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  • MIL-OSI USA News: JOBS, JOBS, JOBS: Explosive Job Growth in March as Trump Economy Booms

    Source: The White House

    Today’s jobs report shows the private sector is roaring back under President Donald J. Trump — smashing expectations for the second straight month as the Golden Age of America is well on its way.

    In March, the U.S. added 228,000 jobs — nearly 100,000 more jobs than economists predicted and the fourth-highest month for private payroll growth in the past two years. In fact, last month’s jobs increase is roughly twice the pace of the previous two months.

    The report highlights a resilient labor market as companies aggressively onshore jobs amid President Trump’s bold trade and economic agenda.

    • Private employment grew by 209,000 jobs — well above the pre-election 12-month average of 124,000 jobs:
      • + 23,700 jobs in retail trade.
      • + 22,900 jobs in transportation and warehousing.
      • + 13,000 jobs in construction.
    • The number of full-time workers increased by a remarkable 459,000 over last month, while labor force participation grew by 232,000 as more Americans seek jobs.
    • Americans’ wages are up, with nominal hourly wages rising by nearly 4% over the past year.
    • Under Biden, government and government-adjacent employment accounted for nearly three-fourths of new employment. Under President Trump, that number dropped to just 42% in March.

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

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

    April 03, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    You can view a photo gallery here.

    ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND

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

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

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

    PANELIST QUOTES

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

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

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

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

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

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: AI is automating our jobs – but values need to change if we are to be liberated by it

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Robert Muggah, Richard von Weizsäcker Fellow na Bosch Academy e Co-fundador, Instituto Igarapé

    Artificial intelligence may be the most significant disruptor in the history of mankind. Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai famously described AI as “more profound than the invention of fire or electricity”. OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman claims it has the power to cure most diseases, solve climate change, provide personalized education to the world, and lead to other “astounding triumphs”.

    AI will undoubtedly help solve vast problems, while generating vast fortunes for technology companies and investors. However, the rapid spread of generative AI and machine learning will also automate vast swathes of the global workforce, eviscerating white-collar and blue-collar jobs alike. And while millions of new jobs will surely be created, it is not clear what happens when potentially billions more are lost.

    The Insights section is committed to high-quality longform journalism. Our editors work with academics from many different backgrounds who are tackling a wide range of societal and scientific challenges.

    Amid the breathless promises of productivity gains from AI, there are rising concerns that the political, social and economic fallout from mass labour displacement will deepen inequality, strain public safety nets, and contribute to social unrest.

    A 2023 survey in 31 countries found that over half of all respondents felt “nervous” about the impacts of AI on their daily lives and believed it will negatively impact their jobs. Concerns are also mounting about the ways in which AI is being weaponized and could hasten everything from geopolitical fragmentation to nuclear exchanges. While experts are sounding the alarm, it is increasingly clear that governments, businesses and societies are unprepared for the AI revolution.

    The coming AI upheaval

    The idea that machines would one day replace human labour is hardly new. It features in novels, films and countless economic reports stretching back over centuries. In 2013, Carl-Benedikt Frey and Michael Osborne of the University of Oxford attempted to quantify the human costs, estimating that “47% of total US employment is in the high risk category, meaning that associated occupations are potentially automatable”. Their study triggered a global debate about the far-reaching consequences of automation not just for manufacturing jobs, but also service and knowledge-based work.

    Fast forward to today, and AI capabilities are advancing faster than almost anyone expected. In November 2022, OpenAI launched ChatGPT, which dramatically accelerated the AI race. By 2023, Goldman Sachs projected that “roughly two-thirds of current jobs are exposed to some degree of AI automation” and that up to 300 million jobs worldwide could be displaced or significantly altered by AI.

    A more detailed McKinsey analysis estimated that “Gen AI and other technologies have the potential to automate work activities that absorb up to 70% of employees’ time today”. Brookings found that “more than 30% of all workers could see at least 50% of their occupation’s tasks disrupted by generative AI”. Although the methodologies and estimates differ, all of these studies point to a common outcome: AI will profoundly upset the world of work.

    While it is tempting to compare the impacts of AI automation to past industrial revolutions, it is also short-sighted. AI is arguably more transformative than the combustion engine or Internet because it represents a fundamental shift in how decisions are made and tasks are performed. It is not just a new tool or source of power, but a system that can learn, adapt, and make independent decisions across virtually all sectors of the economy and aspects of human life. Precisely because AI has these capabilities, scales exponentially, and is not confined by geography, it is already starting to outperform humans. It signals the advent of a post-human intelligence era.

    Goldman Sachs estimates that 46% of administrative work and 44% of legal tasks could be automated within the next decade. In finance and legal sectors, tasks such as contract analysis, fraud detection, and financial advising are increasingly handled by AI systems that can process data faster and more accurately than humans. Financial institutions are rapidly deploying AI to reduce costs and increase efficiency, with many entry-level roles set to disappear. Global banks could cut as many as 200,000 jobs in the next three to five years on account of AI.

    Ironically, coding and software engineering jobs are among the most vulnerable to the spreading of AI. While there are expectations that AI will increase productivity and streamline routine tasks with many programmers and non-programmers likely to benefit, some coders confess that they are becoming overly reliant on AI suggestions (which undermines problem-solving skills).

    Anthropic, one of the leading developers of generative AI systems, recently launched an Economic Index based on millions of anonymised uses of its Claude chatbot. It reveals massive adoption of AI in software engineering: “37.2% of queries sent to Claude were in this category, covering tasks like software modification, code debugging, and network troubleshooting”.

    AI is also outperforming humans in a growing array of medical imaging and diagnosis roles. While doctors may not be replaced outright, support roles are particularly vulnerable and medical professionals are getting anxious. Analysts insist that high-skilled jobs are not at risk even as AI-driven diagnostic tools and patient management systems are steadily being deployed in hospitals and clinics worldwide.

    Meanwhile, the creative sectors also face significant disruption as AI-generated writing and synthetic media improve. The demand for human journalists, copywriters, and designers is already falling just as AI-generated content (including so-called “slop”: the growing amount of low-quality text, audio and video flooding social media) expands. And in education, AI tutoring systems, adaptive learning platforms, and automated grading could reduce the need for human teachers, not only in remote learning environments.

    Arguably the most dramatic impact of AI in the coming years will be in the manufacturing sector. Recent videos from China offer a glimpse into a future of factories that run 24/7 and are nearly entirely automated (except a handful in supervising roles). Most tasks are performed by AI-powered robots and technologies designed to handle production and, increasingly, support functions.

    Unlike humans, robots do not need light to operate in these “dark factories”. CapGemini describes them as places “where raw materials enter, and finished products leave, with little or no human intervention”. Re-read that sentence. The implications are profound and dizzying: efficiency gains (capital) that come at the cost of human livelihoods (labor) and rapid downward spiral for the latter if no safeguards are put in place.

    Some have confidently argued that, as with past technological shifts, AI-driven job losses will be offset by new opportunities. AI enthusiasts add that it will mostly handle repetitive or boring tasks, freeing humans for more creative work — like giving doctors more time with patients, teachers more time to engage with students, lawyers more time to concentrate on client relationships, or architects more time to focus on innovative design. But this historical comfort overlooks AI’s radical novelty: for the first time, we’re confronted with a technology that is not just a tool but an autonomous agent, capable of making decisions and directly shaping reality. The question is not just what we can do with AI, but what AI might do to us.

    AI will certainly save time. Machine learning already interprets scans faster and cheaper than doctors. But the idea that this will give professionals more time for creative or human-centered work is less convincing. Already doctors are not short on technology; they are short on time because healthcare systems prioritise efficiency and cost-cutting over “time with patients”. The rise of technology in healthcare has coincided with doctors spending less time with patients, not more, as hospitals and insurers push for higher throughput and lower costs. AI may make diagnosis quicker, but there is little reason to think it will loosen the grip of a system designed to maximise output rather than human connection.

    Nor is there much reason to expect AI to liberate office workers for more creative tasks. Technology tends to reinforce the values of the system into which it is introduced. If those values are cost reduction and higher productivity, AI will be deployed to automate tasks and consolidate work, not to create breathing room. Workflows will be redesigned for speed and efficiency, not for creativity or reflection. Unless there is a deliberate shift in priorities — a move to value human input over raw output — AI is more likely to tighten the screws than to loosen them. That shift seems unlikely anytime soon.

    AI’s uneven impacts

    AI’s impact on employment will not be felt equally around the world. It will impact different countries differently. Disparities in political systems, economic development levels, labour market structures and access to AI infrastructure (including energy) are shaping how regions are preparing for and are likely to experience AI-driven disruption. Smaller, wealthier countries are potentially in a better position to manage the scale and speed of job displacement. Some lower-income societies may be cushioned by the disruption owing to limited market penetration of AI services altogether. Meanwhile, high and medium income countries may experience social turbulence and potentially unrest as a result of rapid and unpredictable automation.

    The United States, the current leader in AI development, faces significant exposure to AI-driven disruption, particularly in services. A 2023 study found that highly educated workers in professional and technical roles are most vulnerable to displacement. Knowledge-based industries such as finance, legal services, and customer support are already shedding entry-level jobs as AI automates routine tasks.

    Technology companies have begun shrinking their workforces, using that also as signals to both government and business. Over 95,000 workers at tech companies lost their jobs in 2024. Despite its AI edge, America’s service-heavy economy leaves it highly exposed to automation’s downsides.

    Asia stands at the forefront of AI-driven automation in manufacturing and services. It is not just China, but countries like South Korea that are deploying AI in so-called “smart factories” and logistics with fully automated production facilities becoming increasingly common. India and the Philippines, major hubs for outsourced IT and customer service, face pressure as AI threatens to replace human labour in these sectors. Japan, with its shrinking workforce, sees AI more as a solution than a threat. But the broader region’s exposure to automation reflects its deep reliance on manufacturing and outsourcing, making it highly vulnerable to AI-driven job displacement in a geopolitically turbulent world.

    Europe is taking early regulatory steps to manage AI’s labour market impact. The EU’s AI Act aims to regulate high-risk AI applications, including those affecting employment. Yet in Eastern Europe, where manufacturing and low-cost labour underpin economic competitiveness, automation is already cutting into job security. Poland and Hungary, for example, are seeing a rise in automated production lines. Western Europe’s knowledge-based economies face risks similar to those in America, particularly in finance and professional services.

    Oil-rich Gulf states are investing heavily in AI as part of diversification efforts away from a dependence on hydrocarbons. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar are building AI hubs and integrating AI into government services and logistics. The UAE even has a Minister of State for AI. But with high youth unemployment and a reliance on foreign labour, these countries face risks if AI reduces demand for low-skill jobs, potentially worsening inequality.

    In Latin America, automation threatens to disrupt manufacturing and agriculture, but also sectors like mining, logistics, and customer service. As many as 2-5% of all jobs in the region are at risk, according to the International Labor Organization and World Bank. And it is not just young people in the formal service sectors, but also human labour in mining operations, logistics and warehouse workers. Call centers in Mexico and Colombia face pressure as AI-powered customer service bots reduce demand for human agents. And AI-driven crop monitoring, automated irrigation, and robotic harvesting threaten to replace farm labourers, particularly in Brazil and Argentina. Yet the region’s large informal labour market may cushion some of the shock.

    While most Africans are optimistic about the transformative potential of AI, adoption remains low due to limited infrastructure and investment. However, the continent’s rapidly growing digital economy could see AI play a transformative role in financial services, logistics, and agriculture. A recent assessment suggests AI could boost productivity and access to services, but without careful management, it risks widening inequality. As in Latin America, low wages and high levels of informal employment reduce the financial incentive to automate. Ironically, weaker economic incentives for automation may shield these economies from the worst of AI’s labour disruption.

    No one is prepared

    The scale and speed of recent AI developments have taken many governments and businesses by surprise. To be sure, some are proactively taking steps to prepare workforces for the transformation. Hundreds of AI laws, regulations, guidelines, and standards have emerged in recent years, though few of them are legally binding. One exception is the EU’s AI Act, which seeks to establish a comprehensive legal framework for AI deployment, addressing risks such as job displacement and ethical concerns. China and South Korea have also developed national AI strategies with an emphasis on industrial policy and technological self-sufficiency, aiming to lead in AI and automation while boosting their manufacturing sectors.

    Notwithstanding recent attempts to increase oversight over AI, the US has adopted an increasingly laissez-faire approach, prioritising innovation by reducing regulatory barriers. This “minimal regulation” stance, however, raises concerns about the potential societal costs of rapid AI adoption, including widespread job displacement, the deepening of inequality and undermining of democracy.

    Other countries, particularly in the Global South, have largely remained on the sidelines of AI regulation, lacking the awareness, capabilities or infrastructure to tackle these issues comprehensively. As such, the global regulatory landscape remains fragmented, with significant disparities in how countries are preparing for the workforce impacts of automation.

    Businesses are under pressure to adopt AI as fast and deeply as possible, for fear of losing competitiveness. That’s, at least, the hyperbolic narrative that AI companies have succeeded in putting forward. And it’s working: a recent poll of 1,000 executives found that 58% of businesses are adopting AI due to competitive pressure and 70% say that advances in technology are occurring faster than their workforce can incorporate them.

    Another new survey suggests that over 40% of global employers planned to reduce their workforce as AI reshapes the labour market. Lost in the rush to adopt AI is a serious reflection on workforce transition. Financial institutions, consulting firms, universities and nonprofit groups have sounded alarms about the economic impact of AI but have provided few solutions other than workforce up-skilling and Universal Basic Income (UBI). Governments and businesses are wrestling with a basic challenge: how to manage the benefits of AI while protecting workers from displacement.

    AI-driven automation is no longer a future prospect; it is already reshaping labour markets. As automation reduces human workforces, it will also diminish the power of unions and collective bargaining furthering entering capital over labour. Whether AI fosters widespread prosperity or deepens inequality and social unrest depends not just on the imperatives of tech company CEOs and shareholders, but on the proactive decisions made by policymakers, business leaders, union representatives, and workers in the coming years.

    The key question is not if AI will disrupt labour markets — this is inevitable — but how societies will manage the upheaval and what kinds of “new bargains” will be made to address its negative externalities. It is worth recalling that while the last three industrial revolutions created more jobs than they destroyed, the transitions were long and painful. This time, the pace of change will be faster and more profound, demanding swift and enlightened action.

    At a minimum, governments must prepare their societies to develop a new social contract, prioritise retraining programs, bolster social safety nets, and explore UBI to help workers displaced by automation. They should also proactively foster new industries to absorb the displaced workforce. Businesses, in turn, will need to rethink workforce strategies and adopt human-centric AI deployment models that prioritise collaboration between humans and machines, rather than substitution of the former by the latter.

    The promise of AI is immense, from boosting productivity to creating new economic opportunities and indeed helping solving big collective problems. Yet, without a focused and coordinated effort, the technology is unlikely to develop in ways that benefit society at large.

    Dr. Robert Muggah is the co-founder of the Igarapé Institute, an independent think and do tank that develops research, solutions and partnerships to address global public, digital and climate security challenges. Dr. Muggah is also a principal of the SecDev Group, and an advisor to the United Nations, the IMF and the World Bank. An advisor to AI start-ups and a climate tech venture firms, Dr. Muggah has experience developing new technologies and testing AI systems for security and governance. He also coordinated a global task force on predictive analytics and AI in the Global South since in 2023.

    Bruno Giussani não presta consultoria, trabalha, possui ações ou recebe financiamento de qualquer empresa ou organização que poderia se beneficiar com a publicação deste artigo e não revelou nenhum vínculo relevante além de seu cargo acadêmico.

    – ref. AI is automating our jobs – but values need to change if we are to be liberated by it – https://theconversation.com/ai-is-automating-our-jobs-but-values-need-to-change-if-we-are-to-be-liberated-by-it-253806

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Morgan Luttrell Introduces the Brian Tally VA Employment Transparency Act of 2025 to Improve Accountability in VA Health Care

    Source:

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) introduced the Brian Tally VA Employment Transparency Act of 2025, a critical piece of legislation aimed at ensuring accountability and transparency within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system. This bill is named after Brian Tally, a Marine Corps veteran who suffered devastating consequences due to medical negligence at a VA hospital and the lack of accountability within the system.

    “Our veterans deserve the highest standard of care, and they deserve to know that those entrusted with their health will be held accountable,” said Congressman Luttrell. “This legislation ensures transparency and safeguards veterans from negligent medical providers, whether they are directly employed by the VA or working under contract.”

    Key Provisions of the Act:

    1. Non-Department Provider Accountability:

    • Requires the VA to provide affected individuals with details on malpractice cases involving non-VA providers within 45 days of a civil action being filed.
    • Prohibits non-VA providers with five or more malpractice cases within five years from working in VA facilities.
    • Establishes an appeals process for providers who have their authorization revoked.

    2. Notification Requirements:

    • Mandates that the VA report malpractice judgments to state licensing boards and the National Practitioner Data Bank.
    • Requires the VA to publicly post information about veterans’ rights, claims procedures, and time limits for recovery.

    3. Accountability for VA Physicians:

    • Directs the VA to take action against VA-employed physicians who have three or more malpractice judgments or settlements within a five-year period.

    4. Implementation:

    • Applies to malpractice incidents occurring after the Act’s enactment.

    Background:

    In 2016, Brian Tally suffered life-altering consequences due to gross medical negligence at a VA hospital. Despite admitting fault, the VA ultimately denied accountability, citing an outdated policy that shielded the agency from responsibility for malpractice committed by independent contractors. As a result, Tally faced severe financial and personal hardship, including the loss of his small business and near foreclosure of his home.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Boston arrests Dominican alien charged with assault to rape, strangulation of a Massachusetts resident

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    LAWRENCE, Mass. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apprehended an illegally present Dominican national charged with charged with assault to rape, assault and battery with dangerous weapon, assault on a family or household member, and strangulation suffocation. Officers with ICE Boston arrested Gregori Thomas Romero in Lawrence Feb. 1.

    “Gregori Thomas Romero is charged with horrifically victimizing a member of our community,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “Romero represents a significant threat to the law-abiding residents of Massachusetts that we cannot tolerate. ICE Boston stands firmly committed to prioritizing public safety by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders from the streets of New England.”

    U.S. Border Patrol apprehended Romero July 9, 2023, after he illegally entered the United States near San Luis, Arizona. USBP issued Romero a notice to appear before a Justice Department immigration judge.

    Officers with the Boston Police Department arrested Romero Sept. 11, 2024, for the offenses of assault to rape, assault and battery with dangerous weapon, assault on a family or household member, and strangulation suffocation. ICE Boston attempted to lodge a detainer against Romero; however, he had already been released from custody.

    Officers with ICE Boston arrested Romero in Lawrence Feb. 1. Romero remains in ICE custody.

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

    Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X: @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Guaranteed Rate Affinity Appoints Lynne Haney as Vice President of Mortgage Lending

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Guaranteed Rate Affinity, a leading mortgage provider offering unparalleled lending services through its exclusive partnership with Coldwell Banker, has appointed Lynne Haney as Vice President of Mortgage Lending. With more than 35 years of industry experience and a strong track record of community involvement, Haney brings deep expertise and a service-first mindset to the role.

    “I’ve had the privilege of helping hundreds of homebuyers secure the right financing while making their journey as seamless and enjoyable as possible,” said Haney. “I’m truly passionate about what I do—and I believe in giving back. For every purchase and refinance loan I close, I donate to local charities that support causes close to my heart.”

    Haney has been consistently recognized for her performance, including being named among the Top 1% of originators nationwide by Mortgage Executive Magazine in 2020 and earning top honors in the Best of the 603 survey. She has also served in various leadership roles with the Capital Region and Sunapee Region Boards of REALTORS® and America’s Credit Union Museum, where she chaired the Financial Literacy Education Committee.

    “Lynne’s experience and deep commitment to her clients and community make her a standout addition to our team,” said Scott Throneberry, Executive Vice President, National Sales. “She reflects the values we hold as a company, and we’re confident she’ll make an immediate impact on our growth and client experience.”

    Haney joins Guaranteed Rate Affinity as the company continues expanding its presence and capabilities across key markets. Her leadership will support the company’s mission to deliver exceptional service and results for borrowers and real estate partners alike.

    About Guaranteed Rate Affinity

    Guaranteed Rate Affinity is a joint venture between Guaranteed Rate, Inc. and Anywhere Integrated Services (NYSE: HOUS), which owns some of the industry’s most recognized and respected real estate brands. The innovative JV has funded over $100 billion in loans since its inception. Guaranteed Rate Affinity originates and markets its mortgage lending services to Anywhere’s real estate, brokerage, and relocation subsidiaries.

    Guaranteed Rate Affinity provides unmatched support to Anywhere brokers coast-to-coast, ensuring their customers receive fast pre-approvals, appraisals, and loan closings, creating the ability for buyers to move quickly and confidently when purchasing homes in today’s competitive market. The company also provides the same services to the public and other real estate brokerage and relocation companies across the country—helping employers improve their employees’ relocation experience by prioritizing customer service, digital mortgage ease, and competitive rates.

    Guaranteed Rate owns a controlling 50.1% stake in Guaranteed Rate Affinity, and Anywhere owns 49.9%. Visit grarate.com for more information.

    Media Contact:
    press@rate.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What politicians could actually do about the issues raised in Adolescence

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robert Lawson, Associate Professor in Sociolinguistics, Birmingham City University

    Mounir Taha/Shutterstock

    Netflix hit Adolescence has ignited conversations across the UK about contemporary masculinity, online radicalisation and violence against women and girls. It has also raised questions about the interventions needed at home, in schools and by the government to counter the seductive power of harmful content on social media.

    The series suggests the key to solving some of these issues is parents and teachers understanding the “manosphere”. This is a collection of websites, influencers and communities where men talk about “men’s issues”. But, as I’ve explored in my research, anti-women and anti-feminist sentiment also prevails.

    In an interview about the series, Adolescence writer Jack Thorne says:

    Jamie is not a simple product of the ‘manosphere’. He is a product of parents that didn’t see, a school that couldn’t care and a brain that didn’t stop him. Put 3,000 kids in the same situation and they wouldn’t do what he did. Yet spend any time on forums on 4chan or Reddit, spend any time on most social media platforms and you end up, quite quickly, in some dark spaces. Parents can try to regulate this, schools can stop mobile phone access but more needs to be done.

    Successive UK governments have attempted to counter online misogyny and violence against women and girls through legislation and public education schemes. But what would really work?

    Adolescence attaches much importance to language and emojis used by teens to obscure meaning, though there is undoubtedly some creative license behind the depictions of the emojis used to mean “incel” (involuntary celibate).

    But focusing on “slang parents and teachers need to know” is misguided. Every generation finds ways of talking about their lives in coded ways. And teen language is frequently tied to moral panics about what it potentially hides. Research has shown that regular, open and supportive conversations between parents and children are much more important.

    The role of schools

    The prime minister has suggested that Adolescence should be shown in schools. And Netflix has made the series available to secondary schools across the UK.

    In December 2024, education minister Bridget Phillipson announced new teaching guidance about incel culture and online misogyny. She argued that it was “vital to recognise the signs of these dangerous ideas as early as possible”.

    It’s encouraging to see the government take these issues seriously, but there are pitfalls. Teachers are under substantial pressure, struggling with workload and staffing. How many have the capacity to lead meaningful and supportive discussions, especially with limited training on these topics?

    Some research suggests that female teachers encounter explicit misogyny in their classrooms. This makes it even more difficult to facilitate conversations about gender and violence. Sessions on countering misogyny also pose the danger of alienating boys, making them feel like they are being vilified for the actions of other men and boys.



    Read more:
    Adolescence in schools: TV show’s portrayal of one boyhood may do more harm than good when used as a teaching tool

    Ultimately, interventions to reduce gender-based violence and misogyny need a “whole-school” approach that integrates gender equality across the curriculum, rather than isolating it within relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) classes. This content could also be covered in initial teacher training courses.

    Researchers have developed resources to challenge dangerous gender norms for use in schools, community groups and other forums. These include toolkits from Dublin City University, University of Liverpool and the MascNet research network, which focus on improving critical thinking, unpacking dominant ideas of masculinity and reflecting on different ways of being a man.

    My own work on A-level English curricula also offers suggestions. Improving digital literacy is key to helping young men identify the mechanisms of manipulation in the content they consume and resist the siren call of manosphere influences. This can encourage young men to rethink their assumptions about gender politics and masculinity, with the ultimate aim of reducing gender-based violence.

    Other discussions have focused on recruiting more male teachers and the importance of models of masculinity based on caring, empathy and emotional vulnerability. Again, these are appealing solutions, but the evidence that male role models improve outcomes for young people is mixed.

    Perhaps the trickiest debate concerns the regulation of media and technology. Adolescence writer Thorne has backed the UK following Australia’s approach to ban social media for under-16s, and some argue the government should ban smartphones for teenagers entirely. Experts say that such bans could do more harm than good.

    The UK’s new online safety laws may go some way to holding social media companies to account for moderating illegal or harmful content and algorithms through fines. This covers intimate image abuse, cyberflashing and some other forms of online misogyny, but there are likely to be gaps when it comes to male supremacist and manosphere content.

    And there are serious concerns about how the law will affect free speech and undermine privacy online.

    Investing in youth

    The problem with many of these strategies is that they fail to acknowledge the material reality of many young boys’ lives. There have been significant cuts over the past 20 years to youth provision, from clubs and community centres to mental health support.

    Boys’ prospects in terms of educational attainment and secure employment lag behind girls’. These inequalities become even more pronounced across regions and social classes, and won’t be solved by banning social media.

    Add to this disconnected communities and a potent combination of insecurity, precarity and frustrated expectation, it is no surprise that many young men find solace in an online world which gives them validation, belonging and a sense of community.



    Read more:
    Blaming absent dads for the crisis of masculinity is too simplistic – many men want to be more involved

    Thankfully, a number of organisations offer better solutions. Charities like Beyond Equality, the Manhood Academy, AndysManClub and Progressive Masculinity have provided outreach, mentoring and mental health provision for boys and young men across the UK for years.

    Similarly, the S.M.I.L.E-ing Boys Project supports boys from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities to develop their emotional intelligence, with positive outcomes in terms of navigating relationships and interpersonal conflict. Government investment would help these organisations reach more young men, alongside improving access for underserved communities.

    Adolescence has started some important conversations among parents, teens and politicians. But to make a difference in how young men navigate the world, how they deal with rejection, and how they negotiate the difficulties that life throws at them, these conversations need to be backed up with investment and concrete action.

    Robert Lawson is a Research Fellow in the Institute for Research on Male Supremacism.

    – ref. What politicians could actually do about the issues raised in Adolescence – https://theconversation.com/what-politicians-could-actually-do-about-the-issues-raised-in-adolescence-252978

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: More than just chips: Chinese threats and Trump tariffs could disrupt lots of ‘made in Taiwan’ imports − disappointing US builders, cyclists and golfers alike

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jay L. Zagorsky, Associate Professor Questrom School of Business, Boston University

    A cargo ship and containers are seen at the Port of Keelung in Taiwan on April 3, 2025. I-HWA CHENG/AFP via Getty Images

    What would the United States stand to lose economically if its current access to the Taiwanese market were upended or totally restricted?

    This seemingly theoretical question about the longtime U.S. trading partner has taken on more relevance in the past several weeks. First, longtime fears about a potential Chinese invasion of the island – which Beijing claims as its own – were magnified as China increased military pressure by sending patrols, firing live ammunition nearby, practicing blockading the island and even publicly revealing the existence of new barges that might be used in an invasion. If China uses force, Taiwan’s manufacturing capacity could be destroyed.

    Then on April 2, 2025, President Donald Trump announced a new 32% tariff on imports from Taipei, excluding semiconductors. Taiwan described the new tariffs, part of a radical upending of U.S. trade practices, as “deeply unreasonable.” They could also be deeply painful to U.S. consumers given the outsize role Taiwan imports play.

    The U.S. State Department calls Taiwan an important U.S. partner in “semiconductors and other critical supply chains.” But as I learned studying trade data and visiting the small but thriving island last fall, the U.S. depends on Taiwan for more than just sophisticated computer chips. In 2024, Taiwanese products constituted 3.6% of all U.S. imports.

    Overall trade figures

    Trade figures are known in detail because almost every government carefully tracks the contents of all shipping containers, cargo flights and bulk deliveries that legally leave and enter their borders. These figures are published online and broken down into very fine detail using a system called the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, or HTS. The HTS shows the tax or duty that must be paid for each kind of item and from every kind of country.

    In 2024, the U.S. exported US$1.7 trillion worth of goods to the world. Since few of us can conceptualize trillions, that is about $5,000 for every man, woman and child in the U.S.

    For its part, Taiwan in 2024 exported about that same amount per resident of the island just to the U.S., $5,000 – or about $90 billion overall. The U.S. is Taiwan’s second-biggest trading partner, after mainland China. Looking at their total exports, Taiwan shipped to the entire world about $20,000 worth of items for every resident.

    The vital technology component

    Not surprisingly, Taiwan’s biggest exports to the U.S. are computers, chips and other electronic hardware such as power supplies. These computer chips are so important that they were specifically excluded from the new tariffs.

    However, $90 billion of exports dramatically underestimates the amount of Taiwanese electronics that end up in U.S. hands. For example, the main chip inside all Apple iPhones is Taiwanese. However, these chips are sent from Taiwan to mainland Chinese factories where the phones are assembled. When these iPhones are exported from mainland China, the value of the chips inside the phone is not counted as U.S. imports from Taiwan. Instead, the whole phone is counted as an import from mainland China and slapped with a tariff.

    The building industry

    But while high-technology equipment often gets the headlines, imports from Taiwan are far broader – and the U.S. would face several economic shocks if Taiwan suddenly stopped exporting.

    First, the U.S. building industry could grind to a halt because Taiwan is a major producer of drywall screws. Though small and cheap, that’s a very significant product, given the prominence of drywall in the interior walls of almost every house, office and factory.

    Microchip and Taiwanese flag displayed on a phone screen.
    Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Overall, the U.S. uses a massive amount of drywall for new construction and remodeling. In 2024, the country consumed about 28 billion square feet of wallboard. That amount is enough to cover almost the state of Rhode Island.

    To hang drywall, every 100 square feet of the sheets needs about 125 screws. And the vast majority came last year from Taiwan. The U.S. imported over two-thirds of a billion dollars’ worth of the screws; the screws weighed over half a billion pounds.

    While the U.S. does make screws, domestic screw manufacturers primarily focus on high-value parts such as screws needed for airplanes, rocket ships and other performance vehicles, not lower-value screws whose wholesale cost is slightly more than a dollar a pound.

    Beyond screws, Taiwan is a major producer of tools. For example, approximately two-thirds of all socket wrenches, band saws, blowtorches, air compressors and grinders imported into the U.S. come from that island. Losing access to tools is not as crucial as losing access to the screws because many tools last a long time. But finding new suppliers is not trivial.

    The other basket of imports

    Finally, Taiwan is also a big U.S. supplier of sports goods.

    The country is a major producer of bicycles, with manufacturers such as Giant. In 2024, the U.S. imported from Taiwan over a quarter of a billion dollars in just bike parts, which U.S. manufacturers such as Specialized and Trek use when assembling bikes.

    Moreover, Taiwan controls a few key parts of the bike market. For example, over half of all bicycle crank sets, derailleurs and brake parts came from Taiwan. Without these products it is impossible to pedal, shift and even stop a bike.

    Taiwan is also one of the world’s leading suppliers of golf clubs, with the U.S. in 2024 importing about a quarter of a billion dollars’ worth of clubs from the island. To go along with the clubs, Taiwan also sent half a billion golf balls. Given that about 25 million people play on golf courses in the U.S. each year, that works out to 20 balls per player in just 2024.

    Finally, the island sent over a third of a million lacrosse sticks last year, which is almost one new stick for every member of the USA Lacrosse federation.

    All together, the data shows that not just Silicon Valley should be worried about geopolitical factors that disrupt imports from Taiwan. Taiwan might be a small island, but as the story of David and Goliath reminds us, size and impact are not related.

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

    – ref. More than just chips: Chinese threats and Trump tariffs could disrupt lots of ‘made in Taiwan’ imports − disappointing US builders, cyclists and golfers alike – https://theconversation.com/more-than-just-chips-chinese-threats-and-trump-tariffs-could-disrupt-lots-of-made-in-taiwan-imports-disappointing-us-builders-cyclists-and-golfers-alike-253729

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The missing link between whaling and abolition

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Increased whaling, decreased slavery

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Why whaling mattered

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Financing the fight against slavery

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

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

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

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

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

    Whaling’s vital role in ending slavery

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Florida is home to about 341,000 immigrants from Venezuela and Haiti who may soon lose residency, work permits

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mercedes Vigon, Associate professor of Journalism, Florida International University

    An activist protests the lifting of TPS status for Venezuelans in Doral, Fla. AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell

    Florida leads the nation in the number of immigrants with Temporary Protected Status, or TPS.

    Soon after taking office, the Trump administration moved to scale back protections for the largest groups of these immigrants – those from Haiti and Venezuela.

    TPS applies to immigrants from designated countries that the Department of Homeland Security considers dangerous due to armed conflicts, environmental disasters, epidemics or other conditions. There are currently 17 countries on the list. The most recent country added was Lebanon on Oct. 16, 2024.

    According to a federal report published in December 2024, nearly a third of the roughly 1.1 million TPS recipients live in Florida. Of those, 59% are Venezuelan and 35% are Haitian, with the other 6% coming from other TPS nations.

    I’m a professor of investigative journalism at Florida International University in Miami. For the past 24 years, I’ve worked with students to report how various waves of immigrants have integrated into Florida, and also on the impact of historical immigration crackdowns on the state’s workforce.

    Because so many TPS recipients live here, ending TPS may affect Florida more than any other state – but it is still hard to say if and when that will happen.

    Uncertain TPS expiration dates

    Temporary Protected Status allows beneficiaries to stay and work in the U.S. for a designated period, typically ranging from six to 18 months. This time period can be extended if conditions in the affected country remain unstable. It does not provide a permanent legal pathway to stay in the United States.

    President Joe Biden’s administration created two TPS designations for Venezuelans – one in 2021 and a second in 2023.

    In early February 2025, Trump’s Homeland Security director, Kristi Noem, rolled back extensions of TPS for Venezuelans that the outgoing Biden administration had issued on Jan. 17, 2025. Then, two days later, she issued a termination notice that canceled TPS for 2023 Venezuelan recipients altogether.

    Noem’s orders meant that almost 250,000 Venezuelans covered by the 2023 designation were expected to lose their residence and work permits on April 7, 2025. Another 256,000 Venezuelans who requested their TPS under the earlier designation were expected to lose their protections on Sept. 10, 2025.

    But Venezuelans got some breathing room on March 31, when U.S. District Judge Edward Chen blocked the change in their immigration status, writing that Noem’s decision “smacks of racism.” As a result, they will keep their TPS protections while the case moves through the courts.

    Noem has said that having Venezuelans in the country “is contrary to the national interest” and accused them without proof of gang affiliations.

    The judge’s ruling doesn’t affect the more than 520,000 Haitian immigrants nationwide expected to lose their TPS protection on Aug. 3, 2025.

    The expiration of TPS potentially affects 341,000 immigrants in Florida. But it doesn’t mean all of these people will leave the country. TPS rules allow immigrants to apply for a change of immigration status, and some will apply for asylum or student visas. Others will go underground.

    Local economic effects

    These policies won’t just affect Venezuelan and Haitian TPS holders personally. It will likely cause some big waves in the Florida economy.

    The non-profit American Immigration Council, an immigrant advocacy group, estimates that 95% of TPS holders in Florida age 16 and older are currently employed.

    They paid approximately US$485.9 million in local and Florida state taxes, according to the same report.

    Although the public often associates immigrants with work in the construction, agricultural and meatpacking industries, most are employed in education and health care.

    Fewer home health aides

    Immigrants account for 64% of all home health aides in Florida, according to the American Immigration Council.

    Nationwide, 1 in 4 direct care workers are immigrants, according to a policy brief from PHI, an advocacy group for elder care and disability service workers.

    Not all of these workers are TPS holders, but an estimated 7% of foreign-born caregivers are from Haiti. Additionally, the research from PHI suggests that the actual percentage of home health aides who are immigrants is likely higher, as many immigrant workers in this sector operate in the “gray market.” These workers receive direct payment from the people they work for, which makes their employment hard to track.

    PHI projects that the long-term care sector in the U.S. will need to fill 9.3 million new direct care job openings by 2031 due to the country’s aging population.

    School staff a concern

    The public school system is another area where the sudden loss of TPS recipients will likely be deeply felt.

    Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the third-largest school district in the country, is experiencing an ongoing shortage of teachers and staff. The district had nearly 700 education and support positions unfilled in August 2024, according to a district-by-district count done by the Florida Education Association.

    “It is not only teachers,” an administrator told me in March 2025, explaining that the vacancies are also among registrars, custodians, paraprofessionals and other roles. These “high stakes” education jobs, as he described them to me, are difficult for Miami-Dade County schools to fill.

    The Miami-Dade school district doesn’t report on the nationality of its employees – or their immigration status. But unfilled positions in the school district dropped after an influx of Venezuelans and Haitians in 2019, the administrator told me.

    Losing these workers would likely mean South Florida’s persistent education and home health care labor shortages would worsen – making it increasingly difficult for families with school-age children, the elderly and individuals with special needs to access affordable essential services.

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

    – ref. Florida is home to about 341,000 immigrants from Venezuela and Haiti who may soon lose residency, work permits – https://theconversation.com/florida-is-home-to-about-341-000-immigrants-from-venezuela-and-haiti-who-may-soon-lose-residency-work-permits-251791

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The Trump administration says Tren de Aragua is a terrorist group – but it’s really a transnational criminal organization. Here’s why the label matters.

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ernesto Castañeda, Professor, and Director, Center for Latin American and Latino Studies, American University

    Venezuelan immigrants, whom the Trump White House says are members of the Tren de Aragua gang, arrive in El Salvador on March 31, 2025. El Salvador Press Presidency Office/Anadolu via Getty Images

    The U.S. State Department declared on Feb. 20, 2025, that the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, as well as some Mexican drug cartels, are now considered foreign terrorist organizations.

    Is the new label warranted?

    Tren de Aragua is at the center of a controversial immigration case that the Supreme Court is going to consider.

    The Trump administration is using the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to justify deporting more than 100 of the 238 Venezuelan and Salvadoran male immigrants it sent to a prison in El Salvador on March 15. The administration says that these immigrants are members of gangs such as Tren de Aragua and are foreign enemies, so they can be sent away with just an order from the White House.

    The administration uses a checklist of items, including physical markers like tattoos, to determine these individuals’ association with Tren de Aragua. Although in reality, the Tren de Aragua gang members do not use any specific tattoos.

    Family members and lawyers representing some of the Venezuelan immigrants say that they are not actually associated with the gang, and that some of them were living in the U.S. legally.

    I am an expert on immigration, and I think it is important to understand why classifying Tren de Aragua as a foreign terrorist organization has sparked debate among observers.

    One important reason is that Tren de Aragua is primarily a profit-driven group, not an ideological one – placing the organization more firmly in the transnational organized crime category rather than a political terrorist group.

    Venezuelan immigrants deported from the U.S. arrived in El Salvador in March 2025.
    El Salvador Press Presidency Office/Anadolu via Getty Images

    Understanding Tren de Aragua

    Tren de Aragua originated as a small prison gang in the early 2000s within Tocorón prison in Venezuela’s state of Aragua, located near the country’s capital, Caracas.

    Over the past 25 years, Tren de Aragua has expanded rapidly across South and Central America, and evolved into a transnational criminal organization under the leadership of Hector Guerrero Flores. Also known as Niño Guerrero, Flores is a 41-year-old Venezuelan who first served time in Tocorón prison in 2010 for killing a police officer before he escaped for the first time in 2012. His current location is not known.

    Flores is wanted by the U.S. and Colombia for various crimes related to expanding the group’s criminal network throughout South and Central America.

    Today, an estimated 5,000 people are affiliated with Tren de Aragua, which is mainly focused on human trafficking and other crimes targeting migrants. The gang has also been linked to other criminal organizations in Latin America and is involved with extortion, kidnapping, money laundering and drug smuggling. The number of active members in the United States is in the low hundreds, and clearly the great majority of Venezuelans here are not members.

    Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arrives at the presidential palace in San Salvador, El Salvador, to discuss the deportation of Venezuelan immigrants to the country on March 26, 2025.
    Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images

    Different end goals

    Tren de Aragua has expanded in part because of its ability to exploit weak governance within the state of Aragua, and eventually across Venezuela, which faces political instability and a weak economy. An expansion beyond Venezuela has allowed the gang to connect with other transnational criminal networks.

    Most accepted definitions of terrorism say it is a kind of violence, usually used against civilians, motivated by political and ideological beliefs and goals. Tren de Aragua does not fit that definition. It does not have a political ideology and therefore is not an actual terrorist organization.

    The U.S. government considers a foreign terrorist organization a foreign group that engages in terrorist activity, or plans to do so, in a way that threatens the security of U.S. nationals or the country more broadly.

    Tren de Aragua is among the eight groups that the State Department first classified as foreign terrorist organizations in the first few months of 2025 after Donald Trump’s inauguration. The other new groups put on the list primarily include Latin American drug trafficking organizations, like the Mexican Sinaloa cartel.

    While transnational criminal organizations and foreign terrorist organizations both engage in violence and illicit activities, their end goals are different.

    Foreign terrorist organizations such as al-Qaida and the Islamic State group seek political, religious or ideological change – or all three – as they try to use violence to reshape the political landscape of their regions.

    Terrorist groups and transnational criminal organizations are not the same

    Tren de Aragua, as well as other transnational criminal groups like MS-13 – which originated in Los Angeles but now operates throughout the Americas – and the Sinaloa cartel, carry out illegal, violent activities across borders in order to make money.

    These groups do not have political or ideological motives beyond creating conditions to maximize their own profits. They do not aim to take political power in the U.S. or elsewhere, or try to remake society in their own image. That is beyond their purview and capabilities.

    Properly distinguishing between terrorist organizations and transnational criminal organizations is crucial for devising effective policies and responses to their violence. Mislabeling these groups can lead to inappropriate responses such as putting aside civil liberties, due process and human rights.

    Incorrectly classifying Tren de Aragua and other criminal groups as terrorist organizations could shift U.S. foreign policy and resources toward counterterrorism efforts and away from decreasing the power and violence exercised by organized crime and drug cartels in many parts of Latin America.

    However, the way in which many Venezuelans and other immigrants have been deported from the country over the past few months without passing through immigration court seems to indicate that the main rationale for the talk about alien enemies and these terrorist designations is to aid in the goal of mass deportations, rather than to fight domestic or international terrorism.

    If the U.S. truly wants to curb undocumented immigration and reduce drug and human trafficking, then I believe that it should ensure that its classification of these organizations is accurate and aligned with its actual objectives.

    Melissa Vasquez, a graduate student at American University studying international affairs and the Northern Triangle in Central America, contributed to this piece.

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

    – ref. The Trump administration says Tren de Aragua is a terrorist group – but it’s really a transnational criminal organization. Here’s why the label matters. – https://theconversation.com/the-trump-administration-says-tren-de-aragua-is-a-terrorist-group-but-its-really-a-transnational-criminal-organization-heres-why-the-label-matters-252793

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Myanmar military’s attacks continue despite quake truce, warns UN’s Türk

    Source: United Nations 2

    Humanitarian Aid

    Myanmar’s military has continued to launch airstrikes and other attacks against opposition forces in the devastated country, one week since a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck and despite announcing a ceasefire, UN human rights chief Volker Türk said on Friday.

    “In the days following the deadly earthquake that tore through central Myanmar last week, the Myanmar military continued operations and attacks, including airstrikes – some of which were launched shortly after tremors subsided,” said Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

    “We urge a halt to all military operations and for the focus to be on assisting those impacted by the quake,” she told journalists in Geneva, reiterating Mr. Türk’s call for an “inclusive political solution” to end more than four years of fighting sparked by the junta’s February 2021 coup d’état.

    Latest data from the UN human rights office, OHCHR, points to at least 61 reported attacks across Myanmar since the disaster happened, including 16 since the ceasefire announced by the military took effect on 2 April.

    The tactics of the military – known as the Tatmadaw in Myanmar – include using near-silent adapted paragliders to bomb communities, said James Rodehaver, Head of OHCHR’s Myanmar team: “What those are is an individual military operative who uses a hang-glider with a backpack attached to his back or to his torso with a large fan on it and he uses that to essentially paraglide using the fan as a motor over areas and drop hand-held bombs or munitions onto targets below.”

    Widespread needs

    The development follows an urgent call by UN Secretary-General António Guterres for immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access to the country after the disaster claimed more than 3,000 lives and left millions in urgent need of aid.

    Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters in New York, the UN chief warned that the earthquake had “supercharged the suffering”. “Myanmar today is the scene of utter devastation and desperation,” he said.

    The regions most impacted by the earthquake which struck at approximately 12.50pm local time on 28 March are Mandalay – the country’s second city and home to 1.2 million people – Sagaing, Nay Pyi Taw, Bago, Magway, Shan South and East.

    Assessments have shown widespread destruction across central Myanmar to critical infrastructure – including health facilities, road networks and bridges.

    In an update, the UN World Health Organization also reported that electricity and water supplies remain disrupted, worsening access to health services and heightening risks of waterborne and foodborne disease outbreaks.

    The UN refugee agency, UNHCR – which issued an appeal on Friday for $16 million to support 1.2 million survivors – said that up to 80 per cent of structures in Mandalay are estimated to have collapsed.

    Access obstacles

    UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch explained that the UN agency has already deployed existing emergency relief including plastic sheets and kitchen sets for 25,000 survivors in Mandalay, Sagaing and Bago regions, as well as the capital, Nay Pyi Taw, and parts of Shan State.

    UN partner the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) meanwhile reported that 136 townships have been affected by the earthquake “and about 25 per cent are in areas not controlled by the Government, so that’s complicating the access”.

    Echoing those concerns, Ms. Shamdasani from the UN human rights office said that the scale of the disaster had been made worse by the information blackout caused by internet and telecommunications shutdowns “imposed by the military”.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Peers elevated to the House of Lords after a career in the House of Commons are often merely being rewarded for loyalty – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephen Holden Bates, Senior Lecturer in Political Science, University of Birmingham

    CC BY-NC-ND

    House of Lords reform is being debated once again with the passage of the bill to end hereditary peerages. But far more wide-reaching reform is needed. Our research reveals potential flaws in the appointments system. Far from being a representative chamber filled with those from all walks of life, we found evidence to suggest that the House of Lords contains a large constituency of former MPs – who are often there as a reward for their partisan loyalty.

    Since the introduction of life peers in 1958 and especially since the removal of all except 92 hereditary peers in 1999, former MPs have become an increasingly important constituency in the House of Lords. They make up about a third of the approximate 1,600 life peers who have been created since 1958. The others have largely been appointed because of their specialist skills or life experiences or, apparently, because of how much money they donated to political parties.

    The Lords is getting more and more crowded.
    House of Lords/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

    At present, around a fifth of all peers and coming up to a quarter of life peers sat at one time or another in the House of Commons. And nearly a fifth of all MPs who sat in and subsequently left the Commons between 1979 and 2019 went on to become a peer at some point afterwards.

    These ex-MPs became peers having been nominated in a dissolution honours list prior to a general election, a resignation honours list when a prime minister departed from office, or a political list, which is used to top up the strengths of the three main parties in the chamber. A handful have been appointed as a government minister and therefore needed a seat in parliament.

    Becoming a peer is an attractive option for many ex-MPs. Not only do they become part of the titled nobility, but they also have membership of the House of Lords for life, access to a generous allowances system, and the ability to maintain (and expand) outside interests.

    Our research shows that MPs who become peers are whiter and older than those MPs who don’t make it to the upper chamber. They are more likely to be heterosexual and a member of the aristocracy. They are also more likely to be the child or grandchild of a former MP and to have been educated at a public school, attended university – in particular, Oxford or Cambridge – and have studied PPE (philosophy, politics and economics) at Oxford. They are less likely to have a PhD but also less likely to have had a manual occupation as their first career.

    We also found that serving on the front bench as an MP and resisting the temptation to rebel against your party makes you more likely to be elevated to the House of Lords after serving in the House of Commons.

    For elevated MPs who had served on the frontbench in the House of Commons, their length of frontbench tenure and whether or not they became a minister were the most important indicators of them later becoming a peer. But time served is not necessarily an indicator of excellence. As former MP Rory Stewart has argued, promotion to the frontbench “has nothing to do with expertise. It’s about loyalty and defending the indefensible”. To the extent that experience matters then, it can be said to be more in the sense of direct personal participation rather than accumulated knowledge.

    Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

    Sign up for our weekly politics newsletter, delivered every Friday.

    For those MPs who had remained backbenchers throughout their time in the Commons, their loyalty was the strongest indicator of their chances of becoming a peer. There is also some evidence, albeit weak, that familial links for backbenchers and aristocratic links for frontbenchers increase the likelihood of receiving a peerage. There are different pathways from the House of Commons into the House of Lords and some MPs appear to find it easier than others to travel along them.

    Our results suggest that for ex-MPs, almost certainly the largest sub-group in the House of Lords, elevation to the peerage is not based on merit alone. Loyalty and, to a lesser extent, nepotism also appear to matter and help to win you a ticket to the Lords.

    Fresh impetus for reform

    Overall, we believe our findings call into question the continued use of appointments to the Lords that are wholly based on the patronage of party leaders.

    The work of parliament is not enhanced by elevating ex-MPs who are in the upper chamber for reasons other than merit or expertise. Neither is it enhanced in the lower chamber through dangling the possibility of elevation to the peerage to encourage loyalty. Both of these sub-optimal situations are only made possible by the House of Lords’ size, which allows for a substantial number of MPs to be elevated in the first place, and it being entirely appointed.

    Every upper chamber in the world except the House of Lords is smaller than the lower chamber of its parliament. And a sizable majority of these upper chambers use elections, either direct or indirect, as the principal mode of designation of members.

    If we truly want to enhance the work of parliament, perhaps it is finally time for the UK to iron out some of its idiosyncratic constitutional kinks and fit in more with the crowd.

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

    – ref. Peers elevated to the House of Lords after a career in the House of Commons are often merely being rewarded for loyalty – new study – https://theconversation.com/peers-elevated-to-the-house-of-lords-after-a-career-in-the-house-of-commons-are-often-merely-being-rewarded-for-loyalty-new-study-251968

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US and Russia squabble over Arctic security as melting ice opens up shipping routes

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

    “You cannot annex another country.” This was the clear message given by the Danish prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, at a recent press conference with the outgoing and incoming prime ministers of Greenland. It did not appear aimed at Russian president Vladimir Putin, but at Donald Trump, the president of one of her country’s closest allies, who has threatened to take over Greenland.

    Frederiksen, speaking in Greenland’s capitak Nuuk, was stating something that is obvious under international law but can no longer be taken for granted. US foreign policy under Trump has become a major driver of this uncertainty, playing into the hands of Russian, and potentially Chinese, territorial ambitions.

    The incoming Greenlandic prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, made it clear that it was for Greenlanders to determine their future, not the United States. Greenland, which is controlled by Denmark, makes its own domestic policy decisions. Polls suggest a majority of islanders want independence from Denmark in the future, but don’t want to be part of the US.

    Trump’s interest in Greenland is often associated with the island’s vast, but largely untapped, mineral resources. But its strategic location is arguably an even greater asset. Shipping routes through the Arctic have become more dependable and for longer periods of time during the year as a result of melting sea ice. The northwest passage (along the US and Canadian shorelines) and the northeast passage (along Russia’s Arctic coast) are often ice free now during the summer.


    Breaking the Ice: Arctic Development and Maritime Transportation, ArcticPortal.org

    This has increased opportunities for commercial shipping. For example, the distance for a container ship from Asia to Europe through the northeast passage can be up to three times shorter, compared to traditional routes through the Suez Canal or around Africa.

    Similarly, the northwest passage offers the shortest route between the east coast of the United States and Alaska. Add to that the likely substantial resources that the Arctic has, from oil and gas to minerals, and the entire region is beginning to look like a giant real estate deal in the making.

    Arctic assets

    The economic promise of the Arctic, and particularly the region’s greater accessibility, have also heightened military and security sensitivities.

    The day before J.D. Vance’s visit to Greenland on March 28, Vladimir Putin, gave a speech at the sixth international Arctic forum in Murmansk in Russia’s high north, warning of increased geopolitical rivalry.

    While he claimed that “Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic”, he was also quick to emphasise that Moscow was “enhancing the combat capabilities of the Armed Forces, and modernising military infrastructure facilities” in the Arctic.

    Equally worrying, Russia has increased its naval cooperation with China and given Beijing access, and a stake, in the Arctic. In April 2024, the two countries’ navies signed a cooperation agreement on search and rescue missions on the high seas.


    National Snow & Ice Data Center, Arctic Portal

    In September 2024, China participated in Russia’s largest naval manoeuvres in the post-cold war era, Ocean-2024, which were conducted in north Pacific and Arctic waters. The following month, Russian and Chinese coastguard vessels conducted their first joint patrol in the Arctic. Vance, therefore, has a point when he urges Greenland and Denmark to cut a deal with the US because the “island isn’t safe”.

    That the Russia-China partnership has resulted in an increasingly military presence in the Arctic has not gone unnoticed in the west. Worried about the security of its Arctic territories, Canada has just announced a C$6 billion (£3.2 billion) upgrade to facilities in the North American Aerospace Defense Command it operates jointly with the United States.

    It will also acquire more submarines, icebreakers and fighter jets to bolster its Arctic defences and invest a further C$420 million (£228 million) into a greater presence of its armed forces.



    Read more:
    Arctic breakdown: what climate change in the far north means for the rest of us

    Svalbard’s future role?

    Norway has similarly boosted its defence presence in the Arctic, especially in relation to the Svalbard archipelago (strategically located between the Norwegian mainland and the Arctic Circle). This has prompted an angry response from Russia, wrongly claiming that Oslo was in violation of the 1920 Svalbard Treaty which awarded the archipelago to Norway with the proviso that it must not become host to Norwegian military bases.

    Under the treaty, Russia has a right to a civilian presence there. The “commission on ensuring Russia’s presence on the archipelago Spitzbergen”, the name Moscow uses for Svalbard is chaired by Russian deputy prime minister Yury Trutnev, who is also Putin’s envoy to the far eastern federal district. Trutnev has repeatedly complained about undue Norwegian restrictions on Russia’s presence in Svalbard.

    From the Kremlin’s perspective, this is less about Russia’s historical rights on Svalbard and more about Norway’s – and Nato’s – presence in a strategic location at the nexus of the Greenland, Barents and Norwegian seas. From there, maritime traffic along Russia’s northeast passage can be monitored. If, and when, a central Arctic shipping route becomes viable, which would pass between Greenland and Svalbard, the strategic importance of the archipelago would increase further.

    From Washington’s perspective, Greenland is more important because of its closer proximity to the US. But Svalbard is critical to Nato for monitoring and countering Russian, and potentially Chinese, naval activities. This bigger picture tends to get lost in Trump’s White House, which is more concerned with its own immediate neighbourhood and cares less about regional security leadership.

    Consequently, there has been no suggestion – so far – that the US needs to have Svalbard in the same way that Trump claims he needs Greenland to ensure US security. Nor has Russia issued any specific threats to Svalbard. But it was noticeable that Putin in his speech at the Arctic forum discussed historical territorial issues, including an obscure 1910 proposal for a land swap between the US, Denmark and Germany involving Greenland.

    Putin also noted “that Nato countries are increasingly often designating the Far North as a springboard for possible conflicts”. It is not difficult to see Moscow’s logic: if the US can claim Greenland for security reasons, Russia should do the same with Svalbard.

    The conclusion to draw from this is not that Trump should aim to annex a sovereign Norwegian island next. Maritime geography in the north Atlantic underscores the importance of maintaining and strengthening long-established alliances.

    Investing in expanded security cooperation with Denmark and Norway as part of Nato would secure US interests closer to home and send a strong message to Russia. It would also signal to the wider world that the US is not about to initiate a territorial reordering of global politics to suit exclusively the interests of Moscow, Beijing and Washington.

    Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    – ref. US and Russia squabble over Arctic security as melting ice opens up shipping routes – https://theconversation.com/us-and-russia-squabble-over-arctic-security-as-melting-ice-opens-up-shipping-routes-253493

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

    The dance of death

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

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

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

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

    White Lotus is streaming on Sky Atlantic and Now TV.



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

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

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

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



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

    The pain of uncertainty

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

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

    Embracing Uncertainty by Margaret Heffernan is out now.



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

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

    The trailer for Novocaine.

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

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

    Novocaine is in cinemas now.



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

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

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

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

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Friday, 4 April 2025

    Photo Yiho

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

    Photo RGS Corea

    Photo Vincent Park

    Photo Vincent Park

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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/SUDAN – After two years of war: Khartoum is slowly returning to normality

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Khartoum (Agenzia Fides) – Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, which was recaptured on March 26 by the regular army (Sudan Armed Forces, SAF) from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militiamen, is slowly returning to normality.Today, April 4, citizens were able to cross the Omdurman Bridge into Khartoum for the first time since the outbreak of war in Sudan almost two years ago. Omdurman is a satellite city of Khartoum, which had been captured by the RSF since the outbreak of war on April 15, 2023, and which had taken control of large parts of the administrative districts, including the Presidential Palace.After recapturing the city, the Sudanese government is trying to restore normal life in the Khartoum area, which includes the city of the same name, Omdurman, and Bahrī.In its first meeting at Khartoum headquarters since the outbreak of the war, the Khartoum State Administration announced a package of urgent emergency measures on April 2, including resolving water and electricity supply problems, operating hospitals, providing urgent food aid, and improving environmental conditions. During their withdrawal from Khartoum State, RSF militants allegedly committed crimes against the civilian population. According to local authorities, at least 89 people were killed by the RSF on March 27 in some villages north of Omdurman. Meanwhile, RSF Deputy Commander Abdel Rahim Hamdan Daglo threatened in a video to invade two northern States, signaling his intention to continue the war despite recent defeats. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 4/4/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: Brag House Announces Participation in The LD Micro Invitational Conference

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Brag House Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: TBH) (the “Company”), a pioneering media-tech platform at the intersection of gaming, college sports, and social interaction, announced today that it will be participating in the 15th Annual LD Micro Invitational Conference at the Westin Grand Central in New York on April 9th and 10th, 2025.

    Brag House is scheduled to present on April 10, 2025, at 1:00 PM ET, with one-on-one investor meetings to follow. Lavell Juan Malloy II, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, and Chetan Jindal, Chief Financial Officer, will deliver the presentation and represent the Company at the event.

    “The LD Micro Invitational offers a dynamic platform to connect with the investor community and showcase the momentum we’re building at Brag House,” said Malloy. “We’re creating a new kind of media experience—one that’s driven by engagement, inclusivity, and the digital habits of Gen Z. We look forward to sharing our story and vision at the conference in New York.”

    The LD Micro Invitational is one of the premier investor conferences dedicated to showcasing the most innovative and dynamic companies in the micro- and small-cap space. The event features a curated selection of presenters and provides a high-impact environment for networking and strategic dialogue.

    The presentation will be webcast live on the conference event platform, which can be accessed at https://ldinv15.sequireevents.com/

    For more information or to schedule a one-on-one meeting with Brag House, please contact acarey@allianceadvisors.com.

    About Brag House
    Brag House is a leading media technology gaming platform dedicated to transforming casual college gaming into a vibrant, community-driven experience. By seamlessly merging gaming, social interaction, and cutting-edge technology, the Company provides an inclusive and engaging environment for casual gamers while enabling brands to authentically connect with the influential Gen Z demographic. The platform offers live-streaming capabilities, gamification features, and custom tournament services, fostering meaningful engagement between users and brands. For more information, please visit www.braghouse.com.

    About LD Micro
    LD Micro aims to be the most essential resource in the micro-cap world. Whether it is the Index, comprehensive data, or hosting the most significant events annually, LD’s sole mission is to serve as an invaluable asset for all those interested in finding the next generation of great companies. To learn more about LD Micro, visit http://www.ldmicro.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “potential,” “continue” or other similar expressions. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the risk factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s filings with the SEC. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations that arise after the date hereof, except as may be required by law.

    Media Contact:
    Fatema Bhabrawala
    Director of Media Relations
    fbhabrawala@allianceadvisors.com

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Adele Carey
    VP, Investor Relations
    ir@thebraghouse.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Introduces Legislation Banning Energy Exports to China and Other Foreign Adversaries

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENR), has introduced legislation banning energy exports to China and other foreign adversaries. Having long warned that America is “exporting our principal advantage in the world economy,” Senator King joined with colleagues to introduce the Protecting American Households From Rising Energy Costs Act. The legislation would ban the export of crude oil or liquefied natural gas (LNG) to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

    Senator King has repeatedly warned against “subsidizing Chinese manufacturing” by exporting natural gas to our adversaries without studying how it could be counterproductive for America’s domestic energy costs.

    “The Protecting American Households from Rising Energy Costs Act would ensure that America provides our nation with its power needs before subsidizing industries in adversarial countries. This is a commonsense approach that will support America’s national defense and help to keep energy costs lower for everyday Americans,” said Senator King.

    In 2021, 1.2 billion cubic feet per day of LNG were exported to China, making it the second largest destination for American LNG at 12.7 percent of exports. Exports to China dropped in the wake of Russia’s war on Ukraine, but China is locking up long-term LNG contracts from the U.S. for proposed projects. The Protecting American Households From Rising Energy Costs Act would increase American energy security and protect American consumers by ensuring that valuable national resources are not being exported to adversarial nations.

    In addition to King, this legislation is sponsored by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Jack Reed (D-RI).

    Senator King has consistently worked to lower energy prices for Maine people. During his first term in Congress, Senator King introduced the Natural Consumer Gas Protection Act, which would have required the Department of Energy (DOE) to consider the effect that any natural gas export proposal would have on domestic prices and employment, regional impacts, and any impact on U.S. industrial competitiveness. Senator King has also worked to support the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program and to support Maine people struggling to heat their homes.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government consents Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Government consents Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm

    The Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm off the Sussex coast has been consented, securing 1.2 GW of clean, secure, homegrown power for British families.

    • Approval of Rampion 2 means that the government has consented enough clean energy to power 1.86 million homes, since July
    • Estimated 9,000 jobs created as a result of approving major offshore wind and solar projects
    • Delivers on government Plan for Change to make decisions on 150 Development Consent Order applications over this Parliament

    A major offshore wind farm capable of producing enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of one million homes – has today (Friday 4 April) been approved by the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

    The Rampion 2 Offshore Wind Farm off the Sussex coast has been granted planning permission, securing 1.2GW of clean, secure, homegrown power for British families and businesses. 

    Seizing on the economic opportunity of the 21st century, accelerating towards clean energy will create the jobs of the future across the UK. The Rampion 2 developer estimates that this project alone will create 4,000 jobs in the construction of the 90 offshore turbines. 

    Approval moves the government a step closer to delivering clean power by 2030, putting the UK within 4 GW of the offshore wind range of 43-50 GW set out in the Clean Power Action Plan.  

    This step underlines the government’s commitment to unlocking vital infrastructure and backing growth and is the 15th Development Consent Order approved since July.

    This decision follows measures in the new Planning and Infrastructure Bill which will see dozens of clean energy projects, including wind and solar power, jump to the front of the queue for grid connections.  

    The Bill will pave the way for windfarms and other low carbon infrastructure to be approved and built faster as part of the government’s mission to deliver homegrown, clean power that Britain controls and lower energy bills for good.  

    Energy Security Secretary Ed Miliband said:  

    The UK has a boundless supply of wind that cannot be turned on and off at the whims of dictators and petrostates. 

    It’s time to get off the fossil fuel rollercoaster, roll out clean power, protect our energy security and bring down bills for good. 

    This project puts us within reach of our clean power offshore wind target. Through our Plan for Change we’re getting on with delivering the clean energy and jobs Britain needs.

    The government has already approved  a number of major energy infrastructure projects since July, including:  

    • Cottam Solar Farm: 600 MW, enough to power the equivalent of 180,000 homes and support over 1,000 jobs during construction
    • Heckington Fen Solar Farm: 500 MW, enough to power the equivalent of 150,000 homes and support over 1,000 jobs during construction
    • Mallard Pass Solar Farm: 350 MW, enough to power the equivalent of 100,000 homes and support around 400 jobs during construction
    • Sunnica Solar Farm: 250 MW, enough to power the equivalent of 150,000 homes and support around 1,690 jobs during construction
    • Gate Burton Solar Farm: 531 MW, enough to power the equivalent of 160,000 homes and support around 360 construction jobs
    • West Burton Solar Farm: 480 MW, enough to power the equivalent of 140,000 homes and support around 430 construction jobs

    In the last renewables auction round the government secured almost 5 GW of new offshore wind capacity, including the largest offshore windfarm project in Europe – the Hornsea 3 project off the Yorkshire coast. 

    Notes to editor 

    The details of the planning decision and the reasons for the decision are set out in the Secretary of State’s Decision Letter, which is published alongside the Report from the Examining Authority on the Planning Inspectorate website

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Live Markets Announces LMGX Token, Setting the Stage for a Landmark Security Token Offering in 2027

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SOFIA, Bulgaria, April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Live Markets has officially announced the launch of LMGX, a blockchain-powered digital asset designed to drive financial and trading innovation. Operating under the esteemed LM Group umbrella, Live Markets benefits from the industry leadership and long-standing credibility of a financial powerhouse that has shaped the online trading and digital asset domains for over a decade.

    Live Markets, as the licensed entity responsible for the expansion and regulatory oversight of LMGX, is taking a bold step forward in blockchain-powered finance. Backed by LM Group’s robust financial infrastructure and extensive market presence, Live Markets operates at the intersection of traditional finance and blockchain technology.

    “Live Markets is not merely introducing another token. We are advancing a vision that redefines digital finance. LMGX is a financial instrument designed to provide a clear pathway from blockchain utility to structured equity. This launch is not just a product of innovation but of strategic foresight, ensuring that our investors have a real stake in the future of finance,” said a spokesperson from Live Markets.

    LMGX is a utility token designed to enhance transactions within the LM Group ecosystem. Built on blockchain technology, it offers lower fees and faster processing for seamless transactions, smart contract automation to reduce risk and increase efficiency, enhanced security to ensure transparency and fraud protection, and scalability for smooth integration across multiple platforms, such as online gaming.

    With a legacy of trust and success through LMFX and Crypto LMFX, LM Group has demonstrated stability, resilience, and industry leadership. This credibility is a crucial factor in ensuring the success of LMGX, as the token integrates into an ecosystem already trusted by traders, investors, and institutions worldwide.

    The launch of LMGX is a calculated evolution in the company’s growth strategy that is setting the foundation for an asset that will transform from a digital token into a regulated financial instrument.

    The LMGX Initial Coin Offering (ICO), scheduled from March to May 2025, will provide early investors access to the token, engineered for immediate utility and long-term financial transformation.

    The defining moment for LMGX, however, will come in 2027, when the Security Token Offering (STO) will allow LMGX holders to convert their tokens into equity shares, a first-of-its-kind transition for the company and a major milestone in digital asset history.

    “In 2027, we are introducing a new financial paradigm—one where blockchain assets seamlessly integrate with institutional finance. The LMGX STO will mark a shift in how digital investments evolve, offering our token holders the ability to transition from cryptocurrency investors to equity stakeholders. This is the natural evolution of digital finance, and Live Markets is leading the way,” the spokesperson stated.

    Unlike speculative cryptocurrencies that thrive on hype, LMGX is rooted in tangible functionality. Built on Ethereum’s secure and scalable blockchain, it facilitates low-cost transactions, high-speed processing, and secure interactions across financial and trading platforms. Token holders will have access to personalized loyalty programs, staking rewards, and seamless investment opportunities, enhancing engagement while ensuring the long-term stability of the ecosystem.

    The ICO framework reflects Live Markets’ commitment to fairness and transparency, eliminating private sales to ensure an equitable distribution model. Investors will acquire LMGX at a fixed rate of 1 LMGX = 1 USDC, with a total supply capped at 100 million tokens. Forty percent of the supply (i.e., 40,000,000 LMGX) will be allocated to the ICO, while the remainder will be distributed across liquidity reserves, product development, compliance funding, and operational expansion.

    The spokesperson stated, “The token will first be listed on Crypto LMFX, providing immediate accessibility, before rolling out across major external exchanges to enhance liquidity and market presence.”

    Regulatory groundwork for the STO is already underway, ensuring compliance with international financial regulations and reinforcing investor confidence in Live Markets’ long-term stability. Unlike many blockchain projects that operate in legal gray areas, Live Markets has structured LMGX with full regulatory oversight, ensuring that its transition to an equity-backed instrument aligns with global financial standards.

    With the ICO commencing in March 2025, Live Markets is inviting investors, institutions, and blockchain visionaries to take part in a transformative financial initiative, one that will bridge decentralized finance with structured investment frameworks.

    To participate in the LMGX ICO, visit lmgxtoken.com.

    For more information, follow us on our socials: X, Discord, Telegram, Instagram, and Facebook.

    For media inquiries, please contact:
    Kevin Scott
    Head of Media & Partnerships
    kevin.scott@lmgxtoken.com

    About Live Markets
    Live Markets is the licensed entity responsible for the regulatory oversight and expansion of Crypto LMFX and the LMGX Token. Operating under LM Group, a global financial powerhouse known for its industry-leading foreign exchange brokerage LMFX and rapidly expanding digital asset exchange Crypto LMFX, Live Markets is bringing evolution to blockchain-driven finance.

    Disclaimer: This press release is provided by Live Markets. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector–including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining–complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/74ffd7c2-5319-4df4-9929-c53841121a76

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/aad4c828-6792-4bc4-823a-e75ea37c59fb

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The problem with Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center isn’t the possibility of ‘Cats’

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joanna Dee Das, Associate Professor of Dance, Washington University in St. Louis

    Donald Trump visits the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on March 17, 2025. Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images

    When President Donald Trump announced that he was assuming control of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, he described the move as a triumph over “wokey” programming. He subsequently fired the 17 board members appointed by President Joe Biden and installed himself as chairman.

    Some critics have reacted to the move by suggesting Trump doesn’t understand art.

    One protester declared that Trump has “no artistic bones in his body.” Theater aficionados claim that he misinterprets his favorite musicals, “Cats” and “Les Misérables.”

    The New Yorker magazine’s satirical description of the Kennedy Center’s 2025 programming under Trump included a fictional show called “Forbidden Branson.” The title plays on the show “Forbidden Broadway,” replacing New York’s storied theater district with the popular Ozarks tourist destination that has been maligned as a mecca of bad taste.

    To me, these responses play right into Trump’s hands, reinforcing his claims that liberals are out-of-touch elitists.

    I’ve spent the past seven years researching and writing a book about Branson, Missouri, a town that offers a plethora of live entertainment, including magic shows, country music performances and variety shows. Many of the productions have a conservative, Christian slant. In my view, a Branson-style show could – and should – belong among the offerings at the Kennedy Center.

    Rather than ridiculing the president’s taste, I think responses to the takeover would be better placed focusing on more fundamental questions about the role of the U.S. government in the nation’s artistic life.

    How can a national arts institution best reflect the country’s diverse range of people and interests? Prior to Trump, how well was the Kennedy Center doing at that?

    Historical opposition to arts funding

    For most of U.S. history, government had a very limited role in the arts.

    European royals had long patronized the arts. In contrast, the founders of the United States, fearful of tyranny, created a weak federal government that could barely impose taxes, let alone establish a national theater.

    Instead, artists of the 18th and 19th centuries operated in a for-profit marketplace. Their audiences rejected elitist cultural norms and watched Shakespeare mixed in with minstrel songs and comedy acts on the same program.

    At the end of the 19th century, the Second Industrial Revolution created a class of ultra-wealthy Americans who sought to imitate European royalty and their tradition of patronage. New cultural distinctions emerged. Opera, ballet and classical music were designated as high art; variety shows featuring comedians, popular songs and acrobatics were designated as low art. Musicals eventually found an uneasy niche as “middlebrow.” Performers who wished to avoid the grind of the commercial marketplace could now turn to private patrons. Nonwhite and working-class performers who lacked social connections to the upper crust had fewer opportunities to do so.

    The Great Depression compelled the U.S. government to fund artists for the first time. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established Federal Project Number One, which included visual art, theater, music and writing programs. Its primary goal was to provide work for the unemployed. Its secondary purpose involved creating art that would be accessible to ordinary Americans both in terms of location – like murals in public buildings – and content, such as plays like “One Third of a Nation” that spoke to housing concerns.

    An audience enjoys a public Federal Theatre Project performance in New York in the late 1930s.
    Dick Rose/Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images

    Heated controversies over the program ensued. If the main criterion to receive a grant was need, not skill, would government funding churn out bad art?

    Conservative congressmen argued that Federal One artists were taking “unbridled license to ridicule American ideals and to suggest rebellion against our government.” In 1938, the newly formed House Committee on Un-American Activities accused the head of Federal One’s Theatre Project of supporting communism.

    Soon thereafter, the Federal One programs ended.

    The Cold War and the Kennedy Center

    The Cold War created a new opportunity for arts funding as the United States scrambled to counteract the Soviet Union’s depiction of America as “culturally barren.” Under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the State Department began to sponsor American artists and fund international tours of their work.

    Even this modest attempt at public arts patronage – European nations were spending 20 to 40 times as much on the arts – faced pushback from conservatives, who cast the tours as a waste of taxpayer money. Nonetheless, Eisenhower persisted. In 1958, he signed the National Cultural Center Act to authorize a national arts complex.

    The act failed to provide enough money to actually build the center. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy embarked on a campaign to raise US$30 million in private money. Part of those fundraising efforts involved reassuring donors that their high-art tastes would be reflected.

    The Kennedy Center finally opened its doors in September 1971. Given the need for constant fundraising ever since, philanthropists have dominated its board.

    Today, the Kennedy Center receives $43 million as a public subsidy, or 16% of its budget. Ticket sales, facility rentals and donations comprise the other 84%. No government funds go to artistic programming, which has blunted potential criticism about censorship or propaganda. But this has also precluded the ability of regular people across the nation to weigh in about what appears onstage.

    With members of the Kennedy family looking on, President Lyndon B. Johnson shovels dirt during the groundbreaking ceremonies for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in 1964.
    Bettmann/Getty Images

    An uncertain future

    The Kennedy Center staff has attempted to work within the constraints of a philanthropy model to reach a broad audience and challenge high/middle/low distinctions. In its first year, the center appointed renowned choreographer Katherine Dunham as a technical adviser in intercultural communication. She aimed to “make the center more responsible to the community” and establish a model of local engagement in Washington that could be replicated throughout the country.

    It didn’t materialize. Programming remained in the traditional high art category until Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter expanded into genres like hip-hop and comedy in the 2010s. In 2020, the center made progress toward Dunham’s vision with its Social Impact initiative, which focused on free performances and transportation to arts events for local Washington communities. Trump has since dissolved it.

    By declaring himself chairman and personally overseeing the programming, Trump has followed in the footsteps of Russian czars or monarchs like Louis XIV of France, who established arts institutions as extensions of royal power. In effect, it realizes 18th-century Americans’ fears about government involvement in the arts as a form of control.

    At the same time, the private philanthropy model has been far from perfect. It has left the Kennedy Center vulnerable to attacks of elitism. Perhaps future leaders can imagine more robust models of public support and stewardship that reflect America’s diverse and multifaceted national landscape – if they’re ever given an opportunity to do so.

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

    – ref. The problem with Trump’s takeover of the Kennedy Center isn’t the possibility of ‘Cats’ – https://theconversation.com/the-problem-with-trumps-takeover-of-the-kennedy-center-isnt-the-possibility-of-cats-253196

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Being alone can help remind people who they are.

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

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

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

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

    The stigma of solitude

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Social media disrupts our solitude

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The importance of reframing solitude

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Hard work feels worth it, but only after it’s done – new research on how people value effort

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Piotr Winkielman, Professor of Psychology, University of California, San Diego

    How many stairs would you climb for that payoff? Ozgur Donmaz/DigitalVision via Getty Images

    When deciding if something is worth the effort, whether you’ve already exerted yourself or face the prospect of work changes your calculus. That’s what we found in our new research, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General.

    When you consider a future effort, more work makes the outcome less appealing. But once you’ve completed the work, more effort makes the outcome seem more valuable. We also discovered that hiding behind this general principle of timing there are individual differences in how future and past effort shapes people’s value for the fruits of their labor.

    What’s it worth to you?

    In our experiment, we gave participants a choice between a fixed amount of money and a household item – a mug – that they could take home if they exerted some amount of physical effort, roughly equivalent to walking up one, two or three flights of stairs.

    This setup allowed us to determine the value each person placed on the effort – did it add to or subtract from the value of the item? For instance, if putting in a little more effort made someone switch their decision and decide to go with the cash instead of the mug, we could tell that they valued the mug plus that amount of effort less than that sum of money.

    We also manipulated the time aspect of effort. When the effort was in the future, participants decided whether they wanted to go with the cash or get the mug with some effort. When the effort was in the past, participants decided whether they wanted to cash in the mug they had already earned with effort.

    As we had expected, future effort generally detracted from the value of the mug, but the past effort generally increased it.

    But these general trends do not tell the whole story. Not everyone responds to effort the same way. Our study also uncovered striking individual differences. Four distinct patterns emerged:

    1. For some people, extra effort always subtracted value.
    2. Others consistently preferred items with more work.
    3. Many showed mixed patterns, where moderate effort increased value but excessive effort decreased it.
    4. Some experienced the opposite: initially disliking effort, then finding greater value at higher levels.

    These changing patterns show that one’s relationship with effort isn’t simple. For many people, there’s a sweet spot – a little effort might make something more valuable, but push too far and the value drops. It’s like enjoying a 30-minute workout but dreading a 2-hour session, or conversely, feeling that a 5-minute workout isn’t worth changing clothes for, but a 45-minute session feels satisfying.

    Our paper offers a mathematical model that accounts for these individual differences by proposing that your mind flexibly computes costs and benefits of effort.

    Why violate the ‘law of less work?’

    Why should timing even matter for effort? It seems obvious that reason and nature would teach you to always avoid and dislike effort.

    A hummingbird that puts in lots of extra work to get the same amount of nectar won’t last long.
    Juan Carlos Vindas/Moment via Getty Images

    A hummingbird that prefers a hard-to-get flower over an easy equal alternative might win an A for effort, but, exhausted, would not last long. The cruel world requires “resource rationality” – optimal, efficient use of limited physical and mental resources, balancing the benefits of actions with the required effort.

    That insight is captured by the classic psychological “law of less work,” basically boiling down to the idea that given equivalent outcomes, individuals prefer easier options. Anything different would seem irrational or, in plain language, stupid.

    If so, then how come people, and even animals, often prize things that require hard work for no additional payoff? Why is being hard-to-get a route to value? Anyone who has labored hard for anything knows that investing effort makes the final prize sweeter – whether in love, career, sports or Ikea furniture assembly.

    Could the answer to this “paradox of effort” be that in the hummingbird example, the decision is about future effort, and in the Ikea effect, the effort is in the past?

    Our new findings explain seemingly contradictory phenomena in everyday life. In health care, starting an exercise regimen feels overwhelming when focusing on upcoming workouts, but after establishing the habit, those same exercises become a source of accomplishment. At work, professionals might avoid learning difficult new skills, yet after mastering them, they value their enhanced abilities more because they were challenging to acquire.

    John F. Kennedy supported space exploration efforts, ‘not because they are easy, but because they are hard.’
    Robert Knudsen. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston, CC BY

    What still isn’t known

    Sayings like “No pain, no gain” or “Easy come, easy go” populate our language and seem fundamental to our culture. But researchers still don’t fully understand why some people value effortful options more than others do. Is it physical aptitude, past experiences, a sense of meaning, perception of difficulty as importance or impossibility, moralization of effort, specific cultural beliefs about hard work? We don’t know yet.

    We’re now studying how effort shapes different aspects of value: monetary value; hedonic value, as in the pleasure one gets from an item; and the aesthetic value, as in the sense of beauty and artistry. For instance, we’re investigating how people value artful calligraphy after exerting different amounts of effort to view it.

    This work may shed light on curious cultural phenomena, like how people value their experience seeing the Mona Lisa after waiting for hours in crowds at the Louvre. These studies could also help researchers design better motivation systems across education, health care and business.

    Piotr Winkielman received funding for this research from the University of California, San Diego, Academic Senate.

    Przemysław Marcowski received funding for this research from the National Science Centre Poland.

    – ref. Hard work feels worth it, but only after it’s done – new research on how people value effort – https://theconversation.com/hard-work-feels-worth-it-but-only-after-its-done-new-research-on-how-people-value-effort-252684

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

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

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Monitoring continues after disease threatens native species

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

    Images shows a native white clawed crayfish

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Plague has been ‘moving through the catchment’

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

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

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

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

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

    Check, clean, dry advice

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

    Tim added:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Native species has struggled to survive

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Londoners’ chance to nurture nature

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Londoners’ chance to nurture nature

    Spring sunshine on time for ‘happy’ outdoor events

    Walkers stepping out for their health and wellbeing, as part of the Natural England Happier Outdoors Festival. Photo: Sally Oldfield

    Groucho Marx said: “Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.”

    And with the warm spring sunshine greeted by so many like a long-lost friend, Londoners are being urged to get outside and connect with so-called green and blue spaces.

    Over the next 2 weeks, the Happier Outdoors Festival highlights the chance to discover the London you might not know. The capital’s hidden nature nuggets rubbing shoulders with the hustle and bustle of city life.

    With green land and waterways making up about half of Greater London, there is every reason to mark the return of longer, lighter days by feeling, embracing and being part of nature.  

    But one in 5 Londoners say they haven’t recently visited a green space, lower than any region in England [i]

    More than 70 classes, groups and sessions make up the city celebration of the great outdoors – a mix of walks, clubs and events to relax or educate the mind and improve both your physical and mental state.

    From Tai Chi classes in Harrow or counting bird numbers in Haringey, to taking a gentle stroll around woods and gardens in Lewisham or Croydon, building hotels for bugs in Barnet, and maybe putting your back into some organised gardening in Ealing.       

    Laura Brown, Natural England’s lead health adviser for London, said:

    “The importance of open spaces cannot be underestimated. Nature can relax us, educate us, and help reduce anxiety and depression.

    “We know there are countless benefits to connecting with nature – it makes us feel better, physically and mentally. The second Happier Outdoors Festival builds on last year, promoting the connection between people and urban nature.

    “I’m excited for Londoners to discover natural spaces just minutes from their home or be inspired by a new outdoor hobby they had never considered before.”

    Natural England founded the Happier Outdoors network, a group of more than 30 organisations running events to encourage people in London to connect with nature for improved health and wellbeing. 

    All events are free, and have either been arranged especially for the festival or continue throughout the year.

    A full list of what’s on and how to get involved can be found at https://happieroutdoors.london/. The Happier Outdoors Festival runs between 7 and 16 April.

    The clarion call to get outside comes as a wide-ranging survey opens into how exposure to natural spaces affects people’s health, behaviour and attitude to the environment over an extended period of time.     

    The three-year study will involve a sample of approximately 18,000 adults across the country, in a partnership between Natural England, the University of Exeter and the Natural Environment Research Council, and developed by organisations from a range of sectors.

    [i] The People and Nature Survey for England 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/the-people-and-nature-surveys-for-england-adults-data-y5q2-july-2024-september-2024.

    Contact us:

    Journalists only: 0800 141 2743 or communications_se@environment-agency.gov.uk

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Have you got what it takes? Dynamic and talented people wanted to lead our prisons, as exclusive leadership programme launches

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Have you got what it takes? Dynamic and talented people wanted to lead our prisons, as exclusive leadership programme launches

    His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has today (4 April) launched the Future Prison Leaders Programme to recruit and train the next generation of prison leaders.

    • Recruiting has begun for up to 35 talented individuals to lead our future prisons
    • New scheme to invest in talented individuals who have what it takes to lead and inspire prison teams

    His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has today launched the Future Prison Leaders Programme to recruit and train the next generation of prison leaders.

    The three-year programme aims to recruit 35 talented individuals from diverse backgrounds to help shape the future of the prison service. It offers a clear career pathway to a senior leadership position in prisons. But only the best will make the final cohort if they can negotiate a selection process that’ll be as tough as the role itself. 

    If you can make it through, you’ll have the unique chance to shape the future of our prisons, lead with vision and play a key role in revolutionizing rehabilitation and reducing reoffending. 

    Lord Timpson OBE, Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, says:  

    This is a leadership role like no other and we’re looking for the best people to create the next generation of leaders to transform our prison system.   

    Prison staff play a vital role in keeping the public safe and helping us to reduce reoffending. This critical work means it is vital that we find extraordinary, resilient individuals who want to join a challenging but rewarding working environment and make a difference.

    Successful candidates will serve as Prison Officers learning the full range of operational duties on the wings, before progressing to a Custodial Manager in year two, when they’ll manage a team of Prison Officers, and then a Head of Function management role in year three, taking responsibility across a whole prison in areas such as security, operations, drug strategy, residency and staffing. 

    Upon completion, participants will be prepared to undertake assessments to become a Deputy Governor, a senior manager accountable for providing leadership and direction, making strategic decisions and managing risks in a prison. 

    Jenifer McKechnie, 43, is Deputy Governor of HMP Leicester. She successfully joined a fast-track governor scheme in 2018. A mother of three, Jenifer balances her career with a busy home life. She is keen to progress to a governor role. 

    She says:  

    The fast-track scheme gave me an opportunity to develop my leadership skills while gaining real-world experience, and despite the challenges, it’s been an incredible journey that has opened doors I never thought possible. 

    The skills I’ve gained, the network I’ve built, and the experiences I’ve had mean that I can go as far as I want. Whether it’s becoming a Governing Governor or taking on even bigger roles in the future, I know that the only barrier is how far I am willing to go. 

    If you are determined, resilient, and passionate about making a difference, I would encourage anyone to apply. The support and opportunities available are second to none.

    To apply, you need people management experience or a degree. You need to be able to motivate staff and lead from the front, have great communication skills, to be analytical, make decisions and have the ability to think on your feet. 

    Key features of the comprehensive training programme include a clear progression pathway to senior leadership, operational experience, line management responsibilities all supported by senior operational leaders.

    If you’re motivated by a desire to make an impact and be recognised for hard work; want a career that offers growth, development, and the opportunity to contribute to society and an interest in the criminal justice system, then we want to hear from you.   

    Having the right people to lead our prison service is vital if we want to protect the public and reduce reoffending through rehabilitation. If you have the integrity, skills and strength of character we’re looking for then this could be the start of a successful career. 

    There’s leadership. Then there’s setting the culture for prison staff to live by. Do you think you’ve got what it takes to be a prison leader of the future? If so, we want to hear from you. For more information, register your interest at Prison and Probation Jobs. 

    Further information

    Someone like you 

    Being a prison leader is an extraordinary job, and it can be done by someone like you. If you have the potential to lead and want to pursue it, while making a difference to society by reducing reoffending, promoting rehabilitation, maintaining security and protecting the public, this leadership scheme is for you. 

    The Future Prison Leaders Programme will see you fast-track your way from Prison Officer to a Senior Leader running your own prison department in just three years. With a dedicated training programme and clear progression path, you will gain first-hand experience of working in a variety of roles and prisons to give you the skills and knowledge you’ll need to be a future prison leader. Your first year will see you on the frontline as a Prison Officer. This is where you will learn the realities of working on the ground and building positive and meaningful relationships with prisoners. With thorough training, you will progress into leadership roles in years two and three. 

    Become a prison leader – an extraordinary job. Done by someone like you. 

    • You’ll need a degree or people management experience
    • Benefit from a three-year accelerated leadership programme
    • Gain first-hand experience of prison roles and environments to prepare you to lead in a prison
    • A bespoke training programme and progression path

    To find out more, go to Prison and Probation Jobs.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Get a grant and support for your project in the competition “My Country – My Russia”

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    The State University of Management invites you to take part in the All-Russian competition of youth author projects and projects in the field of education aimed at the socio-economic development of Russian territories, “My Country – My Russia”.

    The new season of the “My Country – My Russia” competition offers participants 14 nominations covering key areas of territorial development: from ecology to digital technologies. Particular attention is paid to the special nomination “My Country. My History. My Victory”, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

    Residents of all regions of Russia are invited to participate in the following categories:

    the first category – from 14 to 17 years old (inclusive), the second category – from 18 to 35 years old (inclusive), the third category – no age restrictions within the nominations “My Pedagogical Initiative”, “My Family: Continuity, Values and Meaning”, the fourth category – up to 13 years old (inclusive) within the special children’s nomination “Threads of My Family Tree”.

    Applications are accepted until May 11 on the official website of the competition. By May 26, the expert jury will select no more than 300 best works, the remote defense of which will take place from May 27 to June 15. Based on the results, the three best projects in each nomination, with the exception of the children’s category, will be published on the website.

    In 2025, the finalists of the My Country – My Russia project of the Russia – Country of Opportunities presidential platform will have a special opportunity to apply for the Rosmolodezh grant competition. This means that the authors of the best initiatives selected by experts will be able to apply for additional support to implement their ideas.

    The winners of the competition will receive comprehensive support, including grants for project implementation, additional points for admission to universities, internships and employment in partner companies, travel around Russia from the More Than Travel program, as well as educational programs and mentoring.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 04.04.2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Are you care-experienced? We want to hear from you

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby City Council is seeking input from people with experience of growing up in the care system. Following feedback from children who have lived in care about the stigma they face, the Council has launched a 12-week consultation to gather real-life experiences.

    In September 2024 the full Council voted unanimously to award care experienced people in Derby ‘protected characteristic’ status, a motion that represents a positive step towards supporting them in overcoming these barriers.

    The results of the survey on Let’s Talk Derby will help develop and implement the Care Experienced Protected Characteristic, which means those who are in care, who are care leavers, or who have had a past experience of care, will have the same protection from discrimination as other characteristics under the Equality Act in Derby.

    It recognises that many care leavers nationally face ongoing stigma, challenges and discrimination across housing, health, education, employment and in the criminal justice system.

    The short survey asks about the barriers faced by those who are care-experienced and what support would be useful. It’s open to anyone with care experience, whether they are currently in care, or have been in the past.

    Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills, said:

    If you have care experience, please take a moment to complete this brief survey. Your insights are vital in shaping the Care Experienced Protected Characteristic in Derby.

    Our focus is on ensuring children and young people with care experience are safe, healthy, and supported through their transition to successful independent lives.

    The survey is available online at Let’s Talk Derby and is open until Friday 20 June. Anyone who would like to receive the survey in paper form, another language or different format like large print or easy read, contact the team on 01332 64000 or email letstalkderby@derby.gov.uk.

    You can learn more about our work with children in care on our website, including our Care Leavers Local Offer, the Children’s Rights Service and the Our Voice, Our Success group for young people.  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sunderland’s VE Days 80th anniversary celebrations

    Source: City of Sunderland

    Communities across Sunderland are coming together for a shared moment of celebration for VE Day’s 80th anniversary.

    Thursday 8 May marks 80 years since the end of World War 2 in Europe, with celebrations taking place throughout Sunderland in remembrance.

    Schools, care homes and community groups have registered to join the celebrations during the day. There are also opportunities for residents to join the celebrations in Sunderland. There will be a special VE Day programme, organised by Sunderland City Council and the city’s veterans’ groups.

    City Hall will proudly raise the VE Day flag at 9am and encourages residents to take part in celebrating.

    Residents are invited to join the celebrations in Sunderland taking place throughout the day:

    • From 11am, food offerings at Keel Square will be available. 
    • At 4pm, a Street Party will start at Keel Square. This includes music and performances from local organisations, with a display of World War 2 vehicles and sweet treats. More details will be confirmed soon.
    • From 7pm, residents can attend a special VE Day concert at The Fire Station. This will include performances from vintage singers, dancers, big band and choir. It will also be hosted by Alfie Joey, a former breakfast show host. Tickets for this event will cost £5 and go on sale at 12 noon on Friday 4 April.
    • From 9:30pm, the evening will close with Lighting a Lamplight of Peace on Keel Square.

    Alongside the Lamplight of Peace, monuments across Sunderland will be lit in solidarity, to represent the ‘Light of Peace’ following the darkness of war.

    Councillor Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: “It’s fantastic to see Sunderland coming together at this significant time, 80 years since the end of World War 2 in Europe. It is important that we take this opportunity to remember the sacrifices as well as the resilience of those who have gone before us.

    “The theme of this year’s very special VE Day is ‘Light of Peace’ to represent the end of the darkness. And it’s been wonderful working with our veterans to create this programme. Seeing different areas of the community come together for a day of reflection on this very day is a testament to the spirit of our city.

    “I know that for many this will be a normal working day I but hope residents will join in the VE Day celebrations where they can, whether that is at our organised events or at street parties and events in their own communities.”

    Schools across Sunderland will be joining the celebrations by entering students into a writing competition. Students will be asked to write stories from the front line when news of the end of the war was announced. These stories will then be judged by members of Sunderland’s Veterans Forum with the best entries receiving prizes.

    Schools, colleges, care homes and local community groups are also making VE Day bunting, and colouring poppies which will be used to decorate the city.

    Nine care homes across Sunderland have already registered to be part of the VE Day celebrations and are hosting their own events. This includes arranging their own flag raisings, lamp lighting, and street parties.

    If you have a local community event happening, please let us know so we can share – just get in touch with events@sunderland.gov.uk.

    Sunderland City Council have worked with Veterans in Crisis to organise the programme. Veterans in Crisis works hard with other community based groups and veterans’ charities to support our city’s armed forces. They also provide support for the 11,000 veterans living in communities across the city, as well as their families.

    Ger Fowler, Founder and Chief Executive of Veterans in Crisis, said: “This is a truly incredible effort from the council to bring all the veterans’ groups together to celebrate VE Day. Sunderland City Council has the best relationship with veterans in the country, and we are immensely proud to work alongside them in supporting our veterans and their families.

    “This day of celebration is incredibly meaningful, and we are thrilled to be part of it. We cannot wait for the events to unfold, especially the evening concert, which promises to be a fantastic highlight of the day.”

    You can find out more about VE Day events happening across Sunderland by visiting www.mysunderland.co.uk/veday80

    Share your VE Day photos and videos by using the #SunderlandVEDay80

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –