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Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Ends the Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    ENDING TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZATION OF BIASED MEDIA: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order ending the taxpayer subsidization of National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
    NPR and PBS receive tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds each year, primarily from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
    The Order ceases federal funding to NPR and PBS to the maximum extent allowed by law.
    It also ceases indirect funding to PBS and NPR by prohibiting local public radio and television stations and any other recipients of CPB funds from using taxpayer dollars to support these organizations.
    The Order mandates that the CPB revise its 2025 General Provisions to explicitly prohibit direct or indirect funding to NPR and PBS.
    It directs all federal agencies to terminate any direct or indirect funding to NPR and PBS and to review existing grants and contracts for compliance.
    The Order instructs the FCC and relevant agencies to investigate whether NPR and PBS have engaged in unlawful discrimination. 
    EXPOSING BIAS IN PUBLIC BROADCASTING: NPR and PBS have fueled partisanship and left-wing propaganda with taxpayer dollars, which is highly inappropriate and an improper use of taxpayers’ money, as President Trump has stated.
    Unlike in 1967, when CPB was established, today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse, and innovative news options, making government funding of news media outdated, unnecessary, and corrosive to journalistic independence.
    Moreover, while the CPB is legally mandated to be “nonpolitical [in] nature” and not “contribute to or otherwise support any political party,” both NPR and PBS make significant in-kind contributions to the Democrat party and its political causes.
    An NPR editor found that registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans 87 to zero in the newsroom’s editorial positions.
    NPR’s President and CEO admitted that she regards “truth” as a harmful “distraction” from NPR’s objectives.
    To illustrate its partisan capture, NPR management asked its editors to avoid the term “biological sex” when discussing transgender issues.
    NPR has run stories defending looting and suggesting that crime fears are racist and has described its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices as “inseparable” from its content.
    NPR refused to cover the Hunter Biden laptop story, calling it a waste of time and a distraction, despite that it was highly relevant to the presidential election.
    NPR repeatedly insisted COVID-19 did not originate in a lab and refused to explore the theory.
    The FBI, CIA, and Department of Energy have all since deemed the lab-leak theory the likely cause.

    NPR ran a Valentine’s Day feature around “queer animals,” in which it suggested the make-believe clownfish in “Finding Nemo” would’ve been better off as a female, that “banana slugs are hermaphrodites,” and that “some deer are nonbinary.”
    Research shows that “congressional Republicans faced 85% negative coverage, compared to 54% positive coverage of congressional Democrats,” on PBS’s flagship news program.
    Over a six-month period, PBS News Hour used versions of the term “far-right” 162 times, but “far-left” only 6 times.
    A PBS station featured drag queen Lil Miss Hot Mess on a program meant for kids ages 3-8.
    PBS produced a movie titled “Real Boy” which celebrates a transgender teen’s transition.  
    PBS show Sesame Street partnered with CNN for a town hall aimed presenting children with a one-sided narrative to “address racism” amid the Black Lives Matter riots.
    PBS’s coverage of the 2024 Republican National Convention was 72% negative, while its coverage of the 2024 Democratic National Convention was 88% positive.
    No media outlet has a Constitutional right to taxpayer subsidized operations, and it’s highly inappropriate for taxpayers to be forced to subsidize biased, partisan content.
    SAFEGUARDING TAXPAYER DOLLARS: President Trump is working to ensure taxpayer dollars are no longer wasted on progressive pet projects, but rather used to benefit hardworking Americans.
    President Trump established the “Department of Government Efficiency” to examine how to streamline the federal government, eliminate unnecessary programs, and reduce bureaucratic inefficiency.
    President Trump launched a 10-to-1 deregulation initiative, ensuring every new rule is justified by clear benefits.
    President Trump terminated DEI discrimination in the federal workforce, and in federal contracting and spending.
    The Trump Administration is aggressively investigating Biden-era programs that wasted billions of taxpayer dollars on inefficient and politically-driven projects, including canceling unnecessary government contracts and grants that do not serve the national interest.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Loyalty Day and Law Day, U.S.A., 2025

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    class=”has-text-align-center”>BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    A PROCLAMATION
    The rule of law is the capstone of our constitutional order and the crown jewel of the American way of life.  Beginning with the ratification of the Constitution, people and nations near and far have looked to the United States as a guiding light of liberty and justice.  As our Nation commemorates Law Day, U.S.A., and Loyalty Day, we reaffirm our loyalty to the Constitution, and we renew our pledge to preserve and protect our glorious inheritance of fairness, equality, and freedom against all threats, foreign and domestic.
    For centuries, the world has revered America for its devotion to the timeless principle of equal justice under the law.  Tragically, in recent years, our constitutional heritage faced an existential threat from a political class that abandoned justice in favor of political retribution.  Under the previous administration, Federal law enforcement agencies outrageously allowed violent criminals to roam our streets with impunity while targeting parents, churchgoers, political opponents, and ordinary citizens.  This weaponization of our Government is a threat to our sovereignty and is antithetical to our Nation’s most sacred principles, reminiscent of evil communist regimes.
    This erosion of the American justice system ended the moment I took the oath of office.  Under my leadership, our Federal law enforcement agencies are again being guided by the cornerstone American principles of fairness and impartiality — and the constitutional rights of every American citizen are being swiftly restored.
    As we continue the work to restore justice in our courtrooms, order on our streets, and respect for our laws, we solemnly remember the more than 100 million victims of communism in the 20th century whose lives were viciously taken, and we stand in solidarity with the innumerable people across the world currently under captivity by communist leaders.
    First proclaimed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1955, Loyalty Day was inaugurated to directly counter commemorations of May Day — which was frequently celebrated by communist groups — and to serve as a beacon of hope to all those still blighted by the horrors and injustices of communism and tyranny.  To this day, America is a living reminder that the precepts of our Nation’s Founding will always transcend the evils wrought by communism and dictatorship.  As President Ronald Reagan famously remarked in his 1989 Farewell Address, our Nation stands before the entire world as a “tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace.”
    For nearly 250 years, the United States had proudly carried forth a grand tradition of legal and political thought stretching back to the earliest days of Western civilization.  Today, we acknowledge that our commitment to the constitutional rule of law is our pride, our glory, and an enduring source of American greatness.  We recognize that love of country requires loyalty to country — and that a Nation without the free and impartial rule of law is not a Nation at all.  Above all, we vow to usher in a new era of justice, integrity, and honor in our culture, in our courtrooms, and in our halls of Government.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2025, as Loyalty Day, and in accordance with Public Law 87–20, as amended, as Law Day, U.S.A.  I call on all Americans to observe this day by reflecting upon the importance of the rule of law in our Nation and displaying the flag of the United States in support of this national observance, as well as by learning more about the proud history of our Nation.  I urge all Government officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings and grounds on this day.
         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
    DONALD J. TRUMP

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets Japan’s LDP Youth Division delegation

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-04-29
    President Lai meets NBR delegation  
    On the morning of April 29, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the National Bureau of Asian Research (NBR). In remarks, President Lai stated that as Taiwan stands at the very frontline of defense of global democracy, we are actively implementing our Four Pillars of Peace action plan, which includes continuing to enhance our national defense capabilities, demonstrating our commitment to defending freedom and democracy. The president said he hopes to further advance national security and industrial cooperation between Taiwan and the United States. He also expressed hope that this will help boost economic resilience for both sides and establish each as a key pillar of regional security, elevating our relations to even higher levels. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I am delighted to meet with Admiral John Aquilino again today. I also warmly welcome NBR President Michael Wills and our distinguished guests from the bureau to Taiwan. I look forward to exchanging views with you all on Taiwan-US relations and the regional situation. During his tenure as commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Aquilino placed much attention on the Taiwan Strait issue. And the NBR has conducted a wealth of research and analysis focusing on matters of regional security. Thanks to all of your outstanding contributions and efforts, the international community has gained a better understanding of the role Taiwan plays in the Indo-Pacific region and in global democratic development. For this, I want to extend my deepest gratitude. Taiwan stands at the very frontline of defending global democracy and is located at a strategically important location in the first island chain. We are actively implementing our Four Pillars of Peace action plan, which includes continuing to enhance our national defense capabilities, building economic security, demonstrating stable and principled cross-strait leadership, and standing side-by-side with the democratic community to jointly demonstrate the strength of deterrence and safeguard regional peace and stability. At the beginning of this month, I announced an increase in military allowances for volunteer service members and combat troops. The government will also continue to reform national defense and enhance self-sufficiency in defense. In addition, we will prioritize special budget allocations to ensure that Taiwan’s defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP. These efforts continue to strengthen Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities and demonstrate our commitment to defending freedom and democracy. As we mark the 46th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act, we thank the US government for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan and strengthening the Taiwan-US partnership over the years. We believe that, in addition to engaging in military exchanges and cooperation, Taiwan and the US can build an even closer economic and trade relationship, boosting each other’s economic resilience and establishing each as a key pillar of regional security. I expect that your continued assistance will help advance national security and industrial cooperation between Taiwan and the US, elevating our relations to even higher levels. Once again, I welcome our distinguished guests to Taiwan and wish you a pleasant and successful trip. I hope that through this visit, you gain a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of Taiwan’s economy and national defense. Admiral Aquilino then delivered remarks, thanking the Ministry of National Defense for the invitation and President Lai for receiving and spending time with them. Mentioning that this is his second visit in five months, he said he continues to be incredibly impressed with the president’s leadership and the actions he has taken to secure Taiwan and defend its people. Admiral Aquilino said that he has watched the efforts of the ministers on whole-of-society defense to demonstrate deterrence and added that the pace of the work is nothing short of inspiring. Admiral Aquilino noted that Taiwan’s thriving democracy is incredibly important to the peace and stability of the region. He stated that he, alongside the NBR, will continue to offer support, noting that President Wills and his team are an asset to Taiwan and the US that helps continue our close relationship and ensure peace and stability in the region.  

    Details
    2025-04-28
    President Lai meets Japanese Diet Member and former Minister of State for Economic Security Takaichi Sanae
    On the afternoon of April 28, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Member of the Japanese House of Representatives and former Minister of State for Economic Security Takaichi Sanae. In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of Japan for repeatedly emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at important international venues. The president expressed hope that in the face of China’s continually expanding red supply chains, Taiwan and Japan can continue to cooperate closely in such fields as semiconductors, energy, and AI technology to create non-red supply chains that enhance economic resilience and industrial competitiveness for both sides, and jointly pave the way for further prosperity and growth in the Indo-Pacific region. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: First, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Representative Takaichi as she returns for another visit to Taiwan. I am also very happy to have Members of the House of Representatives Kikawada Hitoshi and Ozaki Masanao, and Member of the House of Councillors Sato Kei all gathered together here to engage in these very important exchanges. Our visitors will be taking part in many exchange activities during this trip. Earlier today at the Indo-Pacific Strategy Thinktank’s International Political and Economic Forum, Representative Takaichi delivered a speech in which she clearly demonstrated the great importance she places upon the friendship between Taiwan and Japan. For this I want to express my deepest appreciation to each of our guests. The peoples of Taiwan and Japan have a deep friendship and mutual trust. We have a shared commitment to the universal values of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights, but beyond that, we both have striven to contribute to regional peace and stability. I also want to thank the government of Japan for repeatedly emphasizing the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait at important international venues. Tomorrow you will all make a trip to Kaohsiung to visit a bronze statue of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, who once said, “If Taiwan has a problem, then Japan has a problem.” We will always remember the firm support and friendship he showed Taiwan. Since taking office last year, I have worked hard to improve Taiwan’s whole-of-society defense resilience and implement our Four Pillars of Peace action plan. By strengthening our national defense capabilities, building up economic security, demonstrating stable and principled cross-strait leadership, and deepening partnerships with democratic countries including Japan, we can together maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and across the Taiwan Strait. At the same time, in the face of China’s continually expanding red supply chains, we hope that Taiwan and Japan, as important economic and trade partners, can continue to cooperate closely in such fields as semiconductors, energy, and AI technology to create non-red supply chains that further enhance economic resilience and industrial competitiveness for both sides. Going forward, Taiwan will work hard to play an important role in the international community and contribute its key strengths. I hope that, with the support of our guests, Taiwan can soon accede to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and sign an economic partnership agreement (EPA) with Japan so that we can jointly pave the way for further prosperity and growth in the Indo-Pacific region. Lastly, I thank each of you once again for taking concrete action to support Taiwan. I am confident that your visit will help deepen Taiwan-Japan ties and create even greater opportunities for cooperation. Let us all strive together to keep propelling Taiwan-Japan relations forward.  Representative Takaichi then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai and Taiwanese political leaders for the warm hospitality they extended to the delegation, and mentioning that the visiting delegation members are all like-minded partners carrying on the legacy of former Prime Minister Abe. July 8 this year will mark the third anniversary of the passing of former Prime Minister Abe, she said, and when the former prime minister unfortunately passed away, President Lai, then serving as vice president, was among the first to come offer condolences, for which she expressed sincere admiration and gratitude. Representative Takaichi stated that Taiwan and Japan are island nations that face the same circumstances and problems, and that Japan’s trade activities rely heavily on ocean transport, so once a problem arises nearby that threatens maritime shipping lanes, it will be a matter of life and death for Japan. Taiwan and Japan are similar, as once a problem arises, both will face food and energy security issues, and supply chains may even be threatened, she said. Regarding Taiwan-Japan cooperation, Representative Takaichi stated that both sides must first protect and strengthen supply chain resilience. President Lai has previously said that he wants to turn Taiwan into an AI island, she said, and in semiconductors, Taiwan has the world’s leading technology. Representative Takaichi went on to say that Taiwan and Japan can collaborate in the fields of AI and semiconductors, quantum computing, and dual-use industries, as well as in areas such as drones and new energy technologies to build more resilient supply chains, so that if problems arise, we can maintain our current standard of living with peace of mind. Representative Takaichi indicated that cooperation in the defense sector is also crucial, and that by uniting like-minded countries including Taiwan, the United States, Japan, the Philippines, and Australia, and even countries in Europe, we can build a stronger network to jointly maintain our security guarantees. Representative Takaichi expressed hope that Taiwan and Japan will continue to strengthen substantive non-governmental relations, including personnel exchange visits and information sharing, so that we can jointly face and respond to crises when they arise. Regarding the hope to sign a Taiwan-Japan EPA that President Lai had mentioned earlier, she also expressed support and said she looks forward to upcoming exchanges and talks. The visiting delegation also included Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association Taipei Office Chief Representative Katayama Kazuyuki.

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai delivers remarks at International Holocaust Remembrance Day event
    On the afternoon of April 23, President Lai Ching-te attended an International Holocaust Remembrance Day event and delivered remarks, in which he emphasized that peace is priceless, and war has no winners, while morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. The president stated that Taiwan will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability, defending democracy, freedom, and human rights. He said we must never forget history, and must overcome our differences and join in solidarity to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Upon arriving at the event, President Lai heard a testimony from the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor, followed by a rabbi’s recitation of the prayer “El Maleh Rachamim.” He then joined other distinguished guests in lighting candles in memory of the victims. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: To begin, I want to thank the Israel Economic and Cultural Office (ISECO) in Taipei, German Institute Taipei, Taiwan Foundation for Democracy, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs for co-organizing this deeply significant memorial ceremony again this year. I also want to thank everyone for attending. We are here today to remember the victims of the Holocaust, express sympathy for the survivors, honor the brave individuals who protected the victims, and acknowledge all who were impacted by this atrocity. It was deeply moving to hear Ms. [Orly] Sela share the story of how her grandmother, Yehudit Biksz, escaped the Nazi regime. I want to thank her specially for traveling so far to attend this event. From the 1930s through World War II, the Nazi regime sought to exclude Jewish people from society. In their campaign, they perpetrated systematic genocide driven by their ideology. Policies and directives under the authoritarian Nazi regime resulted in the deaths of approximately 6 million Jews. Millions of others were persecuted, including Romani people, persons with disabilities, the gay community, and anyone who disagreed with Nazi ideology. It is one of the darkest chapters in human history. Many countries, including Taiwan, have enacted anti-massacre legislation, and observe a remembrance day each year. Those occasions help us remember the victims, preserve historical memory, and most importantly, reinforce our resolve to fight against hatred and discrimination. Twenty-three years ago, Chelujan (車路墘) Church in Tainan founded the Taiwan Holocaust Memorial Museum. It is the first Jewish museum in Taiwan, and the second Holocaust museum in Asia. Its founding mission urges us to forget hatred and love one another; put an end to war and advocate peace. Many of the exhibition items come from Jewish people, connecting Taiwan closer with Israel and helping Taiwanese better understand the experiences of Jewish people. In this way, we grow to more deeply cherish peace. When I was mayor of Tainan, I took part in an exhibition event at Chelujan Church. I was also invited by the Israeli government to join the International Mayors Conference in Israel, where I visited the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. I will never forget how deeply that experience moved me, and as a result, peace and human rights became even more important issues for me. These issues are valued by Taiwan and our friends and allies. They are also important links connecting Taiwan with the world. Peace is priceless, and war has no winners. We will continue to expand cooperation with democratic partners and safeguard regional and global peace and stability. We will also continue to make greater contributions and work with the international community to defend democracy, freedom, and human rights. This year also marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. However, we still see wars raging around the world. We see a resurgence of authoritarian powers, which could severely impact global democracy, peace, and prosperous development. Today’s event allows for more than reflection on the past; it also serves as a warning for the future. We are reminded of the threats that hatred, prejudice, and extremism pose to humanity. But we are also reminded that morality, democracy, and respect for human rights are powerful forces against violence and tyranny. We must never forget history. We must overcome our differences and join in solidarity for a better future. Let’s work together to ensure that the next generations live in a world that is more just and more peaceful. Also in attendance at the event were Member of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) and Taiwan friendship group Chair Boaz Toporovsky, ISECO Representative Maya Yaron, and German Institute Taipei Deputy Director General Andreas Hofem.

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai pays respects to Pope Francis  
    On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te visited the Taipei Archdiocesan Curia to pay respects in a memorial ceremony for His Holiness Pope Francis. As officiant of the ceremony, President Lai burned incense and presented flowers, fruits, and wine to pay his respects to Pope Francis. At the direction of the master of ceremonies, the president then bowed three times in front of Pope Francis’s memorial portrait, conveying his grief and deep respect for the late pope. After hearing of Pope Francis’s passing on April 21, President Lai promptly requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to express sincere condolences from the people and government of Taiwan to the Vatican. The president also instructed Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) to convey condolences to the Holy See’s Apostolic Nunciature in Taiwan.  

    Details
    2025-04-23
    President Lai meets US CNAS NextGen fellows
    On the morning of April 23, President Lai Ching-te met with fellows from the Shawn Brimley Next Generation National Security Leaders Program (NextGen) run by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). In remarks, President Lai thanked the government of the United States for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. The president pointed out that we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US, and form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment and bring about even closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, allowing us to reduce the trade deficit and generate development that benefits both sides. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: Ms. Michèle Flournoy, chair of the CNAS Board of Directors, is a good friend of Taiwan, and she has made major contributions to Taiwan-US relations through her long-time efforts on various aspects of our cooperation. I am happy to welcome Chair Flournoy, who is once again leading a NextGen Fellowship delegation to Taiwan. CNAS is a prominent think tank focusing on US national security and defense policy based in Washington, DC. Its NextGen Fellowship has fostered talented individuals in the fields of national security and foreign affairs. This year’s delegation is significantly larger than those of the past, demonstrating the increased importance that the next generation of US leaders attach to Taiwan. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincerest welcome to you all. The Taiwan Strait, an issue of importance for our guests, has become a global issue. There is a high degree of international consensus that peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait are indispensable elements in global security and prosperity. Facing military threats from China, Taiwan proposed the Four Pillars of Peace action plan. First, we are actively implementing military reforms, enhancing whole-of-society defense resilience, and working to increase our defense budget to more than 3 percent of GDP. Second, we are strengthening our economic resilience. As Taiwan’s economy must keep advancing, we can no longer put all our eggs in one basket. We are taking action to remain firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence and marketing worldwide. In these efforts, we are already seeing results. Third, we are standing side-by-side with other democratic countries to demonstrate the strength of deterrence and achieve our goal of peace through strength. And fourth, Taiwan is willing, under the principles of parity and dignity, to conduct exchanges and cooperate with China towards achieving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. This April 10 marked the 46th anniversary of the enactment of the Taiwan Relations Act. We thank the US government for continuing its arms sales to Taiwan over the years, supporting Taiwan’s efforts to enhance its national defense capabilities and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. We look forward to Taiwan and the US continuing to strengthen collaboration on the development of both our defense industries as well as the building of non-red supply chains. This will yield even more results and further deepen our economic and trade partnership. The US is now the main destination for outbound investment from Taiwan. Moving forward, we will promote our “Taiwan plus one” policy, that is, new arrangements for Taiwan plus the US. And our government will form a “Taiwan investment in the US team” to expand investment. We hope this will bring Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation even closer and, through mutually beneficial assistance, allow us to generate development that benefits both our sides while reducing our trade deficit. In closing, thank you once again for visiting Taiwan. We hope your trip is fruitful and leaves you with a deep impression of Taiwan. We also hope that going forward you continue supporting Taiwan and advancing even greater development for Taiwan-US ties.  Chair Flournoy then delivered remarks, first thanking President Lai for making time to receive their delegation. Referring to President Lai’s earlier remarks, she said that it is quite an impressive group, as past members of this program have gone on to become members of the US Congress, leading government experts, and leaders in the think-tank world and in the private sector. She remarked that investing in this group is a wonderful privilege for her and that they appreciate President Lai’s agreeing to take the time to engage in exchange with them. Chair Flournoy emphasized that they are visiting Taiwan at a critical moment, when there is so much change and volatility in the geostrategic environment, a lot of uncertainty, and a lot of unpredictability. She stated that given our shared values, our shared passion for democracy and human rights, and our shared interests in peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, this is an important time for dialogue, collaboration, and looking for additional opportunities where we can work together towards regional peace and stability.

    Details
    2025-04-06
    President Lai delivers remarks on US tariff policy response
    On April 6, President Lai Ching-te delivered recorded remarks regarding the impact of the 32 percent tariff that the United States government recently imposed on imports from Taiwan in the name of reciprocity. In his remarks, President Lai explained that the government will adopt five response strategies, including making every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations, adopting a support plan for affected domestic industries, adopting medium- and long-term economic development plans, forming new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements, and launching industry listening tours. The president emphasized that as we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and expressed hope that all parties, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: My fellow citizens, good evening. The US government recently announced higher tariffs on countries around the world in the name of reciprocity, including imposing a 32 percent tariff on imports from Taiwan. This is bound to have a major impact on our nation. Various countries have already responded, and some have even adopted retaliatory measures. Tremendous changes in the global economy are expected. Taiwan is an export-led economy, and in facing future challenges there will inevitably be difficulties, so we must proceed carefully to turn danger into safety. During this time, I want to express gratitude to all sectors of society for providing valuable opinions, which the government regards highly, and will use as a reference to make policy decisions.  However, if we calmly and carefully analyze Taiwan’s trade with the US, we find that last year Taiwan’s exports to the US were valued at US$111.4 billion, accounting for 23.4 percent of total export value, with the other 75-plus percent of products sold worldwide to countries other than the US. Of products sold to the US, competitive ICT products and electronic components accounted for 65.4 percent. This shows that Taiwan’s economy does still have considerable resilience. As long as our response strategies are appropriate, and the public and private sectors join forces, we can reduce impacts. Please do not panic. To address the reciprocal tariffs by the US, Taiwan has no plans to adopt retaliatory tariffs. There will be no change in corporate investment commitments to the US, as long as they are consistent with national interests. But we must ensure the US clearly understands Taiwan’s contributions to US economic development. More importantly, we must actively seek to understand changes in the global economic situation, strengthen Taiwan-US industry cooperation, elevate the status of Taiwan industries in global supply chains, and with safeguarding the continued development of Taiwan’s economy as our goal, adopt the following five strategies to respond. Strategy one: Make every effort to improve reciprocal tariff rates through negotiations using the following five methods:  1. Taiwan has already formed a negotiation team led by Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君). The team includes members from the National Security Council, the Office of Trade Negotiations, and relevant Executive Yuan ministries and agencies, as well as academia and industry. Like the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, negotiations on tariffs can start from Taiwan-US bilateral zero-tariff treatment. 2. To expand purchases from the US and thereby reduce the trade deficit, the Executive Yuan has already completed an inventory regarding large-scale procurement plans for agricultural, industrial, petroleum, and natural gas products, and the Ministry of National Defense has also proposed a military procurement list. All procurement plans will be actively pursued. 3. Expand investments in the US. Taiwan’s cumulative investment in the US already exceeds US$100 billion, creating approximately 400,000 jobs. In the future, in addition to increased investment in the US by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, other industries such as electronics, ICT, petrochemicals, and natural gas can all increase their US investments, deepening Taiwan-US industry cooperation. Taiwan’s government has helped form a “Taiwan investment in the US” team, and hopes that the US will reciprocate by forming a “US investment in Taiwan” team to bring about closer Taiwan-US trade cooperation, jointly creating a future economic golden age.  4. We must eliminate non-tariff barriers to trade. Non-tariff barriers are an indicator by which the US assesses whether a trading partner is trading fairly with the US. Therefore, we will proactively resolve longstanding non-tariff barriers so that negotiations can proceed more smoothly. 5. We must resolve two issues that have been matters of longstanding concern to the US. One regards high-tech export controls, and the other regards illegal transshipment of dumped goods, otherwise referred to as “origin washing.” Strategy two: We must adopt a plan for supporting our industries. For industries that will be affected by the tariffs, and especially traditional industries as well as micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises, we will provide timely and needed support and assistance. Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) and his administrative team recently announced a package of 20 specific measures designed to address nine areas. Moving forward, the support we provide to different industries will depend on how they are affected by the tariffs, will take into account the particular features of each industry, and will help each industry innovate, upgrade, and transform. Strategy three: We must adopt medium- and long-term economic development plans. At this point in time, our government must simultaneously adopt new strategies for economic and industrial development. This is also the fundamental path to solutions for future economic challenges. The government will proactively cooperate with friends and allies, develop a diverse range of markets, and achieve closer integration of entities in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of industrial supply chains. This course of action will make Taiwan’s industrial ecosystem more complete, and will help Taiwanese industries upgrade and transform. We must also make good use of the competitive advantages we possess in such areas as semiconductor manufacturing, integrated chip design, ICT, and smart manufacturing to build Taiwan into an AI island, and promote relevant applications for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, as well as military, security and surveillance, next-generation communications, and the medical and health and wellness industries as we advance toward a smarter, more sustainable, and more prosperous new Taiwan. Strategy four: “Taiwan plus one,” i.e., new “Taiwan plus the US” arrangements: While staying firmly rooted in Taiwan, our enterprises are expanding their global presence and marketing worldwide. This has been our national economic development strategy, and the most important aspect is maintaining a solid base here in Taiwan. We absolutely must maintain a solid footing, and cannot allow the present strife to cause us to waver. Therefore, our government will incentivize investments, carry out deregulation, and continue to improve Taiwan’s investment climate by actively resolving problems involving access to water, electricity, land, human resources, and professional talent. This will enable corporations to stay in Taiwan and continue investing here. In addition, we must also help the overseas manufacturing facilities of offshore Taiwanese businesses to make necessary adjustments to support our “Taiwan plus one” policy, in that our national economic development strategy will be adjusted as follows: to stay firmly rooted in Taiwan while expanding our global presence, strengthening US ties, and marketing worldwide. We intend to make use of the new state of supply chains to strengthen cooperation between Taiwanese and US industries, and gain further access to US markets. Strategy five: Launch industry listening tours: All industrial firms, regardless of sector or size, will be affected to some degree once the US reciprocal tariffs go into effect. The administrative teams led by myself and Premier Cho will hear out industry concerns so that we can quickly resolve problems and make sure policies meet actual needs. My fellow citizens, over the past half-century and more, Taiwan has been through two energy crises, the Asian financial crisis, the global financial crisis, and pandemics. We have been able to not only withstand one test after another, but even turn crises into opportunities. The Taiwanese economy has emerged from these crises stronger and more resilient than ever. As we face this latest challenge, the government and civil society will work hand in hand, and I hope that all parties in the legislature, both ruling and opposition, will support the measures that the Executive Yuan will take to open up a broader path for Taiwan’s economy. Let us join together and give it our all. Thank you.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: New Zealand condemned for failing to make ICJ humanitarian case over Gaza genocide

    Asia Pacific Report

    The advocacy group Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa has condemned the New Zealand government fpr failing to make a humanitarian submission to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) hearings at The Hague this week into Israel blocking vital supplies entering Gaza.

    The ICJ’s ongoing investigation into Israeli genocide in the besieged enclave is now considering the illegality of Israel cutting off all food, water, fuel, medicine and other essential aid entering Gaza since early March.

    Forty three countries and organisations have been submitting this week — including the small Pacific country Vanuatu (pop. 328,000) — but New Zealand is not on the list for making a submission.

    Only Israel’s main backer, United States, and Hungary have argued in support of Tel Aviv while other nations have been highly critical.

    “If even small countries, such as Vanuatu, can commit their meagre resources to go to make a case to the ICJ, then surely our government can at the very least do the same,” said PSNA national co-chair Maher Nazzal.

    He said in a statement that the New Zealand government had gone “completely silent” on Israeli atrocities in Gaza.

    “A year ago, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister were making statements about how Israel must comply with international law,” Nazzal said

    NZ ‘avoided blaming Israel’
    “They carefully avoided blaming Israel for doing anything wrong, but they issued strong warnings, such as telling Israel that it should not attack the city of Rafah.

    “Israel then bombed Rafah flat. The New Zealand response was to go completely silent.

    Nazzal said Israeli ministers were quite open about driving Palestinians out of Gaza, so Israel could build Israeli settlements there.

    PSNA co-chair Maher Nazzal  . . . New Zealand response on Gaza is to “go completely silent”. Image: Asia Pacific Report

    “And they are just as open about using starvation as a weapon,” he added.

    “Our government says and does nothing. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had nothing to say about Gaza when he met British Prime Minister Keir Stamer in London earlier in the month.

    “Yet Israel is perpetuating the holocaust of the 21st century under the noses of both Prime Ministers.”

    Nazzal said that it was “deeply disappointing” that a nation which had so proudly invoked its history of standing against apartheid and of championing nuclear disarmament, yet chose to “not even appear on the sidelines” of the ICJ’s legal considerations.


    ICJ examines Israel’s obligations in Occupied Palestine.  Video: Middle East Eye

    “New Zealand cannot claim to stand for a rules-based international order while selectively avoiding the rules when it comes to Palestine,” Nazzal said.

    “We want the New Zealand government to urgently explain to the public its absence from the ICJ hearings.

    “We need it to commit to participating in all future international legal processes to uphold Palestinian rights, and fulfil its ICJ obligations to impose sanctions on Israel to force its withdrawal from the Palestinian Occupied Territory.”

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Archibald Packing Room Prize goes to Abdul Abdullah for Jason Phu portrait, among broader set of bold and deeply personal works

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joanna Mendelssohn, Honorary Senior Fellow, School of Culture and Communication. Editor in Chief, Design and Art of Australia Online, The University of Melbourne

    Winner Packing Room Prize 2025, Abdul Abdullah ‘No mountain high enough’, oil on linen, 162.4 x 136.7cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter

    More than 50 years ago, when I was a junior curatorial assistant at the Art Gallery of NSW, I had the daunting experience of hanging the annual Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes.

    At the time the professional staff held the exhibitions in such disregard, they complained about the news media’s interest in this mediocrity while ignoring more worthy events.

    Attitudes changed in the 1980s with the late director Edmund Capon, who recognised popularity was an asset – not a disadvantage.

    Capon raised the prize money with sponsorships and started charging the public to see the winners. His strategy proved so successful that the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman exhibitions are now a significant source of revenue for the gallery.

    This year, the highly experienced Beatrice Gralton, Senior Curator of Contemporary Australian Art, has curated the exhibitions with support from a crew of more than 40 colleagues.

    Packing Room Prize goes to Abdul Abdullah

    In the 1970s, the media was refused access to the exhibitions until just before the winner was announced. Now it is actively courted with a public viewing of the works that survive the rigorous culling process.

    This takes place a week before the final judging, when the Packing Room Prize is announced. The changing status of this prize is also evidenced by changing personnel. Those who did the physical work of packing and loading artworks in the past were not expected to know much about art – and often gave the prize to paintings that would otherwise not be hung.

    In 2025, the specialist installation crew that handles the portraits in the packing room are most likely to be professional artists themselves – a reminder that most artists need another gig to stay afloat.

    This year’s Packing Room Prize winner is Abdul Abdullah’s portrait of fellow artist Jason Phu, No mountain high enough. There is a glorious irony in this, as Abdullah has long been a critic of the self-important art establishment.

    Winner Packing Room Prize 2025, Abdul Abdullah ‘No mountain high enough’, oil on linen, 162.4 x 136.7cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.

    His work is a riff on the heroic paintings of 19th century landscapes, except for the flock of twittering birds that surround the head of the solitary rider, a bit like a halo.

    His subject, fellow artist Phu, has to be seen as a serious contender for the main prize, which will be announced on May 9. Phu’s portrait of actor Hugo Weaving – older hugo from the future fighting hugo from right now in a swamp and all the frogs and insects and fish and flowers now look on – has both the humour and energy that has long characterised his work.

    Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Jason Phu ‘older hugo from the future fighting hugo from right now in a swamp and all the frogs and insects and fish and flowers now look on’, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 183.2 x 152.5cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.

    But there are many serious contenders for this year’s prize. Kurdish refugee Mostafa Azimitabar first exhibited in the Archibald in 2022, with a self-portrait painted in coffee, with a toothbrush. Art became his refuge during the many years he spent incarcerated as an asylum seeker.

    He still uses a toothbrush, but has used paint for his wonderfully fierce painting of a taut Grace Tame, appropriately named The definition of hope.

    Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Mostafa Azimitabar ‘The definition of hope’, oil on linen, 198.5 x 137.3cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.

    Then there’s Kaylene Whiskey’s delightful self-portrait From comic to canvas, which manages to include images of her heroines, Dolly Parton and Tina Turner.

    Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Kaylene Whiskey ‘From comic to canvas’, synthetic polymer paint and book pages on plywood, 79.8 x 114.3cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter, Kaylene Whiskey.

    Not all works are so strident, however. Lucila Zentner’s Wendy in the gallery, is a subdued portrait of fellow artist Wendy Sharpe, placing her in the context of her art, almost as a decoration.

    Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Lucila Zentner ‘Wendy in the gallery’, oil on canvas, 60.3 x 50.5cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.

    A suite of diverse storytelling

    As is spelt out in J.F. Archibald’s will, the judges of the Archibald Prize must be the trustees of the gallery, and no one else may interfere in their decision.

    However, for decades after a spectacular court case resulting from the 1943 Archibald, the trustees were so nervous of litigation that the final judging was administered by the NSW electoral office. In a court case in 1944, plaintiffs claimed the trustees’ 1943 decision was a breach of trust as the winning painting wasn’t a portrait. And one trustee claimed he had accidentally voted for the winner, thinking he was voting against it.

    Today, all decisions are made in-house. Court cases have been fought over whether entries were paintings (or not), painted from life (or not), selected by the trustees (or not). In 1990 Sidney Nolan had to withdraw his entry after it was pointed out he could not be described as a “resident in Australasia for 12 months preceding the date of entry”.

    But once the entry conditions are met, the curator has a free hand. This year, Gralton has hung all three exhibitions on the premise they are “about stories and storytelling”.

    There is the joyous extravagance of Meagan Pelham’s Magic Nikki and Charlie fancy pants party … Djaaaaaaaay, the stark analysis of Chris O’Doherty’s Self-portrait with nose tube, and the wildly painterly approach of Loribelle Spirovski’s Finger painting of William Barton.

    Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Loribelle Spirovski ‘Finger painting of William Barton’, oil on canvas, 182.6 x 137cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.

    In the Sulman prize exhibition – awarded for best subject painting, genre painting or mural project – the once academic modernist Mitch Cairns has gone full conceptual with his stark Narrow cast (studio mural). It looks like something straight out of the 1970s Art & Language movement.

    But my money is on Thom Roberts’ Mrs Picture Book and the three bears, a painting as a book, in three canvases.

    Sulman Prize 2025 finalist, Thom Roberts ‘Mrs Picture Book and the three bears’, triptych: synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 120 x 106.5 x 13cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Diana Panuccio.

    The Wynne prize is for both Australian landscapes and sculptures. This year there are many three-dimensional works, ranging from the elaborate Billy Bain to the almost agonised restraint of Heather B. Swann.

    Lucy Culliton’s Cliff Hole, Bottom Bullock, hangs alongside Betty Muffler’s Ngangkaṟi Ngura – healing Country – both paintings of Country.

    Wynne Prize 2025 finalist, Betty Muffler ‘Ngangkaṟi Ngura – healing Country’, synthetic polymer paint on linen, 197.3 x 243.5cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Diana Panuccio.

    Then there is Mehwish Iqbal’s beautiful, delicate Zameen muqaddas (sacred earth), a pen and ink contrast of fine botanical drawing and delicate wash, all on handmade paper.

    Wynne Prize 2025 finalist, Mehwish Iqbal ‘Zameen muqaddas (sacred earth)’, watercolour and ink on handmade paper, 18 parts: 30 x 30cm each; 152 x 120cm overall © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Diana Panuccio.

    While artist Elizabeth Pulie has already judged the Sulman prize, the judging for the Archibald and Wynne will be finalised early morning on May 9. This year’s result is anyone’s guess.

    Joanna Mendelssohn has in the past received funding from the ARC.

    – ref. Archibald Packing Room Prize goes to Abdul Abdullah for Jason Phu portrait, among broader set of bold and deeply personal works – https://theconversation.com/archibald-packing-room-prize-goes-to-abdul-abdullah-for-jason-phu-portrait-among-broader-set-of-bold-and-deeply-personal-works-253747

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The Liberals’ women problem may seem intractable, but here’s what they could learn from the Teals

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Hayman, PhD Candidate and Casual Academic in Politics, La Trobe University

    The impression of the Liberal Party as out of touch with women persists in this year’s election.

    The party’s “women problem” was brought into sharp focus by the backlash to its now-abandoned policy to stop public servants working from home.

    Then there was a candidate claiming women should be removed from the military, and misogynistic social media posts from a Liberal campaign manager. These recurring issues suggest there are larger problems that have not been dealt with.

    Until the party does so, Liberal claims of broad representation remain in doubt. It also makes the party more vulnerable to independent insurgencies, making its path to majority government unclear.

    My new research shows how a key Liberal weakness became an independent success for “Teal” candidates. The results provide key lessons for the Liberals on how the Teal campaigns that won against them in the previous election recruited women to their movement.



    Read more:
    When ‘equal’ does not mean ‘the same’: Liberals still do not understand their women problem

    An intractable problem

    The Liberal Party has long had a lack of female representation in its ranks.

    Although only 29% of federal Liberal MPs are women, the party has been reluctant to adopt gender quotas.

    It’s instead adopted a gender parity by 2025 target, which will almost certainly not be met. Recent research has shown women still make up only one in three Liberal candidates and are less likely to run in safe seats.

    A review of gender within the Liberal Party in 2020 found women made up 34.8% of Young Liberals and only 23.4% of branch presidents or similar leaders. Despite targets, these numbers have remained sticky.

    Recruiting more women to take up positions throughout the organisation is vital. Without this, parties have a smaller pool of prospective women candidates and are less likely to preselect women.

    My study

    As part of my recently published study, I conducted 55 interviews in 2022 with volunteers, campaigners and candidates to examine how Teal campaigns recruited.

    This study found women’s social and professional networks are vital for recruitment, for everyone from boots-on-the-ground volunteers to candidates.

    Recruiting through personal networks is more effective than other means often used, such as individuals signing themselves up alone. Interviewees gave examples of recruiting their friends and family members into independent campaigns, like the woman who designed the graphics for a campaign because she was an old schoolmate of the candidate.

    People’s social networks are often full of people who are similar to them. Among the independents, the women who volunteered were often skilled professionals, who recruited other professional women.

    This recruitment developed organically through friendships and colleagues. Interviewees gave examples, such as a volunteer who:

    […] invited eight or ten of her own friends, who she knew were pretty well onside, but asked them to bring friends to that gathering, which ended up being 50 or so people.

    Many independent volunteers had also been active in local community organisations. As one interviewee put it:

    it’s women who get things done. It’s always the women who are organising barbecues and whatever needs to be done at school and whatever community organisation there is, whether it’s a community garden or a football club. It always seems to be women who just quietly go about the work.

    There is a long literature exploring who is a “joiner” and why that supports this approach. Women involved in other causes and organisations – political or not – are more likely to participate and be effective.

    Recruiting from civic organisations is not unique to independents. The Liberal Party effectively engaged with the Women’s Leagues in its formative years. Doing so again would likely provide volunteers who are well-known and connected in their communities, enthusiastic and full of expertise the campaigns could draw on.

    Women seeing potential in other women

    As the independent campaigns developed, they required supporters with specialist skills, such as website development. To find these people quickly, campaign leaders recruited trusted friends and professional contacts instead of advertising externally.

    This meant women were recruited directly to the higher levels of the campaign, making up the majority of leaders across the movement.

    In turn, these leaders shaped the candidate-selection processes, searching for “the candidate from central casting”, as one interviewee described Allegra Spender. Most saw a professional woman as the ideal candidate in 2022.

    Women are more likely to believe women candidates are electable, shaping who gets preselected to run as a candidate.

    Within the Liberal Party, women campaigned for more female candidates last year. To succeed in these factional battles, more women must hold leadership positions.

    The continued lack of progress on gender parity suggests the Liberal Party needs to do more to actively engage with the women who are already members of the party and engage with leaders across civic and political organisations that already exist within the community. Members may be their most important resource in achieving parliamentary gender parity.

    However, achieving this means first having women in the room. Independent interviewees viewed parties as masculine and hierarchical organisations.

    Dealing with this perception will be no easy feat, but must be the first step in any attempt to bring women back to the Liberal Party.

    Phoebe Hayman receives funding from an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship.

    – ref. The Liberals’ women problem may seem intractable, but here’s what they could learn from the Teals – https://theconversation.com/the-liberals-women-problem-may-seem-intractable-but-heres-what-they-could-learn-from-the-teals-254058

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace calls on Luxon to show leadership on dairy pollution as Canterbury floods highlight growing climate crisis

    Source: Greenpeace

    Greenpeace Aotearoa says that the damage caused by this week’s Canterbury floods is yet another reminder of the risk of continuing to ignore the climate crisis fuelled by the intensive dairy industry.
    This week, devastating floods swept through the Canterbury region, causing many at-risk areas in the Selwyn District to evacuate, and leading to the declaration of a state of emergency in Christchurch City and Banks Peninsula.
    Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Will Appelbe, who is based in Canterbury, says: “The damage caused by this extreme weather event is real, and will impact communities in Canterbury into the future. But neither is this the last time we will see flooding like this in our region.
    “As the climate crisis continues, we can expect to see storms like the one that battered the country this week increasing in intensity and happening more often – unless we take action to stop climate change from getting worse.
    “Here in Aotearoa, the worst climate polluter is the intensive dairy industry, led by Fonterra. The oversized dairy herd is belching out huge amounts of superheating methane gas, which heats the climate much faster than carbon dioxide.”
    “But as we’ve seen repeatedly in Canterbury, farmers are also among the first to directly experience the consequences of the climate crisis – with extreme weather events flooding their farms, or droughts leading to dry pastures.”
    “The way farming is done in Canterbury has to change. We need to transition away from intensive dairying that harms the climate and pollutes waterways, towards more ecological, plant-based farming practices. And Fonterra and our Government need to support that transition.”
    Since the 2023 election, Christopher Luxon’s Government has rolled back numerous policies that would have reduced New Zealand’s impact on the climate crisis, including several in the agricultural sector.
    “Cantabrians are seeing the consequences of inaction on climate change today,” says Appelbe. “This Government’s decisions have prioritised profit for a select few over a liveable future for us all.”
    “Luxon must show some leadership and reverse the anti-nature decisions he has made, particularly when it comes to our country’s worst climate polluter – the agricultural industry. Otherwise, the climate crisis will only get worse.”
    Greenpeace says that some of the communities being evacuated in the wake of this flood are also dealing with nitrate-contaminated drinking water as a result of intensive dairying.
    “If we change the way farming is done, we can prevent the worst of the climate crisis by reducing methane pollution from intensive dairy, and we can protect drinking water, lakes and rivers here in Canterbury, which are under threat from intensive dairy pollution.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 2, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 2, 2025.

    Unexpected humour and reflections on a complex past: my top 5 films from the 2025 German Film Festival
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudia Sandberg, Senior Lecturer, Technology in Culture and Society, The University of Melbourne Foreign audiences often associate German cinema with tragedy, trauma and death. Certainly, major historical events such as the second world war and the Fall of the Berlin Wall — cornerstones of German film —

    Explainer: what mental health support do refugees and asylum seekers get in Australia?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philippa Specker, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Refugee Trauma and Recovery Program, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock When Australia signed the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention, it committed to providing protection to people who have fled war, persecution and human rights violations. Refugees

    Dark money: Labor and Liberal join forces in attacks on Teals and Greens for Australian election
    Teals and Greens are under political attack from a new pro-fossil fuel, pro-Israel astroturfing group, adding to the onslaught by far-right lobbyists Advance Australia for Australian federal election tomorrow — World Press Freedom Day. Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon investigate. SPECIAL REPORT: By Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon On February 12 this year, former prime

    How the US ‘war on woke’ and women risks weakening its own military capability
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bethan Greener, Associate Professor of Politics, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a visit with Michigan Air National Guard troops, April 29. Getty Images With US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s “proud” cancellation this week of the military’s Women, Peace

    What are the symptoms of measles? How long does the vaccine last? Experts answer 6 key questions
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Williams, Paediatrician & Infectious Diseases Physician; Senior Lecturer & NHMRC Fellow, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney fotohay/Shutterstock So far in 2025 (as of May 1), 70 cases of measles have been notified in Australia, with all states and territories except Tasmania and the Australian Capital

    Logging devastated Victoria’s native forests – and new research shows 20% has failed to grow back
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maldwyn John Evans, Senior Research Fellow, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Old growth mountain ash forest in the Maroondah water supply catchment, Victoria. Chris Taylor Following the end of native logging in Victoria on January 1 2024, the state’s majestic forests might be

    Schools today also teach social and emotional skills. Why is this important? And what’s involved?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristin R. Laurens, Professor, School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology DGLImages/Shutterstock The school curriculum has changed a lot from when many parents and grandparents were at school. Alongside new approaches to learning maths and increasing attention on technology, there is a compulsory focus on

    As Dutton champions nuclear power, Indigenous artists recall the profound loss of land and life that came from it
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Goldman, Sessional Academic, School of Languages and Cultures, Discipline of French and Francophone Studies, University of Sydney Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s promise to power Australia with nuclear energy has been described by experts as a costly “mirage” that risks postponing the clean energy transition. Beyond this,

    Grattan on Friday: Key markers on the bumpy road to this election
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When we look back, we can see the road to election day has had a multitude of signposts, flashing red lights, twists, turns and potholes. Some came before the formal campaign; others in the final countdown days; some have been

    NZ doctors defend nationwide strike action over recruitment
    By Ruth Hill, RNZ News reporter Striking senior New Zealand doctors have hit back at the Health Minister’s attack on their union for “forcing” patients to wait longer for surgery and appointments, due to their 24-hour industrial action. Respiratory and sleep physician Dr Andrew Davies, who was on the picketline outside Wellington Regional Hospital, said

    Gallery: Doctors, health workers challenge NZ government over national crisis
    Asia Pacific Report Thousands of senior hospital doctors and specialists walked off the job today for an unprecedented 24-hour strike in protest over stalled contract negotiations and thousands of other health workers protested across Aotearoa New Zealand against the coalition government’s cutbacks to the public health service Te Whatu Ora. In spite of the disruptive

    The Coalition’s costings show some savings, but a larger deficit than Labor in the first two years
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bartos, Professor of Economics, University of Canberra The Coalition’s policy costings have been released, just two days ahead of the federal election. The costings show the Coalition would run up a larger budget deficit than Labor in the first two years of government, but make a

    Tourism to the US is tanking. Flight Centre is facing a $100m hit as a result
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anita Manfreda, Senior Lecturer in Tourism, Torrens University Australia Doubletree Studio/Shutterstock Flight Centre, one of the world’s largest travel agencies, has warned it could lose more than A$100 million in earnings this year, citing weakening demand for travel to the United States. In a statement to the

    The rise of right-wing Christian populism and its powerful impact on Australian politics
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elenie Poulos, Adjunct Fellow, Macquarie University As Australians cast pre-poll votes in record numbers, it is not only political parties and candidates who are trying to influence votes. Australian Christian Right (ACR) groups have produced “scorecards” that rate party policies according to so-called Christian values. And they

    Election quiz: have you been paying attention?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Digital Storytelling Team, The Conversation We’re at the tail end of five weeks of intense campaigning for the federal election. The major and minor parties, as well as independents, have thrown a slew of policies at the Australian people, most of which we’ve catalogued in our Policy

    Major YouGov poll has Labor easily winning a majority of seats in election
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A YouGov MRP poll has Labor clearly winning a majority of seats in the federal election – 84 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives.

    Which medications are commonly prescribed for autistic people and why?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hiran Thabrew, Senior Lecturer in Child Psychiatry and Paediatrics, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Arlette Lopez/Shutterstock Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition. Someone may have social and communication differences, sensory issues and/or restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour or interests. There has been increased awareness and an expanded

    How do candidates skirt Chinese social media bans on political content? They use influencers
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fan Yang, Research fellow at Melbourne Law School, the University of Melbourne and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society., The University of Melbourne This election, social media has been a major battleground as candidates try to reach younger voters. As Gen Z and

    Who would win in a fight between 100 men and 1 gorilla? An evolutionary expert weighs in
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Renaud Joannes-Boyau, Professor in Geochronology and Geochemistry, Southern Cross University Hung Hung Chih/Shutterstock The internet’s latest absurd obsession is: who would win in a no-rules fight between 100 average human men and one adult male gorilla? This hypothetical and strange question has taken over Reddit, TikTok, YouTube

    The global costs of the US-China tariff war are mounting. And the worst may be yet to come
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kai He, Professor of International Relations, Griffith University The United States and China remain in a standoff in their tariff war. Neither side appears willing to budge. After US President Donald Trump imposed massive 145% tariffs on Chinese imports in early April, China retaliated with its own

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: This NZ law aims to give people with criminal convictions a ‘clean slate’. It’s not working

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexander Plum, Senior Research Fellow, Auckland University of Technology

    Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock

    If you own a business, would you be willing to hire a person who has been convicted for a crime? Give them a chance when a background check shows they have a criminal record?

    The answers matter for both individuals and communities. For people who have paid their debt to society, rejoining it can hinge on getting a second chance without being judged on their past.

    It is not something they can really hide. Employers often conduct criminal background checks as part of the hiring process. People with criminal records face high levels of stigmatisation, making it harder to reenter their communities and make money legally.

    The thorny question of what to do with people with convictions when it comes to employment has been considered by policymakers and justice campaigners around the world.

    In the United States, more than 27 states have introduced “Ban the Box” legislation. While each law is unique, by and large they have eliminated the requirement to provide criminal background information in job applications.

    And a number of countries, including New Zealand, have implemented clean slate initiatives which help conceal criminal records for people who meet certain criteria.

    Our new research looks at whether New Zealand’s clean slate scheme increases the job prospects for eligible people.

    The clean slate reform was introduced as the Criminal Records Act in 2004. People who were previously convicted of minor offences can now have their criminal records automatically concealed if they can maintain a conviction-free record for seven years after their last sentence.

    The regulation excludes people who were involved in a serious offence (such as sexual misconduct) or who received a particularly punitive sentence (such as incarceration or an indefinite disqualification from driving).

    The Criminal Records Act allows eligible people with a conviction to wipe their slate clean seven years after their last sentencing.
    Shutterstock

    Clean slate and the labour market

    Our research started with the Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI), hosted by Statistics New Zealand (StatsNZ). This is a repository of records provided by different public and private agencies, including court charge data from the Ministry of Justice and tax records from Inland Revenue.

    StatsNZ uses specific characteristics of individuals (such as name and birth date) to identify them across the different datasets. This enables researchers to track the same individual’s data footprint across different administrative records.

    We used court charges data on all men convicted between 1992 and 2003 who had fulfilled the clean slate eligibility criteria. We then linked this pool of people with their Inland Revenue records to measure their employment and earnings.

    To identify the labour market impact of the clean slate policy, we compared the employment and earnings of those who completed their seven-year rehabilitation period (the treatment group) with individuals who become eligible some time later (control group).

    Limited benefits of clean slate scheme

    Our analysis found the clean slate scheme has no relevant impact on the likelihood of eligible individuals finding work. This could result from the length of time required between sentencing and being eligible for a clean slate. Seven years could simply be too long.

    But the clean slate scheme did create at least a 2% increase in eligible workers’ monthly wages and salaries – equivalent to a NZ$100 hike for an individual with an average monthly salary of $5,000.

    The increase in monthly earnings appears to be greater for workers with a stronger commitment to working and for those who remain with one company for longer periods.

    Global patterns

    The labour market effects of concealing past convictions have also been explored in the US. Recent research looked at a policy enacted in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Bexar County, Texas. Mirroring our own results, the authors do not find any relevant impact on gaining employment.

    Our findings indicate the concealment of past convictions through New Zealand’s clean slate scheme might happen too late to make a huge difference. But there are changes that can be made to improve work outcomes for people who have completed their sentences.

    This could include following the example of countries such as Finland, where access to criminal histories is much more restricted. In Finland, the background check has to be directly relevant to the job requirements. For example, the law allows checks for someone applying to work in the financial sector who was convicted of fraud.

    There would also be benefits from looking at the eligibility criteria for New Zealand’s clean slate scheme.

    Currently, it only applies to people who committed a minor offence. But policymakers should consider whether it makes sense to expand the policy to people who committed more serious crimes but managed to turn their life around. Making this change would allow people to reap the benefits of working without stigma.

    All that said, the government’s current “tough on crime” stance makes change unlikely, with a focus on the cost of crime rather than what happens after punishment has been completed.

    Kabir Dasgupta is affiliated with the Federal Reserve Board. The opinions expressed in this article does not reflect the views of the the Federal Reserve Board or the Federal Reserve System.

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

    – ref. This NZ law aims to give people with criminal convictions a ‘clean slate’. It’s not working – https://theconversation.com/this-nz-law-aims-to-give-people-with-criminal-convictions-a-clean-slate-its-not-working-254687

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Unexpected humour and reflections on a complex past: my top 5 films from the 2025 German Film Festival

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudia Sandberg, Senior Lecturer, Technology in Culture and Society, The University of Melbourne

    Foreign audiences often associate German cinema with tragedy, trauma and death. Certainly, major historical events such as the second world war and the Fall of the Berlin Wall — cornerstones of German film — are present in this year’s selection at the 2025 German Film Festival.

    Alongside these themes is a variety of contemporary topics, innovative fictional formats and strong documentary work. The increased presence of women in directing and producing roles also brings female experiences sharply into focus.

    Here are my highlights from this year’s programme.

    Riefenstahl (2024)

    Leni Riefenstahl (1902–2003), Hitler’s favourite filmmaker, has been a subject of controversy for decades – explored in documentaries such as The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993).

    Now, with access to new material from Riefenstahls’ private archive, director Andres Veiel and journalist Sandra Maischberger cast a fresh eye over this complex figure.

    Using extensive visual materials, they trace Riefenstahl’s journey from dancer to actress, to filmmaker and photographer – capturing everything from her pioneering cinematic techniques to her entanglement with political power and personal vanity. And they are not afraid to confront uncomfortable aspects of her past.

    Her claim to have endured an unwanted romantic pursuit by Nazi minister of propaganda Joseph Goebbels (first made in her 1987 memoir) appears in new light as an older Riefenstahl faces questioning from aggressive TV interviewers. She unflinchingly and fiercely maintains her version of events.

    Is Leni Riefenstahl a creative genius, a political victim, or an ignorant perpetrator? This film invites audiences to grapple with this old question anew — and perhaps come to their own conclusion.

    Montages depict Riefenstahl’s life from youth to old age, culminating in an image of an elderly lady who, even late in life, manipulates camera angles and lighting to ensure a more flattering appearance.

    Two to One (2024)

    Some German films such as Balloon (2018) or The Last Execution (2022) have a tendency to explore East Germans as either victims of oppression, or complicit with the regime of the German Democratic Republic.

    But there are also films that rebel against such simplification – such as Beauty and Decay (2019), Dear Thomas (2021) and Someday We’ll Tell Each Other Everything (2023) – to powerfully present the many dimensions of former East Germany and its people.

    Among them is Two to One, a thoughtful picture by director Nadja Brunckhorst, which fluctuates between thriller, comedy and melodrama. Based on a true story, this film remembers the delirious time between the Fall of the Berlin Wall and Reunification.

    It is July 1990, and just days after the deadline for exchanging East German marks to more valued West German marks at the exchange rate of 2:1. This halved the life savings of many East Germans.

    We follow a Hausgemeinschaft (community of renters) who discover millions of East German mark bills in an underground bunker. They cleverly use the more privileged members of their old and new worlds – sleek Western sales representatives and former East German diplomats – to transform the worthless bills into West mark and buy goods for everyone.

    Two to One stars Ronald Zehrfeld (also in the festival opener Long Story Short), Sandra Hueller and Peter Kurth in top form.

    Dying (2024)

    As a contender in the 2024 Berlin Film Festival (where it won best screenplay), and winner of the 2024 German Film Award, Dying comes highly recommended.

    Versatile German actor Lars Eidinger is cast as Tom, a youth orchestra conductor trying to pull off his best friend’s composition “Dying”. Not only does the performance never please the composer, his private world is also a mess.

    Tom is raising someone else’s child. His father (Hans-Uwe Bauer) suffers dementia. His sister Ellen (Lilith Stangenberg) can’t keep up with the expectations of their estranged parents. And his mother’s (Corinna Harfouch) thinly veiled contempt for her own son is visible in a breathtaking scene involving the seemingly innocent ritual of coffee and cake.

    But despite its weighty subject matter, humour appears in the most unexpected places.

    There is Ellen’s affair with her boss, a dentist, who ends up drunk in a bar — where she pulls one of his teeth. There is also the quietly absurd scene of her ageing parents trying to drive home from the supermarket: one nearly blind, the other unable to remember where they live.

    A film that uses absurdity and tenderness to break through emotional tension with surprising charm, Dying is a must see.

    I Want It All (2025)

    Singer and actress Hildegard Knef would have turned 100 this year.

    Knef was one of the most prominent and daring post-WWII West German female artists. Driven from a young age to become successful, she began her career in the 1946 rubble film, The Murderers Are Among Us.

    In her 2025 documentary I Want It All, director Luzia Schmidt captures Knef in rehearsals, at home, in the recording studio and through press photos. The film is a vivid portrait of an unapologetic woman constantly under scrutiny, as the German public seemed entitled to access every corner of her life.

    Knef comes across as sharp but self-aware. The artist discusses her stage fright and the art of holding an audience’s attention. Her candid remarks about undergoing plastic surgery, as a female artist navigating the ruthless entertainment industry, remain just as relevant today.

    Arguably the greatest assets of the film are the reflective comments from Knef’s daughter, Tinta, who speaks with empathy and kindness about her mother’s ambition and vulnerabilities.

    I Want It All is a treat for anyone who is familiar with Knef, and for those who want to know more about this grand dame of German culture.

    Cicadas (2025)

    An idyllic countryside in summer: a paradise retreat for some, and a prison for others.

    Isabell is the daughter of an architect, who is paralysed by a stroke. His beautifully designed house is in disrepair and no one can pay for it, but Isabell can’t get him to sell it. Meanwhile, Isabell’s marriage to her needy French husband Philippe is strained by a shared trauma.

    Anja, a single mum to young Greta, navigates a fragile existence. In a region with weak infrastructure, she moves between low-paying jobs, barely making ends meet.

    When the two women meet, their bond forms cautiously. Both are shaped by differences in class, age and life experience, yet there is a connection that bridges these divides.

    Carried by compelling performances by Saskia Rosenthal and Nina Hoss (the latter of whom had worked with director Ina Weisse in The Audition (2019)), Cicadas is a quiet drama about vulnerability and loss of control that evolves in the open landscapes of the Brandenburg region.

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

    – ref. Unexpected humour and reflections on a complex past: my top 5 films from the 2025 German Film Festival – https://theconversation.com/unexpected-humour-and-reflections-on-a-complex-past-my-top-5-films-from-the-2025-german-film-festival-254788

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: International visitors flock to Greater Bendigo

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    International visitors are spending more money and staying longer in the Bendigo Loddon region, according to the latest figures from Tourism Australia.

    New data for the year ending 2024 shows the region is almost back to pre-pandemic international tourist numbers and smashing international visitor spend records.

    There were 27,000 overnight international visitors compared to 16,000 in 2023. This is a 68 per cent increase. International visitor spending has significantly increased to $37 million, compared to $14 million ten years ago.

    City of Greater Bendigo Manager Economy & Experience James Myatt said the Bendigo Loddon region was a key destination of choice for international tourists visiting Victoria.

    “It is fantastic to see more people from overseas coming to the region and spending a lot more time here,” Mr Myatt said.

    “We know that international visitors are drawn to our Gold Rush heritage, arts and cultural experiences, farm stays, beautiful natural landscapes, and food and wine offerings.

    “Popular attractions amongst international visitors include Bendigo Tramways, Central Deborah Gold Mine, The Great Stupa, Bendigo Art Gallery, Bendigo Pottery, Dumawul Tours, and the Golden Dragon Museum.

    “Greater Bendigo is also a key destination on the Sydney Melbourne Inland Discovery drive, a self-drive touring route promoted primarily in the United States, UK, Europe, and New Zealand tourism markets throughout the year.

    “Over the past ten years, the City has focused on attracting and marketing major events and developing highly engaging destination marketing and activation campaigns.

    “The figures show strong growth in the international market and people want to visit Greater Bendigo for the range of experiences we offer all year round.

    “The survey results prove our strategies are working. The passion and commitment from many tourism operators contribute to this very positive trend.”

    The City has hosted over 50 travel agents from across the world over the past nine months, giving them the opportunity to experience attractions firsthand. That knowledge is shared with their teams and potential visitors from their countries.

    The City held a training session with Visit Victoria earlier this year to guide local tourism and service operators on how to attract international visitors.

    Key destination campaigns, such as the tulip displays during Bloom and major events like the Bendigo Easter Festival are promoted to Melbourne’s Indian and Chinese communities, attracting families and their visiting friends and relatives from overseas.

    The Greater Bendigo region is being represented at the Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) this week in Brisbane, the largest international trade show hosted by Tourism Australia. Over 100 meetings are organised with media and travel agents from around the world to promote Greater Bendigo’s unique visitor destination offerings. For the first time, representatives from Greater Bendigo have also been invited to showcase Agri-tourism experiences in the region.

    “We see some great opportunities to build business at ATE with key decision makers who promote Australia across the world. In particular, our focus is on attracting visitation from the UK, Europe, New Zealand, India, China and South East Asia markets,” Mr Myatt said.

    Tourism Research Australia is the country’s leading provider of quality tourism intelligence across both international and domestic markets. Their data underpins government tourism policy and helps improve the performance of the tourism industry for the benefit of the Australian community.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Beyer Video Statement On Federal Court Hearing In Case Of Detained Georgetown Scholar Dr. Badar Khan Suri

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

    Rep. Don Beyer issued a video statement today after attending a hearing at the Eastern District of Virginia courthouse on the case of his constituent, Dr. Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University who lives in Arlington, Virginia, and who was in the country legally when he was detained without charges on orders from the Trump Administration in March. Beyer met with counsel for Dr. Suri yesterday in his Washington, D.C. office. A transcript of Beyer’s statement follows below. 

    Dr. Suri was detained in March by masked agents outside his home in Rosslyn, and moved to a series of prisons and detention centers, ultimately ending in Texas. He is still being held there today, over 1,300 miles away from his wife, who is a U.S. citizen, and three young children. According to Dr. Suri’s counsel, “His son spent days crying uncontrollably following his father’s disappearance, and has now stopped speaking.” Dr. Suri has never been charged with a crime and the government has never produced evidence that he did anything wrong.

    In today’s hearing, Dr. Suri’s attorneys sought his return to Virginia, with Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles seeking further information from the government on their justification for moving him to Texas. The government claimed Dr. Suri was removed to Texas to prevent overcrowding at a Virginia detention center, yet, as Judge Giles pointed out, Suri had a room with a bed to himself in Virginia whereas, for the first 10 days of his detention in Texas Suri “was forced to sleep on the floor of the television room with the TV blaring nonstop and the lights on 24/7.”

    Judge Giles gave the government 24 hours to answer questions about the transfer, with a further 24 hours for response from Dr. Suri’s legal team, and a ruling to follow next week. 

    Transcript of Rep. Beyer’s video statement:

    “This is Congressman Don Beyer, representing Northern Virginia in the U.S. House, and it’s Thursday afternoon, May 1st. I’m here in front of the U.S. courthouse in Alexandria.

    “I just spent two hours listening to, Judge Patricia Giles, and the arguments over Dr. [Badar] Khan Suri. 

    “He’s my constituent here legally in America. He’s a postdoc graduate student and teacher at Georgetown University working on conflict resolution. 

    “He was picked up, a little less than two months ago, late at night by three plain-clothes ICE agents [with] no identification, put in an unmarked car and whisked off to Chantilly, to Farmville, to Chesterfield and then Richmond, to Louisiana, and finally to Texas. 

    “We’re here today because his lawyers are making the case that he should never have been taken from Virginia when a writ of habeas corpus had been filed. 

    “I’m very upset by this. Dr. [Suri] – no one has accused him of doing anything wrong. More than anything else, this is a great example – another sad example of the Trump administration’s attempt to instill fear and repression into our college campuses and to immigrants, or people with voices they don’t like, across this country. 

    “We have to fight back. We have to resist. I’ll be doing everything I can to help Dr. [Suri] and his family, and I encourage each one of us to do all that we can to tell these stories, to help educate the American people about what’s happening, and this threat to our Constitution, to our rights. 

    “It is Kafkaesque when somebody can be kidnapped without reason, without acknowledgment, without logic, without charges, and taken off to be locked in a prison in Texas, not knowing what happens next.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Valadao Applauds Passage of Resolution to Repeal Longfin Smelt ESA Listing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David G. Valadao (California)

    WASHINGTON – Today, the House of Representatives passed a Congressional Review Act resolution to repeal the Biden Administration’s listing of the longfin smelt as endangered under the Federal Endangered Species Act. This resolution would halt the proposed designation of critical habitat for the longfin smelt, as well as ensure California’s water remains available for those who need it most—families and farmers. Congressman Valadao joined Reps. Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Vince Fong (CA-20), Tom McClintock (CA-05), Darrell Issa (CA-48), and Young Kim (CA-40) in introducing this resolution in March 2025.

    “Th Biden Administration’s unnecessary decision to list the longfin smelt as an endangered species is yet another example of an environmental policy not grounded in science that puts fish over people,” said Congressman Valadao. “Our families and farmers are already struggling with burdensome regulations that restrict water deliveries and threaten the future of agriculture in the Central Valley, and this rule would have ensured even more of our water is sent out to sea. By passing this resolution, the House is taking an important step forward in rolling back draconian water restrictions that directly affect our farmers, families, and rural communities, and I’m happy to see common sense won.”

    “The Biden Administration and activist judges have used this listing as a political tool to block progress on California water policy,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “This listing is based on cherry picked scientific anecdotes and even Stanford’s Center for Water California Recourses Policy and Management questioned the science of the listing. It adds yet another layer of conflicting regulations that dump tens of millions of acre feet of water out to the Pacific Ocean, with farmers receiving only 40% to 50% of their promised federal and state water. Congress isn’t going to stand by while bureaucrats and environmental lawsuits continue to wreck the water system that feeds our farms, our families, and our economy. I’m glad to see the House take a stand and push back with real solutions that help us grow food, provide water, and keep our economy strong.”

    Background:

    This designation, driven by litigation from an environmental group, by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during the Biden Administration threatens California’s water supply by imposing new restrictions on the Central Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP). This listing resulted in subsequent burdensome requirements imposed on the CVP that will divert even more water to the Pacific Ocean instead of supplying farms and families across the state. Under the Congressional Review Act, Congress can review and potentially block such regulations within a specific timeframe, and it drops the usual 60-vote requirement in the Senate for these resolutions.

    Read the full resolution here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Court Rules to Stop Trump Administration Effort to Gut Institute of Museum and Library Services

    Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union

    American Library Association and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Win Order to Pause Cuts to Independent Agency, Which Threaten Libraries Nationwide

    Washington, D.C. – A federal judge has temporarily stopped devastating and unlawful Trump administration dismantling of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, ordering a temporary restraining order in ALA et al v Sonderling et al brought by Democracy Forward and Gair Gallo Eberhard LLP on behalf of the American Library Association (ALA) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). With today’s ruling, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) – a non-partisan and independent agency dedicated to supporting and funding museums and libraries and the crucial community services they provide in every state across the country – will continue to operate as required by Congress while the court hears the case.

    “The immediate halt to the gutting of IMLS is a win for America’s libraries and the millions of Americans who rely on them,” said ALA President Cindy Hohl. “ALA is encouraged that the court recognizes the immediacy of the need for IMLS and library services at risk. The temporary restraining order will stop the dismantling of IMLS while the court considers the merits in this case.”

    “We celebrate today’s decision as a victory for library and museum workers and the communities who depend on them. They do everything from helping workers connect to job opportunities to instilling a love of learning and inspiring creativity in others. This ruling will halt the layoffs of the critical workers who support them,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “We look forward to moving our case forward and reversing this unlawful shut down.”

    “Libraries are vital for people and communities across our nation. Attacking libraries and those who ensure the continuity of their services is yet another move by the Trump administration that does nothing to make Americans’ lives better or easier,” said Skye Perryman, President & CEO of Democracy Forward. “Democracy Forward is honored to continue our work with libraries and librarians to protect these important educational institutions in our country, and we are grateful that this preliminary injunction will pause these devastating cuts while our case can be considered.”

    IMLS was first created and funded by Congress in 1996 and charged with supporting America’s libraries and museums. The agency has had bipartisan support throughout its history, having been reauthorized under the Clinton, George W. Bush, Obama, and Trump administrations. IMLS is bound by laws requiring that the agency conduct certain activities to support libraries and report on important issues to Congress. The complaint explains that cutting programs at IMLS will violate the law by eliminating programs Congress has provided funding for and directed IMLS to undertake.

    This case continues Democracy Forward’s record of working with communities, parents, and libraries to defend the freedom to read. That work has previously included efforts in Arkansas, where Democracy Forward represented a coalition of librarians, booksellers, and readers who successfully prevented portions of an Arkansas law that threatens to criminalize librarians and booksellers from taking effect is asking a court to permanently stop the law from being enforced; Florida, where Democracy Forward represented the Florida Education Association, Florida Freedom to Read Project, and Families for Strong Public Schools to challenge the DeSantis administration’s actions that shutter classroom libraries and undermine public education in Florida; and in Alabama, where Democracy Forward is representing a group of Alabama families and librarians with a broad array of political and religious backgrounds in a suit to stop policies approved by the library board that threaten to keep constitutionally protected books like To Kill a Mockingbird off of public library shelves.

    Read the full complaint here and the temporary restraining order here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prosecutors in CDCA Charge 45 Defendants with Being Illegal Aliens in U.S. Following Removal – a 3,755% Increase from Previous Year

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – Federal prosecutors in the Central District of California this week criminally charged 45 defendants who allegedly illegally re-entered the United States following removal, bringing the total number of defendants charged with this crime since January 20 of this year to 347, a year-over-year increase of 3,755%, the Justice Department announced today.

    The defendants charged were previously convicted of felonies before they were removed from the United States, offenses that include attempted burglary and forgery.

    Since the change in administration this year, federal prosecutors in the seven-county Central District, which includes Los Angeles, have aggressively pursued criminal illegal aliens. In comparison, federal prosecutors in 2024 charged a total of nine defendants with Title 8 United States Code § 1326 – illegal re-entry following removal. In 2023, the office charged eight such defendants.

    “The government has a duty to protect its citizens,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “During the prior administration, this office abdicated its duty by effectively failing to prosecute any illegal re-entry cases. Those days are over. Criminal illegal aliens will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “The difference in numbers is staggering,” said United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd M. Lyons. “Since January 20, this jurisdiction has prosecuted 347 illegal aliens for reentering the United States after removal — but last year, there were only nine of these prosecutions. That’s a 3,755% increase in just over a quarter of the time. Partnerships between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ICE, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the FBI play a critical role in ensuring that individuals who pose threats to public safety are removed from our communities.”

    The crime of being found in the United States following removal carries a base sentence of up to two years in federal prison. Defendants who were removed after being convicted of a felony face a maximum 10-year sentence and defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.

    The recently filed cases include the following defendants:

    • Paulino González-García, 26, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States after removal. González-García was removed in 2018 and has two prior state convictions in Santa Barbara County Superior Court for driving under the influence (DUI). He is in state custody and charged with a third DUI offense. Assistant United States Attorney Christina A. Marquez of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
    • Ricardo Cruz-García, 31, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien found in the United States following removal. Cruz-García was removed in 2019. He has a 2018 conviction for attempted burglary and 2019 convictions in Orange County Superior Court for possession of a controlled substance, possession of unlawful paraphernalia, and forgery. Assistant United States Attorney Christina A. Marquez of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

    Federal prosecutors this week also charged the following defendant:

    • José Rosales Ramírez, 27, of Mexico, was charged via a federal criminal complaint with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Ramirez was caught with possession of two firearms because of his involvement in an incident in Compton where it is alleged that he shot at a moving vehicle. Assistant United States Attorney Christina A. Marquez of the Domestic Security and Immigration Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.

    A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating these matters.

    These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senate Advances Padilla, Murkowski Bipartisan Legislation to Reauthorize National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

    US Senate News:

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

    Senate Advances Padilla, Murkowski Bipartisan Legislation to Reauthorize National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) announced that the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously advanced their bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) through Fiscal Year 2028. The bill would provide lifesaving funding to support research, development, and implementation activities related to earthquake safety and risk reduction.

    The NEHRP Reauthorization Act of 2025 would reauthorize annual funding from FY 2024-2028 across the four federal agencies responsible for long-term earthquake risk reduction under NEHRP: the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The Senate unanimously passed a version of this bill late last year, but it was not taken up in the House of Representatives.

    “It is not a matter of if, but when the next major earthquake strikes, and Californians know the importance of staying prepared,” said Senator Padilla. “The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program supports crucial tools like the ShakeAlert Earthquake Early Warning System, works to advance scientific understanding of earthquakes, and strengthens earthquake resilience in communities nationwide. I am glad to see this bipartisan effort move forward, and with the safety of our communities at stake, we must reauthorize this critical program as soon as possible.”

    “Alaska is no stranger to massive earthquakes that can cause serious damage to our communities. From the 1964 Good Friday earthquake, the 7.1 earthquake in 2018, to the thousands of smaller quakes that rattle our state each year—it’s critical we invest in programs that keep us prepared and ready to respond to disaster,” said Senator Murkowski. “I am pleased to see that the Commerce Committee has advanced the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act, which will modernize earthquake safety programs in western states, reinforcing our readiness for future seismic activity. I look forward to supporting legislation on the Senate Floor.”

    “The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute applauds the Senate Commerce Committee’s bipartisan advancement of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program Reauthorization Act of 2025. This is a critical step in strengthening our nation’s long-term resilience to earthquakes. With an estimated $15 billion in losses from earthquakes in the U.S. every year, sustained support for mitigation is not only cost-effective—it is essential. We are encouraged to see momentum behind this program and look forward to continuing the vital work of reducing seismic risk in communities across the country,” said Ellen Rathje, President of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute.

    “The International Code Council welcomes Senator Padilla and Murkowski’s bipartisan leadership to reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP),” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer John Belcik. “We call on Congress to immediately reauthorize NEHRP to continue the advancement of model building codes that improve building safety and earthquake resilience.”

    “The American Society of Civil Engineer (ASCE) applauds Senators Alex Padilla and Lisa Murkowski for prioritizing the resilience of our nation’s infrastructure against seismic events and is pleased to support their efforts to reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). Since 1977, NEHRP has provided the resources and leadership that have led to significant advances in understanding the risk earthquakes pose and the best ways to mitigate them. This reauthorization will ensure that NEHRP resources continue to improve our understanding of earthquakes and guide the ASCE standards that form the backbone of building codes that protect public health, safety, and economic vitality,” said ASCE Past President Marsia Geldert-Murphey.

    “The National Council of Structural Engineers Associations is proud to support the NERHP reauthorization bill and is grateful for the bi-partisan leadership of Senators Padilla and Murkowski.  NCSEA urges Congress to prioritize reauthorization to enable the NEHRP agencies to contribute critical science, knowledge, and other best practices toward the development of codes, standards, and other resources used by structural engineers around the country to improve the earthquake resilience of our communities,” said Alfred Spada, Executive Director of the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA).

    “SEAOC commends Senators Padilla and Murkowski for championing NEHRP reauthorization, aligning with Structural Engineers Association of California’s (SEAOC) commitment to enhanced seismic safety and community resilience. SEAOC implores Congress to act promptly in fortifying California and the entire nation against the seismic challenges ahead,” said Don Schinske, Executive Director of the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC).

    This NEHRP reauthorization includes:

    • Directing state and local entities to inventory high risk buildings and structures;
    • Expanding seismic events to include earthquake-caused tsunamis;
    • Providing more technical assistance to tribal governments; and
    • Improving mitigation for earthquake-connected hazards.

    California faces substantial earthquake risks. According to the California Department of Conservation, over 70 percent of Californians live within 30 miles of a fault that could cause high ground shaking within the next 50 years. The state averages two to three earthquakes per year at magnitude 5.5 or higher, risking moderate structural damage. Because of these major earthquake risks, California has become a leader in earthquake research, including through the California Institute of Technology Seismological Laboratory.

    The NEHRP Reauthorization Act of 2025 is endorsed by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), International Code Council, National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA), and Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC).

    Senator Padilla has long been a leader in mitigating earthquake risks. As a California State Senator, Padilla authored Senate Bill 135, signed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2013, which required the state to establish the nation’s first statewide early warning system. In 2021, he led five of his U.S. Senate colleagues in requesting details from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) on future plans and funding needs for the West Coast Early Earthquake Warning system.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Introduces Bill to Strengthen Reservation Systems for Public Lands as Trump Administration Announces Scaled-Back Yosemite Summer Reservation System

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Introduces Bill to Strengthen Reservation Systems for Public Lands as Trump Administration Announces Scaled-Back Yosemite Summer Reservation System

    After push from Padilla, Yosemite will implement a 2025 seasonal reservation system to improve visitor access and experience; however, the system is significantly pared down from the plan Yosemite proposed

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) introduced legislation to expand access to public lands, improve the visitor reservation process, and enhance transparency in how fees are collected for federal lands and national parks. The Review and Evaluation of Strategies for Equal Reservations for Visitor Experiences (RESERVE) Federal Land Act would direct the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to study and recommend improvements to reservation systems across federal lands to ensure they are fair, user-friendly, and accessible to all Americans.

    The legislation comes after the Trump Administration, following significant delays, announced that Yosemite National Park will implement a 2025 seasonal reservation system. However, this year’s system is significantly scaled back from the plan Yosemite successfully piloted previously, which was carefully crafted based off public input and data. This year’s system requires reservations for fewer days and hours than what Yosemite proposed. Earlier this year, Padilla pushed Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum to allow Yosemite to implement its preferred reservation system, emphasizing its importance in managing park visitation while preserving Yosemite for future generations.

    “For months, I’ve joined with park officials in calling on the Trump Administration to extend the use of Yosemite’s successful reservation system. While the decision to open reservations at Yosemite National Park for the summer is a win for outdoor lovers, the environment, and local businesses that rely on park visitors, it shouldn’t have taken this long,” said Senator Padilla. “The needless delays by the Trump Administration in approving a reservation system, and the Administration’s scaling back of Yosemite’s carefully crafted plan, will undermine the visitor experience for the millions who come to California to view this natural wonder. Congress must continue to invest in the staffing and resources needed to protect our national parks. We can start by passing my RESERVE Act, which will launch a national study on how to improve Recreation.gov and other public land reservation systems so they are accessible, transparent, and supportive of local communities’ needs.”

    Yosemite is California’s most visited National Park, with an average of 3.3 million visitors annually. Last year, that number surged to 4.2 million visitors as Yosemite again piloted reservations during peak summer months. For decades, overcrowding, vehicle congestion, limited parking, and long lines have diminished what should ordinarily be a world-class experience, particularly for first-time visitors. Thanks to the reservation system, however, Yosemite was able to accommodate pre-pandemic visitor levels but without the excessive congestion. The reservation system helped distribute visitors more evenly throughout the day, week, and peak summer season.

    Federal land management agencies have experimented with new visitor management methods such as online reservation systems for other public lands as well; however, there has been little national research on how these systems can be improved.

    The RESERVE Act would direct NAS to study reservation systems across federal lands, including campsites, hiking permits, climbing passes, and other outdoor recreation activities. The report would be due in 18 months and would cover reservation system design, system user demographics, and data availability and accessibility. The study would also investigate the fee structure and transparency of Recreation.gov, the government’s centralized travel planning platform and reservation system for 14 federal agencies.

    Senator Padilla is a strong advocate for ensuring equitable access to outdoor spaces. Last year, President Biden signed Padilla’s bipartisan, bicameral Outdoors for All Act into law as part of the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act. The Outdoors for All Act expands outdoor recreational opportunities in urban and low-income communities across the nation.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace – Luxon celebrates Trump’s 100th day in office with a spray tan

    Source: Greenpeace

    The Prime Minister has been spotted getting a very orange spray tan in Auckland, which Greenpeace says is undoubtedly part of Christopher Luxon’s inexplicable efforts to mimic Donald Trump.
    Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Juressa Lee says: “From opening up the oceans to seabed mining, trying to restart oil and gas exploration and removing critical environmental protections in his ongoing war on nature, Luxon is increasingly aligning himself with a Trumpian form of environmental vandalism. At this rate, he’s just one spray tan away from becoming Donald Trump.
    “This week, in Whanganui, Luxon spoke out in favour of fast-tracking the destructive Trans-Tasman Resources seabed mining project in Taranaki, only days after Trump signed an Executive Order bypassing the United Nations to fast-track deep sea mining in international waters.
    “Trump is trying to bypass international environmental protections to deep sea mine the Pacific, while Luxon is steamrolling New Zealand’s environmental laws to fast-track dangerous seabed mining in Aotearoa.
    “The similarities between Trump and Luxon are stark. Both are fast-tracking seabed mining, both are waging war on nature, and now both have an orange spray tan,” says Lee.
    Meanwhile, Greenpeace has had a quick response from Chris Hipkins after calling on the Labour Leader to take a stand against seabed mining.
    In New Plymouth on Thursday, Chris Hipkins made it clear that Labour is opposed to seabed mining but didn’t yet go as far as committing to overturn any consents given under the Government’s Fast Track Act. He made the statement just days after Greenpeace launched a petition calling on Chris Hipkins to take a stand on the issue.
    Lee says, “It’s great to hear Chris Hipkins reaffirm Labour’s opposition to seabed mining, but we need him to take the next step and commit to overturning any consents given.
    “The Luxon government seems hell-bent on waging an all-out war on nature, but Governments don’t last forever, and if the Labour Party now commits to overturning seabed mining consents next time they are in Government, it would be the last nail in the coffin for the failed project.
    “With opposition from Te Pati Māori, the Greens and Labour, we are seeing opposition to seabed mining growing and strengthening. Already over 2,500 people have signed our petition to Chris Hipkins, and we hope he’ll take the next step soon so that we can see the back of Trans Tasman Resources and their greedy plan.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Explainer: what mental health support do refugees and asylum seekers get in Australia?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philippa Specker, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Refugee Trauma and Recovery Program, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    When Australia signed the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention, it committed to providing protection to people who have fled war, persecution and human rights violations.

    Refugees have often experienced severe traumatic events. This can include war, torture, kidnapping and witnessing the murder of loved ones.

    Understandably, refugees are more likely than the general population to experience mental health problems. About 27% of adult refugees suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 30% from depression. Only 5.6% of Australians experience PTSD and 6.4% experience depression.

    Australia has a humanitarian and legal responsibility to support the mental health of refugees and asylum seekers so they can recover and thrive.

    Mental health problems are highly treatable when people have access to effective treatment. Addressing key barriers to accessing mental health services is in everyone’s best interest.

    So, what mental health support is available for refugees when they arrive in Australia?

    Different pathways

    Much depends on how the person came to Australia and through which scheme they applied to be recognised as a refugee.

    First, there are people who apply for and are granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or Australia’s humanitarian program before arriving in Australia.

    These people, often termed “humanitarian entrants”, represent the largest cohort of Australia’s refugees.

    They are provided with permanent visas and join the government-run Humanitarian Settlement Program upon their arrival.

    Humanitarian Settlement Program caseworkers can refer these people to internal or external mental health support services.

    Importantly, people under Australia’s humanitarian program can also access vital services such as:

    • Medicare
    • Centrelink
    • English-language classes.

    They also have the right to work and study. This helps promote recovery, adjustment and wellbeing.

    Some people apply for and are granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees before arriving in Australia.
    John Wreford/Shutterstock

    Second, there are people who sought asylum via alternate pathways.

    This often means they arrived in Australia without a valid visa. Or, they may have held a non-refugee visa and subsequently applied for refugee status after arriving in Australia.

    These people, termed “asylum seekers”, are in a much more precarious situation.

    They face lengthy visa processing times, the possibility of being held in detention, and a greater likelihood of being granted only temporary visas.

    Many people in this situation are restricted from accessing government-run settlement support, such as the Humanitarian Settlement Program and Centrelink.

    This is a problem, because research shows people seeking asylum or holding temporary visas in Australia are especially likely to be experiencing mental health problems.

    A range of services

    That said, Australia has a range of mental health support services available to all refugees and asylum seekers.

    This includes the Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT), a network of rehabilitation centres in every state and territory.

    These specialised services provide holistic support including:

    • psychological and counselling sessions
    • community capacity building programs (such as work readiness and community garden initiatives), and
    • advocacy.

    Organisations such as Settlement Services International, Australian Red Cross, AMES and Beyond Blue also provide refugee-specific mental health supports and resources.

    And some community-run social programs, such as Football United, focus on increasing social inclusion, which can help boost mental health.

    Refugees have often experienced severe traumatic events.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Barriers to access

    Demand for specialised mental health services is high. That can mean long waiting times for all Australians, including refugees and asylum seekers.

    Research has identified a number of barriers that especially affect refugees and asylum seekers. These include:

    • stigma around mental health problems and help-seeking
    • lack of knowledge on mental health
    • language and cultural barriers, and
    • logistical barriers (such as cost and travel distance).

    Finally, some refugees (particularly asylum seekers or people with temporary visas) may not be as aware of mental health services as humanitarian entrants. The latter group are often connected with such services while part of the Humanitarian Settlement Program.

    This puts the onus on such individuals to independently research what services are available and refer themselves.

    That’s a tough ask for people also busy finding housing, learning English, enrolling children in school, and progressing their visa applications.

    Why does this matter?

    Refugees represent a significant portion of our society. By the end of this year, Australia will have welcomed 1 million refugees since the end of World War II.

    International law dictates that survivors of torture and other forms of persecution under Australia’s protection have access to effective rehabilitation services.

    More broadly, the psychological cost of trauma can make it harder for some refugees to adapt to life in Australia. PTSD and depression can be chronic conditions. Without effective treatment, mental health challenges can persist for decades.

    Helping refugees recover from the psychological effects of trauma and displacement also promotes the prosperity of the wider community. That’s because refugees enrich Australian society by establishing local businesses, working, facilitating new trade links, volunteering and contributing to the community.

    When refugees thrive, we all do.

    Philippa Specker receives funding from an MQ: Transforming Mental Health Postdoctoral Scholarship (MPSIP15). She is an associate of the Human Rights Institute, UNSW.

    Angela Nickerson receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council.

    Belinda Liddell receives funding from the Australian Research Council and National Health and Medical Research Council.

    – ref. Explainer: what mental health support do refugees and asylum seekers get in Australia? – https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-mental-health-support-do-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-get-in-australia-255427

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Dark money: Labor and Liberal join forces in attacks on Teals and Greens for Australian election

    Teals and Greens are under political attack from a new pro-fossil fuel, pro-Israel astroturfing group, adding to the onslaught by far-right lobbyists Advance Australia for Australian federal election tomorrow — World Press Freedom Day. Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon investigate.

    SPECIAL REPORT: By Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon

    On February 12 this year, former prime minister Scott Morrison’s principal private secretary Yaron Finkelstein, and former Labor NSW Treasurer Eric Roozendaal, met in the plush 50 Bridge St offices in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.

    The powerbrokers were there to discuss election strategies for the astroturfing campaign group Better Australia 2025 Inc.

    Finkelstein now runs his own discreet advisory firm Society Advisory, while also a director of the Liberal Party’s primary think-tank Menzies Research Centre. Previously, he worked as head of global campaigns for the conservative lobby firm Crosby Textor (CT), before working for Morrison and as Special Counsel to former NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.

    Roozendaal earned a reputation as a top fundraiser during his term as general secretary of NSW Labor and a later stint for the Yuhu property developer. He is now a co-convenor of Labor Friends of Israel.

    The two strategists have previously served together on the executive of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, where Finkelstein was vice-president (2010-2019) and Roozendaal was later the chair of public affairs (2019-2020).

    Better for whom?
     Better Australia chairperson Sophie Calland, a software engineer and active member of the Alexandria Branch of the Labor party attended the meeting. She is a director of Better Australia and carries formal responsibility for electoral campaigns (and partner of Israel agitator Ofir Birenbaum).

    Also present at the meeting was Better Australia 2025 member Alex Polson, a former staffer to retiring Senator Simon Birmingham and CEO of firm DBK Advisory. Other members present included another director, Charline Samuell, and her husband, psychiatrist Dr Doron Samuell.

    Last week, Dr Samuell attracted negative publicity when Liberal campaigners in the electorate of Reid leaked Whatsapp messages where he insisted on referring to Greens as Nazis. “Nazis at Chiswick wharf,” Samuell wrote, alongside a photograph of two Greens volunteers.

    The Better Australia group already have experience as astroturfers. Their “Put The Greens Last” campaign was previously directed by Calland and Polson under the entity Better Council Inc. in the NSW Local government elections in September 2024.

    The Greens lost three councillors in Sydney’s East but maintained five seats on the Inner West Council.

    But the group had developed bigger electoral plans. They also registered the name Better NSW in mid-2024. By the time the group met for the first time this year on January 8, their plans to play a role in the Federal election were already well advanced.

    They voted to change the name Better NSW Inc. to Better Australia 2025 Inc.

    Calland and Birenbaum
     Group member Ofir Birenbaum joined the January meeting to discuss “potential campaign fundraising materials” and a “pool of national volunteers”. Birenbaum is Calland’s husband and member of the Rosebery Branch of the Labor Party.

    But by the time the group met with Finkelstein and Roozendaal in February, Birenbaum was missing. The day before the meeting, Birenbaum’s role in the #UndercoverJew stunt at Cairo Takeaway cafe was sprung.

    This incident focused attention on Birenbaum’s track record as an agitator at Pro-Palestine events and as a “close friend” of the extreme-right Australian Jewish Association. The former Instagram influencer has since closed his social media accounts and disappeared from public view.

    The minutes of the February meeting lodged with NSW Fair Trading mention a “discussion of potential campaign management candidates; an in-depth presentation and discussion of strategy; a review and amendments of draft campaign fundraising materials”. All of this suggests that consultants had been hired and work was well underway.

    The group also voted to change Better Council’s business address and register a national association with ASIC so they could legally campaign at a national level.

    On March 4, Calland registered Better Australia as a “significant third party” with the Australian Electoral Commission. This is required for organisations that expect their campaign to cost more than $250,000.

    Three weeks later, Prime Minister Albanese called the election, and Better Australia’s federal campaign was off to the races.

    Labor or Liberal, it doesn’t matter…
     According to its website, Better Australia’s stated goals are non-partisan: they want a majority government, “regardless of which major party is in office”.

    “In Australia, past minority governments have seen stalled reforms, frequent leadership changes, and uncertainty that paralysed effective governance.”

    No evidence has been provided by either Better Australia’s website or campaigning materials for these statements. In fact, in its short lifetime, the Gillard Labor minority government passed legislation at a record pace.

    Instead, it is all about creating fear.  A stream of campaigning videos, posts, flyers and placards carrying simple messages tapping into fear, insecurity, distrust and disappointment have appeared on social media and the streets of Sydney in recent weeks.

    Wentworth independent Allegra Spender wasted no time posting her own video telling voters she was unfazed, and for her electorate to make their own voting choices rather than fall for a crude scare campaign.

    Spender is accused of supporting anti-Israel terrorism by voting to reinstate funding for the United Nations aid agency UNRWA. Better Australia warns that billionaires and dark money fund the Teal campaign, alleging average voters will lose their money if Teals are reelected.

    It doesn’t matter that most Teal MPs have policies in favour of increasing accountability in government or that no information is provided about who is backing Better Australia.

    Anti-Green, too
     The anti-Greens angle of Better Australia’s campaign sends a broad message to all electorates to “Put the Greens Last”. It aims to starve the Greens of preferences. The campaign message is simple: the Greens are “antisemitic, support terrorism, and have abandoned their environmental roots”.

    It does not matter that calls unite the peaceful Palestine protests for a ceasefire, or that the Greens have never stopped campaigning for the environment and against new fossil fuel projects.

    Better Australia promotes itself as a grassroots organisation. In February, Sophie Calland told The Guardian that “Better Australia is led by a broad coalition of Australians who believe that political representation should be based on integrity and action, not extremist or elite activism”.

    It has very few members and its operations are marked by secrecy, and voters will have to wait a full year before the AEC registry of political donations reveals Better Australia’s backers.

    It fits into a patchwork of organisations aiming to influence voters towards a framework of right-wing values, including

    “support for the Israel Defence Force, fossil fuel industries, nationalism and anti-immigration and anti-transgender issues.”

    Advance Australia (not so fair)
    Advance is the lead organisation in this space. It campaigns in its own right and also supports other organisations, including Minority Impact Coalition, Queensland Jewish Collective and J-United.

    Advance claims to have raised $5 million to smash the Greens and a supporter base of more than 245,000. It has received donations up to $500,000 from the Victorian Liberal Party’s holding company, Cormack Foundation.

    In Melbourne, ex-Labor member for Macnamara, Michael Danby, directs and authorises “Macnamara Voters Against Extremism”, which pushes voters to preference either Liberals or Labor first, and the Greens last. Danby has spoken alongside Birenbaum at Together With Israel rallies.

    Together With Israel: Michael Danby (from left), activist Ofir Birenbaum, unionist Michael Easson OAM, and Rabbi Ben Elton. Image: Together With Israel Facebook group/MWM

    The message of Better Australia — and Better Council before it — mostly aligns with Advance. These campaigns target women aged 35 to 49, who Advance claims are twice as likely to vote for the Greens as men of the same age.

    The scare campaign targets female voters with its fear-mongering and Greens MPS, including Australia’s first Muslim Senator Mehreen Faruqi, and independent female MPS with its loathing.

    Meanwhile, Advance is funded by mining billionaires and advocates against renewable energy.

    Labor standing by in silence
     Better Australia is different from Advance, which is targeting Labor because it is an alliance of Zionist Labor and LIberal interests. Calland’s campaign may be effectively contributing to the election of a Dutton government. In the face of what would appear to be betrayal, the NSW Labor Party simply stands by.

    The NSW Labor Rules Book (Section A.7c) states that a member may be suspended for “disloyal or unworthy conduct [or] action or conduct contrary to the principles and solidarity of the Party.”

    Following MWM’s February exposé of Birenbaum, we sent questions to NSW Labor Head Office, and MPs Tanya Plibersek and Ron Hoenig, without reply. Hoenig is a member of the Parliamentary Friends of Israel and has attended Alexandria Branch meetings with Calland.

    MWM asked Plibersek to comment on Birenbaum’s membership of her own Rosebery Branch, and on Birenbaum’s covert filming of Luc Velez, the Greens candidate in Plibersek’s seat of Sydney. Birenbaum shared the video and generated homophobic commentary, but we received no answers to any of our questions.

    According to MWM sources, Calland’s involvement in Better Australia and Better Council before that is well known in Inner Sydney Labor circles. Last Tuesday night, she attended an Alexandria Branch meeting that discussed the Federal election. She also attended a meeting of Plibersek’s campaign.

    No one raised or asked questions about Calland’s activities. MWM is not aware if NSW Labor has received complaints from any of its members alleging that Calland or Birenbaum has breached the party’s rules.

    After all, when top Liberal and Labor strategists walk into a corporate boardroom, there is much to agree on.

    It begins with a national campaign to keep the major parties in and independents and Greens out.

    • MWM has sent questions to Calland, Finkelstein, and Roozendaal, regarding funding and the alliance between Liberal and Labor powerbrokers but we have yet to receive any replies.

    Wendy Bacon is an investigative journalist who was professor of journalism at UTS. She has worked for Fairfax, Channel Nine and SBS and has published in The Guardian, New Matilda, City Hub and Overland. She has a long history in promoting independent and alternative journalism. She is not a member of any political party but is a Greens supporter and long-term supporter of peaceful BDS strategies.

    Yaakov Aharon is a Jewish-Australian living in Wollongong. He enjoys long walks on Wollongong Beach, unimpeded by Port Kembla smoke fumes and AUKUS submarines. This article was first published by Michael West Media and is republished with permission of the authors.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Billings woman man sentenced to 4 years in prison on drug and gun charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BILLINGS – A Billings woman who sold methamphetamine and provided a firearm to a juvenile was sentenced today to 4 years in prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Ali Sage Hausmann, 26, pleaded guilty in October 2024 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and false statement during a firearm transaction.

    U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that in 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated Hausmann for purchasing a gun used by a juvenile during a home invasion. On May 9, 2022, two teenagers burglarized a home in Billings and one of them possessed a Beretta pistol during the burglary. ATF learned Hausmann bought the Beretta at Scheels in Billings one day before the home invasion, which one of the juveniles confirmed during an interview with law enforcement. Approximately two weeks after the burglary, Hausmann pawned the firearm.

    As part of the investigation into the firearm purchase, ATF obtained a search warrant for Hausmann’s Facebook account and learned she was selling methamphetamine. Agents also located messages confirming she purchased the firearm for the juvenile. On December 7, 2022, law enforcement seized 6.9 grams of meth from Hausmann’s residence, along with an additional firearm from her purse. Hausmann admitted to selling methamphetamine and to purchasing the gun for the juvenile.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Patten prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the ATF and the Billings Police Department.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Shaheen, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan America the Beautiful Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined her colleagues, U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Angus King (I-ME), to introduce their bipartisan conservation bill, the America the Beautiful Act. This legislation builds on the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act, which Shaheen cosponsored, by strengthening and reauthorizing the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF) and addressing the serious maintenance backlog in national parks and public lands.
    “New Hampshire’s public lands and outdoor spaces are integral to our state identity and our thriving outdoor recreation economy. We must take steps to protect these resources for future generations of Granite Staters,” said Shaheen. “I was proud to see the Great American Outdoors Act become law, and I’ll continue fighting to protect and preserve outdoor spaces by passing this legislation which will continue the progress we’ve made.” 
    Shaheen, Daines and King were joined by U.S. Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) in introducing the bill.
    The America the Beautiful Act reauthorizes the LRF through 2033 and increases funding to $2 billion per year to help address the maintenance backlog in national parks and public lands. Currently, the maintenance backlog for each agency is $23.26 billion for the U.S. Park Service, $8.695 billion for the U.S. Forest Service, $2.65 billion for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, $5.72 billion for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and $804.5 million for the U.S. Bureau of Indian Education. In New Hampshire, National Parks and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuges have approximately $13 million in outstanding deferred maintenance needs.
    Since its creation in 2020, the LRF has benefitted numerous national parks and public lands in New Hampshire. Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park has received more than $14 million from the Legacy Restoration Fund to rehabilitate four historic structures and address electrical, HVAC and alarm systems. Across the White Mountain National Forest, the Legacy Restoration Fund is supporting trail restoration work on the Ammonoosuc Ravine Trail and Rumney Rocks Climbing Area, as well as repairs of the Tripoli Bridge. Sections of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail across New England are slated to receive $15 million in FY25 to rehabilitate and repair facilities along the trail that will address maintenance needs and improve visitor safety. 
    The America the Beautiful Act is supported by over 40 public lands, conservation and recreation groups. Click here to view the full list of statements of support and supporting groups.
    You can read the full bill text here.
    Shaheen has led efforts to safeguard our natural environment and invest in climate resiliency while boosting New Hampshire’s recreation economy. Shaheen led the bipartisan Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act into law to require the federal government to measure the impact of the outdoor recreation on the economy. In November 2024, Shaheen applauded the release of an annual report showing a $1.2 trillion economic contribution by the outdoor recreation sector in 2023, including $3.9 billion in New Hampshire. Shaheen also helped reintroduce the Ski Hill Resources for Economic Development (SHRED) Act to fuel investment in outdoor recreation in national forests that benefits mountain communities.
    Shaheen has also led efforts to help secure full funding and permanent authorization for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which has helped protect more than 2.5 million acres of land and supported tens of thousands of state and local outdoor recreation projects throughout the nation. In 2020, Shaheen helped lead the Great American Outdoors Act into law to permanently fund the LWCF and provide mandatory funding for deferred maintenance on public lands.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hawley Op-Ed: Break Up Big Tech Behemoths to Reclaim American Freedom

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) | April 30, 2025 | The New York Post

    I distinctly remember the time Mark Zuckerberg came to see me in my office.

    It was five years ago now, back when the Facebook founder was at the height of his “move fast and break things” stardom.

    I was a new senator and a skeptic.

    I thought his company — now Meta — was breaking too many things: like the right to free speech, or the right to control your personal data, or the right of your kids to have a sane childhood.

    Zuckerberg came to convince me otherwise, as he had convinced many a regulator and politician, by making vague promises about Big Tech’s good intentions.

    I’ll never forget the look of shock on his face when I suggested the best thing Big Tech could do was start surrendering power.

    Break themselves up.

    Give control back to their customers.

    It was abundantly clear he had no such intentions.

    Now the Federal Trade Commission is suing Meta for antitrust violations in federal court — and on April 17, another federal judge found tech giant Google liable for a host of antitrust breaches.

    Finally.

    […]

    The Constitution opens with the seminal words “We the People.”

    But given the power Big Tech has amassed in recent years, one could be forgiven for thinking it starts with “We the Corporations.”

    We have come to a moment of decision: Either the government will break up these behemoths and return to the people the power they have seized, or the corporations will effectively be the government for the nation.

    […]

    The Big Tech companies have more power than any corporation on earth. Indeed, they have more power than any corporation in history.

    And if we don’t act now, they will control our lives, and our country, altogether.

    […]

    The solution here is simple: We must take power from the corporations and return it to We the People.

    How?

    Enforce antitrust law to the hilt.

    Take the April 17 Google verdict on advertising.

    Ad revenue fuels everything these companies do, from designing ever-more-addictive products to censoring Americans’ speech.

    The recent verdict may turn that spigot off.

    […]

    The FTC’s case against Zuckerberg and Meta is significant, too.

    If the FTC wins, it could force Meta to divest Instagram and WhatsApp, restoring competition to digital markets.

    Antitrust law can be a powerful tool.

    But we must do more.

    We ought to empower citizens directly.

    Antitrust cases can take years, even decades.

    And we can’t always wait for the government to act.

    That’s why I’ve proposed legislation to open the courtroom doors to every American harmed by these companies.

    Let Americans who have been censored sue.

    Let parents whose kids have been victimized by predators online sue.

    […]

    Giving ordinary citizens their day in court means the tech companies have to stop taking your personal information without payment or consent.

    And breaking up the Big Tech-Big Government alliance means bad actors like the Biden administration can’t use the ginormous power of the corporations to do their censorious bidding.

    […]

    Read Senator Hawley’s full op-ed here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Combat Rising Tech Threat from China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) introduced the Partner with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Act. This bipartisan bill would enhance cooperation with key partners in technology and scientific research, while combating the rising influence of the Chinese Communist Party.

    “Communist China is using illegal practices to gain an unfair advantage in the tech world,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Now is the time to stand together with our allies and partners across the globe to counter these aggressive tactics. This commonsense, bipartisan legislation will make our country more secure and spur job-creating technology innovations here at home.”

    The Partner with ASEAN, CERN, and PIF Act amends the International Organizations Immunities Act to expand diplomatic privileges and immunities to these three international organizations. It provides the legal authorities to streamline the movement of people and materials between these organizations and the U.S., deepening U.S. ties with Southeast Asia, the Pacific Islands, and a key scientific research partner.

    You can find the full text of the legislation here.

    Senator Cortez Masto has led efforts in Congress to stand up to the Chinese government’s aggression. She introduced the PASS Act to ban individuals and entities controlled by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from purchasing agricultural land and businesses located near U.S. military installations or sensitive sites and the Strengthening Exports Against China Act, which would incentivize economic growth by eliminating barriers for American businesses competing directly with China in emerging industries like artificial intelligence and semiconductors. She’s also introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen the domestic supply chain for rare-earth magnets, which are critical components of cell phones, computers, defense systems, and electric vehicles, but are almost exclusively made in China.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Lee Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Recover Millions in Unused Funding for Hoover Dam

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Congresswoman Susie Lee (D-Nev.-03) introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Help Hoover Dam Act to allow the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to access about $50 million in unused, long-stranded funds for Hoover Dam operations, maintenance, and improvement projects. Senators Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) are original co-sponsors of this legislation.

    “The Hoover Dam is a monument to the idea that America can and will invest in infrastructure that improves the lives of its people,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “The dam and its powerplant serve residents across Nevada, Arizona, and California. It’s past time we cut the red tape, unlock the $50 million in unused funds to improve and maintain the dam, and save taxpayer dollars.”

    “The Help Hoover Dam Act will cut through federal red tape and free tens of millions of dollars in long-stranded funding for Hoover Dam improvement projects. This is government efficiency,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. “Our bill is about keeping energy prices from going up, protecting our natural resources, and saving taxpayers money.”

    “Drought on the Colorado River has had a dramatic impact on Hoover Dam customers, reducing generation by roughly 40 percent compared to pre-drought generation levels. The Help Hoover Dam Act would give the Bureau of Reclamation the congressional authority necessary to make beneficial use of stranded funds in order to pay for critical operation, maintenance, and replacement projects at Hoover Dam. This legislation is urgently needed to help not-for-profit, community-owned utilities served by Hoover Dam to continue to serve their communities during this difficult time,” said Desmarie Waterhouse, Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Communications & General Counsel, American Public Power Association.

    “The Help Hoover Dam Act is urgently needed to ensure adequate funding for operation, maintenance and replacement projects at Hoover dam and mitigate cost impacts on consumers. The dam provides clean and affordable energy to many southwestern rural communities and is critical to maintaining grid reliability in the western United States. We appreciate Senator Cortez Masto and Congresswoman Susie Lee’s efforts to ensure that electric cooperatives and other not-for-profit utilities can continue to rely on Hoover Dam to meet the energy needs of their communities,” said Louis Finkel, Senior Vice President for Government Relations, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).

    “The Help Hoover Dam Act is of critical importance to Nevada. Hoover Dam is an icon of the American West, facing unprecedented challenges due to extreme drought. This bill will preserve power generation at a time when the Western United States needs reliable and cost-effective energy resources,” said Eric Witkoski, Executive Director of the Colorado River Commission of Nevada.

    Tens of millions of dollars in the Colorado River Dam Fund have been inaccessible for decades due to bureaucracy, federal red tape, and government inefficiency. 40 million people depend on the Colorado River for water and 1.3 million people in Nevada, Arizona, and California depend on the Hoover Dam for electricity. The Help Hoover Dam Act will support the dam and its powerplant by:

    • Investing $50 million in unused funds in the Hoover Dam — helping save taxpayer dollars, protect Western water and other natural resources, and strengthening a key source of Nevada’s energy.
    • Giving Reclamation clear authority to partner with Hoover hydropower contractors in recovering and utilizing these stranded funds for authorized activities — including operations, maintenance, capital improvements, and clean-up actions — at Hoover Dam and lands connected to the dam.

    The Help Hoover Dam Act is endorsed by the American Public Power Association, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Colorado River Commission of Nevada, the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the Irrigation and Electrical Districts Association of Arizona, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and others. Representatives Mark Amodei (R-Nev.-02), Greg Stanton (D-Ariz.-04), and Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.-06) are co-leading this legislation in the House of Representatives.

    Senator Cortez Masto has been a leader in the Senate working to combat drought and protect water infrastructure. She fought to deliver $4 billion to combat drought in the states bordering the Colorado River in the Inflation Reduction Act and she helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will continue to make a historic amount of funding available for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements across the country over the next five years. Cortez Masto also passed into law a $450 million competitive grant program for large-scale water recycling projects across the Western U.S.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rounds Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Tribal Courts Access to Electronic Evidence

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) reintroduced the Tribal Access to Electronic Evidence Act, bipartisan legislation to provide Tribal courts the same ability to issue warrants for electronic evidence – such as emails, social media messages, and other online communications – as their non-Tribal counterparts.

    “All law enforcement agencies across the Silver State should have the same access to electronic evidence needed to deliver justice and closure to the victims of crimes and their families,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “It is time that Congress pass this commonsense, bipartisan legislation to give Tribes the tools they need to protect their communities.”

    The commission created by Cortez Masto’s Not Invisible Act — which was signed into law alongside her Savanna’s Act in October 2020 — issued a report with dozens of recommendations to improve the federal response to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis. One key congressional recommendation was to address the challenges Tribes face in accessing essential electronic information for criminal investigations. The bipartisan Tribal Access to Electronic Evidence Act would amend current law to:

    • Include courts of federally recognized Tribes as “courts of competent jurisdiction” under the Stored Communications Act,
    • Require Tribal courts to adhere to warrant procedures described in the Indian Civil Rights Act to access electronic information, and
    • Recognize Tribes as a government entity under the federal statute.

    This bipartisan bill has been endorsed by the National Native American Bar Association, the National American Indian Court Judges Association, and the National Native American Law Enforcement Association.

    The full text of the legislation can be found here.

    Senator Cortez Masto has long been a champion for Tribal communities. Last year, the Senate passed both her legislation to make it easier for Indian Health Services to recruit and retain doctors and her legislation to strengthen Tribal public safety. She repeatedly called on the Biden administration to do more to address the epidemic of violence against Native women and girls, including securing federal funding to protect Native communities, urging the administration to draft a plan to address this issue, and requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the federal response to this crisis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Union County Teacher Charged with Possession of Child Pornography and Enticement of a Minor

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County, New Jersey man was charged with possessing images of child sexual abuse and for enticing a minor to engage in prostitution and produce child pornography, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced today.

    Jack Wilder, 26, of Somerville, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with one count of possession of child pornography and two counts of enticement of a minor.  He made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court and was detained.

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

    In or around February 2024, Wilder, a history teacher at a school in Plainfield, New Jersey, communicated with a minor victim using a mobile payment application through which Wilder advised he would pay the minor victim to engage in sexual activity.  The minor victim also sent Wilder sexually explicit pictures.  Thereafter, on or about July 23, 2024, Wilder returned from an international trip aboard a flight that landed in New York.  Law enforcement subsequently lawfully searched Wilder’s cell phone and found a video depicting child sexual abuse material and sexually explicit conversations between Wilder and other individuals who identified themselves as minors.

    “These charges are the most recent example of this office’s dedication to protecting children in our community.  We are tirelessly committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure that individuals who victimize and prey on the vulnerable are brought to justice.”

    – U.S. Attorney Alina Habba

    “Our children are the most innocent members of society and they should never be victimized by anyone, particularly​ by those in positions of trust such as teachers,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “In partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, every child has our unwavering commitment ​to bring to justice those that would heinously abuse them for their own profit and perverse self-gratification. No child should have to face a lifetime of trauma caused by a predator. We will continue to make combatting child sexual exploitation a priority, and will always strive to put an end to ​these disturbing acts from happening around the world.”

    The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  The charges of enticement of a minor each carry a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine.

    U.S. Attorney Habba credited the work of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel, with the investigation leading to the charges.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey S. Smith of the Criminal Division in Newark.

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

                                                                           ###

    Defense counsel: Candace Hom, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ashland man sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for trafficking meth on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BILLINGS – An Ashland man who trafficked methamphetamine on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 151 months in prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    Joe Vega, 49, pleaded guilty in July 2024 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

    U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that in December of 2023, the FBI began an investigation into Joe Vega for the distribution of methamphetamine. One source reported purchasing methamphetamine from Vega a dozen times.

    In April of 2024, the FBI intercepted a package from Arizona destined for Vega’s Billings address. Agents obtained a search warrant for the package and discovered 1331.5 grams of meth, almost three pounds, that was 100% pure.

    The FBI later learned Vega was traveling to Arizona, possibly to pick up methamphetamine. On April 22, 2024, a Montana Highway Patrol trooper conducted a stop of the vehicle in which Vega was a passenger. Vega and the driver consented to a search and law enforcement found two pounds of methamphetamine in a bag belonging to Vega. That meth was also 100% pure.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Patten prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, with the assistance of BIA, Montana DCI, and the Montana Highway Patrol.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan Presses Commerce Nominee on NOAA Surveys Needed for Alaska Fishermen

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
    05.01.25
    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, today pressed the nominee to serve as deputy secretary of the Department of Commerce, Mr. Paul Dabbar, on concerns about the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) ability to complete fisheries stock surveys in Alaska if staffing and approved funding from the department are not prioritized. Sen. Sullivan noted in the committee hearing that conducting surveys is one of the Commerce Department’s core responsibilities with regard to fisheries, and surveys are needed in order for Alaskans to harvest in various fisheries across the state. Sen. Sullivan also demanded that Dabbar and Commerce officials work promptly with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to sign the pending maintenance contract for the Kodiak, Alaska-based NOAA research vessel, Oscar Dyson, which conducts these critically important surveys.
    “When you don’t do stock assessment surveys, you know what happens? My fishermen can’t fish,” said Sen. Sullivan. “All they need is a survey and it’s not happening. I have a whole list and I’m going to mention them here. I hope to hell someone from Commerce is watching. Okay? Because if you’re not doing surveys, that’s the basic stuff you’re supposed to do at NOAA, then my guys can’t fish. They don’t want subsidies. They just want to fish.”
    Fishing and seafood processing employ more Alaskans than any other industry and are vital to the economic well-being of dozens of coastal communities throughout the state. Roughly two-thirds of all seafood harvested in America comes from Alaska’s waters.
    [embedded content]
    Below is a transcript of Sen. Sullivan’s exchange with Mr. Dabbar.
    SEN. SULLIVAN: I think we’re off to a good start, certainly on fisheries. We have this “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential” executive order from President Trump on day one. This includes fisheries, LNG, all kinds of great things in Alaska. Then, just a couple days ago, the “Restoring America’s Seafood Competitiveness” EO. So we’re off to a good start. I want to commend the President, Secretary Lutnick, and their team. But I am concerned, to Senator Cantwell’s point—and this is a big issue—that we’re not having the staffing to do the two things that Commerce has to do for fisheries. American fisheries, unlike CHIPS and Science—a quarter of $1 trillion in subsidies—my guys don’t get subsidized at all. The federal government has to do two things: They need to do robust surveys to inform accurate stock assessments, and they need to do timely promulgation of regulations to open fisheries. That’s it. When the federal government doesn’t do that, you screw the hard-working fishermen of Alaska and America. Just think of “Deadliest Catch.” They do have to compete with Russia and China. To be honest, right now, it’s starting not to look good. I’m starting to get really upset, because when you got—Biden was horrible on the surveys. Horrible. We threw a ton of money at NOAA and the guy did climate change and all this BS. He didn’t do the blocking and tackling of NOAA, which is stock assessment surveys. You guys came in: “Hey, we’re not going to be like Biden.” But you’re not…I’m getting really worried that you guys aren’t doing this either. When you don’t do stock assessment surveys, you know what happens? My fishermen can’t fish. They don’t get $240 billion in subsidies. All they need is a survey and it’s not happening. I got a whole list and I’m going to mention them here. And I hope to hell someone from Commerce is watching. Okay? Because if you’re not doing surveys, that’s the basic stuff you’re supposed to do at NOAA. Then my guys can’t fish. They don’t want subsidies and they just want to fish. Can I get your commitment—and I hope to hell someone from NOAA’s watching this. I got a whole list of surveys right now that looks like you’re not going to complete. So what happens? My fishermen don’t fish. That is wrong. Can I get your commitment—and I hope to hell someone from NOAA and Commerce is watching this right now—get on with the surveys. Can I get your commitment? You can tell I’m a little rattled about this.
    DABBAR: Yes, Senator, and I know that I’ve read your proposed bill, the latest one, and also how understanding research of, for example, salmon in Alaska, where some things are going well strong, and some things are weaker, and why. So I’m certainly committed on that also.
    SULLIVAN: I just need your commitment to get the staffing and money to do the surveys. That’s it. If we’re failing on this, this is not good. Let me ask one final question. This relates. There’s a contract we’re trying to get the Secretary to sign, like right now. It’s for the Oscar Dyson. It’s a NOAA survey vessel homeported in Kodiak, Alaska. It’s coming up for its contract. It needs to be signed this week. Again, I hope Commerce people are watching. Okay? Just sign the contract so we can do the surveys from the Oscar Dyson. That’s a NOAA survey vessel ship. If that’s not signed in the next couple of days, that vessel won’t be able to do surveys. Again, this is blocking and tackling to take care of our fishermen, which is in the President’s EOs. But we’ve got to be able to support them with science. Can I get your commitment on that and maybe have someone get to the Secretary and sign this contract on the Oscar Dyson like today?
    DABBAR: I’ll follow up, and there are people behind me watching, listening to you. I’m certain.
    SULLIVAN: It’s really, really important. Thank you.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Developing a new Action Plan for unpaid carers

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is taking action to better support unpaid and informal carers, Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Penny Simmonds says.
    Every morning across New Zealand, unpaid carers are helping loved ones get ready for the day — preparing meals, arranging medication, assisting with transport, and offering vital support, all while juggling jobs, study, and family life.
    “Each day, around 500,000 unpaid carers provide essential support for New Zealanders with disabilities, illnesses, injuries, or addictions,” Ms Simmonds says.
    “It’s critical work that often leads to better outcomes than clinical or residential care — and it eases the burden on our health and social services.
    “But it’s tough work. Many carers are balancing these responsibilities with little formal recognition or support. They deserve better, and that’s exactly what this new Action Plan aims to deliver.”
    Government agencies already provide targeted assistance for carers, including financial support, respite subsidies, and practical help. The Action Plan will build on this foundation and ensure carers’ needs are better understood and addressed.
    The Ministry of Social Development is leading development of the Plan, working closely with the Carers Alliance, relevant government agencies, and a new Carers Advisory Group.
    “The Advisory Group will include around 10 experienced members who reflect the breadth of the carer community — from young carers to those supporting disabled or older people,” Ms Simmonds says.
    “There will also be opportunities for unpaid carers themselves to share their experiences and shape the plan.”
    An interagency working group will oversee the development, with the final Action Plan expected by the end of the year.
    “A lot has changed since the last Action Plan expired at the end of 2023. It’s time to listen again and deliver a plan that genuinely supports the people who care for our communities every day,” Ms Simmonds says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –