NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The government has introduced a moratorium on the application of VAT penalties to entrepreneurs using the simplified taxation system

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Document

    Resolution of April 23, 2025 No. 530

    The government has decided to support entrepreneurs who use the simplified taxation system (STS) and who have become value-added tax (VAT) payers for the first time. They will not be subject to penalties for failure to submit their first VAT tax return on time if such a tax return is submitted for the first time for any of the quarters of 2025. The decision taken will help businesses calmly reconfigure their accounting programs and study the procedure for filling out a VAT return.

    Changes to the Tax Code for taxpayers using the simplified taxation system came into force in 2025. In particular, the revenue limit for simplified taxation system payers expanded from 265.8 million to 450 million rubles, and the threshold for the residual value of fixed assets expanded from 150 million to 200 million rubles. Thus, more entrepreneurs were given the opportunity to use the simplified taxation system without resorting to business fragmentation.

    Entrepreneurs using the simplified tax system, whose revenue for the previous year exceeded 60 million rubles or exceeded 60 million rubles from January 1, 2025, are required to pay value-added tax. It is precisely to make it easier for them to adapt to the new rules that the Government has decided to temporarily suspend the application of penalties.

    The signed resolution comes into force from the moment of publication and applies to legal relations that arose from January 1, 2025.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Planning Strategy: What does the feedback mean for the future 25 April 2025 Island Planning Strategy: What does the inspectors’ feedback mean for the future?

    Source: Aisle of Wight

    This week planning inspectors shared their initial views to the Island Planning Strategy (IPS) following a series of public hearings.

    The inspectors’ letter provides their preliminary assessment of the IPS. It points out areas where the plan meets legal requirements and areas that need changes.

    Their feedback is very important because it will affect how the Isle of Wight develops and what planning policies will be in place. The council’s next steps will be crucial in shaping the future of the Island.

    So, what exactly are the inspectors saying?

    To make things clearer, Ollie Boulter, strategic manager for planning and infrastructure, and James Brewer, planning policy manager, explain in more detail through a question and answer session below.

    They aim to break down the complex language and planning terms so everyone can understand what the feedback means for the Island and what the council might do next.

    What have the inspectors said?

    The inspectors said that they think the council has complied with the legal and procedural requirements for a new plan, so they were able to then think about the content of the plan.

    While they think a lot of the plan is ok, or can be made ok with some small changes, there are some bigger things that need to be fixed to enable them to agree with the plan.

    They have given the council two options:

    • Withdraw the plan and start again. Or,
    • Amend the plan in the way the Inspectors have suggested

    Both of these options would have big implications for the Island, so will need to be fully understood and carefully considered by Full Council.

    Where can I find out more information and read the planning inspectors’ letter?

    Withdrawing

    What does withdraw mean?

    Withdrawing the plan would mean the council stops the process and goes back to the start on preparing a new plan.

    This would be done under the government’s new planning rules, which are expected to be quicker and cheaper so it would be very different to the way that this plan has been prepared. It would also have to start to plan for a much higher number of new homes across the Island.

    Amending

    What does amending mean?

    This is what the inspectors have referred to as the “interim approach” in their letter.

    It would mean the council making the changes the inspectors have suggested, and then those changes would be publicly consulted on. Following that there may be further examination hearing sessions where the inspectors would consider the council’s proposed changes, updated evidence base and the consultation responses.

    What are the bigger amendments the inspectors have suggested?

    The inspectors have said that the council will need to increase the number of new homes it should plan for from 453 every year to 703 if they want to adopt the new plan.

    They also want to see changes to a document called the Integrated Sustainability Appraisal, to make it clearer how different policy approaches have been explored and considered.

    The removal of a policy that looked to bring in net zero requirements for new development in advance of a national requirement to do it.

    That the council updates its work on viability, to help the inspectors understand that all the policy requirements of the plan can be met and that they aren’t restricting development by asking for too much.

    Going from 453 new homes per year to 703 sounds like a big increase in the housing number?

    It does, but when you break it down it isn’t as big as it might appear.

    What the inspectors are suggesting is that the council should focus on the first five years of a new plan, and to achieve what’s known as a five year land supply.

    Because of the decisions made by the council’s Planning Committee and officers, the gap that would need to be made up in the first five years would be 394 new homes.

    This doesn’t mean 394 more new homes every year on top of the 453 number. This is a ‘one off’ amount that would then be spread over the five years.

    The council’s existing evidence and the Housing Register indicates there is significant unmet need and demand from people and families who are already living on the Island.

    Have the inspectors suggested more changes?

    Yes, several other changes have been suggested but these aren’t considered to be as important as the bigger changes.

    Is this the inspectors’ final decision?

    No. This is their post hearings letter setting out their initial reaction following the examination hearing sessions. The inspectors won’t make a final decision until the council has decided what it wants to do.

    What happens next?

    The council will be holding an extraordinary Full Council meeting to discuss the options and decide how it wants to move forward.

    Whichever option the council chooses it will then write to the inspectors to let them know.

    Is there a timeline for all of this?

    Yes. The inspectors have asked that the council confirms which approach it would like to take to them by early June of this year. This is why an extraordinary Full Council meeting is necessary.

    Should the council decide to progress with amending the plan, the extra work and consultation will need to happen within a fixed time period, which is likely to be around six months.

    What does this mean for planning applications?

    People can still submit planning applications and the council will still make decisions on those applications, but those decisions will be based on an old plan and current national planning policies.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Man Charged With Providing Material Support to a Conspiracy to Murder, Kidnap, and Maim Individuals in Cameroon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    So-Called “Garri Master,” or Master of Mutilation, called for violent attacks against Cameroonian civilian population and raised funds to supply AK-47s to separatist groups.

    Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Eric Tano Tataw, 38, of Gaithersburg, Maryland. The Cameroonian national, also known as “the Garri Master,” is charged with conspiring to provide material support to armed separatist groups in Cameroon and making threatening communications to injure or kidnap Cameroonian civilians.

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Maryland.

    According to court documents, multiple armed and violent secessionist groups in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon are fighting to form a new country called “Ambazonia.” The armed separatist groups sought to achieve secession by not only attacking the Cameroonian military, but also intentionally attacking the civilian population in Cameroon in an attempt to coerce and intimidate the Cameroonian government into allowing these regions to secede. These separatist fighters are frequently referred to as “Amba Boys.”

    “Tataw and his co-conspirators masterminded and financially supported a vicious scheme to overthrow a foreign government. They resorted to an unthinkable level of violence while instilling fear in innocent victims to advance their political agenda,” Hayes said.  “We, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to relentlessly pursuing anyone who attempts to inflict mayhem on others. Tataw and his co-conspirators demonstrated a total disregard for human life so now they must pay the price.”

    “The defendant is alleged to have ordered horrific acts of violence, including severing limbs, against Cameroonian civilians in support of a violent secessionist movement,” Galeotti said. “This indictment represents the Justice Department’s commitment to hold accountable human rights violators who direct brutal political violence and fundraise for armed militias from the comfort of the United States.”

    “The Justice Department will not tolerate those who help murder, maim, and kidnap,” Bai said. “We will continue to hold accountable those who aim to turn American soil into a staging ground for political violence abroad.”

    As alleged in the indictment, Tataw was a citizen of Cameroon living in Maryland and was a member of the Cameroonian diaspora with a large social media following. Beginning no later than April 2018, Tataw conspired to provide material support and resources — including money, weapons, and personnel — to Amba Boys in Cameroon, and called for the murder, kidnapping, and maiming of Cameroonian civilians. Tataw and his co-conspirators directed the maiming of Cameroonian civilians by severing their limbs, a practice Tataw called “Garriing.” Tataw used the phrase “small Garri” to refer to removing fingers or other small appendages and the phrase “large Garri” to refer to removing large limbs or killing people.  Additionally, Tataw referred to himself as the “Garri Master,” or master of mutilation.

    Tataw and his co-conspirators targeted those believed to be working for or collaborating with the government, including municipal officials, traditional chiefs, and employees of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), a government-owned company that grew, processed, and sold bananas, palm oil, and rubber. As alleged, Tataw personally wrote hundreds of social media posts on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter calling for attacks against Cameroonian civilians, seeking to raise funds to arm Amba Boys, and threatening those he viewed as cooperating with the Cameroonian government. These social media posts were regularly viewed by tens of thousands of people, including Amba Boys and their leaders, and were often further disseminated by third parties allegedly acting at Tataw’s direction or encouragement.

    Tataw and his co-conspirators solicited and raised funds to supply Amba Boys with firearms, ammunition, explosive materials, and other equipment for enforcing lockdown or “ghost-town” orders and carrying out violent attacks.  A fundraising campaign, known as the “National AK Campaign,” was designed to arm each Amba Boy in Cameroon with an AK-47 rifle.  From about September 2018 through December 2020, Tataw and his co-conspirators raised more than $110,000. Tataw and co-conspirators transferred portions of these funds — either directly or through intermediaries — to Amba Boys located in Cameroon and neighboring Nigeria. Additionally, Tataw communicated directly with Amba Boy leaders on the ground in Cameroon. Tataw also, on multiple occasions, personally took credit for Amba Boys murdering, kidnapping, and maiming civilians in connection with the separatists’ cause.

    An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  All defendants charged by indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.  If convicted, Tataw faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the material support count and five years in prison on each count of making threatening communications to injure or kidnap. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the HSI Maryland’s Document and Benefit Fraud/El Dorado Task Force, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation – Baltimore Field Office for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina A. Hoffman and Joseph Wenner; Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section; and Michael Dittoe and Andrew Briggs, National Security Division, who are prosecuting this case, along with the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for their valuable assistance.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach. To report a Maryland-based hate crime, contact the FBI Baltimore field office at (410) 265-8080 or www.tips.fbi.gov. 

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s ‘Garden of American Heroes’ is a monument to celebrity and achievement – paid for with humanities funding that benefits everyday Americans

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jennifer Tucker, Professor of History, Wesleyan University

    Donald Trump speaks in front of a wax statue of John Wayne at the John Wayne Museum in Winterset, Iowa, during the 2016 GOP primaries. Al Drago/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

    Donald Trump first came up with his plan for a “National Garden of American Heroes” at the end of his first term, before President Joe Biden quietly tabled it upon replacing Trump in the White House.

    Now, with Trump back in the Oval Office – and with the country’s 250th anniversary fast approaching – the project is back. The National Endowment for the Humanities is seeking to commission 250 statues of famous Americans from a predetermined list, to be displayed at a location yet to be determined.

    It isn’t clear who compiled the list of 250 to be honored. It includes names that are largely recognizable and whose accomplishments are well-known: politicians like Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy; jurists Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia; activists such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Harriet Tubman; celebrities such as John Wayne and Julia Child; and sports stars like Kobe Bryant and Babe Ruth.

    Donald Trump announces some famous Black Americans he plans to include in his ‘National Garden of American Heroes’ during a Black History Month event on Feb. 20, 2025, at the White House.

    The statue garden coincides with an executive order from March 2025 in which the Trump administration denounced what it saw as historical revisionism that had recast the country’s “unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness.” Instead, it had constructed a story of the nation that portrayed it “as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed,” which “fosters a sense of national shame.”

    “We don’t need to overemphasize the negative,” explained Lindsey Halligan, a 35-year-old insurance lawyer who is named in the order as one of the people tasked with reforming museums that receive government funds.

    Trump often casts himself as a man of the people. But as historians, we don’t see a garden of heroes as a populist effort. To us, it represents a top-down approach to U.S. history, akin to the hagiography that Americans already regularly get from movies, television and professional sports.

    And it comes at a cost: It’s going to be paid for with funds that had been previously allotted to tell stories about people and places that may be less familiar than the proposed figures for Trump’s garden. But they’re nonetheless meaningful to countless communities across the nation.

    Only the movers and shakers matter

    Trump’s fixation on America’s luminaries is adjacent to the “great man” theory of history.

    In 1840, Scottish philosopher and historian Thomas Carlyle published “On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History,” in which he argued that “The History of the world is but the Biography of great men.”

    American biologist and eugenicist Frederick Adams Woods embraced the great man theory in his 1913 work, “The Influence of Monarchs: Steps in a New Science of History.” In it, he investigated 386 rulers in Western Europe from the 12th century until the French Revolution. He proposed a scientific measurement to quantify the relative impact these rulers had on the course of civilization.

    Then and now, many other historians and sociologists have pushed back, arguing that the “Great Man” view of history oversimplifies the past by attributing major historical events to the actions of a few influential individuals, while ignoring broader social, economic and cultural forces.

    Nonetheless, it continues to have broad appeal. It’s very popular among corporate leaders, for example, many of whom like to portray themselves as visionaries, with their business successes proof of their genius.

    Trump’s garden of heroes reflects his penchant for celebrating wealth, champions and successes, akin to what Walt Disney tried to capture with his Disney World ride Carousel of Progress, which highlights American technological advances.

    A national redundancy?

    However, the U.S. already has a national statuary hall, which opened in the U.S. Capitol in 1870. Each state has contributed two statues; for example, Massachusetts honors Samuel Adams and John Winthrop, while Ohio celebrates James Garfield and Thomas Edison.

    Today there are 102 statutes, though just 14 women.

    Importantly, the roster is fluid – not set in stone – and reflects debates over whom the nation ought to celebrate.

    Over time, the representation has become slightly more inclusive. The first woman, Illinois educator Frances Willard, was added in 1905. Only in 2022 did a Black American appear, when educator Mary Bethune replaced a Confederate general from Florida. And in 2024, Johnny Cash replaced James Paul Clarke, a former governor and senator from Arkansas with Confederate sympathies.

    Family members and elected officials attend the unveiling of the statue of Johnny Cash at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 24, 2024.
    Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

    What about everyday Americans?

    We don’t think there’s anything wrong with celebrating and honoring popular figures in American history. But we do think there’s an issue when it comes at the expense of other historical and archival projects.

    The New York Times reported that US$34 million for the project would come from funds formerly allocated to the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities, whose budget has been cut by 85%.

    Many of the grants that have been slashed explore, celebrate and preserve history in ways that stand in stark contrast to a statue garden. They involve, as Gal Beckerman writes in the Atlantic, efforts that “are about asking questions, about uncovering hidden or overlooked experiences, about closely examining texts or adding to the public record.”

    They include one that supports the digitization of local newspapers and archival records; another to collect and preserve oral histories of local communities; a grant that funds the production of documentaries and podcasts about local communities; traveling exhibitions that bring items from the Smithsonian’s collection to small towns and rural areas; and a grant to fund the collection of first-person accounts of Native Americans who attended U.S. government-run boarding schools.

    These and countless similar history projects serve millions of people far from Washington, and they have broad support from lawmakers and citizens of all political stripes.

    In 1938, as forces of fascism gathered in Europe, a Connecticut high school social science teacher said, “The greatest need of America, on the threshold of the greatest epoch of its history, is citizens who understand the past out of which the nation has grown. … Let us look into the souls of the leaders and the common people who have made America great.”

    In his 2016 campaign, Trump promised to work on behalf of everyday Americans – the “forgotten man and woman.” But the proposed statue garden of famous figures cuts out the common people from America’s story – not just as subjects of history, but as its stewards for future generations.

    With funds slashed from organizations dedicated to local history, we wonder how many more stories will go untold.

    Jennifer Tucker has received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities for research that examines the social and cultural role of modern technology, such as facial recognition, through a historical lens.

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

    – ref. Trump’s ‘Garden of American Heroes’ is a monument to celebrity and achievement – paid for with humanities funding that benefits everyday Americans – https://theconversation.com/trumps-garden-of-american-heroes-is-a-monument-to-celebrity-and-achievement-paid-for-with-humanities-funding-that-benefits-everyday-americans-254564

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The UK stands with the Syrian people as they seize this historic moment: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    The UK stands with the Syrian people as they seize this historic moment: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Syria.

    I thank Special Envoy Pedersen and ASG Msuya for their briefing.

    Let me also welcome Foreign Minister Al-Shaibani to the Council.

    On the day the new Syrian flag was raised here at the UN, your presence is a powerful reminder of the opportunity that lies ahead for Syria to carve out a more secure, peaceful and prosperous future. 

    The UK stands with the Syrian people as they seize this historic moment.

    President, I will make three points today.

    First, we have already seen welcome progress in Syria’s political transition. 

    This includes the formation of a new Government, creation of a Constitutional Committee and work to address immediate security threats, including from chemical weapons.

    We have seen important steps towards reconciliation amongst Syria’s diverse communities, including the recent agreement signed with the Syrian Democratic Forces. 

    It is important that this outreach and consultation continues to help build a stable and unified country working in the interests of all Syrians.

    And after years of war and brutality under the Assad regime, issues of transitional justice and accountability must be prioritised. 

    This includes steps to find missing persons, and provide much-needed peace of mind to the families that have paid the ultimate price.

    Second, economic recovery will be a crucial part of efforts to build a more prosperous Syria. 

    This week’s meetings of the International Financial Institutions, with the participation of the Syrian Government are an important step in boosting international community support to drive investment and economic growth.

    And this week, the UK has lifted sanctions on sectors including trade, energy production and finance. 

    We hope these steps will help remove barriers to investment in Syria’s economy, especially in the energy and electricity generation sector, which is essential for Syria’s reconstruction.

    Finally, we reiterate that respect for Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity is crucial for both Syrian security and that of its neighbours. 

    We are concerned by Israeli actions which risk restabilising the region.

    We call on all actors to uphold the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

    President, Syrians have already suffered greatly from years of conflict and misrule.  

    As we heard from the briefers, they face considerable political, economic and humanitarian challenges as they emerge from this dark chapter in their history.

    They deserve a better and more secure future. 

    The UK will continue to support the Syrian government and its people in their efforts to achieve this.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: During Her Visit to Mozambique, IOM Deputy Chief Amplifies Need for Lasting Solutions for Displaced Communities

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Beira/ Geneva, 25 April 2025 – International Organization for Migration (IOM) Deputy Director General for Operations Ugochi Daniels called for increased sustained development financing to help communities in Mozambique grappling with climate-induced displacement. Wrapping up a three-day visit to the Southern African country this week, DDG Daniels also reaffirmed IOM’s commitment to finding durable solutions for people in Mozambique. 

    “The UN Solutions Agenda calls on us to move beyond short-term fixes,” said DDG Daniels. “In Beira, I met women and local leaders who are not only rebuilding homes but reshaping futures. They reminded me that the most sustainable solutions are those driven by the communities themselves—solutions rooted in dignity, knowledge, and local leadership. Our role is to listen, support, and amplify their efforts.” 

    Mozambique ranks among the world’s top 20 countries most exposed to disasters worldwide, according to the Global Climate Risk Index. Between 2019 and 2024, recurring disasters displaced over 140,000 people, destroyed homes, and overwhelmed fragile infrastructure. In the past six months alone, severe drought—exacerbated by El Niño and limited food security—has displaced an additional 10,000 people.

    Climate shocks are escalating in frequency and severity. In just three months cyclones Chido, Dikeledi and Jude affected more than one million people. Rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, and rising sea levels are compounding the risks faced by communities already experiencing chronic poverty and inadequate housing, deepening vulnerability, and prolonging displacement.

    During the visit, DDG Daniels heard first-hand from disaster victims and community leaders during her visit. She also met with senior government officials, including the President of the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction, Luisa Celma Caetano Meque, as well as donors, partners, and other UN officials, including the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Mozambique, Catherine Sozi.

    IOM Mozambique is supporting the repair and reconstruction of over 6,000 homes through the Cyclone Idai and Kenneth Emergency Recovery and Resilience Project (CERRP) in Beira. The project exemplifies the Build Back Safer approach—combining resilient construction techniques, community leadership, and environmental safeguards. With funding from the World Bank and coordination by the Government’s Post-Cyclone Reconstruction Office (GREPOC), the initiative is implemented in partnership with UN-Habitat and Dora Construções, merging technical expertise with local knowledge to strengthen long-term resilience. 

    “Recovery is not something done to communities,” said IOM Mozambique Chief of Mission, Dr. Laura Tomm-Bonde. “It is something we do with them—and ultimately, something they lead.” 

    IOM supported recovery efforts are not limited to infrastructure. Core to the project is the training of local artisans in resilient building techniques, fostering employment while ensuring safer, climate-adapted homes.

    The sites visited during the mission showcase how the UN’s Solutions Agenda—which advocates for long-term, development-oriented approaches to displacement—translates into action on the ground, focusing on durable solutions that promote self-reliance, resilience, and social inclusion. This demonstrates how global commitments take root in community-led recovery efforts like those in Beira. 

    For more information, please contact IOM Media Centre 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Maryland Man Indicted for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Armed Separatist Fighters to Murder, Kidnap, and Maim Individuals in Cameroon and For Making Threats

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A federal grand jury in Baltimore returned an indictment yesterday charging a Cameroonian national, Eric Tataw, also known as “the Garri Master,” 38, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, with conspiring to provide material support to armed separatist militias in Cameroon and threatening violence against Cameroonian civilians. He surrendered and will make his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson today.

    According to court documents, multiple armed and violent secessionist groups in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon are fighting to form a new country called “Ambazonia.” The armed separatist militias sought to achieve secession by not only attacking the Cameroonian military, but also intentionally attacking the civilian population in Cameroon in an attempt to force the Cameroonian government into allowing these regions to secede. These separatist fighters are frequently referred to as “Amba Boys.”

    “The defendant is alleged to have ordered horrific acts of violence, including severing limbs, against Cameroonian civilians in support of a violent secessionist movement,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This indictment represents the Justice Department’s commitment to hold accountable human rights violators who direct brutal political violence and fundraise for armed militias from the comfort of the United States.”

    “The Justice Department will not tolerate those who help murder, maim, and kidnap,” said Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who aim to turn American soil into a staging ground for political violence abroad.”

    “Tataw and his co-conspirators masterminded and financially supported a vicious scheme to overthrow a foreign government. They resorted to an unthinkable level of violence while instilling fear in innocent victims to advance their political agenda,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “We, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to relentlessly pursuing anyone who attempts to inflict mayhem on others. Tataw and his co-conspirators demonstrated a total disregard for human life so now they must pay the price.”

    As alleged in the indictment, Tataw was a citizen of Cameroon living in Maryland and was a member of the Cameroonian diaspora with a large social media following. Beginning in April 2018, Tataw and others sought to raise funds for the Amba Boys to finance violent attacks in Cameroon. Tataw also allegedly called for the murder, kidnapping, and maiming of civilians and the destruction of public, educational, and cultural property in Cameroon. Tataw and his co-conspirators allegedly directed the maiming of Cameroonian civilians by severing their limbs, a practice Tataw called “Garriing.” Tataw allegedly used the phrase “small Garri” to refer to removing fingers or other small appendages and the phrase “large Garri” to refer to removing large limbs or killing people. Additionally, Tataw allegedly referred to himself as the “Garri Master,” or master of mutilation.

    Tataw and his co-conspirators allegedly targeted those believed to be working for or collaborating with the government, including municipal officials, traditional chiefs, and employees of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), a public company that grew, processed, and sold bananas, palm oil, and rubber. As alleged, Tataw personally wrote hundreds of social media posts on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter calling for attacks against Cameroonian civilians, seeking to raise funds to arm Amba Boys, and threatening those he viewed as cooperating with the government of Cameroon. These social media posts were regularly viewed by tens of thousands of people, including Amba Boys and their leaders, and were often further disseminated by third parties allegedly acting at Tataw’s direction or encouragement.

    Tataw is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide material support and four counts of interstate communication of a threat to harm. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the material support count and five years in prison on each count of communication of a threat to harm. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland; and Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Maryland made the announcement.

    HSI and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, with assistance from the FBI, are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Hoffman and Joseph Wenner for the District of Maryland, and Trial Attorneys Michael Dittoe and Andrew Briggs of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chair of the NATO Military Committee visits Kuwait

    Source: NATO

    From 23-24 April, the Chair of the NATO Military Committee (CMC), Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, visited Kuwait to meet with the nation’s senior political and military leadership. The trip marked Admiral Cavo Dragone’s first time in the Gulf and his inaugural mission to a member of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI), as CMC. During his stay, he also delivered remarks at the Mubarak Al-Abdullah Joint Command and Staff College (MAJCSC), visited the Salem Al-Sabah Air Base, and received a briefing at the NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Regional Centre in Kuwait (NIRC).

    On his official visit, Admiral Cavo Dragone held a high level meaning with His Highness the Crown Prince, Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah. The two discussed NATO-Kuwait cooperation, and committed to continuing strengthening this unique and fruitful relationship. CMC praised the nation for its essential role in fostering regional stability and security in the Gulf, for its pioneering role in the ICI and for its dedication to dialogue and practical cooperation with the Alliance.

    CMC also had the opportunity to meet the Minister of Defence and Acting Minister of Interior, H.E. Abdullah Ali Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah. Both reflected on the 20 years of NATO-Kuwait partnership, as well as additional opportunities for deeper military cooperation between Kuwait and the Alliance.

    Admiral Cavo Dragone had the opportunity to address the MAJCSC to discuss current global security challenges, and how NATO is tackling them. He stressed that from his personal experience, there are four practices that are instrumental in dealing with said challenges: adaptation on all fronts, cooperation with partners, a whole-of-society approach, and enlightened leadership. CMC emphasized the key role of partnerships, by stating “NATO’s overall strength doesn’t come from Allies alone. It comes from the contribution of our partners, too. As we say in NATO: Alone, you may go faster. Together, we will go further.”

    During his visit to the NIRC, CMC praised the professional results and the even greater potential that the Centre holds to expand cooperation between NATO and the Gulf. Established in 2017, the NIRC has become a lynchpin for NATO’s cooperation efforts with ICI partners, and the Gulf as a whole. The NIRC is the first of its kind in the ICI, and acts a hub for strengthening political dialogue, education and training, and public diplomacy.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Maryland Man Indicted for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to Armed Separatist Fighters to Murder, Kidnap, and Maim Individuals in Cameroon and For Making Threats

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A federal grand jury in Baltimore returned an indictment yesterday charging a Cameroonian national, Eric Tataw, also known as “the Garri Master,” 38, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, with conspiring to provide material support to armed separatist militias in Cameroon and threatening violence against Cameroonian civilians. He surrendered and will make his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Mark Coulson today.

    According to court documents, multiple armed and violent secessionist groups in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon are fighting to form a new country called “Ambazonia.” The armed separatist militias sought to achieve secession by not only attacking the Cameroonian military, but also intentionally attacking the civilian population in Cameroon in an attempt to force the Cameroonian government into allowing these regions to secede. These separatist fighters are frequently referred to as “Amba Boys.”

    “The defendant is alleged to have ordered horrific acts of violence, including severing limbs, against Cameroonian civilians in support of a violent secessionist movement,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This indictment represents the Justice Department’s commitment to hold accountable human rights violators who direct brutal political violence and fundraise for armed militias from the comfort of the United States.”

    “The Justice Department will not tolerate those who help murder, maim, and kidnap,” said Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “We will continue to hold accountable those who aim to turn American soil into a staging ground for political violence abroad.”

    “Tataw and his co-conspirators masterminded and financially supported a vicious scheme to overthrow a foreign government. They resorted to an unthinkable level of violence while instilling fear in innocent victims to advance their political agenda,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “We, along with our law enforcement partners, are committed to relentlessly pursuing anyone who attempts to inflict mayhem on others. Tataw and his co-conspirators demonstrated a total disregard for human life so now they must pay the price.”

    As alleged in the indictment, Tataw was a citizen of Cameroon living in Maryland and was a member of the Cameroonian diaspora with a large social media following. Beginning in April 2018, Tataw and others sought to raise funds for the Amba Boys to finance violent attacks in Cameroon. Tataw also allegedly called for the murder, kidnapping, and maiming of civilians and the destruction of public, educational, and cultural property in Cameroon. Tataw and his co-conspirators allegedly directed the maiming of Cameroonian civilians by severing their limbs, a practice Tataw called “Garriing.” Tataw allegedly used the phrase “small Garri” to refer to removing fingers or other small appendages and the phrase “large Garri” to refer to removing large limbs or killing people. Additionally, Tataw allegedly referred to himself as the “Garri Master,” or master of mutilation.

    Tataw and his co-conspirators allegedly targeted those believed to be working for or collaborating with the government, including municipal officials, traditional chiefs, and employees of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), a public company that grew, processed, and sold bananas, palm oil, and rubber. As alleged, Tataw personally wrote hundreds of social media posts on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter calling for attacks against Cameroonian civilians, seeking to raise funds to arm Amba Boys, and threatening those he viewed as cooperating with the government of Cameroon. These social media posts were regularly viewed by tens of thousands of people, including Amba Boys and their leaders, and were often further disseminated by third parties allegedly acting at Tataw’s direction or encouragement.

    Tataw is charged with one count of conspiracy to provide material support and four counts of interstate communication of a threat to harm. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison on the material support count and five years in prison on each count of communication of a threat to harm. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Sue J. Bai, Head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland; and Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Maryland made the announcement.

    HSI and the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, with assistance from the FBI, are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Chelsea Schinnour of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina Hoffman and Joseph Wenner for the District of Maryland, and Trial Attorneys Michael Dittoe and Andrew Briggs of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hardin Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Using a Phone to Promote Prostitution with a Minor

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    BILLINGS – A Hardin man who promoted prostitution with a minor was sentenced today to 36 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    William Serges Joseph, 75, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to use of facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering.

    U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.

    The government alleged in court documents that in March 2023, Jane Doe, a juvenile female, disclosed to law enforcement that, commencing in approximately September 2022, she began showing her breasts to the Joseph. The two messaged each other on Facebook and Joseph was aware of she was a juvenile. Jane Doe said she allowed Joseph to touch her in exchange for alcohol and he also asked her for naked pictures.

    Jane Doe was interviewed again in June 2023. She added that Joseph continued to message her and offered her $50 for sexual contact. A review of her cell phone reflected, among other communications, a February 2023 message from Joseph with a picture of male genitalia. Joseph was interviewed in February 2024. He admitted providing alcohol to Jane Doe in exchange for pictures of her breasts. At the time of the offense, prostitution was illegal under the laws of Montana and Sex Trafficking was illegal under the laws of the United States.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case, and the investigation was conducted by the FBI.

    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 CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: BTCC Exchange Achieves Remarkable Growth in Q1 2025: Record Trading Volume of $815 Billion, Strengthened User Protection, and More User-Centric Initiatives

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VILNIUS, Lithuania, April 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BTCC, the world’s longest-serving crypto exchange, announced outstanding growth for the first quarter of 2025, with total trading volume reaching $815 billion. The exchange revealed a remarkable surge in trading activity, service expansion, and strengthened commitments to user security.

    71% Surge in Futures Trading Propels Q1 Performance

    In the first quarter of 2025, BTCC achieved remarkable growth with total futures trading volume reaching $720 billion, representing a 71% quarter-over-quarter increase. Spot trading volume grew to $95 billion, up 54% from the previous quarter. The exchange has listed a variety of popular coins, including PI, TRUMP, and AI16Z, to meet the needs of diverse traders seeking innovative and trending cryptocurrencies in the market.

    The user base also showed impressive growth, surpassing the 7 million milestone and reaching 7.04 million registered users by the end of Q1 2025. This achievement reflects the growing trust in BTCC as a reliable platform and its expanding global footprint.

    $15M Risk Reserve Fund Safeguards 280,000 Traders

    BTCC has reinforced its commitment to user asset security by adding $4.3 million to its Risk Reserve Fund in Q1, which brings the cumulative total to over $15 million. This protective measure has already assisted approximately 280,000 users in the first quarter of this year, offering comprehensive coverage for negative balance accounts during extreme market volatility and compensating traders impacted by system failures.

    “In today’s volatile global market, characterized by geopolitical conflicts and macroeconomic uncertainties, crypto assets face unprecedented opportunities and challenges,” said Alex, Head of Operations at BTCC.

    “For our users, this is a time of both challenges and opportunities. We are proud of our Q1 data, which reflects our commitment to protecting users’ funds and building trust. Our mission is to serve as a stable anchor during market fluctuations, actively reducing risks while fostering a community built on trust and reliability.”

    Prioritizing User-Centric Initiatives

    Beyond strengthening user protection, BTCC implemented campaigns and service enhancements during Q1 2025. The exchange distributed 5 million USDT in rewards through targeted campaigns designed for diverse user segments, including new users, longtime users, beginners, and advanced traders.

    The VIP program was also revamped in the first quarter to cater to high-volume traders. Upgrades included more competitive fee structures, the introduction of VIP Status Protection Periods, substantial upgrade rewards, exclusive luxury experiences, and more.

    The exchange further demonstrated its commitment to corporate social responsibility through active participation in various charitable initiatives, such as collaborations with Red Eagle Foundation, reinforcing its dedication to giving back to communities worldwide.

    TOKEN2049 Sponsorship and Proof of Reserves on Horizon

    Looking ahead, BTCC will participate as a gold sponsor at TOKEN2049, one of the industry’s premier events that will take place on April 30 and May 1 in Dubai. Additionally, the exchange plans to announce its Proof of Reserves (PoR) soon, which will further enhance transparency and security for its users.

    To strengthen its market position, BTCC is exploring strategic sponsorship opportunities aimed at increasing brand visibility in key regions. As BTCC enhances its services while prioritizing user protection, the platform is well-equipped to thrive in the next quarter, backed by a strong user base and record trading volumes.

    About BTCC Exchange

    Founded in 2011, BTCC is a leading global cryptocurrency exchange with the vision to make crypto trading reliable and accessible to everyone. With a strong presence in over 100 countries and regions and a user base of over 7.04 million, BTCC continues to deliver innovation, security, and an unmatched user experience in the cryptocurrency world.

    Official website: https://www.btcc.com/en-US

    X: https://x.com/BTCCexchange

    Contact: press@btcc.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3d8297f8-6ef6-49ac-a893-c262a0573c71

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: AI at Work: ‘intelligence on tap’ will reshape knowledge work

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: AI at Work: ‘intelligence on tap’ will reshape knowledge work

    Imagine that intelligence, once a scarce and costly resource, is as readily available as electricity. I’ve written recently about the cognitive inflection point created by AI’s remarkable ability to think and reason, and how it will reshape the workforce. Here I’ll focus on the extraordinary impact that this “intelligence on tap”—abundant, affordable, and almost infinitely scalable—will have on business.  

    In the 2025 Work Trend Index Annual Report, intelligence on tap is noted as the foundation for an entirely new type of organization that we call the Frontier Firm. These firms will build hybrid teams of human and digital workers that can scale instantly to meet the needs of the business. With AI agents handling complex cognitive work, teams can increase their expertise without adding headcount. This isn’t just a 1-to-1 incremental improvement. It’s about dramatically expanding what every individual and organization can accomplish, and at a much lower cost. 

    It’s worth pausing to recognize how monumental this shift is: For most of human history, if you needed intelligence to help you solve a problem, you had to hire a person. Now, intelligence is accessible on demand. That’s why I think of it as a new kind of commodity—one that, like electricity, will underpin the next wave of business transformation, with the potential to drive massive growth. 

    Amping up productivity
    Think of intelligence as the ability to perform cognitive tasks like perceiving, understanding, reasoning, executing, and creating. In all of these areas, AI is demonstrating abilities that were hard to imagine even a few months ago.  

    But it’s not only AI’s level of intelligence that matters. The other crucial factor is that this intelligence is on tap, available to any leader or employee at rates competitive with any other form of enterprise software.  

    With that combination of abundant expertise and affordable access, this new resource for intelligence will amp up productivity in ways that weren’t possible before. Traditionally, companies have hired more employees or tapped more capital (financing, infrastructure, equipment) to increase output. Now, they can add AI-driven intelligence to the mix. It isn’t human labor, and it doesn’t fit into the existing category of capital because of its unusual qualities, like the ability to learn and improve. It’s a new kind of business input—what we’re starting to call digital labor. It’s a net new resource. 

    By strategically deploying this new resource in their operations, organizations can break through legacy productivity constraints. The most effective companies will scale more quickly, be more agile, and generate value faster. And in the process, they’ll gain resilience against the economic and geopolitical uncertainty that threatens to disrupt less adaptable organizations. 

    Bridging the capacity gap 
    Work in 2025 brings complex pressures. Leaders are, as always, looking for productivity to increase, but we found in our Work Trend Index survey that a vast majority of the global workforce—both leaders and employees—lack enough time or energy to do their work. This is the capacity gap, and intelligence on tap can help to bridge it. 

    A primary driver of the capacity gap is an all-too-familiar reality: employees are hired to perform specific jobs, but they end up spending too much time on coordination tasks like emails and meetings, along with administrative work. This “coordination tax” prevents them from focusing on the work they were actually hired to do. 

    Digital labor can greatly reduce this coordination tax through now-familiar use cases such as summarizing meetings, defining action items, and triaging emails. But the real power of digital labor today, compared to even a year ago, is autonomy. Agents can operate in messy, ambiguous environments, sort through the noise, and come back with, “Hey boss, I think I’ve got something here for you.”  

    That kind of reasoning at scale isn’t just about efficiency. It’s about realigning human work with human strengths—creativity, empathy, strategic thinking—and delivering better business outcomes and a more meaningful experience at work.  

    Opening doors to entirely new ways of working
    Another striking pattern we see emerging in the Work Trend Index data: humans turn to AI for its unique strengths, not to replicate human skills. AI provides capabilities that humans simply can’t: it’s available 24/7, can generate ideas almost endlessly, and can process vast amounts of data almost instantly. This isn’t AI supplanting human agency—it’s AI supplementing it. 

    Along those lines, intelligence on tap doesn’t incur time-intensive costs such as onboarding, upskilling, and assimilation. These are factors, along with the high price of scarce skills, that can prevent teams from adding more cognitive resources. This new form of intelligence democratizes expertise that was once siloed within specific individuals. Now, anyone in your organization can access specialized knowledge whenever it’s needed, regardless of hierarchy or the boundaries of job functions or departments. This is “intelligence on tap” in practice. 

    And it comes at a moment when we have more challenges to tackle than ever, from energy to accelerating business cycles. That’s where intelligence on tap becomes not just a tool for cost-cutting but a catalyst for real innovation. 

    The most forward-thinking companies are already evolving into Frontier Firms—organizations structured around this on-demand intelligence and powered by hybrid human-AI teams. Companies that master this partnership first will write the rules that everyone else will follow.  

    Those that embrace it will shape the future of business. Those that don’t risk being disrupted by someone who does. 

    Summing it up 
    The shift to intelligence on tap represents one of the most significant business transformation opportunities of our lifetime. Over the next few years, companies of all sizes, in all industries, will reimagine how work gets done and how value is created. Intelligence on tap will create opportunities for any organization to innovate in ways that surpass what we ever thought was possible.

    For more insights on AI and the future of work, subscribe to this newsletter.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Hannover Messe 2025 recap: Microsoft puts industrial AI to work

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Hannover Messe 2025 recap: Microsoft puts industrial AI to work

    Hannover Messe is the event to see manufacturing innovation. This year, 127,000 business and government leaders from 150 nations gathered to see how technology is shaping the future. Once again, Microsoft showcased advancements in AI and cloud technologies, underscoring its commitment to the ongoing transformation within manufacturing. Together with customers and partners, Microsoft’s presence highlighted “Industrial AI in Action” with demonstrations and thought leadership focused on generative design, factory efficiency, and frontline operations. 

    Learn more about Industrial AI

    Industrial AI in Action 

    Through 31 demos, 53 theater sessions, and three ancillary events, Microsoft highlighted how AI agents are helping manufacturers unlock new levels of productivity, resiliency, and growth. As the new interface to industrial data and operations, generative AI tools allow every worker—from the factory floor to the boardroom—to surface timely, relevant insights that drive decision-making. Test agents built with the power of Microsoft Copilot Studio for yourself. 

    In the booth, Microsoft focused on the entire manufacturing value chain: advancing innovation in digital engineering with generative AI, preparing the factory edge for AI, AI agents supporting the development of frontline workers, and finally making intelligent digital threads a reality. Microsoft brought these four opportunities to life through four distinct neighborhoods filled with demos, partners, and customer stories. Highlights included collaborations with Rolls-Royce, Siemens, PTC, Sandvik, Husqvarna, Sight Machine, Sanctuary AI, SymphonyAI, Bridgestone, and Databricks. Microsoft’s Hannover presence garnered incredible media attention, notably several news channel interviews with Anges Heftberger, CEO, Microsoft Germany, and a visit from Roland Busch, CEO, Siemens AG. 

    This year, Microsoft’s centerpiece displayed the Rolls-Royce transformation journey from design engineering through the factory to maintenance operations. For over a century, Rolls-Royce has been a force for progress; powering, protecting, and connecting people everywhere. Today, with digital transformation at the forefront, the company is redefining how its world-class products are designed, built, and maintained. With help from Siemens and Microsoft, Rolls-Royce is now using AI to streamline production, boost engine efficiency, and predict maintenance needs before issues arise.

    Making intelligent digital threads a reality 

    Grounded in unified operational (OT), enterprise information (IT), and engineering (ET) data, digital threads connect every phase of manufacturing—delivering timely, actionable insights to every team, from design and production to maintenance and customer support. This continuous, connected flow of data enriches every stage of the manufacturing value chain. 

    Without a strong data foundation, manufacturers will struggle to tap into the full potential of AI. Data quality, standardization, and integration are often inconsistent, making insights hard to access and trust. Microsoft Fabric is helping manufacturers overcome these barriers—turning fragmented data into intelligent digital threads that power better decisions, faster innovation, and operational excellence. Alongside Fabric and Microsoft Dynamics 365 demos, Microsoft partners AVEVA, Databricks, Kongsberg, and Parsec displayed how AI is influencing real-time production monitoring and predictive maintenance to fuel resilient, efficient, and sustainable manufacturing. 

    Engineering with generative AI 

    AI is disrupting design and engineering, unlocking new levels of innovation, speed, and creativity. With generative AI, manufacturers can now rapidly explore a wide range of possibilities, optimizing products for performance, manufacturability, and cost. Microsoft partners PTC, Sandvik, Schneider Electric, Eplan, Rescale, and NTT DATA demonstrated real-world applications of AI reshaping product development and lifecycle—from accelerated design iterations to predictive simulations. The result is higher-performing, more customer-centric products brought to market faster and more efficiently. 

    Preparing the factory edge for AI 

    AI is redefining factory operations. Manufacturers must integrate industrial edge solutions with the cloud to fully capitalize on their shop floor investments. The Microsoft Azure adaptive cloud approach captures data from industrial equipment assets and devices, normalizing it at the edge, sending insights to the cloud and back. Along with partners Accenture Avanade, Cognite, Litmus, Schneider Electric, Sight Machine, Rockwell, and Tulip, Microsoft showcased how AI at the edge is transforming real-time factory visibility and performance monitoring.  

    Supporting frontline workers with AI agents 

    AI transformation is reshaping every aspect of manufacturing operations. As the industry grapples with high turnover, upskilling the workforce has become a critical challenge. AI agents are now giving frontline workers real-time guidance to help them make faster, better-informed decisions. AI-powered agents are streamlining industrial environments, allowing operators, production teams, and facility managers to access insights and optimize processes through natural language interactions. By accelerating issue resolution and root cause analysis, the agent improves day-to-day productivity and operational resilience. In addition to Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service demos, partners Sanctuary AI and SymphonyAI highlighted how AI and automation are redefining the future of frontline work. 

    Driving AI leadership and industry innovation 

    The Microsoft theater was busy this year. Moved in the booth, this space connected business leaders, innovators, and customers to the experts, creating a forum to discuss the unique challenges facing manufacturing and how AI and cloud technologies are helping address them. Here are a few highlights from the theater: 

    • “Celebrating women in manufacturing” brought together influential female voices in manufacturing to explore their career journeys, achievements, challenges, and advice to inspire the next generation of talent. Thank you to panelists Elise Hersko, Sandra Anderstedt, and Monica Ugwi.  
    • An Industrial AI leadership conversation between Roland Busch, Siemens CEO, and Uli Homann, Microsoft CVP of Cloud and AI, who shared their learnings on leading in AI. Both agreed that success depends on a trusted data ecosystem, responsible AI practices, and a commitment to scaling AI initiatives that start with the customer.  
    • Microsoft Intelligent Manufacturing Award (MIMA) showcase, in partnership with Roland Berger, celebrated the winners of the MIMA, recognizing innovation in smart manufacturing across Europe, Middle East, and Africa. The 2025 winners included Continental, Diehl Metering, Philip Morris Manufacturing & Technology, ZEISS Digital Innovation, plus Cereal Docks and MIPU.  

    Unlock new possibilities with Microsoft 

    Thank you to the customers, partners, and the thousands of attendees who engaged with the Microsoft booth throughout the week. We’re looking forward to HANNOVER MESSE 2026. 

    Adam Bogobowicz

    Director of Industrial Transformation Product Marketing

    Adam Bogobowicz is a seasoned business and technology professional with a 30-year tenure in the technology industry. As the Director of Product Marketing at Microsoft, he oversees the Industrial Transformation portfolio; the adaptive cloud portfolio, edge and cloud data products enabled by Fabric, industrial AI product portfolio, and frontline worker suite of products.

    See more articles from this author

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: $15M Awarded in Grants for Resilient Reforestation

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today celebrated Arbor Day 2025 by announcing $15 million in grant awards through New York State’s new Community Reforestation (CoRe) program. Sixteen of the funded projects will establish and expand resilient forests in and near New York’s urban communities, contributing to the 2024 State of the State “25 Million Trees Initiative” launched by Governor Hochul to recognize the importance of trees and forests for climate resiliency and community health.

    “Resilient urban forests support community health, well-being and sustainability,” Governor Hochul said. “I’m celebrating Arbor Day 2025 by awarding $15 million in new grants to support projects across the State that will bring the countless ecological and economic benefits of trees to urban areas.”

    Trees in urban areas help reduce high temperatures created by the urban heat island effect. CoRe-funded projects are predominantly located in communities with high heat vulnerability. Studies show that forested natural areas can be as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than under the shade of a street tree just a few hundred feet away. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) administers the new CoRe grant program, which supports the State’s efforts to plant 25 million trees by 2033.

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “The CoRe grant-funded projects announced today will help make New York’s communities cooler — expanding forest canopies, improving forest health, and moderating temperatures, all while engaging New Yorkers at the local, regional, and watershed levels. In addition to significant climate benefits, trees enhance biodiversity and improve overall community health and well-being for residents statewide.”

    All CoRe-funded projects will record tree planting input into DEC’s Tree Tracker, the GIS tool available for the public to upload every tree planted in New York State. Every New Yorker that uploads a tree planting to the Tree Tracker in the months of April and May 2025 will be automatically entered in a 25 Million Trees sweepstakes for a chance to win a year-long subscription to The Conservationist magazine and 25 Million Trees swag.

    DEC is awarding more than $7.4 million to municipalities, particularly to restore woodlands in public parks. Invasive species removal and expansion of native forests in these open spaces intends to enhance the ecosystem services provided to local residents, particularly enhanced canopy that provides shade and recreational opportunities.

    A total of $5.3 million is awarded to not-for-profit organizations for a variety of volunteer-driven projects focused on promoting forest health at the ecosystem-level, from riparian zone enhancement along the Upper Susquehanna watershed to protecting Bronx River ecological health.

    Four projects totaling approximately $1.7 million will be awarded to the State University of New York (SUNY) for reforestation projects on college campuses. Projects will serve as “living labs” for students to research best practices in tree planting, sustainable forest management and ecological monitoring.

    Many projects feature youth engagement and workforce development opportunities in their reforestation efforts. The Natural Areas Conservancy, awarded approximately $3 million for their restoration of parks across the five boroughs, plans to include field technicians as part of the City University of New York (CUNY) fellowship program. The city of Syracuse awarded $2 million to restore forests across the city and establish a resilient “food forest,” will enlist the help of Onondaga Earth Corps crews for plantings using youth volunteers.

    Funding for this round of the CoRe grant program was allocated by the Governor in the FY25 Enacted Budget. In addition to the $15 million allocation for the CoRe grant program, the Governor’s initial commitment to the 25 Million Trees Initiative came with $32 million to modernize the Saratoga Tree Nursery and enhance DEC’s technological capabilities for tracking tree planting and forest management across the state. The initiative is working to invigorate the State’s tree planting efforts by scaling up public-sector tree planting efforts, invigorating the private sector, harnessing technology and engaging the next generation of environmental stewards.

    Community Reforestation (CoRe) Grant Awards

    NEW YORK CITY

    Bronx County

    Bronx River Alliance – $500,000 for Bronx River Forest Restoration

    The Bronx River Alliance will restore riparian forests historically dominated by ash trees along the watershed by planting nearly 2,000 hardwood trees with the help of more than 300 volunteers.

    The New York Botanical Garden – $429,285 for Bronx River Riparian Forest Restoration

    As part of their Bronx River Riparian Forest Restoration Project, the NYBG and partners will enhance six degraded sites across the watershed — two sites on NYBG forestlands, three Westchester County Parks sites and a reservoir site in North Castle.

    New York County

    City of New York – $2,995,707 for NYC Parks Reforestation

    The city will restore canopy gaps in seven parks in four boroughs by planting more than 10,000 trees.

    Natural Areas Conservancy (NAC) Inc. – $2,958,846 for Restoration at Forest Park, Highbridge Park and Prospect Park

    NAC and partners will restore 37 acres of invasive species-dominated, degraded and not-regenerating forests across three parks in New York City.

    MID-HUDSON VALLEY

    Putnam County

    Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County – $300,000 for Tilly Foster Farm Forest Restoration

    Veteran citizen scientists will install a one-acre Miyawaki miniforest at Tilly Foster Farm.

    Ulster County

    City of Kingston – $1,608,947 for Restoration of Kingston Parks

    The city of Kingston will re-establish healthy forests across Kingston’s public parks by planting 8,100 trees across 72 acres in five parks.

    Westchester County

    The Research Foundation for the State of New York – $499,942 for Afforestation at SUNY Purchase

    The college will restore and reforest a three-acre plot on campus, and students will study comparative planting practices across three different sites.

    Village of Irvington – $382,316 for Irvington Woods Restoration

    The village’s community-driven task force will restore degraded forest stands in Irvington Woods, home to the largest remaining wetlands in southern Westchester County.

    Village of Hastings on Hudson – $356,511 for Restoration of Hillside Park Woodlands

    The village will restore Hillside Park’s woodlands to a native forest ecosystem by reforesting degraded stands, planting more than 6,500 trees and implementing protective fencing to prevent deer from browsing in the area.

    CAPITAL REGION

    Columbia County

    Columbia Land Conservancy Inc – $368,426 for High Falls Conservation Area Restoration and Reforestation

    The Columbia Land Conservancy will restore 13 acres of early successional forest in High Falls Park by planting trees, treating invasive species and controlling for deer over-browse.

    CENTRAL NEW YORK

    Onondaga County

    City of Syracuse – $2,080,083 for Forest Stand Restoration

    The city will restore eight degraded forest sites, totaling more than 38 acres, by planting trees in order to contribute to the goal of increasing the city’s tree canopy by seven percent.

    MOHAWK VALLEY

    Schoharie County

    The Research Foundation for the State of New York – $423,092 for SUNY Cobleskill Forest Restoration

    SUNY Cobleskill will create natural areas on campus by planting more than 5,300 trees across five acres of abandoned agricultural land, providing hands-on educational experiences for students.

    NORTH COUNTRY

    St. Lawrence County

    Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe – $498,000 for Forest Conservation Area Restoration

    The Tribe will restore a culturally significant conserved forest where much of the canopy was lost to the Emerald Ash Borer.

    SOUTHERN TIER

    Broome County

    The Research Foundation for the State of New York – $311,841 for Nuthatch Hollow Forest Restoration

    SUNY Binghamton will plant native trees and shrubs across 29 acres at Nuthatch Hollow, restoring regraded forestland while supporting research, education and public engagement.

    Delaware County

    The Research Foundation for the State of New York – $484,910 for SUNY Oneonta Forest Restoration

    SUNY Oneonta will plant more than 9,600 native trees and remove invasive species to enhance carbon sequestration and recreation opportunities on campus, as well as host student internships and service-learning opportunities.

    Tioga County

    Tioga County Soil and Water Conservation District – $802,091 for Upper Susquehanna Coalition Forest Restoration

    The Upper Susquehanna Coalition, in collaboration with Soil and Water Conservation Districts and municipalities, will reforest 71 acres of riparian forests at 48 different sites within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, planting more than 22,000 trees.

    Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick said, “Strengthening urban forestry around the state will not only absorb carbon in our atmosphere and absorb stormwater runoff, but also will bring a greater pastoral sense to even urban environments. I am glad that SUNY will be partnering in several projects so students will receive a valuable learning experience in arboriculture and urban forestry. Whenever we can simultaneously combat climate change and make our communities more beautiful and livable, we ought to do so.”

    Assemblymember George Alvarez said, “I’m proud to celebrate this critical investment in the Bronx’s natural resources through the CoRe grant program. The funding awarded to the Bronx River Alliance and The New York Botanical Garden will help restore our urban forests, improve air quality, and provide cooler, greener spaces for our residents. These projects not only strengthen our local environment but also engage our communities, especially our youth—in building a healthier, more resilient Bronx.”

    Assemblymember Karines Reyes said, “I applaud Governor Hochul and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation for this vital investment in the Bronx’s habitat and communities. The Borough of Parks’, as it is affectionately-known, is more than worthy of funding to improve the ecological health of our county. The nearly $1 million investment in Bronx-based institutions, like the Bronx River Alliance and The Bronx Zoo, will be well spent in service to keeping our borough’s trees clean and healthy. This investment in our local environment will have positive impacts on health and wellness, as we seek to reverse the disastrous impacts of pollution and the prolonged disinvestment of previous decades.”

    Assemblymember Emérita Torres said, “This is great news for the Bronx. Amid cuts from the current federal administration, it is more important than ever that our state invests in environmental restoration. This reforestation funding provides critical support for our environmental partners in the community, especially for the restoration along the Bronx River. Our communities continue to bear the brunt of long-term disinvestment and pollution. This funding is a step in the right direction.”

    Assemblymember John Zaccaro, Jr. said, “I applaud Governor Hochul for her commitment to expanding, restoring, and creating more forested natural areas to support our urban neighborhoods through the Community Restoration Grant Awards. Communities like those I represent in the Bronx have some of the worst health outcomes in the state and trees are an invaluable tool to bolster community resilience. Every tree that gets planted means a little more fresh air and a little more shade. We’re excited to get started as we work toward the state’s ambitious goal of planting 25 million trees by 2033.”

    Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said, “We are grateful to Governor Kathy Hochul for her continued commitment to environmental justice and urban resilience through the launch of the Community Reforestation (CoRe) program and the historic 25 Million Trees Initiative. The Governor`s work on this effort aligns with our Greening the Bronx initiative, with investments that not only plant trees but also plant hope, healing, and long-term health in our communities. Projects such as the Bronx River Riparian Forest Restoration, led by the Bronx River Alliance and NYBG, are powerful examples of what can happen when government, institutions, and local volunteers work together to rebuild natural ecosystems and restore our borough’s green infrastructure. These nearly 2,000 new trees are a win for the Bronx and for improving our environment and our borough`s public health.”

    Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said, “Urban trees are essential climate infrastructure and help create a greener, healthier, future for New York. These investments in our community through the CoRe program will help keep neighborhoods cooler, protect against the impacts of climate change, and improve mental health. Thank you to Governor Hochul and the Department of Environmental Conservation for celebrating this Arbor Day by investing in urban trees in Manhattan and beyond.”

    Chief Executive Officer and William C. Steere Sr. President of the New York Botanical Garden Jennifer Bernstein said, “The New York Botanical Garden applauds Governor Kathy Hochul for her vision and leadership in creating the inaugural Community Reforestation program. By supporting NYBG’s restoration work in the Bronx River corridor, families and neighbors will experience the benefits of forests for generations to come. Thank you Governor Hochul.”

    Bronx River Alliance Executive Director Siddhartha Sánchez said, “Thank you Governor Hochul for developing new funding opportunities to increase and improve tree canopy coverage in communities like the Bronx. Investing in reforesting dense urban areas benefits communities in numerous ways – mitigating heat island impacts and localized flooding while improving community health by increasing access to nature. These resources provide the Bronx River Alliance with the ability to do targeted reforestation over multiple years in Westchester and the Bronx, making our work more sustainable.”

    To further Governor Hochul’s goal of planting 25 million trees by 2033, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) will begin its Tree Power program 2025 season today. NYPA’s Tree Power program, first established in 1992, helps customers plant native tree varieties to provide wind breaks surrounding buildings, shading that reduces building energy use and removes carbon from the atmosphere. In 2024, the Power Authority planted more than 1,400 trees in 50 communities throughout the state under the program. Since 2016, more than 8,000 trees have been planted under the program, sequestering more than 400 metric tons of carbon emissions.

    NYPA customers that are eligible to participate in the Tree Power program include municipal electric utilities, rural electric cooperatives and State and local government customers, including the State University of New York and the City University of New York. For every tree that a customer purchases, NYPA will offer tree matches up to $5,000 in value. NYPA is accepting orders for the 2025 program through mid-September.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Kevin Vilkin Joins Business Executives for National Security (BENS)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AUSTIN, Texas, April 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kevin Vilkin, co-founder of Emergent Strategic Partners, has been accepted as a member of Business Executives for National Security (BENS), a national nonprofit network of business leaders committed to supporting U.S. security initiatives. Through BENS, Vilkin will collaborate with fellow executives and government leaders to provide innovative private-sector solutions that enhance national security and resilience.

    BENS leverages the expertise of top business minds to address complex security challenges, fostering strategic partnerships between the private sector and government agencies. Vilkin’s experience in forging impactful collaborations aligns with BENS’ mission, positioning him to contribute valuable insights on sustainable innovation, business growth, and economic security.

    “BENS is excited to have Kevin as a member,” said General Timothy M. Ray, Retired United States Air Force Four-Star General, and President and Chief Executive Officer of BENS. “Right now—as our Nation must adapt and react to an increasingly complex threat environment—our defense and national security partners need to know how to adopt and scale innovation; not just buy it. So, Kevin’s experience and expertise is exactly what we need to make sure BENS provides the best support, at exactly the right time, to those keeping our Nation safe.”

    “It is an honor to join BENS and contribute to its mission of leveraging business expertise to strengthen national security,” said Vilkin. “I look forward to working alongside leaders from both the public and private sectors to drive meaningful impact and innovation.”

    About Kevin Vilkin

    Before launching Emergent, Vilkin founded and successfully exited his first business—a music events company—at the age of 21, helping shape the careers of global artists such as Mumford & Sons and The Zac Brown Band. He founded the Vanguard Program for Summit Series, connecting the world’s most influential leaders, including Richard Branson, Ray Dalio, and Jeff Bezos.

    Vilkin currently serves as a Senior Advisor to Redaptive, ID.me, and GoodLeap. He sits on the Board of Directors at Conservation International, is a member of Business Executives for National Security (BENS), and has been recognized as a Milken Young Leaders Circle and Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree. Additionally, he previously served as a Senior Advisor to TPG Growth.

    About Emergent Strategic Partners

    Emergent develops strategic partnerships that scale sustainable innovations for large enterprises. By connecting leading companies with emerging businesses, Emergent drives cost efficiencies and revenue growth while providing family offices with access to high-potential investment opportunities. Emergent partners’ impact includes $2.2B in revenue generated, $2.8B in enterprise value created, and $1.3B in capital raised.

    Media Contact:
    Paul Orszag
    Emergent Strategic Partners
    porszag@esp.co
    (661) 803-6617

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Clients award GAD high ratings in feedback

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Clients award GAD high ratings in feedback

    Clients award GAD 4.8 stars out of 5 for being highly valued. The findings are from our latest client feedback exercise which surveyed our clients about GAD.

    Credit: Shutterstock

    In the latest client feedback exercise about the work of the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD), 99% of respondents have rated us 4 or more stars for being highly valued.

    The survey included clients’ views on their overall perception of our how well we undertake our work and fulfil our objectives. We also asked for ratings on how clients assessed that we demonstrate value for money.

    The survey was conducted across the 2024 to 2025 financial year. A total of 165 questionnaires resulted in 100 responses, indicating a 61% response rate.

    The client feedback shows high performance ratings across key metrics, with respondents scoring us 95% and over (indicating high satisfaction) with GAD’s:

    • timely delivery
    • adherence to budget
    • scope compliance
    • clear communication
    • overall value for money

    Feedback and comments

    In a separate research exercise, we sought detailed, qualitative feedback from clients and received positive comments about our work and client relationships.

    In the original client survey 62 people out of 100 provided comments offering insights into GAD’s performance across various areas of expertise. These range from established sectors such as pensions and provisioning through to data insights and specialist advice on investment and climate risk.

    Positive responses

    GAD actuary Ian Rogers, who led on the client feedback exercise, said: “The results indicate that more clients this year consider GAD to be highly valued, which is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our colleagues. As an organisation, we are pleased with the overall feedback, which reflects strong scores across the board.”

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Regulator investigates charity over property dispute and governance issues

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Regulator investigates charity over property dispute and governance issues

    The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry to examine regulatory concerns regarding the trustees’ management and administration of The Muslim Community Centre and Mosque 1977, an unregistered charity.

    The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry to examine regulatory concerns regarding the trustees’ management and administration of The Muslim Community Centre and Mosque 1977, an unregistered charity. 

    The regulator’s concerns focus on a risk to charity property arising from a dispute between the unregistered charity and Dudley Central Mosque and Muslim Community Centre (registered charity 1127373), a lack of clarity around the respective charities’ roles in managing its shared property in Birmingham Street, Dudley, and how related charitable funds are banked. Due to the ongoing dispute, those involved have so far been unable or unwilling to resolve the issues. 

    Prior to the opening of the inquiry, the Commission’s initial investigations concluded that The Muslim Community Centre and Mosque 1977 is a charity but it is unclear who its current trustees are.  

    All trustees are expected to act in the best interests of a charity and properly manage any conflicts of interest between the charity and other parties. They must also provide accurate information annually to the Commission. 

    The inquiry will examine if the trustees of The Muslim Community Centre and Mosque 1977 are complying with their legal duties in respect of the administration, governance and management of the charity. The inquiry will examine the extent to which:  

    1. the charity is being managed in accordance with its governing document and whether the governing document is fit for purpose  

    2. the charity has sufficient number of charity trustees  

    3. the charity’s property is being properly managed and safeguarded  

    4. the trustees have fulfilled their legal duties and responsibilities as trustees and whether any failings or weaknesses identified in the administration of the charity are a result of misconduct and/or mismanagement by the trustees. 

    The scope of the inquiry may be extended if additional regulatory issues emerge during the Commission’s investigation.  

    The regulator’s inquiry into Dudley Central Mosque and Muslim Community Centre is ongoing.  

    ENDS  

    Notes to editors  

    1. The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Find out more: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission/about  

    2. All charities, registered and unregistered, must comply with charity law and are subject to regulation by the Charity Commission. 

    3. On 3 April 2025, the Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into the charity under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 as a result of its regulatory concerns that there is or has been misconduct and / or mismanagement in the administration of the charity.  

    4. A statutory inquiry is a legal power enabling the Commission to formally investigate matters of regulatory concern within a charity and to use protective powers for the benefit of the charity and its beneficiaries, assets, or reputation.  

    5. An inquiry will investigate and establish the facts of the case so that the Commission can determine the extent of any misconduct and/or mismanagement; the extent of the risk to the charity, its work, property, beneficiaries, employees or volunteers; and decide what action is needed to resolve the concerns. 

    6. The scope of the ongoing inquiry into Dudley Central Mosque and Muslim Community Centre is on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/charity-commission-launches-inquiry-into-dudley-mosque  

    Press office

    Email pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk

    Out of hours press office contact number: 07785 748787

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Career Insight: Ellen, Trainee Solicitor, GLD

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Case study

    Career Insight: Ellen, Trainee Solicitor, GLD

    Ellen provides an insight into her training within the Government Legal Department (GLD)

    I applied for the Government Legal Department (GLD) training contract (Solicitor route) after working in the Civil Service at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for nearly a year in a non-legal, entry-level role. Having studied law at university, I was uncertain about pursuing a legal career. However, I loved working in the Civil Service and thought that a legal career in government appeared to be more interesting and potentially more fulfilling. When I was offered the training contract, I was also given the opportunity to work as a paralegal in GLD before starting my LPC, which I found very useful.

    Despite my experience as a GLD paralegal, I began my training contract with little knowledge of what the two years would entail, other than that the structure was similar to those in private practice: four six-month seats.  My first two seats were in litigation and the latter two in advisory. My litigation seats were divided into private law litigation and public law litigation. “Litigation” refers to the process of taking legal action through the courts to resolve a dispute, and GLD litigation can also include working on inquiries. “Advisory” means acting as an in-house lawyer for your chosen department, sometimes sitting with, or in the same building as, your clients.

    My first seat was in private law litigation, with the Home Office and the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) as our main clients. This was a great introduction to litigation and to GLD. Within the first couple of months, I was running my own smaller cases (under supervision) and assisting colleagues on larger cases. A highlight was attending the Supreme Court for an (appealed) application to strike out a defamation claim.

    My second seat was in public law litigation, with clients including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Ministry of Defence (MOD), and the Home Office. In this seat, I worked mostly on judicial reviews, which are challenges to decisions made by public bodies. These are much faster-paced than private law claims, with courts often setting deadlines of only a few days. Consequently, the work was intense, but I really enjoyed it.

    My first advisory seat was in the Attorney General’s Office; the Attorney General is the chief legal advisor to the Government, and so his “office” (which is a whole department) works across a number of matters. My favourite aspect of my team’s work was collaborating with departments across government to ensure that Bills were constitutionally sound before being introduced to Parliament. This involved cross-Whitehall liaison, attending Parliament, and briefing Ministers. It was a privilege to have this opportunity at such an early stage in my career.

    I am now in my fourth and final seat in the Home Office and the work is once again very different. Among other things, I am still working on the same Bills I reviewed in AGO, but now focus on the details of different measures, working closely with policy clients and Parliamentary Counsel to draft them. This seat has so far been challenging and interesting – and I’m looking forward to qualification.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Career Insight: Nadia, Trainee Solicitor, HMRC

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Case study

    Career Insight: Nadia, Trainee Solicitor, HMRC

    Nadia provides an insight into her training within HM Revenue & Customs

    I am a trainee solicitor, currently in my second seat, working in HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Legal Group’s VAT Litigation team. My current work includes conducting litigation and looking at the VAT treatment of certain supplies, like food, beauty procedures, books, and marketing deals from some big household names. A big part of the team’s work is also focusing on serious non-compliance fraud cases and various VAT avoidance schemes. Is Jaffa Cake a biscuit or a cake? That’s the kind of question you may get involved in while working for HMRC’s Legal Group.

    When applying for a training contract at HMRC, I never truly understood what being a government lawyer would be like. As HMRC’s lawyers, we are protecting billions of pounds that are then given back to the community in the way of public services, like healthcare, police and many other areas funded by the taxpayers. It’s a ‘pinch-me’ moment knowing that your work is meaningful.

    In my first seat in Business and Property Taxes Litigation team, and continuing into my second seat, I was given significant responsibility from the outset. I am leading my own cases, managing clients that are experts in a tax field and working with the country’s best counsel. As a trainee, you get to experience various aspects of litigation, whether it is drafting statements of case, creating bundles, attending hearings, or even doing a bit of advocacy. You will not be bored. Some litigation teams are more fast paced than others, but that’s the beauty of it, you will be able to steer your training in the direction you want it to go.

    I have truly enjoyed my time as a trainee so far and have been given the opportunity to get involved in work that I never thought I would be able to as a trainee. As strange as it may seem, the highlight of my first seat was when my counsel suddenly fell ill on the morning of an important hearing I had been preparing for months. After dozens of calls with different Chambers, the tribunal, clients, and understandably very unhappy opposing counsel, we managed to adjourn the hearing. The feeling of accomplishment could not be described.

    I would recommend a career at HMRC to anyone interested in public service and challenging, interesting, and meaningful work.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Career Insight: Joe, Trainee Solicitor, HMRC

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Case study

    Career Insight: Joe, Trainee Solicitor, HMRC

    Joe provides an insight into his training within HM Revenue & Customs

    I am a fourth seat trainee in HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) Legal Group’s European and International Law advisory team. The team advises on, drafts and helps negotiate a range of international agreements, including Free-Trade Agreements and Double Taxation Treaties.

    I studied Philosophy and Politics as my undergraduate degree, focussing my studies on human rights and the regulation of transnational enterprises. I suspected that a career in law was the best opportunity to apply these interests in practice; however, as a non-law graduate I was reluctant to immediately volunteer for the expense and stress of two more years of study in the form of the GDL and LPC. So, after graduating, I moved abroad to pursue a career playing and coaching rugby; the COVID-19 pandemic put paid to that ambition but provided me the opportunity to start an online law conversion.

     I applied for the role at HMRC as I thought that first-hand experience of the legislative process and regular precedent-setting litigation would provide a great opportunity to develop my career as a solicitor; but also because the tax arena seemed to offer a lot of variety, encompassing my interests in both public law and commercial questions.

    All trainees start in litigation for their first year; trainee solicitors remain within HMRC, while pupil barristers spend six months seconded to Chambers. My first seat was in VAT litigation, so after three years of intensive study, I arrived at HMRC braced for mountains of paperwork and long days of dense tax calculations. Instead, waiting on my desk were various packets of lentil-based snacks and the deceptively knotty legal question; are these crisps, or at least similar to crisps? I spent the seat thinking about other such questions, like what distinguishes cosmetic surgery from medical care. During this seat, I visited the Supreme Court assisting a senior lawyer and saw my own case feature in national newspapers.

    For my second seat I applied for HMRC’s Enforcement and Illicit Finance litigation Team. The question for this team was less frequently whether someone owes tax, but how HMRC can actually collect it from them. My tasks ranged from advocating on HMRC’s behalf in the Magistrates Court to instructing counsel at fast pace on High Court proceedings, attending the Court of Appeal and working with international law enforcement to seize overseas assets.

     As a trainee you will be given your own cases to run as part of a cross-HMRC case team with tax and policy experts, so you can stretch yourself in an environment surrounded by expert lawyers and tax professionals, who are all very generous with their time. Your role is to co-ordinate this team and ask the right questions to tease the legal arguments out of your clients. In this respect the skills I developed playing team sports were as important as my legal knowledge.  

    In your second year you move into an advisory team. In my first six months I worked on a mix of human rights and technical tax advice as part of the Personal Tax and Welfare team. I drafted my statutory instrument, which was a particular highlight, and fed into a major budget measure. It can feel like a drastic transition from the more adversarial world of litigation, but the training is extensive with HMRC running internal induction courses alongside the wider GLP offering.

    The advisory lawyers cover a wide variety of tasks, with my final seat feeling like an entirely new role.  I didn’t study EU or International Law as part of my law conversion, but having the lawyers who drafted the treaties sat next to you in the office is always a good starting point!

    Whilst the HMRC training contract will be of particular interest for anyone who wants a career in public law, I think it is really important to understand the breadth of the department’s work. There is regular precedent setting litigation with engages questions of employment and commercial law, and advisory teams that span the breadth of civil and criminal practice.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE promotes HK in Ningbo

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Chief Executive John Lee attended the Hong Kong Investment Promotion Conference – Zhejiang (Ningbo) Forum & Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Co-operation Forum today in Ningbo, Zhejiang.

    The conference was jointly organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) and the Ningbo Municipal Government.

    Mr Lee led the Hong Kong SAR Government delegation to attend the opening ceremony and related activities today to promote to Mainland enterprises Hong Kong’s unique advantages and dual roles as a platform in going global and attracting foreign investment, fostering investment and co-operation.

    The Zhejiang (Ningbo) forum, with the theme of “Hong Kong, joining hands with Zhejiang and meeting in Ningbo, the channel for more opportunities”, brought together a number of business leaders from various sectors including finance, supply chain, innovation and technology (I&T) and professional services to share their insights on Hong Kong’s advantages and opportunities in different areas and attracted more than 600 participants.

    The concurrent Ningbo-Hong Kong Economic Co-operation Forum has been held alternately in Hong Kong and Ningbo every year since 2002 to facilitate bilateral exchanges and co-operation on economic, trade and investment and has been well received by the business communities of the two places.

    Addressing the opening ceremony, Mr Lee noted that Ningbo in Zhejiang Province is a manufacturing and port hub in the Yangtze River Delta, while Hong Kong is an international financial, trade and shipping centre.

    Both Ningbo and Hong Kong are important gateways in the opening up of the country, with complementary advantages and limitless opportunities for collaboration.

    Hong Kong is the largest source of external investment in Ningbo and more than 1,000 enterprises and institutions from Ningbo have been established in Hong Kong, reflecting the close economic and trade ties between the two places.

    The Chief Executive said that under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong possesses the unique advantages of having the country’s strong support while maintaining unparalleled connectivity with the world, serving as a “super connector” and “super value-adder”. Hong Kong acts as a two-way springboard for Mainland enterprises to go global and for attracting overseas enterprises.

    He pointed out that despite the US’ bullying and unjustified imposition of tariffs, and the emergence of unilateralism that disrupted the global landscape and geopolitics and posed risks of economic destruction and recession, the country’s immense economic strength and vast market provide certainty for global investors, and a new economic and trade order is taking shape.

    Mr Lee added that Hong Kong will continue to proactively serve Mainland enterprises in going global to explore international markets, and attract overseas enterprises to tap into the Mainland market.

    Members of the Hong Kong SAR Government delegation attending the Conference included Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong, Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Algernon Yau, Director of the Chief Executive’s Office Carol Yip and Under Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Joseph Chan.

    In his remarks on promoting Hong Kong’s advantages at a themed promotion activity, Mr Wong said that on finance, Hong Kong is the most trusted international financial safe haven for Mainland enterprises, offering diversified financing channels and financial services for companies to expand their businesses internationally.

    Furthermore, Invest Hong Kong held a signing ceremony of a number of key Zhejiang-Hong Kong and Ningbo-Hong Kong co-operation projects, covering various sectors including finance, technology, transportation, aviation, I&T and consumer goods.

    In the afternoon, the Hong Kong SAR Government, the HKTDC and relevant authorities of the Ningbo Municipal Government jointly organised three special promotion activities on finance, multinational supply chain management centre and I&T to promote investment in Hong Kong.

    Mr Lee and the delegation departed for Hong Kong this afternoon.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘I were but little happy, if I could say how much’: Shakespeare’s insights on happiness have held up for more than 400 years

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Cora Fox, Associate Professor of English and Health Humanities, Arizona State University

    Joanna Vanderham as Desdemona and Hugh Quarshie as the title character in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of ‘Othello.’ Robbie Jack/Corbis via Getty Images

    What is “happiness” – and who gets to be happy?

    Since 2012, the World Happiness Report has measured and compared data from 167 countries. The United States currently ranks 24th, between the U.K. and Belize – its lowest position since the report was first issued. But the 2025 edition – released on March 20, the United Nations’ annual “International Day of Happiness” – starts off not with numbers, but with Shakespeare.

    “In this year’s issue, we focus on the impact of caring and sharing on people’s happiness,” the authors explain. “Like ‘mercy’ in Shakespeare’s ‘Merchant of Venice,’ caring is ‘twice-blessed’ – it blesses those who give and those who receive.”

    Shakespeare’s plays offer many reflections on happiness itself. They are a record of how people in early modern England experienced and thought about joy and satisfaction, and they offer a complex look at just how happiness, like mercy, lives in relationships and the caring exchanges between people.

    Contrary to how we might think about happiness in our everyday lives, it is more than the surge of positive feelings after a great meal, or a workout, or even a great date. The experience of emotions is grounded in both the body and the mind, influenced by human physiology and culture in ways that change depending on time and place. What makes a person happy, therefore, depends on who that person is, as well as where and when they belong – or don’t belong.

    Happiness has a history. I study emotions and early modern literature, so I spend a lot of my time thinking about what Shakespeare has to say about what makes people happy, in his own time and in our own. And also, of course, what makes people unhappy.

    From fortune to joy

    Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon, England.
    Tony Hisgett/Flickr via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    “Happiness” derives from the Old Norse word “hap,” which meant “fortune” or “luck,” as historians Phil Withington and Darrin McMahon explain. This earlier sense is found throughout Shakespeare’s works. Today, it survives in the modern word “happenstance” and the expression that something is a “happy accident.”

    But in modern English usage, “happy” as “fortunate” has been almost entirely replaced by a notion of happiness as “joy,” or the more long-term sense of life satisfaction called “well-being.” The term “well-being,” in fact, was introduced into English from the Italian “benessere” around the time of Shakespeare’s birth.

    The word and the concept of happiness were transforming during Shakespeare’s lifetime, and his use of the word in his plays mingles both senses: “fortunate” and “joyful.” That transitional ambiguity emphasizes happiness’ origins in ideas about luck and fate, and it reminds readers and playgoers that happiness is a contingent, fragile thing – something not just individuals, but societies need to carefully cultivate and support.

    For instance, early in “Othello,” the Venetian senator Brabantio describes his daughter Desdemona as “tender, fair, and happy / So opposite to marriage that she shunned / The wealthy, curled darlings of our nation.” Before she elopes with Othello she is “happy” in the sense of “fortunate,” due to her privileged position on the marriage market.

    Later in the same play, though, Othello reunites with his new wife in Cyprus and describes his feelings of joy using this same term:

    …If it were now to die,
    ‘Twere now to be most happy, for I fear
    My soul hath her content so absolute
    That not another comfort like to this
    Succeeds in unknown fate.

    Desdemona responds,

    The heavens forbid
    But that our loves and comforts should increase
    Even as our days do grow!

    They both understand “happy” to mean not just lucky, but “content” and “comfortable,” a more modern understanding. But they also recognize that their comforts depend on “the heavens,” and that happiness is enabled by being fortunate.

    “Othello” is a tragedy, so in the end, the couple will not prove “happy” in either sense. The foreign general is tricked into believing his young wife has been unfaithful. He murders her, then takes his own life.

    The seeds of jealousy are planted and expertly exploited by Othello’s subordinate, Iago, who catalyzes the racial prejudice and misogyny underlying Venetian values to enact his sinister and cruel revenge.

    James Earl Jones playing the title role and Jill Clayburgh as Desdemona in a 1971 production of ‘Othello.’
    Kathleen Ballard/Los Angeles Times/UCLA Library via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    Happy insiders and outsiders

    “Othello” sheds light on happiness’s history – but also on its politics.

    While happiness is often upheld as a common good, it is also dependent on cultural forces that make it harder for some individuals to experience. Shared cultural fantasies about happiness tend to create what theorist Sara Ahmed calls “affect aliens”: individuals who, by nature of who they are and how they are treated, experience a disconnect between what their culture conditions them to think should make them happy and their disappointment or exclusion from those positive feelings. Othello, for example, rightly worries that he is somehow foreign to the domestic happiness Desdemona describes, excluded from the joy of Venetian marriage. It turns out he is right.

    Because Othello is foreign and Black and Desdemona is Venetian and white, their marriage does not conform to their society’s expectations for happiness, and that makes them vulnerable to Iago’s deceit.

    Similarly, “The Merchant of Venice” examines the potential for happiness to include or exclude, to build or break communities. Take the quote about mercy that opens the World Happiness Report.

    The phrase appears in a famous courtroom scene, as Portia attempts to persuade a Jewish lender, Shylock, to take pity on Antonio, a Christian man who cannot pay his debts. In their contract, Shylock has stipulated that if Antonio defaults on the loan, the fee will be a “pound of flesh.”

    “The quality of mercy is not strained,” Portia lectures him; it is “twice-blessed,” benefiting both giver and receiver.

    It’s a powerful attempt to save Antonio’s life. But it is also hypocritical: Those cultural norms of caring and mercy seem to apply only to other Christians in the play, and not the Jewish people living alongside them in Venice. In that same scene, Shylock reminds his audience that Antonio and the other Venetians in the room have spit on him and called him a dog. He famously asks why Jewish Venetians are not treated as equal human beings: “If you prick us, do we not bleed?”

    Actor Henry Irving as Shylock in a late 19th-century performance of ‘The Merchant of Venice.’
    Lock & Whitfield/Folger Shakespeare Library via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    Shakespeare’s plays repeatedly make the point that the unjust distribution of rights and care among various social groups – Christians and Jews, men and women, citizens and foreigners – challenges the happy effects of benevolence.

    Those social factors are sometimes overlooked in cultures like the U.S., where contemporary notions of happiness are marketed by wellness gurus, influencers and cosmetic companies. Shakespeare’s plays reveal both how happiness is built through communities of care and how it can be weaponized to destroy individuals and the fabric of the community.

    There are obvious victims of prejudice and abuse in Shakespeare’s plays, but he does not just emphasize their individual tragedies. Instead, the plays record how certain values that promote inequality poison relationships that could otherwise support happy networks of family and friends.

    Systems of support

    Pretty much all objective research points to the fact that long-term happiness depends on community, connections and social support: having systems in place to weather what life throws at us.

    And according to both the World Happiness Report and Shakespeare, contentment isn’t just about the actual support you receive but your expectations about people’s willingness to help you. Societies with high levels of trust, like Finland and the Netherlands, tend to be happier – and to have more evenly distributed levels of happiness in their populations.

    Shakespeare’s plays offer blueprints for trust in happy communities. They also offer warnings about the costs of cultural fantasies about happiness that make it more possible for some, but not for all.

    Cora Fox has received funding from an NEH grant for activities not directly related to this research.

    – ref. ‘I were but little happy, if I could say how much’: Shakespeare’s insights on happiness have held up for more than 400 years – https://theconversation.com/i-were-but-little-happy-if-i-could-say-how-much-shakespeares-insights-on-happiness-have-held-up-for-more-than-400-years-198583

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s ‘Garden of American Heroes’ is a monument to celebrity and achievement – paid for with history funding that benefits everyday Americans

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jennifer Tucker, Professor of History, Wesleyan University

    Donald Trump speaks in front of a wax statue of John Wayne at the John Wayne Museum in Winterset, Iowa, during the 2016 GOP primaries. Al Drago/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images

    Donald Trump first came up with his plan for a “National Garden of American Heroes” at the end of his first term, before President Joe Biden quietly tabled it upon replacing Trump in the White House.

    Now, with Trump back in the Oval Office – and with the country’s 250th anniversary fast approaching – the project is back. The National Endowment for the Humanities is seeking to commission 250 statues of famous Americans from a predetermined list, to be displayed at a location yet to be determined.

    It isn’t clear who compiled the list of 250 to be honored. It includes names that are largely recognizable and whose accomplishments are well-known: politicians like Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy; jurists Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia; activists such as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Harriet Tubman; celebrities such as John Wayne and Julia Child; and sports stars like Kobe Bryant and Babe Ruth.

    Donald Trump announces some famous Black Americans he plans to include in his ‘National Garden of American Heroes’ during a Black History Month event on Feb. 20, 2025, at the White House.

    The statue garden coincides with an executive order from March 2025 in which the Trump administration denounced what it saw as historical revisionism that had recast the country’s “unparalleled legacy of advancing liberty, individual rights, and human happiness.” Instead, it had constructed a story of the nation that portrayed it “as inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed,” which “fosters a sense of national shame.”

    “We don’t need to overemphasize the negative,” explained Lindsey Halligan, a 35-year-old insurance lawyer who is named in the order as one of the people tasked with reforming museums that receive government funds.

    Trump often casts himself as a man of the people. But as historians, we don’t see a garden of heroes as a populist effort. To us, it represents a top-down approach to U.S. history, akin to the hagiography that Americans already regularly get from movies, television and professional sports.

    And it comes at a cost: It’s going to be paid for with funds that had been previously allotted to tell stories about people and places that may be less familiar than the proposed figures for Trump’s garden. But they’re nonetheless meaningful to countless communities across the nation.

    Only the movers and shakers matter

    Trump’s fixation on America’s luminaries is adjacent to the “great man” theory of history.

    In 1840, Scottish philosopher and historian Thomas Carlyle published “On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and the Heroic in History,” in which he argued that “The History of the world is but the Biography of great men.”

    American biologist and eugenicist Frederick Adams Woods embraced the great man theory in his 1913 work, “The Influence of Monarchs: Steps in a New Science of History.” In it, he investigated 386 rulers in Western Europe from the 12th century until the French Revolution. He proposed a scientific measurement to quantify the relative impact these rulers had on the course of civilization.

    Then and now, many other historians and sociologists have pushed back, arguing that the “Great Man” view of history oversimplifies the past by attributing major historical events to the actions of a few influential individuals, while ignoring broader social, economic and cultural forces.

    Nonetheless, it continues to have broad appeal. It’s very popular among corporate leaders, for example, many of whom like to portray themselves as visionaries, with their business successes proof of their genius.

    Trump’s garden of heroes reflects his penchant for celebrating wealth, champions and successes, akin to what Walt Disney tried to capture with his Disney World ride Carousel of Progress, which highlights American technological advances.

    A national redundancy?

    However, the U.S. already has a national statuary hall, which opened in the U.S. Capitol in 1870. Each state has contributed two statues; for example, Massachusetts honors Samuel Adams and John Winthrop, while Ohio celebrates James Garfield and Thomas Edison.

    Today there are 102 statutes, though just 14 women.

    Importantly, the roster is fluid – not set in stone – and reflects debates over whom the nation ought to celebrate.

    Over time, the representation has become slightly more inclusive. The first woman, Illinois educator Frances Willard, was added in 1905. Only in 2022 did a Black American appear, when educator Mary Bethune replaced a Confederate general from Florida. And in 2024, Johnny Cash replaced James Paul Clarke, a former governor and senator from Arkansas with Confederate sympathies.

    Family members and elected officials attend the unveiling of the statue of Johnny Cash at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 24, 2024.
    Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

    What about everyday Americans?

    We don’t think there’s anything wrong with celebrating and honoring popular figures in American history. But we do think there’s an issue when it comes at the expense of other historical and archival projects.

    The New York Times reported that US$34 million for the project would come from funds formerly allocated to the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities, whose budget has been cut by 85%.

    Many of the grants that have been slashed explore, celebrate and preserve history in ways that stand in stark contrast to a statue garden. They involve, as Gal Beckerman writes in the Atlantic, efforts that “are about asking questions, about uncovering hidden or overlooked experiences, about closely examining texts or adding to the public record.”

    They include one that supports the digitization of local newspapers and archival records; another to collect and preserve oral histories of local communities; a grant that funds the production of documentaries and podcasts about local communities; traveling exhibitions that bring items from the Smithsonian’s collection to small towns and rural areas; and a grant to fund the collection of first-person accounts of Native Americans who attended U.S. government-run boarding schools.

    These and countless similar history projects serve millions of people far from Washington, and they have broad support from lawmakers and citizens of all political stripes.

    In 1938, as forces of fascism gathered in Europe, a Connecticut high school social science teacher said, “The greatest need of America, on the threshold of the greatest epoch of its history, is citizens who understand the past out of which the nation has grown. … Let us look into the souls of the leaders and the common people who have made America great.”

    In his 2016 campaign, Trump promised to work on behalf of everyday Americans – the “forgotten man and woman.” But the proposed statue garden of famous figures cuts out the common people from America’s story – not just as subjects of history, but as its stewards for future generations.

    With funds slashed from organizations dedicated to local history, we wonder how many more stories will go untold.

    Jennifer Tucker has received funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities for research that examines the social and cultural role of modern technology, such as facial recognition, through a historical lens.

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

    – ref. Trump’s ‘Garden of American Heroes’ is a monument to celebrity and achievement – paid for with history funding that benefits everyday Americans – https://theconversation.com/trumps-garden-of-american-heroes-is-a-monument-to-celebrity-and-achievement-paid-for-with-history-funding-that-benefits-everyday-americans-254564

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Florida, once considered a swing state, is firmly Republican – a social anthropologist explains what caused this shift

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Alexander Lowie, Postdoctoral associate in Classical and Civic Education, University of Florida

    Florida has attracted new residents since the pandemic, as well as a growth in conservative politics. iStock / Getty Images Plus

    Florida has undergone a dramatic political transformation over the past decade from a swing state to Republican stronghold.

    Florida’s recent congressional special election on April 1, 2025, showcased the state’s increasingly conservative identity, when Republicans won both congressional seats.

    Still, Democrats felt hopeful about these results, since the two Democratic contenders lost by slimmer margins in the 1st and 6th districts than in other recent elections.

    As a political anthropologist who has conducted fieldwork in central Florida, I’ve spent over five years tracking the growth of conservative political groups like the Proud Boys and Moms for Liberty, whose leaderships are based in Florida.

    I’ve seen firsthand how conservative activist networks and the growth of culture war politics, among other factors, have reshaped Florida’s political identity.

    Florida’s Republican state Sen. Randy Fine holds a victory party on April 1, 2025, in Ormond Beach, Fla.
    Joe Raedle/Getty Images

    The state that stopped swinging

    Although political strategists have historically considered Florida a swing state in presidential elections, it has consistently voted Republican since 1948.

    It has only voted for Democratic presidential candidates five times since 1964, for Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and twice for Barack Obama. President Donald Trump has won Florida three times in a row, most recently winning the 2024 election in all but six of Florida’s 67 counties.

    The main battleground since 2000 has been the I-4 Corridor, which connects Tampa, Orlando and Daytona. In 2000, President George W. Bush won the corridor by 4,400 votes. Since Bush only won Florida by 537 votes, and thus the presidency, the area became a top priority for both political parties.

    Some Democrats have said Florida’s political evolution happened gradually and then all at once.

    In 2012, there were almost 1.5 million more registered Democratic voters than Republicans in Florida. In 2020, Democrats’ advantage dropped to about 97,000. And by September 2024, there were almost 1 million more registered Republicans than Democrats.

    Steve Schale, the head of Obama’s 2008 campaign in Florida, argues that this shift happened because the Democratic Party lost the support of some white voters.

    Republicans have also actively courted Hispanic voters, while Democrats falsely believed that young Hispanics would inherently lean toward their party.

    This assumption has hurt the Democratic cause because, for example, some Hispanic voters in Florida, like many Cuban Americans, have long favored Republican. In fact, Trump performed so well with Hispanics in Florida in 2024 that it was the only state in which he received more of the Hispanic vote than Kamala Harris.

    State-level conservative success

    Florida has also had a Republican governor since 1998, a state Senate Republican majority since 1995 and a state House majority since 1997. This Republican dominance has only grown since Trump’s 2016 election.

    In 2018, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis received Trump’s endorsement and went from being relatively unknown in the gubernatorial primaries to the Republican nominee. He ultimately assumed office in 2019.

    Since then, DeSantis has successfully passed a slew of laws and policies reflecting the conservative values of what he saw as the new Floridian electorate.

    For example, DeSantis passed a six-week abortion ban measure into law in 2023.

    With DeSantis’ approval, Florida’s state Legislature also blocked diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state colleges in 2023 and banned lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity for public grade school students that same year.

    In 2023, the Florida governor also signed a law that allowed people to carry concealed weapons without a permit.

    The pandemic factor

    Some conservative political pundits and DeSantis supporters say that the governor’s COVID-19 policies are among the factors that have attracted newcomers to the state.

    Almost 300,000 people moved from out of state to Florida between April 2020 and April 2021, equal to roughly 903 people relocating to the state each day.

    The governor ordered Floridians to stay at home during April 2020, but many of his restrictions were lifted at the end of the month.

    DeSantis did not enforce mask mandates, vaccine requirements and other measures that were common in other states.

    During my fieldwork in Florida from 2022 through 2024, I met multiple people who moved to rural parts of the state because they did not want their lives to be severely restricted during the pandemic.

    One man in his early 50s stated, “During COVID my wife and I realized how screwed we were if things got really bad. We hated the lockdowns and got scared about not having enough food. If things got really bad, we didn’t want to trust other people, we wanted to be self-sufficient. So, we decided to get a place in the middle of the woods, on our own property, that we could go to if everything went to hell.”

    This couple settled on moving from out of state to a rural area of Florida, where they thought they had the best chance of avoiding future lockdown restrictions.

    DeSantis’ policy successes and his “freedom first” response to the pandemic have been celebrated by conservatives nationally.

    Moms for Liberty members in Viera, Fla., protest student face mask mandates in 2023.
    Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gety Images

    Florida’s home for the alt-right

    As Florida lawmakers have continued to push conservative policies since the pandemic, Florida-based activist groups like Moms for Liberty have mobilized to support and expand them.

    Moms for Liberty was founded in 2021 by three Florida former school board members who opposed COVID-19 regulations during the pandemic.

    Moms for Liberty is headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, and is focused on reshaping public school curriculum to exclude what its members see as “woke” themes, like sexual orientation.

    The group lobbied for the 2022 Parental Rights in Education Act and the Stop-Woke Act, referred to by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” law. This law restricts Florida classrooms from teaching kids in kindergarten through third grade about sexual orientation and gender identity, and also limits instruction on these subjects in higher grades.

    Florida has increasingly become a stronghold for other kinds of political activists, some of whom were instrumental in the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, 2021. Florida was home to 11.5% of the 716 people who were initially charged with participating in the Capitol riots.

    The most notable of these Jan. 6 arrests is Enrique Tarrio, a Miami native who has served as the symbolic leader of the Proud Boys, an alt-right “Western chauvinist” group.

    Alt-right activists are a minority of Florida’s conservative population. In my fieldwork, I have spoken to many Florida conservatives who did not identify with the Proud Boys or other alt-right groups – but were still sympathetic to many of their populist and conservative causes.

    No longer in play?

    Florida is now a major Republican stronghold with Floridians becoming increasingly prominent in national politics. Trump’s Cabinet has 23 people – 16 of them are connected to Florida.

    These include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who served as a senator in Florida, and Attorney General Pam Bondi, who served as Florida’s state attorney general.

    Though some Democrats may feel optimistic about the special election results, they have lost the Sunshine State, at least for now.

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

    – ref. Florida, once considered a swing state, is firmly Republican – a social anthropologist explains what caused this shift – https://theconversation.com/florida-once-considered-a-swing-state-is-firmly-republican-a-social-anthropologist-explains-what-caused-this-shift-253905

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Immigration offenders returned on flight to Nigeria and Ghana

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Immigration offenders returned on flight to Nigeria and Ghana

    43 people returned to Nigeria and Ghana in an operation, part of a surge in returns activity to secure our border through the Plan for Change

    43 failed asylum seekers and foreign offenders were returned on a charter flight to Nigeria and Ghana, as the government steps up international collaboration to secure our borders.

    The flight underscores the government’s progress restoring order to the immigration system through the Plan for Change, ensuring rules are respected and those who break them are swiftly returned.

    Those removed had no right to be in the UK and included 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 foreign national offenders who had served their sentences. 7 people returned voluntarily.

    Since the election, two charter flights have taken off to the countries, carrying a total of 87 people and demonstrating the strength of cooperation between the UK, Nigeria and Ghana on this critical issue.

    Under this government, over 24,000 people have been returned, an 11% increase on the same period 12 months prior, while four of the largest returns flights ever have taken off returning migrants to countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. 

    Deportations of foreign national offenders are also up 16% since the election, with 3,594 criminals removed.

    Immigration Enforcement ensure that returns are carried out in a dignified and respectful manner.

    Minister for Border Security and Asylum Angela Eagle said:

    This flight demonstrates how international partnerships deliver on working people’s priorities for swift returns and secure borders.

    Through the Plan for Change we’re going further in restoring order to a broken system, accelerating returns of those with no right to be here and closing expensive asylum hotels.

    I thank the governments of Ghana and Nigeria for facilitating this operation, which reflects our joint commitment to disrupt organised immigration crime and protect our borders.

    Baroness Chapman of Darlington, FCDO Minister responsible for Irregular Migration said:

    Working with other countries and partners around the world is critical to tackling irregular migration – by working internationally, we will meet this global challenge together.

    I welcome our strong cooperation with Ghana and Nigeria to return those with no right to be in the UK, secure our borders, and deliver on the Plan for Change.

    This operation follows the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, which saw the UK bring together over 40 countries, including Nigeria and Ghana, to drive forward the global fight against smuggling gangs and deliver on the government’s mission to secure our borders.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government signs new international agreement in boost to British business

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    Government signs new international agreement in boost to British business

    Businesses will save time and money on repetitive legal action thanks to new international rules coming into force across the UK on 1 July.

    • Agreement will cut delays and costs for UK businesses
    • UK judgments against foreign suppliers will be recognised by participating countries overseas
    • This will boost the UK legal sector and drive economic growth, part of the government’s Plan for Change

    The UK Government has signed up to the Hague 2019 Convention, which means other countries will more easily recognise and enforce UK court judgments in cross-border disputes – sparing firms from costly and repetitive court battles.

    Currently, if a UK business wins a case in a UK court against a company based in another country, business leaders face the threat of time-consuming enforcement processes or even identical legal action overseas for the same dispute – causing delays, increasing costs and creating confusion to the consumer.

    The new rules will provide a simpler enforcement route to existing complex systems, giving one clear consistent set of shared rules – that the UK helped shape – making the process easier for everyone.

    Streamlining the process will save businesses time and money, encourage foreign companies to use the UK’s world-class lawyers and courts to settle their disputes and grow the economy overall.

    Justice Minister, Lord Ponsonby, said:

    This Convention delivers real benefits for British businesses dealing with international disputes.

    As part of our Plan for Change we’re boosting UK firms’ confidence to trade by minimising legal costs and ensuring justice across borders, all while cementing Britain’s role as a global legal powerhouse committed to the rule of law.

    The Convention will enhance international legal collaboration. It will apply to judgments in civil and commercial matters, strengthening the UK’s position as a global hub for dispute resolution.

    The 2019 Hague Convention is already being applied by 29 parties, from Ukraine to EU countries, with Uruguay joining last year. This means UK civil and commercial judgments will be recognised and enforced in these nations and that the UK will recognise judgments made in their courts.

    With 91 members of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), a major multilateral forum for private international law rules which has produced numerous conventions including the 2019 Hague Convention, Hague 2019 has a potentially global reach. 

    The Convention will apply to judgments given in proceedings that commence on or after 1 July 2025 across the entire United Kingdom or in other participating countries.

    Updates to this page

    Published 25 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: OSCE supports Kafirnigan River Basin Council Meeting to advance national water strategy implementation

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: OSCE supports Kafirnigan River Basin Council Meeting to advance national water strategy implementation

    Professionals from government institutions, international organizations, academic sectors, and the Young Water Professionals Network come together for a group photo during the 6th Kafarnigan River Basin Council Meeting in Dushanbe, 25 April 2025. (OSCE/Majid Hamidov) Photo details

    On 25 April 2025, the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, in close co-operation with the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, hosted the 6th Kafarnigan River Basin Council Meeting. Held in Dushanbe, the meeting brought together 44 professionals from government structures, international organizations, academic institutions, and the Young Water Professionals Network, with 14 female participants.
    The discussions focused on the presentation of Tajikistan’s National Water Strategy 2040 – a forward-looking comprehensive framework designed to guide sustainable water management in alignment with the country’s long-term socio-economic development goals. Another key highlight was the introduction of a new methodology for developing basin-level water resource management plans, aimed at improving coordination and strategic planning with specific river basins.
    The meeting also addressed pressing challenges in the lower Kafirnigan region, where participants identified major water management issues and proposed actionable, locally informed solutions. A notable highlight was the presentation of the Women’s Forum of the Kafirnigan Basin, which underscored the critical role of women and the importance of gender-sensitive approaches in sustainable water governance.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Reaches Staff-Level Agreement on the Fourth Review under the Extended Fund Facility with Sri Lanka

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    April 25, 2025

    End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    • IMF staff and the Sri Lankan authorities have reached staff-level agreement on economic policies to conclude the Fourth Review of Sri Lanka’s reform program supported by the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility. Once the review is approved by the IMF Executive Board, Sri Lanka will have access to about US$344 million in financing.
    • Program performance remains strong overall. Economic growth is rebounding. Revenue mobilization, reserve accumulation, and structural reforms are advancing as envisaged. Debt restructuring is nearly complete. Importantly, the government remains committed to program objectives.
    • However, global trade policy uncertainty poses significant downside risks to Sri Lanka’s economy. If these materialize, authorities and staff will work together to assess the impact and formulate policy responses within the contours of the IMF-supported program.

    Washington, DC: After constructive discussions in Colombo and during the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington DC, IMF Mission Chief for Sri Lanka Evan Papageorgiou issued the following statement:

    “IMF staff and the Sri Lankan authorities have reached a staff-level agreement on the Fourth Review of Sri Lanka’s reform program supported by the IMF’s 48-month Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement. The EFF was approved by the IMF Executive Board for a total amount of SDR 2.3 billion (about US$3 billion) on March 20, 2023.

    “The staff-level agreement is subject to IMF Executive Board approval, contingent on: (i) the implementation of prior actions relating to restoring electricity cost-recovery pricing and ensuring proper function of the automatic electricity price adjustment mechanism; and (ii) the completion of financing assurances review, which will focus on confirming multilateral partners’ committed financing contributions and adequate debt restructuring progress.

    “Upon completion of the Executive Board review, Sri Lanka would have access to SDR254 million (about US$344 million), bringing the total IMF financial support disbursed under the arrangement to SDR1,270 million (about US$1,722 million).

    “Sri Lanka’s ambitious reform agenda continues to deliver commendable outcomes. The post-crisis growth rebound of 5 percent in 2024 is remarkable. Revenue mobilization reforms had improved revenue-to-GDP ratio to 13.5 percent in 2024, from 8.2 percent in 2022. Gross official reserves reached US$6.5 billion at end-March 2025 given sizeable foreign exchange purchases by the central bank. Substantial fiscal reforms have strengthened public finances. Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring is nearly complete.

    “Program performance remains strong overall. Based on preliminary data, most end-March quantitative targets for which data is available were met. Most structural benchmarks due by end-April were either met or implemented with delay. However, the continuous structural benchmark on cost-recovery electricity pricing remains not met. Inflation remains below the Monetary Policy Consultation target band.

    “The recent external shock and evolving developments create significant uncertainty for the Sri Lankan economy, which is still recovering from its own economic crisis.

    “Against this global uncertainty, sustained revenue mobilization efforts and prudent budget execution remain critical to preserve the limited fiscal space, to allow appropriate responses if shocks materialize. Restoring cost-recovery electricity pricing is essential to minimize fiscal risks and enable appropriate electricity infrastructure investments. The tax exemption framework should be well designed to reduce fiscal costs and corruption risks, while enabling growth. Reforms to boost tax compliance are important to deliver revenue gains without resorting to additional tax measures.

    “Similarly, it remains critical to continue rebuilding external buffers through reserves accumulation, to allow appropriate responses if shocks materialize. Inflationary pressures remain contained and banks are well capitalized. However, continued monitoring is warranted to ensure sustained price and financial stability.

    “The government has an important responsibility to protect the poor and vulnerable at this uncertain time. It is important to continue efforts to improve targeting, adequacy, and coverage of social safety nets. Fiscal support needs to be well-targeted, time-bound, and within the existing budget envelope.

    “The new government’s sustained commitment to program objectives has enhanced confidence and ensures policy continuity. Going forward, sustaining reform momentum including by reducing corruption vulnerabilities, is critical to safeguard the hard-won gains, durably restore macroeconomic and debt sustainability, and unlock robust and inclusive growth.

    “The IMF team held meetings in Washington DC with the Honorable Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Secretary to the Treasury Mr. K M Mahinda Siriwardana, and other senior officials.

    “We would like to thank the authorities for the excellent discussions and strong collaboration.”

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Randa Elnagar

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/04/25/pr25122-sri-lanka-imf-reaches-sla-on-the-4th-review-under-the-eff

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Iran nuclear deal: future stability of Middle East hangs on its success but initial signs are not good

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Simon Mabon, Professor of International Relations, Lancaster University

    For the second week in a row, senior officials from the United States and Iran will get together to take part in talks about the Iranian nuclear programme. It’s the second round in the latest negotiations – the first having taken place in Oman on April 12.

    But recent statements from both the White House and senior Iranian officials, including a difference of opinion on where the talks should be held, suggest that rapid diplomatic successes may not be forthcoming.

    Donald Trump’s stance on Iran has been unsurprisingly belligerent. It was the first Trump administration that withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and imposed the policy of “maximum pressure” on Iran. Since returning to the Oval Office, Trump has reimposed this policy of maximum pressure.



    Read more:
    Donald Trump backs out of Iran nuclear deal: now what?

    Posting on X, the US special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, declared that “Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program”. He also called for verification of any missiles stockpiled in the Islamic republic.

    Iranian officials vociferously rejected these US demands, with the foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, asserting that the missile programme is not for discussion.

    Tehran needs a deal

    There is little doubt that Iran wants a deal, perhaps even needs a deal. It has been hit hard by sanctions over the past decade, which have hollowed out the country’s middle class.

    Israel’s military strikes on Iran and its allies over the past year have eroded the ideological and military clout of the Islamic Republic and wider “axis of resistance”. With the weakening of many of its allies, Iran’s missiles possess even greater importance as a deterrence.

    The strong line taken by the Trump administration leaves little room for manoeuvre. It risks further emboldening hardline elements in Iran, who are perhaps less willing to engage diplomatically. But any belligerent rhetoric from voices in Iran risks pouring fuel on an already incendiary situation.

    At the same time, the Islamic Republic faces a range of serious pressures domestically, such as that seen in the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, as well as increasingly vocal opposition from abroad – notably from the self-proclaimed Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the Shah who was ousted in 1979.

    Though Iran may want a deal, it cannot capitulate – particularly after the events of the last year. And nor should it.

    US weighs its strategy

    Hawks in the US, Israel and elsewhere have, of course, heralded the Trump administration’s stance. Fears of an Iranian nuclear programme continue to drive the actions of Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and others – although reports have just emerged that proposed Israeli strikes on targets in Iran were vetoed by Trump in favour of more negotiation.

    While the Gulf states would once have celebrated a tough stance on Iran, the situation is different now. Iran’s long-time rival, Saudi Arabia, has put aside decades of animosity in the hope of a more prosperous shared future.

    In a 2023 agreement mediated by China, Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to normalise relations, reopening embassies and embarking on a series of coordinated military exercises. For Saudi Arabia, and in particular its crown prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, regional stability is essential in realising the ambitious Vision2030 programme – which leans heavily into global investor confidence and trust.

    As a result, the kingdom undertook a pragmatic shift in its regional affairs, embarking on a process of diplomatic rapprochement that surprised many observers. Riyadh has also taken steps towards normalisation with Israel, though the ongoing destruction of Gaza has paused such moves, at least for now.

    At the same time as the nuclear negotiations take place, Israeli strikes on targets in Syria continue. The fall of the Assad regime at the end of 2024 – and the back seat taken by its long-time supporter, Russia – has dramatically altered the political landscape of Syria.

    Though its former president, Bashar al-Assad, has found refuge in Russia, Moscow has taken a watching brief, eager not to antagonise Syria’s new regime and jeopardise its strategically important military bases on the Mediterranean coast. Members of groups previously favoured by the Assad regime, notably the Alawi communities, have fled to the Russian naval base at Latakia in search of protection.

    But thousands of others have been killed amid increasing violence as the forces of the new regime, led by Ahmad al-Shara, seek to extinguish all remnants of the Assad regime – a series of events that looks eerily similar to what occurred in Iraq 20 years ago, when the process of “de-Ba’athification” attempted to remove all traces of Saddam Hussein’s regime from public life.

    Fragile regional order

    The situation across the region is precarious, with the actions of global powers continuing to reverberate. While Washington puts pressure on Tehran and Moscow waits, the scope for Chinese influence in the region increases.

    Ironically, Trump’s tariffs on China may push Beijing further into the Middle East, seeking to capitalise on available opportunities. Its Belt and Road Initiative positions the Middle East firmly within China’s strategic interests. This is likely to open up a new front in the rivalry between Washington and Beijing.

    All the while, it is the people of the Middle East who continue to pay the heaviest price. Ongoing wars and insecurity, fears of a regional conflict, and precarious political conditions – as well as rising food prices and healthcare pressures – are creating a perfect storm that heightens the pressures and challenges of daily life.

    Simon Mabon receives funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. He is a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    – ref. Iran nuclear deal: future stability of Middle East hangs on its success but initial signs are not good – https://theconversation.com/iran-nuclear-deal-future-stability-of-middle-east-hangs-on-its-success-but-initial-signs-are-not-good-254817

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: MRP poll puts Reform ahead of Labour and the Tories – here’s why the finding should be treated with caution

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Paul Whiteley, Professor, Department of Government, University of Essex

    Thinktank More in Common recently published an MRP (multi-level regression with post-stratification) poll which appears to show that if there was a general election in the near future, Reform would win 180 seats. According to the analysis, Labour and the Conservatives would win 165 seats each and the Liberal Democrats 67. The modelling suggests that Labour could lose 246 seats including 153 to Reform and 64 to the Conservatives.

    More in Common claims that this is not a prediction of the result of the next election, writing: “With four and a half years before the next general election must be called this model is unlikely to represent anything close to the ultimate result and should not be seen as a projection of the election.” Despite this health warning, the poll has spooked some political journalists.

    It is worth remembering how MRP surveys work. Agencies ask a very large sample of electors about their voting intentions – enough to have an average sample size of about 25 respondents in each of the 632 constituencies in Great Britain. This allows them to use data from the census and other sources to identify constituency characteristics which influence individual voting decisions, such as social class, age and income.

    These are then combined with the survey data to get a prediction of how people are likely to vote in each constituency. This can then be used to predict seats won or lost by the parties in the election.

    More in Common did well in forecasting the results of the 2024 general election. Just prior to polling day it conducted a regular poll alongside an MRP poll, and it turned out that the regular one was more accurate in predicting the result than the MRP poll.

    A general problem with MRP polls

    This appears to be a general problem when MRP poll estimates are compared with traditional polls. The difficulty is that the MRP estimates can vary widely depending on the details of the modelling. In addition, the conditions required for MRP to work well are not always met by practitioners.

    To illustrate this last point, the models rely on demographic variables such as social class, gender and age at the constituency level to work well. If the relationship between these variables and constituency voting is strong, this will help to explain individual voting behaviour identified in the survey.

    But if the relationships are weak, the demographics will not be much help. This is a problem because the relationship between demographics, particularly social class, and voting, has been weakening over time.

    Social class and voting

    The chart below shows the relationship between the size of the working class in constituencies across Britain and voting Labour in the 1964 general election. Each dot represents a constituency, and social class is measured in the 1961 census by occupational status with, for example, labourers defined as working class and doctors as middle class.

    Labour leader, Harold Wilson, did a good job in mobilising working class voters in constituencies across Britain and went on to win in 1964. This was possible because of the strong positive relationship between the size of the working class and Labour voting apparent in the chart.

    Working class electors and Labour votes, 1964:

    The relationship between working class electors and Labour voting in 1964.
    P Whiteley, CC BY-ND

    Fast forward 55 years to the 2019 election and we see something completely different. By then the relationship between the size of the working class and Labour voting at the constituency level had largely disappeared.

    This means that in the 1964 election, constituency information about class would have been very helpful in conducting an MRP survey. However, by 2019 it would have been of little use.

    To understand voting behaviour, we need a clear theory of why people vote the way they do. In 1967, political sociologist Peter Pulzer wrote: “In British party politics, social class is everything, all else is embellishment and detail.” This is no longer true.

    Working class electors and Labour votes, 2019:

    The relationship between working class electors and Labour voting in 2019.
    P Whiteley, CC BY-ND

    Now we are in an age of performance politics with parties judged on their ability to deliver the things that people want, like economic growth, low inflation and efficient public services. Class ties are increasingly irrelevant to this because electors will change their votes if they think another party will do a better job.

    In relation to the upcoming local elections, this means that potholes are likely to be more important to voters than their social class identities. If the 2021 census had asked about attitudes to potholes that would be very useful in constructing an MRP, but unfortunately it did not.

    This means that the constituency data used in MRP polling often comes from other surveys rather than from the census, which has the advantage of interviewing everyone. More in Common explains that it used post-election polling to approximate the demographics needed at the constituency level, which of course is an additional source of potential error.

    MRPs are now a feature of the polling landscape, and they are useful in the run-up to a general election. But it’s questionable whether it is worth spending a lot of money to acquire the large samples needed to make them work when the election is years into the future.

    Paul Whiteley has received funding from the British Academy and the ESRC.

    – ref. MRP poll puts Reform ahead of Labour and the Tories – here’s why the finding should be treated with caution – https://theconversation.com/mrp-poll-puts-reform-ahead-of-labour-and-the-tories-heres-why-the-finding-should-be-treated-with-caution-255296

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –