NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Global: Young food entrepreneurs are changing the face of rural America

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Dawn Thilmany, Professor of Agricultural Economics, Colorado State University

    Many rural food businesses, like Daily Loaf Bakery in Hamburg, Pa., rely on farmers markets to reach customers. Susan L. Angstadt/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images

    Visit just about any downtown on a weekend and you will likely happen upon a farmers market. Or, you might grab lunch from a food truck outside a local brewpub or winery.

    Very likely, there is a community-shared kitchen or food entrepreneur incubator initiative behind the scenes to support this growing foodie ecosystem.

    As rural America gains younger residents, and grows more diverse and increasingly digitally connected, these dynamics are driving a renaissance in craft foods.

    One food entrepreneur incubator, Hope & Main Kitchen, operates out of a school that sat vacant for over 10 years in the small Rhode Island town of Warren. Its business incubation program, with over 300 graduates to date, gives food and beverage entrepreneurs a way to test, scale and develop their products before investing in their own facilities. Its markets also give entrepreneurs a place to test their products on the public and buyers for stores, while providing the community with local goods.

    Food has been central to culture, community and social connections for millennia. But food channels, social media food influencers and craft brews have paved the way for a renaissance of regional beverage and food industry startups across America.

    In my work in agriculture economics, I see connections between this boom in food and agriculture innovation and the inflow of young residents who are helping revitalize rural America and reinvigorate its Main Streets.

    Why entrepreneurs are embracing rural life

    An analysis of 2023 U.S. Census Bureau data found that more people have been moving to small towns and rural counties in recent years, and that the bulk of that population growth is driven by 25- to 44-year-olds.

    This represents a stark contrast to the 2000s, when 90% of the growth for younger demographics was concentrated in the largest metro areas.

    The COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote work options it created, along with rising housing prices, were catalysts for the change, but other interesting dynamics may also be at play.

    One is social connectedness. Sociologists have long believed that the community fabric of rural America contributes to economic efficiency, productive business activity, growth of communities and population health.

    Maps show that rural areas of the U.S. with higher social capital – those with strong networks and relationships among residents – are some of the strongest draws for younger households today.

    Another important dynamic for both rural communities and their new young residents is entrepreneurship, including food entrepreneurship.

    Rural food startups may be leveraging the social capital aligned with the legacy of agriculture in rural America, resulting in a renewed interest in craft and local foods. This includes a renaissance in foods made with local ingredients or linked to regional cultures and tastes.

    According to data from the National Agricultural Statistics Service, U.S. local sales of edible farm products increased 33% from 2017 to 2022, reaching $14.2 billion.

    The new ‘AgriCulture’

    A 2020 study I was involved in, led by agriculture economist Sarah Low, found a positive relationship between the availability of farm-based local and organic foods and complementary food startups. The study termed this new dynamic “AgriCulture.”

    We found a tendency for these dynamics to occur in areas with higher natural amenities, such as hiking trails and streams, along with transportation and broadband infrastructure attractive to digital natives.

    The same dynamic drawing young people to the outdoors offers digital natives a way to experience far-reaching regions of the country and, in some cases, move there.

    A thriving food and beverage scene can be a pull for those who want to live in a vibrant community, or the new settlers and their diverse tastes may be what get food entrepreneurs started. Many urban necessities, such as shopping, can be done online, but eating and food shopping are local daily necessities.

    Governments can help rural food havens thrive

    When my colleagues and I talk to community leaders interested in attracting new industries and young families, or who seek to build community through revitalized downtowns and public spaces, the topic of food commonly arises.

    We encourage them to think about ways they can help draw food entrepreneurs: Can they increase local growers’ and producers’ access to food markets? Would creating shared kitchens help support food trucks and small businesses? Does their area have a local advantage, such as a seashore, hiking trails or cultural heritage, that they can market in connection with local food?

    The farm store at Harley Farm Goat Dairy in Pescadero, Calif., draws people headed for hiking trails or the coast in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
    Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

    Several federal, state and local economic development programs are framing strategies to bolster any momentum occurring at the crossroads of rural, social connections, resiliency, food and entrepreneurship.

    For example, a recent study from a collaboration of shared kitchen experts found that there were over 600 shared-use food facilities across the U.S. in 2020, and over 20% were in rural areas. In a survey of owners, the report found that 50% of respondents identified assisting early-growth businesses as their primary goal.

    The USDA Regional Food Business Centers, one of which I am fortunate to co-lead, have been bolstering the networking and technical assistance to support these types of rural food economy efforts.

    Many rural counties are still facing shrinking workforces, commonly because of lagging legacy industries with declining employment, such as mining. However, recent data and studies suggest that in rural areas with strong social capital, community support and outdoor opportunities, younger populations are growing, and their food interests are helping boost rural economies.

    Dawn Thilmany receives funding from the United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Development Administration, and Colorado state agencies focused on agriculture, economic development and food systems.

    – ref. Young food entrepreneurs are changing the face of rural America – https://theconversation.com/young-food-entrepreneurs-are-changing-the-face-of-rural-america-245531

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Work requirements are better at blocking benefits for low-income people than they are at helping those folks find jobs

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Anne Whitesell, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Miami University

    Meeting work requirements to get government benefits can lead to burdensome paperwork. JackF/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Republican lawmakers are battling over a bill that includes massive tax and spending cuts. But they’re having trouble agreeing on provisions intended to reduce the cost of Medicaid.

    The popular health insurance program, which is funded by both the federal and state governments, covers about 78.5 million low-income and disabled people – more than 1 in 5 Americans.

    The House is getting ready to vote on a budget bill designed to reduce federal Medicaid spending by requiring anyone enrolled in the program who appears to be able to get a job to either satisfy work requirements or lose their coverage. It’s still unclear, however, whether Senate Republicans would support that provision.

    Although there are few precedents for such a mandate for Medicaid, other safety net programs have been enforcing similar rules for nearly three decades. I’m a political scientist who has extensively studied the work requirements of another safety net program: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.

    As I explain in my book, “Living Off the Government?
    Race, Gender, and the Politics of Welfare,” work requirements place extra burdens on low-income families but do little to lift them out of poverty.

    Work requirements for TANF

    TANF gives families with very low incomes some cash they can spend on housing, food, clothing or whatever they need most. The Clinton administration launched it as a replacement for a similar program, Aid to Families with Dependent Children, in 1996. At the time, both political parties were eager to end a welfare system they believed was riddled with abuse. A big goal with TANF was ending the dependence of people getting cash benefits on the government by moving them from welfare to work.

    Many people were removed from the welfare rolls, but not because work requirements led to economic prosperity. Instead, they had trouble navigating the bureaucratic demands.

    TANF is administered by the states. They can set many rules of their own, but they must comply with an important federal requirement: Adult recipients have to work or engage in an authorized alternative activity for at least 30 hours per week. The number of weekly hours is only 20 if the recipient is caring for a child under the age of 6.

    The dozen activities or so that can count toward this quota range from participating in job training programs to engaging in community service.

    Some adults enrolled in TANF are exempt from work requirements, depending on their state’s own policies. The most common exemptions are for people who are ill, have a disability or are over age 60.

    To qualify for TANF, families must have dependent children; in some states pregnant women also qualify. Income limits are set by the state and range from US$307 a month for a family of three in Alabama to $2,935 a month for a family of three in Minnesota.

    Adult TANF recipients face a federal five-year lifetime limit on benefits. States can adopt shorter time limits; Arizona’s is 12 months.

    An administrative burden

    Complying with these work requirements generally means proving that you’re working or making the case that you should be exempt from this mandate. This places what’s known as an “administrative burden” on the people who get cash assistance. It often requires lots of documentation and time. If you have an unpredictable work schedule, inconsistent access to child care or obligations to care for an older relative, this paperwork is hard to deal with.

    What counts as work, how many hours must be completed and who is exempt from these requirements often comes down to a caseworker’s discretion. Social science research shows that this discretion is not equally applied and is often informed by stereotypes.

    The number of people getting cash assistance has fallen sharply since TANF replaced Aid to Families with Dependent Children. In some states caseloads have dropped by more than 50% despite significant population growth.

    Some of this decline happened because recipients got jobs that paid them too much to qualify. The Congressional Budget Office, a nonpartisan office that provides economic research to Congress, attributes, at least in part, an increase in employment among less-educated single mothers in the 1990s to work requirements.

    Not everyone who stopped getting cash benefits through TANF wound up employed, however. Other recipients who did not meet requirements fell into deep poverty.

    Regardless of why people leave the program, when fewer low-income Americans get TANF benefits, the government spends less money on cash assistance. Federal funding has remained flat at $16.5 billion since 1996. Taking inflation into account, the program receives half as much funding as when it was created. In addition, states have used the flexibility granted them to direct most of their TANF funds to priorities other than cash benefits, such as pre-K education.

    Many Americans who get help paying for groceries through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are also subject to work requirements. People the government calls “able-bodied adults without dependents” can only receive SNAP benefits for three months within a three-year period if they are not employed.

    A failed experiment in Arkansas

    Lawmakers in Congress and in statehouses have debated whether to add work requirements for Medicaid before. More than a dozen states have applied for waivers that would let them give it a try.

    When Arkansas instituted Medicaid work requirements in 2018, during the first Trump administration, it was largely seen as a failure. Some 18,000 people lost their health care coverage, but employment rates did not increase.

    After a court order stopped the policy in 2019, most people regained their coverage.

    Georgia is currently the only state with Medicaid work requirements in effect, after implementing a waiver in July 2023. The program has experienced technical difficulties and has had trouble verifying work activities.

    Other states, including Idaho, Indiana and Kentucky, are already asking the federal government to let them enforce Medicaid work requirements.

    Then-Gov. Asa Hutchinson speaks during a news conference in 2017, in Little Rock, Arkansas, calling for Medicaid work requirements.
    AP Photo/Andrew DeMillo

    What this may mean for Medicaid

    One version of the Republican budget bill floated in 2025 would introduce Medicaid work requirements nationwide for childless adults age 19 to 64, with some exemptions.

    But most people covered by Medicaid in that age range are already working, and those who are not would likely be eligible for work requirement waivers. An analysis by KFF – a nonprofit that informs the public about health issues – shows that in 2023, 44% of Medicaid recipients were working full time and another 20% were working part time. In 2023, that was more than 16 million Americans.

    About 20% of the American adults under 65 who are covered by Medicaid are not working due to illness or disability, or because of caregiving responsibilities, according to KFF. This includes both people caring for young children and those taking care of relatives with an illness or disability. In my own research, I read testimony from families seeking work exemptions because caregiving, including for children with disabilities, was a full-time job.

    The rest of the adults under 65 with Medicaid coverage are not working because they are in school, are retired, cannot find work or have some other reason. It’s approximately 3.9 million Americans. Depending on what counts as “work,” they may be meeting any requirements that could be added to the program.

    The Congressional Budget Office estimates that introducing Medicaid work requirements would save around $300 billion over a decade. Given past experience with work requirements, it is unlikely those savings would come from Americans finding jobs.

    My research suggests it’s more likely that the government would trim spending by taking away the health insurance of people eligible for Medicaid coverage who get tangled up in red tape.

    Anne Whitesell is a 2024-2025 PRRI Public Fellow.

    – ref. Work requirements are better at blocking benefits for low-income people than they are at helping those folks find jobs – https://theconversation.com/work-requirements-are-better-at-blocking-benefits-for-low-income-people-than-they-are-at-helping-those-folks-find-jobs-256839

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Empathy can take a toll – but 2 philosophers explain why we should see it as a strength

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Emad H. Atiq, Professor of Law and Philosophy, Cornell University

    Empathy isn’t just about feelings. It’s also an aspect of knowledge. AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo

    In an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, billionaire and Trump megadonor Elon Musk offered his thoughts about what motivates political progressives to support immigration. In his view, the culprit was empathy, which he called “the fundamental weakness of Western civilization.”

    As shocking as Musk’s views are, however, they are far from unique. On the one hand, there is the familiar and widespread conservative critique of “bleeding heart” liberals as naive or overly emotional. But there is also a broader philosophical critique that raises worries about empathy on quite different and less political grounds, including findings in social science.

    Empathy can make people weaker – both physically and practically, according to social scientists. Consider the phenomenon known as “empathy fatigue,” a major source of burnout among counselors, nurses and even neurosurgeons. These professionals devote their lives to helping others, yet the empathy they feel for their clients and patients wears them down, making it harder to do their jobs.

    As philosophers, we agree that empathy can take a toll on both individuals and society. However, we believe that, at its core, empathy is a form of mental strength that enables us to better understand the impact of our actions on others, and to make informed choices.

    The philosophical roots of empathy skepticism

    The term “empathy” only entered the English language in the 1890s. But the general idea of being moved by others’ suffering has been a subject of philosophical attention for millennia, under labels such as “pity,” “sympathy” and “compassion.”

    One of the earliest warnings about pity in Western philosophy comes from the Greek Stoic philosopher Epictetus. In his “Discourses,” he offers general advice about how to live a good life, centered on inner tranquility and freedom. When it comes to emotions and feelings, he writes: “He is free who lives as he wishes to live … And who chooses to live in sorrow, fear, envy, pity, desiring and failing in his desires, attempting to avoid something and falling into it? Not one.”

    Feeling sorry for another person or feeling pity for them compromises our freedom, in Epictetus’s view. Those negative feelings are unpleasant, and nobody would choose them for themselves. Empathy would clearly fall into this same category, keeping us from living the good life.

    A similar objection emerged much later from the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche framed his discussion in terms of “Mitleid” – a German term that can be translated as either “pity” or “compassion.” Like Epictetus, Nietzsche worried that pity or compassion was a burden on the individual, preventing them from living the good life. In his book “Daybreak,” Nietzsche warns that such feelings could impair the very people who try to help others.

    Epictetus’s and Nietzsche’s worries about pity or compassion carry over to empathy.

    Recall, the phenomenon of empathy fatigue. One psychological explanation for why empathic people experience fatigue and even burnout is that empathy involves a kind of mirroring of other people’s mental life, a mirroring that can be physically unpleasant. When someone you love is in pain, you don’t just believe that they are in pain; you may feel it as if it is actually happening to you.

    From a philosophical standpoint, empathy is intimately related to the domain of knowledge.
    AP Photo/Elise Amendola

    Results from neuroscience and cognitive psychology research indicate that there are different brain mechanisms involved in merely observing another’s pain versus empathizing with it. The latter involves unpleasant sensations of the type we experience when we are in pain. Empathy is thus difficult to bear precisely because being in pain is difficult to bear. And this sharpens the Stoic and Nietzschean worries: Why bother empathizing when it is unpleasant and, perhaps, not even necessary for helping others?

    From understanding knowledge to appreciating empathy

    The answer for why one should see empathy as a strength starts with a key insight from 20th century philosophy about the nature of knowledge.

    That insight is based on a famous thought experiment by the Australian philosopher Frank Jackson. Jackson invites us to imagine a scientist named Mary who has studied colors despite having lived her entire life in a black and white room. She knows all the facts about the spectrum distribution of light sources and vision science. She’s read descriptions of the redness of roses and azaleas. But she’s never seen color herself. Does Mary know everything about redness? Many epistemologists – people who study the nature of knowledge – argue that she does not.

    What Mary learns when she sees red for the first time is elusive. If she returns to her black and white room, never to see any colored objects again, her knowledge of the colors will likely diminish over time. To have a full, rich understanding of colors, one needs to experience them.

    Bertrand Russell was actively involved in political activism on behalf of the experiences of others.
    Douglas Miller/Keystone/Getty Images

    Thoughts like these led the philosopher and logician Bertrand Russell to argue that experience delivers a special kind of knowledge of things that can’t be reduced to knowledge of facts. Seeing, hearing, tasting and even feeling delivers what he called “knowledge by acquaintance.”

    We have argued in a book and recent articles that Jackson’s and Russell’s conclusions apply to pain.

    Consider a variation on Jackson’s thought experiment: Suppose Mary knows the facts about pain but hasn’t experienced it. As before, it would seem like her understanding of pain is incomplete. In fact, though Mary is a fictional character, there are real people who report having never experienced pain as an unpleasant sensation – a condition known as “pain asymbolia”.

    In Russell’s terminology, such people haven’t personally experienced how unpleasant pain can be. But even people without pain asymbolia can become less familiar with pain and hardship during times when things are going well for them. All of us can temporarily lose the rich experiential grasp of what it is like to be distressed. So, when we consider the pain and suffering of others in the abstract and without directly feeling it, it is very much like trying to grasp the nature of redness while being personally acquainted only with a field of black and white.

    That, we argue, is where empathy comes in. Through experiential simulation of another’s feelings, empathy affords us a rich grasp of the distress that others feel. The upshot is that empathy isn’t just a subjective sensation. It affords us a more accurate understanding of others’ experiences and emotions.

    Empathy is thus a form of knowledge that can be hard to bear, just as pain can be hard to bear. But that’s precisely why empathy, properly cultivated, is a strength. As one of us has argued, it takes courage to empathically engage with others, just as it takes courage to see and recognize problems around us. Conversely, an unwillingness to empathize can stem from a familiar weakness: a fear of knowledge.

    So, when deciding complex policy questions, say, about immigration, resisting empathy impairs our decision-making. It keeps us from understanding what’s at stake. That is why it is vital to ask ourselves what policies we would favor if we were empathically acquainted with, and so fully informed of, the plight of others.

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

    – ref. Empathy can take a toll – but 2 philosophers explain why we should see it as a strength – https://theconversation.com/empathy-can-take-a-toll-but-2-philosophers-explain-why-we-should-see-it-as-a-strength-254554

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: FDA will approve COVID-19 vaccine only for older adults and high-risk groups – a public health expert explains the new rules

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Libby Richards, Professor of Nursing, Purdue University

    Older adults will continue to receive yearly COVID-19 shots, but lower-risk groups will not, says the FDA. dusanpetkovic via iStock / Getty Images Plus

    On May 20, 2025, the Food and Drug Administration announced a new stance on who should receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

    The agency said it would approve new versions of the vaccine only for adults 65 years of age and older as well as for people with one or more risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcomes. These risk factors include medical conditions such as asthma, cancer, chronic kidney disease, heart disease and diabetes.

    However, healthy younger adults and children who fall outside of these groups may not be eligible to receive the COVID-19 shot this fall. Vaccine manufacturers will have to conduct clinical trials to demonstrate that the vaccine benefits low-risk groups.

    FDA Commissioner Martin Makary and the agency’s head of vaccines, Vinay Prasad, described the new framework in an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine and in a public webcast.

    The Conversation U.S. asked Libby Richards, a nursing professor involved in public health promotion, to explain why the changes were made and what they mean for the general public.

    Why did the FDA diverge from past practice?

    Until the May 20 announcement, getting a yearly COVID-19 vaccine was recommended for everyone ages 6 months and older, regardless of their health risk.

    According to Makary and Prasad, the Food and Drug Administration is moving away from these universal recommendations and instead taking a risk-based approach based on its interpretation of public health trends – specifically, the declining COVID-19 booster uptake, a lack of strong evidence that repeated boosters improve health outcomes for healthy people and the fact that natural immunity from past COVID-19 infections is widespread.

    The FDA states it wants to ensure the vaccine is backed by solid clinical trial data, especially for low-risk groups.

    Was this a controversial decision or a clear consensus?

    The FDA’s decision to adopt a risk-based framework for the COVID-19 vaccine aligns with the expected recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, an advisory group of vaccine experts offering expert guidance to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine policy, which is scheduled to meet in June 2025. But while this advisory committee was also expected to recommend allowing low-risk people to get annual COVID-19 vaccines if they want to, the FDA’s policy will likely make that difficult.

    Although the FDA states that its new policy aims to promote greater transparency and evidenced-based decision-making, the change is controversial – in part because it circumvents the usual process for evaluating vaccine recommendations. The FDA is enacting this policy change by limiting its approval of the vaccine to high-risk groups, and it is doing so without any new data supporting its decision. Usually, however, the FDA broadly approves a vaccine based on whether it is safe and effective, and decisions on who should be eligible to receive it are left to the CDC, which receives research-based guidance from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

    Change is coming to COVID-19 vaccine policy.
    Rock Obst, CC BY-SA

    Additionally, FDA officials point to Canada, Australia and some European countries that limit vaccine recommendations to older adults and other high-risk people as a model for its revised framework. But vaccine strategies vary widely, and this more conservative approach has not necessarily proven superior. Also, those countries have universal health care systems and have a track record of more equitable access to COVID-19 care and better COVID-19 outcomes.

    Another question is how health officials’ positions on COVID-19 vaccines affect public perception. Makary and Prasad noted that COVID-19 vaccination campaigns may have actually eroded public trust in vaccination. But some vaccine experts have expressed concerns that limiting COVID-19 vaccine access might further fuel vaccine hesitancy because any barrier to vaccine access can reduce uptake and hinder efforts to achieve widespread immunity.

    What conditions count as risk factors?

    The New England Journal of Medicine article includes a lengthy list of conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 and notes that about 100 million to 200 million people will fall into this category and will thus be eligible to get the vaccine.

    Pregnancy is included. Some items on the list, however, are unclear. For example, the list includes asthma, but the data that asthma is a risk factor for severe COVID-19 is scant.

    Also on the list is physical inactivity, which likely applies to a vast swath of Americans and is difficult to define. Studies have found links between regular physical activity and reduced risk of severe COVID-19 infection, but it’s unclear how health care providers will define and measure physical inactivity when assessing a patient’s eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines.

    Most importantly, the list leaves out an important group – caregivers and household members of people at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 infection. This omission leaves high-risk people more vulnerable to exposure to COVID-19 from healthy people they regularly interact with. Multiple countries the new framework refers to do include this group.

    Why is the FDA requiring new clinical trials?

    According to the FDA, the benefits of multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines for healthy adults are currently unproven. It’s true that studies beyond the fourth vaccine dose are scarce. However, multiple studies have demonstrated that the vaccine is effective at preventing the risk of severe COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death in low-risk adults and children. Receiving multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines has also been shown to reduce the risk of long COVID.

    The FDA is moving to risk-based access for COVID-19 vaccines.

    The FDA is requiring vaccine manufactures to conduct additional large randomized clinical trials to further evaluate the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 boosters for healthy adults and children. These trials will primarily test whether the vaccines prevent symptomatic infections, and secondarily whether they prevent hospitalization and death. Such trials are more complex, costly and time-consuming than the more common approach of testing for immunological response.

    This requirement will likely delay both the timeliness and the availability of COVID-19 vaccine boosters and slow public health decision-making.

    Will low-risk people be able to get a COVID-19 shot?

    Not automatically. Under the new FDA framework, healthy adults who wish to receive the fall COVID-19 vaccine will face obstacles. Health care providers can administer vaccines “off-label”, but insurance coverage is widely based on FDA recommendations. The new, narrower FDA approval will likely reduce both access to COVID-19 vaccines for the general public and insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines.

    The FDA’s focus on individual risks and benefits may overlook broader public health benefits. Communities with higher vaccination rates have fewer opportunities to spread the virus.

    What about vaccines for children?

    High-risk children age 6 months and older who have conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 are still eligible for the vaccine under the new framework. As of now, healthy children age 6 months and older without underlying medical conditions will not have routine access to COVID-19 vaccines until further clinical trial data is available.

    Existing vaccines already on the market will remain available, but it is unclear how long they will stay authorized and how the change will affect childhood vaccination overall.

    Libby Richards has received funding from the National Institutes of Health, the American Nurses Foundation, and the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute

    – ref. FDA will approve COVID-19 vaccine only for older adults and high-risk groups – a public health expert explains the new rules – https://theconversation.com/fda-will-approve-covid-19-vaccine-only-for-older-adults-and-high-risk-groups-a-public-health-expert-explains-the-new-rules-257226

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: WHO is finalizing a new treaty that prepares for the next pandemic − but the US isn’t signing

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Nicole Hassoun, Professor of Philosophy, Binghamton University, State University of New York

    The 78th World Health Assembly is taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 19-27, 2025. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

    On March 20, 2025, members of the World Health Organization adopted the world’s first pandemic agreement, following three years of “intensive negotiations launched by governments in response to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.” The U.S., however, did not participate, in part because of its intention to withdraw from the WHO.

    Global health experts are hailing the agreement as a historic moment.

    What does the agreement mean for the world, and how can it make everyone safer and more prepared for the next pandemic?

    The Conversation asked Nicole Hassoun, a professor at Binghamton University and executive director of Global Health Impact, to explain the pandemic accord, its prospects for advancing global health, and the significance of the U.S.’s absence from it.

    What will the pandemic agreement do?

    The accord will bolster pandemic preparation within individual countries and around the world.

    Countries signing onto the agreement are committing to improve their disease surveillance and grow their heath care workforces, strengthen their regulatory systems and invest in research and development. It encourages countries to strengthen their health regulations and infrastructure, improve communication with the public about pandemics and increase funding for preparation and response efforts.

    It also includes new mechanisms for producing and distributing vaccines and other essential countermeasures. Finally, it encourages countries to coordinate their responses and share information about infectious diseases and intellectual property so that vaccines and other essential countermeasures can be made available more quickly.

    The agreement will take effect once enough countries ratify it, which may take several years.

    Why isn’t the US involved?

    The Biden administration was broadly supportive of a pandemic agreement and was an active participant in negotiations.

    Prior to Donald Trump’s reelection, however, Republican governors had signed a letter opposing the treaty, echoing a conservative think tank’s concerns about U.S. sovereignty.

    The U.S. withdrew from negotiations when President Trump signed an executive order to withdraw from the WHO on the day he was inaugurated for his second term.

    Why could the lack of US involvement be beneficial for the world?

    The lack of U.S. involvement likely resulted in a much more equitable treaty, and it is not clear that countries could have reached an agreement had the U.S. continued to object to key provisions.

    It was only once the U.S. withdrew from the negotiations that an agreement was reached. The U.S. and several other wealthy countries were concerned with protecting their pharmaceutical industry’s profits and resisted efforts aimed at convincing pharmaceutical companies to share the knowledge, data and intellectual property needed for producing new vaccines and other essential countermeasures.

    Other negotiators sought greater access to vaccines and other treatments during a pandemic for poorer countries, which often rely on patented technologies from global pharmaceutical companies.

    While most people in wealthy countries had access to COVID-19 vaccines as early as 2021, many people in developing countries had to wait years for vaccines.

    How could the agreement broaden access for treatments?

    One of the contentious issues in the pandemic agreement has to do with how many vaccines manufacturers in each country must share in exchange for access to genetic sequences to emerging infectious diseases. Countries are still negotiating a system for sharing the genetic information on pathogens in return for access to vaccines themselves. It is important that researchers can get these sequences to make vaccines. And, of course, people need access to the vaccines once they are developed.

    Still, there are many more promising aspects of the agreement for which no further negotiations are necessary. For instance, the agreement will increase global vaccine supply by increasing manufacturing around the world.

    The agreement also specifies that countries and the WHO should work together to create a mechanism for fairly sharing the intellectual property, data and knowledge needed to produce vaccines and other essential health products. If financing for new innovation requires equitable access to the new technologies that are developed, many people in poor countries may get access to vaccines much more quickly in the next pandemic. The agreement also encourages individual countries to offer sufficient incentives for pharmaceutical companies to extend access to developing countries.

    If countries implement these changes, that will benefit people in rich countries as well as poor ones. A more equitable distribution of vaccines can contain the spread of disease, saving millions of lives.

    What more should be done, and does the US have a role to play?

    In my view, the best way to protect public health moving forward is for countries to sign on to the agreement and devote more resources to global health initiatives. This is particularly important given declining investment and participation in the WHO and the contraction of other international health initiatives, such as USAID.

    Without international coordination, it will become harder to catch and address problems early enough to prevent epidemics from becoming pandemics.

    It will also be imperative for member countries to provide funding to support the agreement’s goals and secure the innovation and access to new technologies. This requires building the basic health infrastructure to ensure shots can get into people’s arms.

    Nicole Hassoun has receive funding from the WHO and worked as a consultant for the UN.

    – ref. WHO is finalizing a new treaty that prepares for the next pandemic − but the US isn’t signing – https://theconversation.com/who-is-finalizing-a-new-treaty-that-prepares-for-the-next-pandemic-but-the-us-isnt-signing-256191

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Billions of cicadas are emerging, from Cape Cod to north Georgia – here’s how and why we map them

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Chris Simon, Senior Research Scientist of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut

    Three cicadas in North Carolina during the 2003 Brood IX emergence Chris Simon, CC BY-ND

    If they’re in your area, you’ll know it from their loud droning, chirping and buzzing sounds. Cicadas from Brood XIV – one of the largest groups of cicadas that emerge from underground on a 13-year or 17-year cycle – are surfacing in May and June 2025 across 12 states. This large-scale biological event reaches from northern Georgia up into Indiana and Ohio and eastward through the mid-Atlantic, extending as far north as Long Island, N.Y. and Massachusetts.

    Through mid-June, wooded areas will ring with cicadas’ loud mating calls. After mating, each female will lay hundreds of eggs inside small tree branches. Then the adult cicadas will die. When the eggs hatch six weeks later, new cicada nymphs will fall from the trees and burrow back underground, starting the cycle again.

    We are evolutionary ecologists who study periodical cicadas to understand questions about the natural history, genetics and geographic distribution of life. This work starts with mapping where they appear.

    We’ve been doing this for decades, updating a process begun by entomologists in the mid-1800s. Our latest maps are published online and searchable.

    Periodical cicadas emerge on 13- or 17-year cycles in enormous numbers, which increases their odds of finding mates and avoiding predators long enough to reproduce.

    Mapping the presence of such a noisy species might seem straightforward, but it’s actually complex. And accuracy matters because there are seven species of periodical cicadas — four with 13-year life cycles and three with 17-year cycles. Different broods can share boundaries, and some cicadas that emerge this year may be members of broods other than XIV, coming out early or late.

    A lot of work goes into verifying the data in our maps so that they show the status of these unique insects as accurately as possible. Here’s a look at the process, and at how you can contribute:

    Refining past records

    We first started creating our maps on paper by collecting all known specimen records of 13- and 17-year periodical cicadas from past scientific studies and museums large and small across the eastern U.S., where these broods are located. For centuries, museum specimens have been the gold standard for documenting the presence of a species.

    But past standards for labeling specimens were different. Many old museum labels simply noted very approximate locations where specimens were collected. Sometimes they just recorded the city, county or state.

    Today we collect our records along roads. We listen for species-specific songs and then record the cicada species identity on computers, with their GPS locations. Often we’ll stop to examine a patch of forest. If the cicadas are singing, we note whether the chorus is light, moderate, loud or distant.

    If stormy weather damps down the cicada songs, we look for signs of emergence, such as cast-off skins, adult cicadas on plants, or egg scars on branches.

    Dozens of small brown cicadas climb grass stems during a Brood VIII emergence in Rector, Pa.
    Chris Simon, CC BY-ND

    Connecting the data dots

    In some regions, such as the U.S. Midwest, roads are arranged on a grid that reflects land survey lines. Networks like these can be ideal for mapping species distributions. Delineating an area that’s occupied by a specific cicada brood may be as simple as connecting the dots that represent our positive sightings.

    In other places, such as Appalachia, roads often follow ridges or valleys and miss many areas. Here, it’s harder to infer where cicadas are present between data points, especially when those data points are located on different roads.

    Drawing a boundary that contains every data point in a survey area usually will end up overstating the area where periodical cicadas are emerging. We intentionally design our maps to be conservative, so we display our information as point data and do not attempt to draw brood boundaries or generalize our data to counties.

    It’s equally important to record absence points – places where no cicadas are present. Otherwise, an area might be blank either because a species is absent or simply because no one looked for cicadas there.

    A cicada nymph from Brood X sheds its skin during an emergence in Herndon, Va.
    Chris Simon, CC BY-ND

    We have been verifying periodical cicada records and updating maps since the late 1980s. Our more recent maps include geographic information for data collection points.

    Where our maps show the presence of cicadas, a senior member of our project has verified that cicadas were present at that place and date. The insects may have been just emerging, singing loudly, or on their way out.

    Where our maps show the absence of cicadas, that means that one of us or a collaborator visited that location under appropriate conditions and verified that no cicadas were present. Where our maps show no records, we have no information on presence or absence.

    Each color on this map represents a different periodical cicada brood. Brood XIV is the darker green extending from the Midwest to eastern Massachusetts.
    University of Connecticut, used with permission., CC BY-ND

    Crowdsourcing the emergence

    In recent years, citizen scientists – members of the public collecting data for scientific research – have revolutionized mapping efforts, using apps and the internet. Apps such as iNaturalist and Cicada Safari allow users to submit geolocated photos, sounds and videos with a few clicks.

    When we receive these records, our colleague Gene Kritsky, an emeritus entomologist at Mount St. Joseph University, vets them with his team. Then they are uploaded to a map on Cicada Safari.

    Citizen science maps have different biases from those that are created by our expert teams. Members of the public tend to collect their data in areas where residents are familiar with cicadas, there is good internet connectivity and media stories have piqued volunteer reporters’ interest. These maps don’t show absence records or all localities, especially in sparsely populated areas.

    Even records supported by sounds or photographs may not be accurate. They may capture “stragglers” from broods that are not part of the current year’s cycle but are emerging one to four years early or late.

    This phenomenon may become more commonplace in response to changing climates. Warming temperatures create longer growing seasons, which can enable at least some fraction of a periodical cicada population to develop faster and be ready to emerge earlier.

    For this reason, maps based on citizen science reports are most valuable if the same observers report back from the same locations repeatedly over several weeks. The longer-term presence of periodical cicadas indicates that what’s being tallied is a non-straggler population, or a straggler population on its way to permanently shifting the timing of its emergence.

    An evolving story

    Maps are valuable tools for understanding how species fit into their environment, how they interact with other species and how they respond to change. However, it is important to be aware of any map’s biases and limitations when interpreting it. Research requires dedication and repetition over many years.

    Our research suggests that climate warming has resulted in more four-year-early straggling events that are increasingly dense, widespread and likely to leave offspring. The result is a mosaic of broods that makes the jigsaw puzzle of periodical cicada distribution more complicated, but more interesting. Understanding how these four-year shifts are encoded in cicadas’ genes is a mystery that remains to be solved.

    Chris Simon has received funding from The National Science Foundation, The National Geographic Society, The Marsden Fund of New Zealand, and the University of Connecticut.

    John Cooley has received funding in the past from NSF and National Geographic Society. There are no current grants funding this work.

    – ref. Billions of cicadas are emerging, from Cape Cod to north Georgia – here’s how and why we map them – https://theconversation.com/billions-of-cicadas-are-emerging-from-cape-cod-to-north-georgia-heres-how-and-why-we-map-them-255461

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: A decade after the release of ‘The Martian’ and a decade out from the world it envisions, a planetary scientist checks in on real-life Mars exploration

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Ari Koeppel, Postdoctoral Scientist in Earth and Planetary Science, Dartmouth College

    ‘The Martian’ protagonist Mark Watney contemplates his ordeal. 20th Century Fox

    Andy Weir’s bestselling story “The Martian” predicts that by 2035 NASA will have landed humans on Mars three times, perfected return-to-Earth flight systems and collaborated with the China National Space Administration. We are now 10 years past the Hollywood adaptation’s 2015 release and 10 years shy of its fictional timeline. At this midpoint, Mars exploration looks a bit different than how it was portrayed in “The Martian,” with both more discoveries and more controversy.

    As a planetary geologist who works with NASA missions to study Mars, I follow exploration science and policy closely. In 2010, the U.S. National Space Policy set goals for human missions to Mars in the 2030s. But in 2017, the White House Space Policy Directive 1 shifted NASA’s focus toward returning first to the Moon under what would become the Artemis program.

    Although concepts for crewed missions to Mars have gained popularity, NASA’s actual plans for landing humans on Mars remain fragile. Notably, over the last 10 years, it has been robotic, rather than crewed, missions that have propelled discovery and the human imagination forward.

    NASA’s 2023 Moon to Mars Strategy and Objectives Development document lays out the steps the agency was shooting for at the time, to go first to the Moon, and from there to Mars.
    NASA

    Robotic discoveries

    Since 2015, satellites and rovers have reshaped scientists’ understanding of Mars. They have revealed countless insights into how its climate has changed over time.

    As Earth’s neighbor, climate shifts on Mars also reflect solar system processes affecting Earth at a time when life was first taking hold. Thus, Mars has become a focal point for investigating the age old questions of “where do we come from?” and “are we alone?”

    The Opportunity, Curiosity and Perseverance rovers have driven dozens of miles studying layered rock formations that serve as a record of Mars’ past. By studying sedimentary layers – rock formations stacked like layers of a cake – planetary geologists have pieced together a vivid tale of environmental change that dwarfs what Earth is currently experiencing.

    Mars was once a world of erupting volcanoes, glaciers, lakes and flowing rivers – an environment not unlike early Earth. Then its core cooled, its magnetic field faltered and its atmosphere drifted away. The planet’s exposed surface has retained signs of those processes ever since in the form of landscape patterns, sequences of layered sediment and mineral mixtures.

    Layered sedimentary rocks exposed within the craters of Arabia Terra, Mars, recording ancient surface processes. Photo from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment.
    NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

    Arabia Terra

    One focus of scientific investigation over the last 10 years is particularly relevant to the setting of “The Martian” but fails to receive mention in the story. To reach his best chance of survival, protagonist Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, must cross a vast, dusty and crater-pocked region of Mars known as Arabia Terra.

    In 2022 and 2023, I, along with colleagues at Northern Arizona University and Johns Hopkins University, published detailed analyses of the layered materials there using imagery from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter and Mars Odyssey satellites.

    By using infrared imagery and measuring the dimensions of surface features, we linked multiple layered deposits to the same episodes of formation and learned more about the widespread crumbling nature of the terrain seen there today. Because water tends to cement rock tightly together, that loose material indicates that around 3.5 billion years ago, that area had a drying climate.

    To make the discussions about this area easier, we even worked with the International Astronomical Union to name a few previously unnamed craters that were mentioned in the story. For example, one that Watney would have driven right by is now named Kozova Crater, after a town in Ukraine.

    More to explore

    Despite rapid advances in Mars science, many unknowns remain. Scientists still aren’t sure of the precise ages, atmospheric conditions and possible signatures of life associated with each of the different rock types observed on the surface.

    For instance, the Perseverance rover recently drilled into and analyzed a unique set of rocks hosting organic – that is, carbon-based – compounds. Organic compounds serve as the building blocks of life, but more detailed analysis is required to determine whether these specific rocks once hosted microbial life.

    The in-development Mars Sample Return mission aims to address these basic outstanding questions by delivering the first-ever unaltered fragments of another world to Earth. The Perseverance rover is already caching rock and soil samples, including ones hosting organic compounds, in sealed tubes. A future lander will then need to pick up and launch the caches back to Earth.

    Sampling Mars rocks could tell scientists more about the red planet’s past, and whether it could have hosted life.

    Once home, researchers can examine these materials with instruments orders of magnitude more sensitive than anything that could be flown on a spacecraft. Scientists stand to learn far more about the habitability, geologic history and presence of any signs of life on Mars through the sample return campaign than by sending humans to the surface.

    This perspective is why NASA, the European Space Agency and others have invested some US$30 billion in robotic Mars exploration since the 1960s. The payoff has been staggering: That work has triggered rapid technological advances in robotics, telecommunications and materials science. For example, Mars mission technology has led to better sutures for heart surgery and cars that can drive themselves.

    It has also bolstered the status of NASA and the U.S. as bastions of modern exploration and technology; and it has inspired millions of students to take an interest in scientific fields.

    A selfie from NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover with the Ingenuity helicopter, taken with the rover’s extendable arm on April 6, 2021.
    NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

    Calling the red planet home?

    Colonizing Mars has a seductive appeal. It’s hard not to cheer for the indomitable human spirit while watching Watney battle dust storms, oxygen shortages and food scarcity over 140 million miles from rescue.

    Much of the momentum toward colonizing Mars is now tied to SpaceX and its CEO Elon Musk, whose stated mission to make humanity a “multi-planetary species” has become a sort of rallying cry. But while Mars colonization is romantic on paper, it is extremely difficult to actually carry out, and many critics have questioned the viability of a Mars habitation as a refuge far from Earth.

    Now, with NASA potentially facing a nearly 50% reduction to its science budget, the U.S. risks dissolving its planetary science and robotic operations portfolio altogether, including sample return.

    Nonetheless, President Donald Trump and Musk have pushed for human space exploration to somehow continue to progress, despite those proposed cuts – effectively sidelining the robotic, science-driven programs that have underpinned all of Mars exploration to date.

    Yet, it is these programs that have yielded humanity’s richest insights into the red planet and given both scientists and storytellers like Andy Weir the foundation to imagine what it must be like to stand on Mars’ surface at all.

    Ari Koeppel receives funding from NASA.

    – ref. A decade after the release of ‘The Martian’ and a decade out from the world it envisions, a planetary scientist checks in on real-life Mars exploration – https://theconversation.com/a-decade-after-the-release-of-the-martian-and-a-decade-out-from-the-world-it-envisions-a-planetary-scientist-checks-in-on-real-life-mars-exploration-255752

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Lifecycle of a research grant – behind the scenes of the system that funds science

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kelly S. Mix, Associate Dean for Research, Innovation, and Partnerships in the College of Education, University of Maryland

    Without grants for salaries, supplies and more, many research labs would be empty. Solskin/DigitalVision via Getty Images

    Science funding is a hot topic these days and people have questions about how grants work. Who decides whether a researcher will receive funds? What’s the decision-making process? How is the money spent once a grant proposal has been approved?

    As a veteran academic researcher, department chairperson and associate dean for research, I have seen this process play out from multiple perspectives – as a grant recipient, grant reviewer and university administrator.

    Research organizations and major federal funders, including the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), all rely on careful systems of checks and balances to ensure high standards of scholarship and financial integrity at every stage of a grant’s lifecycle. Here’s how it all works.

    The birth of a grant application

    To receive research funding, scientists submit grant applications to specific programs. A cancer researcher might apply to the Bioengineering Research Grants program at NIH. Someone investigating sustainable fishing in freshwater habitats could seek funding from the Population and Community Ecology program at the NSF.

    Applications must be responsive to the funding program’s specific request for proposals, or RFP. The RFP tells researchers what the agency wants to fund. For example, the NSF’s Education Core Research program currently only funds projects focused on STEM learning.

    RFPs might have other application requirements, too, like explaining how a project will contribute to the public good, or supporting training for new scientists.

    Grant applications have two main parts. First, the researcher presents an extensive literature review to explain why the new project is needed and what it will add to the existing knowledge base. Next, they write up a detailed description of the proposed research plan. This basic two-part structure ensures that funded research will yield important information that is both new and trustworthy.

    Reviewers read the grant applications and compare them to the RFP. Applications that don’t address all the topics and research priorities listed there are unlikely to be funded. I once had a proposal rejected without further review because I left out a paragraph addressing one of the items in the agency’s new RFP. This initial review for RFP compliance is called “triage” and, believe me, nobody wants to see their hard work triaged out of the running.

    A panel of anonymous content experts carefully reviews applications to see if they’re worth funding.
    PeopleImages/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Merit review: How funding decisions are made

    Federal funding decisions are made through rigorous merit review.

    For each round of funding, agencies assemble a panel of anonymous content experts who will look for strengths and weaknesses in the proposals – anything from innovation in the question posed to logical flaws in the hypotheses or technical problems with the planned data analyses. With a group of experts looking for every possible weakness, having your grant reviewed is a bit like running a gauntlet.

    This careful review might help explain why 70% to 80% of grant applications typically go unfunded at agencies like the NIH and the NSF. But this level of scrutiny is necessary to prevent funding poorly designed or low-impact research.

    Several safeguards head off bias or unethical influences during merit review.

    First, reviewers must disclose any conflicts of interest with the pool of applicants before they can access the applications. Conflicts of interest can include situations like the reviewer having been the student of an applicant, the applicant and reviewer being divorced, or the proposal coming from the reviewer’s current institution.

    When conflicts are identified, the reviewer can remain on the panel, but they are completely excluded from decisions related to that application. They cannot even be in the room when it is discussed.

    Second, reviewers usually attend a meeting, supervised by program staff from the funding agency, where everyone debates the proposal’s merits before they score it. Sometimes panel members disagree in their initial critiques and use the meeting to hash out their differences. Other times, a reviewer might raise an important concern that others missed.

    Group discussion helps ensure a transparent and thorough review. It also stops any single reviewer from dictating the fate of a proposal because everyone hears the discussion and then scores the proposal individually. Whether a reviewer thinks an application is outstanding or fatally flawed, they must convince the rest of the experts in the room for the group’s overall scores to be greatly affected.

    Third, these discussions, along with the applications themselves and any written critiques, are strictly confidential. Reviewers sign written confidentiality agreements under penalty of perjury. This practice stops panelists from scoring political points by telling an applicant they defended their proposal, or divulging trade secrets and proprietary information.

    Following the meeting, final decisions are made by program staff using the reviewers’ evaluations. Some agencies adhere closely to the reviewers’ numeric scores – like a grade – when making these decisions. Others ask reviewers to sort applications into “fundable” or “non-fundable” piles; program staff then have some discretion on the final decision. But all decisions are rooted in the peer critiques.

    Researchers and their institutions keep careful records of where every penny gets spent.
    krisanapong detraphiphat/Moment

    Spending the funds

    Headlines about universities receiving large grants may leave the impression that such funds are simply added to the institution’s general coffers. But research funds are granted to support specific research projects, and agencies have strict rules about spending the money.

    For example, if a researcher wants to present their findings at a conference, they can charge the grant for their travel costs, but they may not charge above a certain amount for their lodging or purchase business class airplane tickets. Similarly, if a researcher wants to have more time to devote to a funded project, they can use part of the money to pay their own salary in the summer, but there are precise limits on the amount of funding that can be used for this purpose.

    It’s not up to the researcher alone to follow these rules. The organization that employs the researcher, usually a university, enforces the agency rules because it’s the employing organization that controls the grant accounts.

    Returning to the conference travel example, a university researcher who wants to attend a conference must request permission and provide a budget for the trip before purchasing tickets. If the travel request is approved by their department chair, dean and the university travel office, they may go ahead with their reservations. However, if they don’t produce receipts when they return, they will not be allowed to charge the grant. The same process applies to buying new computers for the lab, ordering standardized tests for a study or purchasing gift cards for study participants.

    Research organizations are highly motivated to enforce spending rules properly, because everyone in the organization is at risk of losing access to federal funds in the future if they let things slide. Funding agencies also require periodic reports and sometimes conduct audits to ensure compliance. These practices help guard against any misuse of funds.

    The way agencies issue grants to researchers isn’t perfect. But processes like issuing detailed RFPs, conducting merit reviews and monitoring financial compliance go a long way toward protecting the integrity of the research funding process.

    Kelly S. Mix currently receives research funding from the Institute of Education Sciences (U.S. Dept. of Education) and has previously received research funding from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and various foundations. The opinions and positions expressed in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the opinions and positions of these funders. She has volunteered for the Democratic Party.

    – ref. Lifecycle of a research grant – behind the scenes of the system that funds science – https://theconversation.com/lifecycle-of-a-research-grant-behind-the-scenes-of-the-system-that-funds-science-255163

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Department of State Press Briefing – May 22, 2025 – 2:00 PM

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Spokesperson Tammy Bruce leads the Department Press Briefing at the Department of State, on May 22, 2025.

    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/statedept
    X: https://x.com/StateDept
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/statedept
    Flickr: https://flickr.com/photos/statephotos/
    Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/StateDept
    Substack: https://statedept.substack.com

    Watch on-demand State Department videos: https://video.state.gov/
    Subscribe to The Week at State e-newsletter: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USSTATEBPA/signup/32562

    State Department website: https://www.state.gov/
    Careers website: https://careers.state.gov/
    White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/
    Terms of Use: https://state.gov/tou

    #StateDepartment #DepartmentofState #Diplomacy

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp9VNFw00Ok

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Feenstra Votes to Pass President Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Randy Feenstra (IA-04)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) voted to pass President Trump’s “One, Big, Beautiful Bill.”

    “Today, I proudly voted for President Trump’s ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill’ to deliver historic tax cuts for American families, farmers, workers, and small businesses. This legislation also funds our border patrol agents, continues construction of the border wall, revives domestic manufacturing, unleashes American energy dominance, and kicks illegal immigrants off taxpayer-funded benefits,” said Rep. Feenstra. “More than 77 million Americans made clear at the polls that they want President Trump’s America First agenda codified into law, and our ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill’ delivers on this promise. Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, our families will see big tax cuts, American workers will have higher wages, our farmers will see relief from the death tax, and our small businesses and local manufacturers will grow and thrive. Iowa will lead the way to restore our economic might and revive our manufacturing dominance.”

    Feenstra-led and -sponsored provisions include:

    • An increase in the exemption on the death tax,
    • Support for small businesses to offer paid family and medical leave to their employees,
    • Flexibility for community banks to offer agricultural business loans at more affordable rates for farmers and rural businesses,
    • Investments in homegrown Iowa biofuels,
    • Tax provisions to help American businesses compete on a level playing field with foreign businesses,
    • Higher standard deduction for families and workers,
    • New $4,000 bonus deduction for seniors,
    • Increased child tax credit for families,
    • Permanent 23% deduction for qualified business income for small businesses,
    • Lower crop insurance costs for young, beginning, and veteran farmers,
    • Support for foreign animal disease prevention, mitigation, and response,
    • Prevention of administrative errors when distributing SNAP payments, ensuring nutrition assistance is fighting food insecurity, and,
    • Investments in watershed infrastructure and flood prevention.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mann Votes to Advance President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tracey Mann (Kansas, 1)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Tracey Mann (KS-01) voted to advance the One Big Beautiful Act. The bill fulfills priorities that Rep. Mann and President Trump campaigned on, including making the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent, securing the nation’s borders, and reducing U.S. federal spending. The bill passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 215-214. Rep. Mann released the following statement after the vote:

    “On November 5, 2024, 77 million Americans gave Washington, D.C. a mandate to get our country back on track,” said Rep. Mann. “Today, House Republicans delivered on that mandate by saving taxpayer dollars, securing our borders, investing in our nation’s defense, promoting hard work and the American dream, and most importantly, preventing Kansans from seeing an average tax hike of $2,200 next January. These are the commonsense policy solutions that the Big First District overwhelmingly voted for last November and I could not be prouder of what we were able to deliver for the country. I am hopeful the Senate will move quickly to get this bill over the finish line and look forward to President Trump signing it into law.”

    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act:

    • Makes the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent, protecting the average taxpayer from a 22% tax increase in January 2026
    • Eliminates taxes on tips, overtime pay, and car loan interest on American-made cars
    • Provides additional tax relief for seniors
    • Expands the 199A small business deduction to 23% and makes it permanent
    • Increases detention capacity for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and includes funding for ICE resources
    • Funds the completion of the border wall and invests in modern technology to assist with intercepting drugs and human smuggling at U.S. ports of entry
    • Invests $60 billion in strengthening the farm safety net by expanding crop insurance and updating reference prices
    • Closes loopholes in the law that allow states to waive work requirements for government assistance programs
    • Appropriates $12.5 billion to the Federal Aviation Administration for the modernization of air traffic control technology and infrastructure
    • Rescinds unobligated funds and eliminates Biden-era programs estimated to cost over $4 billion

    The One Big Beautiful Bill Act will now go to the U.S. Senate for further consideration.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Tenney Applauds the Passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22)

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today voted in favor of the historic One Big Beautiful Bill Act to deliver on President Trump’s America First Agenda. 

    This legislation passed the House by a vote of 215-214 with one voting present. 

    “The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed the House today, puts America First by making permanent the Trump Tax Cuts, providing ICE and the Department of Homeland Security the funding they need to build the wall and hire more agents to secure our borders, unleashing American energy production, and restoring common sense and sanity in our government,” said Congresswoman Tenney.

    “House Republicans voted to prevent the largest tax hike in American History by preserving and expanding the 2017 Trump Tax Cuts. This legislation will now bring the most significant tax cut in American history, bringing an average of an extra $5,000 into our wallets. In addition, Americans earning between $30,000 and $80,000 will pay nearly 15% less in taxes. This legislation also includes President Trump’s promises of No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime, and cutting taxes on Social Security recipients to benefit working-class Americans.

    “NY-24 is the largest agricultural district in the Northeast; the One Big Beautiful Bill protects family farms by preventing the 6,804 family farms in our district from seeing their death tax exemption cut in half. Main Street businesses are also the backbone of our district, and this legislation protects the 199A Small Business Deduction to ensure the 40,720 small businesses in NY-24 are not hit by a 43.4% effective tax rate.

    “This legislation also contains historic provisions to secure our borders and combat the migrant crisis by providing nearly $70 million to expand ICE detention centers, hire over 10,000 new ICE Agents, and finish the border wall. President Trump and House Republicans are also committed to protecting American family values and restoring sanity to federal policymaking. By including my legislation to end taxpayer funding for sex changes for children and repealing the Left’s Green New Scam, we are working to rid our federal government of waste, fraud, and abuse. 

    “Now, it is up to the Senate to unite around this legislation and get this One Big Beautiful Bill to the President’s desk to deliver on our promises to the American people. It was a great privilege to support this once-in-a-lifetime bill, and I am eager to see it signed into law!”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Two galaxies seen in a ‘joust’ preceding a cosmic mega-merger

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Astronomers have observed two distant galaxies – both possessing roughly as many stars as our Milky Way – careening toward each other before their inevitable merger at a time when the universe was about a fifth its current age, a scene resembling two knights charging in a joust.

    The galaxies, observed using two Chile-based telescopes, were seen as they existed about 11.4 billion years ago, approximately 2.4 billion years after the Big Bang event that initiated the universe.

    At the heart of one of the galaxies resides a quasar, a highly luminous object powered by gas and other material falling into a supermassive black hole. The intense radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum unleashed by the quasar is seen disrupting clouds of gas and dust, known as molecular clouds, in the other galaxy.

    It is molecular clouds that give rise to stars. But the effects of the quasar’s radiation turned the clouds in the affected region into “only tiny dense cloudlets that are too small to form stars,” said astrophysicist Sergei Balashev of the Ioffe Institute in Saint Petersburg, Russia, co-lead author of the study published on Wednesday in the journal Nature.

    This is the first time such a phenomenon has been observed, Balashev said.

    Stars form by the slow contraction under gravity of these clouds, with small centers taking shape that heat up and become new stars. But the galaxy affected by the quasar’s radiation was left with fewer regions that could serve as such stellar nurseries, undermining its star formation rate.

    The interaction between the two galaxies reminded the researchers of a medieval joust.

    “Much like jousting knights charging toward one another, these galaxies are rapidly approaching. One of them – the quasar host – emits a powerful beam of radiation that pierces the companion galaxy, like a lance. This radiation ‘wounds’ its ‘opponent’ as it disrupts the gas,” said astronomer and co-lead author Pasquier Noterdaeme of the Paris Institute of Astrophysics in France.

    Supermassive black holes are found at the heart of many galaxies, including the Milky Way. The researchers estimated the mass of the one that serves as the engine of the quasar studied in this research at about 200 million times that of our sun.

    The intense gravitational strength of the supermassive black hole pulls gas and other material toward it. As this stuff spirals inward at high speed, it heats up due to friction, forming a disk that emits extremely powerful radiation in two opposite directions, called biconical beams.

    The ultraviolet light from one of these beams is what played havoc with the gas in the companion galaxy.

    This supermassive black hole is much more massive than the one at the center of the Milky Way – called Sagittarius A*, or Sgr A* – which possesses roughly 4 million times the mass of the sun and is located about 26,000 light-years from Earth. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, 5.9 trillion miles (9.5 trillion km).

    The researchers used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, or ALMA, to characterize the two galaxies and used the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope, or VLT, to probe the quasar as well as the gas in the companion galaxy.

    The configuration of the galaxies as viewed from the perspective of Earth enabled the researchers to observe the radiation from the quasar passing directly through the companion galaxy.

    Most galactic mergers that have been observed by astronomers occurred later in the history of the universe.

    “Galaxies are typically found in groups, and gravitational interactions naturally lead to mergers over cosmic time,” Noterdaeme said. “In line with current understanding, these two galaxies will eventually coalesce into a single larger galaxy. The quasar will fade as it exhausts the available fuel.”

    (Reuters)

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. retail gasoline prices heading into Memorial Day weekend are at a four-year low

    Source: US Energy Information Administration

    In-brief analysis

    May 22, 2025

    Data source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
    Note: Real prices are adjusted to May 2025 dollars.

    The retail price for regular-grade gasoline in the United States on May 19, the Monday before Memorial Day weekend, averaged $3.17 per gallon (gal), 11% (or 41 cents/gal) lower than the price a year ago. After adjusting for inflation (real terms), average U.S. retail gasoline prices going into Memorial Day weekend are 14% lower than last year, largely because crude oil prices have fallen.

    Memorial Day weekend is one of the biggest travel weekends of the year, and many of those travelers will go by car. The American Automobile Association (AAA) expects 39.4 million people will travel by car over Memorial Day weekend this year, an increase of 3% compared with last year.

    Substantially lower crude oil prices—which are the main component of retail gasoline prices—have kept retail gasoline prices lower than usual going into spring. From May 1 to May 19, Brent crude oil prices averaged $64 per barrel (b), 20% less in real terms than in January and 26% less than in May 2024. Concerns about future economic growth, record-high U.S. crude oil production, and, more recently, announcements that OPEC+ will accelerate crude oil production increases have contributed to falling crude oil prices.

    Data source: Bloomberg L.P. and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
    Note: Real prices are adjusted to May 2025 dollars.

    Retail gasoline prices on the Monday before Memorial Day weekend are only 4% (or 13 cents/gal) higher than on the first Monday of January. Retail gasoline prices typically increase much more than that as gasoline demand increases going into the summer driving season and retailers are required to start selling more expensive summer-grade gasoline. Over the last 10 years and excluding 2020, retail gasoline prices increased 19% (or 49 cents/gal) on average from January to May.

    U.S. gasoline prices vary regionally, reflecting local supply and demand conditions, state fuel specifications, and state taxes. Retail gasoline prices are usually the highest on the West Coast because of:

    • The region’s limited connections with other major refining centers
    • Tight local supply and demand conditions
    • Higher-than-average state taxes in several West Coast states
    • Gasoline specifications for California that make gasoline more costly to manufacture

    On May 19, West Coast prices averaged $4.29/gal, down 10% in real terms from this time last year.

    Gasoline prices on the Gulf Coast are usually the lowest of any U.S. region. Gulf Coast states are home to more than half of U.S. refining capacity, and more gasoline is produced than is consumed in the region. Gulf Coast states also have lower gasoline taxes than the national average. Gulf Coast prices on May 19 averaged $2.79/gal, down 13% from this time last year.

    On the East Coast, which has the most gasoline demand of the five regions, retail gasoline prices averaged $2.99/gal, down 17% from 2024.

    Prices are also down in the Midwest and the Rocky Mountains compared with last year. Midwest prices averaged $3.03/gal, down 15% from the previous year, and Rocky Mountains prices averaged $3.13/gal, down 12% from 2024 after adjusting for inflation.

    Principal contributor: Alexander de Keyserling

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FDA and CBP Seize Nearly $34 Million Worth of Illegal E-Cigarettes During Joint Operation

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    For Immediate Release:
    May 22, 2025

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced the seizure of nearly two million units of unauthorized e-cigarette products in Chicago, with an estimated retail value of $33.8 million. The seizures, which occurred in February of this year in collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), were part of a joint federal operation to examine incoming shipments and prevent illegal e-cigarettes from entering the country.
    During this operation, the team uncovered shipments of various illegal e-cigarette products, almost all of which originated in China and were intended for shipment to various U.S. states. FDA and CBP personnel determined that, in an apparent attempt to evade duties and the review of products for import safety concerns, many of these unauthorized e-cigarette shipments contained vague product descriptions with incorrect values. Upon examining shipments, the team found several brands of unauthorized e-cigarettes, including Snoopy Smoke, Raz, and others.
    “The FDA, working with our federal partners, can and will do more to stop the illegal importation and distribution of e-cigarette products in the United States,” said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H. “Seizures of illegal e-cigarettes keep products that haven’t been authorized by the FDA out of the United States and out of the hands of our nation’s youth.”
    These seizures are another example of coordinated compliance and enforcement actions across federal agencies to curb the distribution and sale of illegal e-cigarettes. In the lead up to this operation, the joint FDA and CBP team identified potentially violative incoming shipments and completed other investigative work. The team was also able to successfully implement several new internal efficiencies and procedures building off previous operations.
    “We continue to see an increased number of shipments of vaping related products packaged and mislabeled to avoid detection,” said Bret Koplow, Ph.D., J.D., Acting Director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “However, we have been successful at preventing these shipments from entering the U.S. supply chain – despite efforts to conceal the true identity of these unauthorized e-cigarette products.”
    Most shipments violated the FDA’s Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act), while some products were also seized for Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) violations for unauthorized use of protected trademarks. All of the e-cigarette products seized in this operation lacked the mandatory premarket authorization orders from the FDA and therefore cannot be legally marketed or distributed in the United States.
    Standard practice for products forfeited to the government include disposing of the products in accordance with the law. In the case of unauthorized new tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, that generally means they will be destroyed.
    FDA also sent, for the first time, import informational letters to 24 tobacco importers and entry filers responsible for importing these illegal e-cigarettes. The letters advise the recipients that it is a federal crime to make false statements or entries to the U.S. government, and the FDA seeks information on the steps they have taken to ensure compliance with applicable federal tobacco laws and regulations. Specifically, the letters advise the firms to ensure their import entries contain complete and accurate information moving forward. Failure to do so may also be viewed as an intentional attempt to circumvent the FDA’s review of the shipment. Firms are requested to respond to the letters within 30 days with the requested information.
    FDA and CBP are members of a federal task force focused on e-cigarette enforcement. Previous FDA-CBP joint actions include the seizure of $18 million of illegal e-cigarettes at a cargo examination site in Los Angeles International Airport in 2023, seizure of $7 million of illegal e-cigarettes at a warehouse in Miami, and operations in Chicago announced in June and October of 2024 resulting in the seizure of illegal e-cigarettes valued at more than $77 million.
    In addition to product seizures, the FDA has issued over 750 warning letters to firms for manufacturing, selling, or distributing unauthorized new tobacco products. It has also issued more than 800 warning letters to retailers for selling these products and filed civil money penalty complaints against 87 manufacturers and over 175 retailers for their distribution or sale.
    Related Information

    Related Information

    Consumer:888-INFO-FDA

    ###

    Boilerplate

    The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, radiation-emitting electronic products, and for regulating tobacco products.

    Content current as of:
    05/22/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    Follow FDA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: More Than $50M Awarded By Restore NY Communities

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that more than $50 million has been awarded to 50 projects through the State’s Restore New York Communities Initiative. Restore New York supports municipal revitalization efforts with funds to help remove and reduce blight, reinvigorate communities and generate new residential and economic opportunities statewide. The program, administered by Empire State Development, is designed to help local governments encourage new commercial investments through community revitalization, growing local housing, and putting properties back on the tax rolls to increase the local tax base.

    “Revitalizing and rehabilitating vacant and blighted areas of our communities for housing or development is vital to make downtowns thrive,” Governor Hochul said. “Restore New York helps our municipalities plan for the future by catalyzing economic growth and supporting housing, businesses and cultural spaces. We are further unlocking the potential of these sites and communities across New York.”

    Two applications were awarded a Special Project designation because, if left undeveloped, the parcel or property causes severe economic injury or creates a depressing effect on the overall economic development potential of the community. The City of Rome was awarded $3.5 million to rehabilitate two buildings that were destroyed by the tornado that touched down in Rome on July 16, 2024. Upon completion, these buildings will add an additional 180,000 square feet of commercial manufacturing space to the community. Additionally, the City of Ogdensburg was awarded $3.5 million to rehabilitate several historic mill buildings on the St. Lawrence River waterfront into a mixed-use complex.

    Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State is building for the future by supporting projects that advance statewide priorities like increasing housing and revitalizing communities. Through the Restore New York Communities Initiative, we are working together with municipalities to remove blight and generate new investments to promote sustainable economic growth.”

    A full list of Restore New York projects awarded funding in this round is available below, or online here.

    The Capital Region was awarded more than $4.45 million to support four projects:

    • Village of Colonie – $999,934: This project involves demolishing an abandoned, deteriorating building at 1579 Central Avenue, making the property readily available for future development opportunities.
    • City of Glens Falls – $1 million: The “Lofts at Warren” project, located at 109 and 115-117 Warren Street, will involve the demolition of two garages and the redevelopment of two vacant lots. The resulting mixed-use building will consist of 3,000 square-feet of first-floor commercial space and 65 one- and two-bedroom apartments on three floors. The commercial space will be utilized by retail and office storefront space leased to small businesses serving the City’s distressed First Ward and high-traffic Warren Street Corridor.
    • Village of Hoosick Falls – $985,000: This project involves the rehabilitation of a vacant warehouse at 1 Center Street into a mixed-use property with commercial opportunities and one- and two-bedroom residential units. It will provide incubator space at fixed rates, with plans for a locally owned brewery and gym/fitness center.
    • City of Schenectady – $1.5 million: The St. Clare’s Hospital redevelopment project will rehabilitate one of the largest buildings in the city – a 400,000 square foot building at 600 McClellan Street – on a 17-acre site. The building will be repurposed into a mixed-use property with approximately 236 apartments with on-site daycare and is part of a targeted redevelopment effort by the City and Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority.

    Central New York was awarded $6 million to support seven projects:

    • Village of Cayuga – $1 million: This project will transform a 20,000 square-foot vacant and deteriorated office building into a waterfront lodging destination. Located at the Beacon Bay Marina, 6255 Water Street, this redevelopment will include the creation of 10-15 one or two-bedroom suites, and a small outdoor rooftop event space with scenic views.
    • City of Cortland – $242,000: This project involves the demolition of a property, formerly known as the Roundhouse Mill, at 41 Elm Street. Set in an otherwise largely residential neighborhood, the mill has been vacant and deteriorating for several years, and demolition will allow for the future redevelopment of the 1.5-acre site, part of the City’s Brownfield Opportunity Area.
    • City of Fulton – $1 million: This project will redevelop the blighted former Nestle Building at 533 South 4th Street into a 30,000 square-foot advanced manufacturing incubator, targeting startup companies and fostering regional economic growth. The new facility will serve as a hub for innovation, supporting the needs of emerging manufacturers and leveraging opportunities created by the Micron semiconductor plant being developed in nearby Clay. The outcome will be a state-of-the-art facility, designed to drive job creation, industrial innovation and sustained regional development.
    • City of Oneida – $1 million: This project involves the partial demolition and rehabilitation of two vacant and severely dilapidated structures at 136 and 138 Madison Street. The buildings will retain their historic character, with each accessible to the other via a common elevator and stairwell, and new spaces added on the upper floors. Parking will be constructed to service the project. The redevelopment will include 15 live/work units and is across the street from a previous Restore New York project at 155 Madison Street.
    • Onondaga County – $1 million: The Milton Corner Development project consists of the reconstruction of five contiguous lots at 2281, 2273, 2263, 2259 and 2243 Milton Avenue in Solvay that were previously developed, but lost to a fire several years ago. The developer plans to demolish remaining walls and foundations and build a mixed-use building with parking and storage in the basement area. On the street level, the building will offer 12,000 square feet of new retail space and 33 apartments on the upper three floors.
    • City of Oswego – $700,000: The Oswego Freight House redevelopment will transform the historic 7,200-square-foot rail freight house at 20-24 West Utica Street into a 10-brewer barrel brewery, taproom, and retail space. The project will preserve the building’s 175-year-old character while addressing years of structural decay and blight. Located near the City’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative projects, this redevelopment will leverage completed and ongoing investments to further revitalize the Utica Street corridor.
    • City of Syracuse – $1.058 million: This project aims to transform two vacant, underutilized and blighted properties at 366 and 615 West Onondaga Street into approximately 31 new housing units, including both market-rate and affordable options, alongside six office suites. This project falls within the City’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative zone.

    The Finger Lakes was awarded $5.94 million to support six projects:

    • Village of Dansville – $710,000: This project involves a historic, three-story building at 154-162 Main Street that has been vacant for years and mostly uninhabitable. Phase one is nearing completion and includes the restoration of five first-floor commercial units returning the façade to its original design. Restore New York funding will support Phase Two, which includes the creation of four affordable, one-bedroom and four market-rate two-bedroom apartments on the vacant second and third floors. Windows, doors, and historic features such as trim work will be restored and reused wherever possible.
    • City of Geneva – $1 million: The DeSales High School Revitalization Project will consist of the comprehensive renovation of the interior and exterior of the long vacant school at 136 and 138 Madison Street. The renovated property will feature 17 market-rate residential units and four commercial offices while retaining the existing gym, which will continue to be leased to a local school.
    • Town of Macedon – $480,000: This project involves the renovation and restoration of 103 Main Street, which has been left underutilized and vacant. The first-floor commercial unit will be rehabilitated into restaurant space, and the walk-out basement transformed into storage and utility space. Three loft-style apartment units will be built on the upper floor. The project will include electrical, HVAC, and plumbing upgrades; construction of an elevator shaft and elevator; accessibility upgrades; and a new side entrance that will provide easy access to the Trolley Town Square public park.
    • Monroe County – $2 million: Built in 1929, the Genesee Valley Trust Building (now the Times-Square Building) at 45 Exchange Street is one of Rochester’s most iconic high-rises. Post-COVID the building has become mostly vacant. This project intends to convert the vacant floors into market-rate apartments, while refreshing 15,000 square feet of existing space into modern, attractive commercial and retail suites. This project in total will convert over 100,000 square feet of space into a certified historic rehabilitation project, approved by the New York State Historic Preservation Office and the National Parks Service.
    • Village of Medina – $850,000: This project intends to re-activate a historic mixed-use building at 409-13 Main Street, known as the Waters Building, by creating two commercial units in the rear-facing, sub-grade space; a new commercial flex kitchen at street-level; and four new residential units in the structure’s fully vacant upper story. This project will provide an enhanced destination and add an amenity to a planned waterfront destination.
    • Village of Phelps – $900,000: This project will restore and revitalize the 1892-era Phelps Hotel at 90 Main Street, which has been vacant for approximately 40 years. In an effort to restore the interior to its historic roots, the project will involve significant renovations in order for the building to be considered habitable. The reconstruction will include installing plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems, and creating eight upper-story residential units alongside a restaurant and speakeasy on the first floor and basement.

    Long Island– The Long Island Region was awarded $1.79 million to support two projects:

    • Village of Port Jefferson – $790,000: This project includes the demolition and redevelopment of 1506 and 1510-1512 Main Street. This will allow for the future redevelopment of an approximately 35,290 gross square foot, four-story mixed-use building consisting of 42 multi-family residential units, and approximately 1,800 square feet of commercial space.
    • Suffolk County – $1 million: This project is the development of a multi-family, mixed income rental housing at 309 Merritt Avenue in the Hamlet of Wyandanch in the Town of Babylon. The development will include 81 residential units in a 4-story, 82,000 square foot building with proximity to transit. This location is the site of a former cream distributor that has already been demolished. The ground floor of the development will include parking, a lobby, management office, common laundry and a fitness center.

    The Mid-Hudson Region was awarded more than $4.24 million to support six projects:

    • City of Kingston– $477,000: Located at the entrance of the Cornell Street arts corridor, the long-dormant commercial property at 289 Foxhall Avenue will be rehabilitated for the purchase and use by Headstone, Inc., creating new opportunities for jobs, apprenticeships and job shadowing for high school students. Studio spaces will be available to lease by local independent artisans and will provide administrative spaces for local arts organizations. Parking lots will be landscaped to anticipate planned street redesign and provide a welcoming space on a street that has become an arts destination.
    • City of Poughkeepsie– $1 million: The project will renovate the upper floors of the historic Bardavon Opera House at 31 Market Street and the adjacent three-story building at 39 Market Street into a single 35,000 square-foot, five-story mixed-use development. This will create 49 new residential units, that range from studio to two-bedroom apartments, and make improvements to the building’s mechanical systems and structural stability. The entire ground level will be rehabilitated, activating retail space that has been vacant for years.
    • Town of Cornwall – $800,000: The project will transform a long vacant former car dealership at 317 Main Street into a new, upscale 52-unit boutique hotel with a full-service restaurant and bar in the heart of the town. The project will create 35 new full-time hospitality positions and address a significant shortfall in Orange County lodging options, as determined by a study completed by the Orange County Department of Tourism and Film.
    • Town of Fallsburg – $755,450: The proposed project involves the demolition of a condemned schoolhouse at 36 Laurel Avenue and site preparation for the future construction of a 5,000-square-foot healthcare facility. The cleared, shovel-ready site and enhanced infrastructure will support the construction of a permanent medical home for underserved residents.
    • Town of Rockland – $1 million: The Livingston Legacy Holdings Project will transform seven long vacant, formerly commercial structures on 10 Pleasant Street into a bustling multi-use hospitality campus, featuring a restaurant, a sake brewery and tasting room, open air market, public gardens and multi-use spaces for other community-defined needs. Once complete, this campus will feature a much-needed venue suitable for large gatherings and social events requiring large spaces, parking, and catering capabilities.
    • Village of Sleepy Hollow –$211,500: This project is for site deconstruction, cleanup and improvements for 64/68 Beekman Avenue. This vacant and neglected site is located at the heart of the Village’s main commercial corridor, squarely within its NY Forward boundary. Revitalization of the site will increase access to services and make the Village’s downtown more livable. The building at these properties burned down years ago and the site has been overgrown with scattered debris for more than a decade.

    The Mohawk Valley was awarded nearly $8 million to support six projects:

    • City of Rome – $3.5 million – Special Project: This project will repair, rehabilitate, and modernize two tornado-damaged vacant properties at 220 South Madison Street and 522 Henry Street. The EF-2 tornado that swept through the region on July 16, 2024 extensively damaged the 180,000-square-foot facility, collapsing portions of the roof, shattering windows, blowing out entire exterior walls and damaging critical electrical infrastructure. One building will be developed for mixed use with first-floor commercial and event space, and the other will become the largest available industrial space in the Utica-Rome metropolitan statistical area.
    • City of Amsterdam – $1 million: This project will involve the conversion of the former Sonoco Paper Mill at 58-62 Forest Road into a bakery, brewpub and retail location. Upon completion the site will serve as the production and distribution center for Boogie Lab Bakery. The conversion of this abandoned factory into a new production facility for the Bakery and a Brewpub is expected to bring at least 150 jobs to the city.
    • Village of Boonville – $1 million: The Boone Building at 133, 135 and 139 Main Street suffered a devastating fire in 2020, hollowing out the core of the village’s downtown. Reconstruction is planned that will create three first-floor commercial spaces to house a sporting goods store, artisanal meat market, and jewelry store/boutique gift shop. The two upper floors will be ten residential one- and two-bedroom units.
    • Village of Cooperstown – $1 million: This project will demolish 217 Main Street, the site of a former cheese factory, furniture store and baseball bat factory that has sat vacant for years. After demolition, a 50-unit, elevator serviced three-story apartment building will be constructed. This development will yield sorely needed accessible, affordable, and permanent supportive housing, featuring energy efficiency and green building practices, with on-site parking and amenities.
    • Village of Herkimer – $1 million: This project involves the rehabilitation of the historic former Masonic Temple, a 17,524-square-foot property on 415 N. Main Street, into a vibrant commercial hub addressing long-term vacancy and structural decline. The project will develop spaces for diverse business uses, including the region’s only certified kitchen to support food-based enterprises. This project resolves safety and aesthetic concerns, mitigates blight, and leverages the Village’s $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative to drive economic growth.
    • Village of Richfield Springs – $469,593: The total project includes the rehabilitation and renovation of 241 Main Street into an inn with guest rooms, an event center, and re-establishing the historic mineral spas. Outside renovations include securing the building’s envelope by replacing the roof, repairing the chimney and steps, installing gutters, and updating the fire escape. Inside renovations include transforming the fourth floor into an apartment, renovating the third-floor bathrooms and laundry room, upgrading electrical and HVAC, and repairing the plumbing.

    The North Country was awarded more than $8.6 million to support eight projects:

    • City of Ogdensburg – $3.5 Million – Special Project: This project includes the adaptive reuse of 119 W. River Street, a long-abandoned former waterfront hotel property situated along the St. Lawrence River. This transformative downtown initiative focuses on restoring two historic stone mill buildings to create a vibrant mixed-use destination, including 10 residential apartments. The redevelopment will breathe new life into a blighted area, enhance the local economy, and provide unique retail, residential, recreational, and dining opportunities for residents and visitors alike.
    • Village of Canton – $749,997: This project will demolish 6,400 square feet of vacant buildings and reconstruct 4,500 square feet of commercial and event space at 15 Gouverneur Street. The objective is to create a welcoming, functional mixed-use space that restores the beauty and history of Canton’s downtown waterfront and increases economic activity and opportunities.
    • Town of Elizabethtown – $500,000: The project involves two buildings on a single parcel of land at 13 Lawrence Way. The Hale House is a 6,500 square foot, 200-year-old building that was once a single-family home, but today is mostly vacant. It will be rehabilitated into four apartments – each approximately 1,650 square feet – aimed to attract young families and professionals. Additionally, the Law Library is completely vacant and lacks heat, water, and wastewater, and will be rehabilitated into a single unit.
    • Town of Lowville – $560,000: The project will redevelop approximately 6,500 square-feet of vacant space at 7623 North State Street, a historic brick block building in Downtown. Funding will assist with the costs for the installation of electrical and plumbing throughout the building, the construction of an ADA-compliant elevator, a stairwell, masonry repairs, and the construction of eight market-rate housing units and amenities.
    • Town of Martinsburg – $1 million: The General Martin Apartments project repurposes the former Glenfield Elementary School at 5960 Main Street into 63 affordable housing units. This adaptive reuse will include 55 one-bedroom, six two-bedroom, and two studio apartments. The building will undergo substantial renovations, incorporating community amenities like a fitness center, laundry facilities, a community room and an outdoor garden.
    • City of Ogdensburg – $914,355: Small City Brewing Company will transform a vacant building at 110 Lake Street into a craft brewery, advancing the development of Ogdensburg’s Marina District – a Brownfield Opportunity Area. The project will include a manufacturing facility with a commercial grade five-barrel brewing system and the addition of a 400 square foot grain room. SCBC plans to wholesale to restaurants and bars and open a retail tasting room on-site with a commercial kitchen and event space.
    • City of Plattsburgh – $405,000: The 5500 Peru Street project is aimed at revitalizing a multi-use building in a key area within the community. This project involves the reconstruction of a building that has been mostly vacant since 2006 into two residential units and more than 4,300 square feet of renovated commercial space.
    • Village of Waddington – $1 million: The former St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 129 Lincoln Avenue is a 5,120-square-foot stone Georgian structure built in 1818. The now-vacant structure faces severe decay, threatening its place within the historic district. The Village plans to stabilize and rehabilitate the site, comprising the church, the adjoining brick rectory, and a rear wooden garage, to create a multi-use, non-sectarian recreational hub. This transformation will preserve its architectural heritage while drawing new residents, fostering community engagement and providing entertainment options.

    The Southern Tier was awarded $5.4 million to support seven projects:

    • City of Corning – $600,000: The project involves the historic rehabilitation and adaptive re-use of the former Steuben County Courthouse at 10 West First Street into seven apartment-style, market-rate residential units.
    • City of Elmira – $1 million: The Carriage House Inn Project consists of the complete renovation and adaptive reuse of 254 Baldwin Street, transforming the property into a boutique-style hotel to support and develop Elmira’s tourism arts and cultural industries. The finished site will house the Tommy Hilfiger Archive, event space, and 12 hotel rooms.
    • Village of Franklin – $1 million: Funds will support the rehabilitation of three adjoining, vacant, commercial/mixed-use properties at 438-444 Main Street in the heart of the Village’s Historic District totaling 13,500 square feet. The vacant and under-utilized space will be redeveloped into five new commercial businesses and a new apartment. The businesses include a restaurant, café/art studio, arcade & lounge, retail shop and commercial office space, seeking to fill the void of commercial businesses/services that are being sought by visitors.
    • Village of Hammondsport – $1 million: Restore funds will advance the redevelopment of the Curtiss School on 15 Bauder Avenue into 24 apartments, providing workforce housing ideal for young professionals and older adults. The redevelopment will also address the deteriorating building structure, particularly the roof. The building’s gymnasium will be adapted into commercial space ideal for retail, office or other community focused use.
    • City of Hornell – $300,000: The Landman Building is prominently located at 83-93 Main Street in downtown Hornell across from City Hall. The proposed project includes a full adaptive reuse of the existing building, with the addition of a third story. Once completed, the building will be a mixed-use development that will bring more residents and business opportunities into the downtown.
    • Village of Johnson City – $500,000: The proposed project consists of selective internal demolition and rehabilitation at the vacant former David College at 400 Riverside Drive to accommodate 62 apartments, five single-family homes and approximately 22,000 square feet of commercial space.
    • City of Norwich – $1 million: This two-story, 12,400-square-foot former office building at 23 East Main Street will be repurposed to meet critical community needs. The first floor will become a childcare center for 46 children, addressing Chenango County’s childcare desert. The second floor will house Commerce Chenango offices with a reception area, boardroom and conference space, supporting local businesses. The site’s emergency generator and location also position it for FEMA shelter designation, further strengthening community resilience.

    Western New York was awarded more than $6.1 million to support six projects:

    • Village of Almond – $1 million: This project includes the partial demolition and complete rehabilitation of a condemned, vacant and previously abandoned property known as “The Old Coslo’s Building” at 59 Main Street. The project proposes to rehabilitate this parcel into a mixed-use facility with five retail stores, 14 offices and four low-income apartments.
    • City of Jamestown – $721,704: The proposed Prendergast Landing redevelopment project aims to revitalize a historic, vacant building at 106-8 Fairmount Avenue and two adjacent lots into a vibrant, family-friendly destination. The refurbished three-story building will foster local economic growth by featuring a small café, a retail outfitter for outdoor activities, and a boutique showcasing local small businesses on the ground floor. The second floor will offer flexible office spaces ideal for entrepreneurs and a multipurpose room for community events. The third floor will provide three residential lofts that enhance the living experience close to recreational amenities.
    • Town of Niagara – $890,000: This project will redevelop a commercial site at 3505 Hyde Park Boulevard by rehabbing a 62,000 square foot building for future potential manufacturing, as well as demolishing other dilapidated buildings on the site to make way for more than 15 acres of industrial space.
    • Niagara County – $1.25 million: This project will rehab property along Cayuga Creek at 519 Cayuga Drive in Niagara Falls to create a mixed-use complex. They will be focused on the restoration of the retail space, the rehab of the apartments upstairs and the buildout of the dock with 15 new slips for recreational boaters to visit the neighborhood via the water.
    • City of Niagara Falls – $1.25 million: Funding will support a portion of the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center Community Initiative. The Medical Center parking garage located at 620 10th Street is in bad condition and several sections are no longer accessible due to structural damage. Medical offices located on the top floor of this garage will be moved to the existing hospital across the street. Once demolished, the open space will be reconstructed into a flat parking area and a new parking garage will be constructed across the street at 621 10th Street.
    • City of North Tonawanda – $1 million: The Riverfront Vista project includes redevelopment of the former Metzger Removal site, a 3.1-acre brownfield site that encompasses 235 River Road and 190 Main Street. The $33.3 million project consists of a mixed-use residential and commercial project comprised of a four-story multi-family building with 48 apartment units and a mixed-use building with 39 apartments along with over 7,600 square-feet of commercial space and 2,690 square feet of community space.

    State Senator Sean Ryan said, “Restore NY is one of New York’s most impactful economic development programs. It encourages new business by reducing vacancy and paving the way for new commercial development. These awards will help turn underutilized properties into assets for the surrounding communities.”

    Assemblymember Al Stirpe said, “This round of awards, made possible by Governor Hochul and Restore New York, takes smart and strategic steps to breathe life back into our communities. Mitigating damage and restoring blighted structures will attract new business and restore the character of local towns in a sustainable way — conserving resources and building materials in the process. By bolstering local revitalization efforts, these projects open municipalities to economic, environmental, and residential opportunities that enhance quality of life for all New Yorkers.”

    These awards complement Governor Hochul’s economic development vision by making strategic investments in communities across the State which revitalize the economy and create more opportunities for New Yorkers. The FY2026 Budget invests $100 million for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and $100 million for NY Forward. These programs help municipalities promote quality of life, foster socio-economic development and create walkable, livable and safer neighborhoods in every corner of the state. Additionally, the $400 million Championing Albany’s Potential initiative, a collaborative, State-led effort to revitalize Albany’s downtown core. The Budget also includes funding for the state’s Regional Economic Development Council initiative; new this year, the 10 councils will compete, in part, for $150 million in funding as part of the new ACHIEVE initiative to advance catalytic economic development projects backed by enhanced implementation funding to jump-start regional growth.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why gait quality matters as you age

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Helen Dawes, Professor of Clinical Rehabilitation, College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter

    Studio Romantic/Shutterstock

    Walking is one of the most important things we do for our quality of life. In fact, research shows it contributes more than any other physical activity to how well we live day to day. Yet one in three people over the age of 60 report having some difficulty walking.

    As we age, gradual changes in our bodies and health can alter how we walk, often without us realising. But the way we walk, known as our gait pattern, matters more than we might think. Poor gait doesn’t just make walking harder and more tiring; it can lead to joint strain, instability, and a greater risk of falls.

    Think of your gait like a heart rhythm. Just as an electrocardiogram (ECG) shows whether your heart is functioning properly, your gait also has a rhythm. When that rhythm is off, it may be one of the earliest signs that you’re not ageing as well as you could be.

    Thanks to new technology, we can now measure gait quality more easily and precisely. One promising tool is the Heel2Toe wearable sensor. This small device attaches to your shoe and tracks the movement of your ankle as you walk, capturing your gait cycle in real time.

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

    A healthy step begins with a strong heel strike. Your weight then rolls across the sole of your foot, ending with a push-off from the toes. As your foot lifts, it swings forward cleanly – no dragging or scuffing. This smooth sequence creates a rhythm in your ankle movements, one that, when consistent, resembles a kind of “walking ECG”.

    But over time, many people unconsciously adopt less efficient movement patterns. These altered gaits may feel normal, but they’re often unstable, tiring or unsafe.

    Poor gait can increase the risk of falls.
    https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/asian-senior-male-falling-on-ground-2147078055

    Poor gait reduces confidence, increases fall risk, and can discourage people from walking at all. And the less we walk, the weaker our muscles become – making the problem worse. It’s a vicious cycle.

    Relearning to walk well

    The good news is that we can retrain our gait.

    The Heel2Toe sensor doesn’t just monitor your movements – it also encourages better walking. When it detects a good step (one that begins with a strong heel strike), it delivers an audio cue as positive feedback. Over time, these cues help you rediscover a stronger, steadier walking pattern. Good gait becomes your new normal. Tools like Heel2Toe help people tune in to their body’s signals and make sustainable progress.

    The goal isn’t just to move more – it’s to move better.

    Of course, being physically active is only one aspect of what it means to live well as we grow older.

    To get a more complete picture of healthy ageing researchers have developed a tool that measures how often older adults experience key aspects of wellbeing. This tool – the Opal measure (Older Persons for Active Living) – goes beyond tracking what people do. It asks how they feel about their lives.

    Opal can help people understand their own wellbeing and it offers policymakers and communities a way to evaluate how well their services support older citizens – not just physically, but socially and emotionally too.

    For people, this means that even small improvements, like better gait, can lead to meaningful changes in how you feel: more confident, more mobile and more independent.

    For communities, it’s a reminder that promoting physical activity is important – but not enough. We also need programs, spaces and services that foster connection, purpose, creativity and joy.

    What does ‘active living’ really mean?

    In a 2024 international study, older adults in Canada, UK, US and the Netherlands shared what “active living” means to them – across four languages and cultural contexts.

    They identified 17 distinct “ways of being” that contribute to feeling active. Physical health was just one part. Others included feeling: confident, connected, creative, energised, encouraged, engaged, happy, mentally healthy, independent, interested, mentally sharp, motivated, resilient and self-sufficient.

    In other words, active living isn’t just about taking (or counting) steps, it’s about how you feel while taking them.

    Ageing is inevitable. But ageing well? That’s something we can shape – step by step.

    Helen Dawes is Director of International Affairs of PhysioBiometrics Inc. she receives funding from NIHR Exeter Biomedical Resarch Council and NIHR Exeter Sustainable Health Technology Centre.

    Nancy Mayo is co-founder and President of PhysioBiometrics Inc. a company that commercializes the Heel2Toe sensor to make it available for all. She has received funding from Healthy Brains for Health Lives (HBHL), McGill University, to develop and test the Heel2Toe sensor.

    – ref. Why gait quality matters as you age – https://theconversation.com/why-gait-quality-matters-as-you-age-256636

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick Votes Against Reckless Republican Budget

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Florida 20th district))

    Washington, D.C. ─ Today, Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) issued the following statement after voting against House Republicans’ reckless budget bill that would unleash pain on South Florida families.

    “While House Republicans may have advanced this reckless bill in the dead of night, their catastrophic agenda is clear as day. 

    “I voted against their scheme because it would result in almost 14 million Americans losing health insurance, put more than 18 million kids at risk of losing their school meals, and lead to $500 billion in Medicare cuts. In other words, people will get sicker, hungrier, and poorer — all just to give billionaires a massive tax break.  

    “I will continue to fight back and do whatever it takes to protect South Florida families and small businesses who stand to suffer if this bill were to be signed into law.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Barry Moore supports President Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Reconciliation Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Barry Moore

    Washington D.C. – Today, Rep. Barry Moore (AL-01) released the following statement after voting in favor of President Donald J. Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Reconciliation bill. This bill is a once in a generation opportunity to renew the Trump tax cuts and deliver on the promises made to the American people.

    “Today, House Republicans put America First and politics second and delivered real results,” said Moore. “The passage of President Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill delivers a victory for hardworking families by extending the Trump tax cuts, fully funding border security, lowering energy costs, and investing in new defense technologies. I’m proud to have fought for this bill and to help President Trump deliver on the mandate set by the American people last November.”

    The reconciliation bill delivers:

    • A reversal of the spending insanity by securing $1.6 trillion in mandatory savings.
    • The largest tax cut in American history.
    • An extra $5,000 in the pockets of the American people.
    • Protection for Medicaid by removing 1.4 million illegals, eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse within the system.
    • Lower energy costs for American families while reversing the dangerous Biden-era anti-energy policies.
    • Permanent border security through funding President Trump’s border wall and empowering border officials with the resources they need.
    • An end to taxpayer-funded sex changes for minors by prohibiting Medicaid funding for transition procedures.
    • A once-in-a-generation opportunity to revolutionize our nation’s defense capabilities through historic investment in new technology.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Attorney General Alan Wilson joins national leaders at southern border to highlight strides made under TrumpRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – On Wednesday, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, alongside fellow Republican attorneys general and federal and state law enforcement leaders, held a press conference at the southern border in Yuma, Arizona. The group provided an update on President Trump’s immigration-border policy, the expanded 287(g) program, discussed the administration’s early successes in curbing illegal border encounters, disrupting drug and fentanyl trafficking, and expanding key immigration enforcement initiatives dubbed “Operation Tidal Wave”. 

    “For the last four years, we’ve been sinking under the weight of Biden’s weak border policies,” said Attorney General Wilson. President Trump is giving us the tools to fight back. Now, we’re not just bailing water, we’re taking control of the ship. From stopping deadly drugs at the border to backing local law enforcement with programs like 287(g), this administration is proving it puts the safety of our citizens above politics, and we’re proud to work with them.” 

    Attorney General Wilson emphasized the substantial strides made in just three months under the Trump administration’s renewed focus on border security and state-federal cooperation. 

    Key Takeaways: 

    • Expanding 287(g) in South Carolina: One of the most significant developments is the expansion of the 287(g) program in South Carolina. Under this federal initiative, local law enforcement is deputized to carry out certain immigration enforcement duties. Since President Trump took office, the number of participating sheriff’s departments in South Carolina has grown from 2 to 20, dramatically increasing the state’s capacity to identify and detain criminal illegal aliens. 
    • Fighting the Fentanyl Crisis:  With fentanyl flooding across the southern border, South Carolina is taking aggressive steps to protect its citizens. In addition to federal efforts, South Carolina just passed the Fentanyl-Induced Homicide Act, which allows anyone who distributes fentanyl or a fentanyl-related substance to be charged with homicide.  
    • Legal Leadership in Defending Border: In April 2025, the state led a 27-state amicus brief supporting President Trump’s authority to deport Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang members, a violent transnational criminal organization. In March 2024, South Carolina filed a brief supporting Texas’ right to enforce its own immigration law, defending the state’s ability to protect its borders against a challenge brought by the Biden administration. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp: Mercedes-Benz Establishing North American Headquarters, new Research & Development Hub in Metro Atlanta

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA – Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that Mercedes-Benz will establish Atlanta as Mercedes-Benz’s headquarters in North America by centralizing and uniting key corporate functions. The company will move up to 500 jobs to the existing Mercedes-Benz facility, known as “1MB,” in Fulton County, and make a multi-million dollar investment in a future state-of-the-art Research & Development (R&D) facility to also be located nearby.

    “Georgia continues to lead the way in the future of mobility and technical innovation, attracting world-class companies like Mercedes-Benz that are driving the automotive industry forward,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “We’re excited that a job creator that already has close ties to Georgia is doubling down on that choice and growing their presence here in the best state for business and opportunity.”

    Mercedes-Benz opened its “1MB” facility in 2018 in Sandy Springs, which currently supports approximately 800 jobs in Georgia.

    “We thank the State of Georgia for its support in deepening Mercedes-Benz’s roots in the Atlanta area as we bring even more talented team members to this world-class city,” said Jason Hoff, CEO of Mercedes-Benz North America.  “This strengthens our position for continued growth and reinforces our established commitment to the U.S. market. Bringing our teams closer together will enable us to be more agile, increase speed to market, and ensure the best customer experience.” 

    The ”1MB” facility located in Sandy Springs will house the existing sales teams as well as financial services teams and corporate functions. The new state-of-the-art Research & Development hub will be located near Sandy Springs. The company anticipates that the move to metro Atlanta will be completed by August 2026. To learn more about Mercedes-Benz, visit www.mbusa.com/en/careers or group.mercedes-benz.com/careers.

    “We’re excited to see Mercedes-Benz expanding in Sandy Springs,” said Mayor Rusty Paul, City of Sandy Springs. “Since establishing their headquarters here in 2018, they have been outstanding corporate partners. Their decision to grow in Sandy Springs highlights the success of the city’s recent infrastructure and capital investments which are now clearly paying dividends. This expansion represents a wonderful opportunity and a significant milestone for our continued development.”

    “Having a globally recognized brand like Mercedes-Benz reaffirm its commitment by investing and growing here in Fulton County is a testament to the strength and vitality of our community,” said Chairman Robb Pitts, Fulton County Board of Commissioners. “It proves Fulton County continues to be a destination for corporate solutions, providing major companies an accessible, vibrant, and growing community for their business to thrive in.”

    “This expansion is a testament to both Mercedes-Benz’s commitment to excellence and metro Atlanta’s strength as a hub for innovation and talent. When the 1MB facility opened in 2018, it quickly became an integral part of our business landscape, driving economic growth and elevating the region’s global presence,” said Katie Kirkpatrick, President & CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. “We are proud to see this partnership deepen as Mercedes-Benz continues to invest in our future shared success.”

    Assistant Director of Statewide Projects Elizabeth McLean represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Global Commerce team on this competitive project in partnership with the City of Sandy Springs, Select Fulton, Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Georgia Power.

    “Since the strategic decision to relocate Mercedes-Benz USA to Sandy Springs in 2018, we have watched Mercedes-Benz become an integral part of our business community. Their continued growth and community involvement are a prime example of why we recruit industry leaders such as Mercedes-Benz to Georgia,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “This expansion and commitment to R&D in the metro Atlanta area will further strengthen the company’s long-term success, and highlights the talent and collaborative partnerships fostered by the University System of Georgia.”

    About Mercedes-Benz AG

    Mercedes-Benz AG is part of the Mercedes-Benz Group AG with a total of around 175,000 employees worldwide and is responsible for the global business of Mercedes-Benz Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans. Ola Källenius is Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG. The company focuses on the development, production, and sales of passenger cars, vans, and vehicle-related services. Furthermore, the company aspires to be the leader in the fields of electric mobility and vehicle software. The product portfolio comprises the Mercedes-Benz brand with Mercedes AMG, Mercedes Maybach, and G Class with their all-electric models as well as products of the smart brand. Mercedes-Benz AG is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of high-end passenger cars.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PennRose Farms Issues Recall of Whole Cucumbers Because Of Possible Health Risk

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    May 21, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    May 22, 2025
    Product Type:
    Food & BeveragesFoodborne Illness
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Salmonella

    Company Name:
    PennRose Farms, LLC
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    PennRose Farms

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    Whole cucumbers

    Company Announcement
    Wellington, FL (May 21, 2025)—PennRose Farms, LLC is recalling 5-pound mesh bags of whole cucumbers because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis, and arthritis.
    Our firm was notified by our supplier, Fresh Start Produce Sales, Inc., that these cucumbers are being recalled by Bedner Growers, Inc. and have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
    PennRose Farms repacked some of these cucumbers in 5-pound mesh bags (1,152 cases or 9,216 individual units) showing Restaurant Depot and PennRose Farms logos. The bags can be identified using the UPC code 841214101714, packaged between May 2-May 5, with lot numbers (48-122, 48-123, 48-124, 48-125). These products were shipped to Restaurant Depot distribution centers located in NJ, GA, FL, IL, and OH.
    No other PennRose Farms packaged products are impacted by this recall. It has advised the distribution centers it works with of the recall and directed them to alert customers that received the products.
    Consumers that have Restaurant Depot and PennRose Farms cucumbers covered by this recall are urged not to consume them and to discard them immediately. Restaurants, retailers, and distributors that have the recalled cucumbers should destroy them. If the product has been served to consumers, they should be notified of the potential health concern. Anyone with the recalled product in their possession should not consume, serve, use, sell, or distribute them. Consumers who have purchased the recalled products may obtain additional information by contacting PennRose Farms at 800 804 7254 (8 am to 5 pm EST). Consumers with health concerns should consult directly with their health care providers.
    PennRose Farms is conducting this recall in coordination with the FDA.
    Link to FDA Outbreak Advisory.

    Company Contact Information

    Consumers:
    PennRose Farms
    800-804-7254

    Product Photos

    Content current as of:
    05/22/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    Topic(s)

    Follow FDA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Pillen Signs Budget, Announces Line Item Vetos

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    . In his letter, the Governor thanked members of the Appropriations Committee and the legislative body for its work in developing a fiscally conservative budget. He noted that those efforts solved the $432 million reported shortfall and honored the state’s commitment to providing tax relief for Nebraskans. 

    The Governor went on to say that he was disappointed that LB170 failed to pass, which would have provided additional property tax relief to Nebraskans, and would have built on the work undertaken over the last two and a half years to provide such relief.

    Gov. Pillen identified the following vetoes, which he said are “necessary to honor our commitment to fiscal restraint.” 

    In summary, they include:

    • Reducing the Supreme Court’s budget increase to mirror the rate of increase provided to the University of Nebraska
    • Using existing agency funds to cover Fire Marshal salary and health insurance premium increases
    • Reducing the additional appropriation provided to public health departments, thereby, bringing funding back to a pre-pandemic level
    • Cutting an $18 million cash fund reappropriation for recreational upgrades at Lake McConaughy

    “As with all current decisions sunounding our state budget, as stewards of the public’s resources we must prioritize what is necessaiy over what would be nice to have. We must be conservative in good times as well as during fiscally challenging times. Reducing spending is hard work, but Nebraskans expect us to exercise common sense and discretion in achieving a balanced, fair and operative budget,” said Gov. Pillen.

    The full letter is attached. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season: CPSC Tips to Keep Americans Safe

    Source: US Consumer Product Safety Commission

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 1 marks the start of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers along the Atlantic Seaboard and the Gulf of America about the increased risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, fires and electric shock after hurricanes and severe storms hit.
    “These storms bring along with them power, devastation and destruction of their own,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Peter Feldman. “However, the dangers associated with these storms do not end when the winds and rain subside. I urge all Americans to follow CPSC’s safety tips this hurricane season to do their best to be safe before, during and after the storms.”
    Consumers need to be especially careful when storms knock out electrical power. CO poisoning from portable generators can kill whole families in minutes. CO is called the invisible killer because it is colorless and odorless, and its poisoning can happen in only a matter of minutes. Sadly, people can become unconscious even before recognizing symptoms of nausea, dizziness or weakness. 
    Unfortunately, CO poisoning claims the lives of hundreds of people each year. When we see these deaths occur from generators when the power is out, it makes the storm’s effects that much more devastating. To mitigate their risk of CO poisoning, consumers should follow these safety tips to protect their families, especially during the Atlantic hurricane season lasting from the beginning of June to the end of November. 
    Loss of Power—Using a Generator Safely

    NEVER use a portable generator inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace, shed or other enclosed spaces, even with the doors open. Opening doors or windows will not provide enough ventilation to prevent the buildup of lethal levels of CO.
    Use portable generators outside only, at least 20 feet away from home and any other buildings. Don’t use a generator on a porch or in a carport; it’s too close to your home and puts your family at risk of CO poisoning. Direct the generator’s exhaust away from your home and other buildings where someone can enter. Close windows and seal off vent openings that are near the generator or in the path of its exhaust.
    Follow portable generator instructions about electrical shock hazards in inclement weather. These instructions may include use of an NFPA-rated non-combustible generator tent or may state to wait to use until rain passes.
    Regularly check and maintain your portable generator to ensure that it will work properly when needed. Read and follow all labels, instructions and warnings on the generator and in the owner’s manual.
    Look for portable generators that have a CO shut-off safety feature. This safety feature automatically shuts off the generator when high levels of CO are present around the generator. Models that are certified to the latest PGMA G300-2023 and UL 2201 safety standards are estimated to reduce deaths from CO poisoning by 86% and 100% respectively. 
    UL 2201 certified models have reduced CO emissions in addition to the CO shut-off feature.

    Check CO and Smoke Alarms

    Working smoke and CO alarms save lives! Install working CO and smoke alarms (battery-operated or with battery backup) on every level and outside sleeping areas at home. Interconnected alarms are best; when one sounds, they all sound. 
    Make sure smoke alarms are installed inside each bedroom.  
    Test CO and smoke alarms monthly to make sure they are working properly, and replace batteries, if needed. Never ignore an alarm when it sounds. Get outside immediately. Then call 911.

    Dangers with Charcoal and Candles

    Never use charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide. Do not cook on a charcoal grill in a garage, even with the garage door open.
    Use caution when burning candles. Use flashlights or battery-operated candles instead. If using candles, do not burn them on or near anything that can catch fire. Never leave burning candles unattended. Extinguish candles when leaving the room and before sleeping.

    If Your Home Floods—Dangers with Wet Appliances

    Look for signs that your appliances have gotten wet. Do not touch wet appliances that are still plugged into an electrical source. 
    Before using your appliances, have a professional gas or electric company representative evaluate your home and replace all gas control valves, electrical wiring, circuit breakers, and fuses that have been under water.

    Dangers with Gas Leaks: 

    If you smell or hear gas leaking, leave your home immediately and contact local gas authorities from outside the home. Do not operate any electronics, such as lights or phones, before leaving.

    CPSC resources:
    Carbon Monoxide Safety Center
    PSA – One portable generator produces the same amount of Carbon Monoxide as hundreds of cars
    PSA – Una planta eléctrica produce la misma cantidad de monóxido de carbono como cientos de autos
    Link to broadcast quality video for media: 
    Hurricane B-Roll – https://spaces.hightail.com/space/XtFQ7YqK0x
    Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic.  Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.

    About the U.S. CPSCThe U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. Since the CPSC was established more than 50 years ago, it has worked to ensure the safety of consumer products, which has contributed to a decline in injuries associated with these products. 
    Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.
    For lifesaving information:

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Reacts to Activist Judge Ruling to Halt the Deportation of Barbaric Criminal Illegal Aliens Including Murderers, Rapists, and Pedophiles

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Reacts to Activist Judge Ruling to Halt the Deportation of Barbaric Criminal Illegal Aliens Including Murderers, Rapists, and Pedophiles

    WASHINGTON – DHS conducted a deportation flight to remove some of the most barbaric, violent individuals illegally in the United States

    All of these individuals had final orders of removal

      Now a federal judge in Massachusetts is halting their deportation and trying to force President Trump to bring these criminals back to American soil

    “This ruling is deranged

    These depraved individuals have all had their day in court and been given final deportation orders

     A reminder of who was on this plane: murderers, child rapists, an individual who raped a mentally & physically disabled person,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin

    “The message this activist judge is sending to victims and their families is we don’t care

    President Trump and Secretary Noem are working every day to get vicious criminals out of our country while activist judges are fighting to bring them back onto American soil

    ” 

    Below are the individuals ICE removed from American communities:  
    Enrique ARIAS-Hierro, a Cuban national, was arrested by ICE Miami on May 2, 2025

    His criminal history includes convictions for homicide, armed robbery, false impersonation of official, kidnapping, robbery strong arm

    He was issued a final order of removal on September 13, 1999

    Image

    On April 30, 2025, ICE Miami arrested Cuban national, Jose Manuel RODRIGUEZ-QUINONES

    He has been convicted of attempted first degree murder with a weapon, battery and larceny, cocaine possession and trafficking

    He was issued a final order of removal on December 4, 2012

    Image

    Thongxay NILAKOUT, a citizen of Laos, was arrested by ICE Los Angeles on January 26, 2025

    NILAKOUT is Convicted of first-degree murder and robbery; sentenced to life confinement

    He was issued a final order of removal on July 12, 2023

    Image

    On May 12, 2025, ICE Miami arrested Mexican national, Jesus MUNOZ-Gutierrez

    He is Convicted of second-degree murder; sentenced to life confinement

    He was issued a final order of removed on June 16, 2005

    Image

    Dian Peter DOMACH, a citizen of South Sudan, was arrested by ICE St

    Paul on May 8, 2024

    DOMACH is convicted of robbery and possession of a firearm, of possession of burglar’s tools and possession of defaced firearm and driving under the influence

    He was issued a final order of removal on July 19, 2011

    Image

    Kyaw MYA, a citizen of Burma was arrested by ICE St

    Paul on February 18, 2025

    MYA is convicted of Lascivious Acts with a Child-Victim less than 12 years of age; sentenced to 10 years confinement, paroled after 4 years

    He was issued a final order of removal on March 17, 2022

    Image

    Nyo MYINT, a citizen of Burma was arrested by ICE St

    Paul on February 18, 2025

    MYINT is convicted of first-degree sexual assault involving a victim mentally and physically incapable of resisting; sentenced to 12 years confinement

    MYINT is also charged with aggravated assault-nonfamily strongarm

    He was issued a final order of removal on August 17, 2023

    Image

    On May 3, 2025, ICE Seattle arrested Tuan Thanh PHAN, a Vietnamese national

    PHAN is Convicted of first-degree murder and second-degree assault; sentenced to 22 years confinement

    He was issued a final order of removal on June 17, 2009

    Image

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bitget Wallet Unveils Full-Stack Roadmap Across Trade, Earn, Pay, and Discover

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget Wallet, the leading non-custodial crypto wallet, has unveiled its product roadmap following a recent brand overhaul, outlining a series of updates designed to simplify crypto and expand real-world use. The roadmap is built around four core functions—Trade, Earn, Pay, and Discover—and is backed by a $1 million community incentive campaign and the launch of a global Champion Program aimed at accelerating adoption. These initiatives are part of Bitget Wallet’s broader Crypto for Everyone movement, which focuses on making self-custody tools more accessible, intuitive, and useful in everyday life.

    “Bitget Wallet is no longer just a place to store tokens — it’s becoming the starting point for how people trade, earn, pay, and explore onchain,” said Alvin Kan, COO of Bitget Wallet. “This roadmap is about delivering smarter, simpler crypto experiences that solve real user pain points and bring crypto closer to everyday life.”

    With over 80 million users globally, Bitget Wallet has evolved from a basic wallet app into a full-featured gateway for onchain activity. Its trading experience now covers the entire flow — discover, analyze, and execute — with tools like Hot Picks, real-time alerts, and curated token insights designed to surface early-stage opportunities. Through Bitget Wallet Alpha, users can monitor smart money movements, onchain behaviors such as sniper bots and dev wallet activity, and access tools including market charts, AI-generated summaries, and sentiment feeds. Trades are executed through a one-click, gas-free Super DEX that aggregates liquidity across 100+ DEXs and supports tokens across 130+ blockchains, with MEV protection and dynamic slippage built in.

    To help users grow their assets, Bitget Wallet currently offers one-click staking and automated yield generation, and will soon launch its Simple Yield Vault, enabling balances to earn interest automatically while remaining instantly spendable. Future updates include support for tokenized real-world assets, such as stocks, bonds, and gold, allowing users to manage diversified portfolios directly within the app. An upgraded Earn Dashboard will offer performance tracking with gain charts and detailed earning breakdowns.

    On the payments front, Bitget Wallet is one of the first wallets to integrate a built-in shop page, where users can purchase goods and services from over 300 brands using crypto — without needing to convert to fiat. From mobile top-ups and gaming to travel and e-commerce, the shop covers major global merchants like Amazon, Google Play, Shopee, and more. Through Payfi integrations, the wallet is the only self-custodial wallet supporting maximum payment flexibility via crypto cards, QR code scans, and in-app purchases. Integrations with national QR code systems in Asia and Latin America are also underway to support local merchant payments. The Bitget Wallet Card is already live in Asia, with further expansion in Europe and Latin America to support everyday crypto spending globally.

    To make onboarding easier, Bitget Wallet will soon launch Simple Mode in selected regions, offering a streamlined interface where the concept of gas and chains are completely abstracted away and tailored to Web3 newcomers. A new AI-powered support chatbot is in development to assist users in real time. In parallel, the platform’s Discover page is being upgraded into a central hub for onchain activity, featuring a smart DApp browser, testnet tools, multi-chain playbooks, and push notifications for airdrops and project updates, making it easier for users to navigate the broader Web3 ecosystem.

    Security continues to be a core focus. Bitget Wallet uses advanced encryption and MPC-based recovery to simplify account access without relying on traditional seed phrases. Real-time risk detection, phishing alerts, and smart transaction protections work together to help users stay safe. As wallets expand from basic storage into multi-functional financial apps, Bitget Wallet continues to prioritize both security and simplicity across user experience.

    Bitget Wallet’s roadmap highlights its broader vision of building a crypto wallet for everyone — from first-time users to advanced traders. With nearly 100 Web3 projects joining its Crypto for Everyone Movement, Bitget Wallet is launching new user onboarding programs, educational initiatives, and ecosystem partnerships — backed by a $1 million incentive campaign to drive adoption. Complementing these efforts, the Bitget Wallet Champion Program empowers community leaders and content creators worldwide to drive Web3 adoption through education, engagement, and exclusive rewards. The wallet aims to close the gap between crypto and real-world usage, enabling anyone to benefit from Web3 — wherever they are on their journey.

    For more details on the product roadmap, please visit the Bitget Wallet blog.

    About Bitget Wallet
    Bitget Wallet is a non-custodial crypto wallet designed to make crypto simple and secure for everyone. With over 80 million users, it brings together a full suite of crypto services, including swaps, market insights, staking, rewards, DApp exploration, and payment solutions. Supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens, Bitget Wallet enables seamless multi-chain trading across hundreds of DEXs and cross-chain bridges. Backed by a $300+ million user protection fund, it ensures the highest level of security for users’ assets.

    For more information, visit: X | Telegram | Instagram | YouTube | LinkedIn | TikTok | Discord | Facebook

    For media inquiries, contact media.web3@bitget.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4ceb2d7f-2514-45ba-9ea9-1764091b44c8

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom announces appointments 5.21.25

    Source: US State of California 2

    May 21, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:

    Armen Meyer, of San Francisco, has been appointed Senior Deputy Commissioner for the Division of Consumer Financial Protection at the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation. Meyer has held several positions at the American Fintech Council since 2021 including Co-Founder, Advisor, and Board Member. He has held several positions at Millenia Capital since 2021, including Advisor and General Partner. Meyer held multiple positions at LendingClub and LendingClub Bank from 2017 to 2023, including Head of the Public Policy and Government Affairs Team and Vice President of Regulatory Strategy and Policy. He held multiple positions at PriceWaterhouseCoopers from 2011 to 2017, including Managing Director for Financial Services Advisory, Director of Regulatory Strategy, and Chief of Staff for Financial Services Regulatory. Meyer held multiple positions at the New York Banking Department from 2009 to 2011, including Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the Superintendent. He held multiple positions in the New York Executive Office from 2007 to 2009, including Assistant Secretary for Economic Development and Communications Director to the Lieutenant Governor. Meyer is an Advisor to FS Vector, FairplayAI, Spring Labs, Pontoro, Raido Capital, University of California Berkeley SkyDeck, The AI Education Project, and Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center. He is a Board Member of the Gaidz Foundation for Armenian heritage and Valt. Meyer is Head of Partnerships for the Harvard Business School Alumni Angels of Northern California, and a member of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition’s Innovation Council, the Exchequer Club of Washington DC, Armenian Assembly and Armenians in Banking and Finance, and supporter of The Mechanicals Theater Company. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School, a Master of Public Administration degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Math from Fordham University. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $195,564. Meyer is a Democrat.

    Jacob Arkatov, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the Medical Board of California. Arkatov has been an Associate at O’Melveny & Myers since 2022. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from Georgetown University. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Arkatov is a Democrat.

    Peter Brierty, of Highland, has been appointed to the Southwestern Low-Level Radioactive Waste Commission. Brierty has been a Retired Annuitant at the San Bernardino County Fire Department since 2025. He was a Project Manager at Pacific Heritage, Inc. from 2017 to 2023. Brierty held multiple positions at the San Bernardino County Fire Department from 1978 to 2013, including Fire Marshal, Assistant Chief, and Division Manager. Brierty is the President of the Childhood Cancer Foundation of Southern California and a Member of the Fire and Burn Foundation at the San Bernardino County Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science from California State University, San Bernardino. This position requires Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Brierty is a Democrat.

    Tom Hallinan, of Modesto, has been appointed to the California Board of Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists. Tom has been a Deputy District Attorney at the Stanislaus County District Attorney Office since 2024 and a Partner at White Brenner LLP since 2012. Hallinan earned a Juris Docter degree from Lincoln School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from California State University, Fresno. He is a member of the Central Valley City Attorney’s Association. This position does not require senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Hallinan is a Democrat.

    Amanda Steidlmayer, of Woodland, has been appointed to the California Architects Board. Steidlmayer has been the Director of Professional Development at the University of California Davis School of Veterinary Medicine since 2022. She was a Program Manager for the University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine from 2018 to 2022. She was a Strategic Initiatives Coordinator for the University of California, Davis Graduate Studies Office from 2013 to 2018. She was the Director of Academic Operations and Planning at the University of Davis, California Graduate School of Management from 2013 to 2016. Steidlmayer earned a Master of International Public Policy degree from the University of California, San Diego and a Bachelor of Science degree in Community and Regional Development from University of California, Davis. This position does not require senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Steidlmayer is a Democrat.

    Pamela Brief, of La Crescenta, has been reappointed to the Landscape Architects Technical Committee, where she has served since 2020. Brief has been President of Pamela Studios since 2012. She was Senior Principal at NUVIS from 2019 to 2020. Brief was Senior Principal at Jerde Partnership from 2007 to 2008. She was President of Schirmer Design from 2004 to 2007. Brief was a Landscape Designer and Principal at Walt Disney Imagineering from 1992 to 2004. Brief earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Landscape Architecture from Ohio State University. She is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, Association of Women in Architecture + Design, and Friends of the LA River. This position does not require Senate confirmation, and the compensation is $100 per diem. Brief is a Democrat.

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    May 20, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Matthew Read, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief Counsel at the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation. Read has been Acting Chief Counsel at the Governor’s Office of…

    May 20, 2025

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom issued a statement today after U.S. Senate Republicans announced plans for an illegal vote this week that would undo California’s clean cars and trucks program. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued a statement on…

    May 20, 2025

    News What you need to know: State and local law enforcement partners seized $123.5 million in illegal cannabis in the Central Valley. SACRAMENTO – In its largest operation to date, the state’s task force dedicated to eradicating illegal cannabis operations conducted a…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Computer Modelling Group Announces Year-End Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Computer Modelling Group Ltd. (“CMG Group” or the “Company”) announces its financial results for the three months and year ended March 31, 2025, and the approval by its Board of Directors (the “Board”) of the payment of a cash dividend of $0.05 per Common Share for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2025.

    FOURTH QUARTER 2025 CONSOLIDATED HIGHLIGHTS

    Select financial highlights

    • Total revenue increased by 4% (13% Organic decline(1) and 17% growth from acquisitions) to $33.7 million;
    • Recurring revenue(2) increased by 16% (7% Organic decline and 23% growth from acquisitions) to $24.2 million;
    • Adjusted EBITDA(1) increased by 2% to $10.5 million;
    • Adjusted EBITDA Margin(1) was 31%, compared to 32% in the comparative period;
    • Earnings per share was $0.06, a 33% decrease;
    • Free Cash Flow(1) decreased by 26% to $7.0 million; Free Cash flow per share decreased to $0.08 from $0.12.

    FISCAL 2025 CONSOLIDATED HIGHLIGHTS

    Select financial highlights

    • Total revenue increased by 19% (1% Organic decline and 20% growth from acquisitions) to $129.4 million;
    • Recurring revenue increased by 13% (1% Organic growth and 12% was growth from acquisitions) to $86.8 million;
    • Adjusted EBITDA increased by 2% to $44.0 million;
    • Adjusted EBITDA Margin was 34%, compared to 40% in the comparative period;
    • Earnings per share was $0.27, a 16% decrease;
    • Free Cash Flow decreased by 22% to $27.6 million; Free Cash flow per share decreased to $0.33 from $0.44.

    (1) Organic growth/decline, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA Margin and Free Cash Flow are not standardized financial measures and might not be comparable to measures disclosed by other issuers. For more description see under “Non-IFRS Financial and Supplementary Financial Measures” heading.
    (2) Recurring revenue includes Annuity/maintenance licenses and Annuity license fee, and excludes Perpetual licenses and Professional Services.

    OVERVIEW

    Macroeconomic factors and political instability, combined with a low oil price environment, resulted in challenged organic growth this year, particularly in reservoir and production solutions, where lengthened deal cycles and cautious customer spending prevailed. Despite these challenges, we continued to execute on our strategic M&A roadmap, and revenue growth during the quarter and year-to-date, was supported by meaningful contributions from acquisitions. Adjusted EBITDA increases during the quarter and year-to-date were also supported by growth from acquisitions. Free Cash Flow decreased during the quarter and year-to-date due to pressures on top-line-growth, however, during the prior year period, Free Cash Flow also benefited from the tax deduction of approximately $4.6 million as a result of the acquisition of intellectual property. We generated $27.6 million of Free Cash Flow during fiscal 2025, maintaining our strong liquidity position and enabling us to invest in strategic acquisitions.

    As we look forward to fiscal 2026, excluding any impact from future acquisitions, we anticipate a reduction of between $6 – $7 million in professional services revenue compared to fiscal 2025 which may make it challenging to demonstrate total revenue growth. It is a goal of the company to shift the revenue mix towards a higher percentage of software revenue and the reduction in professional services is a natural part of the shift. Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin may also show limited growth due to anticipated delays in cost-saving measures in taking effect, but this impact is expected to be limited to fiscal 2026.

    To ensure long-term resilience, we remain committed to evolving our business model through carefully targeted strategic acquisitions. Our acquisitions to date position us well by expanding our capabilities and helping to support long-term growth by complementing our core offering.

    SUMMARY OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

         
      Three months ended March 31, Year ended March 31,
    ($ thousands, except per share data) 2025 2024 % change   2025 2024 % change  
    Annuity/maintenance licenses 19,436 19,661 (1 %) 77,525 71,530 8 %
    Annuity license fee 4,728 1,142 314 % 9,280 5,146 80 %
    Recurring revenue(1) (2) 24,164 20,803 16 % 86,805 76,676 13 %
    Perpetual licenses 554 2,130 (74 %) 5,617 5,739 (2 %)
    Total software license revenue 24,718 22,933 8 % 92,422 82,415 12 %
    Professional services 8,965 9,358 (4 %) 37,024 26,264 41 %
    Total revenue 33,683 32,291 4 % 129,446 108,679 19 %
    Cost of revenue 6,749 6,470 4 % 24,940 17,224 45 %
    Operating expenses                
    Sales & marketing 5,094 4,361 17 % 18,617 14,957 24 %
    Research and development 8,129 7,607 7 % 30,142 23,679 27 %
    General & administrative 4,876 5,576 (13 %) 21,599 18,835 15 %
    Operating expenses 18,099 17,544 3 % 70,358 57,471 22 %
    Operating profit 8,835 8,277 7 % 34,148 33,984 – %
    Net income 5,104 7,229 (29 %) 22,437 26,259 (15 %)
    Adjusted EBITDA (1) 10,500 10,295 2 % 44,009 43,345 2 %
    Adjusted EBITDA Margin (1) 31% 32%     34% 40%    
                     
    Earnings per share – basic & diluted 0.06 0.09 (33 %) 0.27 0.32 (16 %)
    Funds flow from operations per share – basic 0.10 0.13 (23 %) 0.38 0.47 (19 %)
    Free Cash Flow per share – basic (1) 0.08 0.12 (33 %) 0.33 0.44 (25 %)

    (1) Non-IFRS financial measures are defined in the “Non-IFRS Financial Measures” section. 
    (2) Included in the number is a reduction of $0.5 million and $0.8 million for the three months and year ended March 31, 2025, respectively ($0.1 million and $0.2 million for the three months and year ended March 31, 2024, respectively), attributed to the amortization of a deferred revenue fair value reduction recognized on acquisition.

    Q4 2025 Dividend

    Computer Modelling Group’s Board approved a cash dividend of $0.05 per Common Share. The dividend will be paid on June 13, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 5, 2025.

    All dividends paid by Computer Modelling Group Ltd. to holders of Common Shares in the capital of the Company will be treated as eligible dividends within the meaning of such term in section 89(1) of the Income Tax Act (Canada), unless otherwise indicated.

    NON-IFRS FINANCIAL MEASURES AND RECONCILIATION OF NON-IFRS MEASURES

    Free Cash Flow Reconciliation to Funds Flow from Operations

    Free cash flow is a non-IFRS financial measure that is calculated as funds flow from operations less capital expenditures and repayment of lease liabilities. Free Cash Flow per share is calculated by dividing free cash flow by the number of weighted average outstanding shares during the period. Management believes that this measure provides useful supplemental information about operating performance and liquidity, as it represents cash generated during the period, regardless of the timing of collection of receivables and payment of payables, which may reduce comparability between periods. Management uses free cash flow and free cash flow per share to help measure the capacity of the Company to pay dividends and invest in business growth opportunities.

      Fiscal 2024 Fiscal 2025
    ($ thousands, unless otherwise stated) Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4   Q1   Q2   Q3   Q4  
    Funds flow from operations 7,920   11,491   8,477   10,367   6,515   7,101   9,937   8,227  
    Capital expenditures (45 ) (51 ) (459 ) (95 ) (93 ) (236 ) (432 ) (661 )
    Repayment of lease liabilities (412 ) (412 ) (728 ) (803 ) (743 ) (769 ) (689 ) (549 )
    Free Cash Flow 7,463   11,028   7,290   9,469   5,679   6,096   8,816   7,017  
    Weighted average shares – basic (thousands) 80,685   80,834   81,067   81,314   81,476   81,887   82,753   83,064  
    Free Cash Flow per share – basic 0.09   0.14   0.09   0.12   0.07   0.07   0.11   0.08  
    Funds flow from operations per share- basic 0.10   0.14   0.10   0.13   0.08   0.09   0.12   0.10  

    Free Cash Flow decreased by 26% and 22%, respectively, for the three months and year ended March 31, 2025 from the same periods of the previous fiscal year. These decreases are primarily due to lower funds flow from operations, higher capital expenditures, and increased repayment of lease liabilities as a result of office leases in acquired entities. During year ended March 31, 2024, Free Cash Flow benefited from the tax deduction of approximately $4.6 million as a result of the acquisition of the BHV intellectual property.

    Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA Margin

      Three months ended
    March 31,    		 Year ended
    March 31,
    ($ thousands) 2025   2024   2025   2024  

    Net income (loss)

    5,104

    		  

    7,229

    		  

    22,437

    		  

    26,259

    		  
    Add (deduct):                
    Depreciation and amortization 2,368   2,151   8,465   5,688  
    Acquisition costs 216   186   2,567   1,456  
    Stock-based compensation (435 ) 922   2,625   6,292  
    Loss on contingent consideration 88   –   2,151   –  
    Deferred revenue amortization on acquisition fair value reduction 535   76   845   188  
    Income and other tax expense 2,154   1,935   10,448   8,963  
    Interest income (313 ) (658 ) (2,605 ) (3,096 )
    Interest expense 189   –   189   –  
    Foreign exchange loss (gain) 1,143   (743 ) (363 ) (50 )
    Repayment of lease liabilities (549 ) (803 ) (2,750 ) (2,355 )
    Adjusted EBITDA (1) 10,500   10,295   44,009   43,345  
    Adjusted EBITDA Margin (1) 31 % 32 % 34 % 40 %

    (1) This is a non-IFRS financial measure. Refer to definition of the measures above.

    Adjusted EBITDA increased by 2% during the three months ended March 31, 2025, compared to the same period of the previous year, of which 20% was growth from acquisitions, partially offset by an Organic decline of 18%, primarily attributable to lower revenue in the quarter partially offset by lower expenses.

    Adjusted EBITDA increased by 2% for the year ended March 31, 2025, compared to the same period of the previous year, of which 3% of the increase was due to growth from acquisitions, partially offset by a 1% Organic decline due to higher expenses.

    Organic Growth

    Organic growth is not a standardized financial measure and might not be comparable to measures disclosed by other issuers. The Company measures Organic growth on a quarterly and year-to-date basis at the revenue and Adjusted EBITDA levels and includes revenue and Adjusted EBITDA under CMG Group’s ownership for a year or longer, beginning from the first full quarter of CMG Group’s ownership in the current and comparative period(s). For example, BHV was acquired on September 25, 2023 (Q2 2024). September 25, 2024, marked one full year of ownership under CMG Group and on October 1, 2024 (Q3 2025), which is the first full quarter under CMG Group’s ownership in the current and comparative period, started being tracked under Organic growth. Any revenue and Adjusted EBITDA generated by BHV prior to October 1, 2024, would not be included in Organic growth. Sharp was acquired on November 12, 2025 (Q3 2025) and will start contributing to Organic growth on January 1, 2026 (Q4 2026).

    For further clarity, current statements include Organic growth from the following:

    • CMG revenue and Adjusted EBITDA; and
    • BHV revenue and Adjusted EBITDA generated beginning on October 1, 2024.

    Recurring Revenue
    Recurring revenue represents the revenue recognized during the period from contracts that are recurring in nature and includes revenue recognized as “Annuity/maintenance licenses” and “Annuity license fee”. We believe that Recurring revenue is an indicator of business expansion and provides management with visibility into our ability to generate predictable cash flows.

    The table below reconciles Recurring revenue to total revenue for the periods indicated.

      Three months ended March 31, Year ended March 31,
      2025 2024 % change   2025 2024 % change  
    ($ thousands)                
    Annuity/maintenance licenses 19,436 19,661 (1% ) 77,525 71,530 8 %
    Annuity license fee 4,728 1,142 314 % 9,280 5,146 80 %
    Recurring revenue(1) (2) 24,164 20,803 16 % 86,805 76,676 13 %
    Perpetual licenses 554 2,130 (74 %) 5,617 5,739 (2 %)
    Total software license revenue 24,718 22,933 8 % 92,422 82,415 12 %
    Professional services 8,965 9,358 (4 %) 37,024 26,264 41 %
    Total revenue 33,683 32,291 4 % 129,446 108,679 19 %

    (1) This is a non-IFRS financial measure.
    (2) Included in the number is a reduction of $0.5 million and $0.8 million for the three months and year ended March 31, 2025, respectively ($0.1 million and $0.2 million for the three months and year ended March 31, 2024, respectively), attributed to the amortization of a deferred revenue fair value reduction recognized on acquisition.

    Consolidated Statements of Financial Position

      March 31, 2025   March 31, 2024   April 1, 2023  
    (thousands of Canadian $)            

    Assets

    		            
    Current assets:            
    Cash 43,884   63,083   66,850  
    Restricted cash         362   142   –  
    Trade and other receivables 41,457   36,550   23,910  
    Prepaid expenses 2,572   2,321   1,060  
    Prepaid income taxes 1,641   3,841   444  
      89,916   105,937   92,264  
    Intangible assets 59,955   23,683   1,321  
    Right-of-use assets 28,443   29,072   30,733  
    Property and equipment 10,157   9,877   10,366  
    Goodwill 15,814   4,399   –  
    Deferred tax asset 471   –   2,444  
    Total assets 204,756   172,968   137,128  

    Liabilities and shareholders’ equity

    		            
    Current liabilities:            
    Trade payables and accrued liabilities 18,452   18,551   11,126  
    Income taxes payable 2,667   2,136   33  
    Acquisition holdback payable 188   2,292   –  
    Acquisition earnout 3,864   –   –  
    Deferred revenue 40,276   41,120   34,797  
    Lease liabilities 2,278   2,566   1,829  
    Government loan 310   –   –  
      68,035   66,665   47,785  
    Lease liabilities 34,668   34,395   36,151  
    Stock-based compensation liabilities 256   624   742  
    Government loan 1,319   –   –  
    Acquisition earnout –   1,503   –  
    Acquisition holdback payable 1,257   –   –  
    Other long-term liabilities 212   305   –  
    Deferred tax liabilities 13,102   1,661   –  
    Total liabilities 118,849   105,153   84,678  

    Shareholders’ equity:

    		            
    Share capital 94,849   87,304   81,820  
    Contributed surplus 15,460   15,667   15,471  
    Cumulative translation adjustment 4,326   (367 ) –  
    Deficit (28,728 ) (34,789 ) (44,841 )
    Total shareholders’ equity 85,907   67,815   52,450  
    Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 204,756   172,968   137,128  

    Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income

    Years ended March 31,
    (thousands of Canadian $ except per share amounts)

    		 2025  

    2024

    		  
    Revenue
    129,446    		   108,679  
    Cost of revenue 24,940   17,224  
    Gross profit 104,506   91,455  

    Operating expenses

    		        
    Sales and marketing 18,617   14,957  
    Research and development 30,142   23,679  
    General and administrative 21,599   18,835  
      70,358   57,471  
    Operating profit 34,148   33,984  

    Finance income

    2,968

    		  

    3,146

    		  
    Finance costs (2,080 ) (1,908 )
    Change in fair value of contingent consideration (2,151 ) –  
    Profit before income and other taxes 32,885   35,222  
    Income and other taxes 10,448   8,963  

    Net income

    22,437

    		  

    26,259

    		  

    Other comprehensive income:    		        
    Foreign currency translation adjustment 4,693   (367 )
    Other comprehensive income 4,693   (367 )
    Total comprehensive income 27,130   25,892  
    Net income per share – basic
    0.2    7    		   0.32  
    Net income per share – diluted 0.27   0.32  
    Dividend per share 0.20   0.20  

    Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

    Years ended March 31,
    (thousands of Canadian $)

    2025

    		  

    2024

    		  

    Operating activities

    		        
    Net income 22,437   26,259  
    Adjustments for:        
    Depreciation and amortization of property, equipment, right-of use assets 4,756   4,187  
    Amortization of intangible assets 3,709   1,501  
    Deferred income tax expense (recovery) (776 ) 3,518  
    Stock-based compensation (1,297 ) 2,795  
    Foreign exchange and other non-cash items 800   (5 )
    Change in fair value of contingent consideration 2,151   –  
    Funds flow from operations 31,780   38,255  
    Movement in non-cash working capital:        
    Trade and other receivables (527 ) (6,697 )
    Trade payables and accrued liabilities (818 ) 2,618  
    Prepaid expenses and other assets (169 ) (1,183 )
    Income taxes receivable (payable) 2,421   (1,826 )
    Deferred revenue (2,770 ) 4,910  
    Change in non-cash working capital (1,863 ) (2,178 )
    Net cash provided by operating activities 29,917   36,077  

    Financing activities

    		        
    Repayment of acquired line of credit –   (2,012 )
    Repayment of government loan (141 ) –  
    Proceeds from issuance of common shares 5,597   4,193  
    Repayment of lease liabilities (2,750 ) (2,355 )
    Dividends paid (16,376 ) (16,207 )
    Net cash used in financing activities (13,670 ) (16,381 )

    Investing activities

    		        
    Corporate acquisition, net of cash acquired (27,292 ) (22,814 )
    Repayment of acquisition holdback payable (9,247 ) –  
    Property and equipment additions, net of disposals (1,422 ) (650 )
    Net cash used in investing activities (37,961 ) (23,464 )

    Decrease in cash
    (21,714    		 ) (3,768 )
    Effect of foreign exchange on cash 2,515   1  
    Cash, beginning of year 63,083   66,850  
    Cash, end of year 43,884   63,083  

    Supplementary cash flow information

    		        
    Interest received 2,605   3,096  
    Interest paid 1,891   1,908  
    Income taxes paid 11,370   7,201  

    CORPORATE PROFILE 

    CMG Group (TSX:CMG) is a global software and consulting company that combines science and technology with deep industry expertise to solve complex subsurface and surface challenges for the new energy industry around the world. The Company is headquartered in Calgary, AB, with offices in Houston, Oslo, Stavanger, Kaiserslautern, Oxford, Dubai, Bogota, Rio de Janeiro, Bengaluru, and Kuala Lumpur. For more information, please visit www.cmgl.ca.

    ANNUAL FILINGS AND RELATED ANNUAL FINANCIAL INFORMATION

    Management’s Discussion and Analysis (“MD&A”) and consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto for the year ended March 31, 2025, can be obtained from our website www.cmgl.ca. The documents will also be available under CMG Group’s SEDAR profile www.sedarplus.ca.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: “anticipate”, “intend”, “plan”, “goal”, “seek”, “believe”, “project”, “estimate”, “expect”, “strategy”, “future”, “likely”, “may”, “should”, “will”, and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make regarding the benefits of the acquired technology, the ongoing development thereof; and the ability of data analytics to improve efficiency, cut costs and reduce risks.

    Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations, and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Our actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause our actual results and financial condition to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements are detailed in the companies’ public filings.

    Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Fast Payout Online Casinos: JACKBIT Rated #1 New Instant Withdrawal & Fast Payout Casino!

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LITTLE ROCK, Ark., May 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Casino gaming is always exciting, but the payouts are often troubling and hectic for gamers. Since the advent of online casinos, much has changed. Fast payout online casinos are now available on the market to help with lightning-fast transactions. If you are interested in an instant cash-out casino, JACKBIT online casino is your destination. The platform is popular as a real cash payout online casino. Do you find JACKBIT interesting? This article deals with all the major details of JACKBIT, the fast withdrawal online casino.

    JACKBIT – The Fast Payout Online Casino

    ✅ CLICK HERE TO CLAIM NO WAGERING 100 FREE SPINS!

    JACKBIT is an instant payout online casino that started its operation in 2023. It provided access to the latest innovations in the online casino realm. The games can be played in different versions, like software versions and live versions. Major cryptocurrencies are supported by the platform.

    The regular tournaments, VIP club benefits, and promotions make the site one of the best casinos. Users can bet on major sports events, horse race betting, and esports betting in the JACKBIT platform itself. The site provides multiple sports options, such as horse race betting and esports betting. The site provides special bonus rewards.

    JACKBIT Online Casino: Joining Steps

    If you are interested in engaging with one of the same-day payout casinos, like JACKBIT.Then you should register your account first. These registration steps are easy to complete. Just follow the steps below:

    Step 1: Go to the JACKBIT Casino website and click on Register. Ensure that you are on the right platform before proceeding with the registration.

    Step 2: A Registration form will pop up. Now fill the form accurately. Create a username and password. You can insert a promo code if you have one to get additional benefits.

    Step 3: Accept the terms and conditions by clicking the tick box.

    Step 4: Now, click Register to complete your registration process.

    Note: It is advised to ensure that the details are correct. You have to double-check the current step before proceeding to the next.

    Bonuses & Promotions in JACKBIT Online Casino

    JACKBIT, the fast payout casino, offers multiple sports and promotional offers to both new and existing users. Along with the tag as a fast payout online casino, JACKBIT is also popular for its inclusive bonuses and promotions. Here are some of the promotional details of the platform:

    Welcome Bonus: JACKBIT provides a welcome bonus offer of 30% Rakeback + 100 First Deposit FS + No KYC

    • Weekly $10,000 giveaways + 10,000 free spins.
    • VIP rakeback up to 30% based on loyalty tiers.
    • Pragmatic Drops & Wins with a €2,000,000 prize pool.
    • NBA Playoffs Cashback and social media bonuses.
    • Regular slot and table game tournaments.

    ✅JOIN JACKBIT TODAY AND GRAB THE BONUSES OF 30% RAKEBACK + 100 FS!

    JACKBIT Online Casino: Advantages and Disadvantages
    Although JACKBIT is a popular fast payout and instant withdrawal casino, there are multiple factors to consider before joining. No online casino can engage with pure pros only. There are certain restrictions and limitations for each platform. Here are the pros and cons of the JACKBIT fast payout online casino.

    Pros

    • More than 6300 games available.
    • New players get welcome bonus rewards.
    • 24/7 live Customer Support
    • Sports betting on major sports events.
    • Same-day withdrawal online option for users.

    Cons

    • No dedicated mobile application.
    • Anonymous gaming is not available.

    Payment Features in JACKBIT – The Fast Payout Casino

    JACKBIT Casino supports both fiat and cryptocurrencies for transactions like Visa/MasterCard, E-Wallets, Bank Transfer, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Binance Coin, and Solana. The platform also has a cryptocurrency exchange. It allows users to buy cryptocurrencies for fiat currencies.

    The maximum and minimum deposit limit depends on the selected payment option. Since it is an easy cash-out online casino, it does not charge for deposits or withdrawals. However, the transaction charges may apply to payments. The weekly withdrawal limit is $25,000 or equivalent in other currencies. The maximum withdrawal limit is $50,000 per month.

    Deposit & Withdrawal Options At JACKBIT – The Fast Payout Casino

    As a real cash online casino, both cryptocurrencies and fiat payments are supported by JACKBIT. Multiple cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Tron, Solana, Ethereum, Ripple, Monero, etc, can be deposited.

    For users interested in fiat payments, fiat currencies such as the Euro(EUR), US Dollar (USD), Pound Sterling (GBP), Canadian Dollar (CAD), or TRY can be used. Turkish Lira (TRY). These deposits may not incur additional cost, but there may be some delay.

    The instant withdrawal casino ensures that users can withdraw their rewards without any further delay. Go to the banking section of this same-day payout casino, and find the withdrawal section.

    Withdrawal of rewards is facilitated through cryptocurrency. It provides multiple options for its users. The withdrawal limit depends on the selected option. This flexibility allows seamless transactions for all players, irrespective of their preferred currency or withdrawal amount.

    Tips For Fast Withdrawals in JACKBIT

    JACKBIT is one of the best fast payout online casinos available in the market. The trusted reputation of the platform facilitates special you to win real money online instantly. The withdrawal convenience of JACKBIT has attracted players around the globe.

    • KYC verification: Complete your KYC verification requirement by providing a valid ID proof.
    • Payout Method: Make sure to select a faster payout method so that there is the least transaction delay to receive your rewards.
    • Customer support services: If you have any queries, make sure to engage with official customer service rather than any other platform.
    • Understand Terms and Conditions: Always verify T&C, especially the details related to bonus rewards. These rewards may affect your withdrawal.

    >>CLICK HERE TO PLAY & EXPERIENCE FAST PAYOUTS AT JACKBIT TODAY!<<

    Gaming Selection in JACKBIT

    JACKBIT, the fast payout casino, provides an impressive collection of more than 6000 titles. These games are developed by major software providers such as Habanero, Pragmatic Play, and Microgaming. These games provide an unparalleled gaming experience for users. The major games included in the casino are:

    Crypto slots offer both versatility and entertainment for their players. JACKBIT Casino has more than 5000 slot games on its platform. The diverse selection of games on the platform includes Classic slots, Bonus Buy Games, and Megaways etc.

    Popular slots include Sweet Bonanza, Gates of Olympus, Candy Rush, Jammin Jars, and Fruit Party etc. If you prefer games from particular developers, then you can easily choose from the list of providers and jump straight into action. But free play options are not available on these slot games.

    • Live Casino Games

    The JACKBIT fast payout casino has a dedicated live games section. It offers an impressive collection of 200 live games. Live versions of classics such as blackjack, roulette, and baccarat, along with other options such as Monopoly Live and Sweet Bonanza CandyLand, are available for players.

    The quality of these games is ensured by the renowned software providers such as Pragmatic Play. Ezugi and Evolution Gaming, etc. It is important to note that crypto live dealer games are unavailable in the demo version.

    • Table Games

    JACKBIT provides a collection of table games that caters to the different tastes and preferences of players. Players can enjoy multiple versions of classic games such as crypto blackjack, crypto poker, crypto roulette, and more.

    JACKBIT casino has an intriguing casino games collection that features options like European Roulette, Fair Roulette Pro, and many others. Players can explore other engaging table game collections, such as Dragon Tiger, Pontoon, and Thimbles, etc.

    JACKBIT casino provides two major versions of this game, such as Oasis Poker Classic and Pai Gow. The video poker section presents a collection of more than 70 games. Major variations include Joker Poker 100 Hands, Jacks or Better, and Oasis Poker etc. For gambling enthusiasts interested in the thrill of live action, there are four versions of the game hosted by professional dealers.

    • Crash Games

    JACKBIT provides limited crash game options to users. Aviator, developed by Spribe one such option that stands out as one of the most popular crash games available online. It is a prominent crash game featured in a separate section on the site exclusively for real money play. Other games include Dragon Crash, Crash Birds, etc.

    • Dice Games

    Dice Games are distributed across multiple sections of the site that offer enough opportunities to enjoy their favorite games. Players interested in Dice games can find them among casino games, mini-games within the live casino section.

    ✅PLAY WITH JACKBIT TO ACCESS THOUSANDS OF TOP CASINO GAMES!

    VIP and Loyalty Bonus:

    JACKBIT Casino has a VIP program. First, users need to collect points to level up. High VIP account levels allow users to accumulate points faster and get more perks in less time. VIP players avail themselves of the instant rakeback without any wagering requirements. Partnership with Pragmatic Play provides drop-and-win promotional offers.

    These promotions are distributed across the network and offer cash prizes or additional rewards. With such high-value features, JACKBIT continues to stand out as one of the best payout casinos available today.

    As one of the best online casino platforms, JACKBIT also hosts regular slot tournaments to keep players engaged and rewarded. A slot tournament provides a generous prize pool of $10,000 and 10,000 free spins. This tournament offers an exciting prospect for players. After depositing the amount, players can automatically enter the tournament with the combined benefits of real-time stat tracking provided at their fingertips.

    • Free Bets:

    JACKBIT Casino provides free bets as part of its promotions. After placing three bets of at least $10 each, users will be rewarded with a fourth bet.

    • Other Bonus Rewards:

    JACKBIT provides additional offers, such as the Social Media Bonus. Players can access multiple bonuses by following the brand on social media platforms. These bonuses usually consist of free spins, reload bonuses, and game-specific rewards. Such ongoing promotions, combined with rapid withdrawals, also place JACKBIT among the leading fast payout online casinos.

    Sports Betting Features in JACKBIT
    JACKBIT Casino has a robust sportsbook for sports enthusiasts with a wide range of bonuses and betting options. This section consists of traditional sports, eSports, and virtual sports. Let’s explore the features:

    • Bet Builder

    JACKBIT provides a sophisticated Bet Builder feature for its users. This feature combines multiple betting markets from JACKBIT casino into a single slip for enhanced flexibility and customization. Beginners may find this option complex, but seasoned bettors appreciate its versatility and strategic advantages.

    • Cashout Feature

    The Cashout feature allows you to settle bets before the end of an event, enhancing the overall betting experience. This feature can be availed across traditional sports, esports, and virtual sports events.

    Note: The Cashout feature can be accessed when the position in the ticket is active and unavailable while utilizing the replace function.

    • Betting Odds

    JACKBIT casino allows users to switch between decimal, American, and fractional odds types within seconds. This feature is provided in the settings options on the top right of the sportsbook.

    • Betting Limits

    JACKBIT has excellent betting limits. There is no explicit limit imposed on bettors that allows them to place wagers of any amount as they wish. The policy is applicable for both minimum and maximum bets, providing the bettors unrestricted flexibility in their betting. JACKBIT Casino allows bettors to pursue their betting strategies without any restrictions to enhance their the users’ overall betting experience.

    • Live Betting and Streaming

    Live Betting Options can be accessed through a dedicated subsection conveniently located on the left side of the platform. This feature supports players to make informed decisions according to the real-time data before placing bets.

    The streaming capabilities of the JACKBIT platform enhance the live betting experience. This streaming feature provides an extra layer of excitement and engagement to the live betting experience that allows players to follow the actions as they make their betting strategies.

    Interface and User Experience in the JACKBIT Online Casino

    JACKBITs provides a modern and intuitive user interface that makes it effortless to find their desired games or features. The site has interesting animations that enhance the overall outlook. The instant payout casino is the popular choice for gamers looking for easy withdrawal options.

    Users can easily enjoy gaming on their smartphones as the site is mobile-compatible. The site can be accessed using the web browser of the user’s mobile device. However, there is no dedicated application for mobile users to access the casino website.

    • Licensing and Security Measures

    JACKBIT is a casino licensed under the Curacao eGaming Commission, operating since 2022. It managed to gain an above-average reputation among the players. The casino is praised by many gamblers for its excellent game selection, user-friendly interface, outstanding customer support, and emphasis on cryptocurrency transactions. JACKBIT utilizes SSL encryption for security to ensure that players’ data is protected.

    • Responsible Gaming Measures in JACKBIT

    JACKBIT Casino provides a comprehensive and helpful page dedicated to responsible gambling measures. This page contains all the relevant details related to tools designed to limit access to the gambling site for underage individuals, ensuring a safe environment for all users.

    JACKBIT also provides tools such as a time-out period, account limits, and self-exclusion options to help players manage their gambling. Further assistance is provided by the platform’s dedicated support team.

    The page includes details about platforms and resources aimed at assisting individuals facing gambling-related issues. Gambling addiction can be problematic for some users, and maintaining safe, responsible practices helps protect users from gambling-related harm.

    While JACKBIT emphasizes responsible gambling, it also ranks among the top fast payout online casinos, offering instant withdrawals once your gaming session ends. This ensures users not only play safely but also enjoy timely access to their winnings.

    ✅TRY JACKBIT NOW FOR QUICK WINS AND FAST PAYOUTS!

    Final Verdict: Is JACKBIT Fast Payout Casino Worth Your Time?

    JACKBIT is a Fast payout online casino with plenty of games, interesting bonus offers, and robust security measures. Both new and loyal players get rewards. Cryptocurrency and fiat currencies are supported by the casino. It is an instant payout casino that provides value, speed, security, and convenience for users. JACKBIT provides lightning-fast transactions, bonus offers, and access to many high-quality games.

    Irrespective of whether you are playing on a mobile or desktop device, JACKBIT makes every victory even more rewarding. As the speed of online casinos increases, the withdrawal process can be completed in hours. It is the expected rate for online casino fans to complete transactions. Users can select JACKBIT to access their rewards fast, with multiple payment options for both deposit and withdrawal. Best customer support and minimum time delay required to track withdrawal amounts.

    Frequently Asked Questions About The Fast Payout Online Casinos

    • Does JACKBIT support cryptocurrencies?

    JACKBIT provides support for a broad set of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin(BTC), Ethereum( ETH), Binance Coin(BNB), and Tron(TRX), etc. It also supports stablecoins that offer stability by getting pegged to fiat currencies.

    • Does JACKBIT Casino have a mobile application?

    No, JACKBIT casino does not provide any mobile application at present. But the official website is compatible with mobile devices. So users can access most of the features available on the full version from their mobile device. It is a reliable approach to prefer over the dedicated mobile apps.

    • What games are offered by JACKBIT Casino?

    JACKBIT Casino provides an impressive collection of games that caters to multiple player preferences. There are more than 6000 slots from major developers such as Yggdrasil, Play’n GO, Microgaming, Habanero, Wazdan, and Pragmatic Play. More than slots, the casino provides multiple versions of table games roulette, blackjack, and poker. JACKBIT also provides live dealer games, mini games, Keno, instant games, and lotteries.

    • Is sports betting available at JACKBIT Casino?

    Yes, Users can bet on a wide variety of sports, such as Football, horse racing, and tennis, as well as esports such as Dota 2, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike. A virtual sports betting option is also available on the platform.

    • What are the customer support services provided by JACKBIT?

    JACKBIT Casino provides live chat and email options. The official JACKBIT website provides a live chat option.. Users can write and send emails to support@JACKBIT.com for further assistance.

    • Is withdrawal easy in JACKBIT?

    JACKBIT is one of the most famous fast payout online casinos. It is the fastest paying online casino, so you can be at ease about the withdrawal option and convenience.

    Email: support@JACKBIT.com

    Disclaimer & Affiliate Disclosure

    The information in this article is for informational and promotional purposes only and is not legal, financial, or professional advice. While we strive for accuracy, no warranties are made regarding completeness or timeliness. Readers should verify information independently. The publisher, affiliates, and contributors are not liable for errors, omissions, or losses from using this content.

    This article may contain affiliate links. Clicking these links and making a deposit may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. These relationships do not affect our editorial integrity, and all evaluations are based on independent research.

    Online gambling is for those of legal age (19+ in Australia). Gambling carries financial risks and may lead to addiction. Play responsibly and seek help if needed. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This content is not endorsed by any brands unless stated.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5101492a-6a4b-4ad0-a722-bf44a6671d50

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/93408be8-279f-45dc-89ad-71f219dfea4b

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7b5378a0-755d-46e9-ad5e-0480b43f8a83

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Former Defense Contractor Pleads Guilty to Tax Crimes

    Source: US State of California

    Defendant Admits Concealing 50% Ownership of $7B Defense Contracting Business to Evade Taxes

    A former defense contractor pleaded guilty today to tax crimes related to his scheme to defraud the United States and evade taxes on income that he earned from his contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense.

    The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Douglas Edelman founded and owned 50% of Mina Corp. and Red Star Enterprises (Mina/Red Star), a defense contracting business that received more than $7 billion from contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide jet fuel in the United States’ post-9/11 military efforts in Afghanistan and the Middle East.

    Working with others, Edelman engaged in a lengthy scheme to hide his Mina/Red Star profits to evade U.S. taxes, including by concealing his income in undisclosed foreign bank accounts, creating false documents and making false statements that one of his co-conspirators — a French citizen residing abroad and without U.S. tax obligations — founded and owned Mina/Red Star.

    For example, when the company became profitable in 2005, Edelman began taking distributions which he deposited into Swiss bank accounts, primarily at Credit Suisse, in the name of other companies he owned. In 2008, Credit Suisse informed Edelman that he had to either close his accounts or disclose them to U.S. authorities. Rather than come into compliance with his tax and reporting obligations, Edelman closed his accounts and opened new ones at Bank Julius Baer in Singapore in the name of a nominee entity, the beneficiaries of which were purportedly Edelman’s daughters. He then directed the subject income he earned from Mina/Red Star to those bank accounts.

    In 2010 the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs began investigating allegations of corruption in connection with Mina/Red Star’s contracts with the Department of Defense. As part of this inquiry, the subcommittee became interested in the identity of Mina/Red Star’s owners. At this time, Edelman had not filed U.S. tax returns to report the millions of dollars he had earned from Mina/Red Star and had not paid U.S. taxes on his income.

    Rather than disclose his ownership, Edelman caused his attorneys to tell Congress a false story that a French co-conspirator who had no U.S. tax or reporting obligations founded and co-owed Mina/Red Star with another individual. To corroborate the false story, Edelman and a co-conspirator caused false and backdated paperwork to be created.

    To continue the scheme, Edelman conveyed the false story about Mina/Red Star’s ownership to other arms of the U.S. government, including to the Department of Defense during contract negotiations in 2010 and 2011, to the IRS in a 2016 application to the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program, and to the Justice Department in a 2018 presentation.

    In conjunction with his 2016 application to the IRS’s Voluntary Disclosure Program, Edelman filed false tax returns for several prior years that only reported income from gifts or purported consulting payments, continuing to conceal the millions he had earned from his company. On the returns, he  also concealed profits he had earned from a separate business to provide internet service to members of the armed forces at Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan.

    Instead of paying the taxes that he knew he owed, Edelman used the money to fund his lifestyle and additional investments. He invested in a music television franchise in Eastern Europe, a land venture in Tulum, Mexico, and a farm in Kenya, and purchased property around Europe, including a home in Ibiza, Spain, and a townhouse in London.

    Edelman faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count to which he has pleaded. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C., Field Office made the announcement.

    Special agents from IRS-CI’s International Tax & Financial Crimes specialty group, a team based out of Washington, D.C., that is dedicated to uncovering international tax crimes, along with the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted in the investigation. Also providing assistance were His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs of the United Kingdom; the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5), which brings together the taxing authorities of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States; and authorities from Belize, Israel, and Cyprus.

    The Government of the Kingdom of Spain arrested and extradited Edelman to the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance in securing Edelman’s arrest and extradition.

    Assistant Chief Sarah Ranney and Trial Attorney Ezra Spiro of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. 

    MIL OSI USA News –