NewzIntel.com

Category: Latin America

  • MIL-OSI Global: National security advisers manage decision-making as advocates or honest brokers

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Gregory F. Treverton, Professor of Practice in International Relations, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

    Mike Waltz speaks with reporters in the press room at the White House on Feb. 20, 2025. AP Photo/Alex Brandon

    The removal of Mike Waltz as President Donald Trump’s national security adviser – formally the assistant to the president for national security affairs – raises the question of just what that position entails and also what it means that Marco Rubio will now act as secretary of state and national security adviser.

    The National Security Act of 1947 created the National Security Council to advise the president on matters of national security. It’s also tasked with integrating domestic, foreign and military policies.

    But the national security adviser position is neither enshrined in law nor accountable to Congress.

    I’m an economist and international relations scholar who has worked with three national security advisers − Zbigniew Brzezinski, Samuel “Sandy” Berger and Susan Rice.

    I’ve seen the job up close. The core of the national security adviser’s role is managing the national security decision-making process, as decisions on issues from Ukraine to Gaza to nuclear proliferation are made. It’s a coordinating role.

    Honest broker

    National security advisers set the timing and flow of policy analysis and recommendations to the National Security Council committees − first, the principals committee, which brings together the Cabinet secretaries with national security responsibilities from the State Department, Department of Defense, the CIA and others.

    While the principals committee typically rarely meets and virtually never with the president in the chair, not so the deputies committee. That committee brings together the Nos. 2 and 3 in the same departments.

    In my most recent stint in Washington as chair of the National Intelligence Council in the Obama administration, the deputies committee met almost every day, sometimes more than once. Its formal role is to tee up issues for decision by the principals and the president.

    National security advisers have the advantage of proximity to the president, with an office footsteps from the Oval, as it is known in Washington lingo. They also manage a relatively lean staff.

    In my time on the National Security Council staff in the Carter administration, it was perhaps 150 all told, including the watch officers in the White House Situation Room. In the Biden administration it was on the order of 350 staff.

    For us National Security Council staffers, if we disagreed with our counterparts at the State Department or the Defense Department, we could let the principals decide. We knew that we could get to Brzezinski faster, for example, than they could get to their Cabinet secretaries.

    National security adviser Susan Rice walks with Fang Changlong, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, in Beijing, in September 2014.
    AP Photo/Wang Zhao

    In Washington, proximity is opportunity. And, not surprisingly, national security advisers since McGeorge Bundy in the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson administrations have become central figures in the foreign policy arena. The have had to manage the balance between seeking to influence the president and remaining an honest broker.

    As Berger put it, “You have to be perceived by your colleagues as an honest representative of their viewpoint, or the system breaks down.”

    Managing the tension

    National security advisers have managed the tension in their roles in different ways. And two models of those roles have emerged.

    Henry Kissinger, who served Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, was a powerful strategist driving presidential policy, often bypassing traditional channels. He, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio will do, served a dual role from 1973 to 1975 as national security adviser and secretary of state. Condoleezza Rice, the national security adviser who served George W. Bush, also later became secretary of state.

    Brent Scowcroft, who served both Ford and President George H. W. Bush, is the exemplar of the other model − an “honest broker” ensuring a fair, collegial policy process. He was the consummate insider: low-key, meticulous about process and influencing through quiet proximity. The Bush administration he served was also, as described by a friend, as collegial as the men’s locker room of an upscale country club. Still, while I never had the chance to work with him, he is my standard for the role of national security adviser.

    Waltz served too briefly to evaluate his record. It’s ironic that what seems to have done him in was the Signalgate scandal, in which Waltz added a journalist to a Signal group chat in which government officials discussed details about a planned U.S. military strike in Yemen.

    That was an example of Waltz’s coordinating role, bringing most of the relevant policy officials together to discuss an important issue. The purpose was right, but the means was extremely unwise.

    Henry Kissinger shakes hands with Chinese Premier Chou En-lai in Peking, China, in July 1971.
    AP Photo/White House

    Learning from the past

    Historically, the worst crisis of the National Security Council system ensued when it sought to conduct operations, not just organize them. That was the case in the Iran-Contra affair of the Reagan administration.

    Robert McFarlane took over as national security adviser in October 1983. A former Marine officer and deputy national security adviser, he was conscientious to a fault: In one meeting while he was consulting during the transition from President George H. W. Bush to President Bill Clinton, we asked him about work hours. He replied: “They’re not bad. I’m out of here by eight most nights, earlier on Sunday.”

    He was done in by Iran-Contra, a clandestine effort run by the National Security Council to trade arms to Iran − then under a U.S. arms embargo − in hopes of freeing American hostages, with proceeds diverted to fund the Nicaraguan Contras, despite a congressional ban on funding them. He pleaded guilty in 1988 to withholding information from Congress.

    It’s a telling lesson for Rubio and other Waltz successors as the national security adviser of the dangers of moving from honest broker and quiet advocate to operator − especially if the operation is contrary to public U.S. policy and perhaps against the law.

    This story is part of a series of profiles of Cabinet and high-level administration positions.

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

    – ref. National security advisers manage decision-making as advocates or honest brokers – https://theconversation.com/national-security-advisers-manage-decision-making-as-advocates-or-honest-brokers-255760

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Coast Guard, federal partners conduct Multi-Agency Strike Force Operation at San Juan port facility

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    05/05/2025 09:00 AM EDT

    U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan and federal partner agencies conducted a Multi-Agency Strike Force Operation (MASFO) at one of the cargo container terminals within the Bay of San Juan, Friday. The effort included the thorough inspection of approximately 105 containers, 40 vehicles and 30 Transportation Worker Identification Credential verifications in the San Juan Port area which yielded negative results for security violations, however, three containers were temporarily detained due to preexisting damage and improper blocking and bracing of the cargo. “This MASFO is part of the Coast Guard’s strategic efforts to ensure the safety and security of containerized cargo shipments within our marine transportation system and is essential to ensure the safe flow of commerce between the continental United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and other countries in the Caribbean Sea,” said Lt. Cmdr. Carlos Ortega-Pérez, Coast Guard Sector San Juan waterways management division chief. “Our joint agency operations team checked container contents for any undeclared hazardous goods or anomalies which may pose a risk to personnel, port safety, or the environment.” 

    For more breaking news follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Oxylabs Releases 2024 Impact Report with Focus on Ethical Data Practices

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Vilnius, Lithuania / Oxylabs, a leading web intelligence collection platform, has published its 2024 Impact Report, highlighting key environmental, social and governance initiatives.

    Aligned with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, the 2024 Impact Report details Oxylabs’ continued focus on three key areas: climate action, education, and innovation.

    “2024 was a year of unprecedented breakthroughs in AI, reshaping the tech landscape. For Oxylabs, operating at the forefront of public web data collection, it only highlighted our belief in balancing innovation with responsibility. While advancing cutting-edge technology, we remained deeply committed to ethical data collection standards and supporting socially impactful initiatives.”- said Julius Černiauskas, CEO of Oxylabs.

    In 2024, Oxylabs reached a symbolic milestone of 100 patents globally and introduced the industry’s first AI-driven scraping assistant OxyCopilot. The company was also busy sharing their knowledge with the industry – from a web scraping conference OxyCon, to numerous webinars and lectures.

    “Being a technology company, we direct our efforts where they are most impactful. Therefore we put strong emphasis on promoting ethical standards around data gathering in our whole industry, and empower social initiatives with our infrastructure”, – said Urte Karkliene, sustainability manager at Oxylabs.

    The year was fruitful for Oxylabs pro-bono initiative, Project 4β, which provides public web data gathering infrastructure to those driving social impact. Oxylabs broadened partnerships with NGOs, investigative journalism organizations and academic institutions. Among the most prominent new partnerships were Bellingcat, Global Witness, The Ferret, and The Pulitzer Center.

    Oxylabs continued to invest in carbon removal projects, aiming to make a positive climate contribution. The company chose to support a REDD Project in Brazil Nut Concessions in Peru. It also supported and joined various environmental and social initiatives.

    The 2024 Impact Report is available for download at https://oxylabs.io/sustainability

    About Oxylabs

    Established in 2015, Oxylabs is a web intelligence platform and premium proxy provider, enabling companies of all sizes to utilise the power of big data. Constant innovation, an extensive patent portfolio, and a focus on ethics have allowed Oxylabs to become a global leader in the web intelligence collection industry and forge close ties with dozens of Fortune Global 500 companies. Oxylabs was named Europe’s fastest-growing web intelligence acquisition company in the Financial Times FT 1000 list for several consecutive years. For more information, please visit: https://oxylabs.io/

    Media Contacts

    Vytautas Kirjazovas
    Oxylabs.io
    Tel: +370 655 34419
    Email: press@oxylabs.io

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Teachers and librarians are among those least likely to die by suicide − public health researchers offer insights on what this means for other professions

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jordan Batchelor, Research Analyst at the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety, Arizona State University

    One reason teachers have a low suicide rate may be that they find meaning in their jobs. Digital Vision/Getty Images

    Where you work affects your risk of dying by suicide. For example, loggers, musicians and workers in the oil and gas industries have much higher rates of suicide than the rest of the population.

    But on the flip side, some professions have very low rates of suicide. One of them is education. National and state data shows that educators in the U.S., including teachers, professors and librarians, are among the least likely to die by suicide.

    We’re a team of researchers at the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety at Arizona State University. We manage Arizona’s Violent Death Reporting System, part of a surveillance system sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with counterparts in all 50 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. We collect data on violent deaths, including suicide, thanks to agreements with local medical examiners and law enforcement.

    When public health researchers like us look at suicide data, we often focus on high-risk populations to learn where intervention and prevention are most needed. But we can learn from low-risk populations such as educators too.

    Why some professions have higher suicide rates

    Over the past 25 years, the suicide rate in the U.S. has increased significantly.

    The age-adjusted rate in 2022 was 14.2 suicides per 100,000 people, up from 10.9 a little over two decades earlier, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Epidemiologists often adjust data for age to allow for a fairer comparison of incidence rates across populations with different age distributions.

    But not all populations are affected equally. For example, military veterans die by suicide at higher rates than civilians, as do men, older adults and American Indian and Alaska Natives, to name a few demographics. In 2022 the suicide rate for men, for instance, was 23 suicides per 100,000, versus 5.9 for women.

    The rate of suicide among the working-age population is also growing. Over the past two decades it has increased by 33%, reaching a rate of 32 suicides per 100,000 for men and eight for women in 2021. And workers in certain occupations are at higher risk of dying by suicide than others.

    The reasons why are complex and diverse. Workers in construction, an industry with some of the highest suicide rates, may face greater stigma getting help for mental health issues, while people in other fields such as law enforcement may be more exposed to traumatic experiences, which can harm their mental health.

    In short, some explanations are directly tied to one’s work, such as having low job security, little autonomy or agency, and an imbalance of work efforts and rewards. Other factors are more indirect, such as an occupation’s demographic makeup or the type of personality that chooses a profession. Together, factors like these help explain the rate of suicide across occupations.

    Teachers, professors and librarians

    Educators, on the other hand, have relatively little suicide risk.

    By educators, we mean workers classified by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as “educational instruction and library,” which includes teachers, tutors, professors, librarians and similar occupations.

    Nationally, about 11 in 100,000 male educators died by suicide in 2021, with the figure for women being about half that, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. By contrast, the rate for male workers in arts, design, entertainment, sports and media was 44.5 suicides per 100,000, and the rate for male workers in construction and extraction was 65.6.

    Data from our state of Arizona follows the same pattern. From 2016 through 2023, a total of 117 educators died by suicide, mostly primary and secondary school teachers. This works out to be an incidence rate of 7.3 suicides per 100,000 educators − one-third the rate for all Arizona workers and the lowest among all occupations in the state.

    Why educators have a low suicide rate

    So why are educators at such a low risk of suicide? After all, educational professions certainly present their own challenges. For example, many teachers experience high amounts of burnout, which can cause physical and mental health problems such as headaches, fatigue, anxiety and depression.

    A good place to begin is the profession’s demographic composition. A disproportionately high share of educators are women or are married − traits associated with lower suicide rates. Educators also tend to have high educational attainment, which may indirectly protect against suicide by increasing socioeconomic status and employability.

    Another factor is workplace environment. Workplaces that offer increased access to lethal means such as firearms and medications are associated with higher suicide rates. This helps explain why workers in law enforcement, medical professions and the military tend to show high rates. The comparatively low availability of lethal means in schools may help keep educators’ rates low.

    In addition, educators’ workplaces, typically schools and campuses, offer rich opportunities to form strong social relationships, which improve one’s overall health and help workers cope with job stress. The unique, meaningful bonds many educators form with their students, administrators and fellow educators may offer support that enhances their mental health.

    Finally, based on more contextual information in our Arizona database, we found that a lower proportion of educators who died by suicide had an alcohol or drug abuse problem. Alcohol or substance abuse problems can increase suicidal ideation and other work-related risk factors such as job insecurity and work-related injury. In short, educators may live a healthier lifestyle compared with some other workers.

    Improving worker health

    So, what can workers and employers in other professions learn from this, and how can we improve worker health?

    One lesson is to develop skills to cope with job stress. All professions are capable of producing stress, which can negatively affect a person’s mental and physical health. Identifying the root cause of job stress and applying coping skills, such as positive thinking, meditation and goal-setting, can have beneficial effects.

    Developing a social network at the workplace is also key. High-quality social relationships can improve health to a degree on par with quitting smoking. Social relationships provide tangible and intangible support and help establish one’s sense of purpose and identity. This applies outside the workplace, too. So promoting work-life balance is one way organizations can help their employees.

    Organizations can also strive to foster a positive workplace culture. One aspect of such a culture is establishing a sense of meaning or purpose in the work. For educators, this feature may help offset some of the profession’s challenges. Other aspects include appreciating employees for their hard work, identifying and magnifying employee strengths, and not creating a toxic workplace.

    It is worth noting that continued research on occupational health is important. In the context of educators, more research is needed to understand how risk differs between and within specific groups. Despite their overall low risk, no person or demographic is immune to suicide, and every suicide is preventable.

    If you or someone you know is experiencing signs of crisis, the free and confidential 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available to call, text or chat.

    This research was made possible by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Violence Prevention, who sponsor the Arizona Violent Death Reporting System data. The findings and conclusions of this research are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily represent the views of the CDC.

    Charles Max Katz is affiliated with Arizona State University.This research was made possible by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Violence Prevention, who sponsor the Arizona Violent Death Reporting System data. The findings and conclusions of this research are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily represent the views of the CDC.

    – ref. Teachers and librarians are among those least likely to die by suicide − public health researchers offer insights on what this means for other professions – https://theconversation.com/teachers-and-librarians-are-among-those-least-likely-to-die-by-suicide-public-health-researchers-offer-insights-on-what-this-means-for-other-professions-252795

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How was the Earth built?

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Alexander E. Gates, Professor of Earth and Environmental Science, Rutgers University – Newark

    The Earth formed in a ring of debris around the Sun, like the one around Vega, a bright star, in this artist’s conception. NASA/JPL-Caltech

    Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com.

    How was the Earth built? – Noah, age 5, Florida

    It isn’t easy to figure out how the Earth was built, because it happened 4½ billion years ago, and no one was there to watch. So scientists have had to look at what the Earth looks like now and at all of the other planets, moons and debris in the solar system.

    They’ve concluded that the Earth was built in the same way that you would build a big snowball to make a snowman. The mass that would become our home rolled through planetary debris – rocks floating in space – for more than 100 million years, adding more and more material, until it grew into a full-size planet.

    How do scientists like me know this is what happened? First, studies of the size, composition and location of asteroids and comets, many of which are as old as the Earth, indicate that 4½ billion years ago the solar system looked the way Saturn looks today, with rings of space rocks orbiting around the Sun. There’s still one such ring around the Sun – it’s called the asteroid belt and lies between Mars and Jupiter, with the Sun’s gravity holding the rocks in orbit.

    The solar system that includes Earth formed from a spinning disk of dust and gases.

    All of the other bodies that we know as planets today began as similar rings of space debris. An eddy, or area of rolling, developed in each of these rings and caused the debris to clump up in a snowball effect. But these pieces of debris were asteroids that smashed violently into the growing planets.

    We can see those impacts on planets and moons whose surfaces haven’t weathered or reformed. If you look at the Moon or the planet Mercury, you can see that they are covered with craters from asteroid impacts.

    When asteroids or comets struck these building planets, they crashed into their surfaces at speeds as high as 40,000 to 50,000 miles per hour (65,000 to 80,000 kilometers per hour). The impacts caused huge explosions that emitted massive amounts of dust and broken or melted rock.

    In fact, scientists believe that the Moon was once part of the Earth, until a large asteroid crashed into the Earth so hard that the Moon broke away and shot into space. There, it began orbiting the Earth as it does now.

    Still under construction

    Most big asteroids and comets collided with the Earth when it was young, about 4½ billion years ago. The number of such collisions has steadily decreased ever since. However, at least 100 tons of dust-size space rock rains down on the Earth every day, increasing the size of our planet bit by bit.

    The Earth also collides with space rocks, called meteors, that show up as shooting stars in the night sky. Some of these meteors come from an impact that struck Mars at some point, breaking away rock from the planet surface and shooting it into outer space. These rocks have been falling to Earth ever since.

    What’s the difference between an asteroid and a comet? Asteroids are large space rocks, while comets are large, dirty ice balls. Meteors are smaller − typically the size of pebbles or even dust.

    About 65 million years ago, a huge asteroid struck the Earth in the Gulf of Mexico. The enormous Chicxulub explosion drove large tsunamis throughout the ocean and raised so much dust into the air that it made the dinosaurs go extinct.

    Another large asteroid impact, about 35 million years ago, made a huge crater in the area that is now the Chesapeake Bay, near Washington, D.C. More recently, in 1908, an asteroid likely exploded over Tunguska, Russia, flattening 830 square miles (2,150 square kilometers) of trees. Fortunately, no one lived in the area, so there were no known casualties.

    Barringer Crater in Arizona was caused by a meteor strike about 50,000 years ago. It measures about 0.75 miles (1.2 kilometers) across.
    D. Roddy, USGS/Wikipedia

    Once a mass of space debris was assembled into the Earth, many processes continued to shape the planet’s surface. Wind, water, heat and cold cause rocks to weather and break down and soil to erode. Mountains are created as pieces of Earth’s crust collide and crack. Rivers and glaciers wear down the planet’s surface to make it smoother.

    The Earth is a dynamic planet that is constantly being built, and these processes will continue for billions of years into the future.

    Hello, curious kids! Do you have a question you’d like an expert to answer? Ask an adult to send your question to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. Please tell us your name, age and the city where you live.

    And since curiosity has no age limit – adults, let us know what you’re wondering, too. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.

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

    – ref. How was the Earth built? – https://theconversation.com/how-was-the-earth-built-254257

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: 60 years of international education: Polytechnic celebrated the anniversary of the preparatory faculty

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University celebrated the 60th anniversary of the preparatory faculty for foreign students. This event was not just an anniversary date, but a vivid demonstration of many years of successful experience and achievements in the field of international education.

    The history of the faculty began in 1965, when the first 200 students from Cuba, Arab countries and Africa crossed the threshold of the classrooms at 21 Politekhnicheskaya Street. Under the leadership of Dean A. N. Nosov, a unique educational structure was created with three departments: Russian language, natural sciences and humanities. In 1988, the faculty found a new home – a modern building at 28 Grazhdansky Prospekt, which today remains a center of attraction for foreign students.

    The special value of the preparatory faculty is its ability to adapt to the challenges of the time, while maintaining the best traditions. Today we see how graduates of the preparatory faculty become successful specialists all over the world, and many remain in Russia, contributing to the development of our economy and science. This is the best assessment of our work, – noted the Vice-Rector for International Affairs of SPbPU Dmitry Arsenyev.

    Over six decades, the preparatory faculty has achieved impressive results in educational activities.

    When I came to Russia, I knew only a few Russian words. But thanks to the unique teaching method, after a month and a half I could understand speech and participate in dialogues, recalls 2016 graduate Hanaa Itri from Morocco. Today, she successfully works at a large Russian university, continuing the traditions of intercultural communication.

    The anniversary celebrations lasted two days. On the first day, an all-Russian scientific and methodological seminar was held, where representatives of leading Russian universities – Moscow State University, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, Kazan Federal University, Tomsk and Volgograd Polytechnics – discussed current issues of teaching taking into account the ethnic factor.

    On the second day, a festival of Russian language and culture was held, where students enthusiastically competed in linguistic contests, participated in master classes on folk crafts, and mastered the secrets of traditional Russian cuisine.

    The culmination of the celebration was the gala concert in the White Hall “Day of the Russian Language”, in which more than 60 students from 30 countries participated. The staff and veterans of the Higher School received gratitude from the Committee for Science and Higher School of St. Petersburg and honorary certificates from SPbPU.

    Preparatory faculty graduates shared their memories of their student years. One of them is the senior teacher of additional education at the Higher School of MOP Mukbil Mansur Hassan Muhammad from Yemen. After studying at the preparatory faculty, he graduated from the physics and metallurgy faculty and defended his PhD thesis at the Polytechnic University.

    The Polytechnic Institute has become my home. I love my job and my students. My students are my friends. I know from my own experience how difficult it is to adapt to life in another country where everything is new: the climate, the cuisine, the language, the people. Creative events help students get to know the country and get to know each other better, – shared Mukbil Mansur Hassan Muhammad.

    Foreign students performed Russian songs and dances at the concert. The numbers dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War were presented: the compositions “Katyusha”, “Wait for me”, “Yablochko” and “Siniy kerchief”.

    The event was attended by students from Turkmenistan, China, Latin America and Africa, as well as from other parts of the world. Many students of the preparatory faculty have talents: they dance, sing, recite poems. Concerts and similar events help foreign children adapt to our culture. Creativity plays an important role in this process, – said Lyubov Stepanova, senior teacher of additional education at the Higher School of MOP and the organizer of the event.

    Last year’s preparatory faculty graduates and current first-year students of the Institute of Historical and Cultural Studies Anzhi and Roz from Haiti also took part in the concert: Russia is a large, beautiful country with a rich culture and history. When we were choosing a university for study on the Internet, we really liked the Polytechnic, and were impressed by the opportunities for students. And our friends study here, and they told us a lot of good things. We like it here, the teachers are very helpful, for which we are very grateful to them.

    60 years is not just a number. It is thousands of graduates, dozens of countries, hundreds of educational programs. But the main thing is the traditions of quality and innovation that we carefully preserve and develop, – summed up the director of the Higher School of International Educational Programs Viktor Krasnoshchyokov.

    Today, the preparatory faculty of SPbPU is a modern educational center, where time-tested methods and innovative approaches are harmoniously combined. As a graduate from Indonesia, Desmarnov Tirto Pamangin, said: Here they not only give knowledge of the language, but also open the door to a new life. This is precisely the mission of the Higher School – to be a bridge between cultures and peoples.

    Photo archive

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Syrian asylum applications drop significantly, reflecting broader decreasing trend in the EU+

    Source: European Asylum Support Office

     In February 2025, Syrians lodged one of the smallest numbers of monthly applications in over a decade.  As a result, having been the main recipient country for Syrian asylum-seekers, Germany was no longer the main destination for asylum seekers in the EU+. France and Spain each received more applications than Germany. In France, Haitians and Ukrainians together represented one fifth of all applicants, while Venezuelans dominated the asylum landscape in Spain.

    The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has just published the first monthly dataset for 2025, on asylum applications in the EU+. In February, EU+ countries received around 69 000 asylum applications, following a decreasing trend that has been ongoing since October 2024. The fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Syria has led to a significant change in the asylum landscape in the EU+. In February, Syrians lodged the fewest applications in over a decade (5 000), with their number decreasing by 70 %, compared to October 2024.

    With Syrians, historically, having almost always been the nationality with the most applicants for international protection in the EU+, this change is notable for many reasons, among them the fact that Germany was not the main receiving EU+ country in February 2025. The sharp decrease in Syrian applications has also impacted several of the EUAA’s first instance asylum indicators.

    The latest asylum figures show how important stability in other regions is for Europe. This is strongly reflected in the declining trend in asylum applications from Syrian nationals in the EU in the first quarter. With the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum and the new returns regulation, we are bringing our European House in order. Together with Member States, we need to step up our cooperation with partner countries to address migration well beyond our borders.

    Magnus Brunner European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration

    These figures show a changing asylum landscape in Europe, with several months of fewer applicants seeking protection, and also shifts in their profiles, nationalities and destination countries. At the same time, both the EU Institutions and the Agency are working on making Europe’s asylum systems more streamlined and effective, ensuring that protection is provided in a timely manner to those in genuine need.

    Nina Gregori Executive Director

     

     Changing trends in citizenships and key receiving EU+ countries

    For more than a decade, Germany (12 780) has almost always been the largest recipient of asylum applications in the EU+. However, in February 2025, that was no longer the case, and the country received 40% fewer applications compared to February 2024. France (13 081) and Spain (12 976) both received more applications than Germany, with figures that were relatively stable in the past 12 months. Italy (11 405) also received a significant number of applications, despite a declining trend. Taken together, applications in these four receiving countries represented almost three quarters of all applications lodged in the EU+.

    In February 2025, Venezuelans (8 500) were the largest applicant group. Though Venezuelans have long been among the 5 biggest applicant groups in the EU+, mostly applying in Spain due to a well-established diaspora, the recent increase in applications since October 2024 may be linked to the ongoing economic and political crisis in the country, as well as increasingly restrictive asylum policies in the United States of America.

    Recognition rate at the lowest level since COVID-19

    Over the past two years, the EU+ recognition rate, which reflects the percentage of asylum applicants that receive decisions granting either refugee status or subsidiary protection, has fluctuated around 40% at first instance. In January and February 2025, the monthly EU+ recognition rate fell to 25 %, the lowest level since the first months of COVID-19 in 2020.

    A significant contributor to this change was the number of asylum decisions issued to Syrians in January and February 2025, which dropped to around 1 600 in both months. In addition, the EU+ recognition rate for Syrians stood at just 14 %, down from around 90 % in previous months. The reasons for these significant changes are two-fold. Firstly, many EU+ countries have temporarily paused the processing of Syrian asylum claims, pending greater clarity on the security and political situation in Syria. Secondly, many Syrians have begun to withdraw their asylum applications. In some EU+ countries, a withdrawn application results in a negative decision, thus reducing the overall EU+ recognition rate.

    More generally, the Agency’s data show that there were around 964 000 asylum applications pending at first instance at the end of February 2025. Together with Syrians (113 000), Venezuelans (100 000) and Colombians (89 000) were awaiting the most first instance decisions. In February, some 52 % of applications were lodged by citizenships for whom the EU+ recognition rates stood at 20 % or less, in 2024. Citizenships in this group included Bangladeshis (4 %), Columbians (5 %), Egyptians (4 %), and Moroccans (4 %).

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI: BW Energy: First quarter results 2025 

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

     BW Energy First quarter results 2025 

    HIGHLIGHTS 

    • Record Q1 EBITDA of USD 182.1 million, net profit of USD 83 million 
    • Operational cash-flow of USD 154.7 million in the quarter 
    • Q1 gross production of 4.2 mmbbls with 3.2 mmbbls net to BW Energy  
    • Highest quarterly production since inception from the Dussafu licence  
    • Maintained a strong balance sheet with cash position of USD 286.9 million 
    • Substantial oil discovery in the Bourdon prospect 
    • Maromba development FID unlocking path to more than doubling production and potential for future dividends 

    BW Energy, operator of the Dussafu Marin licence in Gabon and the Golfinho cluster offshore Brazil, reported a record quarterly EBITDA of USD 182.1 million for the first quarter of 2025. This was up 31% from USD 141.6 million in the previous quarter on increased oil sales following all-time-high production in Gabon and higher output in Brazil. The net production was ~36,000 bbls/day, including the Tortue, Hibiscus, and Hibiscus South fields in the Dussafu licence (73.5% working interest or “WI”) and the Golfinho field (100% WI).  

    “BW Energy delivers a strong first quarter with record production and EBITDA on the back of sustained stable operations across our asset portfolio in Gabon and Brazil,” said Carl K. Arnet, the CEO of BW Energy. “The accretive start to 2025 is further underpinned by the Bourdon discovery growing our Dussafu reserves, FID on the Golfinho Boost adding to production and reducing OPEX, and finally the Maromba FID. This transformative project is set to unlock industry-leading production growth and position BW Energy for future shareholder distributions.”  


    DUSSAFU

    BW Energy completed three liftings in the first quarter at an average realised price of USD 74.8/bbl. Net production was approximately 2.6 mmbbls of oil and the net sold volume, the basis for revenue recognition, was approximately 3.2 mmbbls including 65,000 bbls of DMO deliveries and 320,889 bbls of state profit oil with an over-lift position of 350,893 bbls at period-end.  

    Net production from the Dussafu licence averaged ~28,700 bbls/day, an increase of 5% from the previous quarter. Operating cost (excluding royalties) decreased to USD 9.9/bbl from USD 11.7/bbl in the fourth quarter due to operational efficiencies and increased production. Further cost savings are expected as BW Energy is preparing to take over the operations of the BW Adolo FPSO during the current quarter.  

    On 2 January 2025, Phase 1 of the Hibiscus / Ruche development was completed with eight producing wells, two more than planned at project sanction.   


    GOLFINHO

    Net production from the Golfinho field averaged ~7,300 bbls/day equivalent to a total production of 657,000 bbls in the quarter, up 12% from the previous quarter as gaslift resumed after completion of Petrobras maintenance. One lifting was carried out of ~500,000 bbls at a realised price of USD 75/bbl. Remaining inventory was approximately 597,750 bbls at the end of the period. Operating cost (excluding royalties) averaged USD 42.2/bbl barrel, down from 56.4/bbl in the fourth quarter, primarily due to higher production. In early April, the Brazilian oil and gas regulator ANP extended the production phase under the Golfinho concession contract, which has been extended to 2042 from previously 2031. 

    OTHER ITEMS

    On 28 March, BW Energy entered into an up to USD 500 million Reserve Based Lending (RBL) facility, replacing the 2022 facility which was increased to USD 300 million in 2023. The facility has an initial commitment of USD 400 million, which can be expanded with an additional USD 100 million subject to mutual agreement and satisfaction of customary conditions precedent. The senior secured long-term debt facility matures on 1 October 2030. 

    At 31 March 2024, BW Energy had a cash balance of USD 286.9 million, compared to USD 221.8 million at end-December. The increase reflects cash flow from operations less debt repayment and investments in the period. The Company had a total drawn debt balance of USD 599 million including the MaBoMo lease, the Dussafu RBL, the Golfinho prepayment facility and bond debt. 

    Production guidance for 2025 is unchanged at between 11 and 12 mmbbls net to BW Energy. Expected full-year operating cost is maintained at USD 18 to 22/bbl (the basis for calculating unit operating cost has been revised from 2025 onwards to exclude royalties, tariffs, workovers, domestic market obligation purchases, production sharing costs, and incorporates the impact of IFRS 16 adjustments, primarily impacting Gabon operations). Net capital expenditures for 2025 are expected at USD 650-700 million, up from USD 260 to 285 million previously. The increased follows the FIDs for the Maromba development and the Golfinho Boost project.  

    DEVELOPMENT PLANS 

    BW Energy confirmed a substantial oil discovery with good reservoir and fluid quality in the Bourdon prospect offshore Gabon. Management estimates indicate 56 million barrels oil in place, of which approximately 25 million barrels are considered recoverable, potentially through a future development cluster following the MaBoMo blueprint. The discovery will enable the Company to book additional reserves not included in its 2024 Statement of Reserves.  

    Work on optimising Golfinho production continued to focus on stabilising FPSO performance and selected future well workovers. In mid-April, BW Energy made FID on the Golfinho Boost project with planned investments of USD 107 million. The project is set to add 3 kbbls/day of incremental production and 12 mmboe of further reserves, while also increasing production uptime and reducing OPEX with first oil planned in the second half of 2027.   

    BW Energy has also made FID for the Maromba development offshore Brazil based on a capex-efficient, phased development with a wellhead platform (WHP) and FPSO. The development targets 500 million barrels of oil in place in the highly delineated Maastrichtian sands. First oil is planned in the second half of 2027 with expected plateau production of 60,000 barrels of oil per day, enabling short pay-back time and more than doubling BW Energy’s total net production by 2028.    

    In Namibia, BW Energy continued to prepare for an appraisal well targeting the Kharas Prospect northwest in the Kudu licence with planned start-up drilling operations in the second half of 2025. Long-lead items have been procured and the Company is reviewing offers for rig capacity.  

    REPORTS AND PRESENTATION 

    Please find the first-quarter earnings presentation attached. The reports are also available at: 

    www.bwenergy.no/investors/reports-and-presentations 

    BW Energy will today hold a live presentation at Hotel Continental, Oslo, Norway, and conference call followed by a Q&A hosted by CEO Carl K. Arnet, CFO Brice Morlot, CSO Thomas Young, CTO Jerome Bertheau and CCO Thomas Kolanski at 09:30 CEST. 

    You can follow the presentation via webcast with supporting slides, available on: 

    VIEWER REGISTRATION • Q1 2025   

    Please note, that if you follow the webcast via the above URL, you will experience a 30 second delay compared to the main conference call. The Web page works best in an updated browser – Chrome is recommended. 


    For further information, please contact: 

    Brice Morlot, CFO BW Energy

    +33.7.81.11.41.16, ir@bwenergy.no
     

    About BW Energy: 

    BW Energy is a growth E&P company with a differentiated strategy targeting proven offshore oil and gas reservoirs through low risk phased developments. The Company has access to existing production facilities to reduce time to first oil and cashflow with lower investments than traditional offshore developments. The Company’s assets are 73.5% of the producing Dussafu Marine licence offshore Gabon, 100% interest in the Golfinho and Camarupim fields, a 76.5% interest in the BM-ES-23 block, a 95% interest in the Maromba field in Brazil, a 95% interest in the Kudu field in Namibia, all operated by BW Energy. In addition, BW Energy holds approximately 6.6% of the common shares in Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. and a 20% non-operating interest in the onshore Petroleum Exploration License 73 (“PEL 73”) in Namibia. Total net 2P+2C reserves and resources were 599 million barrels of oil equivalent at the start of 2025. 

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: BW Energy: Makes FID on Maromba field development in Brazil  

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BW Energy makes FID on Maromba field development in Brazil  

    BW Energy is pleased to announce the final investment decision (FID) for the Maromba development offshore Brazil based on a capex-efficient development with an integrated drilling and wellhead platform (WHP) and a refurbished FPSO. The development targets 500 million barrels of oil in place in the highly delineated and tested Maastrichtian sands. First oil is planned by end-2027 with expected plateau production of 60,000 barrels of oil per day. The development will more than double BW Energy’s total net production by 2028 and has short pay-back time.    

    Project highlights: 

    • Initial six production wells from the WHP 
    • The WHP will be a converted drilling jack-up with up to 16 well slots and production- and test-flowlines connected to the redeployed FPSO BW Maromba (ex. Polvo) 
    • A second six-well drilling campaign will fully leverage the established field infrastructure and allow for appraisal and testing of other reservoir horizons  
    • BW Maromba refurbishment and life extension work is already underway at the COSCO yard in China 
    • Total investments of USD ~1.5 billion, split USD ~1.2 billion for the initial development and a further USD ~0.3 billion for the secondary drilling campaign 

    “We have spent time on optimising the Maromba development plan and concluded on a highly competitive concept with a repurposed jack-up platform and FPSO, repeating the approach we very successfully applied in Gabon. Maromba will enable BW Energy to deliver industry-leading organic production growth and position the Company for further low-cost developments of known potential developments. We expect to unlock significant shareholder value in all realistic oil price scenarios,” said Carl K. Arnet, the CEO of BW Energy. 

    Capex-efficient development concept  

    The development comprises six initial Maastrichtian horizontal production wells with dry-trees and artificial lift by downhole Electric Submersible Pumps (ESPs). Production will be transferred from the WHP to the spread moored FPSO Maromba for treatment, storage and offloading to shuttle tankers. The WHP will be installed in ~150 meters of water depth with full drilling facilities. Once installed, the infrastructure will also enable the planned secondary six-well drilling campaign and provide potential for future development phases with low-cost infill wells, potential water injectors as well as allowing appraisal and production of multiple proven reservoirs outside the main Maastrichtian resources.    

    The FPSO Maromba is currently at the COSCO yard in China, undergoing initial refurbishment and life extension work following completion of condition assessment and FEED.  The FPSO is designed with 1 million barrels of storage capacity. The total liquid capacity will be 100,000 barrels per day with oil production capacity of 65,000 barrels per day and water treatment capacity of 85,000 barrels per day.  

    BW Energy has agreed to acquire a jack-up with complete leg extensions for USD 107.5 million. The rig will undergo a limited conversion to serve as an integrated drilling and wellhead platform prior to installation on the field.

    “The repurposing of existing energy infrastructure enables reduced investments and shorter time to first oil with significantly reduced greenhouse gas emissions in the development phase, as compared to installing new production assets,” said Carl K. Arnet, the CEO of BW Energy. 

    Attractive field economics  

    BW Energy expects to invest approximately USD 1 billion before first oil and a further USD 200 million to complete the initial drilling campaign before end 2028. This will be followed by USD 300 million for the additional six wells in the second campaign with completion before end 2030.  

    BW Energy anticipates Maromba to achieve a competitive production cost, averaging less than USD 10 per barrel over the first five years, underpinning robust project economics. 

    Estimated project IRR exceeds 30% at oil at USD 60 per barrel Brent and break-even at 10% IRR is around USD 40 per barrel Brent. The heavy oil from the Maromba is expected to trade at a discount to Brent of approximately USD 7.5 per barrel.  

    The development will be financed through existing cash and undrawn facilities, cashflow from operations, and separate infrastructure financing solutions related to the FPSO and WHP. The Company is also evaluating a range of financing alternatives, including a corporate facility, reserve-based lending, trader financing and the potential issuance of bonds.  

    BW Energy has also received a commitment by the main shareholder BW Group for a USD 250 million shareholder loan facility.   

    The Maromba field 

    Maromba is located 100 km off the Brazilian coast in the Campos Basin. Nine wells were drilled in the license between 1980 and 2006, with oil found in eight of these across various reservoirs. The development project targets 123 million barrels of 2P reserves (management estimates), with potential additional resources from other reservoirs to be appraised along the development. BW Energy acquired 100% ownership in Maromba in 2019 for a total of USD 115 million, of which USD 85 million remains to be paid to the sellers at predefined milestones. Magma Oil holds a 5% back-in right in the Maromba licence which is expected to be executed upon first oil.  

    BW Energy is following all the steps of the approval process with the Brazilian O&G Regulator (ANP) and with the Environmental Agency (IBAMA). The Company will now proceed with contracting of long-lead items and services, as well as finalising the financing agreements.   

    More information on the Maromba development will be shared in connection with the first quarter 2025 earnings presentation held at Teatersalen, Hotel Continental in Oslo, Norway, 09:30 CEST on 5 May.  

    The presentation can also be followed via webcast on: 

    VIEWER REGISTRATION • Q1 2025  
    https://events.webcast.no/viewer-registration/9LwLZF1X/register   

    For further information, please contact: 

    Brice Morlot, CFO BW Energy

    +33.7.81.11.41.16
    ir@bwenergy.com  

    About BW Energy  

    BW Energy is a growth E&P company with a differentiated strategy targeting proven offshore oil and gas reservoirs through low risk phased developments. The Company has access to existing production facilities to reduce time to first oil and cashflow with lower investments than traditional offshore developments. The Company’s assets are 73.5% of the producing Dussafu Marine licence offshore Gabon, 100% interest in the Golfinho and Camarupim fields, a 76.5% interest in the BM-ES-23 block, a 95% interest in the Maromba field in Brazil, a 95% interest in the Kudu field in Namibia, all operated by BW Energy. In addition, BW Energy holds approximately 6.6% of the common shares in Reconnaissance Energy Africa Ltd. and a 20% non-operating interest in the onshore Petroleum Exploration License 73 (“PEL 73”) in Namibia. Total net 2P+2C reserves and resources were 599 million barrels of oil equivalent at the start of 2025. 

    This information is considered inside information pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation and is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. This stock exchange release was published by Regine Andersen, 05 May 2025.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: Wang Liqin has big shoes to fill as Chinese table tennis chief

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Wang Liqin has stepped into one of the most challenging roles in sports as the new head of Chinese table tennis – just three days after Brazil’s Hugo Calderano stunned the world by winning the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Cup in Macao – a rare feat in a sport long dominated by China. His appointment also comes less than a month before the World Championships begin in Qatar.

    Wang replaces 49-year-old Liu Guoliang, who resigned on April 23 after a legendary career as a player, coach and administrator. Wang, 46, faces the task of maintaining China’s dominance in a sport where international challengers are gaining ground.

    “It is a tremendous responsibility to take over as president of the Chinese Table Tennis Association (CTTA),” said Wang, a two-time Olympic gold medalist whose second gold came under Liu’s coaching. “I feel both excited and anxious.”

    Since retiring from competition in 2014, Wang has risen steadily through the ranks as a sports official in Shanghai. He credits much of his success to Liu.

    “It was coach Liu who guided me to fulfill my dreams as an athlete,” Wang said. “Since becoming a sports official, I’ve always sought his advice. He holds the key to Chinese dominance in this game.”

    Acknowledging that Liu is irreplaceable, Wang said his top priority is preparation.

    “The immediate task is the World Championships in Doha, and the long-term goal is the Los Angeles Olympics,” he said.

    Calderano, who became the first Brazilian and Pan-American player to win the World Cup last month, now leads the global challenge to China. China, meanwhile, is sending a young team to Doha – one without reigning Olympic champions Ma Long, Fan Zhendong, and Chen Meng.

    Wang has been overseeing a 15-day closed-door training camp for the team at the Chengdu Table Tennis School – the same training ground where China began its gold-medal sweep at the Paris Olympics.

    Lin Shidong and Wang Chuqin, China’s top two men’s players, both fell to Calderano in the World Cup and are now looking for redemption. On the women’s side, Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu continue to lead a squad considered stronger than the rest of the field.

    “The Doha worlds will be Wang Liqin’s first test,” said CCTV commentator Li Wujun. “Any missteps or near misses will be blamed on poor timing of the leadership transition.”

    Liu cited a desire for a smooth transition and more time with family as reasons for stepping down. “I resigned at the right time to give the new CTTA leadership a full cycle to prepare for the LA Games,” he said.

    However, Chinese social media has questioned whether Liu’s international responsibilities – as vice president of the ITTF and chair of the World Table Tennis board – conflicted with his role as CTTA president. Others pointed to increasing “toxic fandom” under his tenure.

    One of the most controversial moments came during the all-Chinese women’s final at the Paris Olympics, when Chen Meng was booed and attacked online while Sun Yingsha was vocally supported both in the arena and on social media.

    Chinese table tennis received a boost on April 9, when the International Olympic Committee added a mixed team event to the 2028 Olympics. The IOC also replaced the men’s and women’s team events with men’s and women’s doubles, bringing the total number of events at LA28 to six.

    “It’s great news for the table tennis world,” said Wang. “But the reshuffling of the LA table tennis program means we’ll need new strategies for six events.”

    On the day of Wang’s election, Liu patted him on the arm and said half-jokingly, “We swept the board in Paris. Now it’s your turn.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tailoring and the Black dandy: how 250 years of Black fashion history inspired the 2025 Met Gala

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Toby Slade, Associate Professor of Fashion, University of Technology Sydney

    Portrait of a Man, c. 1855 National Gallery of Art

    Fashion is one of the most powerful tools we have for understanding ourselves and the world around us. Nowhere is this clearer than in the story of Black American tailoring and the legacy of the Black dandy.

    Inspired by scholar Monica L. Miller’s groundbreaking book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, the theme of The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute spring 2025 show is Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.

    The exhibition charts the evolution of the Black dandy from the 18th century to today. The story it tells is about more than suits. It’s about power, pride, resistance and joy.

    Each year, the Met Gala takes its dress code from the institue’s spring exhibition. This year’s is “Tailored for You”. So who is the Black dandy, why are they so important to fashion today, and what can we expect to see on the red carpet?

    The birth of the Black Dandy

    “Black dandy” is a modern term. Figures like American abolitionist Frederick Douglass (1818–95) or Haitian revolutionary leader Toussaint Louverture (1743–1803) would not have called themselves dandies, but they used style with similar effect: as a tool of resistance, self-fashioning and cultural pride.

    Toussaint Louverture was a leader during the widespread uprisings of enslaved people in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) in 1791. This image was drawn in 1802.
    The Metropolitan Museum of Art

    French poet Charles Baudelaire (1821–67) first wrote about dandies in 1863, describing them as individuals who elevate style to a form of personal and aesthetic resistance.

    Baudelaire’s dandy was not just stylish but symbolic. He was an emblem of modernity itself: a time marked by fluid identities, liminal spaces and the collapse of clear boundaries between gender, authenticity and social order.

    Dandyism among Black men took root in the 18th and 19th centuries in both the United States and the Caribbean. Tailoring became a way to reclaim dignity under enslavement and colonialism.

    Dandies take the clothing of an oppressor – aristocratic, colonial, segregationist or otherwise – and turn it into a weapon of elegance. Through meticulous style and refinement, dandies make a silent yet striking claim to moral superiority.

    Frederick Douglass was born into slavery, and freed in 1838. This photograph shows him in 1855.
    The Metropolitan Museum of Art

    Douglass famously appeared in immaculate Victorian suits when campaigning for abolition, consciously dressing in the same style as those who denied his freedom.

    Louverture used perfectly tailored French military uniforms during the Haitian Revolution against French colonial rule.

    In the 1920s, Harlem dandies wore fine tailoring and flamboyant colours, rejecting the idea that poverty or discrimination should dictate presentation.

    In perfectly tied cravats, polished shoes and sharply tailored coats, Black dandies refashion power on their own terms.

    Presence through style

    Dandies also challenge the narrow rules of masculinity.

    Conventional menswear often demands restraint, toughness and invisibility. Dandies dare to embrace beauty, self-adornment and performance. This masculinity can be expressive, creative and even flamboyant.

    The luxurious silk suits and carefully groomed appearance of American Jazz pioneer Duke Ellington (1899–1974) projected glamour rather than austerity.

    The elegantly tailored overcoats and scarves of American poet Langston Hughes (1901–67) suggested a masculinity deeply entwined with creativity and softness.

    Figures in Harlem’s ballrooms and jazz clubs blurred gender boundaries decades before mainstream conversations about gender fluidity emerged.

    A street scene in Harlem, New York City, photographed in 1943.
    Library of Congress

    A tradition of Black tailoring

    In a world where Black self-presentation has long been scrutinised and politicised, tailored clothing asserted visibility, authority and artistry. Dandies transformed fashion into a political declaration of dignity, resistance and creative power.

    Black American tailoring practices blossomed most visibly in the zoot suits of the Harlem Renaissance, though they also had strong roots in New Orleans, Chicago and the Caribbean.

    As seen in the Sunday Best of the Civil Rights era, Black tailoring walked the line between resistance and celebration: beautiful but with clear political intent.

    In the 1970s, the Black dandy became more flamboyant, wearing tight, colourful clothes with bold accessories. He transformed traditional suits with exaggerated shapes, bright patterns and plaids inspired by African heritage.

    Artists popular with a white audience like Sammy Davis Jr (1925–90), Miles Davis (1926–91) and James Brown (1933–2006) embraced the aesthetic, contributing to its widespread acceptance.

    Sammy Davis Jr with his first European gold record, 1976.
    Nationaal Archief, CC BY

    Meanwhile, a super stylish contingent of Black men in the Congo, La Sapeur, refined their look so spectacularly they would become the benchmark of the Black dandy for generations to come.

    The 1990s saw a new era of Black dandyism emerge through luxury sportswear and hip-hop aesthetics.

    Designer Dapper Dan (1944–) revolutionised fashion by remixing luxury logos into bold, custom streetwear, creating a distinctive Black aesthetic that bridged hip-hop culture and high fashion.

    Musician Andre 3000 (1975–) redefined menswear by blending Southern Black style with bold colour, vintage tailoring and theatrical flair.

    Today, the tradition thrives in the style of influencer Wisdom Kaye, the elegance of LeBron James, and the risk-taking of Lewis Hamilton.

    Dressing for the red carpet

    Tailored for You invites guests to interpret the dandy’s legacy in personal, bold and boundary-pushing ways.

    Whether conforming to tradition, subverting expectations or creating something entirely new, this theme is a celebration of the freedom to dress – and be – on your own terms.

    The Black dandy is a figure of defiance and desire, of ambiguity and brilliance, of resistance and beauty. Dandyism blurs boundaries between masculinity and femininity, artifice and authenticity, conformity and rebellion. It unsettles fixed identities and reflects broader tensions within modern life.

    The poet and activist Countee Cullen, as depicted by Winold Reiss around 1925.
    National Portrait Gallery

    Black dandies have shocked, amused, offended, delighted and inspired society since their inception. In the sharp defiance of Douglass’ Victorian suits, the flamboyant spectacle of Harlem ballrooms, and the logo-laced rebellion of Dapper Dan’s streetwear, the Black dandy has continually forced the world to reckon with the politics of presence, pride and performance.

    Despite being overlooked by mainstream fashion history, they’ve shaped the way we see elegance, masculinity and self-expression. This Met Gala and the accompanying exhibition are not just a celebration – they are a long-overdue recognition.

    Dijanna Mulhearn receives funding from Australian Government Research Training Stipend.

    Toby Slade 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. Tailoring and the Black dandy: how 250 years of Black fashion history inspired the 2025 Met Gala – https://theconversation.com/tailoring-and-the-black-dandy-how-250-years-of-black-fashion-history-inspired-the-2025-met-gala-250650

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Wang Zongyuan, Chen Yuxi clinch titles at Diving World Cup Super Final in Beijing

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Chinese Olympic champions Wang Zongyuan and Chen Yuxi crowned the first two individual champions with the head-to-head competition format making its debut at the “Water Cube” in Beijing Saturday.

    In this new format, the top 12 athletes in individual events are seeded and paired according to their rankings. Each diver chooses three dives to perform, and the lower scorer in each pairing is eliminated. In the semifinals, the remaining six divers are divided into two groups, with the top two from each group advancing to the final.

    Divers returned to their usual pace and dive order by performing six dives in the men’s 3m springboard final. Wang, a two-time 3m springboard synchro champion and two-time silver medalist in individual events at the last two Olympic Games, won the gold with 519.25 points, edging teammate Zheng Jiuyuan into second place with 505.05 points.

    Moritz Wesemann of Germany and Luis Felipe Uribe Bermudez of Colombia finished third and fourth with 430.45 and 418.20 points, respectively.

    “The new format pushed us to enter our peak form from the very beginning and I started high in the first two sessions. In fact, I lost some energy in the final, especially in my 207C which only received 77.40,” said 23-year-old Wang.

    Zheng, 21, celebrated his first 500+point performance in the world level competition. “I have never reached 500+ in the competition before, I felt excited even right now. The new format gave me more uncertainty and pressure. I laughed at myself for my poor first dive 407c with 68 points in the morning,” Zheng said after the awarding ceremony.

    In the women’s 10m platform final, top seed Chen Yuxi demonstrated consistency, finishing with 432.15 points from the heats and semifinals, while Quan Hongchan, who scored 57.75 points on her 207C, accumulated a total of 399.25 points heading into the last four.

    With five stable dives in the final, Chen secured the win with 431.25 points, while Quan finished second with 409.80 due to minor mistakes in her 6243D and 207C. Alejandra Estudillo Torres of Mexico took the bronze with 332.70.

    “I have never tried like this before as three big battles within two days from 10m synchro, mixed team and individual 10m event. I felt fainted at last. It is a huge challenge and a new lesson for me to deal with the new competition format, on the issues of how to relax and adjust myself into form in very short time,”Chen said.

    For Quan, earning a silver medal was the best reward for her discipline and perseverance amid growth pains. “The total time of individual competition was limited within one hour, including the head-to-head, semifinal and final. I felt out of energy a little bit because I could hardly climb up to the platform. A silver is good for me because I am still learning how to balance my growing height and weight,” said the two-time women’s 10m platform Olympic gold medalist.

    China has swept all seven gold medals offered so far at the three-day Super Final. The competition will conclude on Sunday with the women’s 3m springboard and men’s 10m platform finals.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Sporting events emerge as popular holiday attractions in China

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    A Peking Opera performance during the World Aquatics Diving World Cup Super Final at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing, China, on May 3, 2025. (Xinhua/Na Yuqi)

    A captivating performance of Peking Opera staged on the diving platform amazed the audience during the World Aquatics Diving World Cup Super Final at the National Aquatics Center, famously known as the “Water Cube,” in Beijing on Saturday.

    “I was truly impressed by the vibrant atmosphere in the Water Cube. I traveled from Tianjin with my children to watch the Super Final, and the shows were beyond the competition itself. I believe I made a great choice for our holiday,” said Zhang Shaoyin during the three-day event that began on Friday.

    The Water Cube, originally built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, hosted swimming and diving competitions during the Games, as well as the curling events during the 2022 Winter Olympics, after having been transformed into the “Ice Cube.”

    During China’s five-day Labor Day holiday starting Thursday, the dual-Olympic venue has been once again in the spotlight of the sports world.

    “I hadn’t watched a diving competition since Beijing 2008,” said Bai Xiaoke, a local resident. “I used to take my son to the water park here, but this time our family is here for this high-level international event.”

    The Super Final also attracted Jorge Alberto Cueva from Mexico, who also used mobile payment platforms such as Alipay for the first time.

    “Everything here is new for me. It is definitely a delightful experience, and I will keep the memory for a long time,” said Cueva.

    Organizers launched around 40 official licensed products, including pins, cups, bags, and keychains. Many fans purchased plush turtle toys — popular to Chinese star diver Quan Hongchan — to show their admiration.

    Tian Yao, a sports presentation manager at the Super Final, introduced, “Many cultural elements including the famous landmarks along the Beijing Central Axis, such as Tiananmen and Yongdingmen Gate, were vividly displayed in the venue through 3D projection. It is just like a city tour in the Water Cube for the audience.”

    “Sporting events held during holiday have a multiplier effect. The Super Final’s box office surpassed 5.7 million yuan (784,000 U.S. dollars), with over 7,000 spectators attending the diving competitions on Friday,” revealed Zhang Yun, deputy director of Beijing Sports Competitions Administration and International Exchange Center.

    Meanwhile, in Xiamen, Fujian Province, the Sudirman Cup is another major event attracting visitors. According to a manager at Wutong Pliport Hotel, room bookings have surged since the tournament began on April 27, with more than 80 percent of the 620 rooms reserved. The hotel provides shuttle services to the badminton venue and prepares food packs featuring local snacks and drinks for fans.

    Zhou Jiaze, 19, from Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, shared, “I love playing badminton. I missed the last Sudirman Cup two years ago when I was in high school, but now I’m here. I plan to explore the city and visit Xiamen University.”

    “I spent over 14 hours to get here, with a transfer in Tianjin,” said Xu Yuyan, traveling from Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. “I will stay here for five days and hope to see great performance of Chinese players.”

    Geoff Stensland, president of the Bellevue Badminton Club of Seattle, Washington, also visited Xiamen for the Sudirman Cup. “Badminton is getting more popular in America with new clubs opening almost every month. The Sudirman Cup is real fun,” Stensland said.

    Also during the Labor Day holiday, the Equestrian Shanghai Global Champions Tour was held from Friday to Sunday, attracting international tourists eager to enjoy outdoor sports. Additionally, the FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series and a World Tour event also took place in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. In less than 100 days, Chengdu will host the 12th World Games – the first major global sports event in western China since the 31st Universiade in 2023.

    “As an increasing number of sporting events are held in China in recent years, people have got used to taking exciting games as an integral part of their holiday,” said Zou Xinxian, a professor at Beijing Sport University. “This trend can not only boost the host city’s vitality, but also spur the economy driven by international events.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi Jinping: A visionary architect of world peace and development

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese President Xi Jinping watches the military parade during the commemoration activities to mark the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 3, 2015. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

    In the stately Conference Building at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, a 65-inch-tall resplendent bronze vessel gleams under soft light, its cloisonne enamel blazing in vibrant Chinese red.

    The “Zun of Peace,” presented by Chinese President Xi Jinping in September 2015 as a special gift for the United Nations’ 70th anniversary, is not merely a delicate artifact. It embodies the aspiration and conviction of the Chinese people to seek peace, development, cooperation and win-win outcomes, Xi said at its unveiling.

    A decade later, as the top Chinese leader travels to Moscow to celebrate the 80th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War, his presence both carries the weight of history and reaffirms a vision of the future.

    Leading a nation always aspiring for peace and harmony in its long history and further strengthened by its battles against militarism, imperialism and fascism in its recent past, Xi commands a unique insight into the value of peace, and has steadfastly championed the building of a peaceful world, a cause of great urgency given the tensions and conflicts on the global landscape today.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) attends a presentation ceremony on which the Chinese government gives the “Zun of Peace” to the United Nations as a gift in New York, the United States, Sept. 27, 2015. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

    ASPIRATION FOR PEACE

    Xi sees history as a mirror from which humanity should draw lessons to avoid repeating past calamities.

    This year marks the 80th anniversary of victory in what is commonly known in China as the World Anti-Fascist War or, more globally, as World War II. Almost every part of the world was involved, and more than 100 million were killed or wounded in what was described as the most destructive conflict in human history.

    The bravery and tremendous sacrifice of the Chinese people played a decisive role in defeating Fascist Japan and offered strategic support to the Allies on the European and Pacific battlefields.

    “History has told us to stay on high alert against war, which, like a demon and nightmare, would bring disaster and pain to the people,” Xi once said. “History has also told us to preserve peace with great care, as peace, like air and sunshine, is hardly noticed when people are benefiting from it, but none of us can live without it.”

    This historical observation features prominently in Xi’s unrelenting pursuit of peace. He has repeatedly reiterated China’s commitment to peaceful development, pledging that China will never seek hegemony, expansion or any sphere of influence, no matter how strong it may grow.

    During a 2014 visit to France, Xi reshaped Napoleon’s metaphor of China as a “sleeping lion” that would shake the world upon awakening. “Now China the lion has awakened. But it is a peaceful, amicable and civilized lion,” Xi said when illustrating the peaceful dimension of the Chinese Dream.

    Xi’s philosophy stems from the millennia-old Chinese culture. An avid reader of traditional Chinese classics, he once expounded how ancient Chinese wisdom views war and peace by quoting “The Art of War,” a Chinese classic written more than 2,000 years ago.

    The book’s key message “is that every effort should be made to prevent a war and great caution must be exercised when it comes to fighting a war,” Xi said when delivering a keynote speech in the UN Office at Geneva in 2017.

    Xi’s view on prudence in warfare is also reflected in his exchanges with foreign leaders and officials.

    “It has long been known that the real experts on military affairs do not want to employ military means to solve issues,” he quoted a Chinese aphorism when meeting with then U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis in Beijing in 2018.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping straightens the ribbon on a flower basket during a ceremony to present flower baskets to fallen heroes at Tian’anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 30, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

    A clear manifestation of Xi’s reflection is to cherish history and honor heroes. “A nation of hope cannot be without heroes,” Xi once said. Every year since 2014, Xi has paid tribute to China’s fallen heroes on Martyrs’ Day, which falls on Sept. 30, a day ahead of the country’s National Day.

    In 2015, when China celebrated the 70th anniversary of its victory in World War II, Xi presented medals to Chinese veterans and representatives from Russia and other countries who assisted Chinese soldiers on the battlefields.

    Nikolai Chuikov, the grandson of Soviet General Marshal Vasily Chuikov, was among those who received a peace medal from Xi. “Of all the honors I have won, I hold the highest regard for the peace medal,” he said.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping (R, front) shakes hands with a Russian veteran in Moscow, Russia, on May 8, 2015. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo) 

    TORCH OF MULTILATERALISM

    Under Xi’s leadership, China has adhered to an independent foreign policy of peace, played an active role in UN peacekeeping missions, and solidified its friendships and partnerships with countries worldwide.

    As hegemonism and protectionism once again rear their ugly heads, the world is gripped by an increasingly intricate array of challenges and uncertainties. In Xi’s eyes, the only way out is to practice true multilateralism. He once compared multilateralism to a torch that can light up humanity’s way forward.

    The Chinese president has consistently urged the international community to safeguard the UN-centered international system forged in the aftermath of World War II and anchored by international law.

    “We must promote multilateralism, the core essence of which is that international affairs should be decided through consultation among all countries, rather than by one country or a few countries,” he said.

    This photo taken on Jan. 2, 2025 shows the 46th fleet of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy during a counter-terrorism and anti-piracy exercise.The fleet traveled over 160,000 nautical miles during its 339-day voyage, escorting ships during missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia. (Xinhua/Zhang Dayu)

    Xi, a staunch champion of true multilateralism, has guided China over the years in taking a proactive and constructive role in addressing regional and global hot-button issues.

    To end the Ukraine crisis at an early date, Xi has put forward a four-point proposal, emphasizing that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected; the purposes and principles of the UN Charter observed; the legitimate security concerns of all countries given due regard; and all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis supported.

    Under Xi’s leadership, China has conducted shuttle diplomacy and mediation efforts to promote peace talks and initiated the “Friends of Peace” group with Brazil and other Global South countries on the Ukraine crisis at the United Nations.

    Regarding the Middle East, the Chinese president has promoted peace and stability in the volatile region. With China’s mediation, Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed in March 2023 to restore diplomatic relations after a seven-year hiatus. In the lead-up to the negotiations, Xi talked separately with the leaders of both countries.

    During a phone call with Xi soon after the breakthrough was achieved, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud applauded China’s increasingly important and constructive role in regional and international affairs.

    In face of the gathering gloom of conflict on the horizon, Xi has championed a transformative approach to collective security. In May 2014, he articulated a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security for Asia. Eight years later, he presented the Global Security Initiative to the world.

    “We, as humanity, are living in an indivisible security community,” he said, advocating dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance, and win-win outcomes over zero-sum approaches.

    “GOLDEN KEY” OF DEVELOPMENT

    Lasting world peace remains one of humanity’s greatest aspirations. For Xi, peace and development are inseparable. He once observed that the tree of peace does not grow on barren land, and the fruit of development is not produced amid flames of war.

    In view of the interlocked relations, Xi insists that the “golden key” to a secure and stable future is to advance sustainable development.

    Since assuming China’s presidency, Xi has positioned development as a pillar of his vision of building a better future for humankind. The initiatives he has proposed in this regard, notably the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, serve as bridges to foster common development through broader collaboration.

    China has provided development aid to over 160 countries, and Belt and Road cooperation has involved more than 150 countries. Under the Global Development Initiative, China has mobilized nearly 20 billion U.S. dollars of development funds and launched more than 1,100 projects, fueling growth and modernization drives in many countries, particularly developing ones.

    An aerial drone photo taken on March 4, 2024 shows trains running on the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line in Lagos, Nigeria. Undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation in July 2010 and completed in Dec. 2022, the first phase of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line corridor spans 13 km and covers five stations. (Xinhua/Han Xu)

    “China is sharing its development experience with other countries through its development initiatives, which have helped to promote common development,” said Straton Habyarimana, a Rwandan economic analyst.

    “Since these initiatives are people-centered, they address key challenges such as food insecurity and poverty” and have helped ease tensions among countries, he added.

    UPDATE OF WORLD ORDER

    Nestled by the Huangpu River in Shanghai, the New Development Bank was founded by five BRICS countries in 2014 to provide financing support for member countries to bolster transport infrastructure, clean energy and digital infrastructure.

    When Xi visited the bank a few days ago, he saw more than a mere financial institution. He described it as a “pioneering initiative for the unity and self-improvement of the Global South,” underscoring an enduring commitment to building a more just and equitable international order.

    This aerial photo taken on June 17, 2022 shows the headquarters building of the New Development Bank in east China’s Shanghai. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe)

    BRICS countries stand at the forefront of the Global South. Xi has personally pushed for the BRICS’ historic expansion in 2023 to create stronger unity among the Global South. The expansion, he said, would further strengthen the forces for world peace and development.

    Developing countries remain underrepresented in the global governance system, which the West has long dominated. China maintains that only when the rise of emerging markets and developing countries is reflected in the global governance system will global development be more balanced and global peace more firmly based.

    During the 2022 Group of 20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, Xi vocally supported the African Union in joining the leading multilateral mechanism, making China the earliest and most vocal champion for amplifying Africa’s voice in global governance.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping walks to the venue of the 17th summit of the Group of 20 in Bali, Indonesia, Nov. 15, 2022. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

    In recent years, Xi has proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative as key global public goods to create a more just and equitable global governance system.

    Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who received the “Zun of Peace” from the Chinese president on behalf of the United Nations 10 years ago, said China’s initiatives to promote global peace and development are inseparable from Xi’s foresight.

    “China is playing an increasingly important role on the world stage, and Xi has demonstrated proactive and crucial leadership,” Ban said. “He always believes that China can only do well when the world is doing well, and when China does well, the world will get even better.”

    In Xi’s own words, “every increase of China’s strength is an increase of the prospects of world peace.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump’s push on deep sea mining leaves Nauru’s commercial ambitions ‘out in cold’

    By Teuila Fuatai, RNZ Pacific senior journalist

    Nauru’s ambition to commercially mine the seabed is likely at risk following President Donald Trump’s executive order last month aimed at fast-tracking ocean mining, anti-deep sea mining advocates warn.

    The order also increases instability in the Pacific region because it effectively circumvents long-standing international sea laws and processes by providing an alternative path to mine the seabed, advocates say.

    Titled Unleashing America’s Offshore Critical Minerals and Resources, the order was signed by Trump on April 25. It directs the US science and environmental agency to expedite permits for companies to mine the ocean floor in US and international waters.

    It has been condemned by legal and environmental experts around the world, particularly after Canadian mining group The Metals Company announced last Tuesday it had applied to commercially mine in international waters through the US process.

    The Metals Company has so far been unsuccessful in gaining a commercial mining licence through the International Seabed Authority (ISA).

    Currently, the largest area in international waters being explored for commercial deep sea mining is the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, located in the central Pacific Ocean. The vast area sits between Hawai’i, Kiribati and Mexico, and spans 4.5 million sq km.

    The area is of high commercial interest because it has an abundance of polymetallic nodules that contain valuable metals like cobalt, nickel, manganese and copper, which are used to make products such as smartphones and electric batteries. The minerals are also used in weapons manufacturing.

    Benefits ‘for humankind as a whole’
    Under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Clarion-Clipperton Zone falls under the jurisdiction of the ISA, which was established in 1994. That legislation states that any benefits from minerals extracted in its jurisdiction must be for “humankind as a whole”.

    Nauru — alongside Tonga, Kiribati and the Cook Islands — has interests in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone after being allocated blocks of the area through UNCLOS. They are known as sponsor states.

    In total, there are 19 sponsor states in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.

    Nauru is leading the charge for deep sea mining in international waters. Image: RNZ Pacific/Caleb Fotheringham

    Nauru and The Metals Company
     Since 2011, Nauru has partnered with The Metals Company to explore and assess its block in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone for commercial mining activity.

    It has done this through an ISA exploration licence.

    At the same time, the ISA, which counts all Pacific nations among its 169-strong membership, has also been developing a commercial mining code. That process began in 2014 and is ongoing.

    The process has been criticised by The Metals Company as effectively blocking it and Nauru’s commercial mining interests.

    Both have sought to advance their respective interests in different ways.

    In 2021, Nauru took the unprecedented step of utilising a “two-year” notification period to initiate an exploitation licencing process under the ISA, even though a commercial seabed mining code was still being developed.

    An ISA commercial mining code, once finalised, is expected to provide the legal and technical regulations for exploitation of the seabed.

    In the absence of a code
    However, according to international law, in the absence of a code, should a plan for exploitation be submitted to the ISA, the body is required to provisionally accept it within two years of its submission.

    While Nauru ultimately delayed enforcing the two-year rule, it remains the only state to ever invoke it under the ISA. It has also stated that it is “comfortable with being a leader on these issues”.

    To date, the ISA has not issued a licence for exploitation of the seabed.

    Meanwhile, The Metals Company has emphasised the economic potential of deep sea mining and its readiness to begin commercial activities. It has also highlighted the potential value of minerals sitting on the seabed in Nauru’s block in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.

    “[The block represents] 22 percent of The Metals Company’s estimated resource in the [Clarion-Clipperton Zone and] . . .  is ranked as having the largest underdeveloped nickel deposit in the world,” the company states on its website.

    Its announcement on Tuesday revealed it had filed three applications for mining activity in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone under the US pathway. One application is for a commercial mining permit. Two are for exploration permits.

    The announcement added further fuel to warnings from anti-deep sea mining advocates that The Metals Company is pivoting away from Nauru and arrangements under the ISA.

    Last year, the company stated it intended to submit a plan for commercial mining to the ISA on June 27 so it could begin exploitation operations by 2026.

    This date appears to have been usurped by developments under Trump, with the company saying on Tuesday that its US permit application “advances [the company’s] timeline ahead” of that date.

    The Trump factor
     Trump’s recent executive order is critical to this because it specifically directs relevant US government agencies to reactivate the country’s own deep sea mining licence process that had largely been unused over the past 40 years.

    President Donald Trump signs a proclamation in the Oval Office at the White House last month expanding fishing rights in the Pacific Islands to an area he described as three times the size of California. Image: RNZ screenshot APR

    That legislation, the Deep Sea Hard Mineral Resources Act, states the US can grant mining permits in international waters. It was implemented in 1980 as a temporary framework while the US worked towards ratifying the UNCLOS Treaty. Since then, only four exploration licences have been issued under the legislation.

    To date, the US is yet to ratify UNCLOS.

    At face value, the Deep Sea Hard Mineral Resources Act offers an alternative licensing route to commercial seabed activity in the high seas to the ISA. However, any cross-over between jurisdictions and authorities remains untested.

    Now, The Metals Company appears to be operating under both in the same area of international waters — the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.

    Deep Sea Conservation Coalition’s Pacific regional coordinator Phil McCabe said it was unclear what would happen to Nauru.

    “This announcement really appears to put Nauru as a partner of the company out in the cold,” McCabe said.

    No Pacific benefit mechanism
    “If The Metals Company moves through the US process, it appears that there is no mechanism or no need for any benefit to go to the Pacific Island sponsoring states because they sponsor through the ISA, not the US,” he said.

    McCabe, who is based in Aotearoa New Zealand, highlighted extensive investment The Metals Company had poured into the Nauru block over more than 10 years.

    He said it was in the company’s financial interests to begin commercial mining as soon as possible.

    “If The Metals Company was going to submit an application through the US law, it would have to have a good measure of environmental data on the area that it wants to mine, and the only area that it has that data [for] is the Nauru block,” McCabe said.

    He also pointed out that the size of the Nauru block The Metals Company had worked on in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone was the same as a block it wanted to commercially mine through US legislation.

    Both are exactly 25,160 sq km, McCabe said.

    RNZ Pacific asked The Metals Company to clarify whether its US application applied to Nauru and Tonga’s blocks. The company said it would “be able to confirm details of the blocks in the coming weeks”.

    It also said it intended to retain its exploration contracts through the ISA that were sponsored by Nauru and Tonga, respectively.

    Cook Islands nodule field – photo taken within Cook Islands EEZ. Image: Cook Islands Seabed Minerals Authority

    Pacific Ocean a ‘new frontier’
     Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) associate Maureen Penjueli had similar observations to McCabe regarding the potential impacts of Trump’s executive order.

    Trump’s order, and The Metals Company ongoing insistence to commercially mine the ocean, was directly related to escalating geopolitical competition, she told RNZ Pacific.

    “There are a handful of minerals that are quite critical for all kinds of weapons development, from tankers to armour like nuclear weapons, submarines, aircraft,” she said.

    Currently, the supply and processing of minerals in that market, which includes iron, lithium, copper, cobalt and graphite, is dominated by China.

    Between 40 and 90 percent of the world’s rare earth minerals are processed by China, Penjueli said. The variation is due to differences between individual minerals.

    As a result, both Europe and the US are heavily dependent on China for these minerals, which according to Penjueli, has massive implications.

    “On land, you will see the US Department of Defense really trying to seek alternative [mineral] sources,” Penjueli said.

    “Now, it’s extended to minerals in the seabed, both within [a country’s exclusive economic zone], but also in areas beyond national jurisdictions, such as the Clarion-Clipperton Zone, which is here in the Pacific. That is around the geopolitical [competition]  . . .  and the US versus China positioning.”

    Notably, Trump’s executive order on the US seabed mining licence process highlights the country’s reliance on overseas mineral supply, particularly regarding security and defence implications.

    He said the US wanted to advance its leadership in seabed mineral development by “strengthening partnerships with allies and industry to counter China’s growing influence over seabed mineral resources”.

    The Metals Company and the US
     She believed The Metals Company had become increasingly focused on security and defence needs.

    Initially, the company had framed commercial deep sea mining as essential for the world’s transition to green energies, she said. It had used that language when referring to its relationships with Pacific states like Nauru, Penjueli said.

    However, the company had also begun pitching US policy makers under the Biden administration over the need to acquire critical minerals from the seabed to meet US security and defence needs, she said.

    Since Trump’s re-election, it had also made a series of public announcements praising US government decisions that prioritised deep sea mining development for defence and security purposes.

    In a press release on Trump’s executive order, The Metals Company chief executive Gerard Barron said the company had enough knowledge to manage the environmental risks of deep sea mining.

    “Over the last decade, we’ve invested over half a billion dollars to understand and responsibly develop the nodule resource in our contract areas,” Barron said.

    “We built the world’s largest environmental dataset on the [Clarion-Clipperton Zone], carefully designed and tested an off-shore collection system that minimises the environmental impacts and followed every step required by the International Seabed Authority.

    “What we need is a regulator with a robust regulatory regime, and who is willing to give our application a fair hearing. That’s why we’ve formally initiated the process of applying for licenses and permits under the existing US seabed mining code,” Barron said.

    ISA influenced by opposition faction
    The Metals Company directed RNZ Pacific to a statement on its website in response to an interview request.

    The statement, signed by Barron, said the ISA was being influenced by a faction of states aligned with environmental NGOs that opposed the deep sea mining industry.

    Barron also disputed any contraventions of international law under the US regime, and said the country has had “a fully developed regulatory regime” for commercial seabed mining since 1989.

    “The ISA has neither the mining code nor the willingness to engage with their commercial contractors,” Barron said. “In full compliance with international law, we are committed to delivering benefits to our developing state partners.”

    President Trump’s executive order marks America’s return to “leadership in this exciting industry”, claims The Metals Company. Note the name “Gulf of America” on this map was introduced by President Trump in a controversial move, but the rest of the world regards it as the Gulf of Mexico, as recognised by officially recognised by the International Hydrographic Organisation. Image: Facebook/The Metals Company

    ‘It’s an America-first move’
    Despite Barron’s observations, Penjueli and McCabe believed The Metals Company and the US were side-stepping international law, placing Pacific nations at risk.

    McCabe said Pacific nations benefitted from UNCLOS, which gives rights over vast oceanic territories.

    “It’s an America-first move,” said McCabe who believes the actions of The Minerals Company and the US are also a contravention of international law.

    There are also significant concerns that Trump’s executive order has effectively triggered a race to mine the Pacific seabed for minerals that will be destined for military purposes like weapons systems manufacturing, Penjueli said.

    Unlike UNCLOS, the US deep sea mining legislation does not stipulate that minerals from international waters must be used for peaceful purposes.

    Deep Sea Conservation Coalition’s Duncan Currie believes this is another tricky legal point for Nauru and other sponsor states in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone.

    Potentially contravene international law
    For example, should Nauru enter a commercial mining arrangement with The Metals Company and the US under US mining legislation, any royalties that may eventuate could potentially contravene international law, Currie said.

    First, the process would be outside the ISA framework, he said.

    Second, UNCLOS states that any benefits from seabed mining in international waters must benefit all of “humankind”.

    Therefore, Currie said, royalties earned in a process that cannot be scrutinised by the ISA likely did not meet that stipulation.

    Third, he said, if the extracted minerals were used for military purposes — which was a focus of Trump’s executive order — then it likely violates the principle that the seabed should only be exploited for peaceful purposes.

    “There really are a host of very difficult legal issues that arise,” he added.

    The Metals Company says ISA is being influenced by a faction of states aligned with environmental NGOs that oppose the deep sea mining industry. Image: Facebook/The Metals Company/RNZ

    The road ahead
     Now more than ever, anti-deep sea mining advocates believe a moratorium on the practice is necessary.

    Penjueli, echoing Currie’s concerns, said there was too much uncertainty with two potential avenues to commercial mining.

    “The moratorium call is quite urgent at this point,” she said.

    “We simply don’t know what [these developments] mean right now. What are the implications if The Metals Company decides to dump its Pacific state sponsored partners? What does it mean for the legal tenements that they hold in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone?”

    In that instance, Nauru, which has spearheaded the push for commercial seabed mining alongside The Metals Company, may be particularly exposed.

    Currently, more than 30 countries have declared support for a moratorium on deep sea mining. Among them are Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, New Caledonia, Palau, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Tuvalu.

    On the other hand, Nauru, Kiribati, Tonga, and the Cook Islands all support deep sea mining.

    Australia has not explicitly called for a moratorium on the practice, but it has also refrained from supporting it.

    New Zealand supported a moratorium on deep sea mining under the previous Labour government. The current government is reportedly reconsidering this stance.

    RNZ Pacific contacted the Nauru government for comment but did not receive a response.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: South Sudan: MSF strongly condemns the deliberate bombing of its hospital in Old Fangak, Jonglei State – MSF

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    Jonglei State, SOUTH SUDAN (May 4, 2025) – Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) strongly condemns the deliberate bombing of its hospital in Old Fangak, South Sudan. The attack began at around 4:30am when two helicopter gunships first dropped a bomb on the MSF pharmacy, burning it to the ground, then went on to fire on the town of Old Fangak for around 30 minutes. At around 7am, a drone bombed the Old Fangak market. There have been at least seven deaths and 20 injured.

    Mamman Mustapha, MSF Head of Mission in South Sudan, said “At 8am, we received around 20 wounded people at our hospital in Old Fangak, including four in a critical condition. There are reports of more fatalities and wounded in the community. One patient and two care givers, including one of our staff, who were already inside the hospital were injured in the bombing – patients who were not in a critical condition, ran from the facility. The bombing of our hospital in Old Fangak has resulted in significant damage, including the complete destruction of the pharmacy, which was burned to the ground. This is where all our medical supplies for the hospital and our outreach activities were stored, severely compromising our ability to provide care. We strongly condemn this attack, which took place despite the geolocations of all MSF structures, including Old Fangak Hospital, being shared with all parties to the conflict.

    “Old Fangak Hospital is the only hospital in Fangak county, serving a population of over 110,000 people who already had extremely limited access to healthcare. We are still assessing the full extent of the damage and the impact on our ability to provide care, but this attack clearly means people will now be even further cut-off from receiving life-saving treatment. We call on all parties to the conflict to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure – this includes health workers, patients and health facilities. Hospitals must never be targeted and the lives of civilians must be protected.”

    This is the second time an MSF hospital has been impacted in the past month, following the armed looting of our hospital and premises in Ulang, Upper Nile state on April 14, which led to the entire population of Ulang county being cut off from accessing secondary health care.

    Notes:

    Since 2014, MSF has been providing secondary healthcare services in Fangak County, a remote area where people struggle to access medical care due to flooding, insecurity, and displacement. The hospital supported by MSF is the only facility serving a population of over 110,000 people in Fangak county. Many patients travel for days by canoe to reach it, particularly during the rainy season when extreme flooding isolates entire communities.

    In South Sudan, MSF works in six of the country’s 10 states and in two administrative areas, providing a range of services including general healthcare, mental healthcare and specialist hospital care. Our mobile teams also provide health assistance to displaced people and remote communities. In addition to responding to emergencies and disease outbreaks, we also carry out preventative activities, such as vaccination campaigns, seasonal malaria chemoprevention, safe drinking water and distribution of non-food items.

    MSF is an international, medical, humanitarian organisation that delivers medical care to people in need, regardless of their origin, religion, or political affiliation. MSF has been working in Haiti for over 30 years, offering general healthcare, trauma care, burn wound care, maternity care, and care for survivors of sexual violence. MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Blaming Donald Trump for conservative losses in both Canada and Australia is being too kind to Peter Dutton

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By David Smith, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney

    Australia’s federal election, held less than a week after Canada’s, has produced a shockingly similar outcome. Commentators all over the world have pointed out the parallels.

    In both countries, centre-left governments looked like they were in serious trouble not long ago.

    On February 23, a Resolve Strategic poll found the Coalition leading Labor 55-45% on a two-party-preferred basis. An Angus Reid poll in December found voting intention for Canada’s Liberals dropping to just 16%, compared to 45% for the Conservatives.

    Yet, both governments are now celebrating historic victories. And in both countries, the conservative opposition leaders, Pierre Poilievre and Peter Dutton, lost their own seats.

    US President Donald Trump was undoubtedly a factor in both elections. Even Trump’s most ardent Australian fans admit the reversal of the Coalition’s fortunes in the polls seems to have been precipitated by Trump’s actions, particularly his chaotic tariff announcements and his White House humiliation of Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

    In Canada, Trump cheerfully presented himself as an existential threat to the country.

    But if anything, Labor’s landslide win in the Australian election on Saturday highlights just how poorly the Coalition fared under Dutton compared to Canada’s Conservatives. The Coalition bottomed out, while the Tories fared reasonably well in the face of difficult circumstances.

    A painful but respectable loss for Conservatives in Canada

    So, why the huge difference between the two parties? This is largely because of the differences between the Canadian and Australian electoral systems.

    Unlike Australia, Canada does not have preferential voting – a vote for one party is a vote against another. The Liberals’ rise in the polls came mostly at the expense of the left-wing New Democratic Party (NDP) rather than the Conservatives.

    Back in December, 21% of voters preferred the NDP, compared to 16% for Justin Trudeau’s deeply unpopular Liberals. But when Trudeau stepped down and Mark Carney became the party’s new leader, the threat posed by Trump unified centre-left Canadian voters behind the Liberals, who had the best chance of winning.

    This is the strategic voting that is necessary in winner-take-all systems. The NDP has never won the largest share of seats in a national election, and it never had a chance of winning this one.

    The NDP was left with seven seats in last week’s election and under 7% of the vote, losing their party status in parliament and their leader. This was the most significant “Trump effect” on the Canadian election.

    Canada’s Conservatives ended up with 41.3% of the vote. This was only a few points down from their December high of 45% in the Angus Reid poll. They also won the greatest share of the national vote by any centre-right party since 1988, and expanded their share of seats in the parliament.

    The Liberals, meanwhile, barely won the popular vote and fell three seats short of a majority.

    Poilievre was rightly criticised for failing to respond effectively to the challenge posed by Trump’s bullying, instead continuing to campaign as if the election were still a referendum on Trudeau.

    That may have cost him a victory that seemed certain months earlier, especially considering Carney made his campaign all about standing up to Trump.

    Yet, the Conservatives still performed well enough for Poilievre to retain his position as opposition leader despite losing his seat. Another Conservative sacrificed his own seat to let Poilievre back into parliament.

    Dutton’s mistakes were bigger

    It’s hard to imagine any member of Dutton’s party doing the same. Dutton handed Labor a staggeringly high two-party-preferred vote and (likely) the most seats it has ever had. Labor won 86 seats in 1987, while Anthony Albanese’s party will have at least 86, with the count continuing.

    Dutton’s campaign has been widely described as “shambolic”. But it wasn’t just the last five weeks that doomed the Coalition.

    From the moment he became leader, it was clear Dutton had little interest in winning back the former Liberal heartland seats that fell to Teal independents in 2022. Instead, he held out the promise the outer suburbs would become the new heartland.

    Following the patterns established by John Howard, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, he believed the loss of middle-class women, once the backbone of the Liberal vote, could be compensated by gains among working-class men.

    This was always a pipe dream, given the flimsiness of the culture war issues that have been Dutton’s preferred terrain. But it drove urban voters further away from the Liberal Party.

    The Liberals should have been alarmed that in state elections and byelections last year, they were making almost no gains in metropolitan seats, whether inner suburban or outer suburban.

    The Coalition should resist seeing Trump as a natural disaster over which they had no control. Dutton consciously positioned himself as part of the global populist right that Trump leads. Voters recognised this, even when Dutton half-heartedly tried to distance himself from Trump.

    Not all right-wing populists are the same. Poilievre and Dutton have their own brands of populism they have spent decades cultivating, as have other right-wing populists like Javier Milei in Argentina. But in the suffocating global environment created by Trump, there is limited room for brand differentiation. He is the unavoidable reference point of right-wing politics.

    Last November, many right-wing figures thought this would benefit them. One of them is now a spectacular political casualty.

    David Smith 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. Blaming Donald Trump for conservative losses in both Canada and Australia is being too kind to Peter Dutton – https://theconversation.com/blaming-donald-trump-for-conservative-losses-in-both-canada-and-australia-is-being-too-kind-to-peter-dutton-255599

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Inside the Action | Secretary Noem Visits US-Mexico Border

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    Secretary Noem traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border to reaffirm that under the Trump administration, law enforcement is empowered to do their jobs effectively and keep out criminals, cartels and drug traffickers.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQIA27Tgxcw

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Velázquez and Ocasio-Cortez Call on Secretary Kennedy to Reverse Job Cuts in San Juan Medical Products Laboratory

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nydia M Velázquez (D-NY)

    Washington D.C. – Today, Representatives Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) sent a letter to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to stop the reduction in force (RIF) and reorganization plans at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) impacting FDA’s San Juan Medical Products Laboratory (SJNLMP).
     
    The SJNLMP is one of the few FDA-owned and operated facilities specializing in pharmaceutical drug analysis. It has evaluated and led to removal of thousands of adulterated products from the market that otherwise would have exposed American consumers to unsafe products. The laboratory also plays a critical role in ensuring that the drugs and medical products that are part of HHS’s Strategic National Stockpile remain safe and available for the nation’s armed forces and civilian populations during emergencies and conflicts.  
     
    According to constituents, on April 1, 2025, a RIF notice was distributed to the 20 laboratory employees and since then the laboratory has ceased operations.
     
    “Shutting down this laboratory is against your commitment to protect ‘essential services’ and ‘frontline jobs’ as doing so jeopardizes the safety of millions of Americans by weakening FDA’s ability to detect contaminated pharmaceuticals, respond to health emergencies, and safeguard national security,” wrote the lawmakers. “Additionally, this decision would eliminate over 20 highly skilled jobs in Puerto Rico.”
     
    Below is a selection of quotes from SJNLMP employees who received RIF notices. They have asked to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation.

    “April 1 was the worst day of my life — receiving the RIF notice shattered me,” SJNLMP employee said. “After years of dedication to public health, I felt abandoned, invisible, and heartbroken.”
     
    “Receiving the RIF notice felt like having the ground pulled from under us,” SJNLMP employee said. “After years of sacrifice and commitment to public health, it was devastating to be dismissed so suddenly, without acknowledgment of our work or our worth.”
     
    “Receiving the RIF notice was devastating and left me feeling discarded after years of dedicated public service,” SJNLMP employee said. “It created uncertainty, fear, and a deep sense of injustice. We were blindsided despite the critical role we played in protecting public health.”
     
    “When I received the RIF notice, I felt an overwhelming sense of shock and betrayal,” SJNLMP employee said. “It was heartbreaking to see our vital work disregarded so abruptly. The uncertainty about our future was deeply unsettling.”
     
    HHS’s RIF plans at SJNLMP will impact various FDA initiatives. Some are the  Health Fraud Program, which focuses on identifying and removing dietary supplements that are unsafe or advertised with misleading claims  from the market, the Shelf-Life Extension Program, which verifies the stability of SNS drugs and medical products, an existent Cooperative Research and Development Agreement to advance analytical methods for drug safety, and various Import and Surveillance Programs designed to monitor the safety of pharmaceutical imports.
     
    “We urge you to prioritize the health of the American people and the integrity of our pharmaceutical supply chain by ensuring that the San Juan Medical Products Laboratory remains fully staffed and operational,” wrote the lawmakers.

    “NTEU applauds Congresswoman Velázquez and other signatories for their leadership in urging the current administration to save the critically important FDA laboratory in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Keeping the essential work of this lab going forward is a matter of public health,  pharmaceutical safety, and American jobs.”—Doreen Greenwald, NTEU President

    “We support this Congressional letter, as the San Juan Medical Products Laboratory (SJNLMP) is essential for manufacturing in Puerto Rico and for quality processes. Losing a laboratory of this level represents a setback, given the equipment and the personnel with the required level of expertise.”—Dr. Jose A. Pérez Meléndez, President of Colegio de Químicos de Puerto Rico 2024–2025
     
    In addition to Velázquez and Ocasio-Cortez, the letter was signed by Reps. Darren Soto (D-FL), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).
     
    For a full copy of the letter, click here.
     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Velázquez Introduces Bill to End Crypto Tax Loophole Abused in Puerto Rico

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nydia M Velázquez (D-NY)

    WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) introduced the Fair Taxation of Digital Assets in Puerto Rico Act, a bill that would close a loophole in the federal tax code that is exploited by cryptocurrency investors claiming Puerto Rican residency to avoid paying taxes on income derived from investments in digital assets.    

    “For years, some of the wealthiest U.S. investors in digital assets have used Puerto Rico to avoid paying federal taxes,” said Velázquez. “This influx has not brought promised economic growth, instead it has raised costs and driven displacement on an island where the poverty rate is already 40 percent.  It’s about fairness. If you’re making money from digital assets, you should be paying your share—no matter your zip code.”

    Under current law, U.S. citizens who spend at least half the year in Puerto Rico can classify income from digital asset activities like mining, staking, or trading, as Puerto Rico-sourced and thus become exempt from federal taxes. Velázquez’s bill would change that, making clear that digital asset income is still subject to federal taxation.

    The bill comes amid ongoing concerns about the impact of the wave of crypto investors in Puerto Rico, many of whom are able to legally avoid paying any capital gains taxes by securing additional exemptions through local Act 22. Between 2020 and 2026, Puerto Rico is expected to lose $4.5 billion in revenue due to tax breaks for wealthy investors. An IRS whistleblower has also estimated that more than $10 billion in income is being shielded from federal taxes each year under current rules.

    “Puerto Rico deserves better than being turned into a tax haven for the wealthy,” said Velázquez. “This is about making sure the rules aren’t written to benefit a select few, while working people on the island and the mainland pay the price. This bill will help ensure Puerto Ricans can shape their own economic future and build their lives on the island.”

    “For too long, federal loopholes have allowed predatory cryptocurrency investors to exploit Puerto Rico, displacing communities and exacerbating inequality. Together with various other forms of preferential tax treatment, they have served to further rig the economy in favor of the wealthy and well connected. Many Puerto Rican communities are struggling with basic necessities – they cannot afford to continue subsidizing their gentrifiers’ digital assets as well. Additionally, based on past and ongoing audits of Puerto Rican tax incentives, there is a clear linkage between cryptocurrency activity and potential tax fraud.” -Iris Figueroa, Senior Policy Strategist at Popular Democracy

    The bill is cosponsored by Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Delia Ramírez (D-IL).

    For a copy of the bill, click here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Blaming Donald Trump for conservative losses in both Canada and Australia is being too kind to Peter Dutton

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Smith, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney

    Australia’s federal election, held less than a week after Canada’s, has produced a shockingly similar outcome. Commentators all over the world have pointed out the parallels.

    In both countries, centre-left governments looked like they were in serious trouble not long ago.

    On February 23, a Resolve Strategic poll found the Coalition leading Labor 55-45% on a two-party-preferred basis. An Angus Reid poll in December found voting intention for Canada’s Liberals dropping to just 16%, compared to 45% for the Conservatives.

    Yet, both governments are now celebrating historic victories. And in both countries, the conservative opposition leaders, Pierre Poilievre and Peter Dutton, lost their own seats.

    US President Donald Trump was undoubtedly a factor in both elections. Even Trump’s most ardent Australian fans admit the reversal of the Coalition’s fortunes in the polls seems to have been precipitated by Trump’s actions, particularly his chaotic tariff announcements and his White House humiliation of Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

    In Canada, Trump cheerfully presented himself as an existential threat to the country.

    But if anything, Labor’s landslide win in the Australian election on Saturday highlights just how poorly the Coalition fared under Dutton compared to Canada’s Conservatives. The Coalition bottomed out, while the Tories fared reasonably well in the face of difficult circumstances.

    A painful but respectable loss for Conservatives in Canada

    So, why the huge difference between the two parties? This is largely because of the differences between the Canadian and Australian electoral systems.

    Unlike Australia, Canada does not have preferential voting – a vote for one party is a vote against another. The Liberals’ rise in the polls came mostly at the expense of the left-wing New Democratic Party (NDP) rather than the Conservatives.

    Back in December, 21% of voters preferred the NDP, compared to 16% for Justin Trudeau’s deeply unpopular Liberals. But when Trudeau stepped down and Mark Carney became the party’s new leader, the threat posed by Trump unified centre-left Canadian voters behind the Liberals, who had the best chance of winning.

    This is the strategic voting that is necessary in winner-take-all systems. The NDP has never won the largest share of seats in a national election, and it never had a chance of winning this one.

    The NDP was left with seven seats in last week’s election and under 7% of the vote, losing their party status in parliament and their leader. This was the most significant “Trump effect” on the Canadian election.

    Canada’s Conservatives ended up with 41.3% of the vote. This was only a few points down from their December high of 45% in the Angus Reid poll. They also won the greatest share of the national vote by any centre-right party since 1988, and expanded their share of seats in the parliament.

    The Liberals, meanwhile, barely won the popular vote and fell three seats short of a majority.

    Poilievre was rightly criticised for failing to respond effectively to the challenge posed by Trump’s bullying, instead continuing to campaign as if the election were still a referendum on Trudeau.

    That may have cost him a victory that seemed certain months earlier, especially considering Carney made his campaign all about standing up to Trump.

    Yet, the Conservatives still performed well enough for Poilievre to retain his position as opposition leader despite losing his seat. Another Conservative sacrificed his own seat to let Poilievre back into parliament.

    Dutton’s mistakes were bigger

    It’s hard to imagine any member of Dutton’s party doing the same. Dutton handed Labor a staggeringly high two-party-preferred vote and (likely) the most seats it has ever had. Labor won 86 seats in 1987, while Anthony Albanese’s party will have at least 86, with the count continuing.

    Dutton’s campaign has been widely described as “shambolic”. But it wasn’t just the last five weeks that doomed the Coalition.

    From the moment he became leader, it was clear Dutton had little interest in winning back the former Liberal heartland seats that fell to Teal independents in 2022. Instead, he held out the promise the outer suburbs would become the new heartland.

    Following the patterns established by John Howard, Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison, he believed the loss of middle-class women, once the backbone of the Liberal vote, could be compensated by gains among working-class men.

    This was always a pipe dream, given the flimsiness of the culture war issues that have been Dutton’s preferred terrain. But it drove urban voters further away from the Liberal Party.

    The Liberals should have been alarmed that in state elections and byelections last year, they were making almost no gains in metropolitan seats, whether inner suburban or outer suburban.

    The Coalition should resist seeing Trump as a natural disaster over which they had no control. Dutton consciously positioned himself as part of the global populist right that Trump leads. Voters recognised this, even when Dutton half-heartedly tried to distance himself from Trump.

    Not all right-wing populists are the same. Poilievre and Dutton have their own brands of populism they have spent decades cultivating, as have other right-wing populists like Javier Milei in Argentina. But in the suffocating global environment created by Trump, there is limited room for brand differentiation. He is the unavoidable reference point of right-wing politics.

    Last November, many right-wing figures thought this would benefit them. One of them is now a spectacular political casualty.

    David Smith 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. Blaming Donald Trump for conservative losses in both Canada and Australia is being too kind to Peter Dutton – https://theconversation.com/blaming-donald-trump-for-conservative-losses-in-both-canada-and-australia-is-being-too-kind-to-peter-dutton-255599

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Too many journalists remain silent over the Gaza genocide, a threat to our media credibility

    Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. –

    By David Robie on World Press Freedom Day 2025

    I ask you now: Do not stop speaking about Gaza.

    Do not let the world look away.

    Keep fighting, keep telling our stories – until Palestine is free.

    These are not my words, although I believe and support them absolutely. They are the words of Palestinian journalist Hossam Shabat in his final message left behind when he was killed by an Israeli air strike on March 24.

    His message is a poignant one today, especially today which is May 3 — World Press Freedom Day.

    It is a message that I have been carrying in my heart since even earlier, since the assassination of another Palestinian journalist, the famous Shireen Abu Akleh, who was murdered by Israeli sharpshooters six days after Media Freedom Day in 2022 while reporting in Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank.

    It was her blatant killing in plain view on live video with impunity that signalled how the rogue state Israel was flaunting all international laws and accountability with contempt. And it was a hint of how it would it conduct itself in this disaster.

    According to the United Nations Human Rights Office in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OHCHR), since October 2023, Israeli occupation forces have killed 211 Palestinian journalists, including 28 women reporters reporting on Gaza. At least 47 journalists have been killed while on duty, and at least 49 media people are languishing in Israeli detention or hidden in prisons, mostly without charge.

    Why? To silence the journalists.

    To silence their storytelling, as Hossam Shabat indicated in his final message.

    And for more than 18 months Israel has refused access to Gaza by international journalists.

    Why? To kill the truth. To stop the world’s media from exposing the Israeli lies and their controlled narrative.

    But it hasn’t worked. The Zionists are losing control of the narrative — and they know it. As Amnesty International called it this week, the mass atrocity is a “livestreamed genocide” thanks due to the courage and dedication of the Gazan reporters and citizen journalists.

    A year ago — on this very day — the Gazan journalists were honoured with the UNESCO Guillermo Cano Prize in Santiago, Chile, in recognition of their “unique suffering and fearless reporting”.

    The protest march to Television New Zealand headquarters. Image: Asia Pacific Report

    Who would have thought this grotesque war, this obscene war would still be causing such terrible suffering more than year later?

    And we can’t even really call it a war at all because it is continuous massacres carried out by one of the most advanced and powerful military machines in the world, supplied and aided by the United States, on one side, with a relatively tiny resistance force armed with small arms on the other.

    Gaza is a “killing field – and civilians are in an endless death loop”, as the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, said the other day. Horrendous!

    And since the Cano award for the Gazan journalists, a further 111 media workers have been killed by Israel.

    Gazan journalist Hossam Shabat’s final message . . . he was killed by the Israeli military last month. Image: APR screenshot

    In the latest survey by Reporters Without Borders 2025 World Press Freedom Index released yesterday, global zones have been flagged where press freedom is “entirely absent and practising journalism is particularly dangerous”.

    “This is the case in Palestine, where the Israeli army has been annihilating journalism for more than 18 months, killing more than 200 media professionals — including at least 43 murdered while working — and imposing a blackout on the besieged strip.”

    Just a couple of weeks ago, a group of French and international journalists staged a “die-in” in Paris. They lay down on the steps of the Opera-Bastille as a street theatre representation of the unprecedented scale of the killing of journalists.

    It was organised by Reporters Without Borders, and secretary-general Thibaut Bruttin said:

    “The difficulty of making the cause of Palestinian journalists heard is proof that the insidious poison of the Israel armed forces has sometimes even penetrated our own narrative.

    “I have never seen a war in which, when a journalist is killed, you are told that they were really a terrorist.”

    Bruttin also reflected: “I think it must be said that solidarity is a form of strength. It is a source of strength, I hope, for Palestinian journalists to whom we send these images and to whom we express our solidarity through words and action.

    “And I also think that is an appeal to the media profession, and it’s true that this demonstration is happening late, perhaps too late. It must be recognised.

    “In the 10 years that I have been working at Reporters Without Borders, this is the first time that I have been asked if the journalist was really a journalist when they were killed. This had never happened. Never.

    “And I think we must salute all those who have been marching and all those professionals who have come and who say: ‘Yes, we must continue to report what is happening but we must also protest and do more. Journalists are being targeted. And they are also being defamed after their deaths.’”

    In January 2024, I wrote an article for Declassified Australia headlined: “Silencing the messenger: Israel kills journalists, while the West merely censors them.”

    I declared then that reporting Israel’s war on Gaza had become the greatest credibility challenge for journalists and media of our times.

    Dr David Robie and Del Abcede speaking at Auckland’s “Palestine Corner” rally on World Press Freedom Day. Image: Bruce King

    “Covering the conflict has opened divisions among media groups about fairness and balance that have become the most bitter since the climate change and covid pandemic debates when media ‘deniers’ and ‘bothsideism’ threatened to undermine the science.”

    It shocks me that so many journalists have remained silent. They should also be on the streets like us and reporting the truth. To me, the deafening silence is a betrayal of the 50 years of truth to power journalism that I have grown up with.

    Silence is complicity.

    Finally, I would like to quote from PSNA’s co-chair John Minto in the letter that we are taking today to Television New Zealand appealing for an independent review of 1News reporting on Palestine/Israel.

    Minto says: “Over the past 18 months of industrial scale killing of Palestinians by the Israeli military in Gaza we have been regularly appalled at the blatantly-biased reporting on the Middle East by Television New Zealand.

    “TVNZ’s reporting has been relentlessly and virulently pro-Israel . . .

    “The damage to human rights, justice and freedom in the Middle East by Western media such as TVNZ is incalculable.”

    I endorse and support these comments and call a halt to Israel deliberately targeting of Palestinian journalists. Let the truth be told, as Hossam told us, over and over again and prevent this blatant Western attempt to “normalise” genocide.

    Dr David Robie is editor of Asia Pacific Report and convenor of Pacific Media Watch. He gave this address at the World Press Freedom Day rally in “Palestine Corner” in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s Te Komititanga Square on 3 May 2025.

    The Television New Zealand protest on World Press Freedom Day – “Remembering the journalists killed by Israel”. Image: APR

    This article was first published on Café Pacific.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Inauguration of Cabo Verde’s Technology Park in Praia and Mindelo

    Source: African Development Bank Group

    What:     Event inaugurating Cabo Verde’s Tech Park

    Who:      The government of Cabo Verde and the African Development Bank. 

    When:    Monday, May 5, 2025 (Praia) and Tuesday, May 6, 2025 (Mindelo)

    Where:   TechPark CV Main Campus in Praia, Santiago and TechPark CV Mindelo Campus, Sao Vicente 

    The government of Cabo Verde and the African Development Bank will host a high-level event to inaugurate TechPark Cabo Verde, a tech hub established in 2023 that has quickly developed into a thriving technology hub.  

     The event is expected to bring together representatives of the government of Cabo Verde and other African countries, as well as from the United States, the European Union, and Brazil. President Akinwumi Adesina will lead an African Development Bank Group Delegation to the inauguration, which is also expected to attract innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, and academics.  

    The three-day program will highlight the future of Africa’s digital economy and Cabo Verde as a pioneer and example to other African countries. It will also highlight how targeted investment in technology infrastructure can drive economic diversification and create opportunities for young talent. 

    It will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions on digital transformation, workshops on emerging technologies, a startup pitch competition, and a cultural evening, hosted across TechPark CV’s auditoriums, conference rooms, and exhibition spaces.  

    TechPark CV has been designed to accelerate Cabo Verde’s economic diversification and digital inclusion by providing modern facilities, training programs, and a dynamic ecosystem for technology-driven enterprises. The event will solidify Cabo Verde’s position as a pivotal innovation hub in the Atlantic region. 

    Under Cabo Verde’s Sustainable Development Plan, the project has been supported by strategic investments from the African Development Bank through a two-phase loan program. 

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: No KYC, Double Deposit Bonus, $50 Welcome Bonus, and 100x Leverage Crypto Trading on BexBack

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, May 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the price of Bitcoin surpassing the $95,000 mark, many analysts believe that Bitcoin will enter a long-term high volatility market. Holding spot positions may not be consistently profitable in the short term. BexBack exchange is stepping up its efforts to provide traders with irresistible preferential packages. The platform now offers a 100% deposit bonus, a $50 new user welcome bonus, and 100x leverage on cryptocurrency trading, creating unparalleled trading opportunities for investors.

    What Is 100x Leverage and How Does It Work?

    Simply put, 100x leverage allows you to open larger trading positions with less capital. For example:

    Suppose the Bitcoin price is $60,000 that day, and you open a long contract with 1 BTC. After using 100x leverage, the transaction amount is equivalent to 100 BTC.

    One day later, if the price rises to $63,000, your profit will be (63,000 – 60,000) * 100 BTC / 60,000 = 5 BTC, a yield of up to 500%.

    With BexBack’s deposit bonus

    BexBack offers a 100% deposit bonus. If the initial investment is 2 BTC, the profit will increase to 10 BTC, and the return on investment will double to 1000%.

    Note: Although leveraged trading can magnify profits, you also need to be wary of liquidation risks.

    How Does the 100% Deposit Bonus Work?
    The deposit bonus from BexBack cannot be directly withdrawn but can be used to open larger positions and increase potential profits. Additionally, during significant market fluctuations, the bonus can serve as extra margin, effectively reducing the risk of liquidation.

    About BexBack?

    BexBack is a leading cryptocurrency derivatives platform that offers 100x leverage on BTC, ETH, ADA, SOL, XRP,and 50+ others futures contracts. It is headquartered in Singapore with offices in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Argentina. It holds a US MSB (Money Services Business) license and is trusted by more than 500,000 traders worldwide. Accepts users from the United States, Canada, and Europe. There are no deposit fees, and traders can get the most thoughtful service, including 24/7 customer support.

    Why recommend BexBack?

    No KYC Required: Start trading immediately without complex identity verification.

    100% Deposit Bonus: Double your funds, double your profits.

    High-Leverage Trading: Offers up to 100x leverage, maximizing investors’ capital efficiency.

    Demo Account: Comes with 10 BTC and 1M USDT in virtual funds, ideal for beginners to practice risk-free trading.

    Comprehensive Trading Options: Feature-rich trading available via Web and mobile applications.

    Convenient Operation: No slippage, no spread, and fast, precise trade execution.

    Global User Support: Enjoy 24/7 customer service, no matter where you are.

    Lucrative Affiliate Rewards: Earn up to 50% commission, perfect for promoters.

    Take Action Now—Don’t Miss Another Opportunity!

    If you missed the previous crypto bull run, this could be your chance. With BexBack’s 100x leverage and 100% deposit bonus and $50 bonus for new users (complete one trade within one week of registration), you can be a winner in the new bull run.

    Sign up on BexBack now, claim your exclusive bonus and start accumulating more BTC today!

    Website: www.bexback.com

    Contact: business@bexback.com

    Contact:
    Amanda
    business@bexback.com 

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

    Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We assume no responsibility for any inaccuracies, errors, or omissions. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2bc597a9-d5a5-4c87-a7c9-4a408b15d2eb

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f84970b5-5af6-4121-b977-32af58005274

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9c80d988-e506-4489-96d7-36281b8d5f26

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9d2d8511-5e7b-4888-a795-8e6d0ce1b248

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s wrongful deportation case is more about individual rights than the Trump administration’s foreign policy

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Chimene Keitner, Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Law, University of California, Davis

    U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, right, meets with Kilmar Abrego Garcia in San Salvador, El Salvador, on April 17, 2025. Photo by Sen. Van Hollen’s office via Getty Images

    Trump administration officials have repeatedly claimed that judges who order the administration to take action to bring deported Venezuelans back from the El Salvador prison where the U.S. sent them are meddling in the conduct of foreign policy.

    “The foreign policy of the United States is conducted by President Donald J. Trump − not by a court − and no court in the United States has a right to conduct the foreign policy of the United States,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on April 14.

    His comments refer to cases including that of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a 29-year-old Salvadoran man who was deported to El Salvador on March 15, 2025, without any due process. The Trump administration says it will not bring him back to the U.S., despite a Supreme Court order to facilitate his return.

    A reporter on April 30 asked Rubio about whether he has been in touch with El Salvador regarding Abrego Garcia’s potential release from a maximum security prison there.

    “Well I would never tell you that and you know who else I would never tell? A judge. Because the conduct of our foreign policy belongs to the president,” Rubio said.

    Rubio made a similar point on April 14, posting on X, “No court in the United States has a right to conduct the foreign policy of the United States. It’s that simple. End of story.”

    The legal cases of Abrego Garcia and other noncitizens deported to El Salvador are far from simple. Chimène Keitner, a scholar of international law and civil litigation, answers a few key questions about the power that U.S. judges actually have in these wrongful deportation cases.

    The Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., on April 28, 2025, with construction scaffolding on the facade.
    Brendan Śmiałowski/AFP via Getty Images

    Are these cases really about foreign policy or something else?

    These wrongful deportation cases aren’t primarily about foreign policy, despite what Trump officials have said − they’re about the protection of individual rights, including the right to due process.

    The Trump administration is arguing that courts cannot grant relief to individuals challenging their deportation and detention if those individuals are sent to another country and imprisoned there. Under that argument, even a wrongfully detained and deported U.S. citizen would be out of luck. That can’t, in my understanding, be right.

    In Reid v. Covert, a foundational case from 1957, the Supreme Court made clear that the government cannot deprive U.S. citizens of due process by entering into an agreement with a foreign country.

    Now, noncitizens are being detained in El Salvador under arrangements concluded between Rubio and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele in February 2025.

    So far, the relevant agreements have not been disclosed to Congress, arguably in violation of U.S. law. They also have not been disclosed to courts that have sought answers about relevant details.

    Following an April trip to El Salvador, U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat from Maryland, said that the U.S. will pay El Salvador $15 million to imprison the deported noncitizens − and that El Salvador is imprisoning these men only because the U.S. is paying for it.

    What are other important elements to understand about these cases?

    The Trump administration is arguing that a judge or the Supreme Court cannot order it to return noncitizens to the U.S., because detention operations in El Salvador, a sovereign country, are beyond the reach of U.S. courts.

    However, the U.S. decisions to arrest, detain and deport noncitizens to El Salvador, and to pay for their incarceration there with U.S. taxpayer dollars, are not foreign policy decisions that cannot be reviewed by any judge.

    They are, I would argue, governmental deprivations of the individual right to due process.

    A U.S. court does not have power over the government of El Salvador. However, it can order the U.S. government to request an individual’s return. The Supreme Court has ordered the government to “facilitate” the return of Abrego Garcia.

    The government has argued that “facilitate” in this context simply requires removing domestic U.S. legal obstacles. However, given that Abrego Garcia is being detained in El Salvador, any effective remedy would require the U.S. government to request his return under the detention agreement between the two countries.

    Another federal judge made this clear in an April order requiring the government to make a “good faith request” to El Salvador to release a different wrongfully deported 20-year-old.

    Meanwhile, Trump has stated that his administration is exploring the idea of extending the El Salvador detention agreement to encompass U.S. citizens. Judges have already expressed concern that U.S. citizens, including children, are being removed from the country “with no meaningful process.”

    These actions cannot be shielded from judicial review on the grounds that they involve foreign policy.

    President Donald Trump shakes hands with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele at the White House on April 14, 2025.
    Win McNamee/Getty Images

    Could the Trump administration legitimately claim that judges cannot rule on its foreign policy decisions?

    The Constitution gives foreign affairs powers to both the executive and legislative branches. Judges can’t conduct foreign policy. They can, however, decide cases that may affect foreign policy, especially when individual rights are at stake.

    Another country’s involvement in a case doesn’t prevent U.S. courts from protecting individual rights.

    Can these court orders to bring back wrongfully deported individuals be enforced?

    The Trump administration is currently trying to portray judges as spreading “lawlessness” with these court orders, in the words of Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. But I would argue that the opposite is true. If the White House disagrees with an order by a district court or court of appeals, it can seek review by the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, it is obliged to obey lower court orders absent a stay, or pause, of their implementation.

    Courts can do their part to reject claims that the executive branch is entitled to act without regard for legislative or judicial limits by issuing strongly worded orders and even holding officials in contempt. At the end of the day, however, only Congress is empowered to remove a president who refuses to comply with the law.

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

    – ref. Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s wrongful deportation case is more about individual rights than the Trump administration’s foreign policy – https://theconversation.com/kilmar-abrego-garcias-wrongful-deportation-case-is-more-about-individual-rights-than-the-trump-administrations-foreign-policy-255067

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC May 3, 2025 0600 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

     For best viewing experience, please enable browser JavaScript support.

    May 3, 2025 0600 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook

    Updated: Sat May 3 05:46:16 UTC 2025 (Print Version |   |  )

    Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table

     Forecast Discussion

    SPC AC 030546

    Day 2 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1246 AM CDT Sat May 03 2025

    Valid 041200Z – 051200Z

    …THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM THE FLORIDA
    EAST COAST INTO SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA…AND ACROSS EASTERN NEW
    MEXICO…

    …SUMMARY…
    Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible along the
    Florida east coast into the North Carolina/Virginia Piedmont and
    southwestern Pennsylvania. Additional severe thunderstorms are
    possible across eastern New Mexico.

    …Synopsis…
    The upper-level pattern will feature two cutoff lows, one in the
    lower/mid Ohio Valley and another that will develop near the lower
    Colorado Valley. A surface low in the central/northern Appalachians
    will slowly fill during the day. A cold front will slowly progress
    eastward through parts of the Southeast into the Blue
    Ridge/Piedmont. In New Mexico, weak moisture return and upslope flow
    will occur in the southern Rockies.

    …Florida…
    With the front pushing into portions of the northern Gulf, weak warm
    air advection and mid-level ascent on the southern periphery of the
    upper low may promote showers/thunderstorms into the eastern Gulf
    and perhaps the western Florida Peninsula. This activity plus cloud
    cover associated with the subtropical jet will impact the degree of
    destabilization that occurs in some areas. Still, the pattern favors
    thunderstorm along the eastern sea breeze boundary during the
    afternoon. 1000-1500 J/kg MLCAPE along with 25-30 kts effective
    shear across the sea breeze will promote supercells. Temperatures
    aloft are expected to be -12 to -14 C. Large hail and damaging winds
    would be possible with the strongest storms. A tornado would be
    possible with a supercell favorably interacting with the sea breeze
    boundary. Additional storms are possible along the front in the
    eastern Florida Panhandle/North Florida. Shear will be stronger
    closer to the upper low, but convergence is not overly strong along
    the front. Storm development will depend on local areas of stronger
    heating/convergence.

    …Georgia into Piedmont/Blue Ridge and upper Ohio Valley
    Vicinity…
    Precipitation will likely be ongoing for most of these areas early
    Sunday morning. With at least low 60s F dewpoints extending into
    much of the Mid-Atlantic, destabilization is expected behind the
    morning activity. Confidence in sufficient destabilization is
    greatest from eastern Georgia into the Carolinas as the
    precipitation should move out sooner. Potentially lingering
    precipitation and cloud cover cast more uncertainty on the severe
    potential for the Mid-Atlantic into the upper Ohio Valley region.
    500-1000 J/kg MLCAPE appears possible during the afternoon.
    Effective shear of 35-40 kts will promote a few marginally organized
    cells capable of marginally severe hail and isolated damaging winds.

    …New Mexico…
    With the cold front having moved into the northern Gulf, moisture
    return along the western flank of the surface high will be weak. Mid
    to upper 40s F dewpoints can be reasonably expected. However,
    temperatures of -14 to -16 C at 500 mb will allow weak buoyancy to
    develop. Mid-level ascent from subtle shortwaves and upslope flow
    will promote widely scattered to scattered storms in the southern
    Rockies. A belt of stronger mid-level winds will promote at least
    modest storm organization despite limited buoyancy. Small to
    marginally severe hail and isolated strong winds would be possible
    with this activity.

    ..Wendt.. 05/03/2025

    CLICK TO GET WUUS02 PTSDY2 PRODUCT

    NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 2 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1730Z

    Top/Latest Day 1 Outlook/Today’s Outlooks/Forecast Products/Home

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Neguse, Bennet, Hickenlooper Demand Commerce Department Reverse Planned Cuts to NOAA and Colorado-Based Research Centers

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

    In a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik the lawmakers underscored the importance of Cooperative Institutes at Colorado State University and the University of Colorado Boulder. 

    Lafayette, CO — Following public reports of President Trump’s expected effort to implement disastrous funding cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in his upcoming budget proposal, Colorado lawmakers—Congressman Joe Neguse and Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper—moved quickly to defend the agency and its Cooperative Institutes (CIs).  

    Colorado is the only state in the nation to house two such Cooperative Institutes, which are academic and non-profit research centers that provide invaluable support to NOAA’s mission. The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), located at the University of Colorado Boulder, is the oldest and largest CI. It employs nearly 800 researchers, support staff, and students focused on research related to drought, wildfire, and space weather. The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA), located at Colorado State University, employs nearly 200 individuals who are working to improve weather and fire forecasting.

    In an effort to push back on the proposed cuts, Neguse, Bennet, and Hickenlooper penned a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick condemning any plan to terminate funding for these institutions, calling the alleged proposal short-sighted and costly, and underscoring the important work that is ongoing at both CIRES and CIRA.  

    “Many of NOAA’s CIs have been around for decades and the work they do has been helping our communities for just as long. Cuts to funding, furloughs or layoffs will have devastating impacts on the important work the CIs do. CIs are home to experienced researchers and long-standing data collection programs with major impacts on human societies, moreover they are instrumental in training future generations of workers who continue to contribute to societal needs. It is our fear that if sweeping cuts are made, the damage will be irreversible. Even short-term interruptions in their research could threaten the safety and economies of the communities that CIs serve across the nation,” wrote the lawmakers. 

    They continued: “Cooperative Institutes are integral to solving some of our biggest problems and making all of us safer and better prepared for short-term and long-term hazards. Any plan to terminate funding for NOAA CIs would be detrimental not just to the people of Colorado, but to people across the entire country. As such, we implore you to reconsider any plans to substantially diminish these powerful and important capabilities.”

    Read their full letter HERE and below: 

    April 23, 2025

    The Honorable Howard Lutnick

    Secretary 

    U.S. Department of Commerce 

    1401 Constitution Ave. NW

    Washington, DC 20230

    Dear Secretary Lutnick,

    We write regarding a new proposal from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to terminate funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Cooperative Institutes (CIs). We strongly condemn any such plan and believe terminating this funding would be extremely short-sighted and costly to the American people and economy in the long run.

    Colorado is fortunate to be the only state to house two Cooperative Institutes and the largest of the CIs. The Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA), housed at Colorado State University, employs 193 staff working on developing algorithms for weather forecasting and fire weather forecasting. The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) housed at the University of Colorado Boulder is the oldest and largest CI, established in 1967. CIRES is focused on research into drought, wildfire, and space weather, among other important issues. It employs nearly 800 researchers, support staff and students who are working each day to improve our understanding of Earth systems for the benefit of people across Colorado and the nation.  

    Our CIs have real world impacts and benefits that span beyond the borders of our state. CIRA was involved in the development of the Hurricane Intensity Prediction System (HIPS), a tool that helps predict how strong hurricanes will become, as well as TORUS (Targeted Observations by Radars and Unmanned Aircraft to Study Tornadoes and Supercells) project, which focuses on collecting data to improve tornado and storm prediction. CIRES is, among its many important contributions, helping to enhance drought monitoring and prediction on the Colorado River, aiding water managers in the region. Indeed, some of the greatest beneficiaries of CIRES water and drought analyses reside in Wyoming, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Texas. CIRES also received the 2022 Colorado Governor’s Award for High-Impact Research for their rapid response to the Marshall Fire, the most damaging wildfire in our state. The results from the CIRES work on the fire have informed responses to other large fire events elsewhere in the nation, benefiting many thousands of citizens.

    Many of NOAA’s CIs have been around for decades and the work they do has been helping our communities for just as long. Cuts to funding, furloughs or layoffs will have devastating impacts on the important work the CIs do. CIs are home to experienced researchers and long-standing data collection programs with major impacts on human societies, moreover they are instrumental in training future generations of workers who continue to contribute to societal needs. It is our fear that if sweeping cuts are made, the damage will be irreversible. Even short-term interruptions in their research could threaten the safety and economies of the communities that CIs serve across the nation. 

    Cooperative Institutes are integral to solving some of our biggest problems and making all of us safer and better prepared for short-term and long-term hazards. Any plan to terminate funding for NOAA CIs would be detrimental not just to the people of Colorado, but to people across the entire country. As such, we implore you to reconsider any plans to substantially diminish these powerful and important capabilities.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets Atlantic Council delegation

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-05-01
    President Lai meets Japan’s LDP Youth Division delegation
    On the morning of May 1, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Youth Division. In remarks, President Lai thanked the guests for demonstrating support for deepening Taiwan-Japan ties through concrete actions. The president expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan can continue to conduct exchanges in such areas as national defense, the economy, education, culture, sports, and the arts so that bilateral relations reach even greater heights. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I want to welcome our distinguished guests, who include Diet members in the LDP Youth Division and guests from Junior Chamber International (JCI) Japan, to the Presidential Office. It is also a pleasure to see LDP Youth Division Director Nakasone Yasutaka, House of Representatives Member Hiranuma Shojiro, and House of Councillors Member Kamiya Masayuki again today. I look forward to discussions with all our distinguished guests. The LDP Youth Division and JCI Japan have once again demonstrated support for deepening Taiwan-Japan ties through concrete actions. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I also want to thank the LDP Youth Division for launching a fundraising campaign to help those affected by the earthquake in Hualien County on April 3 last year. LDP Youth Division members will be important leaders in Japan’s political arena in the future. Taiwan deeply values our exchanges with the Youth Division and hopes to bring about concrete results from such exchanges. Peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait are critical to the security and prosperity of the world, and Taiwan and Japan can work together to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Former Prime Ministers Abe Shinzo and Kishida Fumio, and current Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru have repeatedly stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait at important international venues. Taiwan is deeply grateful to Japan’s current and former prime ministers for their concern and support for this issue. Taiwan and Japan can also cooperate in industry and the economy. As our industries are complementary, further cooperation can create win-win outcomes. In the semiconductor industry, for instance, Taiwan’s strengths lie in manufacturing, while Japan’s strengths lie in materials, equipment, and technology. If we work together, the semiconductor industry is sure to see even more robust development. In addition to the economy and national defense, Taiwan and Japan can also conduct exchanges in such areas as education, culture, sports, and the arts. Our countries have long shared deep ties – Director Nakasone’s grandfather, former Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro, was stationed in Taiwan and lived in what is now the Mingde New Residential Quarter of Kaohsiung City’s Zuoying District. I am confident that on the basis of our already solid foundations, Taiwan-Japan relations can reach even greater heights. Director Nakasone then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for finding time in his busy schedule to meet with the visiting delegation. He said that the LDP Youth Division sends a visiting delegation to Taiwan each year and is always granted the opportunity to meet with the president, demonstrating his high regard for the delegation, for which the director again expressed his gratitude. He remarked that he, together with House of Representatives Member Suzuki Keisuke, visited Taiwan last July, and that whenever he visits Taiwan, it feels as if he is returning home. Director Nakasone recalled President Lai’s earlier remarks, saying that he hopes the young people of Taiwan and Japan can fully engage in exchanges in the areas of national defense, the economy, culture, education, and the arts. The director said he believes that in today’s complex and difficult international situation, such directives are necessary. This is especially so, he emphasized, during United States President Donald Trump’s second term, when things once taken for granted are no longer so, and when the global economy is undergoing significant changes. Director Nakasone expressed his full support for strengthening Taiwan and Japan’s practical and strategic cooperation. He said he believes each side will be able to benefit from such cooperation and hopes that exchanges will progress toward shared goals. He pointed out that, as maritime nations, Taiwan and Japan share the goals of protecting the ocean and using marine resources wisely, goals that we ought to cooperate on and devote our full efforts to. The peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait are critical to the peace and stability of East Asia and even the world, he said, so we must ensure that the world and its leaders recognize this point, and Japan will do its utmost to advocate for it. Director Nakasone said, on the topic of semiconductors, that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s new fab in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture has made the area very lively, adding that the Japanese government is providing more than 1.25 trillion yen in subsidies. Moving forward, the Japanese government plans to inject an additional 10 trillion yen, he said, to aid in the development of AI and other fields. Noting that Taiwan and Japan both excel in semiconductors, he expressed his hope that each can give free rein to its strengths to produce an even greater effect. Director Nakasone said that despite Taiwan’s facing formidable internal and external circumstances, it saw 4.6 percent economic growth last year under President Lai’s strong leadership, and it continued to promote measures to enhance overall societal resilience, all of which is admirable. In closing, the director thanked President Lai once again for taking the time to meet with them. Also in attendance were Japanese House of Representatives Members Nemoto Taku and Fukuda Kaoru, and Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.

    Details
    2025-04-29
    President Lai meets NBR delegation  
    On the morning of April 29, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR). In remarks, President Lai stated that as Taiwan stands at the very frontline of defense of global democracy, we are actively implementing our Four Pillars of Peace action plan, which includes continuing to enhance our national defense capabilities, demonstrating our commitment to defending freedom and democracy. The president said he hopes to further advance national security and industrial cooperation between Taiwan and the United States. He also expressed hope that this will help boost economic resilience for both sides and establish each as a key pillar of regional security, elevating our relations to even higher levels. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to meet with Admiral John Aquilino again today. I also warmly welcome NBR President Michael Wills and our distinguished guests from the bureau to Taiwan. I look forward to exchanging views with you all on Taiwan-US relations and the regional situation. During his tenure as commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Aquilino placed much attention on the Taiwan Strait issue. And the NBR has conducted a wealth of research and analysis focusing on matters of regional security. Thanks to all of your outstanding contributions and efforts, the international community has gained a better understanding of the role Taiwan plays in the Indo-Pacific region and in global democratic development. For this, I want to extend my deepest gratitude. Taiwan stands at the very frontline of defending global democracy and is located at a strategically important location in the first island chain. We are actively implementing our Four Pillars of Peace action plan, which includes continuing to enhance our national defense capabilities, building economic security, demonstrating stable and principled cross-strait leadership, and standing side-by-side with the democratic community to jointly demonstrate the strength of deterrence and safeguard regional peace and stability. At the beginning of this month, I announced an increase in military allowances for volunteer service members and combat troops. The government will also continue to reform national defense and enhance self-sufficiency in defense. In addition, we will prioritize special budget allocations to ensure that Taiwan’s defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP. These efforts continue to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities and demonstrate our commitment to defending freedom and democracy. As we mark the 46th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, we thank the US government for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan and strengthening the Taiwan-US partnership over the years. We believe that, in addition to engaging in military exchanges and cooperation, Taiwan and the US can build an even closer economic and trade relationship, boosting each other’s economic resilience and establishing each as a key pillar of regional security. I expect that your continued assistance will help advance national security and industrial cooperation between Taiwan and the US, elevating our relations to even higher levels. Once again, I welcome our distinguished guests to Taiwan and wish you a pleasant and successful trip. I hope that through this visit, you gain a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of Taiwan’s economy and national defense. Admiral Aquilino then delivered remarks, thanking the Ministry of National Defense for the invitation and President Lai for receiving and spending time with them. Mentioning that this is his second visit in five months, he said he continues to be incredibly impressed with the president’s leadership and the actions he has taken to secure Taiwan and defend its people. Admiral Aquilino said that he has watched the efforts of the ministers on whole-of-society defense to demonstrate deterrence and added that the pace of the work is nothing short of inspiring. Admiral Aquilino noted that Taiwan’s thriving democracy is incredibly important to the peace and stability of the region. He stated that he, alongside the NBR, will continue to offer support, noting that President Wills and his team are an asset to Taiwan and the US that helps continue our close relationship and ensure peace and stability in the region.  

    Details
    2025-04-28
    President Lai meets Japanese Diet Member and former Minister of State for Economic Security Takaichi Sanae
    On the afternoon of April 28, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Member of the Japanese House of Representatives and former Minister of State for Economic Security Takaichi Sanae. In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of Japan for repeatedly emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at important international venues. The president expressed hope that in the face of China’s continually expanding red supply chains, Taiwan and Japan can continue to cooperate closely in such fields as semiconductors, energy, and AI technology to create non-red supply chains that enhance economic resilience and industrial competitiveness for both sides, and jointly pave the way for further prosperity and growth in the Indo-Pacific region. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: First, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Representative Takaichi as she returns for another visit to Taiwan. I am also very happy to have Members of the House of Representatives Kikawada Hitoshi and Ozaki Masanao, and Member of the House of Councillors Sato Kei all gathered together here to engage in these very important exchanges. Our visitors will be taking part in many exchange activities during this trip. Earlier today at the Indo-Pacific Strategy Thinktank’s International Political and Economic Forum, Representative Takaichi delivered a speech in which she clearly demonstrated the great importance she places upon the friendship between Taiwan and Japan. For this I want to express my deepest appreciation to each of our guests. The peoples of Taiwan and Japan have a deep friendship and mutual trust. We have a shared commitment to the universal values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights, but beyond that, we both have striven to contribute to regional peace and stability. I also want to thank the government of Japan for repeatedly emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at important international venues. Tomorrow you will all make a trip to Kaohsiung to visit a bronze statue of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, who once said, “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” We will always remember the firm support and friendship he showed Taiwan. Since taking office last year, I have worked hard to improve Taiwan’s whole-of-society defense resilience and implement our Four Pillars of Peace action plan. By strengthening our national defense capabilities, building up economic security, demonstrating stable and principled cross-strait leadership, and deepening partnerships with democratic countries including Japan, we can together maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and across the Taiwan Strait. At the same time, in the face of China’s continually expanding red supply chains, we hope that Taiwan and Japan, as important economic and trade partners, can continue to cooperate closely in such fields as semiconductors, energy, and AI technology to create non-red supply chains that further enhance economic resilience and industrial competitiveness for both sides. Going forward, Taiwan will work hard to play an important role in the international community and contribute its key strengths. I hope that, with the support of our guests, Taiwan can soon accede to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and sign an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with Japan so that we can jointly pave the way for further prosperity and growth in the Indo-Pacific region. Lastly, I thank each of you once again for taking concrete action to support Taiwan. I am confident that your visit will help deepen Taiwan-Japan ties and create even greater opportunities for cooperation. Let us all strive together to keep propelling Taiwan-Japan relations forward.  Representative Takaichi then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai and Taiwanese political leaders for the warm hospitality they extended to the delegation, and mentioning that the visiting delegation members are all like-minded partners carrying on the legacy of former Prime Minister Abe. July 8 this year will mark the third anniversary of the passing of former Prime Minister Abe, she said, and when the former prime minister unfortunately passed away, President Lai, then serving as vice president, was among the first to come offer condolences, for which she expressed sincere admiration and gratitude. Representative Takaichi stated that Taiwan and Japan are island nations that face the same circumstances and problems, and that Japan’s trade activities rely heavily on ocean transport, so once a problem arises nearby that threatens maritime shipping lanes, it will be a matter of life and death for Japan. Taiwan and Japan are similar, as once a problem arises, both will face food and energy security issues, and supply chains may even be threatened, she said. Regarding Taiwan-Japan cooperation, Representative Takaichi stated that both sides must first protect and strengthen supply chain resilience. President Lai has previously said that he wants to turn Taiwan into an AI island, she said, and in semiconductors, Taiwan has the world’s leading technology. Representative Takaichi went on to say that Taiwan and Japan can collaborate in the fields of AI and semiconductors, quantum computing, and dual-use industries, as well as in areas such as drones and new energy technologies to build more resilient supply chains, so that if problems arise, we can maintain our current standard of living with peace of mind. Representative Takaichi indicated that cooperation in the defense sector is also crucial, and that by uniting like-minded countries including Taiwan, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and Australia, and even countries in Europe, we can build a stronger network to jointly maintain our security guarantees. Representative Takaichi expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan will continue to strengthen substantive non-governmental relations, including personnel exchange visits and information sharing, so that we can jointly face and respond to crises when they arise. Regarding the hope to sign a Taiwan-Japan EPA that President Lai had mentioned earlier, she also expressed support and said she looks forward to upcoming exchanges and talks. The visiting delegation also included Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai delivers remarks at International Holocaust Remembrance Day event
    On the afternoon of April 23, President Lai Ching-te attended an International Holocaust Remembrance Day event and delivered remarks, in which he emphasized that peace is priceless, and war has no winners, while morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. The president stated that Taiwan will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability, defending democracy, freedom, and human rights. He said we must never forget history, and must overcome our differences and join in solidarity to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Upon arriving at the event, President Lai heard a testimony from the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, followed by a rabbi’s recitation of the prayer “El Maleh Rachamim.” He then joined other distinguished guests in lighting candles in memory of the victims. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: To begin, I want to thank the Israel Economic and Cultural Office (ISECO) in Taipei, German Institute Taipei, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for co-organizing this deeply significant memorial ceremony again this year. I also want to thank everyone for attending. We are here today to remember the victims of the Holocaust, express sympathy for the survivors, honor the brave individuals who protected the victims, and acknowledge all who were impacted by this atrocity. It was deeply moving to hear Ms. [Orly] Sela share the story of how her grandmother, Yehudit Biksz, escaped the Nazi regime. I want to thank her specially for traveling so far to attend this event. From the 1930s through World War II, the Nazi regime sought to exclude Jewish people from society. In their campaign, they perpetrated systematic genocide driven by their ideology. Policies and directives under the authoritarian Nazi regime resulted in the deaths of approximately 6 million Jews. Millions of others were persecuted, including Romani people, persons with disabilities, the gay community, and anyone who disagreed with Nazi ideology. It is one of the darkest chapters in human history. Many countries, including Taiwan, have enacted anti-massacre legislation, and observe a remembrance day each year. Those occasions help us remember the victims, preserve historical memory, and most importantly, reinforce our resolve to fight against hatred and discrimination. Twenty-three years ago, Chelujan (車路墘) Church in Tainan founded the Taiwan Holocaust Memorial Museum. It is the first Jewish museum in Taiwan, and the second Holocaust museum in Asia. Its founding mission urges us to forget hatred and love one another; put an end to war and advocate peace. Many of the exhibition items come from Jewish people, connecting Taiwan closer with Israel and helping Taiwanese better understand the experiences of Jewish people. In this way, we grow to more deeply cherish peace. When I was mayor of Tainan, I took part in an exhibition event at Chelujan Church. I was also invited by the Israeli government to join the International Mayors Conference in Israel, where I visited the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. I will never forget how deeply that experience moved me, and as a result, peace and human rights became even more important issues for me. These issues are valued by Taiwan and our friends and allies. They are also important links connecting Taiwan with the world. Peace is priceless, and war has no winners. We will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability. We will also continue to make greater contributions and work with the international community to defend democracy, freedom, and human rights. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. However, we still see wars raging around the world. We see a resurgence of authoritarian powers, which could severely impact global democracy, peace, and prosperous development. Today’s event allows for more than reflection on the past; it also serves as a warning for the future. We are reminded of the threats that hatred, prejudice, and extremism pose to humanity. But we are also reminded that morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. We must never forget history. We must overcome our differences and join in solidarity for a better future. Let’s work together to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Also in attendance at the event were Member of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) and Taiwan friendship group Chair Boaz Toporovsky, ISECO Representative Maya Yaron, and German Institute Taipei Deputy Director General Andreas Hofem.

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai pays respects to Pope Francis  
    On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te visited the Taipei Archdiocesan Curia to pay respects in a memorial ceremony for His Holiness Pope Francis. As officiant of the ceremony, President Lai burned incense and presented flowers, fruits, and wine to pay his respects to Pope Francis. At the direction of the master of ceremonies, the president then bowed three times in front of Pope Francis’s memorial portrait, conveying his grief and deep respect for the late pope. After hearing of Pope Francis’s passing on April 21, President Lai promptly requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express sincere condolences from the people and government of Taiwan to the Vatican. The president also instructed Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) to convey condolences to the Holy See’s Apostolic Nunciature in Taiwan.  

    Details
    2025-04-06
    President Lai delivers remarks on US tariff policy response
    On April 6, President Lai Ching-te delivered recorded remarks regarding the impact of the 32 percent tariff that the United States government recently imposed on imports from Taiwan in the name of reciprocity. In his remarks, President Lai explained that the government will adopt five response strategies, including making every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations, adopting a support plan for affected domestic industries, adopting medium- and long-term economic development plans, forming new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements, and launching industry listening tours. The president emphasized that as we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and expressed hope that all parties, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: My fellow citizens, good evening. The US government recently announced higher tariffs on countries around the world in the name of reciprocity, including imposing a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan. This is bound to have a major impact on our nation. Various countries have already responded, and some have even adopted retaliatory measures. Tremendous changes in the global economy are expected. Taiwan is an export-led economy, and in facing future challenges there will inevitably be difficulties, so we must proceed carefully to turn danger into safety. During this time, I want to express gratitude to all sectors of society for providing valuable opinions, which the government regards highly, and will use as a reference to make policy decisions.  However, if we calmly and carefully analyze Taiwan’s trade with the US, we find that last year Taiwan’s exports to the US were valued at US$111.4 billion, accounting for 23.4 percent of total export value, with the other 75-plus percent of products sold worldwide to countries other than the US. Of products sold to the US, competitive ICT products and electronic components accounted for 65.4 percent. This shows that Taiwan’s economy does still have considerable resilience. As long as our response strategies are appropriate, and the public and private sectors join forces, we can reduce impacts. Please do not panic. To address the reciprocal tariffs by the US, Taiwan has no plans to adopt retaliatory tariffs. There will be no change in corporate investment commitments to the US, as long as they are consistent with national interests. But we must ensure the US clearly understands Taiwan’s contributions to US economic development. More importantly, we must actively seek to understand changes in the global economic situation, strengthen Taiwan-US industry cooperation, elevate the status of Taiwan industries in global supply chains, and with safeguarding the continued development of Taiwan’s economy as our goal, adopt the following five strategies to respond. Strategy one: Make every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations using the following five methods:  1. Taiwan has already formed a negotiation team led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君). The team includes members from the National Security Council, the Office of Trade Negotiations, and relevant Executive Yuan ministries and agencies, as well as academia and industry. Like the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, negotiations on tariffs can start from Taiwan-US bilateral zero-tariff treatment. 2. To expand purchases from the US and thereby reduce the trade deficit, the Executive Yuan has already completed an inventory regarding large-scale procurement plans for agricultural, industrial, petroleum, and natural gas products, and the Ministry of National Defense has also proposed a military procurement list. All procurement plans will be actively pursued. 3. Expand investments in the US. Taiwan’s cumulative investment in the US already exceeds US$100 billion, creating approximately 400,000 jobs. In the future, in addition to increased investment in the US by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, other industries such as electronics, ICT, petrochemicals, and natural gas can all increase their US investments, deepening Taiwan-US industry cooperation. Taiwan’s government has helped form a “Taiwan investment in the US” team, and hopes that the US will reciprocate by forming a “US investment in Taiwan” team to bring about closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, jointly creating a future economic golden age.  4. We must eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade. Non-tariff barriers are an indicator by which the US assesses whether a trading partner is trading fairly with the US. Therefore, we will proactively resolve longstanding non-tariff barriers so that negotiations can proceed more smoothly. 5. We must resolve two issues that have been matters of longstanding concern to the US. One regards high-tech export controls, and the other regards illegal transshipment of dumped goods, otherwise referred to as “origin washing.” Strategy two: We must adopt a plan for supporting our industries. For industries that will be affected by the tariffs, and especially traditional industries as well as micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, we will provide timely and needed support and assistance. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and his administrative team recently announced a package of 20 specific measures designed to address nine areas. Moving forward, the support we provide to different industries will depend on how they are affected by the tariffs, will take into account the particular features of each industry, and will help each industry innovate, upgrade, and transform. Strategy three: We must adopt medium- and long-term economic development plans. At this point in time, our government must simultaneously adopt new strategies for economic and industrial development. This is also the fundamental path to solutions for future economic challenges. The government will proactively cooperate with friends and allies, develop a diverse range of markets, and achieve closer integration of entities in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of industrial supply chains. This course of action will make Taiwan’s industrial ecosystem more complete, and will help Taiwanese industries upgrade and transform. We must also make good use of the competitive advantages we possess in such areas as semiconductor manufacturing, integrated chip design, ICT, and smart manufacturing to build Taiwan into an AI island, and promote relevant applications for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as military, security and surveillance, next-generation communications, and the medical and health and wellness industries as we advance toward a smarter, more sustainable, and more prosperous new Taiwan. Strategy four: “Taiwan plus one,” i.e., new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements: While staying firmly rooted in Taiwan, our enterprises are expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. This has been our national economic development strategy, and the most important aspect is maintaining a solid base here in Taiwan. We absolutely must maintain a solid footing, and cannot allow the present strife to cause us to waver. Therefore, our government will incentivize investments, carry out deregulation, and continue to improve Taiwan’s investment climate by actively resolving problems involving access to water, electricity, land, human resources, and professional talent. This will enable corporations to stay in Taiwan and continue investing here. In addition, we must also help the overseas manufacturing facilities of offshore Taiwanese businesses to make necessary adjustments to support our “Taiwan plus one” policy, in that our national economic development strategy will be adjusted as follows: to stay firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence, strengthening US ties, and marketing worldwide. We intend to make use of the new state of supply chains to strengthen cooperation between Taiwanese and US industries, and gain further access to US markets. Strategy five: Launch industry listening tours: All industrial firms, regardless of sector or size, will be affected to some degree once the US reciprocal tariffs go into effect. The administrative teams led by myself and Premier Cho will hear out industry concerns so that we can quickly resolve problems and make sure policies meet actual needs. My fellow citizens, over the past half-century and more, Taiwan has been through two energy crises, the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis, and pandemics. We have been able to not only withstand one test after another, but even turn crises into opportunities. The Taiwanese economy has emerged from these crises stronger and more resilient than ever. As we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and I hope that all parties in the legislature, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. Let us join together and give it our all. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: ATF Atlanta host press conference on combatting firearms trafficking to Mexico

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    ATLANTA – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Atlanta Field Division hosted a joint press conference with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to showcase recent efforts to combat the trafficking of firearms to Mexico.

    “Firearms trafficking and the illegal activity associated with it continues to threaten the safety of the general public throughout our communities,” said ATF Atlanta Field Division Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Gibbons. “We are working closely with our federal and local law enforcement partners to relentlessly pursue those who attempt to illegally move firearms between the United States and Mexico. Extensive time in a federal prison awaits those who think they can endanger our communities and get away with it.”

    “Homeland Security Investigations is steadfast in our mission to combat international firearms trafficking and dismantle transnational criminal networks that threaten public safety on both sides of the border,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “By targeting those who illegally purchase and smuggle weapons into Mexico, we are cutting off a vital lifeline to cartel members and terrorist-designated organizations, while upholding our duty to protect communities at home and abroad. HSI will continue to work relentlessly to identify, apprehend, and bring to justice those fueling this dangerous trade.”

    In response to the growing threat posed by Transnational Criminal Organizations and the administration’s emphasis on combating them, ATF has been working swiftly and diligently with federal and local partners to effectively combat the flow of illegal firearms trafficked to Mexico.

    Cartels have infiltrated the United States through the southern border and are operating within many local communities. They have established and expanded their networks throughout the United States to carry out illicit activities including fentanyl trafficking and human smuggling.

    Cartels rely on specific firearms to facilitate, expand and protect their criminal enterprise, including large caliber and/or belt fed rifles such as, the Ohio Ordinance M2 .50 caliber, FN M240 7.6mm, FN M249 5.56, and the Barrett M82 .50 semi-automatic rifle.

    Under President Trump’s and Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, ATF has prevented nearly 9,700 firearms from falling into the hands of dangerous criminals or terrorist. From January 20 to May 1, 2025, ATF agents nationwide initiated 8,501 violent crime cases, arrested 1,912 criminals, seized a total of 10,592 firearms, 655,388 rounds of ammunition, 8,722 firearm parts, and 6,335 assorted explosives.

    ATF is the only federal law enforcement agency whose mission is to reduce violent crime. While our mission is clear and concise, it is also immense and dangerous. And, as a small agency with just about 5,000 employees, we can only succeed with our local, state, and federal partners. These partnerships, including the U.S. Attorney’s Offices, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), other government agencies, state and local law enforcement, help to stem the flow of illegal firearms being trafficked to Mexico.

    ATF is the federal agency with jurisdiction for investigating firearms, fires and crimes of arson. More information on ATF can be found at www.atf.gov

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Consumers switch to local products and value alternatives amid rising tariffs and price pressures, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Consumers switch to local products and value alternatives amid rising tariffs and price pressures, says GlobalData

    Posted in Consumer

    In an increasingly complex global landscape shaped by inflation, rising tariffs, and political volatility, consumer behavior is undergoing a profound transformation. Cost-of-living pressures and trade policy disruptions are not only fueling economic anxiety but also prompting tangible shifts in how and why consumers shop. These forces are accelerating a move toward value-driven decision-making, increased scrutiny of product origin, and a growing preference for local alternatives, according to the Q1 2025 consumer survey* by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Concerns over trade-related inflation are widespread. More than half (56%) of global consumers say they are “extremely” or “quite concerned” about the impact of trade wars and import tariffs on the prices of the products they buy. This concern is even more pronounced in countries directly affected by US trade policy, including Canada (66%) and Mexico (62%). Despite being at the center of trade friction, China stands out for its lower levels of concern, with 40% of respondents saying they are not worried about tariffs, highlighting regional differences in public perception and economic insulation.

    Prerana Manral, Senior Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “These concerns are not abstract. They are driving tangible changes in consumer behavior across everyday categories such as food, drinks, toiletries, clothing, and homewares. According to the survey, 54% of consumers are now checking or comparing prices online before making a purchase, and 47% are switching to cheaper brand alternatives.

    “Private labels are seeing a notable rise, with 33% of consumers saying they are buying more store-owned brands to manage costs. Additionally, 38% of shoppers are turning to discount retailers or cheaper outlets, while nearly one-third (32%) have stopped buying certain products altogether because they have become too expensive.”

    Manral continues: “Trade policy is no longer just an economic lever; it’s a force that is reshaping everyday consumer choices. What we’re seeing is a structural shift in how people engage with brands and pricing. Consumers are now making sharper, more value-conscious decisions, and many are actively abandoning higher-priced products or stores.”

    Beyond pricing responses, the survey highlights a growing ideological and environmental awareness in consumer preferences, particularly around product origin. On average, 68% of the respondents globally say they prefer to buy local products: 67% cite price, or 65% say environmental friendliness, as the main reasons, while 71% say they do so to support local brands.

    Political sentiment is also playing an influential role, with 58% of global consumers* reporting that recent political events have made them more attentive to the country of origin of products they purchase. This intersection of cost-consciousness and conscious consumerism is emerging as a powerful force in a politically volatile economy. While affordability remains the entry point, values such as environmental impact and national loyalty are increasingly determining purchasing behavior.

    Manral concludes: “As consumers increasingly respond to rising tariffs and price pressures by shifting toward local products and value-driven alternatives, FMCG companies must recognize this as a long-term behavioral shift rather than a temporary adjustment. To remain competitive and relevant, brands should invest in localized sourcing and production, expand affordable and private-label offerings, and strengthen communication around value, sustainability, and origin.”

    *GlobalData 2025 Q1 global consumer survey, 22,000 respondents across 42 countries

    MIL OSI Global Banks –