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Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Relief to Indiana Businesses, Private Nonprofits and Residents Affected by March Severe Storms and Tornadoes

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the availability of low interest federal disaster loans for Indiana small businesses, private nonprofits, and residents affected by the severe storms and tornadoes occurring March 19. The SBA issued a disaster declaration in response to a request received from Gov. Mike Braun on April 10.

    The disaster declaration covers the primary counties of Bartholomew and Lake, which are eligible for both physical damage loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs). The declaration covers the adjacent counties of Brown, Decatur, Jackson, Jasper, Jennings, Johnson, Newton, Porter, and Shelby in Indiana as well as Cook, Kankakee, and Will in Illinois.  

    Small businesses and private nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.  

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.  

    Applicants may also be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include strengthening structures to protect against high wind damage, upgrading to wind rated garage doors, and installing a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage.  

    “One distinct advantage of SBA’s disaster loan program is the opportunity to fund upgrades reducing the risk of future storm damage,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “I encourage businesses and homeowners to work with contractors and mitigation professionals to improve their storm readiness while taking advantage of SBA’s mitigation loans.”

    SBA’s EIDL program is available to eligible small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and PNPs with financial losses directly related to this disaster. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business did not suffer any physical damage. They may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.625% for PNPs, and 2.75% for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    Beginning Monday, April 28, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Centers in Bartholomew and Lake counties to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at appointment.sba.gov.  

    The DLOC hours of operation are listed below:  

    Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC)  

    Bartholomew County  

    United Way Bartholomew County  

    1531 13th St.  

    Columbus, IN 47201

    Opening: Monday – April 28, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    Closed: Sunday

    Permanently Closing: Saturday, May 10, 2 p.m.  

    Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC)  

     Lake County  

     Monroe Center

    4101 Washington St.  

    Gary, IN 46408

    Opening: Monday – April 28, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    Closed: Sunday

    Permanently Closing: Saturday, May 10, 2 p.m.  

    Disaster survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low-interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is June 23, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is January 22, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Cardinal Tagle: Pope Francis, Successor of Peter and Beloved Disciple

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    VaticanMedia

    by Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim TagleFides Agency publishes the homily delivered by Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle today, Friday, April 25, during Holy Mass—which he presided over—celebrated with the working community of the Dicastery for Evangelization in suffrage for the soul of Pope Francis, in the Chapel of the Magi Kings, in the Palace of Propaganda Fide:Rome (Fides Agency) – On this Friday within the Octave of Easter, we thank the Risen Lord who forms us as His body of disciples and witnesses. As we continue contemplating with amazement the renewing presence and action of the Risen Lord, attested to in our scripture readings, we also offer our fervent prayers for Pope Francis. May he enjoy the eternal embrace of the merciful Father.The Gospel recounts the fishing activity of Simon Peter and six other disciples after the Resurrection. That night they caught nothing. The boat returned empty which meant no food on the table and loss of fervor. The Risen Lord, though unrecognized by them, recognized their emptiness. He directed them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. They caught an abundant amount of fish. He turned their emptiness into fullness. Who is he? Who is this stranger? The Beloved disciple said to Peter, “it is the Lord!” With the eyes of love, he discerned, detected and proclaimed the presence of the Risen Lord.When our work, life and projects seem empty, do not lose heart. Look around. Open your ears. The Risen Lord is near and might be pointing to a new direction even if it sounds absurd. Do not insist on your idea or plan when it already proves empty. Stubborn pride leads to emptiness. Let the Risen Lord direct us. He catches the fish, we just haul the net to the shore. As we marvel at the catch that we did not produce, we declare, “It is the Lord.”This is the same proclamation made by Peter and the Beloved disciple, to the people, the heads, the elders and the scribes who questioned their power in the healing of lame man. They said, “in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene…this man was healed.” It is the Lord!We are used to the tandem St Peter and St Paul. But our two readings highlight the partnership between St. Peter and the Beloved disciple. In the Gospel of John, the Beloved Disciple is not named although Tradition has associated him with St. John. The Beloved Disciple opens Peter’s eyes to recognize the Lord and His deeds in Peter’s activities. I want to believe that the Beloved Disciple helps Peter remain humble, always attributing to the Lord, and not to his own effort, every fruitful catch and good deed.Each one of us needs both Peter and the Beloved Disciple in his heart. A Peter who acts and a Beloved Disciple who points to Jesus, the source of our fruitfulness.In this mass we pray to the merciful Father to welcome into His Kingdom our beloved Pope Francis. These past twelve years, he has been the Successor of Peter. But I have known him also as the Beloved Disciple.We were together in the Synod of Bishops on The Eucharist in 2005 as delegates of our respective episcopal conferences. At the end of the synod we were both elected to the Ordinary council of the Synod of Bishops for a term of three years. In 2008 we were speakers in the International Eucharistic Congress in Quebec, Canada. He represented Latin America while I represented Asia. I often expressed to him my limited knowledge of the topics assigned to me and my lack of preparation for speeches. But he never failed to encourage me, to help me see the hand of the Lord. From Buenos Aires he wrote to me letters of congratulations when he heard of something good that I had done. But I did not respond to any of them. He believed in me more than I trusted in myself.During meetings he always joked with me. We took jokes seriously. For the conclave of 2013, our flights arrived in Fiumicino airport a few minutes apart. Seeing me he said, “what is this little boy doing here?” To which I responded, “and what is this old man doing here?” A few days later I had to call him “Your Holiness.”When I was called to work in the Roman Curia, I thought it was just a joke. It ended up being a serious joke. To make up for all the letters I did not answer, this time I said “Yes”. I suppose that in his eyes I am always a little boy. In my private audiences with him, his first question was always, “How are your parents?” Before dealing with documents and “business”, he reminded me of my parents and of myself as a child.There is much to remember and to celebrate in the successor of Peter who is a beloved disciple but let me close with an experience during his pastoral visit to the Philippines in 2015. He was surprised to see the millions of people who welcomed him on his arrival in Manila. Before descending the Popemobile in the apostolic nunciature he asked me, “how much did you pay those people?” I quickly answered, “I promised them eternal life if they greeted the Successor of Peter.” Turning serious, he said, “they did not come out to see me. They came to see Jesus.”The Beloved Disciple has another name, Peter.(Fides Agency 25/4/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Jordan joins regional push to sideline Islamist opposition

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Rory McCarthy, Associate Professor in Politics and Islam, Durham University

    The Jordanian authorities have banned the Muslim Brotherhood, the largest opposition movement in the kingdom, in a major new crackdown. On Wednesday April 23, security forces raided Brotherhood offices, confiscating assets and property, and outlawed all of the group’s activities.

    One week earlier, 16 Brotherhood members were arrested for allegedly plotting attacks on targets inside Jordan using rockets and drones. The Brotherhood, whose members Jordanian interior minister Mazen al-Faraya says “operate in the shadows and engage in activities that could undermine stability and security”, has denied any links to the attack plots.

    The ban on the Brotherhood, an Islamist movement that wants a greater role for religion in public life, comes at a time when the Jordanian government is facing intense pressure over the war in Gaza.

    The Brotherhood organised months of demonstrations in solidarity with Palestinians. It has also been vocal in its support for the Palestinian armed group Hamas, and has demanded the cancellation of Jordan’s peace treaty with Israel.

    At the same time, Jordan’s King Abdullah II has come under heavy pressure from the Donald Trump administration in the US to resettle Palestinians from the occupied Gaza Strip and West Bank. If he were to agree, the move would risk being seen as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.

    The Jordanian authorities have had an uneasy relationship with the Brotherhood since the late 1980s, when the kingdom’s political system opened up. They have looked to curb its influence.

    In 2016, the Brotherhood’s headquarters in the capital, Amman, was closed and its assets were transferred to a new organisation called the Association of the Society of the Muslim Brotherhood, known as the “permitted” Muslim Brotherhood. As ideological splits emerged in the movement, the authorities have tried to exploit internal divisions.

    The latest crackdown represents a striking repressive turn. It marks a shift away from containing the movement to excluding it from public life.

    Yet the Brotherhood remains popular. In September 2024, the Islamic Action Front, the political party affiliated with the movement, surprised observers by winning parliamentary elections. It took 31 seats in the 138-seat parliament, securing victory in constituencies across the country in its best election performance in more than three decades.

    Its success was largely down to the Brotherhood’s demonstrations in support of Palestinians. These demonstrations resonated in Jordan, where around half the population is of Palestinian origin. The party also benefited from changes in the electoral laws prior to the election, which gave more weight to political parties and less to independent candidates.

    But under Jordan’s authoritarian system, the king holds most of the power, especially in internal security and foreign affairs. The palace tightly controls political life. So the Islamic Action Front was not invited to join the new government, which is made up of pro-monarchy parties.

    The key question now is whether the authorities will also ban the Islamic Action Front, despite its electoral gains.

    Conflict with the crown

    Even before the latest crackdown, Islamists in Jordan feared a confrontation with the authorities. Many suspected the palace wanted to close the Brotherhood movement and leave a weakened party that might be more easily contained.

    During a visit to Jordan shortly after the elections in September, one senior Islamic Action Front figure told me: “They [the monarchy] just want a party in a superficial form. A party without any presence.”

    Although the Brotherhood had been under pressure, it was still able to operate most of its activities. Senior party members even took part in a royal committee on “political modernisation” in 2021, which drew up reforms to change the electoral laws to strengthen political parties.

    Yet many in the Brotherhood feared a confrontation with the palace was coming. One senior Brotherhood figure told me in October 2024: “The Brotherhood is a vast, widespread organisation with a social and a political presence. A clash between the state and the Brotherhood would have negative effects on society and on the legitimacy of the political system.”

    Jordan’s Brotherhood is not alone in facing a crisis. Other Islamist organisations across the region are experiencing political setbacks, more than a decade after the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings seemed to offer them new opportunities.

    In Tunisia, where a democratic transition has been sharply reversed since 2021, dozens of leaders from the Islamist Ennahda party have been jailed.

    The arrests were part of a broad wave of repression against regime critics, including politicians, judges, lawyers and human rights activists. Ennahda, which spent a decade in government between 2011 and 2021, has suffered internal splits.

    In Morocco, the Justice and Development party, an Islamist party which also spent a decade in government from 2011, suffered a heavy defeat in the most recent elections in 2021.

    The party’s losses were partly a result of restrictions at the time of the vote. These included new rules about how seats were apportioned and the fact that some party candidates were disqualified from running.

    But the losses were also because of internal disputes after Prime Minister Saadeddine Othmani signed a normalisation agreement with Israel in 2020 to avoid a confrontation with the monarchy, which controls foreign affairs.

    In Kuwait, parliament was suspended in 2024 because the ruling emir, Sheikh Meshal al-Ahmad al-Sabah, complained about political gridlock. This kept all opposition parties, including Islamists, out of the political process. And in Algeria, Islamist parties have been co-opted or marginalised since the bitter civil war of the 1990s.

    Opinion polls show that many people in the Middle East want to see a significant role for religion in public life. But rulers across the region are increasingly wary of Islamist parties, which want not only to introduce a more conservative social agenda but to challenge undemocratic regimes.

    Rory McCarthy receives funding for his academic research from the British Academy and the Leverhulme Trust.

    – ref. Jordan joins regional push to sideline Islamist opposition – https://theconversation.com/jordan-joins-regional-push-to-sideline-islamist-opposition-255243

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: McClellan Announces 2025 Women of Excellence Award Winners

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (Virginia 4th District)

    Washington, D.C. –Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) announced the winners of the Second Annual Women of Excellence Awards. The awards recognize outstanding women or women’s organizations residing, studying, working, or serving Virginia’s Fourth District that have made a profound impact on the district and have meaningfully contributed to their communities. 

    “I am excited to recognize the work these incredible women have done to make Virginia’s Fourth District a better place,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “Women shaped our Commonwealth — and our nation — from the beginning, even when they have gone unseen and unnoticed. This year’s award recipients uplift our communities every day. They inspire me and remind us all that women can achieve.”

    Businesswoman of the Year – Monica Mueller

    Monica Mueller is Chief Strategy Officer of Softensity, a leading provider of software development and IT consulting services. As Softensity’s EVP, she spent five years transforming multiple departments, leveraging technology to streamline operations and improve performance.

    Non-Profit of the Year – Little Hands VA

    Little Hands Virginia’s mission is to ensure children in Central Virginia have essentials from birth to improve outcomes for life. They support families by providing items, like diapers, pack n’ plays for safe sleep, and strollers, to children newborn to three years old in need in Central Virginia.

    The Women of Impact in Education Award – Kayla Diaz

    Kayla Diaz is a Spanish-language interpreter for Colonial Heights Public Schools. While serving as a family resource coordinator at Colonial Heights Public Schools, she successfully advocated for the creation of a dedicated interpreter position translating conversations between school staff and families with developing English skills.        

    Women in Action Volunteer Award – Fatima Smith

    Fatima M. Smith is the founder of FMS Speaks, LLC, a platform through which she facilitates crucial conversations within institutions, government, and educational settings. She has committed herself to interpersonal violence prevention, child advocacy and more.

    The Dr. Gladys West Women in STEM Award – Pamela Bingham

    Pamela R. Bingham is a “social impact” environmental engineer and currently the Operations Manager for The Health, Environmental, and Economic Justice Lab in the University of Maryland School of Public Health.

    Law and Government Champion Award – Gray Montrose

    Gray Montrose is currently the Deputy Director of Land Conservation with the Capital Region Land Conservancy, a nonprofit land trust currently stewarding over fifteen thousand acres of priority forest, farm, and park land in central Virginia. Her role involves providing legal counsel to the organization and providing critical support to the development of new projects.

    Media and Communications Champion Award – Claudia Massey

    Claudia R. Massey is the co-founder of Patience for Patients, LLC, a non-medical homecare agency that provides personal care and companionship services to the geriatric population. She is a columnist for Diva Dynasty Magazine, a best-selling author, a radio host, and a TV host at Preach the Word Worldwide Network where she serves as their brand ambassador.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Letter to Chief Justice Roberts re: President Trump’s Smithsonian Institution Proclamation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Dear Chief Justice Roberts:

    I write to express my strong opposition to President Trump’s Proclamation (the “Proclamation”), issued on March 27, which preposterously purports to restore “truth and sanity to American history” by censoring “improper ideology” at the Smithsonian Institution. It is imperative that you, along with your fellow Regents, continue the storied legacy of the Smithsonian that tells the American story honestly and completely. President Trump’s proclamation, which seeks to whitewash our history, is cowardly and unpatriotic. It must fail.

    The Smithsonian attracts tens of millions of visitors a year and works with the finest subject matter experts in virtually every field. The fact that the Proclamation prominently singles out the National Museum of African American History and Culture speaks volumes about Donald Trump’s actual motivation. To be clear: Black history is American history. It cannot and will not be erased.

    History is replete with dangerous efforts to manipulate cultural and historical narratives in order to consolidate power, including during twentieth-century regimes like those in the Soviet Union and 1930s Germany. That is not America. I strongly urge you to reject the Proclamation targeting the Smithsonian and to uphold the 175-year tradition that has made the Institution the preeminent museum, educational and cultural system in the world.

    Sincerely,

    Hakeem Jeffries
    Democratic Leader

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bilirakis, Tonko, Crenshaw, Khanna, Peters and Liccardo Celebrate Re-launch of Longevity Science Caucus

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gus Bilirakis (FL-12)

    Washington, D.C. – Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Ro Khanna (D-PA), Scott Peters (D-CA) and Sam Liccardo (D-CA) are proud to announce the re-launch of the Congressional Caucus for Longevity Science. The Longevity Science Caucus aims to educate Members about the growing field of aging and longevity biotechnology, and to promote initiatives aimed at increasing the healthy average lifespan of all Americans.   As the population continues to age, proactive investment can significantly reduce the long-term economic and healthcare burdens on society. By investing in research that delays aging and prevents chronic diseases, the government can promote healthier citizens, lower healthcare costs, and extend the productive years of life. Supporting longevity science is a forward-thinking strategy that benefits both individuals and the broader economy. 

    Congressman Bilirakis serves as a senior Member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and is a Co-Chair of this Caucus along with Representative Tonko.  Bilirakis noted, “Increasing life expectancy and promoting positive health outcomes are important priorities, and the formation of this caucus is an important step toward achieving those goals.  I believe in promoting individual responsibility and supporting innovation in the pursuit of scientific discoveries that will enable Americans to live happier and longer lives.   I am honored to co-chair this bipartisan effort with my colleague, Congressman Tonko.  We will work with our colleagues in an effort to make a significant impact on the future health and wellness for our constituents.”

    Tonko, who is also a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, added, “With life expectancy in the United States at its lowest in decades, we in Congress need to come together to address this decline and support science and research that will enable people to live fuller and healthier lives. We’re doing just that with the Longevity Caucus. I am grateful for the partnership of Congressman Bilirakis in leading this Caucus and look forward to working in strong bipartisan fashion to help improve our quality and longevity of life, particularly in the fight against neurodegenerative diseases with aging as the greatest risk factor.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Panetta Authors Legislation to Protect the Central Coast from Offshore Drilling

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

    Monterey, CA – On Earth Day, United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) authored and introduced the Central Coast of California Conservation Act of 2025.  This legislation would prohibit any new leasing for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas in the Central California Planning Area, which extends all along California’s 19th Congressional District, including from the northern border of San Luis Obispo County to the northern border of Santa Cruz County.  The bill would ensure protections up to Mendocino County.  Rep. Panetta introduced this legislation as part of a collaborative, coordinated package of bills to permanently protect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans from the dangers of fossil fuel drilling.

    As this Administration attempts to repeal environmental protections, the Central Coast of California Conservation Act would take proactive action to protect California’s 19th Congressional District’s coastal economies and marine ecosystems.  These waters are teeming with biodiversity, boasting at least 26 marine mammal species, 94 seabird species, four sea turtle species, more than 340 fish species, thousands of invertebrate species, and more than 450 marine algae species.  California’s coast supports tourism, recreation, agriculture, fisheries, and shipping, contributing $44 billion to California’s GDP each year.

    “Our oceans, economy, and way of life of coastal communities in California’s 19th Congressional District must continue to be protected from any effort to expand offshore oil and gas drilling,” said Rep. Panetta.  “The Central Coast of California Conservation Act would prevent new drilling before it starts, protecting the biodiversity of our waters and the businesses and communities that rely on them.  On Earth Day, and every day, we must take action to ensure we are living up to the legacy of our home to protect the incredible beauty and bounty that our ocean provides for the next generation.”

    U.S. coastal counties support 54.6 million jobs, $10 trillion in goods and services, and pay $4 trillion in wages.  Under President Joe Biden, more than 625 million acres of U.S. ocean waters were permanently protected from offshore oil and gas drilling.  This Administration is trying to roll back those protections, attempting to illegally reopen those same areas to drilling.  The first Trump Administration proposed a sweeping plan to open 47 offshore oil and gas lease areas across nearly every U.S. coastline, from California to New England.

    “Monterey Bay Aquarium applauds our California representatives for consistently championing the protection of our ocean and our coastal communities from the devastating impacts of oil pollution and offshore oil development,” said Monterey Bay Aquarium Executive Director Julie Packard.  “Californians experienced too many times the heartbreaking impacts of these spills and know that thriving coastal communities and their economies depend on a healthy, vibrant ocean.  These important bills would enshrine in law the essential protections from the hazards of offshore drilling and take decisive action on behalf of the people of California.”

    “California’s spectacular marine life — including complex kelp forests and charismatic sea otters — and vibrant coastal economies rely on healthy ecosystems.  This legislation could, once and for all, block offshore drilling activities along the continental shelf, and protect critical marine habitats along California’s iconic Pacific Coast,” said Defenders of Wildlife California Program Director Pamela Flick.

    Rep. Panetta introduced this legislation as part of a suite of offshore drilling legislation alongside House Natural Resources Ranking Member Jared Huffman (CA-02), House Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Frank Pallone (NJ-07), Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Jack Reed (D-RI), and five other United States Representatives.  Additional legislation includes: 

    • The West Coast Ocean Protection Act (Rep. Huffman)
    • The COAST Anti-Drilling (Rep. Pallone)
    • The Florida Coast Protection Act (Rep. Castor)
    • New England Coastal Protection Act of 2025 (Rep. Magaziner)
    • Defend our Coast Act (Rep. Ross)
    • California Clean Coast Act of 2025 (Rep. Carbajal)
    • Southern California Coast and Ocean Protection Act (Rep. Levin)

    “It’s time to end the threat of expanded drilling off America’s coasts forever,” said Oceana Campaign Director Joseph Gordon.  “Oceana applauds these Congressional leaders for reintroducing pivotal legislation that would establish permanent protections from offshore oil and gas drilling for millions of acres of ocean. Earth Day is an important reminder that every coastal community deserves healthy oceans and oil-free beaches. This bill is part of a national movement to safeguard our multi-billion-dollar coastal economies from dirty and dangerous offshore drilling. Congress must swiftly pass these bills into law and reject any expansion of drilling to protect our coasts.”    

    “Protecting these waters puts coastal communities and wildlife above polluters and brings us closer to a world where our waters are free from oil spills, endangered whale populations are free from seismic blasting, and local economies can thrive,” said NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) Director of Ocean Energy Taryn Kiekow Heimer.  “Now more than ever, we need leadership from Congress to protect our oceans from an industry that only cares about its bottom line – and a Trump administration willing to do anything to give those oil billionaires what they want.”

    “We believe our coasts are far too valuable to risk for short-term fossil fuel gains,” said Save Our Shores Executive Director Katie Thompson.  “Permanently protecting offshore areas from oil and gas leasing is a critical step toward safeguarding marine ecosystems, coastal communities, and our climate future.  These bills reflect the will of the people to prioritize ocean health and long-term sustainability over polluting industries of the past.”

    “This suite of legislation is a critical move to safeguard our marine resources against Trump and his Big Oil agenda,” said Center for Biological Diversity ocean specialist Rachel Rilee.  “It’s been 15 years since the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster devastated coastlines and killed hundreds of thousands of marine animals.  Our oceans and the incredible ecosystems they support are counting on us. Congress must pass these bills and then get right back to work protecting marine life and coastal communities from every manmade danger and every Republican attack.”

    “Fifteen years ago this week, the Deepwater Horizon spill dumped 210 million gallons of oil into the ocean; and with every new offshore oil and gas lease, we’re gambling with the possibility of another disaster,” said Ocean Conservancy senior director of climate policy Anna-Marie Laura. “This suite of bills will help protect American waters, from Alaska to Florida, from the daily leaks, massive spills, and extreme air and water pollution that comes with offshore oil and gas drilling.  Ocean Conservancy implores Congress to listen to the voices of millions of Americans who want to end offshore oil and gas production and move toward responsible, renewable energy sources, and pass these bills.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boilermakers ratify railroad contracts

    Source: US International Brotherhood of Boilermakers

    Boilermakers have voted to ratify a tentative agreement with the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC) with 82% voting in favor of the agreement. The union also ratified the CSX agreement with a vote of 72%.  

    The National Railway Labor Conference (NRLC) is an association representing all U.S. Class I freight railroads and many smaller freight and passenger lines. Through its NCCC, the NRLC leads national negotiations with the 12 major rail labor organizations.

    Director of Railroad Services John Mansker said that just leaves two railroads to vote on, Union Pacific and Canadian Pacific Kansas City.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: NCDIT Announces Artificial Intelligence Governance and Policy Leader

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: NCDIT Announces Artificial Intelligence Governance and Policy Leader

    NCDIT Announces Artificial Intelligence Governance and Policy Leader
    aljohnson
    Fri, 04/25/2025 – 12:42

    The N.C. Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) has named I-Sah Hsieh as its first artificial intelligence governance and policy executive. Hsieh will advance North Carolina’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) to help the state become more efficient and effective while also maintaining digital safety. 

    “I-Sah’s appointment marks a significant step forward in North Carolina’s commitment to harnessing the power of AI for the benefit and protection of our residents, businesses, and visitors,” said NCDIT Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Teena Piccione. “By overseeing governance structures that prioritize ethics and security, I-Sah will play a pivotal role in shaping how the state uses this technology and collaborating with the General Assembly, private industry, and government users to ensure we are able to innovate and grow with AI while protecting our residents’ data and privacy.”

    As an AI governance and ethics expert with more than 25 years of experience, Hsieh joins NCDIT from SAS where he most recently served as the company’s AI governance and data ethics practice principal. Previously, he has helped develop AI strategies and solutions as a consultant for policymakers, the United Nations, Fortune 1000 executives, and nonprofits. He holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Cornell University.

    Last year, NCDIT led development of the North Carolina Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence Framework. The framework, in alignment with existing state privacy laws and IT policies, highlights principles, practices, and guidance to provide a consistent approach for state agencies to innovate while ensuring privacy and limiting data protection risks. Hsieh’s hiring is part of NCDIT’s initiative to promote responsible use of AI in North Carolina.

    To help state employees navigate the potential use of generative AI, NCDIT has posted guidance, training and other resources on its website. The department is also developing comprehensive training for state employees.

    For more information and resources regarding the state’s use of AI, visit it.nc.gov/AI.

    Apr 25, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eight Guatemalan Nationals Indicted for Smuggling Illegal Aliens into the United States for Cash

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TULSA, Okla. – Eight Guatemalan nationals were indicted in court for allegedly being paid to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States from Guatemala, Mexico, and other countries in Central or South America, including Asia. The activity is alleged to have occurred over the past four years. Once across the Mexico border, the defendants would further help conceal and harbor aliens illegally across more than 24 states.

    “For the past four years, this illegal alien smuggling group has operated and laundered proceeds in the Northern District of Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “These defendants would not be in custody today without federal and state law enforcement working collaboratively, with prosecutors across the United States. The arrest and ongoing investigation surrounding these Guatemalan Nationals, and their conspirators not only protects the citizens in the Northern District of Oklahoma but also further protects lawful citizens across the United States.” 

    “ICE is committed to pursuing human smugglers regardless of their location or attempts to evade arrest,” said Travis Pickard, Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Dallas. “This indictment indicates the extensive nature of our human smuggling investigations and role in immigration enforcement. HSI’s special agents across several field offices have worked relentlessly to trace those transporting and harboring aliens from their countries of origin to their final destinations, effectively dismantling their illegal smuggling operations and money laundering schemes.”

    Cidia Marleny Lima Lopez, 39, and Ottoniel Castro Argueta, 33, were arrested today in Charlotte, North Carolina; Veronica Maribel Lima Lopez, 33, and Esvin Alexander Rodriguez Luis, 26, were arrested in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Ariz Obdulio Argueta, 28, and Cesar Rodolfo Garcia Argueta, 20, were arrested in Clarksville, Arkansas; Pedro Cucul Gualna, 25, was arrested in Sallisaw, Oklahoma; Carlos Enrique Ramos Caal, 30, was arrested in Flagstaff, Arizona. All are charged with conspiring to bring, transport, and conceal aliens in the United States.

    Ottoniel Castro Argueta and Cidia Marleny Lima Lopez are further charged with engaging in monetary transactions with the proceeds from the conspiracy.

    During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that the aliens being helped across the border did not have prior authorization to enter and reside in the United States. Once inside the United States, the defendants would help harbor the aliens in Oklahoma, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington.

    The indictment alleges that several associates in Central and South America accepted various forms of payment from the aliens to be brought into the United States illegally. While the investigation is still ongoing, the indictment shows that aliens paid roughly $5,000 per alien to enter the United States. Proceeds from the illegal aliens were laundered through mobile applications and banks across the United States, including the Northern District of Oklahoma.

    The Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Flagstaff, and Charlotte Homeland Security Investigations field offices; the Tulsa, McAlester and Greensboro, North Carolina Drug Enforcement Administration field offices; the Tulsa and Oklahoma City IRS field offices; the Tulsa and Oklahoma City U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations field offices; and the U.S. Marshals offices in the Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, Eastern District of Oklahoma, the Middle District of North Carolina, and the Western District of Arkansas are investigating the case with the assistance of several state law enforcement agencies.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McConney and David Nasar are prosecuting the case with assistance from the Eastern District of Oklahoma and the Western District of Oklahoma.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of Operation Take Back America. The Homeland Security Task Force, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two former laboratory sales executives sentenced to federal prison for roles in health care kickback conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TYLER, Texas – Two former laboratory sales executives were sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.

    Stephen Kash, 51, of Winnie, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and ordered to forfeit $779,773.70 in criminal proceeds.  Courtney Love, 46, of Dallas, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison and ordered to forfeit $217,268.75 in criminal proceeds. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on April 24, 2025.

    On September 22, 2022, Christopher Grottenthaler, 46, of Dorado, Puerto Rico; Blake Whitaker, 54, of Frisco; Stephen Kash; Chrissy Alfaro, 39, of Frisco; Courtney Love; Charles Dickens, 45, of Beaumont; Marty Flores, 67, of Montgomery; and Frederick Brown, 52, of Missouri City, were indicted for conspiring to commit illegal remunerations in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.  The statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal health care programs.  The defendants were charged for their roles in a conspiracy through which physicians were incentivized to make referrals to rural hospitals and an affiliated lab in exchange for kickbacks which were disguised as investment returns; and in which marketers were incentivized to arrange for or recommend the ordering of services from rural hospitals and an affiliated lab.

    Two rural Texas hospitals, Little River Healthcare (LRH) based in Rockdale, and Stamford Memorial Hospital based in Stamford, partnered with True Health Diagnostics (THD), a clinical laboratory based in Frisco, Texas, that specialized in advanced cardiovascular lipid testing.  For a fee, THD processed the blood tests while the hospitals billed the tests to insurers as hospital outpatient services, with the hospitals charging insurers a much higher rate than THD could receive as a clinical laboratory.  The hospitals utilized a network of marketers who in turn operated management services organizations (MSOs) that offered investment opportunities to physicians throughout the State of Texas.  In reality, the MSOs were simply a means to facilitate payments to physicians in return for the physicians’ laboratory referrals.  Pursuant to the kickback scheme, the hospitals paid a portion of their laboratory revenues to marketers, who in turn kicked back a portion of those funds to the referring physicians who ordered THD tests.  THD executives and sales force personnel leveraged the MSO kickbacks to gain and increase referrals and, in turn, to increase their revenues, bonuses, and commissions.

    On July 14, 2022, Kash was also indicted for conspiring to commit money laundering for his involvement in a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the kickback conspiracy.

    This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Defense – Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Department of Commerce – Export Enforcement.  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adrian Garcia, Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld, Lucas Machicek, and Robert Austin Wells.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chair’s Statement: Fifty-First Meeting of the IMFC – Mr. Mohammed Aljadaan, Minister for Finance of Saudi Arabia

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    April 25, 2025

    In the context of the Fifty-First Meeting of the IMFC that took place in Washington, D.C. on 24th and 25th April, IMFC members welcomed the ongoing efforts to end wars and conflicts, recognizing that peace is essential to restoring stability and fostering sustainable growth. IMFC members underscored that all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in its entirety. They acknowledged, however, that the IMFC is not a forum to resolve geopolitical and security issues which are discussed in other fora.

    The world economy is at a pivotal juncture. Following several years of rising concerns over trade, trade tensions have abruptly soared, fueling elevated uncertainty, market volatility, and risks to growth and financial stability. Near-term growth is projected to slow and intensifying downside risks dominate the outlook. We will step up our efforts to strengthen economic resilience and build a more prosperous future. We underline the critical role of the IMF in helping us navigate this challenging environment, as a trusted advisor and champion of strong policy frameworks. We thank our Deputies for discussing the medium-term direction of the IMF during their meeting in Diriyah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on April 6-7, 2025, and we agree on the annexed Diriyah Declaration.

     

    1. The world economy is at a pivotal juncture. Following several years of rising concerns over trade, trade tensions have abruptly soared, fueling elevated uncertainty, market volatility, and risks to growth and financial stability. Near-term growth is projected to slow, while disinflation is expected to continue but at a slower pace. Intensifying downside risks dominate the outlook, in an already challenging context of weak growth and high public debt. Wars and conflicts impose a heavy humanitarian and economic toll. Transformative forces, such as digitalization/artificial intelligence, demographic shifts, and climate transitions are creating opportunities, but also challenges.
    1. We will step up our efforts to strengthen economic resilience and break from the low-growth, high-debt path, while harnessing transformative forces, to build a more prosperous future. Comprehensive and well calibrated, well sequenced, and well communicated reforms and policy actions are needed to boost private sector-led growth, productivity, and job creation. We will pursue sound macroeconomic policies and advance structural reforms to improve the business environment, streamline excessive regulation, fight corruption, and mobilize innovation and technology adoption. We will deepen our pivot toward growth-friendly fiscal adjustments to ensure debt sustainability and rebuild buffers where needed. Fiscal adjustments should be mindful of distributional impacts and underpinned by a credible medium-term consolidation plan, while strengthening the efficiency of public spending, protecting the vulnerable, and supporting growth-enhancing public and private investments, taking into account country circumstances. Central banks remain strongly committed to maintaining price stability, in line with their respective mandates, and will continue to adjust their policies in a data dependent and well-communicated manner. We will continue to closely monitor and, as necessary, tackle financial vulnerabilities and risks to financial stability, while harnessing the benefits of innovation. We will work together to improve the resilience of the world economy and build prosperity and ensure the stability and effective functioning of the international monetary system. We will also work together to address excessive global imbalances, support an open, fair and rules-based international economic order, and reinforce supply chain resilience. We reaffirm our April 2021 exchange rate commitments.
    1. We will continue to support countries as they undertake reforms and address debt vulnerabilities and debt service challenges. We acknowledge the specific challenges faced by low-income and vulnerable countries, including fragile and conflict-affected states (FCS) and small developing states (SDS), which are further compounded by recent decrease in official development assistance. We underline the importance of the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust. We welcome the progress made on debt treatments under the G20 Common Framework (CF) and beyond. We remain committed to addressing global debt vulnerabilities in an effective, comprehensive, and systematic manner, including further stepping up the CF’s implementation in a predictable, timely, orderly, and coordinated manner, and enhancing debt transparency. We look forward to further work at the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable on ways to address debt vulnerabilities and restructuring challenges. We encourage the IMF and the World Bank to help advance the implementation of the 3-pillar approach to address debt service pressures in countries with sustainable debt, including through supporting them to implement growth-enhancing reforms, mobilize domestic resources, and attract private capital. We look forward to the review of the Low-Income Country Debt Sustainability Framework (LIC-DSF).
    1. We welcome the Managing Director’s Global Policy Agenda.
    1. We support further sharpening the focus of surveillance based on analytical rigor, evenhandedness, and tailored policy advice. We welcome a strong focus on helping countries strengthen their economic resilience and achieve macroeconomic and financial stability and sustainable growth by increasing productivity, addressing macro-critical risks, reducing excessive imbalances, achieving debt sustainability, and mitigating disruptive capital flows and exchange rate volatility. We look forward to the Comprehensive Surveillance Review that will set future surveillance priorities and modalities; and the Review of Financial Sector Assessment Programs to keep financial surveillance in step with evolving financial stability risks.
    1. We look forward to the Review of Program Design and Conditionality to strengthen further the effectiveness of IMF-supported programs and to the Review of the Short-Term Liquidity Line. We also look forward to the assessment of the Global Financial Safety Net, including the role of Regional Financing Arrangements (RFAs), and its ability to safeguard global financial stability.
    1. We support efforts to further strengthen capacity development and to ensure the sustainability of financing. We welcome the IMF’s ongoing work with the World Bank on the Joint Domestic Resource Mobilization Initiative. We welcome a more flexible and tailored delivery, better integrated with policy advice and program design, as set out in the 2024 Capacity Development Strategy Review.
    1. We reaffirm our commitment to a strong, quota-based, and adequately resourced IMF at the center of the GFSN. We have advanced the domestic approvals for our consent to the quota increase under the 16th General Review of Quotas and we look forward to the finalization of this process as soon as possible. We recognize that realignment in quota shares should aim at better reflecting members’ relative positions in the world economy, while protecting the voice of the poorest members. We acknowledge, however, that building consensus among members on quota and governance reforms will require progress in stages. In this regard, we agree on the annexed Diriyah Declaration on the way forward.
    1. We underline the critical role of the IMF in helping us navigate the current challenging environment, as a trusted advisor and champion of strong policy frameworks. We reaffirm our commitment to the institution and look forward to discussing further ways to ensure the Fund remains agile and focused, working in collaboration with partners and other IFIs. We reiterate our appreciation for staff’s high-quality work and dedication to support the membership and continue to encourage further efforts to improve regional and women’s representation within staff positions, and women’s representation at the Executive Board and in Board leadership positions.
    1. Our next meeting is expected to be held in October 2025.

    Annexed Diriyah Declaration

    Recalling the October 2024 IMFC Chair’s Statement, which stated: “We reiterate our strong commitment to the Fund on its 80th anniversary and look forward to further discussing at our next meeting ways to ensure the Fund remains well-equipped to meet future challenges, in line with its mandate, and in collaboration with partners and other IFIs. We ask our Deputies to prepare for this discussion.”; and

    Drawing on the work advanced by our Deputies, who met in the historic town of Diriyah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on April 6-7, 2025, to prepare for this discussion;

    We thank our Deputies and agree on the following Diriyah Declaration on the way forward with regard to IMFC processes and IMF quota and governance reforms.

    *****

    Enhancing IMFC Processes

    We agree that the IMFC plays a key role in the IMF’s governance structure, offering the IMF Board of Governors trusted advice and providing strategic direction to the work and policies of the Fund through structured, high-level, and consensus-driven policy guidance on all relevant issues.

    To enhance its effectiveness as a forum for effective engagement and consensus-building on complex challenges, we agree to further strengthen IMFC processes. To this end, we welcome recent improvements to the format of the Introductory IMFC session and the use of concise, accessible communiqués to effectively convey key IMFC messages to a broader audience. Moreover, we agree that deputy-level meetings focused on strategic rather than routine issues could support the work of IMFC principals.

    We appreciate the value of engagement across the international financial architecture, including with Regional Financing Arrangements (RFAs), to enhance cooperation and strengthen the resilience of the international monetary system.

     

    Strengthening IMF Governance

    We note that the world economy currently faces significant challenges and agree that the IMF makes a vital contribution to international cooperation, providing a long-established and trusted institution for policy discussions informed by rigorous analysis. We stress that the IMF’s mandate to promote macroeconomic and financial stability remains as relevant as ever, and its role to support members in addressing macroeconomic challenges through analysis and policy advice, capacity development, and financing where relevant, is key. We agree on the need to ensure that the institution remains strong, quota-based, adequately resourced, and efficiently managed to fulfil its mandate at the center of the global financial safety net.

    We agree that a strong, inclusive, and representative governance framework is fundamental to maintaining the Fund’s credibility and legitimacy among its diverse membership. Strengthening IMF governance will support its continued ability to effectively promote consensus among the membership in addressing global challenges. These efforts are also essential to fostering multilateralism and international cooperation.

    Given the strategic importance of governance reforms, we recognize that progress toward consensus should be made in stages. In this context, we agree to develop as a first step a set of general principles to guide future discussions and help foster convergence of views. Work on these principles should be completed in a timely manner to help ensure the efficient progression of future General Reviews of Quotas (GRQs), including under the 17th GRQ. Establishing these guiding principles would help ensure that governance changes are gradual, widely acceptable, and reflective of the interests of the entire membership, as well as maintain the Fund’s financial soundness.

    The Way Forward

    We agree that implementation of the 16th GRQ remains a priority. We recognize that realignment in quota shares should aim at better reflecting members’ relative positions in the world economy, while protecting the voice of the poorest members. To build consensus on future governance reforms, including under the 17th GRQ, we call on the Executive Board to develop, by the 2026 Spring Meetings, a set of principles to guide future discussions on IMF quotas and governance, drawing from the deliberations by IMFC Deputies during their meeting in Diriyah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on April 6-7, 2025. We look forward to a discussion of the status of advancement of this work at our next meeting. We ask our Deputies to prepare for this discussion.

    INTERNATIONAL MONETARY AND FINANCIAL COMMITTEE

     ATTENDANCE 

    Chair

    Mohammed Aljadaan, Minister of Finance, Saudi Arabia

    Managing Director

    Kristalina Georgieva

    Members or Alternates

    Ayman Alsayari, Governor of the Saudi Central Bank, Saudi Arabia (Alternate for Mohammed Aljadaan, Minister of Finance, Saudi Arabia)

    Mohammed bin Hadi Al Hussaini, Minister of State for Financial Affairs, United Arab Emirates

    Edgar Amador Zamora, Minister of Finance and Public Credit, Mexico

    Scott Bessent, Secretary of the Treasury, United States

    Edouard Normand Bigendako, Governor, Bank of the Republic of Burundi

    Luis Caputo, Minister of Economy, Argentina

    Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada (Alternate for Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance, Canada)

    Sang Mok Choi, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Republic of Korea

    Giancarlo Giorgetti, Minister of Economy and Finance, Italy

    Gabriel Galipolo, Governor, Central Bank of Brazil (Alternate for Fernando Haddad, Minister of Finance, Brazil)

    Jan Jambon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Pensions, National Lottery and Federal Culture Institutions, Belgium

    Katsunobu Kato, Minister of Finance, Japan

    Daniela Stoffel, State Secretary for International Finance, Federal Department of Finance, Switzerland (Alternate for Karin Keller-Sutter, Minister of Finance, Switzerland)

    Lesetja Kganyago, Governor, South African Reserve Bank, South Africa

    Jörg Kukies, Federal Minister of the Ministry of Finance, Germany

    François Villeroy de Galhau, Governor of the Bank of France (Alternate for Eric Lombard, Minister for the Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty, France)

    Adebayo Olawale Edun, Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Nigeria

    Gongsheng Pan, Governor of the People’s Bank of China

    Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer, H.M. Treasury, United Kingdom

    Pavel Snisorenko, Director, Department of International Financial Relations (Alternate for Anton Siluanov, Minister of Finance, Russian Federation)

    Sanjay Malhotra, Governor, Reserve Bank of India (Alternate for Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Finance, India)

    Mehmet Simsek, Minister of Treasury and Finance, Republic of Türkiye

    Salah-Eddine Taleb, Governor, Bank of Algeria

    Perry Warjiyo, Governor, Bank of Indonesia

    Ida Wolden Bache, Governor, Bank of Norway

    Observers

    Agustín Carstens, General Manager, Bank for International Settlements (BIS)

    Elisabeth Svantesson, Chair, Development Committee (DC) and Minister for Finance, Sweden

    Christine Lagarde, President, European Central Bank (ECB)

    Valdis Dombrovskis, Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, European Commission (EC)

    Klaas Knot, Chair, Financial Stability Board (FSB) and President of De Nederlandsche Bank

    Celeste Drake, Deputy Director-General, International Labour Organization (ILO)

    Mathias Cormann, Secretary-General, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

    Mohannad Alsuwaidan, Economic Analyst, Petroleum Studies Department, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)

    Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, United Nations (UN)

    Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

    Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, The World Bank (WB)

    Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO)

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Wafa Amr

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/04/25/pr-123-imfc-chairs-statement-fifty-first-meeting-of-the-imfc

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Sen. Markey, Rep. McGovern, Rep. Pressley Op-Ed in The New York Times: “We Visited Rümeysa Öztürk in Detention. What We Saw Was a Warning to Us All.”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Read the full piece in The New York Times
    Washington (April 25, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Representatives Jim McGovern (MA-02) and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) this morning published an op-ed in The New York Times titled: “We Visited Rümeysa Öztürk in Detention. What We Saw Was a Warning to Us All.”
    This week, Senator Markey and Representatives McGovern and Pressley met with Ms. Öztürk, a Turkish national and fifth-year doctoral student at Tufts University, who has been unlawfully detained by ICE and transported to Louisiana from her Somerville, Massachusetts, community in retaliation for her protected speech. The lawmakers called on the Trump administration to immediately release Ms. Öztürk and urged every American to defend the Constitution.
    We Visited Rümeysa Öztürk in Detention. What We Saw Was a Warning to Us All.
    By Edward J. Markey, Jim McGovern, and Ayanna Pressley
    Published April 25, 2025, by The New York Times
    We recently visited Ms. Öztürk at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Basile, La., operated by the for-profit company Geo Secure Services, contracted by the federal government. It’s part of the network of ICE facilities in Louisiana that the American Civil Liberties Union has described as a “black hole” — hard to reach and isolated, making visits from attorneys and family members prohibitively difficult and expensive.
    What we found was not just a young woman locked up without charge but also a democracy being put to the test.
    Read the full opinion piece in The New York Times.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey to Attend Funeral of Pope Francis

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Senator Markey and Pope Francis meeting in 2014 to discuss climate change
    Boston (April 25, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) announced today that he will attend the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis in Rome on Saturday as part of a bipartisan delegation of Catholic U.S. Senators.
    “It is a great honor to join mourners from around the world in St. Peter’s Square to pay our respects to the People’s Pope, His Holiness Pope Francis. In his words and in his deeds, Pope Francis taught us to fight for a better world – one that meets the needs of the most vulnerable among us, and one that grants dignity to all,” said Senator Markey. “Pope Francis held a unique power in convening people, instilling in them a moral obligation to act boldly on the world’s most pressing issues, and guiding them through dark and difficult times with his wisdom, humility, and compassion. When we met, we discussed the necessity to act on climate change and the challenges it poses to the planet we call our home. I carry his mandate forward with me to be in service of life and to embrace the moments and opportunities to be part of a global movement that protects our people and our planet.”
    In May 2014, Senator Markey traveled to the Vatican and met with Pope Francis and high-level Vatican leaders and Cardinals to discuss the importance to act on climate change and to encourage the Catholic Church to continue to use their moral authority to elevate the issue. Senator Markey lauded Pope Francis’s 2015 Joint Meeting of Congress Address as a “Sermon on the Hill.”
    The bipartisan delegation includes Senators Markey, Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.).

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Malliotakis Applauds Agreement to Preserve Aviator Sports Complex Access

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11)

    (BROOKLYN, NY) – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis released the following statement in response to today’s announcement at Brooklyn’s Aviator Sports Complex.

     

    “We’re pleased to hear that the National Park Service (NPS) has reached an agreement with Aviator Sports and Events Center to continue operating the outdoor facilities— including the sports fields, Green Meadows Farm, and golf—through April 14, 2026. Additionally, Chris Werstine of Aviator Hockey & Ice Figure Skating will take over operations of the interior facilities dedicated to hockey and figure skating programs, which are set to resume on Monday, April 28.

     

    This announcement ensures continued access to the facility for both our community and the youth sports leagues that have long utilized Aviator. We thank Aviator Sports and Events Center and Aviator Hockey & Ice Figure Skating for their cooperation and partnership with the National Park Service, and we appreciate the unified efforts of parents and local elected officials who helped make this possible.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: International agreement to boost British business

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    International agreement to boost British business

    Businesses will save time and money on repetitive legal action thanks to new international rules coming into force across the UK on 1 July.

    • Agreement will cut delays and costs for UK businesses
    • UK judgments against foreign suppliers will be recognised by participating countries overseas
    • This will boost the UK legal sector and drive economic growth, part of the government’s Plan for Change

    Businesses will save time and money on repetitive legal action thanks to new international rules coming into force across the UK on 1 July.

    The UK Government signed up to the Hague 2019 Convention, which means other countries will more easily recognise and enforce UK court judgments in cross-border disputes – sparing firms from costly and repetitive court battles.

    Currently, if a UK business wins a case in a UK court against a company based in another country, business leaders face the threat of time-consuming enforcement processes or even identical legal action overseas for the same dispute – causing delays, increasing costs and creating confusion to the consumer.

    The new rules will provide a simpler enforcement route to existing complex systems, giving one clear consistent set of shared rules – that the UK helped shape – making the process easier for everyone.

    Streamlining the process will save businesses time and money, encourage foreign companies to use the UK’s world-class lawyers and courts to settle their disputes and grow the economy overall.

    Justice Minister, Lord Ponsonby, said:

    This Convention delivers real benefits for British businesses dealing with international disputes.

    As part of our Plan for Change we’re boosting UK firms’ confidence to trade by minimising legal costs and ensuring justice across borders, all while cementing Britain’s role as a global legal powerhouse committed to the rule of law.

    The Convention will enhance international legal collaboration. It will apply to judgments in civil and commercial matters, strengthening the UK’s position as a global hub for dispute resolution.

    The 2019 Hague Convention is already being applied by 29 parties, from Ukraine to EU countries, with Uruguay joining last year. This means UK civil and commercial judgments will be recognised and enforced in these nations and that the UK will recognise judgments made in their courts.

    With 91 members of the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), a major multilateral forum for private international law rules which has produced numerous conventions including the 2019 Hague Convention, Hague 2019 has a potentially global reach. 

    The Convention will apply to judgments given in proceedings that commence on or after 1 July 2025 across the entire United Kingdom or in other participating countries.

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    Updates to this page

    Published 25 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Energy Secretary to Travel to Warsaw, Poland

    Source: US Department of Energy

    U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright will travel to Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, April 27.

    Energy.gov

    April 25, 2025

     min minute read time

    WASHINGTON— U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright will travel to Warsaw, Poland on Sunday, April 27, to keynote the Three Seas Summit and engage in critical dialogue with Eastern European allies regarding the future of energy security, reliability, and affordability across the continent and the world. 

    Members of the press interested in covering open-press portions of the Secretary’s travel should reach out to DOENews@hq.doe.gov.

    DOE Awards New Contract for Oak Ridge Professional Support Services

    April 24, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Baldwin Statement on FBI’s Arrest of Milwaukee Judge

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    Published: 04.25.2025

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) released the following statement on the news of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arresting Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan:
    “In the United States, we have a system of checks and balances and separations of power for damn good reasons. The President’s administration arresting a sitting judge is a gravely serious and drastic move, and it threatens to breach those very separations of power. Make no mistake, we do not have kings in this country and we are a Democracy governed by laws that everyone must abide by. By relentlessly attacking the judicial system, flouting court orders, and arresting a sitting judge, this President is putting those basic Democratic values that Wisconsinites hold dear on the line. While details of this exact case remain minimal, this action fits into the deeply concerning pattern of this President’s lawless behavior and undermining courts and Congress’s checks on his power.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Urges Top Social Security Official to Keep Eight Maine Offices Open

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) and dozens of his Senate colleagues are raising concerns from the public and encouraging the White House to reconsider Social Security Administration (SSA) field office closures in Maine and across the United States. In the letter to Acting Commissioner of the SSA Leland Dudek, King and the other Senators demand SSA field offices remain open so beneficiaries can continue to seek in-person assistance.

    “We write with concern in response to public reporting indicating you plan to close many field offices this year amidst the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s attack on the Social Security Administration (SSA). Field offices provide vital services to Social Security recipients, and beneficiaries need the opportunity to seek assistance from SSA in person. Each day, approximately 170,000 people visit an SSA field office for assistance. Closing any of these field offices will make it harder for individuals to access their benefits,” the Senators wrote.

    “Below is a list of all SSA field offices across the country. Given SSA’s recent attempts to close field offices—only to reverse course after public outcry and claim it never had plans to close offices—will you commit to keeping each one of these offices open? If not, please identify which offices you will close and why,” the Senators concluded.

    In addition to King, the letter is signed by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and 39 Senate Democratic Caucus members.

    Representing the state with the highest percentage of seniors, Senator King has fought to prevent cuts to Social Security. Senator King has been critical of the Trump Administration’s reckless approach to Social Security, describing it as ‘the most direct assault on this vital program in its almost 100-year history.’ In the same written statement, Senator King condemned the dismissal of 7,000 SSA employees deeming the layoffs ‘disrespectful, destructive, and dangerous.’

    The full text of the letter can be found here and below.

    +++

    We write with concern in response to public reporting indicating you plan to close many field offices this year amidst the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)’s attack on the Social Security Administration (SSA).

    Field offices provide vital services to Social Security recipients, and beneficiaries need the opportunity to seek assistance from SSA in person. Each day, approximately 170,000 people visit an SSA field office for assistance.[1] Closing any of these field offices will make it harder for individuals to access their benefits.

    Below is a list of all SSA field offices across the country. Given SSA’s recent attempts to close field offices—only to reverse course after public outcry and claim it never had plans to close offices[2]—will you commit to keeping each one of these offices open? If not, please identify which offices you will close and why.

    *[Only Maine offices listed, the full list can be found here]*

    400 Congress St

    Portland

    ME

    202 Harlow St

    Bangor

    ME

    68 Sewall St

    Augusta

    ME

    600 Turner Street

    Auburn

    ME

    365 Main St

    Presque Isle

    ME

    169 Camden St

    Rockland

    ME

    110 Main St

    Saco

    ME

    14 Colby Street

    Waterville

    ME

    Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Due to the urgency of this request, please provide an answer by May 6, 2025.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: April 24th, 2025 Heinrich, Colleagues Demand Trump Reverse Attacks on AmeriCorps

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Vice Chair of the bipartisan National Service Caucus and the first AmeriCorps alum to serve in the United States Senate, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), Co-Chair of the bipartisan National Service Caucus, and U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) led 147 of their colleagues in the Senate and House of Representatives to demand President Trump reverse his recall on NCCC AmeriCorps members and drastic reductions in force across the AmeriCorps agency.

    For more than 30 years, AmeriCorps has been our nation’s leading provider of grants that support and promote national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers are preparing today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs, connecting veterans to services, fighting the opioid epidemic, helping older adults age with dignity, rebuilding communities after disasters, and improving the physical and mental well-being of Americans nationwide.

    Last year alone in New Mexico, more than 4,500 Americans of all ages and backgrounds united to meet local needs, strengthen communities, and expand opportunity through national service. AmeriCorps invested more than $12.2 million in federal funding to support cost-effective community solutions, working hand in hand with local partners to empower individuals to help communities tackle their toughest challenges. Learn more about AmeriCorps’ impact on New Mexico here.

    “We are deeply concerned these actions will prevent the agency from continuing to deliver critical services, which include supporting veterans, fighting wildfires, tutoring in schools, combatting the fentanyl epidemic, and much more,” the senators wrote in their letter to President Donald Trump.

    Federal investments in AmeriCorps have delivered positive returns for the American people. A 2020 study found that for every one dollar that Congress appropriates to AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors programs, they return over $17 in benefits to society, program members, and the government. Furthermore, AmeriCorps service allows members to gain marketable job skills in high-demand fields and pursue higher education, preparing more Americans to succeed in the workforce.

    The lawmakers concluded the letter by highlighting the devastating impacts Trump’s cuts to AmeriCorps will have on New Mexicans and hardworking people across the country, “Delays will disrupt programs Americans rely on for their health, education, and safety…We urge you to reverse these actions and instead work with Congress on bipartisan improvements to AmeriCorps so that more Americans have the opportunity to serve their communities,” the lawmakers concluded.

    The letter is here and below: 

    Dear President Trump: 

    We write to express our strong support for AmeriCorps and urge you to reverse both the recall of all NCCC AmeriCorps members and the recently implemented drastic reductions in force across the AmeriCorps agency. We are deeply concerned these actions will prevent the agency from continuing to deliver critical services, which include supporting veterans, fighting wildfires, tutoring in schools, combatting the fentanyl epidemic, and much more.

    For more than thirty years, AmeriCorps has been our nation’s leading provider of grants that support and promote national service and volunteerism. Through programs like AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors, more than 200,000 Americans participate in results-driven service projects at more than 35,000 locations across the country each year. Working hand in hand with thousands of nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations, these dedicated Americans recruit and manage millions of additional volunteers as they work to promote employment

    opportunities, prepare a better-trained workforce, and provide essential services to veterans, children, and seniors. AmeriCorps’ track record of delivering for Americans has earned broad and longstanding support from business leaders, mayors, and governors of both parties.

    AmeriCorps is a public-private partnership that leverages approximately $1 billion in matched resources from the private sector, foundations, and local agencies to support organizations across the country working in creative ways to tackle our most persistent and costly challenges. While it is important the agency continues to make measurable progress toward an improved audit performance, federal investments in AmeriCorps already deliver returns for the American people. A 2020 study found that for every one dollar that Congress appropriates to AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors programs, they return over $17 in benefits to society, program members, and the government. Further, the AmeriCorps programs are a smart investment in our country’s future. AmeriCorps service allows members to gain marketable job skills in high-demand fields and pursue higher education, preparing more Americans to succeed in the workforce.

    We have seen firsthand the critical impact these programs have across the states we represent. We urge the administration to continue implementing the statutory requirements of the national service laws:

    Additionally, Congress recently passed the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025, which maintained funding for AmeriCorps at its Fiscal Year 2024 level. We expect that the administration will implement this law in a manner consistent with the allocations enacted in Fiscal Year 2024. However, we have grave concerns that significant reductions in force will prevent AmeriCorps from being able to effectively and efficiently award appropriated funding to programs operating in communities across the country.

    We are deeply concerned by reports that a majority of AmeriCorps staff have been placed on administrative leave and that more than 750 NCCC members have already been recalled from their field assignments. Many of these volunteers were working in disaster response roles, including building homes for individuals who lost theirs in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. If not reversed, these recent actions will both stop current programs and prevent timely and efficient execution of the agency’s fiscal year 2025 appropriations, delaying or even halting the recruitment and deployment of new AmeriCorps members around the country. We are deeply concerned that is the goal: to eliminate AmeriCorps, in direct conflict with recently enacted appropriations. However, even delays will disrupt programs Americans rely on for their health, education, and safety. We urge you to reverse these actions and instead work with Congress on bipartisan improvements to AmeriCorps so that more Americans have the opportunity to serve their communities.

    Sincerely, 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Shirley Vercruysse announces retirement from the NFB after a distinguished career championing Western, Northern and Indigenous filmmaking. Will remain with the NFB through September 2025 to complete ongoing projects.

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    April 23, 2025 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    Shirley Vercruysse is retiring from the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) after an 11-year term as Executive Producer of the NFB’s Western Documentary Unit.

    A Vancouver-based producer, Shirley will remain with the NFB to complete her ongoing projects, work with producers and filmmakers across the unit’s vast territory and onboard her successor, before retiring from the NFB at the end of September 2025.

    The NFB will be posting the job opening for Executive Producer in the coming days, as it seeks to fill this important position for Western, Northern and Indigenous documentary storytelling.

    “It was with great emotion that we learned of Shirley’s plans to retire. Her passion for great storytelling and commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices have enriched the NFB. We’re delighted that she will be with us until the fall to ensure a smooth transition with the new executive producer. Shirley is leaving the Western Documentary Unit in excellent shape, and I can’t thank her enough,” said Suzanne Guèvremont, Government Film Commissioner and NFB Chairperson.

    “I’ve had the privilege of working closely with Shirley for over a decade. Her dedication to the filmmaking community and commitment to storytelling from every region have made her an exceptional executive producer and ambassador for the NFB. She will leave the NFB with an incredible collection of powerful films and deeper ties to communities. I look forward to collaborating with Shirley in the months ahead to support a seamless changeover in leadership for the Western Doc Unit,” said Stéphanie L’Écuyer, Assistant Director General of Programming – Creation.

    The Western Documentary Unit works with documentary creators across British Columbia, Yukon, Northwest Territories, Alberta and Saskatchewan, with offices in Vancouver and Edmonton. Its producers Teri Snelgrove (Vancouver), Coty Savard (Edmonton) and Chehala Leonard (Edmonton) are in development and production on more than a dozen new documentaries, directed by filmmakers from across the West and North. For more information, visit the NFB’s production website.

    A career devoted to Western and Indigenous creation

    Shirley first joined the NFB in 2014, taking over for Tracey Friesen as executive producer at what was then known as the BC & Yukon Studio, in Vancouver.

    As a producer and executive producer with the NFB, Shirley has been a tireless champion of films by Western Canadian and Indigenous storytellers. Her award-winning documentaries include the features The Magnitude of All Things, The Whale and the Raven, The Road Forward, Incandescence and The Stand. Projects from Yukon include Sovereign Soil, Voices Across the Water and Northlore. 

    In animation, her credits include the shorts I AM HERE, The Mountain of SGaana, Shop Class and The Zoo, as well as the feature Window Horses. Shirley’s youth-themed productions include True North: Inside the Rise of Toronto Basketball, Beauty and Anything for Fame.

    Prior to joining the NFB, Shirley served in Canada’s arts and cultural industries for almost three decades, working in film and television production and the non-profit cultural sector. She was based in Calgary for 14 years, where she produced such acclaimed independent works as waydowntown and the Genie Award-winning NFB co-production Radiant City. 

    Shirley will be at Hot Docs in Toronto shortly for the world premiere of the Western Documentary Unit production Siksikakowan: The Blackfoot Man, directed by Sinakson Trevor Solway—where she looks forward to meeting with creators and colleagues.

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online Screening Room: nfb.ca
    NFB Facebook | NFB Twitter | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog | NFB YouTube | NFB Vimeo
    Curator’s perspective | Director’s notes

    About the NFB

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Construction begins on centre for children with health complexity

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Children and youth with complex care needs throughout B.C are closer to having access to a dedicated BC Children’s Hospital facility, as construction is now underway.

    “We recognize that children with complex care needs and their families require support that goes beyond what a hospital or clinic provide,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Infrastructure. “With the new centre for health complexity, we’re delivering essential health-care infrastructure to support children throughout British Columbia with the most complex needs, while helping them and their families feel connected, understood and empowered throughout their care journey.”

    Children and youth living with health complexity often require specialized services, technology and support from multiple health-care providers as part of their daily care. This can make navigating the health-care system challenging for patients, families and caregivers.

    A first of its kind in Canada, the new three-storey BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity will offer in-person and virtual care for children and youth in B.C. and the Yukon. The centre will connect people with appropriate services and provide specialized training and education for families, caregivers and health-care professionals. This will save families travel time and streamline care.

    “By providing specialized care for children with complex health needs, we are improving the quality of life for families and setting a standard of care that ensures children receive the care they need,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “This transformative centre will be purpose-built for children with health complexity to the highest accessibility standards, and I’m thrilled to celebrate another project milestone.”

    The centre will include 16 dedicated suites where children and families can reside for short, planned stays to access the centre’s services. Recognizing the demands complex care can take on family members and caregivers, the centre will also offer wellness, counselling and peer support.

    The project team has been working closely with patient and caregiver partners, clinical and operational staff, and the BC Children’s and BC Women’s hospitals’ Indigenous Health team on planning the new centre. The facility will include an Indigenous healing garden, extensive green space, a teaching kitchen, public art and accessible wellness path that makes outdoor areas easy to navigate with a variety of mobility devices.

    “I often wonder how much easier and smoother our journey would have been if we got the proper tools and training to empower us to take care of our son with medical complexities 19 years ago,” said Ani Khoudian, a member of the patient and caregiver advisory committee for the new centre. “This is why our family supports the new centre for health complexity. The new centre will ensure patients and families get proper training, have access to care co-ordination, and learn to navigate health care, which are crucial services to improving children’s and families’ quality of life and well being.”

    The centre will also include a 74-space child care facility in its own building. It will be managed by a licensed child care operator. Both the child care centre and the green space will be open to families in the local community.

    Completion is expected by December 2027 with the centre scheduled to open in early 2028.

    “A centre such as this will support the important needs that children and youth with complex and chronic health conditions deserve,” said Adrian Dix, MLA for Vancouver-Renfrew. “This is a critical step for improving health care and making it more accessible for families in our communities.”

    Since 2017, work has been completed or is underway to plan, build or upgrade more than 30 hospitals or health facilities, in addition to the hundreds of maintenance and renovation projects to keep health-care facilities safe and welcoming.

    Quotes:

    Sarah Bell, chief operating officer, BC Children’s Hospital –

    “I can’t underscore the impact this centre will have on the lives of children, families and caregivers. Behind its walls, people will be supported and empowered to live a higher quality of life centred around the care and well-being of both the child and their family. This model of care will also pave the way as a blueprint for other jurisdictions nationally and internationally, to enhance the care provided to children with medical complexity and their families.”

    Malcolm Berry, president and CEO, BC Children’s Hospital Foundation –

    “As we celebrate this groundbreaking milestone, we recognize the possibilities that are enabled through strong partnerships. When visionary medical experts, committed government leaders and generous donors come together, it creates a powerful catalyst for change. We are profoundly grateful to the visionary partners who have already stepped forward to support this first-of-its-kind facility. Through the continued generosity of our community to reach our $40-million commitment, we will redefine what’s possible for children and families for generations to come.”

    Learn More:

    For information about the BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity:
    https://www.bcchildrens.ca/about/slocan

    For more information about health capital projects in B.C., visit:
    https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/accessing-health-care/capital-projects

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: MEDIA ADVISORY: Subcommittee Hearing on Shaping Future of Cyber Diplomacy

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-321-9747

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe will hold a public hearing titled, “Shaping the Future of Cyber Diplomacy: Review for State Department Reauthorization” on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.

    Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025

    Time: 2:00 p.m. ET

    Location: Rayburn 2200

    Subject: Shaping the Future of Cyber Diplomacy: Review for State Department Reauthorization

    Witnesses:

    Ms. Annie Fixler

    Director, Center on Cyber and Technology

    Foundation for Defense of Democracies

    Ms. Latesha Love-Grayer

    Director, International Affairs and Trade

    U.S. Government Accountability Office

    Mr. Theodore Nemeroff

    Co-Founder and Vice President for Data and Compliance

    Verific AI

    ***Check here for updates. The hearing will be webcast live here and open to the public and press.***

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Presidential Message on Arbor Day, 2025

    Source: The White House

    Arbor Day is set aside to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees.  It was first observed in Nebraska on April 10, 1872, as a way to populate the barren plains and provide shelter and shade for the pioneers.  Today, Arbor Day reflects our commitment to preserving the beauty of God’s creation while ensuring our forests, parks, and public lands remain accessible and well-managed.  From towering redwoods and awe-inspiring sequoias to ornamental dogwoods, stately oaks, cedars, and pines, America’s trees enhance every community, improving air quality, offering recreational spaces, and supporting industries vital to our economy.
     
    True stewardship of our natural resources requires responsible forest management in our natural resources.  In recent years, irresponsible policies have left our forests overgrown and vulnerable to devastating wildfires—like those seen in California—that have destroyed millions of acres, displaced families, and taken countless lives.  That is why I took action to promote active forest management, clearing hazardous fuels, thinning dense forests, and ensuring well-maintained landscapes.
     
    My Administration is also cutting red tape and elevating forestry projects so we use America’s abundant timber resources instead of relying on costly imports.  Timber production supports 750,000 jobs and provides essential materials for construction, energy, and manufacturing. 
     
    By freeing our forests and investing in responsible land management, we are protecting lives, strengthening our economy, and ensuring that our forests remain healthy and productive for future generations to come.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Celebrating our Volunteers During National Volunteer Week

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on April 25, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan, along with Sask Sport, SaskCulture and the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association would like to recognize our province’s volunteers and thank them for the incredible contributions they make to our quality of life.  

    Across the country, April 27 to May 3 is being celebrated as National Volunteer Week.

    “Volunteers are hard-working and humble individuals who come from diverse backgrounds, motivated by the simple desire to make our communities better,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Alana Ross said. “In the sport, culture and recreation world, we know them as coaches, instructors, leaders, board members, event planners, teachers, officials, caretakers and so much more.”  

    This year’s theme of Volunteers Make Waves – Together, we create ripples of change – helps highlight the importance, impact and power individuals and their collective volunteer efforts can have on our lives.  

    Saskatchewan is home to more than 330,000 residents who volunteer in their communities.  

    “We know the amazing talents these volunteers bring to our communities and that each individual volunteer contribution, big or small, has the power to influence and inspire, positive change,” Ross said. “On behalf of the Government of Saskatchewan I would like to thank those people who put in the countless hours to make our lives better.”  

    One major source for volunteer opportunities is through the Saskatchewan Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation, which provides more than 1,200 organizations and communities with direct funding. In turn, this funding reaches approximately 12,000 beneficiary groups and a remarkable 600,000 participants across the province each year.  

    Volunteers help make the thousands of community events and activities held by these organizations each year successful.

    If you are looking for opportunities to volunteer in Saskatchewan, visit: Volunteer Connector.

    Visit Our Stories to learn about some amazing volunteers and their contributions to sport, culture and recreation in Saskatchewan at https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/our-stories.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Premier Houston to Invite Investments in Offshore Wind at International Conference

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Premier Tim Houston will promote opportunities to invest in Nova Scotia’s growing wind energy sector at the largest offshore wind and ocean renewables conference in the Americas next week.

    The Premier will be a keynote speaker at Oceantic Network’s 2025 International Partnering Forum, which runs from April 28 to May 1 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Thousands of professionals and industry experts from around the world are expected to attend.

    “Nova Scotia is open for business, and there are countless opportunities for us to be more self-reliant and grow our economy in key areas like wind energy,” said Premier Houston. “We’re blessed with incredible onshore and offshore wind speeds that we can use to our advantage with partners who invest in our wind sector, provide good-paying jobs for hard-working Nova Scotians, and deliver clean energy that can create export opportunities and power our domestic needs.”

    During the conference, Premier Houston will share insights into Nova Scotia’s vision for offshore wind, showcase the success of existing cross-border partnerships and collaborations, and reinforce the importance of a strong U.S.-Canada relationship to build both countries’ offshore wind markets.

    Globally, offshore wind is one of the fastest-growing energy sources. Nova Scotia also has some of the best, consistently fast wind speeds in the world. The province sits on a large continental shelf with vast areas of relatively shallow water that are ideal for floating and fixed wind platforms.

    Nova Scotia plans to offer licences for five gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030. The first call for bids will open later this year.

    Nova Scotia is currently focused on making the province more self-reliant by investing in wind resources, critical minerals and the seafood sector. The Province is also developing a comprehensive trade action plan to facilitate internal trade, enhance productivity and drive critical sectors with input from businesses and industry.

    Quotes:

    “The International Partnering Forum may have been born in the U.S., but it knows no geopolitical boundaries. If one market closes, we open others. We are proud to welcome Premier Houston to showcase Nova Scotia’s vision for offshore wind, which will attract the investment and partnerships others are pushing away. Cross-border partnerships like these are already delivering results and will be critical to the development of our supply chains, developers, and our shared energy future.”
    — Liz Burdock, President and CEO, Oceantic Network

    Quick Facts:

    • Nova Scotia’s offshore wind sector is projected to be a $4.6-billion industry within seven years
    • it will support the province’s budding green hydrogen sector and has the potential to make Nova Scotia a net exporter of clean energy
    • the conference focuses on transforming the offshore clean energy industry through collaboration and innovation
    • delegates attending the conference include Premier Houston; Chief of Staff and General Counsel Nicole LaFosse Parker; and Kim Doane, Executive Director, Energy Resource Development, Department of Energy

    Additional Resources:

    Nova Scotia offshore wind: https://novascotia.ca/offshore-wind/

    Oceantic Network 2025 International Partnering Forum: https://oceantic.org/oceantic-event/2025-ipf/

    More information about Oceantic Network is available at: https://oceantic.org/about-us/

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

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government Makes Personal Care Homes more Affordable for Seniors

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on April 25, 2025

    Starting this month, a $10 million investment announced in the 2025-26 Provincial Budget is increasing the Personal Care Home Benefit by up to $1,000 per month, helping make the cost of living in a licensed personal care home more affordable for Saskatchewan seniors. 

    “This is the third year in a row our government has increased the Personal Care Home Benefit,” Social Services Minister Terry Jenson said. “It is also the largest increase in the program’s history that will benefit more than 2,000 seniors living in personal care homes.” 

    As part of the increase to the Personal Care Home Benefit, Saskatchewan Assured Income for Disability (SAID) level-of-care benefits for personal care home residents will also increase by $120 per month.

    Since its implementation in 2012, the Personal Care Home Benefit monthly income threshold has increased from $1,800 to $3,500. The Personal Care Home Benefit subsidizes seniors based on the difference between their total monthly income and the $3,500 Personal Care Home Benefit monthly income threshold. 

    For more information on the Personal Care Home Benefit, visit: Saskatchewan.ca.

                                                                                    -30- 
     

    For more information, contact: 

    Media Relations
    Social Services
    Regina
    Phone: 306-787-3610
    Email: mediamss@gov.sk.ca 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New Pharmacy Service Launches in Weyburn

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on April 25, 2025

    Patients to Benefit from Increased Access to Mental Health Medication Management

    Residents of Weyburn and surrounding communities now have another option to access mental health medication. The Government of Saskatchewan has launched a pharmacy pilot project to give patients increased access to mental health care.

    An agreement has been reached with Dr. Thomas Ofuafor and Pharmasave Weyburn Pharmacy Manager Laura Resler and their team. Under the agreement, his patients will be able to seek care for mental health medication management and support at this pharmacy. 

    “The Mental Health Medication Management Pharmacy Pilot Project uses an innovative team-based and patient-centred model, allowing management of mental health medication to take place directly within the pharmacy,” Mental Health and Addictions Minister Lori Carr said. “Pharmacists are highly trained professionals. This agreement will allow pharmacists to use their full skills, build capacity within our health care system and improve patient access to care.”

    The collaborative practice agreement allows participating pharmacists to start patients on medications, change medications or dosages to optimize therapy, or discontinue medications as necessary. This frees up time to allow Dr. Ofuafor to see patients more quickly, see those with more complex conditions and add more patients to his caseload. 

    “The project is patient-centred, fostering collaboration between the patient and health care providers,” Dr. Ofuafor said. “The project emphasizes giving the patient choices and more flexibility to access services in timely manner. It enhances quick response to the patient needs and requests, involving them in decision-making about their care, follow-up consultation, medication management such as initiating changes or discontinuations.”

    A similar agreement will be in place with Weyburn’s Prairie Sky Co-op Pharmacy, which will begin offering this service in early May. 

    “We are proud to announce a meaningful partnership between Pharmasave Weyburn and Weyburn Community Mental Health, built on a strong collaborative practice agreement with our local psychiatrist,” Resler said. “This partnership reflects a shared commitment to improving access to mental health care and highlights the evolving role of pharmacists in delivering front-line support.”

    Patients who are interested in determining their eligibility to participate in the pilot project are encouraged to contact Dr. Ofuafor and his team. Based on the results of an evaluation, the program may be expanded to additional pharmacies in the future.

    This pilot is inspired by the Swift Current Pharmacy Care Pilot Project. Launched in December 2023, the Swift Current pilot helps increase patient access to health care options, including mental health services. 

    Both the Weyburn and Swift Current pilot projects flow from the Action Plan for Mental Health and Addictions announced in fall 2023 and support the June 2023 announcement expanding the scope of practice for three frontline health care professions. 

    In addition, pharmacists across the province are able to provide prescription renewals, vaccinations, travel health consultations and prescribe for more than 30 minor ailments. The full list of conditions is available at the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals website. 

    There are almost 1,300 practising pharmacists in more than 430 licensed community pharmacies in Saskatchewan. In many communities, pharmacies are the primary – if not the only – access point for health care services.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New Pictou County Child-Care Spaces

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Families in Plymouth, Pictou County, will have more access to early learning and child-care spaces opening in their community.

    The Province is providing the Plymouth Community and Recreation Association with $3.1 million in infrastructure funding for a renovation and addition to the Plymouth Community Centre that will allow the creation of 58 early learning spaces, including 16 infant spaces.

    “Investments in child care are investments in families and in our future,” said Premier Tim Houston. “I’m pleased that our government is supporting the community centre to continue its legacy of helping young people and families by adding new child-care spaces.”

    The building has a long history educating and caring for young people in the community. It was first built as a school in 1865 and was converted to a community centre in the 1970s.

    The community centre will continue to offer community gathering and recreational space once the child-care centre opens in February 2026.

    The investment is from the Early Learning and Child Care Major Infrastructure Program.

    Quotes:

    “The board of the Plymouth Community and Recreation Association embraced this idea from its inception. This is a game-changer for our rural communities. Our building was purposely built as a school and is centrally located for young families to access. This is a community-based response to the pressing need for affordable and accessible child care.”
    — Janet MacDonald, board Chair, Plymouth Community and Recreation Association

    “This initiative expands access to sustainable child care, addressing a key barrier to workforce development in Pictou County. Through strong community collaboration and the partnership’s community impact programming made possible by the Sobey Foundation, it will empower families, support local employment and serve as a unique co-operative model for the future.”
    — Mary Ellen Makhlouf, community impact programming lead, Pictou County Partnership

    Quick Facts:

    • funding is through the Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement
    • to date, the government has announced 11 projects under the major infrastructure pro-gram
    • since 2021, almost 7,000 new child-care spaces have been created across the province
    • Nova Scotia has signed a five-year extension to the Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement and the Canada-Nova Scotia Early Learning and Child Care Agreement, worth more than $1 billion total

    Additional Resources:

    More information on early learning and child care in Nova Scotia: https://childcarenovascotia.ca/

    Canada-Nova Scotia Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Agreement: https://www.canada.ca/en/early-learning-child-care-agreement/agreements-provinces-territories/nova-scotia-canada-wide-2021.html

    To receive regular updates about child care in Nova Scotia via newsletter: https://childcarenovascotia.ca/latest-news

    For information on child-care centres and family home agencies by community: https://nsbr-online-services.novascotia.ca/DCSOnline/ECDS/loadSearchPage.action

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

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    April 26, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein Appeals FEMA Decision to Not Renew 100% Match

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein Appeals FEMA Decision to Not Renew 100% Match

    Governor Stein Appeals FEMA Decision to Not Renew 100% Match
    lsaito
    Fri, 04/25/2025 – 12:09

    Raleigh, NC

    Governor Stein today appealed to President Trump, asking him to overturn FEMA’s decision not to extend its 100 percent match for eligible Helene costs.  

    “Hurricane Helene caused incredible damage to western North Carolina. President Trump, as you noted when you visited the region in January, we need a focus on debris removal to create a clean slate from which we can effectively rebuild,” wrote Governor Josh Stein. “I therefore respectfully urge you to reconsider FEMA’s regretful decision and extend our 100 percent cost share period for six months – failing that, then for three months. Doing so would allow us to continue to build on the momentum you have helped us achieve.”

    Without the extension, FEMA’s match drops to 90 percent. Preliminary estimates have projected a cost to the state of up to $200 million.

    In December, Congress appropriated disaster relief funds in the American Relief Act of 2025. In February, Governor Stein requested North Carolina’s allocations be expedited. Most federal agencies still have yet to announce North Carolina’s allocations. Governor Stein has also requested Congress and the Administration to appropriate an additional $11.6 billion in federal disaster relief funds to support home rebuilding, restore critical infrastructure, keep businesses open, shore up local governments, and reduce impacts from future natural disasters.

    Read Governor Stein’s full letter.

    Apr 25, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 26, 2025
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