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Category: Child Poverty

  • MIL-Evening Report: US tariffs will upend global trade. This is how Australia can respond

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Felicity Deane, Professor of Trade Law, Taxation and Climate Change, Queensland University of Technology

    US President Donald Trump has imposed a range of tariffs on all products entering the US market, with Australian exports set to face a 10% tariff, effective April 5.

    These import taxes will be charged by US customs on each imported item. The punitive tariffs on 60 countries range as high as 34% on imports from China and 46% on Vietnam, and exceed the rates agreed between the United States and other global trade partners.

    “For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike,” Trump said.

    The impact on Australian industries will be both direct and indirect. The largest Australian export to the US is meat products, totalling A$4 billion in 2024, and our farmers may divert some product to other nations.

    Direct and indirect impacts

    The larger economic risk is to our regional trading partners.

    While Australia faces only 10% tariffs, our major trading partners China, Japan and South Korea all face much higher US tariffs under the new regime. So the risk of a manufacturing slowdown in those countries could dampen demand for Australia’s much larger exports – iron ore, coal and gas.

    Australian investors reacted swiftly, wiping 2.1% off the main stock market index, the S&P/ASX 200, in the first hour of trade.

    Another problem will be the disruption to global supply chains. It is not just finished products impacted. For instance, the 25% automobile tariff will be extended to auto parts on May 3. This means even if a car is entirely built in the US, it will still be more expensive because many components are imported.



    Read more:
    What are tariffs?

    What sectors has the US complained about?

    On April 1, the US released an annual trade report that identifies what it describes as “foreign trade barriers”. There was a long list of grievances with both tariff and non-tariff barriers identified.

    The report identified Australia’s biosecurity restrictions on meat, apples and pears. The Australian biosecurity rules do not directly ban any products, although in practice raw beef products are excluded.

    Trump singled out Australian beef in his speech. “They won’t take any of our beef,” he claimed.

    In a speech riddled with inaccuracies and falsehoods, this was one of them. Australia take shelf-stable US products, but not raw products for which consumer safety can not be assured.

    The US cited two other main Australian trade barriers. US drug companies have criticised the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme approvals processes. The Albanese government’s plan to strengthen the News Media Bargaining Code that requires tech companies to pay for news published on their platforms was also targeted.

    How can Australia respond?

    Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton are in agreement over what we should do in response. They say Australian law and policy is not up for sale. We don’t negotiate on biosecurity, we don’t negotiate on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme process, and our local news media deserves protection from Big Tech.

    1. All avenues start with negotiations

    The preferred option is for a negotiation with the US to secure an exemption.

    A dispute at the World Trade Organization (WTO) sends a strong message to our trading partners and will also mean there’s an expert adjudication on this unprecedented move.

    However, the US has sidelined the WTO in recent years and Albanese has ruled out this route.

    2. Consultation

    The second potential action is to initiate consultations under the Australia–US Free Trade Agreement. There is a formal process identified in the agreement to which Albanese referred, with a threat of “dispute resolution mechanisms”.

    Albanese has ruled out imposing “reciprocal tariffs” on US imports, noting this would only push up prices for Australian consumers.

    3. Find new markets

    Third, we can find other markets. Australian agricultural products are some of the most desirable in the world. Australian producers will have other options. Indeed, the latest data for beef exports showed exports to China jumped 43% from January, to Japan up 27%, and to South Korea up 60% from the previous month.

    What has the government said?

    Albanese announced a response package, including $50 million to help pursue new markets. He said the tariff announcement was “not the act of a friend” and had “no basis in logic”:

    It is the American people who will pay the biggest price for these unjustified tariffs. This is why our government will not be seeking to impose reciprocal tariffs.

    Albanese’s response contains only one direct trade measure. That is the plan to strengthen anti-dumping provisions on steel, aluminium and other manufacturing. This means countries looking to sell their products too cheaply in Australia will face countervailing duties. It is a measure that aligns with trade rules.

    The decision by the US to impose tariffs in this way shows complete disregard for the world trade order established after World War II.

    The rules that have existed since this time aimed to limit trade barriers (such as tariffs). They also recognised the importance of supporting developing countries to be part of the world economy.

    Some of the biggest US tariffs are to hit some of the lowest-income countries. This will impact their economies badly and disadvantage people already living in poverty.



    Read more:
    Why developing countries must unite to protect the WTO’s dispute settlement system

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

    – ref. US tariffs will upend global trade. This is how Australia can respond – https://theconversation.com/us-tariffs-will-upend-global-trade-this-is-how-australia-can-respond-253621

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: MENG, BENNET, FITZPATRICK, HAYES, GARBARINO, & NUNN INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN, BICAMERAL BILL ALLOWING SNAP TO COVER HOT & PREPARED FOODS

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Grace Meng (6th District of New York)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), along with Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), and Zach Nunn (R-IA), announced the introduction of their bipartisan, bicameral Hot Foods Act, which would permit the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to cover hot food purchases. 

    Currently, SNAP contains an outdated provision that limits purchases to food that needs to be prepared at home before it is consumed or specifically cold prepared foods. The Hot Foods Act would remove this prohibition and allow SNAP recipients to use their benefits to buy hot foods like prepared rotisserie chickens, hot sandwiches, soups and more.

     “Millions of American families rely on SNAP daily to put food on the table. It simply doesn’t make sense to restrict them from using their benefits to buy hot meals while allowing them to buy the exact same type of meal cold or frozen,” said Rep. Meng. “The Hot Foods Act removes this dated rule preventing people from purchasing hot foods with SNAP, giving flexibility to working parents, people with disabilities, and the many hard-working Americans who need to put food on the table every day. I am proud to work across the aisle to make this commonsense change.”

     “SNAP is one of the most effective tools for reducing food insecurity and combating poverty. It’s past time that Congress cuts unnecessary red tape in the program that prevents Americans from using their SNAP benefits to buy prepared and hot foods to feed their families,” said Senator Bennet. “This bill will make it easier for working families, single parents, people with disabilities, and seniors to put nutritious food on the table.”

    Of the more than 42 million SNAP participants, including 2.8 million New Yorkers, nearly 70 percent of them are children, elderly, or those with disabilities. The ability to purchase hot and ready-to-eat foods would provide much-needed flexibility to those who rely on this program to supplement their nutrition and dietary needs.

    “Millions of Americans rely on SNAP to help put healthy, nutritious food on the table — and they deserve the flexibility to use those benefits in ways that reflect real-life needs. For workers and families constantly on-the-go, prepared hot foods are often the most practical and accessible option. The Hot Foods Act is a commonsense, bipartisan solution that expands food choice, respects individual circumstances, and strengthens the impact of SNAP for those facing food insecurity every day. I’m proud to work across the aisle to deliver this long-overdue reform,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick.

    “Right now, a person receiving SNAP benefits cannot purchase hot foods, meaning if you are unhoused, living at a shelter, do not have adequate cooking faculties, or just don’t have time because of a nontraditional work schedule, then your benefits are no good to you for making healthy food choices like hot soup or a rotisserie chicken,” said Rep. Hayes. “SNAP should reflect modern grocery options instead of creating unnecessary barriers for recipients.”

    “A working mom trying to put food on the table for her kids can use SNAP to buy a cold sandwich—but not a hot bowl of soup or a rotisserie chicken. That just doesn’t make sense,” said Rep. Garbarino. “Outdated restrictions like this ignore the reality many families face. The Hot Foods Act is a commonsense reform that would give families more flexibility to purchase nutritious, ready-to-eat meals. I’m proud to co-lead this effort to ensure children have access to the healthy, hot meals they need.”

    “No family should have to choose between hunger and dignity,” said Rep. Nunn. “Iowans deserve the flexibility to use their nutrition benefits on warm, ready-to-eat meals that make life a little easier – especially for working parents.”

    “SNAP participants may purchase items like chicken, but not hot items such as rotisserie chicken. This doesn’t make sense and also creates challenges for those who lack access to a kitchen or have difficulty preparing their own meals, including older adults, people living with a disability, or those experiencing homelessness,” said Salaam Bhatti, SNAP director for the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC). “The Hot Foods Act would remove this barrier, improving SNAP participants’ access to food and alleviating the stress often associated with preparing meals with limited resources. We commend Congresswoman Meng and Senator Bennet for reintroducing this bill and urge Congress to pass this commonsense legislation.”

    “Children deserve access to nutritious food, without unnecessary stipulations or arbitrary barriers. Allowing SNAP recipients to purchase hot foods allows parents who may be working multiple jobs or experiencing housing insecurity to still provide hot and nutritious meals that their children need,” said Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus Campaign for Children. “Access to adequate nutrition is vital for our children’s health and well-being, and First Focus Campaign for Children applauds Rep. Meng and Sen. Bennet for ensuring that SNAP keeps food on kids’ tables, regardless of circumstances.”

    “SNAP is the most impactful hunger-relief program in the U.S., but there are steps lawmakers can take to modernize the program and make it work even better for eligible individuals and families,” said Vince Hall, Chief Government Relations Officer at Feeding America. “Feeding America supports the Hot Foods Act, which would give people the option to use their SNAP benefits to purchase hot and prepared foods. This important change would provide additional flexibility for families, seniors, and people with disabilities to choose the foods at the grocery store that best meet their dietary needs.”

    “It’s crazy that – under current federal law – a struggling American can use SNAP benefits to buy a cold rotisserie chicken but can’t obtain that the very same rotisserie chicken (at the same price) with SNAP benefits if happens to be heated up at the store,” said Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America. “Ditto for countless other types of low-cost, nutritious hot foods unallowable for SNAP recipients, many of whom are working people who don’t have a ton of time to cook or are people for whom cooking is a physical hardship. Ditto for countless other types of healthy, hot food prohibited in SNAP. We greatly appreciate that Rep. Meng leading efforts to end this silly, harmful policy.”

     “How Americans shop and eat has changed dramatically over the past 50 years, but SNAP policy hasn’t kept up with the times. The Hot Foods Act is a commonsense solution that gives low-income families the same flexibility that other consumers enjoy when purchasing meals,” said Henry Armour, president and CEO of the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS). “Allowing SNAP recipients to buy hot, prepared foods – like a rotisserie chicken or hot sandwich – means greater convenience, more nutritious food options and simplified compliance for SNAP retailers. We applaud Reps. Meng, Fitzpatrick, Garbarino, Hayes and Nunn for their leadership and urge Congress to pass this much-needed legislation.”

    Originally introduced by Rep. Meng in May 2023, this legislation has 78 cosponsors. It is supported by The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), First Focus Campaign for Children, Feeding America, Hunger Free America, and the National Association of Convenience Stores.

    A copy of the bill can be viewed here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “THE VOTERS REJECTED DONALD TRUMP, THEY REJECTED ELON MUSK AND THEY REJECTED THE RAPIDLY DETERIORATING REPUBLICAN BRAND”

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

    Washington, DC – Yesterday, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell where he emphasized that Democrats will continue to stand up for everyday Americans and push back against Republican efforts to break Social Security in order to give tax breaks to Elon Musk and their billionaire donors.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Joining us now is House Democratic Leader, Hakeem Jeffries. Thank you very much for joining us tonight. There is so much to talk about. Let’s begin as we wait for a victory speech in Wisconsin with what you’re seeing in those special elections in Florida for two House seats?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, good evening, Lawrence. Great to be with you. It was an incredible overperformance by the two Democratic candidates in two ruby-red districts, Florida-1, which Donald Trump won by 37 points and Florida-6, where Joshua Weil ran a great campaign in a district that Donald Trump had just won by 30 points. And what we’re seeing, of course, is something that we’ve seen all across the country since the early special elections that began in late January, and that is Democratic energy and overperformance, coupled with Independent swing voters and even moderate Republicans breaking for the Democratic candidate and rejecting the extremism, the outrageous behavior of this administration and their effort to harm everyday Americans.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: As you look at the Wisconsin result, this was something I did not expect to be discussing with you during this hour tonight. We expected this to be a closer race. We expected the call to come much later in the evening. We saw Elon Musk personally go out there. We saw him hand million dollar checks to voters trying to literally buy the election right there in Wisconsin. What does it tell Republican Members of the House of Representatives who were counting on Elon Musk to get them re-elected?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s time for them to walk away from this unelected, unpopular, unhinged and un-American billionaire puppet master. Elon Musk was just rejected decisively by the voters of Wisconsin. He tried to spend his unlimited resources to buy a state Supreme Court seat in Wisconsin, and it failed spectacularly. The voters rejected Donald Trump. They rejected Elon Musk, and they rejected the rapidly deteriorating Republican brand. We have to continue as Democrats to make it clear to everyday Americans that we are fighting to build an affordable economy and to drive down the high cost of living, while at the same time pushing back against Republican extremism and their efforts to cut Social Security, cut Medicare, cut Medicaid and undermine our democracy and the American way of life. Clearly, the American people are with us as it relates to what they are seeing in Washington, D.C., and we’ve now seen this in special elections in January, in February, in March, just recently in Pennsylvania and now, of course, decisively in April in Wisconsin.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: I want to ask you about what feels like a related event, especially at this hour, a related event to what voters are saying in these elections tonight. And that is what happened in the United States Senate today. And I worked in the Senate for many years, seven or eight years. And I can say that the Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives, never once set foot in the Senate chamber when I was there. All House Members, of course, as we know, have Floor privileges in the Senate. They can come in whenever they want to. It was extremely rare to see a House Member there. You were there today. Why did you decide to go there today? And what did it feel like to witness what turned out to be the history that Senator Cory Booker made in the Senate chamber today?

    LEADER JEFFRIES: It was a very powerful experience. I had the opportunity to visit the Senate chamber twice, initially earlier in the day, just to express my support and solidarity for Cory, who I’ve known a long time, we got started in politics around the same period of time, him in Newark, New Jersey, and myself across the river in Brooklyn, New York. We were in law school around the same time. And I’ve long admired him. But today was really Senator Cory Booker taking it to the next level on behalf of the American people. And indeed, I would argue, Lawrence, the free world. And so it was powerful to be on the Senate Floor with him earlier today. But then when it became clear that he had a chance to break Strom Thurmond’s record, I decided to change my schedule so I could be back on the Senate Floor to witness that history. Because here you have this incredible juxtaposition of Strom Thurmond having previously delivered the longest speech in Senate history in defense of Jim Crow and racial oppression, and Cory Booker, an African American man, defending democracy and the American way of life in the face of Trump’s extremism. Breaking that record was just powerful to witness. And, you know, Senator Booker’s speech was strong. It was substantive. But perhaps what was most touching about it was that it was soulful. It was authentic. It came from his heart. Of course, the brilliance of his mind. But it came from his heart.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: Yeah. It was the most fully authentic Cory Booker that I’ve ever seen. And I think there’s something about that 25 hours that wears as a person down and he was standing out there with no defenses that you might bring to other sort of public speaking events. And it was really an astonishing thing to watch. One of the things he was concentrating on, and one of the things that he was getting and all the emails that are being sent to him from around the country, was fear of what Elon Musk and Donald Trump are going to do to Social Security, and that is a fear that is as powerful as a voter could have in terms of an attachment to an important public program, the most popular public program in American governing history. I gotta think, even when you get to judicial elections in Wisconsin, if people are afraid of what’s going to happen to Social Security. They’re not going to be voting for the side that’s trying to knock it down.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely correct. And this is an area where there’s a clear distinction between what Democrats are all about and Republicans. We want to protect and strengthen Social Security. It’s an earned benefit. The American people have paid into Social Security throughout their entire working life. And the nerve of these Republicans, led by Donald Trump and Elon Musk, who want to take a chainsaw to Social Security, the most important anti-poverty program for older Americans ever invented, which also happens to be this earned benefit. And why they want to decimate Social Security? Because they want to actually give massive tax cuts to their billionaire donors, people like Elon Musk. And so I thought what Senator Booker did today was incredibly powerful in speaking to this issue. And as you know, Lawrence, in the House, we had a Democratic-led hearing on Social Security, the threats that it is under and our commitment as Democrats to protect it.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: And you did—I watched some of that hearing. And you did something at that hearing—I know you were present at the hearing—that Republicans would never do. You actually listened to Social Security recipients and people whose lives could not work without their Social Security check. There was a woman who testified. I saw her testifying that her Social Security check is $1,500 a month, $1,500 a month. And without that, she would be homeless and the stakes identified by the actual beneficiaries in that hearing were as clear and as powerful as you could ask for.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: That’s absolutely right. It’s one thing to say, and it is in fact true that there are a little over 70 million people who rely on Social Security as a major source of income, half of whom live by themselves here in the United States of America. But when you actually hear from people whose very life will be impacted and short-changed, possibly just cut short, in terms of their ability to live with the dignity and respect that every American deserves is very powerful. Republicans have no interest in these Americans telling their stories, which is why, as House Democrats, we will continue week after week to hold hearings. This is the third in a series of hearings that we’ve held. Initially it was on Medicaid. Last week we had a hearing on nutritional assistance and the fact that Republicans are literally trying to rip food out of the mouths of babies and children in this country. Today, Social Security and we’re going to continue to stay on this case.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: I mean, on the subject of Social Security. I would have to think that it was a factor in the results we’re seeing in those congressional races, those House races in Florida tonight.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: There’s no doubt about it. You know, Elon Musk was also very involved in these Florida races. And notwithstanding the fact that these are safe Republican districts, the results that we have seen can be interpreted, we believe, as a rejection of him and his extremism as well. This is somebody who has said he wants to take a chainsaw to Social Security, and he’s called Social Security a Ponzi scheme. It’s not a Ponzi scheme, Elon. He’s a living, breathing Ponzi scheme. Project 2025 is a Ponzi scheme. And that’s what the voters clearly believe increasingly all across the country. One point, Lawrence, that should have my Republican colleagues quaking in their boots—in the Florida-6 race, which was a Trump plus 30 district where margin was cut in half and we’ll see where it ultimately lands. But we know at minimum, it was cut in half to around 15 or 16 points. There are 60 Republicans in the House of Representatives who currently represent districts where Trump did worse than 15 or 16 points, and every single one of those districts, there’s now a target on the backs of those House Republicans.

    LAWRENCE O’DONNELL: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, thank you very much for joining us on this important night, I really appreciate it.

    Full interview can be watched here. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Supreme Court considers whether states may prevent people covered by Medicaid from choosing Planned Parenthood as their health care provider

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Naomi Cahn, Professor of Law, University of Virginia

    Planned Parenthood clinics, like this one in Los Angeles, are located across the United States. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

    Having the freedom to choose your own health care provider is something many Americans take for granted. But the Supreme Court is weighing whether people who rely on Medicaid for their health insurance have that right, and if they do – is it enforceable by law?

    That’s the key question at the heart of a case, Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, that began during President Donald Trump’s first term in office.

    “There’s a right, and the right is the right to choose your doctor,” said Justice Elena Kagan on April 2, 2025, during oral arguments on the case. John J. Bursch, the Alliance Defending Freedom lawyer who is representing South Carolina Director of Health and Human Services Eunice Medina, countered that none of the words in the underlying statute had what he called a “rights-creating pedigree.”

    As law professors who teach courses about health and poverty law as well as reproductive justice, we think this case could affect access to health care for 72 million Americans, including low-income people and their children and people with disabilities.

    Excluding Planned Parenthood

    The case started with Julie Edwards, who is enrolled in Medicaid and lives in South Carolina. After she struggled to get contraceptive services, she was able to receive care from a Planned Parenthood South Atlantic clinic in Columbia, South Carolina.

    Planned Parenthood, an array of nonprofits with roots that date back more than a century, is among the nation’s top providers of reproductive services. It operates two clinics in South Carolina, where Medicaid patients can get physical exams, cancer screenings, contraception and other services. It also provides same-day appointments and keeps long hours.

    In July 2018, however, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order that barred health care providers in South Carolina that offer abortions from reimbursement through Medicaid.

    That meant Planned Parenthood, a longtime target of conservatives’ ire, would no longer be reimbursed for any type of care for Medicaid patients, preventing Edwards from transferring all her gynecological care to that office as she had hoped to do.

    Planned Parenthood and Edwards sued South Carolina, claiming that the state was violating the federal Medicare and Medicaid Act, which Congress passed in 1965, by not letting Edwards obtain care from the provider of her choice.

    A ‘free-choice-of-provider’ requirement

    Medicaid operates as a partnership between the federal government and the states. Congress passed the law that led to its creation based on its power under the Constitution’s spending clause, which allows Congress to subject federal funds to certain requirements.

    Two years later, due to concerns that states were restricting which providers Medicaid recipients could choose, Congress added a “free-choice-of-provider” requirement to the program. It states that people enrolled in Medicaid “may obtain such assistance from any institution, agency, community pharmacy, or person, qualified to perform the service or services required.”

    This provision is at the core of this case. At issue is whether a civil rights statute provides a right for Medicaid beneficiaries to sue a state when their federal rights have been violated. Known as Section 1983, it was enacted in 1871.

    Bursch, backed by the Trump administration, argued before the court that the absence of words like “right” in the Medicaid provision that requires states to provide a free choice of provider means that neither Edwards nor Planned Parenthood has the authority to file a lawsuit to enforce this aspect of the Medicaid statute.

    Nicole A. Saharsky, Planned Parenthood’s lawyer, argued that the creation of a right shouldn’t depend on “some kind of magic words test.” Instead, she said it was clear that the Medicaid statute created “a right to choose their own doctor” because “it’s mandatory” that the state provide this option to everyone with health insurance through Medicaid.

    She also emphasized that Congress wanted to protect “an intensely personal right” to be able “to choose your doctor, the person that you see when you’re at your most vulnerable, facing … some of the most significant … challenges to your life and your health.”

    Restricting Medicaid funds

    Through a federal law known as the Hyde Amendment, Medicaid cannot reimburse health care providers for the cost of abortions, with a few exceptions: when a patient’s life is at risk or her pregnancy is due to rape or incest. Some states do cover abortion when their laws allow it, without using any federal funds.

    Therefore, Planned Parenthood only gets federal Medicaid funds for abortions in those limited circumstances.

    McMaster explained that he removed “abortion clinics,” including Planned Parenthood, from the South Carolina Medicaid Program because he didn’t want state funds to indirectly subsidize abortions.

    South Carolina “decided that Planned Parenthood was unqualified for many reasons, chiefly because they’re the nation’s largest abortion provider,” Bursch told the Supreme Court.

    But only 3% of Planned Parenthood’s services nationwide last year were related to abortion. Its most common service is testing for sexually transmitted diseases. Across the nation, Planned Parenthood provides health care to more than 2 million patients per year, most of whom have low incomes.

    South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster speaks to a crowd during an election night party on Nov. 3, 2020, in Columbia.
    Photo by Sean Rayford/Getty Images

    Section 1983

    Because the Medicaid statute itself does not allow an individual to sue, Edwards and Planned Parenthood are relying on Section 1983.

    Lower courts have repeatedly upheld that the Medicaid statute provides Edwards with the right to obtain Medicaid-funded health care at her local Planned Parenthood clinic.

    And the Supreme Court has long recognized that Section 1983 protects an individual’s ability to sue when their rights under a federal statute have been violated.

    In 2023, for example, the court found such a right under the Medicaid Nursing Home Reform Act. The court held that Section 1983 confers the right to sue when a statute’s provisions “unambiguously confer individual federal rights.”

    Consequences beyond South Carolina

    The court’s decision in the Medina case on whether Medicaid patients can choose their own health care provider could have consequences far beyond South Carolina. Arkansas, Missouri and Texas have already barred Planned Parenthood from getting reimbursed by Medicaid for any kind of health care. More states could follow suit.

    In addition, given Planned Parenthood’s role in providing expansive contraceptive care, disqualifying it from Medicaid could harm access to health care and increase the already-high unintended pregnancy rate in America.

    The ramifications, likewise, could extend beyond the finances of Planned Parenthood.

    If the court rules in South Carolina’s favor, states could also try to exclude providers based on other characteristics, such as whether their employees belong to unions or if they provide their patients with gender-affirming care, further restricting patients’ choices.

    Or, as Kagan observed, states could go the opposite direction and exclude providers that don’t provide abortions and so forth. What’s really at stake, she said, is whether a patient is “entitled to see” the provider they choose regardless of what their state happens to “think about contraception or abortion or gender transition treatment.”

    If the Supreme Court rules that Edwards does have a right to get health care at a Planned Parenthood clinic, the controversy would not be over. The lower courts would then have to decide whether South Carolina appropriately removed Planned Parenthood from Medicaid as an “unqualified provider.”

    And if the Supreme Court rules in favor of South Carolina, then Planned Parenthood could still sue South Carolina over its decision to find them to be unqualified.

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

    – ref. Supreme Court considers whether states may prevent people covered by Medicaid from choosing Planned Parenthood as their health care provider – https://theconversation.com/supreme-court-considers-whether-states-may-prevent-people-covered-by-medicaid-from-choosing-planned-parenthood-as-their-health-care-provider-253509

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Stuck in the past: Trump tariffs and other policies are dragging the U.S. back to the 19th century

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Eric Strikwerda, Associate Professor, History, Athabasca University

    During Donald Trump’s first term as president, the United States lurched from the absurdity of his lies to the use of his office for personal financial gain, his schoolyard insults and his utter contempt for critics. His term ended with his irresponsible and dangerous incitement of the assault on the Capitol building on Jan. 6, 2021.

    This time around, Trump is replying on outdated tools — tariffs, small government, territorial expansion and nationalism — to solve modern problems of globalization, wealth disparities, the decline of manufacturing jobs and exploitative capitalism.

    On April 2, he announced a baseline tariff of 10 per cent on all countries that import goods to the U.S., including Canada. Canada has also been hit with a 25 per cent levy on Canadian-made automobiles.

    The Trump administration’s current use of 19th-century tools to solve 20th-century problems that are wholly inappropriate for the 21st century threatens to take America back to the 19th century. This is an incredibly dangerous road for the U.S to take.

    The rise of the nation state

    The 19th century was marked by the rise of the nation-state — a single political entity united by geography, culture and language.

    This was, in many respects, the result of the rapidly industrializing world shifting away from monarchical rule and mercantile economics toward limited democratic rule and free-market capitalism.

    It was a time of tariffs, small government, territorial expansion and nationalism. It was also a time of mass migration from Europe to North America, where rampant nativism, colonialism and unchecked and exploitative capitalism shaped the landscape.

    The prevailing belief at the time was that nation-states should use tariffs, adopt isolationist policies to cut off the outside world and seize territory where possible. These measures, it was thought, would foster national unity and allow capitalism to thrive by letting the “invisible hand” of the marketplace work its magic.

    Protective tariffs promised to grow domestic industries, but the economic benefits were not evenly distributed. Wealth disparities grew wider as millions of immigrants arrived on North American shores, only to find deplorable living conditions in the cities and hardscrabble farmland out in the country.

    Some newcomers prospered, of course, but they tended to be those who arrived with money already in their pockets. And they fast learned how to exploit the lack of state-directed regulation, patches of corruption amid rapid western expansion and growing nativism and poverty to their own benefit.

    Many of the 20th century’s problems flowed from these 19th-century trends.

    The economic fallout of tariffs

    Following the financial Panic of 1873 and its ensuing economic depression in both Europe and North America, nation-states unleashed tariffs to protect their domestic economies. It was the wrong strategy to pursue, as it slowed trade even more by limiting the free flow of goods and capital. Money, as is now well-known, needs to move to grow.

    Working families chafed at the lack of labour protections like bargaining rights, health and safety measures, unemployment insurance and sick benefits. In response, they formed unions and initiated waves of strikes throughout the western industrialized world.

    Western North American farmers were furious that tariffs forced them to buy on protected markets while selling on unprotected ones subject to international market prices. They organized, too, by forming farmer co-operatives and backing movements like the Granger movement, populism and progressivism to protect their interests.

    Nation-states, warmed by rising nationalist fires, formed military-defence alliances across Europe and its colonial and former colonial holdings, including Canada. In 1914, these alliances led to the First World War, a global and industrial war the likes of which the world had never seen.

    The Great Depression

    By the 1930s, unrestricted and largely unregulated capitalism, together with astonishing wealth disparities and monopolistic tendencies, plunged the world into the decade-long Great Depression.

    Many governments’ initial response was to impose tariffs once again, and just as in 1873, they only made the problem worse. The simultaneous rise of fascism, which was largely nationalism run amok, brought the world to war again at the end of the decade, to devastating consequence.

    The post-war years saw a concerted international effort at using the nation-state to regulate domestic economies by investing in social services and programs and to rein in runaway capital when its excesses threatened stability.

    International bodies like the World Bank, the United Nations and the International Court of Justice were created to promote peace and stability. This new approach wasn’t always successful in its goals, but so far the world hasn’t seen any global hot wars or massive economic depressions.

    The end of history

    In 1992, historian Frances Fukuyama infamously declared that the world had reached “the end of history.”

    He didn’t mean that time stopped, of course. Instead, he was arguing that the liberal nation-state represented “the end-point of mankind’s ideological evolution and the universalization of western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.”

    In his view, the western industrialized world had reached the pinnacle of successful governance and unlimited prosperity.

    Yet, even as western liberal democracy was congratulating itself on its own success, these same nation-states, in conjunction with large corporations, were seeking out lower labour costs and greater profit in the developing world.

    The result was a hollowing-out of North America’s industrial heartlands, along with rampant exploitation of vulnerable labour in places like Asia, South Asia and South Central America. Once mighty American cities declined. Wages failed to keep up with inflation. Farm debt soared.

    This is where the Trump administration re-enters the story — tapping into the frustration and disillusionment of frustrated Americans by promising to restore a “golden age” that never was.

    Trump’s 19th-century playbook

    Despite his promises, Trump’s tariffs are unlikely to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. As history has shown, tariffs do not revive industries that are already gone; instead, they will only make Americans pay more for the things they need.

    A return to small government won’t “make America great again,” either. Instead, it risks repeating the 19th-century pattern of making the rich richer and gutting the very social programs millions of people rely on. The Trump administration’s massive and ongoing cuts to the Social Security Administration are already well under way.

    Trump’s rhetoric about territorial expansion, including threats to annex Greenland and Canada, won’t make the U.S. more secure. It will just exacerbate the sort of international tensions the world saw in 1914 and 1939.

    And with limited resources left to exploit, it’s becoming harder for capital to sustain itself, even as it seeks to wrest whatever is left from our planet, the realities of environmental catastrophe be damned.

    Nationalism, meanwhile, won’t foster a sense of national unity. It will only deepen existing divisions based on race and class. And if history is any guide, the consequences could be even more dire this time around, even pushing the world toward a global conflict unlike anything seen before.

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

    – ref. Stuck in the past: Trump tariffs and other policies are dragging the U.S. back to the 19th century – https://theconversation.com/stuck-in-the-past-trump-tariffs-and-other-policies-are-dragging-the-u-s-back-to-the-19th-century-253106

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Helps Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Eliminate Food Deserts, Increase Access to Healthy Food

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) have introduced legislation to eliminate food deserts and expand access to affordable and nutritious food by incentivizing food providers to expand access to healthy food options in underserved communities. The Healthy Food Access for All Americans (HFAAA) Act was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Emilia Sykes (Ohio-13) and Jennifer McLellan (Va.-04).                                                                                                                       
    “Many West Virginians struggle to access fresh, nutritious food to keep their families and communities well fed. I’m proud to reintroduce the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act, which will expand access to healthy foods through food banks and local grocery stores in rural communities across West Virginia and the nation,” Senator Capito said. 
    According to recent data, an estimated 18.8 million Americans live in what the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies as a “food desert.” Urban areas designated as food deserts lack a grocery store within one or more miles. Rural areas designated as food deserts lack a grocery store within ten or more miles. Studies have shown that Americans who live in communities with low-access to healthy food options are at higher risk for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
    Specifically, the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act – which defines a grocery market as a retail sales store with at least 35% of its selection (or forecasted selection) dedicated to selling fresh produce, poultry, dairy, and deli items – would encourage investment in food deserts across the country that have a poverty rate of 20% or higher, or a median family income of less than 80% of the median for the state or metro area. 
    It would grant tax credits or grants to food providers who service low-access communities and attain a “Special Access Food Provider” (SAFP) certification through the Treasury Department. Incentives would be awarded based on the following structure:
    New Store Construction – Companies that construct new grocery stores in a food desert will receive a one-time 15% tax credit after receiving certification.
    Retrofitting Existing Structures – Companies that make retrofits to an existing store’s healthy food sections can receive a one-time 10% tax credit after the repairs certify the store as an SAFP.
    Food Banks – Certified food banks that build new (permanent) structures in food deserts will be eligible to receive a one-time grant for 15% of their construction costs.
    Temporary Access Merchants – Certified temporary access merchants (i.e. mobile markets, farmers markets, and some food banks) that are 501(c)(3)s will receive grants for 10% of their annual operating costs.
    The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act boasts the support of numerous organizations, including: Feeding America, the National Grocers Association, and Share Our Strength.
    Bill text for the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Mobility poverty in the EU’s outermost regions – E-001290/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001290/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Sérgio Gonçalves (S&D), André Rodrigues (S&D)

    A recent study commissioned by Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism, entitled ‘Transport and tourism in outermost regions: assessing mobility poverty and the effects of new climate policies’, confirms that mobility poverty remains a major and persistent structural challenge in the EU’s outermost regions. This is aggravated by geographic isolation, underdeveloped transport infrastructure and additional burdens stemming from the implementation of new EU climate legislation.

    The study concludes that, in the absence of appropriate structural investment, the implementation of the ‘Fit for 55’ package risks deepening mobility poverty and undermining territorial cohesion, especially in archipelagic regions. Specifically, this would threaten the affordability and availability of essential transport services for residents and tourists alike.

    In the light of the above, can the Commission clarify whether it is considering:

    • 1.the establishment of a permanent support programme for transport specific to the outermost regions?
    • 2.making current derogations in transport-related climate legislation for outermost regions permanent, or introducing further flexibility in the application of these instruments?
    • 3.taking into account the additional costs incurred by the EU’s outermost regions for necessary infrastructure investment within the context of the future multiannual financial framework?

    Submitted: 27.3.2025

    Last updated: 2 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Garbarino, Meng, Fitzpatrick, Hayes, Nunn Introduce The Hot Foods Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Andrew Garbarino (R-NY)

    WASHINGTON, D.C.  – Today, Congressman Andrew R. Garbarno (R-NY-02) joined with Congesswoman Grace Meng (D-NY-06) and U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), along with Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), Jahana Hayes (D-CT-05), and Zach Nunn (R-IA-03), to announce the introduction of their bipartisan, bicameral Hot Foods Act, which would permit the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to cover hot food purchases. 

    Currently, SNAP contains an outdated provision that limits purchases to food that needs to be prepared at home before it is consumed or specifically cold prepared foods. The Hot Foods Act would remove this prohibition and allow SNAP recipients to use their benefits to buy hot foods like prepared rotisserie chickens, hot sandwiches, soups and more.

    “A working mom trying to put food on the table for her kids can use SNAP to buy a cold sandwich—but not a hot bowl of soup or a rotisserie chicken. That just doesn’t make sense,” said Rep. Garbarino. “Outdated restrictions like this ignore the reality many families face. The Hot Foods Act is a commonsense reform that would give families more flexibility to purchase nutritious, ready-to-eat meals. I’m proud to co-lead this effort to ensure children have access to the healthy, hot meals they need.”

    “Millions of American families rely on SNAP daily to put food on the table. It simply doesn’t make sense to restrict them from using their benefits to buy hot meals while allowing them to buy the exact same type of meal cold or frozen,” said Rep. Meng. “The Hot Foods Act removes this dated rule preventing people from purchasing hot foods with SNAP, giving flexibility to working parents, people with disabilities, and the many hard-working Americans who need to put food on the table every day. I am proud to work across the aisle to make this commonsense change.”

     “SNAP is one of the most effective tools for reducing food insecurity and combating poverty. It’s past time that Congress cuts unnecessary red tape in the program that prevents Americans from using their SNAP benefits to buy prepared and hot foods to feed their families,” said Senator Bennet. “This bill will make it easier for working families, single parents, people with disabilities, and seniors to put nutritious food on the table.”

    Of the more than 42 million SNAP participants, including 2.8 million New Yorkers, nearly 70 percent of them are children, elderly, or those with disabilities. The ability to purchase hot and ready-to-eat foods would provide much-needed flexibility to those who rely on this program to supplement their nutrition and dietary needs.

    “Millions of Americans rely on SNAP to help put healthy, nutritious food on the table — and they deserve the flexibility to use those benefits in ways that reflect real-life needs. For workers and families constantly on-the-go, prepared hot foods are often the most practical and accessible option. The Hot Foods Act is a commonsense, bipartisan solution that expands food choice, respects individual circumstances, and strengthens the impact of SNAP for those facing food insecurity every day. I’m proud to work across the aisle to deliver this long-overdue reform,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick.

    “Right now, a person receiving SNAP benefits cannot purchase hot foods, meaning if you are unhoused, living at a shelter, do not have adequate cooking faculties, or just don’t have time because of a nontraditional work schedule, then your benefits are no good to you for making healthy food choices like hot soup or a rotisserie chicken,” said Rep. Hayes. “SNAP should reflect modern grocery options instead of creating unnecessary barriers for recipients.”

    “No family should have to choose between hunger and dignity,” said Rep. Nunn. “Iowans deserve the flexibility to use their nutrition benefits on warm, ready-to-eat meals that make life a little easier – especially for working parents.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Eliminate Food Deserts and Increase Access to Healthy Food

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) have introduced legislation to eliminate food deserts and expand access to affordable and nutritious food by incentivizing food providers to expand access to healthy food options in underserved communities. The Healthy Food Access for All Americans (HFAAA) Act was also introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Reps. Emilia Sykes (OH-13) and Jennifer McLellan (VA-04).                                                                                                                    
    “Fresh and nutritious foods are a cornerstone of health and wellbeing, but too many families in Virginia and across America live in places where these foods are out of reach,” said Sen. Warner. “This legislation will help us fight food deserts by incentivizing grocery stores to come to communities that have the hardest time accessing fresh produce.”
    “Even while living in the breadbasket of our nation, food insecurity affects far too many Kansans, particularly those living in rural communities far from a grocery store,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation, which would incentivize food providers to establish and renovate grocery stores, food banks and farmers markets in communities that traditionally lack affordable, healthy and convenient food options, would help provide those who are hungry with access to nutritious food.”
    “Many West Virginians struggle to access fresh, nutritious food to keep their families and communities well fed. I’m proud to reintroduce the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act, which will expand access to healthy foods through food banks and local grocery stores in rural communities across West Virginia and the nation,” said Sen. Capito.
    “Access to nutritious food is essential for every family’s health and well-being, but it remains out of reach for far too many communities. This bipartisan legislation offers a key solution to eliminating food deserts in Maryland and across the country – ensuring every American can buy fresh, affordable, healthy food in their neighborhood, regardless of where they live,” said Sen. Van Hollen.
    According to recent data, an estimated 18.8 million Americans live in what the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies as a “food desert.” Urban areas designated as food deserts lack a grocery store within one or more miles. Rural areas designated as food deserts lack a grocery store within ten or more miles. Studies have shown that Americans who live in communities with low-access to healthy food options are at higher risk for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
    Specifically, the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act – which defines a grocery market as a retail sales store with at least 35 percent of its selection (or forecasted selection) dedicated to selling fresh produce, poultry, dairy, and deli items – would encourage investment in food deserts across the country that have a poverty rate of 20 percent or higher, or a median family income of less than 80 percent of the median for the state or metro area.
    It would grant tax credits or grants to food providers who service low-access communities and attain a “Special Access Food Provider” (SAFP) certification through the Treasury Department. Incentives would be awarded based on the following structure:
    New Store Construction – Companies that construct new grocery stores in a food desert will receive a one-time 15 percent tax credit after receiving certification.
    Retrofitting Existing Structures – Companies that make retrofits to an existing store’s healthy food sections can receive a one-time 10 percent tax credit after the repairs certify the store as an SAFP.
    Food Banks – Certified food banks that build new (permanent) structures in food deserts will be eligible to receive a one-time grant for 15 percent of their construction costs.
    Temporary Access Merchants – Certified temporary access merchants (i.e. mobile markets, farmers markets, and some food banks) that are 501(c)(3)s will receive grants for 10 percent of their annual operating costs.
    The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act boasts the support of numerous organizations, including Feeding America, the National Grocers Association, and Share Our Strength.
    “Feeding America commends Senator Warner for confronting the unfortunate fact that for the 47 million Americans living with hunger, access to affordable nutritious food is significantly harder for those who live in food deserts. The Feeding America network of more than 200 food banks understands that areas without affordable, healthy food options have higher rates of food insecurity. Rural communities in particular lack access to adequate transportation to the nearest grocery store or food pantry. Feeding America supports the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act as a critical step to give nonprofits and retailers support to increase food access in underserved areas,” said Vince Hall, Chief Government Relations Officer at Feeding America.
    “The National Grocers Association applauds Senator Warner and Representatives McClellan and Sykes for their leadership on this important legislation focused on eliminating the challenges confronting grocers seeking to expand access to nutritious food in underserved rural and urban areas alike. Independent grocers are the backbone of the communities they serve and have a long-standing tradition of leading efforts to provide improved food options for those most in need. Enhanced access to healthy food bolsters both the physical well-being and economic vitality of local communities everywhere, and we look forward to working with Congress to pass this important bipartisan legislation,” said Stephanie Johnson, Vice President, Government Relations, National Grocers Association.
    “To end childhood hunger in America, we must ensure that low-income families have access to healthy, affordable food options no matter their zip code or circumstances. Ending food deserts will help more families put food on the table and help children get the nutrition they need to grow up healthy and strong. Share Our Strength supports The Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act and thanks Sens. Warner, Capito, Van Hollen, and Moran for their leadership on this issue,” said Jason Gromley, Senior Director of Share Our Strength.
    Bill text for the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act can be found here. A summary of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Inclusion Not Optional’, Deputy Secretary-General Says in Message to Disability Summit

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message at the opening of the Global Disability Summit in Berlin today:

    I am truly sorry that I could not join you in person today, but it is a true honour to open this third Global Disability Summit.  More than that, I want to thank you for your leadership and commitment to shape a more just world.

    Expanding hope and opportunities for people with disabilities is close to my heart — and that of the Secretary-General.  It is a matter of dignity, of humanity, of human rights.  It is a test of our common values.  And it is also plain common sense.

    When persons with disabilities can fully participate in society, societies are stronger.  When we unlock potential and recognize talents, economies and communities thrive. When we advance human rights, all of humanity moves forward.

    Disability rights are human rights — and everyone one wins when we make them real.  And so I thank the International Disability Alliance and the Governments of Germany and Jordan for bringing us together.

    You are meeting at a crucial time — with the five-year clock ticking on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  I was involved in the shaping of that agenda — and saw firsthand how so many of you helped put the rights and hopes of persons with disabilities front and centre.

    In doing so, you gave deeper meaning to the promise of leaving no one behind — and laid the foundation for the progress we strive to advance today.

    The Pact for the Future, adopted last year, reinforces that call for a more peaceful, inclusive, accessible and equitable world — with persons with disabilities a full and equal part of our shared effort to advance sustainable development, climate action and digital transformation.

    Yet today, we face a sobering truth.

    Progress is not just slow — in some cases, we are moving backward.  The UN Disability and Development Report found that about 98 per cent of the SDG [Sustainable Development Goal] indicators for persons with disabilities are off track.

    This is far more than a statistic — it is a wake-up call. Persons with disabilities are being left behind.  The world is failing them.

    We are seeing growing and stark inequalities across the board — with higher poverty, greater unemployment, deeper food and health insecurity and more limited access to digital technologies.

    Women, Indigenous Peoples, rural residents with disabilities, and persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities face even greater exclusion.

    Not to mention those in humanitarian and emergency situations. In Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and elsewhere, countless civilians have sustained permanent injuries and deep psychological trauma.  Children with disabilities are especially vulnerable.  Gaza alone has the highest number of child amputees in modern history.

    Too often, persons with disabilities also face inaccessible evacuation routes, shelters, and services — an assault on their human rights and dignity.  Many are deprived of the assistive devices critical to their survival.  When I think of people with disabilities in conflict, I think of people like Mai.  Mai was a young Palestinian, and a proud employee of the United Nations, living and working in Gaza.  Mai did not let her muscular dystrophy or her wheelchair confine her dreams.

    She was a top student, became a software developer and devoted her skills to working on information technology for the United Nations. When given the opportunity, she excelled — bringing skill and determination to all she did.  Unfortunately, she was killed along with her family in November 2023.  Her story still weighs heavily on our hearts.

    I share it not only to honour her memory, but because it reminds us both of what is possible when barriers are removed and of the terrible truth that persons with disabilities are often among the first casualties in conflict.

    Despite the challenges, we have much to build upon.  The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has led to significant legislative progress worldwide.  Yet, implementation is lagging.

    The problem is not always a lack of will, but a lack of resources. Nearly 90 per cent of developing countries have laws or policies protecting education for persons with disabilities — yet only about one third of those countries have accessible schools.

    Meanwhile, almost half of all persons with disabilities in these countries face inaccessible transportation.  Behind these figures are people.  Children shut out of classrooms.

    Adults who cannot get to work.  Families denied essential services.  This must change.  And we must all be part of it.  The United Nations is committed to leading by example.

    Our UN Disability Inclusion Strategy is striving to drive action across the system.  We are working to strengthen institutional capacities, mainstream disability inclusion across our work, and expand employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

    At the country level, we are working to ensure that our cooperation frameworks with Governments are fully inclusive of the needs and rights of persons with disabilities.

    And we are committed to supporting Member States turn global commitments into local progress — for and with persons with disabilities.  This Summit presents opportunities to strengthen cooperation with all partners — and reaffirm the leadership of organizations of persons with disabilities.

    Development assistance for disability inclusion has been growing — but it is still far from enough.  And in today’s troubling context, it is under increasing threat.  So too, perversely, is the very concept of accessibility.

    Developed countries in particular have a responsibility to step up support.  Now is the time to recommit to the 2030 Agenda by securing decent work and dignified livelihoods, fostering inclusive education and career opportunities, building accessible and affordable housing, promoting equitable health systems and harnessing technologies that enable autonomous living for all.

    That means investing in inclusive public institutions, empowering representative organizations as full partners in policy and implementation, and integrating disability inclusion into national development plans backed by clear targets and real funding.

    I know so many of you have spent years, even decades, breaking down barriers and opening doors — for all of us.  Let this Summit help drive that action forward.

    As we look ahead to the Second World Summit for Social Development in Qatar and beyond, let’s together send a clear message:  Inclusion is not optional.  Rights are not negotiable.  Accessibility is essential.  Promises made must be promises kept.  Let’s keep fighting for the inclusive, just, sustainable future for all that our world needs.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Five ways to improve net zero action – our new research highlights lessons from the past

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Karen Bickerstaff, Professor in Human Geography, University of Exeter

    Cycling is not only a way to reduce carbon emissions, it also has huge health benefits. LeManna/Shutterstock

    The current UK government and its recent predecessors have shown a reluctance to encourage and enable lifestyle changes that reduce our collective demand for energy.

    Fearing a backlash from voters, many UK politicians neglect key weapons in the fight to mitigate climate change. These include directing investment away from building roads to public transport, establishing reliable infrastructure for the charging and repair of electric vehicles, and making reduction of car travel a key priority for urban planners.

    As researchers focusing on how to accelerate climate action, we argue that shying away from changing the way we live is counterproductive. Conflict and disagreement are part of social change, but there are positive ways forward.

    The problems and, critically, the solutions have overwhelmingly been presented by UK governments as technological. But many of these technologies are still only in development.

    Practical use of nuclear fusion (the energy-generating mechanism that powers the sun), for example, has long been spoken of as “30 years away”. The efficacy of direct air capture (a set of technologies that extract CO₂ directly from the atmosphere) remains a matter of conjecture.

    Meanwhile, demand reduction and lifestyle changes – solutions we know make a difference – are being left in the background.

    In the run-up to the 2024 UK general election, we conducted a survey of almost 3,000 UK citizens – of which just over half (51%) expressed support for a net zero carbon emissions target. Given the apparent indifference or outright opposition of a substantial proportion of voters, it is not surprising that politicians seek to minimise objections to net zero policy by downplaying any suggestion of personal disruption.

    Our survey also asked about people’s willingness to make specific lifestyle changes (to home energy, diet and travel) for climate reasons. On average, 43% were already acting or firmly planning to do so. Another 28% said they might be prepared to make such changes in the future.

    Willingness to make climate-related lifestyle changes:

    This ties in with other research which indicates that people are open to significant changes in their lifestyle to support net zero, if the conditions are right. So, how can this potential for change be realised?

    The answer, we argue, lies in the recent past. Over the last year, as part of a social science taskforce on net zero, we looked back at a diverse range of case studies of societal change to draw lessons for future policy. We now propose that five key steps are needed for effective net zero action.

    1. Galvanise people

    When seeking to build support for contentious change, it is vital to identify issues that can galvanise people. These will often relate to other (non-net zero) benefits. For instance, “school streets” projects have been successful, where other traffic reduction policies have failed, because they emphasise the benefits to the health and wellbeing of children.

    Similarly, the rapid switch from coal heating to gas central heating in the 1960s and ’70s was partly connected to a popular movement for cleaner, “decent” homes.

    Identifying issues that unify people can galvanise support from local communities.
    Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

    2. Focus on fairness

    In our survey, just 37% of people saw a fairer society as a likely outcome of net zero actions, while 63% identified individual finances as a major challenge to achieving net zero. Regulation needs to establish a close connection between net zero measures and equity, so that no groups are unfairly burdened or advantaged. This requires an honest discussion about downsides and trade-offs.

    Measures that focus on cheaper bills, affordable devices, accessible transport and the alleviation of fuel poverty will build optimism. In the successful Danish transition to district heating from the mid-1970s, ensuring affordable and reliable energy was vital in gaining support, as was giving residents a say in decision-making.

    3. Make the policy process relatable

    We noticed that survey participants expressed a lot of cynicism and uncertainty about government action on net zero. Nearly half (46%) doubted that the net zero target was achievable, while most people (62%) had serious concerns about vested interests, under-resourced local authorities (59%), and a lack of government investment in infrastructure (59%).

    People also feel disconnected from decision-making. Many said they had little or no influence on climate policy (59%), and felt there was a lack of power in communities (51%).

    Local authorities, businesses, community groups and other third-sector organisations can help bridge these gaps between national government and everyday life. They should play a key role delivering net zero policies that fit with local needs and issues.

    When Denmark switched to district heating, the delegation of powers to municipal authorities was crucial in supporting community ownership models and empowering residents and community groups. Properly resourced local climate commissions – town- and city-wide groups that bring together local organisations and businesses – can provide an independent, trusted voice to help drive climate action at a local level.

    4. Listen to other people

    People need the chance to listen to and engage with each other. If they doubt their opinions and concerns are recognised, or if their worries are viewed as nothing more than obstacles, conflict becomes more likely.

    Proper dialogue through collaborations like climate citizens’ assemblies can improve understanding of different positions, aspirations and capabilities. Once legitimate concerns and unintended consequences have been identified, potential solutions can be explored.

    There is certainly support for this more interactive approach: 40% of people in our survey felt that affected communities should have a considerable influence on climate policies, alongside local authorities (40%) and elected MPs (42%).

    Without these ongoing conversations, projects can fail. A Dutch carbon capture and storage project, using a depleted gas field under the town of Barendrecht to store CO₂ from a nearby refinery, was cancelled in 2010 following intense local opposition. The government and industry had failed to get public engagement right from the start.

    5. Accept some opposition

    Change to net zero is going to be difficult, and no step the UK government takes will completely eliminate the possibility of disruption and conflict. In our survey, nearly a quarter of respondents were opposed to the UK net zero target. So, politicians need to be more robust and interventionist in making a positive case for net zero, recognising that not everyone is going to agree.

    However, there are grounds to be optimistic that action itself may help unlock support for net zero. Research that has followed school streets projects, for example, shows that once schemes are in place, support among residents and parents increases when anticipated problems (such as traffic displacement) do not materialise – and when the benefits, in terms of children walking and cycling more, become clear.


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

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Karen Bickerstaff receives funding from the Leverhulme Trust and ESRC.

    Alice Moseley receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council

    Patrick Devine-Wright receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

    – ref. Five ways to improve net zero action – our new research highlights lessons from the past – https://theconversation.com/five-ways-to-improve-net-zero-action-our-new-research-highlights-lessons-from-the-past-244195

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Accountability for missing persons is ‘crucial’: UN human rights chief

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Human Rights

    2024 saw the highest increase in missing persons in at least two decades, with 56,559 new cases recorded, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.

    That’s one of the alarming updates shared by Volker Türk during a General Assembly briefing on Wednesday, the first informal meeting dedicated to the issue of the thousands who go missing after being targeted each year.

    The High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Member States to do more to address the “unprecedented” rise in disappearances, largely driven by armed conflict and growing disregard for international humanitarian law.

    “Persistent impunity for violations of international humanitarian law fuels more abuses,” he told delegates, calling the scale of the crisis “enormous”.

    While the meeting focused on missing persons in armed conflict, disappearances today are also linked to State repression, counter-terrorism measures, migration and the targeting of dissidents and human rights defenders.

    “It is precisely in circumstances of conflict, instability, and repression that people are

    likely to go missing,” Mr. Türk stressed. “Accountability for those violations is crucial.”

    Echoing this sentiment, the President of the General Assembly, Philémon Yang, insisted: “We have a moral responsibility to determine and find every missing person.”

    ‘Tip of a very large iceberg’

    The Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances has handled more than 62,000 cases across 115 countries in the past 45 years. “Sadly, this is just the tip of a very large iceberg,” said Mr. Türk.

    Mr. Yang expressed that these figures demand “that we take decisive steps to lessen the hardship and distress.”

    The High Commissioner pointed to recent momentum in addressing the issue, including this year’s UN-organized First World Congress on Enforced Disappearances, where governments, civil society and victims’ groups gathered in a show of global solidarity.

    A call for stronger frameworks

    Mr. Türk outlined three key areas for action, beginning with the need to strengthen and implement international human rights frameworks.

    He urged States to ratify and implement the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, adopted in 2006 and described as the “key global agreement” on the issue. Only 77 countries have ratified it so far.

    The Convention guarantees the right to know the truth about the fate and whereabouts of disappeared persons and the progress of investigations – “exactly what family members need and demand,” said Mr. Türk.

    “We must pursue justice and other forms of accountability,” continued Mr. Türk, pointing to widespread impunity as a major obstacle to reparations for victims.

    “For families, accountability begins with knowing the truth about the fate of their loved ones, regardless of how they went missing,” he said.

    He called on States to thoroughly investigate cases, bring perpetrators to justice and build up forensic, judicial and law enforcement institutions to ensure proper identification.

    Centre the victims

    Mr. Türk said placing victims at the heart of the response is crucial. He emphasised the critical role of families, especially women, who often lead the search for loved ones in precarious and dangerous circumstances.

    “In some cases, the law prevents them from obtaining the documents needed to exercise their rights to health, to education, or to property,” Mr. Türk noted, which leaves them stigmatised and at risk of falling into poverty.

    Family members are often ignored, disbelieved, or intimidated into silence. “They must feel able – and safe – to speak out for their missing relatives, at home and abroad,” Mr. Türk insisted.

    Momentum for change

    International efforts can make a real difference, the High Commissioner said, referencing the recent creation of the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic, established to clarify the fate of missing persons in the country and support survivors and their families.

    In February, the institution’s head visited Damascus and met dozens of families – some of whom were being asked about their missing loved ones for the first time ever.

    ‘Our common humanity demands it’

    Concluding his remarks, Mr. Türk reaffirmed the commitment of his Office to support victims and help States meet their obligations.

    OHCHR continues to promote the ratification and implementation of the Convention, follow up on individual cases and connect victims with UN human rights mechanisms.

    “We all have a role to play,” he said. “We must commit, together, to doing more for truth and justice, in solidarity with victims everywhere. Our common humanity demands it.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Edinburgh joins Core Cities UK

    Source: Scotland – City of Edinburgh

    Edinburgh has become the 12th member of partnership-led organisation with a 30 year track record of implementing policy change across the UK.

    Edinburgh has joined Core Cities UK, becoming the organisation’s 12th member city, its third national capital, and expanding the UK-wide reach of the group as it prepares to celebrate its 30th birthday later this year.

    Edinburgh will join Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield to become a member of an organisation that has a 30 year track record of implementing policy change across the UK.

    Edinburgh is one of the most economically successful places in the country but, like other Core Cities, has areas of the city where overall health, earning potential and life expectancy fall well below national averages.

    The Scottish capital will play a key role in the group’s thinking around inclusive economic growth and other members hope to learn from its development of a tourism levy, which will come into effect in Edinburgh next Summer.

    Cllr Jane Meagher, Leader of the City of Edinburgh Council, said:

    I’m delighted that we’ve joined Core Cities UK and look forward to sharing our knowledge, ideas and experiences with other member cities.

    Edinburgh continues to perform well as a place to live, work, visit and invest in, but we still face many of the same urban challenges as our partners. Growing populations are creating ever increasing demand for homes, public services and infrastructure, while many of our residents are struggling with the cost of living – meaning poverty, homelessness and economic inactivity remain the biggest challenges of our time.

    From my early discussions with the Chair and other member cities, it’s been clear how much we have in common – both in terms of these challenges, but also our priorities. I have no doubt that this collaboration will help us to solve our collective problems while growing more sustainably for the benefit of all of our residents.

    Cllr James Lewis, Chair of Core Cities UK and Leader of Leeds City Council, added:

    Edinburgh joining us is an historic moment for Core Cities and solidifies our position as the authoritative voice of urban Britain. We have always argued that cities have certain things in common, no matter which nation – either within the UK or abroad – they are situated in and we look forward to getting Edinburgh’s unique perspective on our policy discussions.

    Core Cities’ mission is to unlock the full potential of our great city regions to create a stronger, fairer economy and society. With the addition of Edinburgh, Core Cities will generate more than 25 per cent of the economy and will be home to more than 22 million people.

    Core Cities UK is a leading voice in policy around devolution and decentralisation and its reports with organisations including OECD and RSA are used as benchmarks within the sector. It also has strong private sector relationships with a variety of companies including Landsec and Lloyds Banking Group and works closely with the English Combined Authority Mayors as well as local Government in London.

    Founded by a number of English councils in 1995, it is headquartered in Manchester and will celebrate its 30th anniversary this summer.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Deputy Secretary-General’s video message at the Opening of the Global Disability Summit

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    His Majesty King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,

    H.E. Mr. Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany,

    Mr. Nawaf Kabbara, Chair and President, International Disability Alliance,

    Excellencies, Dear friends,

    I am truly sorry that I could not join you in person today but it is a true honor to open this third Global Disability Summit.

    More than that, I want to thank you for your leadership and commitment to shape a more just world.

    Expanding hope and opportunities for people with disabilities is close to my heart – and that of the Secretary-General.

    It is a matter of dignity… of humanity… of human rights.

    It is a test of our common values.

    And it is also plain common sense.

    When persons with disabilities can fully participate in society, societies are stronger.

    When we unlock potential and recognize talents, economies and communities thrive.

    When we advance human rights, all of humanity moves forward.

    Disability rights are human rights – and everyone one wins when we make them real.

    And so I thank the International Disability Alliance and the Governments of Germany and Jordan for bringing us together.

    You are meeting at a crucial time – with the 5-year clock ticking on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    I was involved in the shaping of that agenda – and saw firsthand how so many of you helped put the rights and hopes of persons with disabilities front and center.

    In doing so, you gave deeper meaning to the promise of leaving no one behind – and laid the foundation for the progress we strive to advance today.

    The Pact for the Future, adopted last year, reinforces that call for a more peaceful, inclusive, accessible and equitable world – with persons with disabilities a full and equal part of our shared effort to advance sustainable development, climate action and digital transformation.

    Yet today, we face a sobering truth.

    Progress is not just slow – in some cases, we are moving backward.

    The UN Disability and Development Report found that about 98 per cent of the SDG indicators for persons with disabilities are off track.

    This is far more than a statistic – it is a wake-up call.

    Persons with disabilities are being left behind.

    The world is failing them.

    We are seeing growing and stark inequalities across the board – with higher poverty, greater unemployment, deeper food and health insecurity and more limited access to digital technologies.

    Women, Indigenous Peoples, rural residents with disabilities, and persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities face even greater exclusion. 

    Not to mention those in humanitarian and emergency situations.

    In Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and elsewhere, countless civilians have sustained permanent injuries and deep psychological trauma.

    Children with disabilities are especially vulnerable.

    Gaza alone has the highest number of child amputees in modern history.

    Too often, persons with disabilities also face inaccessible evacuation routes, shelters, and services – an assault on their human rights and dignity.  

    Many are deprived of the assistive devices critical to their survival.

    When I think of people with disabilities in conflict, I think of people like Mai.

    Mai was a young Palestinian, and a proud employee of the United Nations, living and working in Gaza.

    Mai did not let her muscular dystrophy or her wheelchair confine her dreams. 

    She was a top student, became a software developer and devoted her skills to working on information technology for the United Nations. 

    When given the opportunity, she excelled – bringing skill and determination to all she did.

    Unfortunately, she was killed along with her family in November 2023. 

    Her story still weighs heavily on our hearts.

    I share it not only to honour her memory, but because it reminds us both of what is possible when barriers are removed – and of the terrible truth that persons with disabilities are often among the first casualties in conflict.

    Excellencies,

    Ladies and gentlemen,

    Despite the challenges, we have much to build upon. 

    The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has led to significant legislative progress worldwide.

    Yet, implementation is lagging.

    The problem is not always a lack of will, but a lack of resources.

    Nearly 90 per cent of developing countries have laws or policies protecting education for persons with disabilities – yet only about one-third of those countries have accessible schools.

    Meanwhile, almost half of all persons with disabilities in these countries face inaccessible transportation.

    Behind these figures are people. 

    Children shut out of classrooms. 

    Adults who cannot get to work. 

    Families denied essential services.

    This must change.

    And we must all be part of it.

    The United Nations is committed to leading by example.

    Our UN Disability Inclusion Strategy is striving to drive action across the system.

    We are working to strengthen institutional capacities, mainstream disability inclusion across our work, and expand employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

    At the country level, we are working to ensure that our cooperation frameworks with governments are fully inclusive of the needs and rights of persons with disabilities.

    And we are committed to supporting Member States turn global commitments into local progress – for and with persons with disabilities.

    This Summit presents opportunities to strengthen cooperation with all partners – and reaffirm the leadership of organizations of persons with disabilities.

    Development assistance for disability inclusion has been growing – but it is still far from enough.

    And in today’s troubling context, it is under increasing threat.

    So too, perversely, is the very concept of accessibility.

    Developed countries, in particular, have a responsibility to step up support.

    Now is the time to recommit to the 2030 Agenda by:

    Securing decent work and dignified livelihoods;

    Fostering inclusive education and career opportunities;

    Building accessible and affordable housing;

    Promoting equitable health systems;

    And harnessing technologies that enable autonomous living for all.

    That means investing in inclusive public institutions;

    Empowering representative organizations as full partners in policy and implementation;

    And integrating disability inclusion into national development plans – backed by clear targets and real funding.

    Dear friends,

    I know so many of you have spent years, even decades, breaking down barriers, and opening doors – for all of us.

    Let this Summit help drive that action forward.       

    As we look ahead to the Second World Summit for Social Development in Qatar and beyond, let’s together send a clear message:

    Inclusion is not optional.

    Rights are not negotiable.

    Accessibility is essential.

    Promises made must be promises kept.

    Let’s keep fighting for the inclusive, just, sustainable future for all that our world needs.

    Thank you.
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: WISeKey, OISTE Foundation, Abraham House (AbrahamID.Com), and GFLI Announce Major Milestone in Landmark Global Initiative to Deliver Digital Identity to Over One Billion People

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WISeKey, OISTE Foundation, Abraham House (AbrahamID.Com), and GFLI Announce Major Milestone in Landmark Global Initiative to Deliver Digital Identity to Over One Billion People

    New York | April 2, 2025 – WISeKey International Holding (“WISeKey” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: WKEY; SIX: WIHN), in collaboration with the OISTE Foundation, Abraham House, and the Global Financial Literacy Initiative (GFLI), today announced significant progress in the global AbrahamID.com initiative, a groundbreaking humanitarian technology project aimed at providing secure digital identities to more than one billion unbanked and underserved individuals worldwide.

    See more information by visiting this video – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MXJSQmftxPGo_Yc47R-7_i07km5Ldvkl/view?usp=drivesdk.

    This transformative initiative was first introduced at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2025, where it received global media coverage, including features in the Financial Times and other leading international outlets. It will be officially launched tomorrow in New York during the Partners for Prosperity Summit, an event hosted by FinFit in collaboration with Salary Finance, and powered by SHINE at Harvard. The summit is not just a gathering—it is a global catalyst for systems-level change, bringing together innovators, policy-makers, philanthropists, and technologists committed to reshaping the future of inclusion, equity, and prosperity.

    At the heart of this announcement is the launch of the AbrahamID.com platform, now live and operational. Through this secure digital portal, individuals from every corner of the globe can create their verified digital identity, opening the door to critical services and opportunities that were previously out of reach. These include access to financial services, healthcare, education, employment, voting systems, and social safety nets, especially in regions where individuals lack official documentation or access to banking systems.

    Built on WISeKey’s WISeID platform and underpinned by the OISTE Foundation’s global cryptographic Root of Trust, the platform utilizes cutting-edge blockchain, AI, and post-quantum cryptography to ensure data integrity, privacy, and cross-border interoperability. These identities are tamper-proof, privacy-respecting, and legally recognized—making them suitable for use by individuals, NGOs, and governments in both the physical and digital domains.

    This initiative directly supports multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). By addressing the fundamental right to identity and financial access, the AbrahamID project lays the foundation for social and economic inclusion at an unprecedented scale.

    The platform is especially transformative for marginalized populations—refugees, displaced persons, women in rural communities, youth in informal labor markets, and migrant workers—who often remain invisible to formal systems due to the lack of identification. AbrahamID offers these individuals a secure and portable identity solution that is lightweight, mobile-compatible, and functional even in low-bandwidth environments.

    To complement the digital infrastructure, the initiative integrates the work of the Global Financial Literacy Initiative (GFLI), co-founded by James Rosebush and Daniel Shakhani. GFLI provides practical, culturally relevant financial education to empower individuals with the tools to manage money, plan for the future, and break free from poverty. Combined with digital identity, this dual approach equips individuals not just with access, but with the agency and knowledge to fully engage in today’s digital economy.

    “Digital identity is the gateway, but financial literacy is the roadmap,” said James Rosebush, a globally recognized financial advisor, author, and former senior advisor to President Ronald Reagan. “Together, they enable people to not just survive—but thrive. We’re proud to contribute to this historic effort that bridges technology and humanity.”

    Daniel Shakhani, co-founder of Abraham House, emphasized the moral urgency behind the mission. “As the world becomes more digitized, millions are being left behind. Without identity, people are denied opportunity, justice, and dignity. Abraham House exists to bring together the world’s most forward-thinking minds and ensure innovation serves humanity equitably. This partnership with WISeKey and GFLI is about impact at scale—driving global justice, economic empowerment, and digital inclusion.”

    Co-founded by Shakhani and Jennifer de Broglie, Abraham House serves as a global convener dedicated to solving systemic humanitarian challenges through collaboration, diplomacy, and entrepreneurship. With the AbrahamID.com platform now active, this vision is being brought to life as a real-time, scalable solution for peace and prosperity.

    The technology behind this initiative—WISeID—offers not just a tool for access, but a framework for trusted, ethical, and future-proof digital citizenship. Legally binding digital signatures, encrypted communications, and post-quantum protections ensure that even the most vulnerable individuals are shielded from rising cybersecurity threats and misuse of AI. In an age where identity fraud, digital surveillance, and algorithmic bias disproportionately affect underserved populations, this platform provides digital dignity and control over personal data.

    The range of immediate applications is vast and deeply impactful. Migrant workers can receive secure remittances, patients can access healthcare records, students can register for education, and entrepreneurs can apply for microloans. In fragile states and diaspora communities, digital identity can also restore civic participation by enabling secure digital voting and engagement in public decision-making.

    WISeKey, along with its subsidiaries—including SEALSQ, WISe.ART, WISeSat, and SEALCOIN—continues to pioneer responsible, human-centric innovation. As a Swiss-based global technology leader, WISeKey is committed to embedding trust, privacy, and resilience at the core of digital ecosystems, working toward a future where technology uplifts, protects, and empowers every person.

    Governments, NGOs, corporations, and individuals are now invited to join this global movement by visiting www.AbrahamID.com, where they can register identities, support deployments, and become part of the mission to digitally and financially empower over one billion people.

    #AbrahamID #DigitalDignity #OneBillionStrong #FinancialInclusion #IdentityForAll #TechForGood #SDGs #WISeID #OISTE #AbrahamHouse #GFLI #DigitalInclusion #HumanCentricAI

    About Abraham House
    Abraham House is a global organisation dedicated to fostering peace, collaboration, and innovation. It unites individuals and organisations to address global challenges and deliver tangible benefits for future generations.

    About the Global Financial Literacy Initiative (GFLI)
    Founded by James Rosebush and Daniel Shakhani, GFLI is a UK-registered charity under Kingdom Network and a 501(c)(3) organisation in the United States. It partners with leading organisations to drive financial literacy and stability at scale.

    About WISeKey

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

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

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

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

    Press and Investor Contacts

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Fake online shops rely on tech skills: what drives Cameroon’s web developers to assist online fraudsters

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Suleman Lazarus, Visiting Fellow, Mannheim Centre for Criminology, London School of Economics and Political Science

    When people discuss online fraud, the focus is often on those who directly deceive victims. Little attention is given to those who enable these crimes by providing the digital infrastructure necessary for deception.

    This digital infrastructure includes reliable access to electricity and the internet, as well as digital tools such as proxy servers, spoofing software, phishing kits and virtual private networks. Those involved must possess technical competencies in areas like web development, social engineering and systems maintenance, skills that are critical for sustaining fraudulent operations behind the scenes.

    Research on cybercrime is expanding in west Africa, particularly studies of Nigeria and Ghana. But Cameroon is understudied. This gap in research has obscured a pervasive problem in Cameroon: website developers who create digital storefronts for fraudsters.

    Pet scams are a particularly common type of online fraud perpetrated by Cameroonian fraudsters. This is a form of non-delivery fraud in which victims are tricked into paying for animals that do not exist. Typically, these fake pet websites target prospective pet buyers in countries like the US, Canada and Australia by advertising nonexistent pedigree puppies and kittens as well as exotic animals such as parrots, macaws and tortoises.

    Rather than focusing on the fraudsters themselves, our study examined the infrastructure that enables this fraud to happen and the hidden networks of actors who make deception possible. Our research sheds light on a little-known group of enablers: website developers in anglophone Cameroon who knowingly build fake shopping websites.

    Through interviews with 14 website developers engaged in this illicit trade, we explored the socio-economic and political forces that drive their participation.

    Our findings showed that a mix of economic hardship, social norms and cultural beliefs drive fraud enablement in Cameroon. Our study highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of cybercrime. The website developers in Cameroon do not fit the typical profile of a fraudster. They see themselves as skilled workers navigating a complex socio-political landscape where survival often comes before morality, given that Cameroon, under Paul Biya’s presidency of more than 40 years, has experienced widespread poverty, instability and an uncertain succession struggle.

    To address fraud effectively, interventions must go beyond simply punishing offenders. Instead, efforts should focus on dismantling the structures that allow fraud to thrive, starting with those who enable it.

    Why fraudsters choose this activity

    A central theme emerging from our interviews was the impact of the Ambazonian Crisis, an ongoing separatist conflict in Cameroon’s anglophone regions. The crisis began as peaceful demonstrations in 2016 when trade unionists and lawyers protested against the mandatory use of the French language in schools and law courts. By 2017, these protests had turned violent as armed separatist groups emerged within the anglophone regions, engaging in sporadic conflict with government forces. The separatists called for the secession of the two anglophone regions, referring to them as Ambazonia. The conflict has since escalated. Reports estimate that the violence has led to approximately 6,000 civilian deaths, the displacement of 600,000 people within Cameroon, and the forced migration of over 77,000 people into Nigeria as refugees.

    The website developers we interviewed described how daily gunfire, displacement and political instability had made it difficult to secure stable employment and find clients.

    Interviewees cited frequent power outages and internet blackouts as barriers to working with legitimate clients.

    As one developer put it:

    There are times when we go without electricity or network for days. I might have a legitimate client, but if the power goes out, I lose the job. Fraudsters, on the other hand, don’t care about delays. They are always there with another request.

    Ghost-town protests, where separatists enforce economic shutdowns and force people to stay in their homes, further limit opportunities for legitimate business. In this unstable environment, undertaking website development for fraudsters became one of the few steady income streams.

    A second theme was spiritual beliefs. We found that spiritual beliefs had an impact on decision-making. Developers rationalised their work by distinguishing between fraud and fraud enablement. Directly perpetrating fraud against victims, they believed, carried spiritual consequences, while simply building websites for fraudsters did not. Some fraudsters in west Africa visit a so-called “juju priest”, who may demand animal sacrifice and even murder in return for their blessing. The website developers we spoke to did not want to get involved in this.

    One of the developers shared his fears about spiritual repercussions:

    Scammers who do rituals for money, they don’t last. Most of the time, you see them dying at the age of 20 or 30. I don’t want to be involved in that. But making websites? That’s different. I’m not the one taking the money.

    A third theme in our findings was the Big Boy culture, a subculture that glorifies online fraud as a symbol of success. In some west African communities, fraudsters who display their wealth through expensive cars, clothes and lifestyles are seen as role models rather than criminals.

    Vanesa, a developer, explained:

    Everybody wants to chill with the Big Boys. Fraudsters want to be seen as superstars, and that means spending money like celebrities.

    The normalisation of internet fraud in some circles has created a perception that financial success justifies the means by which it is achieved. While some developers disapproved of fraudsters’ extravagant lifestyles, others saw it as a model of economic survival to aspire to.

    Rethinking fraud prevention

    These findings challenge the simplistic notion that the internet inherently enables fraud. Instead, fraud thrives within a complex ecosystem that includes not just the perpetrators but also the enablers who facilitate deception for economic, political, and cultural reasons.

    A more effective fraud prevention strategy should address the enablers of cybercrime, not just the scammers.

    This means:

    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. Fake online shops rely on tech skills: what drives Cameroon’s web developers to assist online fraudsters – https://theconversation.com/fake-online-shops-rely-on-tech-skills-what-drives-cameroons-web-developers-to-assist-online-fraudsters-252429

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Fake online shops rely on tech skills: what drives Cameroon’s web developers to assist online fraudsters

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Suleman Lazarus, Visiting Fellow, Mannheim Centre for Criminology, London School of Economics and Political Science

    When people discuss online fraud, the focus is often on those who directly deceive victims. Little attention is given to those who enable these crimes by providing the digital infrastructure necessary for deception.

    This digital infrastructure includes reliable access to electricity and the internet, as well as digital tools such as proxy servers, spoofing software, phishing kits and virtual private networks. Those involved must possess technical competencies in areas like web development, social engineering and systems maintenance, skills that are critical for sustaining fraudulent operations behind the scenes.

    Research on cybercrime is expanding in west Africa, particularly studies of Nigeria and Ghana. But Cameroon is understudied. This gap in research has obscured a pervasive problem in Cameroon: website developers who create digital storefronts for fraudsters.

    Pet scams are a particularly common type of online fraud perpetrated by Cameroonian fraudsters. This is a form of non-delivery fraud in which victims are tricked into paying for animals that do not exist. Typically, these fake pet websites target prospective pet buyers in countries like the US, Canada and Australia by advertising nonexistent pedigree puppies and kittens as well as exotic animals such as parrots, macaws and tortoises.

    Rather than focusing on the fraudsters themselves, our study examined the infrastructure that enables this fraud to happen and the hidden networks of actors who make deception possible. Our research sheds light on a little-known group of enablers: website developers in anglophone Cameroon who knowingly build fake shopping websites.

    Through interviews with 14 website developers engaged in this illicit trade, we explored the socio-economic and political forces that drive their participation.

    Our findings showed that a mix of economic hardship, social norms and cultural beliefs drive fraud enablement in Cameroon. Our study highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of cybercrime. The website developers in Cameroon do not fit the typical profile of a fraudster. They see themselves as skilled workers navigating a complex socio-political landscape where survival often comes before morality, given that Cameroon, under Paul Biya’s presidency of more than 40 years, has experienced widespread poverty, instability and an uncertain succession struggle.

    To address fraud effectively, interventions must go beyond simply punishing offenders. Instead, efforts should focus on dismantling the structures that allow fraud to thrive, starting with those who enable it.

    Why fraudsters choose this activity

    A central theme emerging from our interviews was the impact of the Ambazonian Crisis, an ongoing separatist conflict in Cameroon’s anglophone regions. The crisis began as peaceful demonstrations in 2016 when trade unionists and lawyers protested against the mandatory use of the French language in schools and law courts. By 2017, these protests had turned violent as armed separatist groups emerged within the anglophone regions, engaging in sporadic conflict with government forces. The separatists called for the secession of the two anglophone regions, referring to them as Ambazonia. The conflict has since escalated. Reports estimate that the violence has led to approximately 6,000 civilian deaths, the displacement of 600,000 people within Cameroon, and the forced migration of over 77,000 people into Nigeria as refugees.

    The website developers we interviewed described how daily gunfire, displacement and political instability had made it difficult to secure stable employment and find clients.

    Interviewees cited frequent power outages and internet blackouts as barriers to working with legitimate clients.

    As one developer put it:

    There are times when we go without electricity or network for days. I might have a legitimate client, but if the power goes out, I lose the job. Fraudsters, on the other hand, don’t care about delays. They are always there with another request.

    Ghost-town protests, where separatists enforce economic shutdowns and force people to stay in their homes, further limit opportunities for legitimate business. In this unstable environment, undertaking website development for fraudsters became one of the few steady income streams.

    A second theme was spiritual beliefs. We found that spiritual beliefs had an impact on decision-making. Developers rationalised their work by distinguishing between fraud and fraud enablement. Directly perpetrating fraud against victims, they believed, carried spiritual consequences, while simply building websites for fraudsters did not. Some fraudsters in west Africa visit a so-called “juju priest”, who may demand animal sacrifice and even murder in return for their blessing. The website developers we spoke to did not want to get involved in this.

    One of the developers shared his fears about spiritual repercussions:

    Scammers who do rituals for money, they don’t last. Most of the time, you see them dying at the age of 20 or 30. I don’t want to be involved in that. But making websites? That’s different. I’m not the one taking the money.

    A third theme in our findings was the Big Boy culture, a subculture that glorifies online fraud as a symbol of success. In some west African communities, fraudsters who display their wealth through expensive cars, clothes and lifestyles are seen as role models rather than criminals.

    Vanesa, a developer, explained:

    Everybody wants to chill with the Big Boys. Fraudsters want to be seen as superstars, and that means spending money like celebrities.

    The normalisation of internet fraud in some circles has created a perception that financial success justifies the means by which it is achieved. While some developers disapproved of fraudsters’ extravagant lifestyles, others saw it as a model of economic survival to aspire to.

    Rethinking fraud prevention

    These findings challenge the simplistic notion that the internet inherently enables fraud. Instead, fraud thrives within a complex ecosystem that includes not just the perpetrators but also the enablers who facilitate deception for economic, political, and cultural reasons.

    A more effective fraud prevention strategy should address the enablers of cybercrime, not just the scammers.

    This means:

    – Fake online shops rely on tech skills: what drives Cameroon’s web developers to assist online fraudsters
    – https://theconversation.com/fake-online-shops-rely-on-tech-skills-what-drives-cameroons-web-developers-to-assist-online-fraudsters-252429

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa’s civil servants are missing skills, especially when it comes to technology – report

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mashupye Herbert Maserumule, Professor of Public Affairs, Tshwane University of Technology

    South Africa’s goal since 2012 has been to build a capable and developmental state to address the twin challenges of poverty and inequality. The country’s National Development Plan defines a capable state as “well-run and effectively coordinated state institutions with skilled public servants”. A transformative and developmental role is about “consistently delivering high quality services” for the good of society.

    To meet these goals, the country requires people in government with the necessary technological skills. This has been shown to be true in analysis of how governments from various regions worldwide have responded to technology as part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

    A lesson that has emerged, particularly from most countries in the global north, is that technology skills are not simply a trend but a means to manage public affairs more effectively. Examples of areas they are used in include big data, artificial intelligence and robotics.

    A new study has looked at how South Africa is faring in developing skills for the future of work in the public sector. The National Development Plan had earlier highlighted that planning for skills development in this sector was inadequate.

    We were part of the research team for this project, as academics affiliated with various universities who have also written extensively on public administration and building state capacity.

    The study found that most South African government officials were familiar with the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. But they were not familiar with how these technologies could be used to improve the efficiency of the state. In addition, officials in government departments that interact directly with citizens lacked the technologies and tools essential to take advantage of the new breakthroughs in technology.

    We caution in the report that as much as technology skills have helped improve state efficiency, mainly in the global north, they can’t make up for all administrative inadequacies – including thievery from the state, which besets South Africa’s democracy.

    Equally important are human cognitive skills and ethical competencies. The report found that these too were a challenge in the public service.

    The report concludes that the government needs to urgently invest in revamping the way civil servants are trained. In particular, it must invest in continuous professional development. While technological capabilities are key, the report recommends that basic human skills and competencies are equally essential. To achieve this will require the development of a dynamic human resources system.

    The gaps

    The research found that civil servants were aware of technologies available in the market. But they didn’t connect them to their jobs, or have a view on how they could make the state more efficient.

    For example, they didn’t know how big data, artificial intelligence, robotics, or the automation of public administration could be used to improve public service. Being aware of these technologies and using them to the maximum advantage of public administration are two distinct things.

    The study also found that officials in some departments that interact directly with citizens – like home affairs and social development – lacked the technological tools and devices that could improve service delivery.

    The study also showed that technology skills alone cannot create public value in a digitally illiterate society.

    Interviewees emphasised the need for strategic and critical thinking skills, the ability to discern right from wrong and the commitment to do what is right.

    These skills remain essential in a constantly evolving world that faces complex policy challenges related to, among other things, climate change, demographic shifts, poverty, unemployment and inequality.

    They argued that technology should be viewed as a tool to complement human effort.

    Related to this, they emphasised fundamental human values that must underpin the character of the public service, like respect, care, human dignity, compassion and altruism.

    Another problem that was identified was the state’s human resources system said to be ineffective. HR Connect was initiated in 2009 as an integrated human resources system.

    The report found that human resources management practices were compliance-driven. They were primarily geared to demonstrate how the budget allocation for training and development had been used rather than also examining the impact of these interventions.

    What’s needed

    Continuous professional development is what’s needed. The New Public Management template for state reform emerged in the 1980s along neo-liberal lines. It has been a staple of public administration education and the training of public servants ever since. The approach involves teaching civil servants how to apply business principles to manage state affairs. They are taught that citizens are customers.

    However, the report concludes that the system “has failed to fulfil its central promise of efficiency” where this was measured only as the economic value rather than social effectiveness, foregrounding the wellbeing of citizens.

    This points to the need to replenish public service skills and competencies. This is where continuous professional development becomes critical.

    Another recommendation is that the government must invest in the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This should include “data infrastructure, systems and human resources to efficiently utilise data in decision making”.

    Some say HR Connect is inactive, implying it is inherently flawed. If that is the case, it must be replaced with a better personnel management system.

    The study was conducted by the Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA), in partnership with the Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW).

    Mashupye Herbert Maserumule received funding for his PhD studies from National Research Foundation(NRF). He is affiliated with the South African Association of Public Administration and Management(SAAPAM).

    Ricky Mukonza is affiliated with the South African Association for Public Administration.

    Daniel Nkosinathi Mlambo, John Ntshaupe Molepo, Mogotsi Caiphus Maleka, Moraka Arthur Shopola, and Rasodi K Manyaka 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. South Africa’s civil servants are missing skills, especially when it comes to technology – report – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-civil-servants-are-missing-skills-especially-when-it-comes-to-technology-report-253277

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa’s civil servants are missing skills, especially when it comes to technology – report

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mashupye Herbert Maserumule, Professor of Public Affairs, Tshwane University of Technology

    South Africa’s goal since 2012 has been to build a capable and developmental state to address the twin challenges of poverty and inequality. The country’s National Development Plan defines a capable state as “well-run and effectively coordinated state institutions with skilled public servants”. A transformative and developmental role is about “consistently delivering high quality services” for the good of society.

    To meet these goals, the country requires people in government with the necessary technological skills. This has been shown to be true in analysis of how governments from various regions worldwide have responded to technology as part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

    A lesson that has emerged, particularly from most countries in the global north, is that technology skills are not simply a trend but a means to manage public affairs more effectively. Examples of areas they are used in include big data, artificial intelligence and robotics.

    A new study has looked at how South Africa is faring in developing skills for the future of work in the public sector. The National Development Plan had earlier highlighted that planning for skills development in this sector was inadequate.

    We were part of the research team for this project, as academics affiliated with various universities who have also written extensively on public administration and building state capacity.

    The study found that most South African government officials were familiar with the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. But they were not familiar with how these technologies could be used to improve the efficiency of the state. In addition, officials in government departments that interact directly with citizens lacked the technologies and tools essential to take advantage of the new breakthroughs in technology.

    We caution in the report that as much as technology skills have helped improve state efficiency, mainly in the global north, they can’t make up for all administrative inadequacies – including thievery from the state, which besets South Africa’s democracy.

    Equally important are human cognitive skills and ethical competencies. The report found that these too were a challenge in the public service.

    The report concludes that the government needs to urgently invest in revamping the way civil servants are trained. In particular, it must invest in continuous professional development. While technological capabilities are key, the report recommends that basic human skills and competencies are equally essential. To achieve this will require the development of a dynamic human resources system.

    The gaps

    The research found that civil servants were aware of technologies available in the market. But they didn’t connect them to their jobs, or have a view on how they could make the state more efficient.

    For example, they didn’t know how big data, artificial intelligence, robotics, or the automation of public administration could be used to improve public service. Being aware of these technologies and using them to the maximum advantage of public administration are two distinct things.

    The study also found that officials in some departments that interact directly with citizens – like home affairs and social development – lacked the technological tools and devices that could improve service delivery.

    The study also showed that technology skills alone cannot create public value in a digitally illiterate society.

    Interviewees emphasised the need for strategic and critical thinking skills, the ability to discern right from wrong and the commitment to do what is right.

    These skills remain essential in a constantly evolving world that faces complex policy challenges related to, among other things, climate change, demographic shifts, poverty, unemployment and inequality.

    They argued that technology should be viewed as a tool to complement human effort.

    Related to this, they emphasised fundamental human values that must underpin the character of the public service, like respect, care, human dignity, compassion and altruism.

    Another problem that was identified was the state’s human resources system said to be ineffective. HR Connect was initiated in 2009 as an integrated human resources system.

    The report found that human resources management practices were compliance-driven. They were primarily geared to demonstrate how the budget allocation for training and development had been used rather than also examining the impact of these interventions.

    What’s needed

    Continuous professional development is what’s needed. The New Public Management template for state reform emerged in the 1980s along neo-liberal lines. It has been a staple of public administration education and the training of public servants ever since. The approach involves teaching civil servants how to apply business principles to manage state affairs. They are taught that citizens are customers.

    However, the report concludes that the system “has failed to fulfil its central promise of efficiency” where this was measured only as the economic value rather than social effectiveness, foregrounding the wellbeing of citizens.

    This points to the need to replenish public service skills and competencies. This is where continuous professional development becomes critical.

    Another recommendation is that the government must invest in the technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This should include “data infrastructure, systems and human resources to efficiently utilise data in decision making”.

    Some say HR Connect is inactive, implying it is inherently flawed. If that is the case, it must be replaced with a better personnel management system.

    The study was conducted by the Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA), in partnership with the Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW).

    – South Africa’s civil servants are missing skills, especially when it comes to technology – report
    – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-civil-servants-are-missing-skills-especially-when-it-comes-to-technology-report-253277

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: South Africa needs a fresh start, says new book: but does the argument hold up?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Roger Southall, Professor of Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand

    Eddy Maloka, the South African historian, diplomat and academic, argues in his latest book the case for South Africa to forge a “second republic”. What is meant by this is left undefined, but emerges as the making of a new constitution, establishing new institutions.

    Maloka’s argument is that South Africa’s transformation since 1994 – the overthrow of an unjust political, economic and social order – has benefited only a few.

    Today the country is in crisis – “think load-shedding (power cuts), potholes, economic decline, rampant corruption, collapsing state institutions etc” (p.ii).

    This is not unusual, he avers. It is customary for post-revolutionary countries to encounter a crisis. South Africa must now overcome its own and move to a higher stage of development. It can do this by

    reconstituting itself into a second republic.

    As a social scientist, I have enjoyed Maloka’s previous work, notably his valuable history of South Africa’s Communist Party.

    But his latest offering, The Case For a Second Republic – South Africa’s Second Chance, disappoints as ill-thought out, unable to rise above liberation movement theology. It fails to pull together its many interesting ruminations into a coherent whole.

    Nonetheless, it is worth exploring his central argument about the need for South Africa to have a new start. It is one which has substantial popular currency – rarely spelt out in detail, but often expressed on social media, radio chat shows and in speeches by politicians who should know better.

    Justification for a second republic

    The storyline usually goes something like this: the former liberation movement, the African National Congress (ANC), and the National Party, which had been running South Africa since 1948, negotiated a political settlement in 1994. This has been undermined by the economic compromises which were agreed behind the scenes by large-scale capital and the ANC.

    The incoming ANC elite was bought off with goodies such as directorships proffered by large firms, so that capitalism could continue much as usual.

    The result has been that, despite the transfer of political power, the structure of the economy has been little changed. Whites continue to enjoy the major portion of the country’s wealth. Although the black elite has been enriched, the black majority continues to carry the burden of massive unemployment, poverty and inequality. It follows that South Africa needs to revisit the political settlement made in 1994.

    Read more: Why it’s wrong to blame South Africa’s woes on Mandela’s compromises

    Because there are significant elements of truth in this analysis, it has gained considerable traction. Witness the call by former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto we Sizwe party for the rewriting of the constitution. Zuma argues parliament should call the shots without being subject to the judgments of the constitutional court.

    It’s a tempting call. However, it’s too simplistic. Yes, much of South Africa is broken, but there’s no easy way to fix it – and certainly not by an ill-informed transition to a second republic in the way Maloka suggests.

    Out with the old, in with the new

    The call for a second republic, declares Maloka, is a call for a strategic break with the 1994 dispensation. He cites the examples of African countries like Mali (where an attempt to re-found the state was made after a military coup in 2021) and Kenya, where after the political violence that followed the 2007 elections, there was an effort to revisit the constitutional foundations of the post-colonial state.

    In both cases, new constitutions were drawn up and approved by electorates voting in referenda. In both cases, the re-foundation was principally about the state –

    how it is constituted, its territorial governance, the powers of the executive, the separation of powers, and so forth.

    But then Maloka admits that the re-foundation process is always going to be contested, and there is no guarantee that it will succeed.

    Skotaville Publishers

    Maloka views the liberation struggle as having been intended to establish a state based on “people’s power”, a vision endorsed by the ANC’s erstwhile Reconstruction and Development Plan. However, once it came into office, state power was appropriated by Leaders (capital “L”) acting only in their own interests. The people were disempowered, and now wait passively for government to deliver services to them.

    There is therefore an urgent need for a post-1994 paradigm. This should:

    • re-mobilise people politically at a local level, so that they address local problems themselves

    • install a technocratic and meritocratic state led by performance-driven leaders

    • allow the direct election of representatives to provide for a parliament that holds the state to account.

    Refounding the South African state

    How to achieve all this?

    Our approach should not be piecemeal … we should be decisive and overhaul the entire dispensation to align it with the times.

    People’s power must be its central pillar. To do this, Maloka makes just three major recommendations.

    First, he wants the machinery of government to be restructured. Provinces have not proved their worth. They should now be merged into the current system of local government, which could be incorporated into a new three tier state system (although we are not told how), with street committees as its third tier.

    Read more: Persisting inequality has made many young South Africans question the choices made by Nelson Mandela – podcast

    Second, the existing electoral system of proportional representation has made parliament and provincial legislatures accountable to party bosses, not the people. A reformed electoral system providing for public representatives and the president to be “directly elected” is necessary. (He dodges more precise discussion of electoral reform.)

    Third, for these changes to be achieved, Maloka calls for the drawing up of a new constitution that should be validated through a national referendum. This should be achieved within two years.

    No need for a second republic

    What is so remarkable about Maloka’s book is that after delivering punchy critiques of the state of South Africa today, it fails to come up with a substantive case for a second republic, which is laid bare as an empty slogan.

    If Maloka were to read paragraph 4 of chapter 3 of the existing constitution, he would find that there is already a carefully laid out provision for how bills to amend the constitution may be passed.

    Why is it that this process cannot achieve the sort of changes that Maloka wants? If there is a need for wider social dialogue (there may well be), how is this to be achieved? He does not tell us.

    Read more: Mandela was a flawed icon. But without him South Africa would be a sadder place

    However, there is a far more fundamental objection to his call for a second republic. That is that it would call into question the very foundation of the present constitution – its statement of the principles on which the democratic state is founded: human dignity and equality; non-racialism and non-sexism; supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law; and universal suffrage. The bill of rights affirms and protects all these values.

    If Maloka wants to jettison these, he should tell us. As it is, his call for a second republic would put them up for grabs.

    – South Africa needs a fresh start, says new book: but does the argument hold up?
    – https://theconversation.com/south-africa-needs-a-fresh-start-says-new-book-but-does-the-argument-hold-up-249502

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa needs a fresh start, says new book: but does the argument hold up?

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Roger Southall, Professor of Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand

    Eddy Maloka, the South African historian, diplomat and academic, argues in his latest book the case for South Africa to forge a “second republic”. What is meant by this is left undefined, but emerges as the making of a new constitution, establishing new institutions.

    Maloka’s argument is that South Africa’s transformation since 1994 – the overthrow of an unjust political, economic and social order – has benefited only a few.

    Today the country is in crisis – “think load-shedding (power cuts), potholes, economic decline, rampant corruption, collapsing state institutions etc” (p.ii).

    This is not unusual, he avers. It is customary for post-revolutionary countries to encounter a crisis. South Africa must now overcome its own and move to a higher stage of development. It can do this by

    reconstituting itself into a second republic.

    As a social scientist, I have enjoyed Maloka’s previous work, notably his valuable history of South Africa’s Communist Party.

    But his latest offering, The Case For a Second Republic – South Africa’s Second Chance, disappoints as ill-thought out, unable to rise above liberation movement theology. It fails to pull together its many interesting ruminations into a coherent whole.

    Nonetheless, it is worth exploring his central argument about the need for South Africa to have a new start. It is one which has substantial popular currency – rarely spelt out in detail, but often expressed on social media, radio chat shows and in speeches by politicians who should know better.

    Justification for a second republic

    The storyline usually goes something like this: the former liberation movement, the African National Congress (ANC), and the National Party, which had been running South Africa since 1948, negotiated a political settlement in 1994. This has been undermined by the economic compromises which were agreed behind the scenes by large-scale capital and the ANC.

    The incoming ANC elite was bought off with goodies such as directorships proffered by large firms, so that capitalism could continue much as usual.

    The result has been that, despite the transfer of political power, the structure of the economy has been little changed. Whites continue to enjoy the major portion of the country’s wealth. Although the black elite has been enriched, the black majority continues to carry the burden of massive unemployment, poverty and inequality. It follows that South Africa needs to revisit the political settlement made in 1994.



    Read more:
    Why it’s wrong to blame South Africa’s woes on Mandela’s compromises

    Because there are significant elements of truth in this analysis, it has gained considerable traction. Witness the call by former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto we Sizwe party for the rewriting of the constitution. Zuma argues parliament should call the shots without being subject to the judgments of the constitutional court.

    It’s a tempting call. However, it’s too simplistic. Yes, much of South Africa is broken, but there’s no easy way to fix it – and certainly not by an ill-informed transition to a second republic in the way Maloka suggests.

    Out with the old, in with the new

    The call for a second republic, declares Maloka, is a call for a strategic break with the 1994 dispensation. He cites the examples of African countries like Mali (where an attempt to re-found the state was made after a military coup in 2021) and Kenya, where after the political violence that followed the 2007 elections, there was an effort to revisit the constitutional foundations of the post-colonial state.

    In both cases, new constitutions were drawn up and approved by electorates voting in referenda. In both cases, the re-foundation was principally about the state –

    how it is constituted, its territorial governance, the powers of the executive, the separation of powers, and so forth.

    But then Maloka admits that the re-foundation process is always going to be contested, and there is no guarantee that it will succeed.

    Maloka views the liberation struggle as having been intended to establish a state based on “people’s power”, a vision endorsed by the ANC’s erstwhile Reconstruction and Development Plan. However, once it came into office, state power was appropriated by Leaders (capital “L”) acting only in their own interests. The people were disempowered, and now wait passively for government to deliver services to them.

    There is therefore an urgent need for a post-1994 paradigm. This should:

    • re-mobilise people politically at a local level, so that they address local problems themselves

    • install a technocratic and meritocratic state led by performance-driven leaders

    • allow the direct election of representatives to provide for a parliament that holds the state to account.

    Refounding the South African state

    How to achieve all this?

    Our approach should not be piecemeal … we should be decisive and overhaul the entire dispensation to align it with the times.

    People’s power must be its central pillar. To do this, Maloka makes just three major recommendations.

    First, he wants the machinery of government to be restructured. Provinces have not proved their worth. They should now be merged into the current system of local government, which could be incorporated into a new three tier state system (although we are not told how), with street committees as its third tier.



    Read more:
    Persisting inequality has made many young South Africans question the choices made by Nelson Mandela – podcast

    Second, the existing electoral system of proportional representation has made parliament and provincial legislatures accountable to party bosses, not the people. A reformed electoral system providing for public representatives and the president to be “directly elected” is necessary. (He dodges more precise discussion of electoral reform.)

    Third, for these changes to be achieved, Maloka calls for the drawing up of a new constitution that should be validated through a national referendum. This should be achieved within two years.

    No need for a second republic

    What is so remarkable about Maloka’s book is that after delivering punchy critiques of the state of South Africa today, it fails to come up with a substantive case for a second republic, which is laid bare as an empty slogan.

    If Maloka were to read paragraph 4 of chapter 3 of the existing constitution, he would find that there is already a carefully laid out provision for how bills to amend the constitution may be passed.

    Why is it that this process cannot achieve the sort of changes that Maloka wants? If there is a need for wider social dialogue (there may well be), how is this to be achieved? He does not tell us.



    Read more:
    Mandela was a flawed icon. But without him South Africa would be a sadder place

    However, there is a far more fundamental objection to his call for a second republic. That is that it would call into question the very foundation of the present constitution – its statement of the principles on which the democratic state is founded: human dignity and equality; non-racialism and non-sexism; supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law; and universal suffrage. The bill of rights affirms and protects all these values.

    If Maloka wants to jettison these, he should tell us. As it is, his call for a second republic would put them up for grabs.

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

    – ref. South Africa needs a fresh start, says new book: but does the argument hold up? – https://theconversation.com/south-africa-needs-a-fresh-start-says-new-book-but-does-the-argument-hold-up-249502

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Homes England and Octopus Real Estate launch £150 million Greener Homes Alliance phase 2

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Homes England and Octopus Real Estate launch £150 million Greener Homes Alliance phase 2

    The renewed alliance will reinforce a responsibility to support small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders, while encouraging greener building practices.

    Octopus Real Estate supported by Homes England

    Homes England has joined with Octopus Real Estate, part of Octopus Investments and a leading specialist real estate investor and lender, to create the Greener Homes Alliance 2.

    The alliance will commit £150 million of funding, £42 million of which will be provided by the Agency’s Home Building Fund. This will provide small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders with further loan finance enabling even more high-quality, energy efficient homes to be built across England.

    The first phase of the alliance launched in 2021, as part of broader efforts to expand the supply of finance available to SMEs, and funded over 550 much needed, new sustainable homes across the country. More than 40% of the homes built during phase one achieved an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A, and 100% secured a Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) score higher than 86, significantly higher than the UK average EPC rating of D and SAP score of 67.

    Phase one of the Greener Homes Alliance made a significant impact, with 20 loans completed totalling £150 million — an average loan size to SME developers of £7.5 million.

    Phase two of the Greener Homes Alliance will seek to support the creation of more sustainable homes by introducing 10 new criteria, 4 of which must be met for developers to benefit from a 1.25% discount on their interest rate. If 6 or more criteria are met, developers will be eligible for a 2% discount.

    The new criteria for phase 2 will include the use of modern methods of construction (MMC) in the fabric of buildings and a real living wage paid to workers on site. It will also encourage borrowers to support the Lighthouse Charity, a leader in mental health within the construction industry.

    To qualify for funding from the alliance in the first place, all schemes must deliver specific key performance indicators as a minimum. Developers must ensure that all homes built are fossil fuel free and have an average SAP score of 85 or above.

    Marcus Ralling, Chief Investment Officer at Homes England said:

    Small and medium housebuilders play a vital and essential role in driving the delivery of much needed, new and sustainable homes.

    This extended Alliance is an excellent example of how we are working with partners like Octopus Real Estate to support the SME housebuilders that are crucial to building a diverse and resilient housing sector.

    Andy Scott, Co-Head of Debt, Octopus Real Estate, added:

    We are extremely proud of the impact our Greener Homes Alliance initiative has had when it comes to supporting developers looking to make greener decisions for their projects, and we’ve spent a lot of time working out the new criteria with Homes England to make sure the next phase is as impactful as possible.

    At Octopus, our mission is to reimagine real estate through the delivery of high-quality, sustainable places for people to live that are fit for the future and address societal needs such as fuel poverty. Working with esteemed government agencies to enact real change for the developers who have the expertise and capability to deliver such homes is a huge part of this.

    ENDS

    Notes to editors

    An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) tells you how energy efficient a property is, giving a property an energy efficiency rating from A (best) to G (worst) that is valid for 10 years. An EPC contains information about a property’s energy use and typical energy costs and steps to improve a property’s energy efficiency.

    The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) for the energy rating of dwellings) is the methodology currently used by the government to estimate the energy performance of homes. A SAP score provides a rating between 1 and 100, this range is then divided into categories A (best) to G (worst).

    The new criteria introduced for phase two will include:

    • An average SAP score of 92+ (EPC A)

    • More than 90% of waste from the site avoids landfill

    • Biodiversity Net Gain of over 20%

    • More than 50% of new homes will be Zero Bills ready

    • Regeneration of a brownfield site

    • Potable water usage reduced to less than 110 litres per person per day

    • Use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) in the fabric of the building

    • The Real Living Wage must be paid to all workers on site

    • The borrower to support Lighthouse Charity, a leader in mental health within the construction industry

    • More than 25% of units to be affordable built on-site, or in line with local social housing plans

    All schemes must also deliver the following KPIs as a minimum:

    • All homes to be fossil fuel free

    • Every scheme to have average SAP score of 85+

    About Homes England 

    We are the government’s housing and regeneration Agency, and we’re here to drive the creation of more affordable, quality homes and thriving places so that everyone has a place to live and grow.  

    We make this happen by working in partnership with thousands of organisations of all sizes, using our powers, expertise, land, capital and influence to bring investment to communities and get more quality homes built. 

    Learn more about us: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/homes-england/about

    Press Office contact details 

    Email: media@homesengland.gov.uk 

    Phone: 0207 874 8262 

    About Octopus Real Estate

    Octopus Real Estate, part of Octopus Investments, is a specialist real estate investor and lender delivering quality, sustainable places to live for every stage of life. Through our role as an investor, lender, and landlord, we fund the entire lifecycle of real estate ─ reimagining its future.

    We have more than £3.7 billion in real estate assets and secured lending, working with our partners to deliver greener homes for people to buy or rent, increase the supply of genuinely affordable housing, and build communities that meet the aspirations of elderly people. We also transform underused land and properties that require regeneration and redevelopment.

    We believe that real, lasting change can only be achieved if businesses invest in the right way. We work with people who share our values and take our responsibilities to the communities we serve seriously. Together, we’re harnessing change to build a better tomorrow.

    About Lighthouse

    The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity is the only charity that provides emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support to the construction community and their families.

    Our mission is to ensure that our construction community can easily access the emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support they need and to develop healthy and sustainable futures for this generation and the next.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Myanmar: Urgent Humanitarian Needs Mount After Major Earthquakes – Press Conference | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Melissa Lee Hein, World Food Program (WFP) Head of Communications in Myanmar said that the needs in the country are “huge, and support is needed. That support includes an end to the conflict, free and unimpeded humanitarian access, and also the resources to meet the needs.”

    Addressing the press virtually today (01 Apr), Hein said “What we know is as of today, almost 3000 are dead and thousands more injured and missing, and the devastation is really alarming. Colleagues are reporting buildings turned to rubble, homes destroyed and significant and significant damage to road and bridges and other infrastructures. Electricity supplies are still down in many places and phone communication is patchy at best. And added to this the destruction of hospitals and a lack of clean water.”

    She highlighted, “Before the earthquake, the humanitarian needs in Myanmar were already huge. We know that 20 million people were in need of humanitarian support, 15 million facing food insecurity, and more than three and a half million people displaced by the conflict over the past four years. So, the earthquake on Friday has made a bad situation really so much worse. And while people are resilient, after years of conflict and successive disasters, many have little or nothing to fall back on.”

    She continued, “After the earthquake, a state of emergency was declared across six states and regions. Among the worst affected are Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, Shan and Sagaing. And what we’re seeing is that the effect of the earthquake is largely concentrated in the northwest dry zone. And this is an area that was already suffering with chronic poverty, ongoing conflict and frequent displacement.”

    She said, “Just 48 hours after the earthquake hit, the World Food Program was delivering emergency food supplies to people in Nay Pyi Taw. That was on Sunday. On Monday, teams started to provide food and cash assistance in Shan and Sagaing. And today, distributions of emergency food from WFP started in Mandalay.”

    She also said, “People are sleeping outside. If they’re lucky they have maybe a sheet or a tarp for cover and some have nothing. In one of the worst parts of the city, WFP team said that almost every house had been destroyed either by the earthquake or a major fire that followed in that area. So, people are anxious and afraid even if buildings are standing many don’t want to return home for fear of collapse, aftershocks are still a regular occurrence.”

    Responding to the immediate health needs of the thousands of people injured in the strong earthquakes that rocked Myanmar, WFP has provided nearly 3 tons of medical supplies to hospitals in the worst hit Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay.

    The supplies comprising of trauma kits and multipurpose tents have reached a 1000 bedded hospital in Nay Pyi Taw and is soon reaching the Mandalay General Hospital, the two main hospitals treating the injured in these areas.

    These supplies were rushed from the emergency stockpile in Yangon to the earthquake affected areas within 24 hours of two strong earthquakes of 7.7 magnitude and 6.4 magnitude hitting central Myanmar on Friday.

    Rescue operations are ongoing. Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, Shan South and East and Sagaing are among the worst hit.

    According to WFP, Hospitals are overwhelmed with thousands of injured in need of medical care.

    The supplies that reached the hospitals today comprised of multipurpose tents to also create space for the increasing number of injured; and trauma kits to treat severe wounds and fractures.

    WHO is preparing the second dispatch comprising of Inter-Agency Emergency Health Kits tomorrow morning, with each kit having supplies to treat 10 000 people for three months.

    WHO is providing operational support to the rapid response teams deployed in the hospitals of the affected areas.

    Preparations are on for WHO and partners to roll out a rapid needs assessment to better understand needs and gaps in the affected areas for a tailored response.

    The scale of deaths, injuries and damage to health facilities are not yet fully understood.

    The casualties are likely to be highest in urban areas of Mandalay, Sagaing and Nay Pyi Taw where the earthquakes caused largescale destruction of structures and building.

    As per initial reports, in Nay Pyi Taw some public and private health facilities including a large polyclinic have been damaged.

    Information from Sagaing is limited as electricity and communication is largely disrupted.

    WHO has reached out to the global Emergency Medical Teams Network to identify teams willing to be deployed with field hospitals in Myanmar. So far 26 EMTs have expressed interest.

    The situation in Myanmar is concerning in view of the huge demand on the already fragile healthcare in conflict-hit areas.

    Prior to these earthquake, 12.9 million people were estimated to be in need of humanitarian health interventions in Myanmar in 2025.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZLsDeaiE74

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Ecodesign – local space heaters – E-001230/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001230/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Asger Christensen (Renew)

    In recent years, the Commission has been rolling out its ecodesign requirements for various products, including local space heaters.

    The European Committee of Manufacturers of Domestic Heating and Cooking Appliances has warned that the draft proposal for ecodesign for solid fuel local space heaters, published on 24 January 2025, then redacted, would see nearly 100 % of their members’ products removed from the market.

    In the light of the above, can the Commission clarify:

    • 1.Solid fuel local space heaters are essential for many rural households to heat homes in an affordable way. Has the Commission considered the energy poverty implications of limiting access to these cost-effective heating options?
    • 2.Given manufacturers’ concerns that the proposed changes are unachievable within the given time limits, how does the Commission intend to ensure that standards are both ecologically ambitious and realistically attainable?
    • 3.What guarantees can the Commission give businesses that any future process for ecodesign will ensure transparency and adequate stakeholder engagement to address the concerns of affected industries and consumers?

    Submitted: 24.3.2025

    Last updated: 2 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: Trump, Musk, & RFK Jr. Hollow Out HHS, Threatening Americans’ Health and Wellbeing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Trump carries out mass firings across HHS and subagencies today
    ICYMI: Murray, Former Health Department Leaders, Sound Alarm on Trump and RFK Jr. Gutting HHS
    ICYMI: Murray, DeLauro, Baldwin Demand Answers on RFK Jr.’s Plans to Gut HHS
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), responded to the Trump administration’s mass firings across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its many subagencies, which are responsible for protecting Americans’ health and delivering essential health and social services. 
    “Today, two billionaires are making good on their vow to take a wrecking ball to the Department of Health and Human Services and put Americans’ health and wellbeing at serious risk–and Republicans are letting them,” said Senator Murray. “These firings make a lot of sense if you believe measles spreading like wildfire is good–or think we should be slashing cancer research. While Republicans work to pass more tax breaks for billionaires, Trump, Musk, and RFK Jr. are ripping essential health services away from the American people and decimating our country’s ability to prevent outbreaks and keep families safe. There’s no two ways about it: this is the type of carelessness that gets people killed.”
    Late last week, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced plans to unilaterally push out 20,000 HHS employees (a ~25% reduction) and to dramatically reorganize and hollow out the Department–in clear violation of annual spending laws, including the one that Congress passed and was signed into law just weeks ago. 
    On Monday, Senator Murray led a letter to Secretary Kennedy demanding more information about the sweeping, devastating plans–noting that if this administration is truly committed to transparency, as it claims to be, and is confident its drastic plans will protect Americans’ health, it should be eager to share basic information about them. Thus far, however, the administration has provided no additional details to Congress or the public about its mass firings and reorganization.
    This morning, thousands of health officials woke up to emails notifying them that they were being fired. In addition to the mass firings, HHS says it will eliminate 5 of 10 regional offices, trim 28 divisions into 15, and consolidate and move essential functions to other agencies.
    Since taking office, Trump, Musk, and RFK Jr. have taken a sweeping array of actions to halt HHS’ essential, lifesaving work and diminish its capacity to keep families healthy. It has systematically choked off lifesaving medical research, and just last week, Trump ripped away resources communities nationwide are using to address bird flu, measles, the fentanyl epidemic, the mental health crisis, and more. 
    FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA)
    The FDA protects Americans’ health by ensuring the safety and effectiveness of medicines, biologics, and medical devices–and regulating food, cosmetics, and tobacco products. 
    The Trump administration announced last week it will cut 3,500 employees at the FDA. It has now pushed out senior leaders across the agency focused on food, drug, and medical device policy, as well as the head of the Center for Tobacco Products and the head of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Among the thousands of FDA staff fired by the Trump administration are experts who manage the review of new applications for drugs, vaccines, and medical devices–which will delay approval of new, potentially life-changing products that patients are counting on. Others reportedly pushed out include veterinary medicine experts working on bird flu preparedness and response, the top Type 1 Diabetes expert, and regulatory staff focused on negotiations on User Fee Agreements that fund some of FDA’s work–among many others. 
    “Americans depend on the FDA every time they sit down for a meal or pick up a prescription–but that’s no matter: Trump and Musk are hollowing out the agency and putting their health at risk. Let’s be crystal clear: there’s nothing strategic about firing thousands of people who inspect our food and ensure our prescriptions and babies’ formula are safe. While they work overtime to pass more tax breaks for themselves, Trump, Musk, and RFK Jr. are insisting on senseless cuts to all but destroy FDA, jeopardizing Americans’ safety and leaving patients waiting longer for lifesaving drugs to get to market,” said Senator Murray.
    CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC)
    CDC is charged with protecting the American people from health threats, including infectious diseases like measles and bird flu.
    The Trump administration announced plans to force out 2,400 employees at CDC. 
    Today, scores of CDC staff woke up to emails notifying them they are being fired. This includes mass reductions in force across most CDC centers, which will prevent the critical work CDC is responsible for from being carried out. Staff were fired en mass across CDC offices for domestic violence prevention, Smoking and Health, HIV prevention, Tuberculosis elimination, disability and health, childhood lead poisoning, asthma control, among many others. Trump has even reportedly fired the entire team focused on assistive reproductive technology like IVF–despite his wild claims to be the “fertilization president.”
    The Trump administration has also reportedly fired nearly two-thirds of the CDC National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) staff, or nearly 900 people. The Trump administration is now, for example, apparently working to shutter the CDC NIOSH Spokane Research Laboratory in Washington state, firing dozens of workers today who study how to protect workers’ health and safety on the job, particularly those in fields like mining, the maritime industry, and firefighting, where workers face elevated risks.
    “Decimating the CDC is a great way to make our communities less safe and less prepared to respond quickly and effectively when diseases–like measles and bird flu–put lives and livelihoods in danger. When the next pandemic hits and America is unprepared, it will be thanks to Donald Trump and Republicans destroying our public health infrastructure. Decimating the agency that helps prevent workplace injuries and illnesses is a slap in the face to workers across America–and will threaten the safety of firefighters, miners, construction and agricultural workers, and so many others while on the job,” said Senator Murray.
    NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)
    NIH is the nation’s premier biomedical research agency. Each year, NIH supports biomedical research that produces life-changing and, in many cases, lifesaving treatments and cures.
    The Trump administration has already pushed out top experts, scientists, and senior leadership, well over 1,100 NIH employees, and systematically choked off billions of dollars in NIH funding for new treatments and cures for devastating diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer.
    Now, it is firing even more NIH scientists and staff–including veterans and more than 1,300 additional employees as of this afternoon–decimating the agency. President Trump and RFK Jr. are pushing out senior NIH leadership, including Institute and Center Directors at the Fogarty International Center (FIC), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD).  
    “Since taking office, Trump has systematically worked to break the NIH–he’s taking patients’ hopes for new treatments and cures and throwing them right in the shredder. These sweeping firings at NIH will set back our efforts to discover medical breakthroughs that save lives by decades. And they won’t just delay research, they will halt clinical trials in their tracks and cut patients off from care,” said Senator Murray.
    CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS)
    CMS helps ensure over 100 million Americans have access to affordable, high-quality health insurance by overseeing Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Affordable Care Act marketplaces. 
    The agency has long been understaffed and under-resourced, including for essential functions like nursing home safety inspections and protecting Americans from surprise medical bills. Nonetheless, Trump and Musk are pushing even more people out–and jeopardizing Americans’ health care in doing so. Trump announced that 300 employees at CMS will be cut. 
    “The American people are looking to their leaders to make sure they can get quality, affordable health care–instead, two billionaires are gutting the very agency that helps over 100 million Americans get health care. Undercutting CMS is an attack on Americans’ health care–full stop. Firing the people who keep our systems running, who ensure long-term care facilities are safe, and prevent health care companies from ripping people off makes no sense and will hurt patients nationwide,” said Senator Murray.
    INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE (IHS)
    IHS is responsible for providing direct medical and public health services to members of federally recognized Tribes, and it is the principal federal health care provider and health advocate for Tribal communities across the country. 
    IHS is already struggling to provide quality health care to 2.8 million Americans who rely on its services, and the actions being taken by the Trump administration to freeze federal hiring, reduce office space, and reduce the HHS workforce that IHS relies on are making matters worse. Chronic understaffing continues to plague the IHS, and despite some hiring exemptions for doctors and nurses, quality health care can’t be delivered without sufficient administrative personnel at HHS and at IHS hospitals and health clinics. 
    Adding to the IHS’ staffing struggles, the Trump administration is arbitrarily canceling leases that house IHS administrative offices across all service areas and its medical supply warehouse, which stockpiles and distributes critical medical supplies to all IHS hospitals and health clinics. IHS needs more resources and staffing to fulfill its mission, not less. 
    “Trump and Musk are leaving the Indian Health Service and our Tribes in the dust–freezing hiring at an already-strapped agency, canceling leases it counts on, and now, gutting essential HHS functions that enable IHS to serve patients. They are breaking government with no idea of what they are doing and no regard for who gets hurt–all while they enrich themselves,” said Senator Murray.
    SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (SAMHSA)
    SAMHSA is charged with improving services and support available to people across the country for substance use disorder and mental health. The agency plays a leading role in tackling the fentanyl and opioid crisis, and it oversees the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. 
    The Trump administration has announced plans to eliminate SAMHSA and collapse it into a new “Administration for a Healthy America.” But it has not provided any additional details on its illegal reorganization or how it will ensure SAMHSA’s statutorily-mandated, lifesaving functions would be carried out. Today, the Trump administration made more deep cuts to SAMHSA’s staff, which will result in the agency’s staffing levels being reduced by fifty percent since January–weakening the ability of communities to respond to the mental health and substance use crises. 
    “Just as we are finally starting to make progress getting opioid overdose deaths to trend down nationally, Trump and Musk have decided to scrap the agency responsible for our national response to the epidemic. These billionaires believe our country can afford to pay for more tax breaks for them but cannot afford to keep up the fight against the opioid epidemic. These chaotic, senseless moves will undermine federal support for all the work our communities on the frontlines are doing to tackle the opioid and mental health crises–and save lives,” said Senator Murray.
    ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES (ACF)
    ACF is responsible for administering a variety of programs to help children and families thrive–including the primary federal child care grant program, Head Start, family violence prevention programs, and Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), among many others. 
    Today, the Trump administration made deep cuts to the staff responsible for carrying out these programs, threatening the services and essential oversight families count on. The administration also shuttered half of the regional offices for the Office of Head Start, which are charged with ensuring Head Start services delivered to families are high-quality, without any explanation of how it will fulfill its mission and continue serving children and families without these offices or staff. Trump also gutted the Office of Community Services, which administers the LIHEAP program to help low-income individuals and families afford to heat and cool their homes and administers the Community Services Block Grant program, which helps communities nationwide fight poverty.
    “While the child care crisis crunches families’ budgets, Trump and Musk are focused on firing the very people who help make sure there are safe, affordable child care options available to families in every part of the country,” said Senator Murray. “Decimating this agency may well mean child care and Head Start centers don’t get the funding they need to keep their doors open, and shuttering regional offices will threaten families’ access to quality and reliable Head Start services. These firings will certainly risk kids’ safety–because that’s what happens when you get rid of the people who monitor centers’ care. These billionaires are ripping the rug out from under families just as they seek to give themselves more tax breaks.”
    ADMINISTRATION FOR COMMUNITY LIVING (ACL)
    ACL provides unique and critical support to help ensure seniors and Americans with disabilities can live independently and with the same opportunities as others in their communities. ACL programs improve access to health care and long-term care supports, fund essential services like congregate and home-delivered meals and respite care, and invest in essential research and innovation to better support seniors and Americans with disabilities.
    The Trump administration announced plans to eliminate ACL in clear violation of annual appropriations law that explicitly funds ACL–and has provided no additional details on how its essential, statutorily-mandated functions will continue without interruptions that seriously hurt seniors and people with disabilities.
    Today, Trump gutted ACL, firing scores of staff and leaving the administration of these critical programs in jeopardy.
    “Trump and Musk are ripping the rug out from underneath seniors and Americans with disabilities by gutting the agency that helps them get the support they need to not only live independently, but also thrive in their communities,” said Senator Murray.
    ADMINISTRATION FOR STRATEGIC PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE (ASPR)
    ASPR leads our country’s medical and public health preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters and public health emergencies–coordinating planning and response for when fires erupt, pathogens like COVID or bird flu emerge, and so much more.
    The Trump administration has announced that ASPR will be consolidated into CDC, and today laid off a number of staff, including staff for the Strategic National Stockpile.
    “As bird flu rages and measles spreads across the country in an outbreak with little recent precedent, apparently Donald Trump thinks it’s a good idea to destroy the very agency tasked with leading our public health preparedness efforts. Firing this staff puts our economy and our families in serious danger,” said Senator Murray.
    HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (HRSA)
    HRSA is charged with improving access to care for vulnerable and underserved populations. The agency runs critical programs to bolster the nation’s health workforce, improve maternal and child health, support high-quality care in community health centers and Ryan White HIV/AIDS clinics, address rural health needs, modernize the nation’s organ transplant system, and more.
    The Trump administration has announced it plans to eliminate HRSA and collapse it into a new “Administration for a Healthy America” but has not provided any additional details on how this reorganization might work and how it will ensure HRSA’s statutorily-mandated functions will be carried out.
    Today, the Trump administration reportedly fired hundreds of staff who provide support to the nation’s 1,400 community health centers, which operate more than 15,000 sites serving millions of patients across the U.S. regardless of their ability to pay. Others fired include those working on HRSA’s maternal and child health programs, who oversee states’ block grants and operate the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program to support mothers, children, and families. Staff were also fired from HRSA’s health workforce programs, where they work to engage with communities nationwide to address shortages of doctors and nurses, and provide scholarships and loan repayment for those working in high-need communities.
    “It defies logic to get rid of the people who help strengthen our nation’s health workforce, support our nation’s health centers, and work to ensure children grow up healthy. These reckless firings and thoughtless reorganization will set back efforts to improve maternal care, help Americans in rural areas get basic health services, and so much more,” said Senator Murray.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Myanmar – One third of population in Myanmar requires humanitarian support, following devastating earthquake which has left thousands dead – World Vision

     Source: World Vision

     

    • More than 3.5 million people are internally displaced following the earthquake and ongoing internal conflict  
    • Children and families are struggling to survive, and are without shelter, food, or medical care, while enduring immense physical and emotional trauma, putting them at risk of abuse 
    • One third of the population requires urgent humanitarian aid as a lack of food, clean water and sanitation pose serious health issues in the coming weeks 
       

    Global humanitarian organisation, World Vision, is warning that children left homeless and separated from family following the recent earthquake in Myanmar are at increased risk of abuse and exploitation. 

     

    Last Saturday, central Myanmar was rocked by a massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake, which shook buildings as far away as Thailand, Laos, Bangladesh, China and Vietnam. The reported death toll is currently in the thousands.  

     

    In the hardest-hit areas of Mandalay, Sagaing, Nay Pyi Taw, and parts of southern Shan State, many people are sleeping outdoors and fearing aftershocks and further building collapses. Thousands have been left homeless, while also struggling to access clean water, sanitation, and essential services.  

     

    The earthquake has worsened an already severe humanitarian crisis in Myanmar where nearly half the population were living in poverty and more than 3.5 million people were internally displaced. 

     

    Grant Bayldon, National Director of World Vision New Zealand, says the earthquake is a devastating blow for struggling children and families in Myanmar. 

     

    “This is a crisis on top of a crisis. Prior to this earthquake children and communities in Myanmar were already suffering greatly. After the quake, their suffering is immense. They are in desperate need of humanitarian assistance – not only to support them with their immediate needs, but to ensure that they have the capacity and capability to rebuild following the devastation this quake has delivered.” 

     

    World Vision Myanmar’s National Director Dr Kyi Minn says as always children are the most at risk when disaster strikes.  

     

    “Children in disaster-stricken areas are among the most vulnerable. In Myanmar, these children were already exposed to numerous hardships. Now, many are homeless, and some have been separated from their families, putting them at greater risk of abuse.” 

     

    Dr Minn says right now emergency response efforts are focused on addressing the urgent needs of affected communities, but child protection must also be a top priority. 

     

    “Conflict, natural disasters and other emergencies expose children to increased risk of violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect. Sadly, there are some people who will prey on this increased vulnerability and take advantage of children at a time when they most need support and protection.  

     

    “Children are in danger of potential injury and even death. Girls are particularly at risk as the threat of gender-based violence increases. As a child-focused organisation, the safety and protection of children is World Vision’s main priority and will be central in our response to this emergency.” 

     

    World Vision has launched a rapid assessment of the hardest-hit areas in the Mandalay region and has begun distributing essential aid, including food, clean water, and temporary shelters.  

    The organisation is also working to provide healthcare, sanitation, and mental health support for affected children and their families. 

     

    “It is critical that children return to a sense of normalcy as soon as possible. They need safe homes, access to education, and protection from the risks of child labour, early marriage, and other forms of abuse and exploitation. We must act urgently to ensure that children are safe and have the opportunity to rebuild their lives, so they can enjoy the bright futures they deserve,” says Dr Minn. 

     

    World Vision aims to support 500,000 people, including 200,000 children, with a $5 million dollar response in the most affected areas and is urging the international community to mobilise resources for both immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts. 

     

    Bayldon says more funding is crucial if we are to ensure that all vulnerable children and families are supported for a sustainable recovery. 

     

    To donate to the appeal, visit worldvision.org.nz/myanmar-give

     

    About World Vision  

    World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organisation dedicated to working with children, families and their communities to reach their full potential by tackling the root causes of poverty and injustice.  World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.  For more information, please visit www.wvi.org 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Homes England and Octopus Real Estate launch £150m Greener Homes Alliance phase 2

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    Homes England and Octopus Real Estate launch £150m Greener Homes Alliance phase 2

    The renewed alliance will reinforce a responsibility to support small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders, while encouraging greener building practices.

    Octopus Real Estate supported by Homes England

    Homes England has joined with Octopus Real Estate, part of Octopus Investments and a leading specialist real estate investor and lender, to create the Greener Homes Alliance 2.

    The alliance will commit £150 million of funding, £42 million of which will be provided by the Agency’s Home Building Fund. This will provide small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders with further loan finance enabling even more high-quality, energy efficient homes to be built across England.

    The first phase of the alliance launched in 2021, as part of broader efforts to expand the supply of finance available to SMEs, and funded over 550 much needed, new sustainable homes across the country. More than 40% of the homes built during phase one achieved an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of A, and 100% secured a Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) score higher than 86, significantly higher than the UK average EPC rating of D and SAP score of 67.

    Phase one of the Greener Homes Alliance made a significant impact, with 20 loans completed totalling £150million – an average loan size to SME developers of £7.5 million.

    Phase two of the Greener Homes Alliance will seek to support the creation of more sustainable homes by introducing ten new criteria, four of which must be met for developers to benefit from a 1.25% discount on their interest rate. If six or more criteria are met, developers will be eligible for a 2% discount.

    The new criteria for phase two will include the use of mixed methods of construction (MMC) in the fabric of buildings and a real living wage paid to workers on site. It will also encourage borrowers to support the Lighthouse Charity, a leader in mental health within the construction industry.

    To qualify for funding from the alliance in the first place, all schemes must deliver specific key performance indicators as a minimum. Developers must ensure that all homes built are fossil fuel free and have an average SAP score of 85 or above.

    Marcus Ralling, Chief Investment Officer at Homes England said:

    Small and medium housebuilders play a vital and essential role in driving the delivery of much needed, new and sustainable homes.

    This extended Alliance is an excellent example of how we are working with partners like Octopus Real Estate to support the SME housebuilders that are crucial to building a diverse and resilient housing sector.

    Andy Scott, Co-Head of Debt, Octopus Real Estate, added:

    We are extremely proud of the impact our Greener Homes Alliance initiative has had when it comes to supporting developers looking to make greener decisions for their projects, and we’ve spent a lot of time working out the new criteria with Homes England to make sure the next phase is as impactful as possible.

    At Octopus, our mission is to reimagine real estate through the delivery of high-quality, sustainable places for people to live that are fit for the future and address societal needs such as fuel poverty. Working with esteemed government agencies to enact real change for the developers who have the expertise and capability to deliver such homes is a huge part of this.

    ENDS

    Notes to editors:

    An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) tells you how energy efficient a property is, giving a property an energy efficiency rating from A (best) to G (worst) that is valid for 10 years. An EPC contains information about a property’s energy use and typical energy costs and steps to improve a property’s energy efficiency.

    The Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) for the energy rating of dwellings) is the methodology currently used by the government to estimate the energy performance of homes. A SAP score provides a rating between 1 and 100, this range is then divided into categories A (best) to G (worst).

    The new criteria introduced for phase two will include:

    • An average SAP score of 92+ (EPC A)

    • More than 90% of waste from the site avoids landfill

    • Biodiversity Net Gain of over 20%

    • More than 50% of new homes will be Zero Bills ready

    • Regeneration of a brownfield site

    • Potable water usage reduced to less than 110L per person per day

    • Use of Mixed Methods of Construction (MMC) in the fabric of the building

    • The Real Living Wage must be paid to all workers on site

    • The borrower to support Lighthouse Charity, a leader in mental health within the construction industry

    • More than 25% of units to be affordable built on-site, or in line with local social housing plans

    All schemes must also deliver the following KPIs as a minimum:

    • All homes to be fossil fuel free

    • Every scheme to have average SAP score of 85+

    About Homes England 

    We are the government’s housing and regeneration Agency, and we’re here to drive the creation of more affordable, quality homes and thriving places so that everyone has a place to live and grow.  

    We make this happen by working in partnership with thousands of organisations of all sizes, using our powers, expertise, land, capital and influence to bring investment to communities and get more quality homes built. 

    Learn more about us: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/homes-england/about

    Press Office Contact Details 

    Email: media@homesengland.gov.uk 

    Phone: 0207 874 8262 

    About Octopus Real Estate

    Octopus Real Estate, part of Octopus Investments, is a specialist real estate investor and lender delivering quality, sustainable places to live for every stage of life. Through our role as an investor, lender, and landlord, we fund the entire lifecycle of real estate ─ reimagining its future.

    We have more than £3.7bn in real estate assets and secured lending, working with our partners to deliver greener homes for people to buy or rent, increase the supply of genuinely affordable housing, and build communities that meet the aspirations of elderly people. We also transform underused land and properties that require regeneration and redevelopment.

    We believe that real, lasting change can only be achieved if businesses invest in the right way. We work with people who share our values and take our responsibilities to the communities we serve seriously. Together, we’re harnessing change to build a better tomorrow.

    About Lighthouse

    The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity is the only charity that provides emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support to the construction community and their families.

    Our mission is to ensure that our construction community can easily access the emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support they need and to develop healthy and sustainable futures for this generation and the next.

    Updates to this page

    Published 2 April 2025

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Pushes for Long-Needed Update to Social Security Income Program for Disabled, Elderly Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) introduced the SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act to reform the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, which has not been updated in nearly 40 years and currently punishes older and disabled Americans for saving for emergencies and their futures. Cassidy’s legislation would update SSI’s asset limits to ensure disabled and elderly Americans are able to prepare themselves for a financial emergency without putting the benefits they rely on to live at risk. 
    “Outdated rules are making disabled Americans pick between a better job and losing their safety net. That’s wrong,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Instead, let’s encourage work, help people save, and lift them out of poverty.”
    Cassidy was joined by U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) in introducing the legislation.
    “A $2,000 rainy-day fund doesn’t go as far as it did in 1989, but that’s all the savings that people who rely on SSI benefits are allowed,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “We shouldn’t punish people who are working hard, saving their money, and planning for the future. Congress must raise the SSI asset limit to help our seniors and Americans with disabilities.”
    Right now, individuals with a disability or those aged 65 and older are only eligible for Supplemental Security Income if they have under $2,000 in assets. SSI’s marriage penalty restricts married couples to a total of $3,000 in financial resources to remain eligible. A study by JPMorganChase suggests that current asset and income limits on federal benefits for people with disabilities make it harder for them to work a part-time job or save money for an emergency. TheSSI Savings Penalty Elimination Actwould raise the SSI asset limits to $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for married couples, and index them to inflation moving forward. The last update to SSI asset limits was passed by Congress in 1984 and went into effect in 1989.
    The SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act is supported of more than 200 businesses, faith-based groups, and organizations dedicated to improving the lives of older adults and people with disabilities.
    Cassidy and Cortez Masto were joined by U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), James Lankford (R-OK), Patty Murray (D-WA.), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Rick Scott (R-FL) in cosponsoring the legislation. 
    Companion legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01) and Danny K. Davis (D-IL-07).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: McClellan, Sykes, Warner Reintroduce Bill to Improve Access to Healthy Foods, Eliminate Food Deserts

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

    Washington, D.C. – In case you missed it: Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) and Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (OH-13) reintroduced the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act. This legislation would provide incentives to food providers to expand access to healthy foods in underserved communities and reduce the number of food deserts nationwide. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) reintroduced the Senate companion bill.

    “We all know that hungry children cannot learn and reach their full potential. That’s why it’s so important to have affordable, healthy food close to home,” said Congresswoman McClellan. “Unfortunately, too many families in Virginia live in food deserts and struggle to feed their children healthy food. I’m grateful to Rep. Sykes and Sen. Warner for their work to bridge this gap and empower families with the resources they need to grow and thrive.”

    Currently, an estimated 18.8 million Americans live in what the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies as a food desert — not living within a mile of a grocery store in urban communities or 10 miles of a grocery store in rural areas. The lack of healthy food options has devastating effects on the health of communities, leading to higher incidence of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. 

    “No American should be denied access to healthy, nutritious foods simply because of the zip code they live in. The Healthy Food Access for All Americans would encourage food providers to establish grocery stores, food banks, and farmers markets in traditionally underserved communities to help ensure all Americans, no matter where they live, can put fresh, affordable food on the table,” said Congresswoman Sykes. “This commonsense legislation will combat food insecurity in our communities and ensure families and children have the nutritious, healthy food they need to thrive.”

    “Fresh and nutritious foods are a cornerstone of health and wellbeing, but too many families in Virginia and across America live in places where these foods are out of reach,” said Senator Warner. “This legislation will help us fight food deserts by incentivizing grocery stores to come to communities that have the hardest time accessing fresh produce.”

    Specifically, the Healthy Food Access for All Americans Act — which defines a grocery market as a retail sales store with at least 35 percent of its selection (or forecasted selection) dedicated to selling fresh produce, poultry, dairy, and deli items — would encourage investment in food deserts across the country that have a poverty rate of 20 percent or higher, or a median family income of less than 80 percent of the median for the state or metro area.

    It would grant tax credits or grants to food providers who service low-access communities and attain a “Special Access Food Provider” (SAFP) certification through the Treasury Department. Incentives would be awarded based on the following structure:

    • New Store Construction – Companies that construct new grocery stores in a food desert will receive a one time 15 percent tax credit after receiving certification.
    • Retrofitting Existing Structures – Companies that make retrofits to an existing store’s healthy food sections can receive a one time 10 percent tax credit after the repairs certify the store as an SAFP.
    • Food Banks – Certified food banks that build new (permanent) structures in food deserts will be eligible to receive a one time grant for 15 percent of their construction costs.
    • Temporary Access Merchants – Certified temporary access merchants (i.e. mobile markets, farmers markets, and some food banks) that are 501(c)(3)s will receive grants for 10 percent of their annual operating costs.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw Stresses Need for Techno-Legal Framework to Address Emerging New-Age Crimes and to Ensure Prompt Investigation and Bringing Criminals to Justice for Effective Prosecution

    Source: Government of India

    Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw Stresses Need for Techno-Legal Framework to Address Emerging New-Age Crimes and to Ensure Prompt Investigation and Bringing Criminals to Justice for Effective Prosecution

    Technical knowhow of India’s academia, scientists and researchers should be harnessed to bring about technological solutions in investigations

    Union Minister Urges CBI to Establish State-of-the-Art Cyber Forensic Labs in Collaboration with Academia

    Amid Deepfake & AI challenges, Ashwini Vaishnaw says the Future of Effective Criminal Justice lies in combining legal frameworks with Technological Capability and Institutional innovation

    Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw delivers 21st D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture on CBI’s 62nd Foundation Day, presents police medals to 26 officers

    Union Minister highlights CBI’s role in justice and outlines four key pillars of India’s growth strategy

    Posted On: 01 APR 2025 5:46PM by PIB Delhi

    Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & IT, addressed the 21st D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture on CBI’s 62nd Foundation Day held today at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Speaking on the theme ‘VIKSIT BHARAT @ 2047 – A Roadmap for CBI’, the Minister outlined a strategic vision for the agency’s role in India’s progress over the next two decades. During the event, President’s Police Medals (PPM) for Distinguished Service and Police Medals (PM) for Meritorious Service to CBI officers were presented acknowledging their dedication and exceptional contributions.

    In his address, Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw elaborated the important role played by CBI over the years in bringing out truth through in depth & professional investigation and in bringing criminals to justice through effective prosecution. He further said “Our academia, our scientists, our researchers today possess remarkable strength and capabilities. This strength must be harnessed by investigating agencies, law officers, and government departments to co-develop technological solutions. Law alone will not be sufficient, we need techno-legal approach to address the challenges posed by new-age crimes and investigation,” the Minister emphasized.

    Union Minister urged the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take the lead in building state-of-the-art cyber forensic laboratories by actively partnering with academic and research institutions. He further highlighted the need for institutional frameworks that facilitate such collaborations and suggested that Ministries and Departments such as MeitY, Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and Department of Science and Technology (DST) work closely with investigative agencies to co-create technologies required for modern-day law enforcement.

    The Minister’s remarks come in the backdrop of rapid technological evolution, including challenges posed by artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and cyber-enabled crimes. He stressed that the future of effective criminal justice lies in combining legal frameworks with technological capability and institutional innovation.

    Reflecting on India’s transformative journey over the past decade, the Minister noted the country’s rapid economic growth, strong governance, and technological leadership. He further highlighted four pillars of growth strategy in the last decade, first, public investment in physical, social and digital infrastructure, second a large number of inclusive growth programs, third a strong focus on manufacturing and innovation and fourth, simplification of legal and compliance structures.

    First Pillar: Public Investment In Physical, Social and Digital infrastructure

    The first pillar of India’s growth strategy focuses on significant investments in social, physical and digital infrastructure, including the construction of national highways, new airports, and the electrification of railways. The Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India has democratized technology with over 118 crore telecom subscribers, 70 crore smartphone users, and a robust AI ecosystem to support innovation. In social infrastructure, India has also expanded educational opportunities by opening 490 new universities and increasing the capacity of IITs, IIMs, and AIIMS.

    Second Pillar: Inclusive Growth

    The second pillar of India’s growth strategy focuses on inclusive growth, ensuring that economic progress translates into real improvements in people’s lives. Over the past decade, 54 crore new bank accounts have been opened, 4 crore houses built, and 12 crore tap water connections provided. In addition, 35 crore citizens are part of the Ayushman Bharat program, with more than 25 crore citizens coming out of poverty and improved access to essential services for millions.

    Third Pillar: Strong Focus on Manufacturing and Innovation

    The third pillar of India’s growth strategy emphasizes manufacturing and innovation, shifting the country from a services-based economy to a manufacturing hub. Initiatives like Make in India and Startup India have spurred growth, with electronics becoming the third-largest export and India becoming the second-largest mobile manufacturer globally. Key successes include developments in the semiconductor, defense, telecom sector, and the launch of high-speed Vande Bharat trains.

    Fourth Pillar: Simplification of legal and compliance structures

    The fourth pillar of India’s growth strategy focuses on simplification by eliminating outdated colonial-era laws. Over 1,500 archaic laws have been removed, and new frameworks like the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) have replaced old legal structures such as the IPC and CrPC. This simplification process is paving the way for a more modern and efficient legal system.

    CBI Director, Shri Praveen Sood welcomed the guests on the occasion. Attorney General of India, Central Vigilance Commissioner, Director IB, Director ED, Heads of NIA & Central Paramilitary Forces graced the occasion. Police Liaison Officers (PLOs) of other countries, also attended the event.

    Following officers & officials of CBI were presented the medals by the Honb’le Minister for Distinguished and Meritorious Service: 

    (i)         President’s Police Medals (PPM) for Distinguished Service were presented to :

    1.         Shri K. Pradeep Kumar, SP, CBI, ACB, Jammu;

    2.         Shri Naresh Kumar Sharma, ASP, CBI, Special Unit, New Delhi;

    3.         Shri Mukesh Kumar, ASP, CBI, AC-II, New Delhi;

    4.         Shri Ramji Lal Jat, Head Constable, CBI, ACB, Jaipur (Now Retired) and

    5.         Shri Raj Kumar, Head Constable, CBI, Head Office, New Delhi

     

    (ii)        Police Medals (PM) for Meritorious Service were presented to:

     

    1.         Shri Raghavendra Vatsa, IPS (GJ:05), then DIG-HoB, CBI, ACB, New Delhi  (presently in the cadre as IGP, Gujarat Police);

    2.         Ms. Sharada Pandurang Raut, IPS (MH:05) then DIG- HoB, CBI, EOB, Mumbai (presently in the cadre as Jt. Commissioner, S.I.D., Maharashtra  Mumbai);

    3.         Shri Prem Kumar Gautam, IPS (UP:05), then DIG – HoB, CBI, SU, New Delhi (presently in the cadre as IGP, Prayagraj Range, Uttar Pradesh);

    4.         Shri Manoj Chaladan, DLA, CBI, ACB, Mumbai;

    5.         Shri Srinivas Pillari, Principal System Analyst, CBI, ACB, Kolkata (Now posted at Systems Division, Delhi Branch);

    6.         Shri K. Madhusudhanan, DSP, CBI, ACB, Visakhapatnam;

    7.         Shri Ajay Kumar, DSP (Now ASP) CBI, Policy Division, New Delhi;

    8.         Shri Balwinder Singh, Inspector, CBI, SCB, Chandigarh;

    9.         Shri Chitti Babu N., Inspector, CBI, ACB, Hyderabad;

    10.       Shri Manoj Kumar, Inspector, CBI, HO, New Delhi (presently in his parent force & posted at CISF, CGBS Unit Mahipalpur, New Delhi);

    11.       Shri Rahul Kumar, Inspector, CBI, EOB, Kolkata (presently in his force & posted at CISF Unit SMP, Kolkata);

    12.       Shri Rajeev Sharma, Inspector, CBI,HO, New Delhi;

    13.       Shri S. Nanda Kumar, Assistant Sub Inspector, CBI, SU, Chennai;

    14.       Shri Suresh Prasad Shukla, Head Constable, CBI, ACB, Jabalpur  (now posted at CBI, BSFB Mumbai);

    15.       Shri Rajesh Kumar, Head Constable, CBI, HO, New Delhi;

    16.       Shri Om Prakash Daloutra, Head Constable, CBI, ACB, Jammu;

    17.       Shri Randhir Singh, Head Constable, CBI, ACB, Jaipur;

    18.       Shri Pawan Kumar, Constable, CBI, SC-I, NewDelhi;

    19.       Shri Tejpal Singh, Constable, CBI, Policy Division, New Delhi;

    20.       Shri Atul Sareen, Crime Assistant, CBI, Policy Division, New Delhi and

    21.       Shri Subra Mohanty, Steno Gr.-II, CBI, ACB, Bhubaneswar

    About the event

    CBI pays its respect and homage to its founder Director late Shri Dharamnath Prasad Kohli and has been organizing the D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture since the year 2000.

    Shri Dharamnath Prasad Kohli was born in 1907 in Uttar Pradesh (UP), India. After joining Police Service in 1931, he served in UP, erstwhile Madhya Bharat and the Government of India. He had distinguished career in the Indian Police. He headed Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) from July 1955 to March 1963. On creation of Central Bureau of Investigation, on 1st April, 1963, Shri D.P. Kohli became its founder Director and continued as its Director from 1963 till his retirement on May 31, 1968.

    The lecture series has been honoured to feature highly distinguished speakers and luminaries from various fields who share their insights and experience on pertinent topics. The lecture series is intended to contribute to fostering dialogue, sharing knowledge, and advancing the understanding of challenges and solutions in the realm of law enforcement, criminal justice system and criminal investigation. The D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture serves as an apt tribute to Shri D.P. Kohli’s vision and legacy in establishing the CBI as a premier investigating and prosecuting agency. It also underscores the agency’s commitment to upholding integrity, accountability, and excellence in its operations as enshrined in CBI’s motto Industry, Impartiality and Integrity.

    The Central Bureau of Investigation was established by a Government of India resolution dated 1st April, 1963 to investigate not only cases of bribery and corruption, but also violation of central fiscal laws, serious crimes besides collecting supporting intelligence. Over the last more than six decades, the Central Bureau of Investigation has emerged as a premier investigating and prosecuting agency of the country covering entire gamut of crimes including emerging new age crimes like cyber enabled financial crimes, online CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material), etc. CBI as the National Central Bureau for INTERPOL in India also coordinates international cooperation in law enforcement.

    The function was also webcast live Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Delivers the 21st D.P. Kohli Memorial Lecture at Bharat Mandapam

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    Dharmendra Tewari/ Navin Sreejith

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