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Category: Fisheries

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “People often don’t understand what’s going on around them, but we can explain it.”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Georgy Stalinov is engaged in field social research and created a video podcast in which guests talk about unusual social phenomena based on field materials. Episodes about garage workers, Anastasia residents, informal economy in the provinces, Orthodox parishes, and seasonal workers are already available. In an interview with the Young Scientists of the Higher School of Economics project, he told how he hitchhiked with truck drivers, why it is bad to work as a taxi driver, and whether poaching has been defeated in Kamchatka.

    How I got into science

    Our program “Public and Municipal Administration” has the strongest group of field workers at HSE, that is, people who do field social research. My teachers Simon Gdalevich Kordonsky And Yuri Mikhailovich Plyusnin have been taking students of public and municipal administration to the fields since the 2000s to show how local government (LGU) works in a broad sense. This tradition has grown into a program of student expeditions “Rediscovering Russia“, through which I came to science. At first I became interested in the field part, and then in the methodological, theoretical and fundamental.

    In my second year, as part of a course on MSU, I went to Lipetsk Oblast for three days and then began signing up for two-week expeditions “Discovering Russia Again” with our teachers. I became interested in social anthropology and entered a master’s program, also in public administration.

    How Public Administration Relates to Field Research

    In the Russian Empire, field research was started by government officials – officials on special assignments. The first socio-anthropological report can be considered the book “Description of the Land of Kamchatka” by Stepan Krasheninnikov, written in the 18th century. And then, for various reasons and in various circumstances, people affiliated with government departments traveled to study different territories, social and ethnic groups, territorial communities.

    What am I studying?

    Communities, economic and labor practices, self-organization practices.

    What was my first big study about?

    A full-fledged social anthropologist/ethnographer/field researcher is someone who has implemented their own project. When I was a 4th-year student, the Khamovniki Social Research Support Foundation, which is closely connected to our Municipal Management Laboratory, was giving out grants to young researchers. Among the phenomena that interested the foundation were truck drivers. I chose this topic and received a grant.

    Truckers in Russia are almost a blank spot. In the US, articles were written about truckers throughout the 20th century: about the problems of trade unions, the aging of the profession, self-organization, etc. We have all of this too, and it is also seasoned with a colorful story about the “Platon” toll collection system, but almost no one was interested in this topic.

    To collect data, I started traveling with them. In total, I hitchhiked for about five weeks. I made arrangements on the road: at a truck stop, I approached people and asked them to take me with them. And in the cabin, I explained that I was conducting research, that I would write (at that time) a master’s thesis about truck drivers. We discussed their work, their lives, various things that happened around the road while we were driving. I would ride with one driver for a day or two and then transfer to the next one.

    I also did research on the spot. For example, in Dagestan I studied truck drivers for three weeks. There are rural trucker communities there, there are funds from which they can help a trucker if he crashes, or help his family if he dies. And in one place we found that a lot of men leave the village during the period of active import of fruits from Azerbaijan and Iran, and the drivers pay for the work of the patrol service, which consists of their fellow villagers, so that everything is calm.

    What interested me most

    Informal self-organization. An example is the black market for fuel, which exists on almost all federal highways. Truckers who work for large transport companies have their fuel paid for by their employers. And they can carefully drain it and sell it to another trucker – an individual entrepreneur.

    My postgraduate dissertation is devoted to those connections between drivers, invisible to an outside observer, which constitute their mobilization potential. When the Platon system was introduced in 2015, thousands of drivers were able to coordinate in a matter of days outside the trade union, after which they created an alternative association. Subsequently, the tariffs for travel on federal roads were reduced from 4 to 1.5 rubles per kilometer, and so far the tariff has only increased to 3.34 rubles.

    It would seem that drivers are loners and do not belong to teams like office and factory workers, but they are all connected informally, interacting daily at parking lots and gas stations, communicating via radio, exchanging information. Due to weak connections, they very quickly organized their structure throughout the country.

    What else am I studying?

    I am quite closely involved in the study of nature management. This is everything related to fishing, gathering wild plants, and commercial hunting.

    The largest commercial project I was involved in was researching fisheries in northern and western Kamchatka. We were looking into the issue of unaccounted salmon fishing (poaching) for domestic fishermen based in Kamchatka.

    In total, we spent 3-4 months in Kamchatka in small villages, participated in fishing industries, lived in factories, interacted with fishery workers and those who prevent poaching. And traveled a little along the rivers. In particular, thanks to our research, industrial products received certification, and now they are exported abroad.

    The international certification company imposes a number of requirements on fishery industry companies, which they must comply with. To do this, they must conduct an audit at their enterprises, and socio-anthropological studies in the fishing zones, which will show that poaching does not pose a risk to the population.

    The volume that a commercial fisher can catch is calculated by ecologists based on how much can be taken from the population so that enough fish reach the spawning grounds to continue the species. If a commercial fisher takes this fish to the sea, and then the remainder that should spawn is caught by poachers in the river, then there will be no reproduction of the population. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the volume of informal fishing.

    Over the past 20 years, opportunities for poaching have significantly decreased. In the 2000s, poaching in Kamchatka reached half of the total. Including due to the fact that industrialists were engaged in poaching. And then they were completely legalized and allowed to catch all the fish they wanted.

    There is currently no anthropogenic threat specifically from poaching in Kamchatka. There are threats associated with industrialists, because not everyone has established fishing and processing processes. And potential harm is also associated with ore mining. Gold and platinum mining pollutes rivers so much that fish cannot survive there.

    What to see in Kamchatka

    I am not going to leave Kamchatka, I will go there again. It is one of the exceptional regions on a global scale and the most unusual Russian region. I say this with knowledge of the matter, because I have been to many places: Altai, Yakutia, Primorye, the north of the European part of Russia.

    Tourists who come to Kamchatka now don’t see much. Domestic flights in Kamchatka are very expensive. That’s why they are shown typical pictures: blue sky, green grass, volcano. They don’t know what the Koryak tundra and the raging April ocean, all in slush and ice floes, look like. Only rich tourist hunters and geologists who go on business trips see this.

    For a mass tourist, visiting the agglomeration of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky will already be a stunning event. It is a small city surrounded by amazing nature. It is not necessary to go inland. You can surf the ocean, on Khalaktyrsky beach, famous for its volcanic black sand. Ride a snowboard from volcanoes, admiring Avacha Bay. See sea lions, which lie right in the center of the city. Go to Paratunka to swim in the equipped thermal springs.

    What results I am proud of

    My project on truck drivers, because I did it alone. I am also proud that our student reports on the HSE website attracted a cool project on Kamchatka to our team. I am proud that I started the channel “Anthropole“, which is interesting to a wide audience. In the popular science environment, sociology is very weak, losing out to economics, psychology, political science, history and all social sciences in general. Someone had to launch podcast about field research, and I did it.

    I have a wide circle of colleagues. We all know each other well from conferences, and with some of them we worked together on expeditions. I invite them, they talk about their research. On camera, I mostly ask questions and rarely add anything from myself. But this is exactly what was needed so that people knew that we can also bring interesting and useful knowledge.

    We can produce useful knowledge for business/the state. People often don’t understand what’s going on around them, but we can explain it — conduct ethnographic research and understand all the nuances. We are currently focused on applied projects. Last year, I did an autoethnography of a custom taxi: I registered on the platform, rented a car and worked as a taxi driver for several weeks, recording all my observations in a research diary.

    What’s wrong with being a taxi driver

    The aggregator encourages people to choose a specific schedule. To earn good money, a taxi driver must go to work at six in the morning, come home at noon, then go to work again at four in the afternoon and come home at night. Moscow rush hours are accompanied by high taxi prices, bonuses from the aggregator. Such a schedule implies life in the car. Despite the fact that you have four free hours during the day, you have nowhere to spend them. I was writing my research diary at this time. But what should an ordinary taxi driver do when his wife is at work and the children are at school or kindergarten?

    He comes at night, goes to bed, gets up at 6am and doesn’t see his family either in the morning or in the evening. And the weekends are the busiest hours. And every day you have to pay the rent.

    What I dream about

    I am focused on applied projects. When you are commissioned to do a study, you clearly understand who needs it and why. The Faculty of Social Sciences is shifting its focus from fundamental to applied research. I would like our lab to compete with research agencies and take the most interesting studies for ourselves, while simultaneously training students, involving them in research in the classroom and beyond.

    Another direction is creative activity, which now inseparably accompanies all my work. This is education, blogging, video podcasts and non-fiction literature. I will write a book about truckers in the style of travel notes.

    Science for me is an increase in knowledge. And a system of knowledge that is not absolute. We learn about the world and let our students learn about it. This is our mission. But we are not always right.

    Sociology has no basis like Linnaeus’s plant classification system or Mendeleev’s table. We are constantly moving, constantly discussing how society works and whether it exists at all. For us, it is a continuous process of learning.

    If I hadn’t become a scientist

    I would still be dealing with people. I worked in HR before I decided to stay at the university. But I didn’t really like it. I would probably end up becoming an entrepreneur because I value freedom and independence. Science and education give me a lot of free time that I can devote to my projects and initiatives. That’s what I like. I guess the only way to have that kind of freedom is in entrepreneurship. I could have become a writer. You can write not only books, but also scripts. I was always interested in cinema, but I somehow didn’t allow myself to step into that field at school. Maybe I would have decided to become a screenwriter or an actor.

    If I hadn’t become a scientist

    I would still deal with people. I worked in HR before I decided to stay at the university. But I didn’t really like it. I would probably end up in entrepreneurship because I value freedom and independence. Science and education give you a lot of free time that you can devote to your projects and initiatives. That’s what I like. I guess the only way to have that kind of freedom is in entrepreneurship.

    I could have become a writer. You can write not only books, but also scripts. I was always interested in cinema, but at school I somehow did not allow myself to step into this field. Maybe in the end I would have decided to become a screenwriter or an actor.

    Who would I like to meet?

    With the greatest travelers, explorers and ethnographers – Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay, Fridtjof Nansen, Vladimir Arsenyev and others.

    How my typical day is structured

    My day starts with a walk with the dog. Then I can read, write something for the channel, organize a new video for the podcast. Luckily, I don’t have a routine, it would kill me.

    Where will I go this year

    I will have an expedition to the Arkhangelsk region, to the Pinezhsky district, to study wild plants. With my colleague Artemy Pozanenko We will go to the Irkutsk region to study a rural community that lives on fur trade. We will also go to Transbaikalia on a project of a colleague from the laboratory to find out how people surrounded by national parks interact with nature. In Yekaterinburg, we will shoot a video about the extraction of semi-precious stones in the Urals.

    I also wanted to organize the shooting of a documentary film in Kamchatka for my blog, but have not found funding yet. On the west coast there lives a family that organized an enterprise for the collection and processing of fireweed, today every seventh Kamchatka resident drinks their tea. A very beautiful story: tea plantations, the perimeter of which is guarded by dogs and periodically drives away bears – I would like to film all of this.

    There will be other trips for filming: Primorye, Vologda region, St. Petersburg, Kologriv, possibly Karelia. The project is financed by the Khamovniki Foundation, and we largely talk about the foundation’s projects.

    Do I get burnout?

    Sometimes, when something gets boring, you have to go on an expedition. When I earn money, burnout also goes away very quickly. In fact, I just try not to bother. There was never a time when I was lying around and couldn’t do anything. On the contrary, I constantly had the feeling: something else needs to be done, something else needs to be thought up. At first, I had to do what my senior colleagues were doing: finish my master’s degree, become a teacher, publish an article. Then came the blog, the video podcast, the trips associated with it, working with the audience. Now, most of my attention outside of my duties is directed at it.

    What am I interested in besides science?

    I love good cinema. Mass cinema, not arthouse. I want to take part in film production someday, maybe in a documentary.

    What I read recently

    “Debt: The First 5,000 Years of History” by David Graeber, “Life in the Void: Anthropological Essays on Social Space Beyond the Limits of Government Regulation” and “Love and Elections” by Lana Barsukova. The latter is a women’s novel, but it was written by a professor and doctor of sociological sciences, the book contains a lot of research material, although readers are unlikely to guess about it.

    Advice to young scientists

    I would advise not to waste your time on empty, useless work, but to do only things with the prospect of developing yourself and the team. If you are not in the mood, go for a walk: the burnout will go away, useful thoughts will come.

    We need to understand the system. Combine science, work with students, prospects for large grants and custom projects in one project.

    You have to be enterprising. Otherwise, you do what other people say, and in science, doing what other people say is boring.

    Favorite place in Moscow

    I love forests and parks. Once in Teply Stan I found a cow grazing with a calf in a field. And in Moscow I really like the nooks and crannies of Prechistenka. In general, I fell in love with Moscow after I moved there. I used to live in the Moscow region, and now I live on Vernadsky Avenue. When you can quickly get to the university and there is a park nearby, it is nice to live here.

    The three most beautiful places I have seen on expeditions

    The Vyvenka River, the third largest in Kamchatka. It is located in the north, where the Kamchatka Peninsula ends and the mainland begins. The Timan Ridge in northern Komi: hills, winding rivers and taiga. And also Podkamennaya Tunguska in Krasnoyarsk Krai.

    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 –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Bolster Economy by Supporting Commercial Fishing Industry

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and colleagues introduced the Save Our Seafood (SOS) Act to help the seafood industry meet workforce demands by exempting fish processors from the H-2B visa caps. The legislation is vital to the fishing industry, economy, and food supply chain.
    “When you think Louisiana, you think seafood,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Creating jobs in this industry is good for our economy and state.”
    “Alaska’s seafood industry is a delicate chain – and when processors don’t have the workforce to meet demand, the whole industry can fall apart,” said Senator Murkowski. “Coastal communities, family-owned fishing boats, and Alaskans who work in the industry need to know that they have fully-functioning operations where they can deliver their catch. Through this legislation, I’m working to ensure that the industry has a dependable workforce that can process and deliver the highest-quality seafood in the world.”
    H-2B visas allow domestic employers to temporarily hire nonimmigrants to perform nonagricultural labor or services if they cannot fill these jobs with American workers. Employers must first obtain certification from the U.S. Department of Labor and then complete an application process through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to obtain these visas.
    The program is crucial to the survival of the seafood industry. When seafood is harvested, processors are at the back of the line for visas and rely on “supplemental” visas being issued, which are discretionary. If there is not sufficient processing capacity, fishermen have nowhere to deliver their catch and do not get paid, which is devastating to small, family-owned seafood operations and the communities they live in. 
    Cassidy and Murkowski were joined by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in introducing the legislation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: On-reserve homes fast-tracked for First Nations communities

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    First Nations Elders, families and seniors will soon have access to 236 new homes, as construction begins on three on-reserve rental housing developments.

    “I commend Khowutzun Development LLP for the unique partnerships and collaboration they have fostered with the Province, BC Housing and other partners,” said Cowichan Tribes Chief Sulsulxumaat Cindy Daniels. “These 200 new homes, at the edge of the Quw’utsun Sta’lo’ (Cowichan River), which has sustained our people physically and spiritually for millennia, will transform the lives of our people.”

    The Province, through BC Builds at BC Housing, partnered with three First Nations to fast-track the construction of 236 new on-reserve rental homes:

    • Cowichan Tribes: 200 homes at 222 Cowichan Way, Duncan;
    • Lake Babine Nation: 20 homes in the Villages of Tachet and Wit’at; and
    • Tsawout First Nation: 16 homes at 7593 Tetayut Rd., Saanichton.

    The new homes are funded in part by the BC Builds program, launched in February 2024 to deliver more homes for middle-income earners. They are prioritized for First Nations members with middle incomes, providing them more attainable housing options so they can stay and continue working and providing services in their own communities. Since the program launch, approximately 1,400 homes are underway, with nearly 2,500 more in various stages of early development.

    “It is vital that Indigenous people in the province continue to have access to housing where they feel culturally safe and supported,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “The new 236 BC Builds homes will support many First Nations members dedicated to providing the services people rely on, and also offer more opportunities for them to stay, strengthen cultural ties, and thrive in the community they call home.”

    River’s Edge, the Cowichan Tribes development, will provide one- and two-bedroom homes, many of which will include dens. The Lake Babine Nation’s multi-unit housing project will have a mix of two- and four-bedroom homes in the villages of Tachet and Wit’at. Tsawout First Nation’s development will offer a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom homes, suitable for growing families.

    “We’re proud to be building homes again,” said Chief Abraham Pelkey of SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout) First Nation. “Our members will soon be living peacefully and comfortably in new homes designed to meet their needs. Thank you, BC Housing, for making this a reality for our Nation. To our administration and staff – your hard work in getting us to this day does not go unnoticed.”

    Each of the three developments will be owned and operated by the respective First Nations and is designed to reflect the housing strategy of their communities. This means that not only are the homes of suitable size, but rents are within reach for the Nation members and will remain affordable.

    These projects are part of a $19-billion housing investment by the B.C. government. In 2018, B.C. became the first and only province in Canada to invest in First Nations housing on reserves, a federal jurisdiction.

    Since 2017, the Province has nearly 92,000 homes delivered or underway, including almost 6,800 homes for Indigenous people, both on and off reserve.

    Quotes:

    Lana Popham, MLA for Saanich South –

    “New homes on reserve represent more than just a roof over one’s head; they are a step toward meaningful reconciliation and a commitment to a better future for Indigenous communities in our province. These new homes will go a long way in serving working people and families, thanks to the partnership between governments, developers, and community groups.”

    Qwulti’​stunaat, Debra Toporowski, MLA for Cowichan Valley –

    “Building new homes on reserve for Indigenous people is not just about providing shelter, but about reconciliation and creating spaces where culture, tradition, and future generations can thrive together. The 200 new homes in Cowichan Valley will become a solid foundation for many Elders, seniors, and families, where they can flourish and strengthen their communities.”

    Renée Olson, interim CEO, Khowutzun Development LLP – 

    “Today represents the power of collaboration and community. Our team has delivered an inspired design that reflects the deep significance of the Cowichan River, the land, and the central role family plays in the lives of Cowichan Tribes citizens. River’s Edge is a positive legacy that will serve generations to come.”

    Learn More:

    To learn more about BC Builds, visit: https://www.bcbuildshomes.ca/

    To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for British Columbians, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/housing/ 

    A map showing the location of all announced provincially funded housing projects in B.C. is available online: https://www.bchousing.org/projects-partners/Building-BC/homes-for-BC

    To learn how BC Housing is helping to build strong, inclusive communities, visit: https://www.bchousing.org/podcast

    A backgrounder follows.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Address School Bus Driver Shortage

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) today introduced the Driving Forward Act, which would continue to exempt new school bus drivers from the “Under-the-Hood” Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) testing requirement to help alleviate the nationwide shortage of drivers:

    “Young Americans are our nation’s most valuable resource, and it is essential that they have safe and reliable transportation to their schools,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would help ensure there are school bus drivers available in every neighborhood across the country by removing an antiquated and unnecessary obstacle to their certification.”

    “Children in Wisconsin and across the country should be able to take the bus and get to school safely and on time,” said Sen. Baldwin. “Unfortunately, many communities are struggling to find school bus drivers, and that’s why I am working with my Republican and Democratic colleagues to cut red tape, get good drivers behind the wheel, and ensure kids can get to school safely.”

    “The school bus driver shortage poses a threat to student safety and access to reliable transportation for students across Tennessee,” said Sen. Blackburn. “The Driving Forward Act is a commonsense piece of legislation that would get more qualified individuals into the driver’s seat by extending the current under-the-hood test exemption.”

    “Kids in Arizona deserve to get to school safe and on time,” said Sen. Kelly. “This bipartisan bill cuts red tape to help more people become school bus drivers, directly addressing driver shortages and making the drive to school a better one.” 

    Companion legislation is being led in the House of Representatives by Congressman John Carter (TX-31).

    Background:

    A significant barrier to entry for new bus drivers is the “Under-the-Hood” testing requirement necessary to obtain a CDL. Federal regulations require CDL holders to be able to lift the hood of a school bus and identify engine parts and functions—a requirement that is mainly for the long-haul trucking industry and adds on average an additional three to four days of training time. Texas has used this exemption over 600 times since 2024. Because school bus drivers must remain on the bus with students at all times, an exemption from this testing requirement will not have any effect on the safety level of school bus operations. Should a school bus break down, trained mechanics would complete roadside diagnostics and repairs of mechanical issues.

    The exemption does not change the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)’s vehicle maintenance requirements, including that every motor carrier must systematically inspect, repair, and maintain all vehicles and that unsafe operations of a motor vehicle are forbidden. Any state or local school bus inspection maintenance standards would continue to apply under this exemption. The FMCSA has confirmed that this exemption does not have an adverse impact on safety.

    This legislation is endorsed by the National School Transportation Association, School Superintendent Association, National Rural Education Association, National Association for Pupil Transportation, School Business Officials, and Association of Educational Service Agencies.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Premier Promotes Nova Scotia in Denmark

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Premier Tim Houston will leave for Copenhagen, Denmark, Saturday, April 5, on a provincial trade mission.

    During the five-day mission, the Premier will meet with new and existing partners to strengthen relationships. Meetings will touch on a wide range of sectors and opportunities in healthcare, energy and seafood.

    “Nova Scotia has so much to offer our trade partners, and we can learn from them, too, as we look to innovate and become more self-reliant,” said Premier Houston. “We value our partnership with Denmark, and I look forward to promoting Nova Scotia at this critical time in our Province’s growth.”

    As part of the mission, the Premier will meet with healthcare leaders and attend WindEurope’s annual event which takes place in Copenhagen April 8-10. Energy Minister Trevor Boudreau will also attend the WindEurope event, which is taking place at a time when Europe is looking to transform its energy system. Denmark is aiming to reach complete fossil-fuel-free electricity by 2035 with an interest and expertise in hydrogen and wind energy.

    Nova Scotia is currently focused on making the province more self-reliant by investing in critical minerals, wind resources and the seafood sector. The Province is also developing a comprehensive trade action plan to facilitate internal trade, enhance productivity and drive critical sectors with input from businesses and industry.

    Quick Facts:

    • in 2024, Nova Scotia’s exports to Denmark reached $29.4 million; Nova Scotia’s imports from Denmark were valued at $24.4 million
    • Denmark is a member of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which eliminates tariffs on 98 per cent of Canadian exports to trade partners in the European Union, making trade more predictable, transparent and accessible for Nova Scotia businesses
    • mission delegates are Premier Houston; Minister Boudreau; Chief of Staff and General Counsel Nicole LaFosse Parker; Executive Deputy Minister Tracey Taweel; and Mike McMurray, Executive Director, International Relations, Department of Intergovernmental Affairs

    Additional Resources:

    Premier Houston’s April 2 statement on U.S. tariffs: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/04/02/statement-us-tariffs-announcement

    WindEurope event: https://windeurope.org/

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Magaziner Leads Congressional Forum on NOAA Cuts, Brings Rhode Island Voices to Washington

    Source: US Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02) led House Natural Resources Committee Democrats in a congressional forum on the devastating impact of cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), highlighting how mass layoffs and facility closures at the agency hurt Rhode Island’s coastal economy and national security interests.

    The forum brought together voices from the fishing industry, environmental advocacy, and public service at the nation’s capital—including Sarah Schumann, a Rhode Island commercial fisher and Director of the Fishery Friendly Climate Action Campaign—to testify on the impact of Trump Administration cuts to NOAA.

    “Fishing is part of who we are in Rhode Island—and data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on weather, fish stocks, and more plays a critical role in protecting lives and livelihoods in the Ocean State.” said Magaziner. “I was proud to bring voices together and host this forum with House Natural Resources Committee Democrats to elevate local challenges and shine a light on the reckless cuts to NOAA by Trump and Musk that hurt the Ocean State and its coastal economy.”

    “From farmers and first responders to entire coastal communities, NOAA is integral to protecting Americans’ safety and keeping our economy running,” said Ranking Member Huffman. “Today’s forum made one thing clear: the Trump administration’s reckless policies are not attacks on NOAA, but also attacks on public safety, good-paying jobs, and the scientific knowledge our communities depend on. By firing experts, slashing critical funding, and privatizing weather data, the administration is putting American lives at risk with the sole purpose of rewarding billionaires. Dismantling NOAA doesn’t just hurt public servants—it hurts everyone.”

    View full remarks from House Natural Resources Committee Democrats’ forum here.

    View or download photos from the House Natural Resources Committee Democrats’ forum here.

    During the forum, Democratic members of the House Natural Resources Committee heard from witnesses on how the Trump administration’s actions surrounding NOAA impact coastal communities and business owners, weaken U.S. fisheries, make communities less safe in the face of natural disasters, and threaten critical climate research.

    The panelists spoke to the critical lifeline NOAA is for communities in providing weather data and forecasts and monitoring coastal environments. 

    Members of Congress in attendance included House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman (CA-02), Rep. Julia Brownley (CA-26), Rep. Val Hoyle (OR-04), Rep. Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), and Rep. Maxine Dexter (OR-03).

    BACKGROUND

    In Rhode Island, NOAA supports a fishing and aquaculture industry that supports thousands of jobs, provides lifesaving weather forecasting, and funds research that strengthens the state’s coastal economy and conservation of ocean resources. Proposed cuts threaten jobs, local businesses, and the livelihoods of Rhode Islanders who depend on healthy oceans and sustainable fisheries. 

    Despite its critical mission, NOAA has become a primary target of the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s DOGE. Since January, NOAA has faced an unprecedented wave of political interference: censorship of climate research, purging of expert staff, the shutdown of oversight committees, and forced layoffs impacting more than 800 employees. DOGE operatives have unlawfully accessed NOAA systems, including internal communications and grants databases, raising serious questions about data integrity and whistleblower retaliation.

    These actions have already disrupted NOAA’s core functions. Weather balloon launches have been reduced, community resilience programs scaled back or shuttered, and offices around the country remain closed. Meanwhile, extremist proposals to dismantle or privatize NOAA will put essential weather alerts and environmental data behind paywalls, endangering farmers, first responders, and coastal economies. House Democrats are committed to exposing this dangerous agenda and defending the public services that keep Americans safe and our economy strong.

    This event follows a roundtable hosted by Magaziner in Providence to hear from Rhode Island fishing, aquaculture, environmental, and conservation leaders about their concerns surrounding a weakened NOAA.

    PANELIST QUOTES

    “We have no idea how NOAA will keep functioning with these budget cuts. We have no idea how much expertise and knowledge has been lost in these firings. We have no idea what else the Trump administration will do to destroy NOAA. And we have no idea who else is slated to be let go,” said Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš, Founder and Executive Director, Azul. “To name just a few examples, Digital Coast helped Florida use high-level surface mapping to improve their flood vulnerability assessments. It helped Southern California collaborate on innovation projects for their renewable economy. It helped Northern Mariana Islands better prepare for tsunamis. It helped improve storm surge modeling for Caribbean disaster preparedness programs. It helped inform watershed management in Florida. It helped promote ecotourism in Virginia through watershed conservation. It helped analyze urban growth and flood risk in North Carolina. It helped lower flood insurance premiums in South Carolina. The list could go on and on. NOAA’s tools have helped every one of these communities and so many more. So what will happen when there’s no longer the budget for these tools, for the scientists, and the data experts who know how to use them? The unfortunate result is that communities will suffer across the U.S.”

    “In my last job in the Navy, I was the oceanographer and navigator of the Navy. Just as importantly, I was the Navy deputy to NOAA. That’s how important the Navy sees this relationship between our Navy and NOAA, in that they assign an admiral to be a deputy to the director of NOAA,” said RADM Jon White, USN (Ret.). “Without the NOAA information, without leading the world in this, then our national security and the safety of our men and women in uniform is at risk. […] And it worries me a lot because I just know that there are men and women in uniform out there who rely on this information. There are parents and husbands and wives who rely on having the best information possible to keep their loved ones safe and to make sure that we maintain our national security and that home and away game advantage for years to come.”

    “Agency staff at every level have been demoralized and marginalized. When coupled with cuts to grants and fellowships and increased job insecurity, we are at a serious risk of alienating the next generation of scientists, policymakers, and leaders who would help the United States weather future storms,” said Elizabeth L. Lewis, Senior Associate Attorney, Eubanks & Associates. “NOAA simply cannot carry out its critical functions on limited staff, shrinking budgets, and aging equipment. Therefore, there is no doubt that if the Administration’s vision for NOAA becomes reality, American businesses will suffer, and even more tragically, lives will be lost.”

    “In the two months since [January 20], the administration has abdicated its citizen-granted authorities to Elon Musk, the wealthiest man on the planet, and this unelected, unaccountable billionaire has torn through agency after agency, destroying a public service infrastructure that took decades to build. And it’s clear that everyday Americans are not this administration’s priority,” said Sarah Schumann, Fisherman, and Owner/Principal Consultant, Shining Sea Fisheries Consulting, LLC. “All of the ambitious and visionary things that fishermen desperately need, the faster, more collaborative data collection and decision-making, the greater attention to the multitude of stressors affecting fishery habitats, the supports for young people to enter and thrive in fishing careers, will be vastly more difficult to achieve with a diminished and distressed NOAA workforce.”

    “I worked for The Weather Company, and there is no weather forecast that’s produced in this country that isn’t dependent on NOAA,” said Mary Glackin, retired NOAA official, American Meteorological Society. “In [Florida], we have 5.3 million acres of submerged lands that are managed through NOAA programs, and this is a combination of the Estuarine Research Reserves, the Coral Reef Conservation Project, the sanctuary that’s there, and coastal zone management. And why is this important to us? These areas safeguard water quality, buffer against storms and flooding, and provide critical habitat for fisheries and wildlife. They drive tourism and recreation, one of the prime economic drivers in Florida. They see over 100 million visitors annually for these world-class recreation activities, and without these programs, we are going to see increased pollution. Make no mistake about that. This could not be a worse time of year. We have the severe weather coming across. We haven’t seen our first hurricane yet, but I guarantee you it’s coming. And right now I fear that the only thing keeping us from real disaster is the heroic efforts of NOAA staff.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Magaziner, Natural Resources Committee Members Discuss Trump-Musk Attacks on NOAA with Expert Panelists at Issues Forum

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

    April 03, 2025

    Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Representative Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.) and U.S. House Natural Resources Committee Members hosted an issues forum titled “Attacks on NOAA Threaten American Communities and Economies.” During this forum, the Members examined the dangerous consequences of the Trump administration’s ongoing campaign to dismantle the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Members and panelists warned that Trump and Musk’s attacks are calculated moves to silence scientists, privatize public services, and reward tax breaks to billionaires at the expense of the American people.

    [embedded content]

    “From farmers and first responders to entire coastal communities, NOAA is integral to protecting Americans’ safety and keeping our economy running,” said Ranking Member Huffman. “Today’s forum made one thing clear: the Trump administration’s reckless policies are not attacks on NOAA, but also attacks on public safety, good-paying jobs, and the scientific knowledge our communities depend on. By firing experts, slashing critical funding, and privatizing weather data, the administration is putting American lives at risk with the sole purpose of rewarding billionaires. Dismantling NOAA doesn’t just hurt public servants—it hurts everyone.”

    “Fishing is part of who we are in Rhode Island—and data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on weather, fish stocks, and more plays a critical role in protecting lives and livelihoods in the Ocean State,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner. “I was proud to bring voices together and host today’s forum with House Natural Resources Committee Democrats to elevate local challenges and shine a light on the reckless cuts to NOAA by Trump and Musk that hurt the Ocean State and its coastal economy.”

    “Whether we call it climate change, sea level rise, or nuisance flooding, it is happening, and it is happening at an increased level, including in Maryland’s Third District. Our state is incredibly vulnerable to the impacts of unpredictable weather, which is why I want to thank NOAA staff for your service. House Democrats understand what you deliver for the American people every single day, and I apologize that you are not receiving the respect that you deserve,” said Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth. 

    “In my district, extreme weather is already endangering critical infrastructure, including at Naval Base Ventura County and the Port of Hueneme, which are vital to both our security and local economy,” said Congresswoman Julia Brownley. “Cuts to NOAA harm military readiness and weaken our community’s ability to respond to the growing dangers of climate change. NOAA’s forecasting, climate monitoring, and disaster response are essential to our resilience. By dismantling this agency, the Trump Administration is weakening disaster preparedness and putting communities across the country at greater risk of more destruction from frequent and severe natural disasters.”

    “Gutting NOAA will cost lives and livelihoods. For coastal states like Oregon, NOAA is a lifeline that keeps our economy resilient and our communities safe from climate-fueled disasters,” said Rep. Maxine Dexter.  “Thank you, Ranking Member Huffman, for spotlighting Elon Musk’s dangerous cuts and standing with us to protect science, safety, and coastal communities.” 

    “What this administration does not seem to understand is that science is how we understand the foundation of this world, how we prepare our constituents for weather events, our farmers for their work, and our communities to respond to a rapidly changing climate,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury. “Cuts to this service will have severe consequences nationally and in my home state because we use the data from NOAA for everything. These mass firings will leave nothing behind but a mess that has undermined our ability to predict the weather with life or death consequences on the ground.”

    “The cuts to NOAA’s funding and workforce are thoughtless and jeopardize the safety of countless Oregonians,” said Rep. Val Hoyle. “NOAA’s ocean mapping and weather forecasting helps our commercial fisherman safely navigate dangerous ocean waters as they harvest fish that feed our country, and it also helps our wildland firefighters with advanced warnings on dangerous weather conditions. These forecasts help our communities and can be the difference between life and death. There is no reason to gut this agency which provides critical information that is integral to protecting every community in my district and across this country.”

    You can view a photo gallery here.

    ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND

    NOAA plays a vital role in protecting lives and supporting livelihoods across the United States. Its forecasts and data support industries from agriculture to tourism, while providing life-saving alerts and environmental monitoring that keep communities safe. Every day, Americans rely on NOAA to help navigate floods, fires, hurricanes, and other climate-fueled disasters.

    Despite its critical mission, NOAA has become a primary target of the Trump administration and Musk’s DOGE. Since January, NOAA has faced an unprecedented wave of political interference: censorship of climate research, purging of expert staff, the shutdown of oversight committees, and forced layoffs impacting more than 800 employees. DOGE operatives have unlawfully accessed NOAA systems, including internal communications and grants databases, raising serious questions about data integrity and whistleblower retaliation.

    These actions have already disrupted NOAA’s core functions. Weather balloon launches have been reduced, community resilience programs scaled back or shuttered, and offices around the country remain closed. Meanwhile, extremist proposals to dismantle or privatize NOAA will put essential weather alerts and environmental data behind paywalls, endangering farmers, first responders, and coastal economies. House Democrats are committed to exposing this dangerous agenda and defending the public services that keep Americans safe and our economy strong.

    PANELIST QUOTES

    “We have no idea how NOAA will keep functioning with these budget cuts. We have no idea how much expertise and knowledge has been lost in these firings. We have no idea what else the Trump administration will do to destroy NOAA. And we have no idea who else is slated to be let go,” said Marce Gutiérrez-Graudinš, Founder and Executive Director, Azul. “To name just a few examples, Digital Coast helped Florida use high-level surface mapping to improve their flood vulnerability assessments. It helped Southern California collaborate on innovation projects for their renewable economy. It helped Northern Mariana Islands better prepare for tsunamis. It helped improve storm surge modeling for Caribbean disaster preparedness programs. It helped inform watershed management in Florida. It helped promote ecotourism in Virginia through watershed conservation. It helped analyze urban growth and flood risk in North Carolina. It helped lower flood insurance premiums in South Carolina. The list could go on and on. NOAA’s tools have helped every one of these communities and so many more. So what will happen when there’s no longer the budget for these tools, for the scientists, and the data experts who know how to use them? The unfortunate result is that communities will suffer across the U.S.”

    “In my last job in the Navy, I was the oceanographer and navigator of the Navy. Just as importantly, I was the Navy deputy to NOAA. That’s how important the Navy sees this relationship between our Navy and NOAA, in that they assign an admiral to be a deputy to the director of NOAA,” said RADM Jon White, USN (Ret.). “Without the NOAA information, without leading the world in this, then our national security and the safety of our men and women in uniform is at risk. […] And it worries me a lot because I just know that there are men and women in uniform out there who rely on this information. There are parents and husbands and wives who rely on having the best information possible to keep their loved ones safe and to make sure that we maintain our national security and that home and away game advantage for years to come.” 

    “Agency staff at every level have been demoralized and marginalized. When coupled with cuts to grants and fellowships and increased job insecurity, we are at a serious risk of alienating the next generation of scientists, policymakers, and leaders who would help the United States weather future storms,” said Elizabeth L. Lewis, Senior Associate Attorney, Eubanks & Associates. “NOAA simply cannot carry out its critical functions on limited staff, shrinking budgets, and aging equipment. Therefore, there is no doubt that if the Administration’s vision for NOAA becomes reality, American businesses will suffer, and even more tragically, lives will be lost.”

    “In the two months since [January 20], the administration has abdicated its citizen-granted authorities to Elon Musk, the wealthiest man on the planet, and this unelected, unaccountable billionaire has torn through agency after agency, destroying a public service infrastructure that took decades to build. And it’s clear that everyday Americans are not this administration’s priority,” said Sarah Schumann, Fisherman, and Owner/Principal Consultant, Shining Sea Fisheries Consulting, LLC. “All of the ambitious and visionary things that fishermen desperately need, the faster, more collaborative data collection and decision-making, the greater attention to the multitude of stressors affecting fishery habitats, the supports for young people to enter and thrive in fishing careers, will be vastly more difficult to achieve with a diminished and distressed NOAA workforce.”

    “I worked for The Weather Company, and there is no weather forecast that’s produced in this country that isn’t dependent on NOAA,” said Mary Glackin, retired NOAA official, American Meteorological Society. “In [Florida], we have 5.3 million acres of submerged lands that are managed through NOAA programs, and this is a combination of the Estuarine Research Reserves, the Coral Reef Conservation Project, the sanctuary that’s there, and coastal zone management. And why is this important to us? These areas safeguard water quality, buffer against storms and flooding, and provide critical habitat for fisheries and wildlife. They drive tourism and recreation, one of the prime economic drivers in Florida. They see over 100 million visitors annually for these world-class recreation activities, and without these programs, we are going to see increased pollution. Make no mistake about that. This could not be a worse time of year. We have the severe weather coming across. We haven’t seen our first hurricane yet, but I guarantee you it’s coming. And right now I fear that the only thing keeping us from real disaster is the heroic efforts of NOAA staff.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Abolition wasn’t fueled by just moral or economic concerns – the booming whaling industry also helped sink slavery

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Topher L. McDougal, Professor of Economic Development & Peacebuilding, University of San Diego

    An engraving of whalers at sea attacking a whale with a harpoon from 1820. Kean Collection/Getty Images

    Historians have long debated whether the end of slavery in the United States was primarily driven by moral campaigns or economic changes. But what if both perspectives are looking at only part of the puzzle?

    We are experts in economic development and social movements. Our new research uncovers what we believe to be a surprising and overlooked factor in the decline of slavery in the U.S. – the rise of the whaling industry.

    Starting around 1650, whaling expanded along the Northeast coast of the British American colonies. Whaling expeditions killed whales and brought back to port valuable animal products like oil, used for lamps and other items, and whalebone, used for products ranging from corsets to combs.

    Whalers also brought spermaceti, a waxy substance that comes from a sperm whale’s head and is used to produce candles and lubricants for precision machinery like watches and clocks.

    At its peak, in the 1850s, the American whaling industry alone employed 50,000 to 70,000 workers who worked on an estimated 700 to 800 ships.

    In the decades before cheap oil helped many industries truly take off, whaling played an important, but often overlooked, role in laying the groundwork for the antislavery movement.

    Black sailors made up perhaps 20% to 30% of whaling crews. Of these sailors, some were enslaved and used their hard-won earnings to buy their freedom. Some of these sailors went on to finance abolitionist efforts. Others built houses of worship.

    The whaling industry that produced oil to illuminate 19th-century lamps also added fuel to the fire of the antislavery movement. The city motto of New Bedford, Massachusetts – lucem diffundo, or “I diffuse light” in Latin – referred to the candles and lamps the whaling industry lit, as well as the moral clarity some whalers aspired to promote.

    Three Black whalers stand on a wharf in New Bedford, Mass., in an 1880 drawing.
    Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

    The missing link between whaling and abolition

    Slavery in the American colonies began in 1619 with a small enslaved population that grew to about 500,000 by the American Revolution in 1775. As slavery became institutionalized in law and American culture, the number of enslaved people grew, primarily in the South, to as many as 4 million in the years leading up to the Civil War in 1861.

    The first half of the 1800s saw a surge of abolitionist activism, rooted in early Quaker efforts and Indigenous wisdom. Abolitionism reshaped American politics into a fuller democracy, linking Black resistance, feminist struggles and labor rights to the broader fight for democracy and human rights.

    The decline and eventual abolition of slavery has been portrayed as the result of tireless activism and moral persuasion by early Quaker advocates like Benjamin Lay who considered slavery one of the worst sins. Abolitionists like Frederick Douglass would later go on to advocate for the Civil War to force a moral reckoning on the South.

    The result was an antislavery moral high ground from which the United Kingdom, and later the U.S., could measure other countries and monitor the high seas.

    Another common explanation for the end of slavery is the economic argument that slavery declined as fossil fuel-powered machinery replaced enslaved labor on farms and even in factories.

    Our research challenges this binary by showing that before steam engines transformed industry, whaling played an overlooked role in challenging the proposition that slavery was America’s most economically profitable form of labor organization at the time.

    Increased whaling, decreased slavery

    We analyzed data from U.S. Census records and the logbooks of American whaling voyages from 1790 to 1840 – systematized in a dataset maintained by the Mystic Seaport Museum and New Bedford Whaling Museum.

    This data came from well before the 1859 discovery and exploitation of oil in Pennsylvania.

    The results were striking: When the whaling industry brought back more oil, bone and spermaceti to specific ports, the proportion of enslaved people in the corresponding states declined.

    Statistically speaking, we saw a nearly perfect 1-to-1 inverse relationship between whaling and slavery.

    When whaling products went up 1%, slavery proportions went down by almost the same amount in that state in the following years. What’s more, we mapped these findings geographically and discovered that the more whaling occurred, the more widely decreases in slavery occurred in nearby states.

    In other words, our statistics suggest that increases in whaling led to decreases in slavery, and this effect diffused across state lines.

    Why whaling mattered

    Whaling was the first global industry in the colonies that eventually became the U.S.

    Whaling hubs like the Massachusetts towns of Nantucket and New Bedford and the island of Martha’s Vineyard became some of the wealthiest communities in the country.

    Whaling was also one of the few industries where Black Americans, both free and formerly enslaved, could make money and become wealthy. Individuals of all backgrounds could rise through the whaling industry ranks based on skill rather than birth.

    It also required a risk-embracing and entrepreneurial mindset, as immortalized in a song that the writer Herman Melville has the crew sing in the 1851 book Moby-Dick: “So, be cheery, my lads! may your hearts never fail! / While the bold harpooner is striking the whale!”

    By contrast, the plantation economy relied on rigid racial hierarchies and hereditary enslavement.

    Prince Boston was one example of an enslaved whaler, who, in 1773 at the age of 23, won the right in the local Nantucket court to purchase his own freedom from his owner, who lived locally, with the money he earned on a harpoon crew.

    This watershed moment saw the court make a precedent that was probably illegal at the time, but which supported and defended both the whaling industry as well as the aspirations of the people needed to make it thrive. Prince Boston’s free-born nephew, Absolom Boston, become the first Black whaling captain in 1822 – one of approximately 50 Black and Native captains in the American whaling industry throughout its history.

    Financing the fight against slavery

    The economic power generated by whaling helped fund the abolitionist movement in tangible ways.

    Wealthy Quaker merchants in whaling towns, like Martha’s Vineyard, were some of the earliest and most fervent supporters of abolition.

    Elihu Coleman, a Nantucket Quaker, wrote one of the first antislavery pamphlets in America in 1733. Douglass, the famed abolitionist and formerly enslaved man from Maryland, found refuge in New Bedford, a whaling town with a strong antislavery tradition.

    Whaling profits financed the construction of meeting houses and schools for free Black communities in these towns. The African Baptist Society in Nantucket, for example, was built by Black whalers who had achieved financial independence through their trade.

    Whalers cut pieces from a small whale on Long Island, N.Y., in 1900.
    Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images

    Whaling’s vital role in ending slavery

    As an industry, whaling provided a meritocratic career path before fossil fuel mechanization made slavery obsolete. While industrialization eventually made enslaved labor less profitable by the mid- and late-1800s, whaling had already eroded slavery’s economic and social foundations decades earlier.

    Of course, whaling itself was not a morally pure endeavor. It was dangerous and devastating to whale populations. The American whaling industry killed perhaps 32,000 whales over the 74 years between 1835 and 1909. The global harvest of whales was many times greater. The U.S. officially outlawed whaling in 1971.

    Yet, whaling’s role in funding abolition and providing economic opportunities for free Black Americans is undeniable. It was, in many ways, a bridge between the world of forced labor and the energy-driven economy of the modern age.

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

    – ref. Abolition wasn’t fueled by just moral or economic concerns – the booming whaling industry also helped sink slavery – https://theconversation.com/abolition-wasnt-fueled-by-just-moral-or-economic-concerns-the-booming-whaling-industry-also-helped-sink-slavery-250980

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: The women who shaped Sigmund Freud and a hero who can’t feel pain – what to watch, read and do this week

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Anna Walker, Senior Arts + Culture Editor

    Think of Sigmund Freud, the “father of psychoanalysis”, and a few images probably come to mind. A smouldering cigar. His small wire-frame glasses. And of course, his psychoanalytic couch – the divan his patients would lie on during sessions. While the couch has become an enduring symbol of Freud’s practice, and indeed for therapy more generally, few people know that it was originally a gift from one of his wealthy woman patients, Madame Benvenisti.

    It’s on show at London’s Freud Museum as part of the exhibition Women & Freud: Patients, Pioneers, Artists. Until May 5, the space will be packed with works that celebrate the women in Freud’s life.

    Throughout the exhibition, images, film footage and artworks are brought together to ask questions about the women of psychoanalysis. Whether they are patients, analysts, friends and family, or artistic inheritors of its legacy, the show offers much food for thought.

    Marie Bonaparte, great-grandniece to Napoleon, intervened to save Freud from the Nazis. She is remembered through previously undisplayed correspondence. Portuguese artist Paula Rego’s work speaks to Freud’s ideas about the family. And contributions to the wider field of psychoanalysis by American-born Maria Battle Singer, Britain’s first black psychoanalyst, are finally celebrated.

    Women & Freud: Patients, Pioneers, Artists is at the Freud Museum until May 5.



    Read more:
    Freud Museum exhibition uses art to explore the psychoanalyst’s often contradictory relationships with women

    The dance of death

    White Lotus Mondays have become a ritual in my household. If you’ve been watching season three, you probably have the same questions as me. Who is going to die? Who is going to kill them? And what on Earth is going on with those brothers?

    For most viewers, this season, set on the Thai island of Ko Samui, has been a slower burn than the previous one. And who isn’t missing Jennifer Coolidge’s unforgettable turn as the eccentric heiress Tanya McQuoid? But, for my money, series three has now more than earned our trust. The latest episode delivered confrontations, realisations and some jaw-dropping escalations.

    The trailer for the final episode of The White Lotus season three.

    As we head into Monday’s 90-minute final episode, we’ve been reflecting on the way the show’s creator Mike White has engaged with Buddhist philosophy. Brooke Schedneck, an expert in contemporary Buddhism and religious tourism in Thailand, explains what the show gets right and wrong about common Buddhist practices.

    White Lotus is streaming on Sky Atlantic and Now TV.



    Read more:
    What ‘The White Lotus’ gets wrong about the meaning and goals of common Buddhist practices

    One thing most of this season’s White Lotus characters have in common is a love for a good dance – whether neon-daubed at a full-moon party, dripping with sweat in a mega club or vibing on the decks of a super yacht.

    Thailand’s dance culture has its roots in a movement that began in dingy bars in the UK, before spreading to Ibiza, eastern Europe and finally Asia. We asked the experts behind new book Transatlantic Drift, which tracks the emergence, evolution and global spread of nightclubs, to explain the history of dance music and the spaces it’s enjoyed in. As they explain, from basements to beaches, dancefloors have always mirrored social change.

    Transatlantic Drift by Katie Milestone and Simon A. Morrison is out now.



    Read more:
    A brief history of dance music – from basements to beaches, dancefloors have mirrored social change

    The pain of uncertainty

    Another book on our reading lists this week is Embracing Uncertainty by entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan. As our world faces a perfect storm of environmental, societal and economic challenges, the need to support innovation and champion persistence has seldom felt greater. Heffernan’s book explores how writers, musicians and artists can thrive in our unpredictable world.

    We asked professor of cognitive neuroscience David Pearson for his take. He found Heffernan to be an engaging storyteller and thought the book’s hopeful and inspiring stories pointed the way to a more optimistic future.

    Embracing Uncertainty by Margaret Heffernan is out now.



    Read more:
    Embracing Uncertainty: what we can all learn from how artists thrive in an unpredictable world

    Jack Quaid – son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan – has quietly been making a name for himself as an actor to watch. I greatly enjoyed his work in Companion, an AI-gone-wrong thriller that deserved far more attention. And he showed his romcom chops in 2019’s wedding caper, Plus One.

    The trailer for Novocaine.

    Now he’s turning to another genre, action, as the lead in Novocaine. Quaid plays Nathan, a man who feels no pain and is on a mission to save the girl of his dreams from the bank robbers who have taken her hostage. He takes bullets without flinching, grabs a hot pan with his bare hands and fishes a gun from a deep frier – all without feeling a thing.

    As far as the movie goes, it’s a recipe for zany, if gory, fun. But in real life this condition, known as congenital insensitivity to pain, is far from a superpower. Pain may not feel nice, but it saves lives, as our medical expert explains.

    Novocaine is in cinemas now.



    Read more:
    Novocaine: the movie action hero with a real-life syndrome that makes him immune to pain

    – ref. The women who shaped Sigmund Freud and a hero who can’t feel pain – what to watch, read and do this week – https://theconversation.com/the-women-who-shaped-sigmund-freud-and-a-hero-who-cant-feel-pain-what-to-watch-read-and-do-this-week-253773

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/SOUTH KOREA – Bishops after President Yoon’s impeachment: “Now the time for politics begins”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Friday, 4 April 2025

    Photo Yiho

    by Pascale RizkSeoul (Agenzia Fides) – After 111 days since his indictment on December 14, 2024, South Korea’s 20th President, Yoon Suk Yeol, was definitively removed from office today, April 4, at 11:22 a.m. (local time) by the Korean Constitutional Court, following a unanimous ruling by all eight judges.”First and foremost, we call on the State authorities to make every effort to regain the people’s trust and establish harmony. In particular, we urge politicians not to forget that they exist to serve the people and to promote a policy of mutual respect and listening, oriented towards coexistence,” said the country’s Catholic bishops following the Constitutional Court’s ruling impeaching President Yoon Suk-yeol. “The process of electing a responsible and moral leader with a view to social reconciliation and the common good must be conducted in a democratic and mature manner,” the bishops emphasized. New elections must now be held within the next 60 days.Impeachment proceedings have been initiated against the South Korean president after he ordered the imposition of martial law on the night of December 3rd to “eradicate pro-North Korean forces and protect the democratic constitutional order.” Unlike the impeachment trial of former President Park Geun-hye in 2017, which lasted 11 days, and the trial of former President Roh Moo-hyun in 2004, who was reinstated 14 days after the hearings, the verdict against Yoon came after six weeks, during which many Koreans continued to demonstrate in public squares against or for Yoon. Protests have intensified over the past three weeks in front of the Constitutional Court building in Songhyeon Square, where 2,000 clergy and believers from various faiths, including 200 Catholic priests, gathered on Monday, March 31.Today, more than 14,000 police officers were deployed in Seoul to prevent violent riots. The security distance from the court building, originally set at 100 meters, was extended to 300 meters, with police buses used as barricades. Yoon’s declaration of martial law late last night appeared to many analysts as the latest attempt to maintain control over the country’s political decision-making process after his People’s Power Party failed to get a bill passed through the opposition Democratic Party-controlled parliament. His actions sparked a response from numerous Koreans, who staged massive protests outside the National Assembly. Despite attempts by elements of the military to prevent parliamentarians from voting to lift martial law, it was lifted just six hours after its declaration, before sunrise on December 4, 2024. The president was arrested on the basis of an arrest warrant issued on New Year’s Eve. The arrest took place on January 15 by officers of the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO). Yoon’s defense team won the Seoul Central District Court’s overturning of the arrest on Friday, March 7, citing several procedural loopholes in the prosecution. “It is said that history repeats itself, but today our nation and our people are forced to painfully write an unfortunate page of history that no one ever wanted to see. For the second time in our history, the impeachment proceedings against a popularly elected president have been upheld,” reads the bishops’ letter to the Korean faithful. “Now the time for politics begins: We must combine our wisdom to elect a new President who will lead our nation. We must choose a leader who deeply recognizes that presidential power is a power delegated by the people, a power that serves the people, and who has the attitude and willingness to sacrifice himself at any time to protect the lives and property of the people.” Over the past six weeks, several appeals for calm have been made to citizens, and politicians have been called upon to work to help South Korea overcome the crisis. “Respect and accept the Constitutional Court’s decision so that this national crisis can be resolved smoothly,” read the appeal published on March 5 by the Association of Major Religious Denominations in South Korea, including the Catholic Church (represented by Bishop Matthias Ri Long-hoon, Chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Korea and Bishop of Suwon). In their “Statement to the People Before the Impeachment Trial,” the representatives of the religious communities stressed that “democracy is based on respect for rules.” One of the final appeals to the Constitutional Court was launched a few days ago by Cardinal Lazaro You Heung-sik, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy. In a message addressed to the faithful in Korea on March 21, the Cardinal called for them to “listen with a heart of despair for the Republic of Korea in crisis” and “to the voice of justice and conscience that dwells deep within us” and to no longer hesitate to “make a judgment of conscience.” The Korean Bishops’ Conference also issued a statement on April 1, after the Constitutional Court announced that it would hold the impeachment proceedings against President Yoon Seok-yeol on April 4: “We must adopt a stance that welcomes any decision of the Constitutional Court. Regardless of the decision, the Church in Korea will pray in the hope that all citizens will respect and accept the ruling. In this way, our country will take another step toward becoming a more mature democratic nation.” In recent months, South Korea has been more polarized than ever. From the very first evening, the bitter cold of December did not stop Koreans from taking to the streets to rebel against the first declaration of martial law since the military regime (1961-1987). There were also defenders of the deposed President Yoon, while the belief that the will of the people is the foundation of democratic political institutions remains undiminished. Now everyone hopes that the verdict will help overcome the period of political turmoil the country is currently experiencing, which has also been hit by natural disasters, including the crash of a Korean airliner on December 29, 2024, which killed a total of 179 people. (Agenzia Fides, 4/4/2025)
    Photo Vincent Park

    Photo RGS Corea

    Photo Vincent Park

    Photo Vincent Park

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    MIL OSI Europe News –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Insects are everywhere in farming and research − but insect welfare is just catching up

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Bob Fischer, Professor of Philosophy, Texas State University

    Employees sort crickets by size at a farm in Thailand. AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit

    Did you know your lipstick might be made from beetles? Or that some cat food may soon be made from flies?

    People farm insects for all sorts of reasons: Farmers rear bees to pollinate billions of dollars of crops, textile companies raise silkworms for their cocoons, and cosmetic companies use cochineal beetles for dyes. Researchers also put insects to work in labs: Fruit flies have revolutionized genetics, cockroaches provide insights into neurobiology, and ants inspire AI-driven robots.

    On top of that, medical companies raise blowfly larvae to clean wounds, desert locusts for compounds that might help reduce the risk of heart disease, and lac insects for their secretions, which are used to coat pills.

    All told, trillions of insects are farmed each year across the globe – more than all other livestock combined. Each year, producers rear some 2.1 trillion black soldier flies alone – and, if industry trends hold, will be rearing three times as many in 2035. Currently, roughly 30 times as many insects are produced as the most-farmed “traditional” farm animal: the chicken.

    As an ethics professor, I think this raises pressing questions about what it means to treat insects humanely. Several years ago, I was skeptical that these questions were worth asking, as most questions about animal welfare center on pain – and I didn’t think there was much chance that insects could feel it. However, as science has uncovered more about insects’ abilities, the emerging field of insect welfare seems increasingly important.

    Dried, crushed female insects known as Dactylopius coccus, which will be used to produce natural red dye, at a farm in Mexico.
    AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo

    New science of animal minds

    In the 17th century, many scientists believed that all nonhuman animals were mere machines that behaved as if they felt pain but didn’t actually experience it.

    While most scientists have long abandoned this view, researchers have not identified a definitive test for the capacity to feel pain in any nonhuman animal. There is no known brain structure or pattern of neural activity whose presence or absence settles the question. There’s no single behavior that decisively establishes pain, either.

    So, researchers look for several markers of pain that, taken together, support taking this possibility seriously. Some of these markers are neurobiological, such as specialized damage receptors and regions of the brain that integrate those signals with information from other senses. Some are behavioral, such as an animal making trade-offs between avoiding harm and pursuing rewards.

    Fruit flies, for example, are willing to cross electrical barriers that give them mild shocks to reach food. However, they won’t cross barriers that give them stronger shocks, even when very hungry. This suggests that there’s something more than simple reflexes at work: The animal is weighing different motivations to make a decision.

    Evidence like this keeps accumulating. Some bees can remember experiencing high heat and weigh this against the reward of sugar when it’s offered in hot containers. They also display emotion-like states, in that they respond to cognitive bias tests the way other animals do. These tests are used to assess how animals’ emotions influence their cognitive processes: Like people, animals handle uncertain situations differently if stressed or satisfied.

    Fruit flies become averse to temperatures that were once innocuous after researchers amputate their legs, just as some injuries in humans can lead to heightened pain sensitivity. Tobacco hornworm moth larvae and cockroaches tend to their wounds when hurt. And contrary to a common myth, many male praying mantises try to avoid being eaten by females; they don’t always just continue mating.

    Again, no single marker – or even the lot of them – proves that insects can feel pain. However, the accumulated evidence suggests that there’s at least a realistic possibility. This position is reflected in two scientific consensus statements: the 2012 Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness and the 2024 New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness, which are attempts to summarize the state of knowledge about many groups of animals.

    Humane practices?

    It’s widely acknowledged that it’s wrong to cause unnecessary pain in animals – an imperative codified in the ethical principles that U.S. federal agencies consult when making regulations about research. So, if insects can feel pain, as most Americans believe, then there is an ethical reason to protect their welfare.

    Of course, it isn’t certain that they can feel pain. So, precautionary reasoning becomes important: taking steps to reduce the risk of causing harm that are, in some sense, proportional to the magnitude of the risk. In other words, people who rear insects should take modest steps to reduce the risk that they are causing more pain than they need to cause.

    On some insect farms, a potential concern is injuries from cannibalism and aggression, which occur at greater rates when animals such as crickets are crowded together. The issue crops up in other farming systems as well: Chickens harm their flockmates when they don’t have sufficient room.

    There are also worries about slaughter. Typically, a humane death is fast, but many insects are killed using very slow methods, such as baking and microwaving. Grinding and boiling, by contrast, may be much quicker.

    Black soldier flies being grown as fish food live in laying-and-rearing aviaries at a factory in France.
    AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard

    In lab research, one potential concern is performing live dissections, once known as vivisection, without anesthetics or analgesics. The practice has been almost universally abandoned for vertebrate animals but is still routine with some insects. People have described many cases of insect neglect to me, including times when researchers have accidentally let insects starve or become fatally dehydrated after experiments conclude, rather than euthanizing them.

    Granted, it’s hard to be sure that any particular practice causes pain. If there’s a realistic possibility, however, then it’s worth considering alternative practices.

    As scientists have suggested, insect producers could reduce the number of animals in each container to reduce problems associated with crowding. They could investigate strategies for stunning insects before processing them, just as other animals are stunned before slaughter.

    In most countries, insect researchers are not legally required to follow the standard ethical guidelines for other animal researchers. But there is nothing to prevent insect researchers from following them voluntarily. These international guidelines recommend avoiding the use of live animals entirely when possible; using fewer live animals when they do need to be used; and refining practices to minimize the risk of pain and distress, such as giving insects anesthesia before dissection.

    It’s possible to treat insects more humanely. And since they may be able to feel pain, I believe it’s important to take reasonable steps to do so.

    Bob Fischer is on the board of the Insect Welfare Research Society and the Arthropoda Foundation.

    – ref. Insects are everywhere in farming and research − but insect welfare is just catching up – https://theconversation.com/insects-are-everywhere-in-farming-and-research-but-insect-welfare-is-just-catching-up-249585

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Being alone has its benefits − a psychologist flips the script on the ‘loneliness epidemic’

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Virginia Thomas, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Middlebury

    Studies show that choosing ‘me time’ is not a recipe for loneliness but can boost your creativity and emotional well-being. FotoDuets/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Over the past few years, experts have been sounding the alarm over how much time Americans spend alone.

    Statistics show that we’re choosing to be solitary for more of our waking hours than ever before, tucked away at home rather than mingling in public. Increasing numbers of us are dining alone and traveling solo, and rates of living alone have nearly doubled in the past 50 years.

    These trends coincided with the surgeon general’s 2023 declaration of a loneliness epidemic, leading to recent claims that the U.S. is living in an “anti-social century.”

    Loneliness and isolation are indeed social problems that warrant serious attention, especially since chronic states of loneliness are linked with poor outcomes such as depression and a shortened lifespan.

    But there is another side to this story, one that deserves a closer look. For some people, the shift toward aloneness represents a desire for what researchers call “positive solitude,” a state that is associated with well-being, not loneliness.

    As a psychologist, I’ve spent the past decade researching why people like to be alone – and spending a fair amount of time there myself – so I’m deeply familiar with the joys of solitude. My findings join a host of others that have documented a long list of benefits gained when we choose to spend time by ourselves, ranging from opportunities to recharge our batteries and experience personal growth to making time to connect with our emotions and our creativity.

    Being alone can help remind people who they are.

    So it makes sense to me why people live alone as soon as their financial circumstances allow, and when asked why they prefer to dine solo, people say simply, “I want more me time.”

    It’s also why I’m not surprised that a 2024 national survey found that 56% of Americans considered alone time essential for their mental health. Or that Costco is now selling “solitude sheds” where for around US$2,000 you can buy yourself some peace and quiet.

    It’s clear there is a desire, and a market, for solitude right now in American culture. But why does this side of the story often get lost amid the warnings about social isolation?

    I suspect it has to do with a collective anxiety about being alone.

    The stigma of solitude

    This anxiety stems in large part from our culture’s deficit view of solitude. In this type of thinking, the desire to be alone is seen as unnatural and unhealthy, something to be pitied or feared rather than valued or encouraged.

    This isn’t just my own observation. A study published in February 2025 found that U.S. news headlines are 10 times more likely to frame being alone negatively than positively. This type of bias shapes people’s beliefs, with studies showing that adults and children alike have clear judgments about when it is – and importantly when it is not – acceptable for their peers to be alone.

    This makes sense given that American culture holds up extroversion as the ideal – indeed as the basis for what’s normal. The hallmarks of extraversion include being sociable and assertive, as well as expressing more positive emotions and seeking more stimulation than the opposite personality – the more reserved and risk-averse introverts. Even though not all Americans are extroverts, most of us have been conditioned to cultivate that trait, and those who do reap social and professional rewards. In this cultural milieu, preferring to be alone carries stigma.

    But the desire for solitude is not pathological, and it’s not just for introverts. Nor does it automatically spell social isolation and a lonely life. In fact, the data doesn’t fully support current fears of a loneliness epidemic, something scholars and journalists have recently acknowledged.

    In other words, although Americans are indeed spending more time alone than previous generations did, it’s not clear that we are actually getting lonelier. And despite our fears for the eldest members of our society, research shows that older adults are happier in solitude than the loneliness narrative would lead us to believe.

    It’s all a balancing act – along with solitude, you need to socialize.

    Social media disrupts our solitude

    However, solitude’s benefits don’t automatically appear whenever we take a break from the social world. They arrive when we are truly alone – when we intentionally carve out the time and space to connect with ourselves – not when we are alone on our devices.

    My research has found that solitude’s positive effects on well-being are far less likely to materialize if the majority of our alone time is spent staring at our screens, especially when we’re passively scrolling social media.

    This is where I believe the collective anxiety is well placed, especially the focus on young adults who are increasingly forgoing face-to-face social interaction in favor of a virtual life – and who may face significant distress as a result.

    Social media is by definition social. It’s in the name. We cannot be truly alone when we’re on it. What’s more, it’s not the type of nourishing “me time” I suspect many people are longing for.

    True solitude turns attention inward. It’s a time to slow down and reflect. A time to do as we please, not to please anyone else. A time to be emotionally available to ourselves, rather than to others. When we spend our solitude in these ways, the benefits accrue: We feel rested and rejuvenated, we gain clarity and emotional balance, we feel freer and more connected to ourselves.

    But if we’re addicted to being busy, it can be hard to slow down. If we’re used to looking at a screen, it can be scary to look inside. And if we don’t have the skills to validate being alone as a normal and healthy human need, then we waste our alone time feeling guilty, weird or selfish.

    The importance of reframing solitude

    Americans choosing to spend more time alone is indeed a challenge to the cultural script, and the stigmatization of solitude can be difficult to change. Nevertheless, a small but growing body of research indicates that it is possible, and effective, to reframe the way we think about solitude.

    For example, viewing solitude as a beneficial experience rather than a lonely one has been shown to help alleviate negative feelings about being alone, even for the participants who were severely lonely. People who perceive their time alone as “full” rather than “empty” are more likely to experience their alone time as meaningful, using it for growth-oriented purposes such as self-reflection or spiritual connection.

    Even something as simple as a linguistic shift – replacing “isolation” with “me time” – causes people to view their alone time more positively and likely affects how their friends and family view it as well.

    It is true that if we don’t have a community of close relationships to return to after being alone, solitude can lead to social isolation. But it’s also true that too much social interaction is taxing, and such overload negatively affects the quality of our relationships. The country’s recent gravitational pull toward more alone time may partially reflect a desire for more balance in a life that is too busy, too scheduled and, yes, too social.

    Just as connection with others is essential for our well-being, so is connection with ourselves.

    Virginia Thomas 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. Being alone has its benefits − a psychologist flips the script on the ‘loneliness epidemic’ – https://theconversation.com/being-alone-has-its-benefits-a-psychologist-flips-the-script-on-the-loneliness-epidemic-250742

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Monitoring continues after disease threatens native species

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Monitoring continues after disease threatens native species

    The Environment Agency is continuing to monitor a disease outbreak which is putting the future of the native white clawed crayfish on the River Ure at risk.

    Images shows a native white clawed crayfish

    Crayfish plague, which is normally spread by invasive American signal crayfish, is deadly for the native species and can quickly wipe out populations.

    It was first discovered in late 2020 upstream of Aysgarth Falls in the Yorkshire Dales, and the Environment Agency has since been monitoring the spread.  

    While the majority of the native species in the main river has been lost, so far, some populations of white-clawed crayfish in tributaries remain unaffected.

    Obstructions such as weirs and waterfalls create barriers that break up the native crayfish populations, preventing the plague from spreading.

    Crayfish plague spores can be easily moved from one part of a river to another or between river catchments via boots, clothes and equipment, so people are being urged to play their part by following ‘check, clean, dry’ advice to help stop the spread.

    In this case, there is no evidence of the signal crayfish in the river above the waterfalls, which means it’s likely the disease spores were brought to the River Ure via another route.

    Plague has been ‘moving through the catchment’

    Tim Selway, Environment Agency biodiversity specialist and crayfish expert, said:

    With so few populations of native crayfish remaining across the country, we must do everything we can to protect the future of the species.

    We’ve been monitoring the spread of crayfish plague on the River Ure since it was first discovered, and it has been moving through the catchment. Thankfully, it hasn’t affected all populations of the native species.

    We want to make sure it stays this way. People should follow advice to make sure the disease is not spread to currently unaffected tributaries.

    If the plague does spread into the unaffected tributaries, the Environment Agency would look to create ‘ark’ sites, where unaffected crayfish could be moved to safety. 

    Check, clean, dry advice

    People should follow ‘check, clean and dry’ advice to make sure they check their boots and equipment, clean them and give them time to dry before moving between different rivers or tributaries.

    Tim added:

    This situation shows just how easy it is to spread a fatal disease which can put at risk an endangered population.

    I would urge people to think before they go into a watercourse – are their boots cleaned from previous walks or have they cleaned their water sports or fishing equipment, for example? All of this really matters.

    The Environment Agency and Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust is working with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, which hosts the Yorkshire Crayfish Forum, and the Yorkshire Invasive Species Forum to tackle this threat.

    Marie Taylor, chief executive of Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, added:

    The spread of crayfish plague to an area of the Ure catchment where, to our knowledge, the invasive American signal crayfish isn’t present is a serious cause for concern.

    This highlights the urgent need for strict biosecurity measures, as natural barriers alone are not sufficient to prevent the devastating impacts of this invasive species.

    We strongly urge all river users, anglers, and outdoor activity organisers to take proactive steps in preventing further spread. If you require guidance on biosecurity best practices or need biosecurity equipment for organised water-based activities, we are here to help.

    Please visit our website for guidance or contact us directly via email at enquiries@ydrt.co.uk to discuss how we can support your event and help safeguard our rivers.

    Native species has struggled to survive

    Rare white-clawed crayfish are the UK’s only native, freshwater crayfish, and are most at risk from the American signal crayfish, which spread crayfish plague and out compete the native species. 

    They have struggled to survive after the more aggressive signal crayfish population has taken hold across the country, spreading crayfish plague as they go.

    The endangered white-clawed crayfish plays a vital role in keeping waterways clean and as a source of food for other native species.

    Anything that has contact with the water and riverbank needs to be cleaned thoroughly and dried until it has been dry for 48 hours.

    If this is not possible, cleaning and the use of an environmentally-friendly aquatic disinfectant is recommended. This helps prevent the spread of aquatic diseases and invasive species.

    More information about ‘check, clean, dry’ can be found on the invasive non-native species (INNS) website.

    If you see any crayfish, alive or dead, leave it where it is and report it immediately to the Environment Agency on 0800 807060.

    If possible, take close-up photos of the crayfish to help identify the species. It is illegal to handle or remove crayfish from the water without the correct licences.   

    Sightings of the invasive American signal crayfish can also be recorded via the INNS Mapper App, which can be downloaded for android and iPhone via the app store. More details can be found at the INNS Mapper website.

    Find out more about the work to save Yorkshire’s native white clawed crayfish.

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    Published 4 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: The Republic of Congo’s reliance on fossil fuels: a threat to climate, biodiversity and human rights.

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Kinshasa, April 3, 2025 – At a time when the planet is facing an unprecedented climate emergency, the Republic of Congo has announced a drastic increase in its oil production. At the Energy and Investment Forum (CEIF), held in Kintélé on March 25 and 26, the government unveiled its ambition to increase national production to 500,000 barrels per day by the end of 2025, almost double the current level. A decision that Greenpeace Africa denounces as a direct threat to the environment, climate commitments and the rights of Indigenous People and local communities.

    A risky gamble in the midst of the climate crisis

    At a time when experts are warning of the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, Congo is opting for the opposite strategy. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), no new oil projects should see the light of day if the goal of zero net emissions by 2050 is to be achieved. Yet Congo, which currently produces 270,000 barrels/day, is persisting with plans to almost double production in less than a year, a decision that directly contradicts its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, which call for a 48% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, subject to international support.

    An ecological disaster in the making

    The environmental cost of this expansion would be colossal. The Congo Basin is the world’s second largest tropical rainforest. Stretching over 3.7 million square kilometers and encompassing six countries, this region plays a crucial role in regulating the world’s climate, storing around 30 billion tons of carbon – the equivalent of three years’ global emissions. Oil development threatens this carbon sink and, in particular, the Conkouati-Douli National Park, a UNESCO biosphere reserve that protects over 5,000 square kilometers of terrestrial and marine biodiversity. The park is home to endangered species such as forest elephants, western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, manatees and three species of marine turtle on the IUCN red list. 

    The extension of oil blocks on the outskirts of Conkouati-Douli National Park presents a major threat to biodiversity. In addition to fragmenting ecosystems, polluting water resources and accelerating deforestation, this expansion calls into question the Republic of Congo’s international commitments. As a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Global Framework for Biodiversity, the country has pledged to protect at least 30% of its land and marine areas by 2030 (the “30×30” target). However, by promoting the exploitation of fossil fuels in these sensitive areas, the government is going back on its commitments and setting a worrying precedent for other resource-rich countries.

    An underestimated human impact

    Beyond the environmental devastation, oil expansion directly threatens the livelihoods of local populations. More than 30,000 people living in and around Conkouati-Douli National Park risk losing access to drinking water, sustainable fishing grounds and resources essential to their survival. Past experience shows that these projects are not without human consequences. In 2024, a Greenpeace Africa mission to Lokolama, DRC, highlighted the devastating effects of oil exploitation: arbitrary detentions, extortion, forced displacement and brutal repression of indigenous voices. Without urgent strengthening of legal safeguards and genuine protection of community rights, these abuses are likely to recur on a massive scale.

    The illusion of oil as an engine for development

    Congo’s oil expansion is often justified by its low electrification rate, which stands at just 12% in rural areas and 49% in urban areas. But the facts contradict this pseudo-logic: in many countries, the oil industry has never been able to bring affordable energy to the most vulnerable populations.  Conversely, renewable energy – led by solar and wind power – offers a faster, more sustainable and, above all, more accessible alternative for isolated communities. According to several studies, every dollar invested in green energy generates three times as many jobs as in fossil fuels. These are all arguments that should weigh heavily in the balance of any country concerned about its long-term economic development.

    What about the Congo’s international commitments?

    With this expansion, the Congo is in contradiction with several major international agreements:

    • The Paris Agreement (2015), which aims to limit global warming to below 1.5°C
    • The Convention on Biological Diversity, which requires countries to protect critical habitats
    • The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which affirms the right to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) before any industrial development on ancestral lands 
    • The Global Biodiversity Framework (2022), which calls for the protection of 30% of land and oceans by 2030.

    Greenpeace Africa calls for a change of course 

    In view of this situation, Greenpeace Africa strongly urges :

    • The Congolese government to immediately halt oil exploration and production in protected areas
    • Investors and financial institutions to stop financing oil projects in biodiversity hotspots
    • The African Union to adopt a firm position in favor of a fair energy transition
    • International donors to prioritize support for renewable energy and conservation projects

    Dismayed by this latest blow to the fight for climate justice in the Congo Basin, Greenpeace Africa’s Dr. Lamfu Fabrice commented: 

     “Congo’s attempt to become a fossil fuel hub is irresponsible and short-sighted. It betrays the country’s climate goals, endangers biodiversity and sacrifices the rights and future of its people for immediate gains.”

    “As the international community prepares for the upcoming climate talks – COP30, any decisions taken today will weigh heavily on the future of the continent and the world. Now is not the time for promises, but for concrete action”, concluded DR Lamfu.

    END

    For Media Inquiries, Contact:

    Raphael Mavambu, Communication and Media, Greenpeace Africa, [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: KEYNOTE SPEECH by His Excellency Fiame Naomi Mata’afa Prime Minister of Samoa at the “Ceremony for the Official Commencement of the Construction of the Atele Storage Facility” – Atele Horticulture Centre, Nu’u,

    Source: Government of Samoa

    Prime Minister of Samoa Hon. Fiame Naomi Mata’afa KEYNOTE REMARKS at the “Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Atele Packhouse”

    (Atele Horticulture Centre, Nu’u, Tuesday 18th February 2025@10 am)

    Reverend Iamafana Fa’a’u’uga,

    Honourable Ministers of Cabinet,

    Representatives of our Development partners,

    Representatives of the World Bank, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD),

    Distinguished Guests, Community Leaders, our dedicated farmers, Ladies and Gentlemen,

    It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all this morning, and it is my honour to address this significant occasion of the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Atele Packhouse; a project that represents progress, resilience, and opportunity for Samoa’s Agriculture sector.

    This project, valued at $4.5 million Samoan Tala, is a critical investment under the Samoa Agriculture and Fisheries Productivity and Marketing Project (SAFPROM). It is a testament to our government’s unwavering commitment to strengthening the Agricultural sector, which is one of the lifelines of our economy and the very backbone of our rural communities.

    Ladies and gentlemen, the journey to this day has not been without its challenges. Since the launch of SAFPROM in March 2020, we have faced both pre-pandemic and post-pandemic obstacles that tested our resilience. The disruptions brought about by COVID-19 affected global supply chains, market access, and the livelihoods of many of our farmers and fishers. Yet, despite these challenges, the project has persevered, reaching over 3,000 farming households and communities across Samoa. This is a remarkable achievement that reflects the dedication of our people, the strength of our partnerships, and our collective vision for a more productive and sustainable Agricultural sector.

    The core objective of SAFPROM, is to enhance the productivity and market access of our farmers and fishers, by improving value chains, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and strengthening the institutions that support our food systems. This aligns perfectly with our national vision of ensuring food security, economic prosperity, and sustainable development for all Samoans.

    Today, we mark the beginning of the construction of a packhouse facility that will revolutionize the way we handle and market our agricultural produce. The Atele Packhouse will be a game-changer in post-harvest processing, quality control, and distribution. It will provide our farmers with the infrastructure they need to meet stringent market standards, reduce post-harvest losses, and ultimately increase their incomes. With a construction timeline of approximately seven months, this facility will soon stand as a symbol of progress, one that will open doors to greater economic opportunities and expand Samoa’s potential as a competitive player in the regional and global agricultural markets.

    Our Agriculture sector today faces increasing demands for quality and consistency in both local and export markets. Consumers, whether they are in Samoa or abroad, expect high standards in food safety, packaging, and traceability. The functions of this packhouse will directly address these demands. It will serve as a centralized hub for cleaning, sorting, processing, and packaging of our fresh produce, ensuring that our farmers can supply premium-quality products, that meet the expectations of buyers and consumers. More importantly, this facility will also support our efforts to increase agricultural exports, positioning Samoa to access high-value markets with confidence.

    Beyond its economic impact, the Atele Packhouse represents a broader vision of sustainability. By enhancing efficiency in post-harvest management, we are reducing food waste and optimizing the use of resources. This aligns with our commitment to building a resilient Agriculture sector, that is adaptive to climate change and supportive of long-term environmental sustainability.

    I take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to our development partners – the World Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) – for their invaluable support and collaboration in making this project a reality. Your commitment to strengthening Samoa’s Agriculture sector has been instrumental in empowering our farmers, improving our food systems, and fostering economic growth. We deeply appreciate your partnership and look forward to continuing this journey together in the future.

    I also acknowledge the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Ministry of Finance, the dedicated farmers, and all stakeholders who have contributed their expertise and efforts to this project. Your hard work and commitment ensure that we continue to make meaningful progress in transforming our agriculture and fisheries industries.

    As we break ground today, let us reaffirm our shared commitment to advancing our Agriculture related development initiatives and efforts, and let us work together to ensure that this packhouse fulfills its purpose of supporting sustainable economic opportunities for our farmers and exporters. With determination and unity, I have no doubt that this project will leave a lasting beneficial impact on our Agriculture sector and the livelihoods of our people.

    May this groundbreaking event, be the foundation of a brighter future for Samoa’s farmers and exporters, and all those who depend on this vital industry.

    Thank you and may God bless Samoa.

    Photo by the Government of Samoa (Leota Marc Membrere)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 5, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: IMPROVEMENT IN COASTAL SECURITY

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 04 APR 2025 2:41PM by PIB Delhi

    Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has taken following initiative to strengthen India’s coastal security:

    • ICG deploys 18-20 ships, 30-35 crafts and 10-12 aircraft for surveillance on a daily basis. ICG assets ensure maritime law enforcement to strengthen coastal security and maintain rule based order at sea. Surveillance efforts also focus on Offshore Development Area (ODA) and seas adjoining Island groups (Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep). Surveillance of coastal areas through Coastal Surveillance Network (CSN) and investigation by Remote Operating Station (ROS) and Remote Operating Centres (ROCs) are undertaken. During the  last 10 years, ICG has conducted 3,00,296 Boarding Operations for deterrence and to establish identity of personnel, 153 Coastal Security Exercises, 451 Coastal Security Operations, 458 Security Drills and 3,645 Joint Coastal Patrol Sorties.         

              A total number of 179 boats have been seized and 1,683 personnel arrested over the last 10 years for illegally entering Indian waters. These boats were engaged in various illegal activities like poaching, narcotics smuggling, illegal immigration etc.

    Funds utilised towards acquisition of ships and aircraft by ICG towards coastal security (Pan India) is Rs 12,201 crore. Fund utilised for CSN (Pan India) is Rs 1,583.8 crore.

    Coastal Security Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Coastal States/Union Territories have been promulgated. These SOPs highlight responsibility of various stakeholder agencies, conduct of operations and response management for various coastal security States.

    ICG interactions are focused on maritime safety and security. ICG conducts regular Community Interaction Programmes involving fisher folks. During the interactions, various maritime safety and security aspects are deliberated. A toll free number 1554 has also been promulgated for reporting of any eventuality at sea. Further, fishermen watch groups have been created by States for reporting of any suspicious activities along the coast. Training is imparted to ICG personnel and Marine Police personnel towards effective Coastal Security and performing their laid down role and functions.

    This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth in a written reply to Shri Krishna Prasad Tenneti in the Lok Sabha today.

    ****

    SR/SS

    (Release ID: 2118702) Visitor Counter : 50

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Derby parks are spring-ready thanks to improvements

    Source: City of Derby

    Work to upgrade footpaths in parks across the city has been completed in time for spring. Visitors to Chaddesden Park, Alvaston Park, Allestree Park, South Avenue Park and Gravel Pit Lane Recreation Ground in Spondon will enjoy a better experience as a result of the improvements.

    The new smoother paths have been designed to make the parks more accessible and ensure that everyone can enjoy the benefits of the city’s green spaces as the weather improves. 

    At Chaddesden Park, the main footpath connecting the library, the café and the play area, has been widened and resurfaced. At Alvaston Park, an upgrade of the well-used path between the park and Lakeside Primary School has made the route much more accessible, while improvements have also been made to paths at Allestree Park.

    South Avenue Park and Gravel Pit Lane Recreation Ground have also had their paths revamped, while the entrance from South Avenue has been improved and new railings installed to create a more welcoming and accessible entry point. 

    Alongside the various path upgrades, the entrances to Chaddesden Wood Local Nature Reserve have been improved to make them more accessible, thanks to Section 106 funding for the site. Visitors may have noticed new signs at three of the entrances, with the main signage to be installed in the coming months. 

    The owl sculpture at Chaddesden Wood

    Two new benches have been installed by the Friends of Chaddesden Wood with six more due to be installed soon. The wood also has an amazing new wooden sculpture of an owl and a cheeky mouse near the Diamond Drive entrance. It joins the family of hedgehogs and juicy worm sculptures installed in 2024. 

    The animals were carved by the talented Derbyshire wood sculptor Andrew Frost from a selection of sustainable British timber.

    Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Public Safety and Leisure, said:

    We’re so fortunate to have so many parks and green spaces in our city and we want as many people as possible to be able to enjoy them. Improving the footpaths to make our parks more accessible means everyone can enjoy the benefits of the outdoors, while the developments at Chaddesden Wood will improve visitors’ experience.

    Spending time in nature has positive effects on our physical and mental wellbeing, so we hope the improvements we’ve made will encourage more people to visit their local park or green space.

    Find more information about our parks on the Derby Parks website.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Commission declares the East Shield ‘noteworthy’ but stops short of specific pledges – E-001306/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001306/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Michał Dworczyk (ECR)

    Starting in 2021, hybrid attacks by the Lukashenka regime, weaponising migration, are part of a Moscow-coordinated strategy to destabilise the region. Mateusz Morawiecki’s government repeatedly warned EU partners and institutions that this action bears all the hallmarks of a hybrid war and that the Polish border – also an external EU and NATO border – needs to be adequately protected. Unfortunately, these warnings went unheeded for political reasons, including as a result of the irresponsible actions of the then opposition, which questioned the point of border protection and sparked disputes on the topic. Despite these attacks and the lack of support from Brussels, Morawiecki’s government never shied away from its security responsibilities and took decisive action, such as the building of a physical barrier at the Belarusian border.

    The Commission’s white paper on European defence recognises this doggedness, describing the East Shield as a ‘noteworthy’ exercise. This exercise follows on directly from the policy led by Mateusz Morawiecki’s government. However, unlike other parts of the document in which the Commission explicitly declares its intention to take specific measures or pledges forms of support, here there is no indication whether there are plans for financial or institutional support for the implementation of the project[1].

    • 1.Why does the Commission stop short of pledging specific support for the East Shield in its white paper?
    • 2.Are related consultations or analyses currently under way?
    • 3.Does the Commission intend to provide financial support for the project? If so, how much, from which funds, and in which mode?

    Submitted: 28.3.2025

    • [1] All the Commission does is make a banal comment about the need to protect the EU’s land, air and sea borders, stating: ‘The project for an Eastern Border Shield is a noteworthy exercise by a number of Member States to confront the growing challenges in that region. It would establish an integrated land border management system that is designed to strengthen the EU’s external land border with Russia and Belarus against military and hybrid threats. That would include a comprehensive mix of physical barriers, infrastructure development and modern surveillance systems.’ https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/document/download/30b50d2c-49aa-4250-9ca6-27a0347cf009_en?filename=White%20Paper.pdf. p. 9.
    Last updated: 4 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – The need to develop the steel industry in the context of developing armament programmes – E-001209/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001209/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Jadwiga Wiśniewska (ECR)

    With the publication of the Commission White Paper on the Future of European Defence and its proposal for 65% of the money from defence lending to be earmarked for EU-sourced components, the steel industry will be crucial to ensuring an adequate material base for future armament programmes.

    Unfortunately, the EU steel industry is in deep crisis and faces many difficulties, such as rising energy costs, increasing imports from third countries and tariffs imposed by the US, as well as climate policy challenges, most notably the ETS, without the suspension of which no genuine recovery of the industry is possible.

    Given the strategic importance of the steel industry for Europe’s security, could the Commission answer the following questions:

    • 1.Will the Commission suspend the ETS, which is detrimental to industry, and if so when?
    • 2.What long-term measures does the Commission intend to take to protect the European steel industry from unfair trade competition?

    Submitted: 21.3.2025

    Last updated: 4 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Oil Spill Update – No New Oil Sightings At Sea; Clean-Up At Changi Beach And Pasir Ris Beach Ongoing

    Source: Government of Singapore

    JOINT NEWS RELEASE BETWEEN MPA, NEA, NPARKS AND SFA

    Singapore, 4 April 2025 – As of 4.00pm, there are no visible oil patches off Pulau Ubin and no new oil sightings at sea.

    2.           Clean-up of the beaches at Changi and Pasir Ris is ongoing. The bulk of the clean-up is expected to be completed within the next few days. The affected areas remain cordoned off to facilitate clean-up operations.

    3.           Oil sheen have been observed at several fish farms along East Johor Strait. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is working closely with the affected farms on mitigation measures, with support from the Maritime Port Authority (MPA). SFA is also assisting other farms to take preventative measures, such as providing absorbent pads. As a precautionary measure, SFA is also testing seafood from farms in the East Johor Strait and imported seafood.

    4.           The National Parks Board (NParks), together with research partners, has carried out visual assessments of the biodiversity-sensitive areas in the vicinity of the oil patches this morning, and post-impact surveys are underway. Thus far, there has been no observable impact to wildlife at Chek Jawa Wetlands, Changi Beach Park, and Pasir Ris Park.

    5.           Preventive measures, including the deployment of booms, have been put in place at coastal drains including Changi Creek, Sungei Tampines, and Sungei Api Api, as well as key locations such as Chek Jawa and around fish farms in the East Johor Strait. As a precautionary measure, national water agency PUB has also deployed containment booms across the tidal gates at Punggol and Serangoon Reservoirs. These measures will remain in place until further assessment by the relevant agencies.

    6.           Public access to affected areas remains restricted. Members of the public are advised to refrain from swimming or engaging in other water activities at Changi Beach and Pasir Ris Beach until further notice. For the latest advisories, please refer to the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) website (www.nea.gov.sg), NEA’s Facebook page, NParks’ website (www.nparks.gov.sg), and NParks’ Facebook page.

    7.           Agencies thank organisations and individuals who have volunteered their service. Agencies have assessed that there is no need for volunteer assistance at this time.

    8.           MPA and partner agencies continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide further updates as necessary

    For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Crackdown on nuisance bikes revving up again

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    A joint Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire Police crackdown on nuisance bikes will hit the streets again in the coming weeks.

    Operation Transom targets riders who damage green spaces and put the public at risk through the use of off-road motorbikes.

    The operation is a partnership between Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Team and Staffordshire Police. It will see increased patrols in hotspot areas, with officers seizing bikes that are used to commit anti-social behaviour.

    The increased council and police presence will also serve as a visible deterrent to those causing a nuisance in the community.

    This crackdown is strategically timed with the start of the warmer months, as reports of nuisance bikes often increase as the weather improves.

    Signage is displayed in hot spot areas, warning offenders of the laws that give Staffordshire Police the power to seize vehicles that are being driven in a way that causes – or is likely to cause – nuisance, alarm or distress.

    The ASB Team will take enforcement action against anyone who is found to be a Stoke-on Trent City Council tenant or in any way linked to a tenancy.

    Councillor Majid Khan, cabinet member for community resilience for Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “We are continuing to work closely with colleagues at Staffordshire Police to tackle, deter and educate those who continue to blight our communities with anti-social behaviour.

    “I want to reassure residents that we hear you, and action is being taken.

    “We are so fortunate to have so many green spaces in the city. We will not let people ruin them with mindless, arrogant behaviour.

    “Every one of us has the right to live in a cleaner, greener and safer city.”

    In 2024, over 350 reports were received concerning nuisance bikes.

    The local policing and ASB teams jointly investigated and took enforcement action including home visits, issuing Community Protection Warnings, and taking action against city council tenants.

    Since October 2024, the Roads Policing Team has conducted 12 proactive operations across the city, leading to three arrests, the seizure of two stolen quad bikes, and the recovery of six off-road pit bikes.

    Chief Inspector Dave Barrow, from the Stoke South local policing team, said: “Tackling reports of anti-social behaviour remains a neighbourhood priority for the team, and nuisance bikers are no different.

    “They can be a constant source of concern within our communities and can put both the public and themselves in danger. We simply will not tolerate that.”

    Alongside enforcement activity, a new programme of education will ensure potential riders – and their parents – know it is illegal to ride off-road bikes in any public space in Stoke-on-Trent. This includes parks, pavements, waste grounds and parkways.

    It was announced in February 2025 that, under the Crime and Policing Bill, new powers will mean police officers no longer need to issue a warning before seizing off-road bikes.

    Home Secretary Yvette Cooper recently met with Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Ellison, Staffordshire Police and Fire Commissioner Ben Adams, and officers from the ASB Team and Road Crime Team at Staffordshire Police Headquarters.

    The Home Secretary heard how Operation Transom had been jointly launched by Staffordshire Police and Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s ASB Team in 2021 – and that the work had seen increased patrols, along with regular operations in hotspot areas of the city.

    To report nuisance bikes in your area to Operation Transom, please email operationtransom@stoke.gov.uk. You can also ring 01782 233400. Please provide as much detail as possible.

    Incidents that are happening live should be reported directly to Staffordshire Police through the live chat on the website www.staffordshire.police.uk or by calling 101.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New Chair appointed for Creative Scotland review

    Source: Scottish Government

    Evidence-led review to report by November.

    A new Chair has been appointed to lead the independent review of Creative Scotland, Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has announced.

    Angela Leitch CBE will replace Dame Sue Bruce, who withdrew from the role on health grounds in March.

    In a letter to the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs & Culture Committee, Mr Robertson said Ms Leitch would be supported in the role by Stuart Currie as Vice Chair.

    The Culture Secretary also confirmed that the timeframe to publish recommendations would be extended until November, to allow the new Review team sufficient time to gather and consider evidence from the sector.

    Mr Robertson said:

    “I am delighted to report that Angela Leitch CBE has agreed to lead the independent review, supported by Stuart Currie as Vice Chair. Both Angela and Stuart bring a wealth of local government and public sector experience.

    “With the 2025-26 Scottish Budget including a record £34 million uplift for culture, including an additional £20 million for Creative Scotland’s multi-year funding programme, the review will consider Creative Scotland’s functions and remit to maximise the impact of this increase and ensure it can meet the culture sector’s needs.

    “In the meantime, I welcome the fact that our survey seeking the culture sector’s views on how culture and the arts are currently supported and areas for change, received more than 750 responses from individuals and organisations across Scotland. This feedback, which will be published later this Spring, will no doubt inform the independent Creative Scotland review.”

    Ms Leitch said:

    “Culture and the arts provide us with a sense of belonging, preserving our history and traditions, and promoting an understanding of different perspectives. It’s well recognised that the sector and the people who work within it contribute significantly to Scotland’s society, our communities, and the economy.

    “It’s also recognised that the context cultural organisations and artists are now operating in has changed considerably since Creative Scotland was established in 2010. I welcome the opportunity to work with colleagues in Creative Scotland and across the sector to review its remit and functions with a view to ensuring it continues to be relevant today.”

    Background:

    Angela Leitch has more than thirty years’ experience in local government, having worked in West Lothian and the City of Edinburgh councils before becoming Chief Executive firstly in Clackmannanshire Council and then East Lothian Council. In 2019 Angela was appointed as the Chief Executive of the newly formed Public Health Scotland, which amongst other responsibilities, played a crucial role in producing data, evidence and advice throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. She stepped down from this role in April 2023.

    Angela was Convenor of the Board of the Scottish Local Authority Remuneration Committee which presented its report on changes to the payments to elected members, in December 2023, to the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and Scottish Government Ministers.

    She is a member of the Accounts Committee and the Scottish Police Authority. She is also Chair of YouthLink Scotland and is a Trustee of the homelessness prevention charity Cyrenians.

    The independent review into Creative Scotland was first announced in the 2024-25 Programme for Government, as the first review of Creative Scotland since its establishment in 2010. The Scottish Budget 2025-26 provides an increase of £34 million to culture in Scotland, including £20 million for Creative Scotland’s multi-year funding programme.

    Following Dame Sue Bruce’s withdrawal on health grounds, and the appointment of Angela Leitch CBE as the new Chair, the independent review is now expected to publish recommendations in November 2025. Further details on the review process, including the terms of reference, will be set out to Parliament in due course.

    Chair of Creative Scotland review confirmed – gov.scot, 13 January 2025

    Letter from the Cabinet Secretary, Constitution, External Affairs and Culture in relation to the Culture Sector Review, 4 March 2025

    The full text of the Culture Secretary’s letter to update the CEEAC Committee on the appointment of Angela Leitch CBE as Chair of the independent review of Creative Scotland is as follows:

    2 April, 2025

    Dear Clare,

    INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF CREATIVE SCOTLAND

    As I shared in my previous letter of 4 March 2025, unfortunately Dame Sue Bruce has had to withdraw from leading the Review of Creative Scotland on health grounds.

    The process for appointing a successor to chair the Review of Creative Scotland has now concluded and I am delighted to report that Angela Leitch CBE has agreed to lead the Review. Angela brings a wealth of public sector experience having worked at senior level in local authorities for over two decades and served as Chief Executive for Public Health Scotland for four years. I am also pleased to confirm that the Chair will be supported by Stuart Currie who has agreed to act as Vice Chair. Stuart brings a wide range of skills and knowledge in both local government and the public sector. 

    I know the Committee shares my view that the Review will be immensely valuable work and should be completed without undue delay. Unfortunately Dame Sue’s withdrawal means that the timescale for completion will be longer than originally anticipated. I am sure you will agree that whilst the delay is unfortunate it is important that the Chair has time to undertake an evidence led Review of Creative Scotland. I have therefore asked the Chair to provide the Scottish Ministers with recommendations and a written report in November. I can also confirm that good progress is being made with consideration of the responses to the sector wide survey which took place earlier this year and the analysis of the consultation responses will be published later this Spring.

    The key objectives of the Review will be to:

    1. consider Creative Scotland’s functions and remit, as set out in the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, to ensure they continue to be relevant for the culture sector and meet Ministers’ aspirations;
    2. evaluate how Creative Scotland delivers its functions including appropriateness of existing governance arrangements; and
    3. maximise the impact of the funding Creative Scotland provide to the culture sector by ensuring Creative Scotland use and distribute funding appropriately and effectively.

    I appreciate the Committee’s continued interest and involvement in the work to date and I would like to thank you for your patience whilst the appointment process has been underway. I know that the Chair will be keen to meet with you to discuss the final remit of the Review. The Secretariat of the Creative Scotland Review would be happy to help in arranging a meeting and can be contacted at creativescotlandreview@gov.scot

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos highlights unmet need for mpox prevention in HIV patients, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos highlights unmet need for mpox prevention in HIV patients, says GlobalData

    Posted in Pharma

    A recent study reveals that a single dose of Bavarian Nordic’s Jynneos vaccine demonstrated 58% overall effectiveness in preventing mpox infection. Among the participants without HIV, effectiveness rose to 84%, while those with HIV showed only 35% effectiveness. These findings underscore the critical need for enhanced mpox prevention strategies for vulnerable, high-risk populations, particularly those with HIV, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    The study, which was carried out at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, marks the first comparison of effectiveness between individuals with and without HIV.

    Stephanie Kurdach, Infectious Disease Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Mpox is a viral illness, spread through close contact with another infected individual, contaminated objects, or infected animals. Symptoms can include a blistering rash, fever, muscle aches, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes. While mpox symptoms are often mild, immunocompromised patients, such as those with uncontrolled HIV, are at a greater risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death from this infection.”

    According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the ongoing clade II 2022 mpox outbreak has been responsible for over 100,000 infections among 122 countries to date across North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Clade II mpox has a >99% survival rate. Conversely, clade I is more likely to cause severe illness and death, particularly among immunocompromised individuals. A clade I outbreak has been ongoing in Central and Eastern Africa since 2024 and has been responsible for over 21,000 infections to date.

    Jynneos, also marketed under the name Imvanex, is approved in the US and Canada as a 2-dose vaccine for the prevention of mpox and smallpox in high-risk individuals 18 years of age and older, and in Europe for high-risk individuals 12 years of age and older. The reduced effectiveness of Jynneos in HIV-positive patients is likely attributable to a reduced T-cell response following vaccination in comparison to HIV-negative individuals, according to the study researchers. Ensuring patients receive the full 2-dose vaccination regimen is therefore particularly important for those with HIV.

    Kurdach continues: “According to GlobalData, there are currently only two other vaccines approved for the prevention of mpox, KM Biologics’ mpox LC16m8 vaccine, and Emergent BioSolutions’ ACAM2000. Of these, the LC16m8 vaccine has been shown to be safe and effective in people with well-controlled HIV.”

    In the Jynneos study, over 3,600 participants received two doses of the mpox vaccine to analyze vaccine safety. Local reactions occurred in 70% of individuals after the first dose and 57% of individuals after the second dose. Systemic reactions occurred in 22% of individuals after the first dose and 18% of individuals after the second dose. Severe local and systemic reactions were rare.

    Kurdach concludes: “The recent safety and effectiveness data regarding mpox vaccination by Jynneos is important and timely given the ongoing, global outbreak. Unfortunately, there are still clear unmet needs for more research on mpox in patients with HIV and increased, effective vaccination options for this at-risk population.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Panasonic decides to invest in UUUO, an enterprise that developed the “UUUO” fishery market connected by technology, through the Panasonic Kurashi Visionary Fund

    Source: Panasonic

    Headline: Panasonic decides to invest in UUUO, an enterprise that developed the “UUUO” fishery market connected by technology, through the Panasonic Kurashi Visionary Fund

    Tokyo, Japan, April 4, 2025 – Panasonic Corporation (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Masahiro Shinada; hereinafter referred to as Panasonic) today announced that it has invested in UUUO, inc. (Head Office: Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima; CEO: Kazutomo Itakura; hereinafter referred to as UUUO), an enterprise that developed the UUUO fishery market connected by technology, through a corporate venture capital fund, commonly known as the Panasonic Kurashi Visionary Fund, jointly managed by Panasonic and SBI Investment Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, Chairman and President: Yoshitaka Kitao).
    In response to the diversification in food distribution (e-commerce, direct sales by producers, etc.), in order to increase producers’ income and effectively meet consumer needs, the Wholesale Market Act and the Act on Promoting the Improvement of Food Distribution Structure have been recently revised. This enabled intermediate wholesalers, who serve as intermediaries between wholesalers and retailers, to purchase food items directly from production areas and allowed markets to mutually fulfill each other’s needs according to supply and demand conditions, accelerating the digital transformation (DX) of the food distribution market through improved operational efficiency and the emergence of new businesses.
    Under the vision “Bringing the riches of the ocean to your hometown,” UUUO has developed and provides the UUUO smartphone application, which allows shippers in production areas to trade fishery products directly with wholesalers, intermediate wholesalers, and retailers in the market anytime, anywhere, and with ease. UUUO users can specify their preferred fishery products from fishing harbors and markets throughout Japan. With over 100 wholesalers, intermediate wholesalers, and retailers registered, the application ensures a stable supply of fishery products that users wish to purchase without changing their business partners. The easy order system facilitates DX in purchasing operations, ensuring efficiency as well as the variety, quantity, and freshness of fishery products handled. UUUO continues to expand its services as a new fishery market connecting individual harbors and markets throughout Japan.
    In the area of food infrastructure, Panasonic provides cooking appliances, along with a wide range of B2B cold chain products, mostly in Japan and the US, including commercial freezers and refrigerated showcases. With the aim of contributing to the cold chain industry by providing value to both producers and end consumers, the company will work to verify synergy effects in fresh fish distribution through this collaboration.Panasonic aims to establish food infrastructure, where necessary food items are provided in the required quantities while maintaining freshness and palatability. It also strives to ensure the safety of people’s daily diet, and create a sustainable society.
    With a mission to contribute to the wellbeing of people, society, and the planet, Panasonic aims to be the best partner in supporting people’s lives with human-centric technology and innovation. The company will continue to strengthen its open innovation initiatives through strong partnerships by investing in promising startups both in Japan and abroad that excel in areas closely related to people’s lives, such as energy, food infrastructure, spatial infrastructure, and lifestyle.

    ■Comments from Kunio Gohara, General Manager of the Corporate Venture Capital Office, Panasonic Corporation

    With lifestyle changes and diversified diets, we are witnessing the evolving needs of consumers. In order to address the universal need to deliver good food, we aim to make contributions beyond the scope of the industry. Particularly in the environment surrounding fishery products, challenges have emerged, including a decline in fish catches, imbalanced market conditions, and unsold products due to suddenly worsened weather conditions. It is more crucial than ever, from both an environmental and economic perspective, to address these social issues and provide fresh, savory fishery products without waste. Through our investment in UUUO, we look forward to providing new value to producers and consumers, and developing a sustainable food value chain together.

    ■Comments from Kazutomo Itakura, Chief Executive Officer of UUUO, inc.

    By combining Panasonic Corporation’s cold chain technology and solutions with our platform, we will achieve sustainable distribution in the fishing industry and accelerate business growth, further promoting our vision of “Bringing the riches of the ocean to your hometown.” Taking this opportunity, we will strive to deliver value to more individuals involved in fishery product distribution and contribute to the fishing industry.

    ■Overview of UUUO, inc.

    Company name

    UUUO, inc.

    Representative

    Kazutomo Itakura

    Address

    5th Floor, Otemachi Takahashi Building,2-1-6 Otemachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima-shi, Hiroshima

    Establishment

    July 2016

    Business

    Planning, development, and operation of the “UUUO” fishery market connected by technology

    URL

    https://uuuo.co.jp/en

    About Panasonic Corporation
    Panasonic Corporation offers products and services for a variety of living environments, ranging from homes to stores to offices and cities. There are five businesses at the core of Panasonic Corporation: Living Appliances and Solutions Company, Heating & Ventilation A/C Company, Cold Chain Solutions Company, Electric Works Company and China and Northeast Asia Company. The operating company reported consolidated net sales of 3,494.4 billion yen for the year ended March 31, 2024. Panasonic Corporation is committed to fulfilling the mission of Life Tech & Ideas: For the wellbeing of people, society and the planet, and embraces the vision of becoming the best partner of your life with human-centric technology and innovation. Learn more about Panasonic: https://www.panasonic.com/global/about.html

    MIL OSI Economics –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Night closures in May ahead for HB Expressway

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    A stretch of State Highway 2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway will be closing next month for maintenance work.

    The road will be closed between Meeanee Road and Links Road/Pākōwhai Road roundabout for 6 nights from Sunday 4 May to Friday 9 May.

    The road will close each night between 8pm and 5am, with work finishing early Saturday (10 May) morning.

    During this closure, the bridge abutments either end of the Tutaekuri River Bridge will be dug out, renewed and resurfaced.

    It’s important to note, the work only affects the road each end of the bridge and not the bridge structure.

    Due to the nature of this work and the narrow road width, a full closure is required. Outside the work hours, this section of expressway will be open, with a temporary speed limit either side of the bridge.

    Unfortunately, due to the nature of this work, HPMV over 44 tonnes won’t be able to queue and be let through the worksite. Emergency vehicles will need to use the detour.

    A signposted detour will be place for all vehicles up to 44 tonnes.  Southbound vehicles will be detoured onto Meeanee Road, Awatoto Road, and right onto State Highway 51, through Clive to Te Ara Kahikatea, right onto Pākōwhai Road before rejoining the expressway. The reverse will apply for northbound vehicles.

    Please note restrictions on the Redclyffe Bailey bridge at Waiohiki are 8 tonne MAX at 30km/hr. Vehicles over 8 tonnes are not allowed to use this bridge. A limit applies to Waitangi Bridge on SH51, of 44 tonne MAX at 60km/hr.

    NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi appreciates these closures will cause frustration and hopes disruption will be minimal by doing the work overnight.

    Please drive to the conditions and plan your trip to factor in detour delays.

    This work is weather dependent. Contingency dates are Sunday 11 to Friday 15 May, 8pm-5am each night.  

    Reminder SH2 Expressway closure this Sunday

    A reminder that this same stretch of SH2 Hawke’s Bay Expressway will be closing from 8pm this Sunday (6 April) to 4am Monday, between Meeanee Road and Links Road/Pākōwhai Road roundabout.

    During the closure crews will be carrying out repairs to flexible median barrier, damaged in a crash last month.

    The same detour, detailed above, will apply for all vehicles up to 44 tonnes. For Sunday’s closure, HPMV will be able to queue at the closure points and crews will be letting them through the worksite as often as possible during the closure.

    Emergency services will be assisted through the site if required.

    View larger map [PDF, 290 KB]

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley Honored by National Foreign Trade Council for Longtime Commitment to Pro-Growth Policies

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley
    WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee, accepted the National Foreign Trade Council Foundation’s (NFTC) International Tax Award for his decades-long commitment to pro-growth tax policies.
    “I’m honored to be recognized for my work to grow our nation’s economy through international tax reform,” Grassley said. “During my time as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and still today as a senior member of the committee, I’ve approached tax writing as a way to bolster American businesses, increase wages and reinvest foreign earnings. I look forward to continuing my work to advance America-first tax policies, first and foremost by extending the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.”
    “During Senator Grassley’s long career in the Senate, he has always been a champion of tax policies that drive economic growth,” said Anne Gordon, NFTC Vice President for International Tax Policy. “As Chairman of Senate Finance, he led efforts to simplify the tax code, reducing the Foreign Tax Credit baskets and creating a look-thru provision for U.S. subsidiaries, efforts which help streamline compliance and mitigate double taxation.”
    Grassley played a leading role in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and spearheaded the American Jobs Creation Act to simplify Foreign Tax Credits and increase American businesses’ competitiveness overseas. 
    Photos and a transcript of Grassley’s remarks upon accepting the award follow.

    Download photos HERE.
    Prepared Remarks by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa “National Foreign Trade Council Foundation’s International Tax Award” Wednesday, April 2, 2025
    It’s good to join you this evening. I’m honored to accept this award from a group of innovators and entrepreneurs who take risks everyday to grow our economy and prosperity for hard-working Americans.
    Around this time of year, a five-letter word in the English language strikes a chord among all Americans. And that word is TAXES. 
    One reason President Trump won re-election was his promise to renew the 2017 tax cuts. So, you’d think getting a bill to his desk to prevent the largest tax increase in U.S. history would be a no-brainer. 
    Unfortunately, this town is famous for gumming up the works, especially when it comes to taxes. 
    As a former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, this isn’t my first tax rodeo. 
    Two decades ago, I worked with my friend Senator Baucus to enact the American Jobs Creation Act, which included the most significant reforms to our international tax rules in decades. We hammered out provisions to simplify Foreign Tax Credits and increase the competitiveness of American businesses overseas. 
    Corporate inversions were a hot topic at the time and gaining prevalence. Provisions were added to stem the tide. However, I always saw corporate inversions as a symptom of our outdated and uncompetitive corporate tax structure. What we needed was comprehensive tax reform.   
    That finally came with the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. 
    Our corporate tax rate, which had become the highest in the developed world, was lowered to bring it in-line with that of our major trading partners. Moreover, our international tax system was modernized to unlock offshore earnings and allow trillions to be brought back and invested here at home.  
    And you know how many corporate inversions we’ve seen since enactment of these reforms? 
    Zero! 
    So, as Congress buckles down to renew the Trump tax cuts, let’s learn from history. Increasing corporate taxes reduces our international competitiveness, incentivizes profit-shifting and stretches the tax gap. 
    During his first week back in office, I’m glad President Trump put out a fire the Biden administration started by surrendering U.S. taxing rights to global interests. You can be sure I’m working against discriminatory and unfair taxes on U.S. businesses and American workers.
    Now Congress must get to work and renew the 2017 tax cuts. Failure is not an option.  
    Thank you.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Coons statement on Joint Resolutions of Disapproval

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) issued the following statement after voting against a Joint Resolution of Disapproval offered by Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) regarding arms sales to Israel:

    “I have always been a staunch defender of Israel and its right to defend itself. I will continue to ensure it has the weapons that it needs to do so.

    “Israel may not need 2,000-pound bombs to prosecute its war against Hamas, but it will need them in the event of war against Iran. President Trump’s continued provocations in the Middle East, including undermining his very own Abraham Accords and his threats this week to bomb Iran, make a regional war far more likely. His efforts to weaken relationships with our partners and allies across the world mean Israel cannot be certain a global coalition will help fend off strikes from Iran, as one did twice under the Biden administration. I understand the humanitarian concerns about supplying Israel with these weapons, but the unfortunate fact is that they are necessary to confront the more dangerous world that President Trump has created.”

    Senator Coons is the Ranking Member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Clean-Up Of Oil Patch Off Northeastern Pulau Ubin And Changi Beach In Progress

    Source: Government of Singapore

    Leak from Langsat Terminal, Johor, stopped 

    JOINT NEWS RELEASE BETWEEN MPA, NEA, NPARKS AND SFA

    Singapore, 4 April 2025 – The Johor Port Authority has informed the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) that the oil leak at Langsat Terminal has stopped and that the spill clean-up at Langsat Terminal is ongoing. 

    2.       Clean-up operations for the oil patch off the northeastern coast of Pulau Ubin and along Changi Beach are ongoing. As a precautionary measure, booms will be deployed at Chek Jawa Wetlands in Pulau Ubin to protect the biodiversity-sensitive areas. The Singapore Food Agency is also working with fish farms in the East Johor Straits to take the necessary preventive measures. 

    3.       Drones and satellite imagery have been activated to monitor the surrounding waters for any additional oil patches. 

    4.       An additional oil recovery system – the Marine Oil Sweeper – has also been deployed off Pulau Ubin and is on standby in case other oil patches at sea are detected. 

    5.       The National Environment Agency (NEA) advises the public against swimming and other primary contact water activities at Changi Beach and Pasir Ris Beach until further notice. In addition, parts of the beachfront at Changi Beach Park will be cordoned off to facilitate clean-up operations. As a precautionary measure, public access to Chek Jawa Wetlands is also temporarily closed till further notice for oil spill clean-up. See NEA’s website at www.nea.gov.sg, NEA’s Facebook page, NParks’ website at www.nparks.gov.sg, and NPark’s Facebook page for the advisory. 

    6.       No other oil patches at sea and ashore have been sighted at this time. 

    7.       MPA and partner agencies continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide updates if there are significant developments.

    ~~ End ~~

    For more information, please submit your enquiries electronically via the Online Feedback Form or myENV mobile application.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard commissions Coast Guard Cutter John Witherspoon (WPC 1158) in Kodiak, Alaska

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    KODIAK, Alaska — The Coast Guard commissioned its newest cutter, Coast Guard Cutter John Witherspoon (WPC 1158) for official entry into its service fleet during a ceremony held in Kodiak, Thursday. The ceremony was presided over by Rear Adm. Megan Dean, commander of the Seventeenth Coast Guard District. Members of the Witherspoon family were also in attendance, including the cutter’s sponsor, Regina Nash, the daughter of John Witherspoon. The Witherspoon is the 58th Fast Response Cutter (FRC) in the service and the first of three FRCs scheduled to be homeported at Coast Guard Base Kodiak. The crew of the Witherspoon will primarily serve in and around the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska, and North Pacific Ocean. The cutter is designed for missions such as search and rescue; fishery patrols; drug and migrant interdiction; national defense; and ports, waterways, and coastal security. The namesake for the cutter, Capt. John G. Witherspoon, enlisted in the Coast Guard in 1963 and commissioned as an ensign in 1971. During his career, Witherspoon rose to the rank of captain and served as the commanding officer on Coast Guard Cutters Mallow (WLB 396), Valiant (WMEC 621), and Dependable (WMEC 626). During his tenure, Witherspoon became the first African American to command a medium endurance cutter and the first African American officer to command both afloat and ashore units. He earned both the Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medal and two Coast Guard Commendation Medals during his career. In honor of his dedication to mentorship amongst Coast Guard personnel, the Coast Guard established the Captain John G. Witherspoon Inspirational Leadership Award, which is given to one active duty officer and one reserve officer each year who demonstrate Witherspoon’s qualities of honor, respect, and devotion to duty. The Coast Guard has ordered a total of 65 FRCs to replace the 1980s-era Island-class 110-foot patrol boats. The FRCs feature advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance equipment; over-the-horizon cutter boat deployment to reach vessels of interest; and improved habitability and seakeeping. The commissioning ceremony is a traditional milestone in the life of a cutter that marks its entry into active service and represents the cutter’s readiness to conduct Coast Guard operations.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 4, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amidst Trump Attacks on Education, Sen. Markey and Rep. Hayes Announce Bill of Rights for Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Resolution Text (PDF)
    Washington (April 3, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Congresswoman Jahana Hayes (CT-05) today announced the reintroduction of the Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights, a resolution calling for dignified wages, benefits, and working conditions for paraeducators, classroom assistants, bus drivers, custodial workers, and other essential school staff who far too often work for low wages, few benefits, and without job security. The resolution is cosponsored by Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
    “Paraprofessionals and education support staff are the backbone of our education system. They deserve higher pay, better benefits, and improved working conditions. But instead of working to make that happen, we are forced to fight the Trump administration’s slashing of public education.” said Senator Markey. “Setting our sights higher for paraprofessionals and education workers is part of the fight, and the Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights will move us forward in guaranteeing these workers are treated with the dignity, respect, and recognition they have long deserved.” 
    “Paraprofessionals and support staff are an invaluable part of student learning. And yet, they struggle to make ends meet,” said Congresswoman Hayes. “The Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Resolution highlights the urgent need to improve wages, increase access to benefits, and formally recognize the efforts of these dedicated workers. This legislation strives to attract and help retain support staff which are critical in our schools.”
    The Paraprofessionals and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights resolution calls for paraprofessionals and education support staff to have:
    Livable, competitive wages, and access to benefits, including health care and paid leave;
    The supplies, resources, and training they need to do their jobs;
    Meaningful voice in workplace policies and the right to negotiate for better working conditions;
    The dignity of safe, healthy, and adequate staffed workplaces and
    Year-round job security and opportunities for growth.
    The resolution is endorsed by National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Autism Society of America, Citizens for Public Schools, Council of Administrators of Special Education, Inc., Education Leaders of Color, First Focus on Children, Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association, National Rural Education Association (NREA), Network for Public Education, and the Arc of the United States.
    “We applaud Senator Markey for standing with the paraprofessionals and education support professionals who are the heart of our classrooms, and yet are struggling to make ends meet and often working two to three jobs to support themselves. ESPs play critically important roles in our public schools in Massachusetts and nationwide, providing instruction and care to students with disabilities, assisting in early education classes, driving busses, preparing meals and so much more, and they need and deserve to be able to care for themselves and their families. Beyond being good for the ESPs themselves, schools need to be able to recruit and retain qualified and support staff. This is why, in Massachusetts and beyond, ESPs need a living wage, affordable health insurance and paid family and medical leave once and for all,” said Max Page, President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association and Deb McCarthy, Vice President of the Massachusetts Teachers Association.
    “Paraprofessionals and education support staff are on the frontlines of helping students learn, ensuring their safety, and keeping our schools and colleges running. But too often, their salaries and benefits are far lower than other educators’, forcing them to work second and third jobs that make it harder for them to forge sustainable careers. The Paraprofessional and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights makes sure those who cook and clean in schools, drive our students, and work in front offices and classrooms are treated with dignity and respect, with fairer pay, better benefits, improved workplace safety and access to training. I am grateful for the leadership of Sen. Edward Markey and Rep. Jahana Hayes and thank them for taking action on this front,” said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers.
    “Education support professionals play a critical role in strengthening our schools and communities, dedicating themselves to ensuring students are safe, healthy, and ready to learn every day, while also helping to create positive, supportive learning environments. Unfortunately, they often don’t receive the compensation, benefits, or recognition they truly deserve. Their contributions are critical to the success of our students, especially now, as the Trump Administration targets public education,” said Becky Pringle, President of the National Education Association. “Passing the Paraprofessional and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights would show that Congress recognizes and values the essential contributions these dedicated workers make both inside and outside the classroom. We want to thank Senator Markey and Representative Hayes for their leadership in introducing this important legislation and urge Congress to act quickly in passing it. This will send a clear message to our Education Support Professionals that, as a nation, we respect and appreciate all they do for our students.”
    “School support staff are the people who greet students at the start of each day, serve meals, support kids with disabilities, and keep classrooms clean and safe. They’ve been underpaid, overworked, and overlooked for too long. Now, Trump and his billionaire allies are trying to dismantle the Department of Education and weaken the very schools these workers hold together. Passing this resolution is an important way to show school support staff the respect they’ve earned—with real pay, real protections, and the dignity every worker deserves,” said Heather Conroy, Executive Vice President of the Service Employees International Union.
    “Paraprofessionals and school staff play an invaluable role in our classrooms and are at the heart of our public school — helping students learn, grow, and meet their basic needs,” said American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts President Jessica Tang. “Outside of the classroom, they’re important members of the community, many have kids and grandkids in the schools and live in the communities they serve. For far too long, paraprofessionals have been forced to work multiple jobs, or rely on public assistance, just to make ends meet. One job should be enough. It’s time our paraprofessionals receive the fair wages, benefits, and respect that reflects the important work they do every day,” said Jessica Tang, President of American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts.
    Senator Markey is fighting back against the Trump administration’s attacks on education and standing up for students, educators, and their families. On March 20, Senator Markey slammed Trump’s Executive Order to dismantle the Department of Education. On March 11, Senator Markey delivered remarks on the Senate Floor to spotlight Trump’s plan to gut the Department. On February 27, Senator Markey introduced the No Cuts to Public Schools Act, which would prevent any cuts to federal education formula funding during the Trump administration. On February 10, Senator Markey held a press conference in Boston with Massachusetts educators and teachers’ unions on Trump’s vow to dismantle the Department, and the impact on Massachusetts students, educators, and communities.
    On February 6, 2025, Senator Markey, members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, along with the Massachusetts Teachers Association, American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, Massachusetts Association of School Committees, and Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, released a joint statement after President Trump vowed to dismantle the Department of Education.
    In January 2024, Senator Markey introduced the Preparing and Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act, legislation that would establish a grant program to help schools recruit, train, and retain paraeducators by funding pipeline and credentialing programs, high-quality professional development, and higher wages. In September 2023, Senator Markey introduced the Green New Deal for Public Schools Act, legislation that would invest $1.6 trillion over the next decade in public and Bureau of Indian Education schools to upgrade every public school building in the country; reduce hazardous pollution; give schools the resources to hire hundreds of thousands of educators, paraprofessionals, and counselors; invest in schools serving low-income students; and fully fund education for students with disabilities. Senator Markey first introduced the Paraprofessional and Education Support Staff Bill of Rights in November 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 4, 2025
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