Category: Machine Learning

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Austin Scott Recognizes Congressional App Challenge Winners

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08)

    WARNER ROBINS, Ga.– U.S. Representative Austin Scott (GA-08) recently announced the Eighth District’s 2024 Congressional App Challenge Winners at a ceremony at Houston County High School.

    Houston County High School students Micheal Do and Hieu Tran won first place with their app Signify, which generates a real-time translation of American Sign Language (ASL) to English.

    “I am always blown away by the creativity and talent of our young constituents, and I congratulate our App Challenge winners on their amazing accomplishment,” Rep. Scott said. “I encourage all students to participate in the upcoming app challenge this year!”

    Signify collects images through a video recording using a mobile phone camera. It then utilizes a machine learning model that has been trained using hundreds of images to track a person’s finger and hand movements using sign language. It then compares these new gestures with the gestures it was trained on to classify and output the translation of the sign in English.

    Signify will be featured on the U.S. House of Representatives website and displayed in an exhibit in the U.S. Capitol Building alongside winners from other participating Congressional Districts across the country.

    The first runner-ups were Lowndes High School students Aarin Dave and Aarav Dave with their app Redove, which utilizes extended reality (XR) technology to immerse long-term or isolated hospital patients into a world that provides a sense of freedom or familiarity. 

    The Congressional App Challenge is an annual, nationwide event intended to engage students’ creativity and encourage their participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This competition allows students to compete with peers throughout their own Congressional District by creating and exhibiting their software application, or “app,” for web, PC, tablet, mobile, or other platforms.

    All current middle and high school students (6-12th grade) residing in or attending school in the Eighth Congressional District are encouraged to start planning for the 2025 Congressional App Challenge. Students may compete as individuals or in teams of up to four as long as two of the teammates are eligible to participate in the district. More details will be announced this Spring.

    Additional details can be found on Rep. Scott’s website or by contacting Rep. Scott’s Warner Robins office at (478) 971-1776.

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    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Johnson Leads Re-Introduction of JUDGES Act To Create More Federal Judgeships

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Hank Johnson (GA-04)

    Courts Subcommittee Ranking Member Hits Reset Button To Fill Judgeships Based on “Next Unknown President

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, AI and the Internet, along with Jerry Nadler, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust (NY-12) and Judiciary Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (MD-08), re-introduced Judicial Understaffing Delays Getting Emergencies Solved Act of 2025 (JUDGES Act) to create more federal judgeships.

    It’s based on S. 4199, a formerly bipartisan bill that passed the Senate in 2024 that Democrats and Republicans in Congress negotiated to give the next unknown president 23 new life-tenured judges over the next four years in office. House Republicans reneged on that deal and refused to bring the Senate-passed bill to the House floor until after the election, once they knew Trump would get the first set of judges. They are now forcing the bill through to pack the federal courts with judges driven not by a duty to the law, but by their ultra-conservative ideologies and fealty to Trump.

    “MAGA Republicans only want to add new judgeships when they can rig the game in their favor,” said Rep. Johnson. “And that’s exactly what they are trying to do by pushing through more judges now: Make certain our third branch is so deeply loyal to one man that our system of justice cannot possibly work without him. Our 250-year experiment in self-governance will succeed only if Americans continue to believe that judicial independence means that judges are not subject to pressure and influence from an administration trying to lay waste to our democratic system of government. So I am proud to reintroduce this bill with my colleagues, which gets back our original deal and takes the politics out of judgeships by giving judges to the next unknown president. Because our independent judiciary is the backbone of our democracy, I will not just stand here and let the Trump-Musk administration try to dismantle it one branch of government at a time.”

    “Last Congress, Ranking Member Johnson and I worked together to advance the bipartisan JUDGES Act to give the next, then unknown, President additional judicial appointments to eliminate the backlog in our federal court system,” said Congressman Nadler. “We had sought a commitment from Republicans to pass this bill before the November 2024 election, but when Donald Trump wasn’t doing so well in the polls, Speaker Johnson refused to bring the bill up for a vote. Democrats refuse to reward this betrayal by letting President Trump continue to pack the courts. I’m proud to join Ranking Members Johnson and Raskin in introducing the JUDGES Act to give the next, still unknown, President additional judgeships.”

    “As Trump and his lawless Administration demand judges be impeached for the crime of upholding the Constitution against them, it would be unconscionable to reward the Republican party’s constant betrayals of the Constitution and their own agreements by giving them even more power to stack the bench,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee. “We won’t be party to another Republican court-packing scheme—that’s why we’re introducing legislation to give additional judicial appointments to the next unknown president, restoring the fair and bipartisan deal we struck last Congress, the only kind of deal that has ever worked in this field.”

    Background: S. 4199 was a bipartisan bill predicated on the agreement that Republicans and Democrats would give future unknown presidents federal judgeship appointments. In doing so, Congress could expand the number of federal judges in the United States while avoiding the trap of knowingly giving any one political party or president more power. The JUDGES Act was only going to work if Republicans and Democrats worked together to pass the bill before Election Day, on November 5, 2024. The Senate did its job and unanimously passed S. 4199 in August 2024. But Speaker Johnson refused to move this important bill before the election. Now that the central promise of the JUDGES Act is broken, MAGA Republicans are playing politics and trying to force their version of this bill through to give Trump more judges in an attempt to undermine the very backbone of our democracy: the independent judiciary.

    The last time Donald Trump was in power, he used his office to appoint individuals driven not by a duty to the law, but by their ultra-conservative ideologies and loyalty to him. 

    Here are a few examples of the federal judges he nominated during his first term:

    Judge Kyle Duncan was appointed to the Fifth Circuit by Trump in 2017, where he allowed the Texas ban on abortions to take effect during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite a district court finding that it would cause “irreparable harm”; undermined the Fair Housing Act; and blatantly sided with employers in labor cases. 

    Trump appointed Judge Aileen Cannon to the federal bench in 2020 only 12 years after she was first admitted to practice law. She has garnered widespread criticism for her conduct in the Trump documents case, including her decision to appoint a special master to review Trump’s documents, which was overturned by the 11th Circuit.

    Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk was a First Liberty attorney known for his anti-LGBTQ cases when he was appointed by Trump in 2019. As a federal judge, conservative activists have successfully sought to end up in his courtroom, where he has suspended the FDA’s approval of lifesaving abortion pills and ruled against LGBTQ protections

    Text of bill HERE.

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    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Lotus Robotics and HERE Technologies collaborate on Highway Navigation Pilot for Automated Driving

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    • New Highway Navigation Pilot from Lotus Robotics delivers L2+ automated driving capabilities, leveraging high-precision data from HERE HD Live Map.
    • Solution targeted for European homologation in 2025, launching in upcoming Lotus vehicles and available for integration by OEM partners.

    Amsterdam/Frankfurt am Main – Lotus Robotics, the intelligent driving arm of Lotus Technology, and HERE Technologies, the leading location data and technology company have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop an advanced Highway Navigation Pilot solution that delivers Level 2+ (L2+) automated driving functions. 

    The collaboration is focused on delivering a best-in-class L2+ ADAS solution integrating an advanced sensor perception stack and a high-precision map for advanced driving and safety functions including hands-off driving in certain situations. The solution is set for homologation in Europe in 2025. It will be utilized in upcoming Lotus vehicles and jointly offered to automakers across Europe. 

    Automated Highway Driving Powered by Lotus and HERE

    Lotus Robotics will engineer the L2+ solution, powered by the HERE HD Live Map. The Lotus Highway Navigation Pilot is a full stack hardware and software solution for Level 2+ automated driving functions, including automated lane changes, highway transitions and passing manoeuvres.

    For automated driving systems, the HERE HD Live Map delivers safety-enhancing data for functions like localization, prediction, and path planning, working seamlessly with various vehicle sensors. The HD map expands a vehicle’s ability to “see” and “plan” in scenarios where sensors alone may be limited. The HERE HD Live Map improves the overall situational awareness by providing precise, forward-looking information about road network features and local regulations, anticipating potential issues ahead and giving drivers an improved sense of confidence.

    Building on a Proven Partnership

    In 2022, Lotus and HERE combined forces to bring a customized advanced navigation solution based on HERE Navigation to the groundbreaking fully electric hyper-SUV Lotus Eletre and hyper-GT Lotus Emeya. Building on this collaboration, Lotus Robotics and HERE are now expanding their partnership to develop the Highway Navigation Pilot, advancing automated driving capabilities for both Lotus vehicles and other OEMs.

    “We see a huge potential need for L2+ ADAS and NOA (Navigation on Autopilot) in highway scenarios for the global market in the near future. Lotus Robotics is dedicated to building an open ecosystem together with our strategic partners including HD map services provided by HERE Technologies as a key element of our technical stack of automated driving. We are expecting a rapid rollout of this product portfolio combining Lotus Robotics Software and HERE Map data across the globe,” said Dr. Bo Li, Chief Executive Officer at Lotus Robotics.

    “We are excited to collaborate and co-innovate with Lotus Robotics in the field of automated driving. Fresh and accurate location data and technology are a critical cornerstone for any safe and efficient automated driving system. Together with Lotus Robotics, we look forward to paving the way for the future of autonomous vehicles,” said Jason Jameson, Chief Customer Officer at HERE Technologies.

    HERE AI-powered Mapmaking for Automated Driving

    HERE’s unified mapping architecture, powered by the latest in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), delivers unmatched accuracy and detail to its high-quality mapping solutions. By leveraging the latest in AI and ML techniques, HERE automates, updates, and enhances its IoT sensor data-derived mapmaking that processes hundreds of millions of kilometers of vehicle probe and sensor data every hour. The company’s commitment to innovation has made it a longtime, trusted industry partner. HERE location data and software services are used in more than 222 million vehicles globally, and today more than 54 million vehicles rely on maps from HERE for advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving functions.

    Media Contacts
    Ms. Weizhou Wu
    +86-159 1071 0170
    weizhou.wu@lotuscars.com.cn

    Dr. Sebastian Kurme 
    +49 173 515 3549 
    sebastian.kurme@here.com  

    About Lotus Robotics
    Lotus Robotics is committed to empowering the era of robotics. We are aiming to build a universal AI technology platform and materialize AI through robotics. The company is willing to provide a new focal point of development to the human world that generates economic value.

    Lotus Robotics is setting a new standard for transportation by making it safer, more accessible, and efficient. The company offers end-to-end autonomous driving services including the software for autonomous driving, autonomous testing capabilities and a simulation tool chain on the cloud for advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and automated/autonomous driving.

    Lotus Robotics was founded in 2021 and is working with multiple leading automakers to accelerate the transition to autonomous driving technology.

    About HERE Technologies
    HERE has been a pioneer in mapping and location technology for 40 years. Today, the HERE location platform is recognized as the most complete in the industry, powering location-based products, services and custom maps for organizations and enterprises across the globe. From autonomous driving and seamless logistics to new mobility experiences, HERE allows its partners and customers to innovate while retaining control over their data and safeguarding privacy. Find out how HERE is moving the world forward at here.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Guthrie Presents Local Students with 2024 Congressional App Challenge Awards

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brett Guthrie (2nd District Kentucky)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) presented winning Louisville area student groups awards for the 2024 Congressional Art Competition. The Congressional App Challenge allows middle and high school students to compete with peers in their own Congressional District by creating and exhibiting their software applications, or “apps,” for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice.

    “I am so proud to see the hard work and thoughtfulness that our local students put into the designing their apps,” said Congressman Guthrie. “In total, more than 30 student groups from across our district showcased immense ingenuity in their submissions. From developing ways to increase access to mental health resources, to improving physical health, to deepening an individuals’ relationship with God, these students solved real-world problems using modern technology. I know that all these students have a bright future ahead and our nation is in good hands with the next generation!”

    Photos from yesterday’s event can be found here.

    OVERALL SECOND PLACE: Serenity by Sharvil Saxena from Dupont Manual High School. This app is designed to improve a user’s mental health by including guided daily meditations, a mood tracker, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbox to provide real-time emotional support, and a built-in interface to connect individuals with professional mental health providers as needed.

    OVERALL THRID PLACE: Personalized Intelligent Fitness & Nutrition Assistant by Manit Gupta & Bhavit Gupta from DuPont Manual High School & Meyzeek Middle School. This app works to educate users and improve health outcomes by developing individualized exercise routines, dietary recommendations based on available food, and data tracking to detect potential health issues.

    MIDDLE SCHOOL FIRST PLACE: Mindful Memory by Ava Zernickow from Hebron Middle School. Mindful Memory is an educational app designed to provide resources for family and loved ones of dementia patients as well as being directly used by individuals living with mild cases of dementia to help them navigate the illness. 

    MIDDLE SCHOOL SECOND PLACE: Chosen by Callie Pryor from Hebron Middle School. This app provides information and resources about the adoption process for families looking to expand their family through adoption. 

    MIDDLE SCHOOL THIRD PLACE: Just Breathe by Mia Johnson, Leela Schroerlucke, Philippa Bryant and Elaine Paul from Hebron Middle School. This app provides tools and resources to middle and high school students to navigate daily stress and anxiety.

    MIDDLE SCHOOL FOURTH PLACE: Mind Bible by Katie Ousley & Evelyn Kardols from Hebron Middle School. This app is designed to further teenagers’ relationship with God by providing educational opportunities about the Bible and Christianity.

    The Congressional App Challenge was established by Members of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014 and is a nationwide event intended to engage students’ creativity and encourage their participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields. Eligibility is limited to students currently enrolled in middle or high school and either reside or attend school in the district. The overall first place submission will be invited to the #HouseofCode Showcase in Washington D.C. later this Spring.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Tyton Partners and Ufi Ventures Release 2025 Annual VocTech Market Report: Policy Inflection, Skills Gaps, and AI Transformations Define the Future of Workforce Development

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tyton Partners, the leading strategy consultancy and investment advisor in global education, and Ufi Ventures, the UK’s specialist investor in vocational technology, have published their fifth annual report on the future of workforce development, The Jobs Frontier 2025.

    The report reflects on a year marked by political upheaval, economic uncertainty, and rapid technological change. It also explores how these trends are shaping investment priorities and public-private responses across the UK and globally, with a strategic review of the implications of 2024 alongside scenarios for the remainder of 2025.

    Key takeaways from the 2025 report include:

    • Macroeconomic uncertainty, demographic change, and technological acceleration are reshaping the UK workforce.
    • Labour shortages remain acute, particularly in the green economy, education, health and social care, and tech.
    • The new US administration’s policies have introduced considerable uncertainty and are shifting spending priorities – and perhaps jobs and skills requirements – across Europe.
    • Investment in VocTech has rebounded in the UK but remains cautious globally.
    • AI and automation are changing the dynamics of employment and workforce development.
    • Public-private partnerships are emerging as essential to addressing systemic workforce challenges.

    Nick Kind, Managing Director at Tyton Partners, said:
    “We are entering a decisive period for workforce transformation. The choices made by government, employers and investors over the next 12 months will determine whether we bridge critical skills gaps or entrench inequality further. This report is designed to inform those decisions.”

    Helen Gironi, Director of Ufi Ventures, added:
    “This year’s analysis reinforces the case for targeted investment where business needs and social value align. The VocTech ecosystem has a vital role to play in enabling access to skills and opportunity—particularly for those who have historically been underserved by mainstream education and training systems. As the UK confronts economic and environmental transition, those solutions will only become more essential.”

    The report also highlights growing momentum behind new public-private partnerships and a renewed policy focus on adult education, apprenticeships and regional skills development, as well as areas where further action is urgently needed.

    Read The Jobs Frontier 2025 here.

    About Tyton Partners
    Tyton Partners is the leading provider of strategy consulting and investment banking services to the global knowledge and information services sector. With offices in Boston and New York City, the firm has an experienced team of bankers and consultants who deliver a unique spectrum of services from mergers and acquisitions and capital markets access to strategy development that helps companies, organizations, and investors navigate the complexities of the education, media, and information markets. Tyton Partners leverages a deep foundation of transactional and advisory experience and an unparalleled level of global relationships to make its clients’ aspirations a reality and to catalyze innovation in the sector. Learn more at tytonpartners.com.

    About Ufi Ventures

    Ufi Ventures is the investment arm of Ufi VocTech Trust, investing in early-stage EdTech companies building digital technologies to deliver the skills needed for work, now and in the future. We focus on early-stage companies with an ambition to use technology to make a positive and scalable impact on skills development for adults. Learn more at ufi.co.uk/ventures.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Severe Thunderstorm Watch 105

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL5

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 105
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1255 AM EDT Thu Apr 3 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Northeast Kentucky
    Eastern Ohio
    Extreme Western Pennsylvania
    Western and Northern West Virginia
    Lake Erie

    * Effective this Thursday morning from 1255 AM until 700 AM EDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…A fast-moving line of thunderstorms over western Ohio will
    track eastward across the watch area overnight, posing a risk of
    locally damaging wind gusts and perhaps a tornado.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 50
    statute miles east and west of a line from 15 miles west of Erie PA
    to 35 miles southwest of Huntington WV. For a complete depiction of
    the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
    WOU5).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 98…WW 102…WW 103…WW
    104…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few
    cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 400. Mean storm motion vector
    24035.

    …Hart

    SEL5

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 105
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1255 AM EDT Thu Apr 3 2025

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of
    Northeast Kentucky
    Eastern Ohio
    Extreme Western Pennsylvania
    Western and Northern West Virginia
    Lake Erie

    * Effective this Thursday morning from 1255 AM until 700 AM EDT.

    * Primary threats include…
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
    A tornado or two possible

    SUMMARY…A fast-moving line of thunderstorms over western Ohio will
    track eastward across the watch area overnight, posing a risk of
    locally damaging wind gusts and perhaps a tornado.

    The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 50
    statute miles east and west of a line from 15 miles west of Erie PA
    to 35 miles southwest of Huntington WV. For a complete depiction of
    the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
    WOU5).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
    favorable for severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area.
    Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for threatening
    weather conditions and listen for later statements and possible
    warnings. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
    tornadoes.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 98…WW 102…WW 103…WW
    104…

    AVIATION…A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
    1 inch. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A few
    cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 400. Mean storm motion vector
    24035.

    …Hart

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW5
    WW 105 SEVERE TSTM KY OH PA WV LE 030455Z – 031100Z
    AXIS..50 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    15W ERI/ERIE PA/ – 35SW HTS/HUNTINGTON WV/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 45NM E/W /8WNW ERI – 64SW HNN/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1 INCH. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 400. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24035.

    LAT…LON 42087950 38008209 38008392 42088144

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU5.

    Watch 105 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    Low (20%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Low (5%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    Mod (40%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (20%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Low (10%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Low (

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-Evening Report: What Donald Trump’s dramatic US trade war means for global climate action

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rakesh Gupta, Associate Professor of Accounting & Finance, Charles Darwin University

    US President Donald Trump’s new trade war will not only send shockwaves through the global economy – it also upsets efforts to tackle the urgent issue of climate change.

    Trump has announced a minimum 10% tariff to be slapped on all exports to the United States. A 34% duty applies to imports from China and a 20% rate to products from the European Union. Australia has been hit with the minimum 10% tariff.

    The move has prompted fears of a global economic slowdown. This might seem like a positive for the climate, because greenhouse gas emissions are closely tied to economic growth.

    However, in the long term, the trade war is bad news for global efforts to cut emissions. It is likely to lead to more energy-intensive goods produced in the US, and dampen international investment in renewable energy projects.

    How does global trade affect emissions?

    Traditionally, growth in the global economy leads to greater emissions from sources such as energy use in both manufacturing and transport. Conversely, emissions tend to fall in periods of economic decline.

    Trade tensions damage the global economy. This was borne out in the tariff war between the US and China, the world’s two largest economies, in 2018 and 2019.

    Trump, in his first presidential term, imposed tariffs on billions of dollars worth of imports from China. In response, China introduced or increased tariffs on thousands of items from the US.

    As a result, the International Monetary Fund estimated global gross domestic product (GDP) would fall by 0.8% in 2020. The extent of its true impact on GDP is difficult to determine due to the onset of COVID in the same year.

    However, Trump’s tariff war is far broader this time around, and we can expect broadscale damage to global GDP.

    In the short-term, any decline is likely to have a positive impact on emissions reduction. We saw this effect during the COVID-19 pandemic, when global production and trade fell.

    But unfortunately, this effect won’t last forever.

    Domestic production isn’t always a good thing

    Every country consumes goods. And according to Trump’s trade plan, which aims to revive the US manufacturing base, the goods his nation requires will be produced domestically rather than being imported.

    Unfortunately, this US production is likely to be inefficient in many cases. A central tenet of global trade is that nations focus on making goods where they have a competitive advantage – in other words, where they can manufacture the item more cheaply than other nations can. That includes making them using less energy, or creating fewer carbon emissions.

    If the US insists on manufacturing everything it needs domestically, we can expect many of those goods to be more emissions-intensive than if they were imported.

    Renewable energy slowdown?

    Globally, investment in renewable energy has been growing. The US trade war jeopardises this growth.

    Renewable energy spending is, in many cases, a long-term investment which may not produce an immediate economic reward. The logic is obvious: if we don’t invest in reducing emissions now, the economic costs in the future will be far worse.

    However, the US tariffs create a new political imperative. Already, there are fears it may trigger a global economic recession and increase living costs around the world.

    National governments are likely to become focused on protecting their own populace from these financial pressures. Business and industry will also become nervous about global economic conditions.

    And the result? Both governments and the private sector may shy away from investments in renewable energy and other clean technologies, in favour of more immediate financial concerns.

    The COVID experience provides a cautionary tale. The unstable economic outlook and higher interest rates meant banks were more cautious about financing some renewable energy projects.

    And according to the International Energy Agency, small to medium-sized businesses became more reluctant to invest in renewable energy applications such as heat pumps and solar panels.

    What’s more, the slowing in global trade during the pandemic meant the supply of components and materials vital to the energy transition was disrupted.

    There are fears this disruption may be repeated following the US tariff move. For example, the duty on solar products from China to the US is expected to rise to 60%, just as demand for solar energy increases from US data centres and artificial intelligence use.

    Few nations can afford to impose retaliatory tariffs on the US imports.

    Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, for example, says this nation will not slap new duties on US imports, saying: “We will not join a race to the bottom that leads to higher prices and slower growth”.

    China, however, can be expected to return fire. Already it has halted imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the US for 40 days – a move attributed to trade tensions.

    This may seem like good news for emissions reduction. However, China, like all other nations, needs energy. With less gas from the US, it may resort to burning more coal – which generates more CO₂ when burnt than gas.

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responds to Trump’s tariff announcement.

    An uncertain time

    Free global trade has worldwide benefits. It helps reduce poverty and stimulates innovation and technology. It can improve democracy and individual freedoms.

    And, with the right safeguards in place, global trade can help drive the clean energy transition. Global trade improves efficiency and innovation and technology. This is likely to benefit innovation in clean energy and energy efficiency.

    Trump’s tariff war weakens global trade, and will slow the world’s progress towards decarbonisation. It is a most uncertain time – both for the world’s economy, and its climate.

    Rakesh Gupta 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. What Donald Trump’s dramatic US trade war means for global climate action – https://theconversation.com/what-donald-trumps-dramatic-us-trade-war-means-for-global-climate-action-253740

    MIL OSI AnalysisEveningReport.nz

  • MIL-OSI China: International competition highlights health care tech

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A humanoid robot performs at Zhongguancun International Innovation Center, venue for the 2025 Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum) Annual Conference, in Beijing, capital of China, March 27, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    With interest in physical well-being continuing to grow, health care-related projects became a highlight at the final of the 8th Zhongguancun International Advanced Technology Competition (ZGC ATECH) held in Beijing on March 28 during the Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference. Often dubbed China’s Silicon Valley, Zhongguancun is a leading tech hub in Beijing, fostering innovation and global collaboration.

    The competition featured over 3,000 projects from 75 countries and regions, showcasing the latest technological advancements in various fields. Half of the 10 finalists were overseas projects. 

    A focus on health care across the tech sector was clearly reflected in the fact that eight out of the 10 finalists and five of the top six places were projects aimed at solving major health issues.

    First place was awarded to Rossum Robot Technology based in Beijing for its self-developed robotic system for the treatment of fractures. 

    The two second-place awards went to Beijing-based NanoInsights’ new-generation smart optical microscopy imaging solution and Hopstem Biotechnology’s induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cell therapies used for treating strokes and other central nervous system diseases. 

    The three third-place awards were given to Suzhou-based Geek Gene’s innovative T-cell drug, Hangzhou-based Westlake Therapeutics’ red blood cell-based therapy that overcomes immunotherapy resistance to treat solid tumors, and Beijing-based QCraft’s automatic driving solution.

    Other finalists covered 5D printing and more health-related fields, namely smart nano-optic endoscopy, autologous dendritic cell therapy for type 1 diabetes, and brain-computer interfaces.

    The high proportion of health-related technologies in the final coincides with a surging health and wellness sector powered by rising public interest in physical well-being. According to an industry-specific report released by China Consumers Association last year, the health and wellness sector in China was expected to generate 9 trillion yuan ($1.2 trillion) in revenue by the end of 2024. 

    Hosted by the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission and the Zhongguancun Science Park, a high-tech hub in China, the ZGC ATECH has helped tech startups to present their cutting-edge technologies and attract partners and investors to further technological exploration and business expansion. 

    The eighth ZGC ATECH featured two categories. The first was for technological innovation and was divided into 14 sub-categories, including artificial intelligence, integrated circuits, biomedicine, industrial internet of things, new energy, and general aviation. The second focused on special expertise in five sub-categories of artificial intelligence generated content (AIGC) large model, smart connected vehicles, industrial software, smart hospitals and wellness technology. Besides the 10 finalists, each sub-category produced a top-10 list of projects in their specific field.

    At the award ceremony after the final, five of the prize-winning enterprises and teams signed cooperation deals with industrial parks in Beijing, becoming part of an empowering ecosystem.

    MIL OSI China News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal Introduces Legislation to Block Offensive Weapons Sales to Israel

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and Rashida Tlaib (MI-12) are introducing Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRD) to block the sale of specific offensive weapons to Israel. U.S. weapons have been used to wage this war, which in addition to killing thousands and displacing millions, has razed entire communities, destroying hospitals, schools, and homes.

    “Continuing to provide the Israeli government with offensive weapons, even as they violate both international and U.S. laws, is unacceptable and makes us complicit in this violence and destruction,” said Jayapal. “We must return to a negotiated ceasefire that allows for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, the release of the remaining hostages, and lasting security in the region.”

    These weapons sales are especially concerning given that the Trump Administration bypassed years of standing practice and immediately noticed the sales without oversight from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. 

    If passed, these four JRDs would prohibit the sale of:

    • 35,529 2,000-pound bombs (MK-84 or BLU-117) ($2.04 billion – Sale 1);
      • Due to the size of the blast radius of these bombs, their delivery of these bombs was paused by President Biden. The large radius makes them unsafe to use in densely populated areas, like Gaza, without inflicting mass civilian casualties.
    • Various bombs, Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kits, and fuses ($893 million – Sale 2);
    • 5,000 1-000-pound bombs (MK-83 or BLU-110A/B) and 5,000 JDAMs guidance kits ($675.7 million – Sale 3);
    • D9R and D9T Caterpillar bulldozers, including spare and repair parts, which have been used for demolitions of homes and other civilian infrastructure ($295 million – Sale 4).

    Jayapal and Tlaib have already introduced JRDs for the following sales:

    • H.J.Res. 68: 10,000 155mm High Explosive artillery shells ($312.5 million);
    • H.J.Res. 69: 2,166 Small Diameter Bombs (GBU-39), 2,800 500-pound bombs (MK-82) and tens of thousands of fuses and JDAM guidance kits for use on bombs (6.75 billion);
    • H.J.Res. 70: 15,500 additional JDAM guidance kits for use on bombs and an additional 615 Small Diameter Bombs (GBU-39) ($688 million); 
    • H.J.Res. 71: 3,000 Hellfire Air-to-Ground Missiles ($660 million). 

    Since the introduction of the first tranche of JRDs, the Israeli government has broken the negotiated ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Since the start of the war, at least 50,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 113,000 have been injured. 

    These resolutions are sponsored by the following Members: 

    Sale 1: Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Greg Casar (TX-35), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Al Green (TX-09), Summer Lee (PA-12), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02),  Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

    Sale 2: Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Greg Casar (TX-35), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Al Green (TX-09), Summer Lee (PA-12), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02),  Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

    Sale 3: Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Greg Casar (TX-35), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Al Green (TX-09), Summer Lee (PA-12), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02),  Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

    Sale 4: Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Greg Casar (TX-35), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Al Green (TX-09), Summer Lee (PA-12), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02),  Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

    They are also endorsed by A New Policy, About Face: Veterans Against the War, Action Center on Race & the Economy, American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Americans for Justice in Palestine Action (AJP Action, Arms Control Association, Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC), Center for International Policy Advocacy, Center for Jewish Nonviolence, Community Alliance for Peace and Justice, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), DAWN, Defense for Children International – Palestine, Demand Progress, Democratic Socialists of America, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA), Gen-Z for Change, Hindus for Human Rights, IMEU Policy Project, Institute for Policy Studies, New internationalism Project, Jewish Voice for Peace Action, MADRE, Maine Coalition for Palestine, Malaya Kansas, MARUF CT, McKean County Green Party, Migrant Roots Media, Minnesota Peace Project, MPower Change Action Fund, Muslim Public Affairs Council, National Priorities Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, North Carolina Peace Action, Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore, Pax Christi New York State, Pax Christi USA, Peace Action, Peace, Justice, Sustainability, NOW!, Popular Democracy, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Office of Public Witness, Progressive Democrats of America – Central New Mexico, Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, ReThinking Foreign Policy, Sunrise Movement, United We Dream, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action, UU College of Social Justice, Women for Weapons Trade Transparency, The Peace and Justice Coalition of Prince Georges County MD, and Center for Constitutional Rights.

    Issues: Foreign Affairs & National Security

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Singapore based Sailors hold 132nd Chief Petty Officer Birthday Celebration, April 01, 2025 [Image 1 of 6]

    Source: United States Navy (Logistics Group Western Pacific)

    Issued by: on


    SINGAPORE (April, 01 2025) Capt. John-Paul Tomez, Deputy Commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific/Task Force 73 (COMLOGWESTPAC/CTF 73), addresses the Singapore Chief’s Mess and guests during a celebration commemorating the 132nd Navy Chief Birthday at Sembawang Naval Installation (SNI), Apr. 01, 2025. COMLOGWESTPAC supports deployed maritime forces, along with regional Allies and partners, to sustain Western Pacific operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jordan Jennings/Released)

    Date Taken: 04.01.2025
    Date Posted: 04.02.2025 23:13
    Photo ID: 8950868
    VIRIN: 250401-N-YV347-1045
    Resolution: 5368×3834
    Size: 3.27 MB
    Location: SG

    Web Views: 2
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN  

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty Announces Staff Changes, Promotions, Trump Admin Appointments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    WASHINGTON—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) today announced 22 additions and changes to his staff over the last year, as well as 14 of his staff appointed to serve in the Trump Administration. 

    “I’m pleased to welcome several additions to my staff and announce well-deserved promotions for others,” said Senator Hagerty. “I’m confident that my exceptional team will soar to even greater heights with new expertise and experience. At the same time, I’m deeply proud of my close advisors and alumni who have been appointed to serve in the Trump Administration. I look forward to all we will accomplish in the coming years together.”

    Lucas Da Pieve is now serving as Legislative Director. Da Pieve has served as the Deputy Legislative Director and Projects Manager, handling all budgetary and appropriations matters for Senator Hagerty, since 2021. Previously, he was the Director of Digital Response in the Office of Presidential Correspondence during the first Trump Administration and as Deputy Legislative Director and Projects Manager for Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN). He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Da Pieve is originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and his family has lived in Blount County since 2008.

    Nate Kinard will serve as General Counsel to Senator Hagerty, and advise the Senator regarding judicial nominations, constitutional matters, and artificial intelligence. Previously, Kinard was a shareholder at Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel, specializing in business litigation and appeals. Kinard received his law degree summa cum laude from William & Mary Law School. A native of Chattanooga, Kinard majored in Political Science and Piano Performance at Vanderbilt University.

    Sloan McDonagh is now serving as Policy Advisor and Senior Counsel in Senator Hagerty’s Washington, DC office. McDonagh previously served as Senior Counsel to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. He is a graduate of Hillsdale College and Emory University School of Law.  

    Christy Charbonnet is now serving as Scheduler for Senator Hagerty’s Washington, DC office. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston in Systems Engineering and has been with the Senator since the fall of 2023.

    Emma Morris will serve as Deputy Director of Operations and Scheduling for Hagerty. Morris previously served as the Senator’s Deputy Scheduler. She graduated from Auburn University with a B.A. in Political Science. She is originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee. 

    John DiGravio is now serving as Legislative Assistant to Senator Hagerty, advising him on the Banking Committee portfolio. He previously served as Legislative Aide to the Senator and as an aide to the Senate Banking Committee. DiGravio holds a B.A. from Williams College and was raised in Austin, Texas.

    Luke Harris has been named Legislative Assistant to Hagerty assisting in the Agriculture, Energy, and Transportation portfolio. Harris is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University where he received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

    JT Isaacs has been named Legislative Assistant to manage all general budget and appropriations matters for Hagerty. He also manages the Healthcare, Education, Labor, Pensions, and Veterans’ Affairs portfolio. He previously served as Legislative Aide for Hagerty. Isaacs received a Bachelor of Science in Economics degree from the University of Kentucky.

    Matthew Venoit will serve as Policy Advisor to Senator Hagerty. Prior to the Senate, Venoit worked at Goldman Sachs in both New York and Hong Kong. He holds a B.S. from Penn State University and graduate degrees from KU Leuven and Georgetown University.

    Jillian Cantrell is now serving as Legislative Aide to Hagerty assisting in the Healthcare, Education, Labor, Pensions, and Veterans’ Affairs portfolio. Cantrell previously served as Legislative Correspondent and Staff Assistant. She is a graduate of Washington and Lee University, where she received Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Biology and Politics. She is a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

    Cole Bornefeld is now serving as a Legislative Aide to Hagerty, assisting in the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and Rules portfolio. Bornefeld previously served as a Legislative Correspondent in Hagerty’s Office. He graduated from Western Kentucky University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and public relations. He is a native of Hendersonville, Tennessee.

    Melissa Stooksbury has been serving as Deputy State Director since February 2024 based in the Nashville, Tennessee office. Prior to this role, she served in the office of Congressman Tom Cole, most recently as Communications Director. Stooksbury was born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee and graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science.

    Ethan Finley now serves as a Legislative Correspondent to Senator Hagerty within the Banking Committee Portfolio. Finley previously worked as a field organizer for Tim Sheehy’s 2024 Senate Campaign. Before that, he worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at Evercore. Finley also has experience as an analyst in private equity and wealth management. He graduated from Columbia University with a bachelor’s degree in Financial Economics.

    Zach Brooks currently serves as the Southeast Tennessee Field Representative for Senator Hagerty, a role he has held since April 2024. Before his tenure with Senator Hagerty’s office, Brooks was the Investor Development Director at the Cleveland/Bradley County Chamber of Commerce, focusing on membership growth and community engagement. Born and raised in Cleveland, Tennessee, Brooks graduated from Cleveland High School in 2010. He pursued higher education at Lee University, earning a bachelor’s degree in 2014 and a Master of Business Administration in 2019.

    Gabby Gardner serves as the Nashville Field Representative for Senator Hagerty, where she works closely with community leaders, elected officials, and industry stakeholders across Middle Tennessee. Prior to this role, she served as a Clerk in the Tennessee House of Representatives. Gardner is a proud graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science.

    Ford Hawkins is now serving as the Jackson, Tennessee Field Representative. He previously served with the Young Republicans before joining Olin/Winchester Ammunition, where he worked as a ballistician before joining Hagerty’s office. Hawkins is a West Tennessee native, and he attended the University of Mississippi, holding a bachelor’s degree in History.

    Jonathan White is now serving as the West Tennessee Field Representative. After graduating high school, White served four years active in the U.S. Navy before graduating with his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Mississippi. He has also worked for the American Legion and interned for the Northern District of Mississippi U.S. Attorney’s Office.


    Jake Netterville
    is now serving as Personal Aide to Senator Hagerty in the Washington, DC office. Netterville recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Louisiana State University and is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Prior to joining Senator Hagerty’s office, Netterville worked as a federal analyst at The Picard Group. 

    Cecilia Ann Hutton is now serving as a Staff Assistant in Senator Hagerty’s Washington, DC office. She recently graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History.

    Steven Behringer is now serving as a DoD fellow for Senator Hagerty. Behringer is an active-duty Marine who is fluent in both Mandarin and Korean, and has extensive experience evaluating military and cyber threats in the INDOPACOM region. He is a native of Baltimore, Maryland.

    Blake McMahon is now serving as a National Security Fellow for Senator Hagerty. McMahon has held a variety of Executive Branch roles related to aerospace, defense, and intelligence issues. He received a PhD from the University of California, San Diego and a bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma State.

    James Santos is serving as a National Security Fellow. Santos comes from the Office of Director of National Intelligence, where he worked on a range of national security issues, covering policy development and program management matters. He graduated from Michigan State University, and holds a Master’s degree in Accounting. He was born in Manila, Philippines and hails from Grand Rapids, Michigan.  

    Serving in the Trump Administration

    Adam Telle is nominated to lead the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. Telle has served as Hagerty’s Chief of Staff over the last four years and will continue to serve Hagerty while his nomination is pending before the Senate. Telle served during the first Trump Administration as the White House’s Senate lead in its Office of Legislative Affairs.  Prior to that role, Telle served as the top staff member on the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Homeland Security and as the top policy advisor to the late Senator Thad Cochran. Telle holds degrees in computer science and journalism from Mississippi State University.

    Luke Pettit is nominated to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Institutions. Pettit has served as Senator Hagerty’s Senior Policy Advisor and will continue to serve Hagerty while his nomination is pending before the Senate. Previously, he worked at the Senate Banking Committee, Bridgewater Associates, and the Federal Reserve. Luke holds a B.A from the University of Pennsylvania, and graduate degrees from the London School of Economics and Johns Hopkins University.

    Daniel Zimmerman has been nominated to be Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs. Zimmerman currently serves in a Congressional Executive Fellowship in the office of Senator Hagerty and will continue to serve Hagerty while his nomination is pending before the Senate. He previously has held many roles in the agency realm, and holds both a bachelor’s degree from Asbury University and a master’s degree from the University of Kentucky.

    Julia Hahn is serving as the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Department for the Office of Public Affairs. Hahn joins the Department after serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications for Senator Hagerty. Prior to the Senate, Hahn served in the first Trump White House over all four years, most recently as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy White House Communications Director. Before that, she served as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Rapid Response and Surrogate Operations. Hahn has also worked in media as the Executive Producer of The Laura Ingraham Show and a reporter at Breitbart News. She also worked on Capitol Hill as Press Secretary to former Congressman Dave Brat. Hahn graduated from the University of Chicago with a BA in Philosophy.

    Clark Milner is serving as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for Policy, focusing primarily on domestic policy. Milner formerly served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Chief Counsel to Senator Bill Hagerty. Milner previously served as Deputy Counsel to Governor Bill Lee.

    Natalie McIntyre currently serves a Special Assistant to the President for the Office of Legislative Affairs where she handles the Healthcare, Education, Labor, Banking, and Agriculture portfolio. Previously, she was Senator Hagerty’s Legislative Director overseeing the legislative team and managing the Health, Education, Labor, Pension, and Veterans portfolio. Prior to her role in Hagerty’s office, she was part of the legislative office at OMB where she managed the Senate offices. She also served as a Senior Policy Advisor and White House liaison at ONDCP.

    Nels Nordquist
    is serving as Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic Policy and DD of NEC.Nordquist was Senior Fellow for Economic Policy in the office of Senator Hagerty. From October 2022 through January 2025, he served as Staff Director for the National Security, Illicit Finance, and International Financial Institutions Subcommittee of the House Financial Services Committee. From 2018-2021, Nordquist worked in the National Security Council and National Economic Council, first as Director for Trade & Investment and later as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for International Economic Policy. Nordquist graduated from Stanford and earned an MBA from the University of Virginia.

    Joel Rayburn is the Trump Administration’s nominee to be Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. He is a historian, former diplomat, and retired military officer who previously served as special advisor for Middle East affairs in the office of Senator Hagerty. Rayburn is currently a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. In the first Trump Administration, he served as a senior director on the National Security Council staff and, from July 2018 to January 2021, as the U.S. special envoy for Syria. Before joining the State Department, Rayburn served 26 years as a US Army officer and co-authored the Army’s official history of the Iraq War. He holds an MA in history from Texas A&M University and an MS in strategic studies from the National War College.

    Kevin Kim is the State Department’s China Coordinator and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for China, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, and Taiwan. Prior to the State Department, Kim worked as a national security fellow for Senator Hagerty. Kim was also the Senior Advisor to the Special Presidential Envoy for Arms Control Marshall Billingslea as part of the U.S. delegation to the 2020 U.S.-Russia arms control negotiations.  From 2018 to 2020, he served as the Chief of Staff to the Special Representative for North Korea and the Deputy Secretary of state Stephen Biegun and participated in various rounds of U.S.-DPRK nuclear negotiations. Kim received a BA from the Johns Hopkins University, MA from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

    Walton Stivender Mears has taken on a new role as scheduler for Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner. Mears joined HUD last month after serving as Director of Scheduling for Senator Hagerty. She previously handled scheduling and assisted the chief of staff for Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) and as a Staff Assistant for Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL). Mears is an Auburn University graduate from Birmingham, Alabama.

    J. Cal Mitchell is serving as the Special Assistant at the U.S. Department of Treasury. He joins the Treasury Department after serving as Personal Aide to Senator Hagerty. Mitchell is a native of Atlanta, Georgia and is a graduate of Hampden-Sydney College.

    Nick Checker, a national security fellow for Senator Hagerty in 2023, currently serves as Deputy Executive Secretary on the National Security Council. In that role, Checker provides senior-level review of NSC products for substance, policy relevance, and appropriateness for the President and senior White House officials. Checker has spent the last decade at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) as a military analyst covering conflicts in the greater Middle East. Most recently, Checker worked in CIA’s office of Congressional Affairs, where he supported the confirmation process for Director John Ratcliffe. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history and political science from the University of Wisconsin and a master’s degree in Security Studies from Georgetown University.

    Nicholas Elliot is the Acting Director of the Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Elliot serves as the chief advisor to the CFTC Chairman on matters before the U.S. Congress and as the Commission’s official liaison with Congressional members, federal agencies, and the Administration. Previously, Elliot spent nearly four years working for Senator Hagerty on the Senator’s financial services and banking portfolio, where he advanced the Senator’s work on the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Elliot is a graduate of Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business where he received a BS in Business Administration with a major in Finance and a minor in Mandarin.

    Taylor Asher serves as Chief Policy Advisor of the SEC’s Crypto Task Force and is a Senior Policy Advisor to SEC Acting Chairman Mark Uyeda. From April 2023 to January 2025, Asher served as Policy Advisor and Confidential Assistant to Commissioner Uyeda. Prior to his time at the SEC, Asher was Personal Aide to Senator Hagerty. His tenure in public service began with Congresswoman Julia Letlow’s Office, where he served as Staff Assistant and Intern Manager. Asher is currently pursuing a Master of Economics at George Mason University. He holds a Master of Finance with an Energy Specialization as well as a Bachelor of Science in Management from Tulane University. He is originally from Nashville, Tennessee.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Maritime NZ response to TAIC i-Catcher report

    Source: Maritime New Zealand

    The capsizing of the i-Catcher in September 2022 was a devastating incident resulting in loss of five peoples’ lives.
    “We want to extend our sincere condolences to everyone impacted by this tragic incident,” Maritime NZ Director, Kirstie Hewlett says.
    “We recognise the work of TAIC in providing a comprehensive report and set of actions relating to a number of agencies and bodies.
    “As regards to the TAIC recommendations relating to Maritime NZ, we have either already actioned these, have actions in progress, or have partially accepted recommendations, but may be delivering these in ways that achieve the outcome, but through different means,” Ms Hewlett says.
    Where the actions relate to how we work with New Zealand Police or other coordinating authorities in the search and rescue sector. Maritime NZ supports the recommendations.
    These recommendations align with the work our Rescue Coordination Centre has already been doing with its partners, particularly with New Zealand Police in strengthening the way in which we work in relation to collaborating on search and rescue operations. We will also work with the NZSAR Council to support the consideration of whether all aviation taskings should be conducted by our Rescue Coordination Centre.
    “Maritime NZ wants to again offer its condolences to everyone impacted by this incident.
    “We fully understand days like this, two-and-a-half years after the incident occurred will be tough for the survivors, as well as friends and family members of the victims,” Ms Hewlett says.
    For information about which agency undertakes SAR in New Zealand please head to –

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA News: President Trump’s Bold Trade Action Draws Praise

    Source: The White House

    Today, President Donald J. Trump made clear to the world that the days of economic surrender are over. After being sold out by career politicians for generations, President Trump is enacting fair trade policies that will restore our workforce, rebuild our economy, and finally put America First.

    The move drew immediate praise:

    Coalition for a Prosperous America Chairman Zach Mottl: “A permanent, universal baseline tariff resets the global trade environment and finally addresses the destructive legacy of decades of misguided free-trade policies. President Trump’s decision to implement a baseline tariff is a game-changing shift that prioritizes American manufacturing, protects working-class jobs, and safeguards our economic security from adversaries like China. This is exactly the type of bold action America needs to restore its industrial leadership. Today’s action will deliver lasting benefits to the U.S. economy and working-class Americans, cementing President Trump’s legacy as one that ushered in a new Golden Age of American industrialization and prosperity.”

    National Cattlemen’s Beef Association SVP of Government Affairs Ethan Lane: “For too long, America’s family farmers and ranchers have been mistreated by certain trading partners around the world. President Trump is taking action to address numerous trade barriers that prevent consumers overseas from enjoying high-quality, wholesome American beef. NCBA will continue engaging with the White House to ensure fair treatment for America’s cattle producers around the world and optimize opportunities for exports abroad.”

    Steel Manufacturers Association President Philip K. Bell: “President Trump is a champion of the domestic steel industry, and his America First Trade Policy is designed to fight the unfair trade that has harmed American workers and weakened manufacturing in the United States. The recently reinvigorated 232 steel tariffs have already started creating American jobs and bolstering the domestic steel industry. President Trump is working to turn America into a manufacturing powerhouse and the steel tariffs are driving that movement. President Trump’s initial 232 steel tariffs and the historic tax cuts led to investments of nearly $20 billion by steel manufacturers in the United States. Since the revised tariffs took effect, Hyundai Steel announced a $5.8 billion steel mill in Louisiana, demonstrating that the tariffs are working to bring more steel investments and production to the United States. The domestic steel market is stronger when other nations are forced to compete on a level playing field. On a level playing field, American workers can outcompete anyone. We look forward to continuing working with President Trump and his administration to ensure a level playing field for Americans and a robust domestic steel industry that strengthens our national, economic and energy security.”

    Alliance for American Manufacturing President Scott Paul: “Today’s trade action prioritizes domestic manufacturers and America’s workers. These hardworking men and women have seen unfair trade cut the ground from beneath their feet for decades. They deserve a fighting chance. Our workers can out-compete anyone in the world, but they need a level playing field to do it. This trade reset is a necessary step in the right direction.”

    National Electrical Contractors Association CEO David Long: “President Trump has consistently prioritized policies that put the electrical industry as a priority, and we recognize his commitment to strengthening our nation’s economy. As these new tariffs take effect, we look forward to working with the Administration to ensure that electrical contractors and the entire electrical industry can continue powering America efficiently while navigating potential cost and supply chain challenges.”

    Bienvenido Empresarios: “As an organization committed to empowering Hispanic Americans and strengthening our nation’s future, Bienvenido supports policies that build a more resilient American economy, safeguard our communities, and reassert U.S. leadership on the global stage. President Trump’s emphasis on using economic leverage — including tariffs — reflects a broader strategy to counter China, confront the deadly fentanyl crisis, and bring critical industries back home. Now is a time for tough, decisive action when national security and American livelihoods are at stake. Our hope is that these measures lead to stronger enforcement, fairer trade, and long-term prosperity for all Americans.”

    America First Policy Institute: “Tariffs worked then—and they’ll work again. Under President Trump, tariffs brought back jobs, lowered inflation, and strengthened national security. It’s not just economic policy—it’s America First in action.”

    Speaker Mike Johnson: “President Trump is sending a clear message with Liberation Day: America will not be exploited by unfair trade practices anymore. These tariffs restore fair and reciprocal trade and level the playing field for American workers and innovators. The President understands that FREE trade ONLY works when it’s FAIR!”

    Gov. Jeff Landry: “Pro Jobs. Pro Business. Pro America.”

    Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso: “President Trump is acting boldly to put America first. America needs fair and free trade. We can’t allow other countries to keep abusing our workers and job creators. It’s time we had a level playing field. I applaud President Trump’s 100% commitment to Made in America.”

    Sen. Jim Banks: “The decision by President Trump today to impose reciprocal tariffs will be so good for Indiana. … Those are the manufacturing jobs that President Trump is bringing back from overseas.”

    Sen. Bill Cassidy: “The president’s trade agenda can pave the way for stronger trade deals, fairer rules, and real results. I am excited to work with President Trump to make it happen. Louisiana’s workers and families deserve nothing less.”

    Sen. Roger Marshall: “President Donald Trump is fighting for long-term solutions to put America’s farmers and ranchers first.”

    Sen. Ashley Moody: “It’s liberation day in America! Today, @POTUS sent a message to the world that the era of America being taken advantage of is over.”

    Sen. Markwayne Mullin: “President Trump is going to charge foreign countries roughly half of what they *already* charge us to do business. Literally who can argue with this?”

    Sen. Pete Ricketts: “President Trump is delivering on his campaign promises to level the playing field and stand up for the American people. Reciprocal tariffs will ensure equal treatment for American businesses. @POTUS is working to reshore jobs lost overseas and secure our supply chains. He is working to open new markets for our nation’s agriculture products. He is demonstrating to foreign adversaries like China that we will no longer be taken advantage of.”

    Sen. Rick Scott: “The days of the U.S. being taken advantage of by other countries are OVER! Pres. Trump is making it clear that he will ALWAYS put American jobs, manufacturing and our economy first. As Americans, let’s stand with him and support one another by buying products MADE IN AMERICA.”

    Sen. Eric Schmitt: “President Trump is bringing America back. We won’t be ripped off by other countries anymore. We’re bringing back manufacturing, unleashing energy production, and paving the way for prosperity.”

    Sen. Tommy Tuberville: “For too long, other countries have ripped us off with bad trade deals – resulting in American jobs and manufacturing moving overseas. But change is coming. The Golden Age of America’s economy is here. Happy Liberation Day.”

    House Majority Leader Steve Scalise: “The United States and American workers will no longer be ripped off by other countries with unfair trade practices. Thank you President Trump for putting America’s workers and innovators first with reciprocal tariffs that level the playing field and make trade FAIR.”

    House Majority Whip Tom Emmer: “For too long, foreign countries have taken advantage of us at the expense of American workers. President @realDonaldTrump says NO MORE.”

    House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain: “Tariffs work! @POTUS has proven tariffs are an effective tool in achieving economic and strategic objectives. The President’s long-term strategy will pay off.”

    Rep. Elise Stefanik: “I strongly support President Trump’s America First economic policies to strengthen American manufacturing and create millions of American jobs. For too long, Americans have suffered under unfair trade practices putting America Last. We will not allow other countries to take advantage of us and we must put America and the American worker first.”

    Rep. Jason Smith: “America shouldn’t reward countries that discriminate against American workers and manufacturers. On Liberation Day, President Trump is correcting this and demanding fair treatment for American producers.”

    Rep. Mark Alford: “The days of the United States being taken advantage of are OVER. Republicans are putting American workers FIRST.”

    Rep. Jodey Arrington: “For too long, our leaders have allowed other nations to rip us off through numerous unfair trade practices resulting in suppressed wages, lost opportunities, and unrealized economic growth. Just as he did in his first term, President Trump is fighting to ensure an even playing field for our manufacturers, farmers, and workers so we can unleash American prosperity and Make America Great Again.”

    Rep. Brian Babin: “Trump’s tariffs aren’t starting a trade war—they’re ending one. For decades, other countries ripped off American workers with unfair tariffs and barriers. Now, we’re finally fighting back.”

    Rep. Andy Biggs: “Past administrations have allowed the United States to be ripped off by allies and adversaries alike. President Trump said “NO MORE!” The Art of the Deal.”

    Rep. Vern Buchanan: “For too long, unfair trade practices devastated America’s manufacturing base and stole millions of blue-collar jobs. It’s time to level the playing field and bring those jobs back. @POTUS is fighting for American workers.”

    Rep. Michael Cloud: “America-First means putting the American people first. We will no longer be taken advantage of as a nation and people.”

    Rep. Andrew Clyde: “For far too long, the U.S. has been ripped off by countries across the globe with unfair trade practices. Now, we’re finally leveling the playing field. THANK YOU, President Trump, for putting American workers and manufacturing FIRST.”

    Rep. Mike Collins: “This is fair. Whether it’s our military or economy, other countries have taken advantage of the U.S. for far too long. That time is over.”

    Rep. Chuck Edwards: “Many countries are taking advantage of the United States by imposing tariffs against us while we don’t have reciprocal tariffs against them. @POTUS has used tariffs to produce successful trade deals for us in his first term, and I support his plan to use them again to create a more level playing field and secure fairer trade deals for America. The quicker other countries agree to fairer trade deals, the quicker the tariffs can end.”

    Rep. Scott Franklin:“For years the US handcuffed itself and played nice while other countries imposed massive tariffs and took advantage of us. We’re done putting America last. @POTUS is leveling the playing field, ending trade imbalances and prioritizing American workers and manufacturing again!”

    Rep. Russell Fry: “HAPPY LIBERATION DAY. Thanks to @POTUS, America is DONE being taken advantage of. A new era has begun.”

    Rep. Lance Gooden: “For decades, Washington allowed Texans to be ripped off by foreign countries. Those days are now over. @POTUS is committed to making America wealthy again!”

    Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene: “If you want to do business in America, you need to play by our rules. For too long, American businesses, big and small, have been ripped off by bad trade deals and unfair competition. President Trump is putting a stop to it. He’s standing up for our workers, our companies, and our consumers.”

    Rep. Abe Hamadeh: “The America First Republican party is the party of the working class, the forgotten men and women. On this Liberation Day, we further our commitment to them, that we will reshore our manufacturing, restore fair trade, and rebuild the greatest economy in the world.”

    Rep. Pat Harrigan:“If you want access to the most powerful economy in the world, treat us fairly. If not, don’t expect a free ride. That’s real leadership and @POTUS is delivering it!”

    Rep. Andy Harris: “President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs will put the American worker first and bring fairness back to international trade. America is being respected again.”

    Rep. Diana Harshbarger: “President Trump is bringing back the American Dream. Our taxpayers have been ripped off by foreign countries for far too long, but those days are over. President Trump is right to impose these reciprocal tariffs.”

    Rep. Clay Higgins: “@POTUS’ trade agenda puts American industry and America first. I support the President’s action to protect our domestic producers.”

    Rep. Wesley Hunt: “Today, President Trump empowered the American middle class.  His policies on tariffs will bring automotive manufacturing back to America.”

    Rep. Nicole Malliotakis: “Since President Trump has been elected, we’ve attracted $5 trillion in private investment, foreign & domestic companies have announced Made in USA manufacturing, countries have reduced tariffs or changed foreign policies. President Trump is sticking up for American workers & farmers, repatriating our supply chain and protecting our national security.”

    Rep. Addison McDowell: “My district was hit hard over the years by unfair trade deals. Finally, we have a President who wants to put the American worker FIRST.”

    Rep. Mary Miller: “America will no longer be taken advantage of! This is how you put America First.”

    Rep. Riley Moore: “For decades, foreign countries have enjoyed free access to the greatest consumer marketplace on the face of the planet, all while still charging our domestic producers hefty duties or imposing significant barriers to access their markets. Today that ends. President Trump is the only president in my lifetime to acknowledge how unfair trade has gutted the heartland and shipped countless jobs overseas. By finally reciprocating in-kind, we’ll force foreign competitors to the negotiating table, lower trade barriers, and ultimately create real free and fair trade across the board. I’m confident this move will boost our domestic manufacturing industry and fuel demand for American products across the globe.”

    Rep. Tim Moore: “President Trump is leveling the playing field for American workers and bringing back MADE IN AMERICA!”

    Rep. Troy Nehls: “President Trump’s reciprocal tariffs make it clear that our country will not be ripped off anymore. We are bringing back American manufacturing and putting America First.”

    Rep. Ralph Norman: “Happy LIBERATION Day … ✅Protect the American worker ✅Strengthen manufacturing ✅Reduce unfair trade practices … Our economy will be competitive again!!”

    Rep. Andy Ogles: “He’s resetting the negotiating table. He’s resetting the deck here to say, ‘You know what? For too long, you’ve taken advantage of our free market and you’ve literally leached jobs away from the American people … Let’s have a serious conversation and let’s do something that’s fair and mutually beneficial for both sides.’”

    Rep. Guy Reschenthaler: “I fully support President Trump’s critical efforts to right this generational wrong, bring manufacturing jobs home, and rejuvenate American working families. Made in America is back.”

    Rep. John Rutherford: “Tariffs help bring American jobs back home, incentivize buying American, AND put pressure on Canada and Mexico to stop the flow of fentanyl and illegal immigrants from their countries into ours. Even the Biden Admin kept or increased tariffs that President Trump imposed during his first presidency. Under Trump, inflation stayed around 2% and our GDP grew to 3%. Smart tariffs are a long-term investment in the American economy that are worth the short-term cost.”

    Rep. Greg Steube: “What many fail to realize: Trump’s reciprocal tariffs are a long-overdue response to years of unfair trade policies against America. For decades, America has been ripped off by other countries who have repeatedly slapped tariffs on our goods, blocked our products, and flooded our markets with theirs. The numbers don’t lie–the rest of the world has profited at the expense of American workers and businesses. President Trump is finally putting America First by taking bold, necessary actions that past leaders wouldn’t take.”

    Rep. Marlin Stutzman: “If Australia doesn’t want our beef – WE DON’T WANT THEIRS! Thank you @POTUS for opening the door of fair treatment for America’s Cattlemen”

    Rep. Tom Tiffany: “Gone are the days of America being taken advantage of by foreign countries. The American worker comes FIRST.”

    Rep. William Timmons: “President Trump’s tariffs are a necessary move to protect American workers and rebuild our economy. We are finally breaking free from decades of unfair trade deals that gutted our industries. These tariffs will bring jobs back to our districts, strengthen manufacturing, and ensure our children inherit a country that is not just a consumer, but a producer. Thank you, @POTUS.”

    Rep. Beth Van Duyne: “For far too long, the United States has been taken advantage of by our foreign trade partners. The American people re-elected President Trump to bring back truly fair trade with other countries. Reciprocal tariffs are a first step to have a level playing field for American products and to start bringing back manufacturing to our country!”

    Rep. Daniel Webster: “President @realDonaldTrump is delivering on his mandate to restore America’s economic strength. For too long, unfair trade deals have hollowed out our factories and shipped American jobs overseas. By standing up to bad actors like China and Venezuela and enforcing fair trade, President Trump is defending American industries and putting American workers first.”

    Rep. Tony Wied: “President Trump has made it clear with these reciprocal tariffs that we will no longer allow other countries to take advantage of us. His goal is simple: to bring jobs and manufacturing back to our country and open up foreign markets to American products. If companies want to avoid these tariffs, they will do business in the United States. I applaud the President for taking a stand against years of unfair trade practices and making sure we put American workers and consumers first. It’s time our foreign trading partners finally live up to their end of the bargain.”

    Rep. Roger Williams: “For too long, America Last policies have put the U.S. auto industry at a disadvantage. As a car dealer and small business owner, I support @POTUS’ Executive Order to increase competition, boost revenue, and bring back American jobs.”

    U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer: “Today, President Trump is taking urgent action to protect the national security and economy of the United States. The current lack of trade reciprocity, demonstrated by our chronic trade deficit, has weakened our economic and national security. After only 72 days in office, President Trump has prioritized swift action to bring reciprocity to our trade relations and reduce the trade deficit by leveling the playing field for American workers and manufacturers, reshoring American jobs, expanding our domestic manufacturing base, and ensuring our defense-industrial base is not dependent on foreign adversaries—all leading to stronger economic and national security.”

    Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick: “Today, the world starts taking us seriously. Our workforce will finally be treated fairly.”

    Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent: “President Trump signed the Declaration of Economic Independence for the American people. For decades, the trade status quo has allowed countries to leverage tariffs and unfair trade practices to get ahead at the expense of hardworking Americans. The President’s historic actions will level the playing field for American workers and usher in a new age of economic strength.”

    Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins: “FARMERS COME FIRST — @POTUS is leveling the playing field, ensuring American farmers and ranchers can compete globally again!”

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “Thank you, @POTUS! ‘Made in America’ is not just a tagline — it’s an economic and national security priority.”

    Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem: “For too long, America has been targeted by unfair trade practices that made our supply chain dependent on foreign adversaries, eroded our industrial base, and hurt American workers. This has gravely impacted our national security. President Trump’s strong action will help make America safe again. @DHS, primarily through @CBP, is ready to collect these new tariffs and put an end to unfair trade practices. Thank you President @realDonaldTrump for putting America FIRST.”

    Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer: “Promises made, promises kept”

    Secretary of Energy Chris Wright: “President Trump is a businessman; he’s a negotiator. The result of that has been and will continue to be improvements for the American people. We are in the midst of a negotiation, and he is fighting every day to make the cost-of-living conditions better for Americans.”

    Secretary of Education Linda McMahon: “At the White House this afternoon, we celebrated Liberation Day — setting our economy on the path of future prosperity for our children. Business owners, workers, and taxpayers have been waiting for strong economic leadership. @POTUS’ actions today prove we are done being taken advantage of in international trade.”

    Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum: “President Trump’s Liberation Day reciprocity plan is commonsense. If you tariff us, we’ll tariff you. This will strengthen our economy and make America wealthy again!”

    Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy: “Today is the day we will liberate ourselves from unfair trade practices and outdated ways of thinking. Tariffs are an important tool in the President’s toolbox to stop foreign countries from ripping us off, protect America’s workers, and restore U.S. manufacturing. I stand with @POTUS as he finally levels the playing field. Happy Liberation Day!”

    Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Scott Turner: “For four years, Americans couldn’t afford groceries, let alone a house. This Liberation Day, @POTUS is bringing manufacturing and jobs back. President Trump is making the American Dream achievable again!”

    Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin: “Massive announcement by @POTUS today restoring U.S. dominance, cementing his America First vision, and Powering the Great American Comeback.”

    Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler: “Small businesses will no longer be crushed by foreign governments and unfair trade deals. Instead, we will put American industry, workers, and strength FIRST. Thank you @POTUS for bringing back Made in America!”

    National Security Advisor Mike Waltz: “Economic security is national security. Thank you President Trump for putting America first.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police statement on TAIC report

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Attributable to Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson:

    Police accept the findings of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission Maritime Inquiry MO-2022-206 into the charter fishing vessel, i-Catcher capsize in Goose Bay, 10 September 2022.  

    This was a terrible incident for the community and our thoughts remain with the victims, their families and friends, and the community.

    Police is continuing work with Rescue Coordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) on the findings of the report. 

    In addition to supporting a large number of events led by RCCNZ, Police manages more than 2,000 land and marine search and rescue (SAR) incidents each year.

    RCCNZ and Police continue to collaborate on opportunities to enhance operational SAR responses, and continue with regular practice SAR exercises. Our on-call practices and tasking processes have been streamlined and continue to be improved. 

    The joint Maritime Rescue Plan for Tasman has now been prepared and is in the final stages of being signed off. Standard operating procedures have also been updated to include that Police’s National Dive Squad must be contacted for advice and availability in life-threatening water rescue events.

    This investigation by TAIC has been important for all of us to learn from. We are putting recommendations in place and looking at where we can support partner agencies across all the recommendations.

    You can read the report at: https://www.taic.org.nz/inquiry/mo-2022-206

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hudson Announces 2025 Congressional Art Competition

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Richard Hudson (NC-08)

    SOUTHERN PINES, NC – Today, Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09) announced that his Southern Pines and Fayetteville offices are accepting submissions from North Carolina’s Ninth District for the 2025 Congressional Art Competition.

    “The Congressional Art Competition is a wonderful opportunity for our District’s high school students to showcase their artistic ability, and I look forward to seeing this year’s submissions,” said Rep. Hudson.

    The 2025 Congressional Art Competition is open to all high school students from North Carolina’s 9th District. The overall winner of the District’s competition will have their artwork framed and displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. In addition, the second and third place winners will have their artwork displayed in Rep. Hudson’s offices.

    Art entered in the contest must be original in concept, design and execution and may not violate U.S. copyright laws. Work cannot be copied from an existing photo or image that was created by someone other than the student. Work must be in its original medium and cannot be a scanned reproduction of a painting or drawing. AI generated art will not be accepted.

    Art does not need to be framed upon submission. Our office will frame the winning piece before it is sent to Washington, D.C.

    Artwork that is potentially inappropriate for display in the Capitol will not be considered. This determination will be made by a panel.

    Additional guidelines can be found hereor by visiting https://hudson.house.gov/services/art-competition

    Artwork must be submitted to Rep. Hudson’s Southern Pines or Fayetteville District Offices by 12pm on Friday, April 25, 2025 with a completed 2025 Student Release Form.

    To request more information about the annual Congressional Art Competition, contact Rep. Hudson’s Southern Pines District Office at (910) 910-1924.

    -###-

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Tech – Galaxy Tab S10 FE Series Brings Intelligent Experiences to the Forefront with Premium, Versatile Design

    Source: Samsung

    Boost multitasking and creative expression like a pro with Intelligent Features on the new Tab S10 FE additions

    AUCKLAND, New Zealand – April 4, 2025 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Galaxy Tab S10 FE+, offering new entry points to the Galaxy ecosystem on a premium tablet design. Equipped with the largest screen yet on the Galaxy Tab FE series and slimmer bezels that expand its display, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ provides a fun, immersive viewing experience for everything from entertainment to studying and day-to-day tasks. Samsung’s Intelligent Features empower users to get more done with ease, while a slimmer design helps users to achieve their creativity and productivity on the go.

    “The new Galaxy Tab S10 FE series brings advanced mobile AI experience and Samsung’s connected ecosystem to even more tablet users, while still offering leading performance and design,” said Changtae Kim, EVP & Head of New Computing R&D Team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “We’re confident that the slim bezels and expansive displays, in addition to a whole host of functional improvements, will inspire people to do more, create more, and discover more.”

    Stunning Clarity on a Bigger, Vibrant Display

    Combining the Galaxy Tab S series’ heritage design with slim bezels, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ 13.1-inch display offers immersive entertainment on a screen that’s almost 12% larger than the previous FE+. Smooth visuals enabled by a 90Hz refresh rate and new levels of visibility up to 800 nits HBM on the Galaxy Tab S10 FE series ensure an optimal viewing experience when watching videos and gaming. Vision Booster’s automatic adjustments enhance brightness and visibility even in ever-changing outdoor environments while blue-light emissions are safely reduced to minimise eye strain, meeting every unique viewing need.

    Robust Performance in a Portable Design

    The Galaxy Tab S10 FE series boosts productivity when working or studying, and delivers fast, smooth gameplay without interruption. Performance upgrades enable the Galaxy Tab S10 FE series to help users switch effortlessly between multiple apps when they are being creative, allowing for improved multitasking. And when capturing everyday moments in the classroom or in workspaces, a newly upgraded 13MP high resolution rear camera produces clear and vivid photos.

    These versatile experiences, from powerful work to seamless play, accompany users everywhere they go. Now more than 4% lighter than its predecessor, Galaxy Tab S10 FE is even easier to carry around, while the Galaxy S10 Tab FE series offers hassle-free storage and mobility at home, on campus, in the workplace and elsewhere with its slim design. Engineered for resilience and durability to withstand the elements, the FE series also comes with the same IP68 rating as the newest Galaxy Tab S10 series.

    Advanced Features Unleash Potential

    Building on Samsung’s legacy of delivering premium experiences across the Galaxy ecosystem, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ and Galaxy Tab S10 FE are the first models in the FE series to come equipped with cutting-edge AI capabilities right out of the box, fuelling user productivity.

    Fan-favourite Circle to Search with Google allows you to search what you see on your tablet without switching apps. Quickly get the info you need, translate text on screen or get homework help with step-by-step explanations – all on one large screen.
    Samsung Notes features like Solve Math for quick calculations of handwriting and text, and Handwriting Help to tidy up notes easily, make notetaking easier than ever so users can stay focused in the moment.
    AI assistants are instantly launched with a single tap of the Galaxy AI Key on the Book Cover Keyboard. Plus, AI assistants can be customised based on users’ preferences for a more personalised experience.
    An upgraded Object Eraser lets users effortlessly remove unwanted objects from photos, with automatic suggestions for quick and easy edits.
    Newly introduced Best Face ensures perfect group photos by selecting and combining the best expressions and features.
    Auto Trim brings cherished moments to life by sifting through multiple videos to seamlessly compile highlight reels.  
    The Galaxy Tab S10 FE series also serves as the perfect canvas for creativity with pre-loaded apps and tools including LumaFusion, Goodnotes, Clip Studio Paint and more, alongside other spotlight apps like Noteshelf 3, Sketchbook and Picsart.

    For an even more intuitive AI experience, the FE series seamlessly integrates with other Samsung Galaxy devices. Similar to the Galaxy Tab S10, users can access a comprehensive overview of their home status with the Home Insight widget dashboard and 3D Map View feature. Summarised status updates of SmartThings-enabled devices give users peace of mind when out and about.

    Security Your Way

    As with any Galaxy device, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE series is fortified by strong security, Samsung Knox, Samsung Galaxy’s defence-grade, multi-layer security platform built to safeguard critical information and protect against vulnerabilities with end-to-end hardware, real-time threat detection and collaborative protection.

    Availability

    Launching in New Zealand on 1st May, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE and Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ will be available in select markets and offered in three colours: Grey, Silver and Blue. For more information about the Galaxy Tab S10 FE series, please visit: [https://www.samsung.com/sec/tablets/].

    About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

    Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, home appliances, network systems, and memory, system LSI, foundry and LED solutions, and delivering a seamless connected experience through its SmartThings ecosystem and open collaboration with partners. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Video: Kaine Speaks on Senate Floor Ahead of Vote on Resolution to Undo Trump’s Taxes on Canadian Goods

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine

    BROADCAST-QUALITY VIDEO IS AVAILABLE HERE.

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) spoke on the Senate floor to urge his colleagues to pass his joint resolution challenging President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods, which amount to a 25 percent tax on goods imported from one of America’s top trading partners and closest allies. The legislation will be voted on today. Estimates have shown that Trump’s tariffs could raise costs for the average American household by thousands of dollars per year. In addition, Trump’s trade wars have hurt American businesses and created needless uncertainty in the U.S. economy.

    “Trump’s aides have basically admitted that this is a new sales tax. The tariff revenue will hit everyday people by making the cost of their goods go up,” said Kaine. “What we are likely to see today with the tariff announcement, it will be the largest tax hike in the United States history.”

    Kaine continued, “This was an economy that was extremely strong just two months ago on President Trump’s inauguration day. It was a very, very strong economy – not a perfect economy. But since that time, we’ve seen volatility in the stock market. We’ve seen growing inflation. We’ve seen reducing consumer confidence. We’ve seen some suggestions of slowing economic growth, even negative economic growth from some, and that is due in large part to the prospect of this national sales tax – tariffs to the degree of $6 trillion dollars – but also somewhat to the chaos about whether and when and how they will be implemented.”

    Kaine then discussed what he’s hearing from Virginia businesses, saying, “I’ve been traveling around the state talking to Virginians, and they’re very, very worried about these Canadian tariffs. And they’re not worried in the abstract. They saw them in 2017, 2018, 2019, so they know what happens with tariffs … From the kitchen table of a family to our nation’s largest shipbuilders, these tariff shenanigans pose a huge economic risk.”

    Kaine pushed back on the Trump Administration’s claims that there is a fentanyl emergency at the U.S.-Canadian border. “No one in this chamber … would dispute that fentanyl is a massive problem and indeed an emergency … There is a fentanyl emergency, but it’s not Canada … It’s not an emergency from Canada, and it’s certainly not an emergency that would justify treating Canadian products with exactly the same tariff that we would levy on products from Mexico and from China,” Kaine said.

    “I think allies are really important, and I think it’s wrong to call an ally an adversary,” Kaine said. “I don’t want an America pushing aside its longstanding allies … This is no way to treat an ally. This is no way to treat a friend.”

    Kaine concluded, “Tariffs are a tax. Tariffs will hurt our families. Canada is not an enemy. Let’s act together to fight fentanyl. We can do that. We have done that – we showed it with the HALT Fentanyl Act we passed two weeks ago. But let’s not label an ally as an enemy. Let’s not impose punishing costs on American families at a time they can’t afford it. Let’s not hurt American small businesses. Let’s not make our national security investments in ships and subs more expensive. I earnestly request that colleagues support S.J. [Res.] 37 when we vote on it later.”

    Ahead of the Senate vote, Kaine’s legislation has garnered support from businesses and organized labor alike, including from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health targets focusing system on delivering more for patients

    Source: New Zealand Government

    New data highlights that while the Government’s commitment to health targets continues to stabilise the health system, increased service delivery is required to get on top of waitlists, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Ensuring all Kiwis have access to timely, quality healthcare is a priority for the Government. I am encouraged by Health New Zealand’s release of second quarter 2024/25 results today, which show improvements in three of the five health targets,” Mr Brown says.“Wait times in emergency departments continue to reduce, with 72.1 per cent of patients being admitted or discharged within six hours, an improvement from 67.4 per cent in the previous quarter.“Access to faster cancer care continues to improve, with 85.9 per cent of patients receiving treatment within 31 days – just 0.1 per cent away from the yearly milestone. “And more children are now fully immunised, with 77 per cent of two-year-olds being immunised in the second quarter of this year, up from 75.7 per cent in the previous quarter.”The data also confirms that more work is needed to get on top of waitlists for those waiting over four months for elective treatment and first specialist assessments, which grew by 2,500 per cent and 6,400 per cent respectively under the previous government.“While performance declined for the elective treatment and first specialist assessment targets, more was delivered by Health New Zealand in 2024, with more Kiwis having their elective surgeries and first specialist assessments than previous years.
     

     
    2021
    2022
    2023
    2024

    Total first specialist assessments delivered*
    608,384    
    567,901    
    608,027    
    624,202    

    Total elective care delivered
    320,328
    305,310
    338,692
    341,276

     
    “However, more people are being added to waitlists than who are receiving treatment or assessments, which means there is still significant work required to improve the pace at which elective treatment and first specialist assessments are being delivered.“Delivering more at a faster rate than patients are added to waitlists is key to reducing waitlists and wait times.“That’s why I recently announced the elective boost, partnering with private hospitals to maximise operating capacity and expand procedures. This initiative will deliver 10,579 additional procedures by mid-year, with 2,000 already completed, including cataracts, hip, and knee replacements.“We are reducing specialist assessment delays by improving waitlist management, expanding service models, and implementing initiatives like AI diabetes retinal screening and Kaitaia’s complete cataract care pathway to free up waitlists.“To further ease pressure on hospitals and emergency departments, our Government is taking action to ensure New Zealanders have increased access to more doctors and nurses and expanding primary healthcare options.“The Government is investing more than ever into our health system – a record $30 billion each year – and we expect it to deliver more for patients as a result.“By measuring what matters and holding the system accountable, we are putting patients first and supporting our frontline healthcare workers to deliver the healthcare New Zealanders need in a timely and quality manner,” Mr Brown says.
     
     
    * First specialist assessment data for 2024 excludes the Auckland district.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News

  • MIL-OSI Economics: [User Guide] Galaxy Tab S10 FE+: The Ultimate Study Buddy for Exam Season

    Source: Samsung

    Though the new semester may feel like it just started, midterm season is right around the corner. Students are busier than ever, juggling demanding schedules filled with assignments, assessments and exam preparation. Supporting this busy period is the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+, a tablet designed to make studying smarter and more efficient.
     
    Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ features an expansive display, powerful AI capabilities and exceptional portability — emerging as a versatile learning companion for students of all levels, from middle and high school to university. Combining high performance with affordability, the device delivers outstanding value and positions itself as an essential tool for academic success.
     
    Samsung Newsroom explored how students can make the most of the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ and Samsung’s Intelligent Features this semester.
     
    ▲ Galaxy Tab S10 FE+
     
     
    A Larger Display Built for Learning
    With online lectures and remote classes now a regular part of student life, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ creates an ideal learning environment. The expansive 13.1-inch display1 — the largest ever in the Galaxy Tab S FE series — paired with a slim 8.1-mm bezel takes focus and engagement to the next level. Even small text in online course materials is easy to see at a glance.
     
    Thanks to a brightness of up to 800 nits in High Brightness Mode (HBM), the display stays clearly visible even in bright outdoor conditions. Whether seated by a sunny window or studying on the go, students can comfortably follow online lessons anytime, anywhere.
     
    Beyond the classroom, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+’s large display enhances entertainment too. The 90Hz refresh rate ensures smooth screen transitions, making video streaming and gaming more fluid and immersive — perfect for study breaks.
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ boasts a 13.1-inch display.
     

    Boosting Efficiency With Powerful Multitasking
    The Multi Window2 feature on the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ elevates productivity, allowing students to split the screen into as many as three sections to attend online lectures, take notes and research unfamiliar concepts simultaneously. With up to 12GB of high-capacity memory, the device supports smooth, efficient multitasking and runs multiple apps seamlessly — making it a reliable resource, especially during stressful exam periods.
     
    ▲ Multi Window
     
     
    Streamlining Notes With S Pen
    Included with the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+, the S Pen offers a precise and natural writing experience that makes handwriting feel smooth and satisfying. A variety of AI-powered features can also be unlocked.
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ and the S Pen
     
    Concerns about messy handwriting or uneven lines are easily addressed with Handwriting help by activating a Smart guideline that helps maintain clean, straight lines. Additional features such as Align letters and Fix the shape of letters can automatically refine handwriting in real time to create polished, well-organized notes.
     
    
    ▲ Align letters in Handwriting help
     
    Moreover, handwritten notes can be turned into text for reviewing and sharing with friends. The Convert to text feature is useful for subjects like math and science, as it can transform handwritten equations and formulas into editable digital text to streamline studying.
     
    
    ▲ Convert to text
     
    While taking notes in Samsung Notes, students can record audio with their handwritten notes automatically synchronized. During playback, tapping any part of the notes jumps directly to the corresponding moment in the recording — enabling a more targeted review without the need to manually search through audio files.
     
    
    ▲ Real-time synchronization of audio and notes in Samsung Notes
     

    Smarter Study Support Through Intelligent AI Features
    When studying alone, the AI-powered features on the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ help students effortlessly find answers. Using Circle to Search with Google, they can instantly look up complex concepts or solve difficult math problems with step-by-step explanations by circling the relevant text or image on the screen. This intuitive tool also translates on-screen text, making foreign language learning more accessible and efficient.
     
    
    ▲ Circle to Search with Google
     
    The Solve Math feature3 in Samsung Notes also provides quick and accurate solutions to complex mathematical equations. By writing a formula followed by an equal sign (=), the answer appears automatically. The tool supports both handwritten and typed expressions in real time — handling everything from basic arithmetic to advanced, scientific calculator-level computations and unit conversions for measurements including area, length and temperature. Notably, the feature retains the student’s original handwriting style and preserves the selected pen type, text size and thickness for a consistent note-taking experience.
     
    
    ▲ Solve Math in Samsung Notes
     
    To support active recall and track mistakes, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ helps students create a personal review notebook. By tapping the pen-shaped icon on the right side of the screen with the S Pen, they can activate Air Command. Using AI Select, incorrectly answered questions can be identified and moved to a new note or existing note — helping compile and organize materials for review.
     
    
    ▲ AI Select
     
    For extensive writing tasks such as essays or reports, the Book Cover Keyboard transforms the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ into a laptop. Pressing the dedicated Galaxy AI Key instantly launches AI assistants, allowing students to quickly search for information and enhance their learning experience.
     
    ▲ (From left) The Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ paired with the Book Cover Keyboard and the Galaxy AI Key
     
     
    From Classrooms to Cafés: A Stylish Companion for Any Setting
    Despite featuring the largest display ever in the Galaxy Tab S FE series, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ is designed with portability in mind. The lightweight build and slim 6.0-mm profile help reduce the burden on students carrying backpacks filled with textbooks and notebooks. Additionally, IP68-rated water and dust resistance ensures durability and peace of mind in various environments — from classrooms and libraries to cafés.
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ is exceptionally portable.
     
    For students who value both aesthetics and performance, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ draws from the refined design legacy of the Galaxy Tab S series. Available in three elegant colors — Blue, Gray and Silver — the subtle tones add a touch of sophistication that complements any setting.
     

     
    Combining Samsung’s Intelligent Features with an accessible price point, the Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ stands out as the ultimate learning companion — supporting smarter exam preparation, more efficient time management and a stylish, functional experience for students everywhere.
     
     
    1 Measured diagonally, the screen size is 13.1 inches in the full rectangle and 13.0 inches when accounting for the rounded corners. The actual viewable area is smaller due to the rounded corners.2 Certain applications may not support Multi Window.3 Solve Math runs on-device and does not require an internet connection but requires a Samsung Account login. Incorrect handwriting recognition may lead to inaccurate calculations.

    MIL OSI Economics

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Meeks Statement on Trump Administration’s Unconstitutional Abolishing of USAID

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

    Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today issued the following statement condemning the Trump administration for unilaterally shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) without Congressional approval.

    “For two months, the Trump administration has chaotically gutted USAID, ignoring Congress and leaving urgent questions unanswered, and now has notified that it plans to subsume the agency under State. Nothing about this process has been genuine or in good faith. 

    “The consequences of this reckless decision are already evident; China and Russia are already filling in the gaps created by this administration’s reckless assault on U.S. foreign assistance. While the administration claims it will retain some global health and humanitarian assistance functions, it is jettisoning critical work USAID has been doing – at Congress’s direction – for decades in sectors such as education, good governance, crisis stabilization, agriculture, and economic growth. Furthermore, these plans violate the law, which requires that USAID exist as a separate entity. Presidents are not kings, and if the administration wishes to change the law, the GOP, which controls both the House and Senate, should pass one.  

    “By firing all USAID employees and kneecapping the programs that remain, this administration lays bare its true intention: to withdraw the United States from its global leadership role with as much cruelty and disruption as possible.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Gregory W. Meeks Condemns Cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) signed onto a letter, led by Congresswoman Nikema Williams (GA-05) to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy condemning the cuts to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that include terminating 10,000 employees and dismantling or consolidating several health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The HHS is integral to protecting the health of Americans and providing critical services and resources, including Medicare and Medicaid, food and drug safety, and medical.

    “My constituents are calling my offices every day outraged by the ridiculous firings under the Trump administration, including from those unfairly dismissed after years of dedicated public service,” Rep. Meeks said. “It is clear that President Trump, Elon Musk, and Secretary Kennedy are indifferent to the harmful impact these funding cuts will have on Americans. The Department of Health and Human Services was created to protect public welfare—not to undermine access to quality health care.” 

    The 10,000 HHS workers being fired include the removal of 3,500 full-time employees from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 2,400 employees from the CDC, 1,200 employees from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and 300 employees from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

    Congressman Meeks calls for the reversal of these firings and dismantling of the existing agencies within HHS.

    The members wrote in the letter:

    “Make no mistake, we have no faith that these drastic cuts will benefit the American people. We are concerned that this will ultimately lead to slowdowns in service, approvals, and research, and impacts to public health response capabilities.”

    “Millions of Americans rely on Medicare, Medicaid, and other healthcare services and funding provided by HHS and its affiliates. Any delay in these services and funding would have drastic consequences for our most marginalized communities. Despite claims that FDA layoffs will not impact inspectors or drug, medical device, or food reviewers, prior layoffs by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to the FDA are reported to already have caused staff to struggle to meet deadlines.”

    “As Black and brown communities continue to face severe healthcare disparities, it is crucial that access to affordable healthcare is not reduced in any way, but rather prioritized and improved, and research is undertaken to develop tailored solutions to these problems Moreover, in light of pervasive attempts to restrict access to sexual and reproductive healthcare for women, LGBTQ+ communities, and people of color, and increasing racial gaps in maternal health outcomes, your efforts to further deprioritize these offices is likely to further deprive our constituents of healthcare targeted to their needs, including HIV/AIDS care, maternal healthcare, minority healthcare, and women’s healthcare.”

    “Given the Trump Administration’s broad intentions to eviscerate civil rights protections to harm Black and brown communities, as well as proposals to slash funding for social safety net programs, we have no faith that this restructure will result in improved protections for our constituents’ civil rights or their hard-earned and critically needed medical coverage.”

    The letter was signed by the following members: Rep. Donald Beyer (VA-8), Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5), Rep. Steve Cohen (TN-9), Rep. Danny Davis (IL-7), Rep. Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Rep. Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Rep. Jared Huffman (CA-2), Rep. Henry Johnson (GA-4), Rep. Julie Johnson (TX-32), Rep. Summer Lee (PA-12), Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-7), Rep. Sarah McBride (DE-at large), Rep. Betty McCollum (MN-4), Rep. James McGovern (MA-2), Rep. LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Rep. Eleanor Norton (DC-at large), Rep. Brittany Pettersen (CO-7), Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-2), Rep. Delia Ramirez (IL-3), Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-7), Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Rep. Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rep. Bennie Thompson (MS-2), Rep. Jill Tokuda (HI-2), and Rep. Nydia Velázquez (NY-7).

    Read the full letter here

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Meeks Testifies at Appropriations Subcommittee Member Day Hearing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Gregory W Meeks (5th District of New York)

    Washington, DC – Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, delivered the following testimony today before the National Security and Department of State Appropriations Subcommittee “Member Day” hearing. Ranking Member Meeks argued in favor of maintaining and strengthening the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Congressional appropriations, and raised alarm over the unprecedented flouting of the law and of congressional prerogatives by the Trump administration:

    “Chairman Diaz-Balart, Ranking Member Frankel, thank you for the opportunity to testify at today’s Member Day hearing. I appreciate this annual opportunity to share my priorities for the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill.  

    “If this were any other year, I would focus my testimony on the specific programs we have worked together to support. But this is no ordinary year. We are dealing with an administration that has shown an unprecedented and reckless disregard for Congress’s constitutional power. This includes our power of the purse and the clear guardrails we establish through appropriations law, as well as other directions of congressional intent and authorizations of Executive Branch agencies and programs. 

    “Within this subcommittee’s jurisdiction, the most damaging example of the Trump-Musk onslaught against our federal government—and Congress’ role—is the dismantling of USAID. The President’s sudden freeze of foreign assistance caused utter chaos. Food assistance Congress appropriated sat rotting on shelves. Clinics we funded sat closed and unable to distribute their stocks of lifesaving medicines, leading to unnecessary deaths and babies born with HIV. And now, despite court orders challenging the legality of their actions, the administration boasts that 83% of foreign assistance programs are already shuttered, and what remains of USAID is now being folded into the State Department. 

    “Similarly, President Trump disregarded existing statutes and terminated by decree the U.S. Agency for Global Media, resulting in grant terminations to its subsidiaries, including Voice of America, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia. These broadcasters delivered trusted information to audiences in heavily censored countries starved of independent media and flooded with propaganda from our adversaries. 

    “And the most recent egregious flouting of the law was DOGE’s hostile takeover of the U.S. Institute of Peace, which Congress created as a nonpartisan, independent nonprofit organization. USIP has had broad bipartisan support, working successfully under seven administrations to prevent violent conflicts and broker peace around the world. 

    “The Trump administration has done all this outside of the law, without consulting Congress and in stark contradiction of the appropriations law and other bills we have passed that are now the law of the land. 

    “Regardless of whether we are Democrats or Republicans, we must, as Members, stand up for our prerogatives as the legislative body of this democracy and a co-equal branch of government.  

    “Because this is ultimately about our ability to stand up for our constituents. And the programs this subcommittee funds are critical to our national security; they help ensure the United States can successfully achieve our foreign policy goals, compete with our rivals, and prevent regional crises from escalating into armed conflict.  These programs allow us to respond to humanitarian emergencies and the development needs of our partners, preventing diseases from becoming pandemics that reach our shores.  All these objectives and more are achieved through a well-resourced State Department and related agencies and programs, with the support from Congress that they need to effectively wield our soft power. The world is far too small and interconnected for us to hide behind our borders, pull back our tools, and hope the next conflict or epidemic won’t impact us here at home. 

    “This subcommittee has recognized the value of all these efforts, as evidenced by the strong, bipartisan support for its work over many years. Of course, each administration has the right to review policy.  And our job is not to defend the status quo over modernization. But President Trump and Elon Musk do not have the right to unilaterally eliminate programs that Congress has deemed essential. The legislative branch after debate and deliberation—and in consideration of the executive’s position – creates the body of the law the Executive must indeed execute. That is the right way to ensure improvements and reforms. 

    “It is critically important that the next National Security Appropriations bill maintain and strengthen the investments that safeguard our national security at no less than the FY24 level. But whatever Congress decides, it is even more essential that we ensure that the FY26 law is implemented by the administration—because in America, we believe in the rule of law, not of kings.”

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: $TOCKHOLDER ALERT: The M&A Class Action Firm Urges Shareholders of FNA, BECN, QTRX, PLYA to Take Action

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Monteverde & Associates PC (the “M&A Class Action Firm”), has recovered millions of dollars for shareholders and is recognized as a Top 50 Firm in the 2024 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. We are headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City and are investigating:

    • Paragon 28, Inc. (NYSE: FNA), relating to the proposed merger with Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, Zimmer Biomet will acquire all outstanding shares of Paragon 28 common stock for $13.00 per share. Paragon 28 shareholders will also receive a non-tradeable contingent value right entitling holders to receive up to $1.00 per share in cash if certain revenue milestones are achieved.

    ACT NOW. The Shareholder Vote is scheduled for April 16, 2025.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/paragon-28-inc-fna/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. (NASDAQ: BECN), relating to the proposed merger with QXO, Inc. Under the terms of the agreement, Beacon shareholders will receive $124.35 per share in cash.

    ACT NOW. The Tender Offer expires on April 14, 2025.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/beacon-roofing-supply-inc-becn/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Quanterix Corporation (NASDAQ: QTRX), relating to the proposed merger with Akoya Biosciences. Under the terms of the agreement, Akoya shareholders will receive 0.318 shares of Quanterix common stock for each share of Akoya common stock owned. Quanterix shareholders will own approximately 70% of the combined company.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/quanterix-corporation-qtrx/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    • Playa Hotels & Resorts N.V. (NASDAQ: PLYA), relating to the proposed merger with Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Under the terms of the agreement, Hyatt will acquire all outstanding shares of Playa for $13.50 per share in cash.

    ACT NOW. The Tender Offer expires on April 25, 2025.

    Click here for more https://monteverdelaw.com/case/playa-hotels-resorts-n-v-plya/ It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

    NOT ALL LAW FIRMS ARE THE SAME. Before you hire a law firm, you should talk to a lawyer and ask:

    1. Do you file class actions and go to Court?
    2. When was the last time you recovered money for shareholders?
    3. What cases did you recover money in and how much?

    About Monteverde & Associates PC

    Our firm litigates and has recovered money for shareholders…and we do it from our offices in the Empire State Building. We are a national class action securities firm with a successful track record in trial and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. 

    No company, director or officer is above the law. If you own common stock in any of the above listed companies and have concerns or wish to obtain additional information free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

    Contact:
    Juan Monteverde, Esq.
    MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC
    The Empire State Building
    350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4740
    New York, NY 10118
    United States of America
    jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com
    Tel: (212) 971-1341

    Attorney Advertising. (C) 2025 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com).  Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Acceleware Ltd. Reports Fourth Quarter 2024 Financial and Operating Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, April 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Acceleware® Ltd. (“Acceleware” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: AXE), a leading innovator of transformative technologies targeting the decarbonization of industrial process heat, today announced its financial and operating results for the year ended December 31, 2024 (all figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted). Acceleware’s results reflect contributions from the Company’s two business units, radio frequency (“RF”) heating for industrial applications using the Company’s proprietary Clean Tech Inverter (“CTI”) including enhanced oil recovery (“RF XL”), and scientific high-performance computing (“HPC”). This news release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited financial statements and the accompanying notes for the year ended December 31, 2024 and management’s discussion and analysis (“MDA”) with respect thereto, all of which are available on Acceleware’s website at www.acceleware.com or on www.sedarplus.ca.

    HIGHLIGHTS

    Financial highlights for the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2024:

        Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended
        Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023 Dec 31, 2024 Dec 31, 2023  
    Revenue $ 1,918,077 43,590 5,233,033 279,011  
    Comprehensive income/ (loss)   851,242 617,748 2,001,685 (2,045,373 )
    Gross R&D expenditures   581,071 684,437 2,872,982 2,872,982  
    Government assistance   2,064,434 1,227,929 2,618,242  
     

    Acceleware is piloting RF XL at its commercial-scale RF XL pilot project at Marwayne, Alberta (the “RF XL Pilot”). During 2024, the RF XL Pilot was shut down awaiting redeployment of upgraded subsurface components designed to address limitations encountered in the first phase of heating. Please refer to the RF XL PILOT UPDATE section below for more information, and to the MDA for a complete RF XL Pilot update.

    Based on results to date, Acceleware remains confident that RF XL will become viable as a differentiated technology in the effort to reduce production costs and decarbonize heavy oil and oil sands production. In 2024, the Company’s operations team continued data analysis, “history-matching” simulations and other analyses of operational data from tests in 2022. The analysis provides evidence that the operation of the RF XL Pilot resulted in sustained heating of the formation around the heating well prior to the pause in operations for maintenance and inspection. In particular, the Company successfully injected RF power into the heating well for over 200 days — a significant milestone and something that has never been achieved before. Also of note is that the CTI successfully operated for seven consecutive months at a variety of power levels and operating conditions during this time.

    In the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company worked closely with industry partners to refine the next iteration of the RF XL subsurface system to address technical issues that were illuminated during the first phase of heating at the RF XL Pilot. This redesign work is now complete and ready for manufacturing and deployment. During 2024 the Company confirmed that the expected cost to redeploy the upgraded design at Marwayne would be approximately $5 million including contingency. In December 2024, the Company announced that it had secured a total of up to $1.3 million in non-dilutive funding from the Clean Resource Innovation Network (“CRIN”) for the next phase of the RF XL Pilot, contingent on the Company sourcing the remaining $3.7 million. To this end, the Company also secured an RF XL consulting contract from an oil and gas operator (whose identity remains confidential), the net proceeds of which will be applied to RF XL development. The Company has identified several additional industry and government potential funders and is in discussions with them. The purpose of the next phase of the RF XL Pilot is to enable higher power to be distributed in the reservoir for a sustained period, resulting in higher reservoir temperatures and oil production, to advance the potential commercial viability of RF XL technology.

    In addition to development work, and with results gained from RF XL deployment in Marwayne to date, Management has also initiated a strategic review of the commercialization plan for RF XL. The process involved analyzing various heavy oil and bitumen reservoirs in western Canada, considering RF XL test results and analyses conducted to date, with the goal of determining the optimal resources for the demonstration of commercial viability of RF XL. These reservoirs included not only the vast McMurray oil sands, but also heavy oil plays including the Clearwater in north-central Alberta, the Bluesky in west-central Alberta, and the Mannville Stack in eastern Alberta and western Saskatchewan. The review process has led Management to conclude that heavy oil plays offer the greatest near-term potential for commercializing RF XL, due to lower initial capital cost per well, ability to scale from one-to-many heating wells, lower operating cost to effectively decrease viscosity, and the potential for significant incremental production and ultimate recovery to make uneconomic resources economic. Once proven in heavy oil, Management believes the oil sands will offer significant market expansion potential.

    In Q1 2025, Acceleware’s board of directors approved a Management proposal to investigate (in parallel with continued effort to progress a second phase of heating at Marwayne) the opportunity for Acceleware, as an operator, to acquire a suitable heavy oil property, and thereafter apply RF XL as a secondary recovery method to improve the property’s production, cashflow, ultimate recovery and asset valuation. Should this investigation ultimately lead to a decision to “green light” an undertaking of this nature based on its economic merits, Acceleware would benefit from the valuation enhancement brought about by RF XL. Management has commenced its investigation as of the date of this news release.

    Beyond enhanced recovery of heavy oil, Acceleware believes EM Powered Heat and the CTI can economically decarbonize many industrial heating verticals through electrification. Immediate application of electrification in industrial heating is critical in the clean energy transition. Acceleware has established initiatives, and is in discussions to pursue other initiatives, to develop CTI powered prototypes for applications in industries such as mining and mineral processing, concrete, carbon capture, agri-food drying, hydrogen and other clean fuels production.

    Acceleware continues to work toward securing a contract to complete Phase 3 of a potash ore drying project from the International Minerals Innovation Institute (“IMII”). The findings of Phase 2 were presented to IMII in July 2024, and the Company continues to conduct paid testing with the system. Phase 3 of the project would include the design, construction and testing of a larger shop-scale demonstration dryer. IMII, a non-profit organization jointly funded by industry and government, is committed to developing and implementing innovative education, training, research and development partnerships to support a world-class minerals industry. IMII’s minerals industry members include BHP, Cameco Corporation, Fission Uranium Corp., The Mosaic Company and Nutrien Ltd.

    The Company has 28 patents granted or allowed to protect various proprietary technologies and 32 patent applications pending or under development. The Company uses an integrated strategy for IP protection involving a combination of patenting and trade secrets, working closely with the patent offices and intellectual property advisors.

    RF XL PILOT UPDATE

    Consistent with the last update, Acceleware plans to continue a second phase of heating after completing a proposed significant subsurface design upgrade to address the moisture ingress issue. Prior to the next phase of heating, all RF XL subsurface components will be removed, refurbished, or upgraded, and then redeployed. This plan was developed in consultation with industry partners and service providers and among the alternatives examined, it is expected to have the highest probability of achieving higher power injected into the reservoir for a sustained period. During 2024 the engineering team worked to solidify plans and estimate costs. An estimated additional $5 million of funding is required to complete the redeployment including contingency, and Acceleware is actively working to raise these funds. Acceleware has secured $1.3 million partial funding for the redeployment conditional on securing the balance of the funds from industry partners or other sources. The final timing and cost of the redeployment and subsequent heating is uncertain and remains primarily dependent on financing, partner investment, the time required to source the remaining financing, and the successful deployment of repairs and components. Planned upgrades have been specifically designed to eliminate the moisture ingress issue. In addition, measures will be taken to add resilience to the system to ensure long-term operation if moisture does return. Upgrades will also be made to enhance the performance of the CTI function, including providing more accurate monitoring of broadband voltage, current and power.

    Total direct funding received for the first phase of the RF XL Pilot was $24.4 million and included $5.9 million from Alberta Innovates, $5.5 million from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (“SDTC”), $5.0 million from Emissions Reduction Alberta (“ERA”), $3.0 million from CRIN and $5.0 million in aggregate from three oil sands operators. See discussion below in Financial Summary. In exchange for funding, the oil sands operators received exclusive access to detailed technical data and test results, prioritized rights to host a subsequent test, preferred pricing on pre-commercial products and preferred access to RF XL products. These major oil sands producers represent well over one million barrels of oil sands and heavy oil production per day.

    QUARTER IN REVIEW

    Revenue of $1.9 million was recorded in the three months ended December 31, 2024 (“Q4 2024”) compared to $44 thousand in the three months ended December 31, 2023 (“Q4 2023”) and $3.3 million in the previous quarter ended September 30, 2024 (“Q3 2024”). Revenue in Q4 2024 included $1.9 million related to the RF XL Pilot. Deferred revenue related to a contract with one oil sands producer was recognized when all deliverables were provided.

    Total comprehensive income for Q4 2024 was $0.9 million compared to a comprehensive income of $0.8 million for Q4 2023 and comprehensive income of $1.2 million for Q3 2024. Comprehensive income in Q4 2024 and Q3 2024 was higher due to revenue related to the RF XL Pilot, while positive comprehensive income in Q4 2023 was due to higher government assistance for R&D. Finance expenses in Q4 2024 and Q4 2023 include interest expense on notes payable which are funding the Company’s working capital. Comprehensive income in all periods was impacted by changes in value of the derivative financial instruments embedded within the convertible debenture. The changes in derivative value are driven primarily by the fluctuation in the Company’s share price.

    Gross R&D expenses incurred in Q4 2024 were $0.6 million compared to $0.7 million in Q4 2023 and $0.5 million in Q3 2024. R&D spending in Q4 2024 was principally related to the IMII dryer for potash ore and included lab engineering, designing and testing, data analysis, and partner consultations. R&D spending in Q4 2023 was related to the RF XL Pilot. There was $nil government assistance received in Q4 2024 and $2.1 million in Q4 2023 and $0.7 million in Q3 2024. The Company received the final CRIN payment of $0.3 million in Q3 2024 and the final ERA holdback payment of $0.2 million. The Government of Alberta’s Innovation Employment Grant (“IEG”) to support research and development was effective January 1, 2021 and provides a grant of up to 20% of eligible R&D expenses incurred in Alberta. This new grant effectively replaced Alberta’s 10% scientific research and experimental development refundable tax credit that was eliminated as at December 31, 2019. The Company met the eligibility criteria, claimed eligible R&D expenditures and received $0.3 million in Q3 2024 related to 2023 eligible expenditures, received $0.1 million in the three months ended September 30, 2023 related to 2022 eligible expenditures, and $0.4 million in the three months ended March 31, 2023 related to 2021 eligible expenditures. Government assistance is recorded as a reduction of R&D expenses.

    G&A expenses incurred in Q4 2024 were $315 thousand compared to $579 thousand in Q4 2023 and $446 thousand in Q3 2024. There were lower non-cash payroll related costs incurred in Q4 2024 due to the timing of option grants and lower salaries as the Company continues to prioritize cost control given uncertain economic conditions.

    YEAR IN REVIEW

    Revenue of $5.2 million was recorded for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $279 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2023. Revenue for the year ended December 31, 2024 included $4.75 million services revenue related to the RF XL Pilot and $322 thousand in services revenue related to the potash drying project. Revenue was recognized for the RF XL Pilot as all milestones were completed under Project Funding Agreements for two oil sands producers while a third oil sands producer terminated its Project Funding Agreement triggering revenue recognition of previously received milestone payments.

    Total comprehensive income for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $2.0 million compared to comprehensive loss of $2.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was due to higher revenue as noted above, despite lower government assistance for R&D. There were fluctuations in both periods related to changes in fair value of the derivative financial instruments embedded in convertible debentures.

    Gross R&D expenses for the year ended December 31, 2024 were $2.3 million compared to $2.9 million incurred during the year ended December 31, 2023 due to higher R&D activity in the first half of 2023 related to the final on site activities associated with the RF XL Pilot. Federal and provincial government assistance of $1.2 million was recognized in the year ended December 31, 2024. This was lower than the $2.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 when the RF XL Pilot on-site activities wrapped up. R&D net of government assistance was $1.0 million in the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $255 thousand in the year ended December 31, 2023.

    General and administrative (“G&A”) expenses incurred during the year ended December 31, 2024 were $1.6 million compared to $2.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, due to lower salaries and professional fees. The Company continues to prioritize cost management, while it works on sourcing financing alternatives.

    As at December 31, 2024, Acceleware had negative working capital of $3.4 million (December 31, 2023 – negative working capital of $2.0 million) including cash and cash equivalents of $272 thousand (December 31, 2023 – $1.0 million). The increase in negative working capital is attributable to the decrease in cash as well as an increase in short term notes payable, and an increase in deferred management compensation.

    In the interests of matching cash requirements with a combination of cash generated from operations, external funding, and capital raising activities, the Company actively manages its cash flow and investments in new products. Acceleware intends to maximize cash generated from operations through several initiatives which include continuing to focus on higher gross margin software products that are marketed through a combination of direct and reseller models; minimizing operating expenses where possible; and limiting capital expenditures. As the Company continues to develop its RF Heating technology, new R&D investments will be financed through a combination of internal cash flow from the HPC business, project funding agreements, government assistance and external financing, when available.

    ABOUT ACCELEWARE:

    Acceleware is an innovator of clean-tech decarbonization technologies comprised of two business units: Radio Frequency Heating Technology and Seismic Imaging Software.

    Acceleware is piloting RF XL, its patented low-cost, low-carbon production technology for heavy oil and oil sands that is materially different from any heavy oil recovery technique used today. Acceleware’s vision is that electrification of heavy oil and oil sands production can be made possible through RF XL, supporting a transition to much cleaner energy production that can quickly bend the emissions curve downward. With clean electricity, Acceleware’s RF XL technology could eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with heavy oil and oil sands production. RF XL uses no water, requires no solvent, has a small physical footprint, can be redeployed from site to site, and can be applied to a multitude of reservoir types. Acceleware is also actively developing partnerships for RF heating of other industrial applications using the Company’s proprietary CTI.

    Acceleware and Saa Dene Group (co-founded by Jim Boucher) have created Acceleware | Kisâstwêw to raise the profile, adoption, and value of Acceleware technologies. The shared vision of the partnership is to improve the environmental and economic performance of the energy sector by supporting ideals that are important to Indigenous peoples, including respect for land, water, and clean air.

    The Company’s seismic imaging software solutions are state-of-the-art for high fidelity imaging, providing the most accurate and advanced imaging available for oil exploration in complex geologies. Acceleware is a public company listed on Canada’s TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol “AXE”.

    NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND OTHER ADVISORIES

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information generally means information about an issuer’s business, capital, or operations that are prospective in nature, and includes disclosure about the issuer’s prospective financial performance or financial position. 

    The forward-looking information in this press release can be identified by terms such as “believes”, “estimates”, “plans”, “potential”, and “will”, and includes information about, the expected commercialization of RF XL, the expected cost of the RF XL Pilot, the timing of the execution of the RF XL Pilot and the redeployment, expected financing required for the RF XL Pilot redeployment, and the anticipated economic and societal benefits of the RF XL technology. Acceleware assumes that current cost estimates are accurate, current timelines will not be delayed by either internal or external causes, that research and development effort including the commercial-scale test plans will result in commercial-ready products, and that future capital raising efforts will be successful.

    Actual results may vary from the forward-looking information in this press release due to certain material risk factors. These risk factors are described in detail in Acceleware’s continuous disclosure documents, which are filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. 

    Acceleware assumes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking information in this press release, unless it is required to do so under Canadian securities legislation. 

    This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described in this release in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. 

    DISCLAIMER

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    For more information:
    Geoff Clark
    Tel: +1 (403) 249-9099
    geoff.clark@acceleware.com

    Acceleware Ltd.
    435 10th Avenue SE
    Calgary, AB, T2G 0W3
    Canada
    Tel: +1 (403) 249-9099
    www.acceleware.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Cleaver, Waters, Lynch Slam Trump Administration’s Reported Plans to Launch Dangerous Blockchain and Crypto Experiment Within HUD

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II (5th District Missouri)

    “It is unclear how these technologies, which have not been widely adopted even by the real estate industry, would help HUD meet its mission.”

    (Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, and Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology, and Artificial Intelligence, slammed the Trump Administration following reporting that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is exploring ways to implement blockchain and cryptocurrency within the operations of the agency. In a letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner, the lawmakers warn of the risky nature of cryptocurrency, which remains an unregulated and highly volatile financial product. The lawmakers emphasize that if used in untested ways within critical federal housing programs, it could destabilize the housing market and harm hard-working families.

    “We write in response to disconcerting reports that the Trump Administration is exploring ways to broadly apply unproven uses of blockchain technology and cryptocurrency (crypto) in the operations of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),” wrote the lawmakers. “The federal government cannot allow under-regulated financial products to infiltrate critical housing programs, especially when they have already proven to be dangerous, speculative, and harmful to working families. It is unclear how these technologies, which have not been widely adopted even by the real estate industry, would help HUD meet its mission. Applying this technology to critical operations raises serious concerns about accountability, transparency, and harm to those relying on these housing programs. Rather than gambling America’s housing, the agency should focus on getting Congressionally appropriated funds back out to communities, addressing the affordable housing supply shortage, ending homelessness for over 771,000 people, and increasing homeownership for the millions of Americans who remain locked out by rising house prices and high interest rates.”

    In the letter, the lawmakers emphasize that experimenting with crypto at HUD threatens triggering a repeat of the 2008 foreclosure crisis which was fueled by risky financial products. What’s more, following the Trump Administration’s recent actions to gut key agencies, including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), we stand at even greater risk of repeating the past and harming millions who rely on housing programs.

    In addition, the lawmakers demand HUD halt any action on cryptocurrency until Congress establishes a comprehensive federal framework to ensure proper oversight and protect our nation’s consumers. The lawmakers conclude by encouraging HUD to redirect its resources to upholding the agency’s mission and addressing the worsening housing and homelessness crisis. They request prompt responses to a series of questions on these latest plans no later than April 8, 2025.

    The official letter from lawmakers is available here.

     

    Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee’s Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Betty McCollum and Minnesota Health Care leaders Highlight Importance of Medicaid

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Democrats across the country, as well as health care providers and advocates, are highlighting the negative impacts that face seniors, children, and working parents if the House Republican budget becomes law. Republicans’ budget sets up billions of dollars of cuts to Medicaid in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and large corporations.

    “House Republicans are using their majority to serve their wealthy donors at the expense of working families, children, and seniors,” said Congresswoman McCollum. “The budget Republicans passed in February could cut Medicaid by as much as $880 billion, which would weaken a critical healthcare lifeline that over a million Minnesotans rely on.”

    “Nearly 1.3 million Minnesotans—about one quarter of our state—rely on Medicaid,” said Congresswoman McCollum in a statement following a vote on the budget in February. “A cut of this magnitude would have severe consequences for our entire population. Here in the Fourth District, 54,000 Minnesotans rely on SNAP to put food on the table. 172,000 rely on Medicaid for healthcare access, including nearly 90,000 children on CHIP. The health and well-being of our communities are under attack by this Republican majority. I will continue to oppose all Republican efforts to take away food, healthcare, and basic government services that Minnesotans rely on.”

    To highlight the importance of Medicaid to East Metro residents and Minnesotans living in every corner of the state, Congresswoman McCollum called upon leaders in healthcare, homecare, labor unions, and disability advocacy to share how Medicaid cuts would impact their work and harm Minnesotans who rely on Medical Assistance.

    “Cutting federal Medicaid funding will have a significant impact on Minnesota children with complex medical conditions and disabilities,” said Barbara Joers, President and CEO of Gillette Children’s Hospital. “These children often rely on Medicaid for access to necessary healthcare services, therapies, medications, medical equipment, and home-based care. Cuts to Medicaid would result in reduced coverage, limited access to specialists, longer wait times for services, and decreased quality of care for these at-risk populations.”

    Congresswoman McCollum visited President Joers at Gillette Children’s on Tuesday morning for a discussion on how Medicaid cuts could impact patients.

    Click here to watch.

    “Medicaid plays a crucial role in ensuring that every child has access to the quality healthcare they need,” said Dr. Marc Gorelick, President and CEO of Children’s Minnesota. “At Children’s Minnesota, we see firsthand the profound impact of Medicaid. Nearly half of the patients we serve rely on Medicaid, which helps set up kids for a lifetime of success by providing access to essential preventative care, such as check-ups and vaccines, and effective treatment for chronic conditions. This proactive approach prevents more serious health issues that ultimately cost society more in the long run. Cutting Medicaid threatens access to these essential services for the kids and families we serve. An investment in Medicaid is an investment in our children, and ultimately an investment in a healthier future for all.”

    “Many older adults and people with disabilities count on support through the Medicaid program when they’re unable to receive life-sustaining supports elsewhere,” said Kathy Messerli, Executive Director, MN Home Care Association (MHCA). “Chronic underfunding of these essential home and community-based services has already led to the closure of agencies in Minnesota and resulted in worse and at times no access to care for people who need it. Further cuts will lead to more Minnesotans without access to care or turning to safety net hospitals, which shifts the government costs to a more expensive setting.” 

    Medicaid is a lifeline for Minnesotans with disabilities. Sumer Spika, a mother and home care worker from St. Paul with SEIU Healthcare MN & IA, shared what Medicaid cuts would mean to thousands of families like hers.

    “As a mother and a longtime home care worker who provided support for a wonderful young woman named Jayla for over a decade, when I think of potential cuts I think, ‘what would Jayla do without Medicaid?’ If there was no funding, it would mean there would be no care for her and no access to equipment that allowed her to live her life,” said Spika. “Medicaid meant not just a person to help with her care, it meant things like hearing aids and fire alarms that have flashing lights because she can’t hear. It meant getting care for a heart disorder. It means a lifeline and coverage for millions of people. The thought of cutting even one penny to give tax breaks for billionaires is so offensive I can’t believe it is even being considered.”

    “Medicaid allows people with disabilities to work, participate in community activities, volunteer and do everything other people often take for granted,” said Linda Wolford, M.S., Government Relations Director at the Minnesota Council on Disability. “Also, the direct care workers who provide care to people with disabilities contribute to the economy as Medicaid funding provides them with jobs. The unemployment rate would also likely increase if Medicaid payments are reduced or cut off as there are thousands of people who work in the service delivery system for people with disabilities and seniors.”

    MINNESOTA MEDICAID SNAPSHOT:

    • 1,184,597 Minnesotans are enrolled in Minnesota’s Medicaid program, known as Medical Assistance

    • 33% of births in Minnesota are covered by Medicaid

    • 1 in 3 Minnesota children are covered by Medicaid

    • 5 in 9 nursing home residents are covered by Medicaid

    • 1 in 3 working age adults are covered by Medicaid

    • In MN-04, the 172,477 people on Medicaid are at risk of losing their health care under Republican budget. This includes 89,871 children under the age of 19 and 14,000 seniors over 65 in MN-04.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Betty McCollum and House Appropriations Committee Democrats Urge Senate to Reject Republicans’ Dangerous Funding Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Democrats across the country, as well as health care providers and advocates, are highlighting the negative impacts that face seniors, children, and working parents if the House Republican budget becomes law. Republicans’ budget sets up billions of dollars of cuts to Medicaid in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and large corporations.

    “House Republicans are using their majority to serve their wealthy donors at the expense of working families, children, and seniors,” said Congresswoman McCollum. “The budget Republicans passed in February could cut Medicaid by as much as $880 billion, which would weaken a critical healthcare lifeline that over a million Minnesotans rely on.”

    “Nearly 1.3 million Minnesotans—about one quarter of our state—rely on Medicaid,” said Congresswoman McCollum in a

    statement

    following a vote on the budget in February. “A cut of this magnitude would have severe consequences for our entire population. Here in

    To highlight the importance of Medicaid to East Metro residents and Minnesotans living in every corner of the state, Congresswoman McCollum called upon leaders in healthcare, homecare, labor unions, and disability advocacy to share how Medicaid cuts would impact their work and harm Minnesotans who rely on Medical Assistance.

    “Cutting federal Medicaid funding will have a significant impact on Minnesota children with complex medical conditions and disabilities,” said Barbara Joers, President and CEO of Gillette Children’s Hospital. “These children often rely on Medicaid for access to necessary healthcare services, therapies, medications, medical equipment, and home-based care. Cuts to Medicaid would result in reduced coverage, limited access to specialists, longer wait times for services, and decreased quality of care for these at-risk populations.”

    Congresswoman McCollum visited President Joers at Gillette Children’s on Tuesday morning for a discussion on how Medicaid cuts could impact patients.

    Click here to watch.

    “Medicaid plays a crucial role in ensuring that every child has access to the quality healthcare they need,” said Dr. Marc Gorelick, President and CEO of Children’s Minnesota. “At Children’s Minnesota, we see firsthand the profound impact of Medicaid. Nearly half of the patients we serve rely on Medicaid, which helps set up kids for a lifetime of success by providing access to essential preventative care, such as check-ups and vaccines, and effective treatment for chronic conditions. This proactive approach prevents more serious health issues that ultimately cost society more in the long run. Cutting Medicaid threatens access to these essential services for the kids and families we serve. An investment in Medicaid is an investment in our children, and ultimately an investment in a healthier future for all.”

    “Many older adults and people with disabilities count on support through the Medicaid program when they’re unable to receive life-sustaining supports elsewhere,” said Kathy Messerli, Executive Director, MN Home Care Association (MHCA). “Chronic underfunding of these essential home and community-based services has already led to the closure of agencies in Minnesota and resulted in worse and at times no access to care for people who need it. Further cuts will lead to more Minnesotans without access to care or turning to safety net hospitals, which shifts the government costs to a more expensive setting.” 

    Medicaid is a lifeline for Minnesotans with disabilities. Sumer Spika, a mother and home care worker from St. Paul with SEIU Healthcare MN & IA, shared what Medicaid cuts would mean to thousands of families like hers.

    “As a mother and a longtime home care worker who provided support for a wonderful young woman named Jayla for over a decade, when I think of potential cuts I think, ‘what would Jayla do without Medicaid?’ If there was no funding, it would mean there would be no care for her and no access to equipment that allowed her to live her life,” said Spika. “Medicaid meant not just a person to help with her care, it meant things like hearing aids and fire alarms that have flashing lights because she can’t hear. It meant getting care for a heart disorder. It means a lifeline and coverage for millions of people. The thought of cutting even one penny to give tax breaks for billionaires is so offensive I can’t believe it is even being considered.”

    “Medicaid allows people with disabilities to work, participate in community activities, volunteer and do everything other people often take for granted,” said Linda Wolford, M.S., Government Relations Director at the Minnesota Council on Disability. “Also, the direct care workers who provide care to people with disabilities contribute to the economy as Medicaid funding provides them with jobs. The unemployment rate would also likely increase if Medicaid payments are reduced or cut off as there are thousands of people who work in the service delivery system for people with disabilities and seniors.”

    MINNESOTA MEDICAID SNAPSHOT:

    • 1,184,597 Minnesotans are enrolled in Minnesota’s Medicaid program, known as Medical Assistance

    • 33% of births in Minnesota are covered by Medicaid

    • 1 in 3 Minnesota children are covered by Medicaid

    • 5 in 9 nursing home residents are covered by Medicaid

    • 1 in 3 working age adults are covered by Medicaid

    • In MN-04, the 172,477 people on Medicaid are at risk of losing their health care under Republican budget. This includes 89,871 children under the age of 19 and 14,000 seniors over 65 in MN-04.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Schumer, Hirono Open Investigation into DOGE’s AI Chatbot Plan to Replace Education Department Call Centers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    April 02, 2025

    Warren, Schumer, Hirono Open Investigation into DOGE’s AI Chatbot Plan to Replace Education Department Call Centers 

    This comes as Senator Warren launches Save Our Schools campaign

    “Given DOGE’s record of prioritizing chaos over competence, there is little reason to believe that DOGE’s AI chatbot would genuinely serve the needs of borrowers and families.”

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), along with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon regarding the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) proposed plan to replace the Department of Education’s (ED or the Department) federal student aid call centers with generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots.

    “DOGE’s proposal threatens to misinform borrowers and families, lead to data privacy breaches, and pose conflicts of interest arising from Elon Musk’s financial stake in AI development,” wrote the senators.

    Given that generative AI chatbots, such as Chat-GPT and Gemini, are known to “hallucinate” convincing but factually incorrect information, the senators raised concerns that a generative AI student aid chatbot could provide inaccurate information that, among other problems, could lead borrowers to enroll in a student loan repayment plan that is inappropriate for their financial situation, mislead students about their Pell Grant eligibility, or provide incorrect advice on how to interpret colleges’ financial aid offers or misinform families on how to fill out the FAFSA. 

    According to the senators, DOGE’s proposal also raises concerns regarding the privacy of students, families, and borrowers. Experts warn that if sensitive data is not properly safeguarded, generative AI chatbots could inadvertently leak personal data during interactions with users or even leave that data vulnerable to cybercriminals. The AI chatbot’s conversations with users would constitute yet another stream of government data that Mr. Musk could use to gain a competitive advantage for xAI.

    “Given DOGE’s record of prioritizing chaos over competence, there is little reason to believe that DOGE’s AI chatbot would genuinely serve the needs of borrowers and families,” wrote the senators.

    The senators demand a response from Secretary McMahon regarding their concerns by April 15, 2025. This letter comes on the same day that Senator Warren launches her Save Our Schools campaign to fight back against the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education and highlight the consequences for every student and public school in America.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sánchez, Carey, Capito, Bennet reintroduce bipartisan Credit for Caring Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (38th District of CA)

    WASHINGTON – House Ways and Means Committee members Congresswoman Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) and Congressman Mike Carey (R-Ohio), along with Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), today reintroduced the Credit for Caring Act, a bipartisan bill that would create a new tax credit of up to $5,000 for working family caregivers.

    “Caring for both of my parents after they were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s has given me a personal understanding of the emotional, physical, and financial challenges families face when caring for a loved one,” said Congresswoman Sánchez. “Family caregivers – two-thirds of whom are women – often juggle work, family responsibilities, and the time and financial demands of caregiving. The Credit for Caring Act will ease some of these challenges by providing much-needed financial relief through a tax credit for home care and adult day care.”

    “We know that families want to support their loved ones through illness, disability and aging in place. The Credit for Caring Act offers relief to caregivers, allowing them to prioritize their loved ones and worry less about the effects on their family budget,” said Congressman Carey. “This tax credit would offset costs American families have to bear to care for their loved ones and provides flexibility to care for them in the way that works best for their family’s situation. I hope my colleagues join me in the effort to pass it.”

    “The Credit for Caring Act is a great tool to help ease the financial burden caregivers face, and I am proud to join with my colleagues in reintroducing this bill that aims to accomplish that,” said Senator Capito. “Like so many Americans, I helped care for both of my parents as they battled Alzheimer’s at the end of their lives, and therefore, I understand the emotional and physical toll it can take on individuals and families. By passing this bill, we can help caregivers focus more on their loved ones and less on how much it will cost them.”

    “Family caregivers play a critical role in the lives of their loved ones, often at a significant financial cost to themselves. They have to balance jobs and family responsibilities, and still make ends meet at the end of the month,” said Senator Bennet. “Congress should make things a little easier for them. Our bipartisan bill will help ease the financial burden that many caregivers face in Colorado and across the country, and I’m grateful for the support of my colleagues in both chambers of Congress.”

    “America’s family caregivers put family first, helping their parents, spouses and others stay at home,” said Nancy LeaMond, executive vice President and chief advocacy and engagement officer, AARP. “They spend thousands of dollars every year on this care, while juggling work and family responsibilities. We urge Congress to put money back into the pockets of hardworking family caregivers by passing the Credit for Caring tax credit.”

    “This crucial legislation offers much-needed financial relief for the invaluable contributions of family caregivers, who often sacrifice their own financial stability to care for loved ones, while juggling work and caregiving responsibilities,” said Jenny Carlson, state director, AARP. “This act also represents a significant step towards supporting our aging population and ensuring that families can continue to provide high-quality care at home. It also benefits employers by reducing the financial strain on employees who balance work and caregiving responsibilities, leading to a more productive and engaged workforce. We urge Congress to pass this vital legislation, which will have a profound impact on the well-being of families, the economy, and the overall health of our communities.”

    “AMAC Action, the advocacy affiliate of the Association of Mature American Citizens – with over 2 million members nationwide, proudly supports the Credit for Caring Act because family caregivers are the foundation of our nation’s long-term care system. Millions of Americans selflessly provide care for their loved ones, often at great personal and financial sacrifice. This legislation is a commonsense solution that provides much-needed relief to those who shoulder this responsibility. By easing the financial burden on caregivers, we can help ensure seniors receive the care they need while preserving their independence and dignity,” said Andy Mangione, senior vice president, AMAC Action.

    “With over 11 million Americans caring for a loved one living with Alzheimer’s, our nation must take action to help with the staggering financial toll of caregiving,” said Robert Egge, president, AIM and chief public policy officer, Alzheimer’s Association. “Thank you to Rep. Carey and the other lead sponsors for introducing the bipartisan Credit for Caring Act, which will provide real help to family caregivers across the nation. We look forward to working with you to ensure this critical legislation is signed into law.”

    BACKGROUND

    Caregiving is time-consuming, physically taxing, and it can also be expensive. Currently, family caregivers spend over $7,200 a year, on average, on out-of-pocket on caregiving expenses.

    The Credit for Caring Act is supported by a number of groups, including AARP, Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, Home Care Association of America, AMAC Action, Family Business Coalition and American Seniors Housing Association.

    The full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Join us at 9:30 a.m. PT on Friday, April 4, to learn about the latest Copilot news and innovations

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Join us at 9:30 a.m. PT on Friday, April 4, to learn about the latest Copilot news and innovations

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    MIL OSI Economics