NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Advocacy – New Report Shows Existing Approach to Dental Care “Not Fit for Purpose” – Action Station

    Source: Action Station

    A landmark report is published today by the Dental for All Coalition telling human stories of struggles with oral healthcare in New Zealand.

    One of the key conclusions of the report is that the system of $1000 grants provided by Work & Income for urgent dental care is “not fit for purpose”.

    The report focuses on, and tells the story of, ten people’s experiences with oral healthcare in New Zealand. Basic oral healthcare is free for under-18s, but must be paid for by over-18s.

    Individuals interviewed for the report explained that these grants, increased from $300 to $1000 by the last government, are limited in what they can be spent on, are inaccessible to many, and are too inflexible.

    The report says, “the means-tested system of providing grants is not meeting the needs of New Zealanders”.

    Ten stories are told in the report of individuals, from very different walks of life, who are all being failed by the current approach to oral health.

    Dental care is outside of New Zealand’s public healthcare system, and the stories showcase the stigma, shame, and pain that is felt when people cannot afford basic dental care.

    The report, “I Didn’t Want to Smile”, calls for universal, free, Te Tiriti o Waitangi-consistent dental.

    “What was really revealing about the conversations I had for this report,” said report author Kayli Taylor, of ActionStation and the Dental for All coalition, “is that people are searching for other support in the healthcare system, for example through GPs or are requiring hospitalisation, because public oral healthcare is not available.”

    “Another theme of the report,” Taylor adds, “is that small problems can really balloon, leading to loss of teeth or financial stress, because dental is not part of the public healthcare system. Funding regular, preventative oral healthcare would help stop small problems from becoming larger ones.”

    “It is clear from the stories shared in this report that the status quo is not working – our privatised, costly dental system is preventing people from accessing the care they need,” adds Taylor.

    The report is the first publication that the group is aware of that has used detailed interviews to focus on the lived experience of individuals struggling with dental care in New Zealand.

    Another theme of the report is that people are making impossible choices because of the high cost of dental, and are forced to go into overdraft or face significant pain because of the failings of the current system.

    Brooke Pao Stanley (Manaaki Rangatahi, Auckland Action Against Poverty) says she has seen people struggling with dental costs in her work in South Auckland and there is a need for change.

    “In my work at Auckland Action Against Poverty, I heard again and again about people not affording dental, and I think the way forward is to treat your teeth like we do the rest of our body, and make oral healthcare free as part of our public healthcare system,” says Stanley.

    A 2022 poll showed that 74% of people in New Zealand support making oral healthcare free.

    In the 2023 election the Labour Party promised free dental for under 30s, the Green Party promised free public dental for all, and Te Pāti Māori promised free dental for those earning under $60,000.

    The final words of the report read: “What the voices in this report are asking for is simple. To be able to smile. To be able to live without shame or stigma. As a society, are we going to continue to tell people that this is too much to ask for?”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UN Human Rights Council 58: Annual High-Level Mainstreaming Panel

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    UN Human Rights Council 58: Annual High-Level Mainstreaming Panel

    Annual High-Level Mainstreaming Panel. As delivered by the UK’s Permanent Representative to the WTO and UN, Simon Manley, at the 58th HRC session in Geneva.

    Thank you Mr President,

    In this 30th anniversary year for gender equality, let me reaffirm the British government’s commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

    My government’s dedication to advancing gender equality at home has led to a narrowing of the gender pay gap, more women on the boards of the largest companies than ever before and stronger action to protect women and girls from violence and abuse. And we have put women and girls at the heart of our international work, from our diplomacy to our development spend.

    But while it is important to acknowledge the progress made, quite clearly no country – the UK included – has achieved or even got close to achieving gender equality. Indeed, we are seeing a growing international trend of efforts to undermine and roll back the rights of women, girls and other marginalised groups.

    We must resist that roll back, take concerted action to build on the progress we have made both at home and overseas. That is why we are putting women’s voices at the heart of everything we do and will make the changes needed so gender equality can, at last, become a reality.

    We call on all Members of the Council and states to use this landmark year to accelerate action towards empowering all women and girls.

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Labour First Minister admits £1.5bn spent on tackling NHS waiting lists isn’t yielding results

    Source: Party of Wales

    The Labour Welsh Government “doesn’t have a plan to follow the pounds”, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said as he challenged the First Minister on whether she was getting “bang for her buck” on health spending.

    During First Minister’s Questions today (Tuesday, 18 February 2025), Mr ap Iorwerth challenged First Minister over the £1.5bn spent on bringing down NHS waiting lists since 2021 despite waiting lists hitting a record high every month since March 2024.

    There are currently 802,268 patient pathways waiting to start treatment in Wales, made up of about 619,100 individual patients.

    The First Minister responded by saying “we’re not quite seeing the kind of outcomes that we think we should be seeing from the investment that’s gone in.”

    Criticising Labour’s failure to deliver on their promise to tackle growing NHS waiting lists Plaid Cymru Leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said:

    “The Labour First Minister promised to prioritise tackling record-high NHS waiting lists. Yet six months on, the First Minister has admitted that the investment hasn’t delivered better outcomes for patients.

    “Despite this admission, there is no sense there’ll be a change of approach from government or a focus on preventative health measures – it doesn’t have a plan to follow the pounds.

    “Having spent £1.5bn since the 2021 Senedd election on tackling NHS waiting lists, it should not be the case that 1 in 5 people are waiting for a referral for treatment.

    “Only Plaid Cymru offers the NHS a fresh start, with a clear plan to tackle NHS waiting lists and proposals to change how our health service is run to ensure it is fit for the future.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: A Palestinian-Israeli film is an Oscars favorite − so why is it so hard to see?

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Drew Paul, Associate Professor of Arabic, University of Tennessee

    Directors Basel Adra, left, and Yuval Abraham on stage at the 62nd New York Film Festival on Sept. 29, 2024. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images

    For many low-budget, independent films, an Oscar nomination is a golden ticket.

    The publicity can translate into theatrical releases or rereleases, along with more on-demand rentals and sales.

    However, for “No Other Land,” a Palestinian-Israeli film nominated for best documentary at the 2025 Academy Awards, this exposure is unlikely to translate into commercial success in the U.S. That’s because the film has been unable to find a company to distribute it in America.

    “No Other Land” chronicles the efforts of Palestinian townspeople to combat an Israeli plan to demolish their villages in the West Bank and use the area as a military training ground. It was directed by four Palestinian and Israeli activists and journalists: Basel Adra, who is a resident of the area facing demolition, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor. While the filmmakers have organized screenings in a number of U.S. cities, the lack of a national distributor makes a broader release unlikely.

    Film distributors are a crucial but often unseen link in the chain that allows a film to reach cinemas and people’s living rooms. In recent years it has become more common for controversial award-winning films to run into issues finding a distributor. Palestinian films have encountered additional barriers.

    As a scholar of Arabic who has written about Palestinian cinema, I’m disheartened by the difficulties “No Other Land” has faced. But I’m not surprised.

    The role of film distributors

    Distributors are often invisible to moviegoers. But without one, it can be difficult for a film to find an audience.

    Distributors typically acquire rights to a film for a specific country or set of countries. They then market films to movie theaters, cinema chains and streaming platforms. As compensation, distributors receive a percentage of the revenue generated by theatrical and home releases.

    The film “Soundtrack to a Coup D’Etat,” another finalist for best documentary, shows how this process typically works. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2024 and was acquired for distribution just a few months later by Kino Lorber, a major U.S.-based distributor of independent films.

    The inability to find a distributor is not itself noteworthy. No film is entitled to distribution, and most films by newer or unknown directors face long odds.

    However, it is unusual for a film like “No Other Land,” which has garnered critical acclaim and has been recognized at various film festivals and award shows. Some have pegged it as a favorite to win best documentary at the Academy Awards. And “No Other Land” has been able to find distributors in Europe, where it’s easily accessible on multiple streaming platforms.

    So why can’t “No Other Land” find a distributor in the U.S.?

    There are a couple of factors at play.

    Shying away from controversy

    In recent years, film critics have noticed a trend: Documentaries on controversial topics have faced distribution difficulties. These include a film about a campaign by Amazon workers to unionize and a documentary about Adam Kinzinger, one of the few Republican congresspeople to vote to impeach Donald Trump in 2021.

    The Israeli-Palestinian conflict, of course, has long stirred controversy. But the release of “No Other Land” comes at a time when the issue is particularly salient. The Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, and the ensuing Israeli bombardment and invasion of the Gaza Strip have become a polarizing issue in U.S. domestic politics, reflected in the campus protests and crackdowns in 2024. The filmmakers’ critical comments about the Israeli occupation of Palestine have also garnered backlash in Germany.

    Locals attend a screening of ‘No Other Land’ in the village of A-Tuwani in the West Bank on March 14, 2024.
    Yahel Gazit/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

    Yet the fact that this conflict has been in the news since October 2023 should also heighten audience interest in a film such as “No Other Land” – and, therefore, lead to increased sales, the metric that distributors care about the most.

    Indeed, an earlier film that also documents Palestinian protests against Israeli land expropriation, “5 Broken Cameras,” was a finalist for best documentary at the 2013 Academy Awards. It was able to find a U.S. distributor. However, it had the support of a major European Union documentary development program called Greenhouse. The support of an organization like Greenhouse, which had ties to numerous production and distribution companies in Europe and the U.S., can facilitate the process of finding a distributor.

    By contrast, “No Other Land,” although it has a Norwegian co-producer and received some funding from organizations in Europe and the U.S., was made primarily by a grassroots filmmaking collective.

    Stages for protest

    While distribution challenges may be recent, controversies surrounding Palestinian films are nothing new.

    Many of them stem from the fact that the system of film festivals, awards and distribution is primarily based on a movie’s nation of origin. Since there is no sovereign Palestinian state – and many countries and organizations have not recognized the state of Palestine – the question of how to categorize Palestinian films has been hard to resolve.

    In 2002, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rejected the first ever Palestinian film submitted to the best foreign language film category – Elia Suleiman’s “Divine Intervention” – because Palestine was not recognized as a country by the United Nations. The rules were changed for the following year’s awards ceremony.

    In 2021, the cast of the film “Let It Be Morning,” which had an Israeli director but primarily Palestinian actors, boycotted the Cannes Film Festival in protest of the film’s categorization as an Israeli film rather than a Palestinian one.

    Film festivals and other cultural venues have also become places to make statements about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and engage in protest. For example, at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017, the right-wing Israeli culture minister wore a controversial – and meme-worthy – dress that featured the Jerusalem skyline in support of Israeli claims of sovereignty over the holy city, despite the unresolved status of Jerusalem under international law.

    Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev wears a dress featuring the old city of Jerusalem during the Cannes Film Festival in 2017.
    Antonin Thuillier/AFP via Getty Images

    At the 2024 Academy Awards, a number of attendees, including Billie Eilish, Mark Ruffalo and Mahershala Ali, wore red pins in support of a ceasefire in Gaza, and pro-Palestine protesters delayed the start of the ceremonies.

    So even though a film like “No Other Land” addresses a topic of clear interest to many people in the U.S., it faces an uphill battle to finding a distributor.

    I wonder whether a win at the Oscars would even be enough.

    This article has been updated to clarify that the film was a collaborative effort between Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers.

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

    – ref. A Palestinian-Israeli film is an Oscars favorite − so why is it so hard to see? – https://theconversation.com/a-palestinian-israeli-film-is-an-oscars-favorite-so-why-is-it-so-hard-to-see-249233

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright to Deliver Keynote Address at 10th Powering Africa Summit

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

    LONDON, United Kingdom, February 24, 2025/APO Group/ —

    Secretary Chris Wright, U.S. Department of Energy, has been confirmed as a speaker and guest of honour at the 10th Powering Africa Summit (PAS), taking place at JW Marriott Washington, D.C. across March 6-7. This is an important step to provide an answer to the question that all of African energy is now asking: how will the new Administration approach the strategic energy relationship between the U.S. and Africa?

    Under the Summit theme, The Future of the US & Africa Energy Partnership, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright will deliver a keynote address at the 10th annual Powering Africa Summit. Wright will be joined by representatives from the U.S. Department of State: Ambassador Troy Fitrell, Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of African Affairs; Kimberly Harrington, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Energy Resources; and Stephen Banks, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Diplomacy, Bureau of Energy Resources. All will share their vision for this future relationship between African countries and the US-based investors that are so vital to realizing their energy ambitions.

    “As Secretary of Energy, I am committed to unleashing all forms of affordable, reliable and secure energy here at home and advancing that mission of energy security around the world – and nowhere is that more critical than the continent of Africa. I look forward to joining the Summit to reaffirm the strategic energy partnership between the U.S. and Africa and share my vision for advancing innovation and removing barriers to energy access, both at home and around the world,” Secretary Wright said.

    Ministers and governments from 19 African countries will arrive in Washington D.C., where the Africa Welcome Address will be given by H.E. Honourable Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, Nigeria. Together with H.E. Honourable Jeremiah Kpan Koung, Vice President, Liberia; H.E. Honourable Dr. Dele Alake, Minister for Solid Minerals Development, Nigeria; H.E. Honourable Mahmoud Mustafa Esmat, Minister of Electricity & Renewable Energy, Egypt; H.E. Honourable Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum & Mineral Resources, Egypt; H.E. Honourable Bogolo Joy Kenewendo, Minister of Minerals & Energy, Botswana; H.E. Honourable Alex Wachira, Principal Secretary, Ministry of Energy & Petroleum, Kenya; and Amina Benkhadra, Director General, Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM), Morocco, he will meet distinguished Ministers and leaders from South Africa, Senegal, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Togo, Sierra Leone and more to drive energy development across the continent.

    Flagship ministerial boardrooms and regional energy cooperation sessions will discuss and debate   derisking projects, South Africa’s energy future, the need for West African regulatory reforms, and the role of hydrogen in North Africa. New areas of opportunity such as bitcoin mining and data centers will be discussed through an East African lens. The Mission 300 initiative, set to provide electricity access to 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030, is also high on the agenda.

    The 10th Anniversary Gala Drinks Reception sponsored by Genesis Energy, will celebrate International Women’s Day, ahead of March 8.

    Critical to the week’s discussions will be a host of private players including Alliant Insurance Services, GE Vernova, ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment, Globeleq, Africa50, Nextracker, Schneider Electric, Newmarket Capital and the summit’s general sponsor, Sun Africa, who are looking to a new future for the U.S.-Africa relationship.   

    Sun Africa CEO, Adam Cortese said: “We are seeing a sea change in how the U.S. participates in foreign infrastructure development and our unique model of development is an excellent illustration of how U.S. energy companies can thrive in emerging markets on a strictly commercial basis. Sun Africa remains committed to harnessing Africa’s immense energy resources through innovative structures, state-of-the-art technology and strong alliances while maintaining our long-standing market-based approach to development.  At Sun Africa, we believe energy development on the continent truly represents an opportunity for win-win partnerships and look forward to sharing our experience.”

    Simon Gosling, MD of EnergyNet added: “This summit has always been about bringing together African countries seeking investment with U.S.-based investors who see the vast potential on the continent.  It is more important than ever to establish the crucial energy projects that Africa needs. PAS25 will put the continent center stage and make sure that both sides have a future relationship to be excited about.”

    Media Credentials Requited for Powering Africa Summit

    The Secretary will open the Summit on 6 March, delivering a Keynote Speech at 09:45, followed by a Fireside Chat with Mission 300 Accelerator CEO, Andrew Herscowitz.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Enhanced support for local fire services

    Emergency situations bring an uncertainty that can leave the effect of stress and anxiety for many Albertans and their communities. Alberta’s local fire services hold a leading role in ensuring that Albertans and communities can navigate and make it through the uncertain times of an emergency through quick response and education around fire safety and prevention. 

    To further support municipalities in strengthening public safety during emergency situations, Alberta’s government is providing $585,000 to support municipal fire services and the Alberta Fire Chiefs Association (AFCA). In addition, Alberta’s government will establish a committee to strengthen ties between the provincial government, local governments and fire services to bolster public safety.

    “We are committed to public safety and improving how we support our brave and dedicated fire services. We appreciate the valuable feedback we received during our fire service review and look forward to the ongoing dialogue and collaboration we’ll achieve through the Provincial Fire Liaison Committee.”

    Ric McIver, Minister of Municipal Affairs

    Municipalities and their local fire services are often the first line of defence for an emergency, which makes it essential that firefighters receive training reflective of industry best standards. To ensure firefighters have access to the best training, Alberta’s government is providing a one-time increase of $500,000 for the Fire Services Training Program, bringing total funding to $1 million for training grants this year. This funding is available to all municipalities, Metis Settlements, and First Nations communities in Alberta and will prepare firefighters with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate emergency situations.

    “We appreciate the Government of Alberta’s commitment to strengthening local fire services. This investment will help ensure the safety of our residents, first responders, and communities. Together, we will build a stronger emergency response network to protect Albertans when they need it most.”

    Bob Marshall, reeve, County of Grande Prairie

    In addition to the funding available to municipalities, $85,000 will be provided to the AFCA to enhance their core competency tool, which municipalities can use to conduct risk assessments, develop appropriate fire service response plans and determine training needs. This new grant builds upon the Alberta government’s previous grant of $200,000 that was provided in 2024 to the AFCA to strengthen provincial fire reporting. Together, the core competency tool updates and improvements made to reporting will put municipal leaders in a better position to make well-informed decisions about local fire services and protection strategies for their communities.

    “The government support provided here today to our municipalities will play a crucial role in enhancing the skills and training of Alberta firefighters, ultimately leading to safer communities and continuously enhancing emergency response.”

    Chief Randy Schroeder, president, Alberta Fire Chiefs Association

    To further support the role of municipal fire services in strengthening public safety, a provincial fire liaison committee that will be made up of municipal, First Nations, Métis and fire service representatives is also under development. The diversity of the representatives on the committee will ensure that a variety of demographics, community sizes, skill sets and fire department structures are considered as part of its work. The committee is anticipated to be in place later this year.

    Quick facts

    • In Alberta, municipalities are responsible for determining local fire service levels, organization, budgets and training.
    • Examples of Municipal Affairs supports to Alberta’s fire services include:
      • Developing and implementing the provincial fire code.
      • Administering emergency responder service medals.
      • Administering the testing and certification for the fire service to the National Fire Protection Association Professional Qualification fire fighter standards.
      • Providing annual grants through the Fire Services Training Program.
    • The AFCA promotes, supports and facilitates best practices in fire protection and related emergency services and advocates on behalf of fire chiefs and departments in Alberta.

    Related information

    • Fire Services Training Program

    Related news

    • Enhancing public safety with fire service grants (June 3, 2024)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Works to Give Maine People Access to Lower-Cost Prescription Drugs from Canada

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation that would allow Americans to save money by importing the same medications from pharmacies in Canada — for less. The Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act would give Americans safe access to prescription drugs from Canada, which would help lower costs, increase access for consumers and positively impact the domestic market for consumers through increased competition.

    According the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), studies have shown that people in the United States often pay more for prescription drugs than in other developed countries. A 2024 report from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) found that Canadian drug prices are roughly 44% of those in the United States. Canada’s drug prices are generally lower than those in the United States because the Canadian government has implemented various mechanisms to lower the cost of prescription drugs. Last year, Florida became the first state to gain authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to import certain prescription drugs from Canada.

    “As we work to address the cost-of-living, making the prescription drug market more competitive is a simple way to help Americans — especially when we’re seeing our neighbors to the north enjoy lower out-of-pocket prices,” said Senator King. “The bipartisan Safe and Affordable Drugs From Canada Act would give Maine people the ability to purchase their prescriptions directly from pharmacies across the northern border at the market rate of a less expensive marketplace. This legislation is a commonsense step that will help Maine people save money and stay healthy.”

    In addition to Senator King, this legislation is cosponsored by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Peter Welch (D-VT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

    Senator King has been a leader in working to reduce prescription drug costs. He also recently cosponsored bipartisan legislation which would require price disclosures on advertisements for prescription drugs in order to inform patients who are considering certain medications after seeing television commercials. He previously introduced legislation to prohibit pharmaceutical drug manufacturers from claiming tax deductions for consumer advertising expenses. Most recently, Senator King introduced the Responsibility in Drug Advertising Act, which would prohibit direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising of a new drug in the first three years after the drug receives Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval.

    He has also supported a number of commonsense bills to drive down the costs of prescription medication in the United States including the historic Inflation Reduction Act. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, insulin fees are capped at $35 per month, Medicare is able to negotiate drug prices, and a $2,000 yearly cap on out-of-pocket expenses has been instituted for Medicare recipients.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Statement attributable to the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General – on Sudan

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General is deeply concerned at the announcement by the Rapid Support Forces and affiliated civilian actors and armed groups of a political charter that expresses an intention to establish a governing authority in Rapid Support Forces areas of control. This further escalation in the conflict in the Sudan deepens the fragmentation of the country and risks further entrenching the crisis. Preserving the Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity remains key for a sustainable resolution of the conflict and the long-term stability of the country and the wider region.
     
    The Secretary-General also condemns the persistent violence perpetrated against civilians across the Sudan by both parties to the conflict, including ethnically motivated attacks. Sudanese women, children and men are paying the heaviest price for the continued military offensives by the belligerents.
     
    The Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, is engaging the warring parties and all other relevant stakeholders to achieve progress on a cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and humanitarian access and promote de-escalation.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Sanctions rarely achieve their goals – here’s why they failed in Russia and Myanmar

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sergey Sosnovskikh, Lecturer in International Business, Manchester Metropolitan University

    Sanctions are, according to research, effective less than 10% of the time if success is defined as the complete compliance of a sanctioned regime with the imposed external pressure. Taking a more lenient view, which includes partial concessions or negotiated settlements, the success rate rises to 35% at most.

    The idea that sanctions can completely restrict trade to sanctioned countries is largely flawed. Iranian residents, for example, can still access many western products despite sanctions through intermediaries in countries like Turkey and the Gulf states.

    To better understand why sanctions fail, consider the cases of Russia and Myanmar. The sanctions imposed on Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 have undoubtedly caused some economic disruption, including inflation, labour shortages and a devaluation of the Russian rouble. But they have had a limited impact overall.

    In April 2024, the International Monetary Fund predicted that Russia’s economy would grow faster than all of the world’s advanced economies that year, including the US.

    Many countries have not participated in the west’s sanctions regime, which has created enforcement gaps. These gaps have largely enabled Russia to maintain access to sanctioned goods and continue its economic activities.

    In January 2023, a US thinktank called Silverado reported that some former Soviet states had increased their “transshipment” of goods produced by multinational firms that no longer export to Russia directly.

    Transshipment is a process where cargo is unloaded from one vessel and reloaded into another while in transit. Armenia and Uzbekistan, as well as China and Turkey, are the countries commonly used as “transshipment points” to Russia.

    Indeed, research of our own into how sanctioned goods continue to reach Russia reveals that companies often reroute their supply chains through politically allied intermediary nations. These rerouted imports can, however, drive up product prices for ordinary citizens.

    Stacks of containers at a port in St Petersburg, Russia.
    Andrey Mihaylov / Shutterstock

    Russia has also reduced its dependency on imports by increasing production in sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing. In August 2023, for example, India and Russia signed the biggest ever grain deal between the two countries.

    And the Russian government implemented fiscal and monetary measures, including currency controls and subsidies, to stabilise the economy and support key industries.

    Russia’s large, diverse economy and abundant natural resources make it more resilient to sanctions compared to some smaller and less diversified nations. Much of the world is reliant on Russian gas and, since the imposition of western sanctions, countries like China and India have increased the amount they buy.

    Even the EU is still spending billions of US dollars on Russian gas. In the first 15 days of 2025, after an agreement allowing Russia to pump gas to the EU via pipelines running across Ukraine ended, the EU’s 27 countries imported Russian gas at a record rate.

    Sanctioning Myanmar’s military

    Targeted western sanctions have tried to undermine the financial interests of Myanmar’s military junta, which has been battling armed opposition to its rule since a coup in 2021. But these sanctions have only been partially effective, too.

    China, India, Japan and neighbouring south-east Asian countries continue to engage in business with Myanmar. In Myanmar’s lucrative gas export sector, the vacuum left by departing western companies has been swiftly filled by Asian partners. This has ensured the junta’s income streams remain largely intact.

    Brands that have ostensibly exited the market due to sanctions or activist pressure also remain accessible through the country’s porous border trade. And there have been cases where a significant delay between a company’s declared exit and its actual departure inadvertently allowed operations to continue as usual for some time.

    In 2024, we conducted a study with our colleague Anna Grosman, an expert on innovation and entrepreneurship at Loughborough University, on multinational firms operating in Myanmar. Our findings highlight the dilemma foreign businesses face in sanctioned countries over whether to stay or leave.

    This decision is shaped by formal pressure, such as home and host government restrictions. For instance, a multinational firm’s home government may penalise companies that continue to operate in a sanctioned country, while the host government may impose policies or financial barriers to prevent or delay their exit.

    However, informal pressure from activists, diaspora groups and international advocacy organisations also plays a role. Staying can help businesses avoid financial losses and the complexities of exit, but it also exposes them to reputational damage and ethical dilemmas.

    Western sanctions on Myanmar’s military regime have been ineffective, too.
    R. Bociaga / Shutterstock

    Some of the junta’s financial channels, such as revenue from the jade mining industry, are out of reach for sanctions. In 2021, the US treasury department sanctioned Myanmar’s state-owned gemstone company, Myanmar Gem Enterprise, describing it as “a key economic resource” for the military.

    However, sanctions on Myanmar Gem Enterprise have not been completely effective. Myanmar’s gemstone mining industry is mostly an informal sector, with data on mining income and distribution underreported and opaque. Continued revenue from this sector will almost certainly have further cushioned the impact of western sanctions.

    The sanctions have only partially stopped the flow of income to the junta. But they have contributed to the hardships facing ordinary citizens. Myanmar’s currency has cratered, while imported goods including pharmaceuticals and fuel are in short supply. Power outages are now common and there are soaring levels of unemployment.

    Some western governments have now imposed sanctions on state-owned banks in Myanmar in an attempt to stop revenue from reaching the junta. This move will only worsen the situation facing Myanmar’s people.

    Sanctions drive nations towards building domestic industries to replace imported goods and strengthening alliances with supportive countries. Far from achieving their intended political objectives, sanctions can exacerbate an already volatile geopolitical landscape, while driving up prices for ordinary people.

    But at the same time, governments and businesses have a duty to exit a country when they are no long able to adhere to their own human rights commitments.

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

    – ref. Sanctions rarely achieve their goals – here’s why they failed in Russia and Myanmar – https://theconversation.com/sanctions-rarely-achieve-their-goals-heres-why-they-failed-in-russia-and-myanmar-244975

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PREPARED REMARKS: Sanders to Colleagues on Senate Floor: “Do You Have the Courage to Continue Telling the Truth When the President is Lying?”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today gave remarks on the floor of the Senate regarding President Trump’s lies and asking his colleagues when they will stand up to the president.
    Sanders’ remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below and can be watched HERE: 
    We live in difficult times – in times where people throughout our country are experiencing a great deal of anxiety for a number of reasons. And in the midst of all of that, it is important that we not forget what is taking place, not only in Ukraine, but back home here in the United States. 
    And back home, right now, tens of millions of Americans are struggling economically to keep their heads above water. 60% of our people are living paycheck to paycheck. 85 million are uninsured or underinsured. And we have the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major nation on Earth. 
    And as someone who has visited senior centers throughout the state of Vermont and has spoken to seniors throughout our country, I can tell you that there is a significant level of fear and anxiety among the older people in this country with regard to what’s happening right here in DC. 
    When we have a president of the United States and Republicans who are talking about massive cuts to Medicaid, let’s understand – and seniors do understand – that we are not just talking about throwing millions of kids off the health care that they have, at a time when we are the only major country on Earth not to provide health care to all people, not just kids, off of health care.
    We are talking about massive cuts to community health centers, which receive over 40% of their funding from Medicaid, and where millions of seniors go to get the primary care they need. 
    And at a time when we already have a major crisis in nursing home availability, let us understand that Medicaid provides funding for two out of every three seniors who live in nursing homes. In other words, massive cuts to Medicaid would be a disaster for senior citizens throughout this country. But it is not just Medicaid cuts that worry our seniors. 
    Today, quite unbelievably, 25% of people in our country who are 65 years of age or older are trying to survive on incomes of $15,000 a year or less. I, myself, do not know how anybody, let alone a senior with health care needs, can survive on $15,000 a year, but that is what 25% of our seniors are trying to do. 
    Mr. President, this issue of so many seniors struggling to get by, struggling to heat their homes, struggling to buy the food or the prescription drugs they need – this is an issue we must address. And it is a crisis that is unacceptable in the richest country in the history of the world. 
    And that is why, Mr. President, I am proud to tell you that within the next several weeks I, along with a number of cosponsors, will be introducing legislation that expands Social Security benefits and extends the solvency of Social Security for decades.
    We’re hearing a lot of talk about cutting Social Security. We should not be talking about cutting Social Security. We must be talking about expanding Social Security benefits. And the legislation that I will introduce will do just that. 
    It will expand social security benefits by $2,400 a year, and it would not raise taxes by one penny on the bottom 93% of Americans – those who make less than $250,000 a year. And how do we do that? By lifting the cap and applying the Social Security payroll tax on all income above $250,000.
    Unbelievably, under current law, a billionaire pays the same amount of money into Social Security as someone who makes $176,000 a year. Elon Musk, worth $400 billion, pays the same amount into Social Security as somebody who makes $176,000. That is because, under Social Security, there is an absurd cap on taxable income. 
    If we lifted that cap and made sure that millionaires and billionaires paid the same percentage of their income into Social Security as the working class of this country, we could extend the life of Social Security for generations to come and lift millions of seniors out of poverty. 
    Further, Mr. President, when we talk about the needs of senior citizens in this country, I want to mention that I will also be introducing legislation to expand Medicare to cover dental, vision, and hearing.
    It is unacceptable that millions of seniors are unable to read a newspaper because they cannot afford eyeglasses, can’t have conversations with their grandchildren because they can’t afford hearing aids, and have trouble eating because they cannot afford dentures. That should not be happening in the United States of America in the year 2025. 
    Expanding Medicare to cover dental, vision, and hearing is an extremely popular concept. Poll after poll shows that 80% of the American people – Democrats, Republicans, Independents – support doing just that. 
    All across this country there is a growing fear that the Trump administration is undermining the Constitution of our country – a Constitution which has kept us a free nation and an example, a model of the rest of the world, for the last 250 years. 
    During the last month alone, President Trump has attempted to usurp the powers of Congress illegally and unconstitutionally, refusing to fund programs passed by Congress. 
    He has illegally destroyed agencies like USAID and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that were created by Congress. And under the leadership of Mr. Musk, they have illegally and inappropriately gained access to tax data and Social Security data of millions of Americans. 
    Every day, they are acting in an illegal and unconstitutional manner. Just this week, President Trump tweeted, “he who saves his country does not violate any law.” 
    Wow. 
    In other words, Mr. Trump sees himself, the president of the United States, as above the law and immune from the basic rules of the Constitution and the separation of powers that have governed this country since the founding. 
    “Anything I want to do, I’m president, I can do it. It doesn’t matter what Congress says, it doesn’t matter what the Constitution says, it doesn’t matter what the rule of law is about. I don’t need to hear from anybody else.” 
    That’s not what Americans fought and died to preserve. In regard to the move to authoritarianism, let me say a few words about an area that I think has not gotten much attention at all. And that is Trump’s attack on the free press, which is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. The Founding Fathers of this country considered freedom of speech and free press to be enormously important. That was the First Amendment. 
    Mr. Trump has sued CBS and its parent company, Paramount, for $20 billion because he didn’t like how they edited an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. The company is now reportedly considering settling the lawsuit, and I certainly hope they do not do that, out of fear of retaliation from Trump’s FCC. 
    He did not like a television program on CBS. But you don’t sue somebody for $20 billion because you didn’t like the program. 
    And obviously, the intention of that lawsuit is clear: and that is that CBS, and every other network and media outlet, will now have to look over their shoulder. “Oh, my goodness, we’re saying something critical of Donald Trump. Is he going to sue us for $5 billion or $10 billion? Maybe we should not run that Maybe we should not do that investigative report.” 
    Not just CBS. In recent times he has sued ABC. He has sued Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram. He has sued the Des Moines Register. 
    What crime did a little newspaper in Iowa make? What was their crime? They ran a poll which turned out, in retrospect, to be inaccurate. So pollsters all over America, be careful.  
    How absurd is that? And what kind of threat is it to freedom of speech and expression in this country? 
    Mr. President, when we talk about the Trump administration’s movement toward authoritarianism, we should take note of another remarkable and troubling set of events that happened just this week. We saw the president of the United States openly aligning himself with the dictator of Russia, Vladimir Putin, to undermine the independence of Ukraine and abandon our closest democratic allies in Europe. 
    Trump made it clear that he sees one of the world’s most brutal dictators as his pal. And our long time democratic allies as his enemies. 
    It appears that Mr. Trump wants a world that is safe for authoritarians and oligarchs, but dangerous and unstable for democracies. And when we talk about authoritarianism, we have got to mention the growing phenomenon in this country of the Big Lie: say something that is blatantly untrue, repeat it over and over again and then blast that lie out on social media until people actually believe it. 
    Let me mention one of the very big lies that Trump said recently regarding the war in Ukraine. Earlier this week, the president said that Ukraine started the war. Trump said that Ukraine started the war. Really? 
    That is, as I hope every member of the Senate knows, an absolute lie. 
    Russia invaded Ukraine twice, first in 2014 and then again on February 24, 2022. And on that date, February 24, 2022, Putin’s tanks and troops rolled into Ukraine. And on that day, Russian aircraft began bombing targets all over Ukraine. 
    Russia started the war, period, end of discussion. Trump is lying. 
    Since Putin’s invasion over one million people having been killed or injured. Every single day, Russia continues to rain down hundreds of missiles and drones on Ukrainian cities. Putin’s forces have massacred civilians and captured Ukrainian children, bringing them back to Russian “re-education” camps. There atrocities led the International Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, in 2022, as a war criminal. 
    Further, Trump called Ukrainian President Zelensky – not Putin, but Zelensky, a dictator. And that obviously is not true either. Zelenskyy won 75% of the vote in free elections. And in the midst of a brutal war, Ukraine’s parliament continues to function and open and unfettered political debate takes place. 
    Trump recently claimed that our European allies have done little to support Ukraine in its fight against Putin’s invasion. He said the U.S. has contributed three times more than Europe. But that is another lie. In fact, Europe has provided more aid to Ukraine than the United States. 
    But it’s not just that Trump is lying again. That is not new. It’s what this all reveals about where we want to take our country and where we want the world to be moving – what direction.
    Trump is cozying up to Vladimir Putin. So who is Putin? And what kind of world does Putin want to build? 
    Putin is a dictator who crushed Russia’s movement toward democracy after the end of the Cold War. Russia now holds sham elections where Putin wins 90% of the vote, and authorities there do not even try to hide their ballot stuffing. 
    There it is no freedom of speech or free media in Putin’s Russia. Protests are violently suppressed. Tens of thousands of people are in prison for protesting Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Political dissidents are harassed or thrown into jail. The bravest, like Alexei Navalny are killed outright. Hundreds of thousands of Russians have fled Putin’s Russia since his invasion of Ukraine. 
    That, Mr. President, is the Russian leader that Donald Trump admires. But, Mr. President, my Republican colleagues know all of this. And what is particularly disturbing to me – and I believe the American people – is my colleagues, my Republican colleagues understand and know that Trump is lying. They know that Russia started the war, not Ukraine. They know that Putin is a dictator, not Zelensky. But their silence has been overwhelming on this issue. 
    I cannot tell you how many times I have sat here on the floor and I have listened to my Republican colleagues come to the Senate to condemn Vladimir Putin and his brutal invasion of Ukraine. And many of their remarks were right on the money. They were perceptive and they were right. 
    And my simple question to my Republican colleagues right now is: “Where are you now?”
    Last I heard, Mr. President, this is still a democracy. Last I heard, we are still allowed to disagree with the president of the United States, even if he is a member of your own party. Last I heard, we are allowed to call out the president when he lies – blatantly lies, even if he is a member of our own party. And what really bothers me is I know that many of my Republican colleagues understand all of this. 
    And I just want to give you an example of what is going on right now. Let me just quote a few of my Republican colleagues in statements they have made since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. These are Republican members of the United States Senate. And I’m not going to mention names right now. I don’t want to embarrass anybody, put anybody on the spot. But these are quotes. 
    One leading Republican said, “we must remember the instigator of this war was Russia. It was president Putin who launched an unprovoked attack on Ukraine.” And that Republican colleague was obviously right. 
    Another Republican said, and I quote. “I think Vladimir Putin started the war, I also believe, through bitter experience, that Vladimir Putin is a gangster.” That’s a Republican colleague. 
    A third Republican colleague said, “there is no equivalency between Vladimir Putin and President Zelensky. President Putin is evil and he has to be stopped.” 
    A fourth Republican said, when the war began, “today’s invasion of Ukraine by Russia is a premeditated and flagrant act of war. Putin has violated the border of a sovereign country.” And that senator later said, “anyone who is surprised by Putin’s deadly attack on a sovereign nation has not been paying attention. These are the actions of a mad man.” And just recently, that very same senator said, “Putin is not going to stop with Ukraine. If we abandon Ukraine and throw in the towel as some would like us to do, that is going to drastically change how people view the United States and how people rely on the United States and there will be major consequences.” 
    And a fifth Republican colleague here in the Senate called Putin a “thug” and compared him to Hitler. He said, “Vladimir Putin is not a legitimate leader. He is a war criminal that needs to be dealt with.” 
    That is what my Republican colleagues have said time and time again. 
    And the question is, now, do you have the courage to continue telling the truth when the president of the United States is lying? 
    This is an extraordinarily pivotal moment in American history. And all of us must have the courage to stand up for truth, to stand up for democracy, to oppose authoritarianism. 
    This is the moment. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: A just and lasting peace for Ukraine

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Three years ago today, Russia launched an illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine that has left hundreds of thousands dead and forced millions to flee. In the face of unimaginable hardship, Ukrainians have persevered and have fought for freedom and democracy. Canada has supported and will continue to support Ukraine in achieving just and lasting peace.

    The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, visited Kyiv today to reaffirm Canada’s unwavering support for Ukraine.

    During this visit, the Prime Minister highlighted the recent conclusion of negotiations between Canada and Ukraine on the terms of Canada’s $5 billion contribution to the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans mechanism. Canada will disburse the first half of its contribution, totalling $2.5 billion, in the coming days, with the remainder to follow soon. Announced last year at the G7 Summit in Apulia, Italy, the ERA Loans will bring forward the future revenues from frozen Russian sovereign assets. This initiative will provide Ukraine with approximately $69 billion (US$50 billion).

    To maintain pressure on Russia, Prime Minister Trudeau announced new sanctions targeting 76 individuals and entities providing support for the Kremlin’s military industrial base, involved in the unlawful deportation or forced transfer of Ukrainian children, or supporting the Kremlin’s information operations capabilities, as well as senior Russian government officials and oligarchs who support Putin’s regime. In total, Canada has sanctioned more than 3,000 individuals and entities who are complicit in the violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and in gross and systematic human rights violations. The Prime Minister also announced that Canada is taking action against Russia’s shadow fleet by sanctioning 109 vessels based on their involvement in the transfer of sanctioned goods, including hydrocarbons whose revenue fuels Russia’s war machine.

    In response to Russia’s renewed attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, which have left millions of civilians deprived of electricity, water, and heat, the Prime Minister also announced a $50 million contribution to help support Ukraine’s urgent efforts to repair and replace damaged energy equipment and critical infrastructure, in partnership with the Energy Community Secretariat. This builds on the $20 million in funding Canada announced last year in support of this initiative at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, in Lucerne, Switzerland.

    During a bilateral meeting with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Trudeau noted progress on Canada’s assistance commitments, including the delivery of military training and critical equipment, such as armoured combat vehicles and infantry fighting vehicles, ammunition, and F-16 landing systems and simulators. 

    Building on the $3.02 billion announced in the Agreement on Security Cooperation between Canada and Ukraine last year, the Prime Minister announced that $40 million of the total $3.02 billion in funding will be allocated to deliver urgently needed capabilities to the Armed Forces of Ukraine through the Danish Model and another $15 million toward supporting Canadian companies seeking to operate and invest in Ukraine’s defence sector.

    The Prime Minister announced new assistance measures for Ukraine totalling $118.5 million, including:

    • $92.3 million in development assistance to strengthen local community building, support small-scale livelihood recovery projects that address community needs, reduce poverty and break down barriers to women’s full participation, address food security issues, and support the return of deported children and missing persons by improving the resilience of Ukraine’s government, communities, civil society, and private sector.
    • $14 million in humanitarian assistance, including for the provision of food, shelter, water, sanitation, hygiene services, and mental health and psycho-social support to those in need.
    • $8 million for weapons threat reduction to provide critical personal protective equipment to Ukrainians facing chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats, and to strengthen nuclear security in the country.
    • $4.25 million to support peace and stabilization operations, including assisting regional women’s rights organizations and ensuring representatives from civil society and media can work safely.
    • $82,000 for local initiatives that will support the physical and mental health of former Ukrainian prisoners of war.

    In total, Canada has committed over $19.7 billion in multifaceted assistance for Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.

    In Kyiv, Prime Minister Trudeau joined President Zelenskyy and international partners to discuss the situation on the ground as well as Ukraine’s needs for military, financial, humanitarian, recovery, and other assistance. During a plenary session on the theme of “Defence and Security Strategy of Unity: Action Plan”, he delivered remarks commending the Ukrainian people for their bravery and resilience in the face of unjustified and brutal violence. He reaffirmed Canada’s position as an unshakeable ally who will continue to work with partners around the world to provide Ukraine with security and defence support – allowing it to recover, rebuild, and prosper.

    The Prime Minister also convened his G7 counterparts and President Zelenskyy for a hybrid meeting to further discuss support for Ukraine. He underlined the importance of G7 unity in supporting a just and lasting peace in Ukraine as well as Ukraine’s reconstruction and economic recovery, noting that these would be priorities for Canada throughout our G7 Presidency this year.

    The Prime Minister also attended a candle-lighting ceremony where he paid tribute to all those whose lives have been lost since the start of Russia’s aggression. Throughout his visit, he reiterated that Canada will always stand with Ukrainians as they continue to fight for freedom, justice, and democracy. We will defend a future for Ukraine that’s written by Ukrainians. We will defend a Ukraine that is strong and free. And we will be with Ukraine in this fight until a just and lasting peace is reached.

    Quotes

    “For three years now, Ukrainians have fought with courage and resilience against Russia’s brutal war of aggression. Their fight for democracy, freedom, and sovereignty is a fight that matters to us all. Today, in Kyiv, my message to Ukraine and Ukrainians is loud and clear: Canada will continue to stand with you in achieving just and lasting peace. We are strengthening our commitments, providing additional support, and working with our partners to secure peace and freedom for Ukraine. Slava Ukraini!”

    “Canada remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine and will continue to leverage sanctions to weaken Russia’s ability to wage its illegal war. By targeting its military-industrial base, exposing those responsible for crimes and abuses in occupied Ukrainian territories, and disrupting the oligarchs’ confidants and shadow fleet supporting the Russian regime, we are holding Russia accountable. For three years, Canada has stood with Ukraine, and we will stand by its side for as long as it takes.”

    “Since the start of Russia’s unprovoked, full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago, Canada has stood with the Ukrainian people. We remain unwavering in our commitment to continue providing Ukraine with critical military assistance to defend itself against Russia’s brutal aggression. Together with our Allies and partners, we will ensure Ukraine has the support it needs in the fight to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

    Quick Facts

    • This was Prime Minister Trudeau’s fourth visit to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022. For this visit, the Prime Minister was accompanied by the Minister of National Defence, Bill Blair.
    • In Ukraine, the Prime Minister held bilateral meetings with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez.
    • During his visit, the Prime Minister also welcomed a new partnership with the NATO Science for Peace and Security project through which Natural Resources Canada will receive $2.1 million in funding to help create tools, establish key performance indicators, and identify opportunities for the reduction of fossil fuel dependency in military operations.
    • The sanctions announced today against Russia’s shadow fleet include 92 oil tankers involved in transferring Russian oil to third countries, nine liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers involved in transferring Russian LNG to third countries, and eight vessels involved in moving arms and related material to Russia from Iran and North Korea. Canada is also adopting new measures that will prohibit a wider range of sensitive goods and technologies from being exported from Canada to Russia.
    • The measures announced today build on other recent announcements, including:
      • Providing $440 million in military assistance for Ukraine, including funding for the procurement and delivery of large-calibre ammunition and various calibres of ammunition from Canadian industry, the production of military drones by Ukraine’s domestic defence industry, the delivery of high-resolution drone cameras, and the donation of winter gear, such as sleeping bags and winter boots.
      • Providing $15 million in funding to the Innovative Mine Action for Community Recovery in Ukraine project, to help enhance Ukraine’s national mine action capacity, reduce the threat of explosive ordinance, and promote economic recovery. Canada also announced $2.2 million for the Cybersecurity Assistance Project, to provide essential cybersecurity support services, equipment, and training urgently needed by Ukraine to combat malicious cyber activities.
      • Marking the first anniversary of the launch of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, which 41 states and the Council of Europe have joined in a collective commitment to bringing Ukrainian children home. With the help of Coalition Member States and other key international partners, Ukraine has successfully facilitated the safe return of nearly 600 children since the launch of the Coalition, and over 1000 to date. The Coalition is co-led by Canada and Ukraine.
      • Signing a Memorandum of Understanding between Canada and Ukraine to share information and expertise that will help members of Ukraine’s security and defence forces and their families have access to resources to transition to life after service.
    • Since the beginning of 2022, Canada has committed $19.7 billion in multifaceted support to Ukraine. This includes:
      • Over $12.4 billion in direct financial assistance, the highest in the G7 on a per capita basis.
      • $4.5 billion in military assistance, such as M777 howitzers, Leopard 2 main battle tanks, armoured combat support vehicles, hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition, high-resolution drone cameras, thermal clothing, body armour, fuel, and more.
      • Over $529 million in development assistance, including support to Ukraine’s energy system.
      • $372.2 million in humanitarian assistance, including support for emergency health interventions, protection services, and essentials such as shelter, water, sanitation, and food. Programming also addresses child protection, mental health support, and prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence.
      • Nearly $225 million in security and stabilization assistance.
    • In Kyiv, the Prime Minister highlighted the ongoing work of members of the Canadian Armed Forces in the United Kingdom and Poland under Operation UNIFIER. Since 2015, they have provided training on a range of military skills to over 40,000 Ukrainian troops. He noted that Canada continues to engage closely with Ukraine, Allies, and partners on how best to enhance support through Operation UNIFIER to help Ukraine defend itself.
    • Last year, on February 24, Prime Minister Trudeau and President Zelenskyy signed the historic Agreement on Security Cooperation between Canada and Ukraine, establishing a new strategic security partnership between our two countries. This included $3.02 billion in critical financial and military support to Ukraine for 2024.
    • As part of the 2024 Fall Economic Statement, the federal government announced last year its intention to double down on our efforts to support Ukraine, including through proposed legislative changes that will ensure profits from frozen Russian assets are used to rebuild Ukraine.
    • Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Canada has welcomed more than 220,000 Ukrainians. We are helping Ukrainian families find a safe, temporary home and have put support services in place for their arrival. This includes temporary financial assistance and access to federally funded settlement services, such as language training and employment-related services.
    • Canada and Ukraine have long been steadfast partners and close friends. In 1991, Canada became the first Western country to recognize Ukraine’s independence. Today, 1.3 million people of Ukrainian descent call Canada home – the largest Ukrainian diaspora in the Western world. In 2022, total bilateral trade between our two countries was valued at over $421 million.

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Iowa Small Businesses and Private Nonprofits Affected by Summer Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding small businesses and private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Iowa of the March 24, 2025 deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds and tornadoes that occurred June 16-July 23, 2024.

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Buena Vista, Calhoun, Cass, Cedar, Cherokee, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Dickinson, Emmet, Hancock, Harrison, Humboldt, Ida, Kossuth, Lyon, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Muscatine, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Pottawattamie, Sac, Scott, Shelby, Sioux, Webster, Woodbury and Wright in Iowa, as well as the county of Rock Island in Illinois, Jackson, Martin, Nobles and Rock counties in Minnesota, Burt, Dakota, Douglas, Sarpy, Thurston and Washington counties in Nebraska, and Lincoln, Minnehaha and Union counties in South Dakota.

    Under this declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs that suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.25% for PNPs, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 24.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Wales wants to punish lying politicians – how would it work?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephen Clear, Lecturer in Constitutional and Administrative Law, and Public Procurement, Bangor University

    shutterstock Minerva Studio/Shutterstock

    Elected politicians and candidates in Wales who deliberately lie could face serious consequences, including being removed from office, under proposals aimed at restoring trust in politics.

    The Senedd’s (Welsh parliament) standards of conduct committee has recommended legally defining political deception, and strengthening existing rules to explicitly ban misleading statements. Proposed potential penalties range from a formal retraction to suspension or, in extreme cases, recall by voters.

    But the committee stopped short of recommending that deliberate deception be made a criminal offence. The idea that politicians who lie could be investigated by the police and courts had previously been mooted. The option of a civil offence with a lower burden of proof being introduced was also rejected.

    The committee has been working on the proposals as a way of restoring faith in politics, and trust in politicians, in the lead up to the next Senedd elections in 2026. While the report sets out options for change, the Welsh government has already promised to introduce a legal ban (in some form) before the next election.

    These efforts see Wales become the first UK nation to attempt to tackle the problem of dwindling trust in politics by modern day legislative force.

    Those championing the changes refer to how the deliberate rise in campaigns of misinformation, by those of all political persuasions, have in some instances led to electoral victories overseas.

    The need to act is also reflected in the public’s perception. Surveys have consistently found that trust in politicians to tell the truth has declined. A survey in 2023 placed politicians as the least trusted profession in the UK. Just 9% of the public said they trusted elected officials to tell the truth.

    More recently, findings from the British social attitudes report in 2024 revealed that the public is as critical now of how the UK is governed as it has ever been. A record high of 45% of respondents said they now “almost never” trust governments of any party to place the needs of the nation above the interests of their own political party.

    Restoring trust

    The Senedd committee had considered three different options for restoring trust.

    First, to create a criminal offence of deception. Second, to use an existing investigative body such as the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, and to bring in a civil sanction such as a fine. And third, to strengthen the code of conduct for Senedd members with enhanced sanctions. In other words, it would be dealt with through the Senedd’s own disciplinary procedures.

    To a certain degree there are some mechanisms already in place for dealing with deception in Welsh politics. For example, politicians are already expected to adhere to the seven principles of public life, which include honesty and integrity.

    Generally speaking, opposition Senedd members will hold the Welsh government to account by questioning and scrutinising their work. It is also possible to stage votes of no confidence as an accountability mechanism.

    Although as seen in the case of former first minister Vaughan Gething, it is questionable as to the extent to which they can be enforced. Gething initially refused to step down after losing such a vote.

    The electorate also has an important role to play in holding politicians to account. Ultimately an untrustworthy politician should, in theory at least, be unlikely to win any election. But Senedd elections only take place every five years.

    The standards of conduct committee already has the power to review complaints referred to it. It also has responsibility for reviewing the code of conduct for members of the Senedd, guidance on the code and complaints procedures, and rules for lobbying.

    Part of the perceived problem with this is that the committee is made up of Senedd members and are, therefore, responsible for setting the rules for themselves. Or alternatively, as Plaid Cymru MS Adam Price (who has campaigned on this issue for many years) put it, it’s like marking your own homework. The committee’s report offers a potential of recommending appointing lay members to sit alongside them.

    Proposals to legislate against politicians who lie in Wales were first raised by the Plaid Cymru MS, Adam Price.
    ComposedPix/Shutterstock

    Some may be concerned about the practical complexities of disqualifying candidates and Senedd members, and where that may, in turn, leave democracy and democratic processes. If sanctions were to be introduced, questions could also be raised about the potential for vexatious complaints to discredit electoral candidates.



    Read more:
    Wales could become world’s first country to criminalise politicians who lie

    In respect of making “deception” a criminal offence, concerns may have been raised about the constitutional principle of separation of powers, and whether it should truly be for unelected judges to take decisions about the democratically elected arm of the state. Or whether that could lead to the politicisation of the judiciary.

    While, research had found that more than two-thirds of Welsh voters supported a law criminalising political lying, judicial adjudication for serving Senedd members has been ruled out. The report also details concerns from the legal professions that existing resource pressures on the courts would have lead to long disputes, rather than the swift resolutions.

    But in reality, we are talking about strengthening safeguards for maintaining standards in public offices. In particular addressing deliberate mistruths by politicians to secure deceitful advantages during an election.

    In that sense, the new legislation is essentially bringing the political profession in line with others such as lawyers, doctors, journalistic and financial institutions, by having clearer repercussions when they lie and fail to maintain professional standards.

    Given the need for something to change in order to restore trust, and the extensive powers that politicians have to affect the lives of citizens, it is clear why Wales is trying a different approach towards restoring trust.

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

    – ref. Wales wants to punish lying politicians – how would it work? – https://theconversation.com/wales-wants-to-punish-lying-politicians-how-would-it-work-248728

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Donald Trump wants to bring back plastic straws, but the world is going in another direction

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Randa Lindsey Kachef, Research affiliate, King’s College London

    David Pereiras / shutterstock

    Donald Trump recently surprised the world again by signing an action to end what he describes as the “forced use” of paper straws. Although there is some merit in the argument the White House presents that paper straws simply aren’t fit for purpose, what the paper straw revolution represents is the power of individual change in enacting progressive policy.

    Much like recent EU legislation which required all plastic bottles to have caps attached by a tether, the removal of items that tend to be easily littered is a way to help people be more environmentally cautious without any extra effort. Unfortunately, the paper straw appears to have failed in this endeavour.

    We should not stop this trajectory because of one fail, however. Even if paper straws are not a viable option, we mustn’t let their fate undermine all initiatives to reduce the impacts of single use plastics.

    The story behind the move away from plastic straws began in 2015, when a disturbing video of a turtle having a plastic straw removed from its nose went viral. Unfortunately this appears to be a common occurrence, with a video of a turtle with a plastic fork in its nose posted only a few months later. This shows plastic straws themselves are not the issue and that there is a wider problem that everyone should be aware of: plastic which ends up in the ocean is often mistaken for food and eaten by wildlife.

    Paper problems

    Admittedly, anyone who has used a paper straw will agree that they are not a viable alternative to plastic. The obvious complaint is that they get soggy too quickly. But there are several unseen components that show the switch to paper may not be as great as we once thought.

    Paper, but plastic-coated?
    Sia Footage / shutterstock

    To begin with, in an effort to keep them water-resistant, paper straws themselves are coated in plastic. This means they cannot be recycled. As they are an organic material, they release greenhouse gas when they decompose in landfill – they can however safely be incinerated, something that is not widely recommended for their plastic counterparts.

    As the demand for paper straws skyrocketed, this created a deficit in production, leading to the development of new manufacturing facilities, construction that in itself has a significant environmental impact. Meanwhile, the heavier weight of paper straws can lead to an increase in freighting fuel consumption and associated emissions.

    Flimsy plastics are more likely to be littered

    Anything, however, is better than plastic. A somewhat misleading statistic that plastic straws account for a mere 0.025% of ocean plastics has been circulating in the argument to bring them back. Although this is true by volume, it is not a correct representation of the sheer number of individual straws recorded in the environment which is suspected to be as many as 8.3 billion, about one per person on earth.

    The fact straws are so small and lightweight is a big part of the problem, since smaller and more easily fragmented items are far harder to collect. As litter, they punch above their weight.

    A child’s plastic beach toy may weigh as much as a few hundred plastic straws, but if littered the straws would do more harm to the environment and wildlife, and would look worse. As straws are made of polypropylene, a flimsier more brittle type of plastic, it doesn’t take much effort for them to break apart into bite sized pieces. Because of this, straws turn into microplastics much quicker than the toy, which has a higher chance of eventually being picked up.

    To this day, straws continue to to be on the top ten types of plastics found on beaches, and we have yet to see any videos of larger pollutants like those beach toys being pulled from the nose of any animal.

    Although we could argue indefinitely as to which straw materials are worse (reuseable metal or glass straws require water and a cleaning agent, another potential contaminant) the overarching sentiment is the most alarming component of Trump’s announcement.

    Paper straw pressue came from below

    The move towards paper straws was a refreshing direction in environmental preservation, in that it was initiated locally and by producers, not through legislation. In the summer of 2018 Seattle became the first US city to enforce a ban on plastic utensils, straws and cocktail sticks. Soon thereafter, McDonald’s, Starbucks, Alaska Airlines and many others announced they would stop the sale of plastic straws.

    Later that year, the UK government and European Union began consultations for national bans which came into effect in 2020 and 2021 respectively. In 2019 Canada followed suit with a ban coming into law in 2022.

    It was not until July of 2024 that the then US president, Joe Biden announced his plan to phase out single-use plastics (although the fact sheet and official press release has now been removed from the White House website). This was several years after the global movement got underway – accompanied by the first complaints from Trump on the topic in 2019.

    It is important to note that both the EU and UK bans on plastic straws included stirrers and cotton bud sticks. However their removal from the market caused little to no controversy, mostly because there are adequate alternatives.

    Litter producers can drive change

    What the movement towards paper straws represents is the power of producers to drive change, in a bottom-up approach. A similarly encouraging scenario can be seen in attitudes towards polystyrene.

    Back in 2019 Dunkin’ Donuts announced it would stop using foam cups in certain US markets, and delivered a full removal of the cups in the US by early 2020, while in January 2025 California introduced a state wide polystyrene ban. Meanwhile, negotiations on a global plastics agreement remain indecisive.

    In the wake of a pattern of stalemate and regressive policy, it is on the consumers and producers to take action. We must continue to support producers who invest in innovation to address these issues in a way that makes our lives easier and cleaner.

    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.

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

    – ref. Donald Trump wants to bring back plastic straws, but the world is going in another direction – https://theconversation.com/donald-trump-wants-to-bring-back-plastic-straws-but-the-world-is-going-in-another-direction-250449

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why Charles Dickens would have made Great Expectations a videogame if he were writing today

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Lynda Clark, Lecturer in Creative Writing (Interdisciplinary Futures), University of Edinburgh

    Despite dying over 100 years before the release of Pong, the novelist Charles Dickens has connections to a number of videogames. He appears as a character in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (2015); is the subject of a mobile app walking-tour, Charles Dickens London: The Writer’s Journey (2022); and his works are brought to virtual life in the forthcoming The Mysteries of Gad’s Hill Place.

    There’s also plenty in Dickens’ work to suggest that were he alive today, he may be writing his own videogames as well as appearing in them.

    Great Expectations (1861) in particular demonstrates Dickens’ ludic credentials. A sense of progression is common in the Bildungsroman or “progress” novel, but Pip seems to embody ideas of “levelling-up” more reminiscent of a playable character accumulating XP (experience points) than a typical protagonist.

    Pip (Philip Pirrip) is a young blacksmith’s apprentice whose life is dramatically changed when he inherits a great fortune. Pip’s guardian, Mr Jaggers, who is also the lawyer in charge of the inheritance, describes Pip’s “expectations” (inheritance) as if it is an attainable in-game currency.

    He makes it clear, just as a videogame NPC (non-playable character) might, how the story’s currency should be spent – on items befitting a gentleman, just as a videogame character might spend on costumes and items for their inventory. As Jaggers puts it, the inheritance is “a sum of money amply sufficient for your suitable education and maintenance”

    This article is part of Rethinking the Classics. The stories in this series offer insightful new ways to think about and interpret classic books and artworks. This is the canon – with a twist.

    On his path to becoming a gentleman, Pip must develop himself in various areas such as intellect and eloquence, and acquire new clothes, which, it is implied, will confer new “powers”. They should not, Mr Jaggers stresses, be “working clothes”.

    This spiritual, physical and sartorial growth is not unlike that found in many roleplaying games such as Metaphor: Refantazio (2024), where the protagonist must develop “royal virtues” through building relationships with followers. This is reminiscent of the way Pip must build his relationship with the wealthy, eccentric Miss Havisham to further his place in society. Like Pip, the protagonist of Metaphor: Refantazio also gains access to progressively advantageous clothing and accessories as the story advances.

    Dickens appears as a character in the game Assassin’s Creed Syndicate.

    As literary theorist Peter Brooks has observed, even Pip’s name is representative of growth – a seed full of potential, the kind of on-the-nose naming scheme that would make auteur videogame designer Hideo Kojima proud. Many of Kojima’s characters in the Metal Gear franchise are named in the same way, such as Fragile, the director of a delivery company that has the motto “handled with love”.

    And before we even get into the story itself, the contents page in later collected editions arranges protagonist Pip’s journey into “stages” – a term more commonly found in videogames.

    Expectations and endings

    Perhaps the strongest argument for Great Expectations as evidence of Dickens’ potential as a videogame writer are its multiple endings. The published ending alludes to future romance. After a chance meeting four years after the primary events of the novel, Pip takes fellow orphan Estella’s hand and sees “no shadow of another parting from her”.

    However the alternate version, often presented as an appendix, has a quite different outlook. Again Pip runs into Estella, and they share fond words, but this time there is no sign of a romantic union. Instead, it’s suggested that the suffering Estella has endured through a cruel marriage has given her a deeper understanding of Pip’s life – “a heart to understand what [his] used to be”.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    This downbeat tone is more akin to the so-called “bad” ending (or fail state) of choice-based videogames. These are endings which occur when the player has not sufficiently developed their character, or made poor conversational choices during their play.

    Even the published ending is not necessarily so positive if the reader has been paying attention to all of Pip’s “side-quests”. Both he and Estella are childhood wards of Miss Havisham, and in adulthood, a man named Magwitch plays father-figure to Pip and is Estella’s actual father.

    Therefore, it is only possible to accept their union as romantic if putting aside facts which, to contemporary readers at least, may well have verged on incest. This means there are two possible endings even within the single published ending – one where he commits near-incest and one where he doesn’t, depending on your interpretation.

    It could also be argued that the ending of each “stage” is its own potential end, thereby increasing the number of possible endings further still. For instance, literary theorist Caroline Levine has suggested another alternative ending in Pip’s imagined possible future with his childhood friend and confidante, Biddy.

    This kind of premature ending is frequently found in narrative videogames. A memorable example is Far Cry 4 (2014), where it’s possible to get the credits rolling some 15 minutes into a game which typically lasts as long as 60 hours.

    Had Dickens been writing today, I have no doubt he would have seen great narrative potential in videogames, just as modern videogame creators find inspiration in his novels.

    Beyond the canon

    As part of the Rethinking the Classics series, we’re asking our experts to recommend a book or artwork that tackles similar themes to the canonical work in question, but isn’t (yet) considered a classic itself. Here is Lynda Clark’s suggestion:

    The novel All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka (2004) remains underappreciated, despite already having been adapted into a manga (2014) and a film (2014’s Edge of Tomorrow).

    Like Pip, young soldier Keiji Kiriya is required to undergo intellectual, physical and emotional growth in order to progress. He undertakes this process of “levelling up” in an even more ludic manner, dying and “respawning” (resurrecting) with knowledge of his previous lives. Each death suggests a potential end, and his relationship with fellow time-looped soldier Rita Vrataski is open to similar interpretations of bittersweet love, doomed romance or platonic respect – depending on reader preference.

    Lynda Clark undertook part of this research during an AHRC-funded PhD.

    – ref. Why Charles Dickens would have made Great Expectations a videogame if he were writing today – https://theconversation.com/why-charles-dickens-would-have-made-great-expectations-a-videogame-if-he-were-writing-today-249199

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Kim Jong-un is launching a crackdown on North Korea’s drinking culture

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By David Hall, PhD Candidate in Korean Studies, University of Central Lancashire

    North Korean leader Kim Jong-un recently chaired a meeting of the Korean Worker’s Party Secretariat, the body responsible for prescribing correct behaviour and ensuring it’s adhered to by party members. The party’s official newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, reported that this meeting was convened to address various shortcomings in discipline (tangnaegyuryurŭl ranp’ok) – including binge drinking by some party officials.

    The meeting was concerned with two violations of party discipline in particular. Party officials in Onchon County (about 60km west of the capital, Pyongyang) were accused of making inadequate preparations for their local party meeting, which – as a result – was held in a “grossly formalistic (hyŏngshikchŏkŭro) way”.

    In North Korea’s early political history, accusations of being formalistic related to overly celebrating foreign governments and their methods of socialism. But used in relation to the officials in Onchon County, it meant going through the motions, and not displaying enough genuine enthusiasm and engagement with the political process.

    This lack of ideological zeal was reportedly further displayed when 40 of the officials went on a “drinking spree” – an act considered directly opposed to the party’s line on maintaining discipline. In the English-language version of the Rodong Sinmun news article, these officials were branded as a “corrupt group”. But in the Korean-language version, they were more colourfully condemned as a “rotten group” (ssŏgŏppajin muri) and an “arrogant rabble” (pangjahan ohapchijol).

    In response, Kim stated that the behaviour of the party officials was a “political and moral” crime which undermined the foundations of the Korean Worker’s Party. Consequently, the Onchon County party committee was dissolved and the 40 officials involved in the drunken revelry were earmarked for punishment. While it was not mentioned what punishment the officials would receive, it’s likely at the very least they will be subject to ideological re-education.

    Accusations of drunkenness and alcoholism as a means of criticising and purging party officials is nothing new in North Korea. In December 1955, Pak Il-u (then the minister of post and telecommunications) was accused of leading a depraved lifestyle and being an alcoholic. This was done to besmirch his reputation, justify his expulsion from the Korean Worker’s Party, and imprison him.

    It isn’t illegal to drink in North Korea. Alcohol has a strong cultural presence: it is used on formal occasions to celebrate weddings, relieve sadness during funerals, and commemorate the birthdays of leaders.

    In recent years, the country has even promoted its alcoholic products on postage stamps. In 2022, the government issued a stamp depicting three variations of Taedonggang Beer, produced at a state-owned domestic brewery since 2002. The beer is named after the Taedong river, which runs through Pyongyang.

    The following year, a stamp depicting Pyongyang Soju was issued. This rice and corn-based liquor has been produced at a state-owned factory since 2009. With an alcohol content of 25%, North Korea’s soju has a higher alcohol content than South Korea’s best-selling version, Jinro Chamisul Original (20.1% ABV).

    In June 2015, Kim designated Pyongyang Soju as the national liquor – underlining that alcohol holds an important place both in North Korea’s cultural heritage and contemporary society.

    That’s not to say North Koreans are heavy drinkers compared with their compatriots in the south, who – according to pre-COVID statistics – drink about twice as much. In North Korea, a litre of alcohol costs about the same as a kilo of corn (a proxy for a day’s food), which may explain this.

    Political and moral vice

    But excessive drinking is regarded, as Kim stated, as a political and moral vice. Alcohol and other drug taking, such as methamphetamine use, is bound up with mental health as a sign of degeneracy.

    Given that mental health care in North Korea is virtually non-existent (mental health conditions are correlated with ideological problems), drinking, smoking and other drug use often become coping mechanisms for people living there. But these have all become regarded as anti-state activities.

    In recent years, North Korea has cracked down more strictly on what is seen as the “ideological and cultural poisoning” of society. For example, it has been reported that people have been sentenced to lengthy prison sentences or execution for consuming and/or distributing foreign media, using foreign slang terms, or wearing foreign clothes and hairstyles.

    Divorcing couples and those caught selling hot dogs have reportedly been the most recent examples of people’s anti-state behaviour receiving labour camp sentences. Divorce represents dissent to the socialist idea of collectivism, prioritising group needs (family) over individual desires.

    Therefore, the attack on excessive alcohol consumption – and it being publicly reported on – can be seen as another development in the trend of North Korea clamping down on individualistic behaviour, because it does not conform to the ideals of how people in this socialist society should behave.

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

    – ref. Kim Jong-un is launching a crackdown on North Korea’s drinking culture – https://theconversation.com/kim-jong-un-is-launching-a-crackdown-on-north-koreas-drinking-culture-249514

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How virtual reality could help revive endangered language and culture

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Fabrizio Galeazzi, Associate Professor in Heritage and Creative Technologies, Anglia Ruskin University

    Every two weeks, a language is at risk of disappearing. According to the UN, at least 50% of the 7,000 different languages spoken around the world today could either disappear or become seriously endangered by the end of this century, leading to a significant loss of cultural diversity.

    “A language is not just words. It’s a culture, a tradition and a unification of a community, a whole history that creates what a community is,” as linguist Noam Chomsky once said.

    To help stem the tide, a collaboration between myself and colleagues at the StoryLab research institute at Anglia Ruskin University and creative industry partner NowHere Media is exploring the use of virtual reality (VR) technology and immersive storytelling to try to revitalise endangered indigenous cultures and languages.

    The results of our research interviews with participants suggest immersive stories, when created with communities, can be a powerful way of fostering group identity and promoting the long-term legacy and custodianship of cultural heritage.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Created by NowHere Media before the start of our project, Kusunda VR is an immersive interactive film that encourages viewers to learn key words of the Kusunda language, which is under threat of disappearing in Nepal. The film documents the nomadic way of life of the Kusunda people. It features their language, in the form of interviews with its last remaining speakers.

    NowHere Media worked closely with shaman Lil Bahadur, just one of 150 Kusunda speakers left in the world, and his granddaughter Hima to capture the nomadic Kusunda world and language. They used volumetric filming and photogrammetry – techniques that create a three-dimensional space and allow for a highly realistic and immersive environment – to be played using virtual reality technology. Voice-based interactions help viewers learn some words in the Kusunda language.

    Lil almost lost his mother tongue when he gave up his hunter-gatherer lifestyle to live in the city at the age of 18. But researchers discovered that his teenage granddaughter was passionate about keeping her grandfather’s language – and culture – alive.

    “If the Kusunda language disappears then the existence of the Kusunda people in Nepal will also fade away,” Hima told us. “We’ll lose our identity. That’s why I want to save our language.”

    Hima began learning the language from community elder Gyani Maiya Sen-Kusunda, one of the last speakers of the language, an ambassador for its preservation and a teacher to the emerging generation. She was the original protagonist of Kusunda VR but died at the age of 83 in 2020 during the production of the film.

    Immersive technology

    StoryLab received a grant from the British Academy to evaluate the potential of immersive technology in bringing endangered languages back to life. Our research study, Reviving Kusunda, compared the interactive Kusunda VR experience alongside a short film created during the project. We wanted to to offer an insight into the role of immersive technologies in creating emotional understanding of the subject in comparison to regular film.

    Audio-visual 2D formats such as film have played an important role over the last century in documenting and archiving cultural heritage such as oral traditions, language and traditional art forms. However, we are keen to know how new technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality, compare with existing audio-visual formats.

    Participants in our research – both members of the Kusunda community in Nepal and the public in the UK – identified many benefits to using multiple formats. However, they expressed a clear preference for VR. They highlighted the importance of interactivity and immersion in engaging viewers in the subject matter. With the VR experience, viewers are part of the story – a key aspect that helps revive stories and memories from the past.

    Participants considered VR especially effective in attracting their interest, creating a connection with the subject, and inspiring audiences to engage further with endangered languages and heritage.

    When viewing the VR experience, participants said they felt like a character in the film, and were immersed within the action which made them feel a strong emotional connection. They also noted how crucial it was to “feel” like the Kusunda people. This opens a range of possibilities for the use of VR for the revitalisation of endangered heritage and languages.

    The Reviving Kusunda project highlights how older speakers can educate younger generations about a language in a highly engaging way. We believe there are huge possibilities to use immersive 3D storytelling to revitalise other endangered languages.

    After the success of the Reviving Kusunda project, StoryLab now leads a €3 million Horizon Europe project called Revive. This looks specifically at two endangered European languages – Griko, spoken in parts of southern Italy, and Cornish, a language spoken in Cornwall in the southwest of England.

    This initiative brings together an international consortium of academic and industry partners to explore the integrated use of immersive technologies, data visualisation, archival research and co-creation to protect Europe’s heritage and linguistic capital.

    The aim is for immersive, interactive experiences to be hosted in museums and visitor centres to raise awareness of a region’s culture, as well as adapted to help with more formal language learning in schools and colleges for future generations.

    Participants of the Reviving Kusunda project universally acknowledged the unique way that VR can truly bring aspects of heritage to life, effectively “making intangible [heritage], tangible”.

    In the words of one participant from the Kusunda community: “When I watched the VR today, I felt I was watching the stories grandmother used to tell me. They were in front of my eyes as if they were real.”

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

    – ref. How virtual reality could help revive endangered language and culture – https://theconversation.com/how-virtual-reality-could-help-revive-endangered-language-and-culture-247856

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 351, STEWARD Act of 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 351 would authorize appropriations totaling $34 million annually over the 2025-2029 period for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to award grants, collect data, and prepare reports for recycling and composting programs in the United States.

    CBO assumes that the bill will be enacted in 2025 and that the authorized amounts will be provided in each year. On that basis and using the spending patterns for similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $148 million over the 2025-2030 period and $22 million after 2030.

    Section 2 would authorize the appropriation of $30 million annually over the 2025-2029 period to EPA for grants to expand access to curbside recycling and construct transfer stations that aggregate recyclable materials for offsite processing. EPA would need to allocate 70 percent of the authorized amounts for grants to communities without access to recycling services or that have insufficient recycling capacity. Grant recipients, including states, local governments, Indian tribes, and public-private partnerships, would have to contribute at least 5 percent of a project’s total cost. The bill would require the agency to report on the program two years after the first grant is awarded and would authorize EPA to use up to 5 percent of the authorized funds for administrative purposes. CBO estimates that implementing that section would cost $128 million over the 2025-2030 period.

    Section 3 would authorize the appropriation of $4 million annually over the 2025-2029 period for EPA to collect data and prepare reports that include an inventory of facilities to recover materials in each state and a cost-benefit analysis of recycling and composting. The bill would require EPA to collect standardized recycling data twice a year from states, local communities, and Indian tribes and develop a national recycling rate. CBO estimates that implementing that section would cost $20 million over the 2025-2030 period.

    The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, fall within budget function 300 (natural resources and environment).

    Table 1.

    Estimated Increases in Spending Subject to Appropriation Under S. 351
     

    By Fiscal Year, Millions of Dollars

    		  
     

    2025

    2026

    2027

    2028

    2029

    2030

    2025-2030

    Grants for Recycling Facilities

    		              

    Authorization

    30

    30

    30

    30

    30

    0

    150

    Estimated Outlays

    3

    15

    24

    29

    30

    27

    128

    Data Collection and Reporting

    		              

    Authorization

    4

    4

    4

    4

    4

    0

    20

    Estimated Outlays

    3

    4

    4

    4

    4

    1

    20

    Total Changes

    		              

    Authorization

    34

    34

    34

    34

    34

    0

    170

    Estimated Outlays

    6

    19

    28

    33

    34

    28

    148

    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Aurora Swanson. The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy Director of Budget Analysis.

    Phillip L. Swagel

    Director, Congressional Budget Office

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Charity Commission Chair calls on philanthropists to invest in Welsh charity

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Charity Commission Chair calls on philanthropists to invest in Welsh charity

    Orlando Fraser KC visits four Welsh charities in one of his last official visits to the country.

    Charity Commission Chair Orlando Fraser meets with representatives from the County Voluntary Council for Wrexham.

    The Chair of the charity regulator is urging greater giving from those with deeper pockets, during visits to charities today and tomorrow where he is seeing first-hand the impact of voluntary organisations in north Wales. 

    Orlando Fraser’s comments came as he visited the Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham (AVOW) today with other visits planned for tomorrow (25th February) to three more charities as he celebrates Wales’s community spirit. 

    AVOW is the County Voluntary Council for Wrexham. It provides free advice and signposts local community and voluntary organisations. AVOW also provides health and wellbeing support to the local community in Wrexham.

    The charity is one of many recipients to obtain funds through the regulator’s Revitalising Trusts Wales programme.

    Last year, the Revitalising Trusts team helped a volunteer wind up Wrexham Care Association after it had fallen inactive but had remaining funds to spend. After identifying AVOW as a suitable charity to use the funds as intended, the regulator oversaw the transfer of over £30,000.

    AVOW has been able to fund its Community Hubs Coordinator role for a further year, helping ensure vulnerable people can access local and voluntary services through community hubs based in Gwersyllt and Acton (Wrexham). The charity hopes to expand its network to additional locations and share best practices with other community-based organisations.

    Today’s visit comes as the programme reaches £11.6 million revitalised in Wales alone, contributing to good causes, community foundations and charities across Wales. Since 2021, 346 Welsh charities have entered the programme, 80 of which are now operating again after years of inactivity. The remaining 266 inactive charities have all successfully transferred any dormant assets ensuring they continue to contribute to the sector.  

    Speaking on the Revitalising Trusts Wales programme, Orlando Fraser KC, said:

    The Revitalising Trusts programme demonstrates how the sector and we as regulator have a common goal – ensuring public good rises above all else.

    There are fantastic benefits to being a trustee, but we know it can be difficult to recruit, and due to pressures on charities, it can be hard to remain active.

    Our programme, working with Community Foundation Wales and the Welsh government, offers trustees the support to get back on track or, if the decision to close is taken, helps them effectively wind up and transfer funds in a way that will ensure the legacy of their great work lives on.

    Tomorrow, Orlando Fraser is expected to visit North Wales Recovery Communities, Clough Williams-Ellis Foundation and the Snowdonia Society. This forms part of a farewell visit as he concludes his term as Chair of the charity regulator for Wales and England.

    Discussing his visits, Orlando added:

    In my time as Chair, I’ve been privileged to see first-hand the fantastic charitable work across England & Wales, work made possible by dedicated trustees, staff and volunteers.

    I’m grateful to AVOW, North Wales Recovery Communities, Clough Williams-Ellis Foundation and the Snowdonia Society for taking the time to meet with me.

    There is a strong community spirit here in Wales – and, as my term as Chair comes to an end, I call on potential philanthropists here and further afield, to invest in this spirit.

    Orlando’s call for more philanthropists comes as new research suggests that the UK’s richest people give a smaller proportion of their wealth to charity than the average person. The data from the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) indicates that the UK’s millionaires (people with investable assets of £1 million or more) gave the equivalent of 0.4% of their combined investable assets in 2023 (equating to almost £8 billion) compared to wider UK public donations of around £14 billion to good causes in the same year, equating to 1.6% of their income.

    Research by Centre for Cities also shows that while Wales is home to some of the most generous people in the UK (according to percentage of income donated), donations tend to go to national rather than local charities.

    ENDS

    Notes to editors:

    1. The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Find out more: About us – The Charity Commission (www.gov.uk) 
    2. The Revitalising Trusts programme ensures charitable funds that are lying dormant are spent and make a difference as originally intended. The programme helps charities by supporting and advising trustees who find it hard to spend their income, recruit new trustees, identify beneficiaries, or find time to run the charity.  
    3. If you are working with a charity possibly in need of our help, email the Charity Commission at CSrevitalisingtrusts@charitycommission.gov.uk  for information and advice.
    4. For more Revitalising Trusts Wales case studies please contact our Press Office.
    5. Set up in 2014, North Wales Recovery Communities provides therapeutic housing and services to individuals affected by substance misuse, offending and homelessness. The Snowdonia Society was established in 1967 to protect and enhance Snowdonia. The Clough Williams-Ellis Foundation was originally established by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis in 1972, to protect his property in North Wales and ensure its conservation for long-term public benefit.
    6. Research sources: ‘Donation Nation: The geography of charitable giving in the UK’, Centre for Cities, 2024. ‘Donation nation: The geography of charitable giving in the UK Centre for Cities’ and ‘High Value Giving: How The UK’s Wealthy Give’, Charities Aid Foundation, 2025. CAF High Value Giving Report

    Press office

    Email pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk

    Out of hours press office contact number: 07785 748787

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Boost for UK economy as Arbitration Act receives Royal Assent

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Boost for UK economy as Arbitration Act receives Royal Assent

    A new law to help the UK’s legal services sector maintain pole position and which will deliver millions more to grow the economy and help implement our Plan for Change.

    • New law to turbocharge UK’s position as the world-leader in arbitration
    • Modernised dispute resolution to attract more international business
    • Sector already worth £2.5bn boosted as part of Plan for Change to support growth

    The Arbitration Act, which received Royal Assent today (Monday 24 February), will help attract even more businesses from around the world to invest in the UK. It will re-enforce Britain’s position as the best place to resolve disputes without having to go to court.  

    This arbitration process saves companies significant costs in legal fees by providing a quicker alternative to court and reducing acrimony between the parties. Every year there are at least 5,000 domestic and international arbitrations in England and Wales – contributing at least £2.5 billion to the UK economy annually in fees alone.  

    Modernising arbitration law will ensure the UK remains the global destination of choice for the legal sector, outstripping competitors such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Paris. This will help generate greater employment in the sector to bring even more investment into the UK. 

    Minister for Courts and Legal Services, Sarah Sackman KC MP, said:  

    The UK’s legal sector contributes billions to the economy and employs hundreds of thousands across the country.   

    Companies from across the world look to the UK for our legal services and dispute resolution. This new Act ensures that arbitration law keeps this country ahead of the rest and supports economic growth as part of this government’s Plan for Change. 

    Today’s new law makes arbitration fairer and more efficient by simplifying procedures to reduce costs and protecting arbitrators from unreasonable lawsuits. It also strengthens the courts’ powers to support emergency arbitration so time-sensitive decisions can be made more easily. 

    International arbitration is a major and growing area of activity. Industry estimates suggest the sector grew by around 26% between 2016 and 2020, and in the past 10 years, UK exports of legal services have risen by more than 80%. 

    Cristen Bauer, Head of Policy, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, said:

    As the leading professional body globally for dispute resolvers, we are delighted to see the Arbitration Act reach Royal Assent. We worked closely with the UK Law Commission and other officials during the review of the Arbitration Act 1996, and were pleased that the majority of our recommendations were included in the final report, and that all of the review’s recommendations were adopted.

    The Arbitration Act will strengthen London’s position as an arbitration seat, and continue to set a high standard internationally. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of the Arbitration Act 2025 for many years ahead.

    This Act supports economic growth in a multi-billion-pound sector – the UK is the largest legal market in Europe and is second only to the US globally. 

    The new laws are the latest step in the government’s work to support the sector to grow. This includes the GREAT Legal Services campaign which was launched in 2017 to promote the strength of English and Welsh Law, the UK’s world-renowned independent judiciary, and our legal expertise to the global market.  

    The latest figures from 2022 show that the UK’s legal sector generated £34 billion. This will be enhanced by key agreements in recent months including with Japan, Greece and Malaysia to allow UK lawyers to practise abroad.  

    The government asked the Law Commission to review the law to ensure the UK remains ahead of the curve when it comes to dispute resolution. They consulted extensively before making recommendations which have been accepted in full.

    Once in force, the Arbitration Act will:   

    • Clarify which law underpins individual arbitration agreements thereby improving legal certainty and speeding up arbitrations.
    • Empower arbitrators to speed-up decisions on issues that have no real prospect of success to make arbitration more efficient.
    • Introduce a duty on arbitrators to tell parties any circumstances which could cast reasonable doubt on their impartiality in deciding an outcome of a dispute.
    • Empower the court to better support arbitration through orders supporting the actions of emergency arbitrators to enhance their effectiveness, and orders against third parties (those not involved in the proceedings) to for example preserve evidence or take witness evidence.
    • Extend arbitrator immunity against liability for resignations and the costs of the application to court for their removal, to support arbitrators to make impartial decisions.
    • Simplify court procedures related to arbitration to increase clarity as well as reduce delays and costs for parties.

    The new law will be commenced through regulations as soon as practicable.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Human Rights ‘Oxygen of Humanity’, Critical to Sustainable Peace, Says Secretary-General

    Source: United Nations 4

    Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to Human Rights Council, in New York today:

    We begin this session under the weight of a grim milestone — the third anniversary of the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine, in violation of the Charter of the United Nations.  More than 12,600 civilians killed, with many more injured.  Entire communities reduced to rubble.  Hospitals and schools destroyed.  We must spare no effort to bring an end to this conflict, and to achieve a just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions.

    Conflicts like the war in Ukraine exact a heavy toll.  A toll on people.  A toll on fundamental principles like territorial integrity, sovereignty and the rule of law.  And a toll on the vital business of this Council.

    Without respect for human rights — civil, cultural, economic, political and social — sustainable peace is a pipedream.  And like this Council, human rights shine a light in the darkest places.

    Through your work, and the work of the High Commissioner’s Office around the world, you’re supporting brave human rights defenders risking persecution, detention and even death.  You’re working with Governments, civil society and others to strengthen action on human rights.  And you’re supporting investigations and accountability.

    Five years ago, we launched our Call to Action for Human Rights, embedding human rights across the work of the United Nations around the world in close cooperation with our partners.  I will continue supporting this important work, and the High Commissioner’s Office, as we fight for human rights everywhere.  We have our work cut out for us.

    Human rights are the oxygen of humanity.  But, one by one, human rights are being suffocated.  By autocrats, crushing opposition because they fear what a truly empowered people would do.  By a patriarchy that keeps girls out of school, and women at arm’s length from basic rights.  By wars and violence that strip populations of their right to food, water and education. By warmongers who thumb their nose at international law, international humanitarian law and the UN Charter.

    Human rights are being suffocated by the climate crisis.  And by a morally bankrupt global financial system that too often obstructs the path to greater equality and sustainable development.  By runaway technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) that hold great promise, but also the ability to violate human rights at the touch of a button.  By growing intolerance against entire groups — from Indigenous Peoples, to migrants and refugees, to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and other identities (LGBTQI+) community, to persons with disabilities.  And by voices of division and anger who view human rights not as a boon to humanity, but as a barrier to the power, profit and control they seek.

    In short — human rights are on the ropes and being pummelled hard.  This represents a direct threat to all of the hard-won mechanisms and systems established over the last 80 years to protect and advance human rights.

    But, as the recently adopted Pact for the Future reminds us, human rights are, in fact, a source of solutions.  The Pact provides a playbook on how we can win the fight for human rights on several fronts.

    First — human rights through peace and peace through human rights.  Conflicts inflict human rights violations on a massive scale.  In the Occupied Palestinian Territory, violations of human rights have skyrocketed since the horrific Hamas attacks of 7 October 2023 and the intolerable levels of death and destruction in Gaza.

    And I am gravely concerned by the rising violence in the occupied West Bank by Israeli settlers and other violations, as well as calls for annexation. We are witnessing a precarious ceasefire.  We must avoid at all costs a resumption of hostilities.  The people in Gaza have already suffered too much.

    It’s time for a permanent ceasefire, the dignified release of all remaining hostages, irreversible progress towards a two-State solution, an end to the occupation and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, with Gaza as an integral part.

    In Sudan, bloodshed, displacement and famine are engulfing the country.  The warring parties must take immediate action to protect civilians, uphold human rights, cease hostilities and forge peace.  And domestic and international human rights monitoring and investigation mechanisms should be permitted to document what is happening on the ground.

    In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, we see a deadly whirlwind of violence and horrifying human rights abuses, amplified by the recent M23 [23 March Movement] offensive, supported by the Rwandan Defence Forces. As more cities fall, the risk of a regional war rises.

    It’s time to silence the guns.  It’s time for diplomacy and dialogue.  The recent joint summit in the United Republic of Tanzania offered a way forward with a renewed call for an immediate ceasefire.  The sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo must be respected.  The Congolese people deserve peace.

    In the Sahel, I call for a renewed regional dialogue to protect citizens from terrorism and systemic violations of human rights, and to create the conditions for sustainable development.

    In Myanmar, the situation has grown far worse in the four years since the military seized power and arbitrarily detained members of the democratically elected Government.  We need greater cooperation to bring an end to the hostilities and forge a path towards an inclusive democratic transition and a return to civilian rule, allowing for the safe return of the Rohingya refugees.

    And in Haiti, we are seeing massive human rights violations — including more than a million people displaced, and children facing a horrific increase in sexual violence and recruitment into gangs.  In the coming days, I will put forward proposals to the United Nations Security Council for greater stability and security for the people of Haiti — namely through an effective UN assistance mechanism to support the Multilateral Security Support mission, the national police and Haitian authorities.  A durable solution requires a political process — led and owned by the Haitian people — that restores democratic institutions through elections.

    The Pact for the Future calls for peace processes and approaches rooted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, international law and the UN Charter.  It proposes specific actions to prioritize conflict prevention, mediation, resolution and peacebuilding.  And it includes a commitment to tackle the root causes of conflict, which are so often enmeshed in denials of basic human needs and rights.

    Second — the Pact for the Future advances human rights through development.  The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and human rights are fundamentally intertwined. They represent real human needs — health, food, water, education, decent work and social protection.

    With less than one fifth of the Goals on track, the Pact calls for a massive acceleration through an SDG Stimulus, reforming the global financial architecture, and taking meaningful action for countries drowning in debt.  This must include focused action to conquer the most widespread human rights abuse in history — inequality for women and girls.

    The Pact calls for investing in battling all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls, and ensuring their meaningful participation and leadership across all walks of life.  And along with the Declaration on Future Generations, the Pact calls for supporting the rights and futures of young people through decent work, removing barriers for youth participation, and enhancing training.  And the Global Digital Compact calls on nations to champion young innovators, nurture entrepreneurial spirit and equip the next generation with digital literacy and skills. 

    Third — the Pact for the Future recognizes that the rule of law and human rights go hand-in-hand.  The rule of law, when founded on human rights, is an essential pillar of protection.  It shields the most vulnerable.  It’s the first line of defence against crime and corruption.  It supports fair, just and inclusive economies and societies.  It holds perpetrators of human rights atrocities to account.  It enables civic space for people to make their voices heard — and for journalists to carry out their essential work, free from interference or threats.  And it reaffirms the world’s commitment to equal access to justice, good governance and transparent and accountable institutions.

    Fourth — human rights through climate action.  Last year was the hottest on record — capping the hottest decade on record.  Rising heat, melting glaciers and hotter oceans are a recipe for disaster.  Floods, droughts, deadly storms, hunger, mass displacement — our war on nature is also a war on human rights.  We must choose a different path.

    I salute the many Member States who legally recognize the right to a healthy environment — and I call on all countries to do the same.  Governments must keep their promise to produce new, economy-wide national climate action plans this year, well ahead of thirtieth UN Climate Change Conference in Brazil.  Those plans must limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5°C — including by accelerating the global energy transition.

    We also need a surge in finance for climate action in developing countries, to adapt to global heating, slash emissions and accelerate the renewables revolution, which represents a massive economic opportunity. We must stand up to the misleading campaign of many in the fossil fuel industry and its enablers who are aiding and abetting this madness, while also protecting and defending those on the front lines of climate justice.

    And fifth — human rights through stronger, better governance of technology.  As fast-moving technologies expand into every aspect of our lives, I am deeply concerned about human rights being undermined.

    At its best, social media is a meeting ground for people to exchange ideas and spark respectful debate.  But, it can also be an arena of fiery combat and blatant ignorance. A place where the poisons of misinformation, disinformation, racism, misogyny and hate speech are not only tolerated — but often encouraged.  Verbal violence online can easily spill into physical violence in real life.

    Recent rollbacks on social media fact-checking and content moderation are reopening the floodgates to more hate, more threats and more violence.  Make no mistake.  These rollbacks will lead to less free speech, not more, as people become increasingly fearful to engage on these platforms.  Meanwhile, the great promise of AI is matched by limitless peril to undermine human autonomy, human identity, human control — and yes, human rights.

    In the face of these threats, the Global Digital Compact brings the world together to ensure that human rights are not sacrificed on the altar of technology.  This includes working with digital companies and policymakers to extend human rights to every corner of cyberspace — including a new focus on information integrity across digital platforms.

    The Global Principles for Information Integrity I launched last year will support and inform this work as we push for a more humane information ecosystem.

    The Global Digital Compact also includes the first universal agreement on the governance of AI that brings every country to the table and commitments on capacity-building, so all countries and people benefit from AI’s potential.  By investing in affordable Internet, digital literacy and infrastructure.  By helping developing countries use AI to grow small businesses, improve public services and connect communities to new markets.  And by placing human rights at the centre of AI-driven systems.

    The Pact’s decisions to create an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and an ongoing Global Dialogue that ensure all countries have a voice in shaping its future are important steps forward.  We must implement them.

    We can help end the suffocation of human rights by breathing life into the Pact for the Future and the work of this Council.  Let’s do that together.  We don’t have a moment to lose.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Premier Leads Delegation of Saskatchewan Industry Leaders to Washington

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on February 24, 2025

    Today, Premier Scott Moe is leading a mission to Washington, D.C. alongside several Saskatchewan businesses and organizations. The delegation will meet with U.S. decision makers and business leaders to underscore the importance of a strong integrated economy. 

    “Saskatchewan companies play a critical role in North American food and energy security,” Moe said. “I am returning to Washington to continue our efforts in de-escalating the threat of potential tariffs from, our largest trading partner, the U.S. The relationship between our jurisdictions has mutual benefit, and we are working with key stakeholders, industry leaders and government representatives on both sides of the border to build and protect our economies.”

    Saskatchewan’s delegation includes representatives from Cameco, Evraz, Arizona Lithium, Cenovus, Whitecap Resources, Enbridge, North American Helium and the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce. 

    Minister of Agriculture Daryl Harrison is also traveling to Washington to attend the 2025 Winter Policy Conference of the National Association of State Department of Agriculture (NASDA) this week. The conference offers a unique opportunity to meet with state secretaries, commissioners and directors of agriculture, industry leaders and federal representatives to talk pressing agriculture and food policy issues.

    “The future of Saskatchewan’s agricultural sector is built on strong international relationships and our trade mission to the U.S. reinforces our commitment to open markets and collaboration,” Harrison said. “Attending NASDA’s Winter Policy Conference allows us to showcase Saskatchewan’s world-class agri-food products and the contribution we make to North American competitiveness and food security, and to strengthen partnerships and advocate for policies that benefit our producers.”

    This advocacy is crucial to strengthening key relationships and emphasizing how highly integrated both economies are.

    “Canada and the United States have a long-standing, positive commercial relationship in the civilian nuclear sector that has spurred economic growth and increased both energy and national security,” Cameco CEO Tim Gitzel said. “The Trump Administration’s pursuit of energy dominance and its support for domestic nuclear power will require Saskatchewan uranium – and Cameco’s expertise and capacity across the nuclear fuel cycle.”

    The U.S. is Saskatchewan’s largest and most important trading partner. About $40 billion worth of imports and exports cross the border every year. Canada and U.S. are much stronger when operating in a tariff-free environment. 

    “Our Chamber colleagues in the United States share our commitment to open and mutually beneficial trade relationships, and today, we reaffirm that shared priority,” Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce CEO Prabha Ramaswamy said. “Through this mission, we aim to shape perspectives and inform decision-making by highlighting the economic consequences of tariffs on both of our economies.”

    In 2024, Saskatchewan’s top exports to the U.S. were crude oil ($12.5 billion), potash ($4.2 billion), and canola oil ($2.9 billion). Agri-food products represented 21.9 per cent of total exports.

    Saskatchewan exports lower the cost of living for millions of Americans and result in thousands of jobs on both sides of the border.  

    This mission runs from February 24 to 27, 2025.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: OMERS Earns $10.6 billion in Investment Income in 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OMERS, the defined benefit pension plan for Ontario’s broader municipal sector employees, achieved a 2024 investment return of 8.3%, or $10.6 billion, net of expenses, exceeding its 7.5% benchmark for the year. Net assets at December 31, 2024, grew to $138.2 billion from $128.6 billion in 2023. The Plan reported a smoothed funded status of 98%, up from 97% in 2023. Over the past 10 years, OMERS has averaged an annual investment return of 7.1%, net of expenses, adding $70.5 billion to the Plan.

    “Our strong result in 2024 reflects the quality of our people and portfolio, our active strategic decisions, and our steady progress as a long-term investor. Since becoming CEO of OMERS, I have been incredibly proud of the work of our leaders and their teams, as well as the forward-thinking strategies we have implemented over the last four years as we emerged from the pandemic. This combination has generated an average annual net return of 8.1% during that period,” said Blake Hutcheson, OMERS President and Chief Executive Officer. “As we look to the future, we are steadfast in our view that quality will see us through an unpredictable global landscape and the cycles ahead. Our talented team is focused on delivering our pension promise and is honoured to work in service of our almost 640,000 members.”

    “Our actions to diversify the global portfolio positioned the Plan well in 2024,” said Jonathan Simmons, OMERS Chief Financial and Strategy Officer. “OMERS public equity investments delivered double-digit performance supported by strong contributions from private credit and infrastructure. Our net investment results benefitted from our active strategy to maintain currency exposure to the US dollar. Our real estate assets continue to generate strong operating income, but returns were held back due to lower valuations. Our asset mix continued to shift toward a higher exposure to fixed income, where return opportunities remain attractive. We expanded our overall use of leverage as we continued to use debt prudently to enhance our investment returns.”

    This year, we are reporting that OMERS achieved a 58% reduction in its portfolio carbon emissions intensity, relative to 2019, and we reported an increase in green investments to $23 billion. For more information on how we define green investments, please refer to the OMERS Climate Taxonomy.

    OMERS is highly rated across independent credit rating agencies, including ‘AAA’ ratings from S&P, Fitch, and DBRS.

    OMERS will publish its 2024 Annual Report on February 28, 2025.

    Media Contact:

    Don Peat
    dpeat@omers.com
    416.417.7385

    About OMERS

    OMERS is a jointly sponsored, defined benefit pension plan, with 1,000 participating employers ranging from large cities to local agencies, and almost 640,000 active, deferred and retired members. Our members include union and non-union employees of municipalities, school boards, local boards, transit systems, electrical utilities, emergency services and children’s aid societies across Ontario. OMERS teams work in Toronto, London, New York, Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Singapore, Sydney and other major cities across North America and Europe – serving members and employers, and originating and managing a diversified portfolio of high-quality investments in government bonds, public and private credit, public and private equities, infrastructure and real estate.

    Net Investment Returns for the years ended December 31

      2024   2023
    Government Bonds 1.0%   5.8%
    Public Credit 6.0%   6.2%
    Private Credit 12.6%   10.0%
    Public Equities 18.8%   10.4%
    Private Equities 9.5%   3.9%
    Infrastructure 8.8%   5.5%
    Real Estate -4.9%   -7.2%
    Total Net Return 8.3%   4.6%


    2024 Asset Mix

    2024 Highlights

    By the numbers

    • 2024 investment return of 8.3%, or $10.6 billion, net of expenses
    • $138.2 billion in net assets
    • 10-year average annual net return of 7.1%
    • 639,546 OMERS members
    • 98% smoothed funded ratio
    • 3.70% real discount rate, 5 basis points lower than 2023
    • $6.5 billion total pension benefits paid
    • We are reporting a 58% reduction in the portfolio carbon emissions intensity, relative to 2019
    • $23 billion in green investments
    • 96% OMERS member service satisfaction
    • 93% of employees are proud to work for OMERS and Oxford (+5 points above best-in-class)

    Transactions in 2024

    OMERS remains focused on deploying capital in line with our target asset mix. We are a disciplined investor in high-quality assets that meet the Plan’s risk and return requirements. Please find below highlights of investments made in 2024.

    • Acquired Italy’s Grandi Stazioni Retail which manages the entirety of commercial and advertising spaces in 14 of Italy’s major railway stations and hubs for the high-speed rail network, which collectively receive over 800 million visits a year. The stations include over 800 commercial units, totaling around 190,000 Sqm of leasable space, and over 1,800 media assets.
    • Increased our stake by 13.5% in Indian roads business Interise Trust, one of the largest Indian Infrastructure Investment Trusts in the roads sector.
    • Supported XpFibre to successfully raise €5.8 billion of credit facilities, marking one of the largest multi-sourced transactions in the European digital infrastructure market to date. XpFibre is the largest independent Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) operators in France delivering high speed internet to approximately 25% of the French territory in terms of homes passed.
    • Announced an agreement to acquire Integris, a leading provider of IT services in the United States.
    • Issued $3.2 billion in bonds by OMERS Finance Trust, including our inaugural AUD offering – an AUD 750 million, 5-year note.
    • Announced the signing of an exclusive agreement with Maritime Transport at West Midlands Interchange in the UK.
    • Participated in the US$15M Series A investment into Brightwave, an Al-powered research platform that delivers insightful and trustworthy financial analysis on demand. It was named as one of TIME magazine’s top inventions of 2024.
    • Participated in two follow-on investments. The first was in Medal, an online platform that lets gamers clip and share video of their gameplay and Altana, a company that applies artificial intelligence to create a dynamic, intelligent map of the global supply chain.
    • Closed our acquisition of Kenter, an energy infrastructure solutions business providing medium-voltage infrastructure and meters to over 25,000 commercial and industrial business customers in the Netherlands and Belgium.

    We rotate capital out of assets with the same level of discipline with which we invest. This activity generates capital, which we deploy into future investment opportunities that align to our strategy. In 2024, we announced or completed the following realizations:

    • Announced the sale of a stake in East-West Tie Limited Partnership which owns the East-West Tie Line, a 450-kilometre, 230 kV double-circuit transmission line spanning from Wawa to Thunder Bay, along the north shore of Lake Superior.
    • Completed the sale of LifeLabs, a trusted provider of community laboratory tests for millions of Canadians that had been owned by OMERS since 2007.
    • Completed a €182.5 million green refinancing on a comprehensively renovated Paris office asset.
    • Completed the sale of its £518 million UK retail park portfolio.
    • Completed the sale of CEDA, which had been majority-owned by OMERS since 2005.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0d74c32c-3c0d-4915-af73-70788746bb63

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/136a43d0-d624-48ac-bd8c-133cd153643c

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of the H-2 Drug Cartel Extradited from Mexico to Face Narcotics Trafficking, Firearms and Money Laundering Charges in Brooklyn Federal Court

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jesus Ricardo Patron Sanchez, aka “H-3,” Allegedly Led Ruthless Transnational Criminal Organization Responsible for Distributing Thousands of Kilograms of Narcotics and Multiple Murders

    Jesus Ricardo Patron Sanchez, also known as “H-3,” “Diabolic,” “Vela,” “James Bond” and “Xmen,” was arraigned on February 22, 2025 at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on an indictment charging him with leading a continuing criminal enterprise, participating in a large-scale narcotics distribution conspiracy and using one or more firearms in connection with narcotic offenses.  Sanchez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested in Mexico in February 2019 on a provisional arrest warrant issued based upon charges in the Eastern District of New York and subsequently extradited from Mexico to the United States on February 21, 2025.  The arraignment was held before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo. Sanchez was ordered detained pending trial. 

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Matthew Allen, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Los Angeles Field Division which oversees the Las Vegas District Office (DEA), announced the extradition and arraignment.

    “As alleged in the indictment and court filings, Sanchez was one of the principal leaders of the H-2 Drug Trafficking Organization, a brutally violent transnational criminal organization that flooded American streets with dangerous drugs and protected its operations through murder and corruption,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “This Office is committed to working with its federal and international partners to bring leaders of cartels and transnational criminal organizations to justice in the United States and to hold them accountable for the death and destruction they have unleashed here and abroad.” 

    Mr. Durham extended his appreciation to the DEA’s offices in Las Vegas and Mexico City, Mexico, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Department of State, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Government of Mexico. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Sanchez.

    “Our country is facing an unprecedented drug crisis. Violent drug trafficking organizations, like H-2, fueled by unrelenting and callous greed have been saturating our communities with poison, death, and chronic devastation,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Allen.  “The DEA continues its unwavering determination to mitigate this evil and eradicate their terror and corruption from our streets.”

    According to the indictment and court filings, Sanchez was a leader of the H-2 Drug Trafficking Organization (the H-2 DTO), a violent Mexican drug trafficking organization based in Nayarit and Sinaloa, Mexico.  Sanchez’s alias “H-3” is a reference to his status as a successor to Hector Beltran-Leyva, the original “H” and one of the principal leaders of the Beltran Leyva Cartel that was previously part of the Sinaloa Cartel. The H-2 DTO was previously led by the defendant’s brother, Juan Francisco Patron Sanchez, also known as “H-2.”  Based on public reporting, after Juan Francisco Patron Sanchez was killed in 2017, the defendant assumed principal leadership over the H-2 DTO.  The H-2 DTO had numerous distribution cells in the United States, including in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Ohio, Minnesota, North Carolina and New York.  The DEA estimates that between January 2013 and February 2017, the H-2 DTO distributed, on a monthly basis, hundreds of kilograms of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, and thousands of kilograms of marijuana into the United States and earned millions of dollars in illegal proceeds in return.  In furtherance of its drug trafficking operation, the H-2 DTO used firearms and physical violence and is associated with numerous homicides. 

    Between June 2013 and December 2016, the defendant was one of the principal leaders of the H-2 DTO and directed the distribution of large quantities of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana from Mexico into various parts of the United States, including the Eastern District of New York.  The defendant also coordinated the money laundering activities of other members of the H-2 DTO to ensure the proceeds of their drug trafficking were transferred back to Mexico.  In addition, he conspired with other leaders and members of the H-2 DTO to kill members of rival drug trafficking organizations and other individuals perceived as threats to the H-2 DTO.   

    The extradition of Sanchez is the result of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the DEA.  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.  OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted of the continuing criminal enterprise count, the defendant faces a mandatory life sentence; the defendant faces up to a life sentence on the other counts of the indictment.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Andrew D. Wang and Raffaela S. Belizaire are in charge of the prosecution.

    The Defendant:

    JESUS RICARDO PATRON SANCHEZ (also known as “H-3,” “Diabolic,” “Vela,” “James Bond” and “Xmen”)
    Age: 39
    Mexico

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-241 (S-2) (CBA) 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: No Fish Harbour in Sierra Leone: Greenpeace Africa applauds the Court’s decision to secure final victory for the Black Johnson Beach campaign

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Dakar: 21-02-2025/The Supreme Court of Sierra Leone has delivered a landmark ruling in favor of the Save Black Johnson Beach campaign, marking a significant victory for environmental conservation. Launched in 2022 by a group of dedicated civilians, the campaign sought to prevent the construction of fishmeal factories and harbour that  would threaten the beach’s delicate ecosystems and overshadow the small-scale fishing on which communities rely. 

    Greenpeace Africa celebrates this historic decision, which not only safeguards Black Johnson Beach but also serves as an inspiring precedent for communities worldwide fighting against environmental injustice.

    Dr. Aliou Ba, Ocean Campaigner at Greenpeace Africa said: 

    “This ruling is a historic victory for the people of Black Johnson and for coastal communities across West Africa. It proves that governments cannot hand over our oceans and lands to destructive industries without consequences. The Supreme Court has spoken, private land and critical marine ecosystems are not for sale. We call on other communities facing environmental destruction to stand up, resist, and demand justice.”

    The fishmeal industry is driving ocean destruction across West Africa, threatening food security and livelihoods. 

    “This Supreme Court decision is a turning point, it shows that communities have the power to resist and win. Black Johnson Beach is now a symbol of resilience and environmental justice. We urge all communities facing similar threats to take action and fight for their rights.We celebrate this victory, but the fight is far from over. Across the region, the fishmeal industry continues to plunder our seas for profit. Greenpeace Africa stands in solidarity with all communities resisting this destruction. We call on those on the frontlines of environmental struggles to stay strong, organize, and push back, because together, we can protect our oceans, our fisheries, and our future.” Added Dr. Aliou. 

    Black Johnson Beach is home to five distinct ecosystems, including pristine beaches and coastal habitats, critical mangrove forests that protect against erosion, marine ecosystems with vital fish breeding grounds, diverse rainforests supporting wildlife, and freshwater rivers and wetlands essential for biodiversity.

    Contacts for  interview:

    Luchelle Feukeng, Communication and Storytelling Manager, [email protected], +237 656 46 35 45 

    Dr. Aliou Ba, Ocean Campaign Lead, [email protected] 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Physician Retirement Fund Initiative

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The government will provide a new retirement benefit to doctors as part of ongoing efforts to expand recruitment and retention initiatives in Nova Scotia.

    The support is through annual contributions that doctors put toward their retirement savings. The Province’s contributions will be based on doctors’ years of service, full- or part-time status, and the amount they contribute to their preferred retirement savings option.

    “We’re competing with the rest of the world for doctors, and that requires a comprehensive approach to our recruitment and retention efforts, including long-term financial incentives,” said Premier Tim Houston. “This fund will apply to all doctors working in the province who provide patient care.”

    The retirement benefit is available to all full- and part-time doctors who are licensed to work in Nova Scotia and provide direct patient care or clinical services such as specialists in radiology and pathology.

    The amounts doctors can receive based on their years of service, as of December 31, are as follows:

    • five or fewer years of service – $5,000 annually; no savings contribution by the doctor is required
    • five to 15 years – up to $10,000 annually
    • more than 15 years – up to $15,000 annually.

    The Province’s contribution is based on full-time equivalency. Doctors who work part-time will have their hours prorated and contribution matched based on their full-time equivalency.

    Action for Health is the government’s plan to improve healthcare in Nova Scotia. A retirement fund for physicians supports Solution 1 in the plan, to become a magnet for health providers.

    Quotes:

    “This fund will be a powerful recruitment and retention tool for our province. It will help set Nova Scotia apart when recruiting new physicians while supporting the physicians who have already begun building their career and life in Nova Scotia.”
    — Dr. Gehad Gobran, President, Doctors Nova Scotia

    Quick Facts:

    • about 3,000 doctors across the province are eligible this year for the retirement fund
    • it is estimated that the retirement fund will cost about $22 million annually
    • between April and August, there have been 73 net new doctors recruited to Nova Scotia

    Additional Resources:

    Action for Health, the government’s plan to improve healthcare in Nova Scotia: https://novascotia.ca/actionforhealth/

    Mandate letter for the Minister of Health and Wellness: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-DHW.pdf

    Other than cropping, Communications Nova Scotia photos are not to be altered in any way.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Wrap Technologies Secures $5.8M in Private Placement of Securities

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TEMPE, Ariz., Feb. 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wrap Technologies (NASDAQ: WRAP) (“Wrap” or, the “Company”) today announced it that it has executed a securities purchase agreement with certain investment partnerships affiliated with the Company and certain accredited and institutional investors in a private placement for the purchase and sale of (i) an aggregate of 3,216,666 shares of common stock of the Company, at a purchase price of $1.80 per share of common stock, and (ii) accompanying warrants to purchase 3,216,666 shares of common stock, for aggregate proceeds of approximately $5.8 million. The warrants will be immediately exercisable at an initial exercise price of $1.80 per share, subject to adjustment, and expire five years from the date of issuance.

    The closing of the private placement is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to occur on or around February 28, 2025. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the offering for working capital and general corporate purposes.

    Key Financing Highlights:

    • Majority investment comes from investment partnerships affiliated with insiders and several existing investors.
    • Fuels go-to-market strategy for BolaWrap and Managed Safety and Response (MSR) Connected Ecosystem, both domestically and internationally.
    • Accelerates commitment to deliver Made-in-America end-to-end public safety solutions.
    • Bolsters a federal plan for Washington, DC presence.
    • Increasing investments in training and customer support to optimize BolaWrap programs.

    The securities the private placement offering were offered and sold in transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), pursuant to the exemption for transactions by an issuer not involving any public offering under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act and Rule 506 of Regulation D of the Securities Act and in reliance on similar exemptions under applicable state laws. Pursuant to a registration rights agreement, the Company has agreed to file a resale registration statement covering the securities described above.

    This press release is not an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    About Wrap Technologies, Inc.

    Wrap Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: WRAP) is a leading global provider of advanced public safety solutions, integrating ultramodern technology, cutting-edge tools, and comprehensive services to address the complex, modern day challenges facing public safety organizations around the world. Guided by a no-harm principle, Wrap is dedicated to developing groundbreaking solutions that empower public safety agencies to safeguard the communities they serve in a manner that fosters stronger relationships, driving safer outcomes, empowering public safety and communities to move forward together.

    Wrap’s BolaWrap® solution encompasses an innovative and patented hand-held remote restraint device, strategically engineered with Wrap’s no-harm guiding principle to proactively deter escalation by deploying a Kevlar® tether that safely restrains individuals from a distance. Combined with BolaWrap® training, certified by the esteemed International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST), Wrap enables officers from over 1000 agencies across the U.S. and 60 countries around the world, with the expertise to effectively use BolaWrap® as an early intervention measure, mitigating potential risks and injuries, averting tragic outcomes, with the goal to save lives with each wrap.

    Wrap Reality™, the Company’s advanced virtual reality training system, is a fully immersive training simulator and comprehensive public safety training platform that equips first responders with the discipline and practice to prevent escalation, de-escalate conflicts, and apply appropriate tactical use-of-force measures to better perform in the field. By offering a growing range of real-life scenarios, Wrap Reality™ addresses the dynamic nature of modern law enforcement situations for positive public safety outcomes, building safer communities one decision at a time.

    Wrap’s Intrensic solution is a comprehensive, secure and efficient body worn camera and evidence collection and management solution designed with innovative technology to quickly capture, safely handle, securely store, and seamlessly track evidence, all while maintaining full transparency throughout the process. With meticulous consolidation and professional management of evidence, confidence in law enforcement and the justice system soars, fostering trust and reliability in court outcomes. Intrensic’s efficient system streamlines the entire process seamlessly, empowering all public safety providers to focus on what matters, expediting justice with integrity.

    Connect with Wrap:
    Wrap on Facebook
    Wrap on Twitter
    Wrap on LinkedIn

    Trademark Information

    Wrap, the Wrap logo, BolaWrap®, Wrap Reality™ and Wrap Training Academy are trademarks of Wrap Technologies, Inc., some of which are registered in the U.S. and abroad.  All other trade names used herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective holders.

    Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements – Safe Harbor Statement
    This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “should”, “believe”, “target”, “project”, “goals”, “estimate”, “potential”, “predict”, “may”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, and variations of these terms or the negative of these terms and similar expressions are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Moreover, forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company’s control. The Company’s actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including but not limited to: the private placement and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the private placement, the anticipated use of proceeds therefrom, the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with the Nasdaq Capital Market’s listing standards; the Company’s ability to successfully implement training programs for the use of its products; the Company’s ability to manufacture and produce products for its customers; the Company’s ability to develop sales for its products; the market acceptance of existing and future products; the availability of funding to continue to finance operations; the complexity, expense and time associated with sales to law enforcement and government entities; the lengthy evaluation and sales cycle for the Company’s product solutions; product defects; litigation risks from alleged product-related injuries; risks of government regulations; the business impact of health crises or outbreaks of disease, such as epidemics or pandemics; the impact resulting from geopolitical conflicts and any resulting sanctions; the ability to obtain export licenses for counties outside of the United States; the ability to obtain patents and defend intellectual property against competitors; the impact of competitive products and solutions; and the Company’s ability to maintain and enhance its brand, as well as other risk factors mentioned in the Company’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and were based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections as well as the beliefs and assumptions of management. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations.

    Investor Relations Contact:

    (800) 583-2652
    ir@wrap.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: “The two-state solution is the only viable solution.” #Davos2025 #WorldEconomicForum

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    The 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum will provide a crucial space to focus on the fundamental principles driving trust, including transparency, consistency and accountability.

    This Annual Meeting will welcome over 100 governments, all major international organizations, 1000 Forum’s Partners, as well as civil society leaders, experts, youth representatives, social entrepreneurs, and news outlets.

    The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

    World Economic Forum Website ► http://www.weforum.org/
    Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/
    YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/wef
    Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/worldeconomicforum/
    X ► https://twitter.com/wef
    LinkedIn ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-economic-forum
    TikTok ► https://www.tiktok.com/@worldeconomicforum
    Flipboard ► https://flipboard.com/@WEF

    #Davos2025 #WorldEconomicForum #wef25

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7p61_0jxT0A

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Meets with Little Village Small Business Leaders to Discuss Economic Impacts of Trump’s Tariffs in Chicago

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    February 23, 2025
    [CHICAGO, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) yesterday met with leaders from the Little Village Chamber of Commerce, local elected officials and small business owners to discuss how Trump’s tariff threats and recent deportation raids threaten the local economy. After the Magnificent Mile, Little Village’s 26th Street business district is Chicago’s second most lucrative business corridor with many businesses relying on small business loans. In her remarks, Duckworth also spoke about how Trump’s unlawful funding freeze puts critical Small Business Administration (SBA) grant programs in jeopardy. As a result of Trump’s chaotic trade policies however, local small business owners would see blanket tariffs drive up costs, disrupt supply chains and put their critical SBA loans at risk.
    “Trump’s chaotic, sweeping tariffs will negatively impact Illinois entrepreneurs, workers and key industries, while harming our allies around the world,” Duckworth said. “The consequences of his needless trade wars will hurt our immigrant-owned small businesses, like the many in Little Village, and their dedicated workforce. Diversity makes our country and economy stronger—I will never stop advocating on behalf of our immigrant communities and small businesses as we push back against Trump and his one-sided political interests.”
    “Little Village’s 26th Street corridor is one of the strongest economic engines in Chicago, built by hardworking immigrant entrepreneurs,” said Jennifer Aguilar, Executive Director of Little Village Chamber of Commerce. “The increased immigration enforcement actions have created an atmosphere of fear that directly impacts our small businesses, leading to fewer customers, declining revenues, and economic instability. Our business owners deserve policies that support growth, not ones that undermine the economic vitality of our community. The Little Village Chamber of Commerce remains committed to advocating for our entrepreneurs and ensuring our corridor continues to thrive.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ministerial appointments: February 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Ministerial appointments: February 2025

    The King has been pleased to approve the following appointments.

    The King has been pleased to approve the following appointments:

    • Ashley Dalton MP as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care. 

    • The Rt Hon. Douglas Alexander MP jointly as a Minister of State in the Cabinet Office, in addition to his role as Minister of State in the Department for Business and Trade.

    • Lord Moraes OBE as a Lord in Waiting (Government Whip).

    • Lord Wilson of Sedgefield as a Lord in Waiting (Government Whip).

     Andrew Gwynne MP has left the government.

    Lord Cryer has left the government.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –