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  • Online Safety Act: what are the new measures to protect children on social media?

    Source: ForeignAffairs4

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jess Scott-Lewis, PhD Candidate, Sheffield Institute of Social Sciences, Sheffield Hallam University

    MNStudio/Shutterstock

    Technology platforms operating in the UK now have a legal duty to protect young people from some of the more dangerous forms of online content. This includes pornography, content that encourages, promotes, or provides instructions for violence, promotion of self-harm and eating disorders. Those failing to comply face hefty fines.

    Until now, parents have had the unenviable role of navigating web content filters and app activity management to guard their children from harmful content. As of 25 July 2025, the Online Safety Actputs greater responsibility on platforms and content creators themselves.

    In theory, this duty requires tech organisations to curb some of the features that make social media so popular. These include changing the configuration of the algorithms that analyse a user’s typical behaviour and offer content that other people like them usually engage with.

    This is because the echo chambers that these algorithms create can push young people towards unwanted (and crucially, unsolicited) content, such as incel-related material.

    The Online Safety Act directly acknowledges the impact of algorithms in targeting content to young people. It forms a key part of Ofcom’s proposed solutions. The act requires platforms to adjust their algorithms to filter out content likely to be harmful to young people.

    It’s yet to become clear exactly how tech companies will respond. There has been pushback over negative attitudes to algorithms, though. A response from Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, to Ofcom’s 2024 consultation on protecting children from harms online counters the idea that “recommender systems are inherently harmful”.

    It states: “Algorithms help to sort information and to create better experiences online and are designed to help recommend content that might be interesting, timely or entertaining. Algorithms also help to personalise a user’s experience, and help connect a user with their friends, family and interests. Most importantly, we use algorithms to help young people have age-appropriate experiences on our apps.”

    Age verification

    A further safety measure is the use of age checks. Here, Ofcom is enforcing platforms to make “robust age checks” and, in the case of the most serious of content creation sites, these must be “highly effective”.

    Users will need to prove their age. Traditionally, age-verification checks involve the submission of government-issued documents – often accompanied by a short video to verify the accuracy of the submission. There have been technological advances which some platforms are embracing. Age-estimation services involve uploading a short video or photo selfie which is analysed by AI.



    Read more:
    Porn websites now require age verification in the UK – the privacy and security risks are numerous

    Teenage boy taking selfie
    Age verification can include uploading a selfie that is analysed by AI.
    Miljan Zivkovic/Shutterstock

    If enforced, the Online Safety Act may not only restrict access to pornography and other recognised extreme content, but it could also help stem the flow of knife sales.

    Research shows exposure to knife crime news on social media is linked to symptoms similar to PTSD. Research by one of us (Charlotte Coleman) and colleagues has previously shown that negative effects of seeing knife imagery may be more severe for girls and those who already feel unsafe.

    Even on strongly regulated platforms, though, some harmful material can seep through the algorithm and age checks net. Active moderation is therefore a further requirement of the act. This means platforms need to have processes in place to look at user-generated content, assess the potential harm and remove it if appropriate to ensure swift action is taken against content harmful to children.

    This may be through proactive moderation (assessing content before it is published), reactive moderation based on user reports, or more likely, a combination of the two.

    Even with these changes, invisible online spaces remain. A host of private, encrypted end-to-end messaging services, such as messages on Whatsapp and snaps on Snapchat, are impenetrable to Ofcom and the platform managers, and rightly so. It is a vital fundamental right that people are free to communicate with their friends and family privately without fear of monitoring or moderation.

    However, that right may also be abused. Negative content, bullying and threats may also be circulated through these services. This remains a significant problem to be addressed and one that is not currently solved by the Online Safety Act.

    These invisible online spaces may be an area that, for now, will remain in the hands of parents and carers to monitor and protect. It is clear that there are still many challenges ahead.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    The Conversation

    Charlotte Coleman has previously received funding from UKRI to understand the negative online experiences of UK police staff.

    Jess Scott-Lewis 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. Online Safety Act: what are the new measures to protect children on social media? – https://theconversation.com/online-safety-act-what-are-the-new-measures-to-protect-children-on-social-media-261126

  • Always on, always tired, sometimes rude – how to avoid the ‘triple-peak trap’ of modern work

    Source: ForeignAffairs4

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Marc Fullman, Docotoral Researcher in Organisational Behaviour, University of Sussex Business School, University of Sussex

    A groaning inbox by 6am? Nanci Santos Iglesias/Shutterstock

    If your first task of the day is triaging a bulging inbox at 6am, you are not alone. A recent Microsoft report headlined “Breaking down the infinite workday” found that 40% of Microsoft 365 users online at this hour are already scanning their emails – and that an average worker will receive 117 emails before the clock rolls around to midnight.

    But that’s not all. By 8am, Microsoft Teams notifications outstrip email for most workers, and the typical employee is hit with 153 chat messages during the day.

    The report states that, while meetings swallow the prime 9am–11am focus window, interruptions arrive every two minutes throughout the day. This perpetual work overload means a third of professionals reopen their inbox to answer more emails at 10pm.

    In short, Microsoft’s telemetry of this “triple-peak” day (first thing, mid-morning and late at night) paints a vivid picture of a work rhythm that never stops.

    From an occupational psychology perspective, these statistics are more than curious trivia. They signal a cluster of psychosocial hazards.

    Boundary Theory holds that recovery depends on clear and solid boundaries – both psychologically and in terms of time – between work and the rest of life. Microsoft’s findings show those limits dissolving. This includes 29% of users checking email after 10pm.

    Similarly, a four-day diary study of Dutch professionals found that heavier after-hours smartphone use predicted poorer psychological detachment and exhaustion the next day.

    This can have wider consequences. When people are busy, rushed or harried, one of the first things to suffer is their regulation of online behaviour. Large-scale survey research shows that ambiguous or curt digital messages occur when we are depleted. These can obviously sap wellbeing in recipients.

    In a 2024 study of workers in the UK and Italy, incivility in emails between colleagues predicted work-life conflict and exhaustion via “techno-invasion”, as workers reported being exposed to an ongoing torrent of unpleasant messaging.

    shocked man sitting staring at a laptop screen
    So-called ‘techno-invasion’ could lead to work-life conflict and emotional exhaustion.
    fizkes/Shutterstock

    My ongoing doctoral research examines how workers respond to messages they receive, and exposes the nuance on different communication platforms. Among the 300 UK workers involved, identical messages were rated as more uncivil on email than on Teams, particularly when they were informal. Frustration on the part of a recipient (in terms of how they interpret a message) accounted for nearly 50% of perceived incivility on email, but only 30% on Teams.

    These findings suggest that choice of platform significantly influences how messages are received and interpreted. Using these insights, organisations can make informed decisions about communication channels, and potentially reduce workplace stress and improve employee wellbeing in the process.

    Microsoft suggests that AI “agent bosses” will rescue workers. These tools could summarise inboxes, draft replies and free up humans for higher-order work.

    The data, however, exposes a cultural contradiction. Managers tell staff to switch off, yet their appraisal spreadsheets tell a different story. In one set of experiments, the same bosses who praised weekend digital detoxing also ranked the detoxers as less promotable than colleagues who were glued to their inboxes.

    Little wonder Microsoft’s own data shows the same late-night peak, despite widespread wellbeing guidance to switch off after hours. Without changing how commitment is signalled and rewarded, faster tools risk accelerating the treadmill rather than dismantling it.

    What organisations can do

    1. Individual level – let people feel they have control

    Encourage “quiet hours” and teach employees to disable non-urgent notifications. Boundary-control research shows that when workers feel they have control over connectivity, it creates a buffer against fatigue caused by after-hours email.

    2. Team level – communication charters

    Teams should agree explicit norms for communication. This could include capping the numbers invited to meetings and insisting on agendas. Simple charters along these lines restore predictability for workers and cut “decision fatigue”.

    3. Organisational level – redesign metrics

    Organisations could shift from visibility (green dots and instant replies) to outcome-based metrics for productivity. This removes the incentive for workers to stay online and aligns with evidence that autonomy is a key resource.

    4. Technological level – AI for elimination, not acceleration

    Workplaces should deploy AI assistants to remove low-value tasks (for example, sorting email or drafting minutes), not just speed them up. Then they should conduct workload audits to ensure the time saved is reinvested in deep work, not simply swallowed up by extra meetings.

    The Microsoft dataset is enormous, but there are two important points to note. First, European jurisdictions with “right to disconnect” laws may be missing from the figures. Second, some metrics (for example, interruptions) are calculated on the most active fifth of users, potentially overstating a typical experience.

    But if the numbers in Microsoft’s report feel familiar, that is precisely the point. The technology designed to liberate workers is now scripting their day minute-by-minute. Occupational psychology researchers warn that without deliberate boundary setting, rising digital job demands will continue to tax wellbeing and dull performance.

    AI can be a circuit breaker, but only if it is accompanied by cultural and structural change that gives employees permission to disconnect.

    The infinite workday is not a law of nature, it is a design flaw. Fixing it will take more than faster software – it will demand a collective decision to prize focus, recovery and civility as fiercely as workers currently prize availability.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    The Conversation

    Marc Fullman 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. Always on, always tired, sometimes rude – how to avoid the ‘triple-peak trap’ of modern work – https://theconversation.com/always-on-always-tired-sometimes-rude-how-to-avoid-the-triple-peak-trap-of-modern-work-261514

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: The 19th-century maritime superstitions that were believed to protect men at sea

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Karl Bell, Reader in Cultural History, University of Portsmouth

    Mermaids’ Rock by Edward Matthew Hale (1894). Leeds Art Gallery/Leeds Museums and Galleries

    Maritime folklore has long been shuffled to the margins of nautical history, presented as the quaint, colourful oddities of a former age. Yet this body of beliefs, practices and stories can offer important insights into how seafarers of the 19th century viewed and understood their working environment.

    Beneath the dominant histories of European exploration, heroic naval battles and imperial claims to mastery of the seas, there was the daily reality of working, living and, not uncommonly, dying in a dangerous marine environment.

    This folklore – which was exchanged between multinational crews of mariners and carried across the oceans – provides a way into appreciating their everyday fears, longings and hopes. It reveals a rich emotional and psychological engagement with the ocean, a history of sea fearing that does not sit easily with the stereotypical macho image of mariners.

    These ideas are explored in my new book, The Perilous Deep: A Supernatural History of the Atlantic, a study of the imaginative and supernatural world of seafarers.

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    Much of maritime folklore spoke to anxieties about the temperamental ocean and storms, which boiled down to a fear of disaster and drowning.

    To protect themselves from such a fate, 18th- and 19th-century sailors went to sea armoured with magical charms. A popular one was a caul. It was believed owning a caul – the membrane that protects a baby in the womb – would protect a seafarer from drowning.

    Such items were openly sold in newspaper advertisements in the 19th century. Three advertised in the Liverpool Mercury in 1873 were priced from 30 shillings to four guineas, no small amount for a common mariner to pay for an idle “superstition”.

    Nineteenth-century sailors and fishermen also developed a rich system of omens and predictions. They were attentive to their behaviour and even words (“pig” and “rabbit” being among the worst) that might provoke the ocean or attract bad luck.

    Life in the Ocean Representing the Usual Occupations of the Young Officers in the Steerage of a British Frigate at Sea by Augustus Earle (1836).
    National Maritime Museum

    One such example was whistling aboard ships, which was believed to stir winds or gales. The idea that the temperamental winds could be provoked by the smallest actions of the tiny human beings who passed over the ocean’s surface spoke to both mariners’ vulnerability at sea, but also a sense of personal responsibility for the good or bad fortune of their voyage.

    That concerns about death haunted seafarers is also seen in a superstitious reluctance to have coffins, dead bodies or clergymen (associated with funerals) aboard ship. As the author and critic William Jones wrote in Credulities Past and Present (1880), the sailor who was fearless in battle or in the face of physical danger, often “shrinks with indescribable apprehension … at the sight of a coffin”.

    This was reinforced by maritime ghost stories. Numerous tales of ghost ships, most famously The Flying Dutchman, served as a reminder of the haunting prospect of death at sea.

    In telling stories of those who had been lost, seafarers could also express concerns about their present circumstances and future travails. Aboard ships, such tales could also serve as reminders of health and safety concerns. Stories about ghostly crew members who had fallen from the rigging or been washed overboard served as cautionary tales.

    The decline and return of maritime folklore

    Nineteenth-century critics of mariners’ “superstitions” attempted to debunk their ideas. They pushed the idea that this body of folklore was fading out with the transition from sail to steam power.

    No longer reliant on the winds, the steamship symbolised a more rational, mechanical world that had no time for the supernatural whimsy of the age of sail. Yet, indicating its ongoing importance as a way of addressing seafarers fears and concerns, such ideas did not simply disappear. Rather they adapted to the modern world.

    The Shipwreck by Joseph Mallord William Turner (1805).
    Tate

    While the price of cauls had dropped in the late 19th century, suggesting declining belief in their protective power, there was a sudden revival in their trade when submarine warfare became a feature of the first world war. Accounts of ghost ships were updated to include steam and later diesel vessels in the 20th century.

    Maritime folklore history reminds us that our proclaimed “mastery of the waves” has always been built on rhetoric as much as reality.

    In an age of mounting concern about our relationship with the oceans, in which we are having to radically reassess our control over and influence on the natural world, it is perhaps time for this history to resurface.

    This article features references to books that have been included for editorial reasons, and may contain links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

    Karl Bell 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 19th-century maritime superstitions that were believed to protect men at sea – https://theconversation.com/the-19th-century-maritime-superstitions-that-were-believed-to-protect-men-at-sea-260478

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Why it matters who owns a newspaper

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Steven Barnett, Professor of Communications, University of Westminster

    Steve Travelguide/Shutterstock

    The House of Lords this week approved government legislation that will allow foreign states to hold up to a 15% stake in British newspaper publishers.

    This vote clears the way for the American investment company Redbird to take control of the troubled Telegraph newspaper group following two years of uncertainty. An integral element of that bid is a 15% stake by the sovereign investment fund IMI which is owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the vice-president of the United Arab Emirates.

    The heated Lords debate raised fundamental questions about who should own newspapers, and the link between ownership and editorial content. On one side were those who argued that Britain’s newspapers faced an “existential threat” without outside investment. On the other were those who warned against the potential influence of a foreign power on one of the UK’s longest standing publishers.

    Media mergers and acquisitions are often contentious. But given the parlous state of the newspaper industry, they are likely to become more frequent.

    A very different kind of newspaper deal was completed last December, when news website Tortoise Media bought The Observer. Tortoise, which was founded in 2018 by former Times editor and BBC director of news James Harding, startled analysts and journalists alike by taking over a newspaper first published in 1791.

    The deal prompted strong opposition from some Observer and Guardian journalists. But from a business perspective, the deal suited both sides.

    The Scott Trust, owners of the Observer since 1993, never seemed wholly committed to the Observer. (There was, for example, no dedicated Observer website). Tortoise, meanwhile, was keen to exploit the brand values of an established print product. It saw the Observer as a suitable vehicle for its approach of news analysis and explanation rather than breaking stories.

    The media world has also been fixated on the succession story of the Murdoch family and its implications for his UK newspapers. The Sun, News of the World (until its closure in 2011), the Times and Sunday Times have been the bedrock of Rupert Murdoch’s economic and political power in the UK for decades.

    In December, he lost the battle to give his eldest son Lachlan exclusive control of his media empire.

    Speculation has grown as to whether any of Rupert’s progeny will want to continue the family’s print tradition after his death. His empire has suffered repeated financial and reputational hits since the phone hacking scandal. It is perfectly feasible that, once he goes, all the Murdoch press interests will be up for sale.

    These various battles beg the question: why does it matter who owns a newspaper? In short, it matters because ownership, to a large extent, determines content.

    Who owns the news?

    From the very beginning of printed news, proprietors have exercised control over their title’s political direction and journalistic values. Prewar Britain saw Lord Beaverbrook famously exploiting his Express newspapers to campaign for free trade within the British empire.

    Meanwhile, fellow newspaper baron Lord Rothermere turned his Mail newspapers into propaganda sheets for Oswald Mosley’s blackshirts, and cheerleaders for Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini during the 1930s.

    The Rothermere family’s continued ownership of the Mail has guaranteed a consistent anti-immigration, anti-Europe rightwing worldview to the present day. How this consistent framing has been transmitted through the Mail’s editors has been well documented by journalist Adrian Addison.

    Murdoch’s UK newspaper empire has also pursued his personal free market, anti-EU political vision. He has used his papers to attack the publicly funded BBC and the regulator Ofcom. Murdoch has, however, been slightly more flexible in adjusting his papers’ party political allegiance (guaranteeing a succession of prime ministerial genuflections from Margaret Thatcher through to Keir Starmer).

    At the other end of the political spectrum, the Scott Trust – owners of the Guardian – was conceived by the son of C.P. Scott as a vehicle for sustaining his father’s liberal mission for the paper. It has a policy of no editorial interference, apart from continuing the paper’s editorial policy on “the same lines and in the same spirit as heretofore”. Editors are therefore enjoined to focus on the kind of progressive news agenda championed by Scott.

    The trust model allows a level of freedom from traditional commercial oversight. Editors can pursue the Guardian’s well-established liberal tradition without worrying about shareholders driven by short-term profit maximisation, or an individual owner with a specific ideological agenda. This partly explains the hostility of Observer journalists to the Tortoise takeover.

    Why it matters

    The Lords debate focused on the risks of foreign state investment in British newspapers. But all commercial ownership models – and all owners – have their problems. Whether it be greedy shareholders, a power-hungry narcissist, an ideologically-driven family or a foreign state seeking influence in the UK, commercial models all involve editorial compromises.

    One approach to the problems raised by commercial ownership is an insistence, through legislation, on a plurality of owners. But this is increasingly difficult in an industry whose traditional advertising-funded business model is under severe pressure. This context is precisely why the Telegraph’s new owner was desperate to access IMI funds.

    Upmarket publications such as the Financial Times and the Times can monetise subscriptions, but paywalls discourage easy access and diminish journalistic reach. Subscriptions are also a much less attractive proposition for tabloids whose readers are less willing to pay.

    Another approach is to diversify ownership models. Non-profit and charitable publishers, such as OpenDemocracy or the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, can leverage donations and are less vulnerable to the whims of corporate owners or powerful individuals. But this model is much less developed in the UK than the US.

    I and colleagues have argued elsewhere that there are strong arguments for making charitable journalism easier. These models can enhance journalistic freedom, but they also come with potential downsides that need to be acknowledged.

    All these options presuppose, of course, that newspapers and their online sites still have sufficient relevance and reach for us to continue to worry about ownership at all – a topic for another article.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    Steven Barnett is on the management and editorial boards of the British Journalism Review. He is a member of the British Broadcasting Challenge which campaigns for Public Service Broadcasting. He is on the Advisory Board of the Charitable Journalism Project which campaigns for public interest journalism and on the board of Hacked Off which campaigns for a free and accountable press.

    – ref. Why it matters who owns a newspaper – https://theconversation.com/why-it-matters-who-owns-a-newspaper-257785

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Manchester Guest City programme announced for iconic Barcelona La Mercè 2025 festival

    Source: City of Manchester

    The programme has been announced for Manchester’s role as Guest City at this year’s iconic La Mercè festival in Barcelona – which each year attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors into the city for a 6-day cultural festival that sets the very highest of bars for festivals everywhere, showcasing the very best of traditional Catalan culture, outdoor arts, and music.

    Manchester was chosen last year by its Catalan counterparts to be the first-ever English guest city at this year’s event which takes place from 23 – 28 September.

    A Memorandum of Understanding signed between Manchester and Barcelona last year, noted that the two cities share both a very similar industrial past with histories that are linked to workers’ movements, as well as a present and future with great cultural wealth linked to the creative industries. 

    The Memorandum kicked off a cultural collaboration between the two cities, providing a working framework for artists, organisations, and other partners, focusing initially on music and street arts events for this year’s La Mercè festival.

    Since then the two cities have been working closely to put together a spectacular programme of Mancunian grown talent in outdoor arts and music for audiences in Barcelona to enjoy.

    Councillor Garry Bridges, Deputy Leader, Manchester City Council, said:  “Guest City status for Manchester at this year’s La Mercè festival is a huge honour for us and we’re enormously grateful to our partners, colleagues and friends in Barcelona for the opportunity to collaborate and play a part in their iconic festival.

    “Culture and diversity are big deals for us in Manchester and play a vital part in helping strengthen and shape our communities, pride and prosperity. Thanks to our wonderfully diverse artists, venues, festivals, and creative workforce, culture has had a transformative effect on our city.

    “The Manchester programme for La Mercè showcases the very best of our fantastically diverse cultural scene and our hugely talented artists and creators.

    “We hope it gives a flavour of the vibrant and thriving cultural scene we have here in Manchester and look forward to further strengthening our ties with the great city of Barcelona and welcoming new visitors and audiences to our city off the back of this.”

    The resulting programme is a celebration of fantastic outdoor work created by Manchester artists and organisations. 

    Highlights in the special cultural exchange include two unique new commissions from Manchester-based creators working with Barcelona-based performers, alongside new work created to celebrate Manchester and its people at La Mercè.

    The programme for Manchester as Guest City has been led by XTRAX and Without Walls. It showcases the diverse cultural communities of Manchester and the rich diversity of the UK outdoor arts scene – including parades, dance, music, poetry, fire and installations.

    Maggie Clarke, Director at XTRAX, said: “I’m delighted that Manchester will be Guest City at La Mercè 2025, which is the result of many years of collaboration between XTRAX and colleagues in Barcelona City Council and the Catalan arts scene. La Mercè is recognised as one of the greatest festivals of outdoor arts in the world, and it is an honour to present some of the fantastic work from Manchester at this prestigious event.

    “XTRAX firmly believes in the importance of outdoor festivals, and their valuable role in bringing people and communities together. Our programme at La Mercè celebrates the diversity and quality of work from our region and we hope will inspire other global cities to seek collaborations with Manchester and the great artists from our city.

    “I’m thrilled to have secured a great opportunity for UK artists in Barcelona and we look forward to continuing this exchange by hosting Barcelona artists in Manchester in 2026, and ongoing collaboration in years to come.”

    Manchester at La Mercè has been produced by XTRAX, and co-curated by Without Walls.

    Ralph Kennedy, Chief Executive at Without Walls, said: “We’re honoured to have collaborated with XTRAX as a strategic partner for Mercè Arts de Carrer (MAC), the La Mercè outdoor programme.  Without Walls has been proudly based in Manchester since its founding, and we’re absolutely thrilled to be part of this exciting city to city partnership.

    “Manchester is a vibrant hub for some of the best outdoor art being created in the UK today.  The programme of shows curated by XTRAX and Without Walls for Barcelona, in partnership with the artistic director of MAC, stands as a testament to the city’s incredible creative energy.”

    The Manchester at La Mercè programme features several major collaboration projects between Manchester and Barcelona artists, as well as new work created especially for this unique event.

    Here are some of the highlights:

    Bee for Barcelona

    Carnival arts specialists Global Grooves (Manchester) team up with renowned Catalan artists Pau Reig and Dolors Sans (Barcelona) to create Bee for Barcelona – a striking new collaboration to create two Giant Bees, celebrating shared industrial heritage, cultural pride, and artistic exchange. These Giants will perform in front of thousands of people as part of La Mercè world famous Parades of Giants and Beasts.

    Queen Bee Gigante, wears a costume reflecting Greater Manchester’s communities and cotton legacy. She transforms into a maypole, surrounded by 30 community dancers and musicians in a fusion of Morris and Classical Indian dance—re-imagining May Day and Carnival traditions.

    Alongside her, Worker Bee, a 4-metre kinetic sculpture, shimmers with hand-painted silks encased in fibreglass, evoking stained glass. Copper legs and cog motifs nod to the textile mills and industrial histories of Manchester and Barcelona and the birth of the Industrial Revolution.

    Blending Mancunian, Catalan, Pan-African, and South Asian influences, the project features 30 diverse performers from groups including Saddleworth Women’s Morris and Clog, and The Indian Association Oldham’s Dancing Diyas.

    Leon Patel, CEO, Carnival arts organisation Global Grooves, said: “Queen Bee and Worker Bee tell a powerful story of how they earned their stripes.

    “Queen Bee represents the evolution of that labour into opportunity, progress, culture, and celebration.  She is not born of royal blood, but is Queen for a day, like the Cotton Queens of Greater Manchester’s mill towns, the Carnival Queens of the Afro-Brazilian tradition, and the flower-crowned May Queen.  Work Bee honours the sweat and toil of workers wo build Manchester’s global industrial might.

    “Both bees will be animated in parades and performances at La Mercè accompanied by an original musical score blending Mancunian, Catalan, Pan-African, and South Asian sounds.”

    Both bees will be brought to life in parades and performances with an original multicultural musical score.

    Global Grooves producers visited Barcelona in March 2025, with Pau Reig and Dolors Sans joining a Manchester residency from 21–27 July 2025.

    Bee for Barcelona is commissioned by XTRAX for MCRxLaMerce2025. Supported by Manchester City Council, Arts Council England and XTRAX. Funded by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), GM Arts, Oldham Council, and Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council.

    Following its premiere at La Mercè 2025, Queen Bee Gigante and Worker Bee will return for Manchester Day in July 2026.
                                                                                                       

    The Ultimate Player’s Handbook

    Manchester’s leading contemporary dance company Company Chameleon has been commissioned to create a new dance performance, The Ultimate Player’s Handbook, for La Mercè with Barcelona dance duo Clémentine & Lisard

    In the heart of a town’s square, a living handbook unfolds — one written not on paper, but in movement, strategy, and play.

    The Ultimate Player’s Handbook is a vibrant street performance that explores the games we play every day – where rules are made and broken, roles shift between winner and loser, and cooperation is as vital as competition.

    Co-directed by Company Chameleon (UK) and Clémentine & Lisard (CAT), the piece transforms public space into a playground where teams form, alliances shift, and every move asks us to reflect on the parts we play.

    With music, dance, and celebration, this handbook in motion invites us to question: how do we navigate rules – and how do we bring a sense of playfulness in our everyday lives?

    Barcelona-based Clémentine & Lisard have spent the last two weeks in Manchester (14-25 July) to create this new choreographed performance with two of Company Chameleon’s dancers and Artistic Director Kevin Turner, MBE, at Company Chameleon’s studios in Gorton.

    Kevin Turner, MBE, Artistic Director of Company Chameleon said: “International collaboration has always been at the heart of Chameleon’s work, and we’re delighted to be working with Clémentine & Lisard. The commission allows us to work with a really exciting and innovative Barcelona based dance company and create something new and interesting.  The collaboration gives us the chance to learn from each other, explore commonalities in our practice, and share and benefit from each other’s touring networks.”

    Blending the athletic and emotionally rich movement styles of both groups, the work will debut at La Mercè in Barcelona on 24, 27, and 28 September 2025 and return for Manchester Day 2026.

    The Ultimate Players’ Handbook is commissioned by XTRAX and the Institut de Cultura de Barcelona and funded by Arts Council England and Manchester City Council.

    Barcelona Bee Hive

    Another World Premiere, Barcelona Bee Hive will also be created especially for Manchester at La Mercè.

    Artizani is a UK-based arts company specialising in spectacular theatre performed in unconventional spaces. One of Europe’s most stylish and striking street theatre acts, their work is accessible and thought-provoking, featuring high production values and a surreal twist.

    The bee is the symbol of Manchester – historically representing its hard-working, unified community, and more recently serving as a powerful emblem of unity and resilience.

    Audiences are invited to wander among the honey-perfumed colony, tended by ethereal beekeepers, and peer into surreal miniature worlds of ‘working’ wonder.  In a specially commissioned new bee hive, created to celebrate Manchester at La Mercè, visitors can see Mancunian bees enjoying scenes from traditional Catalan festivities.

    Barcelona Bee Hive is commissioned by XTRAX and funded by Arts Council England and Manchester City Council. 

    OUR CITY SPEAKS – poetry films from Manchester                                                                                    

    Another unique project developed especially for Manchester’s programme at La Mercè that celebrates Manchester’s wealth of poets and spoken word artists working in a wide range of diverse styles and languages.

    A captivating curated selection of short films featuring some of the city’s current leading poetry performers will take viewers on a journey through poetry that talks about identity, unity, resistance, and resilience.

    Jo Flynn, Director of External Affairs, Manchester City of Literature said: “Barcelona and Manchester already share cultural ties as sister UNESCO Cities of Literature, and in many ways their dynamic cultural identity and literary boldness align too. We’re thrilled at Manchester City of Literature to be part of La Mercè programme celebrating this partnership with Manchester poetry films on stage for the festival in September. We can’t wait to see where the partnership between the cities will take us next, across all artforms.”

    Manchester UNESCO City of Literature has curated this collection to share with Catalan audiences in Manchester’s sister UNESCO City of Literature during La Mercè.

    The project builds on Manchester City of Literature’s strong relationship with Barcelona City of Literature which has seen a number of artistic exchanges. The partnership between the two UNESCO Cities of Literature has seen Manchester novelists, poets and performers featured at Barcelona Literary festivals throughout 2025, in celebration of La Mercè. Barcelona poets will be commissioned to help translate the work of the Manchester poets into Catalan, so the works can be understood by local audiences and a number of Catalan poets will be invited to share work about Barcelona in Manchester in 2026.

    The project has been commissioned by XTRAX, funded by Manchester City Council and Arts Council England, and is delivered in partnership with Manchester City of Literature and Barcelona City of Literature.

    Fire Garden by Walk The Plank

    Walk the Plank, one of the UK’s leading outdoor arts specialists, will bring their acclaimed Fire Garden installation to Trinitat Park for La Mercè 2025. Known for creating ambitious public celebrations and immersive outdoor spectacles for over thirty years, the company will transform the park into a glowing landscape of metal, fire and music created by local musicians in Barcelona.

    Liz Pugh, Creative Producer for the Fire Garden, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing some Mancunian magic to La Mercè, and particularly excited to see how our installation of kinetic fire sculptures animate Parc de la Trinitat in a new and different way.  To be invited to bring UK work to the heart of the Catalan cultural festival is an honour indeed.”

    Walk the Plank will be working with students recruited from local colleges, offering the opportunity for young people from Barcelona and elsewhere to work alongside the company’s professional fire technicians.

    Liz added: “Investing in the talent of the next generation is important to us, and we seek to provide opportunities for young people to gain experience. The chance to work alongside international artists is valuable for young people: they can gain new skills and expand their ideas of what is possible through culture. We look forward to welcoming some of the Catalan artists, the musicians and the students to Manchester next year too – let’s find a way to repay the warm invitation which the city of Barcelona and MAC festival are offering to us.”

     

    Other dynamic performances from Manchester outdoor arts companies featuring at La Mercè festival in Barcelona in September 2025 will include: Company Chameleon – Umbra; DamaeDance – IRMÃ-sister; Ghetto Fabulous – Family Catwalk Extravaganza; Joseph Toonga, Just Us Dance Theatre – Born to Protest; Mark Anderson in collaboration with Liam Walsh – Warning Notes; Motionhouse – WILD; Mr Wilson’s Second Liners; Stopgap Dance Company – RO-TES រទេះ

    Music programme

    The Manchester Guest City music programme at La Mercè is presented by Manchester Music City, led by Brighter Sound.

    Kate Lowes, Director, Brighter Sound (sector lead Manchester Music City) said: “We’re thrilled to announce such an exciting group of artists representing Manchester at La Mercè 2025 – Children of Zeus, Chloe Slater, Clara la San, Porij, Ríoghnach Connolly and Honeyfeet, and Space Afrika – a powerful showcase of the city’s rich and genre-defying music scene. We’re also proud to be supporting a brand-new musical collaboration between Manchester’s Werkha and Catalan artist Queralt Lahoz, which will premiere at the festival. As a member of the Music Cities Network, Manchester is proudly international in its musical outlook. This is a fantastic opportunity to deepen creative exchange between Manchester and Barcelona, and to celebrate our shared love of music on an international stage.”

    International Speakers Panel Discussions and Professional Networking Events                               

    Alongside the outdoor performance programme at La Mercè there will also be a number of panel discussions and networking events exploring the importance of outdoor festivals in giving visibility to cultural communities and bringing people together.

    These discussions will include international speakers and policy makers and will be attended by festival organisers, local authorities, artists and producers from across Europe. These events are a prelude to Mondiacult, the world’s biggest cultural policy conference for the member states of UNESCO taking place in Barcelona from 29 September – 1 October 2025.

    This programme has been organised by XTRAX, Without Walls, La Mercè, ICEC Catalan Arts and Unlimited, with support from British Council and the British Embassy in Spain.

    The Manchester guest city programme at La Mercè  is being supported by Arts Council England through a grant to producers XTRAX.

    Jen Cleary, Director North West, Arts Council England said: “We’re proud to be supporting Manchester’s Guest City programme at La Mercè in Barcelona this September. Not only will it create opportunities for talented Mancunian artists to showcase their work on an international stage, but it is a shining example of how arts and culture can support greater connections and dialogue between cities and communities across the world. La Mercè is a major event in the European outdoor arts calendar and we can’t wait to see Manchester take pride of place as the Festival’s Guest City.” 

    Find out full details about the Manchester programme at La Mercè  

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN forum affirms stronger commitment to achieve sustainable development

    Source: United Nations 2

    At the end of the conference, Member States adopted a Ministerial Declaration by a vote of 154-2-2, with the United States and Israel voting against the document and Paraguay and Iran abstaining.  

    “We strongly reaffirm our commitment to effectively implement the 2030 Agenda [which]… remains our overarching roadmap for achieving sustainable development and overcoming the multiple crises we face,” the declaration said.  

    15 years of HLPF

    The HLPF has happened on an annual basis since 2010 and is convened by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to discuss the progress, or lack thereof, on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which were adopted in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda and aspire to create a more equitable and inclusive world.

    This year, the forum focused on five of these goals: good health and wellbeing, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, life below water and partnerships.

    Negotiations regarding the ministerial document were led by representatives from Czechia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, who highlighted the significance of the proceedings.  

    “This year’s deliberations have held particular significance. Ten years after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, a range of interlinked and persistent challenges continues to jeopardise the full realisation of the SDGs,” said Jakub Kulhánek, permanent representative of Czechia and one of the two lead facilitators of the declaration.  

    The clock is ticking

    In the ministerial declaration, Member States said that time is running out to achieve the SDGs, which remain severely off track.  

    According to the Secretary-General’s report on the Goals, which was released on the first day of the HLPF, only 18 per cent of the SDGs are on track to be achieved by 2030, with over half making progress that is too slow.  

    While the ministerial declaration addressed each of the five SDGs in the spotlight at the forum, Member States particularly emphasised the role of poverty in impeding sustainable development and the worsening climate crisis that is threatening all aspects of the development agenda.  

    The declaration called both of these issues some of the “greatest global challenges” that the world faces.

    In keeping with SDG 16, which underlines the role that institutions like governments must play in promoting peace, Member States also affirmed that strong governance and partnership is essential to realising peace as a prerequisite for development.

    “We recognise that sustainable development cannot be realised without peace and security, and peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development,” it stated.

    Plan of Action

    In the midst of challenges to multilateralism, Member States said that the declaration was an affirmation of the UN’s commitment to multilateralism, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year.

    “At a time when serious doubts about the future of multilateralism persist, your steadfast commitment has been both reassuring and inspiring,” said Mr. Kulhánek.

    Member States, in the declaration, affirmed a commitment to urgently working towards the SDGs in order to achieve a better world.  

    “We will act with urgency to realise its vision as a plan of action for people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership, leaving no one behind.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Global collaboration grows to address crises in Gaza, Sudan, Afghanistan

    Source: United Nations 2

    Briefing the Security Council on Thursday, Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, said the OIC remains an “indispensable” partner in efforts to promote peace, uphold international law and deliver durable political solutions in a range of crisis contexts.

    Headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the OIC has 57 member states and five observers, representing significant political, economic cultural and religious constituency.

    “Its voice carries considerable weight in some of the world’s conflict-affected situations,” Mr. Khiari said.

    “The UN values this partnership, not only as a matter of institutional cooperation, but as an essential component of our efforts to promote durable peace, inclusive governance and respect for international and human rights law.”

    He emphasized that the cooperation aligns with Chapter VIII of the UN Charter, which encourages partnerships with regional organizations in maintaining peace and security, and with the Pact for the Future – adopted by Member States last September to revitalize multilateralism and tackle global challenges through collective action.

    Helping resolve crises

    Mr. Khiari outlined joint UN-OIC work in Gaza, including the recent endorsement by the bloc and the League of Arab States of a recovery and reconstruction plan, as well as collaboration on the question of Jerusalem through an annual conference held in Dakar, Senegal.

    In Sudan, where over two years of war have brought devastating humanitarian consequences, he welcomed the OIC’s backing for international mediation, including support for the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra.

    Turning to Afghanistan, Mr. Khiari praised the OIC’s role in the UN-led “Doha Process,” noting its continued engagement with the Taliban de facto authorities and advocacy for the rights of Afghan women and girls – an area where the OIC’s moral and religious standing carries particular influence.

    On Myanmar, the OIC remains an essential voice in global efforts to ensure a safe, dignified and voluntary return of the Rohingya to Rakhine state. He noted sustained coordination between the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy and the OIC in pushing for accountability and citizenship rights.

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    A wideview of the Security Council as ASG Khaled Khiari briefs members about cooperation between the UN and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

    Cooperation on global issues

    Assistant Secretary-General Khiari also highlighted the growing collaboration between the two organizations on elections, including training on observation and women’s political participation. A new staff exchange programme is also helping to strengthen institutional ties.

    He acknowledged the OIC’s leadership in countering Islamophobia and all forms of religious intolerance, an area where the UN has stepped up efforts, including through the appointment of a Special Envoy.

    Counter-terrorism cooperation has also advanced, following a March 2024 memorandum of understanding. Joint initiatives include technical support, parliamentary engagement, and rights-based prevention strategies.

    “As we move forward with the implementation of the Pact for the Future,” Mr. Khiari concluded, “the UN-OIC partnership will remain critical to defusing tensions, advancing sustainable peace, and reinforcing multilateral norms and principles.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Famine silently begins to unfold’ in Gaza, UNRWA chief says

    Source: United Nations 2

    Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) said that is what one of its workers told him on Thursday morning.  

    This sobering comment comes amidst increasingly severe malnutrition for children and adults throughout the Gaza Strip.  

    “When child malnutrition surges, coping mechanisms fail, access to food and care disappears, famine silently begins to unfold,” Mr. Lazzarini said in a tweet.   

    Bombs are not the only thing that kills

    Gaza has faced relentless bombardment for almost three years, but Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) said at a briefing on Wednesday that it is not just the bombs which are killing Palestinians.  

    Starvation is “another killer.”

    Reportedly, at least 100 people have died from hunger, and WHO has documented at least 21 cases of children under the age of five dying from malnutrition.  

    Additionally, Mr. Lazzarini said one in five children in Gaza City are malnourished, a number that is increasing every day that unhindered humanitarian aid is denied. He said that these children urgently need treatment, but supplies remain low.  

    Between early March and mid-May — 80 consecutive days — no aid was allowed into the Gaza Strip, pushing the population to the brink of famine. While minimal aid has since entered, Tedros emphasised that it is not enough.  

    “Food deliveries have resumed intermittently but remain far below what is needed for the survival of the population,” he said. 

    A boy in Gaza waits for food.

    Safe havens are no longer safe

    Tedros reported that between 27 May and 21 July, over 1,000 people in Gaza have been killed while trying to access food.  

    Many of these have died in or around sites operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), an American-run and Israeli-backed aid distribution organization which the UN has repeatedly said violates well-established principles of international humanitarian law.

    “Parents tell us their children cry themselves to sleep from hunger. Food distribution sites have become places of violence,” Tedros said.  

    In addition to risking their lives when seeking out desperately needed humanitarian assistance, hospitals — which have been systematically targeted according to UNFPA — are no longer safe havens.  

    “Hospitals, which are supposed to be safe havens, have regularly been attacked, and many are no longer functioning,” Tedros said.  

    He recalled that on Monday, a WHO staff residence, a humanitarian site, was attacked with male personnel being stripped and interrogated, women and children forced to flee on foot in the midst of violence, and one WHO staff member detained.  

    “Despite this, WHO and other UN agencies are staying in Gaza. Our commitment is firm. UN agencies must be protected while operating in conflict zones,”  Tedros said.  

    An UNRWA school turned shelter in Al Bureij, Gaza, lies in ruins following a missile attack in May 2025.

    Frontline workers face hunger

    In addition to the Palestinians in Gaza who are “emaciated, weak and at high risk of dying,” aid workers are also feeling the effects of sustained lack of supplies.  

    Most UNRWA workers are surviving on a meagre bowl of lentils each day, Mr. Lazzarini said, leading many of them to faint from hunger at work.  

    “When caretakers cannot find enough to eat, the entire humanitarian system is collapsing,” he said.  

    Some parents are too hungry to care for their children, and even those who do reach clinics for treatment are often too tired to follow the advice provided.  

    Mr. Lazzarini noted that UNRWA alone has 6,000 trucks of desperately needed food and medical supplies in Jordan and Egypt. He called for this, and other aid, to be immediately let through.

    “Families are no longer coping, they are breaking down, unable to survive. Their existence is threatened,” he said.  “Allow humanitarian partners to bring unrestricted and uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to Gaza.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Promoting bird hunting and conservation in Oklahoma

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Sees Steady Growth in Retail Trade

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 24, 2025

    The Province Ranks Second for Retail Trade Growth in May 2025

    Today, Statistics Canada shows Saskatchewan’s retail trade remains strong with a 6.4 per cent increase year-over-year in May 2025 over May 2024 (seasonally adjusted). This places the province above the national average of 4.9 per cent and tied for second amongst the provinces.

    “The continued growth in our retail sector reflects our province’s strong economy and is leading to more jobs and opportunities for Saskatchewan people,” Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding said. “When the province’s economy is strong, our residents get better access to the programs and services they need.”

    The total value of Saskatchewan’s retail trade reached $2.3 billion in May 2025.

    The Monthly Retail Trade Survey compiles data on sales, including e-commerce sales, and the amount of retail locations by province, territory and selected census metropolitan areas from a sample of retailers.

    Retail sales is a measure of total receipts at stores, or establishments, that sell goods and services to final consumers.

    Statistics Canada’s latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) numbers indicate that Saskatchewan’s real GDP at basic prices reached an all-time high of $80.5 billion in 2024, increasing by $2.6 billion, or 3.4 per cent. This places Saskatchewan second in the nation for real GDP growth and above the national average of 1.6 per cent.

    Private capital investment in Saskatchewan increased last year by 17.3 per cent to $14.7 billion, ranking first among provinces. Private capital investment is projected to reach $16.2 billion in 2025, an increase of 10.1 per cent over 2024. This is the second highest anticipated percentage increase among the provinces.

    Last year, the Government of Saskatchewan unveiled its new Securing the Next Decade of Growth – Saskatchewan’s Investment Attraction Strategy. This strategy, combined with Saskatchewan’s trade and investment website, InvestSK.ca, contains helpful information for investors and outlines why Saskatchewan continues to be the best place to do business in Canada. 

    For more information, visit: InvestSK.ca.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Patio Furniture Company Grosfillex Inc. to Pay $4.9 Million to Resolve Allegations it Evaded Duties on Extruded Aluminum from the PRC

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Patio Furniture Company Grosfillex Inc. to Pay $4.9 Million to Resolve Allegations it Evaded Duties on Extruded Aluminum from the PRC

    The Justice Department announced today that Grosfillex Inc. (Grosfillex), a patio furniture company located in Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $4.9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and other statutes by evading antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) on items made of extruded aluminum originating from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Patio Furniture Company Grosfillex Inc. to Pay $4.9 Million to Resolve Allegations it Evaded Duties on Extruded Aluminum from the PRC

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: Patio Furniture Company Grosfillex Inc. to Pay $4.9 Million to Resolve Allegations it Evaded Duties on Extruded Aluminum from the PRC

    The Justice Department announced today that Grosfillex Inc. (Grosfillex), a patio furniture company located in Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $4.9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and other statutes by evading antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) on items made of extruded aluminum originating from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Registration Now Open for 2025 Oregon Women Veterans Conference

    Source: US State of Oregon

    egistration is now open for the 2025 Oregon Women Veterans Conference, the state’s largest gathering dedicated to honoring and supporting women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. The biennial event, hosted by the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs, will bring together women veterans from across Oregon for a weekend of connection, resources and recognition.

    The event is free and open to all women veterans, but registration is required. The 2025 Oregon Women Veterans Conference is being held on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at the Riverhouse Lodge in Bend, which was the planned location of the 2020 event that was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “This year’s theme, ‘Stronger Together: Community and Connection,’ reflects the heart of what this conference is all about,” said Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs. “Women veterans have long served with distinction, strength and resilience — often in the face of tremendous challenges and barriers.

    “This conference is an opportunity to honor our service, share our stories, and ensure every woman who has worn the uniform feels seen, valued and supported. We are stronger when we stand together, and united, we will continue to drive the ODVA mission forward.”

    The Oregon Women Veterans Conference began nearly 30 years ago as a grassroots effort by a small group of women veterans seeking connection, support, and resources. Since the first event in 1998, the conference has grown into a unique statewide gathering that brings together women veterans from across Oregon to access benefits, build meaningful connections, and amplify their voices.

    The 2025 conference will continue that legacy with inspiring keynote speakers, engaging workshops, fantastic networking opportunities and assistance for women veterans connecting to the full range of benefits and resources they have earned. It is a supportive space where women who have served can connect, grow, and thrive beyond their military service.

    This year’s keynote speaker is Erin McMahon, director of the Oregon Department of Emergency Management and a retired U.S. Army brigadier general, attorney and combat veteran. During her 24-year career in the U.S. Army, McMahon served as the principal deputy general counsel for the National Guard Bureau, advising senior leaders through a wide variety of domestic disaster responses and serving as the first female Army National Guard general officer in the Office of the General Counsel.

    Registration is free and may be completed online at www.eventbrite.com/e/odva-women-veterans-conference-tickets-1407725487829. Generous support from Oregon Lottery and other sponsors help ensure this conference is open to all women veterans free of charge.

    Registration for the Women Veterans Conference covers the event only; attendees are expected to make their own lodging and travel arrangements. More information about the Women Veterans Conference, including local lodging, donations and sponsorship opportunities, can be found online at wvc.oregondva.com.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Travel Advisory: Lane Reduction on Eddy Street Bridge

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    On Monday, July 28, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) will reduce traffic to one lane on the bridge that carries Eddy Street over I-95. An alternating traffic pattern both north and southbound will be in place indefinitely as work on this bridge begins and continues. The Eddy Street Bridge is rated as structurally deficient.

    This change is part of the I-95 15 Bridges project which will remove 15 bridges from the state’s backlog of poor and fair-to-poor condition bridges along I-95 and Route 10 between Providence and Warwick. Nine of these bridges are structurally deficient. Three are rated among the top five most-traveled, structurally deficient bridges in Rhode Island.

    All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings and weather.

    This project is made possible by RhodeWorks. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Patio Furniture Company Grosfillex Inc. to Pay $4.9 Million to Resolve Allegations it Evaded Duties on Extruded Aluminum from the PRC

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The Justice Department announced today that Grosfillex Inc. (Grosfillex), a patio furniture company located in Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $4.9 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act and other statutes by evading antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) on items made of extruded aluminum originating from the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

    The Department of Commerce assesses, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collects, antidumping and countervailing duties (AD/CVD) to level the playing field for domestic producers. Antidumping duties protect against foreign companies “dumping” products on U.S. markets at prices below cost, while countervailing duties offset foreign government subsidies. The settlement announced today resolves allegations that Grosfillex knowingly submitted, and caused to be submitted, false customs forms to CBP claiming that certain furniture parts made of extruded aluminum were not subject to AD/CVD. For a subset of such parts, the United States alleged that Grosfillex attempted to camouflage the aluminum extrusions by packaging the parts as sham furniture “kits.” In addition, for a different subset of such parts, Grosfillex knowingly failed to correct customs forms it had submitted previously, even after learning that the forms falsely stated to CBP that certain extruded aluminum parts were not subject to AD/CVD.

    “Antidumping and countervailing duties protect American companies from unfair subsidies and trade practices that harm domestic industries,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates that the Justice Department will continue to actively pursue those who knowingly fail to pay customs duties.”

    “This settlement should serve as a warning that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania will use every tool available to combat fraud in international trade,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “We will pursue those who seek an unfair advantage in U.S. markets by attempting to evade paying the customs, duties, or tariffs on foreign imports meant to level the playing field for U.S. manufacturers.”

    “The investigation into Grosfillex Inc. highlights our relentless dedication to enforcing our nation’s trade laws and protecting the integrity of our economy. By uncovering and dismantling intricate schemes to defraud the government, we ensure that all businesses operate on a fair and level playing field,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at the Philadelphia office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “The successful settlement of this case is a testament to the outstanding collaboration between HSI, CBP and the U.S. Department of Justice. We remain vigilant in our efforts to identify and hold accountable those who attempt to exploit our trade system for their benefit.”

    The allegations resolved by this settlement arose from a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the False Claims Act by Edward Wisner, a former employee of Grosfillex. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens can sue on behalf of the government and share in any recovery. Wisner will receive a $962,662.74 share of today’s settlement.

    The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with assistance from CBP.

    Trial Attorney Nelson Wagner in the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sherer for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania handled the matter.

    The pursuit of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating fraud, waste, and abuse. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential customs fraud can be reported to CBP at www.help.cbp.gov/s/tip.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Mark Cuban Foundation Launches 2025 AI Bootcamps

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DALLAS, July 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Mark Cuban Foundation today announced significant updates and a nationwide expansion of its free AI Bootcamps, designed to bring advanced artificial intelligence education to underserved high school students and educators. The program will operate in 29 cities across the U.S. this fall, reinforcing the foundation’s commitment to closing the digital divide and nurturing future innovators.

    Applications are now open for high school students (grades 9–12) and educators interested in the Teacher Bootcamp, a year-long, free professional development initiative. The AI Bootcamps are open to all high school students, and prioritize accepting girls, students of color, first-generation college-goers, and students from low-income backgrounds. Applications will be accepted through September 30, 2025.

    “As AI becomes an integral part of daily life, it’s essential that all young people have access to this powerful technology,” said Mark Cuban, Founder of the Mark Cuban Foundation. “Our goal is to ensure that every interested student, regardless of background or resources, can explore AI and its limitless possibilities.”

    The updated curriculum includes hands-on experience with generative AI tools, modules on ethical AI, and specialized tracks covering healthcare, arts and entertainment, business and entrepreneurship, computer science, sports science, and future readiness. Participants will complete capstone projects under mentorship from industry professionals. Additionally, each location will now have a dedicated Teacher Fellow to further enhance educational outcomes and community involvement. Applications for the Teacher Fellowship program open in January.

    All student bootcamps will take place over three Saturdays (November 1, 8, and 15, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.), with meals, transportation assistance, and technology provided at no cost.

    Charlotte Dungan, Chief Learning Officer at the Mark Cuban Foundation, emphasized, “By equipping underserved students and educators with practical AI skills and ethical insights, we’re actively working toward equity in education and preparing young people for the future.”

    Confirmed 2025 Bootcamp Locations:

    • Arizona: Tempe
    • California: Mountain View
    • Colorado: Denver
    • Connecticut: Hartford
    • Florida: Melbourne, Miami
    • Georgia: Atlanta
    • Illinois: Chicago
    • Indiana: Fort Wayne, Indianapolis
    • Iowa: Johnston (Des Moines area)
    • Kansas: Hutchinson
    • Michigan: Pontiac
    • Minnesota: Minneapolis
    • Missouri: St. Louis
    • Nebraska: Omaha
    • New York: New York City
    • North Carolina: Charlotte, Raleigh
    • Ohio: Cleveland
    • Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
    • Rhode Island: Providence
    • Texas: Houston, Richardson, San Antonio, Plano
    • Utah: Salt Lake City
    • Virginia: Richmond

    Key local partnerships include Girls Inc. in San Antonio, Miami Dade College in Florida, Electric Works in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Perficient in St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Plano, TX.

    Since 2019, the Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamp has successfully provided AI education to thousands of students in over 30 cities nationwide. The Teacher Fellowship, which began in March 2025 and runs through May 2026, supports 30 selected educators with stipends, mentorship, and national opportunities to showcase their achievements. Teacher Bootcamps have participants in 48 states and impact over 100,000 students.

    Interested students and educators can apply for bootcamps now at markcubanai.org. 

    Companies interested in hosting a future bootcamp can complete our interest form.

    Watch Mark Cuban’s message about Mark Cuban Foundation’s AI bootcamps and access the full media kit here.

    This bootcamp is facilitated with support from Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamp Program’s media partner, Notified, a globally trusted technology partner for investor relations, public relations and marketing professionals.

    About Mark Cuban Foundation’s AI Bootcamp Initiative
    The Mark Cuban Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private non-profit led by entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban. The AI Bootcamps Program at MCF seeks to inspire young people with emerging technology so that they can create more equitable futures for themselves and their communities. Over 3 consecutive Saturdays, underserved 9th – 12th grade students learn what AI is and isn’t, where they already interact with AI in their own lives, the ethical implications of AI systems, and much more. Learn more about the no-cost AI Bootcamp program at markcubanai.org.

    Media Contact:
    bishop.wash@markcubanai.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta Announces Second Quarter 2025 Operating Highlights and Declares Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA, July 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (the Bank) today released preliminary unaudited financial highlights for the quarter ended June 30, 2025. All numbers reported below for the second quarter of 2025 are approximate until the Bank announces unaudited financial results in its Form 10-Q, which is expected to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on or about August 8, 2025.

    Operating Results for the Second Quarter of 2025

    • Net interest income for the second quarter of 2025 was $212 million, a decrease of $29 million, compared to net interest income of $241 million for the same period in 2024. The decrease in net interest income was primarily due to a decrease in interest rates, as well as a decrease in average advance balances during the second quarter of 2025, compared to the same period in 2024.
    • Net income for the second quarter of 2025 was $141 million, a decrease of $36 million, compared to net income of $177 million for the same period in 2024. The decrease in net income was primarily due to the decrease in net interest income and a $10 million increase in voluntary housing and community investment contributions.
    • During the second quarter of 2025, the Bank continued to meet members’ liquidity demand and average advance balances were $103.1 billion, compared to average advance balances of $106.6 billion for the same period in 2024.
    • The net yield on interest-earning assets for the second quarter of 2025 was 54 basis points, compared to 61 basis points for the same period in 2024. Many of the Bank’s assets and liabilities are indexed to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR). Average daily SOFR during the second quarter of 2025 was 4.32 percent compared to 5.32 percent for the same period in 2024.
    • The Bank’s second quarter 2025 performance resulted in an annualized return on average equity (ROE) of 6.43 percent as compared to 8.12 percent for the same period in 2024. The decrease in ROE was primarily due to the decrease in net income for the second quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.

    Financial Condition Highlights

    • Total assets were $146.4 billion as of June 30, 2025, a decrease of $719 million from December 31, 2024.
    • Advances outstanding were $90.9 billion as of June 30, 2025, an increase of $5.0 billion from December 31, 2024.
    • Total capital was $8.3 billion as of June 30, 2025, an increase of $324 million from December 31, 2024. Retained earnings were $2.9 billion as of June 30, 2025, an increase of $88 million from December 31, 2024.
    • As of June 30, 2025, the Bank was in compliance with all applicable regulatory capital and liquidity requirements.

    Reliable Source of Liquidity

    • During the first six months of 2025, the Bank originated a total of $168.2 billion of advances, thereby providing significant liquidity to its members to support lending and other activities in their communities. The Bank is proud to continue to execute on its mission to be a reliable source of liquidity and funding for its members, while remaining adequately capitalized.

    Commitment to Affordable Housing and Community Development

    • The Bank commits 10 percent of its income before assessments to support the affordable housing and community development needs of communities served by its members as required by law, which amounted to $77 million for the 2024 statutory Affordable Housing Program (AHP) assessment available for funding in 2025. As of June 30, 2025, the Bank has accrued $32 million to its statutory AHP pool of funds that will be available to the Bank’s members and their communities in 2026 for funding of eligible projects.
    • The Bank has committed to voluntarily contribute, at a minimum, an additional 50 percent of its prior year statutory AHP assessment to affordable housing. For 2025, the Bank authorized $41 million in voluntary housing contributions consisting of $9 million in voluntary non-statutory AHP contributions and $32 million in voluntary non-AHP contributions. These amounts are anticipated to be expensed during 2025.
    • Since the inception of its AHP in 1990, the Bank has awarded more than $1.2 billion in AHP funds, assisting more than 177,000 households.

    Dividends

    • On July 24, 2025, the board of directors of the Bank approved a quarterly cash dividend at an annualized rate of 6.60 percent.
    • “Our cooperative model enables FHLBank Atlanta to fulfill our mission of providing reliable liquidity in any economic climate and it fuels our grants for affordable housing and community development,” said FHLBank Atlanta Chair of the Board, Thornwell Dunlap. We appreciate our members’ engagement and are pleased to deliver a strong dividend for the second quarter.”
    • The dividend payout will be calculated based on members’ capital stock held during the second quarter of 2025 and will be credited to members’ daily investment accounts at the close of business on July 29, 2025.


    Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta
    Financial Highlights
    (Preliminary and unaudited)
    (Dollars in millions)

    Statements of Condition   As of June 30, 2025   As of December 31, 2024
    Advances   $ 90,867     $ 85,829  
    Investments     54,283       60,084  
    Mortgage loans held for portfolio, net     84       89  
    Total assets     146,372       147,091  
    Total consolidated obligations, net     134,406       135,851  
    Total capital stock     5,397       5,148  
    Retained earnings     2,873       2,785  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (13 )     —  
    Total capital     8,257       7,933  
    Capital-to-assets ratio (GAAP)     5.64 %     5.39 %
    Capital-to-assets ratio (Regulatory)     5.65 %     5.39 %
        Three Months Ended June 30,   Six Months Ended June 30,
    Operating Results and Performance Ratios     2025       2024       2025       2024  
    Net interest income   $ 212     $ 241     $ 419     $ 495  
    Standby letters of credit fees     5       4       9       8  
    Other income     —       1       1       3  
    Total noninterest expense(1)     60       50       113       94  
    Affordable Housing Program assessment     16       19       32       41  
    Net income     141       177       284       371  
    Return on average assets     0.36 %     0.44 %     0.37 %     0.47 %
    Return on average equity     6.43 %     8.12 %     6.62 %     8.67 %


    __________
    (1) Total noninterest expense includes voluntary housing and community investment contributions of $20 million and $31 million for the second quarter and first six months of 2025, compared to $10 million and $15 million for the same periods in 2024, respectively.

    The selected financial data above should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” included in the Bank’s Second Quarter 2025 Form 10-Q expected to be filed with the SEC on or about August 8, 2025, and can be obtained at https://corp.fhlbatl.com/who-we-are/investor-relations/ and on www.sec.gov.

    About Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta

    FHLBank Atlanta offers competitively-priced financing, community development grants, and other banking services to help member financial institutions make affordable home mortgages and provide economic development credit to neighborhoods and communities. The Bank is a cooperative whose members are commercial banks, credit unions, savings institutions, community development financial institutions, and insurance companies located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. FHLBank Atlanta is one of 11 district banks in the Federal Home Loan Bank System (FHLBank System).

    For more information, visit our website at www.fhlbatl.com.

    To the extent that the statements made in this announcement may be deemed as “forward-looking statements”, they are made within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which include statements with respect to the Bank’s beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, assumptions, estimates, intentions, and future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which may be beyond the Bank’s control, and which may cause the Bank’s actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, and the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on them, since those may not be realized due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: legislative, regulatory and accounting actions, changes, approvals or requirements; completion of the Bank’s financial closing procedures and final accounting adjustments for the most recently completed quarter; SOFR variations; changes to economic, liquidity and market conditions; changes in demand for advances, advance levels, consolidated obligations of the Bank and/or the FHLBank System and their market; changes in interest rates; changes in prepayment speeds, default rates, delinquencies, and losses on mortgage-backed securities; volatility of market prices, rates and indices that could affect the value of financial instruments; changes in credit ratings and/or the terms of derivative transactions; changes in product offerings; political, national, climate, and world events; disruptions in information systems; membership changes; mergers and acquisitions involving members; changes to the Bank’s voluntary housing program and other adverse developments or events, including extraordinary or disruptive events, affecting the market, involving other Federal Home Loan Banks, their members or the FHLBank System in general, including acts or war and terrorism. Additional factors that might cause the Bank’s results to differ from forward-looking statements are provided in detail in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available at www.sec.gov.

    The forward-looking statements in this release speak only as of the date that they are made, and the Bank has no obligation and does not undertake to publicly update, revise, or correct any of these statements after the date of this announcement, or after the respective dates on which such statements otherwise are made, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors may emerge, and it is not possible for us to predict the nature of each new factor, or assess its potential impact, on our business and financial condition. Given these uncertainties, we caution you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

    CONTACT: Sheryl Touchton
    Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta
    stouchton@fhlbatl.com
    404.716.4296

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Anna Ochigbo Appointed Creative Director of Affluenz Magazine

    Source: APO

    Affluenz Magazine (www.TheAffluenz.com) has announced the appointment of Anna Ochigbo as its new Creative Director, marking a significant step in the evolution of the globally recognized publication as it deepens its editorial presence and expands its influence across luxury, leadership, and culture.

    Ochigbo, who also serves as Executive Director at Dotmount Communications, the Washington DC based parent company of Affluenz, brings to the role a distinguished background in media strategy, creative leadership, and brand development. Her appointment follows the successful release of the magazine’s July and August 2025 issue, which pays tribute to the legacy of the founding father of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, while profiling some of Africa’s most influential cultural and business leaders.

    In her new role, Ochigbo will direct the magazine’s overall visual and editorial identity. Her responsibilities include curating covers, guiding cross platform storytelling, and ensuring each edition reflects Affluenz’s core mission of showcasing global excellence, innovation, and influence.

    Adedotun Olaoluwa, Founder and Executive Publisher of Affluenz Magazine, described her appointment as both timely and transformative.

    Anna possesses a rare creative intuition and an unmatched ability to craft visual narratives that resonate globally. Her leadership comes at a crucial moment as we reimagine Affluenz for a more interconnected, sophisticated, and culturally dynamic audience, Olaoluwa said.

    Beyond her achievements in luxury publishing, Ochigbo played a central role in coordinating Dotmount Communications’ flagship event, the Middle East Investors Expo held in 2024, which convened investors, policymakers, and innovators from across the Middle East and Africa. Under her leadership, the event received global media attention and positioned Dotmount as a trusted platform for strategic investment communications.

    Ochigbo is also deeply committed to humanitarian work. She plays a leading role in supporting the Hoplites African Aid Foundation (HAAF), a vibrant nonprofit organization dedicated to uplifting communities across Africa through a multifaceted approach that goes beyond traditional health interventions. Originally established in April 2021 as the Hoplites Sickle Cell Foundation, HAAF has since evolved into a broader movement championing sustainable healthcare access, inclusive education, and community development for underserved populations.

    Her portfolio extends to international campaigns in culture, philanthropy, and executive branding, where she has earned recognition for fusing luxury aesthetics with meaningful, high impact content.

    In a statement following her appointment, Ochigbo shared her excitement about shaping the creative future of the magazine.

    Affluenz is more than a magazine. It is a celebration of legacy, innovation, and global identity. I am honored to lead its creative direction at a time when storytelling must be both beautiful and bold. We will not just reflect excellence, we will help define it, she said.

    Her first issue as Creative Director is now on sale, featuring a curated selection of in depth profiles, essays, and visual stories that highlight global influence across business, diplomacy, culture, and philanthropy.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Affluenz (formerly Pleasures Magazine).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Brelotte BA is appointed Chief Executive Officer of Sonatel

    Source: APO

    Sonatel’s Board of Directors today announced the appointment of Mr. Brelotte BA as Chief Executive Officer of the Sonatel Group.

    Mr. Brelotte BA will succeed Mr. Sékou DRAME whose mandate ends on July 31, 2025.

    The Board of Directors of Sonatel thanked Mr. Sékou DRAME for his commitment, his appreciable contributions to the development of the company since his appointment in 2018 as Chief Executive Officer.

    Mr. Brelotte BA, who will take up his position on August 1st, 2025, has 24 years of professional experience in the telecommunications sector. He was, since 2022, Deputy Managing Director of Orange Middle East Africa. He has spent most of his professional career within the Sonatel Group where he held important positions, notably:

    • Management Controller of the Sonatel group (2003 – 2007)
    • Director of Commercial Marketing and Communications for Orange Guinea (2007-2008),
    • General Manager of Orange Bissau (2008-2011),
    • Director of Operators and International Relations at Sonatel (2011-2012),
    • General Manager of Orange Guinea (2017-2018),
    • General Manager of Orange Mali (2018-2022).

    Mr. Brelotte BA also held the position of Managing Director of Orange Niger (2012-2017).

    Mr. Brelotte BA is a graduate engineer from the Ecole Polytechnique de Paris, and the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées.

    The Board of Directors congratulates Mr. Brelotte BA on his appointment and wishes him every success in his new tasks.

    He will be able to count on the support of the Board of Directors for Sonatel to maintain its leadership and remain a key player in the development of the digital economy and digital transformation in Africa.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Orange Middle East and Africa.

    Additional Information:
    https://apo-opa.co/3H4E3hP

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Hawley Secures Pledge from Trump Nominee to Ditch the Biden-era Government Censorship Business 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo)

    Thursday, July 24, 2025

    This morning, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) questioned Sean Plankey—President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)—and secured his pledge to refocus the agency on protecting America’s critical infrastructure instead of propping up Biden-era government censorship. 
    “Let me just read some of the euphemisms that your predecessor used to talk about CISA’s mission in the censorship effort: ‘narrative control,’ ‘perception management’—’information integrity’ is my favorite,” Senator Hawley said. “You’re telling me that you’re going to get CISA out of the business of policing ‘narrative control?’” the Senator asked, to which Plankey affirmed.
    [embedded content]
    Watch the full exchange here.
    Senator Hawley reminded Plankey and his Senate colleagues of the gross First Amendment abuses Americans faced online under the direction of the Biden Administration’s CISA. The agency’s wide-ranging censorship shut down posts about “COVID-19, vaccines, elections, school-board meetings.”
    Breaking with his Biden-era predecessors, Plankey assured the Senator that “it is not CISA’s job, and nor is it in its authorities, to censor or determine the truths, whether it be on social media or at any level of media.” If confirmed for the role, Plankey said he would, “like to focus CISA on what it’s mandated to do and that’s protect the federal civilian executive branch, as well as protect the critical infrastructure of the United States.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis, Fitzgerald Introduce STUDENT Act to Reform National Education Association’s Federal Charter

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    Washington, D.C. –  Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), along with Representative Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), today introduced the STUDENT Act, legislation that would impose necessary limitations and conditions on the National Education Association’s (NEA) federal charter to bring it in line with other federally chartered organizations and redirect it toward its original purpose of supporting teachers in America. 

    The NEA, which received its federal charter through an act of Congress, has strayed far from its original educational mission. Despite claiming to be “non-partisan,” the nation’s largest union has repeatedly supported divisive political causes through endorsements and financial contributions that harm students’ education and undermine parental rights. Earlier this month, the NEA members voted to cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) over its support for Israel. 

    “The NEA has exploited its federal charter to advance a radical political agenda that puts ideology before education,” said Sen. Lummis. “Wyoming parents and teachers deserve better than a union that prioritizes woke politics over student achievement. The resolution passed at the NEA Representative Assembly to cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League because of its support for Israel is abhorrent and does nothing to stem the rising tide of antisemitic incidents we’ve witnessed nationwide. Federal charters should be reserved for organizations that serve patriotic, charitable, historical, or educational purposes – not for unions that push divisive and antisemitic ideologies.”

    “The NEA long ago transformed from an educational association into a political machine, pushing a progressive agenda that puts activists ahead of students’ needs,” said Congressman Scott Fitzgerald. “The STUDENT Act reins in NEA’s federal charter, restores accountability, and demands a return to its original purpose: educating, not indoctrinating, American children.”

    “The National Education Association has failed to respect its duties as a federally chartered organization or as a steward of children’s education,” said Sen. Ricketts.  “Rather than promote educational outcomes, they promote a radical agenda that supports illegal immigration and teaches harmful gender ideology.  It is time for Congress to restore oversight of the entity it created and make sure young Americans receive the education they deserve.”

    “Rep. Fitzgerald and Sen. Lummis should be commended for their leadership in introducing the STUDENT Act, which would address some of the NEA’s most concerning conduct and make it more accountable to the public and even its own members,” said Freedom Foundation CEO Aaron Withe. “The Freedom Foundation is proud to stand with these courageous lawmakers in the fight to restore sanity to public education.”

    “The Endowment for Middle East Truth, EMET, is proud to endorse the STUDENT Act,” said Sarah Stern, President of the Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET). “We solidly stand behind the ADL’s fight against the rising tide of antisemitism, which has skyrocketed in our country since October 7, 2023, as well as their position on Israel. We are appalled by the National Education Association’s blatant refusal to entertain the ADL’s professional, fair and balanced point of view, and that they have chosen to take a position that effectively condones Hamas’ atrocities against the Jewish people. It’s unfortunate that the NEA no longer works to fulfil its core mission of advancing an American bias-free education and has instead dedicated itself to political indoctrination and prejudice.”

    In addition to Senators Lummis and Ricketts, U.S. Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Jim Risch (R-ID), and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) are original cosponsors. 

    Background: 

    A 2023 Freedom Foundation report revealed that the NEA’s federal charter is unusually brief compared to other Title 36 federally-chartered organizations, allowing the union to operate with minimal oversight while enjoying taxpayer-funded benefits. 

    Key Provisions of the STUDENT Act:

    • Bans promotion of antisemitic beliefs, including harmful stereotypes about Jewish people, Holocaust denial or minimization, and hatred based on Jewish identity or connection to Israel
    • Prohibits the union from promoting or requiring adherence to critical race theory concepts.
    • Prohibits the NEA from engaging in electoral politics and lobbying, a restriction included in 60 percent of federal charters;
    • Eliminates the NEA’s exemption from Washington, D.C. property taxes 
    • Requires explicit member consent for all dues and fees 
    • Mandates comprehensive record-keeping and document accountability 
    • Directs all assets to the Department of Treasury if the NEA dissolves 
    • Prohibits discrimination and hiring quotas 
    • Prevents the NEA and its affiliates from calling strikes or work stoppages 
    • Requires all NEA officers to be U.S. citizens 
    • Establishes transparent governance standards 

    So far, the STUDENT Act has been endorsed by the following state and national organizations:

    • Alabama Policy Institute 
    • American for Fair Treatment 
    • Beacon Impact 
    • Buckeye Institute 
    • California Policy Center 
    • Center for the American Experiment 
    • Commonwealth Foundation 
    • Competitive Enterprise Institute 
    • Consumer Action for a Strong Economy 
    • Defense of Freedom Institute 
    • Endowment for Middle East Truth 
    • Foundation for Government Accountability 
    • Freedom Foundation 
    • Goldwater Institute 
    • Heartland Impact 
    • Heartland Institute 
    • Idaho Freedom Foundation 
    • Illinois Policy Institute 
    • Independent Women’s Voice 
    • Institute for Reforming Government Action Fund 
    • Institute for the American Worker 
    • John Locke Foundation 
    • Kansas Policy Institute 
    • Mackinac Center for Public Policy 
    • National Right to Work Committee 
    • Nevada Policy 
    • Palmetto Promise Institute 
    • Parents Defending Education Action 
    • Rio Grande Foundation 
    • Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy 
    • Upper Midwest Law Center 
    • Yankee Institute 
    • Young America’s Foundation 

    Read the full bill text here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Graham and Cornyn Call for Special Counsel to Investigate Obama Administration’s Role in the Russia Collusion Hoax

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and John Cornyn (R-Texas), both senior members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today called on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to appoint a special counsel to investigate the Obama Administration’s involvement in the Russia collusion hoax.

    “For the good of the country, we urge Attorney General Bondi to appoint a special counsel to investigate the extent to which former President Obama, his staff and administration officials manipulated the U.S. national security apparatus for a political outcome.

    “As we have supported in the past, appointing an independent special counsel would do the country a tremendous service in this case.

    “With every piece of information that gets released, it becomes more evident that the entire Russia collusion hoax was created by the Obama Administration to subvert the will of the American people.

    “Democrats and the liberal media have been out to get President Trump since 2016. There must be an immediate investigation of what we believe to be an unprecedented and clear abuse of power by a U.S. presidential administration.”

    Background:

    Last week, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Tulsi Gabbard released evidence demonstrating that former President Barack Obama and his national security staff manipulated information from the intelligence community in order to insinuate that Russia was attempting to help then-candidate Donald Trump win the 2016 presidential election, including:

    • In the months leading up to the November 2016 election, the Intelligence Community (IC) assessed that Russia is “probably not trying … to influence the election by using cyber means.”
    • On December 7, 2016, after the election, talking points were prepared for DNI James Clapper stating, “Foreign adversaries did not use cyberattacks on election infrastructure to alter the US Presidential election outcome.”
    • A declassified copy of the Presidential Daily Brief, which was prepared using intelligence from the CIA, Defense Intelligence Agency, FBI, National Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security, State Department, and open sources, for Obama on December 8, 2016, assessed that “Russian and criminal actors did not impact recent US election results by conducting malicious cyber activities against election infrastructure.”
    • That Presidential Daily Brief was scheduled to be published on December 9, 2016, but communications revealed that DNI Clapper’s office stopped its publication “based on some new guidance”.
    • On December 9, 2016, Obama gathered top National Security Council Principals for a meeting in the Situation Room that included James Clapper, John Brennan, Susan Rice, John Kerry, Loretta Lynch, Andrew McCabe and others, to discuss Russia.
    • After the meeting, DNI Clapper’s Executive Assistant sent an email to IC leaders tasking them with creating a new IC assessment “per the President’s request” that details the “tools Moscow used and actions it took to influence the 2016 election.” It went on to say, “ODNI will lead this effort with participation from CIA, FBI, NSA, and DHS.”
    • Obama officials leaked false statements to media outlets, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, claiming, “Russia has attempted through cyber means to interfere in, if not actively influence, the outcome of an election.”
    • On January 6, 2017, a new Intelligence Community Assessment was released.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Advances Over $60 Million to Improve Nebraska’s Infrastructure, Firefighting Capabilities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer
    Advances additional provision to enhance roadway safety
    Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced she advanced over $60 million in funding to support critical infrastructure projects and firefighting capabilities across Nebraska. 
    The funding was included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Act, which now awaits consideration on the Senate Floor.“From roads and bridges to railways and airports — our infrastructure keeps Nebraska’s communities connected. It allows our farmers and ranchers to bring their goods to market and enables us to travel to work or school. By investing in infrastructure, we are investing in our future. I’m proud to advance these critical investments which will improve our state’s infrastructure for Nebraska’s families and make our Good Life even better,” Fischer said.Fischer advanced funding to support critical investments in Nebraska’s infrastructure:
    $6 million to the Alliance Airport for electrical improvements
    $6 million to add safety enhancements to the Heartland Expressway
    $5.2 million to replace the Lisco Bridge in Garden County
    $5 million to extend the runway and parallel taxiway at the Blair Airport
    $4.7 million to pave a 4-mile stretch of Hickory Road in Gage County
    $4 million to road improvements for Fairbury Highway 36
    $4 million to improve the lighting system at the Hastings Airport
    $3.5 million to improve walkability and safety of downtown Omaha
    $3.4 million to complete the parallel taxiway and improve the lighting system at the Nebraska City Airport
    $3.4 million to make improvements to roads in Sheridan and Garden County
    $3.2 million to make roadway improvements on Cedar River Road in Garfield County
    $2.2 million to reconstruct the 9th street roadway in Stromsburg
    $897,000 to replace or repair multiple bridges in Brown County
    $880,000 to pave the Adams Bypass
    $700,000 to pave the roadway and improve access to the local grain elevator in Exeter
    $600,000 to relocate the Midfield Connector Taxiway at Brenner Field Airport in Falls City
    Fischer advanced funding to support Nebraska’s firefighting capabilities: 
    $2.5 million to replace South Sioux City’s aerial ladder fire truck
    $1.8 million to replace Plattsmouth’s aerial ladder fire truck
    $1.3 million to upgrade Friend’s fire hall facilities
    $1.3 million to upgrade Clatonia’s fire hall facilities
    Fischer advanced key provision to enhance roadway safety:
    Advanced language from Fischer’s She DRIVES Act by directing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to adopt the most advanced crash test dummies.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Canada’s new drug pricing guidelines are industry friendly

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Joel Lexchin, Professor Emeritus of Health Policy and Management, York University, Canada

    Drug pricing in Canada just got more industry-friendly.

    Canadian drug prices are already the fourth highest in the industrialized world. Now, with the release of new guidelines for the staff at the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) at the end of June, the situation is poised to potentially get even worse.

    The review board is the federal agency that was set up 1987 to ensure that the prices for patented drugs are not “excessive.”

    Comparing prices

    Up until now, one of the criteria the PMPRB used in making the decision about what was an excessive price was to compare the proposed Canadian price for a new drug with the median price in 11 other countries. The median is the 50 per cent mark; in other words, the price in half of the other countries was below what’s proposed for Canada, and the price in the other half was above the proposed Canadian price. Under the new guidelines, set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, the Canadian price can be up to the highest in those other 11 countries.

    Right now, the median price in the 11 countries Canada is compared to is 15 per cent below the price of patented drugs in Canada. The highest international price, which will be the new standard, is 21 per cent above the median Canadian price, meaning Canadian prices for new drugs will be significantly higher than they otherwise would have been.

    Sometimes a drug is not available in any of the 11 other countries when it comes onto the Canadian market. In that case, the company can price the drug at whatever level it wants and keep it at that price until it comes up for its annual price review. The executive director of the PMPRB told the Globe and Mail that this would incentivize drugmakers to bring their products to the Canadian market first.

    Incentivizing drug companies may be a reasonable idea, but that’s not part of the mandate of the PMPRB. As laid out in Section 83 of the Patent Act, its mandate is to ensure drug prices aren’t excessive.

    Additional therapeutic value

    In the past, one of the factors that the PMPRB took into account in determining if prices were excessive was the additional therapeutic value of a new drug compared to what was already on the market. The lower the value, the lower the price. In this regard, the PMPRB was advised by its Human Drug Advisory Panel, an independent group of experts.

    The ranking of new drugs against existing ones was also of significant value to Canadian clinicians. It helped them to decide on the best treatment option for their patients and countered the hype about new drugs that came from the manufacturers.

    Since the new guidelines have abandoned looking at therapeutic improvement of new drugs, that leaves only one remaining Canadian source for that type of information, the Therapeutics Letter, a bimonthly publication targeting identified problematic therapeutic issues in a brief, simple and practical manner.

    Complaints about prices can be made by federal, provincial and territorial health ministers and by senior officials who are authorized to represent Canadian publicly funded drug programs. “Other parties who have concerns about the list prices … are encouraged to raise their concerns with their relevant Minister(s) of Health or Canadian publicly-funded drug program (sic).” This advice is cold comfort for people working low-wage jobs who aren’t covered by provincial and territorial drug plans and don’t have any access to their health minister.

    If there is an in-depth review of a new drug’s pricing — a preparatory step to determine whether there should be a formal hearing to investigate if the price is excessive — it is only the manufacturer that is allowed to submit information to the PMPRB. Clinicians who prescribe the drug, patients who take the drug, and organizations and individuals that pay for the drug do not have that same right.

    Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs are already threatening to drive up drug prices and make prescription drugs inaccessible to many Canadians. Higher drug prices will also almost certainly affect Canada’s already limited pharmacare program. Higher prices for new drugs will make an expanded pharmacare plan more expensive and less appealing to the federal government. The new PMPRB guidelines help ensure higher drug prices and no pharmacare expansion.

    Between 2022-2025, Joel Lexchin received payments for writing a brief for a legal firm on the role of promotion in generating prescriptions for opioids, for being on a panel about pharmacare and for co-writing an article for a peer-reviewed medical journal on semaglutide. He is a member of the Boards of Canadian Doctors for Medicare and the Canadian Health Coalition. He receives royalties from University of Toronto Press and James Lorimer & Co. Ltd. for books he has written. He has received funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research in the past.

    – ref. Canada’s new drug pricing guidelines are industry friendly – https://theconversation.com/canadas-new-drug-pricing-guidelines-are-industry-friendly-261062

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Dealing with wildfires requires a whole-of-society approach

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Kevin Kriese, Senior Wildfire and Land Use Analyst, Centre for Global Studies, University of Victoria

    As the summer heat intensifies, people across Canada are facing the full brunt of wildfire season. Communities are being evacuated and properties are being destroyed as fires grow in size.

    Over the past decade, wildfires in Canada have broken numerous records, including the area burned in the largest single fire in recent history.

    More frequent fires are unsettling communities, causing rapid changes to ecosystems and having a negative impact on society and our economy.

    Increased wildfire risk is driven by a variety of factors, including more extreme fire weather (high temperatures, low humidity and powerful winds) made worse by climate change, fire deficits, the accumulation of fuels like trees and other organic materials on the landscape and changing land-use and settlement patterns.

    Our new research from the POLIS Wildfire Resilience Project at the University of Victoria explores how beneficial fires — fire that maximizes ecological benefits and minimizes risks to communities — can help build wildfire resilience.

    What are beneficial fires?

    Fire is a natural, necessary and inevitable part of many ecosystems in Canada. Historically, wildfire created a mosaic of diverse ecosystems and habitat conditions, which supported healthy watersheds and contributed to the cultures and livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples.

    Beneficial fire typically includes Indigenous cultural burning, prescribed fire and managed wildfire. These fires are managed for their ecological, cultural and community benefits, while minimizing adverse effects.

    One reason we’re seeing more catastrophic fires now is because of a history of widespread wildfire suppression, which can allow fuels to accumulate. When fuels accumulate, the risk from wildfire increases.

    In certain places and contexts, suppression remains the appropriate approach. It will continue to play a critical role in keeping communities safe and conserving ecosystem services like clean water and special places. But suppression alone is not viable or desirable. Instead, a suite of proactive actions from a variety of stakeholders is required.

    In British Columbia, Indigenous communities are returning cultural burning to their territories. A burn by the ʔaq̓am First Nation, with support from the BC Wildfire Service and local fire departments, was credited with helping save lives and homes from the St. Mary’s wildfire in summer 2024.

    Later in 2024, portions of a wildfire near the Wet’suwet’en community of Witset were allowed to burn while firefighting efforts focused on the part of the fire that threatened the community. This approach protected the village of Witset while still allowing the fire to create ecological benefits.

    Despite increasing awareness that some fires are beneficial, community opposition to cultural and prescribed fires — as well as to letting wildfires burn — persists. This opposition stems from a longstanding fears of fire and the very real threats posed to communities, people and property.

    A whole-of-society approach

    Until people feel safe from wildfire, the ability to return fire to the landscape will be limited and pressure for maximum suppression will likely continue. However, when people feel safe in their homes and communities, they may be more likely to accept more beneficial fire on the landscape.

    Risk reduction programs, such as FireSmart, take a holistic approach to wildfire resilience and include practical measures proven to reduce property loss.

    Homeowners who live near fire-prone ecosystems (referred to as the wildland-urban interface) can take simple actions, such as removing flammable material within 1.5 metres of buildings, while communities can plan effective evacuation routes.

    Experience in other jurisdictions indicates that voluntary measures, like FireSmart, are more effective when combined with mandatory minimum standards for fire-resistant building construction, vegetation management and landscaping.

    Reducing risk and increasing beneficial fires requires co-ordinated action from a diverse array of parties. For example, creating home-hardening requirements demands updated provincial building codes and local government plans that consider wildfire resilience.

    When a diverse array of entities is required to work towards a common goal, co-ordination and collaboration are vital and a whole-of-society approach is required. This type of approach fosters innovation, local agency and broader accountability — ultimately resulting in better outcomes on the ground.

    There are calls for this approach at national and international levels. Recent examples include the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers’ Canadian Wildland Fire Prevention and Mitigation Strategy and the G7 Kananaskis Wildfire Charter.

    Diverse actions needed

    Crown governments have historically worked in a top-down wildfire management model: provincial and territorial governments are in charge and select partners, such as industry, have been engaged to carry out specific actions.

    We are beginning to see a shift to greater sharing of responsibilities, partnerships, recognition of Indigenous authorities and increased local action. For example, B.C. has committed to “integrate traditional practices and cultural uses of fire into wildfire prevention and land management practices and support the reintroduction of strategized burning.”

    As Canadians face another intense wildfire season, in which we’ve already experienced loss of life and property, meaningful action across all of society is essential.

    Provincial governments must work in collaboration with Indigenous, local and federal governments, as well as industry, civil society, practitioners, local experts and communities.

    Individuals can take action to reduce the risk to their homes by managing the vegetation around their homes and using more fire-resistant building materials. Communities can engage in risk reduction and resilience planning. And governments at all levels can facilitate changes in how we manage our landscape to increase beneficial fires.

    Taken together, these diverse actions across all of society will be crucial for protecting people and ecosystems as we all learn to live with fire.

    Kevin Kriese is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.

    Andrea Barnett receives funding from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

    Oliver Brandes receives funding from Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the BC Real Estate Foundation.

    – ref. Dealing with wildfires requires a whole-of-society approach – https://theconversation.com/dealing-with-wildfires-requires-a-whole-of-society-approach-260568

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: British Columbia commercial rockfish harvester fined $25,312 for multiple violations

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    July 24, 2025

    Prince Rupert, British Columbia – On the Pacific Coast, the rockfish fishery is managed carefully to ensure the long-term sustainability of 37 species caught in British Columbia’s marine waters. Rockfish are extremely susceptible to over-fishing due to their slow growth rates, low reproductive cycle and high-mortality when brought to the surface. As a result, all rockfish species caught in the commercial groundfish trawl fishery must be retained, accurately recorded, and reported to ensure that fishers do not exceed their quota.

    On July 9, 2025, in Prince Rupert provincial court, Roger Atchison, onboard captain and co-owner of the commercial fishing vessel Savage Eagle, pled guilty to multiple violations of Canada’s Fisheries Act. Mr. Atchison released over 9,000 pounds of rockfish and failed to keep accurate and complete records of his fishing activities. These actions are violations of the conditions of his licence and occurred between October 18 and October 23, 2023, after his vessel left Prince Rupert to engage in commercial fishing in the Hecate Strait.

    Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) protects and conserves marine resources, and enforces the Fisheries Act. As part of DFO’s work to disrupt and prevent illegal activity, the Department asks the public for information on activities of this nature or any contravention of the Fisheries Act and regulations. Anyone with information can call DFO Pacific Region’s toll-free violation reporting line at 1-800-465-4336, or email the details to DFO.ORR-ONS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Construction starts on new BC Cancer centre in Kamloops

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Lumby –

    “As a long-time registered nurse who has spent years on the front lines of health care, I’ve seen how critical it is for patients to receive care close to home, especially when facing something as life-altering as cancer. The Kamloops BC Cancer centre is more than just a building; it’s an investment in the lives, strength and dignity of patients and their families. It means fewer long, exhausting trips away from loved ones, and more moments spent in the comfort of home, surrounded by support.”

    Sylvia Weir, president and CEO, Interior Health –

    “The BC Cancer centre marks a significant advancement in cancer care for the community and surrounding region, and Interior Health is proud to play a key role in making this project a reality. When complete, thousands of patients and families will have access to increased services and support, advanced technology and radiation care closer to home. The expansion of the community oncology network clinic and pharmacy, and an additional MRI will also result in shorter wait times, improved patient care and an enhanced working environment for staff.”

    Dr. Paris-Ann Ingledew, interim chief medical officer and executive vice-president, BC Cancer/PHSA –

    “Today marks a significant milestone in expanding access to cancer treatment for patients and families in Kamloops and surrounding communities. The new BC Cancer centre at Royal Inland Hospital will be designed to meet the growing demand for cancer care in the future, while upholding our strong commitment to high quality, patient-centred and culturally safe care.”

    Sarah Roth, president and chief executive officer, BC Cancer Foundation –

    “This is a major step forward in delivering the world-class care BC Cancer is known for to more communities in the Interior. Supported by a BC Cancer Foundation $5-million fundraising campaign, progress on the upcoming BC Cancer centre in Kamloops brings new hope to patients and their families who deserve timely access to treatment without the added burden of travel.”

    Brenda Partridge, Kamloops resident and patient –

    “As someone who has received life-saving care at BC Cancer, it comforts me to know a new cancer centre is coming to Kamloops. Cancer treatment is exhausting in every way, and having more treatment options close to home will help patients and their families during this difficult journey.”

    Mike O’Reilly, chair, Thompson Regional Hospital District –

    “So many families are affected by cancer in some way, and for decades, families in the Thompson-Nicola region have had an added burden of travelling many hours for treatment. With three new LINAC machines in Kamloops, our residents will receive radiation treatment much closer to home. Additionally, we congratulate EllisDon on this contract award and look forward to their quality work.”

    Heidi Coleman, CEO, Royal Inland Hospital Foundation –

    “Behind every cancer diagnosis is a story of strength, fear, resilience and hope. With three new LINAC radiation machines slated for the site, patients in our community can now heal closer to home, surrounded by their loved ones. Congratulations to EllisDon on being awarded the contract. We’re proud to continue working with a team known for delivering excellence in health-care infrastructure.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Guthrie Votes to Fully Fund Department of Defense

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brett Guthrie (2nd District Kentucky)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Guthrie (KY-02) issued the following statement following the House passage of H.R. 4016, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026.

    “After four years of failed Democratic leadership diminishing our standing on the world stage, peace through strength is back. Under the leadership of President Trump and House Republicans, our United States military is stronger than ever, equipped, and ready to defend our nation against any threat,” said Congressman Brett Guthrie.“As a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, I know firsthand that peace is best preserved through a strong U.S. military! This bill invests billions into the men and women who volunteer to keep our nation safe and ensures that American industries can manufacture the necessary tools to accomplish the mission.”

    Background:
     H.R. 4016 builds upon Republicans’ agenda of investing in our military strength to restore America’s standing as a deterrent to those who attempt to spread chaos and destruction. By allocating $831.5 billion for the Department of Defense, Congress is sending a clear message to the world: America is back.
    Specifically, this legislation:

    • Includes an increase of 3.8% in basic pay for all military personnel effective January 1, 2026.
    • Invests in youth development and workforce programs that prepare our next generation soldiers and businesses including Apex Accelerators, Starbase, the National Guard Youth Challenge, and U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps Programs.
    • Allocates $36.9 billion for 28 ships including six battle force ships 
    • Dedicates $1.5 billion for the Maritime Industrial Base to invest in critical areas including supplier capacity and capability, strategic outsourcing, workforce training, and technology and infrastructure.
    • Enhances investments in 5th and 6th generation aircraft.
    • Allocates approximately $13 billion for missile defense and space programs to augment and integrate in support of the Golden Dome effort.
    • Delivers increases for the State Partnership Program operations and personnel costs for both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard.

    More information about the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026 prior to adoption of amendments can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Rep. Jim Costa Secures $35.4 Million for Head Start Programs in Fresno and Tulare Counties

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jim Costa Representing 16th District of California

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) announced $35.4 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support Head Start and Early Head Start services in Fresno and Tulare counties. These programs provide critical early childhood education, healthcare, and family support services to families across the San Joaquin Valley.“Every child deserves a fair shot, no matter their zip code or family income. I’ve always fought to protect Head Start because it gives kids the tools to succeed,” said Congressman Costa. “This funding means more children will walk into kindergarten ready to learn, and more families will have access to reliable, affordable childcare they can count on.”BACKGROUNDHead Start is a federally funded program administered by HHS that promotes school readiness for children from birth to age five. It provides comprehensive services, including early education, health screenings, nutrition assistance, and parental support to underserved families across the country.Research consistently shows that children who participate in Head Start programs are more likely to start school on track and succeed in later academic settings. As part of its latest funding cycle, HHS awarded the following grants to support local operations:

    Fresno County: $23.7 million for the Fresno Economic Opportunities Commission (EOC)
    Tulare County: $11.6 million for the Tulare County Office of Education (TCOE)

    These grants will support ongoing program operations, staff retention, classroom improvements, and expanded access to services for eligible families in the region.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Arterial Cannula Recall: Edwards Lifesciences Removes Arterial Cannula due to Risk of Wire Exposure

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    This recall involves removing devices from where they are used or sold. The FDA has identified this recall as the most serious type. This device may cause serious injury or death if you continue to use it.
    Affected Product

    Product Family
    Model Number
    UDI-DI

    OptiSite Arterial Perfusion Cannula
    OPTI16
    00690103180558

    OptiSite Arterial Perfusion Cannula 
    OPTI18
    00690103180565

    Peripheral Femoral Arterial Cannula
    FEMII016A
    00690103031232

    Peripheral Femoral Arterial Cannula
    FEMII016AS
    00690103168341

    Peripheral Femoral Arterial Cannula
    FEMII018A
    00690103031256

    Peripheral Femoral Arterial Cannula
    FEMII018AS
    00690103168358

    What to Do
    Do not use the identified affected products listed in the table above.

    On May 16, 2025, Edwards Lifesciences began sending all affected customers a “Field Corrective Action #192” letter recommending the following actions:

    Search your inventory for and remove the affected product.
    Share this notice with appropriate clinical staff at your site.
    Ensure no patient follow-up or notification is necessary.
    Work with your Edwards enableCV (eCV) Representative to return affected product and receive a credit.
    Distributors should notify all customers who have purchased the affected product by sending the customer notification they received.

    Reason for Recall
    Edwards Lifesciences has identified occurrences in which a 3mm to 4mm section of wire, from the wire-reinforcement coil at the cannula tip of the OptiSite Arterial Perfusion Cannula devices, was found to be exposed (released from the cannula body). Since some Femoral Arterial Cannula models are made of the same components as the impacted OptiSite Arterial Perfusion Cannula, Edwards has included those Femoral Arterial Cannula models as affected product to be removed from use.
    Risks to the patient of using the affected product with exposed wire include major tissue damage, puncturing the artery which could cause bleeding, inadequate perfusion, and hemolysis.
    As of May 20, 2025, Edwards Lifesciences has not reported any serious injuries or deaths associated with this issue.
    Device Use
    The Edwards Lifesciences arterial perfusion cannulae are indicated for adult patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. They are intended to provide arterial perfusion of oxygenated blood in the extracorporeal circuit for up to six hours.
    Contact Information
    Customers in the U.S. with adverse reactions, quality problems, or questions about this recall should contact their Edwards eCV Representative or Edwards Customer Service at FCA_ECV@edwards.com or 888-943-2783.
    Unique Device Identifier (UDI)
    The unique device identifier (UDI) helps identify individual medical devices sold in the United States from distribution to use. The UDI allows for more accurate reporting, reviewing, and analyzing of adverse event reports so that devices can be identified more quickly, and as a result, problems potentially resolved more quickly.

    How do I report a problem?
    Health care professionals and consumers may report adverse reactions or quality problems they experienced using these devices to MedWatch: The FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.

    Content current as of:
    07/24/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    MIL OSI USA News –