NewzIntel.com

Category: COVID-19 Vaccine

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dobro.Center SPbPU: New Horizons of Volunteering and Social Responsibility

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    Dobro.Center SPbPU

    The event’s guest of honor was Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Youth Policy and Interaction with Public Organizations of St. Petersburg, SVO veteran Ivan Esipov.

    In honor of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, a VR session “Leningrad through the eyes of Tanya Savicheva” was held, organized by “Victory Volunteers” and the Dobro.Center “Harmony”. With the help of modern technologies, students were able to immerse themselves in the events of the Leningrad blockade.

    At the meeting of the scientific section “Youth and Society: Current Socially Significant Practices”, representatives of different regions of Russia and the CIS countries presented scientific reports in the field of youth policy. They shared data on social trends: ecology, consumer behavior, trust in content on social networks, youth marriages and cultural identity.

    “The Humanitarian Forum was memorable for its high level of organization, relevant topics and lively discussions. Valuable experience, warm atmosphere and professionalism inspire further research,” shared the winner of the first degree diploma for the best report, a student of the Russian-Armenian University Donara Afrikyan.

    The key event was the round table “

    “Today, when society is facing new challenges, it is important to unite young people around common meanings, values and goals.

    A student of the Humanitarian Institute of SPbPU Maria Guner read her poem dedicated to the veterans of the SVO. The event ended with an open microphone, where everyone could ask a question, make a suggestion, share their story.

    “The volunteer movement in St. Petersburg is the flagship of assistance and unity in the country. The round table on humanitarian development at the Polytechnic University reflected the key areas of public organizations, including assistance to the front,” emphasized Deputy Chairman of the Youth Parliament of St. Petersburg, participant of the SVO, student of ITMO University Zakhar Kornev.

    As part of the forum, Polytechnic University graduate and member of the Union of Artists of Russia Alexander Dudorov held a charity master class on painting. Participants created their own paintings using acrylic paints. During Alexander Alfeevich’s exhibition, SPbPU Ambassador, Head of the Process Automation Department of the IT Department of BorisHof Group of Companies Ruslan Talipov purchased two works by the St. Petersburg artist. All proceeds from the sale of the paintings are donated to the AdVita Foundation to help children, as well as to support needy children in Donbass.

    In addition, activists of the SPbPU Dobro.Center joined forces with business partners – Gazprom Pererabotka, the Sputnik Hotel and the Izmailovo Hotel – to help the Nevsky Front – Children charity fund raise funds for a charity football tournament for children from orphanages in the Northwestern Federal District.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: News Release – DOH Confirms Second Case of Measles in Hawaiʻi

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    News Release – DOH Confirms Second Case of Measles in Hawaiʻi

    Posted on Apr 18, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

    KA ʻOIHANA OLAKINO

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

    KE KIA‘ĀINA

    KENNETH S. FINK, M.D., MGA, MPH
    DIRECTOR

    KA LUNA HO‘OKELE

    DOH CONFIRMS SECOND CASE OF MEASLES IN HAWAIʻI    

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    April 17, 2025                                                                                                    25-040

    HONOLULU — The Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) has confirmed a second case of measles in the household of a child previously confirmed on April 7. The adult member of the family had exhibited symptoms and was presumed infected. Both individuals had recently returned from international travel.

    As expected, on April 16, the test result confirmed measles infection. Because of the duration between symptom onset and test specimen collection, an antibody test was performed which takes longer to process. The DOH had already investigated who may have been exposed based on being a presumed case of measles. The adult is no longer contagious and the child has fully recovered.

    No new suspected measles cases have been reported as of today, April 17. The DOH continues its response efforts, reaching out to those who have been exposed.

    Measles is one of the most highly contagious viruses in the world. It spreads through direct contact with an infected person or through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

    Vaccination is the best way to protect loved ones and prevent an outbreak. If you or your ʻohana have not been vaccinated or otherwise have immunity against measles, please talk with your healthcare provider about getting a dose of the (measles, mumps, rubella) MMR vaccine.

    # # #

    Media Contact:

    Kristen Wong

    Information Specialist

    Hawaiʻi State Department of Health

    Mobile: 808-953-9616

    Email: [email protected]

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Offshore detention is inhumane — I know because I lived it

    Source: Amnesty International –

    On my first day in offshore detention, I was given a number. Benham Satah became FRT009 — or Foxtrot Romeo Tango Zero Zero Nine, as the guards would use the military alphabet. It was one of the many ways they treated us like criminals or prisoners of war.

    When I fled Iran in 2013, I never imagined I would end up on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. I risked my life to get from Indonesia to Christmas Island, an Australian territory in the Indian Ocean. When you need to flee, you grab the first opportunity you get — and this boat was mine.

    Europe’s nations have proposed establishing refugee ‘return hubs’ in third-party countries outside their jurisdiction for failed asylum seekers. But they should think twice.

    After four days at sea, we finally saw dry land. But my relief turned to horror as the guards were already there, waiting to detain us. And after 25 days in detention there, we were then handcuffed, dragged on to a plane by four giant security guards. They wouldn’t tell us where we were heading.

    It felt like we were being kidnapped.

    When we finally arrived in Papua New Guinea, they took us to the Lombrum military compound, where we were detained in 3-square-meter rooms, each with a bunk bed and a third camp bed. There was just enough space to lie down.

    Then, I was transferred to my final destination of Manus Island — the detention camp for men only. We were over 500 in a facility that was built for 200. There were LGBTQ+ individuals, unaccompanied children, vulnerable people left alone with no real protection to survive in a dangerous environment.

    It was so hot in the camp. The only reprieve came in the evenings, when the temperature would drop slightly. And even though we were surrounded by the ocean, with the camp just meters from the shore, I never actually heard the lapping of waves — the generator clattered like a helicopter day and night, drowning out the sea.

    It smelled so bad there. The Australian caseworkers admitted they wouldn’t even bring an animal to the camp. There were 10 toilets and 10 showers for 500 people, and this caused problems every day. The rubbish was left to sweat and ferment in the tropical heat. They would set off smoke bombs to kill mosquitos. The whole camp stank of chemicals. Despite this, all these years later, I still have malaria in my blood.

    There were 14 deaths recorded in the years I was on Manus Island. I still see their faces — especially my roommate’s, Reza Barati. He was murdered before my eyes, while in the custody of the Australian government. [According to eyewitness reports, Barati was beaten to death by guards and other contractors.]

    People died of preventable deaths there. Everyone suffered from mental or physical health problems. The only treatment we received was paracetamol and water. I remember Hamid (whose name has been changed to protect his identity). He never received proper treatment, as there was no doctor in the medical center here. They amputated both his legs in the capital, Port Moresby. He died from septicemia.

    But we weren’t just denied treatment on Manus, those in charge were also inexplicably reckless with vaccinations. I was an interpreter for a friend, FRT001, who came on the same boat as me. I witnessed him receive 60 vaccines in under a month. We tried to stop them, but if you refused a vaccine, they would call the Emergency Response Team.

    My friend was eventually sent back to Iran where he died not long after.

    Ukrainian refugees are protected by the French government — every refugee should be treated that way.

    People would self-immolate with petrol in detention. We were beaten. At times the violence was extreme, and you could be assaulted for no reason. When a packet of cigarettes can guarantee your safety, you understand how cheap human life can be.

    With offshore detention, the Australian government paid Nauru and Papua New Guinea to do its dirty work. There was no law there, and they could do what they wanted without fear of the courts. We were denied access to lawyers. We were out of sight, out of mind — exactly as was intended. 

    I tried to take my life several times on Manus, and the memories still give me nightmares. I lost almost seven years of my youth in detention. Those are days I will never get back. I still take a lot of tablets just to get through the day.

    Everyone I know who went through this “offshore detention” scheme has since been diagnosed with PTSD. I think we need a new term for what we experienced, like Manus disease or offshore detention syndrome. Even people who just spent a month there are still suffering.

    Not knowing when you’ll leave — it’s worse than any prison sentence. It destroys your mental health.

    Nowadays, I work with the Salvation Army, and volunteer to help Ukrainians in France who fled Russia’s invasion. Ukrainian refugees are protected by the French government — every refugee should be treated that way. They should be given a chance to live and build a future. I also provide support and counseling for people on Manus Island and those who left but are still suffering.

    I still have my own struggles with depression and mental health, but helping others in my situation lifts me up.

    It was torture what the government did to us. They were saying it was deterrence, but it never worked. It hasn’t stopped people from trying to get to Australia to seek protection because they have no choice. Instead, it has become a stain on Australian history.

    I hope no European country ever adopts this policy.

    Benham Satah coordinated this piece with Amnesty International.

    This piece was first published by Politico here

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI China: China boosts public health with immunization progress

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    This photo taken with a mobile phone shows a volunteer (R) helping Yemeni businessman Sufyan Marwan Sufyan Mohanmmed take vaccine reservation receipt for his daughter from a machine by scanning a QR code at a community health service center in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang province, March 25, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    China has made significant progress in vaccine development and immunization, marked by a growing portfolio of domestically produced vaccines and remarkable public health results.
    These achievements were highlighted at the 2025 National Vaccines and Health Conference, held over the weekend in Wuhan, capital of Hubei province in central China, and attended by nearly 3,000 public health officials and medical professionals.
    Over the past years, China has achieved notable breakthroughs in vaccine technology. Milestones include the successful development of homegrown HPV and Ebola vaccines, as well as advances in pneumococcal conjugate vaccines against 13 types of bacteria and shingles vaccines.
    Several Chinese vaccines have received prequalification from the World Health Organization, enabling their distribution in partner countries of the Belt and Road Initiative.
    These advancements underscore a broader shift in China’s vaccine industry — from focusing primarily on domestic needs to increasingly contributing to the global vaccine supply chain, according to Wang Yunfu, head of the Health Commission of Hubei province.
    The global biotechnology landscape has also helped accelerate this transformation, as the participants pointed out. In recent years, breakthroughs in technologies such as mRNA platforms, viral vectors, and nanoparticle delivery systems have opened up unprecedented opportunities for vaccine research and development, significantly improving both efficiency and immune response.
    Alongside scientific innovation, China has placed strong emphasis on safety and regulatory oversight. In 2019, it became the first country to implement a comprehensive vaccine administration law, followed by updated immunization standards introduced in 2023.
    A nationwide traceability system has been set up, ensuring that every dose can be tracked from production to administration, enhancing transparency and public trust.
    China’s national immunization programs have yielded strong public health results.
    The country achieved polio-free status in 2000, eliminated neonatal tetanus by 2012, and has reported no locally transmitted diphtheria cases since 2007. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among children under five declined from nearly 10 percent in 1992 to just 0.3 percent in 2020.
    Routine vaccination coverage has remained above 90 percent nationwide, supported by an extensive healthcare infrastructure that ensures every township has at least one vaccination unit.
    Efforts to expand access and improve service delivery remain a central priority. “Public health should be protected through more accessible and higher-quality vaccine services,” said Li Bin, president of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, adding that this goal was reflected in the conference’s theme.
    For example, in Hubei, girls aged 14 are now eligible for free HPV vaccination, and immunization for newborns is being integrated into the birth registration process to ensure early and timely coverage.
    Looking ahead, China is preparing to refine its immunization strategy and services further.
    Health authorities are considering dynamic adjustments to the national immunization program to prioritize vaccines with high cost-effectiveness or those associated with costly diseases. In some regions, pilots may allow the use of personal health insurance accounts to cover non-mandatory vaccines, reducing out-of-pocket expenses for the public.
    Digital tools will also play an increasing role in modernizing immunization services. Electronic vaccination records are being shared across provinces, while artificial intelligence (AI) is assisting with appointment scheduling. Big data platforms are improving vaccine inventory management and logistics.
    Yin Zundong, head of the Immunization Program Center at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, emphasized the role of advanced data technologies.
    “With the help of big data and AI, disease surveillance and early warning systems can become more accurate and efficient,” Yin said. “In the future, data-driven tools will enable precise assessments of vaccine protection efficacy.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China boosts public health with vaccine and immunization progress

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

    WUHAN, April 20 — China has made significant progress in vaccine development and immunization, marked by a growing portfolio of domestically produced vaccines and remarkable public health results.

    These achievements were highlighted at the 2025 National Vaccines and Health Conference, held over the weekend in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province in central China, and attended by nearly 3,000 public health officials and medical professionals.

    Over the past years, China has achieved notable breakthroughs in vaccine technology. Milestones include the successful development of homegrown HPV and Ebola vaccines, as well as advances in pneumococcal conjugate vaccines against 13 types of bacteria and shingles vaccines.

    Several Chinese vaccines have received prequalification from the World Health Organization, enabling their distribution in partner countries of the Belt and Road Initiative.

    These advancements underscore a broader shift in China’s vaccine industry — from focusing primarily on domestic needs to increasingly contributing to the global vaccine supply chain, according to Wang Yunfu, head of the Health Commission of Hubei Province.

    The global biotechnology landscape has also helped accelerate this transformation, as the participants pointed out. In recent years, breakthroughs in technologies such as mRNA platforms, viral vectors, and nanoparticle delivery systems have opened up unprecedented opportunities for vaccine research and development, significantly improving both efficiency and immune response.

    Alongside scientific innovation, China has placed strong emphasis on safety and regulatory oversight. In 2019, it became the first country to implement a comprehensive vaccine administration law, followed by updated immunization standards introduced in 2023.

    A nationwide traceability system has been set up, ensuring that every dose can be tracked from production to administration, enhancing transparency and public trust.

    China’s national immunization programs have yielded strong public health results.

    The country achieved polio-free status in 2000, eliminated neonatal tetanus by 2012, and has reported no locally transmitted diphtheria cases since 2007. The prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen among children under five declined from nearly 10 percent in 1992 to just 0.3 percent in 2020.

    Routine vaccination coverage has remained above 90 percent nationwide, supported by an extensive healthcare infrastructure that ensures every township has at least one vaccination unit.

    Efforts to expand access and improve service delivery remain a central priority. “Public health should be protected through more accessible and higher-quality vaccine services,” said Li Bin, president of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association, adding that this goal was reflected in the conference’s theme.

    For example, in Hubei, girls aged 14 are now eligible for free HPV vaccination, and immunization for newborns is being integrated into the birth registration process to ensure early and timely coverage.

    Looking ahead, China is preparing to refine its immunization strategy and services further.

    Health authorities are considering dynamic adjustments to the national immunization program to prioritize vaccines with high cost-effectiveness or those associated with costly diseases. In some regions, pilots may allow the use of personal health insurance accounts to cover non-mandatory vaccines, reducing out-of-pocket expenses for the public.

    Digital tools will also play an increasing role in modernizing immunization services. Electronic vaccination records are being shared across provinces, while artificial intelligence (AI) is assisting with appointment scheduling. Big data platforms are improving vaccine inventory management and logistics.

    Yin Zundong, head of the Immunization Program Center at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, emphasized the role of advanced data technologies.

    “With the help of big data and AI, disease surveillance and early warning systems can become more accurate and efficient,” Yin said. “In the future, data-driven tools will enable precise assessments of vaccine protection efficacy.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah attends the program organized by Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) on the occasion of World Liver Day in New Delhi as the Chief Guest

    Source: Government of India

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah attends the program organized by Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) on the occasion of World Liver Day in New Delhi as the Chief Guest

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has launched many programs in the last 10 years to keep the countrymen healthy with a holistic approach

    All countrymen should take good diet, adequate water, adequate sleep and regular exercise, the rest Modi government will take the responsibility of taking care of your health

    A healthy liver is the gateway to a healthy body

    On the occasion of ‘World Liver Day’, everyone should take a pledge to keep their ‘liver’ healthy with awareness, diligence and complete information

    Young people can achieve a lot in their lives with water, diet, exercise and sleep as per the requirement of the body

    The innovative initiative of HEALED scheme by ILBS will be successful in spreading awareness in the country towards keeping the ‘liver’ healthy

    Today the whole world is moving forward by accepting the mantra given in our Vedas ‘Aahaar Hi Aushdhi Hai’

    Home Minister said that the corporate sector should, through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), spread awareness about the importance of liver and help organisations working for a healthy liver

    Posted On: 19 APR 2025 4:39PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah attended the program organized by Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) on the occasion of World Liver Day in New Delhi today as the Chief Guest. Many dignitaries including Delhi Lieutenant Governor Shri Vinay Kumar Saxena and Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta were present on the occasion.

    In his address, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that the liver plays a very important role in our body and in keeping it healthy. Among all the organs in our body, the liver has the greatest ability to regenerate and healthy liver is the gateway to a healthy body. He said that today on the occasion of ‘World Liver Day’, everyone should take a pledge to keep their ‘liver’ healthy with awareness, diligence and complete information. Sharing his experience of a healthy lifestyle, Home Minister said that there has been a huge change in his life since May 2020. Shri Shah said that Young people can achieve a lot in their lives with water, diet, exercise and sleep as per the requirement of the body.

    Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has set before the country the goal of making India developed in 2047, coinciding with the centenary of independence, where India will be self-reliant in every field and will lead the world. He said that the concept of a developed India cannot be realised by being unwell and that is why it is very important that every citizen remains healthy.

    Union Home Minister said that today the HEALED scheme has been launched by ILBS and this innovative initiative of HEALED scheme by ILBS will be successful in spreading awareness in the country towards keeping the ‘liver’ healthy. He said that every person should also get Vitamin E tested during regular health checkup. Shri Shah said that today the whole world is moving forward by accepting the mantra given in our Vedas ‘Aahaar Hi Aushdhi Hai’. He said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has launched many programs in the last 10 years to keep the countrymen healthy with a holistic approach.

    He said that the Ministry of AYUSH is working to develop a system so that we do not fall ill. Shri Shah said that today even big allopathic hospitals are opening AYUSH wings. The mental and physical health of a person was included in the idea of ​​​​World Yoga Day. He said that today the Modi government is bearing the entire cost of treatment up to Rs 5 lakh for crores of people of the country. The government is also bearing all expenses up to Rs 5 lakh for the treatment of citizens above 70 years of age.

    Shri Amit Shah said that the Modi government has spent 65 thousand crore rupees to build the health infrastructure in the country and has made arrangements to make every Primary Health Center (PHC) and Community Health Center (CHC) a complete unit. He said that for generic medicines, a network of more than 15 thousand Jan Aushadhi Centers has been created in the country and through these centres medicines are available up to 80 percent cheaper. Under Mission Indradhanush, arrangements have been made for free vaccination of children from birth to the age of 15 years and 1 crore 32 lakh mothers were also vaccinated. Shri Shah said that under the e-Sanjeevani app, the work of providing more than 30 crore 90 lakh digital medical consultations from big health institutions in rural areas across the country has been carried out. Shri Shah said that in 2014 there were 7 AIIMS in the country, today the number has reached 23, there were 387 medical colleges in 2014, today it stands at 780, there were 51 thousand MBBS seats which have increased to 1 lakh 18 thousand today and now 75 thousand more seats are going to be increased. Along with this, there were 31 thousand PG seats which have increased to 74 thousand today. He said that in 2014 the country’s health budget was 37 thousand crore rupees which has been increased to 1 lakh 27 thousand crore rupees by Prime Minister Modi today.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that over the past 10 years, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has created a comprehensive framework for the health of the country’s 1.3 billion citizens. He said, all countrymen should take good diet, adequate water, adequate sleep and regular exercise, the rest Modi government will take the responsibility of taking care of your health. Home Minister requested the corporate world of the country to give importance to the promotion of healthy liver in their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and help the organizations working for healthy liver. He also appealed to the media to spread awareness about health along with entertainment. Shri Shah said that ILBS should tie itself up with AIIMS and major government hospitals across the country to make arrangements for guidance of liver patients and spread awareness about it.

    *****

    RK/VV/PR/PS

    (Release ID: 2122904) Visitor Counter : 85

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China boosts vaccination accessibility at grassroots

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

    WUHAN, April 19 — Every township and subdistrict across China now has at least one vaccination unit, bringing immunization services closer to people’s doorsteps, according to the 2025 National Vaccines and Health Conference held Saturday in Wuhan, capital city of central China’s Hubei Province.

    Over 10 million people have already applied for and are using digital vaccination certificates, which provide lifelong coverage for individuals, according to the conference.

    China has established a comprehensive four-tier immunization program management system at the national, provincial, municipal, and county levels, as well as a service network extending to the county, township, and village levels, Shen Hongbing, deputy head of the National Health Commission and head of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, said at the conference. This ensures timely and convenient access to vaccination for the public, he added.

    By the end of 2024, China had more than 456,000 professionals engaged in vaccination services, Shen noted.

    Official data presented at the conference showed that the coverage rate for vaccines under the national immunization program has remained above 90 percent. Incidence rates of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, hepatitis A, and Japanese encephalitis have dropped to historic lows.

    In recent years, China has allocated over 3 billion yuan (about 416 million U.S. dollars) annually to support the expansion of the immunization program, ensuring vaccine supply and safety, according to the conference. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoyer Joins Alsobrooks, Maryland Democratic Delegation in Pushing Sec. Kennedy for Answers on Disastrous Mass Layoffs

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Steny H Hoyer (MD-05)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) joined a letter led by U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) with the Maryland Democratic Delegation – U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Representatives Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), April McClain Delaney (MD-06), and Johnny Olszewski (MD-02) to express outrage and demand answers regarding the mass terminations of civil servants at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Congressman Hoyer and his colleagues questioned the extent of the devastation and consequential impacts these mass layoffs will have on the state and country. 

    “This reckless reduction in force and Department reorganization comes at a time when measles is spreading in communities across the country, avian flu is proliferating throughout our livestock populations, families are experiencing a childcare availability and affordability crisis, and cities across the country are still reeling from opioid and fentanyl overdoses. Instead of showing leadership on these concurrent emergencies and fulfilling the Department’s mission, this Administration has crippled the very teams and entire divisions that combat public health challenges, prevent disparities, and ensure that our families and children are safe,” the lawmakers wrote.

    “Maryland has already been hard hit by attacks to NIH research…This medical research funds new life-saving cures for Maryland patients – from our newborns to our seniors, from children battling rare cancers to our servicemembers injured in battle. It funds thousands of Maryland jobs, and to arbitrarily cut it threatens Maryland’s health, safety, and economy. Slashing research funding will ultimately harm patients and even cost lives,” continued the lawmakers. 

    The lawmakers are requesting Secretary Kennedy meet with them to answer these questions by May 1, 2025.

    You can read the full letter to Secretary Kennedy here or below:

    Dear Secretary Kennedy: 

    We write with shared concerns regarding the plan you announced on March 27, 2025, to begin yet another extensive round of mass terminations of civil servants at the Department of Health and Human Services (Department or HHS), along with an irrational and dangerous reorganization of the staff and operating divisions of the Department. In the weeks since that announcement, thousands of HHS employees have been summarily fired, wreaking havoc and chaos on our public health system. These actions are having a devastating and disproportionate impact on our state of Maryland. We demand a full and comprehensive analysis on what these cuts will mean for access to care, critical services, and lifesaving research in the state. We also demand an in-person meeting with you to discuss these concerns and the impact of the Department’s actions on our constituents. According to the announcement, cuts would include at least 3,500 full-time employees at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 2,400 employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1,200 employees at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and 300 employees at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). 

    According to the Maryland Department of Labor, preliminary data shows at least 2,755 jobs were cut in 11 federal offices located across the state, with an impact rippling across multiple counties.

    This reckless reduction in force and Department reorganization comes at a time when measles is spreading in communities across the country, avian flu is proliferating throughout our livestock populations, families are experiencing a childcare availability and affordability crisis, and cities across the country are still reeling from opioid and fentanyl overdoses. Instead of showing leadership on these concurrent emergencies and fulfilling the Department’s mission, this Administration has crippled the very teams and entire divisions that combat public health challenges, prevent disparities, and ensure that our families and children are safe. 

    The latest reductions are part of a multipronged attack on our state, as the Department has abruptly terminated billions in critical public health grants, including $200 million to Maryland that would go towards vaccination programs, disease surveillance, and alleviating health disparities. The critical services the Department is responsible for were already threatened from the Administration’s initial haphazard firings of probationary employees by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Elon Musk’s Fork in the Road policy, which forced thousands of Department staff to resign or retire early. Now, the Administration is further decimating the teams of civil servants that work to make Americans healthy and safe every day.

    As you well know, the FDA, NIH, CMS, and multiple other HHS agencies are headquartered in Maryland, and these cuts pose a direct threat to our constituents, Maryland’s economy, and all Americans.

    At the FDA, headquartered in White Oak, the Administration has annihilated the Center for Devices and Radiological Health and the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research – which the Maryland medical device and pharmaceutical industries rely on for the safe and timely approval of their products or therapeutics for patients. The Administration has also attacked the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products – which plays a critical role in prevention and harm reduction for Maryland youth. The FDA communications team that writes alerts about contaminated drugs and warnings to emergency room doctors about emerging threats was also terminated — which will have dire consequences for patient care. Across the FDA, thousands of Maryland based staffers that help to keep our food and health systems safe have been summarily dismissed, by an Administration only purporting to want to “Make America Healthy Again.” 

    At the NIH, based in Bethesda, this Administration has compounded its efforts to undermine the excellence of our crown jewel of scientific and medical research, with yet another round of terminations. This Administration has decimated NIH Institutes by firing leadership and critical staff to the point of non-functionality, including the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Institute on Aging, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. 

    Maryland has already been hard hit by attacks to NIH research. In February, the NIH unveiled a new indirect cost rate guidance that would cap indirect cost rates that Maryland researchers rely on to sustain their groundbreaking, life-saving research, studies, and patient clinical trials. It also arbitrarily froze or terminated research grants in the state and has delayed the review of NIH grant applications. This medical research funds new life-saving cures for Maryland patients – from our newborns to our seniors, from children battling rare cancers to our servicemembers injured in battle. It funds thousands of Maryland jobs, and to arbitrarily cut it threatens Maryland’s health, safety, and economy. Slashing research funding will ultimately harm patients and even cost lives. 

    Attacks to the NIH are only the beginning of cuts to our health research infrastructure. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), based in Rockville, is critical for tracking data on healthcare outcomes and conducting research to improve the safety of patient care has been taken apart by DOGE. The Administration plans to merge AHRQ with another operating division at the Department and gut its budget, all while firing half of its employees. 

    The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), based in Rockville, has already faced hundreds of layoffs. The Department dismissed 10 percent of SAMHSA’s workforce during the first rounds of firings, and the Administration plans to further reduce the agency by up to 50 percent. While Maryland has made significant progress in preventing and reducing opioid overdose-related deaths, Baltimore City still has a death rate nearly double that of any other large city in the country. Now, the Administration is pulling the rug from underneath our state and the dozens of community-based organizations on the ground that rely on SAMHSA for training, resources, and technical assistance that helps with opioid use disorder prevention and treatment services.

    CMS, based in Woodlawn, faced hundreds of cuts to staff, including the elimination of the Office for Minority Health and the Office of Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights, which respectively helps address health disparities across the country and resolves discrimination complaints. Employees at CMS’ Innovation Center (CMMI) were fired and a third of the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination office, which helps serve the over 160,000 Marylanders that are dually enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid were let go. CMS is responsible for overseeing coverage for over 160 million Americans through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace. This includes 1.6 million Marylanders who rely on Medicaid and CHIP for lifesaving health coverage. Any attack on CMS represents a threat to Marylanders’ and the nation’s access to care.

    At the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), headquartered in Rockville, 500- 600 civil servants were fired, compromising HRSA’s mission to improve care for vulnerable and low-income communities. The Maternal and Child Health Bureau was wiped out by staffing cuts, crippling efforts to combat the maternal mortality crisis. Maryland women’s health disparities, including maternal morbidity, remain higher than national averages, and will only be exacerbated by this action. DOGE has also reportedly fired 40 percent of the Bureau of Primary Health Care, which oversees the Health Center Program that provides high quality, accessible primary and preventive medical, behavioral and dental services to all people, regardless of income or insurance status. Maryland’s sixteen Federally Qualified Health Centers deliver comprehensive primary healthcare to more than 360,000 patients across Maryland. That access to care in our state are at risk without civil servants to effectively run the program. 

    The Indian Health Service (IHS), which is also headquartered in Rockville, was not mentioned in initial reporting regarding the HHS reorganization or reduction in force. In fact, longtime civil servants in the Senior Executive Service (SES) have reported that their duty stations have been reassigned to remote IHS locations ranging from Alaska to South Dakota. While these locations suffer from high vacancy rates, the Department is pushing staff that do not have the qualifications or background for available IHS roles into an ultimatum: relocate your family across the country for a job that does not actually exist, or leave the Department. 

    Additionally, the Department fired approximately 500 staffers at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) in the April 1 wave of terminations, paralyzing the Department’s ability to effectively operate its human services programs. As you know, most program and support staff were eliminated in five regional offices around the country. While ACF’s Region 3 Office – which serves Maryland – remains open for now, staff in Region 3 will likely have to absorb the work and caseload of now shuttered Regions 1, 2,5, 9 and 10. This will put an untenable strain on their ability to support states like Maryland in operating child support, family assistance and child welfare programs, and providers operating Head Start and child care programs.

    This is in addition to the nearly two hundred probationary ACF employees who have been on administrative leave since mid-February, and because of this Administration, are still unable to 3 provide states like Maryland with the technical assistance needed to operate critical programs, increasing the financial burden on already-struggling households. Head Start serves seven thousand children in Maryland. Thousands more families rely on the availability of affordable, quality childcare in the state – availability which is endangered when the civil servants that help providers adapt to workforce challenges or monitor for abuse and neglect in our state’s facilities are shamefully fired or prevented from doing their jobs.

    Also at ACF, the Department terminated the entire Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) staff, threatening the timely disbursement of millions of dollars to states like Maryland, to help thousands of our constituents stay safe in the coming summer months. More than 18% of Maryland households are energy burdened; the Maryland Office of Home Energy Programs received a record number of energy assistance applications last year. Likewise, the Department eliminated the Office of Family Assistance – undermining the ability for the nearly 28,000 Maryland families receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to receive critical support without interruption.

    Both the dismantling of the Administration for Community Living and the slashing of reportedly half of the staff that work on federal aging and disability programs at the Department will cause real harm to programs in Maryland that support some of our state’s most vulnerable communities – seniors and individuals with disabilities. This includes programs that prevent elder abuse, connect seniors with nutritious meals, and provide supports to caregivers – like the Maryland Caregiver Navigation Grant.

    Perhaps most galling, is that you have admitted that many of these firings at the Department are in error, telling reporters “We’re going to do 80% cuts, but 20% of those are going to have to be reinstated, because we’ll make mistakes.” Further reporting found that HHS has no intention of actually reinstating a significant number of the staffers that have been fired or rectifying the mistakes it has made – calling into question your control of the situation and understanding of the Department’s reorganization. As the Secretary, you are ultimately responsible for answering for both these “mistakes” and any harm that comes from your destruction of our public health workforce and infrastructure. 

    As such, we request an in-person meeting with you no later than May 1, 2025, to discuss these concerns. We also request comprehensive answers to the following questions, including details on the reductions at the Department to date, and your plans for additional workforce reductions and reorganization. 

    1. For each of the below agencies, please specify since January 20, how many Maryland residents: received a RIF notice or were terminated on the basis of their probationary status? Please also specify how many more Maryland residents the agency intends to respectively terminate:

    • SAMHSA 
    • FDA  
    • NIH 
    • CDC 
    • CMS 
    • IHS
    • HRSA  ‘
    • ACF 
    • ACL
    • AHRQ

    2. For each of the below agencies, please specify since January 20, how many Maryland residents are currently on administrative leave pending termination:
     

    • SAMHSA 
    • FDA
    • NIH 
    • CDC 
    • CMS 
    • IHS
    • HRSA 
    • ACF 
    • ACL 
    • AHRQ 

    3. For each of the below agencies, please specify the number of Maryland residents who participated in the Deferred Resignation Program:

    • SAMHSA 
    • FDA 
    • NIH
    • CDC 
    • CMS 
    • IHS 
    • HRSA 
    • ACF 
    • ACL 
    • AHRQ

    4. Please describe the reduction in force plans at the IHS headquarters and at IHS locations across the country.

    5. Please provide a detailed description of impact analysis performed to determine the impact on cancer research as a result of NIH Reductions in Force. 

    6. Please provide a detailed description of impact analysis performed to determine the impact on vaccine development and research as a result of FDA Reductions in Force. 

    7. Please provide a detailed description of the impact analysis performed regarding reductions in staffing to ACF services and programs, including technical assistance to states and childcare providers, childcare costs and child safety, supports for survivors of violence, and the effectiveness of the TANF and LIHEAP programs. 

              a. Please provide a detailed description of the analysis performed by the Department describing how LIHEAP staffing reductions will not lead to higher energy costs for Marylanders.

              b. Please provide a detailed plan for how the Department plans to ensure that there is no delay due to case backlogs experienced by the state of Maryland or Maryland human services providers due to staff reductions at ACF? 

    8. Please provide a detailed description of the analysis performed by the Department describing how the staffing reductions to HRSA will not impact Maryland FQHCs, or access to affordable care in Maryland communities.

    9. Please provide a detailed description of the analysis performed by the Department describing how the staffing reductions to CMS will not impede Marylander’s access to Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP and the ACA Marketplace.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Colorado Lt. Governor Primavera Urges Congress to Protect AmeriCorps and Critical Services Across the State

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER — Today, Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera expressed deep concern over the Trump administration demobilizing AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) teams and placing 85% of the AmeriCorps federal agency staff on administrative leave — moves that would immediately impact thousands of Coloradans and undercut vital community services across the state.

    “Since its founding in 1993, AmeriCorps has empowered Coloradans across the state to serve their neighbors, solve real problems, and strengthen communities,” said Lt. Governor Primavera. “To dismantle these programs now, when so many Coloradans rely on them, would be devastating. These actions will impact service members and result in a loss of tax support for working families, wildfire response teams, those who build affordable housing, and behavioral health support in our schools. These are the people behind the numbers — and the work they do matters deeply.”

    In 2024 alone, more than 6,600 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors served at over 700 local sites across Colorado. Serve Colorado, housed in the Office of the Lt. Governor, supported nearly 1,400 AmeriCorps State and National members who contributed over one million hours of service across all 64 counties last year alone. This year, $19.6 million in federal funds and $10.3 million in community funds, which includes state grants, federal  match grants, philanthropy, and private donors, jointly support these AmeriCorps programs to provide critical social services across every Congressional District. A recent study estimated a return of up to $34.26 for every federal dollar invested in AmeriCorps — a testament to its value not just in service, but in economic impact.

    With over 2,000 NCCC members deployed nationally each year, including more than 300 from the Aurora campus alone, this decision threatens to unravel years of progress and partnerships built on trust, teamwork, and service.

    NCCC teams, based out of the Aurora campus, supported wildfire recovery, accessible trail repair, Habitat for Humanity affordable housing projects, and even tax preparation support for low-income families. Through a partnership with local Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites, NCCC members have helped return over $30 million in tax refunds to Coloradans since 2022. During COVID-19, 300 NCCC members staffed contact tracing and vaccine outreach across the state.

    Eliminating AmeriCorps would gut services for schools, senior centers, food banks, housing agencies, and public health providers across Colorado, especially in rural and underserved areas, and other vital programs. It would also cut off access to education awards that help thousands of AmeriCorps alumni pursue college degrees or pay off student loans.

    “The numbers tell a powerful story, but behind each one is a Coloradan who’s been lifted up — a student, a veteran, a wildfire survivor. Now is not the time to recklessly cut programs with a proven record of significant impact,” said Lt. Governor Primavera. “I urge Congress to stand with the thousands of Coloradans who serve with AmeriCorps and the communities that count on them every day.”

    Since 1994, AmeriCorps members in Colorado have gone on to careers in education, conservation, public health, and emergency response as well as other critical industries. Many NCCC alumni join FEMA or continue in public service, building a resilient national workforce rooted in experience.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: PM hails inclusion of the Gita and Natyashastra in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 18 APR 2025 10:43AM by PIB Delhi

    The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today hailed the inclusion of the Gita and Natyashastra in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register as a global recognition of our timeless wisdom and rich culture.

    Responding to a post by Union Minister, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on X, Shri Modi said:

    “A proud moment for every Indian across the world! 

    The inclusion of the Gita and Natyashastra in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register is a global recognition of our timeless wisdom and rich culture. 

    The Gita and Natyashastra have nurtured civilisation, and consciousness for centuries. Their insights continue to inspire the world. 

    @UNESCO”

     

     

    ***

    MJPS/SR

    (Release ID: 2122608) Visitor Counter : 77

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Interim chief medical officer of health appointed

    Alberta’s government welcomes Dr. Sunil Sookram as interim Chief Medical Officer of Health, effective immediately. This temporary appointment ensures continuity while arrangements are finalized for a longer-term appointment. Additional updates will be shared in the coming weeks as the process progresses.

    “Dr. Sookram has served Albertans through emergency medicine throughout his career. He brings a wealth of experience to this interim role. I appreciate his willingness to serve in this capacity on a temporary basis as we work to finalize the candidate for the interim Chief Medical Officer of Health position. I also wish to thank Dr. Mark Joffe for his service and dedication over the past three years.”

    Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

    Dr. Sookram currently serves as facility medical director and chief of medical staff at Strathcona Community Hospital. He is also a clinical professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Alberta and practises as an emergency physician at the University of Alberta Hospital. He brings years of front-line experience and leadership to the interim role. He also has recent experience working within Alberta Health. Through this period of transition Dr. Sookram will also be supported by Zone Medical Officers of Health at Alberta Health Services.

    “I’m happy to serve as Alberta’s interim chief medical officer of health. I look forward to working with the government, my colleagues and health partners to promote and protect the health of all Albertans.”

    Dr. Sunil Sookram, interim chief medical officer of health

    The Chief Medical Officer of Health plays a key role in monitoring and supporting public health, advising on disease control, and helping guide population health efforts across the province. The position acts as a liaison between the government and Alberta Health Services, medical officers of health and executive officers in administering the act.

    Current measles information

    As of April 17, there have been 89 confirmed measles cases in Alberta. Of those, 83 individuals are now past the period of communicability.

    Measles is an extremely contagious disease that spreads easily through the air. While outbreaks can happen, they are preventable. The measles vaccine is highly effective and offers strong protection against infection and complications from the disease. Albertans can protect themselves, their loved ones and people around them by ensuring their measles immunizations are up to date.

    In Alberta, the MMR primary series is administered at 12 months and 18 months of age. In January 2021, Alberta changed its immunization schedule for the second dose of measles-containing vaccine from four to six years to 18 months, primarily to support children entering daycare, pre-school programs and kindergarten.

    As of April 17, all infants six to 12 months travelling outside of Canada are eligible for a null dose. In addition, infants six to 12 months travelling to or through areas where measles is spreading in Canada are also eligible. This includes:

    1. Alberta: Central Zone, South Zone, and Areas 1 and 8 in North Zone
    2. Ontario: Southwestern region

    If you have any questions about measles or immunizations, please contact your primary care provider such as your doctor, pharmacist, midwife, nurse practitioner or public health nurse.

    If you don’t know you or your child’s immunization history, text “vaccine record” to 88111, call Health Link at 811, or call your local public health or community health centre.

    Related information

    • Measles
    • Measles exposures in Alberta

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Health ministers launch landmark polio vaccination campaign to protect 83 million children in Lake Chad Basin

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (Republic of the), April 17, 2025/APO Group/ —

    In a renewed effort to eradicate circulating polio variant type 2 in the Lake Chad Basin, Ministers of Health from Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Niger and Nigeria launched today a synchronized regional vaccination campaign aimed at protecting 83 million under 5 children. The initiative is a crucial milestone in the fight against variant poliovirus type 2, which continues to pose a threat to millions of children across the region.

    Over the past 12 months, variant poliovirus type 2 has been detected both in the environment (wastewater samples) and among affected people in Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria. A total of 210 detections have been reported across these four countries, 140 of which resulted in paralysis. Although no cases have been reported in CAR so far, these findings underscore the ongoing risk of cross-border transmission and the pressing need for coordinated regional action.

    Over 50% of the polio cases reported in Chad in 2024 are linked to the strain circulating in Cameroon, underlining the importance of coordination and synchronization of polio response efforts. 

    Nearly 12 million children were vaccinated last year through mass immunization campaigns to halt the spread of the virus.

    To further strengthen immunity and curb transmission, a synchronized polio vaccination campaign will take place from 24 to 28 April 2025, targeting high-risk and mobile populations in border areas where surveillance indicators have remained below target. This campaign is part of a broader strategy to ensure all children are protected, regardless of location or movement patterns.

    The round is supported by an estimated 1.1 million frontline workers (including vaccinators, social mobilizers, and monitors) dedicated to protecting every last child.

    “The Lake Chad Basin remains a critical area in our fight against polio. By coming together as a region, we reinforce our commitment to ending polio once and for all,” said the Minister of Health of Chad, Hon. Dr Abdelmadjid Abderahim.

    As part of the launch, the Ministers of Health will hold a closed-door meeting to discuss challenges, review epidemiological data, and strengthen cross-border cooperation. The event aligns with the Africa Regional Polio Eradication Action Plan and the Polio Eradication Cross-Border Coordination Plan 2024–2025, endorsed in August 2024 and updated in February 2025 to adapt to the evolving epidemiological situation on the ground-underscoring the region’s united commitment to protecting every child.

    Global health partners, including WHO, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and Rotary International, will join the effort, reaffirming their commitment to polio eradication. Community health workers, local leaders, and volunteers will also play a vital role in ensuring the campaign’s success. This event will coincide with African Vaccination Week under the theme ‘Immunization for all is humanly possible.’

    The polio eradication initiative in the Lake Chad Basin demonstrates the power of collaboration in global health. By working together, governments, partners, and communities can ensure a polio-free future for children in the region and beyond.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FDA Commissioner Makary Announces New Policy on Individuals Serving on FDA Advisory Committees

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    For Immediate Release:
    April 17, 2025

    In keeping with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s promise to carry out the Department’s work with “radical transparency” and mitigate perceived industry influence and conflicts of interests, FDA Commissioner Martin A. Makary, M.D., M.P.H., announces a policy directive that limits individuals employed at companies regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, such as pharmaceutical companies, from serving as official members on FDA advisory committees, where statutorily allowed. As part of this effort, the agency will prioritize and elevate the role of patients and caregivers, strengthening the voices of their communities.
    The FDA uses its advisory committees to obtain independent expert advice and recommendations on scientific, technical, and policy decisions.
    “While the FDA should be partnering with industry to ensure a user-friendly review process, the scientific evaluation of new products should be independent,” said Commissioner Makary. “Industry employees are welcome to attend FDA advisory committee meetings, along with the rest of the American public, but having industry employees serve as official members of FDA advisory committee members represents a cozy relationship that is concerning to many Americans. In fact, the FDA has a history of being influenced unduly by corporate interests.”
    “Public trust in the healthcare-industrial complex is at an all-time low. We need to restore impeccable integrity to the process and avoid potential conflicts of interest,” said Commissioner Makary.
    Today’s action will not preclude employees of regulated companies from attending or presenting their views at advisory committee meetings or serving as representative members of the committee when required by statute. Also, exceptions can be made in rare circumstances (i.e., when the scientific expertise in an area is only available from an employee of an FDA-regulated company) provided that the official strictly complies with the applicable ethics requirements.
    By limiting employees of FDA-regulated companies from serving as officials, the FDA aims to boost public trust in its decisions and improve how its advisory committees operate.
    ###

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

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    Content current as of:
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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Senator Reverend Warnock Rallies Behind Georgians Callously Fired from Life-Saving Work at the CDC

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    ICYMI: Senator Reverend Warnock Rallies Behind Georgians Callously Fired from Life-Saving Work at the CDC

    Last month, Senator Reverend Warnock demanded answers from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy about the indiscriminate firings at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and how the centers’ life-saving functions will be impacted
    Following the latest round of firings of largely Georgia-based CDC employees, Senator Reverend Warnock joined current and former employees at an Atlanta rally to demonstrate his support for their critical work
    Senator Reverend Warnock has been a fierce ally of public health workers and their life saving work at the CDC
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “This is an organization that literally saves lives all over the country — and all over the world. Disease knows no boundaries, when you save lives abroad, you save them here”
    ICYMI from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Sen. Raphael Warnock at CDC: ‘Now is not the time to be silent’
    ICYMI from 11 Alive: Sen. Warnock offers words of encouragement to protesters outside CDC offices

    Watch Senator Reverend Warnock’s rally remarks HRE
    Atlanta, GA – This week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) rallied behind current and former employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to show support for the Georgians who have been callously fired from their life-saving work at the public health institution. The Atlanta rally was organized by current and former CDC employees and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). 
    Above: Senator Reverend Warnock at an Atlanta rally outside the CDC to show support for workers impacted by recent firings
    Above: Senator Reverend Warnock meets one of his younger constituents 
    The rally follows the April 1 news of the Trump Administration firing more than 2,000 employees from the Atlanta-based CDC, many of whom are based in the metro Atlanta area and call Georgia home. 
    Above: Senator Reverend Warnock greets current and former CDC employees in Atlanta
    The latest round of firings gutted 18% of the CDC’s workforce, impacting scientists focused on environmental health and asthma, lead poisoning, smoking and climate change, as well as researchers studying blood disorders, violence prevention and access to vaccines.The agency’s center on HIV and sexually transmitted diseases was among the hardest hit, losing about 27 percent of its staff.Most of the CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health, which studies maternal health and Black maternal health, was shuttered.

    Above: Senator Reverend Warnock speaks at a rally in support of CDC workers
    Last month, Senator Warnock demanded answers from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy about the indiscriminate firings at the CDC and how the centers’ life-saving functions will be impacted by these firings. Last year, Senator Warnock visited the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia for the first time as Senator to learn about the agency’s efforts to protect public health, including work to combat the maternal mortality crisis and how federal funding plays a role in keeping Georgia and the country safe from infectious diseases. During Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy’s nomination hearing in committee, Senator Warnock spoke at length defending the importance of the CDC, which at its peak, employed over 10,000 hardworking Georgians. Shortly after, the Senator spoke for nearly an hour on the Senate floor, in large part in defense of the CDC’s critical work to defend public health and national security. The Senator continued to pressure HHS Secretary Kennedy to reverse the CDC firings.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHOTOS: Senator Reverend Warnock Speaks to NPR in Warm Springs on the Legacy of FDR and Our Nation’s Unfinished Work

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    PHOTOS: Senator Reverend Warnock Speaks to NPR in Warm Springs on the Legacy of FDR and Our Nation’s Unfinished Work

    Senator Reverend Warnock was recently in Warm Springs, Georgia to commemorate the 80th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s (FDR) passing at the “Little White House”
    FDR suffered a stroke while posing for a portrait that remains unfinished to this day and is on display on the Little White House grounds 
    Senator Reverend Warnock gave a keynote speech framed around the unfinished portrait and how it reflects FDR’s unfinished legacy and the unfinished work of our nation 
    Senator Reverend Warnock: “FDR collapsed from a stroke, never got up, and the portrait was never finished. In a real sense, that’s how we live our lives, even at our best, it is an unfinished project, an unfinished portrait. What remained was a loose watercolor sketch of his head and shoulders. It was an unfinished portrait, an unfinished presidential term, an unfinished legacy, and in many ways, the America he fought for remains unfinished. That brush may have stopped mid stroke, but what Roosevelt painted into the fabric of this nation still colors our lives today”
    ICYMI from National Public Radio: 80 years after President Franklin Roosevelt’s death, Trump cuts threaten his legacy
    ICYMI from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Georgia gathers at Little White House on 80th anniversary of FDR’s death
    Above: Like FDR, Senator Reverend Warnock finds himself in good spirits under the Georgia sun in Warm Springs
    Warm Springs, GA – On Saturday, April 12, on the 80th anniversary of the passing of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) journeyed to the late president’s Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia to deliver a keynote address honoring the unfinished legacy of FDR and the unfinished work of creating opportunities for all Americans to thrive regardless of their race, age, creed, or station in life. Ahead of his remarks, Senator Warnock saw FDR’s infamous “unfinished portrait”, a watercolor painting the 32nd president was posing for when he suffered a stroke, which he eventually succumbed to on April 12, 1945. In his remarks, Senator Warnock evoked the unfinished portrait and how it resembles the unfinished legacy and mission of FDR in creating economic, social, and political opportunity for all Americans.
    “FDR collapsed from a stroke, never got up, and the portrait was never finished. In a real sense, that’s how we live our lives, even at our best, it is an unfinished project, an unfinished portrait. What remained was a loose watercolor sketch of his head and shoulders. It was an unfinished portrait, an unfinished presidential term, an unfinished legacy, and in many ways, the America he fought for remains unfinished. That brush may have stopped mid stroke, but what Roosevelt painted into the fabric of this nation still colors our lives today,” said Senator Reverend Warnock.  

    Above: Senator Reverend Warnock with FDR’s infamous unfinished portrait in Warm Springs
    “What [FDR] accomplished was extraordinary, and much of it was inspired by the spirit of Georgia, warmed up by these Warm Springs in which he drew inspiration and motivation that he needed to rebuild an anguished nation. Over the years, after making his first journey here in 1924, President Roosevelt saw the South’s struggling economy, he saw the many challenges of our state. He saw the lack of educational opportunities. He saw the lack of electricity and family farms being foreclosed. He saw poverty and disease, both in a literal sense and in a spiritual sense. And he saw the impact of that in Georgia and on our nation. He saw a lack of good paying jobs, creating a crisis for the economy and, more importantly, a crisis in the human soul. So, as FDR came down to Warm Springs for his own healing. He saw the healing that needed to be done. You can’t lead the people unless you love the people. And in order to love the people, you got to walk with the people,” said Senator Reverend Warnock in his keynote speech.

    Above: Senator Reverend Warnock signs the VIP guest book at the Little White House
    “So the mission continues, the work still lies ahead. We must not give in to those who are trying to weaponize fear. FDR said, ‘We have nothing to fear but fear itself.’ Now, like all of you, I grew up hearing that, and I must admit that since I’ve been hearing it all my life, it was just, you know, something people say. ‘We have nothing to fear but fear itself.’ It’s one of those things that’s so deep in the culture you hear it without really hearing. I’m not so sure I knew what Roosevelt meant until late, because in this moment in our lives, there are those in high office who are trying to weaponize fear. There are those in high office who want us to be afraid of one another. Want white people to be afraid of Black people, and Black people to be afraid of brown people, want the young to resent the old and the old to forget about the young. We have nothing to fear but fear itself. Translation, if there’s anybody to be afraid of, we ought to be afraid of the politicians who want us to be afraid of one another. We have nothing to fear but fear itself,” Senator Reverend Warnock continued.
    Following his remarks, Senator Warnock toured the Little White House where FDR was posing for the unfinished portrait. The senator surveyed the bedroom where the late president eventually succumbed to his stroke, leaving behind a nation in recovery from the Great Depression and on a path to victory in World War II. Senator Warnock also viewed the nearby pools where FDR found some relief in his battle with polio. 
    A transcript of Senator Warnock’s speech can be found below (lightly edited for clarity):
    I want to recognize all the elected officials in the house, those who serve, those who have served, and those who seek to serve, stand up, all of you.
    Thank you so very much, it’s wonderful to be here. I also want to recognize the Friends of the Little White House, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources for organizing this great event. My church, Ebenezer Baptist Church, has also supported our historic sanctuary through the work of the fine men and women of the park service and those who support that work, so I understand a little bit about what it takes to maintain a facility like this. Thank you for your service in preserving the beauty, history, and the culture of our great state. Give them a great big round of applause.
    80 years ago today, April 12, 1945, was described as a sunny spring day here in Warm Springs. A president weary from war was now in good spirits under the Georgia sun. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was no doubt looking ahead to the world that would rise from the ashes and a country still climbing towards its highest ideals. Back in his little white pine cottage that afternoon, the president was posing for a portrait as an artist was attempting to capture a giant. Some have said a picture is worth a thousand words. But as fate would have it, the man who had helped save democracy at home and around the world collapsed from a stroke. 
    He succumbed to what William Cullen Bryant called that mysterious realm where each shall take his chamber in the silent halls of death. Martin Luther King Jr., who reminded us that death is not an aristocracy for some, but a democracy for all. Each of us comes to that moment, the rich and the poor, those who sit high, those who sit low. Death, as Doctor King said, is life’s common denominator. We might want to think about what we want to make of our lives. 
    FDR collapsed from a stroke, never got up, and the portrait was never finished. In a real sense, that’s how we live our lives, even at our best, it is an unfinished project, an unfinished portrait. What remained was a loose watercolor sketch of his head and shoulders. It was an unfinished portrait, an unfinished presidential term, an unfinished legacy, and in many ways, the America he fought for remains unfinished. That brush may have stopped mid stroke, but what Roosevelt painted into the fabric of this nation still colors our lives today. An unfinished legacy, unfinished presidential term, unfinished portrait; so much wisdom and poetry, even in how he left us. 
    I submit that your life’s project ought to be longer than your lifespan. If you can finish your life’s project in your lifespan, then your imagination is too small, and your vision of what we can become and who we are together has yet to mature. FDR understood that. He poured himself out, a term as a pastor we use especially this time of the year, during the season of Lent, during the season of Passover, that the one in whose name you and I preach on Sunday morning submitted to what theologians called kenosis. He literally poured himself out. That’s what servant leadership looks like. Pouring yourself out for others, and in so doing, what he was able to accomplish was extraordinary, because FDR, for all his pain, he was never focused on himself. The way to find yourself is to give yourself over to something bigger than yourself, and then you might find yourself.
    What he accomplished was extraordinary, and much of it was inspired by the spirit of Georgia, warmed up by these Warm Springs in which he drew inspiration and motivation that he needed to rebuild an anguished nation. Over the years, after making his first journey here in 1924, President Roosevelt saw the South’s struggling economy, he saw the many challenges of our state. He saw the lack of educational opportunities. He saw the lack of electricity and family farms being foreclosed. He saw poverty and disease, both in a literal sense and in a spiritual sense. And he saw the impact of that in Georgia and on our nation. He saw a lack of good paying jobs, creating a crisis for the economy and, more importantly, a crisis in the human soul. So, as FDR came down to Warm Springs for his own healing. He saw the healing that needed to be done. You can’t lead the people unless you love the people. And in order to love the people, you got to walk with the people. 
    People called to serve must be willing to walk with you, even as we work for you. So he drew inspiration and insight from being in these spaces and in these places. Struggling with polio, so much to learn about his life. I’m inspired and amazed, quite honestly, so many layers, struggling with polio. Polio, by the way, a disease that we’ve pushed back through the insights of doctors and others. Now, because of the success of those vaccines, we have an anti-vaccine movement. Privilege as a way of blinding. The reason we can have an anti-vaccine movement is because the vaccines work. Almost nobody remembers what polio looked like. So, all of a sudden, we become really profound indeed. I digress. Thank God for science; my faith has no quarrel with science. 
    He came here for his own healing. Somehow, being here, he was able to transform his pain into power, suffering in the sacrifice, sacrifice into salvation for others who suffer. We now live in his legacy–all of us. Social Security. Prior to FDR, for most people, when you got old, it was a sentence into poverty. Sometimes it’s easy to attack things because you don’t remember what it was like before we had it. Social Security was important then, it’s important now, and I’m going to stand up and defend it. Pathways to homeownership, minimum wage jobs, unemployment insurance, all of that, FDR. Rural electrification, job programs that build bridges and roads and restored dignity to families who had lost everything. He did more in a wheelchair than most presidents ever imagined doing sitting in an Oval Office. These weren’t just policies. These were promises aimed at restoring the dignity of work, being able to provide for your family. They represented the belief that the public servants working towards a common cause could be a force for good in people’s lives.
    Between 1933 and 1940, the New Deal brought $250 million to Georgia and established agencies that offered a broad range of public works programs, including the construction of libraries, roads, schools, parks, hospitals, airports, and housing, because he understood that infrastructure is the common space that we share with one another. It is the covenant that we have with one another. Broken roads and broken bridges are indicative of a broken people. In the wealthiest nation on the planet, a broken commitment to the house that we live in together.
    Perhaps no issue greater reflects Warm Springs’ impact on FDR’s policies than rural electricity. Georgia farmers and Georgia families were hit especially hard by the Great Depression. Their recovery was slowed by the high cost of electricity, which was only used in 10% of rural homes in 1935. Electric companies were simply not willing to string miles of wire to rural communities, so those people had to go without. Too often rural communities are invisible to people in power. FDR saw rural communities. One of the great characteristics of leadership is just the ability to see you.
    And it is here that he was motivated to start the Rural Electrification Administration, an effort designed to bring electric power to rural areas at reasonable rates. Roosevelt cemented the connection by signing the electrification bill into law right here at the Little White House, where his first electric bill in this little house was four times greater than that of his home in New York. Somebody needed to fix that. He got busy doing it. This improved the quality of life and productivity for small farms. And Roosevelt did not stop there. He implemented policies to improve soil health and prevent erosion, provide farmers with loans to move to improved farms, and helped raise long depressed cotton prices. He understood that when you center the people rather than the politics, you have a shot at getting the policy right.
    For many of these rural Georgians the federal government felt like some distant entity, long distance from where they actually live. Like so many people today, they looked at what was going on in Washington, they asked themselves, what in the heck does that have to do with me? The New Deal answered that question; the New Deal provided federal investments that they could see directly benefiting their local communities. The policy showed up where they actually live, and it offered people the hope they needed for a resilient nation to believe that their best days were ahead of them and not behind them.
    He believed in the future, and not in some imaginary vision of who we used to be. He sought simply to make America great–period. Make it great not by moving backwards, but by moving forward. I stand in awe of this man. Where did he get such imagination, such grit, such determination, such love of the people–all the people. Moral courage. It makes you stand up, no matter what it looks like at the moment. Perhaps, here is the answer. He said, while suffering from polio, “When you have spent two years in bed trying to wiggle your big toe, everything else seems easy.” 
    He transformed his pain into power, suffering into sacrifice, and sacrifice into salvation for those who suffer. Now, it’s important to note, if we would be honest, that while the New Deal transformed America, there was still a whole lot more work to be done. This was still 1940s America. There were those who still suffer in our nation’s complicated story and still ran up against the reality of deep-seated discrimination. My own father, born in 1917, I had an older father, served for about a year, one year in the Army during World War II, all stateside. One day, he was headed home on a bus in the soldier’s uniform, and my father had to give up his bus seat because the bus driver saw a young, white teenager, and the man with a family and a soldier’s uniform had to give up his seat to a teenager. My dad had to give up his bus seat, but his son now sits in a Senate seat.
    I thank God for Roosevelt’s New Deal, but my people still had a raw deal. My dad never became bitter. He believed in the future. Dr King, and those who marched alongside him, stood up and pushed the country closer to its ideals. An unfinished portrait–that’s what America is, and we have to keep painting. We have to keep adding colors and hues and nuances in order to understand what this country is all about. He was informed. He was inspired by Warm Springs. But we dare not leave this place today without mentioning somebody else. Her name was Eleanor. By every great man is a smarter woman. Brilliant and courageous in her own right.
    Today in the United States Senate, I see my work as a continuation of that great patriot and so many others who tried to make America great. That is why, since entering the Senate in 2021, I have fought to expand access to affordable health care, because health care is a human right, and it is certainly something that the wealthiest nation on the planet can provide for all of its citizens, and oh, by the way, Georgia needs to expand Medicaid. I have fought to strengthen our democracy, to widen the pathways to quality education and good paying jobs. It’s good public policy, but it’s also the right thing to do. That’s right. A budget is not just a fiscal document, it’s a moral document. Show me your budget, and I’ll show you who you think matters. As I look at this budget, some of my colleagues are trying to push through the Congress right now, it passed the Senate, has now passed the House, a budget that will cut perhaps as much as $800 billion for Medicaid that would leave Social Security struggling. Forget the fact that 71% of the people on Medicaid in Georgia are children. I look at that kind of budget, I have to say that if that budget were an EKG, it would suggest that some of my colleagues have a heart problem, and they are in need of moral surgery.
    So let’s make sure everybody has access to health care. That’s why I was pleased to be able to write a law to cap the cost of insulin for seniors to no more than $35 out of pocket per month. We ought to expand the Child Tax Credit. When we did it in 2021, we cut child poverty by more than 40%. Listen to me. Poverty is violence. It is violence against the human spirit and child poverty is trauma, and what’s extraordinary is that poor children do as well as they do. You can literally see in the brain the impact that poverty has on the brain of a young child. So as I stand here, I can’t forget about the fact that long before I was a United States Senator, I was a kid in Head Start. Grew up in public housing. Head Start, a good public policy, exposed me to literacy and reading and gave me a love of learning. Then I went to high school, and someone put me in an Upward Bound program and put me on a college campus so I can imagine that I could be in college and at a university, that I could study and grow. And with grit and determination, I went to Morehouse College. I didn’t have enough money to go. I often say I went to college on a full faith scholarship. I did not have enough money for my first semester. 
    But through hard work, some of my friends and classmates are here, through hard work, hope, and grit and determination, I was able to graduate from Morehouse College. Yes, I believe in personal initiative. Yes, I believe in personal responsibility. Yes, I believe you have to stay up late and burn the midnight oil. You got to do the work. But guess what? I did the work, but somebody still gave me a Pell Grant and some low interest student loans. You can pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, but you still need a path to get to where you’re trying to go, and that’s what good public policy can do. It gives ordinary people a chance to make the best out of their life. So we have to stand up for ordinary people. We have to stand up for farmers in this moment. Farmers are an answer to a prayer. They are literally an answer to a prayer that all of us pray. Many of us every night, give us this day, our daily bread. 
    So the mission continues, the work still lies ahead. We must not give in to those who are trying to weaponize fear. FDR said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” Now, like all of you, I grew up hearing that, and I must admit, Brother Luke, that since I’ve been hearing it all my life, it was just, you know, something people say. We have nothing to fear but fear itself. It’s one of those things that’s so deep in the culture you hear it without really hearing. I’m not so sure I knew what Roosevelt meant until late, because in this moment in our lives, there are those in high office who are trying to weaponize fear. There are those in high office who want us to be afraid of one another. Want white people to be afraid of Black people, and Black people to be afraid of brown people, want the young to resent the old and the old to forget about the young. We have nothing to fear but fear itself. Translation, if there’s anybody to be afraid of, we ought to be afraid of the politicians who want us to be afraid of one another. We have nothing to fear but fear itself. The Bible tells us that perfect love [inaudible]. It takes courage to love, and justice is what love looks like in public. 
    So we remember 80 years ago today, his life was poetry, and so was his death. It must have been heartbreaking in that moment, something elegant about the way he left us. We find ourselves when we give ourselves over to something bigger than ourselves. There he was struggling with polio, trying to stand again, struggling against paralysis. Today, America is struggling to stand. We’re paralyzed today, not by polio, but by polarization. FDR never found the strength after he failed that day to stand up. He always found strength when he tried to stand up for somebody else. Perhaps that’s the lesson in this moment, these dark and difficult days, and these days of fear and polarization, and these days of tariffs–and we don’t know what the economy is going to bring tomorrow. Perhaps the lesson is that we learn to stand. When we stand up to somebody else. So stand up for children, stand up for our young people, stand up for women, stand up for the poor and the marginalized. Stand up for all of us. Stand up for
    what America can be. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Is backing independence the same as being a nationalist? Not necessarily

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robin Mann, Reader in Sociology, Bangor University

    Over the past few years, support for Welsh independence has grown in ways not seen before. A recent poll commissioned by YesCymru, a pro-independence campaign group, found that 41% of people who’ve made up their minds on the issue would now vote in favour of independence.

    The striking finding is that the number jumps to 72% among 25-to-34 year olds. Meanwhile older generations, particularly those aged 65 and up, remain firmly in the “no” camp, with 80% opposed.

    This does seem a big shift in public mood. But does it mean Wales is becoming more nationalist? Not exactly.

    The relationship between constitutional attitudes and nationalism is complicated, as research by myself and colleagues shows. Many people back independence for reasons that have less to do with feeling strongly Welsh or waving flags, and more to do with wanting better decision-making closer to home.

    During 2021, as part of a broader research project on Welsh people’s views on the COVID pandemic and vaccination, we spoke to people from different ages, backgrounds and locations. Some were vaccinated, others weren’t. Some had voted in elections while others hadn’t voted in years, if ever.

    Many people we talked to felt the Welsh government had done a better job than Westminster at handling the pandemic. They saw the decisions made in Wales – like keeping stricter rules in place when England relaxed theirs – as more sensible, more caring, and more in line with what they personally wanted from a government. And with that came a confidence that Wales could handle even more control over its own affairs.

    Historically, Welsh nationalism was tightly linked to the Welsh language and culture. Self-government was always a part of the conversation, but not necessarily the main driver. That started changing in the late 20th century.

    In 1979, Wales voted against devolution. In 1997, it narrowly vote in favour. Thereafter, things slowly began to shift – and now, more than 25 years into devolution, support for self-government is the mainstream view. Independence is no longer such a fringe idea.

    Interestingly, younger generations are far more open to it – and many of them aren’t what you’d typically think of as nationalists. They may not speak Welsh or see themselves as “political” in the traditional sense. Their support often comes from practical concerns about the economy, democracy and how decisions are made.

    External events like Brexit have clearly played a role. In fact, the YesCymru campaign was formed just before the EU referendum in 2016. Independence support surged afterwards, especially among Remain voters.

    Many saw the Brexit fallout, as well as austerity, as proof that Westminster didn’t reflect their values or priorities. This showed how disruptive events can reshape the way people see their place within the UK.

    Independence without nationalism?

    One of the more surprising findings in our research – echoed in the 2025 polling – is that support for independence doesn’t always come from people who are politically engaged or pro-devolution. In fact, some support came from people who hadn’t voted in years, or felt completely disillusioned with the political system.

    They expressed their support for independence through statements like: “They all need to go [meaning the Welsh government], but if I pay tax in Wales I want it to stay in Wales and be spent here.”

    We also found a lot of people sitting on the fence. They weren’t against independence, but they had big questions about it. Would it mean isolation? Would it lead to more division?

    One person told us: “I’m a little bit nationalistic, but I didn’t want the UK to leave the EU. So why would I want Wales to leave the UK?” Another said: “I don’t believe in borders, but I do think the Welsh government should run things.”

    These aren’t black-and-white views. People’s feelings about independence – and nationalism – are often full of contradictions. And this reflects the wider truth that ordinary political views are often messy. Most of us don’t live in the extremes, and this is a good thing.

    What’s also worth noting is that nationalism takes many forms. Some people who strongly oppose Welsh independence do so from a very rightwing populist-nationalist perspective, where calls to abolish the Senedd (Welsh parliament) sit alongside demands for hard borders and less immigration. So, the assumption that “independence equals nationalism” isn’t always true – and nor is the reverse.

    Could independence really happen?

    Wales isn’t alone in debating big questions about its future. In places such as Scotland, Catalonia and Flanders, political and economic crises can fuel movements for independence. In all these cases, trust in central government and a desire for more local fiscal control have played a major role.

    For Wales, the question often comes back to the economy. While faith in Wales’s ability to govern is growing, many still worry whether an independent Wales could stand on its own financially. And for a lot of undecided voters, that remains the sticking point. For this reason, granting Wales more powers through devolution might do more to stave off demands for independence than anything else.



    Read more:
    Devolving justice and policing to Wales would put it on par with Scotland and Northern Ireland – so what’s holding it back?

    But the conversation is shifting. Support for independence is no longer just about nationalist grievances. It’s about how people want to be governed, and about trust and responsiveness.

    So, does supporting Welsh independence make you a nationalist? Not necessarily. For many, it’s not about nationalism at all.

    Robin Mann receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council and the British Academy. He is a Reader in Sociology at Bangor University and also Co-director of the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research and Data (WISERD).

    – ref. Is backing independence the same as being a nationalist? Not necessarily – https://theconversation.com/is-backing-independence-the-same-as-being-a-nationalist-not-necessarily-254354

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Statement on RFK Jr.’s Comments on Children with Autism

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) released the following statement in response to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s description of children with autism as, “…kids who will never pay taxes. They’ll never hold a job. They’ll never play baseball. They’ll never write a poem. They’ll never go out on a date. Many of them will never use a toilet unassisted,”:   
    “Secretary Kennedy’s comments about people with autism reflect his profound lack of knowledge about the condition and his ongoing resistance to meaningful scientific inquiry. Anyone who has basic information about autism knows that it is a condition that includes a spectrum of behaviors and/or delays. But instead of providing accurate information, Secretary Kennedy presented a stigmatizing, dehumanizing, and wildly inaccurate description of people whose care his department is supposed to oversee. 
    “Some people with autism are fully employed, and some people who experience autism have unique academic or technical gifts. Some people who have autism need 24/7 care, and some people with autism are not fully independent but are able to function well with modest supports. Secretary Kennedy could learn a lot from people who experience this condition – and their families – if he chose to. But he has not.
    “Robert F. Kennedy Jr. could help the country take a step forward if he listened to families, caregivers, health care providers, and scientists who actually understand autism and are doing the work to identify its cause or causes. He could help the country move forward if he insisted that HHS invest in home care and individualized supports for people with disabilities. He could help the country move forward if he insisted that the federal government meet its promise to provide 40 percent of the funding for special education in this country. Instead, he is focusing on enacting a budget that will cut hundreds of billions of dollars from the Medicaid program, which is a critical component in our ability as a country to care for people with disabilities.
    “Secretary Kennedy is using a position of great power to continue to exploit the vulnerabilities of millions of Americans, all for the purpose of spreading his own unfounded and fully debunked beliefs. And by diverting resources and energy to rehash unfounded conspiracies about autism’s cause, Secretary Kennedy himself is a barrier to the type of inquiry that could help us better understand autism – and bring much-needed answers and care to people who experience this disabling condition.”
    During the HHS press conference, Secretary Kennedy also emphasized the Department’s focus on discovering “precisely what the environmental toxins are that are causing” autism, despite current scientific research giving no indication that environmental factors are the cause of autism. These comments follow recent reporting on Secretary Kennedy’s hiring of David Geier – a vaccine cynic with a record of harming children and manipulating data to fit his disproven conspiracy theories – to head a federal study into the long-disproven theory that vaccines are linked to autism. Senator Hassan voted against Secretary Kennedy’s confirmation, speaking on the Senate floor about the threat that Mr. Kennedy poses to public health, and pushed Mr. Kennedy at his confirmation hearing on his record of supporting long-disproven conspiracies that link vaccines and autism. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 17 April 2025 Joint News Release Africa CDC and WHO update mpox strategy as outbreaks persist

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Mpox is a viral illness that spreads between people, mainly through close contact. It causes painful skin and mucosal lesions, often accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes. The disease can be debilitating and disfiguring. 

    Historically a zoonotic disease transmitted from infected animals, mpox has increasingly shown a tendency to spread between people. In 2022, a variant of the virus, clade IIb, began spreading globally through sexual contact. Since late 2023, yet another viral strain, clade Ib, began spreading through sexual networks and within households and through close contact. This prompted Africa CDC to declare a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security and the WHO Director-General to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in August 2024. 

    By August 2024, the virus had begun spreading from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to 4 neighbouring countries. Since then, 28 countries around the world have reported cases of mpox due to clade Ib. Outside Africa, cases remain largely travel-related. However, within Africa, in addition to transmission in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, local transmission has now been documented in additional countries including the Republic of the Congo, South Africa, South Sudan, the United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia. 

    Since the declaration of the emergency, both regional and global support has increased, particularly for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the epicentre of the outbreak. The Africa CDC and WHO Joint Continental Mpox Plan has guided these efforts, focusing on ten key pillars: coordination, risk communication and community engagement, disease surveillance, laboratory capacity, clinical management, infection prevention and control, vaccination, research, logistics, and maintaining essential health services. 

    Vaccination efforts are underway, with more than 650 000 doses administered in 6 countries, 90% of which have been administered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Overall, over a million doses have been delivered to 10 countries, with efforts ongoing to secure additional vaccine supplies. 

    Diagnostic testing capacity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has grown significantly, driven by the expansion of laboratory infrastructure – from 2 laboratories in late 2023 to 23 laboratories in 12 provinces today. With new, near-point-of-care tests currently being rolled out in the country, capacity is expected to increase even further. 

    Despite this progress, major challenges remain. Ongoing conflict and insecurity in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where the incidence of mpox remains high, as well as humanitarian aid cuts, continue to limit the public health response and restrict access to essential services. Across countries and partners, over US$ 220 million is needed to fill funding gaps for the mpox response.  

    The updated Continental Response Plan calls for intensified efforts to bring outbreaks under control, while also taking concrete actions to integrate mpox into routine health services.  

    Along with the Continental Response Plan for Africa, WHO has updated the global strategic plan to curb – and where feasible, to stop – human-to-human transmission of mpox. In the first two months of 2025, 60 countries reported mpox, with the majority of cases and deaths reported from the African continent.  The joint Continental Response Plan is aligned with the global strategy. 

    Africa CDC and WHO continue to work closely with national governments, local communities, and partners to curb transmission, control the outbreak, and build longer-term resilience within public health systems. 

    “,”datePublished”:”2025-04-17T15:00:00.0000000+00:00″,”image”:”https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/emergencies-and-disasters/2024—mpox-outbreak/mpox-patient-drc-august-2024.jpg?sfvrsn=66105f23_14″,”publisher”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”World Health Organization: WHO”,”logo”:{“@type”:”ImageObject”,”url”:”https://www.who.int/Images/SchemaOrg/schemaOrgLogo.jpg”,”width”:250,”height”:60}},”dateModified”:”2025-04-17T15:00:00.0000000+00:00″,”mainEntityOfPage”:”https://www.who.int/news/item/17-04-2025-africa-cdc-and-who-update-mpox-strategy-as-outbreaks-persist”,”@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”NewsArticle”};
    ]]>

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: NowVertical Launches DataCatalyst on Microsoft Azure Marketplace, Unlocking Enterprise AI at Scale

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, April 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NowVertical Group Inc. (TSXV: NOW) (“NowVertical” or the “Company”), a leading data and AI solutions provider, today announced the launch of its flagship DataCatalyst Solution on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, reinforcing the Company’s strategic positioning at the intersection of enterprise AI, data infrastructure modernisation, and Microsoft ecosystem expansion.

    Built to address the growing urgency around AI adoption, DataCatalyst is a ready-to-deploy, Azure-native solution designed to unify, enrich, and operationalise enterprise data – propelling clients forward on their data journey. It enables seamless, secure, and real-time data movement, cutting time-to-value on data products by up to 50% and reducing integration costs by up to 30%, laying the essential groundwork for Generative AI, automation, and real-time analytics.

    “Many enterprises are eager to embrace AI, but they’re held back by fragmented systems, poor data quality, and the complexity and cost of maintaining well governed data pipelines across their organisation. We developed DataCatalyst in direct response to this growing demand for real-world AI enablement,” said Sandeep Mendiratta, CEO of NowVertical. “Reports show 74% of companies struggle to realise meaningful ROI from their AI initiatives, DataCatalyst gives our clients a secure and accelerated path to operationalising their AI investments, while delivering measurable ROI from their existing data estate.”

    This launch builds on NowVertical’s strategic initiative to create a Microsoft Center of Excellence (COE) launched 26th November 2024 — a global unit comprising more than 50 certified Azure professionals across India, LATAM, and the UK. NowVertical has delivered over 50 large scale Azure-based projects for enterprise clients, helping organisations optimise operations, reduce costs, and fast-track their data transformation journey.

    For more information or to explore DataCatalyst on Azure Marketplace, visit:
    https://azuremarketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/marketplace/apps/nowvertical.nowvertical_datacatalyst_solution?tab=Overview

    About NowVertical Group Inc.
    The Company is a global data and analytics company which helps clients transform data into tangible business value with AI, fast. Offering a comprehensive suite of solutions and services the Company enables clients to quickly harness the full potential of their data, driving measurable outcomes and accelerating potential return on investment. Enterprises optimize decision-making, improve operational efficiency, and unlock long-term value from their data using the Company’s AI-Infused first party and third-party technologies. NowVertical is growing organically and through strategic acquisitions.

    For further details about NowVertical, please visit www.nowvertical.com.

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    For further information, please contact:

    Andre Garber, CDO
    IR@nowvertical.com

    Investor Relations: Bristol Capital Ltd.
    Stefan Eftychiou
    stefan@bristolir.com
    (905) 326-1888 x60

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (together “forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies, certain of which are unknown. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may”, “should”, “will”, “could”, “intend”, “estimate”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “expect”, “believe” or “continue”, or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by inherent risks and uncertainties, including: adverse market conditions; risks inherent in the data analytics and artificial intelligence sectors in general; regulatory and legislative changes and other risk factors identified in documents filed by the Company under its profile at www.sedarplus.com, including the Company’s management’s discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2024. Further, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as expressly required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to top line results in Lilly press release about their phase 3 ACHIEVE-1 trial of their oral GLP-1 (orforglipron) and weight loss efficacy, and safety

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Scientists comment on phase 3 trial results of Lilly’s oral GLP-1 (Orforflipron). 

    Prof Naveed Sattar, Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine/Honorary Consultant, University of Glasgow, said:

    “These are important results.  Having new oral agents that lower glucose but also meaningfully lower weight well beyond levels seen with most existing diabetes therapies is critical to future type 2 diabetes care. This because recent research has shown excess weight not only leads to type 2 diabetes in the first place in many but that it is also a major contributor to many of its associated complications. Intentional weight loss also often helps improve patients quality of life.  Of course, one caveat is that we do not know the effects of this newer therapy on cardiovascular outcomes but this will be forthcoming in future trials.  It is also good to hear about the safety profile of these new oral GLP-1RA drugs – especially the liver results – and it will be good to see the data in a full publication in due course.”

    Lilly press release (there is no paper): https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lillys-oral-glp-1-orforglipron-demonstrated-statistically

    Declared interests

    Prof Naveed Sattar: “NS has consulted for and/or received speaker honoraria from Abbott Laboratories, AbbVie, Afimmune, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Carmot Therapeutics, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Hanmi Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, Menarini-Ricerche, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Metsera, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi, and Roche; and received grant support paid to his University from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Novartis, and Roche.  No shares in any medical areas.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Global health – Conclusion of negotiations on an agreement to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (16 Apr. 2025)

    Source: Republic of France in English
    The Republic of France has issued the following statement:

    France applauds the conclusion of negotiations on an agreement to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

    These negotiations, which began three years ago under the leadership of France and the EU, were brought to a conclusion on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. France did its utmost to ensure their success and, since the summer of 2024, has co-chaired the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body of the World Health Organization (WHO) alongside South Africa.

    This new “pandemic accord” will better prepare countries for future health crises and will strengthen our collective security in the face of pandemics, in keeping with the EU’s commitments and the French Global Health Strategy for 2023-2027.

    Five years after the Covid-19 crisis, this accord reaffirms these countries’ determination to provide a coordinated, solidarity-based, equitable international response to crises that is based on cooperation, transparency, and science. This accord likewise reaffirms the international community’s trust in and support for the WHO, whose role at the center of the international health architecture is irreplaceable.

    This accord is the first legally binding international text to establish clear obligations for strengthening prevention in every country by taking into account the One Health approach. It reaffirms the dual principle of equity and solidarity in the fight against future pandemics and, to this end, provides for mechanisms to facilitate fast access to vaccines, medications and diagnostic tools. Lastly, it proposes major advances for the health industry, especially with regard to developing R&D, strengthening scientific cooperation on emerging pathogens, and supporting the local production of medical countermeasures.

    This accord will be proposed for adoption at the upcoming World Health Assembly in May 2025.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Measles alert for Inner West Sydney

    Source: Australian Green Party

    NSW Health is advising people to be alert for signs and symptoms of measles after being notified of a confirmed case who was infectious while visiting several locations in inner west Sydney. 

    The case recently returned from South East Asia were there are ongoing outbreaks of measles in several countries including Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia.

    People who attended the following locations should watch for the development of symptoms. These locations do not pose an ongoing risk.

    Sunday 13 April 2025

    Leichhardt MarketPlace Aldi: 5:45pm – 6:45pm

    Wednesday 16 April 2025

    Leichhardt MarketPlace MyHealth Medical Centre: 2:00pm – 3:20pm

    South Western Sydney District Acting Director of Public Health, Dr Mitchell Smith said if you visited the above locations at those times you should monitor for symptoms. 

    “Measles is a serious vaccine-preventable disease that is spread through the air when someone who is infectious coughs or sneezes,” Dr Smith said.

    “Symptoms to watch out for include fever, sore eyes, runny nose and a cough, usually followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash that spreads from the head and face to the rest of the body.

    “It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure, so it’s important for people who visited these locations to look out for symptoms up until Sunday 4th May 2025.

    “It’s important for people to stay vigilant if they’ve been exposed, and if they develop symptoms, to please call ahead to their GP or emergency department to ensure they do not spend time in the waiting room with other patients.

    “We want to remind the community to make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations. This should be a reminder for everyone to check that they are protected against measles, which is highly infectious.     
    “Anyone born after 1965 needs to ensure they have had two doses of measles vaccine. This is especially important before overseas travel, as measles outbreaks are occurring in several regions of the world at the moment.

    “In addition, people at these locations who are immunosuppressed, pregnant, or anyone, including babies, who has not received a measles vaccine may benefit from preventative treatment. People in these groups should speak to their GP urgently or contact their local public health unit on 1300 066 055.”

    The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and effective and is given free for children at 12 and 18 months of age. It is also free in NSW for anyone born after 1965 who hasn’t already had two doses.

    Children under the age of 12 months can have their first dose of MMR up to six months earlier if they are travelling to areas with a high risk for measles. Parents should consult their GP.

    People who are unsure of whether they have had two doses should get a vaccine, as additional doses are safe. This is particularly important prior to travel. MMR vaccine is available from GPs (all ages) and pharmacies (people over 5 years of age).

    If you, or someone you know, is experiencing measles symptoms, or have questions about measles, please call your GP or healthdirect on 1800 022 222.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Bolivia

    Source:

    We continue to advise exercise a high degree of caution in Bolivia due to the threat of violent crime and the risk of civil unrest. Political and civil tensions are ongoing, and events can be unpredictable. Large-scale political demonstrations, protests and events can occur with little warning, which may also result in travel disruptions. Protest activity will likely increase in the lead-up to the 17 August election. Avoid demonstrations and protests. Monitor the media and follow the advice of local authorities (see ‘Safety’).

    While not compulsory, you may be asked to show proof of your yellow fever vaccination at some ports of entry in Bolivia. Some airlines may want to see it when you leave (see ‘Travel’).

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Washington Considers Tax Cuts for Millionaires and Billionaires, Senator Reverend Warnock Calls for Tax Breaks for Working and Middle-Class Families in Capitol Hill Rally

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    As Washington Considers Tax Cuts for Millionaires and Billionaires, Senator Reverend Warnock Calls for Tax Breaks for Working and Middle-Class Families in Capitol Hill Rally

    Senator Reverend Warnock joined a crowd of hundreds at the “Say NO to Tax Breaks for Billionaires & Corporations” rally

    Senator Reverend Warnock: “Everybody likes tax cuts. The debate is about who ought to get one and who really needs one, and what’s the best way to move our economy forward. [Washington Republicans] want to give a tax cut to millionaires and billionaires”

    Watch Senator Reverend Warnock’s rally remarks HERE

    Washington, D.C. – Last week, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) spoke in front of a crowd of hundreds about the need for Congress to provide a tax break to working and middle-class families during the “Say NO to Tax Breaks for Billionaires & Corporations” rally on Capitol Hill. 

    “Everybody likes tax cuts. The debate is about who ought to get one and who really needs one, and what’s the best way to move our economy forward. [Washington Republicans] want to give a tax cut to millionaires and billionaires […] You’re not trying to cut taxes, you’re not trying to cut waste and fraud and abuse, because if you were trying to cut waste and fraud and abuse, I know an unelected billionaire who’s received $40 billion in federal aid and support and loans, I know where you can find some waste and fraud and abuse,” said Senator Warnock.

    As a new voice on the Senate Finance committee, Senator Warnock is committed to championing tax policies that support working families and put more money back into the pockets of middle-class families. In 2021, Senator Warnock fought to secure the Expanded Child Tax Credit as part of the American Rescue Plan. Senator Warnock recently introduced the American Family Act, which would nearly double the Child Tax Credit (CTC) from its current amount and help working moms and dads in a moment where the cost of groceries, housing, and child care is on the rise.

    A transcript of Senator Warnock’s remarks during the rally can be found below:

    “I just want to say thank you for coming to Washington, D.C. Give yourselves a round of applause just for being here. Mama said, ‘Half a life is showing up’. And I cannot stress to you enough how important it is and how impactful it is for you to show up.”

    “Politicians – whether they are Republicans, Democrats or Independents – when you show up, they pay attention. When you call our offices, we pay attention. When you write letters, we pay attention. And when you have the unmitigated audacity to come here and remind the folks over there that that’s not their house, it’s the People’s House, it makes a huge difference. You keep showing up, and I promise you that I and my colleagues are going to keep showing up for you.”

    “Give my brother Ben Ray Luján a big round of applause. He and I are both alumni of Head Start., and I probably don’t have to tell you that in the United States Senate, which historically has been a place for the sons of American aristocracy, and I do mean sons, because that weren’t many women, you’re not going to run into many United States Senators who are alums of Head Start. But that’s a program that gives poor children a chance. It inspires them, exposes them to literature and reading and a love of learning, because all children are naturally curious, and if you bump into a child who doesn’t have that, believe me, something or somebody stole it from them. The trauma of being poor [can]rob them of the natural intellectual curiosity about the world that all children have.”

    “I’ve got a word for you. God raises up genius and brilliance and talent all over the world, on all sides of town, on both sides of the railroad track. God is an equal opportunity employer, and it makes sense to invest in children because we don’t know what they’re going to contribute.”

    “So the folk who want to run roughshod over Head Start don’t get it, and the reason why so many of them don’t get it is not simply because they were born rich. I’m not going to hate on anybody because they were born rich because I didn’t decide to be born poor. But you ought to at least spend enough time with ordinary people so you don’t end up saying dumb things. Like [as Commerce Secretary Lutnick remarked] if my mother-in-law misses one social security check, big deal. Of course, it’s no big deal to her. Her son-in-law is a billionaire. That’s not my story. That’s not the story of the people who are in this crowd.”

    “In the words of that great prophet, that poet, Kendrick Lamar, they not like us.”

    “We need people in government who, regardless of their background and where they were born, are sensitive to the concerns of ordinary people, hard-working Americans, for people that so many in our government, over the last 40 years, most of my life, have been busy maligning, criminalizing poor people for being poor. That’s why we’re in this mess. That’s why they’re obsessed with giving a tax cut to those who don’t need it, while taking resources away from those who need it so desperately just to survive.”

    “And so here’s the thing, here’s the thing that all of us apparently have in common: we all like tax cuts. Everybody likes tax cuts. The debate is about who ought to get one and who really needs one, and what’s the best way to move our economy forward. They want to give a tax cut to millionaires and billionaires, and they’ve been engaged over the last few weeks in creating a lot of theater, tragic theater that has implications for people’s ability to actually live: firing federal workers and making them the enemy, firing folks at the CDC, closing down Social Security offices across Georgia and across our country, and announcing that they were going to do it on the DOGE website. And when I called them out for it, they were at least a little bit embarrassing, because they took it off their website and acted like they didn’t say it. But my staff took screenshots of that website. Yes, you said it. We know what you said, and we know what you are trying to do. You’re not trying to cut taxes, you’re not trying to cut waste and fraud and abuse, because if you were trying to cut waste and fraud and abuse, I know an unelected billionaire who’s received $40 billion in federal aid and support and loans, I know where you can find some waste and fraud and abuse, and his name is Elon Musk!”

    “So all of this is a distraction, because Donald Trump is just trying to pay off his friends, trying to pay off millionaires and billionaires. I’m not mad at you because you have money. I just believe that strong hearted bear the infirmities of the weak. I just believe that we are all in this together. The pandemic taught us that, right that we were in a deadly pandemic. We didn’t have the vaccine at the time, it’s an airborne disease. That means that if my neighbor got sick. Even though she was sick, I was potentially in peril because it’s an airborne disease. The pandemic taught us that we didn’t already know that that doesn’t make my neighbor my enemy because she’s sick, that just means that it is in my enlightened self-interest to make sure that she has what she needs, that she has a mask, that she has a vaccine.”

    “In other words, my neighbor’s health care coverage is good for my health. It is good for all of us, for everybody to have healthcare. It is good for all of us, no matter how much money you have for children in Georgia to have Medicaid. So that’s what this fight is all about.”

    “So keep showing up. Keep fighting the good fight. Keep raising your voice, because this is not about the people who have power. We’ve proven in America over and over again that it’s really about the power in the people, and when the people raise their voices, when the people show up, the people can make a difference!”

    “Do you believe that?”

    “Are you ready to make some noise?”

    “Are you ready to show up?”

    “Are you ready to fight for our children?”

    “Are you ready to defend Social Security?”

    “Are you ready to defend Medicaid?”

    “Let do this work y’all!”

    “The budget is not just a fiscal document, it’s a moral document. Budget is not just dollars and cents, it’s good morals and common sense. Show me your budget and I’ll show you who you think matters and who you think is dispensable. Show me your budget and I’ll show you what you think about children, what you think about workers, and what you think made America great, and if this budget that they are trying to pass were an EKG, it would suggest that the Congress has a heart problem and is in need of moral surgery. So let’s get the room ready. I know you may not be surgeons, but just help us get the room ready, because the Congress needs an operation, and it’s the people who bring about the change.”

    “So you keep showing up over and over again. Don’t give it to those who are trying to weaponize despair. Don’t believe them when they want to convince you that he’s already a king. We have no king! This is the United States of America, and we’re not about to roll over to somebody who wants to be an oligarch.”

    “I’m going to stand up for my children. Are you going to stand up for yours? I’m going to stand up for my mother who needs her Social Security. I’m going to stand up for everybody’s children, so that my children are alright. So let’s stand together. Let’s work together. Let’s vote together. Let’s fight together. Let’s pray together. Let’s stay together. Don’t give in to the demagogues. Don’t give in to the division. We rise together.”

    “God bless all of you, keep the faith and keep looking up.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Statement on Trump’s Executive Order Targeting Medicare Drug Price Negotiations 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, today released the following statement on President Trump’s Executive Order targeting the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, a major long-term cost-saving feature of the Inflation Reduction Act which grants Medicare the authority to negotiate prices for up to 60 medications and help make life-saving drugs more affordable to patients: 
    “Since day one, Big Pharma has been trying to tear down the Inflation Reduction Act‘s drug pricing provisions—they’re trying to increase their profits. And now, President Trump is bending to Big Pharma’s will and giving them exactly what they want in this Executive Order,” said Senator Welch. “Attacking a program which 85% of Americans support isn’t a win for patients—it’s a win for the pharmaceutical industry. We’ll keep fighting to protect Medicare’s negotiating powers to ensure the federal government follows through on its obligation to care for people and patients.” 
    Senator Welch has long supported initiatives to lower prescription drug prices for Vermonters. In September, Senators Welch and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) led colleagues in filing an amicus brief in AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals v. Becerra; Bristol Myers Squibb Co. v. Becerra; and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Becerra in the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit urging the court to uphold the constitutionality of Congress empowering Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices for consumers.  
    Last Congress, Sens. Welch and Klobuchar also introduced the Strengthening Medicare and Reducing Taxpayer (SMART) Prices Act to build on the success of the Inflation Reduction Act to increase the number of drugs eligible for negotiation and unlock the ability of the U.S. Government to negotiate lower drug prices for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. Provisions from Sen. Welch’s bill to end the ban on Medicare negotiating lower prescription drug prices for Medicare’s 50 million seniors, introduced during his tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives, were incorporated into the Inflation Reduction Act.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Putin and Sobyanin visited the new campus of Bauman Moscow State Technical University

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin visited the new campus of the Moscow State Technical University (MSTU) named after N.E. Bauman. He familiarized himself with the research and development of teachers, students and postgraduates in the field of space exploration, as well as in other areas. The Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin reported to the head of state on the work of the Moscow Government to develop Russia’s leading engineering university.

    Vladimir Putin also held a meeting at the university on the development of space activities, which was attended by representatives of departments related to this industry.

    “Our focus today is on the development of the domestic space industry for the long term. Addressing this topic is always a special responsibility to the pioneers of space, to those people who set the highest bar for us,” said the Russian President.

    Vladimir Putin congratulated veterans of the industry, cosmonauts and servicemen of the Russian Aerospace Forces on the recent Cosmonautics Day, and also thanked all employees of state enterprises, private space companies, scientific organizations and universities for their work. Particular attention was paid to the merits of the team of Bauman Moscow State Technical University, among whose graduates there is a whole galaxy of famous cosmonauts, outstanding scientists and designers.

    “The best traditions of personnel training are developing and multiplying these days, and, as we have seen, in the new campus. Modern conditions are being created here for obtaining in-demand competencies. Of course, we will implement such projects in other cities of Russia,” Vladimir Putin emphasized.

    Construction of the campus of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University

    The project for the construction of a new educational complex of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University was implemented by the Moscow Government together with the Russian Government on behalf of Vladimir Putin. The new campus became the first facility in the country built under the federal project “Creation of a Network of Modern Campuses”. It became part of the national project “Science and Universities”, the implementation of which has been ongoing since 2025 within the framework of the national project “Youth and Children”This is one of the largest and most complex projects in the field of development of higher professional education.

    “A total of 14 buildings with a total area of about 170 thousand square meters were built and restored in the shortest possible time. This was achieved through coordinated work – the facilities were built and designed in parallel. In almost 90 percent of cases, components and equipment from domestic manufacturers were used,” the Moscow Mayor said.

    in his telegram channel.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @Mos_Sobyanin

    In 2022 – early 2024, six facilities of the MSTU research cluster were opened.

    The Life Sciences Engineering Cluster (formerly the Biomedical Systems and Technologies Center) is designed to implement modern educational programs, conduct research and development in the field of engineering and life sciences. Along with the educational programs of the Biomedical Engineering Faculty, research and development in the field of advanced biomedical engineering is conducted here. The building houses classrooms, including an office with a transformable partition, rooms for teachers, and a meeting room. Much space is allocated to advanced laboratories, including Biophotonics and Visualization of Living Systems, Neuroinfobionics, Rapid Prototyping, Cellular Technologies and Tissue Engineering, and Functional Hydrogels.

    The Engineering Center for Ground Transport and Technological Systems is designed to carry out research and development work, as well as to implement educational programs in the field of creation and operation of ground transport and technological machines and complexes. The building houses laboratories, engineers’ offices, educational and laboratory premises, office premises for employees, a classroom, premises for scientific research and meetings. The KAMAZ-Bauman Scientific and Educational Center and several specialized laboratories operate here. In particular, the Wheeled Machines laboratory has been opened, conducting work in five key areas, such as Traction Electric Drives and Mechatronic Transmissions, Intelligent NTTS Systems, Hydraulic Testing, On-Board Storage Devices, and Acoustic Testing.

    The multifunctional scientific and educational building is a new five-story building with an area of 20 thousand square meters, designed to accommodate research laboratories, scientific, administrative and educational spaces. The building houses seven departments of the university, as well as a complex of laboratories of mechanical engineering technologies, ground-based technological and launch equipment for rocket and space, vacuum and compressor technology. In total, 26 laboratories are open here, including laboratories of additive manufacturing technologies, reverse engineering and prototyping, research and certification of additive materials and additive manufacturing technologies.

    The exhibition and educational media space “Palace of Technologies” is located in the building of an architectural monument – the restored two-story Phanagoria barracks built in the 18th century. The ceremonial halls of the palace are intended for holding ceremonies, international meetings, scientific and educational forums and other thematic events of congress and exhibition activities. The university’s specialized departments are located here – the information policy department and the organizational and protocol work department. In December 2023, the building hosted the first open day of the Faculty of Robotics and Complex Automation, which was attended by more than 200 people. Representatives of the faculty prepared lectures on the digital transformation of industry, robotics and engineering infrastructure of a modern industrial enterprise. Applicants and their parents were told about the admission rules, curricula of educational programs, as well as future employment, career and salary prospects.

    The research center is a new six-story building with an area of 5.1 thousand square meters. The advanced engineering school “System Engineering of Rocket and Space Technology” operates on its basis. In addition, departments developing products for space and aviation have launched their activities here.

    The multifunctional library building is a restored three-story building of the chemical laboratory of the Imperial Moscow Technical School, built in the 19th century according to the design of the architect Lev Kekushev. It trains IT specialists. It houses classrooms and computer labs for lectures, seminars and laboratory work, specialized laboratories for classes with senior students of the university’s industrial partners – IT companies, as well as coworking spaces and premises for teachers and postgraduate students of the departments. Since February 2024, the building has been hosting strategic sessions, scientific and practical conferences and other socially significant events. In addition, it was used as an accreditation center on the day of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University alumni meeting, which was attended by more than two thousand people.

    Vladimir Putin and Sergei Sobyanin opened new buildings of Bauman Moscow State Technical University

    By September 2024, work on several sites was completed.

    The central cluster with a total area of about 51 thousand square meters includes five buildings of different heights – from four to six. The main task of the architects was to visually separate different functional areas without disturbing the overall harmony of the ensemble. To do this, they decided to detail the facades of the buildings with the help of scientific formulas. The facade glass looks different: in some places the formulas and equations are visible as clearly as possible, in others they are reflected, and in buildings with atrium spaces they can disappear depending on the viewing angle. All five buildings are united by a hovering dome roof – a membrane structure with an area of 2.5 thousand square meters, which will protect the ensemble and the inner courtyard from bad weather and make it more comfortable.

    The center of the square is the “tree of knowledge” – an oak tree, around which an amphitheater for students and employees of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University is located. The inner courtyard is open to city residents, which made it possible to create a new center for meetings and communication.

    The central cluster of Bauman Moscow State Technical University houses an innovation hub and a congress center, a cluster of “Environmental Protection Technologies – Green Territory”, a center of excellence and a scientific and educational cluster of digital transformation, a center of excellence and a scientific and educational cluster of “Digital Materials Science”, as well as a federal testing center.

    The multifunctional complex “Quantum Park” with a total area of 13.8 thousand square meters houses research laboratories with advanced equipment, including world-class “clean rooms”, co-working spaces and transformable spaces for presenting scientific developments.

    Today, it is one of the most advanced research complexes in the world. It is designed to solve practical problems at the intersection of quantum, photonic and fluid technologies that will determine the future of science and industry.

    The Quantum Park building is one of the largest and at the same time the most equipped in the new cluster. “House of Light” was the working title of the new building. The architects sought to make it truly airy and luminous.

    The Bauman Moscow State Technical University dormitory complex consists of the Spektr and Strela buildings. It is designed to accommodate about 2.3 thousand students.

    According to Sergei Sobyanin, a small plot of land between the river and the city collector was chosen for its construction. Now the dormitories have everything necessary for a comfortable stay of students.

    In addition to living quarters, the buildings with a total area of 60.5 thousand square meters house a multifunctional educational and leisure center, multimedia spaces and the necessary social infrastructure. An unusual form of faceted crystals was chosen for the student dormitory buildings: the monoform effect was achieved by increasing the size of the glass on the facades.

    The flat facade of the building reflects the surrounding environment during the day: trees, clouds and sun. From the street, spectacular panoramic glass spanning the entire floor is visible. The windows inside the building are not only beautiful, but also fully functional: there are window sills and ventilation sashes.

    The seven-story Spektr building on Gospitalnaya Embankment is designed for 550 students who live in single, double, triple and quadruple rooms. Some of the rooms have been adapted for people with disabilities. The residential units have a kitchen area, an entrance hall, a bathroom with a bathtub, and modern and functional furniture. The building houses the Novoselye information center. It processes documents for moving in and accepts requests for electrical, plumbing and furniture repairs. Public spaces include coworking spaces and rooms with individual work areas, music classrooms and rehearsal rooms. The Spektr building also has a modern canteen with 140 seats.

    Sergei Sobyanin announced the completion of construction of two new buildings of Baumanka

    Metro station and pedestrian bridges

    Simultaneously with the construction of the research cluster, the Moscow Government implemented a set of measures to develop transport infrastructure and improve the territory in the area of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University.

    Opened in 2020 Elektrozavodskaya station Large metro ring line. Thanks to the improvement of the adjacent territory, convenient approaches and access roads to it from residential buildings were provided.

    In April 2022, a pedestrian bridge across the Yauza River was opened near the new station. The 111-meter-long artificial structure connected residential areas on the Semenovskaya and Rubtsovskaya embankments, providing convenient access for teachers and students of Bauman Moscow State Technical University, as well as local residents, to the Elektrozavodskaya metro station of the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya and Big Circle Lines and the station of the same name on the third Moscow Central Diameter.

    In September 2024, the construction of a 243-meter-long bicycle and pedestrian bridge across the Yauza River was completed. It provides a connection between the educational buildings of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, as well as unimpeded passage from Rubtsovskaya Embankment to the buildings of the N.N. Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital. The artificial structure was made in the form of open caissoned steel structures with lighting from the bottom. This gives a sense of the fluidity of the bridge and the river beneath it. The smooth lines of the structures compositionally continue the lines of the concrete supports.

    The accent points of the bridge are the staircase and elevator units, made in the form of crystals. They harmoniously connect the appearance of the engineering structure with the architecture of the new campus buildings. In addition, the crystals have a symbolic connection with education and scientific activity. Cyclists and pedestrians can move along the bridge. There is a recreation area and a viewing area – a comfortable observation deck with an amphitheater. In addition to bike paths, the bridge is equipped with ramps for cyclists, stairways and elevators for people with limited mobility.

    Moscow Mayor: 25 Tunnels, Overpasses, Bridges and Overpasses Built in 2024

    Metallurg Stadium

    The historic Metallurg stadium on the bank of the Yauza River was donated to Bauman Moscow State Technical University. It became the university’s main home arena.

    According to Sergei Sobyanin, a complete reconstruction of the stadium is currently underway, within the framework of which a modern gym and changing rooms will be built here, and all the necessary infrastructure will be created.

    The comprehensive renovation of the sports facility is planned to be completed in the third quarter of 2025. It will house a football and rugby field, a basketball and volleyball court, beach volleyball, workout and tennis areas. In addition, sports enthusiasts will be provided with a physical education and health complex and an administrative and household complex with volleyball courts that can be transformed for other sports (table tennis, basketball and mini-football), as well as a hall for the volleyball super league, exercise machines, comfortable locker rooms, coaches’ rooms, a room for storing sports equipment and a first aid station. In addition, the stadium will have an event venue, a recreation area, a pavilion-cafe with a summer terrace and a children’s play area.

    The renovated Metallurg stadium will become a modern sports complex — Sobyanin

    Improvement of neighborhoods in the area of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University

    “Along with the construction of the research cluster, much was done to improve the transport infrastructure in the area of the university. The nearby neighborhoods were also improved,” said Sergei Sobyanin

    in his telegram channel.

    Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @Mos_Sobyanin

    Landscaping works were carried out in the areas located near the Bauman Moscow State Technical University complex of buildings and the Metallurg stadium. In particular, in 2023, landscaping of 14 objects was completed: Baumanskaya, 2-ya Baumanskaya, Malaya Pochtovaya and Ladozhskaya streets, as well as Staro-Kirochny, Denisovsky, Gardnerovsky, Brigadirsky, Maly Gavrikov, Gospitalny and Spartakovsky lanes, Proektiruyemy proezd No. 1106, the inter-yard area from Lefortovskaya Square to Gospitalny Lane, as well as Khomutovsky blind alley.

    Comfortable conditions for pedestrians were created on the landscaped streets: sidewalks were widened where possible, new outdoor lighting supports with energy-saving lamps were installed, and comfortable public spaces with places to rest were arranged.

     

    Four new pavilions with charging slots and information boards were installed at public transport stops. Convenient parking for 278 cars was arranged, and for cyclists – bicycle parking for 63 places.

    During the additional landscaping work, lawns and flower beds with a total area of over 14 thousand square meters were laid out, and large trees and shrubs were planted.

    Under the Clean Sky project, overhead cable lines were moved to underground collectors. In addition, storm drains were put in order, the asphalt pavement of the roadway was replaced, road signs and other infrastructure facilities were updated.

    Sobyanin: A number of areas near universities in Moscow will be improved by 2024

    In September 2024, the reorganization of the space between Lefortovo Embankment and Bauman Moscow State Technical University was completed. A convenient route from the main building of the university to the Faculty of Power Engineering and a new pedestrian path from Lefortovo Square to the embankment were created for students and teachers. The area in front of Lefortovo Palace was also transformed: an additional approach to the main building of the university was organized in place of the dilapidated buildings, the granite paving of the staircase near the building was renewed, benches were installed on the territory, a lawn was laid out and a video surveillance system was installed. The sidewalk along the embankment was widened, protective screens and lanterns with energy-efficient lamps were installed, and the parking area was reorganized.

    Leading space university in Russia

    Bauman Moscow State Technical University is rightfully considered the largest center for training personnel for the space industry. Among the university’s graduates are outstanding designers Sergei Korolev, Vladimir Barmin, Nikolai Pilyugin, many other managers and leading employees of industry enterprises, as well as 15 cosmonauts.

    Today, more than 4.5 thousand students are studying at the university in areas related to space exploration. By the end of 2024, 90 percent of graduates in these specialties were successfully employed.

    For the practice-oriented training of students and the implementation of research and development work on space topics, specialized divisions operate at Bauman Moscow State Technical University:

    — educational and experimental center based at the Dmitrov branch;

    — an educational and scientific youth space center with a flight control center, in which students develop microsatellites, payloads for space experiments, and special software and mathematical support;

    — the design bureau “Breakthrough Space Research and Technology”, which implements the full cycle of spacecraft and their systems development, integration of target equipment from third-party developers and leading domestic scientific organizations. Currently, there are six satellites in orbit, designed for weather monitoring and forecasting. They are also used for marine navigation of ships, including in the Northern Sea Route zone;

    — advanced engineering school “System Engineering of Rocket and Space Technology”. The federal project was created in 2022 on the initiative of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation with the aim of training specialists in the field of system design to solve breakthrough problems in the rocket and space industry, as well as to implement projects in the interests of high-tech companies. Special equipment and machinery have been purchased for specific educational and research purposes, which are already being used by teachers and students.

    Today, 160 students are studying at the engineering school. The training includes practical work at enterprises of the state corporation Roscosmos and private space companies in the laboratories of the advanced engineering school, work with mentors in team projects. Students in interdisciplinary teams participate in the implementation of research and development work commissioned by industry enterprises. The school works in several areas, including the creation of the Russian orbital station and the production of a promising component base to ensure Russia’s technological sovereignty in space.

    Which capital companies offer internship and practical training programs for university and college students

    On cooperation with the Moscow Innovation Cluster

    MSTU named after N.E. Bauman is a member Moscow Innovation Cluster. The university carries out research and development work for government and commercial customers in the field of creating spacecraft, electronic systems, and other strategically important areas. In particular, work is underway on the project of a small-sized descent vehicle “Zaryanka” – a system for delivering samples and materials for research from orbit of space stations.

    On the development of the Moscow aerospace industry

    Moscow is the center of the rocket and space industry of Russia, where over 40 enterprises, scientific and technical centers, laboratories and research institutes work. They employ over 30 thousand people. These are engineers and designers, developers and other specialists in related fields, thanks to whom almost everything is created in the city: from ultra-light cables to launch vehicles and components for spacecraft.

    In 2024, manufacturers of aircraft, including spacecraft, and related equipment increased shipments by 11.7 percent compared to 2023: companies delivered products worth about 214.4 billion rubles. The revenue of enterprises in 2024 amounted to almost 200 billion rubles, and investments in fixed assets exceeded nine billion rubles.

    The Khrunichev State Space Research and Production Center operates in Moscow. It is one of the basic enterprises of the Roscosmos state corporation, a leading domestic developer and manufacturer of space launch vehicles of various payload capacities and their components for federal and commercial programs. For example, it created the third stage, assembly units, payload fairing and other parts of the Angara-A5 heavy rocket, which was launched on April 11, 2024.

    The development of control systems for rocket and space technology is carried out by the Scientific and Production Center for Automation and Instrumentation (NPCAI) named after Academician N.A. Pilyugin. Here they produced the control system for the Angara-A5 rocket, and for the Proton-M launch vehicle – a single hardware and software complex that ensures control of pre-launch preparation and flight mode. In addition, the Fregat upper stage, designed to launch spacecraft into various specified orbits, is equipped with an integrated inertial-satellite control system of JSC NPCAI.

    A unique development of Moscow industrialists was space bread. The capital’s Research Institute of the Baking Industry is responsible for its production. This product, which can be stored for 15 months, is supplied to cosmonauts in the form of mini-loaves. In addition, flour flatbreads with onions, cheese and ketchup are prepared for them, as well as mini-muffins and rolls for tea.

    The capital’s Spetskabel plant produces a cable for onboard computer networks using SpaceWire technology. Information is transmitted at a speed of 400 megabits per second, four times faster than similar products. It is manufactured using lightweight foam insulation technology, which makes the cable thinner and lighter than foreign analogues. Its operating temperature is from minus 198 to plus 200 degrees, which guarantees stable operation in extreme space conditions.

    In the Moscow engineering center “Automated Control Systems” they test the electronic component base for products of the rocket and space industry in the components of ground simulators for training cosmonauts for flight, as well as in many other devices. They are tested, in particular, for resistance to shock loads and for determining the critical frequencies of the product.

    Ventilation systems produced in the capital are used at key facilities in the space industry. Thus, the GalVent ventilation factory ensures a comfortable microclimate in the premises at the Vostochny and Plesetsk cosmodromes, the country’s scientific and production centers, and the center for the operation of ground-based space infrastructure facilities.

    The Russian aerospace company Bureau 1440 is developing a low-orbit satellite constellation that will provide broadband Internet access with data transfer rates of up to one gigabit per second with minimal delays anywhere on Earth. The work is being carried out as part of the national project Data Economy.

    Sobyanin: Moscow remains the center of Russia’s high-tech industry

    A number of other companies also work in the Moscow space industry. For example, the N.A. Dollezhal Research and Design Institute of Power Engineering produces systems for the automation of reactors and nuclear space installations.

    ExpertStroyProekt LLC produces antenna and telemetry systems, ground-based receiving telemetry stations, as well as command radio line equipment, space, rocket and aviation based for stationary monitoring of the Earth’s surface and its atmosphere, measuring, receiving and control radio engineering and optoelectronic testing complexes for rocket and aviation equipment.

    The State Research Institute of Instrument Engineering produces drones and various devices of a wide range, on-board systems for space and aircraft.

    The Kometa Corporation produces computing systems, automated control systems, spacecraft payloads, television systems, automatic equipment, radio measuring equipment, artistic castings and television surveillance systems. The Research Institute of Precision Instruments produces products for radio control of spacecraft.

    The research and production enterprise (RPE) “Impulse” is creating a controlled thermostatic system for liquid fuel of a rocket engine under conditions of variable thermal load, and the RPE “Quantum” is creating autonomous power supply systems.

    OOO Sputniks (Skolkovo) manufactures debugging tools and devices for microsatellites, and the scientific and production concern Barl develops and implements solutions in the field of remote sensing of the Earth and satellite communications.

    The VNIIEM corporation is engaged in space systems for remote sensing of the Earth, and the scientific and production association Nauka creates life support systems.

    The All-Russian Research Institute of Aviation Materials of the National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute” is producing a light-filtering gold coating for the Orlan spacesuit.

    JSC Aeropribor-Voskhod produces aerometric, radio-electronic and navigation equipment, precision and working pressure gauges for aviation and space technology.

    A large number of projects in this industry and the telecommunications sector are being implemented in the special economic zone (SEZ) Technopolis Moscow. At the Pechatniki site, one of the leading Russian developers of high-tech equipment, Neoros LLC, in partnership with Biforcom Tek LLC, produces transceivers used in telecommunications equipment. The Goodwin Concern produces a microcellular communication system used to service subscribers. Labs 1440 JSC (ICS Holding Company) has placed the production of components for a low-orbit satellite system.

    At the Alabushevo site in Zelenograd, the Electroinvest group of companies launched the production of radiation-resistant secondary power sources.

    The construction of the Moscow Photonics Center has been completed. Its production capacity will be 100 thousand photonic integrated circuits (PIC) per year. A PIC is a microchip designed for ultra-fast processing of light (photonic) signals, which increases the data transfer rate by 100 times. It is a basic element for the implementation of modern technologies of artificial intelligence, fifth-generation mobile communications (5G), biomedicine, lidars, radars and much more.

    Another important project at the Alabushevo site is the construction of a photomask center, which is used to create integrated circuits. The enterprise’s capacity will allow it to produce up to 5.5 thousand photomasks per year.

    Over the year, 30 high-tech production facilities have been launched in the Technopolis Moscow SEZ

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

    Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

    HTTPS: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12629050/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Management of infectious diseases in livestock and breeding animals – E-001444/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001444/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Kristian Vigenin (S&D)

    The management of infectious diseases in livestock and breeding animals remains a major challenge for animal health, farmers’ well-being and sustainable agriculture. Current protocols often involve the culling of entire herds or flocks, even in situations where more targeted, science-based responses might be possible. This approach can be unnecessarily distressing for farmers, financially damaging, and ethically troubling – especially when less drastic alternatives may exist through advances in veterinary science.

    The outbreaks of small ruminant plague (PPR) in Bulgaria in 2018 and 2024 further underscore the urgent need for more effective, nuanced, and evidence-based disease response strategies.

    • 1.Is the Commission planning any new initiatives focused on improving the management of infectious diseases in livestock, particularly through financing research into alternative solutions such as vaccines, treatments and disease monitoring systems?
    • 2.Is there any intention to review and potentially revise the existing EU protocols for handling diseased animals, in order to allow for more flexible and evidence-based approaches that could reduce the reliance on mass culling?
    • 3.Why was the issue of infectious disease management not more prominently addressed in the recently published Vision for Agriculture and Food[1], and will the Commission consider integrating this dimension more explicitly in future strategic planning?

    Submitted: 9.4.2025

    • [1] COM(2025)0075.
    Last updated: 16 April 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Statement On Ed Martin’s Undisclosed Appearances On Russian State Media

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    April 16, 2025

    SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today released the following statement regarding reportsthat Ed Martin, President Donald Trump’s pick to be U.S. Attorney for D.C., appeared on RT and Sputnik—networks funded and directed by the Russian government—150 times as a guest commentator from August 2016 to April 2024, something he failed to disclose in his Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire:

    “It is well-documented that Ed Martin is a Donald Trump loyalist who has embraced a Nazi sympathizer and attacked law enforcement who kept lawmakers and staff safe during the January 6 insurrection. The 150 undisclosed appearances Mr. Martin has made on Russian state media as recently as April of last year—as Russia was actively bombing Ukraine—raises further serious questions about whether he has the temperament to serve as U.S. Attorney, concerns that have been underlined by his misconduct as Interim U.S. Attorney.

    “I understand that Chairman Grassley has submitted questions to Mr. Martin in response to the issues that Committee Democrats and I raised with respect to Mr. Martin’s record, and Mr. Martin will submit responses to our written questions during this April recess. However, today’s reporting is further evidence that the Committee must hold a hearing and hear from Ed Martin directly, under oath. We must take our constitutional duty of advice and consent seriously.”

    Durbin has continuously called out Mr. Martin’s long record of objectionable statements and conduct. This includes: Mr. Martin repeatedly attacking law enforcement officers who kept members and staff safe during the January 6 insurrection and the Assistant U.S. Attorneys who were assigned to prosecute the rioters who brutally attacked police officers; Mr. Martin calling Michael Fanone, a 20-year veteran of the Metropolitan Police Department who was nearly killed on January 6, “a fake cop”; Mr. Martin advocating for “less judgment on somebody who hit a cop” on January 6; Mr. Martin repeatedly attacking prosecutors who were assigned to work on January 6 cases, calling them “terrorists” and “despicable people who decided to do something wrong”; and Mr. Martin’s close relationship with Timothy Hale-Cusanelli, a January 6 rioter and Nazi sympathizer whom he called an “extraordinary man, an extraordinary leader” who is “worthy of being listened to by lots of folks.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Second meeting of the Scientific Steering Committee for the National One Health Mission held on 15th April 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 16 APR 2025 6:12PM by PIB Delhi

    The second meeting of the Scientific Steering Committee for the National One Health Mission under the chairmanship of Prof. Ajay K. Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India for the National One Health Mission, was held on April 15, 2025 in Vigyan Bhawan.

    The meeting was attended by Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary DHR and DG ICMR; Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of PSA; Shri Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, AYUSH; Dr. Rajan Khobragade, Additional Chief Secretary (Health), Kerala; Shri Dhananjay Dwivedi, Principal Secretary (Health), Gujarat; Dr. Ranjan Das, Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC); senior representatives from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR); Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC); PSA’s office, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD); Department of Biotechnology (DBT); Department of Science and Technology (DST); Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO); National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS); Ministry of Ayush; NCDC; National Institute of One Health (NIOH); Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) and state representatives.

    The committee discussed several important initiatives that contribute towards the implementation of the One Health mission and how these efforts can be recalibrated to maximise impact.

    Gujarat and Kerala, the two states nominated to be the members of the Scientific Steering Committee showcased their programmatic initiatives and the existing governance mechanism. The Chair emphasised on the importance of state participation and mentioned the relevance of exploring different modalities for implementing the One Health approach. The states were encouraged to strategise and design pilot programs aligned to the initiatives of the mission.

    Another important highlight of this meeting was the presentation of the outcomes of the Advisory and Review (A&R) committees constituted for the operationalisation of various work streams. The chairs of the four A&R committees  – Bio-Safety Level (BSL) 3/4 Laboratory Network (Chaired by Lt. Gen.(Retd.) Madhuri Kanitkar), Technology enhanced integrated surveillance and outbreak investigation (Chaired by Dr NK Arora), Research and Development on medical countermeasures (Chaired by Dr Renu Swaroop)and Integration of databases and data sharing (Chaired by Dr Vijay Chandru) – apprised the steering committee of the preliminary roadmaps for achieving their respective mandates  and emphasised on the need for adopting the One Health lens for all the interventions. 

    The meeting also discussed the funding mechanism for the projects under the mission, which were focused on surveillance methodologies, developing R&D countermeasures like vaccines, diagnostics and monoclonals for diseases of One Health importance; Plan for the animal disease mock drill; update on augmenting the state engagements by creating the cross-learning platform.

    The chair emphasised that to take the activities of the mission to scale, continued collaboration, innovation, and adaptability is required from all the stakeholders.  

    During the meeting, a special edition of ‘Vigyan Dhara’ dedicated to the National One Health Mission which presents the vision of this multi-ministerial collaborative effort was showcased. Further a video encapsulating the vision, diverse stakeholders and overarching goals of the Mission was released in the meeting.

    *****

    MJPS/ST

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Commencement Student Speaker Spotlight: Kristina Delgado

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Meet Kristina Delgado. She was born in Mexico City, Mexico, raised in Cuenca, Ecuador, and moved to the U.S. at 18. Growing up in a multicultural household, she developed resilience, a strong work ethic, and a deep appreciation for diversity. Seeking purpose, she enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, where she achieved the highest rank within her enlistment and was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. Her military service strengthened her leadership and teamwork skills while exposing her to critical gaps in healthcare, igniting her passion for biomedical research.

    Why did you choose UConn and your UConn Graduate School program?

    My path to UConn and the Biomedical Science Graduate School program was shaped by a fortunate opportunity to work as a technician in the Spirochete Research Laboratory at UConn School of Medicine. There, my passion for infectious disease research, particularly on Treponema pallidum, was sparked. The hands-on experience and guidance from exceptional mentors solidified my decision to pursue further education at UConn, where I knew I could grow both academically and professionally.

    Tell us more about your path to grad school.

    My career path began with my military service, which strengthened my leadership and teamwork skills while exposing me to critical gaps in healthcare, sparking my passion for biomedical research. Afterward, I earned my B.S. in Biological Sciences from Georgia State University, leading to an opportunity at the USDA Foreign Animal Disease Laboratory at Plum Island. There, I gained hands-on experience in virology, further fueling my interest in infectious diseases. This passion ultimately led me to work as a technician in the Spirochete Research Laboratory at UConn Health, where the mentorship of Drs. Radolf, Hawley, and Caimano solidified my decision to pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences, focusing on infectious disease research and vaccine development.

    What activities were you involved with as a grad student?

    As a graduate student, I was fully immersed in my research, but I also made it a priority to support diversity in STEM. As an active member of the Graduate School DEI Committee, I worked alongside a dedicated team to foster an inclusive academic environment. It was incredibly rewarding to give back by mentoring and advising younger students, sharing the opportunities and experiences that shaped my own journey. Being part of something bigger—helping to support and inspire the next generation of scientists—was one of the most fulfilling aspects of my time at UConn.

    What’s one thing that surprised you about UConn?

    One thing that truly surprised me about UConn was how welcoming and supportive everyone is, as well as the incredible depth and diversity of research being conducted here. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but I quickly found myself in a collaborative and inspiring community. Being in an environment driven by innovation and curiosity has made my time at UConn both enriching and rewarding.

    What’s one thing every student should do during their time at UConn?

    Every student should take a moment to step beyond their research or career goals and get involved in the broader community. It’s easy to fall into tunnel vision when you’re deep in academic work, but engaging in other aspects of the UConn community helps you gain perspective, connect with others, and see the bigger picture. Whether it’s through mentorship, outreach, or organizations like the DEI Committee, these experiences help you grow in ways that go beyond the lab or classroom. Stepping back from the laboratory bench every now and then reminds us that we’re part of something bigger—and that we have so much to offer to the people and communities around us.

    Who has inspired you most?

    I was incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by an amazing group of mentors who showed me the true impact of our work. They taught me that what we do in the lab isn’t just about experiments—it’s about making a real difference in healthcare. Beyond my mentors, I was also blessed with the unwavering support of my family and friends, who constantly encouraged me and stood by my decision. Their belief in me kept me moving forward, reinforcing my passion and commitment to this field.

    What are your plans after graduation?

    Ah, the dreaded question! I’m happy to say that I still have a deep passion for research and want to continue expanding my scientific expertise. While I don’t know exactly where my career will take me—whether in academia, industry, or teaching—I do know that I want to bridge the gap between basic science and its real-world applications. My goal is to develop the skills needed to move into translational research, connecting fundamental discoveries with clinical trials and patient care. No matter the path I take, I want my work to have a tangible impact on healthcare and the scientific community.

    What’s one thing that will always make you think of UConn?

    One thing that will always make me think of UConn is the sense of community here. Whether it’s the camaraderie among fellow students, the support from mentors, or the collaborative spirit in research, UConn has a unique way of bringing people together. It’s this feeling of connection and shared purpose that I’ll carry with me long after graduation.

    What does being a part of UConn mean to you?

    Being a part of UConn means being part of a supportive and innovative community that fosters growth, collaboration, and inclusion. It’s where I’ve been able to challenge myself, advance my research, and contribute to a diverse environment. The connections I’ve made here, and the shared purpose have shaped me both personally and professionally, and that’s something I’ll carry with me throughout my career.

    What’s it going to be like to walk across the Commencement stage and get your degree?

    Walking across the Commencement stage will be a moment of immense pride and reflection. It will mark the culmination of years of hard work, challenges, and growth. But beyond the academic achievement, it will be a moment to celebrate the support of my family, friends, mentors, and the UConn community that helped me get here. It will be a symbol of not just earning a degree, but of the journey and the people who’ve shaped my path. It’ll be a bittersweet farewell to this chapter, but an exciting step into the next.

    Any final words of wisdom for incoming students?

    No matter how many roadblocks or challenges life throws your way, the key is to face them head-on, learn from them, and keep moving forward. Don’t give up, and remember to enjoy the journey along the way. It’s easy to get caught up in the stress, but make sure you take time to have fun, find balance, and celebrate the small wins. Growth comes from persistence, and the experience will be all the richer if you embrace both the challenges and the moments of joy.

    Delgado’s doctoral dissertation focused on “Cracking the Code of Treponema pallidum Immunity: Lessons from the Rabbit Model to Drive Syphilis Vaccine Innovation.”

    Watch the livestream of UConn Health’s 54th Commencement on May 12, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –