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Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bay Area-Based Flooring Company and Its Owners to Pay $8.1 Million to Settle False Claims Allegations Related to Customs Duties Evasions

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – Evolutions Flooring Inc., a South San Francisco, California based importer of multilayered wood flooring, and its owners, Mengya Lin and Jin Qian, have agreed to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly and improperly evading customs duties on imports of multilayered wood flooring from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The settlement is based on Evolutions’ and its owners’ ability to pay.

    To enter goods into the United States, an importer must declare, among other things, the country of origin of the goods, the value of the goods, whether the goods are subject to duties, and the amount of duties owed.

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collects applicable duties, including antidumping and countervailing duties assessed by the Department of Commerce and Section 301 duties imposed by the Office of the United States Trade Representative. Antidumping duties protect against foreign companies “dumping” products on U.S. markets at prices below cost, while countervailing duties offset foreign government subsidies.

    Section 301 duties similarly protect U.S. industry by imposing trade sanctions on foreign countries that violate U.S. trade agreements or engage in other unreasonable acts that burden U.S. commerce. During the relevant time period, PRC-manufactured multilayered wood flooring products were subject to antidumping, countervailing, and Section 301 duties.

    The settlement resolves allegations that Evolutions, at the direction of Lin and Qian, knowingly and improperly evaded customs duties, including antidumping, countervailing, and Section 301 duties, on multilayered wood flooring manufactured in the PRC that Evolutions imported between Sept. 1, 2019 and July 31, 2022. Among other things, the United States alleged that Evolutions caused false information to be submitted to CBP regarding the identity of the manufacturers and country of origin of the imported multilayered wood flooring.

    “The outcome of this case demonstrates that our office and its CBP partners will continue to safeguard the nation’s economic well-being,” said Acting United States Attorney Joseph McNally. “Fraud in international commerce deprives the United States of vital revenue and creates an unfair advantage over businesses that operate legitimately. The settlement sends a message that we will not stand aside when companies try to cheat the system.”

    “Import duties provide an important source of government revenue and level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers against their global competitors,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department will pursue those who seek an unfair advantage in U.S. markets, including by evading the duties owed on goods imported into this country from China.”

    “The team at CBP was instrumental in providing expertise and logistical support to this investigation,” said Director of Field Operations Cheryl M. Davies of the CBP Los Angeles Field Office. “Through its efforts, which included a site visit to factories in Thailand, review of identified shipments by CBP experts on multilayered wood flooring, an analysis of import records and data by Office of Trade Regulatory Audit, and involvement in interviews with witnesses, CBP contributed to a successful outcome in this matter.”

    The settlement with Evolutions and its owners resolves a lawsuit filed by Urban Global LLC under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The civil lawsuit was filed in the Central District of California and is captioned United States of America ex rel. Urban Global LLC v. Struxtur Inc. et al., No. CV20-7217 (C.D. Cal.). As part of today’s resolution, relator Urban Global LLC will receive approximately $1,215,000 of the settlement proceeds.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, with assistance from CBP’s Office of Chief Counsel, West Region and Trade Regulatory Audit and the Center of Excellence and Expertise for Industrial and Manufacturing Materials within CBP’s Office of Trade.

    Assistant United States Attorney Sheng-Wen D. Jui of the Civil Division’s Civil Fraud Section and Senior Trial Counsel Christelle Klovers of the Justice Department’s Civil Division handled this case.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: QUADIENT SA: Appointment and renewals to Quadient’s Board of directors to be proposed to the Annual General Meeting on June 13, 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Appointment and renewals to Quadient’s Board of directors to be proposed to the Annual General Meeting on June 13, 2025

    • Delphine Segura Vaylet to be proposed to the Annual General Meeting on June 13, 2025 for appointment as non-executive and independent director
    • Didier Lamouche and Nathalie Wright to be proposed for renewal to the Annual General Meeting on June 13, 2025
    • Martha Bejar and Paula Felstead will not stand for re-election, and resignation of Vincent Mercier with effect at the close of the Board meeting which will be held on 2 June 2025
    • Downsizing of the Board of directors from 10 to 8 members (excluding employee directors)​ as from the next Annual General Meeting, on June 13, 2025

    Paris, 26 March 2025

    Upon recommendation of the Appointments and Remuneration Committee, Quadient’s Board of directors (the “Board”) has approved the list of Directors for appointment and renewal to be put forward at the Company’s Annual General Meeting  that will be held on June 13, 2025.

    At the next Annual General Meeting, shareholders will be asked to approve the appointment of Delphine Segura Vaylet as a new independent Director for a three-year term, until the Annual General Meeting approving the financial statements for the fiscal year ending January 31, 2028.

    Shareholders will also be asked to approve the renewal for additional three-year terms of:

    • Didier Lamouche, with the Board’s intention, if renewed, to subsequently reappoint him as Chairman of the Board, and
    • Nathalie Wright, with the Board’s intention, if renewed, to subsequently appoint her as Chair of the Appointments and Remuneration Committee, replacing Martha Bejar.

    Additionally, it is noted that Martha Bejar and Paula Felstead will not stand for re-election, and that Vincent Mercier will step down from the Board with effect at the close of the meeting to be held on 2 June 2025.

    The Board wishes to express its sincere gratitude for their dedication and significant contributions to the Company — Paula for her thoughtful oversight as a member of the Audit Committee, Martha for her leadership and governance as Chair of the Appointment and Remuneration Committee, and Vincent for his 16 years of committed service across various strategic and leadership roles. Their expertise, integrity, and steadfast support have been instrumental in guiding the Company through key phases of growth and transformation.

    Following these changes, subject to shareholders approval of the resolutions, the Board, which consists of 10 members (excluding employee directors) until June 2, 2025, will be reduced to 8 members (excluding employee directors) after the June 13, 2025 Annual General Meeting. The Board’s composition will continue to align with best governance practices, keeping a highly independent representation, with 75% independent directors, and complying with French legal parity rules, with a balanced structure of 5 men and 3 women, while ensuring a well-balanced mix of experience.

    Delphine Segura Vaylet is 54 years old and a French citizen. She holds a Master’s degree (DEA) in Social Law, European  Law from the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne. Delphine Segura Vaylet began her career at Groupe Bayard Press from 1993 to 1994 before joining Thales in 1994, where she held various operational Human Resources (HR) leadership roles until 2006. In 2007, she joined STMicroelectronics as HR Director for the Digital Consumer division. In parallel, she led Talent and Organizational Development as well as Training at the Group level for four years. In 2014, she became Group HR Director of Zodiac Aerospace, serving as a member of the Executive Committee until the company’s acquisition by Safran. She then joined Total in 2017 as Vice-President Strategy and HR Policy. Since January 2021, Delphine Segura Vaylet held the position of  Senior Executive Vice President Human Resources at Groupe SEB. She also holds non-executive roles at Soitec and Artelia.

    Didier Lamouche has been the Chairman of the Board of Quadient S.A. since June 28, 2019. He holds a PhD in Semiconductor Technology from École Centrale de Lyon. Didier Lamouche has had a distinguished career, including serving as President and CEO of Idemia until 2018, the world leader in cyber security and digital identity technologies, which he had headed since 2013. From 2005 to 2013, he also held key leadership roles at ST-Microelectronics, ST-Ericsson, and Bull Group, where he successfully turned the company around and repositioned on growth segments. Earlier in his career, Didier Lamouche worked at Philips, IBM Microelectronics, Motorola Semiconductor, and Altis Semiconductor. Didier Lamouche has extensive experience in corporate governance, in both public and private environments, having served as a director of eight public and four private-equity backed companies for nearly 20 years.

    Nathalie Wright has been a member of the Board of Quadient S.A. since September 25, 2017. Nathalie Wright is a graduate in economics from Paris Assas University, IAE, and INSEAD. She began her career at Digital Equipment France and NewBridge Networks France, later holding roles at MCI, Easynet, and AT&T, where she oversaw commercial strategy for Southern Europe and the Middle East. In 2009, she joined Microsoft, serving as director of the Public Sector division and General Manager for Enterprise & Strategic Alliances. She became Vice President of Software France at IBM in 2017, then joined Rexel in 2018 as Chief Digital Officer and member of the executive committee until September 2023, overseeing digital transformation and ESG strategy. Since 2024, Nathalie Wright has focused on non-executive roles at Quadient, Keolis, and Amundi, supporting organizations with transformation challenges.

    ***

    CALENDAR

    • 26 March 2025: FY2024 results release (after close of trading on the Euronext Paris regulated market)
    • 3 June 2025: Q1 2025 sales release (after close of trading on the Euronext Paris regulated market)
    • 13 June 2025: Annual General Meeting

    ***

    About Quadient®

    Quadient is a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections through digital and physical channels. Quadient supports businesses of all sizes in their digital transformation and growth journey, unlocking operational efficiency and creating meaningful customer experiences. Listed in compartment B of Euronext Paris (QDT) and part of the CAC® Mid & Small and EnterNext® Tech 40 indices, Quadient shares are eligible for PEA-PME investing.

    For more information about Quadient, visit https://invest.quadient.com/en-US.

    Contacts

    Attachment

    • Quadient-press-release-Board-2025-vGB

    The MIL Network –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Signal chat group affair: unprecedented security breach will seriously damage US international relations

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robert Dover, Professor of Intelligence and National Security & Dean of Faculty, University of Hull

    Plans for an attack against an enemy target are classified in America. But the private views of high-ranking officials about allies, communicated within government, must also count as intelligence to be protected.

    The recent communication of this category of information over the Signal messaging app has been dismissed by the US president, Donald Trump as a mere “glitch”. It is definitely that. But it also raises the prospect that in his first two months of office, key parts of the administration might have inadvertently been leaving sensitive information vulnerable to enemy interception. That would be one of the most serious intelligence breaches in modern history.

    National security advisor, Mike Waltz, has subsequently “taken responsibility” for the episode – but, so far at least, remains in post. Instead, the administration has decided to launch bitter ad hominem attacks against the journalist that revealed this breach of security, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg.

    Storied national security reporter: The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg.
    US Secretary of Defense

    Trump called Goldberg a “total sleazebag”, defense secretary Pete Hegseth referred to him as “deceitful and highly discredited”. Walz called him “the bottom scum of journalists”.

    The recent chat group reported exchange involved the adminstration’s most senior national security officials: Waltz, Hegseth, Vice-President J.D. Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio and director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, among others.

    As we know now, it also, accidentally, included Goldberg, himself a storied national security reporter before he took up the editorship of the Atlantic. It’s a national security blunder almost without parallel.

    Interestingly, some of the people on this chat were among those who savaged Hilary Clinton’s use of a personal email address during her time as secretary of state. This was controversial, but did not meet the standard for prosecution. Most of her work-related emails were archived into federal records by their recipients on government email. It was poor practice, and regulations were significantly tightened after.

    If an inquiry is set up about this most recent incident, it will be interesting to see whether these messages are treated as federal records. This would be signficant because the messages would need to be handed over to officials to classify and archive as part of the public record. That would certainly clear up whether this was indeed a “glitch” or whether classified information was indeed shared – something the administration still denies.

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    For such an elevated group of US government officials to use a consumer messaging app to talk business invites an easy win for enemy intelligence agencies. America’s key intelligence competitors invest billions of dollars in techniques and technologies to break the toughest encryption. For phone-based communications, we know that apps such as NSO Group’s Pegasus can be used to bypass the encryption on phones.

    The Guardian newspaper’s investigative work has highlighted how journalists and activists were targeted by countries using this technology and the interception capability of capable intelligence nations is far stronger. So the standard security induction to officials would cover communications, devices and protocols.

    It is not clear whether the protocols cover the use of emojis. Waltz’s use of a fist, fire and flag emoji is certainly unusual in diplomatic cables that have been aired publicly.

    Even worse, the communication between these officials was prior to a deployment of US military assets against an enemy target, the Houthi rebels in Yemen. This potentially placed the success of the operation and those assets at risk.

    That the Yemenis did not move assets that had been targeted does not conclusively prove that the communications remained safe. It has long been a practice to pick and choose when to risk revealing that communications are being intercepted.

    Zero accountability

    An ordinary intelligence officer who communicated about highly sensitive and classified deployments through a platform with security that is not accredited or controlled by the intelligence community, would certainly face disciplinary action. An officer who accidentally invited a journalist into this chat would be likely to face even stiffer sanctions. Trump seems to have rallied around his officials, however.

    The US has recent form in vigorously pursuing journalists who publish classified materials. The Edward Snowden leaks caused considerable damage to transatlantic intelligence and Snowden was forced to take up residence in Moscow to avoid prosecution.

    The newspapers who published his papers were subject to strong action from the governments in their countries. The publication of Chelsea Manning’s leaked cables – known as Cablegate – by Julian Assange and Wikileaks resulted in a lengthy process to try and prosecute Assange (Manning herself was prosecuted and was sentenced to 35 years in jail, serving seven).

    But instead, Trump has chosen to spearhead a backlash against The Atlantic – the “messenger”. It fits in with Trump’s antipathy towards the mainstream media and his strong preference for some social media outlets. It might also signal a more serious turn towards intolerance to investigative journalism.

    Diplomatic disaster

    What the Signal messages also reveal is a contempt for European allies among Trump’s most senior people. That will be difficult to repair. Describing allies who have lost thousands of soldiers supporting American foreign policy aims as “pathetic” and “freeloaders” will make it very difficult for those governments to underplay the significance of the comments.

    What we have seen in the Signal messages might herald a new era of diplomacy and policy making, by officials who are not afraid to break established patterns. What we can definitely say is that it is radically different to the diplomacy the rest of the west is used to, and it will be nearly impossible to unsee.

    The western allies will be accelerating their plans to be less dependent on the US – and this will be to America’s detriment.

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

    – ref. Signal chat group affair: unprecedented security breach will seriously damage US international relations – https://theconversation.com/signal-chat-group-affair-unprecedented-security-breach-will-seriously-damage-us-international-relations-253090

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Spring statement: defence spending boosted as further disability benefit cuts announced – experts react

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Shampa Roy-Mukherjee, Vice Dean and Professor in Economics, University of East London

    Not even six months on from Labour’s first budget, and the world is a much-changed place. Geopolitical tensions and uncertainties, already high last year, have risen further, and with them the cost of the UK’s debt, while economic growth has stalled. As such, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confronted an array of unpalatable choices – notably cutting disability benefits – to enable her to increase defence spending and stabilise the public finances. Here’s what our panel of experts made of the statement:

    Falling inflation wasn’t enough to prevent further disability cuts

    Shampa Roy-Mukherjee, Vice Dean and Professor in Economics, University of East London

    The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has halved the UK’s 2025 growth forecast to 1%, down from the previously projected 2%. This sluggish growth, coupled with increased borrowing costs, has effectively eliminated the government’s £9.9 billion “fiscal headroom” – its financial buffer – resulting in a £4.1 billion shortfall by 2029-30.

    There was some short-term relief in the latest inflation figures. These showed a slowdown in price rises in February (2.8% against 3% in January). The dip was caused by discounting of items like clothing. But given around half of businesses are considering price rises to combat tax hikes and the national living wage increase coming in April, this relief is likely to be short-lived. The OBR forecasts that inflation will climb back up to 3.2% this year.

    The government had previously set out its controversial plans for £5 billion in welfare cuts. But the OBR rejected the claim that the reforms would save that much, estimating the savings at £3.4 billion, leaving Reeves with a £1.6 billion shortfall. As such, she has had to announce additional welfare reforms.

    These include freezing the universal credit health element until 2030 and reducing it to £50 a week for new claimants. This is aimed at saving an additional £500 million by 2030 – and combined with other planned welfare reforms could affect more than 3 million people. But the standard allowance for universal credit will see an above-inflation increase from 2026-27 and the incomes of those with the most severe lifelong conditions will be protected.

    Civil service administrative budgets are also to be reduced – by 15% by 2029-30. This, along with other efficiency and productivity improvements, will lead to annual savings of £3.5 billion. These cuts will focus on areas like human resources, policy advice, and office management, rather than frontline services.

    Reeves resorted to tricks and ‘efficiency savings’

    Steve Schifferes, Honorary Research Fellow, City St George’s, University of London

    Reeves has announced a series of tweaks to her spending plans to address the economic situation which has meant that she is in danger of breaking her self-imposed fiscal rules. The chancellor was at pains to say that these rules are “non-negotiable”.

    But these are unlikely to tackle the deeper problem – that in the short term she cannot rely on economic growth to square the circle of Labour’s three contradictory election pledges. These were more spending on public services, lower taxes and strict fiscal rules.

    The UK, in fact, is particularly vulnerable to the disruption of global trade that is likely to result from US president Donald Trump’s tariff wars. And the productivity gains from her long-term infrastructure plans will take years – if not a decade – to translate into higher growth.

    Like many chancellors, Reeves has resorted to various tricks – such as counting money moved to the defence budget to build tanks and aircraft as capital spending (and therefore exempt from the borrowing rules). And she has called for “efficiency savings” in the civil service and government departments that are unlikely to be realised.

    But the biggest savings are coming from deeper than expected cuts in disability payments and other welfare payments, reducing the income of more than 3 million people. This is upsetting many Labour MPs. Her big sweetener – £2 billion for social housing next year – is actually less than that already allocated by the previous Conservative government.

    Crucially, the further savings likely to be demanded in the spending review (announced on June 11) from unprotected departments including local government, justice and environment, will certainly look a lot like a return to austerity.

    In the end – and possibly as soon as the autumn budget – the chancellor will have to accept that as well as spending cuts, she will have to consider tax increases and possibly even a revision of the fiscal rules.

    Otherwise, she will remain at the mercy of the markets and the forecasters. Any long-term strategy will be strangled by the need to continually adjust policy to meet the fiscal “headroom” target she has set which leaves little room for manoeuvre. This requires an implausibly accurate prediction of the state of the economy in five years’ time by the OBR.

    The Civil Service could see 10,000 jobs axed.
    pxl.store/Shutterstock

    Commitment to financial stability is actually increasing uncertainty

    Linda Yueh, Fellow and Adjunct Professor of Economics, University of Oxford

    The chancellor’s self-imposed fiscal rules are intended to provide stability – one of the foundations of economic growth. One of those rules, which Rachel Reeves has said she will not bend, is that government day-to-day spending must be balanced by tax receipts by the end of this parliament.

    This is intended to provide transparency on fiscal policy. And Reeves clearly understands the importance of how international financial markets react to the UK’s level of spending – and its public debt (currently about 100% of GDP).

    But the world is not a stable place. And with the OBR halving its 2025 GDP growth forecast from 2% to 1%, unplanned cuts to public spending followed.

    Consistency in fiscal policy helps households and business to plan for the future. But during times of heightened uncertainty with global tariffs looming, GDP is likely to remain volatile. This makes not changing the government’s fiscal stance particularly challenging.

    It is also challenging for chancellor personally, as she would prefer to have one “fiscal event” a year, rather than two. But the OBR is obliged to provide economic forecasts twice a year, and when it slashes expected growth, she is duty bound to respond.

    Somewhat ironically then, the government’s stability rule is having the unintended consequence of adding policy uncertainty to an already uncertain overall economic environment – and more frequent changes to fiscal policy.

    ‘Let’s shake on increasing defence spending, bigly.’
    Joshua Sukoff/Shutterstock

    Modest defence spending boost will struggle to reverse years of decline

    Jamie Gaskarth, Professor of Foreign Policy and International Relations, the Open University

    In two months, the UK defence sector has been turned upside down – primarily by Donald Trump. His administration has made implied threats to invade a NATO ally (Denmark), challenged the sovereignty of another (Canada) and pulled support for Ukraine, openly siding with Russia in ceasefire negotiations. There is a real chance the US will draw down its security presence in Europe.

    If European countries are to meet the full cost of their own security, this will have to mean a dramatic increase in defence budgets. So far, the UK has redistributed aid money to help fund an increase in defence spending to 2.5% of GDP (from 2.3%) by 2027, with the ambition to raise it to 3% in the next parliament.

    It has also offered an extra £2 billion to underwrite defence exports. But this is small beer.

    As with many areas of public spending, dramatic cuts to the defence budget during the years of austerity (22% in real terms) have meant delays to procurement, crumbling estates and a chronic lack of investment.

    This will take a substantial uplift to redress. Recent increases under the Conservatives were eaten up by capital costs and inflation.

    And while ideas such as the £400 million ringfenced to support innovation in AI and new technology are welcome, these are tiny amounts in the grand scheme of things. The UK is not going to be a “defence industrial superpower” any time soon if budget announcements are this small, and increases so modest.

    Promise to disabled people in tatters

    William E. Donald, Associate Professor of Sustainable Careers and Human Resource Management, University of Southampton

    In November, social security and disability minister Sir Stephen Timms spoke passionately at the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 awards, vowing to undo past injustices and declaring: “We now want to put that right.” As a disabled person, I cheered. That promise now lies in ruins.

    Despite government claims there will be no return to austerity, sick and disabled people face a real-terms cut to their incomes and the criteria for claiming personal independence payment (Pip) will become stricter than ever. This isn’t just a policy to save £5 billion, it’s cruelty and a devastating attack on disabled people.

    Pip isn’t means-tested and is paid regardless of whether you work. It exists because, according to disability charity Scope, disabled households need an additional £1,010 a month to achieve the same standard of living as others. Stripping this support away while NHS mental health waiting lists grow, energy and food prices rise, and the disability pay gap sits at 12.7% won’t push people into work. It will push them into crisis.

    Last year, Labour promised to break barriers for disabled people. Instead, they are building new ones. These cuts come at the expense of society’s most vulnerable. The consequences will be catastrophic.

    Building a future?
    Ian Dyball/Shutterstock

    Social housing boost – but homes could be improved now

    Nicky Shaw, Senior Lecturer in Operations Management, Leeds University Business School, and Simon Williams, Associate Faculty, Leeds University Business School

    The chancellor’s £2 billion investment in new homes will certainly help to increase the availability of affordable social housing. Everyone agrees that access to decent, affordable homes is important, but the quality and maintenance of existing social houses remains critical. Replacing cladding, for example, is stubbornly challenging.

    But beyond just building more social housing, our research has explored key measures of tenant satisfaction. The potential ways for digital tools such as AI to improve the efficiency of tasks like repairs and maintenance in future are numerous.

    But social housing’s tenant demographic includes many people who are more vulnerable, some of whom prefer not to – or simply cannot – engage with digital services. This means that sustaining face-to-face contact with tenants is critical. Investing in tenants’ experience now could really deliver tangible benefits for some of Britain’s most vulnerable people.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Spring statement: defence spending boosted as further disability benefit cuts announced – experts react – https://theconversation.com/spring-statement-defence-spending-boosted-as-further-disability-benefit-cuts-announced-experts-react-253149

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Stands Up Against Trump Administration’s First Amendment Hypocrisy: “Our obligation…is to defend the rights of people to have free speech—whether they agree with our political position or they don’t.” 

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, yesterday took to the Senate floor and called on Congress to defend the right to free speech and freedom of the press. Senator Welch discussed how our First Amendment rights are essential to the well-being of America’s democracy, and highlighted how President Trump has sought to silence or to punish journalists and citizens who speak out about the Trump Administration’s lawless agenda.  
    “This is a very important inflection point in our democracy. The First Amendment is being challenged by the executive, who’s unravelling the protections that have been absolute through thick and thin. We all, in this chamber, have to stand up for the First Amendment. And we can have disagreements on the speech that we agree with and that we disagree with, vehemently…But our obligation, as a separate branch of government, as members of the U.S. Senate, is to defend the rights of people to have free speech—whether they agree with our political position or they don’t,” said Senator Welch. 
    Watch Senator Welch’s speech below: 

    Read the Senator’s remarks as delivered here. 
    On Tuesday, Ranking Member Welch addressed far-right false claims of a vast censorship conspiracy during a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution hearing titled “The Censorship Industrial Complex.” Instead of focusing the first Subcommittee hearing on actual and proven instances of censorship by the Trump Administration against journalists, political adversaries, and critics, the Majority focused the first Subcommittee hearing on an alleged—and unproven—censorship enterprise against conservatives.   
    Learn more about Senator Welch’s work by visiting his website or by following him on social media. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor delivers security and national renewal for Northern Ireland in new era of global change

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Chancellor delivers security and national renewal for Northern Ireland in new era of global change

    The UK Chancellor delivered the Spring Statement today (Wednesday 26 March 2025)

    • Chancellor vows to bring about “new era of security and national renewal” as she delivered a Spring Statement to kickstart economic growth, protect working people and keep Britain safe. 

    • People across the UK to be on average £500 a year better off by the end of this parliament compared to under the previous government, putting more money in people’s pockets. 

    • Growth at the heart of Plan for Change as £13 billion of additional capital spend allocated alongside £2.2 billion defence funding boost next year will get Britain building. 

    People across the UK will be on average £500 better off from 2029, relative to OBR’s autumn forecast, helping to deliver the Plan for Change as the Chancellor today (Wednesday 26 March) announced a Spring Statement to grasp the opportunities in a changing world. 

    The OBR also confirmed that the UK economy is expected to grow faster than expected from 2026 and will be larger by 2029 compared to its autumn forecast – up to 9.5% compared to 9.2%.  

    The Chancellor also set out how the government is protecting national security and maximising the growth potential of the UK defence sector by confirming a £2.2 billion increase in the UK-wide defence budget in 2025-26. 

    The Spring Statement delivers UK Government spending plans focused on its core objectives, bringing security and stability for working people across the UK.  

    It follows the Budget in the autumn where the Chancellor announced that the Northern Ireland Executive will be provided with an £18.2 billion settlement in 2025/26 – the largest in real terms in the history of devolution. This includes an additional £1.5 billion through the Barnett formula, with £1.2 billion for day-to-day spending and £270 million for capital investment.  

    The measures taken today top these Barnett consequentials up by a further £14 million in 2025/26. The Northern Ireland Executive are receiving over 24% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK, including the 2024 restoration financial package. 

    The Northern Ireland Executive’s block grant funding from 2026-27 onwards will be confirmed at Phase 2 of the Spending Review, which concludes on 11 June 2025. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury will meet with his counterparts from the devolved governments to discuss their priorities ahead of its conclusion.  

    Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn said:  

    I welcome the fact that Northern Ireland will receive a £14 million boost in Barnett consequentials as a result of today’s announcements, building on the record £18.2 billion settlement which was confirmed by the UK Government last Autumn. 

    This also follows a  £235 million package to transform public services in Northern Ireland, which will support the transformation of key public services which make a real impact on people’s lives, including health, education, planning and justice. 

    Importantly, today’s announcement reinforces the economic growth potential of the UK defence sector, and follows  the Prime Minister’s announcement of a £1.6bn deal to provide air defence missiles for Ukraine, which will create 200 jobs in Northern Ireland and demonstrates the strength of the local defence industry. 

    From next week, working people across Northern Ireland and the UK will also benefit from an increase to the National Living Wage, putting more money into the pockets of hard-working people. 

    And the UK Government continues to provide support  across Northern Ireland through City and Growth deal packages, having confirmed the Mid-South West and Causeway Coast and Glens City deal last year.    

    Taken together, these measures will foster growth in Northern Ireland, creating jobs, supporting public services, and boosting the quality of life for local people.” 

    Growth 

    Kickstarting economic growth is the number one mission of this government, putting more money in people’s pockets. 

    The UK Government has already made considerable progress on growth in Northern Ireland, including confirming the Mid-South West and Causeway Coast and Glens City deal. Earlier this month, the Prime Minister also announced a £1.6bn deal to provide air defence missiles for Ukraine, which will create 200 jobs in Northern Ireland. In February we launched Intertrade UK which will advise on how businesses can take advantage of the full opportunities of the UK internal market.   

    The actions of this government across the Autumn Budget and Spring Statement, if sustained, lead to a 0.6% rise in the level of real GDP by 2034-25. 

    The OBR concluded that the stability rule is met by £9.9 billion and the investment rule is met by £15.1 billion. Both rules are met two years early, meaning from 2027-28 the government is only borrowing for investment and net financial debt is falling. 

    The government is not satisfied with short-term growth figures, and is going further and faster today to improve this. 

    The Chancellor has announced a further £13 billion of capital investment over the Parliament to go further on growth, on top of the £100 billion uplift announced at Autumn Budget. This will deliver the projects needed to catalyse private investment, boost growth and drive forward the UK’s modern industrial strategy. 

    Taken together, this greater capital investment more than offsets the modest savings on day-to-day spending and means the total departmental spending will increase over the next five years, when compared with plans in the Autumn. 

    Defence 

    The world is changing before our eyes, reshaped by global instability, including Russian aggression in Ukraine. Europe is facing a once-in-a-generation moment for its collective security, with conflicts overseas undermining security and prosperity at home.  

    A month ago, the Prime Minister announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War as a result of the changing global picture, now reaching 2.5% of GDP by April 2027, and with an ambition to reach 3% in the next Parliament subject to economic and fiscal conditions.  

    We are going further and faster to protect our national security and maximise the economic growth potential of the UK defence sector.  

    • Increasing the defence budget by £2.2 billion in 2025-26, taking additional spending on defence to over £5 billion since the Autumn Budget. 

    • This raises spending on defence to 2.36% next year and will be invested in fitting Royal Navy ships with Directed Energy Weapons five years earlier than planned, providing better homes for military families and modernising His Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth.  

    • Setting a minimum 10 percent ringfence for equipment spending on emerging technologies like drones and autonomous systems, dual-use technology, and AI-powered capabilities, so that British troops have the tools they need to fight and win in modern warfare.   

    • Getting this new tech into the hands of our armed forces quicker by cutting away bureaucracy, with a new UK Defence Innovation unit within the Ministry of Defence spearheading efforts to identify promising technology and ensure these get to the frontline at speed, while also bolstering the UK tech sector and crowding in private investment.  

    • Creating bespoke procurement processes for different types of military equipment, learning lessons from our rapid support for Ukraine to drive faster timescale targets for operationalising new tanks, aircraft and other essential tools for modern warfare.  

    • This government is determined to transform the defence sector into an engine for growth by focusing this investment on where it boosts the productive capacity of the economy such as investment in innovation and novel technologies. As a result of the increase in defence spending to 2.5%, the government estimates this could lead to around 0.3% higher GDP in the long run, equivalent to around £11 billion of GDP in today’s money. 

    • The government’s investment in defence will also support its number one mission to deliver economic growth. UK citizens will be protected from threats at home whilst creating a stable environment in which businesses can thrive, and supporting highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the whole of the UK. 

    Reform 

    The UK Government is determined to make the public sector more productive and to improve services for working people. But the changing world means we need to go further and faster to ensure we can deliver the public services that working people care most about. 

    The government has shown its commitment to taking the difficult decisions required to drive efficiencies and reform the state – reducing bureaucratic inefficiencies and duplication; and driving out wasteful government spend through cancelling thousands of government credit cards. 

    Getting more people into jobs is also central to the government’s growth mission. The broken welfare system is letting people down by asking them to prove what they can’t do, rather than focusing on what they could do with the right support – trapping people due to fear of trying work, lack of support and poor financial incentives. 

    The Chancellor has confirmed the creation of a £3.25 billion Transformation Fund to support the fundamental reform of public services, seize the opportunities of digital technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI), and transform frontline delivery to release savings for taxpayers over the long-term. 

    The UK Government provided £235 million to transform public services in Northern Ireland as part of the £3.3 billion restoration package for the Executive. This month we agreed to allocate £129 million of that funding to projects across several priority public services including health, education, planning and justice. The funding will see £61 million go towards expanding the multi-disciplinary teams in GP clinics across Northern Ireland, and support five other projects across justice, special education and infrastructure which represent key priorities in the Executive’s Programme for Government. 

    Looking Forward 

    This Spring Statement builds on the Autumn Budget and the decisions taken since required to deliver stability to the British economy and kickstart economic growth. 

    The government will set out its plans for spending and key public sector reforms at the Spending Review which will conclude on 11 June 2025. 

    Notes to editors 

    • Government calculations for the long-run impacts of higher defence spending are based on estimates from Antolin-Diaz and Surico (2025), forthcoming in the American Economic Review (AER), of the GDP impact of higher defence spending on GDP. Their estimates of the GDP multiplier stabilise after ten years at around 1.6, which is assumed to reflect an appropriate long-run multiplier for potential output, as any demand-side effects are likely to have dissipated at the ten-year horizon. 

    • Defence spending as a share of GDP is set to rise from 2.3% to 2.5%, an increase of 0.2 percentage points. Applying an elasticity of 1.6 to this change implies a long-run increase in the level of potential output of approximately 0.3%. A long-run increase to the level of potential output of 0.3% is equivalent to around £11 billion of GDP in the long run, in today’s prices.

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    Published 26 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore Statement on Election Administration Executive Order

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    PROVIDENCE, RI � Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore today released the following statement after the signing of a new Executive Order targeting election administration:

    “President Trump has a long history of undermining voters’ confidence in our election systems and spreading misinformation about how elections work. Despite these efforts, which are at the heart of this Executive Order, I remain confident that our elections, managed by professional administrators, are safe, secure, and trustworthy.

    Beyond that, elements of this Executive Order closely echo pieces of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (the SAVE Act), which I have already voiced my opposition to. The SAVE Act deviates from pro-voter and pro-democracy policies that make it easier for people to cast a ballot by placing an undue burden on American citizens. It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote, and requiring documentation proving citizenship effectively creates a poll tax for voters. Through this Executive Order, President Trump is disregarding our country’s separation of powers as the SAVE Act makes its way through Congress.

    While our team works diligently to review President Trump’s Executive Order in full, and ultimately it will be up to the courts to determine if the provisions within the Order will hold, it’s important that Rhode Islanders are reminded of the facts of how elections are administered in our state.

    Our democracy depends on the continuation of our democratic processes � and participating in that democracy is one of the most fundamental tenets of our American values.

    I look forward to continuing to safeguard those processes as Rhode Island’s Secretary of State, ensuring that all eligible Rhode Islanders can successfully cast their ballot.��”

    Despite the claims made in the Executive Order, the following election administration facts remain true in Rhode Island:

    All voters already attest to their United States citizenship and eligibility to vote, under penalty of perjury. Whether Rhode Islanders register online, at the Division of Motor Vehicles, or by paper form, they affirm their eligibility to vote on their registration form.

    Rhode Island already uses paper ballots. Even votes marked via touch-screen accessible ExpressVote devices generate a paper record.

    Rhode Island is already a participant in the very type of information-sharing agreements mentioned in the Order, intended to identify potential instances of election fraud, including federal and state agencies. Despite the misinformation that has been publicized about the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), the RI Department of State’s Elections Division has found ERIC to be an effective tool in both voter list maintenance and identification of potential instances of election fraud.

    Rhode Island already undergoes regular voter list maintenance efforts. A statewide voter mailing in 2020 ultimately resulted in 60,619 inactive voter registrations being removed from the state’s voter list. The Department of State is committed to continuing this work, and in this year’s budget request, Secretary Amore requested funds to support an additional voter list maintenance mailing effort.

    All ballots must be cast in person or received by 8 p.m. on Election Day. The only exception is for military and overseas voters.

    To learn more about elections in Rhode Island, visit https://vote.sos.ri.gov/.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Quadient SA: FY 2024 results: Solid 1st year delivery of “Elevate to 2030” strategic plan, with Digital Solution achieving €267m in revenue and 61% EBITDA growth to €47m

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Quadient FY 2024 results:
     Solid 1st year delivery of “Elevate to 2030” strategic plan, with Digital Solution achieving €267m in revenue and 61% EBITDA growth to €47m

    Key highlights

    • FY 2024 financial targets achieved
    • Two operating profitability milestones reached:
    • Digital EBITDA margin at 17.5%, up 5.7pts yoy, reflecting strong profitability improvement
    • All three solutions are EBITDA positive
    • Consolidated sales of €1,093 million, up +2.8% on a reported basis, including the contribution of the latest acquisitions
    • FY 2024 subscription-related revenue up +10.2% in Digital and up +11.5% in Lockers
    • FY 2024 subscription-related revenue of €777m, representing 71% of total revenue, up +€30m yoy,
      vs. +      €90m 2026 target
    • FY 2024 Group current EBIT of €146 million, up +2.2% organically
    • Proposed dividend of €0.70 per share, up by €0.05 for the fourth consecutive year
    • FY 2025 outlook: acceleration both in organic revenue growth and in current EBIT organic growth vs. 2024

    Paris, 26 March 2025

    Quadient S.A. (Euronext Paris: QDT), an Intelligent automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections, today announces its 2024 fourth-quarter consolidated sales and full-year results (period ended on 31 January 2025). The full year 2024 results were approved by the Board of Directors during a meeting held on 25 March 2025.

    Geoffrey Godet, Chief Executive Officer of Quadient S.A., stated: “We have delivered a solid first year of our Elevate to 2030 strategic plan.

    Our Digital Automation platform has reached the record level of c.€270 million in revenue thanks to both the addition of 2,600+ new customers and the contribution from the increased usage and upsell from our existing 16,500 customer base. This strong revenue increase has been delivered together with a significant improvement in profitability with EBITDA rising by 61% to reach €47 million. We are now in a good position to exceed the 20% EBITDA margin ambition set for 2026.

    2024 also saw the highest level of Digital cross-sold deals into our Mail customer base while at the same time our Mail business continues to outpace competition. In Lockers, investments made over the past couple of years are paying off, contributing to a strong performance in H2 with double digit growth in revenue thanks to increased usage of the locker base across all regions. In addition, Lockers have reached EBITDA breakeven over the full year and profitability will further improve as we continue to increase the size of our network, grow its usage and take advantage of the recent addition of Package Concierge in the US residential sector.

    At Company level, this solid performance translates into a €30 million increase in annual recurring revenue, well on track to deliver the €90 million increase targeted by 2026. Based on this solid start to the strategic plan, we are confident in our ability to continue building a €1bn recurring revenue platform by 2030, generating €250 million current EBIT. Therefore, we are proposing to increase our dividend for the fourth consecutive year in a row, to €0.70.

    While macro uncertainties have recently been growing, we are expecting an acceleration of organic growth in revenue and current EBIT in 2025 against 2024 levels.”

    Comments on FY 2024 performance

    Group sales came in at €1,093 million in FY 2024, a +2.8% increase on a reported basis, and +0.4% organic growth compared to FY 2023, in line with Quadient’s expectations. The reported growth includes a positive currency impact of €2 million and a positive scope effect of €24 million, which is related to the acquisitions of Daylight (September 2023), Frama (February 2024) and Package Concierge (December 2024).

    In the fourth quarter of 2024, reported revenue growth stood at +4.1% and organic revenue growth was broadly flat, at -0.2%, compared to Q4 2023.

    Subscription-related revenue reached €777 million in FY 2024, growing +1.6% organically, and representing 71% of total sales. This represents a €30 million increase year-on-year (compared to the +€90 million target by 2026), progressing toward the €1 billion subscription-related revenue target by 2030. Performance in the fourth quarter of 2024 was steady, up 2.1% organically against Q4 2023, driven by a double-digit organic increase in Digital and in Lockers. Non-recurring revenue declined by 2.4% organically in FY 2024, including a 5.1% decline in Q4 2024, essentially due to a high comparison basis in Mail hardware sales.

    By geography, North America (58% of revenue) continued to outperform other regions with a +2.8% organic growth achieved in FY 2024.

    Consolidated sales and EBITDA by Solution

    FY 2024 consolidated sales

    In € million FY 2024 FY 2023 Change Organic change
    Digital 267 245 +9.1% +7.7%
    Mail 732 729 +0.4% (2.5)%
    Lockers 94 88 +5.7% +4.3%
    Group total 1,093 1,062 +2.8% +0.4%

     

    EBITDA and EBITDA margin

      FY 2024 FY 2023
    In € million EBITDA EBITDA margin EBITDA EBITDA margin
    Digital 47 17.5% 29 11.8%
    Mail 200 27.4% 218 29.9%
    Lockers 1 0.6% (3) (3.0)%
    Group total 247 22.6% 244 23.0%
     

    Digital

    In FY 2024, revenue from Digital reached €267 million, up 7.7% organically (+10.1% in Q4 2024 vs. Q4 2023) and up 9.1% on a reported basis (including the contribution from Daylight) compared to FY 2023.

    This solid performance was driven by a strong 10.2% organic growth in subscription-related revenue in FY 2024 (+10.5% in Q4 2024 vs. Q4 2023), including a good contribution from North America and continued positive commercial trends across the platform with further solid cross-selling and up-selling. In FY 2024, subscription-related revenue was representing 82% of Digital total sales, a further increase compared to 80% in FY 2023.

    At the end of FY 2024, annual recurring revenue (ARR), which is a forward-looking indicator of future subscription-related revenue, reached €232 million, up from €206 million at the end of FY 2023, representing a 12.7% organic growth.

    EBITDA for Digital was €47 million in FY 2024, up +61% year-on-year. EBITDA margin was at 17.5%, a strong improvement of 5.7 points compared to FY 2023. In H2 2024, EBITDA margin further improved, reaching 19.1%, after 15.7% in H1 2024. This positive evolution in profitability reflects the combination of subscription-related revenue growth and platform maturity. The Digital solution is well on track to reach its target of EBITDA margin greater than 20% in 2026.

    As part of its customer acquisition strategy, Digital continues to demonstrate strong commercial momentum. Over
    2,600 new customers were added     in FY 2024 thanks in particular to robust cross-selling with Mail, especially in North America. Digital experienced a dynamic fourth quarter, with several key deals secured in the US. Additionally, a new partnership was established with Avaloq to deliver Customer Communications Management capabilities to the financial services industry.

    As part of the customer expansion process, the focus continues to be on further increasing up-selling, notably in financial automation process. Several platform innovations have been made, to bring added value to customers, including the ramp-up and extension of Repay for direct supplier invoice payments in the US and Canada, and new electronic invoice formats (UBL, CII, Factur-X) to align with upcoming European e-invoicing regulation.

    In Quadient’s core geographies, the addressable demand for its Digital automation platform is set to grow from
    c.€6 billion in 2023 to c.€9 billion in 2027, representing a +10% CAGR, creating substantial growth opportunities in both communication and financial automation.

    To capture this growth, Quadient is strongly positioned, leveraging on:

    • a sound base of highly predictable business, with over 16,500 customers, 82% subscription-based revenue,
      and a churn rate well below 5%,
    • a highly recognized platform in financial & communication automation, and 84.5% of Saas customers,
      across three regions,
    • a fully scalable and modulable platform, for small to large customers, driving new client acquisition (+2,600 in FY 2024) and record cross-sell of Digital solutions into Quadient Mail customers and increased upsell opportunities among existing customers,
    • an efficient go-to-market organisation that driving a 34% year-on-year increase in bookings in Q4 2024 and +12.7% growth of ARR at the end of the year.

    Mail

    Mail revenue reached €732 million in FY 2024, down 2.5% on an organic basis (-4.6% in Q4 2024 vs. Q4 2023). The reported growth stood at +0.4%, including the contribution of Frama.

    Hardware sales recorded a minor -1.7% organic decline in FY 2024, despite a 7.3% drop registered in Q4 2024, mainly reflecting a high comparison basis related to deals signed in H2 2023.

    Subscription-related revenue (68% of Mail sales) recorded a 2.9% organic decline in FY 2024.

    EBITDA for Mail was €200 million for FY 2024. EBITDA margin reached 27.4%, down 2.5 points compared to FY 2023. Mail EBITDA margin was impacted by the dilutive effect of Frama acquisition, including integration costs. Frama’s performance is due to improve significantly from 2025 onward, with positive current EBIT already reached in FY 2024 and payback of the acquisition expected in FY 2025.

    Thanks to its strong focus on customer acquisition, Quadient’s Mail business continues to outperform the market. In Q4 2024, commercial performance remained resilient in North America, particularly in highly regulated industries where secure mail communications are key.

    As part of the customer expansion focus, outlook remains strong driven by a high customer satisfaction rate of 95.7% and robust cross-selling performance, especially in the US where a record-breaking performance in placement of Digital solutions was recorded in Q4 2024. Mail business also benefited from the positive impact of the ongoing US mailing systems decertification, though this impact is expected to conclude in Q1 2025. Lastly, Quadient aims at upgrading Frama’s installed base and initiating some cross-selling to promote its Digital offer to Frama’s customers.

    At the end of January 2025, already 42.4% of Quadient installed base has been upgraded with its newest technology.

    Lockers

    Lockers revenue reached €94 million in FY 2024, a +4.3% increase on an organic basis, with strong momentum in the latter part of the year (+8.0% in Q4 2024 vs. Q4 2023, after a strong Q3 2024, up +14.3% year-on-year) and a +5.7% increase on a reported basis compared to FY 2023, including a marginal contribution from Package Concierge.

    Subscription-related revenue was up 11.5% organically in FY 2024 (+19.6% in Q4 2024 vs. Q4 2023), benefiting from:

    • the continued strong volumes ramp up in the British and the French open networks;
    • the sustained strong momentum in the US, driven by higher monetization of usage fees;
    • a resilient performance in Japan, despite an unfavorable e-commerce environment.

    Overall, subscription-related revenue stood at 64% of total revenue in FY 2024, up from 61% in FY 2023.

    Non-recurring revenue (license & hardware sales and professional services) were down 6.8% organically in FY 2024. Hardware sales were still impacted by slower new installations in North America.

    Quadient’s global locker installed base reached c.25,700 units at the end of FY 2024, including c. 3,000 units from Package Concierge, vs. c.20,200 units at the end of FY 2023. This is reflecting an acceleration in the pace of installation of new lockers, notably in the UK, fueled by the partnerships signed by Quadient to host parcel lockers in new suitable locations.

    EBITDA for Lockers was above breakeven, at €1 million in FY 2024. EBITDA margin stood at 0.6%, up by 3.6 points compared to FY 2023. This significant profitability improvement, illustrated by a 6.7% EBITDA margin in H2 2024, was driven by growing recurring revenue and increased usage. Additionally, the revised commercial agreement with Yamato for the Japanese installed base was implemented at the beginning of H2 2023.

    As part of the customer acquisition focus, Quadient is accelerating the pace of installation for new lockers in its open networks in Europe, mostly in France and the UK, with installed base up 145% year-on-year. This is supported by the additional deals signed for premium locations (including Morrisons Daily Stores and ScotRail…). Additionally, the trend for new installations in North America has turned positive in Q4, where market share leadership position in Residences and Universities remains robust.

    As part of the customer expansion strategy, volumes from both pick-up and drop-off in European open networks saw a significant increase, growing sevenfold between Q4 2023 and Q4 2024. The momentum in North America for the locker network, particularly across the multifamily sector and higher education campuses was strong in Q4 2024. In Japan, macroeconomic conditions have impacted parcel volumes, but new initiatives, such as the new partnership with Japan Post, are aimed at driving volume growth and increasing adoption.

    REVIEW OF 2024 FULL-YEAR RESULTS

    Simplified P&L

    In € million FY 2024 FY 2023 Change
    Sales 1,093 1,062 +2.8%
    Gross profit 818 788 +3.7%
    Gross margin 74.8% 74.2%  
    EBITDA 247 244 +1.2%
    EBITDA margin 22.6% 23.0%  
    Current EBIT 146 147 (0.5)%
    Current EBIT margin 13.4% 13.8%  
    Optimization expenses and other operating income & expenses (23) (15) +58.0%
    EBIT 123 132 (7.0)%
    Financial income/(expense) (39) (31) +24.8%
    Income before tax 84 101 (16.8)%
    Share of results of associated companies 1 (0) n/a
    Income taxes (17) (17) +2.8%
    Net income of continued operations 68 84 (19.4)%
    Net income from discontinued operations (0) (14) (98.7)%
    Net attributable income 66 69 (3.4)%
    Earnings per share 1.94 2.02  
    Diluted earnings per share 1.94 2.01  
     

    Gross margin stood at 74.8% in FY 2024 slightly up compared to FY 2023, due to lower cost of sales.

    EBITDA(1) for the Group reached €247 million in FY 2024, up €3 million compared to FY 2023. EBITDA grew by 3.0% organically, driven by strong growth of 80% in Digital and improved profitability in Lockers, which more than compensated for the softer EBITDA performance in Mail. The EBITDA margin reached 22.6% in FY 2024. It was almost stable compared to FY 2023: despite the impact of the change in revenue mix and the dilutive effect of Frama acquisition, the Group EBITDA margin was supported by significant profitability gains in Digital and Lockers.

    Depreciation and amortization stood at €101 million in FY 2024, compared to €98 million in FY 2023. This slightly higher depreciation mainly reflects the increase in Lockers’ asset base.

    Current operating income (current EBIT) reached €146 million in FY 2024 compared to €147 million in FY 2023, up 2.2% on an organic basis. Current EBIT margin stood at 13.4% of sales in FY 2024 compared to 13.8% in FY 2023.

    Optimization costs and other operating expenses stood at €23 million in FY 2024, versus €15 million in FY 2023. This increase mainly relates to the write-off of an IT project, additional office optimization and Frama restructuring costs.

    Consequently, EBIT reached €123 million in FY 2024, versus €132 million recorded in FY 2023.

    Net attributable income

    Net cost of debt was up from €29 million in FY 2023 to €39 million in FY 2024, impacted by higher interest rates. The currency gains & losses and other financial items was broadly flat in FY 2024, compared to a loss of €2 in FY 2023. Overall, net financial result was a loss of €39 million in FY 2024 compared to a loss of €31 million in FY 2023.

    Income tax expense was stable year-on-year at €17 million.

    Net income from discontinued operations of the Mail Italian subsidiary was null in FY 2024, compared to a €14 million loss in FY 2023. This loss included exceptional charges related to the sale process for this subsidiary, which was sold to a local mail distribution company in October 2024.

    Net attributable income after minority interests amounted to €66 million in FY 2024 compared to €69 million in FY 2023.

    Earnings per share(2) stood at €1.94 in FY 2024 compared to €2.02 in FY 2023. The fully diluted earnings per share(2) was €1.94 in FY 2024 compared to €2.01 in FY 2023.

    Cash flow generation

    The change in working capital was a net cash inflow of €9 million in FY 2024 compared to a net cash outflow of €6 million in FY 2023, mostly reflecting the positive impact from timing on prepaid expenses and customers deposits.

    The leasing portfolio and other financing services stood at €623 million as of 31 January 2025, compared to €598 million as of 31 January 2024, up on an organic basis (i.e. excluding currency impact of €18 million) for the first time in several years thanks to good hardware placements in Mail. While generating future subscription-related revenue, this increase in lease receivables resulting from the good performance in the placement of new equipment translates into a cash outflow of
    €7 million in FY 2024. At the end of FY 2024, the default rate of the leasing portfolio stood at around 1.1% compared to c.1.3% at the end of FY 2023.

    Interest and taxes paid increased to €67 million in FY 2024 versus the amount of €55 million paid in FY 2023. The difference was mostly explained by higher interest rates in FY 2024.

    Capital expenditure reached €108 million in FY 2024, up €7 million compared to FY 2023, mostly due to UK locker open network deployment. Capex for Digital reached €24 million in FY 2024, slightly up compared to €22 million in FY 2023 and was mainly focused on R&D and platform development. Capex for Mail remained at fairly high level of €51 million
    (vs. €53 million in FY 2023), due to continued high placement of machines related to the US decertification, which is expected to end in Q1 2025. Capex for Lockers increased from €26 million to €33 million to support the ramp-up of the deployment of the open network in the UK. The sale of Frama real estate in Switzerland generated €6 million in cash inflows in FY 2024.

    All in all, cash flow after capital expenditure (free cash flow) reached €66 million in FY 2024, compared to €64 million in FY 2023.

    Leverage and liquidity position

    Net debt stood at €741 million as of 31 January 2025, a slight increase against €709 million as of 31 January 2024. In FY 2024, Quadient successfully raised approximately €325 million in new facilities, including the following transactions in H2 2024:

    • in October 2024, the Company secured EBRD financing, including a €25 million Schuldschein;
    • in December 2024, the Company secured a USD 50 million bank loan;
    • in January 2025, Quadient further strengthened its financial position with the issuance of a USD 100 million USPP.

    These new facilities enabled Quadient to repay post-closing its €260 million bond due in February 2025 and settle the repayment of Schuldschein loans for €29 million, also due in early 2025. As a result of these transactions, the Company’s average debt maturity has been extended to four years as of the end of February 2025, compared to three years at the end of FY 2023.

    The leverage ratio (net debt/EBITDA) remained broadly stable at 3.0x(3) as of 31 January 2025 compared to 2.9x(3) as of 31 January 2024. Excluding leasing, Quadient leverage ratio remained stable at 1.7x(3) as of 31 January 2025, despite the acquisitions of Frama and Package Concierge in 2024, as well as the implementation of a share buyback programs.

    As of 31 January 2025, the Group had a strong liquidity position of €667 million, split between €367 million in cash and a €300 million undrawn credit line, maturing in 2029.

    Shareholders’ equity stood at €1,113 million as of 31 January 2025 compared to €1,069 million as of 31 January 2024. The gearing ratio(4) stood at 66.6% as of 31 January 2025.

    SHAREHOLDER’ RETURN

    Proposed dividend for FY 2024 stands at €0.70 per share, representing an 8% increase against FY 2023, and a payout ratio of 36.1% of net income, higher than Quadient’s minimum 20% pay-out ratio of net income as per the Group’s dividend policy. This represents a €0.05 year-on-year increase, for the fourth consecutive year. The dividend is subject to approval by the Annual General Meeting, scheduled for 13 June 2025, and will be paid in cash in one instalment on 6 August 2025.

    In addition, Quadient’s announced in September 2024 the launch of a share buyback program for a total consideration of up to €30 million. To date, €10 million worth of shares have been repurchased, with the program set to be executed over an
    18-month(5) period. This operation demonstrates Quadient’s confidence in the value creation potential of its “Elevate to 2030” strategic plan, its ability to reach its FY 2026 leverage ratio target(6) and is in line with the capital allocation policy of the Company, while improving shareholders’ return.

    OUTLOOK

    The evolving dynamics within Quadient’s business portfolio, characterized by strong growth in Digital and Lockers revenue alongside a moderate decline in Mail revenue, will naturally drive a year-on-year acceleration in the Company’s total revenue growth.

    As Digital and Lockers continue to expand their share of Quadient’s revenue and profit, while simultaneously improving their profitability, this shift is expected to contribute to a higher growth in current EBIT

    As a result, Quadient targets an acceleration in organic revenue growth and in current EBIT organic growth in 2025 compared to 2024.

    Quadient also confirms its 3-year guidance for the 2024-2026 period of minimum 1.5% organic revenue CAGR and minimum 3% organic current EBIT CAGR.

    Q4 2024 BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS

    Avaloq and Quadient Partner to Elevate Client Communications for Financial Services
    On 3 December 2024, Quadient and Avaloq announced today their partnership to offer unrivaled customer communications management (CCM) capabilities for the financial services industry. Avaloq has selected Quadient Inspire as its standard CCM solution, seamlessly integrating it into the Avaloq platform.

    Quadient Launches SimplyMail in Europe to Help Small Businesses Leverage Digital Solutions to Enhance Efficiency in Mail Operations
    On 11 December 2024, Quadient announced the launch in Europe of SimplyMail, a solution designed to address the growing needs for smaller businesses to automate and optimize their mail operations with ease.

    Quadient Named a Worldwide Automated Document Generation and CCM Leader by IDC
    On 12 December 2024, Quadient announced it has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Automated Document Generation and Customer Communication Management 2024 Vendor Assessment.

    Quadient Recognized in Two IDC MarketScape Reports for Accounts Receivable Automation Applications
    On 16 December 2024, announced it has been named a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Accounts Receivable Automation Applications for Small and Midmarket 2024 Vendor Assessment. Additionally, Quadient has been recognized for the first time as a Major Player in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Accounts Receivable Automation Applications for the Enterprise 2024 Vendor Assessment.

    Quadient Surpasses 25,000 Global Locker Installations with US Package Concierge Acquisition, Setting Sights on Exceeding €100M of Locker Revenue in 2025
    On 18 December 2024, Quadient announced the acquisition of US-based parcel management solutions provider Package Concierge®, exceeding the 25,000-unit mark in its global installed base. Package Concierge provides innovative digital locker technology that addresses the growing challenges of package management in residential, commercial, retail and university campuses across the United States.

    Quadient strengthens its financial position with a USD50 million bank loan from Bank of America
    On 20 December 2024, announced a USD50 million bank loan from Bank of America. This new credit facility, which comes with a 3-year maturity at a variable rate, strengthens Quadient’s financial position ahead of debt maturities due in 2025.

    Report by Leading Analyst Firm Shows Quadient Recorded the Fastest Growth in 2023 Among CCM Market Leaders
    On 10 January 2025, Quadient announced that a newly released report by market research and consulting firm IDC shows Quadient rapidly closing the gap on the top position. Quadient’s 13.7% year-on-year revenue growth in 2023 has accelerated from its 11% growth in 2022. This is also the fastest growth among the major Customer Communications Management (CCM) vendors globally, outperforming the overall market growth.

    Quadient Secures New c.$1.6 Million Contract to Enhance US Government Agency’s Mail Automation Capacity
    On 14 January 2025, Quadient announced that it has been selected by a US government agency to modernize its mail automation infrastructure in a contract valued at c.$1.6 million. This follows a previous announcement in October 2024, where Quadient was awarded a contract worth nearly $1 million for a similar modernization project with another federal agency.

    Leading Human Resources Technology Company Selects Quadient for Accessibility Compliance in Customer Communications
    On 16 January 2025, Quadient announced that a leading US provider of integrated benefits, payroll, and human resources cloud solutions has selected customer communications management (CCM) platform Quadient Inspire to ensure accessibility compliance for its US federal agency client.

    Quadient Partners with ScotRail to Introduce Parcel Lockers at Stations Across Scotland
    On 21 January 2025, Quadient announced a partnership with ScotRail to deploy Parcel Pending by Quadient automated lockers across Scotland’s rail network. ScotRail, Scotland’s national rail operator, is enhancing its passenger experience and operational efficiency with the installation of parcel lockers in its stations.

    Quadient strengthens its financial position through a USD100 million US Private Placement from MetLife
    On 22 January 2025, Quadient announced that it has signed a new USD100 million US Private Placement (USPP) with MetLife Investment Management (“MIM”), reinforcing its financial position. This new USPP of USD 100 million senior notes has a
    7-year average maturity and comes with an additional shelf facility allowing the issue of senior notes for a maximum aggregate principal amount of USD50 million.

    Quadient Teams Up with Buzz Bingo to Bring Convenient Parcel Lockers to Bingo Clubs Across the UK
    On 28 January 2025, Quadient announced a partnership with Buzz Bingo to deploy Parcel Pending by Quadient automated lockers in 35 of its 81 bingo clubs across the UK, with plans for further installations in the future. This collaboration enhances parcel collection, delivery, and return convenience while improving the customer experience at Buzz Bingo locations.

    Leading US Law Firm Chooses Quadient in a Deal Over $1M to Streamline Mailing, Shipping, and Accounting Processes
    On 30 January 2025, Quadient announced a new contract with one of the largest injury law firms in the US, transitioning the firm from its long-standing provider to Quadient. Under the new agreement, worth over 1 million dollars, the firm is rolling out nearly 100 Quadient iX-Series mailing systems at offices across the country, all seamlessly integrated with Quadient’s cloud-based S.M.A.R.T. accounting and shipping software.

    Quadient Reports Strong Year-End Locker Usage Growth in Multifamily and Higher Education Campuses in North America
    On 31 January 2025, Quadient announced strong year-end momentum in the adoption and usage of its Parcel Pending by Quadient locker network across multifamily and higher education campuses in North America.

    POST-CLOSING EVENTS

    Morrisons Partners with Quadient for Convenient Parcel Delivery at its Morrisons Daily Stores
    On 18 February 2025, Quadient announced a new partnership with Morrisons. The partnership will see Parcel Pending by Quadient parcel lockers installed at 230 Morrisons Daily stores by spring 2025.

    Quadient Enables New Shipping Service with Japan Post on its Open Locker Network, Driving Convenience and Increased Parcel Volume
    On 3 March 2025, Quadient announced an expanded partnership between Japan Post and Packcity Japan, a joint venture between Quadient and Yamato Transport. Thanks to the extended partnership, consumers will not only receive Japan Post deliveries at Packcity Japan’s nationwide open network of automated parcel lockers, but they will also now be able to ship parcels from the lockers, called PUDO stations. Consumers using Japan Post’s Yu-Pack parcel service use a mobile app to ship from a PUDO station, eliminating the need to wait at delivery counters or manually handling shipping slips.

    Quadient Maintains Leader Position on Aspire Leaderboard for Customer Communications and Interaction Experience Software
    On 13 March 2025, Quadient announced it has maintained its leadership position on the Aspire Leaderboard. Produced by independent advisory firm Aspire CCS, the Aspire Leaderboard highlights and compares vendors in the customer communications management (CCM) and customer experience management software space. It is updated in real-time as vendors release enhancements and adjust strategies.

    To know more about Quadient’s news flow, previous press releases are available on our website at the following address: https://invest.quadient.com/en/newsroom.

    CONFERENCE CALL & WEBCAST

    Quadient will host a conference call and webcast today at 6:00 pm Paris time (5:00 pm London time).

    To join the webcast, click on the following link: Webcast.

    To join the conference call, please use one of the following phone numbers:

    ▪ France: +33 (0) 1 70 37 71 66.
    ▪ United States: +1 786 697 3501.
    ▪ United Kingdom (standard international): +44 (0) 33 0551 0200.

    Password: Quadient

    A replay of the webcast will also be available on Quadient’s Investor Relations website for 12 months.


     

    Calendar

    • 3 June 2025: Q1 2025 sales release (after close of trading on the Euronext Paris regulated market)
    • 13 June 2025: Annual General Meeting

    About Quadient®

    Quadient is a global automation platform provider powering secure and sustainable business connections through digital and physical channels. Quadient supports businesses of all sizes in their digital transformation and growth journey, unlocking operational efficiency and creating meaningful customer experiences. Listed in compartment B of Euronext Paris (QDT) and part of the CAC® Mid & Small and EnterNext® Tech 40 indices, Quadient shares are eligible for PEA-PME investing.

    For more information about Quadient, visit https://invest.quadient.com/en/.

    Contacts

    APPENDIX

    Digital: New name for Intelligent Communication Automation

    Mail: New name for Mail-Related Solutions

    Lockers: New name for Parcel Locker Solutions

    FY 2024 and Q4 2024 consolidated sales

    FY 2024 consolidated sales by geography

    In € million 2024 2023 Change Organic
    change
    North America 632 607 +4.0% +2.8%
    Main European countries(a) 369 354 +4.5% (2.0)%
    International(b) 92 101 (9.7)% (5.4)%
    Group total 1,093 1,062 +2.8% +0.4%
    1. Including Austria, Benelux, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy (excluding Mail), Switzerland, and the United Kingdom
    2. International includes the activities of Digital, Mail and Lockers outside of North America and the Main European countries

    Q4 2024 consolidated sales by Solution

    In € million Q4 2024 Q4 2023 Change Organic change
    Digital 73 65 +11.5% +10.1%
    Mail 196 196 (0.3)% (4.6)%
    Lockers 27 22 +20.2% +8.0%
    Group total 295 284 +4.1% (0.2)%
     

    Q4 2024 consolidated sales by geography

    In € million Q4 2024 Q4 2023 Change Organic
    change
    North America 171 160 +7.0% +2.5%
    Main European countries(a) 100 97 +3.3% (2.9)%
    International(b) 24 27 (10.7)% (6.9)%
    Group total 295 284 +4.1% (0.2)%
    1. Including Austria, Benelux, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy (excluding Mail), Switzerland, and the United Kingdom
    2. International includes the activities of Digital, Mail and Lockers outside of North America and the Main European countries

    Financial statements – Full-year 2024

    Consolidated income statement

    In € million FY 2024
    (period ended
    on 31 January 2025)    		 FY 2023
    (period ended
    on 31 January 2024)
    Sales 1,093 1,062
    Cost of sales (275) (274)
    Gross margin 818 788
    R&D expenses (63) (63)
    Sales and marketing expenses (287) (275)
    Administrative and general expenses (187) (176)
    Service and support expenses (116) (109)
    Employee profit-sharing, share-based payments and other expenses (10) (7)
    M&A and strategic projects expenses (8) (11)
    Current operating income 146 147
    Optimization expenses and other operating income & expenses (23) (15)
    Operating income 123 132
    Financial income/(expense) (39) (31)
    Income before taxes 84 101
    Income taxes (17) (17)
    Share of results of associated companies 1 (0)
    Net income from continued operations 68 84
    Net income of discontinued operations (0) (14)
    Net income 67 70
    Of which:

    • Minority interests
    		 1 1
    • Net attributable income
    		 66 69

    Simplified consolidated balance sheet

    Assets
    In € million    		 FY 2024
    (period ended
    on 31 January 2025)    		 FY 2023
    (period ended
    on 31 January 2024)
    Goodwill 1,131 1,082
    Intangible fixed assets 119 121
    Tangible fixed assets 170 156
    Other non-current financial assets 65 65
    Other non-current receivables 2 2
    Leasing receivables 623 598
    Deferred tax assets 38 17
    Inventories 75 67
    Receivables 240 228
    Other current assets 79 84
    Cash and cash equivalents 367 118
    Current financial instruments 1 2
    Assets held for sale 0 9
    TOTAL ASSETS 2,910 2,550
    Liabilities
    In € million    		 FY 2024
    (period ended
    on 31 January 2025)    		 FY 2023
    (period ended
    on 31 January 2024)
    Shareholders’ equity 1,113 1,069
    Non-current provisions 12 12
    Non-current financial debt 722 715
    Current financial debt 347 66
    Lease obligations 38 46
    Other non-current liabilities 3 2
    Deferred tax liabilities 101 104
    Financial instruments 5 5
    Trade payables 104 79
    Deferred income 223 212
    Other current liabilities 242 225
    Liabilities held for sale 0 15
    TOTAL LIABILITIES 2,910 2,550

    Simplified cash flow statement

     

    In €millions

    		 FY 2024
    (period ended
    on 31 January 2025)    		 FY 2023
    (period ended
    on 31 January 2024)
    EBITDA 247 244
    Other elements (15) (19)
    Cash flow before net cost of debt and income tax 233 225
    Change in the working capital requirement 9 (6)
    Net change in leasing receivables (7) (0)
    Cash flow from operating activities 235 219
    Interest and tax paid (67) (55)
    Net cash flow from operating activities 168 165
    Capital expenditure (108) (101)
    Disposal of assets 6 0
    Net cash flow after investing activities 66 64
    Impact of changes in scope (37) (5)
    Net cash flow after acquisitions and divestments 29 59
    Dividends paid (22) (21)
    Change in debt and others 219 (39)
    Net cash flow after financing activities 226 (1)
    Cumulative translation adjustments on cash (6) (2)
    Net cash from discontinued operations (1) (9)
    Change in net cash position 219 (11)

    ([1]) EBITDA = current operating income + provisions for depreciation of tangible and intangible fixed assets.
    ([2]) For the FY 2024, the average compounded number of shares is 34,114,060. Diluted number of shares is 34,486,288.
    ([3]) Including IFRS 16
    ([4]) Net debt / shareholder’s equity
    ([5]) Subject to the renewal of the share buyback authorizations at the 2025 AGM
    ([6]) FY 2026 leverage ratio excluding leasing target of 1.5x

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Pact for the Future: Countries urged to translate pledges into action

    Source: United Nations 2

    26 March 2025 UN Affairs

    UN Member States met on Wednesday for the first of three key meetings to advance a global agreement that pledges concrete actions to achieve a safer, more peaceful, sustainable and inclusive world for generations to come. 

    General Assembly President Philémon Yang convened the informal interactive dialogue on the implementation of the Pact for the Future, which covers five areas: sustainable development, international peace and security, science and technology, youth, and transforming global governance.

    It was adopted at a UN summit in September 2024 together with two annexes – a  Global Digital Compact and a Declaration for Future Generations – marking a significant step towards a renewed multilateral system.

    For a look back at our full live coverage on the day, go here.

    ‘A shared commitment’

    “The Pact for the Future is a shared commitment to a more just, sustainable and secure world. But a promise is only meaningful when it has been translated into action,” Mr. Yang told delegates gathered in the Trusteeship Council at UN Headquarters in New York.

    He recognized the complexity and unique challenges that each country will face in implementation, including least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing states. 

    Mr. Yang emphasized that implementation must reflect what works best for each nation, which requires tailored approaches that consider resource restraints and capacity gaps. 

    “To succeed, we must build an enabling environment through smart investments and right reforms,” he said, calling for closing the resource gap, flexible trade policies, and stronger international cooperation in technical assistance, capacity-building and knowledge-sharing.

    Divisions and mistrust 

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted action that has occurred since the Pact’s adoption but also the work that still lies ahead amid “a long list of challenges” that include intensifying conflicts and climate disasters.

    “Geopolitical divisions and mistrust are blocking effective action, with some actively questioning the value of international cooperation and the multilateral system itself,” he said. 

    “Meanwhile, critical funding is being drastically cut for people in desperate need – with more reductions to come,” he warned.

    Progress on peace efforts

    Mr. Guterres updated on progress in four key areas, starting with peace and security. He said the Pact represents a commitment to strengthen tools to prevent and address conflict and ensure that UN peace efforts respond to new and emerging threats.

    In this regard, he noted progress on a review of all Peace Operations, as requested in the agreement.

    “The review will be an opportunity to help adapt peace operations to today’s realities, and ensure they’re guided by clear and sequenced mandates that are realistic and achievable – with viable exit strategies and transition plans,” he said. 

    “It will also recognize the limitations of our operations where there is little or no peace to keep,” he added. 

    Fairer financial system

    Turning next to finance for development, Mr. Guterres said the UN has been working closely with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to follow-up on action points in the Pact regarding improvements to the international financial system.

    “Developing countries must be represented fairly in the governance of the very institutions they depend on,” he said.  

    The Secretary-General also has established an expert group to identify practical steps for action on debt.

    “At the same time, we will continue advocating to increase the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, making them bigger and bolder,” he said.

    “This includes both stretching their balance sheets and recapitalization. And we must ensure that concessional finance is deployed where it is most needed.”

    Meanwhile, the UN will also continue pushing forward on other priorities outlined in the Pact, including disarmament commitments around nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, lethal autonomous weapons and the growing weaponization of outer space.

    Focus on youth

    Mr. Guterres was adamant the international community must deliver for young people and generations to come. 

    He said progress is being made towards establishing a Youth Investment Platform to ensure that national funding mechanisms and investment platforms are focused on the needs of young people.

    The UN is also developing core principles to strengthen youth engagement across its work, while the Declaration on Future Generations looks to those yet to be born.

    The Secretary-General said that later this year he will appoint a Special Envoy for Future Generations to scale up these efforts.

    Closing digital divides

    His final point concerned technology, and Mr. Guterres reported that the UN is implementing the Global Digital Compact’s calls to close all digital divides and ensure everyone, everywhere, benefits from a safe and secure digital space.

    Particular focus is on Artificial Intelligence (AI), he said, and a report is being developed on voluntary financing options to help countries in the Global South to harness AI for the greater good.

    Furthermore, the zero draft of a resolution to establish the International Independent Scientific Panel on AI and convene a Global Dialogue on AI Governance was circulated last week.

    The UN chief urged the General Assembly to act swiftly to establish the Panel, ensure AI expertise and knowledge are available to all countries, and support the Global Dialogue. 

    UN taking action

    Mr. Guterres added that as the UN pushes for these priorities, the global body is also improving the efficiency and effectiveness of its operations, in line with the Pact.

    “We’re already seeing results: from speeding-up disaster assessments in the Asia-Pacific, to strengthening social security programmes in Malawi, to consolidating Information Technology functions across the UN System,” he said.

    The Secretary-General stressed that this work must continue “especially in light of the funding challenges we face,” underlining the need for support. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Missoula Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine and Fentanyl

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    MISSOULA — A Missoula man who trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced today to 120 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Andrew David Ambler, 27, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

    U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that on May 24, 2024, Ambler was arrested by members of the Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force on a parole violation for suspected drug trafficking and firearm-related offenses. Prior to being taken into custody, Ambler attempted to flee on foot while trying to get to his vehicle and discarded a backpack and a bag that were on his person.  The backpack and bag contained a loaded .22 caliber pistol, methamphetamine, and fentanyl.  A search of Ambler’s vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills, which he admitted he intended to distribute.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.  The FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psn.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dominican Republic Citizen Residing in Cleveland, Ohio, Indicted for Defrauding Grandparents from Western Pennsylvania Out of Tens of Thousands of Dollars

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Cleveland, Ohio, originally from the Dominican Republic has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of Receipt of Stolen Money that Crossed a State Border, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The five-count Indictment names Luis Alfonso Bisono Rodriguez, 34, as the sole defendant. Rodriguez was previously charged on March 21, 2025, by way of Criminal Complaint, and was arrested last week in the Cleveland area.

    As alleged in the Complaint Affidavit, Rodriguez is a member of an organized crime group operating across Pennsylvania and Ohio to defraud victims in the Western District of Pennsylvania and elsewhere out of tens of thousands of dollars pursuant to a grandparent fraud scam. As part of that scheme, scammers call a grandparent and impersonate their grandchild in a crisis such as an accident or arrest, and then ask the grandparent to send immediate financial assistance. Money from the victims was picked up in Pennsylvania and delivered by Lyft and Uber drivers to various locations in Northern Ohio, where Rodriguez was captured on surveillance videos from various retail establishments meeting the drivers and receiving the stolen money. Rodriguez then sent much of the fraud proceeds to the Dominican Republic via wire transfers, as well as deposited portions of the fraud proceeds into bank accounts.

    As alleged, between October 2024 and January 2025, at least five elderly individuals from Western Pennsylvania were victimized by the scam and defrauded out of a total of more than $50,000. The investigation has revealed that there are likely many more victims in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and other states. The Federal Bureau of Investigation asks that individuals with information about this scam and/or who believe that they or others they know may have been a victim of the scam report that fraud through the Bureau’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

    Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Pittsburgh and Cleveland offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Criminal Complaint and Indictment, with the assistance of the Parma Police Department in Northern Ohio and numerous police departments in Western Pennsylvania, including the Millcreek Township Police Department, Grove City Police Department, Scott Township Police Department, Fox Chapel Police Department, Finley Township Police Department, and Hermitage Police Department.

    An indictment and a criminal complaint are accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pittsburgh Drug Dealer Sentenced to 8.5 Years in Prison for Series of Fentanyl, Heroin, Fentanyl Analogue, and Cocaine Trafficking Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 102 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on charges of violating federal drug trafficking laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Jervey Shackelford, 45, on March 25, 2025.

    According to information presented to the Court, Shackelford delivered or attempted to deliver fentanyl and mixtures of heroin and fentanyl to an undercover officer on six separate occasions between February 2022 and June 2022 on Pittsburgh’s North Side. In October 2023, City of Pittsburgh officers executed a search warrant on Shackelford and his vehicle and recovered over 60 grams of fentanyl and 10 grams of cocaine, along with drug packaging materials. Additionally, in August 2024, City of Pittsburgh officers executed a search warrant on an apartment utilized by Shackelford, during which officers recovered 11 bricks of fentanyl and heroin and approximately 100 grams of fentanyl and a fentanyl analogue. Shackelford possessed with an intent to distribute a total of over a quarter kilogram of mixtures of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and heroin across the various incidents.

    Assistant United States Attorney Michael R. Ball prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Shackelford.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Punxsutawney Woman Sentenced for Social Security Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to five years of probation on her conviction of theft of government funds, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Patty Merlo, 66.

    According to information presented to the Court, from in and around May 2016 to in and around January 2022, Merlo embezzled and converted for her own use approximately $91,300 in Social Security payments to which she knew she was not entitled.

    Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Merlo.

    MIL Security OSI –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Spring statement: defence spending boosted as further disability benefit cuts announced

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Shampa Roy-Mukherjee, Vice Dean and Professor in Economics, University of East London

    Not even six months on from Labour’s first budget, and the world is a much-changed place. Geopolitical tensions and uncertainties, already high last year, have risen further, and with them the cost of the UK’s debt, while economic growth has stalled. As such, Chancellor Rachel Reeves has confronted an array of unpalatable choices – notably cutting disability benefits – to enable her to increase defence spending and stabilise the public finances. Here’s what our panel of experts made of the statement:

    Falling inflation wasn’t enough to prevent further disability cuts

    Shampa Roy-Mukherjee, Vice Dean and Professor in Economics, University of East London

    The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has halved the UK’s 2025 growth forecast to 1%, down from the previously projected 2%. This sluggish growth, coupled with increased borrowing costs, has effectively eliminated the government’s £9.9 billion “fiscal headroom” – its financial buffer – resulting in a £4.1 billion shortfall by 2029-30.

    There was some short-term relief in the latest inflation figures. These showed a slowdown in price rises in February (2.8% against 3% in January). The dip was caused by discounting of items like clothing. But given around half of businesses are considering price rises to combat tax hikes and the national living wage increase coming in April, this relief is likely to be short-lived. The OBR forecasts that inflation will climb back up to 3.2% this year.

    The government had previously set out its controversial plans for £5 billion in welfare cuts. But the OBR rejected the claim that the reforms would save that much, estimating the savings at £3.4 billion, leaving Reeves with a £1.6 billion shortfall. As such, she has had to announce additional welfare reforms.

    These include freezing the universal credit health element until 2030 and reducing it to £50 a week for new claimants. This is aimed at saving an additional £500 million by 2030 – and combined with other planned welfare reforms could affect more than 3 million people. But the standard allowance for universal credit will see an above-inflation increase from 2026-27 and the incomes of those with the most severe lifelong conditions will be protected.

    Civil service administrative budgets are also to be reduced – by 15% by 2029-30. This, along with other efficiency and productivity improvements, will lead to annual savings of £3.5 billion. These cuts will focus on areas like human resources, policy advice, and office management, rather than frontline services.

    The Civil Service could see 10,000 jobs axed.
    pxl.store/Shutterstock

    Reeves resorted to tricks and ‘efficiency savings’

    Steve Schifferes, Honorary Research Fellow, City St George’s, University of London

    Reeves has announced a series of tweaks to her spending plans to address the economic situation which has meant that she is in danger of breaking her self-imposed fiscal rules. The chancellor was at pains to say that these rules are “non-negotiable”.

    But these are unlikely to tackle the deeper problem – that in the short term she cannot rely on economic growth to square the circle of Labour’s three contradictory election pledges. These were more spending on public services, lower taxes and strict fiscal rules.

    The UK, in fact, is particularly vulnerable to the disruption of global trade that is likely to result from US president Donald Trump’s tariff wars. And the productivity gains from her long-term infrastructure plans will take years – if not a decade – to translate into higher growth.

    Like many chancellors, Reeves has resorted to various tricks – such as counting money moved to the defence budget to build tanks and aircraft as capital spending (and therefore exempt from the borrowing rules). And she has called for “efficiency savings” in the civil service and government departments that are unlikely to be realised.

    But the biggest savings are coming from deeper than expected cuts in disability payments and other welfare payments, reducing the income of more than 3 million people. This is upsetting many Labour MPs. Her big sweetener – £2 billion for social housing next year – is actually less than that already allocated by the previous Conservative government.

    Crucially, the further savings likely to be demanded in the spending review (announced on June 11) from unprotected departments including local government, justice and environment, will certainly look a lot like a return to austerity.

    In the end – and possibly as soon as the autumn budget – the chancellor will have to accept that as well as spending cuts, she will have to consider tax increases and possibly even a revision of the fiscal rules.

    Otherwise, she will remain at the mercy of the markets and the forecasters. Any long-term strategy will be strangled by the need to continually adjust policy to meet the fiscal “headroom” target she has set which leaves little room for manoeuvre. This requires an implausibly accurate prediction of the state of the economy in five years’ time by the OBR.

    More reaction to follow shortly.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Spring statement: defence spending boosted as further disability benefit cuts announced – https://theconversation.com/spring-statement-defence-spending-boosted-as-further-disability-benefit-cuts-announced-253149

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: When Canadian snowbirds don’t flock south, the costs are more than financial

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Valorie A. Crooks, Professor, Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University

    Every winter, hundreds of thousands of older Canadians spend the winter in the United States. But in recent weeks, we’ve seen many Canadian snowbirds shifting their attention to other matters.

    First, stories started to emerge from those who said they would no longer participate in this seasonal migration because of political events in the U.S. Another related concern was the weakened Canadian dollar. This trend has prompted some to consider selling their winter properties in the U.S.

    More recently, attention has shifted to the potential for changed border rules to lessen snowbirds’ access to the U.S. for long stays. Snowbirds are concerned about administrative and procedural requirements that may ultimately make cross-border travel less convenient.

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, some Canadian snowbirds experienced challenges crossing into the U.S. for the winter or returning to Canada. Closures of borders to non-essential travel did not dissuade some from planning to winter in the U.S.

    Drawing on research in snowbird communities, we found out that affordability and ease of movement are two important enablers of long-stay seasonal travel.

    Because of this, it’s not surprising that we’re hearing from snowbirds again in light of recent developments.

    CBC News reports on Québec snowbirds reaction to the Donald Trump administration’s new measures for travellers to the U.S.

    Economic and political disruptions

    While COVID-era travel disruptions didn’t stop some snowbirds from going south for the winter, the current economic and political disruptions are another story. Florida is a popular destination for Canadian snowbirds. In fact, a 2023 survey named eight of the 10 best American destination communities as being in Florida.

    If Canadian snowbirds are talking about cancelling travel plans and selling properties, people in Florida should be paying attention.

    Instead, in early March, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis downplayed what it would mean for Canadians to avoid travel to the state. Citing a recent tourism industry report, he noted that only 3.3 million of the 142.9 million visitors to Florida in 2024 were from Canada.

    DeSantis went on to say “that’s not much of a boycott, in my book.” But 91.5 per cent of Florida’s annual visitors were from the U.S. This means that the 2.3 per cent of visitors who were Canadian were actually a substantial portion of the states’s international visitors.

    DeSantis’s recent comments were also not in line with concerns raised during the COVID-19 pandemic that signalled substantial negative economic impacts for the state if Canadian snowbirds did not arrive for the winter.

    Community members

    Aside from these economic impacts, something we’ve learned through our years of research with Canadians who winter in the U.S. is that many become vital members of destination communities. From participating in public health outreach programs to volunteering at local hospitals, our research has shown that many embrace opportunities to be active in the places they reside for the winter.

    Any drop in the numbers of seasonal travellers going to U.S. destinations will have social costs for communities beyond the quantifiable economic losses.

    Many popular U.S. destination communities for snowbirds have health systems that are designed to expand and retract with dramatically different seasonal populations. Our research has observed this most closely in Yuma, Ariz., where entire areas of the main local hospital are closed in the summer and staffed seasonally in the winter.

    Additionally, some of the seasonal nursing staff who arrive for the winter are from Canada. Any retreat from these destinations by Canadian snowbirds may have significant implications for health systems and allied sectors. This can ultimately impact the quality of care they can provide to a more limited local patient base.

    Intangible impacts

    While the economic impacts of the seeming loss of long-stay older Canadians in these communities are important to consider, there will be other — less measurable but no less important — impacts. Just as the long friendship between the U.S. and Canada is now being tested, blended snowbird communities of older North Americans are at risk of diminishing.

    Business owners in U.S. destinations spoke up about losses when fewer Canadian snowbirds went south during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some Canadian business sectors and communities discovered opportunities emerging from these shifts in consumer’ movements.

    As snowbirds debate whether to navigate new border complexities and return to the U.S. next winter, we must be attentive to the stories behind the numbers to understand the true impacts of their decisions. And as comments made by DeSantis and other politicians have made clear, Canadian snowbirds are now faced with new economic and emotional considerations.

    Valorie A. receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, BC Women’s Health Research Institute and MITACS.

    Jeremy Snyder receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

    – ref. When Canadian snowbirds don’t flock south, the costs are more than financial – https://theconversation.com/when-canadian-snowbirds-dont-flock-south-the-costs-are-more-than-financial-252125

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s push for AI deregulation could put financial markets at risk

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Sana Ramzan, Assistant Professor in Business, University Canada West

    As Canada moves toward stronger AI regulation with the proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA), its southern neighbour appears to be taking the opposite approach.

    AIDA, part of Bill C-27, aims to establish a regulatory framework to improve AI transparency, accountability and oversight in Canada, although some experts have argued it doesn’t go far enough.

    Meanwhile, United States President Donald Trump’s is pushing for AI deregulation. In January, Trump signed an executive order aimed at eliminating any perceived regulatory barriers to “American AI innovation.” The executive order replaced former president Joe Biden’s prior executive order on AI.



    Read more:
    How the US threw out any concerns about AI safety within days of Donald Trump coming to office

    Notably, the U.S. was also one of two countries — along with the U.K. — that didn’t sign a global declaration in February to ensure AI is “open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure and trustworthy.”

    Eliminating AI safeguards leaves financial institutions vulnerable. This vulnerability can increase uncertainty and, in a worst-case scenario, increase the risk of systemic collapse.



    Read more:
    The Paris summit marks a tipping point on AI’s safety and sustainability

    The power of AI in financial markets

    AI’s potential in financial markets is undeniable. It can improve operational efficiency, perform real-time risk assessments, generate higher income and forecast predictive economic change.

    My research has found that AI-driven machine learning models not only outperform conventional approaches in identifying financial statement fraud, but also in detecting abnormalities quickly and effectively. In other words, AI can catch signs of financial mismanagement before they spiral into a disaster.

    In another study, my co-researcher and I found that AI models like artificial neural networks and classification and regression trees can predict financial distress with remarkable accuracy.

    Artificial neural networks are brain-inspired algorithms. Similar to how our brain sends messages through neurons to perform actions, these neural networks process information through layers of interconnected “artificial neurons,” learning patterns from data to make predictions.

    Similarly, classification and regression trees are decision-making models that divide data into branches based on important features to identify outcomes.

    Our artificial neural networks models predicted financial distress among Toronto Stock Exchange-listed companies with a staggering 98 per cent accuracy. This suggests suggests AI’s immense potential in providing early warning signals that could help avert financial downturns before they start.

    However, while AI can simplify manual processes and lower financial risks, it can also introduce vulnerabilities that, if left unchecked, could pose significant threats to economic stability.

    The risks of deregulation

    Trump’s push for deregulation could result in Wall Street and other major financial institutions gaining significant power over AI-driven decision-making tools with little to no oversight.

    When profit-driven AI models operate without the appropriate ethical boundaries, the consequences could be severe. Unchecked algorithms, especially in credit evaluation and trading, could worsen economic inequality and generate systematic financial risks that traditional regulatory frameworks cannot detect.

    Algorithms trained on biased or incomplete data may reinforce discriminatory lending practices. In lending, for instance, biased AI algorithms can deny loans to marginalized groups, widening wealth and inequality gaps.

    In addition, AI-powered trading bots, which are capable of executing rapid transactions, could trigger flash crashes in seconds, disrupting financial markets before regulators have time to respond. The flash crash of 2010 is a prime example where high-frequency trading algorithms aggressively reacted to market signals causing the Dow Jones Industrial Average to drop by 998.5 points in a matter of minutes.

    Furthermore, unregulated AI-driven risk models might overlook economic warning signals, resulting in substantial errors in monetary control and fiscal policy.

    Striking a balance between innovation and safety depends on the ability for regulators and policymakers to reduce AI hazards. While considering financial crisis of 2008, many risk models — earlier forms of AI — were wrong to anticipate a national housing market crash, which led regulators and financial institutions astray and exacerbated the crisis.

    A blueprint for financial stability

    My research underscores the importance of integrating machine learning methods within strong regulatory systems to improve financial oversight, fraud detection and prevention.

    Durable and reasonable regulatory frameworks are required to turn AI from a potential disruptor into a stabilizing force. By implementing policies that prioritize transparency and accountability, policymakers can maximize the advantages of AI while lowering the risks associated with it.

    A federally regulated AI oversight body in the U.S. could serve as an arbitrator, just like Canada’s Digital Charter Implementation Act of 2022 proposes the establishment of an AI and Data Commissioner. Operating with checks and balances inherent to democratic structures would ensure fairness in financial algorithms and stop biased lending policies and concealed market manipulation.

    Financial institutions would be required to open the “black box” of AI-driven alternatives by mandating transparency through explainable AI standards — guidelines that are aimed at making AI systems’ outputs more understandable and transparent to humans.

    Machine learning’s predictive capabilities could help regulators identify financial crises in real-time using early warning signs — similar to the model developed by my co-researcher and me in our study.

    However, this vision doesn’t end at national borders. Globally, the International Monetary Fund and the Financial Stability Board could establish AI ethical standards to curb cross-border financial misconduct.

    Crisis prevention or catalyst?

    Will AI still be the key to foresee and stop the next economic crisis, or will the lack of regulatory oversight cause a financial disaster? As financial institutions continue adopt AI-driven models, the absence of strong regulatory guardrails raises pressing concerns.

    Without proper safeguards in place, AI is not just a tool for economic prediction — it could become an unpredictable force capable of accelerating the next financial crisis.

    The stakes are high. Policymakers must act swiftly to regulate the increasing impact of AI before deregulation opens the path for an economic disaster.

    Without decisive action, the rapid adoption of AI in finance could outpace regulatory efforts, leaving economies vulnerable to unforeseen risks and potentially setting the stage for another global financial crisis.

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

    – ref. Trump’s push for AI deregulation could put financial markets at risk – https://theconversation.com/trumps-push-for-ai-deregulation-could-put-financial-markets-at-risk-251208

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deadly impacts of childhood stunting can be prevented, WFP insists

    Source: United Nations 2

    26 March 2025 Humanitarian Aid

    Childhood stunting from malnutrition is a global but preventable problem if adequate investment can be found, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Wednesday, amid chronic funding shortages that threaten essential feeding programmes.

    Child wasting is the deadliest form of malnutrition and it’s often seen in places of conflict, economic instability and climate crisis, the UN agency told aid leaders gathered in Paris for the fourth Nutrition for Growth Summit.

    Around 33 million children suffer from wasting in the 15 nations most affected. More than $1 billion is needed to support WFP‘s work to combat malnutrition, the agency said.

    “We must prevent child malnutrition before it ever takes hold,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. “If we fail to act, we are condemning millions of children to a lifetime of suffering. WFP has the knowledge and tools to stop malnutrition in its tracks – what we need is investment and political will.”

    WFP underscored the need to target pregnant women for additional nutritional support because malnutrition often begins during pregnancy, causing half of all deaths among children under five.

    Those who survive face impaired physical and brain development, weakened immune systems, stunted growth and limiting brain development. 

    Humanitarian success story

    In 2024, WFP prevented wasting in nearly 14 million mothers and children by providing fortified foods, nutrition-rich supplements, cash or vouchers for meals and food baskets.

    Despite these successes, the global funding crisis for humanitarian and development work threatens initiatives targeting malnutrition.

    In Yemen, where up to a third of under-fives suffer from wasting, WFP’s only prevention programme implemented in the last 12 months will end in May – unless additional funding is forthcoming.  

    On the brink of famine

    In Sudan, clashes in Zamzam camp, in the North Darfur region, have forced WFP to pause its food assistance for displaced civilians.

    Some two million Sundanese are currently experiencing famine – or are on the brink of famine.

    Without urgent funding, WFP will be compelled to suspend nutrition assistance in April for another two million, including refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. ​

    Funding cuts have also had a severe impact on vulnerable populations in hunger-struck Afghanistan, where three out of four families have to borrow money to be able to afford basic groceries.

    Ensuring humanitarian access

    In Jordan, WFP has already slashed monthly cash assistance by one third for the 119,000 Syrian refugees in the Zaatari and Azraq camps.

    Last month in crisis-hit Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, WFP said it urgently needed $3.9 to prevent the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) from closing down in the next three months.

    The only available aviation support serving the capital Port-au-Prince, the WFP-operated service is crucial in flying in aid workers and delivering supplies to hard-to-reach areas, guaranteeing uninterrupted access for humanitarians.

    WFP said that investing in malnutrition prevention not only improves health but also makes economies stronger.   

    “Low and middle-income countries lose an average of 10 per cent of GDP due to malnutrition through increased healthcare costs and lowered human capital,” WFP said in a statement.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM District 142 Convention Showcases Rising Airline Member Solidarity

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM District 142 recently held its first convention in Las Vegas in six years. The conference featured speakers, including IAM International President Brian Bryant, IAM General Secretary-Treasurer Dora Cervantes, and IAM Air Transport Territory General Vice President Richie Johnsen, along with other union leaders and industry experts. Many discussions encompassed the recent political climate, including negotiations under the Railway Labor Act, and the importance of member education.

    Watch the video report here.

    Delegates also voted on bylaws to shape the district’s future for the next four years. The leadership headed by District 142 President and Directing General Chair John Coveny emphasized the convention’s role in preparing for upcoming negotiations and legislative challenges. The convention aimed to engage members, set future goals, and strengthen the district.

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: JMU announces Dr. James C. Schmidt as seventh president

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HARRISONBURG, Va., March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — James Madison University has announced that Dr. James C. Schmidt will serve as the university’s next president. Earlier today the JMU Board of Visitors voted to affirm his appointment.  

    Schmidt has over 30 years of experience working in higher education and currently serves as the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; he has been in this role since 2013. 

    During his tenure, UW-Eau Claire has been ranked among the top 10 regional public universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report. It was named the top masters-level university for excellence in undergraduate research by the Council for Undergraduate Research in 2016 and is currently the only master’s-level university in Wisconsin among the top 20 nationally for student participation in study abroad. UW-Eau Claire has produced two Rhodes scholars since 2005 and leads master’s level institutions in Wisconsin and Minnesota in the number of Fulbright students.  

    In addition to UW-Eau Claire’s national recognition, Schmidt has been a stellar fundraiser and visionary for elevating academic excellence. He recently brought in one of the largest gifts in Wisconsin history at $70 million to help construct an indoor athletics facility and event center. Even more relatable to JMU, they are set to complete a 330,000-square-foot science and health sciences building through an innovative public-private funding partnership. 
     
    Previous tenures included service as vice president for university advancement at Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota, and vice president for student affairs at Riverland Community College in Austin, Minnesota. He holds a doctorate in educational policy and administration from the University of Minnesota, a master’s degree in business administration from the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Winona State University. 

    Schmidt’s appointment will begin July 1, 2025.  

    “I am honored to serve as the next president of James Madison University,” said Schmidt. “Over three decades in public higher education has prepared me to lead this great institution into the future, and I am committed to leading JMU’s vision and strategic direction, enhancing academic excellence and research, and ensuring an exceptional student experience,” added Schmidt. 

    Former JMU President Jonathan Alger announced in March 2024 that he would be stepping down as president and accepted the presidency at American University in Washington, D.C. Charlie King became JMU’s interim president on July 1, 2024. 

    “It is an honor to welcome Jim into the JMU community,” said King, the current interim president of JMU. “I look forward to our partnership in the coming months as we will collectively work to ensure this transition continues to be seamless. I take great pride in this institution and will do everything I can to support the board and our new president during this transition.”  

    Kay Coles James, chair of the search committee, said Schmidt’s strategic vision, leadership and passion for higher education were among the factors that led to his selection as the next JMU president.  

    “Jim Schmidt’s commitment to JMU’s values, bold vision-casting, student-centered outlook, and his community-building experience will be invaluable assets to lead JMU boldly into the future,” said James. 

    Rector of JMU’s Board of Visitors Suzanne Obenshain said, “We are incredibly grateful for Charlie King’s leadership during this transitional moment – particularly his never-ending commitment to JMU. Charlie has been a steady leader, and his legacy is firmly rooted throughout our campus.”  
      
    “It is an exciting time in the university’s history to welcome  Jim into the JMU community. I am confident his leadership and skillset will continue JMU’s positive momentum into the future with an entrepreneurial mindset that will encourage innovation, creativity, collaboration and big thinking,” added Obenshain. 

    Schmidt has been active in academic and athletics circles at the national level. 

    Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, a major coordinating body for the nation’s colleges and universities, said, “Higher education shapes the world for the better and helps to build America. James Madison University’s story is one of insistent progress, and this great institution will continue to prepare enlightened and productive citizens who will be well-equipped to make lasting, positive impacts on our country and beyond under Jim Schmidt’s steadfast watch.” 

    American Association of State Colleges and Universities President and CEO Charles L. Welch said, “James Madison University has long been a leader in driving transformative civic engagement and preparing its student body to be active and responsible participants in a representative democracy. Jim Schmidt is the perfect person to take that ethos one step further and ensure future Dukes are actively engaged on the local level and ready to impact our world for the common good.” 
     
    The search committee thoroughly reviewed and rated candidates for consideration and was assisted by the search firm Russell Reynolds Associates, ensuring a comprehensive and fair assessment of each candidate’s qualifications and alignment with JMU’s needs and aspirations. 

    Additional information is available here. 

    The MIL Network –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New guidance sets out rules to follow for scaffolding and skips

    Source: City of Leicester

    NEW guidance has been issued by the city council to make it clear what is expected of people who want to put up scaffolding in Leicester.

    Leicester City Council’s new policy on skips, scaffolding and hoarding licences covers a host of things which applicants or contractors must consider when applying for licences, which need to be in place before work can begin.

    The idea is to bring all of the information needed together in one place, so that it is easier for people to ensure they are complying with the rules.

    City mayor Peter Soulsby said: “Whilst we know that many scaffold companies operate responsibly, we also know that some do not. This is not acceptable – they must comply with our licensing requirements for works on the highway, and they must operate in a safe manner at all times. That’s why we have updated our policy to make sure this information is easily accessible – so that there can be no excuse for those who do not comply; and so that we can take swift action against them.”

    Deputy city mayor Cllr Elly Cutkelvin, who is responsible for regulatory services, licensing and enforcement, added: “We developed this new guidance after consulting with representatives from the scaffolding trade, who have welcomed the clarity it provides.

    “Responsible operators know that our licensing process is there for a reason – to ensure safety. This is, of course, vitally important for both members of the public and those who work in the trade.

    “If you are a householder in need of a scaffolding service, be aware that there is a lead-in time in applying for a licence, as well as a cost involved. Make sure you ask your contractor about their licence. If a quote seems too good to be true or too quick, check that they are applying for a licence and ask to see their application.”

    Scaffold licences have been needed for works on the highways for many years. The new document aims to be very clear on the requirements regarding licensing, but also sets out associated considerations – such as traffic management and how to work around existing street furniture, trees, and utilities.

    The rules include:

    • Scaffolders need to apply for a licence well in advance of the date they wish to install scaffolding on the highway, excepting genuine emergencies for safety reasons. This is to give the council time to properly consider and determine the application.
    • The application process includes the need to provide adequate supporting information, including site plans and traffic management arrangements. This is a basic requirement to demonstrate that applicants have considered the risks and have adequate safety arrangements in place.
    • There is also a section on skips, which also need to be licensed – even if they are only on the highway for a short time.

    If the terms and conditions of a licence are breached, officers from the city council initially contact the licence holder to let them know and to ask them to rectify the problem within 24 hours. A continued breach – or where there is no licence in place – can lead to prosecution.

    The guidance is available online at https://www.leicester.gov.uk/business/licences-and-permits/trade-and-industry/skips-scaffolding-and-hoarding-licensing/

    ENDS

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s purported ‘Art of the Deal’ negotiating skills aren’t likely to end the Russia-Ukraine war

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Anton Oleinik, Professor of Sociology, Memorial University of Newfoundland

    The White House says Russia and Ukraine have agreed to a ceasefire in the Black Sea, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asserting the truce was effective immediately while also accusing Russia of lying about the deal’s terms.

    Needless to say, it’s far from clear that United States President Donald Trump’s supposed “Art of the Deal” negotiating skills are enough to broker sustainable peace between Russia and Ukraine given the protagonists’ unwillingness to make concessions and the volatile nature of attempts to broker a peace agreement.

    The war waged by Russia has reached the stage where both Russian and Ukrainian officials fear losing face if they make concessions.

    Both view their enemy as an existential threat. Russian President Vladimir Putin has argued Russian defeat would spell “the end of the 1,000-year history of the Russian state,” while Zelenskyy says Russia’s protracted assault is an overt existential threat and the absence of U.S. support threatens the very survival of his country.

    Both sides have seemed prepared to fight until the bitter end. The involvement of a mediator in the form of the United States, therefore, could potentially change the deadly dynamics of the conflict.

    ‘Love to beat them’

    Trump declares being up to this formidable task. He positions himself as a mediator occupying a middle ground between the protagonists, unlike his predecessor in the Oval Office who supported Ukraine.

    In his ghost-written book The Art of the Deal, Trump claimed to enjoy these sorts of challenges:

    “In New York real estate… you are dealing with some of the sharpest, toughest, and most vicious people in the world… I happen to love to go up against these guys, and I love to beat them.”

    But if mediators, including Trump, are to successfully persuade opposing sides to make a deal, they need to properly understand each side’s motives. To what extent is each side malleable so some common ground can be found? Making a deal always requires compromises and concessions.

    Trump is well aware of this, saying recently of any prospective Russia-Ukraine agreement: “You’re going to have to always make compromises. You can’t do any deals without compromises.”

    Understanding motivations

    David McClelland’s theory of human motivation may be relevant in terms of attempts to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia. The social psychologist argued that three motives — the need for achievement, the need for affiliation and the need for power — explains most human behaviour:

    1. The need for achievement explains the desire to be productive and get results;
    2. Concern about establishing, maintaining or restoring a positive relationship with another person or people underpins the need for affiliation;
    3. The will to dominate, to have an impact on another person or people, is the essence of the need for power.

    McClelland predicted that when the need for power significantly exceeds the need for affiliation, conflicts and wars are likely. He viewed a high “power-minus-affiliation” gap as indicative of what he called the “imperial power motive syndrome.”



    Read more:
    Too much power can do very odd things to a leader’s head

    The metaphor of an empire lies at its origin. The empire’s declared mission is to enlighten, civilize and bring order to its subjects. Leaders with the imperial power motive syndrome show reformist zeal to save others, whether they like it or not.

    The social psychologist Robert Hogenraad subsequently adapted McClelland’s theory for computer-assisted content analysis by developing dictionaries of the three needs.

    If the words associated with the need for power — control, domination, victory, for example — occur more often in a text, speech or news reports than words associated with the need for affiliation — like love, family, friends — then the speaker has the imperial power motive syndrome.

    Hawks vs. doves

    My recently published analysis of war-related speeches delivered by Russian, Ukrainian, American, British and French leaders during the three years of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine gives some clues about the motivations of the parties involved.

    Compared with their western counterparts, Putin and Zelenskyy exhibit the strongest imperial power motive syndrome and are “hawks.” Their need for power, as expressed through their public speeches, significantly exceeds their need for affiliation. Trump, however, appears similar to that of his arch-rival, former president Joe Biden. Both are closer to the “dovish” end of the scale.

    The preliminary outcomes of talks on a potential ceasefire reveal the challenges faced by mediators.

    First, the talks being held in Saudi Arabia were bilateral, with American officials meeting separately with Russian and Ukrainian delegations, as opposed to trilteral.

    Second, no joint statement followed the talks, although it was widely expected.

    Third, the White House issued two separate statements, one on talks with Ukraine’s representatives and the other on discussions with Russia’s representatives.

    The Ukraine statement includes the commitment to continue the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees and the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children, whereas the statement on the talks with Russia does not mention any of this.

    This is despite the fact that the International Criminal Court has accused Putin of committing war crimes via the unlawful deportation of children.

    Trump’s antipathy toward Zelenskyy

    The prospects of a peace agreement is further complicated by the history of Trump’s attempts to broker deals in Ukraine.

    The war in Ukraine actually began in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea and a proxy war in Donbas. Trump was elected president two years later.

    His discourse about Ukraine did not differ significantly from Obama’s and Biden’s until his first impeachment in 2020 for soliciting “the interference of a foreign government, Ukraine, to benefit his re-election.”

    His call to Zelenskyy in July 2019 triggered the impeachment. He pushed for two investigations aimed at helping his re-election bid — one into Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine and another into the hack of Democratic National Committee servers in 2016 — in exchange for releasing about $400 million of military assistance already approved by Congress and inviting Zelenskyy to the White House at that time.

    During and after the first impeachment, Trump’s language on Ukraine significantly diverged from Obama’s and Biden’s. He began using words like “corruption,” “lies” and “hoax” in relation to Ukraine.

    Moving forward

    All this suggests that Trump’s first impeachment has had a lasting impact on his perception of Ukraine and its leader.

    And so in addition to dealing with two protagonists who are unwilling to make concessions, Trump as a mediator faces challenges related to his past.

    One protagonist, Zelenskyy, may unwittingly remind him of one of the darkest moments in his political career — his first impeachment. This fact should be kept in mind when trying to make sense of the treatment received by Zelenskyy during his most recent visit to the White House and Trump’s references to him as a “dictator.”

    To truly succeed in mediation, Trump must move forward, leaving biases and prejudices related to Ukraine and its leader in the past. But can he?

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

    – ref. Trump’s purported ‘Art of the Deal’ negotiating skills aren’t likely to end the Russia-Ukraine war – https://theconversation.com/trumps-purported-art-of-the-deal-negotiating-skills-arent-likely-to-end-the-russia-ukraine-war-252666

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Nobody should be destitute in a modern Scotland

    Source: Scottish Greens

    26 Mar 2025 Human Rights

    Scotland has the keys to ending destitution – it is time our government unlocked the doors.

    More in Human Rights

    The Scottish Government must do more to end destitution for people living under the thumb of the hostile environment, says Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman.
     
    The Green MSP will use a Member’s Business Debate today to call on the Scottish Government to go further in its work to end destitution.
     
    Ms Chapman will call for commitments to five tangible actions to end destitution, including: widening access to universal services and benefits, expanding support for Fair Way Scotland – a partnership that provides advice and accommodation for people with restricted or uncertain eligibility to public funds, creating a new Scottish crisis or hardship grant, and increasing funding for housing, immigration and asylum legal aid.
     
    Ms Chapman said:

    “Right now in Scotland, thousands of people who live in dire conditions are shut out of services and left struggling. Without support, they regularly go cold and hungry. Many are forced into precarious work and dangerous situations to make ends meet, often ending up homelessness.
     
    “We cannot undo all of the damage being done by Westminster, but we have the power to alleviate some of these challenges and change these lives for the better. Unfortunately the Scottish Government isn’t doing nearly enough.
     
    “If we don’t intervene, the cycle of destitution, suffering and exploitation will simply continue.”

    No Recourse to Public Funds is a condition attached to work, family and study visas which restricts access to a lot of aspects of social security, including Universal Credit and child benefit and a range of other support like homelessness assistance.
     
    Ms Chapman added:

    “The No Recourse to Public Funds policy is yet another arm of the UK government’s hostile and racist immigration system. We already know how to mitigate the cruelty of this policy – so we cannot continue to justify blocking people’s access to crucial services in times of desperate need.
     
    “We have universal human rights obligations to help our fellow humans, irrespective of immigration status. Our governments must go further to support those who risk fleeing from one hostile environment to simply enter another, cloaked as a sanctuary.
     
    “Tragically, people in Scotland are dying from destitution as the doors remain closed to those in need. Our government can, and must, widen access to universal services to include people who are stranded by the widest inequality and cut off by the deepest destitution.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Informal Interactive Dialogue on the Implementation of the Pact for the Future [bilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English version]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Mr. President of the General Assembly, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

    I thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this important dialogue — the first of three in the coming months. 

    From day one of the Pact for the Future’s adoption, the President has been its active champion.

    I deeply appreciate your efforts, Mr. President, and your leadership.

    Excellencies,

    Adopting the Pact was the beginning of the process, not the end. 

    Today I want to focus on what we have done over the last six months — and what we need to do.

    We face a long list of challenges.  

    Conflicts and climate disasters are intensifying.  

    The Sustainable Development Goals are far off-track — as is the funding required to achieve them.

    Geopolitical divisions and mistrust are blocking effective action, with some actively questioning the value of international cooperation and the multilateral system itself.

    But let me be very clear.  It is exactly because of these divides and these mistrusts that the Pact for the Future and the two parallel documents are more important than ever.  And the bigger the obstacle, the bigger will be my determination to make things move forward in line with the will expressed by Member States in the Summit of the Future.

    Meanwhile, critical funding is being drastically cut for people in desperate need — with more reductions to come.

    Resources are shrinking across the board — and they have been for a long time. 

    From day one of my mandate, we embarked on an ambitious agenda to become more effective and cost-effective across our organization.

    Earlier this month, I announced the “UN80” initiative to continue this work and intensify it.

    We’re reviewing efficiencies and improvements to current arrangements, the implementation of mandates handed down by Member States, and structural changes and programme realignment.

    All these will contribute for a more effective implementation of the Pact for the Future.

    Excellencies,

    We’ve wasted no time moving into the implementation phase of the Pact.

    From an operational perspective, we established a principal-level steering committee — which I chair — overseeing six working groups focused on action and reforms in key areas:

    Sustainable Development Goals acceleration…peace and security… international financial architecture…digital technologies…UN governance…and youth.

    We’ve created two task teams focusing on future generations and the need to look beyond GDP as a measure of progress and guide to policy-making. 

    And we’re establishing an internal tracking system to monitor our progress on Pact implementation.

    Today, I’d like to report on our efforts since the Pact was adopted, and outline the work ahead in four areas.

    First — peace and security.

    United Nations peace operations help safeguard people and communities in some of the most desperate corners of the world. 

    The Pact represents a commitment to strengthen tools to prevent and address conflict, to ensure that our peace efforts respond to new and emerging threats.

    In November, I issued a report on peacebuilding which included concrete suggestions to strengthen the Peacebuilding Commission and Fund. 

    We’re actively working on the second independent progress study on the positive contribution of young people to peace processes.  

    And we’re progressing on a review of all forms of Peace Operations — as requested in the Pact. 

    Our recent proposals to the Security Council regarding Haiti are a case in point where new approaches can be developed to complex security challenges.

    The review will be an opportunity to help adapt peace operations to today’s realities, and ensure they’re guided by clear and sequenced mandates that are realistic and achievable — with viable exit strategies and transition plans.

    It will also recognize the limitations of our operations where there is little or no peace to keep.

    We will also continue pushing forward on other peace-related priorities of the Pact — including disarmament commitments around nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, lethal autonomous weapons and the growing weaponization of outer space.

    And we will continue advocating — including through the intergovernmental negotiations process — for the Pact’s call to make the Security Council more representative of today’s world and more effective in the capacity to promote peace in the world.

    Second — finance for development.

    Since the Pact’s adoption, we’ve taken action on several fronts.

    For example, our Resident Coordinators and Country Teams are now mapping out how we can accelerate progress at the national levels in close cooperation with the Governments.

    We’ve begun analyzing the impact of military expenditure on the achievement of the SDGs and on our own work at the UN — with a final report out by September.

    The Expert Group called for in the Pact to develop measures of progress that go beyond Gross Domestic Product will soon be announced, and will work throughout the year before an inter-governmental process takes over in 2026.

    And we’ve been working closely with the World Bank and the IMF to follow-up on the Pact’s action points addressing improvements to the international financial system.

    Developing countries must be represented fairly in the governance of the very institutions they depend on.

    We know the environment is not favourable.

    But we must not give up.

    Since the Pact’s adoption, I have also established an expert group to identify practical steps for action on debt.

    In the coming weeks, they will propose a list of achievable outcomes — and release a full report in June in advance of the Financing for Development Conference in Spain.

    Debt relief is a central issue if we want the implementation and the Pact for the Future a reality.

    At the same time, we will continue advocating to increase the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, to make them bigger and bolder.

    This includes both stretching their balance sheets and recapitalization.

    And we must ensure that concessional finance is deployed where it is most needed.

    Many of these actions depend on decisions of other multilateral institutions and of Member States, but we will not relent in our constant advocacy for what the Pact for the Future has clearly indicated as the way to pursue.

    Three — youth and future generations 

    Our efforts must deliver for young people and the generations to come. 

    The Pact’s central promise to young people is to listen to their concerns and ideas, and including them at the decision-making table.

    Following the establishment of a UN Youth Office in 2022, young people played a key role in shaping the Pact’s priorities.

    With the Pact’s adoption, we’re now progressing towards establishing a Youth Investment Platform to ensure that national funding mechanisms and investment platforms are focused on the needs of young people.

    And we’re developing core principles to strengthen youth engagement across our work at the United Nations — including by broadening the representation of younger colleagues within our organizational structures.

    Through the Declaration on Future Generations, we’re also looking to the generations yet to be born.

    We’ve established a Strategic Foresight Network and Community of Practice, to ensure our policies, programmes and field operations are based on long-term thinking.

    And later this year, I will appoint a Special Envoy for Future Generations to scale up these efforts.

    Quatrièmement : la technologie.

    Nous mettons en œuvre les appels du Pacte mondial pour le numérique pour combler toutes les fractures numériques et veiller à ce que tout le monde puisse bénéficier d’un espace numérique sûr et sécurisé.

    L’intelligence artificielle fait l’objet d’une attention particulière.

    Nous élaborons un rapport sur les options novatrices de financement volontaire qui permettraient de renforcer les capacités en matière d’intelligence artificielle afin d’aider les pays du Sud à exploiter cette technologie au service de l’intérêt général – en tenant compte des recommandations formulées par mon Organe consultatif de haut niveau. 

    Un avant-projet de résolution visant à établir le Groupe scientifique international indépendant sur l’IA et à organiser un Dialogue mondial sur la gouvernance de l’IA a été distribué la semaine dernière – grâce au travail des co-facilitateurs, l’Espagne et le Costa Rica.

    J’invite l’Assemblée générale à agir rapidement pour mettre sur pied ce Groupe et veiller à ce que le savoir-faire et les connaissances en matière d’IA soient mis à la disposition de tous les pays – tout en soutenant le Dialogue mondial.

    L’ensemble du système de l’ONU se tient prêt à soutenir ces travaux.

    Excellences,

    Tout en défendant ces priorités, nous nous attelons par ailleurs à améliorer l’efficience et l’efficacité de nos opérations – comme l’exige le Pacte.

    L’automne dernier, nous avons entrepris une évaluation complète dans l’ensemble des entités de l’ONU afin d’exploiter le potentiel de l’innovation, de l’analyse des données, de la transformation numérique et de la prospective dans l’ensemble de nos travaux – conformément à l’initiative ONU 2.0.

    Les résultats sont déjà au rendez-vous : nous avons par exemple été capable de constater une accélération de l’évaluation des catastrophes dans la région Asie-Pacifique, un renforcement des programmes de sécurité sociale au Malawi, ou encore une consolidation des fonctions relatives à l’informatique dans l’ensemble du système des Nations Unies.

    Ces efforts, où les données sont une question essentielle pour que nous puissions faire une bien meilleure gestion de ces données – ces efforts doivent se poursuivre, en particulier au regard des problèmes de financement auxquels nous devons faire face.

    Nous comptons sur votre soutien pour mener ce travail à bien.

    Excellences,

    Alors que nous œuvrons pour remodeler le système multilatéral et ainsi relever les défis du monde d’aujourd’hui, le Pacte pour l’avenir est un rouage essentiel de ce processus de renouvellement constant.

    Nous ne pouvons pas diluer nos efforts.

    Gardons intact l’esprit et la détermination qui ont permis de forger et d’adopter le Pacte.

    Nous comptons sur vous pour éclairer, inspirer et guider le travail de mise en œuvre à venir.

    Une fois encore, merci pour vos idées et votre engagement.

    ***
    [All-English]

    Mr. President of the General Assembly, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

    I thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this important dialogue — the first of three in the coming months. 

    From day one of the Pact for the Future’s adoption, the President has been its active champion.

    I deeply appreciate your efforts, Mr. President, and your leadership.

    Excellencies,

    Adopting the Pact was the beginning of the process, not the end. 

    Today I want to focus on what we have done over the last six months — and what we need to do.

    We face a long list of challenges.  

    Conflicts and climate disasters are intensifying.  

    The Sustainable Development Goals are far off-track — as is the funding required to achieve them.

    Geopolitical divisions and mistrust are blocking effective action, with some actively questioning the value of international cooperation and the multilateral system itself.

    But let me be very clear.  It is exactly because of these divides and these mistrusts that the Pact for the Future and the two parallel documents are more important than ever.  And the bigger the obstacle, the bigger will be my determination to make things move forward in line with the will expressed by Member States in the Summit of the Future.

    Meanwhile, critical funding is being drastically cut for people in desperate need — with more reductions to come.

    Resources are shrinking across the board — and they have been for a long time. 

    From day one of my mandate, we embarked on an ambitious agenda to become more effective and cost-effective across our organization.

    Earlier this month, I announced the “UN80” initiative to continue this work and intensify it.

    We’re reviewing efficiencies and improvements to current arrangements, the implementation of mandates handed down by Member States, and structural changes and programme realignment.

    All these will contribute for a more effective implementation of the Pact for the Future.

    Excellencies,

    We’ve wasted no time moving into the implementation phase of the Pact.

    From an operational perspective, we established a principal-level steering committee — which I chair — overseeing six working groups focused on action and reforms in key areas:

    Sustainable Development Goals acceleration…peace and security… international financial architecture…digital technologies…UN governance…and youth.

    We’ve created two task teams focusing on future generations and the need to look beyond GDP as a measure of progress and guide to policy-making. 

    And we’re establishing an internal tracking system to monitor our progress on Pact implementation.

    Today, I’d like to report on our efforts since the Pact was adopted, and outline the work ahead in four areas.

    First — peace and security.

    United Nations peace operations help safeguard people and communities in some of the most desperate corners of the world. 

    The Pact represents a commitment to strengthen tools to prevent and address conflict, to ensure that our peace efforts respond to new and emerging threats.

    In November, I issued a report on peacebuilding which included concrete suggestions to strengthen the Peacebuilding Commission and Fund. 

    We’re actively working on the second independent progress study on the positive contribution of young people to peace processes.  

    And we’re progressing on a review of all forms of Peace Operations — as requested in the Pact. 

    Our recent proposals to the Security Council regarding Haiti are a case in point where new approaches can be developed to complex security challenges.

    The review will be an opportunity to help adapt peace operations to today’s realities, and ensure they’re guided by clear and sequenced mandates that are realistic and achievable — with viable exit strategies and transition plans.

    It will also recognize the limitations of our operations where there is little or no peace to keep.

    We will also continue pushing forward on other peace-related priorities of the Pact — including disarmament commitments around nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, lethal autonomous weapons and the growing weaponization of outer space.

    And we will continue advocating — including through the intergovernmental negotiations process — for the Pact’s call to make the Security Council more representative of today’s world and more effective in the capacity to promote peace in the world.

    Second — finance for development.

    Since the Pact’s adoption, we’ve taken action on several fronts.

    For example, our Resident Coordinators and Country Teams are now mapping out how we can accelerate progress at the national levels in close cooperation with the Governments.

    We’ve begun analyzing the impact of military expenditure on the achievement of the SDGs and on our own work at the UN — with a final report out by September.

    The Expert Group called for in the Pact to develop measures of progress that go beyond Gross Domestic Product will soon be announced, and will work throughout the year before an inter-governmental process takes over in 2026.

    And we’ve been working closely with the World Bank and the IMF to follow-up on the Pact’s action points addressing improvements to the international financial system.

    Developing countries must be represented fairly in the governance of the very institutions they depend on.

    We know the environment is not favourable.

    But we must not give up.

    Since the Pact’s adoption, I have also established an expert group to identify practical steps for action on debt.

    In the coming weeks, they will propose a list of achievable outcomes — and release a full report in June in advance of the Financing for Development Conference in Spain.

    Debt relief is a central issue if we want the implementation and the Pact for the Future a reality.

    At the same time, we will continue advocating to increase the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks, to make them bigger and bolder.

    This includes both stretching their balance sheets and recapitalization.

    And we must ensure that concessional finance is deployed where it is most needed.

    Many of these actions depend on decisions of other multilateral institutions and of Member States, but we will not relent in our constant advocacy for what the Pact for the Future has clearly indicated as the way to pursue.

    Three — youth and future generations 

    Our efforts must deliver for young people and the generations to come. 

    The Pact’s central promise to young people is to listen to their concerns and ideas, and including them at the decision-making table.

    Following the establishment of a UN Youth Office in 2022, young people played a key role in shaping the Pact’s priorities.

    With the Pact’s adoption, we’re now progressing towards establishing a Youth Investment Platform to ensure that national funding mechanisms and investment platforms are focused on the needs of young people.

    And we’re developing core principles to strengthen youth engagement across our work at the United Nations — including by broadening the representation of younger colleagues within our organizational structures.

    Through the Declaration on Future Generations, we’re also looking to the generations yet to be born.

    We’ve established a Strategic Foresight Network and Community of Practice, to ensure our policies, programmes and field operations are based on long-term thinking.

    And later this year, I will appoint a Special Envoy for Future Generations to scale up these efforts.

    Fourth — technology.

    We’re implementing the Global Digital Compact’s calls to close all digital divides and ensure all people benefit from a safe and secure digital space.

    Artificial Intelligence is a particular focus.

    We’re developing a report on innovative voluntary financing options for AI capacity-building to help the Global South harness AI for the greater good, taking into account the recommendations of my High-Level Advisory Body. 

    The zero draft resolution to establish the International Independent Scientific Panel on AI and convene a Global Dialogue on AI Governance was also circulated last week — thanks to the work of the co-facilitators, Spain and Costa Rica.

    I urge the General Assembly to act swiftly to establish this Panel, and ensure that AI expertise and knowledge are available to all countries, while supporting the Global Dialogue.

    The UN system stands ready to support this work.

    Excellencies,

    As we push for these priorities, we’re also improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations, as called for by the Pact.

    Last fall, we undertook a comprehensive assessment across UN entities to harness the potential of innovation, data analytics, digital transformation and foresight across our work — as called for in the UN 2.0 initiative.

    We’re already seeing results: from speeding-up disaster assessments in the Asia-Pacific, to strengthening social security programmes in Malawi, to consolidating Information Technology functions across the UN System.

    This work must continue — especially in light of the funding challenges we face.

    We’re counting on your support as we move forward.

    Excellencies,

    The Pact for the Future is an essential part of this process of constant renewal, as we re-shape the multilateral system for the challenges of today’s world.

    We cannot dilute our efforts.

    We need to sustain the same spirit and determination in which the Pact was forged and adopted.

    We count on you to inform, inspire and guide the implementation work ahead.

    Once again, thank you for your ideas and commitment. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to science/research-related bits of the Spring Statement

    Source: United Kingdom – Science Media Centre

    March 26, 2025

    Scientists comment on science related elements of the Spring Statement delivered by the Chancellor. 

    Dr Alicia Greated, Executive Director, Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE):

    “Today’s spring statement confirmed the difficult context for the upcoming spending review.  The Chancellor emphasised the importance of economic growth – and we will continue, alongside the rest of the R&D sector, to make a strong case for R&D’s role in delivering it, and for an ambitious settlement for R&D and innovation in June.  It is welcome that the chancellor recognises the importance of capital investment, which includes R&D.

    “Defence R&D is an important part of the UK research system.  It is critical that the breadth of UK R&D is supported by the UK Government if R&D is to drive economic growth and deliver wide ranging benefits to society.

    “We look forward to seeing the detail behind the fiscal measures announced today and await the detail of departmental allocations following the autumn budget last October. Proper scrutiny of R&D funding allocations is of great importance ahead of the spending review this June.”

    Dr Joe Marshall, CEO, National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB), said:

    “It was reassuring that the Chancellor acknowledged a major UK strength is our position as a ‘hub for global innovation’.  This shouldn’t be taken for granted and is the result of a strong and effective supporting ecosystem.

    “While efficiency savings in government should always be sought, and the transformation fund is a welcome initiative, it will be important to ensure that these changes are carried forward without negative impact on the research and innovation ecosystem.

    “The Chancellor has today stressed the increasing importance of defence spending in an uncertain world.  It must be remembered that research and innovation is as crucial for defence supply chains as it is to other sectors of the economy.

    “The £400m ringfenced for defence innovation, the defence growth board, and the alignment of defence spending with the industrial strategy are all positive signs that the Government recognises this – the vital role of the ecosystem that supports universities and businesses come together must be prioritised within these interventions.”

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/spring-statement-2025;

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-delivers-security-and-national-renewal-in-a-new-era-of-global-change

    Declared interests

    The nature of this story means everyone quoted above could be perceived to have a stake in it. As such, our policy is not to ask for interests to be declared – instead, they are implicit in each person’s affiliation.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Voter Contact Registry now open

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    March 26, 2025—Gatineau—Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

    The Canada Elections Act requires the CRTC to establish and maintain the Voter Contact Registry. The registry helps ensure transparency in voter contact calls made during a federal election.

    Callers who use third parties or devices to send pre-recorded messages must register with the CRTC within 48 hours of making the first call. Candidates and political parties who use their own staff or volunteers to make live phone calls do not have to register.

    To register, individuals and organizations can visit the CRTC’s website.

    Quick facts

    • The CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. The CRTC holds public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and makes decisions based on the public record.
    • Those who use a third party (also known as “calling service providers”) or automatic dialing-announcing devices to make calls and send pre-recorded messages to voters (also known as “robocalls”) must register with the CRTC.  
    • Registrations for the Voter Contact Registry close 48 hours after the federal election of April 28, 2025.
    • Canadians who suspect non-compliance can submit a complaint to the CRTC.

    Associated links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Defense Contractor MORSECORP Inc. Agrees to Pay $4.6 Million to Settle Cybersecurity Fraud Allegations

    Source: US State of Vermont

    MORSECORP Inc. (MORSE), of Cambridge, Massachusetts, has agreed to pay $4.6 million to resolve allegations that MORSE violated the False Claims Act by failing to comply with cybersecurity requirements in its contracts with the Departments of the Army and Air Force.  

    The settlement resolves allegations that MORSE submitted false or fraudulent claims for payment on contracts with the Departments of the Army and Air Force, and that those claims were false or fraudulent because Morse knew it had not complied with those contracts’ cybersecurity requirements. As part of the settlement, MORSE admitted, acknowledged and accepted responsibility for the following facts:

    • From January 2018 to September 2022, MORSE used a third-party company to host MORSE’s emails without requiring and ensuring that the third party met security requirements equivalent to the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program Moderate baseline and complied with the Department of Defense’s requirements for cyber incident reporting, malicious software, media preservation and protection, access to additional information and equipment necessary for forensic analysis and cyber incident damage assessment;
    • The contracts required that MORSE implement all cybersecurity controls in National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-171, but from January 2018 to February 2023, MORSE had not fully implemented all those controls, including controls that, if not implemented, could lead to significant exploitation of the network or exfiltration of controlled defense information and controls that could have a specific and confined effect on the security of the network and its data;
    • From January 2018 to January 2021, despite the contracts’ system security plan requirement, MORSE did not have a consolidated written plan for each of its covered information systems describing system boundaries, system environments of operation, how security requirements are implemented and the relationships with or connections to other systems;
    • In January 2021, MORSE submitted to the Department of Defense a score of 104 for its implementation of the NIST SP 800-171 security controls. That score was near the top of the possible score range from -203 to 110. In July 2022, a third-party cybersecurity consultant notified MORSE that its score was actually -142. MORSE did not update its score in the Department of Defense reporting system until June 2023 — three months after the United States served MORSE with a subpoena concerning its cybersecurity practices.

    “Federal contractors must fulfill their obligations to protect sensitive government information from cyber threats,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “We will continue to hold contractors to their commitments to follow cybersecurity standards to ensure that federal agencies and taxpayers get what they paid for, and make sure that contractors who follow the rules are not at a competitive disadvantage.”  

    “We are pleased with today’s settlement, which further demonstrates the resolve of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division and our law enforcement partners to protect and defend the assets of the United States Army and Department of Defense,” said Special Agent in Charge Keith K. Kelly of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division Fraud Field Office. “We’re committed to protecting the warfighter and maintaining the Army’s operational readiness while holding those who engage in such acts accountable.”

    “Failure to implement cybersecurity requirements can have devastating consequences, leaving sensitive DoD data vulnerable to cyber threats and malicious actors,” said Special Agent in Charge William W. Richards of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI). “AFOSI, alongside our investigative partners and the Department of Justice, will continue to combat fraud affecting the Department of the Air Force and hold those accountable that fail to properly safeguard sensitive defense information.”

    “Protecting the integrity of Department of Defense (DoD) procurement activities is a top priority for the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” said Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Failing to comply with DoD contract specifications and cybersecurity requirements puts DoD information and programs at risk. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of false claims on DoD contracts.”

    The settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblower to receive an $851,000 share of the settlement amount. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Berich v. MORSECORP Inc. et al., No. 23-cv-10130 (D. Mass.).  

    The settlement announced today was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, with assistance from the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Fraud Field Office, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, DCIS and the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General. The matter was handled by Brian LaMacchia, Chief of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Julien Mundele in the U.S. Attorney’s Office and DOJ Senior Trial Counsel Christopher Terranova. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Medicare Advantage Provider Seoul Medical Group and Related Parties to Pay Over $62M to Settle False Claims Act Suit

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Seoul Medical Group Inc. and its subsidiary Advanced Medical Management Inc., headquartered in California, have agreed to pay $58,740,000 and their former president and majority owner, Dr. Min Young Cha, has agreed to pay $1,760,000 for allegedly violating the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false diagnosis codes for two spinal conditions to increase payments from the Medicare Advantage program. Renaissance Imaging Medical Associates Inc., a California-based radiology group that worked with Seoul Medical, has also agreed to pay $2,350,000, for allegedly conspiring with Seoul Medical Group in connection with the false diagnoses for the two spinal conditions.

    Under Medicare Advantage, also known as the Medicare Part C program, Medicare beneficiaries have the option of enrolling in managed care insurance plans called Medicare Advantage Plans (MA Plans) and the MA Plans contract with healthcare providers, such as Seoul Medical Group, to provide the Medicare-covered benefits. MA Plans are paid a per-person amount to provide the care to their enrollees and, in turn, the MA Plans pay the providers. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the Medicare program, adjusts the payments to MA Plans based on demographic information and the health diagnoses of each plan beneficiary. The adjustments are commonly referred to as “risk scores.” In general, a beneficiary with diagnoses that are more expensive to treat will have a higher risk score, and CMS will make a larger risk-adjusted payment to the MA Plan for that beneficiary.

    Seoul Medical Group is a healthcare provider that started in 1993 in Los Angeles and has since expanded into at least six states and has employed at times 150 primary care providers and 1,000 specialists. Dr. Min Young Cha started Seoul Medical Group and until 2023 was president and majority owner.

    Allegedly, from 2015 to 2021, Seoul Medical Group and Dr. Cha submitted diagnoses for two severe spinal conditions, spinal enthesopathy and sacroiliitis, for patients who did not suffer from either of these conditions. When Seoul Medical Group was questioned by an MA Plan about its use of spinal enthesopathy, Seoul Medical Group enlisted the assistance of Renaissance Imaging Medical Associates to create radiology reports that appeared to support the spinal enthesopathy diagnosis. Both diagnoses resulted in an increase in payment from CMS to the MA Plan, and the MA Plan then passed along a portion of the increased payment to Seoul Medical Group.

    “Medicare Advantage is a vital program for our seniors and the government expects healthcare providers who participate in the program to provide truthful and accurate information,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s result sends a clear message to the Medicare Advantage community that the United States will zealously pursue appropriate action against those who knowingly submit false claims for taxpayer funds.”

    “My office is committed to ensuring that healthcare providers are held accountable for unlawful misrepresentations to Medicare and other healthcare programs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally for the Central District of California. “As this settlement makes clear, we will diligently pursue those who defraud government programs.”

    “Providers who game the Medicare program to increase profit undermine the foundation of care and diminish patient trust in the nation’s public health care system,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and rigorously probe false claims to the fullest extent possible.”

    The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Paul Pew, the former Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Advanced Medical Management. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery.  The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Pew v. Seoul Medical Group, Inc., et al., No. 2:20-cv-05156 (C.D. Cal.). The relator’s share of the settlement has not yet been determined.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, with assistance from the Department of HHS-OIG.

    The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

    The matter was investigated by Fraud Section Attorneys J. Jennifer Koh and Robbin O. Lee and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Paik for the Central District of California.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/IVORY COAST – Bishops invite “to work together to ensure that the vote on October 31 takes place peacefully”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) – “Fair, transparent, inclusive, and peaceful elections.” This is the wish of the bishops of Ivory Coast for the presidential elections on October 31.” Ivory Coast is at a crucial turning point in its history. We therefore call for strengthening its ethical foundations and democratic legitimacy by deciding to politically include all candidates for a fair, transparent, and peaceful presidential election,” said Marcellin Yao Kouadio, President of the Bishops’ Conference of Ivory Coast and Bishop of Daloa, at a press conference on March 24.The bishops called on the authorities in Abidjan to ensure a peaceful climate and an electoral process without the exclusion of any candidate. This was a clear reference to the exclusion of Laurent Gbagbo, Charles Blé Goudé, and Guillaume Soro from the recently published electoral list. Giving all candidates a chance to be elected is all the more necessary and “urgent given that national reconciliation represents a real challenge.” “Despite the government’s considerable efforts, some projects initiated for this purpose have remained like unfinished symphonies,” noted Bishop Marcellin Yao Kouadio. The bishops appealed to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to guarantee the transparency of the electoral process from beginning to end and to work for a climate of trust between political parties and citizens that ensures dialogue and fairness.Addressing the political parties, the President of the Bishops’ Conference called on them to work for national unity and put the common interest first. The media and social networks should disseminate “verified and balanced” information and refrain from any form of incitement to hatred and division. The same appeal was addressed to young people and the defense and security forces, so that they do not allow themselves to be manipulated by political actors and demonstrate professionalism and neutrality in safeguarding the electoral process. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 26/3/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/NIGERIA – Bishop Kukah: “The democratization of development leads to the development of democracy”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – “Democracy is a progressive development. Democracy gives one the opportunity to prove one’s failures and gives one a greater chance to correct past mistakes,” said Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of Sokoto in his speech at the conference to celebrate the 60th birthday of Emeka Ihedioha, former governor of Imo State, held in Abuja on March 24.”The American constitution was first written in mind to protect the white property,” Bishop Kukah explained, but over time, amendments were made that extended civil rights to the entire population.Bishop Kukah further emphasized that Africans have inherited a system “that is not ours, but we can’t say it’s not relevant to us.”In this context, the Bishop of Sokoto asked whether there are “differences between democracy in Asia and that of Africa.” The answer, he argued, lies in how well the democratic system succeeds in meeting the development needs of the population. “The democratization of development leads to the development of democracy,” Bishop Kukah emphasized. “That is if you decide to equitably democratize development, and not take every institution, university, medical school whatever to your village and if all the roads are done”. A practice often used by African leaders who favor their home regions at the expense of others. The Bishop emphasized that “if we do not have a mechanism by which we are measuring our growth, our chase for a democratic society becomes an empty chase.”Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on the other hand, emphasized in his speech that “democracy in Africa has failed because it is not African.” According to the former President, the democratic model imported from the West is in crisis because it is inconsistent with African values, culture, and ways of life. In this context, Obasanjo emphasized the need for an Africa-centric democratic system that truly benefits the people and not just a privileged elite: “Democracy is meant to be a system of government that delivers to all the people, not just a select few. But what do we have today? A government by a small number of people, for a small number of people, while the majority are deprived of their needs.” (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 26/3/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

    March 27, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: To address the environmental polycrisis, the first step is to demand more honesty

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Mike Berners-Lee, Professor of Sustainability, Lancaster University

    Minerva Studio/Shutterstock

    Climate breakdown is major threat to life as we know it, but it is just one element of a much wider environmental polycrisis that includes biodiversity loss, energy and pollution, food security, population growth and disease outbreaks. That can feel overwhelming and make people feel helpless, especially when we see that global emissions are higher than ever – even after three decades of UN climate summits.

    The good news is that, despite our failure so far, it is possible for us to do better. And the sticking point has not been lack of technology. To look for the point of maximum leverage that all of us can have, we need to look deeply into the reasons behind our frustrating lack of progress to date.

    In my new book, A Climate of Truth, I argue that society radically needs to become more honest. In politics, media and business. The worst failure in our attempts to tackle the world’s environmental and societal problems have deceit at their core.

    By holding power to account, insisting on transparency and shining a light on any greenwash, we can start to build the conditions under which the quality of decision-making and action that we so desperately need can become possible at last.

    Dishonesty, to be clear, isn’t just about clearcut lies. These are just the tip of the iceberg. Just as dangerous are such techniques as subtle twists, misdirections of attention, biased selection of evidence, using loopholes and failing to call out deceitful colleagues.

    Bullshit, as defined by American professor of philosophy Harry Frankfurt, is a blend of fact and fiction concocted to persuade. The craft of misleading the public has been refined over decades by corporate interests, advertising executives, media moguls and the worst politicians for their own financial gain, social standing or power.

    Many people in the west have become careless in their requirement for this basic standard from their leaders. We have allowed a growing a false narrative, propagated by the most dishonest among us, that lies are a normal and inevitable part of everyday life. And the results of our post-truth experiment are now starting to come in, with, sadly, plenty more consequences yet to come.

    It is now high time not just for a reset on honesty, but to raise the bar beyond anything the global community has ever known. Why do we need a higher standard than ever? Because deceit throws a spanner into any decision-making process and our complex, urgent polycrisis demands the highest quality, wisest decision-making that we can possibly attain.

    How can we achieve a culture of basic honesty when that very complexity makes deceit easier than ever? The answer is to create a high enough price for being caught. We need to treat deliberate deception as a form of abuse.

    Just one incident tells us that a politician does not have our best interests at heart and is unfit for office – although we might have to vote for the least un-fit politician to gradually raise the bar – plus that their colleagues who stayed quiet in the knowledge of their deceit are also unfit for office. The same goes for businesses and media. This is something we can collectively and consistently insist upon.

    The push for integrity

    In practice, the starting point is to ask the most careful and discerning questions that we can. We need to look at the track record of people, and the ownership and track records of media empires and companies.

    We need to switch wherever we can to the most honest alternatives. We can achieve that by disowning unfit politicians, starving out bad media, supporting the best media that we find, and spending our money on companies that act with integrity for a better world. We need to challenge those around us who are not so discerning and initiate conversations with friends, relatives and colleagues to encourage the quest for more truthful leadership.

    These actions are so simple yet so important because we cannot even begin to make progress without raising this standard. Whichever aspect of environmental or social change you care about most, this is your point of maximum leverage – and your route to maximum agency.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

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

    – ref. To address the environmental polycrisis, the first step is to demand more honesty – https://theconversation.com/to-address-the-environmental-polycrisis-the-first-step-is-to-demand-more-honesty-251742

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    March 27, 2025
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