NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Sets Dates for Free National Small Business Week Virtual Summit

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Small Business Administration and SCORE, mentors to America’s small businesses and an SBA resource partner, set the dates for the 2025 National Small Business Week virtual summit. The free two-day online event will take place May 6 and 7 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET and registration is required.

    The virtual summit will feature educational workshops presented by cosponsors, access to federal resources, and networking and mentorship opportunities. Participants will be able to learn about a wide range of topics including manufacturing, digital marketing, cybersecurity and AI, cryptocurrency and online business resources. A detailed agenda and list of speakers for the virtual summit will be published soon.

    “Fostering small business growth is at the heart of what we do, and the National Small Business Week virtual summit embodies that commitment,” SCORE CEO Bridget Weston said. “SCORE is proud to once again co-host this event with the SBA. We’re looking forward to this opportunity to empower entrepreneurs with the timely, useful resources and information they need to launch and grow their businesses.”

    The National Small Business Week virtual summit is part of SBA’s year-round efforts to leverage technology to reach small business owners in communities across America. An in-person, national award celebration will take place on May 5 in Washington, D.C., and local winners will be recognized at award events across the nation.

    Details on National Small Business Week, the virtual summit and registration are featured on National Small Business Week and will be updated as additional information and activities are confirmed. Local events will be featured on Find upcoming events and identifiable by searching with #SmallBusinessWeek.  

    ###

    About SCORE 

    SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, is dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals. Since 1964, SCORE has provided education and mentorship to more than 11 million entrepreneurs. SCORE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration.

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of entrepreneurship. As the leading voice for small businesses within the federal government, the SBA empowers job creators with the resources and support they need to start, grow, and expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    Cosponsorship Authorization #24-44-C. SBA’s participation in this Cosponsored Activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of any Cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Sir John Oldham appointed to help make NHS fit for the future

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Sir John Oldham appointed to help make NHS fit for the future

    Sir John Oldham is a GP by background and has very significant experience in the sphere of primary care, change management, and leading improvement programmes

    Sir John Oldham brings extensive experience of working in the health sector and will work on emerging policy to support the government on its ambition to deliver more care in the community.

    • Sir John Oldham has accepted a direct ministerial appointment to the Department of Health and Social Care.
    • Sir John will work closely with Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, to transform the health and care system and move to a Neighbourhood Health Service.

    Lord Darzi’s 2024 independent investigation of the NHS highlighted the urgent need to transform the health and care system and move to a Neighbourhood Health Service that delivers co-ordinated care closer to home, to create healthier communities, spot problems earlier, and support people to stay healthier and maintain their independence for longer. 

    Sir John is a GP by background and has very significant experience in the sphere of primary care, change management, and leading improvement programmes. He was National Clinical Lead for Quality and Productivity at the Department of Health from 2010-2013. This role has had responsibility for large scale change in the delivery of services to patients with long term conditions and redesigning the urgent care system. He has been a member of the Care Quality Commission and Chair of the Commission on Whole Person Care amongst other roles.

    The appointment is a paid role, which began on 2 December 2024 for a 12-month period. It is not a Civil Service appointment.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Are mental health conditions overdiagnosed in the UK? Two experts go head to head

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Joanna Moncrieff, Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry, UCL

    Speaking on BBC One’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Wes Streeting, the UK health secretary, expressed concerns that some mental health conditions were overdiagnosed. The Conversation asked two experts to comment on Streeting’s claim. Is the health secretary right?

    Mental distress is under-diagnosed – but over-medicalised

    Susan McPherson, Professor in Psychology and Sociology, University of Essex

    A year ago, the UK’s then prime minister, the Conservative Rishi Sunak, announced “sick note culture” had gone too far. His work and pensions secretary claimed “mental health culture”, Mel Stride, had gone too far.

    These statements merged concern about affordability of disability benefits with ideas about overdiagnosis of mental illness. This appeared to be in response to a report from the Resolution Foundation, a thinktank.

    The report said that people in their 20s were more likely to be out of work than people in their 40s. The report attributed this to an increase in young people reporting mental distress (from 24% in 2000 to 34% in 2024).

    This was used by some journalists to support the idea of young people as work-shy snowflakes feigning mental illness, which angered many including disability activists, mental health campaigners and members of the opposition Labour party.

    A year on, the UK now has a Labour government. Wes Streeting, the secretary of state for health and social care, is facing criticism for appearing to echo conservative tropes. In an interview about government plans to reduce benefits for disabled people, he agreed that overdiagnosis accounts for an increase in people on benefits due to mental illness. This appears to mirror those media stereotypes about work-shy millennials.

    If that is what Streeting meant, then the evidence is not on his side. Ten years ago, a UK national survey of psychiatric symptoms found that a third of people whose psychological symptoms were severe enough to merit a diagnosis, did not have a diagnosis.

    More recent research using the UK Longitudinal Household Study grouped people according to whether they do or do not have a psychiatric diagnosis and whether they do or do not have psychological symptoms severe enough to merit a diagnosis. The study found 12 times as many people in the “undiagnosed distress” category (with severe symptoms but no diagnosis) than the overdiagnosed category.

    The study also identified significant inequalities. People living with a disability had nearly three times the risk of undiagnosed distress compared with people without a disability.

    Women had 1.5 times the risk of undiagnosed distress compared with men. Lesbian, gay or bisexual people were 1.4 times more likely to have undiagnosed distress compared with heterosexual people. People aged 16-24 had the highest risk compared with all other age groups.

    This all suggests inequalities in undiagnosed distress are a much bigger problem than overdiagnosis in the UK. Given that many forms of support in the UK depend on having a diagnosis, undiagnosed distress probably means people are not getting the support they need.

    However, Streeting also said that too many people “just aren’t getting the support they need. So if you can get that support to people much earlier, then you can help people to either stay in work or get back to work.”

    Given this nod towards prevention and the importance of non-medical support, it is conceivable that Streeting’s sentiment may have been about “over-medicalisation” of mental distress rather than overdiagnosis. The difference is important.

    The term “diagnosis” reflects a medical model of mental illness. Many would agree that the medical idea of “diagnose and treat” does not serve people with mental distress well. This is because there is a lot of evidence suggesting the underlying causes of mental distress are social, economic, environmental or a result of past trauma.

    If Streeting had said “over-medicalised”, he would have been in tune with a growing global concern about over-medicalisation and over-use of medication to treat mental distress, a position advocated by the UN and the World Health Organization.

    Despite UK guidelines recommending psychological treatments as first line interventions for depression, antidepressant prescribing has risen 46% over the last seven years with over 85 million prescriptions in 2022-23. This alongside an increase in long-term use of psychiatric medication with no reduction in mental distress at the population level. If Streeting had said “over-medicalised”, the evidence would have been on his side.

    A mental health diagnosis is just a label – and usually an unhelpful one

    Joanna Moncrieff, Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry, UCL

    There has been a dramatic escalation in the number of people seeking treatment for mental health problems in recent years. In the year from April 2023 to 2024, 3.8 million people were in contact with mental health services in England alone, which is 40% higher than before the COVID pandemic. The figures include 1 million children. One in five 16-year-old girls is in contact with services.

    The statistics reveal a tendency to over-medicalise a variety of human problems that was supercharged by the pandemic and is likely to result in harmful effects on physical and mental health.

    What many people don’t realise about a mental health diagnosis is that it is nothing like the diagnosis of a physical condition. It doesn’t name an underlying biological state or process that can explain the symptoms someone is experiencing, as it does when someone gets a diagnosis of cancer or rheumatoid arthritis, for example.

    A mental health diagnosis doesn’t explain anything. It is simply a label that can be applied to a certain set of problems. The process by which this label is conferred is not scientific or objective and is influenced by commercial, professional and political interests.

    In most situations, giving people with mental health problems a diagnostic label is unhelpful. It convinces people they have a biological defect, it leads to ineffective and often harmful medical treatment, and most of the time, it misses the actual problems.

    Because getting a diagnosis implies you have a medical condition, it misleads people into thinking that they have an underlying biological abnormality, such as a chemical imbalance, even though there is no good evidence that mental disorders are caused by underlying brain or bodily dysfunctions. Research has shown this makes people pessimistic about their chances of recovery and less likely to improve.

    Being diagnosed often leads to being prescribed a psychiatric drug, such as an antidepressant. About 8.7 million people in England now take an antidepressant, half of them on a long-term basis.

    Prescriptions for other drugs, such as stimulants (prescribed for a diagnosis of ADHD), are also rising fast, even leading to medication shortages. Yet the evidence that any of these drugs improve people’s wellbeing or ability to function is minimal. Moreover, like all substances that alter our normal biological make-up, particularly those that interfere with brain function, they cause side-effects and health risks.

    Antidepressants can cause severe and prolonged withdrawal symptoms, sexual dysfunction (which may persist) and emotional numbing or apathy, among other unwanted effects. Stimulants can cause cardiovascular problems and neurological conditions. The widespread, unwarranted prescribing of these drugs will adversely affect the health of the population.

    Giving people a diagnosis can also obscure the nature of the person’s underlying problems and prevent these from being addressed.

    Mental health problems are often meaningful reactions to stressful circumstances, such as financial, housing and relationship problems and experiences of abuse, trauma, loneliness and lack of meaning. Reducing over-medicalisation doesn’t necessarily mean fewer services. What we need is different services that provide appropriate support for people’s actual problems, not treatment for medical labels.

    We also need ways to excuse people from responsibilities when necessary, without making them feel like they have to take on a “sick” role that implies they are forever ill and helpless.

    Much of today’s employment is poorly paid, insecure, boring, exploitative and pressurising. It shouldn’t surprise us that some people find it hard to endure. We need to improve working conditions for everyone, but we also need to support people who find these conditions especially challenging, without having to label them as sick.

    Joanna Moncrieff is or has been a co-investigator on grants funded by the UK’s National Institute of Health Research and the Australian government Medical Research Future Fund for studies exploring methods of antidepressant discontinuation. She is co-chair person of the Critical Psychiatry Network, an informal and unfunded group of psychiatrists

    Susan McPherson receives funding from NIHR Applied Research Collaboration East of England. She is affiliated with the Labour Party.

    – ref. Are mental health conditions overdiagnosed in the UK? Two experts go head to head – https://theconversation.com/are-mental-health-conditions-overdiagnosed-in-the-uk-two-experts-go-head-to-head-252535

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Funding municipal priorities

    It’s no secret – Alberta’s population is growing rapidly, and there are more people relying on municipal infrastructure such as recreation centres, roads and other public spaces than ever before. Being able to meet the needs of the province’s rapidly growing population is a top priority for Alberta’s government, and this work begins with ensuring municipalities are well-positioned to support their residents.

    To strengthen municipalities’ ability to meet the needs of Alberta’s rapidly growing population, Budget 2025, if passed, increases capital funding through the Local Government Fiscal Framework (LGFF) by more than 13 per cent. This increase will provide municipalities with a predictable and reliable source of funding to help build, maintain and modernize the public infrastructure their residents depend on.

    “Alberta’s municipalities are vital to our province’s identity and success so we’re supporting their growth and prosperity. This year’s allocation of LGFF funds was predictable and will ensure municipalities can plan and execute their local priority infrastructure needs. This will put our municipal partners in the best position to advance the public infrastructure that their residents require.”

    Ric McIver, Minister of Municipal Affairs

    Alberta’s government introduced LGFF to provide a more predictable, legislated municipal infrastructure funding model that is tied to provincial revenues, as municipalities had requested. This means when provincial revenues increase, municipal funding will also increase three years later. This change ensures that municipalities can predict how much funding they will receive through LGFF a year and a half in advance so they can plan their capital expenditures with certainty.

    “We are pleased to see LGFF funding increase by $98 million in fiscal year 2025-26, in accordance with the agreed-upon formula. Our 264 member communities appreciate every dollar they receive from the provincial government for municipal infrastructure projects, especially as Alberta’s population continues to grow by leaps and bounds. We look forward to continuing our discussions with the Government of Alberta about how best to grow municipal infrastructure investments to meet the needs of our growing communities.”

    Tyler Gandam, president, Alberta Municipalities

    In 2025, LGFF capital funding is increasing from $722 million to $820 million, providing municipalities across the province with more resources to advance their local priorities. In 2026, LGFF funding will decrease about 2.5 per cent to $800 million, and is projected to then increase again in 2027 to about $871 million.

    “The Local Government Fiscal Framework is an important resource for mid-sized cities across the province in our capital planning, and we appreciate the Government of Alberta’s increase in LGFF in Budget 2025. Mid-sized cities look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the government to address critical infrastructure needs in our growing communities.”

    Mayor Jeff Genung, chair, Mid-sized Cities Mayors Caucus, and mayor, Town of Cochrane

    Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.

    Quick facts

    • The Local Government Fiscal Framework Act was passed in the Alberta legislature in December 2019.
    • The LGFF provides funding for local infrastructure priorities in cities, towns, villages, summer villages, municipal districts and counties, and Metis Settlements across Alberta.

    Related news

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada commits up to $7 million to support community infrastructure in the Regional District of Nanaimo

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, March 19, 2025 — Today, the Honourable Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities announced a federal investment of up to $7 million for the Ravensong Aquatic Centre Expansion project in British Columbia through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program.

    The expanded facility, which is owned and operated by the Regional District of Nanaimo, will be doubled in size and will include a new pool area as well as modernized change rooms. This space will connect rural and urban residents of the Oceanside area with publicly accessible and affordable aquatics programming. Once complete, this project will improve community services while meeting the Canada Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Standard V4.

    The federal government recognizes the importance of community spaces and remains committed to strengthening and revitalizing Canadian communities, ensuring we remain connected through common interest and shared spaces.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada commits up to $20 million to support community infrastructure in Thunder Bay

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Thunder Bay, March 19, 2025 — Today Minister Patty Hajdu, Ashley Larose, Chief Executive Officer of Science North, and James Lundrigan, Chair of the Board of Trustees for Science North, announced a federal investment of up to $20 million for a science centre in Thunder Bay, through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program.

    This project will support a net-zero science centre attraction in Thunder Bay, designed to the Canadian Green Building Council’s Zero Carbon Building Standard (V4) and provide accessible community services to 67,500 people annually, including populations experiencing higher needs.

    The centre will offer high-quality cultural, recreational, and science-based experiences developed through extensive consultation with Indigenous communities, leaders, and advisors. The centre will also use green energy, including a heating and cooling system that uses geothermal power from Lake Superior.

    The federal government recognizes the importance of community spaces and remains committed to strengthening and revitalizing Canadian communities, ensuring we remain connected through common interest and shared spaces.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Investing in Canada’s hydrogen potential

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Supporting HTEC’s construction of a hydrogen liquefier facility in British Columbia

    March 19, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario

    Canada has a long and proud history of being a reliable global supplier of energy. As the world looks for dependable energy partners, the government is ensuring Canada continues to lead. That is why we are investing in projects that make our economy cleaner and stronger.

    Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced a $49 million investment in HTEC through the Strategic Innovation Fund. It will support the company’s $472 million project to build and operate a facility that will capture and liquefy 15 tonnes per day of industrial by-product hydrogen in North Vancouver, turning waste into a valuable, clean fuel.

    The facility will allow for cost-effective distribution of low-carbon hydrogen to HTEC’s refuelling station network in British Columbia and Alberta. It is a key component of HTEC’s H2 Gateway program, which includes up to 20 hydrogen refuelling stations, three hydrogen production facilities and a fleet of 100 hydrogen heavy-duty fuel cell electric trucks. The project will also bring significant benefits to British Columbia by maintaining up to 500 jobs and supporting co-op hiring and collaborations within the hydrogen ecosystem.

    Once completed, the North Vancouver project will be the first full value chain ecosystem for heavy-duty fuel cell electric trucks in Canada. Over the next three decades, global demand for clean hydrogen is expected to increase tenfold. Matching supply and demand for hydrogen will facilitate the large-scale adoption of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles. This will not only decarbonize commercial trucking but also help position Canada as a leader in hydrogen technologies and sustainable practices.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Monday, March 24: IAM Union, NFFE-IAM, Labor Allies to Celebrate Federal Workers Outside L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station (Entrance C- 9th Street NW/L’Enfant Plaza)

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    WASHINGTON, March 19, 2025—The IAM Union (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers), the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM), along with labor and community allies, will host an event to celebrate the contributions of federal workers on Monday, March 24, 2025, during peak morning commute hours outside the L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station (Entrance C- 9th Street NW/L’Enfant Plaza).

    Federal workers are the backbone of our nation, providing essential services that keep our country running. They are healthcare professionals caring for our military veterans, wildland firefighters protecting our lives and property, and park rangers watching after our national treasures. The IAM Union, America’s largest defense labor union, has the highest percentage of military veteran members in the labor movement.

    Event Details:

    • What: IAM Union, NFFE-IAM, labor and community allies to host a visibility event to thank federal workers
    • When: Monday, March 24, 2025, from 7 to 9 a.m.
    • Where: Outside the L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station (Entrance C- 9th Street NW/L’Enfant Plaza)
    • Who: IAM Union, NFFE-IAM, labor allies, and community supporters
    • RSVP: Reporters interested in attending can RSVP by emailing Bethany Shelton at bshelton@iamaw.org.

    Volunteers will distribute informational materials, engage with commuters, and hold signs thanking federal workers. Members of Congress, elected officials, and local community leaders are invited to attend this event.

    “Federal employees dedicate their lives to serving the American people, often under challenging circumstances,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “It’s crucial that we take time to recognize their hard work and commitment, not just on special occasions, but every day. They are going through a difficult time. We are proud to support them with a simple thank you.”

    The IAM Union invites members of the media to attend and cover this event. Visuals and interview opportunities will be available.

    “Federal workers are the unsung heroes who keep our government functioning,” said Randy Erwin, National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM). “They deserve our respect, our support, and fair treatment. This event is a small way to show our appreciation for their dedication and service.”

    The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries. 

    goIAM.org | @MachinistsUnion

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Grave of lost Scottish soldier of World War One identified in France

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Grave of lost Scottish soldier of World War One identified in France

    The previously unmarked grave of an Edinburgh man of the 1st (Royal) Dragoons has now been identified and marked more than a century after his death.

    Musician Benjamin Kinch of the Household Cavalry (Crown Copyright)

    A rededication service for Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) George Rankeillor was organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘War Detectives’. The service was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Feuchy Chapel British Cemetery, France, this morning (19 March 2025). 

    JCCC Caseworker, Alexia Clark, said: 

    I am grateful to the researcher who submitted this case. Their work has led us to recognise the final resting place of L/Cpl Rankeillor, to restore his name to him and to allow his family to honour his sacrifice. It has been a privilege for me to have contributed to this case and to have organised the service for the rededication of this grave today. 

    L/Cpl George Rankeillor 17 January 1897 – 11 April 1917 

    George Rankeillor was born in Edinburgh in 1897 to George senior, a rubber worker, and his wife Julia McDonald. He was the second eldest of 10 children. Unfortunately, very little survives to tell us about his young life, or his army service, but we know that he arrived in France as a Private serving with the Royal Dragoons on 5 October 1915. 

    By 1917 George had been promoted to Lance Corporal, and at the beginning of April he was with his unit on the outskirts of Arras. It was bitterly cold, snowing and the war diary records blizzard conditions. During this time, the area came under very heavy shell fire, the Royal Dragoons were relatively lightly affected losing 68 horses and just two men. George was one of the two men killed. 

    In October 1919 two casualties of the 1st (Royal) Dragoons were recovered from unmarked field graves just north of Feuchy Chapel. One was identified as Private (Pte) J. Jordan who had died on 11 April 1917 whilst the other could only be identified as a member of the Royal Dragoons. 

    Recently, following a submission to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, all the records were drawn together for the first time and interrogated as one. This showed that Pte Jordan and the unknown soldier were buried in the same field grave, and therefore most likely died together. With only one man of the Royal Dragoons still missing from this area on this day, it has finally been possible to prove that the unknown soldier is L/Cpl George Rankeillor of the 1st (Royal) Dragoons. 

    The service was supported by the British Embassy and serving soldiers from the Household Cavalry.

    The military party, including a representative of the British Embassy, stand in the cemetery (Crown Copyright)

    Reverend Thomas Sander, Chaplain to the Household Cavalry, who led the service said: 

    It is an honour to officiate at these services of rededication for fallen servicemen who gave their lives in the service of our country. In these services we unite their final resting place with their earthly name and, what was once known only to God, is now known in the sign of all. May their names be held in everlasting remembrance, and may they rest in peace and rise in glory.

    The headstone was replaced by CWGC. Director for the France Area at the CWGC, Jeremy Prince, said: 

    We are honoured to mark the final resting place of Lance Corporal George Rankeillor at our Feuchy Chapel British Cemetery. We are grateful to all those involved in helping to confirm the final resting place of this brave soldier. This rededication ensures his sacrifice is duly recognised, and we will care for his grave, in perpetuity.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine deal: Europe has learned from the failed 2015 Minsk accords with Putin. Trump has not

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Natalya Chernyshova, Senior Lecturer in Modern European History, Queen Mary University of London

    Germany’s ex chancellor, Angela Merkel, and France’s former president, François Hollande, were key to brokering the Minsk agreements. Sodel Vladyslav / Shutterstock

    The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has agreed to pause attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days following a phone call with his American counterpart, Donald Trump. On social media, Trump said the call was “very good and productive” and came “with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a complete ceasefire”.

    This optimism is misplaced. The White House did not mention that Putin issued additional conditions for a ceasefire. The Kremlin demands that Ukraine be effectively disarmed, leaving it defenceless against a Russian takeover. Such terms would be unacceptable to Ukraine and its European partners.

    At this juncture, Trump and his negotiators would do well to ponder why previous attempts to restrain Russia and secure a lasting peace for Ukraine did not succeed.

    This war did not start when shells began to rain on Kyiv in February 2022. Russia had already been waging an undeclared war on its neighbour for nearly eight years in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas, where pro-Russian proxy forces have been stoking up trouble in the border regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.

    Attempts to end the fighting there were made in September 2014 and February 2015, when Russia and Ukraine signed ceasefire agreements during negotiations in Minsk, Belarus.

    Both sets of Minsk agreements proved to be non-starters. The fighting in the region rumbled on until it culminated in Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The accords stored problems for the future.

    Russia-backed separatists have controlled the south-eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk since 2015.
    Viacheslav Lopatin / Shutterstock

    Minsk-1 and Minsk-2

    The first Minsk protocols were signed in 2014 by Russia, Ukraine, separatists from Donbas and representatives from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The agreement provided for an immediate ceasefire monitored by the OSCE, the withdrawal of “foreign mercenaries” from Ukraine and the establishment of a demilitarised buffer zone.

    But Moscow also insisted that Kyiv grant temporary “special status” to the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, the two separatist regions in Donbas. Instead of helping Ukraine regain control over its eastern territories, the agreement allowed the Russia-backed rebels to hold local elections and legalised them as a party to the conflict.

    The ceasefire collapsed within days of signing. The provisions that sought to demarcate the lines of the conflict and give Ukraine back control over its eastern border were not observed by the rebels, and fighting intensified during the winter.

    With the death toll rising, the leaders of France and Germany rushed to broker a fresh round of negotiations in February 2015. The resulting accords, which were known as Minsk-2, also failed to bring peace.

    Russia and its proxy militants in Donbas immediately and repeatedly violated its terms. Astonishingly, Minsk-2 did not even mention Russia, despite it signing the protocols. Moscow continued to deny its involvement in eastern Ukraine, while stepping up armed assistance to the rebels.

    Kyiv was saddled with peace terms that were impossible to implement unless Ukraine was prepared to throw away its sovereignty. Minsk-2 stipulated that the “special status” of the eastern separatist regions was to become permanent, and that the Ukrainian constitution was to be amended to allow for “decentralisation” of power from Kyiv to the rebel regions.

    These regions were to be granted autonomy in financial matters, responsibility for their stretch of the border with Russia, and the right to conclude foreign agreements and hold referenda. To undercut Ukrainian independence further, a neutrality clause inserted into its constitution would effectively bar the country’s entry into Nato.

    Understandably, no one in Kyiv rushed to implement these self-destructive terms. In an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel in 2023, Volodymyr Zelensky said that when he became Ukraine’s president in 2019 and examined Minsk-2, he “did not recognise any desire in the agreements to allow Ukraine its independence”.

    Russia-backed separatists in Sloviansk, a city in Donetsk Oblast, in 2014.
    Fotokon / Shutterstock

    Zelensky’s comment points to the fundamental flaw of the Minsk-2 agreement. Its western brokers failed to recognise that Russian war aims were irreconcilable with Ukrainian sovereignty. Moscow’s objective from the start was to use Donbas to destabilise the government in Kyiv and gain control over Ukraine.

    Western peacemakers searched for a compromise, but the Kremlin used Minsk-2 to advance its goals. As Duncan Allan of the Chatham House research institute noted in 2020: “Russia sees the Minsk agreements as tools with which to break Ukraine’s sovereignty.” The war in Donbas raged on and, by 2020, had claimed 14,000 lives, with 1.5 million people becoming refugees.

    Germany’s ex-chancellor, Angela Merkel, a key broker, subsequently defended the Minsk agreements. She said they bought Kyiv time to arm itself against Russia. It was a costly purchase. Minsk-2 froze the conflict in one locality rather than ended it. And it encouraged Russia, paving the way for a full-scale invasion.

    Emphasising Ukrainian sovereignty

    The existential differences between Ukraine and Russia that plagued the Minsk agreements remain today. Ukraine has demonstrated its resolve to defend its sovereignty, while Russia’s invasion in 2022 testifies to its determination to squash Ukrainian resolve. The timing of the attack so close to the seventh anniversary of Minsk-2 adds grim emphasis to that point.

    This clash of objectives must be addressed head-on in any peace negotiations. The only way to secure lasting peace in Europe is to avoid rewarding the aggressor and punishing its victim.

    The Kremlin has already openly declared that it sees Trump-led brokerage as the west’s acknowledgement of Russian strategic superiority. It needs to be disabused of this notion. As argued by Nataliya Bugayova, a fellow at the Institute for the Study of War, the war is not lost yet. Russia is far from invulnerable, and it can be made to accept defeat.

    But for any agreement to be effective, there can be no ambiguity or middle ground on the subject of Ukrainian sovereignty. It must be protected and backed by security guarantees.

    So far, the Trump administration has shown little understanding of this. But ten years down the line from Minsk-2, Europeans have finally grasped it.

    Finland’s president, Aleksander Stubbs, told reporters on March 19 that Ukraine must “absolutely” not lose sovereignty and territory. And, on the day Trump and Putin had their discussion, Germany’s parliament voted for a massive boost in defence spending – another indicator that Europeans are no longer taking Putin on trust.

    Natalya Chernyshova received funding from the British Academy during 2020-2022.

    – ref. Ukraine deal: Europe has learned from the failed 2015 Minsk accords with Putin. Trump has not – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-deal-europe-has-learned-from-the-failed-2015-minsk-accords-with-putin-trump-has-not-252540

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: If we fully engage with how generative AI works, we can still create original art

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Anthony Downey, Professor of Visual Culture, Birmingham City University

    Even before the recent protest by a group of well-known musicians at the UK government’s plans to allow AI companies to use copyright-protected work for training, disquiet around artists’ rights was already growing.

    In early February, an open letter from artists around the world called on Christie’s auction house to cancel a sale of art created with the assistance of generative AI (GenAI). This is a form of artificial intelligence that creates content – including text, images, or music – based on the patterns learned from colossal data sets.

    Without giving specific examples, the letter suggested that many of the works included in the sale, which was entitled “Augmented Intelligence” were “known to be trained on copyrighted work without a licence” and suggested that such sales further “incentivises AI companies’ mass theft of human artists’ work”.

    This article is part of our State of the Arts series. These articles tackle the challenges of the arts and heritage industry – and celebrate the wins, too.

    If we think about Dall-E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion, all of which use text prompts to generate images and are trained on data sets harvested from online sources, the letter raised significant issues about the nature of artistic creativity and how the legal concept of “fair use” and originality is applied in such cases.

    These are complex debates, encompassing perennial misgivings about machine automation, intellectual property (IP), and the cherished ideal that ingenuity and originality remain the sole preserve of humanity.

    How to think from within GenAI

    The impact of AI on the creative industries has become a major issue in the UK and elsewhere, so much so that we are faced with an existential question: how do we understand the evolving impact of AI on human creativity today?

    The scope of this enquiry reveals a simple fact: we need to develop more accessible and inclusive ways to think from within AI image processing models. This is exactly what my latest research, produced in collaboration with the acclaimed artist and photographer Trevor Paglen, proposes.

    How, this research asks, do we better understand the mechanisms behind the collation and labelling of the data sets that are used to train AI? And how, in turn, can we create new ways for understanding the extent to which AI image-production models inform our experience the world?

    It is, I argue, through the development of interdisciplinary research methods that draw upon the arts and humanities that we can critically engage with these concerns.

    Although the open letter addressed to Christie’s alluded to these topics, it did not, perhaps unsurprisingly, observe the degree to which some of the more prominent artists in the Augmented Intelligence sale had actively engaged in providing visual methods and insights into how GenAI functions.

    It is notable that Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst’s work xhairymutantx scrutinises how the data sets used in AI models of image production both define and transform images. For example, if you type the word “Holly Herndon” into Midjourney, it will produce images that are based on data sets derived from Herndon’s online presence.

    To draw attention to, and simultaneously disrupt, this process, the artists generated their own data sets of images and labelled them “Holly Herndon”. The images in these data sets had been previously manipulated to emphasise certain qualities associated with Herndon (her red hair, for example). Once fed back into the AI image processing model, the ensuing images of “Holly Herndon” became evermore outlandish and exaggerated.

    This clearly shows that AI image processing is a highly inconsistent and selective procedure that can be manipulated with ease.

    If we consider how models of AI image processing are used in facial recognition and drone technologies – often with fatal consequences – this is an urgent concern.

    Reflecting upon aerial photography in his work Machine Hallucinations – ISS Dreams, artist and data visualisation pioneer Refik Anandol used a data set of 1.2 million images collated by the International Space Station (ISS). Alongside other satellite images of Earth, he produced an AI-generated composition.

    Employing generative adversarial networks (GANs) – an AI model that trains neural networks to recognise, classify and, crucially, generate new images – Anandol effectively produced a unique landscape that changes over time and never seems to repeat itself.

    In both these examples, artists are not simply engaging in either “mass theft” or using AI models that have been trained on large data sets to mechanically produce images. They are explicitly drawing attention to how the data sets used to train AI can be both strategically engineered and actively disrupted.

    In our recent book (to which I contributed as editor and author), Trevor Paglen, whose work was not in the Christie’s sale, reveals how data sets regularly produce disquieting, hallucinatory allegories of our world.

    Given that GANs are trained on specific data sets and do not experience the world as such, they often produce hallucinatory and uncanny versions of it. Although often considered to be a fault or a glitch in the system, the event of hallucination, as Paglen demonstrates, is nevertheless central to GenAI.

    In images such as Rainbow, which was produced using a data set created and labelled by Paglen, we see a ghostly image of our world that discloses the inner, latent mechanics of image production in GANs.

    Paglen’s practice, alongside that of Dryhurst, Herndon and Anandol, defines a clear distinction between those artists who casually use AI to generate yet more images and those who critically investigate the operative logic of AI. The latter approach is precisely what is needed when it comes to thinking through GenAI and rendering it more accountable as a technology that has evolved to define significant aspects of our lives.

    If we allow that the internal workings of AI are opaque to users and programmers alike, it is all the more crucial that we explore how art practices – and the humanities more broadly – can encourage us to think from within these unaccountable systems. In doing so we could significantly improve levels of understanding and engagement with a technology that is defining the future and our relationship to it.

    Anthony Downey 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. If we fully engage with how generative AI works, we can still create original art – https://theconversation.com/if-we-fully-engage-with-how-generative-ai-works-we-can-still-create-original-art-251993

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why nicotine pouches may not be the best choice to help you to stop smoking

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dipa Kamdar, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, Kingston University

    Evidence suggests that nicotine pouch use is becoming more popular Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock

    If you are trying to stop smoking, you may have heard of nicotine patches or gum to help reduce cravings. But how about nicotine pouches? Small, tobacco-free sachets containing a powder made up of nicotine, flavourings and other additives, nicotine patches are placed between the upper lip and gum to release a nicotine buzz without the damage to lungs.

    Nicotine pouches were first introduced to the UK market in 2019. Common brands in the UK include ZYN, Velo and Nordic Spirit. Nicotine pouches are similar to snus – loose tobacco in a pouch that is used in the same way as nicotine pouches. Although snus has been used for many years in Scandinavia, it was banned in the UK in 1992. Today’s generation of nicotine pouches are marketed as a way to get the benefits of nicotine without the harmful effects of cigarettes or vapes.

    So, are they a helpful tool for those trying to kick the habit?

    Nicotine replacement therapy

    Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is available to buy over-the-counter in the UK. Common brands include Nicorette and Niquitin. NRT comes in different forms such as patches, lozenges and chewing gum. Nicotine pouches haven’t been approved for use as NRT – so why are they becoming a popular alternative to smoking and vaping?

    Pouches are heavily marketed on social media and, unlike NRTs, they’re readily available from supermarkets and shops from as little as £5 per box. Social media influencers are sponsored to promote nicotine pouches as “clean”, discreet and convenient. They come in a wide range of flavours, from cinnamon to citrus, which attracts younger consumers.

    Recent research found that approximately 1% of adults and 1.2% of youths aged 11-18 years-old reported currently using nicotine pouches. However, over 5% of adults and more than 3% of youths said they had used these pouches at some point. Although these are relatively low figures, data shows nicotine pouches are becoming increasingly popular in the UK and US.

    Unlike NRT, nicotine pouches are classed as consumer products, so are not regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Since they do not contain tobacco, nicotine pouches cannot be regulated by the Tobacco and Related Product Regulations either. This means there is no age restriction to buy them.

    Instead, nicotine pouches are governed by the General Product Safety Regulations, which means they are not regulated as stringently as NRT. Companies producing NRTs must apply for a marketing license because medicinal products have to undergo extensive testing to show they are safe and effective. This is not the case for nicotine pouches.

    ‘Healthy’ nicotine?

    Nicotine acts on receptors in the brain, releasing chemical messengers including the “happy hormone” dopamine. These chemical messengers are responsible for the pleasurable feelings and addictive behaviour that people often experience when using tobacco or nicotine products. The faster a drug is absorbed and activates brain receptors, the higher the addiction potential.

    Research shows that nicotine is released more slowly from pouches compared to cigarettes, so it may be less addictive than cigarettes. However, pouches can also vary in the amount of nicotine they contain – evidence shows some have very high levels, higher than cigarettes and NRT.

    Pouches can be marketed as a “clean” form of nicotine consumption – but, although they are smoke-free, they can contain other chemical ingredients such as pH adjusters like sodium carbonate, which allow nicotine to be absorbed in the mouth more easily. Pouches do not contain tobacco, which contains many chemicals and cancer-causing agents. However, nicotine on its own can still be harmful.

    Common side effects of nicotine pouch use include nausea, vomiting, headaches and heart palpitations. Nicotine causes the body to release of chemicals such as adrenaline and noradrenaline. Studies show increased levels of these can raise heart rate and blood pressure and the heart’s need for oxygen.

    Animal studies suggest that nicotine use during teenage years can cause long-term changes in the brain and behaviour as well as an increased likelihood of using other drugs, lower attention levels and mood problems.

    Young people have more nicotine receptors in the areas of the brain related to reward. This makes nicotine’s effects stronger in teenagers than in adults.

    Currently there is not enough evidence to confirm nicotine pouches are harmful to oral health but dentists are concerned about their potential effects. Last year, a review found that oral side effects include dry mouth, sore mouth, blisters on the gums and sometimes changes in the gum area – such as receding gumline – where the pouches were placed. This is similar to side effects of oral NRT. Unlike NRT, which is normally used for a three-month course, pouches may be used for longer – potentially raising the risk of side effects.

    Belgium and the Netherlands have banned nicotine pouches because of the potential risks. In the UK, the new Tobacco and Vapes bill will allow the government to regulate the use of nicotine pouches so that they can only be sold to people aged 18 and older. Advertising will be banned and the content and branding regulated.

    This could be a welcome move for those concerned that nicotine pouch brands are targeting young people who’ve never smoked. But, for current smokers looking for a product to help them quit, it might be wise to opt for the regulated NRTs – even if the flavours aren’t as appealing.

    Dipa Kamdar 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. Why nicotine pouches may not be the best choice to help you to stop smoking – https://theconversation.com/why-nicotine-pouches-may-not-be-the-best-choice-to-help-you-to-stop-smoking-251856

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Evolution: features that help finding a mate may lead to smaller brains

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Benjamin Padilla-Morales, Postdoctoral Researcher of Bioinformatics, University of Bath

    Male southern elephant seals are much larger than females. Jeremy Richards/Shutterstock

    A longstanding question in evolutionary biology is how sexual selection influences how entire genomes develop. Sexual selection is where individuals with certain traits have higher reproductive success, leading to the spread of those traits throughout a species.

    A study by me and my colleagues at the Milner Centre for Evolution has uncovered a significant link between the difference in body size between males and females – known as sexual size dimorphism (SSD) – and genetic changes in mammals. These findings provide new insights into how sexual selection shapes the structure and function of the genome.

    Sexual selection is a powerful evolutionary force that influences reproductive traits. It typically acts through mate choice (intersexual selection) and competition among individuals of the same sex (intrasexual selection). Over time, these constant pressures shape genome architecture, driving rapid evolution in genes associated with reproductive success.

    This may affect the voice, body size, plumage or other feature of a species over time. In fact, such pressures may be behind a rise in height in male humans compared with females.

    Recent work highlights how sexual selection contributes to changes in the genetic blueprint (genome) and genes actively used (transcriptome).

    Many sexually dimorphic traits arise through sex-specific differences in gene expression. This allows a single shared genome to produce distinct male and female types.

    Males and females differing in body size is a common outcome of sexual selection. Some examples are the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina), domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) and northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus), where males are more than 250% heavier than females. In contrast, species such as the natal long-fingered bat (Miniopterus natalensis), humans and wombats (vombatus ursinus) show lower SSD, with males weighting less than 50% more than females.

    Male sumatran orangutans (left) are much larger than female ones (right).
    wikipedia, CC BY-SA

    A large difference often correlates with intense male-male competition, leading to the evolution of traits that enhance reproductive success, such as tall stature. However, while the impact of this difference on physical traits is well documented, its influence on genome evolution has remained largely unexplored.

    Sense of smell versus brain size

    We analysed groups of related genes called gene families across 124 mammalian species. Our study provides compelling evidence that SSD is associated with major shifts in the sizes of such families.

    Specifically, species with high SSD have an expansion of gene families linked to sense of smell. At the same time, their gene families related to brain development tend to contract.

    This suggests that in species with strong male competition, investment in traits that aid in reproductive success, such as olfactory cues for mate recognition, is prioritised over cognitive development.

    Conversely, species with low SSD show an expansion of brain-related gene families. This pattern suggests that in these mammals, natural selection may favour cognitive abilities and complex social behaviours rather than traits driven by sexual competition.

    Sexual conflict, where selection acts in opposing directions in males and females, plays an important role in genome evolution. This may involve males evolving brighter colours and outstanding features, as seen in peacocks (Pavo cristatus) and guppies (Poecilia reticulata). While these traits enhance male success by attracting females, they might also increase the risk of being spotted by predators.

    Many sex differences arise due to selection acting differently on shared genetic material, creating evolutionary tension. This can lead to sex-biased gene expression, allowing genes to function differently in males and females. This is the case for genes controlling bright colouration in guppies, for example.

    Studies have suggested that genes under strong sexual selection tend to evolve rapidly, particularly those associated with male reproductive traits, such as body size or colour. Additionally, genomic features, such as the duplication of genes, can help the evolution of sex-specific traits, helping to alleviate conflicts between the sexes.

    Our findings support these ideas by demonstrating that SSD influences gene family evolution, shaping molecular pathways critical for sexual and cognitive development.

    Evolutionary give and take

    Sexual selection does not act in isolation. It interacts with other evolutionary forces, such as natural selection and ecological pressures, to shape diversity. For example, larger body size in males may confer advantages in physical competition. But it can also increase metabolic demands and the risk of being caught by predators.

    Similarly, large brains and complex social structures may be favoured in species where cognitive abilities play a role in reproductive success, such as humans. But this comes at the cost of slower development and greater energy expenditure.

    This interplay between sexual selection and other evolutionary pressures highlights the complexity of genome evolution. Traits that provide reproductive advantages may not always align with those that enhance survival. This leads to give-and-take situations that shape species diversity over time.

    By examining the genetic underpinnings of SSD, our study provides new perspectives on how these situations play out at the molecular level. Our findings ultimately refine our understanding of how sexual selection influences genome evolution among mammals.

    Future research should explore in depth how these genomic changes influence behaviour and cognitive abilities in different species. These findings will open exciting new avenues for research, helping to answer fundamental questions about how evolution shapes biodiversity at the genetic level.

    Benjamin Padilla-Morales 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. Evolution: features that help finding a mate may lead to smaller brains – https://theconversation.com/evolution-features-that-help-finding-a-mate-may-lead-to-smaller-brains-252069

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: European defence spending: three technical reasons for political cooperation

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Francesco Grillo, Academic Fellow, Department of Social and Political Sciences, Bocconi University

    How much would it really cost the European Union to defend itself against aggression? In the immediate term, that question, of course makes us think of Russia, but we can no longer exclude multiple other possibilities, including the potential need to defend territory – say, Greenland – from a former ally.

    How much would it cost to defend Europe if we added in the need to defend the UK, Norway, Turkey or even Canada – and any other Nato country willing to pool resources to fill the void left by US disengagement? Is there an intelligent way to avoid painful trade-offs between this and, say, spending on healthcare or education?

    It looks like EU institutions are finally “doing something” (as former Italian prime minister Mario Draghi recently asked them to do). They may even break the taboo of raising common debt in order to increase spending on joint defence procurements.

    Yet, it also seems they are about to launch a plan that could change the very nature of the European Union without even tackling the question of its financial feasibility. The answer to how joint defence can be paid for certainly doesn’t come from the plan that the European Commission has unveiled on “rearming Europe”. At the very last line of that statement, a figure of €800 billion is posited, but it is not clear how the sum was calculated and quite a few critical qualifications are missing.

    The debate over how much it costs to prevent a war (which is a very different notion from fighting one), has been dominated by what I would call “the fallacy of the percentage of GDP”.

    In 2014 (at the time of Russia’s annexation of Crimea), the leaders of Nato countries agreed to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defence (specifying that retirement benefits to veterans should be included). Yet by 2022, the overall ratio for Nato defence spending had, in fact, shrunk from 2.58% of GDP to 2.51% (thanks to the sharp reduction in the percentage of GDP contributed by the US). And, according to the European Defence Agency, the EU is spending around €279 billion, which is 1.6% of its GDP. Most likely, the €800 billion figure that European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen was citing in her communique is simply an estimate of how much it would yield to increase that spending up to 2% of GDP for each of the next ten years.

    Politicians sometimes need to make back-of-the-envelope calculations, but I would argue that here it points to a much broader problem. Europe hasn’t yet bothered to try to develop a strategy for how this additional money would be spent. A proper strategy should, in fact, start from three key technical considerations. To which I would add a no-less important political one.

    1. Spending smart is better than spending big

    Technologies (including AI) are radically changing the equation. The conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza demonstrate that cheap drones are now the key to modern warfare – not super expensive F35 strike fighters. Why spend billions designing, building and maintaining 2,500 F35s when a drone the size of a mobile phone can cross enemy lines unnoticed?

    In a world in which data is a weapon, and a large-scale attack can be mounted by taking remote control of pagers, what generals call “supremacy” doesn’t necessarily belong to the biggest spender.

    Israel’s military budget is one-third that of Saudi Arabia, yet it dominates the Middle East because its perpetual state of conflict forces innovation. Russia spends less than half of the 27 EU member states, but it has much more experience in hacking other countries’ infrastructures. The EU spends as much as China, but China invests more than twice in research and development and is the world’s largest exporter of drones as a result.

    2. Spending together is better value

    The European parliament estimates that merging the 27 member states’ defence budgets would free up €56 billion (which is a third of what the defence bonds proposed by the Commission would raise).

    Yet the trend is to spend more alone than together. According to the European Defence Agency, the bloc has more than doubled its expenditure on new digital technologies; yet the percentage of that going into joint projects between member states fell from 11% before Ukraine’s invasion to 6.5% in 2023.

    Joint tech spending in Europe.
    Vision, CC BY-ND

    3. Homegrown suddenly looks safer

    Any common defence would also have to rely on “buying European” as much as possible. The F35 fighter jet is another good example here. Denmark agreed to buy 27 of them (to the tune of around €3 billion) with an idea to station four of them in Greenland. The problem is that, according to the former president of the Munich security conference Wolfgang Ischinger, they cannot even take off if remotely disabled by the US. Again, Europe is not walking the walk. The share of equipment that European nations import from the US has massively increased in the last five years.

    A new era for the union

    Defence is probably the most important issue when talking about the Europe of the future. It provides a concrete opportunity to fill a technological gap out of the necessity to do so. Spending on defence in the interests of self-protection may have longer-term benefits beyond the military arena. It has been often the case that military research leads to major breakthroughs that can applied in public services. Who knows. Military innovations with drone or AI technology on today’s battlefields could lead to beneficial uses in peace time.

    The historic opportunity to transform the way we protect ourselves may even force a radical rethinking of not just the EU treaties but of the nature of the EU. The idea of the “coalition of the willing” may, indeed, push Europe towards an alliance which does not include some of its members (such as Hungary) but does include non-members like the UK, Norway and even Turkey. New arrangements will need to be pragmatically flexible.

    Europeans need much more strategy, whereas we now largely have rhetorical announcements with little substance. And we need much more democracy. After all, defence is one of the defining dimensions of the state. Having a common defence policy in Europe could make people feel more like European citizens. But that cannot happen without engaging citizens in an intelligent debate.

    Francesco Grillo is affiliated with the think tank Vision.

    – ref. European defence spending: three technical reasons for political cooperation – https://theconversation.com/european-defence-spending-three-technical-reasons-for-political-cooperation-252410

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pittsburgh Resident Indicted on Fentanyl Trafficking Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating a federal narcotics law, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The one-count Indictment named Marc Anthony Smith, 36, as the sole defendant.

    According to the Indictment, on or about November 9, 2024, Smith knowingly possessed with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.

    The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

    An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine deal: Europe has learned from the failed 2014 Minsk accords with Putin. Trump has not

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Natalya Chernyshova, Senior Lecturer in Modern European History, Queen Mary University of London

    Germany’s ex chancellor, Angela Merkel, and France’s former president, François Hollande, were key to brokering the Minsk agreements. Sodel Vladyslav / Shutterstock

    The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has agreed to pause attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days following a phone call with his American counterpart, Donald Trump. On social media, Trump said the call was “very good and productive” and came “with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a complete ceasefire”.

    This optimism is misplaced. The White House did not mention that Putin issued additional conditions for a ceasefire. The Kremlin demands that Ukraine be effectively disarmed, leaving it defenceless against a Russian takeover. Such terms would be unacceptable to Ukraine and its European partners.

    At this juncture, Trump and his negotiators would do well to ponder why previous attempts to restrain Russia and secure a lasting peace for Ukraine did not succeed.

    This war did not start when shells began to rain on Kyiv in February 2022. Russia had already been waging an undeclared war on its neighbour for nearly eight years in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas, where pro-Russian proxy forces have been stoking up trouble in the border regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.

    Attempts to end the fighting there were made in September 2014 and February 2015, when Russia and Ukraine signed ceasefire agreements during negotiations in Minsk, Belarus.

    Both sets of Minsk agreements proved to be non-starters. The fighting in the region rumbled on until it culminated in Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The accords stored problems for the future.

    Russia-backed separatists have controlled the south-eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk since 2015.
    Viacheslav Lopatin / Shutterstock

    Minsk-1 and Minsk-2

    The first Minsk protocols were signed in 2014 by Russia, Ukraine, separatists from Donbas and representatives from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). The agreement provided for an immediate ceasefire monitored by the OSCE, the withdrawal of “foreign mercenaries” from Ukraine and the establishment of a demilitarised buffer zone.

    But Moscow also insisted that Kyiv grant temporary “special status” to the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics, the two separatist regions in Donbas. Instead of helping Ukraine regain control over its eastern territories, the agreement allowed the Russia-backed rebels to hold local elections and legalised them as a party to the conflict.

    The ceasefire collapsed within days of signing. The provisions that sought to demarcate the lines of the conflict and give Ukraine back control over its eastern border were not observed by the rebels, and fighting intensified during the winter.

    With the death toll rising, the leaders of France and Germany rushed to broker a fresh round of negotiations in February 2015. The resulting accords, which were known as Minsk-2, also failed to bring peace.

    Russia and its proxy militants in Donbas immediately and repeatedly violated its terms. Astonishingly, Minsk-2 did not even mention Russia, despite it signing the protocols. Moscow continued to deny its involvement in eastern Ukraine, while stepping up armed assistance to the rebels.

    Kyiv was saddled with peace terms that were impossible to implement unless Ukraine was prepared to throw away its sovereignty. Minsk-2 stipulated that the “special status” of the eastern separatist regions was to become permanent, and that the Ukrainian constitution was to be amended to allow for “decentralisation” of power from Kyiv to the rebel regions.

    These regions were to be granted autonomy in financial matters, responsibility for their stretch of the border with Russia, and the right to conclude foreign agreements and hold referenda. To undercut Ukrainian independence further, a neutrality clause inserted into its constitution would effectively bar the country’s entry into Nato.

    Understandably, no one in Kyiv rushed to implement these self-destructive terms. In an interview with German magazine Der Spiegel in 2023, Volodymyr Zelensky said that when he became Ukraine’s president in 2019 and examined Minsk-2, he “did not recognise any desire in the agreements to allow Ukraine its independence”.

    Russia-backed separatists in Sloviansk, a city in Donetsk Oblast, in 2014.
    Fotokon / Shutterstock

    Zelensky’s comment points to the fundamental flaw of the Minsk-2 agreement. Its western brokers failed to recognise that Russian war aims were irreconcilable with Ukrainian sovereignty. Moscow’s objective from the start was to use Donbas to destabilise the government in Kyiv and gain control over Ukraine.

    Western peacemakers searched for a compromise, but the Kremlin used Minsk-2 to advance its goals. As Duncan Allan of the Chatham House research institute noted in 2020: “Russia sees the Minsk agreements as tools with which to break Ukraine’s sovereignty.” The war in Donbas raged on and, by 2020, had claimed 14,000 lives, with 1.5 million people becoming refugees.

    Germany’s ex-chancellor, Angela Merkel, a key broker, subsequently defended the Minsk agreements. She said they bought Kyiv time to arm itself against Russia. It was a costly purchase. Minsk-2 froze the conflict in one locality rather than ended it. And it encouraged Russia, paving the way for a full-scale invasion.

    Emphasising Ukrainian sovereignty

    The existential differences between Ukraine and Russia that plagued the Minsk agreements remain today. Ukraine has demonstrated its resolve to defend its sovereignty, while Russia’s invasion in 2022 testifies to its determination to squash Ukrainian resolve. The timing of the attack so close to the seventh anniversary of Minsk-2 adds grim emphasis to that point.

    This clash of objectives must be addressed head-on in any peace negotiations. The only way to secure lasting peace in Europe is to avoid rewarding the aggressor and punishing its victim.

    The Kremlin has already openly declared that it sees Trump-led brokerage as the west’s acknowledgement of Russian strategic superiority. It needs to be disabused of this notion. As argued by Nataliya Bugayova, a fellow at the Institute for the Study of War, the war is not lost yet. Russia is far from invulnerable, and it can be made to accept defeat.

    But for any agreement to be effective, there can be no ambiguity or middle ground on the subject of Ukrainian sovereignty. It must be protected and backed by security guarantees.

    So far, the Trump administration has shown little understanding of this. But ten years down the line from Minsk-2, Europeans have finally grasped it.

    Finland’s president, Aleksander Stubbs, told reporters on March 19 that Ukraine must “absolutely” not lose sovereignty and territory. And, on the day Trump and Putin had their discussion, Germany’s parliament voted for a massive boost in defence spending – another indicator that Europeans are no longer taking Putin on trust.

    Natalya Chernyshova received funding from the British Academy during 2020-2022.

    – ref. Ukraine deal: Europe has learned from the failed 2014 Minsk accords with Putin. Trump has not – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-deal-europe-has-learned-from-the-failed-2014-minsk-accords-with-putin-trump-has-not-252540

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Changes to passport application fees

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Changes to passport application fees

    The government will introduce new fees for passport applications on 10 April 2025.

    Image: Getty Images

    The proposals, which are subject to approval by Parliament, will include the following:

    • the fee for a standard online application made from within the UK will rise from £88.50 to £94.50 for adults and £57.50 to £61.50 for children
    • postal applications will increase from £100 to £107 for adults and £69 to £74 for children
    • the fee for a Premium Service (1 day) application made from within in the UK will rise from £207.50 to £222 for adults and £176.50 to £189 for children
    • the fee for a standard online application when applying from overseas for a UK passport will rise from £101 to £108 for adults and £65.50 to £70 for children
    • overseas standard paper applications will increase from £112.50 to £120.50 for adults and £77 to £82.50 for children

    The new fees will help the Home Office to continue to move towards a system that meets its costs through those who use it, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation. The government does not make any profit from the cost of passport applications.

    The fees contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas, including for lost or stolen passports, and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders.

    Customers are advised that they should apply in good time before travelling.

    In 2024, where no further information was required, 99.7% of standard applications from the UK were processed within 3 weeks.

    Passport fees are reviewed in line with HM Treasury guidance.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UN Human Rights Council 58: UK Statement for the Special Rapporteur on the DPRK

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    UN Human Rights Council 58: UK Statement for the Special Rapporteur on the DPRK

    UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteur on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Eleanor Sanders.

    Thank you, Mr Vice President.

    And thank you Special Rapporteur for your report and continued efforts to maintain international focus on the ongoing, systematic human rights violations in the DPRK.

    We are pleased that the DPRK engaged with the Universal Periodic Review in November and encourage them to implement recommendations and make lasting changes for the people of the DPRK.

    We share your serious concerns at the implementation of laws that further restrict the freedom of movement, work and expression in the DPRK.

    All governments have a responsibility to uphold their obligations in line with UN Conventions and international law.

    We also urge all Member States to respect the principle of non-refoulement and to not forcibly return those who have escaped the DPRK, where they face severe threats to their safety and human rights.

    The UK supports the Special Rapporteur’s recommendation that the DPRK incorporate all sustainable development goals, particularly those aimed at supporting individuals from vulnerable groups.

    Special Rapporteur,

    How do you propose to work with the DPRK to increase access to disaggregated data to better identify the needs of the most marginalised individuals?

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 19 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: BlueShift Exits Stealth with $2.1M in Pre-Seed Funding to Enable U.S. Self-Reliance Amid Changing Energy Landscape

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, March 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BlueShift, the electrochemical climate tech innovator, today emerged from stealth with the announcement of a successful $2.1 million pre-seed funding round. ConocoPhillips Company, Ridgeline and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), with participation from others, have provided funding to enable BlueShift to begin construction of its pilot facility.

    Working out of North America’s largest climate tech incubator, Greentown Labs, and MIT’s The Engine accelerator, BlueShift will direct the bulk of its funding to the first pilot installation of its electrochemical technology in Boston Harbor.

    Combining proprietary membrane-free technology from the University of Michigan, Harvard and supported by ARPA-E—along with additive manufacturing elements and existing infrastructure—BlueShift’s innovative electrochemical systems process alkaline industrial waste and seawater to isolate critical minerals using infrastructure commonly found at desalination and power plants. As a bonus, BlueShift’s low-cost, energy-efficient technologies also extract CO2 directly from seawater as limestone, helping to address the growing environmental issue of ocean acidification.

    “BlueShift was founded with the mission of promoting economic resilience by unlocking underutilized resources using advanced technologies,” said BlueShift Founder & CEO Deep Patel. “And there is perhaps no other class of resources better positioned to benefit from this mission today than that of critical minerals and rare earth elements (REEs). Given the dramatic scale of environmental degradation, operational inefficiencies, and global trade imbalances plaguing this market, we felt it was imperative to develop a more sustainable, scalable, and geopolitically stable source of these vital resources. The result is a new system that addresses all of these issues while also offering a low-cost, energy-efficient method for direct carbon dioxide removal (CDR) from our Earth’s ailing oceans.”

    Why a New Path to Critical Mineral Extraction Is Needed Now More Than Ever

    Like most traditional mining practices, those used in the extraction of critical minerals and REEs cause significant environmental damage, including ecosystem destruction, water pollution, and toxic waste production.

    Nonetheless, multiple trillion-dollar global industries depend on these raw materials to produce everything from steel and cosmetics to advanced battery technologies. Indeed, the demand for critical minerals for clean energy technologies is expected to nearly triple by 2030.

    Adding to the challenge, China currently accounts for 70% of global REE extraction, 87% of global REE processing, and roughly two-thirds of the world’s processing and refining capacity for critical minerals. Domestic sources of these raw materials have become increasingly important for both the U.S. sustainable energy goals and national security.

    A Closer Look at BlueShift’s Electrochemical Technology

    Recognizing these problems, the BlueShift team developed its electrochemical systems to unlock resilient, rapidly scalable critical mineral supply chains. Past efforts at isolating these minerals from industrial waste have struggled to scale due to the high energy costs and intensive capital requirements associated with prevailing electrochemical processes.

    This is where BlueShift’s innovations stand apart. Using efficient, modular electrochemical units combined with the power of the ocean, BlueShift’s system is up to 10 times more energy efficient than competing technologies. Furthermore, by avoiding the use of previous materials or bipolar membranes, BlueShift’s technology requires significantly reduced capital expenditures.

    Simultaneously, these technologies offer a low-cost, energy-efficient means of combatting ocean acidification through direct carbon dioxide removal from seawater. In fact, within 14 months of its deployment, BlueShift’s Boston Harbor pilot facility is expected to see a 30x increase in total carbon dioxide removed annually.

    How BlueShift’s Technology Is Advancing the Energy Transition

    “Meeting our climate goals is going to require low-cost, large-scale carbon dioxide removal. BlueShift’s electrochemical technology is a promising new solution to this problem, while its domestic production of critical minerals could contribute to resilient supply chains for clean-energy industries,” said David Wilson, Investment Principal at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. “We’re delighted to be working with the team, as they build their company and pilot the technology in Massachusetts, and glad to have ConocoPhillips bringing its energy industry expertise and support.”

    BlueShift’s business model comprises multiple distinct revenue streams, including the sale of: critical minerals such as nickel, REE products such as neodymium and dysprosium, carbon credits, and licensing and engineering packages to utilities, desalination plants, and others.

    The BlueShift team has already secured several suppliers of input materials for the extraction of critical minerals and REE, including coal ash and olivine mining waste. Both inputs will be processed over the next three quarters as an initial go-to-market implementation of their electrochemical technology and carbon removal system. Additional capital will be used to acquire key production materials, fulfill various technical milestones, and recruit top-tier talent.

    “BlueShift raises the bar for sustainable industrial innovation—advancing domestic critical-mineral production while capturing carbon from seawater. At Ridgeline, we’re proud to back a team proving we can unlock vital resources and build a more resilient future,” said Ridgeline Co-Founder & Managing Partner Ryan Clinton.

    About BlueShift

    Founded in 2024 by a small team of academics, engineers, and climate-tech veterans, BlueShift’s mission is to cultivate economic resilience and environmental sustainability by unlocking underutilized resources with advanced technologies. The company’s electrochemical mineral extraction with carbon removal system is designed to provide more sustainable, scalable, and cost-effective access to alternative critical mineral supply chains, while simultaneously helping to combat climate change. The company utilizes a redox-based, membrane-free electrochemical process to upcycle industrial waste into critical minerals like nickel, and rare earth elements like neodymium, while capturing carbon dioxide directly from the ocean—ultimately enabling industrial sectors to access sustainable sources of these vital materials while simultaneously removing gigatons of excess carbon dioxide from the Earth’s oceans. To learn more about BlueShift, please visit http://buildblueshift.com.

    Media Contact:
    Janabeth Ward
    Scratch Marketing + Media for BlueShift
    blueshift@scratchmm.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Removes DEI From the Foreign Service

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    RESTORING THE VALUES OF INDIVIDUAL DIGNITY, HARD WORK, AND EXCELLENCE: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a memorandum removing radical “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” (DEI) from the Foreign Service.
    The memorandum directs the Secretary of State to remove the “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility” Core Precept from Foreign Service tenure and promotion criteria.
    It further directs that the U.S. government will not base Foreign Service recruitment, hiring, promotion, or retention decisions on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, nor embed discriminatory equity ideology within any element of the Foreign Service.
    Relevant agencies shall identify and take appropriate action regarding any Foreign Service Officer who knowingly and willfully engaged in illegal discrimination.
    PUTTING MERIT FIRST: President Trump believes that hiring in all parts of government should be based solely on merit.
    Under the previous administration, divisive and discriminatory policies were systematically embedded into every part of the State Department.
    Biden’s State Department conditioned eligibility for promotions on an employee’s ability to pass a DEI loyalty test.
    In 2023, Biden’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer for the State Department, Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, said: “We made the change that if you wanted to be considered for promotion at the Department of State, you must be able to document what you are doing to support diversity, equity and inclusion and accessibility. This is how you are judged for promotion.”

    Biden’s State Department published a “Five-Year Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Strategic Plan” that included a department-wide “DEIA Climate Survey” and implemented a comprehensive recruitment plan to aggressively target so-called “underrepresented groups.”
    Foreign policy positions should be filled by the most qualified individuals, not by discriminatory quotas or ideological requirements.
    SERVING AMERICA, NOT IDEOLOGICAL AGENDAS: President Trump is restoring fairness and accountability in federal hiring, and terminating DEI across the federal government.
    In his first week in office, President Trump signed an Executive Order restoring merit-based hiring and promotions across the federal government.
    President Trump also signed an Executive Order ending radical and wasteful DEI programs and preferencing.
    President Trump: “We will terminate every diversity, equity, and inclusion program across the entire federal government.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: City Mayor proposes boundary expansion amid council reorganisation plans

    Source: City of Leicester

    LEICESTER City Council will this Friday (21 Mar) submit its interim proposal for the reshaping of local councils across the city, Leicestershire and Rutland.

    The interim submission – which includes outline plans for expanding Leicester’s boundaries – has been put forward in response to the Government’s invitation to councils to explore how local government could be reorganised.

    It proposes the creation of an expanded city council alongside a second, new unitary authority covering the remaining area of Leicestershire and Rutland, both meeting the Government’s target population of 500,000 or more residents.

    Reorganising the ten existing local councils into two unitary authorities of comparable size would deliver more cost-effective public services, streamlined decision making and a path to financial sustainability.

    To achieve this, the city council’s interim submission outlines a sensible expansion to Leicester’s boundary to include adjoining suburbs and space for future housing growth. This could include land currently within the boundaries of Charnwood, Harborough, Oadby and Wigston and Blaby councils. 

    City Mayor Peter Soulsby said: “Any realistic option for local government reorganisation in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland must address the historic accident of our city’s boundaries.

    “Leicester is one of the most tightly constrained major cities in the UK. When you compare Leicester to cities like Bradford, Leeds or Sheffield, our population density is huge because our city covers such a relatively small area – less than a fifth of those cities.

    “That’s because, in the 1970s, when the country’s non-metropolitan districts were determined, the boundaries of most other cities were extended while ours have remained largely unchanged since the 1920s.

    “Critically, our almost uniquely constrained boundary means that now – unlike comparable cities – we have no chance of delivering the extra housing that our city so desperately needs within existing confines.

    “The county and district councils all know that the existing city boundary makes no sense and has to change. The Conservative leader of the county council and the Liberal Democrat leader of Rutland joined me in writing to the Minister in January saying those boundaries should be extended.

    “Unfortunately, although understandably, the forthcoming county elections mean they have chosen to withdraw from that initial proposal. I hope that we will be able to return to sensible discussions about where boundary lines should be drawn after the May elections.”

    Expansion of the city’s boundaries is key to unlocking devolution and the transfer of more powers and funding from central government to a new Mayoral Strategic Authority for the area.

    Initial engagement with stakeholders has been positive and further consultation is planned over the coming months as the proposal is developed, ahead of its final submission in November. It will then be up to the Government to determine which proposals are taken forward and to lead on formal consultation.

    The English Devolution White Paper – published in December 2024 – sets out the Government’s intention to end two tier councils, such as in Leicestershire, and create new, larger single tier unitary authorities. This will see an end to small district councils and pave the way for strategic authorities across England which will be given greater powers over issues such as planning and transport.

    Leicester City Council’s interim proposals for local government reorganisation would see the city population grow from 372,000 now to just over 600,000 by 2028. It would also provide more land for new development and help to accommodate the estimated future need for 32,000 new homes, 18,000 new affordable homes and an expansion of existing employment land.

    Leicester City Council’s full interim submission for local government reorganisation is available to view online at www.leicester.gov.uk/keystrategies

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Primary Dealer Agreements

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs tasks the Central Bank of Iceland’s Government Debt Management department with concluding primary dealer agreements on issuance of Treasury securities and market making in the secondary market.

    Resident entities that have an operating licence in accordance with Article 4, Paragraph 1 of the Act on Financial Undertakings, no. 161/2002, that have the equipment needed to participate in Treasury securities auctions and can demonstrate a secure settlement of transactions through the Central Bank of Iceland, may request to be parties to the agreement.

    Primary dealers have the exclusive right to submit bids at regular auctions where Treasury securities are offered. They also receive access to special facilities such as repurchase agreements for government bonds, in accordance with the relevant rules and the applicable terms and conditions.

    Primary dealers act as market makers for government bonds and are obliged to submit bid and ask quotes for a certain minimum amount in each series of government bonds, in accordance with the bid-ask maximum spread specified in the agreement.

    Further information can be found in the attached sample primary dealer agreement. Those parties wishing to become primary dealers in Treasury securities are requested to send digitally signed agreements to the Government Debt Management department at the Central Bank of Iceland before 16:00 hrs. Friday 21 March 2025.

    Further information can be obtained from Björgvin Sighvatsson, Head of Government Debt Management, at tel +354 569 9600.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Federal government invests in natural infrastructure enhancements across British Columbia

    Source: Government of Canada News

    West Vancouver, British Columbia, March 19, 2025 — Three communities across British Columbia will see improvements to natural infrastructure that will increase their resilience while protecting local environments, after an investment of more than $1.6 million from the federal government.

    North of Kamloops, along the North Thompson River, funding will help Whispering Pines/Clinton Indian Band protect reserve lands and community infrastructure that are situated on the floodplain. The construction of a bioengineered living revetment will include brush and hedge brush layering, which will utilize live cuttings and rooted plants to stabilize approximately 130 metres of shoreline. This will reduce loss of land due to erosion, protect critical habitat, and increase flood resiliency in the community.

    In Tsay Keh Dene Nation (TKDN) Territory, funding will restore a portion of an existing wetland and construct a wetland park, featuring an interpretive trail with signage in both English and Tsek’ene (Sekani) languages. The project will address the loss of wetland area in TKDN Territory, following flooding and blocked waterways caused by the construction of the W.A.C. Bennett Dam and resulting Williston Reservoir.

    Additionally, funding will support the District of West Vancouver in developing and implementing a tree planting program to enhance local tree canopy cover in the community. 500 trees of varying species will be planted in high density areas, on streets and on slopes where trees are needed to provide shading and to minimize runoff and erosion during heavy rain by absorbing excess water. The planting program will support the District’s target of 52% tree canopy cover.

    These projects will help the Whispering Pines/Clinton Indian Band, Tsay Keh Dene Nation, and West Vancouver adapt to and increase resiliency against the impacts of climate change and better protect their communities by leveraging natural infrastructure.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) Joins Ecobank and Soto Gallery for 2nd edition of the +234Art Fair to elevate African art and empower artists

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    LAGOS, Nigeria, March 19, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), the leading infrastructure solutions provider in Africa, has announced its support for the +234Art Fair, coming on as partners for the second year in a row. This aligns with the Corporation’s commitment to empowering and elevating the continent’s youth, with more than 260 young artists expressing interest in exhibiting their works at the second edition of the international art fair, organized by Soto Gallery in collaboration with Ecobank Nigeria Limited, AFC and Craneburg Construction Company.

    This meticulously curated five-day event, titled “Championing Patronage in Nigerian Art,” will feature the works of emerging and un-galleried artists. The fair will run from March 27th to March 31st at the Ecobank Pan African Centre, located at 270B1, Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue, Victoria Island, starting daily at 10:00 AM.

    Samaila Zubairu, President & CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation, stated, “The +234Art Fair aligns with AFC’s advocacy strategy of empowering and elevating Africa’s youthful population, thereby fostering job creation, skills development, value retention and rapid economic growth. We are proud to continue our collaboration with Ecobank to help drive Africa’s creative industry forward by creating a catalyst for promoting African art and artists locally and on the global stage.”

    Bolaji Lawal, Managing Director and Regional Executive, Ecobank Nigeria, shared, “As a Pan-African bank, this fair is an important initiative in our commitment to economic growth and investing in Africa’s next generation of talent. It offers emerging artists a unique opportunity to showcase their works to key decision-makers, influencers, and a global audience.”

    Mrs. Tola Akerele, Founder of +234 Art Fair and Soto Gallery Foundation, emphasized, “Patronage in the art world goes beyond financial support; it’s about building relationships that allow artists to grow and sustain their creative practices. The 2025 edition of the +234 Art Fair aims to show how meaningful support can impact an artist’s journey and the broader art ecosystem, fostering essential connections along the way.”

    The +234 Art Fair celebrates the dynamic talents of Nigeria’s emerging artists, offering them a vital platform to share their work with a broader audience. Visitors will experience a wide range of artistic expressions, including painting, sculpture, visual and digital art, installations, and more. The fair will also feature interactive workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities for artists, art enthusiasts, and key stakeholders in the creative sector.

    The event is expected to draw a diverse group of attendees, including Nigerians, Africans, international residents, government officials, policymakers, diplomats, and global art lovers.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Meets Tech Leaders in Lafayette

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    LAFAYETTE – This afternoon, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) met with leaders of the Lafayette Regional Technology Council to discuss their efforts to encourage the growth of high-tech businesses in their community. They also discussed how the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the Opportunity Machine incubator is supporting their efforts.
    “We want the next Amazon, Google, or SpaceX to lay roots in Louisiana,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Tech entrepreneurs and academic leaders are making that possible in Acadiana. And my infrastructure bill helps by extending high-speed broadband, so high-tech businesses can emerge and our young people have the same access to online resources no matter where they live.”
    During his time in Congress, Cassidy has worked to provide resources that make it possible for high-tech businesses to grow throughout Louisiana. In 2021, Cassidy secured $65 billion for broadband in his Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which will connect communities throughout America to high-speed Internet. This includes a $1.35 billion investment announced for Louisiana last year to connect 100,000 homes and 35,000 businesses.
    Cassidy also secured funds in Fiscal Year 2024 for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to help attract bio-medical start-up companies to Lafayette. He also visited FlyGuys, Inc. in February of 2022, an example of a Lafayette-based company using modern drone technology to perform aerial data collection for governmental and commercial entities.
    Founded in February, the Lafayette Regional Technology Council is working to develop and retain talent in the technology sector, facilitate connections and knowledge sharing across the technology community, promote Lafayette’s technology capabilities outside the region to encourage business growth and advocate for policies that support their efforts. A 15-member Steering Committee is at the heart of the council, uniting leaders from across Lafayette’s technology landscape.
    After the meeting, Cassidy took a tour of Opportunity Machine’s incubator and met young entrepreneurs building their businesses. He was welcomed to the meeting by Mr. Ben Johnson, chair of the council.
    “We are grateful to Senator Cassidy for taking the time to engage in meaningful dialogue with the Lafayette Regional Technology Council about the critical role technology and innovation play in driving economic growth and ensuring our community, state and nation remain competitive in a rapidly evolving world,” said Mr. Johnson. “His willingness to listen and explore solutions reinforces the importance of investing in innovation to strengthen our future.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Generative AI is Making it Easier for Fraudsters to Fool the Public

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — A new Commodity Futures Trading Commission customer advisory says generative artificial intelligence is making it increasingly easier for fraudsters to create convincing scams. 
    According to the latest Office of Customer Education and Outreach customer advisory, Criminals Increasing Use of Generative AI to Commit Fraud, crooks are using AI to create fake images, voices, videos, live-streaming video chats, social media profiles, and malicious websites designed to look like legitimate financial trading platforms.  
    The OCEO advisory describes how fraudsters use AI to create fraudulent identifications with phony photos and videos that can appear very real if one is not familiar with the advances of AI technology. The fraudsters also are using AI to forge government or financial documents. An FBI public service announcement also warns the public about how criminals are using AI to commit fraud and how the technology is being used in relationship investment scams. 
    “Fraudsters can use new technologies to mask their identities, not only in still photographs, say, in social media profiles, but also in video chats that alter their facial features and voices to match,” said OCEO Director Melanie Devoe. “Identifying real from fake can be difficult. The best defense is to never give money to people you only meet online.” 
    The advisory provides specific actions people should take to protect themselves, including strengthening social media account privacy settings and keeping personal or sensitive information private, especially from people they only know online or callers using phone numbers they don’t recognize. 
    About the Office of Customer Education and Outreach
    OCEO is dedicated to helping customers protect themselves from fraud or violations of the Commodity Exchange Act through the research and development of effective financial education materials and initiatives. OCEO engages in outreach and education to retail investors. The office also frequently partners with federal and state regulators as well as consumer protection groups. The CFTC’s full repository of customer education materials can be found at: cftc.gov/LearnAndProtect.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Coalition of Education Groups Hosts CT Premiere of “Counted Out” Math Documentary

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    On March 5, several Connecticut educational leadership groups co-hosted the statewide premiere of the documentary film “Counted Out” to support dialogue about Connecticut’s Equity in Mathematics Education joint position statement, which was unanimously endorsed by the Connecticut State Board of Education in 2023.

    “This statement asserts that mathematics education must support students’ math identities, ensure we modernize our mathematics programming, and structurally align and advance systems around this common vision,” said UConn alum Jeffrey Corbishley ’07 (ED), ’08 MA, president-elect of the Associated Teachers of Mathematics in Connecticut and emcee of the event.

    UConn alum Jeffrey Corbishley ’07 (ED), ’08 MA, is the president-elect of the Associated Teachers of Mathematics in Connecticut and emceed the film screening on March 5. (Shawn Kornegay/Neag School)

    Created by filmmaker Vicki Abeles, “Counted Out” focuses on how issues, such as political polarization, racial biases, social injustice, economic inequity, and climate change, can be better understood and addressed with math. In a world increasingly driven by data and numbers, the documentary states that understanding math is a powerful tool that can shape outcomes.

    More than 400 educators, community members, and leaders from workforce development and civic groups attended the screening, which was held at Central Connecticut State University’s Alumni Hall. Corbishley said the event was a unique opportunity for organizations to come together and begin conversations “around the need to look at the role of mathematics in the world and our need to make critical changes in mathematics education.”

    Besides Central, other co-hosts and sponsors of the event included:

    “Our theme in Connecticut this year is a universe of opportunities,” said Connecticut Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker, who gave welcome remarks at the event. “This means that, for all our students and school staff, there’s a future that knows no bounds and part of these universal opportunities is our work to support mathematics education.”

    “Math is more than numbers,” said Steven Minkler, dean of Central’s School of Engineering, Science, and Technology. “It’s a language that shapes how we understand and engage with the world around us. That’s why it’s our shared responsibility to ensure that every student has the opportunity to develop strong quantitative reasoning skills and the confidence to apply them in school, in their careers, and in their daily lives.”

    Jo Boaler, who is an author, co-founder of the math organization youcubed, and the Nomellini and Olivier Professor of Education at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education, is featured in the documentary and attended the Connecticut premiere as keynote speaker, sharing insights, facilitating dialogue, and extending the film’s message.

    “Every time we learn, one of three things happens in the brain,” Boaler said. “We’re either forming a new pathway, connecting pathways, or strengthening pathways. There is no limit to what people can learn.”

    Through a mosaic of personal stories, expert insights, and real-world examples of math transformation, “Counted Out” reveals the consequences of maintaining the status quo. It raises questions about where math proficiency declines and how individuals can maintain an understanding of the mathematical foundation of society.

    Our theme in Connecticut this year is a universe of opportunities. … and part of these universal opportunities is our work to support mathematics education. &#8212 Charlene Russell-Tucker, Connecticut Education Commissioner

    Megan Staples, associate professor of mathematics education at the UConn Neag School of Education, helped coordinate the event. She emphasizes the importance of mathematics in making sense of critical decision-making in society. This includes the legal system (what’s fair in society), climate change (what’s changing and what steps can be taken), the standard of living (what is affordable housing, how do we provide it), and more.

    The documentary follows Glenn Rodriguez and Rebecca Galicia, whose lives were affected by math. Rodriguez was denied parole and applied mathematical research to analyze the algorithm that led to his denial and, ultimately, his release. Galicia was intimidated by the math components of nursing school, but eventually earned her nursing degree, which in turn substantially increased her income.

    “Robert Moses, a civil rights activist who the film was dedicated to, was a central figure in the film,” Staples says. “He talks about algebra as the new civil right, and if you don’t have a command of algebra, just based on how the pipeline works, then you can be denied economic opportunity regardless of mathematical knowledge requirements.”

    The overall message of the film is that numeric literacy is a critical determinant of social and economic power. It shapes our ability to navigate financial systems, assess risks, make informed decisions, and advocate for ourselves in an increasingly data-driven world.

    “It doesn’t matter what profession you go into, we need math-literate people everywhere,” Staples says. “And for those interested in education, consider teaching math, because it is a major way to impact the world.”

    To learn more about “Counted Out,” visit countedoutfilm.com or watch the trailer on YouTube.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pittsburgh Man Pleads Guilty to Reserve Township Bank Robbery

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2025, to a charge of bank robbery, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Mark Laughner, 38, pleaded guilty to Count One of the Indictment before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on May 16, 2024, Laughner entered a Reserve Township bank wearing a baseball cap and neck gaiter that covered his mouth and nose and instructed the teller to give him all of her large bills. After the teller handed over the $100 and $50 bills from her cash drawer, the defendant demanded the teller provide more cash quickly or he would shoot her in her face. Laughner left the bank with $1,370 in U.S. currency and was ultimately identified through the utilization of surveillance recordings as well as witness interviews.

    Allegheny County Police Department (ACPD) detectives obtained a warrant for Laughner’s arrest, and, on May 20, 2024, attempted to apprehend the defendant when detectives observed Laughner in the passenger seat of a vehicle outside of a Pittsburgh fire station. As detectives converged on the vehicle with their emergency lights activated, the driver exited the vehicle and Laughner jumped from the passenger side of the vehicle into the driver’s seat, where he began fleeing detectives by driving in reverse at a high rate of speed. Ignoring multiple verbal commands to stop, Laughner came within inches of striking two ACPD detectives before stopping and exiting the vehicle in the middle of the street and fleeing on foot. Using a police K-9 unit, law enforcement apprehended Laughner after finding him hiding in thick brush.

    Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for July 22, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Allegheny County Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Laughner.

    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.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Aliquippa Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2025, to a federal firearm charge, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Tyland Witherspoon, 28, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV to one count of felony possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on June 19, 2024, Witherspoon—who was previously convicted of a felony—was found to be in possession of a firearm and ammunition while the sole occupant of a vehicle in the Northview Heights area of Pittsburgh. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

    Judge Stickman scheduled Witherspoon’s sentencing for July 28, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.

    Witherspoon remains detained pending sentencing.

    Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Witherspoon.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nigerian National Charged with Theft of Pandemic Unemployment Benefits

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A Nigerian national residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of theft of government property, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    The one-count Indictment named Funke Iyanda, 43, with no U.S. status, as the sole defendant.

    According to the Indictment, from May 27, 2020, to May 24, 2021, Iyanda prepared and submitted a false application and claim for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits in the name of another person to the PA Department of Labor, for which Iyanda received approximately $40,980 in unemployment benefits to which Iyanda was not legally entitled.

    The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Gregory C. Melucci is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The U.S. Department of Labor and Department of Homeland Security conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.

    An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –