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Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New urgent and primary care centre open in Williams Lake

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    People living in Williams Lake and surrounding communities will have increased access to team-based primary health care at the new Williams Lake Urgent and Primary Care Centre (UPCC).

    “Our government is committed to making sure everyone in our province has access to quality health care that’s close to home,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “This new UPCC means people living in Williams Lake, 100 Mile House, and East and West Cariboo regions will have increased access to same-day primary health care so they can receive the care they need, while also easing pressure on emergency rooms and hospitals.”

    The new UPCC opened on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. The 490 square-metre (5,300 square feet) clinic is located at 47 Cameron St. When fully operational, it will provide urgent and episodic primary care, in person and virtually, seven days a week, including statutory holidays, 9:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m.

    The UPCC will offer same-day care for people who need access to health care within 12 to 24 hours, but do not require an emergency department. The UPCC is available to people who do not have a primary-care provider, as well as those who are unable to schedule an appointment with their primary-care provider within a convenient timeframe.

    “This UPCC will make a real difference to the lives of people living in and around Williams Lake by providing timely primary health care,” said Debra Toporowski, parliamentary secretary for rural health. “We know how important it is to have access to health care close to home, especially in rural areas, and we will continue to strengthen our health-care system to accommodate the growing demand.”

    As hiring progresses, people will be cared for by more than 18 full-time-equivalent health-care providers, including family doctors, nurse practitioners, nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, Indigenous patient navigators and administrative staff.

    “We are excited to welcome patients to the new urgent and primary care centre in Williams Lake,” said Diane Shendruk, vice-president clinical operations, Interior Health. “This UPCC is the first in the Interior to have a dedicated smudging space, which reflects our commitment to reconciliation by bringing Indigenous wellness practices into health care.” 

    The project will have a total capital cost of more than $4 million, with the ministry funding $2.67 million and the Cariboo Chilcotin Regional Hospital District funding $1.37 million.

    This UPCC marks the 41st UPCC open in the province since 2018, which combined have had approximately three million patient visits. Planning for nine more UPCCs is underway, with the goal of establishing 50 UPCCs in communities throughout B.C. This work is part of B.C.’s Primary Care Strategy, which is bringing more team-based primary-care services to people in B.C.

    Quotes:

    Al Richmond, board chair, Thompson Regional Hospital District –

    “This clinic is critical to easing the workload of the emergency room at the Cariboo Memorial Hospital, especially for those without a family doctor. Having separate spaces for emergency care and urgent care will produce the best outcomes for health-care staff and patients accessing these services.”

    Chief Willie Sellars, Williams Lake First Nations, and board director, Interior Health –

    “The opening of the Williams Lake Urgent and Primary Care Centre is a significant step toward improving health outcomes for Indigenous people and the broader community. Many of our community members are without family doctors and this facility will help fill that void by providing access to timely care. I’m proud to see this commitment to culturally safe health services that will make a real difference in people’s lives.”

    Quick Facts:

    • The Williams Lake UPCC is the 11th UPCC operating in the Interior Health region, including Ashcroft, Castlegar, Cranbrook, Kamloops, Kelowna, Penticton, Rutland, Vernon and West Kelowna. 
    • The Williams Lake UPCC is planning to facilitate more than 42,000 visits per year.
    • Interior Health UPCCs have provided care to more than 754,000 visitors since 2018 when the first UPCC opened in the health authority.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about UPCCs in the Interior Health region, visit:
    https://www.interiorhealth.ca/information-for/patients-and-visitors/urgent-and-primary-care-centres

    To read about B.C.’s primary health strategy, visit:
    https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/bcs-primary-care-system
    and
    https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018PREM0034-001010

    To learn more about the Province’s health human resource strategy, visit:
    https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022HLTH0059-001464

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Stabbing at Prospect

    Source: South Australia Police

    A man is in hospital after an incident at Prospect.

    About 11.50pm on Friday 28 February, police and ambulance crews were called to a house in Charles Street after reports that a man had been stabbed.

    No one else was at the man’s house when police arrived.

    Paramedics took the 40-year-old man to hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries.

    Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or seen suspicious activity in Charles Street or Princess Street is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government announces 2025-26 Land Sale List

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Secretary for Development, Ms Bernadette Linn, today (February 28) announced the Government’s 2025-26 Land Sale List.

         “The 2025-26 Land Sale List covers eight residential sites, capable of providing about 4 450 flats. Apart from the eight sites available for sale, the MTR Corporation Limited (MTRCL) plans to put up for tender its development projects Tuen Mun A16 Station (Package 1) and Tung Chung East Station (Package 2) in the coming financial year, providing a total of about 2 440 flats. In addition, the Urban Renewal Authority (URA) plans to relaunch its project at Kai Tak Road / Sa Po Road in Kowloon City, capable of providing about 810 flats. As for private development/redevelopment projects, with reference to the figures in the past decade, the supply in 2025-26 is estimated to be around 6 000 flats,” Ms Linn said. 

         Taking into account the estimated land supply from Government land sale, projects of the MTRCL and the URA, as well as private development/redevelopment projects, the private housing land supply in 2025-26 is estimated to have a capacity to produce about 13 700 flats. Pursuant to the “Long Term Housing Strategy Annual Progress Report 2024” released by the Government in October 2024, the target for private housing land supply in 2025-26 is 13 200 flats, similar to the potential supply of this financial year.

         As regards sites for commercial use, the 2025-26 Budget announced that the Government will not roll out any commercial sites for sale in the coming year, so as to allow the market to absorb the existing supply, having considered the high vacancy rate of offices in recent years and the relatively ample supply in the next few years. Therefore, no commercial has been included on the Land Sale List this year. In response to market feedback and to enhance the market attractiveness of sites, the Government will consider rezoning some of the commercial sites, which are expected to be available for sale in the next few years, into residential use and allowing greater flexibility of land use. To tie in with the relevant work, the Government will extend the deadline for completing in-situ land exchange for commercial sites in the town centre of Hung Shui Kiu / Ha Tsuen New Development Area (HSK/HT NDA), with a view to studying whether the land use could be suitably adjusted without compromising the overall industry positioning of HSK/HT NDA.

         As for industrial sites, the Government has identified three pilot areas to adopt the large-scale land disposal approach, respectively located in HSK/HT, Fanling North and San Tin Technopole. Each pilot area covers land for residential, industry and public facilities. The expressions of interest exercise will last until end-March, with the target to commence the tendering work for the three pilot areas progressively from the second half of 2025 to 2026. Ms Linn added that the Government could not rely solely on publicly-funded works projects to implement large-scale development. The Government has to dare to break new ground and innovate continuously, integrate the government with the market, and to adopt diversified development model such as public-private partnership, in-situ land exchange and large-scale disposal. The Government will explore allowing land owners to voluntarily surrender land planned to be resumed by the Government in the Northern Metropolis to offset or reduce the premium charged for the in-situ land exchange or large-scale land disposal. By paying less premium, developers can manage their cash flow with greater ease and are more incentivised to take part in the development of the Northern Metropolis. The measure also helps to alleviate pressure on public finance.

         Reviewing the private housing land supply in 2024-25, Ms Linn noted that the Government sold four residential sites in this financial year, which have a total capacity to produce about 1 970 flats. The aggregate private housing land supply in 2024-25 from different sources is estimated to have a capacity to produce about 8 930 flats, amounting to around 68 per cent of the annual supply target (13 200 flats). Ms Linn added that the Government considers the achievement rate of private housing land supply in this financial year foreseeable and reasonable. Owing to the uncertain external environment in the past year, the slower-than-expected interest rates cut as well as the continued high level market supply, developers have remained rather conservative in land tenders. Hence, having considered the market situation, the Government has been rolling out sites for sale in a pragmatic and prudent manner over the past year despite having available land in hand, taking the initiative on land supply. In fact, the supply in the past few financial years have each exceeded the annual supply target, which is sufficient to offset the shortfall this year. The impact on the short-to-medium term market supply is not expected to be significant.

         Reviewing the commercial land supply in 2024-25, given that the vacancy rate of commercial floor area still remains at a relatively high level, coupled with the several large-scale commercial sites sold in the past few years, the Government did not roll out any commercial site in this financial year. 
          
         On sites for industrial use, the tender of two sites in Yuen Long and Hung Shui Kiu for development of multi-storey buildings for modern industries (MSB) is now ongoing. The two sites could provide a total of about 550 000 square metres floor space.
          
         Ms Linn said that the Transport and Logistics Bureau has successfully tendered a logistics site in Tsing Yi. Recently, a few potential investors provided feedbacks on the two MSB sites with ongoing tender. While pursuing the policy objective, the Government is considering possible adjustments on the tender conditions in response to market feedback, and for this reason, will extend the tender closing date of these two sites. Further details will be announced in early March.
          
         For the first quarter of 2025-26, i.e. April to June 2025, the Government will put up for tender a residential site in Tuen Mun, which is capable of producing about 525 flats. Ms Linn said that the site is located in a mature residential neighbourhood near a light rail station, and should be attractive to the market. In addition, for private development/redevelopment projects, two lease modification cases are expected to be executed in the first quarter, capable of providing a total of about 165 flats. The total private housing land supply for the first quarter is estimated to be about 690 units. Ms Linn added that an in-situ land exchange within the HSK/HT NDA is approaching its application deadline of end March. The development will bring about an additional supply of 1 600 flats for the first quarter if the application is concluded before the deadline.

         Ms Linn reiterated that the Government will prudently roll out land in a paced and pragmatic manner for development and to maintain continuous and sustained land supply. Placing available sites on the Land Sale List does not mean that all sites are to be rolled out. The Government will continue to make reference to market situation and other supply sources, so as to announce the Land Sale Programme on a quarterly basis. Depending on the market situation, the Government may also put up additional sites to respond to market changes.

         The 2025-26 Land Sale List can be found on the Lands Department’s website (www.landsd.gov.hk).

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Centre chairs meeting of States/UTs Food Secretaries to review procurement of foodgrains for Central Pool

    Source: Government of India

    Centre chairs meeting of States/UTs Food Secretaries to review procurement of foodgrains for Central Pool

    Adopt proactive approach and ensure maximize procurement of Wheat and Rabi crop of paddy: Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution, GoI

    Posted On: 28 FEB 2025 7:45PM by PIB Delhi

    The Secretary, Department of Food & Public Distribution (DFPD), Government of India, while chairing a meeting of State Food Secretaries here today, requested to adopt proactive approach and ensure to maximize procurement of Wheat and Rabi crop of paddy during ensuing marketing season. The objective of the meeting was to discuss the procurement arrangements for Rabi Crops in Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2025-26 and in Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2024-25.

    Various factors impacting procurement such as weather forecast, production estimates, and readiness of States for procurement operations were reviewed during the meeting. After deliberations, the estimates for wheat procurement during ensuing RMS 2025-26 have been fixed at 310 LMT. Similarly, the estimates for paddy procurement, in terms of rice during KMS 2024-25 (Rabi Crop) have been fixed at 70 LMT. 

    A quantity of around 16.00 LMT of coarse grains including millets (Shri Anna) has also been estimated for procurement by the States during the KMS 2024-25 (Rabi crop). States/UTs were advised to focus on procurement of millets for diversification of crops and enhanced nutrition in dietary patterns.

    Besides, several other initiatives such as proposed reforms in TPDS Control Order, SMART PDS, E-KYC, Mapper SoP, Jan Poshan Kendras and infrastructure improvement in Procurement Centers etc were also discussed in the meeting. WDRA apprised the gathering about the initiative of pledge financing against e-NWRs (Negotiable Warehouse Receipt). State Government of Telangana also shared the good practices adopted in respect of Foodgrain Management System in the State.

    The implementation of Supply Chain Optimization in Public Distribution System of the States was also discussed wherein Govt. of Gujarat presented automation in supply chain in PDS of Gujarat. The States were asked for optimum utilization of godowns created by PACS under the World largest grain storage plan.

    The meeting was attended by Food Secretaries of various States/UTs as well as officers from Food Corporation of India (FCI), Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA), India Meteorological Department and Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.

    *****

    Abhishek Dayal/Nihi Sharma

    (Release ID: 2107076) Visitor Counter : 37

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Concludes Seventy-Seventh Session after Adopting Concluding Observations on Reports of Croatia, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda and the United Kingdom

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this afternoon concluded its seventy-seventhsession after adopting concluding observationson the reports of Croatia, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda and the United Kingdom under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights .

    The concluding observations will be transmitted to the States concerned and made available on the webpage of the session   on the afternoon of Monday, 3 March.

    Laura-MariaCraciunean-Tatu, Committee Chair, said that during the intense session, in addition to engaging with five States parties, the Committee had considered two follow-up reports; adopted three lists of issues on Cabo Verde, North Macedonia and Turkmenistan; conducted work on communications under the Optional Protocol; and discussed one draft and two future general comments and one statement.

    Ms. Craciunean-Tatu said that this session, the Committee had welcomed four new members, and would formally welcome its fifth, Peijie Chen (China), in its next session. Despite the discontinuance of formal hybrid meetings, the Committee continued to engage with a wide range of stakeholders in person and remotely outside of formal meeting time. Ms. Craciunean-Tatu expressed thanks to all those who worked to promote and protect the rights enshrined in the Covenant.

    During the session, she said, the Committee adopted assessments on the follow-up reports to concluding observations for Serbia and Uzbekistan. The assessments would be transmitted to the States concerned and made available publicly in the weeks to come. The Committee urged other States to submit follow-up reports which were overdue or due.

    Under the Optional Protocol, the Committee adopted decisions relating to 48 individual communications. It found violations of the Covenant in three cases concerning the right to housing; declared admissible one case on alleged violation of the right to work of a human rights defender; and declared inadmissible two cases on alleged unequal pay for overtime in teaching-related activities and alleged wage discrimination. The Committee further discontinued the consideration of 42 cases concerning the right to housing. Finally, it adopted a follow-up progress report on individual communications.

    Ms. Craciunean-Tatu saidthe Committee had adopted a Statement on Tax Policy and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. It hoped that this statement would guide States parties, both domestically and in the context of international tax cooperation, to observe increasingly inclusive and transparent tax policy-making processes, thus encouraging the implementation of tax systems that supported the enjoyment of the rights enshrined in the Covenant, with a focus on disadvantaged and marginalised groups.

    Regarding general comments, the Committee completed a second reading of the draft general comment on the environmental dimension of sustainable development, and continued discussing the scope of two general comments on drug policy and on armed conflict as they related to the enjoyment of economic, social and cultural rights. These discussions would continue at the next session.

    During the session, Ms. Craciunean-Tatu said, the Committee held an informal meeting with States on 20 February and engaged in discussion on all aspects of its work. In addition to the numerous contacts the Committee had with civil society organizations, it also held this morning its annual meeting with non-governmental organizations, in which it heard their views on several important topics, including strategic litigation and the right to a clean and healthy environment.

    Ms. Craciunean-Tatu also said that the Committee had held informal meetings with other stakeholders, including with treaty body members, United Nations agencies and the Special Rapporteurs on climate change and in the field of cultural rights. The engagement of all concerned was deeply appreciated.

    In its next session, she said, in addition to reviewing the reports of seven States parties, the Committee would adopt lists of issues on the reports of Eswatini, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritius, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova and Tunisia. It would also adopt assessments on the follow-up reports of El Salvador and Luxembourg.

    This session, the Committee reaffirmed its decision to implement a simplified reporting procedure and had requested the Secretariat to prepare a structured implementation plan, Ms. Craciunean-Tatu said. However, until such a plan was operationalised, she encouraged States parties to submit reports under the regular reporting procedure, including long overdue reports.

    The Committee had not yet held dialogues with 24 States parties that had not submitted their initial reports, of which five were overdue for more than 10 years. In total, 51 States’ periodic reports were also overdue, at least 16 of which for more than 10 years. The capacity building programme established pursuant to the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/268 (2014) was available to offer support to States requiring technical assistance in this regard, including with respect to the establishment of national mechanisms for reporting implementation and follow-up.

    Ms. Craciunean-Tatu invited all States to ratify the Covenant and encouraged States that were parties to the Covenant but had not acceded to or ratified the Optional Protocol to do so, and to enter the declarations for its articles 10 and 11. She welcomed the accession, two weeks ago, of Albania to the Optional Protocol.

    In closing, Ms. Craciunean-Tatu thanked the Committee and all who had contributed to the busy session. The Committee looked forward to, in its next session, holding dialogues with States, pursuing other work, and engaging with a wide variety of stakeholders to achieve the effective promotion and protection of all the rights enshrined in the Covenant.

    In its seventy-eighth session, to be held from 8 September to 3 October 2025, the Committee will review the reports of Australia, Chile, Colombia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Netherlands, Russian Federation and Zimbabwe.

    ___________

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CESCR25.007E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott Highlights Need to Confirm Trump Administration Nominees for Top Economic, Financial Regulator Posts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — At yesterday’s nominations hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) highlighted the qualifications of President Trump’s nominees to top economic policy and financial regulator posts: 

    • Dr. Stephen Miran, nominee to be Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors, Executive Office of the President
    • Mr. Jeffrey Kessler, nominee to be Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, Department of Commerce
    • Mr. William Pulte, nominee to be Director, Federal Housing Finance Agency
    • Mr. Jonathan McKernan, nominee to be Director, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection

    Senator Scott emphasized the importance of quickly advancing President Trump’s nominees to rebuild the economy, restore confidence in the financial system, and ensure American families have the tools to thrive.

    Senator Scott’s opening remarks as delivered:

    I want to take a second to congratulate each of our nominees before us today and thank you for your willingness to serve our country.

    If confirmed, you will help put our nation back on the path to prosperity. 

    As we reflect on the past four years, we must acknowledge the severe damage created by the Biden administration’s reckless spending.

    It’s hard for me to forget, as a kid and my brother growing up in poverty, single parent household, watching my mother trying to make every single dollar count. She did the best she could with what she had. 

    Inflation is especially cruel to the communities like the one I grew up in.

    No one should have to make a choice between putting food on the table and keeping the lights on.

    During Joe Biden’s time in office, overall prices rose by over 20 percent, energy by 34 percent, transportation 31 percent, groceries 22 percent.

    I refuse to accept that the last four years will be the next four years.

    Unlike his predecessor, President Trump understands what it takes to create a blue-collar comeback. And I’m excited about that.

    Each of the nominees before us today will play a critical role in rebuilding the economy, restoring confidence in our financial system, and ensuring that American families can thrive once again.  

    The Council of Economic Advisers serves as the White House’s chief advisors, think tank so to speak, providing the President with data-driven guidance on policy decisions. 

    Dr. Stephen Miran is an accomplished economist with a strong record of advocating for fiscal responsibility and pro-growth policies.

    He will play an instrumental role in helping President Trump rebuild America’s economy. 

    Turning to Mr. Kessler, the Department of Commerce’s mission is to create an environment for economic growth and opportunity for all communities.

    Unfortunately, under President Biden, we saw China rapidly advance in developing advanced technologies that support its military capabilities, distort global markets, and erode competitiveness of U.S. companies.  

    Mr. Kessler’s experience in trade and national security policy will be critical in strengthening our supply chains and ensuring the U.S. leads in the next generation technologies. 

    Now, let’s talk about housing. Under President Biden, the dream of homeownership became unaffordable for millions and millions of Americans. The FHFA plays a crucial role in overseeing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Bank – entities that significantly influence the U.S. housing finance market.

    These institutions not only impact mortgage rates and housing affordability, but also provide essential liquidity to the mortgage market, ensuring a stable supply of funds for home loans. 

    William Pulte is a businessman with a deep understanding of the housing market. His insight and passion for people will serve him well in leading the FHFA’s efforts to address our broken housing system.

    And finally, the CFPB was allegedly created to protect American consumers, but under the Biden administration, it overstepped its authority, burdened businesses with excessive politically driven regulation, and drove up costs for consumers.

    The CFPB has become a tool for progressive overreach, making it harder for small banks and lenders to serve their communities.

    Jonathan McKernan has the expertise needed to rein in the CFPB’s excesses and ensure that the agency works for consumers – not against them.

    Today’s hearing is not just about these four nominees – it is about the future of our economy and the direction of our country.

    We have an opportunity to undo the failures of the past four years and usher in a golden era of American prosperity.

    That begins by confirming these well-qualified individuals who will stand up for the American families, American workers, and for small businesses.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott, Booker Reintroduce Legislation Addressing Sickle Cell Disease

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.), member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) reintroduced the bipartisan Sickle Cell Disease Comprehensive Care Act. The legislation would allow State Medicaid programs to provide comprehensive and coordinated care to patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) through a health home model.

    Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that disproportionately impacts people of African descent. Among the most notable symptoms of SCD is debilitating pain, but those with SCD also experience complications like stroke, acute chest syndrome, and organ damage. Furthermore, individuals with SCD have a significantly lower life expectancy than the overall population.

    While there have been some advancements in the treatment of SCD, many with the disease are not receiving the level of care needed to adequately manage SCD. The Sickle Cell Disease Comprehensive Care Act directs CMS to establish a SCD Health Home to improve access to comprehensive, high-quality, outpatient care, which will be available to Medicaid beneficiaries with SCD in states that submit a state plan amendment (SPA). Further, this program shows promise in saving money, as it aims to reduce patients’ reliance on costly emergency room care. 

    “Nearly 100,000 Americans have sickle cell disease—many of whom are left without access to consistent care,” said Senator Scott. “I am glad to work on this bipartisan legislation to help treat this disease that affects thousands of Americans from minority communities. Creating access to high-quality comprehensive care to avoid costly emergency room visits continues to be a top priority of mine for folks facing diseases like SCD.”

    “Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in our country, and is a disease that primarily affects those of African ancestry,” said Senator Booker. “Despite the prevalence and the severe health consequences of the disease, Americans battling sickle cell continue to face barriers to accessing the care they need. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to support this bipartisan legislation to increase access to comprehensive, high-quality care and invest in quality treatments for patients fighting SCD.”

    Throughout his time in the Senate, Senator Scott has raised awareness for sickle cell disease and advocated for equitable funding, increased attention, and better access to treatments and care for people with SCD. The Sickle Cell Disease Comprehensive Care Act builds upon this work, including his bipartisan Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act that he introduced with Senator Booker and which passed and was signed into law in 2018. 

    The legislation is endorsed by: Sickle Cell Disease Partnership; American Society of Hematology; Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc.

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Suspension of shipping services in Spanish and European ports – E-000221/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    European ports, as critical gateways for international trade and important hubs of activity, are essential for the success of EU industry and economy as a whole.

    This has notably been recognised in the Commission’s priorities through the planning of a new strategy that will highlight the role that European ports and maritime industry will play in the future EU economy.

    All sectors, including maritime transport, need to contribute to the EU climate neutrality objective. While there may be many different economic and operational factors influencing shipping companies’ routes decisions, the Commission takes the possible risks of evasive behaviour very seriously.

    A specific preventive measure against such risks had already been agreed during co-decision: it consists in disregarding, for the purposes of the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), stops by containerships at certain neighbouring container transhipment ports that meet specific criteria. Tanger Med and East Port Said have been identified as such ports.

    Furthermore, the EU ETS Directive[1] includes a reporting and review clause that obliges the Commission to monitor and to report every two years on the implementation of the ETS extension to maritime transport, notably with the objective to detect evasive behaviours at an early stage and if appropriate, to propose measures to ensure the effective implementation of the directive.

    The first report is expected in the coming weeks and the Commission will continue monitoring the situation very closely.

    • [1] Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 October 2003 establishing a system for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Union and amending Council Directive 96/61/EC (OJ L 275 25.10.2003, p. 32).
    Last updated: 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Voice from the South: Dr. Anna Julia Cooper

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    “No profounder duty confronts a state than the necessity of constructing sane and serviceable citizens out of the material of childhood. No higher privilege awaits the individual in this land of opportunity than the privilege of contributing to such an end.”

    Dr. Anna Julia Cooper wrote these words ca. 1930 in her essay, “Educational Programs”. (Cooper, Portable, 190.)  Her life as a civil rights activist, essayist, an educator, an intellectual, and a philosopher on society and the law is an extraordinary catalog of outstanding achievements.

    Born in 1858 into slavery to Hannah Stanley Haywood in Raleigh, North Carolina, Anna Julia Haywood was freed in 1863, following the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. She enrolled in Saint Augustine Normal School and Collegiate Institute as a student, a school established by the Freedman’s Bureau, and began tutoring there at age 10 to help with her tuition. She married fellow student George A.C. Cooper when she graduated from high school. He died two years later, and she enrolled in Oberlin College in 1881, which she attended on scholarship. While there, she asked to attend the “gentlemen’s courses” which included higher mathematics, Latin, and Greek. (Cooper, Portable, xxiii.) She graduated from Oberlin with a B.A. in mathematics in 1884, and an M.A. in mathematics  in 1887.

    Mrs. A.J. Cooper. Photo by C.M. Bell, Washington, D.C. [between 1901 and 1903] Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/bellcm.15413/

    Cooper started teaching math and science at the M Street School, in Washington, D.C., after earning her M.A. from Oberlin. The school “provided a rigorous curriculum that surpassed the offerings of many white schools.” M Street offered a curriculum with academic, scientific, technical, and business tracks. Cooper published her book, A Voice from the South to a positive critical response. As the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy notes of the essay “Woman vs. the Indian”, “Cooper… calls for the natural inherent rights of all people, or ‘the rights of humanity’ but also specifying groups typically denied these rights such as Blacks, women, Indians (or Native Americans), and the poor.” This comment on her philosophy of inherent rights applies not only to the essay, but to much of the book. Her thoughts and essays on society’s influence on the law, racial prejudice, feminism and education were followed by her more famous peers such as W.E.B. Du Bois, whom she corresponded with often.

    She traveled to conferences and cultural exchange programs, traveled to Nassau and throughout Europe, and spoke at the Pan-African Conference in London in 1900, where she was a member of the Executive Committee (Cooper, Portable, xl.) She was promoted to principal of the M Street School in 1901. While directing the school as the principal, she made academic and vocational tracks available to all students. However, she focused on strengthening the school’s curriculum on academics, “an approach often associated with Du Bois’s educational philosophy rather than Booker T. Washington’s emphasis on vocational training.” As principal, she made successful efforts to get students admitted to Brown, Mt. Holyoke, Harvard, Yale, and other Ivy League schools when the students passed entrance examinations.  She was removed from her position as principal by the head of the school board, who disapproved of her focus of the school curriculum on academics, despite community support for her to stay. She moved to teach at the Jefferson Institute in Missouri for a brief period while pursuing legal action for a return to her position at M Street and back pay. Her commitment to equal education predated Brown v. Board of Education.

    Eventually, Cooper returned to M Street School in 1910 to teach Latin, and continued her own studies, while adopting the five grandchildren of her brother. She published her translation of Le Pèlerinage de Charlemagne in 1917. At the age of 66, she completed and defended her doctoral thesis, L’Attitude de la France à l’Egard l’Esclavage Pendant la Révolution at the Sorbonne; she was the first African-American woman to graduate from the school.

    Dr. Cooper returned to teaching at M Street School until 1930 when she retired. She became the president of Frelinghuysen University, the only other higher education facility for African Americans in D.C. at the time. When the school had insufficient funds to stay in operation, she ran it from her own home, while continuing to write and publish essays in The Crisis and the Washington Tribune.

    She worked and advocated throughout her career for equal rights in education and society for women and African Americans until her death at 105. Like some other civil rights activists we have featured in the blog in the past, she was not a lawyer, but her philosophical writing and educational work created changes in civil rights; the Library’s unique collections of her work allow readers to discover more. Her writing is printed in the U.S. passport, “The cause of freedom is not the cause of a race or a sect, a party or a class – it is the cause of humankind, the very birthright of humanity.”

    Sources

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cayce Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison on Drug Trafficking Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Kayla Martin, 34, of Cayce, was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug trafficking.

    Evidence presented to the court showed that Martin and Michael Tart were arrested in April 2022 after Richland County Sheriff’s Department and Lexington County Sheriff’s Department investigators seized over a kilogram of methamphetamine and a firearm from a vehicle Tart was driving on I-77 North in Richland County. Martin had previously arranged for Tart to pick up the methamphetamine from her home. A subsequent search of Martin’s home uncovered a .380 pistol along with drug residue and other drug paraphernalia. At the time, Martin was a convicted felon and on supervised release from a 2020 federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Martin’s conviction for the April 2022 incident was a violation of her supervised release. Martin also faces charges with the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office in another drug-related incident in 2020. Tart has pleaded guilty for his part in this incident and is awaiting sentencing.

    United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Martin to 123 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rock Hill Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Taylor and William K. Witherspoon are prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Virginia Lawmakers Rip President Trump’s Plans to Dissolve or Privatize the Postal Service

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott, Gerry Connolly, Don Beyer, Jennifer McClellan, Suhas Subramanyam and Eugene Vindman (all D-VA) urged President Trump to halt any proposal that would alter the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) without congressional consultation and approval. 
    “We write to express our great concern regarding reports that you intend to dissolve the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) bipartisan Board of Governors and move the independent agency under the control of the Department of Commerce. The Postal Service plays a crucial role in keeping our communities, especially in our rural areas, connected to each other and to the wider world. From delivering prescription medications and household goods, to election ballots, paychecks, and critical bills, USPS continues to be an essential part of Americans’ everyday lives. However, press reports indicate you are planning to upend over 50 years of Congressionally-mandated independence at USPS with no clear strategy for continuing essential mail delivery services or achieving financial sustainability,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to President Trump. “We urge you to cease the advancement of any proposal that would alter the USPS without congressional consultation and approval.”
    Since Congress passed the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, USPS has operated as an independent agency run by a bipartisan Board of Governors who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. However, press reports have recently suggested that President Trump intends to sign an executive order to dissolve the Board and move the independent agency under the control of Secretary Howard Lutnick at the Department of Commerce. Last Friday, the president confirmed these reports when he said he was considering a “form of a merger” for the Postal Service. The letter rejects this vague and unconstitutional plan.
    Wrote the lawmakers, “Throughout our nation’s history, the Postal Service has been an integral function of the U.S. government, particularly in rural areas. While 63% of post offices in rural areas do not generate enough revenue to cover their costs, Congress continues to ensure changes do not disadvantage rural areas because all Americans deserve the same mail delivery service regardless of where they live. Given your reported interest in privatizing the Postal Service, the universal service obligation that binds the Postal Service to deliver to all Americans could be scrapped for a plan that risks cutting off rural delivery and worsening service for all.”
    The letter also references Virginia’s mail delivery issues, raising concerns that the president’s plans could upend recent improvements in mail service.
    “Virginians are unfortunately familiar with the impacts of mail delivery falling short in the Commonwealth. In late 2023, USPS chose Richmond, Virginia as the first location to implement sweeping reforms under the ‘Delivering for America’ plan, including opening the Richmond Regional Processing and Distribution Center (RPDC). Shortly after, Virginia’s on-time service performance became the worst in the country. Last year, we met with Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on three occasions to push USPS to do everything in its power to improve mail service in Virginia. Throughout the year, we saw steady improvements in USPS’s mail service as we continued to press for increased transparency, greater engagement with the public, and a higher standard of service,” they wrote.
    Continued the members, “While some communities in Virginia still experience service performance issues, we were pleased to see a USPS Inspector General report in January 2025 that found USPS had stabilized service at the Richmond RPDC, achieved most of the expected savings for fiscal year 2024, and returned statewide mail service to match nationwide averages. We fear such a significant upheaval of USPS’s governing structure and operations, as has been reported in the press, could reverse the improvement in mail service we have seen across Virginia.”
    Lastly, the Virginia lawmakers noted dismantling or privatizing the Postal Service would jeopardize its critical facilitation of the nation’s vote by mail system. 
    “We are also disturbed by the notion that a USPS merger with the Department of Commerce will insert an intense partisan agenda into the distribution of millions of mail-in ballots as we approach election season. In the 2024 election, USPS processed 99.22 million ballots, with 99.88% of ballots delivered from voters to election officials within seven days and only one day on average to deliver ballots from voters to election officials. With over 2.3 million Virginians voting absentee in the 2024 general election, it is imperative that no changes are made to USPS that would undermine its ability to facilitate free and fair elections,” they wrote.
    Concluded the lawmakers, “Any effort to ignore federal law and fire all members of the USPS’s Board of Governors – Republicans and Democrats who have been appointed by presidents and confirmed by the U.S. Senate – and move this independent agency under your control, will be met with fierce opposition. Furthermore, we request that you provide a full accounting of any changes that is being explored to alter USPS service, leadership, and personnel.”
    A copy of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 909th ARS and 134th EFS soar in Cope North 25

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    For over four decades, Cope North has served as a cornerstone of U.S. military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. This trilateral exercise brings together American, Japanese, and Australian forces for realistic combat training, strengthening their ability to seamlessly operate together.

    This year’s exercise focused on enhancing teamwork capabilities and tactical skills in a complex and dynamic Indo-Pacific region. Participating assets included the F-35A/B Lighting II; F-16 Fighting Falcon; F-18C/D Hornet; EA-18G Growler; KC-46 Pegasus; Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker; KC-130J Hercules; Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules; E-3G Sentry; MH-60S Seahawk; and the E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node.

    “Exercises like Cope North provide invaluable training for our Airmen,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Travis Epp, 909th ARS commander. “The significantly larger airspace around Guam permits larger exercises than our local airspace.”

    Epp continued to say this higher-level training allowed the 909th ARS to integrate with allies and partners in ways that they could not at their home -station, better preparing the joint and allied force for future challenges together.

    Rotational units – like the 134th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, which sent their F-35A Lightning II’s to CN 25 – regularly conduct missions to enhance Kadena Air Base’s operational readiness to defend Japan and ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific.

    Other rotational units currently stationed at Kadena include the 77th EFS from Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., operating the F-16 Fighting Falcon and the 525th EFS from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, operating the F-22 Raptor.

    CN25 showcased seamless collaboration and communication between the U.S., Japanese, and Australian air forces, by the integration of their F-35 fighters. This provided a platform for these nations to exchange knowledge and best practices on the effective deployment, maintenance, and command and control of these advanced fifth-generation aircraft.

    “When multiple nations operate the same advanced platforms, joint training becomes essential. It enables us to identify and understand the subtle differences in how each country deploys, maintains, and commands these aircraft,” said Air Force Lt. Col. Trevor Callens, 134th EFS commander.

    He also said the critical knowledge provided by combined and joint exercises would be difficult to acquire without forming partnerships with allies.

    CN-25 continues this legacy of partnership, emphasizing the importance of interoperability and advanced defense capabilities in maintaining regional stability.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Digby — Digby RCMP assisting in fatal structure fire investigation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Digby RCMP is assisting in the investigation of a fire that occurred at an apartment in Digby.

    On February 28 at approximately 8:00 a.m., Digby RCMP, fire services, and EHS responded to a report of a fire on Birch St., at a home known to contain several apartments. Police officers on scene assisted in evacuating the building. Multiple occupants were able to leave the building safely.

    When the fire was extinguished, police learned that firefighters located one person deceased at the scene. The fire is under investigation and investigators will remain on scene to continue to gather information and evidence.

    The investigation is being assisted by the Office of the Fire Marshal and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service.

    Our thoughts are with the loved ones of the deceased at this difficult time.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Graham Introduce Legislation to Ban Horse Slaughter

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced the introduction of the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, legislation to permanently ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. The bill would also prohibit the export of live horses to Mexican and Canadian slaughterhouses to be sold overseas. Congressman Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) lead companion legislation in the House.
    “I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce bipartisan legislation to permanently ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Unlike cattle, horses aren’t raised as food animals in the United States,” said Senator Luján. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this bill to protect our nation’s horses while maintaining support for meat and poultry markets.”
    “The slaughter of horses for human consumption is barbaric and has no place in America,” said Representative Buchanan. “As Co-Chairman of the Animal Protection Caucus, I look forward to continuing to lead this effort with Congresswoman Schakowsky to protect these beautiful creatures.”
    “As a former horse owner, I have been a leader in efforts to ban horse slaughter in the United States for many years,” said Representative Schakowsky. “I am once again partnering with Congressman Vern Buchanan in introducing the SAFE Act to amend the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 to prohibit the slaughter of equines for human consumption, both domestically and abroad. It is beyond time to end this brutal and dangerous practice. Horses are not food. As a proud animal lover, we owe it to our horse companions to protect their welfare.”
    The SAFE Act would make it illegal to slaughter, transport, possess, purchase, sell or donate horses, donkeys and burros for human consumption. Although the practice of slaughtering horses for human consumption is currently illegal in the United States, the ban is temporary and subject to annual congressional review and no federal law exists to prohibit the transport of horses across America’s borders for slaughter in Canada or Mexico.
    The SAFE Act is cosponsored by over 100 bipartisan members of Congress. The SAFE Act has received the support of the Humane World Action Fund, the ASPCA, the Animal Welfare Institute, the U.S. Harness Racing Alumni Association, the Jockey Club and Return to Freedom Wild Horse Conservation.
    “The pipeline to slaughter is a death sentence for horses, subjecting them to unimaginable suffering. These majestic animals, who have helped build this nation, are deserving of compassion and kindness, not cruelty. It’s time to end their horrifying journey to slaughter, where many suffer brutal abuse long before they arrive. Horse slaughter for human consumption is an industry that shows a complete disregard for these loyal and noble animals. We call on lawmakers to support Senators Graham and Luján and Representatives Buchanan and Schakowsky in their efforts to pass the Save America’s Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act and put an end to this inhumane practice once and for all,” said Sara Amundson, President, Humane World Action Fund.
    “Although the overall decline in American horses being exported for human consumption is a sign of progress, more than 19,000 horses are still being trucked across the border each year as part of the predatory horse slaughter pipeline. This industry needs to be shut down once and for all. We are immensely grateful to Congressman Buchanan, Congresswoman Schakowsky, Senator Graham, and Senator Luján for their outstanding leadership on the SAFE Act and we hope that Congress will move quickly to protect America’s horses from slaughter,” said Susan Millward, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Animal Welfare Institute.
    “Despite overwhelming public opposition to horse slaughter, a legal loophole still allows tens of thousands of American horses to be shipped to other countries for slaughter each year. Not only is horse slaughter cruel and unnecessary, but the existence of the slaughter pipeline itself stifles rescue and rehoming efforts, putting equine welfare at risk. Equine industry and animal welfare groups are working daily to solve equine welfare issues on the ground, but we cannot fully succeed while the slaughter pipeline remains open. We are so grateful to Senators Graham and Luján and Representatives Buchanan and Schakowsky for their dedication to starting a new chapter for America’s equines and championing the SAFE Act to secure an end to horse slaughter,” said Nancy Perry, Senior Vice President of Government Relations, ASPCA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Raised voices and angry scenes at the White House as Trump clashes with Zelensky over the ‘minerals deal’

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

    The visit of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to the White House has not gone to plan – at least not to his plan. There were [extraordinary scenes] as a press conference between Zelensky and Trump descended into acrimony, with the US president loudly berating his opposite number, who he accused of “gambling with world war three”.

    “You either make a deal or we’re out,” Trump told Zelensky. His vice-president, J.D.Vance, also got in on the act, accusing the Ukrainian president of “litigating in front of the American media”, and saying his approach was “disrespectful”. At one point he asked Zelensky: “Have you said thank you even once?”

    Reporters present described the atmosphere as heated with voices raised by both Trump and Vance. The New York Times said the scene was “one of the most dramatic moments ever to play out in public in the Oval Office and underscored the radical break between the United States and Ukraine since Mr Trump took office”.

    Underlying the angry exchanges were differences between the Trump administration and the Ukrainian government over the so-called “minerals deal” that Zelensky was scheduled to sign. But any lack of Ukrainian enthusiasm for the deal is understandable.

    In its present form, it looks more like a memorandum of understanding that leaves several vital issues to be resolved later. The deal on offer is the creation of will be called a “reconstruction investment fund”, to be jointly owned and managed by the US and Ukraine.

    Into the proposed fund will go 50% of the revenue from the exploitation of “all relevant Ukrainian government-owned natural resource assets (whether owned directly or indirectly by the Ukrainian government)” and “other infrastructure relevant to natural resource assets (such as liquified natural gas terminals and port infrastructure)”.

    This means that private infrastructure – much of it owned by Ukraine’s wealthy oligarchs – is likely to become part of the deal. This has the potential of further increasing friction between Zelensky and some very powerful Ukrainians.

    Meanwhile, US contributions are less clearly defined. The preamble to the agreement makes it clear that Ukraine already owes the US. The very first paragraph notes that “the United States of America has provided significant financial and material support to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022”.

    This figure, according to Trump, amounts to US$350 billion (£278 billion). The actual amount, according to the Ukraine Support Tracker of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, is about half that.

    Western and Ukrainian analysts have also pointed out that there may be fewer and less accessible mineral and rare earth deposits in Ukraine than are currently assumed. The working estimates have been based mostly on Soviet-era data.

    Since the current draft leaves details on ownership, governance and operations to be determined in a future fund agreement, Trump’s very big deal is at best the first step. Future rounds of negotiations are to be expected.

    Statement of intent

    From a Ukrainian perspective, this is more of a strength than a weakness. It leaves Kyiv with an opportunity to achieve more satisfactory terms in future rounds of negotiation. Even if any improvements will only be marginal, it keeps the US locked into a process that is, overall, beneficial for Ukraine.

    Take the example of security guarantees. The draft agreement offers Ukraine nothing anywhere near Nato membership. But it notes that the US “supports Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace”, adding that: “Participants will seek to identify any necessary steps to protect mutual investments.”

    The significance of this should not be overstated. At its bare minimum, it is an expression of intent by the US that falls short of security guarantees but still gives the US a stake in the survival of Ukraine as an independent state.

    But it is an important signal both in terms of what it does and does not do – a signal to Russia, Europe and Ukraine.

    Trump does not envisage that the US will give Ukraine security guarantees “beyond very much”. He seems to think that these guarantees can be provided by European troops (the Kremlin has already cast doubts on this idea).

    But this does not mean the idea is completely off the table. On the contrary, because the US commitment is so vague, it gives Trump leverage in every direction.

    He can use it as a carrot and a stick against Ukraine to get more favourable terms for US returns from the reconstruction investment fund. He can use it to push Europe towards more decisive action to ramp up defence spending by making any US protection for European peacekeepers contingent on more equitable burden-sharing in Nato.

    And he can signal to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, that the US is serious about making a deal stick – and that higher American economic stakes in Ukraine and corporate presence on the ground would mean US-backed consequences if the Kremlin reneges on a future peace agreement and restarts hostilities.

    That these calculations will ultimately lead to the “free, sovereign and secure Ukraine” that the agreement envisages is not a given.

    For now, however, despite all the shortcomings and vagueness of the deal on key issues –– and the very public argument between the parties – it still looks like it serves all sides’ interests in moving forward in this direction.

    This article has been updated with details of the meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump.

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

    Tetyana Malyarenko 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. Raised voices and angry scenes at the White House as Trump clashes with Zelensky over the ‘minerals deal’ – https://theconversation.com/raised-voices-and-angry-scenes-at-the-white-house-as-trump-clashes-with-zelensky-over-the-minerals-deal-250855

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Encourages Nevadans to Submit Ornaments for 2025 Capitol Christmas Tree, First Ever from Nevada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) is encouraging Nevadans to create and submit homemade ornaments to decorate the 2025 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, which will come from Nevada for the first time ever. The tree will be harvested from the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, decorated by Nevadans, and transported to Washington, DC for the holiday season. The theme for the tree is “Starry Skies to Neon Lights—Spirit of the Silver State,” and the Forest Service is calling on Nevadans to craft handmade ornaments to decorate it.
    “As a Nevadan, I couldn’t be more excited that this year’s U.S. Capitol Christmas tree will come from our own beautiful Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest,” said Senator Rosen. “This tree will represent Nevada in our nation’s capital, and I encourage Nevadans to submit ornaments that symbolize the true spirit of the Silver State.”
    For more information about how to submit an ornament, visit the  U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree website. Deadline to submit an ornament is September 15, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Othello Man Indicted on 11 Criminal Counts for Threats, Extortion, and Production and Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse Material

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced today that on February 19, 2025, a federal grand jury for the Eastern District of Washington returned an indictment charging Andres Burgos-Silva, of Othello, Washington, with 11 criminal counts involving the production and receipt of child sexual abuse material, extortion, and making threats to his victims. Burgos-Silva was arraigned on February 26, 2025, at the U.S. District Court in Spokane, Washington.

    Detectives with the Othello Police department developed information that Burgos-Silva was allegedly in possession of child sexual abuse material involving children as young as 6-years-old. Detectives also learned Burgos-Silva had allegedly contacted several minors on social media and claimed to have sexually explicit photos of the minors and threatened to send the photos to others, unless the minors sent him more sexually explicit photos.

    When detectives executed a search warrant at Burgis-Silva’s home in Othello, they seized electronic devices that allegedly contained depictions of young children being sexually abused.

    This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Othello Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ann T. Wick.

    2:25-cr-00021-TOR

    An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Budget 2025: Snip. Taxes cut for Albertans

    [. By fulfilling a promise to cut personal income taxes, Albertans will take more money home on every paycheque.

    Starting this year, Alberta taxpayers will benefit from a new eight per cent personal tax bracket on income up to $60,000, down from the previous rate of 10 per cent. When this new tax cut takes effect, taxpayers will save up to $750 in 2025, while two-income families will see savings of up to $1,500, which will help them and their families with the cost of groceries, housing, utility bills or other priorities.

    “Over the past few years Albertans have faced an unprecedented cost of living crisis, largely due to the irresponsible actions of the federal Liberal government. That’s why Alberta’s government is taking action to cut personal income taxes for two million hard-working Albertans – fulfilling our campaign promise – so that Albertans can keep more of their hard-earned dollars to help support their families.”

    Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta

    “By fast-tracking this new eight per cent tax bracket, Albertans can keep more of their hard-earned money this year. This is just one more way we’re helping Albertans find their way forward during turbulent economic times.”

    Nate Horner, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance

    “Premier Danielle Smith keeping her promise to cut Alberta’s income tax is great news, because it means huge savings for most working families. Families are fighting to afford basics right now, and if they can save more than $1,500 per year thanks to this big tax cut, that would cover a month’s rent or more than a month’s worth of groceries.”

    Kris Sims, Alberta director, Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

    Overall, this personal income tax cut is expected to save Albertans $1.2 billion in 2025, with savings rising to $1.4 billion in 2028. Most taxpayers will start to see the benefit of the tax cut on their paycheques after July 1, when payroll withholdings are adjusted.

    “Albertans know best where their hard-earned dollars are needed most. By leaving more money in their pockets, we’re helping ensure families can meet their unique needs and achieve greater prosperity for a brighter future.”

    Nathan Neudorf, Minister of Affordability and Utilities

    With low personal and corporate income taxes, low fuel tax and no sales tax, Albertans and Alberta businesses generally pay lower overall taxes than those in other provinces. In 2025-26, Albertans and Alberta businesses would pay at least $20.1 billion less in taxes than they would if Alberta had the same tax system as any other province.

    Related information

    • Alberta tax overview
    • Budget 2025

    Related news

    • Budget 2025: Meeting the challenge

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference
    • Tax cut to save Albertans money

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Waterbury Man Admits Role in Violent Carjacking in 2023

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that MICHAEL McCANN-ORTIZ, also known as “Bando,” 24, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a carjacking offense.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of June 18, 2023, two all-terrain vehicles (“ATVs”) were stolen from a Waterbury residence.  After the theft, McCann-Ortiz and others identified an individual (“Victim 1”) who they believed was involved in the theft.  Later that night, Victim 1’s friend, (“Victim 2”), picked up Victim 1 from work and drove him home.  As they arrived at Victim 1’s residence, three vehicles followed them and surrounded the victims.  McCann-Ortiz and his associates, one of whom carried an assault-style rifle, exited the vehicles and approached the victims.  McCann-Ortiz and his associates demanded the return of the stolen ATVs, threatened both victims, and physically assaulted them.

    Specifically, McCann-Ortiz repeatedly threatened to kill the victims, and punched and kicked one victim, causing serious bodily injury.

    McCann-Ortiz and his associates then stole Victim 2’s vehicle, which was owned by Victim 2’s relative, and other items and cash belonging to the victims.

    There is no indication that Victim 1 was, in fact, involved in the theft of the ATVs.

    McCann-Ortiz pleaded guilty to carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 25 years.  Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for May 22.

    McCann-Ortiz has been detained since his arrest on unrelated state charges on July 10, 2023.

    This investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force with the assistance of the Waterbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan J. Guevremont and David T. Huang.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: IMF Staff Concludes Visit to Barbados

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    February 28, 2025

    End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. This mission will not result in a Board discussion.

    • Barbados’ economic growth remained robust in 2024, reaching an estimated 4 percent year-on-year driven by business services, tourism, and construction.
    • Implementation of the home-grown Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation (BERT 2022) program remains strong, supported by the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF).
    • Program targets under the Fund-supported program for end-December 2024 were met and the authorities are making progress to meet remaining structural benchmarks and reform measures. International reserves continued to rise, reaching US$1.6 billion.

    Washington, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Michael Perks visited Bridgetown between February 25-28, 2025 to review recent economic developments and reform efforts and prepare the ground for the fifth and final reviews of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) / Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) programs.To summarize the mission’s findings, Mr. Perks made the following statement:

    “Barbados’ economic growth remained robust in 2024. Real GDP growth is estimated at 4 percent driven by business services, tourism, and construction. Inflation moderated to an average of 1.4 percent, reflecting an easing of global commodity prices and prices of domestic goods and services. The external position continued to strengthen, with the current account deficit narrowing to 4.5 percent of GDP (from 8.6 percent in 2023). International reserves remain ample at US$1.6 billion (equivalent to over 7 months of imports), providing continued strong support to the exchange rate peg. The near-term economic outlook remains positive, but risks continue to be high and tilted to the downside, given Barbados’ vulnerability to global shocks and natural disasters.

    “The authorities continue to make strong progress in implementing their ambitious economic reform program. Targets for end-December 2024 under the EFF were met. Fiscal performance remains strong, with the primary balance reaching 5.3 percent of GDP through December, leaving the authorities on track to meet the 3.8 percent of GDP fiscal target for FY2024/25. Preparation of the 2025/26 budget is now well underway. Public debt declined close to 100 percent of GDP at end-2024 and the authorities remain firmly committed to bringing it down to 60 percent of GDP by FY 2035/36.

    “Structural reform efforts continue to advance, supported by IMF technical assistance, including actions to strengthen customs administration, the framework for public-private partnerships, and the Central Bank of Barbados’ liquidity forecasting. The authorities are also making progress with the implementation of the RSF reform measures for the last review.

    “The team is looking forward to conducting discussions for the fifth and final reviews under the EFF and RSF in May and would like to thank the authorities and their technical team for their hospitality, openness and candid discussions.”

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Meera Louis

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

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Keir Starmer at the White House: what ‘progressive realism’ now means in relation to Ukraine and Donald Trump

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jason Ralph, Professor of International Relations, University of Leeds

    Flickr/Number 10, CC BY-NC-ND

    Since the Labour government came to power in the UK past year, its international relations have been pursued under the banner of what foreign secretary David Lammy calls “progressive realism”. This involves “using realist means to pursue progressive ends”, including taking “pragmatic steps” to improve relations with other states.

    Lammy rejects the notion that “idealism has no place in foreign policy” but also argues that the UK should be “realistic about the state of the world and the country’s role in it”.

    The visit of the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, to the White House to meet US president Donald Trump has been the biggest test of this approach. Outlining a set of foreign policy principles is one thing, acting on them is another.

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    In practice, progressive and realist foreign policies can pull in different directions. Combining them might be a form of “cakeism” – you usually can’t be a realist and have your progressivism too. Sometimes, however, clever diplomacy can find a way.

    Did Starmer find that way in his response to Trump’s ideas on negotiating with Russia without a defined role for Ukraine?

    Progressive realism in action

    Progressivism is associated with a commitment to the rule of international law. In the case of Ukraine, that would mean opposing any peace deal that rewarded Russia’s aggression or the concession of land to Russia.

    Progressivism is also associated with a support for international criminal law. The progressive in this case might be opposed to any peace deal that did not see Russian president Vladimir Putin hauled before the International Criminal Court (the same court that Trump has sanctioned).

    An invitation from the king.
    Flickr/Number 10, CC BY-NC-ND

    Realism, on the other hand, is sometimes associated with a foreign policy committed to the promotion of self-interest, defined narrowly as the material wellbeing of the nation. Faced with the threat of further US tariffs, and the impact they would have on the government’s economic priorities, the realist would probably recommend that the UK do absolutely nothing to upset Trump.

    Starmer has so far managed to walk this particular tightrope with a “pragmatic” form of progressivism. He remains committed to the vision of a world order based on international law and so is not realist in that sense. He was not willing to betray Ukraine just to be friends with Trump and avoid US tariffs, for instance.

    But he was pragmatic because he realised the only way to advance progressive principles was to persuade Trump that they set out the path to a sustainable peace. For this reason, my colleague Jamie Gaskarth and I have argued UK policy might better be described as “progressive pragmatism”.

    Starmer has a broader definition of the national interest than that sometimes associated with realism. It is in the UK’s interest to maintain an international order based on laws that codify the progressive principles of national self-determination and international justice.

    From this perspective, the UK is right not to turn its back on Ukrainian self-determination by jumping on Trump’s bandwagon. That is a slippery slope. It can lead to a world order that is unstable because it is dictated by the great powers. Ukraine today, Greenland, Palestine, Taiwan tomorrow.

    His pragmatism was very much on display in Washington, however. It meant staying close to the US not just to avoid tariffs, which Starmer appears to have done with the help of an invitation from King Charles for a state visit to the UK. It meant working with Trump’s ideas on Russia to persuade him that supporting Ukraine is the way to a “durable” peace.

    Starmer and Trump give a joint press conference.
    Flickr/Number 10, CC BY-NC-ND

    Durable peace here is not simply a question of satisfying Russia and having sufficient military force on the ground (the so-called US “backstop”) to deter future Russian aggression. It must also respect the political power of a progressive principle: national self-determination.

    To conclude a peace that does not include the Ukrainian people is not just a moral betrayal, it is politically imprudent because it creates grievances, which become causes of conflict. That does not mean the only way forward is to return to the pre-2014 status quo, but it does mean Kyiv’s involvement in peace negotiations has to be meaningful, not symbolic.

    In 1990 the transatlantic positions were reversed. UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher was troubled by the fall of Berlin wall. She proposed that the occupying powers that had divided Germany in 1945 decide the terms of reunification.

    The administration of the then US president, George Bush senior, had a broader understanding of history and the future. They realised that a dictated peace after the first world war contributed to the grievances that led to the second.

    On that occasion the US approach prevailed. Germany was allowed to reunify on its own terms and choose its own alliances. It was a progressive and pragmatic solution that was committed to national self-determination and it set the foundations for the durable peace that self-described realists thought would never happen.

    Starmer made a point in Washington of congratulating Trump for breaking the impasse. He was rewarded when the president suggested that a trade deal is now on the table. As he flies back across the Atlantic, Starmer might continue the flattery by comparing Trump’s actions to the way Ronald Reagan sowed the seeds of the new world order in the 1980s.

    He should recall, however, that the details of that new order were subsequently worked out by the administration of George Bush Snr., which had a pragmatic respect for national self-determination. That now means supporting Ukraine in any upcoming negotiation.

    Jason Ralph has in the past received funding from Research Councils UK and the EU. He does not currently hold a research grant. He is a member of the UK Labour Party.

    – ref. Keir Starmer at the White House: what ‘progressive realism’ now means in relation to Ukraine and Donald Trump – https://theconversation.com/keir-starmer-at-the-white-house-what-progressive-realism-now-means-in-relation-to-ukraine-and-donald-trump-250722

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Keir Starmer meets Donald Trump: assiduous planning results in deft diplomacy

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Martin Farr, Senior Lecturer in Contemporary British History, Newcastle University

    Flickr/Number 10, CC BY-NC-ND

    Keir Starmer was only the second European leader to visit Donald Trump’s second White House. The first, France’s Emmanuel Macron, had barely taken off when Starmer touched down, but had already raised the bar by behaving regally in front of the world’s media alongside his fellow president in the Oval Office.

    In manner, Macron manifested his eight years in office (four of which were already spent with Trump in the White House). Starmer has had a mere eight months. But it was a challenge, judged in its own immediate terms, that the prime minister met.

    Raising the curtain, in a highly untypical coup de théâtre, Starmer flourished – as few can – a letter from the King to give to the president, and then effectively forced Trump to read it on camera and agree to the invitation enclosed within.

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    Starmer of course knew he was nudging an open door: much came down to assiduous preparation. The British Embassy, under a finally confirmed ambassador Peter Mandelson, worked overtime to choreograph and lubricate.

    Starmer had been wise in contradicting Trump only indirectly. Nothing could be gained – as president Zelenskyy already demonstrated – from doing so publicly. So early an offer of a state visit to the UK ran the risk of appearing desperate, but was mitigated by its also being “unprecedented” as the second to be offered to Trump. A word recently worn smooth by over-use, there was nevertheless another precedent set in the suggestion of a pre-state visit visit between Trump and the king. With this president, more than any other, royal diplomacy is a critical national asset.

    Starmer’s announcement of an increase in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 worked similarly well. That funds are to be diverted from foreign aid for that purpose the Labour leadership deemed as being politically cost-free – or at least good value – politically. It was, indeed, almost Trumpian. The relevant minister disagreed.

    It is hard to recall greater shifts in a country’s foreign policy in so short a space of time. Insofar as one can discern Trump’s purposefulness, it is to create pandemonium, which has the secondary effect of galvanising actors to act – not least for fear of further pandemonium.

    Thus last week the US voting with Russia, Iran and North Korea, and not with Britain, at the UN. The Trump administration’s designation of choice is now “the Russia-Ukraine conflict”, as if it were merely a border dispute.

    Therefore, ahead of Starmer’s arrival in Washington, he was faced with the US apparently aligning itself with a country his describes as “the most acute threat” to the UK. “Jaw-dropping” was the adjective of choice for more than a few informed observers who had thought themselves prepared for whatever may transpire.

    The actors Trump primarily wishes to galvanise are European leaders, recalcitrants he thinks should do more to keep their own peace. For Macron to have been told that Putin would accept Nato forces policing the peace was scene-changing, but the only witness to the veracity of that news was Trump, who exhales untruths as easily as he breathes. The Russians soon denied it.

    A very special man.
    Flickr/Number 10, CC BY-NC-ND

    Macron’s offer of France’s (non-Nato) airborne nuclear force complemented Starmer’s commitment to British boots on the ground and helped him elicit Trump’s commitment to mutual defence.

    But Trump guaranteeing the peace that Starmer and Macron are willing to police was the cherry conspicuously missing from the cake. The suggestion was subject to a classic Trump equivocation (we’ll always support the Brits, but they won’t need our support).

    For the British government, July’s election already resembles a hospital pass. The effect of 20% tariffs on GDP growth could be catastrophic. Trump’s talk of tariff-free trade deals was more than expected, but one such was offered last time without much being doing about, before it was cancelled by President Biden. This time, Trump has said his vice president is drawing up a plan, even that being absent before.

    And in a categorical demonstration of the benefits of lobbying there was effective presidential approval of the Chagos islands deal, simultaneously shooting one of Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch’s few foxes stone dead.

    Warm words

    Thus has passed the most potentially difficult meeting of a prime minister and a president since Suez. Nothing else comes close. Cliche – eggshells, tightropes – proliferated in previews.

    When Starmer was last at the White House, in September, he had asked Biden for a meeting about Ukraine and received it. However unsatisfactory the outcome, public face was maintained. Trump has the ability – and the form – to have humiliated in a way which would permanently have scarred Starmer. That he did the opposite ought not to distract from the vulnerability of the supplicant.

    ‘Go on, open it’.
    Number 10/Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND

    Instead there were encomia from Trump as to the two countries – “special relationship”, “unique friendship”, “fantastic country”, “I’ve always cared” – and of Starmer – “a special man”, “a very special person”. And in describing Starmer’s accent as “beautiful”, the president revealed the hitherto unknown allure of the adenoidal.

    Power plays sit ill with Starmer, but he nonetheless ventured two corrections from his armchiar, one to a statement made by the president and another to one made by the vice-president. The subsequent praise for Starmer’s negotiating tenacity from Trump, that much-vaunted artist of the deal, was as priceless – and unfamiliar – as the following morning’s front pages.

    However successful this visit, however, nothing can be assumed, still less guaranteed. That the British government would so extensively war-game a meeting with its closest ally tells its own tale, or, rather a tale perhaps yet to be told. At this moment, for the next four years the relationship at least feels more secure than it did a few days before the trip. By such diurnal turns are the affairs of allies now measured.

    Martin Farr 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. Keir Starmer meets Donald Trump: assiduous planning results in deft diplomacy – https://theconversation.com/keir-starmer-meets-donald-trump-assiduous-planning-results-in-deft-diplomacy-251178

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Zelensky flies to Washington but his dream of a ‘just peace’ deal is unlikely to come true as things stand

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

    Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has arrived in Washington for talks with his US counterpart, Donald Trump. One of the key issues on their agenda is the “very big deal” announced by the US president on February 25. This deal would give the United States access to Ukraine’s critical mineral and rare earth deposits in return for continuing US support.

    Trump has made sure his domestic audience understands that – as he told his first cabinet meeting on February 26 – in contrast to his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, he’s getting something out of Kyiv in return for the support the US has given Ukraine in the past.

    The message coming from the Ukrainian side was a bit more circumspect. Zelensky took pains to emphasise that the deal was still a draft and that its successful conclusion would depend on the outcome of talks with Trump.

    The lack of Ukrainian enthusiasm for the deal is justified. In its present form, it looks more like a memorandum of understanding that leaves several vital issues to be resolved later. The deal on offer is the creation of will be called a “reconstruction investment fund”, to be jointly owned and managed by the US and Ukraine.

    Into the proposed fund will go 50% of the revenue from the exploitation of “all relevant Ukrainian government-owned natural resource assets (whether owned directly or indirectly by the Ukrainian government)” and “other infrastructure relevant to natural resource assets (such as liquified natural gas terminals and port infrastructure)”.

    This means that private infrastructure – much of it owned by Ukraine’s wealthy oligarchs – is likely to become part of the deal. This has the potential of further increasing friction between Zelensky and some very powerful Ukrainians.

    Meanwhile, US contributions are less clearly defined. The preamble to the agreement makes it clear that Ukraine already owes the US. The very first paragraph notes that “the United States of America has provided significant financial and material support to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022”.

    This figure, according to Trump, amounts to US$350 billion (£278 billion). The actual amount, according to the Ukraine Support Tracker of the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, is about half that.

    Western and Ukrainian analysts have also pointed out that there may be fewer and less accessible mineral and rare earth deposits in Ukraine than are currently assumed. The working estimates have been based mostly on Soviet-era data.

    Since the current draft leaves details on ownership, governance and operations to be determined in a future fund agreement, Trump’s very big deal is at best the first step. Future rounds of negotiations are to be expected.

    Statement of intent

    From a Ukrainian perspective, this is more of a strength than a weakness. It leaves Kyiv with an opportunity to achieve more satisfactory terms in future rounds of negotiation. Even if any improvements will only be marginal, it keeps the US locked into a process that is, overall, beneficial for Ukraine.

    Take the example of security guarantees. The draft agreement offers Ukraine nothing anywhere near Nato membership. But it notes that the US “supports Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace”, adding that: “Participants will seek to identify any necessary steps to protect mutual investments.”

    The significance of this should not be overstated. At its bare minimum, it is an expression of intent by the US that falls short of security guarantees but still gives the US a stake in the survival of Ukraine as an independent state.

    But it is an important signal both in terms of what it does and does not do – a signal to Russia, Europe and Ukraine.

    Trump does not envisage that the US will give Ukraine security guarantees “beyond very much”. He seems to think that these guarantees can be provided by European troops (the Kremlin has already cast doubts on this idea).

    But this does not mean the idea is completely off the table. On the contrary, because the US commitment is so vague, it gives Trump leverage in every direction.

    He can use it as a carrot and a stick against Ukraine to get more favourable terms for US returns from the reconstruction investment fund. He can use it to push Europe towards more decisive action to ramp up defence spending by making any US protection for European peacekeepers contingent on more equitable burden-sharing in Nato.

    And he can signal to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, that the US is serious about making a deal stick – and that higher American economic stakes in Ukraine and corporate presence on the ground would mean US-backed consequences if the Kremlin reneges on a future peace agreement and restarts hostilities.

    That these calculations will ultimately lead to the “free, sovereign and secure Ukraine” that the agreement envisages is not a given.

    For now, however, despite all its shortcomings and vagueness on key issues, it looks like it serves all sides’ interests in moving forward in this direction, albeit at a snail’s pace.

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

    Tetyana Malyarenko 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. Zelensky flies to Washington but his dream of a ‘just peace’ deal is unlikely to come true as things stand – https://theconversation.com/zelensky-flies-to-washington-but-his-dream-of-a-just-peace-deal-is-unlikely-to-come-true-as-things-stand-250855

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM call with President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi: 28 February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    PM call with President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi: 28 February 2025

    The Prime Minister spoke to President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister spoke to President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi this afternoon.

    The Prime Minister offered reflections on his visit to the US, where he held positive and productive talks with President Trump.

    On the situation in Gaza, the leaders agreed on their hopes for the ceasefire to become a lasting peace and for Gaza to be rebuilt. The Prime Minister reiterated his view that Palestinians must be allowed to return to their homes in Gaza, and that a two-state solution was the only way to deliver a secure and stable future for the region.

    Turning to wider issues, the Prime Minister and the President discussed the importance of their countries’ strategic relationship, including on trade and investment. They looked forward to building on this relationship further to deliver significant benefits for both the UK and Egypt.

    The Prime Minister discussed the case of British national Alaa Abd El-Fattah with President Sisi. He pressed for Alaa’s release, having met his mother Laila Soueif in recent weeks.

    The leaders agreed to speak again soon.

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bradenton Man Pleads Guilty To Operating A Helicopter Without Required Licensing

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announces that Ernesto Cordero (54, Bradenton) has pleaded guilty to operating as an airman without the required airman certificate. Cordero faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, Cordero obtained a student pilot’s license. That license allowed him to operate his personal helicopter with an instructor in the passenger seat or fly the helicopter alone in certain circumstances. The license did not authorize Cordero to fly with passengers. To fly with passengers, Cordero would need to get a full pilot’s license. He never did. Instead, Cordero frequently flew his helicopter with passengers onboard, despite the restrictions on his license.

    In June 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) received a complaint when Cordero landed his helicopter at Egmont Key State Park off the coast of Tampa. When he landed, a passenger left and then returned to the helicopter. The following month, the FAA received another complaint that Cordero was flying others in his helicopter from a dock behind a home in Marathon. After these incidents, the FAA learned that Cordero’s helicopter was landing at Tampa Executive Airport. Once the helicopter landed, Cordero admitted that he was again flying the helicopter and that he had a passenger onboard.

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Aviation Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Buchanan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: “I really worry about what will happen to people’s mental health in Gaza. The ceasefire needs to hold.”

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    Katrin Glatz Brubakk, a child psychotherapist and mental health activity manager for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), recently returned from her second mission in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. She answers three questions about the state of people’s mental health in Gaza and why it is crucial for the ceasefire to hold. 

    1. You’ve been to Gaza twice, once from August to September 2024 and then from January to February 2025, what can you tell us about the state of people’s mental health when the ceasefire was announced? 

    When the ceasefire started, people could finally breathe a bit easier. They had been in survival mode for more than 15 months and finally didn’t have to worry that bombs would drop on their tents during the night or that their children might get killed while they went out to fetch bread or water. They started to gain a bit of hope that life might go back to some form of normal.

    But then they started to worry about the future. How long would the ceasefire last? Could they move back to their old homes? How long would it take before their children could get back to school, and would there even be any kind of normal life again in Gaza with all the destruction?

    What I saw was the ‘grief of peace’ emerging. During the war, survival was the only focus, but with the ceasefire, people began to grieve everything they’d lost: their houses, their normal life, family members—some still under the rubble—their children’s education, their sense of security, prosperity, and hope for the future. Even though the bombs weren’t falling anymore, there was still a lot of worry.

    Katrin Glatz Brubakk, a child psychotherapist and mental health activity manager What I saw was the ‘grief of peace’ emerging. During the war, survival was the only focus, but with the ceasefire, people began to grieve everything they’d lost…

    Katrin Glatz Brubakk, mental health activity manager, Palestine, Gaza, February 2025.
    © MSF

    They’ve been clinging to the hope of getting back to their lives for as long as the ceasefire lasts. One of my colleagues said, “It doesn’t matter how much has been destroyed, it doesn’t matter that we’ve lost everything as long as they’re not killing us.” I really worry about what will happen to people’s mental health in Gaza. The ceasefire needs to hold. Children have been looking forward to going back to their rooms, seeing their friends, and going to school again. If the ceasefire doesn’t continue, that hope will be gone, and it will be devastating for the people of Gaza.

    2. You worked at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis and at the modular field hospital in Deir-al-Balah, what can you tell us about the patients you treated there?

    The mental health of both children and adults in Gaza has been severely affected. They have gone through immense trauma, worrying about their lives for more than a year. We see depressive symptoms in adults and children—some pulling out their hair, biting themselves, being restless all the time, or becoming totally withdrawn from the world because they can’t take it anymore.

    One of the children I met in Gaza is ’the koala bear.’ It’s her mother who calls her that because she clings to her all the time. She’s a beautiful little girl, three years old, with curly hair and curious eyes, but as soon as you get close, she moves back, fearful, and clings even tighter to her mother. She lived in northern Gaza with her family. First, they were bombed, and she was injured. Then they didn’t have enough food, and her little sister, just one year and two months old, starved to death. After that, this little girl started to cling to her mother constantly.

    She doesn’t leave her side, when she’s sleeping, when she’s awake—even when she gets curious about something—she always makes sure to stay very close. These are the effects of war on children. They spend their entire time being scared, living this life is full of uncertainty and they wonder if the worst will happen to them. They don’t spend time being children as they should—playing, learning, exploring, making friends.

    All the things that are the basis of healthy human development are being taken away from them. This war will live in these children for years to come.

    3. Why is it important that the ceasefire lasts?

    The ceasefire needs to hold because without it, these children will once again be trapped in extreme survival mode, where every moment is about staying alive. It needs to hold because their future is being stripped away from them. The ceasefire needs to hold because the toll of this war on the people in Gaza has been immense, both physically and psychologically. They can’t take it anymore. They can’t take the fear of getting killed every day or of keeping their children alive. The ceasefire in Gaza needs to hold because the uncertainty, fear and trauma have lasted too long for anyone to bear. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Millions more needed to improve London’s public toilets and pedestrian crossings

    Source: Mayor of London

    During this week’s Mayor’s Question Time that focused on finalising the budget for the Greater London Authority (GLA) Group, Caroline Russell AM led her colleagues Zoë Garbett AM and Zack Polanski AM in proposing a necessary budget amendment aimed at improving the lives of millions of Londoners. 

    Assembly Members praised Caroline for her dedication to improving public toilets, with many expressing how much they admired the significance of her work. Caroline’s strong campaigning on this topic for years has meant that this week in the chamber, there was a broad consensus for the proposal to increase funding for public toilets.

    Separately, the Mayor himself described Caroline’s proposal to increase funding for Transport for London (TfL) to improve pedestrian crossings as a ‘bread and butter issue.’

    While the Green budget amendment achieved support in some areas, it ultimately fell short in gaining support. The amendment proposal, which was not approved by Assembly Members, focused on six targeted interventions that would make London a safer, fairer and more affordable city for all.

    The six proposals set out were: 

    1. An additional £3 million for improving public toilets, doubling the current level of funding
    2. Decreasing drug harm and taking a public health approach to drugs by funding a drug consumption room pilot for London
    3. Delivering a London Renters’ Commission working to make rent controls a reality
    4. Mapping London’s contaminated land
    5. The creation of a Resident Empowerment Reserve Fund
    6. Funding for more pedestrian crossings

    Reflecting on the Green budget amendment proposal, Caroline said:

    “Londoners are always telling us about the problems they face. We have responded to their demands by putting together a bold package that would address many of their concerns.

    “It was good to hear the continued support of Assembly Members for the need for more public toilets, and it was reassuring to hear the Mayor understand that keeping people safe as they cross the road should be ‘bread and butter’ for TfL.

    “Though, it’s frustrating to see our colleagues on the Assembly vote against proposals that would transform the lives of so many people living in our city.

    “This was a well-thought-out budget amendment that not only provided real solutions to the challenges facing Londoners but also outlined how it would be funded.

    “We already know that Assembly Members have pledged their support for public toilets, safer crossings, affordable housing and more, and so it’s disappointing to see them not support our amendment on the Chamber floor.

    “We won’t stop pushing for the Mayor to take up more progressive and bold ideas.”

    With budget constraints being a top priority, the proposals outlined would mainly be funded by a £1 increase in the congestion charge, bringing congestion charge fees in line with inflation. This would generate an extra £13 million per year to provide £10 million for pedestrian crossings and £3 million a year to double the Mayor’s toilet fund.

    The rest of the Green proposals would cost £2.6 million, a small fraction of the £338.1 million currently unallocated in the reserve.

    Read the Green Group budget amendment in full.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: COP16 concludes in Rome with a landmark agreement to mobilise resources for people and nature

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    News story

    COP16 concludes in Rome with a landmark agreement to mobilise resources for people and nature

    • The UK welcomes the positive conclusion to negotiations at the resumed meeting of CBD COP16, which saw the international community make progress towards halting and reversing nature loss by 2030

    A growing seedling

    • The agreement sets out a strategy for global collaboration on raising finance from all sources
    • A finalised Monitoring Framework will allow the international community to increase transparency on the global effort to address the nature crisis

    The extended session of COP16 in Rome ended today (Friday 28 February), after participants landed on a significant new agreement to address the global nature crisis.

    The deal will see global collaboration on raising finance for biodiversity, and details of the monitoring framework of the Global Biodiversity Framework targets finalised to accelerate nature recovery.

    An agreement on resource mobilisation creates a clear strategy for global collaboration on raising finance from all sources to fund the work necessary to achieve the goals and targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.  

    The finalisation of a Monitoring Framework and the global approach to reviewing progress in delivering the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, will ensure shared approach to tracking progress with transparency and accountability. 

    Ruth Davis, UK Special Representative for Nature, who was present at the negotiations in Rome said:  

    “This agreement is a significant step forward in the effort to tackle the nature crisis. 

    “As the need for action becomes ever more urgent, a moment of genuine progress like this is heartening to see. Now, we must build on the spirit of co-operation shown in Rome to mobilise the resources needed to restore nature.

    “This is essential to help maintain food security, store carbon and tackle the impacts of floods and droughts.”

    The UK played a key role in working with the parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity to finalise complex discussions on nature finance, and to agree a monitoring framework which will enable all Parties to measure and report in a consistent manner the delivery of their national actions. This will significantly enhance the ability of the international community to monitor the global state of nature, as well as understanding how best to focus future interventions. 

    Negotiations in Rome saw the launch of the Cali Fund for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources. This is an important step to allow companies who utilise genetic databases derived from nature, such as the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and biotech sectors, to direct funds on a voluntary basis towards the Indigenous Peoples and local communities who safeguard biodiversity. 

    The Government also published the UK National Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan (NBSAP) during the resumed COP16, which commits to achieving all 23 targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework at home. It highlights the UK’s international leadership to halt and reverse nature loss as work continues to halt the decline of species by 2030. 

    This extended session follows the original meeting of COP16 in Cali, Colombia in November 2024. The UK will seek to build on the success of COP16 at the UNFCCC COP30 in Brazil later this year and CBD COP17 in Armenia in 2026

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Start of 2025 wildfire season: Minister Todd Loewen

    “With wildfire season officially beginning on March 1, I want to talk to all Albertans about the importance of being prepared and proactive. Alberta has faced unprecedented wildfire challenges, and our government is committed to a three-pronged approach to wildfire preparations: prevention, mitigation and readiness to respond.

    “The key to prevention efforts is stopping wildfires before they start. It is essential that every Albertan understands their role in preventing wildfires, which is why we are increasing public awareness campaigns and promoting safe practices for outdoor activities, while also enforcing fire bans as necessary. Every small effort counts in preventing wildfires and protecting our communities and natural resources.

    “For situations where prevention is not enough, we have strengthened our wildfire mitigation efforts. This includes controlled burns, creating firebreaks and managing forest vegetation to minimize fuel for fires. Fireguard projects are currently underway in the Bow Valley near Canmore, as well as Cypress Hills Provincial Park, Hinton, Whitecourt and Slave Lake. In 2024, the Forest Resource Improvement Association of Alberta (FRIAA) funded 38 FireSmart projects across the province worth more than $3.4 million. These measures focus on wildfire prevention and mitigation, educating communities on fire safety and supporting local emergency response plans.

    “Alberta is home to some of the best firefighting personnel in the world, and our teams are well trained, well equipped and ready to respond to any wildfire incidents. We continue investing in the technology and resources needed to support firefighting efforts through Budget 2025, which provides $160 million in base funding for wildfire personnel, equipment, training and contracts for aircraft, dozers and night vision-equipped helicopters. This ensures we can mobilize significant resources quickly and effectively when needed. I have every confidence in our wildfire teams and their ability to meet the challenges ahead.

    “This year, we are entering the wildfire season with 10 active fires, a significant change from the almost 60 wildfires we saw this time last year. This is in large part thanks to the incredible work of Alberta’s wildland firefighters and support teams, the resilience of Alberta’s communities, and to the province’s historic investments, preparations and quick response to last year’s wildfires.

    “As Albertans take the time to enjoy our incredible outdoor opportunities this year, it is important to remember we all have a shared responsibility in preventing wildfires. I encourage everyone to follow fire bans and restrictions, remember you must have a permit for any burning in the Forest Protection Area, and follow the soak it, stir it and soak it again method to ensure your campfires are extinguished completely. By working together, we will be ready to face whatever the 2025 wildfire season brings.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement by the Prime Minister on Ramadan

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on Ramadan:

    “Tonight, at sundown, Muslim communities in Canada and across the world will mark the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.

    “Over the coming weeks, family and friends will gather in homes and mosques to pray. After fasting from dawn till sunset, they will share a traditional evening meal called iftar. For those practising, this is a sacred time to reflect and celebrate.

    “The sacred month comes at a particularly challenging time, as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to unfold. Canada reaffirms our support for a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza, the release of all remaining hostages, and the safe, unimpeded access to humanitarian relief for civilians.

    “During Ramadan, let us also take the time to recognize the invaluable contributions that the nearly 1.8 million Muslims who call Canada home make each day to our country. From coast to coast to coast, they enrich our communities and help make Canada more prosperous, diverse, and inclusive.

    “On behalf of the Government of Canada, I extend my wishes for a blessed and peaceful Ramadan to all those practising.

    “رمضان مبارك

    “Ramadan Mubarak.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –