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Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI Africa: In Uganda: procuring responsibly | Forest Stewardship Council

    Forests account for 11.5% of Uganda’s land and are vital to the nation’s ecosystem. They provide timber, food, fuel, and medicines for many Ugandans. However, this green heart of Africa is facing a serious challenge.

    In 2023 alone, Uganda lost 37.6 thousand hectares of its natural forests, according to Global Forest Watch. If this trend continues unchecked, it could lead to the disappearance of these essential natural forests in the coming decades, along with a wealth of irreplaceable biodiversity.

    The impact of deforestation is deeply felt by local communities that rely on forests for their daily needs. For instance, Bangazi Edward, a resident of Buwala village in Jinja District, Eastern Uganda, highlights the growing pressure on the land: “We are having a problem with firewood because we have few trees, and the population is really big.” This situation underscores the urgent need for sustainable solutions.

    Bold government policy

    Fortunately, there is hope on the horizon. Uganda has recognized this danger and is taking action by enacting public policies and processes that promote sustainable public procurement. This strategic approach not only aims to preserve the environment but also enables the nation to meet its environmental and climate commitments.

    Uganda aspires to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 12, particularly Target 12.7, which encourages sustainable public procurement practices in alignment with national policies and priorities. Lawrence Semakula, Accountant General in the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development said, “we have developed a national action plan for sustainable procurement, which we are integrating into the government procurement cycle.” This plan is meant to strengthen the inclusion of sustainability as a core part of public procurement and reduce environmental impacts of public development projects.

    Responsible sourcing: a reality

    As the nation rises to meet these challenges, it seeks to ensure that procurement is responsible and paves the way for a sustainable future.

    One positive example of responsible procurement of wood for development in Uganda is Adrift Eco Lodge, an eco-conscious African lodge located near the Kalagala Falls on the Nile River in Eastern Uganda. Constructed using 70% FSC-certified timber sourced from the Busoga Forest Company (BFC), this eco-lodge demonstrates the possibilities of sustainable building practices. Leanne Haigh, Chief Executive Officer of Adrift, stated, “For us, it was a no-brainer about how we were going to build this property; procuring FSC sustainable wood was just part of that process.”

    Scaling up sustainable sourcing in Uganda

    Annah Agasha, Deputy Director of FSC Africa, believes the sustainable sourcing example in Uganda can be scaled. “Adrift’s use of certified timber from Green Resources to build their ecolodge is a significant milestone,” she says. “It demonstrates how businesses can contribute to sustainability while enhancing their own credentials. We aim to support them in showcasing this responsibility to their customers.”

    The Busoga Forestry Company Ltd. (BFC), a subsidiary of Green Resources AS, is dedicated to sustainable forest management and increasing the availability of responsibly sourced certified products in Uganda.

    In 2019 and 2020, BFC obtained the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody certificate and Forest Management Certificates, respectively. The FSC-FM certificate ensures responsible forest management, while the FSC-COC certificate guarantees the traceability of responsibly sourced wood and products from the forest to the consumer.

    Benefits of responsible sourcing

    BFC’s impact goes beyond just responsible sourcing. With approximately 900 employees, primarily from local communities, the company supports over 16,000 individuals, fostering economic stability.

    Through social funding, BFC invests in essential infrastructure, including schools, clinics, and clean water solutions, significantly improving local living standards. Recognizing the importance of education, BFC offers bursary programs and training opportunities that empower individuals and promote community development. Furthermore, BFC champions gender equality, with 32% of its workforce being women in various roles from middle management to equipment operators.

    David Kiyingi Nyimbwa, Commissioner of the Procurement Policy and Management Department at the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, believes that FSC certification can promote legal forestry and strengthen the registration of sustainable forestry companies. “With FSC, we believe we can work together to promote legal forests and help in the registration of potential and actual [sustainability wood product] providers,” says David Kiyingi Nyimbwa.

    The advantages of responsible forestry extend beyond environmental benefits and lead to positive changes in the lives of local people. Uganda’s economic development is greatly reliant on forests, and there is promise. By carefully considering each procurement decision, making responsible choices, and sourcing wisely for development projects, Uganda can secure a sustainable future.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Forest Stewardship Council.

    Media contacts:
    Frida Salim
    Market Development and Communication Specialist-East Africa

    FSC Africa Regional Office
    Nairobi, Kenya
    East Africa
    f.salim@fsc.org

    Israel Bionyi
    Senior Regional Communications Manager
    FSC Africa
    i.bionyi@fsc.org

    FSC Africa
    www.Africa.FSC.org
    T: +49 (0) 228 367 66 0 
    F: +49 (0) 228 367 66 65 

    About FSC:
    The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) is a nonprofit organization governed by environmental, social, and economic perspectives equally – covers more than 150 million hectares of certified forests and is the global benchmark for sustainable forestry. NGOs, consumers, and businesses alike trust FSC to protect and enhance healthy and resilient forests, for all, forever.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and partners enter new alliance leveraging Islamic and Arab finance for economic transformation

    Today, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) (www.AfricaFC.org), UNIDO, the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) and the Union of Arab Banks (UAB), formalized new strategic partnerships under the Islamic and Arab Finance for Economic Transformation in Africa, the Arab Region and Beyond (IFETAA) Programme.

    Access to finance remains one of the most significant barriers to SME growth and economic transformation, particularly in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. Only one in five African firms has access to credit, and those that do often face prohibitively high interest rates averaging 25 percent, compared to just 5 percent in Europe. Islamic finance, with over US$4 trillion in assets, offers a largely untapped opportunity to address this gap by directing capital stored in monetary markets into the real economy.

    IFETAA represents a new alliance that will drive capital and capacity towards MSME development, resilience and growth across low- and lower middle-income countries. The signing ceremonies of the 3 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) took place ahead of a high-level roundtable at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, held on the margins of the OPEC Fund Development Forum, and marked the formalization of the programme.

    “As traditional development funding continues to decline, Islamic and Arab financial institutions are emerging as key partners in driving industrialization and sustainable development”, said UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller. “Through this programme, we are building a powerful new alliance to support small and medium-sized businesses, increase productivity and resilience, and accelerate economic transformation in developing countries”.

    “The IFETAA Programme will unlock urgently needed capital for Africa’s economic transformation and AFC is proud to bring its unique expertise in both conventional and Islamic finance to mobilise funding at scale,” said Banji Fehintola, Board Member and Head of Financial Services at AFC. “As an issuer, guarantor, and investor, we are committed to delivering innovative, Shariah-compliant solutions that drive inclusive and resilient economic growth, whilst contributing to strengthening the south-south cooperation required to advance our shared development goals”.

    H.E. Shaikh Ebrahim Bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Chairman of AAOIFI and the International Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation announced that “AAOIFI is proud to contribute to this transformative partnership, which aligns Islamic finance with global development priorities and encourages Islamic financial institutions to voluntarily dedicate at least 20% of their financing – over US$1 trillion – to MSME development. We will work on developing a Shariah-compliant finance programme enriched with technical assistance, regulatory support, and capacity building. IFETAA will also leverage UNIDO’s globally recognized Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion model (EDIP)”.

    By integrating Islamic finance with proven entrepreneurship and business counseling interventions, IFETAA will empower MSMEs to become bankable, resilient, and key drivers of inclusive economic growth.

    Dr. Wissam Fattouh, Secretary General of the Union of Arab Banks, stated: “IFETAA is more than a programme – it is a call to action. The Union of Arab Banks is proud to unite Islamic and Arab financial power to serve sustainable development and economic sovereignty. We are mobilizing capital not just to fund growth, but to shape the future of our region. This is about empowering MSMEs, restoring trust in financial systems, and building resilient, inclusive economies”.

    IFETAA is a direct outcome of the commitments made at UNIDO’s A World Without Hunger conference in Addis Ababa in 2024. There, AAOIFI pledged to mobilize 20 percent of Islamic Financial Institutions’ loans and advancements towards MSME development, while UAB reaffirmed its commitment to channel US$1 trillion from its member banks towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). AFC, a close partner to UNIDO, expressed its support through its financial mechanisms and expertise. IFETAA will facilitate access to finance by developing a pipeline of bankable MSME projects, establish financial and non-financial de-risking mechanisms, and support host governments in strengthening regulatory frameworks to expand Islamic and conventional bank lending.

    UNIDO has committed US$500,000 to support the preparation of the IFETAA programme and its initial implementation, which is co-led by the UNIDO Task Force on Islamic and Arab Financing and UNIDO’s Investment and Technology Promotion Office in Bahrain.

    Each of the partner institutions brings unique strengths to the programme. AAOIFI, headquartered in Bahrain, is the world’s leading standard-setting body for Islamic finance and plays a critical role in ensuring Shariah compliance and supporting regulators and financial institutions globally. Beirut-based UAB represents over 300 Arab banks and financial institutions while serving as a regional platform for aligning Arab banking practices with global trends, including Islamic finance, ESG, and digital transformation. AFC is a pan-African multilateral financial institution specializing in infrastructure development. It has been expanding its use of Islamic finance instruments, recently closing a US$400 million Shariah-compliant Commodity Murabaha facility. AFC made history in 2017 by issuing a US$230 million Sukuk, the first-ever by an African supranational institution.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).

    For more information, please contact:
    a.ahmed@unido.org
    h.hussein@unido.org

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Markey Joins Wyden, Ocasio-Cortez to Demand Answers from Palantir About Plans to Build IRS “Mega-Database” of American Citizens

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey

    Right-Wing Aligned Tech Company Is Assisting Trump in Likely Mass Violations of Privacy Act and Tax Privacy Laws

    Washington (June 17, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), today joined Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and seven other Members of Congress in questioning Palantir about reports that Palantir is helping the IRS to build a government-wide, searchable, “mega-database,” connecting sensitive tax and other data the government holds about American citizens. Building such a database likely violates multiple federal laws limiting the accessing and sharing of Americans’ private information, including the Privacy Act and tax privacy laws. 

    “The unprecedented possibility of a searchable, ‘mega-database’ of tax returns and other data that will potentially be shared with or accessed by other federal agencies is a surveillance nightmare that raises a host of legal concerns, not least that it will make it significantly easier for Donald Trump’s Administration to spy on and target his growing list of enemies and other Americans,” the members wrote to Palantir CEO Alex Karp. 

    The letter is cosigned by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Representatives Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.). 

    Sections 6103 and 7213A of the tax code protect tax returns and return information from unauthorized access or disclosure, with criminal penalties for violations, the members pointed out, while the Privacy Act of 1974 requires detailed transparency and procedural steps for accessing and combing government data about Americans. Contractors like Palantir are not exempt from those laws. 

    “The IRS hiring Palantir to help it establish a ‘mega-database”’ of government-held personal data, including sensitive taxpayer data, for seamless processing for a limitless number of purposes blatantly violates the notice, transparency, and procedural requirements of the Privacy Act,” the members wrote. “As you should be aware, contractors are explicitly covered by many of the Privacy Act’s requirements.”

    The full scope of Palantir’s work for the Trump Administration is unclear, but publicly available contracts indicate its tendrils are reaching nearly every corner of the federal government. The Department of Defense recently awarded Palantir a $795 million contract – which could increase to $1.3 billion – to lead data fusion and artificial intelligence programs throughout the U.S. military. The Trump Administration has deployed Palantir’s Foundry software at the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and National Institutes of Health.

    The company is reportedly helping U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement combine data sets in order to speed up deportation of immigrants. Trump’s deeply unpopular deportations have included raids on hotels and construction sites and U.S. citizens being wrongly targeted in order to meet arbitrary quotas set by the White House. 

    The members requested Palantir answer the following questions: 

    • Please provide a list of all current Palantir contracts with the United States government. For each contract, please provide the following information: the dollar value of the award, the agency that awarded the contract, the name of the Palantir software or product being deployed as part of the contract, and a detailed description of the services being performed as part of the contract.
    • Has Palantir sought or received assurances from the U.S. government that its executives, board members, and employees will not be held responsible for violations of federal law, including the internal revenue code?
    • Has Palantir provided insurance coverage or commitments to pay legal costs and fines to any of its executives, board members, or employees in connection with the company’s work for the U.S. government or any foreign government.
    • What services, features, or assistance, if any, has the Trump Administration requested and Palantir declined to provide, due to concerns related to privacy, civil liberties, or potential violations of federal, state, or international law.
    • Is Palantir aware of the requirements placed on agencies and contractors by the Privacy Act of 1974?  Have you advised the government of those requirements, or offered to assist in their compliance?  Do you believe the government is currently satisfying its requirements under the Privacy Act? 
    • Does the company have a “red line” for potential violations of human rights, U.S. law or international law by the Trump Administration that would result in Palantir terminating its services for the U.S. government?
    • How many Palantir employees have quit since January 20, 2025, citing the company’s work for the Trump Administration?

    Read the full letter to Palantir here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Anand announces major additional sanctions in relation to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    June 17, 2025 – Kananaskis, Alberta – Global Affairs Canada

    The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that Canada is imposing additional sanctions on 77 individuals and 39 entities under the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations. Canada is also implementing sanctions on the trade of almost 1,000 new items with Russia, listing an additional 201 vessels and imposing new prohibitions on listed vessels to further constrain the activities of vessels that are part of Russia’s shadow fleet.

    This is one of Canada’s most important sanctions announcements since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, comprising its biggest-ever package of vessel- and trade-related sanctions. Canada is announcing these sanctions following the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, where leaders met to discuss some of the world’s most pressing issues, including ways to bolster support for Ukraine and ramp up pressure on Russia.

    The new export restrictions include goods related to the production of chemical and biological weapons as well as industrial goods and advanced sensitive technologies with dual-use applications. New import restrictions apply to coal, metals and a variety of other goods through which Russia gains revenue from exporting overseas.

    The ship-related sanctions are upgraded to prohibit the provision of any services related to already-listed vessels, and Canada is listing an additional 201 vessels, meaning that Canada now sanctions over 300 Russia-linked vessels involved in the movement of oil, liquefied natural gas, arms and other items for the benefit of Russia.

    In addition to the exports and ship-related sanctions, Canada is sanctioning 3 financial entities who directly support the Kremlin in moving funds in and out of Russia to pay for arms and other war-related material, upgrading its sanctions on Surgutneftegas, a major Russian oil and gas company, and sanctioning 15 additional individuals and entities that enable Russia’s shadow fleet to conduct its activities.

    Canada is also sanctioning 3 individuals and 14 entities involved in the development of the quantum sector in Russia, a sensitive technology that can have various dual-use military applications and be leveraged by the Kremlin to bolster its military. These measures will limit the capabilities of this technology within the Russian military-industrial complex and its application in future aggression.

    Canada is also imposing sanctions on 29 individuals and 6 entities that have benefited from the war, including some of the wealthiest Russian industrialists, senior government officials and persons involved in the confiscation and redistribution of property and assets of foreign companies in Russia as punishment for their criticism of its unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine.

    The list of sanctioned individuals also includes 45 people identified by the Anti-Corruption Foundation. It includes government and private-sector actors who provide direct and indirect support to Russia’s military-industrial complex and disinformation efforts to enable its illegal aggression toward Ukraine.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) Launches QCI Customer Power Pack at Fort Worth Stockyards, Introducing Real-Time Analytics to the Retail and Hospitality Experience

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), a global leader in generative driven enterprise platforms, is proud to announce the successful deployment of its QCI Customer Power Pack at the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, in partnership with Stockyards Heritage Development Co. This marks a major milestone as QCI brings its powerful analytics and engagement tools into the retail and hospitality space.

    The QCI Customer mobile experience platform has delivered measurable results, equips retail resort operators with real-time behavioral insights, dynamic guest interaction tools, and comprehensive data activation capabilities. Designed to enhance the entire guest experience, the platform empowers strategic decision-making while streamlining operations.

    Built on QCI’s industry-leading analytics engine, the app offers deep visibility into visitor demographics, behavior patterns, and interests. Interactive features allow operators to enhance engagement and deliver personalized offerings—all while collecting actionable data that fuels continuous improvement.

    Ethan Cartwright, Vice President of Marketing for the Stockyards, expressed his enthusiasm for the new technology, stating: “I enjoy seeing who our visitors are, how they engage with the property, and what they’re interested in. The deep reporting aspects of the APP give us a new level of visibility that we’ve never had before—and it’s already helping us make smarter marketing and operational decisions. We are excited about the opportunities that QCI Customer including QCI Power Pack and the QCI Suite present. The quantity of real-time data available is impressive and allows us to share key metrics quickly and confidently with our marketing partners.”

    This project marks QCI’s expansion into the retail and destination hospitality sectors, where the need for rich, data-driven insights continues to grow. The QCI Customer APP offers a seamless mobile experience that bridges entertainment, shopping, dining, and event discovery—all while capturing critical behavioral data in real time.

    Andrew Cardno, CTO of QCI, shared his thoughts on the successful deployment:
    “We’re excited to bring our proven intelligence platform to the Stockyards. This successful implementation not only validates our retail strategy but also demonstrates how real-time analytics can transform how venues interact with their guests.”

    The QCI Customer APP represents a new frontier in guest engagement for destination venues like the Stockyards. With powerful analytics capabilities and a user-friendly interface, it provides both visitors and operators with an enhanced, intelligent experience.

    QCI’s Enterprise platform is now deployed in over a dozen countries, backed by a solid track record in both retail execution and advanced analytics. With the launch of this new application, QCI has also activated its deep real-time analytical platform, delivering live insights that support operational agility and data-driven decision-making.

    ABOUT Stockyards Heritage Development Co.
    Stockyards Heritage Development Co. is a partnership between nationally recognized developer Majestic Realty Co. and Fort Worth’s Hickman Investments. Created with the intention of thoughtfully reimagining the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, the company is dedicated to preserving the National Historic District legacy while elevating it with experiences for locals and visitors from afar. Accomplished through a public/private partnership with the City of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the project’s first phase, Mule Alley, broke ground in the fall of 2018 to include the renovation of the destination’s historic, 108-year-old horse and mule barns into a street of curated shops, restaurants, retail, office spaces, and Hotel Drover, an Autograph Collection hotel, which since opening in March 2021, has been consistently rated one of Texas’ top hotels by Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, and U.S. News & World Report, among others. Phase II, which was unanimously approved by the City of Fort Worth in June 2024, will encompass an additional $630 Million investment to the district and will include 300,000 square feet of new commercial space, new full-service hotels with 500 rooms, a 295-unit multi-family property, and two or more below-ground parking garages to support Cowtown Coliseum, the Fort Worth Herd, and other area improvements. www.fortworthstockyards.com

    ABOUT QCI
    Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI) has pioneered the revolutionary QCI Enterprise Platform, an artificial intelligence platform that seamlessly integrates player development, marketing, and gaming operations with powerful, real-time tools designed specifically for the gaming and hospitality industries. Our advanced, highly configurable software is deployed in over 250 casino resorts across North America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Latin America, and Europe. The QCI AGI Platform, which manages more than $35 billion in annual gross gaming revenue, stands as a best-in-class solution, whether on-premises, hybrid, or cloud-based, enabling fully coordinated activities across all aspects of gaming or hospitality operations. QCI’s data-driven, AI-powered software propels swift, informed decision-making vital in the ever-changing casino industry, assisting casinos in optimizing resources and profits, crafting effective marketing campaigns, and enhancing customer loyalty. QCI was co-founded by Dr. Ralph Thomas and Mr. Andrew Cardno and is based in San Diego, with additional offices in Las Vegas, St. Louis, Dallas, and Tulsa. Main phone number: (858) 299.5715. Visit us at www.quickcustomintelligence.com.

    ABOUT Andrew Cardno
    Andrew Cardno is a distinguished figure in the realm of artificial intelligence and data plumbing. With over two decades spearheading private Ph.D. and master’s level research teams, his expertise has made significant waves in data tooling. Andrew’s innate ability to innovate has led him to devise numerous pioneering visualization methods. Of these, the most notable is the deep zoom image format, a groundbreaking innovation that has since become a cornerstone in the majority of today’s mapping tools. His leadership acumen has earned him two coveted Smithsonian Laureates, and teams under his mentorship have clinched 40 industry awards, including three pivotal gaming industry transformation awards. Together with Dr. Ralph Thomas, the duo co-founded Quick Custom Intelligence, amplifying their collaborative innovative capacities. A testament to his inventive prowess, Andrew boasts over 150 patent applications. Across various industries—be it telecommunications with Telstra Australia, retail with giants like Walmart and Best Buy, or the medical sector with esteemed institutions like City Of Hope and UCSD—Andrew’s impact is deeply felt. He has enriched the literature with insights, co-authoring eight influential books with Dr. Thomas and contributing to over 100 industry publications. An advocate for community and diversity, Andrew’s work has touched over 100 Native American Tribal Resorts, underscoring his expansive and inclusive professional endeavors.

    Contact:
    Laurel Kay, Quick Custom Intelligence
    Phone: 858-349-8354

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Violent extremists like the Minnesota shooter are not lone wolves

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Alex Hinton, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology; Director, Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University – Newark

    A memorial for Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, is seen at the Minnesota State Capitol building on June 16, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. Steven Garcia/Getty Images

    After a two-day manhunt, Minnesota authorities arrested and charged 57-year-old Vance Boelter on June 15, 2025, after he allegedly shot and killed Minnesota House Democratic leader Melissa Hortman and her husband in their home and seriously injured another state senator and his wife.

    Boelter, disguised as a police officer, went to other Minnesota politicians’ homes late in the evening on June 13. In his parked car he left behind a list of names and addresses of other Minnesota state and federal elected officials, as well as community leaders and Planned Parenthood locations.

    This incident is the latest to demonstrate how political and often hate-based violence is becoming a more common part of American politics.

    “Let me be absolutely clear: this was an act of targeted political violence, and it was an attack on everything we stand for as a democracy,” U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said in a June 14 statement.

    The threat of domestic violence and terrorism is high in the United States – especially the danger posed by white power extremists, many of whom believe white people are being “replaced” by people of color.

    I am a scholar of political violence and extremism and wrote about these beliefs in a 2021 book, “It Can Happen Here: White Power and the Rising Threat of Genocide in the US.” I think it’s important to understand the lessons that can be learned from events such as the recent Minnesota shootings.

    After decades of research on numerous attacks that have left scores dead, we have learned that extremists are almost always part of a pack, not lone wolves. But the myth of the lone wolf shooter remains tenacious, reappearing in media coverage after almost every mass shooting or act of far-right extremist violence. Because this myth misdirects people from the actual causes of extremist violence, it impedes society’s ability to prevent attacks.

    Vance Boelter is seen in his booking photo on June 16, 2025, in Green Isle, Minn.
    Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images

    The lone wolf extremist myth is dangerous

    FBI Director Christopher Wray said in August 2022 that the nation’s top threat comes from far-right extremist “lone actors” – who, he explained, work alone, instead of “as part of a large group.”

    Wray is wrong, and the myth of the lone wolf extremist – the mistaken idea that violent extremists largely act alone – continues to directly inform research, law enforcement and the popular imagination.

    I think that Wray’s focus on extremism is much needed and long overdue. However, his line of thinking is dangerous and misleading. By focusing on individuals or small groups, it overlooks broader networks and long-term dangers and so can impede efforts to combat far-right extremist violence – which Wray has singled out as the country’s most lethal domestic threat.

    Not a new trend

    Far-right extremists may physically carry out an attack alone or as part of a small group of people, but they are almost always networked and identify with larger groups and causes.

    This was true long before the social media age. Take Timothy McVeigh. He is often depicted as the archetypal lone wolf madman who blew up the Oklahoma City Federal Building in 1995.

    In fact, McVeigh was part of a pack. He had accomplices and was connected across the far-right extremist landscape.

    The same is true of Payton Gendron, who shot and killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store in 2022, and Patrick Crusius, who killed 23 people in a racist attack targeting Latino shoppers at a Walmart in Texas in 2019.

    These two shooters were also characterized in media coverage as lone wolves following their deadly attacks.

    “He talked about how he didn’t like school because he didn’t have friends. He would say he was lonely,” a classmate of Gendron said shortly after Gendron carried out the mass shooting.

    Both were active on far-right extremist social media platforms and posted manifestos before their attacks. Gendron’s manifesto discusses how he was radicalized on the dark web and inspired to attack after watching videos of Brenton Tarrant’s 2019 massacre of 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

    Almost a quarter of Gendron’s manifesto is directly taken from Tarrant’s, which was titled “The Great Replacement.” This fear of white replacement, centered around perceived white demographic decline, was also a motive for Crusius. His manifesto pays homage to Tarrant, before explaining his attack was “a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas.”

    The lone wolf myth also suggests that extremists are abnormal deviants with anti-social personalities.

    After Gendron’s rampage, for example, New York Attorney General Letitia James called him a “sick, demented individual.” Crusius, in turn, was described by the White House and news articles as “evil,” “psychotic” and an “anti-social loner.”

    The vast majority of far-right extremists are, in fact, otherwise ordinary men and women. They live in rural areas, suburbs and cities. They are students and working professionals. And they believe their extremist cause is justified. This point was illustrated by the spectrum of participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

    Boelter is a father of five who has worked various jobs in the food industry and with funeral service companies and a security service. While Boelter’s exact motivation and political affiliation are not clear, friends describe him as very religious and conservative. Boelter reportedly told a roommate and friend that he strongly opposes abortion. He has also criticized gay and transgender people during sermons he delivered at a church in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    People hug at a memorial outside the Walmart in El Paso, Texas, where a shooter killed 23 people in 2019.
    Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images

    Tracing the lone wolf mythology

    How did the lone-wolf metaphor come to misinform the public’s view of extremists, and why is it so tenacious?

    Part of the answer is linked to white supremacist Louis Beam, who wrote the essay “Leaderless Resistance” in 1983. In it, he called for far-right extremists to act individually or in small groups that couldn’t be traced up a chain of command. According to his lawyer, McVeigh was one of those influenced by Beam’s call.

    After Beam formulated this idea, both far-right extremists and law enforcement increasingly used the lone wolf term. In 1998, the FBI even mounted an “Operation Lone Wolf” to investigate a West Coast white supremacist cell.

    The 9/11 terrorist attacks further turned U.S. attention to Islamic militant “lone wolves.” A decade later, the term became mainstream.

    And so it was not a surprise when, after the Buffalo shooting, New York State Senator James Sanders said, “Although this is probably a lone-wolf incident, this is not the first mass shooting we have seen, and sadly it will not be the last.”

    The tenacity of the lone wolf myth has several sources. It’s convenient – evocative and powerful enough to draw and keep people’s attention.

    By using this term, which individualizes extremism, law enforcement officials may also depoliticize their work. Instead of focusing on movements like white nationalism that have sympathizers in the various levels of government, from sheriffs to senators, they focus on individuals.

    The lone wolf extremist myth diverts from what should be the focus of deterrence efforts: understanding how far-right extremists network, organize and, as the Jan. 6 insurrection showed, build coalitions across diverse groups, especially through the use of social media.

    Such understanding provides a basis for developing long-term strategies to prevent extremists like Boelter from carrying out more violent attacks.

    This is an updated version of an article originally published on Feb. 23, 2023.

    Alex Hinton receives funding from the Rutgers-Newark Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America, Rutgers Research Council, and Henry Frank Guggenheim Foundation.

    – ref. Violent extremists like the Minnesota shooter are not lone wolves – https://theconversation.com/violent-extremists-like-the-minnesota-shooter-are-not-lone-wolves-259225

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Violent extremists like the Minnesota shooter are not lone wolves

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Alex Hinton, Distinguished Professor of Anthropology; Director, Center for the Study of Genocide and Human Rights, Rutgers University – Newark

    A memorial for Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, is seen at the Minnesota State Capitol building on June 16, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. Steven Garcia/Getty Images

    After a two-day manhunt, Minnesota authorities arrested and charged 57-year-old Vance Boelter on June 15, 2025, after he allegedly shot and killed Minnesota House Democratic leader Melissa Hortman and her husband in their home and seriously injured another state senator and his wife.

    Boelter, disguised as a police officer, went to other Minnesota politicians’ homes late in the evening on June 13. In his parked car he left behind a list of names and addresses of other Minnesota state and federal elected officials, as well as community leaders and Planned Parenthood locations.

    This incident is the latest to demonstrate how political and often hate-based violence is becoming a more common part of American politics.

    “Let me be absolutely clear: this was an act of targeted political violence, and it was an attack on everything we stand for as a democracy,” U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said in a June 14 statement.

    The threat of domestic violence and terrorism is high in the United States – especially the danger posed by white power extremists, many of whom believe white people are being “replaced” by people of color.

    I am a scholar of political violence and extremism and wrote about these beliefs in a 2021 book, “It Can Happen Here: White Power and the Rising Threat of Genocide in the US.” I think it’s important to understand the lessons that can be learned from events such as the recent Minnesota shootings.

    After decades of research on numerous attacks that have left scores dead, we have learned that extremists are almost always part of a pack, not lone wolves. But the myth of the lone wolf shooter remains tenacious, reappearing in media coverage after almost every mass shooting or act of far-right extremist violence. Because this myth misdirects people from the actual causes of extremist violence, it impedes society’s ability to prevent attacks.

    Vance Boelter is seen in his booking photo on June 16, 2025, in Green Isle, Minn.
    Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office via Getty Images

    The lone wolf extremist myth is dangerous

    FBI Director Christopher Wray said in August 2022 that the nation’s top threat comes from far-right extremist “lone actors” – who, he explained, work alone, instead of “as part of a large group.”

    Wray is wrong, and the myth of the lone wolf extremist – the mistaken idea that violent extremists largely act alone – continues to directly inform research, law enforcement and the popular imagination.

    I think that Wray’s focus on extremism is much needed and long overdue. However, his line of thinking is dangerous and misleading. By focusing on individuals or small groups, it overlooks broader networks and long-term dangers and so can impede efforts to combat far-right extremist violence – which Wray has singled out as the country’s most lethal domestic threat.

    Not a new trend

    Far-right extremists may physically carry out an attack alone or as part of a small group of people, but they are almost always networked and identify with larger groups and causes.

    This was true long before the social media age. Take Timothy McVeigh. He is often depicted as the archetypal lone wolf madman who blew up the Oklahoma City Federal Building in 1995.

    In fact, McVeigh was part of a pack. He had accomplices and was connected across the far-right extremist landscape.

    The same is true of Payton Gendron, who shot and killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store in 2022, and Patrick Crusius, who killed 23 people in a racist attack targeting Latino shoppers at a Walmart in Texas in 2019.

    These two shooters were also characterized in media coverage as lone wolves following their deadly attacks.

    “He talked about how he didn’t like school because he didn’t have friends. He would say he was lonely,” a classmate of Gendron said shortly after Gendron carried out the mass shooting.

    Both were active on far-right extremist social media platforms and posted manifestos before their attacks. Gendron’s manifesto discusses how he was radicalized on the dark web and inspired to attack after watching videos of Brenton Tarrant’s 2019 massacre of 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.

    Almost a quarter of Gendron’s manifesto is directly taken from Tarrant’s, which was titled “The Great Replacement.” This fear of white replacement, centered around perceived white demographic decline, was also a motive for Crusius. His manifesto pays homage to Tarrant, before explaining his attack was “a response to the Hispanic invasion of Texas.”

    The lone wolf myth also suggests that extremists are abnormal deviants with anti-social personalities.

    After Gendron’s rampage, for example, New York Attorney General Letitia James called him a “sick, demented individual.” Crusius, in turn, was described by the White House and news articles as “evil,” “psychotic” and an “anti-social loner.”

    The vast majority of far-right extremists are, in fact, otherwise ordinary men and women. They live in rural areas, suburbs and cities. They are students and working professionals. And they believe their extremist cause is justified. This point was illustrated by the spectrum of participants in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

    Boelter is a father of five who has worked various jobs in the food industry and with funeral service companies and a security service. While Boelter’s exact motivation and political affiliation are not clear, friends describe him as very religious and conservative. Boelter reportedly told a roommate and friend that he strongly opposes abortion. He has also criticized gay and transgender people during sermons he delivered at a church in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    People hug at a memorial outside the Walmart in El Paso, Texas, where a shooter killed 23 people in 2019.
    Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images

    Tracing the lone wolf mythology

    How did the lone-wolf metaphor come to misinform the public’s view of extremists, and why is it so tenacious?

    Part of the answer is linked to white supremacist Louis Beam, who wrote the essay “Leaderless Resistance” in 1983. In it, he called for far-right extremists to act individually or in small groups that couldn’t be traced up a chain of command. According to his lawyer, McVeigh was one of those influenced by Beam’s call.

    After Beam formulated this idea, both far-right extremists and law enforcement increasingly used the lone wolf term. In 1998, the FBI even mounted an “Operation Lone Wolf” to investigate a West Coast white supremacist cell.

    The 9/11 terrorist attacks further turned U.S. attention to Islamic militant “lone wolves.” A decade later, the term became mainstream.

    And so it was not a surprise when, after the Buffalo shooting, New York State Senator James Sanders said, “Although this is probably a lone-wolf incident, this is not the first mass shooting we have seen, and sadly it will not be the last.”

    The tenacity of the lone wolf myth has several sources. It’s convenient – evocative and powerful enough to draw and keep people’s attention.

    By using this term, which individualizes extremism, law enforcement officials may also depoliticize their work. Instead of focusing on movements like white nationalism that have sympathizers in the various levels of government, from sheriffs to senators, they focus on individuals.

    The lone wolf extremist myth diverts from what should be the focus of deterrence efforts: understanding how far-right extremists network, organize and, as the Jan. 6 insurrection showed, build coalitions across diverse groups, especially through the use of social media.

    Such understanding provides a basis for developing long-term strategies to prevent extremists like Boelter from carrying out more violent attacks.

    This is an updated version of an article originally published on Feb. 23, 2023.

    Alex Hinton receives funding from the Rutgers-Newark Sheila Y. Oliver Center for Politics and Race in America, Rutgers Research Council, and Henry Frank Guggenheim Foundation.

    – ref. Violent extremists like the Minnesota shooter are not lone wolves – https://theconversation.com/violent-extremists-like-the-minnesota-shooter-are-not-lone-wolves-259225

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Along with the ideals it expresses, the Declaration of Independence mourns for something people lost in 1776 − and now, too

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Maurizio Valsania, Professor of American History, Università di Torino

    The committee assigned to draft the Declaration of Independence, from left: Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston and John Adams. Currier & Ives image, photo by MPI/Getty Images

    Right around the Fourth of July, Americans pay renewed attention to the country’s crucial founding document, the Declaration of Independence. Whether Republican or Democrat or independent, some will say – with reverence – that adherence to the values expressed in the declaration is what makes them American.

    President Barack Obama, in his second inaugural address, gave voice to this very conviction.

    “What binds this nation together,” he stated, “is not the colors of our skin or the tenets of our faith or the origins of our names.” What truly makes Americans American, he resolved, “is our allegiance to an idea, articulated in a declaration made more than two centuries ago.”

    The declaration still stands today as a manifesto. There are its lofty, “self-evident” principles, of course: that “all men are created equal” and that they are “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights” such as “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

    But I’m a historian of the early republic, and I wish to remind you that the declaration doesn’t just go all pie in the sky. And it’s more than an academic paper waxing on and on about the fashionable philosophical doctrines of the 18th century – freedom and equality – or the coolest philosopher ever, John Locke.

    The declaration provides a realistic depiction of a wounded society, one shivering with fears and teetering on the brink of disaster.

    The declaration has been central to American identity; here, a 1942 poster, printed during World War II, reminds Americans of its history.
    Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

    Repeated injuries and usurpations

    On June 11, 1776, the Continental Congress asked five of its members to prepare a text that would notify the British king and his Parliament of America’s firm intention to get a divorce.

    The drafting committee comprised Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Robert R. Livingston of New York, and a man who had a stellar reputation as a gifted writer, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia.

    Jefferson didn’t waste time. He locked himself up in a rented room near the State House in Philadelphia, and within a couple of days he was ready to submit a draft to his four teammates for revision.

    The committee was smitten by the clarity and effectiveness of the document. Other than suggesting a few corrections, Jefferson’s colleagues were elated by the text.

    The Continental Congress promptly received the document, discussed it, made a handful of alterations, and in the late morning of July 4, 1776, adopted it.

    Late that night, Philadelphia printer John Dunlap was given the historic task of issuing the first copies of the final Declaration of Independence.

    In retrospect, all of this may sound like a tale of fearless heroes eager to break the chains of oppression and single-handedly affirm their boundless love of freedom.

    However, when Thomas Jefferson took the pen in his hand, he didn’t think of himself as a hero. Rather, looking ahead at the immediate future and the drama that would inexorably unfold, he felt overwhelmed. A war, pitting brethren against brethren, the Colonists against their mother country, had already started.

    The situation was tense and painful, because 18th-century Americans didn’t quite see themselves as Americans. They trusted they were active members of a powerful, expanding British Empire.

    What had begun as yet another crisis over Parliament’s right to tax its overseas possessions had quickly transformed into a turning point over whether the Colonies should become independent.

    As a consequence, readers of the declaration cannot escape the impression that this document carries a sense of reluctance, betrayal, fear and even sadness.

    We Colonists thought we were free, the logic of the declaration goes, but now we are waking up to the dismal realization that the king and the Parliament treat us like their personal slaves.

    Jefferson’s words appear to longingly express how wonderful it would be for “one people” not to be put in the condition to “dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another.” How desirable it would have been if a way to renew “the ties of our common kindred” could be found.

    Unfortunately, what Jefferson calls “repeated injuries and usurpations” have created enemies out of a common ancestry, thus stifling the “voice of justice and of consanguinity.”

    How not to grieve at these “injuries”? The king is guilty for “abolishing our most valuable Laws”; he has “excited domestic insurrections amongst us”; he has sent “Officers to harass our people”; he has obstructed “the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners”; and he has “made Judges dependent on his Will alone.”

    Americans didn’t seek a revolution, the declaration concludes, but Colonists must accept “the necessity” of a separation: “Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.”

    Painter N.C.Wyeth’s depiction of Thomas Jefferson writing the text of the Declaration of Independence.
    Bettman/Getty Images

    ‘Forget our former love for them’

    Americans today may believe that the Declaration of Independence belongs to them – which it does. The declaration is an American document.

    But to an even larger extent, it belongs to Thomas Jefferson. It’s a Jeffersonian document.

    One of the most consequential American philosophers, the author of the declaration poured into the text his theories of society and of human nature.

    For him, human beings should not live as isolated atoms in constant competition against each other. Jefferson was a communitarian, which means that he believed that the very happiness voiced in the declaration could occur only when individuals regard themselves as functional parts of a larger whole made of other human beings.

    The declaration was built upon the tenet that, as Jefferson would explain many years later, “Nature hath implanted in our breasts a love of others, a sense of duty to them, a moral instinct in short, which prompts us irresistibly to feel and to succour their distresses.”

    As a moral philosopher, Jefferson wasn’t perfect, obviously – and his views on race and slavery prove that. But the declaration puts forth the argument that the British king and the Parliament are also to blame for having transformed a united people, a people who used to love each other, into a mass of foreigners suspicious of each other.

    In Jefferson’s account, this king has carried out the supreme betrayal – like tyrannical powers often do. He has stabbed the Americans as well as the British. He has split them into antagonistic parties. And we Americans, as Jefferson wrote in a telling passage of the declaration that didn’t survive revisions, “must endeavor to forget our former love for them.”

    The American nation was born of the traumatic experience of an amputation. It’s a residual half of a former whole that one way or another managed to learn to become a whole again.

    But after 250 years, America appears once more a people who seem to have lost what binds them together. Those “political bands which have connected them with another” are being tested; “the ties of … common kindred” are frayed.

    Such words describe a time, centuries ago, of great uncertainty, fear and sadness. It seems America has arrived yet again at such a time.

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

    – ref. Along with the ideals it expresses, the Declaration of Independence mourns for something people lost in 1776 − and now, too – https://theconversation.com/along-with-the-ideals-it-expresses-the-declaration-of-independence-mourns-for-something-people-lost-in-1776-and-now-too-258529

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Feenstra Leads Legislation to Lower Broadband Costs for Rural Iowa Communities

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

    HULL, IOWA – Today, U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Hull) introduced the Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act to help construct broadband in rural Iowa.

    This legislation would require that the largest financial beneficiaries of the networks, also known as “edge providers” – such as Amazon, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple, and Netflix – contribute their fair share toward the networks that are built and maintained by the Universal Service Fund (USF) and by consumers who own landlines throughout the country. 

    Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM) is the co-lead of this legislation.

    “Access to high-speed internet is critical to our economic growth in rural communities. Families, farmers, and businesses across rural Iowa go to great lengths to collect and deploy the necessary funds to build reliable, affordable broadband. However, Big Tech companies use these networks once completed but rarely contribute their fair share towards the cost. It is completely unfair,” said Rep. Feenstra. “It’s why I introduced legislation to ensure that Big Tech companies contribute to the full cost of building high-speed broadband in rural Iowa. Connecting our schools, farms, businesses, homes, and hospitals to the internet is an important priority for me, and this bill will help achieve this mission more affordably and effectively.”

    “Strong broadband networks are vital to connect Americans to the internet and to each other,” said Rep. Leger Fernandez. This bipartisan bill will help sustain our rural broadband networks and make sure that the big corporations that profit from those networks also contribute to them. Let’s close the digital divide.”

    “A strong and sustainable Universal Service Fund is mission-critical to connecting rural America,” said Brandon Heiner, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at US Telecom – The Broadband Association. “Representative Feenstra’s proposal is a step toward modernizing the USF to meet the demands of today’s communications landscape. Congress should act with urgency to secure and strengthen this essential national commitment.”

    “WTA supports the Lowering Costs for Broadband Consumers Act and applauds Representatives Feenstra and Leger Fernadez for introducing this bipartisan legislation,” said Derrick Owens, WTA’s Senior Vice President of Government & Industry Affairs. “The Universal Service Fund is an important tool for ensuring rural residents and businesses have access to affordable broadband. This legislation provides the FCC the authority it needs to engage in needed modernization of USF to ensure that all businesses that profit from the broadband network support the construction, maintenance, and upgrades of the network. We look forward to working with Congress to make sure this modernization takes place.”

    “NTCA applauds the introduction of the Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act and thanks Representatives Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) and Leger Fernandez (D-N.M.) for their leadership. This legislation would promote more predictable and stable funding to preserve and advance the statutory mission of universal service,” said Shirley Bloomfield, Chief Executive Officer of NTCA. “As traditional telecommunications revenues decline, the assessment on the remaining consumers of such services increases, resulting in a disproportionate burden on those consumers even though they are not the most significant users of services or beneficiaries of underlying networks. Common-sense reforms like those directed by this legislation will shore up the foundation of universal service funding, spread contribution obligations more equitably among all of those that use and benefit from broadband networks, and ultimately help the low-income and rural consumers and schools, libraries, and rural health care facilities that depend on critical universal service programs.”

    “Rural Americans deserve access to affordable, high-quality broadband, and that requires a USF contribution system that is both fair and sustainable. For too long, the burden of supporting our nation’s broadband infrastructure has fallen disproportionately on consumers and small and rural providers, including RWA members. This legislation appropriately requires that the largest beneficiaries of our digital economy—edge providers and big tech companies—pay their fair share,” said Carri Bennet, General Counsel for the Rural Wireless Association.

    “On behalf of the National Tribal Telecommunications Association, I need to thank Congressman Feenstra and Congresswoman Leger Fernandez for their introduction of the Lowering Broadband Costs for Consumers Act of 2025. It is gratifying to know that they are trying to reduce the financial burden that Native American families have every day. Rural broadband in the remote parts of our country is very expensive. We do expect those that financially benefit from the networks pay something towards the construction and operation of our networks to help reduce that burden. Therefore, NTTA endorses this federal bill,” said Godfrey Enjady, President of the National Tribal Telecommunications Association.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed, Whitehouse & Colleagues Mark 13 Years of DACA & Urge Trump Administration to Resume Processing Applications for ‘Dreamers’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Marking the 13th anniversary of the creation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and their Senate colleagues urged U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resume processing applications for the DACA program following the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to narrow the nationwide injunction to Texas.

    Currently, more than 100,000 initial DACA applications are pending with USCIS.  Since DACA was established on June 15, 2012, more than 825,000 people have received deferred action pursuant to DACA and the program has allowed young people to contribute their talents to the United States and their communities.  DACA recipients contribute an estimated $140 billion to the U.S. economy in spending power and $40 billion in combined federal, payroll, state, and local taxes.

    Reed and Whitehouse support legislation to offer legal pathways for Dreamers. 

    In the letter to USCIS Acting Director Alfonso-Royals, the 41 U.S. Senators began: “Noncitizens brought to the United States as children, often known as Dreamers, are American in every way but their immigration status. Many only know this country as their home, and they contribute every day to this great nation by paying taxes and serving in critical roles, such as police officers, teachers, and nurses. Americans overwhelmingly support providing Dreamers a path to citizenship, and in December 2024, President Trump stated that he supported protections for Dreamers to remain in the United States.”

    “Consistent with this statement, we implore you to use your authority at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resume processing initial applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and provide such protections for Dreamers immediately,” the senators continued.

    The senators further elaborated on the Fifth Circuit’s decision to limit the injunction, writing, “Pursuant to the order, in Texas, DACA must resume as a limited program providing protection from deportation for current DACA recipients, but without access to work authorization or driver’s licenses as part of those renewals. This order went into effect on March 11, giving USCIS the authority to start processing initial DACA applications from states other than Texas. However, nearly three months later, USCIS has not made any public announcement on whether new DACA applications will be processed; nor has the agency begun processing initial applications that have been pending with the agency for years.”

    “We urge you to begin processing these DACA applications immediately, consistent with the Fifth Circuit decision and existing regulations, and to ensure Dreamers eligible to file initial DACA applications can do so as soon as possible,” the senators concluded.

    In addition to Reed and Whitehouse, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    Full text of the letter follows:

    Dear Acting Director Alfonso-Royals:

    Noncitizens brought to the United States as children, often known as Dreamers, are American in every way but their immigration status. Many only know this country as their home, and they contribute every day to this great nation by paying taxes and serving in critical roles, such as police officers, teachers, and nurses. Americans overwhelmingly support providing Dreamers a path to citizenship, and in December 2024, President Trump stated that he supported protections for Dreamers to remain in the United States. Consistent with this statement, we implore you to use your authority at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resume processing initial applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and provide such protections for Dreamers immediately.

    In 2001, the Dream Act was introduced on a bipartisan basis to provide a path to citizenship to undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children but remained vulnerable to deportation. Since that time, the Dream Act has been introduced in every Congress. It has passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate with bipartisan majority votes, but no version has yet to be signed into law. In response to bipartisan pressure to protect Dreamers until Congress acted, the Obama Administration implemented DACA through a policy memorandum in 2012.

    Since 2012, more than 825,000 people have received deferred action pursuant to DACA. Many DACA recipients report that deferred action—and the accompanying employment authorization —allowed them to apply for their first job or move to a higher-paying position more commensurate with their skills. Since its establishment, DACA recipients have contributed an estimated $140 billion to the U.S. economy in spending power, and $40 billion dollars in combined federal, payroll, state, and local taxes.

    In 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen halted the DACA program and enjoined USCIS from approving any new DACA applications nationwide. While the program was enjoined, USCIS has continued to accept and hold initial applications, and in 2022, the Department of Homeland Security published the DACA Final Rule, codifying the 2012 memorandum establishing DACA into regulation. Over 100,000 initial DACA applications are pending with USCIS.

    On January 17, 2025, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision limiting Judge Hanen’s injunction to Texas. Pursuant to the order, in Texas, DACA must resume as a limited program providing protection from deportation for current DACA recipients, but without access to work authorization or driver’s licenses as part of those renewals. This order went into effect on March 11, giving USCIS the authority to start processing initial DACA applications from states other than Texas. However, three months later, USCIS has not made any public announcement on whether new DACA applications will be processed; nor has the agency begun processing initial applications that have been pending with the agency for years.

    We urge you to begin processing these DACA applications immediately, consistent with the Fifth Circuit decision and existing regulations, and to ensure Dreamers eligible to file initial DACA applications can do so as soon as possible.

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed, Whitehouse & Colleagues Mark 13 Years of DACA & Urge Trump Administration to Resume Processing Applications for ‘Dreamers’

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Marking the 13th anniversary of the creation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Today, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and their Senate colleagues urged U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resume processing applications for the DACA program following the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to narrow the nationwide injunction to Texas.

    Currently, more than 100,000 initial DACA applications are pending with USCIS.  Since DACA was established on June 15, 2012, more than 825,000 people have received deferred action pursuant to DACA and the program has allowed young people to contribute their talents to the United States and their communities.  DACA recipients contribute an estimated $140 billion to the U.S. economy in spending power and $40 billion in combined federal, payroll, state, and local taxes.

    Reed and Whitehouse support legislation to offer legal pathways for Dreamers. 

    In the letter to USCIS Acting Director Alfonso-Royals, the 41 U.S. Senators began: “Noncitizens brought to the United States as children, often known as Dreamers, are American in every way but their immigration status. Many only know this country as their home, and they contribute every day to this great nation by paying taxes and serving in critical roles, such as police officers, teachers, and nurses. Americans overwhelmingly support providing Dreamers a path to citizenship, and in December 2024, President Trump stated that he supported protections for Dreamers to remain in the United States.”

    “Consistent with this statement, we implore you to use your authority at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resume processing initial applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and provide such protections for Dreamers immediately,” the senators continued.

    The senators further elaborated on the Fifth Circuit’s decision to limit the injunction, writing, “Pursuant to the order, in Texas, DACA must resume as a limited program providing protection from deportation for current DACA recipients, but without access to work authorization or driver’s licenses as part of those renewals. This order went into effect on March 11, giving USCIS the authority to start processing initial DACA applications from states other than Texas. However, nearly three months later, USCIS has not made any public announcement on whether new DACA applications will be processed; nor has the agency begun processing initial applications that have been pending with the agency for years.”

    “We urge you to begin processing these DACA applications immediately, consistent with the Fifth Circuit decision and existing regulations, and to ensure Dreamers eligible to file initial DACA applications can do so as soon as possible,” the senators concluded.

    In addition to Reed and Whitehouse, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    Full text of the letter follows:

    Dear Acting Director Alfonso-Royals:

    Noncitizens brought to the United States as children, often known as Dreamers, are American in every way but their immigration status. Many only know this country as their home, and they contribute every day to this great nation by paying taxes and serving in critical roles, such as police officers, teachers, and nurses. Americans overwhelmingly support providing Dreamers a path to citizenship, and in December 2024, President Trump stated that he supported protections for Dreamers to remain in the United States. Consistent with this statement, we implore you to use your authority at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resume processing initial applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and provide such protections for Dreamers immediately.

    In 2001, the Dream Act was introduced on a bipartisan basis to provide a path to citizenship to undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children but remained vulnerable to deportation. Since that time, the Dream Act has been introduced in every Congress. It has passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate with bipartisan majority votes, but no version has yet to be signed into law. In response to bipartisan pressure to protect Dreamers until Congress acted, the Obama Administration implemented DACA through a policy memorandum in 2012.

    Since 2012, more than 825,000 people have received deferred action pursuant to DACA. Many DACA recipients report that deferred action—and the accompanying employment authorization —allowed them to apply for their first job or move to a higher-paying position more commensurate with their skills. Since its establishment, DACA recipients have contributed an estimated $140 billion to the U.S. economy in spending power, and $40 billion dollars in combined federal, payroll, state, and local taxes.

    In 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen halted the DACA program and enjoined USCIS from approving any new DACA applications nationwide. While the program was enjoined, USCIS has continued to accept and hold initial applications, and in 2022, the Department of Homeland Security published the DACA Final Rule, codifying the 2012 memorandum establishing DACA into regulation. Over 100,000 initial DACA applications are pending with USCIS.

    On January 17, 2025, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision limiting Judge Hanen’s injunction to Texas. Pursuant to the order, in Texas, DACA must resume as a limited program providing protection from deportation for current DACA recipients, but without access to work authorization or driver’s licenses as part of those renewals. This order went into effect on March 11, giving USCIS the authority to start processing initial DACA applications from states other than Texas. However, three months later, USCIS has not made any public announcement on whether new DACA applications will be processed; nor has the agency begun processing initial applications that have been pending with the agency for years.

    We urge you to begin processing these DACA applications immediately, consistent with the Fifth Circuit decision and existing regulations, and to ensure Dreamers eligible to file initial DACA applications can do so as soon as possible.

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Senate Approves Reed’s Bill to Reign in Abusive Mortgage “Trigger Leads” & Cut Down on Unwanted Spam Calls, Texts and Emails

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Buying or refinancing a home can be a fraught and stressful experience, and now the U.S. Senate is one step closer to making it a little easier by preventing your personal information from being sold and triggering a title wave of unsolicited spam credit offers.

    In an effort to give prospective homebuyers more control over their personal information and crackdown on unfair and deceptive lending practices, the U.S. Senate passed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act (S.1467) to dramatically reduce spam calls, texts, and emails from irresponsible players in the mortgage industry.

    The bipartisan bill, led by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN), would halt the misuse of mortgage “trigger leads” – which occur when a consumer’s credit inquiry “triggers” the sale of their information to third-party lenders and businesses.  When a mortgage lender runs a credit check during the process to buy a home, it appears on the consumer’s credit report. The major credit reporting bureaus (including Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) may then sell that information to other lenders or brokers, which then use it to contact consumers unprompted, often in a predatory manner, to solicit business.

    According to the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) president Jim Nabors: “It is not unusual for bank customers to receive 100+ misleading texts, phone calls and emails within the first 24 hours of applying for a mortgage and the passage of this bill will go a long way in relieving this burden to homebuyers.”

    Prospective homebuyers who are bombarded by these kinds of solicitations typically have no idea their information was sold without their consent.

    The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act would limit the ability of credit reporting bureaus to sell trigger leads to mortgage brokers and lenders when the bureaus learn that a consumer has applied for a mortgage. This legislation would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to include specific restrictions on the use of trigger leads in the residential mortgage lending space, with very limited exceptions for institutions that a consumer currently knows and trusts.

    “Buying a home is already a complex and stressful process. Consumers should not have their private information sold to spammers who then target them with unsolicited, predatory offers.  Passing this bill is a smart, bipartisan solution to halt abusive trigger leads,” said Senator Reed, a senior member of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. “This is a rare data privacy win.  The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act will put consumers back in the driver’s seat and help cut down on the spam.  It will help reduce predatory practices and provide much needed relief from unwanted industry calls, texts, and emails.”

    “Unsolicited phone calls caused by trigger leads have become an intolerable nuisance to many Tennesseans,” said Senator Hagerty. “I’m pleased that the Senate has passed this bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will protect Americans’ data and help reduce endless spam calls.”

    This bill would prohibit credit reporting bureaus from selling a trigger lead unless a mortgage broker or lender certifies to the bureau that they already have a deep financial relationship with the consumer, such as an existing mortgage loan or a deposit account.  Trigger leads would also be permitted if a consumer affirmatively opts in to receiving them.

    There are currently eight states — Rhode Island, Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin – that restrict the use of trigger leads in some fashion, and Idaho (new law effective July 2025) and Arkansas (new law effective August 2025) have also recently passed trigger lead laws that will soon take effect.

    Cosponsors in the U.S. Senate include Senators: Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tom Tillis (R-NC), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tina Smith (D-MN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), James E. Risch (R-ID), Angus King (I-ME), Tommy Tuberville, Tommy (R-AL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Peter Welch (D-VT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Gary Peters (D-MI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ed Markey (D-MA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Jim Banks (R-IN), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Hoeven (R-ND), Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Rick Scott (R-FL).

    At the federal level, the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act is supported by a broad coalition of consumer advocacy groups and financial trades, including the Mortgage Bankers Association, the Independent Community Bankers of America, the American Bankers Association, the National Association of Mortgage Brokers, the Broker Action Coalition, Community Home Lenders of America, the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), the Consumer Federation of America, Americans for Financial Reform, and others.

    Identical bipartisan legislation (H.R.2808) has been introduced in the House by Congressman John Rose (R-TN-06) and Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15) and has support from over 80 cosponsors.  On June 10 it was unanimously advanced by the House Financial Services Committee to the full House for debate and consideration.  The bill must be approved by both chambers of Congress before it can be sent to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Senate Approves Reed’s Bill to Reign in Abusive Mortgage “Trigger Leads” & Cut Down on Unwanted Spam Calls, Texts and Emails

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed

    WASHINGTON, DC – Buying or refinancing a home can be a fraught and stressful experience, and now the U.S. Senate is one step closer to making it a little easier by preventing your personal information from being sold and triggering a title wave of unsolicited spam credit offers.

    In an effort to give prospective homebuyers more control over their personal information and crackdown on unfair and deceptive lending practices, the U.S. Senate passed the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act (S.1467) to dramatically reduce spam calls, texts, and emails from irresponsible players in the mortgage industry.

    The bipartisan bill, led by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN), would halt the misuse of mortgage “trigger leads” – which occur when a consumer’s credit inquiry “triggers” the sale of their information to third-party lenders and businesses.  When a mortgage lender runs a credit check during the process to buy a home, it appears on the consumer’s credit report. The major credit reporting bureaus (including Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) may then sell that information to other lenders or brokers, which then use it to contact consumers unprompted, often in a predatory manner, to solicit business.

    According to the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) president Jim Nabors: “It is not unusual for bank customers to receive 100+ misleading texts, phone calls and emails within the first 24 hours of applying for a mortgage and the passage of this bill will go a long way in relieving this burden to homebuyers.”

    Prospective homebuyers who are bombarded by these kinds of solicitations typically have no idea their information was sold without their consent.

    The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act would limit the ability of credit reporting bureaus to sell trigger leads to mortgage brokers and lenders when the bureaus learn that a consumer has applied for a mortgage. This legislation would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to include specific restrictions on the use of trigger leads in the residential mortgage lending space, with very limited exceptions for institutions that a consumer currently knows and trusts.

    “Buying a home is already a complex and stressful process. Consumers should not have their private information sold to spammers who then target them with unsolicited, predatory offers.  Passing this bill is a smart, bipartisan solution to halt abusive trigger leads,” said Senator Reed, a senior member of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. “This is a rare data privacy win.  The Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act will put consumers back in the driver’s seat and help cut down on the spam.  It will help reduce predatory practices and provide much needed relief from unwanted industry calls, texts, and emails.”

    “Unsolicited phone calls caused by trigger leads have become an intolerable nuisance to many Tennesseans,” said Senator Hagerty. “I’m pleased that the Senate has passed this bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will protect Americans’ data and help reduce endless spam calls.”

    This bill would prohibit credit reporting bureaus from selling a trigger lead unless a mortgage broker or lender certifies to the bureau that they already have a deep financial relationship with the consumer, such as an existing mortgage loan or a deposit account.  Trigger leads would also be permitted if a consumer affirmatively opts in to receiving them.

    There are currently eight states — Rhode Island, Connecticut, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin – that restrict the use of trigger leads in some fashion, and Idaho (new law effective July 2025) and Arkansas (new law effective August 2025) have also recently passed trigger lead laws that will soon take effect.

    Cosponsors in the U.S. Senate include Senators: Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tom Tillis (R-NC), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Tina Smith (D-MN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), James E. Risch (R-ID), Angus King (I-ME), Tommy Tuberville, Tommy (R-AL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Peter Welch (D-VT), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Gary Peters (D-MI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ed Markey (D-MA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Jim Banks (R-IN), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), John Hoeven (R-ND), Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Rick Scott (R-FL).

    At the federal level, the Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act is supported by a broad coalition of consumer advocacy groups and financial trades, including the Mortgage Bankers Association, the Independent Community Bankers of America, the American Bankers Association, the National Association of Mortgage Brokers, the Broker Action Coalition, Community Home Lenders of America, the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients), the Consumer Federation of America, Americans for Financial Reform, and others.

    Identical bipartisan legislation (H.R.2808) has been introduced in the House by Congressman John Rose (R-TN-06) and Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15) and has support from over 80 cosponsors.  On June 10 it was unanimously advanced by the House Financial Services Committee to the full House for debate and consideration.  The bill must be approved by both chambers of Congress before it can be sent to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Heinrich, Luján, Senate Democrats Press Trump Administration to Resume Processing DACA Applications

    US Senate News:

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

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to urge the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resume processing applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, following a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that limited a nationwide injunction to Texas.

    The senators began by highlighting the popular support for providing Dreamers a pathway to citizenship, writing:“Noncitizens brought to the United States as children, often known as Dreamers, are American in every way but their immigration status. Many only know this country as their home, and they contribute every day to this great nation by paying taxes and serving in critical roles, such as police officers, teachers, and nurses. Americans overwhelmingly support providing Dreamers a path to citizenship, and in December 2024, President Trump stated that he supported protections for Dreamers to remain in the United States.”

    The senators continued by making their request, writing:“Consistent with this statement, we implore you to use your authority at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to resume processing initial applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and provide such protections for Dreamers immediately.”

    Sunday, June 15 marked the thirteenth anniversary of President Obama establishing the DACA program via policy memorandum in 2012. Since then, more than 825,000 people have received deferred action pursuant to DACA, empowering recipients to bolster their careers and contribute an estimated $140 billion to the U.S. economy in spending power and $40 billion in combined federal, payroll, state, and local taxes.

    In 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen halted the DACA program and enjoined USCIS from approving any new DACA applications nationwide. While the program was enjoined, USCIS has continued to accept and hold initial applications, and in 2022, the Department of Homeland Security published the DACA Final Rule, codifying the 2012 memorandum establishing DACA into regulation. More than 100,000 initial DACA applications are pending with USCIS.

    On January 17, 2025, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision limiting Judge Hanen’s injunction to Texas.

    The senators further elaborated on the Fifth Circuit’s decision to limit the injunction, writing: “Pursuant to the order, in Texas, DACA must resume as a limited program providing protection from deportation for current DACA recipients, but without access to work authorization or driver’s licenses as part of those renewals. This order went into effect on March 11, giving USCIS the authority to start processing initial DACA applications from states other than Texas. However, nearly three months later, USCIS has not made any public announcement on whether new DACA applications will be processed; nor has the agency begun processing initial applications that have been pending with the agency for years.”

    The senators concluded: “We urge you to begin processing these DACA applications immediately, consistent with the Fifth Circuit decision and existing regulations, and to ensure Dreamers eligible to file initial DACA applications can do so as soon as possible.”

    The letter is led by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).

    The text of the letter is here and below:

    Dear Acting Director Alfonso-Royals:

    Noncitizens brought to the United States as children, often known as Dreamers, are American in every way but their immigration status. Many only know this country as their home, and they contribute every day to this great nation by paying taxes and serving in critical roles, such as police officers, teachers, and nurses. Americans overwhelmingly support providing Dreamers a path to citizenship, and in December 2024, President Trump stated that he supported protections for Dreamers to remain in the United States. Consistent with this statement, we implore you to use your authority at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to resume processing initial applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and provide such protections for Dreamers immediately.

    In 2001, the Dream Act was introduced on a bipartisan basis to provide a path to citizenship to undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children but remained vulnerable to deportation. Since that time, the Dream Act has been introduced in every Congress. It has passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate with bipartisan majority votes, but no version has yet to be signed into law. In response to bipartisan pressure to protect Dreamers until Congress acted, the Obama Administration implemented DACA through a policy memorandum in 2012.

    Since 2012, more than 825,000 people have received deferred action pursuant to DACA. Many DACA recipients report that deferred action—and the accompanying employment authorization — allowed them to apply for their first job or move to a higher-paying position more commensurate with their skills. Since its establishment, DACA recipients have contributed an estimated $140 billion to the U.S. economy in spending power, and $40 billion dollars in combined federal, payroll, state, and local taxes.

    In 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen halted the DACA program and enjoined USCIS from approving any new DACA applications nationwide. While the program was enjoined, USCIS has continued to accept and hold initial applications, and in 2022, the Department of Homeland Security published the DACA Final Rule, codifying the 2012 memorandum establishing DACA into regulation. Over 100,000 initial DACA applications are pending with USCIS.

    On January 17, 2025, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision limiting Judge Hanen’s injunction to Texas. Pursuant to the order, in Texas, DACA must resume as a limited program providing protection from deportation for current DACA recipients, but without access to work authorization or driver’s licenses as part of those renewals. This order went into effect on March 11, giving USCIS the authority to start processing initial DACA applications from states other than Texas. However, three months later, USCIS has not made any public announcement on whether new DACA applications will be processed; nor has the agency begun processing initial applications that have been pending with the agency for years.

    We urge you to begin processing these DACA applications immediately, consistent with the Fifth Circuit decision and existing regulations, and to ensure Dreamers eligible to file initial DACA applications can do so as soon as possible.

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Middletown Finishes Downtown Revitalization Initiative Projects

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of Mt. Olive Senior Manor, an affordable housing development for seniors that builds on the State’s historic $50 million investment in Buffalo’s East Side. Developed in partnership between Mt. Olive Development Corporation and People Inc., the new building creates 65 apartments for adults aged 55 and older, including 20 apartments with supportive services for individuals struggling with homelessness, on an underutilized parcel adjacent to the Mt. Olive Baptist Church. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York State Homes and Community Renewal has financed more than 11,000 affordable homes in Erie County. Mt. Olive Senior Manor continues this effort and complements Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year housing plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide.

    “Through strong partnerships with faith-based organizations like Mt. Olive Baptist Church, we are transforming underutilized spaces into vibrant, affordable homes for New York’s seniors,” Governor Hochul said. “Mt. Olive Senior Manor reflects our commitment to delivering safe, supportive housing that meets the unique needs of the East Side’s residents, advancing our bold vision to create and preserve 100,000 affordable homes across New York.”

    The three-story development is constructed on land next door to the Mt. Olive Baptist Church that has undergone brownfield remediation. All apartments are affordable to households earning up to 50 percent of the Area Median Income.

    Twenty apartments are set aside for seniors in need of supportive services to live independently. Services and rental subsidies are funded by the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative and administered by the New York State Department of Health. The service provider is People Inc.

    Residential amenities include a community room with kitchen, laundry facilities, bicycle storage area, management office, support service offices, multipurpose room, a lounge area, and an enclosed courtyard with walkable space and a patio. To support residents as they age, the building’s design includes features such as grab bars, low-reach shelving and cabinets, lever-style door handles, under cabinet lighting, and zero transition showers.

    The development was designed to meet the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Multifamily New Construction – Energy Rating Index compliance path. The highly energy efficient, all-electric development features include electric vehicle charging stations, Energy Star appliances and lighting, low flow plumbing fixtures, and high efficiency mechanical equipment.

    State financing for Mt. Olive Senior Manor includes support from HCR’s Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program that generated more than $13 million in equity, as well as $3.6 million in subsidy. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is providing $4 million through the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program. Additionally, the site participated in the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s successful Brownfield Cleanup Program and became eligible for $3.6 million in tax credits administered by the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance. The Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency awarded $2 million in HOME funds. NYSERDA’s New Construction – Housing Program contributed $260,000 in incentives.

    New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “Mt. Olive Senior Manor exemplifies New York State’s commitment to creating affordable, supportive housing, including in partnership with faith-based organizations, that uplifts residents and strengthens communities like East Buffalo. This $27 million investment not only provides safe, modern homes and vital services that seniors deserve, but allows 65 households to stay and thrive in the community they love. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, we will continue to create more housing opportunities for New Yorkers of every age and income level.”

    New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “The 20 supportive housing units created as part of this development will help older adults in Erie County who have experienced homelessness by providing a safe, stable home and access to support services that will enable them to age in place. Congratulations to Mt. Olive Baptist Church, People Inc., and all of our state and local partners on the successful completion of Mt. Olive Senior Manor.”

    New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “Everyone should have access to environmentally safe and affordable housing. For more than two decades, the State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program has played a critical role in cleaning up formerly contaminated sites, returning them to productive use, and supporting local revitalization efforts. DEC is proud to oversee this critical program and its contribution to achieving Governor Hochul’s affordable housing goals in communities like Buffalo, including the Mt. Olive Senior Housing Development, while supporting DEC’s mission to protect public health and the environment for all.”

    NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “Projects like Mt. Olive Senior Manor are helping shape a cleaner, more modern future for every New Yorker. Integrating the latest clean energy technology into affordable housing not only provides access to healthier, more comfortable living spaces for Western New York’s older adults, but helps improve the quality of life for many living in a historically underserved community.”

    State Senator April N. M. Baskin said, “This type of collaboration is meaningful on many levels: it’s a successful partnership between Mt. Olive and the leading human services agency in our region, People Inc.. This project also reimagines an underutilized parcel, turning it into a beautiful space benefiting our older East Side residents. Mt. Olive Baptist Manor is a safe and affordable place to call home, enabling our elders to live their best life in a way they surely deserve.”

    Erie County Legislator St. Jean Tard said, “It is an honor to celebrate the opening of Mt. Olive Senior Manor, a development that brings both hope and stability to our community. This project represents more than new construction—it’s a commitment to the well-being of our seniors, especially those who have faced the hardships of homelessness. Transforming a long-vacant site into a place of safety, care, and opportunity is a powerful reflection of what can be achieved through meaningful collaboration. I extend my sincere thanks to Mt. Olive Development Corp., People Inc., and all the partners who brought this vision to life.”

    Buffalo Common Council Member Zeneta Everhart said, “The newly constructed Mt. Olive Senior Manor located in the Masten District is an essential facility to meet the needs of our seniors and people struggling with homelessness. Thanks to major investments from the state and the Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency, what was once a vacant brownfield is now a great and affordable home for dozens of our older neighbors. I am grateful to Governor Hochul and the New York State Homes and Community Renewal for investing in our community and prioritizing the needs of vulnerable residents.”

    People Inc. President and CEO Anne McCaffrey said, “We are extremely proud to join Mt. Olive Development Corp., federal, state and local government officials in unveiling this impactful housing complex,” said Anne McCaffrey, People Inc. president and CEO. “We are providing more than just new housing. We are creating life-changing opportunities for living that are invigorating communities and meeting a critical regional need. Mt. Olive Senor Manor will help people live their best lives, which is central to People Inc.’s mission and vision for the communities we serve.”

    Governor Hochul’s Housing Agenda

    Governor Hochul is dedicated to addressing New York’s housing crisis and making the State more affordable and more livable for all New Yorkers. As part of the FY25 Enacted Budget, the Governor secured a landmark agreement to increase New York’s housing supply through new tax incentives, capital funding, and new protections for renters and homeowners. Building on this commitment, the FY26 Enacted Budget includes more than $1.5 billion in new State funding for housing, a Housing Access Voucher pilot program, and new policies to improve affordability for tenants and homebuyers. These measures complement the Governor’s five-year, $25 billion Housing Plan, included in the FY23 Enacted Budget, to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. More than 60,000 homes have been created or preserved to date.

    The FY25 and FY26 Enacted Budgets also strengthened the Governor’s Pro-Housing Community Program — which allows certified localities exclusive access to up to $750 million in discretionary State funding. Currently, more than 300 communities have received Pro Housing certification, including Buffalo.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration of the Government of Spain has announced an investment of €19.6M in Quantix to Establish a Cybersecurity and Microelectronics Center in the Region of Murcia

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration of the Government of Spain has announced an investment of €19.6M in Quantix to Establish a Cybersecurity and Microelectronics Center in the Region of Murcia

    The Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration announced its participation in Quantix Edge Security through the Spanish Society for Technological Transformation (SETT), alongside Murcia-based companies OdinS and TProtege, Swiss-based company WISeKey, and France-based company SEALSQ

    Geneva, Switzerland, June 17, 2025 – WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity, blockchain, and IoT company, today announces that the Government of Spain has announced its investment of €19.6M in Quantix to Establish a Cybersecurity and Microelectronics Center in the Region of Murcia.   WISeKey expects to issue a press-release detailing the project shortly.

    A free translation of the Spanish language announcement by the Spanish Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration is set forth below.

    “The Council of Ministers announced today, the launch of Quantix, an ambitious public-private joint venture with a total investment of €40M. The venture includes OdinS, a spin-off from the University of Murcia, Murcia-based TProtege, and Switzerland-based WISeKey and France-based SEALSQ, both listed on NASDAQ. Quantix will develop a Semiconductor Design and Personalization Center in the Region of Murcia with advanced capabilities in cybersecurity, post-quantum technology, AI, and RISC-V systems.

    The investment, driven by the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Administration, exceeds €19.6 million and will be managed through SETT (Spanish Society for Technological Transformation), a recently established public entity created by the Government of Spain to invest in and support strategic and emerging projects that advance Spain’s technological transformation.

    This project, which began gaining public traction in February 2024, has now culminated with the approval of the Spanish Government’s financial backing. Quantix represents a strategic international public-private alliance aligned with the European Union’s digital transformation and technological sovereignty plans, addressing the critical challenge of cybersecurity in an ultra-connected world.

    Quantix projects the creation of 40 jobs in the first two years, 70 in the third year, and 152 by the fifth year, with a goal of reaching 250 employees by the eighth year. The initiative aims to foster high-quality employment, research, and technology in the Region of Murcia, with a plan to attract both regional and international talent.

    The establishment of Quantix Edge Security will centralize part of the value chain in a single location in the Region of Murcia, reducing reliance on non-European suppliers for microchip design and manufacturing.

    Due to cybersecurity regulations being standardized by national agencies, Quantix’s target market focuses on post-quantum-resistant products, which, by 2030, will be essential for governmental applications such as passports and defense, as well as sensitive private-sector applications.

    This project has been supported from its inception by María González Veracruz in her various roles, both at the Secretary of State for Telecommunications and Digital Infrastructures and currently at the Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. She has repeatedly emphasized the importance of aligning this project with the financial instruments of the Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation in Microelectronics and Semiconductors (PERTE Chip), promoted by the Government of Spain.

    José Trigueros, founder and CEO of OdinS and TProtege, celebrates the launch of Quantix, an ambitious project that aims to position the Region of Murcia as a benchmark for innovation, microelectronics, and technological sovereignty, establishing the region as a new international hub for the development of secure microchips. This will lead the transition toward a resilient digital ecosystem that minimizes external dependencies in a shifting geopolitical landscape.

    Carlos Moreira, Founder and CEO of WISeKey and SEALSQ, stated: “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Government of Spain and the Region of Murcia for this ambitious and strategic initiative, which not only strengthens national cybersecurity capabilities but also positions the region as a European leader in the development of key technologies such as post-quantum semiconductors.”

    Both leaders agree that the challenge ahead is immense, but so is the positive impact they aim to achieve. “We will create jobs, attract talent, develop cutting-edge technology, and place Murcia and Spain on the European map for semiconductors and cybersecurity,” they affirmed.

    Collaborations with research centers, technology hubs, and regional universities, particularly the University of Murcia (UMU), which has extensive experience in cybersecurity and has participated in numerous security projects over the past two decades, strengthen the scientific capacity of the proposed ecosystem.

    SEALSQ and WISeKey bring robust international expertise in cybersecurity and post-quantum semiconductor projects, developing advanced solutions for strategic sectors such as defense, healthcare, IoT, and aerospace. SEALSQ designs quantum-resistant microcontrollers and ASICs, integrating NIST-standard post-quantum algorithms such as Kyber, Dilithium, and Falcon, and collaborates with excellence centers like Mines Saint-Étienne in France. It is one of the few companies worldwide producing semiconductors specifically designed to withstand quantum threats, with its technologies embedded in over 1.75 billion devices globally. WISeKey complements this capability with its global digital identity and PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) infrastructure, including post-quantum trust roots, secure electronic voting systems, IoT devices, and certified blockchain platforms. Together, both companies have created a comprehensive and sovereign digital security ecosystem capable of protecting critical infrastructure against emerging quantum threats, offering end-to-end solutions from chip to cloud, including authentication, encryption, identity, and data protection.

    It is worth noting that OdinS, alongside WISeKey International Holding and SEALSQ, is involved in various international initiatives, such as European (ETSI EN 303 645) and U.S. (NIST IR 8425) regulations, which mandate digital identity for connected devices, as well as IoT lifecycle security management systems and certification processes for system security.

    The latest projects by OdinS in RISC-V, SEALSQ in post-quantum chips, and WISeKey in secure elements and trust roots will enhance technological and commercial synergies, combining two decades of expertise in IoT and cybersecurity.

    About Odin Solutions

    Odin Solutions (OdinS), founded in June 2014, is accredited as an innovative ICT company (EIBT) by MINECO and ANCES. OdinS specializes in IPv6 Internet of Things, Big Data, and Security. Its team has extensive experience and strong research, innovation, and technological development capabilities in integrated IoT systems and Big Data platforms for water/energy efficiency, security, and remote infrastructure management. OdinS holds several patents in monitoring and telecontrol systems. The company offers open, flexible, and interoperable products capable of connecting infrastructures and mobile platforms for Smart Cities, infrastructure, defense, and Smart Agriculture. Since its inception, OdinS has focused on IoT system security certification solutions and, more recently, on developing RISC-V-based systems, a cutting-edge European technology for open systems aligned with the new requirements set by European initiatives such as NIS2 and the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).

    OdinS’s multidisciplinary and entrepreneurial team works daily to address the challenges of an increasingly connected and technological society. OdinS is a member of the International IoT Forum and AIOTI (Alliance for Internet of Things Innovation) and actively participates in standardization working groups on Smart Cities, Architectures, and Standards. Specifically, OdinS collaborates with ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute) in the ISG CIM (Cross-Sector Context Information Management) industry standardization group to design interoperable interfaces between IoT devices and Big Data platforms. OdinS views collaborative R&D projects as the best investment for achieving more competitive products and solutions. For more information, visit www.odins.es.

    About TProtege

    TProtege has a significant regional presence in the security and control systems market, with a strong focus on applying the latest technologies to deliver tailored solutions and superior customer service. It aspires to be a benchmark for integrated ICT solutions in the audiovisual sector, particularly in security and control. TProtege is a leader in technology-based systems, offering audiovisual engineering, surveillance, environmental monitoring, access control, and logistics security services. For more information, visit www.tprotege.es.”

    About SEALSQ:
    SEALSQ is a leading innovator in Post-Quantum Technology hardware and software solutions. Our technology seamlessly integrates Semiconductors, PKI (Public Key Infrastructure), and Provisioning Services, with a strategic emphasis on developing state-of-the-art Quantum Resistant Cryptography and Semiconductors designed to address the urgent security challenges posed by quantum computing. As quantum computers advance, traditional cryptographic methods like RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) are increasingly vulnerable.

    SEALSQ is pioneering the development of Post-Quantum Semiconductors that provide robust, future-proof protection for sensitive data across a wide range of applications, including Multi-Factor Authentication tokens, Smart Energy, Medical and Healthcare Systems, Defense, IT Network Infrastructure, Automotive, and Industrial Automation and Control Systems. By embedding Post-Quantum Cryptography into our semiconductor solutions, SEALSQ ensures that organizations stay protected against quantum threats. Our products are engineered to safeguard critical systems, enhancing resilience and security across diverse industries.

    For more information on our Post-Quantum Semiconductors and security solutions, please visit www.sealsq.com.

    About WISeKey

    WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY) is a global leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and IoT solutions platform. It operates as a Swiss-based holding company through several operational subsidiaries, each dedicated to specific aspects of its technology portfolio. The subsidiaries include (i) SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES), which focuses on semiconductors, PKI, and post-quantum technology products, (ii) WISeKey SA which specializes in RoT and PKI solutions for secure authentication and identification in IoT, Blockchain, and AI, (iii) WISeSat AG which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, (iv) WISe.ART Corp which focuses on trusted blockchain NFTs and operates the WISe.ART marketplace for secure NFT transactions, and (v) SEALCOIN AG which focuses on decentralized physical internet with DePIN technology and house the development of the SEALCOIN platform.

    Each subsidiary contributes to WISeKey’s mission of securing the internet while focusing on their respective areas of research and expertise. Their technologies seamlessly integrate into the comprehensive WISeKey platform. WISeKey secures digital identity ecosystems for individuals and objects using Blockchain, AI, and IoT technologies. With over 1.6 billion microchips deployed across various IoT sectors, WISeKey plays a vital role in securing the Internet of Everything. The company’s semiconductors generate valuable Big Data that, when analyzed with AI, enable predictive equipment failure prevention. Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey cryptographic Root of Trust, WISeKey provides secure authentication and identification for IoT, Blockchain, and AI applications. The WISeKey Root of Trust ensures the integrity of online transactions between objects and people. For more information on WISeKey’s strategic direction and its subsidiary companies, please visit www.wisekey.com.

    Disclaimer
    This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”), the FinSa’s predecessor legislation or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey.

    Press and Investor Contacts

    WISeKey International Holding Ltd
    Company Contact: Carlos Moreira
    Chairman & CEO
    Tel: +41 22 594 3000
    info@wisekey.com     		 WISeKey Investor Relations (US) 
    The Equity Group Inc.
    Lena Cati
    Tel: +1 212 836-9611
    lcati@theequitygroup.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fact Sheet: Implementing the General Terms of the U.S.-UK Economic Prosperity Deal

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    IMPLEMENTING A HISTORIC TRADE DEAL: Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order implementing American commitments under the General Terms of the United States-United Kingdom Economic Prosperity Deal.
    This historic trade deal provides American companies unprecedented access to British markets while bolstering U.S. national security.
    The deal will include billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially for beef, ethanol, and certain other American agricultural exports.
    The UK will reduce or eliminate numerous non-tariff barriers that unfairly discriminate against American products, hurt the U.S. manufacturing base, and threaten our national security.
    The U.S. and UK will negotiate preferential treatment outcomes for UK pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients contingent on the findings of a Section 232 investigation.
    The U.S. and UK have also committed to adopting a structured, negotiated approach to addressing U.S. national security concerns regarding sectors that may be subject to future Section 232 investigations and UK compliance with certain supply chain security standards.
    This Executive Order addresses automobiles, aerospace, and steel and aluminum.
    For automobiles, the Order provides that the first 100,000 vehicles imported into the U.S. by UK car manufacturers each year will be subject to a total tariff rate of 10% (7.5% plus 2.5% most-favored-nation rate) and any additional imported vehicles each year will be subject to the automobile Section 232 tariff rate of 25%.
    Additionally, automotive parts that are products of the UK and are for use in UK vehicles will be subject to a total tariff rate of 10%.

    For aerospace, the Order provides that certain UK products will no longer be subject to tariffs, thus strengthening aerospace and aircraft manufacturing supply chains.
    For steel and aluminum articles and their derivatives, the Order provides that the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the U.S. Trade Representative, will establish tariff-rate quotas for UK products consistent with the General Terms of the Economic Prosperity Deal and pursuant to certain principles outlined in the Order. Products outside those quotas or that do not meet certain requirements will remain subject to existing Section 232 tariffs.
    Today’s action strengthens our bilateral relationship with the UK and sets the tone for other trading partners to promote reciprocal trade with the United States.
    ADVANCING RECIPROCAL TRADE: This U.S.-UK trade deal will usher in a golden age of new opportunity for U.S. exporters and level the playing field for American producers.
    On April 2, 2025, Liberation Day, President Trump imposed a 10% tariff on all countries to address unfair trade practices that have contributed to America’s trade deficit in order to better protect American workers, manufacturers, and our national security. 
    In 2024, the U.S. total goods trade with the UK was an estimated $148 billion.
    The UK average applied agricultural tariff was 9.2%, while the U.S. average applied agricultural tariff (prior to April 2) was 5%.

    On April 18, President Trump had a call with Prime Minister Starmer to discuss our bilateral trade relationship.
    On May 8, President Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced this historic Economic Prosperity Deal.
    USHERING IN A NEW ERA OF PROSPERITY: Since Day One, President Trump has challenged the assumption that American workers and businesses must tolerate unfair trade practices that disadvantage our workers and businesses and contribute to our historic trade deficit.
    President Trump continues to advance the interests of the American people, enhancing market access for American exporters and lowering tariff and non-tariff barriers to protect our economic and national security.
    The Economic Prosperity Deal with the United Kingdom is a critical step toward promoting reciprocal trade with a key ally and partner.
    President Trump: “The deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, dramatically increasing access for American beef, ethanol, and virtually all of the products produced by our great farmers.”
    “The UK will reduce or eliminate numerous non-tariff barriers that unfairly discriminated against American products.”
    “This is now turning out to be, really, a great deal for both countries.”

    Prime Minister Starmer: “This is going to boost trade between and across our countries. It’s going to not only protect jobs, but create jobs, opening market access.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Here We Are: how silence defines Stephen Sondheim’s last musical

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ben Macpherson, Reader in Vocal Theatres, University of Portsmouth

    In musical theatre lore, when emotion outgrows words, characters sing (and when emotion outgrows song, they dance). This idea – in various guises, configurations and subversions – has shaped musical theatre for the last eight decades. The expectation that in a musical, characters sing is deeply ingrained: songs move the story along, or suspend time to enlarge a moment of emotion.

    Songs give audiences a chance to connect and to thrill at the virtuosity – and vulnerability – on display. After all, the very term “musical theatre” gives us a clue to its priorities. What happens, then, when the singing stops?

    That is the question posed by Stephen Sondheim’s final musical, Here We Are, which premiered at The Shed in New York in 2023 (two years after his death at 91) and is now playing at The National Theatre in London till the end of June.

    Based on two surrealist films by Spanish auteur Luis Buñuel (1972’s The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and 1962’s The Exterminating Angel), act one sees a group of wealthy friends searching for a decent brunch.

    In act two, after finally eating in the dining room of an embassy building, they mysteriously find themselves trapped – along with the waitress and the butler – and unable to leave. Completed posthumously and written with playwright David Ives, the show does something radical: in its second act, the characters stop singing.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    That is not to say the show is not musical, and act two does include three brief moments of musical interlude rather than song. We might suggest this “songlessness” acts as a kind of silence; the characters speak, but as this is not a play, they should – as is expected of a musical – sing.

    Initially keeping up appearances, act one is full of group numbers and sung encounters, yet even here, Sondheim plays games with his audience. The main characters rarely get solo moments; instead, minor characters, including a waiter and a soldier, are given richly expressive songs.

    The usual power dynamics of musical theatre are inverted. Who gets to sing – and who does not – becomes central to the story. Director Joe Mantello has said that this approach was counterintuitive, even for Sondheim.

    By act two, the playfulness escalates. Suddenly, not even the piano in the embassy drawing room makes a sound. Silence here is not simply a gap to be filled – it becomes the point of the drama. Audiences are asked to sit with characters inured to privilege and trapped by their sudden helplessness.

    The absence of song draws attention to everything else: the dynamics and relationships, the constrained movement, the increasingly stilted small talk. Without the emotional release of song, these characters are confronted, confronting and exposed.

    Musical silence and space

    This seems a courageous move in a genre built around song – but in fact, there are many examples in musical theatre where characters who do not sing are nonetheless central. In West Side Story (1957) and Spring Awakening (2006), adults are silent while the youth give voice to generational difference.

    In The Drowsy Chaperone (1998), the central narrator talks but never sings. In more recent works like Maybe Happy Ending (2016), the silence of not singing is more comedic, with the main character Oliver’s best friend being a (silent) house plant named HwaBoon. But Here We Are takes the idea further. Why?

    One reason is dramatic. The characters are trapped in an illogical, surreal situation, leading Sondheim to reportedly ask: “Why would these people be singing when they’re trapped in this room?” To its composer, the emotional directness of singing seemed inappropriate here.

    Instead, as with the ambiguity that characterises much of Sondheim’s work, we get something more open-ended, perhaps even rebellious. Without the usual musical release, tension builds. What do these characters really feel? What does their inaction demonstrate?

    The kind of musical silence gives rise to such questions, becoming a space in which characters and audiences can reflect, transform and critique. The second act of Here We Are is not simply a story about people who cannot leave a room – it is about being confined by habits, class structures and privilege. Characters and audiences alike are forced to confront these things without the thrill of song to soften the edges.

    Here We Are further plays with musical theatre’s deepest conventions. What if the thing we expect most – the habit and structure of singing in a musical – does not happen? What if the absence of singing is the most powerful sonic gesture of all?

    To end his final work in this way feels like Sondheim has played one last trick on his audience. After a career of writing some of the most emotionally complex songs in musical theatre – such as Send in the Clowns from A Little Night Music – he leaves us with one final challenge to the structure of the form he expanded.

    In an interview with journalist Adam Gopnik of The New Yorker in 2014, Sondheim said his dream project would be “not writing”. With Here We Are, he was almost there.

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

    – ref. Here We Are: how silence defines Stephen Sondheim’s last musical – https://theconversation.com/here-we-are-how-silence-defines-stephen-sondheims-last-musical-258718

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Five common habits that might be harming your liver

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dipa Kamdar, Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice, Kingston University

    Paracetamol overdose is one of the leading causes of acute liver failure, according to the British Liver Trust fizkes/Shutterstock

    The liver is one of the hardest working organs in the human body. It detoxifies harmful substances, helps with digestion, stores nutrients, and regulates metabolism.

    Despite its remarkable resilience – and even its ability to regenerate – the liver is not indestructible. In fact, many everyday habits, often overlooked, can slowly cause damage that may eventually lead to serious conditions such as cirrhosis (permanent scarring of the liver) or liver failure.

    One of the challenges with liver disease is that it can be a silent threat. In its early stages, it may cause only vague symptoms like constant fatigue or nausea.

    As damage progresses, more obvious signs may emerge. One of the most recognisable is jaundice, where the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow. While most people associate liver disease with heavy drinking, alcohol isn’t the only culprit. Here are five common habits that could be quietly harming your liver.

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

    1. Drinking too much alcohol

    Alcohol is perhaps the most well-known cause of liver damage. When you drink, your liver works to break down the alcohol and clear it from your system. But too much alcohol overwhelms this process, causing toxic by products to build up and damage liver cells.

    Alcohol-related liver disease progresses in stages. At first, fat begins to accumulate in the liver (fatty liver), often without any noticeable symptoms and reversible if drinking stops. Continued drinking can lead to alcoholic hepatitis, where inflammation and scar tissue begin to form as the liver attempts to heal itself.

    Over time, this scarring can develop into cirrhosis, where extensive hardening of the liver seriously affects its ability to function. While cirrhosis is difficult to reverse, stopping drinking can help prevent further damage.

    Even moderate drinking, if sustained over many years, can take its toll, particularly when combined with other risk factors like obesity or medication use. Experts recommend sticking to no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, and including alcohol-free days to give your liver time to recover.

    2. Poor diet and unhealthy eating habits

    You don’t need to drink alcohol to develop liver problems. Fat can build up in the liver due to an unhealthy diet, leading to a condition now called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), formerly known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

    Excess fat in the liver can impair its function and, over time, cause inflammation, scarring, and eventually cirrhosis. People who are overweight – particularly those who carry excess weight around their abdomen – are more likely to develop MASLD. Other risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

    Diet plays a huge role. Foods high in saturated fat, such as red meat, fried foods and processed snacks, can raise cholesterol levels and contribute to liver fat accumulation. Sugary foods and drinks are also a major risk factor. In 2018, a review found that people who consumed more sugar sweetened drinks had a 40% higher risk of developing fatty liver disease.

    Ultra-processed foods such as fast food, ready meals and snacks packed with added sugar and unhealthy fats also contribute to liver strain. A large study found that people who ate more processed foods were significantly more likely to develop liver problems.

    On the flip side, eating a balanced, wholefood diet can help prevent – and even reverse – fatty liver disease. Research suggests that diets rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, and fish may reduce liver fat and improve related risk factors such as high blood sugar and cholesterol.

    Staying hydrated is also important. Aim for around eight glasses of water a day to support your liver’s natural detoxification processes.



    Read more:
    Don’t like drinking plain water? 10 healthy ideas for staying hydrated this summer

    3. Overusing painkillers

    Many people turn to over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol for headaches, muscle pain, or fever. While generally safe when used as directed, taking too much – even slightly exceeding the recommended dose – can be extremely dangerous for your liver.

    The liver breaks down paracetamol, but in the process, produces a toxic by-product called NAPQI. Normally, the body neutralises NAPQI using a protective substance called glutathione. However, in an overdose, glutathione stores become depleted, allowing NAPQI to accumulate and attack liver cells. This can result in acute liver failure, which can be fatal.

    Even small overdoses, or combining paracetamol with alcohol, can increase the risk of serious harm. Always stick to the recommended dose and speak to a doctor if you find yourself needing pain relief regularly.

    Regular exercise is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to protect your liver.
    Africa Studio/Shutterstock

    4. Lack of exercise

    A sedentary lifestyle is another major risk factor for liver disease. Physical inactivity contributes to weight gain, insulin resistance, and metabolic dysfunction – all of which can promote fat accumulation in the liver.

    The good news is that exercise can benefit your liver even if you don’t lose much weight. One study found that just eight weeks of resistance training reduced liver fat by 13% and improved blood sugar control. Aerobic exercise is also highly effective: regular brisk walking for 30 minutes, five times a week, has been shown to reduce liver fat and improve insulin sensitivity.

    5. Smoking

    Most people associate smoking with lung cancer or heart disease, but many don’t realise the serious damage it can do to the liver.

    Cigarette smoke contains thousands of toxic chemicals that increase the liver’s workload as it tries to filter and break them down. Over time, this can lead to oxidative stress, where unstable molecules (free radicals) damage liver cells, restrict blood flow, and contribute to scarring (cirrhosis).

    Smoking also significantly raises the risk of liver cancer. Harmful chemicals in tobacco smoke, including nitrosamines, vinyl chloride, tar, and 4-aminobiphenyl, are all known carcinogens. According to Cancer Research UK, smoking accounts for around 20% of liver cancer cases in the UK.

    Love your liver

    The liver is a remarkably robust organ – but it isn’t invincible. You can protect it by drinking alcohol in moderation, quitting smoking, taking medications responsibly, eating a balanced diet, staying active and keeping hydrated.

    If you notice any symptoms that may suggest liver trouble, such as ongoing fatigue, nausea, or jaundice, don’t delay speaking to your doctor. The earlier liver problems are detected, the better the chance of successful treatment.

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

    – ref. Five common habits that might be harming your liver – https://theconversation.com/five-common-habits-that-might-be-harming-your-liver-256921

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warnock Statement on Medicaid Provisions in Washington Republicans’ Spending Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Warnock Statement on Medicaid Provisions in Washington Republicans’ Spending Bill

    Senate Finance Republicans released the core text of their spending bill that will cut healthcare for millions of Americans
    As written, the GOP proposal will kick over 1.2 million Georgians off Medicaid 
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “Let me be clear: people on Medicaid are working; these work reporting requirements are nothing more than a cynical ploy to fund a tax cut for the ultra-wealthy”
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement after Senate Republicans published text of their spending bill and its cuts to the Medicaid program.“Senate Republicans just released legislation that prioritizes billionaires over working families. They are raising premiums for over 1.2 million Georgians and using bureaucratic tricks to kick millions off Medicaid. Let me be clear: people on Medicaid are working; these work reporting requirements are nothing more than a cynical ploy to fund a tax cut for the ultra-wealthy. Georgia tried to institute reporting requirements and ended up spending five times more on administrative costs than health care costs. Now, Senate Republicans are trying to implement the failed Georgia model nationwide, because their goal is not to get people to work, it’s to kick people off Medicaid. My constituents want folks in Washington to make it easier to pay their grocery bill and lower the cost of living, not take away their health care.”
    “This is a moral fight, and I will continue to stand up on behalf of ordinary people.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Auchincloss probes corruption of healthcare executives in the Trump Administration

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jake Auchincloss (Massachusetts, 4)

    June 17, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D-MA) sent letters calling on the boards of health companies True Medicine (TrueMed) and Main Street Health to provide information about conflicts of interest regarding their founders’ roles as special government employees overseeing health policy for the Trump administration: Calley Means of TrueMed, and Brad Smith of Main Street Health.

    Mr. Means currently serves as a White House Advisor and as a Special Government Employee detailed to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. As a leading policy-maker behind the Trump Administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative, Mr. Means has significant influence in both regulation and legislation. 

    Mr. Smith served as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) until his reported departure on May 29, 2025. In this position, Mr. Smith was reportedly the primary official responsible for planning and implementing the major reduction-in-force (RIF) at HHS.

    In these letters, Auchincloss raises concerns that, as special government employees, neither Mr. Means nor Mr. Smith were required to recuse themselves from their private business interests or obtain ethics waivers. Auchincloss cites concerning instances of self-dealing:

    • Mr. Means’ TrueMed creates partnerships with businesses to sell health and wellness products, many of which are not FDA-approved. TrueMed offers  “letters of medical necessity” (LMNs) that enable patients to use pre-tax dollars from their Health Savings Accounts (HSA) to purchase these products. The Executive Order establishing the MAHA commission ordered health agencies to promote this application of HSAs, ultimately suggesting increased revenue for companies like TrueMed. The ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill’ also promotes the use of HSAs. 
    • Mr. Smith’s Main Street Health’s biggest investors are regulated by or transact with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), including the largest Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs): UnitedHealthcare, Centene, CVS Health Ventures, Elevance, and Humana. These MAOs benefited from the Administration’s reduction in oversight and increase in reimbursement, as well as from Mr. Smith’s ability to win favor with CMS by protecting personnel from RIFs .

    Auchincloss has called on the boards of TrueMed and Main Street Health to explain the apparent conflicts of interest involving their executives and the steps they took internally to prevent self-dealing, as their founders gained control over our nation’s public health agencies. 

    Full copies of the letters can be found below: 

    Letter to Calley Means 

    Letter to True Medicine 

    Letter to Main Street Health

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Can Britain be a nation of tea growers? Scientists say yes – and it could even be good for your health

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Amanda Lloyd, Researcher in Food, Diet and Health, Aberystwyth University

    Almost 100 million cups of tea are consumed daily in the UK. Meteoritka/Shutterstock

    It’s not every day you find yourself standing in a tea garden in Devon, surrounded by rows of Camellia sinensis – the same plant species used to make tea in India, China and Japan. But there we were, in the heart of Dartmoor, picking fresh tea leaves from plants that are thriving in the UK’s cool, damp climate.

    It’s a surprising sight, and one that could become more common. Britain may be known as a “nation of tea drinkers”, but might there be opportunities for it to increasingly be a nation of tea growers? Our research has involved working with growers in Devon and Wales to explore the chemistry of UK-grown tea.

    We’re using a technique called “metabolomics” to understand what’s going on inside the leaves, and how different growing conditions, processing methods and even fermentation (like making kombucha) affect the final cup.

    Tea competes with coffee to be the UK’s favourite drink, but almost all tea leaves are imported. With concerns about climate change, food security and sustainability increasing, there’s growing interest in whether more food, including tea, can be grown in the UK.

    We chose mid-Wales and south-west England for our project because of their mild, wet climates, which are surprisingly well-suited to tea cultivation. Dartmoor, in particular, has a unique microclimate and varied soils that make it an ideal test site. There’s also a strong local appetite for sustainable farming and agricultural innovation.

    Wales already has a tea pioneer in Lucy George, a Nuffield farming scholar who began growing tea near Cardiff in 2014. Her brand, Peterston Tea, is now sold in Welsh shops and around the world. She believes that slower growth in Wales’ cooler climate may actually improve flavour, making Welsh-grown tea more than just a curiosity.

    Dr Amanda J Lloyd and Dr Ali Warren-Walker gathering samples at Dartmoor Estate Tea in Devon.
    Aberystwyth University, CC BY

    What we found

    One of our studies used metabolomics and machine learning to explore the chemical diversity of UK-grown tea.

    Metabolomics involves analysing the small molecules – known as “metabolites” – in a sample. These include sugars, amino acids and polyphenols, as well as more complex “bioactives” like catechins and flavonoids. These types of compounds influence flavour, aroma and potential health benefits.

    We used method called “direct injection mass spectrometry” to create a chemical fingerprint of each sample. Then we used machine learning to spot patterns and differences. We also looked at how the chemistry of the leaves changes depending on the time of day they’re picked and how they’re processed.

    Our findings show that tea grown in the UK has a rich and diverse chemical profile. Different varieties, picking times and processing techniques all influence the concentration of beneficial compounds like catechins and flavonoids.

    The other study was a human trial, which found that drinking green tea from Dartmoor with rhubarb root for 21 days significantly reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol and total cholesterol, and without disrupting the gut microbiome. This suggests that UK-grown tea could be developed into a functional food, supporting health. This product is now being sold by a tea company in Carmarthenshire, west Wales.

    This is exciting because it means we can tailor how we grow and process tea to enhance both its flavour and its health benefits. And it opens the door to a potential new UK-grown tea industry. It could play a part in supporting the rural economy, reduce reliance on imports and offer a more sustainable future for UK agriculture.

    On a global level, this kind of research helps us understand how plants respond to different environments, which is crucial for food security in a changing climate.

    A Cornish tea grower explains the challenges of growing tea in the UK.

    What’s next?

    We’re now investigating how different tea varieties and processing techniques – like steaming, oxidation and novel drying methods – influence the tea’s chemical make-up. These techniques could help preserve more of the beneficial compounds and make it easier to develop new tea-based products like powders or supplements.

    Another human study is looking at how kombucha affects well-being, memory, inflammation and stress.

    We’re also continuing to test how different varieties of tea respond to the UK’s conditions, and how we can refine growing and processing techniques to produce high-quality, health-promoting tea on home soil.

    As climate change reshapes what we can grow and where, tea may just become one of the UK’s most unexpected and exciting new crops.

    Amanda Lloyd receives funding from Welsh Government Covid Recovery Challenge Fund (part of the Welsh Government’s Food and Drink Division funding), alongside Innovate UK Better Food for all (10068218), and the Joy Welch Research Fund (Aberystwyth University internal)

    Nigel Holt receives funding from Innovate UK Better Food for all (10068218)

    – ref. Can Britain be a nation of tea growers? Scientists say yes – and it could even be good for your health – https://theconversation.com/can-britain-be-a-nation-of-tea-growers-scientists-say-yes-and-it-could-even-be-good-for-your-health-257495

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Investing in NHS staff wellbeing could produce economic benefits the UK desperately needs

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Catia Nicodemo, Professor of Health Economics, Brunel University of London

    Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

    Health emerged as a major beneficiary in the UK government’s recent spending review. It highlighted a clear ambition to modernise public services — particularly the NHS — through digital transformation and expanded use of artificial intelligence (AI).

    Investments in initiatives such as a single-patient NHS record would consolidate all of a patient’s data in one place, potentially accessible through an app. It could significantly improve continuity of care and patient outcomes.

    And AI adoption could streamline operations, from reducing hospital waiting times to improving productivity. AI could, for example, use predictive algorithms to triage patients more efficiently. Or it could automate administrative tasks like scheduling appointments and managing medical records.

    However, amid these forward-looking reforms, the spending review overlooked a critical component of healthcare sustainability: the wellbeing of NHS staff.

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

    While technology can boost efficiency, the human element remains the bedrock of healthcare. NHS staff, grappling with burnout from relentless pressures, are at the forefront of delivering patient care. Ignoring their needs risks undermining the very advances the spending review aims to achieve.

    Burnout is not merely a workforce issue. It is an economic challenge. High levels of stress among NHS staff lead to increased absenteeism and worker turnover. It also reduces productivity, ultimately resulting in longer waiting times for patients to be seen. Compounding this are the costs of recruitment when staff quit the service, as well as operational inefficiencies.

    More worryingly, these factors can directly affect patient outcomes. Overstretched and fatigued staff are more likely to make errors, which can result in longer recovery times and potentially lead to costly legal consequences.

    Despite these realities, the spending review did not explicitly allocate resources for initiatives aimed at reducing staff workload and improving mental health support. These omissions stand in stark contrast to the government’s broader goals of increasing productivity and reducing waiting times in the NHS.

    Investing in staff wellbeing is not a competing priority. It is a complementary strategy that enhances the return on investments in technology and infrastructure. Healthier and supported staff are better equipped to use tools like AI effectively, translating digital advances into meaningful improvements in patient care.

    The economic case

    Financially, the case for prioritising staff wellbeing is robust. Proactive measures such as hiring more people to improve staff-to-patient ratios, implementing flexible working arrangements and providing mental health resources can yield significant returns. As an example, Public Health England’s return on investment (ROI) tool shows that workplace wellbeing programmes typically yield an ROI of £2.37 per £1 spent.

    Research has shown that better-supported healthcare workers make fewer errors, provide more compassionate care and can help patients recover faster. These improved outcomes translate into savings across the NHS. This could range from reduced secondary care needs – such as fewer re-admissions or shorter inpatient stays – right through to lower litigation costs linked to clinical mistakes.

    AI tools could help to triage patients more efficiently – but only if staff are healthy enough to implement them.
    toodtuphoto/Shutterstock

    And interventions focused on wellbeing can amplify the impact of other reforms. For example, reducing burnout helps staff to embrace and adapt to the technological changes — such as AI tools and integrated data systems — that they will increasingly be expected to work with. But without adequate support, there could be a greater risk of resistance among staff, or poor adoption of these technologies. This in turn would limit the potential benefits of these tech advances.

    The spending review sent a clear positive message about investing in skills and technology to modernise the NHS. However, it missed an opportunity to address the fundamental role of workforce wellbeing in achieving these objectives.

    Politicians must now recognise that digital transformation and human support are two sides of the same coin.

    As the NHS looks to the future, a more balanced approach is needed — one that couples innovation with investment in the people who make healthcare possible. By focusing on the wellbeing of its workforce, the NHS can unlock the full potential of its modernisation agenda, ensuring that every pound spent delivers maximum value to both patients and staff.

    Catia Nicodemo is affiliated with the University of Oxford.

    – ref. Investing in NHS staff wellbeing could produce economic benefits the UK desperately needs – https://theconversation.com/investing-in-nhs-staff-wellbeing-could-produce-economic-benefits-the-uk-desperately-needs-258863

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Coal power plants were paid to close. Is it time to do the same for slaughterhouses?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stephanie Walton, Researcher on Food Systems and Sustainable Finance, University of Oxford

    Ocphoto/Shutterstock

    The food industry will go to great lengths (and spend a fortune) to lobby policymakers, confuse the public and politicise scientific findings. You can see the results in the UK’s delay of a ban on junk food advertisers targeting children, or the orchestrated backlash to a report that recommended cutting red meat consumption and embracing more plant-based diets.

    It’s a well-worn playbook. When scientific evidence indicates the need to phase down environmentally harmful or unhealthy products, the responsible industry pushes back.

    Motivating this resistance, my colleagues and I believe, is something rarely discussed in the context of food systems: stranded assets. These are investments that lose value or stop generating revenue earlier than their owners and investors anticipated, due to changes in market conditions, technology or – of particular interest here – policy and regulation.

    This concept has been central to debates in the energy transition. For example, studies have shown that keeping global warming below 2 °C will require leaving fossil fuels in the ground and shutting down power plants before they’ve generated a return on investment, wiping off about US$1 trillion (£736 billion) in value for companies, financial institutions and investors.

    The same dynamic applies to the task of feeding everyone well and without substantial environmental harm. What we produce must change, as well as how we produce it.

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

    Producing animal-sourced protein, especially beef and dairy, has environmental impacts that dwarf those of plant-based protein. Some new technologies may reduce these impacts, particularly feed additives to reduce methane emissions from cattle. But the negative impacts go far beyond cow burps to include deforestation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity and pollution.

    Beef in particular, even when produced using intensive systems like feedlots in the US, requires substantially more land to make 100 grams of protein than any other source (excluding lamb, which is produced in much lower quantities).

    As the global population increases and constraints on land use intensify, as much nourishing food as possible will need to be produced on as little land as possible. This will entail slashing the amount of land used for animal-sourced foods.

    However, companies consistently invest in the assets that produce, process, transport and store the foods we consume. These range from slaughterhouses to the grain silos and transport equipment for single-crop supply chains, to manufacturing plants and the research and development of ultra-processed foods.

    Crops are cultivated over vast acres of land to feed livestock.
    Ekrem Sahin/Shutterstock

    In order to curtail certain foods, as part of a global shift towards sustainable and healthy diets, these assets cannot generate the revenue they do now. This means writing off some of the capital that has been sunk into them, and any anticipated revenue.

    Our research identified £217 billion that has been invested in meatpacking plants, for example. A portion of this will be lost in service of a shift to more plant-based sustenance.

    Whether or not policymakers and researchers are aware of the stranded assets problem, food companies certainly are.

    Polluter pays or pay the polluter?

    We outline three things that need to happen.

    First, while it is laudable that companies set targets to cut emissions or deforestation, how they invest their money is not always consistent with these goals. Companies need to disclose to investors and the public which of their assets are incompatible with a sustainable future, and how they plan to phase them out.

    Second, lenders (typically banks) and investors (asset managers and their clients) must work with the companies they fund to manage these transitions rather than simply revoke financing or divest. Shutting down a meatpacking plant and building up a plant-based protein business is costly, and firms will need support.

    Divestment can play an important role symbolically, signalling an ethical and moral stance against certain activities. But unless it is done by all investors at once, assets like shares go to other buyers with little or no interest in sustainability.

    Third, and perhaps the thorniest problem, who pays for stranded assets? The money has already been spent. The investments have been made, the meatpacking plants and infrastructure already built, the anticipated revenue and maximised profit margins already embedded in the value of these companies.

    There is the cost of shutting down assets early as well as the opportunity cost of not making money that was expected from capital that has already been sunk. Who bears those costs?

    Many assume the answer is straightforward: the polluter should pay. This is certainly possible to achieve. Take the recent ruling in Germany, which determined that private companies can be held liable for their share in causing climate damages.

    But implementing this principle requires unusually strong political leadership and sustained public support. Both of these things are difficult to secure, particularly in food systems where industry lobbying is intense, livelihoods are at stake, public attention is fragmented and diets are highly personal and easily politicised.

    Capital sunk into infrastructure makes change costly.
    Catstyecam/Shutterstock

    Even when policies designed to improve public health or sustainability are passed, they can be easily rolled back. Which brings us to an uncomfortable alternative: paying the polluter.

    This approach already exists in other sectors. Since 2020, Germany has paid coal plants to retire early. The same has been done in the Netherlands, parts of the US and several other countries. In the Netherlands, the government paid farmers to reduce dairy herds in certain areas in order to hit pollution targets.

    Paying off food companies to phase out harmful assets sounds like a bailout and feels unfair, since a clean and thriving environment is a human right. Such an approach could only work if it allowed stronger regulation that ensured such pollution wouldn’t occur in the future. This is how abolitionists contributed to ending slavery in the UK.

    If we’re stuck between endless policy whiplash and slow-motion climate and health crises, paying the polluter may be worth considering. It’s politically fraught and emotionally frustrating, but when it comes to stopping pollution sooner rather than later, it is perhaps more tractable than waiting for political will, corporate courage and public consensus to converge.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

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

    – ref. Coal power plants were paid to close. Is it time to do the same for slaughterhouses? – https://theconversation.com/coal-power-plants-were-paid-to-close-is-it-time-to-do-the-same-for-slaughterhouses-257418

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What could have caused the Air India crash? An expert examines the proposed failure scenarios

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ali Elham, Professor of Design Optimisation, Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Southampton

    The recent crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad has prompted widespread discussion about potential causes. As an expert with a background in aircraft design, I would not attempt to speculate on the cause of the incident. We should wait for the crash investigators to carry out a rigorous analysis.

    Instead, I will explain the various flight scenarios currently being discussed in the public domain, and explore what each of them implies from the perspective of aircraft design and performance.

    Understanding how such factors interact with aircraft systems and flight performance can shed light on how modern aircraft are designed to handle rare but critical situations.

    Loss of engine thrust

    Modern commercial aircraft are designed to safely continue takeoff and climb with
    one engine not operating. This is a fundamental certification requirement, particularly for twin-engine aircraft. It ensures that the loss of a single engine, even during the critical takeoff phase, should not result in a catastrophic failure.

    However, the loss of both engines is an extremely serious scenario.

    A notable case of dual engine failure occurred in 2001 on Air Transat Flight 236, which was travelling from Toronto, Canada, to Lisbon in Portugal. The Airbus A330 aircraft lost both engines over the Atlantic Ocean due to a fuel leak, but managed to glide approximately 75 miles (120km) before safely landing at Lajes Air Base in the Azores. This was possible because the aircraft had sufficient altitude and airspeed at the time of its total engine failure.

    However, takeoff and landing are considered the most critical phases of flight
    because the aircraft is close to the ground, giving pilots limited time and
    altitude to respond to failures. At low speed and altitude, the aircraft may also lack the necessary energy (in terms of both airspeed and height) to glide a meaningful distance.

    Bird strikes can also cause engine failure, as seen in the case of US Airways Flight 1549, an Airbus A320 that struck a flock of birds shortly after take off from New York’s LaGuardia Airport on January 15 2009. Both engines failed and, due to the aircraft’s low altitude and limited speed, the pilots determined that returning to the airport was not feasible.

    Instead, pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger and co-pilot Jeffrey Skiles executed a successful emergency water landing on the Hudson River, resulting in the survival of all onboard. As such, the incident became known as the “miracle on the Hudson”.

    These examples highlight how altitude, speed and pilot decision-making, along with robust aircraft design, play a critical role in the outcome of rare but severe engine failure events.

    The US Airways plane involved in the ‘miracle on the Hudson’ on display in the Sullenberger Aviation Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina.
    Kevin M. McCarthy / Shutterstock

    Landing gear not retracted

    During a normal takeoff procedure, the landing gear – the sets of wheels under a plane that support it on the ground – is retracted within seconds after liftoff, once the aircraft has safely left the ground.

    Extended landing gear produces significant aerodynamic drag. So, during the initial climb when the aircraft requires maximum thrust to gain altitude, eliminating this drag by retracting the landing gear is highly beneficial for both climb performance and fuel efficiency.

    However, commercial aircraft are designed to remain controllable and flyable even if the landing gear fails to retract. In such cases, the aircraft should still be able to perform a “go-around” before safely landing again, assuming no other critical failures have occurred.

    That said, a scenario involving both loss of engine thrust and non-retracted landing gear can severely degrade glide performance. The additional drag from the extended gear reduces the aircraft’s lift-to-drag ratio, an indication of the aerodynamic efficiency of the airplane.

    The extended landing gear might limit the distance it can glide and increase its descent rate – which is especially critical when altitude is limited.

    Landing gear on a modern airliner.
    Frank Peters / Shutterstock

    Flaps retracted prematurely

    An aircraft’s ability to generate lift depends on several factors, including wing area, airspeed, altitude, and the “lift coefficient” – a number that describes how effectively a wing or other surface generates lift under specific flight conditions. The lift coefficient is largely influenced by the wing’s geometry, particularly its curvature (called camber).

    During takeoff and landing, the aircraft operates at relatively low speeds where the wings alone may not generate enough lift. To compensate, high-lift devices such as flaps are deployed. These devices are usually mounted on the wings’ trailing edges and, when extended, increase each wing’s curvature and surface area, thereby raising the lift coefficient and allowing the aircraft to remain airborne at lower speeds.

    Airplane wing with flaps and spoilers fully extended to slow down the aircraft after landing.
    Desintegrator / Shutterstock

    However, deploying flaps also increases aerodynamic drag. For this reason, once the aircraft accelerates and reaches a safe climb speed, the flaps are gradually retracted to reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency.

    If the flaps are retracted too early, before the aircraft has reached sufficient speed, there can be a sudden loss of lift. This may result in a stall or insufficient climb performance.

    This situation becomes even more critical if it occurs in combination with other issues, such as extended landing gear (which increases drag) or a loss of engine thrust, as the combined aerodynamic penalties may prevent the aircraft from maintaining controlled flight.

    Conclusion

    Over the years, numerous improvements in aircraft design, maintenance and operational procedures have resulted from crash investigations. Each incident, especially a fatal one such as the Air India Boeing 787 crash, offers valuable lessons that can drive further enhancements in aviation safety.

    The fact that both the aircraft’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder (sometimes referred to as the “black boxes”) have now been recovered offers hope that the precise cause of this crash will be identified.

    Whatever is ultimately determined to be the cause – technical failure, human error, or a combination of both – there will be lessons to be learned. Every event highlights areas where systems, procedures or training can be strengthened to make aviation even safer in the future.

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

    – ref. What could have caused the Air India crash? An expert examines the proposed failure scenarios – https://theconversation.com/what-could-have-caused-the-air-india-crash-an-expert-examines-the-proposed-failure-scenarios-259099

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Cority’s 2025 Sustainability Report: Double‑Digit Drop in Cloud‑Hosting Emissions and Record Community Engagement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cority, the global leader in enterprise Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) and Sustainability software, has published its 2025 Sustainability Report, detailing how the cloud‑software leader simultaneously shrank its environmental footprint and amplified employee impact during 2024.

    Powered by the CorityOne platform’s ESG data collection and GHG calculation engine, the company traced its most significant progress closely. The Cority Sustainability Cloud underpinned every metric in the report, giving leadership accurate and auditable insight to steer next‑step actions. 2024 highlights include:

    • Volunteerism takes off. Adoption of Cority’s two‑day Volunteer Program, which launched in 2023, soared. Employees dedicated 106.5 workdays to local tree plantings, food drives, charity support and community initiatives.
    • Full Scope 3 visibility. Cority broadened its greenhouse‑gas inventory improving data quality and expanding coverage of key Scope 3 categories — Purchased Goods & Services, Business Travel, Home‑working and Commuting—using primary data where available.
    • Hosting emissions slashed. Migrating EU and Americas servers to renewable‑energy data centers drove a 42% absolute reduction (47% per‑customer) in hosting‑related emissions year‑over‑year.

    In 2025, Cority has committed to setting an official science-based target with the SBTi. To inform that commitment, the company will deepen its measurement of business travel, commuting, and supply‑chain emissions and layer primary data into event‑impact tracking. Cority is also streamlining internal processes in 2025 so every employee can more easily use their two Volunteer Days, multiplying the grassroots energy already on display.

    “Sustainability has been a cornerstone of Cority for many years, and its importance has only grown as the world increasingly demands accountability, transparency, and action from the global business community,” said Ryan Magee, CEO of Cority. “The momentum captured in this report proves that transparency plus action delivers real‑world results.”

    The complete Sustainability Report 2025 can be downloaded at cority.com/sustainability-report.

    About Cority
    Cority gives every employee from the field to the boardroom the power to make a difference, reducing risks and creating a safer, healthier, and more sustainable world. For over 35 years, Cority’s people-first software solutions have been built by EHS and sustainability experts who know the pressures businesses face. Time-tested, scalable, and configurable, CorityOne is the responsible business ecosystem that combines datasets from across the organization to enable improved efficiencies, actionable insights, data-driven decisions, and more accurate reporting on performance. Trusted by over 1,500 organizations worldwide, Cority deeply cares about helping people work toward a better future for everyone. To learn more, visit www.cority.com

    Media Contact
    Natalie Rizk
    RiotMind
    natalier@theriotmind.agency

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King Cosponsors Bipartisan Bill to Combat National Security Threats from China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI) and Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), is cosponsoring legislation to counter threats to U.S. national security posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The Countering Chinese Espionage Reporting Act would direct the Attorney General to prepare a report on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) efforts to combat threats from China and espionage in the United States, so that the federal government can better form a fact-based, up-to-date strategy to contain and confront China.
    China poses one of the greatest threats to the United States’ national security and economy. In February 2023, the United States Air Force shot down a Chinese spy balloon that had traveled through American airspace for several days — an apparent act of Chinese provocation. It was also revealed last year that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has secretly been operating “service centers” across America — raising questions about China’s surveillance efforts in our country. Additionally, China has leveraged much of its legal system to steal American intellectual property. It leads America’s adversaries as the top thief of United States’ intellectual property (IP). According to the Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property, the CCP has stolen IP that is estimated to cost the United States from $225 billion to $600 billion every year.
    “For decades, the Chinese Communist Party has consistently worked to undermine our national security, weaken our economy and steal intellectual property,” said Senator Angus King. “The first step in combatting any threat is to ensure we have a clear understanding of the facts. The bipartisan Counting Chinese Espionage Reporting Act would be a commonsense, invaluable step forward in countering these serious threats posed by Chinese agents. By using our own intelligence and annual reporting from the Department of Justice, we can better protect our communities and companies from foreign bad actors.”
    The Countering Chinese Espionage Reporting Act would:
    Direct the U.S. Attorney General, in coordination with other relevant government agencies, to prepare an annual report on the DOJ’s efforts to counter threats from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
    Specifically, the report would include details pertaining to:
    The theft of American intellectual property (IP) and research
    Threats from non-traditional collectors, such as researchers in laboratories, at universities and at defense industrial base facilities
    An accounting of DOJ resources dedicated to combating threats from the CCP
    A member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senator King is recognized as a thoughtful voice on national security and foreign policy issues. Alongside the Maine delegation he urged the DOJ to crackdown on illegal Chinses-owned marijuana operations in Maine. In the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), he secured a key provision requiring the Secretary of Defense to submit yearly reports focused on deterring hostility from adversaries like China and Russia. During hearings, Senator King has been a vocal advocate for strengthening the United States’ deterrence strategy to defend itself from multiple forms of Chinese aggression.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM District 751 Celebrates Grand Opening of New Everett Training Center

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM District 751 marked a significant milestone with the grand opening of its new training center in Everett, Washington. International President Brian Bryant and Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez joined district and local leaders, members, and community allies to cut the ribbon on the cutting-edge facility, designed to meet the evolving needs of today’s aerospace workforce.

    “We didn’t build this just to keep up, we built it to lead,” said IAM District 751 Directing Business Representative Jon Holden. “This center ensures our members have access to the same high-tech tools and instruction as the industries they serve.”

    The new training center spans more than 20,000 square feet and features a suite of state-of-the-art tools and classrooms. Among the highlights are hands-on training equipment, including computer-numerical-control (CNC) simulators, paint and welding virtual reality simulators, advanced metrology tools, 3D printers, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and augmented reality technology to enhance industrial applications.

    “This new facility represents our deep commitment to investing in our members,” said International President Brian Bryant. “It’s a place where careers begin, skills are strengthened, and the future of aerospace is built.”

    The facility also includes real-world, shop-ready machinery, such as mills and lathes, and fully outfitted welding rigs that allow members to train on actual equipment used in today’s aerospace manufacturing. This practical, hands-on instruction ensures IAM members gain experience with the same tools and standards found on the shop floor at companies like Boeing.

    “This center is a game changer,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez. “Investing in training and skills is how we strengthen our union, grow our industries, and empower the next generation of IAM Union members.”

    To view photos, click here.

    The center also includes flexible classroom space and a large union hall for meetings and events. By combining traditional classroom learning with hands-on training and community partnerships, the facility positions members for long-term success.

    U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell attended the ribbon cutting and praised the union’s investment in workforce development.

    “By 2030, we may have a shortfall of over 2 million machinists. Can you imagine? America’s competitiveness is at stake,” said Cantwell. “751 is answering the call, not just with this new facility, but in integrating the Machinists Institute to train, skill, and attract people. That is why this building and the Machinists Institute — with a training capacity of over 700 machinists, to be trained right here — is such a great facility.”

    The post IAM District 751 Celebrates Grand Opening of New Everett Training Center appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Institute of Regional Studies: Field Marshal Visits U.S. to Reinforce Role as Regional Stabilizer

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ISLAMABAD, June 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, commenced a high-level visit to the United States this week, signalling a renewed chapter in military diplomacy amid escalating tensions across the Middle East and South Asia.

    The Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) in Islamabad held an event on “What’s next for Iran-US Nuclear negotiations” on the 12th of June 2025 where analysts reflected on Pakistan’s proactive diplomatic and defence engagement with the United States during a critical time for global and regional security. IRS and participating analysts spoke about Pakistan’s foreign policy and regional peace, noting that Pakistan has taken a strategic reset after the altercation with India in May 2025 – choosing to not only rekindle US-Pakistan ties but to take a proactive approach in managing regional peace and security.

    With conflict intensifying between Iran and Israel, and Afghanistan remaining a fragile state following the U.S. withdrawal, Pakistan’s position (geographic, diplomatic and security) makes it a critical player for the US and the world at large. Munir’s visit is seen as part of a broader U.S. effort to cultivate reliable partners who can help contain extremist spill over, mediate regional hostilities, and provide strategic balance against escalating tensions and instability in the region.

    Welcomed by diaspora communities across major American cities, the Field Marshal’s presence has been widely perceived as a message of resilience and a signal of Islamabad’s intent to re-engage proactively with Washington on defense and security matters.

    Key Focus Areas of the Visit

    • Counterterrorism Coordination: Strengthening intelligence sharing to track extremist elements across the Afghan-Iranian corridor.
    • Securing Abandoned U.S. Military Assets: Developing joint protocols for tracking and neutralizing equipment left behind post-Afghanistan.
    • Strategic Dialogue: Opening renewed discussions on Kashmir, regional diplomacy, and economic cooperation.
    • Support to the US: in restoring the peace process with Iran-Israel

    U.S. CENTCOM Chief General Michael Kurilla’s recent acknowledgment of Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner” highlights the importance of this engagement. Analysts view the visit as an inflection point in U.S.–Pakistan relations — moving from transactional ties to a more sustained security alliance.

    About

    The Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) is an Islamabad-based think tank that conducts free, focused research on South Asia’s foreign and national affairs, including geostrategic, defense, economic, cultural, health, education, environment, science, technology, and social issues. IRS also works on China, West Asia, and the Central Asian Republics.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7a493e54-0360-4885-abd7-a6dc8b78d613

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Development Bank Concludes Strategic High-Level Mission to Ghana, Identifies Five Key Areas for Transformational Partnership


    Download logo

    Representatives of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) have concluded a week-long high-level mission to Ghana, marking the institution’s first major engagement with the country’s new administration under President John Dramani Mahama.

    The delegation, led by Solomon Quaynor, the Bank Group’s Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure, and Industrialization, conducted extensive consultations with key government ministries, public agencies, and private sector stakeholders, to align the Bank’s support with Ghana’s transformational development priorities.

    The agencies included the ministries of Roads and Highways; Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation; the Bank of Ghana; Volta River Authority; Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority; Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (“GIIF”); National Pensions Regulatory Authority; National Insurance Commission, Securities Exchange Commission, Ghana Stock Exchange, Ghana Export-Import Bank, Pension Corporate Trustees and Fund Managers, and various private sector companies.

    The delegation also cohosted a successful one-day roundtable discussion on “Unlocking Long-term Local Currency Finance for Infrastructure Development in Ghana,” jointly organized with GIIF, the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), InfraCredit, Stanbic Bank, and PetraTrust, an event that laid the foundation for domestic capital mobilization initiatives.

    At the conclusion of the mission, the Bank identified five core areas for follow-up collaboration:

    • Mobilizing Domestic Capital for Infrastructure Development

    The Bank will work with partners to establish a credit enhancement and de-risking facility to unlock part of Ghana’s USD 5.2 billion cedis equivalent in pension assets for infrastructure investment. Drawing on successful models implemented through InfraCredit in Nigeria and Dhamana in Kenya and East Africa, the initiative aims to make local infrastructure, industrial, affordable housing and public-private partnerships assets attractive to institutional investors.

    • Supporting the 24-Hour Economy Initiative

    The Bank expressed strong enthusiasm for Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy concept, committing to provide comprehensive project preparation support, knowledge sharing on industrial parks development, and downstream financing solutions. Key focus areas include integrated industrial parks for textiles, garments, agro-processing and light manufacturing, and lake transport infrastructure all captured under the Volta Economic Corridor.

    • Advancing Transport Infrastructure Development

    Leveraging its continental expertise, the Bank will support Ghana’s ‘Big Push’ infrastructure initiative through partnerships with the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority, and the PPP Unit at the Ministry of Finance.

    • Strengthening Digital Transformation Foundation

    Collaborating with the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovation, the Bank will support critical policy and legislative reviews focusing on data harmonization, data governance, and cybersecurity enhancement to establish a robust foundation for Ghana’s digital transformation.

    • Unlocking Private Sector Investment Opportunities

    The mission identified numerous investment opportunities across logistics, agriculture, agro-processing, energy, and other critical sectors, emphasizing the private sector’s fundamental role in sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

    Quaynor highlighted the success of the mission. “The enthusiasm, vision, and commitment we have witnessed this week from Ghana’s leadership and stakeholders give us great confidence in the transformational impact we can achieve together.”

    He emphasized that all identified areas will be actively pursued, with the Bank firmly committed to working with all stakeholders to drive sustainable economic growth and development for Ghana, noting that the alignment between the government’s priorities and the Bank’s strategic capabilities creates an unprecedented opportunity for meaningful collaboration and impact.

    The mission concluded with firm commitments for follow-up action across all identified areas, emphasizing the Bank’s dedication to forging concrete partnerships that deliver tangible results for Ghana’s economic transformation and improved livelihoods for its people.

    Other members of the Bank’s delegation were Eyerusalem Fasika, Country Manager for Ghana; Mike Salawou, Director of Infrastructure and Urban Development; Ousmane Fall, Director of Private Sector and Industrial and Trade Development; Akane Zoukpo Sanankoua, Manager, Capital Markets Development; Aude Apetey-Kacou, Regional NSO Lead, West Africa; Dennis Ansah, Regional NSO Lead, Nigeria and Dovi Amouzou, Advisor to the Vice President.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

    Media Contact: 
    Kwasi Kpodo
    Communication and External Relations
    w.kpodo@afdb.org

    About the African Development Bank Group:
    The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org

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