NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) Introduces Suite of Bills to Lower Housing Costs for Michigan Families

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI) introduced four bills in the Congress to help lower housing costs for Michigan families. This comprehensive package of legislation would help Americans buy their first home, age in place, find housing close to needed services, and much more. The four bills are: the Healthy Affordable Housing Act, the Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act, the Fix Moldy Housing Act, and the First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act.

    “Every Michigan family deserves a safe, affordable, and accessible place to live. But for too many in our great state, the cost of housing is way too high. That’s why I’m introducing a comprehensive package of housing legislation — to bring down costs,” said Rep. Haley Stevens. “With the Healthy Affordable Housing Act, the Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act, the Fix Moldy Housing Act, and the First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act we’re not just investing in our infrastructure—we’re investing in families, communities, and our future. This package brings essential services closer to home, increases the supply of housing, tackles environmental hazards, empowers first-time buyers, and ensures older Michiganders and those with disabilities have the support they need to live independently. I’m honored to lead this bold step forward, uniting diverse voices and innovative solutions to make sure every Michigander has a safe, affordable place to call home.”

    The Healthy Affordable Housing Act introduced with U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres (D-NY), directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to create a competitive grant program to fund affordable housing near needed services including grocery stores, childcare, and public transportation. This bill is supported by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, Oakland County Michigan, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, the National Community Development Association, the Michigan Hospital Association, and Habitat for Humanity Oakland County. 

    “There is no issue more important to me than expanding access to safe, healthy, and affordable housing. When I was growing up in the Bronx, public housing was a lifeline for my family,” said Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) in support of the Healthy Affordable Housing Act. “That being said, far too often, public housing units like the one I grew up in lack adequate access to essential services – groceries, healthcare, public transportation, and more – leaving their residents siphoned off from the rest of our society and set up to fail. I refuse to sit by and allow this unacceptable status quo to continue. That’s why I am joining my colleague Rep. Stevens in introducing the Healthy Affordable Housing Act, which would re-invigorate our nation’s affordable housing infrastructure and ensure that they are established with a host of necessary services in close proximity. I would not be where I am today without the stability affordable housing gave me and my family. I want to ensure every American, no matter their zip code, can say the same, and that’s what this bill tries to achieve.”

    The Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act would provide a refundable tax credit to help seniors and Americans with disabilities finance retrofitting their homes to meet their accessibility needs. U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) introduced companion legislation in the United States Senate. This bill is supported by the Paralyzed Veterans of America, the National Disability Institute, the National Council on Independent Living, and the National Federation of the Blind. 

    The Fix Moldy Housing Act would help individuals and local governments remove mold from homes and public buildings to increase the supply of healthy housing and make sure every home in Michigan is safe to live in. This bill is endorsed by the American Industrial Hygiene Association, the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, and the National Environmental Health Association. 

    The First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act would increase the amount first-time homebuyers could pull from their IRA savings from the $10,000 set in the 1990s to $25,000, indexed to inflation to use as a down payment on their first home. The First Time Homeowner Savings Plan Act is endorsed by the National Association of Realtors, the American Bankers Association, and the Mortgage Bankers Association.

    A full list of supporting quotes can be found here.

    The full text of each piece of legislation can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech: Treaty Principles Bill, second reading

    Source: ACT Party

    Intro

    I move, That the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill be now read a second time.

    Mr Speaker, members of this House, who’ve so far been so fortified against reason, can still change their minds and send this Bill onwards to a referendum of the people.

    I ask that Members listen carefully, to understand the choice they’d be denying the New Zealand people by opposing this Bill.

    Five decades ago the House passed the Treaty of Waitangi Act. Parliament said the Treaty had Principles. It did not say what they were, but nor are they going away.

    Even the National Party-New Zealand First commitment to review the Principles will not get rid of them. It will not touch the Treaty of Waitangi Act that gave us the Principles, and it will only ‘review’ them in other Bills. Review, that is, with the help of Te Puni Kokiri.

    With the elected Parliament silent on the Principles, the unelected judges, Waitangi Tribunal, and public servants have defined them instead. They say the Treaty is ‘a partnership between races.’ They say one race has a special place in New Zealand.

    The practical effects of the Partnership Principle

    In recent years the effects of these principles have become more and more obvious.

    We’ve seen a separate Māori Health Authority.

    We’ve seen Resource Management decisions held up for years awaiting Cultural Impact Assessments.

    We’ve seen half the seats governing three waters infrastructure reserved for one sixth of the population.

    We’ve seen public entities appoint two Chief Executives to represent each side of the so-called Partnership.

    We’ve seen a history curriculum that indoctrinates children to believe our history is a simple story of victims and villains.

    Some will say a Government can change these things, and indeed our Government is. Here’s the problem, though. Another Government can just as easily bring those policies back, because the bad ideas behind them were never confronted by most of the Government.

    That’s why we see professional bodies, Universities, the public service, and schools watering the divisive idea that the Treaty is a Partnership, hoping it will grow again.

    The Problem with the Partnership Principle

    The Partnership tells us that Kiwis should be ranked by the arrival time of their ancestors.

    We’ve seen it in recent weeks with the disgraceful attacks on my colleague Parmjeet Parmar for being a migrant who proudly chose this country. That the comments were made by the Dean of a Law School, who faced no consequences, shows how low our country has sunk.

    The idea that your race matters is a version of a bigger idea. It is part of the idea that our lives are determined by things out of our control. They may have occurred before we were even born. It’s a denial that we each can make a difference in our own lives, and have a right to do so.

    This kind of primitive determinism should have no place in New Zealand. We are all thinking and valuing beings with nga tikanga katoa rite tahi, the same rights and duties, just as te tiriti itself says.

    That’s why the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill would finally define the Principles, in line with the Treaty itself, as giving equal rights for all Kiwis.

    The Principles Proposed by the Bill

    Let me read the proposed Principles. If anyone wants to vote against this bill, let them explain, specifically, why they oppose these principles.

    Principle 1

    The Executive Government of New Zealand has full power to govern, and the Parliament of New Zealand has full power to make laws,—

    (a)   in the best interests of everyone; and

    (b)   in accordance with the rule of law and the maintenance of a free and democratic society.

    Principle 2

    (1)   The Crown recognises, and will respect and protect, the rights that hapū and iwi Māori had under the Treaty of Waitangi/te Tiriti o Waitangi at the time they signed it.

    (2)   However, if those rights differ from the rights of everyone, subclause (1) applies only if those rights are agreed in the settlement of a historical treaty claim under the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975.

    Principle 3

    (1)   Everyone is equal before the law.

    (2)   Everyone is entitled, without discrimination, to—

    (a)   the equal protection and equal benefit of the law; and

    (b)   the equal enjoyment of the same fundamental human rights.

    People should ask themselves, what is the best argument they have against these principles? Are they prepared to say that argument out loud? If not, perhaps they should support this Bill.

    The Select Committee Submissions

    I now turn to the submissions to the Select Committee. I’d like to thank the Chair and most members of the Committee. They heard eighty hours of submissions, a near record.

    Submissions are not a referendum. If MPs believe the Bill should be passed depending on public opinion, they should front up, vote for the Bill, and send it to an actual referendum.

    Many bills have attracted large numbers of opposing submissions, and yet been very popular with the general public. End of Life Choice and Abortion Law Reform both attracted 90 per cent opposition at select Committee, but proved overwhelmingly popular with the public.

    So it is with these principles. They are supported by the public by a ratio of two-to-one, but most of the public are too busy working productive jobs to submit on select committees.

    Select committees don’t tell us about numbers, but they can tell us about ideas. I believe the submission process has been very useful.

    Some argued against the Bill’s first principle, that this Parliament has the full power to make laws. They said that the chiefs never ceded sovereignty.

    What they cannot explain is how a society is supposed to work without clear laws that apply equally to all. The answer is that it does not and cannot work. Those people who believe a County or an Indian Band having limited jurisdiction in a limited territory is the same as shared sovereignty cannot be taken seriously.

    Still others argued that maybe Parliament can make laws, but it cannot make this law. What they’re really saying is that they’re happy for the unelected to decide the constitutional future of the country, but not this House of Representatives, and not the people in referendum.

    Those are fundamentally undemocratic propositions. Anyone opposing the Bill on those grounds is really saying they do not trust the New Zealand people to determine their future. I’m proud that my Party does.

    There were two objections that cancelled each other out.

    One said, the Bill isn’t needed because Māori don’t have special rights.

    The other said, the Bill is an abomination because it denies Māori special rights.

    Which one is it? The truth is we are all equal, deep down, but too many of our policies aim to treat people differently based on ancestry. That is why we should remove the idea that New Zealanders have different rights, ranked by the arrival of their ancestors.

    A more interesting objection is that Māori have group rights to such things as language and culture. Some Māori have been told that this Bill would take away their mana, their reo, their tikanga. That is deliberate, cynical misinformation by opponents of the bill.

    The truth is that all New Zealanders have culture, we all have language, we all have customs. Māori are not alone in those things. The proposed principle two says the Crown should uphold the rights of Māori, to the same extent it upholds the rights for all.

    It means if we’re going to have Divali, Lunar New Year, and the Highland games, of course we should also have Kapa Haka. That is a vision of a country where all cultures thrive.

    The same can be said for language. We have media in many languages, there’s no reason te reo Māori should not be available. The Bill provides for that, we just don’t need to divide the country into a partnership between races to do it.

    Other critics said the Bill must be wrong because the unelected bureaucracy said so. That misses the whole point of the Bill. If we wanted to be ruled by the unelected we could keep the principles they’ve dreamed up. The problem is they contradict equal rights and democracy.

    Finally, some critics said the debate is divisive. I say it has revealed division. It has revealed a sizeable minority of New Zealanders simply aren’t committed to equal rights and liberal democracy.

    Conclusion

    I want to end with a quote from a Jewish man who wrote a book in Christchurch while hiding from the Nazis. The Book is the Open Society and it’s Enemies, and it’s been described as the most important book ever written in New Zealand. His name was Sir Karl Popper and he said:

    The more we try to return to the heroic age of tribalism, the more surely do we arrive at the Inquisition, at the Secret Police, and at a romanticized gangsterism. Beginning with the suppression of reason and truth, we must end with the most brutal and violent destruction of all that is human. There is no return to a harmonious state of nature. If we turn back, then we must go the whole way—we must return to the beasts…

    But if we wish to remain human, then there is only one way, the way into the open society. We must go on into the unknown, the uncertain and insecure, using what reason we may have to plan as well as we can for both security and freedom.

    A free society takes hard work and uneasy conversations. I’m proud my party has the bravery, the clarity, and the patriotism to raise uneasy topics.

    I challenge the other parties to find those qualities within themselves and support this Bill so New Zealanders can vote on it at referendum.

    If they do not, one party will never give up on the simple idea that all Kiwis are equal, no matter when your ancestors arrived.

    We will fight on for the truth, that All Kiwis are Equal, AKE, AKE, AKE.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Shared Vision, Shared Responsibility – Strenghtening NBFCs – Speech by Shri Swaminathan J, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India – March 28, 2025 – at the Conference of Non-Banking Financial Companies held at Chennai

    Source: Reserve Bank of India

    CA Shri Charanjot Singh Nanda, President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India; Chairpersons of the Audit Committee of the Boards, MDs & CEOs of NBFCs, and Statutory Auditors of NBFCs, Executive Directors from RBI and my colleagues from the Reserve Bank of India, Ladies and Gentlemen. A very good morning to all of you.

    1. It is an honour to address this esteemed gathering representing the key pillars of the NBFC ecosystem —CEOs entrusted with driving business responsibly, Chairpersons of Audit Committees overseeing assurance, Statutory Auditors who ensure transparency and integrity, along with regulators and supervisors committed to maintaining financial stability and fostering a sound regulatory environment. The theme of our engagement today — “Shared Vision, Shared Responsibility – Strengthening the NBFCs” — could not be more timely or relevant.

    2. The evolution of the NBFC sector is indeed a story of entrepreneurial energy, innovation and social impact. However, as the sector grows in scale and systemic importance, so too must our efforts to reinforce its foundations. A resilient, customer-centric, and well-governed NBFC sector is a shared aspiration — and delivering on it our shared responsibility.

    3. NBFCs have emerged as powerful engines of credit. By complementing the traditional banking system, they have significantly expanded access to credit, particularly for segments that have historically been underserved or excluded. Through innovative credit delivery models that harness technology and local insights, NBFCs have been able to design customised financial products tailored to diverse borrower needs. Their agility and close connect with customers have enabled them to play a role that is not only complementary to the role traditionally played by banks but, in many instances, catalytic in building a financial ecosystem characterised by deeper intermediation and wider opportunity.

    4. The importance of NBFCs has only grown with time. In fact, over the past decade, their growth has consistently outpaced that of banks — a trend that has become even more pronounced in the last few years. This rapid growth is a testament to the sector’s relevance and resilience — but it also raises the stakes. As NBFCs become more systemically important, the standards of governance, risk management, and customer treatment must rise accordingly.

    Understanding the Risks- Need for Responsible Innovation

    5. The business model of NBFCs — while effective — comes with its own set of structural risks. Their funding is short-term as compared to the maturity of their lending or is directed towards higher-risk customer segments.

    6. This maturity and credit transformation is at the heart of the NBFC model — but it also demands a heightened focus on risk management. If not carefully managed, it can create vulnerabilities, especially during periods of market stress or liquidity shocks.

    7. Risk-taking must be intelligent and well planned, and never beyond the risk absorption capacity of the entity concerned. Liquidity and credit risks must be rigorously assessed and managed. Asset-liability mismatches, nature and tenor of the funding sources, and concentration risks all need board-level oversight which should be ably supported by robust internal controls.

    Growth with Fairness: Customer-Centricity is Non-Negotiable

    8. Most importantly, even as we pursue scale, speed, and profits, we must not lose sight of fairness to the customer — that is the cornerstone of a sustainable business model. The NBFC sector must live up to its promise of inclusion by treating customers with dignity, transparency, and care. This entails ensuring transparent and easy-to-understand pricing, free from hidden charges or usurious interest rates. In instances of default, recovery practices must be conducted in an empathetic and respectful manner.

    9. Unfortunately, some NBFCs think they can pursue a business model where it is par for the course to resort to weak underwriting in pursuit of quick growth, coupled with excessive and unsustainable interest rates — at times masked as upfront charges or processing fees — which is followed by aggressive recovery practices upon default. Let me state unequivocally: this is not an acceptable model. Financial inclusion cannot be used as a pretext for financial exploitation. I urge each one of you to commit your institutions to upholding fairness in all your dealings.

    10. This responsibility for fair conduct is shared commitment by the CEO, the Board, and assurance functions in any entity. A customer-centric culture must be driven from the top and embedded at all levels.

    11. How do we ensure that our shared vision is realised, and our collective responsibilities are fulfilled? One of the most effective ways is by strengthening both internal and external assurance mechanisms.

    Strengthening Oversight: the Role of Audit Committee

    12. Let me begin with the Audit Committee of the Board (ACB). Far from being a routine compliance requirement, the ACB is the lynchpin of institutional oversight and long-term financial health. It plays a critical role in reinforcing governance, guiding management on assurance, and ensuring the integrity of internal control systems. When functioning effectively, it becomes a proactive forum for identifying vulnerabilities and initiating timely corrective actions.

    13. The role of the Audit Committee Chairperson is particularly significant in setting the tone for effective governance. It is essential that committee meetings are held regularly, conducted with clear purpose, and thoroughly documented to ensure accountability and follow-through.

    14. The effectiveness of the Committee is in the substance of its deliberations. The ACB must actively monitor the adequacy and functioning of internal control systems — not merely to confirm their presence, but to ensure they are operating effectively in practice. Similarly, audit observations should not remain confined to meeting minutes; they must translate into timely and meaningful corrective actions. A strong ACB also tracks audit findings and ensures that corrective measures are implemented without delay.

    15. Equally important is the establishment of an effective whistleblower mechanism overseen by the Board or the ACB which empowers employees and grants them anonymity, to report unethical or non-compliant behaviour, without fear of reprisal.

    16. CEOs too have a crucial role in upholding the integrity of financial reporting. They must actively deter any attempts—whether deliberate or cleverly disguised—to misapply accounting standards or regulatory provisions. It is equally important to foster an environment where the Chief Financial Officer and Head of Internal Audit feel empowered to engage in open, honest, and transparent dialogue with the Audit Committee of the Board.

    The Crucial Role of Statutory Auditors

    17. Now let me come to the role of Statutory Auditors, who are an indispensable part of the assurance ecosystem. In fact, the role of auditors has never been more critical — not merely in checking compliance, but in upholding trust. And trust, once lost, is hard to rebuild.

    18. Auditors are expected to provide an independent, professional opinion on whether the financial statements present a true and fair view of the NBFC’s financial position and comply with regulatory and accounting standards. However, in today’s complex and dynamic environment, this is no longer enough.

    19. Recent incidents — both in India and abroad — have shown that traditional financial audits must evolve. Auditors must bring technical expertise, forensic insight, and an ethical lens to their work. Red flags must not be ignored. Complex structures, derivatives, off-balance sheet items, related party transactions, and provisioning policies must be closely examined.

    Facilitative Role of Regulators and Supervisors

    20. As regulators and supervisors, we shoulder a dual responsibility — to safeguard stability and discipline, while also fostering an environment that encourages innovation, inclusion, and sustainable growth. Contrary to perception in certain quarters, our approach actively seeks to strike the right balance. At the Reserve Bank of India, we are acutely aware that regulation is not merely about control; it is about enabling responsible financial intermediation within a well-defined and transparent framework. Several initiatives in recent years reflect this facilitative and proportionate approach to regulation. In my previous role as a commercial banker, I had the fortuitous opportunity to be closely associated with one such initiative -the Regulations Review Authority 2.0 – which reinforced the RBI’s strong commitment to easing the regulatory burden and streamlining compliance without compromising regulatory objectives.

    21. The regulatory framework for NBFCs has evolved in the recent years with this understanding — gradually moving toward greater harmonisation with banks where warranted, while still preserving operational flexibility suited to the unique role NBFCs play in the financial system. The introduction of the scale-based regulatory framework explicitly recognises that the intensity of regulation and supervision must be proportionate to systemic importance. At the same time, the regulatory architecture encourages the development of responsible innovation and healthy competition in the sector.

    22. Similarly, the role of the supervisor has also become more interactive and forward-looking. It is not just about identifying compliance breaches after the fact, but about engaging with entities to strengthen internal systems, enhance governance, and build resilience against emerging risks. Through onsite inspections, offsite surveillance, thematic reviews, and structured engagements, the supervisory process aims to be a partner in the financial sector’s long-term soundness — not an impediment to its progress.

    Conclusion

    23. Our shared vision is clear: a dynamic, inclusive, and trusted NBFC sector that complements the banking system and serves the evolving needs of the Indian economy. And the way to achieve it is through shared responsibility — in governance, in customer protection, in financial prudence, and in ethical conduct.

    24. We in the regulatory community stand committed to supporting this journey. Our intent is not to stifle innovation but to ensure that growth is sustainable, risks are well-managed, and customer trust is never compromised. On behalf of the RBI, I can assure you that as regulators and supervisors we will remain committed to playing our part, not just as watchdogs, but as enablers of a robust, inclusive, and future-ready financial ecosystem.

    25. This conference gives us an opportunity to reflect on how we can contribute to this shared agenda. Whether making strategic decisions, chairing audit committees, or signing off on financials, drafting regulations or conducting supervision — we are shaping the sector’s future.

    26. Therefore, let us work together — with clarity of purpose and unity of action — to build a stronger, fairer, and more resilient NBFC ecosystem. Wealth creation should not just be for personal or institutional gain but to support the community, reflecting a sense of shared responsibility amongst all of us, in our pursuit to achieve an inclusive growth for all and realise the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

    27. With this I wish you all fruitful and enriching deliberations over the course of this conference and look forward to the ideas and insights that will emerge in pursuit of our shared vision. Thank you for this opportunity and wish you all good luck, Jai Hind!

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI China: US consumers rush to buy ahead of tariffs

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Americans are racing to make purchases before a tariffs war between the United States and its major trade partners across the world drive up prices, while some of the wealthiest people in the country publicly condemned the policy as potentially catastrophic for the economy.

    In recent weeks, consumers have rushed to increase their purchases of everything from clothing and electronics to cars and furniture, fearing that the costs of goods will jump sharply once tariffs fully take hold.

    “Definitely more people coming into store look to buy TV and electronics to beat the tariff increase,” San Francisco Bay Area-based Best Buy’s sales consultant Van told Xinhua Tuesday.

    The panic-buying has flooded online stores and big-box retailers, including Shein, Ssense, Amazon, Costco, and Walmart, according to The Cut and Facebook News 8 posts. Some online shoppers reported overnight price hikes of 5 to 15 U.S. dollars on items in their carts, citing anticipation of the tariffs.

    “I just bought a TV now instead of waiting,” one user wrote on Reddit. “Prices are already rising on Amazon.” Another thread on the r/carbuying subreddit discussed buyers hurrying to secure vehicles before tariffs increase sticker prices.

    The reckless tariffs, including a tariff on Chinese imports which jumped to 104 percent from midnight of Wednesday, targeted a wide range of goods, from electronics to vehicles. Critics said it will squeeze consumers by raising costs on everyday items.

    For some families, the shift is already painful. A mother in Texas told NPR she used her summer savings to buy back-to-school gear early. “We can’t afford to wait and pay more,” she said. “But now we don’t have money set aside for fall clothes.”

    The “tariff-induced shopping spree” span everything from electronics and appliances to clothing and cars, according to ABC News. Auto sales surged 11.2 percent in March as buyers rushed to beat the 25 percent tariffs on imported vehicles that took effect April 3.

    “Now is the time to buy,” Noel Peguero, a 50-year-old school worker from Queens, New York, told ABC News after spending about 3,500 U.S. dollars on car parts, electronics, and gardening supplies ahead of potential price increases.

    Consumers are actively sharing strategies about what to purchase on social media platforms before prices skyrocket. Reddit users who recently bought homes considered upgrading appliances early, while others on Facebook contemplated purchasing electronics like MacBook laptops before potential price hikes.

    Billionaire Mark Cuban added to consumer concerns by advising people on social media to “buy lots of consumables” before prices increase, recommending “from toothpaste to soap, anything you can find storage space for, buy before they have to replenish inventory.”

    The tariffs introduced on April 2 included a 10 percent universal tariff and additional “reciprocal tariffs” on more than 60 economies who have trade surplus with the United States.

    CBS News reported that the tariffs are actually paid by U.S. importers, who typically pass costs on to consumers.

    Financial experts warned the tariffs represented “the largest tax hike since 1982” and amounted to “an average tax increase of more than 1,900 U.S. dollars per U.S. household in 2025,” according to the Tax Foundation.

    Electronics could see some of the steepest price increases. The Consumer Technology Association estimated that laptop and tablet prices could rise by up to 45 percent, while smartphones may increase by an average of 213 U.S. dollars, representing a 26 percent jump.

    Clothing prices are expected to increase by up to 20 percent, while footwear costs could rise between 20 and 30 percent due to reliance on international manufacturing.

    According to an analysis cited by lifestyle blog Cha Ching Queen, toys could see among the most dramatic price hikes, potentially rising 36 to 56 percent.

    Meanwhile, several billionaires who were republican supporters during last year’s presidential election have broken ranks to criticize the tariff policy.

    Bill Ackman delivered perhaps the most stark warning on Monday, calling the tariffs tantamount to launching an “economic nuclear war” that would severely damage America’s reputation with trading partners.

    Even Elon Musk, who has been heading the Department of Government Efficiency, called for “a zero-tariff situation” between the U.S. and Europe during an Italian political event. Musk also criticized Whitehouse trade adviser Peter Navarro, suggesting his Harvard economics PhD is “a bad thing, not a good thing,” on X, his social media platform.

    Home Depot co-founder Ken Langone, a GOP megadonor and billionaire, also blasted the tariffs, calling the 46 percent import duties on Vietnam “bullshit” and describing the tariff rate on China as “too aggressive, too soon,” on CNBC.

    “The cost of materials for the project I quoted to a client must now cost a lot higher due to the tariff,” home remodeling contractor Jose told Xinhua outside the Home Depot store in San Jose, California. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Joins Cohort of Congressional Energy and Environment Lawmakers Leading Bicameral Letter to Oppose EPA’s Wholesale Assault on Environmental and Public Health Protections

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Letter signed by 180 members of Congress

    Washington (April 9, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW); the leaders of the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC), including Co-Chairs Reps. Doris Matsui, Mike Quigley, and Paul Tonko and Vice Chairs Reps. Don Beyer, Suzanne Bonamici, Sean Casten, Mike Levin, and Chellie Pingree; and Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, in a bicameral letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin calling out his wholesale assault on the central mission of the agency he was appointed to lead.  They were joined by Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries, bringing the total to 180 Members of Congress calling on Administrator Zeldin to halt his egregious attacks.

    “In just two months as EPA Administrator, you have demonstrated a complete disregard for the central mission of the agency you were appointed to lead. Instead of protecting the environment – as the agency name directs – you are protecting the special interests of big polluters,” wrote the 180 Members. “We urge you to halt your egregious attacks on the public health and well-being of the American people.”

    They pointed out that, as a result of the Trump EPA repealing and gutting critical environmental and public health protections, communities and families will pay higher health costs and be exposed to more mercury and air toxics from coal-fired power plants and more polluted wastewater from oil and gas producers. 

    “While countries around the world are clamoring for cleaner, cheaper, and more innovative technologies, you are actively hamstringing America’s homegrown clean energy industry, which has already injected $422 billion and 400,000 jobs into our economy in just the past two and a half years,” the lawmakers wrote to Administrator Zeldin. “This is anything but unleashing American energy. At the same time, instead of lowering costs for American families, your actions will result in the opposite. Americans’ medical expenses will increase because your Polluters First agenda will allow particulate matter and other hazardous air pollution to go unchecked.”

    Their letter explained that for every $1 the country spends to reduce air pollution, it is estimated to yield $30 in economic benefits in return. Yet, the Trump EPA is choosing to unleash more air pollutants that are linked to Alzheimer’s, miscarriages, and childhood asthma, as well as other public health concerns.

    “Your actions will needlessly increase American families’ exposure to the pollution that can make them sick and stick them with the bill for their care,” concluded the Members.

    The full letter can be found here.

    Background

    On March 12, Administrator Zeldin announced the “biggest deregulatory action in U.S. history,” which included rolling back 31 environmental rules and regulations. This list of actions directly threatens Americans’ health and fundamental right to clean air and water by:

    1. Rolling back National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter – some of the most dangerous air pollution known to directly cause asthma and other health issues;
    2. Gutting EPA rules that prevent hazardous metals like mercury and arsenic from ending up in our water supply;
    3. Reconsidering national emissions standards for cancer-causing hazardous air pollutants, including ethylene oxide;
    4. Ending the “Good Neighbor” rule, which simply acknowledged that pollution does not respect state lines and that downwind states should not be burdened by their neighbors’ pollution;
    5. Repealing power plant emissions standards, allowing existing gas and coal-fired power plants to pump unlimited climate pollution into our air; and
    6. Revoking the landmark “Endangerment Finding” that simply states climate-changing pollutants are dangerous to human health, and which serves as the foundation for climate pollution to be regulated under the Clean Air Act.

    And more.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: PASSAT STREET, PORT LINCOLN (Grass Fire)

    Source: South Australia County Fire Service

    Issued on
    10 Apr 2025 12:19

    Issued for
    PASSAT STREET near Port Lincoln on the Eyre Peninsula.

    Warning level
    Advice – Avoid Smoke

    Action
    Smoke from PASSAT STREET is in the Port Lincoln area.

    Smoke can affect your health. You should stay informed and be aware of the health impacts of smoke on yourself and others.

    Symptoms of exposure includes shortness of breath, wheezing and coughing, burning eyes, running nose, chest tightness, chest pain and dizziness or light-headedness.

    If you or anyone in your care are having difficulty breathing, seek medical attention from your local GP. If your symptoms become severe, call 000.

    More information will be provided by the MFS when it is available.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai pens Bloomberg News article on Taiwan’s response to US reciprocal tariffs

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    Details
    2025-04-08
    President Lai receives credentials from new Tuvalu Ambassador Lily Tangisia Faavae  
    On the morning of April 8, President Lai Ching-te received the credentials of new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Tuvalu to the Republic of China (Taiwan) Lily Tangisia Faavae. In remarks, President Lai welcomed the ambassador to her new post and thanked Tuvalu for its long-term support for Taiwan’s international participation. The president also noted that joint efforts between our two countries have produced fruitful results in such areas as medicine and public health, agricultural and fisheries technology, and information and communications technology. He expressed his hope that we will continue to deepen our bilateral relations so as to generate even greater well-being for our peoples and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Pacific region. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: It is a great pleasure today to receive the credentials of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Tuvalu Lily Tangisia Faavae. On behalf of the Republic of China (Taiwan), I extend my warmest welcome to you. Last year, the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Tuvalu celebrated 45 years of diplomatic relations. Prime Minister Feleti Teo visited Taiwan in May last year for the inauguration of myself and Vice President Bi-khim Hsiao and again in October for our National Day celebrations. When I visited Tuvalu last December, I was warmly received by the government and people of Tuvalu, and I deeply felt that our two countries were like family. Ambassador Faavae’s posting to Taiwan demonstrates the importance Prime Minister Teo places on our ties. Widely recognized for her exceptional talent, Ambassador Faavae is an outstanding official with extensive experience in public service. Moreover, during her term as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, she voiced support for Taiwan at the World Health Assembly. I believe that with her assistance, our two nations will further advance cooperation and exchanges. I want to thank the government of Tuvalu for long supporting Taiwan’s international participation. Furthermore, joint efforts between our two countries have produced fruitful results in such areas as medicine and public health, agricultural and fisheries technology, and information and communications technology. Last year, Prime Minister Teo and I signed a joint communiqué on advancing the comprehensive partnership between Taiwan and Tuvalu. Going forward, we will stand together in tackling the challenges we face, including climate change and expanding authoritarianism. And we will continue to deepen our bilateral relations so as to generate even greater well-being for our peoples and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Pacific region. Once again, I warmly welcome Ambassador Faavae to her new post in Taiwan. Please convey warmest regards from Taiwan to Prime Minister Teo and all of our friends in Tuvalu. I wish you all the best in work and life during your term in Taiwan. Ambassador Faavae then delivered remarks, saying that it is a great honor and privilege to meet with President Lai today as the new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Tuvalu to Taiwan, and to present to him her letter of credence. She then extended, on behalf of the government and people of Tuvalu, her warmest greetings and deep respect to the president and people of Taiwan. The letter of credence, she noted, signifies the trust and confidence that her government and governor-general have placed in her to represent their nation and to foster and strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between our countries. Ambassador Faavae said that our two countries have enjoyed a longstanding relationship of 45 years based on mutual respect, cooperation, and shared values. She added that we have collaborated, and continue to do so, in such fields as education, health, climate change adaptation and sea level rise mitigation, agriculture, clean energy, and internet connectivity.  Ambassador Faavae pointed out that Tuvalu remains committed to deepening ties with Taiwan and that it values people-to-people connections and our shared Austronesian heritage. She noted that the people of Tuvalu, a small developing nation, have greatly benefited from Taiwan’s advanced technical expertise and diverse financial assistance. She said she believes Tuvalu and Taiwan share a common interest and are united in our efforts and commitment to upholding democracy, peace, stability, and prosperity for our people and making the world better and safer.  Ambassador Faavae stated that as ambassador of Tuvalu to Taiwan, she pledges to work diligently and respectfully to enhance our bilateral relations, promote mutual understanding, and facilitate collaboration in areas of shared concern. The ambassador said she looks forward to collaborating closely with the Taiwan government and other stakeholders to achieve our common objectives and to continue building a more prosperous and harmonious future for our nations. In closing, she thanked President Lai for the opportunity to serve and to further the enduring friendship between our two countries.  

    Details
    2025-03-28
    President Lai meets British Office Taipei Representative Ruth Bradley-Jones
    On the afternoon of March 28, President Lai Ching-te met with British Office Taipei Representative Ruth Bradley-Jones. In remarks, President Lai welcomed Representative Bradley-Jones as she takes up her post in Taiwan, and thanked the United Kingdom government and parliament for demonstrating staunch support for Taiwan. The president indicated that Taiwan and the UK enjoy close economic and trade ties, and our industries complement each other well, with great potential for collaboration in such fields as semiconductors, AI, unmanned vehicles, and medium- and low-orbit satellites. He stated that he looks forward to expanding exchanges with the UK across all domains so as to enhance democratic and economic resilience, jointly advancing the prosperous development of the Indo-Pacific region and economic security around the world. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: It is a pleasure to meet Representative Bradley-Jones here at the Presidential Office for this exchange. I understand that she has proactively called at many government agencies since taking up her post last month. On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend a warm welcome. Taiwan and the UK are partners that share the values of freedom and democracy. In recent years, our bilateral relations have continued to deepen. With the efforts of Representative Bradley-Jones and our respective governments, I look forward to the expansion of dialogue and cooperation between Taiwan and the UK. This will further elevate our bilateral ties. Especially in the face of expanding authoritarianism, the UK is not only playing an important role in crafting a unified European response; it is also demonstrating staunch support for Taiwan through various channels. For example, joint statements released after the Australia-UK ministerial consultations, as well as the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, underlined a high level of concern for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. The UK government has publicly expressed support for Taiwan’s international participation on multiple occasions. And last November, the UK House of Commons passed a motion clearly asserting that United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 does not mention Taiwan. These actions attest to the UK’s belief in supporting democracy and peace, and have further solidified our countries’ friendship. I would like to convey my deepest gratitude to the UK government and parliament.  Currently, the UK is Taiwan’s fourth largest trading partner in Europe and second largest source of investment from Europe. We enjoy close economic and trade ties, and our industries complement each other well. There is also great potential for collaboration in such fields as semiconductors, AI, unmanned vehicles, and medium- and low-orbit satellites. We look forward to expanding exchanges with the UK across all domains so as to enhance democratic and economic resilience. We also hope the UK will continue to support Taiwan’s bid to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership so that together, we can work with more like-minded partners, jointly advancing the prosperous development of the Indo-Pacific region and economic security around the world. Once again, I welcome Representative Bradley-Jones to Taiwan and wish her all the best with her work. I anticipate that Taiwan-UK relations will continue to steadily advance through our joint efforts. Representative Bradley-Jones then delivered remarks, first saying in Mandarin that she is honored to meet with President Lai to discuss topics of mutual concern and jointly deepen Taiwan-UK relations, promoting mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation. She went on to say that she came to Taiwan last August to study Mandarin, and began her post as British Office Taipei representative in February this year, noting that every day she learns more about and gains a deeper understanding of Taiwan. Last year, she said, she visited Tainan and Wanli, and found Tainan’s wetlands and the scenery in Wanli very impressive. She added that she has also tried many different Taiwanese foods, and is looking forward to experiencing even more of Taiwan’s local culture and customs over the next four years. Continuing her remarks in English, Representative Bradley-Jones stated that since taking up her post, she has borne witness to the strength of the relationship between Taiwan and the UK and the potential for it to continue to grow. She said that on trade and investment, there is significant complementarity between Taiwan’s Five Trusted Industry Sectors and the UK’s Industrial Strategy, particularly in areas such as digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy. Both governments are also together supporting Taiwan and UK businesses through our Enhanced Trade Partnership and annual trade talks, she said. Representative Bradley-Jones went on to say that on science and technology, Taiwan and the UK can and should do more together. She noted that the UK has the third largest tech sector in the world and is valued at over US$1.1 trillion, while Taiwan is the center of the semiconductor and AI hardware world. Given our complementary strengths, especially in areas such as semiconductors, space, and communications technology, she said, the UK has stepped up its level of activity in Taiwan, including by regularly hosting a UK Pavilion at SEMICON and funding 18 joint R&D programs through our new collaborative R&D fund, and looks forward to doing more together in the future.  In support of Taiwan’s whole-of-society resilience, the representative said, the UK is supporting valuable exchanges, co-hosting GCTF (Global Cooperation and Training Framework) workshops, sharing lessons on financial sector resilience, and reaching out to mayors and community leaders across Taiwan. From financial resilience to cyber resilience, she said, the UK’s public sector and private industries have plenty to share and learn. Representative Bradley-Jones stated that on people-to-people links, parliamentarians, civil society, and academics are continuing to deepen contact, and that she is particularly excited by a new smart parliament partnership agreed upon by the Taiwan Foundation for Democracy and the UK’s Westminster Foundation for Democracy, which aims to facilitate cross-party, cross-society, and cross-border exchanges on issues such as democratic governance, AI, inclusive policy-making, and public safety. The representative indicated that the examples she mentioned just scratch the surface of the full potential of the Taiwan-UK relationship. She said that the UK’s longstanding policy remains unchanged, and fundamentally, that is because we share a common set of values and interests. We are together focused on how to make our societies safer and more prosperous tomorrow than they are today, she said, and as like-minded democracies, innovative economies, and practical partners, the sincere and pragmatic cooperation between Taiwan and the UK is bringing material benefits to the prosperity and well-being of our people every day. 

    Details
    2025-03-21
    President Lai meets Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy
    On the morning of March 21, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy. In remarks, President Lai said that Alaska has long been an important trading partner of Taiwan, and that we have built a solid foundation for cooperation in such fields as energy, fisheries, and tourism. The president expressed hope that Taiwan and Alaska will have more frequent engagement and exchanges so that our relations can continue to grow to create prosperous development for both sides. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: On behalf of the people of Taiwan, I extend my sincerest welcome to our guests. This is Governor Dunleavy’s first visit to Taiwan, and last night, we both attended the Hsieh Nien Fan (謝年飯) banquet hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan. I am delighted to have this opportunity to meet with Governor Dunleavy today at the Presidential Office for further dialogue. Alaska has long been an important trading partner of Taiwan. Our sister-state relationship was established in 1988, and we have built a solid foundation for cooperation in such fields as energy, fisheries, and tourism. Currently, Taiwan is Alaska’s eighth largest export market and ninth largest source of imports. This goes to show just how close our trade and economic ties are and how much potential there is for further growth. As I said in my remarks at last night’s Hsieh Nien Fan banquet, Taiwan is interested in buying Alaskan natural gas. I am sure that Governor Dunleavy’s visit will help us explore even more opportunities for cooperation and continue to deepen Taiwan-United States relations. In the face of such challenges as expanding authoritarianism, climate change, and pandemics, we look forward to strengthening collaboration between Taiwan and the US. By drawing on our strengths, we can jointly build non-red supply chains to bolster our economic resilience and drive the advancement of global technology. I want to thank the US government for reiterating the importance it attaches to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and its opposition to any attempt to change the status quo by force or coercion. These statements backing Taiwan help in maintaining stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific region. Once again, I thank Governor Dunleavy for traveling such a long way to Taiwan. We hope to see more frequent engagement and exchanges between Taiwan and Alaska so that our relations can continue to grow, and we can create prosperous development for both sides. Governor Dunleavy then delivered remarks, saying that their trip to visit friends in Taiwan has been fantastic, thanking President Lai for the invitation to meet, and thanking all the staff. Governor Dunleavy said that as the pandemic was raging, the world went from “before COVID” to “after COVID.” Before COVID, he said, the world relied on a number of systems that were in place for decades after World War II involving supply chains, alliances, sources of energy, trading partners, and friends. He went on to say that as we go beyond COVID, we are reestablishing and reevaluating who our friends are, where we are going to get our energy, and who our trading partners are going to be. The governor said that we are creating a new world for the next 50 years with the new administration in Washington, and this is an opportunity for us to reevaluate and reinvest with our friends for the next 50 years in each other, our futures, and our security. Governor Dunleavy stated that one thing is for certain: that Taiwan is a friend of the US and a friend of Alaska, and has been for many, many decades. He said that it is their hope in this trip and subsequent trips to establish an even tighter bond among their friends in Taiwan, the US, and Alaska. The governor also said that we have much in common in that we are members of the Pacific family, are democracies, and believe in freedom, free speech, and capitalism. He indicated that he has much optimism for the future, and that as we reestablish relationships throughout the world, energy is going to be the key and the basis for our economic development, our national security, and our friendship. Governor Dunleavy said that he believes this trip is going to lay the groundwork for a fantastic future between Taiwan, Alaska, and the US, and that with President Lai’s support as well as the support of the US administration, we can work together to build even better relationships.

    Details
    2025-03-20
    President Lai attends AmCham Taiwan 2025 Hsieh Nien Fan
    On the evening of March 20, President Lai Ching-te attended the annual Hsieh Nien Fan (謝年飯) banquet hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan (AmCham Taiwan). In remarks, President Lai pointed out that the United States is now a major source of investment in Taiwan, adding that last year US investment accounted for 11.5 percent of total foreign investment in Taiwan. The president also pointed out that the US has become Taiwan’s largest investment destination, as Taiwan’s direct and indirect investment in the US accounted for more than 40 percent of its total outbound investment last year. President Lai expressed hope that AmCham will continue to offer support in quickly resolving the issue of double taxation, further enhancing the mutually beneficial Taiwan-US economic and trade partnership. He also emphasized that one essential element for our economic prosperity is maintaining security and stability, both regionally and globally. The president expressed his belief that, so long as we coordinate our efforts, we can achieve more in our respective defense industries and build non-red supply chains, advancing peace, stability, and prosperity. A transcript of President Lai’s remarks follows: I’m delighted to be here tonight. I want to wish everyone and their families a happy, healthy, and prosperous year ahead. For many years now, AmCham has acted as a bridge between Taiwan and the US. It not only advocates for Taiwan to various sectors in the US, but also offers advice for the development of Taiwan’s industries. So tonight, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all our friends from the American business community. The 2025 Business Climate Survey, published by AmCham this January, demonstrates the confidence foreign businesses have in the Taiwan market. We are happy to see that over 80 percent of survey respondents reported stable or increased revenue last year, and around 80 percent expressed confidence in Taiwan’s economic prospects for the coming year. Moreover, 90 percent of businesses surveyed are planning to maintain or expand their investments in Taiwan. The positive developments in Taiwan made by our American friends here tonight, their outlook for the future, and their confidence in Taiwan, are further proof of Taiwan’s ideal environment for investment. The US is now a major source of investment in Taiwan. Last year, US investment accounted for 11.5 percent of total foreign investment in Taiwan. In 2023, Entegris opened a new manufacturing facility in Kaohsiung and Micron launched a new facility in Taichung. Last year, Google further solidified Taiwan as its biggest R&D hub outside of the US by opening a new office here. AMD, Nvidia, and major cloud computing companies from the US have also been choosing Taiwan to expand their presence. Over the past several years, the US has also become Taiwan’s largest investment destination. Taiwan’s direct and indirect investment in the US accounted for more than 40 percent of our total outbound investment last year. Four years ago, TSMC’s [Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company] investment in facilities in Arizona became the biggest FDI [foreign direct investment] in a greenfield project in US history. And this month, TSMC announced it would expand that investment, breaking another record and highlighting the enduring prosperity shared by Taiwan and the US. In addition to TSMC, Taiwan’s GlobalWafers has built a 12-inch silicon wafer factory in Texas, the biggest in the US. This will be followed by many other industries. These companies are confidently expanding their global presence across the Pacific and eastward into the Americas. The US is moving to reindustrialize its manufacturing industry and consolidate high-tech leadership, as it moves to become a global AI hub. In these efforts, Taiwan is an indispensable partner for the US. While the US is a leader in chip design, Taiwan’s semiconductor manufacturing plays an irreplaceable part in the supply chain. Adapting to the changing geopolitical landscape and the coming era of smart technology, Taiwan will continue to promote its Five Trusted Industry Sectors of semiconductors, AI, military, next-gen communications, and security and surveillance. This will drive the next stage in our economic development. A great time to invest in Taiwan is now. We will continue to better connect relevant government agencies and align with international standards to foster a friendlier investment environment. And I am confident that Taiwanese and American companies can leverage their respective high-tech expertise and invest in each other, boosting growth in industrial innovation and development for both our economies. At the same time, we hope to continue deepening Taiwan-US trade relations. Last year, Taiwan was the seventh largest trading partner of the US, up one spot from the previous year, and bilateral trade grew by 24.2 percent. Taiwan is going to expand procurement from the US of industrial and agricultural products, as well as natural gas. I am very happy to welcome Governor [Mike] Dunleavy of Alaska, who has specially come all the way to Taiwan. Alaska is a source of high-quality natural gas, and its relatively short distance from Taiwan facilitates transportation. So we are very interested in buying Alaskan natural gas because it can meet our needs and ensure our energy security. We hope that AmCham will continue to offer support in quickly resolving the issue of double taxation and removing tax barriers to bilateral investment and trade, further enhancing the mutually beneficial Taiwan-US economic and trade partnership. One essential element for our economic prosperity is maintaining security and stability, both regionally and globally. So we are grateful for the joint leaders’ statement issued by [US] President [Donald] Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, in which they expressed their solid support for maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. As we face growing authoritarianism, Taiwan will continue to uphold our values of freedom and democracy and will be a responsible actor in regional and global security. Currently, Taiwan’s defense budget stands at about 2.5 percent of GDP. Going forward, the government will prioritize special budget allocations to ensure that our defense budget exceeds 3 percent of GDP. At the same time, we will continue to reform national defense, further enhancing Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities. And we will advance our cooperation with the US and other democracies in upholding regional stability and prosperity. We also welcome continued Taiwan-US cooperation in the defense sector. I believe that, so long as we coordinate our efforts, we can achieve more in our respective defense industries and build non-red supply chains, advancing peace, stability, and prosperity. In closing, I look forward to seeing even greater achievements from Taiwan-US economic and trade cooperation. Thank you. After remarks, President Lai, AmCham Chairperson Dan Silver, American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene, and Governor Dunleavy raised their glasses in recognition of the strong Taiwan-US friendship.  

    Details
    2025-03-18
    President Lai meets Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs  
    On the afternoon of March 18, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation led by Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. In remarks, President Lai said that Taiwan and Arizona enjoy close economic and trade relations, and expressed hope that through our joint efforts, Arizona will become a shining example for Taiwan-United States high-tech collaboration and the creation of non-red supply chains. The president indicated that the next goal for Taiwan and the US is the signing of an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation, which would provide greater incentives for Taiwanese businesses to invest in the US, facilitate the establishment of more comprehensive industry clusters, and generate more job opportunities, representing a win-win outcome for Taiwan-US relations. A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows: I warmly welcome you all to the Presidential Office. Governor Hobbs previously visited Taiwan after taking office in 2023. Her leading a delegation to Taiwan once again demonstrates Arizona’s continued friendship and the importance Arizona attaches to Taiwan. For this, I express my sincerest gratitude, and I welcome you again. In recent years, ties between Taiwan and Arizona have continued to expand and progress. For example, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC)’s investment in Arizona is the largest greenfield investment in US history. This month, TSMC announced that it would increase its investment in the US by US$100 billion. It plans to build more semiconductor fabrication and research and development facilities in greater Phoenix, transforming the area into a US semiconductor hub. Due to our close industrial engagement, we now have more than 30,000 Taiwanese living in Arizona. I would like to thank Governor Hobbs for taking care of Taiwanese businesses and people. I believe that through our joint efforts, Arizona will become a shining example for Taiwan-US high-tech collaboration and the creation of non-red supply chains. Taiwan and Arizona also enjoy close economic and trade relations. Taiwan is Arizona’s eighth largest export market and fifth largest source of imports. Last December, the first agreement under the Taiwan-US Initiative on 21st-Century Trade officially came into effect. I believe this will help further deepen our trade and economic ties. At present, the next goal for Taiwan and the US is the signing of an agreement for the avoidance of double taxation. I hope that we can work together to achieve this goal as soon as possible. This would provide greater incentives for Taiwanese businesses to invest in the US, facilitate the establishment of more comprehensive local industry clusters, and generate more job opportunities, representing a win-win outcome. With Governor Hobbs’s support, we look forward to continuing to advance Taiwan-US relations and promoting further cooperation and exchanges between Taiwan and Arizona across all domains. I understand that during this visit, you have visited many important companies and exchanged opinions with government agencies on how to strengthen bilateral relations. These efforts all go toward building an even more solid foundation for future Taiwan-US cooperation. Once again, I thank you all for supporting Taiwan and welcome you to visit us often in the future. Governor Hobbs then delivered remarks, stating that under President Lai’s leadership, Taiwan continues to thrive as a global hub for technology, innovation, and advanced manufacturing. She said that she is proud to be back in Taiwan alongside her secretary of commerce, Sandra Watson, as part of a diplomatic and economic delegation from Arizona. Since arriving, she said, they’ve hit the ground running, meeting with key partners, businesses, and leaders, noting that the takeaway from their meetings has been incredibly positive, and that they underscore the strong and enduring partnership between Arizona and Taiwan. Adding that our partnership that is built on shared values, mutual cultural appreciation, and commitment to innovation and economic growth, Governor Hobbs indicated that Arizona and Taiwan’s partnership extends back decades, as Taiwanese fighter pilots have been training at Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix since 1996. She said that we have built a strong base of collaboration across many areas, including technology, workforce, and cultural exchange, and that Arizona is even slated to get its own Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐), which she expressed she is very thrilled about. Governor Hobbs went on to say that Arizona’s relationship with Taiwan is anchored by its ongoing partnership with TSMC and many Taiwan-based companies in semiconductor and other industries, and that TSMC’s US$165 billion investment in Arizona will help power development of the world’s most advanced technology, such as AI, and promises to cement an unbreakable bond between our two economies.  She stated that as governor, she can say with confidence that her administration is fully committed to strengthening this relationship in every way possible, because when Arizona and Taiwan succeed, we all succeed. Lastly, Governor Hobbs once again expressed gratitude to President Lai and the people of Taiwan for their warm hospitality. She then invited President Lai to Arizona to continue their productive conversations and further strengthen ties between our people and our economies, adding that she knows there is no limit to what we can achieve together, and that she is looking forward to what is to come. The delegation was accompanied to the Presidential Office by American Institute in Taiwan Taipei Office Director Raymond Greene.

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

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New England Senators Demand Answers on Reports White House May Eliminate Regional FEMA Office

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) joined all ten of their Senate colleagues representing New England states in seeking answers about reports that the Trump Administration is considering eliminating certain Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regional offices, including the Region 1 office that serves Rhode Island.  
    In a bipartisan letter, the twelve U.S. Senators urged President Trump to reject any attempt to downsize or eliminate FEMA offices, which would take critical personnel farther away from the communities they serve. 
    FEMA Region 1 serves state, local, and tribal governments in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.  The regional offices coordinate immediate response efforts when disaster strikes and, once the storm has passed, facilitate the deployment of federal assistance to support long-term recovery across New England.  These offices also help communities mitigate the impact of future extreme weather events, and help homeowners, farms, and businesses stay safe before a storm or disaster hits.
    “We sincerely hope these reports are untrue and that you will reject any attempt to consolidate FEMA regional offices, which would take critical personnel farther away from the communities they serve,” wrote the 12 U.S. Senators. “As you know, FEMA Region 1 serves state, local, and tribal governments in Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island. It coordinates immediate response efforts when disaster strikes and, once the storm has passed, facilitates the deployment of federal assistance to support long-term recovery across New England.”
    President Trump previously said he was considering getting rid of FEMA and his U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, the cabinet official who oversees FEMA, reportedly called for eliminating FEMA.  Senators Reed and Whitehouse say such a move would make it harder for Rhode Island to effectively respond to and recover from major emergencies and natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, blizzards, wildfires, and more.
    In addition to Reed and Whitehouse the letter was co-signed by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Angus King (I-ME), Peter Welch (D-VT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ed Markey (D-MA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Chris Murphy (D-CT).
    Over the past decade, FEMA has responded to nearly 1,400 disasters nationwide, including hurricanes, floods, and severe weather. The agency coordinates the federal response during emergency situations, such as calling the U.S. Department of Defense to assist with rescue helicopters or trucking in generators in the aftermath of a storm.  FEMA also helps state and local communities with recovery operations, including damage assessment and distribution of federal funds to help rebuild.  Over the last four years, FEMA has provided over $145 billion nationwide to individuals, states, and local governments and some nonprofits to help with recovery efforts.
    Full text of the letter follows:
    Dear President Trump, 
    We write regarding reports that the White House is considering a proposal to eliminate Region 1 of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). We sincerely hope these reports are untrue and that you will reject any attempt to consolidate FEMA regional offices, which would take critical personnel farther away from the communities they serve. 
    As you know, FEMA Region 1 serves state, local, and tribal governments in Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island. It coordinates immediate response efforts when disaster strikes and, once the storm has passed, facilitates the deployment of federal assistance to support long-term recovery across New England. 
    In recent years, New England has been struck by several natural disasters resulting in tragic loss of life and billions of dollars in property and infrastructure damage. Through their partnership in our states’ recovery efforts, FEMA Region 1 personnel have developed an intimate familiarity with our state, local, and tribal government counterparts and with the unique attributes that differentiate New England from the rest of the country. Any attempt to shutter Region 1 or subsume it into a larger entity will squander that expertise, gained over years of experience navigating increasingly frequent disasters in the region, and materially degrade service in our states. 
    FEMA regional offices provide critical, on-the-ground assistance to disaster-affected communities. They offer the resources and expertise many communities lack. FEMA must be improved to benefit recovering communities, but regional office consolidations will leave state, local, and tribal governments stranded when disaster strikes, and make federal disaster assistance less effective in the long term. In the wake of a disaster, our communities should not be forced to navigate critical federal disaster assistance programs with only the limited counsel of staff far removed from conditions on the ground. 
    We respectfully request a prompt response regarding the veracity of reports that your Administration is considering eliminating FEMA Region 1 and, if such reports are true, urge you to reject this deeply misguided proposal.
    Sincerely,  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: April 9th, 2025 Heinrich Introduces Legislation to Save Lives, Protect Communities from Gun Violence

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    Heinrich’s GOSAFE Act and BUMP Act would protect communities from gun violence, while safeguarding Americans’ constitutional right to own a firearm for legitimate self-defense, hunting, and sporting purposes
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) introduced his Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act and bipartisan Banning Unlawful Machinegun Parts (BUMP) Act, commonsense legislation designed to protect communities from gun violence, while safeguarding Americans’ constitutional right to own a firearm for legitimate self-defense, hunting, and sporting purposes.
    “For too long, Congress has failed to stem the onslaught of mass shootings. Our work in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was critically important, but more must be done,” said Heinrich. “I’m introducing my GOSAFE and BUMP Acts to deliver on that unfinished work to save lives and make our communities safer. As a sportsman and gun owner, I’m committed to upholding the laws that protect responsible gun ownership, but we must do more to prevent deadly weapons from reaching those who are all too ready to turn them against our communities.”
    The GOSAFE Act seeks to regulate firearms based on their inherently dangerous and unusually lethal mechanisms, as opposed to focusing on cosmetic features that manufacturers can easily modify. The GOSAFE Act is co-led by Heinrich and U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). The GOSAFE Act is led by U.S. Representative Lucy McBath in the House of Representatives.
    “We have a solemn obligation to protect our communities, and the Gas-Operated Semiautomatic Firearm Exclusion (GOSAFE) Act can reduce threats without infringing on Second Amendment rights,” said Senator King. “By limiting capacity and requiring fixed magazines, there’s an opportunity for people to escape and room to disarm the shooter — helping to prevent mass tragedies like we suffered in Lewiston in future towns and communities. This is commonsense, responsible legislation that will save lives, and I want to thank my colleagues for all their work to ensure a safer tomorrow for communities across Maine and our country.”
    “As a gun owner and a combat veteran, but also the husband of a gun violence survivor, I know firsthand the damage these weapons can cause when they end up in the wrong hands,” said Senator Kelly. “We can protect the rights of responsible gun owners and take action to keep the most lethal firearms out of the hands of those who intend to do harm. We’ve seen the consequences of inaction, let’s not wait for the next tragedy to do something about it.”
    “For more than two decades, Colorado has grieved one incident of senseless gun violence after another,” said Senator Bennet.“This common-sense gun safety bill will keep weapons of war out of the hands of the wrong people while respecting responsible gun owners. With this legislation, we are taking an important step to combat gun violence in our communities and protect children across the country.”
    “I came to Congress because of a promise I made to my late son Jordan—that I would take action in honor of victims of gun violence to prevent more families from experiencing the same tragic loss that I have,” said Representative McBath. “The GOSAFE Act is an important piece of a comprehensive legislative approach to keep lethal weapons from individuals who should not have them, while still honoring the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. Americans deserve to live their lives free from the fear of gun violence. I intend to follow through on the promise I made to my son and every victim of America’s gun violence epidemic.”
    In addition to Heinrich, King, Kelly, and Bennet, the GOSAFE Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii).
    For a list of endorsements of the GOSAFE Act and statements of support, click here.
    The text of the GOSAFE Act is here.
    The BUMP Act seeks to prohibit the sale of bump stocks and other devices or modifications that allow semi-automatic firearms to increase their rate of fire and effectively operate as fully automatic weapons. The BUMP Act is co-led by Heinrich and U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). The BUMP Act is led by U.S. Representatives Dina Titus (D-Nev.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) in the House of Representatives.
    “Bump stocks are designed to turn semi-automatic firearms into what are essentially fully-automatic weapons,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan legislation would prohibit the use of these dangerous devices while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.”
    “It’s been nearly eight years since the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival massacre changed my hometown forever,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Bump stocks like the one used by the shooter have no place in our communities. I will never forget the events of October 1, 2017, and will never stop fighting to permanently ban these dangerous devices.”
    “Nearly eight years after the Harvest Festival massacre we still do not have a federal law banning these deadly devices,” said Representative Titus. “Bump stocks continue to pose a threat to innocent lives and Congress must act. Without a federal law firmly banning them, federal regulations and court rulings could allow bump stocks on our streets and in our neighborhoods, raising the risk of more mass shootings.”
    “The work to close the bump stock loophole and keep these dangerous devices out of the hands of criminals is critical to our mission of protecting communities from gun violence. This bipartisan legislation strengthens law enforcement and reinforces our commitment to safety without compromising constitutional rights,” said Representative Fitzpatrick, a former federal gun crimes prosecutor and FBI agent. “I will continue working across the aisle to advance commonsense solutions that keep our neighborhoods safe while upholding the rights of responsible gun owners. Congress can and must do both.”
    In addition to Heinrich, Collins, and Cortez Masto, the BUMP Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Angus King (I-Maine), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).
    For a list of endorsements of the BUMP Act and statements of support, click here.
    A one-page summary of the BUMP Act is here.
    The text of the BUMP Act is here.
    The GOSAFE Act
    Regulates Sale, Transfer, & Manufacture of Gas-Operated Semi-Automatic Firearms 
    If enacted, the GOSAFE Act would regulate the sale, transfer, and manufacture of gas-operated semi-automatic weapons by: 
    Establishing a list of prohibited firearms; 
    Preventing unlawful modifications of permissible firearms; 
    Mandating that future gas-operated designs are approved before manufacture;  
    Preventing unlawful firearm self-assembly and manufacturing; and
    Prohibiting machinegun conversion devices.  
    Protects Americans’ Second Amendment Right 
    The GOSAFE Act protects Americans’ constitutional right to own a gun based on a firearm’s established use for self-defense, hunting, and sporting purposes. The bill accomplishes this by including exemptions based on ammunition capacity limitations according to a firearm’s individual class: rifle, shotgun, or handgun.  
    Capacity limitations must be “permanently fixed,” meaning firearms must be incapable of accepting detachable, high-capacity magazines that increase the number of rounds that can be fired before reloading and make reloading easier. 
    Exemptions include:  
    .22 caliber rimfire firearms, excluding any firearm that is based on an AR-15 design 
    Semi-automatic shotguns 
    Recoil-operated handguns 
    Any rifle with a permanently fixed capacity of 10 rounds or less 
    Any shotgun with a permanently fixed capacity of 10 rounds or less 
    Any handgun with a permanently fixed capacity of 15 rounds or less 
    Limits High-Capacity Ammunition Devices, Outlaws Conversion Devices
    The GOSAFE Act limits a firearm’s ability to inflict maximum harm in a short amount of time by directly regulating large capacity ammunition feeding devices.  The bill would limit the number of rounds that these devices are permitted to carry to 10 rounds of ammunition or fewer.  
    Additionally, the GOSAFE Act makes machinegun conversion devices, including bump stocks and Glock switches, unlawful. 
    Creates Voluntary Buy-Back Program
    The GOSAFE Act will protect the value of firearms already owned before enactment and prevent stockpiling of these lethal firearms and high-capacity magazines by establishing a voluntary buy-back program. The program would allow firearm owners to voluntarily turn over and receive fair compensation for non-transferrable firearms and magazines as defined by the legislation. 
    The BUMP Act
    Bans Deadly Weapons That Operate as Machineguns
    The BUMP Act bans the sale of deadly bump stocks and other devices or modifications that materially increase the rate of fire of semi-automatic firearms allowing them to operate like machine guns. 
    Specifically, the BUMP Act amends the federal criminal code to prohibit the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, receipt, or possession of:
    A device that is primarily designed, or redesigned, to materially increase the rate of fire of a semi-automatic firearm;
    A device, part, or combination of parts that is designed and functions to materially increase the rate of fire of a semi-automatic firearm; or
    A semi-automatic firearm that has been modified to materially increase the rate of fire of the firearm.
    Additionally, the legislation amends the Internal Revenue Code to add modified semi-automatic firearms to the list of firearms subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Fresh details emerge on Australia’s new climate migration visa for Tuvalu residents. An expert explains

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane McAdam, Scientia Professor and ARC Laureate Fellow, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, UNSW Sydney

    The details of a new visa enabling Tuvaluan citizens to permanently migrate to Australia were released this week.

    The visa was created as part of a bilateral treaty Australia and Tuvalu signed in late 2023, which aims to protect the two countries’ shared interests in security, prosperity and stability, especially given the “existential threat posed by climate change”.

    The Australia–Tuvalu Falepili Union, as it is known, is the world’s first bilateral agreement to create a special visa like this in the context of climate change.

    Here’s what we know so far about why this special visa exists and how it will work.

    Why is this migration avenue important?

    The impacts of climate change are already contributing to displacement and migration around the world.

    As a low-lying atoll nation, Tuvalu is particularly exposed to rising sea levels, storm surges and coastal erosion.

    As Pacific leaders declared in a world-first regional framework on climate mobility in 2023, rights-based migration can “help people to move safely and on their own terms in the context of climate change.”

    And enhanced migration opportunities have clearly made a huge difference to development challenges in the Pacific, allowing people to access education and work and send money back home.

    As international development expert Professor Stephen Howes put it,

    Countries with greater migration opportunities in the Pacific generally do better.

    While Australia has a history of labour mobility schemes for Pacific peoples, this won’t provide opportunities for everyone.

    Despite perennial calls for migration or relocation opportunities in the face of climate change, this is the first Australian visa to respond.

    As a low-lying atoll nation, Tuvalu is particularly exposed to rising sea levels.
    maloff/Shutterstock

    How does the new visa work?

    The visa will enable up to 280 people from Tuvalu to move to Australia each year.

    On arrival in Australia, visa holders will receive, among other things, immediate access to:

    • education (at the same subsidisation as Australian citizens)
    • Medicare
    • the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
    • family tax benefit
    • childcare subsidy
    • youth allowance.

    They will also have “freedom for unlimited travel” to and from Australia.

    This is rare. Normally, unlimited travel is capped at five years.

    According to some experts, these arrangements now mean Tuvalu has the “second closest migration relationship with Australia after New Zealand”.

    Reading the fine print

    The technical name of the visa is Subclass 192 (Pacific Engagement).

    The details of the visa, released this week, reveal some curiosities.

    First, it has been incorporated into the existing Pacific Engagement Visa category (subclass 192) rather than designed as a standalone visa.

    Presumably, this was a pragmatic decision to expedite its creation and overcome the significant costs of establishing a wholly new visa category.

    But unlike the Pacific Engagement Visa – a different, earlier visa, which is contingent on applicants having a job offer in Australia – this new visa is not employment-dependent.

    Secondly, the new visa does not specifically mention Tuvalu.

    This would make it simpler to extend it to other Pacific countries in the future.

    Who can apply, and how?

    To apply, eligible people must first register their interest for the visa online. Then, they must be selected through a random computer ballot to apply.

    The primary applicant must:

    • be at least 18 years of age
    • hold a Tuvaluan passport, and
    • have been born in Tuvalu – or had a parent or a grandparent born there.

    People with New Zealand citizenship cannot apply. Nor can anyone whose Tuvaluan citizenship was obtained through investment in the country.

    This indicates the underlying humanitarian nature of the visa; people with comparable opportunities in New Zealand or elsewhere are ineligible to apply for it.

    Applicants must also satisfy certain health and character requirements.

    Strikingly, the visa is open to those “with disabilities, special needs and chronic health conditions”. This is often a bar to acquiring an Australian visa.

    And the new visa isn’t contingent on people showing they face risks from the adverse impacts of climate change and disasters, even though climate change formed the backdrop to the scheme’s creation.

    Settlement support is crucial

    With the first visa holders expected to arrive later this year, questions remain about how well supported they will be.

    The Explanatory Memorandum to the treaty says:

    Australia would provide support for applicants to find work and to the growing Tuvaluan diaspora in Australia to maintain connection to culture and improve settlement outcomes.

    That’s promising, but it’s not yet clear how this will be done.

    A heavy burden often falls on diaspora communities to assist newcomers.

    For this scheme to work, there must be government investment over the immediate and longer-term to give people the best prospects of thriving.

    Drawing on experiences from refugee settlement, and from comparative experiences in New Zealand with respect to Pacific communities, will be instructive.

    Extensive and ongoing community consultation is also needed with Tuvalu and with the Tuvalu diaspora in Australia. This includes involving these communities in reviewing the scheme over time.

    Jane McAdam receives funding from the Australian Research Council. She is a member of the expert sub-committee of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Skilled Migration.

    – ref. Fresh details emerge on Australia’s new climate migration visa for Tuvalu residents. An expert explains – https://theconversation.com/fresh-details-emerge-on-australias-new-climate-migration-visa-for-tuvalu-residents-an-expert-explains-254195

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A damning study of online abuse of female MPs shows urgent legal reform is needed

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Cassandra Mudgway, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Canterbury

    Media Whale Stock/Shutterstock

    Women MPs are increasingly targets of misogynistic, racist and sexual online abuse, but New Zealand’s legal framework to protect them is simply not fit for purpose.

    Recently released research found online threats of physical and sexual violence have caused those MPs to feel fearful, anxious and distressed. Some included in the study said the harassment led to them self-censoring, using social media less often, and considering leaving politics early.

    But the current legal framework is not well equipped to address the nature or volume of the online harassment aimed at MPs.

    Serious online threats made by identifiable individuals can be criminal offences under the Crimes Act 1961. Similarly, the new stalking law, expected to pass later this year, will create some protection for women MPs from online harassers – as long as the stalker can be identified.

    Under the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015), victims of online harassment can ask the court for protection from the person harassing them, which can include orders to stop all contact. But once again, police need to be able to identify the perpetrator.

    And that is the sticking point. Online abuse is usually committed anonymously and often by perpetrators using a VPN service that encrypts internet traffic and protects your online identity.

    Also, the Harmful Digital Communications Act was not drafted to deal with volumetric harassment – a coordinated effort designed to overwhelm and intimidate a target through a deluge online interactions.

    These campaigns typically involve a large number of participants who collectively flood someone with abusive, threatening or harmful messages. Reporting and attempting to take action on every single message or comment is simply not practical.

    Some women MPs told researchers the harassment led to them self-censoring, using social media less often and considering leaving politics early.
    Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

    The way forward

    Despite the challenges, there are some steps the government can take to improve the law to better protect MPs.

    Firstly, any new law needs to be fit for purpose. The technological landscape is very different now to when the Harmful Digital Communications Act was introduced in 2015.

    New Zealand should consider following the European Union’s example and criminalise inciting, aiding and participating in mob-style or mass online harassment campaigns. In the EU, the penalty for this can include imprisonment.

    Much of the online abuse originates on social media platforms. But unlike the United Kingdom and Australia, New Zealand does not currently regulate social media.

    In the UK, for example, the Online Safety Act 2023 makes social media companies legally responsible for user safety. Companies must minimise risk of harm (including online violence) when designing, implementing and using any technology on their platforms. Failing these legal duties will incur significant financial penalties.

    The UK’s framework shifts the burden of online safety off the shoulders of individual victims and places it on social media companies which are better positioned to remove harmful content and users swiftly. The rules also alter how new technology is implemented to better protect user safety.

    Dust off past proposals

    Under the previous Labour government, the Ministry of Internal Affairs proposed a new, independent regulatory body to promote online safety, with industry standards and codes of practice. The current coalition government scrapped the proposal last year, leaving New Zealand without a clear plan to address online harm.

    Political leaders should urgently reconsider the Internal Affairs proposal for social media regulation. But they should also go further.

    My research evaluating responses to online abuse in New Zealand, Australia and the UK has highlighted the importance of addressing underlying social and cultural causes of online gender-based violence.

    To effectively prevent online violence against women MPs, a new regulatory framework should require social media platforms to actively challenge and modify harmful gender stereotypes embedded in their services.

    This includes conducting comprehensive risk assessments during the design, development, deployment and use of their platforms.

    While the recent revelations about online abuse directed at women MPs makes for grim reading, it’s clear there are steps the government can take to ensure all MPs feel safe to participate in the political process.

    Cassandra Mudgway is a member of the NZ Labour Party.

    – ref. A damning study of online abuse of female MPs shows urgent legal reform is needed – https://theconversation.com/a-damning-study-of-online-abuse-of-female-mps-shows-urgent-legal-reform-is-needed-254184

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Pillen Holds Bill Signing on the 340B Contract Pharmacy Protection Act

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    . Pillen Holds Bill Signing on the 340B Contract Pharmacy Protection Act

     

    LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Jim Pillen hosted a news conference and bill signing for LB168, the 340B Contract Pharmacy Protection Act. Calling the bill a critical part of healthcare, especially for hospitals in rural communities, Gov. Pillen expressed his appreciation for the work of senators, hospitals and others to get the legislation to his desk. 

    LB168, introduced by Senator Brian Hardin, protects the savings created by the 340B program. Passed Congress in 1992, the program was later expanded to cover additional entities. Under 340B, drug manufacturers that participate in Medicaid, sell certain outpatient drugs at discounted prices to health care providers like hospitals, clinics and federally qualified health centers – places that often care for uninsured and underinsured patients. During COVID, drug manufacturers not only disallowed discounts for medications, but they also imposed burdensome requirements, which are now prohibited through passage of the 340B Contract Pharmacy Protection Act. 

    “This is really important legislation that allows our hospitals – from the biggest to the smallest – to provide the services Nebraskans depend on,” said Gov. Pillen. “The savings from the 340B program have been a critical part of how our hospitals operate and ensures that our patients are getting great care.” 

    Sen. Hardin emphasized that without legislation securing the savings from drug costs, hospitals – both rural and urban – as well as their patients, would suffer, including his own hospital in Scottsbluff. 

    “In fact, the hospitals that are most vulnerable — probably a dozen and a half of the 58 critical access hospitals that participate in 340B — may not see it through another year if they don’t get that help because they operate at a 1.4% margin,” noted Sen. Hardin. “’I’m very thankful for everyone who has stepped forward to make sure this moves ahead. Thanks to all my fellow senators who saw this need.”

    Olivia Little, who directs the 340B program for Johnson County Hospital, explained in detail how the program has been a benefit to her hospital system and its associated clinics.

    “Our hospitals rely heavily on the 340B program to fund services that operate at a loss, like our home health program and our EMS program. While these services operate at a loss, they are vital to patients and community members caring for their loved ones.”

    Tyler Toline, president and CEO of Franciscan Healthcare in West Point noted that his healthcare system had similar challenges. 

    “We have a home health and hospice that loses many hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. We have a nursing home and an assisted living facility that are in that same boat. When you look at the dollars that we get out of the 340B program, it allows us to keep these operations and services going, which are vital to the success of our communities.”

    “Without those rural, critical care hospitals, we are going to lose population,” added Senator Mike Jacobsen, chairman of the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee, which heard and advanced the bill for debate.

    “This is another step forward in trying to preserve the hospitals that are there, so they can remain open and continue to serve Medicare and Medicaid patients, which is where a lot of these dollars go.” 

    “Staff members at our hospitals do amazing work, and I’m proud to sign this bill into law to help their efforts,” said Gov. Pillen. “This legislation will make a great deal of difference for our critical access and rural hospitals going forward.”

    Gov. Pillen Speaking Before Senators, Hospital Administrators, and Guests

    Governor Pillen Flanked by Senator Mike Jacobson (Left) and Senator Brian Hardin (Right) Showing the Signed Bill

    Senator Brian Hardin Speaking on His Bill, the 340B Contract Pharmacy Protection Act

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for April 10, 2025

    ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on April 10, 2025.

    Keith Rankin Essay – Rational Expectations, Intelligence, and War
    Essay by Keith Rankin. ‘Rational Expectations’ is a problematic theory in economics. Here I want to focus more away from economics; and more on the meanings of ‘rationality’ in decision-making, than on the problematic ambiguity of the word ‘expect’ (and its derivatives such as ‘expectations’). ‘Expectation’ here means what we believe ‘will’ happen, not ‘should’

    Location-sharing apps are enabling domestic violence. But young people aren’t aware of the danger
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maria Atienzar-Prieto, PhD Candidate, School of Health Sciences and Social Work, Griffith University The Conversation/Snapchat Location-sharing apps are shaping how we connect and communicate – especially among younger people. Snap Map, a popular feature within Snapchat, is widely used by teens and young adults to stay in

    Tools like Apple’s photo Clean Up are yet another nail in the coffin for being able to trust our eyes
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University Apple Clean Up highlights photo elements that might be deemed distracting. T.J. Thomson You may have seen ads by Apple promoting its new Clean Up feature that can be used to remove elements in a

    Current major party policies fall short for Indigenous communities. Here’s a better path forward
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bartholomew Stanford, Senior Lecturer of Indigenous Studies, Indigenous Education and Research Centre, James Cook University Since the Voice to Parliament referendum in 2023, the Indigenous Affairs portfolio has not featured prominently in policy debates at the national level. As the election campaign continues, there’s yet to be

    Good boy or bad dog? Our 1 billion pet dogs do real environmental damage
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bill Bateman, Associate Professor, Behavioural Ecology, Curtin University William Edge/Shutterstock There are an estimated 1 billion domesticated dogs in the world. Most are owned animals – pets, companions or working animals who share their lives with humans. They are the most common large predator in the world.

    Labor made plenty of promises at the last election. Did they deliver?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Rindert Algra-Maschio, PhD Candidate, Social and Political Sciences, Monash University Election promises are a mainstay of contemporary politics. Governments cite kept commitments as proof they can be trusted, while oppositions pounce on any failure to deliver. But beyond the politics, campaign pledges are also central to

    Australia urgently needs to get serious about long-term climate policy – but there’s no sign of that in the election campaign
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Frank Jotzo, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy and Head of Energy, Institute for Climate Energy and Disaster Solutions, Australian National University The federal election should be an earnest contest over the fundamentals of Australia’s climate and energy policies. Strong global action on climate change is clearly

    1 in 10 tunnel workers could develop silicosis, our new research shows
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Cole, Occupational Hygienist, PhD Candidate, University of Sydney Around 10% of underground tunnel workers in Queensland could develop silicosis, our new study has found. Silicosis is a serious, incurable lung disease caused by inhaling small particles of silica dust. You might have heard about it in

    Here’s how a ‘silent’ tax hike is balancing the budget – with the heaviest burden on the lowest paid
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Murphy, Visiting Fellow, Economics (modelling), Australian National University With just over three weeks to go until the federal election, both major parties are trying to position themselves as Australia’s better economic managers. Labor was able to hand down two consecutive budget surpluses in its current term.

    Our ancestors didn’t eat 3 meals a day. So why do we?
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Richardson, Senior Lecturer in Culinary Arts & Gastronomy, Auckland University of Technology Shutterstock Pop quiz: name the world’s most famous trio? If you’re a foodie, then your answer might have been breakfast, lunch and dinner. It’s an almost universally accepted trinity – particularly in the Western

    Tripped at the first hurdle: fees-free changes could put some students off tertiary study altogether
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wendy Ann Alabaster, PhD candidate, University of Canterbury skynesher/Getty Images The door to tertiary education will likely close for some students now changes have kicked in for the fees-free policy. In 2017, the Labour government introduced a fee holiday for students’ first year of academic study, or

    Europe tops global ranking of dynamic and sustainable cities – here’s why
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pascual Berrone, Head of Strategic Management Department and Chair of Sustainability and Business Strategy, IESE Business School (Universidad de Navarra) London, New York and Paris have been named the world’s most dynamic and liveable cities. This is according to a new ranking of global cities that highlights

    Election Diary: Chalmers and Taylor quizzed on personal flaws during animated treasurers’ debate
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Perhaps the most compelling moment, at least for non-economists, in Wednesday night’s debate between Treasurer Jim Chalmers and his “shadow” Angus Taylor was when each man was forced to respond to what critics see as their personal flaws. Moderator Ross

    Politics with Michelle Grattan: Hugh White on what the next PM should tell Trump and defending Australia – without the US
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra The Trump ascendancy has forced international economic issues and the future strategic outlook onto the Australian election agenda, even if they are at the margins. This campaign – while dominated by domestic issues, notably the cost of living – is

    The Coalition’s domestic gas plan would lower prices – just not very much
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samantha Hepburn, Professor, Deakin Law School, Deakin University A LNG carrier departs Gladstone. Ivan Kuzkin/Shutterstock It surprised many Australians when the Coalition announced a plan straight from the progressive side of politics: force large gas companies to reserve gas for domestic use – at a lower cost

    Can you spot a financial fake? How AI is raising our risks of billing fraud
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Matthew Grosse, Director of the Master of Business Analytics, Senior Lecturer, Accounting, University of Technology Sydney Along with the many benefits of artificial intelligence – from providing real time navigation to early disease detection – the explosion in its use has increased opportunities for fraud and deception.

    Running for parliament is still a man’s world, with fewer female candidates – especially in winnable seats
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elise Stephenson, Deputy Director, Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, Australian National University Despite progress towards gender equality in Australian elections, women remain underrepresented among candidates vying for office on May 3. They are also overrepresented in “glass cliff” seats, which are the ones that are difficult to

    Adam Bandt says the Greens can deliver ‘real change’ – but the party should choose its battles more wisely
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Crowley, Adjunct Associate Professor, Public and Environmental Policy, University of Tasmania Federal Greens leader Adam Bandt says the federal election offers “an opportunity for real change”, saying his party would use the balance of power in the next parliament to help deliver serious policy reforms. In

    Don’t let embarrassment stop you – talking about these anal cancer symptoms could save your life
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Mahady, Gastroenterologist & Clinical Epidemiologist, Senior Lecturer, Monash University sarkao/Shutterstock Anal cancer doesn’t get a lot of attention. This may be because it’s relatively rare – anal cancer affects an estimated one to two Australians in every 100,000. As a comparison, melanomas affect around 70 in

    Gold rush Melbourne and post-war boom: how Australia overcame housing shortages in the past
    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rachel Stevens, Lecturer, Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University As part of their federal election campaign, the Coalition announced plans to limit the number of international students able to commence study each year to 240,000, “focused on driving […] housing availability and affordability”. This

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Mobile hospitals help patients regain vision

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    This photo taken on Aug. 13, 2023 shows the mobile eye hospital “Lifeline Express” in motion. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Lifeline Express, a project that converts trains into mobile hospitals for cataract operations, has provided free surgeries for 240,000 patients in 28 provincial-level regions across China, as well as more than 4,300 operations in seven neighboring countries over the past 28 years, the project operator said on Wednesday.
    The project was launched in 1997 as a gift from the people of Hong Kong to commemorate the city’s return to the motherland. It aims to help cataract patients living in remote and less-developed regions regain their eyesight, according to the Chinese Foundation for Lifeline Express.
    The foundation said the rate of visual improvement after surgery is 99 percent, with a significantly lower incidence of severe complications compared to the average. The cost of a single-eye operation has also been maintained at around 2,500 yuan ($341).
    Over the past 28 years, the fleet of trains has expanded to four, and the number of hospitals dispatching volunteer doctors has grown to 33, said Wang Hesheng, the newly elected chairman of the foundation and former deputy director of the National Health Commission, during an event in Beijing.
    The project has also donated 96 ophthalmology centers in 24 provincial-level regions and trained more than 340 grassroots ophthalmologists in cataract surgical techniques, he said.
    Since 2016, the project has increased its efforts in countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, carrying out 4,360 cataract surgeries for patients in Uzbekistan and six other neighboring countries. It has also donated blindness prevention cooperation centers in four member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
    Wang said that this year, the foundation will strive to provide more flexible and efficient healthcare services, combining the advantages of hospital trains and mobile medical teams to reach remote areas.
    Zhang Xuegao, vice-chairman of the foundation, said the project is expected to dispatch two trains to six cities in the provinces of Shandong, Shanxi, Hebei, Henan and Sichuan, offering free surgeries for 6,000 patients this year.
    The foundation will also send mobile medical teams to five cities and evaluate the condition of two newly built eye care centers, bringing the total number of donated ophthalmology facilities to 98.
    Zhang added that two more blindness prevention centers will be established in Nepal and Tajikistan this year, adding to the existing facilities overseas in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
    The project will deploy its international team to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan from May to October for demonstration surgeries and academic exchanges. Foreign ophthalmologists from these three countries, as well as Nepal, will also be invited to China in the second half of the year to improve their skills.
    As China has recently stepped up efforts to boost cataract surgical capabilities in county-level hospitals, Health Minister Lei Haichao encouraged the project to deepen cooperation with less-developed regions. He emphasized supporting the launch of eye care centers in counties with populations of less than 300,000, upgrading medical equipment and offering training for local medical personnel.
    Lei also suggested exploring the potential of providing on-site medical services via road vehicles and offering online medical consultations, as well as strengthening cooperation with Belt and Road countries in preventing and treating blindness.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Registration rules eased to encourage marriages

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A newly-wed couple attend a group wedding at the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Aug. 10, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    China has revised its marriage registration rules, reducing paperwork and giving couples more flexibility to choose where to register their unions as part of a wider push to encourage more young people to tie the knot.
    The new regulations, the first since the marriage registration ordinance was enacted in 2003, will take effect on May 10.
    Under the new rules, mainland couples will only need their identification cards and a signed declaration affirming they are not currently married and are not closely related by blood within three generations to register their marriages. Previously, they also had to present their household registration books.
    The new regulations will also lift restrictions on where couples can register their marriages, which were previously limited to their places of permanent residence.
    The change is expected to save time and reduce costs, particularly for the growing number of Chinese citizens who live and work away from their registered hometowns.
    One such couple, Zhang from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and her husband, Wang from Shandong province, have spent years working in Jiangsu province. When they decided to marry years ago, they had to travel back to Wang’s hometown to complete the paperwork, a trip that cost nearly 2,000 yuan ($277.50) and required them to take three days off work.
    Experiences like theirs were common under the previous system. According to the national census, 493 million people in China were living apart from their registered hometowns as of 2020. More than 70 percent were between age 15 and 35.
    The shift in regulations came amid a decline in marriage rates in China. According to data from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, 6.1 million couples registered their marriages last year, down from 7.68 million in 2023.
    Experts have attributed the decline to a shrinking pool of people of marriageable age, shifting views on relationships and the rising costs associated with starting a family.
    Many young adults are now choosing to delay marriage until they feel financially and emotionally prepared, a trend mirrored in market-driven societies such as Europe, North America and Japan, where traditional views on marriage have become more flexible.
    In response to these changes, local governments across China have introduced a range of incentives to foster a newlywed-friendly society.
    The eastern province of Zhejiang extended its paid marriage leave from three to 13 days, while the city of Lyuliang, Shanxi province, now offers a 1,500 yuan incentive to women who marry at or below age 35.
    The efforts align with broader goals, as increasing the number of newlyweds is often seen as an important factor in boosting the birth rate. As one of the world’s most populous countries, China is facing profound demographic challenges due to its rapidly aging population.
    In response, the government has rolled out a series of supportive policies, including enhanced childbirth services, expanded child care systems and greater support in education, housing and employment.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Reshaping heritage gives buyers a sense of history

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The morning sun shines through carved wooden screens, falling on the petals of a handcrafted peony taking shape under Li Yifan’s deft fingers.

    The flower is made from a stem of the medicinal tongcao plant (rice paper plant) by the same delicate art that once adorned Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) court ladies, says the Beijing resident in her 40s.

    The tradition continued for more than two millennia to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912).

    “I fix it onto modern hair accessories,” says Li, as she coaxes delicate white fibers into fragile petals through meticulous pasting, folding, and pressing in the softly lit Yuxun Jingxi, a newly opened shop in the heart of Beijing’s bustling Wangfujing area in late March.

    A fourth-generation inheritor of this craft, Li says she is proud to revive the ancient art that few people recognize today.

    Her ingenious maneuver has enabled the ancient art form to gain traction among an increasing number of contemporary consumers, especially younger generations.

    “Before paper existed, our ancestors sliced this stem into sheets thinner than silk,” she says as she holds up the sliced snow-white pith of the plant.

    What makes the material extraordinary is its chameleon-like quality — translucent enough to mimic cherry blossoms when thinly worked, yet capable of layering into the plump curves of magnolias, she explains.

    “They mimic real flowers: natural, biodegradable, and surprisingly durable,” Li says with obvious admiration for the art.

    “The whole production process makes zero waste, as the entire plant is utilized. We grind the scraps to make pigment with pollen,” she notes, adding that the handmade technique hasn’t changed throughout history.

    Every step requires perfect balance. “Hand pressure must be perfect. Too firm and the material breaks; too gentle and you can’t form the curves,” she says.

    “Interestingly, slightly sweaty hands help. Normally, we have just 20 seconds to shape a petal before drying or it won’t hold its shape. But with natural hand moisture, we gain 40 precious seconds for detailing,” she adds.

    With the opening of Yuxun Jingxi, more products from her delicate touch — ranging from floral rings, brooches and table ornaments blending tongcao with modern elements — now gain new attention from the public.

    The store was launched by Beijing Gongmei Group, a leader in China’s arts and crafts industry, with a history of more than 70 years.

    Focusing on integrating intangible cultural heritage and modern consumer needs, the store is designed as a cultural hub that combines intangible cultural heritage workshops, pop-up exhibitions, tea and coffee lounges, and retail.

    This diverse mix of offerings is aimed at fostering dialogues between the legacy of traditional arts and the preferences of today’s buyers.

    “It is more than just a shop. It’s a new commercial platform dedicated to intangible cultural heritage, art and innovation. While rooted in Beijing’s rich history, Yuxun extends its reach nationwide, incorporating crafts and traditions across China. Every product in the store is intricately linked to traditional craftsmanship, forming a diverse and immersive experience,” says Wang Jingjing, one of the initiators of Yuxun, a brand established in 2023.

    Wang says Yuxun Jingxi is the first physical manifestation of the cultural brand and offers a multidimensional space that is “explorable and interactive”.

    The store showcases a variety of heritage techniques and products, with new additions constantly rotating, she adds.

    “On any given day, visitors can witness live demonstrations from artisans, including practitioners of national, municipal, and regional-level intangible cultural heritage, ranging from traditional craft displays to large-scale installations,” Wang says.

    Next to Li’s demonstration table, Weng Xiang, from a Beijing-based embroidery workshop, has bridged the ancient Jingxiu and modern fashion.

    Jingxiu, also known as a palace or Beijing embroidery, originated in the capital city and flourished during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties as an exclusive craft for the imperial court, adorning royal robes, ceremonial objects and palace decorations.

    “We carefully extract motifs from classical pieces of imperial embroidery, then reimagine them with modern aesthetics. For example, our gold-embroidered earrings and brooches are made from repurposed fragments of heritage patterns,” Weng says.

    At the shop, she presents items like a flying swallow pin, which was shaped first through traditional gold-wrapped thread embroidery — a luxurious Chinese needlework technique where real gold foil or gilded threads are meticulously coiled around silk strands — and then stitched the motif onto calfskin backing to create dimension.

    “This transforms a museum-worthy technique into a lightweight, wearable pin. It’s wildly popular because it turns heritage into something tangible and personal,” Weng says.

    The designer has worked with her team to research auspicious symbols and reinterpret them with contemporary relevance.

    “Every piece carries forward ancestral craftsmanship while meeting modern demands for versatility and style,” she says.

    Her team has also used Chinese wordplay to create designs that resonate with younger generations, such as peach patterns for longevity and butterflies for arriving fortune.

    The hurdles in the transition are technical and philosophical.

    A single swallow requires 1-2 days of hand embroidery by masters with decades-long training, she says.

    But the bigger leap was transforming 2D embroidery into 3D wearables. The team has experimented repeatedly to determine which backing materials to use to preserve luxury while ensuring comfort and how to scale craftsmanship without losing authenticity.

    “Before, these stitches were behind glass. Now, when someone wears our swallow pin, they’re not just accessorizing — they’re keeping 600-year-old techniques alive through daily use. That’s how tradition evolves to become relevant again,” Weng says.

    According to brand initiator Wang, while Yuxun initially operated as an online platform, the decision to establish a brick-and-mortar store was driven by the need to bridge the gap between digital browsing and tactile experience.

    “Online, consumers were drawn to heritage-inspired creative products but often lacked the true sense of their textures, materials, and craftsmanship. The brick-and-mortar store solves this by offering hands-on interaction, allowing customers to appreciate the artistry up close,” she says.

    In the future, the shop’s product selection will continuously adjust based on seasonal changes, consumer demand, and emerging trends.

    “The exhibition area will frequently host different types of cultural showcases, from traditional craftsmanship to contemporary art, ensuring that the space remains a living, breathing testament to cultural evolution,” Wang says.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Further appeal for information, Frankton fire

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Attributable to Detective Sergeant Matt Lee:

    Police investigating a fire at a mechanical workshop in Frankton are seeking further information from the public.

    Police were called to the fire on Ellis Street just after 11:20am on Monday 10 March.

    The investigation has progressed well in recent days and Police are asking the public for any sightings of a Grey Honda Civic with the registration KWJ191.

    This vehicle was last seen in the Frankton area on 9 March before it was recovered on Winstone Ave, Chartwell on 17 March.

    We would like to speak to anyone who saw the vehicle, or has any information about its movements between 9 March and 17 March.

    Additionally, we would like to hear from anyone with information relating to the 10 March fire. This includes any photos, videos or CCTV footage on Ellis Street prior to any emergency services arriving.

    Anyone with information that could assist Police is asked to make contact via 105, either over the phone or online.

    Please reference the file number 250310/3418.

    Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: The roadworks housekeeping list: litter-picking, painting, cleaning and road-kill autumn tidy-up

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    Road workers have been busy on Central Otago, Queenstown and Wanaka highways completing a variety of maintenance improvements in the lead-in to winter, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

    While the annual programme includes multiple reseal and road rehabilitation elements, it doesn’t stop there, says Peter Standring, Maintenance Contract Manager for NZTA in Central Otago.

    “Maintaining our roading network is a complex piece of work,” he says.

    Aspiring Highways crews, on behalf of NZTA, have also completed hours of painting, litter-picking, filling potholes, sign replacement, cleaning, rockfall prevention, tree-felling, road-kill removal and much more.

    “All of this work is to ensure the safety of every road user as well as the efficiency of the network. Our crews are out on the road daily and take a real pride in the work they deliver.”

    This could involve cleaning reflector caps on edge markers or painting sight rails, trimming trees to improve sight lines at intersections or removing road-kill from the road.

    “Every possum or hedgehog has the potential to become a pothole if it isn’t removed in a timely fashion.  When the remains break down and decay, the fats and oils soften the seal underneath, potentially creating a pothole.”

    Reflective material on signs is also cleaned or replaced regularly.

    “This is a very important but time-consuming job and not something many people will always notice or consider. All these smaller components add up to ensuring we are keeping people safe on the road throughout the year,” says Mr Standring.

    He acknowledged some of the works resulted in slight delays or temporary lower speed limits. “We always appreciate the public’s patience when the team carry out these works.”

    The NZTA Traffic and Travel page is a good place to check your route before you head off for any planned work sites that could cause short delays:

    Traffic information page(external link)

    How to get details and keep up-to-date

    If there are concerns or questions around these works, road users can contact the Aspiring Highways team at: customer@aspiringhighways.co.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 32 officials punished for department store fire in Sichuan

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    This photo taken on July 18, 2024 shows firefighting vehicles at the site of a department store fire in Zigong City, southwest China’s Sichuan province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    In connection with the department store fire in Zigong City, southwest China’s Sichuan province, 19 individuals suspected of criminal activities are under investigation, while 32 public officials have been punished, the provincial discipline inspection and supervision commission announced on Wednesday.
    The fire occurred on July 17, 2024, in a 14-story building located in a high-tech zone of the city, leaving 16 people dead and 39 others injured. It resulted in direct economic losses of 26.7 million yuan (about 3.7 million U.S. dollars), according to an investigation report released on the same day.
    The 19 individuals include legal representatives of the building management and those responsible for fire protection engineering design, construction and maintenance. They have been placed under investigation by the provincial public security department.
    A total of 32 public officials from various levels including departments of commerce, housing and urban-rural development, and fire and rescue have received Party and administrative disciplinary penalties, such as criticism and education, warnings, removal from office and demotion.
    The accident was caused by unqualified workers using flame cutting to dismantle escalators — an operation organized by the building management — and was compounded by poor on-site safety management, ineffective initial fire response, malfunctioning fire control systems, anterior illegal reconstruction and decoration, and inadequate supervision by relevant authorities, according to the report.
    Following the accident, provincial authorities launched investigations and implemented corrective measures to strengthen workplace and fire safety.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Photo & Video Chronology — April 9, 2025 — More views of Kīlauea episode 17

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Photo & Video Chronology — April 9, 2025 — More views of Kīlauea episode 17

    Episode 17 of the ongoing Halemaʻumaʻu eruption ended at 9:45 a.m. HST on April 9 when low fountaining at the south vent stopped. Fountains from the south vent sustained heights of 50-200 feet (15-60 meters). Overall, episode 17 lasted 35.5 hours.

    This video shows clips from a helicopter overflight and a field visit by USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists to the crater rim to observe the lava fountaining in episode 17 of the ongoing summit eruption of Kīlauea. The lava fountaining was producing a towering outgassing plume above the summit, and was supplying lava into a swiftly flowing channel carried lava east across the Halema‘uma‘u crater floor. USGS video by M. Patrick and C. Gansecki.
    This reference map depicts the Kīlauea summit eruption within Halema‘uma‘u crater that began on December 23, 2024. As of this posting on April 9, the eruption has had seventeen episodes, with the most recent concluding earlier this morning. However, most of the map data included here were collected during a Hawaiian Volcano Observatory helicopter overflight on April 2, immediately following episode 16; for this reason, the provided statistics only reflect the first sixteen episodes of the eruption. Additionally, the collected data were insufficient to calculate the total lava volume for the eruption at that time.

    Get Our News

    These items are in the RSS feed format (Really Simple Syndication) based on categories such as topics, locations, and more. You can install and RSS reader browser extension, software, or use a third-party service to receive immediate news updates depending on the feed that you have added. If you click the feed links below, they may look strange because they are simply XML code. An RSS reader can easily read this code and push out a notification to you when something new is posted to our site.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Member’s Bill an opportunity for climate action

    Source: Green Party

    A Member’s Bill in the name of Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter which aims to stop coal mining, the Crown Minerals (Prohibition of Mining) Amendment Bill, has been pulled from Parliament’s ‘biscuit tin’ today.

    “Christopher Luxon can put his money where his mouth is when it comes to the environment by backing this Bill,” says Green Party MP Julie Anne Genter.

    “My Bill would prevent any new coal mines from being opened while stopping any old ones being expanded. Coal mining turbocharges climate change by releasing huge amounts of carbon into the atmosphere – this simply must stop.

    “If we want to secure a liveable future we need to invest in sustainable, cleaner energy solutions that are proven to be better for people and planet. 

    “The International Energy Agency has said that in order to meet net zero carbon emissions targets there must be no new coal mines. 

    “Continuing to support coal mining, as our Coalition Government is doing, means endorsing a dying industry that poisons our planet and perpetuates the cycle of pollution and environmental destruction which we all suffer from.

    “Coal mining exploits vulnerable communities, exposing them to the harmful boom and bust cycle, not to mention subjecting them to hazardous working conditions that rob them of health, dignity, and a sustainable future. Our people deserve far better than this.

    “I’m grateful to former Green MP Eugenie Sage for starting this work and her advocacy during her time in parliament. Let’s now seize this opportunity to kickstart the move to a cleaner, greener economy – with a just transition for workers in the coal industry at its heart,” says Julie Anne Genter.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Patty Murray, Tina Smith, Elizabeth Warren Reintroduce Bill to Strengthen Federal Funding for Birth Control, Reproductive Health Care Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Senator Murray Statement on Trump Plans to Freeze Tens of Millions in Title X Family Planning Funds for Planned Parenthood, Other Organizations

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Tina Smith (D-MN), and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) reintroduced the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act, a bill that would safeguard funding for Title X – the country’s only federal program dedicated to providing family planning and preventive health services, including birth control, cancer screenings, testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and reproductive health care – following attacks on the program by the Trump Administration last week. Title X clinics serve 4 million people annually, and in 2023 alone, more than 1.5 million visits to Planned Parenthood health centers were made possible by the program. The bill is co-led in the House of Representatives by Representative Sharice Davids (D, KS-03), Judy Chu (D, CA-28) and Dina Titus (D, NV-01).

    “For more than 50 years, Title X funding has helped women across the U.S. get cancer screenings, contraception, pregnancy tests, STI treatment, and so many other services that are critical to helping women—especially women with the tightest budgets—stay healthy and plan their futures,” said Senator Murray. “I’m proud to co-lead the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act—this legislation would give Title X reliable annual funding to provide reproductive health care to more people, meeting a growing need for these vital services. As the Trump administration does everything they can to attack Title X and rip away women’s ability to receive basic health care, Democrats will keep fighting back to protect a woman’s right to make her own decisions about her body and her future.”

    “We are at a time when Americans’ reproductive freedoms are under attack from extremist Republicans – which makes the Title X Family Planning Program more important than ever,” said Senator Smith. “Title X funding provides American women with access to critical reproductive health services. I invite my Republican colleagues who claim to champion family planning services to join us in supporting this commonsense legislation that will protect women’s access to life-saving services and birth control, pregnancy counseling, infertility services, and more.”

    “The Title X program saves lives by making sure people have access to affordable cancer screenings, STI testing, birth control, and pregnancy tests,” said Senator Warren. “While the Trump administration puts women’s health at risk, Democrats are fighting back.”

    The Expanding Access to Family Planning Act is even more crucial as the Trump Administration recently froze millions of dollars in already-appropriated Title X funding, impacting 16 organizations across several states. Planned Parenthood affiliates have lost access to as much as $3 million annually — resources they rely on to serve tens of thousands of patients each year. According to the Guttmacher Institute, the freeze could impact access to care for up to 1.25 million people, many of whom are low-income, people of color, or live in medically underserved communities.

    “In Kansas and across the country, people are being turned away from the only places they can afford to get basic, lifesaving reproductive care — all because the Trump Administration is playing politics with their health,” said Representative Davids. “This bill protects trusted providers and ensures access to cancer screenings, birth control, and STI testing, no matter your income, where you live, or how you vote.”

    “The Trump Administration is denying women across Nevada and the U.S. the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies and their families’ futures,” said Representative Titus. “By fully funding family planning services, we can protect their rights to access lifesaving preventive care, birth control, and other reproductive health services at a time when these freedoms are under constant attack.”

    Specifically, The Expanding Access to Family Planning Act would:

    • Guarantee stable, annual funding for Title X
      • $512 million annually for 10 years, addressing the current funding shortfall and ensuring access to essential services.
      • $50 million in mandatory funding for clinic construction, renovations, and infrastructure improvements.
    • Protect providers like Planned Parenthoodfrom being excluded, as seen under the Trump Administration’s so-called “domestic gag rule.”
      • Reinstate regulations prohibiting discrimination against providers who offer Title X services, ensuring continuity of care for patients.
    • Provide information related to prenatal care, delivery, infant care, foster care, adoption, and pregnancy termination — unless a patient opts out of receiving information on certain options.

    Senator Murray has consistently fought to strengthen and preserve the Title X program, and was a vocal critic of the first Trump Administration’s Title X gag rule and countless other efforts to undermine reproductive health care. Early in 2019, Senator Murray released a memo highlighting some of the negative impacts of the rule and comments from patients, providers, city and county officials, and religious organizations submitted in opposition. Senator Murray is also a longtime leader in the fight to protect and expand access to reproductive health care and abortion rights, and she has led Congressional efforts to fight back after the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Murray has introduced more than a dozen pieces of legislation to protect reproductive rights from further attacks, protect providers, and help ensure women get the care they need; Murray has led efforts to push for passage of these bills on the floor multiple times. Murray also led her colleagues in raising the alarm about the threat a second Trump administration poses to reproductive rights and abortion access in every state, as outlined in Project 2025.

    The full text of the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Work to protect Ocean Beach begins

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Date:  10 April 2025

    The beach has been off limits to public since 2018 when contaminants including asbestos were found on the beach.

    An asbestos removal company has since cleared about 1.2 tonnes of contaminated material from the beach.

    DOC Operations Manager Murihiku John McCarroll says the risk of public exposure is considered extremely low, but ongoing public and environmental risk is not acceptable, and further erosion will deteriorate the landfill – so there is a need to act.

    This next phase is to prevent any future contamination of the site and allow public access to be restored.

    “DOC and Invercargill City Council (ICC) are collaborating to install a rock seawall between the landfill and the beach,” says John.

    “First, waste will be excavated and sorted, reclaimable clean material will be used within the site and the rest will be removed for disposal at an authorised class A landfill. Up to 6,500 tonne of rocks will then be used to build a 90 m long wall to prevent future erosion and secure this significant heritage site for the Bluff area.”

    The coastal protection wall and landfill removal cost is around $3.5m and is being funded by DOC, ICC and Ministry for the Environment (MfE). The work is being carried out under guidance of the Ocean Beach Landfill Working Party which includes representatives from Environment Southland and Te Ao Mārama inc who represent Murihiku tangata whenua for resource management purposes.

    ICC Chief Engineer Russell Pearson said public safety will be paramount during the work being undertaken.

    “With work happening between April and June this year, there will be, at times, no access to the car park and beach areas. Restrictions will be publicly notified as early as possible.”

    Bluff Community Board Chair Ray Fife said he was glad to see progress: “I am pleased this work is now being undertaken after the extensive investigation.”

    Contact

    For media enquiries contact:

    Email: media@doc.govt.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Wyden, Cortez Masto, Warren Seek Watchdog Investigation of Potential Trump Administration Violations of Taxpayer Privacy Laws

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla, Wyden, Cortez Masto, Warren Seek Watchdog Investigation of Potential Trump Administration Violations of Taxpayer Privacy Laws

    New request for investigation comes as Treasury Secretary agrees to leak millions of protected records to DHS, multiple senior IRS officials announce intent to leave agency

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) urged the acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to investigate several reports that the Trump Administration is potentially violating strict taxpayer privacy laws by providing highly sensitive and legally protected taxpayer data to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and personnel affiliated with Elon Musk across various federal agencies. The Senators’ request comes after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signed a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Homeland Security to provide an unprecedented level of access to Internal Revenue Service (IRS) taxpayer data for open-ended investigations.

    “Taxpayer data held by the IRS is, by design, subject to some of the strongest privacy protections under federal law, the violation of which can trigger civil and criminal sanctions, including up to five years in prison. Congress passed these protections in the 1970s after President Nixon weaponized the IRS against his political enemies. These legal protections for taxpayer data apply to all taxpayers and are an essential foundation for our tax system, which requires the voluntary submission of information to the government. Voluntary tax compliance depends on taxpayers having faith that their confidential information will not be used for anything other than tax administration,” wrote the Senators.

    The letter also follows several high-ranking IRS officials, including the acting commissioner and chief privacy officer, announcing their imminent departures from the agency.

    “Immediately following Bessent’s execution of the [agreement with DHS], several IRS leaders announced their resignations, including Acting IRS Commissioner Melanie Krause and Chief Privacy Officer Kathleen Walters, raising further questions about whether they resigned to avoid being a party to a criminal conspiracy to violate tax privacy law,” continued the Senators. 

    “The risks created by these activities cannot be overstated… [IRS] data can be inaccurate because of identity theft, keypunch errors, obsolete address information, and a wide range of other reasons. If DHS relies on the same data to deport millions of people without validating its accuracy, it is likely to end up making grave errors that impact American citizens and immigrants with valid legal status,” added the Senators.

    In addition to Padilla, Wyden, Cortez Masto, and Warren, the letter was also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).  

    Last month, Senators Padilla, Cortez Masto, and Wyden condemned the IRS’ plan to provide sensitive taxpayer information to DHS to locate suspected undocumented immigrants. The Senators also led a letter to IRS and DHS leadership raising the alarm on reports that DHS and the Department of Government Efficiency illegally requested sensitive taxpayer information from the IRS.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Acting Inspector General Hill:

    We write to request an investigation into alarming reports about improper access to tax return information at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Elon Musk’s associates at the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), and others, potentially violating the privacy of every taxpayer. As you know, violations of the tax privacy rules are punishable by civil and criminal penalties, including up to five years in prison.

    Following the abrupt departure of the Acting Chief Counsel and Acting IRS Commissioner on April 7, 2025, Treasury Secretary Bessent signed a memorandum of understanding that gives ICE unprecedented access to return information in an apparent attempt to weaponize the tax system against up to seven million people suspected of being undocumented immigrants. The MOU cites Internal Revenue Code section 6103(i)(2), which permits certain limited disclosures for active criminal investigations individually approved by high level officials, but there were only 30,538 disclosures for all such investigations in the U.S. in 2023 and 14,640 in 2022, raising questions about whether it would be possible for ICE to have a valid reason for obtaining information on up to seven million people.  

    Immediately following Bessent’s execution of the MOU, several IRS leaders announced their resignations, including Acting IRS Chief Counsel Melanie Krause and Chief Privacy Officer Kathleen Walters, raising further questions about whether they resigned to avoid being a party to a criminal conspiracy to violate tax privacy law.  

    DOGE has also sought access to the IRS’s most sensitive systems to create a “mega-API,” that insiders have said is an “open door controlled by Musk for all American’s [sic] most sensitive information with none of the rules that normally secure that data.” This proposed “hackathon” by Musk and third parties could result in the exporting of taxpayer data to private entities and compromise the privacy of millions of Americans. DOGE has also requested an “omnibus” agreement with federal agencies that would allow a broad swath of federal officials to cross-reference benefits rolls with taxpayer data.

    Finally, Treasury and IRS are requiring IRS employees, including employees in service centers who do not have a government-issued computer, to send emails listing five things they did each week to an external email address at OPM without any pre-screening to ensure no return information is included. Agencies are permitted to opt out of this requirement, but the IRS has not.

    The risks created by these activities cannot be overstated. The data in IRS systems cannot necessarily be relied upon for non-tax purposes. The IRS suspends the processing of millions of returns each year and flags millions of others for follow-up because the information in its files does not match what is on the taxpayer’s return. The data can be inaccurate because of identity theft, keypunch errors, obsolete address information, and a wide range of other reasons. If DHS relies on the same data to deport millions of people without validating its accuracy, it is likely to end up making grave errors that impact American citizens and immigrants with valid legal status.

    Moreover, taxpayer data held by the IRS is, by design, subject to some of the strongest privacy protections under federal law, the violation of which can trigger civil and criminal sanctions, including up to five years in prison. Congress passed these protections in the 1970s after President Nixon weaponized the IRS against his political enemies. These legal protections for taxpayer data apply to all taxpayers and are an essential foundation for our tax system, which requires the voluntary submission of information to the government. Voluntary tax compliance depends on taxpayers having faith that their confidential information will not be used for anything other than tax administration. Otherwise, those who value their privacy are less likely to file and pay what they owe. 

    There are already projections that taxpayers are paying $500 billion less in taxes this year, which could be explained, in part, by a lack of confidence that their tax return information will be kept confidential. Experts estimate that this MOU could reduce revenue by $25 billion in 2026 and $313 billion over a ten-year period. If that trend continues, it will undermine the finances of Medicare and Social Security, which the Trump Administration is already dismantling and Elon Musk has said is a Ponzi scheme.  

    While there are procedures by which agencies can gain access to return information, they generally require a determination that the information is required in a specific case for a lawful purpose. IRS employees may not access such information without proper training, and the information cannot be transmitted to another party without proper safeguards. The administration has thus far failed to timely respond to a congressional request on March 14, 2025, for information about the legal basis for the spate of recent requests for access to return data.   

    1. Concerning DHS’s request for return information about ITIN holders, please provide:

    a. A complete unredacted copy of the MOU and any related agreements (including the separate implementation agreement referenced in the redacted MOU);

    b. Any documented concerns raised by any senior IRS officials;        

    c. Any statements received describing the intended use of the information; 

    d. Any parties, officers, or agencies to whom the requester intended to redisclose any or all of the information; and

    e. The legal basis for authorizing disclosures under this MOU; and

    f. The extent to which such disclosures would be unprecedented. 

    2. Please provide any other requests for access to taxpayer or other sensitive information the IRS received from any agency in the executive branch (including DHS, SSA, DOGE, and the Office of Personnel Management) during this administration for return or other sensitive information or access to IRS systems containing such information, which was not subject to judicial review or routinely granted during the last administration.

    3. Please also provide any requests for taxpayer or other protected information received from the President or the Executive Office of the President (EOP) during this administration, including the Office of Management and Budget, DOGE, and Elon Musk.

    4. In each instance described in #2 or #3, please explain how the requestor proposed to use the information requested, the IRS’s response to the request, and the legal basis for the IRS’s response.

    5. Every month until the end of this administration, please provide a copy of any new request that would fall into any of these categories and the IRS’s response.

    6. Please also provide a list of all non-IRS employee(s) currently detailed to, or working with, the IRS as part of DOGE or its affiliates and provide a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding(s) allowing them to do so. 

    7. Every month until the end of this administration, provide an update on any modifications to any of the agreements referenced above to share return information.

    8. Please provide an analysis of the risk that the “5-things” emails IRS employees are required to send to OPM contain information protected by section 6103 or protected by other provisions (e.g., the Privacy Act).

    9. Please provide an estimate of the number of 6103 or other statutory violations the management of the IRS and Treasury are allowing to occur by requiring 5-things emails to OPM.

    10. Please provide information about the nature and scope of the “mega API” and “hackathon” activity, which was reported in the press, including what sensitive data the vendor has access to, how the contract for services was negotiated, and whether there were any violations of federal contracting regulations.

    11. Please provide an estimate of the percentage of individuals who have been given access to return or other sensitive information for the first time during this administration without first completing all of the training that IRS employees are required to take before having such access. Please provide a list of their titles.

    12. To the extent new individuals or agencies have been granted access to return or other sensitive information during this administration, please estimate the percentage who did not properly secure and safeguard such information as required. Please provide a list of any agencies and the titles of any individuals. 

    13. To the extent that improper access or disclosures of return or other sensitive information have occurred during this administration, please describe the circumstances of the disclosure, provide an estimate of the number of taxpayers affected, and whether they have been notified that their information has been improperly accessed or disclosed. 

    Please provide us with this information as soon as it is available, provide us with a briefing by May 8, 2025, and complete this work by September 30, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Joins Colleagues Demanding Answers, Return of Maryland Father Wrongfully Deported to El Salvador

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Joins Colleagues Demanding Answers, Return of Maryland Father Wrongfully Deported to El Salvador

    Following letter, Padilla meets with wife of wrongfully deported Maryland father to advocate for his return

    Padilla meets with Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s wife following his wrongful deportation and ongoing detention in El Salvador

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined 24 Senators in urging Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leadership to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a father who was living legally in Maryland with his family until the Trump Administration wrongfully deported him without due process last month to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. The Administration has admitted that Abrego Garcia’s deportation was the result of an “administrative error.”

    “We write to express our concerns regarding the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, an action which the Administration admitted in a recent court filing was an ‘administrative error,’” wrote the Senators. “It is unacceptable that anyone would be deported without proper due process, especially where an immigration judge has granted the individual protected status that explicitly prohibits his return to El Salvador. We demand that the Administration bring Mr. Abrego Garcia home immediately.”

    “Mr. Abrego Garcia is currently being held at CECOT, a maximum-security prison in El Salvador notorious for human rights abuses, after being deported in violation of the law to the very country where his return was impermissible,” continued the Senators. “And when the Administration makes a mistake as severe as sending an individual with protected status to a foreign prison, it cannot simply shrug off responsibility and allege that there is nothing it can do to reunite him with his wife and child, who are American citizens.”

    Earlier today, Padilla joined Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) to meet with Abrego Garcia’s family and wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, to discuss the ongoing effort to secure his immediate release. Padilla promised to keep fighting for Abrego Garcia so he can be reunited with his family.

    In their letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and ICE Acting Director Tedd Lyons, the Senators called on the Trump Administration to comply with the court order requiring that they facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return. On Friday, a U.S. District Court judge in Maryland ordered Abrego Garcia’s return to the United States, and the Trump Administration’s ensuing motion to stay the order was denied by the Fourth Circuit on Monday. The case now remains pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

    The Senators also asked about ICE’s enforcement policies that may have led to this grave error as well as what measures they will take to ensure such an incident did not happen to others and does not occur again.

    Senator Van Hollen led the letter. In addition to Senator Padilla, Senators Alsobrooks, Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also signed the letter.

    Senator Padilla is a leading voice in Congress opposing President Trump’s mass deportation agenda and anti-immigrant actions and rhetoric. Yesterday, 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 Supreme Court’s decision to lift a hold on removals under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. Padilla previously 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. Last year, Padilla emphasized the dangers and immense economic costs of the Trump Administration’s mass deportation plans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

    Full text of the letter is available here and below:

    Dear Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons,   

    We write to express our concerns regarding the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia to El Salvador, an action which the Administration admitted in a recent court filing was an “administrative error.” It is unacceptable that anyone would be deported without proper due process, especially where an immigration judge has granted the individual protected status that explicitly prohibits his return to El Salvador. We demand that the Administration bring Mr. Abrego Garcia home immediately.  

    According to court filings, on March 12, 2025, shortly after Mr. Abrego Garcia had picked up his son from the boy’s grandmother’s house, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stopped Mr. Abrego Garcia, inaccurately telling him that his protected status had changed. After giving his wife a few minutes to arrive to take custody of his son, ICE arrested and detained him without any further explanation as to the reason for his arrest. ICE then transferred Mr. Abrego Garcia and other detainees to Texas, where on March 15, 2025, they were loaded onto planes and deported to El Salvador. Mr. Abrego Garcia was reportedly on the only plane that was not sent under the authority of the Alien Enemies Act but instead was transporting migrants with formal removal orders signed by a judge. This occurred despite the fact that ICE knew, as the Administration conceded in court, that his protected legal status specifically prohibited his removal to El Salvador.  

    Per court filings, Mr. Abrego Garcia came to the United States in 2011 as a teenager fleeing gang threats in his home country of El Salvador. In 2019, ICE arrested Mr. Abrego Garcia over an unfounded and anonymous allegation that he was involved with MS-13, which placed him in deportation proceedings. The U.S. immigration judge in the case ultimately found that it was in fact Mr. Abrego Garcia who was at risk of being the victim of gang violence. The judge found that Mr. Abrego Garcia and his relatives credibly testified that gang members had been trying to extort his family and recruit him and his brother to join the gang, forcing his family to move multiple times, ultimately compelling both him and his brother to flee to the United States out of fear.  

    The immigration judge agreed that Mr. Abrego Garcia would likely face persecution if deported back to El Salvador and thus granted him a form of legally mandated protection known as “withholding of removal.” Withholding of removal, which may only be granted by an immigration judge, provided Mr. Abrego Garcia the ability to stay and work in the United States despite being the subject of a deportation order. This ruling was made under the Trump Administration in 2019 and was in fact required by law under section 241(b)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act once the immigration judge made the factual determination that Mr. Abrego Garcia faced a likelihood of torture in El Salvador. At the time, the Trump Administration made no effort to appeal the judge’s ruling or pursue Mr. Abrego Garcia’s deportation further. Court filings attest that Mr. Abrego Garcia has complied with regular ICE check-ins, has no criminal charges, and has had no contact with any other law-enforcement agency since his release in 2019.  

    Mr. Abrego Garcia is currently being held at CECOT, a maximum-security prison in El Salvador notorious for human rights abuses, after being deported in violation of the law to the very country where his return was impermissible. Though the Administration has admitted in court that his deportation was a mistake, it alleges that there is nothing it can do to address this injustice, given that Mr. Abrego Garcia is now in the jurisdiction of the government of El Salvador as part of an agreement to imprison U.S. deportees in exchange for financial compensation.  

    Your unwillingness to immediately rectify this “administrative error” is unacceptable. Under multiple Democratic and Republican administrations, the Department of Homeland Security and ICE followed the rule of law and worked to quickly return people who were wrongfully deported, in the rare instances where such “administrative errors” occurred. The Administration’s mass deportation agenda does not transcend immigration law or the need for due process. And when the Administration makes a mistake as severe as sending an individual with protected status to a foreign prison, it cannot simply shrug off responsibility and allege that there is nothing it can do to reunite him with his wife and child, who are American citizens. On Friday, a U.S. District Court judge in the District of Maryland ordered the government to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to the United States, and on Monday the Fourth Circuit denied the government’s motion to stay the order. The Administration should promptly comply with the district court’s order.

    To address our concerns about this matter and to provide clarity on the Department of Homeland Security and ICE’s policy regarding the immigration enforcement actions against immigrants with protected status, we ask that your Administration answer the following questions by April 22, 2025: 

    1. The standard and legal course for the government to take to deport someone with protected status would be to reopen the case, introduce evidence that grounds for terminating the protected status exist, and then allow an immigration judge to make a determination as to their status. Why was that course of action not taken in this case?  

    2. In the past, DHS and ICE worked to quickly return people to the U.S. who were erroneously deported. Why is DHS and ICE no longer following these well-established procedures and practices?   

    3. Vice President J.D. Vance and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt have both claimed that Mr. Abrego Garcia is an MS-13 gang member, but the government was unable or unwilling to provide any evidence to substantiate that claim to the court. Please provide any evidence of Mr. Abrego Garcia’s membership in MS-13.

    4. Given that the Administration is reportedly paying $6 million to El Salvador to detain deported immigrants at CECOT, why does it believe that there is nothing it can do to return Mr. Abrego Garcia to his family in the United States? Please provide a copy of the agreement between the U.S. and El Salvador on the detention of people deported from the U.S. in CECOT.

    5. Are there any other cases that the Administration is aware of in which an immigrant with protected status was illegally deported without due process? If so, identify those cases and explain what, if anything the government is doing to rectify those errors. 

    6. Will the Administration commit to reviewing all of the cases of its deportees to ensure that it has appropriately identified all of the errors? 

    7. What actions will the Administration take in the future to ensure that immigrants with protected status are afforded their appropriate due process? 

    We appreciate your prompt attention to this vital matter and look forward to reviewing your fulsome, timely response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Speaks on Trump’s Latest Tariff Announcement: “We’ve Seen America on a Rollercoaster”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    04.09.25

    Cantwell Speaks on Trump’s Latest Tariff Announcement: “We’ve Seen America on a Rollercoaster”

    Today, Trump announced he’d roll back some tariffs to 10% while spiking his tax on Chinese goods to 125%; 25% on steel, aluminum, autos & auto parts, & other goods from Canada & Mexico remain; On Thursday, Cantwell introduced a bipartisan bill that would reassert Congress’ role in setting & overseeing U.S. trade policy

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), senior member of the Senate Finance Committee and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, spoke on the Senate floor in response to President Donald Trump’s latest announcement that he would issue a 90-day pause on some tariffs while simultaneously increasing tariffs on Chinese goods.

    “While we’ve seen America on a rollercoaster the last couple of days, I think it also is a reminder that we need to continue to play this oversight role,” Sen. Cantwell said. “The best way to do that is to make sure that Congress continues to play a role in this very important policy.”

    Yesterday, she pressed United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on the administration’s slapdash implementation of sweeping tariffs without input or accountability to Congress. Later that evening, she appeared on MSNBC’s All In With Chris Hayes to discuss the chaos wrought by this administration’s tariff policies: “The plan is not clear. The outcome that the President seeks is not clear,” she said.

    A video of her remarks on the floor tonight can be watched HERE; a transcript is HERE.

    Sen. Cantwell introduced a bipartisan bill on Thursday to reaffirm Congress’ key role in setting and approving U.S. trade policy, and reestablish limits on the president’s ability to impose unilateral tariffs.

    READ MORE: The Wall Street Journal: Senators Move to Rein In Trump’s Power on Tariffs

    HEAR MORE: NPR: Sen. Maria Cantwell says there is bipartisan support to rein Trump’s tariffs

    WATCH MORE: Forbes: ‘I Don’t Know What You Think’: Maria Cantwell Laces Into US Trade Rep Over Trump’s Tariffs

    The bill has since picked up 12 additional cosponsors – an equal mix of Republicans and Democrats – and been endorsed by multiple major U.S. business organizations, including the National Retail Federation, which is the largest retail trade association in the world.

    In addition, a bipartisan group has introduced a companion version of Sen. Cantwell’s legislation in the House of Representatives, also cosponsored by equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats.

    The bill restores Congress’ authority and responsibility over tariffs as outlined in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution by placing the following limits on the president’s power to impose tariffs:

    • To enact a new tariff, the president must notify Congress of the imposition of (or increase in) the tariff within 48 hours.
      • The Congressional notification must include an explanation of the president’s reasoning for imposing or raising the tariff, and
      • Provide analysis of potential impact on American businesses and consumers.
    • Within 60 days, Congress must pass a joint resolution of approval on the new tariff, otherwise all new tariffs on imports expire after that deadline.
    • Under the bill, Congress has the ability to end tariffs at any time by passing a resolution of disapproval.
    • Anti-dumping and countervailing duties are excluded.

    The full bill text is available HERE.

    For the past three months, President Trump has been sowing economic chaos across the country with unpredictable and ever-changing tariff announcements. His back-and-forth announcements and actions, which have whipsawed American businesses and consumers, as well as close neighbors and allies, include:

    • On January 31 — citing punishment for failing to crack down on fentanyl trafficking — the Trump administration announced plans to impose a 25% tax on many goods imported into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tax on goods imported from China, then abruptly postponed those tariffs.
    • In February, he doubled down, announcing an additional 25% tax on all steel and aluminum imports.
    • At 12:01 a.m. ET on March 4, President Trump’s long-promised 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% tariff increase on goods from China took effect, causing stock prices in the United States to plummet.
    • Then, on March 5, he announced that automobiles from Canada and Mexico would be exempt from his tariffs for one month.
    • The morning of March 6, he announced that he would suspend the tariffs for some products from Mexico. Then, later that same afternoon, he announced he was suspending most new tariffs on products from both Mexico and Canada until April 2.
    • On March 11, Trump threatened to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum – increasing them to 50% – before reversing himself later the same day.
    • On March 13, he threatened 200% tariffs on alcoholic products from the European Union, including all wine and Champagne.
    • On March 27, he announced plans to impose a 25% tax on all imported sedans, SUVs, crossovers, minivans, cargo vans, and light trucks, as well as some auto parts, beginning on April 2.
    • On March 29, President Trump said, “I couldn’t care less,” if automakers raise the price of cars in response to his tariffs.
    • On April 2, he announced a “National Economic Emergency,” and signed an executive order declaring a 10% minimum baseline tariff on all countries as well as additional tariffs on nearly 60 countries.
    • On April 7, he threatened to impose an additional 50% tariff on China.
    • On April 9, he announced a rollback of his April 2 tariffs down to the 10% baseline across the board, with the exception of China, which he increased to 125%.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford, Colleagues Push for Greater Health Care Access for Oklahomans, the Nation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford

    WASHINGTON, DC — Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and his colleagues today introduced the Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act that would amend a ban put in place by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), once again empowering physician-owned hospitals (POHs) to expand and deliver high-quality care to Medicare and Medicaid patients, particularly in rural communities. 

    “Oklahomans and rural communities across the country need more quality health care options,” said Lankford. “This bill lifts the outdated restrictions that have blocked physician-owned hospitals from growing or opening where they’re needed most. Local physicians should be empowered to deliver high-quality, patient-focused care in rural Oklahoma.”

    “When physicians lead hospitals, patients win,” said Dr. Adam Bruggeman, MD, FAAOS, chair of the Advocacy Council at the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons. “Physician-led hospitals are a powerful solution to the consolidation plaguing our healthcare system. By lifting outdated restrictions on physician ownership, we can drive down costs, improve quality, and expand access to care, especially in underserved rural areas. It’s past time to empower physicians to build healthcare institutions that prioritize patients over profits.”

    “The daily headlines are impossible to ignore,” said Physician-Led Healthcare for America (PHA) President-elect Carlos Cardenas, MD. “Healthcare costs are skyrocketing, rural hospitals are shuttering at alarming rates, and quality and patient satisfaction continue to decline. The status quo is failing us. It’s time to revitalize our healthcare system with a proven solution: physician-led hospitals.” 

    “Across the country, patients in rural communities are struggling to access essential medical care as more rural hospitals are forced to close due to the immense financial strain associated with declining reimbursements and rising medical costs,” said Bruce A. Scott, MD, President of the American Medical Association. “By allowing physicians to invest in and revitalize these hospitals, this legislation has the power to preserve and expand access to critical health care services in the communities that need them most. Physician-led hospitals are known to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care. This is a commonsense solution to a worsening problem. The AMA strongly supports this legislation and urges Congress to pass it as a vital step toward improving health care access for rural patients.”

    Lankford is joined in introducing the bill by Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), John Boozman (R-AR), John Barrasso (R-WY), and Ted Budd (R-NC). 

    Background

    POHs represent less than five percent of the 5,700 hospitals nationwide. However, POHs have a successful track record of providing individualized and innovative quality care, and they meet a growing demand for health care services, especially in rural areas. Seventy-three percent of POHs with a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) overall hospital quality star rating earned three or more stars in the program; 26 percent of them have earned five stars.

    In 2023, Sen. Lankford and Dr. Brian J. Miller published an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal about the importance of including physician-owned hospitals in the litany of quality nonprofit and community-based health care options available to Oklahomans and people around the nation.

    Senator Lankford, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, has also introduced similar legislation, the Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, many times over the past several years.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Current major party policies fall short for Indigenous communities. Here’s a better path forward

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bartholomew Stanford, Senior Lecturer of Indigenous Studies, Indigenous Education and Research Centre, James Cook University

    Since the Voice to Parliament referendum in 2023, the Indigenous Affairs portfolio has not featured prominently in policy debates at the national level.

    As the election campaign continues, there’s yet to be much substantive discussion about how to improve the lives of First Nations people.

    But what do we know about Indigenous policy under a continuing Albanese Labor government, or a new one led by Peter Dutton?

    And more importantly, what does the evidence suggest the government, regardless of persuasion, should do with the Indigenous Affairs portfolio and areas where Indigenous policy needs reform to meet international standards?

    What’s happened since the referendum?

    The government has all but walked away from the Uluru Statement from the Heart since the referendum.

    The statement was the result of unprecedented, widespread consultation with Indigenous people nationwide in 2016 and 2017.

    Anthony Albanese committed to implementing the statement in full. It includes two other principles in addition to the Voice to Parliament: a Truth-Telling Commission and Treaty.

    But the government appears to have no appetite for these matters at the moment. The failure of the referendum is also something the prime minister would likely want to distance his government from in the re-election bid.

    After the referendum in October 2023, the government made a significant change in direction from Indigenous rights to economic initiatives for Indigenous communities. In December of that year, the government began public consultations to investigate how to strengthen the Indigenous Procurement Policy.

    In February 2025, the government announced reforms to the policy. It committed to new procurement targets, with an intention of reaching 4% of all Commonwealth procurement being from Indigenous businesses by 2030.

    There have been criticisms of this policy and the Indigenous business sector however, with concerns about Indigenous identity fraud and misuse of the policy.

    What has Labor pledged?

    Labor has committed to a continuation of efforts to close the gap. This is despite clear deficiencies within the policy to address socioeconomic disadvantage and the growing incarceration rates of Indigenous Australians.

    The government has flagged the potential for more economic based policies instead of returning to the prior focus on Indigenous rights, recognition and truth-telling.

    Labor has also committed to more Indigenous engagement at the international level. This is mostly through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s First Nations Ambassador initiatives, Indigenous foreign policy and public diplomacy.

    What about the Coalition?

    The Liberal and National parties are using the referendum outcome as a barometer to gauge the public’s attitudes towards Indigenous affairs. They are largely opposed to increased Indigenous rights and recognition.

    This has already started at a state level. The Queensland Liberal National Party, for instance, walked back their support for a state treaty just a week after the referendum result.

    The federal Coalition has since been vocal about curtailing Indigenous recognition and placing greater scrutiny on Indigenous funding and programs.

    Peter Dutton has expressed an interest in removing the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags at government press conferences. He also wants to scrap the First Nations ambassador role.

    Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs Jacinta Nampijinpa Price wants the Coalition to audit government spending on Indigenous programs. She also wants a royal commission into sexual abuse in Indigenous communities.



    Read more:
    A royal commission won’t help the abuse of Aboriginal kids. Indigenous-led solutions will

    It’s safe to assume the Coalition will have no interest in revisiting any aspects of the Uluru Statement.

    Dutton has indicated, however, that a referendum on Indigenous constitutional recognition could be reconsidered, if it had bipartisan support.

    But he seems very uncertain on this issue. It’s unclear if he or the Coalition would even support this.

    The direction of conservative politics in Australia is following trends happening in New Zealand. Indigenous rights there are very much in the crosshairs of policy debate and political attack.

    The missing policy pieces

    So what does the evidence say about what politicians should be doing to improve outcomes for First Nations people?

    The first thing to do is come up with a plan. We, as a nation, must move past the referendum result and present a clear roadmap for addressing Indigenous rights and ongoing marginalisation.

    Second, work on implementing the Uluru Statement remains unfinished. Truth and Treaty can still be acted on. The recognition so resoundingly called for in the statement remains elusive.

    And if not a Voice to Parliament, government needs to work with First Nations people to determine a path forward for legislating a representative Indigenous national body that both sides of politics will support.

    The Closing the Gap policy needs also needs massive overhaul. Of the 19 targets, only five are on track to be met.

    The Productivity Commission, which monitors the progress on the targets, has said the program will fail “without fundamental change”.

    Some improvements have been made, but closing the gap in life expectancy and addressing the over-representation of Indigenous people in incarceration continue to be areas of vital concern.

    Finally, Australia has not yet lifted Indigenous policy to international standards. The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) has existed since 2007. Australia officially endorsed it in 2009.

    But, according to the Law Council of Australia, legal recognition of the declaration, and the rights it accords, is only recognised in a “piecemeal manner”.

    This means there is no comprehensive or consistent legal provision for Indigenous rights in Australia.

    And with no Treaty, there are limited safeguards for Indigenous cultures, creating further uncertainty which perpetuates and exacerbates Indigenous disadvantage.

    Bartholomew Stanford receives funding from the Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Current major party policies fall short for Indigenous communities. Here’s a better path forward – https://theconversation.com/current-major-party-policies-fall-short-for-indigenous-communities-heres-a-better-path-forward-253331

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Tools like Apple’s photo Clean Up are yet another nail in the coffin for being able to trust our eyes

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By T.J. Thomson, Senior Lecturer in Visual Communication & Digital Media, RMIT University

    Apple Clean Up highlights photo elements that might be deemed distracting. T.J. Thomson

    You may have seen ads by Apple promoting its new Clean Up feature that can be used to remove elements in a photo. When one of these ads caught my eye this weekend, I was intrigued and updated my software to try it out.

    The feature has been available in Australia since December for Apple customers with certain hardware and software capabilities. It’s also available for customers in New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

    The tool uses generative artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse the scene and suggest elements that might be distracting. You can see those highlighted in the screenshot below.

    Apple uses generative AI to identify elements, highlighted here in red, that might be distracting in photos. It then allows users to remove these with the tap of a finger.
    T.J. Thomson

    You can then tap the suggested element to remove it or circle elements to delete them. The device then uses generative AI to try to create a logical replacement based on the surrounding area.

    Easier ways to deceive

    Smartphone photo editing apps have been around for more than a decade, but now, you don’t need to download, pay for, or learn to use a new third-party app. If you have an eligible device, you can use these features directly in your smartphone’s default photo app.

    Apple’s Clean Up joins a number of similar tools already offered by various tech companies. Those with Android phones might have used Google’s Magic Editor. This lets users move, resize, recolour or delete objects using AI. Users with select Samsung devices can use their built-in photo gallery app to remove elements in photos.

    There have always been ways – analogue and, more recently, digital – to deceive. But integrating them into existing software in a free, easy-to-use way makes those possibilities so much easier.

    Using AI to edit photos or create new images entirely raises pressing questions around the trustworthiness of photographs and videos. We rely on the vision these devices produce in everything from police body and traffic cams to insurance claims and verifying the safe delivery of parcels.

    If advances in tech are eroding our trust in pictures and even video, we have to rethink what it means to trust our eyes.

    How can these tools be used?

    The idea of removing distracting or unwanted elements can be attractive. If you’ve ever been to a crowded tourist hotspot, removing some of the other tourists so you can focus more on the environment might be appealing (check out the slider below for an example).

    But beyond removing distractions, how else can these tools be used?

    Some people use them to remove watermarks. Watermarks are typically added by photographers or companies trying to protect their work from unauthorised use. Removing these makes the unauthorised use less obvious but not less legal.

    Others use them to alter evidence. For example, a seller might edit a photo of a damaged good to allege it was in good condition before shipping.

    As image editing and generating tools become more widespread and easier to use, the list of uses balloons proportionately. And some of these uses can be unsavoury.

    AI generators can now make realistic-looking receipts, for example. People could then try to submit these to their employer to get reimbursed for expenses not actually incurred.



    Read more:
    Can you spot a financial fake? How AI is raising our risks of billing fraud

    Can anything we see be trusted anymore?

    Considering these developments, what does it mean to have “visual proof” of something?

    If you think a photo might be edited, zooming in can sometimes reveal anomalies where the AI has stuffed up. Here’s a zoomed-in version of some of the areas where the Clean Up feature generated new content that doesn’t quite match the old.

    Tools like Clean Up sometimes create anomalies that can be spotted with the naked eye.
    T.J. Thomson

    It’s usually easier to manipulate one image than to convincingly edit multiple images of the same scene in the same way. For this reason, asking to see multiple outtakes that show the same scene from different angles can be a helpful verification strategy.

    Seeing something with your own eyes might be the best approach, though this isn’t always possible.

    Doing some additional research might also help. For example, with the case of a fake receipt, does the restaurant even exist? Was it open on the day shown on the receipt? Does the menu offer the items allegedly sold? Does the tax rate match the local area’s?

    Manual verification approaches like the above obviously take time. Trustworthy systems that can automate these mundane tasks are likely to grow in popularity as the risks of AI editing and generation increase.

    Likewise, there’s a role for regulators to play in ensuring people don’t misuse AI technology. In the European Union, Apple’s plan to roll out its Apple Intelligence features, which include the Clean Up function, was delayed due to “regulatory uncertainties”.

    AI can be used to make our lives easier. Like any technology, it can be used for good or bad. Being aware of what it’s capable of and developing your visual and media literacies is essential to being an informed member of our digital world.

    T.J. Thomson receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is an affiliated researcher with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making & Society.

    – ref. Tools like Apple’s photo Clean Up are yet another nail in the coffin for being able to trust our eyes – https://theconversation.com/tools-like-apples-photo-clean-up-are-yet-another-nail-in-the-coffin-for-being-able-to-trust-our-eyes-253942

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –