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  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s job cuts are causing Republican angst as all parties face backlash

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Thomas Gift, Associate Professor and Director of the Centre on US Politics, UCL

    A spate of town hall meetings held across the US has revealed palpable anger among both Democratic and Republican voters. At some events, voters have spoken to “empty chairs” in lieu of Congress members who refused to show their faces. At others, lawmakers have been booed, heckled and faced raucous audiences.

    What’s striking isn’t just the outrage, but where it’s coming from. Much of the backlash is from parties’ own voters.

    Things have become particularly bad for Republicans. So much so that party leaders have urged lawmakers to host live-streamed or call-in events rather than in-person town halls. President Donald Trump has baselessly blamed “paid agitators” for the fallout. But some backlash doubtlessly comes from Trump supporters.

    Republican angst might suggest a discrepancy between their abstract support for federal spending cuts by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) and their actual response to its practical consequences.

    Republicans doubtlessly like the optics of Musk taking out his chainsaw to slice government. A March 2025 CNN poll, for example, revealed that 75% of Republicans approve of Musk, compared to just 6% of Democrats. Additionally, 73% of Republicans even think Doge cuts won’t go far enough in rooting out “waste, fraud, and abuse” in government.

    However, that enthusiasm seems to fade when specific programmes are on the chopping block. As Republican strategist Brian Seitchik puts it: “There is certainly a disconnect right now between the theory of Doge, the cutting of fat in government … and what is seemingly a blowtorch as opposed to a scalpel approach to solving these problems.”

    Cuts to the federal workforce are emerging as perhaps the most contentious issue. These jobs are disproportionately concentrated in Washington DC. But in terms of total numbers, most are scattered across the country. That includes Republican states that Trump carried in last November’s election.

    Eliminating these jobs is having an impact that many Trump voters didn’t anticipate. Some may soon be showing buyer’s remorse with Trump. It is worth noting that around 81% of Republicans rated jobs and the economy as a very important issue, compared to 73% of Democrats, in a March poll from the Economist/YouGov.

    The political downside of job cuts has been made worse by an administration that can often seem numb to their impact. Recently, new video footage was unearthed of current Office of Management and Budget head Russ Vought saying in 2023 that he wanted civil servants to be “traumatically affected”.

    Despite all of Doge’s relentless efforts, US federal spending still hit a new high last month – US$603 billion (£467 billion). Without touching health service and senior citizen entitlements like Social Security and Medicare, it will be hard for the White House to significantly reduce national debt.

    High prices also continue to anger Trumpland. Trump vowed in the campaign: “You just watch – they’ll come down, and they’ll come down fast.” With inflation, Trump can scapegoat former president Joe Biden for a period. But that only lasts so long.

    Job cuts don’t just affect Democratic states.

    The problem for the White House is that it’s hard to imagine two more inflationary policies than those offered by Trump: tariffs, which pass higher prices onto consumers; and mass deportations, which constrict the labour supply and drive up the price of goods.

    Trump’s base is notoriously loyal. But swing voters who backed Trump could be in for a rude awakening if they expected Trump to revitalise American manufacturing and slash the price of eggs and Big Macs. If Trump’s approval ratings start to slide, some Republicans in Congress may also give him less than their full-throated support.

    Discontented Democrats

    Republicans aren’t the only ones with a problem from their own flank. According to polling by CNN, the Democratic party’s approval rating is just 29%, an all-time low. Among Democrats, some frustration stems from the direction in which Trump is taking the country, but much of it is about the Democratic party’s inability to counter him.

    Consider Trump’s speech before a joint session of Congress a couple weeks ago, where Democrats looked clumsy (and shrill) in their response. Representative Al Green was even censured for disrupting Trump’s address, including by 10 of his Democratic colleagues.

    Consider also the recent spending bill, when Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer broke with his party to keep the federal government open. Fellow Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called the move a “huge slap in the face,” while even Schumer’s longtime political partner and former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called him out for caving.

    Many Democratic voters view Democratic party leadership as feckless, as weak, and, in short, as losing. That’s hard to dispute that when Republicans have control of the White House, Congress, and for all intents and purposes, the Supreme Court.

    Calls for “fighting harder” ring hollow unless they’re backed with concrete action. Some pushback can come from states and localities. But what Democratic voters may be looking for is a common message. Half the party wants full-on resistance to Trump. Half doesn’t.

    What Democrats do next

    Coming out of November’s election, the autopsy reports haven’t moved the party in a consistent, constructive direction. For example, Democratic strategist James Carville says that his party should simply “roll over and play dead,” letting Republicans self-combust and making the American people long for Democratic governance. Others, like Ocasio-Cortez, are spoiling for a fight with Trump.

    Past patterns in election cycles would suggest that Democrats will take back at least one chamber of Congress in the 2026 midterms. But before they can, Democrats must heal splits between moderates and progressives, and address the backlash against “wokeism”, which is fading even faster than it emerged.

    Things look dire for Democrats now. Still, some historical context is instructive. 2004 was also a devastating loss for Democrats, when presidential candidate John Kerry lost to incumbent George W. Bush. Yet in 2008, Barack Obama ushered in a new era of Democratic governance. Politics has a way of self-correcting when the party in power over-interprets its mandate.

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

    – ref. Trump’s job cuts are causing Republican angst as all parties face backlash – https://theconversation.com/trumps-job-cuts-are-causing-republican-angst-as-all-parties-face-backlash-252940

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why the Tesla backlash could help electric cars finally go mainstream

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hannah Budnitz, Research Associate in Urban Mobility, Transport Studies Unit, University of Oxford

    Elon Musk’s controversial political views and actions have sparked an exodus from X (formerly Twitter), his social media platform, and mass protests against his car company, Tesla. Dealerships in the US and beyond have experienced peaceful protests and occasional vandalism, while sales are down almost everywhere and the company has lost almost half its value in two months.

    Ironically, these political controversies may broaden the mass market appeal of electric vehicles. This is an industry that needs to go beyond the early-adopter tech bros – and now might be the moment.

    In 2010, when Tesla became the first American carmaker to go public since Ford in 1956, fully electric cars were still a niche technology. The Nissan Leaf was launched that same year, but it was still limited to shorter trips in cities. Other big carmakers weren’t yet taking electric seriously, and the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) industry was just starting to gear up.

    In 2013, when the International Energy Agency (IEA) produced its first Global EV Outlook report, there were less than 60,000 on the road worldwide. A decade later, almost the same number of EVs are sold every day.

    Tesla’s competition was initially just little urban runarounds like this 2010 Nissan Leaf.
    Dong liu / Shutterstock

    So, there is plenty of evidence that Tesla had a leading role in making EVs a “winning technology” – something the traditional major carmakers felt compelled to compete with. Governments around the world also got on board.

    Not made for the mainstream

    In fact, Tesla’s approach to making electric cars mainstream was to not make them for the mainstream. Its marketing strategy was to sell direct to customers who not only bought into the environmental credentials but the hi-tech glamour – and didn’t mind the price tag.

    In other words, Tesla targeted “early adopters” which, in the case of electric cars, meant wealthy men. Study after study shows these early adopters in North America and Europe were skewed towards men and those with higher incomes.

    Although these studies often measured income and gender separately, research I published with colleagues indicated it was having both characteristics – being both a man and wealthy – that made someone more likely to be an EV owner, or more likely to say their next car would probably be electric.

    Out of our representative sample of nearly 2,000 UK drivers, wealthy men were also more likely to agree that their social circle expected them to switch.

    We did not find the same results among women, no matter their income level, nor low-income men. This despite the fact that women were significantly more likely to value protecting the environment and to feel an obligation to drive an electric car (if they were first convinced it would reduce carbon emissions and improve air quality).

    This points to another key implication of our research. To support mass adoption, drivers need to be confident that EVs can deliver the environmental benefits they promise, as well as being more comfortable and cheaper to run than conventional cars.

    To gain this confidence, drivers – no matter who they are – want to hear consistent messaging from a trusted source that highlights the benefits, not just the costs.

    However, as we found in our project Inclusive Transition to Electric Mobility, drivers and policymakers alike perceive EVs as unaffordable. Some research participants even mentioned Tesla by name when giving an example of how making the switch is beyond the means of people like them.

    Cheaper EVs need new messaging

    Although Tesla sells mass-produced models and slashed its prices around the world last year, its cars are still expensive (in the UK, they start at about £40,000). The company’s reputation and brand is linked not only to the tech-bro image of Silicon Valley, but with elitism and inequity.

    However, the reputation of EVs in general need not be. Unlike ten years ago, this is a technology with momentum among many manufacturers, and consumers have plenty of new, cheaper models to choose from, as well as a growing second-hand market. The IEA’s latest report suggests EVs are finally becoming a mass-market product.

    Tesla is facing stiff competition from cheaper rivals such as Chinese firm BYD.
    i viewfinder / Shutterstock

    As electric cars become more affordable in real terms, the messaging needs to be about environmental benefit rather than futuristic technology. It needs to emphasise long-term affordability of use as well as purchase. EVs need to be seen as practical and safe – and drivers need to hear these messages from trusted sources.

    My research highlighted how family, friends, colleagues and neighbours could be this source of trusted information. Early adopters I interviewed described the many personal, social interactions involved in the practicalities of parking and charging their cars – such as coordinating workplace charging so no one is caught short, and sharing tips on the best tariff for home charging. Some have effectively become local ambassadors for EVs.

    I’m also investigating how communities coming together around EVs might lead to more car sharing. This could maximise the environmental benefits of the transition, since reducing the number of cars on the road is as important as ensuring cars switch from petrol to electric.

    There is little doubt about the damage Musk’s political approach has done to Tesla’s image, although it is not the sole cause of the company’s current troubles.

    Meanwhile, the transition to electric personal mobility is well underway around the world. Tesla’s troubles won’t stop this – but they can give the car industry an opportunity to make the messaging around electric vehicles more diverse, equitable and inclusive for the mass market.

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

    – ref. Why the Tesla backlash could help electric cars finally go mainstream – https://theconversation.com/why-the-tesla-backlash-could-help-electric-cars-finally-go-mainstream-252963

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Three graphs that show what’s happening with Donald Trump’s popularity

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Paul Whiteley, Professor, Department of Government, University of Essex

    Donald Trump started out with more Americans approving than disapproving of his performance just after inauguration day on January 20 , and this continued into February. By early March, his ratings had turned a little bit negative, but not by much, and it has stayed that way. As of March 20, 48% of Americans approved of his job performance so far, while 49% disapproved.

    The daily average of polls measuring approval/disapproval ratings for the job Trump is doing appears in the chart below. They cover the period from February 20 to March 20.

    Approval and disapproval ratings for Trump’s performance:

    These aggregate ratings are interesting, but they disguise the political divide which is revealed when we drill down into the details. This can be done using an Economist/YouGov poll completed on March 18, for instance.

    This reveals how polarised American public opinion has become when it comes to judging the president. Around 6% of respondents who identified themselves as Democrats approved of his performance, while 93% of them disapproved. Those who identified as Republican were almost the exact opposite, with 90% approving and 7% disapproving.

    One problem in analysing these statistics is that only 29% of the sample interviewed were Republicans, compared with 34% Democrats. The pollsters do their best to get a representative sample of the US electorate and it’s worth noting that there are currently more registered Democrats in the US than there are Republicans.

    Interestingly, the American National Election Study survey conducted just before the presidential election last year showed that only 11.6% of Americans were supporters of the Maga movement. This highly respected study, which has been carried out over the past 75 years as a national resource, would suggest that Maga supporters are noisy, but fewer in number than some people might realise.

    What do independents think?

    Around 37% of those interviewed for the Economist poll described themselves as independents. In their case 37% of them approved of his performance and 54% disapproved. Trump may have a very strong following among Republicans, but they are less than one-third of the electorate.

    A quick calculation looking at support among Democrats, Republicans and independents in proportion to their size in the electorate suggests that 42% of Americans have a favourable view of his performance, while 54% have an unfavourable view.

    If we look at the social backgrounds of respondents in the survey there is not much difference between the young and the old, or different income groups in their attitudes to the president’s performance. But there is a large gender gap with 53% of men, but only 39% of women, approving. Similarly, while 53% of whites approved, only 24% of blacks and 31% of Hispanics did so. Finally, 7% of ideological liberals approved of Trump’s job performance, compared with 81% of conservatives and 44% of moderates. Overall, partisanship and ideology completely dominate the picture when it comes to judging Trump’s record.

    How important is the economy?

    US politics is in turmoil with large federal jobs losses and significant changes, such as tariffs on Canadian goods, being announced by the new administration, so there are a lot of factors at work which can explain attitudes to Trump. In the 2024 presidential election the economy played a key role in explaining how people voted, and it is always an important issue in elections.

    Given that, it is interesting to look at one of the key measures of the voter’s attitudes to the economy, namely consumer confidence. This has been measured by researchers at the University of Michigan for many decades using a series of surveys conducted every month.

    US consumer sentiment scale March 2024 to March 2025:

    The chart shows scores on the Index of Consumer Sentiment from March of last year until March this year. A high score means Americans are confident about the state of their economy and a low score the opposite. Confidence has plunged from a rating of 79.4 a year ago to 57.9 now. It is notable that, as recently as December 2024, it stood at 74.0, but after the inauguration of Trump it started to rapidly decline. Americans are getting increasingly worried about the state of their economy, along with the rest of the world.

    The cause is not hard to discern: the imposition of tariffs, a fall in the stock market, the threat of inflation, the administration’s sympathy towards Vladimir Putin and its threats to allies such as Canada and Greenland over their territorial integrity. These issues are all adding up to a self-imposed economic crisis.

    But what are the implication of this for presidential approval ratings? The chart below shows the relationship between consumer confidence and presidential approval over a period of nearly 50 years. There is a moderately strong relationship between the two series (correlation = 0.40). When consumers are optimistic, they approve of the president’s performance, and when they are pessimistic, they disapprove.

    Presidential approval and consumer confidence 1978-2025:

    Overall, the data suggests that Trump should not be confident of his approval ratings across the US, if you look at people across all political affiliations and who vote. Along with a looming economic crisis, this could lead to a rapid loss of support for the president and the Republicans in the near future.

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

    – ref. Three graphs that show what’s happening with Donald Trump’s popularity – https://theconversation.com/three-graphs-that-show-whats-happening-with-donald-trumps-popularity-252857

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Colleagues Urge Administration to Maintain Focus on Election Security

    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 Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI), is joining a number of his colleagues to push for the continuation of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Election Threats Task Force. In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, the senators stressed the importance of the Task Force, which is charged with identifying efforts to protect election officials amid the rising threats and acts of violence.

    “Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections,” wrote the Senators.

    “Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law,” continued the Senators.

    The senators’ letter comes as the Trump Administration has significantly rolled back the federal government’s capacity to fight against foreign and domestic election security threats. On Attorney General Bondi’s first day in office, she disbanded the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Foreign Influence Task Force, hindering efforts to address secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia and other foreign adversaries. Additionally, the Administration has fired or put on leave dozens of officials responsible for combating foreign election interference at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and has reportedly frozen all of CISA’s ongoing election security work. The Administration has also defunded CISA’s nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

    In addition to King, the letter was also signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Mark Kelly (D-AZ.), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    In addition to serving on the Intelligence Committee, King is the Co-Chair of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC). He is recognized as one of Congress’ leading experts on cyber defense and as a strong advocate for a forward-thinking cyber strategy that emphasizes layered cyber deterrence. Previously, King has cosponsored legislation to shield American elections from threats by improving election cybersecurity and combatting foreign interference in U.S. democracy. He also urged the Biden Administration ahead of the 2022 midterm elections to fund selection security efforts by allocating federal funds to modernize voting equipment and strengthen cybersecurity for election systems.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below.

    +++

    Dear Attorney General Bondi:

    We write to strongly urge you to continue the critical law enforcement work of the Department of Justice’s Election Threats Task Force, which protects election officials from ongoing threats and acts of violence. Given the recent disturbing personnel and policy decisions at the Department and the lack of transparency about the future of the Task Force, we request an immediate update on the status and activities of the Task Force, as well as what resources will be provided to ensure its important work continues so that election officials of both parties can safely administer our elections.

    The Task Force was established in the wake of the 2020 election cycle when election officials across the political spectrum began facing unprecedented threats of violence intended to thwart the peaceful transfer of power that is the hallmark of our democracy. In close collaboration with state and local law enforcement, the Task Force has assessed thousands of complaints of suspected threats of violence and investigated and prosecuted violent offenders. Over the years, these threats have not only continued but escalated.  The Task Force has investigated fentanyl-laced letters, bomb threats, and swatting incidents—serving as a legacy of the 2020 election and impacting the ways election officials interact with voters in their communities.

    Recent surveys have found that one in three election officials reported facing threats, harassment, and abuse. Similarly, 48 percent of local election officials know of someone who has left their job because of fear for their safety—a troubling loss of institutional knowledge needed for the smooth running of elections. Election workers continue to fear for their safety, so it is critical that the work of the Task Force continues to deter and counter these threats. In this challenging environment for election officials, it is essential to our democracy that they can continue to rely on the Department to uphold the law.

    Moreover, the federal government’s ability to fight election interference has been greatly hampered in the early weeks of this Administration. Dozens of officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), who are responsible for combatting foreign election interference, have been fired or put on leave. CISA has also reportedly frozen all of its ongoing election security work, including defunding its nationwide program to train local officials and monitor threats through the “Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.” Additionally, on your first day in office, you signed a directive disbanding the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, which was aimed at responding to secret influence campaigns waged by China, Russia, and other foreign adversaries.

    We request a response on the status and future plans of the Election Threats Task Force, the extent of resources and personnel dedicated to its work, and how it plans to incorporate related work previously led by CISA and the Foreign Influence Task Force by March 31, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Nelson Mandela Bay gains additional police resources 

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Mayor, Babalwa Lobishe, has commended the Eastern Cape MEC for Community Safety, Xolile Nqatha and national government for the swift and decisive intervention in deploying additional police resources to strengthen crime-fighting efforts in the region.

    This follows the arrival of 150 public order police members, including 15 detectives, and crime intelligence officers, who arrived in the metro on Sunday to provide much-needed support to local law enforcement.

    In a statement on Monday, Lobishe said the strategic intervention comes at a critical time when the latest crime statistics position Nelson Mandela Bay as a focal point for criminal activity in South Africa.

    “The deployment of these additional resources will enhance policing visibility, improve intelligence-led operations, and bolster investigations to ensure that criminals are swiftly brought to justice. Public safety remains a top priority, and we are confident that this initiative will contribute significantly to restoring law and order in our city,” Lobishe said.

    She said the newly deployed officers will be strategically stationed in key crime hotspots throughout Nelson Mandela Bay, including KwaZakhele, New Brighton, Helenvale, Gelvandale, Central and North End, Motherwell, Uitenhage, and Despatch.

    On 12 March 2025, MEC Nqatha released the Eastern Cape’s crime statistics, which indicated an increase in criminal activity within Nelson Mandela Bay.

    Despite a 7.1% decrease in serious crime for the second quarter of the financial year, the region accounted for 23.4% of the province’s total serious crime cases.

    Crime trends showed an increase in incidents, including attempted murder (+9.0%), assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm (+3.5%), and the trio crimes of carjacking, house robbery, and business robbery (+2.4%), as well as a notable rise in house robberies (+14.9%).

    However, the city also witnessed a decrease in certain crimes, including aggravating robberies (-3.4%), common robberies (-2.4%), sexual offences (-6.4%), and business robberies (-9.1%).

    For the third quarter of 2024/2025, Nelson Mandela Bay also showed a reduction in serious crimes, contributing to a 13.5% decrease in reported cases, while still representing 22.5% of the region’s total serious crime reports.

    Lobishe stressed that the district remained a focal point for crime, with significant decreases in common assault and aggravating robberies.

    “The most problematic police stations for serious crimes and rape cases in the region remain consistent with the second quarter, underscoring ongoing challenges with law enforcement in specific areas of the metro.

    “Additionally, the province has seen a rise in incidents of gang violence and extortion, particularly in areas such as the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro. Community members are living in fear, as criminals are determined to disturb the peace of our people,” the Mayor said. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Two to appear in court in connection with Marry Me attack

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Two suspects are expected to appear before the Pretoria North Magistrates Court on Wednesday in connection with the attack of community-based patrollers at the Marry Me informal settlement in Soshanguve.

    The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) said the pair, aged 27 and 50, will appear on charges of murder, attempted murder, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition. 

    “The firearms will be subjected to ballistic testing to ascertain whether they had been involved in other serious crimes in Gauteng,” said the Hawks.

    The two were arrested on Monday by members of the Hawks’ Tactical Operations Management Section (TOMS) in Pretoria, together with the Tshwane K9 Unit, Akasia Crime Prevention, Tshwane Akasia Crime Intelligence, Public Order Policing (POP) Pretoria, Tshwane district Serious Violent Crime (SVC) and the Pretoria North Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC).

    READ | Attack on community-based patrollers condemned

    “On 24 March 2025, information was received by members of TOMS regarding a group of suspects that have allegedly committed multiple murders and attempted murder in Soshanguve (Marry Me), which occurred on 22 March 2025. The police followed up on the information and traced the first suspect to Soshanguve Extension 20,” said the Hawks.

    Upon arrival, police recovered one firearm, a 9MM Girsan with ammunition. The serial number had been filed off the firearm.

    The police proceed to the second address in Soshanguve Extension 6, where the second suspect was arrested. 

    During the arrest, the suspect was found in possession of a 9MM CZ with ammunition, and its serial number was also filed off. 

    “… The suspects are allegedly linked to murders and house robberies that occurred on 21 February 2025,” said the Hawks. – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Upholds Idahoans’ Second Amendment Rights

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo

    Washington, D.C.–In keeping with his longstanding support of the Second Amendment, U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) announced his efforts so far in the 119th Congress to protect Idahoans’ access to the constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
    “Those seeking to strip away Second Amendment rights have sought every creative way possible to advance their agenda through legislation, regulation and litigation,” said Crapo.  “The majority of Americans are law-abiding citizens who own, possess, carry and use firearms in a lawful and peaceful fashion.  Their right to do so is enshrined in our Constitution. That right must not be abridged while we seek to prevent violence perpetrated by criminals.”
    Senator Crapo’s efforts to protect the Second Amendment in the 119th Congress so far include:
    Leading reintroduction of the Hearing Protection Act, which would reclassify suppressors to regulate them like a regular firearm;
    Co-sponsoring the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which would allow any person legally authorized to carry a concealed firearm in their home state to exercise that right in any other state that allows the practice;
    Co-sponsoring Senator Jim Risch’s (R-Idaho) Sporting Firearms Access Act, which would limit the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives’ (ATF) ability to restrict firearm models from importation into the United States;
    Backing the Fair Access to Banking Act, which would prevent discrimination by banks and financial services providers against constitutionally-protected industries and law-abiding businesses, such as firearms manufacturers;
    Co-sponsoring the Financial Integrity and Regulation Management (FIRM) Act, which would remove “reputational risk” as a component of federal supervision, which has become a way to weaponize power against politically disfavored groups;
    Joining legislation to prohibit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service from banning the use of lead ammunition or tackle on public lands unless such action is supported by the best available science;
    Co-sponsoring Senator Risch’s No REGISTRY Act, which would require the ATF to delete all existing records of firearms transactions and allow federal firearms licensees to destroy firearm transaction records when they go out of business.
    Backing the ATF Transparency Act, which would require a transparent and speedy National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) process and create an appeals process for erroneous NICS denials;
    Co-sponsoring the FIND Act, which would prohibit companies with policies that discriminate against the firearm and ammunition industries from receiving federal contracts;
    Supporting the Traveler’s Gun Rights Act to allow military spouses and those without a fixed address (such as those who live full time in a recreational vehicle) to purchase handguns in the state where they are permanently stationed for duty or consistent with the P.O. Box listed on their driver’s license;
    Sending a letter to the ATF demanding it comply with President Trump’s Executive Order, Protecting Second Amendment Rights, in order to align the ATF’s rules and polities with the President’s strong support for the Second Amendment; and
    Signing a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce highlighting concerns with the Department’s Interim Final Rule finalized under the previous Administration that restricted firearms exports to certain countries.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Power up, costs down

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Keeping seniors moving in rural Alberta

    Whether for connecting with neighbours and the community, going grocery shopping or a visit to the doctor, seniors living in rural Alberta often rely on accessible transportation services to maintain their independence. According to Statistics Canada, transportation challenges are a key barrier to participation in social activities for seniors. Rural communities are vital to the province’s identity and success, and Alberta’s government is supporting their growth and prosperity by helping seniors age with dignity and respect in their own homes and communities.

    “This investment will provide a lifeline for seniors and those with mobility issues by empowering them with the freedom to access essential services and social outings. Our government is making sure seniors can remain active and independent by investing in this program, helping seniors age in the rural communities they call home.”

    Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services

    As part of a three-year partnership, Alberta’s government is investing $3.5 million so Healthy Aging Alberta can provide accessible and affordable transportation services for seniors and Albertans with mobility issues across 19 rural communities. This project helps more seniors and Albertans with mobility issues access services that are vital to their health and well-being.

    “It is important to ensure all Albertans have access to safe and affordable transportation especially in rural areas where accessing transportation can be challenging. This program will help make it easier to run errands, connect with friends and family, and carry out appointments in our rural communities.”

    Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors

    The Healthy Aging Alberta provincial transportation project started with five communities in 2023. From October 2023 to November 2024, nearly 7,200 rides were provided to seniors and persons with mobility challenges in rural communities through this program. The project is now being expanded to a total of 19 communities, with Phase 2 adding 14 additional communities throughout the province. Communities with a high percentage of low-income seniors were prioritized and successful communities were chosen based on need and their readiness to implement or expand assisted transportation services.

    “Transportation is a lifeline for older adults, enabling older Albertans not only to access essential services, but also to remain actively engaged as volunteers and caregivers — roles that form the foundation of vibrant, interconnected communities. Healthy Aging Alberta and the United Way of Calgary celebrate the Government of Alberta’s continued leadership and investment in this critical social infrastructure.”

    Karen McDonald, provincial director and chair, Community Leadership Council, Healthy Aging Alberta

    Seniors and individuals with mobility issues in these communities will now be able to rely on increased access to affordable transportation and mobility services delivered by local community organizations and partnerships. This includes more frequent trips being available, new routes for out-of-town services, additional accessible vehicle options, and more. With this investment, Alberta’s government is improving seniors’ quality of life by helping them age in place and remain independent, addressing mobility challenges in rural communities and supporting caregivers across the province.

    “The expansion of Healthy Aging Alberta’s provincial transportation project is a positive step in supporting seniors in rural Alberta. This investment will provide many seniors across the province with greater access to essential supports and services, which is an essential aspect of prosperous rural communities.”

    Kara Westerlund, president, Rural Municipalities of Alberta

    Quick facts

    • Project funding:

    Phase 1 (2023):

    • Edson – $275,660
    • Fox Creek – $185,045
    • Oyen and Area (Special Area #3, Acadian No. 34, Empress) – $242,000
    • M.D of Smoky River (Falher, McLennan, Donnelly, Girouxville) – $286,933
    • Sundre – $147,504

    Phase 2 (2024-25):

    • Barrhead/Barrhead County – $275,487
    • Crowsnest Pass – $216,653
    • M.D. Greenview – $60,000
    • Northern Sunrise County – $20,241
    • M.D. Spirit River – $89,260
    • Driftpile Cree Nation – $175,000
    • Milk River – $53,645
    • Claresholm – $175,000
    • Siksika First Nation – $175,000
    • Foothills Region – $146,337
    • Provost – $149,000
    • Hanna – $145,000
    • Three Hills – $175,000
    • Legal – $30,844

    Related information

    • Healthy Aging Alberta
    • Seniors financial assistance programs
    • Resources to help older adults and seniors age in their community

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: The FBI and the Portland Police Department Announce a $10,000 Reward for Information Leading to the Location of Miguel Oliveras

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southern Maine Gang Task Force and the Portland Police Department are investigating the suspicious disappearance of Miguel Oliveras and are asking for the public’s assistance in locating him or his remains.

    The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone with information leading to Oliveras’ whereabouts.

    Oliveras, of Hyde Park, Massachusetts, was last seen around 1:00 a.m. on September 2, 2006, at the Platinum Plus Club on Riverside Street in Portland, Maine. He was wearing a grey camouflage long-sleeve shirt with a white t-shirt over it, green cargo shorts, and white sneakers.

    Oliveras is a Hispanic man with black hair and brown eyes. At the time he went missing, he was 24 years old, approximately 5’11” tall, and weighed approximately 170 pounds. He has tattoos on his neck, back, shoulder, and hand.  

    There have been no reported sightings or contacts by Oliveras since his suspicious disappearance, which is why the FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information.  

    The public is being asked to play an active role in locating Miguel by reviewing his missing person poster and sharing it on social media.

    “Despite exhaustive investigative efforts by law enforcement over the last two decades, we are unable to locate Miguel Oliveras,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Our goal with this $10,000 reward is to incentivize anyone with information about Miguel’s whereabouts to come forward so we can find him and provide his family with some much-needed closure.”

    “We are hopeful someone will come forward with additional information to help bring this case to a close,” added Portland Police Chief Mark Dubois. “This has been a priority for us and we certainly know it is to the family as well.”

    “Nothing has changed,” Miguel’s mother, Myrna Oliveras, said. “More frustration, more anger, it has been a long time. I just want to find him and bring him home. I need people to come forward.”

    Anyone with information regarding Miguel Oliveras’s location should call the Portland Police Department at 207-814-8584 or FBI Boston at 1-800-CALL-FBI.  Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fayette County woman accused of committing identity theft, money laundering in scam conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A southern Illinois grand jury returned a 19-count indictment charging a Fayette County woman for working as a “money mule” within a conspiracy to defraud victims and use their stolen identities.

    Elizabeth Conrad, 54, of Ramsey, is facing one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, two counts of mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, one count of access device fraud, seven counts of money laundering and seven counts of aggravated identity theft.

    “Criminal conspiracies are as varied as the creative minds behind them, limited only by the ingenuity of the con artists orchestrating the scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Be extremely cautious anytime someone you have never met offers investments, employment, or asks for money, electronics, or your personal information—it’s likely a scam.”

    According to court documents, Conrad is accused of serving as a “money mule” for other scammers in a conspiracy to defraud victims from at least June 2020 until September 2022. Money mules are people who, at someone else’s direction, receive and move money or valuables obtained from victims of fraud. Money mules add layers of distance between crime victims and criminals, which makes it harder for law enforcement to accurately trace funds that are fraudulently obtained from victims.   

    The indictment alleges Conrad accepted packages at her home sent through the mail from victims containing cash, checks, gift cards and electronics. Knowing the goods were fraudulently acquired, Conrad would then repackage the items and send off to her co-conspirators. Conrad is also accused of attempting to deposit the checks and wiring funds to her co-conspirators in cryptocurrency.

    “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate fraudsters who utilize the U.S. Mail to perpetuate financial schemes to defraud others to enrich themselves. Postal Inspectors seek justice for victims, including the multiple individual consumer and business victims in this investigation,” said Inspector in Charge, Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.

    In addition to the mail fraud, Conrad’s charges for access device fraud, identity theft and money laundering stem from accusations of her and co-conspirators using victims’ names to acquire debit cards that were sent to Conrad. Conrad is accused of using those debit cards for bank withdrawals and purchases to benefit the conspiracy. The indictment outlines ten fraudulent transactions that Conrad is accused of making at ATMs and gas stations in southern Illinois from March through June 2022, and alleges that she received thousands of dollars from these transactions to benefit the conspiracy.

    An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.

    Convictions for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, money laundering and mail fraud are punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment. Access device fraud is punishable up to 10 years’ imprisonment and conspiracy to commit access device fraud is punishable up to five years’ imprisonment. Aggravated identity theft is a mandatory two years’ imprisonment consecutive to the imposed sentence.

    The U.S. Postal Inspection Service St. Louis Field Office is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Gross is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung Electronics SA and Concentrix Open Business-to-Business Customer Centre in Johannesburg

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung Electronics SA, in partnership with Concentrix, a global provider of technology and services solutions, is proud to announce the opening of a new Business-to-Business (B2B) customer sales centre in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. This exciting collaboration aims to provide resellers with access to Samsung’s extensive range of innovative products and solutions, further strengthening the company’s B2B relationships across South Africa.
     
    The partnership saw the launch of a state-of-the-art customer centre, which began operations on 01 February 2025. Designed specifically for resellers, the facility focuses on serving the top 300 ICT suppliers (small businesses) and 100 retail independent companies, offering a range of products including home appliances, televisions, and monitors. The customer centre acts as a key resource for B2B clients, driving increased access to Samsung’s offerings and fostering deeper, more impactful relationships with its reseller network.
     
    “We’re excited to partner with Concentrix on this new venture, which will give B2B clients in South Africa the opportunity to directly engage with our products and services in a focused, tailored environment,” said Mike van Lier, Vice President of Consumer Electronics at Samsung South Africa. “This partnership not only allows us to expand our reach within the reseller community but also reinforces our commitment to providing top-notch, innovative solutions to businesses across the region.”
     

     
     
    Concentrix, renowned for delivering technology-driven, intelligence-fuelled business solutions, will play a critical role in managing operations at the centre. With a proven track record in driving success for global brands, Concentrix is well-positioned to ensure a seamless experience for Samsung’s B2B resellers.
     
    “We are thrilled to work with Samsung on this dynamic initiative. By providing resellers with greater access to Samsung’s products and solutions, we’re helping to create a more streamlined and efficient process for the B2B sector. This partnership will not only enhance the reseller experience but also foster long-lasting relationships that will benefit all stakeholders involved,” said Brandon Aitken at Concentrix.
     
    The customer centre’s focus on resellers ensures that Samsung can offer specialised support and identify potential issues early in the process, guaranteeing a smooth and responsive experience. This strategic partnership is expected to significantly enhance Samsung’s ability to provide consistent, ongoing support to its B2B clients and further expand its footprint in the market.
     
    The opening of the B2B customer centre marks another milestone in Samsung’s long-standing commitment to innovation, client-centric solutions, and strengthening partnerships across various business sectors. For more information, contact adminsam@concentrix.com.
     
    For more information on Samsung products, visit https://www.samsung.com/za/business/.
     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Photo Wrap-Up: Welch Meets with Vermont Business and Farm Owners, Patients, Legislators in Senate’s First In-State Work Week 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    MONTPELIER, VT – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) spent the Senate’s first in-state work week of the 119th Session meeting with concerned Vermonters, business owners, farmers, patients, and members of the Vermont State Legislature.  
    On Saturday, March 15, Sen. Welch joined Vermont Treasurer Mike Pieciak and local legislators for a town hall in South Burlington. Senator Welch spoke about the Trump Administration’s reckless and illegal policies, which are hurting Vermont families, farmers, businesses, and the local economy. Watch the town hall here:  

    On Tuesday, March 18, Senator Welch convened Vermont and Canadian business leaders for a roundtable in Newport, Vermont —near the U.S.-Canada border— on Tuesday to discuss President Trump’s Trade War and how the Trump Administration’s reckless tariffs are hurting workers, families, and farmers. Senator Welch was joined by the Hon. Marie-Claude Bibeau, Member of Parliament for Compton-Stanstead, and Vermont and Canadian business owners. Following the roundtable, Senator Welch toured Track, Inc. and Built by Newport and continued discussions on the impacts of the tariffs.  

    Welch convenes international business leaders in Newport to discuss impacts of Trump’s trade war

    Welch at Track, Inc. with Mike Desmarais, Owner & CEO of Track Inc.

    Welch at Track, Inc. with Mike Desmarais, Owner & CEO of Track Inc.

    Welch at Built by Newport with owner Dave LaForce

    Welch at Built by Newport with the LaForce family

    On Wednesday, March 19, Senator Welch toured Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, where he discussed his new bipartisan bill to support rural health care providers, the Rural Hospital Support Act and the impact of President Trump’s and Congressional Republicans’ proposed Medicaid cuts on Vermonters. Following the tour at the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital, Sen. Welch met with business leaders and workers from Allard Lumber Co., and G.S. Precision, Inc., in Brattleboro. 

    Welch at the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital

    Welch Tours Allard Lumber Co. in Brattleboro

    Welch at G.S. Precision, Inc. in Brattleboro

    On Thursday, Senator Welch returned to the Statehouse to meet with the Vermont State Senate Appropriations Committee. The Senator provided an update on the recent passage of the Continuing Resolution and ongoing annual budget negotiations, as well as the harm of the budget proposed by President Trump and Congressional Republicans, which would make drastic cuts to Medicaid and other programs and services Vermonters rely on. Senator Welch was elected to the Vermont State Senate in 1980 and became the first Democrat in Vermont history to hold the position of President Pro Tempore.  
    After, he toured Rhino Foods, which develops and manufactures edible additions for ice cream and frozen foods, such as cookie dough. Rhino Foods is a Certified B Corp and is focused on advancing innovative employee-centered practices that help workers of all abilities and experience succeed. 
    Senator Welch also provided remarks and shared a meal at Winooski High School’s district-wide Community Iftar – an evening of community, celebration, and learning about Ramadan. This was Winooski’s fifth Community Iftar. 

    Welch provides an update to the Vermont Senate Appropriations Committee

    Welch Tours Rhino Foods to discuss workforce training and development

    Welch speaks at Winooski High School’s district-wide Community Iftar

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Rate Expands in Knoxville Market with Hire of Adrian Hall as Branch Manager

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    KNOXVILLE, Tenn., March 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rate, a leader in fintech mortgage solutions, announced today the addition of Adrian Hall as Branch Manager to lead its growing presence in the Knoxville market. With deep roots in the community and a drive to help local families achieve homeownership, Hall brings over a decade of experience in mortgage lending and financial education to his role.

    “Joining Rate was a natural fit,” said Hall. “They walk the walk—everything else comes second. That showed in their processes, technology, rates, and products and how they handled the Knoxville office launch. I always knew what to expect, and they made sure I felt confident every step of the way. That’s the kind of organization I want to partner with, because that’s exactly how I serve my homebuying and refinance clients.”

    A Knoxville native and seasoned industry professional, Hall has helped over 10,000 individuals improve their credit, pay off debt, and take control of their financial futures through his background in financial education. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Hall is an active community leader, serving as Secretary of the Knoxville Mortgage Bankers Association, Treasurer and Board Member of the Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce, and President of the Knoxville chapter of the National Association of Minority Mortgage Bankers of America (NAMMBA).

    “We are so happy to have Adrian join our Rate team in Tennessee,” said Jeff Nelson, Chief Production Officer-East at Rate. “He is a true professional, and we are proud to have him leading our team in Knoxville.”

    As Rate continues to expand across the Southeast, Hall’s appointment marks a significant milestone in its mission to bring smart, simple, and accessible mortgage solutions to more homebuyers in the region.

    About Rate

    Rate Companies is a leader in mortgage lending and digital financial services. Headquartered in Chicago, Rate has over 850 branches across all 50 states and Washington D.C. Since its launch in 2000, Rate has helped more than 2 million homeowners with home purchase loans and refinances. The company has cemented itself as an industry leader by introducing innovative technology, offering low rates, and delivering unparalleled customer service. Honors and awards include Best Mortgage Lender for First-Time Homebuyers by NerdWallet for 2023; HousingWire’s Tech100 award for the company’s industry-leading FlashClose℠ digital mortgage platform in 2020, MyAccount in 2022, and Language Access Program in 2023; the most Scotsman Guide Top Originators for 11 consecutive years; Chicago Agent Magazine’s Lender of the Year for seven consecutive years; and Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces list for seven straight years. Visit rate.com for more information.

    Press Contact
    press@rate.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/030f6e72-be6c-4c49-90b9-29c76cb526dc

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: VERB Publishes Management’s Prepared Remarks During Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2024 Earnings Call

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LAS VEGAS and LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., March 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Verb Technology Company, Inc. (Nasdaq: VERB) (“VERB” or the “Company”), Transforming the Landscape of Social Commerce, Social Telehealth and Social Crowdfunding with MARKET.live; VANITYPrescribed; GoodGirlRx; and the GO FUND YOURSELF TV Show, today filed its Form 10-K reporting financial and operating results for the full year and the quarter ending December 31, 2024 and held an earnings conference call at 1 p.m. ET to discuss these results. Prepared remarks during the conference call of Rory J. Cutaia, the Company’s Chairman & CEO, are provided below.

    Company Participant
    Rory J. Cutaia, CEO

    Operator:
    Good afternoon and welcome to the full-year and fourth quarter 2024 Financial Results Conference Call for Verb Technology Company, Inc. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. Please be advised, the call is being recorded at the Company’s request.

    On our call today is Rory J. Cutaia, Verb’s Founder, Chairman and CEO

    Before we begin, I’d like to remind everyone that statements made during this conference call will include forward-looking statements under the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, except as required by law, as the underlying facts and circumstances may change. Verb Technology Company disclaims any obligations to update these forward-looking statements, as well as those contained in the Company’s current and subsequent filings with the SEC.

    I would now like to turn the call over to Rory J. Cutaia, CEO. Rory?

    Rory:
    Thank you moderator, and thanks to everyone for joining us today for our fourth quarter and full-year 2024 financial results and business update conference call.

    Well it sure feels good being back before you, speaking directly to you about our company, our business, our performance, and sharing our direct, transparent, honest thoughts and strategies for how we intend to drive shareholder value in this business now and into the future.

    I’d like to begin with a brief discussion about our history and the challenging market conditions that influenced the formulation of the strategies we undertook to insulate ourselves from those conditions. I’m referring to insulating ourselves from those market conditions that became impediments to value creation in our former direct sales Software as a Service line of business, as well as those market conditions, particularly capital markets conditions, that affected, and are affecting many, many small and micro-cap exchange-listed companies even today.

    Then I’d like to discuss the strategies that we employed and the changes we’ve made that underlie the impressive results we’re now seeing in the business. I’ll also touch on the strategies we employed that resulted in what I’m proud to state is a well cash-infused, extremely healthy debt-free balance sheet and a super clean cap table, the combination of which provide the all-important foundation for the impressive revenue growth we’re now enjoying.

    Ok – let’s jump in. Historically, we were an R&D driven technology business, built around a SaaS platform, with a customer base that was comprised of, for the most part, direct sales companies, or as they are sometimes referred to: multi-level marketing companies. When we entered the market with our interactive video-based sales software, we set out to become the dominant player in this sector. What we saw at that time was the opportunity to address a market that included the large-scale sales teams, including tens of thousands of independent sales reps that these companies managed, all of whom needed a simple and effective, mobile-based sales tool.

    Over time we learned valuable lessons. First, while we onboarded large numbers of new sales reps every month, the attrition rate among sales reps at these companies was extraordinarily high, making it difficult and costly to generate meaningful revenue growth. In addition, while we developed what we believe were extremely effective tools to help sales reps, even inexperienced sales reps generate and convert sales leads, outdated internal communications policies at these companies prohibited us from communicating these tools and how to use them directly to the fields of sales reps which may have curtailed much of the sales rep attrition, as the companies that managed these reps were often ineffective at doing so themselves. Finally, the ever-changing nature of the customer base we served, as well as the give-it-away below cost pricing models adopted by competitors who found themselves marginalized by our superior product offering, required continued, costly R&D expenditures, and continued returns to the capital markets.

    These factors, coupled with what we perceived to be declining market multiples for SaaS businesses generally, drove our decision to sell that business unit and focus instead on our new, though not yet revenue-generating – Market.live, livestream shopping business. A bold move indeed, but one that has certainly proven now to have been in the best interests of our shareholders. This was the first prong of our multi-pronged strategy to restructure, reconstitute, and re-invent VERB.

    The next prong of our strategy was to insulate ourselves from the predatory financing terms imposed universally on companies like ours who relied on access to the capital markets to fund continued R&D and other growth capital requirements. Almost every financing initiative we undertook was fraught with last minute re-trading of material deal terms, ridiculous warrant coverage terms and conditions, post-deal financing exclusivity arrangements, tying the Company to bad financings into the future when additional capital was needed – all of which made us – and so many other companies in the same situation – perfect targets for short-selling – and for companies with any kind of trading volume, greed-driven illegal naked short-selling.

    It wasn’t hard to target companies that announced an upcoming financing as short-sellers could be confident that deal terms and corresponding share prices would be below whatever the then current trading price was. This capital markets environment eroded share prices across the board resulting in reverse splits required to maintain exchange listing requirements, and destroyed cap tables and balance sheets causing an unprecedented level of exchange de-listings. Ultimately, it was the individual retail investors, left without sufficiently aggressive regulatory intervention, who bore the brunt of this market activity and still do.

    To avoid this awful outcome, we developed a unique strategy to utilize Reg A to structure our capitalize raise initiatives and avoid the predatory hedge-fund investors, allowing us to issue straight common shares, priced at-the-market, with no warrant coverage, and no investment banking fees. This financing vehicle, unique for publicly-traded companies, among other financing strategies, allowed us to pay-off all of our debt, redeem all of the previously issued preferred shares, completely restructure our balance sheet, padding it with cash, taking shareholder equity from almost $2 million negative in June 2023 to more than $16 million positive in December 2024, and giving us a cash runway, conservatively assuming zero revenue growth, well into 2028 and beyond.

    The shareholder approved reverse split we did last year resulted in an extremely tight – less than 1 million share float – and essentially eliminated all of the warrant overhang from years-ago predatory financings. We’re very proud of how well that series of initiatives was executed, completing that important second prong of our multi-pronged strategy to restructure, reconstitute, and re-invent VERB.

    The next prong of our strategy was to diversify our revenue streams to insulate ourselves from changes in the market, including economic and regulatory changes, as well as changes within our own customer base and demand for our products and services. The challenge was to identify and develop independent, yet complementary revenue producing business units that could leverage the cost savings produced by a unified internal finance, sales, marketing, and technology department structure utilized by and across all business units.

    Recognizing that the core of our business was our interactive social video commerce technology and know-how, our strategy was to exploit those capabilities by entering the exploding telehealth industry, leading to the development and launch of VANITY Prescribed, followed by GoodGirlRX in partnership with TV and social media celebrity Savannah Chrisley, and then the development and launch of GO FUND YOURSELF, our very exciting, fast-growing crowd funding marketing platform. To give a sense of the revenue potential for Go Fund Yourself, we launched it in Q3 with little to no marketing and recognized $25 thousand in revenue – and then in Q4 we recognized $233 thousand in revenue. And if any of the more recent developments come to fruition for the Show – 2025 may be an extraordinary year for Go Fund Yourself and VERB stockholders.

    VANITY Prescribed was in development during Q3 and Q4, identifying suppliers, onboarding suppliers, then replacing suppliers, developing our online patient screening and prescription approval process, and shoring up our supply chain in anticipation of participating in the extraordinary growth of the telehealth space following the introduction and rapid adoption of the new GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. Revenue, though now growing, was modest through that period and we’re excited for a broad-based launch and marketing campaign that is about to get under way.

    As to MARKET.live, at the end of Q3, we changed our focus and product offering by providing what we believe is an industry-leading end-to-end solution for brands seeking to adopt a social commerce strategy that they cannot manage in-house on a cost effective basis. That strategy has proven to be enormously successful producing exponential revenue growth. As reflected in our 2024 Form 10-K filed today, in Q1 we generated revenue of $7 thousand, in Q2 we generated revenue of $37 thousand, in Q3 we generated revenue of $103 thousand, and in Q4 we generated revenue of $490 thousand. An impressive and most welcomed trend by anyone’s standards.

    Combined 2024 revenue was $895 thousand, an increase of $832 thousand over 2023, representing revenue growth of 1,321% over that period. This performance is the greatest amount of revenue generated since the strategic sale of the Company’s direct sales SaaS business unit in June 2023.

    Looking at Q4 alone, we generated $723 thousand, an increase of $694 thousand over the same period last year, representing revenue growth of almost 2,400% over that period. And as compared to Q3 2024, revenue in Q4 increased by $595 thousand, representing growth of almost 465% quarter-over-quarter.

    While we historically do not provide going-forward guidance, we are comfortable sharing our expectation that Q1 2025 will surpass Q4 2024.

    Finally, as to the last prong of our multi-pronged strategy to restructure, reconstitute, and re-invent VERB, we recognized that any business that fails to identify and develop an artificial intelligence strategy will be marginalized. With that in mind, we explored a number of different strategies, including developing our own A.I. capabilities in-house, which we smartly rejected. Instead, we scoured the market for a company with a developed, tested, proprietary A.I. solution uniquely tailored to video-based social commerce. Upon testing the A.I. and social commerce capabilities of LyveCom, a bleeding-edge, video-based social commerce start-up, we entered into a licensing agreement to incorporate their technology into our MARKET.live platform.

    To our great surprise, we found that the integration of LyveCom’s tech resulted in a massive operational cost reduction. In fact, we anticipate a direct operational cost reduction of approximately $1 million per year. However, perhaps more importantly, we also recognized that the addition of LyveCom’s technology created an entirely new, updated platform, feature rich with capabilities far beyond our current platform and certainly beyond that of many other social commerce platforms. So rather than simply license the technology and risk LyveCom being acquired by a competitor, limiting our access to the technology and future iterations of it, we decided to acquire it ourselves. It is our expectation that the acquisition will be highly accretive and produce meaningful value for VERB stockholders.

    With the closing of the LyveCom acquisition, which remains on track and is expected to occur in the coming weeks, we will have effectively completed the transition of VERB from an unprofitable, cash-hungry business in a challenging market, to an extremely well-capitalized, well diversified business, with proven, strong, fast-growing revenue generation capabilities, A.I.-ready, with a tight float, clean cap table and debt-free balance sheet, poised for meaningful continued growth.

    In closing, I refer you to our Form 10-K filed today for greater details concerning our 2024 financial results as well as the press release distributed today summarizing those results for additional information I’ve not covered in my conference call today. I’ve chosen instead to use this time to provide context for those results and share our strategies and ongoing initiatives for continued growth and value-creation for VERB stockholders.

    Finally, and as anyone who can read a balance can see, with under 1 million shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2024, and debt-free with more than $13 million in cash and highly liquid securities – and assuming ZERO value given for our three revenue generating business units – I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that our net cash value per common share is at least $13.50, which we believe represents a very compelling opportunity, very compelling indeed.

    I thank you for allowing me to address you all today and share with you our excitement and optimism for VERB shareholders now and into the future.

    Operator: This concludes the conference call. You may now disconnect.

    About VERB
    Verb Technology Company, Inc. (Nasdaq: VERB), is the innovative force behind interactive video-based social commerce. The Company operates three business units, each of which leverages its social commerce technology and video marketing expertise. The Company’s MARKET.live platform is a multi-vendor, livestream social shopping destination at the forefront of the convergence of e-commerce and entertainment, where brands, retailers, creators, and influencers engage their customers, clients, fans, and followers across multiple social media channels simultaneously. GO FUND YOURSELF is a revolutionary interactive social crowd funding platform and TV show for public and private companies seeking broad-based exposure across social media channels for their crowd-funded Regulation CF and Regulation A offerings. The platform combines a ground-breaking interactive TV show with MARKET.live’s back-end capabilities allowing viewers to tap, scan or click on their screen to facilitate an investment, in real time, as they watch companies presenting before the show’s panel of “Titans”. Presenting companies that sell consumer products are able to offer their products directly to viewers during the show in real time through shoppable onscreen icons. VANITYPrescribed.com and GoodGirlRx.com are telehealth portals, intended to redefine telehealth by offering a seamless, digital-first experience that empowers individuals to take control of their healthcare needs. They were designed and developed to disrupt the traditional healthcare model by providing tailored healthcare solutions at affordable, fixed prices – without hidden fees, membership costs, or inflated pharmaceutical markups. GoodGirlRx.com, a partnership with Savannah Chrisley, a well-known lifestyle personality and advocate for health and wellness, offers customers access to convenient, no-hassle telehealth services and pharmaceuticals, including the new weight-loss drugs, with fixed pricing regardless of dosage, breaking away from the industry’s traditional model of excessive pricing and pharmaceutical gatekeeping.

    The Company is headquartered in Las Vegas, NV and operates full-service production and creator studios in Los Alamitos, California.

    For more information, please visit: www.verb.tech

    Follow VERB and MARKET.live here:
    VERB on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VerbTechCo
    VERB on Twitter: https://twitter.com/VerbTech_Co
    VERB on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/verb-tech
    VERB on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0eCb_fwQlwEG3ywHDJ4_KQ

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    FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: ARU expert has key role in £2m dementia initiative

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    A music therapy expert from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) is to play a key role in a new project to help people with dementia continue to participate in the activities they love, while maintaining their independence.

    Funding for the £1.97 million BRIDGES Dementia Network comes from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with support of the Alzheimer’s Society, and has been announced on the day of the World Dementia Council Summit in London.

    Currently, around one million people in the UK have dementia, and this number is expected to increase to 1.4 million by 2040. At the same time, a survey by Alzheimer’s Society found that 85% of people say they would prefer to remain at home if diagnosed with dementia.

    The national BRIDGES Dementia Network aims to revolutionise the role of technology in supporting independent living, helping those with dementia as well as their families.

    Within the new project, Dr Ming Hung Hsu of Anglia Ruskin University’s Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research will co-lead work focusing on new innovations to allow people with dementia to continue to enjoy creative and recreational activities, in turn helping their mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing.

    Dr Hsu will work alongside researchers, care providers, and people with dementia to design new technology that is accessible, scalable, and meets the needs of different communities. Dr Hsu’s involvement in the BRIDGES Dementia Network, which is being hosted by the University of Sheffield, builds on his leadership in other national dementia care initiatives.

    These include the NIHR-funded MELODIC project, which focuses on how music therapy can manage distress on NHS dementia wards, and the MediMusic project, funded by Innovate UK, which is investigating how AI-driven music interventions can support culturally diverse communities with dementia.

    “The BRIDGES Dementia Network is a significant change in dementia research, moving beyond traditional models of care to develop new, person-centred technological innovations that support independent living. A major focus will be on art, sport, and culture, highlighting the impact of creative activities on people’s quality of life. 

    “Potential applications could include AI-powered personalised music platforms, interactive storytelling tools, virtual reality experiences, and digital platforms that encourage social engagement and physical activity. Through new technology like this, the aim is to maintain and enhance cognitive function, emotional wellbeing, mobility, and social connectivity for those living with dementia.”

    Dr Hsu, Senior Research Fellow at the Cambridge Institute for Music Therapy Research at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU)

    “Dementia is a major challenge in the UK and globally. As people are living longer, the number of people living with dementia is increasing. 

    “With most people wishing to remain at home, we are investing in research that could lead to new technologies and innovations that will help keep people safe and independent.”

    Professor Charlotte Deane, Executive Chair of funders the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), part of UKRI

    “One in three people born today will develop dementia in their lifetime. Research will beat dementia, and innovative networks like these will play an important part in helping people living with dementia today, and in the future, live independently for longer.  

    “As well as exploring ways to make daily life easier, and helping people with dementia feel more connected, they have the potential to ease pressure on the NHS. This could improve care for everyone as more people with dementia will be able to remain independent and cared for in the community for longer.  

    “As technology develops at pace, it’s critical we harness it, using AI, digital health, and community support to create simple, effective solutions. We’re excited to see what the future holds.”

    Professor Fiona Carragher, Chief Policy and Research Officer at Alzheimer’s Society

    The BRIDGES Dementia Network is led by Dr Jennifer MacRitchie at the University of Sheffield, and also includes academics from Lancaster University, London South Bank University, University College London, University of Cambridge, University of Kent and University of Leicester, as well as ARU. The network also involves a range of non-academic partners, including Innovations in Dementia, robotics company BOW, Lewy Body Society, Dementia UK, Kent County Council, and Sheffield City Council.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Large parts of iconic gardens set to close so they can be rejuvenated

    Source: City of Canterbury

    Home  »  Latest News   »   Large parts of iconic gardens set to close so they can be rejuvenated
    Artist impression of what the Dane John Gardens could look like when complete

    Work to transform the Dane John Gardens will get underway in earnest on Monday (31 March).

    Contractors will begin to close off all the lawned areas of the Canterbury city centre park which will remain out of bounds until December.

    The path around the edge of the gardens, which runs close to people’s homes, will stay open so people can get from one end to the other along with the public toilets.

    The children’s play area will remain accessible via the mound from the city wall.

    The work comes after the council was awarded £19.9m by the Government for its bid, Connected Canterbury: Unlocking the Tales of England.

    The money is being used to transform a whole host of Canterbury’s public spaces and heritage to a standard that reflects its status as an international visitor destination and World Heritage Site.

    Head of Digital, Data and Improvement Caroline Marlow, who is leading the project, said: “We’re sorry for any inconvenience the work will cause but we’re convinced it really will be worth it.

    “The full closure is needed for a couple of reasons. We are working as quickly as possible, so the contractor needs the ability to use the space as and when needed.

    “Plus, if you dig anywhere in Canterbury, you are bound to find important historical artefacts which means the contractor may need to move its workforce at short notice.

    “We hope reopening in December is a worst-case scenario and if we can make things happen faster, we will.”

    The council is in discussions with the owner of the Don Juan cafe to find ways to help the business during the disruption.

    The current cafe, which is outdated and coming to the end of its life, will be demolished as part of the scheme and will be replaced with a new building in a similar style to the current one.

    The work in the Dane John will include:

    • resurfacing all the pathways and creating a flexible surface strip either side of the main avenue to enable the tree roots to move and grow
    • replacing lost trees in the avenue
    • reducing the shrubs and vegetation to reveal the mound and the views across the garden
    • returning the flower beds to reflect the original shape in the Victorian garden and planting with perennial shrubs
    • adding more picnic tables by the monument
    • refurbishing the mound to improve views and installing a set of steps to the monument to reduce erosion of the Scheduled Monument
    • refurbishing, and replacing where necessary, historic streetlights through the garden and on the city wall
    • adding lighting to highlight heritage features
    • installing interpretation panels to tell the story of the garden
    • putting in new seating around the Second World War shelters with steps up to the city wall
    • planting perennial wildflower meadows on the slope up to the city wall and on the verge between the city wall and the ring road
    • resurfacing the city wall and adding planting beds to the area above the bus station
    • refurbishing or replacing railings, gates, benches and other street furniture

    For more information on the projects being paid for by the government, visit canterbury.gov.uk/luf.

    Published: 25 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Negotiations update on an enhanced UK-Switzerland Trade Agreement

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Negotiations update on an enhanced UK-Switzerland Trade Agreement

    The sixth round of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Switzerland took place in Switzerland between 3 and 10 March 2025.

    Economic growth is the core mission of this government and FTAs have an important role to play in achieving this. We are seeking an enhanced FTA with Switzerland that guarantees market access for UK services suppliers, facilitates the seamless flow of data and ideas between two world-leading services powerhouses and provides long-term certainty on UK business travel to Switzerland. An enhanced FTA will contribute to growth and prosperity across the UK and build on our existing trading relationship with Switzerland. This currently supports 130,000 services jobs and more than £17 billion in services exports, including over £700m from Scotland and the North West.

    The UK government’s focus in talks continues to be on agreeing ambitious outcomes in services, investment and digital trade which are not covered in the existing UK-Swiss FTA. During the latest round, good progress was made in financial services in particular, with both sides focussed on agreeing the most comprehensive chapter either country has signed. On digital trade, provisions on data, source code and cryptography were discussed.

    A number of chapters were provisionally closed during this round, including customs and trade facilitation, and transparency.

    The government will only ever sign a trade agreement which aligns with the UK’s national interests, upholding high standards across a range of sectors, alongside protections for the National Health Service.   

    The next round of negotiations is expected to take place in the UK in early summer 2025.

    Any organisations or individuals interested in speaking to the Department for Business and Trade about negotiations with Switzerland should do so by emailing ch.fta.engagement@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Transcript: Governor Hochul On “Mornings With Zerlina”

    Source: US State of New York

    arlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul was a guest on SiriusXM’s “Mornings with Zerlina” with Zerlina Miller. The Governor spoke on her proposal for universal free school meals, the ongoing Budget negotiations and which challenges she is prioritizing from the Trump administration.

    AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

    Zerlina Miller, SiriusXM: Welcome back to “Mornings with Zerlina.” Joining us on the phone is the first woman to ever be Governor of the great State of New York. Governor Kathy Hochul is all on the line. Good morning, Governor.

    Governor Hochul: Good morning.

    Zerlina Miller, SiriusXM: It is quite a time. There is so much going on and I’m so grateful that you were able to join us this morning.

    One of the things we’ve been focused on since January 20 is the role and the importance of Democratic Governors in being the bulwark against some of the authoritarian moves of the Trump administration. How do you see yourself and your role as the Governor of New York in holding the line for democracy?

    Governor Hochul: That’s an excellent question, and I appreciate the role that Congress plays. I’m a former member of Congress and I would’ve stayed if I had not voted to support the Affordable Care Act representing a very Republican district. So, I have been there. But also — now serving as Governor for the last three-and-a-half years — there is enormous power in being able to speak up with one voice to represent an entire state, a large state like New York, and to call out what is happening to not just the people of our state, but the people all across America. And if we abrogate that responsibility at this moment in history, then we’re not fulfilling our obligations to our citizens or to this nation, and that’s what I feel so strongly about — the role I can play now.

    There are pathways to have a relationship that’s workable on infrastructure and other areas where there’s common interest with the Trump administration, but what I’ve said from the very beginning, and say it all the time: If you cross the line and you come after policies and programs that help New Yorkers and take them away, or you challenge our very values — the ideals that we hold dear in the State of New York — then you have a fight with me.

    So, that’s our position.

    Zerlina Miller, SiriusXM: What are some of the things that you’re speaking up about?

    Governor Hochul: Well, first of all, women’s rights — and this is an issue we have, actually with a judge right now in Louisiana who’s trying to force us to extradite a medical doctor, an abortion provider who prescribed telemedicine abortion pills to a family, a woman and her mother in Louisiana.

    They want me to extradite this person and send her there to face criminal charges. This is, again, a fallout from administration stacking the Supreme Court, overturning Roe v. Wade and the fallout continues all these years later. So, standing up for women’s rights, but also, Medicaid. I was out the very first days they talked about undoing the Medicaid promise that we’ve made to our citizens since the 1960s that we will take care of them. They think it’s just people in poverty who aren’t working — they are wrong. These are our senior citizens in nursing homes and these are programs for children. So, I’ve been out there speaking out strongly on those issues.

    Now we have cuts to FEMA. Are you kidding me? Have they watched the news? Did they see the weather? They see the devastation all across America and at this time of great crisis, you are now talking about eliminating FEMA assistance for states. So, I will tell you this — on education, school lunches, I was in a school just a couple days ago saying, “Don’t touch this essential program that the Department of Education provides,” and there’s almost too much and, in that sense, you have to be a little bit selective or your voice becomes just one of many and you really have to pick your fights.

    But I have to say this, there are plenty of fights to choose from.

    Zerlina Miller, SiriusXM: There are plenty of fights to choose from. Just the ones you just listed off — the Medicaid cuts, FEMA cuts, Department of Education. I feel like cutting the department — I mean they’re really cutting everywhere. You have Elon Musk and his unelected crew of “tech bros,” I guess is the way to describe them. Running from agency to agency and cutting staff and funding. I mean, talk a bit about the impact specifically of the Department of Education cuts in addition to the free school lunches, because I think that that is still very much new, right? It just happened and so the impact has not necessarily been felt by everyone yet.

    Governor Hochul: Right. Before I get to that, let me just quickly say that when we first started seeing these cuts from Elon Musk, we took an exact opposite approach here. We actually have advertising in Union Station in Washington and here in New York at Penn Station. People going on a train see the message, which Elon Musk may say, “You are fired,” but in New York, we say, “You’re hired.” We are trying to hire these individuals because they’re enormously talented. We value public servants. We know the critical role they have in keeping the plane safe, and protecting our nuclear codes, and making sure social security checks are received by our grandparents and parents.

    But on education, New York State receives about $5 billion in assistance, whether it’s $2 billion for Pell Grants — creating that pathway to a higher education, which changes everything, including my own family’s trajectory — $2 billion for school lunches. I mean, you have to go to some of these school lunch rooms and know that there are children whose stomach should be growling throughout the day because their parents, their mom, most likely, did not have the ability to pack that lunch, send them along with money to buy lunch and these are the kids that are the collateral damage of this war on government.

    And if we as moms and parents — first Mom Governor of New York — if I don’t use my voice to stand up for those children across my state in this nation, then what am I doing here? And that’s how strongly I feel about these fights when it comes to the education cuts. There’s a lot of uncertainty and chaos, and we’re trying to do our Budget here in the State of New York, not knowing whether or not the $93 billion we receive from the federal government is going to be affected, so it’s complicating things. But, if our voices don’t rise up at this moment, then why are we sitting in these seats?

    Zerlina Miller, SiriusXM: In the last few minutes here, I want to ask about tariffs because one of the things that is true about New York, it is quite large and it goes up right on the line of Canada and some of the folks who live in New York — the farmers and the folks who benefit from being able to have small businesses in that area will be impacted by Trump’s tariffs. Talk a bit about, number one, the impact and what you can do as Governor to protect their interests.

    Governor Hochul: That is something that has been top of mind, particularly in our farm community. Literally on Saturday morning, I was out celebrating Maple Syrup Weekends. New York is the number two producer of maple syrup in the nation, so I was out there with farmers.

    They said, “What will the tariffs do to you out in this rural area?” Probably a red county. I’m pretty sure that the father who ran the farm was a Republican supervisor, and they are so frightened about tariffs for their farms. Everything from the steel that goes into how they process the maple syrup all the way to the fertilizer.

    I mean, how many people think about fertilizer? There’s something called potash — most of it from our country, in New York, particularly — comes from Canada and it’s only manufactured in Canada, Ukraine, and Russia. So I’d rather get it from Canada any day of the week. But this is what’s jeopardized. So it’s the farm community that is really, really, really anxious at a time when they don’t need this extra stress.

    But also, I’m from Buffalo. I’m from Western New York. The synergy between Ontario and Western New York. It is just one large committee. Everybody supports the Buffalo Bills, everybody watches the hockey games, and so there’s a lot of cross pollination. This is not a foreign country to us. These are our friends to the north, so there’s a lot of business exchange, a lot of trade back-and-forth.

    We have a $50 billion trade balance, which is pretty much in balance with our largest trading partner, which is Canada. That being jeopardized sends chills down the spines of our business leaders who don’t know whether all their costs, all the materials they need. We get so much lumber, we build housing with lumber from Canada, and what is that going to do to our ability to be able to build the housing that I am pushing for — to make up for years of people not having the ambition to do it.

    So, I have to say this: The ripple effect touches every sector of our economy here in New York. And what that means, contrary to what Donald Trump promised, which is lower prices on Election Day. Remember he said that countless times on the campaign trail? The opposite is true.

    Prices are going up and will be going up. And lastly, Canada, because they’re frustrated with these policies — threatened to raise our energy costs that we get from Canada by 25 percent. Now, that is the last thing New Yorkers need right now is a higher energy bill because of the Trump tariffs. So it’s wide ranging and my fear is only just beginning.

    Zerlina Miller, SiriusXM: In the last few minutes here, I wanted to ask you about being somebody who has to stand up for the people in the State of New York against the administration that is trying to grab all the power that they can in such a short amount of time. Do you ever feel afraid or nervous about becoming a target by this administration? They obviously are targeting and attacking people who stand up against them.

    Governor Hochul: No, fear is never an option for someone in my position. Fear is paralyzing at this moment in history when we’re called to stand up to basically the disintegration, the destruction of our democracy and our nation as we know it.

    I do not want to be, as Theodore Roosevelt described as “The Man in the Arena,” which I changed to “The Woman in the Arena.” I will never be the timid soul on the sidelines, questioning what others do. I will be in that arena. I will stand up. I will cooperate and have a partnership with the Trump administration on areas of mutual interest.

    And I will do that because it’s important to my state to get Penn Station redone and focus on infrastructure. But I said this in my first call with the president, after he was elected, I said, “But I will stand up to you. You go after women’s rights, you have to get through me. You’re going to challenge my citizens on issues. And my immigrant community, we are going to have a fight.” So I cannot let fear dictate how I respond. I must govern with strength at this moment. And then that’s exactly what we’re doing.

    Zerlina Miller, Sirius XM: New York Governor Kathy Hochul, thank you so much for being with us. It’s Women’s History Month, it’s the perfect time to have this conversation. Thank you, again. Come back anytime.

    Governor Hochul: Alright, thank you. Bye-bye.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lynchburg Man Sentenced to 106 Months on Gun and Drug Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LYNCHBURG, Va. – A local man who trafficked pressed fentanyl pills and oxycodone while possessing a firearm was sentenced last week to 106 months in federal prison.

    Shytrez Robey, 25, pled guilty in November 2024 to one count of possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, one count of possessing with the intent to distribute oxycodone, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. 

    According to court documents, after repeatedly making controlled purchases of pressed fentanyl pills from Robey’s roommate, Elijah Pollard, police obtained and executed a search warrant for the two-bedroom apartment Robey and Pollard shared in Lynchburg. Pollard pled guilty to separate federal charges and was sentenced to 12 years in July 2024.

    In Robey’s bedroom, police found pressed blue fentanyl pills and two loaded handguns – a Glock 19 9 mm and a Smith & Wesson 9 mm. Police also found a money counter, medical gloves, and empty vacuum-sealed bags. Robey was not home at the time the search warrant was executed.

    Approximately two months later, law enforcement arrested Robey at his girlfriend’s apartment in Lynchburg. Police subsequently obtained and executed a search warrant for that apartment, and, in the bedroom occupied by Robey, his girlfriend, and a toddler, they found a large quantity of marijuana, 60-70 pills of assorted colors, which were predominantly oxycodone, and a loaded Romarm Micro Draco AK-pattern pistol. Police also seized Robey’s cell phone which contained text messages related to the sale of pills.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Lynchburg Police Department investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Brett prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Imposes Tariffs on Countries Importing Venezuelan Oil

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    PROTECTING UNITED STATES NATIONAL SECURITY: Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order imposing tariffs on countries that import Venezuelan oil.
    President Trump is levying a 25% tariff on all goods from any country that imports Venezuelan oil, whether directly from Venezuela or indirectly through third parties.
    The tariffs will lapse one year after a country ceases importing Venezuelan oil—or sooner if officials deem it appropriate.
    If tariffs are imposed on China, they will also apply to Hong Kong and Macau to prevent transshipment and evasion.
    These tariffs aim to sever the financial lifelines of Nicolás Maduro’s corrupt regime and curb its destabilizing influence across the Western Hemisphere.
    This action targets transnational criminal threats, such as the Tren de Aragua gang, and addresses the humanitarian crises fueled by Venezuela’s actions.
    ADDRESSING AN EMERGENCY SITUATION: The Maduro regime poses an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.
    The Maduro regime systemically undermines democratic institutions by suppressing free and fair elections and consolidating power illegitimately.
    Venezuela’s endemic corruption and mismanagement under Maduro have crushed its people and triggered a regional humanitarian and public health crisis.
    Millions of Venezuelans have fled Maduro’s oppressive rule, imposing significant burdens on neighboring countries and destabilizing the Western Hemisphere.
    The Maduro regime has aided and facilitated the infiltration of the Tren de Aragua gang—a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization—into the United States by failing to secure its borders, allowing the gang to flourish within Venezuela, and refusing to take action against its members.
    These dangerous criminals exploited the previous administration’s open-border policies, establishing a foothold in U.S. communities and preying on American citizens through violent acts, including kidnapping, assault, and murder.

    USING OUR LEVERAGE TO SAFEGUARD OUR INTERESTS: President Trump is using America’s economic might to safeguard our interests and punish those who support Maduro’s regime.
    Tariffs are a powerful, proven source of leverage for protecting the national interest.
    President Trump is sending a clear message that access to our economy is a privilege, not a right, and countries importing Venezuelan oil will face consequences.
    As President Trump said in the Presidential Memorandum on American First Trade Policy, trade policy is a critical component in national security.
    President Trump has successfully used tariffs in the past to advance America’s interests and address urgent national security threats and is doing so again today.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: NFB feature doc Parade: Queer Acts of Love & Resistance opens Hot Docs 2025. Six National Film Board of Canada documentaries, including five world premieres.

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    March 25, 2025 – Toronto – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) will be at Hot Docs in Toronto with a stellar selection of six NFB documentaries, including Winnipeg director Noam Gonick and Toronto producer Justine Pimlott’s feature doc Parade: Queer Acts of Love & Resistance, presented Thursday, April 24, at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema as the festival’s opening night film.

    NFB filmmakers will be attending select screenings. The Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival runs from April 24 to May 4, 2025.

    Parade: Queer Acts of Love & Resistance to kick off festival

    A world premiere Special Presentation at Hot Docs, Parade captures pivotal moments that sparked Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ movement, told through first-person accounts and rarely seen archival footage. Key milestones illustrate the power of taking it into the streets and underscore how easily the rights we’ve fought for can be revoked, making the documentary essential viewing for all Canadians. Unflinching, bold, enraging, hopeful; Parade is a vital new chapter in the queer canon.

    Quotes

    “With the attacks that are once again being faced by trans people and other members of our rainbow collective, it is urgently time for a refresher on the activist movements that got us this far. Queer archives shouldn’t be allowed to get dusty; those snapshots, video clips and film reels ought to see the light of day—so we can give flowers to those that made a difference. With Parade we wanted to put viewers on the street where our rights were won. To hear, see and feel the invigorating protests that moved the needle and opened up Canadian society. May this film act as a guidebook, lest those phalanxes need resurrecting in the days to come.” – Noam Gonick, director

    “This is a history that many people are not even aware of, both among the general Canadian public and within 2SLGBTQI+ communities. So, the intention in bringing this film to the screen was to ensure that our histories are documented and that they’re also told by the activist/witnesses themselves, in their own words. It’s important to know whose shoulders we stand on and to pay our respects to them. We need to learn from history so that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past. Having the platform of the opening night film of Hot Docs 2025 is an incredible gift and wonderful opportunity to get this story out into the world and to reach as wide an audience as possible.”

    – Justine Pimlott, producer 

    Parade screening times
    OPENING FILM: Thursday, April 24, 6:15 p.m. (industry) and 9:30 p.m. (public), Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema
    Saturday, April 26, 11:15 a.m., Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema
    Saturday, May 3, 10 a.m., TIFF Lightbox 1

    More NFB premieres at Hot Docs

    Ghosts of the Sea by Virginia Tangvald (micro_scope/NFB/Urban Factory; 97 min) – ONTARIO PREMIERE | CANADIAN SPECTRUM
    Sunday, April 27, 10:30 a.m., TIFF Lightbox 1
    Wednesday, April 30, 5:15 p.m., TIFF Lightbox 4

    • While searching for clues about the death of her brother, who was lost at sea, Montreal-raised filmmaker Virginia Tangvald embarks on a fascinating investigation into her family’s dark secrets. Calling into question the idyllic life of her father, legendary sailor Peter Tangvald, her quest dismantles the myth of absolute freedom and offers the hope that a toxic cycle has been broken.

    King’s Court by Serville Poblete (20 min) – WORLD PREMIERE | SHORTS PROGRAM
    Thursday, May 1, 4:30 p.m., TIFF Lightbox 4
    Saturday, May 3, 12:15 p.m., TIFF Lightbox 4

    • A fast-paced look at friendship, family and the journey to manhood in modern society, King’s Court blurs the line between documentary and fiction, immersing viewers in the raw emotions and struggles of two lifelong friends of filmmaker Serville Poblete in Toronto’s Bleecker Street neighbourhood—one of Canada’s most diverse and densely populated areas.

    The Nest by Chase Joynt and Julietta Singh (89 min) – WORLD PREMIERE | SPECIAL PRESENTATION
    Sunday, April 27, 8 p.m., TIFF Lightbox 1
    Wednesday, April 30, 11:15 a.m., TIFF Lightbox 1

    • At the end of her mother’s life, decolonial writer Julietta Singh returns to say goodbye to her childhood home in Winnipeg. As she digs into the history of the house, she uncovers 140 years of forgotten matriarchs and political histories she never knew. In this genre-defying cross-community collaboration, a single home is transformed from a place of siloed stories into a site of radical potential.
    • The filmmakers will take part in the Hot Take presentation Cross-Community Collaboration as Documentary Practice, Tuesday, April 29, at the Yorkville Royal Sonesta.

    Night Watches Us by Stefan Verna (42 min) – WORLD PREMIERE | TIPPING POINT
    Thursday, May 1, 2025, 5 p.m., TIFF Lightbox 2
    Saturday, May 3, 2:45 p.m., TIFF Lightbox 3

    • On August 21, 2018, a son lost his father, a mother lost her son, and a nephew lost his uncle. Nicholas Gibbs was a 23-year-old Black man plagued by mental health issues who was murdered by police. Montreal filmmaker Stefan Verna examines the systemic forces that lead to Nicholas’s tragic death, telling the story through the eyes of a family and community united in grief.

    Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Man by Sinakson Trevor Solway (77 min) – WORLD PREMIERE | CANADIAN SPECTRUM
    Saturday, April 26, 5:45 p.m., TIFF Lightbox 2
    Monday, April 28, 11 a.m., TIFF Lightbox 2

    • Siksika filmmaker Sinakson Trevor Solway intimately portrays the lives of Blackfoot men as they navigate identity, kinship and the complex expectations of manhood. Through unfiltered moments and revealing conversations set against the breathtaking landscape of the Prairies, the film reimagines what it means to be a Native man. Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Manis a profound ode to strength, vulnerability and love across generations.

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online Screening Room: nfb.ca
    NFB Facebook | NFB Twitter | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog | NFB YouTube | NFB Vimeo
    Curator’s perspective | Director’s notes

    About the NFB

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Olli Rehn: Eurozone outlook and European Central Bank monetary policy

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Presentation accompanying the speech

    Let me first thank MNI for inviting me to speak at this conference. To kick off, I will briefly discussthe economic outlook in the eurozone and the current lines of thought in the ECB’s monetary policy.

    In presenting my remarks here, I will focus particularly on how the significant shifts in world politics of recent weeks will, in my view, affect the euro area economy and the European Central Bank’s monetary policy.

    Slide 2: Geopolitics dominates economic outlook

    Geopolitics currently dominates and weighs on the outlook for the global economy, and does so with exceptional force. 

    Russia’s illegal, brutal war of aggression in Ukraine has been going on for more than three years. It has shaken the European security order, and more recent events since the Munich Security Conference a month ago have marked a major disruption in the world order – in a way that is dangerous for Europe. This has forced the European Union to seek to strengthen its common defences.

    It is clear that the United States is undergoing a fundamental change of direction both in its foreign and security policy and in its domestic political development. This is not necessarily just a temporary phenomenon, but may be a more permanent turn in US politics. And US foreign policy is now operating under a very different kind of rationality than it used to.

    “America first” trade policy in the US is profoundly protectionist but highly unpredictable. There will be no winners in a trade war. Tariffs and the related uncertainty will hit investment and slow down growth everywhere. The latest indicators on the US economy point to weaker than expected growth, which would also affect growth prospects in Europe.

    As a result of the turmoil in world politics in recent weeks, Europe has woken up to the necessity of strengthening common defence. The situation is acute, and many EU countries, led by Germany, have announced significant decisions to increase defence spending. Europe is now taking action and responding to the challenge of forming and financing a common, strong defence.

    These defence investments will have to be made in a situation where the public deficits of EU Member States are already large. However, the investments required for defence are of such a magnitude that they cannot be financed simply by increasing taxation or cutting other public sector expenditure. It is therefore, in my view, justified, in the short term, to utilize the flexibility elements included in the EU’s new fiscal rules, provided that longer-term debt sustainability is not compromised. 

    This is why we also need common European financing solutions, implemented in a way that strengthens our common security and accelerates joint procurement and production – I am thinking of air defence and drone production, for example.

    Slide 3: Bank of Finland’s scenario calculation: A trade war would weaken growth worldwide

    Recent statements from the United States about imposing import tariffs have raised the threat of a trade war in the global economy. An analysis published a week ago by the Bank of Finland illustrates the significant risks that a trade war would pose to economic growth.

    The study assumes that the United States would impose a 25% tariff increase on all imports from the euro area and a 20% increase on all imports from China. It also assumes that the euro area and China would impose equivalent tariffs on the United States. Moreover, the calculations take into account the potential economic effects of increased uncertainty affecting economic policy.

    The scenario demonstrates that there are no winners in a trade war. As a result, world GDP would decline by more than 0.5% per year. The effects on the euro area and China would be even greater. A key aspect of a trade war is the rise in uncertainty, which we are already witnessing and which could lead to a reduced willingness to investment among businesses.

    Efforts should, in any case, be made to prevent the threat of a trade war through a fair negotiated solution to mitigate the negative effects on growth. To support a negotiated solution, Europe should be prepared to respond to the imposition of tariffs with potential countermeasures.

    It must also be said that when a brutal war is being fought on European soil, a trade war is the last thing we need right now – especially among allies.

    Slide 4: Growth in the euro area economy picking up gradually

    US tariffs and increased uncertainty are already having adverse effects on economic growth outlook in the euro area in the immediate and near term.

    Europe’s response to the deterioration of the security situation will have its own effects on European economies, which are very difficult to quantify at this stage.

    The growth outlook for the euro area remains subdued. According to the ECB’s March forecast, growth in the euro area is gradually picking up, but at a slower pace than expected, and growth risks are on the downside.

    In addition to cyclical factors, the euro area economy is also experiencing structural problems. In the ECB’s new forecast, productivity growth is slower than before. The weakness appears to be more structural than previously. But it would be wrong to say that it is entirely structural.

    One – if not the only – reason for Europe’s slow productivity growth is precisely the weak development of investment in recent years. The background is a great deal of uncertainty fuelled by geopolitics, but there were also tight financial conditions for a long time.

    Let me reveal that I don’t belong to those who makes a crystal-clear distinction between structural and cyclical factors – it would be against my macroeconomic training. Rather, I see the distinction as a line drawn in water. Here, I feel like applying a giant of economics: “In the long run, we will all retire. But in the meantime, we need more productive investment.”

    In other words: although the euro area’s longer-term challenges of growth and competitiveness cannot be solved by monetary policy, the fall in interest rates brings welcome room for manoeuvre for households and companies. Rate cuts have been supportive of the investments that are required to improve productivity. Of course, in the long term, the level and growth of investments is determined by their expected real returns.

    Although there is little to be positive about in the security situation in Europe, the expected increases in defence spending and investment are at least likely to support GDP growth over the medium-term.

    Slide 5: Euro area inflation stabilising at the 2% target

    Inflation in the euro area is stabilising at the ECB’s 2% target. The path of disinflation has been pretty much in line with forecasts. Wage inflation has largely decelerated, and forward-looking wage indicators point to a clear slowdown in wage growth. Most measures of core inflation − which excludes energy and food prices − also point to a sustained convergence of inflation around the 2% target over the medium term.

    Risks to the inflation outlook are two-sided. Protectionism in world trade dampens growth and increases uncertainty about the inflation outlook. Geopolitical tensions pose a wide range of risks to the energy market, consumer confidence and corporate investment.

    Slide 6: ECB’s decision to ease monetary policy spurred by inflation stabilising and growth weakening

    The ECB’s latest decision to ease monetary policy leaned on the fact that inflation is stabilising and growth weakening. Thus, the Governing Council decided to cut the key policy rate by 25 basis points.

    The rate cut was the sixth since we started easing monetary policy. Since last June, the deposit facility rate has been lowered by a total of 1.5 percentage points, from 4% to 2.5%. Monetary policy is thus becoming meaningfully less restrictive.

    The decision was based, as usual, on three elements: the inflation outlook, the dynamics of underlying inflation and the strength of monetary policy transmission.

    We are not pre-committed to any interest rate path. Policy rates are set at each meeting based on the latest information and our comprehensive assessment, next time on 17 April. The Governing Council retains full freedom of action in times of pervasive uncertainty.

    Slide 7: Europe is under challenge from the world of geopolitics – investment is needed now in security and productivity

    Let me now conclude. The world is now experiencing a transition of potentially similar magnitude as 30 years ago, when the Berlin Wall fell, the Cold War ended and Europe united. At that time, the evolution of humanity took a step forward and security rooted in cooperation was strengthened.

    Today the world only is in reverse gear: power politics has returned in a brutal way with Russia’s invasion, the United States is standing by Russia and playing sphere-of-influence politics, and China is challenging the entire international order. 

    But we must be able to navigate even in this geopolitically difficult terrain. With the Munich Security Conference, Europe has received yet another wake-up call.

    At the same time, we must focus on our own economic problems. Europe needs investments in productivity growth – in human capital and in research and innovation. Protectionism highlights the need to complete the single market and expand the EU’s network of free trade agreements.

    The stabilisation of inflation and the weakening of the growth outlook have supported monetary policy easing since last summer. The ECB’s monetary policy has been reasonably successful in bringing inflation down without inflicting unnecessary pain to the real economy.

    The past few weeks have shown that Europe must urgently get its act together and stand united in the face of external security threats. In the coming weeks and months, Europe will have to demonstrate that it is taking action and meeting the challenge of strengthening its defence. There is no time to waste.

    Thank you very much. I am happy to take any questions you have.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Andrew Bailey: Growth – what does it take in today’s world?

    Source: Bank for International Settlements

    Thank you for inviting me to speak today. It’s always a pleasure to be back in my home town, and particularly here at Leicester University, not least because I went to school next door.

    I am going to speak today about a topical subject – economic growth. The question I set myself is, what does it take to create a sustained increase in the growth rate of the economy in today’s world? I’m going to range quite wide in answering the question, drawing in the current situation here in the UK and the world, and some economic history too.

    Economic growth is, quite simply, the rate of expansion of the size of the economy. Let me start by explaining how it matters to the Monetary Policy Committee when we decide on the appropriate level of interest rates to achieve our objective of price stability, the 2% inflation target. There are two parts to why growth matters for monetary policy – the outcome and the inputs. On the first, quite simply, low and stable inflation is the best contribution monetary policy can make to growth in the economy. The same goes for financial stability, our other core responsibility as the central bank, which is also a key condition for growth.

    On the inputs side, growth matters because monetary policy decisions require us to assess the inflationary consequences of the pressure on economic resources in this country. That pressure reflects the balance between demand and supply in goods and services and labour markets. To observe that level of pressure, we can’t just look at actual national income or output and employment. If that’s all we did, we would be left saying “so what?” We have to compare the actual position with the productive potential of the economy (the supply capacity of the economy) and in doing so assess resource utilisation and thus the degree of pressure.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Donald Trump’s trade war against Canada reveals tensions inherent in friendship

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jason Wang, Postdoctoral Fellow, Modern Literature and Culture Research Centre, Toronto Metropolitan University

    In his second inauguration address, United States President Trump began by declaring “the golden age of America begins right now” and closed with, “and our golden age has just begun.” Between these lines, he vowed to “tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens.”

    Tying his trade policies to dubious claims about fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration, Trump’s approach appears less about economic strategy and more about asserting dominance. Invoking the language of imperial expansion, he even proposed the idea of making Canada the “cherished 51st state.”

    Historians like American Richard White quickly drew parallels to the 19th-century Gilded Age when robber barons thrived, leaving social inequality in their wake.



    Read more:
    Elon Musk’s bid to take over Twitter recalls the robber barons of the 19th century

    The celebrated Canada-U.S. friendship — further entrenched over the past three decades by the 1989 Canada-U.S. free-trade agreement, cross-border activity and snowbirds wintering in Florida and elsewhere in the U.S. — has long balanced underlying tension stemming from the two nations’ power differences. This alludes to tensions inherent in friendships that have long been explored by philosophers.

    A ‘great relationship?’

    Trump’s recent sweeping tariffs on Canadian imports are only the latest chapter in a long history of economic clashes.

    From the U.S.’s Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930, which hit Canada hard during the Great Depression, to Richard Nixon’s 10 per cent import surcharge in 1971 and the long fight over softwood lumber that persisted through the early 2000s despite Canada’s favourable World Trade Organization rulings, these conflicts expose the fragility of Canada-U.S. relations. The uneasy reality is that friendship between nations is never as stable as it seems.

    The trade war has triggered a wave of cultural and economic nationalism in Canada that has gone beyond the “Buy Canadian” movement. At the National Ballet of Canada’s Swan Lake, recently, a stirring rendition of O Canada brought the audience to its feet.

    Chrystia Freeland, now minister of transport and internal trade, voiced the nation’s outrage on CNN: “Canadians are angry,” she said, condemning the tariffs as a betrayal of what she called the “great relationship.”

    Friendship ideals and power dynamics

    But beneath the outrage lies a harsher truth: Canada’s “friend” status is conditional, tied to America’s shifting priorities. The real question isn’t whether Canada is a trusted ally — it’s whether it was ever more than a subordinate in this “friendship.” At stake is the concept of friendship between nations.

    Philosophers exploring the intersection of friendship and politics offer a useful framework for understanding this imbalance.

    Written in the post-Cold War era, French Algerian philosopher Jacques Derrida’s The Politics of Friendship, first published in French in 1994, questions the very possibility of pure, stable friendship, arguing that it is never equal or unconditional.

    Instead, said Derrida, it is always a negotiation of power. Derrida questions idealized Aristotelian notions of friendship between nations — ideals that still quietly underpin our thinking about friendship, loyalty and betrayal.

    Friendship in fiction, Aristotle

    In his study of friendship in fiction, literary scholar Allan Hepburn points out that friendships are inherently political, foundational to social relations and embody democratic ideals of equality and fraternity, as Aristotle suggested.

    Tyrannical systems, by contrast, lack true friendships, while an ideal democracy extends mutual respect to all citizens. In this way, strangers are recognized as equals and potential friends, regardless of legal obligation, as Derrida emphasized.

    In Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, he distinguished transactional and virtuous friendship. The former is built on mutual advantage or shared pleasure, which to Aristotle is the lesser kind of friendship.

    In contrast, virtue-based friendship is both the most enduring and the rarest. Aristotle idealizes this latter type of friendship, describing it as “perfect friendship” in which individuals are “alike in virtue,” wishing well to each other as something good in itself, and are themselves morally upright.

    This ideal friendship — expected to be stable, enduring and intrinsically valuable — underpins discourses about the bond between nations based on shared values.



    Read more:
    What makes a good friend?

    True friendship reserved for individuals

    Political scientist Evgeny Roshchin argues that friendship, as a historical concept in international relations, helped mediate the shift from hierarchical to equal political relationships, shaping sovereignty and political order.

    In contrast, philosopher Simon Keller questions the idea of “friendship between countries,” asserting true friendship is reserved for individuals. He warns that comparing nations to friends may mislead us by shifting focus from genuine human connections to political dynamics.

    Yet the Aristotelian model of the friend as “a second self” has significant limitations, often ignoring differences and reinforcing hierarchy. For Derrida, friendship is not a fixed, harmonious ideal but an ongoing, unpredictable negotiation that blurs the boundary between ally and adversary.

    He contends: “‘Good friendship’ supposes disproportion. It demands a certain rupture in reciprocity or quality, as well as the interruption of all fusion or confusion between you and me.”

    Even at its most personal, friendship is marked by power dynamics — who holds it, who benefits from it and who can be cast aside. Not a cynical rejection of friendship, however, Derrida’s model calls for broadening its moral and political dimensions.

    Transactional structure

    Derrida’s model applies to the Canada-U.S. relationship, which has long been framed as one of mutual respect, built on democratic values and shared economic interests. But its underlying structure is transactional.

    The rhetoric of friendship has always served a function: to justify co-operation when it is useful and to smooth over conflict when it is not. The moment those interests diverge, the limits of the relationship become clear.

    Trump’s tariffs have exposed this dynamic in the clearest possible terms. Canada’s position as a friend to the U.S. is fragile and contingent, shaped by the fluctuating interests of the more powerful side.

    But the rupture is not new, nor is it a break from the norm. It’s simply a reminder of how the relationship has always worked. The question now is not whether Canada can restore its friendship, but whether it can afford to continue believing in it on the same terms.



    Read more:
    Amid U.S. threats, Canada’s national security plans must include training in non-violent resistance

    Embrace inherent fragility

    Derrida’s model of friendship offers a way forward. His model defies the simplistic binary of friend and foe, loyalty and betrayal, as these terms are ultimately mutually constitutive. Derrida calls for relationships that embrace their inherent fragility.

    For Canada, this doesn’t mean abandoning the discourse of friendship with the U.S. entirely, but rather acknowledging the bond’s fragile, conditional nature — always deferred, always on the brink of rupture.

    The challenge for Canada is to redefine its position in North America beyond the framework of mutuality and dependence. At the policy level, with Canada-U.S. relations, this means diversifying trade and diplomatic ties, resisting automatic alignment and asserting independent leadership in global affairs.

    At home, it means forging a national identity that is self-defined and free from the shadow of comparison.

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

    – ref. How Donald Trump’s trade war against Canada reveals tensions inherent in friendship – https://theconversation.com/how-donald-trumps-trade-war-against-canada-reveals-tensions-inherent-in-friendship-252260

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union, NFFE-IAM Coalition Win Injunction to Stop DOGE From Accessing Member, Military Veteran Private Data

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    After a suit filed by the IAM Union, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) and other allies, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the Department of Education (ED), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and the Treasury Department from disclosing the sensitive personal information to employees affiliated with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

    “Today’s ruling continues to solidify that our members, our nation’s veterans and every American has a sacred right to privacy,” said International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) International President Brian Bryant. “The IAM Union will always stand with our allies to protect and defend our members’ rights.”

    The Court ruled that the claims from the plaintiffs — including military veterans and unions representing millions of veterans, teachers, scientists, engineers, federal employees — would likely be successful. The plaintiffs argue that ED, OPM, and Treasury violated the Privacy Act by granting DOGE affiliates unauthorized access to systems containing sensitive personal information including Social Security numbers, bank account information, health records, and other private data.

    “Once again, the courts have ruled that Elon Musk and DOGE should not have access to highly sensitive data belonging to American individuals and federal employees,” said National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) National President Randy Erwin. “Everyone in this country has the right to privacy. NFFE and our allies are committed to protecting that right, especially when our members are at risk of having their information compromised by those who wish to do them harm.”

    In the 68-page ruling, Judge Deborah L. Boardman wrote that “[t]he administrative records [provided by the government] indicate that Education, OPM, and Treasury disclosed records with the plaintiffs’ PII to DOGE affiliates. They also indicate that the DOGE affiliates do not need to know this information to perform their job duties.”  

    The Court found that the plaintiffs would suffer irreparable harm without injunctive relief, noting that, “the plaintiffs have shown that DOGE affiliates have been granted access to systems of records that contain some of the plaintiffs’ most sensitive data – such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, home addresses, bank information, income and assets, and citizenship status.” The Court further found that “without an injunction, the DOGE affiliates’ access to this trove of personal information will continue,” and that the damage incurred by these ongoing disclosures cannot be rectified by damages.

    The preliminary injunction prohibits:

    • The Department of Education from disclosing Plaintiffs’ personally identifiable information to any DOGE affiliates.
    • The Office of Personnel Management from disclosing Plaintiffs’ personally identifiable information to any OPM employee working principally on the DOGE agenda (with the exception of OPM Acting Director Charles Ezell, OPM Chief Information Officer Greg Hogan, and OPM Chief of Staff Amanda Scales).
    • The Treasury Department from disclosing Plaintiffs’ personally identifiable information to DOGE affiliates.

    The Department of Justice has filed a notice of its intent to appeal Judge Boardman’s decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

    The complete ruling is available here, and the opinion can be found here.

    Read more about this case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Rubio meets with Foreign Ministers from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

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

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže, at the Department of State, on March 25, 2025.

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
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    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcJfj3iCk5o

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Celebrating the return of Costa Rica’s 2023 to 2024 Chevening scholars

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    Celebrating the return of Costa Rica’s 2023 to 2024 Chevening scholars

    Returning scholars share their enriching experiences and the impact of their Chevening journey at the Ambassador’s residence in San Jose.

    British Ambassador and Chevening scholars 2023-2024

    On March 6, the British Ambassador in San Jose, Ben Lyster-Binns, hosted a special welcome home event to celebrate the return of the Costa Rican Chevening scholars who had recently completed their Master’s degrees in the United Kingdom.

    The gathering offered a unique opportunity for the scholars to share their transformative experiences and reflect on how their time in the UK has shaped their academic and professional aspirations. The stories of these scholars were truly inspiring and showcased the immense value of international collaboration and the importance of further strengthening the ties between Costa Rica and the United Kingdom.

    The event was a testament to the success of the Chevening Scholarship in fostering long-term partnerships and facilitating the growth of leaders who will continue to contribute to Costa Rica’s social, economic, and environmental progress.

    The Chevening community in Costa Rica continues to grow, with the returning scholars now joining a network of Chevening alumni who are making a difference both locally and globally. Their journey is a shining example of the lasting impact of educational exchange and international collaboration.

    The Chevening Scholarship is the UK government’s global scholarship programme that provides outstanding individuals from around the world the opportunity to pursue postgraduate study at universities in the UK. The programme is fully funded, covering tuition fees, travel expenses, and living costs, and is aimed at fostering international leadership by equipping future leaders with the knowledge and skills to make a positive impact in their home countries. Since its inception in 1983, over 50,000 professionals have benefited from the Chevening programme.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Outcomes of the United States and Russia Expert Groups On the Black Sea

    Source: The White House

    class=”has-text-align-center”>Outcomes of the United States and Russia Expert Groups
    On the Black Sea
    in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
    March 23-25, 2025

    In line with presidential-level discussions between President Donald J. Trump and President Vladimir Putin, the United States facilitated bilateral technical-level talks with the Russian delegation March 23-25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Following those discussions:
     

    • The United States and Russia have agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea.
    • The United States will help restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports, lower maritime insurance costs, and enhance access to ports and payment systems for such transactions.
    • The United States and Russia agreed to develop measures for implementing President Trump’s and President Putin’s agreement to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine.
    • The United States and Russia welcome the good offices of third countries with a view toward supporting the implementation of the energy and maritime agreements.
    • The United States and Russia will continue working toward achieving a durable and lasting peace.

    The United States reiterated President Donald J. Trump’s imperative that the killing on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict must stop, as the necessary step toward achieving an enduring peace settlement. To that end, the United States will continue facilitating negotiations between both sides to achieve a peaceful resolution, in line with the agreements made in Riyadh.

    The United States expresses gratitude to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his leadership and hospitality in once again facilitating these important discussions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Outcomes of the United States and Ukraine Expert Groups On the Black Sea

    Source: The White House

    class=”has-text-align-center”>Outcomes of the United States and Ukraine Expert Groups
    On the Black Sea
    in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
    March 23-25, 2025

    In line with presidential-level discussions between President Donald J. Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the United States facilitated bilateral technical-level talks with the Ukrainian delegation March 23-25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Following those discussions:

    • The United States and Ukraine have agreed to ensure safe navigation, eliminate the use of force, and prevent the use of commercial vessels for military purposes in the Black Sea.
    • The United States and Ukraine agreed that the United States remains committed to helping achieve the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees, and the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children.
    • The United States and Ukraine agreed to develop measures for implementing President Trump’s and President Zelenskyy’s agreement to ban strikes against energy facilities of Russia and Ukraine.
    • The United States and Ukraine welcome the good offices of third countries with a view toward supporting the implementation of the energy and maritime agreements.
    • The United States and Ukraine will continue working toward achieving a durable and lasting peace.

    The United States reiterated to both sides President Donald J. Trump’s imperative that the killing on both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict must stop, as the necessary step toward achieving an enduring peace settlement. To that end, the United States will continue facilitating negotiations between both sides to achieve a peaceful resolution, in line with the agreements made in Riyadh.

    The United States expresses gratitude to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his leadership and hospitality in once again facilitating these important discussions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    MIL OSI USA News –