NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Employers and Manufacturers say New citizen arrest powers a dangerous escalation

    Source: EMA

    The Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA) says the expansion of citizen’s arrest powers announced by the government today could significantly raise the health and safety risks faced by workers in the retail sector and seems unlikely to effectively reduce shoplifting.
    EMA Head of Advocacy Alan McDonald says business owners are being encouraged to put themselves and their staff in harm’s way, which is in breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act.
    “Employers have a duty of care not to put their people in harm’s way and encouraging staff to restrain or try to make a citizen’s arrest against offenders deliberately puts employees in the frame for injury. Health and safety applies to all businesses.
    “The impact of theft is often far greater on small businesses who can’t absorb the losses so readily, but the impact of possible harm is also great on friends and families if things go wrong.
    “Our concern is that these proposals will lead to an escalation in violence. If an offender believes they will be met with aggression, they will come prepared.
    “In addition, far from discouraging thefts or aggression in retail workplaces, we believe this will result in swarming behaviour in which a number of offenders will be present to create numerical superiority. Those are outcomes that no-one wants.”
    New crime data released yesterday showed a drop in violent crime for first time since 2018.
    Ram raids have reduced 58% between 2023 and 2024 and total violent crime has reduced by 2%.
    A 40% increase in foot patrols by police has much to do with discouraging these behaviours.
    The concerning 12% increase in retail theft and related offences can be met the same way, with a heightened presence of trained police, says McDonald.
    “Police officers undergo months of training on the correct level of force that is acceptable in apprehending suspects.
    “They are the experts in de-escalating violence and their increased presence in shopping centres and other retail areas is the safest solution, alongside preventative measures, the ability to recover goods and effective trespass laws.”
    Section 48 of the Crimes Act 1961 states that you can use reasonable force in self-defense, including resisting restraint by a member of the public.
    “We are very concerned about judgement calls being put in the hands of sometimes young or inexperienced workers in the retail sector and the very real danger of violence being the outcome,” says McDonald.
    “It’s more likely that those who try to restrain offenders will also face a greater risk of prosecution themselves, if they are perceived to have stepped over the boundary of what is reasonable restraint.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Secretary Noem Announces Agency Will Enforce Laws That Penalize Aliens in the Country Illegally

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    DHS Will Use Every Available Tool to Compel Illegal Aliens to Self-Deport 

    WASHINGTON – Today, Secretary Kristi Noem announced the Department of Homeland Security will fully enforce the Immigration and Nationality Act, which created multiple tools to track illegal aliens and compel them to leave the country voluntarily. These tools include criminal penalties for certain aliens who:   

    • Willfully fail to depart the United States. 
    • Fail to register with the federal government and be fingerprinted. 
    • Fail to apprise the federal government of changes to their address. 

    An alien’s failure to depart the U.S. is a crime that could result in significant financial penalty. An alien’s failure to register is a crime that could result in a fine, imprisonment, or both. For decades, this law has been ignored—not anymore.  

    Compelling mass self-deportation is a safer path for aliens and law enforcement, and saves U.S. taxpayer dollars, in addition to conserving valuable Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) resources needed to keep Americans safe.  

    Statement Attributable to a DHS Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin 

    “President Trump and Secretary Noem have a clear message for those in our country illegally: leave now. If you leave now, you may have the opportunity to return and enjoy our freedom and live the American dream. 

    “The Trump administration will enforce all our immigration laws—we will not pick and choose which laws we will enforce.  We must know who is in our country for the safety and security of our homeland and all Americans.”  

    Aliens can register here.  

    This announcement comes on the heels of a nationwide and international ad campaign warning illegal aliens to self-deport and stay out.   

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Ignore the ‘ivory tower’ clichés – universities are the innovation partners more Kiwi businesses need

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Omid Aliasghar, Senior Lecturer, Management and International Business, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    NicoElNino/Shutterstock

    When it comes to turning research into real-world success, New Zealand has a problem.

    Despite the country’s NZ$3.7 billion research and development spending in 2023 – a 17% jump from the previous year — too many New Zealand businesses fail to commercialise innovation.

    According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, New Zealand ranks 21st for innovation inputs. This means we’re good at investing in research and development. But we rank 45th in knowledge outputs and 78th in industry diversification. Essentially, we’re spending more but getting less.

    So, what’s holding the country back? In a lot of cases, it can boil down to a lack of collaboration with universities.

    Universities are typically focused on generating novel or new-to-the world knowledge, with researchers, cutting-edge technology and deep industry connections.

    Working with universities can connect businesses to researchers, government agencies, private industry and global networks. Collaboration can also offer businesses credibility. It signals to investors, partners and customers that they are serious about innovation.

    Yet many businesses underestimate their value. They assume collaboration is slow, academic or bureaucratic.

    Our study – based on a digital survey of 541 firms across a wide range of industries and regions in New Zealand – looked at whether collaborating with universities could help businesses to bring ideas to market, sell intellectual property and develop technology.

    We also considered whether there was a difference in working with international universities versus collaborating with local institutions. While identifying details of the individual businesses were kept confidential, here is what we learned.

    The case for foreign university partnerships

    Our research found partnering with foreign universities allowed New Zealand businesses to tap into global expertise and advanced research. It also provided access to diverse knowledge networks, where businesses could learn from various real-world applications of scientific knowledge.

    For example, a New Zealand business specialising in artificial intelligence (AI) can gain game-changing insights by collaborating with top universities in the United States.

    The partnerships can provide access to leading AI models, advanced algorithms, and global industry connections. These partnerships can enable the business to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive market.

    Additionally, many universities had well-established technology transfer offices. These had experience in helping businesses commercialise research.

    In short, foreign university collaborations opened doors to the world’s best knowledge and technology – critical for firms operating in fast-moving industries.

    New Zealand technology businesses have benefited from partnering with universities based in the United States on artificial intelligence projects.
    Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

    The strength of local university collaborations

    We also found local university collaborations had their own advantages, including
    an understanding of New Zealand’s specific challenges, from climate change impact on agriculture to AI adoption in small businesses.

    This contextual knowledge made their expertise highly relevant for firms aiming to commercialise innovation within New Zealand’s unique market conditions.

    Working with local universities also allowed businesses to build strong, personal relationships with researchers, fostering faster and more effective knowledge exchange.

    Unlike foreign partnerships, where interactions may be limited to emails and virtual meetings, local collaborations allowed for regular in-person brainstorming, experimentation and problem solving.

    Finally, collaborating with New Zealand’s universities gave businesses access to top local talent, helping them recruit skilled graduates familiar with the domestic market and its needs.

    A balanced approach

    Investing in research and development alone won’t drive innovation for businesses. Without strategic collaboration, firms risk wasting resources on ideas that never reach the market.

    Businesses should take a balanced approach. Foreign university collaborations can offer groundbreaking advances, cutting-edge knowledge and global networks. At the same time, local university collaborations offer accessible knowledge, local expertise and stronger working relationships.

    By embracing these partnerships, New Zealand businesses can turn research into commercial success, drive national economic growth, and position themselves as global innovation leaders. The question is no longer if firms should collaborate with universities – it’s how quickly they can start.

    This research was completed with Annique Un (Northeastern University), Kazuhiro Asakawa (Keio University), Jarrod Haar (Massey University) and Sihong Wu (University of Auckland).

    Omid Aliasghar receives funding support for this research provided by Building New Zealand’s Innovation Capacity Spearhead within the Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge.

    – ref. Ignore the ‘ivory tower’ clichés – universities are the innovation partners more Kiwi businesses need – https://theconversation.com/ignore-the-ivory-tower-cliches-universities-are-the-innovation-partners-more-kiwi-businesses-need-249129

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Largest forced displacement in the West Bank since 1967 – Oxfam

    Source: Oxfam –

    • At least 800 Israeli military checkpoints, barriers and gates causing unprecedented movement restrictions; two-hour journeys now take twelve, hampering humanitarian response  

    • Largest forced displacement in West Bank since 1967 amid fears of no right of return 

    A dramatic rise in Israeli military violence has caused the largest forced displacement in the West Bank since the Israeli occupation began. As the ‘Gazafication’ of the West Bank unfolds, vital humanitarian work and projects are being delayed or destroyed, Oxfam warned today.  

    More than 40,000 people have been forcibly displaced since the Gaza temporary ceasefire came into force on 19 January – the highest number since Israel occupied the Palestinian Territory including the West Bank, in 1967. The recent Israeli military offensive across the West Bank has particularly impacted the north, with an assault on Jenin just two days after the Gaza ceasefire began, and spread now into Tulkarem, Nur Shams, and El Far’a refugee camps. 

    Palestinian communities across the West Bank are experiencing multiple traumas, including deaths and arbitrary detention, heavily restricted movement and access to jobs and education, and mass demolitions of homes and infrastructure.  

    Suhair Farraj, Director of Oxfam partner Women Media and Development, said:  

    “The situation was never as bad as it is now. There used to be occasional raids by the Israeli army, but nothing like this. Closures and checkpoints make aid delivery nearly impossible. A journey that should take two hours now takes twelve.” 

    Mustafa Tamaizeh, Economic Justice Development Manager and West Bank Response Lead, Oxfam, OPT, said:   

    “In the last month since the ceasefire, the Israeli escalation of violence and destruction in the West Bank has been unprecedented. The Israeli government is pursuing this destruction with full impunity while aiding and abetting illegal Israeli settlers to attack Palestinian communities.  

    “Effectively we are seeing fast-track annexation policies and measures that are making it increasingly difficult and dangerous for Oxfam and other organizations to deliver desperately needed humanitarian programs and reach communities. The acute needs are further compounded by the extensive forced displacement of so many people. 

    “Our staff and partners have reported being denied access or threatened at military checkpoints and aid deliveries blocked. Such restrictions have slowed aid efforts and increased operational costs.”  

    “In the last month since the ceasefire, the Israeli escalation of violence and destruction in the West Bank has been unprecedented. The Israeli government is pursuing this destruction with full impunity while aiding and abetting illegal Israeli settlers to attack Palestinian communities.  

    Mustafa Tamaizeh, West Bank Response Lead

    Oxfam

    Since the beginning of the Israeli forces’ operation in the West Bank on 21 January, 51 Palestinians, including seven children, and three Israeli soldiers have been killed. At Jenin refugee camp, which is now practically deserted, reports from Oxfam partners indicate that Israeli forces have been widening roads and installing Hebrew street signs inside cleared areas.     

    In Jenin refugee camp, on 21 January an Israeli military attack killed at least 12 Palestinians and displaced more than 20,000 people. A young participant in a youth project run by Oxfam and a partner project said the military had been shooting at everyone, burning houses to the ground and destroying infrastructure, including hospitals. Ambulances were blocked for hours. 

    With attacks by illegal Israeli settlers soaring, vital humanitarian work and projects by Oxfam, its partners and other aid agencies, are being delayed. Israeli forces’ operations have caused severe damage to water and sanitation infrastructure, disrupting access to water for tens of thousands of people, leading to growing concerns for public health. Agriculture has ground to a halt. 

    Abbas Milhem, Executive Director of Oxfam partner Palestinian Farmers Union, said:   

    “Since the ceasefire in Gaza, Israel has cut off farmers from accessing their lands across the West Bank, making their lives almost impossible. This month only, the Israeli army ordered the takeover of 1,000 acres of land in the occupied West Bank, emptying the lands of farmers to make it easy for annexation and settlement expansion.  

    “Settlers too, have intensified their attacks. The number of settler attacks every day has multiplied. These include physical attacks, damaging and destroying local agricultural projects, uprooting and cutting down trees, and even shooting at farming communities, forcing large numbers to leave their farmland areas.”   

    Oxfam teams and partners have reported that many rural areas are being put under full closure, cutting off access to humanitarian aid. East Jerusalem is currently closed to Palestinians in the West Bank, as Israel has banned access beyond the restrictions imposed for decades.  

    Oxfam’s Mustafa Tamaizeh, added: “What we are witnessing is a calculated annexation 

    strategy. Overnight, movement between cities has been paralyzed, piling economic and social pressure on already struggling communities. Violations of human rights and international law are happening in plain sight, with impunity, as the international community watches on, complicit in its silence. 

    “As one of our partners described to me, we are now witnessing the same scenes we once watched on TV in Gaza, Rafah, and Deir Al-Balah. We are seeing the ‘Gazafication’ of the West Bank. 

    “The international community must not turn a blind eye while this historic displacement, de-humanisiation and destruction takes place in the West Bank. For too long, Israel’s illegal occupation, oppression and countless grave breaches of International Humanitarian Law across the OPT have been unchecked. Urgent action must be taken so Israel’s impunity ends and aid agencies are granted access to help Palestinians recover and rebuild from the violence so they can fulfill their right to self-determination and live in dignity, freed from occupation”. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s anti-graft chief urges rule-based discipline inspection, supervision work

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Li Xi, China’s top anti-graft official, on Tuesday urged persistent efforts to make discipline inspection and supervision work more procedure-based, law-based and standardized.
    Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), made the remarks at a mobilization and arrangement meeting for a yearlong campaign to achieve the objective.
    In his remarks, Li called on discipline inspection and supervision agencies at all levels to carry out the campaign through high-caliber and high-quality work, and to foster a contingent of personnel who maintain absolute loyalty to the Party, have moral integrity, demonstrate a keen sense of responsibility, dare to confront difficulties, and are capable of overcoming obstacles.
    Inspection and supervision agencies nationwide should improve comprehensively in terms of political integrity, competence, anti-corruption work, conduct and discipline, and they should never turn a blind eye to internal problems, he said.
    Li also urged efforts to improve the quality and effectiveness of case handling in accordance with relevant regulations, disciplines and the law, as well as efforts to enhance the cultivation of discipline inspection and supervision personnel, and to guide them in gaining a rule-of-law mindset and applying that approach to their work.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: National Care Standards Regulations still not being met – Experiences of Care in Aotearoa 2023/24 released

    Source: Aroturuki Tamariki – the Independent Children’s Monitor

    The latest report on Experiences of Care in Aotearoa has found that tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people) are still not receiving the minimum standard of care required by the National Care Standards Regulations. The Regulations have been in place since 2019.

    The report on agency compliance with the National Care Standards Regulations for the period 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024 was published by Aroturuki Tamariki – Independent Children’s Monitor today. Chief Executive Arran Jones says agencies with custody and care of tamariki and rangatahi are required to comply with these regulations.

    “With custody of almost 99 percent of tamariki and rangatahi in care, our findings are mostly about Oranga Tamariki. When the State takes custody of a child, its job is to care for and protect them. Oranga Tamariki is not alone, all government agencies need to see themselves as guardians of these children and make sure they are safe, well cared for, and have their needs met,” Mr Jones says.

    “This is our fourth monitoring report and the very slow pace of change shows that the underlying issues are not being addressed in a way that will make a difference to the lives of tamariki and rangatahi in care. The care standards are fundamentally about social work practice, if that’s enabled the standards will be met.

    “Social workers are not always able to work effectively, including completing meaningful plans and assessments, visiting tamariki and rangatahi as often as they need, and supporting caregivers and whānau.

    “As a result, one third of children are still not being visited by their social worker as often as required, sixty percent of caregivers are not visited as planned and almost a third of rangatahi experience no planning at all for their transition to adulthood.

    “Tamariki and rangatahi in care are not prioritised for government services, and funding does not follow the child. We consistently heard about stand-offs between government agencies over who is responsible for paying. Social workers, caregivers and whānau have to seek out services and supports child-by-child, relying on established relationships and goodwill, rather than there being a system that automatically responds to need.

    “Tamariki and rangatahi, including those who later become involved in youth justice, are often taken into care because they have been abused or neglected. Ensuring they get the help and support they need will give them the best chance to go on and have good lives. Failure to do so can perpetuate the harm,” says Mr Jones.

    The report found more tamariki and rangatahi are being abused in care. In 2023/24, 507 tamariki and rangatahi (nine percent of those in care) were found to have been abused or neglected while in the custody of Oranga Tamariki. The areas where disproportionate levels of abuse continue to occur are in secure residences (mostly by other rangatahi in the residence) and when tamariki and rangatahi return to their parents’ care while in the custody of Oranga Tamariki. For those returned home, supports are not always in place for the parents, and social workers are not visiting when they should.

    When rangatahi are getting ready to leave care for adulthood at 18, many get help from the transition service. Often this help comes too late, with only 14 percent referred when they become eligible at 15 years old, and just over half by the age of 16. Oranga Tamariki is often not doing the things it is required to do to prepare young people for leaving care.

    “The issues identified in our latest Experiences of Care in Aotearoa report are not new. If they can be addressed, we might start to see progress towards provision of the minimum standard of care. Until then, tamariki and rangatahi will continue to miss out.

    “We welcome the extent to which Oranga Tamariki has engaged with this report, and that it will be used to drive performance. However, we are already eight months into the next reporting period and, based on what we have heard so far from our most recent monitoring visits, we are unlikely to see improvement in our next report. From our most recent monitoring visits we’ve heard how the 2024/25 contract funding decisions have damaged relationships, and restricted services that social workers can call on,” says Mr Jones.

    Read the report https://aroturuki.govt.nz/reports/eoc-23-24

    Notes:

    The National Care Standards Regulations came into effect in 2019 and set out the minimum standards required when a child comes into care. These regulations apply to Oranga Tamariki, Open Home Foundation and any other agency with custody and care responsibilities.

    Aroturuki Tamariki – the Independent Children’s Monitor checks that organisations supporting and working with tamariki, rangatahi and their whānau, are meeting their needs, delivering services effectively, and improving outcomes. We monitor compliance with the Oranga Tamariki Act and the associated regulations, including the National Care Standards. We also look at how the wider system (such as early intervention) is supporting tamariki and rangatahi under the Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Act.

    Aroturuki Tamariki works closely with its partners in the oversight system, Mana Mokopuna – Children and Young People’s Commission, and the Office of the Ombudsman.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Appointments – PSA appoints Fleur Fitzsimons as a National Secretary

    Source: PSA

    PSA Assistant Secretary Fleur Fitzsimons has been appointed as a National Secretary of the country’s largest union, PSA President Virgil Iraia says.
    Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is led by two National Secretaries and Fleur will join National Secretary Duane Leo as co-leader of the union.
    To ensure continuity the PSA has appointed Fleur ahead of National Secretary Kerry Davies’ retirement later in year. Kerry has spent 40 years working for the union movement, mainly with the PSA, and has been National Secretary for six years.
    Virgil says the PSA was pleased that a candidate of Fleur’s ability had stepped up to replace Kerry, whose experience and leadership had been vital to the work of the PSA.
    “Kerry has done an outstanding job for the PSA, and we were looking for a strong and able candidate to step into the senior leadership role at a time when members were facing a hostile political and economic environment.
    “Fleur will bring her considerable experience and skills to this role. Her skills will help us keep advocating for properly funded public and state services, health care, local government and community services, and for recognition of the importance of the work of our members who deliver these,” Virgil says.
    Fleur has 20 years’ experience working for the PSA as an organiser, media adviser, solicitor, Assistant Secretary, and most recently as an Acting National Secretary.
    She also served as a Wellington City Councillor for five years, and is a former President of the Victoria and New Zealand University students’ associations.
    “We have a lot of work to do in response to the Government’s attacks on public, community and health services. I am looking forward to the challenge” Fleur says.
    The PSA is the union of 95,000 members, working in the Public Service, State Sector, Health, Local Government and Community and Public Services.
    The Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi is Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest trade union, representing and supporting more than 95,000 workers across central government, state-owned enterprises, local councils, health boards and community groups.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Men Plead Guilty In Bribery And Fraud Investigation At Newark Airport

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TRENTON, N.J. – Three men have pleaded guilty in connection with a bribery and fraud investigation pertaining to business at Newark Liberty International Airport (“Newark Airport”), Caroline Sadlowski, Attorney for the United States, announced.

    Edward Dolphin, 65, of Tomball, Texas, pleaded guilty on February 19, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Quraishi in Trenton federal court, to an Information charging him with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. James Wajda, 59, of Cement City, Michigan, pleaded guilty on February 19, 2025, before District Judge Quraishi, to an Information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Ronald Delucia, 70, of Wayne, New Jersey pleaded guilty today before District Judge Quraishi to a two-count Information charging conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud (Count One) and conspiracy to commit wire fraud (Count Two).

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    Dolphin was an employee of an airline that operated at Newark Airport. From at least as early as 2014 through in or about April 2017, he was an Airport Operations Hub Vendor Manager, and from in or about April 2017 through in or about November 2022, he was a Manger of Hub Business Partners. In his positions at the airline, Dolphin was able to influence which companies would be awarded certain contracts. Dolphin traded this influence for bribes and kickbacks. For example, Dolphin received bribes from Delucia, who was Chief Operating Officer and later Chief Executive Officer of a company that provided a range of services to airlines at Newark Airport, including the airline for which Dolphin worked. Delucia’s company paid Dolphin up to $31,500 per month, totaling $1 million, in exchange for Dolphin’s assistance in securing work for Delucia’s company. In addition, Dolphin received approximately $70,000 from another vendor in exchange for Dolphin’s influence in the process of awarding a busing contract. Dolphin received approximately $278,000 from another vendor in exchange for his influence in the process of awarding a snow removal contract. Finally, Dolphin received approximately $262,000 in exchange for his influence in the process of awarding an aircraft cleaning contract. In total, Dolphin received over $1.6 million in bribes and kickbacks.

    Wajda was the Chief Operating Officer for a Des Plaines, Illinois based company that provided various services to an airline at Newark Airport, including cabin cleaning services. In or about December 2021, the company had a contract with the airline to load provisions onto the airline’s planes. In or about March 2022, Wajda conspired with Delucia, agreeing that Delucia’s company would invoice Wajda’s company for a “dispatcher” to assist in the transportation of the provisions, as if Wajda’s company had subcontracted Delucia’s company to assist in dispatching the trucks transporting provisions to the aircraft. Delucia’s company then fraudulently invoiced Wajda’s company for work that Delucia’s company did not in fact provide, and Wajda’s company paid the invoices. Delucia then kicked back a portion of the fraudulently obtained funds to Wajda through Wajda’s personal limited liability company. Pursuant to this agreement, Delucia’s company invoiced Wajda’s company $150,000 for services that were never rendered. Wajda, in turn, received approximately $38,600 from this scheme.

    In addition to pleading guilty to the conduct involving Dolphin and Wajda, Delucia also admitted his role in conduct involving Alok Saksena, Anthony Rosalli, and Lovella Rogan, who each previously pleaded guilty in this investigation. Rosalli, Saksena, and Rogan all held positions with the airline that enabled them to influence which companies the airline would award certain contracts to at Newark Airport. The defendants conspired to receive bribes and kickbacks from Delucia’s company in exchange for helping Delucia’s company obtain lucrative airline contracts at Newark Airport.

    For example, in or about September 2021, Delucia’s company bid on a contract to renovate restrooms at Newark Airport. Saksena, Rosalli, and Rogan sat on the selection committee and each of them voted to award the contract to the company. In exchange for their  help in obtaining the $19.7 million restroom renovation contract, and with the expectation that they would use their positions to help the company obtain future contracts, Delucia’s company agreed to pay for significant renovations at their personal residences, including renovating and building bathrooms, renovating a deck, installing floors and sheetrock, and renovating a kitchen. Delucia’s company also gave them valuable items, including electronics and jewelry. The total value of the bribes paid was approximately $539,000 to Saksena; approximately $276,000 to Rosalli; and approximately $409,000 to Rogan.

    “The defendants exploited their positions within their respective companies to enrich themselves while defrauding others. Defendants’ commercial bribery and fraud corrupts the fairness of our economic system. We will hold to account those who break the law to line their own pockets.”

    Attorney for the United States Caroline Sadlowski

    “The schemes conceived and executed by these individuals to defraud the airline operating out of Newark Airport are reprehensible. The individuals who benefited with monetary and other high-value gain are being held responsible for the bribery and corruption they had hoped would fly under the radar,” Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said.

    “Blatant corruption like this erodes public trust and robs honest businesses of fair opportunities,” said Port Authority Inspector General John Gay. “This case is a stark example of individuals exploiting their positions for personal gain, putting greed ahead of the public good. We’re grateful for the partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI as we root out fraud, hold bad actors accountable, and protect the integrity of the systems that keep our region moving.”

    Dolphin, Wajda, and Delucia each face a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. Sentencing for Dolphin is scheduled for June 24, 2025. Sentencing for Wajda is scheduled for June 24, 2025. Sentencing for Delucia is scheduled for July 1, 2025.

    Attorney for the United States Caroline Sadlowski credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, investigators from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General John Gay, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the charges.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine J. Calle and Francesca Liquori of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.

    All other co-conspirators identified in the Informations are presumed innocent until proven guilty. 

                                                                           ###

    Defense counsel: David Wikstrom, Esq., Counsel to Edward Dolphin

                                Paul Flannery, Esq., Counsel to James Wajda

                                Paul Faugno, Esq., Counsel to Ronald Delucia

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Unleashing private sector’s dynamism for high-quality development

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Half a month before the annual sessions of China’s top legislature and political advisory body, a high-level symposium on private enterprises was convened, sending a signal of strong support for private businesses.

    The symposium, attended by President Xi Jinping, underscored the Chinese authorities’ latest endeavor to bolster confidence and boost the development of the private sector, which is key to the country’s high-quality development.

    Unswerving support

    During the symposium, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed that the basic principles and policies for the development of the private sector have been incorporated into the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and “cannot and will not be changed.”

    This message highlighted the country’s unswerving commitment to the sector. During a similar symposium in November 2018, Xi said that private enterprises and private entrepreneurs “belong to our own family” and the sector should only grow stronger instead of being weakened.

    From the symposiums and key meetings that outline plans for the country’s reform and development to Xi’s visits to private companies, the country’s support for the private sector has been evident.

    During a group discussion at the country’s “two sessions” in 2023, after listening to Zeng Yuqun, chairman of private firm CATL, the Chinese leading battery maker, Xi expressed his hope that the country’s new energy industry would seize opportunities and ride the tide, while ensuring both development and security. Xi also urged the authorities to provide support and guidance for private enterprises during times of difficulty.

    Founded in 2011 in Ningde, east China’s Fujian Province, CATL has quickly risen to become one of the world’s leading industry players and its “Shenxing Plus” battery has drawn worldwide attention for high energy density and fast-charging capabilities.

    Among key policies to ramp up the growth of the private sector, China set up a bureau under its top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), in 2023. The country is also pushing forward the legislative process of its first basic law specifically aimed at promoting the development of the private sector.

    Under a nurturing policy environment, the private sector has become a prominent part of the country’s economy, driving innovation, employment and overall economic growth.

    Private firms now make up more than 90 percent of the country’s total enterprises, with their numbers more than quintupling between 2012 and 2024. Their global presence has also expanded, with the number of Chinese private firms in the Fortune Global 500 list rising to around 30.

    Yet the sector’s development is now at a pivotal moment: Domestically, China is battling headwinds, including insufficient demand to reinforce its economic recovery while fostering innovation-driven development; globally, businesses have to navigate escalating trade tensions, rising protectionism, and the latest wave of technological revolution that is transforming industries, production models and lifestyles.

    Despite the difficulties and challenges, it is important to see the path forward and the bright future, stay committed to development, bolster confidence, and maintain an enterprising spirit, Xi said at the latest symposium.

    High-quality development

    The Chinese authorities have encouraged private enterprises to embrace high-quality development, which is viewed as both a strategic imperative and a necessity for them to thrive in the increasingly complex and competitive global landscape.

    On many occasions, Xi has urged private enterprises to unswervingly pursue high-quality development, boost independent innovation and strengthen their core competitiveness.

    Private enterprises have already been the backbone of the country’s innovation drive, accounting for more than 90 percent of high-tech companies.

    The private sector also contributes to more than 70 percent of the country’s technological innovation achievements. Among the country’s national-level “little giant” firms — a term that refers to novel elites of small and medium-sized enterprises engaged in manufacturing, specializing in a niche market and boasting cutting-edge technologies — the proportion of private companies has surpassed 80 percent.

    From competitive electric vehicles and DeepSeek, a rising star in artificial intelligence, to Unitree Robotics, a pioneer in humanoid robot development, private enterprises are at the forefront of China’s economic transformation.

    To empower the sector, the NDRC pledged to further remove market access barriers, revise the market access negative list for private enterprises in a timely manner, and encourage greater private sector participation in major national projects and programs.

    Authorities also vowed to tackle challenges such as difficulties and high costs of financing for private businesses, address payment arrears owed to private enterprises, and effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of private businesses and entrepreneurs in accordance with the law.

    These efforts are not just about clearing hurdles, but fostering an ecosystem which further unleashes private enterprises’ dynamism and ensures that they can fully capitalize on the opportunities in front of them.

    With the rapid development of education, science and technology, a vast and high-caliber talent pool and workforce, well-developed industrial and infrastructure systems, and a supersized market of more than 1.4 billion people with huge potential, the private sector enjoys abundant new opportunities and greater headroom for development, Xi said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW pet laws go under the microscope

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 26 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Local Government

    Pet owners and members of the public are being invited to help shape cat and dog laws in NSW, with the NSW Government delivering on its election commitment to conduct a wide-ranging review of the Companion Animals Act 1998 (CA Act).

    For the first time in two decades the government will review these laws to greater support responsible pet ownership and ensure the wellbeing of pets and the safety of communities.

    The review will examine all aspects of the care and management of companion animals in NSW, including addressing the urgent need to prevent dogs and cats from entering the pound and rehoming system.

    It will also explore actions taken in other jurisdictions and the role and enforcement responsibilities of councils. Key issues under consideration include:

    • cat management
    • preventing dog attacks
    • pounds and rehoming services
    • registration and desexing
    • stakeholder roles and responsibilities and the regulatory tools available under the legislation
    • responsible pet ownership education and training.

    The review of the CA Act will be informed by several NSW parliamentary inquiries, including the inquiry into the veterinary workforce shortage, the inquiry into pounds and the inquiry into the management of cat populations. The findings and recommendations from recent coronial inquests into fatal dog attacks in NSW will also be considered.

    To support the review, the Office of Local Government has released a discussion paper canvassing three key focus areas:

    • the framework for encouraging responsible ownership of companion animals
    • the compliance and enforcement role of councils
    • animal welfare and rehoming.

    Pet owners, councils, rehoming organisations, veterinarians and other stakeholders can provide feedback on the discussion paper before 4 May 2025 by responding to consultation questions.

    To view the discussion paper and provide feedback visit the website of the Office of Local Government.

    Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said:

    “There are more than 4.7 million dogs and cats kept as pets in NSW, providing love and companionship to so many people across the state.  

    “However, the laws around pet ownership haven’t been reviewed in 20 years.

    “With pet ownership on the rise and increased pressure on council pounds and rehoming organisations, it is important to assess if the current laws are still fit for purpose.

    “We need strong laws that hold pet owners to account and make sure owners take responsibility for their pets at home and in public spaces.

    “The government wants to hear from all interested stakeholders to shape this review and ensure a wide range of perspectives are considered as the government progresses this important work.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Threatened native Trout Cod recovery underway with innovative fish breeding & stocking

    Source: New South Wales Department of Primary Industries

    26 Feb 2025

    Vision available: Link

    The Minns Labor Government has announced the 10-year Trout Cod Action Plan to recover the threatened native Trout Cod fish and delivering on its election commitment to boost the recovery of the fish and ensure its availability for recreational fishers.

    The Government is working to deliver better environmental outcomes for regional NSW and to deliver on its election commitments for recreational fishers who consider the Trout Cod a popular fish for angling.

    This commitment is demonstrated by the recent Government announcements delivering a review on the recreational fishing trust funds and establishing a $2 million fund for small infrastructure for recreational fishing.

    While there are a few small self-sustaining Trout Cod populations left in the wild in NSW the population has been in significant decline.

    To bring about the recovery of the threatened Trout Cod populations more than $1 million of allocated funding is already being utilised with early actions of breeding and stocking underway while the broader action plan was being finalised.

    The final Trout Cod Action Plan was developed after public consultation took place online and community information sessions in Wagga Wagga, Barooga, Bathurst and Queanbeyan.

    Integral to the NSW Government’s commitment to the recovery of the Trout Cod, is increasing the production of fingerlings at Narrandera Fisheries Centre.

    Early work to boost populations has seen a significant number of Trout Cod fingerlings bred at Narrandera in 2024 with 47,000 fingerlings released into waterways in the Snowy region, covering the Goodradigbee River and Talbingo Dam.

    The Government is well on the way to achieving the Trout Cod Action Plan production target of 100,000 Trout Cod fingerlings per year and is confident of reaching 250,000 in the next 5-10 years.

    Trout Cod can be a difficult fish to breed and Narrandera has been trialling innovative ways to achieve better success including using pond spawning techniques rather than hormone induction. Pond based spawning is is potentially more productive and much gentler and kinder on the fish.

    The Government’s achievements under the Trout Cod Action Plan over the last 12 months include:

    • Moving to 100% pond-based spawning approach
    • Doubled the number of broodfish ponds at Narrandera Fisheries Centre
    • Developed a stocking and re-introduction strategy
    • Increased engagement with recreational fishers
    • Developing broodstock management strategy

    Goodradigbee River has been a focus for conservation stocking efforts as it’s within the historical range of Trout Cod, has pristine and intact habitat including rocks, fast-flowing water, and is an unregulated part of the system with natural inflows to support recovery.

    For more information about NSW DPIRD’s threatened species projects, visit: https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/threatened-species

    NSW Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

    “The Minns Government is rapidly progressing its commitment to ensure the recovery of the native Trout Cod in our regional waterways with significant work underway to breed fingerlings while we engaged with the community on feedback for finalising the Action Plan.

    “I’m pleased to say many of the participants of the community information sessions are very excited by the prospect of improved Trout Cod recovery.

    “The Trout Cod Action Plan provides a 10-year blueprint to guide recovery actions, and while there is a long road ahead, I am confident there is a light at the end of the tunnel for this threatened species.

    “There was a lot of interest from recreational anglers who are supporting the recovery of Trout Cod and I am pleased to say that those hoping to go fishing for Trout Cod can do so at Talbingo Dam where a catch and release fishery has been developed.

    “We are hopeful that the Trout Cod Action Plan will fast track the recovery of Trout Cod populations in NSW back to a point that they can once again become a genuine target for recreational fishers beyond the current Talbingo fishery.”

    “With close to 50,000 fingerlings bred at Narrandera Fisheries Centre in 2024, triple the number produced in 2023, we are well on the way to achieving the goal of 250,000 bred annually.”

    MEDIA: Alastair Walton | Minister Tara Moriarty | 0418 251 229

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The UK must make big changes to its diets, farming and land use to hit net zero – official climate advisers

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Neil Ward, Professor of Rural and Regional Development at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia

    William Edge / shutterstock

    If the UK is to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, over one-third of its sheep and cows will have to go, with their fields being replaced by huge new areas of woodland. That’s one conclusion of the latest report by the the Climate Change Committee (CCC), the UK government’s independent advisor on climate change.

    The CCC is tasked with outlining how much greenhouse gas the UK can emit if it is to achieve its climate targets – its “carbon budget”. The committee also recommends how the country might reduce its emissions to get within that budget. It sets future budgets every five years or so. This latest report, the seventh carbon budget, looks at emissions in the period 2038 to 2043. It updates the sixth carbon budget produced in 2020.

    The UK has almost halved its greenhouse gas emissions since 1990, but that was the easy half. Most dirty industries are long gone, for instance, and coal power plants have been replaced with gas and renewable energy.

    Next, the country will be grappling with the most challenging sectors including the focus of my academic research: agriculture and land use. This challenge will be worsened by the impacts of climate change and geopolitical uncertainties that raise doubts about the UK’s food security.

    Currently, agriculture makes up about 11% of UK emissions, but this proportion will rise considerably over the next 15 years as other sectors decarbonise further. Cattle and sheep contribute most of these emissions, and the latest carbon budget suggests their numbers will have to be reduced by 22% by 2035 and by over 38% by 2050.

    This is principally to release land to plant tens of thousands of hectares of new woodland each year (60,000 hectares a year by 2040) and to grow energy crops (38,000 hectares a year by 2040). It will also mean fewer emissions from the animals themselves and from growing animal feed.

    The UK needs a lot more of this.
    Callums Trees / shutterstock

    Less meat and dairy

    The latest carbon budget suggests that dietary change is key to this anticipated change in farming and land use. While British people won’t need to give up meat entirely, they will need to reduce consumption of meat and dairy products by around 35% by 2050 compared to 2019 levels.

    Meat and dairy consumption are already falling, however, and the trend has accelerated since 2020. To meet the budget, the decline would need to continue but more rapidly than the long-term trend.

    The CCC is in the business of advising on what government should do to address climate change, not in the business of telling people what to eat. It hopes that food labels with additional information about emissions will help people make better choices for themselves.

    Emphasising non-meat options and altering the layout of supermarkets may also help change the “choice environment” and so change consumption practices. Nevertheless, before long, the UK and devolved governments will have to grasp the nettle of diet change, land use and livestock. There have already been successful legal challenges for having inadequate plans in this area.

    It helps that diets good for the planet are also good for people’s health. In October 2024, the House of Lords food, diet and obesity committee estimated diet-related ill health and obesity cost £98 billion a year. This is a significant drag on productivity and places acute pressures on the NHS.

    Plant-based foods are better for food security

    Energy security is currently prompting much thought and action, but food security has not. Dietary change can also help improve the UK’s food security, however, since meat and dairy take up more land per calorie than healthier alternatives. A large-scale shift in diet and land use could render the UK more resilient to future wars, pandemics or anything else that causes shocks to food prices and supplies.

    For farmers and landowners there has been increasing interest in greener approaches to production, sometimes called regenerative farming. Some within, or clustered around, farming will protest about the scale of reduction in animal numbers implied by net zero.

    Faced with the basic maths, a marked reduction looks unavoidable. The sooner the conversation can shift from whether change is needed to how it might best be fairly and equitably pursued, the better.

    This carbon budget brings positive opportunities for nature restoration, diversifying rural economies and improving the appearance and ecology of the countryside. But for net emissions to come down enough, the amount of wooded land will need to increase from 13% to 19% by 2050 – that’s over a million extra hectares, or roughly equivalent to Cornwall, Devon and Dorset combined.

    These are very stretching targets, and tree planting over the past few years has fallen far short of the rates required. Because afforestation is such an important factor in the carbon budget, if the UK fails to meet its targets, the dietary changes may need to be even greater.

    Heightened international instability threatening UK food security could mean the same. Indeed, some food, health and environmental organisations will point to the seventh carbon budget and say the CCC has not gone far enough.

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

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

    Neil Ward receives funding from UKRI in his role as Co-lead of the AFN (AgriFood4NetZero) Network+.. He is a member of the Labour Party and the National Trust.

    – ref. The UK must make big changes to its diets, farming and land use to hit net zero – official climate advisers – https://theconversation.com/the-uk-must-make-big-changes-to-its-diets-farming-and-land-use-to-hit-net-zero-official-climate-advisers-250158

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch: “DOGE is pretty dumb, and pretty cruel, and pretty destructive the way it’s operating under Elon Musk.” 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) tonight took to the Senate floor to speak on President Trump and Elon Musk’s unconstitutional actions to dismantle federal institutions and called on Congress to protect federal agencies, programs, services, and employees that play an indispensable role in the lives of working Americans. 
    In his remarks, Senator Welch highlighted how the so-called ‘Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) actions to dismantle the federal government have cost jobs and undercut federal programs in Vermont, including at Vermont’s Small Business Administration, for Vermont organizations that receive funding from USAID, and at the USDA office that helps towns recover from natural disasters like Vermont’s floods. 
    “We should all be outraged at the cruelty with which DOGE is operating. It’s cruel to the institutions that are important for each of our states and it’s cruel to the people who have been doing this work in good faith for so long,” said Senator Welch. “We’ve got to speak up and acknowledge that DOGE is destructive. We can embrace the effort to address waste, fraud and abuse. We can embrace the opportunity to streamline and save money, make things work better. But we can never abandon our commitment to the people of this country who work so hard.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s speech below: 
    Read key excerpts from the Senator’s remarks: 
    “So, my first question with DOGE is why don’t you look where the money is, where the rip-offs are, instead of just sending out emails overnight telling people they’re fired, whose performance has been absolutely exemplary?” 
    “This is a situation that obviously is incredibly cruel. You’re working at the Department of Agriculture, you’re working at the NIH, you’re working on an USAID program, and life is going on and suddenly you get this email out of the blue—that it clearly is a mass email—but has a very specific impact on you, your life, your livelihood, and your hopes and dreams. I mean, that is just a savage, savage way to treat people who have been working in our various governmental agencies, and it has enormous impact on our communities.”  
    “This isn’t just about Elon Musk being a multibillionaire. No matter what happens it’s not going to really affect him. It’s about Elon Musk treating people with what I think is the utmost cruelty…Such disrespect for people who work hard at the VA, work hard in the NIH, work hard in the Department of Agriculture, work hard in the Department of Treasury. So, that element of this, we should all be shocked at.” 
    ■■■ 
    “The verdict is in—[DOGE] has been a colossal failure. It’s done immense damage to many of our institutions and inflicted immense pain on innocent people. Also, it’s not going to be successful in its stated goal of ‘reducing spending and wasteful spending’…But here’s my problem with DOGE: They’re not looking in the right places.” 
    “We have work to do on saving money, and we have places where it’s absolutely essential we act. DOGE is blind to all of those, all of those situations. And that’s disgraceful.” 
    ■■■ 
    Learn more about Senator Welch’s work by visiting his website or by following him on social media. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Highlights Threats to Election Security, Campaign Finance in First Business Meeting as Rules Committee Ranking Member

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Highlights Threats to Election Security, Campaign Finance in First Business Meeting as Rules Committee Ranking Member

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined his first business meeting as Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, where he highlighted the importance of free and fair elections, campaign finance reform, and Capitol security. The meeting focused on the committee funding resolution and committee rules for the 119th Congress.

    In his remarks, Senator Padilla emphasized that he will continue working to protect the right to vote, secure our elections, safeguard election workers, and push for essential funding to state and local governments for election administration. He called out the Trump Administration for decimating critical election security efforts by disbanding the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s foreign election interference task force, removing election security specialists at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and deploying President Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to the agency.

    Senator Padilla, California’s former Secretary of State, also underscored Americans’ strong support for curbing the massive influx of dark money and corporate spending in politics, calling the Citizens United decision a “complete disaster.” He blasted President Trump for his recent illegal firing of the Federal Elections Commission Chair and his executive order claiming to bring independent regulatory agencies under the control of the executive branch.

    Last week, Senator Padilla and Representative Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.-25) pressed senior officials at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for answers after reports indicated employees who previously worked on election misinformation and disinformation issues were placed on administrative leave. Padilla denounced the illegal firing of FEC Chair Ellen Weintraub and led 10 Democratic Senators to demand President Trump rescind this decision.

    Padilla’s full remarks, as prepared for delivery, are available here and below:

    Thank you, Chairman McConnell. I look forward to working with you and all the Members of the Rules Committee in this new role as Ranking Member. 

    I also want to thank Senators Klobuchar and Fischer for their leadership last Congress — including making key security improvements here at the Capitol following the January 6th insurrection.

    This Committee has a long history of working across party lines in support of the Senate and the legislative branch. Today I am committed to continuing that tradition with Chairman McConnell. 

    While the Capitol and Senate buildings may be our workplaces, ultimately, they belong to the American people. Americans spend their time and money — some traveling thousands of miles — to visit and exercise their First Amendment rights. For Americans from states red, blue, and purple, this Capitol means more than politics: it’s the embodiment of our democracy. It is our responsibility to maintain and secure the Capitol for them.

    Today’s action on the committee funding resolution for the 119th Congress gives us an early opportunity to come together. And while I wish we were able to provide more funding in certain instances, I am pleased that we worked in a bipartisan fashion on this effort.

    But in addition to our responsibilities to the administration of both the buildings and rules that allow this body to run, our Committee also plays a central role in our democracy – overseeing federal elections and campaign finance.

    Election Administration

    As California’s former Secretary of State, I know the importance of defending free and fair elections. I will always work to preserve voter access, protect election workers, ensure election security, and provide critical funding to the states. 

    Over the years, Congress has invested resources to help states start to modernize their election systems, but we have failed to provide the reliable funding that is needed. I hope we can find bipartisan consensus to help states and local governments manage the growing challenges of running elections.

    Unfortunately, just a few weeks in, the current Administration is taking a blowtorch to election security. Already, the Department of Justice has disbanded the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s foreign election interference task force while the Department of Homeland Security is removing election security specialists at the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

    And now, President Trump and Elon Musk have sent DOGE’s inexperienced, unqualified staff — with a history of leaking security information and cybercrime — to CISA. Despite our inquiries and DOGE’s claims of transparency, this Committee and the public have no real information about the goals of this interference. And state and local election officials are losing the critical election security support that Congress has directed CISA to provide.

    It is my hope that moving forward, members on this committee from both parties will join me in strengthening election security — not weakening it.

    Campaign Finance

    At the same time, Americans overwhelmingly support efforts to roll back the tide of unregulated and secret money in politics. They are tired of their voices being drowned out by unlimited spending from corporations and billionaires. Yet today, an unelected billionaire who spent over 270 million dollars on the 2024 election sits in the Oval Office, issuing policy directives and accessing federal contracts and regulatory favors.

    The Citizens United decision was a complete disaster that continues to damage our democracy and must be repealed. Until then, Congress and the Federal Election Commission (FEC) should uphold the law and improve what we can.

    Unfortunately, President Trump is trying to destroy what few guardrails we have left. He illegally fired the Chair of the FEC and issued an Executive Order that gives White House operatives control over the FEC and other independent agencies. Congress created agencies like the FEC to follow the law independent of political pressure — not to be tools for handing out political favors or retribution on behalf of the White House.

    The FEC was created over 50 years ago following Watergate. Now, President Trump is opening the floodgates for a new golden age of corruption. As a committee, we must work to stop these power grabs before more damage is done.

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Nose-to-tail mining: how making sand from ore could solve a looming crisis

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Daniel Franks, Professor and Director – Global Centre for Mineral Security, The University of Queensland

    Thanagornsoisep/Shutterstock

    Every year, the world consumes around 50 billion tonnes of sand, gravel and crushed stone. The astonishing scale of this demand is hard to comprehend – 12.5 million Olympic sized swimming pools per year – making it the most-used solid material by humans.

    Most of us don’t see the sand and gravel all around us. It’s hidden in concrete footpaths and buildings, the glass in our windows and in the microchips that drive our technology.

    Demand is set to increase further – even as the extraction of sand and gravel from rivers, lakes, beaches and oceans is triggering an environmental crisis.

    Sand does renew naturally, but in many regions, natural sand supplies are being depleted far faster than they can be replenished. Desert sand often has grains too round for use in construction and deserts are usually far from cities, while sand alternatives made by crushing rock are energy- and emissions-intensive.

    But there’s a major opportunity here, as we outline in our new research. Every year, the mining industry crushes and discards billions of tonnes of the same minerals as waste during the process of mining metals. By volume, mining waste is the single largest source of waste we make.

    There’s nothing magical about sand. It’s made up of particles of weathered rock. Gravel is larger particles. Our research has found companies mining metals can get more out of their ores, by processing the ore to produce sand as well.

    This would solve two problems at once: how to avoid mining waste and how to tackle the sand crisis. We dub this “nose-to-tail” mining, following the trend in gastronomy to use every part of an animal.

    Concrete is everywhere – but it requires a great deal of sand and gravel.
    MVolodymyr/Shutterstock

    The failings of tailings

    The metal sulphides, oxides and carbonates which can be turned into iron, copper and other metals are only a small fraction of the huge volumes of ore which have to be processed. Every year, the world produces about 13 billion tonnes of tailings – the ground-up rock left over after valuable metals are extracted – and another 72 billion tonnes of waste rock, which has been blasted but not ground up.

    For decades, scientists have dreamed of using tailings as a substitute for natural sand. Tailings are often rich in silicates, the principal component of sand.

    But to date, the reality has been disappointing. More than 18,000 research papers have been published on the topic in the last 25 years. But only a handful of mines have found ways to repurpose and sell tailings.

    Why? First, tailings rarely meet the strict specifications required for construction materials, such as the size of the particles, the mineral composition and the durability.

    Second, they come with a stigma. Tailings often contain hazardous substances liberated during mining. This makes governments and consumers understandably cautious about using mining waste in homes and our built environment.

    Neither of these problems is insurmountable. In our research, we propose a new solution: manufacture sand directly from ore.

    Converting rock into metal is a complex, multi-step process which differs by type of metal and by type of ore. After crushing, the minerals in the ore are typically separated using flotation, where the metal-containing sulphide minerals attach to tiny bubbles that float up through the slurry of rock and water.

    At this stage, leftover ore is normally separated out to be disposed of as waste. But if we continue to process the ore, such as by spinning it in a cyclone, impurities can be removed and the right particle size and shape can be achieved to meet the specifications for sand.

    We have dubbed this “ore-sand”, to distinguish it from tailings. It’s not made from waste tailings – it’s a deliberate product of the ore.

    Turning ore into metal requires intensive crushing and grinding. These methods could also make sand.
    Aussie Family Living/Shutterstock

    More from ore

    This isn’t just theory. At the iron ore mine Brucutu in Brazil, the mining company Vale is already producing one million tonnes of ore-sand annually. The sand is used in road construction, brickmaking and concrete.

    The move came from tragedy. In 2015 and 2019, the dams constructed to store tailings at two of Vale’s iron ore mines collapsed, triggering deadly mudflows. Hundreds of people died – many of them company employees – and the environmental consequences are ongoing.

    In response, the company funded researchers (such as our group) to find ways to reduce reliance on tailings dams in favour of better alternatives.

    Following our work with Vale we investigated the possibility of making ore-sand from other types of mineral ores, such as copper and gold. We have run successful trials at Newmont’s Cadia copper-gold mine in Australia. Here, using innovative methods we have produced a coarser ore-sand which doesn’t require as much blending with other sand.

    Ore-sand processing makes the most sense for mines located close to cities. This is for two reasons: to avoid the risk of tailings dams to people living nearby, and to reduce the transport costs of moving sand long distances.

    Our earlier research showed almost half the world’s sand consumption happens within 100 kilometres of a mine which could produce ore-sand as well as metals. Since metal mining already requires intensive crushing and grinding, we found ore-sand can be produced with lower energy consumption and carbon emissions than the extraction of conventional sands.

    The challenge of scale

    For any new idea or industry, the hardest part is to go from early trials to widespread adoption. It won’t be easy to make ore-sand a reality.

    Inertia is one reason. Mining companies have well-established processes. It takes time and work to introduce new methods.

    Industry buy-in and collaboration, supportive government policies and market acceptance will be needed. Major sand buyers such as the construction industry need to be able to test and trust the product.

    The upside is real, though. Ore-sand offers us a rare chance to tackle two hard environmental problems at once, by slashing the staggering volume of mining waste and reducing the need for potentially dangerous tailings dams, and offering a better alternative to destructive sand extraction.

    Daniel Franks would like to acknowledge funding and collaboration support from the Queensland Government, Australian Economic Accelerator, Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer, Newcrest Mining, Newmont, Vale, The University of Geneva, The University of Exeter, The Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, and The University of Queensland. Daniel Franks is the recipient of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT240100383) funded by the Australian Government.

    – ref. Nose-to-tail mining: how making sand from ore could solve a looming crisis – https://theconversation.com/nose-to-tail-mining-how-making-sand-from-ore-could-solve-a-looming-crisis-250284

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tibet is one of the most linguistically diverse places in the world. This is in danger of extinction

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gerald Roche, Lecturer in Linguistics, La Trobe University

    Three days after he was released from prison in December, a Tibetan village leader named Gonpo Namgyal died. As his body was being prepared for traditional Tibetan funeral rites, marks were found indicating he had been brutally tortured in jail.

    His crime? Gonpo Namgyal had been part of a campaign to protect the Tibetan language in China.

    Gonpo Namgyal is the victim of a slow-moving conflict that has dragged on for nearly 75 years, since China invaded Tibet in the mid-20th century. Language has been central to that conflict.

    Tibetans have worked to protect the Tibetan language and resisted efforts to enforce Mandarin Chinese. Yet, Tibetan children are losing their language through enrolment in state boarding schools where they are being educated nearly exclusively in Mandarin Chinese. Tibetan is typically only taught a few times a week – not enough to sustain the language.

    My research, published in a new book in 2024, provides unique insights into the struggle of other minority languages in Tibet that receive far less attention.

    My research shows that language politics in Tibet are surprisingly complex and driven by subtle violence, perpetuated not only by Chinese authorities but also other Tibetans. I’ve also found that outsiders’ efforts to help are failing the minority languages at the highest risk of extinction.

    Tibetan culture under attack

    I lived in Ziling, the largest city on the Tibetan Plateau, from 2005 to 2013, teaching in a university, studying Tibetan and supporting local non-government organisations.

    Most of my research since then has focused on language politics in the Rebgong valley on the northeast Tibetan Plateau. From 2014 to 2018, I interviewed dozens of people, spoke informally with many others, and conducted hundreds of household surveys about language use.

    I also collected and analysed Tibetan language texts, including government policies, online essays, social media posts and even pop song lyrics.

    When I was in Ziling, Tibetans launched a massive protest movement against Chinese rule just before the Beijing Olympics in 2008. These protests led to harsh government crackdowns, including mass arrests, increased surveillance, and restrictions on freedom of movement and expressions of Tibetan identity. This was largely focused on language and religion.

    Years of unrest ensued, marked by more demonstrations and individual acts of sacrifice. Since 2009, more than 150 Tibetans have set themselves on fire to protest Chinese rule.

    Not just Tibetan under threat

    Tibet is a linguistically diverse place. In addition to Tibetan, about 60 other languages are spoken in the region. About 4% of Tibetans (around 250,000 people) speak a minority language.

    Government policy forces all Tibetans to learn and use Mandarin Chinese. Those who speak only Tibetan have a harder time finding work and are faced with discrimination and even violence from the dominant Han ethnic group.

    Meanwhile, support for Tibetan language education has slowly been whittled away: the government even recently banned students from having private Tibetan lessons or tutors on their school holidays.

    Linguistic minorities in Tibet all need to learn and use Mandarin. But many also need to learn Tibetan to communicate with other Tibetans: classmates, teachers, doctors, bureaucrats or bosses.

    In Rebgong, where I did my research, the locals speak a language they call Manegacha. Increasingly, this language is being replaced by Tibetan: about a third of all families that speak Manegacha are now teaching Tibetan to their children (who also must learn Mandarin).

    The government refuses to provide any opportunities to use and learn minority languages like Manegacha. It also tolerates constant discrimination and violence against Manegacha speakers by other Tibetans.

    These assimilationist state policies are causing linguistic diversity across Tibet to collapse. As these minority languages are lost, people’s mental and physical health suffers and their social connections and communal identities are destroyed.

    How do Manegacha communities resist and navigate language oppression?

    Why does this matter?

    Tibetan resistance to Chinese rule dates back to the People’s Liberation Army invasion in the early 1950s.

    When the Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959, that resistance movement went global. Governments around the world have continued to support Tibetan self-determination and combat Chinese misinformation about Tibet, such as the US Congress passage of the Resolve Tibet Act in 2024.

    Outside efforts to support the Tibetan struggle, however, are failing some of the most vulnerable people: those who speak minority languages.

    Manegacha speakers want to maintain their language. They resist the pressure to assimilate whenever they speak Manegacha to each other, post memes online in Manegacha or push back against the discrimination they face from other Tibetans.

    However, if Tibetans stop speaking Manegacha and other minority languages, this will contribute to the Chinese government’s efforts to erase Tibetan identity and culture.

    Even if the Tibetan language somehow survives in China, the loss of even one of Tibet’s minority languages would be a victory for the Communist Party in the conflict it started 75 years ago.

    Gerald Roche has received funding for this research from the Australian Research Council. He is also affiliated with the Linguistic Justice Foundation.

    – ref. Tibet is one of the most linguistically diverse places in the world. This is in danger of extinction – https://theconversation.com/tibet-is-one-of-the-most-linguistically-diverse-places-in-the-world-this-is-in-danger-of-extinction-246316

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Ocean protection policy “hangover” must be addressed by both parties: Greenpeace

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    SYDNEY, Wednesday 26 February 2025 – In response to the major political parties indicating election promises to protect Australia’s oceans, Greenpeace Australia Pacific says a crucial protection framework of a ratified Global Ocean Treaty is still missing.

    Georgia Whitaker, Greenpeace Australia Pacific Senior Campaigner, said:

    “We applaud the intention of both major parties to protect the ocean and tackle the disastrous impacts of industrial fishing, but if either is serious, they must ratify the Global Ocean Treaty; it’s a no-brainer.

    “Australia’s oceans are in crisis, facing serious threats of industrial fishing, climate change and plastic pollution. Our beloved and protected coral reefs are cooking in historic bleaching events, and now the Pacific Ocean is facing the threat of an emerging deep sea mining industry – the ocean needs every lifeline and ally it can get.”

    Australia adopted the historic Global Ocean Treaty–also known as the High Seas Treaty–in 2023, but has yet to ink it into law. To date, 110 countries have signed the treaty, and 17 countries have ratified it, including the Pacific nations of the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau. Once ratified by 60 countries, governments will have the power to propose and create marine sanctuaries in the high seas.

    “Australia is perfectly positioned to be an ocean protection leader on the global stage by ratifying the treaty this June at the UN Ocean Conference. We signed the treaty in 2023, but without action, the new government will lead with the hangover of a policy unfulfilled,” Whitaker said.

    “Aussies love the ocean, and many depend on a healthy, thriving ocean for their livelihoods. We want to see serious commitment to protecting not just our domestic waters, but the international waters that flow into them.”

    —ENDS—

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI China: China pledges global cooperation to address climate change

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

    HANGZHOU, Feb. 25 — China is willing to work with all parties to jointly address the challenges of extreme weather and climate risks, said Chen Zhenlin, head of the China Meteorological Administration (CMA).

    Chen made the remarks at the 62nd session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an important international platform for the assessment of climate change, that opened on Monday in Hangzhou, capital of east China’s Zhejiang Province.

    In China, actively responding to climate change has become an essential requirement for achieving sustainable development and a responsibility for promoting the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

    The CMA has done a lot of work in responding to climate change, including strengthening its integrated land-sea-air-space monitoring capabilities, researching and developing global and regional climate models, and assessing the impacts and risks of climate change, Chao Qingchen, head of the National Climate Center under the CMA, told Xinhua.

    These efforts have greatly contributed to climate change adaptation and mitigation, Chao added.

    In Zhejiang, the meteorological disaster early warning system has further improved its accuracy to the township level, with alerts for sudden strong convective weather now issued 50 minutes in advance.

    The IPCC is meeting in Hangzhou to reach agreement on the outlines of the three working group contributions to the “Seventh Assessment Report” and the “Methodology Report on Carbon Dioxide Removal Technologies, Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage.” Representatives from over 130 IPCC member countries, relevant observer organizations and international organizations are attending the meeting.

    The IPCC is now in its seventh climate change assessment cycle. Over the past six cycles, it has published a total of 43 assessment reports on climate change.

    Liu Zhenmin, China’s special envoy for climate change, said the IPCC reports reflect humanity’s deepening understanding of climate science, which has advanced global efforts to address climate change and provided an important scientific foundation for continuously strengthening and improving global climate governance.

    Over the years, hundreds of Chinese scientists have participated in writing and reviewing the assessment reports, making significant contributions to scientific, comprehensive and objective assessments of climate change.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Hospices receive multi-million pound boost to improve facilities

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Hospices receive multi-million pound boost to improve facilities

    The government has confirmed the release of £25 million for upgrades and refurbishments today for hospices across England,

    • An additional £75 million will be available from April as part of the largest investment in hospices in a generation.
    • The funding will modernise facilities, improve IT systems and ensure patients receive the highest quality care.   

    Families across England will start to see improved end-of-life care as the government brings in major upgrades to hospice services nationwide. 

    New investments in hospices will make sure people receive compassionate care in comfortable, dignified surroundings during their most vulnerable moments by creating outdoor gardens where memories can be shared and upgrading patient rooms, so they feel more like home.

    Every change is focused on supporting families when they need it most.

    The improvements will help ensure that during life’s most challenging moments, patients and their loved ones receive the highest quality care in the most appropriate and comfortable settings.

    Hospices will begin receiving £25 million for facility upgrades and refurbishments from today as part of the biggest investment into hospices in a generation.

    The cash will be distributed immediately for the 2024/25 financial year, with a further £75 million to follow from April. More than 170 hospices across the country will receive funding, including those run by Marie Curie and Sue Ryder, as well as independent hospices like Zoe’s Place in Liverpool. 

    This cash forms a key part of the government’s Plan for Change, improving care in the community where people need it most.

    Minister for Care Stephen Kinnock said:  

    This is the largest investment in a generation to help transform hospice facilities across England. From upgrading patient rooms to improving gardens and outdoor spaces, this funding will make a real difference to people at the end of their lives. 

    Hospices provide invaluable care and support when people need it most and this funding boost will ensure they are able to continue delivering exceptional care in better, modernised facilities.

    The immediate cash injection, allocated through Hospice UK from the department, will enable hospices to purchase essential new medical equipment, undertake building refurbishments, improve technology, upgrade facilities for patients and families and implement energy efficiency measures.  

    The larger £75 million investment will support more substantial capital projects, including major building works and facility modernisation, throughout the next financial year.  

    Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK, said:

    The announcement before Christmas of £100m of additional funding for hospices in England was a significant boost, and today’s news of the allocation of the first £25m of this funding will be a huge relief for our members.

    Several years of rapidly rising costs have curtailed the extent to which hospices have been able to invest in their infrastructure for the longer term. This additional support will enable them to do so – and relieve the immediate pressures on hospice finances.

    The hospice sector is ready to support the government’s ambition to shift more care into the community. This couldn’t be more important for people approaching the end of life, when it’s vital to have the right care, in the right place.

    The greater stability provided by the government’s funding injection this year and next gives us a golden opportunity to now reform the palliative and end of life care system, so it’s fit for the future.

    Nick Carroll, Chief Executive of children’s palliative care charity Together for Short Lives, said:

    We’re really pleased that the Department of Health and Social Care has moved quickly to finalise the details of this much-needed funding and ensure it is ready for distribution. 

    We know that children’s hospices across England face an increasingly challenging funding landscape, with costs continuing to rise significantly. This investment will help children’s hospices continue to deliver essential care for seriously ill children and their families across England.

    A key focus of the investment will be digital transformation, enabling hospices to modernise their IT systems and improve data sharing between healthcare providers. The funding will also support the development of outreach services, allowing hospices to extend their care beyond their physical buildings. This includes investing in mobile equipment and technology that will help support people who wish to receive end-of-life care in their own homes.  

    Creating more welcoming spaces for families is another priority, with funding allocated for the renovation of family rooms and outdoor areas. These improvements will provide peaceful, comfortable spaces where families can spend precious time with their loved ones during difficult periods.  

    The funding forms part of the government’s commitment to improving end-of-life care services across England, so hospices can continue providing exceptional care in the best possible environments.  

    It also supports the government’s ambitions in the 10 Year Health Plan to shift healthcare out of hospitals into the community and from analogue to digital, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting.  

    NOTES TO EDITORS:  

    • Hospice UK is managing the distribution without charging administration fees.
    BREAKDOWN OF FUNDING
    Acorns Children’s Hospice Trust 302,003
    Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service 47,956
    Arthur Rank Hospice Charity 235,374
    Ashgate Hospicecare 211,820
    Barnsley Hospice 80,039
    Bassetlaw Hospice 7,274
    Beaumond House Community Hospice 32,852
    Birmingham – adjusted for 12 months 345,224
    Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice 73,256
    Blythe House Hospice 39,958
    Bolton Hospice 107,466
    Bury Hospice 61,674
    Butterfly Hospice 12,215
    Butterwick Hospice Limited 60,656
    Campden Home Nursing 23,060
    Children’s Hospice South West 275,928
    Claire House Children’s Hospice 172,160
    Community Hospice for Greenwich & Bexley 231,143
    Compton Hospice 217,778
    Cornwall Hospice Care 161,125
    Demelza Hospice Care for Children – Demelza Kent 242,135
    Derian House Children’s Hospice 115,875
    Dorothy House Hospice Care 297,862
    Douglas Macmillan Hospice 328,758
    Dove Cottage Day Hospice 9,309
    Dove House Hospice 111,822
    Dr Kershaw’s Hospice 92,588
    Earl Mountbatten Hospice 332,433
    East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices 222,453
    East Cheshire Hospice 130,738
    East Lancashire Hospice 85,513
    Eden Valley Hospice 92,849
    Ellenor 137,518
    Farleigh Hospice 268,268
    Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice 75,232
    Francis House Children’s Hospice 152,127
    Garden House Hospice 124,170
    Great Oaks, Dean Forest Hospice 25,137
    Halton Haven Hospice 55,394
    Harlington Hospice Association 116,191
    Hartlepool & District Hospice 60,881
    Haven House Children’s Hospice 88,446
    Havens Hospices 261,310
    Heart of Kent Hospice 97,348
    Helen & Douglas House 136,890
    Hope House Children’s Hospices (Hope House) 144,966
    Hospice at Home West Cumbria 33,871
    Hospice at Home, Carlisle and North Lakeland 31,287
    Hospice Care for Burnley & Pendle 95,256
    Hospice in the Weald 199,653
    Hospice of St Francis (Berkhamsted) 121,619
    Hospice of the Good Shepherd 81,185
    HospiceCare North Northumberland 18,653
    Hospiscare (Exeter) 180,911
    Isabel Hospice 120,401
    Jessie May 22,929
    John Eastwood Hospice 12,573
    Julia’s House Ltd. 131,315
    Kate’s Home Nursing 8,843
    Katharine House Hospice (Banbury) 35,454
    Katharine House Hospice (Stafford) 97,658
    Keech Hospice Care 189,753
    Kemp Hospice Trust 21,942
    Kirkwood Hospice 160,020
    Lakelands Hospice 9,251
    Lawrence Home Nursing 9,586
    Lewis-Manning Hospice 49,050
    Lindsey Lodge Hospice 78,577
    Longfield 50,229
    LOROS Leicestershire & Rutland Hospice 302,751
    Marie Curie unadjusted 1,250,000
    Martin House Children’s Hospice 148,596
    Mary Ann Evans Hospice 37,177
    Mary Stevens Hospice 83,256
    Naomi House & Jacksplace Children’s Hospice 122,736
    Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice 114,605
    North Devon Hospice 104,128
    North London Hospice 283,640
    Nottinghamshire Hospice 72,123
    Oakhaven Hospice 157,402
    Overgate Hospice 85,938
    Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice 280,455
    Pilgrims Hospices in East Kent, Canterbury 290,911
    Primrose Hospice 29,035
    Princess Alice Hospice 264,319
    Priscilla Bacon 3,958
    Prospect Hospice 127,153
    Queenscourt Hospice 137,157
    Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People 145,128
    Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care 278,579
    Richard House Children’s Hospice 85,846
    Rosemary Foundation – Hospice at Home 17,247
    Rossendale Hospice 25,229
    Rotherham Hospice 121,115
    Rowcroft – The Torbay & South Devon Hospice 158,301
    Royal Trinity Hospice 318,609
    Saint Catherine’s Hospice (Scaraborough) 104,720
    Saint Francis Hospice 191,131
    Saint Michael’s Hospice (Harrogate) 140,243
    Severn Hospice 229,964
    Shipston Home Nursing 10,206
    Shooting Star CHASE 169,787
    Sidmouth Hospice at Home 16,934
    Sobell House Hospice 78,633
    South Bucks Hospice 19,251
    Springhill Hospice 111,983
    St Andrew’s Hospice (Grimsby) 92,589
    St Ann’s Hospice (Cheadle, Cheshire) 228,447
    St Barnabas Hospices (Sussex) 368,232
    St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice 236,601
    St Catherine’s Hospice (Crawley) 203,142
    St Catherine’s Hospice (Lancashire) 166,720
    St Christopher’s Hospice 526,754
    St Clare Hospice (West Essex) 144,945
    St Cuthbert’s Hospice 68,486
    St Elizabeth Hospice 239,262
    St Gemma’s Hospice 225,450
    St Giles Hospice 213,793
    St Helena Hospice 237,083
    St John’s Hospice, Lancaster 126,624
    St Johns, London 147,500
    St Joseph’s Hospice Association 66,973
    St Joseph’s Hospice, HACKNEY 313,531
    St Leonard’s Hospice 144,606
    St Luke’s (Cheshire) Hospice 84,318
    St Luke’s Hospice (Basildon) 256,843
    St Luke’s Hospice (Harrow & Brent) 129,220
    St Luke’s Hospice (Sheffield) 223,481
    St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth 176,616
    St Margaret’s Hospice – SOMERSET 204,046
    St Mary’s Hospice 86,382
    St Michael’s Hospice (Hereford) 166,755
    St Michael’s Hospice (North Hampshire) Basingstoke 86,086
    St Michael’s hospice, Hastings 146,943
    St Nicholas Hospice Care 97,852
    St Oswald’s Hospice 252,524
    St Peter & St James Hospice & Continuing Care Centre 78,032
    St Peter’s Hospice (BRISTOL) 251,252
    St Raphael’s Hospice 131,769
    St Richard’s Hospice (WORCESTER) 172,108
    St Rocco’s Hospice 88,421
    St Teresa’s Hospice 76,912
    St Wilfrid’s Hospice (EASTBOURNE) 179,191
    St Wilfrid’s Hospice (SOUTH COAST) – Chichester 141,670
    Sue Ryder unadjusted 1,250,000
    Teesside Hospice Care Foundation 74,899
    Thames Hospice 224,843
    The Martlets Hospice 253,129
    The Myton Hospices 223,905
    The Norfolk Hospice, Tapping House 81,531
    The Prince of Wales Hospice 70,669
    The Rowans Hospice 171,289
    The Shakespeare Hospice 32,216
    Treetops Hospice Care 65,496
    Trinity Hospice & Palliative Care Services 205,071
    Tynedale Hospice at Home 16,145
    Wakefield Hospice 78,381
    Weldmar Hospicecare Trust 177,100
    Weston Hospicecare 71,633
    Wigan & Leigh Hospice 123,224
    Willen Hospice 143,687
    Willow Burn Hospice 24,014
    Willow Wood Hospice 60,478
    Willowbrook Hospice 99,908
    Wirral Hospice St John’s 131,516
    Woking Hospice 160,768
    Woodlands Hospice 20,172
    Zoe’s Place – Baby Hospice 75,336
       
       

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to the Climate Change Committee’s Seventh Carbon Budget

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on the Seventh Carbon Budget, published by the Climate Change Committee. 

    Prof John Barrett, Professor in Energy and Climate Policy and Director of the Climate Evidence Unit at the University of Leeds, said:

    “This is a very welcome report with a robust analysis that lets the Government, industry and citizens know that the pathway to net zero is possible and very much needed. However, it does place enormous responsibility on some key technologies and their rapid roll out to achieve these goals. As the UK Government digests the findings, we would suggest greater consideration of the “social” transformation that examines how we travel and what we buy.”

    “While the report acknowledges some upfront costs, it confirms that acting now will reduce expenses in the long run, with cost savings emerging by the late 2030s and beyond.”

    “The key takeaway from today’s report is clear: the transition to net zero is not only possible but highly beneficial. Independent academic analyses consistently supports this conclusion, showing that it will strengthen the economy, deliver widespread co-benefits, and position the UK as a leader in global climate action.”

     

    Dr Sean Beevers, Reader in Atmospheric Modelling, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, said:

    “A National Institute for Health and Care Research project examined the effects of net zero policies on air quality, active travel, health, and associated economic benefits in the UK.

    “Our cost benefit analysis showed that net zero transport and building policies deliver substantial co-benefits, including improved indoor and outdoor air quality, better health, increase active travel, lessening inequalities and with long-term economic gains. We estimated an overall monetised air quality and active travel benefit of £46.4 billion by 2060 and £153 billion by 2154.

     “Net zero policy analyses should include benefits from the air pollution reductions and physical activity increases. These benefits apply to current and future generations and failure to act will lead to worse health outcomes and higher costs for attaining net zero.”

    Dr Edward Gryspeerdt, Research Fellow at the Department of Physics, Imperial College London, said:

    “The CCC’s advice highlights that aviation will become the highest emitting sector in the UK by 2040. Clean alternatives, such as low-carbon fuel and technology for low emission flights are currently limited and a range of measures will be needed to meet net-zero – there is no silver bullet.

    “The government has described ‘sustainable aviation fuels’ as a ‘game changer.’ However, to have a significant impact on the climate impact of flying, they will need to be produced at a huge scale. It is not yet clear how this will be achieved. To reach net zero, the CCC also note that a switch from flying to other modes of transport will be required, especially for flights with an easy rail alternative. 

    “These measures alone won’t solve the problem. The CCC’s report highlights that a significant amount of carbon capture will be needed, highlighting the simple fact that the technological solutions to eliminate the climate impact of flying don’t yet exist. Any expansion of the UK’s aviation infrastructure will have to be coupled with improved sustainable transport options.”

     

    Dr Caterina Brandmayr, Director of Policy and Translation at the Grantham Institute – Climate Change and the Environment, Imperial College London, said:

    “Today’s advice marks an important milestone in charting the UK’s path to net zero. Public opinion surveys continue to show that climate change remains a key issue of concern for a large majority of people in the UK.

     “To put us firmly on track to deliver the deep emission cuts needed from 2038 to 2042, the UK government needs to strengthen its action in the near term, giving confidence to businesses and households to invest in clean alternatives in sectors like housing, transport and energy. 

    “There is strong public support for the benefits that emission reduction interventions can bring, such as warmer homes, energy security and cleaner air. 

    “Effectively communicating these benefits, while ensuring fairness and choice in policy design, will be key to sustaining public support for the transition and driving change in harder to decarbonise sectors, such as aviation and land use.”

    Dr Friederike Otto, Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Environmental Policy and co-lead of World Weather Attribution, Imperial College London, said

    “People shouldn’t forget why we need these targets – we’re already feeling the pain at 1.3°C of warming and things will keep getting worse until emissions are reduced to net zero. 

    “Here in the UK, we’ll experience even wetter winters that could wipe out crops, threaten our food security and turn sports pitches into miserable bogs. In summer, more frequent heatwaves will contribute to thousands of premature deaths, could put additional strain on the NHS, and reduce economic productivity. Overseas, extreme weather could disrupt supply chains we depend on and could contribute to worsening political instability and conflict. 

    “Arguments that climate action is too costly are dangerous, short-sighted and disproportionately harm poorer people. If governments don’t cut emissions, both now and in the future, our children will live in an increasingly hostile climate and even more inequal society. 

    “The UK needs to push ahead and lead the way in emission reductions for a safer, healthier future.”

    Prof Lorraine Whitmarsh, Director at the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) at the University of Bath, said:

    “The government’s climate advisors make clear that tackling climate change requires significant action from all sections of society in the coming years. A third of emission reductions will come from household behaviour change alone. Low-carbon choices include switching to electric vehicles and heat pumps, eating more plant-based foods, and shifting to cleaner forms of transport. Many of these changes offer wider benefits, like improved health and lower bills. The report also highlights the need for government to reduce the barriers for the public to make these changes and to engage the public more actively in the net zero transition. The citizens panel that fed into these recommendations highlight that measures need to be fair and reduce the cost of low-carbon options.”

    Dr Christina Demski, Deputy Director at the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) at the University of Bath, said:

    “The latest CCC progress report makes it clear that decisive action is needed now to ensure we meet the net zero target, and that action to reduce emissions also has other benefits like economic security, better health and reducing fuel poverty. While the UK is on track to reduce emissions substantially from energy supply, the report clearly shows that action is also needed in sectors like transport, buildings and agriculture, and that this requires widespread uptake of essential low-carbon technologies like EVs and heat pumps.

    “We have long called for a comprehensive engagement strategy, so it is great to see this included as one of the key recommendations, especially the recommendation to go beyond one-way communication strategies.”

    Dr Sam Hampton, Research Fellow at the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) at the University of Bath, said:

    “The Climate Change Committee’s 7th Carbon Budget provides a comprehensive account of the changes required across UK society to address the increasingly alarming impacts of climate change. As we have largely exhausted the low-hanging fruit of decarbonising our electricity supply, the focus in the 2030s and 2040s must shift towards demand-side changes. This includes changes in how we eat and travel, as well as the technologies we adopt. The report highlights key solutions including the adoption of electric vehicles and heat pumps, as well as the need for innovation to rid fossil fuels from industry. Another important takeaway is that Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is not a viable solution to decarbonising air travel. This comes just weeks after government expressed its support for airport expansion, and highlights the need for more radical solutions to limit flying, especially amongst the rich.”

     

     

    The Climate Change Committee’s Seventh Carbon Budget was published at 00:01 UK Time Wednesday 26 February 2025. 

    Declared interests

    Prof John Barrett: Deputy Director for Policy, Priestly Centre for Climate Futures, University of Leeds, Theme Leader for the UKRI Energy Research Demand Centre

    For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: A Total Win for Rumble and Trump Media: Statement on U.S. Court’s Order on Moraes’s Directives

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONGBOAT KEY, Fla., Feb. 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rumble (NASDAQ:RUM), the video-sharing platform and cloud services provider, today celebrated a ruling from a U.S. federal court that censorship orders from Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes have no legal force in the United States.

    Rumble released the following statement:

    “Today, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida confirmed what we have argued from the very beginning: Justice Alexandre de Moraes’s censorship orders have no legal force in the United States. This ruling is a complete victory for free speech, digital sovereignty, and the right of American companies to operate without foreign judicial interference.

    “The court explicitly ruled that Moraes’s directives were never properly served under U.S. or international law, stating that they were not delivered through the Hague Convention, the U.S.-Brazil Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT), or any other valid legal mechanism. This means that Rumble and Trump Media are under no obligation to comply with these unlawful censorship demands, and no U.S. entity is required to enforce them.

    “The court further made clear that if anyone attempts to enforce these illegal orders on U.S. soil, it stands ready to intervene to protect American companies and free speech. The ruling sends a strong message to foreign governments that they cannot bypass U.S. law to impose censorship on American platforms.

    “This case was never just about Rumble or Trump Media—it was about stopping foreign judges from trying to silence speech in America. Today’s ruling confirms that Moraes’s authoritarian censorship campaign has no place in the United States, and his overreach will not stand.

    “Rumble and Trump Media will continue to fight for free speech, and today’s ruling is a major victory in that battle.”

    Media Contact
    Tim Murtaugh
    tim.murtaugh@rumble.com

    *

    The following is attributable to Rumble’s U.S. counsel:

    “The court’s decision today denied the TRO for being unnecessary because it determined that Moraes’s orders are invalid and unenforceable in the United States. Therefore, there is no need to restrain invalid orders. Of course, if Moraes takes any steps to try to enforce his illegal orders on U.S. soil, we can return to the judge to grant a TRO.”

    Martin De Luca & Matthew Schwartz, Boies Schiller Flexner LLP

    Media Contact:
    Victoria Scordato
    vscordato@bsfllp.com

    ABOUT RUMBLE

    Rumble is a high-growth video platform and cloud services provider that is creating an independent infrastructure. Rumble’s mission is to restore the internet to its roots by making it free and open once again. For more information, visit: corp.rumble.com.

    Contact: press@rumble.com

    ###

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Marshall, Daines, and Bennet Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support Outdoor Recreation and Expand Access to Public Lands

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas), Steve Daines (R-Montana), and Michael Bennet (D-Colorado) today introduced the “Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act,” which would support public access for hunting, fishing, hiking, and other outdoor wildlife-dependent activities.
    “As an avid outdoorsman and conservationist, some of my greatest memories are hunting and fishing with my kids,” said Senator Marshall. “I fully support and am proud to introduce the Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act, which encourages Kansans to open their land for the public to enjoy the great outdoors. Increased access to these outdoor recreational activities is good for our children and our shared American values.”
    “Hunting, fishing, and hiking are huge parts of our Montana way of life, and as a lifelong sportsman myself, I’m glad to lead an effort to expand access to our public lands,” said Senator Daines. “Reauthorizing the Voluntary Public Access Habitat Initiative Program will give more Montanans the chance to enjoy outdoor recreation activities and support critical habitats for wildlife.”
    “For years, this program has rewarded Colorado’s family farmers and ranchers for their efforts to improve wildlife habitat, provide new opportunities for sportsmen and women, and expand recreation options for Coloradans. I fought to expand funding for this program in the last Farm Bill, and I’ll continue to work to prioritize successful, voluntary programs like this,” said Senator Bennet.
    Read the bill text HERE.
    Background:
    The “Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act of 2025” would reauthorize the Voluntary Public Access Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP) for an additional five years and increase the authorization to $150 million. The VPA-HIP provides competitive grants to states and tribal governments to be used to incentivize private landowners to voluntarily open their lands for public use while upholding private property rights. Senators Marshall, Daines, and Bennet also introduced the bill in the 118th Congress.
    Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan-6) and Dusty Johnson (R-South Dakota-At-Large) introduced the companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    Statements of Support:
    “State-led access programs are hurting this year without support from VPA-HIP, and including the Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act in a 2025 farm bill would be a major positive development for hunters and anglers. We are thrilled to see such an influential, bipartisan group of leaders recognize the importance of increased hunting and fishing access by introducing this legislation. Thank you, Representatives Dingell and Johnson and Senators Daines, Bennet, and Marshall, for your leadership and support,” said Joel Pedersen, President and CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
    “Hunting access is one of the most significant barriers for both new and experienced hunters. The Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act is a win-win for sportsmen and landowners, and we thank Sens. Daines, Bennet, and Marshall for leading this bipartisan effort in the Senate, as well as Reps. Dingell and Johnson for their leadership in the House,” said Kellis Moss, Ducks Unlimited Managing Director of Federal Affairs. 
    “On behalf of the nation’s recreational fishing industry, the American Sportfishing Association thanks Senators Daines, Marshall, and Bennet for their leadership of the Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act. This legislation will support and enable landowners to provide fishing access on private lands, opening valuable waters to anglers. The reauthorization and expansion of VPA-HIP will strengthen a program that has allowed access to private lands since 2008, creating memorable days on the water for America’s anglers,” said Glenn Hughes, President of the American Sportfishing Association.
    “Recovering wildlife, restoring habitat, and expanding recreational access on private lands is a win-win for both wildlife and the hunters, anglers, and outdoorspeople, who power the outdoor recreation economy. This common-sense, bipartisan bill will ensure farmers, ranchers, and private land owners have the tools and resources they need through the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program to ensure our shared wildlife heritage endures for future generations. Thank you to Representatives Debbie Dingell and Dusty Johnson and Senators Steve Daines, Michel Bennet, and Roger Marshall for working to pass this important bipartisan legislation,” said Aviva Glaser, Senior Director of Agriculture Policy for the National Wildlife Federation.
    “There are dozens of state programs throughout the country that help open public hunting access on private lands, but one common thread is that VPA-HIP is the unsung hero that makes much of that access possible. The economic returns for rural communities in VPA-HIP have been shown many times over, and increasing funding for the program is one of our top priorities in the next farm bill. Access is at the core of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s mission, and we thank Senators Daines, Bennet, and Marshall and Representatives Dingell and Johnson for their leadership and support for this very successful program,” said Ariel Wiegard, Vice President of Government Affairs for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever.
    “By reauthorizing and expanding the only federal program specifically designed to increase opportunities for hunters and anglers on private land, the Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act addresses the number one barrier to participation in our sporting traditions, lack of public access. We applaud the bipartisan leadership of Reps. Debbie Dingell and Dusty Johnson and Sens. Roger Marshall and Michael Bennet on legislation that would expand public recreation opportunities as well as enhance fish and wildlife habitat,” said Kaden McArthur, Director of Policy and Government Relations for Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.
    “We greatly appreciate Senators Daines, Bennet, and Marshall introducing the VPA Improvement Act. As we entered discussions of the next Farm Bill, extending and expanding the impact of VPA-HIP was one of Delta’s highest priorities. As duck hunters across the country look for additional access, increased investments in VPA HIP can lead to new partnerships with private landowners to enhance habitat and also provide access. We hope that this effort will lead to a broader bi-partisan effort to include an expanded VPA-HIP in the final Farm Bill,” said John Devney, Chief Policy Officer at Delta Waterfowl.
    “We are proud to support Representative Dingell’s reintroduction of the Voluntary Public Access Improvement Act, alongside Representative Johnson, Senator Daines, Senator Marshall, and Senator Bennet. Reauthorizing and strengthening the Act will ensure that landowners and sportsmen alike can continue to benefit from sustainable wildlife management and habitat preservation for generations to come,” said Nick Pinizzotto, President and CEO of the National Deer Association.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Plan to increase digital skills to deliver growth and opportunity for all

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Plan to increase digital skills to deliver growth and opportunity for all

    Government sets out first steps to break down barriers to digital inclusion affecting 1 in 4 Britons to help put more money into people’s pockets.

    Digital Inclusion Action Plan. We’re making sure everyone can be included in our digital world.

    • Tech Secretary: Improving digital skills essential to economic growth and success of Plan for Change 
    • Government sets out first steps to break down barriers to digital inclusion affecting 1 in 4 Britons to help put more money into people’s pockets 
    • Comes as Ministers secure backing of business, with Google vowing to deliver intensive digital skills training to support adults with low digital skills

    Millions of people in Britain are set to gain greater digital skills, as ministers tackle the scourge of digital exclusion currently holding too many people back from boosting their employability and accessing vital services.

    With daily tasks like speaking to a GP, applying for jobs, or renting and buying a house becoming increasingly digitalised, improved digital skills and access to technology hold the key to many of the government’s commitments in the Plan for Change. Businesses are also set to gain from greater skills, with too many employers currently struggling to recruit candidates with the digital skills required to help them grow their business and ultimately boost economic growth.  

    Research shows that people who are digitally excluded can face higher costs for things like home insurance, train travel and food – with people paying up to 25% more than consumers who are online.   

    The Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has set out today (26th February) urgent actions to begin fixing digital exclusion, publishing a new Digital Inclusion Action Plan that will help people in Britain reap the benefits of the online world.  

    This includes funding for local initiatives targeted to the most digitally-excluded groups, including the elderly and low-income households and partnering with inclusion charity Digital Poverty Alliance to provide laptops to people who are digitally excluded. 

    Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: 

    The technological revolution we are living in is not only transforming everyone’s lives, but is advancing at breakneck speed, and will not slow down any time soon. 

    Leaving people behind in the process could threaten our mission to maximise technology for economic growth and better public services, which is central to our Plan for Change. 

    Only by making technology a widely accessible force for good can we make it a positive catalyst for societal change – whether that means helping a sick patient speak to a GP remotely or giving a young person the devices they need to apply for online jobs or renting a flat.  

    Charities, local and combined authorities will have access to funding for digital inclusion programmes, boosting communities’ digital access, skills and confidence in the online world. This new funding will empower Mayors and other local leaders to develop local solutions for the most digitally excluded groups in their areas, recognising the challenges they face will be different across the country. 

    It also includes pledges by key technology companies to help the government achieve its mission of breaking down the digital divide. Google and BT have pledged to deliver digital skills training to thousands in the UK while Vodafone has committed to help one million people by donating connectivity and technology, affordable services, and upskilling communities.   

    Telecoms Minister Chris Bryant said: 

    Digital services are a key part of everyday life. Banking, parking your car, searching for the best value insurance, these are all part of modern life. But digital innovation cannot be a privilege of the wealthy or the young. 

    From boosting digital skills to improving access to laptops, today we are setting out clear actions to give everyone across the UK the skills, confidence, and opportunity to make the most of the digital world and thrive in our modern society.

    Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester said:

    There is still too much digital exclusion in the UK.  Technology should be accessible to all, and I welcome the recognition of Mayoral Combined Authorities as leaders in driving locally-led solutions. In Greater Manchester, we aim to empower every resident with the essential skills and tools to thrive in a digital world.

    Through a deeper collaboration with the government, we will unlock the potential of technology, building a fairer, more prosperous future for all, ensuring no one gets left behind.

    Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, said: 

    Digital inclusion is not just about providing access to technology; it’s about unlocking opportunities for everyone. In the Liverpool City Region, we’ve seen first-hand the transformative power of ensuring that nobody is left behind in the digital age. 

    With this new`government initiative, we are taking a giant step forward in closing the digital divide, giving individuals the tools they need to succeed and thrive, whether that’s through education, employment, or improving their everyday lives.

    Figures show that many in Britain risk being left behind if no action is taken, with 1.6 million people in the UK currently living offline, meaning they lack the devices, connection or skills to get online, and around a quarter of the UK population struggle to use online services. 

    Widespread access to technology will boost economic growth and raise living standards in every part of Britain, equipping people with better skills to enter a competitive workforce and giving investors the confidence that the British public will exploit tech innovation.

    Notes to editors

    Industry pledges

    Google

    Google will develop a new partnership with Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to deliver intensive digital skills training to support adults with low digital skills, helping them succeed in the modern work environment.

    CityFibre

    CityFibre has committed to installing 170 connections to 170 premises in Norfolk, Suffolk, Leicestershire, Kent, East and West Sussex, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire and surrounding areas by 2030. As part of this, these premises — including residential and community hubs — will be given their first 6-month broadband package for free.

    Virgin Media O2

    Virgin Media O2 has already connected over 350,000 digitally excluded people. It is committing to increasing this to 1 million people by the end of 2025, through expanded provision of data and devices to those that need it.

    Vodafone

    Vodafone will help 1 million people cross the digital divide in 2025 through donating connectivity and technology, affordable services, and upskilling communities. This includes a commitment to maintain their social tariff product offerings. To support closing the digital infrastructure divide, Vodafone will continue to invest in rolling out their network to the whole of the UK.

    WightFibre

    WightFibre commits to providing free or discounted broadband to community groups and charities, including community centres, digital hubs and village halls, on the Isle of Wight. These community organisations will promote that they have free Wi-Fi available on-site for public use.

    Good Things Foundation, Vodafone and Deloitte

    Good Things Foundation, Vodafone, and Deloitte are working together with the government to lead the development of a charter for responsible device donation. This will establish common principles for businesses and organisations to commit to: increasing the number of devices donated to digitally excluded people; reducing electronic waste; and promoting circularity.

    BT

    Connectivity:

    • BT has already connected over 300,000 digitally excluded households through its social tariffs, which also include a lower £15 tariff for ‘zero income’ households, and will continue to offer these tariffs to millions of people on Universal Credit who are eligible for them.

    Community WiFi:

    • BT Group has the country’s largest public WiFi network, with some 5.5 million EE and BT hub locations (in households and commercial premises) available for eligible customers to connect to. BT and EE have agreed to pilot 2 new approaches to extend the use of this network to a much larger number of digitally excluded households:

      1. by providing log-ins for free WiFi to eligible families through charity and public sector partnerships
      2. by providing community WiFi services, free at the point of use, at a much larger number of libraries and community centres, including working with government to identify and prioritise connections to 500 community hubs in deprived areas

    • To succeed, this initiative will need support from local partners, which the pilot phase of the project will seek to ensure.

    Skills:

    • BT commits to providing digital training to thousands of older people and children in 2025, through their partnership with AbilityNet and their Work Ready programme.
    • BT commits to providing 500 adults with disabilities with digital devices, data and support in 2025, through their partnership with Keyring.

    Openreach

    • Openreach is building ultrafast ultra-reliable Full Fibre broadband to 25 million premises by December 2026 and ultimately aiming to reach as many as 30 million by 2030 if the right investment conditions exist.  

    • As we build, we’ll work with the government to upgrade connectivity to at least 500 community hubs in deprived areas, helping people across the country to get online, with the majority delivered by the end of 2026. We’ll also work with our communications provider customers to offer the services these sites need, as soon as our network’s been built.

    Sky

    Through Sky Up — Sky’s social impact programme — Sky will commit to supporting 70 Sky Up Hubs across the UK help people bridge the digital divide by providing reliable internet connections, tech equipment and digital training in partnership with local charities in 2025.

    Three

    • To support those facing digital exclusion, Three will donate over 2 million GB of data to an estimated 80,000 people by 2026.
    • To help bridge the digital divide, Three’s Discovery digital-skills training programme seeks to reach over 270,000 people by 2030.
    • Through the Reconnected scheme, Three aims to save around 30,000 unused devices to help disadvantaged people get connected.

    Supportive quotes:

    Helen Milner OBE, Group Chief Executive, Good Things Foundation, said:

    For the first time ever, digital inclusion is firmly on the national agenda. It’s fantastic to see recognition from the heart of government that urgent and joined-up action is needed to enable millions of people to overcome barriers to good work, good health and realising their full potential. As the UK’s leading digital inclusion charity, Good Things Foundation is delighted to see recognition of the vital role hyper local community organisations and civil society has played in fixing the digital divide, and a clear vision for how the national and devolved government can amplify and build on that. This is a major milestone in our push for an inclusive and prosperous society where no-one is left behind.

    Debbie Weinstein, President of Google EMEA and Interim Head of Google UK, said:

    It’s essential that we bridge the digital divide and equip everyone with the skills they need to harness the opportunities of the online world. We’re excited to be a part of the Digital Inclusion Action Plan – building on our legacy of training over 1 million Brits in digital skills. Ensuring that everyone benefits from helpful, productivity boosting AI-powered technologies is key to growth and to what we do.

    Nicki Lyons, Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer at Vodafone UK, said:

    Vodafone has long been an advocate of greater digital inclusion across society. During our time working in this space, we have learnt that the scale of our progress is directly linked to the success of our partnerships. Which is why we are delighted to be joining forces with Good Things Foundation, Deloitte and the UK government.

    Through the Digital Inclusion Action plan, we are establishing a common set of principles for businesses and organisations to commit to when it comes to responsible device donation. Not only will this help increase the number of devices donated to those who are digitally excluded, but it will also help reduce electronic waste and promote circularity. All while laddering up to Vodafone’s pledge to help 1 million people cross the digital divide by 2025, as part of a wider 4 million target through our everyone.connected programme.

    Councillor Abi Brown OBE, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Improvement and Innovation Board, said:

    Councils are critical to tackling digital inclusion, providing strategic leadership of local support, and running council-led initiatives, such as digital skills improvement support and refurbishing old equipment to donate or lend to residents who rely on devices.

    Our world is increasingly digital by default, with banking, democratic functions, job applications, benefits and other public services being moved online. Digital skills, equipment and reliable connectivity, as well as the confidence to be online, are crucial to enable people to fully participate in society and engage in education and employment.

    Given their role as local leaders, councils want to go much further, building on their work with local voluntary and community sector organisations to reach socially excluded groups.

    The Digital Inclusion Action Plan recognises that local authorities are key to the delivery of digital inclusion ambitions, and we look forward to helping government empower all areas to support all those who are underserved by the move to a modern digital society.

    Elizabeth Anderson, Chief Executive Officer, Digital Poverty Alliance, said:

    The Digital Poverty Alliance is delighted to be playing a practical role by distributing government devices to those in need – and more widely we’re pleased to see so many key aspects of digital inclusion tackled in a comprehensive way in this Action Plan. Leadership from government, combined with tangible support for charities and local authorities and firm commitments from industry, sets a firm basis towards tackling an issue that prevents millions of people from accessing key services online and achieving their potential. Our work together on this pilot programme will provide real help right now and demonstrate the huge impact that device redistribution schemes have on families and households.

    Antony Walker, Deputy CEO, techUK said:

    Everyone, regardless of their background, should have access to the digital skills they need to be empowered not just at work but also in their day-to-day life. In the digital age we live in today, it is imperative that everyone is at ease using digital technologies.

    The UK tech sector stands behind the government’s mission to close the digital divide. Many of our members are already tackling digital exclusion head on and this Action Plan will support their efforts and enable businesses to do even more.

    Liz Williams MBE, Chief Executive, FutureDotNow, said:

    Today 21 million adults of working age don’t have the full suite of digital essentials. Leading businesses are already working with FutureDotNow, coalescing around the Workforce Digital Skills Charter to ensure everyone has the essential digital capability for work today and our rapidly evolving digital future. This clear direction from government will help accelerate progress as we work to close the workforce essential digital skills gap.

    Nicola Green, Chief Communications and Corporate Affairs Officer at Virgin Media O2, said: 

    We welcome the government’s Digital Inclusion Action Plan and its leadership to drive digital inclusion across the UK.

    I’m proud that Virgin Media O2 is recognised in the Action Plan, having already connected more than 350,000 digitally excluded people through our pioneering programmes, such as the National Databank and Community Calling, which have provided devices, data, and digital skills to help people access essential online services – from applying for work, booking medical appointments, accessing training courses and keeping in touch with loved ones.

    We look forward to working with government to further tackle digital exclusion so more people can access the internet and transform their lives.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 300

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Colleagues Urge Federal Courts to Affirm That Congress Holds the Power to Crack Down on Money Laundering

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    February 25, 2025
    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., joined his colleagues in filing amicus briefs that called on two federal courts to affirm that Congress holds the power to crack down on anonymous money laundering under the bipartisan Corporate Transparency Act passed in 2021. 
    The four-year-old law is considered the most important anti-money laundering law passed in two decades. It ensures law enforcement and national security officials are able to learn the true identities of people who own or control U.S. corporations and other legal entities used as shell companies to conceal illegal activities. By identifying these under-the-radar financial criminals, the federal government can better combat terrorist financing, money laundering, sanctions evasion, proliferation financing, tax evasion, and other illicit finance carried out through shell companies. In addition to holding U.S. corporations accountable, the law plays an essential role in protecting U.S. national security and public safety. 
    “Anonymous shell corporations harm the United States’ national security, foreign affairs, foreign and interstate commerce, and tax interests. Such shell companies often operate in multiple layers to hide their true owners and violations of key sanctions, money-laundering, and tax laws. Allowing illicit money to be hidden through corporate forms also undermines public safety and law enforcement efficacy on a national and international scale,” wrote the lawmakers in their amicus briefs to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th and 5th Circuits.
    In their amicus briefs, the lawmakers argued that Congress has robust powers under Article I to legislate on national security, tax, foreign affairs, and interstate and foreign commerce matters – all of which fall under the law. As a result of enacting the law, Congress has been able to engage in careful oversight, including through testimonies, reports, and committee hearings, over anonymous actors who have used shell companies to exploit the American financial system and launder their unlawful gains. 
    In addition to Wyden, the amicus briefs were led by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Representative Maxine Waters, D-Calif.
    The lawmakers filed briefs in Texas Top Cop Shop v. Bondi, a case at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, and Community Associations Institute v. Treasury, a case for the 4th Circuit. In January 2025, the members filed a similar amicus brief in Firestone v. Yellen, a case for the 9th Circuit. In April 2024, the lawmakers filed their first amicus brief in National Small Business United v. Yellen, a case for the 11th Circuit.
    Wyden is a longtime champion of holding corporations accountable. In 2017, Wyden introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent individuals in Congress from using anonymous shell corporations to engage in illicit activities. In 2019, Wyden reintroduced legislation to combat money laundering by requiring corporations to disclose their beneficial owners. In 2024, Wyden launched an investigation into the Geneva-based multinational bank Pictet for potential ongoing tax evasion by a U.S. citizen under criminal investigation. 
    The text of the 4th Circuit brief is here.
    The text of the 5th Circuit Brief is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed: It’s Past Time to Pay Retirees the Social Security Benefits They Already Earned

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) is once again urging the Trump Administration to quickly implement of the Social Security Fairness Act, which will ensure retired teachers, police, firefighters, and other public service workers and their spouses get the full Social Security benefits they earned.
    More than 8,600 Rhode Islanders and a total of 3.2 million Americans stand to benefit from the change, thanks to the Social Security Fairness Act, which Senator Reed cosponsored and former President Biden signed into law on January 5.
    The new law repealed the Windfall Elimination Penalty (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), which prevented 3 million government retirees who earned pensions from those careers from collecting their full benefits earned while working outside of government.
    “The Trump Administration needs to get into gear and implement the law.  Thousands of Rhode Island retirees who served as teachers, police officers, and more have waited long enough to get the benefits they rightfully earned. Instead of focusing on firing people from the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Trump Administration should spend more time and energy getting these checks out the door,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee who is working to ensure the SSA has enough employees to provide first-rate, personalized customer service to retirees who need assistance.
    Senator Reed estimates the average monthly benefit increase is about $360, but many recipients could see monthly raises of $1,000 or more this year.  The law is retroactive to January 1, 2024.  As a result, many people will eventually receive a significant lump sum for back payments as well as a monthly raise.
    Retired public employees who may be eligible can visit SSA’s Social Security Fairness Act website to learn more.
    Since the law was signed, there have been multiple and bipartisan efforts to encourage the Trump Administration to start paying Social Security recipients what they are owed.
    All Social Security recipients will see a 2.5 percent increase in their benefits this year.  The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) took effect in January, raising the average monthly retirement benefit from $1,927 to $1,976.
    Earlier this month, the acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration resigned after clashing with billionaire Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency, after Musk’s personnel attempted to access sensitive government records that included people’s personal information.
    Musk and Trump continue to actively mislead about Social Security. Musk amplified a chart showing 9 million people age 130 and over in the system and suggested “there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security” adding, “This might be the biggest fraud in the history of humanity.”
    While there are millions of people in Social Security with no death records because they lived and died before the system was fully automated, there are only 44,000 people with birth dates in 1920 or earlier who are actually getting payments from Social Security.
    A July 2024 report from Social Security’s inspector general states that from fiscal years 2015 through 2022, the agency made less than 1 percent in improper payments. Most of the erroneous payments were overpayments to living people and some of it was clawed back. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Protects American Manufacturing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-IN) in introducing the Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act, legislation that would strengthen U.S. trade remedy laws and ensure they remain effective tools to fight against unfair trade practices and protect American businesses.
    This legislation would improve the U.S. trade remedy system and respond to repeat offenders and serial cheaters, leveling the playing field for American manufacturing. It also responds to China’s unfair trade practices, specifically its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which provides subsidies to China-based or China-operated companies doing business in countries outside of China. 
    “China has been bending the rules for decades,” said Sen. Tuberville. “We have to fight back. Alabama’s manufacturers work hard, and as long as the playing field is level, they can outcompete anyone in the world. This bill is one step toward ensuring that the rules are enforced and China has to play fair.”
    “Our bill will protect American jobs and combat China’s unfair trade practices,” said Sen. Young. “China has distorted the free market by dumping undervalued products and subsidizing industries, actions designed to harm American businesses and workers. This legislation will help level the playing field to ensure the United States can outcompete the Chinese Communist Party.”
    U.S. Sens. Tuberville and Young were joined by U.S. Sens. Jim Banks (R-IN), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Jon Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Tina Smith (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) in introducing the legislation.
    U.S. Representatives Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24) and Terri Sewell (D-AL-7) are leading companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
    The legislation is endorsed by the American Iron and Steel Institute, the Steel Manufacturers Association, and the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association.
    Sen. Tuberville cosponsored this legislation in the 118th Congress. 
    Full text of the legislation can be found here.
    BACKGROUND:
    The Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act would revise the U.S. antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) laws to ensure international trade regulations and requirements do not unfairly favor international competitors, especially in the steel industry. The Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act would update U.S. trade remedy laws to establish the new concept of “successive investigations,” which would improve the U.S. trade remedy system’s efforts to curb circumvention efforts from bad actors designed to undercut our domestic industries and increase market share. 
    American companies are on the receiving end of China’s increasingly predatory economic behavior. In recent years, China’s unfair trade practices have culminated in grave economic consequences that affect American workers. For example, Chinese-supported companies move portions of production to other countries to circumvent American duties, a practice known as “country hopping.” China’s BRI also unfairly subsidizes products made in other countries, rather than just in China. In addition to competing with these unfair trade practices, American companies have to contend with long lead times before the Department of Commerce initiates a new anti-circumvention inquiry.
    Around half of the unfair trade cases are in the steel industry. However, these unfair trade cases also affect industries that make engines, furniture, hardwood plywood, pipes and tubes, wood moldings, magnesium, paper, shrimp, carrier bags, kitchen cabinets, quartz countertops, tires, and many others.
    The Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act pushes back against China’s anti-free market practices by providing the Department of Commerce with more tools to stop circumvention tactics. These tools include:
    Establishing the concept of “successive investigations” under AD and CVD laws. The new AD/CVD investigations would improve the effectiveness of the trade remedy law to combat repeat offenders by making it easier for petitioners to bring new cases when production moves to another country             
    Expediting timelines for successive investigations and creating new factors for the International Trade Commission to consider about the relationship between recently completed trade cases and successive trade cases for the same imported product
    Providing the Department of Commerce the authority to apply CVD law to subsidies provided by a government to a company operating in a different country
    Imposing statutory requirements for anti-circumvention inquiries to clarify the process and timeline
    Specifying deadlines for preliminary and final determinations
    Thanks to the state’s rich natural resources and abundance of mineral deposits, Alabama has a proud history as a metals and manufacturing leader. According to the Alabama Department of Commerce, there are more than 1,100 metal manufacturing companies in the state, including national and global leaders in steel, pipelines, composites, and specialty metals. Those companies employ more than 45,000 Alabamians and export nearly $1.4 billion worth of metal manufactured goods per year. Today, Alabama is home to three of the top seven largest pipe manufacturing companies in the nation.
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Tuberville on X: Trump and DOGE are Making the Federal Government Efficient Again

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) penned an op-ed on X praising the progress President Trump and DOGE have made during Trump’s first month in office to cut waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government and save taxpayers’ money.

    Read excerpts from the piece below or here.

    Trump and DOGE are Making the Federal Government Efficient Again

    “Tax season is upon us, and Americans are once again reminded of how much of their hard-earned paychecks is taken by the federal government. Most Americans use this time to reevaluate their spending habits and consider ways to be more fiscally responsible. Unfortunately, the U.S. government doesn’t do the same. The United States is $36 trillion in debt and we are spending nearly $2 trillion more each year than we bring in. If the United States were a business, we’d be dead broke.

    Thankfully, President Trump is back in the White House and is working around the clock to audit the federal government. On the campaign trail, President Trump promised to create the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), advised by Elon Musk, to take a businesslike approach to auditing waste, fraud, and abuse within the federal government. A majority of Americans support the President’s efforts to cut wasteful spending, and they support the work the DOGE is doing. President Trump is making the Federal Government Efficient Again. 

    Thanks to President Trump, the D.C. gravy train is being cut off. So far, Elon Musk and his team have saved American taxpayers a staggering $55 billion. Some of the taxpayer-funded programs that DOGE has uncovered are truly astounding. For example, DOGE found that $59 million was sent by FEMA to house illegal immigrants in fancy New York hotels. It was also discovered that taxpayers were on the hook for a $ 168,000 Anthony Fauci exhibit at the National Institutes of Health Museum, which has thankfully been canceled. DOGE also found $9 million in payments to fund woke programs at the Department of Agriculture, including contracts for “Central American gender assessment consultant services” and “Brazilian forest and gender consultants” – whatever that is.

    In addition to cutting waste, DOGE is also restoring accountability and transparency. Under the Biden administration, the Pentagon failed its seventh consecutive audit. That’s ridiculous. If a business tried this in the real world, they’d go bankrupt. American taxpayers spend nearly a trillion dollars annually on the U.S. military. The least we can do is provide an accurate accounting of how their money is being spent. To clean this up, President Trump directed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to start cutting the Pentagon budget by 8% in each of the next five years. By restoring fiscal sanity to our armed forces, we will ensure we have the long-term resources to continue defending our interests and national security. […]

    Just this weekend, DOGE sent an email to all federal government employees asking for them to submit five things they have accomplished this week. Predictably, the media is throwing a fit about this. When I was a football coach, we had performance reviews where we would discuss an employee’s performance and if they weren’t performing at a certain standard, they would be fired. But apparently, that isn’t allowed in the government.

    DOGE has also shone a light on the corrupt relationship between the bureaucrats and the Mainstream Media. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that more than $8 million taxpayer dollars were used for Politico subscriptions. This doesn’t include other outlets taxpayers have been funding like the New York Times, Associated Press, and Reuters. It is completely inappropriate for taxpayers to be forced to fund the Corporate Media. If American taxpayers want to support these publications, they can subscribe themselves. But most do not, which is perhaps why many of these publications are failing.

    Thanks to President Trump, Americans are finally witnessing a government that is by the people and for the people. The fake news media and the D.C. Swamp are in DEFCON level 1 over DOGE, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s a good thing. We should be thanking President Trump and the entire DOGE team for the incredible service they are doing for our country. In fact, as a proud member of the Senate DOGE Caucus, I’m 100% committed to making sure Congress does our part to follow the President’s lead to rightsize the government and cut waste, fraud, and abuse. President Trump promised to fight every day for the American worker – and the hardworking men and women in this country deserve to know that their tax dollars are not being used to fund gender transition surgeries in Africa. Together, we will restore accountability and transparency in Washington and unleash the Golden Age of America.”

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty Introduces Steve Feinberg, Trump’s Nominee for Deputy Secretary of Defense

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
    Feinberg—Co-Founder, Co-CEO & Chief Investment Officer of Cerberus Capital Management—served as Chairman of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board during the first Trump Administration
    WASHINGTON—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, today introduced Stephen (Steve) A. Feinberg, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Deputy Secretary of Defense, at the Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing.
    Feinberg previously was co-founder, co-CEO, and chief investment officer of Cerberus Capital Management, a global investment firm. He also chaired President Trump’s Intelligence Advisory Board from 2018 to 2021.
    When Senator Hagerty served as U.S. Ambassador to Japan in the first Trump Administration, he worked closely with Feinberg to prevent Hanjin Shipyard—now Agila Subic Shipyard—at Subic Bay in the Philippines from falling into Communist China’s control.

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*
    Remarks as prepared for delivery:
    Chairman Wicker and Ranking Member Reed, thank you for holding this important nominations hearing today.
    It is my privilege to introduce my good friend, Steve Feinberg—President Trump’s nominee to be the Deputy Secretary of Defense.
    During the first Trump Administration, from 2018 to 2021, Steve chaired the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, where he brought a fresh perspective and provided expert advice on a range of challenges to U.S. national security.
    Before his nomination, Steve was co-CEO and Chief Investment Officer of Cerberus Capital Management—a global investment firm that he co-founded in 1992 and that today manages some $68 billion in assets.
    At Cerberus, Steve spent 34 years investing in, fixing, and operating a variety of businesses, including those related to national defense and the U.S. Intelligence Community.
    Steve is a Patriot with a great heart—one of the many things that sets Steve apart is his strategic vision and his willingness and desire to invest in ways that not only create and grow value for his investors, but also advance U.S. national security interests.
    Here, I want to quickly share a powerful story based on my own personal experience with Steve’s leadership.
    When I served as U.S. Ambassador to Japan, I discovered that two Chinese firms were attempting to acquire the bankrupt Hanjin Shipyard at Subic Bay in the Philippines.
    Subic Bay had previously served as a U.S. Naval base with a deep-water shipyard that is strategically located on the South China Sea.
    For various reasons, the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and other parts of the U.S. government were not in a position to engage and solve this problem.
    So I engaged with top officials in the Trump Administration, and the governments of Japan and the Philippines, as well as with top actors in the private sector—in specific, with Steve Feinberg and Cerberus.
    Working together, we assembled an ad hoc public-private solution to this problem and thwarted China’s efforts to acquire the port.
    Thanks to leadership from the Trump Administration and Steve Feinberg and his team, we succeeded.
    Today, Hanjin Shipyard is known as Agila Subic Shipyard and is owned by American investors.
    As a result, U.S. and Allied firms have a joint presence there now—for example, HD Hyundai, a South Korean firm, will build and maintain vessels at the shipyard, and SubCom, a U.S.-based undersea cable firm, is advancing projects in the region from there.
    The U.S. military and the Armed Forces of the Philippines also have a significant presence there.
    If Steve and his team had not stepped up to solve this problem, the Chinese Communist Party today would likely possess a vital piece of strategic infrastructure in the South China Sea—and the threats to the security of the United States and our partners would be enormous.
    At Cerberus, Steve also worked hard on another issue that I dealt with firsthand as U.S. Ambassador to Japan:  that is, helping the United States and our partners counter China’s threat in 5G telecommunications by investing in commercial alternatives to Huawei and other Chinese telecoms companies.
    Here again, Steve recognized a strategic challenge to the United States and has sought to counter and minimize the influence and access that China could gain from control over spectrum and telecommunications infrastructure.
    On that note, I want to commend the Committee for its strong support for the Defense Department’s efforts to accelerate adoption of 5G and Open RAN technologies in order to provide strategic advantages to the warfighter—including by directing the Pentagon to establish a “Secretary of Defense 5G Cross Functional Team” to accomplish this objective.
    We could not have addressed these problems without Steve Feinberg—an outsider with a fresh perspective who, at the same time, knows how to work on the inside while bringing innovation and ingenuity to the table.
    Steve, if confirmed, will do an outstanding job as the Pentagon’s second highest-ranking civilian official.
    Steve understands the mission.
    He will leverage his leadership, his strategic thinking, his deep knowledge, his decades of experience, his vast professional network, his willingness to listen and learn, and his decisiveness to improve the Defense Department.
    Just as he did at Cerberus for the last 34 years, Steve will work his heart out—every day—at the Defense Department.
    He will ensure that the building, its management, its operations, and its programs run better and more efficiently.
    And he’ll focus on the Department’s goal of providing decisive strategic, operational, and tactical advantages to the warfighter.
    Steve Feinberg is the right man for this job—I look forward to his testimony today and to working with my colleagues to advance his nomination as quickly as possible.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty Introduces Trump’s Nominee for Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
    Michael Kratsios will advance U.S. technological dominance and national security
    WASHINGTON—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today appeared before a Senate Commerce Committee hearing to introduce Michael Kratsios, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

    *Click the photo above or here to watch*
    Remarks as prepared for delivery:
    Today, I am privileged to introduce Michael Kratsios, President Trump’s nominee to be Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
    The OSTP Director advises the President on key “industries of the future,” including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G, advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, and more. Indeed, Michael and I worked closely together on 5G and our telecommunications infrastructure when I served in my previous role as U.S. Ambassador to Japan.
    Now, more than ever, emerging technologies present us with immense opportunities to maintain America’s global dominance. At such a critical time, we cannot afford to make policy errors here in Washington.
    That’s exactly why we need a leader of Michael’s caliber serving in this vital role.
    While AI has rapidly ascended to become one America’s most important policy priorities, Michael had the foresight to see this technology’s potential nearly a decade ago. And he has been working tirelessly on the issue ever since.
    His impressive record of public service in the field of science and technology policy include his past service as Chief Technology Officer of the United States and the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. In these roles and others, he coordinated public-private partnerships and served as the architect of national strategies on AI and quantum technologies.
    After leaving public service, he served as Managing Director of Scale AI, helping it become one of the most valuable and well respected privately held AI companies in the world.
    Michael’s research outside of the government provided the first quantifiable evidence of how banned Chinese technologies were still procured by state and local governments across the country. He also brought to light the significant risks posed by PRC-manufactured ship-to-shore cranes in American ports.
    America must remain the world leader in scientific and technological innovation. Our national security, our liberty, and our prosperity depend on it. Michael understands this mission, and that’s why I wholeheartedly support his nomination. Thanks to my colleagues here today for giving Michael your careful consideration.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Lamont Statement on HB 7067

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today released the following statement regarding House Bill 7067:

    “As I noted in my budget speech, I have seen and heard firsthand how the right program makes a lifelong difference for these special kids. These programs have also put an increasing strain on our towns. That’s why my budget proposal increases our commitment to special education by an additional $40 million and asks the legislature to establish the High-Quality Special Education Incentive Grant program, backed by a $14 million investment – a $54 million increase in total – and is more than double the $25 million increase we made in the last biennium budget.

    “Even while well-intentioned, the way this funding was hastily approved by the legislature is reminiscent of how budgeting was dangerously done in the past. These concerns, combined with expenses that are already pushing beyond the spending cap, are why I cannot support adding this significant expenditure this late in the fiscal year without a plan to cover budget overruns.

    “Together, we have made progress as a state by stabilizing our budget and abiding by financial controls that paid down debt, enacted historic tax cuts, and increased investments in our children and their future. I look forward to working with the General Assembly throughout ongoing budget deliberations and continuing that progress.”

     

    MIL OSI USA News –