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  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Musk apologizes but the bromance is over: What network science tells us about the Trump-Musk breakup

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Anthony Bonato, Professor of Mathematics, Toronto Metropolitan University

    The proverbial gauntlet has been thrown down. The friendship and partnership between United States President Donald Trump and “special government employee” Elon Musk has collapsed in spectacular fashion.

    On X on June 3, Musk posted about the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, calling it a “disgusting abomination.”

    An argument ensued, and two days later, Trump called Musk “CRAZY” on Truth Social. The fight escalated and Trump’s slur was followed by Musk’s suggestion the president should be impeached and alleging he appeared in the Jeffrey Epstein files.

    These Musk posts in particular were seen as a step too far by many in Trump’s circle, even after the Tesla CEO deleted them.

    Trump and Musk’s storied bromance contributed to one of the greatest comebacks in American presidential history, with Trump winning a second term despite his numerous legal troubles. Musk actively campaigned for Trump, contributing more than $250 million to his re-election bid.

    While we can only speculate about what exactly went wrong between the world’s most powerful man and the world’s richest, their feud reveals a potentially highly impactful disruption in American politics. It also illustrates what happens when social networks fall apart and the impact those types of fissures have on social structures.

    Enter Zachary’s Karate Club

    Feuds between political figures are nothing new, and neither are fissures in social groups. The latter has been studied for decades by network scientists who measure the strength of ties between people.

    Networks, consisting of nodes and links, appear everywhere. They measure interactions and provide us with another lens through which to view the world. For example, we can consider networks of neurons in our brains, networks of banking transactions, or likes and follows on social media.

    Over three years from 1970 to 1972, Temple University anthropologist Wayne Zachary studied the social network of 34 members in a university karate club. He observed a split between the club’s instructor and its administrator. What ensued was a partition of the club into factions, centred on the two respective leaders. Zachary referred to this as fission within the group in his 1977 paper.

    “Communities” in a social network are groups of like-minded individuals who are more likely to interact with one another than those outside the group. Think of a community as a clique in a high school, with separate groups of teenagers who are into football, members of the math club or fans of Taylor Swift.

    The Zachary Karate Club network is a well-cited and early example of the emergence of two distinct communities from one. The network became a popular example of community structure in networks after its use by physicist Michelle Girvan and network scientist Mark Newman in 2002.

    How the split could affect voters

    The split between Trump and Musk echoes the split in the Zachary Karate Club network. While the Karate Club network is much smaller than the the 160 million-plus group of likely U.S. voters, it does suggest the kind of polarization that can occur when powerful individuals go their separate ways.

    Imagine each voter as a node, with two nodes linked if they voted for the same presidential candidate. That would split voters into two main groups: one that voted Republican and the other that voted Democrat, with a smaller group comprising the roughly three million people who voted for independent candidates like Jill Stein in 2024.

    U.S. presidential elections can be razor-close, as was the case with George W. Bush and Al Gore in 2000. Even a minor split among voters can upend the results. For example, in the 1992 presidential election, independent candidate Ross Perot garnered almost 19 per cent of the popular vote, which likely siphoned off Republican votes and contributed to George H.W. Bush’s loss.

    On June 5, Musk polled X about creating a new political party — The America Party. Within hours, about 80 per cent of 1.3 million people who took his poll supported his idea.

    That party could fracture the traditional voting base of Republicans and Democrats, leaving the fate of the White House uncertain for the foreseeable future. While die-hard MAGA voters will likely always support Trump, tech-savvy millennial and Gen Z voters may be more receptive to Musk’s disruptive third-party aspirations.

    Friends and enemies

    Social networks adhere to two core principles that govern ties between individuals. These principles are well accepted and are also common sense.

    The first is the adage that friends of friends are more likely to be friends. Given Musk’s strong past ties to Trump, followers of Musk would more likely consider voting for Trump.

    The second and equally important principle is that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. That could be bad news for Republicans, as independent-leaning voters who don’t like Trump but voted for him in 2024 may consider supporting the hypothetical “America Party.”

    Another possibility is that the feud ends — Musk is already expressing regrets, saying his posts about Trump “went too far.” That could go a long way to reversing the fissure, though it may not ease the hard feelings that could linger among either Musk or Trump fans.

    We can view both Trump and Musk as powerful attractors who influence the social network of U.S. voters.

    While the majority of Democrats may reject the policies and ideology of both men, the 49.9 per cent of Americans who supported Trump in 2024 could splinter.

    Because this is the official final term of Trump’s presidency, Musk could also support Vice President JD Vance or another Republican frontrunner, dropping his musings about a third party altogether.

    Whatever happens next — just like everything else in the Trump presidency — network science tells us it won’t be predictable.

    Anthony Bonato receives funding from NSERC.

    – ref. Musk apologizes but the bromance is over: What network science tells us about the Trump-Musk breakup – https://theconversation.com/musk-apologizes-but-the-bromance-is-over-what-network-science-tells-us-about-the-trump-musk-breakup-258554

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Spending Review presents challenges

    Source: Scottish Government

    Funding for Scotland falls behind UK Government departments.

    The UK Spending Review fails to deliver for Scotland, Finance Secretary Shona Robison has said.

    Spending levels for public services will fail to offset the impact of proposed cuts to welfare support and the rise in National Insurance contributions, the Finance Secretary warned in response to the Chancellor’s statement.

    Shona Robison said: 

    “This Spending Review is business as usual from the UK Government, which is yet again treating Scotland as an afterthought and failing to provide us with the funding we need.

    “Today’s settlement for Scotland is particularly disappointing, with real terms growth of 0.8% a year for our overall Block Grant, which is lower than the average for UK Departments. Had our resource funding for day-to-day priorities grown in line with the UK Government’s overall spending, we would have £1.1 billion more to spend on our priorities over the next three years. In effect, Scotland has been short-changed by more than a billion pounds.

    “This all comes on top of the UK Government’s failure to fully fund their employer National Insurance increase, depriving us of hundreds of millions of pounds in funding, and their proposed cuts in support for disabled people that will push 250,000 people into poverty, including 50,000 children.

    “It is also disappointing that despite apparent briefing to media in advance, we are still awaiting clarity on funding for the vital Acorn project in the North East of Scotland.

    “We made extensive representations to the UK Government on our priorities for the Spending Review, including calls for an end to spending that bypasses devolution, but there has been limited opportunity to engage with them. It appears that the continuation of local growth funding – which fails to match the European Structural Funds it was supposed to replace – will come directly from Whitehall, yet again bypassing devolved governments.

    “We will now take the time to digest the detail of this statement and will set out our formal response on 25 June as part of the Medium Term Financial Strategy.” 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Stoke-on-Trent secures £20 million regeneration money as UK “trailblazer”

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Wednesday, 11th June 2025

    Stoke-on-Trent will receive up to £20 million to transform Bentilee and Ubberley through regeneration projects led by the local community.

    The money – announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as part of today’s Comprehensive Spending Review – will support to drive forward the changes they want to see over the next decade.

    Bentilee and Ubberley was chosen as one of only 25 “trailblazer” neighbourhoods across the UK which will receive the funds.

    The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will now work with partners in the trailblazer areas to develop schemes and provide a direct route in to Whitehall.

    MHCLG said the money would “support improvements people can see on their doorstep, champion local leadership, foster community engagement and strengthen social cohesion”.

    The city council will provide support to the community to bring forward proposals, align them to ongoing council work, and ensure benefits are felt across the wider city.

    Councillor Jane Ashworth, leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “This is a truly transformational sum of money which will make a real difference to people’s lives for decades to come.

    “It is also recognition of the work we have already been doing to empower communities to have more control over the places where they live.

    “We will support the people of Bentilee and Ubberley to secure the maximum benefits from this investment, and ensure that those benefits are felt as widely as possible by the people who need it most.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS: Sanders, Democratic HELP Members Call for Hearings on Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” and Its Impact on Americans’ Health

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    WASHINGTON, June 11 – As President Trump and Senate Republicans rush forward with their budget reconciliation bill – which would throw 16 million people off of their health insurance – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), alongside every Democratic member of the HELP Committee, today sent a letter to committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.) urging him to schedule hearings with patients and health care providers to hear about the legislation’s disastrous impact on the health and well-being of the American people and markup this bill before it reaches the Senate floor for consideration. 

    “We are deeply concerned that if these policies were signed into law they would create a national health care emergency,” wrote Sanders and the senators. “Not only would millions of Americans lose their health insurance and tens of thousands of our constituents die as a result of the House-passed reconciliation bill, the cost of prescription drugs would go up for seniors, hospitals and community health centers in rural and underserved areas would close or shut down access to services that patients rely on, and nursing homes would be made less safe.” 

    Last week, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that the House-passed budget reconciliation bill would slash more than $1 trillion from federal health care programs. The bill, coupled with the expiration of health care premium tax credits that Republicans have refused to extend, would lead to 16 million Americans losing the health insurance they currently have according to CBO. New research from Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania found that more than 51,000 additional Americans will die each year if Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” becomes law. The bill would also defund Planned Parenthood, slash funding for women’s health care, and restrict reproductive health care coverage across the country. 

    “Regardless of your views on the merits of these policies, we hope you would agree with us that the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee has a solemn responsibility to hold extensive hearings on the impact these policies would have on the health and well-being of the American people and our entire health care system,” conclude Sanders and the senators. “Failure to hold hearings and a markup on this reconciliation bill before it is considered on the Senate floor would be an abdication of our duty to the American people.” 

    Joining Sanders as cosigners on this letter are Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), and Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.). 

    Read the letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Building Permit Growth Up 31.5 Per Cent, Leading the Nation

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on June 11, 2025

    Province’s Strong Year-Over-Year Growth Ranks First Among the Provinces

    Statistics Canada’s latest figures indicate a 31.5 per cent increase from April 2024 to April 2025 (seasonally adjusted) in the value of building permits issued in Saskatchewan. The value reached $290 million (seasonally adjusted) in April 2025.

    “The continued rise in building permits demonstrates how our strong economy is delivering for Saskatchewan people,” Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding said. “Our stable business environment and competitive incentives are bringing jobs, investments and opportunities to everyone who calls this province home.” 

    Month-over-month figures also saw growth, with the value increasing 2.9 per cent from March 2025. Non-residential building permits increased by 57.1 per cent.

    The total value of building permits represents the dollar value of construction permits for residential and non-residential buildings.

    Statistics Canada’s latest GDP numbers indicate that Saskatchewan’s 2024 real GDP reached an all-time high of $80.5 billion, increasing by $2.6 billion, or 3.4 per cent. This ranks 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 for growth. 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 province released Securing the Next Decade of Growth: Saskatchewan’s Investment Attraction Strategy, in conjunction with the launch of the investSK.ca website. These initiatives are positioned to amplify growth in Saskatchewan, serving as pivotal instruments in driving further development. 

    For more information, visit: InvestSK.ca.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Introduces Bill to Codify Trump’s Rescissions

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) released the following statement after introducing H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, to codify the Trump Administration’s rescissions request:“As last month’s credit rating downgrade by Moody’s reaffirmed, we need to drastically reduce deficit spending in Washington and get back to focusing on the top priorities of the American taxpayer. The rescissions request sent to Congress by the Trump Administration takes the federal government in a new direction where we actually cut waste, fraud, and abuse and hold agencies accountable to the American people.  “I’m excited to introduce H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, which codifies President Trump’s cuts to wasteful foreign aid initiatives within the State Department and USAID, as well as woke public broadcasting, including NPR and PBS, at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which is a business the federal government shouldn’t even be in.  “This legislation cuts $9.4 BILLION in waste, delivering on the mandate given to President Trump and Republicans in November and fulfilling the promises we made to the American people to restore fiscal responsibility – and it’s only the beginning.  “Along with the One Big Beautiful Bill that will achieve savings of more than $1.6 trillion, these cuts will help put us on a path to fiscal sanity and undo years of reckless spending that drives inflation. I look forward to seeing this legislation come to the floor next week as House Republicans fight to change the trajectory of Washington spending and restore commonsense to the federal government.” To view the bill, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise Corrects Record on Faulty CBO Projections

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Congressman Mark Messmer (R-Ind.) to discuss how the One Big Beautiful Bill will reduce our deficit and unleash economic growth. Leader Scalise slammed the Congressional Budget Office’s false projections, noting their history of miscalculating opportunities for economic growth like they did with the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Leader Scalise highlighted how House Republicans will continue to rally around legislation that protects taxpayer dollars, pointing to the White House-requested rescissions package that Leader Scalise is bringing to the House Floor next week. Additionally, Leader Scalise condemned the horrific antisemitic terror attacks that continue around the country.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
    On the rise in antisemitic terror attacks:“We all mourn those who were the victims of these attacks here in Washington, D.C., as well as in Boulder, Colorado. And it just unfortunately highlights this continued antisemitism we’ve seen around the country. Last week, I met with Jewish leaders, and they’re understandably concerned about this trend that keeps going on. It’s been going on for years. You know, you go back to October 7th, and ever since then, it’s been a growing equivocation between almost trying to equivocate what the people who attacked and murdered Jews in Israel and Americans and kept hostages with those in Gaza who we’ve seen what Gaza has become in and all of those who want to clean up Gaza. President Trump has made it clear, Prime Minister Netanyahu has made it clear, they want to turn Gaza back into a place where you don’t have to fear for your life that it’s going to be a terrorist hotbed. And yet there are people there that want to sympathize with the very terrorists who want to continue to not only carry out evil against Israelis, but against people here in America and all across the globe. It’s got to stop. We’re going to continue to bring legislation on the House Floor to address it.”On House Republicans unifying around reconciliation:“Now, I do want to talk about the one big beautiful bill. This House came together in a way that maybe surprised some people here in Washington. We’ve defied the odds every step of the way, from the first vote on the budget to the second vote on the budget to final passage. But there’s a reason for that.“And, you know, as the Whip just said, we’ve said all along, failure is not an option. I’ve been asked by some in the press, ‘What’s plan B?’ when there were reports that the bill was going to fail. And we were very clear, and it wasn’t just a talking point, we said there is no plan B. The American economy, the voters of this country demanded that Congress deliver on the promises that President Trump made to get this country turned around. And what we do in this bill delivers on so many different fronts to help grow America’s economy, to create jobs, to put more money in the pockets of hardworking families. That’s been the focus of this bill from the very beginning.”On CBO’s history of miscalculating economic growth: “I think there are some people that start reading too many Congressional Budget Office reports and ignore the lessons of history. And there’s an old saying that if you ignore the lessons of history, you’re doomed to repeat it. But I think it’s important to go down that road of history and go back to 2017. You don’t need to go back that far to see how wrong the CBO has been when it comes time to make prognostications on economic growth. They’ve always been wrong, and they’ve always ignored what tax cuts will do to grow the American economy. In 2017, when we started this process, when President Trump came in and said, ‘We’re going to make America competitive again,’ we were at a 35% corporate rate, and we were losing jobs all across the globe. Every month, you’d see a great American company move to a foreign country, and they would take the jobs along with them. Millions of jobs were leaving America. They were called inversions. You don’t maybe know that term as well anymore, because we haven’t had an inversion since we passed TCJA in 2017.“But if you go back, look at what CBO said about that bill. They said it would cost a decrease in revenue to the tune of one and a half trillion dollars. One and a half trillion. Now you go look at the numbers, they were off by more than one and a half trillion dollars. Because what they left out of that report, just like they’re leaving it out again, CBO is making the same mistakes. They ignore economic growth. What we saw in 2017 when we cut taxes is that businesses started growing. They started giving pay raises to their workers. They hired millions more people. Unemployment went virtually to zero. Inflation dropped dramatically. People had more money in their pockets because wages were up.And all of those things produced more money for the American Treasury. It all happened, and yet CBO failed to recognize that. And they’re making the same mistake again. And anybody who repeats CBO’s analysis is also making those same mistakes.”On the historic growth this bill will generate for hardworking Americans:“If you ignore the growth that will come with keeping tax rates low, with helping businesses invest more in their workers, giving pay raises, putting more money in the pockets of waiters and waitresses, overtime workers not having to pay taxes on overtime, bonus depreciation, immediate expensing, all the things that will generate economic growth and ultimately put more money in the pockets of workers and send more money up to the federal Treasury here in Washington. CBO missed all of that in 2017, and they’re missing it again this time. That’s the only way they’ve come to a conclusion that it would increase the deficit. This bill will actually reduce the deficit if you recognize the historical economic growth that has always been there. To say you’re going to get 1.8% growth, at a minimum, we think you can get 2.5 to 4% growth. Scott Bessent, the Treasury Secretary, says over 4% economic growth. So I get that, you know, we’ve got to play by the rules of the referee, but the referee has been wrong. You know, we got a referee that tries to sack our quarterback a lot, and yet we still manage to play by those rules and deliver for the American people. Because when this bill is passed and signed into law, hopefully by July 4th, when the Senate does their work, you’re going to see economic growth in this country like we haven’t seen in generations, meaning more pay in the pockets of workers. And you’re going to see more Treasury money coming in because of the growth in the American economy. It’s happened before, and it will happen again. We just need to keep moving forward. And the Senate’s got the bill now, and I’m confident they’re going to move it on and ultimately back to us to the president’s desk.”On putting the rescissions package on the House Floor:“And finally, you saw yesterday the White House sent the rescissions package. This is the first maybe of many. We are now putting that in bill format. We’ll file that bill hopefully by tomorrow and then bring it up to the floor quickly and get rid of more waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government. This will deal with, obviously, the abuses we all saw at USAID, NPR, and public broadcasting. So those are the things that are going to be in this rescissions package. We’re going to continue working with President Trump to root out waste, fraud, and abuse and get the American economy turning around again.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scalise: Democrats’ Vote Against OBBB is a Vote for More Riots in LA

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steve Scalise (1st District of Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) joined Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.), and Congressman Gabe Evans (R-Colo.) to discuss how the One Big Beautiful Bill would directly address the violent riots in Los Angeles by providing funding for more ICE and Border Patrol Agents. Leader Scalise also highlighted the Office of Management and Budget’s report detailing how the One Big Beautiful Bill will unleash economic growth for hardworking Americans through no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and the largest tax cuts in history, and also reduce the national deficit by over $1.4 trillion.

    Click here or the image above to view Leader Scalise’s full remarks. 
    On the need for the One Big Beautiful Bill to help address the lawlessness in California:“Anybody who watched these just inflammatory scenes roll out in Los Angeles over the weekend sees one more example why we need to pass the One Big Beautiful Bill and why we need to get it to President Trump’s desk as soon as possible. One of the many great provisions in this bill that we came together to pass through the House are provisions that allow our ICE agents and our Border Patrol Agents to get more resources, to get more support hiring more Border Patrol Agents and more ICE agents. Frankly, it’s one of the reasons that every single Democrat voted no on the bill. Because they want open borders, they want the chaos and the mayhem that comes with sanctuary cities and sanctuary states that we’ve been standing up against. They had the opportunity to join us, and they deliberately chose to vote no because they want higher taxes, they want open borders, they want to close off our energy resources, all the things that were in that bill.“So we’re going to continue moving forward. The Senate is doing their work now, and I’m confident the Senate is going to move through quickly to get that bill through the Senate, ultimately back to the House for any minor changes, and then to the President’s desk so that we can hire those additional Border Patrol Agents, hire those additional ICE agents to keep Americans safe. And by the way, if you’re a citizen of the state of California while your governor is failing you miserably, at least we have a president, Donald Trump, who is willing to say that he will step up and try to protect those same people. Law-abiding people who are sick and tired of the lawlessness. They are disgusted by a foreign flag being waved in an American city and their governor defending the people that are actually burning down the city, trying to call it a peaceful protest. Don’t insult the intelligence of the American people. They see what’s happening. They know why it’s happening. The far-left Democrat Party wants open borders. There was an election run on this. The American people said enough is enough, we want secure borders, and that’s why they sent Donald Trump and a Republican House and Senate to Washington. And we’re going to keep fighting for those families who are sick and tired of what they’re seeing in cities like Los Angeles and other lawless cities in America. So we’re going to deliver on our promise.”On OMB’s projection of massive economic growth:“One more really positive thing that came out just a few days ago, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget did their assessment on the House’s version of the One Big Beautiful Bill, and confirmed what we knew, that with the economic growth you’ll get, with the job creation, the increased wages for families, we will end up seeing about a trillion and a half dollar reduction in the national deficit over the next 10 years – trillion and a half dollar reduction because of the growth we’ll get from this bill, because workers will have more money in their pockets when the government doesn’t have a four and a half trillion dollar tax increase that every Democrat voted to impose upon them. Waiters and waitresses at all of your local restaurants will have more money in their pockets because of no taxes on tips. Your blue-collar workers who go to work and sometimes have the opportunity to work overtime and maybe wonder if they should do it because of all the taxes that they’ll end up paying on that overtime to be away from their family, will no longer have to worry about paying taxes on overtime. And that’s going to spur investment. It’s going to spur more job creation. It’s going to spur more money in the pockets of those blue-collar workers. So that’s going to be another really big, important aspect, so that OMB report coming out really underscores one more reason why this bill is so important to the people of the United States.”On Leader Scalise’s rescissions package that will codify DOGE cuts:“And then, of course, this week, we’re taking up the rescissions package. Thursday, we will vote on that. We’ve been answering questions from our members, but our members are ready to go lock in some of those DOGE cuts. DOGE identified waste, fraud, and abuse in so many areas of the federal government. This is a start. It’s a good start. It’s an important first step, and we’re going to take it on Thursday.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Foster Statement on GOP Reconciliation Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bill Foster (11th District of Illinois)

    Washington, DC — Today, Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) issued the following statement:

    “Early this morning, I voted NO on Republicans’ disastrous reconciliation bill: the largest cut to health care, food assistance, and scientific research in American history. I watched in disgust as Republicans cheered for ripping health care from 13.7 million Americans and taking food from families, children, and seniors—all to hand out more tax breaks to their billionaire donors.

    “In 2010, I spent three days reading the Affordable Care Act before voting for it, knowing it would cost me my reelection. I did it to provide health care to millions of Americans with preexisting conditions. Last night, Republicans gave us just two and a half hours in the dead of night to read the final version of their Big Ugly Bill to take health care away from millions.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Foster, Obernolte Introduce CRISIS Act to Capitalize on Russian Brain Drain

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bill Foster (11th District of Illinois)

    Washington, DC – Today, Reps. Bill Foster (D-IL) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced the bipartisan Countering Russian Innovation and Safeguarding Individual Scientists (CRISIS) Act. This bill would make certain vetted Russian nationals with advanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees eligible for permanent resident status in the U.S., allowing them to contribute to American research and innovation.

    “Welcoming vetted STEM experts to the United States is a strategic investment in our own future—one that allows some of the world’s top scientific and technical minds to contribute to our economy and advance critical research,” said Rep. Foster. “The CRISIS Act is an important bipartisan step that strengthens our national security and global leadership.”

    “The United States has long benefited from being a destination for the world’s brightest minds,” said Rep. Obernolte. “The CRISIS Act helps ensure that highly skilled, fully vetted scientists and engineers—many of whom were trained at American universities—can continue their work here, contributing to our economy, advancing innovation, and strengthening our global competitiveness.”

    The CRISIS Act is endorsed by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the National Immigration Forum.

    A copy of the bill is available here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MOFA solemnly refutes false claims made in Third China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting joint statement

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    MOFA solemnly refutes false claims made in Third China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting joint statement

    Date：2025-05-29
    Data Source：Department of East Asian and Pacific Affairs

    May 29, 2025No. 186The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) sternly refutes and condemns the joint statement issued after the Third China-Pacific Island Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, held from May 28 to 29. In the statement, China falsely claimed that Taiwan was “an inalienable part of China’s territory” and “firmly opposed Taiwan independence in all forms,” as well as inappropriately citing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758.MOFA reiterates that neither the Republic of China (Taiwan) nor the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is subordinate to the other and that authoritarian China has never governed Taiwan. This is an internationally recognized fact and the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. The PRC has never governed Taiwan, and Taiwan has never been part of the PRC. Only Taiwan’s democratically elected government has the right to represent its 23.5 million people in the UN system and at other international venues. China has no say in the matter.MOFA once again emphasizes that UNGA Resolution 2758 only determined China’s representation in the United Nations. The resolution never mentions Taiwan. It does not state that Taiwan is part of the PRC, nor does it authorize the PRC to represent Taiwan in the United Nations.MOFA calls on the international community to recognize that China has repeatedly taken every opportunity when convening or participating in Pacific regional meetings to attempt to downgrade Taiwan’s sovereignty, undermine unity and harmony in the Pacific, and twist UNGA Resolution 2758 through legal maneuvering. China has also misrepresented Taiwan as an internal issue and hindered international support for Taiwan. MOFA continues to take concrete action, countering China’s repeated distortion of the resolution and its efforts to change the cross-strait status quo, to jointly safeguard peace, stability, and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region. (E)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIST and Partners Use Quantum Mechanics to Make a Factory for Random Numbers

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Members of the team who created the CURBy quantum random number generator. From left to right, Jasper Palfree (University of Colorado Boulder), Gautam Kavuri (NIST) and Krister Shalm (NIST).

    Credit: NIST

    Randomness is incredibly useful. People often draw straws, throw dice or flip coins to make fair choices. Random numbers can enable auditors to make completely unbiased selections. Randomness is also key in security; if a password or code is an unguessable string of numbers, it’s harder to crack. Many of our cryptographic systems today use random number generators to produce secure keys.

    But how do you know that a random number is truly random? Classical computer algorithms can only create pseudo-random numbers, and someone with enough knowledge of the algorithm or the system could manipulate it or predict the next number. An expert in sleight of hand could rig a coin flip to guarantee a heads or tails result. Even the most careful coin flips can have bias; with enough study, their outcomes could be predicted. 

    “True randomness is something that nothing in the universe can predict in advance,” said Krister Shalm, a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Even if a random number generator used seemingly random processes in nature, it would be hard to verify that those numbers are truly random, Shalm added.

    Einstein believed that nature isn’t random, famously saying, “God does not play dice with the universe.” Scientists have since proved that Einstein was wrong. Unlike dice or computer algorithms, quantum mechanics is inherently random. Carrying out a quantum experiment called a Bell test, Shalm and his team have transformed this source of true quantum randomness into a traceable and certifiable random-number service. Their results were just published in Nature. 

    “If God does play dice with the universe, then you can turn that into the best random number generator that the universe allows,” Shalm said. “We really wanted to take that experiment out of the lab and turn it into a useful public service.”

    To make that happen, NIST researchers and their colleagues at the University of Colorado Boulder created the Colorado University Randomness Beacon (CURBy). CURBy produces random numbers automatically and broadcasts them daily through a website for anyone to use.

    Instrumentation for the quantum random number generator in the NIST Boulder laboratories. 

    Credit: NIST

    At the heart of this service is the NIST-run Bell test, which provides truly random results. This randomness acts as a kind of raw material that the rest of the researchers’ setup “refines” into random numbers published by the beacon. 

    The Bell test measures pairs of “entangled” photons whose properties are correlated even when separated by vast distances. When researchers measure an individual particle, the outcome is random, but the properties of the pair are more correlated than classical physics allows, enabling researchers to verify the randomness. Einstein called this quantum nonlocality “spooky action at a distance.”

    This is the first random number generator service to use quantum nonlocality as a source of its numbers, and the most transparent source of random numbers to date. That’s because the results are certifiable and traceable to a greater extent than ever before.

    “CURBy is one of the first publicly available services that operates with a provable quantum advantage. That’s a big milestone for us,” Shalm explained. “The quality and origin of these random bits can be directly certified in a way that conventional random number generators are unable to.”

    NIST performed one of the first complete experimental Bell tests in 2015, which firmly established that quantum mechanics is truly random. In 2018, NIST pioneered methods to use these Bell tests to build  Really Random Numbers”>the world’s first sources of true randomness.

    However, turning these quantum correlations into random numbers is hard work. NIST’s first breakthrough demonstrations of the Bell test required months of setup to run for a few hours, and it took a great deal of time to collect enough data to generate 512 bits of true randomness. Shalm and the team spent the past few years building the experiment to be robust and to run automatically so it can provide random numbers on demand. In its first 40 days of operation, the protocol produced random numbers 7,434 times out of 7,454 attempts, a 99.7% success rate.

    “If God does play dice with the universe, then you can turn that into the best random number generator that the universe allows.” —Krister Shalm, NIST physicist

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Microreactor pilot reaches major project milestone

    Source: United States Air Force

    Headline: Microreactor pilot reaches major project milestone

    The Department of the Air Force, in coordination with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy Office, reached a critical milestone in piloting advanced nuclear energy technology with the issuance of a Notice of Intent to Award (NOITA) to Oklo, Inc.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: North Carolina Suicide Prevention Action Plan Posted for Public Comment

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: North Carolina Suicide Prevention Action Plan Posted for Public Comment

    North Carolina Suicide Prevention Action Plan Posted for Public Comment
    kcano1

    As part of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services commitment to transforming mental health care, the department is seeking public comment on its Suicide Prevention Action Plan (2026-2030). This work is critical in improving the lives of all North Carolinians and addressing the mental health crisis. The public is invited to read the plan and provide feedback by July 9, 2025.

    The Suicide Prevention Action Plan is a collaboration between NCDHHS, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (DPI). Strategies highlighted in the plan include having a statewide coordinated infrastructure, implementing and promoting safe storage practices, providing expanded mental health training in non-traditional settings and ensuring at-risk populations are reached effectively.  

    “We have to ensure people receive care when they need it, before they reach a crisis, especially among groups that are more vulnerable, like our teenagers, young adults and veterans,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “This collaborative effort is a step forward in creating a system that works for everyone that will have impact for generations to come.”

    Suicide is one of the top 10 leading causes of death in North Carolina for people ages 10-65, according to data from the N.C. State Center for Health Statistics. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for youth ages 10-18 in North Carolina, and the second leading cause of death for those ages 19-34.
     

    Additionally, military veteran residents are disproportionally impacted by suicide with the average suicide rate from 2018-2022 being 2.7 times higher among North Carolina veterans than non-veterans.
     

    “Public input is essential to strengthening and shaping the continuum of mental health care in North Carolina,” said Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW, Director of the NCDHHS Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services. “We want to meet people where they are, in schools and in their communities, to ensure the right care at the right time.”   
     

    NCDHHS is also partnering with the UNC Suicide Prevention Institute, NC DPI and Village of Care on the development of a strategic plan dedicated to preventing suicide among Black youth.  This is the first strategic plan of its kind in the history of NCDHHS and was driven by data that show Black people, including the 10-24 age group, are overrepresented in suicide-related emergency department visits.
     

    *** 
     

    If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or need someone to talk to, you are not alone. Resources are available on the NCDHHS Suicide Prevention website for social or family situations, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, thoughts of suicide, alcohol or drug use, or if you just need someone to talk to. Our Crisis Services Communications Toolkit includes free flyers, posters and other resources to promote and explain crisis services in your community in English and Spanish. 

    • For those in a mental health crisis, NCDHHS provides somewhere to go, someone to talk to and someone to respond. The 988 Lifeline Chat and Text – 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available to everyone 24/7 by call, text, or chat. Targeted resources are available for Veterans, Spanish speakers, and LGBTQ+ youth and young adults.
    • North Carolinians can call the Peer Warmline (1-855-PEERS NC [855-733-7762] 24/7) to speak with a Peer Support Specialist. Peer Support Specialists (or “peers”) are people living in recovery with mental illness and/or substance use disorder who provide support to others who may have similar life experiences and can benefit from their lived experiences.
    • NCDHHS crisis services include mobile crisis teams that can come to you and community crisis centers, which are safe places where you can get help from a licensed clinician, without needing to go to the emergency room.

    Como parte del compromiso del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte para transformar la atención de salud mental, el departamento está buscando comentarios públicos sobre su Plan de Acción para la Prevención del Suicidio (2026-2030). Este trabajo es fundamental para mejorar las vidas de todos los habitantes de Carolina del Norte y abordar la crisis de salud mental. Se invita al público a leer el plan y proporcionar comentarios antes del 9 de julio de 2025. 

    El Plan de Acción para la Prevención del Suicidio es una colaboración entre el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte (NCDHHS, por sus siglas en inglés), la Oficina de Prevención de la Violencia (OVP, por sus siglas en inglés) del Departamento de Seguridad Pública de Carolina del Norte, y el Departamento de Instrucción Pública de Carolina del norte (NC DPI, por sus siglas en inglés). Las estrategias destacadas en el plan incluyen tener una infraestructura coordinada a nivel estatal, implementar y promover prácticas de almacenamiento seguro, proporcionar una capacitación más amplia sobre la salud mental en entornos no tradicionales y garantizar que las poblaciones en riesgo sean atendidas de manera efectiva. 

    “Tenemos que asegurarnos de que las personas reciban atención cuando la necesiten, antes de que lleguen a una crisis, especialmente entre los grupos más vulnerables, como nuestros adolescentes, adultos jóvenes y veteranos”, dijo el secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, Dev Sangvai. “Este esfuerzo de colaboración es un paso adelante en la creación de un sistema que funcione para todos y que tendrá un impacto en las generaciones venideras”.

    El suicidio es una de las 10 principales causas de muerte en Carolina del Norte para personas de 10 a 65 años, según datos del Centro Estatal de Estadísticas de Salud. El suicidio es la tercera causa principal de muerte entre los jóvenes de 10 a 18 años en Carolina del Norte, y la segunda causa principal de muerte entre los de 19 a 34 años.

    Además, los habitantes veteranos militares se ven afectados de manera desproporcionada por el suicidio, siendo la tasa promedio de suicidio del 2018 al 2022, 2.7 veces mayor entre los veteranos de Carolina del Norte que entre los no veteranos.

    Las aportaciones del público son esenciales para fortalecer y dar forma a la continuación de la atención de salud mental en Carolina del Norte”, dijo Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW, directora de la División de Salud Mental, Discapacidades del Desarrollo y Servicios de Uso de Sustancias  del NCDHHS. “Queremos atender a las personas allí donde se encuentren, en las escuelas y en sus comunidades, para garantizarles la at  ención adecuada en el momento adecuado”. 

    El NCDHHS también se está asociando con el Instituto de Prevención del Suicidio de la UNC, NC DPI y Village of Care para desarrollar un plan estratégico dedicado a prevenir el suicidio entre los jóvenes negros.  Este es el primer plan estratégico de este tipo en la historia del NCDHHS y fue impulsado por datos que muestran que las personas negras, incluido el grupo de edad de 10 a 24 años, están sobrerrepresentadas en las visitas al departamento de emergencias relacionadas con el suicidio.

    *** 
     

    Si usted o alguien que conoce está luchando con su salud mental o necesita a alguien con quien hablar, no está solo. Los recursos están disponibles en el sitio web de Prevención del Suicidio del NCDHHS para situaciones sociales o familiares, depresión, ansiedad, ataques de pánico, pensamientos de suicidio, consumo de alcohol o drogas, o si solo necesita a alguien con quien hablar. Nuestro Kit de herramientas de comunicaciones de servicios de crisis incluye volantes gratuitos, carteles y otros recursos para promover y explicar los servicios de crisis en su comunidad en inglés y español. 

    • Para aquellos en una crisis de salud mental, el NCDHHS proporciona un lugar a donde ir, alguien con quien hablar y alguien que responda. La línea 988 de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis es gratuita, confidencial y está disponible para todos, las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana, por llamada, mensaje de texto o chat. Los recursos específicos están disponibles para veteranos, para los que hablan español, y para jóvenes y adultos jóvenes LGBTQ+.
    • Los habitantes de Carolina del Norte pueden llamar a la línea de ayuda entre pares Peer Warmline (1-855-PEERS NC o 1-855-733-7762, a cualquier hora, los 7 días de la semana) para hablar con un especialista en apoyo entre pares. Los especialistas en apoyo entre pares (o “pares”) son personas que viven en recuperación con enfermedades mentales y/o trastornos por uso de sustancias que brindan apoyo a otras personas que pueden tener experiencias de vida similares y pueden beneficiarse de sus experiencias vividas.
    • Los servicios de crisis del NCDHHS incluyen equipos móviles de respuesta a crisis que pueden acudir a usted y centros comunitarios de crisis, que son lugares seguros donde puede obtener ayuda de un médico con licencia, sin necesidad de ir a la sala de emergencias.
    Jun 11, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pickleball Company Owner Waives Discharge of Over $47M in Unsecured Debt After USTP Investigation

    Source: US State of California

    A pickleball entrepreneur who was forced into bankruptcy by investors he lured with promises of generous returns recently agreed to waive his bankruptcy discharge after an investigation by the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP), preventing the discharge of more than $47 million in unsecured debt.

    On May 14, the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana approved a voluntary waiver of discharge by debtor Rodney Grubbs, owner of All About Pickleball LLC, an apparel and equipment company that did business as Pickleball Rocks. As a result, Grubbs remains personally liable for his debts, and creditors are free to pursue payment from him after the case is closed.

    Grubbs solicited investments from pickleball players and fans from across the United States, usually in the form of promissory notes with purportedly guaranteed interest rates of 10 percent or higher. In December 2023, several unpaid investors filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition against Grubbs under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. Grubbs opposed the petition, but after a hearing in which he testified to using new investors’ funds to pay back previous investors, the bankruptcy court granted the involuntary petition and ordered the case to proceed. Grubbs eventually disclosed nearly $1.6 million in assets and more than $47 million in liabilities, the vast majority of them unsecured debts owed to hundreds of individuals.

    As part of its extensive investigation, the USTP’s Indianapolis office obtained Grubbs’ personal and business financial records and examined him under oath. Ultimately, Grubbs — who also faced allegations from multiple creditors consistent with a Ponzi scheme — elected to waive his bankruptcy discharge.

    “The USTP is committed to addressing fraudulent and abusive conduct that threatens the integrity of the bankruptcy system,” said U.S. Trustee Nancy J. Gargula for Region 10, which includes the Southern District of Indiana. “Our commitment to protecting consumers and those who fall victim to various schemes that come to light in bankruptcy is unwavering.”

    The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pickleball Company Owner Waives Discharge of Over $47M in Unsecured Debt After USTP Investigation

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A pickleball entrepreneur who was forced into bankruptcy by investors he lured with promises of generous returns recently agreed to waive his bankruptcy discharge after an investigation by the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP), preventing the discharge of more than $47 million in unsecured debt.

    On May 14, the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana approved a voluntary waiver of discharge by debtor Rodney Grubbs, owner of All About Pickleball LLC, an apparel and equipment company that did business as Pickleball Rocks. As a result, Grubbs remains personally liable for his debts, and creditors are free to pursue payment from him after the case is closed.

    Grubbs solicited investments from pickleball players and fans from across the United States, usually in the form of promissory notes with purportedly guaranteed interest rates of 10 percent or higher. In December 2023, several unpaid investors filed an involuntary bankruptcy petition against Grubbs under chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code. Grubbs opposed the petition, but after a hearing in which he testified to using new investors’ funds to pay back previous investors, the bankruptcy court granted the involuntary petition and ordered the case to proceed. Grubbs eventually disclosed nearly $1.6 million in assets and more than $47 million in liabilities, the vast majority of them unsecured debts owed to hundreds of individuals.

    As part of its extensive investigation, the USTP’s Indianapolis office obtained Grubbs’ personal and business financial records and examined him under oath. Ultimately, Grubbs — who also faced allegations from multiple creditors consistent with a Ponzi scheme — elected to waive his bankruptcy discharge.

    “The USTP is committed to addressing fraudulent and abusive conduct that threatens the integrity of the bankruptcy system,” said U.S. Trustee Nancy J. Gargula for Region 10, which includes the Southern District of Indiana. “Our commitment to protecting consumers and those who fall victim to various schemes that come to light in bankruptcy is unwavering.”

    The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Microreactor pilot reaches major project milestone

    Source: United States Air Force

    The Department of the Air Force, in coordination with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Energy Office, reached a critical milestone in piloting advanced nuclear energy technology with the issuance of a Notice of Intent to Award (NOITA) to Oklo, Inc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Westchester Mountain — Cumberland County District RCMP investigating multi-vehicle collision

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Cumberland County District RCMP is investigating a multi-vehicle collision that occurred on Hwy. 104.

    On June 9 at approximately 11:42 a.m., Cumberland County District RCMP, fire and EHS responded to a report of a collision involving three-vehicles and a fifth wheel trailer on Hwy. 104 near Westchester Mountain.

    Responding officers learned that a Ford F250 truck that was towing a fifth-wheel trailer had pulled over to the side of the highway due to a blown tire. As a Nissan Rogue and a Ford F150 were passing by the trailer a collision occurred between them. This collision caused the F150 to veer into the parked fifth wheel trailer. The driver of the Ford F250 and fifth wheel was outside the vehicle when the trailer was struck.

    The driver and of the Ford 250 truck, a 65-year-old man of Valley suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to hospital by EHS LifeFlight. The passenger of the Ford 250 truck, a 65-year-old woman of Valley, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at the scene. The driver of the Ford F150 truck, a 41-year-old woman, and passenger, a 59-year-old woman, both of Ontario suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at the scene. The driver and sole occupant of the Nissan Rogue, a 69-year-old woman of Donkin was transported by EHS with minor injuries.

    The investigation is ongoing and is being led by Cumberland County District RCMP, with assistance of RCMP Collision Analysis and Reconstruction.

    Anyone with information about the collision or who may have dash cam footage is asked to contact Cumberland County District RCMP at 902-667-3859. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    Hwy. 104 was closed for a period of time while RCMP Collision Analysis and Reconstruction completed their work.

    Note: On Monday, the collision was reported to have involved a tractor-trailer. The trailer involved has since been confirmed to be a fifth wheel.

    File #: 2025-799700

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: XRP Investors Diversify to Profitable Cloud Mining Platform, VNBTC

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    London, United Kingdom, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As of June 10, cryptocurrencies are in the green with Bitcoin rising to over $109K, Ethereum hitting $2,687, and XRP trading above $2.29. XRP’s rise specifically was expected following an activity-packed week, with XRP making headlines every day.

    In the most recent news, Ripple announced the decision to provide $200,000 in funding to Japanese startups built on XRPL, the XRP ledger. Targeting Japan’s tech innovation and Web3 boom, Ripple could be setting XRP for a major price rally. XRP certainly makes one of the best cryptocurrencies to buy.

    But what if making money doesn’t end up at buying and holding XRP? A popular Dogecoin cloud mining platform, VNBTC, has seen a significant surge of XRP holders purchasing its top cloud mining contracts. 

    “After discovering that I could safely turn my XRP holdings into a passive income stream with VNBTC Dogecoin cloud mining, my assets are making significant profits as I wait for the best time to sell,” said a happy VNBTC user.

    XRP Holders Earning Over $10,000 Passive Income Using VNBTC Bitcoin and Dogecoin Cloud Mining

    First, cloud mining with VNBTC does not require expertise or the need to own mining hardware. Being 100% hands-off, it’s the perfect crypto investment option for XRP holders simply looking to earn profits without additional effort. The investors who come on board only need to purchase a mining contract, the system starts working instantly and automatically updates daily earnings on user dashboards. 

    According to the sentiments of XRP holders, the daily profits are consistent with earnings exceeding $42,000 a month. The earning potential varies depending on the mining contract an investor chooses, but a consistent 100% monthly ROI is easily achievable. 

    VNBTC was founded in the UK in 2019 and has operated legally since. Relying on AI optimisation, the company owns over 100 mining farms that are energy efficient and profitable. This is how VNBTC manages to offer the highest ROI in the market renting hashpower to users through mining contracts. For many investors, Bitcoin and Dogecoin cloud mining is a reasonable way to boost your crypto returns. 

    A table showing VNBTC mining contracts and Expected Profits:

    Why Choose VNBTC Bitcoin and Dogecoin Cloud Mining Over Others?

    Since getting registered legally in the UK, VNBTC has built a proven track record of profitability and security for investor funds. So far, it has attracted over 11 million users, building a reputation for investor trust.

    “Our platform is designed for transparency, with daily updates on earnings and automated settlement once a contract period expires. Investors’ principal is automatically returned alongside the profits,” commented a VNBTC spokesperson.

    Looking at the user interface, users access a simple but comprehensive platform. It’s simple enough for beginners to navigate, start mining, track earnings, and withdraw without the need for guidance. Amazingly, you can get your settlement in XRP, BTC, DOGE, LTC, ETH, USDT, and others.

    In Short

    VNBTC Bitcoin & Dogecoin Cloud mining platform could be your bridge to making millions with crypto investments. Instead of repeatedly exiting and entering trades, XRP holders are choosing to channel their assets into a consistent money-making opportunity. With crypto trading, ensuring profitability every day is almost impossible. But through cloud mining, every day could be a green day.

    Choose a sustainable way to make money with crypto investment, visit: https://vnbtc.com/mining-contracts

    Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or trading recommendations. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and the possibility of losing funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: CentralReach’s Market-Leading Autism and IDD Care Platform™ Wins Gold in 2025 Stevie Awards for American Business

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Fort Lauderdale, FL, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CentralReach, a leading provider of Autism and IDD Care software for ABA, multidisciplinary, and special education, today announced it has been named a Gold winner in the ‘Healthcare Technology Solution’ category of the 23rd Annual American Business Awards® for its market-leading, end-to-end Autism and IDD Care Platform™.

    Building on the momentum of last year’s Silver award in the same category, CentralReach has introduced several new additional features to its Platform. CentralReach rebranded and relaunched its special education data collection and IEP management software, CR LiftEd – a cornerstone in the company’s special education program. The company also announced the launch of several AI solution integrations including CR ClaimCheckAI, CR NoteGuardAI, and CR ScheduleAI, all aimed at alleviating clinical administrative tasks to enhance the quality and consistency of care. Lastly, the company’s acquisitions of Silas, a social and emotional learning and behavior solution, and Behavior Science Technology Inc. (BST), a research-backed platform designed to collect and track treatment fidelity for ABA therapy, expanded the Platform’s capabilities into new territory.

    “We’ve always believed that technology should be a force multiplier for providers across the autism and IDD care continuum,” said Chris Sullens, CEO of CentralReach. “This recognition by the Stevie Awards validates the significant strides we’ve made over the past year, from embedding powerful AI tools into our platform to expanding our capabilities through strategic acquisitions, all with the singular goal of helping our customers deliver better outcomes for the individuals they serve.”

    The American Business Awards are the United States’ premier business awards program for public and private, for-profit and nonprofit, large and small organizations. More than 3,600 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted for consideration this year, judged by more than 250 professionals worldwide.

    This year’s winners were honored at a gala ceremony at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York on June 10. Details about The American Business Awards and the full list of 2025 Stevie winners are available at www.StevieAwards.com/ABA. To learn more about CentralReach’s suite of solutions, visit: https://centralreach.com/. 

    About CentralReach

    CentralReach is a leading provider of autism and IDD care software, providing a complete, end-to-end software and services platform that helps children and adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) – and those who serve them – unlock potential, achieve better outcomes, and live more independent lives. With its roots in Applied Behavior Analysis, the company is revolutionizing how the lifelong journey of autism and IDD care is enabled at home, school, and work with powerful and intuitive solutions purpose-built for each care setting.

    Trusted by more than 200,000 professionals globally, CentralReach is committed to ongoing product advancement, market-leading industry expertise, world-class client satisfaction, and support of the autism and IDD community to propel autism and IDD care into a new era of excellence. For more information, please visit CentralReach.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Summary of Bigbank AS Webinar: Introduction to the Public Offering of Subordinated Bonds

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    On 11 June 2025, Bigbank AS held a webinar introducing the public offering of its subordinated bonds in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

    During the webinar, Bigbank AS Management Board members Martin Länts and Argo Kiltsmann presented an overview of the Bigbank Group, including the Group’s financial results and the terms and conditions of the subordinated bond offering.

    The webinar recording is available at: https://youtu.be/89x1Kgen_tk.

    Further information about the public offering of subordinated bonds is available at: https://investor.bigbank.eu.

    Bigbank AS would like to thank all participants for attending!

    Bigbank AS (www.bigbank.eu), with over 30 years of operating history, is a commercial bank owned by Estonian capital. As of 30 April 2025, the bank’s total assets amounted to 2.9 billion euros, with equity of 274 million euros. Operating in nine countries, the bank serves more than 170,000 active customers and employs over 550 people. The credit rating agency Moody’s has assigned Bigbank a long-term bank deposit rating of Ba1, along with a baseline credit assessment (BCA) and an adjusted BCA of Ba2.

    Argo Kiltsmann
    Member of the Management Board
    Telephone: +372 5393 0833
    Email: argo.kiltsmann@bigbank.ee
    www.bigbank.ee

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Crime and Policing Bill: government amendments for committee and report stage

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Correspondence

    Crime and Policing Bill: government amendments for committee and report stage

    Correspondence relating to the Crime and Policing Bill, which was introduced in the House of Commons on 25 February 2025.

    Documents

    Letter from Minister Johnson to Matt Vickers MP detailing government amendments for report stage: 10 June 2025 (accessible)

    HTML

    Letter from Minister Johnson to Matt Vickers MP detailing government amendments for report stage: 10 June 2025

    PDF, 350 KB, 12 pages

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    Letter from Ministers Johnson and Davies-Jones to Public Bill Committee detailing government amendments for committee stage: 25 April 2025 (accessible)

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    Letter from Ministers Johnson and Davies-Jones to Public Bill Committee detailing government amendments for committee stage: 25 April 2025

    PDF, 322 KB, 6 pages

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    Letter from Minister Johnson to Public Bill Committee detailing government amendments for committee stage: 23 April 2025

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    Letter from Minister Johnson to Public Bill Committee detailing government amendments for committee stage: 23 April 2025

    PDF, 245 KB, 4 pages

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    Letter from Minister Johnson to Public Bill Committee detailing government amendments for committee stage: 26 March 2025

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    Letter from Minister Johnson to Public Bill Committee detailing government amendments for committee stage: 26 March 2025

    PDF, 200 KB, 2 pages

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    Details

    Ministerial correspondence relating to the Crime and Policing Bill.

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Steve Reed National Trust 130th Anniversary Dinner speech

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Steve Reed National Trust 130th Anniversary Dinner speech

    Defra Secretary of State Steve Reed addressed the National Trust’s 130th Anniversary Dinner on Tuesday 10 June

    Thank you for inviting me to your celebration today.

    I’d like to thank Hilary, Rene, National Trust staff and the thousands of volunteers around the country for the work you do. And wish the National Trust a happy 130th birthday.

    I’m one of the 5 million people who have a National Trust membership card like this one.  We all have a special place we love to visit. For me, it’s Sissinghurst Castle in Kent.

    I love the beautiful gardens designed by the writer and poet Vita Sackville-West and her husband Harold Nicolson.

    Vita opened her gardens for everyone to enjoy in the late 1930s, with visitors putting a shilling into an old tobacco tin under the entrance archway.

    This special place was donated to the National Trust in the 1960s, and it continues to welcome thousands of visitors every year. Admittedly seeing some inflation since Vita’s time!

    As we have heard from Hilary, the National Trust is not just about preserving the past. It is carrying out vital work to prepare for the future.

    The Frogmead Restoration project on the Sissinghurst Estate is restoring biodiversity – increasing flora and fauna, attracting wetland birds, bolstering the dragonfly population and allowing frogs to return to the area.

    It is also reducing flood risk in the Medway catchment, protecting homes and livelihoods.

    We need more projects like this so we can adapt to our changing world.

    We make many competing demands on the finite amount of land that’s available to us.

    Nature underpins everything. Our economy, our communities and our livelihoods. 

    But we have become one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world.

    Restoring nature is a key pillar of the Government’s Plan for Change.  That’s essential because we human beings are not merely observers of nature, we are an intrinsic part of it. When we destroy nature, we are ultimately destroying ourselves, and we can’t let that happen.  

    The National Trust’s new strategy to 2035 that will be pivotal in helping us restore nature. But the Government must play our part too. 

    I’ve just arrived back this afternoon from the UN Oceans Conference in Nice.  I was proud to announce a consultation on banning bottom-trawling in our Marine Protected Areas. We can’t go on wiping out precious marine habitats just because they’re out of sight beneath the sea. 

    The oceans cover two thirds of our planet. If we are serious about protecting nature, we must protect our seas and the life and ecosystems they sustain.  

    This afternoon, my colleague Emma Hardy has told the same conference that the UK will introduce legislation this year to ratify the Global Oceans Treaty so we are part of the first group of nations coming together to protect biodiversity in the seas beyond national jurisdictions. 

    And yesterday, my colleague Matthew Pennycook announced that the Government will update national planning policy to ensure swift bricks are incorporated into new buildings. They make a massive impact on expanding bird populations.  We will make sure that now happens in new developments right across the country. 

    Those three initiatives have been announced in the past 24 hours alone. But we know there’s much more to do.

    We are committed to increasing access to nature for everyone, whether that’s hiking in our beautiful countryside, swimming in clean rivers, lakes and seas, or taking a lunchtime stroll around the park.  

    We will create nine new National River Walks, plant three new National Forests and support communities to create new parks and green spaces in their neighbourhoods.

    We’ve already announced the first new national forest between the Cotswolds and the Mendips which will see 20 million trees planted in the coming years.

    It’s a national scandal that our rivers, lakes and seas are choked by record levels of pollution. We’re cleaning them up with new laws to ban bonuses for water bosses who oversee catastrophic pollution incidents, and bringing in over £100bn of private sector funding to upgrade the broken pipes that are the primary cause of sewage leaks.   

    We’ve saved more than 40 thousand miles of footpaths and historic rights of way so they can continue to be used by the public.

    And we are making protected landscapes, national trails, forests and countryside more accessible with our £33 million ‘Access for All’ programme.

    I look forward to working with the National Trust to develop this work and open up more of our beautiful countryside for everyone to enjoy.

    I know that we need to speed up nature’s recovery.

    I asked Dan Corry to lead a review into environmental regulation. He pointed out that a very large proportion of applications come from organisations like the National Trust, the RSPB and others who have to wait months despite having a proven track record in protecting nature. 

    So we are going to speed things up by giving them the power to approve their own applications.

    I’m delighted that the National Trust is a frontrunner for this.

    The National Trust and Natural England, along with the Forestry Commission, are working together in the Peak District to pilot one of two ‘Nature Enterprise Zones’ – the other is in North Devon.

    These zones will pilot this new approach, reviewing and testing how we can streamline and simplify the system so the National Trust can do more on protected sites, restoring species, and improving land management. 

    The Peak District Nature Enterprise Zone will span over ten thousand hectares of National Trust land. It will include trees, peat, grassland, farming, and it will open up nature to more people.   

    I’m excited about this pilot, and we’ll learn from it how we can expand the approach more widely.   

    Collaboration like this is vital to protecting nature.  We are all links in a chain, and we have to pull together to get the outcomes we want to see. 

    I want to thank the National Trust for your continued engagement with Defra.

    I know the Minister for Nature, Mary Creagh, was thrilled to be part of the historic moment at Purbeck when beavers were reintroduced into the wild in England.

    We’ve fully banned bee-killing pesticides as a step towards helping pollinators recover, which will also support the bird populations that depend on them as a food source.

    We are working with farmers to move towards regenerative farming that focuses on improving the soil so it needs less artificial fertiliser, fewer pesticides, and has more organic matter that helps retain water.  

    Approaches like this aren’t just good for nature and good for water quality, they’re good for farm businesses because they reduce input costs but increase food production and food quality sustainably. 

    Many people at this gathering are helping shape the first-ever Land Use Framework for England. A rather boring title for an incredibly exciting initiative that will provide the most sophisticated land-use data and toolkit ever published in our country’s history. 

    It will allow us to expand nature across whole landscapes while ensuring land is used more rationally for the many other demands we make of it for food, energy and housing. 

    The partnership between us is critical as we work together to restore nature for future generations.  We’ll have to overcome tensions and disagreements from time to time. But this is a government that aspires to be the best government for nature this country’s ever had. And you are our partners in getting there.   

    The prize before us is huge.

    Our rivers, lakes and seas cleaned up of pollution.

    Birds, pollinators and wildlife back in our gardens.

    Nature in full recovery and open to everyone to enjoy.

    Nature underpins everything that we are as a society.  It is our duty to protect it, cherish it, and restore it. 

    That’s the best 130th anniversary present we could wish for!

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Spending Review: Billions to back Scottish jobs

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    Spending Review: Billions to back Scottish jobs

    UK Government’s Plan for Change delivers record settlement for Scottish Government with an extra £9.1 billion over the SR period to deliver public services

    Working people across Scotland will benefit from significant investment in clean energy and innovation, creating thousands of high-skilled jobs and strengthening Scotland’s position as the home of the United Kingdom’s clean energy revolution.  

    The UK Government has confirmed £8.3 billion in funding for GB Energy-Nuclear and GB Energy in Aberdeen. This is alongside an increased commitment to the Acorn Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage project, which will receive development funding.   

    The Spending Review, outlined today, Wednesday 11 June, announces targeted investment in Scotland’s most promising sectors to grow the economy and put more money in working people’s pockets.  It delivers an extra £9.1 billion over Phase 2 of the Spending Review, through the Barnett formula.

    The government also confirmed £25 million for the Inverness and Cromarty Firth Freeport.   

    These investments are part of a wider package, with funding for hydrogen production projects at Cromarty and Whitelee.

    Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, said:  

    Putting more money in the pockets of working Scots by investing in the country’s renewal is at the heart of this Spending Review and our Plan for Change.

    The Chancellor has unleashed a new era of growth for Scotland, confirming billions of pounds of investment in clean energy – including new development funding for Acorn – creating thousands of high-skilled jobs.

    Scotland’s leading role at the heart of UK defence policy has been strengthened and there is also significant investment in our trailblazing innovation, research and development sectors.

    And the Scotland Office will work with local partners to ensure hundreds of millions of pounds of new targeted support for Scottish communities and businesses goes to projects that matter to local people. This means that the UK Government is now investing almost £1.7 billion in dozens of important growth schemes across Scotland over 10 years.

    To maximise the benefit of recent trade deals with India, US and the EU we are continuing the Brand Scotland programme to promote inward investment opportunities boosting Scottish exports of our globally celebrated products.

    And we are delivering a record real-terms funding settlement for the Scottish Government with an extra £9.1 billion over the Spending Review period through the Barnett formula. That’s more money than ever before for them to invest in Scottish public services like our NHS, police, housing and schools.

    This is a historic Spending Review for Scotland that chooses investment over decline and delivers on the promise that there would be no return to austerity.

    Investment in Scotland to strengthen UK defence  

    Speaking in the House of Commons today, the Chancellor reaffirmed the government’s commitment to increase defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by April 2027, backing our Armed Forces, creating British jobs in British industries, and prioritising the security of Britain when it is most needed.  

    The long-term future of the Clyde is secured through an initial £250 million investment over three years which will begin a multi-decade, multi-billion pound redevelopment of HM Naval Base Clyde through the ‘Clyde 2070’ programme.   

    Investing in innovation and R&D  

    Scotland will also become home to the UK’s largest and most powerful supercomputer, with up to £750 million committed to its development at Edinburgh University. This world-class facility will give scientists across all UK universities access to extraordinary computer power, further strengthening Scotland’s research and innovation capability.   

    The UK Government is backing Scottish industry with a share of increased UK-wide R&D spending set to grow from £20.4 billion in 2025-26 to over £22.6 billion per year by 2029-30. Scotland will also benefit from a £410 million UK-wide Local Innovation Partnerships Fund.  

    Targeted support for Scottish communities   

    The government is also investing £160 million over 10 years for Investment Zones in the North East of Scotland and in Glasgow City Region, and confirming £452 million over four years for City and Growth Deals across Scotland.  

    A £100 million joint investment for the Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth deal with the Scottish Government (£50 million from UK Government and £50 million from Scottish Government), demonstrating the UK Government’s continued commitment to the Grangemouth industrial area.  

    A new local growth fund, and investments in up to 350 deprived communities across the UK, will maintain the same cash level as in 2025-26 under the Shared Prosperity Fund. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Scotland Office, will work with local partners and the Scottish Government, to ensure money goes to projects that matter to local people. This investment will help drive growth and improve communities across Scotland.  

    Supporting Scottish businesses  

    The National Wealth Fund (NWF) is trialling a Strategic Partnership with Glasgow City Region to provide enhanced, hands-on support to help it develop and finance long term investment opportunities. The NWF has already made its first investment in Scotland with £43.5 million in direct equity for a sustainable packaging company, which is to build its first commercial-scale manufacturing facility near Glasgow.  

    Through its Nations and Regions Investment programme the British Business Bank is delivering £150 million across Scotland to break down access to finance barriers and drive economic growth.  

    The settlement also allocates £0.75 million each year to champion our ‘Brand Scotland’ trade missions to promote Scotland’s goods and services on the world stage and to encourage further growth and investment.

    A record settlement for Scottish public services   

    The Government has been clear that local decision-making against local priorities is central to delivering growth.   

    The Scottish Government will receive the largest real terms settlement since devolution began in 1998, with an average £50.9 billion per year between 2026-27 and 2028-29, enabling the Scottish Government to deliver for working people in Scotland.  This includes £2.9 billion per year on average through the operation of the Barnett formula, with £2.4 billion resource between 2026-27 and 2028-29 and £510 million capital between 2026-27 and 2029-30. 

    This investment and record settlement is made possible by the tough but necessary decisions taken in the October Budget.

    Updates to this page

    Published 11 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cabinet reshuffle is no excuse for delays on climate plan

    Source: Scottish Greens

    11 Jun 2025 Climate

    Scotland’s carbon budgets must be published now.

    More in Climate

    Cabinet reshuffle can no longer be used as an excuse to delay publication of Scotland’s first carbon budgets, says Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie MSP.
     
    Today, the First Minister confirmed that Gillian Martin will remain in her role as Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, with Mairi McAllan returning from maternity leave in a new role as Cabinet Secretary for Housing.
     
    Mr Harvie said:

    “The delay in setting Scotland’s first carbon budget has already caused serious concern, and some had blamed it on the imminent reshuffle.
     
    “Now that Gillian Martin has been made permanent in the job she was covering for, this can no longer be the explanation.
     
    “It’s urgent that she comes to the Chamber in the days ahead to explain the delay and to publish the Government’s proposals immediately. There is no time to waste.
     
    “We welcome Mairi McAllan back from maternity leave. She will also have a critical role to play here, and must restore boldness to Government action on both rent controls and clean heating that the Greens kick started, but which the SNP have watered down ever since.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Grothman Responds to Revealing Washington Post Piece on the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah 6th District Wisconsin)

    Following a scathing investigative piece by the Washington Post, Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-WI) is doubling down on his call to end the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). The article confirms that the LIHTC program enriches developers, banks, and lawyers while failing to effectively help the low-income Americans it was meant to serve. 

    “The Washington Post article exposed what we’ve known all along: the LIHTC program is not only inefficient, it’s scandalous,” said Grothman. “Projects built with LIHTC subsidies can cost up to $1.3 million per unit in Washington, D.C, far more than the average market-rate home in the city. These units aren’t modest, often including extravagant amenities in some of D.C.’s most affluent neighborhoods, and they’re mostly funded by taxpayer dollars. One developer boasted about including ‘a fitness room to encourage physical activity, a library, a large café with an outdoor terrace, a large multi-purpose community room with a separate outdoor terrace, an indoor bike room, on-site laundry, lounges and balconies on every floor.’ These luxurious amenities are costly, unnecessary for these developments, and paid for with taxpayer dollars. 

    “As costs rise, developers, banks, and lawyers take a bigger cut. The more expensive the project, the more these wealthy individuals profit. Meanwhile, fewer units are built because the costs are so high. LIHTC wastes taxpayer dollars and fails to deliver real help to struggling Americans. It’s a system rigged to reward developers, not the people it claims to assist. At one D.C. development, taxpayers shelled out nearly $800,000 per one-bedroom unit. Meanwhile, the same developers built a neighboring market-rate complex for about $350,000 per unit. The difference? The LIHTC-backed project generated an $8.5 million developer fee. 

    “This isn’t just the Washington Post sounding the alarm,” Grothman continued. “Even the Wall Street Journal is calling out LIHTC as a sweetheart deal for politically connected developers that runs through taxpayer money while producing few results. 

    “Despite the blatant waste and inefficiency occurring with LIHTC, the House reconciliation bill currently proposes increasing LIHTC funding by $14 billion over the next decade. This approach is far off the mark from serving the American people, and my colleagues must recognize that this program hurts taxpayers. 

    “I introduced the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Elimination Act, to shut down this broken, bloated program. It’s time to end LIHTC and invest in solutions that truly help American families, not line the pockets of wealthy developers.” 

    U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah) proudly serves the people of Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • India showcases labour reforms at 113th International Labour Conference in Geneva

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday highlighted India’s strides in labour welfare and social security during his address at the plenary session of the 113th International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva. Representing India, he outlined key achievements and advocated for balanced global labour standards.

    India’s unemployment rate has dropped from 6% in 2017 to 3.2% in 2024, with over 7.5 crore formal sector jobs created in the past seven years. The Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme, with a budget of approximately $12.81 billion, is set to further boost formal employment. The National Career Service (NCS) portal is being enhanced to connect Indian workers with global job opportunities, facilitating international labour mobility.

    The Minister emphasized India’s efforts to integrate gig and platform workers, projected to reach 23.5 million by 2030, into the mainstream. The e-Shram portal, a national database of over 300 million unorganised workers, including gig workers, enables targeted social protection. India’s social security coverage has surged from 24.4% in 2019 to 64.3% in 2025, benefiting around 940 million people, supplemented by food and health security schemes.

    Addressing the ILC’s discussions on biological hazards, Dr. Mandaviya supported worker protections but cautioned against overly broad definitions that extend beyond workplaces, particularly for informal sectors and MSMEs. He proposed a risk-tiered approach to balance safety and operational realities, urging the ILO to consider diverse national contexts in setting global standards.

    India’s Code on Social Security 2020 recognizes platform workers as a distinct category, and the country is fostering an education-to-employment ecosystem by aligning universities, industry, and skilling centers. .

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan’s Surgical Investment Delivers More Surgeries and Reduces Wait Times

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on June 11, 2025

    There were 100,406 surgeries and procedures performed between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. The health system also exceeded its target of completing 90 per cent of surgeries within eight months, with nearly 92 per cent completed within that timeframe.

    “Saskatchewan’s health care system is delivering on the commitment to improve access to surgical care through investments and setting aggressive targets,” Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said. “Annual budget investments have helped to stabilize system capacity and lay the groundwork for even greater progress in the years ahead. The surgical program is now well-positioned to achieve a six-month wait time target for most surgeries set for 2025–26. We are thankful to our surgical teams for their hard work and dedication to benefit patients.”

    The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) focused on meeting the needs of longest-waiting patients. The list for patients waiting longer than 24 months for their procedures is nearly eliminated. The number of people waiting longer than 12 months has decreased by 24 per cent over the past year.

    As part of the 2025-26 Provincial Budget, the Government of Saskatchewan is investing an additional $15.1 million in surgical services to help expand capacity, encourage innovation and reduce wait times for patients.

    This includes:

    • $12.9 million to increase surgical volumes and capacity in 2025-26;
    • $2 million in Saskatchewan’s robot-assisted surgery program to support expansion to Regina Pasqua Hospital and perform up to 600 more robot-assisted procedures; and
    • $1 million for surgical service enhancements to support coordination of care for back surgery and pain management for hospitalized patients.

    The plan to increase surgical volumes will span the next four years with the province committed to delivering 450,000 surgeries to significantly reduce the number of patients waiting for surgery. The number of procedures now include surgical interventions performed outside of operating rooms, such as cardiac catheterization or interventional radiology which are done in specially equipped treatment rooms and better reflects the actual number of surgical procedures being performed in the province.

    “As we continue to advance surgical care in Saskatchewan, we are focused on improving access and reducing wait times, all while maintaining the highest standards of quality,” Saskatchewan Health Authority Provincial Head of Surgery Dr. Michael Kelly said. “This progress is made possible by the exceptional commitment of our health care providers and physicians who work tirelessly every day to provide timely, high-quality care to patients across the province.”

    Expanding services for back surgery and pain management presents a valuable opportunity to reduce wait times. Strategic investment in these high-demand areas will boost capacity, improve access and lead to better health outcomes for patients.

    Surgical demand continues to rise, with bookings increasing by four per cent annually since 2022–23, up from 1.5 per cent before the pandemic. Initiatives like the new Breast Health Centre are helping to improve coordination and speed up access to cancer care.

    “By streamlining processes and focusing on patient-centered care, we have improved access and reduced the length of time all patients must wait for surgery,” SHA Chief Operating Officer Derek Miller said. “These enhancements are helping patients get the care they need sooner and strengthening the surgical system for the future.”

    Recruitment and retention efforts continue to be a priority. The government is actively investing in Saskatchewan’s dedicated surgical teams and working to attract additional health professionals to support the growing surgical program. Surgical leaders continue to explore all possible opportunities to recruit anesthesiologists, with recent success from efforts both locally and internationally.

    To learn more about Saskatchewan’s Surgical Performance and Wait Times, visit:
    https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/health/accessing-health-care-services/surgery/surgical-performance-and-wait-times.

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    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Adams Questions Labor Secretary Chavez-DeRemer in House E&W Committee Hearing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Alma Adams (12th District of North Carolina)

    WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12) questioned Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer on enforcing child labor protections in the face of historic cuts, as well as the Department of Labor’s impact on HBCUs, in the House Education & Workforce hearing on “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Labor.”

    Video of Rep. Adams’s remarks is available for media use here.

    Rep. Adams’s remarks are also available on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

    Full transcript of the remarks can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Adams Introduces Bill to Lower Cost of Housing, Reduce Corporate Housing Ownership Rates

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Alma Adams (12th District of North Carolina)

    WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D. (NC-12) introduced the American Neighborhoods Protection Act to protect and improve family home ownership opportunities.

    The American Neighborhoods Protection Act would require corporations that own more than 75 single-family residences to pay $10,000 per home annually into a Housing Trust Fund for down payment assistance grants to families purchasing homes. This would lower housing costs, increase housing supply, and provide financial assistance to families looking to buy a home.

    Corporate housing ownership is agrowing problem nationwide. In 2021, corporations bought 33% of single-family homes in Georgia, 31% in Arizona, 30% in Nevada, and 29% in both California and Texas.

    “A home should be a place for you to start a family and build your life, but unchecked corporate housing ownership is making that more and more unattainable for the average American,” said Congresswoman Adams. “Like so many communities across the country, Charlotte and Mecklenburg County face an affordable housing crisis, primarily driven by a small number of large corporations buying up housing, raising the costs and lowering supply. My bill would restore the opportunity of home ownership, an essential part of the American Dream, to all families, and especially our most economically vulnerable.”

    The issue of corporate-owned housing in Charlotte has received local and national attention. In 2023, 26% of single-family homes were owned by corporations, a 53% increase since 2010. Meanwhile,a report by the NC Chamber Foundation found that North Carolina’s affordable housing crisis is expected to grow over the next five years, if left unchecked.

    MIL OSI USA News –