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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Medieval skeletons reveal the lasting damage of childhood malnutrition – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Julia Beaumont, Researcher in Biological Anthropology, University of Bradford

    Beneath churchyards in London and Lincolnshire lie the chemical echoes of famine, infection and survival preserved in the teeth of those who lived through some of the most catastrophic periods in English history.

    In a new study, my colleagues and I examined over 270 medieval skeletons to investigate how early-life malnutrition affected long-term health and life expectancy.

    We focused on people who lived through the devastating period surrounding the Black Death (1348-1350), which included years of famine during the little ice age and the great bovine pestilence (an epidemic that killed two-thirds of cattle in England and Wales). We found that the biological scars of childhood deprivation during this time left lasting marks on the body.

    These findings suggest that early nutritional stress, whether in the 14th century or today, can have consequences that endure well beyond childhood.

    Children’s teeth act like tiny time capsules. The hard layer inside each tooth, called dentine, sits beneath the enamel and forms while we’re growing up. Once formed, it stays unchanged for life, creating a permanent record of what we ate and experienced.

    As our teeth develop, they absorb different chemical versions (isotopes) of carbon and nitrogen from our food, and these get locked into the tooth structure. This means scientists can read the story of someone’s childhood diet by analysing their teeth.

    A method of measuring the chemical changes in sequential slices of the teeth is a recent advance used to identify dietary changes in past populations with greater accuracy.

    When children are starving, their bodies break down their fat stores and muscle to continue growing. This gives a different signature in the newly formed dentine than the isotopes from food. These signatures make centuries-old famines visible today, showing exactly how childhood trauma affected health in medieval times.

    We identified a distinctive pattern that had been seen before in victims of the great Irish famine. Normally, when people eat a typical diet, the levels of carbon and nitrogen in their teeth move in the same direction. For example, both might rise or fall together if someone eats more plants or animals. This is called “covariance” because the two markers vary together.

    But during starvation, nitrogen levels in the teeth rise while carbon levels stay the same or drop. This opposite movement – called “opposing covariance” – is like a red flag in the teeth that shows when a child was starving. These patterns helped us pinpoint the ages at which people experienced malnutrition.

    Lifelong legacy

    Children who survived this period reached adulthood during the plague years, and the effect on their growth was recorded in the chemical signals in their teeth. People with famine markers in their dentine had different mortality rates than those who lacked these markers.

    Children who are nutritionally deprived have poorer outcomes in later life: studies of modern children have suggested that children of low birth weight or who suffer stresses during the first 1,000 days of life have long-term effects on their health.

    For example, babies born small, a possible sign of nutritional stress, seem to be more prone to illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes in adulthood than the population at large. These characteristics can also be passed to future offspring through changes in how genes are switched on or off, known as “epigenetic effects” – which can endure for three generations.

    Epigenetics explained.

    In medieval England, early nutritional deprivation may have been beneficial during catastrophic times by producing adults of short stature and the capacity to store fat, but these people were much more likely to die after the age of 30 than their peers with healthy childhood dentine patterns.

    The patterns for childhood starvation increased in the decades leading up to the Black Death and declined after 1350. This suggests the pandemic may have indirectly improved living conditions by reducing population pressure and increasing access to food.

    The medieval teeth tell us something urgent about today. Right now, millions of children worldwide are experiencing the same nutritional crises that scarred those long-dead English villagers – whether from wars in Gaza and Ukraine or poverty in countless countries.

    Their bodies are writing the same chemical stories of survival into their growing bones and teeth, creating biological problems that will emerge decades later as heart disease, diabetes and early death.

    Our latest findings aren’t just historical curiosities; they’re an urgent warning that the children we fail to nourish today will carry those failures in their bodies for life and pass them on to their own children. The message from the medieval graves couldn’t be clearer: feed the children now or pay the price for generations.

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

    Julia Beaumont receives funding from Arts and Humanities research council, British Academy/Leverhulme.

    – ref. Medieval skeletons reveal the lasting damage of childhood malnutrition – new study – https://theconversation.com/medieval-skeletons-reveal-the-lasting-damage-of-childhood-malnutrition-new-study-262081

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Weight loss drug demand continues to grow in the UK – here’s what’s being done to keep supplies readily available

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Liz Breen, Professor of Health Service Operations, School of Pharmacy & Medical Sciences, University of Bradford

    Demand for weight loss jabs has surged in the UK. Mohammed_Al_Ali/ Shutterstock

    Over a fifth of people in the UK have tried to access a weight loss drug in the last year, according to a recent poll.

    Weight loss jabs such as Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide) are very effective in managing obesity. Clinical trials have shown that some people lose up to 26% of their body weight while using these drugs.

    With this impact, it’s no wonder a growing number of people are seeking out these products – often buying them in private clinics or online. But with plans to expand access to these drugs through NHS prescriptions, there are concerns that supply may not meet demand – especially for those people in most need.

    In the UK, NHS prescriptions for weight loss jabs are only approved for people who meet strict eligibility requirements. For example, to qualify early for Mounjaro from your GP, you must have health problems due to your weight and a body mass index greater than 40 (adjusted for ethnicity). People assessed by the NHS and given prescriptions will also have access to additional support – such as advice about diet and physical activity.

    Weight loss drugs can be prescribed by specialist clinics and, increasingly, local GPs. But a lack of time and resources means even those who are eligible are left waiting. Consequently, people who can afford to do so are approaching private providers for access to these medicines – despite the potential risks to their health.

    There’s also evidence that people who aren’t clinically eligible for weight loss jabs prescribed by the NHS are purchasing them from online pharmacies.

    Supply issues

    Demand for weight loss jabs is about to grow, as the provision of Mounjaro via GPs is imminent, pending the creation of an infrastructure to support safe local prescribing.

    The number of monthly GP prescriptions in England for Mounjaro has already risen from under 3,000 in March 2024 (on introduction) to over 200,000 in May 2025. Mounjaro (also marketed in the US as Zepbound) is widely considered to be the best weight loss jab currently available and a great commercial success.

    GP prescriptions of all forms of semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy) are more stable, at around 130,000 items per month (including generics and products to treat diabetes).

    While a number of GLP-1 drugs faced shortages last year (including Wegovy and Mounjaro), these shortages have now been resolved. Shortages were spurred by a spike in global demand for these drugs alongside stockpiling by private clinics to feed requests.

    Still, there were reports early this year that certain strengths of Mounjaro were difficult to access. The reasons for this are not clear, but may be due to the novelty of access to this new medication or a lack of access to alternatives.

    Around 220,000 people in England are due to be offered Mounjaro via the NHS over the next three years. However, it’s estimated that 3.4 million people in England could actually be eligible for Mounjaro.

    Mounjaro will initially be offered to 220,000 people on the NHS over the next three years.
    Cynthia A Jackson/ Shutterstock

    Wider NHS access to this drug is being phased to manage staff workload and ensure good support for patients. Phased rollout may also help to ensure there is enough supply for those who need to be prescribed one of these medications.

    Future access

    It’s likely that demand for these weight loss drugs will only continue to grow in the UK, so it’s important that supply is readily available.

    Regulatory agencies have taken some steps to tighten controls of online prescribing of weight loss drugs and prevent misuse. Registered online pharmacies must seek independent verification of key clinical information (such as from a GP or through a person’s medical records) instead of relying on questionnaires or phone calls.

    However, weight loss products remain easy to access for people with money and savvy search skills, but who may be clinically ineligible. The scale of demand from this group is difficult to quantify, but it’s clear more needs to be done to keep patients safe and manage demand.

    Several new weight loss drugs are undergoing trials in the UK. These drugs will work similarly to those already available but may be administered differently (such as an oral tablet). The trials for these and subsequent approvals will not only increase market competition, but also improve patient access and choice.

    Key patents for the manufacture of semaglutide are also due to expire in 2026 and 2031. Once a pharmaceutical product is outside of its patented time frame, other companies can be approved to manufacture it as a generic product.

    A generic product is approved on the basis that it works in the same manner and has equal benefits to the original product. The generics market allows new entrants and new versions of these very popular products onto the market.

    Generic products are usually less expensive and so are bought (where still clinically safe and effective) by the NHS. This change could provide greater access to weight loss medications and save the NHS and patients money in the long term.

    Generic semaglutide products will probably be available in the UK from 2032 but will be initially authorised to treat diabetes rather than weight loss. Still, this should have a positive impact on the availability of prescription drugs used for both diabetes and weight management.

    Generic liraglutide is already available on the NHS for the treatment of diabetes. The liraglutide brand Saxenda is also marketed for weight management. However, liraglutide is less effective than Wegovy or Mounjaro and requires daily injections.

    The number of monthly NHS prescriptions for liraglutide has fallen from over 40,000 in July 2020 to 1,000 in May 2025. This fall was most likely influenced by the discontinuation of the Victoza brand for type 2 diabetes in late 2024. Shortages of all types of GLP-1 drugs, which lasted until the end of 2024, may also have impacted demand for liraglutide.

    For now, NHS staff can report on known demand for these products to inform manufacturing quantities and procurement. What isn’t known is the future demand for online or private purchases of weight management drugs. It’s this “unknown” demand that may mean supply security is challenged and unsustainable.

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

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Weight loss drug demand continues to grow in the UK – here’s what’s being done to keep supplies readily available – https://theconversation.com/weight-loss-drug-demand-continues-to-grow-in-the-uk-heres-whats-being-done-to-keep-supplies-readily-available-262065

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  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Flames to floods: how Europe’s devastating wildfires are fuelling its next climate crisis

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ioanna Stamataki, Senior Lecturer in Hydraulics and Water Engineering, University of Greenwich

    In recent years, I have all too often found myself passing over an active wildfire when flying from London to my family home in Greece during the summer months. The sky glows an eerie, apocalyptic red, and the scent of smoke fills the cabin. Silence falls as we become unwilling witnesses to a tragic spectacle.

    Now wildfires are again raging across the Mediterranean. But the flames themselves are only part of the story. As wildfires become more intense and frequent, they’re setting off a dangerous chain reaction – one that also includes a rising risk of devastating floods.

    Author’s photo from a plane landing in Athens last summer.
    Ioanna Stamataki

    In January 2024, Nasa reported that climate change is intensifying wildfire conditions, noting that the frequency of the most extreme wildfires had more than doubled over the past two decades. While some of this is driven by natural weather variability, human-induced warming is clearly playing a major role. Decades of rising temperatures combined with longer and more severe droughts have created ideal conditions for wildfires to ignite and spread.

    This year, another brutal Mediterranean wildfire season is unfolding right before our eyes, with numerous active wildfire fronts across the region. As of July 22 2025, 237,153 hectares have burned in the EU – an increase of nearly 78% from the same period last year. The number of fires rose by about 45%, and CO₂ emissions increased by 23% compared to 2024. These are terrifying statistics.

    Climate phenomena are closely interconnected

    The fires themselves are bad enough. But they’re also closely connected to other climate-related extremes, including floods.

    Natural hazards often trigger chain reactions, turning one disaster into many. In the case of floods, wildfires play a big role both through weather patterns and how the land responds to rain.

    On the weather side, higher temperatures lead to more extreme rainfall, as warmer air can hold more moisture and fuels stronger storms. Intense wildfires can sometimes get so hot they generate their own weather systems, like pyrocumulus clouds – towering storm clouds formed by heat, smoke and water vapour. These clouds can spark sudden, localised storms during or shortly after the fire.

    The damage doesn’t end when the flames die down. Satellite data shows that burned land can remain up to 10°C hotter for nearly a year, due to lost vegetation and damaged soil.

    As the world warms, the atmosphere is able to hold about 7% more moisture for every extra degree. Recent temperatures of 40°C or more in Greece suggest a capacity for more downpours and more flooding.

    Greece is getting hotter and hotter (Each stripe represents one year, with blue indicating cooler and red indicating warmer than the 1961-2010 average).
    Ed Hawkins / Show Your Stripes (Data: Berkeley Earth & ERA5-Land), CC BY-SA

    Wildfires also make the land itself more vulnerable to flooding. Burnt areas respond much faster to rain, as there is less vegetation to slow down the water. Wildfires also change the soil structure, often making it water-repellent. This means more water runs off the surface, erosion increases, and it takes less rain to trigger a flood.

    Under these conditions, a storm expected once every ten years can cause the sort of catastrophic flooding expected only every 100 to 200 years. Water moves much faster across scorched landscapes without plants to slow it down. Wildfires also leave behind a lot of debris, which can be swept up by fast-moving floodwaters.

    While EU-wide data on post-wildfire flood risk is still limited, various case studies from southern Europe offer strong evidence of the connection. In Spain’s Ebro River Basin, for example, research found that if emissions remain high and climate policy is limited, wildfires will increase the probability of high flood risk by 10%.

    Nature’s ability to regenerate is nothing short of magical, but recovering from a wildfire takes time. Burnt soil takes years to return to normal and, during that time, the risks of extreme rainfall are higher. Beyond the impact of wildfires on soil and water, it is important not to overlook the devastating loss of plant and animal species or even entire ecosystems, making the natural world less biodiverse and resilient.

    To reduce the frequency and severity of extreme events, we must focus on repairing climate damage. This means moving beyond isolated perspectives and adopting a multi-hazard approach that recognises how disasters are connected.

    Flooding after wildfires is just one example of how one crisis can trigger another. We need to recognise these cascading risks and focus on long-term resilience over short-term fixes.

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

    Ioanna Stamataki currently receives funding from the Leverhulme Trust and the Royal Society for ongoing flood research. Previous research has been supported by the EPSRC and the Newton Fund (via the British Council) for career development and international collaboration.

    – ref. Flames to floods: how Europe’s devastating wildfires are fuelling its next climate crisis – https://theconversation.com/flames-to-floods-how-europes-devastating-wildfires-are-fuelling-its-next-climate-crisis-262204

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Kean Recognizes Medicaid’s 60th Anniversary, Reaffirms Commitment to Protect Program

    Source: US Representative Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07)

    (July 31, 2025) WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tom Kean Jr. (NJ-07), Congressman Gabe Evans (CO-08), and Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01) introduced a resolution recognizing the 60th anniversary of Medicaid and reaffirming Congress’s commitment to preserve and strengthen the program for the nation’s most vulnerable populations.

    “Sixty years ago, the federal government created Medicaid to serve expectant mothers, children, individuals with disabilities, and seniors—including thousands of New Jerseyans who have relied on this vital program and continue to do so today,” said Congressman Kean. “Since then, we have seen how essential it is to preserve Medicaid’s original mission and protect the people it was designed to help. America’s most vulnerable should never lose access to care because of waste, fraud, or abuse. By addressing these issues through the recently signed reconciliation bill, we are strengthening Medicaid and ensuring it remains a lifeline for current and future generations of Americans.”

    “For 60 years, Medicaid has provided help to those in need from the disabled to children to seniors,” said Congressman Evans. “It is paramount that Congress preserve access to this program for those who need it the most by ensuring that states and the federal government implement commonsense policies to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse in the system. Republicans are fighting to protect Medicaid with robust eligibility checks, $200 billion in additional funding, and sensible work requirements for able-bodied working adults, so the program can continue to serve Americans for years to come.”

    “As a physician, I know how critical Medicaid is for women, children, veterans, and disabled Americans. On its 60th anniversary, we are reminded of the program’s original purpose, and I am committed to preserving it for the people it was intended to serve,” said Congresswoman Miller-Meeks. “Through the One Big Beautiful Bill, we have already made important strides in eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse while ensuring Medicaid remains sustainable for the most vulnerable Americans. We will continue building on this progress to strengthen Medicaid for generations to come.”

    This resolution celebrates the creation of Medicaid as a vital safety net to provide healthcare to low-income Americans who need it most: pregnant women, children, seniors, and those with disabilities. The resolution calls for Congress’s continued support in eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse to preserve this critical program for today’s recipients and future generations.

    BACKGROUND:

    Established on July 30, 1965, the Medicaid program was created to provide health-related coverage to pregnant women, low-income children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.

    On July 4, 2025, the reconciliation bill was signed into law after passing both the House and the Senate. This historic legislation delivers long-overdue tax relief to working-class Americans while also strengthening integrity in the Medicaid program by implementing regular eligibility checks and work requirements for able-bodied, working-age adults.

    Read the text of the resolution here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker Statement on Joint Resolutions of Disapproval

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement:

    “The suffering, starvation, and atrocities happening in Gaza are unacceptable. I will continue fighting for humanitarian aid now.

    “It’s time for the conflict in Gaza to end– there must be an immediate ceasefire that stops the fighting, ends the suffering for innocent civilians caught in the crossfire, brings the hostages home, and dramatically increases humanitarian aid. These Joint Resolutions of Disapproval would restrict our country’s ability to provide future security guarantees without achieving the goal of ending this war now or increasing vital humanitarian aid.

    “Donald Trump promised to secure a ceasefire in his first week in office, yet the suffering and death in Gaza continues. It’s time for Trump to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. The Trump administration must facilitate an immediate ceasefire between the Israeli government and Hamas to end this conflict. And we all must work to bring about a just and lasting peace, one that guarantees Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state and ensures the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and a state of their own.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairman McConnell Opening Statement at FY26 Defense Appropriations Markup

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, delivered an opening statement at this morning’s full Senate Appropriations Committee markup of the FY26 Defense bill. Below is the opening statement as prepared for delivery:

    I’d like to thank Ranking Member Coons, and our combined staff for their dedicated, and often exhausting, work to produce the FY26 Defense Appropriations bill.

    And I’d like to thank our fellow members of the Subcommittee, who I know share our sense of duty to provide for the common defense, year after year. Just briefly, I’ll sum up the rationale behind this year’s legislation.

    First, the Senate bill recognizes the Administration’s intention to restore peace through strength, the Department of Defense’s desire to achieve “drone dominance”, and the President’s interest in having more missiles than any other country.

    It reflects the need to build more ships for a Navy that must compete with China. It acknowledges that America’s adversaries are increasingly aligned and investing more heavily in undermining our interests… and that America must take the risk of simultaneous conflict in multiple theaters seriously.

    But ultimately, our topline allocation of $852.5 billion – which sits higher than either the President’s budget request or the House’s mark – underscores that we cannot seriously address these challenges while artificially constraining our resources.

    We can’t build a Golden Dome… or restock our munitions magazines… or bring back American shipbuilding… without sustained, increasing investments in our national defense.

    And we can’t treat reconciliation like a cure-all. I was glad to vote for the One Big Beautiful Bill. But let’s not kid ourselves – it was not the additive defense spending some of us had hoped for. Moving must-pay bills for major long-standing programs from base to reconciliation still makes little sense to me.

    And somehow, the process seems to have also allowed important programs to slip through the cracks. In fact, senior Pentagon officials have already come to me and the Ranking Member to report that they’re still billions of dollars short on programs that we were told reconciliation would address. 

    There is no substitute for robust, full-year defense appropriations. And this is a strong, bipartisan bill that proves we can do our job, and keep our commitments to the men and women of the U.S. military. They deserve no less.

    Here are a few of the items we address:

    First, recent operations in the Middle East illustrates how quickly modern warfare can exhaust our arsenal of critical munitions.

    The Administration’s request did not fully maximize production capacity for certain critical munitions, so we added $5.2 billion to buy larger quantities of air-defense interceptors, long-range fires, and other key munitions. We also added $2.1 billion to expand production capacity of munitions, and included some important initial investments in restoring America’s organic industrial base.

    Second, we’ve also added $4.6 billion to address growing demand for more extensive air and missile defenses. But developing a more layered missile defense shield that can protect the homeland and our forces abroad from growing threats is going to take years of sustained resources.

    Third, we’ve tried to help the Department meet requirements that the final reconciliation bill and the FY26 base budget request left unfunded, including advanced procurement for Virginia- and Columbia-class submarines, cost-to-compete for surface vessels, major renovations to dilapidated Marine Corps barracks, and ship operations costs for our Navy.

    We also included more funding for destroyer construction, shipyard infrastructure, and workforce development to help fix our ailing shipbuilding industry and get production back on track.

    Fourth, we invest in ally and partner militaries. We know that confronting Chinese aggression will require collective deterrence. Helping grow our friends’ capacity to defend themselves in the Indo-Pacific – as in Europe or the Middle East – enhances deterrence and helps our allies share more of the burden.

    It also means more investment in interoperable, U.S-made systems and lower risks for U.S. servicemembers. These are investments that pay dividends, and I’m not just talking about treaty allies.

    The Secretary of the Army rightly calls Ukraine “the Silicon Valley of warfare”. The Navy considers the maritime fight between Russia and Ukraine as the Black Sea Battle Lab and recognizes the need for rapid innovation. So we added $216 million on top of the Administration’s request for drone and counter-drone capabilities, consistent with the intention of achieving “drone dominance.”

    But abandoning the foremost experts of drone warfare would be strategic self-harm. Shutting off engagement with Ukraine would undermine our military’s efforts to prepare for the modern battlefield.

    So, like our friends on the Armed Services Committee, we are restoring funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and other security assistance programs that make America safer.

    Madam Chair, I’m proud of the work of the Defense Subcommittee in producing this bill for our colleagues’ consideration. And I hope it’ll earn the support of the entire Committee. But allow me to close with just one note:

    None of the challenges we’re facing today can be solved by a single bill or over the course of a single budget cycle.

    Readiness is not a box to be checked – it’s a state to achieve and maintain. In this era of major power competition, security for future generations of Americans means steady, consistent, predictable, increasing investments in the common defense… year after year after year.

    If we’re tempted to treat successful FY26 appropriations like a finish line, we’re thinking about our obligations all wrong.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Mullin to Faulkner: Zeldin “Took a Sledgehammer to the Regulatory Environment”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    ICYMI: Mullin to Faulkner: Zeldin “Took a Sledgehammer to the Regulatory Environment”

    “I ran because the regulations literally put one of our companies out of business.”

    Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) joined Fox News’s Harris Faulkner on The Faulkner Focus to react to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin’s decision to rescind the Obama-era endangerment finding which costs the United States $1 trillion in regulations and $54 billion each year. The senator recounted his experience with the Obama EPA as a private business owner, and shared how his frustration with excessive government overreach motivated him to run for office. Additionally, the senator commented on his colleagues’ recent chaotic behavior on the Senate floor. Highlights below.

    Sen. Mullin’s full interview can be found here.

    On how red tape drove Mullin to public service:

    “This is the reason why I ran because the regulations literally put one of our companies out of business. What Lee Zeldin just did is took a sledgehammer to the regulatory environment. This single regulation right here was the single biggest factor in cost in history when it comes to regulations, especially when you look at what Obama did. This has cost the industry $1 trillion and since the last five years, has cost an annual $54 billion…

    “What he has done here was exactly what President Trump promised was he was going to roll back regulations that wasn’t actually beneficial.”

    On consumer choice being what President Trump is all about:

    “Let consumers choose. What an idea that is, right? That’s what America is about. Let consumers choose what they want. That’s what President Trump is about. That’s not what the Democrats are [about].”

    On the irony of Democrats discussing the Constitution:

    “They can’t point to one single thing that President Trump has done that’s non constitutional…

    “They want to talk about a constitutional overreach? You think, well, who was the person signing the [President Biden’s] executive orders? But no, Cory Booker is silent on that, and all the other Democrats are silent on that because of their derangement syndrome over their hatred towards President Trump, and it’s absolutely absurd, and this is why they lost, because the American people see right through this theatric behavior that Cory Booker displayed on the floor.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Senator Mullin joins “The Scott Jennings Show”, Highlights Administrator Zeldin’s Bold Action to Unleash American Energy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator MarkWayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)

    ICYMI: Senator Mullin joins “The Scott Jennings Show”, Highlights Administrator Zeldin’s Bold Action to Unleash American Energy

    Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), joined “The Scott Jennings Show”. The Senator discussed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Zeldin’s recent action to unleash American energy as well as how Senate Republicans are pushing forward on nominees despite unprecedented obstruction from Senate Democrats. Highlights below.

    The full interview can be found here.

    On the EPA Administrator Zeldin’s bold action to rescind burdensome regulations: 

    “Well, it’s absolutely the right move, and thank goodness that President Trump put Lee Zeldin in that place. What you see with President Trump’s nominees is that they all have a backbone to do what is right. The EPA, underneath the Obama administration, grew into this agency that was the ‘see all and fix all and end all’ agency. And so, what I mean is there wasn’t any permitting that could be done for infrastructure. There wasn’t any permitting that could be done for energy. There wasn’t any permitting that could be done for manufacturing, unless the EPA signed off on it. And because of all these sue and settle cases that was being administered underneath this executive order to which President Obama had put in in 2009, it had gummed up the process. And so, this one single move by Lee Zeldin has had more permanent reform than Congress could have done in an entire bill. This is a huge, huge act for regulation, to deregulate our economy and allow America to lead from the front. Again, I can’t under state the importance of this one move by Lee Zeldin.”

    On the importance of Nuclear Energy:

    “Because of this one single act by Obama in 2009 it basically stopped our ability for infrastructure when it comes to energy… Now let’s just think about we’re going to bring a nuclear power plant on line, what this single act did was make it almost impossible for a nuclear facility to come on line, which, by the way, is probably one the cleanest and safest ability to have energy and be able to meet the demands. Meaning with nuclear, you could bring up a nuclear plant and you can bring it down. And with the demand that is called upon during peak hours, you can’t do that with solar. You can’t do that with wind, but you could do it with nuclear.

    “The only way that we were able to do that without nuclear, would be either coal fired power plants or natural gas. The issue with coal fired power plants, because of this one act, you couldn’t build them, and they were actually requiring them to come offline. The thing with natural gas-powered systems is you couldn’t build the pipelines to be able to get the gas to the power plants to be able to actually provide the energy they need to meet the demand. And so it gummed up the entire system.” 

    On making the EPA Administrator’s act permanent:

    “Now you start talking about quantum computing, or you talk about AI technology, we will not be able to stay up with the energy demands that the future is calling on, that is going to the future of development. And America is either going to lead or it’s not going to lead, unless Lee Zeldin actually did this. And so, it is a full court pressure, Lee Zeldin working with Chris Wright, working with the President and working with Congress to be able to move this. Now what Congress’ point is that we need to make this move by Lee Zeldin, we need to put this in some type of permanent reform so it becomes law and can’t be simply changed, God forbid a Democrat gets in there in three and a half years.”

    On historic obstruction from Senate Democrats:

    “The thing that is something that’s never happened to any president of United States is President Trump is the only president in history not to have one single nominee go by unanimous consent or by voice vote. The Democrats have filibustered every single nominee, except the very first one, which was Marco Rubio. So out of 110, they filibustered 109 of his nominees. But because Leader Thune made this point when he first became leader of the Republican Senators, he said, the Democrats can either do this the hard way, or we can do this the easy way. And since they chose to do it the hard way, we’ve now taken more votes than any Senate in 35 years, and we’ve been in here longer than any senate meeting consecutive days than any Senate in 15 years. So, we are pushing forward.”

    On Democrats continuing to slow down the process:

    “Now, the option that we run into for August, we have 55, as we speak right now, we have 55 nominees that has been reported out of committee, meaning to the floor for a vote that have bipartisan support and in the past before prior to Chuck Schumer becoming leader, in the past, when they come out of committee with bipartisan support, typically, they go either by UC (unanimous consent) or by a voice vote, which means they do away with the two hour debate for cloture vote. They do away with having to switch in and out of executive calendar versus legislative calendar… but because of all these procedural motions, they are able to slow down the process.”

    On the three options the Senate faces:

    “One, either they give us a package and we agree with a package of bipartisan nominees that have been voted out of committee to the floor, and we get all those done before we recess. Two, we stay in and don’t recess and get them done. Or three, we go into a forced recess, which the President United States had the ability to do, call on Congress to recess. It’s not debatable, but amenable, meaning that they would try to amend the dates, we go back and forth, have to do a vote-a-rama on it, we’d get the vote-a-rama done and then send it to the House. The House also has to vote to go into recess, because the House isn’t in recess right now, they are in pro forma, meaning that they can still be called back in at any amount of time. And we ought to recess for 10 days, and then we just clean the slate and do every one of his noms.”

    On working with the President and Leader Thune to get all the nominees through:

    “Republicans, with the exception of maybe one or two, are all willing to stay and get this done. And so, I’ll go back to what Leader Thune said from the beginning of the year, the Democrats can do this the hard way, or we can do it the easy way, but we’re going to work to get President Trump’s people put in place. And we’ve said that. I’ve talked to the President now twice in the last three days about this, and he is all aboard. He understands he’s actually making a priority list of those that he would want in a package if we did that, and he’s also working with a priority list with us, if we stay here and continue to vote on how he would want those racked and stacked.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investigation opened into charity over potentially inflammatory sermon and social media

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Investigation opened into charity over potentially inflammatory sermon and social media

    The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into the Abdullah Quilliam Society.

    The charity, based in Liverpool, was set up to restore Britain’s first ever mosque, founded by the Victorian convert to Islam, Abdullah Quilliam. It has registered purposes to promote Islam and to educate the public in the heritage of that faith. 

    The investigation is launched after the charity posted a video to its social media channels in June 2025, whose contents may not have furthered the charity’s objects could potentially be considered political, divisive and inflammatory.

    The video suggested that named senior members of the Westminster Government were acting improperly and had received donations from the “Israeli lobby” and that the Commission was also being unduly influenced to ‘silence’ trustees.  The video appeared to be drawn from a sermon delivered at the charity’s premises on 27 June 2025 and has since been removed from the charity’s social media platforms.

    The Commission’s concerns are aggravated by previous engagement with the charity over the content of sermons and speeches at its premises, which culminated in an Official Warning issued against the charity on 12 June of this year. The warning stated that the trustees should take a number of steps, including to ensure all the charity’s activities are in furtherance of its purposes, and to create, implement and adhere to robust policies around the use of speakers and social media.  

    Scope of the Inquiry

    The inquiry has been opened to evaluate the general administration, management, and governance of the charity by its trustees to determine whether there has been mismanagement and / or misconduct on the part of the trustees. It will establish facts, including the full circumstances around the sermon, determining whether its content was in furtherance of the charity’s objects, and in its best interests. The investigation will also seek to understand whether the charity has updated its policies following the Official Warning.

    The scope of the inquiry may be extended if additional regulatory issues emerge during the Commission’s investigation.

    Use of powers

    As part of its inquiry, the Commission has issued the charity with an Order under section 84A of the Charities Act, which among other things prohibits the charity from allowing sermons or events to be held at the charity’s premises that include content that does not further the charity’s purposes or are not in the charity’s best interests. Similarly, the Order prevents the charity from posting content on its website or social media channels that do not further the charity’s purposes or are not in the charity’s best interests.

    ENDS

    Notes to editors

    1. The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Read further information about what the Commission does
    2. On 14 July 2025, the Charity Commission opened a statutory inquiry into the charity under section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’) as a result of its regulatory concerns that there is or has been misconduct and / or mismanagement in the administration of the charity.
    3. A statutory inquiry is a legal power enabling the Commission to formally investigate matters of regulatory concern within a charity and to use protective powers for the benefit of the charity and its beneficiaries, assets, or reputation. An inquiry will investigate and establish the facts of the case so that the Commission can determine the extent of any misconduct and / or mismanagement; the extent of the risk to the charity, its work, property, beneficiaries, employees or volunteers; and decide what action is needed to resolve the concerns.
    4. s84A of the Charites Act 2011 give the Commission the power to direct a charity not to take or continue specific action if a statutory inquiry (s46) is open and the action would constitute misconduct or mismanagement in the administration of the charity.

    Press office

    Email pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk

    Out of hours press office contact number: 07785 748787

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Council Holds Briefing on Situation in Ukraine

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    9970th Meeting (AM)

    The Council meets this morning, at the request of the Russian Federation, under its agenda item “threats to international peace and security” to discuss the situation in Ukraine. 

    The delegation of Ukraine will participate in the meeting under Rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure.

    …

    For information media. Not an official record.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Economic and Social Council Holds Organizational Meeting to Launch 2026 Session

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    2026 Session,

    1st Meeting (AM)

    ECOSOC/7219

    The Economic and Social Council opens its 2026 session today, electing its Bureau and hearing from Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. 

    Lok Bahadur Thapa of Nepal has been endorsed to serve as the President for the session.  Amar Bendjamaa of Algeria; Paruyr Hovhannisyan of Armenia; Darío Bencosme Castaños of the Dominican Republic; and Héctor Gómez Hernández of Spain have been nominated to serve as the session’s Vice-Presidents.

    The 54-member Council will also adopt its provisional agenda (document E/2026/1) as well as take action on the draft resolution “Working arrangements for the 2026 session of the Economic and Social Council”, (document E/2026/L.1) and decide its seating arrangement for the session.

    …

    For information media. Not an official record.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Nova Scotia Celebrates Acadian Heritage Month

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Throughout August, Nova Scotia will honour more than four centuries of Acadian history, culture and tradition with the second annual Acadian Heritage Month.

    “The Acadian story is deeply woven into the fabric of Nova Scotia,” said Premier Tim Houston at a launch event in Chéticamp today, July 31. “Acadian Heritage Month is a time to celebrate a vibrant culture rooted in perseverance and pride, and to recognize the ongoing contributions Acadian communities make to the life and character of our province.”

    This year’s theme, Honouring Acadian Heritage, Shaping the Future, reflects the strength and resilience of Acadian communities and the important role they continue to play in Nova Scotia today.

    Events celebrating Acadian Heritage Month are taking place across the province, with the Office of Acadian Affairs and Francophonie supporting more than 20 community-led initiatives. Nova Scotians and visitors can experience a variety of activities, including concerts, culinary experiences and community gatherings.

    Quotes:

    “August is a month to celebrate Acadian heritage and share the incredible stories that define our people. The French language, passed down through generations, remains a powerful link to our past and a meaningful part of our future.”
    — Colton LeBlanc, Minister of Acadian Affairs and Francophonie

    “Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse is delighted by the launch of the second edition of Acadian Heritage Month in Nova Scotia. This year’s theme – Honouring Acadian Heritage, Shaping the Future – is an invitation to be proud of our ancestors who paved the way for the Acadie we know today and to be confident in its future.”
    — Denise Comeau Desautels, President, Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse

    Quick Facts:

    • Nova Scotia celebrated its first Acadian Heritage Month in August 2024
    • National Acadian Day will be observed in Nova Scotia on August 15

    Additional Resources:

    Acadian Heritage Month activities: https://tockify.com/patrimoineacadienne/monthly (French only)

    Office of Acadian Affairs and Francophonie:

    Other than cropping, Province of Nova Scotia photos are not to be altered in any way

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: How a Statute Enacted in Great Britain under Queen Anne Made Its Way to the D.C. Code

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    In 2019, the D.C. Council legalized sports betting by enacting the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2018. Washington, D.C. was one of several jurisdictions to amend its laws related to sports betting after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a 1992 law prohibiting these wagers in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association.

    While the D.C. Council created a framework for regulating sports betting in 2019, laws allowing gamblers to sue to recover their losses, which have been in the D.C. Code since 1963, remained in effect. These code provisions (§ 16–1701, § 16–1702, and § 16–1703) are the subject of a lawsuit filed earlier this year by a group seeking to recoup funds lost on sports wagers. Under D.C. Code section § 16–1702, anyone who loses more than $25 during a bet may file a lawsuit within three months to recover losses. After three months have passed, the law allows “any person [to] sue for, and recover treble the value of the money, goods, chattels, and other things, with costs of suit, by a civil action against the winner, one-half to the use of the plaintiff, the remainder to the use of the District of Columbia.” (D.C. Code § 16–1702.)

    An interesting wrinkle in this story is that we can trace the lineage of these code sections to “An act for the better preventing of excessive and deceitful Gaming,” a statute enacted in Great Britain in 1710, during Queen Anne’s reign. You may be wondering how exactly a law from the waning days of the Stuart period became part of the D.C. Code. The answer is somewhat complicated and requires a brief history lesson and a review of several legal resources.

    The Adoption of English Common Law and Statutes in the American Colonies

    During the American colonial era, English colonies were formed along the Atlantic coast. These colonies operated under charters approved by the English sovereign, which outlined the rights and responsibilities of colonists. These charters generally allowed the colonies to form their own governments, courts, and ordinances. (See, e.g., the 1632 Charter of Maryland at §§ VII and VIII.)

    Although the monarch approved these charters and maintained sovereign rule over the colonies until American independence, “the common law and acts of Parliament in force in England at the time of the settlement of each colony were not considered as automatically brought by the settlers to that colony.” (Brown, p. 13.) As a result, the colonies adopted their preferred English common law principles and statutes through local ordinances, legislation, or court decisions. The process for adopting English laws varied considerably by jurisdiction. (Brown, pp. 23-46.)

    Maryland’s Approach to Adopting Acts of Parliament

    In 1776, Maryland adopted its Declaration of Rights, which implemented both the common law of England and many English statutes, including those that were in effect during the first emigration of colonists to Maryland and “all acts of assembly in force on the first of June, seventeen hundred and seventy-four[.]” (Art. 5.(a).) Although English statutes were a source of law, Maryland courts had considerable discretion in determining whether these statutes were in effect. (Brown, pp. 96-98.) Because Maryland judges were frequently asked to determine whether English statutes were applicable in Maryland, in 1809, the Maryland legislature sought clarity and requested that the court chancellor and judges of the Court of Appeals write a report on English statutes applicable in Maryland.

    Religious & civil liberty established in Maryland in 1649. James Barry. Feb. 28, 1793. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://loc.gov/pictures/resource/pga.00132.

    Chancellor of Maryland William Kilty issued his report in 1810. Kilty divided his report into three parts, the third of which addressed “statutes which have been found applicable and are proper to be introduced and incorporated” into Maryland law. Among these applicable statutes is one titled “An act for the better preventing of excessive and deceitful gaming.” Kilty’s report describes this law, but a full text is available in a later compilation of British statutes that were in force in Maryland.

    The District of Columbia is Created and Adopts Maryland and Virginia Laws

    Washington, D.C. and its basic governing mechanics were formed through a series of federal statutes enacted in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Congress formally organized the District of Columbia in the Organic Act of 1801, ch. 15, 2 Stat. 103 (Feb. 28, 1801). That law divided the District into two counties; the county of Washington was on the Maryland side of the Potomac River, and the county of Alexandria was located on the Virginia side. (Organic Act of 1801, sec. 2.)

    L’Enfant map of Wash., D.C. 1792. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, https://loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3b46237/.

    While these counties formed one district, the statute provided, “the laws of the state of Virginia, as they now exist, shall be and continue in force in that part of the District of Columbia, which was ceded by [Virginia] … and that the laws of the state of Maryland, as they now exist, shall and continue in force in that part of the said district, which was ceded by [Maryland] ….” (Organic Act of 1801, sec. 1). Put another way, “the accumulated laws of Maryland and Virginia as they existed as of 1801 would continue in force in the respective portions of the District ceded by these states.” (Acosta, p. 222.)

    Through the framework listed in the Organic Act of 1801, Washington, D.C. adopted by reference the 1710 British statute “An act for the better preventing of excessive and deceitful gaming.” A federal statute in 1901 reaffirmed Washington, D.C.’s adoption of Maryland laws in 1801 (ch. 854, 31 Stat. 1189, § 1 (Mar. 3, 1901)), including the “common law [and] all British statutes in force in Maryland on February 27, 1801[.]” This statute has a corresponding provision in the current D.C. Code at § 45–401.

    The Current and Future Status of These D.C. Code Provisions

    D.C. Code §§ 16–1701, 16–1702, and 16–1703 were added to the D.C. Code through a federal statute codifying laws regarding judicial procedure in 1963. (Pub. L. No. 88-241, 77 Stat. 478, 582-583 (Dec. 23, 1963).) They have not been amended significantly since that time. While the language in the modern D.C. Code provisions differs significantly from the ancestor English statute that was enacted in 1710, if you take a moment to look at these laws side-by-side, you will spot several similarities.

    In response to the lawsuit I referenced at the start of this post, the D.C. Council is amending § 16–1702 through B26-0265, a budget package that is currently pending final approval. (See engrossed bill, p. 24, sec. 2062.)

    While this law may be amended soon, many other laws derived from the English common law and old statutes remain valid in Washington, D.C., and across several states. To learn more about this topic, I recommend consulting the sources below:

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp Announces 114 Appointments to Boards, Authorities, and Commissions

    Source: US State of Georgia

    Atlanta, GA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced 114 appointments and reappointments to various state boards, authorities, and commissions.

    Georgia Composite Medical Board

    Srenni Gangasani and David Retterbush were reappointed.

    Kamesha Harbison is a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist serving the South Columbus community. She has provided women’s health care in the Chattahoochee Valley for over a decade, delivering comprehensive OB/GYN services and assisting with more than 1,000 births. She has also led community health initiatives, including organizing prenatal education and resource events for expectant mothers. Harbison began her career as a high school biology and chemistry teacher after earning a B.S. and M.Ed. from Xavier University of Louisiana. She later earned her medical degree from the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine and completed her OB/GYN residency at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia. As an educator, she developed a mentoring program to address adolescent health, hygiene, and goal setting—laying the foundation for her transition into women’s healthcare. She is recognized for her commitment to patient education, community outreach, and improving health outcomes for women across the region.

    State Workforce Development Board

    Bárbara Rivera Holmes was sworn in as the 11th Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Labor and the state’s first Latina constitutional officer on April 4, 2025, by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Holmes’ extensive experience includes appointments by former Gov. Nathan Deal to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, which oversees Georgia’s 26 public colleges and universities, and by former Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan as co-chair of the Georgia Innovates Task Force, which helped design the state’s technology blueprint. A former journalist, Holmes has earned awards for excellence in journalism from the Georgia Associated Press. She holds degrees in journalism and Spanish from Florida Southern College and studied at Estudio Sampere Internacional in Spain. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Holmes resides in Albany with her husband, David, and their daughter.

    Steve Bradshaw served eight years on the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners. First elected in 2016, he was re-elected in 2020 without opposition. During his tenure, he was twice unanimously elected by his colleagues to serve as Presiding Officer of the Board. He also chaired several key committees, including Finance, Audit and Budget; Public Works and Infrastructure; and County Operations. Prior to public service, Bradshaw spent more than 15 years in the private sector in operations management and business development roles, most recently as business development manager for Delta Global Staffing, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines. Bradshaw began his professional career as a U.S. Army officer as a tank commander. He served in both domestic and international assignments, including deployment to the Middle East during the First Persian Gulf War. His final military post was as a leadership instructor at the Army Officer Candidate School. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from Georgia State University and later served as an adjunct professor in the university’s Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, teaching both undergraduate and graduate students.

    Hearing Panel of the Judicial Qualifications Commission

    Richard Hyde was reappointed.

    Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dietitians

    Cicely Thomas was reappointed.

    Alison Sturgill is a licensed and registered dietitian with over a decade of clinical experience specializing in oncology nutrition. She currently serves as a clinical dietitian IV at the Emory Proton Therapy Center, where she provides medical nutrition therapy to patients undergoing radiation treatment for various cancers. Previously, she held a similar role at Emory University Hospital, where she led inpatient oncology nutrition care and served as a preceptor and educator for dietetic interns. Sturgill holds both a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from Murray State University and is a Certified Specialist in Oncology Nutrition (CSO). Her work has been published in the Journal of Nursing Care Quality, and she remains active in multiple professional organizations, including the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

    Franklin D. Roosevelt Warm Springs Memorial Advisory Committee

    Eric Bentley is retired from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources with over three decades of service to Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites, including a deep and enduring connection to the Little White House State Historic Site. A graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in forest resources, Bentley began his career at Unicoi State Park before serving in various leadership roles, including park manager at Kolomoki Mounds and Fort Yargo. He was named Manager of the Year in 2009 and later served as Region 3 Manager, where he oversaw operations at the Little White House and F.D. Roosevelt State Park, secured funding, and strengthened partnerships with the Advisory Committee. From 2019 until his retirement in 2022, Bentley served as Assistant Director of State Parks, continuing to advocate for the Little White House and playing a key role in advancing major preservation projects.

    Board of Juvenile Justice

    Lisa Colbert was reappointed.

    State Board of Veterinary Medicine

    Jessica Sewell was reappointed.

    Employee Benefit Plan Council

    Courtney Ware and Christopher Wells were reappointed.

    Angelique McClendon was appointed Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) on May 1, 2025. She joined DDS as General Counsel in 2015 and was later promoted to Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Legal and Regulatory Affairs. Her legal career began in 2005 as an assistant solicitor in DeKalb County, followed by her service as an assistant attorney general for the State of Georgia from 2008 to 2015, where she represented public safety agencies, including DDS.  McClendon has provided legal guidance on major state initiatives, including Georgia’s Digital Driver’s License, and is a recognized expert on identity management, digital credentials, and data privacy. She has held leadership roles with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA), helping shape national policy and best practices in driver’s license administration. She holds a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana and a Juris Doctor from Georgia State University College of Law.

    Board of Community Affairs

    Kwanza Hall, Donna Armstrong Lackey, and Charlie Maddox were reappointed.

    State Board of Technical College System of Georgia

    Mike Long, Fran Millar, and Lisa Winton were reappointed.

    North Georgia Mountains Authority

    Jeff Andrews, Randy Dellinger, Patrick Denney, Dan Garcia, and Paul Shailendra were reappointed.

    State Board of Podiatry Examiners

    Rupal Gupta is a board-certified podiatrist with over 20 years of clinical, academic, and administrative experience. She currently practices at Ankle and Foot Centers of America and has held leadership roles in both hospital and professional association settings, including serving as president of the Georgia Podiatric Medical Association and department chief at Emory Johns Creek Hospital. Gupta completed her residency at Jackson North Medical Center, where she received advanced training in surgical and non-surgical foot and ankle care, trauma, and wound management. She holds a Doctorate in podiatric medicine from Kent State University and a bachelor’s degree from Emory University. Dedicated to advancing podiatric medicine and public health, she has been an active advocate for clinical standards and evidence-based policy and continues to serve on various hospital committees and community initiatives.

    Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority

    Daniel Dooley and Lauren Talley were reappointed.

    Georgia Rural Development Council

    Robert “Bob” Ray, Jr. is managing member of Ray Family Farms, LLC, where he and his siblings continue six generations and over 200 years of family farming, now focused on pecan production and pine timber. Before returning full-time to agriculture, Ray served for 15 years as President and CEO of Flint Energies. Ray’s public service includes his tenure as Assistant Secretary of State and Chief Operating Officer under Secretary of State Cathy Cox, where he directed agency operations and intergovernmental affairs. Earlier in his career, he was legislative director for the Georgia Farm Bureau Federation and also worked as a corporate lending officer with NCNB National Bank. He holds a bachelor’s in finance from the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business. Ray has served in leadership roles with Georgia EMC, Green Power EMC, GRESCO, and Leadership Georgia, and remains active in agricultural and community organizations statewide.

    Georgia Commission on the Holocaust

    Jon Barry is President and Founder of Spectrum Maintenance Services and leads the company’s marketing and growth strategies. His career in commercial real estate spans four decades, including extensive experience in all aspects of brokerage and property management. Initially formed to support Barry’s shopping center management platform, SMS has grown to become Atlanta’s leading full-service property maintenance company. Barry previously served on the Board of Advisors of the Kennesaw State University Entrepreneurship Center, is a member of CEO NetWeavers, and has served as mentor to numerous rising professionals.

    Georgia Ports Authority

    James Allgood, Jr., Leda Chong, and Doug Hertz were reappointed.

    Georgia Student Finance Commission Board of Commissioners

    John Loud, Sarah Hawthorne, Ed Pease, and David Perez were reappointed.

    State Board of Accountancy

    Emily Farrell and Todd Tolbert were reappointed.

    Carlton Hodges is a certified public accountant with more than four decades of experience in public accounting, specializing in tax compliance and audit services. He began his career in 1980 with SRLS, where he advanced to Tax Manager following a merger with Price Waterhouse. His practice focuses on business, individual, fiduciary, and nonprofit tax returns, as well as audit and accounting engagements in sectors such as construction, services, and government-assisted entities. Carlton holds Bachelor of Business Administration degrees in finance and accounting from Armstrong State College. He is a member of both the Georgia Society of CPAs and the American Institute of CPAs, and serves on the board and leadership council of the Georgia Society, where he also chairs the GSCPA Insurance Trust. His civic involvement includes prior service as a Pooler City Councilman, treasurer of the Savannah-Chatham MPC, and leadership roles with the Armstrong Foundation and Rotary Club of Savannah West.

    State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors

    Trent Turk was reappointed.

    Board of Commissioners of the Sheriffs’ Retirement Fund of Georgia

    Billy Hancock and Dan Kilgore were reappointed.

    Georgia Sports Hall of Fame Authority

    Bill Shanks and Earl Wright were reappointed.

    Phil Schaefer is an award-winning sportscaster whose career spans more than five decades across basketball, football, baseball, and golf. He was the voice of UGA basketball for 17 years, called Atlanta Hawks games for five seasons, and served as a CBS Radio broadcaster for the NCAA Tournament for 20 years. In football, he spent 16 years as UGA’s color commentator, 10 years as the voice of the Peach Bowl, and 20 years as public address announcer for the Atlanta Falcons. Schaefer also covered the Braves for 39 years and the Masters Tournament for 55 consecutive years, earning the Masters Major Achievement Award in 2010. A three-time Georgia Sportscaster of the Year, Schaefer held leadership roles at WSB Radio and later served as Athletic Coordinator for the DeKalb County School System. He is a member of the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame and the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, and has received over 40 national and regional journalism awards, including a Peabody. He holds degrees from Ohio State University and Georgia State University and is the author of Sins of a Southern Sportscaster.

    Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities

    Deb Bailey, Amanda Owens, Bill Slaughter, Jean Sumner, and Jimmy Thomas were reappointed.

    Georgia Behavior Analyst Licensing Board

    Margaret Molony and Robin Osborne were reappointed.

    Georgia Public Telecommunications Commission

    Greg Garrett and Mary Ellen Imlay were reappointed.

    Stephen Lawson is a principal in Dentons’ Regulatory, Public Policy, and Government Affairs practice in Atlanta, with nearly 15 years of experience in public affairs, communications, and political strategy. He has advised Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits, trade associations, and elected officials on complex issues including policy strategy, crisis management, media relations, and advocacy. Prior to joining Dentons, Lawson was president of Full Focus Communications, a public affairs firm based in Atlanta. He has served in senior advisory roles for high-profile public officials, including Florida Governors Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis, and in Georgia for Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, Congressman Mike Collins, and Speaker of the House Jon Burns.

    George Levert is a retired venture capitalist with more than two decades of experience in technology investment. He was a Founding Partner of Kinetic Ventures, where he led investments in telecommunications, network automation, and internet technologies. He served on the boards of more than a dozen venture-backed companies, including Metricom, Pathfire, and Proficient Networks. Prior to his career in venture capital, he held roles with Oglethorpe Power Corporation, Accenture, Boeing, and the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps during the Vietnam War. Levert holds a B.S. in electrical engineering from Louisiana Tech University and an M.S. in management from Georgia Tech. He has served on numerous civic and nonprofit boards, including the Georgia Tech Foundation, Catholic Charities of Atlanta, the Atlanta Opera, and the American Red Cross. He is also a former board member of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and the Museum of the American Indian. Levert has endowed multiple scholarships and leadership awards and remains active in philanthropic, educational, and faith-based organizations. He and his wife, Dale, live in Atlanta and have two sons and two granddaughters.

    Savannah-Georgia Convention Center Authority

    Bert Brantley, Martin Miller, and Pritpal Singh were reappointed.

    Board of Human Services

    Lisa Hamilton, Scott Johnson, and Jack Williams were reappointed.

    Criminal Justice Coordinating Council

    Nancy Bills, Denise Downer-McKinney, Ron Freeman, Scotty Hancock, and Joe Hood were reappointed.

    Board of Public Health

    James Curran, Lucky Jain, Mitch Rodriguez, Ryan Shin, and T.E. Valliere-White were reappointed.

    Professional Standards Commission

    Angela Byrne has over 11 years of teaching experience in public and private schools. She currently teaches ESOL to K–6 students at Anna K. Davie Elementary in Rome City Schools, where she has served for the past six years. Her previous roles include teaching kindergarten, fourth, and fifth grade. She holds certifications in Elementary Education and Middle Grades Math and Science, with endorsements in ESOL and Online Teaching. She has received the Rome City Schools Central Office Support Employee of the Year and the Anna K. Davie Star Teacher Award. Byrne lives in Rome, Georgia, with her husband, Lewis, and their three children.

    Christy Edwards is an elementary educator with 14 years of experience in the Hall County School System. She currently serves as the Language Lab Teacher at Tadmore Elementary, focusing on data-driven instruction and student performance. She previously taught second, fourth, and fifth grades, as well as Early Intervention Program (EIP) support. She holds a B.S. in early childhood education from the University of North Georgia and an ESOL endorsement from Pioneer RESA. Edwards has served as a Leadership Team member, RTI representative, and professional learning facilitator.

    Zach Miller is a certified elementary educator currently teaching reading, science, and social studies at Roan School in Dalton. He holds a Bachelor of Science in early childhood education from Dalton State College and is certified in Early Childhood Education (P-5), with endorsements in ESOL and K–5 Mathematics. Named Teacher of the Year at Roan School in 2025, Miller focuses on a student-centered approach that integrates project-based learning and relationship-building to drive academic success. He founded the District Elementary Soccer Tournament and mentors students through Soccer for Success. He also leads Roan’s Soccer and Disc Golf Clubs, coordinates the Social Studies Bee, and partners with local nonprofits to support families in need. Miller is active in his church, serving as vice chairman of the deacons at Fellowship Bible Church and leading the soccer portion of Grace Presbyterian Church’s summer sports camp.

    State Rehabilitation Council

    Jo Ellen Hancock is a long-serving advocate and leader in the fields of special education, behavioral health, and community engagement. Since 2005, she has served as the parent mentor for special education with the Cherokee County School District, supporting families and fostering collaboration between schools and parents of students with disabilities. She holds multiple leadership roles across state and local behavioral health organizations, including chair of the Statewide Leadership Council and immediate past chair of the Region 1 Advisory Council for the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD). She also serves on the Georgia Behavioral Health Planning and Advisory Council and the Behavioral Health Services Coalition. Hancock is a certified peer specialist – parent and currently chairs the Cherokee County Local Interagency Planning Team (LIPT), where she has led efforts to coordinate services for children with complex needs since 2018. She serves on the advisory board for NAMI Georgia and is communications chair for the Holly Springs Optimist Club.

    Charity Roberts assumed the position of State Director (IDEA) for the Office of Federal Programs Division for Exceptional Children on January 1, 2025. She is a quadruple Eagle from Georgia Southern University, obtaining her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in special education. She completed a specialist and doctorate degree in educational leadership. She is certified in multiple fields within general and special education, such as elementary education, reading (P-8), special education preschool, physical and health disabilities, and P-12 special education adaptive and general curriculum. Roberts has over 30 years of experience in special education instruction and leadership in a variety of roles. After serving as a special education teacher, she became a district director of special education. From there, Roberts provided leadership support as a GLRS Director for twelve years before joining the Georgia Department of Education Office of Rural Education and Innovation.

    Board of Community Supervision

    Jimmy Kitchens and Steve Queen were reappointed.

    Judicial Legal Defense Fund Commission

    Christine Hayes serves as Deputy Executive Counsel in the Office of Governor Brian P. Kemp. Prior to joining the Governor’s staff, she was director of governmental affairs for the State Bar of Georgia, where she worked on a variety of legislative issues that affect the judiciary and the legal profession. She also held roles at the Judicial Council/Administrative Office of the Courts, Georgia General Assembly, and as an associate at Fields Howell where she focused on insurance coverage issues and related litigation. Hayes holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Florida and a law degree from Emory University. She and her husband, Jonathan, live in Atlanta with their two daughters.

    State Board of Long-term Care Facility Administrators

    Timothy Bush and Laura Cayce were reappointed.

    Suzanne Gerhardt serves as Senior Vice President of Health Services at PruittHealth, Inc., where she oversees skilled nursing center operations across four states. With a career in long-term care that began in 1983, she brings decades of hands-on experience in healthcare management, including roles in business operations, social services, admissions, and auditing. Gerhardt became a licensed Nursing Home Administrator in 1997 and has since managed multiple facilities and regional operations. She is known for her focus on regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, and improving patient outcomes. In addition to her leadership at PruittHealth, she has served in various roles with the Georgia Health Care Association, including Chair of the Board and, currently, as immediate past chair.

    Donna Sant is a public policy professional with extensive experience in political organizing, campaign operations, and grassroots leadership. She served as Chairman of the Houston County Republican Party from 2018 to 2024 and has held multiple roles within the Georgia Republican Party, including State Committee Member and County Vice Chair. She has led volunteer efforts, managed election headquarters, coordinated large-scale events, and served as a liaison between voters and candidates. Sant holds a master’s in public policy from Liberty University and a B.F.A. in TV/Film production from Valdosta State College. A graduate of Republican Leadership for Georgia, she is also a recipient of the Ted & Barbara Waddle Award of Excellence. She lives in Elko, Georgia, with her husband. They have three adult children. Sant will serve as the consumer member on the State Board of Long-term Care Facility Administrators.

    Board of Trustees of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia

    Mary Elizabeth Davis is the Superintendent of Cherokee County Schools, serving 42,000 students. She has spent nearly 20 years in Georgia public education, holding leadership roles in four school districts. Prior to her current role, she served as Superintendent of Henry County Schools for nearly seven years, where she led improvements in operational systems, financial management, and student outcomes. Her previous roles include Chief Academic Officer in Cobb County and Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction in Gwinnett County. She began her career as a chemistry teacher and coach in Fairfax County, Virginia. Davis was named one of District Administration’s 100 most influential education leaders in 2024 and is a former finalist for Georgia Superintendent of the Year. She holds a chemistry degree from Messiah College and a Ph.D. in Education Policy from Georgia State University. She lives in Canton, Georgia with her husband and two children.

    Board of Juvenile Justice

    Lisa Colbert was reappointed.

    State Board of Veterinary Medicine

    Jessica Sewell was reappointed.

    Georgia Opioid Settlement Advisory Commission

    Trey Bennett is the general counsel and grants division director for the Georgia Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget. A seasoned attorney and public policy advisor, Bennett has over a decade of legal and governmental experience, including past service as deputy executive counsel to Governor Brian Kemp. He oversees the ethical execution of billions of dollars in federal grant funding, advises on statewide emergency responses, and helps shape key legislation across multiple sectors. Bennett also has substantial courtroom experience, having served as both a criminal prosecutor and a defense attorney in Northeast Georgia. He holds a J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law and lives in Hoschton, Georgia, with his wife, Katherine, and their four children.

    Council for the Arts- Chair

    Colt Chambers was reappointed.

    Board of Commissioners of the Superior Court Clerks’ Retirement Fund of Georgia

    Timothy Harper, Linda Hays, Daniel Jordan, Michael King, and Rhett Walker were reappointed.

    Georgia Public Service Commission Advisory Committee

    Jeff Jacques is a civil engineering professional with over 35 years of experience in transportation and utility coordination. He began his career with the Georgia Department of Transportation in 1983 as a civil engineer co-op and held various roles over a 20 year tenure, including district utilities engineer and area maintenance engineer. Since 2007, he has served as worksite utility coordination supervisor and utility coordination manager with CWM. Jacques is actively involved in the Georgia Utility Coordination Council, Georgia 811 Excavator Advisory Council, GHCA Utilities Task Force, and the GUCC Legislative Committee. He also served Franklin County as a Republican member of the Board of Commissioners from 2002 to 2018 and as Chairman from 2023 to 2024. A graduate of Emmanuel College and Southern Tech, Jacques resides in Franklin County with his wife, Christy. They have three adult children, and he is a member of Liberty Baptist Church in Carnesville.

    Disability Services Ombudsman Medical Review Group

    George Leach is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and an attending physician at Grady Memorial Hospital. He has over 15 years of clinical and academic experience, with a focus on quality improvement, systems-based practice, and medical education. Leach completed his undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina and earned his medical degree from Emory University, where he also completed his emergency medicine residency and served as chief resident. His academic contributions include developing a national curriculum for advanced emergency medicine learners and leading peer review process improvements at Grady. He is a member of multiple professional organizations, including the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. Dr. Leach has received numerous teaching awards and is actively involved in resident education, mentorship, and committee leadership at Emory and Grady.

    Georgia Environmental Finance Authority

    Jimmy Andrews and Travis Turner were reappointed.

    Georgia Child Support Commission

    Ben Land was reappointed.

    Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission

    Kevin Tanner was reappointed as Chairman.

    Karen Bailey, Melanie Dallas, Jason Downey, Nora Haynes, Miriam Shook, Sarah Vinson, DeJuan White, and Michael Yochelson were reappointed.

    DeAnna Julian serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Frazer Center, a nonprofit providing inclusive early childhood, adult, and behavioral health services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). She also serves as President of the Service Providers Association for Developmental Disabilities (SPADD), where she works to strengthen Georgia’s IDD service network through policy engagement and provider collaboration. A former special education teacher, Julian holds certifications in special education, early childhood, and physical education, along with a master’s degree in education and transition services from the University of Kansas. She previously served as Executive Director of The Arc of Southwest Georgia, leading efforts to expand access and advance systemic reform. With more than 20 years of leadership in education and disability services, Julian has been recognized with honors including the Annette Bowling Advocacy Award and Albany’s Top 40 Under 40. She lives in Atlanta with her husband, Steve, and their two adult children.

    Carey Parrott, Sr. is the founder and CEO of Parrott Counseling Services, LLC, with over two decades of experience in addiction and mental health counseling. A licensed clinical social worker, master addictions counselor, certified clinical supervisor, and certified peer specialist for addictive diseases, he provides direct care and specialized services to individuals, families, and justice-involved populations, including re-entry and mandated clients. Parrott is a two-time graduate of the University of Georgia, earning a B.S. in psychology and an M.S.W. He later earned a doctorate in clinical social work leadership from Tulane University. His professional background includes service as caregiver support coordinator at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where he supported veterans and families navigating the challenges of mental illness and substance use. He has also served as a consultant to the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, providing clinical supervision and workforce development for addiction counselors statewide. Parrott began his career working in residential treatment settings and community behavioral health programs. He is recognized for his collaborative, personalized approach and his ongoing commitment to supporting recovery and resilience in the Athens community and beyond.

    Child Advocate Advisory Committee

    Andre Blanchard and Jay Watkins were reappointed.

    Georgia Hotel Motel Tax Performance Review Board

    David Dukes was reappointed. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Supporting Zero-Emission Transportation Solutions

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced over $21 million is now available to support zero-emission mobility transportation solutions in communities across New York State. The Clean Mobility Program provides funding for scalable, community-led demonstration projects that improve connections through micro mobility, ridesharing, and on-demand shared transportation options. Together, these solutions lower pollution and offer residents affordable connections to services, jobs, and transit, including in underserved communities.

    “Even as the federal government walks away from clean air and energy standards, New York continues to invest in modern, flexible and efficient electric transportation options that improve air quality and expand affordable consumer choices,” Governor Hochul said. “Our priority is linking communities, including areas that have been historically marginalized, with resources that provide residents with a variety of flexible transportation options that allow them to conduct their daily business uninterrupted.”

    The Clean Mobility Program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), will competitively award funding to local governments, transit operators, community-based organizations, or employers with more than 1,000 employees for demonstration projects that advance innovative clean mobility options to address transportation challenges. Proposed solutions must expand access to shared zero-emission transportation options, create long-term affordable options, and can be continued into the future. Eligible technologies include bikes, electric bikes (e-bikes) and electric scooters (e-scooters), on-demand electric vehicle ride-hailing, and small-scale, on-demand electric public transit services, or shared electric vehicle options.

    Proposals for demonstration projects must include a completed planning document that includes community engagement, site identification and operations, project partner identification, technical feasibility assessment, and a policy and regulatory feasibility assessment. Only one proposal per applicant will be awarded and a cost share of at least 20 percent of the total project cost in non-NYSERDA funding is required. E-bikes or e-scooters must meet industry safety standards such as being UL-certified.

    New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “Supporting electric vehicle ride sharing, e-bikes, e-scooters and other sustainable, affordable mobility options helps keep people engaged and active in their communities. We look forward to receiving innovative demonstration proposals that offer the opportunity to help New Yorkers maintain transportation independence and can be replicated and adopted throughout the state for the benefit of all.”

    The Clean Mobility program offers up to $21.6 million for projects across New York State and will award up to $3 million per project, with priority given to projects in disadvantaged communities, as defined by the Climate Justice Working Group.

    Additionally, up to $8 million is set aside to fund demonstration projects located in specific areas of the state, including those served by the upstate investor-owned utilities. This includes a total of up to $5 million for micro mobility projects in the Central Hudson, National Grid, New York State Electric & Gas, and Rochester Electric & Gas region and up to $3 million for any type of eligible demonstration projects located in the Bronx.

    New York State Department of Public Service CEO Rory M. Christian said, “It is critically important for New York to invest in and create affordable transportation opportunities for our citizens, especially those who find themselves without flexible transportation options. This program will do just that.”

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “With this latest $21 million in funding, Governor Hochul is bolstering actions to help communities most vulnerable to pollution-driven asthma and other harmful health impacts. Clean Mobility Program funding promotes the pursuit of accessible and affordable green transportation options and supports our efforts to improve air quality statewide by transitioning to cleaner, zero-emission transportation.”

    New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Clean transportation solutions do more than just reduce emissions—they improve public health, advance equity and accessibility and build a more sustainable, connected future. No one understands a community’s transportation challenges better than the people who live there. Empowering people to help develop mobility solutions is a game changer as we strive for a more resilient, community-centered future for transportation in New York.”

    State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “The Clean Mobility Program represents a major step forward in delivering economic opportunity and cleaner transportation to underserved communities across Upstate New York. By investing in ridesharing, micro mobility, and on-demand transportation options, we’re expanding access to jobs, public transit, while also reducing emissions. As chair of the NYS Senate Transportation Committee, I’m proud to support this initiative and am grateful to Governor Hochul for her leadership and commitment to clean, equitable transportation solutions.”

    Assemblymember William Magnarelli said, “People in some regions of our state without access to mass transit or a car are unable to get around. It’s laudable that the Governor saw fit to invest $21 million in a program that looks to improve the connections for micro mobility, ridesharing, and on-demand shared transportation options, to begin solving this problem.”

    Proposals are due on September 25, 2025 by 3:00 p.m. ET. For more information on this funding opportunity please visit NYSERDA’s website.

    NYSERDA will host an informational webinar on August 7, 2025 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET to provide more explanations on the solicitation, project requirements, and the application process.

    To support demonstration project applicants, NYSERDA offers a Mobility Solutions Provider Directory that highlights companies that manufacture, supply, develop, install, operate, or maintain mobility solutions eligible under the Clean Mobility Program.

    NYSERDA will host a virtual showcase for prospective applicants on August 14, 2025. The morning session will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET to highlight companies that support two-wheeled mobility solutions. The afternoon session will take place from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET for companies that support four-wheeled mobility solutions.

    In June 2024, Governor Hochul announced the $32 million Clean Mobility Program which supports community-led planning and demonstration projects that solve local transportation needs and help reduce emissions. In March 2025, NYSERDA announced that $2.9 million was awarded to 29 community-led planning projects to enhance planning for shared electric transportation solutions. These projects are eligible to apply for the demonstration project planning announced today, although previous participation in the Clean Mobility Program is not a requirement for demonstration project funding.

    Last summer, Governor Hochul signed legislation to encourage the safe use of e-bikes and lithium-ion batteries. The guidelines and manufacturing standards adopted for e-mobility devices help consumers understand safety requirements and protocols, and provide information on purchasing, storage, and avoiding risks. The New York State Department of State and Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services have also developed a consumer safety guide for lithium-ion batteries which is available here. Together, these efforts help to raise awareness and educate consumers about how to safely and properly purchase, use, charge and maintain devices with lithium-ion batteries, including micro-mobility options.

    For more than fifty years, NYSERDA has been a trusted and objective resource for New Yorkers, taking on the critical role of energy planning and policy analysis, along with making investments that drive New York toward a more sustainable future. This program is part of New York’s nearly $3 billion investment in zero emissions vehicles and growing access to clean transit to benefit all New Yorkers, including those in low-income or disadvantaged communities, by reducing emissions to create cleaner air and healthier communities. It complements New York State’s other zero-emission transportation initiatives including the New York Clean Transportation Prizes Initiative, administered by NYSERDA, the New York State Department of Public Service and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), as part of an $85 million allocation through New York’s EV Make Ready program to accelerate the transition to a clean transportation future.

    The program is funded through a combination of Clean Energy Fund (CEF), Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments, and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Unhealthy Air Quality Reported in Western New York

    Source: US State of New York

    Official websites use ny.gov

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    A lock icon or https:// means you’ve safely connected to a ny.gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    July 31, 2025

    Albany, NY

    “This morning, visible smoke from Canadian wildfires is drifting into New York, causing a spike in fine particles and leading to unhealthy air quality in parts of Western New York. Sensitive groups, including children, older adults, pregnant women and people with respiratory or heart conditions, are at higher risk.

    “I urge New Yorkers in the affected areas to take precautions. Limit time outdoors, stay inside when possible and avoid strenuous activities.

    “My administration is closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as needed. Please check the Air Quality Index regularly at https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/cfmx/extapps/aqi/aqi_forecast.cfm. For guidance on how to protect yourself when air quality is unhealthy, visit https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/outdoors/air/smoke_from_fire.htm.”

    You are leaving the official State of New York website.

    The State of New York does not imply approval of the listed destinations, warrant the accuracy of any information set out in those destinations, or endorse any opinions expressed therein. External web sites operate at the direction of their respective owners who should be contacted directly with questions regarding the content of these sites.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • ECI finalises electoral college list for Vice Presidential election

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    The Election Commission of India (ECI) has finalised the Electoral College list for the upcoming Vice-Presidential Election scheduled for 2025, fulfilling its constitutional mandate under Article 324 of the Constitution of India.

    In accordance with Article 66(1) of the Constitution, the Vice-President of India is elected by an Electoral College comprising elected and nominated members of the Rajya Sabha, along with elected members of the Lok Sabha. The ECI is responsible for preparing and maintaining the updated list of members eligible to vote in this election, including their current addresses, as stipulated by Rule 40 of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Rules, 1974.

    The finalised Electoral College list includes members listed in a continuous serial order and is organized alphabetically by the State or Union Territory of their respective Houses.

    The Commission announced that this official list will be made available for purchase at a designated counter set up at the Election Commission’s headquarters. Availability of the list will coincide with the release of the official notification for the Vice-Presidential election, which is expected to be announced soon.

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement on state threats from Iranian intelligence services: 31 July 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Statement on state threats from Iranian intelligence services: 31 July 2025

    Joint statement of Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the US on state threats from Iranian intelligence services

    Albania, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the US condemn the growing number of state threats from Iranian intelligence services in our respective territories.

    We are united in our opposition to the attempts of Iranian intelligence services to kill, kidnap, and harass people in Europe and North America in clear violation of our sovereignty.  These Services are increasingly collaborating with international criminal organisations to target journalists, dissidents, Jewish citizens, and current and former officials in Europe and North America.  This is unacceptable.     

    We consider these types of attacks, regardless of the target, as violations of our sovereignty. We are committed to working together to prevent these actions from happening and we call on the Iranian authorities to immediately put an end to such illegal activities in our respective territories.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Email the FCDO Newsdesk (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Freedom to water

    To ensure that plants receive the water they need, Alberta is removing the requirement to have a temporary diversion licence to water plants as part of a riparian restoration project. This change will cut unnecessary red tape, keep plants alive and ensure the time and money that communities and businesses put into watershed restoration projects are not wasted.

    Traditionally, a licence has been required in Alberta to water newly planted trees, shrubs, grasses and other vegetation along rivers, creeks and lakes. This requirement means that otherwise healthy plants could die from lack of water if a licence could not be obtained in time due to bureaucratic delays, water shortages or drought conditions in the area.

    A solar-powered irrigation system at a riparian restoration site along the Elbow River in Calgary (Credit: Leaf Ninjas)

    “Freedom to water is about cutting through the clutter of bureaucracy so real work can happen. This change stops the waste, ends the delays and lets communities focus on restoring Alberta’s rivers, creeks and lake banks – not filling out forms.”

    Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas

    “This amendment is a huge step forward for practical, common-sense riparian restoration in Alberta. This simple change will reduce flood and drought risk, protect our watersheds and ensure Alberta’s restoration efforts are resilient and effective. We applaud the Alberta government for listening to restoration practitioners, cutting red tape and delivering a solution that benefits both the environment and Albertans.”

    Andrew Renaux, chief executive officer and founder, Leaf Ninjas

    Riparian restoration projects are crucial for expanding, repairing and rejuvenating ecosystems near water bodies. The requirement to have a temporary diversion licence made this important work more difficult by adding additional costs onto small companies and organizations and delaying projects while waiting for licences. It also meant that if a licence could not be obtained or water shortages were seen in an area, water had to be trucked in, or the plants were left to die.

    “Our government is pleased to support the important work of restoring riparian areas and improving the health of our rivers. Allowing a small quantity of water to be used without a licence will help establish healthy, lush vegetation along previously degraded riverbanks and help make these projects successful over the long term.” 

    Grant Hunter, Associate Minister of Water

    “By cutting unnecessary red tape, we’re empowering communities and ecological restoration groups to focus on what really matters: restoring Alberta’s watersheds. This change will ensure that their hard work and investment won’t be lost to bureaucratic delays, allowing more time to focus on helping plants thrive and our environment flourish.”

    Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction

    With the removal of the requirement to have a temporary diversion licence, more restoration projects will be able to adapt to changing conditions. In addition to the removal of the temporary diversion licence requirement, there are new industry-led technologies like solar-powered drip systems that make watering more efficient than ever and reduce the amount of water needed.  

    Quick facts:

    • The exemption only applies to small projects consuming no more than 100 cubic metres per day, for water that will be used to support the growth and establishment of plants along a watercourse or water body.
    • Strong, healthy vegetation around waterways helps restore native habitats, prevents erosion to riverbanks, stabilizes nearby land and improves water quality.
    • Alberta’s Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program provides grants to restore riverbanks and riparian areas across the province.

    Related Information:

    • Watershed Resiliency and Restoration Program

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Vicky Eatrides and Rachelle Frenette to CIPPIC Summer Speaker Series

    Source: Government of Canada News

    “Regulatory Riverbanks: Helping Build Canada’s Telecommunications Future”

    Ottawa, Ontario 
    July 30, 2025

    Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer 
    Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

    Rachelle Frenette, General Counsel and Executive Director, Legal Services (CRTC)

    Check against delivery

    Introduction

    Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you, Matt, for the warm welcome.

    Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg people. Let us take a moment to thank the Anishinaabeg people and to pay respect to their Elders.

    Thank you for inviting us to speak with you today. It is great to be here and to see a number of familiar faces in the room. And a warm hello to everyone joining us online.

    On behalf of the CRTC, I want to thank CIPPIC for your ongoing work to engage students and the academic community in meaningful conversations about Canadian telecommunications policy. By leading various advocacy and research-driven initiatives, CIPPIC continues to make a vital contribution to shaping a more equitable, transparent, and accountable digital landscape.

    And your work is more important than ever.

    Telecommunications shape how we live — how we learn, how we work, how we access healthcare, and how we stay close to loved ones. That is why listening to Canadians grounds telecommunications policy in the lived realities of communities across the country.

    When I think about our role in telecommunications policy, I am reminded of something the Canadian business leader Bonnie Brooks once said: “we build the riverbanks and let the water flow freely.” I think that this is a fitting metaphor for the work of many regulators.  

    At the CRTC, we are building riverbanks in the form of regulatory frameworks that support a healthy and competitive telecommunications industry. And our frameworks are not just built to hold the current — they are meant to guide it.

    We know that effective regulatory policy starts with a clear sense of purpose. So that is where we will start today: our mandate and our place within the broader framework of telecommunications policy.

    Then, let us talk about the CRTC’s ongoing efforts to help connect all Canadians to high-quality Internet and cellphone services. 

    And finally, we will delve into the CRTC’s work on affordability, investment, and consumer protections.

    CRTC mandate

    So let us begin with a quick overview of the CRTC and our mandate, and then briefly touch on the landscape of telecommunications regulation beyond the CRTC.

    Starting with the CRTC.

    The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Act establishes the CRTC as a commission consisting of members appointed by the Governor in Council.

    There are currently nine members — a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson for Telecommunications, a Vice-Chairperson for Broadcasting, and six regional Commissioners who are located across the country.

    Commissioners have a team of expert staff supporting them — many of whom have spent their entire careers studying and analyzing the telecommunications and broadcasting industries in both the public and private sectors.

    We have colleagues with consumer, social policy, legal, and other diverse expertise, who help Commissioners make informed decisions that benefit Canadians.

    Now let us turn to our mandate. As you may know, the CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. We hold public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and make decisions based on the record.

    This means taking into account a number of different — and often competing — interests as the Commission makes its decisions. These decisions create regulatory frameworks that guide how telecommunications service providers interact with Canadians and with each other.

    The CRTC regulates the telecommunications industry through the Telecommunications Act. Our decisions are guided by the nine telecommunications policy objectives outlined in the Act. These objectives, established by Parliament, range from foundational goals — such as ensuring reliable, affordable, and high-quality telecommunications services — to more targeted aims, like promoting telecommunications research and development in Canada.

    In the broader landscape, telecommunications regulation in Canada is a shared responsibility. In addition to the CRTC, the Minister of Industry holds key regulatory responsibilities under both the Telecommunications Act and the Radiocommunication Act.

    Most notably, the Minister oversees the management of Canada’s wireless spectrum, which is essential for delivering cellphone services and over-the-air broadcasting.

    I mentioned the policy objectives in the Act earlier. These can be supplemented by Government policy directions to the CRTC. Together, the legislation and policy directions serve as guiding principles the CRTC must take into account when making its decisions.

    The current policy direction was issued in 2023. It contains a number of key themes that drive the CRTC’s policy work, such as using regulation to promote competition, affordability, consumer interests, and innovation. Other parts of the policy direction guide the CRTC on how it should do that work, like asking us to ensure that any measures we impose are efficient and proportionate to their purpose.

    Our frameworks are informed by the broader landscape of telecommunications regulation — by Parliament through the objectives in the Act, by the government through the policy direction, and, importantly, by the evidentiary records we build during our public consultations.

    We value diverse perspectives because each voice contributes to the record and directly influences the decisions the Commission makes. That is why organizations like CIPPIC are essential — you help ensure that the interests of Canadians are heard and reflected in our policies.

    I think that is a good segue to the CRTC’s regulatory work.

    Connecting Canadians

    Let us start with the CRTC’s ongoing efforts to connect Canadians to high-quality Internet and cellphone services.

    Most of us here today have had access to high-speed Internet and the latest cellphone technology for many years. We have come a long way, but there is still more work to do to make Internet access available to everyone across Canada.

    Our latest public information shows that about 750,000 Canadian households still lack access to unlimited Internet plans at speeds of at least 50 megabits per second download and 10 megabits per second upload. While the number of households that lack access continues to drop, we know that rural, remote, and Indigenous communities are disproportionately affected.

    An Internet user in the North told the Competition Bureau during their market study on broadband that this “results in feelings of isolation and as though we aren’t a part of Canada.”

    This is a powerful reminder of the impact a lack of connectivity can have, including on our sense of belonging.

    Let me share another example.

    We know that there are communities in Canada that do not have a high school, and where local education can end at grade 9 or 10. This was the case for Angelina in the Northwest Territories, whose story was reported in the media. Angelina had to move 200 kilometres to Yellowknife to attend in-person high school classes. Most of us cannot imagine having had to leave our families and friends at age 15 to go to school.

    So, what does this have to do with connectivity?

    Well, for students like Angelina who do not have a local school, online schooling can be an alternative. But online schooling is only an option for students who have access to high-quality Internet.

    In 2019, the CRTC launched its Broadband Fund as part of a government-wide effort to help connect rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across Canada.

    To date, the CRTC has allocated over $750 million to projects that provide Internet or cellphone services to nearly 50,000 homes in more than 290 communities. The Broadband Fund has also helped improve cellphone service on more than 630 km of major road and build over 5,500 km of fibre across the country.

    Affordability and investment

    While ensuring that Canadians are connected is an important part of the CRTC’s role, we also work to keep Internet and cellphone services affordable and to preserve incentives for providers to invest in reliable, high-quality networks.

    Our Vice-Chair of Telecommunications, Adam Scott, recently described this work as the “Goldilocks problem” in telecommunications policy: if prices are too high, affordability suffers; if prices are too low, investment is discouraged, risking lower service quality and reduced connectivity.

    Solving this issue starts with listening.

    We have heard firsthand the struggles Canadians face affording their telecommunications services. During our public hearing on high-speed Internet, we learned about an individual named Sandy who lived in British Columbia and whose relatives spent more on telecommunications than on food. And similarly, we heard about Brigitte in Ontario, for whom the Internet was a vital lifeline. It was so essential that she had to cut back on other things to afford it.

    These stories show that making sure Canadians have affordable telecommunications is as important as making sure they are connected through programs like the CRTC’s Broadband Fund.

    While Statistics Canada data shows that Internet and cellphone prices are trending down, our latest public opinion research shows that people feel these services have become less affordable over the past year.

    On the other side of the “Goldilocks problem,” we know that building networks is expensive and that fair returns take time. We also know that in remote areas, connecting a single home can cost telecommunications companies several thousands of dollars.

    So how are we tackling the “Goldilocks problem”?

    We are taking action to encourage competition, while maintaining incentives for companies to invest.

    Let us start with cellphone services.

    The CRTC’s rules let smaller regional cellphone providers offer service across Canada by using the networks of larger companies. These rules are helping to provide Canadians with more options than we had before. They are also helping to increase competition between small and large companies, leading to more affordable services.

    Smaller providers are able to reach new areas they could not serve before. But to make sure they keep investing in their own networks, access to the networks of larger companies is only temporary — they must finish building their own infrastructure by 2030.

    We are also taking action to improve competition for Internet services. Over the past few years, Canadians have had fewer options when it comes to choosing an Internet provider. That is why, last August, the CRTC began allowing companies to offer Internet plans using the fibre networks of Canada’s largest telephone companies in areas where those companies do not have their own networks.

    We also put measures in place to make sure companies keep investing in high-quality networks. That includes setting fair rates so large companies are paid for the cost of building fibre networks, limiting where they can use the new rules so that they keep building their own networks, and delaying competitive access to brand-new fibre until 2029.

    Now that these frameworks are in place, our next steps are to keep a close eye on how they are working and to make changes if needed.

    Consumer protections

    That brings us to the last policy area we will cover today — consumer protections.

    We have heard stories of Canadians facing unexpected increases in their monthly bills. We have also heard of Canadians who want to take advantage of a better deal in the market only to be faced with high fees for cancelling their existing service. And we know that Canadians need simple and convenient self-service mechanisms to modify, right-size, or cancel their plans.

    As part of our mandate to protect and empower consumers in their dealings with service providers, the CRTC put in place codes of conduct that help ensure that Canadians have clear contracts, are not surprised by higher bills, and have the information they need to make the best choices about their Internet, cellphone, and TV services.

    Last year, the CRTC launched a comprehensive Consumer Protections Action Plan to modernize our approach to better serve Canadians. And to bring this Action Plan to life, we initiated four public proceedings.

    The first proceeding focuses on preventing bill shock by ensuring Canadians receive advance notice when their discounts or service plans are about to expire.

    The second aims to limit any fees Canadians might face when cancelling or changing plans.

    The third explores how we can expand self-serve options, so that it is easier to find and choose the best Internet and cellphone plans.

    And the fourth proceeding, which was the subject of a public hearing just last month, aims to make Internet plan details clearer and more consistent.

    This is a crucial area of our work that will continue to be a focus for the CRTC.

    In the coming weeks, we will launch a consultation to consider additional consumer protections, including clearer communications or refunds, when Canadians experience a service outage. And looking out further, we plan to combine our consumer protection codes into a single code that is more clear, simple, and consistent across all services. So, stay tuned.

    Conclusion

    Thank you again for welcoming us today.

    If there is one message we hope you take away, it is this: telecommunications policy is not just about towers or cables — it is about people, and it is about building a healthy industry that serves them well.

    At the CRTC, we know that we do not have all the answers. But we do know this: better policy happens when we listen — to individuals, to businesses, and to organizations like CIPPIC that help bring diverse voices into the conversation.

    So here is where you come in.

    Join our public consultations. Share your stories. Challenge our thinking.

    Because at the end of the day, we know that the most effective regulatory riverbanks are the ones we build together.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Members of N.M. Delegation Call on Trump Administration Demanding Answers on Reported Suspension of Medical Services at Gallup Indian Medical Center

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Recent Reporting Indicates Trump Administration Bureaucratic Hurdles Are Causing Delays and Reductions in Patient Care at Gallup Indian Medical Center

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) and Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) called on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Indian Health Service (IHS) Acting Director Benjamin Smith demanding answers regarding recent reports that medical services at the Gallup Indian Medical Center (GIMC) have been suspended or reduced. In the letter, the lawmakers highlight how IHS bureaucratic red tape has made it harder and more expensive for GIMC to deliver timely, effective care and call on HHS and IHS to act swiftly to reverse these harmful decisions and restore critical services.

    “We write today concerned about recent reports that medical services at the Gallup Indian Medical Center (GIMC) have been suspended or reduced, including critical ultrasound services, due to a new Presidential Appointee Approver and Departmental Efficiency Review (PAA-DER) policy in place as of June 30, 2025,” wrote the lawmakers.

    “Unfortunately, these challenges at GIMC are not in isolation, but rather exemplify a disturbing pattern of care disruptions due to administrative delays across the IHS. In short, policies such as PAA-DER are resulting in the exact opposite of efficiency: wasted resources, staffing shortages, and preventable delays in care,” continued the lawmakers.

    “The current situation is unacceptable. Tribal communities deserve the same standard of care and operational efficiency afforded to all Americans. HHS and IHS must act swiftly to reverse these harmful decisions, restore critical services, and fulfill the obligations that the United States has pledged to uphold,” concluded the lawmakers.

    Read the full letter here or below:

    Dear Secretary Kennedy and Acting Director Smith:

    We write today concerned about recent reports that medical services at the Gallup Indian Medical Center (GIMC) have been suspended or reduced, including critical ultrasound services, due to a new Presidential Appointee Approver and Departmental Efficiency Review (PAA-DER) policy in place as of June 30, 2025.

    PAA-DER is reportedly effective throughout the Indian Health Service (IHS), requiring that all IHS contracts and requisitions undergo additional layers of approval. The resulting bottleneck is delaying contract renewals for essential personnel, equipment, and services while also delaying the ability of health care workers to immediately diagnose urgent conditions and putting patients at risk. At GIMC, for example, a patient presenting after hours had to be unnecessarily admitted overnight due to the facility’s inability to access diagnostic imaging. Similar delays have affected general surgery, labor and delivery care, and infectious disease testing. GIMC has faced staffing challenges for years, and these new bureaucratic hurdles imposed by PAA-DER are making it harder and more expensive for GIMC to deliver timely, effective care. Unfortunately, these challenges at GIMC are not in isolation, but rather exemplify a disturbing pattern of care disruptions due to administrative delays across the IHS. In short, policies such as PAA-DER are resulting in the exact opposite of efficiency: wasted resources, staffing shortages, and preventable delays in care.

    You have made clear commitments to Tribal Nations and Tribal citizens that you would protect their health care interests and uphold the trust and treaty obligations in your tenure as HHS Secretary. But policies such as PAA-DER do not align with those commitments; Tribal leaders and health experts have said that PAA-DER in particular has created a system that undermines the federal government’s responsibility and forces Tribes to bear the burden of failed processes they did not create. The ongoing service disruptions are not just bureaucratic missteps, but they are threats to lives and to Tribal sovereignty.

    In light of these impediments to service delivery at GIMC, we request that you answer the following questions:

    1. When did GIMC begin scaling back ultrasound services, general surgery, labor and delivery care, and other medical services? Please be specific.
    2. Prior to GIMC’s recent reductions in service, how many open positions did GIMC have in affected departments? Please include a breakdown by department, if possible.
    3. After GIMC’s recent reductions in service, how many open positions did GIMC have in affected departments? Please include a breakdown by department, if possible.
    4. Please identify any efforts IHS is taking to address longstanding staffing shortages in affected departments.
    5. Following the recent reductions in services, has IHS taken any steps to address the scaling back of ultrasound services at GIMC? If not, why not?
    6. Is IHS taking any steps to address the scaling back of general surgery, labor and delivery care, and reduction in medical-surgical beds at GIMC? If not, why not?
    7. How does IHS plan to address longstanding and new recruitment and retention challenges at GIMC? Please include any specific actions taken to address staffing challenges impacting ultrasound, surgical, and labor and delivery services.
    8. Are you aware of any other challenges faced by GIMC resulting in impacts to services? If so, please describe.

    In addition, we urge HHS to immediately reverse the decisions that have limited or cut services at GIMC and other HIS facilities. Specifically, we request that you:

    1. Ensure all pending contracts and requisitions currently held up by PAA-DER, particularly those impacting direct patient care, at GIMC are expedited.
    2. Exempt IHS from the PAA-DER process, recognizing the unique statutory and trust responsibilities the federal government holds to Tribes.

    The current situation is unacceptable. Tribal communities deserve the same standard of care and operational efficiency afforded to all Americans. HHS and IHS must act swiftly to reverse these harmful decisions, restore critical services, and fulfill the obligations that the United States has pledged to uphold.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Myanmar forms interim government before election but top general still in charge

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Myanmar’s military on Thursday nominally transferred power to a civilian-led interim government ahead of a planned December election, with the junta chief remaining in charge of the war-torn country in his other role as acting president.

    An announcement in state media said a decree that granted power to the military after its 2021 coup had been cancelled and a caretaker administration had been formed alongside a special commission to oversee the election.

    The move signals no change to the status quo in Myanmar, with coup leader Min Aung Hlaing holding on to all major levers of power as acting president while retaining his position as chief of the armed forces.

    A state of emergency in place since the coup, which was due to expire on Thursday after seven extensions, has now been lifted, said Zaw Min Tun, a government spokesperson.

    “The interim president and commander in chief said this upcoming six months are the time to prepare and host the election,” he told state media.

    Myanmar has been in chaos since the coup against Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected civilian government plunged the Southeast Asian nation into civil war, with the military fighting to contain a rebellion and accused of widespread atrocities, which it denies.

    The election has been dismissed by Western governments as a sham to entrench the generals’ power and is expected to be dominated by proxies of the military, with opposition groups either barred from running or refusing to take part.

    David Mathieson, an independent Myanmar-focused analyst, said the change in power was cosmetic and those in charge would continue to be abusive and repressive.

    “They are just rearranging the same pieces and calling the regime a new name,” he said. “Nothing will change in the near term, but this is part of preparations for an election which we don’t know much about.”

    WAR RAGING

    The extent of the civil war’s impact on the planned election remains unclear. In an effort to create voter rolls, the junta held a nationwide census last year but was only about to conduct it in 145 out of Myanmar’s 330 townships – reflecting its lack of control over swathes of the country.

    Established ethnic minority armies and new armed groups have mounted an unprecedented resistance against the military, gaining control of significant territory, including much of the country’s borderlands.

    China’s foreign ministry said on Thursday it supported Myanmar’s efforts to achieve peace and reconciliation.

    “China supports Myanmar’s development path in line with its national conditions and Myanmar’s steady advancement of its domestic political agenda,” spokesperson Guo Jiakun said.

    The military has killed more than 6,000 people and arbitrarily detained over 20,000 since the coup, according to Amnesty International. Myanmar has also seen a return to judicial executions and more than 3.5 million people are internally displaced, an Amnesty report said in January.

    Myanmar’s military has dismissed allegations of abuses as Western disinformation.

    It justified its 2021 coup as a necessary intervention following what it said was widespread fraud in an election three months earlier that was won decisively by Suu Kyi’s now defunct ruling party.

    Election monitoring organisations found no evidence of fraud that would have changed the outcome.

    (Reuters)

  • PM Modi to unveil development projects worth around Rs 2,200 crore in Varanasi on August 2

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to gift a major developmental boost to his parliamentary constituency, Varanasi, by inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of projects worth around Rs 2,200 crore on August 2. The initiatives span across infrastructure, education, healthcare, tourism, cultural preservation, urban development, and rural welfare, aiming at holistic urban transformation and improved quality of life for residents.

    The Prime Minister will address the public and unveil key infrastructure projects including the widening and strengthening of the Varanasi–Bhadohi road, Chhitauni–Shool Tankeshwar road, and the inauguration of a railway overbridge at Hardattpur to decongest the Mohan Sarai–Adalpura Road. He will also lay the foundation for road development projects across Dalmandi, Lahartara-Kotwa, Gangapur, and Babatpur, along with two new railway overbridges at Level Crossing 22C and Khalispur Yard.

    To enhance the region’s electricity infrastructure, PM Modi will launch the Smart Distribution Project and underground electrification works worth over Rs 880 crore.

    In a significant boost to tourism and cultural heritage, PM Modi will inaugurate redevelopment works at eight riverfront kuccha ghats, Kalika Dham, Rangildas Kutiya pond and ghat, and Durgakund. He will also lay the foundation stone for the restoration of Kardameshwar Mahadev Temple, redevelopment of Munshi Premchand’s ancestral home in Lamahi, development of Karkhiyaon – the birthplace of several freedom fighters – and the upgradation of museums and city facility centres in Sarnath, Rishi Mandvi, and Ramnagar zones.

    In line with environmental sustainability, the Prime Minister will launch the development of an urban Miyawaki forest at Kanchanpur and the beautification of Shaheed Udyan and 21 additional parks. Water purification and maintenance works will also be initiated at various historical kunds, including Ramkund and Mandakini.

    To bolster rural water access, PM Modi will inaugurate 47 rural drinking water schemes under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

    As part of his commitment to strengthening education, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the upgradation of 53 schools within the municipal limits and lay the foundation stone for several educational infrastructure projects, including a new district library and rejuvenation of government high schools.

    In the health sector, PM Modi will inaugurate state-of-the-art facilities at Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya Cancer Centre and Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital, including robotic surgery and CT scan installations. He will also lay the foundation for a new Homoeopathic College and Hospital, and open an Animal Birth Control Centre and Dog Care Facility.

    For sports and law enforcement, a new synthetic hockey turf will be inaugurated at Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Sports Stadium, while a 300-capacity Multipurpose Hall at PAC Ramnagar and Quick Response Team (QRT) Barracks will be unveiled.

    In a major announcement for farmers, the Prime Minister will release the 20th instalment of PM-KISAN, transferring over Rs 20,500 crore to more than 9.7 crore farmers across India. This will take the cumulative disbursement under the scheme to over Rs 3.90 lakh crore.

    To engage the youth and promote local talent, PM Modi will launch the registration portal for the upcoming Kashi Sansad Pratiyogita, covering competitions in sketching, painting, photography, sports, knowledge, and employment-related activities.

    The event will also witness the distribution of over 7,400 assistive aids to Divyangjan and elderly beneficiaries, further reinforcing the government’s commitment to inclusivity and social welfare.

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: This current state of war remains a choice that President Putin is making: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    This current state of war remains a choice that President Putin is making: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Fergus Eckersley, Minister Counsellor, at the Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

    How is it that Russia can sit here and claim any sort of commitment to diplomacy, while at the same time ramping up missile and drone strikes on Kyiv?

    A six-year-old boy was amongst those killed last night by Russian missiles in Kyiv.

    The problem is that for all its words, the Russian state has geared itself for war.

    A war of aggression, a war of Russia’s own making.

    The government bolsters its legitimacy and suppresses opposition by stoking fears about external enemies.

    Russia’s economy is now highly dependent on military industrial production, with almost 40% of government spending on defence, more than 8% of GDP.

    And the President has defined himself politically as the man who can conquer so-called neo-Nazism in Ukraine, and the threat that he claims NATO poses to Russia.

    In reality, these are challenges of his own creation. 

    Ukraine is not ruled by neo-Nazis, and NATO does not pose a threat to Russia.

    NATO merely stands with Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion.

    The consequences of a militarised Russian state are not limited to the appalling tragedies felt every day by Ukraine’s brave people.

    Russia itself has suffered over a million casualties as a result of its own war.

    The wider region is also directly dealing with the effects of Russia’s aggression. 

    And ultimately, we all are. Russia’s actions are an affront to the UN Charter principles and international law. 

    The very foundations of all of our peace and security. 

    The consequences for the wider international system are also clear. 

    While members of this Council discuss how to bring peace to Sudan, Russia tries to leverage access to a naval base. 

    While we discuss peace in Mali, Russia has pushed out the UN to secure advantage for its private military contractors. 

    While we discuss sanctions to prevent nuclear proliferation on the Korean peninsula, Russia tries to undermine those sanctions to access military supplies for its war machine.

    There is another pathway. 

    President Putin could accept the truth that there is no threat to Russia, not from Neo-Nazis and not from NATO. 

    He could choose to engage in good faith in a ceasefire and in peace talks based on the UN Charter.

    Until then, this state of war remains a choice that President Putin is making.

    We need to continue to show that there is no good outcome for Russia from its aggression, that we will remain staunch in our support for the defence of Ukraine, including through the provision of weapons systems in the face of relentless Russian attacks on critical national infrastructure and civilians.

    We must be vigilant in clamping down on any military industrial support for Russia, including by preventing the export of dual-use items.

    And we need to continue to demonstrate to Russia the economic costs of the choice it is making, and not give its militarised state a lifeline that it can feed on. 

    Ultimately, we must not let up in affirming the principles of the UN Charter.

    Every Member State at the UN has a responsibility in this, to support a peace process that only Russia, only Russia is currently rejecting.

    As President Trump has made clear, there is no reason for delay.

    Russia must make progress towards a meaningful peace immediately.

    But the world has seen Russia’s response. 

    That is why, as President Zelenskyy said, peace without strength is impossible.

    So it is now that we need to meet our responsibility to stand together and to demand that Russia immediately ceases its aggression and adheres to the call for a just and a lasting peace.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Business leaders back the UK Government’s Small Business Plan

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Business leaders back the UK Government’s Small Business Plan

    Business leaders from across business representative organisations, small and large businesses have endorsed the launch of the UK Government’s new Small Business Plan.

    Business leaders from across business representative organisations, small and large businesses have endorsed the launch of the UK Government’s new Small Business Plan.

    Small businesses across the UK will benefit from the most comprehensive support package in a generation. From faster payments and easier access to finance, to cutting red tape and launching a new Business Growth Service, we’re backing businesses to thrive.

    Business Groups 

    Policy Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Tina McKenzie, said: 

    Making sure businesses are paid on time, that our high streets thrive, and creating conditions in which everyone can start and succeed in business are crucial priorities for small businesses, communities and the economy. It’s very welcome that the Prime Minister has today made them his Government’s priorities. 

    I’m pleased that FSB and the Government have been able to work in lockstep on the bold and ambitious measures needed to tackle the scourge of late payment through legislation, and other pro-growth, pro-small business measures.  

    Today’s plan is an encouraging commitment from the Government to take the side of small businesses in the great growth challenge ahead. 

    Michelle Ovens CBE, Founder, Small Business Britain, said:  

    I am thrilled to see the Small Business Plan launched today, putting the nation’s smallest businesses at the heart of Government strategy where it should be. These job creators and economy builders will benefit from a huge boost to funding through the British Business Bank, a boost to skills, support for high streets and a long hoped for legislative backing for getting paid on time. We will not see economic growth without small business growth, so I am eager to get on and help the Government deliver on this agenda – and help small businesses regardless of their background start, grow and thrive. 

    Daniel Woolf, Enterprise Nation’s Head of Policy & Government Relations, said: 

    We welcome the Government’s new Small Business Plan as a serious attempt to reset the relationship between small firms and Government. Many of the commitments like digital adoption and access to affordable finance reflect the everyday challenges our members experience, and several directly align with recommendations Enterprise Nation has set out in recent policy work.   

    We’re particularly pleased to see a comprehensive approach to late payment reform, including shorter payment terms and stronger enforcement through the Small Business Commissioner. 90-day payment terms stop small businesses from investing and growing. 

    This is a strong foundation. Enterprise Nation looks forward to working with government to help ensure these policy ambitions turn into measurable outcomes for small businesses across the UK.  

    Philip Salter, Founder of The Entrepreneurs Network, said: 

    Small businesses are where opportunity begins – new jobs, new skills and new ideas. Practical help, such as being paid on time, easy access to advice and finance, and less administrative burden, makes a real difference. 

    In a world where online banking, accounting software and e-invoicing exist, it’s completely unacceptable that so many burgeoning startups see their growth stall due to late payments. At its worst, they can send perfectly good businesses to the wall – leaving Britain’s economy less dynamic and competitive. Founders in our network will hope the measures outlined today mean it is the beginning of the end for late payments.  

    Fiona Graham, Chief Operating Officer for Family Business UK said:  

    Family Business UK welcomes today’s publication of the Small Business Plan as a positive step towards creating a fairer and more resilient environment for small family-run firms.  We are pleased to see many of the areas highlighted by our members addressed in this plan. 

    Family businesses make up over 85% of all private sector firms in the UK and are deeply rooted in their communities. But like many small businesses, they are held back by red tape and limited access to finance and support – challenges that this plan rightly seeks to address. 

    The announcement of a Business Growth Service will give small family-run businesses the tools they need to grow, scale up and expand into international markets, as well as streamlining essential advice and support into one national platform. This will give small businesses peace of mind that support is readily available and easily accessible when they are looking to invest and grow. 

    We look forward to continuing to support small businesses as the initiatives in this plan are developed and rolled out.  We are also committed to working with DBT in the development of a future strategy to ensure that mid-sized businesses are also getting the bespoke support they need. 

    Liz Barclay, IoD Special Advisor for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and former Small Business Commissioner, said: 

    We welcome this commitment to ensuring that small businesses are paid on time and that larger suppliers are prevented from imposing unfair contractual payment terms beyond 60 days. This will give small and micro firms the certainty they need to invest, increase productivity, and grow.   

    We look forward to working with the government as the legislation takes shape, ensuring that there are no unintended consequences for businesses.  

    Stephen Phipson, Chief Executive Officer, Make UK, said: 

    Manufacturers across the country will welcome the Government’s decisive action to tackle late payments. For too long, delayed invoices have drained cashflow, delayed innovation, and damaged businesses, particularly the thousands of small and medium-sized firms for whom late payments are one of the most consistent challenges to their survival and success. 

    Today’s announcement rightly recognises that supporting manufacturing SMEs is essential to unlocking wider economic growth. The introduction of the toughest late payment laws in the G7 sends a clear signal that poor payment practices will no longer be tolerated. 

    These reforms, combined with new powers for the Small Business Commissioner, will help create a culture of fairness and accountability across supply chains. Coupled with real enforcement, this Small Business Plan will give manufacturers the confidence and certainty they need to innovate, grow, and create even more high-skill, high-paying jobs in the UK. 

    Alan Vallance, ICAEW Chief Executive, said:  

    The UK’s economy is made up of small businesses, with 99 per cent of the total business population, two-fifths of all private sector employment and over half of the nation’s business turnover. Small businesses are key to growth, and it’s important that they can operate in the best environment to propel them into the business stars of the future, creating more growth, employment and prosperity for all parts of the UK. 

    Chartered accountants are central to this story. As trusted business advisers, they provide expertise and acumen to allow small businesses to thrive and scale up, and often set up small businesses of their own. About 80 per cent of chartered accountancy firms are small businesses themselves, employing four employees or fewer. 

    The publication of the Small Business Strategy is an important development to help small businesses realise their potential. With its ambition on entrepreneurship, business advice, late payments and export potential, as well as its close links to the UK Modern Industrial Strategy and Professional and Business Services Sector Plan, it is clear that chartered accountants will make a strong contribution to its success. 

    Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality, said:  

    We welcome the Government’s Small Business Plan and the steps that it has put forward to support SMEs across the UK. The wider measures announced today on late payments and access to additional finance sit alongside a raft of new licensing measures that will slash red tape and support the hospitality sector, making it easier to open and operate hospitality venues, create jobs and grow the economy. 

    I’m personally very happy to have worked with Government to move us toward a new and improved licensing system that includes modernised planning and licensing rules, hospitality zones, and protections for existing venues. These can provide a real boost to the nation’s pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels. 

    We’ve worked on some of these issues for more than two decades so we now need swift implementation, while we keep up the momentum on outstanding issues, to deliver a bold, long term plan for the high streets and hospitality. 

    Vicks Rodwell, Managing Director at IPSE, The Self-Employed Association, said: 

    Late payments can force freelancers out of business, but obscenely long payment terms for work can put just as much of a strain on the self-employed. It’s hugely encouraging that the Prime Minister is determined to tackle both these issues with the measures in today’s plan” 

    It’s not right that freelancers can fall behind on their own bills, and even into debt, whilst the money they’ve earned sits in a bank account for months on end. 

    By clamping down on late invoices and long payment terms, government can tear down one of the biggest barriers to growth for freelancers and sole traders. 

    Millie Kendall MBE, CEO of British Beauty Council, said:  

    The beauty industry – encompassing hair, beauty, nails, barbering, spa and wellness – is made up of 95% small businesses and 78% micro-businesses, contributing more than £30bn to the UK GDP. The British Beauty Council welcomes the Government’s Small Business Plan which sees policy-makers put our businesses first. For years, the beauty sector has faced unique challenges when it comes to growth, this plan is a much needed step towards ensuring our industry – which bolsters social mobility and opportunities for underrepresented communities – can sustain growth. 

    Small Businesses  

    Elizabeth Vega OBE DUniv, Group CEO, Informed Solutions: 

    This Small Business Plan is the strongest and clearest we’ve seen in over a decade. It is a compelling way forward for the UK’s economy. 

    The Strategy reflects a truly collegiate and collaborative effort between government, policy experts, and the over 1,000 SMEs that contributed. 

    Having advocated for SME policy that supports economic growth and resilience for over 15 years, it’s been a pleasure to work alongside Minister Gareth Thomas, DBT policy teams, and the Small Business Growth Forum to shape a strategy with clear aims, ambitious objectives, and a holistic integrated approach to policy development. 

    I’m excited to now turn the shared ambitions in this Strategy into action, helping realise the UK’s full economic potential through SME growth and international trade. 

    Simon Groom, CEO of MagnifyB, said:  

    MagnifyB welcomes the UK Government’s action to tackle late payments, which will give small businesses the cash flow stability they need to thrive. Alongside this, there is a clear need to provide micro and small businesses with far more than just a repository of information, including a practical digital toolset to strengthen their operations and improve their chances of long-term success. We hope that the new Small Business Commissioner can be instrumental in bringing together ideas and championing the initiatives needed to make this support a reality. 

    Julianne Ponan MBE, Founder of Creative Nature, a small business that exports top 14 Allergen Free Baking Mixes and Snacks to 16 countries, said:  

    I’m delighted to see the government’s new SME Strategy recognising the critical role small businesses play both at home and globally. 

    From tackling late payments to simplifying access to growth advice and support, these measures are a lifeline for SMEs like mine who often face disproportionate challenges with limited resources. 

    I’m especially encouraged by the commitment to reduce administrative burdens by 25% and improve access to finance both are major barriers to growth for underrepresented founders, including women and ethnic minority entrepreneurs. The focus on revitalising the high street, digital skills, and exporting support shows that the government is listening to the needs of small businesses. 

    Charlie Shaw, owner of Flock and Herd butchers, said: 

    We’re proud to pay every supplier on time and once we receive an invoice, so it’s fantastic to see the government put the Small Business Plan into place tackling the big issue of late payments. We believe this is a fair and honest way to conduct business. It gives us a clear and current understanding of how our business is performing. Our relationships with our suppliers have been amazing and truly beneficial to all parties. 

    Richard Marshall, Founder and CEO of Pall Mall Barbers, said: 

    Small businesses are the backbone of the UK economy — and they need access to affordable finance and a fairer tax system to plan and grow. That’s why I look forward to working with the Government to drive down costs on the high street, extend business rates relief, and improve access to finance so SMEs can invest, hire, and build with confidence.  

    Today’s announcement is about backing entrepreneurs with the tools they need to thrive — not just for today, but for the long term. 

    Large Businesses  

    Nick Mackenzie, CEO of Greene King and co-chair of the Licensing Taskforce commented on the licensing response published today. He said:  

    As an industry we welcome the licensing proposals and see this as a positive and necessary step towards updating a planning and licensing system that, for too long, has limited hospitality’s ability to drive economic growth across the UK. I thank the industry and the Taskforce for the serious and meaningful recommendations that we have put forward to bring these proposals to fruition.

    It’s encouraging to see how the Government has worked at pace to take forward the proposals, particularly in areas that matter the most, including the introduction of a new National Licensing Policy Framework.

    Whilst licencing reform won’t offset the significant layered cost of doing business that the industry bears, they form part of wider changes to back the sector, which will support in unlocking opportunities for pubs to further invest in growth across the country.

    Steve Hare, Chief Executive Officer at Sage, said:  

    Small businesses are the backbone of the UK economy – they drive growth, create jobs, and fuel innovation. But running a small business isn’t easy. From rising costs and late payments to time-consuming admin, the challenges are real and persistent. Today’s Strategy is a welcome step in the right direction. Giving small businesses better access to finance, helping them break into new markets, and supporting them to adopt the latest technology will go a long way in helping them grow and succeed. 

    Leigh Thomas, Vice President EMEA, Intuit, said:  

    Today’s Small Business Plan is a welcome and much needed initiative for entrepreneurs. Our data shows that with an average of £21,000 owed in unpaid invoices, more than half of our country’s small businesses are now facing cash flow pressures. These pressures can quickly escalate, forcing many small business owners to make difficult financial decisions to keep operations running. Improving payment practices will play a key role in strengthening small business stability, creating the conditions for growth. We look forward to collaborating on this to power prosperity for all. 

    James Holian, Head of Business Banking, NatWest, said:  

    We welcome the Government’s renewed focus on tackling late payments for small businesses. This is a long-standing challenge that we know can hold back growth and innovation, and NatWest is proud to have been recognised for several consecutive years by Good Business Pays for being a leading business in making fast payments to our suppliers.  

    As a leading lender to UK SMEs, we’re committed to playing our part—whether that’s through prompt payment practices, tailored financial support, or initiatives like our accelerator hubs – where this year we’re aiming to support 10,000 businesses for the first time. Small businesses are the backbone of the UK economy, and we’re proud to support them in building resilience and unlocking their full potential. 

    Tom Wood, Head of Business Banking, HSBC UK, said:  

    We welcome the additional support the Small Business Plan provides, SMEs are key to a strong and resilient economy and we must equip them with the tools to succeed at every stage of their growth journey. It is vital we all work together to deliver long-term, practical solutions, including more transparent and accessible financing to ensure long-term growth and economic stability. Recognising the challenges SMEs face, HSBC UK recently launched the Small Business Growth Programme, providing business owners with resources to help early-stage businesses grow with confidence. 

    Wider Civil Society Organisations 

    Terry Corby, Founder and CEO, Good Business Pays, said:  

    This is what we have been waiting for. The legislative changes the government are planning to tackle our late payment culture are a game-changer. It is no longer seen as good business practice to be making your suppliers wait for a long time to get paid. At Good Business Pays we have been asking for legislative action for five years and it’s great to see these changes to unfair practices being set out in laws. 

    Anthony Impey MBE, CEO of Be the Business, said:  

    A strategic approach is essential to unlock the huge potential of small and medium-sized businesses, and it’s key to driving the country’s productivity and growth. The Small Business Plan is an important step in achieving this.  

    Business Support Services 

    Nicki Clark, Chief Executive of UMi, said:  

    At UMi, we see first-hand the incredible impact small businesses have, but also the challenges they face on a day-to-day basis.  This Small Business Plan, including the launch of the Business Growth Service, is a positive step towards making it easier for small businesses to find and access the support and finance they need to survive and thrive.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Youth Leader Fund for World without Nuclear Weapons Announces New Group of Youth to Receive Training in Disarmament, Leadership, Storytelling

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    NEW YORK, 31 July 2025 (Office for Disarmament Affairs) – One hundred young participants from 61 countries around the world have been selected to join the second phase of the Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons, an interactive learning programme funded by the Government of Japan and managed by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs.  Through online courses, meetings with diplomats and other experts and the development of creative projects, the Youth Leader Fund will equip these young leaders with the knowledge, skills and networks needed to contribute to the global effort to eliminate nuclear weapons — the most dangerous weapons on Earth.

    The 100 selected leaders, aged 18 to 29, were chosen from over 8,400 applications — an overwhelming response that speaks to the increasing interest, passion and commitment of youth to peace and disarmament efforts.

    The new cohort of youth leaders was announced and celebrated during the launch event for the second phase of the Programme, held on 31 July 2025 at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations in New York City.  The hybrid-format event featured a video message from the Government of Japan, followed by in-person remarks by Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs.  The newly selected youth participants, members of the first phase of Youth Leader Funder, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs staff, as well as delegates from other Member States also attended the event online and in-person.  Ambassador Kazuyuki Yamazaki, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, delivered a closing remark.

    “In challenging times, the creative and transformative power of youth offers renewed hope for change.  Through the YLF programme, we reaffirm our commitment to young people as architects of the future, building peace upon the foundations laid by the past:  the legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki reminds us of the urgent need to keep nuclear disarmament at the heart of the United Nations’ efforts, as it has been since its inception,” stated Ms. Nakamitsu.

    “I would like to congratulate all of you who were selected from among the many applicants to participate in this second cohort.  As the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) are ageing, the role of the younger generations, such as yourselves, is becoming even more significant in passing on the realities of the atomic bombings and in conveying them broadly throughout the world,” stated Iwaya Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, in a video message.

    The event featured an intergenerational dialogue between Youth Leader Fund participants and a hibakusha from Nagasaki, highlighting the crucial role of youth in carrying forward the legacy of survivors.  This was followed by a panel discussion, focusing on youth, education and disarmament in the context of the eightieth anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the adoption of the UN Charter.

    Through the Youth Leader Fund programme, participants will gain a fundamental understanding of key issues related to disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control.  Following successful completion of the e-learning component, 50 participants will be selected for a fully funded study tour to Japan, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where they will engage with hibakusha and international and local youth in Japan, with whom they will organize a conference to foster meaningful discussions and exchange of ideas.

    In this second phase of the Youth Leader Fund, young people will explore subjects such as the human cost of nuclear weapons, the role of the United Nations in multilateral disarmament efforts and the impact of nuclear armament on gender and on the environment.  Participants will also engage in skills workshops on leadership and negotiation and a new creative component focusing on journalism and storytelling to communicate about nuclear disarmament in impactful, effective and human-centred ways.

    Under the Youth4Disarmament umbrella, the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs aims to promote youth engagement, education and capacity-building to advance in disarmament and non-proliferation goals.  This includes connecting geographically diverse young people with experts to learn and exchange ideas about current international security challenges, the work of the United Nations and ways to actively participate, building the path towards a secure common future.

    To learn more about the Youth Leader Fund, please visit: disarmamenteducation.org/ylf.

    Contact:  youthleaderfund@un.org.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MEDIA ADVISORY: Senate Study Committee on Combating Chronic Absenteeism in Schools to Hold First Meeting

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (July 31, 2025) — On Thursday, August 7, 2025, at 1:00 p.m., the Senate Study Committee on Combating Chronic Absenteeism in Schools, chaired by Sen. John F. Kennedy (R–Macon), will hold its first hearing.

    EVENT DETAILS:                      

    • Date: Thursday, August 7, 2025
    • Time: 1:00 p.m.
    • Location: Mercer University, President’s Dining Room – 1501 Mercer University Drive, Macon, GA, 31207
    • This event is open to the public and will be live-streamed on the Georgia General Assembly website here.

    ABOUT THE MEETING:         

    The Senate Study Committee on Combating Chronic Absenteeism in Schools, created through Senate Resolution 217, will examine the root causes and long-term impacts of chronic absenteeism among Georgia students. This bipartisan committee will work with educators, parents, policymakers, and community leaders to explore effective, research-backed strategies, such as early intervention and targeted support programs, that can help reduce absenteeism and improve student success.

    MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES:

    We kindly request that members of the media confirm their attendance in advance by contacting Zach Pishock at SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.  

    # # # #

    Sen. John F. Kennedy represents the 18th Senate District, which includes Upson, Monroe, Peach, Crawford, as well as portions of Bibb and Houston County. He may be reached at 404.656.6578 or by email at john.kennedy@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Announces Nearly $11 Million for Great Trails State Program Projects in the Piedmont

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Announces Nearly $11 Million for Great Trails State Program Projects in the Piedmont

    Governor Stein Announces Nearly $11 Million for Great Trails State Program Projects in the Piedmont
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    Today, Governor Josh Stein announced that the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources has awarded nearly $11 million to trail development and restoration projects in the Piedmont. The General Assembly authorized these funds as part of the Great Trails State Program. 

    “The Piedmont is known for its cities and world-class universities, but from Pilot Mountain to the Haw River, it’s also home to some of our state’s most amazing wildlife and natural wonders,” said Governor Stein. “This funding will spur local tourism and encourage more people to explore North Carolina’s incredible beauty.”

    “Trails bring outstanding benefits to both urban and rural communities, boosting tourism and economic development,” said Pamela B. Cashwell, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. “This generous funding, made possible by the N.C. General Assembly, will help transform the state trails system in the Great Trails State.”

    The General Assembly established the Great Trails State Program in 2023, representing a historic investment of $25 million in North Carolina trails. The program offers matching grants to North Carolina local governments, public authorities, NC Regional Councils of Government, and nonprofit organizations. 

    These awards include projects at more than 70 local trails throughout the state, helping to solidify North Carolina as the Great Trails State. In the Piedmont, 37 local trail projects will benefit from $10,923,111 in Great Trails State Program funding, including improvements to the Haw River State Trail and maintenance on the American Tobacco Trail. Governor Stein previously announced more than $13 million in funding to create and restore trails in western and eastern North Carolina.

    “The 125 member organizations of the Great Trails State Coalition thank the North Carolina General Assembly for creating and funding the Great Trails State Program,” said Palmer McIntyre, director of the N.C. Great Trails State Coalition. “This visionary investment in all types of trails across the state will deliver transformative economic, health, and quality-of-life benefits for communities of all sizes. The Coalition will continue to work alongside N.C. State Parks to support this program.” 

    Local communities applied for grants to fund new trail development or to extend existing trails. This includes paved trails or greenways, natural surface trails, biking trails, equestrian trails, and any other type of trail the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources recognizes. Projects could include planning and feasibility studies, design and engineering, acquisition of land for trail development, trail construction, and maintenance of existing trails. Applicants were required to provide matching funds, based on their county tier designation. The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation received 89 applications requesting $28 million, and 79 projects were selected. More than $44.5 million was provided in matching funds for a total trails investment exceeding $69.3 million.

    Piedmont North Carolina grant recipients and amounts: 

    • Alamance County: Alamance County, $150,000 for HRST – Riverwide Enhancements
    • Alamance County: Alamance County, $190,000 for Shallow Ford Expansion and Enhancements
    • Cabarrus County: City of Concord, $500,000 for Concord McEachern Greenway Extension
    • Cabarrus County: City of Kannapolis, $145,000 for Irish Buffalo Creek Greenway Phase 2
    • Chatham County: Chatham County, $251,294 for Haw River State Trail Pegg Tract Improvements
    • Chatham County: Chatham County, $75,000 for Deep River State Trail Feasibility Study for Chatham County
    • Davidson County: City of Thomasville, $100,000 for Memorial Park Drive Greenway Expansion Design & Engineering
    • Durham County: City of Durham, $500,000 for American Tobacco Trail Maintenance
    • Durham County: Durham County, $500,000 for Durham-to-Roxboro Rail Trail Corridor Acquisition
    • Durham and Wake County: Triangle Land Conservancy, $137,092 for Old Creedmoor Trail System
    • Forsyth County: Piedmont Triad Regional Council, $500,000 for Piedmont Greenway: Triad Park/Reedy Fork Segment – Phases 1 and 2
    • Franklin County: Town of Franklinton, $500,000 for Franklinton Nature Preserve
    • Franklin County: Town of Louisburg, $100,000 for Joyner Park Trail Project
    • Granville County: Town of Butner, $500,000 for East Lyon Station Greenway Extension
    • Guilford County: Town of Summerfield, $500,000 for Bandera Farms Park Trails: Piedmont Greenway + Equestrian Trails
    • Harnett County: Harnett County, $230,538 for South River Road Greenway – Phase 1
    • Hoke County: City of Raeford, $175,480 for City Pond Trails and Park Design and Engineering
    • Johnston County: Town of Selma, $500,000 for Selma MST Nature Preserve Trail Phase I
    • Johnston County: Johnston County, $225,000 for Neuse River Trail – Talton Property
    • Orange County: Town of Chapel Hill, $399,000 for Construction of Tanyard Branch Trail Neighborhood Connector
    • Orange County: Orange County, $101,178 for Seven Mile Creek Natural Area Mountains-to-Sea Trail Expansion
    • Randolph County: City of Asheboro, $134,000 for North Asheboro Greenway Design and Engineering
    • Randolph County: Randolph County, $175,000 for DRST Harlan Creek Bridge Design/Engineering
    • Randolph County: Randolph County, $172,000 for Randleman Dam to Randleman Blueway/Paddleway
    • Randolph County: City of Archdale, $143,250 for Hope Valley Road Trail Extension
    • Rockingham County: Town of Mayodan, $251,185 for Farris Memorial Park Trail
    • Rockingham County: Rockingham County Tourism Development Authority, $298,872 for Hogan’s Creek Trail
    • Rowan County: Town of Spencer, $460,000 for Stanback Educational Forest – Rocky Branch Loop Trail
    • Union County: Village of Marvin, $491,925 for Marvin Loop Greenway Completion Project
    • Union County: Town of Waxhaw, $250,000 for Twelve Mile Creek Greenway – Prescot Connector
    • Wake County: Town of Holly Springs, $300,000 for Middle Creek to Camp Branch Greenway
    • Wake County: City of Raleigh, $350,000 for Forest Ridge Park Mountain Bike Trail Extension Project
    • Wake County: City of Raleigh, $400,000 for Marsh Creek Trail Corridor Planning & Feasibility Study
    • Wake County: Town of Apex, $200,000 for Design and Engineering for Reedy Branch Greenway
    • Wake County: Town of Wendell, $500,000 for Buffalo Creek Greenway Phase I
    • Wake County: Town of Morrisville, $417,297 for Sawmill Creek Greenway
    • Warren County: Warren County, $100,000 for Buck Spring Trail Accessibility Improvements 
    Jul 31, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: “We support the efforts currently being led by the United States in the region to get an immediate ceasefire”

    Source: France-Diplomatie – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development

    Published on July 31, 2025

    Excerpts from the interview given by M. Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, to France 24 (New York, July 29, 2025)

    You consider the two-state solution to be the only way of achieving peace. So you’re confirming Emmanuel Macron’s desire to recognize a Palestinian State. Why do so only now? What’s changed?

    THE MINISTER – Because the two-state solution, which is the only one likely to bring peace and stability to the region, is in mortal danger, and the conditions had to be created for it to become credible again. That’s why around nine months ago we decided, with Saudi Arabia, to undertake an initiative to create momentum leading those involved – the Palestinian Authority and the region’s Arab countries, but also the whole international community – to make commitments. These commitments are crystallizing in New York today with a statement by the participating countries, which is historic and unprecedented in that the Arab countries – the countries of the region, of the Middle East – are, for the first time, condemning Hamas, condemning 7 October [attacks], calling for the disarmament of Hamas, calling for it to be excluded from participating in any way in Palestine’s governance and clearly voicing their intention to have normalized relations with Israel in the future and be part of a regional organization on the lines of ASEAN in Asia or the OSCE in Europe, alongside Israel and the future State of Palestine. This is a decisive step being taken, made possible by President Macron’s decision, among other things.

    And a moment ago, the United Kingdom announced that it’s going to recognize Palestine as well, if Israel doesn’t make certain commitments. Do you welcome this decision by Prime Minister Keir Starmer? Has momentum been created?

    THE MINISTER – I welcome it. Indeed, the United Kingdom has become part of the movement created by France to recognize the State of Palestine. With these crucial decisions announced by France and the UK, with the combined efforts of the whole international community gathered here in New York, we want to counter the cycle of violence and war and reopen the prospect of peace in the Middle East.

    The United States isn’t participating in the conference taking place in New York at the moment. Regarding your initiative to advocate for a two-state solution, it’s denouncing an unproductive, ill-timed initiative resembling a publicity stunt. Donald Trump also reckoned that the statement by President Macron a little earlier, last Thursday, doesn’t carry any weight. What’s your reply to him?

    THE MINISTER – Firstly, we support the efforts currently being led by the United States in the region to get an immediate ceasefire, the release of all Hamas’ hostages and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance. But to secure a ceasefire, we still have to sketch out what happens after the war and the political horizon that goes with it. That’s the goal of this UN conference that France is chairing with Saudi Arabia. And in the document we’ve just adopted, with the countries that were part of it, we’re mapping out a credible prospect that’s going to make a positive contribution to a ceasefire being reached in Gaza. Moreover, these efforts we’ve led, these concessions the various parties have made will, at some point, enable the United States to resume the Abraham Accords process that it began during President Trump’s first term. We hope this time will come. But in the meantime, it was obviously unthinkable to stand by and do nothing. (…)

    You said in New York that the two-state solution is the only possibility, that there’s no alternative. Given the situation on the ground for the moment, the two-state solution, as you’ve said yourself, is virtually dead. Isn’t there an alternative, though: for this Israeli Government gradually to bring the idea of any Palestinian State to a definitive end, annex the West Bank – in short, make “Greater Israel” a reality?

    THE MINISTER – You’re right, the alternative to the two-state solution is a state of permanent war. And what we’re seeing today is the two-state solution being threatened, on the one hand, by supporters of “Greater Israel”, who want to deny Palestinians the right to self-determination, and attacked, on the other, by supporters of Hamas or others, who believe Palestine extends from the River Jordan to the sea. Through the historic decision President Macron took, which the British Prime Minister has just taken and others will take, through the commitments being made in New York by the Arab countries today, we’re agreeing with everyone else, the side of peace against the side of war. We’re reopening the possibility of a peace that will involve the two States living side by side in peace and security, with security for Israel and the right of the Palestinians to have their own State.

    Yesterday, for the first time, two Israeli NGOs used the term genocide to refer to what’s happening in Gaza. Several countries have described what’s happening in the Palestinian enclave in that way. That’s the case with Spain and South Africa in particular. What’s France’s position today?

    THE MINISTER – The French Government has no position to take on the legal description of the facts. That’s up to the international courts. What I can say is that the situation in Gaza is disastrous. Gaza is now a death trap where, as I said yesterday from the United Nations General Assembly rostrum, bodies bear the scars of famine and minds are ravaged by terror. It’s unacceptable that in humanitarian distribution queues, women and children are targeted and shot down in cold blood. It’s outrageous and it must stop. That’s why the meeting which was held in Brussels today – or will be held in a few minutes’ time – is so important. It will lead the European Union to speak out so that the Israeli Government finally hears our expectations: access for humanitarian aid and an end to the militarized aid-distribution system, payment by the Israeli Government of the €2 billion due to the Palestinian Authority, an end to, and the abandonment of, the pernicious settlement plans in the West Bank, and in particular the E1 plan for 3,400 housing units, which would cut the West Bank in two and strike a fatal blow to the prospect of two States and to the emergence of a State of Palestine./.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ithaca Man Arrested for Enticement of a Minor and Distribution of Child Pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    David Pastorello was Pending Sentencing on State Charges for Disseminating Indecent Material to a Minor

    SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – David Pastorello, age 44, of Ithaca, New York, was arrested Tuesday evening and had his initial appearance on Wednesday on charges of enticement of a minor and distribution of child pornography. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

    The complaint alleges that Pastorello sent text messages to a girl under the age of 12, repeatedly requesting that the child have sex with him. Pastorello also sent the victim indecent images of himself, in addition to two images constituting child pornography under federal law. Later, Pastorello entered the victim’s apartment without permission before fleeing. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    Prior to this offense, in May 2025, Pastorello was arraigned in Tompkins County Court for the New York State offense of possessing a sexual performance by a child less than 16 years old. In July 2025, just a few days prior to the incident that gave rise to the federal charges, Pastorello pled guilty in Cortland County Court to the New York State offense of disseminating indecent material to a minor. The Cortland County case was reset for sentencing. Pastorello was out on bond in both pending state cases.

    Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Thanks to the quick work of federal, state, and local law enforcement, children have been protected and a dangerous predator has been apprehended. Despite having committed other crimes relating to child sexual abuse, Pastorello was allowed by state authorities to be out of custody. His new crimes demonstrate how dangerously unwise that decision was. Pastorello will be held fully accountable for the federal offenses he has committed.”

    FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig L. Tremaroli stated: “Mr. Pastorello, a repeat offender with an alarming criminal history, is a dangerous predator who is now facing serious federal charges. These charges would not have been possible without the incredible assistance and coordination provided by our partners from the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office, Ithaca Police Department, and New York State Police. Our communities should know the FBI is committed to leveraging these strong partnerships to bring the full weight of the federal government down on these disturbing predators looking to harm our children.”

    Following the initial appearance, Pastorello was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending further proceedings.

    If convicted of enticement of a minor, Pastorello faces a maximum term of life in prison and a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and for distribution of child pornography, a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute(s) the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. Pastorello would also be required to register as a sex offender if convicted.

    The FBI and New York State Police are conducting this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

    Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –