Category: housing

MIL-Evening Report: The Coalition has announced an even more radical plan to cut international students than Labor. Here’s how it would work

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Norton, Professor of Higher Education Policy, Monash University

Last year, the Coalition made the surprise decision to oppose Labor’s plans for new international student caps.

On Sunday, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton proposed an even more radical policy of his own to limit the number of international students in Australia.

He announced a combination of tighter enrolment limits, increased visa application fees and changes to temporary graduate visas, which allow some former students to remain in Australia to work.

This is aimed at either deterring potential students from applying or stopping them from going to their preferred university.

What’s the Coalition’s policy?

The Coalition and Labor similarly argue high numbers of international students are putting pressure on housing markets.

But the opposition is also concerned there are too many international students in some courses. They say some courses can have international enrolments of up to 80%.

To address both problems, the Coalition proposes a maximum international student enrolment share at public universities (which is almost all universities in Australia). This would be around 25% of all commencing (or new) enrolments. Other education providers, such as private colleges and TAFEs, would face separate caps.

The Coalition estimates this would result in 30,000 fewer new international students per year than Labor’s policy.

What is happening under Labor?

Last year, Labor wanted to give the education minister wide powers to cap international student enrolments by education provider, campus and course.

Apart from some exempt categories (such as postgraduate research students), vocational and higher education providers would have been allocated 270,000 commencing enrolments between them for 2025. This is compared to 323,000 commencing enrolments in 2023.

But the bill was opposed by the Greens and the Coalition. So Labor had to move to plan B.

Using its migration powers, in December 2024, the government issued a ministerial direction on how the Department of Home Affairs should process applications for student visas. This is arguably a de facto cap.

Immigration officials have been instructed to prioritise student visa applications for all institutions until they near the individual caps that were blocked by the Senate last year.

Once visa applications are at 80% of each provider’s cap, subsequent applications go into a slower visa processing stream.

Read more:
International student numbers in Australia will be controlled by a new informal cap. Here’s how it will work

Signs applications are already down

Prospective international students cannot apply for a visa unless an education provider gives them a “confirmation of enrolment”.

We are seeing signs the ministerial direction is leading to fewer “confirmations of enrolment” and resulting applications.

My analysis below shows student visa applications for January and February 2025 are well down on equivalent months in 2024, 2023 and 2019 (pre-Covid).

In late 2024, demand was below the boom times of 2023 and early 2024, but still above 2019.

What does the Coalition’s plan mean for unis?

Labor’s policy for university caps uses a formula based on past international student enrolments. The Coalition’s caps would be a percentage of total new enrolments. They expect this to be around 25%, but will set the precise number after consultation and receiving the most recent data.

Coalition education spokesperson Sarah Henderson has expressed concerns high concentrations of international students have “not been good for our country or for the education outcomes of Australian students”.

Based on 2023 enrolment data – the latest that also includes domestic students – 35% of new university students in Australia were from overseas. But several universities had international student shares above 50%.

On the Coalition’s estimates, their policy would see no more than 115,000 new international students in public universities each year, down from 139,000 under Labor’s approach.

The Coalition acknowledges this will particularly affect the highly ranked Group of Eight universities, including The University of Melbourne and The University of Sydney. Dutton argues these universities have admitted “excessive numbers” of international students.

Coalition caps for private providers

One reason the Coalition gave for not supporting Labor’s legislation last year was the disproportionate effect on private education providers, which include both vocational and higher education colleges.

Under the Coalition’s plan, private providers will still have caps, but they will be different than those for universities. Exactly how this will work is unclear. Their combined caps will be “at most 125,000”, according to the Coalition. Under Labor’s policy, their combined cap is a little higher, at about 132,000.

A complicating factor here is the government’s existing migration policies have smashed demand for vocational education – as my analysis shows.

This means many vocational education providers may not be able to fully use the places allocated under Labor’s indicative cap. These shortfalls may create space to increase caps for other private education providers.

Visa application fees

Last year, in a bid to cut international student numbers, Labor more than doubled the student visa application fee from A$710 to $1,600. They subsequently reversed this for Pacific Islander applicants.

Under the Coalition, the visa application fee would more than triple to $5,000 for applicants to Group of Eight universities. For students seeking entry to other providers, the fee would be $2,500.

Temporary graduate visas

The Coalition also promises a “rapid review” of the temporary graduate visa program. This would be to prevent its “misuse” as a way to gain access to the Australian labour market and permanent migration.

Labor has already reduced the number of years former students can stay on temporary graduate visas, reduced the age limit to be granted a visa from 50 to 35 years, and increased the minimum English requirements.

Applications for temporary graduate visas are down on past levels.

While Labor’s changes made some potential visa applicants ineligible, recent applications could be the calm before the storm. Large numbers of 2023 and 2024 international students will complete their courses in the coming years, with many of them eligible for temporary graduate visas under current policies.

International education will take a hit regardless

The Coalition’s international student election policy is less of a surprise than its refusal to back Labor’s caps last year. They have foreshadowed tough policies many times in recent months.

But the proposed increased visa application fees and enrolment caps would be painful for both students and education providers.

Universities have repeatedly argued international students are not major causes of the housing crisis. They have also argued international education is a valuable export and it is being undermined by policy changes out of Canberra. But this has had no impact on the stance of either Labor or the Coalition.

So, the number of international students in Australia will fall regardless of the federal election result. The decline is set to be greater under a Coalition government. But regardless of the election result, the days of unlimited international student numbers are over.

Andrew Norton works for Monash University, which is a member of the Group of Eight and would be significantly affected by the policies discussed in this article.

– ref. The Coalition has announced an even more radical plan to cut international students than Labor. Here’s how it would work – https://theconversation.com/the-coalition-has-announced-an-even-more-radical-plan-to-cut-international-students-than-labor-heres-how-it-would-work-253919

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Woman-to-woman marriage in west Africa: a vanishing tradition of power and agency

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Bright Alozie, Assistant Professor, Portland State University

Marriage in west Africa has played a central role in shaping aspects of society, and has evolved over time. While traditional heterosexual unions dominate discussions, a lesser-known but significant practice – woman-to-woman marriage – has existed for centuries.

In my research, I examined this institution, which allows a woman to assume the role of a husband by marrying another woman. There’s evidence of woman-to-woman marriage in more than 40 societies across west Africa, including the Igbo of Nigeria, the Frafra of Ghana and the Dahomeans of present-day Benin.

How it works is that a woman – often wealthy or of high status – pays a bride price and takes on a wife who is expected to bear children. A male relative or chosen partner, known as the genitor, fathers the children. The children will legally belong to the female husband and are considered part of her lineage. This reinforces kinship structures, or family ties within traditional communities and clans, vital to west African societies.

Unlike romantic same-sex unions, these are social contracts. They aim to preserve lineage, secure inheritance, and enhance a woman’s economic and political agency.

Female husbands gain significant control over property by assuming the role of head of household. This enables them to own and manage assets independently, a right typically reserved for men.

Securing heirs through their wives ensures the continuation of their lineage and the inheritance of their property and status. It solidifies their long-term agency and influence within the community.

The union also grants them more legal standing – they can enter into contracts, resolve disputes, and represent their family in legal matters, further empowering them in a patriarchal society.

This all translates into considerable influence. Female husbands can hold positions of authority, and command respect. They challenge traditional gender roles.

Colonial distortions and modern misconceptions have obscured the meaning and function of this historically prevalent practice. Despite its important role, it has declined over time. With growing stigma, the old customs have become less common.

My research seeks to underscore the historical value of woman-to-woman marriage. It offers a lens for understanding the complexities of African gender systems, female agency and social structures.

Tradition rooted in kinship and social stability

Using a combination of oral interviews, archival research and literature reviews, I found that there are various scenarios in which woman-to-woman marriage is practised in west Africa.

In Okrika, in Nigeria’s Rivers State, for example, I was told how a married woman who has no male child in her family is allowed to marry a woman so that a male child can be born into the family. If her marriage does not produce a male child and she has money, the culture allows her to marry more than one wife as long as she can take care of them and the union can produce a male child to carry the name of her family.

In my interview with Chief Nkemjirika Njoku, of the Mbaise Igbo in Nigeria, he described another scenario. He explained that if a man died without male heirs, his daughters could pay a bride price for a woman to bear children in his name. This ensured his lineage did not disappear.

Similarly, among the Frafra people of Ghana one study shows how:

a wealthy woman may marry one or more women for her husband by providing the bridewealth. These women bear children in her name in the event of her being childless or to offer extra labour.

These accounts illustrate how marriage and kinship complement each other and how this practice provided women with economic influence and social mobility, often rivalling men’s.

Colonial disruptions and modern challenges

Despite the tradition’s important role, during the 19th century European colonial officials and Christian missionaries misunderstood and condemned the practice.

Viewing it through a Victorian moral framework – rigid and conservative values of 19th-century Britain which emphasised strict gender roles, sexual restraint and moral purity – they mistakenly equated it with homosexuality and sought to outlaw it. For instance, in 1882 British colonial authorities in Ghana criminalised same-sex relations. These laws included woman-to-woman marriages, despite their deeply rooted cultural significance.

The practice persisted in various forms, however, but did become less prevalent.

In some cases, the unions were subtly restructured to avoid colonial scrutiny. Participants framed them more as business partnerships or familial arrangements rather than marriages. For instance, many prominent traders would use the unions to expand their wealth and business networks. Among the Hausa-Fulani textile traders of the Sokoto Caliphate, for example, a wealthy widow could marry a woman to manage her trade. This ensured that children born within the union inherited her wealth.

Subverting or reinforcing patriarchy?

Today, woman-to-woman marriage remains misunderstood. Some argue it reinforces patriarchal structures, while others conflate it with lesbian relationships.

The growing influence of Christianity and Islam has led to its stigmatisation. Meanwhile modern legal systems fail to recognise the unions, leaving female husbands and their children vulnerable in inheritance disputes.

Advancements in reproductive technology provide alternative means for childbearing, reducing the need for these marriages.

In my opinion, though, this tradition remains a valuable and powerful system. It highlights the ingenuity of African societies in creating alternative structures of power, kinship and economic security – especially for women.

Based on my research I concluded that woman-to-woman marriage is an example of flexible African gender constructs. Gender is not strictly tied to biological sex but to social roles and responsibilities. African societies have creatively adapted marriage and kinship to meet economic and social needs.

More than a marriage practice, woman-marriage has been an assertion of female agency, an economic strategy, and a means of preserving lineage.

Bright Alozie 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. Woman-to-woman marriage in west Africa: a vanishing tradition of power and agency – https://theconversation.com/woman-to-woman-marriage-in-west-africa-a-vanishing-tradition-of-power-and-agency-251919

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Do African MPs reflect the people who vote for them? We studied 17 countries to find out

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Robert Mattes, Professor in Government and Public Policy, University of Strathclyde, and Adjunct Professor in the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance, University of Cape Town, University of Strathclyde

By the end of 2025, 42 African countries will have held national elections in the previous 24 months. But do these elections produce parliaments that accurately reflect the societies they serve? Aside from studies of women in Africa’s legislatures, there is surprisingly little information about this important issue.

Elected parliaments are the essence of representative democracy. Law makers are more likely to know what voters need and want if they are alike in age, gender, language, education or occupation.

As scholars of African politics, we wanted to find out if African legislators actually represented their voters. We compared the results of two separate surveys conducted between 2009 and 2012 across the same 17 African countries.

The first comes from the African Legislatures Project. This interviewed 823 elected representatives (MPs). The second was produced by Afrobarometer, a pan-African research network.

Our study found wide gaps between citizens and their representatives in some respects, but a high degree of similarity in others.

Compared to ordinary African citizens, African legislators possess much higher levels of education. They are also far more likely to be older, male and to come from professional or business backgrounds. Yet the overall profile of legislators closely matches that of the voters in terms of ethnicity and religion.

Religion and ethnicity

One of the most striking findings is the match between the religious, language and ethnic make-up of African legislatures and voters.

Across all 17 countries, the proportion of law makers who are either Muslim or Christian closely resembles their electorates. They are also similar at the level of religious denomination (for example Catholic, Methodist or Pentecostal).

Legislatures closely mirror the languages spoken by citizens in their countries. In some countries the overlap is very high. In Lesotho, for example, almost all MPs and citizens speak the same language (Sesotho). In Zimbabwe, the distribution of Shona and Ndebele speaking MPs is much the same as it is for the public.

There’s less overlap in Tanzania (where many more parliamentarians point to Swahili as their home language than Kisukuma, which most citizens speak). And in Namibia and South Africa, most MPs claim English as their home language rather than the otherwise dominant Oshiwambo or Zulu, respectively.

Many scholars argue that proportional representation voting systems (where people vote for party lists, rather than candidates) are necessary to reflect ethnic diversity. Our findings demonstrate that this is not necessarily the case. We found high levels of correspondence in diverse societies that elect members from “first past the post” single member districts, such as Zimbabwe, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda. This is because political parties will strategically select candidates who reflect the religious and ethnic identities of specific constituencies so that candidates are seen as “one of us”.

Where presented with a choice between candidates of differing religious or ethnic backgrounds, voters will tend to prefer the one similar to them. They feel that candidates who come from their area, or speak their language, are more likely to understand their needs and preferences.

Education and occupation

Our study also established that African elections produce legislatures that are older, more male, far more educated and wealthier than their voters.

While only 9% of citizens possessed a university degree across these 17 countries in the years under review, 58% of MPs had one. In Uganda, this figure climbed to 90%: a substantial educational disparity.

Occupational backgrounds also reveal a pronounced skew. A large proportion of parliamentarians come from business (24%) or professional (27%) sectors. Average citizens are likely to be blue collar or agricultural workers.

Gender and age

Despite making up roughly 50% of African societies, just 18% of the parliamentarians we interviewed were women.

Proportional representation voting systems do increase gender balance. This shows in Mozambique (40% of parliamentarians are female), Namibia (35%) and South Africa (28%). But other mechanisms such as gender quotas in the governing party nomination process (Tanzania, 32%), or reserved seats (Uganda, 27%), also increase women’s representation.

Finally, elected legislatures are almost always older than their electorate. But African legislators appear to be especially venerable. While the median age of the over-18 citizen population across these 17 societies is 33, the median age of our sample of MPs was 53. This raises questions about the ability of older legislators to fully understand and address the concerns of younger generations.

Are parliamentarians an unaccountable ‘power elite’?

We also wondered whether the social and economic advantages provided by higher education and experience in business and the professions might keep MPs in power, and out of touch with the needs of citizens.

Two factors appear to work against this outcome.

First, we examined potential markers of status and influence: university education; high-status occupational background; and previously held positions in party leadership, national government, or local government. It turns out that the average MP had only accumulated two of these things.

Second, consistent with other studies of African legislatures that find surprising levels of turnover of individual parliamentarians, the typical law maker in our surveys had been in office for just five years. Whatever status or privilege they carry with them into the legislative chamber does not guarantee a long stay.

What can we learn from this?

These results provide some insights for the continent’s next election season.

Most ruling parties were humbled at the polls in 2024, and several lost their majority in parliament (Botswana, Ghana, Mauritius, Senegal and South Africa). The trend of high legislator turnover seems likely to continue.

Thus, newly elected parliamentarians are unlikely to form a coherent “power elite”. The real challenge seems to be to harness the impressive skills African MPs bring to their jobs to enable them to play a more meaningful role in writing laws and holding their executives to account.

Robert Mattes is co-founder and Senior Advisor to Afrobarometer.

Matthias Krönke is affiliated with Afrobarometer.

Shaheen Mozaffar 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. Do African MPs reflect the people who vote for them? We studied 17 countries to find out – https://theconversation.com/do-african-mps-reflect-the-people-who-vote-for-them-we-studied-17-countries-to-find-out-252055

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

April 6, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Ian Powell: When apartheid met Zionism – the case for NZ recognising Palestine as a state

COMMENTARY: By Ian Powell

The 1981 Springbok Tour was one of the most controversial events in Aotearoa New Zealand’s history. For 56 days, between July and September, more than 150,000 people took part in more than 200 demonstrations in 28 centres.

It was the largest protest in the country’s history.

It caused social ruptures within communities and families across the country. With the National government backing the tour, protests against apartheid sport turned into confrontations with both police and pro-tour rugby fans — on marches and at matches.

The success of these mass protests was that this was the last tour in either country between the two teams with the strongest rivalry among rugby playing nations.

This deeply rooted antipathy towards the racism of apartheid helps provide context to today’s growing opposition by New Zealanders to the horrific actions of another apartheid state.

Depuis la révolte de 1976, le nom de ce township noir symbolise la lutte de la population noire contre le système d’apartheid. Les habitants mènent leur vie quotidienne au milieu des conflits et manifestations, le 15 juin 1980. (Photo by William Campbell/Sygma via Getty Images)

” data-medium-file=”https://politicalbytes.blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/apartheid-in-south-africa.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://politicalbytes.blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/apartheid-in-south-africa.jpg?w=612″/>
A township protest against apartheid in South Africa in 1980. Image: politicalbytes.blog

Understanding apartheid
Apartheid is a humiliating, repressive and brutal legislated segregation through separation of social groups. In South Africa, this segregation was based on racism (white supremacy over non-whites; predominantly Black Africans but also Asians).

For nearly three centuries before 1948, Africans had been dispossessed and exploited by Dutch and British colonists. In 1948, this oppression was upgraded to an official legal policy of apartheid.

Apartheid does not have to be necessarily by race. It could also be religious based. An earlier example was when Christians separated Jews into ghettos on the false claim of inferiority.

In August 2024, Le Monde Diplomatic published article (paywalled) by German prize-winning journalist and author Charlotte Wiedemann on apartheid in both Israel and South Africa under the heading “When Apartheid met Zionism”:

She asked the pointed question of what did it mean to be Jewish in a country that saw Israel through the lens of its own experience of apartheid?

It is a fascinating question making her article an excellent read. Le Monde Diplomatic is a quality progressive magazine, well worth the subscription to read many articles as interesting as this one.

Relevant Wiedemann observations
Wiedemann’s scope is wider than that of this blog but many of her observations are still pertinent to my analysis of the relationship between the two apartheid states.

Most early Jewish immigrants to South Africa fled pogroms and poverty in tsarist Lithuania. This context encouraged many to believe that every human being deserved equal respect, regardless of skin colour or origin.

Blatant widespread white-supremacist racism had been central to South Africa’s history of earlier Dutch and English colonialism. But this shifted to a further higher level in May 1948 when apartheid formally became central to South Africa’s legal and political system.

Although many Jews were actively opposed to apartheid it was not until 1985, 37 years later, that Jewish community leaders condemned it outright. In the words of Chief Rabbi Cyril Harris to the post-apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission:

“The Jewish community benefited from apartheid and an apology must be given … We ask forgiveness.”

On the one hand, Jewish lawyers defended Black activists, But, on the other hand, it was a Jewish prosecutor who pursued Nelson Mandela with “extraordinary zeal” in the case that led to his long imprisonment.

Israel became one of apartheid South Africa’s strongest allies, including militarily, even when it had become internationally isolated, including through sporting and economic boycotts. Israel’s support for the increasingly isolated apartheid state was unfailing.

Jewish immigration to South Africa from the late 19th century brought two powerful competing ideas from Eastern Europe. One was Zionism while the other was the Bundists with a strong radical commitment to justice.

But it was Zionism that grew stronger under apartheid. Prior to 1948 it was a nationalist movement advocating for a homeland for Jewish people in the “biblical land of Israel”.

Zionism provided the rationale for the ideas that actively sought and achieved the existence of the Israeli state. This, and consequential forced removal of so many Palestinians from their homeland, made Zionism a “natural fit” in apartheid South Africa.

Nelson Mandela and post-apartheid South Africa
Although strongly pro-Palestinian, post-apartheid South Africa has never engaged in Holocaust denial. In fact, Holocaust history is compulsory in its secondary schools.

Its first president, Nelson Mandela, was very clear about the importance of recognising the reality of the Holocaust. As Charlotte Wiedemann observes:

“Quite the reverse . . . In 1994 Mandela symbolically marked the end of apartheid at an exhibition about Anne Frank. ‘By honouring her memory as we do today’ he said at its opening, ‘we are saying with one voice: never and never again!’”

In a 1997 speech, on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Mandela also reaffirmed his support for Palestinian rights:

“We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”

There is a useful account of Mandela’s relationship with and support for Palestinians published by Middle East Eye.

Mandela’s identification with Palestine was recognised by Palestinians themselves. This included the construction of an impressive statue of him on what remains of their West Bank homeland.

Palestinians stand next to a giant statue of Nelson Mandela following its inauguration ceremony in the West Bank city of Ramallah on April 26, 2016. – Palestinians inaugurated the statue of Mandela donated by the South African city of Johannesburg to their political capital. The six-metre (20-foot) two-tonne bronze statue was a gift from Johannesburg with which Ramallah is twinned. (Photo by ABBAS MOMANI / AFP)

” data-medium-file=”https://politicalbytes.blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/mandela-statue-in-west-bank-city-of-ramallah.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://politicalbytes.blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/mandela-statue-in-west-bank-city-of-ramallah.jpg?w=750″/>
Palestinians stand next to a 6 metre high statue of Nelson Mandela following its inauguration ceremony in the West Bank city of Ramallah in 2016. It was donated by the South African city of Johannesburg, which is twinned with Ramallah. Image: politicalbytes.blog

Comparing apartheid in South Africa and Israel
So how did apartheid in South Africa compare with apartheid in Israel. To begin with, while both coincidentally began in May 1948, in South Africa this horrendous system ended over 30 years ago. But in Israel it not only continues, it intensifies.

Broadly speaking, this included Israel adapting the infamously cruel “Bantustan system” of South Africa which was designed to maintain white supremacy and strengthen the government’s apartheid policy. It involved an area set aside for Black Africans, purportedly for notional self-government.

In South Africa, apartheid lasted until the early 1990s culminating in South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994.

Tragically, for Palestinians in their homeland, apartheid not only continues but is intensified by ethnic cleansing delivered by genocide, both incrementally and in surges.

Apartheid Plus: ethnic cleansing and genocide
Israel has gone further than its former southern racist counterpart. Whereas South Africa’s economy depended on the labour exploitation of its much larger African workforce, this was relatively much less so for Israel.

As much as possible Israel’s focus was, and still is, instead on the forcible removal of Palestinians from their homeland.

This began in 1948 with what is known by Palestinians as the Nakba (“the catastrophe”) when many were physically displaced by the creation of the Israeli state. Genocide is the increasing means of delivering ethnic cleansing.

Ethnic cleansing is an attempt to create ethnically homogeneous geographic areas by deporting or forcibly displacing people belonging to particular ethnic groups.

It can also include the removal of all physical vestiges of the victims of this cleansing through the destruction of monuments, cemeteries, and houses of worship.

This destructive removal has been the unfortunate Palestinian experience in much of today’s Israel and its occupied or controlled territories. It is continuing in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Genocide involves actions intended to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.

In contrast with civil war, genocide usually involves deaths on a much larger scale with civilians invariably and deliberately the targets. Genocide is an international crime, according to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948).

Today the Israeli slaughter and destruction in Gaza is a huge genocidal surge with the objective of being the “final solution” while incremental genocide of Palestinians speeds up in the occupied West Bank.

Notwithstanding the benefits of the recent ceasefire, it freed up Israel to militarily focus on repressing West Bank Palestinians.

Meanwhile, Israel’s genocide in Gaza during the current vulnerable hiatus of the ceasefire has shifted from military action to starvation.

The final word
One of the encouraging features has been the massive protests against the genocide throughout the world. In a relative context, and while not on the same scale as the mass protests against the racist South African rugby tour in 1981, this includes New Zealand.

Many Jews, including in New Zealand and in the international protests such as at American universities, have been among the strongest critics of the ethnic cleansing through genocide of the apartheid Israeli state.

They have much in common with the above-mentioned Bundist focus on social justice in contrast to the dogmatic biblical extremism of Zionism.

Amos Goldberg, professor of genocidal studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem is one such Jew. Let’s leave the final word to him:

“It’s so difficult and painful to admit it, but we can no longer avoid this conclusion. Jewish history will henceforth be stained.”

This is a compelling case for the New Zealand government to join the many other countries in formally recognising the state of Palestine.

Ian Powell is a progressive health, labour market and political “no-frills” forensic commentator in New Zealand. A former senior doctors union leader for more than 30 years, he blogs at Second Opinion and Political Bytes, where this article was first published. Republished with the author’s permission.

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace Statement – ‘Anchor Rainforest Killer’ palm kernel protest continues in New Plymouth

Source: Greenpeace

Greenpeace activists remain on the roof of an Agrifeeds palm kernel storage warehouse in Port Taranaki despite police intervention to remove other protestors inside the facility.

Two orangutans have attached a 70-metre banner reading ‘Anchor Rainforest Killer’ to the roof and have locked themselves to the building. They are now entering their tenth hour on the roof of the building.

Greenpeace is also suing Fonterra for misleading claims on Anchor Butter packaging. The packaging claims that the butter is ‘100% New Zealand grass-fed’, however, a Fonterra dairy cow’s diet can be composed of up to 20% palm kernel – a product linked to rainforest destruction in Indonesia.

From inside the Agrifeeds storage shed, Greenpeace spokesperson Sinéad Deighton-O’Flynn said, “Fonterra markets its Anchor butter as ‘grass-fed’, but this is a deception. Every year, dairy cows in New Zealand are fed almost two million tonnes of palm kernel imported from Southeast Asia.

“Rainforests are being burned, peatlands are being drained, and rows of palm trees are being planted in their place to feed Fonterra’s oversized dairy herd.

“This facility here in New Plymouth has been linked to illegal palm plantations in Indonesia, connecting Anchor butter and other Fonterra products with the destruction of lush rainforests and the wildlife that depend on them.

“As more and more evidence emerges of New Zealand’s link to destructive palm kernel, Fonterra must ban the use of this blood-soaked animal feed on all their farms across Aotearoa.”

In Taranaki, New Zealand – Greenpeace activists dressed as orangutans climbed onto the roof of Fonterra’s biggest palm kernel supplier, where they deployed a 500 square meter banner that reads ‘Anchor Rainforest Killer’. Meanwhile, three more activists inside the Agrifeeds facility locked themselves to pillars, stopping a ship from Indonesia carrying 30 thousand tonnes of palm kernel expeller from unloading. The Greenpeace activists are protesting against the use of palm kernel as cow feed on Fonterra farms due to the product’s links to illegal palm plantations and deforestation of paradise rainforests in Southeast Asia.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Repeat drink driver caught by police in St Helens

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Repeat drink driver caught by police in St Helens

Sunday, 6 April 2025 – 1:51 pm.

A 29-year-old Warrane man has been apprehended and charged with drink driving and other serious traffic charges for the third time in Northern Tasmania.
Just after midnight, police officers from St Helens apprehended the man after he allegedly attempted to evade officers conducting a random breath test.
Inspector Luke Manhood said the man reportedly fled on foot before being caught by officers and subsequently returning a reading of 0.095.
“He has been charged with evading police, exceeding 0.05, and driving whilst disqualified, and his vehicle has been clamped for 28 days.
“This is the third time in recent months the man has been apprehended for similar offences on Tasmania’s East Coast.
“On 31 December 2024, the man was apprehended by police on the Esk Highway, Fingal, where he returned a reading of 0.122 and was charged with evading police, stating a false name, speeding, driving with a suspended licence, and exceeding 0.05.
“Then on 25 January 2025, he was intercepted by St Helens Police, where he returned a reading of 0.088, was charged with exceeding 0.05 and driving with a suspended licence.
“This type of dangerous and repeat behaviour is unacceptable and places the community at serious risk.
“This pattern of behaviour may result in significant legal consequences,” said Mr Manhood.
“We remain committed to road safety and want everyone to get home safely.
“Our message is simple – if you drink and drive, it’s only a matter of time before you get caught. We could be anywhere, at any time,” Mr Manhood added.
Anyone who witnesses dangerous driving or suspects someone may be driving under the influence is urged to contact police on 131 444, or Triple Zero (000) in an emergency.

MIL OSI News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Neguse, Senator Bennet Renew Calls for Tim’s Act, Bipartisan Bill to Improve Working Conditions for Federal Firefighters

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joe Neguse (D-Co 2)

Washington, D.C. — As the wildland firefighting workforce continues to face increasing uncertainty as a result of the Trump Administration’s reckless attacks on federal employees, Congressman Joe Neguse, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Wildfire Caucus, and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet are re-upping calls to overhaul federal wildland firefighter compensation and benefits. Their bill Tim’s Act—named in honor of Tim Hart, a brave smokejumper from Cody, Wyoming who tragically lost his life on May 24, 2021, while battling the Eicks Fire in New Mexico—bolsters recruitment, retention, and well-being within this vital workforce.

“Federal wildland firefighters are our nation’s unsung heroes. This workforce is underpaid and undervalued, despite putting their lives on the line to protect our homes, families, and communities. Unconscionable. We’re calling on Democrats and Republicans alike to take decisive action to implement much-needed reforms in how we recognize their sacrifices, and join us in championing Tim’s Act,” said Congressman Neguse. “Congress has now finally enacted a permanent pay fix, but the work continues as we now turn to other critical issues—addressing recruitment and retention, housing, mental health benefits, rest, recuperation, and the overall well-being of our nation’s wildland firefighting workforce.”

“As climate change fuels increasingly frequent and destructive wildfires across the West, we rely more and more on wildland firefighters to protect our homes and communities,” said Senator Bennet. “These brave firefighters deserve support for their mental and physical health and more time to recover. This legislation ensures they receive the benefits they deserve for their life-saving work.”

Neguse has worked tirelessly to spearhead bipartisan, bicameral efforts to permanently increase pay for federal wildland firefighters, first implemented by the Biden-Harris Administration in 2021, including, most recently, championing the reintroduction of the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act. After Congressional Republicans delayed action for over a year—tying this common-sense pay reform to government funding negotiations—the measure has finally been codified into law. However, federal wildland firefighters working for agencies like the Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) now are still at risk of mass layoffs and reduction in force measures initiated under the Trump administration.

Neguse and Bennet are working to build on recent bipartisan actions to increase federal wildland firefighter pay to help address the other challenges facing this workforce through Tim’s Act, including improving hazardous duty pay, supporting enhanced pay management oversight and retirement benefits, and boosting firefighter physical and mental well-being by ensuring firefighters receive paid rest and recuperation leave.

Federal wildland firefighters are severely overworked and underpaid, often tasked with laborious and grueling conditions to protect communities across the country. Tim’s Act takes a holistic approach to recognizing the immense sacrifices made by this workforce.

Background

Since taking office, House Assistant Minority Leader Joe Neguse (CO-02) has worked tirelessly to bring federal resources home to communities recovering from disaster and to advocate for increased support for wildland firefighters, wildfire prevention, and forest management.

In 2021, Neguse successfully enacted elements of Tim’s Act through the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which created a new classification series specifically for wildland firefighters, temporarily increased pay, and established new support systems for firefighters through mental health services. In the 118th Congress, he also spearheaded bipartisan, bicameral efforts to address this issue head-on and permanently increase pay, championing both Tim’s Act and the Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act. These pay provisions were codified by Congress’s most recent continuing resolution bill, paving the way for additional steps to ensure this workforce receives the compensation and benefits they deserve

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MIL OSI USA News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Ancient Silk Road grottoes in Xinjiang open to public

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

Tourists view murals in the Ya’er Lake Grottoes in the city of Turpan, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 5, 2025. (Photo by Liu Jian/Xinhua)

Two Buddhist cave complexes along the ancient Silk Road in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region opened to the public for the first time on Saturday.

The Ya’er Lake Grottoes, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site in the city of Turpan, welcomed visitors following a year of restoration work and digital upgrades.

“Wearing VR glasses, we learned the grottoes’ history and saw digitally restored Buddha statues. The visuals were incredibly lifelike, creating a truly immersive experience,” said Wang Juan, a tourist from the city of Korla.

Formerly serving as a monastery, the grottoes are composed of 22 caves dating back to the fifth century and containing Buddhist murals and inscriptions in multiple languages, including Chinese and Old Uygur.

The caves are arranged in two tiers: an upper level which served as meditation spaces for monks, and a lower level which likely functioned as a living area. Cave 4 and Cave 7 are currently open to the public.

The grottoes are part of the Jiaohe Ruins — among the largest and best-preserved ancient clay cities in the world and one of the sites along the ancient Silk Road added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2014.

Wang Jiandong, head of the ruins’ administrative office, said that the restoration team adopted a digital approach to their work, allowing visitors to experience the artistic appeal of the millennia-old grottoes through an immersive blend of virtual and physical elements.

In 2014, a joint application from China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan led to the inclusion of the ancient Silk Road on the UNESCO World Heritage list. China is home to 22 of the Silk Road’s 33 UNESCO heritage sites. There are another eight in Kazakhstan, and three in Kyrgyzstan. The route, which started in Xi’an in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, was once the main corridor for trade and cultural exchange between Asia and Europe.

Some 40 km away, four caves of the Shengjinkou Grottoes in Turpan also opened to the public on Saturday, set to offer 300 visitor slots per day. The Shengjinkou site has 13 caves dating back to the seventh century, where murals, woodware, pottery, fabrics and paintings on silk have been unearthed.

Since 2012, China has invested 29.79 million yuan (4.14 million U.S. dollars) in five related conservation projects, including reinforcement and mural restoration, laying the groundwork for the public opening of the Shengjinkou Grottoes.

Zhang Yong, deputy director of Turpan’s cultural heritage bureau, said that with the simultaneous opening of the Shengjinkou and Ya’er Lake grottoes, Turpan now has the most publicly accessible cave sites in Xinjiang.

The Turpan Basin is home to 14 known grotto sites collectively encompassing over 400 caves, including the Shengjinkou and Ya’er Lake sites. As Turpan was a critical node on the ancient Silk Road, its grottoes reveal a unique fusion of Buddhist traditions, reflecting its role as a Buddhist hub linking Central Asia and China.

An aerial drone photo taken on April 5, 2025 shows a view of the Ya’er Lake Grottoes in the city of Turpan, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Liu Yujie/Xinhua)

MIL OSI China News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Tunisian forces dismantle camps for undocumented migrants near eastern port city

Source: China State Council Information Office

Tunisian authorities have been dismantling camps housing undocumented sub-Saharan African migrants in the El Amra area near the eastern port city of Sfax, private radio station Mosaique FM reported on Saturday.

The radio, citing National Guard Spokesman Houcemeddine Jbabli, said the operation, which has been ongoing for three days, involved regional officials, security forces, Red Crescent teams, and health services.

Sanitary operations were conducted immediately after the camps were cleared to mitigate health and environmental risks, Jbabli added.

The spokesman estimated that around 20,000 undocumented migrants were concentrated in the El Amra and nearby Jebniana areas of Sfax province, a region that has become a primary departure point for people attempting perilous sea crossings to Italy.

Jbabli noted that many of the migrants are victims of human trafficking networks.

Authorities are coordinating with international migration organizations to facilitate the voluntary return of migrants to their home countries, according to Jbabli.

He confirmed the dismantling operation was ongoing and that repatriation plans were proceeding under the daily supervision of President Kais Saied.

Tunisia, situated in the central Mediterranean, faces pressure as a major transit point for migrants and refugees from Africa and the Middle East seeking to reach Europe, often embarking on dangerous boat journeys towards the Italian island of Lampedusa.

MIL OSI China News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI China: At least 1 dead, 4 wounded in US airstrikes on Yemen’s Saada

Source: China State Council Information Office

At least one person was killed and four others wounded when airstrikes by U.S. forces hit a solar energy store and a house in Yemen’s northern city of Saada late on Saturday, medics reported.

Medics described the casualty toll as preliminary, adding that civil defense teams were working to extinguish fires and search for victims at the targeted sites in the Hafsin area of western Saada city, the capital of the namesake Saada province.

Earlier on Saturday, the Houthi group denied U.S. claims that an American airstrike had targeted a meeting of its military leaders in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

A Houthi statement, reported by the group’s al-Masirah TV, described the event cited in the U.S. claims as a social gathering for the Eid holiday, calling such events a common practice in Yemen during holidays.

On March 15, the U.S. military launched a new round of airstrikes across Yemen, aimed at weakening the Houthis’ operational capacity. Over the past two weeks, U.S. forces have carried out a wave of strikes targeting Houthi air defense systems, command centers, fortified positions, and weapons depots across several provinces.

The Houthis have previously said they would resume attacks on commercial and naval vessels linked to Israel in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, citing Israel’s blockade of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

The group says its maritime operations are intended to express solidarity with Palestinians and to apply pressure on Israel over its military campaign in Gaza.

MIL OSI China News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: April 5th, 2025 As Republicans Tank Economy, Heinrich Fights Against Trump-Musk Handouts to Billionaires at the Expense of New Mexico Families

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
WASHINGTON — Last night, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) stood up for New Mexico families by voting against Senate Republicans’ budget resolution that funds Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s tax handouts for billionaires at the expense of working people.
Heinrich pushed to amend Republicans’ resolution by repeatedly voting to lower costs for families — particularly as Trump’s tariffs push America to the brink of a recession. Heinrich and Senate Democrats also worked to block cuts to Medicaid, extend the tax credits for health care premiums, and prevent millions of Americans from losing health insurance, protect Social Security, and reverse cuts to the Social Security Administration, including cuts by Elon Musk’s DOGE.
Heinrich additionally led an amendment with U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) to prevent the sale of our public lands as Congressional Republicans publicly discuss public lands sales to fund their tax breaks for billionaires. Republicans blocked it.
“Republicans’ budget resolution is a massive tax handout for Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their billionaire donors. It has one aim: Billionaires win, American families lose.
“Throughout the night and into the early morning, I fought back, introducing and voting for dozens of amendments to shield New Mexico families from Republicans’ harmful legislation. Amendments that would rescind President Trump’s tariff taxes if the price of groceries, medicine, and other household goods increase, protect Medicaid by blocking Musk’s DOGE cuts that threaten rural hospital closures, reverse cuts to Social Security, and prevent the sale of our public lands to fund tax cuts for billionaires. Republicans blocked every single one of them.
“When Republicans had the opportunity to go on the record and show the American people whose side they’re on, they put their billionaire donors on a pedestal and threw working people under the bus. Rather than putting New Mexico families first, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their Republican enablers in Congress are tanking our economy, pushing us into a recession.”
Last night, Senate Republicans blocked Heinrich’s efforts to:
Fight Increasing Costs, Including From Trump’s Tariffs
Senate Republicans voted against:
Rescinding President Trump’s tariff taxes that increase the price of groceries, medicine, and other household goods.
Protecting food assistance for kids and seniors, who are otherwise significantly harmed by rising grocery prices.
Preventing essential services for children, families, and seniors from being defunded to give massive tax cuts to billionaires.
Protecting agriculture programs that support farmers and rural economies.
Prioritize Working Families Over Billionaires
Senate Republicans voted against:
Providing tax cuts for the middle class and small businesses while ensuring large corporations and the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share.
Preventing tax handouts for people making over $100 million a year.
Preventing tax handouts for people making over $500 million a year.
Preventing tax handouts for people making over $1 billion a year.
Preventing tax handouts for corporations making over $1 billion a year.
Preventing more than $37 trillion from being added to the debt in 30 years—more debt than has accumulated over the past 249 years.
Protect Medicare and Medicaid
Senate Republicans voted against:
Stopping cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.
Preventing cuts to Medicaid that could lead to rural hospital closures, increased costs for people with private insurance, and higher rates of uncompensated care.
Protecting Americans from losing health care through Medicaid, including seniors, children, families, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and military families.
Preserving access to health care by preventing cuts to Medicaid that could lead to loss of benefits or coverage, and slashed provider payments.
Lowering prescription drug costs for seniors and people with disabilities with Medicare.
Extending the health care premium tax credits created in the Affordable Care Act to prevent millions of Americans from losing health insurance.
Safeguard Social Security
Senate Republicans voted against:
Reversing cuts to the Social Security Administration, including cuts by Elon Musk’s DOGE.
Preventing Elon Musk’s DOGE from closing Social Security field and regional offices, preserving access to benefits for seniors and people with disabilities.
Preventing Elon Musk’s DOGE from limiting access to Social Security phone services to protect seniors’ access to Social Security benefits.
Protect Our National Security and Provide Disaster Relief
Senate Republicans voted against:
Protecting service members by prohibiting the use of Signal and other commercial messaging applications for sharing information on the timing, sequencing, or weapons to be used related to impending U.S. military operations.
Prohibiting any reduction in U.S. security assistance and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.
Supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) role in providing nonpartisan and long-term disaster relief to disaster survivors.
Support Our Farmers and Federal Workers
Senate Republicans voted against:
Ensuring contracts made with our farmers are honored.
Protecting legally binding collective bargaining agreements and the right to organize for federal workers.
Below is a total list of amendments that Heinrich filed to amend Republicans’ budget resolution to cut taxes for billionaires at the expense of working people:
Amendment to prevent the sale of public lands.
Amendment to lower housing costs for Americans.
Amendment to reduce Department of Veterans Affairs wait times for 136,000 veterans per day.
Amendment to reduce Social Security Administration wait times for 344,000 Americans per day.
Amendment to scale up American manufacturing by supporting small and medium-sized manufactures enhance competitiveness, productivity, and technological performance.
Amendment to recruit and hire additional wildland firefighters.
Amendment to exempt federal wildland firefighters and personnel from hiring freezes and reinstate federal wildland firefighters and personnel fired by Trump, Elon Musk, or DOGE.
Amendment to increase forest health and wildfire mitigation forest treatments to support wildland firefighting.
Amendment to hire reforestation crews and promote the recovery of burned forest land to support healthy watersheds, outdoor recreation, and timber resources.
Last month, Heinrich attempted to amend Republicans’ prior resolution by offering an amendment to reinstate blocked grants for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence and ensure law enforcement can hold predators and abusers accountable. Republicans voted against his amendment. Watch Heinrich’s video here.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senators Coons, Welch, colleagues demand answers from Justice Department about Deputy Attorney General’s misleading answers to the Senate Judiciary Committee
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) led Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee in requesting documents from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to determine the veracity of U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee during his nomination hearing. The senators’ letter comes as recent public reporting has raised questions as to whether Mr. Blanche testified truthfully to senators at the hearing and in written Questions for the Record , regarding his knowledge of plans to dismiss the criminal case against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

“As you are aware, all nominees who come before the Senate Judiciary Committee provide testimony under oath. It is a federal crime to ‘knowingly and willfully’ provide ‘any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation’ while under oath with respect to ‘any investigation or review, conducted pursuant to the authority of any committee,” wrote the senators. “Congress has an obligation to investigate whether Mr. Blanche provided untruthful testimony before the Judiciary Committee, including whether a referral to the Department of Justice for a criminal inquiry is warranted.”

“At the time of his hearing, Mr. Blanche was a private citizen and not an employee of the Department of Justice (DOJ). Two days before his hearing, news broke that the DOJ intended to drop criminal corruption charges against Eric Adams, Mayor of New York City. Senator Welch asked Mr. Blanche if he was aware of the instructions to dismiss the charges, and Blanche responded, “I have the same information you have. It appears it was, yes.” In response to Senator Coons’ question regarding the basis for the dropping of charges, Mr. Blanche stated, “I have no idea.” And in response to Senator Booker’s written Questions for the Record, Mr. Blanche stated in writing that he didn’t know why the charges in Mayor Adams’ case were dismissed,” the senators added. “However, recent reporting suggests that Mr. Blanche may have been aware of the orders to dismiss the case against Mayor Adams almost two weeks before he testified.”

In their letter, the Senators requested the following documentation from the Justice Department:
1. Copies of all documentation and records that reference or discuss Todd Blanche in the possession of the Department of Justice related to the decision to dismiss the criminal charges in United States v. Adams, 24 CR 556 (S.D.N.Y.).
2. Copies of all communications between and among then-Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove III and Todd Blanche relating to the decision to dismiss the criminal charges in United States v. Adams, 24 CR 556 (S.D.N.Y.).
The letter was signed by Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Ct.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).

You can read the full text of the letter here.
MIL OSI USA News –
April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatality following fire, Ashburton

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Police can confirm that a person has died following a fire at a house on Glassey Drive, Ashburton.

Emergency services attended the fire, reported at around 12.45am. One person was located deceased in the building. At this time there are no other people unaccounted for.

Enquiries into the circumstances of the fire are ongoing.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government delivers breakthrough week for building

Source: New Zealand Government

Significant action by the Government this week will make building in New Zealand easier by unclogging the consenting system, reducing construction costs, and giving tradies the support they need to get on with the job, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Tradies are bogged down in paperwork instead of doing what they do best. Building materials cost too much, and securing land for roads, housing developments, and hospitals takes far too long. “Kiwis are fed up – and rightly so. We’ve listened to frustrated builders, first-home buyers, and families calling out for concrete change, and we’re acting. “This week, we announced the final stage of reforms to the Public Works Act to make the process of purchasing land for much-needed public projects clearer, faster and fairer. “Negotiations sometimes take years. We’re putting incentive payments of up to $100,000 on the table for landowners who agree to sell early. That means fewer drawn-out legal battles and costly delays. “We’re also stripping back needless red tape in the consenting system and taking our granny flat proposal further – lifting the maximum permitted size of granny flats that can be built without consent from 60 to 70 square metres, so more families can build without jumping through hoops. “These changes are expected to see 13,000 more granny flats built over the next decade – giving families more affordable, flexible housing options. “We’re also backing our skilled builders by cracking down on the cowboys. Stronger disciplinary powers, new waterproofing licences for wet area bathrooms, and a better complaints process will lift trust in the industry and help protect Kiwis’ biggest investment – their homes. “Building new homes and granny flats and doing renovations will also become more affordable – thanks to new legislation passed this week, that will make it easier for builders and designers to use top-quality products from overseas. “We expect up to 250,000 more building products—like plasterboard, insulation, and cladding—to become available this year alone through the streamlined Building Product Specifications pathway. “This week’s announcements are just the start. There’s more to come as we get on with fixing the consenting system and making it easier to put a roof over every Kiwi’s head.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MICE tourism gains momentum

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

Ballroom inspections and mahjong sessions may not be what automatically springs to mind when you consider Hong Kong’s appeal to visitors. Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions tourism – MICE tourism, for short – is not about being conventional, however.

Recently, nine representatives from the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers, hailing from Germany, Canada, Mexico and elsewhere, embarked on a five-day MICE tourism study mission in Hong Kong, at the invitation of the Tourism Board.

Their first stop was a Wan Chai hotel that opened late last year. The delegation inspected its banquet halls, suites and facilities, and enjoyed an unexpected highlight – an impromptu mahjong session in the games room that gave them a taste of one of the most popular Chinese pastimes.

The group then proceeded to the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) where they were shown around several exhibition venues and meeting rooms, learning about their layout and design, as well as the centre’s transport connectivity, and took the opportunity to gaze out over Victoria Harbour.

Multiple facets
For MICE visitors – whether squeezing in sightseeing activities around conferences or enjoying company incentive trips – riding the 130-year-old Peak Tram remains an essential Hong Kong experience, of course.

Having ascended Victoria Peak by tram, the delegation embarked on a nostalgic journey through 1970s–80s Hong Kong at the Peak Tower museum, before marvelling at magnificent panoramic views of the city’s famous skyline and Victoria Harbour from the Sky Terrace.

The group then descended to Man Mo Temple in Sheung Wan, where they performed the ritual of touching the holy deer statue with gold foil to seek blessings. All in all, they were able to immerse themselves fully in Hong Kong’s commercial, cultural and religious facets in a single day.

The tour participants represented diverse clients across sectors ranging from government to technology and pharmaceuticals, and are responsible for planning events across Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. They said their experiences in Hong Kong would inform future decisions about staging professional conferences and summits in the city.

Lasting impressions
Among the delegation was Jocelyne Mulli, managing director of a German organiser of professional conferences. Her firm has been using Hong Kong as its springboard into the Asia-Pacific region since 2012.

Though a frequent visitor to Hong Kong and to the HKCEC, she said her latest trip had opened her eyes to ongoing upgrades and more flexible service offerings in the city. In particular, she praised Hong Kong’s fusion of heritage and modernity, applauding its sustained achievements in MICE tourism development over the years.

“You are a hub, you are a base, and you are in the best place to welcome international delegates,” she said. “It is not everywhere that you have ballrooms, venue spaces of such size. You have a multilingual society and you have these historical aspects.”

For his part, Alejandro Ramirez Tabche, the CEO of a Mexican event planning company, said that seeing specific venues for himself had made him realise Hong Kong is the perfect MICE destination. Describing the city as “gorgeous”, he said he would recommend it to his peers as a location for holding events without hesitation.

“Hong Kong is always a top destination and people experience real fun and happiness,” he enthused. “And also, you have luxurious hotels, good food and good attractions. The people are so kind and they are very eager to help anytime.”

While in Hong Kong, the group also explored the Old Town Central neighbourhood’s blend of modern and historic elements, visited the giant panda twins at Ocean Park, and toured the newly opened Kai Tak Sports Park, gaining a full appreciation of the city’s diverse offerings.

Robust revival
MICE tourism has emerged as a key driver of high-value travel to Hong Kong, with the city welcoming over 1.42 million overnight MICE visitors in 2024, a year-on-year increase of about 10%. Their average spending per capita outperformed overall overnight visitor expenditure by about 40% and catalysed growth across sectors including convention services, retail, dining and entertainment.

The Tourism Board is adopting a multipronged approach to developing MICE tourism, sparing no effort to secure major events for Hong Kong, while also inviting global conference organisers to experience the city’s MICE facilities and tourism assets first-hand.

Tourism Board Director & Business Development Team Lead of MICE Phoebe Shing outlined that the organisation has been successful in bidding for and facilitating 56 large-scale MICE events in Hong Kong this year, including 16 which are debuting in the city. The events span sectors ranging from innovation and technology to fintech, medical science and aviation.

“In June, Hong Kong will host the International Society for Stem Cell Research 2025 annual meeting for the first time,” she said. “For the aviation sector, we will welcome Routes World 2025 in September, and also Airspace Asia Pacific 2025 in December.”

These events are projected to attract approximately 170,000 MICE visitors from the Mainland and overseas, with total participation reaching 260,000.

Ms Shing added that with MICE tourism’s robust recovery, coupled with the ongoing restoration of international flight capacity, further growth in MICE visitors is expected.

“The Hong Kong Tourism Board will continue to promote MICE tourism, striving to bring more MICE events to Hong Kong. We will also solidify Hong Kong as the world’s meeting place in order to attract more high-yield visitors to our city.”

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Huge income boost for millions of pensioners and working people.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

Huge income boost for millions of pensioners and working people.

Millions of pensioners will receive as much as £470 more a year added to their State Pension from today, thanks to the government’s’ ironclad commitment to the pensions Triple Lock throughout this parliament.
Millions of pensioners to receive up to an additional £470 in their State Pension this year.

Triple Lock means those receiving the State Pension are set to increase by up to £1,900 over the term of this Parliament.

Over five million households receiving working-age benefits such as Universal Credit will also see an average boost of £150, with Plan for Change putting more money in working people’s pockets.

This comes alongside the annual uprating of working-age benefits such as Universal Credit, with people receiving those set to receive an extra £150 on average over the course of this year – an increase set to benefit 5.7 million working-age households. Disability benefits such as Disability Living Allowance, Carers Allowance and child benefits are also set to increase by the same amount.

The Triple Lock – which guarantees that the State Pension increases annually by the highest of inflation, average earnings growth or 2.5% – means the basic and new State Pensions are increasing by 4.1%, well above the current level of inflation.

These changes come alongside increases to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, benefiting three million eligible workers across the country. With the National Living Wage increasing to £12.21 for those aged 21 and over and the National Minimum Wage for those aged 18 to 20 seeing a record increase to £10 an hour, three million workers will benefit, with eligible full-time workers set to see an increase in their annual salary of £1,400.

This support is securing Britain’s future through the Plan for Change, which is delivering security and renewal by kick-starting economic growth to put more money in working people’s pockets and rebuilding the NHS.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

Our ironclad commitment to the Triple Lock gives pensioners across the country the certainty and security they need to live a full life in retirement.

We are putting more money in people’s pockets and driving up household income as part of our Plan for Change.

Minister for Pensions Torsten Bell said:

Raising the State Pension and rescuing the NHS – these are this government’s priorities to give all pensioners the dignity they deserve in their retirement. Those who have worked hard throughout their lives, paying into the system, are owed nothing less.

We’re improving the lives of millions of pensioners through our £7.84 billion additional funding for the State Pension this year. That means up to £470 extra in pensioners’ pockets from this week and comes alongside our work to boost Pension Credit uptake, and the £26 billion we’ve invested in the NHS that has seen waiting lists in England fall for 5 months in a row.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

With today’s increase in working-age benefits, and our ironclad commitment to pensioners through the Triple Lock, we are making the decisions that support those who need it in Britain, putting money into people’s pockets and delivering our Plan for Change.

The uprating of State Pensions and working-age benefits amounts to a cash boost of over £6.9 billion, demonstrating our commitment to ensuring pensioners enjoy the dignity and respect they deserve in retirement, while also supporting low-income families.

It also comes alongside proposals for the biggest welfare reforms for a generation. These measures are designed to ensure a welfare system that is fit for purpose and available for future generations – opening up employment opportunities, boosting economic growth and tackling the spiralling benefits bill while also ensuring those who cannot work get the support they need.

That support also includes help for pensioners. The government’s drive to support low-income pensioners has led to 50,000 extra Pension Credit awards since the summer – an increase of 64% compared to the same period last year.

Pension Credit is worth on average £4,300 a year and also unlocks support including help with Housing Costs, Council Tax and free television licenses.

Support also includes a £742 million extension of the Household Support Fund in England, from 1 April 2025 until 31 March 2026, providing support with the cost of essentials such as food, heating and bills.

Additional information:

The majority of the new rates will apply from Monday 7 April 2025. Please see here for a full list of rising benefits: Benefit and pension rates 2025 to 2026 – GOV.UK

Those in receipt of the State Pension and other uprated benefits will see an increase in their next payments following Monday 7 April.

Details of when the State Pension is paid can be found on GOV.UK: The new State Pension – GOV.UK

With uprating in effect, pensioners receiving the full basic State Pension will see their weekly payments rise from £169.50 to £176.45 per week, worth an additional £360 a year. In addition, the full rate of the new State Pension will increase from £221.20 to £230.25 per week, an increase of £470 a year.

People in receipt of Universal Credit and other benefits including Personal Independence Payments will see their payments increase by 1.7% with 5.7 million households on Universal Credit to gain £150 on average.

The minimum guarantee for Pension Credit – the minimum amount that someone on Pension Credit will receive – is also set to increase by 4.1% from 7 April. For single pensioners it will increase from £218.15 to £227.10. For couples it will increase from £332.95 to £346.60.

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Published 6 April 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Myanmar – One week after Myanmar earthquake, children grieve for lost parents while needs, including water and shelter, remain high – Save the Children

Source: Save the Children

One week on from the powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit central Myanmar, children are grieving for loved ones lost in the disaster while immediate needs such as water, food and shelter remain high, Save the Children said.

With local partners, Save the Children is delivering emergency health care and first aid medical services to children and their families, including psychosocial support to children who are experiencing fear, shock and loss after the earthquake.

Myat Nyein-, 15, lives in a village on Myanmar’s iconic Inle Lake in Shan State, where houses and farms are built on the water.

When the earthquake struck, Myat Nyein, along with his younger brother and father, were out fishing near their village. They survived by jumping into the lake as the earthquake hit but when they returned, they found their village in ruins.

Myat Nyein said:

“The houses, which were all built on the water, were gone – all flattened. My heart pounded as we rushed toward our home, only to find it destroyed. My mother was nowhere to be seen.

Then, my uncle came running toward us. “Your mother is at the hospital,” he said.

We didn’t even stop to change our wet clothes. When we arrived, the scene before us shattered our hearts-our mother’s lifeless body – the bruises covering her, the stitches on her head, the wound on her neck.

“My grandmother told us that until her last breath, my mother was asking for us.”

“I will never forget the moment I pulled my younger brother into the water, the sight of our fallen village, or my mother’s broken body. These memories will stay with me forever.”

Similar scenes have unfolded across Myanmar which has declared a state of emergency across six regions that are home to over 28 million people, including an estimated 6.7 million children.

Kyaing Thin-, 41, who is the mother of two children aged 13 and 15, and lives in Mandalay:

“Right after the earthquake, my sister called me, crying. Her house had collapsed, and my niece was injured. She was hysterical with fear and begged me to come and take my niece, as their place was no longer safe. Despite the continuing aftershocks, I didn’t think about my own safety-I just drove to her house.

On the way, I saw many injured people, bleeding, lying on the ground-some conscious, some unconscious-all begging for help.”

Homes and critical infrastructure have collapsed, and many families are still seeking shelter in monasteries, football fields, and open spaces over fears of aftershocks. Many children and their families have no electricity or running water and with the country entering its peak summer season, and soaring temperatures earlier this week , children also risk heat stroke or exhaustion.

Jeremy Stoner, interim Asia Regional Director, Save the Children, said:

“One week on from this hugely traumatic event for the children of Myanmar, they will still be feeling scared and many children in the affected areas will have lost both homes and loved ones. They may even have witnessed the death of loved ones and need specialist support to overcome this.

Where homes have been destroyed, they will need immediate shelter and emergency relief items which Save the Children and our local partners are providing.”

Conflict and climate fueled disasters have left 6.3 million children among the 19.9 million people – or more than one third of the population – already in need of humanitarian support in Myanmar before the earthquake. [1]

Save the Children’s teams are responding in affected areas alongside local partners to ensure children get the support they need. We’re distributing food and water and working to provide personal hygiene kits and child friendly recreational materials.

Save the Children has been working in Myanmar since 1995, providing life-saving healthcare, food and nutrition, education and child protection programmes.

In New Zealand, Save the Children has launched an emergency appeal. To donate, go to: Myanmar-Thailand Earthquake Emergency – Save the Children NZ.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Premier’s statement on softwood lumber

Premier David Eby has released the following statement in response to the U.S. Department of Commerce announcement that it plans to raise softwood duties against Canadian producers to 34.45%:

“The U.S. Department of Commerce announced yesterday that they are going to more than double countervailing duties imposed on Canadian softwood lumber, driving up housing costs for Americans who voted for a President who promised to lower costs.

“This is an attack on forest workers and British Columbians. I know that during hard times it is often the workers who pay the price. To every forestry worker in British Columbia hearing the news of this impending increase to softwood lumber duties, know this: We have got your back and your government will fight for you.

“In Canada, the continued unjustified softwood lumber duties, combined with additional U.S. tariffs and other trade actions, have united Canadians. We have friends and family in the United States who need Canadian lumber to build or rebuild their homes, and both Canadians and Americans need an end to this trade dispute.

“We will, as always, work with the other provinces and territories, the forest sector and the federal government to fight this most recent decision through all avenues available to us, at the first possible opportunity.

“I am meeting with the Prime Minister on Monday, April 7, 2025, and I plan on raising this issue with him directly. B.C. workers and their families depend on the jobs that these tariffs are targeting, and we hope to see the same Team Canada approach to protecting them, just like with the automotive and steel industry jobs in Ontario and Quebec.

“We will continue to work with business, labour and First Nations leaders to seek approaches to defend the hard-working forestry workers of B.C., their families and the industry as a whole from the increasingly hostile actions of our largest trading partner.”

MIL OSI Canada News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman DeSaulnier to Host Immigration Town Hall & Resource Fair

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier Representing the 11th District of California

Walnut Creek, CA – Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) announced today that he will host an Immigration Town Hall & Resource Fair in Danville to discuss the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional immigration actions and its threats to open an ICE detention facility in Dublin on Wednesday, April 16^th. The resource fair will begin at 5:30 p.m. PT where local agencies and organizations will share resources related to immigrant rights. The town hall will run from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. PT.

Immigration Town Hall & Resource Fair
Wednesday, April 16^th
Resource Fair: Starting at 5:30 p.m. PT
Town Hall: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. PT
Check-in for town hall begins at 5:30 p.m. PT
Danville, CA
RSVP for Location

The event is RSVP only and capacity is limited. To reserve your spot or request special accommodations, visit https://desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or call (925) 933-2660.

This will be Congressman DeSaulnier’s 229^th town hall and mobile district office hours since coming to Congress in January 2015.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Davids Works to Protect Tribal Schools, Students from Trump’s Harmful Voucher Plan

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sharice Davids (KS-3)

This week, Representative Sharice Davids urged the U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to listen to widespread Tribal opposition to their proposed school voucher program and fully fund Tribal education and BIE programs. Representatives Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) and Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03) also led the effort.

“We urge the Department of the Interior and Department of Education to heed the call of dozens of Tribal Nations who continue to voice their opposition to the proposed efforts by the Administration to restructure tribal education and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) programs into school voucher programs,” the Members wrote. “As you heard during the March 14, 2025 tribal meeting held via Zoom, many Tribal Nations across the country oppose the proposition. The proposal would effectively defund BIE schools, threaten Tribal self-determination, and violate multiple federal statutes, including the federal trust and treaty responsibilities.”

“The proposed voucher system would weaken BIE schools in profound ways … Over 90% of BIE-funded schools are located in remote locations with no alternative schools. Destabilizing and closing schools would be traumatic for the students and families in these communities,” the Members wrote. “BIE-funded schools are the schools of choice for Tribes and students because they reflect the cultures, languages, traditional belief systems, and priorities of the communities that other educational options cannot provide. These schools often provide critical support services for the most vulnerable in their community, such as housing, meals, and internet access.”

This week’s letter follows up on a February 11, 2025 letter from Reps. Davids, Stansbury, and Leger Fernández to Secretary Burgum, where they raised concerns about an executive order that could enable families with students eligible to attend BIE schools to use federal funding for other educational options — including private, faith-based, or public charter schools — as soon as the 2025–2026 school year.

The full letter is here or below:

Dear Secretary Burgum and Secretary McMahon:

We urge the Department of the Interior and Department of Education to heed the call of dozens of Tribal Nations who continue to voice their opposition to the proposed efforts by the Administration to restructure tribal education and Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) programs into school voucher programs. As you heard during the March 14, 2025 tribal meeting held via Zoom, many Tribal Nations across the country oppose the proposition. The proposal would effectively defund BIE schools, threaten Tribal self-determination, and violate multiple federal statutes, including the federal trust and treaty responsibilities.



On February 11, 2025, we sent a letter to Secretary Burgum about our concerns regarding Executive Order 14191 on “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families,” which directs the Secretary of the Interior to “review any available mechanisms under which families of students eligible to attend BIE schools may use their Federal funding for educational options of their choice, including private, faith-based, or public charter schools, and submit a plan to the President describing such mechanisms and steps that would be necessary to implement them for the 2025-2026 school year.” It is clear that implementing Section 7 of Executive Order 14191, as discussed above would violate multiple federal statutes, and impact the fundamental education programs that serve tens of thousands of tribal students. It is also our understanding that the overwhelming consensus on the March 14th call was that Tribes are not supportive of this proposal or any proposal that would weaken or defund the BIE and tribal education systems, including moving to a lump-sum voucher system. Many tribal communities schools are distinctive in that they are often the only educational institution serving students within a 45+ mile radius.



Therefore, the proposed voucher system would weaken BIE schools in profound ways. By redirecting federal funds away from BIE schools, it would create funding instability that will almost certainly lead to school closures. Over 90% of BIE-funded schools are located in remote areas with no alternative schools. For example, Seba Dalkai Community School in Arizona requires students and parents to travel over an hour round trip for services. Destabilizing and closing schools would be traumatic for the students and families in these communities. Redirecting federal funds would also bypass Tribal governance and oversight, particularly in the case of the nearly 70% of BIE-funded schools that are Tribally-Controlled Schools.



As you know, the U.S. government has both trust and treaty responsibilities to provide Tribal education services. The BIE administers funding for hundreds of schools and programs that are vital to meeting the Federal government’s obligations to Tribes—obligations that in many cases predate both the Department of the Interior and the Department of Education. Congress has laid out a detailed system for funding this trust and treaty responsibility in P.L. 95-561 and P.L. 100-297. The proposed lump-sum voucher system stands in direct violation of these statutes.



Congress has also already worked with Tribes to place school choice into the hands of Tribal communities through the Tribally Controlled Schools Act (P.L. 100-297), which President Reagan signed into law in 1988. We again urge you to review sections (a) through (d) of the Act, which clearly state that “Congress declares that a national goal of the United States is to provide the resources, processes, and structure that will enable tribes and local communities to obtain the quantity and quality of educational services and opportunities that will permit Indian children— (1) to compete and excel in areas of their choice; and (2) to achieve the measure of self-determination essential to their social and economic well-being.” In the words of the National Indian Education Association’s January 30, 2025, letter to you: “These schools are our schools of choice.”



BIE-funded schools are the schools of choice for Tribes and students because they reflect the cultures, languages, traditional belief systems, and priorities of the communities that other educational options cannot provide. These schools often provide critical support services for the most vulnerable in their community, such as housing, meals, and internet access. And they serve as community centers for sporting and cultural events in rural areas where there are few other options. That is why, time and time again, Tribal leaders, educators, parents, and students have affirmed the importance of BIE programs and the need to increase—not decrease—funding for them.



The proposed educational restructuring of the BIE and tribal school programs into a voucher system was not requested by Tribes, is not supported by Tribal nations pursuant to your consultation, and is a clear violation of federal law. We again urge you to abandon efforts to implement the voucher system and ensure that tribal education and BIE programs are fully funded, as appropriated by Congress. Further, we welcome your team to visit many of these BIE schools and learn more on their position on why this proposal is not fitting for the demographics being served.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Statement on Republican Proposal to Take Medicaid Coverage Away From Granite Staters

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) released the following statement after voting against a Republican proposal that allows for massive cuts to Medicaid funding — taking health care coverage away from Granite Staters — in order to pay for tax giveaways for billionaires and for corporate special interests:
“In the middle of the night and over bipartisan opposition, Senate Republicans advanced their effort to take Medicaid health coverage away from millions of people in order to pay for tax cuts for corporate special interests and billionaires. I put forward a number of amendments to chart a different path forward, one where we would work together on a bipartisan basis to lower costs for Americans and protect Medicaid, Medicare, and the Social Security benefits that hardworking Americans have paid into and deserve, but Republicans once again doubled down. At a time when American families are struggling to keep up with high costs, I can imagine few ideas more ill-advised, outrageous, and devastating than to rip lifesaving health care away from millions of our fellow Americans, and therefore I voted against this budget resolution.”
Senator Hassan proposed over a dozen amendments to urge Congressional Republicans to reverse course and instead work on a bipartisan basis to help lower costs for Granite Staters, stand up for the rule of law, and protect individual freedoms. Senator Hassan’s proposed amendments included those to:
Stop unelected billionaires from advancing their own financial interests at the expense of American taxpayers
Prevent any efforts to cut Medicare or Medicaid benefits for seniors, children, and families
Prevent any efforts to cut Social Security benefits for seniors, increase wait times for Social Security benefits, or close Social Security offices
Overturn broad-based tariffs on allies like Canada that raise costs for American families
Promote childhood vaccinations against measles
Provide tax cuts for middle-class workers and small businesses
Lower the cost of housing, groceries, and prescription drugs

MIL OSI USA News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Baldwin Votes Down Republicans’ Bill to Green Light Cuts to Medicaid, Tax Breaks to the Wealthy

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to set the stage for their massive tax cuts for big corporations and the wealthiest Americans at the direct expense of healthcare Wisconsin families rely on, including Medicaid. Overnight, Republicans rejected Senator Baldwin’s amendment that would have prevented cuts to Medicaid that will lead to rural hospital closures and protected rural health care from being decimated in the wake of their deep cuts to Medicaid.
“Over the last two months, I’ve heard from Wisconsinites in every corner of our state who are terrified about what cuts to Medicaid, or BadgerCare, will mean for their families’ future, health, and finances. I’ve heard from Wisconsinites with cancer literally fighting for their lives, seniors in nursing homes, dairy farmers struggling to make ends meet, and rural hospitals working on tight margins – all of whom have begged me to protect Medicaid,” said Senator Baldwin. “But instead of listening to the 4 in 5 Americans who want to protect Medicaid, Republicans voted for a plan that puts this essential lifeline for families on the chopping block so they can make room in the budget for tax giveaways to Wall Street investors and big corporations.”
Overnight, Republicans rejected Senator Baldwin’s amendment to their legislation that would have protected rural health care services from these devastating cuts. Rural hospitals, already closing at a more rapid pace than in suburban and urban places, depend on Medicaid for financial viability. Deep cuts to Medicaid as outlined in the Republican’s budget could force more hospitals in rural areas to shutter.
Watch Senator Baldwin’s remarks on why Medicaid is so essential to rural hospitals here.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: VE Day 80 street party applications open
Source: City of Liverpool

Last updated:3 April 2025

Liverpool City Council is waiving road closure fees for residents who want to hold street parties between Thursday 8 May and Sunday 11 May to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

The Government is encouraging communities around the country to host their own street or home celebrations – with flags and bunting, games, fancy dress, music and dance.

To help communities get their street party planning under way, the Council is asking organisers to fill in a special online form which can then start the process of getting all the relevant permissions in place.

The Council normally charges around £3,000 to shut a road, but is making an exception for VE Day events – and will also supply road closure signage and any traffic management cones to be located in and around the area.

Any resident who is considering hosting a street party just needs to meet some simple criteria:

The event must be:
- Organised and funded by the applicant
- In a residential road
- The organiser must pay for public liability insurance worth up to £1 million
- Most residents in a street must agree to the event
- A Temporary Events Notice is needed if alcohol is to be sold
Please note: major roads and key bus routes cannot be closed, so please bear that in mind when submitting requests.

To express an interest in hosting a party, an online form found on the council’s street party page must be submitted. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday 30 April. Full information can be found at www.liverpool.gov.uk/streetparties.

Other events in Liverpool to mark VE Day include:

Sunday 4 May
Beating Retreat on Castle Street in the city centre at 1pm
A full 50-piece band comprising the Liverpool Scottish Regimental Association Pipes and Drums accompanied by The Scot Guards Association Pipes & Drums, the Wirral Pipe Band and the 103 Artillery Pipes and Drums will perform a selection of tunes, and the Liverpool Town Hall balcony will be dressed with red, white and blue banners.

Thursday 8 May
Let the Nation’s Bells Ring Loud at 6:30pm
The bells at Liverpool’s two Cathedrals and Liverpool Parish Church will lead churches across the city in ringing out as part of the nation’s “Together We Chime” VE80 initiative.

Illuminated civic buildings
Key civic buildings across the city including St George’s Hall and Cunard Building will be illuminated in red, white, and blue in the evening.

Beacon Lighting on Exchange Flags at 9.30pm
In a moment of national unity, four beacons behind Liverpool Town Hall will be lit as a powerful symbol of peace and remembrance accompanied by civic dignitary speeches and a lone piper. The four beacons will be positioned in locations that mirror the four bunker walls that still sit under the site today. This space was key for operations during WWII, and air for the bunker was provided via a ventilation shaft built into the Nelson Monument on the site.

Thursday 8 May – Sunday 11 May
Western Approaches Museum from 10am – 6pm
To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day there will be celebrations, talks, singing and games at the former headquarters for the Battle of the Atlantic – and entry for children is only £1.

Sunday 11 May
Service at Liverpool Parish Church
A special VE Day Service will take place at St Nicholas’ Church, providing invited guests a time to reflect and honour those who served and those who continue to serve.

Cabinet Member for Culture, Cllr Harry Doyle, said: “We’re doing our best to make it as easy as possible for people to hold street parties, and I would encourage communities to get involved in marking this historic anniversary.

“The series of events during the week will give people an opportunity to reflect on the significance of what happened eight decades ago.”

Lord Mayor, Cllr Richard Kemp, said: “VE Day 80 is not only a tribute to those who fought for the freedom we all enjoy today, but also a powerful reminder of the resilience and unity that have defined our country ever since.

“It is vital that we never forget the sacrifices that were made by so many people in our city during World War II that eventually led to Victory in Europe.”

Guy Lewinsohn, CEO, Ashtrom Properties, which owns Exchange Flags, said: “Exchange Flags is honoured to play a key role in Liverpool’s 80th VE Day celebrations by hosting the lighting of the beacons. As a site which is routed in wartime history and home to the Western Approaches Command Headquarters, where vital naval operations were led against the German U-boat threat, Exchange Flags holds a strong connection to the legacy of VE Day.

“With our courtyard facing Liverpool Town Hall and the square housing the iconic Nelson Monument, this location serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made for our freedom. As the owners of this prestigious Grade A commercial office scheme, we are proud to commemorate this historic milestone.”
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Anfield landlord fined for HMO breaches

Source: City of Liverpool

A landlord has been hit with a bill of more than £16,000 for multiple disrepair and other issues at an HMO (House of Multiple Occupation) property in Anfield.

Patrick Duggan, of 34 Arkles Lane, L4 2SP, was found guilty of breaching HMO Management Regulations and HMO licensing conditions at Sefton Magistrates’ Court on 25 March.

Liverpool City Council’s Private Sector Housing team inspected the Arkles Lane property in 2023, identifying numerous breaches of The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006.

These include issues with fire safety, structural defects with the boundary wall and multiple disrepair issues including damp and mould.

Mr Duggan also failed to provide relevant documentation within a specified timeframe to the Council, in breach of HMO licensing conditions.

Following a trial in January, where a magistrates’ bench reviewed the facts of the case and heard evidence, District Judge James Clark sentenced Mr Duggan after he was found guilty by the bench of 12 charges.

District Judge Clark commented that Mr Duggan did have mechanisms in place with respect to the management of the building, but that they were ultimately insufficient.

The property is no longer rented out.

It is the latest case to be brought to court by Liverpool City Council. In 2024, a total of 33 prosecutions and fines worth £342,584 were secured, and a further 11 Civil Penalty Notices were issued, with fines totalling £59,862.

Liverpool City Council’s Private Sector Housing team inspected the Arkles Lane property in 2023, identifying numerous breaches of The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006.

These include issues with fire safety, structural defects with the boundary wall and multiple disrepair issues including damp and mould.

Mr Duggan also failed to provide relevant documentation within a specified timeframe to the Council, in breach of HMO licensing conditions.

Following a trial in January, where a magistrates’ bench reviewed the facts of the case and heard evidence, District Judge James Clark sentenced Mr Duggan after he was found guilty by the bench of 12 charges.

District Judge Clark commented that Mr Duggan did have mechanisms in place with respect to the management of the building, but that they were ultimately insufficient.

The property is no longer rented out.

Councillor Sam East, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Every tenant deserves to live in a property that is safe and warm, and this house was neither.

“We want to work with landlords to help them meet the conditions of their license, but where they won’t we will take enforcement action, including taking cases to court if necessary.

“This property really was not fit for human habitation so I am pleased that it is no longer being offered for rent.

“If people are concerned about breaches of HMO or landlord licensing conditions, or believe a house does not have a licence when it should do, they should let us know via our website.”

To report poor property conditions or anti-social behaviour from a rental property, email privatesector.housing@liverpool.gov.uk or report it online.

For advice and to hear how to report anti-social behaviour, click here.

To report fly-tipping, click here.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: UN deplores deadly attack on city in central Ukraine

Source: United Nations 2-b

5 April 2025 Peace and Security

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine has strongly condemned a missile strike in Kryvyi Rih on Friday which killed more than a dozen people, including at least nine children, and left several others injured.

Matthias Schmale said he was outraged by reports of yet another Russian attack on the city, which is located in the Dnipro region.

“This attack follows a deeply disturbing pattern of repeated attacks on populated areas across Ukraine that continue to kill and maim civilians,” he said, noting that the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, was “still reeling” from a massive attack the night before.

“The cost to families is unbearable. Civilians are protected under international humanitarian law. They are not a target,” he said.

Young lives lost

In response to the incident, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called for an immediate end to attacks on civilian areas in Ukraine.

“We are devastated by the horrific attack in Kryvyi Rih that reportedly killed at least nine children and injured many more, including one as young as three months old,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Regina De Dominicis.

The missile reportedly struck a residential neighbourhood in the Saksahanskyi district in the early evening, when many families gathering ahead of the weekend, she said, adding that it landed near a playground, tearing through homes, schools and a restaurant.

“Among the scenes of devastation, parents were seen weeping, cradling the body of their dead son. No child should ever suffer such terror. No parent should ever endure such pain,” she said.

Stolen futures

UNICEF and partners are on the ground supporting affected families and coordinating with local authorities to deliver emergency assistance.

Ms. De Dominicis noted that more than 2,500 children have been killed or injured, and millions of young lives have been upended, since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

“Every child killed is a future stolen,” she remarked. “The brutal use of explosive weapons in populated areas and attacks on civilian facilities and infrastructure, which disproportionally harm children, must end.”

MIL OSI United Nations News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Chu and California Colleagues Blast HHS for Cancelling California’s Safety Net Pilot, Jeopardizing Lifesaving Services for Vulnerable Children and Families

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

Members express outrage with Sec. Kennedy’s decision: “We find it appalling that your Department appears willing to disregard California’s duly- and fairly-awarded pilot, ignore the statute of a bipartisanly authorized program…and ultimately rip away a lifesaving safety net from our constituents, all in the name of funding Republicans’ tax cuts for the wealthy.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Leading 27 of her Democratic California House colleagues, Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) sent a lettertoday to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) expressing scathing opposition to the Trump Administration’s recent cancellation of California’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) pilot award and alarm that this action clears the way for devastating cuts to TANF to pay for Congressional Republicans’ tax giveaways for the ultra-wealthy in impending legislation.

The TANF pilot program, authorized by the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, is intended to address longstanding limitations in TANF by testing ways to better promote work and improve family outcomes. The state of California was selected in November 2024 as one of five pilot states after a thorough, objective process. However, in early March 2025, HHS abruptly cancelled California and the four other states’ pilot awards and announced it would issue an entirely new solicitation for pilot proposals that better reflect the Trump administration’s goals and priorities.

In the letter addressed to Sec. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Members note that this decision has no statutory or policy justification: “Your March 7th cancellation letter to California claims that it is possible to change course because the state is only in its first half of the first year of the pilot—however, there is nothing in the FRA statute that allows a pilot to be revoked simply because it is in the first year. Additionally, your letter states that the projects selected, particularly related to “views on work, performance measures, and indicators of family stability and wellbeing,” do not reflect your administration’s goals and priorities. However, you fail to describe what specifically you find objectionable, so we can only infer that you disagree that indicators like job security, health insurance coverage, and stable housing are good benchmarks for family well-being—a position we find deeply troubling. Regardless, as the FRA statute requires pilot states and HHS to negotiate performance benchmarks for work and family outcomes, there is no statutory or policy justification for your administration to cancel the pilot awards altogether rather than negotiating such benchmarks in good faith.”

As such, the Members note that revoking California’s pilot award appears to be a political maneuver to clear the way for Congressional Republicans to make massive cuts to TANF in their upcoming tax giveaway for the ultra-wealthy.

“Included in the House Republicans’ so-called “menu” of revenue raising policies for budget reconciliation is a proposal to make cuts to TANF over the next ten years by adjusting its work requirements,” the Members explain. “We note that the only way to guarantee savings related to TANF work requirements would be to alter the WPR such that states are virtually guaranteed to fail, thereby triggering financial penalties. As California receives among the largest of TANF block grants, it’s clear that California would need to remain subject to the WPR for the Republicans’ plan to work. Of course, if it were still a pilot state, California would have been exempt from the WPR over the next six years as it tested alternative performance measures. If this is indeed your motivation, it represents an utterly shameful scheme to take money directly out of the pockets of among the most vulnerable families in California and hand it to the ultra-wealthy.”

Click here to access the full letter.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “THE ECONOMY IS CRASHING AND DONALD TRUMP IS ON THE GOLF COURSE”

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s The Weekend where he emphasized that Donald Trump’s reckless tariffs will raise costs on hardworking American taxpayers.

MICHAEL STEELE: Joining us now to discuss is Democratic Leader and friend of the show, Hakeem Jeffries. Welcome, sir.

ALICIA MENENDEZ: Leader Jeffries, while we were on air, you had the President saying this on Truth Social. ‘This is an economic revolution, and we will win. Hang tough. It won’t be easy, but the end result will be historic.’ Do you think he means historic good or historic bad?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, the results will definitively be historically bad. These Trump tariffs represent the largest tax increase on the American people since at least 1968. What we’re seeing is that he is crashing the economy in real time. Costs are going up. The Trump tariffs are likely to result in thousands of dollars in additional costs on the American people in terms of groceries and gas and goods. And at the same time, we’re seeing the retirement savings of the American people plummeting as well. This guy is driving us toward a recession. And this is not what the American people voted for or expected.

MICHAEL STEELE: Leader, I mentioned in the last hour conversations I’ve been having over the last few weeks with a buddy of mine who is a blue collar worker, been able, over the last 30 years, to save money in his retirement, his 401K. And he has lost about $32,000 in the last three weeks from his retirement savings for him and his wife. Talk to him. What would you say to him? What is the message he needs to hear from you as Leader of the Democratic Party in this hour as he’s watching, they’re now having to recalculate how he’s going to retire because Donald Trump has taken $32,000 out of his life savings.

LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s very painful. And as I travel the country, these are stories that I am hearing over and over and over again. And that is one of the reasons why we are going to continue to aggressively show up, stand up and speak up against these Trump tariffs, which are doing real damage to everyday Americans. And we’re calling upon both House and Senate Republicans to join us. In the House, all we need on any given bill is basically three House Republicans to stand up for their constituents and act like they actually work for the American people, as opposed to bending the knee consistently for Donald Trump or Elon Musk, even when these two out of control individuals are doing real damage to their constituents. This is one of the reasons why, as we travel the country, Democrats we’re going to continue to engage the American people, have town hall meetings in our districts and in Republican districts in blue states and red states and in purple states, so that we can raise awareness of what’s happening and make sure that these Republicans in Congress are being held accountable for their complicity and failure to act in the best interests of the people they were sent to Washington to represent.

SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: You know, Leader Jeffries, Congress could do something about this today if they wanted to. Have you, I know that House Democrats are ready to stand up for the American people. And you would vote, is it correct to say, that you would vote in support of taking back the power of deciding tariffs with Congress? You would, that’s something you would support.

LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely something that I would support. And we have legislative efforts that will intensify this week in response to these reckless Trump tariffs. I know that at least one Republican House Member, Congressman Don Bacon, has also introduced legislation or is planning to to address this. So we’re going to be in conversation with a handful of our Republican colleagues, because Congress can stop this carnage from happening. And one of the things that hopefully will cause some people to change their perspectives. You know, Donald Trump, the biggest lie that this guy ever told was that he cared about you, the American people. He does not. He cares about himself and his billionaire donors like Elon Musk. And as if we didn’t need any additional proof, but at the same time that the retirement savings is crashing, the stock market is crashing, the economy is crashing, Donald Trump is on the golf course? This is what he chooses to do? And so we have to continue to press our case aggressively on the economy, on health care, on social security. And we’ll continue to do just that.

ALICIA MENENDEZ: He’s on the golf course to the tune of $26 million, Symone. Taxpayer dollars.

SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: A lot of I mean, truly like bleeding the American people dry while their 401ks and pensions are plummeting. I just have to have to ask then. So Don Bacon, my Congressman, I’m from Nebraska. He represents district two. He is a very vulnerable Republican that could lose his seat next November. What about the Speaker? Has he indicated a willingness, because it’s about the people like Michael talked about. I’m also thinking about the small business owners, the taxes on food and beverage, the restaurants. I mean, I went out last night and I had to order some champagne because I didn’t know if I’d be able to get it three months from now given what Donald Trump is doing to this economy.

MICHAEL STEELE: Oh you would normally order champagne.

SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: Here you go.

LEADER JEFFRIES: It does. I think one of the challenges that we’ll continue to have is that Republican leadership has shown no willingness to stand up to Donald Trump and his administration. But that doesn’t mean we can’t find rank and file Republicans to do it, joining us with a unified Democratic opposition, particularly as the pressure continues to intensify on them. They’ve already taken so many different reckless votes as it relates to the budget resolution that initially passed in the House. That’s the largest Medicaid cut in American history. Now they’re trying to dismantle Social Security, undermining veterans benefits, literally trying to take food out of the mouths of babies by cutting nutritional assistance. And what is this all being done for? To enact a massive tax break for billionaire donors like Elon Musk? The whole thing is a Ponzi scheme. That’s the Ponzi scheme that is being visited upon the American people right now.

ALICIA MENENDEZ: Just to put a finer point on what you have just said. There seems to be disagreement among Republicans in the two chambers about how to proceed on this question of the budget. Let me read you this from The Hill: ‘The budget debate revealed the biggest looming fight between Senate and House Republicans is over Medicaid. House Republicans have slated the program for tens of billions of dollars in cuts, something that several Republican senators have warned they would oppose in any final reconciliation bill.’ Where is this headed, Leader Jeffries?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we’re going to continue to stand up for the health care of the American people and point out that what House Republicans have already voted to do, and have not walked away from, is a potential Medicaid cut of up to $880 billion. Here’s what this means. Children will be devastated. Women will be devastated. Older Americans will be devastated. Everyday Americans with disabilities are going to be devastated. Hospitals and nursing homes and community health clinics are going to close. That affects people who are on Medicaid, almost 90 million Americans, but also people who get their health insurance in other forms, because if the hospital closes, it doesn’t matter whether you’re on Medicaid or not, you are going to be hurt. And so we will continue to be very clear that these Medicaid cuts are completely and totally unacceptable. I think the Senate Democrats have done exactly the same thing as this process unfolds. And we’re going to work as hard as we can to find just a handful of Republicans who are now on the run on this Medicaid issue to do the right thing by their constituents.

MICHAEL STEELE: Congressman, we have been talking about voting in the last hour or so minutes and the the reality of it is, we saw how Republicans, under Elon’s leadership and the president’s backing, dropped $26 million dollars into a race to try to convince voters to go with a MAGA candidate. They rejected it. We saw Democrats close the gap in Florida in two congressional districts, which are are R +30. Democrats took 14 points to 17 points off, respectively, closing that gap. So there’s momentum there, but there’s something even a little bit more close to the ground relative to your chamber. You’ve now threatened a lawsuit in the state of Texas over a delayed Texas special election, noting the Houston area district, Texas 18, which is a predominantly Hispanic and Black population, has now had its previous two members die in office, could go as long as seven months without representation in this Congress, unless the governor calls an emergency election. Talk to us about what’s happening there in terms of those two seats and why you think there’s an effort to stall this to get passed this Congress.

LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you, Michael, for that question. The Honorable Sylvester Turner, who was a great public servant, former Mayor of Houston, sworn into Congress this year on January 3rd, unexpectedly and tragically passed on March 5th, exactly one month ago. He was funeralized during his homegoing service on March 15th. Yet weeks have passed, and the governor of Texas is conspiring with House Republicans to keep the seat vacant. Why? Because they are on the run legislatively, and they know their margins are tight, and they’re trying to do everything they can to rig the system in order to jam their GOP tax scam down the throats of the American people and in the process, take away health care from everyday Americans and do a bunch of damage. This is what this is all about. There’s no reason that the governor of Texas has not called a special election over the last few weeks. It’s a fraudulent scheme, and it’s connected to what we’re seeing taking place all over the country, including in North Carolina right now. By the way, North Carolina is a particularly bad actor because the three seats that Republicans took away from Democrats in North Carolina, they were extreme partisan gerrymandering in the middle of the decade, after redistricting had already taken place, and it was sanctioned by this right-wing Supreme Court. Those three seats actually make the difference between Democrats being in the majority right now and the House Republicans. And so that’s a bad lesson that they’ve learned and they’re not going to walk away from it which is why we have to continue to raise the alarm, mobilize the American people and then hold them responsible, accountable for their anti-democratic actions.

ALICIA MENENDEZ: Very quickly sir then, are you concerned that Republicans across the board in key districts across the country will attempt to deny Democrats and frankly, you the Speakership, if you are successful in November. If the numbers from Florida hold, I mean, dropping a +30 district and a Republican only winning it by 15, 14, 17 points. That to me feels dangerous. So are you concerned that they might try to steal the election? And are you all prepared?

LEADER JEFFRIES: Yes. We have to be incredibly vigilant across the board to call out their schemes well in advance, which will help stop them. From the standpoint of public sentiment, from engaging in it, this is one of the reasons why the Wisconsin State Supreme Court race was so critical, because that’s a battleground state for next November, let alone in 2028. At least two competitive congressional seats in Wisconsin. And we got to make sure that we are protecting the integrity of the courts all across the country and in many of the battleground states where this next election will be decided, you do have enlightened State Supreme Courts. So that’s the good news. We’re also suing Donald Trump, I’m suing him personally, along with Leader Schumer, House Democrats, Senate Democrats, the Democratic Governors Association and the Democratic National Committee, all of us together to make sure that we can get his executive order, which is all about voter suppression, declared unlawful and unconstitutional. And I believe we’ll be successful in doing just that.

MICHAEL STEELE: All right. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you, sir, for your time. Really appreciate it.

Full interview can be watched here.

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MIL OSI USA News –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper Votes Against Republicans’ Budget Plan
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

Republicans’ national budget will increase prices for Coloradans, gut critical services, increase the deficit, and give tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy

Republicans voted down Hickenlooper-led amendments to protect funding for Medicaid, Social Security

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper released the following statement after he voted against Republicans’ Senate Budget Resolution:

“The Republicans’ budget is a nightmare for working Americans. We’re game to make government more cost-effective and lower taxes for working families – this does the opposite,” said Hickenlooper. “Higher costs from the grocery store to the gas tank. Cuts to Americans’ health care. Increasing the national debt. All so Republicans can hand out tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy.”

Hickenlooper voted “No” on the budget resolution after Republicans voted down critical Democratic-led amendments to lower the cost of living and prevent cuts to Medicaid, Social Security, and veterans’ benefits.

Hickenlooper led a group of Western senators to introduce an amendment to protect public lands from being sold to pay for Republicans’ tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. Watch his full remarks about his amendment HERE.

“Their tax handouts for the wealthy are so large – and so important – that some are willing to plunder our public lands,” said Hickenlooper. “So let’s be clear: Our public lands are not for sale.”

Hickenlooper also spoke on the floor yesterday about the Trump administration’s tariffs and Republican-led proposals that would harm small businesses and raise prices for working Americans. Watch his full remarks HERE.

“The bottom line is that these tariff taxes will lead to higher costs, they’re going to hurt small businesses, and I think ultimately they’re going to increase unemployment,” said Hickenlooper. “I don’t think that I could find anyone in Colorado [who] would say that this is what they were voting for in the last election.”

In total, Hickenlooper introduced and joined 17 amendments to the 2025 Senate Budget Resolution to oppose Republican provisions that would harm Coloradans, including:

Lowering Costs for Americans
- Lower the Cost of Energy: Safeguards the low cost of energy by preventing the administration from repealing energy tax credits, imposing energy tariffs, or blocking congressionally appropriated funding for new clean energy generation and energy infrastructure investments.
- Prevent Tariff Price Increases: Ensures the budget doesn’t increase the cost of food, medical equipment, building materials, automobiles, or other essential products for Americans as a result of the Trump administration’s tariffs.
Protecting Critical Health Care
- Prevent Cuts to Medicaid: Opposes cuts to Medicaid which would lead to benefit cuts, coverage loss, and slashed provider payments.
- Medicaid in Nursing Homes: Ensures the budget resolution does not reduce funding for Medicaid, which provides coverage for more than 60% of residents in nursing homes.
- Safeguard Healthcare for Veterans: Reverses Trump administration workforce cuts and fills frontline vacancies at the Veterans Health Administration, particularly personnel who provide health care to veterans in rural communities.
Protecting Safety Net Programs
- Protect Social Security Benefits in Rural Areas: Provides funding to protect senior citizen’s access to Social Security benefits by keeping Social Security Administration field offices open and sufficiently staffed to provide customer service.
- Protect Social Security: Establishes a deficit neutral fund to both expand Social Security benefits and promote the long-term solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund.
- Prevent Cuts to Safety Net Services: Opposes any legislation that cuts the Social Services Block Grant and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) which provide essential services for children, families, and seniors including Meals on Wheels, Head Start, and other child care assistance.
Protecting Public Lands
- Support Public Lands Workforce: Requires the federal government to maintain a sufficient workforce to support recreational access and land management on Department of the Interior lands, including for the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management.
- Protect Against Wildfire and Drought: Establishes a deficit-neutral reserve fund for sufficient resources to address western drought, including for water supply availability and wildfire risk.
Supporting Unions
- Protect Collective Bargaining: Establishes a deficit-neutral reserve fund to help stop future attempts to undermine or attack federal employees’ collective bargaining agreements or their ability to unionize.
Budget resolutions guide federal spending and revenue policies for the year. This is the second budget resolution the Senate has voted on during the reconciliation process. Hickenlooper voted against the first package in February. The Senate and the House must pass identical versions of the budget for the reconciliation bill to become law.
MIL OSI USA News –
April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Rubio delivers remarks to the press

Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio delivers remarks to the press in Brussels, Belgium, on April 4, 2025.

Transcript: https://www.state.gov/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-remarks-to-press-2/
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The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu4F76pENC0

MIL OSI Video –

April 6, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Soto Introduces New Bill to Protect the Kissimmee River

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Darren Soto (D-FL)

The Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Act directs the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and designate a restored segment of the Kissimmee River as a Recreational River

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) introduced the Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Actto direct the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and designate a restored segment of the Kissimmee River as a Recreational River. During the 117^th Congress, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (page #1141) included parts of the Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Act to direct the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to complete a study of the Kissimmee River within three years to make it part of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. This legislation will keep up the pressure to ensure timely designation.

“It is critical for us to preserve the historic Kissimmee River as it is home to many of Florida’s endangered species, key for recreation, and protects the Everglades from harmful nutrients,” said Congressman Soto. “As we continue working on initiatives to protect our environment for future generations, we must ensure that this natural treasure can sustain the growth around it. We saw parts of our bill to complete a study passed in FY23, and it will soon be time to designate the Kissimmee River as Recreational River under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act.”

In 1968, Congress created the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System to “preserve certain rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment of present and future generations.” If passed, the Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Act will ensure that restored segments of the river are preserved for future generations to enjoy.

The Kissimmee River Restoration Project was a partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District to help wildlife species return to the river after efforts to prevent flooding destroyed habitats. The project was completed in 2021 and restored more than 40 square miles of the river floodplain ecosystem, 20,000 acres of wetlands, and 44 miles of the historic river channel. It was the largest river restoration in the world and cost nearly $1 billion to complete.

For the full text of the bill, please click here.

For a video of Rep. Soto explaining the bill, click here.

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MIL OSI USA News –

April 6, 2025