Category: housing

MIL-OSI New Zealand: Total greenhouse gas emissions fall 0.7 percent in the September 2024 quarter – Stats NZ media and information release: Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): September 2024 quarter

Source: Statistics New Zealand

Total greenhouse gas emissions fall 0.7 percent in the September 2024 quarter – 5 February 2025 – Seasonally adjusted industry and household greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Aotearoa New Zealand decreased 0.7 percent (136 kilotonnes) in the September 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

“The decrease in emissions this quarter came mainly from manufacturing, with falls in emissions recorded in most other industries,” environment statistics spokesperson Tehseen Islam said.

Over this quarter, industry emissions (excluding households) decreased by 1.2 percent (204 kilotonnes). By comparison, gross domestic product decreased 1.0 percent in the same period.

Emissions attributed to households rose 0.3 percent (6 kilotonnes) in the September 2024 quarter.

Files:

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: UN Women International Women’s Day Parliamentary Breakfast

Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

Thank you very much Simone.

Can I, in her absence, thank Aunty Violet for her welcome and wisdom – she’s had to go do school drop off. I told her it was much more important than listening to me.

I acknowledge also the traditional owners, the Ngunnawal people, and I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

And I offer that acknowledgement as a mark of respect for our history and an expression of hope for our future.

First Nations people were this continent’s first diplomats, first traders and they are connected to our region – it is a connection that makes our nation stronger.

Thanks UN Women for all you do. Thank you Christine, thank you Georgina for all you do here and in the world.

To my Ministerial colleagues, particularly the Minister for Women Katy Gallagher, to the Leader of the Opposition, Members and Senators, friends – it’s really great to be here.

The Prime Minister just talked about progress. He talked about the work we have done – the community has done, the Government has done – to make Australia a more equal country, as part of the “march forward” on gender equality.

But I regret to report that the situation around the world is not quite as encouraging.

More than 380 million women and girls worldwide are living in extreme poverty.

We talk a lot about economic empowerment, 2.4 billion women of working age do not have equal economic opportunities.

In countries like Iran and Afghanistan, repressive authorities deplete their nations’ souls but also their prospects, by denying the rights of women and girls.

Across the world, women are facing more sexual and gender-based violence, and less access to sexual and reproductive health services.

An estimated one in three women experiencing physical or sexual violence in their lifetime globally.

Closer to home, that figure is even more stark – two in three women experience physical or sexual violence in the Pacific.

And as we have seen a surge in conflict and humanitarian crises internationally, we see devastating effects on women and girls.

Last year alone, cases of conflict-related sexual violence surged by 50 percent – almost a third of these cases involved girls.

These terrible facts and they underline the costs of gender inequality.

We know that gender equality is as a stronger predictor of peace than a nation’s wealth or political system.

We know that peace agreements are more likely to last when women can participate in them.

And we know that gender equality reduces poverty, strengthens social cohesion, unlocks economic productivity and enhances prosperity for current and future generations.

If women participated in the economy on equal terms with men, it could add up to US$28 trillion to the international economy.

So the whole world pays the price for the lack of gender equality.

We pay that price in a world that is more dangerous, more divided, less stable, and poorer.

And so it is in this context that today I release Australia’s International Gender Equality Strategy.

The Strategy outlines how Australia is driving gender equality with action to end sexual and gender-based violence.

Action to protect and advance women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Action to increase the security of women and girls and to ensure our humanitarian responses integrate the needs of women and girls.

Action to improve women’s economic security, through social protection, financial inclusion, reform to workplace gender equality…

And action to support women’s leadership, to drive change that benefits everyone.

Now I’m sure some will try to delegitimise this strategy as being about a “special interest”.

So I want to emphasise one thing the Prime Minister said – and something I believe passionately.

Gender equality is not a “special interest”. Gender equality is a matter of national interest.

Australia is always better off if our region and world is more prosperous and more secure.

So as we advance our interests in the world, policies that contribute to the women and girls’ empowerment are not simply an appendix to the rest of our foreign policy.

This Strategy reaffirms the centrality of Australia’s commitment to gender equality.

Because gender equality benefits everyone.

And when women march forward, the whole world makes progress.

MIL OSI News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Total greenhouse gas emissions fall 0.7 percent in the September 2024 quarter – Stats NZ media and information release: Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): September 2024 quarter
Source: Statistics New Zealand

Total greenhouse gas emissions fall 0.7 percent in the September 2024 quarter – 5 February 2025 – Seasonally adjusted industry and household greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Aotearoa New Zealand decreased 0.7 percent (136 kilotonnes) in the September 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ today.

“The decrease in emissions this quarter came mainly from manufacturing, with falls in emissions recorded in most other industries,” environment statistics spokesperson Tehseen Islam said.

Over this quarter, industry emissions (excluding households) decreased by 1.2 percent (204 kilotonnes). By comparison, gross domestic product decreased 1.0 percent in the same period.

Emissions attributed to households rose 0.3 percent (6 kilotonnes) in the September 2024 quarter.

Files:

Total greenhouse gas emissions fall 0.7 percent in the September 2024 quarter

Greenhouse gas emissions (industry and household): September 2024 quarter

CSV files for download
MIL OSI –
February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Welch Work to Provide Rural Hospitals with Financial Stability and Security
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

WASHIGNTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a senior member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced the bipartisan Rural Hospital Support Act to prevent rural hospital closures by extending and modernizing critical Medicare programs.

“As a lifelong resident of rural Iowa, I know the importance of having access to health care services close to home. In addition to providing life-saving care, rural hospitals are a source of economic security for many rural communities,” Grassley said. “Our bipartisan bill will ensure the continuity of these vital programs and help keep rural hospitals’ doors open.”

“Rural hospitals provide essential care to patients in rural communities, including to folks who rely on Medicare and Medicaid. In Vermont, rural hospitals are also job creators and economic drivers. But across the country, rural hospitals are struggling to stay open, and they need a lifeline,” Welch said. “Our bipartisan legislation will help ensure rural hospitals are reimbursed for resources they need to continue delivering vital care in our rural communities.”

Specifically, the Rural Hospital Support Act would:
- Permanently extend the Medicare-Dependent Hospital (MDH) program to ensure eligible rural hospitals are reimbursed for their costs;
- Permanently extend the Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) program to level the playing field for rural hospitals whose operating costs often outpace their revenue;
- Update the rebasing year for Sole Community Hospitals (SCH) and MDHs to allow hospitals to tie reimbursement estimates to more recent trends in costs.
Cosponsors of the bill include Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.).

The Rural Hospital Support Act has garnered support from Iowa and national stakeholders, including the Iowa Hospital Association, MercyOne, UnityPoint Health, the Alliance for Rural Hospital Access, the American Hospital Association and the National Rural Health Association.

Download audio of Grassley discussing the bill HERE.

Find bill text HERE and a summary HERE.

Background:

Rural hospitals provide critical care for patients, many of whom rely on Medicare and Medicaid. These hospitals also serve as economic anchors – accounting for around 14 percent of total employment in rural areas.

The MDH and LVH programs have supported rural communities for decades. The programs were last extended as part of the Continuing Resolution on December 20, 2024, and would expire on March 31, 2025, without congressional action. The Rural Hospital Support Act does not change other rural hospital Medicare programs including critical access hospitals (CAH), rural referral centers (RRC), Rural Community Hospital Demonstration or the new voluntary rural emergency hospitals (REH). Each of these rural programs offer unique flexibilities to ensure health care services are accessible in rural America.

-30-
MIL OSI USA News –
February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Unemployment climbs above 5%

Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU

Data released today by Statistics NZ shows that unemployment rose to 5.1%, with 33,000 more people out of work than last year said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney. “The latest data shows that employment fell in Aotearoa at its fastest rate since the GFC. Unemployment rose in 8 out 12 regions. 2.5m fewer hours were worked last year. There is a real and growing problem in the labour market.”

This data should be a wakeup call to the Government about the economy. Renney said “Unemployment is a lagging indicator and is forecast to continue to keep increasing. Nothing in this data suggests that these forecasts are going to change. The number of people who want more work and can’t get it is at its highest rate since COVID.

“Ahead of Waitangi Day, we should note that unemployment for Māori is nearly twice the rate of the general population at 9.2%. 5,700 more Māori are out of work than last year. Pacific Peoples unemployment is 9.6%, and unemployment for young people (15-24 year olds) is up 13,800 annually. The NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) rate was last this high, on a comparable basis, in 2012 according to Stats NZ.” Renney said.

“Wage increases are slowing, with nearly half (46%) of working people getting a pay rise less than CPI. With the minimum wage rising by only 1.5% in April, this is another trend likely to continue. With part-time work growing, but full-time work declining, maintaining incomes in households is going to be increasingly difficult.

“Right now, there is no plan for the economy. No plan for the labour market. The economy is in sharp recession. Unemployment is rising. It’s time for a plan for New Zealand. We are losing record numbers of people overseas, and without that these numbers would likely have been much worse,” said Renney.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Owning the Wrong Stuff

Source: ACT Party

The Haps

David Seymour’s speech at the Treaty Grounds today is widely anticipated. This week’s Free Press covers other matters, but for a preview of ACT’s Treaty approach, you can read Seymour’s column in the Herald.

The COVID Royal Commission, Mark II, designed by Brooke van Velden, is open to public submissions, and now there’s an online portal to make it easy. After Labour’s attempted whitewash, ACT campaigned for people to be able to say what they think about the lockdowns, mandates, and other public health measures. There will be another pandemic, probably not this decade but almost certainly this century, and lessons learned from this one could be worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

If you don’t normally listen to Radio New Zealand, we understand. However Kathryn Ryan interviewed David Seymour for half an hour on the Regulatory Standards Bill, and we think it’s worth an exception.

Owning the Wrong Stuff

Last Monday we shared David Seymour’s State of the Nation speech. This week it is still in the headlines. How is this possible? The speech said two things people know deep down are true, but politicians are afraid to say.

The Government owns the wrong stuff. Its books show $570 billion worth of assets, enough to build a four-lane highway from Whangarei to Invercargill six times, but you wouldn’t know it. The Government is having to downsize hospitals while the rest of the world is buying military hardware, and our roads and pipes need attention.

Meanwhile, in New Zealand, the Government is invested in houses (60,000), a property valuation firm, farms, electricity generators, and sunset industries such as mail and television, among many other weird and wonderful things.

Could it be an idea to, just maybe, just ask the question, without anyone getting their knickers in a knot: Does the Government own the right stuff. And if not, should it try selling some shares in power companies to invest in some roads and water treatment plants?

Perhaps all Governments should think of ownership like this. Every year we ask what we own, what benefits the public get from it, and could the Government own something with greater public benefits for the same money? If the answer is yes, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to change, then sell the thing that doesn’t pay and buy something that does.

As for healthcare and education, the Government shells out a fortune, nearly $6,000 in healthcare for every single person each year. That’s up from $4,000 five years ago, but nobody’s happy. Perhaps it is time to say, if you want to take your $6,000 to a private insurer like Southern Cross, you can.

There would have to be rules. The company would need to accept any patient who applied, without discrimination. The company could never cancel anyone’s policy. They would become responsible for all of the person’s care. Hospitals still owned by the Government would need to accept patients from any insurer at the same price.

If this all sounds out there, fear not. It’s roughly how most healthcare systems in Europe work. It means that there would be people with an incentive to sort out the endless waste and dysfunction in what’s been described as our third world system run by first world medics.

The Left say in a private system the poor miss out. Europeans would be surprised to hear this. What the Left don’t seem to get is this: You can have equal public funding, but allow competition to provide the service. Some would say the best of all worlds.

Of course there is a reason why few politicians dare to raise these questions. The media have demanded to know from David Seymour exactly what he will sell tomorrow. They want a list. The hard Left say this is another Seymourian conspiracy, but they can’t say what. The Opposition have called on the Chris Luxon to rule out ever selling anything. Luxon says he won’t now but might in the future.

There’s another reason why there are still articles in today’s papers, ten days after the speech was given. People know that, while New Zealand is a success story, as countries go, we’re not holding our ground at the moment. What we’re doing isn’t working.

If we want to remain a first world nation and an island paradise—most countries can only do one—we need to work differently. That’s the other thing about Seymour’s speech, it told the truth we avoided all through the Clark-Key-Ardern era.

As goes the Treaty Principles Bill, so goes this speech. This country needs a party that’s brave, articulate, and patriotic, and we’re glad we have ACT.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Massachusetts Member of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Sentenced to 44 Years in Prison for Terrorism Offenses

Source: US State Government of Utah

Minh Quang Pham, also known as “Amim”, 41, of Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 44 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for attempted suicide bombing in alliance with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

“The defendant was sentenced for an attempt to commit an act of terrorism and plotting a suicide bombing on behalf of AQAP,” said Devin DeBacker, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will not rest in seeking justice for acts of terrorism and will continue to thwart any attempt to jeopardize global security.”

“Pham coordinated with known terrorist Anwar al-Aulaqi on a plot to conduct a suicide bombing at Heathrow International Airport which could have killed or injured many people, but fortunately that plan was stopped,” said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Pham also tried to recruit others to commit acts of terrorism. The FBI will work with our partners to hold accountable those who align themselves with terrorist organizations and attempt to carry out acts of violence.”

“Minh Quang Pham’s actions were not just an affront to the safety of this country, but to the principles of peace and security that we hold dear,” said U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon for the Southern District of New York. “Today’s sentencing underscores our collective resolve to stop terrorism before it occurs, and place would-be terrorists in prison.”

According to court documents, in December 2010, Pham informed others that he planned to travel to Ireland while residing in London. From Ireland, he traveled to Yemen, the principal base of operations for AQAP. Pham traveled to Yemen in order to join AQAP, wage jihad on behalf of AQAP, and martyr himself for AQAP’s cause. After arriving in Yemen, he swore an oath of loyalty to AQAP in the presence of an AQAP commander.

While in Yemen in 2010 and 2011, Pham provided assistance to and received training from Anwar al-Aulaqi, a U.S.-born senior leader of AQAP. Al-Aulaqi advised Pham to return to the U.K. for the purpose of finding and making contact with individuals who, like Pham, wanted to travel to Yemen to join AQAP. Al-Aulaqi also provided Pham with money, as well as a telephone number and e-mail address that Pham was to use to contact al-Aulaqi upon his return to the U.K. In addition, Pham exchanged his laptop computer with al-Aulaqi, who provided him with a new “clean” laptop to take with him when he returned to the U.K. so that the authorities would not find anything if they searched his computer.

In or about June 2011, prior to his departure from Yemen, Pham approached al-Aulaqi about conducting a suicide attack whereby he would “sacrifice” himself on behalf of AQAP. Al-Aulaqi personally taught Pham how to create a lethal explosive device using household chemicals and directed Pham to detonate such an explosive device at the arrivals area of Heathrow International Airport following Pham’s return to the U.K. in 2011. Al-Aulaqi instructed Pham to carry an explosive in a concealed backpack and target the area where flights arrived from the U.S. or Israel. During this time, Pham made videos depicting his preparation to carry out that attack. In one video, Pham is shown wiring an electrical device for the use of making an explosive device. In another video, he sketches an explosive device to be contained in a backpack, and in a third, Pham wears a backpack with wiring for explosives on it, which he turns on in the video.

During this time, around June or July 2011 — shortly before Pham returned from Yemen to the U.K. — Pham recorded a video in which he attempted to recruit and encourage individuals in the West to engage in violent jihad abroad or in their home countries. In this video, he also expresses a desire to martyr himself. At the outset of this video, consisting of an approximately 13-minute-long monologue, Pham states that, “America itself is not fighting a war with a group or an organization, they are fighting with the army of Allah, the believers.” He continues, in part, “We have that opportunity, that ability to be in their midst, in their land . . . and I advise the brothers inshallah to, whatever you can, to gather and prepare and strike the enemy in their own land . . . The saying, a thousand cuts, you hit them with as much as you can until inshallah the enemy will bleed to death.” During his time in Yemen, Pham also assisted with the preparation and dissemination of AQAP’s propaganda magazine, Inspire. Pham, who has college degrees in both graphic design and animation, worked directly with now-deceased U.S. citizen, Samir Khan, who was a prominent member of AQAP responsible for editing and publishing Inspire.

Pham also received a six-page document entitled “Your Instructions” from al-Aulaqi in Yemen, which provided detailed instructions on how Pham was to commit his suicide attack at Heathrow. The document from al-Aulaqi instructed Pham, “[d]o not do anything for the first three months” and “[y]ou should target Christmas/ New Year season[.]” The instructions from al-Aulaqi provided explicit direction about the importance of using shrapnel to kill as many people as possible, including that “[t]he proper use of shrapnel is as important as the main charge itself. The detonation wave from a main charge of AP by itself is most likely not going to cause the death of anyone except those who are in its immediate vicinity. It is the shrapnel that would do the job. You may imagine this IED as a shotgun that is firing in all directions.” The document therefore instructed Pham to take “special care” with the “proper arrangement and choice of shrapnel,” and to “poison” it to inflict maximum death.

On July 27, 2011, Pham returned to the U.K. Upon his arrival at Heathrow, U.K. authorities detained Pham, searched him, and recovered various materials from him, including a live round of 7.62mm caliber armor-piercing ammunition, which is consistent with ammunition that is used in a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a type of weapon for which Pham received training from AQAP in Yemen. U.K. authorities released Pham and cautioned him for his possession of the live round of ammunition, before, in December 2011, arresting him pursuant to their authorities under U.K. immigration law. In searches of Pham’s residence, other locations, and vehicles, U.K. authorities recovered several pieces of electronic media. Among other things, a forensic analysis of Pham’s electronic media showed that he was accessing speeches and writings of al-Aulaqi as late as December 2011 — months after Pham’s return to the U.K.

On May 24, 2012, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Pham with terrorism offenses and U.S. authorities sought Pham’s extradition from the U.K. He was provisionally arrested with a view towards extradition on June 29, 2012, and he was extradited to the United States on Feb. 26, 2015. On Jan. 8, 2016, Pham pleaded guilty to terrorism offenses related to certain of the same underlying conduct. On May 27, 2016, Pham was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan principally to a term of 40 years in prison. On Sept. 12, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed Pham’s conviction and sentence. Thereafter, Pham made a motion that, based on intervening Supreme Court decisions, resulted in the vacatur of one of the counts of his conviction. Ultimately, the government, with Pham’s consent, moved to vacate Pham’s earlier convictions. On April 8, 2021, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment, reinstating certain charges and filing other new charges against Pham, and which formed the basis for Pham’s May 11, 2023, guilty plea and conviction.

The FBI Washington and New York Field Offices investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Metropolitan Police Service/SO 15 Counter Terrorism Command at New Scotland Yard, Crown Prosecution Service, and the Home Office provided assistance in the investigation, extradition, and prosecution of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob H. Gutwillig for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Sanctuary Pictures Unveils Punk-Horror Feature Penny Lane Is Dead

Source: Australia Government Statements 4

04 02 2025 – Media release

Writer/Director of Penny Lane Is Dead, Mia’Kate Russell
Sanctuary Pictures and Screen Australia are thrilled to announce Penny Lane Is Dead, an electrifying Australian punk-horror written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Mia’Kate Russell (Maggie May, Liz Drives).
Set to launch at the European Film Market (EFM) in two weeks, the film is a high-energy blend of horror, action, and suspense, infused with the rebellious spirit of the 1980s.
Supported by Screen Australia, VicScreen, and ANZ distributor Umbrella Entertainment, Penny Lane Is Dead is produced by Julie Ryan (Late Night with the Devil), Ari Harrison (Talk to Me), and Andre Lima. Set during a scorching Australian summer in 1986, the film follows three teenage best friends whose celebratory night at a beach house spirals into a blood-soaked battle for survival after a prank takes a deadly turn.
“This film is a rollercoaster ride of love and chaos set against the rebellious spirit of the 1980s,” said writer-director Mia’Kate Russell. “I’m excited to take audiences on this wild, unexpected journey with these girls and their crazy night at the beach.”
Ari Harrison, Director and Owner of Sanctuary Pictures, said “Mia’Kate infuses Penny Lane Is Dead with her unmistakable storytelling style, crafting a film that crackles with razor-sharp tension, raw emotion, and unflinching violence. This is a bold, relentless ride that will leave audiences breathless.”
Screen Australia’s Director of Narrative Content Louise Gough said, “Penny Lane Is Dead is a gripping feature debut from Sanctuary Pictures, poised to launch Mia’Kate onto the global stage. With an exceptional creative team and riveting storytelling, this film has the potential to engage audiences both locally and internationally. Prepare to be taken on a high-octane ride of feminist-lensed terror.”
Currently in casting, Penny Lane Is Dead is set to begin production in Q2 2025.
Production credit: A Sanctuary Pictures and Buffalo Media production, Penny Lane Is Dead is financed with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with VicScreen. Local distribution by Umbrella Entertainment, with international sales handled by Upgrade. The film was developed with the assistance of the South Australian Film Corporation and Umbrella Entertainment.
Media Contact:
Jasmin McSweeney | Head of Sales & Acquisitions (NZ), Umbrella Entertainment
[email protected]
Media enquiries
Maddie Walsh | Publicist
+ 61 2 8113 5915 | [email protected]
Jessica Parry | Senior Publicist (Mon, Tue, Thu)
+ 61 428 767 836 | [email protected]
All other general/non-media enquiries
Sydney + 61 2 8113 5800 | Melbourne + 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]

MIL OSI News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Massachusetts Member of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Sentenced to 44 Years in Prison for Terrorism Offenses

Source: United States Attorneys General 13

Minh Quang Pham, also known as “Amim”, 41, of Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 44 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for attempted suicide bombing in alliance with al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a designated foreign terrorist organization.

“The defendant was sentenced for an attempt to commit an act of terrorism and plotting a suicide bombing on behalf of AQAP,” said Devin DeBacker, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will not rest in seeking justice for acts of terrorism and will continue to thwart any attempt to jeopardize global security.”

“Pham coordinated with known terrorist Anwar al-Aulaqi on a plot to conduct a suicide bombing at Heathrow International Airport which could have killed or injured many people, but fortunately that plan was stopped,” said Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “Pham also tried to recruit others to commit acts of terrorism. The FBI will work with our partners to hold accountable those who align themselves with terrorist organizations and attempt to carry out acts of violence.”

“Minh Quang Pham’s actions were not just an affront to the safety of this country, but to the principles of peace and security that we hold dear,” said U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon for the Southern District of New York. “Today’s sentencing underscores our collective resolve to stop terrorism before it occurs, and place would-be terrorists in prison.”

According to court documents, in December 2010, Pham informed others that he planned to travel to Ireland while residing in London. From Ireland, he traveled to Yemen, the principal base of operations for AQAP. Pham traveled to Yemen in order to join AQAP, wage jihad on behalf of AQAP, and martyr himself for AQAP’s cause. After arriving in Yemen, he swore an oath of loyalty to AQAP in the presence of an AQAP commander.

While in Yemen in 2010 and 2011, Pham provided assistance to and received training from Anwar al-Aulaqi, a U.S.-born senior leader of AQAP. Al-Aulaqi advised Pham to return to the U.K. for the purpose of finding and making contact with individuals who, like Pham, wanted to travel to Yemen to join AQAP. Al-Aulaqi also provided Pham with money, as well as a telephone number and e-mail address that Pham was to use to contact al-Aulaqi upon his return to the U.K. In addition, Pham exchanged his laptop computer with al-Aulaqi, who provided him with a new “clean” laptop to take with him when he returned to the U.K. so that the authorities would not find anything if they searched his computer.

In or about June 2011, prior to his departure from Yemen, Pham approached al-Aulaqi about conducting a suicide attack whereby he would “sacrifice” himself on behalf of AQAP. Al-Aulaqi personally taught Pham how to create a lethal explosive device using household chemicals and directed Pham to detonate such an explosive device at the arrivals area of Heathrow International Airport following Pham’s return to the U.K. in 2011. Al-Aulaqi instructed Pham to carry an explosive in a concealed backpack and target the area where flights arrived from the U.S. or Israel. During this time, Pham made videos depicting his preparation to carry out that attack. In one video, Pham is shown wiring an electrical device for the use of making an explosive device. In another video, he sketches an explosive device to be contained in a backpack, and in a third, Pham wears a backpack with wiring for explosives on it, which he turns on in the video.

During this time, around June or July 2011 — shortly before Pham returned from Yemen to the U.K. — Pham recorded a video in which he attempted to recruit and encourage individuals in the West to engage in violent jihad abroad or in their home countries. In this video, he also expresses a desire to martyr himself. At the outset of this video, consisting of an approximately 13-minute-long monologue, Pham states that, “America itself is not fighting a war with a group or an organization, they are fighting with the army of Allah, the believers.” He continues, in part, “We have that opportunity, that ability to be in their midst, in their land . . . and I advise the brothers inshallah to, whatever you can, to gather and prepare and strike the enemy in their own land . . . The saying, a thousand cuts, you hit them with as much as you can until inshallah the enemy will bleed to death.” During his time in Yemen, Pham also assisted with the preparation and dissemination of AQAP’s propaganda magazine, Inspire. Pham, who has college degrees in both graphic design and animation, worked directly with now-deceased U.S. citizen, Samir Khan, who was a prominent member of AQAP responsible for editing and publishing Inspire.

Pham also received a six-page document entitled “Your Instructions” from al-Aulaqi in Yemen, which provided detailed instructions on how Pham was to commit his suicide attack at Heathrow. The document from al-Aulaqi instructed Pham, “[d]o not do anything for the first three months” and “[y]ou should target Christmas/ New Year season[.]” The instructions from al-Aulaqi provided explicit direction about the importance of using shrapnel to kill as many people as possible, including that “[t]he proper use of shrapnel is as important as the main charge itself. The detonation wave from a main charge of AP by itself is most likely not going to cause the death of anyone except those who are in its immediate vicinity. It is the shrapnel that would do the job. You may imagine this IED as a shotgun that is firing in all directions.” The document therefore instructed Pham to take “special care” with the “proper arrangement and choice of shrapnel,” and to “poison” it to inflict maximum death.

On July 27, 2011, Pham returned to the U.K. Upon his arrival at Heathrow, U.K. authorities detained Pham, searched him, and recovered various materials from him, including a live round of 7.62mm caliber armor-piercing ammunition, which is consistent with ammunition that is used in a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a type of weapon for which Pham received training from AQAP in Yemen. U.K. authorities released Pham and cautioned him for his possession of the live round of ammunition, before, in December 2011, arresting him pursuant to their authorities under U.K. immigration law. In searches of Pham’s residence, other locations, and vehicles, U.K. authorities recovered several pieces of electronic media. Among other things, a forensic analysis of Pham’s electronic media showed that he was accessing speeches and writings of al-Aulaqi as late as December 2011 — months after Pham’s return to the U.K.

On May 24, 2012, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Pham with terrorism offenses and U.S. authorities sought Pham’s extradition from the U.K. He was provisionally arrested with a view towards extradition on June 29, 2012, and he was extradited to the United States on Feb. 26, 2015. On Jan. 8, 2016, Pham pleaded guilty to terrorism offenses related to certain of the same underlying conduct. On May 27, 2016, Pham was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan principally to a term of 40 years in prison. On Sept. 12, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed Pham’s conviction and sentence. Thereafter, Pham made a motion that, based on intervening Supreme Court decisions, resulted in the vacatur of one of the counts of his conviction. Ultimately, the government, with Pham’s consent, moved to vacate Pham’s earlier convictions. On April 8, 2021, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment, reinstating certain charges and filing other new charges against Pham, and which formed the basis for Pham’s May 11, 2023, guilty plea and conviction.

The FBI Washington and New York Field Offices investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Metropolitan Police Service/SO 15 Counter Terrorism Command at New Scotland Yard, Crown Prosecution Service, and the Home Office provided assistance in the investigation, extradition, and prosecution of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob H. Gutwillig for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case.

MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Funding secured for next phase of major flood defence scheme

Source: City of Derby

Derby’s Our City, Our River (OCOR) project has been handed a £35 million boost by the Government, with the allocation of Flood Defence Grant-in-Aid to deliver the next phase of the scheme

The funding has been released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) from their Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Investment Programme and will be managed by the Environment Agency on their behalf.

This secures the future of Derby Riverside, which will deliver significant flood resilience protection to many properties along the east bank of the Derwent. It will now go to Cabinet to be formally accepted and allows the Council to enter into contract with construction partners.

Councillor Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability, said:

It’s incredible news for Derby that this funding package has been allocated by the government to protect our city from the risk of flooding. This will be such welcome news for households and businesses alike. We can now really start to push ahead with the works at Derby Riverside as we continue to future proof the city against extreme weather.

Here in Derby, we’re all too familiar with the effects of climate change. In the last six years we have seen the five highest river levels on record. The Our City, Our River flood prevention scheme has already delivered enhanced protection to thousands of properties, but there is still more work to do to ensure our city has the best defences possible.

This £35 million investment from the Government means we can now build on the years of hard work from the Council and Environment Agency to deliver this critical infrastructure our city needs.

Alex McDonald, Strategic Senior Flood Risk Management Advisor at the Environment Agency said:

We know the devastating effect that flooding can have on communities and businesses including within Derby City. OCOR represents a long-standing partnership between Derby City Council and the Environment Agency. The Derby Riverside element will replace aging flood defences in the city, provide space for water and help to transform the city centre. As the project moves into its next phase we will continue to support Derby City Council to deliver this vital infrastructure for the city centre, helping the city to keep pace with our changing climate.

The city saw the effects of climate change in action in 2023 when river levels reached their highest point ever recorded during Storm Babet, and while the flood gates and defences built during earlier phases of OCOR have not been called into action since, there have been several named storms in recent months.

Derby Riverside will deliver enhanced protection along the east bank of the river, starting at Causey Bridge and ending at the Railway Bridge across the river. The new flood wall and flood gates will offer far better protection for Exeter House and properties on Meadow Road and Meadow Lane, as well as unlocking the potential for regeneration in this part of the city.

This next stage will also provide enhanced protection to businesses such as Rolls-Royce, which is planning to expand its riverside site at Raynesway. Terry Meighan, Director – Infrastructure at Rolls-Royce Submarines said:

We continue to work closely with Derby City Council and the Environment Agency on future flood defences, which will protect our Raynesway site and play an important role in our expansion plans. The work we do helps protect the UK by powering the Royal Navy’s fleet of nuclear submarines and defending against flooding helps us maintain our delivery commitments to the UK Ministry of Defence.

These works will involve the demolition of the riverside office blocks on Stuart Street to create a new riverside green area, providing more space for water to pass through the city in a controlled corridor during a flood event. The Council are currently working with affected businesses to acquire the necessary land.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Public invited to learn about SR 509 construction in south King County
Source: Washington State News 2

Open house on Feb. 11 includes roundabout displays, construction timeline, tolling information

BURIEN – Construction work is ramping up on the State Route 509 Completion Project in Burien, Des Moines, Kent and SeaTac.

The Washington State Department of Transportation is hosting an open house on Tuesday, Feb. 11, for people to learn more about the final stage of the completion project. This stage builds the remaining 2 miles of the tolled expressway between 24th Avenue South in SeaTac and South 188th Street, in addition to building new roundabouts at South 160th and South 188th streets in south King County.

SR 509 completion open house information
- When: 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11
- Where: Burien Community Center
  14700 Sixth Ave. SW
- Details: People are invited to stop in at any time. There is no formal presentation planned. WSDOT and contractor staff will be available to answer questions about planned construction, anticipated closures, roundabouts, noise, multimodal improvements, environment processes and studies, traffic and the toll-rate setting process.
SR 509 Completion Project information

The SR 509 Completion Project builds 3 miles of new tolled expressway between Interstate 5 and South 188th Street near the south end of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The new expressway will be completed in stages. The first mile between I-5 and 24th Avenue is currently under construction and scheduled to open in fall 2025. The entire project is planned for completion by 2029.

Photos of construction work are available on the project’s Flickr page. An interactive project map that allows people to explore the new SR 509 Expressway, the SR 516 interchange and other elements of the completion project is also available online.

Puget Sound Gateway Program overview

The SR 509 Completion Project is part of WSDOT’s Puget Sound Gateway Program, which also includes the SR 167 Completion Project in Pierce County. Combined, the two completion projects finish critical missing links in Washington’s highway and freight network.

MIL OSI USA News –
February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Urges Action at Senate Judiciary Hearing on Fentanyl Epidemic Featuring Minnesota Mom’s Testimony

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

WATCH KLOBUCHAR QUESTIONS HERE

WASHINGTON – At today’s Senate Judiciary hearing on the fentanyl epidemic, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) highlighted the need for Congress to take action to stop online drug trafficking to save children’s lives and give law enforcement what they need to combat the crisis.

Bridgette Norring of Hastings, Minnesota testified about her son’s death from illicit fentanyl. Norring’s 19-year old son Devin died in April 2020 after buying a pill online for tooth pain that he thought was a painkiller but turned out to be a fentanyl laced counterfeit. Bridgette founded the Devin J. Norring Foundation to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and advocate for stronger drug prevention measures.

“My husband and I are no different than every American parent doing the best we can to protect our kids from the constant threat that social media poses. We did our due diligence in spot-checking our children’s accounts when they were minors. We preached constantly about internet safety and etiquette. None of that stopped Snapchat from allowing my children to open multiple new accounts to avoid our scrutiny. It did not stop them from pushing products designed to addict and exploit America’s young people. It did not stop them from blaming parents when our kids died. And it is no different than when opioid companies created a product they knew was extremely harmful and addictive, told the public that it was safe, and then blamed the parents when kids died as a result,” said Norring at the hearing.

“Social media has been a gateway to drugs for too many kids, and we must meet this threat with the all-hands-on-deck response it requires. We need to crack down on the sale of fentanyl through social media platforms and pass the Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act. And we need to stop these illicit drugs and fake pills from entering our borders in the first place, by making sure law enforcement has the resources they need, including cutting-edge technology to detect and intercept fentanyl at our borders. Thank you to Bridgette Norring for her bravery in coming forward and sharing her story,” said Klobuchar in a statement.

In 2023, nearly 75,000 Americans lost their lives to synthetic opioids like fentanyl, including nearly 950 opioid-related deaths in Minnesota. In Hennepin County, fentanyl kills an average of one resident every day. The number of Minnesotans who died from opioids last year was more than double the total number of people who died from car accidents.

Senator Klobuchar is a leader in the fight to pass the Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act, which would require social media companies to report to the DEA when they know of the sale or distribution of illicit drugs including fentanyl, methamphetamine, or a counterfeit controlled substance on their platforms.

Witnesses at the hearing include:

Bridgette Norring Survivor Parent and Founder Devin J. Norring Foundation Hastings, MN; Jaime Puerta President and Co-Founder of Victims of Illicit Drugs (“V.O.I.D.”) Co-Chair of Project Facing Fentanyl Santa Clarita, CA; Timothy W. Westlake, M.D., FFSMB, FACEP Emergency Physician ProHealth Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital Oconomowoc, WI; Cecilia Farfán, Ph.D. Affiliated researcher Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, University of California San Diego San Diego, CA; Donald Barnes Vice President of Homeland Security, Major County Sheriffs of America Sheriff-Coroner of Orange County, California Orange County, CA.

A transcript of Klobuchar’s full questioning is available below. Video is available HERE.

Senator Klobuchar: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Ms. Norring, I think everyone was touched by your story and your bravery for coming forward. I’ve been honored to get to know you, and I want to thank you for everything that you’ve done. As you said, “all the hopes and dreams we as parents had for Devin were erased in the blink of an eye, and no mom should have to bury their kid.” Those were your words. And I know the words of your all of your friends there that stand there to support you and have had their own pain. All he did was buy a pill off Snapchat. Thought it was a Percocet. You were there for that testimony with the tech executives, and there’s a bunch of us here that have had some battle wounds going after them when we just want to put some sensible rules in place or get rid of this legal protections that they have that other companies do not have, as you so well pointed out, but no wounds compared to what you have. You heard their testimony back then in January 2024. Do you think the social media companies are doing enough to stop the sale of drugs to kids online?

Bridgette Norring: I do not think that they are doing enough. In fact, it’s still continuing. I was introduced to two new families just last week from Minnesota, both with ties to fentanyl, with their children passing, so no, they’re not doing enough. They could be doing more. I was just informed that Evan Spiegel is in support of the Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act. And I must ask then if you are in such support of it, all these companies are in support of the Kids Online Safety Act. Why? Why aren’t they implementing those features and doing the job now? Why do we have to come before Congress and … have you make them do that?

Klobuchar: Good point, thank you. Mr. Puerta, do you think we should get rid of or reform Section 230 in some way? Just to make this very clear.

Jaime Puerta: Absolutely, Senator Klobuchar. In 1996, as we all know, this legislative body came up with Section 230 C of the Communication Decency Act, and what it was meant to do was to protect free speech. But what’s happening right now cannot be free speech. When you have a drug dealer selling illicit fentanyl to unsuspecting children, that’s not free speech. Or a grown man sending unwarranted pictures to young ladies, sexual exploitation. This is not free speech. This is criminal behavior. And like Ms. Norring said, if it’s criminal, if it’s a criminal act in the real world, then it should be as well in the social media world.

Klobuchar: So you’re looking for that reform, which also I appreciate you bringing up Senator Cruz and I have this TAKE IT DOWN Act. There’s a number of other bills involving pornography as well. Sheriff Barnes, … thank you for your testimony and being here. Funding, as we look into this next year, funding for law enforcement, do you think that that is important to take on this Fentanyl crisis, as well, as well as the HIDTA program that helps your deputies get fentanyl off the streets?

Donald Barnes: Senator, yes, thank you for the question. The HIDTA funding has been stagnant and still for the last 10 years. Hasn’t grown. If you look at the time value of money, it’s about 1/3 reduction over the last 10 years, and our costs have gone up, so it’s about 50 cents on the dollar. It’s not a fully funded program. My HIDTA program is funded at about 1/6 of the costs that we put into it and mostly subsidized through my investment of stabilizing that as other municipal agencies have withdrawn personnel. So yes, I think at this, the nation’s worst time in history, we have to reinvest those monies. We have to look at the use of those monies. And I think we have to look at what I call a Super HIDTA, the original intent of the gateway HIDTA, to invest on the greatest offense, which is our border HIDTA, and stop as much as drugs as we can at the border before they make it into the content of the United States.

Klobuchar: Thank you. Dr Westlake, why does class-wide scheduling reduce the incentives for drug cartels to create new fentanyl variants?

Timothy Westlake: So the incentives were there before because when they initially created these without under the normal Controlled Substances Act, they were legal. So they could modify it. Instead of putting an ethyl group in, you could put a methyl group in. It’s a legal substance. I was on the controlled substance board in Wisconsin 2015. We had nine different fentanyl variants, fentanyl-related substances that were killing people. We could schedule them immediately, and then they were illegal. And when you schedule them and make them illegal, there’s no incentive for them to be created anymore, and there’s a cookbook of changes that you can do easily, look up the research to find what different chemicals to use. So, it literally just stops the incentive. It doesn’t stop illicit fentanyl incentive, but it closes the speculative fentanyl substances.

Klobuchar: Thank you. One last point. Ms. Norring, and we’ll talk more in this committee. I am so pleased that Senator Grassley and Durbin will lead this together on some of the social media issues that go way beyond the ones we’ve talked about now. But you’ve also embarked on an education campaign, along with a lot of our sheriffs in Minnesota, that I think has been pretty effective going back in the schools with “One Pill Can Kill.” Ten seconds on that, and I’m out of time.

Norring: We have to do it because nobody else is doing it. It falls back on us. If we sit by and say nothing, children continue to die. So we feel it’s our obligation to get out there educate our community and the children because, as the ranking chair mentioned, the conversation really begins at home. It really has to begin at home.

Klobuchar: Thank you.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: PREPARED REMARKS: Sanders on America’s Dangerous Movement Toward Oligarchy, Authoritarianism & Kleptocracy

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today gave remarks on the floor of the Senate outlining the Trump administration’s movement toward oligarchy, authoritarianism and kleptocracy.

Sanders remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below and can be watched HERE:

M. President: Today, we find ourselves in a pivotal moment in American history and millions of Americans, by their actions or lack of action, will determine the future of this country for decades.

M. President: In my view, the Trump administration is moving this country very aggressively into an oligarchic form of society where extraordinary power rests in the hands of a small number of unelected multi-billionaires.

The Trump administration is moving this country very aggressively into an authoritarian society where the rule of law, and our constitution, are being ignored and undermined in order to give more power to the White House and the billionaires who now control our government.

In my view, the Trump administration is moving this country very rapidly toward a kleptocracy – where the function of government is not to serve the people of America, but to enrich those who are in power.

M. President: I think that today is a good day to recall what one of our great presidents said at Gettysburg in November of 1863. Looking out at a battlefield where thousands of Union soldiers had just sacrificed their lives in the defense of freedom, Lincoln famously stated:

“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion – that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

“Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

M. President: Under President Trump we are not seeing a “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Quite the contrary.

We are seeing a government of the billionaire class, by the billionaire class, for the billionaire class. And it’s not being done secretly. It’s right out there for all to see.

Several weeks ago, Donald Trump was inaugurated for his second term as President of the United States. Standing right behind him were the three richest men in the country – Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg – worth a combined $920 billion. These 3 men have more wealth than the bottom half of America – 170 million people. And I should point out, and this should tell you exactly where we are going as a nation, these 3 men have become some $232 billion richer since Trump was elected. In just two weeks under Trump their wealth has exploded by $232 billion dollars.

M. President: This is how an oligarchic system works. Elon Musk, the richest person in the world, and now a key part of the administration, spent over $277 million to get Trump elected. In other words, within a corrupt campaign finance system he helped buy the election for Donald Trump.

Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, the second and third wealthiest people in our country, both kicked a million each into Trump’s inauguration fund.

And let’s remember that Mr. Bezos, who owns the Washington Post, rescinded the endorsement of Kamala Harris of the Washington Post’s editorial board. Mr. Bezos was showing early on that he was willing to bend the knee for Donald Trump.

Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, agreed to settle a lawsuit with Trump for $25 million.

These three multibillionaires are working with Trump because they understand one very important reality. Trump’s policies are designed to make the very richest people in this country even richer.

Since Trump’s election, Mr. Musk has become $154 billion richer, Mr. Bezos has become $35 billion richer, and Mr. Zuckerberg has become $43 billion richer.

M. President: I am growing increasingly concerned that in our country, under the leadership of President Trump, we are moving rapidly towards authoritarianism.

And all over this country people are alarmed and shocked by what they are seeing.

Just a few examples.

Last week, Trump attempted to suspend all federal grants and loans in direct violation of the U.S. Constitution and federal law. As every 3rd grader knows, the power of the purse belongs to Congress, not the president.

Let’s be clear. The president can recommend legislation, he can veto legislation, but he does not have the power to unilaterally terminate funding and legislation passed by the U.S. Congress. That is a dangerous and blatantly unconstitutional act.

And I should add that Trump’s blocking of federal funding would have had an horrific impact on millions of Americans who utilize programs like Medicaid, Head Start, community health centers, Meals on Wheels, homeless veterans’ programs and many, many other initiatives.

Tens of millions of Americans, including some of the most vulnerable people in our country, were impacted by that decision.

But that’s not all.

A few days ago, Trump fired 17 inspectors general – independent government watchdogs that were created by Congress, in the wake of the Watergate scandal, to prevent the abuse of power by the executive branch.

Last week, President Trump fired a member of the National Labor Relations Board, and in so doing, effectively neutered the only federal agency in America with the authority to hold corporations accountable for illegal union busting and to protect the constitutional right of workers to form a union and to collectively bargain for better wages, benefits and working conditions.

Not only is this move blatantly illegal, it is exactly what Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla, and Jeff Bezos, the owner of Amazon, have been fighting for for months. This is a huge gift to the two wealthiest people in our country who are both strongly anti-union.

The President also illegally fired members of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission – the only independent commission in our country that protects workers against discrimination in the workplace.

Further, and this should upset every American regardless of political view, in direct violation of the Constitution and federal law, Trump is intimidating the media with lawsuits against ABC, CBS, Meta and the Des Moines Register. His FCC is now threatening to investigate PBS and NPR. Take a deep breath my fellow Americans.

What Trump is essentially saying to every media outlet in America: If you say or do anything that is critical of me, that displeases me, you may be subject to a lawsuit or a federal investigation.

If this is not a direct attack on the First Amendment, the U.S. Constitution and Freedom of Speech, I don’t know what is.

But that’s not all.

Elon Musk and his unelected minions at DOGE have forced out officials at the Treasury Department and illegally shut down US AID – a program which, among other things, helps feed and provide medical help to starving and desperate children all over the world. Presidents, much less unelected billionaires, do not have the unilateral right to shut down federal agencies established by Congress.

When we talk about the dangerous movement towards authoritarianism let us not forget Trump’s pardoning of the January 6th insurrectionists who injured 174 police officers at the Capitol.

Even worse, Trump is undermining the FBI by investigating the agents there who helped bring these violent criminals to justice.

In other words, what Trump is saying is that violence against police officers, when done in his name is ok, but when law enforcement officers try to hold criminals accountable that is not ok.

M. President: Under Trump, we are rapidly moving towards a kleptocracy as well.

Just before Trump was inaugurated, he and his wife Melania launched their own cryptocurrency coins giving them the potential to earn tens of billions of dollars.

M. President: If Wall Street CEOs tried to bribe the President with a bag full of money that would be against the law.

But now, they don’t have to do that.

Today, if a multi-billionaire or the head of a foreign country wants to curry favor with the President, all they have to do is buy his cryptocurrency coins and, when they do that, they are directly enriching Donald Trump and the First Lady.

That is unacceptable and cannot stand.

So, M. President, the question then becomes, where do we go from here?

Instead of moving toward an economy which is designed to benefit the very richest people in our society we have got to fight hard to create a government that works for all of us, not just Mr. Musk or Mr. Bezos or Mr. Zuckerberg and other multi-billionaires.

M. President, at a time of massive wealth and income inequality we must not provide more tax breaks to billionaires paid for by huge cuts in Medicaid and other programs that working families and low-income people desperately need.

But let me tell you what we should be doing.

At a time when 85 million Americans are uninsured or under-insured we have got to do what every major country on earth does and that is to guarantee health care as a human right to every man, woman and child in this country.

At a time when 1 out of 4 Americans cannot afford the medicine that their doctors prescribe we have got to end the absurdity of Americans paying by far the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs.

We have got to cut the cost of prescription drugs in half.

M. President: The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour is a starvation wage. While 60% of our people live paycheck to paycheck, we must raise that minimum wage to a living wage, at least $17 an hour. If you work 40 hours a week, you should not be living in poverty.

Mr. Musk and Mr. Bezos want to make it harder for workers to join unions. Well, we have got to do exactly the opposite. We must pass the PRO Act so that anti-union CEOs cannot act unconstitutionally to deny workers the right to join a union.

At a time when we need the best educated workforce in the world, we need to have the best public schools in the world. And, among other things, that means we need to substantially raise teacher salaries. If we want the best and the brightest to become educators no teacher in America should earn less than $60,000 a year.

M. President: All over this country, we have a major housing crisis. And it’s not just the 800,000 who are homeless. It is millions of working families who are spending 40, 50 or 60 percent of their limited incomes on housing. Instead of spending almost a trillion dollars a year on a wasteful and bloated Pentagon budget, we have got to build millions of units of low-income and affordable housing. And when we do that, we put large numbers of people to work at good-paying union jobs.

M. President: I hear from Trump supporters that the president won the election and he has been given this huge mandate to do whatever he wants. Well, no president has the right to move us to oligarchy, authoritarianism and kleptocracy. But more importantly, let us not forget that while Trump did win this election he actually received 4 million fewer votes in 2024 than Biden did in 2020 when Biden won the election.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Record investment to protect thousands of UK homes and businesses
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

A record £2.65 billion will be committed to build or maintain up to 1,000 flood defences, protecting more than 66,000 properties.
Environment Agency: Ipswich Tidal Barrier

Tens of thousands of homes and business will be better protected from flooding as the government unveils a record package to build new flood defences and maintain and repair those already in place.

As part of the Plan for Change, the Government is committing a record two-year investment of £2.65 billion with 52,000 properties set to benefit from new defences by March 2026. To shore up creaking defences in need of repairs, funding will be reprioritised for investment in much-needed maintenance, benefitting a further 14,500 properties. This means a total of 66,500 properties will benefit from this funding.

With the frequency of extreme weather events only continuing to rise, leading to devastating impacts for people, homes, businesses and communities and costing the UK economy billions each year, decisive action to invest in adapting to climate change has never been more important.

As well as protecting families from the devastation of flooding, the investment supports economic growth by protecting businesses, supporting jobs, and supporting a stable economy in the face of the increasing risk of flooding as a result of climate change. It will also protect farmland which has been badly hit by recent storms, in turn helping to safeguard farm businesses and farmers’ profits.

This Government inherited flood assets in their poorest condition on record, as years of underinvestment and damaging storms left 3,000 of the Environment Agency’s 38,000 high-consequence assets at below the required condition.  

The announcement comes as the Government’s Floods Resilience Taskforce meets today, with Floods Minister Emma Hardy joined by ministers from across government alongside representatives from the Met Office, Local Resilience Forums, and the National Farmers’ Union. They will look at further steps that can be taken to protect the 6.3 million properties in England at risk from flooding, and discuss lessons to learn from Storms Bert, Conall and Éowyn this winter.

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed said:

The storms this winter have devastated lives and livelihoods.  

The role of any Government is to protect its citizens.

Under our Plan for Change, we are investing a record £2.65 billion to build and maintenance flood defences to protect lives, homes and businesses from the dangers of flooding.

Up to 1000 projects are set to receive a share of the funding. Projects receiving funding include:

Bridgwater Tidal Barrier Flood Defence Scheme in Somerset, which will receive £43 million.

The Derby Flood Risk Management Scheme “Our City Our River”, which is set to receive £35 million.

In the West Midlands, the Beales Corner project, which protects communities in Bewdley, will benefit from £2 million.

An additional £3.5 million for the Poole Bridge to Hunger Hill Flood Defences in Dorset

Support for property flood resilience schemes across Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, receiving £2.5 million.

Essential maintenance will be made to defences across the country including:

Phase 3 of the Stallingborough Sea Defences along the Humber estuary, receiving over £7 million

A further £3.8 million will be spent to improve protection in Pevensey Bay, as part of work to repair local sea defences.

Environment Agency Chair Alan Lovell said:

The impact of flooding on our communities will only become greater as climate change brings more extreme weather, like Storms Bert, Conall and Éowyn.

With this new funding, we will work closely with the Government to deliver the vital projects that are needed across the country, ensuring our investment goes to those communities who need it the most.

Recognising many flood defence projects have stalled, £140 million from the investment programme will be prioritised for 31 projects that are ready for delivery, ensuring nearby communities are protected as soon as possible. The full list of schemes to benefit will be announced in the coming months.

In addition to providing this crucial funding, the Government will be focused on fixing the foundations of the nation’s flood defences and giving communities confidence that they will protect them. This year, £36 million is being spent to undertake urgent repairs to defences damaged in last winter’s extreme flooding events.

For the next year, a further £72 million will go towards maintaining and repairing assets, including those damaged in recent flood events, to ensure they are as resilient as possible and operate as expected.  

Today’s Floods Resilience Taskforce will be hosted by Flood Re, a joint initiative between the Government and insurers aimed at making the flood cover part of household insurance policies more affordable.

The expert group’s discussions will focus on the national and local response to this winter’s flooding. It will also discuss further the long-term delivery of the Government’s flood resilience strategy and investment, including the planned review of the government’s funding formula for allocating money to flood and coastal erosion defence schemes.

Wider action to improve the nation’s flood resilience

The government is committed to delivering a refreshed and updated approach to flood defences, fit for the challenges we face.

The existing funding formula for allocating money to defences slows down the delivery of new schemes through a complex application process and neglects more innovative approaches to flood management – which is why a consultation to update the formula will be launched shortly.

In addition, to support rural communities impacted by flooding, more than £57 million has paid out to farmers impacted by severe weather between October 2023 and March 2024. The Farming Recovery fund has supported 12,700 businesses to cover the cost of restoring their farmland.

Elsewhere, the government has allocated £50 million to internal drainage boards (IDBs) as part of a one-off £75 million IDB Fund. This funding will empower IDBs to manage water levels effectively for agriculture and environmental needs, ensuring their crucial role in flood and water management is supported for years to come. 

In addition, the Environment Agency has also confirmed that 34 natural flood management projects will move ahead to delivery. These projects, which are located across England, will use nature to increase the nation’s flood resilience. These projects, which are located across England, will use nature to increase the nation’s flood resilience.

Beneficiaries include Leicester City Council, which is working in partnership with Trent Rivers Trust to reduce flood risk across 13 locations in Leicestershire. Their work includes implementing blue green sustainable drainage at several schools, tree planting, and creating new wetlands to improve floodplain connectivity and increase flood water storage.

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Published 4 February 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Human rights situation in Haiti remains ‘very alarming’, UN report finds

Source: United Nations 4

4 February 2025 Human Rights

Gang violence in Haiti continues to have a devastating impact on the population, according to a new report from the UN office in the country (BINUH) on human rights violations recorded during the last quarter of 2024.

Released on Tuesday, the new report highlights that at least 5,626 people have been killed and more than 2,213 injured in the past year, due to the armed gangs who control much of the capital and the country at large.

These figures reflect a sharp increase of over 1,000 fatalities compared to 2023, underscoring the unrelenting brutality gripping the nation.

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric highlighted the findings in Tuesday’s press briefing in New York, pointing to a severe deterioration in Haiti’s security landscape.

Harrowing mass killings

According to BINUH, the last quarter of 2024 saw an alarming rise in deadly gang-related attacks.

At least 1,732 people were killed and 411 injured due to violence by armed groups, self-defence units and law enforcement operations.

The report highlights three large-scale massacres that resulted in over 300 deaths, with the most severe attack occurring in the Wharf Jérémie neighbourhood of Port-au-Prince.

Between 6 and 11 December, at least 207 people were slaughtered by a gang led by Monel Felix, known as “Micanor,” who accused the mainly elderly victims of practicing voodoo and being responsible for the death of his child.

The armed gang executed people in their homes and a local place of worship before burning or dismembering bodies to conceal evidence. No law enforcement intervention was reported during the five-day attack.

Similar atrocities took place in Pont Sondé and Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite, where coordinated gang offensives left at least 170 people dead in early December.

The murders sparked reprisals by self-defence groups, further intensifying the violence

State-sanctioned executions

Haiti’s security forces have also been implicated in grave human rights violations.

The report documents more than 250 executions carried out by police in 2024, with two children among the victims.

Many individuals were executed after being detained, while others – including street vendors and motorcycle taxi drivers – were shot for failing to provide identification.

The Public Prosecutor of Miragoâne was also cited for six extrajudicial executions, bringing the total killings by prosecutors to 42 in 2024.

Despite calls for accountability, investigations into police abuses remain largely stalled.
BINUH noted that no officers have undergone vetting since June 2023, reflecting a deep-seated lack of supervision.

Child exploitation

Haiti has also experienced a 150 per cent surge in kidnappings with gangs increasingly targeting children.

The report raised alarm over widespread sexual violence, with at least 94 cases of rape and sexual exploitation documented in the last quarter alone.

Women and girls remain particularly vulnerable in gang-controlled areas, where they are subjected to systemic abuse.

Additionally, child trafficking and forced recruitment by armed groups continue to rise.

UNICEF has warned of a 70 per cent increase in child soldiers, with boys as young as 12 being used for kidnappings, armed confrontations and extortion.

Judicial failures

Despite the scale of the crisis, Haiti’s judicial system remains paralysed.

While some efforts were made in late 2024 – including appointments to key judicial posts – progress on high-profile massacres and corruption cases remains slow.

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé ordered investigations into the Pont Sondé and Wharf Jérémie massacres, yet no arrests or judicial actions had been taken by the end of the year.

International response

The High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk emphasised the critical need to restore the rule of law and called on the international community to ensure the full deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission (MSS).

The UN has also urged regional governments to intensify inspections of arms shipments destined for Haiti, in line with Security Council resolutions.

With over one million people displaced and a humanitarian catastrophe continue to unfold, urgent international intervention is seen as vital to stabilising the country.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Ft. Campbell Soldier Sentenced to 87 Months in Federal Prison on Child Sexual Abuse Charges

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

NASHVILLE – Donald Lee Collins, 41, of Clarksville, Tennessee, was sentenced yesterday to 87 months in federal prison after having pled guilty to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor and one count of attempted transfer of obscene material to an individual under the age of sixteen, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. In addition to his sentence of incarceration, Collins is required to register as a sex offender.

According to court documents, in late December 2019, Collins and the minor victim, who was the daughter of a friend, connected over Facebook Messenger and began exchanging sexually explicit messages and images. On the night of December 31, 2019, the minor victim spent the night at Collins’ house with his teenage daughter. The next morning, Collins sexually abused the minor victim at his home. Then, as he drove the minor victim to her father’s house on Fort Campbell, Collins again sexually abused the minor victim both before driving through the gate at Fort Campbell and after they entered the Army base. Collins continued to engage in sexually explicit communication with the minor victim over Facebook Messenger after January 1, 2020.

As a result of this conduct, Collins was other than honorably discharged by the Army.

After serving his sentence, Collins will be on supervised release for 10 years.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Nashville Field Office, Clarksville Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison prosecuted the case.

# # # # #

MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Member Of Al Qaeda In The Arabian Peninsula Sentenced To 44 Years In Prison For Terrorism Offenses

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Minh Quang Pham Traveled to Yemen and Received Military Training from AQAP to Commit a Suicide Attack at Heathrow International Airport

Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Devin DeBacker, the Head of the National Security Division of the United States Department of Justice, announced today that MINH QUANG PHAM, a/k/a “Amin,” 41, was sentenced to 44 years in prison for terrorism charges based on Pham’s support of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (“AQAP”), a designated foreign terrorist organization, including attempting to commit a suicide bombing at Heathrow International Airport (“Heathrow Airport”). On May 11, 2023, PHAM pled guilty to providing and attempting to provide material support to AQAP and participating in a conspiracy to do the same; conspiring to receive military-type training from AQAP; and providing and attempting to provide material support for acts of terrorism. Today’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman.

U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “Minh Quang Pham’s actions were not just an affront to the safety of this country, but to the principles of peace and security that we hold dear. Today’s sentencing underscores our collective resolve to stop terrorism before it occurs, and place would-be terrorists in prison.”

Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division Devin DeBacker said: “The defendant was sentenced for an attempt to commit an act of terrorism and plotting a suicide bombing on behalf of AQAP. The Justice Department will not rest in seeking justice for acts of terrorism and will continue to thwart any attempt to jeopardize global security.”

According to the indictments, extradition materials, court filings and statements made at related court proceedings, including today’s sentencing:

In December 2010, PHAM informed others that he planned to travel to Ireland while residing in London. From Ireland, he traveled to Yemen, the principal base of operations for AQAP. PHAM traveled to Yemen in order to join AQAP, to wage jihad on behalf of AQAP and to martyr himself for AQAP’s cause. After arriving in Yemen, he swore an oath of loyalty to AQAP in the presence of an AQAP commander.

While in Yemen in 2010 and 2011, PHAM provided assistance to and received training from Anwar al-Aulaqi, a U.S.-born senior leader of AQAP. Al-Aulaqi advised PHAM to return to the United Kingdom for the purpose of finding and making contact with individuals who, like PHAM, wanted to travel to Yemen to join AQAP. Al-Aulaqi also provided PHAM with money, as well as a telephone number and e-mail address that PHAM was to use to contact al-Aulaqi upon his return to the U.K. In addition, PHAM exchanged his laptop computer with al-Aulaqi, who provided him with a new “clean” laptop to take with him when he returned to the U.K. so that the authorities would not find anything if they searched his computer.

In or about June 2011, prior to his departure from Yemen, PHAM approached al-Aulaqi about conducting a suicide attack whereby he would “sacrifice” himself on behalf of AQAP. Al-Aulaqi personally taught PHAM how to create a lethal explosive device using household chemicals and directed PHAM to detonate such an explosive device at the arrivals area of Heathrow following PHAM’s return to the U.K. in 2011. Al-Aulaqi instructed PHAM to carry an explosive in a concealed backpack and target the area where flights arrived from the U.S. or Israel. During this time, PHAM made videos depicting his preparation to carry out that attack. In one video, PHAM is shown wiring an electrical device for the use of making an explosive device; in another, he sketches an explosive device to be contained in a backpack; and in a third, PHAM wears a backpack with wiring for explosives on it, which he turns on in the video.

Also during this time, in or about June or July 2011—shortly before PHAM returned from Yemen to the U.K.—PHAM recorded a video in which he attempted to recruit and encourage individuals in the West to engage in violent jihad abroad or in their home countries; in this video, he also expresses a desire to martyr himself. At the outset of this video, consisting of an approximately 13 minute-long monologue, PHAM states that, “America itself is not fighting a war with a group or an organization, they are fighting with the army of Allah, the believers.” He continues, in part, “We have that opportunity, that ability to be in their midst, in their land . . . and I advise the brothers inshallah to, whatever you can, to gather and prepare and strike the enemy in their own land . . . The saying, a thousand cuts, you hit them with as much as you can until inshallah the enemy will bleed to death.” During his time in Yemen, PHAM also assisted with the preparation and dissemination of AQAP’s propaganda magazine, Inspire. PHAM, who has college degrees in both graphic design and animation, worked directly with now-deceased U.S. citizen Samir Khan, who was a prominent member of AQAP responsible for editing and publishing Inspire.

PHAM also received a six-page document entitled “Your Instructions” from al-Aulaqi in Yemen, which provided detailed instructions on how PHAM was to commit his suicide attack at Heathrow. The document from al-Aulaqi instructed PHAM, “[d]o not do anything for the first three months” and “[y]ou should target Christmas/ New Year season[.]” The instructions from al-Aulaqi provided explicit direction about the importance of using shrapnel to kill as many people as possible, including that “[t]he proper use of shrapnel is as important as the main charge itself. The detonation wave from a main charge of AP by itself is most likely not going to cause the death of anyone except those who are in its immediate vicinity. It is the shrapnel that would do the job. You may imagine this IED as a shotgun that is firing in all directions.” The document therefore instructed PHAM to take “special care” with the “proper arrangement and choice of shrapnel,” and to “poison” it to inflict maximum death.

On July 27, 2011, PHAM returned to the U.K. Upon his arrival at Heathrow, U.K. authorities detained PHAM, searched him, and recovered various materials from him, including a live round of 7.62mm caliber armor-piercing ammunition, which is consistent with ammunition that is used in a Kalashnikov assault rifle, a type of weapon for which PHAM received training from AQAP in Yemen. U.K. authorities released PHAM and cautioned him for his possession of the live round of ammunition, before, in December 2011, arresting him pursuant to their authorities under U.K. immigration law. In searches of PHAM’s residence, other locations, and vehicles, U.K. authorities recovered several pieces of electronic media. Among other things, a forensic analysis of PHAM’s electronic media showed that he was accessing speeches and writings of al-Aulaqi as late as December 2011—months after PHAM’s return to the U.K.

On May 24, 2012, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Pham with terrorism offenses and U.S. authorities sought Pham’s extradition from the United Kingdom. He was provisionally arrested with a view towards extradition on June 29, 2012, and he was extradited to the United States on February 26, 2015. On January 8, 2016, Pham pled guilty to terrorism offenses related to certain of the same underlying conduct. On May 27, 2016, Pham was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan principally to a term of 40 years in prison. On September 12, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed Pham’s conviction and sentence. Thereafter, Pham made a motion that, based on intervening Supreme Court decisions, resulted in the vacatur of one of the counts of his conviction. Ultimately, the Government, with Pham’s consent, moved to vacate Pham’s earlier convictions. On April 8, 2021, a grand jury returned a superseding indictment, reinstating certain charges and filing other new charges against Pham, and which formed the basis for Pham’s May 11, 2023 guilty plea and conviction.

* * *

In addition to the prison term, PHAM, 41, was also sentenced to life term of supervised release and a $400 special assessment.

Ms. Sassoon praised the extraordinary investigative work of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. She also expressed her gratitude to the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force for the critical role it played in the investigation and prosecution. Ms. Sassoon also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and Office of International Affairs for their significant assistance, as well as the Metropolitan Police Service/SO 15 Counter Terrorism Command at New Scotland Yard, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Home Office for their cooperation in the investigation, extradition and prosecution.

This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob H. Gutwillig is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI: Diversified Royalty Corp. Announces February 2025 Cash Dividend

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diversified Royalty Corp. (TSX: DIV and DIV.DB.A) (the “Corporation” or “DIV”) is pleased to announce that its board of directors has approved a cash dividend of $0.02083 per common share for the period of February 1, 2025 to February 28, 2025, which is equal to $0.25 per common share on an annualized basis. The dividend will be paid on February 28, 2025 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 14, 2025.

About Diversified Royalty Corp.

DIV is a multi-royalty corporation, engaged in the business of acquiring top-line royalties from well-managed multi-location businesses and franchisors in North America. DIV’s objective is to acquire predictable, growing royalty streams from a diverse group of multi-location businesses and franchisors.

DIV currently owns the Mr. Lube + Tires, AIR MILES®, Sutton, Mr. Mikes, Nurse Next Door, Oxford Learning Centres, Stratus Building Solutions and BarBurrito trademarks. Mr. Lube + Tires is the leading quick lube service business in Canada, with locations across Canada. AIR MILES® is Canada’s largest coalition loyalty program. Sutton is among the leading residential real estate brokerage franchisor businesses in Canada. Mr. Mikes operates casual steakhouse restaurants primarily in western Canadian communities. Nurse Next Door is a home care provider with locations across Canada and the United States as well as in Australia. Oxford Learning Centres is one of Canada’s leading franchisee supplemental education services. Stratus Building Solutions is a leading commercial cleaning service franchise company providing comprehensive janitorial, building cleaning, and office cleaning services primarily in the United States. BarBurrito is the largest quick service Mexican restaurant food chain in Canada.

DIV’s objective is to increase cash flow per share by making accretive royalty purchases and through the growth of purchased royalties. DIV intends to continue to pay a predictable and stable monthly dividend to shareholders and increase the dividend over time, in each case as cash flow per share allows.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. The use of any of the words “anticipate”, “continue”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, “will”, ”project”, “should”, “believe”, “confident”, “plan” and “intends” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information, although not all forward-looking information contains these identifying words. Specifically, forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements made in relation to: the amount and timing of the February 2025 dividend to be paid to DIV’s shareholders; DIV’s objective to continue to pay predictable and stable monthly dividends to shareholders; and DIV’s corporate objectives. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events, performance, or achievements of DIV to differ materially from those anticipated or implied by such forward-looking information. DIV believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information included in this news release are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In particular there can be no assurance that: DIV will be able to make monthly dividend payments to the holders of its common shares; or DIV will achieve any of its corporate objectives. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned that forward-looking information included in this news release are not guarantees of future performance, and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. More information about the risks and uncertainties affecting DIV’s business and the businesses of its royalty partners can be found in the “Risk Factors” section of its Annual Information Form dated March 21, 2024 and in its most recent Management’s Discussion and Analysis, copies of each of which are available under DIV’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

In formulating the forward-looking information contained herein, management has assumed that, among other things, DIV will generate sufficient cash flows from its royalties to service its debt and pay dividends to shareholders; the business and economic conditions affecting DIV and its royalty partners will continue substantially in the ordinary course, including without limitation with respect to general industry conditions, general levels of economic activity and regulations. These assumptions, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect.

All of the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, DIV. The forward-looking information included in this news release is presented as of the date of this news release and DIV assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law.

THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR THE ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Additional Information

Additional information relating to the Corporation and other public filings, is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

Contact:
Sean Morrison, President and Chief Executive Officer
Diversified Royalty Corp.
(236) 521-8470

Greg Gutmanis, Chief Financial Officer and VP Acquisitions
Diversified Royalty Corp.
(236) 521-8471

The MIL Network –

February 5, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: 24 years of life lost: people placed in state care have died earlier, more violent deaths – new study

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Belinda Borell, Kairangahau/Researcher, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University

Lake Alice Hospital, one of many institutions investigated by the abuse-in-state-care inquiry. Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

A new study using a large collection of demographic data has revealed the lasting and damaging consequences for children placed in state care between 1950 and 1999 – including huge disparities in life expectancy compared with the general population.

The study utilised the Stats NZ Integrated Data Infrastructure – a large collection of linked data sets about people and households from across many government agencies, Stats NZ surveys, and non-government organisations.

From a substantial sample of approximately 20,000 children placed in care between 1950–1999, the study also found about 11% of this group had subsequently died, on average much younger than the rest of the population.

The causes of death were also generally more violent, though self-harm, motor vehicle accidents and assaults, at rates greater than the general population.

These findings support the conclusions of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State Care, which exposed significant harms experienced by Māori tamariki (children) and whānau (families), revealing systemic failures and breaches of te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi.

Inside the demographic data

The Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) allows researchers to conduct cross-sector research, to track a broad range of outcomes, compare them with the general population, and potentially explore links across generations.

We examined a range of social and health outcomes for a group of children in state care between 1950–1999. Information about these children was collected from handwritten records of state care institutions.

These lists were matched by officials in the Ministry of Health and the Department of Corrections. All identifiable information (names, birth dates, addresses, etc.) were removed or encrypted and made available to our research team from Stats NZ.

We linked this initial group to the IDI and retrieved records of available socio-demographic, health and life-event data. We were left with a list of just over 20,000 children, a substantial sample of the many hundreds of thousands of children placed in care during this time.

Life expectancy and cause of death

Basic demographic information reflects what is already widely known about children placed in state care: they are overwhelmingly male and Māori.

The birth years of the children are also significant. We see an increase in placement into state care of children who were born between 1960 and 1989. The Royal Commission’s final report records that the disproportional representation of Māori children in state care begins at this point, as shown in the graph below.

The government approach of the times, as espoused in the 1961 Hunn report into the Department of Māori Affairs, was to assimilate Māori into the European way of life. The effects of state action to deal with Māori perceived to have fallen short of these expectations can clearly be seen in these data.

By 2018, the sample group of children in our study were in their late 40s. Using mortality data, we know that approximately 11% of this group have died. Astonishingly, they have an average age at death of 46 years, compared to an average age of 70 for people in the general population born at the same time.

This corresponds to an average 24 years of life lost for those in state care. We can extrapolate this further when we examine the primary causes of death in this group and compare them with the general population.

Cancer, heart disease and strokes are the primary causes in the general population. These causes tend to increase with age; you are more likely to be affected the longer you live. As those in state care are less likely to reach old age, they have lower rates of death from these conditions.

Rather, we see they are subject to much more violent deaths through self-harm, motor vehicle accidents and assaults, at rates many times greater than the population at large.

Historical context and modern policy

As the Royal Commission of Inquiry documented so thoroughly, tamariki Māori were placed in environments where tikanga Māori was disregarded, their whakapapa and whenua were disconnected, and their identity as Māori denied.

Many faced neglect, abuse, and the loss of connection to mātauranga and wairua, leaving trauma that continues to affect whānau today.

The royal commission’s report coincided with the National-led government’s reintroduction of military-style youth training academies for young offenders, colloquially known as “boot camps”.

In mid-2024, Prime Minister Christopher Luxton dismissed concerns from the chief commissioner for children about the policy:

I don’t care what you say about whether it does or doesn’t work. We can have that intellectual conversation all day long, but we are […] going to try something different because we cannot carry on getting the results that we’ve been getting.

Based on our research findings – together with the royal commission’s report and significant international and local evidence about the real risks of such policies – we would argue the current approach in New Zealand needs to be revisited.

More broadly, extensive international scholarship demonstrates Indigenous people are particularly and uniquely affected by longstanding trauma through colonisation. Specific acts of oppression that remain unaddressed often result in the inter-generational transfer of trauma and trauma responses.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, as with many other colonised Indigenous territories, the forced removal of Māori children from their families to be placed in a range of state and church institutions was a key plank of colonial policy and practice.

We must accept that poor outcomes across a range of areas in health, welfare, education and justice exist within a historical and contemporary context. Those impacts are linked across generations and affect whānau to this day.

A paper based on these findings will be submitted for publication shortly. Research is continuing to expand the analyses explored here and to link outcomes across affected generations.

We would like to acknowledge Tui Barrett, Professor Tim McCreanor and Professor Helen Moewaka Barnes for their input and guidance.

If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP)

Belinda Borell receives funding from Nga Pae o Te Maramatanga, Centre for Research Excellence at the University of Auckland, and the Health Research Council of New Zealand.

Jose S. Romeo receives funding from Nga Pae o Te Maramatanga, Centre for Research Excellence at the University of Auckland and the Health Research Council of New Zealand.

– ref. 24 years of life lost: people placed in state care have died earlier, more violent deaths – new study – https://theconversation.com/24-years-of-life-lost-people-placed-in-state-care-have-died-earlier-more-violent-deaths-new-study-248540

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister announces Terry Duguid as the new Ministerial Lead for Jasper
Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that the Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, Terry Duguid, will also serve as Ministerial Lead for Jasper.

In this role, Minister Duguid will continue the federal government’s work to support people and businesses in Jasper following last summer’s unprecedented wildfires that devastated the town. He will co-ordinate federal support with provincial, municipal, and Indigenous partners to accelerate the recovery process, report on its progress, and ensure environmental protection measures remain world-class. He will be supported in this role by a working group of Cabinet ministers – each with their own mandate in helping Jasper recover.

Jasper is a home to Indigenous Peoples since time immemorial and a place of natural beauty that has long attracted visitors from all over the world. As the people of Jasper continue to rebuild their community, the Government of Canada is committed to ensuring this national treasure builds back stronger than ever before.

Quote

“Our government will always be there for the people of Jasper. With Minister Duguid as Ministerial Lead for Jasper, we’re making sure Jasper recovers, rebuilds, and continues to prosper, so its breathtaking beauty can be experienced for generations to come.”

Quick Facts
- The position of Ministerial Lead for Jasper was established in October 2024 to ensure the long-term recovery of Jasper.
- Last week, the Government of Canada announced an additional $12.6 million in matching funds to the Canadian Red Cross’ 2024 Alberta Wildfires Appeal. These funds have contributed to a total of $40.4 million in support of people impacted by the wildfires in Jasper.
Associated Link

MIL OSI Canada News –
February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ASL Version – Governor Shapiro Unveils 2025-26 Budget Proposal to Cut Costs, Drive Economic Growth, Strengthen Public Safety, Fund Our Kids’ Education, and Continue to Get Stuff Done for Pennsylvanians

Source: US State of Pennsylvania

February 04, 2025 – Harrisburg, PA

ASL Version – Governor Shapiro Unveils 2025-26 Budget Proposal to Cut Costs, Drive Economic Growth, Strengthen Public Safety, Fund Our Kids’ Education, and Continue to Get Stuff Done for Pennsylvanians

Governor Josh Shapiro presented his 2025-26 budget proposal to the General Assembly and the people of Pennsylvania – a commonsense plan that builds on two years of progress, continues to solve problems, and paves the way for a stronger, more competitive Pennsylvania. The Governor’s budget proposal places a special emphasis on workforce development; reduces health care, housing, and energy costs; invests in economic development; and continues bipartisan efforts to support Pennsylvania students – all while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

This budget will build on the foundation the Shapiro Administration has constructed over the past two years and move Pennsylvania forward as Governor Shapiro continues working across the aisle to get stuff done and ensure people across the Commonwealth have the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed.

“Pennsylvania is on the rise, and this budget is a clear roadmap for tackling our challenges and building on the bipartisan foundation we’ve created over the last two years,” said Governor Shapiro. “My budget proposal is focused on solving problems for Pennsylvanians, expanding our workforce, cutting costs, investing in public safety and economic development – and so much more – to keep creating more opportunity for all Pennsylvanians. This budget strikes a balance by making historic investments while maintaining fiscal responsibility, continuing to cut taxes, and ensuring our Commonwealth’s surplus remains strong while we keep moving Pennsylvania forward. By working together with Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly, we will continue to tackle the challenges we face and drive growth for a stronger, more prosperous Pennsylvania.”

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Armed Threat of Insurance Inspector Leads to Guilty Plea by Convicted Felon for Unlawful Possession of Firearm

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

James Elliott of Springfield was previously convicted in Kansas of aggravated assault, indecent conduct with a child

BANGOR, Maine: A Springfield man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to unlawfully possessing a firearm.

According to court records, in February 2024, a deputy from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report that a home inspector from an insurance company had been threatened with a firearm by James Elliott, 66. During a search of Elliott’s home in March 2024, deputies found six firearms, including a loaded .44 magnum lever action rifle. Elliott is precluded from possessing firearms due to two prior felony convictions in the state of Kansas.

Elliott faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 to be followed by up to three years of supervised release. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, the Maine Warden Service, and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency also assisted with the investigation.

###

MIL Security OSI –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: “Brazen and Illegal” — King, Colleagues Raise Alarm Over Trump Administration’s Attempt to Dismantle Critical National Security Agency
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) and 36 of his colleagues have contacted Secretary of State Marco Rubio, expressing their deep concern regarding the growing chaos at the U.S. Department of State and the Trump Administration’s attempt to abolish the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In a letter to Secretary Rubio, the Senators highlighted that USAID is a critical pillar of U.S. national security strategy, providing lifesaving aid and development support around the world to help ensure stability. By law, USAID is an independent agency and cannot be dismantled without approval from Congress.

Yesterday, personnel at USAID were not permitted to enter the agency’s headquarters, and Elon Musk announced that President Donald Trump agreed to close the agency and move it under the State Department — despite no legal authority to do so. The Trump Administration has also furloughed thousands of senior career civil servants, including two top security officials who denied Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency access to classified documents and systems.

“…We are deeply concerned by reports of not only growing chaos and dysfunction at the Department of State, but the Administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Mass personnel furloughs of dubious legality and abrupt, blanket stop-work orders without regard to relevant appropriations laws are causing immediate harm to U.S. national security, placing U.S. citizens at risk, disrupting life-saving work and breaking the U.S. government’s contractual obligations to private sector partners,” wrote the senators.

The senators continued, “The Administration’s failure to consult with Congress prior to taking these steps violates the law and impedes Congress’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight of funding, personnel and the nation’s foreign policy. The Administration’s failure to expend funds appropriated on a bipartisan basis by Congress would violate the Impoundment Control Act.”

“Foreign assistance is critical to supporting U.S. strategic interests around the world. Foreign assistance protects U.S. national security, advances U.S. values, and ensures the U.S. is the partner of choice for everything from defense procurement to cutting edge scientific research. China, Russia and Iran are already moving rapidly to exploit the vacuum and instability left by the U.S.’s sudden global retreat,” wrote the senators.

They continued, “Every Administration has the right to review and adjust ongoing assistance programming. However, attempting to arbitrarily turn off core functions of a critical U.S. national security agency, without Congressional consideration or any metric-based review and absent legal authority to do so, is unprecedented and deeply disturbing.”

The letter is signed by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mark Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).

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

+++

Dear Secretary Rubio:

The effective administration of U.S. foreign assistance is critical to advancing core U.S. national security priorities, including countering the influence of China, Russia and Iran. As you acknowledged at your confirmation hearing, pushing back on China in particular is a top bipartisan priority.

As such, we are deeply concerned by reports of not only growing chaos and dysfunction at the Department of State, but the Administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Mass personnel furloughs of dubious legality and abrupt, blanket stop-work orders without regard to relevant appropriations laws are causing immediate harm to U.S. national security, placing U.S. citizens at risk, disrupting life-saving work and breaking the U.S. government’s contractual obligations to private sector partners.

The Administration’s failure to consult with Congress prior to taking these steps violates the law and impedes Congress’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight of funding, personnel and the nation’s foreign policy. The Administration’s failure to expend funds appropriated on a bipartisan basis by Congress would violate the Impoundment Control Act.

Foreign assistance is critical to supporting U.S. strategic interests around the world. Foreign assistance protects U.S. national security, advances U.S. values, and ensures the U.S. is the partner of choice for everything from defense procurement to cutting edge scientific research. China, Russia and Iran are already moving rapidly to exploit the vacuum and instability left by the U.S.’s sudden global retreat.

Every Administration has the right to review and adjust ongoing assistance programming. However, attempting to arbitrarily turn off core functions of a critical U.S. national security agency, without Congressional consideration or any metric-based review and absent legal authority to do so, is unprecedented and deeply disturbing.

We request immediate clarification on the following:

Status of USAID:
1. Confirmation of your understanding that any effort to abolish USAID or merge USAID into the Department of State absent Congressional consultation and approval is illegal.
2. Confirmation of your understanding that adversaries such as China, Russia and Iran are quickly moving into the vacuum left by suspended USAID programs.
3. The Department of State’s assessment of Mr. Elon Musk’s financial ties to China and the impact of these ties to the decision-making process of Mr. Musk and his employees.
4. Confirmation that neither you nor any member of your leadership team are taking direction from Mr. Musk with regards to the work of the Department of State or USAID, personnel or financial decisions for either agency, or any other matters relevant to U.S. national security.
5. Confirmation of the names and employment status of individuals directed by Mr. Musk to engage with USAID staff, the qualifications of these individuals, and the level of their security clearances – if any.
Personnel:
1. Confirmation of your understanding that any unauthorized access by or disclosure of classified information to individuals without appropriate security clearance could be considered a criminal offense.
2. The legal authority and rationale under which, on January 28, more than 50 senior career civil and foreign service USAID officials were placed on administrative leave. This move was not only unprecedented, but also inconsistent with the Office of Personnel Management’s own guidelines for the use of administrative leave.
3. The legal authority under which, on January 28, approximately 390 USAID Institutional Support Contractors (ISCs) were given stop-work orders, and clarification of which Administration official directed the implementation of this termination.
4. Whether any Department of State career civil and foreign service or contractors have been placed on administrative leave or removed from their roles as a result of or relating to the assistance freeze or any directives from the Office of Foreign Assistance.
5. Clarification of which Administration official directed the implementation of this mass furlough.
6. Clarification of whether these individuals were directed to be terminated without cause.
7. Confirmation that personnel will not face retaliation or retribution for performing their duties under the previous Administration’s policy direction.
8. Under what authorities and by which official’s directive career civil service, foreign service, and Personal Services Contractors (PSC), and those under other hiring authorities have been removed from their roles or limited in their ability to execute their work.
9. Confirmation that further career civil service, foreign service and USAID contractors will not be removed from their roles without cause or receive stop work orders.
10. Whether, upon full resumption of legally mandated foreign assistance activities, the Administration intends to re-hire contractors who have been removed from their roles.
11. Any additional guidance provided to State and USAID staff regarding the foreign assistance freeze, including confirmation of whether direct hires, contractors, or implementing organizations have been directed not to speak publicly about the foreign assistance freeze.
12. Public identification of the individual currently serving as the Director or Acting Director of the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance and as Acting Deputy Administrator of USAID, and the dates upon which this individual was appointed to each position.
13. Confirmation of your understanding that the State Department’s Director of Foreign Assistance has no authority to issue personnel directives for USAID.
Resumption of Foreign Assistance:
1. The specific process and anticipated timeframe for activities to receive exemptions or waivers, as referenced in your January 28, 2025 directive to State and USAID staff.
2. The mechanisms and metrics established for this waiver process.
3. The timeline for full resumption of legally mandated foreign assistance activities.
4. Clarification of what risk assessment or analysis of potential risk to U.S. national security interests were conducted prior to the decision to freeze foreign assistance activities.
5. Confirmation of the Department of State’s obligation to comply with U.S. contract law and your responsibility as Secretary of State ensure the Department honors its commitments to contracting partners.
We welcome your urgent attention to these questions. We and our staff stand ready to work with you to ensure U.S. foreign assistance funding continues to be deployed effectively to protect American citizens, at home and abroad.

Respectfully,
MIL OSI USA News –
February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Statement from Senate Intel Vice Chair Warner on the FBI

US Senate News:

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

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement:

“Earlier today, my office finally received a copy of the order that was sent on Friday by the acting head of the Department of Justice to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, ordering that several of the most experienced and senior officials at the Bureau be terminated.

“We need to be clear about why this matters. I am going to start by sharing a little bit about some of the individuals who were fired, and how they served our country.

“At a time when we are facing threats to the homeland from ISIS and ISIS-inspired terrorists, the president fired the Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division. Bobby Wells began his career as an FBI special agent in 2003, and there are Americans who are alive today because he helped catch terrorists before they had a chance to carry out their plans to attack inside the United States.

“While more than 100,000 Americans die every year due to drug overdoses, the president fired the Assistant Director of the FBI’s the Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch, which, among other myriad responsibilities, puts criminal organizations and drug traffickers behind bars. Michael Nordwall began his career with the FBI as a special agent in 2002, and he has worked at field offices in Phoenix, Tampa, Denver, Pittsburgh, as well as at FBI headquarters, investigating some of the most dangerous criminals in the United States and making sure that they face justice.

“As we face espionage and counterintelligence threats from China, Russia, and other adversaries, the president fired the Assistant Director of the FBI’s Intelligence Branch. Ryan Young joined the FBI as a special agent in 2001, working counterintelligence cases out of Miami. In 2014, he moved to counterterrorism and established the Syria-Iraq Task Force to counter the threat from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, and has also worked in Dallas and Los Angeles, managing crises and counterterrorism investigations.

“While new technologies are transforming crimefighting and our national security, the president fired the Assistant Director of the Science and Technology Branch. Jacqueline Maguire joined the FBI as a special agent in 2000. Among her other notable achievements, she was the lead agent for the investigation of the five hijackers of American Airlines Flight 77 after the 9/11 terror attacks.

“As the FBI builds a workforce to manage the threats of today and tomorrow and keep adversaries like China from penetrating our secrets, the president fired the Assistant Director of the Human Resources Branch. Timothy Dunham joined the FBI as a special agent in 2002, and has overseen matters relating to counterterrorism, counterintelligence, and transnational organized crime.

“The president fired the head of the Miami field office, which oversees crimefighting in nine busy counties in South Florida, including the president’s home in Palm Beach County, as well as extraterritorial violations of American citizens in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Jeffrey Veltri joined the FBI as a special agent in 2002, working on matters from health care fraud to terrorism. He also deployed to Iraq, where he supported the prosecution of Saddam Hussein.

“In the memo, the acting director of the FBI was also ordered to fire the head of the Washington Field Office, one of the most important field positions in the entire FBI, with jurisdiction over federal crimes in and around Washington, D.C. David Sundberg joined the FBI in 2002 as a special agent, and, among other stops in a distinguished career, served as a leader on the FBI’s elite Hostage Rescue Team.

“These are people who have served our country, protected Americans, and put criminals behind bars. Now they have been pushed out simply for doing their jobs.

“As we deal with a myriad of threats – to our homeland, to our cyber networks, to our economic competitiveness – this blatant abuse of power is making us all less safe.”

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Don’t default to the Rate of Last Resort
[. While most ratepayers choose to sign competitive contracts with one of more than 50 electricity providers in the province’s uniquely competitive market, those who don’t are automatically enrolled on the Rate of Last Resort – the default electricity rate – and likely to pay more for their power.

As part of ongoing efforts to help Albertans save more on their electricity bill, Alberta’s government is launching an advertising campaign to encourage Albertans to explore their electricity options and ensure they know they don’t have to settle for the Rate of Last Resort.

“Albertans shouldn’t pay more on their power bill than they have to. Our government is taking action to ensure they have the tools they need to make informed decisions about their electricity so more of their hard-earned dollars can be used where they’re needed most for them and their families.”

Nathan Neudorf, Minister of Affordability and Utilities

Last year, tens of thousands of households made the switch from the Rate of Last Resort to a competitive contract. The campaign aims to ensure new Albertans and first-time ratepayers still on the Rate of Last Resort know they have choices when it comes to their power bill, and a better electricity option that could save them hundreds of dollars may be available to them.

“Alberta’s competitive electricity market gives consumers choice, and for most Albertans, competitive retail rates are a better choice than the Rate of Last Resort. I encourage everyone to learn about their electricity options and contact the Utilities Consumer Advocate if you need help understanding your utilities.”

Chantelle de Jonge, parliamentary secretary, Affordability and Utilities

The campaign builds on existing consumer awareness initiatives and efforts to lower utility bills and protect ratepayers from volatile price spikes. New regulations came into effect Jan. 1 that require providers to clearly indicate on customers’ utility bills if they are on the Rate of Last Resort and inform them of their competitive retail market options. Every 90 days, the Utilities Consumer Advocate will contact all ratepayers on the Rate of Last Resort, confirm whether they would like to remain on the default rate and encourage them to explore their options.

“Moving to a new place can be overwhelming and expensive, especially those moving from outside the province or country. Alberta’s government is helping ease stress and financial strain by making sure newcomers are informed about their electricity options.”

Yuliia Haletska, case manager – Ukrainian, vulnerable population services, Centre for Newcomers

To protect any Albertans who may not be able to sign a competitive contract from sudden, volatile price spikes, the Rate of Last Resort is set at approximately 12 cents/kWh. The rate is set every two years and can only be changed by a maximum of 10 per cent between two-year terms. Through these changes, Alberta’s government is making the Rate of Last Resort more stable and predictable for Albertans unable to sign a competitive contract. Albertans who are looking for help with their utility bills or are experiencing a dispute with their provider should contact the Utilities Consumer Advocate (UCA).

Quick facts
- Albertans have three options when purchasing their electricity: the Rate of Last Resort, a competitive contract for a variable rate, or a competitive contract for a fixed rate.
- Competitive retail contracts continue to provide the best, lowest cost options for Albertans.
- The Rate of Last Resort is approved by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC) and is not determined by the government.
- Approximately 26 per cent of residential customers purchase electricity through the Rate of Last Resort.
- Approximately 29 per cent of eligible commercial customers and 40 per cent of farm customers purchase electricity through the Rate of Last Resort.
Related information
- Utilities Consumer Advocate
- Alberta Utilities Commission
Related news
- Rewiring Alberta’s electricity system (Dec. 10, 2024)
- Introducing the Rate of Last Resort (Sept. 25, 2024)
- Power rates slashed in half by new market rules (Sept. 5, 2024)
- Power watchdog supports Alberta’s electricity market reforms (Aug. 6, 2024)
- Making utility bills more affordable (April 22, 2024)
- Making electricity more affordable (April 18, 2024)
Multimedia
- Watch the news conference
MIL OSI Canada News –
February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI: Great Elm Group Expands Real Estate Enterprise Launching Monomoy Construction Services

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Great Elm Group, Inc. (“we,” “us,” “our,” “GEG” or “Great Elm,”) (NASDAQ: GEG), an alternative asset manager, today announced the formation of Monomoy Construction Services, LLC (“MCS”) upon acquisition of Greenfield CRE’s (“Greenfield’s”) assets. The result will combine the construction talent from Greenfield with civil engineering and land planning talent at Monomoy BTS Construction Management to form MCS, which will operate adjacent to Monomoy’s industrial asset management business Monomoy CRE, LLC (“MCRE”) (together with MCS, “Monomoy”), to provide an integrated business model in the industrial real estate market. With this acquisition, Monomoy will offer a full-service suite of project management, procurement, construction management, asset management, market analysis and feasibility for its industrial real estate tenants.

Strategic Considerations

The transaction is part of GEG’s strategy to grow its existing real estate franchise by bringing Greenfield, Monomoy’s existing general contractor partner, in-house. Greenfield shares a seasoned relationship with Monomoy and has detailed knowledge of Monomoy’s development projects and tenant expectations. This unique opportunity enhances the overall Monomoy enterprise in procurement and construction management expertise, enabling the business to propel its focus on construction opportunities for its existing industrial tenant base. The acquisition enables increased fee revenue from construction consulting and build-to-suit projects, while lowering in-house execution costs, allowing competitive pricing to further drive business growth.

Management Commentary

Jason Reese, Executive Chairman of GEG, said, “The Monomoy Construction Services transaction represents a successful outcome for Great Elm’s shareholders. This marks the latest in a series of strategic actions taken to enhance our focus and capabilities across our industrial real estate platform.”

Chris Macri, President of MCRE, stated, “We welcome the Greenfield team as trusted colleagues with whom we have worked extensively. As a combined platform, we intend to pursue a robust pipeline of construction opportunities for our tenants, leading the way for creative real estate solutions in the industrial real estate and development market.”

Key Hire

MCS hires Brandon Finomore, the former President of Greenfield CRE, to lead its construction services business. Mr. Finomore joins Monomoy with over 20 years of real estate development expertise, managing and directing projects across the US ranging from $500,000 to $30,000,000. Licensed as a general contractor with the ability to run projects nationally, Mr. Finomore will work alongside the President of Monomoy, Chris Macri, to carry out Monomoy’s strategic construction initiatives. As part of the transaction, GEG has awarded 276,182 restricted shares of GEG stock to Mr. Finomore that will vest on the 5th year anniversary of the grant date. These restricted shares were granted as a material inducement to Mr. Finomore’s entry into employment with MCS, an affiliate of GEG, in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).

About Great Elm Group, Inc.

Great Elm Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: GEG) is a publicly-traded, alternative asset manager focused on growing a scalable and diversified portfolio of long-duration and permanent capital vehicles across credit, real estate, specialty finance, and other alternative strategies. Great Elm Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries currently manage Great Elm Capital Corp., a publicly-traded business development company, and Monomoy Properties REIT, LLC, an industrial-focused real estate investment trust, in addition to other investments. Great Elm Group, Inc.’s website can be found at www.greatelmgroup.com.

About Monomoy CRE, LLC & Monomoy Construction Services, LLC

Monomoy CRE, LLC (“MCRE”) and Monomoy Construction Services, LLC (“MCS”), subsidiaries of GEG (together “Monomoy”) provide a full-service real estate services enterprise that provide solutions for our tenants through property management, real estate investments, construction and development. Monomoy invests in build-to-suit and existing Class A, B, and C single-tenant industrial properties across the US, focusing on equipment rental, building supply, materials, manufacturing, warehousing, distribution, and logistics, while specifically targeting critical markets with economic growth.

About Greenfield CRE

Greenfield CRE is an innovator in the commercial real estate industry, with a focus on development, construction management, property management, and acquisitions across the United States. Greenfield provides third-party development services to select clients focusing on site selection, building planning, market review, construction management, and advisory services. Greenfield has a nationwide coverage area and has a specialty focus on the industrial outdoor storage (IOS) commercial real estate space.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are “forward-looking” statements, including statements regarding expected growth, profitability, acquisition opportunities and outlook involve risks and uncertainties that may individually or collectively impact the matters described herein. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made and represent GEG’s assumptions and expectations in light of currently available information. These statements involve risks, variables and uncertainties, and GEG’s actual performance results may differ from those projected, and any such differences may be material. For information on certain factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from GEG’s expectations, please see GEG’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Additional information relating to GEG’s financial position and results of operations is also contained in GEG’s annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC and available for download at its website www.greatelmgroup.com or at the SEC website www.sec.gov.

This press release does not constitute an offer of any securities for sale.

Media & Investor Contact:
Investor Relations
geginvestorrelations@greatelm.com

The MIL Network –

February 5, 2025

MIL-OSI: ChampionX Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Fourth-quarter revenue of $912.0 million
Fourth-quarter net income attributable to ChampionX of $82.8 million
Fourth-quarter adjusted EBITDA of $212.3 million
Fourth-quarter income before income taxes margin of 13.0%
Fourth quarter adjusted EBITDA margin of 23.3%
Fourth-quarter cash from operating activities of $207.3 million and free cash flow of $170.1 million

Full-year net income attributable to ChampionX of $320.3 million
Full-year adjusted EBITDA of $784.7 million
Full-year cash from operating activities of $589.7 million and free cash flow of $460.5 million

THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ChampionX Corporation (NASDAQ: CHX) (“ChampionX” or the “Company”) today announced fourth quarter of 2024 and full year 2024 results. For the fourth quarter of 2024, revenue was $912.0 million, net income attributable to ChampionX was $82.8 million, and adjusted EBITDA was $212.3 million. Income before income taxes margin was 13.0%, and adjusted EBITDA margin was 23.3%. Cash provided by operating activities was $207.3 million, and free cash flow was $170.1 million.

CEO Commentary

“2024 was a year in which we continued to demonstrate the unique nature of ChampionX’s cash flow resiliency, driven by the strength of our high-margin operating model and capital-light portfolio of businesses. We delivered robust adjusted EBITDA margin expansion and generated strong free cash flow. Our differentiated performance is the direct result of our employees around the world remaining committed to serving our customers well and living our continuous improvement culture daily. I am thankful and humbled to lead such a remarkably dedicated team,” ChampionX’s President and Chief Executive Officer Sivasankaran “Soma” Somasundaram said.

“During the fourth quarter of 2024, we generated revenue of $912 million, which increased 1% sequentially, driven by seasonal strength in our Production Chemical Technologies business. Sequential growth in Production Chemical Technologies was offset by typical seasonal declines in our Production & Automation Technologies business into the year-end holidays. For the full year 2024, we generated revenue of $3.6 billion, and we grew our North America revenue by 3% year-over-year, driven by particular strength in the Permian basin. We generated net income attributable to ChampionX of $83 million, income before income taxes margin of 13.0%, and delivered adjusted EBITDA of $212 million, representing a 23.3% adjusted EBITDA margin, our highest level as ChampionX, which speaks to the continued productivity and profitability focus of our team. For the full year 2024, we generated net income attributable to ChampionX of $320 million, income before income taxes margin of 12.2%, a 90 basis point increase over the prior year, and delivered adjusted EBITDA of $785 million, representing a 21.6% adjusted EBITDA margin, an increase of 107 basis points year-over-year.

“We once again demonstrated our strong cash flow profile. Cash flow from operating activities was $207 million during the fourth quarter, which represented 250% of net income attributable to ChampionX, and includes a $48 million tax payment deferred from the fourth quarter of 2024 to the first quarter of 2025. We generated robust free cash flow of $170 million during the fourth quarter, converting 80% of our adjusted EBITDA for the period. Cash flow from operating activities was $590 million for the full year 2024, which represented 184% of net income attributable to ChampionX. For the full year 2024, we generated free cash flow of $460 million and achieved 59% adjusted EBITDA to free cash flow conversion. Our balance sheet and financial position remain strong, ending the year with approximately $1.2 billion of liquidity, including $508 million of cash and $675 million of available capacity on our revolving credit facility.

“As we look ahead to 2025, we expect global oil production to grow, and given our differentiated and resilient production-oriented portfolio, we expect another year of positive performance relative to general oil and gas market activity.”

Agreement to be Acquired by SLB

On April 2, 2024, SLB (NYSE: SLB) and ChampionX jointly announced a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) for SLB to purchase ChampionX in an all-stock transaction. The transaction was unanimously approved by the ChampionX board of directors and the transaction received the approval of the ChampionX stockholders at a special meeting held on June 18, 2024. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

ChampionX may continue to pay its regular quarterly cash dividends with customary record and payment dates, subject to certain limitations under the Merger Agreement. Given the pending acquisition of ChampionX by SLB, ChampionX has discontinued providing quarterly guidance and will not host a conference call or webcast to discuss its fourth quarter and full year 2024 results.

Production Chemical Technologies

Production Chemical Technologies revenue in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $569.7 million, an increase of $10.1 million, or 2%, sequentially, due to seasonally higher volumes in certain international markets and higher volumes in North America.

Segment operating profit was $103.6 million and adjusted segment EBITDA was $133.5 million. Segment operating profit margin was 18.2%, an increase of 259 basis points, sequentially, and adjusted segment EBITDA margin was 23.4%, an increase of 187 basis points, sequentially, in each case due to volumes and product mix.

Production & Automation Technologies

Production & Automation Technologies revenue in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $269.6 million, a decrease of $6.1 million, or 2%, sequentially, due primarily to seasonality in our North American businesses into the year-end holidays.

Revenue from digital products was $62.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, an increase of $4.4 million, or 7.5%, compared to $57.9 million in the third quarter of 2024.

Segment operating profit was $39.0 million, and adjusted segment EBITDA was $70.7 million. Segment operating profit margin was 14.5%, an increase of 210 basis points, sequentially, and adjusted segment EBITDA margin was 26.2%, an increase of 100 basis points, sequentially, in each case due to productivity improvements and product mix.

Drilling Technologies

Drilling Technologies revenue in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $51.9 million, an increase of $0.2 million, or flat, sequentially, in-line with flat sequential U.S. rig count activity.

Segment operating profit was $10.7 million, and adjusted segment EBITDA was $12.3 million. Segment operating profit margin was 20.6%, a decrease of 160 basis points, sequentially, and adjusted segment EBITDA margin was 23.7%, a decrease of 112 basis points, sequentially, in each case due to slightly higher operating costs.

Reservoir Chemical Technologies

Reservoir Chemical Technologies revenue in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $21.9 million, an increase of $1.4 million, or 7%, sequentially, due primarily to higher product volumes.

Segment operating profit was $2.3 million, and adjusted segment EBITDA was $3.8 million. Segment operating profit margin was 10.5%, as compared to 8.2% in the prior quarter, and adjusted segment EBITDA margin was 17.1%, an increase of 106 basis points, sequentially, in each case due to higher product volumes.

Other Business Highlights: Production Chemical Technologies and Reservoir Chemical Technologies

Chosen by a Canadian operator to be their sole supply partner for production chemical programs to support longer asset life for the customer’s project.
Awarded SAGD accounts with a Canadian oil sands operator after a well-executed ChampionX pursuit, trial and transition. This success is expected to lead to additional growth opportunities with the customer in 2025.
Achieved growth with a national oil company in Central Asia through technology and alignment to the customer’s key business drivers. Organized technical workshops and reviews leading to the implementation of a paraffin treatment program with the customer.
Secured a new contract for the provision of chemical injection skids for Drag Reducing Agents (“DRA”) as part of a new development in Eastern Africa.
Executed a successful field trial for an innovative AAHI (hydrate inhibitor) with a major operator in Egypt. This strategic initiative is expected to assist the customer with significantly boosting production and enhancing operational efficiency.
Successfully qualified corrosion inhibitors for an existing gas field in Qatar. This achievement marks a significant step in supporting asset integrity assurance and commitment to delivering reliable solutions to the industry.
Qualified a new Kinetic Hydrate Inhibitor for a major gas field operated by a major national oil company in the Middle East region. This innovative solution delivers higher value, efficiency, and a lower total cost of operation.
Instituted notable customer-centric innovations, including the Right Products campaign which delivered 12 new chemistry innovations, the ParaClear^(R) program for paraffin remediation, and the full-time Flowback Team with new product lines and digital tools.
Advanced digital capabilities, including MyAnalytics platform for sales representatives, the Sensor Team for equipment monitoring, and a trial of a Centralized Ordering system to streamline orders.
Delivered on our first RenewIQ+^(R) opportunity, pumping a Reservoir Chemical Technologies chemistry in conjunction with our standard RenewIQ^(R) offering.
Gained significant commercial traction among key customers with Reservoir Chemical Technologies’ new acidizing technology. This innovative system has been evaluated by a major Middle East operator and recognized as one of the top-performing solutions in the market. This milestone underscores our commitment to providing sustainable, high-performance solutions that align with the evolving needs of the industry.

Other Business Highlights: Production & Automation Technologies

Expanded the portfolio of recently acquired RMSpumptools into North America, delivering new solutions to a major oil company in the Permian basin using permanent magnet motor technology. Additional interest and growth with customers are building into 2025.
Introduced the SMARTEN™ Lite rod pump controller, which offers an economical automation solution for marginal, low-producing rod pump wells. This new technology was successfully operating on 60 new wells in Q4 2024, helping operators gain 24/7 surveillance and remote control of their rod pump assets with a low-cost edge computing device that requires minimal hardware and setup.
Continuing to see strong market penetration and interest in Artificial Lift Performance’s Pump Checker software offering. Software license counts have increased by more than 30% since the February 2024 acquisition, with a focused growth on gas lift/plunger lift well applications.
Successfully added well density to a performance-based integrated production optimization (“IPO”) project recently secured with a customer in the Permian basin, and extended the reach of this holistic solution with an additional customer in the Permian. The IPO solution combines artificial lift, chemicals and chemical injection systems with digital automation, controls, data management, and optimization services to drive incremental production with effective cost management for operators.
Deployed a large SOOFIE™ continuous emissions monitoring system for an operator in the Middle East. Based on initial results, the customer plans to deploy additional fixed emissions monitoring systems as well as incorporate the ChampionX Aura™ optical gas imaging camera in the field. Our technology was selected based on its proven capabilities and ChampionX collaboration with the field team to assure a steady stream of high-quality data. The SOOFIE continuous monitoring system provides real-time, 24/7 surveillance of methane and other greenhouse gases at oil and gas facilities and landfills.
Completed installations of ChampionX’s AnX™ coiled rod technology with a Middle East operator. Based on the excellent performance of this corrosion-resistant coiled rod, the customer has ordered product to install in additional wells in 2025. AnX recently won the Gulf Energy Excellence award for Best Production Technology and has demonstrated dramatic run life improvement in highly corrosive applications in multiple geographies around the world.
Successfully completed the initial installations of a full rod pumping solution on a very challenging application in Colombia. The solution brings together both the downhole rods and pump with ChampionX’s rod lift production optimization software. The customer reports that results are exceeding expectations, with production increasing by 35% while reducing operating costs through optimizing resources required to operate the wells.
Expanded production optimization software capabilities with customers in Peru and Argentina. Our XSPOC™ software has been implemented across more than 300 wells in Peru and additional licenses are planned in Q1 2025. In Argentina, a customer implemented the software across three fields. By delivering diagnostic insights and actionable recommendations, XSPOC software enables customers to enhance well performance, increase production, and reduce operating costs.

About Non-GAAP Measures

In addition to financial results determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”), this news release presents non-GAAP financial measures. Management believes that adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted net income attributable to ChampionX and adjusted diluted earnings per share attributable to ChampionX, provide useful information to investors regarding the Company’s financial condition and results of operations because they reflect the core operating results of our businesses and help facilitate comparisons of operating performance across periods. In addition, free cash flow, free cash flow to adjusted EBITDA ratio, and free cash flow to revenue ratio are used by management to measure our ability to generate positive cash flow for debt reduction and to support our strategic objectives. Although management believes the aforementioned non-GAAP financial measures are good tools for internal use and the investment community in evaluating ChampionX’s overall financial performance, the foregoing non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for or superior to, other measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. A reconciliation of these non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures is included in the accompanying financial tables.

About ChampionX

ChampionX is a global leader in chemistry solutions, artificial lift systems, and highly engineered equipment and technologies that help companies drill for and produce oil and gas safely, efficiently, and sustainably around the world. ChampionX’s expertise, innovative products, and digital technologies provide enhanced oil and gas production, transportation, and real-time emissions monitoring throughout the lifecycle of a well. To learn more about ChampionX, visit our website at www.ChampionX.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements include statements relating to the proposed transaction between SLB and ChampionX, including statements regarding the benefits of the transaction and the anticipated timing of the transaction, and information regarding the businesses of SLB and ChampionX, including expectations regarding outlook and all underlying assumptions, SLB’s and ChampionX’s objectives, plans and strategies, information relating to operating trends in markets where SLB and ChampionX operate, statements that contain projections of results of operations or of financial condition and all other statements other than statements of historical fact that address activities, events or developments that SLB or ChampionX intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Such statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions made based on information currently available to management. All statements in this communication, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements that may be identified by the use of the words “outlook,” “guidance,” “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “should,” “estimates,” “intends,” “plans,” “seeks,” “targets,” “may,” “can,” “believe,” “predict,” “potential,” “projected,” “projections,” “precursor,” “forecast,” “ambition,” “goal,” “scheduled,” “think,” “could,” “would,” “will,” “see,” “likely,” and other similar expressions or variations, but not all forward-looking statements include such words. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, and which may cause SLB’s or ChampionX’s actual results and performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Factors and risks that may impact future results and performance include, but are not limited to those factors and risks described in Part I, “Item 1. Business”, “Item 1A. Risk Factors”, and “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in SLB’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on January 24, 2024 and Part 1, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in ChampionX’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC on February 6, 2024, and each of their respective, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. These include, but are not limited to, and in each case as a possible result of the proposed transaction on each of SLB and ChampionX: the ultimate outcome of the proposed transaction between SLB and ChampionX, including the effect of the announcement of the proposed transaction; the ability to operate the SLB and ChampionX respective businesses, including business disruptions; difficulties in retaining and hiring key personnel and employees; the ability to maintain favorable business relationships with customers, suppliers and other business partners; the terms and timing of the proposed transaction; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the proposed transaction; the anticipated or actual tax treatment of the proposed transaction; the ability to satisfy closing conditions to the completion of the proposed transaction (including the adoption of the merger agreement in respect of the proposed transaction by ChampionX stockholders); other risks related to the completion of the proposed transaction and actions related thereto; the ability of SLB and ChampionX to integrate the business successfully and to achieve anticipated synergies and value creation from the proposed transaction; changes in demand for SLB’s or ChampionX’s products and services; global market, political and economic conditions, including in the countries in which SLB and ChampionX operate; the ability to secure government regulatory approvals on the terms expected, at all or in a timely manner; the extent of growth of the oilfield services market generally, including for chemical solutions in production and midstream operations; the global macro-economic environment, including headwinds caused by inflation, rising interest rates, unfavorable currency exchange rates, and potential recessionary or depressionary conditions; the impact of shifts in prices or margins of the products that SLB or ChampionX sells or services that SLB or ChampionX provides, including due to a shift towards lower margin products or services; cyber-attacks, information security and data privacy; the impact of public health crises, such as pandemics (including COVID-19) and epidemics and any related company or government policies and actions to protect the health and safety of individuals or government policies or actions to maintain the functioning of national or global economies and markets; trends in crude oil and natural gas prices, including trends in chemical solutions across the oil and natural gas industries, that may affect the drilling and production activity, profitability and financial stability of SLB’s and ChampionX’s customers and therefore the demand for, and profitability of, their products and services; litigation and regulatory proceedings, including any proceedings that may be instituted against SLB or ChampionX related to the proposed transaction; failure to effectively and timely address energy transitions that could adversely affect the businesses of SLB or ChampionX, results of operations, and cash flows of SLB or ChampionX; and disruptions of SLB’s or ChampionX’s information technology systems.

These risks, as well as other risks related to the proposed transaction, are included in the Form S-4 and proxy statement/prospectus that was filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. While the list of factors presented here is, and the list of factors presented in the registration statement on Form S-4 are, considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. For additional information about other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, please refer to SLB’s and ChampionX’s respective periodic reports and other filings with the SEC, including the risk factors identified in SLB’s and ChampionX’s Annual Reports on Form 10-K, respectively, and SLB’s and ChampionX’s subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made only as of the date hereof. Neither SLB nor ChampionX undertakes any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law.

Investor Contact: Byron Pope
byron.pope@championx.com
281-602-0094

Media Contact: John Breed
john.breed@championx.com
281-403-5751

CHAMPIONX CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
(UNAUDITED)

	Three Months Ended									Years Ended
	Dec 31,			Sep 30,			Dec 31,			December 31,
(in thousands, except per share amounts)		2024			2024			2023			2024			2023
Revenue	$	912,037		$	906,533		$	943,555		$	3,633,983		$	3,758,285
Cost of goods and services		600,154			608,764			661,337			2,445,281			2,618,646
Gross profit		311,883			297,769			282,218			1,188,702			1,139,639
Selling, general and administrative expense		184,722			180,501			147,415			720,632			633,032
(Gain) loss on sale-leaseback transaction and disposal group		—			57			—			(29,826	)		12,965
Interest expense, net		12,375			14,137			13,808			55,868			54,562
Foreign currency transaction losses (gains), net		1,697			3,505			14,651			2,490			36,334
Other income, net		(5,026	)		(2,176	)		(7,584	)		(3,337	)		(21,078	)
Income before income taxes		118,115			101,745			113,928			442,875			423,824
Provision for income taxes		33,204			28,078			35,771			115,746			105,105
Net income		84,911			73,667			78,157			327,129			318,719
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest		2,145			1,659			959			6,863			4,481
Net income attributable to ChampionX	$	82,766		$	72,008		$	77,198		$	320,266		$	314,238

Earnings per share attributable to ChampionX:
Basic	$	0.43		$	0.38		$	0.40		$	1.68		$	1.60
Diluted	$	0.43		$	0.37		$	0.39		$	1.65		$	1.57

Weighted-average shares outstanding:
Basic		190,586			190,496			193,191			190,578			196,083
Diluted		193,487			193,362			196,649			193,643			199,906

CHAMPIONX CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(UNAUDITED)

	December 31,
(in thousands)		2024			2023
Assets
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	507,681		$	288,557
Receivables, net		466,782			534,534
Inventories, net		496,831			521,549
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		92,603			80,777
Total current assets		1,563,897			1,425,417

Property, plant and equipment, net		755,422			773,552
Goodwill		718,944			669,064
Intangible assets, net		258,614			243,553
Other non-current assets		173,375			130,116
Total assets	$	3,470,252		$	3,241,702

Liabilities
Current portion of long-term debt	$	6,203		$	6,203
Accounts payable		455,531			451,680
Other current liabilities		324,138			324,866
Total current liabilities		785,872			782,749

Long-term debt		591,453			594,283
Other long-term liabilities		261,749			203,639
Stockholders’ equity:
ChampionX stockholders’ equity		1,846,437			1,676,622
Noncontrolling interest		(15,259	)		(15,591	)
Total liabilities and equity	$	3,470,252		$	3,241,702

CHAMPIONX CORPORATION
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(UNAUDITED)

	Years Ended December 31,
(in thousands)		2024			2023
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$	327,129		$	318,719
Depreciation and amortization		245,825			235,936
(Gain) loss on sale-leaseback transaction and disposal group		(29,826	)		12,965
Loss on Argentina Blue Chip Swap transaction		7,086			—
Deferred income taxes		(22,873	)		(22,272	)
(Gain) on disposal of fixed assets		(443	)		(1,046	)
Receivables		76,569			70,021
Inventories		(8,924	)		18,753
Accounts payable		(399	)		(53,891	)
Other assets		(15,152	)		20,395
Leased assets		(33,767	)		(51,247	)
Other operating items, net		44,456			(8,062	)
Net cash provided by operating activities		589,681			540,271

Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures		(141,310	)		(142,324	)
Proceeds from sale of fixed assets		12,113			14,545
Proceeds from sale-leaseback transaction		44,292			—
Purchase of investments		(31,526	)		—
Sale of investments		24,358			—
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired		(123,269	)		—
Net cash used for investing activities		(215,342	)		(127,779	)

Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from long-term debt		—			15,500
Repayment of long-term debt		(6,203	)		(45,176	)
Repurchases of common stock		(49,399	)		(277,575	)
Dividends paid		(70,531	)		(64,980	)
Other		(24,324	)		(934	)
Net cash used for financing activities		(150,457	)		(373,165	)

Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		(4,758	)		(957	)

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents		219,124			38,370
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		288,557			250,187
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$	507,681		$	288,557

CHAMPIONX CORPORATION
BUSINESS SEGMENT DATA
(UNAUDITED)

	Three Months Ended									Years Ended
	Dec 31,			Sep 30,			Dec 31,			December 31,
(in thousands)		2024			2024			2023			2024			2023
Segment revenue:
Production Chemical Technologies	$	569,662		$	559,539		$	634,137		$	2,288,886		$	2,404,377
Production & Automation Technologies		269,568			275,700			241,294			1,042,369			1,003,146
Drilling Technologies		51,942			51,792			46,821			211,828			215,721
Reservoir Chemical Technologies		21,937			20,531			21,402			94,296			96,154
Corporate and other		(1,072	)		(1,029	)		(99	)		(3,396	)		38,887
Total revenue	$	912,037		$	906,533		$	943,555		$	3,633,983		$	3,758,285

Income (loss) before income taxes:
Segment operating profit (loss):
Production Chemical Technologies	$	103,567		$	87,260		$	102,179		$	364,047		$	350,216
Production & Automation Technologies		39,027			34,136			22,110			123,840			118,409
Drilling Technologies		10,703			11,501			8,679			78,469			45,481
Reservoir Chemical Technologies		2,294			1,675			3,907			12,078			10,541
Total segment operating profit		155,591			134,572			136,875			578,434			524,647
Corporate and other		25,101			18,690			9,139			79,691			46,261
Interest expense, net		12,375			14,137			13,808			55,868			54,562
Income before income taxes	$	118,115		$	101,745		$	113,928		$	442,875		$	423,824

Operating profit margin / income (loss) before income taxes margin:
Production Chemical Technologies		18.2	%		15.6	%		16.1	%		15.9	%		14.6	%
Production & Automation Technologies		14.5	%		12.4	%		9.2	%		11.9	%		11.8	%
Drilling Technologies		20.6	%		22.2	%		18.5	%		37.0	%		21.1	%
Reservoir Chemical Technologies		10.5	%		8.2	%		18.3	%		12.8	%		11.0	%
ChampionX Consolidated		13.0	%		11.2	%		12.1	%		12.2	%		11.3	%

Adjusted EBITDA
Production Chemical Technologies	$	133,475		$	120,622		$	139,107		$	489,549		$	506,991
Production & Automation Technologies		70,739			69,604			52,800			259,531			232,672
Drilling Technologies		12,321			12,867			10,361			54,411			51,986
Reservoir Chemical Technologies		3,751			3,292			5,501			18,343			18,498
Corporate and other		(8,021	)		(8,873	)		(9,624	)		(37,112	)		(38,926	)
Adjusted EBITDA	$	212,265		$	197,512		$	198,145		$	784,722		$	771,221

Adjusted EBITDA margin
Production Chemical Technologies		23.4	%		21.6	%		21.9	%		21.4	%		21.1	%
Production & Automation Technologies		26.2	%		25.2	%		21.9	%		24.9	%		23.2	%
Drilling Technologies		23.7	%		24.8	%		22.1	%		25.7	%		24.1	%
Reservoir Chemical Technologies		17.1	%		16.0	%		25.7	%		19.5	%		19.2	%
ChampionX Consolidated		23.3	%		21.8	%		21.0	%		21.6	%		20.5	%

CHAMPIONX CORPORATION
RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(UNAUDITED)

	Three Months Ended									Years Ended
	Dec 31,			Sep 30,			Dec 31,			December 31,
(in thousands)		2024			2024			2023			2024			2023
Net income attributable to ChampionX	$	82,766		$	72,008		$	77,198		$	320,266		$	314,238
Pre-tax adjustments:
(Gain) loss on sale-leaseback transaction and disposal group⁽¹⁾		—			57			—			(29,826	)		12,965
Russia sanctions compliance and impacts⁽²⁾		73			109			160			366			1,209
Restructuring and other related charges		2,704			5,317			2,407			17,657			13,387
Merger transaction costs⁽³⁾		14,434			8,312			—			37,805			245
Acquisition costs and related adjustments⁽⁴⁾		75			753			(6,817	)		2,634			(12,670	)
Intellectual property defense		158			69			638			1,537			1,545
Merger-related indemnification responsibility⁽⁵⁾		100			—			—			100			722
Tulsa, Oklahoma storm damage		—			—			660			305			3,162
Foreign currency transaction losses, net		1,697			3,505			14,651			2,490			36,334
Loss on Argentina Blue Chip Swap transaction		—			—			—			7,086			—
Tax impact of adjustments		(5,565	)		(4,259	)		(2,600	)		(10,480	)		(12,650	)
Adjusted net income attributable to ChampionX		96,442			85,871			86,297			349,940			358,487
Tax impact of adjustments		5,565			4,259			2,600			10,480			12,650
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest		2,145			1,659			959			6,863			4,481
Depreciation and amortization		62,534			63,508			58,710			245,825			235,936
Provision for income taxes		33,204			28,078			35,771			115,746			105,105
Interest expense, net		12,375			14,137			13,808			55,868			54,562
Adjusted EBITDA	$	212,265		$	197,512		$	198,145		$	784,722		$	771,221

_______________________

(1)	Amounts represents the and the gain on the sale and leaseback of certain buildings and land during 2024. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the loss recorded to properly adjust the carrying value of our Chemical Technologies operations in Russia to the lower of carrying value or fair value less costs to sell .
(2)	Includes charges incurred related to legal and professional fees to comply with, as well as additional foreign currency exchange losses associated with, the sanctions imposed in Russia.
(3)	Includes costs incurred during 2024 in relation to the Merger Agreement with Schlumberger Limited, including third party legal and professional fees.
(4)	Includes costs incurred for the acquisition of businesses and revenue associated with the amortization of a liability established as part of the merger transaction with Ecolab Inc. (“Ecolab”) to acquire the Chemical Technologies business, representing unfavorable terms under the Cross Supply Agreement, as well as costs incurred for the acquisition of businesses. During the fourth quarter of 2023, we recorded a fair value adjustment to contingent consideration on a prior acquisition as well as the settlement of an item pursuant to the tax matters agreement with Ecolab.
(5)	Expense related to the June 3, 2020 merger transaction with Ecolab in which we acquired the Chemical Technologies business.

	Three Months Ended									Years Ended
	Dec 31,			Sep 30,			Dec 31,			December 31,
(in thousands)		2024			2024			2023			2024			2023
Diluted earnings per share attributable to ChampionX	$	0.43		$	0.37		$	0.39		$	1.65		$	1.57
Per share adjustments:
(Gain) loss on sale-leaseback transaction and disposal group		—			—			—			(0.15	)		0.06
Russia sanctions compliance and impacts		—			—			—						—
Restructuring and other related charges		0.01			0.03			0.01			0.09			0.07
Merger transaction costs		0.07			0.04			—			0.20			—
Acquisition costs and related adjustments		—			—			(0.03	)		0.01			(0.06	)
Intellectual property defense		—			—			—			0.01			0.01
Merger-related indemnification responsibility		—			—			—			—			—
Tulsa, Oklahoma storm damage		—			—			0.01			—			0.02
Foreign currency transaction losses		0.01			0.02			0.07			0.01			0.18
Loss on Argentina Blue Chip Swap transaction		—			—			—			0.04			—
Tax impact of adjustments		(0.02	)		(0.02	)		(0.01	)		(0.05	)		(0.06	)
Adjusted diluted earnings per share attributable to ChampionX	$	0.50		$	0.44		$	0.44		$	1.81		$	1.79

CHAMPIONX CORPORATION
RECONCILIATIONS OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES
(UNAUDITED)

	Three Months Ended									Years Ended
	Dec 31,			Sep 30,			Dec 31,			December 31,
(in thousands)		2024			2024			2023			2024			2023
Production Chemical Technologies
Segment operating profit	$	103,567		$	87,260		$	102,179		$	364,047		$	350,216
Non-GAAP adjustments		2,251			7,073			11,194			19,108			51,717
Depreciation and amortization		27,657			26,289			25,734			106,394			105,058
Segment adjusted EBITDA	$	133,475		$	120,622		$	139,107		$	489,549		$	506,991

Production & Automation Technologies
Segment operating profit	$	39,027		$	34,136		$	22,110		$	123,840		$	118,409
Non-GAAP adjustments		75			1,656			1,231			9,807			5,246
Depreciation and amortization		31,637			33,812			29,459			125,884			109,017
Segment adjusted EBITDA	$	70,739		$	69,604		$	52,800		$	259,531		$	232,672

Drilling Technologies
Segment operating profit	$	10,703		$	11,501		$	8,679		$	78,469		$	45,481
Non-GAAP adjustments		306			54			109			(29,523	)		313
Depreciation and amortization		1,312			1,312			1,573			5,465			6,192
Segment adjusted EBITDA	$	12,321		$	12,867		$	10,361		$	54,411		$	51,986

Reservoir Chemical Technologies
Segment operating profit	$	2,294		$	1,675		$	3,907		$	12,078		$	10,541
Non-GAAP adjustments		39			3			4			69			1,486
Depreciation and amortization		1,418			1,614			1,590			6,196			6,471
Segment adjusted EBITDA	$	3,751		$	3,292		$	5,501		$	18,343		$	18,498

Corporate and other
Segment operating profit	$	(37,476	)	$	(32,827	)	$	(22,947	)	$	(135,559	)	$	(100,823	)
Non-GAAP adjustments		16,570			9,336			(839	)		40,693			(1,863	)
Depreciation and amortization		510			481			354			1,886			9,198
Interest expense, net		12,375			14,137			13,808			55,868			54,562
Segment adjusted EBITDA	$	(8,021	)	$	(8,873	)	$	(9,624	)	$	(37,112	)	$	(38,926	)

Free Cash Flow

	Three Months Ended									Years Ended
	Dec 31,			Sep 30,			Dec 31,			December 31,
(in thousands)		2024			2024			2023			2024			2023
Free Cash Flow
Cash provided by operating activities	$	207,250		$	141,298		$	168,953		$	589,681		$	540,271
Less: Capital expenditures, net of proceeds from sale of fixed assets		(37,117	)		(33,248	)		(29,142	)		(129,197	)		(127,779	)
Free cash flow	$	170,133		$	108,050		$	139,811		$	460,484		$	412,492

Cash From Operating Activities to Revenue Ratio
Cash provided by operating activities	$	207,250		$	141,298		$	168,953		$	589,681		$	540,271
Revenue	$	912,037		$	906,533		$	943,555		$	3,633,983		$	3,758,285

Cash from operating activities to revenue ratio		23	%		16	%		18	%		16	%		14	%

Free Cash Flow to Revenue Ratio
Free cash flow	$	170,133		$	108,050		$	139,811		$	460,484		$	412,492
Revenue	$	912,037		$	906,533		$	943,555		$	3,633,983		$	3,758,285

Free cash flow to revenue ratio		19	%		12	%		15	%		13	%		11	%

Free Cash Flow to Adjusted EBITDA Ratio
Free cash flow	$	170,133		$	108,050		$	139,811		$	460,484		$	412,492
Adjusted EBITDA	$	212,265		$	197,512		$	198,145		$	784,722		$	771,221

Free cash flow to adjusted EBITDA ratio		80	%		55	%		71	%		59	%		53	%

The MIL Network –

February 5, 2025

MIL-OSI: HCI Group Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The board of directors of HCI Group, Inc. (NYSE: HCI), a holding company with operations in homeowners insurance, information technology services, real estate, and reinsurance, has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend in the amount of 40 cents per common share. The dividend is scheduled to be paid March 21, 2025 to shareholders of record at the close of business February 21, 2025.

About HCI Group, Inc.
HCI Group, Inc. owns subsidiaries engaged in diverse, yet complementary business activities, including homeowners insurance, information technology services, insurance management, real estate, and reinsurance. HCI’s leading insurance operation, TypTap Insurance Company, is a technology-driven homeowners insurance company. TypTap’s operations are powered in large part by insurance-related information technology developed by HCI’s software subsidiary, Exzeo USA, Inc. HCI’s largest subsidiary, Homeowners Choice Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Inc., provides homeowners insurance primarily in Florida. HCI’s real estate subsidiary, Greenleaf Capital, LLC, owns and operates multiple properties in Florida, including office buildings, retail centers and marinas.

The company’s common shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “HCI” and are included in the Russell 2000 and S&P SmallCap 600 Index. HCI Group, Inc. regularly publishes financial and other information in the Investor Information section of the company’s website. For more information about HCI Group and its subsidiaries, visit www.hcigroup.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “confident,” “prospects” and “project” and other similar words and expressions are intended to signify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and conditions but rather are subject to various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance, for example, that changes in the company’s cash flow and cash balances will not impact the ability or willingness of HCI Group to pay a dividend. Some of these risks and uncertainties are identified in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Should any risks or uncertainties develop into actual events, these developments could have material adverse effects on the company’s business, financial condition and results of operations. HCI Group, Inc. disclaims all obligations to update any forward-looking statements.

Company Contact:
Bill Broomall, CFA
Investor Relations
HCI Group, Inc.
Tel (813) 776-1012
wbroomall@typtap.com

Investor Relations Contact:
Matt Glover
Gateway Group, Inc.
Tel 949-574-3860
HCI@gatewayir.com

The MIL Network –

February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Kaine Leads 37 Senators in Raising Alarm Over Trump Administration Chaos at Critical National Security Agencies
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led 37 of his colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing their deep concern regarding the growing chaos and dysfunction at the U.S. Department of State and the Trump Administration’s illegal attempt to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID is a critical pillar of U.S. national security strategy, providing lifesaving aid and development support around the world to help ensure stability. Yesterday, personnel at USAID were not permitted to enter the agency’s headquarters, and Elon Musk announced that President Donald Trump agreed to close the agency and move it under the State Department – which Trump has no legal authority to do. The Trump Administration, led by Musk, has also furloughed thousands of senior career civil servants, including two top security officials who denied Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency access to classified documents and systems.

“…We are deeply concerned by reports of not only growing chaos and dysfunction at the Department of State, but the Administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Mass personnel furloughs of dubious legality and abrupt, blanket stop-work orders without regard to relevant appropriations laws are causing immediate harm to U.S. national security, placing U.S. citizens at risk, disrupting life-saving work and breaking the U.S. government’s contractual obligations to private sector partners,” wrote the senators.

The senators continued, “The Administration’s failure to consult with Congress prior to taking these steps violates the law and impedes Congress’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight of funding, personnel and the nation’s foreign policy. The Administration’s failure to expend funds appropriated on a bipartisan basis by Congress would violate the Impoundment Control Act.”

“Foreign assistance is critical to supporting U.S. strategic interests around the world. Foreign assistance protects U.S. national security, advances U.S. values, and ensures the U.S. is the partner of choice for everything from defense procurement to cutting edge scientific research. China, Russia and Iran are already moving rapidly to exploit the vacuum and instability left by the U.S.’s sudden global retreat,” wrote the senators.

They continued, “Every Administration has the right to review and adjust ongoing assistance programming. However, attempting to arbitrarily turn off core functions of a critical U.S. national security agency, without Congressional consideration or any metric-based review and absent legal authority to do so, is unprecedented and deeply disturbing.”

The letter is signed by U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Angus S. King (I-ME), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jack Reed (D-RI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Chris Coons (D-DE), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA).

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

Dear Secretary Rubio:

The effective administration of U.S. foreign assistance is critical to advancing core U.S. national security priorities, including countering the influence of China, Russia and Iran. As you acknowledged at your confirmation hearing, pushing back on China in particular is a top bipartisan priority.

As such, we are deeply concerned by reports of not only growing chaos and dysfunction at the Department of State, but the Administration’s brazen and illegal attempts to destroy the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Mass personnel furloughs of dubious legality and abrupt, blanket stop-work orders without regard to relevant appropriations laws are causing immediate harm to U.S. national security, placing U.S. citizens at risk, disrupting life-saving work and breaking the U.S. government’s contractual obligations to private sector partners.

The Administration’s failure to consult with Congress prior to taking these steps violates the law and impedes Congress’s constitutional duty to conduct oversight of funding, personnel and the nation’s foreign policy. The Administration’s failure to expend funds appropriated on a bipartisan basis by Congress would violate the Impoundment Control Act.

Foreign assistance is critical to supporting U.S. strategic interests around the world. Foreign assistance protects U.S. national security, advances U.S. values, and ensures the U.S. is the partner of choice for everything from defense procurement to cutting edge scientific research. China, Russia and Iran are already moving rapidly to exploit the vacuum and instability left by the U.S.’s sudden global retreat.

Every Administration has the right to review and adjust ongoing assistance programming. However, attempting to arbitrarily turn off core functions of a critical U.S. national security agency, without Congressional consideration or any metric-based review and absent legal authority to do so, is unprecedented and deeply disturbing.

We request immediate clarification on the following:

Status of USAID:
1. Confirmation of your understanding that any effort to abolish USAID or merge USAID into the Department of State absent Congressional consultation and approval is illegal.
2. Confirmation of your understanding that adversaries such as China, Russia and Iran are quickly moving into the vacuum left by suspended USAID programs.
3. The Department of State’s assessment of Mr. Elon Musk’s financial ties to China and the impact of these ties to the decision-making process of Mr. Musk and his employees.
4. Confirmation that neither you nor any member of your leadership team are taking direction from Mr. Musk with regards to the work of the Department of State or USAID, personnel or financial decisions for either agency, or any other matters relevant to U.S. national security.
5. Confirmation of the names and employment status of individuals directed by Mr. Musk to engage with USAID staff, the qualifications of these individuals, and the level of their security clearances – if any.
Personnel:
1. Confirmation of your understanding that any unauthorized access by or disclosure of classified information to individuals without appropriate security clearance could be considered a criminal offense.
2. The legal authority and rationale under which, on January 28, more than 50 senior career civil and foreign service USAID officials were placed on administrative leave. This move was not only unprecedented, but also inconsistent with the Office of Personnel Management’s own guidelines for the use of administrative leave.
3. The legal authority under which, on January 28, approximately 390 USAID Institutional Support Contractors (ISCs) were given stop-work orders, and clarification of which Administration official directed the implementation of this termination.
4. Whether any Department of State career civil and foreign service or contractors have been placed on administrative leave or removed from their roles as a result of or relating to the assistance freeze or any directives from the Office of Foreign Assistance.
5. Clarification of which Administration official directed the implementation of this mass furlough.
6. Clarification of whether these individuals were directed to be terminated without cause.
7. Confirmation that personnel will not face retaliation or retribution for performing their duties under the previous Administration’s policy direction.
8. Under what authorities and by which official’s directive career civil service, foreign service, and Personal Services Contractors (PSC), and those under other hiring authorities have been removed from their roles or limited in their ability to execute their work.
9. Confirmation that further career civil service, foreign service and USAID contractors will not be removed from their roles without cause or receive stop work orders.
10. Whether, upon full resumption of legally mandated foreign assistance activities, the Administration intends to re-hire contractors who have been removed from their roles.
11. Any additional guidance provided to State and USAID staff regarding the foreign assistance freeze, including confirmation of whether direct hires, contractors, or implementing organizations have been directed not to speak publicly about the foreign assistance freeze.
12. Public identification of the individual currently serving as the Director or Acting Director of the State Department’s Office of Foreign Assistance and as Acting Deputy Administrator of USAID, and the dates upon which this individual was appointed to each position.
13. Confirmation of your understanding that the State Department’s Director of Foreign Assistance has no authority to issue personnel directives for USAID.
Resumption of Foreign Assistance:
1. The specific process and anticipated timeframe for activities to receive exemptions or waivers, as referenced in your January 28, 2025 directive to State and USAID staff.
2. The mechanisms and metrics established for this waiver process.
3. The timeline for full resumption of legally mandated foreign assistance activities.
4. Clarification of what risk assessment or analysis of potential risk to U.S. national security interests were conducted prior to the decision to freeze foreign assistance activities.
5. Confirmation of the Department of State’s obligation to comply with U.S. contract law and your responsibility as Secretary of State ensure the Department honors its commitments to contracting partners.
We welcome your urgent attention to these questions. We and our staff stand ready to work with you to ensure U.S. foreign assistance funding continues to be deployed effectively to protect American citizens, at home and abroad.

Respectfully,
MIL OSI USA News –
February 5, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Kaine & Cornyn Introduce Bill to Create African Diaspora Heritage Month

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and John Cornyn (R-TX), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), introduced a bipartisan bill authorizing the formal designation of an African Diaspora Heritage Month to recognize and reaffirm the significant contributions of the African diaspora to the growth and prosperity of the United States. The month is traditionally celebrated by the diaspora community in September.

“The African diaspora has contributed so much to the fabric of our nation, local communities, and our economy,” said Kaine. “I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to recognize this vibrant community’s achievements by designating a federal African Diaspora Heritage Month.”

The legislation was also cosponsored by U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ranking Member of the SFRC Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy.

“I know the invaluable impact the African diaspora has made in New Jersey and across our country,” said Booker. “Millions of African immigrants and citizens contribute to the fabric of our nation with their rich culture and heritage. As Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, I’m humbled to work across the aisle to recognize this community and work to designate a federal African Diaspora Heritage Month.”

Virginia is home to more than 115,000 African immigrants, thousands of whom are small- and medium-sized business owners who have helped bring more than $205 million in international trade to the Commonwealth. The African Diaspora in the U.S. is comprised of approximately 50 million people. In March 2022, the Virginia General Assembly passed a resolution to designate September as Virginia African Diaspora Heritage Month.

Full text of the bill is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

February 5, 2025

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