NewzIntel.com

Category: Child Poverty

  • MIL-OSI USA: PREPARED REMARKS: Sanders on The Worst Bill in Modern U.S. History

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    WASHINGTON, June 29 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today gave remarks on the floor of the Senate opposing President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” which is a gift to the billionaire class while causing massive pain for working families.

    Sanders remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below and can be watched HERE:

    M. President: President Trump’s so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill,” now on the floor of the Senate, is the most dangerous piece of legislation in the modern history of our country. It is a gift to the billionaire class, while causing massive pain for low income and working class Americans.

    Actually though, M. President, I’m wrong. This is not a gift to the billionaire class. They paid for it.

    This bill is an absolute reflection of a corrupt campaign finance system that allows billionaires to buy elections. And when billionaires spend hundreds of billions of dollars trying to elect a president, or a senator or a member of Congress, they’re not making that investment just for the fun of it. They want something in return. This legislation is what they are getting in return.

    So what is in this bill they invested in?

    Well, if you are in the top 1%, you and the class you represent will receive a $975 billion tax break – at a time when the richest people in this country have never had it so good.

    Further, if you are among the wealthiest 0.2%, you will be able to pay zero taxes on your $30 million inheritance. All of you folks out there who are waiting to inherit at least $30 million, today is a good day for you. Collectively, you will receive approximately $211 billion in tax breaks. For the top 0.2%, congratulations. You hit the jackpot.

    If you are a large corporation and you want to throw workers out on the street and replace them with artificial intelligence or you want to shift your profits to the Cayman Islands or other tax havens, you are going to get a $918 billion tax break. Congratulations to the CEOs of large, profitable corporations.

    But while the rich and large corporations make out like bandits in this bill, what does it do for low-income and working families? Let me say a few words on that.

    If you are concerned about health care, this bill throws over 16 million people off of the health insurance they have, according to the Congressional Budget Office, by cutting Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act by over $1.1 trillion.

    In other words, the top 1% are getting a $975 billion tax break, and that is coming directly from throwing 16 million people off of the health insurance they have.

    This bill, for the first time, forces millions of Medicaid recipients who make as little as $16,000 a year to pay a $35 co-payment each time they visit a doctor’s office.
    What is the impact of all of that?

    This is not my view — this is what the Yale School of Public Health and the University of Pennsylvania determined based on a study that they did. And this is the result. It is almost so horrific, so grotesque, that it is difficult to speak about. But they estimate that if this bill goes through with all of these cuts in health care — if 16 million people are thrown off the health care they have — over 50,000 Americans will die unnecessarily every year.

    Fifty thousand Americans will die unnecessarily in order to give tax breaks to billionaires who don’t need them. In other words, this bill is literally a death sentence for low-income and working-class Americans.

    Further, if this legislation is enacted, rural hospitals all over the country that are already struggling are going to shut down or aren’t going to be able to provide the level of services they do today. In other words, this bill would be a disaster for rural America.

    It would also make massive cuts to community health centers and nursing homes, who are very heavily dependent on Medicaid funding.

    The bottom line is that this legislation is the most significant attack on the health care needs of the American people in our country’s history. 

    We already have a health care system which is broken and dysfunctional, and instead of addressing it — instead of doing what every other major country on Earth does: guarantee health care to all people — we are throwing 16 million people off the health insurance they have. But it’s not just health care.

    The future of America rests with our children. And yet, in a nation which now has the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country on Earth, this bill wipes out nutrition assistance for millions of hungry kids in America.

    We are literally taking food out of the mouths of hungry kids to give tax breaks to Mr. Bezos, Mr. Musk, Mr. Zuckerberg and the other multi-billionaires.

    If we understand that if we’re going to compete effectively in the global economy, we need to have the best education system in the world, this bill makes $350 billion in cuts in education with the result that working class kids will find it much harder to get the higher education they need to succeed in life.

    If you are concerned about the existential threat of climate change, this bill decimates investments in energy efficiency and sustainable energy like wind and solar and moves us in exactly the wrong direction when it comes to energy.

    If you are concerned about our role in never-ending wars, this bill makes a bad situation even worse by handing out another $150 billion to the Pentagon – a 15% increase in an already bloated Pentagon budget.

    We don’t have enough money to feed hungry children. We don’t have enough money to make sure that people continue to have the health care that they need. We don’t have enough money to make sure that kids can get a decent education. But somehow, the military industrial complex is going to get another $150 billion.

    M. President: In my view, nobody in the Senate or the House should vote for this legislation. And I applaud all of the Democrats for voting against it. And I want to congratulate two Republicans — Senator Paul and Senator Tillis for voting against it — for different reasons than I have.

    But I do find it interesting that when one of those senators, Senator Tillis, voted against it because he thought it was not a good bill for the people of his home state, North Carolina, suddenly the President of the United States went after him in a very vicious way. And today, he announced that he will not be seeking reelection.

    It appears now that the Republican Party has really become the party of the cult of the individual. The only thing you have to do now as a Republican is say, “I agree with President Trump,” “I love President Trump,” “President Trump is right all of the time.” Hey, that’s all you have to do now to be a good Republican.

    There was a day when Republicans and Democrats understood that they were elected by their constituents. There was an understanding that they were elected to represent their constituents and not simply to pay homage and bow down to every wish and whim of the president.

    M. President, during the vote-a-rama, I will be offering several amendments which I hope will win support.

    At a time when 22% of our nation’s seniors are trying to survive on less than $15,000 a year, my first amendment would fundamentally improve their lives in two significant ways:

    Number one, it would cut the price of prescription drugs under Medicare in half by making sure that our nation’s seniors don’t pay more than the Europeans or Canadians pay for the same exact drugs.

    And number two, with those savings, we’re going to expand Medicare to cover dental, vision and hearing. In other words, instead of throwing people off of health care, we’re going to expand Medicare to provide a number of services that seniors desperately need and want.

    Secondly, at a time of massive wealth and inequality, my second amendment would eliminate the $211 billion estate tax break for the top 0.2% that is included in this bill.

    And lastly, at a time when we spend more on the military than the next nine nations combined, at a time when the Pentagon cannot account for trillions of dollars in assets, we are going to end the provision that allows the Pentagon to receive another $150 billion.

    The bottom line, Mr. President, is this country faces many crises — a high rate of childhood poverty, kids going hungry, an education system in deep trouble and a health care system that is completely broken. And in virtually every single area, this bill takes us in precisely the wrong direction.

    When the wealthiest people in this country have never ever had it so good, it is totally insane to be offering them $1 trillion in tax breaks so that we can cut health care, education and nutrition.

    This bill is not what the American people want, and I hope very much we can defeat it.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PREPARED REMARKS: Sanders on The Worst Bill in Modern U.S. History

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

    WASHINGTON, June 29 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today gave remarks on the floor of the Senate opposing President Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” which is a gift to the billionaire class while causing massive pain for working families.

    Sanders remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below and can be watched HERE:

    M. President: President Trump’s so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill,” now on the floor of the Senate, is the most dangerous piece of legislation in the modern history of our country. It is a gift to the billionaire class, while causing massive pain for low income and working class Americans.

    Actually though, M. President, I’m wrong. This is not a gift to the billionaire class. They paid for it.

    This bill is an absolute reflection of a corrupt campaign finance system that allows billionaires to buy elections. And when billionaires spend hundreds of billions of dollars trying to elect a president, or a senator or a member of Congress, they’re not making that investment just for the fun of it. They want something in return. This legislation is what they are getting in return.

    So what is in this bill they invested in?

    Well, if you are in the top 1%, you and the class you represent will receive a $975 billion tax break – at a time when the richest people in this country have never had it so good.

    Further, if you are among the wealthiest 0.2%, you will be able to pay zero taxes on your $30 million inheritance. All of you folks out there who are waiting to inherit at least $30 million, today is a good day for you. Collectively, you will receive approximately $211 billion in tax breaks. For the top 0.2%, congratulations. You hit the jackpot.

    If you are a large corporation and you want to throw workers out on the street and replace them with artificial intelligence or you want to shift your profits to the Cayman Islands or other tax havens, you are going to get a $918 billion tax break. Congratulations to the CEOs of large, profitable corporations.

    But while the rich and large corporations make out like bandits in this bill, what does it do for low-income and working families? Let me say a few words on that.

    If you are concerned about health care, this bill throws over 16 million people off of the health insurance they have, according to the Congressional Budget Office, by cutting Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act by over $1.1 trillion.

    In other words, the top 1% are getting a $975 billion tax break, and that is coming directly from throwing 16 million people off of the health insurance they have.

    This bill, for the first time, forces millions of Medicaid recipients who make as little as $16,000 a year to pay a $35 co-payment each time they visit a doctor’s office.
    What is the impact of all of that?

    This is not my view — this is what the Yale School of Public Health and the University of Pennsylvania determined based on a study that they did. And this is the result. It is almost so horrific, so grotesque, that it is difficult to speak about. But they estimate that if this bill goes through with all of these cuts in health care — if 16 million people are thrown off the health care they have — over 50,000 Americans will die unnecessarily every year.

    Fifty thousand Americans will die unnecessarily in order to give tax breaks to billionaires who don’t need them. In other words, this bill is literally a death sentence for low-income and working-class Americans.

    Further, if this legislation is enacted, rural hospitals all over the country that are already struggling are going to shut down or aren’t going to be able to provide the level of services they do today. In other words, this bill would be a disaster for rural America.

    It would also make massive cuts to community health centers and nursing homes, who are very heavily dependent on Medicaid funding.

    The bottom line is that this legislation is the most significant attack on the health care needs of the American people in our country’s history. 

    We already have a health care system which is broken and dysfunctional, and instead of addressing it — instead of doing what every other major country on Earth does: guarantee health care to all people — we are throwing 16 million people off the health insurance they have. But it’s not just health care.

    The future of America rests with our children. And yet, in a nation which now has the highest rate of childhood poverty of almost any major country on Earth, this bill wipes out nutrition assistance for millions of hungry kids in America.

    We are literally taking food out of the mouths of hungry kids to give tax breaks to Mr. Bezos, Mr. Musk, Mr. Zuckerberg and the other multi-billionaires.

    If we understand that if we’re going to compete effectively in the global economy, we need to have the best education system in the world, this bill makes $350 billion in cuts in education with the result that working class kids will find it much harder to get the higher education they need to succeed in life.

    If you are concerned about the existential threat of climate change, this bill decimates investments in energy efficiency and sustainable energy like wind and solar and moves us in exactly the wrong direction when it comes to energy.

    If you are concerned about our role in never-ending wars, this bill makes a bad situation even worse by handing out another $150 billion to the Pentagon – a 15% increase in an already bloated Pentagon budget.

    We don’t have enough money to feed hungry children. We don’t have enough money to make sure that people continue to have the health care that they need. We don’t have enough money to make sure that kids can get a decent education. But somehow, the military industrial complex is going to get another $150 billion.

    M. President: In my view, nobody in the Senate or the House should vote for this legislation. And I applaud all of the Democrats for voting against it. And I want to congratulate two Republicans — Senator Paul and Senator Tillis for voting against it — for different reasons than I have.

    But I do find it interesting that when one of those senators, Senator Tillis, voted against it because he thought it was not a good bill for the people of his home state, North Carolina, suddenly the President of the United States went after him in a very vicious way. And today, he announced that he will not be seeking reelection.

    It appears now that the Republican Party has really become the party of the cult of the individual. The only thing you have to do now as a Republican is say, “I agree with President Trump,” “I love President Trump,” “President Trump is right all of the time.” Hey, that’s all you have to do now to be a good Republican.

    There was a day when Republicans and Democrats understood that they were elected by their constituents. There was an understanding that they were elected to represent their constituents and not simply to pay homage and bow down to every wish and whim of the president.

    M. President, during the vote-a-rama, I will be offering several amendments which I hope will win support.

    At a time when 22% of our nation’s seniors are trying to survive on less than $15,000 a year, my first amendment would fundamentally improve their lives in two significant ways:

    Number one, it would cut the price of prescription drugs under Medicare in half by making sure that our nation’s seniors don’t pay more than the Europeans or Canadians pay for the same exact drugs.

    And number two, with those savings, we’re going to expand Medicare to cover dental, vision and hearing. In other words, instead of throwing people off of health care, we’re going to expand Medicare to provide a number of services that seniors desperately need and want.

    Secondly, at a time of massive wealth and inequality, my second amendment would eliminate the $211 billion estate tax break for the top 0.2% that is included in this bill.

    And lastly, at a time when we spend more on the military than the next nine nations combined, at a time when the Pentagon cannot account for trillions of dollars in assets, we are going to end the provision that allows the Pentagon to receive another $150 billion.

    The bottom line, Mr. President, is this country faces many crises — a high rate of childhood poverty, kids going hungry, an education system in deep trouble and a health care system that is completely broken. And in virtually every single area, this bill takes us in precisely the wrong direction.

    When the wealthiest people in this country have never ever had it so good, it is totally insane to be offering them $1 trillion in tax breaks so that we can cut health care, education and nutrition.

    This bill is not what the American people want, and I hope very much we can defeat it.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Further details on welfare reforms published ahead of Second Reading

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Further details on welfare reforms published ahead of Second Reading

    New details on the Government’s welfare reforms will be published today (Monday 30 June 2025) ahead of Second Reading of the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill on Tuesday.

    • Terms of reference for the first comprehensive review of the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment in a decade to be published today.
    • Comes alongside draft regulations for the new Right to Try Guarantee – enshrining protections in law for disabled people and people with health conditions who want to try work.
    • Reforms to deliver greater certainty, independence, and dignity for disabled people, while ensuring the system is fair, sustainable, and fit for the future as part of the Plan for Change.

    New details on the government’s welfare reforms will be published today (Monday 30 June 2025) ahead of Second Reading of the Universal Credit (UC) and PIP Bill on Tuesday.

    The terms of reference for the first ever comprehensive review of the PIP assessment in over a decade will be published today. The review – led by Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms – will ensure the system is fair, supportive and reflects the realities of modern life.

    It will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, and MPs with the core objective of delivering better experiences and better outcomes for disabled people and people with health conditions.

    The review aims to respond to the changing picture of population health over the last decade including the rising prevalence of long-term health conditions and disability in the working-age population.

    Monthly PIP awards have more than doubled since the pandemic, rising from 13,000 to 34,000 – a rate of around 1,000 new claims per day, or the population of Leicester every year. Much of this increase is driven by mental health conditions with awards for anxiety and depression having tripled from 2,500 per month in 2019 to 8,200 in 2023.

    To better help those with mental ill health, the government has recruited more than 6,700 extra mental health workers since July while rolling out more access to occupational health services and developing digital resources, so employers better support their staff’s mental wellbeing.

    Many people have also reported poor experiences with the assessment process. The current system often fails to reflect the real-world impact of disability on daily life and is no longer fit for purpose – making reform urgent and essential.

    Alongside the review, draft regulations for the new Right to Try Guarantee will be laid in Parliament. This will, for the first time, enshrine in law the right for people receiving health and disability benefits to try work without fear of reassessment. This includes disabled people and people with health conditions – such as those recovering from illness – who want to return to work now their health has improved.

    This responds directly to concerns raised by disabled people and people with health conditions – 37% of whom say they want to work but are held back by fear of losing their benefits according to a DWP survey.

    Fixing the broken welfare system this government inherited is central to breaking down barriers to opportunity and driving up living standards – delivering on the government’s Plan for Change. The government’s reforms will ensure disabled people have the support they need to live independently, with dignity, and will unlock opportunities to get into work without facing the prospect of losing the help they need.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said:

    We must build a welfare system that provides security for those who cannot work and the right support for those who can. Too often, disabled people feel trapped – worried that if they try to work, they could lose the support they depend on.

    That is why we are taking action to remove those barriers, support disabled people to live with dignity and independence, and open routes into employment for those who want to pursue it.

    This is about delivering a fairer, more compassionate system as part of our Plan for Change which supports people to thrive, whatever their circumstances.

    The Government will also set out details today of the changes they intend to make to the Bill as part of the government’s welfare reforms. The Government has listened to MPs who support the principle of reform but are worried about the pace of change for those already supported by the social security system.

    That’s why ministers have confirmed that as part of the Bill:

    • All existing PIP recipients will remain on the current system and the proposed changes to eligibility as part of the bill will only apply to new claims from November 2026.
    • 200,000 individuals in the Severe Conditions Criteria group – individuals with the most severe, lifelong conditions who are unlikely to recover – will not be called for a UC reassessment.
    • All existing recipients of the UC health element and new customers with 12 months or less to live or who meet the Severe Conditions Criteria will see their standard allowance combined with their Limited Capability for Work Related Activity (LCWRA) rise at least in line with inflation every year from 2026/27 to 2029/30.

    Nearly 4 million households will receive an income boost with the main rate of UC set to increase above inflation every year for the next four years – estimated to be worth £725 by 2029/30 for a single household aged 25 or over. This is around £250 higher than an inflation only increases.

    The Bill will also rebalance UC rates by reducing the health element for new UC claims to the equivalent of £50 per week from April 2026, fixing a system which incentivises people to define themselves as incapable of work by paying health element recipients more than double the standard amount.

    These reforms will be also underpinned by a significant investment in employment support. Funding will be brought forward to accelerate tailored employment, health and skills support to help disabled people and those with health conditions get into work as part of our Pathways to Work guarantee.

    £300 million will be brought forward over the next three years, increasing total employment support by £2.2 billion over four years – upholding our commitment to spend £1 billion per year by the end of the decade.

    This investment will accelerate the pace of new planned investment in employment support programmes, building on and learning from successes such as the Connect to Work programme, which already provides disabled people and people with health conditions with one-to-one support at the point when they feel ready to work.

    And for people whose health challenges make it difficult to find or stay in work, our initiative in partnership with the NHS, WorkWell, will offer personalised support to help individuals manage their health while preparing for or returning to employment. This will build on progress already made to get 384,000 people into work since this government entered office and will come alongside fundamental reforms to patient support as part of the landmark 10 Year Health Plan.

    Health professionals will be on hand to connect people with services like physiotherapy, mental health support, and more. They will also be supported by a dedicated employment adviser who understands their specific health needs and guide them every step of the way.

    For too long, meaningful reform to our welfare system has been ducked and delayed – stunting productivity, slowing down growth and ultimately holding British people and our country back. The government is taking decisive action and the difficult decisions needed to restore trust and faith in the system, providing opportunities for those who can work, and security for those who cannot.

    Further information

    • The UC and PIP Bill is scheduled for Second Reading in the House of Commons Parliament on Tuesday 1 July 2025.
    • The UC and PIP Bill legislates for:
    • A new additional eligibility requirement for the daily living component of PIP so that from November 2026 new claimants must score a minimum of 4 points must be scored on at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component.
    • Rebalancing of UC health and standard elementsincluding reducing the health top-up for new claims to £50 per week from April 2026.
    • Ensure that all existing recipients of the UC health element – and any new claimant meeting the Severe Conditions Criteria and/or that has their claims considered under the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL) – will receive the higher UC health payment after April 2026.
    • Increasing the UC standard allowance above inflation for the next four years – worth an estimated £725 by 2029/30 for a single adult aged 25 or over.
    • Exemptions from reassessment for those with the most severe, lifelong conditions.
    • The Government has also confirmed that it will amend the Bill at Commons Committee stage to:
    • Provide protection for existing PIP claimants—ensuring they remain on the current system and are unaffected by new eligibility rules.
    • For all existing recipients of the UC health element – and any new claimant meeting the Severe Conditions Criteria and/or that has their claims considered under the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL) – the LCWRA rate for this group will now be uprated each year this Parliament to ensure their combined rate of the Universal Credit standard allowance and LCWRA is protected in real terms.
    • The Bill currently includes a 13-week transitional period for the PIP changes, but this will be superseded by long-term protections for existing claimants.
    • The Terms of reference for the PIP review, draft regulations for the Right to Try Guarantee, the draft amendment to the Bill which will enact the change to PIP, and analysis of poverty impacts will be published later today.
    • The DWP work aspirations survey can be found here: Work aspirations and support needs of health and disability customers: Interim findings – GOV.UK; PDF, 1.2MB
    • Latest data published last week shows almost one-in-four adults in England have common mental health conditions – and that adults with problem debt and those out of work are far more likely to experience mental health conditions.
    • To better help those with mental ill health, the government is boosting access to support, with more than 6,700 extra mental health workers since July, marking a significant milestone towards its goal of 8,500 by the end of this Parliament.
    • It has also started rolling out more access to occupational health services and developing digital resources so employers can better support their staff’s mental wellbeing as part of its drive to get people back to health and back to work.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Secretary of State Sarai concludes visit to Ghana and announces support and training for Ghanaian youth

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    June 29, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    Canada and Ghana’s strong relationship is rooted in shared values — peace, democracy, and inclusive growth. These values guide Canada’s longstanding development partnership with Ghana, which focuses on building a more equal, healthy, and prosperous future for all.

    The Honourable Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State (International Development), yesterday concluded a successful, 2-day visit to Ghana. The visit highlighted Canada’s continued commitment to supporting the people of Ghana — especially women, girls, and youth — through climate-smart agriculture, health care access, job training, and economic empowerment. Canada is also helping young people in Ghana learn job skills — especially in farming and non-traditional trades — so they can turn their ideas into sustainable businesses.

    While in Ghana, Secretary Sarai announced Canada’s support of $12.6 million to expand the EMPLOY project, a successful initiative in Ghana with World University Service of Canada (WUSC). The EMPLOY project will support more than 20,000 young women, as they build careers in well-paying trades such as welding, heavy machinery operation, solar panel installation, and auto mechanics. 

    During the announcement, he underscored Canada’s support for several other initiatives announced earlier this year. These projects focus on helping women farmers scale up climate-smart agriculture initiatives, supporting women’s rights organizations and feminist movements, improving access to reproductive health services and promoting peace and reducing violence in communities along Ghana’s northern border with Côte d’Ivoire.

    Secretary Sarai also had the opportunity to see firsthand how Canada and its partners are helping Ghanaians reach their full potential. He visited 2 major projects:

    • The INVEST project, also in partnership with WUSC, challenges gender stereotypes by giving young women training and employment through internships, mentoring and scholarships, so they can pursue careers in non-traditional sectors, including construction, energy and information technology.
    • The SURGE project, a partnership with Ashesi University, helps entrepreneurs launch and grow successful, sustainable green businesses.

    As part of Canada’s Modernizing Agriculture initiative, he met with women farmers who have been trained in new productivity-enhancing technologies and in better business approaches to farm management. This nation-wide initiative has already helped 3.5 million farmers. He also toured a Grand Challenges Canada project in Ashaiman that converts organic waste into renewable energy, using leftover materials as organic fertilizer. Finally, while visiting a Marie Stopes International (MSI) clinic, he spoke with patients and health professionals who deliver family planning and comprehensive abortion care services to the poorest and most underserved women and girls in 11 of Ghana’s 16 regions.

    During his visit, Secretary Sarai also held several bilateral meetings, including with Deputy Minister Food and Agriculture John Matthew Kofi Setor Dumelo. They discussed plans to grow the economy and support development, with a focus on agriculture. At a roundtable with the African Continental Free Trade Area, the conversation centered on economic security, the potential to drive trade, investment, income growth, job creation, and poverty reduction for the region and beyond. Secretary Sarai also met with representatives of the World Bank, EU and AfDB, as well as with peace and security stakeholders to discuss security challenges in the northern border regions.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission holds technical meeting for the establishment of economic and social council in west Africa


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    The ECOWAS Commission, through the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), is holding a technical session to advance the course of the establishment of an Economic and Social Council of West Africa (ECOWAS-ECOSOC), beginning from the 26th of June 2025 in Niger state, Nigeria.

    The two-day meeting brings together officials from the relevant ECOWAS Departments, Directorates and Divisions, including consultants and partners charged with building on the earlier phases of consultations within the context of the wider efforts aimed at consolidating democracy, peace and security while strengthening political stability, security, participatory governance and citizen’s inclusion in the region.

    In his opening remarks, the ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Amb Abdel-Fatau Musah charged participants to be mindful of the goal of an ECOWAS-ECOSOC which is to constitute that bridge of a powerful voice to interface with decision makers and at the same time being a reverse influential organ of citizenry engagement.

    He noted that the idea of an ECOSOC for ECOWAS is to mutually reinforce everyone through an institutionalized people’s organ with a facilitating platform that is a voice of the regional community’s farmers, young people’s organisations, non-governmental organizations, women, youth and professional groups, etc.

    The Commissioner added that through ECOWAS-ECOSOC as an authentic voice of the people, “we are our own architects, the People’s social wellbeing in order to truly attain a people-centered development. The benefits will be for all as the proposed organ should be insulated from the control of national governments being an authentic voice of the people” He added.

    Following the welcome address by the Ag Head, Mediation and Coordination of Regional Political Affairs Mr. Constant Gnacadja, the facilitator and former Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission H.E Toga Gayewea McIntosh gave an overview of the previous consultative meetings.

    There were also goodwill messages from the representatives of ECOWAS Commission’s partners- the African Union, the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) as well as the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice.

    At the meeting, participants will examine, among others, the justification of ECOSOC, membership and eligibility criteria, structure and sustainability.

    A firmly established ECOWAS-ECOSOC is seen as movement that can play a crucial role in identifying emerging social and economic trends and issues by strengthening the use of dialogue, advocacy, as well as policy recommendations in the resolution of common challenges of poverty, inequality, political instability, environmental difficulties and conflict.

    The technical meeting builds on the foundations laid by the earlier held Internal consultative Meeting of ECOWAS Staff, which took place on the 12th to 13th of December 2023 in Lagos, the regional consultative meeting of civil society organisations that happened on the 22nd and 23rd of February 2024 in Abuja and the experts’ group meeting which held on the 12th and 13th of June 2024, in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Healthy food revolution to tackle obesity epidemic

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Healthy food revolution to tackle obesity epidemic

    New healthy food standard will see big businesses promoting healthier food and drink

    • Reducing daily intake by just 50 calories could lift 340,000 children and 2 million adults out of obesity 
    • Reforms part of the shift from sickness to prevention in the forthcoming 10 Year Health Plan 
    • A healthy nation means less strain on the NHS, helping drive down pressure on waiting lists as part of the Plan for Change.

    Food retailers and manufacturers will “make the healthy choice the easy choice” in a world-first partnership between government and industry to tackle the obesity epidemic and ease pressure on the NHS as part of the Plan for Change. 

    As part of the forthcoming 10 Year Health Plan, large retailers including supermarkets will be set a new standard to make the average shopping basket of goods sold slightly healthier. 

    Businesses will be given the freedom to meet the standard however works best for them, whether that’s reformulating products and tweaking recipes, changing shop layouts, offering discounts on healthy foods, or changing loyalty schemes to promote healthier options. 

    Public health experts believe cutting the calorie count of a daily diet by just 50 calories would lift 340,000 children and 2 million adults out of obesity. If everyone who is overweight reduced their calorie intake by just 216 calories a day, equivalent to a single bottle of fizzy drink, obesity would be halved. 

    Obesity is one of the root causes of diabetes, heart disease and cancer. With the UK now having the third highest rate of adult obesity in Europe, it remains a critical public health challenge, costing the NHS £11.4 billion a year, three times the NHS budget for ambulance services. 

    Obesity rates have doubled since the 1990s, including among children. A forthcoming report by the Chief Medical Officer will show that more than 1 in 5 children are living with obesity by the time they leave primary school, rising to almost 1 in 3 in areas with higher levels of poverty and deprivation. 

    It follows the government setting out in recent days a number of measures to tackle rapidly growing health inequalities, including investing more in working class communities where health disparities are greatest, and rapid action on the maternal mortality gaps in Black, Asian and working class communities. 

    Through our Plan for Change, the government is shifting the focus from treatment to prevention and creating a more active state – that works with partners to make the healthy choice the easy choice – and a transition of the NHS from a sickness service to a prevention service.   

    Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:    

    Obesity has doubled since the 1990s and costs our NHS £11 billion a year, triple the budget for ambulance services. Unless we curb the rising tide of cost and demand, the NHS risks becoming unsustainable. 

    The good news is that it only takes a small change to make a big difference. If everyone who is overweight reduced their calorie intake by around 200 calories a day – the equivalent of a bottle of fizzy drink – obesity would be halved.   

    This government’s ambition for kids today is for them to be part of the healthiest generation of children ever. That is within our grasp. With the smart steps we’re taking today, we can give every child a healthy start to life.  

    Our brilliant supermarkets already do so much work for our communities and are trying to make their stores heathier, and we want to work with them and other businesses to create a level playing field. 

    Through our new healthy food standard, we will make the healthy choice the easy choice, because prevention is better than cure. 

    By shifting from sickness to prevention through our Plan for Change, we will make sure the NHS can be there for us when we need it.

    Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: 

    Britain has some of the best farmers, growers, food manufacturers and retailers in the world, which means we have more choice than ever before on our shelves.  

    It is vital for the nation that the food industry delivers healthy food, that is available, affordable and appealing.   

    Our food strategy will bring together the health plan, food producers and retailers to make sure we can feed the nation more healthily while growing the economic success of our food sector.

    The policy will see all big food businesses report on healthy food sales. This will set full transparency and accountability around the food that businesses are selling and encourage healthier products. 

    The government will then set targets to increase the healthiness of sales in communities across the UK and work with the Food Strategy Advisory Board on the sequencing of this policy.  

    Sarah Price, NHS England Director for Public Health, said: 

    A healthy diet, which includes a variety of nutritious food can help people stay well and provide long-term health benefits, which is good for them and good for the NHS. 

    That is why this move to make it easier for people to shop for healthy and nutritious food options is so important – it will help people reduce the risk of developing a range of life-altering physical conditions, such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes – both of which are on the increase in England.

    Major investment firms have already signalled that they would be keen to invest more in healthier products, if they were given due prominence and promotion by food retailers. 

    Many supermarkets want to do more to make the average shopping basket healthier, but they risk changes hitting their bottom lines if their competitors don’t act at the same time. The new standard will introduce a level playing field, so there isn’t a first mover disadvantage. 

    The changes are part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, due to be published shortly. The plan will radically reform the health service and improve the health of the nation, to make the NHS sustainable and fit for the future. 

    Ken Murphy, Tesco Group CEO, said:  

    All food businesses have a critical part to play in providing good quality, affordable and healthy food. At Tesco, we have measured and published our own healthier food sales for a number of years now – we believe it is key to more evidence-led policy and better-targeted health interventions. That’s why we have called for mandatory reporting for all supermarkets and major food businesses and why we welcome the Government’s announcement on this. We look forward to working with them on the detail of the Healthy Food Standard and its implementation by all relevant food businesses.

    Simon Roberts, CEO of Sainsbury’s commented:  

    We’re passionate about making good food joyful, accessible and affordable for everyone and have been championing the need for mandatory health reporting, across the food industry for many years. Today’s announcement from Government is an important and positive step forward in helping the nation to eat well. We need a level playing field across the entirety of our food sector for these actions to have a real and lasting impact.  

    We look forward to working across Government and our wider industry on the further development of these policies and in helping to drive improved health outcomes across our nation.

    Ravi Gurumurthy, CEO of Nesta, said: 

    Most of us want to lose weight and make healthier choices but the food that surrounds us makes that too hard. That’s why obesity has doubled since the 90s. 

    This new standard focuses on lots of small changes that make it easier to buy food that’s a little bit healthier. Nationally, it could send obesity rates down by a fifth – through business and government working together to improve our health.

    Sue Davies, Which? Head of Food Policy, said: 

    Which? research has shown that people want retailers to do more to support them in making healthier choices. Six in 10 (60%) consumers said they support the government introducing health targets for supermarkets.  

    Mandatory food targets will help to incentivise retailers to use the range of tactics available to them to make small but significant changes – making it easier for people to eat a balanced diet and lead healthier lives.

    John Maingay, Director of Policy at the British Heart Foundation (BHF) said: 

    A new standard to make meals across the UK healthier is a huge step towards creating a food environment that supports better heart health. This move recognises the vital role that businesses can play in supporting everyone to have a healthier diet. 

    Obesity puts people at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which remains one of the UK’s biggest killers. We hope to see real momentum behind this new standard to make the healthier choice the easiest choice once and for all.

    Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: 

    Businesses can play a major role in supporting people to make healthy choices, and this important step could help to reduce rising obesity rates. 

    Being overweight or obese is the second biggest cause of cancer in the UK, and is linked with 13 different types of the disease. The UK government must introduce further bold preventative policies in both the upcoming 10-year health plan and National Cancer Plan, so that more lives can be saved from cancer.

    Katharine Jenner, Director, Obesity Health Alliance 

    This is a fair and evidence-based prescription for better health; big businesses urgently need the government to level the playing field to help them focus on selling products that help people live well.  

    The government has rightly identified the root cause of obesity-related ill health: a food system that makes healthy eating difficult. Crucially, it puts the spotlight on the food industry and commits to holding it accountable for providing healthier options – rather than placing the burden on individuals who are already struggling to get by.

    Henry Dimbleby, Author of the National Food Strategy and Independent Review for Government said:

    What gets measured gets done. Mandatory reporting is a crucial first step in improving the food environment – it creates a level playing field, rewards the businesses already acting, and gives us a clear picture of what’s really being sold.

    It’s fantastic to see food retailers themselves calling for this. With proper data, we can start to reshape the food system and make healthier choices easier for everyone.

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why manufacturing consent for war with Iran failed this time

    COMMENTARY: By Ahmad Ibsais

    On June 22, American warplanes crossed into Iranian airspace and dropped 14 massive bombs.

    The attack was not in response to a provocation; it came on the heels of illegal Israeli aggression that took the lives of more than 600 Iranians.

    This was a return to something familiar and well-practised: an empire bombing innocents across the orientalist abstraction called “the Middle East”.

    That night, US President Donald Trump, flanked by his vice-president and two state secretaries, told the world: “Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace”.

    There is something chilling about how bombs are baptised with the language of diplomacy and how destruction is dressed in the garments of stability. To call that peace is not merely a misnomer; it is a criminal distortion.

    But what is peace in this world, if not submission to the West? And what is diplomacy, if not the insistence that the attacked plead with their attackers?

    In the 12 days that Israel’s illegal assault on Iran lasted, images of Iranian children pulled from the wreckage remained absent from the front pages of Western media. In their place were lengthy features about Israelis hiding in fortified bunkers.

    Victimhood serving narrative
    Western media, fluent in the language of erasure, broadcasts only the victimhood that serves the war narrative.

    And that is not just in its coverage of Iran. For 20 months now, the people of Gaza have been starved and incinerated. By the official count, more than 55,000 lives have been taken; realistic estimates put the number at hundreds of thousands.

    Every hospital in Gaza has been bombed. Most schools have been attacked and destroyed.

    Leading human rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have already declared that Israel is committing genocide, and yet, most Western media would not utter that word and would add elaborate caveats when someone does dare say it live on TV.

    Presenters and editors would do anything but recognise Israel’s unending violence in an active voice.

    Despite detailed evidence of war crimes, the Israeli military has faced no media censure, no criticism or scrutiny. Its generals hold war meetings near civilian buildings, and yet, there are no media cries of Israelis being used as “human shields”.

    Israeli army and government officials are regularly caught lying or making genocidal statements, and yet, their words are still reported as “the truth”.

    Bias over Palestinian deaths
    A recent study found that on the BBC, Israeli deaths received 33 times more coverage per fatality than Palestinian deaths, despite Palestinians dying at a rate of 34 to 1 compared with Israelis. Such bias is no exception, it is the rule for Western media.

    Like Palestine, Iran is described in carefully chosen language. Iran is never framed as a nation, only as a regime. Iran is not a government, but a threat — not a people, but a problem.

    The word “Islamic” is affixed to it like a slur in every report. This is instrumental in quietly signalling that Muslim resistance to Western domination must be extinguished.

    Iran does not possess nuclear weapons; Israel and the United States do. And yet only Iran is cast as an existential threat to world order.

    Because the problem is not what Iran holds, but what it refuses to surrender. It has survived coups, sanctions, assassinations, and sabotage. It has outlived every attempt to starve, coerce, or isolate it into submission.

    It is a state that, despite the violence hurled at it, has not yet been broken.

    And so the myth of the threat of weapons of mass destruction becomes indispensable. It is the same myth that was used to justify the illegal invasion of Iraq. For three decades, American headlines have whispered that Iran is just “weeks away” from the bomb, three decades of deadlines that never arrive, of predictions that never materialise.

    Fear over false ‘nuclear threat’
    But fear, even when unfounded, is useful. If you can keep people afraid, you can keep them quiet. Say “nuclear threat” often enough, and no one will think to ask about the children killed in the name of “keeping the world safe”.

    This is the modus operandi of Western media: a media architecture not built to illuminate truth, but to manufacture permission for violence, to dress state aggression in technical language and animated graphics, to anaesthetise the public with euphemisms.

    Time Magazine does not write about the crushed bones of innocents under the rubble in Tehran or Rafah, it writes about “The New Middle East” with a cover strikingly similar to the one it used to propagandise regime change in Iraq 22 years ago.

    But this is not 2003. After decades of war, and livestreamed genocide, most Americans no longer buy into the old slogans and distortions. When Israel attacked Iran, a poll showed that only 16 percent of US respondents supported the US joining the war.

    After Trump ordered the air strikes, another poll confirmed this resistance to manufactured consent: only 36 percent of respondents supported the move, and only 32 percent supported continuing the bombardment

    The failure to manufacture consent for war with Iran reveals a profound shift in the American consciousness. Americans remember the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq that left hundreds of thousands of Afghans and Iraqis dead and an entire region in flames. They remember the lies about weapons of mass destruction and democracy and the result: the thousands of American soldiers dead and the tens of thousands maimed.

    They remember the humiliating retreat from Afghanistan after 20 years of war and the never-ending bloody entanglement in Iraq.

    Low social justice spending
    At home, Americans are told there is no money for housing, healthcare, or education, but there is always money for bombs, for foreign occupations, for further militarisation. More than 700,000 Americans are homeless, more than 40 million live under the official poverty line and more than 27 million have no health insurance.

    And yet, the US government maintains by far the highest defence budget in the world.

    Americans know the precarity they face at home, but they are also increasingly aware of the impact US imperial adventurism has abroad. For 20 months now, they have watched a US-sponsored genocide broadcast live.

    They have seen countless times on their phones bloodied Palestinian children pulled from rubble while mainstream media insists, this is Israeli “self-defence”.

    The old alchemy of dehumanising victims to excuse their murder has lost its power. The digital age has shattered the monopoly on narrative that once made distant wars feel abstract and necessary. Americans are now increasingly refusing to be moved by the familiar war drumbeat.

    The growing fractures in public consent have not gone unnoticed in Washington. Trump, ever the opportunist, understands that the American public has no appetite for another war.

    ‘Don’t drop bombs’
    And so, on June 24, he took to social media to announce, “the ceasefire is in effect”, telling Israel to “DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS,” after the Israeli army continued to attack Iran.

    Trump, like so many in the US and Israeli political elites, wants to call himself a peacemaker while waging war. To leaders like him, peace has come to mean something altogether different: the unimpeded freedom to commit genocide and other atrocities while the world watches on.

    But they have failed to manufacture our consent. We know what peace is, and it does not come dressed in war. It is not dropped from the sky.

    Peace can only be achieved where there is freedom. And no matter how many times they strike, the people remain, from Palestine to Iran — unbroken, unbought, and unwilling to kneel to terror.

    Ahmad Ibsais is a first-generation Palestinian American and law student who writes the newsletter State of Siege.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s remarks at the Graduation Ceremony of the Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Dean Gonzalez, distinguished faculty members, ladies and gentlemen, 
      
    Most importantly, graduates, 

    Let me begin with the most important word of all: congratulations! 

    You now join a long line of Sciences Po alumni who have shaped our world – including some of whom are doing it every day at the United Nations as they work in my office supporting the Secretary-General. 

    Let’s also take a moment to recognise your families, friends and loved ones – who have been with you every step of the way.  

    They deserve a round of applause.   

    Students representing more than 120 nationalities come here to learn how the world works, and how it can work better.  

    That spirit of global curiosity and purpose has also carried me through every chapter of my own journey.   

    Designing schools and hospitals in my home country of Nigeria. 

    Advising four Presidents on poverty reduction, development policy planning and public sector reform. 

    Supporting Member States to lead the process that transformed global aspirations into the Sustainable Development Goals. 

    And now as the longest-serving Deputy Secretary-General in United Nations history, supporting the Secretary-General on some of the most complex situations in our history, from COVID, to Ukraine, to Sudan and Gaza and today’s continuing crisis in the Middle East.

    Today, I want to reflect on the lessons I have learned along the way.

    First, don’t agonise, organise. 

    We live in a world of hurt.  A world that is messy, complicated and often overwhelming.  

    And I know it might be easy to feel paralyzed by the scale and hopelessness of today’s challenges.  

    Don’t.

    Because more than ever, those challenges are connected – and we solve them by seeing those connections and coming together. 

    When I served as Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, my job was never just about the environment.  

    When Lake Chad was drying up, it wasn’t just an ecological crisis – it was a security crisis.  Boko Haram was born and abducted 200 school girls. 

    When we faced population and urban sprawl and tensions rose between farmers and herders, it wasn’t just about water  access– it was about food systems and growing cities. 

    When I met girls walking hours to fetch water, missing school every day – it wasn’t just about resources – it was about gender equality.  

    We didn’t work in siloes.  We built coalitions across sectors – civil society, young people, traditional leaders, the private sector – to find real solutions.  

    We didn’t agonize, we organized. 

    And, yes, there’s plenty to agonize about today – especially when multilateralism is under attack and international cooperation is on the back foot. 

    But I have seen what’s possible when we find common ground and forge ahead.  

    Just look at the last two months at the UN.  

    A landmark Pandemic Treaty approved at the World Health Organization. 

    Major new protections for our oceans at the World Ocean Conference in Nice.  

    And from Paris, I head to Sevilla — where the world is coming together to commit to better finance sustainable development. 

    So, when the problems seem larger than life, too tangled, too tough — don’t agonize.

    Organize. 

    Mobilize. 

    And help realize the change our world so urgently needs. 

    Remember you did not fail for want of trying.

    The second lesson – keep learning and delivering.  

    Graduation isn’t the end of learning.  In many ways, it’s just the start of your lifelong journey.

    When I joined the UN, I was not steeped in the intricacies of international diplomacy.

    Throughout my career, I have had to learn fast – and deliver even faster.  

    So will you.  

    Even now, I am learning every day – about AI, about geothermal energy, space debris, biotechnology, cybersecurity.  

    You will face even more change, even faster, especially in the new era of super technologies. 

    Regardless of the task that is put in front of you, get ahead of it.  Learn more.  Do more.  Show your stuff and deliver.  Performance opens doors.  

    Yes, some of life is luck and privilege.  

    But I guarantee: the harder you work, the luckier you will get.  

    Third, make hope your most powerful asset. 
    The world is a cynical place. And international affairs is not for the faint of heart. 

    There will be setbacks and critics. 

    There will be many days when the problems seem too big, and the politics too small. When anxieties grip you like a fever.

    Just look around:  war in Ukraine, atrocities in Sudan, catastrophe in Gaza, climate chaos everywhere. 

    But never forget, hope is not a four-letter word. 

    Hope is the courage to build when others are tearing down. 

    Hope is the decision to get up one more time, to negotiate one more deal, even when the odds are against you.

    I have sat with young girls who survived the worst horrors of war and sexual violence. 

    And in their eyes, I saw not just pain – but power. 

    The power to heal. To lead.  To hope. To survive and thrive. 

    Hope is not the absence of fear.  It is the refusal to be defined by it.

    So, carry it with you. Guard it fiercely.  

    Because hope is not just a feeling.  It’s a force.  

    Fourth, hold onto your moral compass. 

    Your degree will open doors. 

    But your integrity will tell you which ones are worth walking through.

    And in today’s world – where the global moral compass is spinning – that clarity matters more than ever. 

    We live in a world where military spending is soaring, while development budgets shrink.  

    Where fossil fuel subsidies dwarf investments in climate action.  

    Where conflict and hardship has forced more people from their homes than at any time since the Second World War.

    In this world, your role as changemakers is not just to make the right deals. 

    It is to draw the right lines. 

    There will be pressure to stay silent. 

    There will be moments when abandoning principles may seem an easier choice.

    But integrity matters most.

    As Deputy Secretary-General, I have had to tell hard truths to powerful people.

    To remind leaders of the many promises they made – and the people they made them to. 

    It is never easy to challenge power. 

    But we don’t serve power. 

    We serve people.

    And if we truly serve people, we must use our superpower and stand for justice, dignity, and solidarity. 

    As we mark Beijing+30, we cannot talk about a future and leave women and girls behind.

    Gender equality is not charity.  It powers our agency. And human rights.   

    And everyone wins when we leave no one behind.  

    But let’s be honest, we are not there yet. 

    So, to the men here today, I say: don’t stand in the way.  

    Don’t walk ahead.  

    Walk with. Stand with.  And speak up. For the other half of your society, women.

    The final lesson is this: invest time in what truly sustains you. 

    Your career will have highs and lows. 

    Plans change. 

    Titles come and go.

    But what will carry you through are the people who know you beyond your résumé. 

    Friends, families, mentors, partners. 

    Protect those bonds. Nurture them.

    Because in the toughest moments, those relationships will remind you of who you are, why you started, and why you must keep going.

    So, no matter how far you go, or how fast — never lose sight of what, and who, matters most.

    Dear graduates,

    Today, you are not just stepping into the world. 

    You are inheriting its unfinished business, and its boundless possibilities.

    As I look out, I see the next generation of climate champions, human rights defenders, and world class diplomats.

    And I am filled with hope. 

    Whatever path you choose, walk it with courage and conviction.  

    Congratulations, Class of 2025.

    The world is waiting.

    And I, for one, can’t wait to see what you will do.

    Thank you.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Two million meals already served at free breakfast clubs

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Two million meals already served at free breakfast clubs

    The first wave of the government’s free breakfast clubs have already served two million meals, delivering on the Plan for Change.

    Thousands of families across the country are already benefitting from the government’s flagship free breakfast club programme, with two million meals served in its first term.  

    The programme, which is set to give parents almost 100 hours back each year and save up to £450 in childcare costs, is one in a number of government measures to back working families, with new data revealing the benefits felt by parents and children.  

    The 30 minutes of free childcare give parents extra breathing space in busy mornings, allowing them to get to work easier, make time for appointments and help them juggle family life. According to the latest parent poll over half (59%) say the cost saving would motivate them to use a free breakfast club, and eight in ten say breakfast clubs help them to get to work on time and drop their kids off at school more easily.   

    The rollout delivers on the government’s manifesto promise to ensure state schools offer free breakfast clubs to all pupils, while supporting its Plan for Change milestone to ensure tens of thousands more children start school ready to learn. 

    Free breakfast clubs can make a significant impact on children’s attendance, behaviour and attendance, and the latest findings show this being felt on the ground. A third of parents think their children focus better in lessons (31%) and almost half think it’s easier to get their child out of bed and into school (48%).  

    The top draws for children going to a breakfast club are seeing friends (69%) and playing before school (63%), backing the government’s intention to enable a supportive start to the school day.  And children get to enjoy their top breakfast picks, leading with cereal (39%), followed by toast (32%) and fruit and yoghurt (8%).  

    It comes alongside wider action the government is taking to tackle the cost of living including increasing the National Living wage, extending free school meals to all children in households on Universal Credit – saving parents £500 a year – and expanding the Warm Homes Discount to save £150 for 6 million families next winter. 

    Bridget Phillipson, Education Secretary, said: 

    “This milestone in our Plan for Change will make all the difference to working families, as every child deserves the chance to start the day supported and ready to learn.

    “That’s why we are determined to break the link between background and success – delivering two million meals in the first term of free breakfast clubs, making an immediate and direct impact and easing the pressures on working families. We know parents are living busy lives, juggling family time and jobs, so I urge all parents who can to make use of the clubs.

    “Coupled with the historic step to tackle child poverty through offering free school meals to every single child who’s family claim Universal Credit and legislating cost saving measures such as a branded uniform cap, we are delivering the change families deserve.”  

    This government has set out a clear commitment to break down barriers to opportunity for every child, with breakfast clubs proven to boost children’s reading, writing and maths by an average of two months.  

    Annika Fox, mum of two children aged 6 and 2 years old said:   

    “The government’s free breakfast clubs have been a lifesaver to help me balance motherhood and work.   

    “As a full-time executive assistant, and often being the only adult in the house, I have to juggle getting two small kids ready for the day – all prior to commuting into London three times a week!  

    “The club gives me the flexibility I need, tripling the time I have to make drop off in the morning and making sure that my son isn’t rushed in the morning.”    

    Michael Lobo, Headteacher at St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School said:  

    “The funding for the free breakfast clubs has been instrumental to expanding our provision and offering children fun activities – like table tennis!   

    “For us, we’ve seen an improvement in punctuality for children attending school, as it gives a bigger window for parents to make drop off and lets them stagger their arrival with traffic.   

    “Our clubs mean children are settled, calmer in the mornings and engaged, ready to learn. It has been particularly valuable for children with SEN and anxiety.”  

    Free breakfast clubs in the early adopter schools will shape the future of the national breakfast club policy, contributing directly to its implementation. Further details on the national rollout of the breakfast clubs programme will follow in due course.  

    NOTES TO EDITORS  

    • The government has committed to fund free breakfast clubs in every primary school in England.  

    • Six in 10 parents say a free breakfast club would make them more likely to send their child to school – see HERE 

    • An Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) impact evaluation of the Magic Breakfast programme found that offering pupils in primary schools a free, universal, before-school breakfast club which includes a breakfast can boost their reading, writing, and maths attainment by an average of 2 months’ additional progress in Key Stage 1.    

    • Research shows that breakfast clubs can improve concentration, behaviour, and attendance, leaders and teachers have confirmed this, alongside findings from the National School Breakfast programme.  

    • Estimates of May pupil take-up for early adopter schools can be found here

    • All other new parent data included has been gathered by MadeForMums Breakfast Clubs Survey (June 2025, 279 respondents) – see here.

    • For more information about the free breakfast clubs programme, visit Free breakfast club roll out: everything you need to know  – The Education Hub.  

    • The early adopter scheme started at the beginning of the summer term, this was 22nd April for most schools

    DfE media enquiries

    Central newsdesk – for journalists 020 7783 8300

    Updates to this page

    Published 29 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Joint statement on International LGBTQI+ Pride Day 2025

    Source: Government of Canada News

    June 28, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    The foreign ministers of Canada, Spain, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia and Uruguay today issued the following statement:

    “On the occasion of International LGBTQI+ Pride Day 2025, we, the Foreign Ministers of Canada, Spain, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia and Uruguay are speaking and acting as one to champion the rights of LGBTQI+ people.

    “At a time when hate speech and hate crimes are on the rise, and in view of efforts to strip LGBTQI+ people of their rights, we reject all forms of violence, criminalization, stigmatization or discrimination, which constitute human rights violations.

    “It is our understanding that respect for diversity, equality and tolerance require the support, at the international level, of measures aimed at decriminalization, and at preventing and eliminating harassment of all kinds—including homophobic and transphobic harassment. Also measures to advance the implementation of diversity policies and the fight against discrimination, and to favour the inclusion of LGBTQI+ people, especially transgender people in society and in the workplace.

    “We recognize that LGBTQI+ people face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, particularly when they are also part of other historically marginalized groups, communities, and populations, such as indigenous peoples, afro-descendants, people with disabilities, migrants, elderly people, or those who living in poverty. Promoting their full and effective inclusion requires an intersectional approach that structurally addresses these inequalities.

    “We are joining forces to work hand in hand for the equal rights of LGBTQI+ people and to bring the criminalization of same-sex relations worldwide to an end.

    “We call on all States to join us on this path, repealing discriminatory laws and refusing to adopt new laws that criminalize relations between persons of the same sex or punish people for their sexual orientation or gender identity. We call for an end to the prosecution of LGBTI+ people, and especially to the application of imprisonment and capital punishment. We further call for an end to so-called conversion “therapy” practices intended to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity, which can cause psychological and physical pain and suffering and are inherently discriminatory. What is at stake here is a matter of full respect for human rights and human dignity, of strengthening equality, diversity and prosperity, leaving no one behind.

    “Therefore, we, the public authorities, must implement policy that, in alignment with international human rights standards, pursues effective equality of LGBTQI+ people and seeks to combat all forms of discrimination. We celebrate sexual diversity and family diversity, in the conviction that inclusive, equitable, and tolerant societies founded on solidarity are also stronger, healthier and more resilient.

    “Lastly, we reassert our commitment to respecting the human rights of LGBTQI+ people, to ensuring that their equality before the law is incontestable and that no one is prosecuted or subject to discriminated because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Let us build societies in which all human beings are free to live and love as they choose.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT EXPRESSES DEEP CONCERN OVER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S DECISION TO END PROTECTIONS FOR HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)

    For Immediate Release                                          Contact: Tionee Scotland
    June 28, 2025                                                           202-808-6129

    PRESS RELEASE

    CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT EXPRESSES DEEP CONCERN OVER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S DECISION TO END PROTECTIONS FOR HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (VI-AL) today strongly condemned the Trump administration’s announcement that it will terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 300,000 Haitian immigrants currently living in the United States, calling the decision “morally unconscionable and recklessly shortsighted to our national interest.”

    “The Trump administration’s decision to end TPS for Haitians is not just cruel—it is potentially deadly. Haiti remains in a state of complete collapse, overrun by gangs, wracked with violence, and under a state of emergency. The State Department itself warns Americans not to travel there due to widespread violent crime. Furthermore, the U.S. State Department has been in negotiations with multiple country partners to find ways to stem the continued collapse of the country. How can this administration claim it is safe to deport hundreds of thousands of people to a country they themselves have designated as too dangerous for American tourists and a threat to regional stability?

    “The Department of Homeland Security’s announcement on Friday that the protections, which have shielded Haitians from deportation since 2010 following the devastating earthquake, will expire on September 2, 2025. The administration justified the decision by claiming that, ‘the environmental situation in Haiti has improved enough that it is safe for Haitian citizens to return home’—a statement that directly contradicts the State Department’s actions regarding Haiti. 

    “This administration is playing politics with people’s lives. These are families who have built lives here, contribute to our communities, pay taxes from their wages and deserve our protection—not deportation to a nation in chaos. Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have worked tirelessly to ensure that our immigration policies reflect our values of compassion and humanity. This includes my work as a Co-Chair of the Congressional Caribbean Caucus to push back against discriminatory policies, to recognize the national security threat to the United States from a de-stabled Haiti, and my efforts to secure humanitarian aid for the Caribbean region.

    “This is part of a systematic campaign to dismantle protections for the world’s most vulnerable people. Congress must act swiftly to provide legislative protections for these families. We cannot stand by while this administration turns its back on our moral obligations and puts hundreds of thousands of lives at risk. Additionally, the financial support those in the United States provide to families back in Haiti through remittances have been key to staving off poverty and additional instability in the country. In 2023, U.S. remittances to Haiti were over $3.8 Billion dollars. 

    Plaskett went on to discuss, “As a member of the Intelligence Committee, I have focused quite a bit on our third border—the Caribbean region—and threats to the United States. Instability in the Caribbean presents threats of increased human and drug trafficking into the mainland, democratic collapse with malign influence of China and Russia, and reduced economic trade.” 

    “This action does not advance American interests.  The administration’s actions betray the best of American values, Western Hemisphere interests and Caribbean solidarity.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EUROPE/ITALY – Father Luigi Buccarello, Superior General of the Trinitarians, confirms: “Where there is dialogue, there is no violence”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Saturday, 28 June 2025

    by Antonella PrennaRome (Agenzia Fides) – “We work in problematic, difficult, and complex contexts where persecution exists. Where violence and persecution prevail, there is no dialogue, there is no respect for others. Precisely for this reason, in support of our specific mission of helping persecuted Christians, we also focus on interreligious dialogue, on religious freedom as a topic for deepening and raising awareness not only on a social but also on a theological level.”This is what Father Luigi Buccarello said in an interview with Fides at the end of the General Chapter of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and the Captives O.SS.T. (see Fides, 7/11/2023), where he was confirmed for a further term as Superior General. Also present was Father Antonio Aurelio Fernández Serrano, president of the organization Trinitarian International Solidarity (SIT), which coordinates activities to support persecuted Christians.In the wake of Dignitatis Humanae”Following the guidelines of the Vatican II document on religious freedom, Dignitatis Humanae, and the subsequent magisterium of the Pontiffs,” Father Buccarello continues, “we have been collaborating for two years with the Center for Interreligious Studies of the Pontifical Gregorian University, with whom we organized a six-month course entitled ‘Religious Freedom: Problems, Challenges, and Perspectives,’ which was offered for the first time this year. In addition to the course, which is aimed at theology students and those interested in the subject, we have established a two-year theological research group involving 15 specialists from various research fields. The topic of religious freedom requires an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach; geopolitics, history, sociology, theology, canon law, civil law, and religious studies are all involved. A publication will be published at the end of this two-year research period.””The lack of religious freedom,” the priest continued, “is a challenge for every religion. Every day we hear about attacks in Nigeria, Yemen, and Syria. Syria had exuberantly celebrated the regime change, but we see that we are back to square one.” “Together with Father Antonio, we are always in contact with these countries, and since we touch these realities firsthand, we recognize that religious freedom is the only guarantee of peace and coexistence. Our service is not charitable; rather, we want to address the problem at its root and combat the causes underlying religious intolerance.””The General Chapter,” the Superior General continues, “placed great emphasis on the specific training of our students in these topics. Working in the field of interreligious dialogue means paving a path to peace. Religious freedom is the path to peace. One of the important themes of the post-conciliar Magisterium is the consideration of religious freedom as a prerequisite for peace, because where freedom is respected, there is obviously peace, acceptance of others, and appreciation of religious diversity. Fundamentalists resort to violence because they do not tolerate religious diversity. They want uniformity, even within their own religious tradition; they view religion as a monolithic bloc and consider themselves the sole bearers of the authentic religious message. If this acceptance of diversity is lacking and differences are perceived as a threat rather than an enrichment, peace is in danger. But our faith is also in danger, for it always leads us to an encounter with others.”A long historyThe current mission of the Trinitarian religious family coincides with an update of its founding charism. “The Trinitarian Order,” explains Father Buccarello, “was founded for persecuted Christians, obviously in a different time and in a different historical context. In our motto, “Gloria tibi Trinitas et captivis libertas,” we find the word ‘slaves,’ ‘prisoners.’ Our founder, Saint John of Matha, began the “liberation missions,” initially from Spain to Morocco, with a letter from Innocent III, in which he recommended the Trinitarians to the Sultan of Morocco, saying that the work of freeing slaves was a work of charity, the most important, the most significant, and of universal benefit. In fact, the Pope had given the Trinitarians permission to free Christian slaves through exchange with Muslim slaves, thus creating a double liberation of both Christian and Muslim slaves.”Saint John of Matha was a learned theologian and had no intention to found a new religious family. During his first Mass, he had a vision: he saw Christ in the center, holding the arms of two slaves, a white Christian and a Black Muslim. After a period of reflection, it became clear to him that he had to found a religious family dedicated to this special mission: the redemption of captives “pro fide Christi.””Today,” adds Father Buccarello, “we know that this inspiration of our founder is very timely. The two ‘lungs’ of our mission are the works of mercy and persecuted Christians. And the latter is the work that most identifies and unites us. To update this charism, the Extraordinary General Chapter of 1999, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the adoption of the Rule of the Order and the fourth anniversary of the Order’s reform, decided to create an organization to coordinate and promote this area of assistance to persecuted Christians, which would be called ‘Trinitarian International Solidarity.’”The organization’s current president, Father Antonio Aurelio Fernández Serrano, explains that “it is an internal body of the Trinitarian religious family, whose first 25th anniversary was just celebrated. On this occasion, we made a documentary to raise awareness of the problem of persecuted Christians.” “Our projects,” he explains, “are also present in countries like Sudan and South Sudan, where we have already freed several young people.”Father Buccarello adds details of a meeting of the aid organization in Bahrain, where, at the initiative of the Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., a meeting was also held with Abdullah Abdullah, director of the Global Center for Peace Coexistence (see Fides, 23/10/2024). “Abdullah came to our Chapter to share his experience,” the Superior General said. “He was also in the Italian Parliament, where, at a meeting in the Chamber of Deputies, he described the Trinitarian Order as an example of dialogue, care, charity, and respect.”The challenges of todayThe Trinitarians are active in the Roman parish of Santa Maria delle Fornaci, the titular church of Cardinal Mario Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio to Syria. “The Cardinal,” Father Buccarello explains, “spoke to us extensively about the situation in Syria, about persecution, but also about poverty, about the many Christians who have left the country in recent years. When Christians disappear from the Middle East, the balance that ensures harmonious coexistence between different cultures and faiths is lost. Peaceful coexistence is most threatened when a historical component of a region’s religious landscape disappears.”The Trinitarian Order is present in 25 countries, including Vietnam, South Korea, and India, a country where, according to Father Buccarello, cases of violence and harassment against Christians are increasing year after year, as well as in many areas of Africa where “terrorist groups and movements engaged in aggressive proselytizing” are active.The specific contribution that the Trinitarian Order can make for the future, according to the Superior General, is to “train religious who are experts in interreligious dialogue. We all need to be sensitized; even in the Western world, where we often do not know how to deal with religious diversity, there is no genuine encounter between people. Everyone has their own space; there is no true integration.” “In many schools in northern Italy,” he notes, “for example, the majority of students are non-Catholic and non-Christian. What resources do we provide to the children so that they can interact and welcome others? And are there other situations that are unknown? Our Trinitarian sisters in Valence, for example, have a school on the outskirts of Marseille. Eighty percent of the students are Muslims, who choose Catholic rather than public schools because they prefer a religious approach to a materialistic, atheistic one. In our school in northern Assam, India, only five percent of the students are Catholic; the others are Hindus and Muslims. However, they live together without problems because religious diversity is a resource that fosters respect for others and promotes the value of coexistence and peace.”The “motto” of the General Chapter was a quote from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians: “Persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” “One of the criteria that was very well highlighted,” the Superior General emphasized, “is that religious freedom is not a theoretical question, but affects the lives and suffering of so many people, and that it must be analyzed in context. Each reality, in its complexity and problematic nature, presents different challenges to religious freedom. In Canada, for example, members of the order cannot go to the hospital wearing a religious habit. In the Western world, there is an aggressive secularism that tends to reduce religion to the private sphere, and identity-political cultural movements that instrumentalize religion. Identitarian movements aim to mark a kind of difference and opposition between “us and you” by fueling narratives that appeal to people’s fears, for example when migration is portrayed as a kind of invasion by the enemy who has come to destroy our identity. All of us, starting with religious leaders, must loudly emphasize that the name of God cannot be associated with war and violence. This must be said emphatically. Yet even these days, we hear statements from political leaders who seek to justify the war as a kind of divine mandate.” (Agenzia Fides, 28/6/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: EUROPE/ITALY – Father Luigi Buccarello, Superior General of the Trinitarians, confirms: “Where there is dialogue, there is no violence”

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Saturday, 28 June 2025

    by Antonella PrennaRome (Agenzia Fides) – “We work in problematic, difficult, and complex contexts where persecution exists. Where violence and persecution prevail, there is no dialogue, there is no respect for others. Precisely for this reason, in support of our specific mission of helping persecuted Christians, we also focus on interreligious dialogue, on religious freedom as a topic for deepening and raising awareness not only on a social but also on a theological level.”This is what Father Luigi Buccarello said in an interview with Fides at the end of the General Chapter of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity and the Captives O.SS.T. (see Fides, 7/11/2023), where he was confirmed for a further term as Superior General. Also present was Father Antonio Aurelio Fernández Serrano, president of the organization Trinitarian International Solidarity (SIT), which coordinates activities to support persecuted Christians.In the wake of Dignitatis Humanae”Following the guidelines of the Vatican II document on religious freedom, Dignitatis Humanae, and the subsequent magisterium of the Pontiffs,” Father Buccarello continues, “we have been collaborating for two years with the Center for Interreligious Studies of the Pontifical Gregorian University, with whom we organized a six-month course entitled ‘Religious Freedom: Problems, Challenges, and Perspectives,’ which was offered for the first time this year. In addition to the course, which is aimed at theology students and those interested in the subject, we have established a two-year theological research group involving 15 specialists from various research fields. The topic of religious freedom requires an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approach; geopolitics, history, sociology, theology, canon law, civil law, and religious studies are all involved. A publication will be published at the end of this two-year research period.””The lack of religious freedom,” the priest continued, “is a challenge for every religion. Every day we hear about attacks in Nigeria, Yemen, and Syria. Syria had exuberantly celebrated the regime change, but we see that we are back to square one.” “Together with Father Antonio, we are always in contact with these countries, and since we touch these realities firsthand, we recognize that religious freedom is the only guarantee of peace and coexistence. Our service is not charitable; rather, we want to address the problem at its root and combat the causes underlying religious intolerance.””The General Chapter,” the Superior General continues, “placed great emphasis on the specific training of our students in these topics. Working in the field of interreligious dialogue means paving a path to peace. Religious freedom is the path to peace. One of the important themes of the post-conciliar Magisterium is the consideration of religious freedom as a prerequisite for peace, because where freedom is respected, there is obviously peace, acceptance of others, and appreciation of religious diversity. Fundamentalists resort to violence because they do not tolerate religious diversity. They want uniformity, even within their own religious tradition; they view religion as a monolithic bloc and consider themselves the sole bearers of the authentic religious message. If this acceptance of diversity is lacking and differences are perceived as a threat rather than an enrichment, peace is in danger. But our faith is also in danger, for it always leads us to an encounter with others.”A long historyThe current mission of the Trinitarian religious family coincides with an update of its founding charism. “The Trinitarian Order,” explains Father Buccarello, “was founded for persecuted Christians, obviously in a different time and in a different historical context. In our motto, “Gloria tibi Trinitas et captivis libertas,” we find the word ‘slaves,’ ‘prisoners.’ Our founder, Saint John of Matha, began the “liberation missions,” initially from Spain to Morocco, with a letter from Innocent III, in which he recommended the Trinitarians to the Sultan of Morocco, saying that the work of freeing slaves was a work of charity, the most important, the most significant, and of universal benefit. In fact, the Pope had given the Trinitarians permission to free Christian slaves through exchange with Muslim slaves, thus creating a double liberation of both Christian and Muslim slaves.”Saint John of Matha was a learned theologian and had no intention to found a new religious family. During his first Mass, he had a vision: he saw Christ in the center, holding the arms of two slaves, a white Christian and a Black Muslim. After a period of reflection, it became clear to him that he had to found a religious family dedicated to this special mission: the redemption of captives “pro fide Christi.””Today,” adds Father Buccarello, “we know that this inspiration of our founder is very timely. The two ‘lungs’ of our mission are the works of mercy and persecuted Christians. And the latter is the work that most identifies and unites us. To update this charism, the Extraordinary General Chapter of 1999, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the adoption of the Rule of the Order and the fourth anniversary of the Order’s reform, decided to create an organization to coordinate and promote this area of assistance to persecuted Christians, which would be called ‘Trinitarian International Solidarity.’”The organization’s current president, Father Antonio Aurelio Fernández Serrano, explains that “it is an internal body of the Trinitarian religious family, whose first 25th anniversary was just celebrated. On this occasion, we made a documentary to raise awareness of the problem of persecuted Christians.” “Our projects,” he explains, “are also present in countries like Sudan and South Sudan, where we have already freed several young people.”Father Buccarello adds details of a meeting of the aid organization in Bahrain, where, at the initiative of the Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, Bishop Aldo Berardi, O.SS.T., a meeting was also held with Abdullah Abdullah, director of the Global Center for Peace Coexistence (see Fides, 23/10/2024). “Abdullah came to our Chapter to share his experience,” the Superior General said. “He was also in the Italian Parliament, where, at a meeting in the Chamber of Deputies, he described the Trinitarian Order as an example of dialogue, care, charity, and respect.”The challenges of todayThe Trinitarians are active in the Roman parish of Santa Maria delle Fornaci, the titular church of Cardinal Mario Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio to Syria. “The Cardinal,” Father Buccarello explains, “spoke to us extensively about the situation in Syria, about persecution, but also about poverty, about the many Christians who have left the country in recent years. When Christians disappear from the Middle East, the balance that ensures harmonious coexistence between different cultures and faiths is lost. Peaceful coexistence is most threatened when a historical component of a region’s religious landscape disappears.”The Trinitarian Order is present in 25 countries, including Vietnam, South Korea, and India, a country where, according to Father Buccarello, cases of violence and harassment against Christians are increasing year after year, as well as in many areas of Africa where “terrorist groups and movements engaged in aggressive proselytizing” are active.The specific contribution that the Trinitarian Order can make for the future, according to the Superior General, is to “train religious who are experts in interreligious dialogue. We all need to be sensitized; even in the Western world, where we often do not know how to deal with religious diversity, there is no genuine encounter between people. Everyone has their own space; there is no true integration.” “In many schools in northern Italy,” he notes, “for example, the majority of students are non-Catholic and non-Christian. What resources do we provide to the children so that they can interact and welcome others? And are there other situations that are unknown? Our Trinitarian sisters in Valence, for example, have a school on the outskirts of Marseille. Eighty percent of the students are Muslims, who choose Catholic rather than public schools because they prefer a religious approach to a materialistic, atheistic one. In our school in northern Assam, India, only five percent of the students are Catholic; the others are Hindus and Muslims. However, they live together without problems because religious diversity is a resource that fosters respect for others and promotes the value of coexistence and peace.”The “motto” of the General Chapter was a quote from Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians: “Persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” “One of the criteria that was very well highlighted,” the Superior General emphasized, “is that religious freedom is not a theoretical question, but affects the lives and suffering of so many people, and that it must be analyzed in context. Each reality, in its complexity and problematic nature, presents different challenges to religious freedom. In Canada, for example, members of the order cannot go to the hospital wearing a religious habit. In the Western world, there is an aggressive secularism that tends to reduce religion to the private sphere, and identity-political cultural movements that instrumentalize religion. Identitarian movements aim to mark a kind of difference and opposition between “us and you” by fueling narratives that appeal to people’s fears, for example when migration is portrayed as a kind of invasion by the enemy who has come to destroy our identity. All of us, starting with religious leaders, must loudly emphasize that the name of God cannot be associated with war and violence. This must be said emphatically. Yet even these days, we hear statements from political leaders who seek to justify the war as a kind of divine mandate.” (Agenzia Fides, 28/6/2025)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: New wealth of top 1% surges by over $33.9 trillion since 2015 – enough to end poverty 22 times over, as Oxfam warns global development “abysmally off track” ahead of crunch talks

    Source: Oxfam –

    • Oxfam condemns “private finance takeover” of development efforts, as over 3.7 billion people remain in poverty ten years after the Sustainable Development Goals were agreed. 
       
    • New Oxfam analysis unveils “astronomical rise in private wealth”. Between 1995 and 2023, global private wealth grew by $342 trillion – 8 times more than public wealth.  
       
    • Oxfam analysis also shows governments are making the largest cuts to life-saving aid since aid records began. Aid cuts could cause 2.9 million more children and adults to die by 2030, from HIV/AIDS causes alone. 
    • Results of a new global survey show 9 out of 10 people support paying for public services and climate action through taxing the super-rich. 
    • Oxfam urges new strategic alliances to address inequality; urgently revitalize aid and tax the super-rich; and assert new “public-first” approach over private finance. 

    The world’s richest 1% increased their wealth by more than $33.9 trillion in real terms since 2015, reveals new Oxfam analysis ahead of the world’s largest development financing talks in a decade, in Seville, Spain. This is more than enough to eliminate annual poverty 22 times over at the World Bank’s highest poverty line of $8.30 a day. The wealth of just 3,000 billionaires has surged $6.5 trillion in real terms since 2015, and now comprises the equivalent of 14.6% of global GDP.

    Oxfam’s new briefing paper, “From Private Profit to Public Power: Financing Development, Not Oligarchy”, launches today ahead of the June 30 fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, hosted by Spain and joined by over 190 countries.  

    Wealthy governments are making the largest cuts to life-saving development aid since aid records began in 1960. Oxfam analysis finds that G7 countries alone, who account for around three-quarters of all official aid, are cutting aid by 28% for 2026 compared to 2024. Whilst critical aid is cut, the debt crisis is bankrupting governments – 60% of low-income countries are at the edge of a debt crisis – with the poorest countries paying out far more to repay their rich creditors than they are able to spend on classrooms or clinics. Only 16% of the targets for the Global Goals are on track for 2030. 

    Oxfam’s new analysis examines the failures of a private investor-focused approach to funding development. A decade-long effort by major development actors to recast their mission as one of supporting powerful Global North financial actors has led in fact to a host of harms and at the same time only mobilized paltry sums. The analysis also looks at the role of private creditors, who now outpace bilateral lenders by five times and account for more than half the debt owed by low- and middle-income countries, in exacerbating the debt crisis with their refusal to negotiate and their punitive terms. 

    “Seville is the first major gathering of countries worldwide at a time that life-saving aid is being decimated, a trade war has started, and multilateralism being fractured – all in the backdrop of the second Trump administration. There is glaring evidence that global development is desperately failing because – as the last decade shows – the interests of a very wealthy few are put over those of everyone else,” said Amitabh Behar, Executive Director of Oxfam International. 

    What the World Bank described as a “billions to trillions” paradigm shift has been a boon for wealthy investors – the richest 1% own 43% of global assets – but now faces overwhelming evidence of failure, even according to former champions. Alarmingly, there is new momentum behind the idea of diverting the little aid that remains to private financial actors. 

    “Rich countries have put Wall Street in the driver’s seat of global development. It’s a global private finance takeover which has overrun the evidence-backed ways to tackle poverty through public investments and fair taxation. It is no wonder governments are abysmally off track, be it on fostering decent jobs, gender equality, or ending hunger. This much wealth concentration is choking efforts to end poverty”, said Behar. 

    New Oxfam analysis shows that between 1995 and 2023, global private wealth grew by $342 trillion – 8 times more than global public wealth, which grew by just $44 trillion. Global public wealth – as a share of total wealth – actually fell between 1995 and 2023.  

    Oxfam is urging governments to rally behind policy and political proposals that offer a change in course by tackling extreme inequality and transforming the development financing system:  

    • New strategic alliances against inequality. Governments must band together in new coalitions to oppose extreme inequality. Countries such as Brazil, South Africa and Spain are offering leadership to do so internationally. A new ‘Global Alliance Against Inequality’ supported by Germany, Norway, Sierra Leone and others sets an example for nations to back.  
    • Public-first approach – reject the Wall Street Consensus. Governments should reject private finance as the silver bullet to funding development. Instead, governments should invest in state-led development – to ensure universal high-quality healthcare, education and care services, and explore publicly-delivered goods in sectors from energy to transportation.  
    • Total rethink of development financing – tax the ultra-rich, revitalize aid, reform debt architecture, and move beyond GDP indicators. Global North donors must urgently reverse catastrophic cuts to lifesaving aid and meet the 0.7% ODA target as minimum. Governments must back efforts for a new UN debt convention, and support the UN tax convention, building on Brazil’s G20 effort to tax high-net-worth-individuals.   

    “Trillions of dollars exist to meet the global goals, but they’re locked away in private accounts of the ultra-wealthy. It’s time we rejected the Wall Street Consensus and instead put the public in the driving seat. Governments should heed widespread demands to tax the rich – and match it with a vision to build public goods from healthcare to energy. It’s a hopeful sign that some governments are banding together to fight inequality – more should follow their lead, starting in Seville”, said Behar. 

    Oxfam’s media briefing note, “From Private Profit to Public Power: Financing Development, Not Oligarchy” can be downloaded here.  

    Oxfam’s analysis of the historic cuts to development aid and their impact on the poorest can be found here. The modelling on HIV/AIDS deaths was published in the Lancet HIV. 

    The study that surveyed global opinion on taxing the super-rich was commissioned by Greenpeace and Oxfam International. The research was conducted by first party data company Dynata in May-June 2025, in Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Kenya, Italy, India, Mexico, the Philippines, South Africa, Spain, the UK and the US. The survey had approximately 1200 respondents per country, with a margin of error of +-2.83%. Together, these countries represent close to half the world’s population. See the results here. 

    The cost of ending poverty is based on the annual cost of ending poverty in 2024 for one year, for the over 3.7 billion people living below the $8.30 a day poverty line, according to World Bank data. The increase in wealth of the 1% since 2015 would be more than enough to meet this cost 22 times over. Another way of expressing this is that the total amount is more than enough to completely end poverty for 22 years. This is only indicative, as the cost of ending poverty would likely fall over the next 22 years anyway as the numbers living in poverty reduce, and the value of the wealth would increase as it would not be spent all at once. But nevertheless this comparison indicates the extent to which more wealth, which is being greatly concentrated in the hands of a few, could be directed to ending poverty instead of further inflating the fortunes of the richest. For further information on the calculations see the media briefing paper. 

    Oxfam will be hosting a major high-level event together with Club de Madrid, at 7pm on July 1, 2025, in Seville, joined by high-level government representatives on the media briefing note. Journalists are invited to attend and will be prioritized for questions. Please register here. 

    Moreover, an official side event on inequality and tax reform will take place at 2.30pm on July 1, 2025, at the FIBES Exhibition Centre room 20 joined by high-level government representatives from Brazil, Spain and South Africa, international organizations and global experts. See note here. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI China: Readers’ meeting on book of Xi’s discourses on human rights held in Madrid

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    A readers’ meeting was held Thursday on the book “Xi Jinping on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights” in Madrid, bringing together Chinese and Spanish participants for discussions on China’s important role in advancing global human rights governance.

    Yao Jing, Chinese ambassador to Spain, said at the meeting that President Xi Jinping’s important exposition on respecting and protecting human rights reflects the firm determination of the Communist Party of China to protect and promote human rights, and demonstrates China’s unremitting efforts to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

    China is willing to strengthen exchanges and cooperation on human rights with all parties on the basis of equality and mutual respect, learn from each other, make progress together, and contribute to the international human rights cause, he added.

    Jose Luis Centella, president of the Communist Party of Spain, elaborated on how Xi’s important discourses on respecting and safeguarding human rights has been integrated into the political practice of socialism with Chinese characteristics, from the perspectives of the right to development, poverty alleviation and the building of a country under the rule of law.

    Marta Montoro, vice president of Spain’s Catedra China Foundation, said that the book dispels common misconceptions about China’s approach on human rights, offering valuable insight into the country’s perspective.

    Through this book, readers can analyze and explore China’s ideas and practices in the field of human rights in a calm and rigorous manner, she said.

    Director of the Spanish New Silk Road Research Center Carlos Fernandez Bielsa said that individual happiness, social welfare and national prosperity are all intertwined with a country’s strategic development.

    The publication of “Xi Jinping on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights” offers global readers an opportunity for an in-depth study of Xi’s important expositions, he said.

    Eddy Sanchez Iglesias, director of the Foundation of Marxist Research, said that China’s development path in the past few decades and its increasingly prominent influence in the global landscape in the 21st century deserve in-depth study and serious thinking by the international community.

    He believed that the publication of “Xi Jinping on Respecting and Protecting Human Rights” builds a new platform for exchanges and cooperation between China and Europe in the field of human rights.

    Spanish translator Miguel Bravo Gomez said that China has found a path that suits itself and its people, adding that one should try to understand Chinese people and the values they cherish based on factors such as China’s history, its current national conditions and cultural tradition.

    Compiled by the Institute of Party History and Literature of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the book uses nine themes to systematically record the remarks of Xi on respecting and protecting human rights.

    In 2022, the Central Compilation and Translation Press published the English-Chinese, French-Chinese, Russian-Chinese, Spanish-Chinese and Japanese-Chinese versions of the book.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Concludes the 2025 Article IV Consultation and Completes the Fifth Review Under the Extended Credit Facility Arrangement, and Second Review Under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility Arrangement with Tanzania

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    June 27, 2025

    • The IMF Executive Board today concluded the 2025 Article IV Consultation and completed the fifth review under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement and the second review under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) arrangement with Tanzania, allowing for an immediate disbursement of about US$ 448.4 million (SDR 326.47 million) under both the ECF and the RSF.
    • Economic conditions have continued to improve, with robust growth and macro-financial stability. Real GDP growth was 5.5 percent in CY24 and is projected to reach 6.0 percent in CY25 and 6½ percent over the medium-term, contingent on decisive reform implementation.
    • Tanzania’s economic reform program supported by the ECF arrangement remained broadly on track. The authorities are committed to implementing reforms to preserve macro-financial stability, promote sustainable and inclusive growth, advance structural reforms, and address risks and challenges from climate change, supported by the ECF and RSF arrangements.

    Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded today the 2025 Article IV Consultation[1] with Tanzania and completed the fifth review of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement and the second review of the Resilience and Sustainability Framework (RSF) arrangement. The authorities have consented to the publication of the Staff Report prepared for this consultation.[2] Completion of the fifth ECF review allows for the immediate disbursement of about US$ 155.7 million (28.5 percent of quota, SDR 113.37 million), bringing Tanzania’s total access under the ECF arrangement to about US$ 908.3 million. Completion of the second RSF review allows for the immediate disbursement of about US$ 292.7 million (53.5 percent of quota, SDR 213.1 million), bringing Tanzania’s total access under the RSF arrangement to about US$ 345.4 million.

    The 40-month ECF Arrangement with Tanzania for a total access of about US$ 1,046.4 million at the time of program approval (200 percent of quota, SDR 795.58 million) was initially approved in July 2022, and was extended by 6 months in June 2024. The arrangement aims to support economic recovery, preserve macro-financial stability, and promote sustainable and inclusive growth. The 23-month RSF arrangement with Tanzania, approved in June 2024 (150 percent of quota), supports the authorities’ reforms to reduce prospective balance of payments risks and enhance economic resilience to climate change.

    Tanzania’s economic reform program under the ECF arrangement remained on track. All end-December 2024 quantitative performance criteria and indicative targets were met, and two end-December 2024 structural benchmarks were completed on time. Two of the three end-March SBs were implemented with delay, but the Secured Transaction Act has not been implemented and is reset to end-February 2026. All five reform measures (RMs) for this review were implemented despite challenges in meeting indicative timelines.

    Economic activity continued to gain momentum, with real GDP growth reaching 5.5 percent in CY24. Headline inflation remained stable at 3.2 percent (year-on-year) in April 2025, below the central bank’s target, while a neutral or mildly stimulative monetary policy was maintained and exchange rate flexibility increased. The banking sector remains resilient, but pockets of vulnerability persist. The fiscal balance weakened markedly in the third quarter of FY25, prompting the authorities to delay lower priority spending in the fourth quarter. The current account deficit narrowed further to 2.6 percent of GDP in CY24, from 3.8 percent in CY23, underpinned by strong export performance.

    The medium-term outlook is favorable, contingent on sustained reform implementation, particularly to strengthen the business environment and support a more dynamic private sector. However, risks to the outlook are tilted to the downside, and challenges to meet SDG targets and reduce poverty are daunting, especially considering that the population is expected to double by 2050.

    Following the Executive Board discussion, Mr. Okamura, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, issued the following statement:

    “Tanzania’s reform program supported by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) remains broadly on track. Amid downside risks to the economic outlook and daunting challenges to reduce poverty, the authorities’ strong commitment to reform implementation, as well as continued engagement and capacity support by development partners, are critical.

    “The authorities’ plan to resume growth-friendly fiscal consolidation in FY25/26 is welcome and will require steadfast implementation of revenue measures and strict cash management and commitment controls to ensure that spending is consistent with revenue outturns. Implementing contingency measures would also be essential to compensate for any budget over-run in FY24/25. In the medium term, decisive implementation of fiscal reforms including the new medium-term revenue strategy and public financial management reforms will be important to meet development needs while maintaining debt sustainability.

    “Continued efforts are needed to fully operationalize the new interest rate-based monetary policy framework. Monetary operations could be strengthened by improving liquidity forecasting capacity and operation of standing facilities and addressing segmentation and counterparty credit risk in the interbank cash market. The recent increase in exchange rate flexibility is welcome and should continue to be a key pillar of the new monetary policy framework. Ongoing efforts to upgrade financial supervision will help enhance financial stability and deepening.

    “Amid strong demographic pressures, achieving resilient and inclusive long-term growth requires accelerated human capital development through increased and more efficient public spending on education and health. At the same time, structural reforms in the areas of public sector governance, business regulation, and access to finance, as well as climate change-related reforms, are critical to foster private sector development and job creation, enhance economic resilience and reduce prospective balance of payments risks.”

    Executive Board Assessment[3]

    Executive Directors agreed with the thrust of the staff appraisal. They welcomed Tanzania’s continued robust growth, subdued inflation, and improved external balance. While they agreed that the medium-term outlook is favorable, they noted downside risks, including from an uncertain external environment, declining aid flows, and potential delays in reform implementation. They emphasized that the authorities’ commitment to reforms under the ECF and RSF programs will be critical to safeguard macro financial stability and achieve more resilient and inclusive long-term growth. Continued engagement and capacity development support by the Fund and other international partners also remain essential.

    Directors welcomed the authorities’ commitment to resume growth friendly fiscal consolidation in FY25/26. They concurred that stepped-up efforts to enhance domestic revenue mobilization in line with the recently approved medium term revenue strategy, and to strengthen public financial and investment management, will be critical to create space for priority development needs and safeguard debt sustainability. They called for prudent budget execution in an election year and enforcement of commitment controls to control spending. They welcomed the continued progress in reducing domestic arrears.

    Directors agreed that a neutral or mildly stimulative monetary policy stance remains appropriate at this juncture but encouraged the authorities to stand ready to adjust this stance if inflation pressures emerge. They called for continued efforts to improve monetary policy effectiveness, including strengthening monetary and liquidity management operations, policy communication, and central bank independence. They underscored the importance of greater exchange rate flexibility for cushioning the economy against external shocks and encouraged the removal of legacy exchange rate restrictions and Multiple Currency Practices. They welcomed the recent adoption of Basel II & III supervisory and regulatory standards and encouraged the authorities to continue upgrading the financial supervision framework and closely monitoring risks.

    Directors called for accelerated structural reforms to promote sustainable private sector led growth and job creation. They urged the authorities to improve the efficiency of tax administration, ease the regulatory burden, promote access to finance, close gender gaps, and upgrade infrastructure. They also highlighted the pressing need to increase human capital through increased and more efficient public spending on education and health, as well as on social safety nets. Directors commended the authorities’ efforts to strengthen the AML/CFT framework and encouraged them to formalize risk-based AML/CFT supervision in the real estate sector. They welcomed the progress made in strengthening climate resilience through the RSF supported reforms.

    It is expected that the next Article IV consultation with Tanzania will be held in accordance with the Executive Board decision on consultation cycles for members with Fund arrangements.

    Tanzania: Selected Economic Indicators

    2022/23

    2023/24

    2024/25

    Act.

    Est.

    Proj.

    Output

    Real GDP growth (%) 1

    4.9

    5.3

    5.7

    Calendar year real GDP growth (%) 2

    5.1

    5.5

    6.0

    Prices

    Inflation – average (%)

    4.6

    3.1

    3.3

    Central government finances

    Revenue (% GDP) 3

    15.0

    15.5

    16.3

    Expenditure (% GDP)

    19.3

    18.6

    19.7

    Fiscal balance (% GDP)

    -4.3

    -3.2

    -3.4

    Public debt (% GDP)

    45.9

    49.2

    48.5

    Money and credit

    Broad money (% change)

    18.8

    10.9

    11.1

    Credit to private sector (% change)

    22.2

    16.1

    12.5

    3-month Treasury bill interest rate (%)

    6.5

    6.8

    …

    Balance of payments

    Current account (% GDP)

    -6.6

    -3.5

    -2.6

    FDI (% GDP)

    2.0

    2.1

    2.1

    Reserves (in months of imports)

    4.0

    3.8

    3.8

    External public debt (% GDP)

    29.7

    32.9

    32.8

    Exchange rate

    REER (% change)

    3.3

    -10.3

    …

    Sources: Tanzanian authorities and IMF staff estimates and projections.

    1 All data refer to fiscal years (July-June).

    2 Fiscal year 2022/23 corresponds to calendar year 2023.

    3 Includes grants.

    [1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. Staff hold separate annual discussions with the regional institutions responsible for common policies in four currency unions—the Euro Area, the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union, the Central African Economic and Monetary Union, and the West African Economic and Monetary Union. For each of the currency unions, staff teams visit the regional institutions responsible for common policies in the currency union, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the currency union’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis of discussion by the Executive Board. Both staff’s discussions with the regional institutions and the Board discussion of the annual staff report will be considered an integral part of the Article IV consultation with each member.

    [2] Under the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, publication of documents that pertain to member countries is voluntary and requires the member consent. The staff report will be shortly published on the https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/TZA page.

    [3] At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chairman of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summings up can be found here: http://www.IMF.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Kwabena Akuamoah-Boateng

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

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/27/pr25225-tanzania-imf-concl-2025-aiv-consultation-comp-5th-rev-ecf-arr-2nd-rev-rsf-arrangement

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bonamici, Balint, Frost Introduce Legislation to Improve Access to Care and Services for LGBTQI+ Seniors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

    WASHINGTON, DC [06/27/25] – Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Becca Balint (D-VT), and Maxwell Frost (D-FL) introduced legislation to improve the long-term health and care of LGBTQI+ seniors. 

    Decades of marginalization and institutional barriers have left LGBTQI+ seniors with fewer sources of support, higher poverty rates, increased social isolation, and inadequate access to health care. Many of these seniors enter their golden years with the detrimental physical and emotional health effects of having lived through a lifetime of discrimination. The Ruthie and Connie LGBTQI Elder Americans Act would help overcome these barriers by decreasing isolation, improving health, and increasing access to culturally competent services and supports. 

    The legislation is named for Ruthie Berman and Connie Kurtz, long-time advocates for LGBTQI+ equality. Connie fought for the rights of LGBTQI+ older adults until her death in 2018. Ruthie, her widow, continues to serve as a champion for the cause.

    “Decades of discrimination have left many LGBTQI+ seniors without the support and resources they need to stay healthy as they age,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “LGBTQI+ seniors are resilient, and they deserve to enjoy full, vibrant lives with the support they need to thrive. I’m grateful for Ruthie and Connie’s advocacy on behalf of LGBTQI+ seniors, and I’m glad to lead this legislation in their honor to provide LGBTQI+ seniors specialized access to care and services without discrimination.”

    “LGBTQI+ Americans are facing an overwhelming rise in attacks in the face of a hateful administration,” said Congresswoman Becca Balint. “And our LGBTQI+ seniors are being left behind with fewer supports, higher poverty and social isolation rates, and inaccessible health care. We owe it to our seniors to ensure they have access to the care and services they need. I’m proud to join Reps. Bonamici and Frost in uplifting the needs of LGBTQ+ seniors and celebrating the work of Ruthie Berman and Connie Kurtz.”

    “Like all Americans, our LGBTQ+ elders deserve to be able to live their golden years with the peace and security of quality, affordable care and a community that loves and respects them,” said Congressman Maxwell Frost. “In honor of the incredible work of Florida’s own Ruth and Connie, we must act as LGBTQ+ seniors face poverty and isolation to ensure they can live their lives free of discrimination.”

    The legislation is endorsed by: Congressional Equality Caucus, SAGE, Human Rights Campaign, Justice in Aging, and Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE).

    “SAGE is honored to cosponsor the Ruthie and Connie LGBTQI Elder Americans Act, which addresses a critical need: support for the ever-growing number of LGBTQ+ Americans who are over 60,” said SAGE CEO Michael Adams. “By permanently establishing the National Resource Center on LGBTQI Aging, aging service providers will have access to a wealth of resources, information, and tools to help them create welcoming and affirming environments for LGBTQ+ participants.”

    LGBTQI+ seniors now face additional obstacles from an administration that seeks to disenfranchise them and their community. Because of these profound challenges, LGBTQI+ seniors require specialized services and support that are scarce and severely underfunded in every part of the country. 

    The Ruthie and Connie LGBTQI Elder Americans Act would:

    • Include LGBTQI+ older adults among women, rural, and racial and ethnic minorities as a population with the greatest economic and social needs under OAA;
    • Permanently establish the National Resource Center on LGBTQI Aging to provide critical resources, information, and tools for aging service providers to better address the needs of LGBTQI+ seniors;
    • Require the Assistant Secretary of Aging to oversee data collection for LGBTQI+ adults, their needs, and efficacy of state aging resources to meet those needs.
    • Require the long-term care ombudsman to collect and analyze data regarding LGBTQI+ discrimination; and,
    • Prioritize grants for organizations working to improve LGBTQI+ health, long-term care, and access to culturally responsive services.

    The legislation in the House is cosponsored by Representatives Becca Balint (D-VT), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Summer Lee (D-PA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Dina Titus (D-NV), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ed Case (D-HI), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Sean Casten (D-IL), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Andre Carson (D-IN), Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA), Henry “Hank” Johnson (D-GA), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), and Lateefah Simon (D-CA).

    A fact sheet about the legislation can be found here, and the text of the legislation can be found here.

    Bonamici also Chairs the Congressional LGBTQI+ Equality Caucus’ LGBTQI+ Aging Issues Task Force, and led the last two bipartisan updates to the Older Americans Act.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Tweaks around the edges won’t fix the terrible Welfare Bill

    Source: Party of Wales

    Plaid Cymru publish response to UK Government welfare consultation

    Plaid Cymru has published its response to the UK Government’s Pathways to Work consultation, condemning Labour’s proposed welfare reforms as “a direct attack on some of the most vulnerable people in our society” and “an insult to the post-industrial Welsh communities Labour claims to represent.”

    The party’s Work and Pensions spokesperson Ann Davies MP said the proposed Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill would cause “grave hardship” to disabled people, particularly young people with mental health conditions, and risks replicating the worst injustices of previous Conservative regimes.

    Plaid Cymru has criticised the concessions announced on 26 June – including exemptions for existing PIP claimants and temporary protections for some UC recipients – as “inadequate sticking plasters on a fundamentally flawed agenda.” The party warned that creating a two-tier system between existing and future claimants does not eliminate injustice, but delays and redistributes it.

    Wales, where around 30% of the population is disabled and the poverty rate among disabled adults is among the highest in the UK, stands to suffer the most. Yet the Labour UK Government has refused to publish a Wales-specific impact assessment.

    Ms Davies said that “if the Welsh Government have a backbone, they will oppose this terrible bill in its entirety.”

    Ann Davies MP said:

    “The current system already fails too many people. But instead of meaningful reform that helps the sick and disabled play the most active role possible in society, the Labour Government’s plan is to make it even harder for disabled people to access vital support. This is a direct attack on some of the most vulnerable people in our society, and an insult to the post-industrial Welsh communities Labour claims to represent.

    “The so-called concessions announced this week are no more than sticking plasters on a fundamentally flawed bill. There is no fairness in protecting existing claimants while penalising those who become disabled in the future. People do not choose when to get sick or disabled, and so arbitrary cutoff dates make no sense.

    “These proposals would cause grave hardship to disabled people and young people with mental health conditions, and they risk replicating the worst injustices of past Conservative welfare systems.

    “The economic hit to Wales will be disproportionate, and the Labour UK Government’s refusal to publish a Wales-specific impact assessment is a slap in the face to the people of Wales. If the Welsh Government have a backbone, they will oppose this terrible bill in its entirety.

    “The UK Government may have offered short-term concessions, but tweaks around the edges won’t fix a broken system. What we need is investment in inclusive employment, individualised support, and long-term savings through genuinely fair welfare – not cuts that push people further into hardship.

    “Our response to the consultation outlines why Plaid Cymru MPs will be voting against this Bill at second reading next week.”

    Ends.

    Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working – Plaid Cymru Consultation Response

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2025 Article IV consultation and First Review Under the Extended Fund Facility for El Salvador

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    June 27, 2025

    • The IMF Executive Board concluded El Salvador’s 2025 Article IV consultation and completed the first review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement, allowing for an immediate disbursement of SDR 86.16 million (about US$118 million).
    • Program performance has been solid, with the economy continuing to expand as macroeconomic imbalances are being addressed.
    • Key fiscal and international reserve targets were met with margins and progress continues with the ambitious reform agenda in the areas of governance, transparency, and financial resilience.

    Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded El Salvador’s 2025 Article IV consultation[1] and completed the first review of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement. Completion of this review allows immediate disbursement of SDR 86.16 million (about US$118 million), bringing total disbursements under this arrangement to SDR 172.32 million (about US$231 million). The authorities have consented to the publication of this Staff Report.[2]

    El Salvador’s 40-month EFF arrangement was approved by the Executive Board on February 26, 2025, with total access of SDR 1,033.92 million (about US$1.4 billion or 360 percent of quota). The program remains focused on strengthening public finances, rebuilding external and financial buffers, and enhancing governance and transparency frameworks to create the conditions for stronger and more resilient growth.

    Program performance has been solid, with the economy continuing to expand as macroeconomic imbalances are being addressed. Key fiscal and international reserve targets were met with margins and progress continues with the ambitious reform agenda in the areas of governance, transparency, and financial resilience. Specifically, in the context of the first review, (i) a new Fiscal Sustainability Law has been enacted; (ii) a presidential decree limiting exceptions to the Procurement Law has been issued; (iii) financial information on the largest state-owned enterprises has been published; and (iv) information on public contracts has been made more accessible. Steps continue to be taken to mitigate Bitcoin associated risks and unwind the public sector’s participation in Chivo.

    The 2025 Article IV consultation focused on policies to boost medium-term growth and resilience. Special attention was given to policies to support foreign direct investment, employment and exports, while considering the implications of a more challenging external backdrop.

    Following the Executive Board discussion on El Salvador, Mr. Nigel Clarke, Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair, issued the following statement:

    “El Salvador’s economic program, supported by the Extended Fund Facility arrangement, had an auspicious start. Notably, the economy continues to expand, inflation has further moderated, and the current account deficit has narrowed amid efforts to address macroeconomic imbalances. Fiscal consolidation remains on track, external and financial buffers are being rebuilt, and governance and transparency reforms are proceeding in line with program commitments. In light of rising external risks, agile policy making and contingency planning remain essential to protect program objectives, including in the context of the dollarization regime.

    “Efforts to strengthen public finances must continue, especially through a further rationalization of the wage bill and other current spending. Beyond this year, comprehensive reforms to the civil service and pension reforms are needed to safeguard fiscal consolidation and protect priority social and infrastructure spending. Meanwhile, continued efforts to mobilize official support will help further reduce reliance on bank and pension fund financing and support private sector credit.

    “Sustained efforts are needed to rebuild financial sector buffers and enhance oversight and regulation. The steady implementation of the planned increases in banks’ reserve requirements and liquidity buffers is critical to enhancing resilience and preserving financial stability. These efforts should be complemented by enhancements in the oversight of banks as well as nonbank financial institutions.

    “Steps to strengthen governance and transparency must continue. A consistent and evenhanded application of the new Anti-Corruption Law remains critical, alongside efforts to reinforce the AML/CFT framework in line with international best practices. Boosting confidence and investment requires elevating standards of fiscal reporting and transparency about public contracts, and improved access to public information. Focused efforts should be considered to support foreign direct investment and address infrastructure gaps, including through well-designed public-private partnerships and investor protection schemes.

    “Bitcoin risks should continue to be mitigated. An early unwinding of the public sector’s participation in the government’s e-wallet (Chivo) remains critical, and efforts should continue to keep the public sector’s holdings of Bitcoin unchanged, and to improve the oversight of crypto assets to enhance consumer and investor protection.”

    Executive Board Assessment[3]

    Executive Directors agreed with the thrust of the staff appraisal. They commended the Salvadoran authorities for the strong ownership and satisfactory performance under the Fund‑supported program and welcomed the continued efforts to address macroeconomic imbalances. Directors noted, however, downside risks related to escalating global trade tensions and tighter immigration policies elsewhere, which could negatively impact remittances and growth. Against this backdrop, Directors emphasized the importance of sustaining the reform momentum to safeguard macroeconomic stability and durably address El Salvador’s longstanding structural challenges and encouraged the authorities to stand ready to activate contingency plans as needed.

    Directors underscored the need to sustain fiscal consolidation by further rationalizing the wage bill and containing current expenditures to secure space for priority social and infrastructure spending and put debt firmly on a downward trajectory. They concurred that contingency measures to broaden tax revenues and streamline tax expenditures could also be considered. Directors welcomed the new Fiscal Responsibility Law and agreed that developing and implementing civil service and pension reforms and further strengthening public financial management are essential to underpin the fiscal adjustment over the medium term. Continuing to mobilize official external support would help reduce reliance on bank and pension fund financing and support private sector credit.

    While noting that the financial system remains sound, Directors emphasized the importance of further rebuilding financial sector buffers and strengthening oversight and regulation. They agreed that implementing the new Financial Stability Law and improving the supervision and governance of nonbank financial institutions in line with best practices are also key. Directors encouraged mitigating risks from the use of Bitcoin and boosting the oversight of crypto assets. They stressed the need to unwind the public sector’s participation in the government e‑wallet (Chivo) and to not increase overall Bitcoin holdings by the public sector and underscored the importance of clear and consistent communication in this regard. Directors also emphasized the need to enhance the autonomy of the central bank and strengthen its capital position and boost international reserves.

    Directors underscored the importance of advancing structural reforms to unlock El Salvador’s growth potential. They recommended further strengthening governance and transparency and, in this regard, encouraged enhancing the AML/CFT framework in line with FATF recommendations, securing the consistent and evenhanded application of the new anti‑corruption framework, and strengthening the transparency of public information, including in the procurement process. Noting that the improvements in domestic security offer a unique opportunity to further boost growth, Directors welcomed the authorities’ Long‑term Growth Strategy and encouraged reforms to raise productivity, improve the investment climate, and enhance financial inclusion. They welcomed ongoing efforts to reduce red tape and logistics costs, as well as plans to address large infrastructure and human capital gaps, with support of the private sector. Directors also encouraged strengthening resilience to climate‑related shocks.

    It is expected that the next Article IV consultation with El Salvador will be held in accordance with the Executive Board decision on consultation cycles for members with Fund arrangements.

    Table 1. El Salvador: Selected Economic Indicators

    I. Social Indicators

    Rank in UNDP Development Index 2021 (of 189)

    125

    		  

    Population (million, 2022)

    6.3

    Per capita income (U.S. dollars, 2022)

    5,366

    Life expectancy at birth in years (2021)

    71

    Percent of pop. below poverty line (2021)

    24.6

    		  

    Gini index (2019)

    		  

    39
                   

    II. Economic Indicators (percent of GDP, unless otherwise indicated)

    2020

    2021

    2022

    2023

    2024

    (Est.)

    2025

    (Proj.)

    2026

    (Proj.)

    Income and Prices

    		              

    Real GDP growth (percent)

    -7.9

    11.9

    2.9

    3.5

    2.6

    2.5

    2.5

    Consumer price inflation (average, percent)

    -0.4

    3.5

    7.2

    4.0

    0.9

    1.0

    1.8

    GDP Deflator (percent)

    0.7

    4.1

    6.6

    2.6

    1.8

    0.8

    2.2
                   

    Money and Credit

    		              

    Credit to the private sector

    65.3

    61.1

    62.6

    61.9

    62.5

    66.1

    69.1

    Broad money

    69.4

    60.9

    58.0

    59.5

    58.8

    59.1

    58.1

    Interest rate (time deposits, percent)

    4.2

    4.1

    4.5

    5.3

    5.6

    …

    …
                   

    External Sector

    		              

    Current account balance 

    1.1

    -4.3

    -6.7

    -1.1

    -1.8

    -0.8

    -2.1

    Trade balance

    -20.2

    -27.3

    -30.0

    -26.2

    -26.9

    -27.0

    -26.0

    Transfers (net)

    24.0

    26.1

    24.5

    24.2

    23.7

    25.2

    23.0

    Foreign direct investment (net)

    0.0

    -1.3

    -0.4

    -2.0

    -1.8

    -2.1

    -2.3

    Gross international reserves (mill. of US$)

    3,083

    3,426

    2,696

    3,081

    3,706

    4,252

    4,762
                   

    Nonfinancial Public Sector

    		              

    Overall balance

    -8.2

    -5.5

    -2.7

    -4.7

    -4.5

    -3.0

    -2.1

    Primary balance

    -3.8

    -1.0

    2.0

    -0.1

    0.0

    1.9

    2.9

    Of which: tax revenue

    18.3

    19.9

    20.1

    19.8

    20.6

    21.2

    21.2

    Gross debt 1/

    95.4

    88.0

    83.7

    85.1

    87.5

    88.0

    86.6
                   

    National Savings and Investment

    		              

    Gross capital formation

    17.2

    23.4

    24.5

    20.7

    20.3

    22.0

    21.6

    Private fixed investment 2/

    14.7

    21.0

    19.3

    18.8

    19.4

    19.7

    19.7

    National savings

    18.3

    19.0

    17.7

    19.6

    18.6

    21.1

    19.5

    Private sector

    23.9

    21.4

    18.3

    20.4

    19.4

    20.9

    18.4
                   

    Net Foreign Assets of the Financial System

    		              

    Millions of U.S. dollars

    3,618

    3,022

    1,488

    1,565

    2,298

    2,442

    2,730
                   

    Memorandum Items

    		              

    Nominal GDP (billions of US$)

    24.9

    29.0

    31.9

    33.9

    35.4

    36.5

    38.3
                   

    Sources: Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador, Ministry of Finance, and IMF staff estimates.

    1/ Nonfinancial public sector, including CIP-A pension bonds.

    2/ Excludes changes in inventories.

    [1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

    [2] Under the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, publication of documents that pertain to member countries is voluntary and requires the member consent. The staff report will be shortly published on https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/SLV.

    [3] At the conclusion of the discussion, the Managing Director, as Chairman of the Board, summarizes the views of Executive Directors, and this summary is transmitted to the country’s authorities. An explanation of any qualifiers used in summings up can be found here: http://www.IMF.org/external/np/sec/misc/qualifiers.htm.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Brian Walker

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

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2025/06/27/imf-concludes-2025-article-iv-consultation-and-first-review-under-the-eff-for-el-salvador

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Access to school canteens in Sicily and the use of ESF+ and NRRP funds – E-001981/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The Commission acknowledges the situation regarding school canteens in Sicily and is working closely with Italy to ensure the effective implementation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan[1]. Investment 1.2[2] supports the construction or renovation of canteen spaces for at least 1 000 structures[3].

    This would allow schools to extend school time, increase the educational offer and keep schools open beyond school hours. The Commission will assess its implementation via the target for ‘Structures to host students beyond school time’[4], whose completion is expected by Q2 2026.

    The European Social Fund + (ESF+) regional programme (RP) in Sicily contributes to combat education poverty and improve access to essential services.

    Under its specific objective 4.5[5], the RP launched in 2023 the call ‘Open schools for the territory’[6], making available EUR 27 million[7] to enhance training provision, supporting students at risk of failure and dropout, and promoting schools as cultural hubs. The call also supports access to school canteens, covering the costs of meals for students participating to afternoon activities.

    The ESF+ contributes to the implementation of the Child Guarantee through targeted actions and structural reforms to tackle child poverty.

    To this end, Italy has earmarked EUR 1.1 billion of ESF+ resources, with roughly EUR 25 million[8] to be invested in Sicily. The Commission regularly monitors these funds to ensure goals are met.

    Member States have developed national plans for the Child Guarantee, also overseen by the Commission. Through these efforts, the ESF+ strives to break the cycle of poverty and provide every child with equal opportunities, a crucial aspect for the effective implementation of the Child Guarantee, particularly in regions like Sicily.

    • [1] https://commission.europa.eu/business-economy-euro/economic-recovery/recovery-and-resilience-facility/country-pages/italys-recovery-and-resilience-plan_en.
    • [2] Plan for the extension of full-time under Mission 4, Component 1.
    • [3] The Council Implementing Decision (CID) does not envisage a specific distribution of such structures across Italian regions. It is therefore within the Member State’s remit to decide the allocation of such structures over the national territory.
    • [4] M4C1-21, part of the 10th payment request: ‘At least 1 000 structures are built or upgraded to facilitate the extension of school time and the opening of schools to the territory beyond school hours’.
    • [5] ESO 4.5 ‘Improving the quality, inclusiveness, effectiveness and labour market relevance of education and training systems, including through the validation of non-formal and informal learning, to support the acquisition of key competences, including entrepreneurial and digital skills, and promoting the introduction of dual training systems and apprenticeships (ESF+)’.
    • [6] Avviso 10/2023: https://www.sicilia-fse.it/avvisi-e-bandi/pr-fse-2021-2027/avviso-10-2023.
    • [7] EUR 9 million annually for three consecutive school years 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26.
    • [8] On top of this specific allocation for Sicily, the ESF+ national programmes ‘Social inclusion’ and ‘School and skills’ also contribute to the Child Guarantee across Italy, including in Sicily.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: UK: ‘Superficial’ revisions to PIP bill ‘fail to stand up to human rights checks’

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Amnesty International UK has warned that the UK government’s revised welfare proposals remain fundamentally flawed and risk pushing thousands into poverty, particularly disabled people and those on low incomes. Amnesty is urging MPs not to make concessions on people’s human rights. 

    Despite proposed changes limiting certain cuts to the new Personal Independence Payment claimants, Amnesty says the Bill remains discriminatory and falls short of basic human rights standards.

    Jen Clark, Amnesty International UK’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Lead, said:

    “The revised changes to the PIP bill are nothing more than a superficial attempt to get MPs to vote through this cruel and harmful piece of legislation.

    “The new draft continues to fail on human rights checks – it will deepen poverty, entrench discrimination, and create a two-tier welfare system that cannot be justified under any circumstances.

    “Freezing or cutting benefits for new claimants doesn’t prevent poverty, it pushes more people into it, while entrenching income inequality across generations.

    “These proposals are not human rights compliant. They are being rushed through without proper scrutiny, transparency or engagement with those who stand to lose the most.

    “We urge MPs to stand firm against a Bill that continues to discriminate, harm, and marginalise.”

    Amnesty raised alarm over the following unresolved concerns in the Bill:

    • Cuts, freezes and eligibility changes will still push people into poverty, even if some are limited to new claimants.
    • A two-tier system is being created – an unjustifiable move that will deepen inequality, particularly for younger and future claimants in high areas of deprivation.
    • PIP assessments remain discriminatory and unfit for purpose, yet MPs are being asked to vote without any guarantees that the upcoming review will deliver meaningful change.
    • No meaningful consultation with disabled people, whose lives will be directly affected.
    • No published human rights impact assessment, and the partial assessments that exist are of poor quality.

    Poverty is a political choice: Amnesty is calling on all MPs to stand firm and reject the current version of the Bill and to demand a full human rights impact assessment, meaningful consultation with disabled people, and genuine reforms that reduce poverty rather than deepen it.

    View latest press releases

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Reinforcing global partnerships for development finance: EIB Group in Seville

    Source: European Investment Bank

    The European Investment Bank Group (EIB) President Nadia Calviño, Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle and Andrew McDowell Director General of EIB Global, the group’s specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance, will be leading the EIB’s delegation to the 4th United Nations International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, Spain from Sunday, June 29th until Thursday, July 3rd.

    The EIB will announce new partnerships to boost g support for women’s health, entrepreneurship, and sustainable economic development across key global regions and sectors..contributing to the EU’s Global Gateway strategy for women’s empowerment and gender equality.

    The EIB will also join an initiative lead by the Government of Spain, the Debt Pause Clause Alliance, to promote debt pause clauses in vulnerable countries. In the past year, the EIB has introduced this possibility for more than 70 countries. The press conference on this will be livestreamed here on Tuesday July 1st at 3PM (CET).

    The EIB will join the initiative led by the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, which will focus on scaling up finance for climate-resilient social protection and smallholder agriculture, formalise a partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) to bridge investment gaps and increase the impact of multilateral project financing, and renew its memorandum of understanding with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to jointly transform food systems. The press conference on the initiative against poverty and hunger will be livestreamed here on Tuesday July 1st at 10:30AM (CET).

    Together with other multilateral development banks the EIB will launch a new report on water financing. As a top multilateral financier in the sector, the EIB will further strengthen its support for access to safe water for everyone, everywhere through its upcoming Water Resilience Programme, which foresees an investment of 15 billion euros from now to 2027. This is also in line with the commitment adopted by MDBs in December last year to significantly increase support for the water sector over the five years from 2025 to 2030, particularly in vulnerable regions. It serves as a great example of MDBs working together as a system.

    The EIB will also be convening, together with the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), multilateral development banks and private sector leaders to boost concrete action for scaling up private investment in emerging markets and developing economies.

    The EIB will also be unveiling several new financing deals, that are part of the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, and Memorandums of Understanding with partners across the world, including UN agencies and fellow multilateral development institutions. The EIB will also publish its 2024 Global Impact Report during the Summit.

    “This is a very timely opportunity to reinforce Europe’s global partnerships for prosperity, win-win outcomes and peace, and to ensure that the most vulnerable are not left behind,” said President Calviño.

    In case of interview requests for EIB’s principals in Seville, please contact: 

    Monica Faro (m.faro@eib.org, +34 678 37 7117)

    Shirin Wheeler (s.wheeler@eib.org, +32 474 242 494)

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lawler Joins Krishnamoorthi to Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Access to Mental Health Services for Children In Schools

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Washington, D.C — 6/26/25… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler joined Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) in introducing the Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act, bipartisan legislation with the goal of aiding schools in connecting students with the mental health services needed to succeed and thrive. Students and young people continue to face unprecedented mental health challenges inside and outside of school, with pressure and stress impacting Americans across the country. This legislation seeks to ensure all students, particularly those in underserved communities and under-resourced school districts, have access to appropriate and timely care.

    Also joining Congressman Krishnamoorthi in introducing this bipartisan bill are Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Congressman Greg Landsman (OH-01), and Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-08).

    “Students across the country are facing a growing mental health crisis, and we have a responsibility to ensure they’re not navigating it alone. The Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act will help break down barriers to care, especially for students in rural and underserved communities, by expanding access to telehealth in our schools. I’m proud to join Rep. Krishnamoorthi and our colleagues in delivering resources for our students and schools,” Congressman Lawler said.

    “Our school systems are lifelines of support when young people need mental health care and don’t know where to turn,” Congressman Krishnamoorthi said. “Currently, most American school districts are unequipped to support our children, but our Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act will fill in the gaps and connect young people with the mental health services they need. By investing in the mental health of America’s future generations, we are setting all students up for success, regardless of their background or where they live.”

    “The youth mental health crisis is one of the defining challenges of our time, and schools cannot tackle it without real support,” Congressman Fitzpatrick said. “The Connecting Students to Mental Health Services Act delivers targeted, high-impact resources—especially for underserved communities—to ensure students get the care they need. As Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force, my priority is to advance solutions like this that strengthen our system and ensure every student has a clear path to support, stability, and success.”

    “Getting students better access to mental health resources is so important,” Congressman Landsman said. “As a former teacher and the son of teachers, I’ve seen firsthand what’s happening in our classrooms – and know how much more we can do. Expanding access to care in our schools, especially through telehealth, will give our students what they need to be stronger and healthier. And when it’s easier to connect with professionals to work through what they’re facing, they’re in a much better position to succeed in school and life.”

    “As a mom of four, I know how essential providing mental health services to students is to their success. We need to make sure we are investing in America’s youth, and that starts with making sure they can succeed in the classroom,” Congresswoman Bynum said. “That’s why I’m so proud to introduce the Connecting Students with Mental Health Services Act which takes important steps towards providing this vital care to our students in rural and high-poverty areas, ensuring they have the resources they need to thrive now and for generations to come.”

    The legislation would support partnerships between public schools and community-based mental health providers by:

    • Establishing a grant program through the Department of Education to fund school-based mental health coordination initiatives;
    • Supporting the hiring and training of school mental health professionals and liaisons;
    • Helping schools create referral pathways to community providers and expand access to tele-mental health options.

    The legislation has been endorsed by leading mental health and education organizations, including the School Superintendents Association (AASA), National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of Elementary School Principals, and National Association of Social Workers.

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

    ###

    Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Climate, conflict and energy security – our research shows how the EU’s industrial policy must change to face this polycrisis

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Bärnthaler, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Ecological Economics, University of Leeds

    Green energy sites like Flevoland in the Netherlands will be part of the EU’s industrial future. fokke baarssen/Shutterstock

    Industrial policy is back – it’s currently central to the agendas of both the EU and the UK. This resurgence comes amid a polycrisis marked by climate breakdown, social inequality, energy insecurity and geopolitical instability. And it reflects a wider shift. Governments across G20 countries are stepping in more actively to shape their economies, moving away from the idea that markets should be left to run themselves.

    This is an important development. But current frameworks for industrial policy risk deepening the crises they are meant to solve.

    In our research with Sebastian Mang of the New Economics Foundation, we have found that in the case of the EU, its industrial policy framework is riddled with contradictions.

    It seeks resilience, yet fails to strengthen essential public services that underpin stability. It aims for strategic autonomy, yet reinforces resource dependencies. And while it gestures towards sustainability, it remains tethered to private-sector strategies that delay the phase-out of harmful industries.

    Eroding foundations

    EU industrial policy aims to strengthen the resilience of the bloc’s single market by preventing supply chain disruptions. It rightly views Europe’s economy as an interconnected ecosystem, where shocks in one sector ripple across others. But it fails to prioritise the foundational sectors that sustain everyday life. These include essential services such as food, utilities, housing, healthcare and public transport.

    Two core issues drive this failure. First, deregulation in the single market has often extended to essential services, pushing providers to operate like private businesses. For example, liberalisation of the energy sector has contributed to volatile prices and energy poverty. And EU competition law and state aid rules have historically constrained social housing provision.

    Yet social resilience — the capacity of communities to withstand and recover from crises — and, by extension market resilience, rely on these essential services. But affordable housing, universal healthcare and affordable energy for households are often not prioritised.

    Second, EU industrial policy lacks a clear definition of which sectors are “critical” and why. This results in inconsistent lists of priority industries and technologies, while foundational sectors like energy and housing often remain overlooked.

    These blind spots have real consequences. Around 40% of Europe’s workforce is employed in foundational sectors. These sectors are where low-income households spend about two-thirds of their income. Yet they often remain precarious and undervalued, leaving Europe more exposed to economic shocks.

    To build real resilience, industrial policy must reassert public control over essential services and recognise them as priorities. This means redefining what counts as “critical”, supporting jobs in foundational sectors and accelerating public investment. This investment could be enabled through measures such as reforming the fiscal rules and with joint borrowing by member states.

    The scramble for resources

    Europe is pushing for strategic autonomy (the capacity of the bloc to act in strategically important areas, without being dependent on non-member countries). The aim is to reduce reliance on imports in key industries such as green technology.

    But to make this happen, the EU should put reducing demand for resources and energy at the centre of its industrial policy. Instead, however, its Critical Raw Materials Act foresees skyrocketing consumption of rare earths, lithium and other inputs.

    This strategy is self-defeating. It increases the likelihood of European aggression towards the rest of the world and ultimately threatens long-term security and peace for all. These tensions are already surfacing. Export restrictions on things such as nickel, cobalt and rare earth minerals are multiplying. In an era of geopolitical ruptures, these tendencies are likely to intensify.

    At the same time, resource conflicts are also escalating within Europe itself. Tensions are emerging in countries including Serbia, Portugal and Greece over lithium and copper, and the environmental and social costs of mining them. And indigenous communities such as the Sámi in northern Europe face threats to their land and rights.

    This is not to argue against increasing the extraction of raw materials within Europe. However, without an absolute reduction in energy and material use, these contradictions will deepen. To avoid these problems, the EU must centre industrial policy on reducing unnecessary demand. Some key moves could include investing in public transport instead of subsidising cars, prioritising retrofitting over new building, ending planned obsolescence and backing agro-ecology over industrial farming.

    Investing in public rather than private transport will help European nations reduce their demand on energy and materials.
    The Global Guy/Shutterstock

    Research shows that this kind of strategy could significantly lower Europe’s energy use. It could also drastically cut reliance on critical imports and contribute to achieving energy independence by 2050. This is all without compromising basic quality of life.

    If Europe wants peace and security, demand reduction is a rational approach that must be at the heart of the EU’s industrial strategy. This should be adopted alongside strengthening ties of cooperation and integration with the rest of Eurasia and the global south, rather than ramping up antagonism towards these neighbours.

    Green transition

    The EU’s vision of “competitive sustainability” rests on the belief that market incentives and the private sector can drive the green transition. Yet despite decades of efficiency improvements, high-income countries have not decoupled material use and emissions from economic growth at the speed and scale required.

    The EU remains reliant on derisking – using public subsidies, guarantees and looser regulations to make green investments attractive to private finance. But as this approach leaves both the pace and direction of change to private capital, it slows the phase-out of harmful industries.

    What’s missing is more effective economic planning to restore public control over decarbonisation. Achieving this means building on existing mechanisms capable of delivering change — such as public credit guidance. This sets rules to limit the flow of finance from commercial banks to damaging sectors while directing investment toward sustainable ones.

    China offers an example whereby the central bank has used public credit guidance to shift finance to cleaner sectors. The European Central Bank also experimented with credit guidance between 2022 and 2023, introducing climate scores for companies. And post-war France used planned credit to modernise infrastructure over two decades.

    Europe and the UK are rearming, climate shocks are intensifying and global power dynamics are shifting. This moment demands a new industrial strategy — one that prioritises foundational sectors and creates fiscal space to build resilience. Reducing demand must be a prerequisite for security, peace and strategic autonomy. And reviving economic planning tools, such as public credit guidance, can accelerate the green transition.

    Without these shifts, Europe and the UK face an increasingly unstable future. Industrial policy must change because the stakes are existential.

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

    – ref. Climate, conflict and energy security – our research shows how the EU’s industrial policy must change to face this polycrisis – https://theconversation.com/climate-conflict-and-energy-security-our-research-shows-how-the-eus-industrial-policy-must-change-to-face-this-polycrisis-259477

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Climate, conflict and energy security – our research shows how the EU’s industrial policy must change to face this polycrisis

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Bärnthaler, Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Ecological Economics, University of Leeds

    Green energy sites like Flevoland in the Netherlands will be part of the EU’s industrial future. fokke baarssen/Shutterstock

    Industrial policy is back – it’s currently central to the agendas of both the EU and the UK. This resurgence comes amid a polycrisis marked by climate breakdown, social inequality, energy insecurity and geopolitical instability. And it reflects a wider shift. Governments across G20 countries are stepping in more actively to shape their economies, moving away from the idea that markets should be left to run themselves.

    This is an important development. But current frameworks for industrial policy risk deepening the crises they are meant to solve.

    In our research with Sebastian Mang of the New Economics Foundation, we have found that in the case of the EU, its industrial policy framework is riddled with contradictions.

    It seeks resilience, yet fails to strengthen essential public services that underpin stability. It aims for strategic autonomy, yet reinforces resource dependencies. And while it gestures towards sustainability, it remains tethered to private-sector strategies that delay the phase-out of harmful industries.

    Eroding foundations

    EU industrial policy aims to strengthen the resilience of the bloc’s single market by preventing supply chain disruptions. It rightly views Europe’s economy as an interconnected ecosystem, where shocks in one sector ripple across others. But it fails to prioritise the foundational sectors that sustain everyday life. These include essential services such as food, utilities, housing, healthcare and public transport.

    Two core issues drive this failure. First, deregulation in the single market has often extended to essential services, pushing providers to operate like private businesses. For example, liberalisation of the energy sector has contributed to volatile prices and energy poverty. And EU competition law and state aid rules have historically constrained social housing provision.

    Yet social resilience — the capacity of communities to withstand and recover from crises — and, by extension market resilience, rely on these essential services. But affordable housing, universal healthcare and affordable energy for households are often not prioritised.

    Second, EU industrial policy lacks a clear definition of which sectors are “critical” and why. This results in inconsistent lists of priority industries and technologies, while foundational sectors like energy and housing often remain overlooked.

    These blind spots have real consequences. Around 40% of Europe’s workforce is employed in foundational sectors. These sectors are where low-income households spend about two-thirds of their income. Yet they often remain precarious and undervalued, leaving Europe more exposed to economic shocks.

    To build real resilience, industrial policy must reassert public control over essential services and recognise them as priorities. This means redefining what counts as “critical”, supporting jobs in foundational sectors and accelerating public investment. This investment could be enabled through measures such as reforming the fiscal rules and with joint borrowing by member states.

    The scramble for resources

    Europe is pushing for strategic autonomy (the capacity of the bloc to act in strategically important areas, without being dependent on non-member countries). The aim is to reduce reliance on imports in key industries such as green technology.

    But to make this happen, the EU should put reducing demand for resources and energy at the centre of its industrial policy. Instead, however, its Critical Raw Materials Act foresees skyrocketing consumption of rare earths, lithium and other inputs.

    This strategy is self-defeating. It increases the likelihood of European aggression towards the rest of the world and ultimately threatens long-term security and peace for all. These tensions are already surfacing. Export restrictions on things such as nickel, cobalt and rare earth minerals are multiplying. In an era of geopolitical ruptures, these tendencies are likely to intensify.

    At the same time, resource conflicts are also escalating within Europe itself. Tensions are emerging in countries including Serbia, Portugal and Greece over lithium and copper, and the environmental and social costs of mining them. And indigenous communities such as the Sámi in northern Europe face threats to their land and rights.

    This is not to argue against increasing the extraction of raw materials within Europe. However, without an absolute reduction in energy and material use, these contradictions will deepen. To avoid these problems, the EU must centre industrial policy on reducing unnecessary demand. Some key moves could include investing in public transport instead of subsidising cars, prioritising retrofitting over new building, ending planned obsolescence and backing agro-ecology over industrial farming.

    Investing in public rather than private transport will help European nations reduce their demand on energy and materials.
    The Global Guy/Shutterstock

    Research shows that this kind of strategy could significantly lower Europe’s energy use. It could also drastically cut reliance on critical imports and contribute to achieving energy independence by 2050. This is all without compromising basic quality of life.

    If Europe wants peace and security, demand reduction is a rational approach that must be at the heart of the EU’s industrial strategy. This should be adopted alongside strengthening ties of cooperation and integration with the rest of Eurasia and the global south, rather than ramping up antagonism towards these neighbours.

    Green transition

    The EU’s vision of “competitive sustainability” rests on the belief that market incentives and the private sector can drive the green transition. Yet despite decades of efficiency improvements, high-income countries have not decoupled material use and emissions from economic growth at the speed and scale required.

    The EU remains reliant on derisking – using public subsidies, guarantees and looser regulations to make green investments attractive to private finance. But as this approach leaves both the pace and direction of change to private capital, it slows the phase-out of harmful industries.

    What’s missing is more effective economic planning to restore public control over decarbonisation. Achieving this means building on existing mechanisms capable of delivering change — such as public credit guidance. This sets rules to limit the flow of finance from commercial banks to damaging sectors while directing investment toward sustainable ones.

    China offers an example whereby the central bank has used public credit guidance to shift finance to cleaner sectors. The European Central Bank also experimented with credit guidance between 2022 and 2023, introducing climate scores for companies. And post-war France used planned credit to modernise infrastructure over two decades.

    Europe and the UK are rearming, climate shocks are intensifying and global power dynamics are shifting. This moment demands a new industrial strategy — one that prioritises foundational sectors and creates fiscal space to build resilience. Reducing demand must be a prerequisite for security, peace and strategic autonomy. And reviving economic planning tools, such as public credit guidance, can accelerate the green transition.

    Without these shifts, Europe and the UK face an increasingly unstable future. Industrial policy must change because the stakes are existential.

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

    – ref. Climate, conflict and energy security – our research shows how the EU’s industrial policy must change to face this polycrisis – https://theconversation.com/climate-conflict-and-energy-security-our-research-shows-how-the-eus-industrial-policy-must-change-to-face-this-polycrisis-259477

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Balint Joins Bonamici and Frost to Introduce Legislation to Improve Access to Care and Services for LGBTQI+ Seniors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Becca Balint (VT-AL)

    Today Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Becca Balint (D-VT), and Maxwell Frost (D-FL) introduced legislation to improve the long-term health and care of LGBTQI+ seniors.

    Decades of marginalization and institutional barriers have left LGBTQI+ seniors with fewer sources of support, higher poverty rates, increased social isolation, and inadequate access to health care. Many of these seniors enter their golden years with the detrimental physical and emotional health effects of having lived through a lifetime of discrimination. The Ruthie and Connie LGBTQI Elder Americans Act would help overcome these barriers by decreasing isolation, improving health, and increasing access to culturally competent services and supports.

    The legislation is named for Ruthie Berman and Connie Kurtz, long-time advocates for LGBTQI+ equality. Connie fought for the rights of LGBTQI+ older adults until her death in 2018. Ruthie, her widow, continues to serve as a champion for the cause.

    “Decades of discrimination have left many LGBTQI+ seniors without the support and resources they need to stay healthy as they age,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “LGBTQI+ seniors are resilient, and they deserve to enjoy full, vibrant lives with the support they need to thrive. I’m grateful for Ruthie and Connie’s advocacy on behalf of LGBTQI+ seniors, and I’m glad to lead this legislation in their honor to provide LGBTQI+ seniors specialized access to care and services without discrimination.”

    “LGBTQI+ Americans are facing an overwhelming rise in attacks in the face of a hateful administration,” said Congresswoman Becca Balint. “And our LGBTQI+ seniors are being left behind with fewer supports, higher poverty and social isolation rates, and inaccessible health care. We owe it to our seniors to ensure they have access to the care and services they need. I’m proud to join Reps. Bonamici and Frost in uplifting the needs of LGBTQ+ seniors and celebrating the work of Ruthie Berman and Connie Kurtz.”

    “Like all Americans, our LGBTQ+ elders deserve to be able to live their golden years with the peace and security of quality, affordable care and a community that loves and respects them,” said Congressman Maxwell Frost. “In honor of the incredible work of Florida’s own Ruth and Connie, we must act as LGBTQ+ seniors face poverty and isolation to ensure they can live their lives free of discrimination.”

    The legislation is endorsed by: Congressional Equality Caucus, SAGE, Human Rights Campaign, Justice in Aging, and Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE).

    “SAGE is honored to cosponsor the Ruthie and Connie LGBTQI Elder Americans Act, which addresses a critical need: support for the ever-growing number of LGBTQ+ Americans who are over 60,” said SAGE CEO Michael Adams. “By permanently establishing the National Resource Center on LGBTQI Aging, aging service providers will have access to a wealth of resources, information, and tools to help them create welcoming and affirming environments for LGBTQ+ participants.”

    LGBTQI+ seniors now face additional obstacles from an administration that seeks to disenfranchise them and their community. Because of these profound challenges, LGBTQI+ seniors require specialized services and support that are scarce and severely underfunded in every part of the country.

    The Ruthie and Connie LGBTQI Elder Americans Act would:

    • Include LGBTQI+ older adults among women, rural, and racial and ethnic minorities as a population with the greatest economic and social needs under OAA;
    • Permanently establish the National Resource Center on LGBTQI Aging to provide critical resources, information, and tools for aging service providers to better address the needs of LGBTQI+ seniors;
    • Require the Assistant Secretary of Aging to oversee data collection for LGBTQI+ adults, their needs, and efficacy of state aging resources to meet those needs.
    • Require the long-term care ombudsman to collect and analyze data regarding LGBTQI+ discrimination; and,
    • Prioritize grants for organizations working to improve LGBTQI+ health, long-term care, and access to culturally responsive services.

    The legislation in the House is cosponsored by Representatives Becca Balint (D-VT), Maxwell Frost (D-FL), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), Summer Lee (D-PA), Jared Huffman (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Dina Titus (D-NV), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Ed Case (D-HI), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Sean Casten (D-IL), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Andre Carson (D-IN), Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA), Henry “Hank” Johnson (D-GA), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), and Lateefah Simon (D-CA).

    A fact sheet about the legislation can be found here, and the text of the legislation can be found here.

    Bonamici also Chairs the Congressional LGBTQI+ Equality Caucus’ LGBTQI+ Aging Issues Task Force, and led the last two bipartisan updates to the Older Americans Act.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Lagos plastics ban is a bold step forward, not a threat to industry

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Lagos, Nigeria — Greenpeace Africa and the Nigeria Climate Justice Movement strongly reject the self-serving Manufacturers Association of Nigeria’s (MAN) opposition to the proposed ban on single-use plastics in Lagos State. We stand firmly with the Lagos State Government in its bold move to tackle plastic pollution—an urgent environmental and public health crisis.

    MAN’s claim that the plastics ban would harm Nigeria’s petrochemical and manufacturing sectors, increase unemployment, and worsen poverty is not only misleading, it ignores the environmental urgency and economic opportunity that such a policy presents. MAN has made suggestions on recycling” and “waste management” as alternatives to the ban. We state clearly: that is corporate greenwashing.

    This is not an attack on business, it is a call to evolve. The proposed ban is a necessary intervention to protect public health, restore ecosystems, and unlock new opportunities through innovation and sustainable production. Manufacturers now stand at a crossroads: the chance to pioneer sustainable innovation or risk being left behind in a rapidly evolving global market.

    Nigeria generates an estimated 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste every year. Less than 10 percent of this is recycled. For decades, plastic production in Nigeria has operated under the veil of “industrial progress.” But progress for who? While a few manufacturers celebrate quarterly profits, millions of Nigerians are forced to live with the aftermath. 

    The rest clogs drainage systems, pollutes coastlines, poisons food chains, litters communities, and contributes to flooding and disease outbreaks. Most single-use plastics, such as carrier bags and styrofoam, are not designed to be recycled and often end up in landfills, oceans, or incinerated—releasing toxic chemicals into the environment.

    Plastic pollution is not just an environmental crisis. It is a human rights issue. You cannot recycle your way out of a problem you are actively expanding.

    Communities located near petrochemical plants and waste disposal sites are exposed to dangerous pollutants that increase the risk of cancer, respiratory diseases, and developmental disorders. These health burdens fall disproportionately on low-income and marginalised communities. Continuing with business-as-usual is no longer an option.

    MAN’s assertion that bans devastate industries is contradicted by real-world evidence. In Kenya, the 2017 plastic bag ban led to the growth of new businesses in the production of reusable bags and packaging. It did not result in mass layoffs, but rather a wave of job creation and local innovation. In Lagos, the 2024 ban on styrofoam and selected single-use plastics has already encouraged entrepreneurs to explore safer alternatives.

    Greenpeace Africa calls on the Lagos State Government to maintain its leadership and accelerate the implementation of the proposed ban. The state can support a just transition by offering incentives to manufacturers that invest in safe, affordable, and scalable alternatives. This will help build local industries, reduce production costs over time, and ensure accessible solutions for informal traders and everyday consumers.

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria must recognise that the future of business lies in sustainability. We reject the tired narrative that environmental regulation threatens livelihoods. The trope has been weaponised for decades by fossil fuel lobbyists and polluters worldwide.

    Reuse and refill systems, biodegradable packaging, and circular economy models offer pathways for growth that align with both market trends and public expectations. It is time to move beyond outdated arguments and embrace innovation that benefits people and the planet.

    As Nigeria plays a key role in global negotiations for a binding plastics treaty and holds significant influence within ECOWAS, it must lead by example. Domestic policies must reflect the ambition the country presents on the international stage.

    You cannot call for global action on plastic pollution while resisting local change. Nigeria’s credibility and leadership depend on what we do at home. This ban is a vital step in the right direction.

    Signed by;

    1. BluerAfrica

    2. African Research Centre for Climate and Environmental Justice (ARCCEJ)

    3. Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA)

    4. Centre for Blue Economy Research and Development Ltd/Gte

    5. GreenYouth Environmental Sustainability Network (GESN)

    6. Women Environmental Programme (WEP).

    7. Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy & Development (FENRAD)

    8. Greenpeace Africa

    9. Keep The Ocean Clean Initiative (KOCI)

    10. Surge Africa

    ENDS

    Media Contact:

    Ferdinand Omondi, Communication and Story Manager, Greenpeace Africa, Email: [email protected], Cell: +254 722 505 233

    Greenpeace Africa Press Desk: [email protected]

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: World Bank Group and IAEA formally launch cooperation on nuclear energy for development

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency –

    The World Bank Group and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have signed an agreement to work together to support the responsible use of nuclear energy in developing countries, based on safety and security principles. The partnership agreement, signed by World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, formalizes numerous contacts between the two organizations over the past year and marks the first concrete step in decades by the World Bank Group to resume cooperation on nuclear energy.

    Moreover, the agreement reflects the World Bank Group’s new, broader approach to electrification – one that prioritizes affordability, affordability, and reliability, as well as responsible emissions management. With electricity demand in developing countries estimated to more than double by 2035, this approach aims to help countries meet their populations’ energy needs in ways that best fit their national context, including development goals and nationally determined contributions.

    Nuclear power provides continuous baseload power while increasing grid stability and resilience. Reliable baseload power is essential for many job-creating sectors, including infrastructure, agribusiness, healthcare, tourism and manufacturing. Nuclear power also provides high-skilled jobs and stimulates investment in the wider economy. It can also adapt to changes in electricity demand and support frequency regulation, enabling greater integration of variable renewables.

    “Jobs need electricity. So do factories, hospitals, schools, and water supplies. As demand grows — driven by both artificial intelligence and development challenges — we must help countries ensure reliable, affordable electricity. That’s why we see nuclear power as part of the solution — and why we’re revisiting it as part of the World Bank Group’s portfolio of ways to help developing countries realize their ambitions. Nuclear power also provides baseload power, the foundation on which modern economies are built,” said World Bank Group President Ajay Banga. “Our partnership with the IAEA marks an important step in that direction, and I’m grateful to Rafael for his personal commitment and leadership in making this possible. Together, we will expand our expertise, support countries as they choose nuclear power, and ensure that future work is guided by nuclear safety, security, and sustainability.”

    “Today’s agreement is a significant milestone and the culmination of a year of work together since President Ajay Banga kindly invited me to the World Bank Group Executive Board meeting in Washington last June,” said IAEA Director General Grossi. “This landmark partnership, another sign of the world’s return to realism on nuclear energy, opens the door to other multilateral development banks and private investors who see nuclear energy as a viable tool for energy security and sustainable prosperity. Together, we can help more people build a better future.”

    Under the memorandum of understanding signed today, the IAEA will cooperate with the World Bank Group in three key areas:

    Building nuclear knowledge – to enhance the World Bank Group’s understanding of nuclear safety, security, safeguards, energy planning, emerging technologies, fuel cycles, plant life cycles and waste management; Extending the lives of existing nuclear power plants – to support developing countries in safely extending the lives of existing nuclear power plants, which are one of the most cost-effective sources of low-carbon energy, given that many of the world’s nuclear plants are approaching the end of their original 40-year design lives; Advanced SMR technologies – to accelerate the development of small modular reactors (SMRs), which offer flexible deployment options, lower upfront costs and the potential for widespread deployment in developing economies.

    Nuclear power plants currently operate in 31 countries, collectively accounting for about 9% of the world’s electricity generation, or nearly a quarter of all low-carbon generation. More than 30 other countries, most of them developing countries, are considering or are already introducing nuclear power and are working with the IAEA to establish the necessary infrastructure to implement nuclear safety, security, and sustainability principles in this area.

    “SMRs have enormous potential for clean, reliable energy systems and poverty alleviation, but funding hurdles remain,” added Director General Grossi. “Today’s agreement is an important first step to clearing the way for them.”

    About the World Bank Group: The World Bank Group is dedicated to achieving a world free from poverty on a planet fit for habitation, using a combination of financing, knowledge, and expertise. It comprises the World Bank, including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA); the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). For more information, visitVBV.Vorldbank.org,Ida. Voraldbank.org/EN/Hyome,BBV Miga.org,BBV. ifk.org AndGDV. Iks.vorldbank.org.

    About the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): The IAEA is an international organization whose aim is to promote the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and prevent its use for military purposes. The IAEA supports its Member States in building a reliable and resilient infrastructure based on the principles of nuclear safety and security, and applies safeguards to verify the peaceful use of nuclear materials and technology.

    Contacts:

    The World Bank Group (London): David Young, 1 (202) 473-4691,Döung7@vorldbankgroup.org

    International Atomic Energy Agency (Vienna): Jeffrey Donovan, 43 699 165 22443,jrdonovan@iaea.org

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Labour’s disability cuts rebellion: a former government whip asks, how did Keir Starmer not see this coming?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tony McNulty, Lecturer/Teaching Fellow, British Politics and Public Policy, Queen Mary University of London

    Under pressure. Flickr/UK Parliament, CC BY-NC-ND

    The government has promised to make major concessions to its universal credit and personal independence payment bill after a large-scale and very public rebellion by Labour MPs threatened to derail a vote due on July 1.

    The Commons order paper published on June 26 revealed that 126 Labour MPs had signed an amendment opposing a second reading for the bill, which proposes restricting disability benefits to levels they find unacceptable. Cleverly, the amendment stated that they accept “the need for the reform of the social security system” but they then listed a plethora of reasons as to why they declined to give the bill a second reading when it is due for a vote on July 1.

    Many of these reasons related to the government’s own assessment of the impact of the bill. It openly admits, for example, that an estimated 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, would be pushed into poverty by the changes being made to the social security system.

    Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

    Sign up for our weekly politics newsletter, delivered every Friday.

    Faced with the possibility of losing a vote to his own MP in the week marking the first anniversary of his arrival in Downing Street, prime minister Keir Starmer is promising to make concessions. These reportedly include exempting people currently receiving disability benefits from the changes.

    But whether or not this is enough to stop the rebellion, significant damage has been done. Securing the second reading on half-promised and lukewarm concessions that cannot be sustained simply stores up future strife.

    Collision course

    How did the government reach a position where it was at risk of losing a vote on one of its key bills in the week in which it celebrates a year in office? Why has it been pushing a bill so obviously lacking in support among its own MPs? Why has no-one rolled with the political pitch and controlled the narrative?

    This is not a muscle flexing exercise of the kind seen in December 1997, when Labour sought to show how tough it could be by cutting benefits for lone parents. It is not a macho attempt to see off a resurgent left flank, because effectively there isn’t one. The troublesome hard left is now tiny. Nor is it a putative rebellion that can be dismissed as dominated by the usual suspects. It is a rebellion of the mainstream core of the backbench parliamentary Labour party (PLP). Among the 126 MPs openly speaking out against the bill, 11 are Labour select committee chairs and 62 of them were only elected last year. In short, these are not the usual suspects. Their complaints cannot be readily dismissed.

    There were allegedly noises off from some whips suggesting this might be a confidence issue – implying that the government could be in trouble so pressure is being piled on rebels to withdraw or risk bringing down the government. I was a government whip from 1999 to 2002, and I can attest that no whip should be running around declaring this a potential “confidence vote”. And no MP should believe that it is. It is not. Were there to be any truth in these rumours then it indicates a whips’ office either vastly inexperienced, overconfident and arrogant, or simply grossly incompetent and panicked. Both the chief whip and the No.10 political operation will come under intense scrutiny whatever happens now. How did they not see this coming?

    The truth is that the only serious option at this point should be to bury the bill. It should be pulled before the vote and resurrected in the context of developing an anti-poverty strategy, including a child poverty alleviation plan. It might be that a sufficient number of “rebel signatories” are persuaded to let the second reading happen with a promise of further changes building on the concessions already announced, but this does not mean a safe passage later in the process. Many of the signatories will have already been disheartened and worried by the scrapping of the winter fuel allowance and the continuation of two-child benefit limit. They may have acquiesced on the latter and pocketed the change in policy on the former, but their disquiet and anger has not gone away.

    The government should never have been in a position of seriously considering pushing the bill through hoping it will secure Conservative support for its second reading. To do so would seriously threaten if not Starmer’s position, then certainly the position of the work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall – and even perhaps that of the chancellor, Rachel Reeves. All three will still emerge from this week damaged in some fashion.

    Rebellions such as this can take on a dynamic and life of their own and are likely to grow rather than diminish. Some 106 Labour MPs signed the amendment initially – only to be joined by more in short order. Backbenchers will have been worried about being asked “what did you do in the war?” by their grassroots members had they not enlisted their support.

    There is also a danger that once blooded by rebellion, some of the 120 plus MPs will get a taste for it – and that spells a real danger for the government, even one with a majority of 165.

    Either way, the government, which was relying on the bill to make £5bn worth of savings that would supposedly obviate the need for tax rises in the autumn, is going to have to somehow salvage both its economic and its political strategy in the wake of this crisis – and start to take its backbenchers more seriously.

    It’s not how anyone would have wanted to mark a year in office. Happy birthday, one and all.

    This article includes links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

    Tony McNulty is member of the Labour Party

    – ref. Labour’s disability cuts rebellion: a former government whip asks, how did Keir Starmer not see this coming? – https://theconversation.com/labours-disability-cuts-rebellion-a-former-government-whip-asks-how-did-keir-starmer-not-see-this-coming-259856

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Labour’s disability cuts rebellion: a former government whip asks, how did Keir Starmer not see this coming?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tony McNulty, Lecturer/Teaching Fellow, British Politics and Public Policy, Queen Mary University of London

    Under pressure. Flickr/UK Parliament, CC BY-NC-ND

    The government has promised to make major concessions to its universal credit and personal independence payment bill after a large-scale and very public rebellion by Labour MPs threatened to derail a vote due on July 1.

    The Commons order paper published on June 26 revealed that 126 Labour MPs had signed an amendment opposing a second reading for the bill, which proposes restricting disability benefits to levels they find unacceptable. Cleverly, the amendment stated that they accept “the need for the reform of the social security system” but they then listed a plethora of reasons as to why they declined to give the bill a second reading when it is due for a vote on July 1.

    Many of these reasons related to the government’s own assessment of the impact of the bill. It openly admits, for example, that an estimated 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, would be pushed into poverty by the changes being made to the social security system.

    Want more politics coverage from academic experts? Every week, we bring you informed analysis of developments in government and fact check the claims being made.

    Sign up for our weekly politics newsletter, delivered every Friday.

    Faced with the possibility of losing a vote to his own MP in the week marking the first anniversary of his arrival in Downing Street, prime minister Keir Starmer is promising to make concessions. These reportedly include exempting people currently receiving disability benefits from the changes.

    But whether or not this is enough to stop the rebellion, significant damage has been done. Securing the second reading on half-promised and lukewarm concessions that cannot be sustained simply stores up future strife.

    Collision course

    How did the government reach a position where it was at risk of losing a vote on one of its key bills in the week in which it celebrates a year in office? Why has it been pushing a bill so obviously lacking in support among its own MPs? Why has no-one rolled with the political pitch and controlled the narrative?

    This is not a muscle flexing exercise of the kind seen in December 1997, when Labour sought to show how tough it could be by cutting benefits for lone parents. It is not a macho attempt to see off a resurgent left flank, because effectively there isn’t one. The troublesome hard left is now tiny. Nor is it a putative rebellion that can be dismissed as dominated by the usual suspects. It is a rebellion of the mainstream core of the backbench parliamentary Labour party (PLP). Among the 126 MPs openly speaking out against the bill, 11 are Labour select committee chairs and 62 of them were only elected last year. In short, these are not the usual suspects. Their complaints cannot be readily dismissed.

    There were allegedly noises off from some whips suggesting this might be a confidence issue – implying that the government could be in trouble so pressure is being piled on rebels to withdraw or risk bringing down the government. I was a government whip from 1999 to 2002, and I can attest that no whip should be running around declaring this a potential “confidence vote”. And no MP should believe that it is. It is not. Were there to be any truth in these rumours then it indicates a whips’ office either vastly inexperienced, overconfident and arrogant, or simply grossly incompetent and panicked. Both the chief whip and the No.10 political operation will come under intense scrutiny whatever happens now. How did they not see this coming?

    The truth is that the only serious option at this point should be to bury the bill. It should be pulled before the vote and resurrected in the context of developing an anti-poverty strategy, including a child poverty alleviation plan. It might be that a sufficient number of “rebel signatories” are persuaded to let the second reading happen with a promise of further changes building on the concessions already announced, but this does not mean a safe passage later in the process. Many of the signatories will have already been disheartened and worried by the scrapping of the winter fuel allowance and the continuation of two-child benefit limit. They may have acquiesced on the latter and pocketed the change in policy on the former, but their disquiet and anger has not gone away.

    The government should never have been in a position of seriously considering pushing the bill through hoping it will secure Conservative support for its second reading. To do so would seriously threaten if not Starmer’s position, then certainly the position of the work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall – and even perhaps that of the chancellor, Rachel Reeves. All three will still emerge from this week damaged in some fashion.

    Rebellions such as this can take on a dynamic and life of their own and are likely to grow rather than diminish. Some 106 Labour MPs signed the amendment initially – only to be joined by more in short order. Backbenchers will have been worried about being asked “what did you do in the war?” by their grassroots members had they not enlisted their support.

    There is also a danger that once blooded by rebellion, some of the 120 plus MPs will get a taste for it – and that spells a real danger for the government, even one with a majority of 165.

    Either way, the government, which was relying on the bill to make £5bn worth of savings that would supposedly obviate the need for tax rises in the autumn, is going to have to somehow salvage both its economic and its political strategy in the wake of this crisis – and start to take its backbenchers more seriously.

    It’s not how anyone would have wanted to mark a year in office. Happy birthday, one and all.

    This article includes links to bookshop.org. If you click on one of the links and go on to buy something from bookshop.org The Conversation UK may earn a commission.

    Tony McNulty is member of the Labour Party

    – ref. Labour’s disability cuts rebellion: a former government whip asks, how did Keir Starmer not see this coming? – https://theconversation.com/labours-disability-cuts-rebellion-a-former-government-whip-asks-how-did-keir-starmer-not-see-this-coming-259856

    MIL OSI Analysis –