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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Need to strengthen the resilience of electric vehicle batteries and charging infrastructure in EU tourist destinations – E-000007/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000007/2025/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Elena Kountoura (The Left)

    Recent incidents reported in European winter destinations with increased tourist traffic, where electric vehicles have been immobilised due to low temperatures and lack of sufficient (fast) charge points, highlight major challenges relating to the infrastructure for and resilience of electric vehicles in extreme weather conditions.

    The Batteries Regulation[1] introduces measures that promote the sustainability, durability and efficiency of batteries through strict performance and environmental durability standards. However, performance issues at low temperatures remain a major challenge which requires additional action by the EU[2]. The AFIR[3] Regulation sets mandatory national targets for Member States to develop electric vehicle charging infrastructure to support the transition to zero-emission mobility. However, the AFIR Regulation does not contain any specific provisions directly concerning tourist destinations[4].

    Addressing these issues is crucial for promoting e-mobility and achieving the EU’s environmental targets, while ensuring smooth and safe mobility for citizens.

    In view of this:

    • 1.Are there any plans to promote further research and development to improve the durability of electric vehicle batteries in extreme weather conditions, making full use of the Batteries Regulation and strengthening its implementation?
    • 2.What specific actions does the Commission intend to take within its powers to accelerate the development of charging infrastructure at tourist destinations, where increased traffic makes the availability of charging stations crucial to the success of the green transition?

    Submitted: 3.1.2025

    • [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32023R1542.
    • [2] The autonomy of an electric vehicle can be reduced by 10 % at temperatures just below 0° C, and by up to 40 % at very low temperatures, below ‑10° C.
    • [3] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32023R1804
    • [4] The EU has set targets for the development of alternative fuels infrastructure. However, although the European Union’s regulation on the deployment of alternative fuels infrastructure (AFIR) does not contain any specific provisions directly concerning tourist destinations, the general obligations imposed on Member States to develop alternative fuel recharging and refuelling infrastructure may also benefit tourist areas.
    Last updated: 29 January 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Federal Council to stop international adoptions

    Source: Switzerland – Department of Foreign Affairs in English

    In Switzerland, it will no longer be possible to adopt children from abroad in the future. The Federal Council has instructed the Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) to prepare a consultation draft on a ban on international adoptions by the end of 2026 at the latest. An independent group of experts has concluded in its report that even well-crafted adoption laws cannot prevent abuse and that a ban is the best way to adequately protect all those affected, particularly children.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Monte dei Paschi di Siena’s buyout bid for Mediobanca – P-000356/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-000356/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Gaetano Pedulla’ (The Left)

    On 24 January, the bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) announced a EUR 13.3 billion buyout bid for Mediobanca. The Italian State, through the Ministry of Economy, still has an 11.7 % share in MPS, despite the obligation to sell the entire stake by 2024 set by the European Commission, which in 2017 authorised the bank’s rescue, waiving State aid rules in doing so.

    Since 2017, MPS has received a total of EUR 7 billion in public funding and has undertaken costly staff redundancy plans – the last of which affected 4 125 employees – again with the financial support of the State.

    It should also be noted that, despite the size of the public share, the government in fact appoints the bank’s top management.

    In view of the above, can the Commission answer the following questions:

    • 1.Does the costly financial transaction announced by MPS – an institution rescued from bankruptcy with public funds – comply with EU rules on State aid (Article 107 TFEU)?
    • 2.Does it comply with the primary objective of maintaining financial stability within the meaning of Article 127(1) TFEU, given that MPS’s current capitalisation is EUR 8.10 billion, while Mediobanca’s is EUR 13.75 billion?
    • 3.Could the Ministry of Economy and Finance be authorised to participate in the announced capital increase of MPS if it were to make such a request?

    Submitted: 27.1.2025

    Last updated: 29 January 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Highland Council appoints Chief Officers

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    The Highland Council has appointed Ruth Fry as Chief Officer – Human Resources and Communications and Paul Reid as Chief Officer – Facilities and Fleet Management.

    The appointment of Ruth Fry completes the new senior management structure of the Council’s Corporate service cluster under the leadership of Allan Gunn, Assistant Chief Executive – Corporate.

    Paul Reid joins the Council’s Place service cluster under the leadership of Malcolm MacLeod, Assistant Chief Executive – Place.

    As previously intimated in Highland Council’s budget plan for 2024/25, a new senior management structure is being implemented following approval by the Council on 14 March 2024. It reconfigures the senior management team into two layers, rather than three and brings Highland Council into line with other benchmarked authorities.

    Convener of the Council Cllr Bill Lobban said: “I would like to congratulate Ruth and Paul on their appointments and welcome them to The Highland Council. They bring with them a wealth of experience and leadership to the Council.”

    Leader of the Council, Cllr Raymond Bremner added: “With these latest appointments I am pleased to see the Council’s senior management structure progressing with continued pace. The new structure is forecasted to initially deliver savings of £370,000 as part of the budget savings agreed by Council in February 2024, and it is anticipated that savings will eventually equate to around 20% of senior management team costs as part of a more streamlined management structure.”

    Ruth Fry is currently NHS Highland’s Head of Communications and Engagement, with extensive public sector experience and is expected to start with Highland Council on 28 April 2025. Ruth has previously worked for Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire and Perth and Kinross councils in communications and performance roles. For the past four years she has lived and worked in the Highlands, leading staff and public communications and engagement for NHS Highland.

    Paul Reid is currently employed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as Head of Transport and Travel and has been there since 2017. Prior to his current role he worked with Aberdeen City Council and private sector organisations including Stagecoach in Fleet Compliance and Management.  Paul has an MSC in Logistics and Supply Chain Management and has extensive experience in ensuring efficient and safe operations.   Paul is expected to start with Highland Council in early May and is looking forward to relocating to the Highlands with his family.

    29 Jan 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Lochaber Area Place Plan approved

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    A robust yet dynamic Lochaber Area Place Plan (APP) was agreed recently (Monday 27 January 2025) which clearly outlines the aspirations expressed by the communities within its boundaries, many of which link across to proposed or potential actions contained as part of FW2040 and wider Highland plans such as the Highland Investment Plan, Highland Local Development Plan, Highland Outcome Improvement Plan and the Strategic Housing Investment Plan.

    The Lochaber APP highlights the need for improved health and wellbeing services and facilities including both care and mental health; suitable and affordable housing; empowering young people and expanding access to diverse and inclusive activities; better provision of public transport and infrastructure; tourism management; fostering economic growth and a strong, skilled workforce.

    Lochaber Area Committee Vice Chair, Cllr John Grafton said: “Area Place Plans (APP) are important for Lochaber as they are community led plans, offering the opportunity to shape the vision, ambition and key priorities for both people and place across Lochaber. They help to target resources, service delivery and with clear area specific plans, assist in attracting investment.

    “The Lochaber APP is a dynamic and fluid plan that will evolve over time, as sub-regional Area Place Plans are still to be added, whilst Action Plans for some priorities are already being developed. Ensuring a clear vision is captured that reflect the community aspirations for their area.”

    The Plans will help The Highland Council, partners, and communities to leverage funding by evidencing the impact of every pound spent and the actions associated will provide clarity and manage expectation around how and where resources are prioritised. They will also provide a stronger framework for communities to prepare plans for their own community, empowering them to drive and deliver change.

    Community engagement will build a shared understanding of how ‘Place’ underpins development, service delivery and how organisations and communities work together. These plans will be a future guide to get the best impact for people living in an area, based on a shared understanding of local need.

    The Area Place Plan is available here (Item 4).

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Works started on Whin Park Play area

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Works have commenced on the exciting changes taking place at Whin Park in Inverness. 

    Leader of Inverness and Area, Cllr Ian Brown said: “I am very pleased to announce that works have started on the installation of new play equipment at the flagship Whin Park play area in Inverness.” 

    Chair of Communities and Place Committee Cllr Graham MacKenzie added: “Play Works Ltd, the contractor for Jupiter Play and Leisure Ltd are now on site to install the exciting new range of play equipment.”

    Highland Council and Jupiter Play and Leisure Ltd have released artists impressions of what the new play equipment will look like, including a Loch Ness Monster, a wheelchair accessible Legend Seeker Playship, an adventure mound with tube slide and much more.

    Whin Park image 2

    Weather dependant, the target is to have the works completed for Easter 2025. The park will remain open during the works, but the main play area and a section of the car park in front of the shop will be closed to allow the works to progress. This also includes the main entrance ramped area to the park. The path network from the Ness Islands and the path at the side of the public toilets will also remain open enabling the public to view the works’ progress during this exciting period for this landmark location. 

    Michael Hoenigmann, Managing Director of Jupiter Play & Leisure said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to design and build the new play area at Whin Park. This is an ambitious project which will be inclusive for all abilities while offering high play value and challenge. It’s unique features including the Nessie Structure with Interactive Sona Arch will be hugely popular with families that visit the site. We look forward to working closely with the team at Highland Council to deliver this prestigious project.” 

    Funding for the contract has been awarded by the Scottish Government Play Area Fund (£234,988) which was allocated to the redevelopment of the park by Members of the Inverness, Central, Ness-side, Millburn, and Inverness West Wards.  In 2023, Inverness City Committee Members agreed £150,000 Inverness Common Good Funding; and in 2024 a further £100,000 from the Community Regeneration Fund towards the park development costs. 

    Watch the video of before and during the current works.

    Further updates on the works’ progress will be promoted by the Council. 

    Whin Park image 3

    Whin Park image 4

    Whin Park image 5

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Four years after the coup, Myanmar remains on the brink

    Source: United Nations 4

    By Vibhu Mishra

    Peace and Security

    Four years after the military coup which plunged Myanmar into turmoil, the country is facing an unprecedented “polycrisis,” marked by economic collapse, intensifying conflict, complex climate hazards and deepening poverty, according to a new report by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

    Myanmar’s Enduring Polycrisis: Four Years into a Tumultuous Journey, launched on Wednesday, points to the bleak picture of a nation in freefall, with nearly half the population living below the poverty line, essential services crumbling and the economy in disarray.

    With no political resolution in sight, the crisis is expected to worsen in the coming year.

    “The coming year will test Myanmar’s resilience to its limits,” the report warns, calling for urgent international engagement to mitigate further suffering and prevent total collapse.

    “A more stable and peaceful Myanmar that thrives on a legal economy, protects it human and natural resource assets and invests in the safety and prosperity of all its people is also in the self-interest of its neighbours and the international community writ large,” it added.

    Source: UNDP

    Myanmar’s economy has sharply declined since 2021.

    Black market boom

    Since 2020, Myanmar’s gross domestic product (GDP) has contracted by nine per cent, reversing the economic progress of the previous decade.

    Inflation reached 25.4 per cent reached in 2024, further eroding household purchasing power. The trade deficit ballooned to 2.2 per cent of GDP, exacerbated by severe restrictions on cross-border commerce, and the currency plummeted over 1,330 kyat per US dollar in 2021 to 4,520 in 2025, making imports unaffordable and sending prices soaring.

    The economic situation worsened further as the country was blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for failing to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.

    Against this backdrop, Myanmar’s illicit economy is thriving and it has become the world’s leading producer of opium and heroin, and one of the largest manufacturers of methamphetamines.

    The jade industry, valued at billions of dollars annually, remains largely unregulated, fuelling corruption and environmental degradation. Illegal gambling, human trafficking, and scam operations have flourished along the country’s porous borders.

    Society in crisis

    Myanmar’s ongoing conflict has displaced more than 3.5 million people within the country and driven many more across its borders. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) lack vital assistance and protections, and host communities are reeling under the strained resources.

    Hunger is reaching catastrophic levels and agricultural productivity has declined by 16 per cent since 2021, largely due to conflict and climate-related disasters.

    Fertilizer shortages, skyrocketing fuel prices, and trade disruptions have driven the price of the staple rice up by 47 per cent in some regions. The western state of Rakhine is particularly vulnerable, with food production projected to meet only 20 per cent of local needs by mid-2025, raising fears of famine-like conditions.

    Public services are also severely affected, with over half of the country lacking access to electricity and hospitals out of service in conflict zones.

    Looming brain drain

    The dire economic and security situation has led to an exodus of Myanmar’s youth, with 3.7 million having migrated to Thailand by 2023. Many face exploitation and forced labour due to restrictive legal migration pathways, while those who remain are at risk of forced conscription into the military.

    School enrolment rates have also dropped significantly as access to educational facilities has been disrupted by conflict and economic hardships. In the 2023/2024 academic year, over 20 per cent of children were not attending school.

    Crisis or opportunity?

    The outlook for Myanmar remains precarious. If current trends continue, poverty will rise further, migration will intensify and the country’s fragile economy will struggle under the weight of continued conflict and international isolation, the report warns.

    Despite Myanmar’s deepening crisis, opportunities for recovery exist.

    The report highlights the resilience of local communities and the potential of civil society organizations in rebuilding social cohesion. Engaging the diaspora through education and skills development could help retain and attract talent, while expanding opportunities for women in business and employment could boost household incomes.

    Agricultural revitalisation, through climate-resilient crops and irrigation, is crucial for food security, while investment in environmental protection – such as reforestation and mangrove restoration – could safeguard jobs in the future.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEA President Becky Pringle: Trump executive order on gender-affirming care is cruel

    Source: US National Education Union

    By: Miguel A. Gonzalez

    Published: January 29, 2025

    NEA President Becky Pringle issued the following statement in response to the unprecedented and harmful action by the Trump White House.

    “All of our students deserve nothing less than to be their true, authentic selves. By design, Trump’s anti-LGBTQ+ executive order attempts to dehumanize transgender, intersex, and non-binary people. It aims to divide us while endangering the lives of our students and communities. More to the point, by interfering with the medical decisions of parents and doctors, politicians in Washington now are in the driver seat to limit families’ access to the care their children need. It is clear that this administration, through this executive order, believes that some individuals are worth less than others.

    “For the families who are seeking gender-affirming care for their children, this isn’t about politics. Yet, politicians behind Project 2025 are pushing the White House to divide our nation and now they are targeting our most vulnerable among us. This is cruel, plain and simple.

    “We will not fall for their divide-and-conquer tricks. Together, we will support student learning and development by ensuring that students across our great nation—no matter their race, place of birth or gender identity—are respected and kept safe.”

    ###

    The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing more than 3 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, students preparing to become teachers, healthcare workers, and public employees. Learn more at www.nea.org

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson stands up for farmers: fights California’s power grab on porkRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced today that he has joined 22 other state attorneys general in filing a brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case Iowa Pork Producers Association v. Bonta. This case challenges California’s Proposition 12, a law that imposes strict animal welfare regulations on pork producers across the country, regardless of the state that they operate in. 

    “California’s Californication of our food supply is out of control—first, they come for pork, next, they’ll have us eating crickets. Proposition 12 is nothing more than a power grab by coastal elites who want to dictate how the rest of America farms, eats, and does business. South Carolina won’t stand by while they force their radical agenda on the entire country.” said Attorney General Wilson. 

    The brief argues that California’s Proposition 12 Law: 

    • Harms agricultural states and consumers by imposing costly regulations that raise pork prices nationwide. 
    • Encourages economic protectionism by allowing one state to impose its regulatory preferences on others, creating a dangerous precedent that could lead to conflicting state mandates. 
    • Violates the U.S. Constitution, including the Dormant Commerce Clause, Import-Export Clause, and Full Faith and Credit Clause. 
    • Proposition 12 requires that all pork sold in California come from pigs raised under specific housing conditions but also requires these standards for pork produced in other states. Given California’s position as the largest consumer of pork in the nation while producing very little itself, the law effectively forces out-of-state farmers to comply with California’s regulations or be excluded from the market. 

    “The Constitution was designed to prevent exactly this kind of economic balkanization,” Attorney General Wilson said. “If Proposition 12 is allowed to stand, it will set a dangerous precedent where states can impose their own regulatory will on others, leading to chaos in national markets.” 

    The U.S. Supreme Court is being urged to review the Ninth Circuit’s decision, which declined to consider key constitutional issues raised by the petitioners. The coalition of attorneys general argues that the Supreme Court must step in to clarify the limits of state power and uphold the principles of free and fair interstate commerce. 

    You can read the brief here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hantsport — West Hants RCMP Detachment charges a man involved in break-in

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    West Hants RCMP Detachment has charged a man following a break and enter in Windsor.

    On January 4, at approximately 9:15 a.m., RCMP officers responded to a break and enter at a residential construction site on Abbey Rd. Officers learned that a Chevrolet Aveo was seen fleeing the area with stolen tools valued at approximately $5,000.

    Through the investigation, officers linked the Chevrolet to an address on Smith Rd. in Glooscap First Nation and later observed two people leave in the vehicle at a high rate of speed. A traffic stop was attempted, but the driver didn’t pull over. In the interest of public safety, a pursuit was not initiated.

    A short time later, another RCMP officer attempted to stop the Chevrolet as it travelled on Hwy. 1. The vehicle came to a stop on West Brooklyn Rd. before fleeing; the officer didn’t pursue the vehicle.

    Shortly afterwards, the Aveo was located in a ditch along West Brooklyn Mountain Rd. At the scene, RCMP officers followed two sets of footprints leading from the crash site and located and arrested one of the vehicle’s occupants, 26-year-old Morgan Cynthia Hennigar of Halifax. Hennigar has been charged with Obstructing a Peace Officer and Failure to Comply with Order; she’s due in Windsor Provincial Court on May 15.

    From the information gathered, a second person of interest was identified.

    On January 27, RCMP officers safety arrested 27-year-old Michael Jody James Paul at a Hantsport residence. He’s facing the following charges:

    • Break and Enter and Theft
    • Flight from a Peace Officer
    • Dangerous Operation of a Conveyance
    • Operation While Prohibited
    • Failure to Comply with Order (seven counts)

    “After identifying Michael Paul on January 4, we continued our efforts to locate and apprehend him,” says Cpl. Travis MacDonald of the West Hants RCMP Detachment. “On two occasions, his vehicle fled from police in a dangerous manner and officers did not pursue it in the interest of public safety. On January 27, investigators organized an operation involving surveillance and RCMP Police Dog Services, which resulted in Paul being safety arrested.”

    Paul has been remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear in Windsor Provincial Court on January 29.

    The investigation is ongoing.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Yarmouth — RCMP Southwest Traffic Services arrests two impaired drivers

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Southwest Traffic Services (SWTS) locates impaired drivers, both on and off duty.

    On January 15, at approximately 2:32 p.m., an RCMP officer from SWTS completed a traffic stop when they observed the driver of a vehicle not wearing their seatbelt. The driver, a 50-year-old Yarmouth woman, exhibited signs of impairment and provided roadside breath samples into an approved screening device (ASD), which resulted in a “fail”. She was arrested and transported to the Yarmouth RCMP detachment, where she provided breath samples that registered 230 mg% and 210 mg%, almost three times the legal limit.

    On January 27, at approximately 4:30 p.m., an off-duty officer from SWTS observed a Ford Ranger in the ditch on Hwy 203 in Carleton, and stopped to render assistance. During his interaction with the officer, the 60-year-old Carleton man exhibited signs of impairment. The driver was detained for impaired operation of a vehicle and on-duty RCMP officers from Yarmouth Rural RCMP attended the scene and took over the investigation. The man was arrested and later provided breath samples that registered 210 mg% and 220 mg%.

    The RCMP is reminding the public that if you suspect an impaired driver, it’s an emergency; call 911.

    Once you call 911, dispatchers will ask for:

    • Your location
    • A description of the vehicle, including the licence plate number, colour, make and model
    • The direction of travel for the vehicle
    • A description of the driver if visible

    File #s: 2025-65233 / 2025-121696

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tennessee Man Sentenced to 270 Months for Sex Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS – CHARLES CUNIGAN (“CUNIGAN”), a resident of Tennessee, was sentenced on January 14, 2025, for conspiring to commit sex trafficking, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1594(c).

    According to court documents, CUNIGAN, age 31, and his girlfriend Latesha Gardner, age 31, forced a seventeen-year-old victim to engage in commercial sex acts in New Orleans for three months to generate money so CUNIGAN could purchase a vehicle.  The defendants advertised the minor victim for commercial sex on the internet and used physical abuse and other means to force her to comply.  CUNIGAN carried a firearm and pistol whipped the minor victim on one occasion.  CUNIGAN kept all of the money the minor victim made from commercial sex transactions and required her to meet a minimum daily dollar threshold from these sex acts.  He conditioned the victim’s ability to eat on whether she earned enough money.  CUNIGAN also tracked the geolocation data on the victim’s phone and threatened to kill her if she left.

    U.S. District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey sentenced CUNIGAN to 270 months’ imprisonment, followed by a lifetime of supervised release.  CUNIGAN was ordered to pay $48,750 in restitution to the minor victim and to participate in the sex offender registration and notification program.  In addition, Judge Zainey imposed a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.  In September 2024, CUNIGAN’s co-defendant, Gardner, was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment for her role in this conspiracy.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.  For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

    U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, made the announcement.

    The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Orlando, Florida Metropolitan Bureau of Investigations. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni and Trial Attorney Melissa E. Bücher of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Competitive procurement will add 2000+ GWh of wind energy to Nova Scotia’s grid

    Source: – Press Release/Statement:

    Headline: Competitive procurement will add 2000+ GWh of wind energy to Nova Scotia’s grid

    The Canadian Renewable Energy Association congratulates its members and Indigenous partners for their successful bids in the Nova Scotia Green Choice Program procurement,” said CanREA’s Jean Habel. “We are especially pleased that Nova Scotia’s RFP was expanded from 350 MW to 625 MW. Read more.
    The post Competitive procurement will add 2000+ GWh of wind energy to Nova Scotia’s grid appeared first on Canadian Renewable Energy Association.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How do workers cope in no-win situations? Midwives found out the hard way during the pandemic

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Greenslade-Yeats, Research Fellow in Management, Auckland University of Technology

    Eldar Nurkovic/Shutterstock

    During the pandemic, midwives faced what researchers call a “pragmatic paradox” – a situation where contradictory demands are imposed on individuals who can neither refuse nor fulfil the demands.

    Midwives needed to care for women and babies despite the risk of infecting them with the virus. Their experiences shed important light on how we can think about no-win situations in the workplace.

    In our recently published research, we surveyed 215 New Zealand midwives about their experiences of working through COVID lockdowns and how they coped with what felt at times like a no-win situation.

    The absurdity of contradictory demands

    Pragmatic paradoxes place workers in absurd, no-win situations. They can occur simply because of leadership issues or glitches in management bureaucracies. They can also happen during unique crises – such as the pandemic.

    But many workers are so used to feeling powerless that they may not recognise – much less question – the absurdity of contradictory demands.

    This is especially true in situations where workers lack opportunities to discuss or challenge the directives they receive from above.

    When the pandemic struck, midwives’ professional roles suddenly entailed an inherent contradiction they had no opportunity to question.

    They were contractually obligated to protect societal wellbeing by providing ongoing maternity services. Yet due to the fast evolving situation and initial shortages of safety equipment, providing those services entailed risking public wellbeing by exposing themselves and their clients to the virus.

    As one of our research participants explained:

    I felt that I was in a very difficult situation. I was connecting with multiple “bubbles” on a daily basis. I was scared that I could be in a position to pass COVID on to vulnerable people.

    As expected, most midwives in our study felt disempowered by the tensions of this situation:

    I felt extremely vulnerable. As a lead maternity carer midwife, considered an essential service, I had no control over whether I could just not work.

    But surprisingly, a small number of midwives were seemingly motivated by it. As one explained,

    [My family] thought I was “brave” and “courageous” to keep working – but this was simply my job! I felt like I had a duty to pregnant women to front up and continue as per normal.

    During the pandemic, midwives faced a pragmatic paradox – they were expected to enter multiple people’s homes while also preventing the spread of COVID-19.
    metamorworks/Shutterstock

    Recognised and supported?

    Why would some midwives feel motivated by their contractual obligations to fulfil contradictory demands?

    The crux, we found, was not whether they were aware of the contradiction inherent in their situation, but whether that awareness was accompanied by a sense of professional recognition and support.

    If midwives felt like they were recognised and supported in their ongoing efforts – like valuable members in the “team of five million” – they framed and accepted their contradictory situation as part of a societal duty.

    Midwives placed particular importance on recognition and support from the government and the public. As one explained,

    I felt the love. Heading out on the motorway I would see the sign thanking essential workers. And the government was always mentioning us and thanking us.

    In contrast, if they felt like health system leaders and the public were oblivious to their situation, they interpreted contradictory work demands as stressful and disempowering.

    Another midwife said,

    I became very angry and felt midwives were like lambs to the slaughter – we had no PPE, we were being told to carry on working, in the media we were invisible. Our professional body seemed to put the women we cared for ahead of our wellbeing.

    Managing pragmatic paradoxes

    There are two ways to look at the implications of our findings. One is to suggest pragmatic paradoxes are not as bad as they initially seem.

    Contradictions abound in contemporary society, so it may be inevitable people face conflicting yet unrefusable demands in their jobs. But if leaders and managers can motivate workers to embrace those demands – or at least recognise the difficulty of the tasks – the outcome can be positive.

    An alternative reading is workers who feel motivated by pragmatic paradoxes are casualties of something akin to gaslighting. According to this logic, contradictory demands are imposed by those at the top of their respective organisations and societies, so that’s where the demands ought to be dealt with.

    For example, the government could have minimised the risks midwives faced during the pandemic by better access to protective equipment, thereby resolving their contradictory situation. Suggesting contradictory demands should be passed down to lower-level workers is therefore equivalent to accepting a certain level of oppression.

    Whichever interpretation resonates more, our research underscores the importance of communication as a means of ensuring workers are not disempowered by pragmatic paradoxes.

    Over the course of the pandemic, healthcare workers worldwide eventually improved their contradictory situation by posting on social media and talking to the press. Political leaders and health management recognised the workforce needed greater support to navigate the contradictory demands of risking wellbeing to protect wellbeing.

    The broader lesson is when people face contradictory directives, they should be able to discuss and challenge them.

    Research suggests that in interpersonal situations, humour may be an effective means of doing so without directly threatening the power or competence of those in charge.

    Of course, this brings us to one final paradox: that encouraging humour and employee voice requires fostering the type of environment where pragmatic paradoxes are unlikely to thrive in the first place.

    Tago Mharapara receives funding from Auckland University of Technology

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

    – ref. How do workers cope in no-win situations? Midwives found out the hard way during the pandemic – https://theconversation.com/how-do-workers-cope-in-no-win-situations-midwives-found-out-the-hard-way-during-the-pandemic-247679

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News 01/29/2025 Blackburn Statement on Priorities for Budget Reconciliation Package

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) released the following statement on her legislative priorities for the budget reconciliation package: 
    “With President Trump back in office and a GOP majority in both the House and Senate, Republicans have the opportunity of a lifetime to achieve real results for the American people through the budget reconciliation process. We need to make President Trump’s tax cuts permanent, reduce the tax burden on seniors, and increase access to health care for families who live in rural America. We also need to build on President Trump’s efforts to restore a strong and secure southern border by empowering local law enforcement to assist the federal government and curbing human trafficking. I support President Trump’s efforts to limit the power of unelected bureaucrats in Washington and to hold federal agencies more accountable for how they spend Americans’ hard-earned tax dollars, and I’m fighting to secure big wins for Tennesseans in the upcoming reconciliation package.” – Senator Blackburn

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy: “If you don’t believe we’re going to have to cut spending substantially, then you shouldn’t be driving”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    Watch Kennedy’s comments here. 
    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) explained why Congress must focus on spending cuts over the next six months even as it bolsters America’s national defense, extends its 2017 tax cuts, addresses inflation and grows the country’s economy enough to pay down its national debt in a speech on the Senate floor.
    Key excerpts of Kennedy’s speech are below:
    “If we don’t extend those tax cuts, it is going to drive our GDP and our economy on a journey to the center of the Earth. Even my Democratic friends know those tax cuts have to be extended, but we have got other things we have to do, too. We are deficit spending. We are spending money around here like it was pond water, like it was ditch water. . . . I don’t want to blame it all on President Biden, but, if the shoe fits, wear it, Cinderella.”
    . . .
    “We have now got $36 trillion worth of national debt. . . . That is the most debt we have ever had, well over 100% of GDP. So, we have got to renew the tax cuts, . . . and we have got to stop the deficit spending, and we have got to reduce our debt—but there’s more. There’s more.
    “We have got to increase defense spending because President Xi is working with President Putin, who is working with the Ayatollah in Iran. . . . I don’t want America to be the world’s policeman, but I don’t want President Xi or President Putin or the Ayatollah in Iran to be the world’s policemen either. Weakness invites the wolves, and we have got to start spending more money on defense.
    “Now you don’t have to be Einstein’s cousin to figure out that all the things that I just described that we have to do in the next year-to-six-months could be called ‘competing interests’—tax cuts, stop deficit spending, reduce the debt, but find more money for defense. Something has got to give . . . we are going to have to reduce spending.
    “Since 2019, the American population has grown 2%. We are not having babies. Two percent—and that is after all the illegal immigration. Do you know what has happened to our budget? It has gone up [nearly] 55%.”
    . . .
    “We’re going to have to reduce spending to pre-pandemic levels, and that is what this [Office of Management and Budget] memorandum today—which temporarily held up the spending of some money, consistent with President Trump’s executive orders—was the first baby step toward. That is what this is all about. That is what this is all about. The world is not going to spin off its axis.”
    . . .
    “So, I hope all the folks today will go home and take off their Batman t-shirts, wash them [because they’re] probably a little sweaty. I hope everybody will go home—those who drink, have a cocktail—take their meds and put this all in perspective. That’s what that OMB memorandum was all about.”
    . . . 
    “If you don’t believe we’re going to have to cut spending substantially in order to get out of this mess that has been created, then you shouldn’t be driving.”
     Watch Kennedy’s full speech here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Statement on Confirmation of Sean Duffy as Secretary of Transportation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven
    01.28.25
    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven issued the following statement after the U.S. Senate confirmed Sean Duffy to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
    “We look forward to working with Secretary Duffy and the Trump administration to ensure that Americans can safely travel on our roads and bridges, railways and in the air. He’s also committed to help reform the permitting process so we can more efficiently build the infrastructure we need to securely move people and goods in this country.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Votes Against Sean Duffy’s Nomination to Be Transportation Secretary

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    January 28, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee (CST)—released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Rep. Sean Duffy by a vote of 77-22 to serve as Secretary of the Department of Transportation.
    “Heading into this week, I was prepared to vote to confirm Rep. Duffy. Our conversations were productive and encouraging, and I thought he was sufficiently qualified to serve as Transportation Secretary. But President Trump’s sweeping order to freeze federal grant funding—including historic investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—is illegal and hurting Americans in red and blue states alike, and I cannot vote to confirm a Transportation Secretary while transportation funding is being unlawfully withheld.”
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Slams Trump’s Dangerous Pause on Federal Grants That Will Hurt Veterans, Underscores Importance of Maintaining VA as Medical Center Home for Veterans Seeking Care

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    January 28, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of the U.S. Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) who still receives her own health care services through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—slammed President Donald Trump’s dangerous executive order that bypasses Congress and freezes billions of dollars in grants that help fund programs run by VA and that offer lifelines to millions of Americans, including those who sacrifice for our country. In her remarks, Duckworth also underscored the importance of robust communication between VA and community care providers, calling for VA to remain the “medical center home” for all Veterans, including those who choose—as is their right—to seek care in the community. Video of Duckworth’s remarks and questions can be found on the Senator’s YouTube.
    “It’s ironic that while policymakers and citizens came together today to discuss expanding access to care for Veterans, Donald Trump was actively preparing to restrict their access to care this evening,” said Duckworth. “After all that our Veterans have sacrificed, we should be doing everything we can to make it easier for our heroes to receive the timely, high-quality care they’ve earned through their service. Yet, Trump’s dangerous executive order would jeopardize critical and life-changing VA grants that support community-based suicide prevention efforts, rural telehealth access and more. Congress alone has the ‘power of the purse,’ and I hope my Republican colleagues will have the spine to oppose Donald Trump in the face of this cruel, chaotic and unconstitutional order that would hurt everyday Americans, including Veterans.”
    Despite campaigning on the promise that he would look out for our Veterans and working families, Donald Trump’s dangerous and unlawful executive order would halt critical, life-changing VA grants that our nation’s heroes rely on. Among the VA efforts that would be impacted by this illegal federal grant freeze include those that aid in the VA’s mission to help homeless Veterans in need of shelter, provide community-based suicide prevention resources, support rural Veteran telehealth access and transportation services, promote the hiring and retention of nurses at state Veterans’ homes, improve specially-adapted housing assistive technology and much more.
    Throughout her tenure in Congress, Duckworth has been a fierce supporter of and an effective legislator for our Veterans. During the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee’s confirmation hearing for President Trump’s VA Secretary nominee Doug Collins last week, Duckworth pressed Collins to oppose any effort to privatize VA health care, which would place many Veterans at risk of receiving less effective and less cost-efficient care. In her remarks, Duckworth underscored that VA health care professionals are better positioned to provide the best care possible for our Veterans due to specialized training that informs providers with a unique understanding of Veterans’ experiences and comprehensive medical needs—something that is not replicated in the civilian health care system. 
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo Statement at HHS Secretary Nomination Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) delivered the following remarks at a hearing to consider the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
    As prepared for delivery:
    “Thank you to my colleagues and to Mr. Kennedy for being here today.  Congratulations on your nomination.
    “Throughout this process, Mr. Kennedy, you have been accessible to members and staff on both sides of the aisle and have demonstrated a strong commitment to fulfilling the responsibilities of this role.
    “The Department of Health and Human Services oversees our nation’s largest health care programs, providing coverage for nearly two in every five Americans.
    “Improving Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP, among other initiatives, presents challenges, especially in the face of a rapidly aging population, stubbornly high costs and persistent barriers to access.
    “However, this also provides us an opportunity to deliver bold, transformative solutions.
    “As a Committee, we share a commitment to advancing commonsense, bipartisan policies that improve the delivery of health care in this country.
    “This Committee has worked to realign incentives in the prescription drug supply chain, enhance access in rural communities, expand the availability of telehealth and improve the broken clinician payment structure.
    “Across these and other issues, I look forward to working with the Administration to continue pursuing meaningful reforms that serve the American people more effectively and efficiently. 
    “Too often, patients encounter a health care system that is a disjointed, dysfunctional maze.  Complex and bureaucratic chutes and ladders have become the norm. 
    “Meanwhile, even as health care spending climbs, outcomes across a range of conditions continue to decline. 
    “Mr. Kennedy, if confirmed, you will have the opportunity to chart a new and better course for the federal approach to tackling both the drivers and the consequences of our ailing health care system.
    “Your commitment to combatting chronic conditions that drive health care costs will be critical to our success.
    “Prioritizing disease prevention and addressing the factors that fuel conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, Alzheimer’s disease, COPD and cancer will save lives, reduce costs and build a healthier, stronger country.
    “Private-sector breakthroughs, from groundbreaking cancer medications to curative gene therapies, offer hope.  But misguided government initiatives and market volatility risk eroding American leadership in lifesaving R&D. 
    “Your advocacy for health care transparency has the potential to empower consumers across the country, promoting competition to enhance quality while cutting excessive spending, both for patients and for taxpayers.  
    “Today’s hearing will provide a forum to hear more about your vision, particularly for the federal programs under this Committee’s jurisdiction.
    “Mr. Kennedy, you represent a voice for an inspiring coalition of Americans who are deeply committed to improving the health and well-being of our nation.
    “Regardless of political party, everyone in this room shares a common recognition that our current system has fallen short—as well as a common desire to make our country healthier. 
    “I look forward to today’s conversation, as well as to your testimony, Mr. Kennedy.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Moran: VA will Not be Impacted by Federal Funding Pause

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas – Jerry Moran
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – today issued the following statement after receiving confirmation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that there are no VA programs impacted by the federal funding pause:
    “After my inquiry today, VA has confirmed that no direct benefits or assistance provided through grant partners is impacted by OMB’s pause on federal funding. Veterans and their families, as well as the organizations that serve them, will continue to have access to the benefits, services and resources provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs. I appreciate the VA quickly providing answers to my questions and continuing the important programs that serve our veterans and their families.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Is no amount of alcohol safe? Understanding risks and public health guidelines

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Scott Lear, Professor of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University

    While it may be true that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, are alarmist statements a good motivator for health messaging, or is there danger to using them? (Shutterstock)

    The United States surgeon general recently called for a warning of cancer risk on alcohol labels. And I agree. But the discourse that has come out in the media, by health professionals and health influencers, has been alarmist and a disservice to informing the public on the real cancer risks associated with alcohol.

    I’m a professor in Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University and I study how behaviours relate to the disease. I also write a blog on the role health behaviours play in your health.

    Alcohol and cancer risk

    The surgeon general’s comments follow reports from the World Health Organization and Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, both of which state there is no safe amount of alcohol you can consume.

    This has been repeated by health professionals, those in public health and on social media, where health influencers have described alcohol as a toxin.

    But are these alarmist statements a good motivator for health messaging, or is there danger to using them?

    Statistically, your risk for cancer goes up from the very first sip of alcohol. That doesn’t mean you will get cancer from drinking alcohol, it just means your chances increase. And as you drink more alcohol, your chances further increase. It’s like betting in roulette: the more numbers you bet on, the more likely you are to win. Or in this case, lose.

    Out of 800 women, one drink per week will result in two additional women getting breast cancer.
    (Shutterstock)

    However, what’s lost in this messaging is how much this risk is. Based on Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, having one drink per week increases a women’s risk for breast cancer by 1.8 per cent. Approximately one in eight women will develop breast cancer in their life. Therefore, out of 800 women, one drink per week will result in two additional women getting breast cancer. Having one drink per day increases the risk seven-fold. These are real people who might otherwise not get breast cancer if they abstained from alcohol.

    While saying no amount of alcohol is safe is true, this can apply to a lot of common activities. In Canada, there are approximately 300 pedestrian deaths per year. Each day, on average, five Canadians die in motor vehicle accidents.

    While these numbers are much lower than the number of people who die from cancer each year, it would also be accurate to say there is no amount of walking or driving that is safe. Despite this, people will continue to cross the street and people will continue to drive. But this illustrates the challenge in informing the public about risks and changing behaviour.

    Fear in public health messaging

    The use of fear in public health messaging should only be used if there’s an effective solution. In the case of alcohol, there is: abstinence.
    (Shutterstock)

    The use of fear in public health has a long history. But measuring the effect of these campaigns is hard. Graphic images are used on tobacco products to scare people away from smoking. Carefully controlled studies indicate they increase health awareness but may have limited effect on smoking. However, similar graphic images on bottles of sugar-sweetened beverages in controlled studies has been shown to reduce consumption.

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, fear was at the forefront of public health efforts to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Indeed, the use of fear in public health messaging seemed to be quite an effective tool in ensuring behavioural compliance in pandemic measures. Community interviews of parents showed fear was at the root of both getting their children vaccinated (fear of the disease) or not (fear of the vaccination).

    The use of fear in public health messaging should only be used if there’s an effective solution. In the case of alcohol, there is: abstinence. But the use of fear should also be commensurate with the risk, otherwise it risks having people tune out.

    This may be particularly problematic when previous guidelines stated beneficial effects of moderate drinking and current guidelines on alcohol state one to two drinks per day is acceptable. Instead, the public may be best served by communicating the risk in terms the public understands, such as how many more people will get cancer from drinking.

    Alcohol should have a warning label on it

    Alcohol consumption in Canada is on the decline. In 2022, alcohol consumption decreased by 1.2 per cent compared to 2021. And in 2023, 54 per cent of Canadians reported having no alcohol over the previous week, with younger Canadians drinking less than their older counterparts. These trends are similar in the United States.

    More than 40 countries have a warning label on alcohol (although far fewer mention cancer), but Canada and many European countries are not included. They should be. Alcohol is a highly addictive substance that can destroy the lives of those addicted to it and those around them. It impairs judgment and accounts for dozens of deaths per year from drinking and driving.

    Pregnant women drinking alcohol also increase their risk of their child having fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Alcohol is also a drug you can overdose from.

    Warning labels on alcohol are a good step to reduce health risks, as long as they are clear and informative.

    Scott Lear receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Hamilton Health Sciences, and has received funding from the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Novo Nordisk, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

    – ref. Is no amount of alcohol safe? Understanding risks and public health guidelines – https://theconversation.com/is-no-amount-of-alcohol-safe-understanding-risks-and-public-health-guidelines-247883

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Holocaust Memorial Day 2025 Speech

    Source: Scottish Greens

    29 Jan 2025 Peace

    Maggie Chapman MSP’s speech at Holocaust

    North East Scotland

    Justice, Equalities, Social Justice and Human Rights spokesperson

    More in Peace

    A memorial is an act of remembrance, and today we remember in two senses.

    We remember who it was who bore this unutterable pain, each individual and precious human being, those now lost to the world and those who remain with us.

    We remember them with love, with sorrow and with anger, reiterating the humanity that their oppressors tried so hard to deny.

    And we remember how it happened, and for us as politicians and parliamentarians, that is perhaps a harder memory. For the Holocaust was not an act of insurgency, a violation of domestic law and order. It came about not in spite of political processes: elections, legislation, policy implementation, but through and because of them.

    There were some bystanders who knew exactly what was going on. There were others who knew nothing. But in between, across Europe and beyond, was a wide spectrum of simultaneous knowledge and ignorance, of eyes that were closed, faces turned away. Reassurance that rhetoric was only that, that genocidal intent was the expression of legitimate concern, that there was no need to open doors or hearts, that reality was still represented by the diplomacy of gentlemen.

    And the bodies of children lay uncovered.

    We have learned the story of this deep, deep horror, but have we learned to recognise its narrative when it comes again, with different clothes, different names, different labels?

    When the richest man in the world salutes the most powerful man in the world with a gesture that specifically recalls that older story, do we shrug and move on?

    When that most powerful man uses the language of cleaning about the dispossession of already dispossessed people, already bereft of their children, do we pretend not to have heard?

    Hannah Arendt wrote, in the context of the Holocaust, about the banality of evil. For evil can be banal, can be ridiculous, can come with buffoonery and bluster, without subtlety or nuance. But when it announces itself, we would do well to listen.

    And we can listen, as well, to the voices of those with experience, those for whom that experience illuminates the realities of today. Suzanne Berliner Weiss writes:

    I am a survivor of the Jewish Holocaust, and understand the system of hate first hand. Hitler’s war against the Jews aimed to eradicate our history and the Jewish people. Nazism Is hatred of the other – it is racism…

    Judaism, the religion and its traditions, does not stand for racism.

    Conflating Zionism and Judaism is an unforgivable crime against the Jewish people, a crime against the Palestinians, and a crime to humanity.

    I was saved from Hitler by world solidarity. I was among the thousands of Jewish children in France who were saved by the solidarity of the Jewish resistance, communities of Christians in Southern France, and the peoples of the world united against Nazism….

    To be against Israel’s policies is not anti-Jewish. It is not anti-Semitic. We claim the Palestinians as our sisters and brothers. We are all humanity.

    We say: “Not in our name!”

    For the victims of the Holocaust, the world closed its eyes, its hearts and its doors until it was too late. Today we remember and honour them, with respect, with love and with bitter regret. Let us not close our eyes, our hearts, our doors in the face of genocide and oppression happening today in Palestine.

    Let us not make the same mistakes again.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Palmerston North Police make arrests after three violent incidents

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Palmerston North Police have made arrests following three violent incidents across the city this month.

    In the last few weeks, Police have arrested three men aged 22 to 26 following two serious assaults at two bars, and a violent incident outside a petrol station.

    In the early hours of New Years Day, Police responded to a bar on Rangitikei Street, following reports of an assault where one person received serious injuries.

    The victim has since been discharged from hospital.

    A 24-year-old man has been remanded in custody and is due to reappear in Palmerston North District Court on 4 March, on a charge of wounding with intent to injure. 

    Then, on Monday 27 January, Police responded to a bar on Main Street around 11.30pm where one person received serious injuries consistent with a stab wound.

    The victim is expected to be discharged from hospital today.

    A 26-year-old man appeared in Palmerston North District Court this week on a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He is due to reappear in court on 10 March. 

    In a third, separate incident, on 10 January two men received injuries following an incident where one of the men was struck by a vehicle on Ferguson Street, and another person received injuries consistent with stab wounds.

    They have both been discharged from hospital.

    A 22-year-old man has been remanded in custody and is due to reappear before the Palmerston North District Court on 4 March on charges including wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, possessing an offensive weapon, and assault with a blunt instrument.

    It has been pleasing to be able to hold people account for these violent actions, and Police will continue to work hard to keep our community safe.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Extension of Form PF Amendments Compliance Date

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission, together with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), extended the compliance date for the amendments to Form PF that were adopted on Feb. 8, 2024. The compliance date for these amendments, which was originally March 12, 2025, has been extended to June 12, 2025.

    Form PF is the confidential reporting form for certain SEC-registered investment advisers to private funds, including those that also are registered with the CFTC as commodity pool operators or commodity trading advisers. This extension will mitigate certain administrative and technological burdens and costs associated with the prior compliance date. This extension will also provide more time for filers to program and test for compliance with these amendments.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: AMERANY Launches Revolutionary Staking Protocol for Cryptocurrency Holders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Wellington Central, New Zealand, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AMERANY, a leading innovator in the cryptocurrency staking sector, is proud to announce the launch of its groundbreaking staking protocol, designed to enhance passive income opportunities for cryptocurrency investors significantly. With a Total Value Locked (TVL) approaching $200 million, AMERANY stands as one of the largest staking protocols on the market, supporting a wide array of tokens across Ethereum (ETH), Optimism (OP), Arbitrum (ARB), Manta, and other networks.

    Staking redefines the utility of staked assets by allowing them to be used for additional staking in different programs or platforms, thereby offering holders the chance to accumulate more rewards. AMERANY’s protocol enables users of ETH, OP, ARB, and other supported tokens to connect to smart contracts, facilitating the reuse of their tokens for extra rewards, making it an attractive option for those looking to maximize their cryptocurrency holdings.

    AMERANY has quickly positioned itself as the largest provider regarding the number of supported staking tokens, offering high potential returns to its users. The staking market has seen substantial growth in 2024, with Ethereum staking, led by AMERANY, capturing most of the market’s total value locked.

    Supported tokens within the AMERANY ecosystem include, but are not limited to, BNB, LINK, UNI, APT, FTM, USDC, USDT, and other stablecoins, WBTC, as well as wSOL – which is one of the few platforms that allows Ethereum users to purchase and stake SOL.

    Plans to expand support to more tokens are underway, promising even greater flexibility and earning potential for users.

    The benefits of staking are manifold. It promotes competition among security providers, lowers barriers for new protocols, and strengthens the resilience of Ethereum, Optimism, Arbitrum, Manta, and other supported networks against attacks. Validators earn income through this process, and stakeholders can increase efficiency by diversifying their staked assets across multiple protocols.

    “In addition to staking, AMERANY offers staking services and liquid pools for over 60 tokens, with attractive APR yields,” said Eric Smith, CEO at AMERANY. “Our mission is to provide cryptocurrency holders with innovative ways to maximize their investments, and our staking protocol is a testament to this commitment.”

    About AMERANY

    AMERANY is a leading cryptocurrency staking and staking protocol built on Ethereum, Optimism, Arbitrum, Manta, and other networks. It aims to revolutionize how cryptocurrency holders generate passive income by providing innovative staking and staking solutions. With a TVL approaching $200 million, AMERANY is at the forefront of the staking market, offering high potential returns and supporting a wide range of tokens.

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involves risk. There is potential for loss of funds. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen Named Ranking Member of Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced she will serve as Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA). This Subcommittee oversees funding for the majority of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as well as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
    “I’m honored to serve in this new role and committed to building on my work to address the high cost of living that so many Granite Staters are experiencing,” said Senator Shaheen. “I look forward to finding new and creative opportunities to improve support for New Hampshire’s rural communities, including by investing in rural housing and water infrastructure, championing our small businesses and small and diversified farmers, continuing my bipartisan efforts to tackle the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs, such as those to treat Type 1 diabetes, as well as funding federal nutrition programs that help Granite Staters put food on the table.”
    Shaheen has served on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee since 2012, and formerly chaired the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Subcommittee. She will also serve as a member of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services and Education and Related Agencies and State, Foreign Operations and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittees.
    Shaheen has long fought to support farmers in New Hampshire, including by successfully helping to secure disaster supplemental funding for farmers impacted by crop losses in 2023. Shaheen also has a strong record of working to improve crop insurance policies to support farmers in New Hampshire and leads legislation to reform the federal government’s crop insurance program. Senator Shaheen has supported more than 230 New Hampshire small businesses who have received over $25 million to lower energy bills and cut costs through USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program. She has consistently fought for increased funding and improved support for rural development programs, including rural water programs.
    Shaheen also spearheads efforts to combat rising drug prices and make essential medications more affordable, including leading legislation to lower the cost of prescription drugs and bring generic drugs to market faster. Last Congress, Shaheen introduced bipartisan legislation, the Ensuring Timely Access to Generics Act, that would work to increase competition from generic drugs through better oversight of FDA’s citizen petition process. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee passed this bill unanimously. As co-chair of the bipartisan U.S. Senate Diabetes Caucus, Shaheen has also consistently worked with FDA on access to diabetes technology and cures for type 1 diabetes. Senator Shaheen’s bipartisan INSULIN Act also includes proposals to expedite FDA approval of biosimilar drugs, which are proven to increase competition and lower drug costs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Palestine: Hope that the ceasefire will hold – UNRWA Briefing | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Briefing by Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question.

    ———————————

    The Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini told the Security Council that if full implementation the Knesset legislation begins as expected on Thursday, operations in the occupied Palestinian territory “would be crippled,” and it will “sabotage Gaza’s recovery and political transition.”

    At stake, Lazzarini said, “is the fate of millions of Palestinians, the ceasefire and the prospect for a political solution that brings lasting peace and security.”

    The UNRWA Commissioner-General said, “tens of thousands of people are now returning to the decimated north to search for the living and to bury the dead. Across the Gaza Strip, Palestinians are turning to UNRWA, the agency they have known all their lives for support.”

    Contradicting claims by the government of Israel claims about UNRWA’s role in providing humanitarian assistance, he said, “in fact UNRWA constitute half the emergency response, with all other entities delivering the other half. Since October 2023, we have delivered two third of all food assistance, provided shelter to over a million displaced persons and vaccinated a quarter of million of children against polio.”

    Lazzarini told the Council that “the relentless assault on UNRWA is harming the lives and future of Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory. It is eroding the trust in the international community, jeopardizing prospects for peace and security.”

    He said, “the political attacks on the agency are motivated by the desire to strip Palestinians of the refugee statute, thereby unilaterally changing the long-established parameter for a political solution. The objective is to deny Palestinian refugees the right to self-determination and erase their history and identity.”

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: President Trump Signs the Laken Riley Act

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    The White House

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General Appoints Lieutenant General Ulisses de Mesquita Gomes of Brazil Force Commander, UN Stabilization Mission in Democratic Republic of the Congo

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Lieutenant General Ulisses de Mesquita Gomes of Brazil as Force Commander of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).

    Lieutenant General Gomes succeeds Acting Force Commander Major General Khar Diouf of Senegal, to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for his dedication and service.

    Lieutenant General Gomes brings to the position 35 years of experience in crisis response, conflict management and peacekeeping.  He has both operational and strategic expertise as well as diplomatic experience.  His last position was with his national military, where he served as Deputy Chief of Army Logistics Command.  Prior to that, he was the Brazilian Military Attaché to the United States of America.

    He previously served as the 7th Infantry Brigade Commander in Brazil, the Defence Adviser of the Minister of Strategic Affairs of the Brazilian Government and the Chief of Planning and Operations of the 11th Infantry Brigade.  His international experience includes his deployment with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) (2008-2009) and his appointment as the Chief of the Current Military Operations Service and Policy & Doctrine Team in the Office of Military Affairs of the UN Department of Peace Operations (2017-2019).

    Lieutenant General Gomes holds a bachelor’s degree in law from the Federal University, Brazil, and a master’s degree in military science and law from the Brazilian Army Staff College.  He is fluent in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –