Category: Universities

MIL-OSI Global: Signal-gate: a national security blunder ‘almost without parallel’

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor

Depending on what you think of Donald Trump, his administration could fit either of the following two descriptions. Chaotic, vindictive and accident-prone, marked by mendacity, driven by impulse and bent on securing the will of the leader, rather than – as in the US constitution – the will of the people. Or it could be a government masterminded by a man playing 4D chess while all around him are playing chequers. A president whose deal-making skills and focus on outcomes ensure the security and prosperity of America and its allies.

If you base your assessment on the people Trump has chosen as his key national security advisers then, after the recent Signal chat group intelligence debacle, you’d almost certainly opt for chaotic and accident-prone, at the very least.

Looking around the Signal chatroom, who do we have? National security advisor Mike Waltz, Vice-President J.D. Vance, secretary of state Marco Rubio, defense secretary Pete Hegseth, director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA director John Ratcliffe and a supporting cast of other senior Trump staffers. And, unwittingly, the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg.

Heads must roll, say Trump’s critics. But who from this hydra-headed beast should take the fall? Should it be Waltz, who invited Goldberg to the chat group? Or Hegseth, who posted operational details of a US attack, including the when, where and how, hours before it was due to take place? Should it be Vance, whose swipe at America’s freeloading European allies has caused considerable angst across the Atlantic?

Or perhaps one or another of Gabbard and Ratcliffe, who sat in front of the Senate select committee on intelligence on Tuesday and maintained that no classified material or “war plans” had been revealed to the group – sworn evidence now revealed to be unreliable at best?

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At present it seems as if none of them are going to pay for their dangerous incompetence. Instead their ire is turned on Goldberg, who has variously been called a “sleazebag” by Trump himself, “loser” and the “bottom scum of journalists” by Waltz and a “deceitful and highly discredited, so-called journalist who’s made a profession of peddling hoaxes time and time again” by Hegseth.

Robert Dover of the University of Hull, whose research centres on intelligence and national security, believes this is a “national security blunder almost without parallel”. He points to the hypocrisy of people like Hegseth who savaged Hillary Clinton for using a private email server to conduct official business when she was secretary of state under Barack Obama.

Dover also notes the damage the episode will have done to America’s already shaky relations with its allies in Europe. Being disparaged by the vice-president as freeloaders and dismissed by the defense secretary as “pathetic”, he believes, will be “difficult to unsee”.

Read more:
Signal chat group affair: unprecedented security breach will seriously damage US international relations

But credit where it’s due, it appears that US diplomacy may at least be bearing some – limited – fruit. At least, that is, if the two partial ceasefires recently negotiated between Russia and Ukraine actually materialise. That’s a fairly big if, of course. Despite a pledge by both sides that they could support a deal to avoid targeting each other’s energy infrastructure, there’s no sign yet of a cessation of attacks.

And there has been a degree of scepticism over the recently announced plan for a maritime ceasefire to allow the free passage of shipping on the Black Sea. Critics say this favours Russia far more than Ukraine. Over the course of the war, Ukraine has successfully driven Russia’s Black Sea fleet away from its base in Crimea, giving it the upper hand in the maritime war. But maritime strategy expert, Basil Germond, says the situation is more nuanced, and the deal represents considerable upside for Ukraine as well.

Read more:
Russia has most to gain from Black Sea ceasefire – but it’s marginal, and Ukraine benefits too

Setting aside America’s eventful recent forays into foreign relations, there’s a major domestic fix brewing which many US legal scholars believe could plunge the country into a constitutional crisis.

Anne Richardson Oakes, an expert in US constitutional law at Birmingham City University, anticipates a potential clash between between the executive and the judiciary which could threaten the separation of powers that lies at the heart of American democracy.

Oakes observes there are more than 130 legal challenges to Trump administration policies presently before the courts, some of which will end up in front of America’s highest legal authority, the Supreme Court, which is tasked with assessing the constitutionality of those policies. She warns that we’ve already seen evidence that Trump and his senior officials resent what they consider to be interference from the judiciary into the legitimate executive power of the elected president.

Will there be a stand-off where the Trump administration simply ignores the Supreme Court’s ruling? It’s happened before, says Oakes. In the mid-20th century, in Little Rock, Arkansas, when the governor used the state’s national guard to prevent the court-ordered desegregation of public schools. On that occasion the then president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, sent in federal troops to enforce the court’s ruling and a constitutional crisis was averted.

Read more:
US stands on the brink of a constitutional crisis as Donald Trump takes on America’s legal system

But what if it’s the serving president who chooses to ignore a Supreme Court ruling? This was the case in the 1830s when greedy cotton farmers in Georgia were bent on forcing the Native American peoples off their lands. The Cherokee actually took the state of Georgia to the Supreme Court, which ruled that as a “dependent nation” within the United States they were entitled to the protection of the federal government and that the state of Georgia had no right to order their removal.

As historian Sean Lang of Anglia Ruskin University recounts, Georgia ignored the Supreme Court’s ruling and sent in troops to expel the Cherokee who were then forced to move to new lands in a journey known as the “Train of Tears”. Lang writes that then US president, Andrew Jackson, a populist advocate of states’ rights and former “Indian fighter”, ignored the Supreme Court’s ruling, “sneering that [Chief Justice John] Marshall had no means of enforcing it”.

Lang concludes: “It’s a history lesson Greenlanders, Mexicans and Canadians – and indeed many Americans who may fall foul of this administration and seek recourse to the law – would do well to study.”

Read more:
Trump’s America is facing an Andrew Jackson moment – and it’s bad news for the constitution

Trump’s chilling effect

The Trump administration’s antipathy towards judges who have opposed its policies have extended towards those law firms who have in some way crossed the US president. But the legal system is not the only sector to feel the chilling effect of Trump’s displeasure, writes Dafydd Townley.

The world of higher education in the US is also apprehensive after the administration went after Columbia University, home to some of the most outspoken protest over US policies towards Israel and Gaza. Columbia has recently had to agree to allow the administration to “review” some of its academic programmes, starting with its Middle Eastern studies, after the administration threatened to cancel US$400 million (£310 million) of government contracts with the university.

The news media is also under heavy pressure. The administration has taken control of the White House press pool from the non-partisan White House Correspondents’ Association and has blackballed Associated Press for refusing to call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America. We’ve also seen Trump himself bring lawsuits against media organisations he judges to have crossed him. And now the president has called for the defunding of America’s two biggest public broadcasters, NPR and PBL, for what he perceives as their liberal bias.

Townley, an expert in US politics at the University of Portsmouth is concerned that this all adds up to a deliberate attempt to cripple institutions which underwrite American democracy.

Read more:
Donald Trump’s ‘chilling effect’ on free speech and dissent is threatening US democracy

Popularity falls as prices rise

Trump’s leadership continues to be very polarising, writes Paul Whiteley, a political scientist and polling specialist at the University of Essex, who has spent years studying political trends in the US. Looking at the most recent numbers, Whiteley finds that while Trump’s approval ratings are fairly steady at 48% approval and 49% disapproval, when you dig down you find that only 6% of registered Democrats approve of his performance, while 93% disapprove. For registered Republicans it’s almost exactly the opposite.

Whiteley takes his analysis further, looking at measures such as consumer sentiment, which has fallen sharply since January, with talk of tariffs and the return of inflation affecting people’s confidence in the economy. He points out there tends to be a fairly strong historical correlation between confidence in the economy and popular approval of a president’s performance.

Read more:
Three graphs that show what’s happening with Donald Trump’s popularity

Another factor which will surely affect people’s confidence in the government are the job losses flowing from Elon Musk’s work as “efficiency tsar”. Thomas Gift, the director of the Centre on US Politics at University College London, believes that federal job losses as a result of Musk’s cuts are spread indiscriminately among Democrat and Republican states. As a result there may be some Republican voters who are experiencing what he calls “buyer’s remorse”.

At the same time, rising inflation is flowing into the cost of living, something many people voted for Trump to punish the Democrats for. As Gift points out, both parties are experiencing a dip in support at present as people reject politics for having a generally negative effect on their lives. But from now, it’ll be the Republicans who will feel the sting of popular disapproval more keenly.

Read more:
Trump’s job cuts are causing Republican angst as all parties face backlash

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– ref. Signal-gate: a national security blunder ‘almost without parallel’ – https://theconversation.com/signal-gate-a-national-security-blunder-almost-without-parallel-253245

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Thousands are feared dead in Myanmar’s quake. Trump’s USAID cuts will cause even more unnecessary deaths

Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer, International Studies, University of South Australia

In early 2021, after a decade of political and economic reforms, Myanmar looked like it was finally beginning to shake off the hangover of decades of military rule. Foreign investment was growing, and standards of living were gradually improving.

In February that year, however, the military again grabbed power after ousting Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government in a coup. This sent the country spiralling towards civil war and social and economic collapse.

In the latest addition to the daily misery of Myanmar’s long-suffering people, a huge 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit the centre of the country on Friday. Its epicentre was just outside Mandalay, the county’s second-largest city.

The Thai capital of Bangkok, more than 1,000 kilometres from the epicentre, experienced extensive damage too. Video images showed a collapsing building under construction and sloshing rooftop infinity pools causing waterfalls down high-rise condominiums.

Information on the extent of the damage in Myanmar was slower to emerge, given the junta has largely banned social media and communications apps, such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Signal and X.

The death toll has now passed 1,000 at the time of writing. US Geological Survey modelling, however, suggests there could be more than 10,000 deaths and economic losses potentially exceeding the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Unusually for the isolationist military juntas of Myanmar, its leader, Min Aung Hlaing, immediately issued a call for international assistance.

The junta, however, has full control of as little as 21% of the country in the ongoing civil war, with the rest contested or controlled by ethnic armed groups and resistance fighters. This indicates some hard-hit areas of the country may be inaccessible to international aid.

Compounding these difficulties, the Trump administration has decimated the US Agency for International Development (USAID) activities in the country. This will make it far more challenging to determine the areas most in need and distribute any aid on the ground.

Natural disasters in Myanmar

Along with its history of brutal and authoritarian military rule since gaining independence in 1948, Myanmar is also regularly afflicted by natural disasters.

At least 430 people are believed to have died in floods last September due to the remnants of Typhoon Yagi. In 2023, Cyclone Mocha reportedly killed about 460 of the Rohingya ethnic minority, who are largely confined to government camps in Rakhine state in inhuman conditions.

The worst natural disaster in living memory, however, was Cyclone Nargis in 2008, which left at least 140,000 dead. On that occasion, the military junta resisted international assistance, likely resulting in many unnecessary deaths.

At that time, there was no independent media in Myanmar and it was almost impossible to find out what was actually happening on the ground.

Fortunately, the proliferation of mobile phones in the last decade has allowed information to spread much more widely, even with the junta’s internet blocks and other methods of censorship currently in place.

When Cyclone Nargis occurred – the year after the iPhone was launched – only around 1% of the Myanmar’s population had mobile phones. By the time of the coup in 2021, Myanmar had a smartphone penetration rate of 114%. (This means the country has more smartphones than people.)

Foreign assistance has been compromised

While Min Aung Hlaing has gone farther than his predecessor in 2008 in asking for international help, US President Donald Trump’s actions have ensured that any aid will be far less effective than it would have been two months ago.

On Friday, the same day the earthquake hit, the Trump administration told Congress it would cut nearly all remaining jobs at USAID and shut the agency, closing all USAID missions worldwide.

Jeremy Konyndyk, the president of Refugees International and a former USAID official, called the move “a total abdication of decades of US leadership in the world”. He argued the firings would cut “the last remnants of the team that would have mobilised a USAID disaster response” to the earthquake.

In 2024, USAID spent US$240 million (A$380 million) in Myanmar, around one-third of all multilateral humanitarian assistance to the country.

However, since Trump’s inauguration in January, the number of USAID programs in Myanmar has shrunk from 18 to just three. Several NGOs and at least seven US-funded hospitals operating along Myanmar’s border with Thailand have been shut down.

Myanmar’s exiled independent media outlets, which shine a light on the military’s atrocities, have also seen their funding slashed by the Trump administration’s USAID cuts.

What happens now?

The day before the earthquake, Min Aung Hlaing addressed troops at the 80th anniversary of Armed Forces Day Parade. He announced national elections would go ahead in December – a vote that human rights groups are already calling a “sham”.

There is no conceivable way elections of any integrity can be held in the country under military rule or while the civil war continues to rage.

Military-backed parties have been overwhelmingly rejected by Myanmar’s electorate in every remotely free or fair election over the last four decades. This includes the most recent elections held in 2020, won by the National League of Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

While the world should welcome – and urgently respond to – Min Aung Hlaing’s invitation for international assistance, this doesn’t mean the past is forgotten. Thousands of innocent lives have been lost as a result of the military’s unnecessary and destructive 2021 coup.

If the NLD had remained in government, the country would be infinitely more prepared to deal with consequences of this earthquake. Once again, the military’s brutal rule – and Trump’s draconian aid cuts – will no doubt cause more unnecessary suffering and deaths.

Adam Simpson 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. Thousands are feared dead in Myanmar’s quake. Trump’s USAID cuts will cause even more unnecessary deaths – https://theconversation.com/thousands-are-feared-dead-in-myanmars-quake-trumps-usaid-cuts-will-cause-even-more-unnecessary-deaths-253403

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 29, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Thousands are feared dead in Myanmar’s quake. Trump’s USAID cuts will cause even more unnecessary deaths

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer, International Studies, University of South Australia

In early 2021, after a decade of political and economic reforms, Myanmar looked like it was finally beginning to shake off the hangover of decades of military rule. Foreign investment was growing, and standards of living were gradually improving.

In February that year, however, the military again grabbed power after ousting Aung San Suu Kyi’s democratically elected government in a coup. This sent the country spiralling towards civil war and social and economic collapse.

In the latest addition to the daily misery of Myanmar’s long-suffering people, a huge 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit the centre of the country on Friday. Its epicentre was just outside Mandalay, the county’s second-largest city.

The Thai capital of Bangkok, more than 1,000 kilometres from the epicentre, experienced extensive damage too. Video images showed a collapsing building under construction and sloshing rooftop infinity pools causing waterfalls down high-rise condominiums.

Information on the extent of the damage in Myanmar was slower to emerge, given the junta has largely banned social media and communications apps, such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Signal and X.

The death toll has now passed 1,000 at the time of writing. US Geological Survey modelling, however, suggests there could be more than 10,000 deaths and economic losses potentially exceeding the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Unusually for the isolationist military juntas of Myanmar, its leader, Min Aung Hlaing, immediately issued a call for international assistance.

The junta, however, has full control of as little as 21% of the country in the ongoing civil war, with the rest contested or controlled by ethnic armed groups and resistance fighters. This indicates some hard-hit areas of the country may be inaccessible to international aid.

Compounding these difficulties, the Trump administration has decimated the US Agency for International Development (USAID) activities in the country. This will make it far more challenging to determine the areas most in need and distribute any aid on the ground.

Natural disasters in Myanmar

Along with its history of brutal and authoritarian military rule since gaining independence in 1948, Myanmar is also regularly afflicted by natural disasters.

At least 430 people are believed to have died in floods last September due to the remnants of Typhoon Yagi. In 2023, Cyclone Mocha reportedly killed about 460 of the Rohingya ethnic minority, who are largely confined to government camps in Rakhine state in inhuman conditions.

The worst natural disaster in living memory, however, was Cyclone Nargis in 2008, which left at least 140,000 dead. On that occasion, the military junta resisted international assistance, likely resulting in many unnecessary deaths.

At that time, there was no independent media in Myanmar and it was almost impossible to find out what was actually happening on the ground.

Fortunately, the proliferation of mobile phones in the last decade has allowed information to spread much more widely, even with the junta’s internet blocks and other methods of censorship currently in place.

When Cyclone Nargis occurred – the year after the iPhone was launched – only around 1% of the Myanmar’s population had mobile phones. By the time of the coup in 2021, Myanmar had a smartphone penetration rate of 114%. (This means the country has more smartphones than people.)

Foreign assistance has been compromised

While Min Aung Hlaing has gone farther than his predecessor in 2008 in asking for international help, US President Donald Trump’s actions have ensured that any aid will be far less effective than it would have been two months ago.

On Friday, the same day the earthquake hit, the Trump administration told Congress it would cut nearly all remaining jobs at USAID and shut the agency, closing all USAID missions worldwide.

Jeremy Konyndyk, the president of Refugees International and a former USAID official, called the move “a total abdication of decades of US leadership in the world”. He argued the firings would cut “the last remnants of the team that would have mobilised a USAID disaster response” to the earthquake.

In 2024, USAID spent US$240 million (A$380 million) in Myanmar, around one-third of all multilateral humanitarian assistance to the country.

However, since Trump’s inauguration in January, the number of USAID programs in Myanmar has shrunk from 18 to just three. Several NGOs and at least seven US-funded hospitals operating along Myanmar’s border with Thailand have been shut down.

Myanmar’s exiled independent media outlets, which shine a light on the military’s atrocities, have also seen their funding slashed by the Trump administration’s USAID cuts.

What happens now?

The day before the earthquake, Min Aung Hlaing addressed troops at the 80th anniversary of Armed Forces Day Parade. He announced national elections would go ahead in December – a vote that human rights groups are already calling a “sham”.

There is no conceivable way elections of any integrity can be held in the country under military rule or while the civil war continues to rage.

Military-backed parties have been overwhelmingly rejected by Myanmar’s electorate in every remotely free or fair election over the last four decades. This includes the most recent elections held in 2020, won by the National League of Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi.

While the world should welcome – and urgently respond to – Min Aung Hlaing’s invitation for international assistance, this doesn’t mean the past is forgotten. Thousands of innocent lives have been lost as a result of the military’s unnecessary and destructive 2021 coup.

If the NLD had remained in government, the country would be infinitely more prepared to deal with consequences of this earthquake. Once again, the military’s brutal rule – and Trump’s draconian aid cuts – will no doubt cause more unnecessary suffering and deaths.

Adam Simpson 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. Thousands are feared dead in Myanmar’s quake. Trump’s USAID cuts will cause even more unnecessary deaths – https://theconversation.com/thousands-are-feared-dead-in-myanmars-quake-trumps-usaid-cuts-will-cause-even-more-unnecessary-deaths-253403

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK firm to land Europe’s first rover on Mars
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

UK firm to land Europe’s first rover on Mars

A UK aerospace company is set to land the first European rover on the red planet, as it wins £150 million to complete the touchdown system delivering the rover safely to Mars.
Airbus wins contract to land Europe’s first rover on Mars.

Airbus UK wins European contract to engineer landing platform that will safely deliver rover on Mars.

First British-built rover will explore the red planet in 2030 for signs of present and past life on Mars.

Contract set to support around 200 high-skilled jobs and boost growth, supercharging Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

The new contract, awarded by the European Space Agency and funded by the government through the UK Space Agency, will support a cutting-edge system that will land the Rosalind Franklin rover on the surface of Mars and support its deployment onto the planet. It will also sustain around 200 high-skilled jobs in the UK space sector and attract international investment, leading to wider growth in the UK economy as part of the Prime Minister’s Plan for Change.

The first UK-built rover’s mission is to explore the red planet and drill 2 metres down into the surface to hunt for signs of ancient life, such as fossilised microbes, in an effort to find out how our solar system came to be. Exploring Mars is crucial to further our knowledge in climate shifts and may help answer whether life exists beyond our home planet.

The mission is made possible by advanced UK robotics and autonomous navigation technologies, which can also be deployed in challenging environments on Earth, such as nuclear power plants and the deep ocean.

Named Rosalind Franklin after the British scientist whose work was central to the understanding of the molecular structures of DNA, the rover will be the first European made rover to land on Mars.

Britian’s growing space sector is helping to bring jobs and growth to communities and organisations across the UK, with 50,000 people already employed in the sector. It will be a top priority in the government’s Industrial Strategy, which has identified advanced manufacturing and digital and technologies as key growth-driving sectors.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said:

This inspiring example of world-class British science will bring us one step closer to answering long-asked questions on potential life on Mars.

Landing the first ever home-grown rover on Mars, Airbus will not only help Britain make history and lead the European space race but also bring hundreds of highly skilled jobs and investment as we secure Britain’s future through our Plan for Change.

The rover, entirely built in Stevenage by engineers from Airbus UK, is due to launch in 2028 with the support of NASA and land on Mars in 2030. It was ready to launch in 2022, until the European Space Agency (ESA) cancelled its cooperation with Russia following the illegal invasion of Ukraine.

The rover, entirely built in Stevenage by engineers from Airbus UK, is due to launch in 2028 with the support of NASA and land on Mars in 2030. It was ready to launch in 2022, until the European Space Agency cancelled its cooperation with Russia following the illegal invasion of Ukraine.

The UK Space Agency and international partners stepped up to replace Russian components in the mission, including the lander platform now under development in Stevenage and a key science instrument now led by Aberystwyth University.

Dame Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock DBE said:

The British built Rosalind Franklin rover will give us vital insight into the history of Mars. This type of information from other planets can give us a better understanding of our own place in space and our planetary evolution.

With its unique design that enables it to acquire samples at depth of up to 2 metres, we may get answers to some of the fundamental questions we ask about Mars. Drilling to this depth allow us to look for life away from the hostile Martian surface where radiation is likely to kill life as we know it.

Samples gathered by the Rosalind Franklin rover may help us answer the age old question “Are we alone in the Universe?

Paul Bate, CEO of the UK Space Agency, said:

This is humanity defining science, and the best opportunity to find if past life once existed on Mars.

We’re proud to have funded this world leading technology. The ripple effects of space exploration discoveries extend far beyond the realm of space exploration, driving progress and prosperity across multiple sectors in the UK, and inspiring technological advances to benefit us all.

Our journeys into space continue to improve our lives here on Earth.

Dr Louisa J Preston, a Co-Investigator on PanCam and Enfys who is based at UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory, said:

The Rosalind Franklin Rover mission will be a unique ground-breaking mission; the first sent to drill 2 metres into the crust of Mars, collecting and analysing samples that are up to 4 billion years old, with the goal of discovering evidence of past or even present life hidden beneath the surface.

Rosalind is a truly international collaboration and the UK has taken a pivotal role in this through the development of the PanCam and Enfys instruments, building the rover, and now excitingly providing the landing platform. It is a privilege to be a part of this mission and we cannot wait to finally ‘open our eyes’ at Oxia Planum, the Martian plain where the rover will land, and begin this incredible adventure.

Under contract from aerospace company Thales Alenia Space (TAS), which is leading the overall ExoMars mission, Airbus teams in Stevenage will design the mechanical, thermal and propulsion systems necessary for the landing platform to ensure a safe touchdown for the rover in 2030.

This will include the landing structure, the large propulsion system used to provide the final braking thrust, and the landing gear to ensure the lander is stable on touchdown. The lander will feature 2 ramps that will be deployed on opposite sides to enable the rover to be driven onto the Martian surface using the least risky route.

Kata Escott, Managing Director Airbus Defence and Space UK said:

Getting the Rosalind Franklin rover onto the surface of Mars is a huge international challenge and the culmination of more than 20 years’ work. We are proud to have built the rover in our state-of-the-art Stevenage cleanroom and delighted now to develop the project to ensure its safe delivery to Mars. Rosalind Franklin will be the first Martian rover able to analyse samples from 2 metres below the surface in its search for past or present life. The mission will supercharge our space know-how in the UK, and will advance our collective understanding of our solar system.

The mission is a collaborative effort from science communities not just across Europe but also the UK, with a range of UK universities involved in the development and launch of the rover. For example, the panoramic camera (PanCam) system on the rover is led by scientists from University College London’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory working with the University of Aberystwyth, Birkbeck College and the University of Leicester. The University of Aberystwyth is also building an infrared spectrometer for the rover, which will identify the most promising rocks to drill and test for evidence of ancient biology.

The UK Space Agency also launched the National Space Innovation Programme’s Call 2 funding competition on 27 March. £17 million of grant funding will be made available, supporting businesses, universities, and other space organisations across the UK to develop and commercialise the technologies of the future that will deliver benefits to the UK economy and its citizens.

Notes to editors

The contract returns the £150 million invested by the UK into the European Space Agency Exploration Programme to enable the Rosalind Franklin programme to continue. European Space Agency contracts delivered to the UK Space Agency provide an average return of £9.80 for every £1 spent.

The US was the last nation to send a rover to Mars in 2021, when NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover collected samples on the red planet.

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Published 29 March 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General Appoints James Swan of United States Special Representative, Head of United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia

Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of James Swan of the United States as his Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS). The Secretary-General expresses his gratitude to Mr. Swan for acting as Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM)/UNTMIS since May 2024, and is pleased that Mr. Swan accepted to continue to lead the United Nations in Somalia during this critical period.

Mr. Swan is an experienced diplomat with a long career in African countries facing complex political transitions. Prior to serving as acting Special Representative for Somalia and Head of UNSOM/UNTMIS as well as Special Representative for Somalia and Head of UNSOM (2019-2022), he worked in the United States Government as Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2013-2016), Special Representative for Somalia (2011-2013) and Ambassador to Djibouti (2008-2011).

In his earlier career, Mr. Swan was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (2006-2008) and Director of African Analysis in the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (2005-2006). Before assuming these positions, Mr. Swan held various assignments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Cameroon, Nicaragua and Haiti.

Mr. Swan holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, a Master of Arts degree from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies and a master’s degree in security studies from the National War College, all in the United States. He is fluent in English and French.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kehoe Announces Judicial Appointment

Source: US State of Missouri

MARCH 28, 2025

Jefferson City — Today, Governor Kehoe appointed a new Associate Circuit Judge to the 32^ndJudicial Circuit.

Amy Trueblood, of Cape Girardeau, was appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Cape Girardeau County in the 32^nd Judicial Circuit.

Mrs. Trueblood earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law and holds a Bachelor of Arts in environmental science and public policy and economics from Harvard University. She is licensed to practice law in Virginia, Illinois, and Missouri. Mrs. Trueblood currently serves as a judicial law clerk to Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh for the United States District Court in Cape Girardeau. In addition to her legal career, she is an active member of the Federalist Society, Harvard Club of St. Louis, and the Cape Girardeau County Bar Association. Mrs. Trueblood also served on the Cape Girardeau Public Library Board of Trustees, including terms as President and Vice President.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Jury Finds District Man Guilty of First-Degree Premeditated Murder for Revenge Killing

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

WASHINGTON – Deonte Patterson, 29, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree premeditated murder while armed and other charges for the August 2021 shooting of 32-year-old Ali Jamil Al-Mahdi on 9th Street NW, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Patterson also was found guilty of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and obstructing justice. The verdict was returned following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for May 30, 2025. Patterson faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the crimes.

According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 2:24 a.m., on August 23, 2021, members of the Third District Metropolitan Police Department were in the area of 9th and T Street, N.W., when they heard the sounds of multiple gunshots. Officers canvassed the area and located Mr. Ali Al-Mahdi in front of 1822 9th Street, N.W., unconscious and unresponsive, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. DC Fire and EMS personnel responded to the scene and transported Mr. Al-Mahdi to Howard University Hospital where all lifesaving efforts failed, and he was pronounced dead at 3:39 a.m. Surveillance video and witness testimony placed Patterson in the area of the shooting. Mr. Al-Mahdi was shot as he was trying to get to his car. Minutes after the shooting, there was a car crash at 9th Street and Massachusetts Ave N.W., where a car flipped over multiple times. Patterson and a gun flew out from the vehicle during the crash. DNA tied the gun that flew out of the car to the defendant. That gun was consistent with having fired the 40 caliber casings at the shooting crime scene. Other casings at the shooting scene came from an unknown firearm suspected to be return gunfire that hit the defendant’s fleeing vehicle. The defendant’s firearm was in a fanny pack in the backseat of his car. The decedent had previously shot the defendant in 2019, pled guilty, and served time.

An arrest warrant for Patterson was issued in January 2022 and he was on the run for a year until he was arrested on January 5, 2023. Since being held, the defendant communicated with his girlfriend in several jail calls instructing her not to say anything.

This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Galloway and Tamara Rubb.

MIL Security OSI –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Visiting Mars on the Way to the Outer Solar System

Source: NASA

Written by Roger Wiens, Principal Investigator, SuperCam instrument / Co-Investigator, SHERLOC instrument at Purdue University

Recently Mars has had a few Earthly visitors. On March 1, NASA’s Europa Clipper flew within 550 miles (884 kilometers) of the Red Planet’s surface on its way out to Jupiter. On March 12, the European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft flew within about 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) of Mars, and only 300 kilometers from its moon, Deimos. Hera is on its way to study the binary asteroid Didymos and its moon Dimorphos. Next year, in May 2026, NASA’s Psyche mission is scheduled to buzz the Red Planet on its way to the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche, coming within a few thousand kilometers.
Why all these visits to Mars? You might at first think that they’re using Mars as an object of opportunity for their cameras, and you would be partially right. But Mars has more to give these missions than that. The main reason for these flybys is the extra speed that Mars’ velocity around the Sun can give them. The idea that visiting a planet can speed up a spacecraft is not all that obvious, because the same gravity that attracts the spacecraft on its way towards the planet will exert a backwards force as the spacecraft leaves the planet.
The key is in the direction that it approaches and leaves the planet. If the spacecraft leaves Mars heading in the direction that Mars is traveling around the Sun, it will gain speed in that direction, slingshotting it farther into the outer solar system. A spacecraft can typically gain several percent of its speed by performing such a slingshot flyby. The closer it gets to the planet, the bigger the effect. However, no mission wants to be slowed by the upper atmosphere, so several hundred kilometers is the closest that a mission should go. And the proximity to the planet is also affected by the exact direction the spacecraft needs to go when it leaves Mars.
Clipper’s Mars flyby was a slight exception, slowing down the craft — by about 1.2 miles per second (2 kilometers per second) — to steer it toward Earth for a second gravity assist in December 2026. That will push the spacecraft the rest of the way to Jupiter, for its 2030 arrival.
While observing Mars is not the main reason for their visits, many of the visiting spacecraft take the opportunity to use their cameras either to perform calibrations or to study the Red Planet and its moons.
During Clipper’s flyby over sols 1431-1432, Mastcam-Z was directed to watch the skies for signs of the interplanetary visitor. Clipper’s relatively large solar panels could have reflected enough sunlight for it to be seen in the Mars night sky, much as we can see satellites overhead from Earth. Unfortunately, the spacecraft entered the shadow of Mars just before it came into potential view above the horizon from Perseverance’s vantage point, so the sighting did not happen. But it was worth a try.
Meanwhile, back on the ground, Perseverance is performing something of a cliff-hanger. “Sally’s Cove” is a relatively steep rock outcrop in the outer portion of Jezero crater’s rim just north of “Broom Hill.” Perseverance made an approach during March 19-23, and has been exploring some dark-colored rocks along this outcrop, leaving the spherules behind for the moment. Who knows what Perseverance will find next?

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Lt. Gov. Luke – RELEASE: Promoting Hawaiʻi’s Agricultural Sector

Source: US State of Hawaii

Lt. Gov. Luke – RELEASE: Promoting Hawaiʻi’s Agricultural Sector

Posted on Mar 28, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

STATE OF HAWAIʻI
KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

SYLVIA LUKE
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
KE KEʻENA O KA HOPE KIAʻĀINA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28, 2025

PROMOTING HAWAIʻI’S AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
Hawaiʻi Leaders Advocate for Agriculture Issues in Washington, D.C.

HONOLULU — A delegation of over 20 leaders in farming, ranching, and commerce returned after completing a successful visit with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Washington, D.C. This marked the 2nd Annual Hawaiʻi-USDA Policy Summit, led by Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, and focused on highlighting Hawaiʻi’s unique and essential agricultural sector at the federal level.

“Our first delegation visit with USDA gave participants an introduction to the vast support USDA offers all states and sparked the opportunity for greater partnership between USDA and Hawaiʻi,” said Lt. Gov. Luke. “We need to continuously strengthen local food production and support our agriculture community. Identifying key opportunities for collaboration with the USDA is crucial to ensure Hawaiʻi’s agricultural industry has the necessary resources to thrive.”

The delegation of state, non-profit, business, and community leaders marked the first state delegation to visit the USDA and meet with newly sworn-in U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.

“Hawaiʻi’s agriculture feeds our nation and shapes its spirit,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. “I am excited to continue working to put our farmers first and working to lift burdensome regulatory barriers.”

In addition to meeting with Secretary Rollins, the delegation had meetings with multiple agencies within the USDA, including Agricultural Research Service, Agriculture Marketing Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Farm Service Agency, Food Safety Inspection Service, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, and Rural Development.

The delegation also met with national industry associations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

“The farmers and ranchers of Hawaiʻi are so grateful for Lieutenant Governor Luke’s foresight and creativity in putting this delegation together and the USDA’s quick response in providing this opportunity to us,” said Darren Strand, President of Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau. “Hawaiʻi agriculture has such unique obstacles and challenges, and these meetings help us align federal resources with our local, island needs. Strengthening the crucial relationship between Hawaiʻi and the USDA allows Hawaiʻi’s farmers and ranchers to thrive in uncertain times and evolving agricultural landscape.”

The visit provided local farmers, ranchers, and advocates the opportunity to express the critical role of Hawaiʻi agricultural production in communities statewide. Hawaiʻi’s agricultural imports and exports, truth in labeling, expanding biosecurity protections within the state, and supporting more production of local agriculture were key priorities of the policy summit.

“We have learned that when you show up, you show how serious you are about advocating for your needs,” said Nicole Galase, Managing Director of the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council. “Bringing together such a wide representation of agriculture leaders shows a united voice for the State of Hawaiʻi — that we are an essential part of the US food system.”

2025 Hawaiʻi-USDA Policy Summit Attendees

Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke

Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture Chairperson Sharon Hurd

Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen

Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism Deputy Director Dane Wicker

Senator Tim Richards

Office of Senator Mike Gabbard

Agribusiness Development Corporation

Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council

University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

Alaska Airlines

Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau

Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council

Hawaii Crop Improvement Association

Hawaii Macadamia Nut Association

Island Harvest

Synergistic Hawaii

Agricultural Council

Bayer Hawaiʻi

Mahi Pono

Maui Gold Pineapple

###

Media Contact:

Shari Nishijima

Communications Director

Office of the Lieutenant Governor

(808) 978-0867

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: PROMOTING HAWAIʻI’S AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

Source: US State of Hawaii

Hawaiʻi Leaders Advocate for Agriculture Issues in Washington, D.C.

HONOLULU — A delegation of over 20 leaders in farming, ranching, and commerce returned after completing a successful visit with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Washington, D.C. This marked the 2nd Annual Hawaiʻi-USDA Policy Summit, led by Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke, and focused on highlighting Hawaiʻi’s unique and essential agricultural sector at the federal level.

“Our first delegation visit with USDA gave participants an introduction to the vast support USDA offers all states and sparked the opportunity for greater partnership between USDA and Hawaiʻi,” said Lt. Gov. Luke. “We need to continuously strengthen local food production and support our agriculture community. Identifying key opportunities for collaboration with the USDA is crucial to ensure Hawaiʻi’s agricultural industry has the necessary resources to thrive.”

The delegation of state, non-profit, business, and community leaders marked the first state delegation to visit the USDA and meet with newly sworn-in U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.

“Hawaiʻi’s agriculture feeds our nation and shapes its spirit,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. “I am excited to continue working to put our farmers first and working to lift burdensome regulatory barriers.”

In addition to meeting with Secretary Rollins, the delegation had meetings with multiple agencies within the USDA, including Agricultural Research Service, Agriculture Marketing Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Farm Service Agency, Food Safety Inspection Service, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, and Rural Development.

The delegation also met with national industry associations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

“The farmers and ranchers of Hawaiʻi are so grateful for Lieutenant Governor Luke’s foresight and creativity in putting this delegation together and the USDA’s quick response in providing this opportunity to us,” said Darren Strand, President of Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau. “Hawaiʻi agriculture has such unique obstacles and challenges, and these meetings help us align federal resources with our local, island needs. Strengthening the crucial relationship between Hawaiʻi and the USDA allows Hawaiʻi’s farmers and ranchers to thrive in uncertain times and evolving agricultural landscape.”

The visit provided local farmers, ranchers, and advocates the opportunity to express the critical role of Hawaiʻi agricultural production in communities statewide. Hawaiʻi’s agricultural imports and exports, truth in labeling, expanding biosecurity protections within the state, and supporting more production of local agriculture were key priorities of the policy summit.

“We have learned that when you show up, you show how serious you are about advocating for your needs,” said Nicole Galase, Managing Director of the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council. “Bringing together such a wide representation of agriculture leaders shows a united voice for the State of Hawaiʻi — that we are an essential part of the US food system.”

2025 Hawaiʻi-USDA Policy Summit Attendees

Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke

Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture Chairperson Sharon Hurd

Hawaiʻi Department of Transportation Director Ed Sniffen

Hawaiʻi Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism Deputy Director Dane Wicker

Senator Tim Richards

Office of Senator Mike Gabbard

Agribusiness Development Corporation

Hawaiʻi Invasive Species Council

University of Hawaiʻi College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources

Alaska Airlines

Hawaiʻi Farm Bureau

Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council

Hawaii Crop Improvement Association

Hawaii Macadamia Nut Association

Island Harvest

Synergistic Hawaii

Agricultural Council

Bayer Hawaiʻi

Mahi Pono

Maui Gold Pineapple

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4493-4494: Just Looking Around

Source: NASA

Written by Alex Innanen, atmospheric scientist at York University
Earth planning date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
It’s my second shift of the week as the Environmental theme lead and keeper of the plan (a bit of a mouthful we shorten to ESTLK) and today started out feeling eerily similar to Monday. Once again, Curiosity is posing like a geologist, which means that once again we can’t unstow the arm and will be skipping contact science. The silver lining is that this means we have extra time to have a good look around.
The plan also looks similar to Monday’s — targeted remote sensing on the first sol before driving away, and then untargeted remote sensing on the next. On sol 4493 we start our remote sensing, almost as remote as we can get, with a suprahorizon movie looking for clouds in the south. A dust-devil survey rounds out the sol’s environmental observations, and then the geology theme group can get down to the serious business of looking at rocks. For Mastcam this means observing a group of bedrock targets all called “Observatory Trail” (one of which you can see in the middle of the image above), pointing out some interesting veins in “Point Loma,” and casting their gaze out toward “Black Butte” (which I could not think of a fun pun for…). ChemCam has a LIBS observation of “Cholla,” as well as two long-distance observations of the Texoli Butte and the boxwork structures. Our second sol is a little more restrained, as untargeted sols tend to be. But Curiosity will still have plenty of energy after a good rest. We’re taking advantage of that with an extra-long dust-devil movie. Even though we’re in our cloudy season, we still sometimes see dust lifting, and having that extra time to look out for it increases our chances of catching a wind gust or a dust devil in action. Alongside that we also have a Mastcam tau observation to keep an eye on the amount of dust in the atmosphere, and wrap up with a ChemCam AEGIS activity to autonomously choose a LIBS target.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NASA Employee Meets Success at NASA Stennis

Source: NASA

A career path can unfold in unexpected ways. Ask NASA’s Rebecca Mataya.
The journey to NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, was not planned but “meant to be,” she said.
While working for a local business, the Picayune, Mississippi, native frequently delivered items to NASA Stennis. While making a delivery, Mataya noticed a construction worker who needed directions while waiting to receive a NASA Stennis visitor’s badge.
“I stepped in by offering a map and highlighting the way,” Mataya said.
This small moment of initiative caught the attention of the receptionist, who mentioned an opening at NASA Stennis. She noted that Mataya’s approach to the situation displayed the NASA Stennis culture of hospitality and a can-do attitude.
“The rest is history,” she said. “Looking back, it was not just about finding a job – it was about NASA Stennis finding me, and me discovering a place where I would build a fulfilling career.”
Since the first day of work when Mataya walked into NASA Stennis “in complete awe,” she has felt like every day is a learning experience filled with “wow” moments, like seeing a test stand up close and meeting rocket engineers.
The Carriere, Mississippi, resident worked as a support contractor from 2008 to 2022, filling various roles from lead security support specialist to technical writer and program manager.
Her career path has progressed, where each role built upon the previous.
As a budget analyst in the NASA Stennis Office of the Chief Financial Officer since 2022, Mataya oversees the planning, programing, budgeting, and execution of funds for all Office of Strategic Infrastructure work within the NASA Stennis Center Operations Directorate. She also manages budgets for the NASA Stennis Construction of Facilities projects, and the congressionally approved Supplemental Funding portfolio.
“It is a role that requires adaptability, strategic thinking, and financial oversight,” she said. “I have cultivated these skills through years of experience, but more than that, it is a role that allows me to contribute something meaningful to the future of NASA and space exploration.”
Mataya will complete a master’s degree in Business Administration from Mississippi State University in May. She previously earned her bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State and an associate degree from Pearl River Community College.
“My career has been shaped by growth and achievement, but the greatest highlight has always been the incredible people I have had the privilege of working with,” she said. “Walking the halls of NASA, where top leaders recognize me by name, is a testament to the trust and relationships I have built over the years.”
Mataya said supervisors have consistently entrusted her with more complex projects, confident in her ability to rise to the challenge and deliver results. As a result, she has had opportunities to mentor interns and early-career professionals, guiding them as others once guided her.
“Seeing my colleagues succeed and knowing they have reached their goals, and championing their progress along the way, remains one of the most rewarding aspects of my career,” she said.
Mataya knows from experience that NASA Stennis offers opportunity and a supportive environment, not only for employees looking for career growth, but to customers seeking world-class testing facilities. “NASA Stennis is a place where collaboration thrives,” she said. “It is where NASA, tenants, and commercial partners come together as one cohesive community with a culture of mutual respect, support, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. As America’s largest rocket propulsion test site, NASA Stennis is evolving, and I look forward to seeing how our technological advancements attract new commercial partners and expand NASA’s capabilities.”

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Sanjay Virmani Named Special Agent in Charge of the San Francisco Field Office

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has named Sanjay Virmani as the special agent in charge of the San Francisco Field Office. He most recently served as the special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office over the Counterterrorism Division.

Mr. Virmani joined the FBI as a special agent in 2003 and was assigned to the San Francisco Field Office where he worked cyber and counterterrorism matters. In 2007, he was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters.

In 2010, he was selected as the supervisory special agent to lead the San Francisco Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in the Oakland Resident Agency. Mr. Virmani was then selected to serve as director of the INTERPOL Digital Crime Center at the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore in 2013.

In 2016, Mr. Virmani returned to FBI Headquarters as a unit chief, working cyberterrorism matters.

In 2018, he was promoted to assistant section chief of the Internet Operations Section of the Counterterrorism Division, where he worked to foster partnerships within the U.S. intelligence community and with international partners. He returned to the San Francisco Field Office as a supervisory special agent, then was promoted to assistant special agent in charge over the Cyber Branch in 2018 as well.

In 2021, Mr. Virmani returned to the Counterterrorism Division as section chief of the Strategic Partner Engagement Section, where he oversaw the FBI’s liaison efforts with the law enforcement community, U.S. interagency, and private sector partners on counterterrorism-related matters.

In 2022, he served as the acting special agent in charge of the Tampa Field Office. That same year, he was promoted to deputy assistant director of the Counterterrorism Division. In 2024, he was selected as the special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office over the Counterterrorism Division.

Mr. Virmani earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from California State Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo and received a master’s degree in business administration from the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California.  

MIL Security OSI –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA News: WEEK TEN WINS: President Trump Fuels America’s Golden Age
Source: The White House
Ten weeks into his second term, President Donald J. Trump keeps delivering transformative wins for the American people — empowering our workers, securing our nation, and cementing our leadership as the envy of the world.

Here is a non-comprehensive list of wins in week ten:
- President Trump’s effort to secure the homeland continued in force.
  
  The Trump Administration directed the successful apprehension of a key MS-13 gang leader — an illegal immigrant living in Virginia and operating as one of the top three MS-13 leaders in the U.S.
  
  ICE arrested 370+ illegal immigrants as part of a major operation in Massachusetts — many of whom have serious criminal convictions and charges, including murder, child rape, fentanyl trafficking, and armed robbery.
- President Trump imposed a 25% tariff on imports of foreign automobiles and certain auto parts to end unfair trade practices and protect national security.
  
  United Auto Workers: “We applaud the Trump administration for stepping up to end the free trade disaster that has devastated working class communities for decades. Ending the race to the bottom in the auto industry starts with fixing our broken trade deals, and the Trump administration has made history with today’s actions.”
- President Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all goods from countries that import Venezuelan oil to sever the financial lifelines of the corrupt Maduro regime.
- President Trump’s unrelenting pursuit of American manufacturing dominance continued to deliver results.
  
  Hyundai announced a $20 billion investment in the U.S., which will create 14,000 new jobs. The investment includes $5.8 billion for a new steel plant in Louisiana, which will create nearly 1,500 jobs.
  
  Schneider Electric announced it will invest $700 million over the next four years in U.S. energy infrastructure.
  
  Rolls-Royce is expected to shift production to the U.S. and expand its domestic workforce.
  
  Vietnam announced it will cut duties on U.S. imports, including liquefied natural gas and automobiles.
- President Trump continued to pursue peace through strength around the world.
  
  U.S. airstrikes eliminated dozens of ISIS jihadis hiding within a cave complex in Somalia.
  
  Following U.S.-led negotiations, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a Black Sea ceasefire.
- President Trump’s economic agenda delivered more relief for Americans.
  
  Large egg prices have dropped nearly 60% since last month amid the Trump Administration’s efforts to combat the avian bird flu and repopulate the chicken supply.
  
  New data showed new home sales rose 5.1% over last year — with median home prices down 1.5% over last year and 3% over January.
- The President signed several key executive orders to improve our nation.
  
  President Trump signed an executive order aimed at making Washington, D.C., safe, beautiful, and the greatest capital city in the world.
  
  President Trump signed an executive order on election integrity, including requiring proof of citizenship in voter registration, setting standards for voting equipment, identifying election fraud, and banning foreign interference in elections.
  
  President Trump signed executive orders to protect America’s bank account against waste, fraud, and abuse and modernize payments.
  
  President Trump signed an executive order exempting agencies with national security missions from federal collective bargaining requirements in order to bolster border, national, and energy security.
  
  President Trump signed an executive order to remove anti-American propaganda from federal museums and national parks.
  
  President Trump ordered the immediate declassification of all FBI files related to the sham Crossfire Hurricane investigation.
- The Department of the Interior disbursed $350 million in energy revenues from the Gulf of America to oil-and-gas-producing states, including Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.
- The Department of the Interior announced nearly $40 million in total receipts from its first oil and gas lease sales of the year.
- The Department of Commerce blacklisted more than 50 Chinese companies in a bid to reduce the Chinese Communist Party’s intellectual property theft.
- The Department of Housing and Urban Development canceled taxpayer-backed mortgages for illegal immigrants.
- The Department of Energy slashed unnecessary bureaucratic red tape that accounted for 60% of costs when building and purchasing new laboratories.
- The Department of Health and Human Services axed $300 million in grants to California related to radical gender ideology and DEI.
- The Department of Health and Human Services formally warned California for allowing graphic sex education, including about sex toys and “role-plays,” to be taught to children as young as ten years old.
- The Department of Education revoked waivers that allowed certain colleges to divert federal funds intended for low-income students and students with disabilities to illegal immigrants.
- The Department of Education launched an investigation into the California Department of Education for withholding information from parents about their child’s gender identity.
- The Department of Education launched an investigation into Portland Public Schools and the Oregon School Activities Association for allowing a male student athlete to compete in a girls’ track and field competition.
- The Department of Agriculture reinstated critical reports canceled by the Biden Administration, including the July Cattle Report and the County Estimates for Crops and Livestock — giving farmers the data needed to make important decisions for their operations.
- The Department of Agriculture announced an investigation into California for possible noncompliance with President Trump’s executive order on radical transgender ideology.
- The Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against additional Iranian intelligence officers involved in the probable death and cover-up of FBI Special Agent Bob Levinson.
- The Department of Labor canceled nearly $600 million in “America Last” grants, including millions for “gender equity in the Mexican workplace” and “assisting foreign migrant workers” in Malaysia.
- The Department of Justice seized hundreds of thousands of dollars of cryptocurrency intended to support Hamas and other terrorist organizations.
- The Environmental Protection Agency terminated a $2 billion Biden-era grant to a non-governmental organization linked to partisan politics.
- The Environmental Protection Agency announced it “successfully completed its mission assignment in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.”
- The Office of Management and Budget cut a wasteful $3 billion Biden-era slush fund.
- The Small Business Administration announced actions to reverse Biden-era mismanagement of its Core 7(a) loan program.
- The U.S. Coast Guard awarded a $1 billion contract for dozens of heavy icebreaker ships — which play a critical role in the defense of American interests.
- The University of Michigan announced it will end its “diversity, equity, and inclusion”-related programming following President Trump’s executive order earlier this year.
- President Trump’s nominees continue to be confirmed at a rapid pace, with the Senate confirming Secretary of the Navy John Phelan, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios, National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya, and Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director Dan Bishop.
- President Trump pardoned Devon Archer, a former business partner of Hunter Biden whose key testimony in the Biden corruption scandal made him a target for prosecution by the Biden Administration.
MIL OSI USA News –
March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: MP drafts bill to end race-based university policies

Source: ACT Party

ACT Tertiary Education spokesperson Dr Parmjeet Parmar has drafted a bill that would ensure universities do not allocate resources, benefits or opportunities based on race.

“This week I wrote to the Minister for Universities to raise concerns about allocation of resources toward students based on ethnicity. This includes special allowances, separate study spaces, scholarships, and course entrance pathways in fields like medicine,” says Dr Parmar.

“Last year, the Government issued a ‘need and value’ directive to public agencies instructing them to allocate support based on need, rather than ethnicity. But the directive didn’t apply to universities.

“Universities are independent but receive most of their funding from taxpayers, and they are protected from competition by legislation.

“I have drafted a bill that would effectively apply the need-not-race directive to the university sectors. ACT will continue to advocate for fair access to opportunities at university and I hope the Minister will consider my proposal.

“I also reiterated to the Minister concerns I have raised publicly about the University of Auckland’s new compulsory paper on the Treaty and indigenous knowledge. In ACT’s view, the compulsory nature of the course disrespects the time and financial investment made by students. Students deserve the chance to focus on areas relevant to their careers and personal interests. This is especially true for international students who are now forced to pay upwards of $5,000 for a course that will hold little value once they leave New Zealand.”

A copy of the draft Education and Training (Equal Treatment) Amendment Bill can be found here.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Robert Garcia Statement on Politically Motivated Arrests Toward Peaceful University Protestors

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Garcia California (42nd District)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42) released the following statement after the arrest and detention of Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk and Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, as well as other similar incidents across the nation.

“Donald Trump and Secretary Noem are trying to destroy basic freedoms of speech and first amendment rights,” said Congressman Garcia. “Using ICE agents to arrest students without evidence of any crime is unacceptable. These detentions without due process must be stopped. We must fight back to protect our civil liberties and ensure this administration isn’t unlawfully silencing those peacefully exercising their rights.”

“We should all be angered by the politically-motivated detentions and arrests of students like Rumeysa Ozturk – who was grabbed on the way to a Ramadan iftar dinner – and Mahmoud Khalil, without due process or evidence of any crimes. As an immigrant, I know the fear of deportation. Revoking legal status without due process is completely unacceptable. The administration must produce lawful justification for their actions or release both students immediately.”

Congressman Garcia has always been a fierce defender of our rights and the freedom of speech, standing strong against any efforts to undermine the core values of our democracy. At the first DOGE Subcommittee hearing in February, Congressman Garcia called out Elon Musk for leading a power grab against our democracy. When Washington D.C.’s Acting U.S. Attorney, a Trump appointee, sent a threatening letter in a clear attempt to silence him, Congressman Garcia refused to back down. Congressman Garcia will continue to fight against the growing influence of those who seek to undermine our democracy and our freedoms.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Mann, Neguse Reintroduce Legislation to Address Health Care Shortage
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tracey Mann (Kansas, 1)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Tracey Mann (KS-01) and Joe Neguse (CO-02) led 11 of their colleagues in reintroducing legislation to address the nation’s health care workforce shortage. The States Handling Access to Reciprocity for Employment (SHARE) Act of 2025 would require the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to provide criminal record history information to state agencies conducting a background check for the purposes of an interstate compact. This technical amendment would improve the current licensing process for health care providers and increase the number of licensed providers able to serve communities across state lines.

“We need flexibility in our health care systems to ensure rural communities like those in the Big First have access to good, quality care,” said Rep. Mann “As hospitals and care giving facilities across rural America navigate the challenges of recruiting and retaining health care providers, Congress should correct this technical error and remove processes that only make that challenge harder. Our bill expedites the licensure process for providers by allowing the FBI to share background checks across state lines and empower health care providers to serve rural communities where care is most needed without being handcuffed by where a state ends or begins. If we want to improve the health of those in the Big First, and in rural areas and communities around the country, we must expand employment opportunities for our rural health care providers.”

The SHARE Act would make a technical correction to modernize a vital component of the licensure process for health care providers by:
- Removing red tape and reducing administrative burden: This legislation authorizes the FBI to share criminal history record information between states for licensure purposes.
- Maintaining states’ rights to determine provider eligibility: This legislation allows cooperation between states while protecting each state’s authority to determine whether a provider is eligible to practice in the state.
- Addressing the workforce shortage: This legislation extends the reach of health care professionals, eliminating the time necessary for state-to-state checks, improving access to medical specialists, and leveraging the use of new medical technologies like telehealth.
Joining Reps. Mann and Neguse in introducing the SHARE Act are Reps. Don Davis (NC-01), Doug LaMalfa (CA-01), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Dan Meuser (PA-09), Sam Graves (MO-06), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Lauren Boebert (CO-04), Michael McCaul (TX-10), Stephanie Bice (OK-05), Tony Wied (WI-08), and Derek Schmidt (KS-02).

The SHARE Act is supported by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA), ACPE: The Standard for Spiritual Care & Education, Alliance for Connected Care, American Academy of Audiology, American Academy of Physician Associates, American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology, American Association for Respiratory Care, American Counseling Association, American Dental Association, American Healthcare Association, American Medical Association (AMA), American Occupational Therapy Association, American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), APTA Tennessee, American Psychological Association, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, American Telemedicine Association & ATA Action, Ascension, Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas, Association of Dental Support Organizations, Association of Social Work Boards, Avera Health, Bellin+Gunderson Health System, BJC HealthCare, Bon Secours Mercy Health, Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care, Council of State Governments, Counseling Compact Commission, EMS Compact Commission, Essentia Health, Federation of Podiatric Medical Boards, Federation of State Medical Boards, Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, Healthcare Leadership Council, Interstate Commission for EMS Personnel Practice, Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators, Interstate Healthcare Collaborative, Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission, Kansas Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Kansas Psychological Association, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Mercy, National Academies of Practice (NAP), National Association of School Psychologists, National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, National Council of State Boards of Nursing, National Rural Health Association, Occupational Therapy Compact Commission, Physical Therapy Compact Commission, Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact Commission, Pyramid Healthcare, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative, Sanford Health, School Social Work Association of America, SSM Health, Talkiatry, Trinity Health, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, UnityPoint Health, Vermont Board of Medical Practice, and Wyoming Medical Society.

“The EMS Compact strongly supports the SHARE Act as a critical measure to enhance public safety and strengthen the EMS workforce,” said Donnie Woodyard, MAML, NRP, Executive Director of the United States EMS Compact. “It is essential for public protection that state licensing officials have the ability to review criminal history records for all applicants. This fundamental safeguard ensures that only qualified and vetted EMS clinicians are entrusted with patient care, reinforcing the integrity and reliability of our nation’s emergency medical services.”

“The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) stands in strong support of the SHARE Act and looks forward to the 119^th Congress’s consideration of this important legislation,” said Phil Dickison, PhD, RN, Chief Executive Officer of NCSBN. “The SHARE Act represents a critical step forward in facilitating greater access to care for patients across the country. The legislation will ensure state boards of nursing can vet applicants for multistate licensure to promote safe cross-border practice.”

“The Occupational Therapy Compact Commission (OTCC) supports the SHARE Act because it is a crucial step toward ensuring public safety across states that participate in interstate occupational compacts,” said Amanda Perry, OTCC Executive Director. “This act fosters a more secure and trustworthy collaboration while strengthening the integrity of professional licensing, promoting accountability, and protecting citizens from potential harm. For the purposes of making informed licensing decisions, state licensing authorities should be afforded timely and relevant information regarding potential licensees’ criminal history that would affect safe practices within professions.”

“APTA-Tennessee endorses the SHARE Act, and we hope the 119^th Congress will approve this bipartisan legislation,” said Sarah Suddarth, APTA Tennessee President. “The SHARE Act will provide Tennesseans in medically underserved areas with greater access to physical therapy care by ensuring that PTs and other healthcare providers are quickly enabled to treat patients in multiple states.”

“The Council of State Governments has worked to develop professional licensure compacts in coordination with numerous state, federal, and professional partners,” said Dan Logsdon, Director, National Center for Interstate Compacts. “These combined efforts have contributed to states gaining greater access to qualified professionals across the nation and the essential services they provide. 52 states and territories have enacted at least one of these compacts with each state enacting at least 6, on average. CSG recognizes the importance of passage of the SHARE Act to ensure states can fully operationalize the licensure compacts they have enacted. The states clearly realize the need for improved licensure portability and increasing their healthcare workforce and as a result recognize the importance of the SHARE Act. CSG stands in support of the SHARE Act and the efforts across the nation to ensure its successful passage by Congress.”

“The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) strongly supports the SHARE Act,” said Katie Jordan, CEO of the American Occupational Therapy Association. “Occupational therapy practitioners are vital to helping individuals live independent, meaningful lives. The SHARE Act will allow practitioners to bring their expertise where it is needed most, ensuring timely access to care for patients and families. We applaud this legislation as a step toward a more flexible and modern healthcare system.”

“The American Academy of Physician Associates strongly supports the SHARE Act,” said AAPA CEO Lisa M. Gables, CPA. “By removing the red tape and administrative burdens on licensure compacts, this legislation will promote workforce development and strengthen the labor market. It will also improve consumer access to highly qualified practitioners and leverage the use of new medical technologies, such as telehealth. The SHARE act would have a major impact on increasing access to healthcare while allowing states to protect their authority to determine who is eligible to practice in the state.”

“The Interstate Commission of Nurse Licensure Compact Administrators (ICNLCA) encourages enactment of the SHARE Act,” said Pam Zickafoose, EdD, MSN, RN, Chair of ICNLCA. “The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) enables nurses in compact states to hold a multistate license which authorizes practice in 43 jurisdictions currently. This model of licensure makes it possible for nurses to assist in other jurisdictions without any impediments or delays. Federal criminal background checks are the gold standard for public protection in occupational licensure and are a requirement for a nurse to obtain a multistate license. The SHARE Act will enable states to continue to implement and advance the NLC, therefore bringing vital nursing services to patients in need.”

“The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact Commission (IMLCC) strongly supports the SHARE Act. The Act is needed so that the FBI will have clear guidance about how the information provided enhances public safety, while supporting the public protection mission of the IMLCC member boards. Our member boards depend on reliable access to the criminal background information, which at times in the past and currently for 4 of our member boards, that access has been denied. Our member boards have been maintaining and protecting the information they receive for over 7 years.”

“The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association thanks Representatives Mann and Neguse for reintroducing the SHARE Act, and Senators Blackburn and Welch for introducing companion legislation in the Senate for the first time,” said 2025 ASHA President Bernadette Mayfield-Clarke, PhD, CCC-SLP. “ASHA strongly supports the implementation of the Audiology & Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact (ASLP-IC), which is currently adopted by 34 states and 1 territory to allow licensed audiologists and speech-language pathologists to obtain a privilege to practice across state lines in other ASLP-IC member states. As the ASLP-IC anticipates beginning to issue compact privileges to practice later this year, the SHARE Act is vital to ensuring that participating states can receive important information such as background check status and results so practice privileges can be issued. This will help increase access to care in underserved or geographically isolated populations through telepractice, as well as facilitate continuity of care when clients, patients, and/or students relocate or travel to another compact state. ASHA looks forward to working with the sponsors to pass the SHARE Act.”

###

MIL OSI USA News –
March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Law School Could Lead to Rewarding Career Paths for Engineers

Source: US State of Connecticut

University of Connecticut engineering students and alumni recently explored the opportunity of going to law school after obtaining their engineering degree, which provides a rewarding interdisciplinary option for new engineers.

The Law School for Engineers event took place in McHugh Hall on Feb. 26.

The information session offered insight into a variety of career opportunities that combine both engineering and law degrees (juris doctorate), such as becoming a patent lawyer or an intellectual property lawyer.

Robert Endrizzi, ‘17 (ENG), ‘23 JD, who spoke to students about practicing law with a background in engineering said, “UConn Engineering students have a bright future ahead of them with many rewarding career paths. As an alumni of UConn Engineering and UConn Law School, it was my pleasure to talk with the current students about the many legal careers well suited to those with an engineering background, including patent law, specifically.”

Eboni S. Nelson J.D., the UConn School of Law Dean and Professor of Law, was a featured speaker among the panel of lawyers and engineering graduates pursuing their juris doctorate.

UConn School of Law Dean Eboni S. Nelson speaking to engineering students and alumni about pursuing a career in law.

“As Dean of UConn Law, it was my pleasure to speak with UConn Engineering students about their interest in pursuing a law degree,” Nelson said. “Engineers are problem solvers, which makes them well suited for a legal career that centers on addressing clients’ problems specifically and societal problems more broadly. At UConn Law, they will develop skills and knowledge that will equip them to effectively serve their clients and community while advancing justice and the rule of law.”

The presentation featured discussions about what it means to pursue a career in law, transitioning to law from engineering school, and law school admissions advice.

Eric Venables, ‘23 (ENG), ‘27 JD, is a current UConn Law student who spoke about transitioning from engineering to law at the event.

“As engineering students, you’re probably accustomed to highly rigorous coursework,” Venables said. “So, while the adjustment to law school might not be as challenging for you as for non-engineer law students, it’s still very important to have a good support system (friends, family, faculty, fellow students, etc.) that you can lean on during the more difficult times of your legal education.”

The event focused on the rewarding aspects of pursuing a career in law, while also addressing the challenges that come with transitioning to law school from engineering school.

To learn more about the event visit the College of Engineering Undergraduate website, https://s.uconn.edu/lsfe-2025.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Three companies sentenced under OHS law
Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)
Joy Global (Canada) Ltd., NCSG Crane & Heavy Haul Services Ltd., and Suncor Energy Services Inc., as employers, pleaded guilty to one charge each under occupational health and safety (OHS) laws. They were sentenced on March 21 in the Fort McMurray Court of Justice.

Joy Global (Canada) Ltd., a mining equipment company, pleaded guilty to one count under the OHS Act for failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker. The company was penalized $374,000 under a creative sentence. The Crown withdrew 12 other counts.

NCSG Crane & Heavy Haul Services Ltd., as an employer, pleaded guilty to one count under the OHS Code for failing to ensure a hazard assessment was repeated when a new work process was introduced. The company was penalized $374,000 under a creative sentence. The Crown withdrew seven other counts.

Suncor Energy Services Inc. pleaded guilty to one count under the OHS Code for failing to ensure sharp edges on loads being hoisted were guarded to prevent damage to the rigging. The company was penalized $495,000 under a creative sentence. The Crown withdrew 10 other counts.

The $1.243 million in creative sentence funds are allocated to the University of Calgary, University of Alberta and Mount Royal University to research rigging and hoisting practices, develop tools for industry, recommend a standard practice and establish an OHS research institute model for Alberta.

In addition to the creative sentence, each company was fined $1,000 including the victim fine surcharge.

The OHS Act provides a creative sentence option in which funds that would otherwise be paid as fines are directed to an organization or project to improve or promote workplace health and safety. The companies and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal the conviction or penalties.

Alberta’s OHS laws set basic health and safety rules for workplaces across the province. They provide guidance for employers to help them ensure their workplaces are as healthy and safe as possible while providing rights and protections for workers. Charges under OHS laws may be laid when failing to follow the rules results in a workplace fatality or serious injury.

Quick facts
- Jobs, Economy and Trade does not provide sentence documents.
  
  These are available through the Fort McMurray Court of Justice.
- Victim fine surcharges apply to fines payable to the Crown.
- Surcharges are not applied to payments to other entities under creative sentences.
- Fatality investigation summaries are posted to alberta.ca/fatality-investigation-summaries 60 to 90 days after court proceedings conclude.
- The charges stem from an incident on a site near Fort McMurray on July 7, 2022, when a worker died after being struck by a piece of equipment that fell from a crane.
MIL OSI Canada News –
March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Turkey is an incredibly powerful broker in the current world crisis, and a masterful negotiator

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Natasha Lindstaedt, Professor in the Department of Government, University of Essex

A Turkish military ship in the Bosphorus. Atakan Divitlioglu/Shutterstock

While Turkey’s government is struggling to deal with mass protests at home (after Istanbul’s mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was imprisoned), in foreign affairs it is in an increasingly strong position as a key power broker in deals with Europe, the US and Russia. At the crossroads between Asia and Europe, Turkey is strategically important to just about everyone, and is emerging as a clever negotiator.

Since the early 2000s, Turkey has relied on a foreign policy approach that emphasised cooperation instead of competition. Economic ties were a priority, which helped Turkey steadily improve its relationships with Russia, Iran and Syria.

While remaining a part of Nato and a major trading partner with the European Union, Turkey views its ties with Russia, Ukraine, China and countries in the Middle East as equally important. Turkey has shown that it will work with whatever government benefits its interests, and has taken advantage of regional conflicts to be a convenient ally when needed.

At the same time, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has no qualms about confronting both friends and rivals equally, giving it strategic flexibility.

Rocky relationship with Russia

Turkey is Russia’s second biggest trading partner. Ankara continues to rely on Russian gas and banking networks, doing over US$60 billion (£46.3 billion) in trade annually with Moscow. The Turkish relationship with Russia improved dramatically in 1995 when Russia stopped supporting the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) and Turkey stopped supporting Chechen rebels.

Since then, Turkey has maintained a functional relationship with Russia, while never being pliant to Moscow.

Turkey was critical of Russia setting up military bases in Syria, in Tartus and Khmeimim and as it controls the airspace in northern Syria it also has the ability to restrict Russian access. Ankara has also used its military presence in Idlib, in northern Syria, to check Russian influence in the past. Turkey’s drone offensive in Idlib in 2020 helped the Syrian opposition and pushed back Syrian government and Russian-backed activity in the north-west.

The importance of the Black Sea

The Black Sea is another area of competition where Turkey has emerged with the upper hand during the war in Ukraine. Russia aimed to exercise control over the Black Sea, even seizing several Ukrainian ports which affected global grain supply in 2022.

But Turkey negotiated the release of millions of tonnes of grain and has ensured the safety of shipping routes through the Black Sea by enforcing the Montreux Convention. This 1936 agreement granted Turkish control over the shipping route between the Black Sea (through the Bosporus Strait, the Sea of Marmara and the Dardanelles, through which hundreds of millions of tons tonnes of cargo pass each year) and the Mediterranean.

Citing the agreement, Turkey also restricted Russian reinforcements into the Black Sea, which has restricted Russian naval power considerably.

Shutterstock

Though Turkey has not levied sanctions on Russia and has kept its revenue streams open, Turkey also does not accept the Russian annexation of Crimea. With more than 5 million Turks claiming to have Crimean Tatar roots, Crimea has both strategic and historical importance to Turkey.

Yet, Turkey maintains communication with Moscow (and Erdoğan and Vladimir Putin are “dear friends”). Complicating this “friendship” is the fact that Turkey also supports Ukraine, supplying it with Bayraktar TB2 drones, heavy machine guns, laser-guided missiles, electronic warfare systems, armoured vehicles and protective gear.

Ultimately, Turkey wants Ukraine to remain independent in order to check Russian naval power in the Black Sea. As such, Turkey is likely to work with Nato to ensure that Ukraine is not defeated.

To that end, Turkey is willing to contribute peacekeepers to a post-ceasefire settlement, under the right conditions.

Meanwhile, Turkey has used the Ukraine conflict to diversify its supply routes for energy (relying more on suppliers from the Caucasus region and central Asia), to reduce its dependence on Russia. Turkey is in a strong position, especially with the discovery of gas reserves in the Black Sea and eastern Mediterranean. Ankara aims to become an energy hub facilitating the transit of gas from the Caucasus, central Asia and Russia to Europe through the Trans-Anatolian natural gas pipeline.

Turkey and Syria

Turkey’s relationship with its neighbour Syria has also been pragmatic and shrewd. Turkey was able to pursue rapprochement with Syria in 2005, when Bashar al-Assad became the first Syrian president to visit Turkey since Syria gained its independence in 1946.

But while Erdoğan maintained a relationship (to prevent Syria from moving even closer to Iran), he ultimately chose to abandon this relationship when it no longer suited him. He hosted anti-Assad figures in Turkey from time to time, and created a safe zone on its border which housed displaced Syrians and armed fighters. He gave rebels the go-ahead to oust Assad in 2024.

Just as the war in Syria provided Turkey with opportunities, so too has the conflict in Ukraine. Ankara has strengthened its bargaining position and pushed for greater diplomatic and economic concessions from western allies. Turkey is taking advantage of the US’s retreat from Nato to push for closer cooperation with Europe.

Turkey also is taking advantage of Donald Trump’s more lenient policies towards Russia to improve its relationship with the US. This is primarily based on wanting to improve defence cooperation. During the cold war, Turkey relied on the US for arms, funding and equipment, but was not able to use these weapons without US authorisation.

After 1989, Turkey carved out different markets for its weapons imports and faced US sanctions for buying S-400 surface-to-air missiles from Russia in 2020. Turkey would like to purchase F-35 supersonic fighter jets from the US, and is hoping that the US will move away from sanctioning third countries that have engaged with Russia.

Whose critical ally?

Turkey has made sure that it is not seen by the US as a junior partner in the Middle East region. For example, when Turkey launched operations in north-east Syria in 2019, where it repeatedly fired close to US forces, the US offered no military response.

The US sees Turkey as a key ally in spite of some different strategic goals. In addition to its geopolitical importance, Turkey also hosts US and Nato military forces at several of its bases and US nuclear weapons (20 B61 nuclear bombs) at its Incirlik Air Force Base.

Turkey now wants to expand its diplomatic and military footprint. As a member of the G20, with one of the 20 biggest economies in the world and the second largest and second most powerful military force in Nato after the US, it has a lot of power. And in geopolitical juggling, currently Turkey is in the luxurious position of everyone wanting Ankara to be on their side.

Natasha Lindstaedt 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. Turkey is an incredibly powerful broker in the current world crisis, and a masterful negotiator – https://theconversation.com/turkey-is-an-incredibly-powerful-broker-in-the-current-world-crisis-and-a-masterful-negotiator-253084

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: What users need to know about privacy and data after 23andMe’s bankruptcy filing

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Aileen Editha, PhD Candidate in Law, Queen’s University, Ontario

News of 23andMe’s bankruptcy has reignited concerns about data privacy, particularly what happens to customers’ personal and genetic information. (Shutterstock)

23andMe, one of the first companies to provide direct-to-consumer genetic testing kits, has filed for bankruptcy. Since its founding in 2006, it has sold over 12 million DNA kits, with high-profile users including Oprah Winfrey and Warren Buffett.

The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 23 under the United States Bankruptcy Code. This means 23andMe — now considered a debtor-in-possession — will start restructuring its finances and operations under court supervision.

Despite the bankruptcy filing, 23andMe said it’s not shutting down. Having secured US$35 million in financing for the restructure, 23andMe has stated in an open letter that it will continue operating. Customers still have full access to their accounts, reports and data.

News of the bankruptcy has reignited concerns about data privacy, particularly what happens to customers’ personal and genetic information. Considering 23andMe’s past challenges and controversies, these concerns are understandable.

Read more:
The 23andMe data breach reveals the vulnerabilities of our interconnected data

In 2023, hackers exploited old passwords to gain access to the personal information of 6.9 million people. While 23andMe said no genetic data was compromised, information like family trees, birth years and geographic locations were. Some of the stolen data was later put up for sale on a hacking forum.

In addition to the breach and resulting legal suits, the company has been in financial trouble since 2021. In 2024, 23andMe laid off 40 per cent of its workforce and saw all its independent directors resign unanimously in response to CEO Anne Wojcicki’s decision to take the company private. Wojcicki has since stepped down.

Data as assets

A key concern now is what will happen to customer data during the bankruptcy process. The possibility of new ownership has some customers concerned about how their sensitive genetic information will be handled in the future.

23andMe’s privacy policies say the following:

“If we are involved in a bankruptcy, merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your Personal Information may be accessed, sold or transferred as part of that transaction and this Privacy Statement will apply to your Personal Information as transferred to the new entity.”

This means 23andMe could technically sell customer information as part and parcel of the company to ensure competitive bids. This information includes both individual-level data, such as genotypes, diseases and traits, as well as de-identified data that doesn’t include names or addresses.

23andMe is one of the first companies to provide direct-to-consumer genetic testing kits.
(Shutterstock)

The company could also expand licensing agreements with pharmaceutical companies, which would allow them to use customer information for research. For instance, 23andMe’s “discovery collaboration” with GlaxoSmithKline allows consumer data to be used for research on novel drugs.

23andMe has stated customer data will remain protected during the bankruptcy process, since any buyer “will be required to comply with applicable law with respect to treatment of customer data.”

It is also important to note, however, that 23andMe may emerge successful from its restructuring. Filing for bankruptcy doesn’t mean a company will necessarily cease to operate. Many companies, including rental car company Hertz, General Motors and Red Lobster, all filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy but eventually recovered and continued business operations. 23andMe could follow a similar path.

How privacy laws affect consumer data

In commercial spheres, an individual’s genetic information is treated the same as their personal information under privacy laws. The extent to which customers should be concerned also depends on where they are located.

For instance, the European Union and United Kingdom’s General Data Protection Regulation will provide additional protections to customers.

Customers in Canada have some protection under the Personal Information and Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), as they are legally permitted to withdraw consent to the use of their personal information so long as they provide reasonable notice. However, this may still be limited by legal or contractual agreements.

A 23andMe user’s ancestry results are displayed beside a saliva collection kit in Wilmington, Del. in 2018.
(Shutterstock)

In the U.S., however, the situation is much more complicated as there continues to be a lack of a harmonized legal approach to consumer privacy. Some U.S. states have enacted laws to better protect consumer privacy, like California’s Consumer Privacy Act and the Illinois Genetic Information Privacy Act.

However, U.S. federal legislation like the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, better known as HIPAA, doesn’t apply because 23andMe isn’t classified as a health-care agency or an associate of a health-care organization.

What should consumers do?

There are numerous uncertainties surrounding the situation, like whether or not 23andMe will eventually cease to operate and who it might sell to. Additionally, regardless of whether or not 23andMe is sold, its privacy policies can change anytime.

In light of these uncertainties, concerned customers should err on the side of caution and delete their accounts. It is, however, important to note that 23andMe and its laboratory partners may still retain some consumers’ personal and genetic information, even after accounts are deleted.

Concerned customers should make sure to withdraw their consent and request the deletion of both their individual-level and de-identifed data from the database. California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta and Ontario’s Privacy Commissioner Patricia Kosseim have also given this advice.

Read more:
With 23andMe filing for bankruptcy, what happens to consumers’ genetic data?

The anxiety and concern surrounding 23andMe’s future is an indicator that a harmonized and effective framework is needed to regulate consumer privacy.

As legal scholars Sara Gerke, Melissa B. Jacoby and I. Glenn Cohen aptly stated in their recent research article, “a legal system that relies heavily on privacy statements to protect customer data leaves customers vulnerable to unexpected uses of their data, with limited remedies.”

Without clear regulations, consumers are forced to rely on the word of companies. With genetic data at stake, it’s imperative that policymakers take action to protect consumer privacy in the face of uncertainty.

Aileen Editha 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. What users need to know about privacy and data after 23andMe’s bankruptcy filing – https://theconversation.com/what-users-need-to-know-about-privacy-and-data-after-23andmes-bankruptcy-filing-253012

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Welch Joins Warren, Pressley, Markey, Congressional Democrats Demanding Explanation for “Disturbing Arrest and Detention” of Tufts University Student

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

Student seemingly arrested for her political views, lawmakers demand due process and answers
WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), and Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) in writing to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Acting Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons, demanding information about the arrest and detention of Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk and similar incidents across the country.
“The Administration should not summarily detain and deport legal residents of this country merely for expressing their political views. Absent compelling evidence justifying her detention and the revocation of her status, we call for Ozturk’s release and the restoration of her visa,” wrote the lawmakers.
A total of 34 lawmakers signed the letter. In addition to Sens. Welch, Warren and Markey and Rep. Pressley, the following members joined in signing: Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), along with Representatives Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Don Beyer (D-Va.), André Carson (D-Ind.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), and Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii).
On March 25, 2025, Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk was arrested on her way to a Ramadan dinner event by masked, plainclothes officers. Surveillance video shows officers loading Ozturk into an SUV and departing in three unmarked vehicles. Bystanders observed that the incident “looked like a kidnapping.”
For almost 24 hours, Ozturk’s location was unknown and her lawyer could not locate her. On the afternoon of March 26, more than twelve hours after a district court judge ordered the federal government not to remove Ozturk from Massachusetts without at least 48 hours’ notice, ICE’s locator system was updated to show that she was being held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center.
This arrest appears to be one of the latest examples in a string of ICE arrests of university students with valid green cards and visas, seemingly on the basis of their political views. Ozturk was one of four authors of a 2024 op-ed in the Tufts student paper, which called for the university to “engage with and actualize” Israel- and Palestine-related resolutions passed by the university’s Student Senate.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that the Administration will deny visas to those who “participate in that sort of activity,” referring to protest movements on campuses. Following Ozturk’s arrest, Tufts was informed that her “visa ha[d] been terminated” — similar to other recent cases in which ICE agents have declared, without a judicial or administrative hearing, that they were “terminating” or “revoking” students’ green cards and visas.
The lawmakers asked the Departments of Homeland Security and State, along with ICE, to provide explanations for Ozturk’s arrest and visa revocation; her transportation to Louisiana despite a court order; officials’ use of unmarked vehicles, face coverings, and plain clothing; the federal government’s policies for terminating a student’s visa without a request from a university; and more.
Read the full text of the letter.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Markey, Warren, Pressley, Congressional Democrats Demand Explanation for “Disturbing Arrest and Detention” of Tufts University Student

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

Student seemingly arrested for her political views, Sen. Markey demands her release

Letter Text (PDF)

Washington (March 28, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), today led over 30 lawmakers in writing to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Acting Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Todd Lyons, demanding information about the arrest and detention of Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk and similar incidents across the country.

“The Administration should not summarily detain and deport legal residents of this country merely for expressing their political views. Absent compelling evidence justifying her detention and the revocation of her status, we call for Ozturk’s release and the restoration of her visa,” wrote the lawmakers.

A total of 34 lawmakers signed the letter. In addition to Sens. Markey and Warren and Rep. Pressley, the following members joined in signing: Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Tim Kaine (D-Va.), along with Representatives Lori Trahan (D-Mass.), Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas), Don Beyer (D-Va.), André Carson (D-Ind.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Yassamin Ansari (D-Ariz.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), and Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii).

On March 25, 2025, Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk was arrested on her way to a Ramadan dinner event by masked, plainclothes officers. Surveillance video shows officers loading Ozturk into an SUV and departing in three unmarked vehicles. Bystanders observed that the incident “looked like a kidnapping.”

For almost 24 hours, Ozturk’s location was unknown and her lawyer could not locate her. On the afternoon of March 26, more than twelve hours after a district court judge ordered the federal government not to remove Ozturk from Massachusetts without at least 48 hours’ notice, ICE’s locator system was updated to show that she was being held at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center.

This arrest appears to be one of the latest examples in a string of ICE arrests of university students with valid green cards and visas, seemingly on the basis of their political views. Ozturk was one of four authors of a 2024 op-ed in the Tufts student paper, which called for the university to “engage with and actualize” Israel- and Palestine-related resolutions passed by the university’s Student Senate.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has stated that the Administration will deny visas to those who “participate in that sort of activity,” referring to protest movements on campuses. Following Ozturk’s arrest, Tufts was informed that her “visa ha(d) been terminated” — similar to other recent cases in which ICE agents have declared, without a judicial or administrative hearing, that they were “terminating” or “revoking” students’ green cards and visas.

The lawmakers asked the Departments of Homeland Security and State, along with ICE, to provide explanations for Ozturk’s arrest and visa revocation; her transportation to Louisiana despite a court order; officials’ use of unmarked vehicles, face coverings, and plain clothing; the federal government’s policies for terminating a student’s visa without a request from a university; and more.

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Ultrathin conductor developed for nanoelectronics could be better than copper

Source: US Government research organizations

Researchers created a material that could make nanoelectronics more efficient and powerful — and solve longstanding bottlenecks in energy use

With multiple grants and research infrastructure provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation, researchers have shown that a newly developed material, niobium phosphide, can conduct electricity better than copper in films that are only a few atoms thick. These films can also be created and deposited at sufficiently low temperatures for compatibility with modern computer chip fabrication — and may help make future electronics more powerful and energy efficient.

So far, the best conductor candidates to outperform copper in nanoelectronics have had only exact crystalline structures, meaning they require very high temperatures to be formed. These new niobium phosphide films are the first examples of noncrystalline materials that become better conductors as they get thinner. The research is led by Standford University and results were published in Science.

“We are breaking a fundamental bottleneck of traditional materials like copper,” says Asir Intisar Khan, a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University and an author on the research paper. “Our niobium phosphide conductors show that it’s possible to send faster, more efficient signals through ultrathin wires. This could improve the energy efficiency of future chips, and even small gains add up when many chips are used, such as in the massive data centers that store and process information today.”

Credit: Il-Kwon Oh / Asir Khan

A film a few atoms thick of non-crystalline niobium phosphide. The material is a topological semimetal, meaning that its surface conducts electricity better than its inner material – therefore the thinner it is, the better a conductor it becomes.

Niobium phosphide is what researchers call a topological semimetal. This means that the material can conduct electricity, but its outer surfaces are more conductive than its inner material. The thinner a niobium phosphide film is made, the smaller its inner material gets — but its surfaces stay the same. This allows its more conductive outer surfaces to contribute more to electrical currents and make for better conductive material.

By comparison, traditional conductive metals like copper become worse at conducting electricity when thinner than about 50 nanometers.

“Really high-density electronics need very thin metal connections, and if those metals are not conducting well, they are losing a lot of power and energy,” says Eric Pop, another member of the Stanford research team that produced the material. “Better materials could help us spend less energy in small wires and more energy actually doing computation.”

Niobium phosphide films are a new frontier for conductors in nanoelectronics. However, the researchers don’t anticipate that they will suddenly replace copper in all computer chips — copper continues to be a superior conductor in thicker films and wires. Niobium phosphide could nonetheless be used for the very thinnest connections and opens doors to researching other topological semimetals as conductors that could take niobium phosphide’s performance even further.

“It has been thought that if we want to leverage these topological surfaces, we need nice single-crystalline films that are really hard to deposit,” says doctoral student and paper co-author Akash Ramdas. “Now we have another class of materials — these topological semimetals — that could potentially act as a way to reduce energy usage in electronics.”

MIL OSI USA News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Paid Service Opportunities for SUNY Students
Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the opening of applications for the second annual Empire State Service Corps Program, encouraging State University of New York students to apply for one of 500 paid civic and service internships for this upcoming fall. The application opening signifies the second year of the program. During its first-ever application cycle, the program received more than 2,000 student applications for 500 paid positions across 45 SUNY campuses within weeks of opening.

“The Empire State Service Corps is providing SUNY students with invaluable opportunities to serve their communities, gain hands-on experience, and build a foundation for future success,” Governor Hochul said. “By expanding civic engagement across New York, we are empowering the next generation of leaders to make a meaningful impact. I encourage all eligible students to apply and be part of this transformative program.”

The Empire State Service Corps is one of Governor Hochul’s 2024 State of the State priorities to expand service opportunities for college students. Students participating in the program dedicate at least 300 hours to paid community service – and convene regularly to share and learn from each other’s experiences.

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “The Empire State Service Corps program has been a phenomenal tool to address the most pressing needs of New Yorkers across the state while providing students with paid internships to serve their communities. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Hochul and the State Legislature, SUNY is thrilled to continue this program into its second year and support even more students as part of SUNY’s ambitious Service & Civics Agenda.”

SUNY Buffalo Student Destiny Hopkinson said, “I went from knowing little about civic engagement to interviewing SUNY Chancellor John B. King about it. My experience with the Empire State Service Corps has been nothing short of amazing. I’ve built a strong support system, made great connections, gained hands-on experience in politics, traveled, and had the opportunity to showcase my University and Buffalo to new and improved civic engagement work.”

Members of the first cohort of service members were celebrated earlier this month at the Empire State Service Corps Service & Civics Summit. The summit was attended by nearly 300 corps members, faculty, and staff from over 40 SUNY campuses. During the event, students engaged in hands-on service activities, cohort specific breakout sessions, including a fireside chat with SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr., and fellowship time. Public leaders in attendance included Congressman John Mannion, New York State Senator Rachel May, New York State Senator Chris Ryan, and SUNY Board Trustee Giovanni “Gio” Harvey. Photos can be found here.

The Empire State Service Corps provides paid civic and service internships in the following areas:
- Civic Engagement/Civil Discourse: Students will serve either on or off campus with organizations such as local nonprofits related to civic engagement and civil discourse, including nonpartisan voter outreach, voter registration and engaging campus peers in voter activity
- Early Childhood: Students will serve at a host site dedicated to early childhood education and/or development. (For example, daycare or head start centers)
- FAFSA: Students will serve either in local communities (local high schools) or work on campus to support students with completing the FAFSA
- Food Insecurity & SNAP Basic Needs: Students will serve on or off campus supporting students / individuals with SNAP outreach as well as basic needs support (could include shifts at campus food pantry) or with other food insecurity aligned work
- K-12 Education: Students will partner with local school districts for tutoring sessions on a regular basis to support recovery from pandemic era learning loss
- Peer Mental Health: Students will be trained to serve as a peer mental health educator typically at a campus/community wellness or counseling center. Students will support peers either on or off campus in supporting strong mental health practices and overall wellness initiatives
- Student Success Coaching: Students will work with middle and high school students to combat common challenges like addressing chronic absenteeism and access to socio-emotional learning, mentoring, and mental health support.
- Sustainability: Students will serve in campus roles or off-campus with local nonprofits / State agencies or other organizations focused on sustainability work (such as recycling campaigns, tree planting, pollinator gardens, sustainability outreach, building sustainable civic habits, etc.)
- Veterans Affairs Outreach: Students will serve at host sites dedicated to supporting active military or veterans’ affairs for individuals, families, or affiliated groups.
Governor Hochul and the state legislature committed $2.75 million to continue to fund the Empire State Service Corps in the FY25 Enacted Budget.

SUNY students are encouraged to apply here between now before the April 18 priority deadline.

Assemblymember Alicia L. Hyndman said, “The Empire State Service Corps provides SUNY students with meaningful opportunities to give back to their communities while gaining invaluable hands-on experience. Investing in civic engagement and service strengthens our future leaders and uplifts communities across New York State. I encourage all eligible students to apply and be part of this impactful initiative. Considering the benefits and the impact that it will make. Understanding that this will change people’s lives from all aspects. Most importantly, the people will be catered for. Creating atmospheres and opportunities that ensure success should be our focus!”

About The State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.16 billion in fiscal year 2024, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.

MIL OSI USA News –
March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: The spring clock change may affect your mind and body longer than you realise

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stefano Arlaud, PhD candidate in Time Processing and Metacognition of Time Processing, SBBS, Queen Mary University of London, Queen Mary University of London

ViDI Studio/Shutterstock

Twice a year, around a quarter of the world’s population dutifully reset their clocks. It may seem like a minor adjustment, but some people struggle with fatigue, irritability, and brain fog in the days following the transition. For others — especially night owls — the adjustment period can last for weeks.

Circadian rhythms govern many physiological processes in plants, animals and even bacteria, highlighting life’s remarkable sensitivity to changes in environmental conditions.

Your biological internal clock is controlled in a small region of the brain called the hypothalamus. It regulates hormone release, body temperature and metabolism. So if your circadian rhythm is out of kilter, those things will be disrupted too.

Most people take three to seven days to adjust to daylight saving time (DST). However, night owls can take two to three weeks to realign their sleep-wake cycles.

Research suggests diet also plays a role. People who eat high-fat diets seem to experience prolonged circadian misalignment after the spring clock change. A 2008 study on rodents found that those on high-fat diets adapted 20% more slowly to a six-hour light shift compared to those on low-fat diets. Scientists don’t fully understand why diet and circadian rhythms are linked.

We do know light exposure is also important for adapting to time change. One hypothesis suggests that a high-fat diet reduces circadian sensitivity to light. Researchers have wondered whether the connection between high-fat diet and circadian sensitivity may be since late evening eating is associated with weight gain. But a 2024 study found no significant differences in meal timing between diet groups, suggesting that it’s the food itself, rather than the time it is eaten, that’s the key factor.

It’s not just you – the spring transition can make you sleepy for a while.
Prostock-studio/Shutterstock

Exposure to natural light is one of the most important factors in helping the body adjust to a new time. The more morning sunlight a person gets, the faster their circadian rhythm realigns. Research suggests that adaptation is harder in spring than in autumn, with increased wakefulness during sleep (10–30 minutes more), greater sleep fragmentation (between 5–20%), and poorer sleep quality after the spring transition.

The link between natural light and cognitive function was highlighted by a 2020 study which demonstrated the benefits of increased daylight exposure. Thirty participants spent one week working in each of two office environments with identical layouts, furnishings and orientations. But one was fitted with smart glass (that can change its tint) and was set to optimise daylight. And the other had traditional blinds, that were closed. Participants in the optimised daylight condition slept 37 minutes longer and scored 42% higher on decision-making tasks.

The human circadian rhythm runs slightly longer than 24 hours (typically 24.2–24.5 hours). This makes clock delays (autumn transition) easier to adjust to than clock advances (spring transition) because our body naturally drifts forward each day. Delaying sleep aligns with this tendency, whereas advancing sleep disrupts melatonin release, which regulates your energy levels and the natural urge to go to bed.

In 2007, German researchers monitored 50 healthy adults for four weeks before and after each transition and found that spring adaptation took five to seven days longer than fall adaptation.

Our core body temperature increases throughout the day, peaking in the late afternoon. A 2008 Finnish study studied nine adults before and after both transitions and found that during the spring transition, people’s gradual increase in body temperature was delayed by 30–60 minutes. It also found sleep quality dropped by 5–15%, and nighttime movement increased by 10–25% — all indicators of circadian misalignment. Total time in bed increased after the spring transition but participants’ sleep was fragmented and of lower quality.

The spring clock change seems to create a slightly increased risk for those with life-threatening health conditions. Research has linked daylight saving time (DST) transitions to changes in mortality rates, during the first eight weeks after the transition, particularly in relation to cardiovascular complications. A 2024 study analysing 14 million deaths in the US from 2015 to 2019 found a slight increase in all deaths after the spring transition but a decrease in mortality after the autumn transition.

The study also found a rising trend in dementia-related mortality, with a 5% increase in deaths peaking in the fifth week after the spring transition. Additionally, a slight increase in cancer-related mortality was noted in the first week after DST begins.

Research also shows it’s a good idea to pay extra attention when you’re on the roads after the clocks go forward. A 2023 study investigating the effects of DST on driving fatigue found drivers showed signs of greater fatigue after the clock change. Their cars swayed in their lanes about 13% more often and their eyelids closed slightly more often. Participants still showed impairment one month later.

However, in a follow-on trial after the autumn return to standard time, drivers reported feeling less sleepy.

These findings suggest the spring transition can have a ripple effect that lasts for weeks. It also suggests we are more finely tuned to the natural world than we might think.

Spring DST may seem like a simple one-hour shift, but for many, it’s much more than that.

Stefano Arlaud 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. The spring clock change may affect your mind and body longer than you realise – https://theconversation.com/the-spring-clock-change-may-affect-your-mind-and-body-longer-than-you-realise-252987

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Tourists are cancelling trips to the US – here’s how this could affect its economy

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ross Bennett-Cook, PhD Researcher, Carnegie School of Sport, Leeds Beckett University

The United States is one of the top three most visited countries in the world. The big draw cards – cities such as San Francisco, New York and Chicago and national parks such as Yosemite – have attracted international tourists for decades. This combined with its role as a global business powerhouse meant it had 66.5 million visitors in 2023 – and the 2024 figure is expected to be higher still.

But a lot has changed in recent months, and 2025’s figures may not be as strong. The 2024 reelection of Donald Trump as the president of the United States and the consequential changes in foreign diplomacy and relations, alongside internal cultural shifts, are starting to change global attitudes towards the US – attitudes that appear to be affecting tourists’ desire to visit the US.

In a recent report by research firm Tourism Economics, inbound travel to the US is now projected to decline by 5.5% this year, instead of growing by nearly 9% as had previously been forecast. A further escalation in tariff and trade wars could result in further reductions in international tourism, which could amount to a US$18 billion (£13.8 billion) annual reduction in tourist spending in 2025.

There is already some evidence of travel cancellations. Since Trump announced 25% tariffs on many Canadian goods, the number of Canadians driving across the border at some crossings has fallen by up to 45%, on some days, when compared to last year. Canada is the biggest source of international tourists to the US. Air Canada has announced it is reducing flights to some US holiday destinations, including Las Vegas, from March, as demand reduces.

According to a March poll by Canadian market researcher Leger, 36% of Canadians who had planned trips to the United States had already cancelled them. According to data from the aviation analytics company OAG, passenger bookings on Canada to US routes are down by over 70% compared to the same period last year. This comes after the U.S. Travel Association warned that even a 10% reduction in Canadian inbound travel could result in a US$2.1 billion (£1.6 billion) loss in spending, putting 140,000 hospitality jobs at risk.

An unwelcoming environment?

Some would-be visitors have cited an unwelcoming political climate as part of a concern about visiting the US – including angry rhetoric about foreigners, migrants and the LGBTQ+ community. The Tourism Economics report also cited “polarizing Trump Administration policies and rhetoric” as a factor in travel cancellations.

There are other factors that may influence travellers from, for instance, western Europe, which represented 37% of overseas travel to the US last year. These include US tariffs pushing prices up at home and the US administration’s perceived alignment with Russia in the war in Ukraine.

Canadian trips to the US are going down.

Research by YouGov in March found that western European attitudes towards the US have become more negative since Trump’s reelection last November. More than half of people in Britain (53%), Germany (56%), Sweden (63%) and Denmark (74%) now have an unfavourable opinion of the US. In five of the seven countries polled, figures for US favourability are at the lowest since polling began in November 2016.

Border issues

Some high-profile cases at the US border could also be putting off tourists. In March, a British woman was handcuffed and detained for more than ten days by US Customs Enforcement after a visa problem. In the same month, a Canadian tourist was detained after attempting to renew her visa at the US-Mexico border. During the 12-day detention, she was held in crowded jail cells and even put in chains.

Mexico is the US’s second largest inbound travel market. Tourism Economics suggests that issues around new border enforcement rules will raise concerns with potential Mexican tourists. During Trump’s first term in office, Mexican visits to the US fell by 3%. In February this year, air travel from Mexico had already fallen 6% when compared to 2024.

Many countries including Canada have been updating their travel advice for the US. For instance, on March 15 the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office updated its advice for the US, warning visitors that “you may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules”. The previous version of advice, from February, had no mention of arrest or detention. Germany has made similar updates to its travel advisory, after several Germans were recently detained for weeks by US border officials.

Multiple European countries, including France, Germany, Denmark and Norway have also issued specific travel warnings to transgender and non-binary citizens, as US authorities demand tourists declare their biological sex at birth on visa applications. This comes as the US has stopped issuing of passports with a X marker – commonly used by those identifying as non-binary – for its own citizens.

Alternative destinations

As thousands of travellers cancel their trips to the US, other destinations are seeing a spike in interest. Hotels in Bermuda have reported a surge in enquiries as Canadians relocate business and leisure trips away from the US, with some predicting a 20% increase in revenue from Canadian visits.

Europe too has reported increased bookings from Canada, with rental properties experiencing a 32% jump in summer reservations when compared to last year, according to some reports.

There are already growing concerns that visa and entry restrictions will disrupt fans and athletes from enjoying 2026 men’s Fifa World Cup, held on sites in the US, Canada and Mexico. Visitors from some countries, such as Brazil, Turkey and Colombia, could wait up to 700 days to obtain visas. The International Olympic Committee has also raised concerns over the 2028 Olympics Games in Los Angeles, although US officials have insisted that “America will be open”.

With mounting visa delays, stricter border enforcement and growing concerns over human rights and anti-minority rhetoric, the United States risks losing its appeal as a top holiday destination. The long-term impact on its tourism industry may prove difficult to reverse.

Ross Bennett-Cook 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. Tourists are cancelling trips to the US – here’s how this could affect its economy – https://theconversation.com/tourists-are-cancelling-trips-to-the-us-heres-how-this-could-affect-its-economy-252858

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Mr. James Swan of the United States – Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS)

Source: United Nations MIL-OSI 2

nited Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of James Swan of the United States as his Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS). The Secretary-General expresses his gratitude to Mr. Swan for acting as Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM)/UNTMIS since May 2024, and is pleased that Mr. Swan accepted to continue to lead the United Nations in Somalia during this critical period.

Mr. Swan is an experienced diplomat with a long career in African countries facing complex political transitions. Prior to serving as acting Special Representative for Somalia and Head of UNSOM/UNTMIS as well as Special Representative for Somalia and Head of UNSOM (2019-2022), he worked in the United States Government as Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2013-2016), Special Representative for Somalia (2011-2013) and Ambassador to Djibouti (2008-2011).

In his earlier career, Mr. Swan was Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (2006-2008) and Director of African Analysis in the US State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (2005-2006). Before assuming these positions, Mr. Swan held various assignments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Cameroon, Nicaragua and Haiti.

Mr. Swan holds a B.Sc. degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, an M.A. from Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies, and a Master’s degree in Security Studies from the National War College, all in the United States. He is fluent in English and French.

MIL OSI United Nations News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan’s Health Human Resources Action Plan Delivers for Patients and Health Care Teams

Source: Government of Canada regional news

Released on March 28, 2025

Innovative Saskatchewan-Based Solutions to Recruit, Train, Incentivize, Retain and Enhance Competitiveness

The 2025-26 Budget invests $156.1 million in the Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan to deliver on government commitments to strengthen Saskatchewan’s health care system.

Since the launch of the HHR Action Plan in September 2022, more than $460 million has now been invested in initiatives guided by the plan’s four pillars to accelerate the hiring and growth of health care professionals in Saskatchewan.

The HHR Action Plan is the result of ongoing support, collaboration, and partnerships between multiple ministries, health employers, health partner agencies, post-secondary institutions, and professional regulators.

More information on the 2025-26 Budget, including HHR Action Plan initiatives, is available at saskatchewan.ca/budget.

Recruit

The Ministry of Health will receive $88.6 million in 2025-26 as part of the $156.1 million overall government investment to continue building on the success of HHR Action Plan initiatives.

This includes previously committed funding of $10.7 million to support ongoing work on established recruitment initiatives such as the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment (SIPPA) program, and recruitment of internationally educated health care workers. These funds will also advance hiring of physician assistants and clinical assistants, and support the Saskatchewan Healthcare Recruitment Agency.

“Continued investment into our ambitious HHR Action Plan ensures Saskatchewan remains an attractive place for health care professionals to live, work and build a career,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “I am pleased to see steady progress being made on multiple initiatives to recruit, train, incentivize and retain more health professionals, strengthen health care teams and deliver improved patient care to residents in communities across the province.”

Since September 2022, Saskatchewan has seen impressive recruitment results, with 488 physicians establishing practice in the province, which includes 38 from outside the country. These efforts resulted in 243 family physicians and 245 specialists establishing their practices in the province.

Nearly 1,880 nursing graduates from in-and out-of-province were hired between April 2023 and December 2024, and more than 400 internationally educated healthcare professionals from the Philippines are working in communities across the province.

Train

Training plays a pivotal role in shaping a dynamic health care workforce and is integral to realizing the goals of the HHR Action Plan. Since December 2022, Saskatchewan has invested approximately $170 million to support over 900 new health care training seats in 33 programs.

“A rewarding health care career begins with high-quality education and training,” Advanced Education Minister Ken Cheveldayoff said. “This significant investment in training supports our post-secondary institutions in helping build a capable, compassionate workforce that is ready to meet the needs of Saskatchewan citizens.”

In 2025-26, the Government of Saskatchewan is delivering $81.3 million in operating, programming and capital funding to support health care training in areas of critical need to the province.

Approximately $35.3 million will support the continued expansion of health care training seats and add 60 new seats for registered nursing, nurse practitioner, registered psychiatric nursing and medical radiologic technology programs.

Over $17 million will continue the development of four new training programs that will accept students in fall 2025 (physician assistant) and fall 2026 (speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy).

An investment of $17.1 million will enable the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medicine to expand family medicine and specialty residency seats, add more full-time academic physician positions, expand family medicine enhanced skills programs to regional sites and support operations. Medical residency seats have been increased to 150 seats. The province continues to fund eight undergraduate medical education seats that were part of previous expansions over the last two years, for a total of 108 undergraduate seats each year.

This year’s budget also delivers $1.5 million for clinical placement coordination and clinical oversight to support health training seat expansion in the post-secondary sector.

Incentives

A range of attractive incentive programs, such as the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive has directly benefited over 50 communities across the province with more than 400 hard-to-recruit positions successfully filled.

The 2025-26 Health budget provides a total of $13 million for incentive programs, including the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive, Rural Physician Incentive Program and incentives for specialists. This includes new funding of $1 million to support recruitment of specialist physicians in high demand for recruitment areas experiencing shortages, such as anesthesia, psychiatry, breast and interventional radiology, emergency medicine and targeted pediatric subspecialists.

“The incentive program has demonstrated real progress in attracting new in-demand health care workers to our warm and welcoming communities,” Rural and Remote Health Minister Lori Carr said. “Ongoing investments in this area will continue attracting specialists, physicians, registered nurses and other highly sought health care workers to provide high-quality health care services and improve patient access across the province.”

Since the launch of the HHR Action Plan, the province has also disbursed over $2.5 million in bursaries, such as over 600 Final Clinical Placement Bursaries, nearly 150 paramedic bursaries and other scholarships and available grants to encourage students to pursue a health care career. For 2025-26, there will be additional Final Clinical Placement bursaries available, for a total of 300 bursaries. In addition, many graduates are eligible for the Graduate Retention Tax Credits and student loan forgiveness programs.

Retain

Retention of health care staff has been a key area of focus, with the goal of promoting the rewarding benefits of a career in health care.

The 2025-26 Health budget provides a total investment of $44.7 million for retention initiatives. This includes $33.8 million to continue supporting 250 new and enhanced permanent full-time positions in high-priority occupations to stabilize staffing in rural and northern areas. New funding of $4.9 million will support 65 new and enhanced permanent full-time registered nurse positions to stabilize nursing in 30 rural and northern locations.

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For more information, contact:

MIL OSI Canada News –

March 29, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Being hated worked for Just Stop Oil

Source: The Conversation – UK – By George Ferns, Senior Lecturer in Business and Society, University of Bath

Protesters outside the Bafta awards in London, March 2022. William Joshua Templeton / shutterstock

The climate activist group Just Stop Oil (JSO) has announced the end of its campaign of direct action. Many will read the group’s legacy through the lens of public hostility: the frustration caused, the angry headlines, the outrage at its tactics. Not only have JSO activists been spat at, physically assaulted and run over by angry car drivers, but 15 members are also currently serving jail sentences following arrests and charges.

But the intense backlash directed at JSO is not evidence that its campaign faltered. It is a sign that these activists succeeded in emotionally charging the public debate about climate change. They gave the public something to argue about, react to, even mock — and in doing so, made the climate crisis impossible to ignore.

The alternative, an apathetic consensus, would entail passively accepting the dominant approach to address the climate crisis. That means market-based solutions, a faith in technological innovation, and incremental policy reforms within existing political and economic systems. These have arguably to date failed, as global temperatures continue to skyrocket.

Through my own research on climate activism, I have studied how environmental protest influences policy, corporate behaviour and financial markets. Activists can stimulate change, but not through rational arguments alone.

Change happens by making an emotional splash. It creates antagonism, dissent and tension, which are all needed to enliven public debate. Emotions including anger, fear and guilt play a key role in the ability of activists to create moral urgency and force issues into the spotlight.

JSO harnessed this emotional logic not only from supporters, but from critics. Those who dragged protesters off roads, raged in comment sections and professed their hate towards the group were reacting because the group had emotionally triggered them. Like a person who gets under your skin, JSO became very hard to ignore.

As business scholars Thomas Davenport and John Beck argue in their book The Attention Economy, in a saturated information landscape, being memorable — even disruptively — is a strategic advantage. In this sense, JSO “hacked” this logic by demanding emotional and cognitive attention, whether through support or outrage.

Disruptive protests may be unpopular, but they are effective at attracting media attention and public awareness. As many studies suggest, the more illogical or disruptive a protest, the more media coverage it receives — despite coverage not necessarily translating into more donations and support.

Of course, disruption risks alienating some people — but that can actually strengthen a movement’s overall influence. The “radical flank effect” shows that when radical activists push boundaries, they often make moderate voices in the same movement appear more reasonable. Recent research on JSO found that even when the group provoked public anger, support for moderate organisations such as Friends of the Earth increased.

This dynamic reflects what sociologist Thomas Roulet calls The Power of Being Divisive. Being controversial can actually benefit a cause by amplifying its message and deepening support from those already aligned. Polarisation, in this view, is not always harmful — it can be strategically useful. In the case of JSO activists, controversy did not dilute their message. Rather, it intensified its resonance with those already primed to act.

Turning emotion into action

JSO has also uniquely been able to provide direction for many struggling to navigate climate change’s volatile emotional context. As philosopher Glenn A. Albrecht describes in his book Earth Emotions, events such as climate change, mass species extinction and environmental degradation are creating a global emotional crisis, marked by a mix of grief, anxiety and powerlessness.

JSO has effectively tapped into this emotional turbulence, turning despair into urgency and action. Its actions can be seen as emotional interventions for a society struggling to process ecological loss.

Left undirected, emotions related to conditions such as climate change-related “eco-anxiety” can lead to paralysis – a state of emotional overwhelm that prevents people from taking meaningful action or engaging with the climate problem. But research shows that when movements channel emotions — especially by transforming fear into shared action — they build momentum. One study of climate organisers found that protest participation gave people a way to manage despair by reclaiming a sense of purpose and solidarity.

A frequent refrain is that the objectives are valid, but the strategies are too extreme. But history shows that disruptive tactics have long played a role in forcing attention to urgent issues. From the suffragettes chaining themselves to railings, to civil rights sit-ins, to ACT UP’s dramatic interventions during the Aids crisis — disruption has often preceded progress. Movements that are easy to ignore tend to be forgotten. JSO made itself, and its cause, impossible to ignore.

JSO’s campaign may be over, but the emotional legacy it leaves behind — frustration, urgency and debate — will outlast its tactics. The group exposed a society uneasy with the scale of change climate action demands, and showed that public anger is not a threat to activism, but a measure of its impact. If you were angry at them, that’s understandable — disruption is inconvenient. But the real question now is where we direct that energy: towards those resisting climate action, or those demanding we seriously do something about it.

George Ferns 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. Being hated worked for Just Stop Oil – https://theconversation.com/being-hated-worked-for-just-stop-oil-253379

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

March 29, 2025