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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Votes ‘No’ On Advancing President Trump’s Pick To Be Attorney General, Pam Bondi

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    January 29, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today voted against advancing President Trump’s pick to be Attorney General of the United States, Pam Bondi, in the Senate Judiciary Committee executive business meeting this morning. The Committee voted to advance her nomination on a party-line vote of 12-10.
    Key Quotes:
    “If you want to know the role of the Department of Justice under President Trump, just listen to his words. He said ‘I have the absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department.’ He not only uses the Justice Department to advance his political interests but he has also promised to seek ‘retribution’ against ‘the enemy within.’ The President has repeatedly threatened to weaponize the justice system against those he feels have wronged him and that’s a long list. It includes career prosecutors, military officials, and his own former political appointees. Unfortunately, we are seeing these threats emerge in real time.”
    “Given the massive upheaval that President Trump has caused at the Justice Department in just the first few days in office, the next Attorney General will have their work cut out for them. As I said during Ms. Bondi’s hearing, it is absolutely critical that any nominee for this position be committed first and foremost to the Constitution and the American people—not the President and his political agenda. Unfortunately, I am unconvinced that Ms. Bondi shares my belief. She is one of four personal lawyers of President Trump that he has already selected for top positions at the Department of Justice. And she has echoed President Trump’s calls for exacting revenge on his political opponents.”
    “Ms. Bondi undermined our democracy by joining in President Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. It appears she does not regret this decision, as she refused before this Committee repeatedly during her hearing to acknowledge that President Trump actually lost the vote in 2020. During her hearing, I asked if she was familiar with the January 2021 phone call in which President Trump called on the Republican Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger [to] ‘find 11,780 votes.’ Ms. Bondi denied having ever listened to that phone call. However, in August 2023, she appeared on a news program and defended President Trump’s conduct with Raffensperger. She stated that his actions were ‘not a crime’ and were instead ‘free speech.’ She condemned the criminal charges that had been filed against President Trump due to his conduct on this call where he asked the Georgia Secretary of State to ‘find 11,780 votes.’ I asked Ms. Bondi to explain why she spoke so authoritatively on the legal strength of a case when she was, according to her own claim before this Committee, unfamiliar with the evidence. Her explanation was that she was on television, not in a court of law.”
    “It is deeply concerning that someone seeking the role of Attorney General believes it is appropriate to comment publicly on a criminal case without conducting even a minimal assessment of the evidence against the defendant. The role of Attorney General is a serious one. It requires someone who is committed to the facts and the law—not someone who is willing to say whatever is most politically expedient.”
    “During Ms. Bondi’s hearing, I was shocked to hear her speak of a ‘peaceful transition of power’ in 2021. In written questions, Ms. Bondi attempted to walk that statement back, instead referring to ‘a smooth transition of power.’ I was at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. The events of that day were neither peaceful nor smooth. You don’t have to take my word for it. The 140 law enforcement officers who were assaulted by President Trump’s supporters on January 6 can attest to what actually happened. Ms. Bondi also refused to comment on possible pardons for January 6 rioters who violently assaulted police officers. One of my Republican colleagues—a friend on this panel—dismissed my question on the subject and said it was ‘an absurd and unfair hypothetical,’ to even ask if President Trump was going to grant pardons to those who assaulted police officers. Now we know what happened.”
    “I went into Ms. Bondi’s hearing with an open mind for obvious reasons… There remains one basic question that I wanted answered—whether she would be willing to tell President Trump and wealthy special interests ‘No’ if faced with pressure to use her position as Attorney General to benefit those parties. In light of the Trump Administration’s actions over the course of the past week, that question is even more critical. And I did not receive a satisfactory answer from Ms. Bondi. Since Watergate, there has been bipartisan support for the idea that the Justice Department must be independent from the White House. President Trump’s conduct during his first term underscored the need for this independence. I do not believe that Ms. Bondi will provide it.”
    “I hope she proves me wrong, but I cannot support her nomination.”
      
    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
    Ms. Bondi was previously a registered lobbyist with the Washington, D.C.-based firm Ballard Partners. In that role, she has represented wealthy special interests and foreign governments, presenting serious potential conflicts of interest if she is confirmed as Attorney General. In response to Question 22 of the Senate Judiciary Questionnaire regarding conflicts of interest, she only listed two potential conflicts of interest: her work for the America First Policy Institute and her brother’s legal practice.
    To view Durbin’s questions to Ms. Bondi in her confirmation hearing click here.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott, Cassidy, Lead Colleagues in Reintroducing Bill to Expand School Choice, Educational Opportunity

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Tim Scott (R-S.C.), co-chair of the Congressional School Choice Caucus and member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), chair of the Senate HELP Committee, led 16 Republican colleagues in introducing the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA), bicameral legislation to expand education freedom and opportunity for students. Specifically, it provides a charitable donation incentive for individuals and businesses to fund scholarship awards for students to cover expenses related to K-12 public and private education.
    “When you give parents a choice, you give kids a better chance at achieving their dreams,” said Senator Scott. “By empowering families with more education resources and freedom, this bill will unlock opportunities that have been out of reach for students across America who deserve every chance to succeed and a schooling system that fosters their potential.”
    “Parents want to see their child succeed. Giving them the ability to make decisions over their child’s education puts that child’s needs first,” said Dr. Cassidy. “More freedom empowers parents and allows American children to thrive in school.”
    The Educational Choice for Children Act:
    Provides $10 billion in annual tax credits to be made available to taxpayers. Allotment of these credits to individuals would be administered by the Treasury Department.
    Sets a base amount for each state and then distributes the credits on a first-come, first-serve basis.
    Uses a limited government approach with respect to federalism, thus avoiding mandates on states, localities, and school districts.
    Includes provisions that govern Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs), as SGOs are given the ability to determine the individual amount of scholarship awards.
    An estimated two million students in any elementary or secondary education setting, including homeschool, are eligible to receive a scholarship. Eligible use of scholarships awards includes tuition, fees, book supplies, and equipment for the enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary school.
    Senators Scott and Cassidy were joined by U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Thune (R-S.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) in introducing the bill. 
    The Educational Choice for Children Act has received the endorsement from former U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos; former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Dr. Mick Zais; former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr; Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley; LA Kids Matter; Louisiana Family Forum; Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors; ACE Scholarships Louisiana Founder Eddie Rispone; ACE Scholarships; Invest in Education Coalition; ACSI Children’s Education Fund; America First Policy Institute; American Association of Christian Schools; American Federation for Children (AFC); American Principles Project; Americans for Tax Reform; Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI); Black Mothers Forum; U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB); Catholic Education Partners; CatholicVote; Center for Education Reform; Children’s Scholarship Fund; Club for Growth; Coalition for Jewish Values; Agudath Israel of America; Orthodox Union Advocacy; Republican Jewish Coalition; Concerned Women for America; Council for American Private Education (CAPE); Defense of Freedom Institute (DFI); Family Policy Alliance; Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd); Freedom Foundation; Heartland Institute; Heritage Action for America; Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA); Independent Women’s Forum; Mountain States Policy Center; Parental Rights Foundation; Parents Defending Education Action; Partners in Mission; Project 21; Protect the First; 60Plus Association; Former Virginia & Florida Secretary of Education Gerard Robinson; and several other conservative leaders.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendant Extradited To Face Charges Related To International Bank Fraud And Money Laundering Ring That Caused Over $60 Million In Losses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Members of the Charged Conspiracy Opened Bank Accounts for Over 1,000 Fake Businesses to Receive and Launder the Proceeds of Fraudulent Schemes, Causing Actual Losses of Over $60 Million and Intended Losses of Over $150 Million

    Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Patrick J. Freaney, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the United States Secret Service (“USSS”), announced today that ERICK JASON VICTORIA-BRTIO was extradited from the Dominican Republic and will appear in a federal courtroom in Manhattan later today.  VICTORIA-BRITO is charged in a two-count Indictment with conspiring to commit bank fraud and money laundering from December 2017 through November 2022.  In connection with the scheme, VICTORIA-BRITO and other members of the charged conspiracy registered over 1,000 fake businesses, used those fake businesses to open bank accounts to receive money stolen through business e-mail compromise schemes, and then laundered that money.  Members of the conspiracy caused over $60 million in actual losses and attempted to steal over $150 million.

    U.S. Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon said: “As we allege, Erick Jason Victoria-Brito and his co-conspirators ran an international bank fraud and money laundering scheme designed to help carry out business email compromise scams. These scams cause significant harm to businesses, nonprofits, and even local governments.  As the successful extradition of Erick Jason Victoria-Brito shows, this Office and our partners will not rest until every individual responsible is held accountable.” 

    USSS Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Freaney said: “This alleged scheme rained down financial ruin upon unwitting businesses and individuals. While the suspects operated with impunity across the nation and beyond, the U.S. Secret Service and its partners remained steadfast in building a strong case — no matter where the evidence took them. I commend the investigators and prosecutors for their commitment to  disrupting this type of insidious fraud on behalf of all those victimized by it.”

    As alleged in the Indictment, Superseding Indictments, and court filings:[1]

    From at least December 2017 through at least November 2022, a group of individuals perpetrated a massive, international bank-fraud and money-laundering scheme (the “Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme”) designed to obtain and launder the proceeds of business e-mail compromise schemes.  In a business email compromise scheme, a scheme member fraudulently induces a company or individual to send money to a bank account controlled by that scheme member or the scheme member’s compatriots. 

    The Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme operated across borders and preyed on businesses large and small. Between 2020 and 2021 alone, participants in the scheme stole tens of millions of dollars, targeting victims that included a major American sports organization, a publicly traded healthcare company, and a prominent international nonprofit organization, along with multiple city governments, law firms, construction companies, and investment funds. Participants in the Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme registered over 1,000 fake businesses, then used those businesses to open bank accounts. Those bank accounts then received the proceeds of business email compromise schemes. Once the stolen funds reached those fraudulent bank accounts, participants in the Fraud and Money Laundering Scheme worked quickly to take advantage of the international banking system by either withdrawing the money or helping to launder it by wiring it to overseas banks, thereby preventing victims from recouping their losses. The co-conspirators accomplished that primarily by wiring stolen money to banks in China, outside the reach of American banks. During the course of the charged conduct, members of the conspiracy participated in inflicting over $60 million in actual losses and attempted to inflict losses of over $150 million.

    *                *                *

    VICTORIA-BRITO, 30, of Hollywood, Florida, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

    The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

    Ms. Sassoon praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, USSS, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.  Ms. Sassoon further thanked the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations for their assistance.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas S. Burnett and Amanda C. Weingarten are in charge of the prosecution.

    The charges contained in the Indictment and Superseding Indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
     

    [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and Superseding Indictment, and the description of the Indictment and Superseding Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden Blast President Trump’s Illegal Federal Funding Cuts That Harm American Families

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    January 29, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today issued the following statements in response to a federal judge blocking the Trump Administration’s executive order immediately stopping all federal loans and grants:
    “The attack on these programs that allow families to get on their feet and thrive is the great betrayal coming from President Trump, who campaigned on helping working families, said Merkley, Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee and a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “In addition, Trump’s order cutting federal funds will have a huge impact on critical infrastructure projects in Oregon—like the Hood River-White Salmon and I-5 bridge replacement projects and the Port of Coos Bay’s transformative container port project—as well as funding to mitigate and fight wildfires, fulfill our commitments to Tribal communities, ensure clean air and water, and protect our public lands and wildlife. During the chaos caused by Trump’s constitutional crisis, Oregonians called my office after being shut out of their federal reimbursement systems and cut off from funding for their work to provide affordable housing, Head Start programs, and health care at federally qualified health centers. I’ll keep fighting to block these illegal cuts.”
    “Chaos is not leadership. Ransacking resources from Oregonians counting on federal support for local law enforcement, schools, small businesses, firefighters, veterans, and more hurts each and every community I am honored to represent,” said Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee. “Donald Trump ran on lowering prices for families, and instead he’s intentionally driving the economy into the ground, forcing all Americans who aren’t Elon Musk to accept a lower standard of living to help he and his buddies get richer and richer. Legal or not, he doesn’t care. This illegal unconstitutional act is now in a court of law, but it’s already playing out in the court of opinion with Oregonians voicing their outrage. The American people must keep the pressure on until every community counting on this funding is assured they will receive it just as Congress intended.”
    According to the Oregon State Legislature, about 30% of Oregon’s budget is supported by federal aid, which is critical for supporting local communities. If allowed to go into effect, the directives in President Trump’s executive order could block funding in Oregon for:
    PUBLIC SAFETY: Grants for law enforcement departments would cease to go out the door, undermining public safety in Oregon.
    FIREFIGHTING: Grants to support firefighters would be halted—this includes grants that help states and localities purchase essential firefighting equipment.
    HEALTH SERVICES: Over $106 million in federal funding for community health centers that provide health care for people across Oregon would be at risk, creating chaos for patients trying to get their prescriptions, a regular checkup, and more.
    TRIBES: Funding to Tribes for basic government services like health care, public safety, programs, Tribal schools, and food assistance would be halted.
    HEAD START: Funding for Head Start programs that provide comprehensive early childhood education for almost 10,000 children in Oregon would be at risk. Teachers and staff would not get paid, and programs may not be able to stay open.
    COMBATTING FENTANYL CRISIS: Funding for communities to address the substance use disorder crisis and combat the fentanyl crisis would be cut off.
    CHILD CARE: Child care programs in Oregon and across the country would be at risk to accessing the funding they rely on to keep their doors open.
    K-12 SCHOOLS: Federal funding for our K-12 schools would be halted, preventing school districts in Oregon from accessing key formula grant funding including Title I and nearly $160 million in IDEA Grants (which help children with disabilities). This would pose tremendous financial burdens on schools in the middle of the school year.
    INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS: Federally-funded transportation projects in Oregon and across the country—roads, bridges, public transit, and more—would be halted, including projects already under construction.
    EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS: Critical preparedness and response capability funding used to prepare for disasters, public health emergencies, and chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear events would be frozen.
    DISASTER RELIEF: Public assistance and hazard mitigation grants from the Disaster Relief Fund to state, Tribal, territorial, and local governments and non-profits to help communities quickly respond to, recover from, and prepare for major disasters would be halted—right as so many communities are struggling after severe natural disasters.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Philly Whole Foods store becomes first to unionize – a labor expert explains what’s next and how Trump could stall workers’ efforts

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Paul F. Clark, Professor of Labor and Employment Relations, Penn State

    Workers at a Whole Foods store in Philadelphia voted 130-100 to unionize. Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

    Whole Foods workers at the Philadelphia flagship store in the city’s Art Museum area voted to unionize on Jan. 27, 2025. They are the first store in the Amazon-owned grocery chain to do so.

    Paul Clark, a professor of labor and employment relations at Penn State University, talked to Kate Kilpatrick, The Conversation U.S. Philadelphia editor, about why this is happening – and why in Philly.

    The Whole Foods workers in Philadelphia voted 130-100 in favor of unionizing. What do we know about their grievances?

    From what I understand, these workers have felt that compensation, benefits and work conditions were not what they should be. Some are long-standing employees and say they struggle to afford their basic necessities.

    Why did the union drive effort succeed now, and in Philly?

    In the last five years, there has been a surge in union organizing. There are a number of reasons for this. First is the labor market. Low unemployment emboldens workers to take the risk of organizing a union. If workers feel their employer can’t replace them or that they can easily get a similar job, they are less fearful of angering the employer by trying to organize.

    The second reason is that the Biden administration was a labor-friendly administration – perhaps the most in history. The U.S. president appoints a majority of members to the National Labor Relations Board, which interprets and enforces the labor law that governs organizing. Under Biden, the NLRB regularly issued decisions that provided greater protection to workers and held employers accountable when they violated workers’ rights. During Republican administrations, the board’s decisions are generally pro-business and provide less protection to workers. So workers had the wind at their back in that regard.

    Also recent polling shows that 70% of Americans approve of unions, compared with less than half of Americans just 15 years ago. The generally favorable view of unions creates a more supportive environment for organizing.

    And the last factor is that Generation Z, the youngest group of workers, clearly wants more out of their work and employment than previous generations. So we see a lot of young workers across the country organizing at Starbucks, Trader Joe’s, Apple and now at Whole Foods and other stores.

    Why Philadelphia? Philadelphia is a relatively strong union town. The percentage of the workforce that is represented by a union is higher in Philadelphia than in most cities and areas of the country. So when workers express interest in organizing in Philadelphia they get a lot of support. Other unions might turn out members for their rallies, pressure the company to not oppose the organizing drive and offer other aid and assistance.

    The starting wage at the Philadelphia Whole Foods store is US$16 an hour. Is that considered low when the city’s minimum wage is just $7.25 an hour?

    The minimum wage in Philadelphia is $7.25 because that is the federal minimum wage. States can institute a higher minimum wage if they choose to, but Pennsylvania is one of the few Northeast states that hasn’t adopted a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum. The minimum wages in New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts, for example, are $15 or above.

    But the minimum wage in Pennsylvania is almost irrelevant because of today’s labor market. Unemployment is low, and many employers have to offer significantly more than the minimum wage to get workers.

    And the minimum wage is supposed to be a starting wage for workers with little experience or seniority. What workers want is a living wage. According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, a single person in Philadelphia needs to earn around $24 per hour to cover the basic costs of living. And Whole Foods is a profitable business. It’s part of Amazon, one of the most profitable, largest companies in the world. I think workers at these companies believe that they play an important role in generating those profits because of the work they do. And they think they should get a fair share of those profits.

    How might the Whole Foods workers expect the company to fight back?

    When employees win an organizing election as the Whole Food workers have, they have won a battle but not the war. The purpose of forming a union is to improve wages and benefits and working conditions, and you do that by negotiating a contract with the company. That is the next step in the process. But the law only requires employers to bargain with employees – to meet at reasonable times and exchange proposals. It doesn’t compel them to agree to anything.

    The typical strategy of companies that aggressively oppose their workers having a union is to drag their feet in bargaining and not sign a contract. That is technically illegal, but labor law in the U.S. is relatively weak, and with good legal advice you can drag out bargaining for a very long time.

    We’ve seen this with the Starbucks campaign. The first Starbucks store unionized in 2021. Over 540 stores have organized since then. And Starbucks workers at those stores still do not have a contract.

    Could the new Trump administration have any impact on how this plays out in Philly?

    The fact that the Trump administration has taken over gives companies more confidence that the standard delay strategy will work.

    On Jan. 28, 2025, President Donald Trump fired Jennifer Abruzzo, the general counsel of the NLRB. The general counsel is the official at the board who basically enforces the National Labor Relations Act. Abruzzo was very aggressive in holding employers accountable if they violated the act and in protecting the rights of workers who tried to organize.

    Trump’s approach to labor law in his first four years in office was at the other extreme. He appointed as general counsel Peter Robb, who was seen as far less aggressive in protecting workers’ rights and his interpretations of the law were much more pro-business.

    Under the Biden administration, if a company was coming to the bargaining table month after month and not agreeing to anything, the NLRB would eventually step in and cite the employer for not bargaining in good faith. The NLRB could find the employer guilty of unfair labor practices and genuinely put pressure on it to bargain a contract.

    Based on the board’s actions during the first Trump administration, the board in the next few years will be more likely to allow companies to delay and delay in reaching a contract.

    What leverage do the Whole Foods employees have?

    They can go on strike. But Amazon has the resources to put up with a strike at one Whole Foods store forever.

    Other Whole Foods stores may be considering union drives. The more stores that organize, the more momentum the Philadelphia store will have. But for now, these workers in Philly are going to have their work cut out for them.

    That said, they won’t be alone. The Whole Foods workers organized with the UFCW Local 1776, which is basically a statewide union that’s been around for decades. It has a lot of resources and experienced and knowledgeable leaders, plus the resources of the national UFCW. So it’s going to lean into this fight, and these workers will also have a lot of support from the rest of the labor community in Philadelphia.

    Earlier this month, three Congressional representatives from Pennsylvania wrote a letter to Jason Buechel, the Whole Foods CEO, and to Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder, that expressed their concerns about efforts to suppress the union drive. Is that support typical?

    It’s not unusual. But there is no legal basis for elected officials to intervene in a labor-management dispute. I’d put that under the heading of community support.

    You have a lot of progressive elected officials in Philadelphia who are supportive of unions, and that’s true in Pennsylvania right up to the governor.

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

    – ref. Philly Whole Foods store becomes first to unionize – a labor expert explains what’s next and how Trump could stall workers’ efforts – https://theconversation.com/philly-whole-foods-store-becomes-first-to-unionize-a-labor-expert-explains-whats-next-and-how-trump-could-stall-workers-efforts-248513

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why we should all try to eat like people in rural Papua New Guinea – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jens Walter, Professor at the School of Microbiology, University College Cork

    Tanya Keisha/Shutterstock

    Western diets – high in processed foods and low in fibre – are associated with obesity, diabetes and heart disease. These diets don’t only harm our bodies, they also harm our gut microbiomes, the complex community of bacteria, fungi and viruses found in our intestinal tract that are important for our health.

    Scientists, including my colleagues and me, are actively searching for ways to create healthy microbiomes to prevent chronic diseases. And my search has taken me to Papua New Guinea.

    I have long been fascinated by this country, with its remote valleys almost untouched by the modern world until 1930, more than 800 languages, an ancient system of sustenance agriculture and entire communities living a non-industrialised lifestyle. This fascination kicked off a thrilling nine-year research project involving researchers from eight countries, which led to a paper published in the scientific journal Cell.

    In previous research, my team studied the gut microbiomes of rural Papua New Guineans. We discovered microbiomes that are more diverse than their westernised counterparts, enriched in bacteria that thrive on dietary fibre, and with lower levels of inflammation-causing bacteria that are typically found in people who eat highly processed foods.

    This information provided hints on how to perhaps redress the damage caused to our gut microbiomes.

    The traditional diet in rural Papua New Guinea is rich in unprocessed plant-based foods that are full of fibre but low in sugar and calories, something I was able to see for myself on a field trip to Papua New Guinea. Determined to create something everyone could use to benefit their health, our team took what we saw in Papua New Guinea and other non-industrialised societies to create a new diet we call the NiMe (non-industrialised microbiome restore) diet.

    What sets NiMe apart from other diets is that it is dominated by vegetables (such as leafy greens) and legumes (such as beans) and fruit. It only contains one small serving of animal protein per day (salmon, chicken or pork), and it avoids highly processed foods.

    Dairy, beef and wheat were excluded from the human trial because they are not part of the traditional diet in rural Papua New Guinea. The other characteristic distinction of the diet is a substantial dietary fibre content. In our trial, we went for around 45g of fibre a day, which exceeds the recommendations in dietary guidelines.

    One of my PhD students got creative in the kitchen designing recipes that would appeal to a person used to typical western dishes. These meals allowed us to develop a meal plan that could be tested in a strictly controlled study in healthy Canadian adults.

    Remarkable results

    We saw remarkable results including weight loss (although participants didn’t change their regular calorie intake), a drop in bad cholesterol by 17%, decreased blood sugar by 6%, and a 14% reduction in a marker for inflammation and heart disease called C-reactive protein. These benefits were directly linked to improvements in the participants’ gut microbiome, specifically, microbiome features damaged by industrialisation.

    On a western diet low in dietary fibre, the gut microbiome degrades the mucus layer in the gut, which leads to inflammation. The NiMe diet prevented this process, which was linked to a reduction in inflammation.

    The diet also increased beneficial bacterial metabolites (byproducts) in the gut, such as short-chain fatty acids, and in the blood, such as indole-3-propionic acid – a metabolite that has been shown to protect against type 2 diabetes and nerve damage.

    Research also shows that low dietary fibre leads to gut microbes ramping up protein fermentation, which generates harmful byproducts that may contribute to colon cancer.

    In fact, there is a worrying trend of increased colon cancer in younger people, which may be caused by recent trends towards high-protein diets or supplements. The NiMe diet increased carbohydrate fermentation at the expense of protein fermentation, and it reduced bacterial molecules in the participants’ blood that are linked to cancer.

    The findings from our research show that a dietary intervention targeted towards restoring the gut microbiome can improve health and reduce disease risk. The NiMe diet offers a practical roadmap to achieve this, by providing recipes that were used in our study. It allows anyone interested in healthy eating to improve their diet to feed their human cells and their microbiome.

    Jens Walter has received honoraria and/or paid consultancy from PrecisionBiotics/Novonesis A/S. NiMe is a trademark of Anissa M. Armet and Jens Walter.

    The research described in this article was supported by the Weston Family Microbiome Initiative, PrecisionBiotics Group Ltd., the “Hundred Talents Program” Research Start-up Fund of Zhejiang University, Alberta Innovates Postgraduate Fellowship, Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship, the Alberta Innovates Graduate Student Scholarship, the Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship, the Walter H. Johns Graduate Fellowship, the University of Alberta Doctoral Recruitment Scholarship, the Campus Alberta Innovates Program, the Canada Research Chairs Program, the Science Foundation Ireland Centre grant to APC microbiome Ireland (APC/SFI/12/RC/2273_P2) and a Science Foundation Ireland Professorship (19/RP/6853).

    I would like to thank the people of Papua New Guinea whose way of life has been an inspriation for the development of the NiMe diet, and the participants of the human trial. I am deeply indepted to all the collaborators and the scientific institutions that have contributed to the research (please see author list and affiliations on publication). I would like to thank Prof. Andrew Greenhill (Federation University, Australia) and Prof William Pomat (Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research) for hosting me in Papua New Guina in 2019. I would further like to thank Jessica Stanisich and Tina Darb from the APC Microbiome Ireland for their help with this article.

    – ref. Why we should all try to eat like people in rural Papua New Guinea – new study – https://theconversation.com/why-we-should-all-try-to-eat-like-people-in-rural-papua-new-guinea-new-study-248064

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New operator will revitalize historic site experience at Fort Steele

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Cranbrook Archives, Museum and Landmark Society (CAMAL), the new operator of Fort Steele Heritage Town, is planning new, dynamic, interactive and diverse visitor experiences that complement the site’s community traditions.

    “Fort Steele isn’t just a tourism attraction for visitors,” said Spencer Chandra Herbert, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “It holds great historical value for our province and plays an important role in telling B.C.’s story. This new partnership is key to ensuring high-quality historic experiences at this site that will keep visitors coming back.”

    The provincial heritage site and national historic site is a key attraction for the East Kootenay region of British Columbia, drawing visitors worldwide. Visitors can experience the 19th century through its restored buildings, interpreters and exhibits. There are more than 60 original or accurately reconstructed buildings from the 1890s, offering an immersive cultural and educational experience. It includes activities such as gold panning, stagecoach rides, tours and heritage trades demonstrations.

    CAMAL is planning to work with area First Nations to find ways to collaborate on the site’s exhibits and programming. These initiatives aim to deepen visitors’ understanding and appreciation of the history and culture of Indigenous communities in British Columbia.

    “We are dedicated to preserving and promoting Fort Steele, while bringing a renewed vibrancy to the site through innovative programs, storytelling and visitor experiences,” said Keith Powell, chair of the CAMAL. “We are excited to build upon the site’s legacy, focusing on Fort Steele’s role as an integral part of the local and regional tourism economy, and strengthening its position as a significant cultural and historical destination.”

    CAMAL begins a six-year operations contract with the Province on April 1, 2025, with potential for renewal. CAMAL was selected as the site operator for Fort Steele Heritage Town following a publicly posted request-for-proposals process in late 2024.

    Friends of Fort Steele Society has been operating Fort Steele Heritage Town from 2004 and will continue until March 2025. It oversaw numerous capital works developments, including a new visitor centre and focused efforts on repairing Fort Steele’s steam train. The Province provided $500,000 to support these projects, which are expected to be complete in spring and ready for the 2025 season.

    The Province acknowledges the stewardship Friends of Fort Steel Society provided for this heritage site for more than 20 years.

    Quick Facts:

    • Fort Steele Heritage Town receives $900,000 in annual funding from the Province to support site operations, ensure conservation and maintain public access.
    • Since 2020, the Province has provided more than $55 million through various programs to celebrate, preserve and protect B.C.’s heritage assets.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about B.C. heritage sites, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/topic.page?id=499BEC462CB84EC48D983C16E0404090

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Enhanced visitor experiences planned for Barkerville historic site

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Visitors can look forward to continuing strong operations, along with expanded hands-on demonstrations and interpretations at Barkerville Historic Town & Park and Cottonwood House Historic Site as part of the site operator’s proposed plan.

    “Barkerville and Cottonwood House are among B.C.’s most iconic heritage destinations that visitors love to visit again and again,” said Spencer Chandra Herbert, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “I can’t wait to see the new exhibits our partner, Barkerville Heritage Trust, is developing that will further enrich the storytelling and historical experience at this site.”

    Barkerville’s resource-development history dates back to 1862, when Billy Barker struck gold at Williams Creek, ushering in the gold rush that drew fortune seekers from all over the world and made Barkerville the largest town in Western Canada at that time. Barkerville offers visitors a chance to step back in time to the late 1800s with its interpreters in period costumes, stagecoach rides and a collection of more than 500,000 artifacts, including 100 preserved heritage structures.

    Barkerville Heritage Trust will continue as the site operator for the next seven years, with potential for renewal, as part of a new management contract with the Province. The trust is planning additional interactive activities to let visitors experience everyday life on the Cariboo homestead during the gold-rush era. This includes an increase in cultural programming, a greater diversity of stories that are part of B.C.’s heritage, particularly the culture and history of area First Nations, and more tourism offerings outside of the site’s peak season.

    “We are thrilled to continue our stewardship of these cherished heritage assets, and with decades of experience operating Barkerville and Cottonwood House, our team has gained invaluable insights that will guide us as we work to deliver world-class tourism experiences for visitors over the next seven years,” said Al Richmond, chair of the Barkerville Heritage Trust. “We will be looking to expand the offerings at Cottonwood House, as well as sending Barkerville’s historical interpreters back to the Richfield Courthouse and continuing with our Indigenous and Chinese cultural interpretation. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support and concern from the public during last year’s wildfires, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to all who stood by us during that challenging time.”

    The provincial heritage site’s popular 100 days of Barkerville season runs from May 31 until Sept. 7, 2025.

    “Barkerville Heritage Trust is a trusted steward and operator of this iconic tourism destination in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region,” said Amy Thacker, CEO, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism.  “Barkerville Historic Town & Park’s exhibits and interactive demonstrations for tourists and locals provide an incredible opportunity for people to explore, discover our history and create lasting memories. We look forward to sharing Barkerville’s plans with the community and inviting people to come back to see what’s new.”

    The new heritage site management agreement begins on April 1, 2025. Barkerville Heritage Trust has operated the historical site since 2005.

    Quick Facts:

    • Barkerville Heritage Trust was selected as the site operator for Barkerville Historic Town & Park and Cottonwood House Historic Site following a publicly posted request-for-proposals process in late 2024.
    • Barkerville Heritage Trust will receive more than $2 million in annual funding to support site operations, ensure conservation and maintain public access.
    • Since 2020, the Province has provided more than $55 million through various programs to celebrate, preserve and protect B.C.’s heritage assets.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about B.C. heritage sites, visit:
    https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/celebrating-british-columbia/historic-places/provincial-heritage-properties

    To learn more about Barkerville Historic Town & Park, visit: https://www.barkerville.ca/ourstory/

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement from Premier Pillai on Lunar New Year 2025

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Premier Ranj Pillai has issued the following statement:

    “Today, we join people around the world in celebrating the Lunar New Year, one of the most significant occasions in the lunar calendar.

    “Also known as the Spring Festival, this holiday is an opportunity for many members of Asian communities to reunite with family, share festive meals and participate in age-old traditions. From colourful parades and traditional dances to the exchange of red envelopes, the Lunar New Year embodies the values of connection, gratitude and hope.

    “As we enter the Year of the Snake, we are reminded of the qualities this symbol represents – wisdom, good fortune and transformation. These traits inspire us to embrace the year ahead with resilience and optimism, overcoming challenges and seizing opportunities to grow.

    “Lunar New Year also offers an opportunity to celebrate the rich diversity and enduring contributions that Asian communities have made to the Yukon and Canada. These communities continue to play an essential role in contributing to the cultural landscape of our territory and our nation.

    “I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the organizations and people across the Yukon who have worked hard to organize Lunar New Year celebrations. Your efforts bring joy and a spirit of inclusivity to our communities.

    “On behalf of the Government of Yukon, I wish everyone a wonderful Year of the Snake filled with health, happiness and prosperity.

    “Happy Lunar New Year!”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE ERO Boston arrests illegal MS-13 member charged with firearms, drug crimes

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston apprehended an illegally present 19-year-old Guatemalan gang member charged with drug and weapons crimes. Officers from ICE ERO Boston arrested Luis Adolfo Guerra-Perez in Boston Jan. 22.

    “Luis Adolfo Guerra-Perez is an illegally present gang member, who has shown complete disregard for American laws,” said acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “He is a member of a violent street gang charged with illegally possessing a high-capacity firearm and drugs. We will not tolerate such offenders to threaten the residents of our New England neighborhoods. ERO Boston will continue to arrest and remove egregious alien offenders from our communities.”

    U.S. Border Patrol arrested Guerra on March 21, 2021, after he illegally entered the United States at the Southern Border. Authorities with USBP issued Guerra a Notice to Appear before a Department of Justice immigration judge.

    ERO Dallas released Guerra on an Order of Recognizance May 8, 2021.

    On Oct 2, 2024, a DOJ immigration judge ordered Guerra removed from the United States to Guatemala.

    The East Boston District Court arraigned Guerra Jan. 3 for the offenses of possession of a large capacity weapon/firearm, possession of class D controlled substance, possession of firearm without permit and possession of ammunition.

    ICE ERO Boston issued an immigration detainer against Guerra with the Nashua Street Jail in Boston Jan. 6; however, the East Boston District Court ignored the immigration detainer and ordered Guerra released from custody Jan. 21.

    Officers from ERO Boston arrested Guerra in Boston, Massachusetts Jan 22. He remains in ERO custody.

    ERO conducts removals of individuals without a lawful basis to remain in the United States, including at the order of immigration judges with the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. EOIR is a separate entity from DHS and ICE. Immigration judges in these courts make decisions based on the merits of each individual case, determining if a noncitizen is subject to a final order of removal or eligible for certain forms of relief from removal.

    As one of ICE’s three operational directorates, ERO is the principal federal law enforcement authority in charge of domestic immigration enforcement. ERO’s mission is to protect the homeland through the arrest and removal of those who undermine the safety of U.S. communities and the integrity of U.S. immigration laws, and its primary areas of focus are interior enforcement operations, management of the agency’s detained and non-detained populations, and repatriation of noncitizens who have received final orders of removal. ERO’s workforce consists of more than 7,700 law enforcement and non-law enforcement support personnel across 25 domestic field offices and 208 locations nationwide, 30 overseas postings, and multiple temporary duty travel assignments along the border.

    Members of the public with information regarding child sex offenders can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.

    Learn more about ERO Boston’s mission to increase public safety in our New England communities on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @EROBoston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn, Wells Fargo Partnership Bringing Neurodiversity Workshop for Employers to Boston

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Twenty-eight companies have already taken advantage of no-cost workshops held in New York City and Nashville to guide large employers in the design and implementation plan for neurodiversity initiatives within their organizations, offered through a partnership between UConn and Wells Fargo announced last year.

    Employers in the greater-Boston area will have the next opportunity to join in on the program, presented by the Wells Fargo Center for Neurodiversity and Inclusive Employment at UConn, during the center’s upcoming workshop scheduled for Feb. 5, 2025 in Boston.

    The workshop will be hosted by Loomis, Sayles & Company, the global asset manager headquartered at One Financial Center in Boston.

    “We can’t wait to bring this groundbreaking program to companies in Boston and the Northeast,” says Judy Reilly, the executive director of UConn’s center. “Companies that have been struggling to get traction with neurodiversity initiatives are now mid-launch with their first neurodiversity internship program, engaging in company-wide education about autism and neurodivergence, and securing executive sponsorship with their workshop-developed business cases. They tell us that without the workshop, they would not have had access to the information they needed to make this kind of progress.”

    “We’re delighted to host fellow Boston-area employers for this innovative workshop,” says Melissa Partridge, director of community investments at Loomis Sayles. “Learning how to create an environment that attracts and supports talented teams, including neurodivergent jobseekers and colleagues, enriches workplace culture by fostering diverse perspectives, creativity and problem-solving that drives success for everyone.”

    This series of one-day workshops – supported by a $3.75 million grant from Wells Fargo – aims to provide instruction to key leaders from Fortune 500 companies to help design neurodiversity initiatives end-to-end.

    The goal is to help leaders understand what neuroinclusion in the workplace looks like, and then apply that knowledge as they map out a plan for hiring and employment practice changes for their companies that enabled them to better support people who communicate, behave, think, and work differently.

    The workshops are relevant to any company that has 1,000 or more employees, according to the center. Participants can expect to develop a clear understanding of the barriers that many highly skilled autistic and neurodivergent individuals face in obtaining and keeping employment, to draft the business case to secure executive leadership support for this work, and to actually begin designing the components of their neurodiversity employment ecosystem within their organization.

    Established in 2021 with three initial industry partners – including Wells Fargo – the Center for Neurodiversity and Inclusive Employment at UConn quickly distinguished itself as a national leader on neuroinclusivity in employment. The center was renamed the Wells Fargo Center for Neurodiversity and Inclusive Employment at UConn in October 2024 in response to Wells Fargo’s shoulder-to-shoulder collaboration, expertise, and generous financial support.

    For neurodivergent jobseekers – people with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other cognitive differences – traditional hiring processes and a general lack of knowledge about neurodiversity on employers’ parts can create obstacles to demonstrating their talents. They often experience higher rates of unemployment and underemployment.

    The center’s overall focus is on improving career outcomes for neurodivergent individuals, providing innovative employer education, and fostering better connections between job seekers and companies.

    The center also leads a University and Community Council that helps other higher educational institutions support neurodivergent individuals and connects them with resources and tools to help support their employment goals as well as a Neuroinclusive Candidate Network that helps individuals connect with companies, mentors, peers, events, and resources to support their career journeys.

    “We have had overwhelmingly positive response from the companies that have participated in our workshops so far,” Reilly says. “These group workshops offer organizations across the country an actionable, no-cost pathway to design their own practices that tap into the strengths of current and future employees with cognitive differences. What’s really cool is that companies learn directly from the Wells Fargo team, whose award-winning neurodiversity program informs the workshop curriculum and whose lived experience provides invaluable insight and guidance to companies in a structured, sequential format they would not otherwise be able to access.”

    Additional employer workshops are currently being planned for later this spring, to be held in Houston, Texas; London; Washington, D.C.; St. Louis, Missouri; and Columbus, Ohio.

    Companies interested in participating in the upcoming Boston workshop are encouraged to email  neurodiversity.employment@uconn.edu.

    For more information about employer training and workshops and other opportunities available through the Wells Fargo Center for Neurodiversity and Inclusive Employment at UConn, please visit neurodiversity-employment.org.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Online UConn Engineering Graduate Programs Ranked Best in the Nation

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The University of Connecticut Master of Engineering program continues to be recognized as a valuable and empowering degree for engineers striving to be a driving force in the increasingly evolving world of engineering. 

    The U.S. News & World Report released on Jan. 21 once again places UConn’s online engineering graduate programs among the best in the country. 

    Of the 1,790 colleges and universities programs assessed by U.S. News, the Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) was ranked No. 36 in the nation, up from No. 37 in 2024. The rank is 26 spots higher than four years ago. 

    “Our degrees are designed to help working engineers balance their professional and personal commitments, empowering them to be a standout in the highly impactful, and competitive, world of engineering,” says Nora Sutton, director of the Center of Advanced Engineering Education.

    The degree is offered through the UConn College of Engineering and the Center for Advanced Engineering Education.

    With 14 concentrations offered, from biomedical engineering to digital design and manufacturing, students learn the skills in a flexible and accessible program to advance as engineers in their respective fields. 

    The rankings rely on faculty credentials and training, services and technology available to students, student engagement, and expert opinions on the academic quality of programs. Master’s degree programs are also ranked based on assessment of student excellence via undergraduate GPAs, acceptance rates, and work experience. 

    Online education remains a highly desirable option for working professionals, and for the employers invested in their future.  

    For the first time ever, UConn engineering online graduate programs ranked as a best choice for veterans. UConn’s M.Eng. degree ranked as the #1 choice for veterans in New England. 

    “Proudly, veteran tuition waivers have long since been applicable toward our programs, which offer engineering servicemen and women an opportunity to bridge the gap between active service and their professional careers,” says Sutton. 

    The U.S. News & World Report ranked the UConn M.Eng. degree No. 22 in the nation for veterans pursing graduate-level online engineering education. 

    “We have a group of incredibly talented faculty who are dedicated to dynamic online education, our academic mission, and our students,” says UConn Engineering Dean JC Zhao. “The recent rise in the U.S. News and World Report ranking is a testament to that dedication.” 

    Veteran tuition waivers can be applied towards M.Eng. courses. Military-affiliated students or prospective students can direct additional questions about applying benefits to UConn Veterans and Military Programs. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following Data Privacy Day, Attorney General Bonta Reminds Consumers of Their Right to Opt-Out of the Sale of Their Personal Information

    Source: US State of California

     Global Privacy Control signal sends ‘do not sell’ requests on your behalf  

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today reminded Californians of their right to stop or “opt-out” of the sale and sharing of their personal information under the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA), California’s landmark, first-in-nation privacy law. Along with the attorneys general of Colorado and Connecticut, states that also have robust privacy protections, Attorney General Bonta encourages consumers to consider familiarizing themselves with the Global Privacy Control (GPC), an easy-to-use browser setting or extension that automatically signals to businesses that they should not sell your personal information to third parties, including for targeted advertising. 

    “Every single one of our online interactions is a robust source of data that broadcasts who we are, what we like, and how we live. Many websites install tracking software that allows third parties to track consumers, use the information they learn to create entire profiles of users, and deploy targeted ads that follow us around our time surfing the web,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Today, I remind Californians of their right to opt-out and take back control of their personal data. Global Privacy Control is the easiest way to limit the number of third parties that have access to our personal information and online behavioral data. I also encourage mobile device manufacturers to develop an easy, GPC-like feature that consumers can use to signal the right to opt-out.”

    “Websites are constantly tracking and collecting our personal information for every purpose you can imagine. In Connecticut, you can now opt out of tracking across all sites by selecting a single simple option. It’s an easy step to take back control over your data and protect your privacy,” said Connecticut Attorney General William Tong.   

    Data comes from nearly everywhere online, even when people think they’re not revealing anything. It has been estimated that the average person produces 1.7 MB of data per second or 6,120 MB of data per hour. 

    Websites can track and amass personal information and behavioral data like pages visited, time spent on pages, clicks, and detailed purchase information to create and share profiles and inferences about consumers. Apps and other software can collect and transmit personal information as well, including sensitive personal information like a user’s precise geolocation. Preventing third parties from receiving this information is a key step to protecting private information and stopping the proliferation of your data in the online ecosystem. 

    YOUR RIGHT TO OPT OUT

    The CCPA vests California consumers with control over the personal information that businesses collect about them, including the right to request that businesses stop selling or sharing your personal information. With some exceptions, businesses cannot sell or share your personal information after they receive your opt-out request unless you later provide authorization allowing them to do so again. Businesses must wait at least 12 months before asking you to opt back in to the sale or sharing of your personal information.  

    HOW DO I OPT OUT?

    Consumers have two options to opt out of the sale of their data: 

    OPTION 1: Enabling Global Privacy Control 

    The GPC is a signal that allows users to automatically indicate to the websites they visit that they would like to opt-out of the “sale” of their personal information. The GPC signal is an easy way to opt-out because a consumer does not have to make individualized requests to opt-out on each website they visit. GPC can be downloaded via a browser extension; some browsers offer a GPC setting. Installing GPC is simple and ensures your personal is protected. 

    Click here for a video to show you how to install GPC.

    OPTION 2: Opt-Out One Business at a Time 

    Businesses that sell personal information must provide a clear and conspicuous “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link on their website that allows you to submit an opt-out request. Businesses cannot require you to create an account to submit your request or ask for additional information to process your opt-out. 

    If you can’t find a business’s “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link, review its privacy policy to see if it sells or shares personal information. If the business does, it must also include that link in its privacy policy. If a business’s “Do Not Sell My Personal Information” link is not working or difficult to find, you may report the business to our office by visiting oag.ca.gov/report.

    For more information on the CCPA and opting out, please see here. For a tutorial on installing GPC, please see here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Josh Stein Visits Eastern Elementary School in Pitt County, Shares Education Priorities

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Josh Stein Visits Eastern Elementary School in Pitt County, Shares Education Priorities

    Governor Josh Stein Visits Eastern Elementary School in Pitt County, Shares Education Priorities
    bwood
    Wed, 01/29/2025 – 11:48

    Raleigh, NC

    Governor Josh Stein visited Eastern Elementary School in Greenville this morning as the school continued its “Wellness Week,” which focuses on building healthy habits. He met with students, faculty, and parents, and learned more about the school’s free school meals program and STEM program.  

    “Visiting Eastern Elementary School today reaffirmed what I know to be true: our public schools are the launching pad of our state’s future,” said Governor Josh Stein. “We must invest in our schools so that our children are set up for success, no matter their hometown. I look forward to working with the legislature to ensure that every child has the resources they need to thrive in the classroom and beyond.” 

    During the tour, Governor Stein visited a STEM classroom and heard from students about their takeaways from the program. He also visited the cafeteria and learned from administrators about how children have benefitted from the free school meals program, including improved focus throughout the day and enhanced learning.  

    Joined by local leaders, Governor Stein highlighted his education policy priorities which include raising teacher pay, addressing student hunger, and investing in more school nurses, counselors, and social workers. 

    Jan 29, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Food Distributor Settles False Claims Act Liability Relating to Self-Disclosure of Small Business Contracting Violations

    Source: US State of California

    GS Foods Group Inc. (GS Foods), headquartered in Ontario, California, has agreed to pay $949,696.90 to resolve False Claims Act liability in connection with bidding on contracts reserved for small businesses when GS Foods did not qualify as a small business. The contracts involved supplying food to facilities operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that GS Foods took significant steps entitling it to credit for cooperating with the government. 

    “Businesses that participate in federal small business contracting programs must ensure that they comply with applicable rules and regulations relating to eligibility,” said Acting  Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When businesses run afoul of small business contracting requirements, they can mitigate the consequences by making timely self-disclosures, cooperating with investigations, and taking appropriate remedial measures.”

    The settlement resolves allegations that, between Oct. 1, 2018 and March 8, 2024, GS Foods did not qualify as a small business because of its affiliation with certain other companies. The United States alleged that subsidiaries of GS Foods, GoodSource Solutions Inc., and Dori Foods Inc., bid on contracts and orders that had been expressly reserved, or set-aside, exclusively for small businesses. As a result, GoodSource Solutions and Dori Foods allegedly obtained contracts for which they were not eligible. GS Foods timely self-reported the conduct to the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General (DOJ-OIG), and cooperated with the Justice Department’s investigation, including, for example, by identifying key witnesses and documents and making employees available for interviews. The company also took remedial measures, including updating its code of conduct, establishing an Ethics and Compliance Management Committee, establishing the position of Chief Compliance Officer, and developing and implementing additional employee training.

    “It is a disservice to small businesses when contracts that were expressly set aside to create opportunities for small businesses are awarded to ineligible organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Andrew Hartwell of DOJ-OIG, Fraud Detection Office. “The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is committed to playing our part to maintain the integrity of small business contracts.”  

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and DOJ-OIG. Fraud Section Senior Trial Counsel Jonathan H. Gold handled the matter.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: MRF 2025 Resource Limited Partnership: Closing February 25, 2025 – Maximum $50,000,000

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Middlefield, on behalf of MRF 2025 Resource Limited Partnership (“MRF 2025” or the “Partnership”), is pleased to announce that it has filed a final prospectus relating to the initial public offering of MRF 2025 Class A and Class F units. The offering is being made in each of the provinces of Canada. Closing is scheduled for February 25, 2025.

    The objectives of the Partnership are to provide investors with capital appreciation and significant tax benefits to enhance after-tax returns to limited partners, including the deductibility of 100% of their original investment. The Partnership intends to achieve these objectives by investing in an actively managed, diversified portfolio comprised primarily of equity securities of Canadian companies involved in the resource sector.

    Middlefield is a leading provider of flow-through share funds in Canada and has a strong track record of delivering positive after-tax returns. Since 1983, Middlefield has sponsored 70 public and private flow-through funds and has acted as agent or manager for over $2.5 billion of resource investments.

    The syndicate of agents for the offering is being co-led by CIBC Capital Markets and RBC Capital Markets and includes BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., National Bank Financial Inc., Scotia Capital Inc., TD Securities Inc., Richardson Wealth Limited, Manulife Securities Incorporated, iA Private Wealth Inc., Canaccord Genuity Corp., Raymond James Ltd. and Wellington-Altus Private Wealth Inc.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.

    This offering is only made by prospectus. The prospectus contains important detailed information about the securities being offered. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained from your CIRO registered financial advisor using the contact information for such advisor. Investors should read the prospectus before making an investment decision.

    The MIL Network –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: 01.28.2025 Sens. Cruz, Schatz, Britt, and Tuberville Introduce Bill Targeting Illegal Fishing Operations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) introduced the bipartisan Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, which directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to develop a standard methodology for identifying the country of origin of red snapper and certain species of tuna imported into the United States.
    Technology exists to chemically test and find the geographic origin of many foods, but not for red snapper and tuna. The legislation aims to develop a field test kit that can be used to accurately ascertain whether fish were caught in U.S. or foreign waters, thus allowing federal and state law enforcement officers to identify the origin of the fish and confiscate illegally caught red snapper and tuna before it is imported back into the U.S.
    Upon the introduction of the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act, Sen. Cruz said, “Cartels and other criminal entities are illegally catching, importing, and selling red snapper and tuna to unwitting consumers then using such profits to fund other illicit activities like drug smuggling and human trafficking. I am glad to join my colleagues in introducing this common-sense, bipartisan legislation to support U.S. fishermen, and I am hopeful Congress will act quickly to stop these dangerous criminal gangs.”
    Sen. Schatz said, “Seafood that’s caught illegally or intentionally mislabeled rips off consumers and makes it harder for law-abiding U.S. fishermen to compete. Our bill will help fight against pirate fishermen who try to pass off cheap foreign tuna for high-quality ahi from local Hawai‘i fishermen.”
    Sen. Britt said, “Cartel-backed poachers need to face consequences for their illicit activities in the Gulf of America. Red snapper is a core component of Coastal Alabama’s economy, and our hardworking fishermen and food producers deserve fairness when fishing in the Gulf. Senator Cruz’s and my Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act will help protect Alabama’s fishermen. This is yet another message to Mexico that illegal actions cannot and will not stand.”
    Sen. Tuberville said, “Alabama lands 34 percent of all recreationally caught Red Snapper in the Gulf. Unfortunately, our domestic Red Snapper industry is being undermined by Mexican fishermen who are illegally catching American snapper in the Gulf, smuggling them into Mexico, and then reselling the same fish back to American consumers. In addition to taking business away from Alabama’s fishermen, many of the profits from these illegal fishing operations are funding the cartels. I’m proud to join Senator Cruz in introducing the Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act to stop illegal Red Snapper from flooding our markets and bankrupting our great fishermen.”
    Background:
    Mexican fishermen cross the maritime border between Texas and Mexico on small boats called “lanchas” to illegally catch red snapper in U.S. waters and return to Mexico. The fish are sold in Mexico or mixed in with legally-caught red snapper then exported back into the United States across land borders. Red snapper is one of the most well-managed and profitable fish in the Gulf, but illegal fishing by Mexican lanchas puts law-abiding U.S. fishermen and seafood producers at a competitive disadvantage.
    In Hawaii, commercial fishermen have long fought to combat illegal fishing and human trafficking in the seafood industry. Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities violate both national and international fishing regulations.
    Sens. Cruz, Britt, and Tuberville previously introduced similar legislation during the 118th Congress, which passed the Commerce Committee in July of last year.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Statement on Hegseth Directing DoD IG to Go After Gen. Milley

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    January 29, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Newly-confirmed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly directed the new DoD Inspector General to investigate and potentially strip General Mark Milley of a star in retirement due to his refusal to blindly defer to President Donald Trump in his first term. In written responses to Senator Warren during his confirmation process, Hegseth committed to “protecting the DoD IG’s independence.”
    Senator Warren released the following statement:
    “Pete Hegseth pledged to the Senate that he’d protect the independence of the Department of Defense’s watchdog for waste, fraud, and abuse. But after President Trump illegally fired the Pentagon’s Inspector General, the Defense Secretary is going back on his word and weaponizing government investigations to go after Trump’s perceived political enemies. It’s a clear warning sign that Secretary Hegseth is focused more on political retribution than national security.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: The global plant trade is spreading invasive species to Europe

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Amy Hinsley, Senior Research Fellow, Oxford Martin Programme on the Wildlife Trade, University of Oxford

    The Italian wall lizard likes to stowaway on olive trees. Qvist2000 / shutterstock

    Back in 2016, one of us (Silviu Petrovan) was asked to identify a live frog found in a shipment of roses in Sheffield, England. It certainly wasn’t any species found in Europe: Silviu thought he had been pranked.

    But with help from Ecuadorian and Colombian scientists, he was soon able to identify it as a North Andean tree frog. This species is found only in a few areas in the highlands of Colombia including, crucially, a region known for its flower-growing.

    This sudden realisation that cut flowers are being shipped from Colombia via Ecuador to Britain, potentially with hitchhiking animals in tow, sparked a collaborative project to investigate the complexities in this increasingly global trade.

    Initially, we explored the risks that invasive species will establish themselves. For instance, the recent fashion for old potted olive trees in restaurants, typically imported from farms in Italy and Spain, is a risk because these trees can serve as vehicles for species like the Italian wall lizard.

    Sometimes called the Italian ruin lizard (scientists call it Podarcis siculus), the lizard is spreading throughout Europe, with introductions often linked to the ornamental olive tree trade.

    Olive trees for sale (lizards included).
    Pingky_p / shutterstock

    But the global trade in cut flowers, pot plants, bulbs and foliage was worth around US$25 billion (£20 billion) in 2022, and it has many other environmental and social risks.

    As well as the spread of pests and invasive species, these include wild plants harvested illegally, and a range of effects on people including threats to food security or access to clean water. In our new paper, published in the journal Bioscience, we examined these risks and how we can mitigate them.

    We combined a review of published research on risks related to the ornamental plant trade with analysis of data on illegal trade and the prevalence of pests and hitchhiking vertebrates in plant shipments.

    That included two databases of customs interceptions of organisms such as insects, slugs and snails in imports into the UK and the Netherlands, and two databases of records of amphibians and reptiles linked to UK and Netherlands imports of ornamental plants.

    Despite repeated attempts and contacts, it was impossible to secure official data on contaminant interceptions from other major ornamental plant importer countries. Nonetheless, the available data provided an important snapshot of what might be occurring more widely.

    Growing and changing

    Our analysis shows that the ornamental plant trade is rapidly changing, doubling in value in recent decades. More and more cut flowers are being imported from tropical areas such as east Africa and South America, where the industry can play an essential economic role. Despite the risks we identify, these industries can and do bring significant benefits to people, and we are not calling for a halt to the trade.

    European tree frogs are often imported with flowers.
    University of Cambridge

    However, even with only two years of interception data it is clear that ornamental plant shipments contain considerable volumes of pests and potentially invasive organisms. Furthermore, while a range of species were found, taxonomic identification was not always possible, with around 20% of contaminants not being identified to species level.

    In some cases data named a contaminant only as “Coleoptera”, the scientific name for beetles and the largest insect group comprising over 300,000 species, or as “Lepidoptera” (butterflies and moths). These uncertainties make it harder to accurately assess invasive species risks.

    The reports of amphibians and reptiles imported into the UK and Netherlands are relatively small in number, dozens annually. But this is most likely a substantial underestimate given that these are not records systematically collected by authorities but rather mainly chance discoveries in airports, shops, depots and private homes, which then get collated because they are re-homed by specialist exotic wildlife centres.

    The problem is probably underreported

    The numbers of illegal plant seizures were generally small, even though there is likely to be a large illegal trade in plants such as orchids or cacti.

    This suggests that this is an underreported aspect of the illegal wildlife trade, due to less awareness and attention paid to plants. It’s hard for the layperson to tell a legal cactus from an endangered one, whereas it’s pretty obvious a rather colourful lizard found on a pot plant in Britain should not be there.

    Importantly, we also highlight growing concerns about the allocation of resources, in particular water and land, including the loss of Indigenous grazing land to ornamental plants.

    The use of pesticides for this non-essential crop type that has no nutritional value for people or livestock, in countries which might lack sufficient infrastructure to deal with the potential pollution, is also something that requires careful consideration.

    Ornamental plants are valuable products in global trade. Their trade is dynamic and shifting, yet while they are undoubtedly important in terms of their economic value, it is essential that the risks to people and the environment are not overlooked.

    Amy Hinsley is the co-chair of the IUCN SSC Orchid Specialist Group, an international network of volunteers working on orchid conservation.

    Silviu Petrovan is affiliated with People’s Trust for Endangered Species, a wildlife conservation NGO based in London. He is also a trustee at Froglife, a UK based amphibian and reptile conservation trust.

    – ref. The global plant trade is spreading invasive species to Europe – https://theconversation.com/the-global-plant-trade-is-spreading-invasive-species-to-europe-248274

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s method for repatriating migrants risks undermining US interests in Latin America

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Amalendu Misra, Professor of International Politics, Lancaster University

    Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan hit a brief stumbling block on January 26 when Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, refused to allow two US flights carrying deported Colombian migrants to land. Petro’s complaint was that the US government was treating the migrants like criminals by repatriating them in military planes.

    Around the same time, the US had also deported dozens of Brazilian migrants. These people arrived in the Amazonian city of Manaus handcuffed, with the Brazilian government expressing outrage over their “degrading treatment”. One of the migrants claimed they were not given any water during the six-hour flight nor were they allowed to use the bathroom.

    Petro’s pushback enraged Trump. In a post on his Truth Social media site, Trump wrote: “We will not allow the Colombian government to violate its legal obligations with regard to the acceptance and return of the criminals they forced into the US”. He then threatened Colombia with 25% tariffs and said his government would impose a travel ban on Colombian government officials.

    Petro responded by launching a scathing social media attack on Trump. He initially vowed retaliatory tariffs on US goods and also insisted he would not accept migrants who were not treated with “dignity and respect”. But, within a few hours, Petro had backed down.

    According to a White House statement released late that evening, Colombia had agreed to all of Trump’s terms. This included the “unrestricted acceptance of all illegal aliens from Colombia returned from the US, including on US military aircraft, without limitation or delay”.

    The White House hailed the agreement with Colombia as a victory for Trump’s hardline immigration strategy. In her statement, press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote: “Today’s events make clear to the world that America is respected again.” But Trump’s punishing tariff threats and foul rhetoric toward illegal immigrants may only damage the power and position of the US in the region.

    Setting a bad precedent

    As Petro’s row with Trump unfolded, Colombia’s former president Iván Duque accused his successor of engaging in “an act of tremendous irresponsibility”. He stressed that Colombia has a “moral duty” to take back the illegal migrants sent by the US, and highlighted the “enormous” toll sanctions and tariffs would have on the economy.

    However, in an interconnected international economic system, Trump’s unilateral threat of tariffs and sanctions can be a double-edged sword.

    Colombia is a relatively minor trading partner to the US. But if Petro’s government had refused to comply with Trump’s demands, it still would have meant higher prices for coffee, avocado and several other commodities. In 2022, the US imported US$24.8 billion (£20 billion) worth of goods from Colombia – nearly US$2 billion of which was coffee.

    Trump’s willingness to wage a trade war with countries in Latin America may also encourage other economies in the region to speed up their search for alternative trade partners. This could lead to more trade deals between Latin American nations themselves.

    In May 2023, under the leadership of Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 12 South American nations gathered in Brazil’s capital, Brasília, to express their interest in reviving the Union of South American Nations with the explicit aim of bolstering regional trade and cooperation.

    The union effectively broke down in 2019 after major nations like Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Peru withdrew their membership amid concerns about Venezuela’s leadership. But the “Latin America is stronger together” slogan often quoted by political leaders in the region may now actually materialise, thanks to Trump.

    Latin American nations are looking further afield, too. The EU established a trade deal with Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia in December 2024, bringing 25 years of on-off negotiations to a close. Trump’s tariff threats could encourage other economies in the region to explore becoming a part of that agreement, potentially at the expense of the US.

    And it’s possible that more Latin American countries may eventually seek membership of the Brics bloc of emerging economies, which has repeatedly drawn Trump’s ire for eating into US power and influence. Bolivia and Cuba, alongside seven other countries, were announced as partner states to Brics in late 2024, and more could follow. While not officially part of the bloc, these partner states will get support from its members.

    Worse still, Trump’s threats could inadvertently push Latin American nations into the arms of China. During Trump’s first term, his administration coined the term “troika of tyranny” to describe Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. These countries are all led by dictators.

    Since then, Beijing has actively pursued a policy of closer cooperation with these countries by making them “strategic competitors” against the US in the region. A 2024 report by researchers at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, an American thinktank, even found evidence of suspected Chinese spy facilities in Cuba.

    Trump’s uncharitable rhetoric and less-than-civilised treatment of illegal immigrants are, at the very least, likely to fuel more anti-American sentiment in the region. This resentment towards the US may well manifest in building bridges with governments and ideologies that are inimical to US interests.

    Amalendu Misra is a recipient of British Academy and Nuffield Foundation grants.

    – ref. Trump’s method for repatriating migrants risks undermining US interests in Latin America – https://theconversation.com/trumps-method-for-repatriating-migrants-risks-undermining-us-interests-in-latin-america-248396

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Major League Soccer returns to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV

    Source: Apple

    Headline: Major League Soccer returns to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV

    January 29, 2025

    UPDATE

    Major League Soccer returns to MLS Season Pass on Apple TV for historic 30th season

    Beginning today, fans in over 100 countries and regions can subscribe for access to every MLS game with no blackouts

    The regular season kicks off February 22-23

    Major League Soccer returns to Apple TV next month, and starting today, fans in more than 100 countries and regions can sign up for MLS Season Pass to catch all the action throughout the 30th anniversary season. Subscribers can access every MLS game with no blackouts, along with in-depth coverage and analysis, expansive programming, exclusive content, and more — including the annual Leagues Cup tournament, MLS All-Star Game, Audi MLS Cup Playoffs games, and select MLS NEXT Pro matches.

    The 2025 season begins Saturday, February 22, and kicks off the third year of an unprecedented 10-year partnership between Apple and Major League Soccer. The upcoming season also marks the arrival of the 30th MLS team, San Diego FC.

    “MLS Season Pass delivers fans exactly what they want, connecting them with the game they love across all of their devices, with no blackouts,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services. “Heading into our third year with MLS, we’re excited to continue elevating the fan experience and can’t wait for the season to begin.”

    “Our partnership with Apple has redefined how fans experience Major League Soccer, bringing the league to more people around the world than ever before,” said Don Garber, MLS’s commissioner. “With the addition of Sunday Night Soccer, a new studio, and the debut of Onside: Major League Soccer on Apple TV+, 2025 will be our best season yet. We couldn’t be more excited about the future of our partnership with Apple.”

    Preseason Action on MLS Season Pass

    To celebrate the start of the 2025 season, MLS Season Pass will broadcast select preseason matches, including when LAFC faces reigning Liga MX Apertura 2024 champion Club América on February 11 at 10:30 p.m. ET, and Inter Miami’s final preseason friendly against Orlando City SC on February 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET. These matches will also be available to stream free for Apple TV+ subscribers.

    MLS is Back: 2025 Opening Weekend

    On February 22 and February 23, all 30 clubs will take the pitch for MLS is Back weekend. MLS MVP Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF host New York City FC in the first match of the season at 2:30 p.m. ET. The complete regular-season schedule can be found at mlssoccer.com.

    Introducing Sunday Night Soccer

    New for 2025, MLS Season Pass will broadcast a featured game of the week on Sunday evenings under the banner Sunday Night Soccer, with enhanced production and dedicated studio programming. These primetime games will air throughout the regular season and spotlight the league’s most compelling matchups. Sunday Night Soccer will include dedicated pre- and postgame shows, enhanced production and studio programming, and bespoke graphics in English and Spanish. All Sunday Night Soccer matches will also be available to stream free for Apple TV+ subscribers.

    Sunday Night Soccer matches will feature broadcast talent on camera, with leading MLS Season Pass broadcasters Jake Zivin, Taylor Twellman, and Andrew Wiebe on the call for English broadcasts, and Sammy Sadovnik and Diego Valeri in Spanish. MLS Wrap Up and MLS El Resumen will move to Sunday evenings following the final Sunday match to highlight and recap the full week of matches, giving fans a more comprehensive view of all the week’s action, with first-rate commentary and analysis, along with can’t-miss highlights.

    The inaugural Sunday Night Soccer matchup will showcase the league’s newest franchise, San Diego FC, as it makes its debut against reigning MLS Cup champions LA Galaxy on February 23 at 7 p.m. ET. To add to the excitement, the match will also broadcast live in Times Square.

    T-Mobile Customers Get MLS Season Pass Free

    T-Mobile is giving qualified T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile customers — including businesses — a promotional offer for complimentary access to MLS Season Pass all season long with no blackout dates. T-Mobile customers can redeem for a limited time via T-Mobile Tuesdays in the T-Life app, starting February 18.

    MLS Season Pass on Comcast

    Apple is partnering with Comcast to offer Xfinity customers an integrated viewing experience for MLS Season Pass, bringing all live matches directly into the Xfinity user interface so customers can easily find and watch all the action alongside other live programming. As part of the partnership, customers will be able to sign up for MLS Season Pass directly through Xfinity, and every live match will be seamlessly incorporated throughout the viewing experience, including within the channel guide on X1 and the Xfinity Stream app, and the Apple TV app.

    Comcast and Apple are also unlocking free access to MLS 360 for all Xfinity customers throughout the season, the first time the popular whip-around studio show — which provides live looks-ins from every match — has been available without an MLS Season Pass subscription. And to celebrate the start of the 2025 season and the launch of the new viewing experience, Xfinity will offer all customers a free preview of MLS Season Pass from February 22 to March 2, after which they’ll be able to subscribe to MLS Season Pass through Xfinity.

    MLS Season Pass on DIRECTV

    New for the 2025 season, DIRECTV residential customers can subscribe to MLS Season Pass through DIRECTV. Matches will be available to watch live in the DIRECTV satellite guide on channels 480 through 495, similar to the viewing experience for other league packages. Customers who subscribe through DIRECTV will also be able to access MLS Season Pass through the Apple TV app.

    DIRECTV is making a free preview of MLS Season Pass available to all DIRECTV residential and commercial satellite customers from February 22 to March 1, after which those customers will be able to upgrade to MLS Season Pass through DIRECTV channels. This offering expands upon DIRECTV’s exclusive rights to provide MLS Season Pass to commercial establishments, which has been available to DIRECTV for BUSINESS’s vast network of more than 300,000 sports bars, restaurants, and more since the 2023 season.

    More Ways to Celebrate the 30th MLS Season

    • On February 21, Apple TV+ will premiere the highly anticipated eight-part panoramic documentary event Onside: Major League Soccer. Produced for Apple by the dynamic sports storytellers Box to Box Films, in partnership with Major League Soccer, the docuseries provides unprecedented access to players, coaches, and clubs, and explores the electrifying moments and captivating stories that made the 2024 season unforgettable. The first episode of Onside: Major League Soccer will be available for free to all MLS Season Pass subscribers from February 21 to March 3. Watch the official trailer.
    • The free Apple Sports app for iPhone is the best way for fans to stay up to date on scores, stats, standings, and their favorite clubs throughout the MLS season.1 Users can easily navigate between scores and upcoming games; explore play-by-play information, team stats, lineup details, and live betting odds; and tap to watch matches on MLS Season Pass in the Apple TV app.2 Apple Sports also seamlessly syncs with favorites selected within the My Sports experience, including in the Apple TV app and Apple News. With iOS 18 and watchOS 11, the Apple Sports app now offers Live Activities for all MLS matches, delivering live scores and play-by-play info at a quick glance to a user’s iPhone and Apple Watch Lock Screens.3
    • On Apple Music, fans can enjoy exclusive club- and player-curated playlists, with more music content coming throughout the season at apple.co/AM-MLS.
    • Apple Maps users can explore dedicated Matchday Guides created by MLS clubs and city guides created by players to find recommendations for local bars and restaurants to catch a game, explore city favorites, find detailed information about their stadiums, and more.
    • On Apple News, users can easily follow MLS and their favorite teams in the Sports tab and access scores, schedules, standings, and top stories from hundreds of top publishers.
    • On Apple Podcasts, users can access an MLS hub with curated podcast episodes and collections covering MLS, its clubs and players, and soccer in North America.
    • Select Apple Store locations across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will stream live MLS matches during MLS is Back weekend.

    Subscribing to MLS Season Pass

    MLS Season Pass is available through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, as well as on the web at tv.apple.com. Fans can also access MLS Season Pass from the Apple TV app on Apple Vision Pro, where they can watch games alongside other apps in their physical space; within an Environment, so the screen feels 100 feet wide; and in Spatial Audio for an even more immersive viewing experience.

    Fans can sign up for MLS Season Pass for $14.99 per month during the season, or $99 for the full season, and Apple TV+ subscribers can sign up at a special price of $12.99 per month, or $79 per season. A subscription to MLS Season Pass for this season will be included with each full-season MLS club ticket account. Through Family Sharing, up to six family members can share the subscription using their own Apple ID and password. For more information, and to subscribe to MLS Season Pass, visit apple.co/_MLS_.

    1. Available in the U.S., the U.K., and Canada.
    2. A subscription is required.
    3. Live Activities require iOS 18 and watchOS 11 or later.

    Press Contacts

    Sam Citron

    Apple

    citron@apple.com

    Apple Media Helpline

    media.help@apple.com

    MIL OSI Economics –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Lunar New Year: Premier Smith

    Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: No Waste Left Behind: Insect Frass Can Improve Soil Fertility

    Source: US Agriculture Research Service

    No Waste Left Behind: Insect Frass Can Improve Soil Fertility

    Contact: Jessica Ryan
    Email: Jessica.Ryan@usda.gov

    January 29, 2025

    Insect droppings, commonly known as insect frass, may seem useless and downright disgusting, but scientists found that this waste can improve soil health when added as a fertilizer in farming.

    Insect frass is a mixture of excreta, feed, and molted skins. These droppings are a by-product of farming insects like yellow mealworms, banded crickets, and black soldier flies. Farmers raise and breed insects, also known as “mini-livestock,” to be an alternative protein source for animals and be a more sustainable practice in agriculture.

    Insect frass may also be used as fertilizer. Previous studies by this team led by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) show insect frass can have higher carbon and nitrogen content than fossil fuel-based fertilizers and fewer pathogens than other animal manures.

    These researchers, along with collaborators from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, also studied insect frass’ potential as an organic fertilizer source when used as a soil amendment in farming.

    Insect frass. (Photo by Taylor Adams, ARS)

    In a two-year field study, researchers found that frass from yellow mealworm increased the amount of carbon by two times and nitrogen by three times in soils than other sources like poultry litter and ammonium nitrate. Furthermore, soils with frass addition produced crop yields and carbon dioxide emission rates similar to soils amended with poultry litter and ammonium nitrate.

    “Insect frass substantially improved soil fertility which showed its ability to be used as an alternative to inorganic fertilizers,” Amanda Ashworth, a soil scientist at the ARS Poultry Production and Product Safety Research Unit in Fayetteville, Arkansas, said. 

    Agricultural Science Research Technician Taylor Adams spreads insect frass during a field study. (Photo by Cailee Stone)

    “This is important since insect farming is on the rise and circular agricultural systems (agricultural by-products that are recycled back into production systems) can be sustainable avenues for growing foods in the future.”

    According to Meticulous Research’s Global Edible Insects Market Forecast to 2030 report, the insect farming industry is expanding in response to increasing demands for sustainable protein sources for animal feed. The industry is projected to grow 28% annually and have an estimated market value of $8 billion U.S. dollars by 2030.

    The study was recently published in Scientific Reports and done in collaboration with crop, soil and environmental science researchers with the Division of Agriculture’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and the ARS Biological Control of Pests Research Unit in Stoneville, Mississippi.

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Announces Position As Ranking Member Of The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee Of The Senate Appropriations Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released the following statement announcing that she will be joining the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations as its ranking member and top Democrat. The subcommittee has jurisdiction over funding for the Department of Transportation and Department of Housing and Urban Development, among other agencies.
    “I am thrilled to be serving as ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies for the 119th Congress. This is an opportunity to address some of our state’s most pressing issues, including aging infrastructure and the skyrocketing cost of housing. I look forward to delivering major federal funding to revitalize New York’s roads, bridges, and rail infrastructure and to expand affordable housing nationwide.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Coons statement on leadership of Defense Appropriations Subcommittee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) issued the following statement upon the announcement that he would be the Ranking Member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense for the 119th Congress:
    “Around the world today we face real threats to our nation and the post-World War Two international order that has provided us with decades of peace, prosperity, and security. Our security is threatened both by authoritarian adversaries like Russia, Iran, China, and North Korea, and from a rising tide of isolationism here at home.  
    As the senior Democrat on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I will work every day so that the robust American engagement with the world that has kept us safe for so long continues. I will make sure that our military remains the most capable and lethal fighting force in the world and has the weapons and resources required to project our values and defend our interests from the Arctic to Africa, from the Indo-Pacific to the North Atlantic. Lastly, I will send a clear message to the brave men and women of our armed forces, our intelligence services, and in our foreign services who serve every day without fear or favor: we have your back.
    “I look forward to partnering with Senator McConnell who will chair this crucial subcommittee. Senator McConnell has long been dedicated to a strong defense and to ensuring we continue to defend our critical global network of allies and partners.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Budd, Tillis, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Restore Access to WNC Homes

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Ted Budd (R-NC), Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC), and Don Davis (D-NC) have introduced the Restoring Access to Mountain Homes Act.
    The bill allows Public Assistance funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to be used for permanent repair of private roads and bridges that Hurricane Helene destroyed. Private roads and bridges provide access to and from many mountain homes.
    Background:
    FEMA Individual Assistance is capped at $42,500 for all expenses.
    The cost to rebuild private roads and bridges often exceeds this amount.
    The state of NC estimates a $350 million gap between what is funded and what is required to rebuild the private roads and bridges relied on by many in mountainous regions.
    The Restoring Access to Mountain Homes Act will help fill this gap by allowing FEMA public assistance to cover  these costs.
    Senator Budd said in a statement:
    “Mountain homes often require private roads and bridges to connect their property to main roads and highways. Given FEMA’s Individual Assistance cap and the extensive cost of rebuilding these access points, I am proud to propose a bill that will allow the people of Western North Carolina to use Public Assistance dollars to regain access to their homes.”
    Senator Tillis said:
    “Hurricane Helene caused widespread devastation, leaving many communities in Western North Carolina severely impacted and cut off from one another. This commonsense legislation ensures that FEMA public assistance funding can be used to repair private roads and bridges destroyed by the hurricane, allowing families in the hardest-hit areas to reconnect to main roads and highways as they continue to recover.”
    Rep. Edwards said:
    “Every disaster response official I’ve heard from agrees on one thing: Hurricane Helene destroyed the greatest number of private roads and bridges they’ve ever seen in one disaster. We’re entering month six since Helene hit our mountains, and there are still folks with limited access to many of our mountain homes. The Restoring Access to Mountain Homes Act would ease the burden on WNC families by allowing NCDOT and local governments to be reimbursed by FEMA for any repairs they make to private roads or bridges. The federal support provided in this bill is critical to making sure Western North Carolina can be rebuilt.”
    Rep. Davis said:
    “The Restoring Access to Mountain Homes Act will provide local governments and the NC Department of Transportation the authority to repair essential infrastructure and receive reimbursement for those efforts, helping to ensure a smoother return to safety, stability, and peace of mind for those who depend on these vital connections to get to work, school, and go about their daily lives. We must ensure a timely and effective recovery for western NC.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: First International AI Safety Report to inform discussions at AI Action Summit

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    First Independent International AI Safety Report to become the global handbook on AI safety, ahead of the France AI Action Summit.

    • First Independent International AI Safety Report to become the global handbook on AI safety, ahead of the France AI Action Summit
    • Inspired by the UN’s IPCC Report, the publication sets a new standard for scientific rigor in assessing AI safety
    • Brings together input from 100 world-leading AI experts put forward by 30 countries including France, China, the USA and UK, as well as the UN, EU, and OECD

    Ahead of the AI Action Summit hosted by France next month, the Independent International AI Safety Report published today sets out the first comprehensive, shared scientific understanding of advanced AI systems and their risks.  

    Spearheaded by Yoshua Bengio – a Turing Award-winning AI academic and the most cited computer scientist in the world – the report brings together insights from 100 independent international experts. Launched at the AI Safety Summit in November 2023, the report is mandated by more than 30 countries including France, China and the United States, with operational support provided by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology.  

    As policymakers worldwide grapple with rapid and unpredictable advancements in AI, today’s report contributes to bridging the gap by offering a scientific understanding of emerging risks to guide decision making.  

    The report also highlights how quickly the technology has evolved in recent years and months, including how AI systems are increasingly capable of acting as AI agents – autonomously planning and carrying out complex tasks.  

    Its publication looks to plug the gaps by building up a scientific basis of evidence to support policymakers in advancing AI safety, while the full implications of advanced AI systems are still being discovered. 

    Report’s Chair, Yoshua Bengio, Full Professor at Université de Montréal and Scientific Director of Mila – Quebec AI Institute, said:  

    The capabilities of general-purpose AI have increased rapidly in recent years and months. While this holds great potential for society, AI also presents significant risks that must be carefully managed by governments worldwide.  

    This report by independent experts aims to facilitate constructive and evidence-based discussion around these risks and serves as a common basis for policymakers around the world to understand general-purpose AI capabilities, risks and possible mitigations.

    Key areas identified for further research include how rapidly capabilities will advance, how general-purpose AI models work internally, and how they can be designed to behave reliably.  

    While there are still many challenges in mitigating the risks of general-purpose AI, the report highlights promising areas for future research and concludes that progress can be made. The report emphasises widespread agreement that improving our understanding of how AI works should be a top priority, as international governments and AI companies prepare to gather for the AI Action Summit. 

    Ultimately, the report emphasises that while AI capabilities could advance at varying speeds, their development and potential risks are not a foregone conclusion. The Report concludes by saying that the outcomes depend on the choices made by policymakers both today and in the future. 

    Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle said: 

    The transformative potential of AI is clear, which is why we have placed it at the heart of our government’s Plan for Change. It will help us kickstart economic growth, transform public services, and boost the living standards of working people across the country, but I remain clear eyed that safety must be baked in from the outset. 

    The UK is already at the forefront of building the global consensus needed on responsible AI, and this report will go a step further as we prepare for the AI Action Summit. It will support decision-makers with the scientific evidence they need to seize the opportunities of AI, which is a charge we are already leading by putting the technology to work to deliver more jobs, more money in people’s pockets, and transformed public services.

    French Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies, Clara Chappaz said: 

    Artificial intelligence is a central topic of our time, and its safety is a crucial foundation for building trust and fostering adoption. Scientific research must remain the fundamental pillar guiding these efforts. I salute the work of Yoshua Bengio and the international team who produced this report, work which must be perpetuated in the long term in the general interest. 

    This first comprehensive scientific assessment provides the evidence base needed for societies and governments to shape AI’s future direction responsibly. These insights will inform crucial discussions at the upcoming AI Action Summit in Paris. 

    Notes to editors

    The UK government will continue to provide the Secretariat for the report until a suitable long-term international home is agreed, and Professor Yoshua Bengio will continue acting as chair for 2025. This will be informed by ongoing global dialogues on AI governance, including those within the UN Global Digital Compact, the Network of AI Safety Institutes, and other forums, along with ongoing stakeholder consultations.

    DSIT media enquiries

    Email press@dsit.gov.uk

    Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 6pm 020 7215 300

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    Updates to this page

    Published 29 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of a Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty for Trafficking Cocaine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CONCORD – A man from Puerto Rico, formerly living in Manchester, pleaded guilty today in federal court for leading a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

    Lewistone Baez Miranda, age 50, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, cocaine. Baez Miranda is the third of six defendants charged in this conspiracy to plead guilty. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2025. The defendant was indicted on December 20, 2023.

    According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, the defendant was the leader a drug trafficking organization that shipped cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester, New Hampshire. The defendant’s son, based in Puerto Rico, used fictitious information to send packages of cocaine through the United States Postal Service to Manchester at the direction of the defendant. The cocaine was often packaged in 500-gram or 1,000-gram bundles and hidden inside children’s games. The defendant employed co-conspirators to retrieve the packages of cocaine for him in Manchester. The defendant also sent suspected drug proceeds to his son in Puerto Rico, in one instance sending him a parcel containing $11,000. Between September 2020 and December 2021, the defendant’s drug trafficking organization shipped over 5.6 kilograms of cocaine from Puerto Rico to Manchester for redistribution.

    The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least three (3) years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    The United States Postal Inspection Service led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Gingrande is prosecuting the case. 

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Mark Cuban Foundation Partners with The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History to Bring AI Education to Albuquerque Area Teens

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Jan. 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Mark Cuban Foundation is proud to announce a pioneering museum pilot program in partnership with The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. The program will bring the highly acclaimed Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bootcamp to Albuquerque area high school students. This collaboration emphasizes the Foundation’s mission to reach students in underserved and previously unconnected regions, providing them with opportunities to engage with innovative technology.

    The program aims to provide students with a foundational understanding of artificial intelligence and its applications to future careers. Students can select from six tracks: healthcare, arts and entertainment, business and entrepreneurship, computer science, sports science, or education and career readiness. Driven by the belief that fostering interest in AI at a young age is crucial for preparing the next generation for their future, the AI Bootcamps are introductory and accessible to students in 9-12 grade with an interest in technology. Students do not need any familiarity with computer science or programming to attend.

    This free AI Bootcamp is hosted for underserved high school students with a transparent focus on recruiting girls, students of color, first generation college students, and those from low to moderate income households. The AI Bootcamp Program provides students with lunch and a snack, transportation assistance, and technology equipment during bootcamp.

    “As AI continues to become an undeniable force in all of our lives, it’s crucial that we open the door to this knowledge, especially to young people who want to explore it,” said Mark Cuban, founder. “While technology expands and becomes more advanced, it becomes more critical that we ensure our students are prepared when they apply for schools or jobs in the future. Thanks to our work with The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, the bootcamp will offer an avenue to explore this fascinating field of technology to any student, no matter their means.”

    This year’s bootcamp, taking place in Albuquerque March 17-19, is hosted and staffed by The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History, the only congressionally chartered museum dedicated to the history and science of nuclear technology.

    “We are thrilled to partner with the Mark Cuban Foundation to bring this innovative AI Bootcamp to Albuquerque high school students,” said Gabriel Nemiroff, Director of Education at The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. “This program is a fantastic opportunity for students to explore the exciting world of artificial intelligence and its potential applications in their future careers. We believe that AI has the power to revolutionize many industries, and we want to ensure that all students have the chance to learn about this important technology.”

    Apply for the bootcamp at: markcubanai.org.

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

    To learn more, visit markcubanai.org.

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

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

    About The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

    The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History was established in 1969 as an intriguing place to learn the story of the Atomic Age, from early research of nuclear development through today’s peaceful uses of nuclear technology. Visitors can explore how nuclear science continues to influence our world. Through permanent and changing exhibits and displays, the museum strives to present the diverse applications of nuclear science in the past, present, and future, along with the stories of the field’s pioneers. The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History is a Smithsonian Affiliate and is accredited through the American Alliance of Museums.

    The MIL Network –

    January 30, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: AI can affect anonymous surveys. Here are some ways for researchers to mitigate its impact

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Christopher Dietzel, Postdoctoral fellow, the DIGS Lab, Concordia University

    Anonymous surveys protect participants from becoming targets of anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate. However, researchers need to be careful about the potential for bad actors to spoil survey data. (Shutterstock)

    As 2SLGBTQIA+ people are increasingly under threat in Canada, and facing escalating dangers from the Donald Trump administration in the United States, more research is urgently needed to understand how to address issues of gender and sexual diversity moving forward.

    Unfortunately, researchers who aim to explore emerging issues impacting 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and develop interventions to support them are facing a new problem: what if our research participants aren’t actually real?

    Anonymous online surveys are a great way for marginalized groups, including 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, to contribute to research without significant time commitments. Anonymous surveys also protect participants from becoming targets of anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate. However, researchers need to be careful about the potential of disingenuous participants to spoil survey data.

    The anonymous nature of online research makes it easy for someone to infiltrate research studies and submit false responses. This issue is not new, as researchers have dealt with this concern for years. Ineligible participants may participate in surveys to access honorariums or sabotage research on topics they disagree with.

    As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more advanced, this problem is magnified. And while AI detectors exist, they are not always accurate and cannot confront the issue of human respondents who are simply lying in their survey responses.

    Our team has conducted online research about digital hate targeting 2SLGBTQIA+ professionals and organizations in Canada through the Ontario Digital Literacy and Access Network. We encountered this problem with two surveys we administered in 2024. Researchers from the SHaG Lab at Dalhousie University and the DIGS Lab at Concordia University confronted similar issues when conducting online surveys about 2SLGBTQIA+ issues.

    This shared concern about participant authenticity and the potential infiltration of dishonest respondents — whether AI or not — has led us to identify issues that could have a negative impact on online research.

    Anonymous online surveys are a great way for marginalized groups, including 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, to contribute to research; however, ineligible participants and AI bots can undermine their accuracy.
    (Shutterstock)

    The challanges we encountered

    Location:
    Our most recent survey focused on Two Spirit, trans and non-binary professionals working at 2SLGBTQIA+ organizations in Canada. The narrow participant criteria made it easy to check IP addresses and spot ones that did not qualify. We could also identify and block IP addresses that submitted multiple responses.

    When reviewing the data, we found that many of the suspicious responses were linked to one IP address located in China. We also received a high volume of responses claiming to come from Prince Edward Island. This was suspect, not only because of contradictory IP addresses, but because the number of responses seemed disproportionately high for the population of the smallest Canadian province.

    Time:
    Our survey received 1,491 responses within three days, which was suspicious given the narrow eligibility criteria. Many responses were completed too quickly for a survey that included written responses. We also noticed that there were waves of responses, and those respondents completed the survey in roughly the same amount of time.

    Incentives:
    It is hard to know exactly why people complete surveys for which they are ineligible. Some people may may do it for the compensation on offer. Others many want to spoil the data. We noticed that false responses increased when some form of compensation was offered, whether it was cash or gift cards.



    Read more:
    Imposter participants challenge research integrity in the digital age

    Email addresses:
    Another pattern we noticed was the use of generic Outlook or Yahoo email addresses, which followed the formula of first name-last name-numbers. While many people might use this same format, this is also an easy and quick way to create email addresses en masse.

    Contradictions:
    When looking at the data, we found that many responses did not make sense for our target demographic group. There were a lot of “prefer not to answer” responses to prompts about pronouns, gender identity and sexual orientation.

    Many respondents also selected “yes” when asked if they were First Nations, Inuit or Métis, but then wrote “white” when asked about their race or ethnicity. Identities can be complex, and what appears to be a contradiction may in fact be an intersection that is poorly represented through demographic questionnaires. Flagging potentially fake responses based on how we assume respondents will identify themselves is a bad idea for research about 2SLGBTQIA+ people who inhabit non-normative gender and sexual identities.

    Some of these responses were also flagged because of other issues, including IP address and completion rate. However, there were others that were less suspicious, leaving us unsure about their validity.

    These responses may have been created by AI bots or by people using AI to generate responses and manually enter them. It could have been someone actively trying to misrepresent themselves or someone who earnestly wants to contribute but does not feel confident in their English-language skills or writing ability. For this reason, it is important to consider multiple factors when reviewing survey responses to determine whether data is usable.

    AI presents new opportunities and challenges for online research.
    (Shutterstock)

    Moving forward

    Technology like AI chatbots presents new opportunities and new challenges for online research that require specific interventions. The concerns we’ve outlined are potential red flags that can help alert researchers to suspicious data.

    Some solutions we found for these issues include IP tracking, requiring a password to access the survey, asking the same question twice to verify that the responses match, and having “attention check” or “trap” questions where respondents are asked to select a specific response.

    Researchers can also flag “speeder” respondents who take less than one-third of the median response time, and average respondents who select the same responses across the survey, like always choosing the first option. Some researchers may already be aware of these and other solutions, and we encourage anyone doing online research to be prepared to address dishonest participants and protect the integrity of their data.

    While these solutions may require additional time, labour and resources, it is important not to abandon online research. In-person methods are not always viable or accessible, particularly to reach 2SLGBTQIA+ people and other marginalized populations.

    Research in this area is vital. We encourage other researchers to share their experiences and solutions to these problems to raise awareness.

    Christopher Dietzel receives funding from Le Fonds de recherche du Québec – Société et culture (FRQSC) and is the community research advisor of the Ontario Digital Literacy and Access Network (ODLAN).

    Evan Vipond is a research officer at the Ontario Digital Literacy and Access Network (ODLAN).

    Hannah Maitland is the co-founder and administrative coordinator of the Ontario Digital Literacy and Access Network (ODLAN).

    – ref. AI can affect anonymous surveys. Here are some ways for researchers to mitigate its impact – https://theconversation.com/ai-can-affect-anonymous-surveys-here-are-some-ways-for-researchers-to-mitigate-its-impact-247758

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    January 30, 2025
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