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Category: Trumpism

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEW REPORT: Trump’s Mass Firings at NIOSH Spokane Research Lab Put Americans at Risk, Jeopardize Progress to Keep Workers Safe on the Job

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Senator Murray Presses Secretary Kennedy on Decimation of NIOSH and Mass Firings at NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory

    ***NEW REPORT with testimonials from Spokane employees HERE***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released a new report on how President Trump and Elon Musk’s decimation of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including their effective shuttering of the NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory, will jeopardize on-the-job safety for firefighters, miners, agricultural workers, commercial fishermen, in Washington state and across the country. The report details the work that was done at the NIOSH Spokane Research laboratory, the Spokane Mining Research Division in particular, and outlines how the Trump administration’s mass firings across NIOSH will jeopardize the pipeline to train the next generation of workplace safety and health professionals, including those studying at Gonzaga University in Spokane and University of Washington in Seattle. Senator Murray’s report features testimonials from Washington state residents, including employees at NIOSH who were recently fired through no fault of their own.

    The release of the report comes as the Trump administration’s large-scale reduction in force (RIF) for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which includes NIOSH, has been put on hold by a U.S. District Court judge in San Francisco, who ruled that the administration violated separation of powers principles with its agency restructuring.

    “The Trump administration’s unfathomable decision to gut NIOSH and fire nearly every person at the Spokane Research Lab is a devastating and shortsighted move that puts workers everywhere at risk,” Senator Murray said upon releasing the report. “In Spokane alone, President Trump abruptly fired nearly a hundred people working to protect those in high-risk professions including mining, firefighting, health care and emergency medicine, and the maritime industry—bringing their research to a screeching halt and creating a ticking time bomb for disasters in the workplace.”

    “These thoughtless firings don’t just risk Americans’ health and safety in the workplace today, but threaten decades of progress toward preventing workplace hazards,” Senator Murray continued. “Researchers in Spokane who have dedicated their careers to protecting workers across the country are being kicked to the curb because Donald Trump and his conspiracy theorist Health Secretary don’t have a clue what NIOSH does and don’t care to learn—no one should be treated like this. We need answers and accountability. I’m going to keep fighting to hold the Trump administration to account and shine a bright spotlight on how this administration is hurting people and communities like Spokane and forcing critical, lifesaving research to go to waste.”

    Senator Murray has been a leading voice in Congress against RFK Jr.’s destruction of HHS and America’s health infrastructure, raising the alarm over HHS’ unilateral reorganization plan and slamming the closure of the HHS Region 10 office in Seattle and the NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory. Senator Murray has sent oversight letters and hosted numerous press conferences and events to lay out how the administration’s reckless gutting of HHS is risking Americans health and safety and will set our country back decades, and lifting up the voices of HHS employees who were fired for no reason and through no fault of their own.

    The full report is available HERE and below:

    Report: Mass Firings in Spokane and Beyond: How Gutting the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Harms Workers

    This report is part of a series detailing the harm President Trump and Elon Musk’s reckless and devastating attacks on the federal workforce are causing on the ground in Washington state. The Trump administration’s mass firings and harmful actions have real consequences for Washington’s residents, their communities, and for the entire United States.

    This report focuses on the mass firings of employees at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effectively shuttering the NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory. These Reductions in Force (RIFs) will lead to increased health and safety risks for firefighters, miners, agricultural workers, commercial fishermen, and so many others. No one should have to worry about whether they will come home safe from their job or not come home at all – NIOSH is vital to keeping workers safe. 

    The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is Dedicated to Keeping Workers Safe Across America

    NIOSH is the only government agency statutorily authorized to conduct workplace health and safety research. In April 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. terminated about 900 of NIOSH’s approximately 1,100 employees, effectively shuttering the agency. Among these firings, the Trump administration eliminated 90 scientific positions at the Spokane Research Laboratory. In addition to NIOSH’s Spokane location, the agency also conducts research at campuses in Cincinnati, Ohio; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Due to recent outcry over these firings, the Trump administration has recently agreed to bring back around 300 NIOSH workers, but primarily in West Virginia and Ohio, leaving the Spokane Research Laboratory’s programming and research work shuttered.

    By firing and then only bringing back a small portion of NIOSH workers, and almost none from Spokane, the Trump administration is jeopardizing decades of progress in improving worker health and safety. Over the course of NIOSH’s history, worker deaths, injuries, and illnesses in America have gone down—on average, from about 38 worker deaths a day in 1970 to 15 a day in 2023, and from 10.9 incidents of worker injury and illness per 100 workers in 1972 to 2.4 per 100 in 2023. However, workplace hazards still kill and disable approximately 125,000 workers each year—5,190 from traumatic injuries and an estimated 120,000 from occupational diseases. Workplace injuries and illnesses cost businesses between $174 billion and $348 billion a year, which is still likely an underestimate given underreporting of workplace injuries.

    Kyle Zimmer, recently retired from International Union of Operating Engineers Local 478 and current Chair of the Mine Safety Health Research Advisory Committee stated, “Losing these researchers will result in the loss of safety for every worker in the United States. This research turns into standards that become guidelines that every safety professional uses throughout the country in every industry, from health care, to auto body shops, to mining and firefighting. Once your workforce really understands what you are doing, that is when you get results and changes in workplace safety culture.”

    NIOSH’s $362.8 million budget represents only 0.2% of the discretionary portion of the HHS budget. NIOSH’s lifesaving research has also saved more than $1 billion annually. For example, NIOSH research supporting improved protective equipment for firefighters is associated with an estimated $71 million in annual savings in medical and productivity losses.NIOSH work produces a tremendous return on investment, and the Trump administration’s firings have huge costs both for worker safety and the nation.

    Tristan Victoroff, a union steward and epidemiologist in the NIOSH Western States Divisions, pointed out: “The 900 people fired from NIOSH are scientists, mainly. We are industrial safety scientists, epidemiologists, engineers…. The goal is to work with industry to protect workers’ health and safety and find solutions to the problems. We do research and development. It’s not duplicative. [The Occupational Safety and Health Administration] doesn’t do this. They don’t have the capacity or the mandate. All of these cuts are supposedly to save costs. What costs are we going to tolerate? What are the costs of increased workers’ compensation claims? What are the costs of disabling injuries and chronic diseases from workplace exposures? What is the cost to a family of losing a parent to a workplace accident?”

    The NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory is Critical to Keeping Workers Safe

    NIOSH was created by Congress to address and prevent work-related injury and illness and was created in the same statute that authorized the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the Department of Labor. While OSHA sets and enforces safety standards, NIOSH is required to conduct or fund research, experiments, and demonstrations on occupational safety and health; produce criteria identifying toxic substances including setting exposure levels that are safe for various periods of employment, and publish annually a list of all known toxic substances and the concentrations at which such toxicity is known to occur; disseminate information about occupational safety to employers and employees; conduct education programs about occupational safety; and contract with state personnel to provide compliance assistance for employers.

    In Washington state, NIOSH conducts research to understand and promote safe job conditions and develop science-based products and interventions that support worker health, safety, and well-being, prevent future occupational injuries and deaths, and train new generations of health and safety professionals. This work is done through the Spokane Research Laboratory (which houses the Spokane Mining Research Division and the Western States Division) and the Region 10 Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety Education and Research Center.

    Tristan Victoroff, a union steward and epidemiologist in the NIOSH Western States Divisions, explained: “The NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory in Washington State is the only NIOSH facility west of the Mississippi. Its two divisions— the Western States Division and the Spokane Mining Research Division — conduct safety research for natural resource industries across the western U.S. and Alaska, including commercial fishing, wildland firefighting, oil and gas extraction, and mining. They’re working directly with naval shipyards to assess exposures from new technology for corrosion control. They track commercial fishing deaths nationwide. They have major research efforts in high wall safety, rockfall and slope stability, and seismic monitoring using advanced fiber optic technology, to name just a few examples. This work is not duplicative, and it’s not wasteful. If we’re expanding domestic energy, mineral, and seafood production, we need to protect the people doing that work. These workers deserve to come home safe and be healthy enough to work again tomorrow. Cutting this research does not keep us competitive — it puts workers in danger.”

    The Spokane Mining Research Division Keeps Washington Miners Safe on the Job

    The Spokane Mining Research Division (SMRD) is part of the NIOSH Mining Program, which aims to eliminate mining fatalities and injuries. Since 1990, total injuries in mining have significantly decreased, reflecting safer practices industry-wide, strongly linked to NIOSH’s research and prevention programs. SMRD partners with labor, mining associations, equipment manufacturers, and mine operators to study worker health and safety problems in the field. Washington’s mining industry is vital to the state’s economy, supporting 18,845 jobs, directly and indirectly, and providing $4.07 billion in economic benefits to the state.

    SMRD also conducts laboratory research at the Spokane, WA facility, where highly specialized scientists in unique laboratories develop products and interventions that offer solutions to mining challenges.Scientists in Spokane have been doing innovative laboratory work to:

    • Simulate ground stresses to test rock samples to determine the strength of the environment and whether bolts, steel, mesh or shotcrete are needed to support the mining efforts and keep workers safe on the job.
    • Simulate mining conditions and tasks to study health effects, such as heat and stress;
    • Examine field samples to understand miners’ exposure to respiratory and other health hazards; and more.

    Dr. Art Miller, a research engineer who retired from SMRD after 34 years, explains: “No one else in the world is doing this time-sensitive, cutting-edge research that will make workers safer. We conduct research in a lot of different ways. Our lab is a unique environment of cutting-edge technology and brain power aimed at improving worker health and safety. Discontinuing our work would be a huge loss to the future health and safety of workers. Workplace safety is dynamic, and our work is never going to be done. NIOSH is small relative to the federal government but it’s a well-run entity. Why would we want to get rid of something like that?”

    Spokane Research Laboratory’s SMRD also runs the Miner Health Program, created in 2016 to collaborate with the mining community to improve workers’ physical and mental health.Prevention of opioid misuse is just one of many examples of the collaborative work being produced by the Miner Health Program. The mining industry has been hit particularly hard by drug overdoses. Work-related pain and injury increase workers’ chances of being prescribed an opioid and subsequent risks of worker prescription opioid misuse, long-term opioid use, and opioid use disorder (OUD). These overdoses and especially deaths related to opioid use have had a significant impact on mine workers, their families, and communities. This program is now archived on the CDC website, indicating that this program is no longer operating.

    In Fall 2024, Spokane’s SMRD experts launched a new guide, Implementing Effective Workplace Solutions to Prevent Opioid Use Disorder: A Resource Guide for the Mining Industry. This guide provides a model for planning and implementing prevention efforts to normalize conversations about OUD, reduce stigma, and break down barriers to treatment and recovery. Losing this Miner Health Program focused on preventing OUD will lead to increased overdoses and preventable deaths in the mining community.

    The impact of the Trump administration’s cuts to NIOSH are already being felt in the mining industry. NIOSH is the only federal agency that can test and supply approved and certified respirators and personal dust monitors to keep miners safe on the job. The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) at the U.S. Department of Labor announced a temporary enforcement pause of mine operators’ respiratory protection programs. Given that NIOSH’s National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory has been effectively eliminated, the “Lowering Miners’ Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica and Improving Respiratory Protection,” (“Silica Rule”), is now paused until at least August 2025.Without NIOSH, the Silica Rule cannot go into effect and workers will continue to be exposed to extremely harmful silica dust that results in the debilitating and often fatal condition of silicosis.

    These respirators are not just used in mining; they are used across industries. As explained by Tristan Victoroff, union steward and epidemiologist in the NIOSH Western States Divisions: “There will be no NIOSH-certified respirators, if there’s no NIOSH. NIOSH certifies all the respiratory protection equipment used in healthcare — and not just the N95 masks we’ve all become familiar with in recent years. That includes reusable respirators that filter oils and vapors… even supplied air systems. NIOSH is the only organization in the country equipped to perform all the required testing — more than 150 test procedures — to certify respirators that protect firefighters, miners, shipyard workers — anyone who needs respiratory protection on the job. In fact, any employer in general industry — from construction to manufacturing — if they have an OSHA-approved respiratory protection program, they must use NIOSH-certified equipment. Only NIOSH can certify that equipment to meet those standards. Rebuilding these labs somewhere else would take years, and there’s no guarantee we could replicate the expertise and facilities we currently have at NIOSH. NIOSH also monitors products on the market to spot counterfeits. Without that oversight, fake and substandard products will increasingly flood the market. That’s not theoretical. NIOSH recently found that every counterfeit product it purchased off the open market failed to meet established standards. These products were not fully protective. Workers using those products on the job could be exposed to dangerous particulates or chemicals. If these labs shut down, it will put workers at risk and stifle innovation in protective technology. Workers won’t know which products they can trust. The NIOSH certification is essential.”

    The Western States Division of NIOSH Conducts Critical Research Focusing on Hazards in the Western States

    Workers in the Western U.S. face hazards and issues unique to their industries and environment, including commercial fishing, agriculture, and firefighting. Many of these occupations include climate extremes, working at altitude, long distance commutes, remote locations, and wildland forest fires. NIOSH’s Western States Division (WSD)employs a diverse group of public health and safety scientists with expertise in industrial hygiene, epidemiology, engineering, occupational medicine and health communication, working together to reduce and eliminate workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. WSD is headquartered at the Spokane Research Laboratory, but also has staff at offices in Denver, Colorado, and Anchorage, Alaska. WSD in Spokane focused on health and safety research for several industries, including commercial fishing, firefighting and wildfires, maritime, and emergency medical services.

    Commercial Fishing. NIOSH’s work has decreased the number of fatalities in the commercial fishing industry in Washington, which is recognized as one of the most hazardous work settings. Many operations are characterized by strenuous labor, long work hours, harsh weather, and moving decks with hazardous machinery and equipment. This industry generates nearly $46 billion and more than 170,000 jobs. The annual number of fatalities has declined over the past two decades because of the prevention work carried out by NIOSH.For 30 years, WSD has operated the Commercial Fishing Safety Program, working in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and the Gulf Coast in Southeastern states to keep fishermen safe from vessel disasters, falls overboard, onboard hazards, and more. WSD operates maintains the Commercial Fishing Incident Database, which tracks commercial fishing fatalities and provides statistics by region, fishery, type of vessel, and type of incident.This is the only national source for details of commercial fishing fatalities; neither the Bureau of Labor Statistics nor the U.S. Coast Guard report this type of information. Collecting this data is crucial for reducing the number of injuries and fatalities among the nation’s fishermen. Through NIOSH-funded research, WSD has developed solutions to prevent winch entanglements on commercial fishing boats, reducing loss of limb accidents. This critical research has come to a standstill with the Administration putting these scientists on administrative leave and scheduling them to be fired as of June 2, 2025.

    Outdoor Workers and Wildfires. Washington is one of the five states with the highest average annual burned acreage in the U.S., and the state is home to over 8,500 firefighters. Washington’s firefightersput themselves at enormous risk to keep Washington residents safe. Wildfire smoke is also dangerous to outdoor workers like the state’s 8,280 farmworkers whose jobs have been made safer through the work of NIOSH. For example, NIOSH scientists were instrumental in developing Washington’s Wildfire Smoke Rule, put in place January 15, 2024, which protects the health of workers who are exposed to the small particles contained in wildfire smoke. NIOSH recently developed a comprehensive hazard assessment on exposure to wildland fire smoke among outdoor workers. If NIOSH is eliminated, this document might never be finalized, and necessary revisions to the Washington Wildfire Smoke Rule may not happen, threatening firefighters, farmworkers, and other outdoor workers.

    NIOSH Provides Valuable Resources to Employers to Help Them Keep Workers Safe

    NIOSH’s Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) Program has provided 11 technical assistance evaluations to businesses and industry in Washington over the last 20 years. The HHE program was established with the passage of the 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act. The HHE program includes evaluations of occupational exposure to illicit drugs in toxicology laboratories, health effects in commercial airline employees associated with new, mandatory uniforms, transmission of tuberculosis to zoo employees working with Asian elephants, and respiratory effects following acute exposure to chlorine gas at a metal recycling facility. These evaluations and publications are at no cost to industry or the public, and recommendations from these reports are used to establish health and safety protocols throughout the state.

    WSD conducts research to evaluate toxic exposures associated with removal and application of marine coatings on vessels at the U.S. Navy’s Trident Retrofit Facility near Bangor, WA, and at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, as part of the Center for Maritime Safety and Health Studies. Moreover, WSD evaluates exposures from rehabilitation of hydroelectric turbines, such as the Little Goose Dam on the Snake River in Southeast Washington.A timely WSD project involves assessing mental and physical health issues in emergency medical service (EMS) responders in Tribal communities in the Puget Sound area. The Trump administration RIFs have effectively shut down each of these programs.

    NIOSH Trains the Next Generation of Occupational and Safety Health Professionals

    Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to require funding for research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health. NIOSH funds 18 Education and Research Centers (ERCs), which provide high-quality interdisciplinary graduate and post-graduate training in occupational safety and health disciplines.The Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety Education and Research (NWCOHS) at the University of Washington is an ERC, housed in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, bringing together faculty from the UW Schools of Public Health, Nursing and Medicine. The program, funded continuously since 1977, has an annual budget of $1.8 million and serves four states (Washington, Alaska, Idaho, and Oregon), preparing students for careers in occupational medicine, nursing, health services research, industrial hygiene and more. Funding supports an average of 20 graduate students per year, and continuing education for an average of 1,000 occupational health and safety professionals per year.

    As Lawrence Sloan, Chief Executive Officer of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), a membership organization for occupational and environmental health and safety professionals says, “NIOSH’s work is foundational in protecting American workers. Without adequate support for these programs, achieving the goal of a healthier American workforce will be challenging. Specifically, for AIHA, our members will be disadvantaged by the inability to leverage research on various worker populations to advance our understanding of the profession. Additionally, the absence of funding for Education & Research Centers (ERCs) will significantly impact our pipeline of future talent and hinder the funding of academic research studies that benefit the American worker.”

    NIOSH engineers have worked with Gonzaga University’s Mechanical Engineering Department to guide student senior design projects for the past 15 years. Many of these projects were entered into national American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) competitions, with several teams winning awards and presenting at national ASME conventions. This collaboration has led to increased scientists seeking positions supporting mining safety and health, both in Spokane and around the country, creating a pipeline of the next generation of professionals ensuring workplace safety and health.

    NIOSH Protects Firefighters in Washington State and Nationwide

    As a nationally-based program, the NIOSH Center for Firefighter Safety, Health, and Well-Being supports all 50 states to protect firefighters and to identify and prevent new and emerging hazards in the fire service earlier and faster. NIOSH-funded research has:

    1. Increased our understanding of the 200-plus carcinogenic chemicals involved in byproducts of combustion, leading to better respiratory protection standards;
    2. Identified the presence of PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as “forever chemicals,” in firefighter foam and turnout gear and how these impact cancer risk levels;
    3. Created and provided for continuous enrollment in the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer, the largest effort ever undertaken to understand and reduce the risk of cancer among U.S. firefighters; and
    4. Provided for the development of the Firefighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program, which conducts independent investigations of firefighter line-of-duty deaths and recommends prevention methods.

    After being shutdown in April 2025, the registration portal of the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer is now operational, following the questioning of HHS Secretary Kennedy by members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee on May 14, 2025.

    Spokane Firefighters Union Local 29 is very worried about the cuts to NIOSH and has called for the continuation of NIOSH-funded research, specifically the study on how high heat affects firefighters’ cognitive abilities, using the highly technical and sophisticated labs in the SMRD. Much of this research is conducted in partnership with Washington State University, where researchers have expertise in the impacts of sleep, fatigue, circadian rhythm, and heat on the ability to be safe at work. These grants to WSU were some of the first to be terminated by HHS.

    Conclusion: The Time is Now to Return NIOSH Spokane Scientists to their Jobs

    NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory scientists were set to be fired on June 2, 2025, but on May 22, 2025, a U.S. District Court judge ordered a preliminary injunction prohibiting the Trump administration from carrying out its RIFs. However, if the RIFs legally continue, President Trump and HHS Secretary Kennedy will eliminate the NIOSH Spokane office. Without the Congressionally-mandated occupational health and safety research conducted by NIOSH scientists, Washington workers, as well as workers across the country, in commercial fishing, mining, firefighting, manufacturing, and other industries will experience preventable and potentially fatal injuries. Through NIOSH-funded research, Spokane Research Laboratory scientists promote evidence-based safety protocols that are implemented through strong industry collaborations that create productive workplaces that contribute to Washington’s and America’s economic prosperity. President Trump and HHS Secretary Kennedy need to bring back the Spokane Research Laboratory scientists now and fully fund NIOSH research to maintain the promise of healthier and safer workplaces, communities, and families.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: In her memoir, Jacinda Ardern shows a ‘different kind of power’ is possible – but also has its limits

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Grant Duncan, Teaching Fellow in Politics and International Relations, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Getty Images

    Imagine getting a positive pregnancy test and then – just a few days later – learning you’ll be prime minister. In hindsight, being willing and able to deal with the unexpected would become the hallmark of former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern’s political career.

    She had always stood out as a leader, but her tumultuous political journey followed none of the predictable pathways. Readers of her memoir will relive what this was like, from her feelings about motherhood through to meeting world leaders.

    Review: A Different Kind of Power – Jacinda Ardern (Penguin Random House)

    The title of her book promises more than just that, however. Many people hope for a different kind of leader, but what personal qualities or strengths do such leaders need? More generally, can the personal qualities that contribute to great leadership be learned and applied by others?

    The answer seems to be a qualified yes. Since leaving office, Ardern has become something of a global influencer. But as her career pivots towards celebrity appearances and international agencies, her memoir also serves as a leadership manifesto – especially for women, or aspirants of any gender, who suffer self-doubt.

    The limits of empathy

    In her formative years, working as an assistant to Labour leader Helen Clark, Ardern relates how she let political opponents get under her skin. Was she “too thin-skinned” for politics? She soon learned “you could be sensitive and survive”. Better still, she could use her sensitivity as a strength.

    But “it is different for women in the public eye”, she writes. Derogatory terms were used against her, such as the “show pony” epithet coined by a senior woman journalist. There were questions about whether she had “substance”. These things could undermine people’s belief in her competence – perhaps even her own self-belief.

    What she did about this is instructive. Lashing out at jibes and cartoon images would make her look “humourless and too sensitive”. The “trick” was to respond in a way that would “take the story nowhere”. She became adept at that, deflecting comments aimed at putting her down.

    This also meant being a feminist but not using feminism as her ideological platform. Other than admonishing a TV presenter that it was “unacceptable” for him to ask whether a sitting prime minister could take maternity leave, she generally let others do the outrage and avoided becoming an even bigger target for culture warriors.

    But A Different Kind of Power asks the question: different from what? Ardern’s political career has been a challenge, if not a rebuke, to leaders who indulge in egotistical, competitive, always-be-winning behaviour. Need one even mention Donald Trump?

    Instead, Ardern offers kindness and empathy. The approach showed its true strength in the days following the terrorist atrocity in Christchurch in 2019. At a time when anti-immigrant and Islamophobic sentiments were growing, Ardern embraced the victims. “They are us”, she declared. Emotions that could have generated a cycle of blame were guided by her towards sharing of grief and aroha.

    Like any political virtue, though, empathy has limitations: it touches those whose suffering commands our attention, but it is partial. Effective social policy also requires an impartial administration and redistribution of resources. Leaders must ensure public goods are delivered equitably to those in need, which calls for rational planning.

    And sometimes a national emergency may call for actions that feel unfair or insensitive to some.

    Pandemic politics

    COVID-19 was that emergency. It created deep uncertainty for governments, and there was no “kind” pathway forward. The Ardern government did an exemplary job, saving many lives, and the Labour Party was rewarded at the 2020 election with an unprecedented 50% of the party vote. But Ardern’s retelling of that time is surprisingly brief, especially given her pivotal role.

    She put herself daily at the centre of it all, patiently explaining the public health responses. During this battle with a virus, however, she couldn’t inoculate against the political consequences and shifts in public opinion.

    As the pandemic wore on, many New Zealanders whose businesses had been shut down, who had been isolated in their homes, who had difficulty returning home from abroad or who’d been ostracised for not getting vaccinated, weren’t feeling much empathy or kindness from their government. And they felt they were being silenced. This sentiment grew far beyond the activists who had made themselves heard on parliament grounds in early 2022.

    Ardern refused to meet with those protestors. “How could I send a message that if you disagree with something, you can illegally occupy the grounds of parliament and then have your demands met?”

    But she (or a senior minister) could have heard their demands and explained why they couldn’t be met. Her refusal to listen left the field open to veteran populist Winston Peters, who exploited the opportunity, launching his campaign to return to parliament – in which he now sits and Ardern doesn’t.

    While vaccine mandates were a key concern for protestors, it’s disappointing that, to this day, Ardern blames the dissenters, as if they were “not us” – kicked out of the “team of five million”. She attributes the dissent solely to their “mistrust”. Refusing to listen – not just to protestors, but to deeper shifts in public opinion – would cost Labour dearly.

    Induced by the pandemic fiscal stimulus, inflation peaked at 7.3% in June 2022. By that time, two switches had occurred: the National Party was ahead in polls and a majority were saying the country was heading in the wrong direction. In January 2023, then, Ardern resigned as prime minister. She believed, probably correctly, that it would be “good for my party and perhaps it would be good for the election”.

    Power and parenthood: Jacinda Ardern with her partner Clarke Gayford and their baby daughter, 2018.
    Getty Images

    The toll of leadership

    But she also reveals in her memoir that a cancer scare influenced the decision – a false alarm, but a sign perhaps that the job was taking its toll. Her leaving could “take the heat out of the politics”, she reasoned. And anyway, she was tired, stressed and losing her patience.

    The leadership change to Chris Hipkins – and a devastating cyclone – boosted Labour’s polling for a while. But their 1,443,545 party votes in 2020 fell to 767,540 in the October 2023 election.

    Hundreds of thousands of voters had turned their backs on the Labour Party, and the COVID response wasn’t solely to blame. There were also controversial or failed policies – such as restructuring water services, a proposed unemployment insurance scheme, and Māori co-governance initiatives – that were ruthlessly exploited by the political opposition. These were all initiated under Ardern, although unmentioned in her memoir.

    Her book is more about subjective self-doubt and empathy. She doesn’t critically examine her own policies. Nor does she express empathy for those who felt disadvantaged or excluded by them – granting as always that emergency measures had been necessary. And, as she heads further into an international career, there’s no expression of empathy for those who now need it most, be they children in Gaza or refugees in South Sudan.

    It’s disappointing Ardern doesn’t define key words: empathy, leadership or power, for example. There are different ways to understand them, and definitions carry assumptions. But she’s not addressing academics or political analysts. Her audience is primarily American – a much larger and more lucrative market than her home country. With the Democrats struggling to find direction and leadership after last year’s losses, Ardern – who poses no threat to anyone’s political ambitions there – offers some inspiration.

    Some may fault it for avoiding those harder questions about her time at the top, but Ardern’s memoir interweaves an authentically retold personal story with high political drama. It tells of one woman’s struggle with morning sickness, childbirth, breastfeeding and motherhood, even while taking on extraordinary public responsibilities and media exposure. It’s still amazing how she managed to do all that.

    I was a personal acquaintance of Jacinda, when she was a list MP in Auckland Central.

    – ref. In her memoir, Jacinda Ardern shows a ‘different kind of power’ is possible – but also has its limits – https://theconversation.com/in-her-memoir-jacinda-ardern-shows-a-different-kind-of-power-is-possible-but-also-has-its-limits-257944

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: National Weather Service Partial Rehire Plan Isn’t Good Enough, Says Cantwell

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    06.02.25

    National Weather Service Partial Rehire Plan Isn’t Good Enough, Says Cantwell

    NWS lost over 560 employees under Trump firings, creating unprecedented forecasting interruptions; today’s approval of 126 new hires represents less than 1/4 of that total; Months before the current crisis, Cantwell called for an exemption and accurately predicted the current situation

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, released this statement following the Trump administration’s announcement of a plan to partially undo the damage done by their indiscriminate firings, resignations, and attrition plaguing the National Weather Service (NWS) workforce.

    “The Trump Administration is trying to put a flimsy band-aid over their massive cut to the National Weather Service,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Hiring back less than a quarter of the people they fired isn’t good enough with hurricane and wildfire seasons bearing down. The administration should immediately end its hiring freeze for the National Weather Service, along with other critical safety roles throughout NOAA, including weather researchers and maritime professionals that weather forecasters and fisheries managers depend on.”

    This dangerous decision to leave critical jobs unfilled comes as the National Interagency Fire Center, a partnership which includes NWS, released its Fire Maps for the next four months predicting above normal significant fire potential across the Northwest, and the National Weather Service predicts an above-normal hurricane season, which began yesterday.

    Just last Thursday, Sen. Cantwell sent a letter demanding that the Trump Administration immediately exempt the NWS from its current federal hiring freeze so that citizens and communities will not be left to fend for themselves without adequate warnings as both hurricane season and wildfire season rapidly approach.

    Today’s action by the administration lifted the hiring freeze on 126 positions across four roles – meteorologists, hydrologists, physical scientists, and electronic technicians. However, many other important roles remain subject to the freeze, including credentialed mariners needed to safety operate NOAA research vessels, weather scientists, and weather satellite technicians. NOAA vessels and satellites are crucial to maintaining forecast and weather infrastructure needed for meteorologists to issue quality and timely forecasts. These firings also impact our economy, with a number of commercial fishing surveys cancelled this year, including for Alaska pollock and salmon. Elimination of surveys will take catch from fishing families, which will result in job loss and increased cost for consumers that want access to high quality American seafood at their local markets and restaurants.

    Multiple recent reports have documented the impacts of the hiring freeze. The Washington Post reports that “Some…forecasting teams are so critically understaffed that the agency is offering to pay moving expenses for any staff willing to transfer to those offices, according to notices recently sent to employees…” And the New York Times found that “The National Weather Service is preparing for the probability that fewer forecast updates will be fine-tuned by specialists, among other cutbacks, because of ‘severe shortages’ of meteorologists and other employees, according to an internal agency document.” These reports make clear that action must be taken immediately to avoid a catastrophic gap in capacity in the face of a future storm or wildfire.

    In February, Sen. Cantwell sent Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick a letter warning of the likelihood of this exact situation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: In her memoir, Jacinda Ardern shows a ‘different kind of power’ is possible – but also has its limits

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Grant Duncan, Teaching Fellow in Politics and International Relations, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Getty Images

    Imagine getting a positive pregnancy test and then – just a few days later – learning you’ll be prime minister. In hindsight, being willing and able to deal with the unexpected would become the hallmark of former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern’s political career.

    She had always stood out as a leader, but her tumultuous political journey followed none of the predictable pathways. Readers of her memoir will relive what this was like, from her feelings about motherhood through to meeting world leaders.

    Review: A Different Kind of Power – Jacinda Ardern (Penguin Random House)

    The title of her book promises more than just that, however. Many people hope for a different kind of leader, but what personal qualities or strengths do such leaders need? More generally, can the personal qualities that contribute to great leadership be learned and applied by others?

    The answer seems to be a qualified yes. Since leaving office, Ardern has become something of a global influencer. But as her career pivots towards celebrity appearances and international agencies, her memoir also serves as a leadership manifesto – especially for women, or aspirants of any gender, who suffer self-doubt.

    The limits of empathy

    In her formative years, working as an assistant to Labour leader Helen Clark, Ardern relates how she let political opponents get under her skin. Was she “too thin-skinned” for politics? She soon learned “you could be sensitive and survive”. Better still, she could use her sensitivity as a strength.

    But “it is different for women in the public eye”, she writes. Derogatory terms were used against her, such as the “show pony” epithet coined by a senior woman journalist. There were questions about whether she had “substance”. These things could undermine people’s belief in her competence – perhaps even her own self-belief.

    What she did about this is instructive. Lashing out at jibes and cartoon images would make her look “humourless and too sensitive”. The “trick” was to respond in a way that would “take the story nowhere”. She became adept at that, deflecting comments aimed at putting her down.

    This also meant being a feminist but not using feminism as her ideological platform. Other than admonishing a TV presenter that it was “unacceptable” for him to ask whether a sitting prime minister could take maternity leave, she generally let others do the outrage and avoided becoming an even bigger target for culture warriors.

    But A Different Kind of Power asks the question: different from what? Ardern’s political career has been a challenge, if not a rebuke, to leaders who indulge in egotistical, competitive, always-be-winning behaviour. Need one even mention Donald Trump?

    Instead, Ardern offers kindness and empathy. The approach showed its true strength in the days following the terrorist atrocity in Christchurch in 2019. At a time when anti-immigrant and Islamophobic sentiments were growing, Ardern embraced the victims. “They are us”, she declared. Emotions that could have generated a cycle of blame were guided by her towards sharing of grief and aroha.

    Like any political virtue, though, empathy has limitations: it touches those whose suffering commands our attention, but it is partial. Effective social policy also requires an impartial administration and redistribution of resources. Leaders must ensure public goods are delivered equitably to those in need, which calls for rational planning.

    And sometimes a national emergency may call for actions that feel unfair or insensitive to some.

    Pandemic politics

    COVID-19 was that emergency. It created deep uncertainty for governments, and there was no “kind” pathway forward. The Ardern government did an exemplary job, saving many lives, and the Labour Party was rewarded at the 2020 election with an unprecedented 50% of the party vote. But Ardern’s retelling of that time is surprisingly brief, especially given her pivotal role.

    She put herself daily at the centre of it all, patiently explaining the public health responses. During this battle with a virus, however, she couldn’t inoculate against the political consequences and shifts in public opinion.

    As the pandemic wore on, many New Zealanders whose businesses had been shut down, who had been isolated in their homes, who had difficulty returning home from abroad or who’d been ostracised for not getting vaccinated, weren’t feeling much empathy or kindness from their government. And they felt they were being silenced. This sentiment grew far beyond the activists who had made themselves heard on parliament grounds in early 2022.

    Ardern refused to meet with those protestors. “How could I send a message that if you disagree with something, you can illegally occupy the grounds of parliament and then have your demands met?”

    But she (or a senior minister) could have heard their demands and explained why they couldn’t be met. Her refusal to listen left the field open to veteran populist Winston Peters, who exploited the opportunity, launching his campaign to return to parliament – in which he now sits and Ardern doesn’t.

    While vaccine mandates were a key concern for protestors, it’s disappointing that, to this day, Ardern blames the dissenters, as if they were “not us” – kicked out of the “team of five million”. She attributes the dissent solely to their “mistrust”. Refusing to listen – not just to protestors, but to deeper shifts in public opinion – would cost Labour dearly.

    Induced by the pandemic fiscal stimulus, inflation peaked at 7.3% in June 2022. By that time, two switches had occurred: the National Party was ahead in polls and a majority were saying the country was heading in the wrong direction. In January 2023, then, Ardern resigned as prime minister. She believed, probably correctly, that it would be “good for my party and perhaps it would be good for the election”.

    Power and parenthood: Jacinda Ardern with her partner Clarke Gayford and their baby daughter, 2018.
    Getty Images

    The toll of leadership

    But she also reveals in her memoir that a cancer scare influenced the decision – a false alarm, but a sign perhaps that the job was taking its toll. Her leaving could “take the heat out of the politics”, she reasoned. And anyway, she was tired, stressed and losing her patience.

    The leadership change to Chris Hipkins – and a devastating cyclone – boosted Labour’s polling for a while. But their 1,443,545 party votes in 2020 fell to 767,540 in the October 2023 election.

    Hundreds of thousands of voters had turned their backs on the Labour Party, and the COVID response wasn’t solely to blame. There were also controversial or failed policies – such as restructuring water services, a proposed unemployment insurance scheme, and Māori co-governance initiatives – that were ruthlessly exploited by the political opposition. These were all initiated under Ardern, although unmentioned in her memoir.

    Her book is more about subjective self-doubt and empathy. She doesn’t critically examine her own policies. Nor does she express empathy for those who felt disadvantaged or excluded by them – granting as always that emergency measures had been necessary. And, as she heads further into an international career, there’s no expression of empathy for those who now need it most, be they children in Gaza or refugees in South Sudan.

    It’s disappointing Ardern doesn’t define key words: empathy, leadership or power, for example. There are different ways to understand them, and definitions carry assumptions. But she’s not addressing academics or political analysts. Her audience is primarily American – a much larger and more lucrative market than her home country. With the Democrats struggling to find direction and leadership after last year’s losses, Ardern – who poses no threat to anyone’s political ambitions there – offers some inspiration.

    Some may fault it for avoiding those harder questions about her time at the top, but Ardern’s memoir interweaves an authentically retold personal story with high political drama. It tells of one woman’s struggle with morning sickness, childbirth, breastfeeding and motherhood, even while taking on huge public responsibilities and media exposure. It’s still amazing how she managed to do all that.

    I was a personal acquaintance of Jacinda, when she was a list MP in Auckland Central.

    – ref. In her memoir, Jacinda Ardern shows a ‘different kind of power’ is possible – but also has its limits – https://theconversation.com/in-her-memoir-jacinda-ardern-shows-a-different-kind-of-power-is-possible-but-also-has-its-limits-257944

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump administration files appeal to Supreme Court over federal mass firings

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

    The U.S. Trump administration on Monday filed an appeal with the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the federal court’s injunction that had prevented federal agencies from carrying out large-scale workforce reductions and reorganizations.

    In the appeal, U.S. Solicitor General John Sauer argued that “controlling the personnel of federal agencies lies at the heartland” of the president’s authority, and “the Constitution does not erect a presumption against presidential control of agency staffing, and the president does not need special permission from Congress to exercise” his core constitutional powers.

    On May 30, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit rejected the Trump administration’s appeal, upholding the temporary injunction issued earlier by Judge Susan Illston of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The injunction barred federal agencies and the Office of Management and Budget from moving forward with broad-scale layoffs and structural reorganizations.

    The Ninth Circuit held that implementing extensive layoffs and reorganizations would seriously impair many areas, including the national food safety system and veterans’ healthcare, and therefore such actions should be suspended while the litigation proceeds.

    On May 9, Illston issued a two-week temporary injunction requiring federal agencies to halt enforcement of the administrative order signed by President Donald Trump in February, as well as the subsequent memorandum issued by the Office of Management and Budget. She also ordered agencies to rescind any layoff notices issued under the president’s order, to reinstate positions for employees placed on administrative leave, and to provide appropriate compensation.

    In her ruling, Illston stated that the president must obtain congressional approval in order to reform federal agencies. Agencies may not undertake mass reorganizations or layoffs without authorization from Congress.

    On May 22, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California further ruled to extend the injunction indefinitely. The Department of Justice filed an appeal with the Ninth Circuit the following day. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Alaska Delegation Welcomes Interior Process to Rescind Unlawful NPR-A Rule

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
    06.02.25
    Anchorage, Alaska—U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Representative Nick Begich (all R-Alaska) today welcomed an announcement from the Department of the Interior (DOI) that it will initiate a public process to rescind an unlawful 2024 rule that restricts responsible oil and gas development in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A).
    DOI made the announcement after officials conducted “a thorough legal and policy review” that determined the 2024 rule “exceeds [the Bureau of Land Management’s] statutory authority under the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act of 1976, conflicts with the Act’s purpose, and imposes unnecessary barriers to responsible energy development in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska.”
    “I thank Secretary Burgum for listening to Alaskans and recognizing the explicit legal purpose of our petroleum reserve. This is a victory not only for those who support responsible development, but also those who believe in the rule of law,” Senator Murkowski said. “The 2024 management rule clearly violated the law, establishing restrictions and a presumption against development as part of the last administration’s effort to turn the North Slope into one giant tract of federal wilderness. Repealing the rule will not weaken our world-class environmental standards, but it will enable Alaska to produce more energy as Congress intended. The result will be good jobs for Alaskans, more affordable energy for America, and significant new revenues for government.”
    “Last night at a town hall in Utqiagvik, Secretary Burgum announced that the Interior Department will rescind the Biden administration’s illegal rule that tried to turn vast swaths of NPR-A into de facto ‘wilderness,’” said Senator Sullivan. “The announcement was roundly met with cheers from Alaskans of the North Slope, who understand better than anyone the proper balance between responsible oil production and the subsistence way of life they cherish. Responsible resource development has transformed the lives of the Iñupiat people, supporting the construction of clinics, gymnasiums, water infrastructure—basic amenities most Americans take for granted. Thank you, Secretary Burgum, for respecting the voices of Alaskans, for standing up for the self-determination of the Iñupiat people, and for sharing this important announcement among the people who will most benefit from it.”
    “This decision is a major victory for Alaska and for every American who believes in energy independence and the rule of law,” said Congressman Begich. “The 2024 restrictions in the NPR-A were imposed with no serious consideration provided to those who work and live in the region and in clear violation of the law – hindering Alaska’s right to responsibly develop our resources. I will continue to work closely with the Trump Administration to ensure Alaska has the opportunity for responsible resource development across the North Slope. There is no question that the road to American prosperity begins in Alaska with our abundance of critical resources, and I am grateful to President Trump and Secretary Burgum for their leadership in restoring our right to shape Alaska’s energy future by rolling back this restrictive Biden-era policy in the NPR-A.”
    “Congress was clear: the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska was set aside to support America’s energy security through responsible development,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said. “The 2024 rule ignored that mandate, prioritizing obstruction over production and undermining our ability to harness domestic resources at a time when American energy independence has never been more critical. We’re restoring the balance and putting our energy future back on track.”
    The NPR-A spans roughly 23 million acres in northwest Alaska. Congress specifically set the area aside for responsible oil and gas development, directing DOI, through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), to conduct an “expeditious program of competitive leasing of oil and gas.” Instead of following that directive, the Biden administration refused to hold a single lease sale in the petroleum reserve while repeatedly moving to reduce access, delaying project approvals, and layering on new restrictions to prevent future development. 
    Alaska’s congressional delegation has opposed the NPR-A management rule on a bipartisan basis from the start. The delegation sent a letter to Interior opposing the proposed rule in March 2024 and spent months making a public case against it. Interior ignored the delegation—and refused to engage in proper consultation with North Slope leaders who similarly opposed the rule—instead plowing forward on a rushed timeline that one former official openly admitted was to avoid the Congressional Review Act. As Interior finalized the rule, multiple companies asked BLM to suspend more than one million acres of leases they held within the NPR-A.
    According to DOI, “Under the proposed rule rescission, the BLM would revert to the regulations that were in place prior to May 7, 2024, which have long guided responsible development in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska while incorporating protections for wildlife, subsistence and surface values through the Integrated Activity Plan process.” A 60-day public comment period will begin when the proposal prints in the Federal Register.
    More information is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Ukraine, Russia make modest progress in Istanbul peace talks, agree on largest prisoner swap

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

    Ukrainian and Russian delegations made modest but concrete progress in renewed peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, raising cautious hopes for a potential easing of hostilities through expanded humanitarian measures, including the largest prisoner exchange since the onset of the conflict.

    The second round of peace talks between Ukraine and Russia is held in Istanbul, Türkiye, June 2, 2025. Ukrainian and Russian delegations resumed peace negotiations on Monday in Istanbul, aiming to bring an end to the ongoing conflict, television footage showed. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye/Handout via Xinhua)

    The roughly 90-minute session marked the second round of direct talks between the two sides in recent weeks. Turkish officials described the outcome as “cautiously optimistic.”

    “The talks did not end negatively,” Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oncu Keceli said, characterising the tone as constructive despite persistent divisions over the broader conflict.

    AGREEMENTS ON HUMANITARIAN MEASURES

    Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, who chaired the negotiations, said on the social media platform X that the delegations built on previously agreed points, including measures related to humanitarian exchanges.

    “There is an agreement on new categories and an increased number of prisoner swaps,” Fidan said.

    Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, leading Kiev’s delegation, proposed a 30-day unconditional ceasefire, the return of displaced children and young soldiers, and the release of prisoners. Umerov called for “real efforts to end the war,” and suggested holding a third round of talks between June 20 and 30, as part of a broader push toward a possible leaders’ summit.

    Russia’s delegation, led by Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, confirmed agreement on what he described as the largest prisoner exchange since the conflict began. “All severely wounded and seriously ill soldiers will be exchanged, along with all captured servicemen under the age of 25,” he said.

    Medinsky added that Moscow would return the bodies of 6,000 Ukrainian soldiers and proposed a two- to three-day ceasefire in specific front-line areas to enable body recovery. He also confirmed that discussions on the return of displaced Ukrainian children were underway, with Kiev submitting a list of 339 names. “We will work on this,” he said.

    Medinsky noted that a preliminary meeting with Umerov had helped set the stage for Monday’s negotiations.

    INTERNATIONAL REACTIONS

    The United Nations (UN) welcomed the progress on humanitarian issues. “We obviously welcome any agreement that will bring the exchange of prisoners or remains,” said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric.

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the meeting as a “significant achievement,” saying the number of prisoners exchanged had surpassed 1,000, with some bodies returned outside formal channels. Erdogan also said Türkiye was prepared to host a high-level summit involving Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and potentially U.S. President Donald Trump.

    Russian media, citing unnamed sources, reported that the next round of talks was likely to be held again in Istanbul.

    TALKS SHADOWED BY ESCALATING AIRSTRIKES

    The renewed negotiations come amid a backdrop of intensified military actions. Ukrainian officials said more than 40 Russian warplanes were damaged or destroyed in a drone strike on Sunday that targeted air bases deep inside Russian territory, including in the Arctic, Siberia, and Far East regions.

    Vasyl Malyuk, head of Ukraine’s Security Service, described the operation, which hit sites in three time zones simultaneously, as “a major slap in the face to Russia’s military power.” Ukrainian officials claimed nearly a third of Moscow’s strategic bomber fleet was either destroyed or rendered inoperable.

    The Russian Defense Ministry accused the “Kiev regime” of launching first-person-view drone attacks on multiple airfields. It said airstrips in the Ivanovo, Ryazan, and Amur regions were targeted, but that the strikes were repelled. Fires at airfields in the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions were extinguished, with no casualties reported.

    In Washington, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Trump believes the conflict in Ukraine “needs to come to an end.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone Blasts Trump for Pulling the Ladder Up on New Jersey’s Youth with Job Corps Shutdown

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) released the following statement on the Trump administration’s decision to shut down Job Corps centers, including one in Edison, NJ:

    “Donald Trump ran on being a job creator, but all he’s done is destroy opportunity. Now he’s shutting down Job Corps centers in New Jersey, gutting a program that helps young people train for real careers and build better lives.

    “In Edison alone, Job Corps has trained and advanced the lives and careers of thousands of students with over 300 currently enrolled. 

    “Job Corps has served as a lifeline – especially for low-income students – offering training in high-demand fields and a path to stability. This move doesn’t just cut a program; it pulls the ladder up behind the next generation.

    “Trump’s economic legacy is becoming crystal clear: layoffs, trade chaos, rising prices, and now, a full-on attack on workforce development. I won’t sit back while he undermines our communities. I’ll keep fighting to protect the investments that actually help people get ahead.”

    Ashton Stripling, the Edison Job Corps Center Director, added: 

    “It is with a heavy heart that I confirm we have received official notice that the Job Corps program received an official letter of termination of convenience. This is not just a program—this is a lifeline. As a former Job Corps student who rose through the ranks to become Director of the Edison campus, I can personally attest to the power of this program to transform lives.

    “For so many of our students, this place is more than just a school—it’s their home, their source of food, clothing, stability, and the education they need to build a future. With this closure, hundreds of young people are at risk of being displaced, and many will return to environments lacking the very support systems they came here to escape.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Cornyn on Senate Priorities for Pres. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

    WASHINGTON – Today on the floor, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) underscored the urgency of addressing our national debt in the Senate’s version of President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act and detailed additional priorities for the legislation, including extending the Trump tax cuts to avoid an average tax increase of $3,000 in Texas and implementing work requirements for means-tested programs. Excerpts of Sen. Cornyn’s remarks are below, and video can be found here.

    “One of the most important things that we need to do in this budget reconciliation process is to finally come to grips with our national debt.”

    “We are now spending more money on interest on the national debt than we are to defend our nation, which is the number one job of the federal government.”

    “If we want the United States to maintain its standing in the world, if we want to be able to have the resources to defend the nation and deter our adversaries, we have to at least begin to get our fiscal house in order, and this bill — the big, beautiful bill from the House — we’re going to make it even more beautiful here in the Senate.”

    “I was happy to see that the House bill included work requirements that go into effect in 2026, and I hope the Senate will include this policy in our bill as well.”

    “Failure is not an option. If the President’s tax cuts are not extended, the American people will face the largest tax increase in American history… back home in Texas, my constituents will see their taxes increase on average $3,000 next year.”

    “As I’ve traveled my state as I did during the course of this most recent recess, my constituents have emphasized to me time and time again how much they are depending on these tax cuts being renewed, especially our small businesses that have depended on the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to hire more staff, to purchase equipment that they could then expense, and to provide additional benefits to their employees.”

    “All of these small businesses, which are the primary job-creating engine in America, would be hurt, and would suffer increased costs, and have to cut somewhere in their business.”

    “The American people are depending on us to pass the President’s agenda through this One Big Beautiful Bill.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Gomez and Waters, Local Leaders Rally to Protect Job Corps Program at LA Center

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)

    Los Angeles, CA – Today, Representatives Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) and Maxine Waters (CA-43), as well as LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis, labor leaders, and Job Corps graduates rallied outside the LA Job Corps Center to demand that the Trump administration reverse its harmful decision to shut down all contractor-operated Job Corps centers by June 30. The Job Corps program provides free vocational training, housing, and GED programs for young people ages 16-24, especially those from underserved communities.

    “Job Corps isn’t just about teaching basic skills—it creates real opportunity and has launched tens of thousands of young people into successful careers,” said Rep. Jimmy Gomez. “Shutting down job corps doesn’t just hurt these students — it hurts our economy. This program has saved taxpayers millions by helping at-risk youth become self-sufficient. We can’t let the administration take that away.”

    “[Congress] included funding to enroll students in Job Corps centers for the new program year starting in 2025, and the administration must faithfully implement Job Corps with the resources Congress appropriated,” said Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43). “Ending it now without congressional approval would be yet another example of this administration’s disregard for Congress and our constitutional role in federal spending.”

    “Many of these students will be the first in their families to earn a high school diploma or GED, an apprenticeship certificate, or go on to college,” said Hilda Solis, LA County Supervisor and former Department of Labor Secretary. “I’ve seen Job Corps graduates thrive in the healthcare industry and culinary arts, and many more.”

    “Since coming to Job Corps, I had to teach myself basic math. I’ve earned my BLS certification and CNA certification, and now, my classmates and I are just four months away from getting our LDN licenses. Job Corps gave me the chance to build a better future,” said Emily, an LA Job Corps graduate and a constituent of Rep. Gomez.

    Job Corps, established in 1964 under the Economic Opportunity Act, has long had broad bipartisan support, serving more than 2 million people. It equips young people with real job skills, helping them earn diplomas and certifications to secure good-paying jobs in high-demand trades. But under Trump’s Project 2025 — an extremist conservative blueprint to dismantle federal social programs — his administration is cutting off these vital supports.

    Rep. Gomez has been fighting back against the Trump administration’s attacks on working families, including efforts to stop illegal funding freezes and extremist cuts. Earlier this year, he visited Echo Park CDC Head Start to hear from parents about the harm these actions could cause. He and his colleagues also rallied at the U.S. Treasury Department to demand answers about Elon Musk’s unprecedented access to Americans’ sensitive financial data, including Social Security numbers, as well as bank and routing account information. Trump is still pushing cuts even after public pressure and some injunctions from lower courts forced the White House to reverse its blanket funding freeze — and with Project 2025 architect Russell Vought now leading the Office of Management and Budget, Rep. Gomez is holding the line in Congress to protect these essential programs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Pressley, Advocates, Families Tell ICE: Hands Off Our Immigrant Neighbors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Convening Comes Amid Disturbing Uptick in ICE Activity Across Massachusetts 7th

    Press Conference (YouTube) | Photos (Dropbox)

    EAST BOSTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) convened a roundtable and press conference in East Boston with immigrant justice advocates, local leaders, and impacted families to tell Donald Trump and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): Hands off our immigrant neighbors. The convening came amid an uptick in ICE activity across the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District and the Commonwealth, including a series of harrowing incidents in East Boston, Chelsea, Everett, and other communities.

    “Donald Trump wants a citizenry that is inactive and indifferent to the suffering of their neighbors, including our immigrant families in the Massachusetts 7th. But we will not stand idly by while he and ICE carry out their cruel, unlawful, and inhumane mass deportation agenda,” said Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. “We stand with our immigrant neighbors. Children should not live in fear of their parents disappearing. Elders should not live in fear of going to the grocery store or their faith house. I was proud to convene an urgent and timely discussion about how we can push back against this harmful agenda, uplift impacted families, and share resources. I’m grateful to our advocates, families, and local partners for joining us.”

    Congresswoman Pressley was joined at the convening by State Senator Lydia Edwards, State Senator Sal DiDomenico, State Representative Adrian Madaro, Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta-Zapata, Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez, Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal of Lawyers for Civil Rights Boston, Nicole Eigbrett of the Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW), Caitlyn Burgess of MacMurray and Associates, Mercedes Pineda, an East Boston resident, Yolanda, a Randolph resident, Kenia Guerrero, a Chelsea resident, as well as impacted families, local elected officials, and community members.

    “East Boston is a proud, resilient, and diverse community — and our immigrant neighbors are the heart of it. The recent escalation in ICE activity is not only cruel, it’s dangerous,” said Senator Lydia Edwards, State Senator for Third Suffolk. “No one should live in fear for simply existing in their own neighborhood. I stand with Congresswoman Pressley, local advocates, and the families impacted in calling for humanity, accountability, and the end of these terrorizing practices. Our communities deserve safety, dignity, and the freedom to thrive.”

    “The cities I represent are vibrant and resilient because we welcome people from all parts of the world with open arms and lift each other up,” said State Senator Sal DiDomenico. “The Trump administration is tearing families apart and stoking fear, hoping that we will all sit back and not respond. I am proud to speak up against this abhorrent assault on our freedoms and our communities alongside my colleagues at all levels of government, impacted loved ones, and advocates on the ground fighting to protect our neighbors and keep families together. I want to thank Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley for convening this roundtable and continuing to sound the alarm about this crisis.”

    ”Our immigrant neighbors help form the backbone of our communities,” said State Representative Adrian Madaro. “They are caring parents, dedicated workers, and courageous dreamers who came here seeking a better life for themselves and their loved ones. Entire sectors of our economy that are essential to our collective wellbeing depend on their labor. Yet ICE has been harassing and targeting them in East Boston and surrounding communities for weeks, going as far as taking individuals with legal status and no criminal histories. Their desperation to fill jails with immigrants has torn families apart and inflicted deep emotional trauma. It has left many facing staggering legal costs. ICE is operating with alarming disregard for both the law and human dignity. They’ve sent ripple effects through several of our school communities, waiting outside during drop off, tearing parents from their children for all to see. These actions do not make us safer — they fracture the trust that holds our communities together. This is cruelty, not justice. Our neighbors deserve protection, not persecution.”

    “East Boston is home to vibrant, resilient immigrant communities who deserve to live without fear. We stand in solidarity with our neighbors and with leaders like Congresswoman Pressley in calling for dignity, safety, and justice. No one should be targeted for simply trying to build a better life. When they come for our neighbors, they come for all of us,” said Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata.

    “The recent actions by federal immigration agents have inflicted fear and trauma in our community. This is not just about immigration enforcement—this is about the violent persecution of our residents and the destruction of trust between government and the people we serve. Chelsea is a city of immigrants. We will not stand by while our neighbors are racially profiled, ripped from their homes and families, and treated with cruelty and inhumanity. We stand united in defense of every resident’s dignity and right to live without fear,” said Fidel Maltez, Chelsea City Manager.

    “Today, I stood in full support of Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley’s powerful call to action in East Boston, where she convened a roundtable and press conference with immigrant justice advocates, local leaders, and families impacted by increased ICE activity,” said Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepén. “The message was clear: Hands off our immigrant neighbors. Here in the City of Boston, we are unwavering in our commitment to protect and uplift our immigrant communities. Immigrants are an integral part of our city’s fabric—they are our neighbors, colleagues, caregivers, and small business owners. They are not only welcome here; they are essential to the strength, diversity, and vibrancy of Boston. We reject the fear tactics and inhumane practices that target our immigrant families. As leaders, we must stand up to any efforts that seek to divide or dehumanize our communities. I will continue to advocate on behalf of our immigrant neighbors and proudly support Congresswoman Pressley’s efforts to demand dignity, safety, and justice for all.”

    “Federal agents say that they target people with terrorist ties, but they are the ones terrorizing the people of Chelsea,” said Chelsea City Councilor Roberto Jiménez-Rivera. “They kidnap bread winners, hard working people with legal status, and children. Chelsea and other immigrant communities are getting punched in the face every day, and we need other communities to stand up with us and defend Massachusetts. Congresswoman Pressley is doing everything she can, and it would be a dereliction of duty for every other level of government to ignore this call to action. We must do as much as possible to pass legislation that protects our immigrant neighbors everywhere.”

    “The Trump administration has chosen to deliberately attack and break my community in the city of Chelsea,” said Chelsea City Councilor Manuel Teshe. “Now is when we come together and fight because we’re the last line of defense against this tyranny. I stand strong next to Congresswoman Pressley who courageously represents each and every one of us in D.C.”

    “The federal government’s unlawful targeting of our immigrant residents makes our communities less safe. The people of Cambridge stand with our immigrant neighbors to demand due process for everyone because none of us are safe unless we all are,” said Cambridge City Councilor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler.

    ““As an immigrant from Cameroon and a public official in Somerville, I know firsthand the fear and uncertainty that many in our communities face. Today, I stand not only as a policymaker but as someone who understands what it means to seek safety, dignity, and belonging in a new land. The recent ICE raids are a cruel reminder of how fragile that sense of safety can be. I’m deeply grateful to Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley for organizing this moment of solidarity. Her leadership reminds us that our communities are strongest when we stand together to defend the rights and humanity of every resident—no exceptions,” said Somerville City Councilor Wilfred Mbah.

    “Lawyers for Civil Rights applauds elected officials for standing with the community. We demand that the federal government uphold the Constitution and respect the rule of law. We will safeguard civil rights to prevent their erosion under the guise of immigration enforcement,” said Ivan Espinoza-Madrigal, Executive Director of Lawyers for Civil Rights.

    “At MacMurray and Associates, LLC, our mission is to empower the immigrant community by providing strong legal representation in both immigration court and before USCIS. In the wake of the recent ICE raids in our district, we have stood on the front lines—defending the rights of those detained, working tirelessly to reunify families, and ensuring that due process is not abandoned. Our partnership with the community and Congresswoman Pressley has been essential in responding rapidly and effectively to these injustices, giving voice and strength to those most vulnerable. Together, we continue to fight for a system where dignity and justice are not denied to immigrants seeking safety and opportunity, “ said Attorney Caitlyn Burgess.

    “The Asian American Resource Workshop (AARW) thanks Congresswoman Pressley for her partnership in this struggle for immigrant justice since the first Trump administration, during the height of raids and deportations in the Cambodian community,” said Nicole Eigbrett, Co-Executive Director of AARW. “Now, in his second term, we are experiencing Asian immigrants targeted on multiple fronts, including undocumented Asian workers, Chinese and Muslim international students, Southeast Asians with past criminal records, and TPS holders from Nepal. AARW will continue organizing to stop ICE raids, detentions, deportations within our community — but also across race and nationalities for solidarity with all immigrant communities in Massachusetts.”

    Video of the press conference is available here and photos are available here.

    Rep. Pressley has been a vocal advocate for our immigrant neighbors and everyone harmed by Donald Trump’s unlawful, anti-immigrant, and anti-free speech agenda. Congresswoman Pressley, who serves as Co-Chair for the House Haiti Caucus and represents one of the largest Haitian diaspora communities in the country, has also been an outspoken critic of the Trump Administration’s ending of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti, Venezuela, El Salvador, and other countries grappling with humanitarian crises.

    Rep. Pressley has also been an outspoken critic against the unlawful detention of Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts PhD student, Somerville resident, and constituent of the Congresswoman’s who was unlawfully detained for weeks in retaliation for her protected speech. After weeks of advocacy and Congressional oversight, including a visit to detention centers in Louisiana, Rep. Pressley and Senator Ed Markey welcomed Ms. Öztürk to Massachusetts following her arrival from ICE detention in Louisiana.

    Rep. Pressley has also spoken out against reports of ICE activity in Boston and other municipalities in Massachusetts.

    In January 2025, Rep. Pressley joined her colleagues in reintroducing the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, legislation that would repeal the antiquated Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which has been used to target innocent immigrants based on nothing more than national origin without affording due process rights, and which Donald Trump has used in his plans for mass deportations.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, ENR Colleagues Urge Interior Inspector General to Investigate Threats Posed by Workforce Reductions at Bureau of Reclamation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, ENR Colleagues Urge Interior Inspector General to Investigate Threats Posed by Workforce Reductions at Bureau of Reclamation

    Senators to DOI Acting Inspector General: “We are concerned that the Administration’s actions to gut the agency of qualified public servants could leave critical water infrastructure and communities vulnerable to operational disruptions”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, joined his ENR colleagues in urging U.S. Department of the Interior Acting Inspector General (IG) Caryl Brzymialkiewicz to evaluate the consequences of the Trump Administration’s workforce reductions at the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR). The Senators warned that these cuts are preventing the agency from fulfilling its statutory mission and implementing relevant programs and activities authorized by Congress, including supporting essential water infrastructure projects in California and across the West.
    According to reports, BOR has lost 1,400 public servants — approximately 25 percent of the agency’s entire workforce — since the Trump Administration began its assault on the federal workforce in January. Additionally, President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request proposes a $600 million (34 percent) cut to BOR funding, jeopardizing important water infrastructure projects.
    “Recent reductions in workforce significantly threaten BOR’s ability to safely and reliably deliver water to communities and farmers, keep waterways flowing for fish and wildlife across the western United States, and produce reliable electricity,” wrote the Senators.
    BOR is the largest wholesale water supplier in the United States — operating many critical California water management projects and delivering trillions of gallons of water to more than 31 million people and 10 million acres of farmland. The farmland managed by BOR produces over 60 percent of the nation’s vegetables and more than 25 percent of its fruits and nuts.
    BOR is also the second-largest producer of hydroelectric power in the country. The facilities BOR operates generate 40 million megawatt-hours of electricity each year.
    The Senators expressed concern over the lack of strategy and harm to public safety that these workforce reductions pose.
    “Rapid reductions to BOR’s workforce raise significant concerns about the Bureau’s ability to meet its core responsibilities, particularly inspecting dams and identifying threats to public safety,” continued the Senators.
    “BOR needs experienced personnel with the necessary expertise to manage critical infrastructure. We are concerned that the Administration’s actions to gut the agency of qualified public servants could leave critical water infrastructure and communities vulnerable to operational disruptions,” added the Senators.
    The Senators concluded by pushing the IG to investigate whether recent workforce reductions at BOR prevent the Bureau from carrying out its obligations. The letter was led by ENR Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and signed by fellow ENR Democratic members U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    Earlier this year, Senators Padilla and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) pushed the Department of the Interior to prevent further federal workforce cuts to BOR, warning of the devastating effects of these reductions on water supply systems in California and across the nation. In that letter, Padilla and Schiff highlighted three vital water projects that depend on the expertise of Reclamation staff for managing water in the West: the Klamath Project, the Central Valley Project (CVP), and the Lower Colorado Regional Office. In the face of public pressure from the Senators and 14 California water officials, BOR paused a planned additional round of workforce cuts. Padilla and Schiff previously urged the Department of the Interior to immediately stop its freeze of Inflation Reduction Act funding for the Lower Colorado River System Conservation and Efficiency Program, which is managed by BOR.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Acting Inspector General Brzymialkiewicz:
    We write to request that your office evaluate the extent to which workforce reductions at the Bureau of Reclamation (“Bureau” or “BOR”) prevent the agency from fulfilling its statutory mission and implementing relevant programs and activities authorized by Congress. The Bureau is the largest wholesaler of water in the United States—delivering trillions of gallons of water to more than 31 million people. The Bureau is also the second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the country. The facilities BOR operate generate 40 million megawatt-hours of electricity each year. However, recent reductions in workforce significantly threaten BOR’s ability to safely and reliably deliver water to communities and farmers, keep waterways flowing for fish and wildlife across the western United States, and produce reliable electricity.
    According to reports, BOR has lost 1,400 public servants since the administration began its assault on the federal workforce. The positions reportedly eliminated include mechanics, engineers, and fish biology specialists—personnel with considerable expertise. Through firings of probational workers, buyouts, early retirements, and other related actions, BOR has shrunk by 25 percent. This workforce reduction has lacked a coherent, mission- and safety- driven strategy and instead led to the departure of experienced personnel—some with over 20 years of experience—leaving the Bureau susceptible to operational disruptions.
    Rapid reductions to BOR’s workforce raise significant concerns about the Bureau’s ability to meet its core responsibilities, particularly inspecting dams and identifying threats to public safety. BOR manages over 450 dams throughout 17 western states. Previously, BOR’s dam safety program identified over 300 high and significant hazard dams at more than 200 facilities. The age and complex nature of dam systems necessitates having experienced staff trained in the operation of such systems. In fact, as your office identified in a September 2023 report, approximately 90 percent of BOR’s dams are more than 50 years old and “[a]ging dams increase the risk of dam failures.” BOR needs experienced personnel with the necessary expertise to manage critical infrastructure. We are concerned that the administration’s actions to gut the agency of qualified public servants could leave critical water infrastructure and communities vulnerable to operational disruptions.
    Your office is responsible for promoting “accountability, integrity, economy, efficiency, and effectiveness within” the DOI and identifying “ways to improve the DOI’s programs and operations by offering specific, actionable recommendations that lead to positive change.” We therefore urge you to evaluate whether recent workforce reductions at BOR inhibit the Bureau from carrying out its obligations.
    Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Reducing American antisemitism requires more than condemning opposition to Israel and targeting elite universities

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By David Mednicoff, Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Studies and Public Policy, UMass Amherst

    Law enforcement officials dress in protective gear to investigate after an attack on a march in Boulder, Colo., on June 1, 2025, calling for the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. AP Photo/David Zalubowski

    Violent antisemitism in the U.S. isn’t limited to the far right wing of the political spectrum. This was tragically obvious in two recent events – the June 1, 2025, attack using Molotov cocktails to burn participants in a Boulder, Colorado, march supporting Israeli hostages in Gaza, and the murders of two Israeli embassy staffers, an American Jew and an Israeli, on May 21, 2025, outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.

    As an expert on the Middle East, including Israel, my research and administrative work have included contributing to a global effort to define antisemitism and addressing antisemitism on my own campus.

    Antisemitism can be defined simply as “discrimination, prejudice, hostility or violence against Jews as Jews (or Jewish institutions as Jewish).” What actually constitutes it is more contested, especially with respect to links between Jews and the state of Israel.

    President Donald Trump claims he is taking “unprecedented” steps to combat antisemitism.

    American Jews perceive antisemitism as rising since 2016, largely because, as one study put it, “people who hold anti-Semitic views now feel more free to express them.” But the current federal fight against antisemitism in the U.S. may have more to do with the agendas of members of the American and Israeli governments than with the concerns of most American Jews.

    First, the Trump administration’s attacks on antisemitism center on elite universities, where the president claims antisemitism runs rampant. Second, the current Israeli government tries to blur the lines between pro-Palestinian activism and antisemitism.

    These factors polarize and complicate the landscape for combating antisemitism effectively.

    GOP nominee for president Donald Trump speaks to prominent Jewish donors at an event called Fighting Anti-Semitism in America on Sept. 19, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
    Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

    Targeting speech at universities by charging ‘antisemitism’

    Trump’s administration has taken dramatic actions in the name of curbing antisemitism. Yet, his policies are notable for what they ignore as well as what they target.

    Right-wing antisemitism was responsible for the deadliest attack on a Jewish community in U.S. history in Pittsburgh in 2018. Yet the administration’s model for fighting antisemitism is not based in fighting white supremacist hatred toward Jews, which relates back to the Nazis in Germany.

    In fact, members of Trump’s administration, including senior adviser Stephen Miller and former Department of Government Efficiency chief Elon Musk, have supported white supremacist ideas or groups. Trump’s own words have evoked right-wing antisemitic tropes, such as assuming American Jews are loyal to Israel or adept at making money.

    Trump administration policies on antisemitism are most vocal around punishing leading American universities as unsafe for Jews. As the leading target of the president’s ire, Harvard University has acknowledged that some activism against Israel’s war with Hamas in Gaza has contributed to antisemitism on campuses.

    However, federal actions targeting Harvard ostensibly seek to punish antisemitism by demanding sweeping federal oversight of Harvard’s curriculum and self-governance. Billions of dollars in research funds have been cut. Neither action connects clearly to Harvard’s patterns or policies around antisemitism.

    Given this, Harvard sued the government in April.

    Many American Jews believe that Trump’s true purpose is to use the antisemitism issue as one means to curb free expression at universities.

    Defending Israeli policy by charging ‘antisemitism’

    National governments naturally seek political and material support from powerful allies. Israel’s efforts to encourage Americans to champion that support fit this pattern.

    Israel receives more U.S. aid than any other country. Thus, its government has an interest in enlisting diverse people and organizations in a sustained way to support its policies.

    The Israeli intervention has grown because Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government is unpopular in both Israel and the U.S. Its war in Gaza, provoked by Hamas, is highly destructive and globally unpopular.

    Most experts and policymakers now argue that Israel, along with Hamas, has committed international war crimes.

    The Israeli government recently increased its funding to US$150 million for global public relations efforts. This is a major acceleration of policies that Israeli has pursued for decades known in Hebrew as “hasbara,” which translates to “explanation.”

    Documenting specific links between Israel’s government and groups promoting its agenda in the U.S. can be difficult. This may be a deliberate strategy by Israeli leaders to conceal their efforts.

    Yet, mainstream Israeli-run organizations such as the Jewish Agency have played up links between pro-Palestinian activism and antisemitism since Hamas triggered the war in Gaza. Groups whose funding and leadership are hard to trace maintain public blacklists labeling vocal pro-Palestine activists as antisemites. Those lists have been used by Israeli government bureaucrats to bar visitors to the country.

    U.S.-based groups aligned with Israeli government messaging engage in persistent strategies to discredit opposition voices. Some attack publicly vocal activists, including some American Jews. Others press organizations, political bodies and institutions to adopt a definition of antisemitism that makes it easy to conflate criticism of Israeli policy with antisemitism.

    Anti-Israel behavior in the U.S. can be antisemitic, such as asserting that American Jews, because they are Jews, are responsible for Israeli state actions. And some American Jews support crackdowns on pro-Palestinian activists.

    However, characterizing antisemitism in the U.S. mostly in terms of speech and activism against the Israeli government augments the Trump administration’s neglect of dangerous right-wing antisemitism.

    Presidential adviser Elon Musk interviews via video the German right-wing party AfD leader Alice Weidel at AfD’s election campaign launch on Feb. 23, 2025.
    Hendrik Schmidt/picture alliance via Getty Images

    Polarization and antisemitism in the US

    Taken together, the politics pursued by Trump and the Netanyahu government combine to target legally protected speech in the U.S. more than they deter antisemitism.

    By contributing to polarization, the conflation of antisemitism with a wide range of speech critical of Israel could add to threats faced by Jews and other religious minorities. Those who wish to undermine work toward Palestinian-Israeli coexistence benefit from the charge that most pro-Palestinian activists are antisemitic. This worsens already visible divides among American Jews over how Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinians squares with their Jewish identities.

    Supported by the most aggressive pro-Netanyahu groups, the Trump administration links concerns against antisemitism to efforts to deport immigrants who have expressed pro-Palestine views, such as Tufts doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk. Deporting people in the name of policing speech critical of Israel also runs a risk that Jews will be blamed for government actions many Americans find objectionable.

    Let’s be clear. Some pro-Palestinian activism embraces Jew-hatred, as the attacks in Washington and Boulder highlight. But lumping together as antisemitic most pro-Palestinian speech, as current American and Israeli leaders do, complicates seeing antisemitism clearly and countering it.

    In addition, most Americans – and Israelis – seek an end to the war, mounting deaths and humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Any potential to blur this with antisemitism augments the few, loud American voices that support one side in the conflict by dehumanizing the other side.

    Americans believe other minority groups face greater discrimination than Jews. Yet, antisemitism from diverse directions is the worst I have seen in my lifetime.

    As with any policy problem, the way to deal with this issue is to focus on all facets of the problem, including right-wing racism and Christian nationalism.

    Current national politics around antisemitism may serve many purposes. Yet most American Jews doubt that these policies actually protect them.

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

    – ref. Reducing American antisemitism requires more than condemning opposition to Israel and targeting elite universities – https://theconversation.com/reducing-american-antisemitism-requires-more-than-condemning-opposition-to-israel-and-targeting-elite-universities-257290

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schumer, Murray Statement on President Trump’s Expected Rescissions Request

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Washington, D.C. — Today, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following joint statement on the rescission request President Trump is expected to submit to Congress this week:
    “Let’s be honest about what this is: President Trump is looking to go after PBS and NPR to settle political scores and muzzle the free press, while undermining foreign assistance programs that push back on China’s malign influence, save lives, and address other bipartisan priorities. The Trump administration continues to take their eye off the ball and is not focused on helping lower middle-class families’ costs. Instead, they are pursuing political retribution to appease the most right-wing factions. They are blowing up the national debt to give the wealthiest few and biggest corporations huge tax breaks while ripping health care away from millions of Americans. Donald Trump’s misplaced priorities are exactly why Americans have quickly turned on his presidency.
    “If Republicans choose to go along with this rescission package, they will follow Trump at their peril. The power of the purse is one of Congress’s most fundamental Constitutional responsibilities. Democrats will not allow Republicans to play games with the budget.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Over 175 Students, Dozens of Staff at Exeter Job Corps in Limbo After Trump Halts Job Corps Operations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    EXETER, RI — Once again, President Donald Trump is trying to eliminate the federal Job Corps program, which offers free vocational and career-training for underserved youth to help produce skilled workers.  Job Corps serves low-income youth between the ages of 16 and 24 who face barriers to education and employment.

    A week after U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) called out the Trump Administration for effectively ‘pausing’ Job Corps enrollment by preventing new students from getting background checks, the Trump Administration formally announced a “phased pause in operations” for all Job Corps centers nationwide, including the center in Exeter. 

    Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee, denounced Trump’s Job Corps suspension as counterproductive and pledged to work on a bipartisan basis to reopen, improve, and continue to fund the centers, which teach eligible youth the skills they need to become employable and independent.

    Reed stated: “Job Corps helps expand economic opportunity and prepare young people for good-paying jobs in in-demand fields.  It literally helps people turn their lives around and we shouldn’t turn our back on this program, we should strengthen it to improve outcomes for more young people.  The Exeter Job Corps Center is a high performing center that helps produce skilled workers in some of the trades we need most, like submarine manufacturing.  I strongly oppose President Trump’s attempt to dismantle vital resources for young people seeking education and opportunity and I will work to prevent the elimination of Job Corps.”

    “The Trump Administration’s Job Corps pause is putting the economic futures of young people across the country on hold.  Students trying to enroll are stuck in limbo.  Job Corps offers young people a second chance to complete their high school education, receive technical training, and prepare for a career.  The Trump Administration is attempting to take that away, but we will work hard to reverse it, because it would be a real blow to these young people and our regional economy,” Reed continued.

    At a May 22 hearing of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H), Senator Reed questioned U.S. Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer about the Trump Administrations efforts to terminate Job Corps.

    During the hearing, Reed noted: “And it’s not only critical to these young men and women to develop their talents and be productive members of our society, but also it’s a key aspect of our submarine production with their relationships to electric boat at Quonset Point Rhode Island. If we don’t have these trained and skilled workers, we will fall behind further and further in terms of submarine production, which will be a detrimental — is an understatement to our national security.”

    Earlier this week, Reed joined Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) in sending a letter to U.S. Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer requesting detailed information on Job Corps — including contracts, background check processing, and evaluation plans.  The bipartisan letter noted: “We would be pleased to work with you to improve Job Corps and make needed changes to the program, such as some of those that were included in the bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, but we expect you to faithfully implement the program with the resources we have appropriated.”

    Since 1964, Job Corps has served more than three million low-income youth and young adults in all parts of the country.

    This is not the first time President Trump has tried to terminate Job Corps. In 2019, during Trump’s first term, his Administration announced it would be closing Job Corp centers. But thanks to public outcry and bipartisan efforts from Reed, Collins, and other members of Congress, the federal government reversed those decisions.

    Exeter Job Corps Center, which opened in 2004, provides free job training in a variety of fields, including: computers, culinary arts, construction, hospitality, health fields, manufacturing, and other career paths, as well as transportation and dormitory-style housing for those who need it. The programs are aligned with industry credentials and include work-based learning.

    Enrollment at Exeter Job Corps Center, located at the site of the former Ladd Center off Route 2 in Exeter, with a capacity for 185 students, with rolling admissions throughout the year.  Exeter Job Corps Center employs a staff of about 85 and offers vocational training in 6 trades, a GED program, and two high school diploma programs. Most participants are from Rhode Island or neighboring states.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Delivers $29.6 Million for RI Economic Development & Housing Initiatives

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    PROVIDENCE, RI – In an effort to help strengthen local neighborhoods and support economic development and affordable housing programs throughout the state, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today announced that Rhode Island will receive $29,614,503 in new federal aid from several federal housing and community development programs.

    Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee, who helped secure the funds in the fiscal year 2025 continuing resolution (CR) appropriations bill, noted this year’s funding levels are based on the Biden Administration’s final budget, which was untouched by cuts from the Trump Administration when Congress passed the full-year CR in March.  

    As a result, Rhode Island’s allocations include:

    • $16,616,289 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds
    • $5,825,296 from the Home Investment Partnerships (HOME) program
    • $3,001,259 from the Housing Trust Fund
    • $1,469,265 from the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program
    • $1,484,128 from the Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA)
    • $1,218,265 through the Recovery Housing Program (RHP)

    The federal investments are administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which Senator Reed oversees as both an authorizer on the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and as an appropriator on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD).

    “This federal funding will help strengthen neighborhoods, advance opportunities for local economic development, and ensure more Rhode Islanders have a healthy and safe place to live.  These programs help cities and towns expand housing options and move forward with capital improvement projects that can spur economic growth and development.  Unlike President Trump, whose Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposal calls for the elimination of many of these essential government programs. I’m committed to improving public infrastructure, boosting housing supply, and upgrading community assets.  From increasing affordable housing opportunities, to repairing roads and extending sidewalks, to enhancing parks and clean water infrastructure, these funds help revitalize neighborhoods and enhance economic development.  With Rhode Island experiencing an alarming affordable housing supply shortage, this critical funding will also bring millions to our state to help preserve and build more affordable housing,” said Senator Reed.

    President Trump’s fiscal year 2026 preliminary budget request to Congress would eliminate the CDBG and HOME programs and devastate HUD with a 43 percent cut in funding. Furthermore, it would place a massive burden on state and local budgets by cutting HUD rental assistance programs by nearly half and shrinking federal homeless assistance programs.

    CDBG provides local communities with a flexible source of federal funding to address a wide range of neighborhood development needs.  The funds may be used for capital-improvement projects or distributed to non-profit organizations to increase housing, supportive service, and job opportunities.  Eligible communities may also apply to the state, which annually allocates federal CDBG funds through a competitive process.  CDBG funds may also be used to address a variety of needs from revitalizing distressed areas by removing blight and assisting with infrastructure projects.

    Several Rhode Island cities will split over $16.6 million from this round of CDBG funding, including allocations for:

    1. Cranston: $1,085,975
    2. East Providence: $772,761
    3. Pawtucket: $1,776,064
    4. Providence: $5,227,138
    5. Warwick: $948,131
    6. Woonsocket: $1,050,583
    7. Rhode Island statewide: $5,755,637
    8. TOTAL: $16,616,289

    HOME is a major federal block grant program providing funding to state and local governments to expand and preserve the supply of quality, affordable housing for working families.  Providence will receive $1,414,533 in HOME funds, while Pawtucket will receive $520,010, Woonsocket will receive $333,115, and a pot of funds for communities across the state will total $3,557,637.

    Senator Reed created the national Housing Trust Fund (HTF) in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.  The HTF is an affordable housing production and preservation program.  Under the law, government-sponsored entities Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are required to contribute annually to the HTF.

    ESG provides annual grants to state and local governments to upgrade and expand emergency homeless shelters.  In this round of funding, Providence will receive $476,119 in ESG funds, Pawtucket will receive $155,836, Woonsocket will receive $93,908, and communities across the state will share an additional $743,402.

    Providence will also receive $1,484,128 in HOPWA funds, which help communities and nonprofit organizations offer housing assistance and related supportive services to low-income individuals who have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

    To help more effectively combat the opioid crisis and ensure people with substance abuse disorders can access safe housing, Rhode Island will also receive $1,218,265 in Recovery Housing Program (RHP) funds.  Senator Reed backed this program as part of the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act.  This federal funding will help Rhode Island provide stable, temporary housing to individuals in recovery from a substance use disorder.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Trump’s steel tariffs are unlikely to have a big impact on Australia. But we could be hurt by what happens globally

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Scott French, Senior Lecturer in Economics, UNSW Sydney

    Shestakov Dymytro/Shutterstock

    Just one day after the US Court of Appeals temporarily reinstated the Trump Administration’s Liberation Day tariffs of between 10% and 50% on nearly every country in the world, Trump announced tariffs on all US imports of steel and aluminium will increase from 25% to 50%.

    He told the rally of steel workers in Pennsylvania the increase would come into effect Wednesday US time.

    Trump said the increase “will even further secure the steel industry in the United States.” But Australia’s trade and tourism minister, Don Farrell, called them “unjustified and not the act of a friend” and “an act of economic self-harm that will only hurt consumers and businesses who rely on free and fair trade.”

    There was hope Australia would obtain an exemption from the original tariffs introduced in February. But it now seems clear Trump is intent on applying the tariffs across the board. And, unlike the Liberation Day tariffs, these are unlikely to face significant legal challenges.

    So, how will the steel tariffs affect Australians? To understand this, it is important to understand how it will affect the US and its other trading partners.

    The direct effect will be small

    As with the original 25% tariffs, the direct effect on Australian steel and aluminium producers will not be profound.

    Only about 10% of Australia’s steel and aluminium exports, and less than 1% of its overall production, goes to the US. Australia’s own BlueScope Steel’s North Star mill in Ohio is actually set to benefit from the tariffs.

    But most Australians will feel the effects of the tariffs through the indirect effects on US manufacturing and America’s trading partners.

    Impact on the US

    We know a lot about how US manufacturing will be affected because this has all happened before. In 2002, George W. Bush imposed tariffs of 8%-30% on steel products, before withdrawing them less than two years later. And Trump imposed tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium in his first term.

    Research has shown the tariffs did slightly increase US metal production but at great cost. In addition to increasing prices for US consumers, as tariffs typically do, the Bush steel tariffs reduced overall employment, as manufacturers that use steel as an input laid off workers or went out of business.

    Further, while these tariffs were only in place for a short time, the affected US industries took years to recover, and many never have.

    The same thing happened with the tariffs from Trump’s first term, where any gains in steel and aluminium production were more than offset by losses in metal-consuming industries.

    For Australians, this means many products we buy from the US are going to get more expensive. This includes vehicles and aircraft as well as machinery and medical equipment used by Australian producers. And if the past is a guide, many products will simply become unavailable.

    Effects on trading partners

    While Australia does not export large amounts of steel and aluminium to US, other countries do. The higher tariffs will further depress the Canadian and Mexican metals industries, which can affect Australian industry in several ways.

    First, if North American consumers are buying less of everything, that reduces demand for Australia’s exports, both directly and indirectly as the reduced spending makes is way down the supply chain.

    Australia exports very little steel to the US so is less likely to be hurt by the direct impact of the tariffs.
    IndustryViews/Shutterstock

    Second, the affected metals manufacturers will look for other markets for their products. Canada is not likely to flood Australia with cheap aluminium, but it may, for example, displace some of our exports to South Korea. And this is happening as the OECD is warning of excess steel capacity, driven in part by China’s outsized steel subsidies.

    But this is not all bad news for Australians. While local steel and aluminium producers will suffer from the diversion of supply from the US, a temporary fall in prices would offer some relief after the post-pandemic rise in building and infrastructure costs.

    Retaliatory tariffs

    On top of all these effects are the effects of retaliatory tariffs by other countries, as the EU has already threatened. Like the US tariffs, these tariffs will make consumers on both sides poorer, reducing demand for Australian exports. But they will open new markets as well. For example, China’s retaliatory tariffs on US almonds have caused a boom in Australian exports.

    The big question for Australia is how this will affect the price of iron ore, by far our largest export. So far, we have not seen major price swings. But if the latest salvo in Trump’s trade war causes the global economy to slow significantly, or if China backs off its steel subsidies, this could change.

    State of uncertainty

    And perhaps the most significant impact of the latest change in US tariff policy is the effect of ongoing uncertainty over US and global trade policy. Trade policy uncertainty reduces international trade flows and chills business investment.

    Whether a business is considering a venture dependent on an input that will be affected by tariffs or, like BlueScope’s Ohio steel mill, might stand to benefit from US tariffs, the uncertainty over what the policy will be tomorrow, let alone five years from now, will make any company hesitant to commit major funds.

    A case in point is Whyalla Steelworks, which has received a $2.4 billion rescue package and is currently in administration and seeking a buyer.

    With Donald Trump able to upend the global steel industry again at any moment, buyers will be thinking twice before investing billions of dollars, which is bad news for nearly everyone, not least of which the residents of Whyalla, who await the fate of a major local employer.

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

    – ref. Trump’s steel tariffs are unlikely to have a big impact on Australia. But we could be hurt by what happens globally – https://theconversation.com/trumps-steel-tariffs-are-unlikely-to-have-a-big-impact-on-australia-but-we-could-be-hurt-by-what-happens-globally-257959

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Joins Planned Parenthood of Northern New England for Roundtable on Republicans’ Attacks on Abortion and Reproductive Care

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) for a roundtable highlighting the harmful consequences of Republicans’ reconciliation bill for patients in Vermont. The Republican budget would prohibit Planned Parenthood’s participation in Medicaid, end the Affordable Care Act’s Premium Tax Credits, and take away healthcare from children, seniors, Americans with disabilities, veterans, and rural Americans. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office determined that “defunding” Planned Parenthood would cost $300 million, increase the deficit and rip away health care coverage for more than 25 million Americans.
    Republican’s reconciliation bill targets Planned Parenthood by prohibiting Medicaid, which covers more than 80 million Americans, from using Planned Parenthood as a Medicaid provider. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office determined that “defunding” Planned Parenthood would cost $300 million, increase the deficit and rip away health care coverage for more than 25 million Americans.
    “President Trump and Republicans’ will hurt Vermonters and providers across our state, devastating our already strained health care system,” said Senator Welch. “Any claims that defunding Planned Parenthood will save money are bogus. In addition to ripping away patients’ access to care, defunding Planned Parenthood will raise health care costs in our state, as more Vermonters wait to see a care provider until it is an emergency or have nowhere else to turn for their care. I will continue to do everything I can to protect access to health care for communities small and large, safeguard access for patients, and lower costs for hardworking Vermonters.” 

    In Vermont, about 24% of PPNNE’s patients rely on Medicaid. Over the three-state organization, ‘defunding’ Planned Parenthood would result in a loss of $5 million annually for Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. In Vermont, nearly 16,000 patients are served annually across six health centers.
    In addition to this direct impact on PPNNE, the bill will result in more than 29,000 Vermonters losing health coverage. Conservative estimates for loss of coverage are 20,000 Vermonters on Medicaid and 8,000 Vermonters who buy their health care from Vermont Health Connect. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Speaks About Trump’s Attack on Green Jobs at Energy Action Network (EAN) and EAN Climate Workforce Coalition Forum

    US Senate News:

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

    WINOOSKI, VT – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, joined a forum hosted by the Energy Action Network (EAN) and the EAN Climate Workforce Coalition on how Congressional policy and budget decisions may impact Vermont’s energy transformation and climate action initiatives, including Vermont’s climate workforce. 
    “President Trump has put Big Oil first, and his attacks on green jobs prove it. He and his administration are walking back our global climate goals, gutting tax credits that help folks make energy efficiency home upgrades, and slashing green jobs and climate research. Vermonters have made their opposition to Trump’s actions clear—I’ve heard from hundreds of folks across our state who are deeply concerned about how Republicans’ budget will raise costs for families, businesses, and farmers,” said Senator Welch. “I’ll continue to join Senate Democrats in standing up to these attacks and fighting for a clean energy future.” 
    Republicans’ reconciliation bill will repeal clean energy programs established through the historic Inflation Reduction Act and raise energy costs for American households and businesses. It will eliminate jobs in manufacturing, clean technologies, and budding industries, and has already sown economic uncertainty throughout the energy sector. 
    The legislation advanced by the U.S. House of Representatives would effectively repeal many of the clean energy investments in the Inflation Reduction Act while expanding fossil fuel production and subsidies. Specifically, the bill: 

    Rescinds unspent funding for clean energy grant programs in the Inflation Reduction Act;  
    Eliminates or effectively eliminates most clean energy tax credits including: 

    Electric Vehicles Tax Credit for new and used vehicles;  
    Energy Efficiency Home Improvement Tax Credit; 
    Clean Electricity Investment and Production Tax Credits; 
    Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit; and 

    Mandates oil and gas leases on public lands and allows Big Oil companies to pay the government to fast-track environmental reviews. 

    All told, Republicans’ plans will have drastic consequences for the economy. Studies predict that repealing the Inflation Reduction Act will eliminate 790,000 jobs, increase energy costs for American consumers by $32 billion between 2025-35, and shrink the U.S. economy by $190 billion in 2035. President Trump’s policies have already killed $14 billion in clean energy investments and 10,000 new energy jobs since he took office. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Alford Requests Report Reviewing Biden Administration’s Use of Race-Based Criteria in Relief for Farmers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mark Alford (Missouri 4th District)

    Following groundbreaking investigative reporting from NewsNation, Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the USDA’s Inspector General (IG), and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), requesting a report within 90 days on the Biden Administration’s continued use of race-based, DEI criteria in loan relief programs for farmers, even after a federal court ruled it unconstitutional.

    Read the full letter here or below:

    “Dear Secretary Rollins, Comptroller General Dodaro, and Inspector General Sorensen,

    “I am writing to urgently request a review of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies in United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs authorized by the Biden Administration. As first reported by NewsNation, socially disadvantaged farmers were provided additional loan relief in Section 1005 of the American Rescue Act. Picking winners and losers within American Agriculture is a disservice to both consumers and producers and deserves immediate attention. Simply put, this is racial discrimination.

    “Specifically, Section 1005 provides funding for the USDA to pay off outstanding farm loan debts of up to 120 percent for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. As defined in Section 2501(a) of the Food, Agriculture Conservation and Trade Act of 1990, ‘socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher’ means a farmer or rancher who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group, essentially ensuring white farmers could not receive loan forgiveness.

    “As a result, several Caucasian farmers sued in federal court alleging that this provision was race-based and unconstitutional. Even though the federal court judge agreed that constitutional harm was found, the Biden Administration’s USDA did not cease their wrongful and racial distribution of assistance. In fact, the administration turned toward the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to continue offering assistance specifically for farmers with socially disadvantaged status. This is outrageous and any program based on race is inherently unconstitutional, racist, and wrong. Our nation’s farmers work sunup to sundown to feed, fuel and clothe the world, regardless of the color of their skin, and none of them deserve this type of discrimination.

    “I am proud of the steps President Trump and his administration have taken and continue to take to eliminate DEI from our government. Which is why it is of the upmost importance we investigate these programs and their implications on American farmers. I implore you to complete a report outlining the scope of socially disadvantaged farmer programs under the Biden administration, their geographical reach, and their financial impact within 90 days.

    It is essential that this egregious overreach never occurs again. Our farmers and ranchers should be empowered as the backbone of America.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Becca Balint Statement on 10 Construction Workers Detained by ICE in Vermont

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Becca Balint (VT-AL)

    Rep. Balint (VT-AL) released the following statement in response to the detention of ten construction workers at an affordable housing construction site in Newport on Thursday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    “Today we learned that ten construction workers were detained by ICE at an affordable housing site Newport, Vermont. My office is closely monitoring the situation to ensure every person in this country is given the due process they deserve. 

    “The fear of being snatched up by ICE just for showing up to work does not make our communities safer. It takes away parents and family members from their homes and creates a looming sense of distrust among neighbors. This marks the second mass immigration raid in our state since Trump took office. This is an administration that governs by fear, chaos, and division. This violates our nation’s deeply held values of due process for all and the rule of law.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: ILUS Provides Update on Shareholder Meeting

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, NY, June 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ilustrato Pictures International Inc. (OTC: ILUS) (“ILUS” or the “Company”), a mergers and acquisitions company focused on acquiring and scaling businesses in the public safety and industrial sectors, is pleased to provide shareholders with further details regarding its previously announced Annual Shareholder Meeting scheduled for Friday, June 20, 2025.

    The meeting will include updates from ILUS leadership on key business developments, strategic plans, and progress on current initiatives. Shareholders will have the opportunity to engage directly with the Company during a dedicated Q&A session.

    Meeting Details
    Date: Friday, June 20, 2025
    Time: 9:30 AM EDT
    Location: Trump International Beach Resort,18001 Collins Avenue, Sunny Isles Beach, FL 33160, United States

    To participate in the meeting, shareholders are required to register in advance using ILUS’ official event portal:
    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ilus-shareholder-meeting-tickets-1353057223579

    Shareholders of record will be eligible to attend. Upon registration, participants will receive further instructions and access credentials for the event. Shareholders may also submit questions in advance through the portal.

    Additional meeting materials, including the formal notice and agenda, will be distributed in line with Regulation requirements and made available at https://ilus-group.com.

    For further information on ILUS, please see its communication channels:
    Website: https://ilus-group.com
    X: @ILUS_INTL
    Email: IR@Ilus-Group.com
    Source: ILUS

    Forward-Looking Statement

    Certain information set forth in this press release contains “forward-looking information”, including “future-oriented financial information” and “financial outlook”, under applicable securities laws (collectively referred to herein as forward-looking statements). Except for statements of historical fact, the information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements and includes, but is not limited to, the (i) projected financial performance of the Company; (ii) completion of, and the use of proceeds from, the sale of the shares being offered hereunder; (iii) the expected development of the Company’s business, projects, and joint ventures; (iv) execution of the Company’s vision and growth strategy, including with respect to future M&A activity and global growth; (v) sources and availability of third-party financing for the Company’s projects; (vi) completion of the Company’s projects that are currently underway, in development or otherwise under consideration; (vii) renewal of the Company’s current customer, supplier and other material agreements; and (viii) future liquidity, working capital, and capital requirements. Forward-looking statements are provided to allow potential investors the opportunity to understand management’s beliefs and opinions in respect of the future so that they may use such beliefs and opinions as one factor in evaluating an investment. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although forward-looking statements contained in this presentation are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) has provided guidance to issuers regarding the use of social media to disclose material nonpublic information. In this regard, investors and others should note that we announce material financial information via official Press Releases, in addition to SEC filings, press releases, Questions & Answers sessions, public conference calls, and webcasts also may take time from time to time. We use these channels as well as social media to communicate with the public about our company, our services, and other issues. It is possible that the information we post on social media could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, considering the SEC’s guidance, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in our company to review the information we post on the following social & media channels: Website: https://ilus-group.com X: @ILUS_INTL

    Contact:
    IR@Ilus-group.com
    (917) 522-3202

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In the Wake of Colorado Terrorist Attack Allegedly Committed by Illegal Alien, DHS Announces Revamping of ICE Tip Line

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: In the Wake of Colorado Terrorist Attack Allegedly Committed by Illegal Alien, DHS Announces Revamping of ICE Tip Line

    lass=”text-align-center”>Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, DHS is revamping resources and personnel to get terrorists, gang members, sex offenders, and violent criminal illegal aliens out of the country
    WASHINGTON – In the wake of the most recent terror attack in Boulder, Colorado—allegedly committed by illegal alien Mohamed Soliman—the Department of Homeland Security is revamping its Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tip line

      
    The 24-hour tip line gives Americans the ability to report suspicious criminal activity by illegal aliens including terrorist activity, gang related crimes, and suspected sex trafficking

    The tip line is manned by highly trained specialists who take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies on the more than 400 laws enforced by ICE

    Secretary Noem will be providing more resources and personnel to this tip line to ensure DHS is able to quickly identify, locate, and arrest these criminal illegal aliens

     
    “For four years, the Biden Administration allowed millions of unvetted illegal aliens—including terrorists, gang members, and other violent criminals—to pour into our country

    Yesterday’s terrorist attack by a suspect illegally in our country, underscores the importance of getting these illegal aliens out of our country,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin

    “Secretary Noem is revamping ICE’s illegal alien tip line to devote more resources and personnel to help remove these criminal illegal aliens from our country

    To report suspicious criminal activity, call 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423)— help President Trump, Secretary Noem and our brave law enforcement remove these public safety threats from our communities and to make America safe again

    ”  
    To report suspicious criminal activity, call 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423)

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Veterans fume after VA partially blames them for overpayments it claws back

    Source:

    Christopher Praino signed a waiver relinquishing his disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs after he was ordered to active duty in fall 2019. 

    In a letter, the VA confirmed it would terminate his roughly $965 monthly payments because, by law, he could not receive both VA benefits and active-duty pay at the same time.  

    But the agency did not fully halt the payments. Instead, it sent various monthly amounts over the next three years, ranging from $0 to over $2,000, Praino’s records show. 

    “The VA never stopped,” he said, “after response after response, call after call, walk-in after walk-in.” 

    In 2023, despite Praino’s repeated efforts to rectify the inconsistent installments that should have ended years ago, the VA informed him in a letter that he owed nearly $68,000. That year, the government began automatically clawing some of the money out of his military paychecks, which he uses to support five children and his wife, leaving him in dire financial straits. 

    “No words can tell you the emotional, mental and physical heartache I have every day dealing with this,” he said. “It’s eating away at me.” 

    In a recent congressional oversight hearing focused on why the VA regularly overpays veterans and then asks for the money back, agency officials partially blamed veterans for the exorbitant errors, telling lawmakers that some veterans have been failing to report eligibility changes that would have lowered their monthly disability compensation or pension payments. 

    But Praino and two other veterans told NBC News they did notify the VA in a timely manner. Yet, records show the agency continued overpaying them for months, sometimes years, before asking for the money back.  

    The long-delayed adjustments, which can cause veterans to incur life-changing debts, may indicate another operational shortfall at the VA weeks after officials testified that the agency doles out about $1 billion in overpayments each year due to administrative errors and other factors. The VA overpaid about $5.1 billion in disability compensation and pension payments from fiscal year 2021 to fiscal year 2024, according to Rep. Morgan Luttrell, R-Texas, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. 

    The issue is recurring and getting worse, Luttrell told NBC News, even as the Trump administration has cut billions of dollars in grants and slashed thousands of federal jobs in an attempt to trim what it sees as waste and inefficiency in federal spending.  

    “It’s not the veterans’ fault,” Luttrell said. “It’s the system that is failing.” 

    In a statement, VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz said the agency, under new leadership, is “working hard to fix longstanding problems, such as billions of dollars per year in overpayments.” 

    Luttrell said the overpayment issue is complex, largely stemming from tiers of human error and an outdated computer system that he said does not adequately allow information to be shared between local and national VA offices.  

    “You have to get the software to talk to each other. You have to get the veterans to communicate. You have to get the actors inside the VA to move accordingly, and then you have to make sure the system is lined out as it needs to be,” he said. “That is such a complex problem set to solve.” 

    ‘The processes are broken’ 

    In 2015, after his divorce was finalized, veteran Brent Aber said he went to his local VA’s office in Akron, Ohio, to remove his ex-wife as a dependent. 

    “I thought, OK, all is done,” he said.

    Aber said it felt like he was officially closing a difficult chapter in his life. But eight years later, another nightmare emerged when the national VA’s Debt Management Center sent him a letter, notifying him that he had to pay back more than $17,700.

    Aber, who served in both the Navy and Army for a dozen years, said he called the VA to find out how he accrued this debt. He said he was told that different VA computer systems do not communicate with one another, meaning the dependent removal may have never been registered nationally, and his monthly payments had not decreased as they should have. Kasperowicz, the VA spokesperson, disputed claims made by Aber and Luttrell about the computer systems, saying the VA has had a centralized claims system since 2013 that “ensures updated information is reflected” for each veteran. Upon follow-up, Luttrell could not be reached for comment on the VA’s dispute.

    Kasperowicz did not offer an explanation as to what happened in Aber’s case and said the VA has no record of his dependent change request from 2015. 

    Aber said he spent more than a year fighting the recoupment and claimed financial hardship. But in May, the VA began withholding nearly $500 from his monthly compensation payments until the debt is cleared.  

    To make up for the loss, Aber, who lost both of his legs in a training accident and is now mostly bedridden, said he stopped using a house cleaning service and is mostly eating cheaper, microwavable food.  

    “I provided all the paperwork at the time of the divorce, but that didn’t seem to matter,” he said.  

    The 50-year-old said the VA’s recoupment hurts more as he fights for medical care.  

    He said he has been struggling with severe pain and swelling since he underwent revision surgery on his limbs about two years ago with the hopes of getting fitted again for prosthetics.  

    While Aber said his primary care doctor referred him to an orthopedic surgeon with expertise in double amputations, he said the VA denied the referral.

    Kasperowicz said the “entirety of the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System orthopedic section” and other health care providers have evaluated Aber and “all have agreed that there are no additional surgical options that would provide him pain relief or improved function.”

    “The medical consensus is to continue amputee clinic, physical therapy, pain management and behavioral health treatments to address the complexity of his condition,” Kasperowicz said.

    Aber said the double battle he has been waging against the VA has left him feeling frustrated and betrayed.

    “I feel like I’ve been completely done wrong,” he said.

    In Bonaire, Georgia, veteran John Mullens reported a dependent change in February after his 18-year-old son became eligible for a separate VA educational benefit that provides monthly payments to cover the cost of school. By law, veterans cannot receive both benefits at the same time, which Mullens knew from his own research. NBC News reviewed records from his VA portal, showing he filed a request to remove a dependent on Feb. 18. The claim was assigned to a reviewer on Feb. 19, the portal shows. And there were no other updates until May when Mullens received a letter from the VA, alerting him to the duplicate payments, which the VA said resulted in about $340 in overpayments each month. 

    “They did nothing with the information and continued to overpay me,” Mullens, 55, said. “The processes are broken.” 

    Kasperowicz said it currently takes an average of about 21 days for the VA to remove a dependent and an average of about 91 days to add one. 

    Of the nearly $1.4 billion overpaid in fiscal year 2021, Kasperowicz said about $913 million was related to dependent changes. 

    The VA does not track data showing how many veterans in overpayment cases actually did report changes on time, Kasperowicz said. 

    The overpayments sometimes span many years. In 2023, the VA temporarily suspended the collection of pension debts for thousands of low-income wartime veterans and their survivors after the agency identified an issue with its income verification that led to overpayments between 2011 and 2022. 

    On May 14, Luttrell and other members of the House subcommittee pressed VA officials to explain how the agency planned to fix the problem. 

    Nina Tann, executive director of the VA’s compensation service, testified that the agency, which serves about 9.1 million people, has a “heightened risk” of making improper payments due to the large number of beneficiaries and the high-dollar amounts it doles out. 

    Tann said the agency has taken steps to prevent, detect and correct the issue, including being better about notifying veterans that they need to report changes. 

    Tann also said the VA fixed an administrative error in January that had been causing duplicate payments for about 15,000 veterans with dependents in fiscal year 2024. The agency did not force those veterans to repay the money, she said. 

    Kasperowicz said the VA does not seek to recoup overpayments when administrative errors, including issues related to the VA’s online filing platform, are to blame. 

    But Praino, who owes almost $68,000 after re-enlisting, said it has been challenging to prove the VA made an administrative error. 

    “They will not admit any mistake,” said Praino, 42, an Army sergeant first class, who has been serving in the National Guard full time since 2019.

    The VA did not immediately comment on Praino’s case. 

    The VA transferred Praino’s debt to the Treasury Department, which notified Praino in a December 2023 letter that it is required to withhold up to 15% of his federal wages. The Treasury Department began automatically garnishing about $800 from his monthly paychecks in 2023, according to documents provided by Praino. 

    Praino, who is based in Georgia, now takes home about $3,800 a month, which he said barely covers the rent. With car payments, student loans and other expenses and bills, Praino said he has been racking up his credit card with essential purchases like food for his family. 

    Praino said he has post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and traumatic brain injury after first serving in the Navy from 2001 to 2003 and then in the Army. 

    “When you add a financial crisis to the mix, and you’re continuing to serve, which is always a high-stress environment 24/7, my emotional state, my mental state, it is a wreck,” he said.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Statement On Trump Justice Department No Longer Cooperating With ABA Vetting & Rating Process Of Judicial Nominees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    May 30, 2025

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding the Trump-Bondi Justice Department overturning decades of precedent by no longer cooperating with the American Bar Association (ABA) process for vetting and rating of judicial nominees:

    “This is a seismic change in the judicial nominations process—an unjustified and blatantly political move by the Trump Administration. This decision overturns a practice that has been in place fornearly 70 years under Republican and Democratic Administrations alike in order to provide cover for unqualified and extreme nominees who would crumble under a nonpartisan review by their peers.

    “This decision will ultimately ease the confirmation process for Trump nominees who have demonstrated bias against protected classes, don’t have the judicial temperament to rule fairly from the bench, or don’t have the requisite experience to be confirmed to lifetime appointments as federal court judges, negatively impacting generations of Americans.”

    The ABA’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary has been conducting independent peer evaluations of the professional qualifications of judicial nominees since the Eisenhower Administration. The purpose of the rating is to evaluate the professional competence, integrity, and judicial temperament of each nominee. Notably, during the first Trump Administration, 10 judicial nominees were found “Not Qualified” by the ABA—the reasons ranged from lack of temperament to lack of experience—while all 235 confirmed lifetime judges during the Biden Administration had at least a “Qualified” rating, if not a “Well Qualified” rating.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boyle Slams Trump Administration for Closing Local Job Corps Centers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brendan Boyle (13th District of Pennsylvania)

    PHILADELPHIA, PA — Today, Congressman Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02) issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s order to shut down every Job Corps center nationwide—including the Keystone Center in Hazelton, the Philadelphia Center, and the Red Rock Center in Lopez—by June 30, 2025:

    “Job Corps centers are economic engines that support hundreds of good-paying local jobs, keep our communities thriving, and strengthen our broader economy. Closing them now delivers a devastating blow to working families, undermines the workforce pipeline Congress unanimously funded, and jeopardizes Pennsylvania’s economic health. I will continue fighting to keep these centers open, safeguard local jobs, and protect our state’s economic future.”

    Background:

    On May 29, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor issued “Termination for Convenience” notices to all 99 Job Corps centers—ordering closures by June 30, 2025—despite funding having been appropriated through June 30, 2026.  Since 2023, more than 4,200 Pennsylvania residents have enrolled at these centers, which collectively train over 1,350 young adults each year, sustain nearly 450 local jobs, and generate more than $67 million annually for our economy. The Philadelphia Center alone serves 400 students in eight in-demand career areas—Construction, Healthcare, Culinary Arts, and Renewable Resources—employs 92 local staff, and contributes roughly $17 million each year to the region.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Sorbonne declaration: the EU prefers US researchers – E-002058/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002058/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Catherine Griset (PfE), Aleksandar Nikolic (PfE), Virginie Joron (PfE), Gilles Pennelle (PfE), Julie Rechagneux (PfE), Fabrice Leggeri (PfE), Séverine Werbrouck (PfE), Christophe Bay (PfE), Pierre Pimpie (PfE), Pascale Piera (PfE)

    On 5 May 2025, at the ‘Choose Europe for Science’ event at La Sorbonne, Ursula von der Leyen announced a EUR 500 million plan to woo US researchers to the EU in response to budget cuts by the Trump administration.

    Emmanuel Macron has declared his support for this initiative, pledging EUR 100 million from France.

    This initiative raises concerns given that French scientists regularly warn that national research is underfunded and young researchers are in a precarious position.

    • 1.Can the Commission provide details of how this initiative will be funded and what criteria will be used to award the grants, notably how it will guarantee transparency and political neutrality when selecting the recipients?
    • 2.What mechanisms will it put in place to ensure that this plan also benefits European researchers, especially those in the Member States most affected by brain drain and lack of funding?
    • 3.What measures will it take to ensure that this initiative does not lead to unfair competition between European and foreign researchers, in particular as regards working conditions and funding?

    Supporters[1]

    Submitted: 22.5.2025

    • [1] This question is supported by Members other than the authors: Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain (PfE), Julien Leonardelli (PfE)
    Last updated: 2 June 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: EU’s response to additional US tariffs

    Source: European Commission (video statements)

    The EU is prepared to impose countermeasures to the 25% to 50% tariff increase from the US.
    This decision from US President Trump undermines the on-going efforts to reach an agreement If technical discussions and dialogues between trade Commissioners from both parts were to fail, the current and additional countermeasures will take effect on 14 July.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fM1V7lL-aJI

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What are Canada’s governing Liberals going to do about AI?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jake Pitre, PhD Candidate in Film & Moving Image Studies, Concordia University

    Fresh off his election victory, Prime Minister Mark Carney has been focused on standing up to Donald Trump’s claims on Canada as the 51st state and American tariffs. But while that political drama unfolds, one topic that seems to have quietly slipped under the radar is the rise of artificial intelligence.

    Despite its transformative impact on everything from jobs to national security, AI received surprisingly little attention during the campaign and in the first weeks following Carney’s victory. The consequences of that lack of attention are already starting to show, as emissions and electricity costs continue unabated without a clear vision of where AI fits in.



    Read more:
    Anxious over AI? One way to cope is by building your uniquely human skills

    Although Carney has appointed former journalist Evan Solomon as Canada’s first-ever AI minister, it’s not yet clear what action the Liberal government plans to take on AI.

    The Liberals’ “Canada Strong” plan outlining the prime minister’s proposals is scarce on details. Still, it provides some clues on how the Liberals see AI and what they believe it offers to the Canadian economy — and also what they seem to have misunderstood.

    Economy of the future?

    First, the plan includes some robust initiatives for improving Canada’s digital infrastructure, which lags behind other leading countries, especially in terms of rural broadband and reliable cell service.

    To accomplish these goals, the Liberals say they’ll incentivize investment by “introducing flow-through shares to our Canadian startup ecosystem…to raise money faster” for AI and other technologies.

    In other words, they will reuse the model of mining and oil companies whereby investors can claim a tax deduction for the same amount as their investment. A major question is whether Canada’s investment ecosystem has enough big players willing to take these risks.

    The plan gets less promising as it comes to the implementation of AI within “the economy of tomorrow.”

    The Liberals say they plan to build more data centres, improve computing capacity and create digital supply chain solutions “to improve efficiency and reduce costs for Canadians.”

    All that that sounds OK — so far. But how will they do this?

    Connecting AI with Armed Forces

    The Liberals plan to establish the Bureau of Research, Engineering and Advanced Leadership in Science (BOREALIS), linking AI development directly to the Canadian Armed Forces and the Communications Security Establishment Canada, which provides the federal government with information technology security and foreign signals intelligence.

    This approach to AI is focused on what it offers to Canada’s defence, whether by manufacturing semiconductors or improving intelligence gathering, so that it can rely less on the U.S. Similarly, Canadian defence tech firms will access funding to help reduce dependence on American suppliers and networks.

    The Liberals are pledging sovereignty and autonomy for Canada’s defence and security, all enabled by “the construction and development of AI infrastructure.”

    What goes unsaid is the intense power needs of data centres, and the consequences for emissions and climate action of “building the next generation of data centres” in Canada.

    Climate concerns

    New data centres cannot be built without also constructing more renewable energy infrastructure, and none of this addresses emissions or climate change.

    If the centres crop up in big numbers as planned, Canadians could also see their electricity costs go up or become less reliable.

    That’s because finding space within the existing grid is not as easy as it may sound when AI data centres require over 100 megawatts (MW) of electricity demand versus five to 10 MW for a regular centre.

    With the rapidly evolving market for AI-based data centres, Canadian policymakers need to provide clear guidance to utilities in terms of their current decisions on competing industrial-scale demands. As the Canadian Climate Institute points out: “Anything less risks higher rates, increased emissions, missed economic opportunities — or all of the above.”

    So far, the Liberal plan fails to address any of these concerns.

    A Canadian department of efficiency?

    What else does the “economy of tomorrow” hold?

    Apparently, it means more efficient government. According to the Liberal plan, AI “is how government improves service delivery, it is how government keeps up with the speed of business, and it is how government maximizes efficiency and reduces cost.”

    Despite otherwise clashing with the Trump administration, this language is reminiscent of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has also centred its use of AI.



    Read more:
    DOGE’s AI surveillance risks silencing whistleblowers and weakening democracy

    The Liberals will open an Office of Digital Transformation, which aims to get rid of red tape and “reduce barriers for businesses to operate in Canada.”

    They don’t seem to really know what this would actually look like, however. They say: “This could mean using AI to address government service backlogs and improve service delivery times, so that Canadians get better services, faster.”

    Their fiscal plan points out that this frame of thinking applies to every single expenditure: “We will look at every new dollar being spent through the lens of how AI and technology can improve service and reduce costs.”

    The economy will also benefit, the government argues, from AI commercialization, with $46 million pegged over the next four years to connect AI researchers with businesses.

    This would work alongside a tax credit for small and medium-sized businesses to “leverage AI to boost their bottom lines, create jobs, and support existing employees.”

    But a new report by Orgvue, the organizational design and planning software platform, shows that over half of businesses that rushed to impose AI just ended up making their employees redundant without clear gains in productivity.

    Creating a tax credit for smaller companies to introduce AI seems like a recipe for repeating the same mistake.

    Protect Canadians with good AI policy

    Much of the Liberal plan seems to involve taking risks. There’s a shortsightedness on this rapidly advancing technology that requires significant guardrails.

    The government seem to view AI as a solutions machine, buying into the hype around it without taking the time to understand it.

    As policy is properly hashed out in the weeks and months to come, the Liberals’ feet will have to be held to the fire on the issue of AI. Canadians must benefit from its limited uses and be protected from its abuses.

    Jake Pitre 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 are Canada’s governing Liberals going to do about AI? – https://theconversation.com/what-are-canadas-governing-liberals-going-to-do-about-ai-257537

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: President Donald J. Trump Appoints Joseph H. Thompson Acting United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – Joseph H. Thompson, who has served as a federal prosecutor for sixteen years, has been appointed by President Donald J. Trump to serve as the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota.

    “I am honored and humbled to be asked to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota,” said Mr. Thompson. “I look forward to continuing our office’s work combatting violent crime, the scourge of fentanyl and other deadly drugs, and the shocking and unacceptable levels of fraud in our state government programs.”

    Mr. Thompson has served as a federal prosecutor for more than sixteen years, first in the Northern District of Illinois and since 2014 in the District of Minnesota. In that time, Mr. Thompson has  investigated and prosecuted hundreds of cases, many of which involve matters of national and international significance. Most recently, Mr. Thompson has served as the Chief of the Fraud & Public Corruption section. In this role, Mr. Thompson has overseen an unprecedented effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute fraud against state and federal government programs, including as the lead prosecutor in the Feeding Our Future investigation, which has been recognized by the Department of Justice as the largest Covid-19 fraud in the United States.

    From 2023 to 2024, Mr. Thompson served on the Special Counsel team investigating the mishandling of classified documents found at the Penn-Biden Center in Washington, DC, and the personal residence of President Joseph R. Biden in Wilmington, Delaware.

    Mr. Thompson previously served as a federal prosecutor in Chicago from 2009 to 2014, where he prosecuted street gangs, drug cartels, corrupt politicians, and domestic terrorists.

    Mr. Thompson has tried more than twenty jury trials in every major area of federal prosecution. Mr. Thompson has briefed and argued more than a dozen cases before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.   

    Mr. Thompson has received numerous awards and accolades for his work as a federal prosecutor, including the 2024 Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service for his work as the lead prosecutor on one of the largest elder fraud cases in the country.

    For more than a decade, Mr. Thompson taught law school, including an advanced criminal law course at the University of Minnesota Law school. Mr. Thompson has also taught trial advocacy to new AUSAs from around the country at the Department of Justice’s National Advocacy Center in South Carolina.

    Prior to becoming a federal prosecutor, Mr. Thompson worked in private practice in Chicago. He also served as a law clerk for the Honorable Rebecca R. Pallmeyer in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and for the Supreme Court of the Republic of Palau.

    Mr. Thompson was born and raised in Minnesota. He earned a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Gustavus Adolphus College, and his law degree, with distinction, from Stanford Law School. 

    MIL Security OSI –