NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER: LOCAL COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS CAUGHT IN CROSSFIRE OF FUNDING FREEZE CHAOS; STANDING AT SCHENECTADY’S HOMETOWN HEALTH CENTER, SENATOR DEMANDS ANSWERS ON HHS BLACKOUTS TO PROTECT HEALTHCARE…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Community Health Centers Across U.S. Are Facing Unexplained Payment Portal Shutdowns, In Other States Forcing Closures & Halting Treatment In Other States – And Healthcare Leaders Fear NY Could Be Next 
    Schumer Says NY-ers Need Answers, CHCs Cannot Operate On Uncertainty; And With CHC Funding Cliff Next Month If Congress Doesn’t Act 2.4+ Million NY-er’s Could Be Left High And Dry On Healthcare
    Schumer: We Can’t Let Funding Freeze Chaos & Confusion Turn Into A Catastrophe For NY’s Community Health Centers
    Standing at Schenectady’s Hometown Health Centers Dental Clinic, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer demanded immediate answers from the HHS amid funding delays and recurring portal shutdowns in the fallout of Trump’s funding freeze fiasco. Community Health Centers (CHCs), which uniquely rely on federal funding, are now closing and even laying off staff across the country as a result of these unexplained disruptions, and Schumer said we need these payment systems fixed now to ensure doctors can continue vital healthcare services.
    The senator is also sounding the alarm on the looming expiration of CHC’s main federal funding program next month if Congress doesn’t act, which was set to be extended last year, until Elon Musk sunk the bipartisan spending agreement. Schumer said with DOGE and the Trump Administration’s indiscriminate cutting, CHCs are at serious risk of the chopping block, but he is leading the charge to protect this lifeline for 110,000+ in the Capital Region and millions across America.
    “Amid Trump’s funding freeze fiasco, Community Health Centers in the Capital Region have been caught in the crossfire. Repeated shutdowns of HHS websites, missed payments, and now we are seeing CHCs across the countries have to layoff staff or close because they are not getting the funding they need,” said Senator Schumer. “Community Health Centers are the backbone of healthcare for Upstate NY. That is especially true here in the Capital Region with Hometown Health Center in Schenectady, Whitney Young in Albany, and Hudson Headwaters in Glens Falls and throughout the Adirondacks. That’s why I’m calling on HHS to take immediate action to ensure CHCs receive the funds and answers they deserve. Doctors cannot provide healthcare with uncertainty and instability.”
    Schumer added, “With CHCs facing a looming funding cliff next month, at a time when DOGE is cutting indiscriminately, there is serious concern that chaos and confusion could turn to catastrophe for NY’s Community Health Centers. We need to make protecting this lifeline for millions a top priority and immediate action to provide answers and fixes for the current problems. And I will be leading the charge to ensure DOGE keep their hands off our healthcare.”
    Schumer explained CHCs like Hometown Health Centers in Schenectady, Whitney Young in Albany, and Hudson Headwaters in Warren County and throughout the Adirondacks uniquely rely on federal funding, but that if these blackouts continue it could result in disaster for NY like we are seeing in other parts of the country. Schenectady’s Hometown Health Center receives nearly $290,000 a month in federal funding; that’s over $3.5 million a year. Federal funding makes up 17% of its total operating budget, and delays or cuts would have serious impacts on their bottom line and care.
    According to CHCANYS, CHCs provide healthcare to 110,000+ people in the Capital Region and over 2.4 million New Yorkers. Community Health Centers in New York and across the country are worried because, following the funding freeze fiasco, many CHCs cannot access federal funds. Trump signed an executive order cutting off funding for some healthcare services, and although that memo was later rescinded, CHCs are confused about what services they can provide without fear that their funding will be cut off.
    Some Community Health Centers across the country have been forced to lay off staff or even halt operations, and NY healthcare leaders are worried NY could be next if the situation does not improve, and Schumer said that cannot happen.
    Schumer said that if blackouts continue and federal funding is not renewed for CHCs next month in the government funding agreement it would leave many Americans with limited access to affordable healthcare. Last year, Schumer and colleagues negotiated a bipartisan healthcare deal that would reauthorize CHC funding, but Congressional Republicans walked away following pressure from Elon Musk. Schumer said he will be leading Senate Democrats to fight to protect funding for CHCs and Medicaid and called on his colleagues across the aisle to return to their bipartisan agreement to protect Community Health Centers across the country. 
    Schumer explained the HHS and Medicaid portal shutdowns are part of larger confusion surrounding President Trump’s executive order freezing all federal funding. Recurring portal shutdowns continue to jeopardize reimbursements and healthcare access for nearly 7 million New Yorkers on Medicaid, including 210,000+ people in the Capital Region. Last week, Elon Musk and his “DOGE” gained access to the payment system creating further uncertainty about the status of payments. CHCs are concerned about their ability to pay staff and rent without reliable access to the portal. Schumer is leading the charge for answers on the payment portal shutdowns and demanding reassurance from the administration that Community Health Centers will receive the payments they are owed and need to continue providing healthcare. 
    A copy of Schumer’s original letter with Senator Wyden to HHS can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Crapo, Risch Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Prevent Supreme Court Packing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
    Washington, D.C.–U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) joined Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in introducing a constitutional amendment to maintain a total of nine Supreme Court justices on the bench at one time.
    Once approved by Congress, the amendment would go to the states for ratification.
    “Throughout our nation’s history, the Supreme Court has successfully safeguarded our Constitution,” said Crapo.  “Packing the Court would unnecessarily increase partisanship within the institution, creating greater challenges in settling the pressing cases that matter to Americans in a constitutional and just way.”
    “Democrats’ attempts to pack the Supreme Court with radical appointees undermines our democracy and American confidence in our judicial system,” said Risch.  “The Keep Nine Constitutional Amendment would ensure justices focus on upholding the rule of law rather than legislating from the bench.”
    “For years, Democrats have openly said they intend to pack the Supreme Court,” said Cruz.  “They seek to use the Court to advance policy goals they can’t accomplish electorally.  Such a move would be a direct assault on the design of our Constitution, which is designed to ensure the Supreme Court remains a non-partisan guardian of the rule of law.  This amendment is a badly-needed check on their efforts to undermine the integrity of the Court.”
    Additional co-sponsors of the proposed constitutional amendment include Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Todd Young (R-Indiana), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Jim Banks (R-Indiana), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Katie Britt (R-Alabama), Tim Sheehy (R-Montana), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) and Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska).
    Read the complete text of the amendment here.
    BACKGROUND:
    Senators Crapo and Risch previously co-sponsored this amendment in 2023.
    Over the past several years, top Democrats have pledged to expand the number of justices on the Supreme Court when they are able to.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Slashes the Red Tape

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    WASHINGTON – After the Biden administration enacted more than $1.8 trillion in regulations that added 356 million new hours of paperwork, Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is undoing the damage with legislation aimed at disrupting the bloated bureaucracy.
    Ernst’s Prove It Act requires federal agencies to demonstrate that any new regulation is compliant with existing laws and considers both the direct and indirect costs placed on small businesses.
     “As chair of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, unleashing Main Street by slashing red tape is a top priority,” said Ernst. “We are curbing the bloated bureaucracy and empowering job creators to innovate and lead us forward. If Washington thinks more regulations are needed, it will have to prove it.”
    Congressman Brad Finstad (R-Minn.) is introducing companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
    “As a member of the House Committee on Small Business, I am committed to protecting Main Street business owners in southern Minnesota from costly and burdensome regulations,” said Finstad. “The Prove It Act, which passed the House of Representatives in the 118th Congress with bipartisan support, is commonsense legislation that gives small business owners a seat at the regulatory table and holds federal agencies accountable for the impacts of their regulations. I’m proud to reintroduce this important legislation and look forward to continuing to fight against overregulation.”
    The Prove It Act would:

    Create a way for small businesses to raise concerns when regulators do not consider both the direct and indirect costs their regulations place on them;

    Allow small businesses to ask their chief advocate in government to review agencies’ work and make the government regulators prove they are fully compliant with existing laws;

    Exempt small businesses from the agency’s regulations altogether if regulators fail to comply with this review process; and
    Ensure small businesses can easily access preexisting guidance documents online and create a way for small businesses to directly raise questions or concerns with their regulators.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Address to Public Service Leaders

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Good afternoon everyone and thank you all for making the time to be here.
    I wanted to speak to you early in my tenure as your new Minister for the Public Service because I have a message for you: I’m here to support you in your efforts to deliver the best service possible for the employer we have in common. The taxpayer.
    I’m very happy to have the public service portfolio and I want to acknowledge your hard work and commitment during what has been a challenging past year for many, as ministries and departments have been right-sizing.
    We know it is the right thing to do, to run a ruler over everything we do to make sure we are delivering our best, but it’s never easy telling someone a programme they’ve worked on for several years won’t be proceeding, or that their role no longer exists. I know.  I have had to do it. 
    It’s not something the government has done lightly but it is something that absolutely needed to be done.
    In the six years from 2017 to 2023, the number of people employed in the core public service* grew 34 percent, to 63,117 full-time equivalent employees. Total salary costs for this core public service workforce grew a staggering 72 percent, to about $6.1 billion a year, over the same period.
    We simply do not have sufficient taxpayers to support that kind of growth. We do not have sufficient economic growth to support that level of public spending. 
    And, as I said before, taxpayers pay our wages, and it is the New Zealand taxpayers that we serve. They want to know we are spending their money in ways that are timely and cost-effective.
    New challenges, new solutions
    We live in a fast-changing world that constantly throws up new challenges. Governments and the public service are always under pressure to find new solutions and new ways of working.
    I don’t need to tell you the business of government is complex and challenging and, at times, messy. 
    And when you are knee-deep trying to deliver priorities and the myriad daily challenges that come with the job, it’s not easy looking ahead.
    I know you’ve heard all this before. But my point is this: the more complex and challenging it gets, the more simple we need to keep it.
    Serving the public must always be our top priority, regardless of how tough the operating environment is.  We should never lose sight of this simple objective.
    Setting the highest standards
    It almost goes without saying that the public service must set the highest standards.
    For me, that means doing the basics well and sticking to core business. It means being competent at what you do, upholding political neutrality and delivering free and frank advice, being efficient with taxpayers’ money, being corruption-free and – above all – delivering results for the people we serve.
    Keeping it simple is also being efficient and respectful with the use of taxpayers’ money. Taxpayers trust us to use their resources wisely, and we can not, in the fog of daily pressures and challenges, lose sight of that. 
    Here’s a simple question I would urge you and your staff to ask themselves: if this was my money, would I spend it this way? This is the simple question that I ask myself when I am making funding decisions.  It’s what I need you to do and to enforce. 
    Think of the sharemilker up at the crack of dawn every day whatever the weather. Think of the aged care worker doing their best to give our elderly the care and respect they deserve in their twilight years. Think of the bus driver. The taxi driver. The truck driver.
    All these people want – and deserve – to know that their money is being spent in a way that delivers the services they need in the best way possible. They want results.  They don’t want flow charts, frameworks,  roadmaps, or bubble diagrams.
    They are inherently practical people who want to know that you are helping make their country wealthier, and safer. They want you to treat their taxpayers’ dollars as though it came out of your bank account. 
    Not doing so can harm the reputation of the government, an agency and the public service.  Building trust and confidence, as you know, is a slow and laborious task over many years. But it can be destroyed with one seemingly innocuous act.
    Free and frank
    To that end, I cannot state clearly enough how important it is that you provide free and frank advice.
    Public servants who speak truth to power by telling Ministers their pet policy ideas are crazy and unworkable don’t get far. But neither do public servants who nod along and promise to deliver the undeliverable. That is a betrayal of the responsibilities of a public servant and it results in policy disaster. 
    Ministers do want free and frank advice. Tell us how we can implement our priorities and policies. Tell us how we can improve our policies. Tell us how we can improve outcomes for individuals, families and communities. Tell us when intervention is necessary. And tell us when to stop or change a policy.
    And remember that Ministers, just like senior public servants, have a way of coming back!
    The best public servants know how to use analysis to persuade. They know how to reconcile the vision with realism. And they know how to square the hole. I’ve worked with some fine public servants … some of you here. 
    Public Service Act
    One area of opportunity I want to touch on is the Public Service Act. I think it’s too prescriptive. It’s not allowing the public service to be as innovative as it could be. 
    I intend to look at tightening what the Act says around chief executive responsibilities. The way I see it is that your responsibilities have become too diffuse and roles have become confused.  Instead of telling you that you have to comply with certain named laws brought in by a previous government, why not just require you to implement the law. Laws change.  Standards should not. 
    Coming back into government, it seems to me that you are getting weighed down with things that don’t have much to do with your core responsibilities and where everything becomes a priority. 
    Your core role is to serve the government of the day and focus on the basics, and the Act should reflect this.
    I’d like to hear your thoughts on this. What changes can we make to the Act that will help you do your job better? What are the barriers to you doing your job? What can we change that will allow you to drive innovation and improve service delivery. You are better placed than me and other ministers, so I look forward to any suggestions you have.
    I know the Prime Minister and Minister Willis have asked you to be bold and take a few risks. I’d like to reinforce that. Freedom to fail (hopefully in a small way) can give us freedom to succeed. 
    Innovation isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a must. We are facing complex challenges that require immediate action. It’s not just being open to new ways of doing things, we need to be doing it. As Benjamin Franklin said, ‘well done is better than well said.’ That’s the culture I’d like to see in the public service.
    Open to new ideas
    I can assure you the Government is open to new ideas. My only condition is that it leads to better outcomes for the public. That’s tangible results. 
    And the language you use needs to be fit for the person who is your customer. As a lawyer in private practice, I learned to explain legal terminology in everyday language.
    If I talked to customers about the ‘mens rea’ and the ‘actus reus’ required for an offence to have been committed, I would have shown them I know some  ‘legal’ Latin, and they might have been impressed. But really, I would just be showing them that I did not understand the first rule of communication -which is to be understood. 
    You and your staff need to think about your customers.  When you are talking to or writing to your customers, think how it sounds to them. 
    Is it gobbledygook? 
    Is it a word salad? 
    Is it arrogant and lacking in empathy?
    Is it inherently distancing you from the people who are paying your salary? 
    My suggestion is to leave the acronyms at the door. 
    Keep your superior language skills for those who will appreciate them. 
    Be appropriate. And remember… it’s no use if you can understand you, but your audience can not. Speak to people as you would like to be spoken to and show respect. And, no matter what, be genuine. 
    Digitising government
    As you know, I am also the Minister for Digitising Government. It’s a portfolio that goes hand in glove with the public service.
    The use of data and Artificial Intelligence is the big opportunity of our time. We stand at the cusp of a digital revolution that has the power to transform the way our government serves New Zealanders.
    If done right, the digitisation of our public service will be game changing, and I am committed to ensuring this happens.
    Online portals, mobile applications and AI-enabled interfaces will ensure people and businesses can access important government services and information, anytime and from anywhere.
    Data-driven AI technologies will allow government agencies to tailor services to meet the specific needs of individuals, communities and businesses.
    New Zealanders already interact with AI-powered services daily. They expect government agencies will be analysing data to gain insights into customer behaviour, preferences and needs.
    I’d like to see the public service embrace the potential of AI. 
    I look forward to seeing a centralised, AI-powered data platform that enables real-time sharing of insights and collaboration between agencies like health, education and housing. It will be able to identify connections that may not be immediately obvious.
    Data dashboards and predictive analytics will provide the insight and evidence Ministers need to make better decisions and timely interventions to improve outcomes. 
    In modernising our public service for the benefit of New Zealanders, think about how we can, in digital procurement, help Kiwi businesses deliver.  Other countries are looking to how they can use procurement as a way to deliver better and more cost effective results by emphasising their own industrial or technology base.  When it makes sense, we should too. 
    Say Yes
    The work you do is vital. New Zealanders depend on it, and on our ability to drive the change required. 
    We have to deliver results. There simply is no other option. New Zealanders need us and expect us to get on with the job now, and I back you to support the government to do what is required.
    As the Prime Minister has made clear, a culture of saying No is not acceptable.  Your challenge is to inspire your staff, your team, to say “Yes”.
    Yes to the licence.
    Yes to the permit.
    Yes to considering trialling AI tutors for kids.
    Yes to delivering a government app that provides the sort of service that the commercial world delivers.
    And Yes to treating our customers like customers.
    New Zealanders should be treated as though they are valued customers with options. That’s what we need to deliver. Treat the taxpayer with dignity and the level of respect that you like to receive. 
    I know you are up for the challenge. But performance is non-negotiable. 
    I know how hard you work. And you are doing some great work. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take opportunities to reset and ensure our focus is on what matters most – delivering better, more timely results for New Zealanders. 
    I’m excited to be your Minister, and I’m excited at the prospect of what we can achieve together. And I have full confidence in each of you as leaders of our public service. 
    As we move forward together, let’s remember who we serve and how our work impacts the lives of New Zealanders. 
    With hard work, innovation, courage and a shared sense of purpose, we have the power to create a public service that is not only effective, but transformative. 
    I look forward to working with Sir Brian and you to drive the change that is required.
    Thank you.
     
    ** The core Public Service are departments and departmental agencies only. It excludes the wider public sector, such as defence personnel, police, teachers and public healthcare workers.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Armstrong testifies in support of bill to review boards and commissions, shrink government

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Gov. Kelly Armstrong delivered testimony today in support of legislation that would create a task force to review all state boards and commissions to determine which ones can be combined or dissolved, in keeping with his goal of shrinking government and making it more efficient.

    “Today the Governor’s Office oversees more than 150 boards and commissions in state government. That’s too many,” Armstrong said, noting every board carries a cost – even those with volunteer members. “When government stays in silos, it leads to duplicative work. Our goal for the task force is to create efficiencies and make sure each board’s mission is still relevant today.”

    Senate Bill 2308 was introduced by Sen. Kristin Roers and co-sponsored by House Majority Leader Mike Lefor, Senate Majority Leader David Hogue and Rep. Scott Louser. The bill proposes creating a task force to review the more than 150 boards and commissions in state government and report back to the 2027 Legislature with recommendations on which boards can be combined or dissolved and which ones are essential to the core functions of government.

    Armstrong first voiced support for SB 2308 during his State of the State address on Jan. 7, saying that making government services more efficient and user-friendly will be a focus of his administration. To kickstart the effort, he signed an executive order dissolving five groups that hadn’t met in over a calendar year. As currently written, SB 2308 would dissolve 18 existing boards, with state agencies absorbing the boards’ duties and scope in some cases.

    “I look forward to continuing to work on this bill with all of you to reduce the footprint of government and save North Dakota taxpayers money,” he said to the Senate State and Local Government Committee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 80 Years Later: 1st Cavalry Division returns to the Philippines to Commemorate the Battle of Manila

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    MANILA, Philippines  –  

    80 years ago, on Feb. 3, 1945, the battle for the capital of the Philippines began between Allied Forces and Imperial Japan. The 1st Cavalry Division was one of three divisions under the control of Gen. Douglas MacArthur. It was here that the 1st Cavalry Division earned its nickname, “America’s First Team,” by being the first U.S. Forces to re-enter Manila after its capture in 1942.

    The battle and subsequent liberation of Manila and the Philippines, in the spring of 1945, fulfilled a promise made by Gen. MacArthur in the spring of 1942: When President Theodore D. Roosevelt ordered him to Australia, he said, “I shall return.”

    On a hot Feb. morning at Adamson University in the heart of the capital, the city government of Manila held a ceremony and wreath-laying in honor of this historic event. The ceremony honored our shared history, ongoing commitment, and continued partnership with the Philippines and the Filipino people.

    The Mayor of Manila City, Honey Lacuna Pangan, presided over the ceremony. Commemorating this historical event, several other countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, China, and Canada, were represented on-site.

    The U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay L. Carlson, participated in the ceremony and placed a wreath in honor of those Americans and Filipinos who laid down their lives for the freedom of the Filipino people and the two countries.

    Lt. Col. John Dolan, Commander of the 1st Cavalry Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment “Garryowen,” was on hand to represent the 1st Cavalry Division at the ceremony along with representatives from 5th Security Forces Assistance Brigade and I Corps, both based out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wa.

    “We’re here to honor the courage and sacrifice of so many soldiers and civilians in the liberation of Manila,” said Lt Col. Dolan, “and recognize the bond between both Americans and Filipinos share in our history and the pursuit of freedom.”

    As the number of the Greatest Generation dwindles and will soon be gone, continuing to commemorate these events ensures their efforts and history is not lost. The Liberation of Manila’s 80th anniversary honors the past generations’ sacrifices to safeguard freedom while inspiring future generations to carry the torch.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Finds Cousins Guilty of 2021 Mayfair Mansions Murder

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

              WASHINGTON – A Superior Court jury today found Deangelo Glover, 33, and Ronnie Wallace, 48, both of Washington, D.C., guilty of murder and other charges related to the January 19, 2021, murder of Tyrone Wright, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

               Wallace was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence for Wright’s murder, plus one count of assault with intent to kill while armed for shooting a second victim, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license.

               Glover was found guilty of one count of second-degree murder, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and one count of carrying a pistol without a license. Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled sentencing for May 2, 2025.

               According to the government’s evidence, on Tuesday January 19, 2021, in a parking lot in front of 3804 Hayes Street NE within the Mayfair Mansions Apartment complex, Ronnie Wallace shot the decedent, Tyrone Wright on belief that Mr. Wright was one of the persons responsible for his brother Marcus Wallace’s murder. In the process, a bystander was shot a single time in the leg. Within moments of Wallace’s initial shots, his cousin and co-defendant Deangelo Glover, ran out of an adjacent building and shot Mr. Wright repeatedly ending his life.

               This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Coronado and Matthew Covert.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Humboldt County Woman Charged With Embezzling Over $500,000 From Construction Company Employer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Christina Ann Mobley, also known as Kris Mobley, 58, on charges that she defrauded her former employer, a construction company located in Fortuna, Calif.  

    According to an indictment filed Feb. 5, 2025, Mobley was employed as the business manager for a Fortuna construction company.  When the company’s bookkeeper retired, Mobley took on the accounting and bookkeeping duties, including inputting entries into the company’s accounting software and assisting with bill payments, payroll taxes, employee health benefits, government contracts, and other tasks.

    The company maintained an account at a bank and had several business credit cards through the bank for its employees.  It also held a business credit card at another bank, where Mobley maintained at least two personal credit card accounts.  The indictment describes that Mobley’s scheme to defraud took on several forms.  Mobley allegedly directed checks mailed from the company’s bank account to be applied to the accounts for her personal credit cards; issued electronic payments of company funds to her personal credit cards; misused the company’s credit card for personal expenses such as cash advances at casinos and personal travel; wrote checks from the company to herself; inflated her vacation time, work hours, and bonuses in the company’s payroll system; and issued duplicate payroll checks and unearned bonus payments to herself.  Between January 2022 and November 2024, Mobley allegedly embezzled more than $500,000 from her employer.  

    The indictment charges Mobley with three counts of mail fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1341 and seven counts of wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343.  Mobley made an initial appearance in federal district court in McKinleyville, Calif., this morning, and was released on bond with conditions set by the Court.  Mobley is next scheduled to appear on Feb. 26, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer.

    United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Dan Costin made the announcement.

    An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  If convicted, Mobley faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count under 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 1343, a fine of $250,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transactions, and forfeiture and restitution.  Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Barry is prosecuting this case with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk.  This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.

    Christina Ann Mobley Indictment
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Odysight.ai Announces the Pricing of $21.5 Million Public Offering and Uplisting to the Nasdaq Capital Market

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Odysight.ai common stock to begin trading on Nasdaq Tuesday, February 11, 2025, under the symbol “ODYS”

    OMER, Israel, Feb. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Odysight.ai Inc. (Nasdaq: ODYS) (“Odysight.ai” or the “Company”), a pioneering developer of AI systems for Predictive Maintenance (PdM) and Condition-Based Monitoring (CBM), today announced the pricing of a public offering of 3,307,692 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $6.50 per share. The sole book-running manager of the offering will have a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 496,153 shares of common stock from Odysight.ai at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.

    Odysight.ai’s common stock has been approved for listing and is expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “ODYS” on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.

    The offering is expected to close on February 12, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

    The gross proceeds to Odysight.ai from the offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, are expected to be approximately $21.5 million. Odysight.ai intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for expanded research and development, increased sales and marketing, working capital and other general corporate purposes.

    The Benchmark Company, LLC is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering.

    A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and became effective on February 10, 2025. The proposed offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus, when available, may be obtained from The Benchmark Company, LLC, 150 East 58th St., 17th Floor, New York, NY 10155, by telephone: (212) 312-6700, or by email at prospectus@benchmarkcompany.com.

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

    About Odysight.ai 

    Odysight.ai is pioneering the Predictive Maintenance (PdM) and Condition Based Monitoring (CBM) markets with its visualization and AI platform. Providing video sensor-based solutions for critical systems in the aviation, transportation, and energy industries, Odysight.ai leverages proven visual technologies and products from the medical industry. Odysight.ai’s unique video-based sensors, embedded software, and AI algorithms are being deployed in hard-to-reach locations and harsh environments across a variety of PdM and CBM use cases. Odysight.ai’s platform allows maintenance and operations teams visibility into areas which are inaccessible under normal operation, or where the operating ambience is not suitable for continuous real-time monitoring.

    We routinely post information that may be important to investors in the Investors section of our website. For more information, please visit: https://www.odysight.ai or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to future events or our future performance. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the completion of the offering, the satisfaction of customary closing conditions related to the offering and the intended use of net proceeds from the offering. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Those statements are based on information we have when those statements are made or our management’s current expectation and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward- looking statements. Factors that may affect our results, performance, circumstances or achievements include, but are not limited to the following: (i) market acceptance of our existing and new products, including those that utilize our micro Odysight.ai technology or offer Predictive Maintenance and Condition Based Monitoring applications, (ii) lengthy product delays in key markets, (iii) an inability to secure regulatory approvals for the sale of our products, (iv) intense competition in the medical device and related industries from much larger, multinational companies, (v) product liability claims, product malfunctions and the functionality of Odysight.ai’s solutions under all environmental conditions, (vi) our limited manufacturing capabilities and reliance on third-parties for assistance, (vii) an inability to establish sales, marketing and distribution capabilities to commercialize our products, (viii) an inability to attract and retain qualified personnel, (ix) our efforts to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection covering our products, which may not be successful, (x) our reliance on a single customer that accounts for a substantial portion of our revenues, (xi) our reliance on single suppliers for certain product components, including for miniature video sensors which are suitable for our Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor technology products, (xii) the fact that we will need to raise additional capital to meet our business requirements in the future and that such capital raising may be costly, dilutive or difficult to obtain, (xiii) the impact of computer system failures, cyberattacks or deficiencies in our cybersecurity, (xiv) the fact that we conduct business in multiple foreign jurisdictions, exposing us to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, logistical, global supply chain and communications challenges, burdens and costs of compliance with foreign laws and political and economic instability in each jurisdiction and (xv) political, economic and military instability in Israel, including the impact of Israel’s war against Hamas and Hezbollah. These and other important factors discussed in Odysight.ai’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 26, 2024 and our other reports filed with the SEC could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this press release. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Odysight.ai undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Miri Segal
    MS-IR LLC
    msegal@ms-ir.com

    Company Contact:
    Einav Brenner, CFO
    info@odysight.ai

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Israeli police cite children’s ‘colouring book’ for Palestinian bookshop raid

    Pacific Media Watch

    Israeli police have confiscated hundreds of books with Palestinian titles or flags without understanding their contents in a draconian raid on a Palestinian educational bookshop in occupied East Jerusalem, say eyewitnesses.

    More details have emerged on the Israeli police raid on a popular bookstore in occupied East Jerusalem.

    The owners were arrested but police reportedly dropped charges of incitement while still detaining them for “disturbing the public order”.

    The bookstore’s owners, Ahmed and Mahmoud Muna, were detained, and hundreds of titles related to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict confiscated, before police ordered the store’s closure, according to May Muna, Mahmoud’s wife, reports Al Jazeera.

    She said the soldiers picked out books with Palestinian titles or flags, “without knowing what any of them meant”.

    She said they used Google Translate on some of the Arabic titles to see what they meant before carting them away in plastic bags.

    Another police bookshop raid
    Police raided another Palestinian-owned bookstore in the Old City in East Jerusalem last week. In a statement, the police said the two owners were arrested on suspicion of “selling books containing incitement and support for terrorism”.

    As an example, the police referred to an English-language children’s colouring book titled From the River to the Sea — a reference to the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea that today includes Israel, the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

    The bookshop raids have been widely condemned as a “war on knowledge and literature”.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Do men and women agree on how easy it is for each other to find a job or a date?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Whyte, Deputy Director – Behavioural Economics, Society and Technology (BEST) Research Group. Chief-Investigator – ARC ITTC Centre for Behavioural Inisghts for Technology Adoption (BITA).), Queensland University of Technology

    The Conversation, DenPhotos/Shutterstock, Mehaniq/Shutterstock

    Typically, you don’t have to write a cover letter before attending a candlelit dinner. But there are some eerie emotional parallels between finding a job and finding a date.

    Both can require you to put yourself “out there” in uncomfortable ways, brace yourself for repeated rejection and grapple with heartache.

    On the flip side, success in either pursuit can significantly boost your confidence and sense of wellbeing – especially if it feels like a good fit.

    This raises the question: do Australians really believe they have equal access to the labour and dating markets?

    Our study, published in the journal Evolutionary Psychology, examined this question in depth, shining a light on how these beliefs are linked, and where they differ.

    Whether Australians’ perceptions of job and dating market access are completely accurate or not, they can certainly have a big impact on the choices we make and the way we behave in both our personal and professional lives.

    Finding a job versus finding a date

    We surveyed more than 1,000 online daters aged between 18 and 81. Our sample only included participants who described their sexual orientation as heterosexual and who identified as either male or female.

    Our study looked at people’s beliefs about how easy it was to find a job or find a date.
    Arthur Bargan/Shutterstock

    It’s important to understand that we were looking specifically at people’s perceptions of their access to these markets.

    That is, we looked at what men and women believed about their own (and the opposite sex’s) ability to find a job or find a date.

    We also examined what both sexes believed about women’s economic dependence on men.

    On average, we found women think it’s easier for men to find a decently paying job. Women also think they’re less economically dependent on male partners than men think women are.

    Both sexes agree it’s easier for women to find a date than men. But men think they have it much worse off on this metric than women think they do.

    Where beliefs diverge

    These perceptions begin to vary significantly with factors such as age, education, number of children and political orientation.

    There are some big differences in how women perceive women’s economic dependence and ease of dating access at different stages of life.

    Middle-aged men and women (aged 35 to 55 years) share similar perspectives on women’s economic dependence. This contrasts with younger and older women, who believe women are significantly less economically dependent on men.

    Women believe they have an easier time finding a date as they age from 18 to 35 years old. This perception then declines sharply from 40 to 75 years or older.

    These patterns align with evolutionary theories, suggesting that access to resources and shifting household dynamics at different life stages influence how men and women view the labour and dating markets.

    Shifting beliefs about access at different age levels may reflect changing household dynamics.
    aijiro/Shutterstock

    Intertwined ‘markets’

    Importantly, we found that perceptions of labour and dating market access are intrinsically linked, and they tend to reflect broader economic conditions.

    For instance, men in high-income areas think they have better job and dating opportunities, while those in areas with greater gender income disparities see women as more economically dependent.

    On the flipside, women in higher-income areas think they are less economically dependent. And those in areas with lower gender gaps in income perceive women’s dating access to be greater.

    This interplay of beliefs is also reflected in participants’ own dating preferences. Women who believe they are more economically dependent on men tend to seek a long-term male partner with greater earning potential than them.

    On the other hand, men who expect to earn more than their ideal partner think it’s easier for men to find a date.

    Beliefs about how easy it is to find a job and find a date are linked.
    Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

    Why does this all matter?

    Economic growth is the way economists and politicians measure increases in our standard of living. It is primarily driven by consumption.

    That’s everyday Australians buying their morning coffees at work, leg hams at Christmas time or splurging on a new cabana for the beach.

    Historically, more consumers meant more consumption, which meant higher economic growth and an increased standard of living.

    Many governments have recognised and acted on this link, encouraging Australians to have more children. Back in the early 2000s, for instance, the Howard government implemented the so-called “baby bonus”.

    Then-Treasurer Peter Costello famously asked the nation to “Have one for mum, one for dad, and one for the country”.

    It worked, sort of. Australia’s birth rates increased modestly.

    Fast forward to today, and these issues are just as relevant. Dating and job market choices still have a significant impact on Australian society, both economically and socially.

    Khandis R Blake receives funding from the Australian Research Council (DE210100800 and DP220101023).

    Benno Torgler, Ho Fai Chan, Rachel Hall, and Stephen Whyte 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. Do men and women agree on how easy it is for each other to find a job or a date? – https://theconversation.com/do-men-and-women-agree-on-how-easy-it-is-for-each-other-to-find-a-job-or-a-date-247235

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: As Trump abandons the old world order, NZ must find its place in a new ‘Pax Autocratica’

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Chris Ogden, Associate Professor in Global Studies, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Donald Trump is moving rapidly to change the contours of contemporary international affairs, with the old US-dominated world order breaking down into a multipolar one with many centres of power.

    The shift already includes the US leaving the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accords, questioning the value of the United Nations, and radical cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

    Such a new geopolitical age also involves an assertion of raw power, with Trump using the threat of tariffs to assert global authority and negotiating positions.

    While the US is not significantly less powerful, this new era may see it wield that power in more openly self-interested and isolationist ways. As new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio put it in January, “the post-war global order is not just obsolete – it is now a weapon being used against us”.

    With global democracy in retreat, the emerging international order looks to be moving in an authoritarian direction. As it does, the position of New Zealand’s vibrant democracy will come under mounting pressure.

    But world orders have come and gone for millennia, reflecting the ebb and flow of global economic, political and military power. Looking back to previous eras, and how countries and cultures responded to shifting geopolitical realities, can help us understand what is happening more clearly.

    An evolving world order

    Previous orders have often focused on specific centres – or “poles” – of power. These include the Concert of Europe from 1814 to 1914, the bipolar world of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, and the unipolar world of American dominance after the end of the Cold War and since the September 11 attacks in 2001.

    Periods of single-power dominance (or hegemony) are referred to as a “pax”, from the Latin for “peace”. We have seen the Pax Romana of the Roman Empire (27 BCE to 180 AD), multiple Pax Sinicas around China (most recently the Qing Dynasty 1644 to 1912), Pax Mongolica (the Mongol Empire from 1271 to 1368) and Pax Britannica (the British Empire from 1815 to 1924).

    It is the Pax Americana of the US, from 1945 to the present, that Trump seems bent on dismantling. We now live in an international order that is visibly in flux. With autocracy on the rise and the US at its vanguard, a “Pax Autocratica” is emerging.

    This is accentuated by the rapid rise of Asia as the main sphere of economic and military growth, particularly China and India. The world’s two most populous countries had the world’s largest and third largest economies respectively in 2023, and the second and fourth highest levels of military spending.

    The simultaneous rise of multiple power centres was already challenging the Pax Americana. Now, a new international order appears to be a certainty, with Trump openly adapting to multipolarity. Several major powers now compete for global influence, rather than any one country dominating.

    China’s preference for a multipolar international order is shared by India and Russia. Without one dominant entity, it will be the political and social basis of this order, as determined by its major actors, that matters most – not who leads it.

    Pax Democratica

    The current (now waning) international order has been underpinned by specific social, political and economic values stemming from the national identity and historical experience of the US.

    According to US political expert G. John Ikenberry, former president Woodrow Wilson’s agenda for peace after the first world war sought to “reflect distinctive American ideas and ideals”.

    Woodrow imagined an order based on collective security and shared sovereignty, liberal principles of democracy and universal human rights, free trade and international law.

    As its dominance and military strength increased in the 20th century, the US also provided security to other countries. Such power enabled Washington to create open global trade markets, as well as build core global institutions like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, United Nations and NATO.

    For Ikenberry, this Pax Americana (we might call it a Pax Democratica) rested on consent to the US’s “provision of security, wealth creation, and social advancement”. This was aided by the its more than 800 military bases in over 80 countries.

    The democratic deficit

    Trump undercuts the central tenets of this liberal world order and accelerates a slide towards authoritarianism. Like Russia, India and China, the US is also actively constraining human rights, attacking minorities and weakening its electoral system.

    This democratic retreat leaves a country such as New Zealand in a global minority. If Trump targets the region or country with economic tariffs, that precariousness might increase.

    On the other hand, previous world orders have not been truly hegemonic. Pax Britannica did not encompass the entire world. Nor did Pax Americana, which didn’t include China, India, the former Soviet bloc, much of the Islamic world and many developing countries.

    This suggests pockets of democracy can survive within a Pax Autocratica, especially in a multipolar world which is more tolerant of political independence.

    The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2023 Democracy Index ranked New Zealand, the Nordic countries, Switzerland, Iceland and Ireland highest because their citizens

    choose their political leaders in free and fair elections, enjoy civil liberties, prefer democracy over other political systems, can and do participate in politics, and have a functioning government that acts on their behalf.

    It is these countries that can be at the vanguard of democratic resilience.

    Chris Ogden is a Senior Research Fellow with The Foreign Policy Centre, London.

    – ref. As Trump abandons the old world order, NZ must find its place in a new ‘Pax Autocratica’ – https://theconversation.com/as-trump-abandons-the-old-world-order-nz-must-find-its-place-in-a-new-pax-autocratica-249358

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Union, Coalition Sue Over Elon Musk’s Unprecedented and Illegal Hack of Americans’ Private Data

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    WASHINGTON—A coalition of labor unions representing over 2 million workers filed a federal lawsuit today challenging a data heist carried out by Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency inside three federal government departments.

    Six individuals personally harmed by Musk and DOGE’s theft of their private information joined the suit filed by the AFT, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM). Protect Democracy and Munger, Tolles & Olson are counsel to the plaintiffs.

    The suit alleges the Department of Education, the Office of Personnel Management and the Department of Treasury improperly disclosed the sensitive records of millions of Americans to DOGE staff who lack appropriate security clearances and have not been properly vetted, and granted access to some of the government’s most sensitive and closely guarded data systems, in violation of the Privacy Act. DOGE employees include a 19-year-old who has previously leaked proprietary information.

    The Privacy Act carefully regulates how agency records about individuals can be shared and disclosures of personal information beyond what the statute authorizes are illegal.

    “Steamrolling into sensitive government record systems has led to a massive data breach that threatens to upend how these critical systems are maintained and seriously compromises the safety and security of personal identifying information for Americans all across the country,” the suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, reads. “It also violates federal law.”

    Plaintiffs include veterans who receive benefit payments, current and former federal employees whose confidential employment files reside in OPM’s system, and teachers whose pathway to the classroom was reliant on student loans to pay for college tuition.

    When Americans interact with the U.S. government, they often entrust federal agencies with sensitive personal information; the suit argues that bond of trust has been broken. The Education Department alone oversees the private information of 43 million student borrowers who hold $1.6 trillion in student debt. Treasury’s system contains records relating to every American who receives (among other things) a tax refund, Social Security benefit, veterans pay, or a federal salary. OPM holds exceedingly sensitive personal information for all 2.3 million federal employees.

    Plaintiffs are asking the court to impose immediate relief that restores the protections of the Privacy Act. They seek injunctive and declaratory relief to ensure that improper disclosures to DOGE representatives stop immediately and that any data currently in DOGE’s possession be immediately deleted and destroyed.

    Enacted in the wake of Watergate, the Privacy Act sought to restore trust in government and to address an existential threat to American democracy.

    “Elon Musk and his minions are stealing Americans’ private personal and financial data in one of the biggest data hacks in U.S. history,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “I suspect no one who voted for Donald Trump thought he would allow Musk permission to invade their privacy. This is a breach of our fundamental freedoms. Right now, inside the Department of Education, the world’s richest man is rifling through 45 million people’s private student loan accounts and feeding the data into artificial intelligence.

    “The department is effectively one of America’s biggest banks—if there was a breach of this magnitude in the private sector, it would rightly be a national scandal. Social Security numbers, financial data, home addresses, and personal demographic data about student borrowers and, in many instances, their parents, spouses or other family members are being illegally vacuumed up by Musk. This lawsuit is being filed to bring an end to his heist before he does irreversible damage to millions more American lives.”

    “The federal government holds in trust vast amounts of data about American citizens, including federal employees and retirees,” said NARFE National President William “Bill” Shackelford. “Without legal guardrails in place to prevent improper use of such data, we risk disclosure to nefarious actors, and abuse by individuals within the government itself, threatening personal liberty and property. The Privacy Act provides those legal guardrails, reflecting a balance between the government’s need to utilize such data for legal purposes and its need to protect against abuse and misuse. Violating the Privacy Act infringes upon individuals’ rights that data held in trust is not misused or abused. NARFE joins this suit to ensure the administration is protecting personal data of federal employees and retirees as required by law.”

    “Government agencies are not private entities that billionaires can simply buy and rummage through,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “Congressional oversight, advocacy and voting are how we make government work for us, not reckless takeovers that put the personal data of millions of Americans into the hands of unqualified, unvetted political operatives. It is up to us—the working families of America—to stand up here and now to protect our privacy and our democracy.”

    “The richest person on the planet hacking into confidential and personal information is not only illegal, but also incredibly dangerous,” said NFFE-IAM National President Randy Erwin. “Musk and his DOGE operatives have no right to access extremely sensitive information of the American public, particularly federal workers who have been targeted and attacked since inauguration day. It is clear that these unauthorized actors intend to use this illegally acquired data to advance their political agenda and undermine the civil service.”

    ”We’re watching in real time as Trump’s cronies break the law to get access to Americans’ most sensitive and personal data,” said Kristy Parker, Counsel to the plaintiffs at Protect Democracy. “No one should be fooled into thinking they’re doing this for our benefit—to save us money or make our lives better. Their goal is to snoop on vast amounts of Americans’ data and try to use what they find to enrich themselves, reward their allies, and punish their critics.”

    The full complaint can be read here.

    Share and Follow:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Schmitt Introduce Legislation To Dismantle DEI

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

    WASHINGTON – Last week, Senator Tuberville joined Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and Congressman Michael Cloud (R-TX) to introduce the Dismantle DEI Act, which codifies President Trump’s executive actions terminating DEI programs and initiatives, preventing future administrations from reinstating similar Biden-era DEI policies.

    “We must wash our hands of DEI,” said Senator Tuberville. “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris nearly destroyed the fabric of our country with this woke, racist ideology. We need to focus on hiring the best and brightest, not dividing people based on skin color. Thank God President Trump is restoring merit-based hiring practices to our government. Now Congress must do our job to ensure that this poisonous ideology has no place in our government.”

    “DEI has plagued our federal government, academic institutions, and other aspects of our society for far too long, all while disregarding merit in the process. America is the greatest meritocracy the world has ever seen, and no taxpayer dollars should be wasted on funding this divisive ideology which undercuts the values our country was founded on. President Trump understands that these programs have absolutely no business in the federal government, and I am proud to introduce this critical legislation with Congressman Cloud that will save taxpayer dollars and put a stop to this DEI madness,” said Senator Schmitt.

    BACKGROUND: 

    • On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14151, “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs And Preferencing.” This executive action terminates diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and initiatives throughout all federal departments and agencies, while also compiling a list of those federal contractors and grantees associated with those same programs. 
    • President Trump helped reverse many of the Biden administration’s prior executive actions on DEI programs.
    • The Dismantle DEI Act helps build on the President’s agenda by:
      • Ensuring all DEI offices are terminated and prohibiting agencies from renaming or repurposing them to continue the same functions under new titles.
      • Barring federal funds from being used for DEI training, grants, or programs—including identity-based quotas and critical race theory.
      • Granting individuals the legal right to challenge any of these violations in court.
         

    MORE:

    Tuberville Supporting Elimination Of DEI, Restoration Of Lethality In Armed Forces 
    Tuberville: “We need a military that is 100% focused on protecting our country and enhancing national security.”
    ICYMI: Tuberville op-ed: “Biden is Infecting Our Military With Woke Politics While the World Implodes”
    Tuberville Questioned Army Officials on Lasting Effects of Vaccine Policy on the Military
    Tuberville, Colleagues Help Secure Provision To Protect Servicemembers From COVID Vaccine Mandate In 2023 NDAA
    Tuberville Questions Pentagon about COVID Vaccine Military Discharge
    Tuberville Demands Answers on Military’s Vaccine Mandate

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Rand Paul Introduces the Government Shutdown Prevention Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    February 10, 2025

     Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343

     

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the Government Shutdown Prevention Act. The bill incentivizes Congress to properly consider and debate spending legislation in the future, as it would immediately cut spending if government funding deadlines are missed.

    “My Government Shutdown Prevention Act would help ensure Congress starts hitting its deadlines, making it a more responsible steward of the American people’s resources,” said Dr. Paul.

    Instead of Congress risking government shutting down operations, Dr. Paul’s plan would keep government open but institute a six percent cut to then-current funding levels for any agency, program, and activity that Congress failed to fund. Funding would be reduced by another one percent every 90 days thereafter that an agreement is still not enacted.

    Currently, Congress does not face any consequences for failing to pass appropriations bills on time, which has helped lead to it pursuing procrastination over prudence and risking shutdowns due to impasses.

    Along with ensuring government honors its obligations and maintains its operations, Dr. Paul’s proposal would give agencies the certainty of knowing that, in a worst-case scenario, they will always be able to operate with a full year of funding at no less than 91 percent of their then-current levels. Dr. Paul’s approach is the only fiscally responsible one, as all other so-called shutdown prevention bills make unsustainable spending levels permanent for the foreseeable future.

    You can read the Government Shutdown Prevention Act HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Supporting farmers to ‘meat’ global food demand

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Minister of Agriculture Todd McClay today hosted a Lamb barbecue to mark National Lamb Day (15 February 2025) for farmers, industry representatives, MPs, and media at Parliament.  

    “As we celebrate National Lamb Day, parliament honours the legacy of early sector pioneers and acknowledges the hard work and resilience of our farmers, processors, and exporters — your dedication ensures that New Zealand’s red meat sector remains world leading and ready to grow,” Mr McClay says.

    “Agriculture is the backbone of New Zealand’s economy, with sheep and beef farmers alone contributing over $10 billion in exports to the economy last year. This is equal to $3,300 in income for every Kiwi household. 

    “The sector isn’t just crucial to our goal of doubling exports by value in ten years — it also supports 76,000 jobs across New Zealand and is leading the way in sustainable farming.

    The Government’s agricultural team, of Agriculture Minister Todd McClay, Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard, Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson and Associate Minister of Agriculture Nicola Grigg, are laser focused on getting costs down and returning more value to the farm gate.

    Farmers have done it tough over the last few years with significant weather events and challenging commodity prices, but as farmer confidence rises there are real signs of green shoots ahead including: 

    • A lift in sheepmeat prices over recent months, with December lamb prices exceeding the five-year average,
    • Record high cattle prices, and
    • Rising demand from key red meat markets.

    “Looking ahead, we are focused on new growth opportunities for lamb and red meat, particularly in the Middle East. The recent trade agreements with the United Arab of Emirates (UAE) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will eliminate 99 per cent of all tariffs over time.

    “Kiwi farmers are the best in the world, and we are committed to supporting a future where New Zealand lamb continues to be celebrated and enjoyed on tables world-wide.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Helps Introduce Right to Contraception Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) joined her Senate colleagues to help introduce the Right to Contraception Act. This bill would reaffirm the explicit legal right to obtain and use contraceptives, and ensure health care providers have a right to give contraceptives and share information about it.
    “As anti-choice extremists continue trying to restrict women’s ability to access reproductive care, it’s clear that we must protect the right to contraception in federal law,” said Senator Rosen. “This legislation would help protect a woman’s fundamental right to make decisions about her own body and keep extreme politicians out of her doctor’s offices. I’ll continue working to protect our reproductive rights.”
    Senator Rosen has been working to restore reproductive freedoms and oppose anti-choice efforts to restrict access to care. She has previously voted to protect women’s constitutional right to access birth control. Last year, she also voted to support the passage of the Reproductive Freedom for Women Act, which was blocked by Senate Republicans. Senator Rosen joined legislation to safeguard IVF treatments in federal law and helped introduce the Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act to protect health care professionals from being prosecuted for providing reproductive care to their patients. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Push Back on DOGE’s Interference into Departments of Education, Treasury and Access to Payments Systems for Millions of Americans 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Push Back on DOGE’s Interference into Departments of Education, Treasury and Access to Payments Systems for Millions of Americans 

    In two separate efforts this week, Senator Reverend Warnock demanded answers into the “Department” of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employees’ data collection practices and access to federal agencies

    The letters are part of an ongoing effort by several lawmakers to push back against the efforts of the Trump Administration and its billionaire allies to gut the federal government

    The letters follow Senator Reverend Warnock’s nearly hour-long speech on the Senate floor opposing Russell Vought’s nomination to lead the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

    ICYMI from the New York Times: Senate Democrats Demand Clarity About Musk’s Efforts at Education Dept.

    Washington, D.C. — Earlier this week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) joined two efforts to push back against the “Department” of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) access to personal information and sensitive government data. 

    “If you want to know who Donald Trump is working for, look at who he’s surrounding himself with. The likes of Elon Musk, the billionaire, the richest man in the world who is now telling the rest of us that we need to tighten our belts. How quaint,” said Senator Reverend Warnock during his Wednesday floor speech.

    The first letter, authored by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), was sent to Acting Secretary of the Department of Education (ED), Denise Carter, launching a probe into recent reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has infiltrated the Department of Education and that “DOGE staffers have gained access to federal student loan data, which includes personal information for millions of borrowers.”

    “This deeply troubling report raises questions about potential exposures of Americans’ private data, the abuse of this data by the Trump Administration, and whether officials who have access to the data may have violated the law or the federal government’s procedures for handling sensitive information,” wrote the senators.

    In the second letter, addressed to Senate Banking and Finance committee Chairs, Tim Scott (R-SC) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) respectively, Senator Warnock joined 16 other Senate Democrats in calling for an immediate hearing to examine the reports that officials associated with the DOGE have gained access to systems that control millions of payments to American citizens.

    “Putting this system in the hands of unaccountable political actors raises significant economic and national security risks. Information in these systems is critical to the Department’s management of the national debt. The takeover by Mr. Musk and his associates was achieved by engineering the ouster of a key official responsible for managing the extraordinary measures the Department has been taking to avoid a default. A misstep with these payment systems could lead to a technical default with a wide range of devastating consequences, from seniors missing Social Security payments to a global financial meltdown that costs trillions of dollars and millions of jobs,” wrote the Senators.

    The letter to acting DOE Secretary Denise Carter can be viewed HERE.

    The letter to Ranking Members Scott and Crapo can be viewed HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff, Western Senators Raise Alarm on Trump’s Illegal Funding Cuts Targeting Wildfire Mitigation Efforts

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Schiff, Western Senators Raise Alarm on Trump’s Illegal Funding Cuts Targeting Wildfire Mitigation Efforts

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and 10 other Western Democratic Senators to sound the alarm over threats to the removal of hazardous fuels on U.S. public lands. The Bureau of Land Management recently issued stop work orders to small businesses and organizations across America carrying out critical hazardous fuel removal projects on high-risk federal lands. Delaying these treatments risks missing out on the right seasonal and weather conditions for safely treating hazardous fuels.

    The letter follows President Donald Trump’s illegal executive orders cutting federal funds needed to mitigate and fight wildfires, despite the devastating fires that ravaged Southern California communities last month. The Senators demanded that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Acting Agriculture Secretary Gary Washington rescind the order to stop work on essential hazardous fuels reduction efforts and any other wildland fire management and risk-reduction programs.

    “Catastrophic wildfires across the United States are an ongoing national crisis and responding to them must be a national priority. These stop work orders and funding freezes jeopardize communities that depend on a robust federal response to our wildfire crisis — and also jeopardize small businesses, often in frontier and rural communities, that are contracted to do the work on the ground to reduce hazardous fuels,” wrote the Senators.

    “As we’ve seen with the recent fires surrounding Los Angeles, wildfire does not distinguish between homes and trees. But we do have ways to mitigate the risk,” continued the Senators. “One of the most effective strategies to reduce that risk is to reduce the hazardous natural fuels that surround our communities. These fuels reduction projects save lives and property, reduce the danger to firefighters, and return our lands to a fire-adapted ecosystem that can better withstand the threat to human life, communities, infrastructure, and property.

    The hazardous fuel reduction projects are a core component of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, to which Congress appropriated over $3 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. These investments in fuels reduction treatments for high-risk firesheds were recommended in the nonpartisan Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission Report.

    In addition to Senators Padilla, Schiff, Merkley, and Heinrich, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    Senator Padilla has long been a leader in strengthening the federal and state response to wildfires. Last week, Padilla introduced bipartisan legislation to create a national Wildfire Intelligence Center to streamline federal response and create a whole-of-government approach to combat wildfires. He also announced a package of three bipartisan bills to bolster fire resilience and proactive mitigation efforts, including the Wildfire Emergency Act, the Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act, and the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act, the last of which is co-led by Senator Schiff. Padilla’s legislation to strengthen FEMA’s wildfire preparedness and response efforts, the FIRE Act, became law in 2022.

    Padilla previously questioned Secretary Burgum on his support for wildfire aid, securing his commitment to responding to wildfires regardless of which state they impact with all necessary resources and support possible.

    Full text of the letter can be found here and below:

    Dear Secretary Burgum and Acting Secretary Washington, 

    We are writing with great concern about reports from our constituents that the Bureau of Land Management has issued stop work orders for hazardous fuels reduction projects. We are further concerned that fuels projects overseen by the U.S. Forest Service will be next. These projects are integral to increased safety and resiliency and any delay in implementation puts those communities at greater risk. We urge you to immediately rescind these stop work orders, halt any further stop work orders or funding freezes, and instead work with the tools and funds Congress has provided to better safeguard our communities from the serious risk of catastrophic wildfire.

    These projects are part of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, funded by the Infrastructure and Investment in Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Investing in fuels reduction treatments is a primary recommendation in the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission Report, a nonpartisan strategy document to tackle the myriad challenges associated with wildfire across the country. We also note with alarm that this report was removed from federal websites this week. 

    In 2022, the Forest Service identified high-risk firesheds across the country to be prioritized for hazardous fuels reduction work through the Wildlife Crisis Strategy and Implementation Plan. The Forest Service chose 10 high-priority landscapes with the enactment of IIJA and an additional 11 landscapes with the enactment of IRA – each of these landscapes require significant investment to reduce wildfire risk. These 21 landscapes were awarded a total of $1.73 billion to protect at-risk communities, critical infrastructure, public water sources, and adjacent Tribal lands in 10 Western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. The Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, States, Tribes, local stakeholders, and small businesses have been working together over the last three years to implement fuels reduction on these landscapes. 

    Catastrophic wildfires across the United States are an ongoing national crisis and responding to them must be a national priority. These stop work orders and funding freezes jeopardize communities that depend on a robust federal response to our wildfire crisis – and also jeopardize small businesses, often in frontier and rural communities, that are contracted to do the work on the ground to reduce hazardous fuels.  

    In addition to endangering communities, the President’s Executive Orders freezing funding are flagrantly illegal. The Government Accountability Office, the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel (including in an opinion written by future Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, William H. Rehnquist), and the Supreme Court of the United States have all disavowed the notion of some “inherent Presidential power to impound,” as some in the Administration, as well as pending Administration nominees, have tried to argue without legal or textual basis. 

    Not only does the Constitution vest the power of the purse with Congress and provide no power to the President to impound funds, but there have been several bedrock fiscal statutes enacted to protect Congress’ constitutional power of the purse and prevent unlawful executive overreach, including the Antideficiency Act and the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (ICA). The ICA prohibits any action or inaction that precludes Federal funds from being obligated or spent, either temporarily or permanently, without following the strictly circumscribed requirements of that law, which have not been honored in this instance. 

    As we’ve seen with the recent fires surrounding Los Angeles, wildfire does not distinguish between homes and trees. But we do have ways to mitigate the risk. One of the most effective strategies to reduce that risk is to reduce the hazardous natural fuels that surround our communities. These fuels reduction projects save lives and property, reduce the danger to firefighters, and return our lands to a fire-adapted ecosystem that can better withstand the threat to human life, communities, infrastructure, and property.   

    By terminating or even pausing these projects, all of the progress made at protecting these communities is at risk. We are imploring you to rescind the order to stop work on these hazardous fuels reduction efforts, as well as any other wildland fire management programs that are working to reduce risk and safeguard communities from catastrophic wildfire. 

    We hope to work with you to combat the scourge of catastrophic wildfire. 

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Colleagues Launch Probe Into DOGE’s Access to Sensitive Student Loan Data and Interference With Education Department

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Colleagues Launch Probe Into DOGE’s Access to Sensitive Student Loan Data and Interference With Education Department

    Musk’s team may have obtained access to personal information of millions of borrowers; raises concerns about violations of the law and failure to protect sensitive information

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and 13 of their Senate colleagues in launching a probe into recent reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has infiltrated the Department of Education and gained access to federal student loan data, which includes millions of borrowers’ personal information.

    According to public reporting, “a handful of 19-to-24-year-old engineers linked to Musk’s companies, with unclear titles, could be bypassing regular security protocols” during DOGE’s infiltration of federal agencies. The Senators also raised concerns that the access provided to DOGE-affiliated staff by the Department may violate the Privacy Act, which generally prohibits the disclosure of such information. The University of California Student Association, which represents thousands of California students, sued the Department on Friday, voicing similar concerns regarding the sharing of private student information.

    There are over 40 million federal student loan borrowers in the United States, including approximately 4 million in California, the most of any state. The Department of Education’s student loan database contains millions of borrowers’ highly sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, marital status, and income data.

    “This deeply troubling report raises questions about potential exposures of Americans’ private data, the abuse of this data by the Trump Administration, and whether officials who have access to the data may have violated the law or the federal government’s procedures for handling sensitive information,” wrote the Senators.

    “We are especially troubled by this reporting given President Trump’s stated pledge to abolish the Department,” continued the Senators. “The millions of families who rely on [the Education Department] to help them achieve the American Dream deserve answers about reports that an unelected billionaire and his team now have access to some of their most sensitive personal information.”

    Additional reporting suggests that DOGE has “fed sensitive data from across the Education Department into artificial intelligence software to probe the agency’s programs and spending.”

    In addition to Senators Padilla, Warren, and Schumer, the letter was also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    The 16 senators requested answers from Acting Education Secretary Denise Carter about DOGE’s access to federal student loan data and any other sensitive databases by February 13, 2025.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Acting Secretary Carter:

    We write regarding recent reports that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has infiltrated the Department of Education (ED or the Department) and that “DOGE staffers have gained access to federal student loan data, which includes personal information for millions of borrowers.”

    The federal government’s student loan database contains highly sensitive information for millions of borrowers, including Social Security Numbers, marital status, and income information. Each year, 13 million students receive federal financial aid; there are over 40 million federal student loan borrowers in the United States. It is not at all clear that DOGE officials meet the strict criteria that would allow them to access this sensitive information protected by federal law—or whether DOGE officials have gained access to other sensitive ED databases as part of their efforts to “reform” the agency.

    This deeply troubling report raises questions about potential exposures of Americans’ private data, the abuse of this data by the Trump Administration, and whether officials who have access to the data may have violated the law or the federal government’s procedures for handling sensitive information. According to public reporting, “a handful of 19-to-24-year-old engineers linked to Musk’s companies, with unclear titles, could be bypassing regular security protocols” in DOGE’s takeover of federal agencies. The access provided to DOGE-affiliated staff by the Department may also violate the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. § 552a, which, absent permission from the affected individuals, generally prohibits the disclosure of such information and requires agencies to follow rules of conduct and maintain systems with appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards.

    We are especially troubled by this reporting given President Trump’s stated pledge to abolish the Department. Efforts to abolish the Department have sparked fear and uncertainty for students, families, and teachers across the country who rely on the agency for critical financial aid, loans, grants, and other assistance. The millions of families who rely on ED to help them achieve the American Dream deserve answers about reports that an unelected billionaire and his team now have access to some of their most sensitive personal information. Accordingly, we ask that you answer the following questions by February 13, 2025:

    1. Have Mr. Musk and his team been provided access to the National Student Loan Data System or other databases with sensitive federal student loan data? If so:
      • Please list all individuals who have gained access to borrowers’ personal data. What are these individuals’ job titles and responsibilities? Are they federal government employees? What is the nature of their service (e.g., Special Government Employee, Competitive Service, Senior Executive Service)?
      • What procedures were followed in giving these individuals access? Did the individuals who were granted access to these systems have appropriate authorization and clearances?
      • What data can these individuals access?
      • Do these individuals have the ability to download or copy data or to modify programs or systems for maintaining and analyzing data?
      • Who decided to give these individuals access?
      • What was the rationale for granting these individuals access?
    2. Please describe what safeguards are in place to ensure that federal student loan data is not misused.
      • What safeguards and procedures are in place to protect borrowers’ personal data?
      • Did the Department and DOGE officials follow these safeguards and procedures?
      • What safeguards and procedures are in place to protect borrower’s data privacy within the rest of the federal student aid system and ensure that DOGE staffers do not interfere with the timely disbursement of federal aid?
    3. Have Mr. Musk and his team been provided access to any other sensitive databases managed by the Education Department? If so:
      • Please list and describe all those databases.
      • Please list all individuals who have gained access to those databases. What are these individuals’ job titles and responsibilities? Are they federal government employees? What is the nature of their service (e.g., Special Government Employee, Competitive Service, Senior Executive Service)?
      • What procedures were followed in giving these individuals access? Did the individuals who were granted access to these systems have appropriate authorization and clearances?
      • What data can these individuals access?
      • Do these individuals have the ability to download or copy data or to modify programs or systems for maintaining and analyzing data?
      • Who decided to give these individuals access?
      • What was the rationale for granting these individuals access?

    Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts, Lankford Introduce Bill to Block Tax Breaks for Marijuana Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)

    February 10, 2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Recently, U.S. Senators Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and James Lankford (R-OK)introduced the No Deductions for Marijuana Businesses Act. The legislation will prevent marijuana businesses from deducting business expenses from their federal taxes. 

    “The federal government should not be subsidizing an industry that profits from addiction and undermines public safety,” Ricketts said. “This bill ensures that marijuana businesses do not receive tax breaks while they continue to violate federal law.”

    “Marijuana doesn’t make our families stronger, our streets safer, or our workplaces more productive.”said Lankford. “Businesses who sell federally illegal drugs—including marijuana businesses—shouldn’t get federal tax breaks. This bill clarifies federal tax law to make sure a federally illegal product does not have a federally legal tax deduction.”

    “The federal government should not be in the business of giving tax relief to the federally illegal, addiction-for-profit marijuana industry. This legislation would prevent deficit increases while ensuring that taxpayers don’t foot the bill for the revenue gap made by tax write-offs for people who choose to violate federal law and poison our kids,” said Dr. Kevin Sabet, President and CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM).

    Since the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, tax law has prevented businesses trafficking Schedule I or II drugs from deducting business expenses. However, if the Biden Administration’s push to reschedule marijuana is successful, marijuana businesses would be able to take business deductions. This bill preempts that loophole and ensures that marijuana businesses would not be able to deduct business expenses from their taxes. 

    Bill text can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: 10,000 more apprentices as Government slashes red tape to boost growth  

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Shorter and flexible apprenticeships and new English and maths requirements to boost skills and support employers  

    Up to 10,000 more apprentices will be able to qualify per year as the government cuts red tape to boost economic growth by giving employers more flexibility over maths and English requirements. 

    Rules slowing down the training of workers in key industries like construction will also be changed as the government reveals plans to turbocharge growth industries with reduced bureaucracy for apprenticeships and new leadership also appointed for Skills England.  

    Leading employers have been calling for these changes. Businesses will now be able to decide whether adult learners over the age of 19 when they start their apprenticeship course will need to complete a level 2 English and maths qualification (equivalent to GCSE) in order to pass it. This means more learners can qualify in high demand sectors such as healthcare, social care and construction, helping to drive growth and meet government targets in key areas such as housebuilding.

    This could mean as many as 10,000 more apprentices per year will be able to complete their apprenticeship, unlocking opportunity in communities all over the country and breaking the link between background and success. It does not mean that apprentices won’t be assessed on core English and maths skills relevant to their occupation, but it does mean that apprentices will be able to focus more on their paid work.

    The minimum duration of an apprenticeship will be reduced to eight months, down from the current minimum of 12 months.

    Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson said:  

    Growing the economy and opportunity for all are fundamental Missions of our Plan for Change, and we are determined to support apprentices throughout this National Apprenticeship Week and beyond.

    Businesses have been calling out for change to the apprenticeship system and these reforms show that we are listening. Our new offer of shorter apprenticeships and less red tape strikes the right balance between speed and quality, helping achieve our number one mission to grow the economy. 

    Skills England will be a major driver in addressing the skills gaps needed to support employers up and down the country and I look forward to working with the new leadership.

    Craig Beaumont, Executive Director, Federation of Small Businesses said:  

    It’s encouraging to see Government shorten the length of apprenticeships, and give employers the right to decide whether Level 2 English and Maths is needed. These flexibilities should help SME employers fill skills gaps faster.

    These announcements come as the Education Secretary kicked off National Apprenticeship Week yesterday, which celebrates the achievements of apprentices around the country and the positive impact they make to communities, businesses, and the wider economy.  

    The plans also follow the Prime Minister’s announcement in October, when he pledged to reform the new growth and skills offer to ensure young people are better supported.   

    Three trailblazer apprenticeships in key shortage occupations will look to pioneer the new shorter apprenticeship approach, with apprentices in green energy, healthcare and film/TV production set to be able to take on these new courses.   

    Changes to the minimum length of an apprenticeship will be introduced from August 2025 subject to the legislative timetable, with changes to English and maths requirements coming into effect immediately. This will be hugely beneficial to employers in sectors like construction which have an urgent need for qualified workers, helping to meet the government’s mission to build 1.5 million homes by the end of this parliament.   

    The Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has also announced that Phil Smith CBE will chair Skills England, the new nationwide body for skills, with Sir David Bell serving as Vice Chair. Tessa Griffiths and Sarah Maclean will jointly serve as CEO, while Gemma Marsh will serve as Deputy CEO. 

    Phil Smith is the former chair and CEO of international tech and telecoms giant Cisco. He brings extensive industry experience in digital, tech and innovation leadership and his appointment signals the seriousness of the government’s plan for growth, unlocked via a national vision for skills.   

    Sir David Bell has four decades of experience in the education and skills sector and is currently Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of the University of Sunderland  

    Phil Smith CBE said:

    I know from my time in industry how valuable direct engagement from employers can be in shaping government policy. 

    We need a dynamic skills system that can drive economic growth, and I’m excited to be involved in shaping Skills England as part of that.

    Sir David Bell said:   

    I look forward to working with Phil Smith, other colleagues in Skills England, and the Department for Education to help deliver economic growth and meet the nation’s skills needs. 

    I know from my experience in public policy and higher education that providing the skilled workforce which Britain requires depends on industry, government and education organisations working together. I am very confident therefore that Skills England will provide the strategic oversight to make that happen.

    Skills England will bring together key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade across all regions of England. More than 700 stakeholders have already been engaged through roundtables, webinars and engagement events. 

    It will work with employers, national, regional and local government, providers, and unions to identify skills shortages and provide strong strategic direction for the skills system.  

    One of Skills England’s first orders of business will be to identify which apprenticeships would be best served by the shorter duration approach. Skills England will prioritise key shortage occupations as per the industrial strategy, helping to boost growth under our Plan for Change.   

    Euan Blair MBE, founder and CEO, Multiverse said: 

    This important announcement will do so much to widen and expand access to apprenticeships and should be welcomed as a move to put our skills system at the heart of the growth Mission. For years this requirement has created an artificial barrier between apprenticeships and those who could benefit from them, including young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and older workers whose roles are at risk of job displacement, while often diluting the quality and purpose of an apprenticeship. Apprenticeships are about giving as many people as possible the ability to improve their career prospects and contribute meaningfully to their employers: this move helps to underline that focus.

    Sharon Blyfield, Head of Early Careers at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB, said:

    At Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, we believe that the inclusion of functional skills as an exit for apprenticeships have often hindered many people from reaching their full potential. The announced changes will help make apprenticeships a more viable option to more people, not only new recruits but also for our current employees who missed out on these skills during their school years. These changes will enable them to successfully complete their apprenticeships without added barriers, which is brilliant news.

    Alex Hall-Chen Principal Policy Advisor, Sustainability, Skills, and Employment said:

    Apprenticeships are a vital tool in tackling the UK’s persistent skills shortages, and this announcement is a welcome step in removing unnecessary barriers to increasing apprenticeship numbers. 

    Research with IoD members clearly showed that giving employers flexibility when it comes to English and Maths qualifications for adult apprentices has the potential to unlock more apprenticeship opportunities. 

    Employers are well-placed to judge whether English and Maths qualifications are the most appropriate route to evidence or develop the literacy and numeracy skills needed for success in the given career path.

    Chris Bailey, Starbucks UK Early Careers Manager said:

    Starbucks UK welcomes the announcement around relaxing the requirements of functional skills for learners 19yrs+. Removing this significant barrier will support our commitment to enrolling more apprentices, particularly those who may have previously faced challenges with functional skills assessments. By embracing this change we can empower more of our Partners to gain valuable recognised qualifications, develop their skills, and progress within Starbucks and their careers.

    Lisa Pinfield, Group Director of Performance & Development, Capita said: 

    Making Functional Skills requirements more flexible for apprenticeships will open doors for more adult learners, especially those from diverse backgrounds. By removing unnecessary barriers, employers can welcome a wider pool of talented apprentices who bring valuable skills and experience. This change will help businesses grow, support social mobility, and give more people the chance to succeed through apprenticeships.

    Jo Rackham, Executive Director of People of the John Lewis Partnership, said:

    Apprenticeships help us build and retain the skills we need to deliver brilliant service to our customers and power our growth. They’ve helped 5,000 employees, or as we’re called Partners, progress in their careers since 2017.

    We welcome the relaxation in functional skills requirements. It’s an important step towards the reform needed to help more people access apprenticeships.  Gaining GCSE Maths and English qualifications can be a significant barrier to starting or completing one and we believe it will help more disadvantaged people, including those who leave the care system or those with learning disabilities, make a career for themselves.

    Matthew Percival, Future of Work and Skills Director, CBI said:

    Apprenticeships have an important role to play in building the skills for growth. Greater flexibility on minimum length and on English and Maths requirements will help businesses to offer more workers the opportunity to add to their skills.

    DfE media enquiries

    Central newsdesk – for journalists 020 7783 8300

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK-backed AI companies to transform British cancer care and spark new drug breakthroughs

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    New AI models to diagnose and treat cancer and other incurable diseases will be made possible thanks to joint public-private investment giving flexible funding to British AI firms and researchers.

    £82 million for 3 UK research projects Match-funding for European compute partnership.

    • £82.6 million in new flexible forms of research funding to support UK companies tackling cancer and accelerating drug discovery using AI and more
    • Collaboration between British and European experts on AI and High-Performance Computing gets match-funding boost
    • Backing for both these schemes shows the UK’s commitment to seizing the potential of new technologies like AI, to drive forward the Plan for Change

    The UK government is today (Tuesday 11 February) unveiling £82.6 million in new flexible forms of research funding, plus a new commitment to give UK researchers access to cutting-edge computing resources as part of a plan to unlock the power of AI.  

    Two of the three projects benefiting from this support, which is helping to pioneer new ways of conducting research, will harness the power of AI to develop treatments and diagnostics for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.

    Coming as day two of the AI Action Summit gets underway, this is the latest evidence of the government’s commitment to seizing the potential of new technologies like AI to drive forward the Plan for Change, delivering economic growth and progress in key fields like health. 

    The government is putting £37.9 million backing behind three innovative British research projects, the Research Ventures Catalyst (RVC) programme. Together with a further £44.7 million in co-investment across the three projects, from other sources, this makes for a total £82.6 million backing. 

    The RVC programme is delivering novel ways of funding groundbreaking research, such as endowments, which are flexible and reflect the real needs of cutting-edge innovators. Too often, inflexible funding has been a barrier to some of the most innovative and creative research or has been an obstacle to new innovative businesses looking to scale-up. The RVC programme will support pioneering work training AI on the NHS’s vast pool of cancer data, drug discovery research, and more. 

    Today also sees the government expand UK involvement in the European High-Performance Computing (EuroHPC) Joint Undertaking by committing £7.8 million to fund UK researchers and businesses’ participation in EuroHPC research. This will mean British AI and high-performance computing researchers can work unobstructed with their peers across Europe. International collaboration and broad access to computational resources will be key to unlocking the benefits AI promises to deliver across society and the economy.

    These announcements come on the final day of the AI Action Summit in France, where world leaders and AI companies have been holding a series of talks focused on the opportunities the technology can deliver for communities across the globe. The opportunities of AI are an area the UK government has placed a heavy focus on to kickstart 2025 – unveiling a new blueprint with 50 proposals in January which will spark a decade of national renewal. 

    Science and Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle said: 

    The focus of this Summit has been on how we can put AI to work in the public interest, and today’s announcements are living proof of how the UK is leading that charge through our Plan for Change.  

    We’ve already set out a bold new blueprint for AI which will help to spark a decade of national renewal, and key to that plan is supporting our expert researchers and businesses with the support they need to drive forward their game-changing innovations. 

    Today, we open new avenues for them to do exactly that – building bridges with our international partners so the entire global community can share in the boundless opportunities of AI-powered progress and backing new innovative companies applying AI to tackle real-world challenges.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    NHS innovation saved my life when I was diagnosed with cancer and treated by a world-class surgeon equipped with a robot. I want more patients to benefit from this kind of groundbreaking treatment, and AI will be central to our efforts.

    This new funding is another step to unlock the enormous potential of AI for cancer research and drug discovery – ensuring more patients like me experience the highest quality care.

    AI will help us speed up diagnoses, cut waiting times for patients and free up staff, as we deliver our Plan for Change and shift the NHS from analogue to digital.

    EuroHPC is a high-powered compute partnership which pools EU resources with those of participating states. Businesses and researchers will now be supported to participate in EuroHPC research grants in the development of supercomputers and in their deployment to tackle the most pressing scientific challenges, working in tandem with like-minded partners on the continent. UKRI will work with businesses and researchers to support them to apply for grants where match-funding is available.   

    The three projects being supported by the Research Ventures Catalyst (RVC) programme. 

    PharosAI

    £18.9 million government funding plus £24.7 million co-investment. PharosAI, whose King’s College London site is being visited by AI Minister Clark today, will bring together decades of NHS and Biobank data and host it on a unified, powerful, secure, AI platform. This will revolutionise cancer care by accelerating the development of the next generation of AI models which will deliver new breakthroughs for diagnosing and treating the disease – transforming outcomes for patients and saving lives. 

    Professor Anita Grigoriadis, Professor of Molecular and Digital Pathology at King’s College London, CEO of PharosAI said:  

    AI has the potential to revolutionise cancer care. The UK has a real opportunity to be a major innovator, leading to faster diagnosis, novel and more targeted cancer treatments, and better-informed healthcare for patients. PharosAI will democratise cancer AI and create an ecosystem to navigate the path to AI-powered precision medicine. Thanks to the RVC programme, we will build an unique operational approach between King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, Barts Health Trust and industry partners. Our innovative collaboration will accelerate scientific breakthroughs and bring vastly improved cancer care to tomorrow’s patients.

    Bind Research

    £12.9 million government funding plus £12.9 million co-investment. The team at Bind Research meanwhile will tap into AI to learn the rules of drugging currently undruggable proteins, offering hope to cure diseases that were once thought to be untreatable. It will do this by targeting disordered proteins associated with various diseases which could unlock scores of new avenues for treatment – potentially giving thousands of patients across the country a new lifeline. 

    Dr Gabi Heller, Dr Thomas Löhr, and Dr Gogulan Karunanithy, scientific co-founders, Bind Research said:

    The Research Ventures Catalyst Programme has been a game changer for Bind Research. It allowed us to reimagine our approach by adopting a not-for-profit Focused Research Organisation model – a strategy that, until now, was largely uncharted territory in the UK. This innovative structure enables us to harness collective expertise to deliver AI-enhanced tools and datasets as public goods to advance our mission of making disordered proteins druggable for everyone.

    MEMetic

    £6.1 million government funding plus £7.1 million co-investment. MEMetic will receive funding for work to revolutionise water management by combining nature’s highly evolved solutions with state-of-the-art polymer chemistry. This will support them to develop new solutions in a range of fields from lithium recovery in battery recycling, to facilitating clean water access – helping the world tackle the climate crisis. 

    Professor Alan Goddard and Dr Matthew Derry, Aston University said: 

    MEMetic represents the culmination of years of planning a significant, challenging, interdisciplinary research program which promises massive real-world benefits. This RVC award will allow us to leverage our fundamental science to create bespoke bioinspired filtration membranes for a range of industries. Such research really requires long term funding which is set up to take research to an applied setting and the Research Venture we envisage perfectly matches our philanthropic aims for water treatment for all.

    Notes to editors

    PharosAI is a joint venture between King’s College London, Queen Mary University of London, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and Barts Health NHS Trust. 

    MEMetic is led by researchers at the Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence at Aston University.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

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

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Road safety works get underway across northern Tasmania

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    Upgrades are starting this week at the Frankford Road and Chapel Road junction in Harford, to improve safety and reduce the risk of crashes.

    The improvements are part of the latest $27.5 million investment by both the Australian and Tasmanian Governments under the national Road Safety Program, and are set to be completed by late May 2025.

    The existing junction will be changed to a standard T-junction with widening provided for road users to pass a vehicle turning right from Chapel Road onto Frankford Road.

    Under the same program, safety upgrades will also be made to the junction of Pipers River Road and Waddles Road in Karoola, and are expected to start in early March 2025. 

    Road users can expect some temporary traffic changes during the Harford junction upgrade including reduced speed limits and occasional lane closures during the 7:00 am to 6:00 pm working hours.

    Road users are asked to allow 15 minutes extra travel time and to follow the directions of traffic controllers and signs. More information about the project and the wider Road Safety Program can be found here.

    Quotes attributable to Federal Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Anthony Chisholm:

    “Nothing is more important than ensuring people who travel on Australia’s regional road network get home safely each time they travel. 

    “That’s why we’re backing this $27.5 million investment to make the Frankford Road and Chapel Road junction safer for locals and visitors to this part of Tassie. 

    “Through projects such as this one, we’re working with the Tasmanian Government to help keep everyone safe on the state’s roads.”

    Quotes attributable to Senator for Tasmania, Anne Urquhart:

    “The Australian Government is committed to improving road safety and significantly reducing the number of road deaths and serious injuries on our roads.”

    “While our government continues to prioritise road safety, I encourage all drivers to do their bit by driving to the conditions, slowing down, putting on a seatbelt, taking a break when you’re tired, and avoiding distractions.”

    Quotes attributable to Tasmanian Minister for Infrastructure, Kerry Vincent:

    “The upcoming junction upgrades demonstrate our commitment to improving safety for road users and reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads. 

    “We also look forward to starting work on the remaining junction upgrades included under the program, such as the Pipers River Road and Waddles Road junction in Karoola, which we expect to start in March this year.  

    “Feedback from local communities and other key stakeholders has been a key focus in identifying the improvements for each junction, and we’ve balanced that with ensuring the best road safety outcomes are achieved.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: China: Cook Islands’ relationship with Beijing ‘should not be restrained’

    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist

    China and the Cook Islands’ relationship “should not be disrupted or restrained by any third party”, says Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, as opposition leaders in Rarotonga express a loss of confidence in Prime Minister Mark Brown.

    In response to questions from the Associated Press about New Zealand government’s concerns regarding Brown’s visit to Beijing this week, Guo said Cook Islands was an important partner of China in the South Pacific.

    “Since establishing diplomatic relations in 1997, our two countries have respected each other, treated each other as equals, and sought common development, achieving fruitful outcomes in exchanges and cooperation in various areas,” he said.

    “China stands ready to work with the Cook Islands for new progress in bilateral relations.”

    Guo said China viewed both New Zealand and the Cook Islands as important cooperation partners.

    “China stands ready to grow ties and carry out cooperation with Pacific Island countries, including the Cook Islands,” he said.

    “The relationship between China and the Cook Islands does not target any third party, and should not be disrupted or restrained by any third party.”

    Information ‘in due course’
    Guo added that Beijing would release information about the visit and the comprehensive strategic partnership agreement “in due course”.

    Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun . . . “China stands ready to grow ties and carry out cooperation with Pacific Island countries.” Image: China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs/RNZ

    However, Cook Islanders, as well as the New Zealand government, have been left frustrated with the lack of clarity over what is in the deal which is expected to be penned this week.

    United Party leader Teariki Heather is planning a protest on February 17 against Brown’s leadership.

    He previously told RNZ that it seemed like Brown was “dictating to the people of the Cook Islands, that I’m the leader of this country and I do whatever I like”.

    Another opposition MP with the Democratic Party, Tina Browne, is planning to attend the protest.

    She said Brown “doesn’t understand the word transparent”.

    “He is saying once we sign up we’ll provide copies [of the deal],” Browne said.

    “Well, what’s the point? The agreement has been signed by the government so what’s the point in providing copies.

    “If there is anything in the agreement that people do not agree with, what do we do then?”

    Repeated attempts by Peters
    New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs office said Winston Peters had made repeated attempts for the government of the Cook Islands to share the details of the proposed agreement, which they had not done.

    Peters’ spokesperson, like Browne, said consultation was only meaningful if it happened before an agreement was reached, not after.

    “We therefore view the Cook Islands as having failed to properly consult New Zealand with respect to any agreements it plans to sign this coming week in China,” the spokesperson said.

    Prime Minister Brown told RNZ Pacific that he did not think New Zealand needed to see the level of detail they are after, despite being a constitutional partner.

    Ocean Ancestors, an ocean advocacy group, said Brown’s decision had taken people by surprise, despite the Cook Islands having had a long-term relationship with the Asia superpower.

    “We are in the dark about what could be signed and so for us our concerns are that we are committing ourselves to something that could be very long term and it’s an agreement that we haven’t had consensus over,” the organisation’s spokesperson Louisa Castledine said.

    The details that Brown has shared are that he would be seeking areas of cooperation, including help with a new inter-island vessel to replace the existing ageing ship and for controversial deep-sea mining research.

    Castledine hopes that no promises have been made to China regarding seabed minerals.

    “As far as we are concerned, we have not completed our research phase and we are still yet to make an informed decision about how we progress [on deep-sea mining],” she said.

    “I would like to think that deep-sea mining is not a point of discussion, even though I am not delusional to the idea that it would be very attractive to any agreement.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Economy – Global Barometers rise in February after falling in January – KOF

    Source: KOF Economic Institute

    The Global Barometers increase slightly in February, partially recovering the losses of the previous month. The results indicate a possible consolidation of these levels for the indicators, after an upward tendency was indicated at the end of 2024.

    In February, the Coincident Global Barometer increases by 0.9 points to 95.2 points, while the Leading Barometer gains 0.8 points to reach 103.3 points. The rise in the Coincident Barometer is driven by the indicator for the Asia, Pacific & Africa region, and in the Leading Barometer by the indicators for the Asia, Pacific & Africa region and Europe. The Western Hemisphere remains at the highest level among the regions for both temporal horizons.

    “The most significant changes compared to last month are the increases of 0.7 and 0.8 points in the coincident and leading indicators for the Asia-Pacific and African regions, respectively. While the outlook for Europe has also improved (by 0.7 points), that for the Western Hemisphere has declined by the same amount. Nevertheless, only Asia-Pacific and Africa are worse off than a year ago. It will be interesting to see whether regional differences widen in the coming months in the current political environment”, evaluates Jan-Egbert Sturm, Director of KOF Swiss Economic Institute.

    Coincident Barometer – regions and sectors

    The 0.9-point increase in the Coincident Barometer in February results from the positive contribution of 0.7 points from the indicator for the Asia, Pacific & Africa region and 0.1 points from the indicators for Europe and the Western Hemisphere. The latter region maintains an increasing tendency for the fourth consecutive month to record its highest level since March 2022 (103.0 points). With this result, the Western Hemisphere is now more than 10 points above the indicator for the Asia, Pacific & Africa region.

    Among the Coincident sector indicators, only Services is moving in the opposite direction, while Construction, Trade, and Industry drive this month’s increase, while the Economy (aggregated business and consumer evaluations) remains virtually stable.

    Leading Barometer – regions and sectors

    The Leading Global Barometer leads the world economic growth rate cycle by three to six months on average. In February, the Asia, Pacific & Africa region and Europe contribute positively to the aggregate result with 0.8 and 0.7 points, respectively. In contrast, the indicator for the Western Hemisphere contributes negatively with -0.7 points, interrupting a sequence of three consecutive gains. All the regional indicators are now above 100 points, suggesting a moderately positive outlook for world economic growth in the coming months.

    Among the Leading sector indicators, only the indicator for Economy loses ground this month, which is its second consecutive decrease. The stronger growth in the Construction sector stands out in the first two months of 2025, with the indicator recording a high level of optimism for the coming months.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: As Trump abandons the old world order, NZ must find its place in a new ‘Pax Autocratica’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Ogden, Associate Professor in Global Studies, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    Donald Trump is moving rapidly to change the contours of contemporary international affairs, with the old US-dominated world order breaking down into a multipolar one with many centres of power.

    The shift already includes the US leaving the World Health Organization and the Paris Climate Accords, questioning the value of the United Nations, and radical cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

    Such a new geopolitical age also involves an assertion of raw power, with Trump using the threat of tariffs to assert global authority and negotiating positions.

    While the US is not significantly less powerful, this new era may see it wield that power in more openly self-interested and isolationist ways. As new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio put it in January, “the post-war global order is not just obsolete – it is now a weapon being used against us”.

    With global democracy in retreat, the emerging international order looks to be moving in an authoritarian direction. As it does, the position of New Zealand’s vibrant democracy will come under mounting pressure.

    But world orders have come and gone for millennia, reflecting the ebb and flow of global economic, political and military power. Looking back to previous eras, and how countries and cultures responded to shifting geopolitical realities, can help us understand what is happening more clearly.

    An evolving world order

    Previous orders have often focused on specific centres – or “poles” – of power. These include the Concert of Europe from 1814 to 1914, the bipolar world of the Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union, and the unipolar world of American dominance after the end of the Cold War and since the September 11 attacks in 2001.

    Periods of single-power dominance (or hegemony) are referred to as a “pax”, from the Latin for “peace”. We have seen the Pax Romana of the Roman Empire (27 BCE to 180 AD), multiple Pax Sinicas around China (most recently the Qing Dynasty 1644 to 1912), Pax Mongolica (the Mongol Empire from 1271 to 1368) and Pax Britannica (the British Empire from 1815 to 1924).

    It is the Pax Americana of the US, from 1945 to the present, that Trump seems bent on dismantling. We now live in an international order that is visibly in flux. With autocracy on the rise and the US at is vanguard, a “Pax Autocratica” is emerging.

    This is accentuated by the rapid rise of Asia as the main sphere of economic and military growth, particularly China and India. The world’s two most populous countries had the world’s largest and third largest economies respectively in 2023, and the second and fourth highest levels of military spending.

    The simultaneous rise of multiple power centres was already challenging the Pax Americana. Now, a new international order appears to be a certainty, with Trump openly adapting to multipolarity. Several major powers now compete for global influence, rather than any one country dominating.

    China’s preference for a multipolar international order is shared by India and Russia. Without one dominant entity, it will be the political and social basis of this order, as determined by its major actors, that matters most – not who leads it.

    Pax Democratica

    The current (now waning) international order has been underpinned by specific social, political and economic values stemming from the national identity and historical experience of the US.

    According to US political expert G. John Ikenberry, former president Woodrow Wilson’s agenda for peace after the first world war sought to “reflect distinctive American ideas and ideals”.

    Woodrow imagined an order based on collective security and shared sovereignty, liberal principles of democracy and universal human rights, free trade and international law.

    As its dominance and military strength increased in the 20th century, the US also provided security to other countries. Such power enabled Washington to create open global trade markets, as well as build core global institutions like the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organization, United Nations and NATO.

    For Ikenberry, this Pax Americana (we might call it a Pax Democratica) rested on consent to the US’s “provision of security, wealth creation, and social advancement”. This was aided by the its more than 800 military bases in over 80 countries.

    The democratic deficit

    Trump undercuts the central tenets of this liberal world order and accelerates a slide towards authoritarianism. Like Russia, India and China, the US is also actively constraining human rights, attacking minorities and weakening its electoral system.

    This democratic retreat leaves a country such as New Zealand in a global minority. If Trump targets the region or country with economic tariffs, that precariousness might increase.

    On the other hand, previous world orders have not been truly hegemonic. Pax Britannica did not encompass the entire world. Nor did Pax Americana, which didn’t include China, India, the former Soviet bloc, much of the Islamic world and many developing countries.

    This suggests pockets of democracy can survive within a Pax Autocratica, especially in a multipolar world which is more tolerant of political independence.

    The Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2023 Democracy Index ranked New Zealand, the Nordic countries, Switzerland, Iceland and Ireland highest because their citizens

    choose their political leaders in free and fair elections, enjoy civil liberties, prefer democracy over other political systems, can and do participate in politics, and have a functioning government that acts on their behalf.

    It is these countries that can be at the vanguard of democratic resilience.

    Chris Ogden is a Senior Research Fellow with The Foreign Policy Centre, London.

    – ref. As Trump abandons the old world order, NZ must find its place in a new ‘Pax Autocratica’ – https://theconversation.com/as-trump-abandons-the-old-world-order-nz-must-find-its-place-in-a-new-pax-autocratica-249358

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lee, Hageman Introduce Legislation to Protect Firearm Manufacturers and Dealers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Utah Mike Lee

    WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) has introduced the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act Jurisdiction Act, which protects law-abiding American firearm manufacturers and sellers by creating an independent basis for removing frivolous lawsuits against them to federal court, especially those predicated on illegal use of their products by unrelated third parties. Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) introduced the House version of the bill. It is co-sponsored by Sens. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Ted Budd (R-NC), Rick Scott (R-FL), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).   

    “We cannot allow law-abiding Americans to lose their Second Amendment rights through unjust attacks on those who legally make and sell firearms,” said Senator Lee. “This legislation will save businesses from frivolous lawsuits and forum-shopping by amending the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, defending the right of all Americans to keep and bear arms.”

    “Anti-Second Amendment activists have long used lawfare as a weapon to attack our constitutional rights,” said Rep. Hageman. “Throughout my time in Congress, I’ve consistently defended law-abiding gunowners. This legislation reinforces my commitment by ensuring radical gun-control advocates cannot hurt firearm manufactures by filing politically motivated cases in state courts.”

    BACKGROUND

    Enacted in 2005, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act provides a defense for gun manufacturers and dealers to use against frivolous suits when their products are legally manufactured and sold, but later used to commit crimes. However, because the PLCAA does not contain an independent basis for removal to federal court, state courts must look to the federal question jurisdiction statute (28 U.S.C. 1331) triggering the “well-pled complaint rule.” The “well-pled complaint rule” requires that the statutory basis for removal under 28U.S.C. 1331 be found on the face of the complaint filed by plaintiffs. Any answer or defense raised by the defendant is an insufficient basis for removal to federal court. This contrasts with the broader requirement of only a federal ingredient in either the claim or defense for Article III jurisdiction under the Constitution. State Attorneys General and plaintiffs have become creative in ensuring that complaints filed in state court do not trigger the well-pled complaint rule’s requirements for removal to federal court under the PLCAA. This necessitates adding an independent basis for removal of lawsuits against defendants who qualify for PLCAA protections.

    The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act Jurisdiction Act adds a provision to the PLCAA stating that cases filed in state court which meet the requirements for protection under the PLCAA can be removed to federal court so that gun manufacturers and dealers can qualify for the liability protections created by Congress. This legislation would further the PLCAA’s goal of ending abusive, frivolous litigation by reducing forum shopping and other attempts to weaponize our legal system against the firearms industry. 

    You can read the one-pager by clicking HERE. 

    You can read the bill text by clicking HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Airservices Australia announces first round of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Service Suppliers

    Source: Airservices Australia

    Airservices Australia has announced the first round of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Service Suppliers (USS) to connect to the new Flight Information Management System (FIMS), the data-sharing platform that will enable drones and other uncrewed aircraft to be seamlessly incorporated into Australian airspace. 

    Following a Request for Proposal in late 2024 seeking specialist USS technology providers to collaborate with Airservices, Australian owned and operated AvSoft and Yarra Drones, along with United States based OneSky, have been selected to participate in the first round of technical integration with the FIMS.  

    The FIMS will be at the core of Australia’s Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Traffic Management (UTM) ecosystem. It will enable Airservices to share flight information between air traffic control, traditional aircraft, and uncrewed airspace users. 

    With over 60 million drones predicted to be utilising Australian airspace by 2043, delivering the UTM ecosystem through cross government and industry collaboration will ensure a safe, efficient and harmonised airspace for both uncrewed and conventional aircraft.  

    In the lead up to Airservices’ FIMS going live in late 2025 and beyond, these partnerships will also play a critical role in collectively delivering cutting edge, digital UTM solutions for drone operators as industry providers integrate their platforms with the FIMS.  

    Supported by Airservices’ strategic partner Frequentis Australasia and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), the USS onboarding and integration process involves working together on end-to-end testing of FIMS capabilities, assuring technical and regulatory requirements and empowering the burgeoning uncrewed industry to thrive.  

    Airservices Australia Head of Transformation Uncrewed Services Integration, Luke Gumley, said this was a major milestone in developing the UTM ecosystem in Australia. 

    “We’re thrilled to be supporting the first cohort of UAS Service Suppliers and extend a warm welcome to OneSky, AvSoft and Yarra Drones as the expertise and experience they bring to the table is invaluable,” Luke said. 

    “We look forward to partnering with more USS through future onboarding rounds next year, which will benefit from the preliminary work we do with the first cohort. 

    “The forward leaning policy and regulatory frameworks, coupled with the collaboration between Airservices and industry in delivering open market UTM services connected to FIMS, positions Australia as a leader in enabling safe and sustainable growth of the drone and emerging aviation industries.” 

    For further information on Airservices’ work to support Australia’s UTM ecosystem visit our website. 

    About Airservices
    Airservices Australia is a government-owned organisation responsible for safely and efficiently managing air traffic in 11 per cent of the world’s airspace, as well as the provision of aviation rescue fire fighting services at Australia’s busiest airports. We are regulated by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and work closely with our customers and industry to support the long-term growth of the aviation industry.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Passaic County Man Charged With Threatening Flight Attendants On An Airplane

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey man was arrested for threatening flight attendants and crew members during an incident in which he refused to comply with flight attendant instructions, banged on the cockpit door, and called out and threatened the captain before being escorted off the flight by law enforcement to Newark Liberty International Airport, Acting United States Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Luis A. Vaquero, 27, of Passaic County, New Jersey, was charged by complaint in Newark federal court with one count of interference with flight crew members and attendants by assault or intimidation. He appeared before Magistrate Judge Stacey D. Adams in Newark, New Jersey federal court, and was released.

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

    On February 9, 2025, shortly after taking off on a flight from Miami, Florida, Vaquero began threatening and harassing various passengers, including making threats of physical violence toward a disabled minor and mocking a group of Jewish passengers. Vaquero also threatened a flight crew member who declined to serve Vaquero alcohol after the beverage service window closed, telling her, “You better watch out, shit’s gonna happen to you.”  Upon landing at Newark Liberty International Airport, flight attendants alerted law enforcement.  After hearing the announcement that the airplane was awaiting the arrival of law enforcement, Vaquero forced his way to the front of the plane and began banging on the flight deck door, demanding, “I need the pilot to come outside!”  When a flight attendant attempted to intervene, Vaquero yelled, “I will really break your fuckin’ jaw n***a!”  Vaquero also yelled, “I wanna see that fuckin’ captain!  Come outside you bitch ass n***a!”  When the captain emerged, Vaquero continued to make threats to the captain while six inches from his face until law enforcement intervened. 

    “The defendant is charged with threatening flight crew members and passengers while traveling to Newark. We are committed to keeping the skies safe for flying and will prosecute those who criminally interfere with the professionals responsible for ensuring passenger safety.”

    Acting United States Attorney Vikas Khanna

    “Over the course of a 3-hour flight, we allege Vaquero lost his temper and physically harassed not only the crew and captain, but passengers, making threats of physical violence toward a disabled minor and mocking a group of Jewish passenger.”  Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly said. “It all culminated in a terrifying attack and attempted breach of the flight deck when witnesses say he banged on the cockpit door and confronted the pilot.  The harrowing flight and other similar incidents onboard airplanes recently are creating tension and fear for fliers and crew members. FBI Newark has a warning for those who think it may not be a big deal—they’re breaking federal law, and they will be brought to justice.”

    The charge of interfering with flight crew members and attendants carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.

    Acting United States Attorney Vikas Khanna credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to the charge. He also thanked the Port Authority Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent of Police Edward T. Cetnar, for its assistance.

    The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering & Recovery Unit in Newark.

    The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

                                         ###

    Defense counsel: Adalgiza A. Nunez, Esq., Newark, New Jersey

    MIL Security OSI –