NewzIntel.com

Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EU Fact Sheets – The EU framework for fiscal policies – 11-04-2025

    Source: European Parliament

    In order to ensure the stability of the Economic and Monetary Union, a robust framework is needed to prevent unsustainable public finances as far as possible. A reform (part of the ‘Six Pack’) amending the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP) entered into force at the end of 2011. Another reform in this policy area, the intergovernmental Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union (TSCG), including the Fiscal Compact, entered into force in early 2013. Furthermore, a regulation on assessing national draft budgetary plans (part of the ‘Two Pack’) entered into force in May 2013. On 30 April 2024, a reformed economic governance framework entered into force.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Colleagues Condemn Trump’s Illegal and Unprecedented Invocation of Alien Enemies Act, Demand Answers About Deportees

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Colleagues Condemn Trump’s Illegal and Unprecedented Invocation of Alien Enemies Act, Demand Answers About Deportees

    Lawmakers to Trump: “The government should not be able to falsely accuse individuals in the United States, including U.S. citizens, of gang membership and send them to foreign prisons without any judicial review or remedy”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined 14 lawmakers in condemning President Trump’s unlawful invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The letter to President Trump follows the Supreme Court’s recent decision to only allow him to continue rapid deportations under the statute if individuals are given due process, including notice and an opportunity to challenge the deportation. Last week, Padilla, Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Representative Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-08), and Representative Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.-07) issued a joint statement condemning the Court’s decision to lift a hold on removals under the Alien Enemies Act.
    “We write regarding your unlawful invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, resulting in noncitizens being deported without any due process, not to mention violating the requirement that the statute be invoked only in response to an act of war, predatory incursion, or invasion by a foreign government,” wrote the lawmakers. “Our immigration laws can already hold gang members accountable and provide for their deportation. The government should not be able to falsely accuse individuals in the United States, including U.S. citizens, of gang membership and send them to foreign prisons without any judicial review or remedy.”
    “By claiming a foreign ‘invasion’ or ‘incursion,’ you are clearly attempting to suspend due process for noncitizens and speed up your mass deportation campaign,” continued the lawmakers. “Circumventing immigration law, and its requirement of verifiable evidence, will result in people with no gang affiliation being incorrectly targeted and deported.”
    In 1798, President John Adams signed the “Alien and Sedition Acts” which was comprised of four bills: The Naturalization Act; the Alien Friends Act; the Sedition Act; and the Alien Enemies Act (AEA). Today, the AEA is the only one that remains in effect. The AEA is a wartime authority that allows the president to target foreign nationals of a hostile nation or government to be “apprehended, restrained, secured, and removed” with limited due process during wartime. The United States is not at war today, and the Constitution outlines that only Congress has the power to declare war.
    The AEA has only been invoked three times in American history: the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II. In their letter, the lawmakers make clear that Tren de Aragua — a Venezuelan gang — does not qualify as an arm of the Venezuelan government.
    The lawmakers further emphasized that the Trump Administration’s choice to deport individuals to El Salvador will likely subject people to human rights abuses as El Salvador’s prisons are notorious for their inhumane conditions, including denial of medical care, lack of food, and outright torture. More than 260 people have died in these Salvadoran prisons in just the past two and a half years, with some individuals facing significant physical abuse.
    In their letter, the lawmakers also demand that the Trump Administration provide regular updates about the people who have already been deported, as well as information about them including their names, nationalities, and ages. They also asked about what evidence was used to determine whether an individual was a member of Tren de Aragua.
    “Invoking the Alien Enemies Act does not make Americans safer,” concluded the lawmakers. “It endangers all of us, by removing due process protections and ignoring the plain text of the statute. We urge you to abandon this decision.”
    U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.-05) led the letter. In addition to Senator Padilla, the letter was also signed by Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), as well as Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.-14), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.-12), and Greg Casar (D-Texas-35).
    Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress opposing President Trump’s anti-immigrant actions and rhetoric, including his attempted invocation of the Alien Enemies Act. Padilla issued a joint statement with Senators Durbin, Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) slamming President Trump for his attempted invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to deport noncitizens without due process. He is also a cosponsor of the Neighbors Not Enemies Act, legislation that would repeal the antiquated Alien Enemies Act. Earlier this year, Padilla joined other Democratic immigration leaders in challenging the constitutional basis of President Trump’s sham “invasion” proclamation, which the President believes allows his Administration to circumvent federal immigration law and due process.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear President Trump:
    We write regarding your unlawful invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, resulting in noncitizens being deported without any due process, not to mention violating the requirement that the statute be invoked only in response to an act of war, predatory incursion, or invasion by a foreign government. Our immigration laws can already hold gang members accountable and provide for their deportation. The government should not be able to falsely accuse individuals in the United States, including U.S. citizens, of gang membership and send them to foreign prisons without any judicial review or remedy. The Supreme Court, when confronted with the manner in which you conducted the removals, unanimously rejected the implementation and its corresponding lack of notice and opportunity to challenge individuals’ removals. Moreover, deporting these individuals to Salvadorian prisons will also subject them to inhumane conditions, further exacerbating the legal issues in invoking the Alien Enemies Act.
    The Alien Enemies Act was passed as part of the infamous Alien and Sedition Acts, and it was used during World War II to detain tens of thousands of innocent Japanese, German, and Italian individuals based on nothing but their ethnicity. This wartime use of the Alien Enemies Act served as a precursor to Executive Order 9066, resulting in the incarceration of 111,000 Japanese Americans. Those who were caught up in that xenophobic panic, as well as organizations like the Japanese American National Museum, have condemned your recent invocation of the act.
    We reiterate that the plain language of the law limits the president’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to two enumerated situations: times of declared war, and times of invasion or “predatory incursion” by a foreign nation or government. The Act has only been invoked three times in American history: the War of 1812, World War I, and World War II. A Venezuelan gang does not qualify as an arm of the Venezuelan government.
    By claiming a foreign “invasion” or “incursion,” you are clearly attempting to suspend due process for noncitizens and speed up your mass deportation campaign. Circumventing immigration law, and its requirement of verifiable evidence, will result in people with no gang affiliation being incorrectly targeted and deported. Multiple individuals who were subjected to the Alien Enemies Act had ongoing cases arguing that they were not members of Tren de Aragua. An attorney for one individual says that her client was mislabeled as a member of the gang due to a tattoo supporting the Spanish soccer team Real Madrid and for flashing the popular hand symbol for “rock and roll.” Another individual is a tattoo artist. A third individual was a make-up artist who was seeking asylum due to his sexual orientation.
    Aside from these foregoing concerns, your choice of deportation sites will likely subject people to human rights abuses. El Salvador’s prisons are notorious for their inhumane conditions, including denial of medical care, lack of food, and outright torture. Over 260 people have died in those prisons in the last two and a half years, including some with signs of serious physical abuse. An Amnesty International UK report accused the Salvadorian authorities of a “systematic policy of torture towards all those detained.” The specific prison that will house the deported individuals, the Center for Terrorism Confinement (CECOT), has been described as a place “to dispose of people without formally applying the death penalty.” According to a Times reporter who watched the individuals be transferred to CECOT, the “intake began with slaps.” When detainees fell due to how quickly they were being moved, they were kicked, slapped, and shoved. One person asked for his mom and cried. He was slapped again. We should not subject individuals to mistreatment and more, much less individuals who have had no due process and have not been found guilty of any crimes.
    At this point, we request that you provide us with information and regular updates on the following:
    1. The names, nationalities, and ages of the people sent to El Salvador to be imprisoned in CECOT, including the number of individuals under the age of 18;
    2. What evidence was used to determine that each individual was a member of Tren de Aragua;
    3. The overall estimated costs and sources of funding associated with detaining and deporting these individuals; and
    4. The procedures for individuals to challenge your administration’s determination that they are a member of Tren de Aragua, either here in the United States or in El Salvador, including how much time you provide to individuals to mount a legal challenge.
    In closing, invoking the Alien Enemies Act does not make Americans safer. It endangers all of us, by removing due process protections and ignoring the plain text of the statute. We urge you to abandon this decision.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) and Pro Music Rights, Inc. Call for Major Reform in U.S. Music Licensing Industry in Formal Response to Copyright Office Inquiry

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Naples, FL, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) and its wholly owned subsidiary Pro Music Rights, Inc. (PMR) have submitted a detailed and forceful response to the U.S. Copyright Office’s Notice of Inquiry (Docket No. 2025–1), shining a spotlight on longstanding anti-competitive behavior by legacy Performing Rights Organizations (PROs) such as BMI and ASCAP, while offering a bold and transparent alternative through PMR’s equitable licensing model.

    Challenging the Status Quo: PMR’s submission criticizes legacy PROs for opaque revenue distributions, excessive payouts to private equity owners, and international licensing strong-arming via the global collective CISAC network. According to the filing, BMI—once a nonprofit—has covertly transformed into a for-profit entity, now diverting up to 20% of its royalties to private equity firms and an additional 30% through backdoor reciprocal agreements. These structures disproportionately benefit elite artists at the expense of the creative majority.

    “One License Fits All”: A Transparent, Scalable Model Pro Music Rights offers a radically simplified licensing model featuring a flat $50.00 per month base fee per location and a usage-based fee capped at $0.01—only charged based on the fractional share of the musical composition PMR represents. This approach ensures small businesses and multinational corporations alike receive the same fair and scalable licensing access.

    “PMR believes in equality, transparency, and technological innovation,” said Jake P. Noch, Founder & CEO of Music Licensing, Inc. and Pro Music Rights. “Every user should pay only for what they use, and every creator should be paid for what’s actually performed—without hidden fees, preferential payouts, or monopolistic barriers.”

    Key Highlights from the Filing:

    • Transparent Accounting: No hidden carve-outs, no private equity kickbacks, and real-time royalty tracking for rights holders.
    • Global Monopoly Concerns: BMI and ASCAP are accused of manipulating CISAC to blacklist competing PROs and CMOs that refuse to adopt their restrictive terms.
    • Regulatory Failures: The filing argues that existing antitrust consent decrees are outdated and calls for DOJ and FTC action to restore market fairness.
    • Historical Irony: Despite publicly disparaging PMR, BMI’s board previously engaged in confidential acquisition talks with Music Licensing, Inc., acknowledging PMR’s innovative value proposition.

    A Call for Legislative and Regulatory Reform Music Licensing, Inc. and PMR are urging the Copyright Office to enact reforms that mandate financial transparency for all PROs, prohibit global blacklisting practices, and encourage equitable, standardized licensing frameworks. PMR’s tech-forward, fair-access model demonstrates what the future of music rights management can look like when creators and users are both placed first.

    About Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC:SONG)  (ProMusicRights.com)

    Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG), also known as Pro Music Rights, is a diversified holding company and the fifth public performance rights organization (PRO) established in the United States. It is recognized under the federal registry of the United States government. The company licenses music to some of the most prominent platforms and businesses, including TikTok, iHeartMedia, Triller, Napster, 7Digital, Vevo, and many others.

    Pro Music Rights holds an estimated 7.4% market share in the United States, representing a catalog of more than 2.5 million works by notable artists such as A$AP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa, Pharrell, Young Jeezy, Juelz Santana, Lil Yachty, MoneyBagg Yo, Larry June, Trae Pound, Sauce Walka, Trae Tha Truth, Sosamann, Soulja Boy, Lex Luger, Trauma Tone, Lud Foe, SlowBucks, Gunplay, OG Maco, Rich The Kid, Fat Trel, Young Scooter, Nipsey Hussle, Famous Dex, Boosie Badazz, Shy Glizzy, 2 Chainz, Migos, Gucci Mane, Young Dolph, Trinidad James, Chingy, Lil Gnar, 3OhBlack, Curren$y, Fall Out Boy, Money Man, Dej Loaf, Lil Uzi Vert, and many others, including works generated by artificial intelligence (AI).

    Additionally, Music Licensing, Inc. (OTC: SONG) holds royalty interests in Listerine “Mouthwash” Antiseptic and a vast portfolio of musical works by globally renowned artists, including The Weeknd, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Elton John, Mike Posner, blackbear, Lil Nas X, Lil Yachty, DaBaby, Stunna 4 Vegas, Miley Cyrus, Lil Wayne, XXXTentacion, BlueFace, The Game, Jeremih, Ty Dolla $ign, Eric Bellinger, Ne-Yo, MoneyBagg Yo, Halsey, Desiigner, DaniLeigh, Rihanna, and many others.

    Forward-Looking Statements:

    This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, which are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, the ability of Music Licensing, Inc. & Pro Music Rights, Inc. to accomplish its stated plan of business. Music Licensing, Inc. & Pro Music Rights, Inc. believes that the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, any of the assumptions could be inaccurate, and therefore, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking statements included in this press release will prove to be accurate. In light of the significant uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such information should not be regarded as a representation by Pro Music Rights, Inc., Music Licensing, Inc., or any other person.

    Non-Legal Advice Disclosure:

    This press release does not constitute legal advice, and readers are advised to seek legal counsel for any legal matters or questions related to the content herein.

    Non-Investment Advice Disclosure:

    This communication is intended solely for informational purposes and does not in any way imply or constitute a recommendation or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any securities, commodities, bonds, options, derivatives, or any other investment products. Any decisions related to investments should be made after thorough research and consultation with a qualified financial advisor or professional. We assume no liability for any actions taken or not taken based on the information provided in this communication

    Contact: investors@ProMusicRights.com

    SOURCE: Music Licensing, Inc.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: VeeMost Technologies Inc Announces Corporate Name, Ticker Symbol, and CUSIP change

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Red Bank, NJ, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VeeMost Technologies Inc. (OTC: VMST), a leading provider of cutting-edge IT solutions, is pleased to announce that the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) has approved the Company’s official name change from Global Developments, Inc. to VeeMost Technologies Inc., along with a corresponding change in its ticker symbol from GDVM to VMST. These changes were published on the OTC Markets Daily List on April 14, 2025, and will take effect at the open of business on April 15, 2025.

    In addition to the name and ticker change, the Company has also received approval for a new CUSIP number: 922462106, which will be reflected across all trading and depository systems starting April 15, 2025.

    This rebranding aligns with the Company’s transformation and renewed strategic focus on delivering innovative, secure, and scalable digital infrastructure services to enterprise and government clients. Over the past several years, VeeMost Technologies has expanded its service offerings to include cloud computing, cybersecurity, managed IT services, and digital transformation solutions.

    “The change to VeeMost Technologies Inc. and our new ticker symbol VMST represents a major step forward in aligning our public identity with the technological value we provide our customers,” said Melvin Ejiogu, CEO of VeeMost Technologies Inc. “This milestone signals our growth, our focus, and our commitment to increasing shareholder value as we move forward under a name that truly reflects our core mission and vision.”

    Shareholders are not required to take any action with respect to the name, ticker symbol, or CUSIP change. Existing share certificates will remain valid, and brokerage accounts will be automatically updated to reflect the new information.

    VeeMost Technologies remains committed to delivering industry-leading IT solutions and looks forward to continued growth, new partnerships, and strategic opportunities as it expands its footprint in both the commercial and public sectors.

    About VeeMost Technologies Inc.

    VeeMost Technologies Inc. (OTC: VMST) is a technology solutions provider offering a wide range of IT consulting, cloud, cybersecurity, and infrastructure services to commercial enterprises and government agencies. With a strong focus on innovation and customer success, VeeMost enables organizations to modernize and secure their IT environments to meet the demands of the digital age.

    For more information, please visit: https://www.veemost.com

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. You can identify these statements by the use of the words “may,” “will,” “should,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “continue,” “estimates,” “projects,” “intends,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the Company’s ability to successfully execute its expanded business strategy, including by entering into definitive agreements with suppliers, commercial partners and customers; general economic and business conditions, effects of continued geopolitical unrest and regional conflicts, competition, changes in technology and methods of marketing, delays in completing various engineering and manufacturing programs, changes in customer order patterns, changes in product mix, continued success in technical advances and delivering technological innovations, shortages in components, production delays due to performance quality issues with outsourced components, regulatory requirements and the ability to meet them, government agency rules and changes, and various other factors beyond the Company’s control.

    CONTACT: VeeMost Technologies Inc.
    info@veemost.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why weakening U.S. bank regulators could repeat the mistakes of the 2008 financial crisis

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By William D. O’Connell, Postdoctoral Research Associate, Center for Political Economy, Columbia University

    As United States President Donald Trump’s tariff announcements wreak havoc on stock markets, concerns are mounting over the possibility of a global financial crisis.

    These concerns have intensified amid reports that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Tesla founder Elon Musk, has set its sights on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) — the U.S. agency responsible for protecting deposits and administering bank insolvencies.

    The targeting of the FDIC appears to mark an escalation in the Trump administration’s efforts to rein in regulatory agencies. In February, an executive order issued issued by Trump expanded his control over independent regulators, including the FDIC.

    What sets the FDIC apart from other agencies targeted by DOGE is that it’s not under direct executive authority and it isn’t funded by the U.S. government. Instead, the FDIC is funded through levies on the banks it monitors — a structure designed to insulate it from political pressure.

    An escalating campaign over regulation

    In February, the FDIC cut 1,000 new and temporary staff as part of DOGE’s broader cuts to the federal bureaucracy. According to a regulatory official, DOGE has reportedly been reviewing the agency’s contracts and staffing.

    In December, Trump administration officials reportedly floated abolishing the FDIC with prospective nominees for various bank regulatory appointments.

    More recently, in February, DOGE and U.S. administration officials attempted to dismantle the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a separate regulator that was established after the 2008 financial crisis. A judge moved to block this process in late March after finding the administration had acted “completely in violation of law.”

    There are also reports suggesting the FDIC’s regulatory and intervention functions could be transferred to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). Unlike the FDIC, the OCC is under the authority of the Treasury Department, therefore lacking the same degree of operational independence. This risks further politicizing decisions on bank regulation or intervention.

    Any of these reforms would be a disaster for the stability of the global financial system.

    What the FDIC does and why it matters

    Deposit insurers like the FDIC cover losses for deposits in the event of a bank failure. In theory, this coverage is capped at $250,000 in the U.S. and $100,000 in Canada. In practice, as the failure of Silicon Valley Bank in 2023 made clear, there is no upper limit to this insurance.

    This insurance serves two main purposes. First, it protects everyday people and small businesses from risks taken by their banks. Two, it prevents panic, as it means depositors have no reason to rush to withdraw their money before a bank collapses.

    The FDIC and its Canadian equivalent, the Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation, have the authority to intervene when banks fail, ensuring they are wound down in an orderly fashion without a bailout or broader economic disruption.

    During the 2008 financial crisis, few mechanisms other than taxpayer-funded bailouts existed to rescue the financial system. Post-crisis reforms, like the Dodd–Frank Act, granted the FDIC more power help address systemically important bank failures with a broader set of tools. Many of these reforms were negotiated at the international level.

    Project 2025, a Heritage Foundation plan that has supported many of DOGE’s interventions, has called to repeal these reforms. Dismantling or undermining the FDIC would strip the U.S. of one of its most effective ways to respond to a financial crisis.

    The FDIC also plays a role in monitoring large banks, alongside the Federal Reserve and the OCC. At the international level, the FDIC works with foreign regulators to plan for the possibility of a crisis, and to implement solutions if one occurs.

    Global financial system at risk

    In 2023, the FDIC failed to prevent the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank largely due to two key reasons: deregulation enacted during the first Trump administration and staffing shortages that existed even before the February cuts.

    However, once the FDIC did intervene, it was able to contain the crisis and prevent wider fallout. Weakening the FDIC, as has occurred with other U.S. federal agencies, would greatly reduce its ability to perform this function in the future. Fewer regulators means less oversight and more risk-taking behaviour by financial institutions.



    Read more:
    What Canada can learn from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank

    Limiting the FDIC’s capacity to intervene would effectively return the U.S. to a pre-2008 world in which large banks operated with the expectation of public bailouts. This is a hazard made more dangerous by the fact that many of those banks are much larger and more interconnected than they were back then.

    Foreign regulators also rely heavily on the FDIC for information on the health of U.S. banks and U.S.-based subsidiaries of foreign banks. This co-operation was crucial to ensuring a smooth resolution when global bank Credit Suisse failed in 2023. Without a reliable, independent FDIC, these relationships may fall apart, leaving the world with few options to avoid another financial meltdown.

    Global financial stability depends, in large part, on U.S. leadership. But recent developments indicate the current administration no longer believes this responsibility is in its best interests. If this view extends to the FDIC’s role in regulating and resolving too-big-to-fail banks, the world faces risks far greater than just volatility in the stock market.

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

    – ref. Why weakening U.S. bank regulators could repeat the mistakes of the 2008 financial crisis – https://theconversation.com/why-weakening-u-s-bank-regulators-could-repeat-the-mistakes-of-the-2008-financial-crisis-254365

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VA starts search for new health and benefits leaders

    Source: US Department of Veterans Affairs

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    WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs today announced it has established commissions to find candidates to lead the Veterans Health and Veterans Benefits Administrations. VA Deputy Secretary Paul R. Lawrence, Ph.D., will chair both commissions.

    The commissions will help VA find candidates for its Under Secretary for Health and Under Secretary for Benefits positions and are a prerequisite to the president’s nomination of a candidate, subject to Senate confirmation, for each role.

    The search comes at a crucial time for the department, as it’s implementing a number of reforms to improve VA services for Veterans, families, caregivers and survivors. Successful accomplishments and milestones reached during the second Trump Administration so far include:

    About the Under Secretary for Health Position 

    The USH is responsible for the country’s largest health care system and works to provide Veterans with the health care choices they have earned while maintaining and improving the department’s direct health care capabilities. The USH manages the operation of VA’s more than 1,300 health care facilities, including hospitals, community-based outpatient clinics, nursing homes, domiciliaries and Vet Centers. The USH also administers the training and education of VA’s health care professionals, develops and supports the department’s contingency health care plans in the event of a national emergency and leads research efforts focused on improving Veterans’ health.

    Learn more about the position. 

    About the Under Secretary for Benefits Position

    The USB directs the timely delivery of VA benefits and services for eligible Veterans, family members, caregivers and survivors. The USB is responsible for ensuring accurate disability claims decisions, managing educational benefits for veterans and dependents, managing the home loan guaranty program, overseeing vocational rehabilitation and counseling for disabled Veterans, bolstering the transition support available from military to civilian life and accelerating the economic empowerment and independence of servicemembers and Veterans.

    Learn more about the position.

    Reporters and media outlets with questions or comments should contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov

    Veterans with questions about their health care and benefits (including GI Bill). Questions, updates and documents can be submitted online.

    Contact us online through Ask VA

    Veterans can also use our chatbot to get information about VA benefits and services. The chatbot won’t connect you with a person, but it can show you where to go on VA.gov to find answers to some common questions.

    Learn about our chatbot and ask a question

    Subscribe today to receive these news releases in your inbox.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Albuquerque Man Charged in Connection with Arson Attacks on Tesla Dealership and Republican Party of New Mexico Office

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    Note: View the criminal complaint.

    Federal charges have been filed against Jamison Wagner, 40, an Albuquerque resident, in connection with recent arson attacks targeting the Tesla Albuquerque Showroom and the Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM) headquarters. Investigators linked Wagner to both incidents through surveillance footage and scene evidence.

    “Let this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.”

    “Hurling firebombs is not political protest,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “It is a dangerous felony that we will prosecute to the maximum extent. The impressive work by law enforcement in New Mexico sends a clear message to perpetrators of all of the shameful attacks on Tesla facilities and political establishments: we are coming for you, you can’t hide, and you will do serious jail time to pay for your crimes.”

    “This arrest is part of the FBI’s aggressive efforts to investigate and hold accountable those who have targeted Tesla facilities in various states across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Thank you to our agents and support teams in Albuquerque who did an outstanding job executing the mission. Under Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, we will continue to locate and arrest those responsible for these acts of domestic terrorism, and the FBI will work with partners at the Department of Justice to ensure such lawbreakers face justice.”

    “A key suspect is now in custody thanks to the exceptional work of ATF’s Special Agents, certified fire investigators, and forensic specialists,” said Deputy Director Robert Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “This arrest marks a critical step toward justice in the firebombing that targeted a Tesla dealership and the New Mexico Republican Party Headquarters. Our teams worked around the clock—collecting, analyzing, and connecting forensic evidence across both scenes. With the support of our local partners, the FBI, and the rapid work of ATF’s forensic lab, we were able to link the crimes, identify those responsible, and take swift action to protect the public. This is what ATF does best: we follow the evidence, we find the truth, and we bring offenders to justice.”

    According to court documents, in the early morning hours of Feb. 9, 2025, the Tesla Albuquerque Showroom was targeted in an arson attack. Two Tesla vehicles were involved in the fire, one of which was significantly damaged.

    An intact glass container containing an improvised napalm material was found in the second vehicle. Investigators noted a hand-written capital “I” or “H” letter on the top of the green metal lid.

    Graffiti was spray-painted in red and black paint on the building and six other vehicles, including “Die Elon,” “Tesla Nazi Inc,” and “Die Tesla Nazi,” along with swastika symbols. 

    Surveillance video captured the suspect on scene, and he was observed as a tall, light-skinned individual, possibly over 6 feet tall, wearing black clothing and a mask, and carrying a white box.

    The following month, in the early morning hours of March 30, 2025, a second arson attack occurred, this time at the Republican Party New Mexico (RPNM) office. The fire significantly damaged the front door and entry area. At the scene, investigators collected shattered glass and metal lids from what appeared to be two to three separate glass containers. Two of the lids bore a handwritten capital “I” or “H,” similar in appearance to the letter found on the lid of the glass container at the Tesla scene.

    Graffiti with the phrase “ICE=KKK” was found on the south wall of the building.

    Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from nearby businesses and identified a white sedan parking on the north side of the RPNM office building before the fire. A single individual exited the vehicle, approached the RPNM headquarters, and a flash of light was recorded. The individual then returned to the vehicle and drove away. The vehicle was captured on nearby surveillance as it left the RPNM scene. After review of the available surveillance, law enforcement preliminarily identified the suspect vehicle as in what appeared to be a white Hyundai Accent between the years 2012 and 2015.

    Investigators determined that both arsons involved the use of homemade incendiary devices utilizing glass containers and flammable liquids. The resulting investigation connected Wagner as a significant person of interest for both crime scenes. Among other links, Wagner’s physical description matches that of the suspect in the available surveillance footage and investigators determined that Wagner owns a white 2015 Hyundai Accent.

    Wagner Facebook photo.
    Tesla arson suspect.
    Wagner’s driver’s license.

    On April 12, 2025, agents from the FBI and ATF executed a search warrant at Wagner’s residence in Albuquerque without incident. Inside, investigators uncovered substantial evidence linking him to both arson attacks including:

    • A white cardboard box containing eight assembled suspected incendiary devices.
    • Blue Styrofoam egg cartons consistent with the polystyrene material found in the improvised napalm used in the Tesla fire.
    • Materials for manufacturing additional incendiary devices and ignitable liquids consistent with the gasoline used at both fire scenes.
    • A jar with a green gingham-style lid similar to one found at the RPNM fire scene, along with several jars marked with handwritten capital letters “I” or “H,” similar to markings seen on lids recovered from both arson sites.
    • Black and red spray paint matching the graffiti used at both crime scenes.
    • A stencil bearing the phrase “ICE=KKK,” consistent with graffiti found at the RPNM fire scene.

    Wagner’s white Hyundai Accent was found in his garage during the search. Investigators noted modifications consistent with efforts to avoid identification during the commission of the crimes.

    “The charges today demonstrate that there is no place in our society for politically or ideologically motivated acts of violence and extremism,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin for the District of New Mexico. “We are grateful for the tireless and exceptional work of our law enforcement partners to identify the alleged perpetrator of these unacceptable criminal acts and commit to prosecuting this case to the fullest extent of the law.”

    Wagner is charged with two counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosives and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Wagner faces between five and 20 years in prison for each count.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI Albuquerque Field Office are jointly investigating the case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department and the New Mexico Department of Justice.

    Numerous additional agencies responded to the arson scenes or otherwise provided valuable assistance, including the Santa Ana Pueblo Police Department, the Sandoval County Fire Department, the New Mexico State Fire Marshals Office, Albuquerque Fire Rescue, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Elena Stiteler and Nicholas Mote for the District of New Mexico and Trial Attorney Patrick Cashman of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

    A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Two Federal Treasury deposit auctions will take place on 15.04.2025

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    Application selection parameters
    Date of the selection of applications 04/15/2025
    Unique identifier of the application selection 22025095
    Deposit currency rubles
    Type of funds funds of the single treasury account
    Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units 298,000
    Placement period, in days 2
    Date of deposit 04/15/2025
    Refund date 04/17/2025
    Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating) Fix
    Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum 20.05
    Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds –
    Minimum spread, % per annum –
    Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special) Urgent
    Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units 1,000
    Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs. 5
    Application selection form (open or closed) Open
    Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
    Venue for the selection of applications PAO Moscow Exchange
    Applications accepted: from 09:30 to 09:40
    Preliminary applications: from 09:30 to 09:35
    Applications in competition mode: from 09:35 to 09:40
    Formation of a consolidated register of applications: from 09:40 to 09:50
    Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful: from 09:40 to 10:00
    Submission to credit institutions of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement: from 10:00 to 10:50
    Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions: from 10:00 to 10:50
    Deposit transfer time In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n
    Application selection parameters
    Date of the selection of applications 04/15/2025
    Unique identifier of the application selection 22025096
    Deposit currency rubles
    Type of funds funds of the single treasury account
    Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units 50,000
    Placement period, in days 182
    Date of deposit 04/15/2025
    Refund date 10/14/2025
    Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating) Flotting
    Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum –
    Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds Ruonmds
    Minimum spread, % per annum 0.00
    Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special) Special
    Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units 1,000
    Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs. 5
    Application selection form (open or closed) Closed
    Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
    Venue for the selection of applications PAO Moscow Exchange
    Applications accepted: from 12:00 to 12:10
    Formation of a consolidated register of applications: from 12:10 to 12:20
    Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful: from 12:10 to 12:30
    Submission to credit institutions of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement: from 12:30 to 13:20
    Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions: from 12:30 to 13:20
    Deposit transfer time In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n

    RUONmDS = RUONIA – DS, where

    RUONIA – the value of the indicative weighted rate of overnight ruble loans (deposits) RUONIA, expressed in hundredths of a percent, published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued. In the absence of a RUONIA rate value published on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued, the last of the published RUONIA rate values is taken into account.

    DS – discount – a value expressed in hundredths of a percent and rounded (according to the rules of mathematical rounding) to two decimal places, calculated by multiplying the value of the Key Rate of the Bank of Russia by the value of the required reserve ratio for other liabilities of credit institutions for banks with a universal license, non-bank credit institutions (except for long-term ones) in the currency of the Russian Federation, valid on the date for which interest is accrued, and published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet.

    Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232Pr@moex.kom

    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.

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //VVV. MOEX.K.MO/N89488

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Colorado Governor Polis and Lt. Governor Primavera Urge Congressional Delegation to Protect Health Care Access for Hundreds of Thousands of Coloradans

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – As Congress considers devastating cuts to Medicaid that would eliminate health care coverage for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans, Governor Polis and Lt. Governor Primavera are urging Colorado’s federal delegation to protect this critical funding.

    “As Colorado’s representatives in Congress, we urge you to oppose Congressionally-proposed cuts to Medicaid funding that would throw hundreds of thousands of Coloradans off their health insurance and increase costs transferred due to uncompensated care for the rest. Children, hardworking individuals, people with disabilities, seniors, and safety net providers are not political pawns or talking points. These cuts would mean losing access to lifesaving care with devastating consequences,” Gov. Polis and Lt. Gov. Primavera wrote in the letter.  

    “Drastic cuts to Medicaid affect the state and country’s entire care system – from the front-line health care workers who provide care to local clinics, rural hospitals, and safety net providers that serve our communities. Cuts could take health coverage away from hundreds of thousands of Coloradans and millions of Americans from seeing their doctors; they will push thousands of uninsured Coloradans into medical bankruptcy, increase uncompensated care to providers, close rural hospitals, and drive up premiums and costs for all Americans,” the state leaders continued.

    If these cuts are enacted, Colorado could lose as many as 12,000 jobs, $1.3 billion in state GDP, and $82 million in state/local tax dollars in 2026. Rural and working-class parts of the state would be hit the hardest.

    CD1 Medicaid members

    • 29.32% of the district population is enrolled in Health First Colorado
    • Average number of Health First Colorado members enrolled per month: 211,721

    CD2 Medicaid members

    • 16.02% of the district population is enrolled in Health First Colorado
    • Average number of Health First Colorado members enrolled per month: 115,634

    CD3 Medicaid members

    • 31.21% of the district population is enrolled in Health First Colorado
    • Average number of Health First Colorado members enrolled per month: 228,019

    CD4 Medicaid members

    • 15.61% of the district population is enrolled in Health First Colorado
    • Average number of Health First Colorado members enrolled per month: 119,814

    CD5 Medicaid members

    • 24.23% of the district population is enrolled in Health First Colorado
    • Average number of Health First Colorado members enrolled per month: 178,644

    CD6 Medicaid members

    • 24.21% of the district population is enrolled in Health First Colorado
    • Average number of Health First Colorado members enrolled per month: 176,847

    CD7 Medicaid members

    • 17.74% of the district population is enrolled in Health First Colorado
    • Average number of Health First Colorado members enrolled per month: 128,990

    CD8 Medicaid members

    • 28.93% of the district population is enrolled in Health First Colorado
    • Average number of Health First Colorado members enrolled per month: 214,218

    Read the full letter.

    ###
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: 31st annual Enserva STARS & Spurs Gala raises more than $1.7 million for STARS

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Enserva STARS & Spurs Gala (The Gala) celebrated another successful event this past Saturday, raising a total of $1,708,872 for Shock Trauma Air Rescue Support (STARS). This highly anticipated event brought together industry leaders, community supporters and distinguished guests to raise crucial funds for STARS, ensuring life-saving emergency medical services remain available across Western Canada.

    As Alberta’s longest running and largest fundraiser, The Gala has raised nearly $24 million since its inception in 1994. This impressive amount reinforces the energy industry’s dedication to safety and community support, especially as The Gala serves as STAR’s most significant annual fundraising event. This is a testament to the generosity and commitment of Enserva’s members and partners.

    “Enserva is so proud to bring together thousands from across the energy industry to raise funds for STARS,” says Enserva president and CEO, Gurpreet Lail. “This event and the outpouring of support that it receives each and every year is a true testament to the dedication of our industry in supporting the life-saving work that STARS provides across Western Canada. With over 60,000 missions completed by STARS since 1985, their impact on our communities is vital.”

    STARS is a non-profit organization that provides rapid and specialized emergency medical care and transportation for critically ill and injured patients across Western Canada. STARS believes that no one should go without the critical care that could save their life, no matter where they live, work or play.

    This year’s event featured a welcome reception, dinner, speeches from a STARS Very Important Patient (VIP), an Indigenous fashion show showcasing auction items created by Indigenous artists, as well as live entertainment from breakout country artist Garrett Gregory, Mocking Shadows and DJ ChargedUp. The Gala gathered guests from corporate executives and government officials to valued members of the energy service, supply, and manufacturing industries.

    Enserva is already preparing for its 32nd annual gala and is encouraging organizations to contact events@enserva.ca to get a tailored sponsorship package for Alberta’s premier fundraising and networking event.

    About Enserva
    In September 2022, the Petroleum Services Association of Canada rebranded to their new moniker, Enserva. Enserva is the voice of the Canadian energy services, supply and manufacturing sector, and its vital workforce. For over 40 years we have championed and empowered Canadian energy. We never stop innovating and finding solutions to help Canadian energy thrive. We unlock Canadian energy to find a better energy future for all. Enserva makes the world a better place by reducing energy poverty, increasing energy security, and creating economic growth and jobs. We have brought the energy industry and community leaders together to raise funds for STARS since 1994.

    For more information about Enserva, visit www.enserva.ca

    About STARS
    STARS was born from the conviction that no one should go without the care that could save their life. Whether by air, ground, or satellite link, the expert care delivered by STARS doctors, nurses, and paramedics comes in many forms. STARS is a charitable not-for-profit organization that responds to community needs.

    For more information about STARS, visit www.stars.ca

    For media inquiries, please contact:
    Shauna MacDonald
    Brookline Public Relations, Inc.
    smacdonald@brooklinepr.com
    403-585-4570

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e51990fe-15a8-4ec5-9bde-caa202189382

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fe44f489-159a-4405-b786-50dc059aab36

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE arrests alleged member of Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    MIAMI – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with the FBI, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, have administratively arrested a Cuban national who was unlawfully present in the United States.

    Daniel Morejon Garcia, 57, was taken into custody at his residence following an investigation conducted by ICE Homeland Security Investigations. The investigation centered on fraudulent claims he allegedly made when entering the country.

    During the investigation, law enforcement agents obtained official Cuban government documents and credible source information indicating that Morejon Garcia had failed to disclose his affiliations. He allegedly omitted being a member of the Cuban Communist Party and an agent of Cuba’s Ministry of the Interior in his immigration applications.

    Additionally, Morejon Garcia allegedly served as the President of the National Defense Council in the Artemisa region of Cuba and being a member of the Rapid Response Brigades. These groups, composed of civilians trained and organized by the government, are designed to assist authorities during incidents of social unrest, protests, or disturbances. Authorities allege that Morejon Garcia was activated by the Cuban government during the island-wide protests on July 11, 2021. In that role, there was evidence of Morejon Garcia assaulting protesters as part of his duties.

    Morejon Garcia was processed and is currently in ICE custody pending his removal from the United States.

    Member​s of the public who have information about suspected human rights abusers traveling to or entering the United States are urged to call the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2423 (866-347-2434) or ​complete the online tip form. Callers may remain anonymous.

    For more news and information on HSI’s efforts to enforce our nation’s immigration and customs laws follow us on X at @HSI_Miami​.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: LIFTing up STEM and life sciences education

    [. Alberta’s government continues to allocate funding in a responsible way that respects taxpayer dollars, while putting Alberta on the global stage with cutting-edge research and innovation.

    Through Budget 2025, Alberta’s government is investing $100 million over three years to turn the 56-year-old Biological Sciences Building at the University of Alberta into a world-leading STEM and life sciences research and education hub.

    The Biological Sciences building will be transformed into the Life Sciences Innovation and Future Technologies (LIFT) Centre, a dynamic and shared laboratory complex where researchers, students and industry partners can work together to solve the most urgent problems facing Alberta and the broader world. The facility is expected to double much-needed laboratory spaces for hands-on experimentation and increase access to high-demand programs across the university.

    “We are committed to strengthening our world-class post-secondary education system to ensure that the workforce we develop today can compete in the economic realities of tomorrow. This investment will double the Faculty of Science’s lab space, solidify the university’s reputation as top destination for students and researchers, and help prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow.”

    Danielle Smith, Premier

    The project will be built in five phases and enable the University of Alberta to double the number of laboratory seats from 1,600 to 3,200, allowing for almost 2,500 new domestic students to access undergraduate programs in the faculties of Science, and Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences. There will also be about 700 additional graduate student spaces.

    “This significant investment in the Biological Sciences Building will empower more University of Alberta students to enter the health and life sciences and STEM fields, which are in high demand in our growing economy. This new facility will foster cutting-edge research, collaboration with industry and innovative ideas that will help students build the skills they need for the jobs of tomorrow.”

    Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Advanced Education

    The complete redevelopment of the Biological Sciences Building will create Canada’s preeminent home for cutting-edge life sciences education, research, discovery and experiential learning, right here in Alberta. Through investments like the LIFT Centre, Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge of a growing population and building the workforce Alberta needs, today and in the future.

    “This substantial investment will advance Alberta as a global leader in STEM and life sciences research and education. It’s an exciting time at the university, as this investment enhances our position as an internationally renowned centre of innovation and knowledge and increases our capacity to educate the next generation of leaders and changemakers.”

    Bill Flanagan, president and vice-chancellor, University of Alberta

    Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.

    Quick Facts

    • The Biological Sciences Building has not received any major renovations since its construction in 1969.
    • The funding will include major retrofitting and updating of complex utilities, controlled environments and advanced safety features.
    • The scope of the project includes renovations on level 4, level 5, level 10 (including mezzanine) and level 11 (including mezzanine) within the Zoology Wing to transform the space into a wet laboratory space.
    • When completed, the newly named LIFT Centre is expected to double the number of lab spaces to 3,200.

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Austin Woman Pleads Guilty in 25-Year Social Security Fraud Scam

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – Mavious Redmond of Austin, Minnesota, has pleaded guilty to theft of government funds after a 25-year social security fraud scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to court documents, Mavious Redmond, 54, devised and carried out a scheme to collect her deceased mother’s social security retirement benefits following her mother’s death in January 1999.  On multiple occasions, Redmond impersonated her deceased mother to keep her fraud scheme going.  For example, on June 4, 2024, Redmond personally visited the SSA office, posing as her deceased mother, and submitted a fraudulent SS-5 Application for Social Security Form using her mother’s name, date of birth, social security number, and forging her deceased mother’s signature.  Redmond visited the SSA office a second time on June 20, 2024, resubmitted her deceased mother’s documentation and the form with the forged signature.

    In total, from January 1999 through June 2024, Redmond collected more than $360,000 in social security payments intended for her mother.

    “We are awash in federal programs fraud,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. “Redmond stole well more than a quarter million dollars in taxpayer funds. She scammed social security for literal decades. No more. My office will continue to aggressively pursue the federal programs fraud that plagues Minnesota.”

    Redmond pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds in U.S. District Court before Judge Nancy E. Brasel on April 9, 2025. A sentencing hearing will take place at a later date.

    This case is the result of an investigation by Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Evans is prosecuting the case.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: What parents need to know about online misogyny

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    By Annabel Hoare, Anglia Ruskin University

    The success of Netflix drama Adolescence, along with concerns about misogynistic influencers such as Andrew Tate, has brought the “manosphere” into public discussion.

    Many parents, particularly of young boys, may fear they don’t know enough about what their children are exposed to online. I research radical misogyny online, and the pathways by which young people encounter these spaces. Here is what parents should know about this content.

    What is the manosphere?

    The manosphere is a network of communities that create, consume and distribute content online aimed at men and boys. It includes multiple groups that differ in their aims and focus, but are all largely anti-feminist.

    These groups discuss masculinity, but also topics such as health, gaming, politics and finance. They trivialise hateful rhetoric through memes, comedy and trolling (provocation or bullying for amusement) by framing it as self-help, entertainment and tools for financial success. This can make it difficult for parents to identify and for children to realise the extreme messages they are being exposed to.

    Manosphere content is promoted by various influencers on popular social media platforms. These influencers often showcase unattainable wealth and status, selling the illusion that followers can achieve success by adopting their teachings.

    The most notable manosphere influencer is Andrew Tate, who rose to fame in 2022. He and his brother Tristan are currently under investigation in Romania for charges of rape, human trafficking and money laundering, and in the UK for rape and human trafficking. However, he is not the only influencer out there.

    In recent years, there have been a number of incidents of violence that have been linked to manosphere content. The extent of real-world effects is difficult to measure, and not everyone who engages with the manosphere will go on to commit violence. But it’s clear that these communities can promote violence or spread harmful ideas about women and girls.

    It is important to note, however, that this content also harms men and young boys. The manosphere promotes unrealistic expectations and extreme measures which can lead to poor self-esteem, mental health problems and, in some cases, suicide. This content preys on vulnerabilities and insecurities of boys and young men, especially related to social isolation and sexual rejection.

    Misinformation and pseudoscience

    Much of the content that spreads in the manosphere is based on disinformation or pseudoscientific theories. These provide an easy framework for men to assess and improve their status while framing women and feminism as the problem.

    For example, the “80/20 rule” refers to the pseudoscientific theory that 80% of women are only attracted to the top 20% of men. In the manosphere, this rule is used to blame women for mens’ feelings of sexual or romantic rejection.

    Influencers and community members promote step-by-step instructions that people can follow to improve their social standing. Many of these guides involve extreme or harmful physical transformations in a phenomenon known as “looksmaxxing”, which can even involve facial surgery in a bid to increase their sexual “value”.

    The manosphere has an expansive lexicon which is used to incite hatred towards women and fuel rivalry between men. Common terms include:

    • Red pill: TRP, the manosphere’s core philosophy, derived from the Matrix, frames the red pill as an awakening to feminism’s oppression of men. The blue pill represents ignorance, and the black pill, used by incels, as accepting their “terminal” celibacy status.

    • Amog (alpha male of the group), Alpha, Gamma, Omega, Sigma, Sub-5 – These terms categorise and compare men and their social status. While sigma and alpha males or Amogs are considered the top of the hierarchy, the terms gamma, omega, and sub-5 denigrate men perceived to be of a lower status.

    • White Knight, Soyboy: Derogatory terms describe men who are viewed as being subservient to women.

    • Awalt (All women are like that), Foid/Femoid (female humanoid), Becky, Carousel: Terms used to denigrate and dehumanise women.

    Parents should not panic if they hear their children using manosphere terms. They may not fully understand their meanings and may have encountered them innocently. However, changes in how boys talk about women and girls, withdrawal from family and friends, and frequent use of these terms can be an indication that they are being influenced by the manosphere.

    Supporting your child

    Most adolescents will come across manosphere content at some point. A recent survey found that 59% of boys accessed manosphere content through innocent and unrelated searches. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they endorse the misogynistic values spread by these groups.

    Here are some steps you can take to support your child.

    1. Explore online together

    Research commissioned by media regulator Ofcom found that children were more likely to come across harmful content if their parents are less engaged in what they are doing. Watching content that relates to your children’s hobbies, and sending them content you think they would like, can help train algorithms to promote more moderate content and open up an avenue for discussion.

    Engaging online with your child can be a natural way to start conversations about what they are exposed to. It is important that you are not trying to intervene or critique, but rather understand why they enjoy watching certain influencers or content.

    2. Encourage reflection and media literacy

    Research suggests that teaching children to be sceptical about what they see online can inoculate them against mis- and disinformation.

    The most obvious disinformation they are most likely to come across in the manosphere may be in the form of statistics, summaries of “academic” reports, and news articles about instances of female aggression or false rape allegations. They may also come across misleading content in educational or self-help posts, about improving their appearance or how to be successful.

    Ask your children why they trust certain influencers and where they think their friends get their information. These kinds of questions can help them develop their own fact-checking skills without it seeming like a lesson.

    3. Ask open-ended questions

    Asking children about what they consume or what slang they use online can feel cringe. The best way to get around this is to ask simple open-ended questions such as “How do boys in your class talk about girls?” or “Have you ever heard of…?”

    What you hear may be shocking, but approach it with curiosity and without judgment or dismissal to let them know they can share things with you.

    If you are concerned about your child’s behaviour, you can also get support from resources such as Young Minds mental health support, the Center for Countering Digital Hate’s free parents guide or the government’s radicalisation helpline ACT Early. Getting support from government services is not a punishment. It won’t go on a person’s criminal record, but can provide access to governmental services like Prevent.

    Annabel Hoare, PhD Student in Gender-Based Political Violence, Anglia Ruskin University

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

    The opinions expressed in VIEWPOINT articles are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARU.

    If you wish to republish this article, please follow these guidelines: https://theconversation.com/uk/republishing-guidelines

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Stansbury, Democratic Leaders Introduce Bill to Rein in Musk, Special Government Employees (SGEs)

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    April 14, 2025
    Bill would expand existing ethics rules to apply to SGEs, strengthen conflict of interest rules, increase transparency
    Bill Text (PDF) | Bill Summary (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) introduced the SGE Ethics Enforcement & Reform (SEER) Act, a bill to strengthen transparency and ethics requirements for Special Government Employees (SGEs). The bill would rein in Elon Musk by restricting certain SGEs from officially communicating with agencies and offices that regulate or contract with large companies owned by the SGE.
    Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), along with Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), joined in cosponsoring the bill.
    Representatives Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) cosponsored the House version of the bill. 
    “Unelected billionaire Elon Musk should not be acting as co-president of the United States and making $8 million a day from government contracts while he’s at it. My new bill would crack down on conflicts of interest and create stronger ethics rules for Elon Musk and all Special Government Employees. Government should work for the American people, not billionaires lining their own pockets,” said Senator Warren.
    “For months Elon Musk has dismantled federal agencies, fired thousands of federal workers, data-mined American data, and set himself up to make billions of dollars in federal contracts—all while acting as a Special Government Employee.  Never again can we allow such blatant abuses of power to happen,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.). “That is why I am proud to introduce the SEER Act with Senator Elizabeth Warren to ensure the Trump Administration and people like Elon Musk cannot take advantage of the system and that there are strict rules and legal consequences in place to hold them accountable.”
    Special Government Employees (SGEs) are temporary federal employees with a limit of 130 work days per year. Unlike regular employees, SGEs typically maintain jobs outside of the government and can be paid by an outside entity for the time they spend working for the federal government. SGEs are also not required to publicly disclose their financial interest, unless they are classified above the GS-15 level and serve for longer than 60 days. 
    Elon Musk and various members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are designated as SGEs, allowing them to be paid by private companies while they work to dismantle federal agencies. Musk specifically is an SGE at the White House and does not have to recuse himself from matters impacting his own multi-billion-dollar companies as long as his work does not meet the relatively narrow definition of a “particular matter” (as defined by Office of Government Ethics regulations).
    This new bill would bar Musk from communicating with the Space Force and other agencies that interface with his companies, including the CFPB and the NLRB, which have reviewed and investigated complaints about Tesla. The bill would also block Musk from participating in portions of projects that he has a financial interest in, and would require him to file a public financial disclosure form.
    Generally, the SEER Act includes reforms to: 
    Expand existing ethics rules to apply to SGEs: This bill makes SGEs subject to most standard ethics rules starting on their 61st day in government, and rules on outside compensation after their 130th day.
    Strengthen conflict-of-interest rules for SGEs:
    Prohibits any SGE who owns or leads a billion-dollar company, or a company with large federal contracts or monopolistic market power, from communicating, in their official capacity, with agencies that contract with, regulate, or conduct enforcement actions against their company; 
    Requires SGEs to resolve a broader range of conflicts of interest raised by government work that would directly and predictably affect their non-government employers; and 
    Requires OGE to agree before issuing a conflict-of-interest waiver to an SGE. 
    Hold SGE chairs and vice chairs of advisory committees to a tougher standard for receiving a conflict-of-interest waiver. 

    Increase transparency surrounding SGE classification and SGE financial interests: 
    Allow public access to the financial disclosures of SGEs without requiring the public to request disclosure; 
    Allow public access to conflict-of-interest waivers; and 
    Requires the Office of Personnel Management to maintain a public database of SGEs, including the number of days served as an SGE and the reason for their classification as an SGE instead of a regular employee. 

    “The Trump Administration’s use of this special designation to install people with potential conflicts in high-level government jobs with no accountability may have begun with Elon Musk – but it goes way beyond Musk. The public now has no way to know whether special government employees who don’t file public financial disclosure reports or are empowered to oversee themselves are putting the people’s interests ahead of their own,” said Jon Golinger, Democracy Advocate at Public Citizen. “Public Citizen strongly supports the SEER Act to close these loopholes and ensure that anti-corruption rules apply to special government employees, strengthen conflict-of-interest barriers to prevent financial self-dealing or misuse of insider information, and shine sunlight with financial disclosure so the public knows who has been given the power and privilege of doing the people’s business.” 
    “Special Government Employees (SGEs) may be able to hold jobs outside of government, but they should not be allowed to operate outside of the bounds of ethics or transparency rules” said Debra Perlin, Vice President for Policy at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). “Senator Warren’s SGE Ethics Enforcement and Reform Act would require SGEs to abide by ethics rules similar to those in place for other federal employees and ensure transparency around who is classified as an SGE and what their conflicts of interest may be. This will help ensure that the work of Special Government Employees serves the American people, and not personal financial interests.”
    This bill is endorsed by Public Citizen, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Project On Government Oversight (POGO), State Democracy Defenders, Campaign Legal Center, American Federation Of Government Employees (AFGE), and the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ricketts Leads Letter to Commerce Secretary Lutnick Calling for Imminent Reform to Biden AI Diffusion Rule

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Friday, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-NE) led a group of colleagues in sending a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding the Biden administration’s AI Diffusion Rule (AIDR). The letter calls on the Trump administration to withdraw Biden’s bad rule and propose an alternative that is effective in preventing Communist China from capturing the world market in a leading technology. The letter states:
    “We applaud President Trump’s commitment to ensuring American dominance in the tech sector. Today, we are in an enviable position: American companies dominate in crucial areas that will define tomorrow’s economy including semiconductor design, compute infrastructure, and artificial intelligence (AI). This leadership position has been hard fought. Maintaining and growing our tech lead requires diligently advancing an American-led, global ecosystem around the world.”
    “With the compliance deadline of May 15, 2025, rapidly approaching, immediate action is necessary to prevent irreversible damage to American innovation and competitiveness,” the letter continues. “Every day this rule remains in place, American companies face mounting uncertainty, stalled investments, and the risk of losing critical global partnerships that cannot be easily regained. Therefore, we urge you to withdraw this rule and propose an alternative that is effective in preventing Communist China from capturing the world market in a leading technology without compromising American advantages.”
    The letter was also signed by Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Ted Budd (R-NC), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL).
    Read the full letter here or below:
    Dear Secretary Lutnick:
    We applaud President Trump’s commitment to ensuring American dominance in the tech sector. Today, we are in an enviable position: American companies dominate in crucial areas that will define tomorrow’s economy including semiconductor design, compute infrastructure, and artificial intelligence (AI). This leadership position has been hard fought. Maintaining and growing our tech lead requires diligently advancing an American-led, global ecosystem around the world.
    Concerningly, President Biden’s recently issued Artificial Intelligence Diffusion Rule
    (AIDR) threatens to undermine this leadership and advancement. Among other things, the rule categorizes countries into three tiers, imposing complex restrictions on the purchase of U.S. technology. Only Tier 1 countries—limited to just 18 nations—would have access to American technology. Even these 18 would only have access if they comply with a burdensome and ever-evolving set of federal regulations. The vast majority of nations fall into Tier 2. These countries face arbitrary purchase limits and a cumbersome licensing process to acquire U.S. computing technologies. Strikingly, key allies and partners like Israel have been inexplicably excluded from the top tier and placed into Tier 2. Tier 3 countries, including Communist China, are already rightly restricted.
    While the AIDR claims to provide secure ecosystems for the responsible diffusion of AI, this rushed midnight rule’s impact and overly broad scope will result in consequences that divorce it from its intent. Fundamentally, the rule places burdensome constraints on U.S. companies that would be difficult to comply with and even harder for the Federal government to enforce. Buyers, particularly in Tier 2 countries that are constrained from purchasing U.S. technology, would be incentivized to turn to Communist China’s unregulated, cheap substitutes. Additionally, technology companies in Tier 2 countries could be motivated to create their own AI technology stack that is outside our export control regime. Neither outcome furthers our nation’s long-term economic and national security goals.
    With the compliance deadline of May 15, 2025, rapidly approaching, immediate action is necessary to prevent irreversible damage to American innovation and competitiveness. Every day this rule remains in place, American companies face mounting uncertainty, stalled investments, and the risk of losing critical global partnerships that cannot be easily regained. Therefore, we urge you to withdraw this rule and propose an alternative that is effective in preventing Communist China from capturing the world market in a leading technology without compromising American advantages.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Playing and exploring outdoors brings risk – and that’s good for children

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adele Doran, Principal Lecturer/Research & Innovation Lead, Sheffield Hallam University

    sirtravelalot/Shutterstock

    We are currently in the midst of a youth mental health crisis. In 2023 in England, a fifth of children aged eight to 16 had a probable mental disorder.

    One way to address children’s wellbeing is through letting them take part in outdoor risky play.

    When climbing trees, building dens, riding a bike fast, constructing rafts to float on water, or exploring a woodland, children make their own decisions on which risks to take and which to avoid. This empowers children to be decisive and independent in other situations, such as in their transition to secondary school, rather than relying on adult prompting or direction.

    Progressive incremental exposure to uncertainty and risk builds resilience and enhances overall wellbeing in young people. In our own research with 622 teenagers, we used questionnaires to measure their resilience and wellbeing before and after taking part in an outdoor adventure education residential trip. We found that their scores for wellbeing increased by 23%, their resilience by 36%.

    Outdoor risky play supports experimentation and exploration. It helps children develop social skills such as turn-taking and cooperation, and so gives them tools to overcome future challenges. It nurtures their curiosity. Children can be revitalised by being in nature, and by the adventurous uncertainty of playing without rules and restrictions.

    Forest school and residential trips

    One way children can play in this risky way with the support to build a healthy relationship with nature and risk is through regular attendance at a forest school.

    The forest school is a form of outdoor education where hands-on learning takes place in a woodland environment. It offers the chance for children to connect with nature, experience risk, build social skills and be active in their learning. This may include activities such as cooking on a campfire, doing nature-based arts and crafts, or building a den. It can be a weekly activity that children take part in for a few hours.

    Longer residential trips offer an extended opportunity to experience aspects of learning outdoors. These might be organised by a school or club, and include a variety of activities, such as orienteering, rock climbing, abseiling, and land and sea expeditions. These are aimed at developing leadership skills, resilience, autonomy and confidence. Children are challenged by exploring unfamiliar environments.

    Children make their own decisions about which risks to take.
    Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock

    However, in order to be beneficial, risky outdoor play needs to be frequent, progressive and to take place throughout a child’s education. The benefits it provides cannot be achieved with a one-time forest school or residential experience.

    One option would be to make forest school and outdoor play a regular part of children’s school education.

    But the current schooling system in the UK and – in England – the school qualities valued by Ofsted do not support the holistic development of children. A school’s worth is primarily measured by attendance and attainment in a limited number of core subjects. Few opportunities exist for schools to implement a range of activities that purposefully boost and sustain learners’ wellbeing and encourage risky play.

    A shift in thinking is required for schools to recognise the worth of outdoor risky play, and for teachers to be empowered to embed the culture of educated risk-taking within and beyond their school gates.

    There have been calls in the Welsh and Scottish governments for a universal entitlement to a weeklong residential trip. Campaigns in England have called for all children to be guaranteed time in nature. But actual progress towards a goal of broadening opportunities for accessing outdoor activities and experiencing risky play is glacial.

    At a point in time when children have faced unprecedented upheaval and threats to their wellbeing, it has never been more important to create daily opportunities for them to build their ability to deal with uncertainties. Experiencing the outdoors and positive risk-taking are fundamental to the everyday lives of all young people.

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

    – ref. Playing and exploring outdoors brings risk – and that’s good for children – https://theconversation.com/playing-and-exploring-outdoors-brings-risk-and-thats-good-for-children-249538

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: HSE and Avito launch master’s degree program in machine learning in digital product

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University Higher School of Economics – State University Higher School of Economics –

    Faculty of Computer Science HSE, together with the Russian IT company Avito, announces the launch of a new Master’s program in Machine Learning (ML) in Digital Product. The program is aimed at training specialists who will be able to apply advanced machine learning technologies to solve real business problems and create products used by millions of users. A total of 35 people will be able to undergo training in the first wave, the training of 30 of them will be fully financed by Avito.

    The program is suitable for graduates of a bachelor’s degree in mathematical, technical or economic specialties who want to deepen their knowledge in the field of machine learning. Avito expects that future students can program in Python and write understandable code for analysts and engineers, know standard algorithms and data structures, as well as the basics of ML and SQL, have basic knowledge in the field of linear algebra, probability theory, mathematical statistics and mathematical analysis.

    The full-time master’s program lasts two years and includes both mandatory and optional courses, allowing students to create an individual educational track. Mandatory subjects include probability theory, mathematical statistics, recommender systems, deep learning, MLOps, Python algorithms, backend development, and GPU computing. Elective courses include the basics of micro- and macroeconomics, mechanism design, auction theory, LLM (Large Language Models), deep learning in audio and video processing, dynamic pricing, etc.

    Students will be able to get a paid internship in one of Avito’s DS teams already during their studies — the company will launch several waves of selection during the training period. During the internship, students will be able to use the practical knowledge they have gained when writing term papers and theses under the guidance of a mentor from the team.

    The development of the master’s program was carried out jointly with experts from the HSE Faculty of Computer Science and data scientists from Avito. The teachers are leading specialists in the field of machine learning, such as Anna Markova, Ruslan Gilyazev, Anastasia Rysmyatova, Mikhail Kamenshchikov and Alexander Ledovsky, who have both teaching experience and experience working on large Avito projects, including the development of platforms for predicting ad parameters, monetization and algorithms for ranking paid ads.

    To be admitted, you must pass a portfolio competition and an interview with Avito experts. The selection starts on June 20 and will last until the end of August.

    “Our Master’s program is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of machine learning and learn how to solve real business problems. Students will master the full cycle of working with ML – from design to implementation, solving cases based on Avito data. This is a unique chance to gain practical experience in a large IT company. We strive to make education accessible to talented students, so Avito fully covers the cost of tuition for 30 program participants. Classes are held in the evenings and on Saturdays, which allows students not only to study, but also to immediately apply knowledge in practice, building a career in parallel with their studies,” shared Ilya Nikitin, academic director of the educational program “Machine Learning in a Digital Product”, a lecturer at the Faculty of Computer Science at the Higher School of Economics.

    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 Canada: Show your Alberta side. Buy Local.

    [. The ‘Buy Local’ campaign, recently launched by Alberta’s government, encourages consumers to eat, drink and buy local to show our unified support for the province’s agriculture and food industry.  

    The government’s ‘Buy Local’ campaign encourages consumers to buy products from Alberta’s hard-working farmers, ranchers and food processors that produce safe, nutritious food for Albertans, Canadians and the world.

    “It’s time to let these hard-working Albertans know we have their back. Now, more than ever, we need to shop local and buy made-in-Alberta products. The next time you are grocery shopping or go out for dinner or a drink with your friends or family, support local to demonstrate your Alberta pride. We are pleased tariffs don’t impact the ag industry right now and will keep advocating for our ag industry.”

    RJ Sigurdson, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation

    Alberta’s government supports consumer choice. We are providing tools to help folks easily identify Alberta- and Canadian-made foods and products. Choosing local products keeps Albertans’ hard-earned dollars in our province. Whether it is farm-fresh vegetables, potatoes, honey, craft beer, frozen food or our world-renowned beef, Alberta has an abundance of fresh foods produced right on our doorstep.

    Quick facts

    • This summer, Albertans can support local at more than 150 farmers’ markets across the province and meet the folks who make, bake and grow our food. 
    • In March 2023, the Alberta government launched the ‘Made in Alberta’ voluntary food and beverage labelling program to support local agriculture and food sectors.
    • Through direct connections with processors, the program has created the momentum to continue expanding consumer awareness about the ‘Made in Alberta’ label to help shoppers quickly identify foods and beverages produced in our province.

    Related information

    • Buy Local Alberta
    • Made in Alberta Product Catalogue
    • Alberta Agri-Food Products and Services Export Catalogue

    Multimedia

    • Watch the Minister’s ‘Buy Local’ video
    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Celebrating Public Safety Telecommunicators Week

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on April 14, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan is proclaiming April 13-19, 2025, as Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. This week is dedicated to celebrating and recognizing the hard work and commitment of 9-1-1 call takers, dispatchers and technicians across the province.

    “Telecommunicators are essential in saving lives,” Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Tim McLeod said. “They ensure that the information you provide during a 9-1-1 call is accurately relayed to the emergency personnel who are coming to your aid. We recognize and appreciate their vital role in keeping our citizens safe.”

    This week is an opportunity to acknowledge and express gratitude to those who devote their lives to serving the public.

    In Saskatchewan, 9-1-1 calls are taken by highly trained professional staff in Regina, Saskatoon and near Prince Albert. These telecommunicators received over 570,000 calls in 2024. 

    The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) provides monitoring and dispatching services across the province. The SPSA works with volunteer and professional first responders, as well as provincial and municipal government ministries and agencies to support public safety, protection and enforcement. 

    National Public Safety Telecommunicators week is observed annually during the second full week of April. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AI Improving USGS Science and Efficiency

    Source: US Geological Survey

    The Annual National Land Cover Database (NLCD) was released in late 2024 as a reinvention of the prior NLCD, a longstanding and definitive national U.S. land cover resource valued by private industry, government agencies and university researchers. 

    New AI innovations made the Annual NLCD improvements possible, including providing a look at yearly land changes dating back to 1985. The previous NLCD was only able to offer new land cover data every two to three years and dated back only to 2001.

    The primary source for Annual NLCD’s 16 land cover labels—for fields, forests, city development and more—is Landsat satellite imagery. Every satellite pixel, or 30-meter-by-30-meter plot, needed to be processed from 1985 to 2023 across the lower 48 states, which added up to 295 trillion pixels. With a goal of completing the entire release in two years, the development of more advanced methods was essential.

    AI was used for both the classification, or labeling, of land cover types and also the detection of changes in land cover from year to year. That involved a lot of training data—helping the algorithms learn from labeled satellite data and from mistakes to predict labels and changes.

    Rylie Fleckenstein, the Research and Development technical lead for Annual NLCD, discussed the deeper levels of machine learning used for Annual NLCD in the podcast episodes. Annual NLCD aimed for a faster, more automated approach that would not compromise on quality or consistency, versus slower methods in the past that relied more on human interpretation of imagery.

    Deep learning is a type of machine learning that performs complex tasks and learns from the results, essentially training itself. Flecksenstein compared it to LEGOS. Rather than using the instructions to build a certain object in a certain way, he said deep learning is like “a box of LEGOS that you can construct in any way that you can think of that actually can better fit to your problem.”

    Terry Sohl, Chief of the Integrated Science and Applications Branch at EROS, summarized how AI benefited not only Annual NLCD production and data users but also taxpayers. “A completely new methodology was stood up, all AI-based, linking three different AI models,” Sohl said. “We’re faster, we’re more efficient. We’ve saved the government and the taxpayers money, and we’re creating a superior product. It’s a win all the way around.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fast-Growing Snack Brand Selects Rutherford County for New Manufacturing Hub

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Fast-Growing Snack Brand Selects Rutherford County for New Manufacturing Hub

    Fast-Growing Snack Brand Selects Rutherford County for New Manufacturing Hub
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Josh Stein announced that Wow Bao, a fast-growing Asian street food company, will create 88 jobs in Rutherford County. The company will invest $6.45 million to establish its first company-operated manufacturing facility in Forest City.

    “North Carolina welcomes Wow Bao to our state where businesses find a strong infrastructure and ready workforce,” said Governor Stein.  “Wow Bao’s decision to expand here strengthens our state’s vibrant food industry and brings new opportunities and jobs to Rutherford County.” 

    Wow Bao was founded in 2003 as a fast-casual restaurant brand and became known for its unique Asian-inspired menu, including bao (steamed buns), potstickers, and soup dumplings. Since then, the brand has grown rapidly, offering fresh, flavorful, and high-quality snacks in restaurants, airport locations, hundreds of Delivery Only kitchens and thousands of grocery stores, nationwide. The company is set to meet growing demand by opening its first company-operated manufacturing facility in Forest City, which will increase production capacity, modernize operations, and expand its reach. 

    “Wow Bao is thrilled to bring our operations to Forest City,” said Matt Fallon, CFO of Wow Bao. “With a world-class workforce and vibrant food and beverage industry, it became clear that Forest City and the State of North Carolina were the perfect home for this exciting phase of Wow Bao’s expansion. We are excited to begin cooking up America’s Number One Bao in Forest City and shipping it out to the rest of the country. We’re grateful for the support of Governor Stein, and our many partners throughout North Carolina, and we look forward to joining the community and catapulting this great brand forward.”

    “With the largest manufacturing workforce in the Southeast and the fourth largest food and beverage industry in the country, North Carolina is the ideal place for companies like Wow Bao to thrive,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Lee Lilley. “Our economic development teams at the state, regional, and local level will continue to provide strong support as the company expands their cutting-edge business.”  

    Positions at Wow Bao’s new facility will include maintenance engineers, production supervisors, sanitation associates, and other personnel. While wages vary by position, annual salaries for the new positions will average $49,648, exceeding the Rutherford County average of $46,673. These new jobs could potentially create an annual payroll impact of more than $4.3 million for the region.

    A performance-based grant of $180,000 from the One North Carolina Fund awarded to Wow Bao Service, Inc. will help facilitate the company’s location to North Carolina. The OneNC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All OneNC grants require a matching grant from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

    “Congratulations to Wow Bao on choosing Rutherford County for its new manufacturing facility,” said N.C. Senator Timothy D. Moffitt. “We look forward to the continued success and impact of their presence in North Carolina.”

    “This expansion is a tremendous win for Forest City, bringing more jobs and strengthening our position as a leader in food production,” said N.C. Representative Jake Johnson. “I’m excited to see Wow Bao expand and thrive here.” 

    In addition to the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in this project include the North Carolina General Assembly, Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions, North Carolina Community College System, Isothermal Community College, Rutherford County, and the Town of Forest City. 

    Apr 14, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Alan Wilson leads 22-state coalition supporting Senator Tim Scott’s fight against de-bankingRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson is leading a coalition of 22 state attorneys general in commending U.S. Senator Tim Scott’s newly introduced legislation: the Financial Integrity and Regulation Management Act (“FIRM Act”). The bill is aimed at curbing the politically motivated denial of financial services—commonly known as de-banking. 

    “We commend Senator Scott for taking a bold stand against de-banking, a practice that threatens free speech, religious liberty, and equal access to financial services,” said Attorney General Wilson. “No law-abiding American should be denied banking access based on their beliefs or political affiliation.” All Americans, regardless of ideology, deserve equal treatment by financial institutions.  

    The coalition warns that de-banking efforts, once focused on firearms manufacturers and payday lenders, have expanded to include religious organizations, conservative tech leaders, and even former President Donald Trump and the Trump Organization. The letter also criticizes proxy advisory firms for pressuring shareholders to oppose reforms that would eliminate politically driven banking discrimination. 

    “These politically charged attacks are fundamentally un-American and may also violate state laws,” Wilson continued. “This legislation gives us another tool to push back and protect citizens’ rights.” 

    The letter is also joined by attorneys general from North Dakota, Georgia, Ohio, Florida, Montana, Louisiana, Alabama, Texas, Idaho, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Nebraska, West Virginia, Tennessee, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Mississippi, Missouri, Kansas, and Pennsylvania. 

    You can read the full letter here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Ecuador: can freshly re-elected Daniel Noboa govern a country in crisis?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nicolas Forsans, Professor of Management and Co-director of the Centre for Latin American & Caribbean Studies, University of Essex

    Daniel Noboa has been re-elected as president of Ecuador with a margin that has surprised most observers. Just weeks before the April 13 runoff, polls had him neck and neck with his left-wing rival, Luisa González. In the end, Noboa secured about 56% of the vote against González’s 44%, a difference of more than 1 million votes.

    The victory gives Noboa, a 37-year-old businessman and political outsider, a full four-year mandate. Noboa won a shortened presidential term in November 2023 in a snap election called when his predecessor, Guillermo Lasso, dissolved congress in an attempt to escape impeachment.

    It also marks the third consecutive presidential defeat for the movement led by former president, Rafael Correa, whose influence remains polarising in Ecuadorian politics.

    González is, at the time of writing, refusing to concede, claiming “grotesque” electoral fraud. “I refuse to believe that the people prefer lies over the truth”, she has said. But she has presented no evidence to support the allegation.

    International observers, including the EU and the Organisation of American States, have confirmed the elections were free and fair. In the absence of proof, the fraud claims appear to be more political theatre than a real challenge to the integrity of the vote.

    Political scion to dominant incumbent

    Noboa’s campaign leaned heavily on security – a theme that has come to dominate Ecuadorian public life as the country grapples with record levels of violence. Since assuming the presidency in 2023, Noboa has governed under a permanent state of emergency.

    He declared an “internal armed conflict” in early 2024, deployed the military in prisons and on the streets, and launched a wide-ranging security plan called Plan Fénix. This plan includes building a new maximum-security prison in the coastal province of Santa Elena modelled on El Salvador’s much-criticised approach to curbing violence.

    Initially, these measures won Noboa widespread support. But the picture soon darkened. January 2025 was Ecuador’s most violent month on record, with 781 homicides. Criminal groups remain entrenched in the country’s port cities and prisons. And human rights organisations have raised serious concerns about arbitrary arrests, the excessive use of force, and the militarisation of civilian life.

    Despite these setbacks, Noboa’s message of strength and order clearly resonated with voters. Ecuadorians, exhausted by spiralling violence, appear willing to accept more authoritarian governance in exchange for safety. This is a trend seen across the region, from President Nayib Bukele’s 2024 re-election in El Salvador to rising approval for militarised policing in Brazil, Honduras and Mexico.

    The challenges Noboa now faces are daunting. The most pressing is Ecuador’s descent into organised crime and narco-violence. Situated between Colombia and Peru, the country has become a major transit hub for cocaine bound for the US and Europe. Powerful international cartels have partnered with local gangs, and the state has lost control over large swaths of territory.

    In response, Noboa has not only empowered the armed forces but has also sought international assistance. In 2024, he met with Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater, a controversial US private military contractor. This raised concerns about the outsourcing of Ecuador’s security and its implications for human rights. He has also floated the idea of hosting foreign troops in Ecuador, a proposal that would require a constitutional amendment.

    But militarised solutions alone did not bring an end to violence during Noboa’s first term, nor are they likely to succeed in his second.

    Ecuador’s security crisis is not just a matter of policing – it is a crisis of state capacity. The judiciary is riddled with corruption, prisons have become centres of criminal coordination, and police officers are often outgunned and underpaid. Without reforming these institutions, Noboa’s war on crime risks becoming a war without end.

    At the same time, Ecuador’s economy is faltering. In 2024, the country fell into recession, with GDP contracting and inflation rising. Ecuador is reliant on hydropower for its electricity generation, and a historic drought that year caused blackouts lasting up to 14 hours a day. This revealed years of under-investment in infrastructure.

    In response, Noboa raised VAT, cut fuel subsidies, and secured a US$4 billion (roughly £3 billion) loan from the International Monetary Fund. These unpopular measures provoked grumbling but not mass protests, a fact some analysts attribute to exhaustion rather than approval.

    Inequality remains high, especially for young people and those living in rural and coastal regions. Unemployment and underemployment affect nearly half of the working-age population, and around one-third of Ecuadorians live in poverty. Noboa has announced new cash transfers and youth employment programmes, but these are palliative, not structural.

    To make matters worse, Noboa governs with limited support in the National Assembly. His party, Acción Democrática Nacional, holds 66 of the chamber’s 151 seats – one less than González’s Citizen Revolution.

    The Indigenous Pachakutik party controls a crucial bloc of nine seats, but is itself internally divided. Passing legislation will require building coalitions and compromising. These are skills that Noboa has yet to demonstrate at scale.

    Noboa’s credibility has also been challenged. His family’s banana export company, Noboa Trading, has been linked to multiple drug seizures in Europe. While there is no evidence implicating Noboa directly, the revelations raise uncomfortable questions about the president’s anti-drug narrative and potential conflicts of interest.

    Towards democratic reform

    Noboa’s victory gives him an opportunity, but not a blank cheque. His success will now depend on whether he can pivot from ruling by decree to governing by consensus. The public expects results: less violence, more jobs and greater political stability.

    To meet these expectations, he will need to restore the rule of law, protect human rights and build inclusive institutions capable of resisting criminal capture. This means professionalising the police, strengthening the judiciary and tackling the deep inequalities that fuel violence and despair.

    It also means stepping back from theatrical gestures, such as alliances with foreign mercenaries, and focusing on the slow, often frustrating work of state-building.

    In the coming months, Noboa will face a simple but profound test: can he translate his electoral mandate into real, lasting progress for a country on the edge? Ecuador’s future may depend on the answer.

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

    – ref. Ecuador: can freshly re-elected Daniel Noboa govern a country in crisis? – https://theconversation.com/ecuador-can-freshly-re-elected-daniel-noboa-govern-a-country-in-crisis-254420

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: New UK system to protect satellites against attack shows how global conflict has spilled into outer space

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jessie Hamill-Stewart, PhD Researcher, University of Bath

    Lockheed Martin and US Space Force

    The UK government has announced £65 million in funding for a new system called Borealis which is intended to help the UK military defend its satellites against threats. Borealis is a software system that collates and processes data to strengthen the UK military’s ability to monitor what’s going on in space.

    The government’s investment, announced on March 7, underlines the increasingly critical role played by space systems in the modern world. Space services play a key role in managing critical infrastructure such as the energy grid, transport systems and communications networks.

    For example, SpaceX’s Starlink system has been vitally important for communication on the battlefield during Ukraine’s war with Russia. It is just one example of the game changing potential of satellite based services.

    The investment in Borealis also shows that the UK government is taking the threat to space systems increasingly seriously. From as long ago as 2019, senior US officials have warned that space is no longer considered a “benign environment”.

    In 2021, a US general claimed that states were constantly conducting attacks on satellites, including jamming and cyber-attacks. Announcing the Borealis system in 2025, Major General Paul Tedman, the commander of UK Space Command, characterised space as “increasingly contested”.

    As the international order is coming under increasing pressure, nations are engaging in more combative behaviour, not just in space, but in cyberspace, and under the seas.

    A space system is composed of four parts – traditionally called segments. These include the space segment (satellites and other spacecraft), the ground segment (ground stations, control rooms), and the user segment (a signal receiver, for example). Communications between these parts of the system form what’s called the link segment.

    In addition to intentional attacks, satellites can also experience problems because of physical collisions with orbiting debris, from cosmic radiation, and activity on the Sun, which can interfere with onboard systems. For satellites, security against attacks has often been a secondary consideration. It was hard enough to build a system which could survive in space without introducing the additional costs and challenges of securing it against attacks from adversaries.

    Addressing threats to assets in space will require an all-encompassing approach, as I have argued in a recent report. First, security needs to cover all four segments of space infrastructure. The easiest way to interrupt a space system might be to target the ground or the user segment, rather than trying to interfere directly with a satellite.

    Starlink has been vitally important in Ukraine during the war with Russia.
    LanKS / Shutterstock

    Second, security needs to be considered across the life cycle of the system, from design and construction, through launch, to operations and application. Consider, for example, if the detailed specifications of a satellite have already been leaked to a malicious party. That might provide them with an in-depth understanding of how to attack the spacecraft – and in such a way that may be difficult to defend against without going back to redesign it.

    This type of issue was less of a problem when satellites were developed almost entirely by government agencies and large aerospace companies. ongoing expansion of the commercial space sector, start-ups and new entrants to the sector may not have the same approach to security as more seasoned organisations.

    Third, security needs to include the whole range of threats facing space infrastructure, of which a satellite is just one part. We must therefore consider the physical security of hardware, information security, cybersecurity, the personnel working on the project, and supply chain security.

    Vulnerable to sabotage

    The range of threats facing space systems parallels those facing other critical systems, such as underwater telecommunications cables. There have been several recent incidents of subsea cables being cut in the Baltic Sea, for example. There is also at least one reported instance of hackers burrowing deep inside core telecommunications networks.

    It is becoming painfully clear that much of the infrastructure underpinning the economy and our daily lives is fundamentally insecure. Determined attackers are increasingly operating across both the physical world and cyberspace.

    Retrofitting security onto space systems is technically challenging and hugely expensive. There are also tough policy questions here. Governments simply do not have the resources or the legal powers to act alone on this issue. Neither is it clear that the private sector will voluntarily commit to higher security standards and a vast programme of investment in existing infrastructure.

    Another issue is the global nature of space systems: differing security regulations make it challenging to ensure a coordinated approach to infrastructure across states.

    This underscores the importance of raising public awareness around the scale and scope of threats to space systems – and making clear what the impact would be on the public if this infrastructure ceased to operate. If governments are going to invest more in securing space systems, then people will need to understand why this is critical.

    However, the challenge of reverse engineering security into the complex and rapidly expanding network of space systems may ultimately be beyond the resources and appetites of governments and companies.

    If that is the case, then in addition to raising awareness around security risks, governments and other organisations should also consider efforts to increase the resilience of space systems to attacks. In addition to thinking about how to better secure our space infrastructure, it may be prudent to consider how we might live without it.

    Jessie Hamill-Stewart does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Dr Neil Ashdown contributed to this article. He is the head of research at Tyburn St Raphael.

    – ref. New UK system to protect satellites against attack shows how global conflict has spilled into outer space – https://theconversation.com/new-uk-system-to-protect-satellites-against-attack-shows-how-global-conflict-has-spilled-into-outer-space-253963

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why ‘de-extinct’ dire wolves are a Trojan horse to hide humanity’s destruction of nature

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rich Grenyer, Associate Professor in Biogeography and Biodiversity, University of Oxford

    One of the biotech company’s ‘dire wolves’. Colossal

    With wildlife populations globally 73% smaller on average than in 1970 and large mammals missing from much of the world, surely there’s never been a better time to “de-extinct” species? US biotech company Colossal Biosciences Inc claimed to do just that recently by resurrecting the dire wolf from Game of Thrones (a species that also lived in our world, several thousand years ago).

    The potential seems huge. A species in trouble? Get a high-quality genome and you’ve made it a save game point, ready to replay when the environment improves. Didn’t get there in time? Never mind – you can use frozen remains in the permafrost, or shotgun-blasted specimens in a museum collection. And pretty soon, even if you don’t have those, a dose of generative AI and you can probably infer some of that genome anyway. A little genetic engineering and you have a species back from the dead, ready to go.

    What’s the problem? Well, pretty much everything. These aren’t species returned from extinction. They aren’t going to be very useful, and in fact may well not survive at all. Most worrying of all, like the Freys and Boltons hidden in the hall before the Red Wedding, it’s the ethos of de-extinction hidden in these “dire wolf” puppies that will likely do the most damage to biodiversity if it establishes itself.

    Extinction has not been reversed

    The dire wolf was a very large carnivore that lived in the Americas about 10,000 years ago. Anatomically, it resembled a big, muscular, extra-toothy grey wolf: the species alive today that everyone thinks of when they say “wolf”.

    The two pups revealed by Colossal Biosciences are not dire wolves. They are grey wolves, with 14 genes modified to produce an animal that resembles what we think a dire wolf looked like. Actually, only one of the 14 was a gene directly from a dire wolf specimen – the others were gene variants from existing grey wolf populations chosen to give physical features that made the engineered wolves bigger and whiter.

    Over time, gene editing technology could increase the possible number of genes that can be engineered into a host species, and increase the complexity of the traits being inserted. But it’s not species being revived, it’s a few of their characteristics being borrowed by a species from today. It’s like claiming to have brought Napoleon back from the dead by asking a short French man to wear his hat.

    The argument for this kind of genetic engineering revolves around the notion that the new hybrids might be useful for environmental restoration. As a top predator, the dire wolf could in theory bring the same revolutionary changes to ecosystems that reintroducing grey wolves to Yellowstone national park in the US famously caused in the 1990s. In other words, a more complete ecosystem, with wolves checking the voracious appetite of deer such that more complex and biodiverse habitats rebound.

    However, in ecosystems where the dire wolf would reign supreme the grey wolf can very clearly fill the same role (just as it did in Yellowstone) without any of the unnecessary technology – if only people stopped trying to shoot them and exempt them from endangered species legislation.

    There’s also the problem that captive breeding programmes seeking to release endangered species into the wild today regularly butt against: that the new animals have little or no idea what to do or how to live in their new habitat.

    Operation Migration, dramatised in the 1996 film Fly Away Home, saw a dedicated team of pilots teach endangered migratory birds how to traverse North America by having them chase microlight aircraft for thousands of miles. This is just one example of the intensive training necessary, and which is never guaranteed to be successful. It’s obviously more difficult to train apex predators by example – I will not be volunteering for the “intro to pack hunting” session.

    No quick fixes

    The word “de-extinction” is not just itself untrue, but it seeks to diminish the inconvenient truth of the biodiversity crisis: we know what causes extinction, and it’s us.

    Food systems have to destroy less habitat and use much less protein from animals, wild and farmed. Energy systems have to burn less carbon, so that there are fewer deaths among species (including ours) trying to adapt to higher temperatures and the changes they bring. To do both these things, our landscapes have to leave more space for nature and much of what remains must be used more efficiently to provide food, fuel and living space.

    There are definite signs that we can make good on these promises: conservation does work, for humans and for other species.

    But these changes require us to recognise that certain economic and political philosophies are no longer tenable. They require sacrifice by everyone and a willingness by rich people and countries to pay with money, trade policy, intellectual property rights and energy supply, so that many of the poorest people and countries can flourish while avoiding the environmental damage that those rich countries caused over their own histories.

    What motivates people to cope with these changes is a desire for justice, a need to nurture, a drive to make things better and a recognition that while habitats can sometimes be restored, species extinctions are irreversible dead-ends which can only be avoided. That recognition is under threat.

    The Trump administration is trying to defang the US Endangered Species Act. In the UK, a wholesale revision of legislation to prevent biodiversity loss has begun with the targeting of the habitat regulations, in preemptive defence of the government’s need to “build, build, build” in a desperate search for more economic growth. How useful would it be if the risk of extinction could be averted with a simple “don’t worry, we’ll pay to de-extinct it afterwards”?

    There won’t be a dire wolf, and even if there were to be one, we’d have no idea what it was for (and neither would it). We’ll all pay for the mistaken belief that extinction is a solved problem, and that the business-as-usual global economy that has caused the sixth mass extinction is no big deal, because its casualties aren’t actually dead – just temporarily inconvenienced by an extinction that is no longer forever.

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

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

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

    – ref. Why ‘de-extinct’ dire wolves are a Trojan horse to hide humanity’s destruction of nature – https://theconversation.com/why-de-extinct-dire-wolves-are-a-trojan-horse-to-hide-humanitys-destruction-of-nature-254309

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government invests more than £45 million in groundbreaking technologies to boost Britain’s food security

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Government invests more than £45 million in groundbreaking technologies to boost Britain’s food security

    More funding for farmers to increase profits, boost food production and protect nature

    New inventions and technologies to increase profits, boost food production and help protect nature have been handed a major cash injection, the government has announced today (14 April).
       
    From robots carrying out delicate fruit picking, to health monitors for cows and sheep, right through to variable irrigation systems to maximise water usage on crops – these grants support the development of wide-range projects and products which will help a large number of farmers.  
       
    The three special funds, worth a combined £45.6 million, will support multiple projects across the research and development (R&D) lifecycle, from early-stage concepts to on-farm trials.

    They will help bring cutting-edge technologies into real-world use with a particular focus on reducing on-farm emissions and capitalising on new opportunities made possible by the Precision Breeding Act, which could supercharge food production by increase crop yields, reduce pesticides and enhance disease resistance.   

    These funds will help to strengthen food security, increase farmers’ profits and protect nature as part of the government’s Plan for Change.   

    Farming Minister Daniel Zeichner said:   

    This government is serious about delivering its Plan for Change.  

    That is why I’m delighted to see money getting out the door to British farmers. This £45m will support them with technology to boost food production, profits and the rural economy.

    From 28 April, applications will open for the new Accelerating Development of Practices and Technologies (ADOPT) competition, which will commit up to £20.6 million of funding in 25/26. This grant will support farmers looking to test new technologies on their own farms and bridge the gap between innovation and real-world application.     

    Farmers can access tailored advice and apply for a £2,500 support grant at the ADOPT Support Hub to help them through the application and trial process.  

    From 5 May, two further competitions will open under the Farming Innovation Programme (FIP):  

    • The first £12.5 million to support collaborative research into ways to reduce on-farm emissions, helping farms to become more sustainable and climate-resilient.  

    • The second £12.5 million competition will fund R&D using precision-bred crops to improve yield, reduce chemical inputs and enhance disease resistance. This builds on the new opportunities enabled by the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023.  

    FIP, Defra’s flagship innovation programme, is delivered by Innovate UK, as part of UKRI, and forms part of the government’s wider commitment to food production and security, farm productivity and nature.

    Updates to this page

    Published 14 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Honduran man extradited to US for alleged role in international drug smuggling conspiracy

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WASHINGTON — A Honduran man was extradited to the United States April 11 for his alleged involvement in a drug smuggling conspiracy, following extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Honduran law enforcement authorities.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune made the announcement.

    Olvin Javier Velasquez Maldonado, 39, allegedly conspired to transport approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine from Honduras to the U.S. on a vessel attempting to illegally bring 23 Honduran nationals into the country. This operation was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard in February 2022, about 75 miles off the coast of Louisiana after the vessel, M/V Pop, developed engine trouble.

    According to court documents, Velasquez Maldonado was tasked with ensuring the cocaine was safely transported on the M/V Pop, which set sail from Utila, Honduras, to Cocodrie, Louisiana. When he was apprehended, Velasquez Maldonado allegedly pretended to be an undocumented immigrant aiming to stay in the U.S. to avoid prosecution.

    Velasquez Maldonado is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. He made his initial court appearance in the Eastern District of Louisiana.

    If convicted, Velasquez Maldonado faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    His co-defendants, Carl Allison, 47, Darrel Martinez, 41, and Josue Flores-Villeda, 37, previously pleaded guilty to associated charges in 2023. Lenord Cooper, 40, admitted to aiding in the unlawful entry of aliens into the U.S. and attempting to do so for financial gain. Hennessy Devon Cooper Zelaya, 29, and Rudy Jackson Hernandez, 38, were also convicted after trial of aiding in the unlawful entry of aliens into the U.S. and attempting to do so for financial gain.

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

    The investigation and extradition of Velasquez Maldonado was coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force program. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, has been elevated and expanded by the attorney general with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 315 U.S. convictions; more than 260 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

    The ECT program is a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and ICE HSI and focuses on human smuggling networks that may present national security, public safety risks or grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence, and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.

    ICE HSI Houma, Louisiana investigated the case, with assistance from ICE HSI Pittsburgh, ICE HSI Atlanta and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. The ICE HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations, Louisiana State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, North Huntington Township Police and Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable assistance, in addition to the substantial assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training in Honduras.

    Deputy Chief Rami Badawy of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carter Guice of the General Crimes Unit for the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Update: MultiCorp International, Inc. Announces a Quadripartitie Agreement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    AGOURA HILLS, CALIFORNIA, April 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MultiCorp International, Inc. (OTC Markets PINK: MCIC) Multicorp International, Inc. is pleased to announce the execution of a Quadripartite Agreement on March 26, 2025 and the currently pending $2,000,000,000 credit transfer from a top 10 European Bank to Neoforma Inc.’s domestic bank to access immediate liquidity.

    Multicorp International, Inc.’s alliance with 40 Brightwater LLC’s Global Financial Consortium inclusive of Neoforma Inc. and now Airavata Developers Corporation has expanded immediate access to greater liquidity, which will be added to the previously announced financings from Edwards Capital N.A. correspondent bank.

    In turn, Neoforma Inc. will provide a line of credit to MultiCorp International, Inc. in an amount of up to $1,800,000,000 (one billion eight hundred million USD), to be utilized to execute all transactions previously announced with Global X Cryptocurrency Stablecoin Tokens (GBP-pegged), Bitcoin, and gold-backed Cryptocurrency Tokens, as well as to perfect the newly-targeted acquisition of a mineral property in Michigan and to cover all required corporate expenditures.

    About MultiCorp International, Inc. :

    (https://multicorpinternational.com/)

    MultiCorp International, Inc., a diversified leader in health, energy, and agriculture, announces a series of strategic initiatives aimed at accelerating its growth and expanding its market presence. The company is actively pursuing joint ventures and acquisitions, is fortifying its organizational infrastructure, and is preparing for significant advancements in the stock market.

    About Neoforma Inc. :

    www.neoforma.co

    Neoforma Inc. is a Minnesota based privately held corporation and a global leader in Software & Technology. The company has now diversified into International finance including private equity and has operations globally, including India, the UAE, the UK, Mexico and the United States and serves clients globally. Its client base includes numerous global corporations as well as government entities.

    About Airavata Developers Corporation:

    Airavata-corp.com

    Airavata Developers Corporation is a prominent international construction firm that has carved a niche for itself in the design and construction of commercial and industrial infrastructure. With a commitment to excellence, we specialize in a wide array of services that encompass every phase of the construction process, including comprehensive pre-construction planning, meticulous project management, and effective general contracting. Each of these services is tailored to meet the specific needs and demands of our diverse clientele, ensuring that we not only meet but exceed their expectations.

    At the helm of our organization are the highly respected Principal Partners, Alan Khara, who serves as the Chief Executive Director and Chairman, and David D. Brannon, the Executive Financial Director. Together, they bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the company. Their unwavering dedication extends beyond just business; they are passionately committed to fostering community excellence. This commitment is demonstrated through substantial efforts in promoting global economic development while simultaneously focusing on job creation within the communities we operate. Their leadership style emphasizes ethical practices, innovative thinking, and a deep responsibility toward societal well-being.

    Airavata Developers Corporation has set forth an ambitious goal: to emerge as the global leader within this ever-evolving and dynamic construction industry. To achieve this vision, we place a strong emphasis on delivering exceptional service that stands out in a competitive marketplace. This is complemented by our proactive approach in integrating cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art materials into our projects. By continually investing in the latest advancements in construction techniques and environmental sustainability, we ensure that our infrastructure not only meets current industry standards but also anticipates future demands.

    Our commitment to quality, sustainability, and innovation drives every project we undertake, ensuring that we consistently remain at the forefront of industry trends and client expectations.

    David Brannon Chief Financial Director/ Partner

     About 40 Brightwater LLC:

    40 Brightwater LLC is a private holding company focusing specifically on acquiring private entities and merging its holdings with public companies by leveraging its financial network and resources through its Managing Member, President & CEO Shannon Newby.

    Disclaimer: This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicit an offer to buy, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction where such an offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful before registration or qualification under applicable securities laws. Any offer will be made only through a prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus as part of an effective registration statement.

    Contact Information: J. A. Coleman, J.a.coleman1512@gmail.com.

    This press release is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice or a solicitation to purchase securities. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. These statements are based on current expectations and could differ materially from actual events

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: No end in sight: Sudan’s two years of war story Apr 14, 2025

    Source: Doctors Without Borders –

    As the war in Sudan between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) enters its third year, millions of people remain unseen, bombed, besieged, displaced, and deprived of food, medical care, and basic lifesaving services. Sixty percent of the country’s 50 million people need humanitarian assistance, according to the UN, amid simultaneous health crises and limited access to public health care.

    Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reiterates our call on the warring parties and their allies to ensure that civilians, humanitarian personnel, and medical teams are protected and that all restrictions impeding the movement of humanitarian supplies and staff are lifted, especially as the rainy season fast approaches.

    “The warring parties are not only failing to protect civilians—they are actively compounding their suffering,” said Claire San Filippo, MSF emergency coordinator. “Wherever you look in Sudan, you will find needs—overwhelming, urgent, and unmet. Millions are receiving almost no humanitarian assistance, medical facilities and staff remain under attack, and the global humanitarian system is failing to deliver even a fraction of what’s required.”

    Wherever you look in Sudan, you will find needs—overwhelming, urgent, and unmet. 

    Claire San Filippo, MSF emergency coordinator

    As front lines have shifted over the course of the war, especially in Khartoum and Darfur, civilians have feared retaliatory attacks from both warring parties. For the past two years, both RSF and SAF have repeatedly and indiscriminately bombed densely populated areas. The RSF and allied militias have unleashed a campaign of brutality, including systematic sexual violence, abductions, mass killings, looting of aid, erasure of civilian neighborhoods, and occupation of medical facilities. Both sides have laid siege to towns, destroyed vital infrastructure, and blocked humanitarian aid. 

    Newly displaced families arrive in Tawila on April 13 following new attacks in Zamzam camp. | Sudan 2025 © Marion Ramstein/MSF

    Sudan’s largest displacement camp is under attack

    RSF and allied armed groups launched a large-scale ground offensive on April 11, attacking Zamzam camp and leaving its residents starved, shelled, and deprived of lifesaving assistance. Marion Ramstein, MSF emergency field coordinator in North Darfur, described the situation:

    “There are reports of people fleeing and many casualties, although we can’t verify how many at the moment. 

    “Back in February, we were forced to suspend all MSF activities in the camp because of escalating security issues. Repeated shelling, shooting at our ambulances, and a tightened siege that prevented us from resupplying facilities and sending staff made it impossible for MSF to continue working in Zamzam despite the immense needs. 

    “The communication network with Zamzam has been shut down. We don’t have news of many of the people who worked with us and decided to remain with their relatives in the camp after the suspension of our field hospital. We’re horrified by what they have to endure, and extremely worried about them and the hundreds of thousands of people already on the brink of survival in the area. We were appalled to learn that nine staff from Relief International were killed. It was the only international humanitarian organization still operating in Zamzam.

    We were appalled to learn that nine staff from Relief International were killed. It was the only international humanitarian organization still operating in Zamzam.

    Marion Ramstein, MSF emergency field coordinator

    “On April 12 and 13, our team in Tawila saw more than 10,000 people fleeing from Zamzam and nearby areas. They arrived in an advanced state of dehydration, exhaustion, and stress. They have nothing but the clothes they’re wearing, nothing to eat, nothing to drink. They sleep on the ground under the trees. Several people told us about family members left behind—lost during the escape, injured, or killed.”

    MSF set up a health post at the entrance of Tawila city to receive the new arrivals and provide water and medical care. Our teams quickly distributed what we had on hand, such as blankets, mosquito nets, and buckets; and we are referring the most critical cases to the local hospital MSF has been supporting since last October. MSF teams are also screening newly arrived children for malnutrition so they can immediately receive therapeutic food and be enrolled in our nutritional program for adequate care.

    A health worker screens a child for malnutrition in Tawila, North Darfur. | Sudan 2024 © MSF

    Hunger and famine take hold

    Widespread starvation is taking hold in areas across Sudan, according to the UN: Sudan is currently the only place in the world where famine has been officially declared in multiple locations. Famine was first declared in Zamzam camp for internally displaced people in August 2024, and has since spread to 10 more areas. Seventeen additional regions are now on the brink. Without immediate intervention, hundreds of thousands of lives are at risk.

    In March, MSF supported multi-antigen catch up vaccination campaigns for children under 2 years old in South Darfur. The over 17,000 children who received vaccinations in 11 of the 14 localities were also screened for malnutrition, with 7 percent of those screened found to be suffering from severe acute malnutrition and with 30 percent with global acute malnutrition. In December 2024, during a therapeutic food distribution in Tawila locality, North Darfur, MSF teams screened over 9,500 children under 5 years old. They found a staggering 35.5 percent global acute malnutrition rate, with 7 percent of the children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

    MSF staff hold a meeting at the mobile clinic in Atam, South Sudan, which has received thousands of Sudanese refugees. | South Sudan 2025 © Paula Casado Aguirregabiria/MSF

    Simultaneous emergencies compound crises

    Sudan is facing multiple, overlapping health emergencies at the same time. MSF teams have treated over 12,000 patients—including women and children—for trauma injuries directly resulting from violent attacks. During the first week of February 2025, MSF teams in three areas of Sudan—Khartoum, North Darfur, and South Darfur states—treated mass influxes of war-wounded patients. Sudan is also experiencing one of the worst maternal and child health crises we are seeing anywhere in the world. In October 2024, in two MSF-supported facilities in Nyala, capital of South Darfur, 26 percent of pregnant and breastfeeding women seeking care were acutely malnourished. 

    “Outbreaks of measles, cholera, and diphtheria are spreading, driven by poor living conditions and disrupted vaccination campaigns,” said Marta Cazorla, MSF emergency coordinator. “Mental health support and care for survivors of sexual violence remain painfully limited. These compounding crises reflect not just the brutality of the conflict, but the dire consequences of the crumbling public health care system and a failing humanitarian response.” 

    Since April 2023, more than 1.7 million people have sought medical consultations at hospitals, health facilities and mobile clinics MSF supports or is working in, and more than 32,000 people were admitted to our emergency wards.

    About 13 million people have been displaced by the conflict, according to the UN—many of them displaced multiple times. Of these, 8.9 million remain displaced inside Sudan, while 3.9 million have crossed into neighboring countries. Many live in overcrowded camps or makeshift shelters, without access to food, water, health care, or a sense of the future. People depend entirely on humanitarian organizations—but organizations are not responding everywhere. 

    MSF doctors examine Sameera, who developed an arm infection from a poorly administered injection following a home delivery. | Sudan 2025 © Belen Filgueira/MSF

    Health facilities destroyed 

    According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 70 percent of health facilities in conflict-affected areas are barely operational or completely closed, leaving millions without access to critical care amid one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history. Since the war began, MSF has recorded over 80 violent incidents targeting our staff, infrastructure, vehicles, and supplies. Clinics have been looted and destroyed, medicines stolen, and health care workers assaulted, threatened, or killed. 

    “Buildings were destroyed, even beds were looted, and medicines ,” said Muhammad Yusuf Ishaq Abdullah, MSF health promotion officer in Tawila, North Darfur, about the state of Tawila’s hospital after being attacked and looted in June 2023. “From afar, it looked like a hospital, but when you entered it, it was a shelter for snakes and grass.”

    These attacks must stop. Medical personnel and facilities are not targets. 

    A mother cares for her child in the pediatric section of the cholera treatment center in Kosti, which experienced a cholera outbreak. | Sudan 2025 © MSF

    The threat of rainy season approaches

    The fast-approaching rainy season threatens to make an already catastrophic situation even worse—severing supply routes, flooding entire regions, and cutting off communities just as the hunger gap peaks and malnutrition and malaria spike.

    MSF calls for immediate preparedness measures ahead of the rainy season. More border crossings must be opened, and key roads and bridges must be repaired and kept accessible, especially in Darfur, where seasonal flooding isolates communities year after year. 

    In addition, humanitarian restrictions must be lifted, and unhindered access must be guaranteed. MSF urges all actors—including donors, governments, and UN agencies—to enable and prioritize aid delivery, ensuring that assistance not only reaches the country but is transported swiftly and safely to the hardest-hit and most remote communities. Without a serious commitment to overcoming the political, financial, logistical, and security barriers that hinder last-mile delivery, countless lives will remain beyond the reach of help.

    The people of Sudan have endured this horror for too long. They cannot and should not wait any longer to access essential needs. 

    MIL OSI NGO –