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  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta, Senator Hurtado Unveil Bill to Sharpen California’s Antitrust Law

    Source: US State of California

    Bill would increase penalties for corporations that break California law

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield) today unveiled Senate Bill 763 (SB 763), legislation seeking to more effectively deter corporations from restraining trade, fixing prices, and reducing competition — actions that can raise prices and harm workers, businesses, and consumers. Currently, many powerful corporations view antitrust enforcement as just another cost of doing business. SB 763 would increase criminal penalties and add civil penalties for violations of California’s Cartwright Act.

    “Too many wealthy corporations see penalties for breaking the law as simply the cost of doing business. SB 763 would sharpen the teeth of a century-old law by increasing penalties for those looking to illegally profit at the cost of workers, consumers, and honest businesses,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “As the fifth largest economy in the world, and home to some of the wealthiest corporations, California has a responsibility to fight for a fair and competitive marketplace, especially amid the unprecedented wave of corporate mergers and market consolidation that we are seeing today. I thank Senator Hurtado for introducing this bill to help ensure we have the appropriate tools to protect a vibrant and just 21st century economy.” 

    “This is about power — the power of corporations, market manipulators, and bad actors who rig prices, suppress wages, and tilt the playing field in their favor,” said Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield). “For too long, Californians have shouldered the burden of an economy where those who break the rules profit while honest businesses and working families struggle. That ends now. SB 763 ensures that violating antitrust laws comes with real consequences, not just a slap on the wrist.”

    What is Antitrust?

    Antitrust violations can lead to rising costs for consumers because when companies collude or gain significant market power through illegal anticompetitive practices, they have less pressure to keep prices low and can raise prices without fear of losing customers to other competitors. Competitive marketplaces established through antitrust vigilance help consumers by ensuring fair prices for goods and services, an array of products to choose from, quality goods and services, and the steady introduction of innovative new products.

    California’s Cartwright Act prohibits agreements between corporations to restrain trade, limit production, and fix prices or otherwise prevent competition. The existing penalties for violations of the Cartwright Act have not been updated in decades and are insufficient to deter anticompetitive activity in the current market. 

    SB 763 

    SB 763 would increase criminal penalties and add civil penalties under the Cartwright Act. 

    Specifically, SB 763 would: 

    • Increase the criminal fines for corporate violators from $1 million to $100 million per violation.
    • Increase the criminal fines for individuals from $250,000 to $1 million per violation.
    • Increase the term of imprisonment for a felony violation to two, three, or five years (currently one, two, or three years).
    • Add civil penalties of up to $1 million per violation that courts can impose based on factors such as the nature, seriousness, and persistence of the misconduct.

    Antitrust and the California Department of Justice

    Attorney General Bonta has made robust antitrust enforcement a top priority, working to expand the size of the California Department of Justice’s Antitrust Section and leading the charge within the state and across the country.  

    In December 2024, Attorney General Bonta secured the abandonment of the Kroger-Albertsons merger, which threatened to raise grocery prices and leave Californians with limited choices over where to shop and where to work. In August 2024, Attorney General Bonta filed a lawsuit against RealPage, alleging that its anticompetitive conduct harmed consumers by decreasing competition among landlords, limiting price negotiation, and increasing prices in the rental housing industry. In July 2024, Attorney General Bonta announced a $50 million settlement with gas trading firms, resolving allegations that the firms secretly worked together to tamper with and manipulate spot market prices for California gasoline. In September 2022, Attorney General Bonta sued Amazon, alleging that the company stifled competition and caused increased prices across California through its anticompetitive contracting practices. 

    As part of the Attorney General’s commitment to enforcing antitrust laws, the California Department of Justice recently launched a new Antitrust Complaint Form. Please click here to report anticompetitive conduct that potentially violates antitrust laws.

    The text of the legislation is available here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: AFSOUTH Foreign Liaison Officers Tour AFTAC WC-135

    Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND

    DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FROCE BASE, Ariz.  –  

    Air Forces Southern Foreign Liaison Officers (FLO) toured a WC-135 Constant Phoenix aircraft Feb. 13, 2025, at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to strengthen military partnerships and enhance regional security cooperation.

    The officers, who represent air forces from six South American nations, were given the opportunity to get a firsthand look and talk to aircrew about the aircraft’s capabilities and its role in nuclear-treaty monitoring, reinforcing transparency and collaboration in countering nuclear threats.

    “The opportunity to engage with our partners and share the capabilities of the WC-135 reinforces our commitment to regional security and transparency,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Jacob English, Chief, Theater Security Cooperation Plans and Programs. “I think it is very important for FLOs to have the opportunity to experience the aircraft firsthand and speak with the operators.

    The FLOs who represent Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Ecuador gained insight into the aircraft’s mission and capabilities, fostering stronger ties to support future collaborations in detecting and deterring nuclear threats in the region.

    “Our Air Force has a nuclear mission, and for our partners, understanding the mission of this aircraft and its collection requirements is crucial” added English. “We need baseline data—if something were to happen in the region and we don’t have that baseline, there’s nothing to compare it to.”

    The WC-135, which traveled from the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, plays a critical role in nuclear treaty monitoring by collecting airborne effluents and particulates.

    “The WC-135 mission was very interesting,” said Brazilian air force Col. Leonardo Macedo, Foreign Liaison Officer and fighter pilot. I didn’t know much about it before, but it plays a crucial role—especially in demystifying or preventing misunderstandings that have happened in the past. I think it’s an important mission. I don’t know of many other squadrons around the world that perform this type of mission, one that actively contributes to a safer environment for everyone.”

    “At the beginning of our briefing, the presenters used the word ‘transparency,’ and I believe that is one of the most important aspects of building strong relationships” said Macedo. “As nations, we share the same objectives, so when we have the opportunity to be invited to see more assets in the inventory and learn about the U.S. Air Force mission, it strengthens our relationship. We can take this information back to our country, better understand U.S. operations, and see how these efforts contribute to building stronger partnerships.”

    FLOs serve as key representatives of their home nations’ air forces within Air Forces Southern, the air component of U.S. Southern Command. They facilitate communication, coordination, and cooperation between the U.S. and partner nations, strengthening military relationships and enhancing regional security efforts.

    “I think it was a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the U.S. Air Force,” said Macedo. “Coming from the crew perspective, it’s easy for us to connect, understand, and see future interactions.”

    “At the end of the day, we now have a better understanding of the U.S. Air Force mission” added Macedo. “It’s not so different from ours, despite the specialization in aviation–we share the same goals and objectives, and this was a great opportunity.”

    The Air Force Technical Applications Center routinely conducts air sampling missions worldwide and is actively working with the U.S. State Department and combatant commands to expand its reach in Central and South America. Strengthening these partnerships ensures a shared understanding of capabilities and enhances cooperation in monitoring nuclear activity.

    During their visit, the FLOs also toured a HC-130J Combat King II and EC-130H Compass Call, further broadening their awareness of U.S. Air Force operations and capabilities.

    “Beyond understanding the mission sets of these aircraft, this was also an opportunity to strengthen relationships,” said English. “Meeting the operators and technicians who perform this mission, interacting with AFSOUTH personnel, and engaging with one another reinforces our partnership. We are all in this together, facing common threats, and teamwork is essential.”

    This hands-on immersion provided valuable background and broadened perspectives on USAF capabilities, reinforcing the U.S. military’s ongoing commitment to fostering international cooperation and ensuring security and stability in the SOUTHCOM region.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Entrepreneurship as a way out of poverty? Study in rural Kenya shows why it doesn’t always work

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ralph Hamann, Professor, University of Cape Town

    International development agencies and non-governmental organisations often seek to advance community development by fostering entrepreneurship. The premise is that poor people can enhance their household incomes by establishing small businesses or by adding value to natural resources.

    Such programmes commonly include training and the provision of loans to enable micro-entrepreneurs to get started. But these interventions aren’t straightforward and often fail to achieve their objectives.

    Prior research has pointed to the fundamental economic challenges of entrepreneurship in the context of poverty. Cultural and institutional factors also play a role. Researchers have argued, for instance, that cultural norms of collectivism shape how entrepreneurs define themselves. They are likely to prioritise their roles as mentors or community safety net. This constrains their ability to innovate and grow their businesses.

    We wanted to explore an entrepreneurship-focused intervention in more detail. Specifically, why do some people seem more inclined than others to adopt these new behaviours?

    In a recent paper we set out our findings based on a study we conducted with 25 participants in northern Kenya. We built on our combined interests in entrepreneurship in resource-constrained environments, identity theory, and community development. We found that programme participants responded to the intervention in very different ways, and that religion helped explain these differences.

    Our findings have implications for interventions promoting entrepreneurship as a means to reduce poverty. First, such interventions can create profound identity tensions for participants and so their proponents need to take into account local cultures much more than is commonly the case. Second, entrepreneurship-focused interventions can change participants’ behaviours in ways that potentially disadvantage the poorest community members, leading to greater inequality at the community level.

    On the ground

    The development intervention we examined was aimed at fostering entrepreneurship in extremely poor pastoralist communities. The programme built on a small government cash transfer and put recipients into savings groups of up to 30 people. Participants were encouraged to start small businesses in these group discussions. They also received training in life skills and basic financial and business skills, such as the concept of profit and how to buy and sell goods.

    We found that over the five-year period of our study, an increasing number of pastoralists began engaging in businesses involving the sale of livestock, beadwork, sugar, tea leaves, washing powder and other necessities. But we discovered that these new business-oriented behaviours created profound tensions for the participants, and participants responded in different ways.

    The source of these tensions was in how individuals defined themselves within the local culture.

    The collectivist culture in these communities involved norms such as nkanyit (loosely translated, respect), which meant that people should share their belongings with others. But the training and the credit repayment requirements associated with the intervention made this problematic.

    To make profits and repay loans, the programme participants had to deny other community members’ requests for handouts or loans. This contravened local norms and expectations. It also created the fear that community members might curse the entrepreneur or her or his family.

    One participant explained:

    Business is different from what we were doing; business is not to give credits and also not to just give things to people… but people can curse you {if you say no}.

    Yet participants responded to these tensions in different ways. Some (about one-third of our research participants) gave in to the existing expectations and the need to avoid curses. As a result, they gave handouts to community members and often this led to their business languishing or collapsing. One participant noted:

    When I have food {business goods} in the house, I can’t tell people that I don’t have anything, and they know that I do. I just give some to avoid {curses}.“

    Others, however, continued with the new business activities despite the threat of curses. We discovered that a key factor explaining this was religion.

    Christians believed that their faith would protect them from curses. For some this occurred from the beginning. Others, fearful of curses early on, came to believe that curses would not apply in the context of the businesses that they wanted to keep running.

    For instance, one participant argued:

    Don’t give to people because of the fear of curses, just say no and pray for protection from the curses because God is great.

    Implications

    We highlight the importance of people’s social identities – specifically religious identities – in explaining why some participants are more likely to adopt capitalist behaviours (such as borrowing money to invest in business, or charging consumers interest on loans) than others.

    Organisations delivering entrepreneurship interventions and education in contexts of extreme poverty need to be aware of what identities they are encouraging participants to construct, either directly or indirectly through training and mentorship, and even through the questions that they ask participants.

    They need to be careful about creating tensions between existing cultural norms and the new concepts and behaviours they are introducing.

    More broadly, there may also be unintended negative consequences at the community level. Among the research participants in our study that adopted the entrepreneur role, this was linked to a diminished willingness to support poor community members. So, even if participants in the programme benefit through higher incomes, their entrepreneurial behaviours reduce traditional habits of giving to the needy. This could increase hardships for the very poor and create greater inequalities.

    This article is co-authored by Jody Delichte, and it is based on her PhD research at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business. Jody currently works as an international development and culture consultant. We are grateful to Jeremy Upane for his translation support in the field.

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

    – ref. Entrepreneurship as a way out of poverty? Study in rural Kenya shows why it doesn’t always work – https://theconversation.com/entrepreneurship-as-a-way-out-of-poverty-study-in-rural-kenya-shows-why-it-doesnt-always-work-246700

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Say no to doorstep traders

    Source: Northern Ireland Direct

    Date published:

    There are dangers when you employ doorstep callers who offer to do improvement works to your property. You are advised not to use tradespeople who just turn up on the doorstep.

    Older and vulnerable people

    Some doorstep traders deliberately target older and vulnerable people who live alone.

    They call at their homes uninvited and offer to carry out home improvement works or repairs to a property.

    You could lose large sums of money for work that could prove to be of little value. 

    Also, people can sometimes feel intimidated and pressurised into agreeing to pay for additional work that they didn’t want or need.

    That work can then often result in people having to pay out large sums of money to legitimate traders to have the work fixed or finished.

    Local neighbourhood websites

    You should also be alert when using local neighbourhood websites where people post about the jobs they need doing, in the belief that they’ll avoid the sort of rogue traders who turn up on their doorstep. 

    The doorstep criminals have adapted their methods and now have a presence on these websites and often respond to such requests.

    The traders often use fake profiles and vastly under-quote for jobs to get a response.

    In reality, many of these traders are criminals who will charge vastly-inflated prices for shoddy work or for work that is not needed.

    In many cases, the trader will start work on the property immediately and then will leave it unfinished or in a very poor state of repair.

    What you can do

    To put off approaches from rogue traders in the first place you can place a sign in your door or window telling any doorstep callers looking for business that they are not welcome.

    You can point out the sign to any unwelcome callers and tell them that if they persist in trying to sell their services they may be committing a criminal offence.

    You can get ‘No Cold Calling’ signs and more help and advice from Trading Standards Service’s Consumerline. 

    The advice is:

    • don’t buy at the door – no matter who is calling or what they seem to be offering
    • consider fitting doorstep cameras and video doorbells
    • don’t open the door to anyone who turns up uninvited, no matter what their story is – keep the chain on
    • always take your time – legitimate traders will not rush you to make a decision
    • if possible, choose a trader who has been recommended by family or friends
    • get written quotes from at least three traders to compare prices
    • don’t pay until the job is finished to your satisfaction
    • watch out for vulnerable or older neighbours or family members
    • use the ‘Nominated Neighbour’ scheme 

    As well as the huge financial losses from using doorstep tradespeople, many people also suffer emotional trauma, the onset of health problems, and have a long fear of crime.

    More useful links

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK steps up life-saving medical support for Ukraine’s Armed Forces

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    UK steps up life-saving medical support for Ukraine’s Armed Forces

    The Ministry of Defence will double its funding for medical and rehabilitation services for Ukraine’s troops

    Britain is stepping up support for Ukrainian troops wounded on the frontline, who will receive life-saving medical support and rehabilitation services through the UK’s Project Renovator.  The programme, which will see its funding doubled, also includes training for surgeons and rebuilding of a military hospital targeted by Russian bombs. 

    Project Renovator draws on the UK’s leading defence medical expertise to expand Ukraine’s military rehabilitation and medical services and help troops who suffered life-changing injuries to return to the frontline or help them readjust to civilian life after the conflict ends. 

    Defence Secretary John Healey MP has today announced a new £20m funding package to step up the programme further – doubling the Government’s funding for the scheme – as the UK’s cast-iron commitment to Ukraine continues three years into the conflict. 

    The project, which started in October 2023 demonstrates the UK’s international leadership role, taking responsibility for repairing and upgrading a military rehabilitation hospital which was targeted and bombed by Putin’s forces earlier in the conflict. The UK is also encouraging allies to support and grow this work as part of the broader NATO Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine scheme. 

    From providing life-saving surgery, to issuing advanced prosthetics, physiotherapy, and aftercare, the rehabilitation hospital will be a significant upgrade for Ukraine’s current services, with Ukrainian surgeons, doctors, and nurses being trained by the UK. 

    The announcement comes on the third anniversary of Putin launching his illegal full-scale invasion, as the Home Office announced new measures to block Russian elites entering the UK. It forms part of this Government’s record support for Ukraine this year – building on £12.8 billion worth of military, humanitarian, and economic support since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

    Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said: 

    As we mark three years of this brutal conflict, Putin is still waging a war he thought he would win in three days, because of fierce resistance to the Russian invasion from ordinary Ukrainians – military and civilian alike. 

    In this critical period, Ukrainians need our support to keep them in the fight and to put their nation in the strongest possible position ahead of any talks. That’s why we are stepping up further our UK leadership and life-saving medical support for brave Ukrainian fighters. Our commitment to them is unshakeable. 

    I’m proud of the UK’s leadership in supporting Ukraine, both now and in the long-term, and this new investment in Ukraine’s military medical services will harness the UK’s leading expertise to ensure wounded troops are given the best treatment possible.

    The work will help address a major challenge posed by the conflict, with the largest casualty figures seen in Europe since the Second World War. The support stands in stark contrast to Russia’s widely-reported poor treatment of Russian casualties and veterans, leading to instances of crime and violence when they return from the frontline.

    While a small number of British personnel have been working to deliver the project in Ukraine, nearly 100 Ukrainian surgeons, doctors, and nurses are due to travel to the UK this year to receive further medical training using the latest techniques and equipment. 

    Around £20m of money from a NATO common fund has been invested in the rehabilitation hospital so far, much of which was provided by the UK. In addition to major structural repairs, improvements have included more than £300k worth of new gym equipment, and £400k worth of prosthetics and associated equipment. 

    Norway has also announced it is carrying out similar work to repair and improve a similar facility under the same NATO scheme, working closely with the UK. It comes as both nations have committed to deepen military ties, with a new agreement being drawn up following a visit from the Defence Secretary last week. 

    Defence Medical Services personnel from Project Renovator have been working with the team at the UK’s world-leading equivalent, the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Stanford Hall, to produce around 50 rehabilitation training videos to support the training of Ukrainian medical staff. 

    Minister for Veterans and People, Alistair Carns DSO, OBE, MC, said:  

    The UK Armed Forces are experts in the area of defence medical services and rehabilitation, pioneering the field during the Second World War.

    These services are absolutely essential to ensuring veterans get the support they need to go back to their daily lives after being on the frontline, especially if wounded.

    The Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Stanford Hall in particular is a world-leading facility, and I am proud that the equipment and the skills of our personnel are being put to good use in supporting Ukraine.

    This year, the UK will spend £4.5 billion on military assistance for Ukraine – more than ever before. Supporting Ukraine in the conflict and to secure a peace deal is critical for the security of Europe and the UK, a foundation for the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change. Earlier this month, the Defence Secretary announced a new £150 million firepower package including drones, tanks and air defence systems.

    Since July 2024, the Government has provided over £5.26 billion in military aid and financial support to Ukraine, including a £3 billion annual military aid and a £2.26 billion loan for military spending. This includes £300 million for artillery ammunition and £68 million for air defence systems, as well as the new £150 million firepower package for thousands of drones, dozens of battle tanks and armoured vehicles.  

    The UK Government has supplied over 90,000 rounds of 155mm artillery, 150 artillery barrels, and 10 AS90 self-propelled howitzers. Air defence support includes 17 Gravehawk systems, 1,000 counter-drone electronic warfare systems, and £68 million for radars and counter-drone tech.  

    The UK has also invested £7.5 million in drone technology and continues training, surpassing 50,000 Ukrainian troops under Operation Interflex. Naval support totals £92 million, providing drones, uncrewed vessels, loitering munitions, and mine countermeasure drones.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 February 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Entrepreneurship as a way out of poverty? Study in rural Kenya shows why it doesn’t always work

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ralph Hamann, Professor, University of Cape Town

    International development agencies and non-governmental organisations often seek to advance community development by fostering entrepreneurship. The premise is that poor people can enhance their household incomes by establishing small businesses or by adding value to natural resources.

    Such programmes commonly include training and the provision of loans to enable micro-entrepreneurs to get started. But these interventions aren’t straightforward and often fail to achieve their objectives.

    Prior research has pointed to the fundamental economic challenges of entrepreneurship in the context of poverty. Cultural and institutional factors also play a role. Researchers have argued, for instance, that cultural norms of collectivism shape how entrepreneurs define themselves. They are likely to prioritise their roles as mentors or community safety net. This constrains their ability to innovate and grow their businesses.

    We wanted to explore an entrepreneurship-focused intervention in more detail. Specifically, why do some people seem more inclined than others to adopt these new behaviours?

    In a recent paper we set out our findings based on a study we conducted with 25 participants in northern Kenya. We built on our combined interests in entrepreneurship in resource-constrained environments, identity theory, and community development. We found that programme participants responded to the intervention in very different ways, and that religion helped explain these differences.

    Our findings have implications for interventions promoting entrepreneurship as a means to reduce poverty. First, such interventions can create profound identity tensions for participants and so their proponents need to take into account local cultures much more than is commonly the case. Second, entrepreneurship-focused interventions can change participants’ behaviours in ways that potentially disadvantage the poorest community members, leading to greater inequality at the community level.

    On the ground

    The development intervention we examined was aimed at fostering entrepreneurship in extremely poor pastoralist communities. The programme built on a small government cash transfer and put recipients into savings groups of up to 30 people. Participants were encouraged to start small businesses in these group discussions. They also received training in life skills and basic financial and business skills, such as the concept of profit and how to buy and sell goods.

    We found that over the five-year period of our study, an increasing number of pastoralists began engaging in businesses involving the sale of livestock, beadwork, sugar, tea leaves, washing powder and other necessities. But we discovered that these new business-oriented behaviours created profound tensions for the participants, and participants responded in different ways.

    The source of these tensions was in how individuals defined themselves within the local culture.

    The collectivist culture in these communities involved norms such as nkanyit (loosely translated, respect), which meant that people should share their belongings with others. But the training and the credit repayment requirements associated with the intervention made this problematic.

    To make profits and repay loans, the programme participants had to deny other community members’ requests for handouts or loans. This contravened local norms and expectations. It also created the fear that community members might curse the entrepreneur or her or his family.

    One participant explained:

    Business is different from what we were doing; business is not to give credits and also not to just give things to people… but people can curse you {if you say no}.

    Yet participants responded to these tensions in different ways. Some (about one-third of our research participants) gave in to the existing expectations and the need to avoid curses. As a result, they gave handouts to community members and often this led to their business languishing or collapsing. One participant noted:

    When I have food {business goods} in the house, I can’t tell people that I don’t have anything, and they know that I do. I just give some to avoid {curses}.“

    Others, however, continued with the new business activities despite the threat of curses. We discovered that a key factor explaining this was religion.

    Christians believed that their faith would protect them from curses. For some this occurred from the beginning. Others, fearful of curses early on, came to believe that curses would not apply in the context of the businesses that they wanted to keep running.

    For instance, one participant argued:

    Don’t give to people because of the fear of curses, just say no and pray for protection from the curses because God is great.

    Implications

    We highlight the importance of people’s social identities – specifically religious identities – in explaining why some participants are more likely to adopt capitalist behaviours (such as borrowing money to invest in business, or charging consumers interest on loans) than others.

    Organisations delivering entrepreneurship interventions and education in contexts of extreme poverty need to be aware of what identities they are encouraging participants to construct, either directly or indirectly through training and mentorship, and even through the questions that they ask participants.

    They need to be careful about creating tensions between existing cultural norms and the new concepts and behaviours they are introducing.

    More broadly, there may also be unintended negative consequences at the community level. Among the research participants in our study that adopted the entrepreneur role, this was linked to a diminished willingness to support poor community members. So, even if participants in the programme benefit through higher incomes, their entrepreneurial behaviours reduce traditional habits of giving to the needy. This could increase hardships for the very poor and create greater inequalities.

    This article is co-authored by Jody Delichte, and it is based on her PhD research at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business. Jody currently works as an international development and culture consultant. We are grateful to Jeremy Upane for his translation support in the field.

    – Entrepreneurship as a way out of poverty? Study in rural Kenya shows why it doesn’t always work
    – https://theconversation.com/entrepreneurship-as-a-way-out-of-poverty-study-in-rural-kenya-shows-why-it-doesnt-always-work-246700

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Coalition of Unions, Small Businesses, Veterans, and Conservation Organizations Seek Injunction to Prevent Unlawful Firings

    Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union

    Amended Complaint also Targets Illegal “Five Things” Email

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – In their lawsuit attempting to block the unlawful mass terminations of probationary federal employees, some of the nation’s largest and most influential public service unions, along with small businesses, veterans, and conservation organizations, have filed for a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and its Acting Director, Charles Ezell. The TRO would stop OPM from directing the unlawful firings, which the plaintiffs refer to in their complaint as “one of the most massive employment frauds in the history of this country.”

    The complaint, filed last week and amended yesterday, says that OPM’s egregious firings were made on false pretenses and violate federal law, including the Administrative Procedure Act and other statutes defining federal employment and OPM’s role. These firings were executed across federal agencies, based on directives from OPM. OPM, the complaint asserts, acted unlawfully by directing federal agencies to use a standardized termination notice falsely claiming performance issues. Congress, not OPM,controls and authorizes federal employment and related spending by the federal administrative agencies, and Congress has determined that each agency is responsible for managing its own employees.   

    In federal service, new employees and employees who change positions (including through promotions) have probationary status. The plaintiffs claim that OPM is exploiting and misusing the probationary period to eliminate staff across federal agencies.

    The amended complaint is the first to target OPM’s illegal demand that federal employees enumerate five accomplishments of the previous week. The demand, which has been widely derided, is also a violation of the Administrative Procedure Act, as explained in the complaint. “This request, and the resulting confusion, is not just inappropriate – it is disruptive to essential government functions,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley, in a letter to Acting Director Ezell.

    With respect to the termination of the provisional employees,“small business owners across the country rely on the Small Business Administration for access to capital, technical assistance, government contracting, disaster relief and many other critical services. Main street businesses also rely on consistent and predictable permitting and regulation,” said Richard Trent, Executive Director for the Main Street Alliance. “More than 20 million new small businesses have formed in the US since 2020. OPM should immediately stop this chaos. MSA will keep fighting until they do.”

    “Units of the National Park System across the country – who are already struggling with a lack of staff – have been impacted by the unlawful and reckless firings of federal employees,” said Phil Francis, Chair of the Executive Council of the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks. “We know these reductions in staff will lead to partial or full park closures, safety concerns due to a lack of  emergency responders, reduction or elimination of visitor center operations, a lack of maintenance including filthy restrooms, and an increased risk of harm to plants, animals, and other natural and cultural resources. These mass firings hurt our national parks and they hurt surrounding communities that depend on tourism and visitor spending to help support the local economy. The Coalition appreciates and supports our NPS employees and all federal workers who work tirelessly to conserve and protect our country’s national parks and public lands.”

    “Federal land and wildlife agencies are already understaffed, and the Trump administration’s recent hatchet-job on federal employees is resulting in chaos that will reduce federal oversight over lands that are supposed to be managed for the public interest, with conservation of lands, wildlife, and watersheds an important focus,” said Erik Molvar, a wildlife biologist and Executive Director of Western Watersheds Project. “We are concerned that these new job cuts will result in less federal oversight over public lands, allowing loggers, grazers, and drillers to get away with serious land abuses.”

    “This administration’s mass firings are a direct attack on the working people who have dedicated their lives to public service, including thousands of veterans. These reckless terminations threaten their livelihoods, their families, and their ability to continue serving their country, but the harm doesn’t stop there. Working families across the country could suffer from cuts to essential government services, whether it’s VA hospitals, disaster relief, or public safety,” said Jose Vasquez, Executive Director, CommonDefense.us. “This is not just bureaucratic mismanagement, it’s an assault on our nation from within. Common Defense stands with our fellow plaintiffs to demand an immediate stop to this unlawful purge and to defend the veterans, military families, and public servants who keep our government running.”

    “Veterans constitute approximately 30% of the federal workforce.  The recent mass layoffs have disproportionately affected them, leading to job losses and increased uncertainty. Many veterans rely on federal employment for stability, and these cuts have disrupted their livelihoods, said VoteVets Action Fund Chairman Major General (Ret.) Paul Eaton. “In addition, the termination of tens of thousands of probationary federal employees has had an adverse impact on the services provided to veterans, leading to staffing shortages, diminished support for critical programs, and increased uncertainty for veterans and their families.”

    “This administration has abused the probationary period to conduct a chaotic, ill-informed, and politically-driven firing spree. The result has been the indiscriminate firing of thousands of patriotic public servants across the country who help veterans in crisis, ensure the safety of our nuclear weapons, keep power flowing to American homes, combat the bird flu, and provide other essential services,” said AFGE National President Everett Kelley. “These actions aren’t just illegal. They are hurting everyday Americans and making us all less safe. It’s a stark reminder of the price we all pay when you stack the government with political loyalists instead of professionals.”

    “Overnight, tens of thousands of federal employees received the same termination letter citing ‘performance issues’ without any explanation or reasoning,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “These mass firings are yet another unlawful attempt by this billionaire-run administration to gut public services without regard to the health and safety of our communities. Federal workers are qualified professionals who make our nation stronger – supporting our schools, parks, hospitals and vital infrastructure. We will keep fighting these attacks on their freedoms that threaten everything from food safety to national security to health care.”

    “New hires are crucial as our country continues to face nurse staffing challenges. Indiscriminately firing these nurses, who are essential to the care their units provide, could truly cost lives,” said Charmaine S. Morales, RN and UNAC/UHCP President.

    Ambassador Norm Eisen, representing the plaintiffs and executive chair of SDDF, said, “SDDF is proud to stand with leading public service unions and others in this critical fight to protect their members, who dedicate their lives to serving our nation. The mass firings ordered by OPM are illegal and betray the trust of countless federal employees. The patronizing demand that federal workers still on the job have to justify themselves by enumerating five accomplishments just adds insult to injury. That too is against the law. We are committed to protecting all these workers.”

    The TRO motion is available here.
    The memorandum in support of the TRO is available here.
    The proposed TRO order is available here.
    The amended complaint is available here.

    # # #

     

    The Main Street Alliance champions the voices of small business owners to create a thriving economy. We cultivate a network of entrepreneurs, connecting them with resources to build sustainable enterprises. Our membership drives state and federal policymaking that gives a fair shot to small businesses and strengthens communities nationwide.
    Western Watersheds Project is a unionized nonprofit conservation group dedicated to protecting and restoring wildlife and watersheds throughout the American West.
    Common Defense Civic Engagement (“CommonDefense.us”) is a grassroots membership organization of progressive veterans, military families, and civilian supporters standing up for our communities against the rising tide of racism, hate, and violence. Common Defense invests in the leadership of its members through training and deployment in campaigns that connect directly to their history of service, including voting rights, climate justice, and anti-militarism. Approximately 33,187 of Common Defense’s members live in California, including approximately 2,000 veterans.
    VoteVets uses public issue campaigns to relentlessly lift up the voices of veterans on matters of national security, veterans’ care, and everyday issues that affect the lives of those who served, and their families.
    Altshuler Berzon LLP is a California law firm that  focuses on providing legal representation in the service of economic justice and the public interest. The law firm represents clients in federal and state trial and appellate courts and before administrative agencies.
    State Democracy Defenders Fund brings together a nonpartisan team to work with national, state and local allies across the country to defend in real-time the foundations of our democracy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Africa relies too heavily on foreign aid for health – 4 ways to fix this

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Francisca Mutapi, Professor in Global Health Infection and Immunity. and co-Director of the Global Health Academy, University of Edinburgh

    There’s been a global trend in the reduction of aid to Africa since 2018. Donors are shifting their funding priorities in response to domestic and international agendas. Germany, France and Norway, for instance, have all reduced their aid to Africa in the past five years. And, in 2020, the UK government reduced its Overseas Development Aid from 0.7% of gross national income to 0.5%.

    Many health services across the African continent rely heavily on overseas aid to provide essential care. International funding supports everything from vaccines and HIV treatment to maternal health programmes.

    Cuts to aid, particularly unilateral ones, can have widespread implications. For instance, about 72 million people missed out on treatment for neglected tropical diseases between 2021 and 2022 due to UK aid cuts.

    The freeze of US aid to Africa in January 2025 is the latest in this trend. It’s already having significant and wide-ranging impacts across the African continent. For example, vaccination campaigns for polio eradication and HIV/Aids treatment through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) have been stopped. This puts millions of lives at risk. In South Africa alone, the cut of Pepfar’s US$400 million a year to HIV programmes risks patients defaulting on treatment, infection rates going up and eventually a rise in deaths.

    President Donald Trump’s actions have highlighted Africa’s reliance on foreign aid for health funding. I’m a global health expert who sits on various funding and advisory boards, including those of the World Health Organization (WHO), the UK government and boards of global resource mobilisation organisations. I am well aware of the competing funding priorities for international funders and have long advocated for local, sustainable health funding mechanisms.

    Long-term strategies to reduce aid dependency are critical. Breaking away from this current funding status requires concerted efforts building on proven best practice.



    Read more:
    How nonprofits abroad can fill gaps when the US government cuts off foreign aid

    Country-leadership and ownership

    African countries currently face the unique challenge of simultaneously dealing with high rates of communicable diseases, such as malaria and HIV/Aids, and rising levels of non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

    But Africa’s health systems are not sufficiently resourced. They’re not able to provide appropriate, accessible and affordable healthcare to address these challenges.

    African governments spend less than 10% of their GDP on health, amounting to capital expenditure of US$4.5 billion. This falls short of the estimated US$26 billion annual investment needed to meet evolving health needs.

    Aid goes towards filling this funding gap. For example, in 2021, half of sub-Saharan African countries relied on external financing, such as grants and loans, for more than one-third of their health expenditures.

    Foreign aid has helped. But it clearly leaves African countries vulnerable to the political mood swings among funders.

    It also leads to loss of self-determination in terms of health priorities as, ultimately, the funder determines the health priorities. This is one reason why many programmes in Africa focus on a single disease, such as HIV. This leads to poorly integrated health services. For instance health workers or services are channelled into managing a single disease.

    New, underutilised financing options

    The current trajectory of reduced aid to Africa is likely to continue. Global aid is being directed to other challenges, such as conflict and illegal immigration.

    The continent cannot continue on the same path while hoping for different outcomes. Africa needs to grow a range of immediately available domestic financing options. Many of these are underutilised and include:

    1.) Diversifying domestic resource mobilisation. This should include commodity taxation to fund health. For instance, tobacco taxes which are currently underutilised in Africa.

    Zimbabwe offers a successful example. It has bridged donor resource gaps through its 3% Aids levy (started in 1999). Imposed on both individual and corporate incomes, it funds domestic HIV/Aids prevention, care and treatment programmes.

    Nigeria’s another country that’s taken initiative, prioritising domestic budget allocation to health. It recently absorbed the 28,000 healthworkers formerly paid by USAid. This demonstrates that domestic health financing in Africa is possible.

    2.) More private-public partnerships. Formed between local and international philanthropies or institutions, these can bridge financing gaps.

    One successful example is the 2015 health service provision partnership between the Kenyan government and GE Healthcare. GE Healthcare provides radiography equipment and services which the government pays for over time. This allows the government to budget and plan healthcare expenditure over several years.

    3.) Promotion of regional integration to boost local production. This will reduce the need for aid-funded imported medical products.

    For instance, the African Union’s harmonised Africa Medicines Authority registration facility creates a single continental market for medicines. This supports local producers and exporters, by allowing them to operate on a larger scale. It also makes production and distribution more cost-effective. Finally, it reduces the reliance on imported medicines, strengthening Africa’s pharmaceutical industry.

    4.) Leverage development finance institutions. These are specialised financial organisations – such as the Africa Development Bank, African Export-Import Bank and the Development Bank of Southern Africa. They can provide capital and expertise to projects deemed too risky for traditional investors. This includes support for health financing for infrastructure development, private sector development for small and medium-sized enterprises and the regional integration.

    One transformative initiative is the AfricInvest investment platform. With support from development finance institutions in the US and Europe, AfricInvest has raised over US$100 million for health investment in Africa. It has funded at least 45 dialysis facilities in Africa, delivering over 130,000 dialysis sessions annually, primarily to remote and underserved communities all at affordable costs.

    A combination of these approaches at national, regional and continental level will accelerate Africa’s withdrawal from aid dependency.

    Francisca Mutapi receives funding from the Aspen Global Innovation Programme, Scottish Funding Council funding to the University of Edinburgh, Academy of Medical Sciences, British Academy and the Royal Society. Francisca Mutapi is the Deputy Director of the Tackling Infections to Benefit Africa (TIBA) Partnership and Deputy Board Chair of Uniting to Combat NTDS. She sits on the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and WHO Africa Regional Director’s Scientific Advisory Groups.

    – ref. Africa relies too heavily on foreign aid for health – 4 ways to fix this – https://theconversation.com/africa-relies-too-heavily-on-foreign-aid-for-health-4-ways-to-fix-this-249886

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa relies too heavily on foreign aid for health – 4 ways to fix this

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Francisca Mutapi, Professor in Global Health Infection and Immunity. and co-Director of the Global Health Academy, University of Edinburgh

    There’s been a global trend in the reduction of aid to Africa since 2018. Donors are shifting their funding priorities in response to domestic and international agendas. Germany, France and Norway, for instance, have all reduced their aid to Africa in the past five years. And, in 2020, the UK government reduced its Overseas Development Aid from 0.7% of gross national income to 0.5%.

    Many health services across the African continent rely heavily on overseas aid to provide essential care. International funding supports everything from vaccines and HIV treatment to maternal health programmes.

    Cuts to aid, particularly unilateral ones, can have widespread implications. For instance, about 72 million people missed out on treatment for neglected tropical diseases between 2021 and 2022 due to UK aid cuts.

    The freeze of US aid to Africa in January 2025 is the latest in this trend. It’s already having significant and wide-ranging impacts across the African continent. For example, vaccination campaigns for polio eradication and HIV/Aids treatment through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) have been stopped. This puts millions of lives at risk. In South Africa alone, the cut of Pepfar’s US$400 million a year to HIV programmes risks patients defaulting on treatment, infection rates going up and eventually a rise in deaths.

    President Donald Trump’s actions have highlighted Africa’s reliance on foreign aid for health funding. I’m a global health expert who sits on various funding and advisory boards, including those of the World Health Organization (WHO), the UK government and boards of global resource mobilisation organisations. I am well aware of the competing funding priorities for international funders and have long advocated for local, sustainable health funding mechanisms.

    Long-term strategies to reduce aid dependency are critical. Breaking away from this current funding status requires concerted efforts building on proven best practice.

    Read more: How nonprofits abroad can fill gaps when the US government cuts off foreign aid

    Country-leadership and ownership

    African countries currently face the unique challenge of simultaneously dealing with high rates of communicable diseases, such as malaria and HIV/Aids, and rising levels of non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

    But Africa’s health systems are not sufficiently resourced. They’re not able to provide appropriate, accessible and affordable healthcare to address these challenges.

    African governments spend less than 10% of their GDP on health, amounting to capital expenditure of US$4.5 billion. This falls short of the estimated US$26 billion annual investment needed to meet evolving health needs.

    Aid goes towards filling this funding gap. For example, in 2021, half of sub-Saharan African countries relied on external financing, such as grants and loans, for more than one-third of their health expenditures.

    Foreign aid has helped. But it clearly leaves African countries vulnerable to the political mood swings among funders.

    It also leads to loss of self-determination in terms of health priorities as, ultimately, the funder determines the health priorities. This is one reason why many programmes in Africa focus on a single disease, such as HIV. This leads to poorly integrated health services. For instance health workers or services are channelled into managing a single disease.

    New, underutilised financing options

    The current trajectory of reduced aid to Africa is likely to continue. Global aid is being directed to other challenges, such as conflict and illegal immigration.

    The continent cannot continue on the same path while hoping for different outcomes. Africa needs to grow a range of immediately available domestic financing options. Many of these are underutilised and include:

    1.) Diversifying domestic resource mobilisation. This should include commodity taxation to fund health. For instance, tobacco taxes which are currently underutilised in Africa.

    Zimbabwe offers a successful example. It has bridged donor resource gaps through its 3% Aids levy (started in 1999). Imposed on both individual and corporate incomes, it funds domestic HIV/Aids prevention, care and treatment programmes.

    Nigeria’s another country that’s taken initiative, prioritising domestic budget allocation to health. It recently absorbed the 28,000 healthworkers formerly paid by USAid. This demonstrates that domestic health financing in Africa is possible.

    2.) More private-public partnerships. Formed between local and international philanthropies or institutions, these can bridge financing gaps.

    One successful example is the 2015 health service provision partnership between the Kenyan government and GE Healthcare. GE Healthcare provides radiography equipment and services which the government pays for over time. This allows the government to budget and plan healthcare expenditure over several years.

    3.) Promotion of regional integration to boost local production. This will reduce the need for aid-funded imported medical products.

    For instance, the African Union’s harmonised Africa Medicines Authority registration facility creates a single continental market for medicines. This supports local producers and exporters, by allowing them to operate on a larger scale. It also makes production and distribution more cost-effective. Finally, it reduces the reliance on imported medicines, strengthening Africa’s pharmaceutical industry.

    4.) Leverage development finance institutions. These are specialised financial organisations – such as the Africa Development Bank, African Export-Import Bank and the Development Bank of Southern Africa. They can provide capital and expertise to projects deemed too risky for traditional investors. This includes support for health financing for infrastructure development, private sector development for small and medium-sized enterprises and the regional integration.

    One transformative initiative is the AfricInvest investment platform. With support from development finance institutions in the US and Europe, AfricInvest has raised over US$100 million for health investment in Africa. It has funded at least 45 dialysis facilities in Africa, delivering over 130,000 dialysis sessions annually, primarily to remote and underserved communities all at affordable costs.

    A combination of these approaches at national, regional and continental level will accelerate Africa’s withdrawal from aid dependency.

    – Africa relies too heavily on foreign aid for health – 4 ways to fix this
    – https://theconversation.com/africa-relies-too-heavily-on-foreign-aid-for-health-4-ways-to-fix-this-249886

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New law to ban bonuses for polluting water bosses

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    New law to ban bonuses for polluting water bosses

    The Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 has today received Royal Assent, boosting the powers of water sector regulators to tackle pollution.

    Major legislation to crack down on water bosses polluting Britain’s rivers, lakes and seas has today been signed into law in the most significant increase to enforcement powers in a decade.   

    The Water (Special Measures) Act 2025 will give regulators new powers to take tougher and faster action to crack down on water companies damaging the environment and failing their customers.  

    The Act delivers on the manifesto pledges to clean up the water sector, including increasing the ability of the Environment Agency to bring forward criminal charges against water executives who break the law. It will create new tougher penalties, including possible imprisonment, for water executives who obstruct investigations.   

    The new legislation will provide powers for Ofwat to ban the payment of bonuses to water bosses if they fail to meet high standards to protect the environment, their consumers, and their company’s finances.     

    Other measures in the Act include automatic penalties to allow regulators to issue penalties more quickly, without having to direct resources to lengthy investigations. It will also introduce independent monitoring of every sewage outlet, with water companies required to publish real-time data for all emergency overflows. Discharges will have to be reported within an hour of the initial spill.  

    Environment Secretary Steve Reed said:

    “We promised to put water companies under tough special measures to clean up our waterways. Today, the Government has delivered on that promise as we continue to deliver on our Plan for Change.       

    “Polluting water bosses will no longer be paid undeserved bonuses. And if they break the law over water pollution, they could end up in the dock and face prison time. 

    “This is just the beginning. The Independent Water Commission will report back later this year to shape new laws that will transform our water system so we can clean up our rivers, lakes, and seas for good.” 

    The Act introduces bold new measures to clean up the industry, including:   

    • Enhanced enforcement powers: The Environment Agency will have increased ability to bring criminal charges against water bosses who break the law, who could face tougher penalties such as imprisonment of executives when companies fail to cooperate or obstruct investigations. The cost recovery powers of regulators will be expanded to ensure that water companies bear the cost of enforcement action taken in response to their failings.  

    • Ban on bonuses: Ofwat will have the power to set rules prohibiting the payment of executive bonuses if companies fail to meet high standards in protecting the environment, their consumers, and financial resilience.  

    • Automatic penalties: Automatic penalties will be introduced for a range of offences, allowing regulators to issue penalties more quickly without redirecting resources to lengthy investigations.   

    • Independent monitoring: Every emergency sewage outlet will be monitored, with data independently scrutinised and made publicly available within an hour of sewage spills occurring. This will ensure transparency and direct further investment to improving sewage infrastructure.   

    • Pollution Incident Reduction Plans (PIRPs): Water companies in England will be required to publish annual Pollution Incident Reduction Plans and report regularly on their progress, enabling the public and regulators to hold companies accountable for reducing pollution incidents.   

    The Act marks a major milestone in the government’s long-term approach to tackling the systemic issues in the water sector – helping to meet the challenges of the future, such as climate change, and driving economic growth.   

    Further legislation aimed at fundamentally transforming how our entire water system operates will be guided by the findings of the Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, which is currently conducting the largest review of the industry since privatisation.   

    Action taken so far 

    Immediate steps:   

    In his first week, the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed announced a series of initial steps towards ending the crisis in the water sector: 

    • After writing to Ofwat, the Secretary of State secured agreement that funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment not diverted for bonuses, dividends or salary increases.    

    • Water companies will place customers and the environment at the heart of their objectives. Companies have agreed to change their ‘Articles of Association’ – the rules governing each company – to make the interests of customers and the environment a primary objective.   

    • Consumers will gain new powers to hold water company bosses to account through powerful new customer panels. For the first time in history, customers will have the power to summon board members and hold water executives to account.   

    • Strengthen protection and compensation for households and businesses when their basic water services are affected. We have now doubled the compensation customers are legally entitled to when key standards are not met. The payments will also be triggered by a wider set of circumstances including Boil Water Notices.   

    Independent Commission:   

    • We have launched an Independent Commission into the water sector and its regulation, in what is expected to form the largest review of the industry since privatisation.  

    • Former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Jon Cunliffe, has been appointed as the chair of the Commission. With several decades of economic and regulatory experience, his appointment demonstrates the Government’s serious ambitions. The Commission will draw upon a panel of experts from across the regulatory, environment, health, engineering, customer, investor, and economic sectors.   

    • A set of recommendations will be delivered to the Defra Secretary of State, and Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.   

    • These recommendations will form the basis of further legislation to attract long-term investment and clean up our waters for good – injecting billions of pounds into the economy, speeding up delivery on infrastructure to support house building and addressing water scarcity, given the country needs to source an additional 5 billion litres of water a day by 2050.

    Further information:   

    Please see further details on the Water (Special Measures) Act here.

    Stakeholder quotes: 

    Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:   

    “The passing into law of the Water (Special Measures) Act is a crucial step in making sure water companies take full responsibility for their impact on the environment.  

    “The increased regulatory powers introduced by this legislation will allow us to close the justice gap, deliver swifter enforcement action and ultimately deter illegal activity.   

    “Alongside these reforms, we are undertaking the biggest ever transformation to the way we regulate. By investing in additional resources, training and updated digital assets, we are ensuring the water system better meets the needs of both people and the environment, now and in the future.” 

    Huw Irranca-Davies, Wales’s Deputy First Minister for Wales with responsibility for Climate Change, said:  

    “Restoring our rivers and improving water quality is a key priority for us.  

    “We’ve been working in partnership with the UK Government to tackle pollution in our rivers, lakes, and seas, and to make sure the water industry is properly regulated.  

    “Today’s Royal Assent of the Special Measures Bill is another step forward and shows what we can achieve working together.” 

    Helen Campbell, Ofwat’s Senior Director for Sector Performance, said: 

    ‘’We welcome today’s Royal Assent of the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, which provides a clear signal to create a water sector that delivers for all customers and the environment.   

    “The Act gives Ofwat new powers to set requirements for companies on remuneration and governance, including prohibiting performance-related executive pay. These rules are an important step towards rebuilding public trust within the water sector, while also prompting water companies to focus on delivering a change in their culture that better meets the expectations of their customers. 

    “We are working at pace to implement these new rules and intend to launch consultations on the final proposals later this year.” 

    Mike Keil, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), said: 

    “Repairing people’s fractured trust in the water sector requires not only a vast improvement in environmental performance, but also a sea change in water company culture so customers’ priorities are put before profit.  

    “It will take time to transform the water sector, but these new legal powers mark an important step in tackling two issues which make people’s blood boil – water company executives being rewarded for failure and pollution in our rivers, lakes, and seas.  

    “Water companies will be placing much bigger demands on billpayers’ finances over the next five years, so people have a right to expect far more for their money.” 

    Mark Lloyd, Rivers Trust CEO, said:   

    “The Water Special Measures Bill is a welcome first step from the government towards building a water system which restores nature, builds resilience to drought and flooding, and tackles the widespread issues of pollution.  

    “We welcome the improvements made to the bill in its passage through the Lords and the Government’s acceptance of amendments strengthening the environment duty of Ofwat and a greater emphasis on Nature Based Solutions.   

    “We are engaging closely with the current Independent Water Commission which we see as a once in a generation opportunity to take several more, and bolder steps towards a more integrated and catchment-based approach to managing water.” 

    “We welcome Royal Assent of the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, an important step toward cleaning up the freshwater environment. Regulators must make decisive use of new enforcement powers wherever companies continue to pollute, and Ofwat should make the most of new financial disclosure rules to ensure that funds that ought to be spent cleaning up rivers are never again siphoned off for profit.  

    “As the Government has recognised, the Act is just a first step. It must be followed promptly by further legislation and action to clamp down on pollution and ramp up environmental investment across whole catchments and across all the sectors responsible for polluting our rivers.” 

    Ali Morse, Water Policy Manager at the Wildlife Trusts, said:  

    “It’s encouraging to see The Water (Special Measures) Act bringing welcome powers and resourcing for regulators, as well as protections for the environment, with additional sewage spill monitoring and a focus on reducing pollution. These are topics that customers really care about. It lays important groundwork for the future legislative changes which are vital to ensure that the water sector can achieve what it needs to in the interests of its customers, and the rivers, lakes, and seas which people cherish. 

    “The work of the Independent Water Commission offers a once in a generation opportunity to reshape the way that we secure the improvements our waters desperately need, across catchment and sectors, and we’ll continue to work with the Commission and Government to ensure that these vital changes are driven forward.” 

    Jamie Cook, Angling Trust CEO, said:  

    “We welcome the government’s early action on water pollution with this bill. The behaviour of water companies is a national scandal, and illegal sewage pollution must result in prosecutions.  

    “The Angling Trust’s network of water-testing volunteers regularly exposes horrendous pollution in waterways and damage done to fisheries. The Environment Agency must use its powers to prosecute any law-breaking water bosses and address any illegal sewage spills uncovered in its long-standing investigation into potential permit breaches.  

    “This bill is a first step toward cleaning up waterways and fixing the regulatory system. The Independent Water Commission must now drive systemic reform, leading to a stronger water bill later in this Parliament—one that transforms water management and safeguards rivers, lakes, seas, and the fish that depend on them.” 

    Ben Seal, Head of Access and Environment at Paddle UK, said: 

    “Paddle UK and The Clean Water Sports Alliance welcomes the Water (Special Measures) Act receiving Royal Assent today. This legislation is a shot across the bows of polluting companies. Banning bonuses for failures and issuing tougher penalties is a very welcome first step by the Government – a down payment on the promised future reform that our broken system so desperately needs” 

    “Enjoying time in, on, or alongside water is vitally important in supporting the health and wellbeing of millions of people. Our community has campaigned tirelessly to raise awareness of the impact pollution is having on both people and nature. We will be watching closely to ensure that these new powers are used to their fullest, to hold polluters to account and begin to restore our precious blue spaces”. 

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Province Contributes $6.5 Million To Ronald Mcdonald House In Regina

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on February 24, 2025

    Saskatchewan Families with Sick Kids to Benefit From Home-Away-From-Home

    Today, the Government of Saskatchewan announced $6.5 million in funding to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). The funding will go toward the building of the first ever Ronald McDonald House in Regina.  

    “I am thrilled that Saskatchewan families will now have the option of staying at a Ronald McDonald Home when they come to Regina seeking medical care for their children,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “At a very stressful time in their lives, families will know they can rely on an affordable place where they feel welcome and cared for, while their child is undergoing medical treatment.” 

    The Ronald McDonald Home in Regina will provide a “home-away-from-home” for families whose children are undergoing treatments at nearby health care facilities. The design includes 20 bedrooms, a children’s playroom, outdoor play space and communal kitchen.

    “The government’s financial support to the house in this province is a historic moment for RMHC – SK and Saskatchewan families,” RMHC Saskatchewan Chief Executive Officer Tammy Forrester said. “We are beyond thrilled that this first ever provincial government contribution, into keeping families together during their child’s critical health care journey, will enable RMHC – SK to provide wrap around Family Centered Care. The capital investment will ensure that all Saskatchewan families will receive the support they need when they need it the most.”

    The new facility will be built on the corner of Scarth Street and 15th Avenue, keeping the facility centrally located and close to the Regina General Hospital.

    Families across the province have stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon. The Slobodian family have experienced firsthand what the home offers. 

    “Ronald McDonald House does not make the family’s journey easy, but it does make it easier,” Craig Slobodian said. “The Saskatoon House has helped many Saskatchewan families with mental and financial support. Adding a house in Regina will help more Saskatchewan families.”

    Ronald McDonald House Charities Saskatchewan was founded in 1985. RHMC currently operates two programs in Saskatchewan with Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon and Family Room in Prince Albert. Approximately 29,800 Saskatchewan families have been served by these programs. 

    Construction of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Regina will begin March 2025 and is expected to be completed in early 2027. 

    This chapter in family care excellence reflects government’s dedication to ensuring all Saskatchewan residents have access to compassionate care and essential support services.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Drugs Made in America Acquisition Corp. Announces Advisory Team

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Fort Lauderdale, FL, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Drugs Made in America Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: DMAAU), (the “Company”) today announced the formation of an advisory team to lead its effort towards acquiring a well-managed, revenue generating business for the foundation and development of “End to End production, manufacturing and distribution, for the Drugs Made In America Platform”.  Under the direction of Lynn Stockwell, Chief Executive Officer of DMAAU, the advisory team will proactively pursue the deliverable of a business or combinations that seeks to become a new competitive cost producer of drugs made in America. Onboarding production back to the USA creates jobs, mitigates national security risks and will ensure the American people will have clean, pure, cost-efficient medications through a resilient supply chain made in America.

    The advisory team includes Charles C. Conaway who is chairman of The Sabre group, a private capital business which has operated, acquired & originated a variety of businesses in the health, consumer and other segments.   Mr. Conaway has led and served on the Board of a variety of organizations, including Fortune 100 companies as President of CVS Corporation, where he led the successful restructuring to create CVS as a stand-alone public company.  Mr. Conaway was one of the lead architects in transforming CVS from a large retailer to one of largest health care companies in the U.S.

    The team also includes Paul J. Mastronardi and Edward A. Robinson.

    Mr. Mastronardi is a third-generation greenhouse grower and distributor in the North American market. He was recognized as a Top 10 Under 40 honoree by Greenhouse Canada in 2017 and as a Top 40 Under 40 honoree by Produce Business in 2024. Paul also serves on multiple boards across various industries and brings extensive experience in developing businesses.

    Mr. Robinson is the former Chief Executive Officer of BMW Financial Services N.A. He was responsible for the America’s Region, which included BMW Bank, an Industrial Loan Corporation in Salt Lake City, Utah. Since retiring from BMW, Mr. Robinson has acted as a consultant on a wide range of businesses including public and private entities.

    The team will leverage resources and networks for efficient outreach to commence immediately. The effort will be focused on creating proprietary transaction opportunities. The Company believe personal relationships built over time are critical not just in generating transaction opportunities, but also in consummating a business combination.

    About Drugs Made In America Acquisition Corp.

    The Company is a blank check company incorporated in the Cayman Islands as an exempted company incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization, or other similar business combination with one or more businesses. It has not selected any specific business combination target and has not, nor has anyone on its behalf, engaged in any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target with respect to an initial business combination. While the Company may pursue a business combination target in any business, industry or geographical location, it intends to focus its search for businesses in the pharmaceutical industry. The Company believes that it is possible to mitigate risks in the U.S. medical supply chain by investing in companies that will reduce America’s overreliance on production of pharmaceuticals from concentrated geographic regions through investments in strategic on-shoring of advanced domestic manufacturing technologies for critical drugs.

    Contact Information

    Drugs Made In America Acquisition Corp.
    1 East Broward Boulevard, Suite 700
    Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

    Lynn Stockwell

    Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chair
    Email: lynn@dmaacorp.com
    Phone: (954) 870-3099

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based. No assurance can be given that the offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described, or at all. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Registration Statement and related preliminary prospectus filed in connection with the initial public offering with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The quest to extend human life is both fascinating and fraught with moral peril

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Richard Gunderman, Chancellor’s Professor of Medicine, Liberal Arts, and Philanthropy, Indiana University

    Tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson has made it his life’s mission to delay aging and death. Netflix

    “Who wants to live forever?” Freddie Mercury mournfully asks in Queen’s 1986 song of the same name.

    The answer: Quite a few people – so much so that life extension has long been a cottage industry.

    As a physician and scholar in the medical humanities, I’ve found the quest to expand the human lifespan both fascinating and fraught with moral peril.

    During the 1970s and 80s, for example, The Merv Griffin Show featured one guest 32 times – life extension expert Durk Pearson, who generated more fan mail than any guest except Elizabeth Taylor. In 1982, he and his partner, Sandy Shaw, published the book “Life Extension: A Practical Scientific Approach,” which became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller and sold over 2 million copies. One specific recommendation involved taking choline and vitamin B5 in order to reduce cognitive decline, combat high blood pressure and reduce the buildup of toxic metabolic byproducts.

    Last year, Pearson died at 82, and Shaw died in 2022 at 79.

    The 1982 book by Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw, ‘Life Extension: A Practical Scientific Approach,’ has sold millions of copies.
    Amazon

    No one can say for sure whether these life extension experts died sooner or later than they would have had they eschewed many of these supplements and instead simply exercised and ate a balanced diet. But I can say that they did not live much longer than many similarly well-off people in their cohort.

    Still, their dream of staying forever young is alive and well.

    Consider tech entrepreneur Bryan Johnson’s “Project Blueprint,” a life-extension effort that inspired the 2025 Netflix documentary “Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever.” His program has included building a home laboratory, taking more than 100 pills each day and undergoing blood plasma transfusions, at least one of which came from his son.

    And Johnson is not alone. Among the big names investing big bucks to prolong their lives are Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Google founders Sergei Brin and Larry Page, and Oracle’s Larry Ellison. One approach involves taking senolytics – drugs that target cells that may drive the aging process, though more research is needed to determine their safety and efficacy. Another is human growth hormone, which has long been touted as an anti-aging mechanism in ad campaigns that feature remarkably fit older people. (“How does this 69-year-old doctor have the body of a 30-year-old?” reads one web ad).

    These billionaires may reason that, because of their wealth, they have more to live for than ordinary folks. They may also share more prosaic motivations, such as a fear of growing old and dying.

    But underlying such desires is an equally important ethical – and, for some, spiritual – reality.

    Quality versus quantity

    Is it a good thing, morally speaking, to wish to live forever? Might there be aspects of aging and even death that are both good for the world and good for individuals?

    Cicero’s “On Aging” offers some insights. In fact, the ancient Roman statesman and philosopher noted that writing about it helped him to find peace with the vexations of growing old.

    In the text, Cicero outlines and responds to four common complaints about aging: It takes us away from managing our affairs, impairs bodily vigor, deprives us of sensual gratifications and brings us to the verge of death.

    To the charge that aging takes us away from managing our affairs, Cicero asks us to imagine a ship. Only the young climb the masts, run to and fro on the gangways, and bail the hold. But it is among the older and more experienced members of the crew that we find the captain who commands the ship. Rome’s supreme council was called the Senate, from the Latin for “elder,” and it is to those rich in years that we look most often for wisdom.

    Cicero was keen to distinguish between quantity and quality of life.
    Crisfotolux/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    As to whether aging impairs bodily vigor, Cicero claimed that strength and speed are less related to age than discipline. Many older people who take care of themselves are in better shape than the young, and he gives examples of people who maintained their vigor well into their later years. He argued that those who remain physically fit do a great deal to sustain their mental powers, a notion supported by modern science.

    Cicero reminds readers that these same pleasures of eating and drinking often lead people astray. Instead, people, as they age, can better appreciate the pleasures of mind and character. A great dinner becomes characterized less by what’s on the plate or the attractiveness of a dining partner than the quality of conversation and fellowship.

    While death remains an inevitable consequence of aging, Cicero distinguishes between quality and quantity of life. He writes that it is better to live well than to live long, and for those who are living well, death appears as natural as birth. Those who want to live forever have forgotten their place in the cosmos, which does not revolve around any single person or even species.

    Those of a more spiritual bent might find themselves drawn to the Scottish poet George MacDonald, who wrote: “Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.”

    Embracing the circle of life

    What if the dreams of the life extension gurus were realized? Would the world be a better place?

    Would the extra good that a longer-lived Einstein could have accomplished be balanced or even exceeded by the harm of a Stalin who remained healthy and vigorous for decades beyond his death?

    At some point, preserving indefinitely the lives of those now living would mean less room for those who do not yet exist.

    Pearson and Shaw appeared on many other television programs in the 1970s and 1980s. During one such segment on “The Mike Douglas Show,” Pearson declared: “By the time you are 60, your immune function is perhaps one-fifth what it was when you were younger. Yet you can achieve a remarkable restoration simply by taking nutrients that you can get at a pharmacy or health food store.”

    For Pearson, life extension was a biomedical challenge, an effort more centered on engineering the self rather than the world.

    Despite making a living as life extension gurus, Durk Pearson, right, and Sandy Shaw didn’t live much longer than most Americans.

    Yet I would argue that the real challenge in human life is not to live longer, but to help others; adding extra years should be seen not as the goal but a byproduct of the pursuit of goodness.

    In the words of Susan B. Anthony: “The older I get, the greater power I seem to have to help the world; I am like a snowball – the further I am rolled, the more I gain.”

    Richard Gunderman 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. The quest to extend human life is both fascinating and fraught with moral peril – https://theconversation.com/the-quest-to-extend-human-life-is-both-fascinating-and-fraught-with-moral-peril-249430

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Rising house prices don’t just make it harder to become a homeowner – they also widen the racial wealth gap

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joe LaBriola, Research Assistant Professor, Survey Research Center, University of Michigan

    Homeownership – long a cornerstone of the “the American dream” – is increasingly out of reach for the average American. Over the past four decades, U.S. house prices have risen by 75% in real terms, pushing the costs of homeownership for the typical first-time homebuyer to a record high. At the same time, these rising prices have significantly boosted the wealth of existing homeowners.

    As a sociologist who studies inequality in America through the lens of housing, I’ve spent the past few years looking into how rising house prices have affected the wealth gap between white and Black households, which has widened significantly over the past four decades. White families had about US$90,000 more wealth – in 2021 dollars – than their Black counterparts in 1984, an alarmingly wide gap. But by 2021, the gap had widened to almost $160,000.

    My recent peer-reviewed research, published in the journal Social Problems, found that the rise in house prices between 1984 and 2021 accounted for most of this widening gap. Using data from the University of Michigan’s Panel Study of Income Dynamics, which tracks a nationally representative group of American families over time, I explored how homeowners’ wealth trajectories would have differed if they hadn’t benefited from rising house prices.

    I found that housing market appreciation widened the median wealth gap between white and Black households by nearly $50,000 between 1984 and 2021. Given that home prices have continued to rise since 2021, it’s fair to assume that this gap has widened further over the past few years.

    Why a rising tide doesn’t lift all boats

    I also investigated why rising house prices widened the wealth gap by so much. The most important cause is the long-standing disparity in homeownership rates. White households had a homeownership rate of 74% at the end of 2021, compared with only 43% for Black households. As a result, they were much more likely to have benefited from rising home values, which directly increased their home equity.

    White homeowners also tend to own more expensive homes than Black homeowners. While this is a less important factor, it means that they saw greater absolute gains in home equity than Black homeowners from the same percentage rise in the housing market.

    However, I also found an interesting exception: Black homeowners benefited more from neighborhood-level housing market trends. One possible explanation is that the gentrification of Black neighborhoods in recent decades led to outsize housing market appreciation in these neighborhoods – which disproportionately boosted the home equity of existing Black homeowners.

    The impact of history – and ideas for the future

    I became interested in housing and wealth inequality when I attended graduate school in the San Francisco Bay Area, one of the least affordable housing markets in the world. Many homeowners who had bought their homes in the 1970s for tens of thousands of dollars were now sitting on millions of dollars in home equity. Meanwhile, buying a home in this area seemed out of reach for all but the highest-earning families, effectively locking renters out of the wealth-building effects of rising house prices.

    My curiosity about rising house prices led me to explore how they shape wealth inequality – not just between homeowners and renters, but also between racial groups. The more I read, the more I learned about the many legal, political and social barriers that have kept Black families from becoming homeowners.

    These include exclusionary zoning policies and racial covenants that locked Black families out of many neighborhoods, reduced access to mortgage lending in historically Black neighborhoods, and persistent hiring and workplace discrimination that have kept Black families from accumulating wealth.

    Addressing these inequities will require thoughtful policy solutions. As a sociologist studying these issues, I have some recommendations on contemporary policies that can increase access to homeownership for less affluent households. Given racial disparities in wealth, these policies would also help to reduce racial gaps in homeownership:

    • Reform local housing regulations: By easing restrictions on housing development, cities can help alleviate the housing shortage that’s helping to drive up home prices. Austin, Texas, is an example of a city that has successfully curbed rising home prices by dramatically increasing its housing construction. Lower house prices would then allow a greater range of families to own homes.

    • Implement land value taxes: Traditional property taxes can discourage residential development because landowners pay higher taxes after they develop their land. In contrast, land value taxes are only assessed on the value of the land, which encourages landowners to put their land to the most productive use. Over time, land value taxes would lead to greater residential development in areas that need it most, which would then reduce upward pressures on house prices.

    • Subsidize homeownership: While using federal funds to subsidize homeownership would come with the risk of inflating prices, this could help more low-income households enter and maintain homeownership and thereby benefit from future housing market appreciation.

    Future directions for research

    I am currently extending this work in several directions. In collaboration with Ohio State University sociologist Chinyere Agbai and Stone Center for Inequality Dynamics Student Associate Nils Neumann, I am examining how the home mortgage interest deduction has affected the wealth gap between white and Black households over time. Introduced in 1913, this deduction is one of the largest tax breaks available to American households, but Black households are much less likely than white households to benefit from it, in part due to lower rates of homeownership.

    Our preliminary findings suggest the home mortgage interest deduction has substantially widened the wealth gap between white and Black households over the past several decades.

    I’m also investigating the role of parental wealth in helping children buy homes in increasingly unaffordable housing markets. My findings suggest that young homebuyers in expensive areas come from much wealthier backgrounds and receive more financial assistance when buying their homes than first-time homebuyers in other neighborhoods. I also found that family help makes young adults substantially more likely to become first-time homeowners.

    If Americans want to work toward creating a more equitable society, understanding the connections between housing, wealth and racial inequality is an important place to start.

    In conducting this research, Joe LaBriola received support from the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Center for Inequality Dynamics at the University of Michigan, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the UC Berkeley Opportunity Lab, the Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy, and the UC Berkeley Institute for Governmental Studies.

    – ref. Rising house prices don’t just make it harder to become a homeowner – they also widen the racial wealth gap – https://theconversation.com/rising-house-prices-dont-just-make-it-harder-to-become-a-homeowner-they-also-widen-the-racial-wealth-gap-250020

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Can animals have mental disabilities?

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Rachel Blaser, Professor of Neuroscience, Cognition and Behavior, University of San Diego

    Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com.

    Are there any animals with mental disabilities? – Adria G.

    Max was a fun-loving Labrador retriever who enjoyed going for car rides and greeting clients at his owner’s office. But around age 16, Max suddenly started having accidents in the house and stopped sleeping well at night. He became irritable and seemed not to understand the words and commands he had long known.

    Max was showing symptoms of a disorder called cognitive dysfunction syndrome, which can affect cats and dogs as they age. In dogs, it looks very similar to Alzheimer’s disease, which causes memory loss and dementia in humans, usually as they grow older.

    I study how humans and other animals learn, and my research involves working with many different species, from bees to pigeons and crawfish. Part of my work involves paying attention to conditions that can affect mental health in animals.

    Sometimes genetic or developmental changes affect how the brain is built, which can lead to mental disabilities or learning differences. In other cases, animals may be exposed to scary or stressful situations that can cause mental health problems. Here are some examples:

    Many dogs become stressed during thunderstorms. Creating a comfortable, enclosed “safe” space without windows inside your house can help.

    Understanding animal genes

    Down syndrome is a common genetic condition that can slow down learning and thinking in humans. People born with Down syndrome may have a harder time learning new things, remembering information and making complicated decisions.

    Down syndrome is caused by changes to a chromosome – the strands in our cells that store our genes. Normally, people have 23 pairs of chromosomes; when someone is born with an extra copy of chromosome 21, it produces the effects of Down syndrome.

    Most animals can’t have Down syndrome, because their genes are organized into chromosomes differently than human genes. However, our closest relatives, including chimpanzees and orangutans, do have a similar organization of genes. Conditions very much like Down syndrome have been observed in these species.

    One example, Kanako, was a female chimpanzee born in a research facility in Japan. She had vision and heart problems caused by an extra chromosome. Scientists don’t know whether Kanako had trouble with learning, because her vision problems made that difficult to test. However, Kanako enjoyed socializing with other chimpanzees and lived a long life in a wildlife sanctuary.

    Wild chimpanzees are probably also sometimes born with genetic conditions like Down syndrome, but the effects make it difficult to survive in the wild, just like being born with a heart or a foot that doesn’t develop normally. Kanako was able to live a healthy life thanks to the help of her human caretakers and good veterinary care.

    Science historian Laurel Braitman explains how she worked to understand her dog’s mental health disorders, and how studying these problems in animals can offer insights for treating similar problems in humans.

    Coping with trauma and stress

    Animals that are born healthy can also develop mental health problems in response to conditions around them.

    For example, just as soldiers may develop post-traumatic stress disorder after experiencing a life-threatening situation, working military and police dogs can develop a similar condition. Dogs with canine PTSD may cling to their owners, startle at everyday noises, or frequently act panicky or fearful.

    Veterinarians can prescribe anti-anxiety medication to help these dogs stay calm during scary events, like fireworks or thunderstorms. Owners also can use behavioral treatments to reward the dogs for staying calm and relaxed around things that seem frightening.

    Most traumatic events, like earthquakes or car accidents, can’t be predicted in advance. However, in some cases, such as capturing and restraining a wild animal to relocate it, workers use tranquilizers or sedatives to make the animal sleepy, or cover its eyes and ears to reduce fear and prevent long-lasting problems.

    Another common cause of mental health problems in animals is daily stress. Animals held in captivity at zoos, farms or research labs may experience stress from sources such as traffic noises, uncomfortable temperatures or not being able to engage in certain natural behaviors.

    Animals have many signature behaviors: Penguins swim, meerkats dig, baboons socialize and chickens take dust baths. When animals can’t do important behaviors, they may experience stress and mental problems.

    To keep this from happening, zookeepers and animal caretakers provide environmental enrichment – objects, structures and activities that stimulate the animals’ minds and help keep them from getting bored.

    An African penguin at the Maryland Zoo snatches at a knotted fire hose. Giving penguins novel objects to explore is one way to enriching their lives in captivity.
    Pacific Southwest Forest Service, USDA, CC BY

    Supporting your pet

    Sometimes it’s easy to see when animals are stressed or anxious. They may pace back and forth, spend their days in hiding or be unusually aggressive. Getting sick frequently or losing weight can also be a sign of poor mental health. Certain hormones, called corticosteroids, can be measured from a poop sample to provide clues about whether an animal is under too much stress.

    Even pets in loving homes can experience mental health problems. Some dogs struggle with separation anxiety – extreme fear of being left alone by their owner. Lack of mental or physical activity can also produce anxiety symptoms.

    Whether it means taking your dog to the dog park to run and socialize, or building puzzles that hide treats for your parakeet to find, keeping animals busy is good for them. In more serious cases, veterinarians can prescribe medication or behavioral treatments to help your pet feel better.

    Humans can use science to understand the many conditions that affect mental health in animals and find treatments to help them. We also can show compassion and care for others – whether human or animal – who experience mental problems.

    Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.

    And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.

    Rachel Blaser 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. Can animals have mental disabilities? – https://theconversation.com/can-animals-have-mental-disabilities-247082

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Roman society integrated people who altered their bodies and defied gender norms

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Tom Sapsford, Assistant professor of Classical Studies, Boston College

    A relief showing a gallus making sacrifices to the goddess Cybele and Attis. Sailko via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    A few weeks into his second term, President Donald Trump signed two executive orders restricting the rights of trans workers in the federal government. The first was a renewal of the ban on transgender people joining the U.S. military – initially signed in 2017 and later repealed by President Joe Biden in 2021. The second was a more sweeping memo that recognizes only two sexes in federal records and policies.

    In the ancient Roman world, which I study, biological sex and gender expression did not always line up as neatly as the president is demanding to see in today’s government.

    In antiquity, there were masculine women, feminine men and people who altered their bodies to match their gender expression more closely. In particular, two figures – the cinaedus and the gallus – provide examples of men whose effeminate behavior and modified anatomies were striking yet still integrated into Roman society.

    The cinaedus and the commander in chief

    In ancient Rome, some men who did not fit neatly within gender categories were called “cinaedi.” They were usually adult males singled out for their extreme effeminacy and nonnormative sexual desires.

    The cinaedus was already a recognizable figure in ancient Greece and was first mentioned in the fourth century B.C. by Plato. He says little more than that a cinaedus’ life was terrible, base and miserable. Later Roman authors provide more detail.

    Martial, a Roman poet writing in the first century A.D., for instance, describes a cinaedus’ dysfunctional penis as like a “soggy leather strap” in one epigram. In the same century, the Roman novelist Petronius has a cinaedus suggest that both he and his fellows have had their genitals removed.

    In a fable by Phaedrus, also written in the first century A.D., a barbarian is threatening the troops of the military leader, Pompey the Great. All are afraid to challenge this fierce opponent until a “cinaedus” volunteers to fight.

    The cinaedus is described as a soldier of great size but with a cracked voice and mincing walk. After pleading permission in a stereotypically lisping manner from Pompey the Great, his commander in chief, the cinaedus steps into battle. He quickly severs the barbarian’s head and, with army agog, is summarily rewarded by Pompey.

    In Phaedrus’ fable, the cinaedus is untrustworthy. He is described as having stolen valuables from Pompey early on in the tale and then later swears on oath that he hasn’t.

    Yet the moral of Phaedrus’ fable of the soldier-cinaedus is that such deceptive appearances and actions might actually be strategically successful in military matters. The cinaedus has an edge over Pompey’s other soldiers precisely due to his disarming effeminacy. In the tale, this doesn’t at all diminish his skills as a lethal fighter. Rather, the cinaedus’ effeminacy combined with his martial valor ultimately lead to the barbarian’s defeat.

    Trans priests and the safety of the Roman state

    The galli, another group that lived in the heart of the city of Rome, also blurred gender roles. They were males who had castrated their genitalia in dedication to the Great Mother goddess Cybele, who was their protector.

    As reported by several ancient sources, including Cicero and Livy, in 204 B.C. the Roman state consulted a set of prophetic scrolls called the Sibylline Oracles on how best to respond to the pressures it faced as a result of the Second Punic War – Rome’s prolonged conflict with Carthage and its fierce military general, Hannibal.

    The oracles’ answer – and Rome’s subsequent action – was to import a strange and foreign religious order from Asia Minor into the heart of Rome, where it would remain for the next several hundred years.

    The temple of Cybele was located on the Palatine Hill, next to several important shrines, monuments and later even the residence of the Emperor Augustus. As the poet Ovid tells us, each year during Cybele’s festival the galli would proceed through the streets of Rome carrying a statue of the goddess, while ululating wildly in time with the sound of wailing pipes, banging drums and crashing cymbals.

    More so than the figure of the cinaedus, ancient literary sources present the galli’s gender difference similarly to modern-day trans women, often using feminine pronouns when describing them.

    For instance, the poet Catullus details the origin story of the galli’s founder figure, Attis, who was Cybele’s mythical consort and chief priest. Notably, Catullus switches from using masculine adjectives to feminine ones at the very moment of Attis’ self-castration.

    Attis.

    Similarly, in his novel, “The Golden Ass,” the second century A.D. writer Apuleius has one gallus address his fellow devotees as “girls.”

    While several ancient sources mock these figures for their gender-nonconforming appearance and behaviors, it is nevertheless evident that the galli held a sacred place within the Roman state. They were viewed as being important to Rome’s continued safety and prominence.

    For example, Plutarch in his “Life of Marius” relates that a priest of the Great Mother came to Rome in 103 B.C. to convey an oracle that the Romans would be triumphant in war. Though believed by the Senate, this priest, Bataces, was mocked mercilessly in the plebian assembly. However, when the individual who had insulted Bataces swiftly died of a terrible fever, the plebians too gave this oracle and the goddess’s prophetic powers their backing.

    Today’s trans issues

    Behind Trump’s executive orders are two assertions: first, that transgender identity is a form of ideology: a modern invention created to justify deviance from one’s sex as assigned at birth; second, that transgender identity is both a form of disease and of dishonesty.

    The reissued military ban doubles down on the perceived dishonesty of trans folk, contrasting it with the ideals and principles needed for combat. The order states that the “adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual’s sex conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle.”

    Taking a long view of gender diversity across millennia has shown me that many individuals in antiquity certainly lived lives outside of the clear-cut formula that the Trump administration has stated, namely that “women are biologically female and men are biologically male.”

    Gender diversity is not simply a late 20th- or early 21st-century phenomenon. However, the fear that gender-diverse people are diseased and devious likewise arises in several ancient sources. In the classical world, these fears seem limited to the realms of satire and fantasy; in our current time, we are seeing these fears being harnessed for government policy.

    This article incorporates material from a story originally published on Aug. 1, 2017.

    Tom Sapsford is affiliated with the Lambda Classical Caucus.

    – ref. How Roman society integrated people who altered their bodies and defied gender norms – https://theconversation.com/how-roman-society-integrated-people-who-altered-their-bodies-and-defied-gender-norms-248726

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Delivery driver who spent Covid funds on drugs and gambling also withdrew cash for home renovations just before he went bankrupt

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Delivery driver who spent Covid funds on drugs and gambling also withdrew cash for home renovations just before he went bankrupt

    Bounce Back Loan fraudster handed suspended sentence and curfew

    • Amraiz Mahmood secured more than £20,000 in Covid support funds by falsely declaring he had a turnover of £81,000 as a self-employed delivery driver and courier  
    • Mahmood spent the money on drugs and gambling and also used a separate non-Covid related loan for almost £40,000 worth of renovations to his home just before he filed for his own bankruptcy 
    • Insolvency Service investigations have resulted in Mahmood being given a suspended prison sentence and 12-month curfew 

    A delivery driver who spent Covid support funds he was not entitled to on drugs and gambling has been sentenced. 

    Amraiz Mahmood fraudulently secured a £20,250 Bounce Back Loan from his bank in 2020 by overstating his 2019 turnover by more than £65,000. 

    The 31-year-old then claimed to have assets of only £100 despite withdrawing almost £40,000 in cash for home improvements in the weeks before he filed for his own bankruptcy.  

    Mahmood, of Booker Lane, High Wycombe, was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years, when he appeared at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Friday 21 February. 

    He is also now subject to a 12-month daily curfew between 9pm and 7.45am which will be monitored with an electronic tag. 

    Mark Stephens, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: 

    Amraiz Mahmood hugely inflated his turnover to secure taxpayers’ money he did not deserve. He then clearly failed to use the loan as it was intended.  

    Bounce Back Loans were designed to support small businesses through the pandemic. They were not intended to be used for personal gain and the Insolvency Service will not hesitate to take action when we identify such blatant abuse of the scheme. 

    Mahmood also concealed tens of thousands of pounds in assets from the Official Receiver when he was declared bankrupt.

    Mahmood fraudulently applied for his Bounce Back Loan in May 2020, claiming his turnover as a self-employed courier and delivery driver was £81,000. 

    His self-assessment return for 2018-19 however showed an income of only £15,018. 

    Mahmood said that he spent the majority of the money he claimed on recreational drugs and gambling. 

    In May 2021, one year on from fraudulently securing the Bounce Back Loan, Mahmood applied for bankruptcy, stating he had assets of just £100 and liabilities of more than £200,000. 

    However, just one month before his bankruptcy, Mahmood had secured a non-Covid related loan from his bank worth £25,000 having also withdrawn £2,000 from his account in the days and weeks before. 

    He then withdrew a further £37,950 in cash across several transactions before being declared bankrupt. 

    Mahmood said he withdrew the money as he needed to make repairs to his home and he knew the assets would be frozen once the bankruptcy order was made. 

    Invoices for the house renovations were dated after Mahmood’s bankruptcy however, meaning he was in possession of the funds when he told the Official Receiver he only had £100 in assets. 

    Mahmood signed an eight-year Bankruptcy Restrictions Undertaking in March 2022, restricting him from being able to borrow more than £500 without disclosing his bankrupt status. 

    Efforts are now being made to recover the funds from Mahmood. 

    Further information 

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Transform Your Space with Samsung’s Blue Tag Sale Deals

    Source: Samsung

     
    As part of the Blue Tag Sale, Samsung is proud to present an exciting selection of home technology and appliances designed to transform your living space into a more productive, personalised, and efficient environment. These innovative products provide the perfect opportunity to enhance your home and unlock your creativity.
     
    With a focus on both form and function, Samsung’s latest TVs and monitors bring cutting-edge technology into your home, allowing you to work smarter, play harder, and inspire your creative spirit. Whether you’re seeking the ultimate entertainment experience or a workstation that fosters productivity, Samsung’s products are built to meet the demands of modern living.

    Transforming Lounge Spaces
    Samsung’s TVs offer stunning picture quality, immersive sound, and smart features like streaming services, and gaming capabilities, making them perfect for entertainment and relaxation. The Frame TV, a unique product from Samsung, can be seamlessly be integrated into your space, serving as both a TV and a piece of art when not in use.
     

     
    Transforming Creativity Spaces
    Samsung’s monitors, such as the Odyssey series, provide high-resolution displays and colour accuracy making them ideal for creative work. These monitors feature a sleek, futuristic design that will make your setup the envy of all your friends.

    Discover Samsung’s Transformative Home and Workspace Solutions:
    Samsung 98 Inch Crystal UHD DU9000 4K Tizen OS Smart TV (UA98DU9000KXXA)
    If you want to take your home entertainment to the next level, the 98″ Crystal UHD DU9000 offers excellent image quality and size, creating an awe-inspiring focal point in your living area. Available for R49,999* (save 20,000), this TV is perfect for viewing from any angle and will elevate your creative space to new heights.
     
    Samsung 65″ The Frame Art Mode QLED 4K Smart TV (QA65LS03BAKXXA)
    Bringing art and technology together, The Frame is the ideal addition to any creative home. When not in use as a TV, it displays beautiful artwork in Art Mode. Available for R21,999* (save R3,000), this stylish 65-inch QLED TV helps foster an inspiring atmosphere while blending seamlessly with your home décor.
     
    Samsung The Freestyle 2nd Gen (SP-LFF3CLAXXXA)
    Available for only R9,999* (save R999), the Freestyle 2nd Gen portable projector offers versatility with the ability to project onto almost any surface. Whether you want to create a home cinema experience or present creative ideas to clients, this compact projector can turn any space into a productivity powerhouse.
     
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    At just R7,999* (save R2,000), this smart monitor doubles as both a workstation and entertainment hub, with USB-C connectivity, built-in speakers, and UHD resolution to bring your projects to life. With a design that complements modern homes, it’s an all-in-one solution for productivity and creativity.
     
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    Both gamers and professionals would enjoy the Odyssey G55C, which offers an exceptional 165Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time for a smooth and responsive experience. Now available for R6,499* (save R1,500), this curved monitor helps create an immersive workspace where you can both work and play.
     
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    For more information, visit www.samsung.com/za

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Plymouth marks three years of Russian invasion of Ukraine

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Plymouth is paying tribute to the enduring courage of the Ukrainian people as it marks three years since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began.

    The blue and yellow flag of Ukraine is flying from a flagpole in the Civic Square and the Lord Mayor of Plymouth has reflected on the grim anniversary at Full Council.

    Councillor Tina Tuohy, The Lord Mayor of Plymouth said: “Three years – three years of a devastating conflict that we are still watching play out on our screens night after night.

    “With the world leaders currently embroiled in a war of words, it is important to reflect on the war on the ground and the unimaginable suffering the population of Ukraine has endured.

    “I am proud that our city has been able to do its bit for those who have been forced to flee their homeland and seek sanctuary here.

    “We are proud of our quick response to the Homes For Ukraine scheme, which was launched in March 2022 and that we were able to welcome over 200 Ukrainians that year. We have since welcomed over 70 more guests to Plymouth.

    “Many of our residents opened up their homes to host those fleeing from Ukraine and we continue to see new sponsors registering to offer their support.

    “Organisations across the city continue to offer support and a warm welcome to make sure they can access vital services such as health care, education, social care and English language lessons.

    “To the Ukrainians here in Plymouth who will be thinking of their family and friends back home, we stand with you.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Rate Launches 1stResponder+ Program, Offering Mortgage Balance Coverage to Those Working in the Line of Duty

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rate, the second largest retail lender in the U.S. and a leader in fintech mortgage solutions, is proud to announce the launch of its 1stResponder+ Program, a new initiative designed to provide financial peace of mind to active first responders and their families.

    Underscoring Rate’s commitment to those who serve and protect our communities every day, the 1stResonder+ program offers eligible first responders a complimentary, one-year accidental death insurance policy that covers their mortgage balance—up to $650,000—in the event that the first responder passes away in the line of duty. This program can be paired with Rate’s agency conventional, FHA, VA, and USDA product offerings, providing flexible options for borrowers who meet both loan program and product criteria.

    Eligible professions include:

    • Law Enforcement Officers: Police officers, correction officers, and Homeland Security personnel (including military border patrol).
    • Emergency Medical Services: EMTs, paramedics, ambulance personnel, search and rescue teams, and air ambulance crews.
    • Fire Service: Firefighters and search and rescue personnel.

    “First responders are the backbone of our communities, putting their lives at risk every day to ensure the public’s safety and well-being,” said Victor Ciardelli, President and CEO of Rate. “The 1stResponder+ program is our way of saying thank you and ensuring their families are protected, should the unthinkable occur. This initiative reflects our gratitude and respect for these individuals.”

    The 1stResponser+ not only highlights Rate’s focus on advancing the mortgage industry, but also reinforces its mission to make homeownership attainable and secure for those who selflessly serve others.

    Rate loan officers are dedicated to supporting the communities that they serve in many different ways. In addition to 1stResponder+, Rate offers an extensive product suite that includes, but is not limited to, a wide variety of Affordable, Jumbo, and Non-QM products and programs. Whether you are a first responder or not, Rate has an option that will best fit your needs.

    About Rate

    Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, Rate is the #2 retail mortgage lender in the U.S., with over 850 branches across all 50 states and Washington D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Rate has helped more than 2 million homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates, and delivering unparalleled customer service. Honors and awards include Best Mortgage Lender for First-Time Homebuyers by NerdWallet for 2023; HousingWire’s Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashClose℠ digital mortgage platform in 2020, MyAccount in 2022, and Language Access Program in 2023; No. 2 ranking in Scotsman Guide’s 2022 list of Top Retail Mortgage Lenders; the most Scotsman Guide Top Originators for 11 consecutive years; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for seven consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list for seven straight years. Visit rate.com for more information.

    Press Contact

    press@rate.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Halo Investing and NewEdge Investment Solutions Deepen Ties to expand NewEdge Structured Note SMA availability on Leading Wealth Management Platforms

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — 2024 was a good year for markets. It was an even better year for Structured Notes, with issuance surging to another record high. Halo Investing (“Halo”), an award-winning platform for protective investing and NewEdge Investment Solutions (“NewEdge”), a GIPS-compliant—division of NewEdge Wealth, LLC with over $4 billion in assets under management, are helping fuel this growth.

    A 2023 partnership between the firms made NewEdge’s Structured Note separately managed account (SMA) Strategies available on the Halo platform. Driven by advisor demand and a sign of how quickly the market for Structured Notes is maturing, this week NewEdge announced their suite of Structured Note SMA strategies are now available on investment platforms Envestnet and SMArtX.

    “That advisors can now, with just a few simple clicks, add professionally managed Structured Note strategies, cannot be overstated,” said Matt Radgowski, Halo Investing’s CEO. “A few years ago, if an advisor wanted to add Notes to a client portfolio, it could take weeks and countless follow-ups. Those days are gone. Our partnership with NewEdge makes Structured Note investing easier than ever. If you’re still treating these products as operationally complicated, your competitors are eating your lunch.”

    “We’re proud to lead the revolution on how investors access and position Structured Notes in their portfolios,” adds NewEdge Structured Note Strategies Portfolio Manager Michaelangelo Dooley, CFP®. “The benefits of Structured Notes for suitable clients are well-documented, but client education and achieving the best execution and portfolio integration has traditionally been cumbersome for financial advisors. With Halo’s support, we are proud to offer advisors across the country our differentiated, managed solutions and provide them a better way to invest in Structured Notes.”

    With the help of NewEdge’s portfolio management expertise, Halo Investing leads the distribution and advisor onboarding of NewEdge strategies. Halo’s library of educational resources helps advisors make the most of Structured Notes. If you’re interested in learning more, please email us at marketplace.sales@haloinvesting.com, and the Halo team will follow up.

    About Halo Investing
    Founded in 2015, Halo Investing is an award-winning technology platform that disrupts how protective investment solutions are used worldwide. Headquartered in Chicago, with an office in Abu Dhabi, Halo is democratizing access to investment solutions, including Structured Notes and annuities, that were previously unavailable to most investors. Halo has received a growing number of honors and was recently named one of Fast Company’s Ten Most Innovative Companies. For more information, please visit: http://www.haloinvesting.com.

    Halo Investing, Inc. is not a broker/dealer. Securities offered through Halo Securities, LLC, a SEC registered broker/dealer and member of FINRA/SIPC. Halo Securities, LLC is affiliated with Halo Investing Insurance Services, LLC and Halo Investment Services, LLC. Halo Securities, LLC acts solely as distributor/selling agent and is not the issuer or guarantor of any structured note products.

    For media inquiries, please contact:
    Halo Investing
    Vladislav Moldavskiy
    vlad.moldavskiy@haloinvesting.com

    About NewEdge Wealth
    NewEdge Wealth is a division of NewEdge Capital Group, LLC. NewEdge Capital Group services multiple business lines and supports over 450 financial advisors servicing several thousand households, family offices and institutions. NewEdge Capital Group, LLC, a Barron’s Top 100 RIA Firm and Forbes’ America’s Top RIA Firm*, is the wealth management business unit of EdgeCo Holdings LP, which has over 900 employees.

    NewEdge Wealth is designed to meet the needs of ultra high net worth, family office and institutional clients. The division seeks to provide a select group of clients with a personalized level of service and attention designed to help organize and simplify their lives, while also providing access to an expansive menu of institutional caliber products and services — all wrapped in technology that serves as the connective tissue between the client and their advisor to create a stronger, more personal relationship. Investment advisory services are offered through NewEdge Wealth, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Securities are offered through NewEdge Securities, LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. NewEdge and its affiliates do not render advice on legal, tax and/or tax accounting matters to clients. Each client should consult his/her personal tax and/or legal advisor to learn about any potential tax or other implications that may result from acting on a particular recommendation.

    *Barron’s rankings awarded in September 2024 based on prior 12 month data. Forbes/Shook rankings awarded in October 2024 based on data from 3/31/23-3/31/24. Neither NewEdge Wealth nor its employees pay a fee in exchange for these rankings.

    Media Inquiries
    Donald Cutler or Lorene Yue
    Haven Tower Group
    424.317.4864 or 424.317.4854
    dcutler@haventower.com or lyue@haventower.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: EnerPure Announces Successful Completion of SDTC Project

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Winnipeg, MB, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EnerPure Inc. (“EnerPure” or the “Company”), a recycling and energy transition company, is pleased to announce the successful completion of its SDTC project and receipt of its final payment under the funding agreement.

    “We are incredibly grateful to Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) for their support during the critical final stages of our technology development and the development of our market rollout plans. We set some lofty goals back in 2019 when we first entered into the agreement with SDTC, they kept us accountable to delivering into those goals while also providing financial support throughout the pandemic. The submission of the final report and receipt of the final grant installment provides further validation and confirmation of our readiness to commercially deploy our recycling plants,” commented Todd Habicht, Chairman, CEO and Founder.

    The project funding provided by SDTC enabled EnerPure to optimize and complete the development of its technology, and to advance the company’s goal of deploying 21 recycling plants in six years (our 21/6 goal). The achievement of this goal will result in the cumulative reduction of one million tonnes of GHG emissions during this six-year period. In total, STDC contributed $3.47 million in funding to the project. This SDTC funding, in conjunction with other provincial and federal grants, and our own fund-raising initiatives has resulted in ~$40m in investment over the last 15 years into the development of our state-of-the-art technology for recycling Used Motor Oil (UMO). This technology produces marine fuel that has a carbon intensity 14.6% lower than other petroleum-based marine fuels available in the market and has a sulphur content of less than 0.1%.

    On January 16, 2025, EnerPure announced the results of its recent environmental benefits study, completed as a part of our SDTC project, wherein it was noted that each EnerPure recycling plant would deliver annual GHG emission reductions of 36,315 tonnes and the elimination of 437 tonnes of CACs (Criteria Air Contaminants) per recycling plant. We remain excited about the prospects for 2025 and beyond as we work towards the deployment of our first full-scale commercial plant in Canada’s oil and gas heartland, Alberta.

    About EnerPure – https://enerpure.tech

    “We recycle Used Motor Oil (UMO) to reduce GHG emissions while producing a lower carbon-intensive marine fuel.”

    With an estimated 17 billion litres of UMO1 burned or dumped (~70% of total UMO) around the world each year, the improper disposal of UMO is a growing environmental and societal problem. EnerPure sees a tremendous opportunity to solve this problem through the deployment of its micro-scale recycling plants using its patented technology to convert UMO into high-quality marine fuel.

    Our micro-scale recycling plants have a significantly lower capex (approximately 5% of traditional solutions) which provides localized solutions for the recycling of UMO while significantly reducing the cost of collection.

    Our technology has been proven via our pilot plant with 1.6 million litres processed and validated through fuel sales of over 1.2 million litres. Our marine fuel is in high demand in this growing market due to meeting and exceeding the exacting requirements of the ISO 8217 marine fuel standard while delivering a 14.6% lower carbon intensity. Annually each recycling plant can reduce greenhouse gas (“GHG”) emissions and criteria air containments (“CAC”) by 36,315 and 437 tonnes, respectively.

    With EnerPure’s solution, environmental need meets strong economic returns to enable regional recycling of the disseminated UMO problem; we believe that recycling will fuel the energy transition.

    1UMO is defined as any petroleum-based or synthetic lubricating oil that cannot be used for its original purpose due to contamination.

    Disclosure and Caution

    This press release may contain certain disclosures that may constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. In making the forward-looking statements, the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable. However, the forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors, including but not limited to economic, capital expenditures and engineering projections, that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    The securities referred to in this news release have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States unless pursuant to an exemption therefrom. This press release is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta Commits $60 Million for Homeownership Grants

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLBank Atlanta) announced today that it is making $60 million in grant funding available through two enhanced programs to help families and individuals purchase or rehabilitate a home. Financial institutions that are members of FHLBank Atlanta can apply for funding to distribute to eligible customers beginning today, Feb. 24, 2025.

    “We are pleased to expand our support for homebuyers and homeowners this year, especially in light of challenges including high home prices and recent natural disasters,” said FHLBank Atlanta President and CEO Kirk Malmberg. “These programs have been designed to assist both first-time and repeat homebuyers, low- and moderate-income families, members of public service occupations, and those in declared emergency areas. We anticipate this funding will significantly impact the lives of thousands of people.”  

    FHLBank Atlanta is committing $40 million through its 2025 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) Homeownership Set-aside Program. Each member financial institution can access up to $750,000 to distribute through three products:

    • First-time Homebuyer: Provides up to $17,500 in downpayment, closing cost, or rehabilitation assistance to first-time homebuyers in connection with the purchase of an existing home. This is an increase from $12,500 offered in 2024.
    • Community Partners: Provides up to $20,000 in downpayment, closing cost, counseling, or rehabilitation assistance in connection with the purchase or purchase and rehabilitation of an existing home by employed or retired law enforcement officers, educators, firefighters, health care workers, veterans and surviving spouses, and other first responders. This is an increase from $15,000 offered in 2024.
    • Community Rebuild and Restore: Provides up to $25,000 in funding for the rehabilitation of an existing owner-occupied home in Major Disaster Declaration areas as designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or by a local, state, or other federal government agency. This funding per unit is up from $10,000 in 2024.

    FHLBank Atlanta is contributing $20 million to promote affordable housing through its Workforce Housing Plus+ Program, developed for borrowers with incomes between 80.01% and 120% of the area median income (AMI).

    • Member financial institutions can access up to $500,000 each and disburse grants up to $15,000 per eligible borrower for downpayment and closing costs.
    • Homes must be the primary residence of each grant recipient and located in FHLBank Atlanta’s district, which includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

    “As a member of FHLBank Atlanta, we have access to a range of affordable housing programs, including downpayment assistance, which reduces barriers to homeownership for many people,” said Paul Phillips, President and CEO of Freedom First Federal Credit Union. “By applying for FHLBank Atlanta funding to distribute, we are creating a ripple effect of positive change – empowering local individuals and families to invest in their futures and build generational wealth while strengthening communities. As a community development financial institution (CDFI), these programs are a powerful way that we fulfill our mission to help people prosper and help communities thrive.”

    Visit the FHLBank Atlanta website for full detail and eligibility requirements for the 2025 Homeownership Set-aside Program and Workforce Housing Plus+ Program. Funds to member institutions are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Borrower contribution and credit counseling are required for most products.

    If you need assistance connecting with a member financial institution, or for more information, call the Bank’s Community Investment Services department at 1.800.536.9650, option 3.

    About FHLBank Atlanta
    FHLBank Atlanta offers competitively-priced financing, community development grants, and other banking services to help member financial institutions make affordable home mortgages and provide economic development credit to neighborhoods and communities. The Bank’s members – its shareholders and customers – are commercial banks, credit unions, savings institutions, community development financial institutions, and insurance companies located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. FHLBank Atlanta is one of 11 district Banks in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. Since 1990, the FHLBanks have awarded approximately $9.1 billion in Affordable Housing Program funds, assisting more than 1.2 million households.

    For more information, visit our website at www.fhlbatl.com.

    CONTACT: Sheryl Touchton
    Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta
    stouchton@fhlbatl.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 3 ways Trump is acting like a king and bypassing the Constitution’s checks and balances on presidential authority

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By David Lopez, University Professor of Law, Rutgers University – Newark

    Donald Trump’s efforts to expand presidential power defy the Constitutional separation of powers. zimmytws/iStock via Getty Images

    I learned basic civics in my public school. But mostly, because it was more interesting, I also learned civics after school watching the animated series “Schoolhouse Rock,” often with my abuela – my grandmother – who took care of me.

    Back then, “Schoolhouse Rock” had a wonderful episode, “Three Ring Government.” In singing narration, the characters explained “about the government, and how it’s arranged, divided in three, like a three-ring circus.”

    Those three circles, all the same size, kept each other honest. For many in my generation, those three rings were our introduction to the idea of the checks and balances built into the U.S. government. They include the separation of powers among the legislative, judicial and executive branches.

    In short, we learned, Congress passes the laws, the president administers the laws, and the courts interpret the laws.

    This elegant but simple system stood in contrast to the nearly unshackled power of the British king, who ruled over the American colonies before independence. And it provided representation for “We the People,” because we vote for members of Congress.

    During its first month, the second Trump administration has pushed a new balance of these powers, granting the president expansive and far-reaching authority. These actions imperil the power of elected lawmakers in the House and Senate to pass legislation, oversee the federal government and exercise spending authority.

    Most U.S. legal scholars regarded these issues as fairly settled. Trump’s recent actions, however, have unsettled this understanding.

    Here are three examples of how the balance of power is being upset by Trump and his administration:

    The explanation of the separation of powers in the U.S. government in “Schoolhouse Rock.”

    Independent agencies

    On Jan. 28, 2025, President Donald Trump fired Gwynne Wilcox, a Democratic member of the National Labor Relations Board, three years before the end of her five-year term.

    The National Labor Relations Board, or NLRB, established in New Deal legislation in 1935, was designed to ensure industrial peace by protecting the rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively. Congress created the board as a bipartisan body to resolve allegations of unfair labor practices brought by workers or management.

    By design, the board operated independently from Cabinet-level departments. Congress sought to preserve this independence by ensuring that board members serve a fixed term and could be removed only for “neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, but for no other cause.”

    This independent structure – shared by other agencies such as the Securities Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission – aims to provide regulatory consistency, slightly removed from the political passions of the day.

    Some legal scholars have been percolating an argument that the Constitution requires the Supreme Court to limit those agencies’ Congressionally endowed independence in favor of more expansive presidential authority, even though the court decided this issue unanimously in 1935.

    Wilcox is suing the administration for its apparent violation of Congress’ statutory language by firing her.

    “Ms. Wilcox is the first Black woman to serve on the Board, the first Black woman to serve as its Chair, and – if the President’s action is allowed to stand – will also be the first member to be removed from office since the Board’s inception in 1935,” the lawsuit states.

    If this case makes it to the Supreme Court, and the court takes the unusual step of reversing itself, its ruling would imperil the independent structure, not just of this agency but of other agencies too.

    Asylum laws

    Congress created a comprehensive system of laws for processing the asylum claims of people who say they are fleeing persecution or torture to seek protection in the U.S.

    These laws allow applicants to show likelihood of harm if they could not stay in the U.S. They were originally adopted in response to humanitarian crises, including when Jews fleeing Nazi Germany were turned away by the U.S., among other countries.

    As part of Trump’s declaration, on his first day in back in office, that immigration is both a “national immigration emergency” and an “invasion” under Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution, the president essentially shut down the asylum process at U.S. ports of entry. His proclamation canceled the appointments of those who had waited to pursue their claim under existing asylum procedures.

    In doing so, Trump ignored critical portions of laws passed by Congress. This move places asylum seekers already in the U.S. in danger of being deported to the countries where they say they face life-threatening persecution or torture.

    Congressional spending authority

    Protesters near the White House oppose President Donald Trump’s freeze on federal grants and loans on Jan. 28, 2025.
    Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

    Under the Constitution, Congress has the power to set spending amounts and priorities for the federal government. By law, the executive branch cannot spend what has not been appropriated – meaning approved by Congress – nor can it stop that spending.

    Shortly following the inauguration, however, Trump’s Office of Management and Budget ordered a pause of federal grants and loans to organizations and programs ranging from Head Start to farm subsidies.

    Almost immediately, several states, concerned about the loss of essential federal services, filed a lawsuit to halt the freeze. A federal court in Rhode Island sided with the plaintiffs and temporarily stayed the freeze.

    The judge rejected the Trump administration’s argument that it must “align Federal spending and action with the will of the American people as expressed through Presidential priorities,” calling it “constitutionally flawed.” And he concluded that the president could not act unilaterally under the Constitution.

    “Congress has not given the Executive limitless power to broadly and indefinitely pause all funds that it has expressly directed to specific recipients and purposes,” wrote the judge, John J. McConnell, Jr. “The Executive’s actions violate the separation of powers.”

    “Schoolhouse Rock” taught that one ring must respect the other coequal rings. What has happened under Trump is one ring expanding in size to swallow up much of another ring – that of Congress.

    ‘Kinglike’ powers?

    Several of the Trump administration’s recent actions appear designed to test the legal viability of an expansive, more “kinglike” view of presidential powers.

    Yet for the most part, Congress as an institution has mostly remained silent as the executive branch invades its sphere of authority.

    Instead, the courts have served as a check on his power by stalling, temporarily, more than a dozen of Trump’s presidential actions that surpass the executive powers permitted under various laws and the Constitution.

    Most of these stays are only temporary. They were issued based on the recognition that the immediate harm of unlawful presidential overreach would be difficult to roll back.

    In the end, the Supreme Court will likely decide the scope of presidential powers in the various contexts. If they rule in Trump’s favor, the U.S. government will become a one-ring circus run by a kinglike president – precisely what it was never meant to be.

    Gwynne Wilcox is a Rutgers Law grad and has spoken to our class.

    – ref. 3 ways Trump is acting like a king and bypassing the Constitution’s checks and balances on presidential authority – https://theconversation.com/3-ways-trump-is-acting-like-a-king-and-bypassing-the-constitutions-checks-and-balances-on-presidential-authority-249347

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The murder rate in Venezuela has fallen − but both Trump and Maduro are wrong about why

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Rebecca Hanson, Assistant Professor of Latin American Studies, Sociology and Criminology, University of Florida

    Members of government-backed militias take part in a march in Caracas, Venezuela, on Jan. 7, 2025. AP Photo/Matias Delacroix

    The body of former Venezuelan army officer Ronald Ojeda was found on Feb. 19, 2024, in a suitcase buried under 5 feet of concrete. Ojeda, accused by Venezuela of plotting against the government, had gone missing nine days earlier, when men dressed as police broke into his apartment in the Chilean capital of Santiago and dragged him away.

    Following a yearlong investigation, authorities in Chile have now pointed the finger at the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, claiming members carried out the assassination at the behest of that country’s president, Nicolás Maduro.

    It comes as the relationship between Maduro’s government and criminal gangs is under increased scrutiny, both among regional governments in Latin America and in the United States.

    Conservative media outlets in the U.S. and right-leaning groups such as the Heritage Foundation have accused Maduro of sending gang members into the U.S. to destabilize the country.

    President Donald Trump has even suggested that Maduro successfully reduced crime by exporting gang members to the U.S. “Crime is down in Venezuela by 67% because they’re taking their gangs and their criminals and depositing them very nicely into the United States,” he told supporters in April 2024.

    According to data from the Venezuelan Ministry of Health, shared with me by scholar of Venezuelan politics Dorothy Kronick, homicide rates have indeed come down in recent years. And this trend is confirmed by the Venezuelan Observatory of Violence.

    The fall in homicide rates has coincided with Maduro successfully consolidating his authoritarian rule in Venezuela. And explanations of the drop in crime tend to imply that it is the result of the government co-opting and controlling gangs. Some observers have even referred to Venezuela as a “narcostate,” suggesting that drug trafficking in the country is an organized venture between top officials and criminal groups.

    I have studied crime, violence and policing in Venezuela since 2011 and know that this narrative is at best oversimplistic, at worst outright mistruth. As I explore in my new book, “Policing the Revolution: The Transformation of Coercive Power and Venezuela’s Security Landscape During Chavismo,” the case of Venezuela is not one of government control over criminal groups. Rather, it is characterized by an unstable and volatile relationship between the government and multiple competing armed actors, including gangs and the police.

    Violent, but becoming less so

    Falling homicide rates should not mask the fact that Venezuela is still plagued by violence. Since the mid-2000s it has been ranked as one of the most violent countries in the world.

    Former President Hugo Chávez was never able to get a handle on crime, particularly violent crime, which increased exponentially under his government. The trend continued during Maduro’s first years in office after Chávez’s death in 2013.

    However, all available evidence suggests that Venezuela’s homicide rate has declined since reaching a peak in 2016 – by around 42%.

    But there’s no evidence this is because the government is “offshoring” criminals.

    Maduro’s own explanation for this decline portrays the government as handily controlling criminals by means of incredibly lethal police raids carried out between 2015 and 2019. In short, Maduro claims that the police have effectively “wiped out” criminal groups.

    Competing police forces …

    But rather than “wiping out” criminal organizations, the Maduro government has instead maintained volatile relationships with many armed groups, including gangs, nonstate paramilitary groups and even the country’s own police forces.

    These relationships have produced significant conflict and dysfunction within state institutions. This is clear when looking at institutions presumed to be synonymous with state control, such as the police.

    Chávez’s and Maduro’s governments put more police and soldiers in the streets. They created security institutions, such as the Policía Nacional Bolivariana, or Bolivarian National Police.

    However, rapid growth of the security apparatus, amid competing approaches, has generated more conflict than coordination.

    Police officers and police reformers I interviewed referred to state security policies and the changes they produced as akin to Frankenstein’s monster – an aberration rapidly outpacing the creator’s ability to control it.

    What they mean is the government had created new security institutions so quickly that it is unable to supervise and control them. As one former police officer and Chavista politician told me: “Our challenge now is how to manage the monster we created.”

    Members of the National Guard take part in an anti-gang security operation in Caracas on July 13, 2015.
    Federico Parra/AFP via Getty Images

    State policies have also generated significant distrust between the police and the government, and among different police forces.

    This distrust has even resulted in police forces coming to blows with each other in the streets on multiple occasions. On Feb. 19, 2020, a section of the Prados del Este highway in Caracas was shut down as officers from Venezuela’s National Police and the country’s investigative police brandished weapons, shoving, punching and wrestling each other to the ground.

    … cooperating gangs

    It is, as such, highly unlikely that falling homicide rates are the result of policing. Indeed, I interviewed over 200 police officers while conducting research for my book, and most believed that the government’s policing initiatives contributed to crime and violence rather than reducing it.

    A more plausible explanation for falling homicide figures is that Maduro’s policies have resulted in more consolidated relationships between criminal groups themselves.

    Maduro’s government has built relationships with gangs, but this doesn’t necessarily imply control over them. Since 2013 the government has negotiated pacts with some of the country’s largest gangs, including a gang confederation led by the infamous El Koki in Caracas and the Belén gang in the state of Miranda.

    The government agreed to tolerate illicit activities within certain areas and prohibit police from entering gang territory. In exchange, gangs agreed to reduce killings and other highly visible crimes such as kidnapping. As my book and previous research with Verónica Zubillaga, Francisco Sánchez and Leonard Gómez shows, these pacts allowed gangs to consolidate control over territory and illicit markets.

    Gangs also negotiated agreements among themselves in case the government pacts fell through. For example, they agreed to divide territory and markets to avoid future conflict and share resources such as weapons and ammunition. This produced less conflict between gangs and less disruption in illicit markets, resulting in fewer homicides.

    When pacts have ruptured in the past, the spectacularly violent confrontations that ensued between gangs and the police have shown gangs’ capacity to resist government intervention. Still, the overall effect of pacts and gang consolidation has been a reduction in homicides.

    As one neighbor living in gang territory put it: “Before, gangs confronted each other; they killed each other. Now they don’t. Now they are growing.”

    ‘Mother of all infuriations’

    Relationships between the government and various nonstate armed groups, including gangs, have generated enormous discontent within police forces.

    As one police officer explained in an interview, these pacts represented the “mother of all infuriations.” For many officers, the goverment’s pacts with other armed groups is tantamount to its sponsorship of criminal activities.

    And this discontent has produced sporadic violent confrontations. Even when government-gang pacts are in place, the government has been unable to keep police forces from entering gang territory and engaging in deadly shootouts.

    Certainly from the outside, it may look like Maduro’s government has co-opted gangs for political purposes. And with the U.S. government adding Tren de Aragua to its list of global terrorist groups, that could put Venezuela in danger of being labeled a “state sponsor of terrorism.”

    However, the Ojeda case in Chile should not be taken as evidence that stable and strong ties exist between Maduro’s government and criminal groups – at least not yet.

    Instead, authoritarian survival in Venezuela for now seems to depend on volatile relationships between multiple and competing armed groups that collaborate temporarily with the government when their diverse interests overlap.

    Rebecca Hanson 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. The murder rate in Venezuela has fallen − but both Trump and Maduro are wrong about why – https://theconversation.com/the-murder-rate-in-venezuela-has-fallen-but-both-trump-and-maduro-are-wrong-about-why-249230

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Elon Musk’s deep ties to – and admiration for – China could complicate Trump’s Beijing policy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Linggong Kong, Ph.D. Student, Auburn University

    Elon Musk holds an outsized influence in the new Trump administration.

    As head of his Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, the world’s wealthiest man has enjoyed nearly unfettered political power in slashing and refashioning the federal government as he sees fit. And it has quickly become clear that he has the president’s ear on issues beyond that brief.

    But on one topic, Musk stands somewhat apart from others in the coterie of aides and advisers around Trump: China. In contrast to the many hawks in the new Trump cabinet who call for a hard-line approach on China, Musk is a striking outlier.

    As an expert on China-U.S. relations who has monitored Musk’s views on China, I don’t find his long history of espousing pro-Chinese sentiment surprising, given that he has sought throughout to get a business hold in the country.

    But those entanglements are worth scrutiny, given Musk’s role in the Trump administration at a time when one of America’s biggest foreign policy challenges is how to manage its relationship with Beijing.

    Musk’s journey to the East

    For years, Musk has had significant business interests in China, with Tesla’s Shanghai factory, Tesla Giga Shanghai, playing a crucial role in the company’s global operations.

    Since its opening in 2019, the Shanghai plant has surpassed Tesla’s Fremont, California, facility in both size and productivity, now accounting for more than half of the company’s global deliveries and a majority of its profits. Moreover, nearly 40% of Tesla’s battery supply chain relies on Chinese companies, and these partnerships continue to expand.

    Elon Musk walks with Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong during the groundbreaking ceremony for a Tesla factory in Shanghai on Jan. 7, 2019.
    STR/AFP via Getty Images

    Notably, Tesla was the first foreign automaker permitted to establish operations in China without a local partner, following a change in ownership regulations. The Shanghai factory was constructed with the support of US$1.4 billion in loans from Chinese state-owned banks, granted at favorable interest rates.

    Between 2019 and 2023, the Shanghai government also provided Tesla with a reduced corporate tax rate of 15% – 10 percentage points lower than the standard rate.

    The cost advantages of manufacturing in Shanghai, which include lower production and labor expenses, have further cemented Tesla’s reliance on the Chinese market.

    Given that Musk’s wealth is largely tied to Tesla stock, his financial standing is increasingly dependent on the company’s fortunes in China, making any potential disengagement from the country both economically and strategically challenging.

    Tesla’s continued investment in China underscores this dependency. On Feb. 11, 2025, the company opened its second factory in Shanghai — a $200 million plant that is set to produce 10,000 megapack batteries annually. It’s the company’s first megapack battery factory outside the U.S..

    This investment deepens Tesla’s presence in China amid a new wave of U.S.-China trade tensions. On Feb. 1, the Trump administration imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese imports, prompting Beijing’s retaliation with tariffs on American coal, liquefied natural gas, agricultural equipment and crude oil.

    A Chinese fan

    It remains unclear to what extent Musk’s financial interests in China will translate to real influence over the Trump administration’s policy toward Beijing. But Musk’s long history of pro-China remarks suggests the direction he wants the administration to move.

    During his visit to Beijing in April 2024, Musk praised the country, noting also: “I also have a lot of fans in China – well, the feeling is mutual.”

    His admiration appears to hinge in part on how he views business and labor practices in China. In that vein, Musk has criticized American workers as lazy and has faced U.S. labor law disputes, while simultaneously praising Chinese workers for “burning the 3 a.m. oil” under an intensely repressive labor system.

    In numerous posts on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, which he owns, Musk has also praised China’s infrastructure and high-speed rail system, lauded its space program, applauded its leadership in global green energy initiatives and urged his followers to visit the country.

    Musk has also opposed U.S. efforts to decouple from China, describing the countries’ economies as “conjoined twins,” despite a sizable part of the foreign policy establishment in the West viewing decreased dependency on China as necessary for security interests amid rising geopolitical tensions.

    On the issue of Taiwan, the most dangerous flashpoint in U.S.-China relations, Musk has compared Taiwan to Hawaii, arguing that it is an integral part of China and noting that the U.S. Pacific Fleet has prevented mainland China from achieving reunification by force.

    Musk further suggested that the Taiwan dispute could be resolved by allowing China to establish Taiwan as a special administrative zone, similar to Hong Kong.

    His remarks were shared and welcomed by China’s then-ambassador to the U.S., who, in a post on X, emphasized China’s so-called peaceful unification strategy and advocated for the “one country, two systems” model.

    Trump’s back-channel envoy?

    The big question going forward is how Musk’s financial stakes in, and stated admiration for, China will translate into attempts to influence the U.S. administration’s China policy, particularly given Musk’s unconventional advisory role and the strong faction of anti-China hawks in Trumpworld.

    Given Musk’s approach to China, it’s hard to see him not trying to use his influence with the president to push for somewhat warmer relations with Beijing.

    If such counsel were heeded, it’s easy to envision Musk leveraging his deep ties to China, particularly his close personal relationship with China’s current second-ranking official, Premier Li Qiang, who was the Shanghai party chief when Tesla’s factory was built. In the scenario, Donald Trump could tap Musk as a back channel for diplomacy to ease U.S.-China tensions and facilitate bilateral cooperation when needed.

    To this point, it was, perhaps, telling that it was Musk who met with China President Xi Jinping’s envoy to Trump’s inauguration, Vice President Han Zheng, on the eve of the event.

    But it’s far from certain that Trump wants that diplomatic role for Musk, or that other voices won’t win out with regard to Beijing. In his first term, Trump launched an unprecedented trade war and tech blockade against China, fundamentally reshaping U.S.-China relations and pushing the U.S. toward something of a bipartisan consensus to counter Beijing that has existed for several years.

    Trump’s tariff moves and second-term picks for top trade and commerce roles, like Peter Navarro and Jamieson Greer — who played key roles in the trade war against China during the president’s first term — suggest that Trump’s commitment to further decoupling from China remains strong.

    Furthermore, Musk’s business interests and personal wealth tied to China could leave him vulnerable to Chinese influence. By leaning on Musk’s close ties with Trump, China could use his dependence on the Chinese market as a bargaining chip to pressure Trump into making concessions on issues of major strategic importance to Beijing.

    China has a history of coercing foreign companies reliant on its market into making compromises on matters concerning its national interests. For instance, Apple removed virtual private network apps from its app store in China at the government’s request. Similarly, Tesla could face comparable pressure in the future if Beijing wants to use Musk as a cudgel to influence policy in the Trump administration. Notably, as the head of DOGE, with access to sensitive data from multiple agencies, Musk could find himself caught between U.S. security scrutiny and China’s strategic targeting.

    So long as Musk retains the influence with Trump that he holds now, it’s conceivable that his pro-China sentiments will translate into attempts to influence government policy. Yet even if this is to be the case, whether those efforts succeed will depend on the president and his other advisers, many of whom are seeking an aggressive front against Beijing and are likely to view Musk as an impediment rather than ally in that fight to come.

    Linggong Kong 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. How Elon Musk’s deep ties to – and admiration for – China could complicate Trump’s Beijing policy – https://theconversation.com/how-elon-musks-deep-ties-to-and-admiration-for-china-could-complicate-trumps-beijing-policy-249988

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: OSCE Reinforced Permanent Council, February 2025: UK statement

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    OSCE Reinforced Permanent Council, February 2025: UK statement

    UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, addresses a Reinforced meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion and underlines continued UK support for Ukraine.

    Three years ago, when Putin unleashed his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in a clear breach of the UN charter, he expected a swift victory.  What he got instead was a catastrophic failure.

    Putin’s imperial ambitions have killed and injured close to a million in his own forces and driven its economy into the ground.  The rouble is plummeting, inflation is soaring, and the deficit at record levels.  All for a war that he thought would be over in three days.

    The extent of death, destruction, and suffering caused by one man’s selfish ambition is staggering.  Tens of thousands of Ukrainians have been killed and millions more injured, displaced, and in need of urgent help as civilians are relentlessly attacked.

    Repeated findings of the Moscow Mechanism and other independent reports document Russian atrocities.  There are increasing reports of Russian forces deporting children and using rape, torture and execution as weapons of war.  The OSCE is playing a crucial role in securing justice for survivors and victims. 

    Yet, in the face of this brutality, Ukrainians continue to defend their homeland with extraordinary courage and ingenuity.  This proves that, with the right support, they can defy Putin’s barbarism.

    The UK has been at the forefront of this effort from day one.  Our military support worth £3 billion a year is putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position.  And our new 100 Year Partnership cements our unwavering commitment for generations to come.

    Make no mistake, Putin’s invasion violates laws and principles which underpin Euro-Atlantic security – including the Helsinki Final Act.

    Laws which Russia itself signed up to, and we cannot allow such aggression to succeed.

    The days ahead will determine the future security of our continent.  This is the moment for all of us to step up.  Because it is the right thing to do for the values we hold dear and because it is fundamental to European security.

    That’s why the UK will stand with Ukraine—today, tomorrow, and for generations to come.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 February 2025

    Invasion of Ukraine

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City of Wolverhampton Council leading in development of new ways of working in children’s social care

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    Wolverhampton, one of 3 local authorities chosen to take part in the first phase of the Pathfinder, has worked to deliver support to families based on 3 principles:

    • Delivering family help through local multi disciplinary teams working with partners to provide welcoming and effective support, tailored to the needs of children and families
    • Where child protection is necessary, it is carried out by social workers with greater expertise and experience, and time to dedicate to the family and child
    • Greater use of family networks involving the wider family in decision making and with them being the first port of call if a child has to leave the family home. There is enhanced engagement with extended family members and friends to build long term resilience, with a genuine focus on family led planning

    Other key objectives of the work being undertaken include ensuring that families are helped at the earliest opportunity so that they can remain together safely so that an escalation of need is prevented and reducing the need for statutory child protection involvement. Where this cannot happen, there will be increased kinship care arrangements to keep children with close family or friends.

    Where a child protection response is required, family will be supported by an independent advocate, leading to a better understanding of what is happening. The lead worker remains involved with a family throughout their journey, so that there is consistency for families and an emphasis on building trusted relationships.

    Seven more councils joined the Pathfinder in the second phase last year, and funding for the programme has now been extended for a further 12 months.

    Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “One of our top priorities as a council is to ensure our children and young people get the best possible start in life and so we are very pleased to be a part of this important piece of work.

    “The FFCP programme aims to help children and families facing challenges by giving them the right help at the right time, by ensuring early support, family help and intervention is available to help them overcome adversity and stay together where possible.

    “We are sharing our learning through regular meetings with the Department for Education and policy leads from cross government departments, as well as presenting at national public learning events and conferences.

    “The Government’s new Children Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which began its journey through Parliament in December, shows a clear commitment to rolling out social care reform nationally, and findings from the Pathfinder will be used to help shape these reforms.

    “This means that, thanks to our involvement with the Pathfinder, we – and the children and families we support – will be able to directly influence the national rollout of reforms to children’s social care.”

    Last Autumn, Minister for Children and Families, Janet Daby, visited Graiseley Family Hub, one of 9 family hubs across the city, to meet staff, children and families and see first hand how the council had successful embedded the Pathfinder.

    Alison Hinds, the council’s Director of Children’s Services, said: “The visit was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the collaboration between ourselves and the wider partnership, as well as demonstrating how well we’ve managed to achieve frontline support for families.

    “Families tell their story once – we work restoratively with families to discuss what support they need and work with them to create a family plan – families own their plan. Family help support is integrated in our Family Hubs across the city, providing a holistic offer of support in a non stigmatising environment which helps to build solid relationships.”

    The positive impact of the Pathfinder was also highlighted by inspectors from Ofsted who carried out a week long focused inspection of Children’s Social Care Services in October. They found that managers are supported by clear systems and processes, collaborating with practitioners to ensure that informed and timely decisions are made for children and families, with interventions appropriately escalated and de-escalated in a timely way.

    Inspectors also reported ‘strong relationships across the council and with safeguarding partners’ and a collaborative and co-ordinated approach to working with children and families’ which ensure that most children access ‘the right services at the right time’.

    We will continue to monitor the impact of the reforms locally, with a clear focus on getting direct feedback from families.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement by the Prime Minister marking three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement marking three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine:

    “On February 24, 2022, Russia launched an illegal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine, unleashing a campaign of unimaginable brutality that has left hundreds of thousands dead. The invasion was an escalation of a war of aggression, an unequivocal violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and an attack against freedom, democracy, and international law, including the United Nations Charter.

    “When Putin ordered his tanks across the Ukrainian border, he thought Kyiv would quickly fall and the people of Ukraine would surrender. He was wrong. Three years later, Ukraine stands defiant. Ukrainians are valiantly protecting their territory against relentless Russian attacks. Russian aggression has been met with fierce defence and, winter after winter, the Ukrainian flag flies over Kyiv.

    “Ukrainians are continuing to live their lives – united in hope, courage, pride, and an unbreakable love for their country. They are fighting for their families, their land, their heritage, and their identity. They are fighting to ensure that Putin not be rewarded for his unprovoked and unjustifiable aggression. They are fighting to remind the world that democracy and freedom are important enough to die for – and that Ukrainians are strong enough to win.

    “That is what is at stake, and that is why Canada stands resolute with Ukraine. Our support includes billions of dollars for equipment and capabilities like multi-mission drones, armoured combat vehicles, small arms, ammunition, F-16 pilot training, and a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System. Under Operation UNIFIER, the Canadian Armed Forces has trained over 44,000 Ukrainian troops since 2015. We have imposed sanctions on the Russian regime as well as its war chest and oligarchs. As part of the 2024 Fall Economic Statement, we proposed legislative changes to ensure profits from frozen Russian assets in Canada are used to rebuild Ukraine. As part of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, co-led by Canada and Ukraine, we are working with our international partners to ensure the safe return of Ukrainian children unlawfully deported and illegally transferred by Russia. As G7 President this year, Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine and support a just and lasting peace for its people.

    “The friendship between Canada and Ukraine runs deep. Ukrainian immigrants arrived on our shores in 1891 and, generation after generation, the community has helped build the Canada we know and love. Today, we are proudly home to 1.3 million people of Ukrainian descent, and over the past three years, Canadians from all walks of life have stood side-by-side with the community – by waving flags and wearing pins; by donating to charities and helping with Ukrainian resettlement efforts; by learning more about Ukraine’s fight for sovereignty and, when President Zelenskyy visited Canada in 2023, proudly singing the Ukrainian national anthem right alongside him. To our friends in Ukraine: We stand with you, and our support for your sovereignty is ironclad.

    “On this solemn day, we remind ourselves that Ukraine is fighting for freedom, justice, and democracy – values that Canada will always defend. We support a future for Ukraine that’s written by Ukrainians. A future where Ukraine stands strong and free.

    “Slava Ukraini!”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Foresight Ventures Commits $25 Million to Incubate Innovation on BNB Chain

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    Foresight Ventures, a leading global crypto-focused venture capital firm, has announced its commitment of up to $25 million to support live projects on the BNB Chain throughout 2025 as part of the BNB Incubation Alliance (“BIA”). This collaboration underscores Foresight Ventures’ dedication to fostering innovation and empowering early-stage blockchain initiatives.

    As an alliance member of BIA, Foresight Ventures will have the opportunity to invest in standout projects, identifying high-potential ventures early in their development. The BNB Incubation Alliance, launched by BNB Chain and YZi Labs (formerly Binance Labs), serves as a dynamic accelerator for early-stage Web3 projects. Through an interconnected ecosystem of resources, mentorship, and strategic partnerships, BIA is poised to redefine how emerging blockchain ventures achieve sustainable growth and impactful deployment.

    BIA features a comprehensive support framework that includes access to the Most Valuable Builder (MVB) program, potential YZi Labs funding opportunities, and BNB Chain grants. Selected projects will also benefit from the innovative Launch-as-a-Service (LaaS) package, streamlining their development journey within the BNB ecosystem. By creating this pipeline of tools and resources, BIA is positioned to catalyze the next wave of industry-leading Web3 projects.

    Forest Bai, Co-Founder of Foresight Ventures, commented:
    “Our commitment to supporting projects in the BNB Incubation Alliance reflects our enduring mission to support visionary entrepreneurs and emerging blockchain projects. By backing projects within BIA, we aim to bridge promising ideas with the essential resources and networks they need to thrive. This collaboration reinforces our belief in the transformative power of blockchain technology and our responsibility to foster its adoption globally.”

    The BNB Chain Core Development Team expressed: “The BNB Chain ecosystem continuously works to catalyze projects’ success through initiatives like BIA from ideation to maturity and ecosystem incentives, empowering builders to succeed and thrive.”

    The BNB Incubation Alliance will conduct a series of global events designed to showcase early-stage projects and connect them with industry leaders, investors, and experts. These events will spotlight ventures in incubation, offering unparalleled opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange. The criteria for project selection prioritize innovation, scalability, and a strong alignment with the ecosystem’s objectives.

    As a pioneer in bridging East and West within the crypto sector, Foresight Ventures brings unparalleled insights and a robust network to the alliance. Its commitment reflects a desire to catalyze blockchain innovation across borders.

    About Foresight Ventures

    Foresight Ventures is the first and only crypto VC bridging East and West. With a research-driven approach and offices in the US and Singapore, they are a powerhouse in crypto investment and incubation. Their premier media network includes The Block, Foresight News, BlockTempo, and Coinness. They invest in bold innovations and are committed to reshaping the future of digital finance by supporting visionary founders and groundbreaking projects.
    For more information, users can visit: Website | Twitter | LinkedIn
    For media inquiries, users may contact: media@foresightventures.com

    Contact

    PR team
    media@foresightventures.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a82f5c1a-54f8-49dc-9925-29ba71f9d9df

    The MIL Network –