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Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI Global: Is Donald Trump doing the world a favour by isolating the United States?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Shaun Narine, Professor of International Relations and Political Science, St. Thomas University (Canada)

    United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs against most of the world tanked stock markets, disrupted the U.S. bond market and destabilized the global economy.

    Trump has economically and politically threatened American allies, shattering the unity of the western world. But Trump’s chaos may have inadvertently produced an opportunity to create a better world.

    Some western commentators argue that the U.S. has been a benevolent superpower.

    That may have been true for a small group of mostly western states that have benefitted from American domination. But much of the Global South was victimized by American military, economic and political interventions.

    Losing dominance?

    The West could be in the midst of losing its dominant position in the global order. This is probably inevitable, but it may not be the tragedy some western commentators assume it to be.

    In most of the world, there is a desire for a more equitable world order that doesn’t feature the moral, racial and cultural double standards of the western-dominated system. A world where American and western power is limited and contained could not only end up being more peaceful but, over time, more prosperous.

    Without the co-operation of the allies alienated by Trump, it may be harder for the U.S. to initiate conflict around the world as it often has since the end of the Cold War.

    In a recent Foreign Affairs article, American political scientist Stacie Goddard argues the emerging multipolar, post-American world will be one in which great powers — primarily the U.S., Russia and China — will divide the globe into “spheres of influence.”

    The U.S. is seeking to maintain disproportionate power in Asia. Closer to home, neighbours of the U.S. have reason to fear American expansionism.

    By contrast, even if it has imperialist ambitions, Russia doesn’t have the military might to dominate Europe. It’s a country of 144 million people with one-sixth the GDP of the European Union. Russia can cause trouble within countries with sizable Russian minorities, but its ability to project power is limited, as demonstrated by its grinding war in Ukraine.



    Read more:
    After another call with Putin, it looks like Trump has abandoned efforts to mediate peace in Ukraine

    China’s stance

    The Chinese have scored a win against Trump’s tariffs with a 90-day tariff pause that’s being hailed as vindication of China’s defiant negotiating strategy. China called Trump’s bluff and won as global stocks soared.



    Read more:
    China-US trade war: the next 90 days are a big deal for Beijing as it seeks long-term solutions

    This has bolstered China’s goal to have a sphere of influence. However, Chinese foreign policy is largely non-interventionist and, compared to the U.S., remarkably restrained.

    China may intimidate its rivals in the South China Sea, Senkaku Islands, and Taiwan, but it does not easily resort to military force. China has not resorted to military force since its war with Vietnam in 1979.

    China is committed to most of the guiding structures of the current international system and values a stable and mutually beneficial global economic order that enables it to focus on and improve its domestic development.

    Its export-oriented economic sectors need customers abroad. Unlike the West, China has a vested interest in helping the Global South develop and prosper in order to create those customers.

    Asian trade alliance?

    The Chinese are using their resources to promote economic and technological development in the Global South.

    As China spreads its renewable energy technologies globally, some of the poorest countries may leapfrog carbon-based fuels and go directly to renewable energy to make development affordable and attainable, and to mitigate climate change.



    Read more:
    What Canada can learn from China on effectively engaging with Africa

    In response to Trump’s tariffs, China, South Korea and Japan have discussed a renewed free-trade arrangement. President Xi Jinping has toured Vietnam, Malaysia and Cambodia to encourage a common front against American actions.

    Asian states are wary of China, but they remain committed to global trade. The U.S. may be retreating from globalization, but the rest of the world is not, though China’s manufacturing dominance concerns many states.

    Emerging international order

    New institutions may help to manage the evolving world order. The BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates — have created the New Development Bank (NDB). China has created the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

    The United Nations remains the favoured instrument of global diplomacy, even if western states have been accused of undermining its authority and efficacy.

    The European Union will continue as a major global power in the emerging international order, but on a more even footing with the rest of the world.

    Europe is reconsidering its trade war with China. In the words of Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission: “The West as we knew it no longer exists.”

    Western states will undoubtedly continue to try to exercise disproportionate global influence. Canada has suggested that “like-minded states” form an alliance to promote international trade and institutions that remain dominated by western interests. This idea seems designed to continue marginalizing the Global South in the international decision-making process.

    Most Global South states are not high-functioning liberal democracies. Many struggle with the legacies of colonialism while managing an international system dominated by the West that keeps them subservient. Others have created governments that fit their particular circumstances, cultures and levels of development.

    But many weaker countries generally share a commitment to international law that is seemingly stronger than the West. They need a stable, predictable, fairly applied set of global rules more than stronger nations. Ironically, the decline of the U.S. may facilitate a much more genuine and legitimate rules-based international order.

    America’s loosening grip

    Readjusting the world economy away from the U.S. to a more diverse, evenly distributed economic model will be difficult and disruptive.

    Nonetheless, loosening the American grip on global power is an essential first step towards achieving a more just and balanced international order.

    For putting this process in motion, the world may owe Trump a measure of thanks.

    Shaun Narine is affiliated with Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East and Jewish Voice for Peace.

    – ref. Is Donald Trump doing the world a favour by isolating the United States? – https://theconversation.com/is-donald-trump-doing-the-world-a-favour-by-isolating-the-united-states-252671

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Financial firms are driving up rent in Toronto — and targeting the most vulnerable tenants

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Cloé St-Hilaire, PhD Candidate in Planning, University of Waterloo

    In recent years, Canadians have increasingly seen financial firms — such as private equity firms and real estate investment trusts (REITs) — buying up apartment buildings. The largest 25 financial landlords in Canada hold nearly 20 per cent of the country’s private, purpose-built rental stock.

    At the same time, Canada’s housing affordability crisis has exploded. A 2022 report found that in 93 per cent of Canadian neighbourhoods, a full-time minimum wage worker cannot afford a one-bedroom apartment.

    Many observers have connected this financialization of housing to rising unaffordability. But until recently, a lack of data has made it challenging to prove it.

    Our recent study, based on building-level rent and ownership data in the Greater Toronto Area, is the first to decisively show that financial firms charge higher rents and raise them more quickly than other landlords. We also found that financial firms raise rents most aggressively in lower-income areas with more racialized residents.

    Why does financialization raise rents?

    Financialization refers to the growing role of the finance sector in various parts of the economy. In the rental housing market, it involves the purchase of rental buildings by financial firms like asset managers, REITs and pension funds.

    These “financial landlords” treat housing as an investment product, not as a basic human need.



    Read more:
    Housing is both a human right and a profitable asset, and that’s the problem

    Financial landlords act differently from other landlords. Unlike smaller landlords, they are guided by the “shareholder value maximization” principle, which means their primary goal is to maximize returns for their shareholders.

    While smaller landlords are most likely also motivated by profit, they do not have a duty to external investors like financial firms do and they do not have access to the same strategies to manage their properties. Financial landlords have the scale and sophistication to pursue these profits in ways that smaller-scale landlords cannot.

    Research shows that financial landlords in Canada are associated with increased cost burdens for renters, higher eviction filing rates and higher rates of building disrepair. Our study adds to this evidence by showing they also charge higher rents.

    Financial firms openly promote higher rents

    Even before conducting our analysis, we had reason to believe financial firms would charge higher rents, in part because many of them have publicly said so.

    In a 2018 investor presentation, Minto REIT wrote that they charged “the highest in-place rent” among their public peers.

    Similarly, Centurion REIT published a report in 2020 featuring a graph demonstrating that its rent increases were outpacing both inflation and average rents.

    In a 2019 white paper, Canada’s largest private landlord, Starlight Investments, wrote about how their “value add strategy” for upgrading apartments sets them apart from other types of landlords. In the same publication, they reported increasing the monthly rent in one property by $411 — a 31 per cent increase.

    Financial firms charge the highest rent premiums

    Our analysis reveals that financial firms do indeed charge more.

    Our study compared building-level quarterly rent data to average rents from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation for 1,602 buildings between 2022 and 2024.

    We found that when landlords advertise a unit to rent, they typically charge more than the average neighbourhood rent. We call this upcharge a rent “premium” — the dollar or percentage difference between the rent posted for an available unit and the average neighbourhood rent for a unit of the same size.

    We found that financial firms charged the highest premiums across the GTA, posting 44 per cent higher rents — or $670 more — than local averages. By comparison, non-financial chain landlords — those with multiple buildings but not classified as financial firms — charged a 30 per cent, or $477, premium.

    Meanwhile, smaller-scale owners owners of just a few buildings charged a smaller rent premium of 15-22 per cent. We found financial firms charged the highest premiums regardless of whether the building was brand new or in need of repairs.

    Algorithmic pricing and rent inflation

    One of the landlords with the highest rent premiums is private equity firm Woodbourne, which said they used RealPage’s YieldStar platform, an algorithmic pricing software.

    This software is at the centre of a lawsuit alleging more than a dozen landlords and property managers conspired to artificially inflate rents across Canada.

    The use of AI-driven pricing tools in Canada’s rental market is now under investigation by the Competition Bureau.

    Our study also found that, over time, financial firms raised rents more aggressively than other landlords. On average, they increased asking rents by five per cent — or $96 — every quarter. By comparison, smaller-scale landlords owning just one property raised asking rents by 3.6 per cent, or $59.

    Using a regression model, we demonstrated that out of all ownership types, financial ownership was the strongest predictor for higher rents and higher rent premiums. Using our model, we estimated that a tenant would pay 13 per cent more for their unit if it was owned by a financial firm instead of a single property owner.

    Low-income, marginalized tenants are exposed

    Our study also found that the highest rent premiums were being charged in Toronto’s “neighbourhood improvement areas.” These are areas the city has identified as having inequitable social and economic outcomes.

    While we found that all landlords charge higher premiums in these neighbourhoods, financial landlords were the most aggressive, charging a 49 per cent premium compared to 41 per cent elsewhere.

    We also identified a spatial connection between high rent premiums and the number of racialized residents in a neighbourhood: areas with higher rent premiums often had a greater percentage of racialized residents.

    These findings suggest that financial firms are complicit in driving gentrification in marginalized neighbourhoods, targeting areas with lower-income and racialized renters for the most aggressive rent increases.

    Reining in financial landlords

    While financial firms report on record breaking annual returns and “rental uplifts” of 15 per cent, Canada faces a dire housing affordability crisis.

    Financialization is detrimental to the right to adequate housing. We show that financialization is worsening affordability in Toronto: a trend that will continue, especially since financial landlords are the largest acquirers of suites in the city and the country’s largest landlords.

    To address this issue, we support recent policy recommendations aimed at reining in the power of financial landlords. These include better tracking of who landlords are, stricter tenant protections and more social housing.

    If left unchecked, financialization will continue to deepen the affordability crisis, with the greatest harms falling on those who can least afford it.

    Cloé St-Hilaire receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship). She previously received funding from the Fonds de Recherche du Québec.

    Martine August receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Government of Ontario Early Researcher Award.

    – ref. Financial firms are driving up rent in Toronto — and targeting the most vulnerable tenants – https://theconversation.com/financial-firms-are-driving-up-rent-in-toronto-and-targeting-the-most-vulnerable-tenants-255935

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scale of poor quality housing a ‘national disgrace’

    Source: Scottish Greens

    20 May 2025 Climate

    Scottish Greens call for urgent climate action

    More in Climate

    The Scottish Government must urgently restore ambition on climate, say Scottish Greens.

    These comments come following the publication of the Scottish Government’s 5th Annual Statutory Monitoring Report for the Updated Climate Change Plan.

    The report revealed that out of 43 climate policy indicators, only 16 are on track, while 17 are off track and 10 are deemed ‘too early to say’. This is worse than last year’s report, when 18 were on track, 15 were off track, and 10 were too early to say.

    Stalled progress was reported on emissions from transport, energy efficiency in homes, transport, energy efficiency in homes, and peatland restoration – amongst others.

    This monitoring report comes the day before UKCCC publishes advice to the Scottish Government ahead of setting new carbon budgets later this year.

    Commenting further, Patrick Harvie, net zero and energy spokesperson, said:

    “This is a damning report card for the Scottish Government.

    “But the problem isn’t just that they have fallen further behind on climate over the last year; it’s that they have spent that year diluting, delaying and ditching climate positive policies they previously agreed to.

    “Unless we see a change in direction, next year’s report card will be even worse – with people and planet left to deal with the consequences.

    “The next few months will be an important test of this Government’s commitments to climate action. We cannot afford another year of delay on decisions that should have been made years ago.

    “We need decisive action to make our homes warmer and cheaper to heat cleanly. We need proper investment in cheap public transport to reduce car traffic. And we need a Government that’s brave and bold enough to champion climate action – not just offer warm words.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Global action is needed to tackle the growing threats that face our seas, people and shared prosperity: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Speech

    Global action is needed to tackle the growing threats that face our seas, people and shared prosperity: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on maritime security.

    The United Kingdom, like Greece, has a long maritime history and is deeply committed to global maritime security.

    And global action is needed to tackle the growing threats we now face to our seas, our peoples and our shared prosperity.

    That is why the United Kingdom is strongly committed to our partnership within NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force, and with wider friends and partners, as a means to contribute to our collective security.

    That includes working together with States across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean to address threats wherever they occur.

    Our Carrier Strike Group’s deployment to the Indo-Pacific is a sign of our commitment to work with our partners in a region of fundamental importance to global peace and prosperity.

    In the Black Sea, we are supporting the protection of Ukraine’s maritime Black Sea corridor along with our partners.  

    We are also leading the Maritime Capability Coalition alongside Norway, supporting Ukraine’s defence of its sovereign waters.

    That’s alongside efforts to confront the so-called shadow fleet operation.

    In the Middle East, we have acted to prevent Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, including through Operation Prosperity Guardian with the United States and others.

    Our European colleagues have joined these efforts through Operation ASPIDES.  

    We thank Greece for its leading role, including the hosting of the command from Larissa.

    We also call for collective efforts to ensure that the arms embargo as set out in resolution 2216 is upheld, and to support Yemen’s Coast Guard.

    We equally need to ensure the implementation of the arms embargo off the coast of Libya, and we call for the renewal of the mandate this month for Operation Irini.

    More broadly, our partnership with Greece is an example of how cooperation can protect our countries from maritime threats, including illegal migration and drug smuggling.

    Alongside this, we are delivering legal changes at home to tackle people-smuggling rings and starve them of income.

    And the UK also remains strongly committed to upholding freedom of navigation and the primacy of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

    President, in the face of such diverse threats, we must redouble our shared efforts, including by broadening collaboration on strategic challenges within the International Maritime Organisation, which the UK is proud to host.

    And as we look to the future, we must strengthen our work together, both in this Council and through our bilateral partnerships, to secure our seas for future generations.

    Updates to this page

    Published 20 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Foster carers with over 700 years’ fostering experience between them recognised at annual awards in Manchester 

    Source: City of Manchester

    Foster carers with over 700 years of fostering experience between them looking after some of our most vulnerable children and young people, have been recognised by the city council at Manchester’s annual Foster Carer Awards.

    The awards included recognition for some of the city’s longest serving foster carers along with a number of special awards made to individual foster carers for their fostering achievements.

    The awards included recognition for more than 30 foster carers who have each recently reached significant milestones in terms of the number of years they have been fostering for – with awards going to all those who had reached five years, ten, fifteen, and twenty years’ service.  Foster carer Maymuna Mohamed was one of three amazing foster carers recognised for having devoted themselves to fostering for the last 20 years.

    Five long-serving foster carers who have retired from fostering this year were also honoured with awards to thank them for the difference they made during their decades as carers, and for the dedication and commitment they showed towards the children they looked after.

    These included Sheila Locke who has fostered for 25 years, and Joy Selley who has just retired from fostering after looking after some of the city’s most vulnerable children and young people for an incredible 34 years.

    In addition to these awards, a number of special individual awards were also made on the night, recognising different aspects of fostering.

    Nine such awards were made in total including a ‘Foster Carers Choice’ award decided by foster carers themselves, which went to fostering couple Chris and Michael Smith.

    Chris and Michael were praised by their peers for their unique qualities and work in supporting other foster carers and their children over and beyond expectations, helping them all feel heard and supported.

    Foster carer Michelle Skinner was the recipient of the Rising to the Challenge Award which recognises carers who support our children and young people to be cared for in emergencies.

    Winners of the special Unsung Hero Award were Stephanie Jozefczyk and Scott Adams, whilst the Lifetime Achievement Award went to inspirational foster carer Jackie Penton.

    Other special awards made on the night included the Children’s Champion award, Going the Distance, Rising Star, Road to Success, and Short Break Carer of the Year.

    The annual foster carer awards are made as Manchester continues its journey to become a UNICEF recognised Child Friendly City – a place where children’s rights are understood, actioned and embedded into everyday life in the city, making Manchester the best place possible for a child or young person to grow up in.

    Councillor Julie Reid, Executive Member Early Years, Children and Young People, Manchester City Council, said: “At a time when the city is working hard to embed the Rights of the Child into everything we do as we work towards becoming a UNICEF Child Friendly City, we’re more acutely aware than ever about the important role our foster carers have in providing a home together with the love, support and guidance our children and young people both need and have a right to.

    “Our foster carers provide much more than just a safe place to stay.  They offer stability, love, and hope, and guide our children through the most difficult of times.  Helping them feel seen, valued and believed in through the kind of care that really does transform lives.”

    Find out more information about fostering in Manchester here or telephone 0300 303 0321 (9am to 5pm weekdays)

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Leave Baby Wildlife Alone

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on May 20, 2025

    Helping Can Hurt More Than You Think

    As the weather warms up and more people spend time outdoors, it is common to spot young animals on their own in the wild. While they may look like they need your help, often the best thing you can do is appreciate them from a distance and leave them alone.

    Many animals leave their young alone for long periods of time while they forage for food or to protect them from predators. The mother is often nearby, sometimes even watching. In fact, interference from humans can be harmful or even fatal to the young animal.

    No matter how cute and small, young wildlife are not pets, and it is illegal to take them home. Wild animals may carry infectious diseases, such as rabies and West Nile virus, that can be transmitted to people.

    If a young animal has been in the same spot for several hours, is vocal, wet or covered in insects, or the mother is found dead nearby, it’s time to ask for advice. If you can see obvious signs of injury or believe the animal has been orphaned, please contact your local conservation officer or the Turn in Poachers and Polluters (TIPP) line at 1-800-667-7561.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: District 776 Fires Up the Grills for a Great Cause

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM District 776 in Fort Worth, Texas, held a two-day barbecue cook-off to support Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines (GDA | TLC). More than 30 teams barbecued, held an auction of homemade baked goods, and raffles, raising nearly $6,000 for the IAM’s charity of choice.

    The fundraiser’s goal is to raise money for GDA | TLC, which transforms lives through partnerships with service dogs for countless veterans, people who are blind or visually impaired, families affected by autism, and facilities in need that depend on GDA’s services every day.

    “District 776’s commitment to Guide Dogs of America | Tender Loving Canines is a shining example of how solidarity extends beyond the shop floor,” said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Craig Martin. “Their passion, teamwork, and generosity are what make our union family truly special.”

    “Events like these showcase the heart of our union where skill meets service,” said IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett. “IAM members don’t just work hard on the job; they show up for their communities, and the success of this fundraiser proves it.”

    “You can taste the pride and purpose in every bite,” said IAM District 776 Business Representative Mark H. Miller. “Our members don’t just build airplanes, they build stronger communities. Supporting GDA | TLC is something we believe in wholeheartedly.”

    Under threatening skies, BBQ teams from across Texas traveled to the District 776 complex in RVs, trucks, and trailers to set up for the event. Several teams were made up of IAM members employed at nearby aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. Among them was 14-year-old Jayden Lopez, the son of IAM members Freddy and Machelle Lopez and was participating in his second BBQ event.

    “It feels good to be out here helping a cause that really matters,” said Jayden. “I’m learning a lot about cooking and giving back, and it’s fun doing it with my family and friends.”

    His mother, Machelle, added, “We’re proud to see Jayden getting involved at such a young age. Events like this teach more than just barbecue, they teach compassion, community, and the value of service.”

    To continue to be successful, GDA | TLC depends on the talents, goals, and generosity of dedicated volunteers and donors like IAM members across North America.

    View all the photos here.

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Texas Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Residents Affected by Spring Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible small businesses, nonprofits, and residents in Texas of the June 20 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset physical damage caused by thunderstorms, straight‑line winds and tornadoes occurring on April 4.

    The declaration covers the Texas counties of Bowie, Camp, Cass, Marion, Morris, Red River, Titus and Upshur.

    Small businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, upgrading to wind rated garage doors, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.

    “One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s physical damage loans.”

    SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations impacted by financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    Interest rates can be as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.625% for nonprofits, and 2.75% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms, based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return physical damage applications is June 20.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Capito Opening Statement at Hearing Reviewing HHS Budget Request

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    [embedded content]
    Click here or on the image above to watch Chairman Capito’s opening remarks from the hearing. 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), held a hearing with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to consider the president’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request, as well as the many priorities of the agency. 
    Below is the opening statement of Chairman Capito as prepared for delivery: 
    “Good morning. This is our first Labor-HHS Subcommittee hearing for fiscal year 2026 and the first hearing in my new role as chair. 
    “Vice Chair Baldwin and I have served together for several years on this committee, and I look forward to continuing to work with you in our new roles.
    “I also want to take a moment to recognize Senators Collins and Murray.  
    “As the Chair and Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, they are committed to regular order and maintaining our track record of writing and passing bipartisan appropriations bills in a timely manner.  
    “Today’s budget hearing is a first step in that process.
    “Secretary Kennedy, thank you for being here today.  
    “I know that we all share the goal of improving the health of Americans. This hearing is an important opportunity for the subcommittee to hear from you on HHS’s budget proposal and better understand your priorities for fiscal year 2026.
    “You have taken the helm of a large agency with thousands of dedicated career staffers whose work each day makes Americans healthier and safer and ensures our global leadership in science and biomedical research.
    “In your first few months as secretary, you have made many changes at the department that will lead to a healthier America. This committee looks forward to hearing more from you on details of your proposed reorganization for HHS and working together to Make America Healthy Again.
    “HHS has always worked with Congress when considering and designing reorganizations, and I encourage you and your staff to work closely with Congress as you move forward.
    “Your fiscal year 2026 budget proposes a reduction in funding for HHS of over 26%. I commend you and President Trump for taking a careful look at each and every program at the department and I look forward to reviewing your full budget request hopefully very soon. 
    “This committee wants to work with you on improving HHS so that the agency can be more efficient and fund the best science. I am concerned that our country is falling behind in biomedical research – this should be a concern that we all share and make investments in. Investing in biomedical research has proven to save lives while exponentially strengthening the U.S. economy.
    “NIH-funded basic research is also behind many of the 600+ new cancer treatments the FDA has approved over the last 20 years. NIH-funded research led to the development of buprenorphine – a medication treatment for opioid addiction. NIH-funded research led to the development of the first overdose naloxone nasal spray – Narcan.
    “For almost a decade, this committee has increased funding toward the goal of finding treatments and a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. This goal is very personal to me since both of my parents lived with and eventually succumbed to the disease.  
    “These investments have allowed NIH to fund research into a wide variety of potential causes of the disease, and build evidence for prevention based on a healthy lifestyle. NIH-funded research on the amyloid protein led to the development of FDA-approved Alzheimer’s drugs in 2023 and 2024 to slow progression of the disease.  
    “All of this research is important, and I look forward to working with you to continue robust and diversified Alzheimer’s disease research. 
    “Wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars must end, and I applaud you taking a hard look at what federal research dollars are funding. 
    “I encourage you to ensure the fiscal year 2025 funding Congress has already appropriated is spent in a timely manner, in particular for the vital biomedical research which could lead to lifesaving breakthroughs in science. Too many American families are waiting for a cure. We have a responsibility to make sure their taxpayer dollars fund critical research. 
    “You and I have talked about the importance of the NIOSH coal programs to West Virginia and how the work conducted by NIOSH in Morgantown is unique across the federal government. I am pleased that you brought some of these specialized NIOSH employees back to work earlier this month and then, just last week, reversed their RIFs so that their return to the office will not be temporary. 
    “Your decision to return NIOSH staff to the office meant that the Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program could issue the final report on the December 27, 2020 fire that killed a 30-year-old firefighter and injured three others. Senior Airman Logan Young was one of many who responded to the Kearneysville fire. I’m glad NIOSH was able to finish their investigation and issue their recommendations and final report. 
    “While your action last week was a good first step, there are other divisions within NIOSH with specialized staff who conduct essential, unique work. I support the president’s vision to right size our government, but as you and I have discussed, I do not think eliminating NIOSH programs will accomplish that goal. I encourage you to look closely at all of NIOSH’s offices and bring back additional critical staff.
    “West Virginia—my home state—continues to rank above the national average in both new cancer diagnosis and deaths. We are thankful for the work performed by the CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and I look forward to learning more about how this important work will be continued under the administration for a Healthy America.
    “Substance abuse challenges also continue to be a real problem facing West Virginia and the nation.
    “SAMHSA grant funding has played an important role in West Virginia, and I want to understand how the budget proposal will impact my state. I look forward to learning more from you today about your vision for these important programs. 
    “Rural health care is a top priority for this body. CDC data show that rural Americans are more likely to suffer from higher rates of diabetes and are more likely to die from cancer, heart disease, and stroke than urban Americans. This is unfortunately especially true in my home state, which also leads the nation in rates of diabetes and heart disease.  
    “Improving rural health outcomes goes hand-in-hand with investing in the health care workforce to meet the physical and mental health needs of Americans. 
    “HRSA has been a trusted Federal partner on rural health issues for decades. HRSA has funded critical rural health capacity building and other initiatives across the country and administers the healthcare workforce programs that help bring medical providers into local communities. You have proposed moving HRSA to the new AHA, and I would like to learn more about how your budget proposal would invest in rural America. 
    “We have a difficult task ahead of us this year, but it is my hope that we will come together, just as we have done in prior fiscal years, to use our limited resources in the most efficient and effective way to support the health and well-being of all Americans. 
    “Secretary Kennedy, I look forward to your testimony.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Mulberry Partners with Reverb to Protect New and Used Instruments

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mulberry, the people-first product protection platform, and Reverb, the largest online marketplace dedicated to music gear, have partnered to offer product protection for music makers on Reverb.

    “This is an exciting partnership for Mulberry and Reverb to up the game for product protection in the music industry,” said Mulberry CEO Chinedu Eleanya. “With our AI-powered classification technology, we’ll deliver customized protection plan offers instantly during the shopping experience. In addition, through our easy-to-use customer portal, Reverb customers can file a claim within seconds and our in-house team will respond quickly to ensure they don’t miss a beat.”

    Mulberry’s vast catalog of covered products ranges from electronics to furniture to home goods to apparel to musical instruments. Mulberry coverage goes beyond product defects covered by a manufacturer’s warranty, protecting millions of music makers and their instruments against accidental damages.

    “At Reverb, it’s not only our job to connect music makers with sellers that can get them the gear they need, but to ensure they can continue to enjoy the instrument for years to come,” said Tiffany Miller, Reverb’s Chief Operating Officer. “With Mulberry, our customers are able to protect new and used instrument purchases which is a big step forward for the industry given music makers’ love for used gear. This will save music makers money in the long run, ensuring their instruments will continue to play beautifully over time.”

    Mulberry is a people-first product protection platform that makes claims-filing simple through a personalized dashboard where customers can manage their protection plans, review plan details, and reach a support representative at any time to ask questions or file a claim. Mulberry partners experience upwards of 90% claim approval, and an average order value increase of 10%. Visit getmulberry.com to learn more about offering product protection for your customers.

    About Reverb

    Reverb is the largest online marketplace dedicated to music gear. Since launching in 2013, Reverb has helped millions of music makers find the perfect piece of gear from its trusted community of music shops, top brands, and other music makers around the world. Built by musicians and gear lovers, Reverb combines one of the largest selections of musical instruments with tools to help music makers find music gear that inspires them and a passionate musical community to connect with. Sales on Reverb help support Reverb Gives program, which provides youth music programs with musical instruments.

    About Mulberry
    Mulberry is a people-first product protection platform that offers solutions for retail partners and consumers. Mulberry product protection plans can be purchased directly from Mulberry or through qualified retail partners. Mulberry protects customer purchases from accidental damages and losses with a best-in-class solution that offers simple claims-filing and fast resolutions. To learn more about Mulberry, visit https://www.getmulberry.com.

    Press contact:

    press@getmulberry.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Urban Grid Advances Pollinator Research with New Apiary at Virginia Solar Site

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — To mark World Bee Day, Urban Grid proudly announces the launch of its first solar apiary at Crystal Hill Solar in Halifax County, Virginia. This initiative expands the company’s growing agrivoltaics program, bringing together clean energy production, pollinator health and regenerative land management on one site.

    The apiary—home to ten hives and a half million bees—is expected to yield more than 400 pounds of honey annually. With lamb already produced through on-site grazing, the addition of honey expands Crystal Hill Solar’s role as a source of nourishment for the community. The honey will be shared with local food banks, schools and faith-based organizations, further connecting solar infrastructure to local food systems.

    “This is the ripple effect of American made energy—when we use the land well, solar can strengthen the local economy, support farmers and deliver real benefits to the communities we’re part of,” said Val Newcomb, Vice President of Economic and Community Development at Urban Grid. “For more than a year, we’ve been grazing sheep on this facility to manage vegetation in a way that supports soil health and agricultural viability. While Crystal Hill Solar quietly delivers much-needed power to the Commonwealth, local farmers there have been raising grass-fed lamb and helping to build a new sheep economy in southern Virginia. Honey production adds another layer of agricultural value to this site, deepening our connection to the land and community.”

    Developed in partnership with Siller Pollinator Company, the apiary will serve as a living laboratory. Together, Urban Grid and Siller’s founding farmer Allison Wickham are launching a multi-year study of pollinator activity and plant diversity on solar land. The program includes vegetation monitoring, soil sampling and honey analysis to understand how pollinators interact with the solar environment—and what that means for the surrounding ecosystem.

    “We’re not just placing hives on a solar site—we’re farming this land,” said Wickham. “We’ll be analyzing pollen to identify what species bees are foraging, measuring vegetation changes over time and comparing site conditions near and far from the hives. This kind of research can help shape smarter, more sustainable solar land use across the country and provide greater opportunities to a wider range of farmers and land managers. To celebrate World Bee Day, we are honored to start a honeybee husbandry program with Urban Grid that will serve as an operational and scientific model for honey-production based land management in this and future agrivoltaics sites. We look forward to sharing data on the resulting food production from this project.”

    Next, Wickham will plant a 3-acre rotational crop pilot within the array closest to the hives, enabling Urban Grid to study ways in which additional farming options can be introduced on its facilities.

    “This pilot gives us the chance to research pollinator impacts on the local community,” said Jeff Hudson, Vice President of Asset Management at Urban Grid. “By installing the hives on the edge of the project we can study the impacts across a significant portion of the land, which allows us to measure pollination benefits for local farmland. In the end, improving vegetation while producing energy is the goal—this is a business, and these innovations help us operate smarter while creating shared value for the communities we’re in.”

    Honey samples from Crystal Hill will contribute to the growing body of data from agrivoltaics sites and guide practical land management strategies, helping Urban Grid better understand how pollinators interact with solar-managed landscapes. These insights will shape habitat design, vegetation planning and ecological performance across the company’s portfolio, as Urban Grid works to expand this model—integrating beekeeping and grazing practices into future projects to holistically restore habitat, support local agriculture and uphold its commitment to being responsible land stewards.

    About Urban Grid
    Urban Grid, a leading independent power producer, facilitates a rapid and sustainable energy transition by developing high-quality renewable energy projects, fostering community partnerships and serving as a good land steward. Our company is positioned to develop, own and operate its facilities while cultivating a land management system that benefits farmers, communities and the natural world through agrivoltaics. Urban Grid maintains a delivery-focused approach with the goal of being a good neighbor, corporate citizen and trusted energy solutions partner. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, with teams situated strategically throughout the United States, Urban Grid has a long history of contributing to the clean energy economy. In addition to 940 megawatts currently under construction, we are actively developing a growing portfolio of more than 12,000 megawatts of solar PV and 7,000 megawatts of co-located and stand-alone energy storage.

    Urban Grid is a portfolio company of Brookfield, one of the world’s largest owners and operators of renewable power and climate transition assets.

    Learn more: www.urbangridsolar.com

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/04f677a9-a405-4d63-9386-c7ab191a47e1
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4f027fac-f048-49c2-9a7e-762302011dbf

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Independence Hall, Gettysburg and – Epcot? How Reagan helped elevate Disney to America’s roster of honored patriotic sites

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Bethanee Bemis, Museum Specialist, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution

    First lady Nancy Reagan kisses Mickey Mouse as President Ronald Reagan and Minnie Mouse watch 20 bands marching in the unofficial inaugural parade at Disney’s Epcot Center on Memorial Day, May 27, 1985. Bettmann/Getty Images

    A presidential or political visit is one of the ways in which the United States marks places as uniquely important. A space meriting the pomp and circumstance that accompanies a president, or a place viewed as so particularly American that an aspiring president might want to have their picture taken there, takes on special status in American culture.

    Twelve of the last 14 presidents visited Philadelphia’s Independence Hall during their political careers. American politicians often visit sites of great importance to the national character, and Independence Hall is the location of both the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the drafting of the Constitution.

    The U.S. has many sacred civil spaces, places that the country looks to when celebrating or reflecting on American identity. Some of these places were established for the express purpose of serving these functions: the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol in Washington and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, built to commemorate the country’s westward expansion.

    Some of these places earn this designation through association with history: Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts, sites of significant events in the American Revolution; the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, commemorating American deaths from the Japanese attack that sparked U.S. entrance into World War II; and the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, where local police in 1965 attacked and bloodied civil rights protesters, who ultimately crossed the bridge two weeks later under the protection of a federal court order.

    Still other places emerge through a sort of national consensus, taking on special status over time as Americans use them in ways that mark them with meaning.

    And while twelve of the last 14 presidents may have visited Independence Hall, the same 12 also visited some of the places often forgotten when accounting for holy civic sites: the Disney theme parks.

    Thousands attended presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s election eve rally at Independence Hall in Philadelphia on Nov. 7, 2016.
    Joe Sohm, Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    Record cold and a second chance

    In my book “Disney Theme Parks and America’s National Narratives: Mirror Mirror for Us All,” I explore how Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and Walt Disney World, near Orlando, Florida, have become two of the most important spaces for the celebration and creation of American identity.

    One of the reasons for this is the legitimization a presidential visit bestows on a site. Forty years ago this month, Walt Disney World received a very special visitor.

    In January 1985, as President Ronald Reagan prepared to take the oath of office for a second time, temperatures in the Washington area dipped to record lows. The inauguration and some related festivities were due to take place outdoors, but conditions were severe enough to cause concern for the many thousands scheduled to participate. So the usual celebrations, including the popular Inaugural Parade, were canceled in favor of a smaller event indoors.

    Only a handful of the 25 high school marching bands that had traveled from places like Kentucky, Massachusetts and Michigan to play in the parade were able to perform for the president. That left thousands of students and their families disappointed.

    In a presidential history first, however, the Inaugural Bands Parade would get a second chance to march outside the ceremonial space of Washington at what could be called the nation’s other capital – Walt Disney World.

    In April 1985, Walt Disney World announced that it had partnered with Days Inn, Greyhound Bus Lines and Burger King to offer reduced price accommodations and food for about 4,000 students to enjoy a weekend at the theme park before performing in their own parade on Memorial Day, May 27.

    Not only would the bands get to play at Disney’s Epcot Center, but they would also be able to perform for the president, who flew from Washington to be there for this special parade.

    President George H.W. Bush at a Disney World 20th anniversary celebration marking his volunteerism initiative, on Sept. 30, 1991.
    Dirck Halstead/Contributor/The Chronicle Collection, Getty Images

    New site for American identity

    Memorial Day, the day of the parade itself, was warm and sunny. Disney visitors thronged the 1.2-mile parade route and waved American flags as they listened to patriotic songs. The parade was watched over by the president and first lady, Nancy Reagan. The equivalent of the president and first lady of Disney, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, joined them.

    This moment was remarkable for several reasons.

    First, Reagan had been one of the hosts of the show “Dateline Disneyland,” the live coverage of the opening of Disneyland in 1955 only 30 years before, when no one knew he would be the nation’s 40th president.

    Second, the visit marked an important moment in the recognition of the Disney theme parks as sites of American identity.

    Reagan went directly from laying wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, a treasured American tradition, to an appearance at Epcot, where in an economic policy speech to the crowd, he introduced a “new American revolution.” This second American revolution was announced not in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, but at the American Adventure pavilion in Orlando.

    The Reagans’ photo with Mickey – with Mickey dressed as Uncle Sam and Minnie in a colonial-style dress – captures the idea, I believe, that culturally Disney spaces are as legitimate as national parks or historic sites as places for the celebration of the American story.

    As longtime Disney cast member Terry Brinkoetter remembers, presidential visits like Reagan’s affirmed Disneyland and Walt Disney World as “places where people could learn and be inspired to continue our shared journey toward a more perfect union.”

    Disney parks have become stops on a secular pilgrimage made by presidents and ordinary citizens alike, places to understand what it means to be an American.

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

    – ref. Independence Hall, Gettysburg and – Epcot? How Reagan helped elevate Disney to America’s roster of honored patriotic sites – https://theconversation.com/independence-hall-gettysburg-and-epcot-how-reagan-helped-elevate-disney-to-americas-roster-of-honored-patriotic-sites-254919

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Victory at Boeing

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    How did a union of 33,000 aircraft workers win a battle that set a new standard in the aviation industry with a 40% pay increase over four years? What strategies did they use to score a guarantee of building Boeing’s next commercial aircraft? What tactic did they use to defend their ground in a battle for retirement savings, not to give another inch of territory that had already been taken from them?

    “If it ain’t Boeing, I ain’t going.”

    This was the catchphrase during the heyday of commercial aviation in North America from the 1930s through the 1970s. Boeing aircraft were dominating the skies with silver bottom planes that denoted the quality engineering and manufacturing it took to build a transportation marvel.

    A job at Boeing in the Pacific Northwest was a key to the lock on a comfortable middle-class life for many families. And those jobs had been union jobs for generations, thanks to the foresight of early Boeing workers in 1936 who organized with the IAM.

    But the chase for middle-class life started racing uphill in the early 1980s. More recently, staggering inflation put even higher demands on workers’ salaries and compensation with exponential growth in the cost of living. Health insurance, housing, groceries, and energy prices grew faster than wage and benefit increases. The ability to retire with dignity and financial stability was becoming an afterthought. The bar for the middle class wasmoving higher and higher, and someone had to take a stand and choose a battlefield for a fight to begin.

    Thirty-three thousand IAM members from District 751 and W24 were ready.

    These members had been held in limbo for two contract cycles. They weathered two extensions of previous collective bargaining agreements, riddled with threats to move their work elsewhere, while Boeing stopped pension contributions. Meanwhile, since 2010, Boeing has sent $83 billion in profits to Wall Street, according to the Seattle Times. It had told its world-class workforce that cuts to worker compensation were necessary.

    Preparation and planning were key to readiness. Both districts focused on communication; putting the plan up front for all members to see. Face to face discussions, surveys, emails, and dropbox suggestions were used to gauge membership needs. District 751 Aero Mechanic printed road maps of the contracts back to 1952 -showing the history of contract wins and path of growth. W-24 held contract input and listening sessions at Mt. Hood community college.
    Shop stewards encouraged “swag days” when union members would wear the same union gear to mark solidarity.

    “This is our future, our fight, and we are ready for it,” said IAM District 751 President and Directing Business Representative Jon Holden. “We have spent the last decade listening to members tell us what’s important to them and their families. Many changes are necessary to address the membership’s priorities. We are creating a proposal to address a comprehensive list of membership demands.”

    Noted union organizer and author Marshall Ganz once said, “Movements have narratives. They tell stories because they are not just about rearranging economics and politics. They also rearrange meaning. And they’re not just about redistributing the goods. They’re about figuring out what is good.”

    And what a story IAM members working for Boeing in the Pacific Northwest would have to tell.

    “IAM members are the most dedicated, skilled, and experienced aerospace union in the world,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez. “We could not settle for anything less than the respect and family-sustaining wages and benefits that our members at Boeing need and deserve.”

    It was time for a bold move.

    A July 2024 rally at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park, the only sports venue in the area with enough capacity to hold the IAM’s Boeing membership in the area, saw a strike sanction vote pass by 99.9%.

    Boeing workers had decided this negotiation cycle was their chance—no more extensions to an existing agreement. Boeing management had made a series of high-profile blunders over the past decade, against the advice of its own workers.

    On Sept. 13, 2024, over 96% of Boeing IAM workers voted no on Boeing’s first contract offer. The path was set. Game on!“Our membership’s ‘no’ vote was a clear mandate. Boeing had to stop undervaluing its workforce,” IAM International President Brian Bryant said after the vote. “Our strength lies in our unity, and we do not back down.”

    Strike lines were set. Burn barrels were put in place. News media covered the strike from Seattle to Europe, where Boeing’s competitor, Airbus, was watching. The fight was on 24/7, and these workers were together.

    And the legacy of some past members stepped up at just the right time.

    IAM District 751 member Keith Olsen passed away from cancer in 2020. He left behind two children, Hawken and Bailey. Their mother, Arlene, saw her children take action no one expected. Bailey, now 16, shared, “When the strike started, my brother Hawken asked, ‘If Dad were alive, would he be out there?’” Bailey continued, “When I said yes, [Hawken] immediately wanted to join. He’s autistic, and the honking and crowds worried me, but he had so much fun. He kept telling everyone, ‘This is for my Dad.’”

    33,000 moms, dads, union brothers, sisters, and siblings knew what was at stake if they folded under pressure.

    A rejection of a Boeing offer on Oct. 23 ratcheted up the stakes. IAM leaders met with workers and listened to their objections to Boeing’s offers. It just wasn’t good enough, was the consensus.

    “Our membership spoke loudly and clearly about what they wanted in this agreement,” said IAM District 751 President and Directing Business Representative Jon Holden. “We stand strong until those needs are addressed.”

    As the strike continued past its 50th day, striking workers’ determination was further tested. Each day, one day longer, one day stronger.
    The strike was rearranging the meaning of solidarity. As Marshall Ganz described it, the narrative was figuring out what was good.

    “That means that we all needed to come together, stay informed, and take action as a group. There’s no way they’re gonna wait us out,” said District W24 President and Directing Business Representative Brandon Bryant. “We’re going to be here as long as it takes. We’ve got plenty of support for a long time.”

    U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell and U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal rallied with striking District 751 members on Oct. 15. Sen. Patty Murray and Reps. Adam Smith and Rick Larsen joined a support letter from Cantwell and Jayapal that called on the two sides to “expeditiously work out a fair and durable deal that recognizes the importance of the machinist workforce to Boeing’s future.”

    The continuing strike’s economic impact on the overall U.S. economy did not go unnoticed. The Seattle Times reported that Boeing and its suppliers had lost $9.7 billion by early November.

    Julie Su, then the Acting Labor Secretary, visited Seattle three times and gathered management and union leaders in late October.

    “There was a real history here where the prior leadership of the company had undervalued and undermined the relationship between management and the machinists,” Su told Axios News. “And so the workers felt that.”

    As day 53 of the strike ended, a deal was reached. Solidarity had won a new agreement.

    “This means growth and stability for Boeing workers. Our members went on strike for better wages and working conditions –and they won by staying united and exercising democracy in the workplace,” said IAM Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett said, “They hit the streets, held strong, and have been rewarded with an excellent contract. This dedicated frontline workforce does not just deserve these provisions —they are also overdue. This contract will set a new standard for aerospace across the region, the nation, and the industry.”

    Boeing workers in South Carolina, who are just like our members; facing the same employerand performing the same work, where Boeing moved some production lines to avoid union power in the right to work for less state, saw gains in their compensation packages influenced by the District 751 and W24 fight.

    “Our members fought courageously for what they deserve, and this victory proves the power of collective bargaining,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “IAM Boeing workers will help make the case to Boeing South Carolina workers on how we helped raise their wages and benefits at Boeing and the entire industry. We look forward to the conversations on the ground in Charleston about how the IAM can make their workplace stronger.”

    “This experience changed me. It wasn’t just about standing up to the company -it was about standing up for each other, for every worker who deserves respect and fairness. Our strength is our solidarity, and we proved that every day on the line.”, said District 751A member Chris McQueen as she returned to work after the 53 day strike.

    Members knew that standing up meant that more than just their current battle was won, it meant the door was open to change things for the future, together.

    “Education is power, and by equipping our members with the right tools and information, we build a more united and informed union. Together, we are shaping a stronger future for all IAM members and the entire aerospace industry,” said 751 President Holden. “From our family members to the flying public, we want everyone to be proud of this company once again. We are the watchdog with a unique opportunity to make things better for all.”

    Any movement starts with a step, and a step in the right direction tells a new story with new chapters yet to come.

    It was a fight worth winning.

    SIDEBAR
    Historic Agreement:
    IAM District 751 and W24 Members are now the best compensated aerospace workers in the industry.

    * 38% general wage increase over four years, which compounds to 43.65% over the life of the agreement 
    *401(k) employer match of 100% up to 8%-$12,000 ratification bonus 
    *AMPP incentive plan is reinstated, with a guaranteed minimum annual payout of 4%
    *Special company retirement contribution of 4% into 401(k) maintained
    *$105 pension multiplier per year for those vested in the pension plan
    *Call-in language back to current contract
    *New long-term disability plan and big improvement to short term disability plan-Health care cost containment
    *Improved overtime rules
    *Key job security provision for IAM members to build the next Boeing commercial aircraft in the Pacific Northwest
    *Additional Job Security language maintaining the headcount of Facilities and Maintenance members in the Collective Bargaining Agreement

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Coin by Palestinian writer Yasmin Zaher wins the Dylan Thomas Prize – an expert from the judging panel explains why

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Daniel G. Williams, Professor of English Literature, Swansea University

    Yasmin Zaher’s remarkable novel The Coin has won the Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize for writers under the age of 40.

    This is not a story that begins at the beginning. Instead, its narrator starts with dirt and an obsession with cleanliness, but suggests later that the coin of the title – an Israeli shekel that she accidentally swallowed on a family road trip in which her parents were killed in a car crash – would have been an equally appropriate place to begin.

    Long forgotten, the swallowed coin begins to make its presence felt, somewhere in her body, following her move to America. The narrator is a wealthy young Palestinian woman, teaching boys at a New York City middle school. Her wealth, however, is in the hands of a brother who controls her allowance. She responds by developing a scheme to resell luxury handbags with a homeless con-artist, known throughout as “Trenchcoat”.

    This is one of several attempts at shaping the world around her: she revels in her sexuality and ability to redefine herself through fashionable clothes and accessories; she teaches her class about black power and takes them on a trip to listen to the “dagger poems” of a black nationalist poet in New Jersey.

    I assume this poet is Amiri Baraka since they eat “Black Dada Nihilismus” burgers, a reference to his poem of the same name. But such acts of resistance, if not futile, are limited. Like the swallowed coin, the levers of control, whether material or psychic, lie out of reach as we witness the narrator’s gradual unravelling.

    It is perhaps appropriate that a novel set in New York should win the prize named after Swansea’s most famous poet. New York both enticed and frightened Dylan Thomas. It was the city in which he died. The city, also, in which he recorded the ground-breaking reading of A Child’s Christmas in Wales.

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

    In that story, as in his earlier Return Journey, his childhood self is a ghostly presence wandering among the “blitzed flat graves” of shops “marbled with snow and headstoned with fences”. The snow hides devastation. The destruction of the city that Thomas knew as a child. The 44 air raids mounted on Swansea between 1940 and 1943 killed 390 people. And it’s the similar loss of people and places, and the suffering in Gaza today, which Zaher’s novel examines.

    Palestine is a persistent and troubling presence in the The Coin. For Dylan the devastation of Swansea was a metonym for a wider world where civilians were increasingly the victims of war. His world is, regrettably, still ours in that sense. The Coin is a profound meditation on our contemporary world and our complicity in the destruction of another place and people.

    In a moving scene, the narrator recalls a Jewish friend, “a very gentle girl who dreamed of becoming a ballerina”. She lived in a house that once belonged to “a Palestinian family that had been expelled in 1948”. The friend tells her about two underground rooms in the garden. One of the rooms, “the poop room”, allows access to the second which contains “a big wooden chest full of treasures and gold”. The narrator keeps “thinking of that secret chamber off the shit room, the wooden chest inside, full of silverware and gold of the family who thought they would return.”

    The swallowed coin. The inaccessible allowance. The wooden chest full of treasures and gold. Unreachable currency functions as a powerful symbolic centre connecting the brief scenes and meditations that constitute this appropriately fragmented novel. Lost somewhere in the narrator’s entrails, removed from economic exchange, the coin belongs with the excrement and detritus of urban life, which is the object of the narrator’s disgusted obsessions.

    New York in this novel is a repository of failed circulation – the filth of the city’s streets offering a gothic underside to the endless flows of capitalism, frustrating the narrator’s obsessive attempts at keeping herself clean. Narratives and circulation end in the stasis of dirt. Palestinian history ends in dispossession. Swallowed coin, inaccessible allowance and a buried treasure chest are symbolic repositories of Palestinian traumatic memory.

    Zaher shows us how the novel form can still offer a unique way of understanding the world, of mapping our contemporary disorientation. It does this not by offering clarity, but by lingering in the spaces where movement, value and meaning break down. This is a novel about circulation – of money, of bodies and of meaning.

    The swallowed coin is itself a kind of resistance, a refusal to go along with the restless movement of capital that defines our world. The coin refuses liquidity and thereby refuses complicity; its removal from the economic system mimics a kind of muted protest. Beneath the novel’s often frenetic and energetic surface hides a resistant counter-politics of inaction.

    Daniel G. Williams was a judge of this years’ Dylan Thomas Prize.

    – ref. The Coin by Palestinian writer Yasmin Zaher wins the Dylan Thomas Prize – an expert from the judging panel explains why – https://theconversation.com/the-coin-by-palestinian-writer-yasmin-zaher-wins-the-dylan-thomas-prize-an-expert-from-the-judging-panel-explains-why-257063

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Prospectus unveiled to promote investment opportunities in Digbeth

    Source: City of Birmingham

    Birmingham City Council has unveiled a prospectus to promote the investment opportunities available across 10 development sites on 35 plots across Digbeth.

    The council launched the Digbeth Prospectus at the UK Real Estate, Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) and contains plans for over 6,000 new homes & 300,000 sqm of commercial floorspace across Digbeth.

    The Digbeth Prospectus is part of the council’s Our Future City: Central Birmingham Framework 2045 regeneration vision, which plans to provide 10,000 homes in the wider Central East area.

    Digbeth is surrounded by up to around £11bn of planned investment in infrastructure and major development over the next decade, including Smithfield, the Sports Quarter, Birmingham Knowledge Quarter and HS2 Curzon Street Station.

    The council is seeking development partners, investment partners and occupiers for the sites in Digbeth, which range from pre-planning to advanced planning stages.

    Anyone interested, whether that’s developers, investors or residents, is invited to view the Digbeth Prospectus on the council’s website.

    Birmingham City Council unveiled The Digbeth Prospectus alongside other West Midlands local authorities as they collaborated to showcase more than £18 billion worth of investment opportunities at the UKREiiF property show in Leeds.

    Councillor Sharon Thompson, Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, said:

    “Digbeth is a diverse, creative, enterprising community, home to freelancers, makers, agencies, startups and cultural venues.

    “Its rapid transformation into a buzzing creative quarter and centre for TV and film production, fuelled by the BBC’s new broadcast centre and MasterChef studios, is helping return the area to a position of national importance, providing much-needed high-quality jobs for this growing city.

    “The Digbeth Prospectus represents the latest delivery phase of Our Future City: Central Birmingham Framework 2045 and will help bring forward over 6000 new homes and over 300,000 sqm of new workspace.

    “By working with partners and stakeholders across the public and private sector we will make sure that Digbeth remains the go-to place for creative individuals and businesses.”

    To view the Digbeth Prospectus on the council’s website, visit: https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/DigbethProspectus

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Sobyanin and Murashko opened the Moscow Medical TechnoCenter after reconstruction

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Sergei Sobyanin and the Minister of Health of the Russian Federation Mikhail Murashko opened the Moscow Medical Technocenter (Engineering Scientific and Practical Center “Gormedtekhnika”) after a comprehensive reconstruction.

    “Moscow has enormous medical capacities – hundreds of thousands of units of very complex medical equipment that require daily attention, operation, repair, and maintenance at a high level of readiness. In fact, the quality of medical care for citizens and their health largely depend on this. And, of course, without creating structures that would deal with this, it is impossible to operate such a volume of equipment in Moscow today. Therefore, we essentially recreated Gormedtekhnika, created the Moscow Medical Technocenter, reconstructed buildings for it, and equipped it with all the necessary technologies. With the support of the Russian Ministry of Health, we provide personnel with higher education from the leading universities of our country – Baumanka, Sechenov University and other universities. This synergy, of course, ensures the reliable operation of the entire technological complex of the Moscow medical system,” said Sergei Sobyanin.

    In turn, the Minister of Health of the Russian Federation Mikhail Murashko noted that more than 300 thousand large medical devices alone are purchased in Russia every year. In order to service this equipment, it is necessary to train specialists who will carry out verification, preventive examinations and necessary repairs. Currently, the country is training specialists with specialized higher and secondary technical education, who are in great demand in the healthcare system. 2.5 thousand organizations have already received licenses for the technical maintenance of medical equipment.

    “Moscow as a leader in the healthcare system, as a city that is implementing the very first new technologies, of course, needs such a division as today, in which we are present. This is an opportunity to train specialists and, if necessary, to tell medical workers in more detail how this or that equipment works already in some technical details, for a better understanding of the diagnostic and treatment process. We believe that what Moscow is doing today, Sergey Semenovich, is an absolutely leading position not only in our country, but also in the world,” said Mikhail Murashko.

    The capital occupies a leading position in the development of healthcare not only in the country, but also in the world. This is facilitated, in particular, by the fact that, on the instructions of the President of Russia, a number of national projects are being implemented today. They provide not only for the supply of equipment to medical institutions, but also for the implementation of tasks related to scientific developments. This includes health-preserving technologies, which require the creation of new drugs and medical products.

    “Of course, this requires competence, this requires specialists, so such a center is definitely in demand, and it has great serious prospects,” concluded Mikhail Murashko.

    The Moscow Medical Technocenter is a unique institution, which has no analogues in Russia, which provides the entire life cycle of medical equipment: from purchase and maintenance to disposal. The motto of the Technocenter is “We treat what people are treated with.”

    The comprehensive reconstruction of the main building of Gormedtekhnika, built in 1978, which houses the Moscow Medical Technocenter, was completed in May of this year. During the work, which took about two and a half years, the six-story building with an area of 13.7 thousand square meters was virtually completely rebuilt and equipped with the latest equipment.

    Thus, repair areas were modernized, including those authorized by key manufacturers of medical equipment. A stand class “Medtechlab” was created with unique equipment for training engineers and students. There are devices for computer (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in section, artificial lung ventilation (ALV), anesthesia and respiratory (ANR) and video endoscopic devices.

    “Our task is not only to cooperate with manufacturers, but also to develop our own capacities. The specialists of the updated Moscow Medical Technocenter will be able to handle even the most complex equipment,” Sergei Sobyanin wrote in

    on his telegram channel.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin

    Comfortable conditions were created for the employees to work. In particular, the assembly hall was reconstructed and re-equipped, the area of the canteen was increased to 100 seats, and the adjacent territory was landscaped.

    History of the Moscow Medical Technocenter

    The Moscow Medical Technocenter (State Autonomous Institution “Engineering Scientific and Practical Center “Gormedtekhnika”) was founded in 1949 as an electromechanical plant for the repair and restoration of medical equipment. In 1965, a city department for sales, installation and repair was created on its basis under the name “Medtekhnika”. One of the tasks of the organization, along with the previous ones, was the supply of medical equipment. In 1972, the enterprise was transformed into the Moscow Experimental Plant of Medical Equipment.

    Gormedtekhnika received the status of an engineering scientific and practical center in 2024. Thus, the repair and service institution became a full-fledged technology center with international certification from leading manufacturers of medical equipment and a base for specialized education in the field of repair and maintenance of relevant equipment.

    In particular, the Moscow Medical TechnoCenter is a licensed service center for repair of Olympus endoscopic equipment and Mindray, Philips, B. Braun medical equipment. Its specialists regularly undergo training from leading manufacturers.

    The institution has licenses for radiation safety and for the implementation of activities for the technical maintenance of all groups of medical devices, as well as accreditation in the field of ensuring the uniformity of measurements and testing of products.

    The main tasks of the Moscow Medical Technocenter

    The main activities of the Moscow Medical TechnoCenter include maintenance, repair, dismantling, relocation and disposal of medical equipment. Its engineers maintain over 147 thousand units of medical equipment of Moscow healthcare institutions. In 2023–2024 alone, specialists restored the functionality of over 24 thousand units of various medical equipment. The average repair period was 15 days. Since 2020, specialists have dismantled over 550 units of heavy equipment.

    “In recent years, city hospitals and clinics

    installed more than 480 thousand units of medical equipment. Everything must work without failures. That is why it is so important to carry out timely and high-quality maintenance and repairs,” Sergei Sobyanin wrote in on your telegram channel.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @mos_sobyanin

    In addition, the institution is engaged in metrological maintenance, verification of measuring instruments and control of operational parameters of medical devices. Every year, its specialists carry out metrological maintenance of more than 180 thousand units of medical devices. In addition, they carry out acceptance tests of high-tech equipment for radiation diagnostics, therapy and other medical equipment.

    Over the past five years, the volume of medical equipment inspected has exceeded 381 thousand units. Among them are over 1.4 thousand units of heavy equipment, such as X-ray machines, CT scanners, angiographs, magnetic resonance tomographs, and 3.5 thousand ultrasound machines and other high-tech equipment.

    In 2024, a testing laboratory for blood glucose monitoring systems was opened at the Moscow Medical TechnoCenter. It controls the quality of glucometers and test strips. The laboratory is accredited in the national accreditation system. Today, state standard samples of glucose solution are being developed here together with specialists from the All-Russian Research Institute of Physical, Technical and Radiotechnical Measurements.

    The functions of the center also include transportation and storage of medical equipment, as well as its commissioning.

    The Moscow Medical TechnoCenter is the largest centralized customer of medical equipment for the capital’s healthcare system. Specialists purchase high-tech equipment, including as part of programs to modernize outpatient clinics and reconstruct large multidisciplinary hospitals. Thus, in 2023-2025, more than 80 thousand of its units were installed and put into operation.

    Currently, 135 life cycle contracts have been concluded, under which more than seven thousand units of heavy equipment and other high-tech medical equipment have been purchased, including angiographs, MRI, CT, X-ray machines, mammographs, C-arm and ultrasound machines, and endoscopic stands (rigid and flexible).

    More than 3.5 thousand units of equipment under life cycle contracts have been delivered to Moscow clinicsCapital doctors conducted 150 thousand examinations using new ultrasound machinesSobyanin: Hospitals and clinics have begun using more than 220 units of medical equipment

    The Moscow Medical TechnoCenter provides technical support and control over the execution of government contracts for the supply of medical equipment, coordination and control over the execution of preparatory, installation and commissioning works, storage, delivery and transfer of medical equipment in accordance with the required conditions, as well as conducting control and technical tests. The area of warehouse premises used for these purposes is 35.8 thousand square meters.

    In addition, the institution is an expert center for the acceptance of equipment for the healthcare system. From 2022 to 2024, its engineers inventoried and labeled about 150 thousand units of medical equipment.

    Another area of the center’s activity is the examination of the technical condition of medical equipment for its licensing and write-off. It is carried out every year to ensure a continuous process of updating medical equipment.

    In addition, the technocenter is engaged in the design and development of medical equipment and its operating conditions. A design department has been created on the basis of the institution, where prototypes of innovative products are developed and prepared for their mass production. Among the projects currently being implemented are:

    — the Proximus-250 lifting and rail system for transporting patients, which will be in demand in intensive care, traumatology, neurology and other departments;

    — electric portable aspirator Torr-30 for equipping ambulances — a device with a reduced noise level and a high vacuum level, adapted for operation in low temperature conditions (down to minus 30 degrees).

    The technology center also monitors food supplies to more than 200 milk distribution points to provide for preferential categories of city residents: pregnant women and nursing mothers, as well as children under three years old, children from large families (from three to seven years old), with chronic diseases (from three to 15 years old), and disabled children (from three to 18 years old).

    Since 2021, this social support measure has been transferred to a digital format – the mos.ru portal has online services “Submitting an application to receive food at a milk kitchen” and “Ordering food at a milk kitchen, choosing a milk distribution point and a schedule for receiving food.”

    For over two years, food has been provided by electronic referral without the need for monthly visits to the clinic and issuing of a paper prescription. As a result, the number of visits to medical institutions and milk distribution points not related to receiving products has been reduced by eight million per year.

    Training of engineering personnel

    The Moscow Medical TechnoCenter employs over 1,500 specialists, including over 300 engineers. This is one of the sites for practical training of students from Moscow colleges and universities. The main partners include the First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov, Moscow State Technical University named after N.E. Bauman, Russian Technological University, Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), and National Research University “MPEI”. In 2020–2025, over 230 students completed their internships here.

    Since 2022, the targeted career project “Engineer Trainee” has been implemented, thanks to which 53 young specialists have come to work at the institution.

    Over the years of the technology center’s work, an electronic library has been formed – the so-called knowledge base, containing a wide range of educational materials.

    Experienced engineers who work for Moscow’s medical organizations also undergo practical training here. In 2020–2025, more than 3.1 thousand specialists took part in various advanced training programs.

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12778050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Over 400 Afghan prisoners released from Pakistani jails in three days

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

    KABUL, May 20 (Xinhua) — A total of 438 Afghan prisoners have been released from Pakistani jails and returned to Afghanistan in the past three days, the Ministry of Refugees and Repatriation said on Tuesday.

    The returnees, who received assistance at the Spin Boldak border crossing in Kandahar province in the south of the country and the Torkham border crossing in Nangarhar province in the east of the country, were taken to their home provinces, the statement said.

    Over the past two weeks, nearly 1,000 Afghans held in Pakistan have been released and returned home.

    An estimated 7 million Afghan refugees, many of them undocumented, still live abroad, mostly in neighboring Iran and Pakistan. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The Government of Canada recognizes the national historic significance of the establishment of the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    May 20, 2025                            London, United Kingdom                                 Parks Canada

    At a plaque unveiling ceremony yesterday in London, United Kingdom (UK), Ron Hallman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Parks Canada, along with Bernard Thériault, Chair of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, attended an event hosted by the Honourable Ralph Goodale, High Commissioner of Canada in the UK. The event commemorated the national historic significance of the establishment of the High Commission of Canada in the UK.

    The unveiling of the commemorative plaque and announcement of the national historic designation were made on behalf of the Minister responsible for Parks Canada through Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration.

    The establishment of the High Commission of Canada in the United Kingdom (UK) was an important chapter in Canada’s diplomatic history. Canada was the first country in what became the Commonwealth to establish a high commission. The role of the High Commission, Canada’s oldest diplomatic posting, evolved as Canada gained more legal and diplomatic autonomy. Since its informal beginnings in the late 19th century, the office has promoted Canadian interests in trade and immigration.

    On 29 June 1925, King George V and Queen Mary opened the newly renovated Canada House on Trafalgar Square, which became the new home of the High Commission of Canada. Its stature and proximity to the centres of British decision-making reflected Canada’s growing independence and significant role within the Commonwealth.

    The Government of Canada, through the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and Parks Canada, recognizes significant persons, places, and events that have shaped our country as one way of helping Canadians connect with their past. By sharing these stories with Canadians, we hope to foster understanding and reflection on the diverse histories, cultures, legacies, and realities of Canada’s past and present.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Chicago captures shooters in December 2024 mass shooting tied to Tren de Aragua gang

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    CHICAGO — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the arrests of the shooters involved in the Dec. 2, 2024, mass shooting at a house party in Chicago predominantly attended by Venezuelan nationals. This incident resulted in multiple injuries and the loss of three lives. Authorities believe the shooting was perpetrated by members of the Tren de Aragua gang.

    One of the suspected shooters, Venezuelan national Ricardo Granadillo Padilla, 25, was arrested on Feb. 8 by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Chicago and Raleigh, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Raleigh, U.S Border Patrol Tactical Unit, the U.S. Marshals Service, and CBP Air and Marine Operations in Raleigh, North Carolina. Granadillo Padilla is currently in federal custody after being sentenced in March 2025 for illegally entering the United States in 2022 near El Paso, Texas. Multiple firearms, high-capacity magazines, narcotics, and fraudulent documents were seized in January 2025 from Granadillo Padilla’s residence in Chicago. During his arrest in Raleigh, North Carolina, a pistol, ammunition, and other evidentiary items were also seized.

    Another suspected shooter, Venezuelan national Edward Martinez Cermeno, 24, was arrested on Jan. 26 by ICE HSI Chicago and the CBP Office of Border Patrol in Schaumburg, Illinois. Martinez Cermeno was initially released by a federal magistrate judge in Illinois following a federal detention hearing but was then re-arrested by ICE HSI Chicago on administrative immigration charges for being illegally present in the United States. He is currently in federal custody facing criminal charges for illegally entering the United States in 2023 near Eagle Pass, Texas.

    Over the past weeks, sixteen additional TdA members and associates of the shooters in the Chicago area and Raleigh, North Carolina were arrested by ICE HSI Chicago on immigration charges.

    Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety on X at @HSIChicago.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: KlevaMova customers travel on the Gautrain free this weekend

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Eligible Gauteng residents have been urged to sign up for the newly launched KlevaMova product – which offers a 50% discount on Gautrain train fares.

    The Gautrain recently announced the special product which caters for individuals living in households with a combined household annual income of R350 000 or less, students under the age of 25, scholars, pensioners, and recipients of the South African Social Security Agency’s (SASSA) disability grant.

    Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, said the Gautrain was opening its doors this weekend, 24 and 25 May 2025, and allowing pre-registered customers free travel on the train.

    The free weekend special will allow an eligible individual to bring along up to three guests for this exclusive offer. 

    Seats are limited, so individuals who wish to take-up the free travel offer must register at klevamovaweekend.gautrainalerts.co.za by no later than 21 May 2025.

    Upon arrival at a Gautrain station on 24 and 25 May, eligible passengers will be received by a promoter who will verify that they are registered for the free travel promotion and issue them and their guests with a wristband which will allow them seamless free travel on the Gautrain for the day. 

    In addition, the promoters will assist customers who wish to register for the KlevaMova 50% off train fare discount. 

    “Eligible passengers do not only get to explore Gautrain for free on 24 and 25 May 2025, but also get an opportunity to sign up for a product that will reduce their day-to-day train travel costs to work, school, or other destinations in the province,” said Diale-Tlabela.

    The Gautrain’s KlevaMova product offers eligible passengers a 50% discount on train fares only, available as weekly, monthly and return trip products. 

    To qualify for the discount, interested individuals must apply by submitting relevant documentation, and are subject to an approval and verification process.

    “We are building a Gauteng that embraces all its communities, irrespective of their status in life. We want Gauteng to be connected and accessible, thereby allowing our residents access to opportunities they deserve while catalysing inclusive economic growth. 

    “I would like to encourage qualifying individuals to register for KlevaMova and experience an efficient, safe, and convenient public transport service,” said the MEC.

    For more information contact the Gautrain’s toll-free number 0800 428 87246 (0800 GAUTRAIN), daily from 05:30 to 20:00, or visit www.gautrain.co.za, or visit a Gautrain station (excluding OR Tambo) Monday to Saturday between 08:00 and 17:00.

    “If you quality, register and hop on the Gautrain for free this weekend. Experience this world-class public transport service and sign-up for the 50% off train discount product. 

    “Affordable public transport is not a luxury, but a fundamental service as it gives residents the opportunity to better access jobs and social activities, which then increases a city’s economic activity,” the MEC said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: GDE condemns alleged assault by seven girl learners on fellow pupil

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has expressed deep concern at a recent incident where a group of seven girl learners from Bedfordview High School, Kensington High School, Queens High School, and Phoenix College allegedly assaulted a fellow Bedfordview High girl learner in Yeoville.

    The incident reportedly took place on Saturday, 10 May 2025. 

    “According to information at our disposal, the victim reported this matter to the school on Monday, 12 May 2025, and alleged that the unfortunate group attack took place at a one of the houses in Yeoville, where the learners reside. 

    “A disturbing video capturing the group assault on the victim by the perpetrating learners has since gone viral on social media. The perpetrators, who are a group of seven girl learners, include four learners from Bedfordview High School (three in Grade 8 and one in Grade 9), one learner from Queens High School (Grade 9), one learner from Kensington High School (Grade 8), and one learner from Phoenix College (Grade 10). 

    “All implicated learners were swiftly suspended by their respective schools and appeared at the Magistrates Court on Monday, 19 May 2025, facing charges of common assault. 

    “The schools have begun internal investigations into the misconduct of the learners involved, in line with the codes of conduct and applicable disciplinary procedures from both schools

    “Psycho-social support will be provided by the department to all affected learners, including the victim. The GDE strongly condemns such acts of violence among learners. Violent behaviour among learners, whether within school grounds or beyond, is unacceptable and will carry serious consequences that may affect learners’ education and long-term prospects. 

    “We reaffirm that fostering safe, respectful, and supportive learning environments is a top priority for the department.”

    The department called on parents and guardians to play an active role in shaping the values and conduct of their children. 

    “Building a non-violent society starts at home. Parents must work hand-in-hand with schools and the department to instil discipline, empathy, and accountability in our learners. Together, we can cultivate a society of respect towards education institutions, which will ensure that Gauteng schools remain safe spaces for quality learning and teaching.”   

    The GDE urged all learners to speak out against bullying and any form of violence, whether directed at them or at their peers. 

    “Silence only protects the aggressor, and that can lead to more misconduct.” 

    Learners are encouraged to report incidents to a trusted teacher, school leadership, their parents or guardians, or the nearest Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) district office.   

    For additional support, learners can freely contact the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) at 0800 567 567 or reach out to Childline South Africa on 116. Both are free, confidential, and available 24/7.   

    Incidents of bullying or violence can also be reported directly to the GDE via WhatsApp on 060 891 0361 or through the GDE Contact Centre on 0800 000 789. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Government condemns Diepkloof protest action

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Tuesday, May 20, 2025

    Government has condemned the acts of violence that claimed two lives in protest action in Gauteng’s Diepkloof.

    “We strongly condemn the violence and looting that took place in Diepkloof and extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the two individuals who lost their lives. Every life lost under such circumstances is one too many, and we deeply mourn this tragedy,” Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) Acting Director-General, Nomonde Mnukwa said.

    In a statement on Tuesday, government said it deeply regrets the tragic loss of lives during the violent housing protest in Soweto on Monday.

    Two people lost their lives when angry Diepkloof residents blocked roads, looted trucks, and clashed with police, citing the City of Johannesburg’s failure to develop vacant land.

    Government further added that it acknowledges and upholds the constitutional right of all South Africans to protest and express their grievances.

    However, such actions must be conducted peacefully and within the confines of the law. The right to protest does not extend to acts of criminality, violence, or the infringement of the rights and safety of others.

    “We are confident that law enforcement authorities will conduct a thorough investigation into the events of Monday to ensure those responsible are held accountable and to help prevent similar incidents in the future. Government has full confidence in the ability of the South African Police Service to act decisively and lawfully,” said Mnukwa.

    Government called on all citizens to exercise their rights responsibly, and to uphold the values of democracy, dialogue, and mutual respect.

    “Violent acts and destruction of property not only weaken the legitimacy of genuine causes but also threaten the safety and livelihoods of innocent members of the community,” it said. –SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Dan Goldman’s Statement on Donald Trump Lifting His Stop Work Order for Empire Wind 1

    Source: US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    On April 16, the Trump Administration announced a stop work order on the wind farm off the coast of New York that makes landfall in Congressman Goldman’s district that would power 500,000 homes in New York City upon completion. Since then, Congressman Goldman, joined by a coalition of elected officials and advocates, strenuously objected to the economic and national security harm that would have resulted from a permanent cancellation. Today, the Trump Administration lifted the stop work order, allowing Equinor to proceed with the project.  
    Photos and videos of the Congressman’s advocacy can be found here. 
    The Congressman’s efforts were cited in Equinor’s statement on the order being lifted here.   

    “A month ago, the Trump Administration arbitrarily stalled New York’s clean energy transition by placing a stop work order on the Empire Wind 1 wind-farm project, and along with it the promise of 1,500 well-paying union jobs, hundreds of millions of dollars in supply chain investments, and clean energy to 500,000 New York homes. 

    “But today, after relentless advocacy from a coalition of elected officials, organized labor, and advocacy groups, we’re back on track. 

    “The Empire Wind 1 project is a cornerstone of our clean energy transition and a bold step forward for American manufacturing. I remain fully committed to doing everything in my power to see this critical project through to completion.” 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: Foreign Secretary statement, 20 May 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Oral statement to Parliament

    Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: Foreign Secretary statement, 20 May 2025

    Statement by Foreign Secretary David Lammy to the House of Commons on the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories

    With permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I will make a statement on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

    This weekend, the Israeli Defence Force started a new, extensive ground operation throughout Gaza, Operation Gideon’s Chariot. Five Israeli divisions are now operating there.

    Prime Minister Netanyahu says that they are going to take control of the Strip letting only minimal amounts of food reach Gazans. Madam Deputy Speaker I quote Prime Minister Netanyahu – “just enough to prevent hunger.”

    Fewer than ten trucks entered Gaza yesterday. The UN and WHO have issued stark warnings of the threat of starvation hanging over hundreds of thousands of civilians. Madam Deputy Speaker, this is abominable.

    Civilians in Gaza facing starvation, homelessness, trauma, desperate for this war to end, now confront renewed bombardment, new displacement and new suffering. And the remaining hostages kept apart from their loved ones by Hamas for almost six hundred days are now at heightened risk from the war around them.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, two months ago the ceasefire collapsed. Since then, the humanitarian catastrophe has rapidly intensified.

    For eleven weeks, Israeli forces have blockaded Gaza, leaving the World Food Programme without any any remaining stocks. Israel has repeatedly struck hospitals, with three more hospitals in northern Gaza ceasing operations this weekend.

    Yet more aid workers and medical workers have been killed. After last year proved the deadliest year on record for humanitarian personnel.

    The diplomatic deadlock between Israel and Hamas has sadly also hardened. Despite the efforts of the United States, Qatar and Egypt – which we of course support – no ceasefire has emerged.

    We repeat our demand that Hamas release all the hostages immediately and unconditionally and reiterate that they cannot continue to run Gaza.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, we are now entering a dark new phase in this conflict. Netanyahu’s government is planning to drive Gazans from their homes into a corner of the Strip to the south and permit them a fraction of the aid that they need.

    Yesterday, Minister Smotrich even spoke of Israeli forces “cleansing” Gaza, “destroying what’s left”, of resident Palestinians “being relocated to third countries”.

    We must call this what it is. It is extremism. It is dangerous. It is repellent. It is monstrous. And I condemn it in the strongest possible terms.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, Israel suffered a heinous attack on October 7th and the Government has always backed Israel’s right to defend itself. We have condemned Hamas and its abhorrent treatment of the hostages. And we have stood with families and demanded their loved ones be released.

    But the planned displacement of so many Gazans is morally unjustifiable, wholly disproportionate and utterly counter-productive. Whatever Israeli ministers claim, this is not the way to bring the hostages safely home.

    Nearly all the hostages have been freed through negotiations, not military force. And that is why hostage families themselves – and many other Israelis – oppose this plan so strongly.

    Nor will this plan eliminate Hamas or make Israel secure. This war has left a generation orphaned and traumatised, ready for Hamas to recruit. As we learned in Northern Ireland to defeat terrorists and their warped ideology you cannot just rely on military might. You have to offer a viable political alternative. Opposing the expansion of a war that’s killed thousands of children is not rewarding Hamas.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, since entering office, we have taken concerted action on Gaza.

    We restored funding to UNRWA. We supported the independence of international courts. We suspended arms export licences. We provided food and medical care to hundreds of thousands of Gazans. We’ve worked with Arab partners on a plan to ensure a reconstructed Gaza no longer run by Hamas.

    And since Israel restarted strikes on Gaza, this Government has demanded Israel change course. Privately, in my conversations with Foreign Minister Sa’ar and Strategic Affairs Minister Dermer, and publicly, in repeated joint statements with my French and German counterparts, we have made clear that Israel’s actions are intolerable.

    We have raised our concerns in the UN Security Council and before the International Court of Justice. Yesterday, my Right Honourable Friend the Prime Minister joined leaders from France and Canada strongly opposing the expansion of Israel’s military operations. And the UK led a further statement with twenty-seven partners criticising Israel’s proposed new aid delivery mechanism and defending the essential humanitarian principles of the international system that the UK did so much to establish in the first place.

    Our message is clear. There is a UN plan ready to deliver aid at scale, needed with mitigations against aid diversion. There are brave humanitarians ready to do their jobs. There are 9,000 trucks at the border. Prime Minister Netanyahu: end this blockade now and let the aid in.

    Regrettably, Madam Deputy Speaker, despite our efforts, this Israeli government’s egregious actions and rhetoric have continued. They are isolating Israel from its friends and partners around the world. Undermining the interests of the Israeli people. And damaging the image of the state of Israel in the eyes of the world.

    I find this deeply painful, as a lifelong friend of Israel and a believer in the values expressed in its declaration of independence.

    As the Prime Minister and fellow leaders said yesterday, we cannot stand by in the face of this new deterioration. It is incompatible with the principles that underpin our bilateral relationship. Rejected by Members across this House and frankly it’s an affront to the values of the British people.

    Therefore today, I am announcing that we have suspended negotiations with this Israeli government on a new free trade agreement. We will be reviewing cooperation with them under the 2030 Bilateral Roadmap.

    The Netanyahu government’s actions have made this necessary. Madam Deputy Speaker, today, my Honourable Friend the Minister for the Middle East is summoning the Israeli Ambassador to the Foreign Office to convey this message.

    I say now to the people of Israel: we want, I want a strong friendship with you based on our shared values with flourishing ties between our people and societies. We are unwavering in our commitment to your security and to your future, to countering the very real threat from Iran, the scourge of terrorism and the evils of antisemitism.

    But the conduct of the war in Gaza is damaging our relationship with your government. And, as the Prime Minister has said, if Israel pursues this military offensive as it has threatened, failing to ensure the unhindered provision of aid, we will take further actions in response.

    The UK, Madam Deputy Speaker, will not give up on a two-state solution. Israelis living in secure borders, recognised and at peace with their neighbours, free from the threat of terrorism. Palestinians living in their own state, in dignity and security, free of occupation.

    The two-state solution remains the ideal framework, indeed, the only framework, for a just and lasting peace. But as the House knows, its very viability is in peril.

    Endangered not only by the war in Gaza, but by the spread of illegal Israeli settlements and outposts across the Occupied West Bank, with the explicit support of this Israeli government.

    There are now weekly meetings to approve new settlement construction. Settlement approval has accelerated while settler violence has soared. Here too, we have acted, repeatedly pressing for a change in this course and direction, sanctioning seven entities last October, and signing a landmark agreement to bolster support for the Palestinian Authority, when Prime Minister Mustafa visited London just last month.

    But here too, we must do more. Today, we are therefore imposing sanctions on a further three individuals and four entities involved in the settler movement.

    I have seen for myself the consequences of settler violence. The fear of its victims. The impunity of its perpetrators. Today, we are demonstrating again that we will continue to act against those who are carrying out heinous abuses of human rights.

    Madam Deputy Speaker, despite the glimmer of hope from January’s ceasefire, the suffering from this conflict has worsened. But January showed another path was possible.

    We urge Netanyahu’s government to choose this path. The world is judging. History will judge them. Blocking aid, expanding the war, dismissing the concerns of your friends and partners. This is indefensible and it must stop.

    I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 20 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Deputy Prime Minister speech to UKREiif – 20 May 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Speech

    Deputy Prime Minister speech to UKREiif – 20 May 2025

    Transcript of the Deputy Prime Minister’s speech at the UK Real Estate and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) on 20 May 2025.

    Good morning!

    It’s fantastic to be back at UKREiiF, as Deputy Prime Minister.

    And it’s excellent to be here in Leeds.

    A great city under a great council and West Yorkshire’s Mayor, my friend Tracy Brabin.

    From Holbeck to Hunslet to Horsforth, it’s being remade and reborn.     

    Creating new good-quality jobs as well as opportunities for growth and investment.

    And it’s a testament to partnership between local, regional, and national government.

    And I want to say a big thanks to all of you here today. And it was great to hear Tom and the enthusiasm when I was backstage then and also throwing down the gauntlet to us to say we will match your ambition if you’ve got it, Tom we have that ambition.

    From our local leaders to housebuilders to investors.

    For the part you’re playing in all of this.

    And I’m here, today, to tell you that there’s more to come…

    … As we get Britain building again as part of our Plan for Change.

    I said last year that we would deliver this change.

    New homes, new infrastructure projects, jobs, higher living standards, strong communities and a strong economy.

    And I said that we would deliver this by working in partnership.

    By backing you to build, invest and succeed.

    So that our country and that is what we can do together to succeed.

    Last year, I told you about a new development that I had just visited in my own constituency.

    That delivered 62 much-needed new social and affordable homes.

    For families in my community who needed them.

    I told you what that development meant to me.

    [Political content removed]

    Because our vision is not just building houses, but it’s building homes for people of our country.

    And building the communities in which they live.

    We have a target to build 1.5 million homes this Parliament.

    As most of you in this room know I’m a straight talker, so I’ll say it straight.

    I know that target is stretching.

    [Political content removed]

    But I won’t shy away from the challenge.

    It’s desperately needed after years of failure.

    But I also want to be clear that our vision for housing is about so much more than hitting one target.

    We must continue building well beyond this Parliament.

    These must be well-designed, decent homes for local people.

    And they must come alongside the GP surgeries, schools and parks they need too.

    So, how will we know we’re succeeding?

    Firstly, if we get more and more homes – in every part of the country,  including here in West Yorkshire – built long into the future too.

    We can’t just ramp-up housebuilding over the next few years.

    Secondly, if more people have a home they can afford.

    And we bring crippling costs down.

    Thirdly, if we’re ensuring all homes are safe, secure and warm.

    And we’re driving down bills for working people.

    And finally, if we’re tackling the shameless homelessness crisis that is destroying the life chances of so many.

    Now this will demand huge ambition.

    And I am ready to meet it.

    Already, we are creating the right conditions for building.

    Ensuring smarter regulation for planning.

    And pro-growth and pro-building policy.

    We’re also working in partnership with you –

    Investors, industry…

    … The builders of our great nation.

    And I want to see new players, entrepreneurs and disruptors flourish.

    Small and medium enterprises, community-led housing projects and Councils who can disrupt the market for the better.

    Radically changing what we build, and who builds it.

    And transforming the system.

    To make it more diverse and innovative.

    Capable of not just delivering more homes, more quickly.

    But delivering secure, affordable and decent homes – for everyone, everywhere…

    And homes that will stand the test of time.

    I say that I don’t shy away from the scale of the crisis facing us.

    Because it is  monumentous.

    There’s barely a family in this country hasn’t been affected by it.

    The dream of home ownership has been snatched away from a generation.

    Just over 1.3 million people languish on waiting lists for social housing.

    It is a scandal we have over 160,000 children in temporary accommodation.

    Their lives have been held back.

    Our country is being held back.

    I know, from my own experience, how much having a secure, affordable home matters.

    Alongside decent work and a strong community.

    These were the foundations on which our parents and grandparents built good lives.

    But which are now just not there for too many working people.

    This is not just taking a personal toll, but it’s taking an economic one too.

    Because growth and development go hand in hand.

    Unlocking decent jobs, vital infrastructure and supporting our local economies.

    Which in turn delivers the growth that is so needed to improve living standards and revitalise our public services.

    Yet, I’ve heard from so many people since coming into office, how the system just stopped working.

    Desperate families failed.

    Local leaders feeling powerless to act.

    Developers navigating a complex system.

    This is not a series of crises.

    But the symptoms of a broken system.

    And so, nothing less than action everywhere will do.

    It’s a momentous challenge – but we will meet this moment.

    And in our first ten months of Government that is what I set out to do.

    We said getting shovels in the ground was crucial.

    And so, I wasted no time in turning the pages on years of decline.

    With unwavering action to reverse the tide and get Britain building again.

    We reintroduced local housing targets.

    [Political content removed]

    We set out and consulted on a new pro-growth, pro-supply National Planning Policy Framework within our first three weeks in Office.

    Unlocking brownfield and grey belt land for development.

    And before the summer was out, we started getting stalled sites moving again through our New Homes Accelerator.

    We’re pressing ahead with the hugely ambitious Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

    To speed up the delivery of new homes and critical infrastructure.

    With innovative reforms like our Nature Restoration Fund to unblock building.

    While creating a win-win for nature and development.

    As well as plans to modernise planning committees and bring in a new system of strategic planning.

    Changes which could add up to £7.5 billion to the UK economy over the next decade.  

    The New Towns Task force is also hard at work on its recommendations for sites.

    We’ve committed £3bn of support to small to medium enterprises and the build to rent sector, to access cheaper lending.

    And as part of our commitment to building 1.5 million homes this Parliament…

    …We’ll deliver  the biggest wave of affordable and social housing in a generation.

    And we’ve already topped up investment by £800 million.

    As well as a £2 billion top-up funding next year.

    With more to come at the Spending Review. 

    And that’s not all.

    Our landmark Renters’ Rights Bill was introduced within our first four months.

    Banning no fault evictions and giving the millions renting more security.

    In November, we also set out our blueprint to ending the feudal leasehold system.

    And earlier this year we published our Commonhold White Paper.

    Giving leaseholders more say and power over their homes and lives.

    And we’re empowering mayors through our devolution revolution.

    Because the homes we build must deliver for people in all corners of our country.

    This is the biggest shift of power from Whitehall to our town halls in a generation.

    That was why I was delighted to celebrate the launch of The Great North last night. Not just because I am a northerner.

    The North’s mayors coming together to herald a new era of Northern cooperation.

    Showing what’s possible when we work together.

    And we’re already seeing green shoots of this coming through.

    Today Homes England has announced it’s delivering thousands more homes across the country compared to last year.

    But this is just the start.

    Because I know that there is so much more that still needs to be done.

    As I’ve said, our planning reforms are a game-changer.

    But we know that there must also be a renewed focus on social housebuilding.

    I’m committed to resetting the foundations of the sector.

    And to give the sector stability and confidence to invest in the future.

    It’s also why we have made planning changes to support affordable housing too.

    And we’ve helped Councils to borrow sustainably from the Public Works Loan Board.

    Extending the preferential rate for council housebuilding to the end of 2025-26.

    And we’ll shortly be confirming future regulatory standards.

    To ensure that homes are safe, decent and warm.

    And that social housing tenants are treated with the respect that they deserve.

    Whilst also giving the sector the certainty to invest for the future. 

    I’m committed to this Council housebuilding revolution.

    And not just because social and affordable housing are a nice add-on.

    But because it’s essential to ensuring homes are built – and more quickly.

    Because we know developments with a mix of housing build out faster.

    And that affordable homes are the vital ingredient to unlocking private housebuilding too.

    Partnerships between housebuilders and the public sector – like Vistry’s partnerships model…

    And the projects between Homes England, Muse and Pension Insurance Corporation that are delivering 100% affordable sites in Bradford and Wakefield.

    And are adding greater diversity, ensuring we meet the needs of local communities.

    And I want to see these continue.

    And more partnerships like them too.

    We also want to see smaller housebuilders playing a bigger role.

    Both in terms of who builds our homes and the types of homes they build.

    They already make a significant contribution on smaller brownfield sites.

    Building out faster than is often possible on larger and more complex sites.

    So, we’re backing them to reclaim their rightful place as the backbone of housebuilding.

    But a diverse housing market also depends on a workforce that’s fit for the future.

    And so, we’re working closely with the construction sector to improve skills.

    And job opportunities across the country.

    The Chancellor has already announced £600 million to recruit an extra 60,000 construction workers by 2029.

    And I’m proud to be joining the inaugural meeting of the Construction Skills Mission Board with Mark Reynolds from Mace. This industry-led group will bring together the whole sector to invest in UK plc, and oversee industry plans to recruit 100,000 more workers per year by the end of the Parliament, securing the next generation of construction workers.  

    It’s also why we’re also plugging capacity back into local planning authorities.

    Making funds available to hire 300 new planners.

    And through reforms to our Planning and Infrastructure Bill, letting Councils set their own planning fees.

    And ringfencing this money to reinvest in planning.

    Today, we don’t have to look too far afield for inspiration.

    Just round the corner from this hall, the Leeds College of Building – the UK’s only specialist construction college – is training the next generation of workers.

    And when it comes to who will drive delivery, our Mayors will be key.

    With the powers we’re handing them, they will be critical to powering regional growth.

    They’ve already achieved so much.  

    South Yorkshire’s on course for 20,000 new homes over the next 20 years.

    In West Yorkshire, Mayor Brabin has helped get shovels in the ground on the Dyecoats project where 1,600 new homes will be built.

    In Greater Manchester, there’s a strategic place partnership with Homes England that’s supporting 10 councils with 13 projects.

    And in the North-East, Mayor McGuinness is supporting the delivery of 100 new family homes – including council housing – as part of a regeneration project in East Durham.

    And, just last week, Mayor Parker in the West Midlands, announced 300 affordable homes on the site of the former Yardley Sewage Works…

    … Including 150 for social rent.

    And going forward, we want to forge a stronger partnership between Mayors and Homes England.

    Moving Homes England to a more regionalised model, over time.

    This is Britain [Political content removed].

    Open to building.

    Open for business.

    And delivering for working people.

    So we give people the security and control they deserve.

    Regardless of whether they rent or they own their home.

    Or are in the private or social rented sector.

    We have big changes in the pipeline.

    Disrupting, diversifying and transforming the housing market.

    So that it delivers for working people.

    Big changes that mean big opportunities for investment and growth.

    I urge everyone across the whole system to seize them with both hands.

    To investors, I say: there are an exciting array of opportunities. Tom spoke about them.

    To our housebuilders, we have listened and we’re reversing the tide to create the right conditions.

    But now we need you to build, build, build.

    To our mayors, I say don’t hold back.

    Take control of planning to drive the growth across housing, transport and skills.

    Our councils, too, must raise their game with up-to-date Local Plans.

    And work together with housing associations to build a new generation of social housing.

    Because the days of business as usual are over.

    It’s time to fight for a brighter, more ambitious future for our country.

    And what better inspiration than Clement Attlee’s 1945 Labour Government.

    Out of the ruins of war, he built homes for heroes.

    And as we mark its 80th anniversary, it’s time to recommit ourselves to delivering in the same spirit.

    This is how we’ll unleash the growth and opportunities we all want to see.

    It’s how we will rebuild the foundations of a good life for everyone.

    And it’s how we will deliver for working people.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 20 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Concludes the Fourth Review of Kosovo’s Stand-By and Resilience and Sustainability Facility Arrangements

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    May 20, 2025

    • The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund completed the Fourth and final review of Kosovo’s Stand-By and Resilience and Sustainability Facility Arrangements. The completion of the review makes available SDR 13.352 million (€16.08 million) under the SBA and SDR 7.744 million (€9.32 million) under the RSF.
    • The objectives of both programs have been successfully achieved. The economy has maintained healthy growth, inflation has notably decelerated, fiscal buffers have been rebuilt, and reforms have accelerated.
    • Building on the progress made under the programs, the authorities should continue with prudent fiscal policies, strengthen the fiscal framework, and advance structural reforms in the fiscal and financial sectors.

    Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded the Fourth and final review of Kosovo’s Stand-By and Resilience and Sustainability Facility Arrangements. The authorities have consented to the publication of the staff report and associated documents. The completion of the review makes available SDR 13.352 million (€16.08 million) under the SBA and SDR 7.744 million (€9.32 million) under the RSF. This will bring the total disbursements under the RSF to SDR 61.95 million (€74.61 million). The SBA, which so far has been treated as precautionary by the authorities, amounts to SDR 80.122 million (€96.50 million).

    Kosovo’s economic performance continues to be strong. In 2024, growth was 4.4 percent, driven by household consumption, supported by strong private credit and rising wages. Inflation decelerated sharply, reaching an average of 1.6 percent in 2024 down from 4.9 percent in 2022. The external current account deficit widened to 9 percent of GDP, as increases in consumption and investment led to higher imports; growth of remittances slowed. In 2025, despite heightened external uncertainty from rising trade tensions, growth is expected to remain strong at 4 percent, with inflation stabilizing at 2¼ percent.

    Program implementation under both arrangements has been strong. All quantitative performance criteria for end-December 2024 were met. All indicative targets for end-December 2024 and for end-March 2025 were also met. Two structural benchmarks for this review—implementation of a cash forecasting function within the Treasury and the development of a roadmap for adopting the Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process to assess bank risk profiles—were implemented. The remaining RSF reform measure to launch an auction for the construction and operation of the wind power plant has also been implemented.

    Following the Executive Board’s discussion, Bo Li, IMF Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, issued the following statement:

    “The Kosovo authorities have successfully implemented a Stand-By Arrangement and an Arrangement under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility. The SBA supported the authorities’ economic program to reduce inflation and sustain strong growth, while safeguarding the economy against adverse shocks. The RSF supported the authorities’ ambitious climate reform agenda.

    “Prudent fiscal policies under the SBA, anchored in the authorities’ rules-based fiscal framework, helped deliver low deficits and debt. In 2025, fiscal policy will aim to sustain growth amid heightened uncertainty, strengthen buffers against future shocks and continue addressing large developmental needs. An ongoing review of the fiscal framework seeks to align it with EU norms while supporting Kosovo’s developmental objectives and maintaining fiscal discipline.

    “The structural fiscal agenda has considerably advanced under the SBA. Revenue mobilization has improved through broadening the tax base, leading to higher tax collection. Public financial management reforms have enhanced capacity to assess fiscal risks, improved the quality of fiscal reporting, and increased fiscal transparency. Strengthening the public investment management system will help to further boost execution rates of public investment.

    “The Central Bank of Kosovo (CBK) has been driving forward critical reforms to enhance governance and institutional quality, develop the financial sector and strengthen resilience. The banking sector continues to expand rapidly providing vital support to economic activity while maintaining strong capitalization, liquidity, and profitability. The CBK is strengthening its ability to monitor risks related to rapid private sector credit growth.

    “Reform measures implemented under the RSF have been instrumental in advancing the authorities’ ambitious strategic energy goals, including expanding renewable generation capacity, reducing pollution, improving energy efficiency, and enhancing regional cooperation. The authorities remain committed to making continued and meaningful progress across all these areas.”

    Kosovo: Selected Economic Indicators, 2022–25

    Population: 1.6 million (2024)

    Nominal GDP per capita (2024): € 6,497

    Gini index: 0.29 (2017)

    Poverty rate: 19.8% (2018)

    Quota (current): SDR 82.6 million

    Main products and exports: Minerals, base metals, agricultural products, tourism.

    2022

    2023

    2024

    2025

    Act.

    Act.

    Prel.

    Proj.

    Output

       Real GDP growth (percent)

    4.3

    4.1

    4.4

    4.0

    Employment

       Unemployment rate (percent)

    12.6

    10.9

    …

    …

    Prices

       Consumer prices (period average, percent)

    11.6

    4.9

    1.6

    2.3

       GDP deflator

    7.2

    4.6

    2.0

    3.8

    General government finances (percent of GDP)

       Revenue and grants

    28.1

    29.5

    30.0

    29.8

       Expenditure

    28.8

    29.8

    30.3

    31.9

       Overall balance, excluding IFI- and privatization-financed capital projects (Fiscal rule definition)

    -0.5

    -0.1

    -0.1

    -1.6

       Overall balance

    -0.7

    -0.2

    -0.3

    -2.1

       Total public debt

    20.0

    17.5

    16.9

    18.3

       Stock of government bank balance

    3.9

    2.8

    3.1

    3.4

    Money and credit

       Non-performing loans (percent of total loans)

    1.9

    1.9

    1.8

    …

       Credit to the private sector (eop, percent change)

    16.0

    12.9

    18.3

    15.8

       Effective bank lending rate (eop, percent)

    6.3

    6.3

    5.9

    …

    Balance of payments (percent of GDP)

       Current account balance

    -10.3

    -7.6

    -9.0

    -8.3

       Remittance inflows

    13.7

    13.8

    13.1

    12.6

       Net foreign direct investment

    -6.8

    -6.9

    -6.1

    -7.5

       External debt

    38.6

    39.8

    41.1

    42.4

    Sources: Kosovo authorities and IMF staff estimates.
                   
    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Camila Perez

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/05/19/pr25154-kosovo-imf-concludes-4th-review-of-kosovos-stand-by-and-rsf-arrangements

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Testimony Before the United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    Chairman Joyce, Ranking Member Hoyer, and members of the Subcommittee. Thank you for inviting me to testify today.[1]

    I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss the SEC, including our important mission on behalf of our fellow citizens, investors, and taxpayers.  I also appreciate the opportunity as well to speak to some of my priorities as Chairman.

    Four weeks ago today, I was sworn in by Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent in the Oval Office with President Donald Trump; my family was by my side. I am honored by the trust and confidence that the President and the Senate placed in me to lead the SEC.

    As I testify before you, this is my 20th working day as Chairman. I have returned to the SEC where I was a Commissioner from 2002 to 2008. In that time, I advocated for greater transparency at the agency and emphasized robust cost-benefit analysis when considering new regulations. I also previously served on the staff of two SEC chairmen—Richard Breeden, appointed by President George H.W. Bush, and Arthur Levitt, appointed by President Bill Clinton.

    With my fellow Commissioners, Congress, and SEC staff, I look forward to working to ensure that the United States is well-positioned to seize on the new excitement for investment and economic opportunity that President Trump’s leadership and pro-growth policies have inspired.

    SEC Mission

    First and foremost, it is a new day at the SEC. I am determined that we return to our core mission that Congress set for us more than 90 years ago.

    The SEC’s three-part mission was enunciated by Congress in the Exchange Act: protecting investors; facilitating capital formation; and maintaining fair, orderly, and efficient markets.  

    Investor protection is vital to our mission—holding accountable those who lie, cheat, and steal. The SEC will remain vigilant in our important role to ensure that investors have confidence to participate in the markets.

    Capital formation is also at the root of what we do—fostering a direct, economical route for investors’ capital to find its way to entrepreneurs and industry to create products and services. This engine of growth employs people, helping them to work and save to achieve their dreams.

    The third core part of our mission is maintaining fair, orderly, and efficient markets. Congress calls on the Commission to ensure that our regulations balance costs and benefits, that they do not become too burdensome by adding needless friction to the marketplace, undermining the capital formation that yields so much benefit.

    During my tenure as chairman, the SEC will not stray from this core three-part mission.

    My time in public service and the private sector, both earlier in my career and more recently, has allowed me to see firsthand how regulations affect markets and investors. They can stoke innovation, facilitate investment goals, and create opportunities—or burdens—on businesses’ ability to compete and serve their customers.

    How we implement regulations at the SEC is crucial; it is one thing to write a regulation, quite another for it to achieve its intended goal. Regulation should be smart, effective, and appropriately tailored within the confines of our statutory authority.

    It takes market experience and focused application to ensure that customers and investors of financial services firms benefit from efficient, effective, and well-designed regulation. Our goal at the SEC must be to facilitate those efforts, analyze their effectiveness, and use our enforcement power to cure and rectify wayward actions.

    In short, clear rules of the road benefit all market participants.

    The SEC is returning rulemaking to regular order. Our comment periods will not be artificially short, and the public will have ample time to provide feedback. The SEC will also be sure to take into consideration how rules overlap and how regulatory burdens build, in keeping with our obligation to consider their costs and benefits. The SEC also looks forward to working with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on our rulemaking.

    I am grateful to Commissioner Mark Uyeda for his stewardship of the agency as acting Chairman of the SEC from January to April, a very productive three months.

    During this transition, he brought clarity to some urgent policy issues that we faced in the courts and some organizational issues as the new Administration came into office.

    He established the Crypto Task Force together with Commissioner Pierce, which  has worked with staff to provide necessary guidance to the industry. He normalized the agency’s stance regarding materiality of disclosure requirements to comply with Supreme Court rulings and backed agency actions to extend certain compliance dates and remove personally identifiable information (PII) from the Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT).

    As we look ahead, I am confident in the direction of our work. My experience over the decades will naturally inform my approach as Chairman.

    The Commission will focus on providing meaningful pathways for entrepreneurs to obtain the capital that they need to execute their innovative ideas and grow their companies in both the private and public markets. At the same time, investors that provide such capital must be able to continue to depend on effective enforcement against fraudulent activities.

    Digital Assets

    From 2017 until my nomination, I worked to help develop best practices for the digital assets industry and saw firsthand how ambiguous or nonexistent regulations in this space created uncertainty and inhibited innovation. That lack of regulatory framework also invites fraud. 

    A key priority of my Chairmanship will be to develop a rational regulatory framework for crypto asset markets that establishes clear rules of the road for the issuance, custody, and trading of crypto assets while continuing to discourage bad actors from violating the law. Clear rules of the road are necessary for investor protection against fraud—not the least to help them identify scams that do not comport with the law.

    Policymaking will be done through notice and comment rulemaking not through regulation-by-enforcement. The Commission will utilize its existing authorities to set fit-for-purpose standards for market participants. The Commission’s enforcement approach will return to Congress’ original intent, which is to police violations of these established obligations, particularly as they relate to fraud and manipulation.

    This undertaking requires coordination across multiple offices and divisions within the Commission, which is why I am pleased that Commissioner Uyeda and Commissioner Hester Peirce have worked together to establish the Crypto Task Force. For too long, the Commission has been hindered by policymaking silos. The Crypto Task Force exemplifies how our policy divisions can come together to expeditiously provide long-needed clarity and certainty to the American public.

    I am confident that Commissioner Peirce, known for her principled and tireless advocacy for common-sense policy, is the right person to lead the Crypto Task Force’s effort to come up with a rational regulatory framework for crypto asset markets.

    The task force has held four roundtables so far on further defining security status, tailoring regulation for crypto trading, custody considerations, and tokenization. I look forward to the input from industry and additional public feedback during the next roundtable on decentralized finance.

    This is important work. Entrepreneurs across the United States and around the world are harnessing blockchain technology to modernize aspects of our financial system. I anticipate  benefits from this market innovation for efficiency, cost reduction, transparency, and risk mitigation.

    SEC Commissioner Roles

    In addition to Commissioner Peirce’s continued leadership of the Crypto Task Force, I have asked Commissioner Uyeda to be our “ambassador” to the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO). Commissioner Caroline Crenshaw has agreed to take on the SEC’s administrative law proceedings framework and the procedures in adjudications used by our administrative law judges in light of Supreme Court rulings that oblige us to rethink and reform this area.

    SEC Staff Numbers

    The SEC’s Offices and Divisions have decreased headcount by 15% since the beginning of the current fiscal year. Many of our colleagues at the SEC elected to take advantage of the Administration’s Fork in the Road, Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) or Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP). Some left to pursue other opportunities. These departures leave vacancies that in many cases need to be filled. When I left the agency in 2008, we had approximately 3,600 employees. At our height a year ago, we had approximately 5,000 employees plus 2,000 contractors. Today we are at approximately 4,200 employees and 1,700 contractors.

    Reorganization

    Under Acting Chairman Uyeda, the reporting lines in the Divisions of Enforcement and Examinations were realigned to better reflect each Division’s national programs to improve efficiency, management, and oversight of the Divisions. There will be targeted, common-sense reorganizations to come at the SEC. To start, I am seeking approval from Congress to disband what is known as agency’s Strategic Hub for Innovation and Financial Technology (FinHub). Innovation should be ingrained into the culture SEC-wide and not limited to a relatively small office. Established in 2018, FinHub was created during a critical period of emerging technologies. The rapid development of distributed ledger technology, including digital assets, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, required a centralized effort to build understanding at the SEC. The principles and priorities under which it was established are being integrated into the very fabric of the SEC.

    Technology Review and Optimizing Efficiency

    We have begun a process to review our technology infrastructure and our contractual obligations. This review is long overdue—call it a spring cleaning and reassessment of contracts, especially regarding information technology.

    We publicly announced last week that the Commission determined that certain masked data fields on publicly available reports on Form N-PORT submitted between Feb. 3, 2025, and May 8, 2025, were inadvertently made public on the SEC’s EDGAR system. This was the result of a software update effective Feb. 3. The masking error has been corrected and did not affect Form N-PORT filings made after May 8, 2025.

    This situation is not acceptable. I have directed the initiation of a comprehensive review of the EDGAR system to ensure for data integrity. We need to evaluate what we have, where our vulnerabilities are, and how we can shore up and improve our systems. We will work on optimizing our efficiency and eliminating redundancy.  

    SEC Regional Offices and Leasing

    The SEC has 10 regional offices across the country. In late February, the GSA informed the SEC that it would terminate leases utilized by the SEC’s Los Angeles Regional Office and the Philadelphia Regional Office. Discussions with the GSA and the landlords are ongoing, and I will keep this committee apprised of those developments.  In the meantime, the leases are in their “soft term” and are not terminated.

    I firmly believe in the SEC’s regional office concept. We cannot and should not have all of the SEC’s staff in Washington and New York. Risk management, human resource development, and practicality for our examination teams –as one example – provide ample reinforcement for the need to maintain these offices.

    SEC Funding

    The SEC’s budget is set through the Appropriations process. Fees on securities transactions that the SEC collects provide an offset. The annual collections–fees paid by SROs based on the aggregate dollar amount of securities sales–go to the Treasury’s general fund.

    On April 8, 2025, the SEC announced that starting on May 14, 2025, the fee rates applicable to most covered sales would be set at $0 per million in securities transactions.[2] The Commission determined this new rate in accordance with Section 31 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

    The Commission collected its entire fiscal year 2025 appropriation before the new fee rate of $0 per million became effective on May 14. The prior fee rate was $27.80 per million. The Commission is required to set the fee rate to a level that generates fees equal to the Commission’s appropriated amount, so no further collections for fiscal year 2025 are required.

    The Commission will continue to keep this committee, and the public, informed of developments relating to fees on the SEC website.

    Conclusion

    As I said at the outset of this testimony, it is a new and brighter day for the SEC.

    We will work with our colleagues in the Administration, especially other financial services regulators, and with Congress to bolster the economy and build on U.S. leadership of the global markets.

    This is a pivotal moment for our economy. Entrepreneurs, businesses, and individuals here at home and across the globe are eager to invest in America.

    This SEC will work to protect investors from fraud, keep politics out of how our securities laws and regulations are applied, and advance clear rules of the road that encourage investment in our economy to the benefit of all Americans.

    This SEC will work to ensure that regulations promote capital formation rather than stifle it. We will work together to ensure American investors get disclosures that actually help them understand the true risks of an investment.

    This SEC will make every effort to ensure that the U.S. is the best and most secure place in the world to invest and do business. Americans should always have utmost confidence when investing their hard-earned dollars to save and provide for their future and the future of their families.

    Thank you.

     

    [1] The views expressed in this testimony are those of the Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and do not necessarily represent the views of the President, the full Commission, or any Commissioner. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Media Agencies Under Pressure, Turning to AI to Strengthen Financial Health and Cash Flow, AvidXchange Survey Reveals

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AvidXchange Inc. (Nasdaq: AVDX) a leading provider in accounts payable (AP) automation software and payment solutions for mid-market businesses and their suppliers, today announced findings from its 2025 Media Agency Health Survey.

    The survey polled financial leaders at U.S. media and advertising agencies, revealing rising concerns about cash flow management and growing demand for AI-driven solutions to strengthen their financial health.

    Key Drivers of Financial Health
    Agencies cited revenue growth (92%), data protection (91%), and fraud prevention (88%) as vital to financial stability. Cash flow, improved invoicing, talent management, and operational efficiency also ranked as important contributors. These priorities reflect a continued need to protect profitability while safeguarding operations in an increasingly complex financial landscape.

    Adapting to Uncertainty
    Agencies continue to feel the pinch of economic uncertainty, with 35% losing clients to in-house advertising in 2025, a 20% jump from 2024. Rising turnover, up 32% from 2024, is further stretching teams that are already facing tight budgets.

    Cash Flow Pressures Rise
    Despite 85% of respondents rating cash flow as critical to financial health, many agencies struggle with managing it. In 2024, 54% of agencies reported extended payment terms from clients, and 36% expect continued disruptions to cash flow, making it harder to manage expenses and growth.

    AI and Automation are Transforming Financial Operations
    71% of agencies already use AI in finance, and 97% are open to new automation tools. Among adopters, 80% have automated significant parts of their finance function, including payment processes. Media finance teams are using AI-enhanced tools to tackle a key pain point—invoice reconciliation—which takes up 30–40% of finance leaders’ time.

    “Media agencies are under more pressure than ever as clients reallocate budgets to safeguard their businesses in today’s uncertain economy, and as a result, agency leaders are scrutinizing operations, revenue strategies, and cost drivers more closely,” said Dan Drees, President of AvidXchange. “That’s where AvidXchange comes in. Our world-class AP automation technology provides greater visibility and control over their bills, backed by an incredible customer support team dedicated to helping them navigate change and drive efficiency.”

    Survey Methodology
    AvidXchange used the third-party market research company Prodege to conduct an online survey to 156 decision makers at U.S. media and advertising agencies, conducted between January 23-26, 2025.  

    About AvidXchange®  
      
    AvidXchange (Nasdaq: AVDX) is a leading provider in accounts payable (AP) automation, offering intelligent AP software and payment solutions specifically designed for mid-market businesses and their suppliers. With 25 years of industry experience, AvidXchange modernizes the way businesses manage their expenses and payments by offering AI-enhanced software coupled with support from experts. Empowering over 8,500 growth-driven businesses, AvidXchange increases efficiency, control, and visibility in financial operations and has securely processed payments to more than 1.3 million suppliers through its proprietary payment network over the past five years. For more information, visit avidxchange.com.

    Media Contact:   
    Alexis Riddick
    Public Relations Manager
    AvidXchange
    pr@avidxchange.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: NEW REPORT: Clean Energy Manufacturing Driving Next Chapter of U.S. Economic Prosperity

    Source: American Clean Power Association (ACP)

    Headline: NEW REPORT: Clean Energy Manufacturing Driving Next Chapter of U.S. Economic Prosperity

    Clean power manufacturing contributes $18 billion to GDP annually and supports 122,000 American jobs
    Projected to contribute $86 billion to GDP annually and support over 575,000 jobs by 2030
    Investments are concentrated in rural communities and 73% of active facilities are in Republican states

    PHOENIX, AZ, May 20, 2025 – Today at CLEANPOWER 2025, the American Clean Power Association (ACP) released its State of Clean Energy Manufacturing in America report, showing a significant and sustainable ripple effect across states and economic sectors. The clean power manufacturing sector currently contributes $18 billion to U.S. GDP annually, spurs $33 billion in domestic spending annually, and supports 122,000 American jobs across the country.
    If all announced manufacturing facilities become operational, clean power manufacturing is projected to support over 575,000 jobs and contribute $86 billion annually to GDP by 2030.
    “Surging clean energy deployment is creating new manufacturing facilities across the country. This success will create hundreds of thousands of jobs and revitalize American communities if policy leaders place economic progress over partisan division,” said Jason Grumet, CEO of ACP. “Today’s report shows that the manufacturing activities across the clean energy sector drive a ripple effect of economic growth that extends far beyond factory walls, reaching every corner of the country. Reshoring this critical supply chain requires a shared commitment by both industry and policymakers to prioritize domestic economic growth and global competitiveness.”
    Clean Power Manufacturing Driving U.S. Economic Boom
    The report illustrates how the industry has laid the groundwork for a secure domestic supply chain, revitalizing manufacturing communities and driving American competition on the global stage.

    Over 800 manufacturing plants currently contributing to the U.S. clean energy supply chain, with at least one in every state.
    200 existing manufacturing facilities are actively building primary clean power components across 38 states to supply the booming demand for new energy in America.

    Creating Generational Opportunities for Local Communities
    New data highlights how clean power manufacturing is creating generational opportunities at the local level, providing opportunities across skillsets, industries, and generating wages well above the national average.

    Clean energy manufacturing is booming in regions across the country, such as the Southeast, Midwest, and in states like Texas.
    The clean energy manufacturing workforce made on average $42,000 more than the average worker in the U.S. economy in 2024.

    These manufacturing jobs also generate additional employment across the economy: Upstream supply chain jobs paid an average of $75,000, while downstream jobs supported by household spending—such as those in retail, food service, and hospitality—averaged about $52,000.

    Driving US Competitiveness and Global Leadership
    The industry’s investments are critical to international competitiveness and innovation, positioning the U.S. as a global leader and strengthening our energy security.

    America’s power needs are growing fast—projected to rise 35–50% by 2040—as data centers expand, domestic manufacturing rebounds, and our transportation and buildings electrify.
    Energy manufacturing processes are considerably complex and capital intensive, often requiring multiple intricate steps, specialized equipment, and expertise. This intricacy often comes with trade exposure or a series of imports and exports before the final energy component is ready for installation.
    A resilient, American-made supply chain for clean energy technologies makes the economy stronger, the country’s energy more secure, and serves as the foundation for innovation and growth.

    The Path Forward
    There are 200 manufacturing facilities in the pipeline representing over $150 billion of investment. If all announced facilities become operational by 2030, the impact could be transformative.

    Clean power manufacturing could support over 575,000 jobs
    Generate over $40 billion in earnings
    Contribute $86 billion to the GDP
    Add $164 billion in output to the economy annually

    Employment from existing and planned facilities by 2030 by region is projected to be:

    Northeast: 4,300+
    Mid-Atlantic: 123,000+
    South: 172,000+
    Midwest: 86,000+
    West: 173,000+

    Policy and Business Certainty Critical to American Manufacturing Leadership
    The report details how these economic and job benefits have largely been made possible because of federal clean energy tax credits enacted in 2022. The report calls on policymakers to build on this historic American manufacturing legacy with a suite of targeted policy tools to continue the momentum. They include:

    Preserving energy tax credits (45X, 45Y, 48C, 48E)
    Creating a stable and strategic trade environment
    Facilitating a true all-of-the above energy strategy
    Streamlining permitting to benefit American manufacturers and their customers
    Ensuring critical minerals policy appropriately leverages demand from downstream domestic clean energy manufacturers.

    To read the full report, click here.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Labour governments have always struggled with immigration – here’s what Keir Starmer could learn from them

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Erica Consterdine, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy, Lancaster University

    The government has outlined its plans to reduce net migration to the UK. The proposals are generally restrictive: scrapping social care visas, tightening work visas, longer residency requirements, tougher English tests and restructuring student visas.

    While Reform’s recent success at the local elections hardened Keir Starmer’s rhetoric in announcing the changes, the thrust of this policy was to be expected. But will the political calculation pay off?

    Immigration has long been a headache for Labour. It is a topic that cuts across the party’s ideological factions – its protectionist roots, its universalist values, and its market-friendly third way leanings. Each of these calls for a different approach on immigration.

    Labour’s record on immigration is historically patchy. Previous Labour governments have been responsible for some of the most deplorable immigration acts, including the racially discriminatory 1968 act, which restricted non-white immigration in a betrayal of Kenyan Asians fleeing persecution.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    The British public then was far more illiberal on immigration than it is today. Trade unions were historically anti-immigrant, perceiving foreign labour as a threat to wages and job displacement. Labour, like their Tory counterparts, mostly operated on a bipartisan consensus of limiting immigration, on the idea that this was better for cohesion.

    This is exemplified in the Hattersley equation (named for former MP Roy Hattersley), a bipartisan political consensus that lasted from the postwar years up until Thatcher’s government. The compromise was between restrictive immigration policy and liberal integration measures (the Race Relations Act) to appease Labour’s liberal base.

    New Labour embraced the Thatcherite, neoliberal agenda, with Tony Blair declaring that there is no alternative to globalisation and therefore immigration. Framing immigration as an economic good, and humanitarian mobility as the bogeyman, Labour’s regime radically transformed the immigration system from one of the most restrictive in Europe to one of the most liberal labour regimes. But this was never for the benefit of migrants – it was simply economic calculation.

    We know what happened next: the political battleground, the cursed net migration target, Brexit and the lurches to the right ever since. In opposition, Labour has never been able to resolve this.

    Starmer’s approach

    A sticking point since 2010 has been traditionally working-class Labour constituents, viewed as “left behind” due to globalisation, and who now make up the red wall. The narrative goes that these voters have drifted rightwards due to dissatisfaction with immigration.

    But overall, Labour voters are still more positive than Conservatives towards immigration. A regressive policy on migrant rights could lose Labour some of its voter base.

    What’s more, net migration is likely to decrease over Labour’s term anyway, due to changes made by the last government and the tailing off of unprecedented migration from bespoke humanitarian schemes, like the one for Ukrainians. Arguably, Starmer’s reforms weren’t strictly necessary.

    Starmer could have framed the same policies around a softer rhetoric, one that embraces multicultural Britain while making the case for reforming the labour market. The enemy could have easily been cast as the Conservative government that neglected investment in the people at the expense of global corporations.

    Data from the Institute of Public Policy Research suggests that the UK public has become softer on immigration, but they want fairness. The easy way out here was to praise the benefits that immigration can bring while emphasising the need for control to maximise those benefits.

    Denigrating the current system as a “squalid chapter” of history is playing to Reform voters – arguably a foolish move, given that evidence shows you can’t beat the far right at its own game.

    Will the proposals work?

    If these proposals do reduce migration, it will come at a high cost for the country, not least in the consequences for the higher education and social care sectors. It may even increase irregular migration, as more people go underground in their attempts to reach Britain.

    The crux of the government’s problem is promising to reduce immigration in a system dependent on labour market flexibility. The proposals would make the UK extortionately expensive for both applicants and the employers who sponsor them, and make it economically unviable for the sectors that rely on foreign labour to recruit.

    A more social democratic immigration policy would invest in training, skills and wages of domestic workforces, while providing rights to the migrants who already reside here.

    Labour’s policy does not do this. It curtails rights significantly, for example in the doubling of the waiting period to apply for the right to stay indefinitely, and the plans to review how the right to family life is applied. Both of these are arguably counterproductive to the aims of integration and out of step with other countries.

    The theory behind the government reforms is that migrant workers will be replaced by the economically inactive domestic labour force – a win-win. Aside from the suspect simplicity of this equation, it will require more than sticks on employers and migrants. It necessitates a radical overhaul of the system, the economic model and a more interventionist state to move towards a coordinated market economy, one with more organisation and regulation on the labour market.

    Despite the government’s significant majority, a disciplined cabinet and an infighting opposition, the government appears reluctant to make such dramatic change, wedded to the existing paradigms of neoliberal free markets in a quest for growth in stagnating economies. If it wants its plans to work, Labour will have to be bolder and provide carrots to go with the sticks.

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

    – ref. Labour governments have always struggled with immigration – here’s what Keir Starmer could learn from them – https://theconversation.com/labour-governments-have-always-struggled-with-immigration-heres-what-keir-starmer-could-learn-from-them-256737

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –