Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
April 03, 2025
As the Trump Administration continues to ax critical research funding, Durbin and Foster introduce legislation that would bolster research funding at five federal research agencies
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-11) today reintroduced the bicameral American Innovation Act, which would provide annual budget increases at a rate of five percent, indexed to inflation, for cutting edge research at five federal agencies: the Department of Energy Office of Science; the National Science Foundation; the National Institute of Standards and Technology Scientific and Technical Research Services; the Department of Defense Science and Technology Programs; and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Directorate. The American Innovation Act would position the U.S. as a leader in development and discovery for decades to come by creating steady, sustained funding for breakthrough research at America’s top research agencies.
“In its crusade to damage essential government infrastructure, the Trump Administration has failed to recognize that sustained support for basic scientific research has enabled the United States to put a man on the moon, build the internet, and produce a COVID-19 vaccine in record time. If we want to maintain our status as a world leader in research and technology, we must empower and fund our federal research agencies and retain their top talent,” said Durbin. “I’m introducing the American Innovation Act to ensure our nation’s scientists and researchers have access to critical funding to push our world forward while also creating jobs, growing our economy, and improving our national security.”
“I’m proud to work with Senator Durbin on this legislation to expand federal investment in scientific research,” said Foster. “Since World War II, investments in science and technology have helped expand our economy, create millions of jobs, and advance our national security. As we confront new and existing challenges, it’s critical that our scientists have the resources they need to ensure our nation remains at the forefront of research and innovation.”
The introduction of the American Innovation Act comes as the Trump Administration continues to gut federal research agencies by slashing programs and firing scientists conducting critical research. These moves only harm the future of the U.S., as investments in scientific research have helped the nation lead the world in new technologies, create millions of jobs, grow the economy, and advance national security. Further, without serious federal investment in research, the U.S. could fall behind its competitors, particularly China.
Basic science funding in the U.S. has lagged in recent decades. Since the 1970’s, the United States investment in basic science has decreased by tenfold to about 0.1 percent of GDP. Meanwhile, China’s research intensity (GDP expenditures on R&D) has increased by 500 percent since 1996– if this trend continues, China will soon surpass the U.S. in investment in science.
The American Innovation Act is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Brian Schatz (D-HI).
The legislation has earned the endorsement of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers; Association of American Universities; American Mathematical Society; Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities; Council on Undergraduate Research, Institute for Progress; Coalition for Academic Scientific Computation; American Physical Society; Federation of American Scientists; American Geophysical Union; and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME), Co-Chair of the Senate Arctic Caucus, in a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, questioned General Christopher Cavoli, Commander of the United States European Command and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, about the United States’ position as an Arctic nation — and the importance of bolstering our nation’s presence in an emerging strategic hotspot amid rising tensions with Arctic adversaries. Senator King made the point that Russia and China are currently positioning themselves more strategically than the U.S. in the High North, through investments in military installations and icebreakers — which directly threatens American security. During the exchange, Senator King and General Cavoli agreed the U.S. needs to be paying closer attention to the Arctic as a new domain for potential conflict.
Senator King began,” Please discuss Russian and Chinese activities in the Arctic. Strikes me this is a looming threat area we should be addressing. The reason it is becoming so important is the melting of the arctic ice which has something to do with climate change. 70% of the Arctic ice has disappeared in the last 40 years. Talk to me about the strategic importance of the Arctic.”
“Absolutely, Senator. From the U.S. perspective, the most important thing to understand is the shortest distance from Russian airfields to the U.S. is over the polar cap,” responded General Cavoli.
“They are building up those airfields, are they not,” asked Senator King.
“They are. They were before the war at a fast-paced. It has slowed down a little bit during the war, but they are still opening airfields and repairing existing ones. The other thing that comes out of the arctic is the northern fleet in Murmansk comes up, sails down through the Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom (GIUK) gap, and tries to break into the Atlantic from which they could hold key U.S. targets at risk with sub-launched cruise missiles among other weapons,” said General Cavoli.
“We should be paying particular attention to the arctic as a new domain of potential conflict,” questioned Senator King.
General Cavoli replied, “And I think we are. U.S. Northern Command has the primary U.S. responsibility for it. Of course, Strategic Command has activities up there. European Command also has activities up there because so much of the activity is in my area of responsibility (AOR). And the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), of course. Almost all the nations in the Arctic Council are NATO. The only one that is not is Russia. We have been sponsoring tabletop exercises to make sure we understand the details of command and control and coordination of operations there.”
As Co-Chair of the U.S. Senate Arctic Caucus, Senator King is an advocate for Maine and America’s interests in the North Atlantic and Arctic region — as Maine is the first port in the contiguous 48 states that will see increased traffic via activity in northern waters. Along with Caucus co-chair Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), King introduced the Arctic Commitment Act in 2022 to improve America’s posture and opportunities in the Arctic. He has been calling for the appointment of an Arctic Ambassador since 2015, and pushed for the confirmation of the first Arctic Ambassador last year. King also laid out the challenges and opportunities of a warming arctic in an article in the Wilson Quarterly, and in last year’s National Defense Authorization Act, he successfully secured the inclusion of provisions including funding authorizations for University of Maine to increase America’s activity and opportunities in the Far North.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)
U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Don Bacon (R-NE) today introduced the Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act, bipartisan legislation to strengthen the credible and accurate reporting of hate crimes to better respond to the national rise of these bias-driven incidents. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) most recent 2023 Hate Crimes Statistics report documented 11,862 hate crime incidents – the highest number ever reported by the agency, with a sharp increase in antisemitic and anti-Black incidents.
The FBI has acknowledged however, that hate crimes data is incomplete and underreported. Their 2023 Hate Crimes Statistics report includes data from just 16,009 law enforcement agencies nationwide, meaning that more than 2,000 jurisdictions did not report any data at all. Of the jurisdictions that did participate, nearly 80 percent reported zero hate crimes.
“As many communities across the country are seeing an alarming increase in hateful rhetoric and violence, there is much more we can do in Congress to better address the increase in hate crimes,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “Our legislation would ensure we improve the credibility and accuracy of our data, allowing us to make well-informed decisions to better allocate resources with the goal of preventing as many hate crimes as possible in American communities. Violence and discrimination are never acceptable, and our legislation is an important and necessary step forward in addressing the rise of hate.”
“Antisemitic incidents are underreported across the nation, and we need to ensure communities are accurately reporting them as well as other hate crimes,” said Rep. Don Bacon. “This bill will enable the Department of Justice to determine if communities are accurately reporting these instances. If left unchecked, these hate crimes will continue to go unreported and the crimes will continue to rise.”
“While FBI data showed 1,832 reported antisemitic crimes in 2023, a 63% increase from the prior year, this is only a portion of the crimes committed against the Jewish community as hate crimes are widely underreported. To effectively address antisemitism in the United States, we must understand the true degree to which hate-based violence exists,” said Ted Deutch, CEO of American Jewish Committee (AJC). “The American public overwhelmingly agrees – American Jewish Committee’s (AJC’s) State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report found more than nine in 10 say it is important that law enforcement be required to report hate crimes to a federal government database. AJC thanks Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA) and Don Bacon (R-NE) for reintroducing the Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act, a necessary first step in understanding the real extent to which anti-Jewish crimes occur in the United States.”
“The Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community has historically been targeted and scapegoated and experienced significant increases in hate-motivated verbal and physical attacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. But even now, community surveys indicate that a staggering 49% of AANHPIs nationwide were targeted by acts of hate in 2024,” said Sim Singh Attariwala, Director of Anti-Hate Program at Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC). “Anti-Asian sentiment remains a top safety concern for many AANHPIs, especially in major metropolitan areas. For decades hate crimes have been underreported by law enforcement. Consistent, credible and accurate data is critical to developing policies that prevent hate crimes and protect all communities. We welcome initiatives that improve efforts to increase accountability and counter hate and discrimination.”
“Hate crimes nationwide have surged to historic levels, with antisemitic incidents reaching their highest point in decades,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). “We know that many incidents go unreported, and so even these record-breaking numbers fail to reflect the true scale of hate crime incidents across the country. We thank Reps. Beyer and Bacon for continuing to champion this bipartisan effort to incentivize law enforcement’s accurate and robust participation in hate crime reporting.”
“As dire as the data on hate crimes and bias incidents in our country is, the unfortunate truth is that the reality is likely worse: Each year, thousands of law enforcement agencies do not report any such crimes and incidents to the FBI, leaving huge gaps in our knowledge about the lived experiences of marginalized communities,” said Mannirmal Kaur, Federal Policy Manager for the Sikh Coalition. “Mandating the reporting of hate crimes and bias incidents is one of the strongest policy steps that the federal government could take towards truly understanding the scope of hate-motivated violence and crimes. Doing so will in turn allow us to effectively diagnose where we most urgently need to strengthen laws and statutes, invest in front-end prevention, and take other actions to make our communities safer.”
“Over the past few years, the FBI has reported increasing levels of hate violence, especially against Black people,” said Sakira Cook, Federal Policy Director for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). “Despite this documented rising trend, we know that incomplete reporting to the FBI is a persistent problem. This bipartisan legislation is designed to address the fact that thousands of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies did not report any data to the FBI in 2023, and 80% of the 16,000 agencies that did participate affirmatively reported zero (0) hate crimes, including about 60 agencies serving populations of over 100,000 people. We cannot effectively confront this national problem without more accurate and complete data and an inclusive and intersectional approach to countering all forms of hate. We applaud the leadership of Reps. Don Beyer and Don Bacon for introducing the Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act and look forward to working together to ensure its passage.”
“At National Council of Jewish Women, we believe that every person has the right to live free from hate and violence,” said Darcy Hirsh, Senior Director of Government Relations and Advocacy for the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW). “Yet the Jewish community and our neighbors in countless other communities are living in fear every day, with hate crimes continuing to threaten our safety. In 2023, the number of reported hate crimes – including anti-Jewish hate crimes – reached an all-time high, an urgent reminder that inaction hurts individuals and families. The Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act will ensure that law enforcement agencies around the country are accurately reporting hate crimes, creating a clearer picture of the threats communities face so that we can develop meaningful, effective solutions. We are grateful to Representatives Beyer and Bacon for championing this essential bipartisan legislation to protect all of our communities”
“Sikh Americans continue to be one of the most targeted religious groups in hate crimes per capita. Unfortunately, we know that these numbers do not account for the true scope of hate nationally, as often law enforcement agencies under-report, or sometimes fail to report the number of hate crimes in their region” said Kiran Kaur Gill, Executive Director of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF). “As SALDEF works to combat hate crimes, it is crucial to have access to accurate and credible data. By mandating local governments report hate crime data in order to be eligible for federal funding, the federal government takes an important step in addressing hate in America. SALDEF commends the Offices of Representatives Beyer and Bacon for their leadership efforts in safeguarding our communities.”
The Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act would require the Department of Justice (DOJ) to develop a system to assess whether localities are reporting credible and accurate data on hate crimes. If a locality is found to not be reporting credible data or fails to provide any data at all, it would be required to conduct community education and awareness initiatives to maintain eligibility for certain federal funding allocations.
Text of the Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act is available here.
Beyer is the author of the bipartisan, bicameral Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act, signed into law by President Biden in 2021 as part of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act.
Defendant is a Level 3 sex offender previously convicted of sodomy and assault with intent to rape upon a minor under the age of 12
BOSTON – An Avon, Mass. man, formerly of Boston, has been arrested and charged for failing to register as a sex offender.
Adrian Martinez, 56, was charged with one count of failing to register as a sex offender. Martinez was arrested today and was ordered detained following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon.
According to the charging documents, Martinez is a Level 3 sex offender as a result of the following prior convictions from when he served in United States Navy in April 1998: committing sodomy with a person under the age of 12; four counts of taking indecent liberties upon the body of a female under 12 years of age; and assault with intent to rape upon a person under the age of 12.
Martinez was sentenced to 40 years in prison for these convictions, of which he served approximately 11 years before being released from federal custody in February 2009. Upon his release, Martinez was required to register as a sex offender and update his registration any time he moved or changed employment. It is alleged that, at some point after Sept. 30, 2022, Martinez moved out of his Boston residence and did not contact law enforcement of his change in registered address. A subsequent investigation allegedly revealed that Martinez had moved to a new residence in Avon.
The charge of failing to register as a sex offender provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Brian A. Kyes, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit and the Office’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
April 3, 2025
Tatyana Golikova took part in a round table dedicated to the two-year anniversary of the “Defenders of the Fatherland” foundation. On the left is the Minister of Labor and Social Protection Anton Kotyakov. Photo by the press service of the National Center “Russia”.
A round table dedicated to the second anniversary of the state fund “Defenders of the Fatherland” was held in the National Center “Russia”. Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova, Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Labor and Social Protection Anton Kotyakov, State Secretary – Deputy Minister of Defense, Chairperson of the state fund “Defenders of the Fatherland” Anna Tsivileva, Head of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency Veronika Skvortsova, veterans of the special military operation took part in the round table.
“It is symbolic that in the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland, declared by the President of our country Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, we are summing up the work of the “Defenders of the Fatherland” foundation for two years. The main thing is that as a new structure the foundation has been established. This became possible thanks to the efforts of caring people who give themselves to this work, dedicating their professional lives to it. Our main task is to ensure that, returning from a special military operation, our guys are maximally integrated into society, and families do not feel lonely when the defenders are fighting on the front lines. Work in this direction is an absolute priority for us. It is important for us to hear the guys themselves, so that they share their vision – how the work to support them should be structured and implemented,” emphasized Tatyana Golikova.
Over the past two years, the fund has received 28 billion rubles from the federal budget to develop a support system for SVO participants. In 2025, funding is provided in the amount of more than 25 billion rubles, in 2026-2027 it will amount to more than 28 billion rubles.
According to Tatyana Golikova, the foundation was helped to establish close cooperation primarily with the participants of the SVO, with government bodies, the Government of Russia, the regions of the country, and the expert community.
In order to strengthen the coordination of the activities of federal and regional executive bodies, the Fatherland Defenders Foundation, and other organizations, a State Council commission was created on issues of supporting combat veterans – participants in the SVO and their family members.
The support system is being fine-tuned, primarily based on feedback from participants in the special military operation and their relatives. For these purposes, work is being carried out within the framework of an open dialogue on the platform of the Russian Government with the participation of all regions and federal authorities and the expert community.
Based on proposals from SVO participants, the state guarantees program for free medical care for citizens includes an out-of-turn procedure for providing medical care to combat veterans and providing a separate health worker to coordinate it, an out-of-turn procedure for undergoing preventive examinations and medical check-ups, providing specialized and high-tech care, and, if necessary, a mobile team visiting a combat veteran. In addition, rehabilitation opportunities have been expanded – starting this year, 17 thousand SVO participants will be able to undergo medical rehabilitation and spa treatment in 12 Social Fund centers. Currently, 3,528 SVO participants and their family members are undergoing treatment, 2,640 people have completed it. Compensation for travel expenses to and from the place of treatment is provided.
Work is underway to improve the level of employment of SVO participants.
Within the framework of the new national project “Personnel”, measures are being implemented to organize vocational training and additional vocational education for SVO participants and their family members. Subsidies are also being provided for the re-equipment of workplaces, their adaptation for SVO participants who have become disabled. It is planned that by 2030, 33 thousand such workplaces will be equipped.
“On the instructions of the head of state, large-scale work is underway to create a network of specialized centers for complex prosthetics and rehabilitation and ensure their maximum accessibility. The centers will be created primarily based on the needs of the SVO participants, as outlined by the Ministry of Defense. The competencies the guys acquired on the front lines should be used further, not lost, their integration into everyday life is very important for all of us,” noted Tatyana Golikova.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
The Secretary-General expressed appreciation for the close cooperation between the United Nations and Bangladesh, including its contributions to peacekeeping. The Secretary-General and the Chief Adviser discussed the situation of the Rohingya and Bangladesh’s domestic issues. The Secretary-General also expressed his solidarity with Bangladesh’s reform and transition process. The Secretary-General and Mr. Yunus then travelled together to Cox’s Bazar.
In Cox’s Bazar, the Secretary-General had the chance to meet with refugees, many of them young men and women, who told him about their experiences and concerns. He spoke to children who were grateful to be able to go to school in the camps but missed their homes in Myanmar. He met young people who still have hope to return to their homeland, but are also worried about the impending funding cuts which would dramatically reduce their monthly food rations — from $12.50 to $6 per month. The Secretary-General also visited a jute centre, where he had a chance to hear from women who are trying to build a livelihood inside the camps. The Secretary-General assured every one of the people he met that he would do everything he can and to stop the funding cuts, and he apologized to them because the UN and the international community have not been able to stop the conflict in Myanmar.
He later had a press encounter in which he said that he had heard two clear messages: First, Rohingyas want to go back to Myanmar; and second, they want better conditions in the camps.
And at sunset, the Secretary-General and Mr. Yunus shared an Iftar with some 60,000 refugees. The Secretary-General told them that sharing an Iftar with them is a symbol of his deep respect for their religion and their culture. He also said that we are facing a deep humanitarian crisis with the announced funding cuts, and he lamented that as a result, many people will suffer and some people might die. “My voice will not end until the international community understands that they have the obligation to invest now in the Rohingya refugees,” he told them. (See Press Release SG/SM/22587.)
That evening, the Secretary-General and Mr. Yunus travelled back together to Dhaka.
The next morning, the Secretary-General took part in the opening of the new UN Common Premises. He then met with the UN country team. This was followed by a meeting with all the staff in Dhaka.
In the afternoon, he went back to his hotel where he met with members of the Reform Commissions. This was followed by a meeting with youth. He then had a short meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Walker-Uz-Zaman, and then with members of civil society.
In the evening, he held a joint press briefing with the Foreign Adviser. This was followed by an Iftar hosted by Chief Adviser Yunus.
The Secretary-General then gave a short interview to the RTP journalists who accompanied him on the visit.
The Secretary-General left Dhaka on Sunday morning, 16 March.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – Today,U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) released a video honoring U.S. Army Medical Corpsman Travis Parker as the April “Veteran of the Month.”
Excerpts from Sen. Tuberville’s remarks can be found below, and his complete remarks can be found here.
“We learn a lot about a person by seeing where they choose to spend their time. For Medical Corpsman Travis Parker, he has chosen to give the last fifty years giving back to Alabama’s veterans.
After being drafted into the Army, Travis chose to become a medic. He was passionate about combining his medical training with helping soldiers harmed overseas. After completing his training at Fort Sam Houston, Travis was assigned to finish his tour at Fort Rucker. It was there that Travis saw the scars of war firsthand, as he treated soldiers returning home from the Vietnam War.
This experience left a lasting impact on Travis that led him to devote his time serving other veterans and raising awareness to the challenges they face. He decided to make Enterprise his permanent home and has contributed to the Wiregrass in so many ways that it’s hard to name them all.”
Senator Tuberville recognizes a different Alabama veteran each month for their service and contribution to their community. Constituents can nominate an Alabama veteran and submit their information to Senator Tuberville’s office for consideration by emailing press_office@tuberville.senate.gov.
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – Today,U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) participated in a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing focused on the posture of United States European Command (EUCOM) and United States Africa Command (AFRICOM). During the hearing, Senator Tuberville spoke with General Michael E. Langley, Commander of AFRICOM, about shortfalls in the region and the rise of terrorism in Africa. Additionally, Senator Tuberville spoke with General Christopher G. Cavoli, Commander of EUCOM, about the current state of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Read Senator Tuberville’s remarks below and watch on YouTube and Rumble.
AFRICOM
TUBERVILLE: “Good morning. Thank you, gentlemen, for your service and good luck after retirement, but you’re not done yet.
General Langley, AFRICOM has historically suffered from shortfalls and manpower and ISR and security and all those things. [It] sounds like, from your testimony, that Africa is in trouble – 40% rise in terrorism. What’s your most pressing need, that you can tell us, for what we can help you with?”
GEN. LANGLEY: “Senator, thanks for that question. My number one operational priority is protection of the force. So, as I stipulated in my opening statement, I focused on matching capabilities to the threat. We match capabilities to the threat—first calls for Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD), and it calls for ISR.
And a number of our platforms would add to the capacity and capability of protecting the force. In close session, I would be able to elaborate with more specificity, but all commanders always ask for those aforementioned-type platforms.”
TUBERVILLE: “Yeah, thank you.”
EUCOM
TUBERVILLE: “General Cavoli, how much closer today is Ukraine from this time last year, winning this war against Russia?”
GEN. CAVOLI: “They’re in a much better position not to lose it, Senator Tuberville. They have shored up their defenses. They’ve assumed very strong defenses, and they’ve improved their force generation capability. So, they’re in a much better position than they were. Depending on what the objective is, of course, which has always been the question in this chamber as well as others, it would be hard for them to accomplish some things, but they’re doing a good job of what they’re trying to do now, which is hold their line.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sam Graves (6th District of Missouri)
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) announced that he is currently accepting applications from North Missouri students interested in attending the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, or U.S. Naval Academy.
“It’s always an honor to nominate the best and brightest from North Missouri to attend our nation’s service academies,” said Graves.“Each year, numerous outstanding young men and women from North Missouri go through the application process. It’s not an easy process, but it is certainly rewarding. Every student who has interest in attending a service academy should definitely consider applying.”
Individuals interested in applying for a service academy nomination can do so by contacting Congressman Graves’ Kansas City District Office at 816-792-3976 after opening an application with their desired service academy. To be eligible to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, or U.S. Naval Academy, you must:
Be at least 17 years old, but not have passed the 23rd birthday (25 for the Merchant Marine Academy).
Be a U.S. Citizen, and a permanent resident of Missouri.
Be unmarried, not pregnant, and have no legal obligation to support children or other dependents.
Meet the medical, physical, and academic requirements of the Academy.
Be of good moral character.
Have a valid Social Security Number.
The deadline for applications for the nomination process is 5:00 pm, October 10, 2025.
The U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, and U.S. Naval Academy all have extremely high admission standards and the nomination process is very competitive. Applicants are evaluated and interviewed by the Academy Nomination Review Board comprised of service academy graduates, veterans and citizens of Missouri’s 6th Congressional District before final recommendations are made to Congressman Graves.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Speech
Aid workers should not have to risk their lives to help those in need in Gaza: UK statement at the UN Security Council
Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the escalating situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
I’d like to thank High Commissioner Volker Türk and Dr. Younes Al-Khatib for your sobering briefings.
Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families of the Red Crescent medics and other humanitarians who were killed while bravely working to save lives in Gaza.
Their deaths are an outrage and we expect this incident to be investigated fully, transparently and for those responsible held to account.
Gaza remains the most dangerous place for humanitarians in the world.
If Israel does not respect deconfliction notifications from aid workers, to allow them to operate without coming under attack, there will be more appalling deaths like these ones. Aid workers should not have to risk their lives to help those in need.
So we urge Israel to cooperate with the UN fact-finding mission into the hit on a UN compound on 19 March, conduct thorough investigations into all incidents involving aid workers and medical personnel, and ensure accountability for those responsible.
President, I have three points to make.
First, the UK reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, including Avinatan Or, Yossi Sharabi and Shay Levinson, who have links to the UK. And we are clear Hamas must be held accountable for their despicable actions.
But the UK strongly opposes Israel’s decision to resume and expand its military operations in Gaza. Since operations restarted over 1000 Palestinians have lost their lives, including at least 322 children. And civilians are being compressed into ever-smaller areas.
Further fighting and bloodshed is in nobody’s interest and takes us further away from a deal to get the hostages home.
Second, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is horrific and there is reportedly less than a week of food left for distribution in Gaza. We urge Israel to reinstate the flow of humanitarian aid immediately.
Blocking supplies and electricity from entering Gaza risks violating international humanitarian law.
The UK is deeply concerned that the UN and humanitarian organisations have been forced to reduce operations in Gaza because it is so unsafe. Without their life-saving work, even more Palestinians will suffer.
Third, the UK condemns remarks by Defence Minister Katz on the annexation of land in Gaza. There must be no forced displacement of Palestinians or reduction in the territory of Gaza.
This would only further drive instability and undermine security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
And we condemn recent Israeli decisions to accelerate the establishment of settlements and outposts in the West Bank.
President, in conclusion, the lesson we have learnt time and again in this Council, is that diplomacy, not violence, is the only way to bring lasting peace.
We urge the parties to return to a ceasefire, to end appalling loss of life, bring the hostages home and make credible efforts towards a two-state solution.
MOFA response to defense white paper stressing importance of cross-strait peace to Europe issued by European Commission and EU high representative
March 20, 2025
The European Commission and the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on March 19 issued the joint White Paper for European Defence—Readiness 2030. The paper expressed great concern over China’s rapid military buildup, noting that China was intensifying coercive political, economic, military, cyber, and cognitive measures against Taiwan. It emphasized that a shifting Taiwan status quo raised the risk of a major disruption that would have profound economic and strategic consequences for Europe.
The white paper also underscored the paramount importance of critical raw materials to economic and industrial production, defense capabilities, and competitiveness, adding that they were increasingly a cause for competition and conflict as an aspect of power politics. It pointed out that an escalation of tensions across the Taiwan Strait could cut off EU access to critical materials, technologies, and components. The paper further called attention to the cross-border challenges posed by hybrid threats and cyberattacks, noting that these would be addressed by the EU through greater security cooperation with like-minded partners worldwide.
In June 2023, the European Council summit adopted conclusions that for the first time included content highlighting EU concern over growing tensions across the Taiwan Strait and opposition to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. This affirmed that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are a common concern shared by the 27 EU member states. Last year, the European External Action Service (EEAS) issued statements in prompt response to China’s Joint Sword-2024A and Joint Sword-2024B military drills, stressing the strategic importance of cross-strait peace and stability to regional and global security and prosperity as well as the EU’s direct interest in the preservation of the Taiwan Strait status quo.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung sincerely welcomes and appreciates the EU’s continued close attention to developments across the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific, intense concern over all forms of Chinese coercion targeting Taiwan, and staunch support for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Minister Lin reiterates that Taiwan will steadily deepen cooperation and exchanges with the EU and other like-minded partners to jointly safeguard the core values of freedom and democracy, uphold the rules-based international order, and demonstrate to the world its determination to defend its democracy.
Speakers Discuss Growing Collusion Between Israeli Settlers, State Apparatus
After winning the Oscar for No Other Land, the film’s Palestinian co-directors returned to occupation and violence, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People heard today in a meeting where several speakers drew attention to the increasing collusion between Israeli settlers and the State apparatus.
Basel Adra, one of the three co-directors of No Other Land, said he grew up seeing bulldozers entering Palestinian communities and destroying homes. But this was so routine that journalists were not interested in covering it. So, as a teenager, he started carrying a camera and filming because he wanted the world to see what it was like to live under brutal occupation.
Five years ago, he started working on the documentary with friends, he said, adding that the movie succeeded beyond expectations. “But even after winning the Oscar, we went back to the same reality,” he observed. He detailed many harrowing stories of violence, destruction and arbitrary detention. Three weeks after the Oscars, settlers attacked a mosque in the village of one of his co-directors, Hamdan Ballal. About 20 settlers started vandalizing the village. Hamdan tried to protect his family by locking the door of his house and standing outside, but two soldiers started beating him, and then abducted him and two other Palestinians to a military base. He spent 20 hours in the base, handcuffed and blindfolded while soldiers mistreated him — when he was brought to interrogation, he was accused of attacking the settler and only after he paid a fine was he able to leave and get medical treatment.
Detailing several such stories of violence, destruction and detention, Mr. Adra said it is Israeli State policy to enable radical right-wing terrorist settlers. The soldiers and police provide not only impunity but also support to settlers attacking communities in the West Bank. He also highlighted an Israeli court decision to designate the area of Masafer Yatta, which contains several Palestinian villages, as a “firing zone” for the Israeli military to do military exercises. The struggle against the occupation is something he inherited from his father and grandfather, he said, hoping that his daughter will be able to live without the weight of occupation.
Events in Masafer Yatta Village in West Bank Part of Larger Policy to Create Settler Regime
What is happening in Masafer Yatta is part of a larger policy of creating a “settler regime”, Netta Amar-Shiff, human rights lawyer, speaking via video, said. The village of Jinba in Masaffer Yatta that was attacked repeatedly last week was long a vital economic and cultural centre, she said. She also detailed a court case in which Palestinians presented the history of Masafer Yatta and requested that its designation as a “firing zone” be overturned. Sharing some of the historical evidence presented to the court, she showed an 1879 Palestine Exploration Fund Map as well as pages from a book about the Hebron Hill cave dwellers. The book details an archaeological study of the region, including the discovery of ancient grain containers called ”suma’a” — the author concludes that their presence is a signal of historic permanent residency. Regardless, the court dismissed all these findings.
Masafer Yatta has been a target of extensive settlement activities since 7 October 2023, she said. But “this is not the same military we know from before 7 October,” she said, adding that while settler violence has long been linked with Israel’s expansion, now armed settlers have been formally incorporated into the regular military forces — they receive drones, vehicles, arms and technology. Human rights lawyers such as her are fast running out of solutions as judicial remedies disappear, she said, adding that an immediate international intervention is crucial. From her Mizrahi Jewish perspective, she said, “it is not just a necessity to end the conflict, it is an honour and a blessing.”
Humanitarian Workers, More Aid Cannot Resolve Conflict; Solution Is Political
The Committee also heard from Younis Khatib, President of the Palestine Red Crescent Society, who recalled how his organization used to have a training centre in Masafer Yatta to train young Palestinians until six years ago when the Israeli army prevented the Red Crescent from reaching that area. Recently, the Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said that the West Bank is the heart of Israel, he said, adding that what is happening right now in Masafer Yatta is part of the larger Israeli plan for the West Bank. Most Palestinian cities in the West Bank are totally controlled by Israel.
“There will be more and more evictions if the international community allows it,” he said, asking how the two-State solution can be implemented if one side does not believe that the other side should be able to exercise their rights as human beings. He also highlighted the dehumanization of Palestinians, noting that pre-fab building materials for temporary housing in Gaza had to be negotiated in the recent ceasefire agreement. Denying Palestinians a dignified life is intentional — from day one, the objective was to push the Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip. “This is a continuation of 1948,” he said.
This cannot be solved with more humanitarian aid to the West Bank and Gaza, he said, stressing that the resolution is political. “Don’t expect that humanitarians will do your job,” he stressed. It is the responsibility of the United Nations and the international community to stop the killing of aid workers. Referring to the aid workers — including the eight staff from his organization — who were killed and buried in a mass grave in Rafah, the bodies discovered a few days ago, he said: “We don’t train our paramedics to risk their lives; we train them to save lives.” The war in Gaza has been the conflict with the largest number of killed aid workers. “Khalas, stop counting for God’s sake,” he said, underscoring that these are not numbers, but lives. These are colleagues, friends and sons, he said, adding: “The souls of our colleagues ask for justice.”
No Other LandBrings to Life How Land Is at Heart of Illegal Occupation
James Turpin, Chief of the Prevention and Sustaining Peace Section of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the documentary film, No Other Land, brings to life, in a compelling and accessible way, what the UN has documented in countless reports. Land is at the heart of the occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, he said, detailing how Israel’s settlement policy is eroding Palestinian rights. Israel continues to transfer its civilian population to East Jerusalem — there are now around 737,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, and almost a third of them are in East Jerusalem alone. Steps are regularly taken to accelerate construction of additional housing units. “This is accompanied by demolition of Palestinian properties and structures — mostly under the pretext of lacking building permits, which are almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain,” he pointed out.
Israel also undertakes the illegal appropriation of occupied land for Israeli settlements through declarations of “State land”, and the establishment of military zones (as seen in No Other Land), nature reserves, and cultural and archaeological sites. Livelihoods centred around olive production are particularly targeted by Israeli State and settler violence, he said, adding that “many Palestinian farmers are unable to harvest their trees due to violence and movement restrictions”. Israel’s provision of services for settlers in settlements and outposts institutionalizes control of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. “The line between settler and State violence has blurred to a vanishing point, further enabling violence and impunity,” he said.
But “while there may be obfuscation on the ground”, international law is very clear, he said, stressing that Israel’s unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory must end, as affirmed by the International Court of Justice.
Return to Ceasefire Key for Implementing Arab Plan for Gaza’s Reconstruction
Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine, also briefed the Committee, noting that he just came from a meeting with the Group of Friends of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), stressed the indispensable role of that Agency. The group was formed when the Israeli Government started unleashing its campaign against UNRWA. There is tremendous frustration in the international community, from the Arab Group to European countries, that the Israeli authorities broke the ceasefire, he said. Highlighting the Arab plan for reconstruction of Gaza, he said that the first stage of the plan is to build temporary housing in the Gaza Strip. In order to make that happen, “we need this ceasefire to be put back in place,” he underscored.
Early next month, a meeting will take place in Egypt to move the Plan forward, he said, also noting the conference to be held in New York in June, co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France, towards creating conditions conducive to the implementation of a two-State solution. Ending the illegal Israeli occupation is crucial for that, he said. His delegation will continue its “political offensive” in the General Assembly in order to take actions on the decisions that will be taken in Cairo and New York.
Midland, Texas, April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Midland, Texas, April 3, 2025 – Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. (“NGS” or the “Company”) (NYSE: NGS), a leading provider of natural gas compression equipment, technology, and services to the energy industry, announced that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) appointed Anthony Gallegos to the Board on April 1, 2025. Mr. Gallegos fills the position vacated by David Bradshaw in connection with his retirement from the Board in December 2024.
“On behalf of the entire team at NGS, we are excited to welcome Anthony Gallegos to the Board of Directors,” said Justin Jacobs, Chief Executive Officer. “Anthony brings a wealth of experience from his distinguished career in the energy sector where he has consistently demonstrated exceptional operational expertise. His deep understanding of our industry, along with his vast network, will be invaluable as we navigate the next phase of growth at NGS. The Board and I are eager to collaborate with Anthony as we focus on driving shareholder value and advancing our mission to deliver innovative natural gas compression solutions.”
Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Gallegos stated, “I am excited to work alongside the Directors and executive team of Natural Gas Services Group, and I look forward to leveraging my experiences and expertise to help drive shareholder value. The company has done an extraordinary job driving innovation, growing its fleet, and expanding both its customer base and pipeline for future growth. It is my goal to work together to uncover new ways of driving growth and profitability and an improved customer experience.”
Stephen Taylor, Chairman of the Board added, “We are delighted to add someone of Anthony’s background and experience to our Board of Directors as he brings exceptional expertise in the oilfield services industry and across various functional areas of our business. His knowledge will serve our company, our customers, and our shareholders well as we continue to execute our long-term growth plans.”
Mr. Gallegos has more than 30 years of experience in the offshore, international, and US land drilling business. He currently serves as President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Independence Contract Drilling, Inc. (ICD), positions he has held since October 2018. Prior to his role with ICD, Anthony held various executive positions with Sidewinder Drilling Company, a company he co-founded in 2011, until Sidewinder’s merger with ICD in October 2018. Previously, Anthony held various leadership positions in the areas of operations, marketing, and corporate planning with Scorpion Offshore Ltd., Transocean Offshore, Atwood Oceanics, and Ensco, all publicly listed companies.
Mr. Gallegos began his career working as a roughneck on offshore drilling rigs in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the International Association of Drilling Contractors. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Army and holds a B.B.A. from Texas A&M University and an M.B.A. from Rice University.
About Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. (NGS): NGS is a leading provider of natural gas compression equipment, technology, and services to the energy industry. The Company rents, operates and maintains natural gas compressors for oil and gas production and processing facilities. In addition, the Company designs and assembles compressor units for rental to its customers and provides aftermarket services in the form of call-out services on customer-owned equipment as well as commissioning of new units for customers. NGS is headquartered in Midland, Texas, with a fabrication facility located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a rebuild shop located in Midland, Texas, and service facilities located in major oil and natural gas producing basins in the U.S. Additional information can be found at www.ngsgi.com.
For More Information, Contact: Anna Delgado, Investor Relations (432) 262-2700 ir@ngsgi.com www.ngsgi.com
Source: United States Department of Defense (video statements)
—————
Poolees with the Delayed Entry Program from Recruiting Station Jacksonville, Fla., get a taste of @marines physical and mental conditioning to ensure readiness before heading to recruit training.
For more on the Department of Defense, visit: http://www.defense.gov
—————
Keep up with the Department of Defense on social media!
Like the DoD on Facebook: http://facebook.com/DeptofDefense
Follow the DoD on Twitter: http://twitter.com/DeptofDefense
Follow the DoD on Instagram: http://instagram.com/DeptofDefense
Follow the DoD on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/DeptofDefense
Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) was ranked 6th in effectiveness out of 49 Republican senators during the 118th Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking.
Last Congress, Fischer championed and successfully passed nine bills into law, outlined below. Several more of Senator Fischer’s bills received action in committee. Fischer also secured more than three dozen provisions in the Fiscal Year (FY) 24 and FY25 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This included improving the Department of Defense’s management of electronic warfare capabilities, establishing a program of record for the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile, and establishing programs to help resolve our munitions production crisis.
“I’ve been elected and re-elected to the Senate three times to get things done for Nebraska. That’s exactly what I did last Congress by passing bills to support law enforcement, restore land to local ownership, strengthen America’s nuclear deterrent, and more. I pledge to continue championing commonsense solutions to make life better, safer, and more prosperous for Nebraskans and our great nation,”said Fischer.
Here is a summary of the bills Fischer successfully passed into law during the 118th Congress:
Recruit and Retain Act: Addresses staffing shortages nationwide by enhancing law enforcement agencies’ access to federal hiring tools.
Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act of 2023: Creates a path for military veterans to obtain their commercial driver’s licenses more easily, helping them transition from military service to civilian careers.
Restoring American Deterrence Act of 2024: Overhauls U.S. nuclear preparedness and enacts key updates to America’s strategic posture. Contains multiple provisions to ensure that the U.S. can continue to deter China and Russia.
REEF Act: Protects railroad employees by ending government mandated cuts to their unemployment and sickness benefits once and for all.
Advanced Aviation Act: Establishes an Advanced Aviation Steering Committee to improve rulemaking and better coordinate new technologies entering the aviation space. Sustain Regional Air Travel Act: Directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to evaluate the pilot shortage’s impact on rural, regional carriers and recommend concrete ways to address the constraints.
Winnebago Land Transfer Act: Transfers approximately 1,600 acres of land back to the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska that was seized in the 1970s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Swanson and Hugh Butler Reservoirs Land Conveyance Act: Transfers the Bureau of Reclamation (BoR) Swanson Reservoir land to Hitchcock County and the BoR Red Willow Reservoir land to Frontier County.
National Advisory Committee on Indian Education Improvement (NACIE) Improvement Act: Gives Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) greater input over federal funding discussions that impact them by requiring at least one of NACIE’s members be the president of a Tribal College or University.
Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ISRAEL MENDOZA, also known as “D-Nice” and “Israel Mandosa,” 45, formerly of Reading, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin and cocaine into Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2018, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force began investigating a Hartford area narcotics trafficking operation that involved the use of the U.S. Mail to ship parcels of drugs and drug proceeds. Investigators determined that Mendoza supplied Michael Copeland, of Bloomfield, with large quantities of cocaine, and that Copeland, at Mendoza’s direction, mailed parcels containing cash to individuals in California. In September and October, U.S. Postal Inspectors in California intercepted and seized two parcels, each containing approximately $13,000 in cash, that Copeland mailed in Connecticut to addresses in the Fresno area. Investigators analyzed postal records and identified dozens of additional parcels connected to this drug trafficking network that are suspected to have contained narcotics or drug proceeds.
In February 2019, investigators seized a parcel containing nearly 500 grams of cocaine that had been mailed from California to a Bloomfield residence that was connected to Copeland.
Mendoza worked with others, including Neliobet DeJesus and Danny Rhodes, in the Hartford area to distribute heroin and cocaine. During the investigation, after DeJesus had moved to Orlando, Florida, investigators identified a mail parcel that was destined for a residence in Orlando that was linked to DeJesus. A court authorized search of the parcel revealed approximately 500 grams of cocaine and approximately five grams of fentanyl.
On October 31, 2019, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Mendoza, Copeland, DeJesus, and Rhodes with narcotics trafficking offenses. Mendoza remained a fugitive until his arrest on August 14, 2023, in California.
On October 1, 2024, Mendoza pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, heroin and cocaine. He has been detained since his arrest.
Copeland, DeJesus and Rhodes previously pleaded guilty. On December 8, 2021, Rhodes was sentenced to 87 months of imprisonment; on December 16, 2021, Copeland was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment; and on March 7, 2022, DeJesus was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force, including members from the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, and Town of Groton Police Departments. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Connecticut State Police, and Hartford Police Department assisted the investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
BERKELEY, Calif., April 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rigetti Computing, Inc. (Nasdaq: RGTI) (“Rigetti” or the “Company”), a pioneer in full-stack quantum-classical computing, announced today that it was selected to participate in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI). The primary goal of QBI is to determine if any approach to quantum computing can achieve utility-scale operation by 2033. QBI will use a multi-stage approach, Stages A, B, and C, to assess the proposed concepts, with each stage representing an increased level of scrutiny. Rigetti will advance to Stage A, a 6-month performance period focused on the Company’s utility-scale quantum computer concept worth up to $1 million upon completion of program milestones.
Rigetti’s proposed concept to design and build a Utility-Scale Quantum Computer (USQC) combines the Company’s proprietary multi-chip architecture with scalable quantum error correction (QEC) codes. Rigetti’s long-time partner and leader in QEC technology, Riverlane, will be collaborating on this project and bringing their expertise to help refine the proposed USQC concept and validate the underlying technology.
DARPA defines a USQC as a system whose computational value exceeds its costs. The dominant factors in the scalability and speed of a USQC are the physical qubit architecture and QEC code. A common QEC technique is surface code, which is embedded onto square lattices of superconducting qubits and requires a significant number of physical qubits. Rigetti’s concept will leverage Quantum Low Density Parity Check (qLDPC) codes, which do not require as high of a physical qubit overhead, making them a more efficient QEC technique for scaling towards fault-tolerant systems.
“Rigetti has spent the last decade developing the IP and expertise needed to build and deliver high-performing quantum computers. The DARPA QBI sets out to prove a realistic path to quantum utility, which we believe we are well positioned to deliver,” says Dr. Subodh Kulkarni, Rigetti CEO. “The DARPA QBI program is closely aligned with Rigetti’s technology roadmap, which includes building out our QEC capabilities and developing fault-tolerant architectures.”
Rigetti’s quantum computers are based on superconducting qubits, which are a leading modality due to their fast gate speeds and the ability to leverage well-established semiconductor manufacturing techniques. The Company has made several breakthroughs in the superconducting qubit industry that will be the backbone of its roadmap to higher qubit count systems. This includes a novel chip fabrication technique — Alternating Bias Assisted Annealing (ABAA) — that enables precise qubit frequency targeting, and innovative multi-chip architecture technology. In recent years Rigetti has deployed quantum systems that leverage vertical I/O, multiple layers of signal lines, and the ability to connect qubits on separate chips with high fidelity.
“Both the performance of our currently deployed 84-qubit Ankaa-3 system at 99.0% ISWAP gate fidelity, and our bold roadmap taking us to 100+ qubits with a 2x reduction in error rates along with qLDPC code puts us in a strong position to to meet DARPA’s 2033 target,” says David Rivas, Rigetti CTO.
Rigetti’s strategy to achieve a USQC focuses on implementing an efficiently-scaling qLDPC code in hardware. This will deliver the best of both worlds: the fastest quantum computing modality running the most efficient codes, natively. Rigetti plans to combine these technologies and manufacture quantum integrated circuits capable of natively running qLDPC codes, and reach the high qubit counts and performance metrics needed for utility-scale applications.
About Rigetti Rigetti is a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing. The Company has operated quantum computers over the cloud since 2017 and serves global enterprise, government, and research clients through its Rigetti Quantum Cloud Services platform. In 2021, Rigetti began selling on-premises quantum computing systems with qubit counts between 24 and 84 qubits, supporting national laboratories and quantum computing centers. Rigetti’s 9-qubit Novera™ QPU was introduced in 2023 supporting a broader R&D community with a high-performance, on-premises QPU designed to plug into a customer’s existing cryogenic and control systems. The Company’s proprietary quantum-classical infrastructure provides high-performance integration with public and private clouds for practical quantum computing. Rigetti has developed the industry’s first multi-chip quantum processor for scalable quantum computing systems. The Company designs and manufactures its chips in-house at Fab-1, the industry’s first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility. Learn more at www.rigetti.com.
Cautionary Language and Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this communication may be considered “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including but not limited to, expectations with respect to the Company’s business and operations, including its expectations with respect to quantum computing achieving utility-scale operation by 2033, obtaining the full $1 million dollars of value from Stage A of the QBI award, expectations related to the QBI award to deliver a utility-scale quantum computer to DARPA, expectations related to QBI award to work with Riverlane, expectations related to the feasibility of combining Rigetti’s proprietary multi-chip architecture with scalable quantum error correction (QEC) codes, expectations related to the collaboration between Rigetti and Riverlane to refine the proposed Utility-Scale Quantum Computer concept, belief that Rigetti’s IP and expertise positions Rigetti to deliver on the QBI program, belief that Quantum Low Density Parity Check (qLDPC) codes are a more efficient QEC technique for scaling towards fault-tolerant systems, belief that the Rigetti’s ABAA technique and multi-chip architecture technology will be result in higher qubit count systems, expectations for Rigetti’s roadmap, such as 100+ qubits with a 2x reduction in error rates, and the roadmap putting Rigetti in position to meet DARPA’s 2033 target. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events and can be identified by terminology such as “commit,” “may,” “should,” “could,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “intend,” “strive,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “estimate,” “believe,” “predict,” “potential,” “pursue,” “aim,” “goal,” “outlook,” “anticipate,” “assume,” or “continue,” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by Rigetti and its management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: Rigetti’s ability to achieve milestones, technological advancements, including with respect to its roadmap, help unlock quantum computing, and develop practical applications; the ability of Rigetti to complete ongoing negotiations with government contractors successfully and in a timely manner; the potential of quantum computing; the ability of Rigetti to obtain government contracts and the availability of government funding; the success of Rigetti’s partnerships and collaborations; Rigetti’s ability to accelerate its development of multiple generations of quantum processors; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Rigetti or others; the ability to continue to meet stock exchange listing standards; costs related to operating as a public company; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the possibility that Rigetti may be adversely affected by other economic, business, or competitive factors; Rigetti’s estimates of expenses and profitability; the evolution of the markets in which Rigetti competes; the ability of Rigetti to execute on its technology roadmap; the ability of Rigetti to implement its strategic initiatives, expansion plans and continue to innovate its existing services; disruptions in banking systems, increased costs, international trade relations, political turmoil, natural catastrophes, warfare, and terrorist attacks; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and the Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements other than as required by applicable law. The Company does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mike Ezell (Mississippi 4th District)
This week, Congressman Mike Ezell (MS-04) introduced the Secretary of the Coast Guard Act of 2025, to provide the Coast Guard with a dedicated civilian leader, ensuring the service receives the resources and support necessary to continue its vital national security missions.
Under this legislation, the Secretary of the Coast Guard will report directly to the Secretary of the Department in which the Coast Guard is operating, and the Commandant of the Coast Guard will report to the newly established Secretary of the Coast Guard. This structure mirrors the leadership framework of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, which already have dedicated Service Secretaries.
“The United States Coast Guard plays a critical role in protecting our nation’s security, from safeguarding our shores to conducting search-and-rescue operations and enforcing maritime law, our coasties are the pride of our nation,”Ezell said.“Creating a Secretary of the Coast Guard ensures they have the leadership, resources, and support they need to continue their vital missions. It’s time we give the Coast Guard the same level of recognition and advocacy that other military branches receive.”
“The United States Coast Guard is the only armed service without the position of a confirmed Secretary to provide civilian leadership to the Service,”House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Graves said. “I commend Subcommittee Chairman Ezell for introducing this bill as part of the Committee’s ongoing initiative to raise the Coast Guard’s profile and provide the resources it needs to carry out its many missions, including maritime law enforcement, illegal drug and migrant interdiction, and search and rescue. I look forward to including this legislation as part of the larger Coast Guard authorization measure the Committee will move this year.”
“The United States Coast Guard plays a vital role in our national defense, homeland security, and maritime safety – particularly in Alaska, where their presence is essential to our coastal communities,”Begich said.“I’m proud to co-sponsor this legislation to create a dedicated Secretary of the Coast Guard. This long-overdue step gives the Coast Guard an important seat at the table, strengthens accountability, and ensures the men and women of the Coast Guard have the leadership and support they need to carry out their critical missions.”
“Establishing a Secretary of the Coast Guard is an important step toward ensuring the men and women of the Coast Guard receive the leadership and resources they deserve,”Buchanan said.“This bill brings parity to the Coast Guard with our other military branches and underscores the critical role the Coast Guard plays in safeguarding our national security. With this new position, we will provide the Coast Guard with the support necessary to carry out its crucial missions to secure our borders and protect our waters.”
Ezell, who serves as the Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, has been a strong advocate for the Coast Guard and maritime security. He remains committed to advancing policies that enhance the safety and effectiveness of those who serve in uniform.
Current co-sponsors of the legislation: Daniel Webster (R-FL-11), Nicholas Begich (R-AK), and Vern Buchannan (R-FL-16).
Raksha Mantri exhorts AMC to continue adopting latest technologies to provide quality health services to soldiers “Need to develop tech for both defence & civilian sectors, Civil-military convergence is crucial for overall development”
INHS Asvini, Mumbai bags RM Trophy for best hospital in AFMS for 2024
Posted On: 03 APR 2025 5:58PM by PIB Delhi
“The medical sector is going through a phase of technological transformation across the globe, and the Army Medical Corps (AMC) must continue adopting latest advancements to provide quality health services to our soldiers,” said Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh while addressing the 261stRaising Day celebrations of AMC at Army Hospital (Research & Referral), Delhi Cantt. on April 03, 2025.
While Raksha Mantri acknowledged AMC’s efforts of adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) and carrying out research in cutting-edge tech, he stressed on the need to stay abreast with evolving practices to achieve new breakthroughs in the field. He pitched for encouraging simulator-based training, wherein expertise in medical procedure is achieved through machine-based learning. He batted for additional research and training centres for the personnel to achieve this proficiency.
Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted the need to develop dual-use technologies, which can prove to be beneficial to both defence and civilian sectors. Civil-military convergence in the field of defence technology is crucial for the overall development, he said, while commending AMC for working with academia such as ICMR, IITs & AIIMS and medical organisations of other countries. He also urged AMC to explore the possibility of training medical professionals of other developing and under-developed countries to increase India’s stature in the field of military diplomacy.
Raksha Mantri appreciated the remarkable contribution of AMC in reforming the health sector – from infrastructure to services and policy making to implementation. He stated that AMC has strengthened the combat medical readiness of the Armed Forces by introducing Advanced Mobile Surgical Units and Rapid Response Medical teams. Indigenous Trauma Management System and AI-powered medical triage systems have improved emergency response time & patient care, he added.
Shri Rajnath Singh pointed out that the services of AMC are not limited to the serving soldiers, and they continuously strive for the well-being of the ex-servicemen and their families.
Raksha Mantri made special mention of Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, the incumbent and first female Director General of Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS), describing her as a shining example of the growing Nari Shakti in the military. “Under her leadership, not only are our doctors carrying out exceptional work, the participation of women has also increased,” he said.
On the occasion, Shri Rajnath Singh presented the Raksha Mantri Trophy in recognition of the outstanding performance in delivery of healthcare to Armed Forces personnel. The trophy for the best hospital in AFMS for 2024 was awarded to INHS Asvini, Mumbai, while the second-best hospital trophy was given to Command Hospital, Western Command, Chandimandir, Haryana. These awards stand as testimony to the AMC’s unwavering pursuit of excellence and patient care.
The event was attended by senior dignitaries, including Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, DGAFMS Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin and other civil and military officials.
The genesis of the Centre dates back to 1966, with establishment of the Experimental Satellite Communication Earth Station (ESCES), by late Dr. Vikram A Sarabhai in Ahmedabad. In 1972, the different units of ISRO in Ahmedabad pursuing research in applications of space technology were merged to form Space Applications Centre (SAC). A unique experiment called the Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) was conducted by SAC/ISRO during 1975-76. Hailed as ‘the largest techno-social experiment in the world’, SITE demonstrated the potential of satellite technology as an effective mass communication media, aimed at socio-economic development of rural India.
Space Applications Centre (SAC), is a major and unique multi–disciplinary research and development Centre of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). SAC today stands high in each of its endeavour with its strong space research & development capabilities and continues to deliver world-class technologies and applications for various national, strategic, societal and technology demonstration missions of ISRO. These applications are in diverse areas and primarily meet the communication, navigation and remote sensing needs of the country. Located at Ahmedabad, SAC is spread across three campuses having multi-disciplinary activities apart from Delhi Earth Station (DES), which is located in New Delhi.
SAC has state-of-the-art electronic and mechanical fabrication facilities, highly sophisticated payload integration, climatic & environmental test facilities, systems reliability area, image processing and analysis facilities and project management support group.
SAC is the lead centre in the development of key payload technologies for Earth Observation, Communication, Navigation and Space Exploration. Further, the Centre also develops various applications that cater to various user ministries in the field of Agriculture, Meteorology, Fisheries, Oceanography, Environment, Forest, Railways, Urban development etc.
The notable technologies that were developed by the Space Applications Centre for spacecraft payloads including S-Band SAR for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, C-Band and X-Band Microwave Radars for RISAT series, Lander/Rover Cameras, Ka Radar Altimeters, Hazard Detection and Avoidance Sensors for Lunar Landing for Chandrayaan-3, demonstration of spectrum sensing, ADS-B, GNSS-R reflectometry, Pseudolite systems for RLV, High resolution Electro-optical payloads, Ka-band payload for high throughput satellites (50 Gbps), spread-spectrum modems for Gaganyaan crew communication system, Indian Atomic clock-Indian Rubidium Atomic Frequency Standard (IRAFS) for NavIC and Travelling Wave Tube Amplifiers (TWTA) for Communication satellites. Currently, a large number of payloads are under various stages of realization at SAC including, GSAT-7R, HRSAT Series, Resourcesat-3 series, Oceansat-3A, G20- Satellite, Indian Mauritius Joint Satellite (IMJS), GSAT-N3, IDRSS-2, payloads for Quantum Communication.
Various downstream applications developed and demonstrated for users include National Drought Portal for Krishi-Decision Support System (DSS), application development for Yield Estimation System based on Technology (YES-Tech) program under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Geospatial Energy map portal of India, Sea Ice Advisories for polar expedition routes for National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), System for national scale Crop Yield Estimation, Very short range weather forecast, Value added Agro-Met products for Gramin Krishi Mausam Sewa (GKMS), Hybrid weather prediction system for customized station specific weather forecast (transferred to Bihar Mausam Sewa Kendra (BMSK) for operational use), Satellite and in situ based data assimilative technique for ocean wave forecasting (transferred to Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Hyderabad), High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) methodology for using Doppler Weather Radars (DWR) data (transferred to India Meteorological Department (IMD), New Delhi), Satellite-based ocean drift model for search and rescue (transferred this application to National Operational Data Processing and analysis Centre (NODPAC)/ Indian Navy, Kochi), Monitoring of fishing boats with keel lengths <24m which is now being rolled-out nationally, Locomotive-mounted satcom terminals for tracking of trains for safety-of-life & train information, real-time aircraft tracking for aviation safety & fleet management, authentication geo-fixes for Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) – Aadhar enrolment operatives, Indus river-level monitoring system, high-accuracy NavIC receivers for e-tolling applications for National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
SAC objectives are realized and met with a well-planned strategy for a sustained capacity building through skilled human resources, establishment of state-of-the-art facilities, industry and academia participation and international cooperation under a well-defined policy support of ISRO. SAC has been proactively enhancing and upgrading the skills and competencies of internal human resource through standard as well as tailored training and development programs. SAC has systematic capacity enhancement plans at individual level to meet the organizational objectives, which also includes non-training interventions such as conferences, seminars, workshops at national as well as international levels. Higher education in premier academic institutions is also a part of the capacity enhancement strategy.
SAC has built a strong partnership with over 300 small, medium and large scale industries and commercial organizations specialized in various fields including RF, Digital, Optical, Microwave, Mechanical, Electrical, Antenna, Scientific software, specialized materials etc. are presently associated with SAC. SAC has a well-established academia partnership programs for research in the areas associated with space technology, space science and exploration including RESPOND, STC etc.
SAC has state-of-the-art highly sophisticated payload integration laboratories, electronic & Mechanical fabrication facilities, environmental test facility, image processing, and analysis facilities.
SAC has outlined a detailed technology roadmap, as a part of space vision 2047. It is envisioning a new paradigm of space borne observations for Earth system and Planetary studies with special emphasis on developing advanced Radars, LIDAR, Hyperspectral and Terahertz technologies with high quality analysis-ready data products and also advanced techniques for geophysical parameters retrieval and customised web-based solutions to meet various User requirements in the domain of Agriculture, Forestry, Coastal Zone Management, Meteorology, Fisheries, Urban Planning, Oceanography etc.
SAC has defined roadmap for development of Quantum technologies including Space Based Quantum Communication, Quantum Sensing and Quantum computing.
SAC has evolved roadmap for competitive & advanced Satellite Navigation (SATNAV) services and achieve larger penetration of NavIC applications across strategic, civilian and scientific domains; secure and self-reliant Satellite Communication (SATCOM) systems and applications; NavCom systems and applications for various Users all of which will be enabled by indigenous technology, products & services and propelled by Indian Industries/NGEs.
SAC has defined roadmap for state-of-the art capability and self-reliance in design and development of crew centric systems for Human Space Programme and ensure crew safety through specific human-rated R&QA practices.
This information was given by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Department of Space and Department of Atomic Energy, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
In 1866, through an act of Congress, legislation was adopted to create six all African American Army units.
Many of these Soldiers went on to fight in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War.
The Buffalo Soldier regiments went on to serve the U.S. Army with distinction and honor for nearly the next five decades. With the disbandment of the 27th Cavalry on December 12, 1951, the last of the storied #BuffaloSoldiers regiments came to an end.
#BlackHistoryMonth | #TBT
About the U.S. Army:
The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt and sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.
Connect with the U.S. Army online:
Web: https://www.army.mil
STAND-TO!: https://www.army.mil/standto
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/USArmy
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/soldiersmediacenter
On 7 April, the Members of the Committee on Security and Defence will be briefed by the Commission on the newly proposed loan instrument ‘SAFE – Security Action for Europe’, which aims at helping Members States to invest in key defence areas, strengthen Europe’s defence capabilities, and improve the interoperability of European armed forces as part of the broader ReArm Europe plan. …
On the same day, SEDE discusses – in camera – hybrid threats with Stefano Tomat, Civilian Operations Commander, Managing Director Civilian Operations Headquarters, EEAS and Cosmin Dinescu, Head of Mission of the EU Partnership Mission in the Republic of Moldova (EUPM), in view of the upcoming SEDE mission to the Republic of Moldova.
Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies, and his colleagues with direct oversight of the Department of Veterans Affairs have requested the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) submit an updated schedule and cost estimate to Congress for the Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) program.
Boozman joined Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost (R-IL-12) and Ranking Member Mark Takano (D-CA-39), Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Ranking Member Jon Ossoff (D-GA), and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Chairman John Carter (R-TX-31) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL-25) in asking VA Secretary Doug Collins to provide necessary details to help Congress fully assess the EHRM program.
VA recently announced an accelerated EHRM deployment that includes nine additional VA medical centers in 2026 as part of its effort to restart the stalled modernization program. The members’ request follows a Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendation to produce an updated cost estimate for EHRM before moving forward with the accelerated deployment schedule.
“The need for a cost estimate is further underscored by practical necessity,” wrote the members. “Without a reliable cost estimate, VA risks budget overruns, schedule delays, and diminished congressional trust. Compliance with these laws, directives, and GAO recommendations is a critical step to ensuring EHRM’s success and accountability.”
In 2019, the program was initially estimated to cost $16.1 billion over a decade. An independent cost estimate conducted by the Institute for Defense Analysis in October 2021 estimated the project to cost up to $50 billion. After lifting a pause that was put in place on the program in April 2023, VA has not yet provided Congress with an updated cost estimate for EHRM as anticipated by a framework of federal laws and Office of Management and Budget directives governing major acquisition programs.
News In Brief – Source: US Computer Emergency Readiness Team
Executive summary
Many networks have a gap in their defenses for detecting and blocking a malicious technique known as “fast flux.” This technique poses a significant threat to national security, enabling malicious cyber actors to consistently evade detection. Malicious cyber actors, including cybercriminals and nation-state actors, use fast flux to obfuscate the locations of malicious servers by rapidly changing Domain Name System (DNS) records. Additionally, they can create resilient, highly available command and control (C2) infrastructure, concealing their subsequent malicious operations. This resilient and fast changing infrastructure makes tracking and blocking malicious activities that use fast flux more difficult.
The National Security Agency (NSA), Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC), Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS), and New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-NZ) are releasing this joint cybersecurity advisory (CSA) to warn organizations, Internet service providers (ISPs), and cybersecurity service providers of the ongoing threat of fast flux enabled malicious activities as a defensive gap in many networks. This advisory is meant to encourage service providers, especially Protective DNS (PDNS) providers, to help mitigate this threat by taking proactive steps to develop accurate, reliable, and timely fast flux detection analytics and blocking capabilities for their customers. This CSA also provides guidance on detecting and mitigating elements of malicious fast flux by adopting a multi-layered approach that combines DNS analysis, network monitoring, and threat intelligence.
The authoring agencies recommend all stakeholders—government and providers—collaborate to develop and implement scalable solutions to close this ongoing gap in network defenses against malicious fast flux activity.
Download the PDF version of this report: Fast Flux: A National Security Threat (PDF, 841 KB).
Technical details
When malicious cyber actors compromise devices and networks, the malware they use needs to “call home” to send status updates and receive further instructions. To decrease the risk of detection by network defenders, malicious cyber actors use dynamic resolution techniques, such as fast flux, so their communications are less likely to be detected as malicious and blocked.
Fast flux refers to a domain-based technique that is characterized by rapidly changing the DNS records (e.g., IP addresses) associated with a single domain [T1568.001].
Single and double flux
Malicious cyber actors use two common variants of fast flux to perform operations:
1. Single flux: A single domain name is linked to numerous IP addresses, which are frequently rotated in DNS responses. This setup ensures that if one IP address is blocked or taken down, the domain remains accessible through the other IP addresses. See Figure 1 as an example to illustrate this technique.
Figure 1: Single flux technique.
Note: This behavior can also be used for legitimate purposes for performance reasons in dynamic hosting environments, such as in content delivery networks and load balancers.
2. Double flux: In addition to rapidly changing the IP addresses as in single flux, the DNS name servers responsible for resolving the domain also change frequently. This provides an additional layer of redundancy and anonymity for malicious domains. Double flux techniques have been observed using both Name Server (NS) and Canonical Name (CNAME) DNS records. See Figure 2 as an example to illustrate this technique.
Figure 2: Double flux technique.
Both techniques leverage a large number of compromised hosts, usually as a botnet from across the Internet that acts as proxies or relay points, making it difficult for network defenders to identify the malicious traffic and block or perform legal enforcement takedowns of the malicious infrastructure. Numerous malicious cyber actors have been reported using the fast flux technique to hide C2 channels and remain operational. Examples include:
Bulletproof hosting (BPH) services offer Internet hosting that disregards or evades law enforcement requests and abuse notices. These providers host malicious content and activities while providing anonymity for malicious cyber actors. Some BPH companies also provide fast flux services, which help malicious cyber actors maintain connectivity and improve the reliability of their malicious infrastructure. [1]
Fast flux has been used in Hive and Nefilim ransomware attacks. [3], [4]
Gamaredon uses fast flux to limit the effectiveness of IP blocking. [5], [6], [7]
The key advantages of fast flux networks for malicious cyber actors include:
Increased resilience. As a fast flux network rapidly rotates through botnet devices, it is difficult for law enforcement or abuse notifications to process the changes quickly and disrupt their services.
Render IP blocking ineffective. The rapid turnover of IP addresses renders IP blocking irrelevant since each IP address is no longer in use by the time it is blocked. This allows criminals to maintain resilient operations.
Anonymity. Investigators face challenges in tracing malicious content back to the source through fast flux networks. This is because malicious cyber actors’ C2 botnets are constantly changing the associated IP addresses throughout the investigation.
Additional malicious uses
Fast flux is not only used for maintaining C2 communications, it also can play a significant role in phishing campaigns to make social engineering websites harder to block or take down. Phishing is often the first step in a larger and more complex cyber compromise. Phishing is typically used to trick victims into revealing sensitive information (such as login passwords, credit card numbers, and personal data), but can also be used to distribute malware or exploit system vulnerabilities. Similarly, fast flux is used for maintaining high availability for cybercriminal forums and marketplaces, making them resilient against law enforcement takedown efforts.
Some BPH providers promote fast flux as a service differentiator that increases the effectiveness of their clients’ malicious activities. For example, one BPH provider posted on a dark web forum that it protects clients from being added to Spamhaus blocklists by easily enabling the fast flux capability through the service management panel (See Figure 3). A customer just needs to add a “dummy server interface,” which redirects incoming queries to the host server automatically. By doing so, only the dummy server interfaces are reported for abuse and added to the Spamhaus blocklist, while the servers of the BPH customers remain “clean” and unblocked.
Figure 3: Example dark web fast flux advertisement.
The BPH provider further explained that numerous malicious activities beyond C2, including botnet managers, fake shops, credential stealers, viruses, spam mailers, and others, could use fast flux to avoid identification and blocking.
As another example, a BPH provider that offers fast flux as a service advertised that it automatically updates name servers to prevent the blocking of customer domains. Additionally, this provider further promoted its use of separate pools of IP addresses for each customer, offering globally dispersed domain registrations for increased reliability.
Detection techniques
The authoring agencies recommend that ISPs and cybersecurity service providers, especially PDNS providers, implement a multi-layered approach, in coordination with customers, using the following techniques to aid in detecting fast flux activity [CISA CPG 3.A]. However, quickly detecting malicious fast flux activity and differentiating it from legitimate activity remains an ongoing challenge to developing accurate, reliable, and timely fast flux detection analytics.
1. Leverage threat intelligence feeds and reputation services to identify known fast flux domains and associated IP addresses, such as in boundary firewalls, DNS resolvers, and/or SIEM solutions.
2. Implement anomaly detection systems for DNS query logs to identify domains exhibiting high entropy or IP diversity in DNS responses and frequent IP address rotations. Fast flux domains will frequently cycle though tens or hundreds of IP addresses per day.
3. Analyze the time-to-live (TTL) values in DNS records. Fast flux domains often have unusually low TTL values. A typical fast flux domain may change its IP address every 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Review DNS resolution for inconsistent geolocation. Malicious domains associated with fast flux typically generate high volumes of traffic with inconsistent IP-geolocation information.
5. Use flow data to identify large-scale communications with numerous different IP addresses over short periods.
6. Develop fast flux detection algorithms to identify anomalous traffic patterns that deviate from usual network DNS behavior.
7. Monitor for signs of phishing activities, such as suspicious emails, websites, or links, and correlate these with fast flux activity. Fast flux may be used to rapidly spread phishing campaigns and to keep phishing websites online despite blocking attempts.
8. Implement customer transparency and share information about detected fast flux activity, ensuring to alert customers promptly after confirmed presence of malicious activity.
Mitigations
All organizations
To defend against fast flux, government and critical infrastructure organizations should coordinate with their Internet service providers, cybersecurity service providers, and/or their Protective DNS services to implement the following mitigations utilizing accurate, reliable, and timely fast flux detection analytics.
Note: Some legitimate activity, such as common content delivery network (CDN) behaviors, may look like malicious fast flux activity. Protective DNS services, service providers, and network defenders should make reasonable efforts, such as allowlisting expected CDN services, to avoid blocking or impeding legitimate content.
1. DNS and IP blocking and sinkholing of malicious fast flux domains and IP addresses
Block access to domains identified as using fast flux through non-routable DNS responses or firewall rules.
Consider sinkholing the malicious domains, redirecting traffic from those domains to a controlled server to capture and analyze the traffic, helping to identify compromised hosts within the network.
Block IP addresses known to be associated with malicious fast flux networks.
2. Reputational filtering of fast flux enabled malicious activity
Block traffic to and from domains or IP addresses with poor reputations, especially ones identified as participating in malicious fast flux activity.
3. Enhanced monitoring and logging
Increase logging and monitoring of DNS traffic and network communications to identify new or ongoing fast flux activities.
Implement automated alerting mechanisms to respond swiftly to detected fast flux patterns.
Refer to ASD’s ACSC joint publication, Best practices for event logging and threat detection, for further logging recommendations.
4. Collaborative defense and information sharing
Share detected fast flux indicators (e.g., domains, IP addresses) with trusted partners and threat intelligence communities to enhance collective defense efforts. Examples of indicator sharing initiatives include CISA’s Automated Indicator Sharing or sector-based Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISACs) and ASD’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Sharing Platform (CTIS) in Australia.
Participate in public and private information-sharing programs to stay informed about emerging fast flux tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). Regular collaboration is particularly important because most malicious activity by these domains occurs within just a few days of their initial use; therefore, early discovery and information sharing by the cybersecurity community is crucial to minimizing such malicious activity. [8]
5. Phishing awareness and training
Implement employee awareness and training programs to help personnel identify and respond appropriately to phishing attempts.
Develop policies and procedures to manage and contain phishing incidents, particularly those facilitated by fast flux networks.
For more information on mitigating phishing, see joint Phishing Guidance: Stopping the Attack Cycle at Phase One.
Network defenders
The authoring agencies encourage organizations to use cybersecurity and PDNS services that detect and block fast flux. By leveraging providers that detect fast flux and implement capabilities for DNS and IP blocking, sinkholing, reputational filtering, enhanced monitoring, logging, and collaborative defense of malicious fast flux domains and IP addresses, organizations can mitigate many risks associated with fast flux and maintain a more secure environment.
However, some PDNS providers may not detect and block malicious fast flux activities. Organizations should not assume that their PDNS providers block malicious fast flux activity automatically and should contact their PDNS providers to validate coverage of this specific cyber threat.
For more information on PDNS services, see the 2021 joint cybersecurity information sheet from NSA and CISA about Selecting a Protective DNS Service. [9] In addition, NSA offers no-cost cybersecurity services to Defense Industrial Base (DIB) companies, including a PDNS service. For more information, see NSA’s DIB Cybersecurity Services and factsheet. CISA also offers a Protective DNS service for federal civilian executive branch (FCEB) agencies. See CISA’s Protective Domain Name System Resolver page and factsheet for more information.
Conclusion
Fast flux represents a persistent threat to network security, leveraging rapidly changing infrastructure to obfuscate malicious activity. By implementing robust detection and mitigation strategies, organizations can significantly reduce their risk of compromise by fast flux-enabled threats.
The authoring agencies strongly recommend organizations engage their cybersecurity providers on developing a multi-layered approach to detect and mitigate malicious fast flux operations. Utilizing services that detect and block fast flux enabled malicious cyber activity can significantly bolster an organization’s cyber defenses.
Works cited
[1] Intel471. Bulletproof Hosting: A Critical Cybercriminal Service. 2024. https://intel471.com/blog/bulletproof-hosting-a-critical-cybercriminal-service
[2] Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre. “Bulletproof” hosting providers: Cracks in the armour of cybercriminal infrastructure. 2025. https://www.cyber.gov.au/about-us/view-all-content/publications/bulletproof-hosting-providers
[3] Logpoint. A Comprehensive guide to Detect Ransomware. 2023. https://www.logpoint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/logpoint-a-comprehensive-guide-to-detect-ransomware.pdf
[4] Trendmicro. Modern Ransomware’s Double Extortion Tactic’s and How to Protect Enterprises Against Them. 2021. https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/security/news/cybercrime-and-digital-threats/modern-ransomwares-double-extortion-tactics-and-how-to-protect-enterprises-against-them
[5] Unit 42. Russia’s Trident Ursa (aka Gamaredon APT) Cyber Conflict Operations Unwavering Since Invasion of Ukraine. 2022. https://unit42.paloaltonetworks.com/trident-ursa/
[6] Recorded Future. BlueAlpha Abuses Cloudflare Tunneling Service for GammaDrop Staging Infrastructure. 2024. https://www.recordedfuture.com/research/bluealpha-abuses-cloudflare-tunneling-service
[7] Silent Push. ‘From Russia with a 71’: Uncovering Gamaredon’s fast flux infrastructure. New apex domains and ASN/IP diversity patterns discovered. 2023. https://www.silentpush.com/blog/from-russia-with-a-71/
[8] DNS Filter. Security Categories You Should be Blocking (But Probably Aren’t). 2023. https://www.dnsfilter.com/blog/security-categories-you-should-be-blocking-but-probably-arent
[9] National Security Agency. Selecting a Protective DNS Service. 2021. https://media.defense.gov/2025/Mar/24/2003675043/-1/-1/0/CSI-SELECTING-A-PROTECTIVE-DNS-SERVICE-V1.3.PDF
Disclaimer of endorsement
The information and opinions contained in this document are provided “as is” and without any warranties or guarantees. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government, and this guidance shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
Purpose
This document was developed in furtherance of the authoring cybersecurity agencies’ missions, including their responsibilities to identify and disseminate threats, and develop and issue cybersecurity specifications and mitigations. This information may be shared broadly to reach all appropriate stakeholders.
Contact
National Security Agency (NSA):
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA):
All organizations should report incidents and anomalous activity to CISA via the agency’s Incident Reporting System, its 24/7 Operations Center at report@cisa.gov, or by calling 1-844-Say-CISA (1-844-729-2472). When available, please include the following information regarding the incident: date, time, and location of the incident; type of activity; number of people affected; type of equipment user for the activity; the name of the submitting company or organization; and a designated point of contact.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI):
To report suspicious or criminal activity related to information found in this advisory, contact your local FBI field office or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). When available, please include the following information regarding the incident: date, time, and location of the incident; type of activity; number of people affected; type of equipment used for the activity; the name of the submitting company or organization; and a designated point of contact.
Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC):
For inquiries, visit ASD’s website at www.cyber.gov.au or call the Australian Cyber Security Hotline at 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371).
Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (CCCS):
New Zealand National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-NZ):
Question for written answer E-001285/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Siegbert Frank Droese (ESN)
at the heart of the European Green Deal is the EU’s plan to become climate neutral by 2050. This was proposed by the Commission in 2019 and became EU law in 2021. A study published in 2020 by McKinsey entitled ‘How the European Union could achieve net-zero emissions at net-zero cost’ presents the EU’s decarbonisation plan as sensible and feasible. However, this is the same consultancy company that was involved in massive scandals both in France under Macron and in Germany in the Ministry of Defence under Ursula von der Leyen. In each scandal McKinsey was accused of maintaining excessively close ties with the government and charging large sums.
1.Did the Commission itself carry out a cost-benefit analysis of its plan to make the EU climate neutral by 2050?
2.Did the Commission engage a consultancy firm to carry out a cost-benefit analysis before the plan was introduced?
3.Why did the Commission engage McKinsey to prepare a report on the feasibility of achieving climate neutrality by 2050 despite the scandals surrounding this consultancy firm?
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager California (37th District)
WASHINGTON, DC– Today, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, delivered opening remarks at the inaugural Subcommittee on South and Central Asia hearing, which ignored pressing bipartisan national security issues to instead repeat Republicans’ false claims of right-wing censorship.
Watch the full video here.
Below are Ranking Member Kamlager-Dove’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at today’s subcommittee hearing:
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you to our witnesses for being here for our first South and Central Asia Subcommittee hearing. I look forward to working with the Chair in a bipartisan way on the critical issues we are charged with overseeing.
Unfortunately, we’re not having a hearing about any of those. Instead, this Subcommittee is wasting taxpayer time and resources on the fifth such hearing Republicans have held across multiple committees on the so-called “censorship-industrial complex.”
The majority is relitigating a made-up conspiracy theory about a part of the State Department that no longer exists to distract from the dumpster fire foreign policy this Administration is pursuing—and elevating a serial sexual harasser as their star witness in the process.
Mr. Chair, I request unanimous consent to enter into the record two articles about the Republican witness Matt Taibbi: A Chicago Reader article titled, “Twenty years ago, in Moscow, Matt Taibbi was a misogynist a–hole—and possibly worse,” and a Washington Post article titled, “The two expat bros who terrorized women correspondents in Moscow.”
This hearing could not be more out of touch with the concerns of everyday Americans.
People’s retirement savings are being decimated as Trump’s arbitrary tariffs tank the stock market.
They are staring down the barrel of cuts to their Social Security and Medicare because the Republican majority wants to give a tax break to billionaires like Elon Musk who have deep financial ties to our adversaries.
Meanwhile, Trump is siding with Putin against American national security interests and risking the lives of American troops in a Signal group chat.
I’ve been to the State Department, and I do have concerns about censorship—censorship of the employees who are terrified to say the wrong thing or have the wrong word in their job title and be terminated by an Administration that publicly relishes punishing people for their speech.
If we want to talk about censorship, we should begin with Trump’s unprecedented assault on the First Amendment and rule of law.
Here a few examples that should send shivers down all our spines:
Trump banned the Associated Press from the Oval Office and Air Force One because they kept using the name “Gulf of Mexico”, something that none of us would have hesitated to do until a few months ago.
Trump signed executive orders targeting law firms for representing clients that opposed or investigated him—upending the fundamental principle that lawyers should not fear to represent their clients.
And most terrifying, Trump ordered ICE agents to arrest and detain Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder, and snatch off the street a Tufts University student and visa holder, Rumeysa Ozturk, for protesting and writing an op-ed—for exercising their right to free speech.
As you can see, Trump is brazenly weaponizing the government to intimidate and silence any part of American society that disagrees with him.
Countering disinformation from hostile foreign powers should not be a partisan issue. Yet this Administration has crippled our capacity to respond to these threats while aiding, abetting—even amplifying—our adversaries’ influence operations.
The PRC has invested billions in pumping out propaganda, weaponizing the world’s largest known online disinformation operation to silence critics, discredit lawmakers, and harass U.S. companies who are at odds with China’s interests.
Russia maintains a sophisticated and sprawling disinformation apparatus to manipulate American public sentiment to Putin’s advantage–even paying conservative influencers to create and amplify pro-Kremlin content.
How has Trump confronted these threats?
He shut down independent media broadcasters like USAGM and Radio Free Asia, a move that was actually celebrated in Chinese state media.
He dismantled the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force, which his own Administration first created in 2017 to uncover foreign disinformation and propaganda targeting Americans.
He even appointed a white nationalist named Darren Beattie, who has parroted Kremlin and CCP talking points and denied the PRC’s ongoing Uyghur genocide, to the State Department’s top public diplomacy job.
Mr. Chair, I request unanimous consent to enter into the record my letter urging Secretary Rubio to fire Darren Beattie for his dangerous anti-American, pro-CCP, white nationalist ideology.
Countering foreign propaganda has become politicized not because of censorship concerns, but because of conspiracy theories, in some cases spread by the majority witnesses at this very hearing. And now the most egregious disinformation spreader is sitting in the White House.
We should be exploring real bipartisan solutions to this pressing national security issue on behalf of the American people, not perpetuating culture war divisions.
Rear Adm. Craig T. Mattingly was relieved by Rear Adm. Matthew T. Pottenburgh as commander of Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) during a combined Recruit Training Command (RTC) Graduation and change of command ceremony held April 03,2025 at Naval Station Great Lakes.
On Thursday (3 April 2025), NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska attended an informal meeting of EU Defence Ministers in Warsaw, hosted by EU High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas and Polish Minister of Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, together with Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov.
Ms Shekerinska stressed that securing lasting peace for Ukraine is essential for European security and for global stability. She called for strengthened support for Ukraine, now and for the long haul, noting that for peace to be lasting, Ukraine must remain strong.
The Deputy Secretary General welcomed recent announcements by NATO Allies of further aid to Ukraine, including air defence, armoured vehicles, drones, and munitions. NATO is also helping to strengthen Ukraine’s armed forces for the long-term, including through financial support, NATO’s Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), and the new NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis Training and Education Centre in Poland.
Ms Shekerinska commended NATO-EU cooperation, both in Brussels and on the ground, where NSATU works closely with the EU’s Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine (EUMAM) to streamline international support for Ukraine. She welcomed the EU’s recent initiatives on defence and noted that NATO-EU discussions would continue with High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas, at the upcoming meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers.