young people is having an enormous impact, and that’s what my government is doing. It’s something that we see discussed, I think, at the site of every tennis court on the weekend, netball court, football oval, swimming pool, we see parents after school, they’re very concerned about this impact. And I think that the fact that His Majesty, King Charles, is very conscious about the modern world and prepared to engage in debate about that discourse is, I think, of course, up to him, but it’s something that I think brings him credit.

    Journalist: If I could just ask, Keir Starmer and others have talked about conflicts, including that in the Middle East. Jim Chalmers has talked about the need for a ceasefire in the Middle East to prevent persistent global inflation. Do you agree that a ceasefire would go some way to doing it?

    Prime Minister: Well, we have been very clear about our view, and it’s a view we signed with Sir Keir Starmer and other leaders in the 13 countries that signed up to the statement some time ago. Quite clearly, we do need a resolution. We have said very clearly that we also want to see the hostages released. We want to see both Israelis, but also Palestinians and Lebanese to be able to live in peace and security. I note that Secretary Blinken is there in the region, and the Secretary of State has played a critical role in trying to bring about a reduction in conflict in the region, and we certainly wish him well,

    Journalist: Just, obviously, the legacy of colonialism is being discussed, and there are calls from African and Caribbean nations for Britain to pay reparations or engage in a process of reparatory justice for the evils of slavery. It’s something the UK Prime Minister has ruled out, but given Australia’s own history of black birding, is it something you’d support other Commonwealth nations in calling for, or at least for truth telling processes?

    Prime Minister: Well, the Australian Government has recognised black birding for a number of decades now. Paul Keating in 1994 said that black birding represented a sorry chapter in Australia’s history, and it does. What my government is focused on very much is a forward agenda of, how do we close the gap? How do we make a difference when the gap is there between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in so many areas? We need to do better.

    Journalist: Prime Minister, just briefly back on climate change, if that’s all right. The King also spoke about the way that climate change could fuel social division and inequalities between nations. Is this something the Government’s examined in our own region, as temperatures rise and as natural calamities increase, the way that, for example, water shortages or other problems could fuel conflicts between countries, and given the ONA has done some assessment on this, ONI rather, sorry. Why should that assessment not be made public to the Australian people?

    Prime Minister: Because ONI that’s the job that it does so, I think with respect Stephen, you know the answer to why intelligent briefings are just that. But we know as well, it is no secret, and the Australian Government has made information available. That is one of the contexts of the discussions that take place at places like the Pacific Island Forum and indeed, CHOGM here, as well as bilateral visits. We’ve had visits, if you speak about the region, from the leaders of Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tuvalu, Tonga, a range of countries in our region, Fiji too, since I’ve been Prime Minister, it’s always front and centre. And there is an equity aspect to climate change because of its impact is not even across the board, and so it is part of the context of the debate is making sure that Australia and those countries that, of course, are largely responsible for the emissions which are there, have a greater responsibility to act. That’s something that’s been recognised in, that’s part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. We need to act together as the world. And I think that was a theme of, Commonwealth essentially means common good, and it is something that was a theme of His Majesty’s speech. And I think it was a very fine speech, which will be well received by Commonwealth nations.

    Journalist: Could I ask Minister Wong about the work with women that you’ve been doing over the last couple of days. The Queen has obviously, you know, spoken extensively about ending violence in the Pacific against women. When we talk about Australia engaging with the Pacific nations, we often talk about rugby league. What’s our in with women to help the Pacific, a platform for us, for Australia to help the Pacific?

    Minister Wong: Well, thanks for the question. I appreciate it. And you know, one of the points that I made yesterday and Her Majesty also made, is that if you’re serious about progress and development and peace, then you have to ensure you deal with women’s experience of violence, women’s access to education, women’s access to economic empowerment. In other words, a country cannot be all that it could be unless women and girls are enabled to fulfil their potential. We’ve really sought to integrate this work into our development assistance programs. And so you will see in Australian development programs, there’s a much greater emphasis than under previous governments, on making sure that there is a perspective around gender. In other words, if you’re funding an economic initiative, what is needed to enable women to participate as well as men? Education, similarly, what is the infrastructure needed for women and girls to participate so there is no peace and stability and prosperity without women taking their full place in a society. And we’ll continue to talk with the region about that.

    Prime Minister: Thanks very much. One more.

    Journalist: Two more?

    Minister Wong: You’ve had one.

    Journalist: The King also said you can’t change the past, which is clear, but do you think the Lidia Thorpe’s outburst or protest in Parliament indicates the Commonwealth collectively has not progressed?

    Prime Minister: Well, Lidia Thorpe’s outburst was, of course, about Lidia Thorpe, and she achieved her objective because I’m getting a question about it now. I thought it was rude, outrageous and entirely inappropriate.

    Journalist: If the ocean declaration is signed tomorrow what would Australia’s commitment be?

    Prime Minister: Well, I’m not going to pre-empt the processes. I’m hoping to end this press conference so that I can go to, the sessions haven’t begun yet, they begin this afternoon. We’ll be working this afternoon in a couple of sessions, but then again, tomorrow. I can indicate about tomorrow, just to get this in your diaries as well, the Pacific Policing Initiative, a number of, particularly Samoa, but other countries as well, have recognised that this is the first time it’s operated. We announced it just months ago. There are 11 countries, 46 police officers, including three from Australia, participating, providing security here. There’s also the people who are looking after me here from the local police, were trained by Australians in the past, and tomorrow, we’ll be first thing meeting with the nations of the Pacific who are participating, because this will be something to really celebrate. This is a great example of how Australia can provide practical support with, of course, the three prongs. One is the joint operations such as this one. The second will be the centre there at Pinkenba in Brisbane, that will provide the training. And then the four Centres of Excellence, one of which will be in Papua New Guinea, another which will be in Fiji. This is an example of Australia really making a difference in the region. And I conclude with that, but to thank all the journalists as well who made the effort to come here. This is an important gathering, and I appreciate, and I think Australia appreciates, the fact that you’re here as well. Thanks very much.

    MIL OSI News –