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  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Baldwin Votes Down Republicans’ Bill to Green Light Cuts to Medicaid, Tax Breaks to the Wealthy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement after Senate Republicans voted to set the stage for their massive tax cuts for big corporations and the wealthiest Americans at the direct expense of healthcare Wisconsin families rely on, including Medicaid. Overnight, Republicans rejected Senator Baldwin’s amendment that would have prevented cuts to Medicaid that will lead to rural hospital closures and protected rural health care from being decimated in the wake of their deep cuts to Medicaid.
    “Over the last two months, I’ve heard from Wisconsinites in every corner of our state who are terrified about what cuts to Medicaid, or BadgerCare, will mean for their families’ future, health, and finances. I’ve heard from Wisconsinites with cancer literally fighting for their lives, seniors in nursing homes, dairy farmers struggling to make ends meet, and rural hospitals working on tight margins – all of whom have begged me to protect Medicaid,” said Senator Baldwin. “But instead of listening to the 4 in 5 Americans who want to protect Medicaid, Republicans voted  for a plan that puts this essential lifeline for families on the chopping block so they can make room in the budget for tax giveaways to Wall Street investors and big corporations.”
    Overnight, Republicans rejected Senator Baldwin’s amendment to their legislation that would have protected rural health care services from these devastating cuts. Rural hospitals,  already closing at a more rapid pace than in suburban and urban places, depend on Medicaid for financial viability. Deep cuts to Medicaid as outlined in the Republican’s budget could force more hospitals in rural areas to shutter.
    Watch Senator Baldwin’s remarks on why Medicaid is so essential to rural hospitals here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Votes No on Republicans’ Destructive Budget Senate

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    Welch Votes No on GOP’s Destructive Budget Senate Republicans rejected Welch-led amendment to help hardworking Vermonters 
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance and Judiciary Committees and Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, voted against the Senate Republicans’ budget plan early this morning:
    “Since taking office, President Trump has made it crystal clear that he’s willing to bulldoze programs hardworking Americans rely on to line the pockets of billionaires. It’s truly outrageous that Republicans agreed to this cruel budget, which will have disastrous long-term consequences for Americans across the country—from farmers and seniors in Vermont to Social Security beneficiaries and small businesses in Texas. I voted no on the GOP’s budget,” said Senator Welch.
    Senator Welch filed 61 amendments to Senate Republicans’ budget plan. The Senator’s amendments aim to help working families through the affordability crisis, defend vital government services and disaster aid from Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), and combat President Trump’s reckless, illegal agenda. Senate Republicans rejected Senator Welch’s amendment to block tax cuts to billionaires paid for by cutting meals for hungry seniors and eliminating child care services for families.
    Senate Republicans’ budget, unveiled Wednesday, attacks Medicaid, Medicare, and the health care of seniors, children, people with disabilities, and rural patients; threatens Social Security for millions; raises costs for working families and enables President Trump’s trade war; jeopardizes support and health care for veterans; and gives DOGE a greenlight to destroy the federal government—all in the service of paying for Trump’s tax cut to billionaires.  
    Senator Welch offered amendments to the Republican budget resolution aimed to:   
    Address the Affordability Crisis: 
    An amendment to block tax cuts to billionaires paid for by cutting meals for hungry seniors and eliminating child care services for families. 
    Amendments to support federal dairy programs, organic farmers, and young and beginning farmers. 
    An amendment to address the impacts of disasters in rural communities.   
    An amendment to promote innovation, domestic job creation and U.S. competitiveness. This amendment would support Vermont’s growing semiconductor industry and America’s Tech Hubs. 
    Amendments to block the extension of tax cuts for the wealthy and large corporations until all federal services are provided. 
    Defend Federal Programs and Disaster Aid from Elon Musk: 
    Amendments to prohibit cuts to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Weatherization Assistance Program, and to improve rural access to nutrition programs. 
    Amendments to protect and defend rural broadband deployment and promote internet affordability.   
    An amendment to prohibit the elimination of over-to-phone identity verification for Social Security beneficiaries. 
    Amendments to prohibit the reduction or elimination of funding for rural care providers, health centers, and critical access hospitals.   
    Amendments to limit affiliates of the Department of Government Efficiency’s ability to access federal payment systems and personally identifiable information of Social Security beneficiaries. 
    An amendment to protect disaster survivors’ data privacy during any interaction with Department of Government Efficiency personnel. 
    An amendment prohibiting any reduction in disaster response and recovery programs for States and local communities. 
    Combat Trump’s Reckless and Illegal Agenda:   
    Amendments to preserve relations between the United States and Canada, and to prohibit Canadian energy tariffs that raise energy costs domestically.  
    An amendment to block legislation that enables U.S. troops to operate in Gaza to assist in the displacement or removal of Palestinians from Gaza. 
    An amendment to prevent enforcement of the Alien Enemies Act, unless there is a declared war between the United States and any foreign government, or an invasion of predatory incursion is perpetrated. 
    An amendment to prevent the arrest, detainment and deportation of college students and faculty on the grounds they have expressed views the sitting administration objects to. 
    An amendment that would block legislation banning the Associated Press from the White House. 
    An amendment that would preserve United States-Denmark relations. 
    An amendment to address global hunger including hiring aid workers and facilitating the dispersal of aid into Gaza 
    In addition, Senator Welch cosponsored 31 amendments. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Garbarino, Lawler, LaLota, Malliotakis Applaud the Restoration of Dr. Howard as WTCHP Administrator

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, it was reported that Dr. John Howard, Administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP), was dismissed as part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) efforts to reorganize and optimize the department. Congressman Andrew R. Garbarino (R-NY-02), along with many of his colleagues, immediately contacted the White House to urge a reversal of this decision. Rep. Garbarino met with the White House on Wednesday to discuss the impact on the program and the critical importance of Dr. Howard’s leadership.

    On April 5, 2025, HHS reversed its decision, in consultation with the White House, restoring Dr. Howard as Administrator of the WTCHP. Rep. Garbarino, along with Representatives Mike Lawler (R-NY-17), Nick LaLota (R-NY-01), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), who were instrumental in this effort, released a joint statement applauding the decision: 

    “We appreciate the Trump Administration’s shared commitment to caring for our 9/11 responders and survivors. The firing of Dr. Howard and the subsequent impact on the World Trade Center Health Program was an unfortunate mistake, and we are deeply grateful for HHS’ swift action to reinstate him as Administrator of this critical program. The Administration’s continued support of the program is encouraging, and we look forward to working together to address any remaining issues.”

    Earlier this year, the WTCHP faced cuts to staffing and critical grants, which were also reversed following outreach to the White House by the Members.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mike Levin Sounds Alarm Over Potential VA Privatization & Automation of VA Call Centers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

    April 02, 2025

    Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) sent a letter to Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins sounding the alarm over reports that Elon Musk seeks to privatize the majority of federal agencies and their services. This comes on the heels of plans by VA to fire up to 83,000 workers, many of whom are veterans themselves, in order to dramatically reduce VA services and its workforce.

    Additionally, VA plans to fire thousands of workers at call centers across the country that help veterans schedule appointments, access health care, and more. This would lead to the automation of call centers, a downgrade in services, and the inability of elderly and disabled veterans to get the help they need. Rep. Levin is concerned that the firings of VA workers and gutting of call centers will lead to automation and privatization that will only benefit corporations seeking to turn a profit on the backs of veterans.

    In the letter, Rep. Levin demands Secretary Collins to safeguard call centers and prevent the privatization of VA.

    Click here or read the full letter below:

    Dear Secretary Collins,

    I write to express my deep concern about reporting that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is considering laying off employees at call centers and moving to automation.

    Veterans are already facing long wait times and hold times, and these cuts will only further impede access to care. My office receives calls from elderly veterans who are confused about how to schedule an appointment, navigate VA websites, and reach out to their primary care providers. Elderly veterans rely on call center employees to book appointments. An automated answering system would inevitably lead to mistakes and poor service that could be resolved by ensuring there is a person on the other end of the line.

    Two weeks ago, I held a community roundtable in my district to discuss the devastating impact of your proposal to fire over 80,000 employees across VA.[1] I heard from veterans and service providers about how devastating these cuts would be for veterans’ access to health care, disability benefits, and mental health resources. I am deeply disturbed by the lack of transparency regarding which VA employees serving our veterans have so far been fired, the reasons for their firing, and which job classifications will be targeted in your proposed future firings. If reporting is correct and call center employees are on that list, I urge you to reverse course now to help ensure that every veteran is treated with care and receives the help they need.

    It appears to me that mass firings across VA are a first step towards privatization of care and services. I will use my position on the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee to fight against any attempts to privatize VA and gut the workforce that provides essential care, benefits, and support to our nation’s heroes.

    I understand that these staffing plans are still under consideration, and I strongly urge you to reverse course and maintain adequate staffing levels at VA call centers.

    Sincerely,

    Mike Levin

    Member of Congress

    ##

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: VE Day 80 street party applications open

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Last updated:

    Liverpool City Council is waiving road closure fees for residents who want to hold street parties between Thursday 8 May and Sunday 11 May to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

    The Government is encouraging communities around the country to host their own street or home celebrations – with flags and bunting, games, fancy dress, music and dance.

    To help communities get their street party planning under way, the Council is asking organisers to fill in a special online form which can then start the process of getting all the relevant permissions in place.

    The Council normally charges around £3,000 to shut a road, but is making an exception for VE Day events – and will also supply road closure signage and any traffic management cones to be located in and around the area.

    Any resident who is considering hosting a street party just needs to meet some simple criteria:

    The event must be:

    • Organised and funded by the applicant
    • In a residential road
    • The organiser must pay for public liability insurance worth up to £1 million
    • Most residents in a street must agree to the event
    • A Temporary Events Notice is needed if alcohol is to be sold

    Please note: major roads and key bus routes cannot be closed, so please bear that in mind when submitting requests.

    To express an interest in hosting a party, an online form found on the council’s street party page must be submitted. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday 30 April. Full information can be found at www.liverpool.gov.uk/streetparties.

    Other events in Liverpool to mark VE Day include:

    Sunday 4 May
    Beating Retreat on Castle Street in the city centre at 1pm
    A full 50-piece band comprising the Liverpool Scottish Regimental Association Pipes and Drums accompanied by The Scot Guards Association Pipes & Drums, the Wirral Pipe Band and the 103 Artillery Pipes and Drums will perform a selection of tunes, and the Liverpool Town Hall balcony will be dressed with red, white and blue banners.

    Thursday 8 May
    Let the Nation’s Bells Ring Loud at 6:30pm
    The bells at Liverpool’s two Cathedrals and Liverpool Parish Church will lead churches across the city in ringing out as part of the nation’s “Together We Chime” VE80 initiative.

    Illuminated civic buildings
    Key civic buildings across the city including St George’s Hall and Cunard Building will be illuminated in red, white, and blue in the evening.

    Beacon Lighting on Exchange Flags at 9.30pm
    In a moment of national unity, four beacons behind Liverpool Town Hall will be lit as a powerful symbol of peace and remembrance accompanied by civic dignitary speeches and a lone piper. The four beacons will be positioned in locations that mirror the four bunker walls that still sit under the site today. This space was key for operations during WWII, and air for the bunker was provided via a ventilation shaft built into the Nelson Monument on the site.

    Thursday 8 May – Sunday 11 May
    Western Approaches Museum from 10am – 6pm
    To mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day there will be celebrations, talks, singing and games at the former headquarters for the Battle of the Atlantic – and entry for children is only £1.

    Sunday 11 May
    Service at Liverpool Parish Church
    A special VE Day Service will take place at St Nicholas’ Church, providing invited guests a time to reflect and honour those who served and those who continue to serve.

    Cabinet Member for Culture, Cllr Harry Doyle, said: “We’re doing our best to make it as easy as possible for people to hold street parties, and I would encourage communities to get involved in marking this historic anniversary.

    “The series of events during the week will give people an opportunity to reflect on the significance of what happened eight decades ago.”

    Lord Mayor, Cllr Richard Kemp, said: “VE Day 80 is not only a tribute to those who fought for the freedom we all enjoy today, but also a powerful reminder of the resilience and unity that have defined our country ever since.

    “It is vital that we never forget the sacrifices that were made by so many people in our city during World War II that eventually led to Victory in Europe.”

    Guy Lewinsohn, CEO, Ashtrom Properties, which owns Exchange Flags, said: “Exchange Flags is honoured to play a key role in Liverpool’s 80th VE Day celebrations by hosting the lighting of the beacons. As a site which is routed in wartime history and home to the Western Approaches Command Headquarters, where vital naval operations were led against the German U-boat threat, Exchange Flags holds a strong connection to the legacy of VE Day.

    “With our courtyard facing Liverpool Town Hall and the square housing the iconic Nelson Monument, this location serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made for our freedom. As the owners of this prestigious Grade A commercial office scheme, we are proud to commemorate this historic milestone.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN deplores deadly attack on city in central Ukraine

    Source: United Nations 2-b

    Peace and Security

    The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine has strongly condemned a missile strike in Kryvyi Rih on Friday which killed more than a dozen people, including at least nine children, and left several others injured.

    Matthias Schmale said he was outraged by reports of yet another Russian attack on the city, which is located in the Dnipro region.

    “This attack follows a deeply disturbing pattern of repeated attacks on populated areas across Ukraine that continue to kill and maim civilians,” he said, noting that the country’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, was “still reeling” from a massive attack the night before.

    “The cost to families is unbearable. Civilians are protected under international humanitarian law. They are not a target,” he said.

    Young lives lost

    In response to the incident, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called for an immediate end to attacks on civilian areas in Ukraine.

    “We are devastated by the horrific attack in Kryvyi Rih that reportedly killed at least nine children and injured many more, including one as young as three months old,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Regina De Dominicis.

    The missile reportedly struck a residential neighbourhood in the Saksahanskyi district in the early evening, when many families gathering ahead of the weekend, she said, adding that it landed near a playground, tearing through homes, schools and a restaurant.

    “Among the scenes of devastation, parents were seen weeping, cradling the body of their dead son. No child should ever suffer such terror. No parent should ever endure such pain,” she said.

    Stolen futures

    UNICEF and partners are on the ground supporting affected families and coordinating with local authorities to deliver emergency assistance.

    Ms. De Dominicis noted that more than 2,500 children have been killed or injured, and millions of young lives have been upended, since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

    “Every child killed is a future stolen,” she remarked.  “The brutal use of explosive weapons in populated areas and attacks on civilian facilities and infrastructure, which disproportionally harm children, must end.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Democratic Women’s Caucus Leaders Press Kennedy to Unfreeze Title X Funding, Restore Access to Critical Reproductive Care, Meet with Providers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Judy Chu (CA2-27)

    Members express outrage at Trump administration claims that Title X is frozen because it is DEI, stating “A federal program’s ability to provide care to people from historically marginalized and underserved communities does not make it wrong or illegal”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Democratic Women’s Caucus Reproductive Health Care Task Force Chair & Liaison Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Reproductive Freedom Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Diana DeGette (CO-01) & Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Reproductive Freedom Caucus Vice Chair & Whip Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), author of the Expanding Access to Family Planning Act Rep. Sharice Davids (KS-03), and Democratic Women’s Caucus Chief Whip Rep. Nikema Williams (GA-05) sent a letter signed by 155 other House Members urging Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to restore all appropriated funding for Title X providers and coordinate an urgent meeting on the matter. The Trump administration’s attack on Title X is yet another attack on women and reproductive health care. 

    Title X, the nation’s only federal program dedicated to family planning, allows low-income, uninsured, or underinsured individuals to receive critical health care from a diverse network of providers. Title X health centers served 2.8 million people in FY 2023, administering high-quality family planning and sexual health care, including cancer screenings, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, contraceptive services and supplies, pregnancy testing, and other essential health care services. In the letter, the Members ask Sec. Kennedy to immediately unfreeze funds for federal programs:

    “We urge you to restore all appropriated funding for Title X providers and instead invest fully in the program which has helped people access essential health care for almost 50 years. On behalf of our 2.8 million constituents and women across the country who depend on Title X’s services, we also request a prompt reply to coordinate a meeting on this matter. We look forward to introducing you to the providers, community leaders, and patients from our districts who understand better than anyone else the importance of this program. We hope your agency will not be so reckless as to upend nearly half a century of bipartisan achievement and place Title X on the DOGE chopping block without hearing firsthand the consequences of that action.”

    The Members also expressed their outrage at reports that the funding is frozen due to claims that it might support “diversity, equity, and inclusion.” The Members explained:

    “This is another way of saying that this program is used to help people of color access care. Nearly half of the people served each year by Title X are people of color, the vast majority are people with low-incomes and most Title X users are women. A federal program’s ability to provide care to people from historically marginalized and underserved communities does not make it wrong or illegal. To suggest otherwise implies that HHS would determine who is worthy of taxpayer dollars based on the color of their skin. Congress created Title X to address the needs of underserved populations across our country, regardless of background, and it has demonstrated success in doing so for 50 years.”

    Click here to access the full letter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “THE ECONOMY IS CRASHING AND DONALD TRUMP IS ON THE GOLF COURSE”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on MSNBC’s The Weekend where he emphasized that Donald Trump’s reckless tariffs will raise costs on hardworking American taxpayers. 

    MICHAEL STEELE: Joining us now to discuss is Democratic Leader and friend of the show, Hakeem Jeffries. Welcome, sir.

    ALICIA MENENDEZ: Leader Jeffries, while we were on air, you had the President saying this on Truth Social. ‘This is an economic revolution, and we will win. Hang tough. It won’t be easy, but the end result will be historic.’ Do you think he means historic good or historic bad?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, the results will definitively be historically bad. These Trump tariffs represent the largest tax increase on the American people since at least 1968. What we’re seeing is that he is crashing the economy in real time. Costs are going up. The Trump tariffs are likely to result in thousands of dollars in additional costs on the American people in terms of groceries and gas and goods. And at the same time, we’re seeing the retirement savings of the American people plummeting as well. This guy is driving us toward a recession. And this is not what the American people voted for or expected.

    MICHAEL STEELE: Leader, I mentioned in the last hour conversations I’ve been having over the last few weeks with a buddy of mine who is a blue collar worker, been able, over the last 30 years, to save money in his retirement, his 401K. And he has lost about $32,000 in the last three weeks from his retirement savings for him and his wife. Talk to him. What would you say to him? What is the message he needs to hear from you as Leader of the Democratic Party in this hour as he’s watching, they’re now having to recalculate how he’s going to retire because Donald Trump has taken $32,000 out of his life savings.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s very painful. And as I travel the country, these are stories that I am hearing over and over and over again. And that is one of the reasons why we are going to continue to aggressively show up, stand up and speak up against these Trump tariffs, which are doing real damage to everyday Americans. And we’re calling upon both House and Senate Republicans to join us. In the House, all we need on any given bill is basically three House Republicans to stand up for their constituents and act like they actually work for the American people, as opposed to bending the knee consistently for Donald Trump or Elon Musk, even when these two out of control individuals are doing real damage to their constituents. This is one of the reasons why, as we travel the country, Democrats we’re going to continue to engage the American people, have town hall meetings in our districts and in Republican districts in blue states and red states and in purple states, so that we can raise awareness of what’s happening and make sure that these Republicans in Congress are being held accountable for their complicity and failure to act in the best interests of the people they were sent to Washington to represent.

    SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: You know, Leader Jeffries, Congress could do something about this today if they wanted to. Have you, I know that House Democrats are ready to stand up for the American people. And you would vote, is it correct to say, that you would vote in support of taking back the power of deciding tariffs with Congress? You would, that’s something you would support.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely something that I would support. And we have legislative efforts that will intensify this week in response to these reckless Trump tariffs. I know that at least one Republican House Member, Congressman Don Bacon, has also introduced legislation or is planning to to address this. So we’re going to be in conversation with a handful of our Republican colleagues, because Congress can stop this carnage from happening. And one of the things that hopefully will cause some people to change their perspectives. You know, Donald Trump, the biggest lie that this guy ever told was that he cared about you, the American people. He does not. He cares about himself and his billionaire donors like Elon Musk. And as if we didn’t need any additional proof, but at the same time that the retirement savings is crashing, the stock market is crashing, the economy is crashing, Donald Trump is on the golf course? This is what he chooses to do? And so we have to continue to press our case aggressively on the economy, on health care, on social security. And we’ll continue to do just that.

    ALICIA MENENDEZ: He’s on the golf course to the tune of $26 million, Symone. Taxpayer dollars.

    SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: A lot of I mean, truly like bleeding the American people dry while their 401ks and pensions are plummeting. I just have to have to ask then. So Don Bacon, my Congressman, I’m from Nebraska. He represents district two. He is a very vulnerable Republican that could lose his seat next November. What about the Speaker? Has he indicated a willingness, because it’s about the people like Michael talked about. I’m also thinking about the small business owners, the taxes on food and beverage, the restaurants. I mean, I went out last night and I had to order some champagne because I didn’t know if I’d be able to get it three months from now given what Donald Trump is doing to this economy.

    MICHAEL STEELE: Oh you would normally order champagne.

    SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: Here you go.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: It does. I think one of the challenges that we’ll continue to have is that Republican leadership has shown no willingness to stand up to Donald Trump and his administration. But that doesn’t mean we can’t find rank and file Republicans to do it, joining us with a unified Democratic opposition, particularly as the pressure continues to intensify on them. They’ve already taken so many different reckless votes as it relates to the budget resolution that initially passed in the House. That’s the largest Medicaid cut in American history. Now they’re trying to dismantle Social Security, undermining veterans benefits, literally trying to take food out of the mouths of babies by cutting nutritional assistance. And what is this all being done for? To enact a massive tax break for billionaire donors like Elon Musk? The whole thing is a Ponzi scheme. That’s the Ponzi scheme that is being visited upon the American people right now.

    ALICIA MENENDEZ: Just to put a finer point on what you have just said. There seems to be disagreement among Republicans in the two chambers about how to proceed on this question of the budget. Let me read you this from The Hill: ‘The budget debate revealed the biggest looming fight between Senate and House Republicans is over Medicaid. House Republicans have slated the program for tens of billions of dollars in cuts, something that several Republican senators have warned they would oppose in any final reconciliation bill.’ Where is this headed, Leader Jeffries?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, we’re going to continue to stand up for the health care of the American people and point out that what House Republicans have already voted to do, and have not walked away from, is a potential Medicaid cut of up to $880 billion. Here’s what this means. Children will be devastated. Women will be devastated. Older Americans will be devastated. Everyday Americans with disabilities are going to be devastated. Hospitals and nursing homes and community health clinics are going to close. That affects people who are on Medicaid, almost 90 million Americans, but also people who get their health insurance in other forms, because if the hospital closes, it doesn’t matter whether you’re on Medicaid or not, you are going to be hurt. And so we will continue to be very clear that these Medicaid cuts are completely and totally unacceptable. I think the Senate Democrats have done exactly the same thing as this process unfolds. And we’re going to work as hard as we can to find just a handful of Republicans who are now on the run on this Medicaid issue to do the right thing by their constituents.

    MICHAEL STEELE: Congressman, we have been talking about voting in the last hour or so minutes and the the reality of it is, we saw how Republicans, under Elon’s leadership and the president’s backing, dropped $26 million dollars into a race to try to convince voters to go with a MAGA candidate. They rejected it. We saw Democrats close the gap in Florida in two congressional districts, which are are R +30. Democrats took 14 points to 17 points off, respectively, closing that gap. So there’s momentum there, but there’s something even a little bit more close to the ground relative to your chamber. You’ve now threatened a lawsuit in the state of Texas over a delayed Texas special election, noting the Houston area district, Texas 18, which is a predominantly Hispanic and Black population, has now had its previous two members die in office, could go as long as seven months without representation in this Congress, unless the governor calls an emergency election. Talk to us about what’s happening there in terms of those two seats and why you think there’s an effort to stall this to get passed this Congress.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Thank you, Michael, for that question. The Honorable Sylvester Turner, who was a great public servant, former Mayor of Houston, sworn into Congress this year on January 3rd, unexpectedly and tragically passed on March 5th, exactly one month ago. He was funeralized during his homegoing service on March 15th. Yet weeks have passed, and the governor of Texas is conspiring with House Republicans to keep the seat vacant. Why? Because they are on the run legislatively, and they know their margins are tight, and they’re trying to do everything they can to rig the system in order to jam their GOP tax scam down the throats of the American people and in the process, take away health care from everyday Americans and do a bunch of damage. This is what this is all about. There’s no reason that the governor of Texas has not called a special election over the last few weeks. It’s a fraudulent scheme, and it’s connected to what we’re seeing taking place all over the country, including in North Carolina right now. By the way, North Carolina is a particularly bad actor because the three seats that Republicans took away from Democrats in North Carolina, they were extreme partisan gerrymandering in the middle of the decade, after redistricting had already taken place, and it was sanctioned by this right-wing Supreme Court. Those three seats actually make the difference between Democrats being in the majority right now and the House Republicans. And so that’s a bad lesson that they’ve learned and they’re not going to walk away from it which is why we have to continue to raise the alarm, mobilize the American people and then hold them responsible, accountable for their anti-democratic actions.

    ALICIA MENENDEZ: Very quickly sir then, are you concerned that Republicans across the board in key districts across the country will attempt to deny Democrats and frankly, you the Speakership, if you are successful in November. If the numbers from Florida hold, I mean, dropping a +30 district and a Republican only winning it by 15, 14, 17 points. That to me feels dangerous. So are you concerned that they might try to steal the election? And are you all prepared?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Yes. We have to be incredibly vigilant across the board to call out their schemes well in advance, which will help stop them. From the standpoint of public sentiment, from engaging in it, this is one of the reasons why the Wisconsin State Supreme Court race was so critical, because that’s a battleground state for next November, let alone in 2028. At least two competitive congressional seats in Wisconsin. And we got to make sure that we are protecting the integrity of the courts all across the country and in many of the battleground states where this next election will be decided, you do have enlightened State Supreme Courts. So that’s the good news. We’re also suing Donald Trump, I’m suing him personally, along with Leader Schumer, House Democrats, Senate Democrats, the Democratic Governors Association and the Democratic National Committee, all of us together to make sure that we can get his executive order, which is all about voter suppression, declared unlawful and unconstitutional. And I believe we’ll be successful in doing just that.

    MICHAEL STEELE: All right. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you, sir, for your time. Really appreciate it.

    Full interview can be watched here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper Votes Against Republicans’ Budget Plan

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

    Republicans’ national budget will increase prices for Coloradans, gut critical services, increase the deficit, and give tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy

    Republicans voted down Hickenlooper-led amendments to protect funding for Medicaid, Social Security


    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper released the following statement after he voted against Republicans’ Senate Budget Resolution:

    “The Republicans’ budget is a nightmare for working Americans. We’re game to make government more cost-effective and lower taxes for working families – this does the opposite,” said Hickenlooper. “Higher costs from the grocery store to the gas tank. Cuts to Americans’ health care. Increasing the national debt. All so Republicans can hand out tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy.” 

    Hickenlooper voted “No” on the budget resolution after Republicans voted down critical Democratic-led amendments to lower the cost of living and prevent cuts to Medicaid, Social Security, and veterans’ benefits. 

    Hickenlooper led a group of Western senators to introduce an amendment to protect public lands from being sold to pay for Republicans’ tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy. Watch his full remarks about his amendment HERE.

    “Their tax handouts for the wealthy are so large – and so important – that some are willing to plunder our public lands,” said Hickenlooper. “So let’s be clear: Our public lands are not for sale.”

    Hickenlooper also spoke on the floor yesterday about the Trump administration’s tariffs and Republican-led proposals that would harm small businesses and raise prices for working Americans. Watch his full remarks HERE.

    “The bottom line is that these tariff taxes will lead to higher costs, they’re going to hurt small businesses, and I think ultimately they’re going to increase unemployment,” said Hickenlooper. “I don’t think that I could find anyone in Colorado [who] would say that this is what they were voting for in the last election.”

    In total, Hickenlooper introduced and joined 17 amendments to the 2025 Senate Budget Resolution to oppose Republican provisions that would harm Coloradans, including:

    Lowering Costs for Americans

    • Lower the Cost of Energy: Safeguards the low cost of energy by preventing the administration from repealing energy tax credits, imposing energy tariffs, or blocking congressionally appropriated funding for new clean energy generation and energy infrastructure investments.
    • Prevent Tariff Price Increases: Ensures the budget doesn’t increase the cost of food, medical equipment, building materials, automobiles, or other essential products for Americans as a result of the Trump administration’s tariffs.

    Protecting Critical Health Care

    • Prevent Cuts to Medicaid: Opposes cuts to Medicaid which would lead to benefit cuts, coverage loss, and slashed provider payments.
    • Medicaid in Nursing Homes: Ensures the budget resolution does not reduce funding for Medicaid, which provides coverage for more than 60% of residents in nursing homes.
    • Safeguard Healthcare for Veterans: Reverses Trump administration workforce cuts and fills frontline vacancies at the Veterans Health Administration, particularly personnel who provide health care to veterans in rural communities.

    Protecting Safety Net Programs

    • Protect Social Security Benefits in Rural Areas: Provides funding to protect senior citizen’s access to Social Security benefits by keeping Social Security Administration field offices open and sufficiently staffed to provide customer service.
    • Protect Social Security: Establishes a deficit neutral fund to both expand Social Security benefits and promote the long-term solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund.
    • Prevent Cuts to Safety Net Services: Opposes any legislation that cuts  the Social Services Block Grant and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) which provide essential services for children, families, and seniors including Meals on Wheels, Head Start, and other child care assistance.

    Protecting Public Lands

    • Support Public Lands Workforce: Requires the federal government to maintain a sufficient workforce to support recreational access and land management on Department of the Interior lands, including for the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management.
    • Protect Against Wildfire and Drought: Establishes a deficit-neutral reserve fund for sufficient resources to address western drought, including for water supply availability and wildfire risk.

    Supporting Unions

    • Protect Collective Bargaining: Establishes a deficit-neutral reserve fund to help stop future attempts to undermine or attack federal employees’ collective bargaining agreements or their ability to unionize.

    Budget resolutions guide federal spending and revenue policies for the year. This is the second budget resolution the Senate has voted on during the reconciliation process. Hickenlooper voted against the first package in February. The Senate and the House must pass identical versions of the budget for the reconciliation bill to become law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock Fights to Amend GOP Tax Bill to Prevent Cuts to Medicaid Benefits; Moral Effort Voted Down by Senate GOP 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock Fights to Amend GOP Tax Bill to Prevent Cuts to Medicaid Benefits; Moral Effort Voted Down by Senate GOP 

    Senator Reverend Warnock offered a bipartisan amendment to the Senate GOP budget resolution that would prevent cuts to Medicaid if it hurt benefits or services

    The Senate GOP budget resolution would cut $880 billion from Medicaid

    President Trump claimed he would not sign any GOP tax bill that would cut Medicaid benefits, echoing the sentiments of Washington Republicans

    However, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found GOP plans to cut Medicaid could not be achieved without “major cuts to Medicaid”   

    The amendment failed 48-51

    WATCH: Senator Reverend Warnock fights to amend GOP tax bill

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) fought to amend the Senate GOP budget resolution to guarantee that cuts to Medicaid would not impact benefits or services, decrease coverage, or slash provider payments. Although Washington Republicans claimed the proposed $880 billion Medicaid cuts would target waste, fraud, and abuse rather than benefits, GOP Senators failed to back up their words with any action. By voting down the Senator’s amendment, Washington Republicans are leaving the health care of Medicaid recipients, including 1.3 million Georgia children, on the chopping block.

    “My colleagues have claimed their proposal to cut up to $880 billion from Medicaid is just cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. So, here’s their chance to back up their words with action,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.“If they are so confident that they can cut $880 billion from Medicaid without children, without seniors, or the severely disabled losing benefits or coverage, then they should vote for my amendment. But if my amendment is voted down, it is a sad admission that my colleagues value the financial health of the richest of the rich over the physical health of millions of children and seniors.”

    Senator Reverend Warnock has long championed efforts to expand affordable health care access, starting with his advocacy to close the health care coverage gap in Georgia. In addition to pushing for solutions to close the coverage gap, the Senator is committed to preserving and protecting access to health care for millions of Georgians.

    Full remarks can be watched HERE and found below:

    Mr. President, I know we assert this a lot around here, but I really rise to offer a very simple amendment: no cuts in Medicaid benefits, no cuts in Medicaid coverage.

    My colleagues have claimed their proposal to cut up to $880 billion from Medicaid is just cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. So, here’s their chance to back up their words with action.

    If they are so confident that they can cut $880 billion from Medicaid without children, without seniors, or the severely disabled losing benefits or coverage, then they should vote for my amendment. 

    But if my amendment is voted down, it is a sad admission that my colleagues value the financial health of the richest of the rich over the physical health of millions of children and seniors. 

    I urge my colleagues to support my amendment with Senator Kelly and others.  

    ….

    I notice that my colleague from Idaho did not say that they will not cut coverage, if the Senator believes they can do this without kicking a single person off Medicaid, you should vote for my amendment. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Rubio delivers remarks to the press

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Secretary of State Marco A. Rubio delivers remarks to the press in Brussels, Belgium, on April 4, 2025.

    Transcript: https://www.state.gov/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-remarks-to-press-2/
    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    X: https://x.com/StateDept
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    Subscribe to the State Department Blog: https://www.state.gov/blogs
    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
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    Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xu4F76pENC0

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: No-cost abortions now accessible at more Canberra locations

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Greater access to no-cost abortions will assist women and people who can become pregnant to be in control of and make informed decisions about their health care.

    The ACT’s accessible abortions scheme has expanded to include no-cost medical abortions at selected general practices in the ACT.

    The ACT Government is committed to removing the financial barrier to Canberrans in need of abortion services.

    Providing no-cost abortions at more locations will assist women and people who can become pregnant to be in control of, and make informed decisions about, their health care based on what is best for them and their circumstances.

    No-cost medical and surgical abortions have been available since April 2023 at MSI Australia in Civic. This is part of an investment to provide all ACT residents, including those without a Medicare card, access to free abortion services.

    The ACT Government has now partnered with Women’s Health Matters to support two general practices that offer no-cost medical abortions.

    Other providers may participate in the future, providing more options for Canberrans.

    People who access these general practice services will also be able to access pathology, imaging and pharmacy services at no cost from participating providers.

    This will ensure the entire abortion process can be provided at no cost to the client.

    “Providing additional no-cost medical abortion options, in different regions of Canberra and through different providers, gives women and gender-diverse people more choices over their reproductive health care,” Women’s Health Matters CEO Lauren Anthes said.

    “We have heard that it can be difficult to know where to go when you need a medical abortion in Canberra. Having a publicly available list of no-cost, non-judgmental and pro-choice providers will make it easier for women and gender-diverse people to find the care that they need.”

    Access to safe, timely and free abortion services allows Canberrans to obtain appropriate, safe and timely care, and avoid potential detrimental impacts to their mental and physical health and wellbeing.

    Medical abortions are available up to nine weeks gestation. MSI Australia will also continue to provide no-cost medical abortions up to nine weeks, and surgical abortions up to 16 weeks gestation.

    Free long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) will also be offered for free at the time of abortion at both MSI Australia and participating GPs.

    For more information on participating providers, visit www.womenshealthmatters.org.au/resources/no-cost-abortion-services.

    Get ACT news and events delivered straight to your inbox, sign up to our email newsletter:


    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AFSCME’s Saunders: As the economy sinks, senators vote to further enrich billionaires

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

    WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement after the Senate passed a budget plan that opens the door to massive cuts to public services including Medicaid:

    “Working people are watching their hard-earned retirement savings vanish and millions of families are bracing for skyrocketing grocery bills and higher everyday expenses. Instead of offering a solution, the Senate’s response to this Trump-induced chaos is to cut public services and give billionaires massive tax handouts – completely ignoring the dire situation their constituents are facing. 

    “Tearing Medicaid coverage away from millions of people, gutting food assistance and affordable childcare, and shredding the social safety net as our economy careens towards a potential recession is a recipe for disaster. 

    “If the Senate won’t protect our states, cities and towns from billionaire robber barons, AFSCME members are ready to step up and fight. We will be making our voices heard at events across the country and joining together to save the jobs and vital public services our communities depend on.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lake Pleasant — Lunenburg District RCMP responds to sudden deaths

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Lunenburg County District RCMP, along with the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service, is investigating the sudden deaths of two people.

    On April 4, at approximately 1:10 p.m., RCMP officers responded to a report of a sudden death on a trail in Lake Pleasant. Upon arrival at the scene, officers located an 84-year-old woman deceased. Shortly after, the remains of an 85-year-old man were found nearby.

    At this time, the deaths are not believed to be suspicious. However, the investigation is ongoing with the assistance of Annapolis District RCMP, RCMP Digital Forensic Services and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service.

    Our thoughts are with the victims’ family and the community.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Election Diary: Albanese promises 30% discount on household batteries in latest energy bill help

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    In the government’s latest initiative on energy prices, Anthony Albanese on Sunday will promise that if re-elected, Labor will reduce the cost of installing a typical home battery by 30% from July 1.

    This would cut about $4,000 from the upfront cost of an 11.5 kWh battery, which is the typical household size.

    Small businesses and community facilities would be eligible for the discount, as well as households.

    The government says the discount would save a household with existing rooftop solar panels up to $1,100 off their power bill every year. For those with new solar panels and battery, the saving would be up to $2,300 annually – up to 90% of a typical power bill.

    More than one million installations would be expected by 2030 under the measure. The initiative would cost an estimated $2.3 billion over the forward estimates, including in the 2025-26 budget.

    The discount would be applied on installing virtual power plant-ready battery systems beside new or existing rooftop solar until 2030. The absolute value of the discount would decline over the five years in line with the expected fall in the cost of batteries.

    Albanese said the measure was “good for power bills and good for the environment”.

    Labor’s number one priority is delivering cost-of-living relief. That’s why we want to make sure Australians have access to cheaper, cleaner energy.

    Energy Minister Chris Bowen said:

    The contrast is clear – a re-elected Albanese government will take pressure off household energy bills, while Peter Dutton’s Liberals will spend $600 billion on a nuclear plan that drives power bills up.

    Mixing politics and sport can be risky on campaign trail

    For the second election campaign in a row, a Liberal leader has claimed a victim on the football field.

    At least, some relieved Liberals might be saying, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton felled a member of the media, not a child.

    Dutton, campaigning in Darwin on Saturday with a few million dollars in hand to promise for the local footy ground, was happy to have a kick with kids for the cameras.

    But the ball hit a TV camera, which went into the face of Channel Ten cameraman Ghaith Nadir. A federal policeman helped with a bandage for Nadir’s forehead. Dutton promised a compensatory beer.

    In the 2022 campaign, Prime Minister Scott Morrison joined some youngsters in their junior soccer training.

    Becoming rather too competitive, Morrison crashed into a boy, and they both ended on the ground. It made for plenty of jokes about the man who’d admitted in the campaign that “I can be a bit of a bulldozer”. The clip was replayed again and again.

    After Saturday’s incident, Dutton quipped, “If the prime minister kicked it, he would have told you that it didn’t hit anyone”.

    Last week, Albanese stepped back off a stage, appearing to fall, during an event. He later insisted he hadn’t fallen. “I stepped back onto a step, I didn’t fall off the stage,” he said. “Just one leg went down, and I was sweet.”

    Way back in 1984, there was another unfortunate incident on the sporting field during a campaign. That time, the perpetrator was a journalist and the victim was Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

    Hawke had called an election a few days before playing in a cricket match against the parliamentary press gallery. A ball from Gary O’Neill, a journalist with the Melbourne Herald, caught the edge of Hawke’s bat and smashed into his glasses.

    Hawke went to the Canberra Hospital, where (after he jumped the queue) a patch was put on his eye. He returned to the match, watching from the sidelines.

    At least he scored 27 before the incident. However, the accident set him back for the early days of what was an eight-week campaign.

    Over the years there are plenty of examples of leaders losing their (physical) footing.

    A few months before the 2007 election, Prime Minister John Howard tripped and fell on his hands on the way to a radio interview in Perth.

    Visiting India in 2012, Prime Minister Julia Gillard tumbled when her shoe got stuck in grass. She explained:

    For men who get to wear flat shoes all day every day, if you wear a heel it can get embedded in soft grass and when you pull your foot out the shoe doesn’t come.

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

    – ref. Election Diary: Albanese promises 30% discount on household batteries in latest energy bill help – https://theconversation.com/election-diary-albanese-promises-30-discount-on-household-batteries-in-latest-energy-bill-help-253736

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Video: What Makes a True Leader & 2024’s Extreme Weather Events | WEF | Top Stories Week

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    This week’s top stories of the week include:

    0:15 What makes a true leader? – Platon is known for his portraits of the world’s most powerful people. Over the past 30 years, he has photographed presidents and celebrities, as well as dictators. But despite his time spent in the world’s corridors of power, Platon’s own idea of leadership comes from a much humbler context. A hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    3:17 These cities gain wetland status – Urban wetlands perform critical jobs, from safeguarding against floods to filtering water, sequestering carbon, and enhancing biodiversity. But development and pollution can place wetlands under pressure. The Wetland Accreditation Scheme was created in 2015 to encourage cities to commit to protecting their wetlands through policy changes and conservation efforts.

    4:54 2024 extreme weather status – Floods, storms and heatwaves caused extraordinary destruction and disruption, displacing hundreds of thousands of people. The World Meteorological Organization lists 151 events that were worse than ever seen before. Temperatures soared to 49.9°C in Western Australia’s outback, record rains battered Spain, sparking floods and landslides, the Philippines saw 6 typhoons in a single month.

    6:34 How space affects human health – Astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore were meant to spend 8 days on the International Space Station, but a spacecraft malfunction left them in orbit for 9 months. Their time in space will have affected their bodies in many ways and medical scientists are taking note.

    _____________________________________________

    The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

    World Economic Forum Website ► http://www.weforum.org/
    Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/
    YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/wef
    Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/worldeconomicforum/ 
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    Flipboard ► https://flipboard.com/@WEF

    #WorldEconomicForum

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgSCBjY_Wjs

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-Evening Report: 100 children killed or wounded every day since Gaza ceasefire broken

    Asia Pacific Report

    The chief of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has described Gaza as “no land” for children, as two rallies were held in New Zealand’s largest city Auckland today to mark Palestine Children’s Day.

    Citing the UN agency for children UNICEF, Phillipe Lazzarini said that “at least 100 children are reported killed or injured every day in Gaza” since Israel broke the truce with Hamas on March 18.

    “The ceasefire at the beginning of the year gave Gaza’s children a chance to survive and be children,” said Lazzarini, who is Commissioner-General of UNRWA.

    “The resumption of the war is again robbing them of their childhood. The war has turned Gaza into a ‘no land’ for children. This is a stain on our common humanity.

    The two Auckland Palestinian solidarity events today marking April 5 — one a children’s activities gathering in Albert Park and the other a regular weekly rally at “Palestine Corner” in downtown Te Komititanga Square — were among 25 activist happenings across the country on week 78 of continuous protests.

    In Albert Park, one of the organisers said the children “had lots of fun — painting, drawing, listening to stories, making collages, playing games with Palestinian themes and some families had picnics.”

    In “Palestine Corner”, several teachers spoke of the realities of the genocide in Gaza, protesters carried placards with photos and names of children killed by the Israeli bombing, while children coloured pictures and blew bubbles.

    Adults holding pictures of children killed in the bombing of Gaza since the ceasefire was broken by the Israeli forces this week. Image: APR

    Huge toll on children
    Reporting from Deir el-Balah, Gaza, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum reports that children have been among the most severely affected by the continuing Israeli war on Gaza.

    “Many of them have been killed, injured and orphaned and we can see that thousands of children have lost their limbs and they are suffering from severe trauma,” he said.

    “As the UNRWA spokesperson stated: 51 percent of Gaza’s population are children and they make up the largest proportion of those that were killed since the war began back on October 7, 2023.

    A girl drawing at the Rotunda in Auckland’s Albert Park today. In the foreground are olive trees with the slogan “Free Palestine”. Image: Del Abcede/APR

    “For many children here in Gaza, displacement has taken a very heavy, huge toll on them.

    “They have been repeatedly displaced, forced to flee their homes and right now they are forced to live in overcrowded shelters and tents and on the rubble of their destroyed homes and residential buildings.”

    The Palestinian Human Rights Organisations Council (PHROC) — made up of nine groups — has written to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk to demand action on Israel in protest over the killing of children.

    Israeli forces continued to kill Palestinians on a genocidal scale in Gaza and had created “conditions of life unfit for human survival,” the council told Turk.

    Israel’s “intent to eliminate and eventually destroy Palestinians across unlawfully occupied Palestine” is also evident in occupied West Bank, the council said.

    The council called on Turk to clearly label Israel’s conduct as genocide, pressure the Israeli government to end its genocide, ensure accountability for Israeli perpetrators, and mobilise the UN to implement a plan to end genocide against Palestinians across the occupied territory.

    Boys decorating pictures with Palestinian poppies at the Rotunda in Auckland’s Albert Park today. Image: Del Abcede/APR

    Albanese’s mandate renewed
    Meanwhile, Francesca Albanese will continue to serve as Special Rapporteur until 30 April 2028, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Council announced after the vote today in Geneva by the UNHRC to retain her.

    The UN Human Rights Council defied the efforts of Israel, the US, The Netherlands and other Western countries trying to unseat Albanese, who has been special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 for the past three years.

    Albanese had faced a smear campaign for many months by deniers of Israel’s genocide against Palestinians, which she had warned about in October 2023.

    She documented the crimes against humanity, notably in her devastating report Anatomy Of A Genocide in April 2024.

    Children painting and drawing Palestinian themes in the Rotunda at Auckland’s Albert Park today. Image: Del Abcede/APR
    “Palestinian kids matter” . . . images of the 500 children who have been killed by Israeli forces since the ceasefire was broken by the IDF at the start of last month. Image: Del Abcede/APR

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Votes Against Republican Budget Proposal to Cut Medicaid to Pay for Tax Cuts for Billionaires

    US Senate News:

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

    Senate Republicans Voted Down A Rosen Amendment To Cut Taxes For Middle Class and Small Businesses While Making Ultra-Wealthy Pay Their Fair Share

    Watch Senator Rosen’s Remarks on Her Amendment HERE.
    WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following statement after voting against Republicans’ extreme budget resolution that targeted critical programs Nevadans rely on – like Medicaid, food assistance, and more – to pay for more tax giveaways for the ultra-wealthy. Senator Rosen filed an amendment to cut taxes for the middle class and small businesses while making the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share, but Senate Republicans opposed it. She also voted to include provisions in this resolution to block tax cuts for billionaires, protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and combat President Trump’s cost-raising tariffs, but Senate Republicans blocked them.
    “Senate Republicans just passed yet another budget resolution that calls for deep cuts to vital programs like Medicaid and food assistance, all to pay for more tax breaks for the wealthiest individuals,” said Senator Rosen. “I led the charge on a measure to cut taxes for the middle class while making the ultra-wealthy pay their fair share, but Senate Republicans voted it down. They did all of this in the dead of night because they know their actions are extremely unpopular and wanted to hide them from the American people. I’ll keep fighting for hardworking Nevadans and against hyper-partisan legislation that harms the programs they rely on most.”
    Senator Rosen has been a strong critic of Republicans’ budget plans that would drastically increase our national deficit and give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy by cutting programs Nevadans rely on. This week, she took to the Senate floor to call out Congressional Republicans for this extreme budget plan. Senator Rosen also joined her Senate colleagues in urging President Donald Trump to reject Congressional Republicans’ legislative plans to increase the cost of living for Americans.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Election Diary: Albanese promises 30% discount on solar batteries, in latest energy bill help

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    In the government’s latest initiative on energy prices, Anthony Albanese on Sunday will promise that if re-elected, Labor will reduce the cost of installing a typical home solar battery by 30% from July 1.

    This would cut about $4,000 from the upfront cost of an 11.5 kWh battery, which is the typical household size.

    Small businesses and community facilities would be eligible for the discount, as well as households.

    The government says the discount would save a household with existing rooftop solar panels up to $1,100 off their power bill every year. For those with new solar panels and battery, the saving would be up to $2,300 annually – up to 90% of a typical power bill.

    More than one million installations would be expected by 2030 under the measure. The initiative would cost an estimated $2.3 billion over the forward estimates, including in the 2025-26 budget.

    The discount would be applied on installing virtual power plant-ready battery systems beside new or existing rooftop solar until 2030. The absolute value of the discount would decline over the five years in line with the expected fall in the cost of batteries.

    Albanese said the measure was “good for power bills and good for the environment”.

    Labor’s number one priority is delivering cost-of-living relief. That’s why we want to make sure Australians have access to cheaper, cleaner energy.

    Energy Minister Chris Bowen said:

    The contrast is clear – a re-elected Albanese government will take pressure off household energy bills, while Peter Dutton’s Liberals will spend $600 billion on a nuclear plan that drives power bills up.

    Mixing politics and sport can be risky on campaign trail

    For the second election campaign in a row, a Liberal leader has claimed a victim on the football field.

    At least, some relieved Liberals might be saying, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton felled a member of the media, not a child.

    Dutton, campaigning in Darwin on Saturday with a few million dollars in hand to promise for the local footy ground, was happy to have a kick with kids for the cameras.

    But the ball hit a TV camera, which went into the face of Channel Ten cameraman Ghaith Nadir. A federal policeman helped with a bandage for Nadir’s forehead. Dutton promised a compensatory beer.

    In the 2022 campaign, Prime Minister Scott Morrison joined some youngsters in their junior soccer training.

    Becoming rather too competitive, Morrison crashed into a boy, and they both ended on the ground. It made for plenty of jokes about the man who’d admitted in the campaign that “I can be a bit of a bulldozer”. The clip was replayed again and again.

    After Saturday’s incident, Dutton quipped, “If the prime minister kicked it, he would have told you that it didn’t hit anyone”.

    Last week, Albanese stepped back off a stage, appearing to fall, during an event. He later insisted he hadn’t fallen. “I stepped back onto a step, I didn’t fall off the stage,” he said. “Just one leg went down, and I was sweet.”

    Way back in 1984, there was another unfortunate incident on the sporting field during a campaign. That time, the perpetrator was a journalist and the victim was Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

    Hawke had called an election a few days before playing in a cricket match against the parliamentary press gallery. A ball from Gary O’Neill, a journalist with the Melbourne Herald, caught the edge of Hawke’s bat and smashed into his glasses.

    Hawke went to the Canberra Hospital, where (after he jumped the queue) a patch was put on his eye. He returned to the match, watching from the sidelines.

    At least he scored 27 before the incident. However, the accident set him back for the early days of what was an eight-week campaign.

    Over the years there are plenty of examples of leaders losing their (physical) footing.

    A few months before the 2007 election, Prime Minister John Howard tripped and fell on his hands on the way to a radio interview in Perth.

    Visiting India in 2012, Prime Minister Julia Gillard tumbled when her shoe got stuck in grass. She explained:

    For men who get to wear flat shoes all day every day, if you wear a heel it can get embedded in soft grass and when you pull your foot out the shoe doesn’t come.

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

    – ref. Election Diary: Albanese promises 30% discount on solar batteries, in latest energy bill help – https://theconversation.com/election-diary-albanese-promises-30-discount-on-solar-batteries-in-latest-energy-bill-help-253736

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Regular Press Conference of the Ministry of National Defense on March 27, 2025 2025-04-05 Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of March 27, 2025.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense 2

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of March 27, 2025. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Li Xiaowei)

    (The following English text is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.)

    Wu Qian: Friends from the media, good afternoon. Welcome to this month’s regular press conference of the Ministry of National Defense (MND). First of all, I would like to introduce a group of friends in red jackets. They are the faculty and student representatives from Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), welcome!

    Today, I have one piece of information to announce on the top.

    The Chinese MND hosted the first meeting of International Military Cooperation Organs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States for 2025 in Qingdao, Shandong Province, from March 26 to 27. Over 30 representatives from defense ministries of the SCO member states and the SCO Secretariat attended the meeting. The participants had in-depth discussions on deepening defense and security cooperation within the SCO framework and expressed willingness to maintain close communication to prepare for the upcoming Defense Ministers’ Meeting of the SCO Member States to be held in China.

    Now the floor is open for questions.

    Journalist: President Xi attended the plenary meeting of the delegation of the PLA and the PAP during the third session of the 14th NPC and delivered an important speech, emphasizing the need to promote high-quality development and implement the 14th Five-Year Plan for military development. Could you provide an update on the progress of the military’s 14th Five-Year Plan? What are the key challenges going forward?

    Wu Qian: Over the past four years of implementing tasks in the 14th Five-Year Plan, the military has made great efforts to achieve its centenary goal and strengthen combat effectiveness. A number of major outcomes have been reached, in particular on producing new quality combat capabilities. The strategic capabilities of the PLA in fulfilling its missions in the new era have been continuously strengthened. However, there are still many challenges and arduous tasks remained. We are now in a key stage of overcoming challenges and winning this uphill battle.

    Follow the guidance of President Xi’s important speech, the military will bolster confidence, address challenges, and redouble our efforts in implementing the plan. First, striking a balance between progress and quality. We will continue to improve strategic management and strengthen process control. While ensuring progress is made on time, we will strive to realize performance targets and prevent any compromise in quality for meeting deadlines.

    Second, striking a balance between cost and benefit. We will remain committed to a path of high-quality, high-effectiveness, low-cost and sustainable development. We will leverage civilian strengths and resources, properly allocate defense resources and investment, and make the use of defense budget more precise and efficient.

    Third, striking a balance between the overall plan and key priorities. We will strengthen general coordination and targeted adjustment, and concentrate efforts on major projects and key initiatives, so as to advance the implementation of the overall plan through breakthroughs in key areas.

    Fourth, striking a balance between development and supervision. We will put more emphasis on supervision and build a comprehensive and effective regulatory system to forge synergy and ensure development quality, timely formation of capabilities, and the red line of no corruption.

    Fifth, striking a balance between implementation of the plan and formation of capabilities. We will innovate models for generating combat power, establish a rapid response and conversion mechanism for advanced technologies, and accelerate the transition from project delivery to capability delivery, ensuring the timely formation of a strong and capable combat force.

    Journalist: The leader of the Taiwan region, Lai Ching-te, recently made separatist remarks claiming that the two sides across the Taiwan Strait are “not subordinate to each other” and called the mainland a “foreign hostile force”. In mid-March, the PLA conducted a military exercise near Taiwan. Some said that the exercise was a countermeasure against Lai Ching-te’s separatist rhetoric and recent movements between Taiwan and the US. What’s your comment?

    Wu Qian: As the Chinese saying goes, “When the heaven is about to destroy someone, it first makes them having lunatic ideas.” Taiwan is a part of China. It has never been a nation. It wasn’t in the past. It is not at present, and it will never be in the future.

    Recently, naval and air troops of the PLA Eastern Theater Command conducted readiness patrols and joint exercises in areas around Taiwan to test and enhance their war-fighting capabilities. It serves as an effective punishment and deterrence against the “Taiwan independence” separatists and a stern warning against external interfering forces. It is fully legitimate and necessary.

    The people’s military will resolutely implement the Party’s overall strategy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era. We will remain ready and able to fight and win at all times, and will take resolute measures to defeat any separatist attempt for “Taiwan independence”.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of March 27, 2025. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Li Xiaowei)

    Journalist: The US Defense Secretary will visit the Philippines and the two sides may discuss responding to China’s activities in the South China Sea and US support to Philippine forces. Meanwhile, Philippine’s ambassador to the US said recently that this visit would show China the solid bond between the Philippines and the US and his country was confirmed that US security commitment would not change. Do you have any comment?

    Wu Qian: Military cooperation between the US and the Philippines should not harm security interests of other countries or undermine regional peace and stability. By the way, if we look back into history, the US actually maintains an astonishing record in reneging on promises and betraying allies.

    Journalist: Will the Chinese and US militaries have high-level engagements soon? Please give us an update on the China-US military relationship.

    Wu Qian: On China-US mil-mil engagement, the two sides had some discussions and preliminary consensus. We will advance accordingly. Building a stable China-US mil-mil relationship serves the shared interests of both sides and is a common expectation of the international community. As the Latin proverb goes, set your course by the stars, not follow the waves. On growing the China-US mil-mil relationship, we should follow the principle of mutual-respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, strengthen communications and dialogues, and properly handle differences. We hope with efforts from both sides, the mil-mil relationship can grow on a sound and stable track.

    Journalist: I have two questions. The first one. It is reported that China’s aircraft carrier Fujian has recently set sail for its seventh sea trial. Some analysts suggest that the focus of this trial is catapult launch and arrested landing. Can you confirm this?

    The second question. It is reported that in response to China’s increasing defense budget in 2025, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary said that China’s rapid military buildup, combined with a lack of transparency, is a “matter of serious concern for Japan and the international community.” Additionally, reports suggest that the Japan Self-Defense Forces recently established a Joint Operations Command, and due to concerns over a potential armed attack on Taiwan by the mainland, Japan plans to deploy long-range missiles in Kyushu by the end of 2025. What is your comment on this?

    Wu Qian: I have no information to release on your first question. The sea trial is a routine arrangement for the construction of PLANS Fujian. Please take it easy.

    As for your second question, regarding China’s 2025 defense budget, we have provided a detailed explanation. The size, structure, and usage of the budget is open, transparent and beyond reproach. In fact, Japan, as a country that launched aggressive wars during World War II, is the least qualified to criticize defense budgets of other nations. The international community should be alerted to Japan’s recent efforts in breaking its pacifist constitution and the “exclusively defense-oriented” policy. Japan has significantly increased its defense spending and developed long-range offensive capabilities, heading down the path of military expansion. Such behavior is exactly what peace-loving countries, particularly those once invaded by Japanese militarists, need to be vigilant against and opposed to.

    This year we will have the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. We urge the Japan side to take lessons from history, adhere to the path of peaceful development, act prudently in the field of military security, and stop misinterpreting China’s defense policies and military strategies, so as to avoid further eroding its credibility among its Asian neighbors and the international community. It must be emphasized that the Taiwan question is none of Japan’s business, and we firmly oppose Japan’s attempts to exploit this matter for its own agenda. Only by upholding the one-China principle and resolutely opposing “Taiwan independence” can peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait be ensured.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of March 27, 2025. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Li Xiaowei)

    Journalist: According to foreign media reports, the recent G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting issued a joint statement expressing concerns over China’s expansion of its nuclear arsenal, and the situation in the East and South China Seas. The statement emphasizes the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, and opposes any unilateral alteration of the status quo through force or coercion. What is your comment on this?

    Wu Qian: The G7 statement ignores facts and is a vicious slander on China and a brutal interference in China’s internal affairs. We strongly condemn and resolutely oppose it. China follows a policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons and a defensive nuclear strategy. We have been maintaining our nuclear arsenal at the minimum level required for national security. On the nuclear issue, the G7 should reflect on its own actions and has no qualification to criticize China.

    Regarding the East and South China Seas, China is engaging in peaceful dialogue and consultation with relevant countries to resolve disputes. At the same time, we remain steadfast in safeguarding our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. China firmly opposes interference from external forces and any provocative acts that undermine regional peace and stability. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and the Taiwan question brooks no foreign interference. The one-China principle is a wide consensus of the international community and a fundamental norm in international relations. Any attempt to separate the island from its motherland will inevitably end in complete failure.

    We urge the G7 to break away from its Cold War mentality and ideological prejudice, stop the finger-pointing and preaching at others. This approach won’t work on the Chinese military.

    Journalist: It is reported that China, Iran, and Russia recently conducted “Security Belt 2025” joint exercise. Could you provide more details?

    Wu Qian: In accordance with the annual plan and the consensus reached by China, Iran and Russia, the three countries’ naval forces conducted “Security Belt 2025” joint exercise near Iran’s Chabahar Port from March 9 to 13. Following the theme of “Building Peace and Security Together”, the three sides sent over 10 vessels, as well as special operations and diving units, to the exercise. Focusing on counter-terrorism and counter-piracy operations, the troops trained on subjects including maritime target striking, VBSS (visit, board, search and seizure), damage control, and joint search and rescue. The exercise tested tactical command coordination and interoperabilities of the participating forces, and deepened military trust and practical cooperation among the three countries. During the exercise, the troops also had on-board visits and cultural and sports exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and friendship. Since 2019, China, Iran, and Russia have successfully conducted five joint maritime exercises. China is willing to actively engage in maritime security cooperation with all parties, and make new contributions to world and regional peace and stability.

    Journalist: The pace of the China-India dialogue on many fronts has significantly increased. We’ve just seen the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on Border Affairs (WMCC) meeting was conducted a few days ago. What are the latest developments regarding the disengagement process along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)?

    Wu Qian: On the 33rd meeting of the WMCC, the MFA has already released the information on it, and the two sides have agreed to continue to take effective measures to safeguard peace and tranquility along the China-India border.

    The Chinese Military is willing to work together with our Indian counterparts to implement a fair and just solution to the border issue. We are committed to contributing our wisdom and strength to the vision of a harmonious dance between the Chinese dragon and the Indian elephant, and to fostering a sound and stable military-to-military relationship.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of March 27, 2025. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Li Xiaowei)

    Journalist: The Ministry of State Security has reportedly disclosed information about four members of the “Information, Communications, and Electronic Force Command” of Taiwan. What is your comment on this?

    Wu Qian: Justice has long arms. Those who play with fire should have no illusion of escaping. No one who pushes for “Taiwan independence” or engages in seceding the motherland would be spared by justice.

    Journalist: It is reported that the first round of direct recruitment of military officers for 2025 has recently started, receiving wide attention among university graduates. Could you provide more details about this?

    Wu Qian: To attract great talent and college graduates to join the military, the CMC Political Work Department has recently launched the first round of direct recruitment of military officers for 2025. Currently, tens of thousands of college graduates from universities and disciplines included in the “Double World-Class Project” have registered through the official website (http://81rc.81.cn or http://www.81rc.mil.cn). Direct recruitment is an important channel for selecting and replenishing active-duty military (police) officers, and an effective means to optimize the structure and improve the quality of officers. The aim is to attract and leverage talents from across the nation.

    The path to a strong military lies in the personnel. A first-class military needs first-class talent. The Chinese military welcomes you to dedicate your youth and realize your dreams in the military. A brilliant life awaits you here.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of March 27, 2025. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Li Xiaowei)

    Journalist: I have two questions. First, the US and the Philippines held a joint exercise before the visit of the US Defense Secretary to the Philippines. Some experts believe that the two countries are going to have more exercises in the South China Sea and other areas in the future. Will the PLA have any response? Second, recently, the US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth initiated an opinion poll on social media, discussing whether to change the US Department of Defense to the Department of War. Pete has said previously that the US did not seek to have a war with China but would rebuild its military to prepare for war. What’s your comment on that?

    Wu Qian: On the military cooperation between the Philippines and the US, I have already commented. Here, I would like to emphasize one point on the South China Sea issue: China firmly opposes interference from outside countries. The Chinese military will take all necessary measures to protect our national sovereignty and interests and to safeguard regional peace and stability.

    On your second question, whether the US Department of Defense changes its name or not is an internal affair of the US, and we will not comment on that. However, we firmly oppose the US’s previous rhetoric which instigates China-US confrontation. We urge the US to abandon its zero-sum mentality and not to project its hegemonic mentality onto China. We hope that the US can refrain from provoking confrontation and take effective measures to safeguard a stable China-US military relationship. The Chinese military will firmly respond to any threat and provocation with a stronger will, stronger capabilities, and more reliable means.

    Journalist: It is reported that China and Thailand are conducting “Blue Strike-2025” joint naval training. Could you provide more details?

    Wu Qian: In accordance with the annual plan and the consensus reached between the navies of China and Thailand, the two sides started the “Blue Strike-2025” joint naval training near Zhanjiang of China’s Guangdong Province on March 26, which will last till April 2. A total of 11 vessels and two marine detachments will participate in the exercise. Starting from March 26, the training will cover subjects including joint maritime strike operations, air defense and missile defense, maritime search and rescue, as well as counter-terrorism and anti-piracy operations. It is aimed to promote technical and tactical exchanges between the two navies and strengthen their capabilities of jointly addressing maritime security threats. This marks the sixth iteration of the “Blue Strike” joint naval training. By strengthening training collaboration, the two navies will further deepen cooperation, share experiences, and foster friendship and trust. This holds significant importance for maintaining regional peace and stability.

    Journalist: Foreign media reports say that the Ream Naval Base of Cambodia which is constructed with the assistance of China will start operating in early April this year. It is also said that government leaders from Cambodia and Chinese representatives will participate in the opening ceremony. Can you confirm that? And does this mean there will be new cooperation between the Chinese and Cambodian militaries?

    Wu Qian: In recent years, the military cooperation between China and Cambodia has been deepened and the two sides have had cooperation including joint training and personnel training in the Ream Naval Base. As for information on other activities, please follow up on our authoritative information release.

    Journalist: I have two questions. The first question is that media reports say that the PLA is currently building at least three barges that can be used in landing operations against Taiwan. These barges are equipped with springboards over 100 meters in length, allowing tanks to traverse sandy beaches and directly move to the shore. Can you confirm this? My second question is that the leader of the Taiwan region Lai Ching-te is set to raise the income of Taiwanese servicemen to address the problem of a lack of personnel and a high rate of departure. Taiwan’s military authorities also said this is a response to the decrease in its personnel. What’s your comment on that?

    Wu Qian: On your first question about the military equipment, I have no information to release.

    For your second question, any small trick pushed by the DPP authorities to seek independence and resist unification with force is futile and a dead-end. This will not stop the historical trend of reunification. The PLA has full capability to destroy any attempt to seek independence and resist unification

    Journalist: The US Indo-Pacific commander said recently that the PLA’s exercises around Taiwan are not only exercises but preparations for an invasion of Taiwan. The US military will put its priority in the Indo-Pacific theater. According to Taiwan’s Democratic Progressive Party, the PLA’s exercises may one day turn into real battles. Taiwan recently held the first “Mini Han Kuang” drills to enhance its combat readiness and capabilities. Do you have any comment?

    Wu Qian: The exercises conducted by the PLA are targeted against “Taiwan independence” separatists and foreign interference. The Taiwan question is purely an internal affair of China that allows no foreign interference. The activities conducted by the PLA Eastern Theater Command around Taiwan Island are aimed to improve the real combat capabilities against separatism and interference. They are necessary actions to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity and strong deterrence against joint retrogressive provocation made by the US and Taiwan.

    As for the comment from the DPP, I want to let them know that any attempt to seek independence by force is futile and cannot change its destiny of being a failure.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers questions at a regular press conference on the afternoon of March 27, 2025. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by Li Xiaowei)

    Journalist: According to reports, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Romeo Brawner recently said that the Philippines and its allies are trying to expand the Squad group to India and South Korea to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region. He also said that the Squad is an unofficial cooperation platform among the Philippines, the US, Japan and Australia in terms of military affairs, intelligence sharing, as well as joint exercises and operations. Do you have any comment?

    Wu Qian: The remarks of the Philippine side are creating antagonism and confrontation. We firmly oppose that. China believes that military cooperation between relevant countries should not target any third party and should not undermine regional peace and stability.

    Journalist: I have two questions. Firstly, in recent years, the mainland has conducted many joint military exercises around Taiwan. The Wall Street Journal recently published a report titled China is Ready to Blockade Taiwan. Some military experts from Western countries believe that the mainland is more likely to take an approach of isolation and pressure. What’s your comment on this? Second, the mainland has conducted many military exercises in recent years and the rhetoric of “reunification by force” has emerged. These have attracted international attention. Taiwan also announced its so-called 17 strategies in response. Many worry that the cross-strait relationship will move to another Taiwan Strait Crisis like what we had in 1996. What’s your comment on that?

    Wu Qian: On your first question, Taiwan is China’s Taiwan. The Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair. Resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese people to decide. The reports you mentioned are deliberately instigating confrontation across the Strait. The exercises taken by the PLA around Taiwan are targeted at “Taiwan independence” separatists and foreign interference. The aim is to safeguard China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity and the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

    For your second question, I want to point out that the separatist act of “Taiwan independence” and foreign interference are the root cause of the tension across the Taiwan Strait. We are willing to strive for the prospect of peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and utmost efforts, but we will never allow Taiwan to be separated from the motherland. The higher the “Taiwan independence” supporters jump, the closer they will be to death.

    Wu Qian: Before I conclude, I’d like to introduce to you the faculty and student representatives from Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT). We are glad to have them observing the press conference. The BIT was the first science and engineering university founded by the CPC and the first defense industry university in the PRC. Since its founding 85 years ago, the BIT has prioritized virtue and professionalism in cultivating talent, emphasized national defense and industries in serving the nation and the military, and championed openness, inclusiveness and excellence in achieving innovative development. A great number of leading scientists, trailblazers, and heavyweights have come out from the university.

    Living in this great era, today’s students of BIT shoulder great responsibilities. Wish all of you carry on BIT’s revolutionary traditions, work hard to scale the heights of science, and build and defend the nation with your iron will and scientific knowledge.

    If there are no other questions, here concludes today’s press conference. To conclude, I wish you every success in your work and good luck in everything in this bright season of spring.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven Statement After Senate Passes Budget Resolution

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    04.05.25

    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven issued the following statement after the Senate passed a budget resolution that will serve as a blueprint for reconciliation legislation to enable Congress to provide permanent tax relief for the American people, find savings to get control of the debt and deficit, and invest in national defense, border security and unleashing domestic energy production:

    “This budget is an important step in advancing the agenda laid out by President Trump, including tax relief, energy dominance as well as border security and national security. At the same time, it will help to cut waste, fraud and abuse while protecting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. We’ll continue working with our colleagues in the House and President Trump to advance these priorities for the American people and make our nation safer and more prosperous.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fatal human smuggling case and two alleged MS-13 members among those charged in relation to immigration and border security

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    HOUSTON – A total of 225 cases have been filed in border security-related matters from March 28-April 3, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

    As part of those cases, 70 face allegations of illegally reentering the country with the majority having felony convictions such as narcotics, violent and/or sexual crimes and prior immigration offenses, among others. A total of 144 people face charges of illegally entering the country, nine cases involve various instances of human smuggling with others relating to firearms and assault of a federal officer.

    Among those charged as part of these cases include an illegal alien and a McAllen resident who are now in custody for alien smuggling resulting in two deaths. Vicente Garcia Jr. was allegedly transporting one illegal alien whom he was to transfer to Jose Alexis Baeza-Combaluzier. Baeza-Combaluzier had four other illegal aliens in his vehicle and departed the area with the passengers but eventually came to a stop due to a flooded road, according to the charges. When authorities attempted to make an approach, he allegedly accelerated and drove through a flooded area and eventually drove into a canal. Law enforcement immediately began rescue operations, but two drowned, including a 14-year-old child, according to the charges. If convicted they face up the life in prison or the possibility of a death sentence.

    Four of those charged in illegal reentry cases include two El Salvadoran males who are identified as potential MS-13 gang members. Authorities found Edwin Geovanny Parada-Granados near Hidalgo less than a year after he was previously removed, according to the charges. Misael Antonio Mendez-Mendez was allegedly found near Mission having previously been removed less than six weeks ago. The charges allege he is also a convicted felon.

    Another El Salvadorian male is alleged to be a convicted sex offender. Nicolas Alberto Hernandez-Lopez was previously sentenced to 60 months for second degree sexual assault, according to the charges and had been removed in 2023. However, he was found again in the United States near Escobares.

    Law enforcement also encountered Cesar Humberto Leal-Garcia unlawfully in the country and attempted to place him into custody, according to a criminal complaint. At that time, he allegedly assaulted two Border Patrol agents. Leal-Garcia is now charged with illegal reentry and assault on a federal officer. He has four prior convictions for illegal reentry after removal, according to the allegations.  

    Also charged this week is a Mexican national facing charges of trafficking firearms and smuggling goods from the United States. Pedro Cardiel Rodriguez allegedly attempted to transport a 9 mm pistol and 1,852 rounds of ammunition to Mexico through the Brownsville Gateway International Bridge. He purchased the pistol on behalf of an individual in Mexico, according to the allegations.

    Other relevant matters announced this week include the sentencing of a repeat illegal alien offender sent to prison for 33 months in a case out of the Brownsville Division. Fidel Jose-Ramirez has other criminal convictions including driving while intoxicated, assault family violence, criminal mischief and possession of a controlled substance. He was first ordered removed from the United States in 2019 and was previously convicted of being an alien unlawfully found in the United States after removal in 2023. After his conviction and subsequent removal, he had illegally reentered the country Jan. 3, 2024, after crossing the Rio Grande River.

    In Corpus Christi, an illegal alien with seven DWIs was also ordered to prison. In handing down the 24-month sentence, the court noted Arturo Cruz-Badillo’s previous driving while intoxicated convictions (DWI) and how they are very dangerous for communities and its citizens. He has seven prior DWI convictions in addition to a conviction for battery and was removed from the country three times between 2012 and 2023. However, on Aug. 22, 2024, law enforcement discovered Cruz-Badillo again in the country along with 10 other illegal aliens being smuggled in a commercial cargo trailer.

    Also announced this week was the conviction of another human smuggler in an event that resulted in death. Jose Guadalupe Antonio-Arredondo admitted to assisting in the smuggling of an illegal alien July 12, 2024. He guided the illegal alien and a brush guide to the border wall before he returned to Mexico. However, after they crossed the wall, the alien had trouble breathing and ultimately collapsed. The alien was pronounced deceased July 17, 2024.

    Also in McAllen, a Mexican citizen illegally residing in San Benito was indicted for using someone else’s identity to pose as an American citizen. Cristina Amezcua Valencia allegedly applied for a U.S. passport, claiming the identity of another individual. She later utilized the passport containing the individual’s name and date and place of birth so she could enter the U.S. from Mexico, according to the charges. If convicted, Amezcua faces up to 10 years for the false statement in application of a U.S. passport and up to three years for false claim to U.S. citizenship. She will also be ordered to serve a mandatory two years for identity theft, upon conviction, which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

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

    Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.  

    The SDTX remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.

    An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two men sentenced for brutal murder of former friend

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two young men who plotted and carried out a deadly attack on a former friend have been found guilty of murder.

    Keahn Williams, 20 (08.09.03) of Coulsdon, was found guilty of the murder of Lucas Sutton at the Old Bailey on 26 April 2024. Kai Nelson-Palmer (05.04.07) of Croydon, was also found guilty of his murder at the same court on 30 April 2024.

    On 14 August 2024 the defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court. Williams will serve a minimum term of 23 years’ and Nelson-Palmer a minimum term of 16 years’. This can now be reported following the lifting of reporting restrictions.

    The court heard how 22-year-old Luas Sutton was lured to an address in Croydon and fatally stabbed as he walked back from a local shop on 23 May 2023.

    Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, led the investigation and said: “The evidence gathered and presented to the jury built up a clear picture of a plot to lure Lucas to an address in Croydon, act as if nothing was wrong, and then violently attack him.

    “Lucas and one of the defendants had been friends but in the minds of the group, Lucas had crossed them by attempting to get rid of a firearm he had been holding onto. This perceived betrayal was the motivation for this deadly attack.

    “It is clear in the weeks leading up to the murder that Lucas realised he was in danger but he did not suspect it was from those he thought of as his friends.

    “This was a pre-meditated, callous act that has left Lucas’s family and friends utterly devastated. While those responsible have been held to account for their actions, I know this will do little to ease the unbearable pain Lucas’s loved ones continue to endure.”

    In a joint statement, Lucas’s family said:“The murder of Lucas has left a large hole in our lives which can never be filled. Lucas wasn’t perfect, he made mistakes but he was ours. He had a bright future ahead of him, but it has been taken away from him. They have not only taken away a nephew but a son, a grandson, a brother, a cousin, a father, a partner, a friend and so much more. We sit at home in the evening almost expecting him to come in with a smile on his face, but he never does.

    “He leaves behind his young son who will have to grow up without his best friend and father. It breaks our heart that he will never see his Dad again, we sometimes see him watching his friends playing with their dads, and we just think he will never have that.”

    At around 19:00hrs that day, Lucas walked to a flat in Princess Road, Croydon. At the address he was joined by Keahn Williams and Kai Nelson-Palmer.

    Whether Lucas knew the others were going to be there is not clear, but he left the flat with Williams and Nelson-Palmer to walk to a shop to buy drinks.

    Unbeknownst to Lucas, they had been exchanging Snapchat messages in the days leading up to the meeting with the intention of attacking him. As they returned from shop in Northbrook Road, Williams produced a knife and stabbed Lucas who was caught completely unaware.

    He dropped the drinks he was holding and ran, pursued by Williams and Nelson-Palmer. Williams caught up with him as he ran along Mayo Road and stabbed him again before both the assailants fled. Lucas burst into a local pub asking for help but collapsed on the floor. The emergency services attended but despite their efforts Lucas sadly died a short time later in hospital.

    Both attackers fled back in the direction of the address where they had originally met, Williams later left the scene in a taxi.

    Detectives attended the scene and through CCTV analysis began to build a picture of the events that had taken place. This showed Williams wearing a distinctive balaclava as he chased Lucas down the street. A similar item of clothing was later recovered at an address linked to him. Detectives established some of the events that had taken place in the weeks leading up to the attack.

    Lucas’s family and friends spoke about how he had seemed withdrawn and afraid – he had confided that he had upset people and feared for his safety.

    On the strength of the evidence available, Williams and Nelson-Palmer were arrested in the week following the murder. Analysis of Nelson-Palmer’s phone revealed the plotting that had taken place between them.

    A 19-year-old man was acquitted of Lucas’ murder at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, 3 April 2025.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: AI’s ‘Oppenheimer moment’: Why new thinking is needed on disarmament

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    By By Juliette Maigné

    Peace and Security

    The Artificial Intelligence (AI) race needs to slow down and IT firms should instead be focusing on the bigger picture to ensure that the technology is not misused on the battlefield, UN disarmament experts and leaders of ‘big tech’ companies have insisted. 

    Engaging with the tech community is not “a nice to have” sideline for defence policymakers – it is “absolutely indispensable to have this community engaged from the outset in the design, development and use of the frameworks that will guide the safety and security of AI systems and capabilities”, said Gosia Loy, co-deputy head of the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).

    Speaking at the recent Global Conference on AI Security and Ethics hosted by UNIDIR in Geneva, she stressed the importance of erecting effective guardrails as the world navigates what is frequently called AI’s “Oppenheimer moment” – in reference to Robert Oppenheimer, the US nuclear physicist best known for his pivotal role in creating the atomic bomb.

    Oversight is needed so that AI developments respect human rights, international law and ethics – particularly in the field of AI-guided weapons – to guarantee that these powerful technologies develop in a controlled, responsible manner, the UNIDIR official insisted.

    Flawed tech

    AI has already created a security dilemma for governments and militaries around the world.

    The dual-use nature of AI technologies – where they can be used in civilian and military settings alike – means that developers could lose touch with the realities of battlefield conditions, where their programming could cost lives, warned Arnaud Valli, Head of Public Affairs at Comand AI.

    The tools are still in their infancy but have long fuelled fears that they could be used to make life-or-death decisions in a war setting, removing the need for human decision-making and responsibility. Hence the growing calls for regulation, to ensure that mistakes are avoided that could lead to disastrous consequences.

    “We see these systems fail all the time,” said David Sully, CEO of the London-based company Advai, adding that the technologies remain “very unrobust”.

    “So, making them go wrong is not as difficult as people sometimes think,” he noted.

    A shared responsibility

    At Microsoft, teams are focusing on the core principles of safety, security, inclusiveness, fairness and accountability, said Michael Karimian, Director of Digital Diplomacy.

    The US tech giant founded by Bill Gates places limitations on real-time facial recognition technology used by law enforcement that could cause mental or physical harm, Mr. Karimian explained.

    Clear safeguards must be put in place and firms must collaborate to break down silos, he told the event at UN Geneva.

    “Innovation isn’t something that just happens within one organization. There is a responsibility to share,” said Mr. Karimian, whose company partners with UNIDIR to ensure AI compliance with international human rights.

    Oversight paradox

    Part of the equation is that technologies are evolving at a pace so fast, countries are struggling to keep up.

    “AI development is outpacing our ability to manage its many risks,” said Sulyna Nur Abdullah, who is strategic planning chief and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

    “We need to address the AI governance paradox, recognizing that regulations sometimes lag behind technology makes it a must for ongoing dialogue between policy and technical experts to develop tools for effective governance,” Ms. Abdullah said, adding that developing countries must also get a seat at the table.

    Accountability gaps

    More than a decade ago in 2013, renowned human rights expert Christof Heyns in a report on Lethal Autonomous Robotics (LARs) warned that “taking humans out of the loop also risks taking humanity out of the loop”.  

    Today it is no less difficult to translate context-dependent legal judgments into a software programme and it is still crucial that “life and death” decisions are taken by humans and not robots, insisted Peggy Hicks, Director of the Right to Development Division of the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR).

    Mirroring society

    While big tech and governance leaders largely see eye to eye on the guiding principles of AI defence systems, the ideals may be at odds with the companies’ bottom line.

    “We are a private company – we look for profitability as well,” said Comand AI’s Mr. Valli.

    “Reliability of the system is sometimes very hard to find,” he added. “But when you work in this sector, the responsibility could be enormous, absolutely enormous.”

    Unanswered challenges

    While many developers are committed to designing algorithms that are “fair, secure, robust” according to Mr. Sully – there is no road map for implementing these standards – and companies may not even know what exactly they are trying to achieve.  

    These principles “all dictate how adoption should take place, but they don’t really explain how that should happen,” said Mr. Sully, reminding policymakers that “AI is still in the early stages”.

    Big tech and policymakers need to zoom out and mull over the bigger picture.

    “What is robustness for a system is an incredibly technical, really challenging objective to determine and it’s currently unanswered,” he continued.

    No AI ‘fingerprint’

    Mr. Sully, who described himself as a “big supporter of regulation” of AI systems, used to work for the UN-mandated Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization in Vienna, which monitors whether nuclear testing takes place.  

    But identifying AI-guided weapons, he says, poses a whole new challenge which nuclear arms – bearing forensic signatures – do not.

    “There is a practical problem in terms of how you police any sort of regulation at an international level,” the CEO said. “It’s the bit nobody wants to address. But until that’s addressed… I think that’s going to be a huge, huge obstacle.”

    Future safeguarding

    The UNIDIR conference delegates insisted on the need for strategic foresight, to understand the risks posed by the cutting-edge technologies now being born.

    For Mozilla, which trains the new generation of technologists, future developers “should be aware of what they are doing with this powerful technology and what they are building”, the firm’s Mr. Elias insisted.

    Academics like Moses B. Khanyile of Stellenbosch University in South Africa believe universities also bear a “supreme responsibility” to safeguard core ethical values.

    The interests of the military – the intended users of these technologies – and governments as regulators must be “harmonised”, said Dr. Khanyile, Director of the Defence Artificial Intelligence Research Unit at Stellenbosch University.

    “They must see AI tech as a tool for good, and therefore they must become a force for good.”

    Countries engaged

    Asked what single action they would take to build trust between countries, diplomats from China, the Netherlands, Pakistan, France, Italy and South Korea also weighed in.

    “We need to define a line of national security in terms of export control of hi-tech technologies”, said Shen Jian, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (Disarmament) and Deputy Permanent Representative of the People’s Republic of China.

    Pathways for future AI research and development must also include other emergent fields such as physics and neuroscience.

    “AI is complicated, but the real world is even more complicated,” said Robert in den Bosch, Disarmament Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Netherlands to the Conference on Disarmament. “For that reason, I would say that it is also important to look at AI in convergence with other technologies and in particular cyber, quantum and space.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cohen Statement on Trump Tariffs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

    MEMPHIS – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) took note of today’s stock market response to the Trump tariffs and made the following statement:

    “Trump’s tariff wars are making everything more expensive. And it’s about to get worse. And while we’re paying more for food, medicine, appliances and car repairs, the GOP wants to slash Medicaid, Social Security, SNAP and more to give billionaires a tax cut. They do not care about working people. Tariffs are taxes. The stock market is a measure of Trump’s economic folly. Trump has wrecked our thriving economy and our social safety and health network. ‘47’ is a monstrous, out-of-control man-child. And Howard Lutnick is a cheerleader, not a commerce secretary.”

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Cohen Introduces the REAL AMERICA Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09)

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today introduced the Reward Each American’s Labor and Make Every Rich Individual Contribute Again (REAL AMERICA) Act, a bold tax reform bill that helps everyday working people while addressing Republican plans to sneak through a $2 trillion tax cut for millionaires and billionaires.

    Congressman Cohen made the following statement:

    “Donald Trump and Republicans want Americans to believe they support tax cuts for working people. But while they float limited tax reforms to mask their real agenda, their actual plan would require deep cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security in order to pay for their new round of tax giveaways to billionaires like Elon Musk, Trump’s wealthy donors, and others making more than $400,000 every year. 

    “Democrats should not let that deception go unchecked. If Trump and the GOP want to talk about ‘Real America,’ then it’s time they stand with real Americans — like people who depend on tips, work overtime hours, and have worked hard their entire lives and now rely on Social Security. This bill gives them an easy chance to do that. The first two provisions — eliminating federal taxes on tips and overtime pay — came straight from President Trump’s campaign playbook. Add in tax relief for Social Security recipients and elimination of the carried interest loophole, and you’ve got a real pro-worker tax plan. If Republicans are serious about helping the people they claim to represent, they should support the REAL AMERICA Act.” 

    The REAL AMERICA Act will deliver real tax cuts for real working people by: 

    • Eliminating Federal Income Taxes on Tips — Service workers shouldn’t be taxed on the tips they rely on to make ends meet;
    • Making Overtime Pay Tax-Free — If you put in extra hours, you should take home extra pay, not hand more over to the IRS;
    • Ending Federal Income Taxes on Social Security Benefits — Retirees paid into Social Security their entire working lives; it’s time to stop taxing their hard-earned benefits;  and  
    • Closing the Carried Interest Loophole — Billionaire hedge fund managers shouldn’t pay a lower tax rate than their clerical assistants. 

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Water supply thematic events kick off

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak today officiated at the kick-off ceremony of the “60th Anniversary of Dongjiang Water Supply to Hong Kong” thematic event series.

    As this year marks the 60th anniversary of Dongjiang water supply to Hong Kong, to commemorate and celebrate the remarkable milestone, the Home & Youth Affairs Bureau (HYAB) will organise and provide a series of thematic activities for young people.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Miss Mak said that six decades ago, Dongjiang water was first diverted through mountains and valleys into the Hong Kong waterways, resolving the prolonged water scarcity that had plagued the city.

    Subsequently, the country expanded and upgraded the water supply system three times. Today, Dongjiang water accounts for over 70% of Hong Kong’s freshwater supply.

    She emphasised that the various activities organised under the theme of “60th Anniversary of Dongjiang Water Supply to Hong Kong” aim to enhance young people’s understanding of the history of Dongjiang water supply to Hong Kong and the significant role that Dongjiang water has played in the city, enabling the youth to appreciate the substantial support rendered by the country to Hong Kong and strengthening their awareness on cherishing water resources.
          
    The Youth Link will organise the “Exchange Tour to Guangdong Province for the 60th Anniversary of Dongjiang Water Supply to Hong Kong” on April 12 and 13 as the debut thematic activity, Miss Mak pointed out.

    As such, around 80 Youth Link members will visit national major water conservancy projects and cultural and historical sites in Guangdong Province.

    The HYAB will also arrange for the Youth Link members to meet and exchange with local youth and Hong Kong youth residing in the area.

    Additionally, the bureau, in collaboration with the Greater Bay Area Homeland Youth Community Foundation, will lead 500 young people to visit and explore the source of the Dongjiang River at Sanbai Mountain and its surrounding regions in June.

    Furthermore, the bureau plans to collaborate with different youth organisations and provide funding support under the “HYAB Funding Scheme for Youth Exchange in the Mainland 2025-26” for around 30 exchange projects under the theme of “60th Anniversary of Dongjiang Water Supply to Hong Kong”.

    The visits will cover water conservancy projects and historical and cultural sites in the Sanbai Mountain in Jiangxi Province, as well as in Dongguan, Huizhou, Heyuan in Guangdong Province, enabling the young people to learn more about the history, management and protection of the Dongjiang water engineering project, as well as the culture and history along the areas. 

    Miss Mak encouraged young people to actively participate in relevant activities to learn more about the story of Dongjiang water and pass on the spirit of gratitude.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Planting trees to fortify China’s ‘green assets’

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Picking up a shovel, Chinese President Xi Jinping joined children, officials and local residents in planting trees on a riverbank in the nation’s capital Beijing this spring, following a tradition that he has kept as the country’s top leader for 13 consecutive years.
    “Voluntary tree planting is a nationwide initiative that must be carried on for generations,” Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said Thursday at the tree planting site.
    He called for strength to be pooled to build a beautiful China and make the country even greener through afforestation efforts.
    Xi’s resolute commitment to planting trees has inspired Chinese citizens — government officials and regular folk alike — to engage actively in China’s afforestation initiative and support the nation’s green transformation and ecological conservation efforts.
    China designated March 12 as National Tree Planting Day in 1979, and launched a nationwide voluntary tree-planting campaign in 1981. Thanks to decades of perseverance in its afforestation, China is at the forefront of global efforts to green the planet, contributing approximately a quarter of the world’s new green areas since 2000.
    “Increasing green coverage is to bring greater development strengths, and planting trees is to plant the future,” Xi said at last year’s tree-planting activity, calling for continued efforts to enrich the country’s “green assets.”
    Xi understands the key role a sound ecological environment plays in supporting China’s long-term development, and has long been concerned about land restoration and afforestation.
    When working in east China’s Fujian Province, he inspected Changting County, a mountainous area that was once plagued by severe soil erosion, on five separate occasions to strengthen soil erosion control work.
    “In general, China’s forest resources are still scarce, and its ecological system remains vulnerable,” Xi said when taking part in another tree-planting activity in Beijing in 2013.
    In 2017, Xi gave instructions on the Saihanba mechanized forest farm in Hebei Province, the world’s largest artificial plantation, and praised the “miracle” of afforestation achieved by local workers. He visited the farm’s forest rangers four years later, urging efforts to sustain the site’s role as an ecological shelter.
    Xi’s thought on ecological civilization is guiding the country toward a green future, with expanded forest coverage, an improved living environment and a more sustainable path for the economy.
    The country now boasts a total forest area of 283.7 million hectares, with forest coverage exceeding 25 percent of its total land area — up from 12 percent in the early 1980s.
    China is also home to the world’s largest total human-made forest area. In 2024 alone, China planted 4.45 million hectares of trees and improved 3.22 million hectares of grassland.
    The ecological environment keeps improving, a fact that has been directly and tangibly felt by the people, Xi noted on Thursday.
    While attending the planting activity in 2019, Xi planted a magnolia tree in a forest park in Beijing’s Tongzhou District. In the 1990s, the site was surrounded by a chemical plant and various polluting enterprises, but its environment has improved since the local government began relocating these factories in 2018.
    Many more places in China have also seen their living environments improve. Up to 43.32 percent of built-up areas in Chinese cities have been covered by vegetation as of last year, with per capita park space reaching 15.65 square meters.
    In the early summer of 2023, Xi visited a state forestry area in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to learn about the progress of the Three-North Shelterbelt Forest Program (TSFP), the world’s largest afforestation program, which tackles desertification in northwest, north and northeast China.
    For the survival and development of humanity, it is a must to prevent and control desertification, Xi stressed during his visit.
    By 2050, the program’s afforestation area is projected to encompass over 4 million square kilometers across 13 provincial-level regions, accounting for 42.4 percent of the country’s total land area.
    It is also estimated that roughly 15 million people in the areas covered by the TSFP have risen out of poverty by developing forestry and fruit cultivation industries, as planting trees also brings economic gains and greener development.
    “Afforestation should deliver more benefits to the people,” Xi said at Thursday’s event, stressing the need for a greater emphasis on improving forest management and the ecological quality of grasslands, and on promoting relevant industries.
    Xi highlighted the concept of a “green GDP” in 2021, when he joined lawmakers to deliberate issues of national importance at China’s annual “two sessions” meetings.
    During the discussion, Zhou Yizhe, a forest farm worker from Inner Mongolia, shared his story of transitioning from a logger to a forest ranger. The farm he was working at had completely abandoned timber production, shifting its focus to environmental protection.
    He said that more wild animals were appearing on the tree farm, and research has shown that the ecosystems of the forests and wetlands there have become a source of wealth.
    “Maintaining a good ecological environment is of enormous value,” Xi said on the occasion.
    Last year, the output of China’s forestry and grassland industry totaled 10.17 trillion yuan (about 1.42 trillion U.S. dollars), and its eco-tourism sector saw 9.1 percent year-on-year growth in tourist numbers.
    In addition to conserving water, driving economic benefits and increasing grain output, forests also serve as carbon sinks, according to Xi.
    On the back of the country’s persistent tree-planting efforts, the annual carbon-sink capacity of China’s forests and grassland has exceeded 1.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents, ranking first globally and providing a strong and green boost to the global combat against climate change and environmental degradation.
    In response to the World Economic Forum’s global tree-planting campaign, China in 2022 announced that it would plant 70 billion trees within a decade while strengthening its forest carbon sinks and improving the conservation of its existing forest resources.
    While acknowledging China’s remarkable afforestation progress, Xi on Thursday cautioned that the country’s total forest and grassland resources as well as the benefits they deliver remain insufficient in terms of amount and quality.
    The country should make more efforts to effectively address prominent issues and do even better year on year in this regard, Xi said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján: On Heels of Disastrous Tariffs, Senate Republicans Push Partisan Budget That Guts Critical Programs Millions of Americans Rely On – All to Pay for the Next Tax Scam

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
    Senate Republicans Push Partisan Budget That Adds Trillions to Debt While Blocking Luján Amendment to Fight Food Insecurity
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) issued the following statement after Senate Republicans advanced their partisan budget resolution: 
    “On the heels of President Trump’s reckless tariffs and in the dark of night, Senate Republicans passed a partisan budget resolution that guts critical programs millions of Americans rely on – all to pass the next Trump Tax Scam. 
    “This Republican budget will not help everyday Americans. Instead, it will rip away Medicaid and SNAP benefits to give a tax handout to the wealthiest Americans and corporations while exploding the national debt. Tonight, I joined my Democratic colleagues in introducing dozens of amendments that would keep food on the table, protect Medicare, and support our nation’s farmers. These amendments would help Americans nationwide, but Senate Republicans voted down every single one. 
    “While Americans brace for the harsh impacts of President Trump’s tariffs, Republicans are making life harder and more expensive for working families.” 
    Senator Luján introduced and co-led a series of amendments to the Republican budget to keep food on the table for families, protect Social Security, and defend Medicaid. Senate Republicans blocked Senator Luján’s common-sense amendments that boost the quality of life for New Mexicans.
    Keeping Food on the Table for New Mexicans 
    As the cost of groceries rise, Senate Republicans are trying to make sweeping cuts to SNAP that would take food away from millions of Americans. In an effort to block these changes, Senator Luján led 26 of his colleagues in introducing an amendment to undo these drastic cuts. Every American deserves to be able to meet their basic needs, including the 1 in 5 New Mexicans who rely on SNAP to put food on the table. Watch Senator Luján’s floor speech HERE.
    Defending Medicaid
    Senator Luján co-led a series of amendments that would defend Medicaid from Republican cuts and protect Medicaid access for seniors, children, families, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and military families.
    Supporting FEMA
    As FEMA continues to provide disaster relief to communities across the country, Senator Luján co-led an amendment to support FEMA’s efforts to provide nonpartisan disaster relief, including long-term recovery assistance, to disaster survivors in all States, territories, and Tribal nations impacted by disasters. 
    Protecting Social Security
    As the Social Security Administration faces attacks by the Trump administration, Senator Luján co-led an amendment to ensure that seniors across New Mexico can continue to access their hard-earned benefits. 
    Lowering Prescription Drug Costs for Seniors
    To protect our seniors, Senator Luján co-led an amendment that would prevent increased prescription drug costs for seniors or people with disabilities on Medicare. 
    Senator Luján introduced 23 amendments that improve the quality of life for New Mexicans.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Republicans Vote Down Welch’s Amendment to Protect Seniors and Children

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tonight, the U.S. Senate considered U.S. Senator Peter Welch’s (D-Vt.) amendment to block tax cuts to billionaires paid for by cutting meals for hungry seniors and eliminating child care services for families.
    “My amendment asked simply—will Senate Republicans put seniors and families before billionaires?” said Senator Peter Welch. “Their answer was as disappointing as it was expected: No.” 
    Senator Welch’s amendment would prevent Congress from passing legislation that defunds essential services for children, families, and seniors—including programs that feed hungry seniors like Meals on Wheels, Head Start and other child care assistance, and programs that keep children safe from abuse and neglect—to give massive tax cuts to billionaires.
    Read more about the amendments Senator Welch offered to the Republicans’ budget.

    MIL OSI USA News –