Category: CTF

MIL-OSI USA: CFTC Staff Issues Interpretation Regarding Certain Cross-Border Definitions

Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

CFTC Staff Issues Interpretation Regarding Certain Cross-Border Definitions | CFTC

/PressRoom/PressReleases/9077-25
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May 21, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Market Participants Division and Division of Market Oversight today issued an interpretative letter confirming the application of certain cross-border definitions to a proprietary trading firm organized in a foreign jurisdiction.
Specifically, based on the facts presented, the interpretative letter confirms that the proprietary trading firm:

Is not a “person located in the United States” for purposes of the “foreign futures or foreign options customer” definition in Commission regulation 30.1(c);
Is not a “participant located in the United States” for purposes of Commission regulation 48.2(c);
Is a “foreign located person” for purposes of Commission regulation 3.10(c)(1)(ii); and
Is not a “U.S. person” as defined by Commission regulation 23.23(a) and the Commission’s 2013 Interpretive Guidance and Policy Statement Regarding Compliance With Certain Swap Regulations.

The interpretation was issued in response to a request from the proprietary trading firm.

-CFTC-

MIL OSI USA News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: DOJ Press releases at OCI (Prior Years)

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

05/21/2019
December 10, 2018: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation, Former Senior Executive Plead Guilty to Distributing Endoscopes After Failing to File FDA-Required Adverse Event Reports of Serious Infections

03/26/2019
March 30, 2018: KC Paramedic Indicted for Stealing Fentanyl, Morphine from Ambulances

03/26/2019
March 30, 2018: Counterfeit Cigarette Smuggler Sentenced to Prison

03/20/2019
April 4, 2018: Canadian Pharmacist Sentenced for Distributing Counterfeit and Adulterated Botox to Local Doctors

03/20/2019
March 27, 2018: Compounding Pharmacy Owner Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for $10.5 Million Health Care Fraud

03/20/2019
March 27, 2018: Federal Jury Finds Three Guilty in Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy

03/20/2019
April 4, 2018: Fences Indicted in Multi-Million Dollar, Multi-State Criminal Theft Operations

03/19/2019
March 30, 2018: Lynn Man Sentenced to Over 10 Years in Prison for Role in Counterfeit Steroid Conspiracy

03/05/2019
October 1, 2018: AmerisourceBergen Corp. to Pay $625 Million to Settle Civil Fraud Allegations Resulting from Its Repackaging and Sale of Adulterated Drugs and Unapproved New Drugs, Double Billing and Providing Kickbacks

03/05/2019
October 18, 2018: Pharmacist Indicted for Taking Drugs, Carrying Firearm in Violation of Court Order

03/05/2019
October 15, 2018: Leader of Fraudulent Prescription Conspiracy Sentenced to Six Years in Prison

03/05/2019
November 29, 2018: Two Practitioners Sentenced for Drug Crimes in Connection with HOPE Clinic

03/05/2019
December 4, 2018: Medical Device Maker ev3 Agrees to Plead Guilty and Pay $17.9 Million for Distributing Adulterated Device

03/05/2019
November 20, 2018: Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Counterfeit Cialis and Viagra into the United States

03/05/2019
November 19, 2018: Georgia Man Charged with Social Security and Wire Fraud

03/05/2019
October 22, 2018: Medical Equipment Company Agrees to Pay $5.25 Million to Resolve Allegations of Fraudulent Claims for Compounded Medical Creams

03/05/2019
October 15, 2018: Four Men and Seven Companies Indicted for Billion-Dollar Telemedicine Fraud Conspiracy, Telemedicine Company and CEO Plead Guilty in Two Fraud Schemes

03/05/2019
November 5, 2018: Nurse Sentenced for Taking Fentanyl for Personal Use

03/05/2019
November 28, 2018: Former Vice President of Insys Pharmaceuticals Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Scheme

03/05/2019
October 18, 2018: Grand Jury Returns Superseding Indictment In Shamo Case; Adds Distribution Of Fentanyl Count Resulting In Death

03/05/2019
November 29, 2018: Dietary Supplement Ingredient Importers Arrested in Connection with Large-Scale Smuggling and Money Laundering Scheme

03/05/2019
December 4, 2018: Memphis Man Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Consumer Products

03/05/2019
October 22, 2018: Oklahoma Orthopedic Company to Pay $455,000 to Settle Claims of False Medical Billing

02/25/2019
December 13, 2018: Floridian Pleads Guilty in Complex Fraud Scheme Related to the Processing of Credit Card Payments

02/25/2019
December 13, 2018: Owner and Four Former Employees of New England Compounding Center Convicted Following Trial

02/25/2019
December 7, 2018: VA Nurse Admits to Fraudulently Obtaining and Tampering with Opioid Prescriptions

02/25/2019
December 4, 2018: Des Moines Residents Sentenced for Felony Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act Offense

02/13/2019
October 11, 2018: Two Companies Ordered to Pay More Than $7 Million for Adulterated and Misbranded Pet Food Ingredients

02/13/2019
October 4, 2018: Troutdale Doctor Sentenced for Purchasing and Administering Foreign-Sourced Botox and Juvaderm

09/25/2018
September 24, 2018: Board Certified Ophthalmologist Agrees to Civil Fraud Settlement in Medicare Fraud Investigation

09/19/2018
September 19, 2018: Springfield Doctor Sentenced for Illegally Sharing Patient Medical Files

09/17/2018
September 11, 2018: Columbus Pharmacist Sentenced for Health Care Fraud Scheme

09/17/2018
September 8, 2017: Galena Biopharma Inc. to Pay More than $7.55 Million to Resolve Alleged False Claims Related to Opioid Drug

09/10/2018
September 6, 2018: Cattle Company and Veterinarian Indicted for False Health Certificates on Livestock

09/06/2018
August 31, 2018: Former Home Health Nurse Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Patients’ Drugs

09/04/2018
August 30, 2018: Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Misbranded Prescription Horse Drugs

08/30/2018
August 28, 2018: Providence Nurse Sentenced for Tampering with Oxycodone

08/23/2018
August 22, 2018: Louisiana Pharmacist Convicted of Trafficking and Selling Stolen Medication

08/20/2018
August 17, 2018: Unlicensed Pharmacy Technician Pleads Guilty to Working at New England Compounding Center

08/16/2018
August 16, 2018: Genesee County Physician and Two Others Charged with Health Care Fraud

08/16/2018
August 15, 2018: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Market Dietary Supplements

08/06/2018
August 3, 2018: Northwest ENT Associates, P.C. to Pay Approximately $1.2 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

08/01/2018
July 31, 2018: Three Canadians and their Company Sentenced for Wholesale Distribution of Misbranded Prescription Drugs and Money Laundering

07/31/2018
July 30, 2018: Two People Guilty of Distributing Tramadol Pills

07/30/2018
July 26, 2018: Miami-Dade Resident Charged in Connection with Performance of Illicit Silicone Injections

07/24/2018
July 23, 2018: Springfield EMT/Paramedic Pleads Guilty to Stealing Fentanyl, Morphine

07/19/2018
July 18, 2018: Medical Device Maker AngioDynamics Agrees to Pay $12.5 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

07/17/2018
July 17, 2018: Former President of Cumberland Distribution, Inc. Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for $50 Million Drug Diversion Scheme

07/12/2018
July 10, 2018: Pawtucket Woman Sentenced for Participation in Opioid Prescription Conspiracy

07/11/2018
July 10, 2018: VA Medical Center Nurse Indicted, Arraigned for Allegedly Tampering with and Stealing Prescription Opioids

07/11/2018
July 10, 2018: Former Des Moines Pharmacy Technician Sentenced for Illegally Tampering with Fentanyl

07/11/2018
July 10: 2018: Former Pharmacy Technician Indicted for Stealing Fentanyl, Morphine

07/09/2018
July 6, 2018: Vero Beach Orthopedic Surgeon Sentenced to Life in Prison Following Conviction for Fentanyl Analog Drug Conspiracy Resulting in Death

07/09/2018
July 6, 2018: Internet Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Selling $2.3 Million Worth of Non-FDA Approved and Misbranded Botox and Juvederm-Related Products

07/05/2018
July 3, 2018: Canton Man Indicted on Fentanyl and Firearms Charges

06/28/2018
June 28, 2018: Southern District of Florida Charges 124 Individuals Responsible for $337 Million in False Billing as Part of National Healthcare Fraud Takedown

06/22/2018
June 20, 2018: Fitchburg Woman and Saugus Man Sentenced for Roles in Counterfeit Steroid Conspiracy

06/18/2018
June 15, 2018: Theranos Founder and Former Chief Operating Officer Charged in Alleged Wire Fraud Schemes

06/05/2018
June 5, 2018: Opioid Prescription Conspiracy Leader Pleads Guilty

05/31/2018
May 31, 2018: Notification of Stolen Fertility Drugs: Gonal-f® RFF Redi-ject® and Gonal-f® Multi-Dose

05/21/2018
May 21, 2018: Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud Scheme Involving the Reselling of Food Products That Were to Be Destroyed

05/08/2018
May 8, 2018: Notification of Stolen Octagam

04/19/2018
April 13, 2018: Canadian Drug Firm Admits Selling Counterfeit and Misbranded Prescription Drugs Throughout the United States

04/19/2018
April 12, 2018: Chinese Citizen Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud Related to Dietary Supplement Scheme

04/19/2018
April 6, 2018: New Hampshire Residents Sentenced for Participating in Scheme to Distribute Misbranded Drugs

03/15/2018
March 14, 2018: Meridian Nurse Practitioner Pleads Guilty to Obtaining Controlled Substances by Fraud

03/14/2018
March 12, 2018: Champaign, Illinois, Resident Sentenced to One Year in Prison for Producing and Selling Over 80,000 Homemade Tramadol Capsules to Customers without Verifying Prescriptions

03/13/2018
March 12, 2018: Pharmacist and Pharmacy Employee Sentenced for Involvement in Over $30 Million Health Care Fraud

03/08/2018
March 6, 2018: Monterey Park Woman Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Injecting Foreign Substance into Woman for Buttocks Enhancement

03/08/2018
March 8, 2018: Four Individuals Indicted for Trafficking in Counterfeit Goods

03/05/2018
March 2, 2018: Woman Sentenced for Injecting Adulterated Liquid Silicone

03/05/2018
February 23, 2018: Lake Charles Veterinarian, Pharmacy Sentenced for In-Race Horse Doping Conspiracy

03/01/2018
February 28, 2018: Two Doctors Arrested Pursuant to Federal Indictment That Alleges Bogus Sleep Studies Helped 1-800-Get-Thin Fraudulently Bill Insurance Programs Over $250 Million Related to Lap-Band Surgeries

02/27/2018
February 27, 2018: Former President of Houston-Based Drug Company Convicted in $50 Million Drug Diversion Scheme

02/22/2018
February 21, 2018: Pharmacy Tech Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Tampering with Opioids for IV Fluid

02/21/2018
February 20, 2018: U.S. Attorney Announces 69-count Indictment Charging Owners, Managers and Physicians Associated with Hope Clinic

02/21/2018
February 14, 2018: Palmer Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Import Prescription Drugs from Pakistan

02/20/2018
August 19, 2016: Pharmacy Owner and Medical Doctor Charged in an Internet Scheme to Dispense Medications to Customers without Valid Prescriptions

02/14/2018
February 14, 2018: Two Indian Citizens and India-based Corporation Sentenced for Conspiring to Smuggle Counterfeit Cigarettes

02/12/2018
February 8, 2018: Queensbury Oncologist and Spouse to Pay $500,000 for Submitting False Claims to Medicare for the Administration of Unapproved Cancer Drugs

02/12/2018
February 9, 2018: Tampa Resident Convicted for Involvement with Tricare Health Care Fraud Scheme

02/05/2018
February 5, 2018: Pennsylvania Firearms Dealer Sentenced To 100 Months Imprisonment

02/05/2018
November 25, 2018: Nevada Man Indicted for Distribution of Anabolic Steroids and Drug Misbranding

02/05/2018
February 5, 2018: Three Florida Residents Sentenced for Operating an Illegal Steroid and Counterfeit Prescription Drug Lab

01/31/2018
January 31, 2018: New England Compounding Center Pharmacist Sentenced for Role in Nationwide Fungal Meningitis Outbreak

01/24/2018
September 25, 2017: U.S. Attorney Charges Pharmacy Tech for Tampering with Opioids

01/24/2018
January 13, 2017: Two Louisiana Men Sentenced for Roles in On-line Pharmacy Scheme

01/24/2018
May 17, 2017: Gardner Man Charged with Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit Steroids

01/24/2018
December 6, 2016: Two Sentenced for Trafficking in Counterfeit Viagra and Cialis

01/24/2018
September 11, 2017: Knoxville Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud the FDA

01/24/2018
December 9, 2016: Carroll County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Conspiracy Charge

01/24/2018
July 18, 2016: Cincinnati Man Sentenced for Illegally Importing Drugs into U.S.

01/24/2018
July 7, 2016: Johnston Resident Charged with Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering

01/24/2018
January 7, 2016: Former Nurse Pleads Guilty to Stealing Narcotics from Hospital

01/24/2018
February 15, 2017: Hampton-Based Spice Dealer Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison

01/24/2018
July 13, 2017: Four Charged in Counterfeit Body Building Steroid Conspiracy

01/24/2018
December 8, 2016: Pharmaceutical Executives Charged in Racketeering Scheme

01/24/2018
December 2, 2016: Woman Arrested For Injecting Adulterated Liquid Silicone

01/24/2018
September 20, 2017: Registered Nurse Sentenced for Tampering with Fentanyl

01/24/2018
June 28, 2017: Registered Nurse Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Fentanyl

01/24/2018
June 27, 2016: Hampton-Based Spice Retailer and Wholesaler Pleads Guilty

01/24/2018
May 31, 2016: Worcester Nurse Indicted on Federal Drug Tampering Charges

01/24/2018
August 7, 2017: Notification of Stolen Sterile Prescription Injectable Products

01/23/2018
January 23, 2018: Two Indian Citizens and India-based Corporation Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle Counterfeit Cigarettes

01/17/2018
January 12, 2018: Owner of Seafood Company Charged in Atlantic Blue Crab Scam

01/17/2018
September 22, 2017: Drug Maker Aegerion Agrees to Plead Guilty; Will Pay More Than $35 Million to Resolve Criminal Charges and Civil False Claims Allegations

01/16/2018
June 30, 2017: Bath County Man Sentenced For Misbranding Drugs and Obstructing Justice

01/16/2018
June 21, 2017: Gardner Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit Steroids

01/16/2018
August 28, 2017: Costa Rican Defendant Appears in Federal Court to Face Fraud Charges

01/16/2018
July 17, 2017: Leader of $17 Million Health Insurance Fraud Scheme Ordered to Prison

01/16/2018
October 11, 2016: Foreign National Pleads Guilty To International Wire Fraud Scheme

01/16/2018
August 30, 2017: Two Charged in Federal Court with Smuggling Counterfeit Cigarettes

01/16/2018
May 31, 2017: Men Sentenced to Combined 60 Years for Selling Spice in Hampton Roads

01/12/2018
December 20, 2016: New England Compounding Center’s National Sales Director Pleads Guilty

01/12/2018
July 19, 2017: Texas Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Import Prescription Drugs

01/12/2018
March 13, 2017: Vice-President of SK Labs Found Guilty of Conspiracy, Mail Fraud Charges

01/12/2018
December 27, 2016: Providence Nurse Charged in Connection with Tampering with Oxycodone

01/12/2018
January 20, 2016: Businessman Sentenced for Marketing and Selling Unapproved Remedies for Cancer

01/12/2018
March 2, 2017: Bath County Man Convicted of Obstructing Justice and Selling Misbranded Products

01/12/2018
February 6, 2017: Arizona Man Sentenced for Trafficking in Pet Products with Counterfeit Labels

01/12/2018
January 17, 2017: Tampa-Area Medical Device Salesman Guilty of Selling Expired Lap-Band Devices

01/12/2018
August 1, 2017: Two Kansans Sentenced for Operating Multimillion-Dollar Designer Drug Business

01/12/2018
June 2, 2016: Additional Criminal Charges Brought Against Indicted Penn National Horse Trainer

01/12/2018
June 15, 2017: Gloucester Woman Charged with Conspiracy to Traffic Steroids and Launder Money

01/12/2018
June 15, 2017: Two Kansans Sentenced for Operating Multimillion-Dollar Designer Drug Business

01/12/2018
May 15, 2017: Vitamin Shop Owner Guilty of Selling Misbranded Drugs and Controlled Substance

01/12/2018
August 15, 2016: Second Trafficker Convicted of Distributing Dangerous Counterfeit Viagra and Cialis

01/12/2018
July 17, 2017: Gloucester Woman Pleads Guilty to Her Role in Counterfeit Steroid Trafficking Scheme

01/12/2018
October 12, 2016: Colombian National Charged for Unlawfully Injecting Silicone into Victims Bodies

01/12/2018
July 28, 2017: Westerly Resident to Plead Guilty to Trafficking Steroids, Money Laundering Charges

01/12/2018
September 22, 2016: Hoover Man Charged for Marketing Misbranded Male Enhancement Drugs from China

01/12/2018
September, 22, 2016 Hoover Man Charged for Marketing Misbranded Male Enhancement Drugs from China

01/12/2018
August 2, 2016: Colombian National Charged for Unlawfully Injecting Silicone into Victims’ Bodies

01/12/2018
December 13, 2016: Tampa Resident Indicted for Involvement with Tricare Health Care Fraud Scheme

01/12/2018
September 5, 2017: New Hampshire Residents Plead Guilty to Conspiracy Involving Misbranded Drugs

01/12/2018
April 3, 2017: Printing and Packaging CEO Pleads Guilty to Trafficking in Counterfeit Labels and Packaging

01/12/2018
March 14, 2017: Woman Admits to Causing the Death of Another Person by Injecting Her with Liquid Silicone

01/12/2018
April 12, 2017: Former Medical Product Distributor Charged with False Statements about Hormone Shipments

01/12/2018
September 29, 2016: New York Man Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Illegally Manufacture Designer Steroids

01/12/2018
July 1, 2016: New Hampshire Couple Indicted On Two Counts Of Illegal Distribution Of Prescription Drugs

01/12/2018
September 22, 2017:Woman Admits to Illegally Selling Prescription Drugs Not Approved for Use in the US

01/12/2018
June 22, 2016: Former Nurse Sentenced to 82 Months for Stealing and Tampering with Patient Medications

01/12/2018
June 13, 2017: Cherry Hill Doctor and Son Admit Defrauding Medicare, Agree To $1.78 Million Settlement

01/12/2018
December 19, 2016: New York Man Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Term for Selling Unsafe Dietary Supplements Online

01/12/2018
September 25, 2017: Pharmacy Manager Pleads Guilty to Illegal Prescription Drug Diversion and Money Laundering

01/12/2018
July 28, 2017: Tampa Woman Sentenced to Prison For Misbranded Drugs Used in Connection with Buttocks Injection

01/12/2018
March 28, 2017: Former Atlantic County, New Jersey, Man Charged with Smuggling and Dispensing Misbranded Drugs

01/12/2018
September 12, 2017: Former Paramedic Pleads Guilty to Stealing Pain-killing Drugs, Replacing Vials with Water

01/12/2018
July 29, 2016: Majority Owner of NECC and Husband Plead Guilty to Illegal Cash Withdrawals Following Outbreak

01/12/2018
May 15, 2017: Printing and Packaging Business Owner Convicted of Trafficking in Counterfeit Veterinary Labels

01/12/2018
July 14, 2017: Senior Executives of Medical Drug Re-Packager Plead Guilty to Defrauding Healthcare Providers

01/12/2018
July 20, 2016: Former Acclarent, Inc. Executives Convicted of Crimes Related to the Sale of Medical Devices

01/12/2018
June 6, 2016: Pharmaceutical Companies To Pay $67 Million To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating To Tarceva

01/12/2018
February 16, 2017: Atlanta Man Convicted of Illegally Importing and Distributing Male Enhancement Products from China

01/11/2018
January 11, 2018: Former New Hampshire Pharmacist Pleads Guilty for Tampering with Narcotics at Bedford Pharmacy

01/11/2018
July 22, 2016: Medical Device Manufacturer Acclarent Inc. to Pay $18 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

01/11/2018
November 15, 2016: Miami-Dade Resident Sentenced to Fifteen Months in Prison for Distributing Contaminated Cheese

01/11/2018
September 25, 2017: Millions of Medicines Seized in Largest INTERPOL Operation Against Illicit Online Pharmacies

01/11/2018
January 3, 2017: Notification of Stolen Reckitt Benckiser Retail, Non-Prescription, Consumer Healthcare Products

01/09/2018
August 1, 2017: Radford Nurse Who Tampered with Liquid Morphine Intended for Nursing Home Patients Sentenced in Federal Court

01/09/2018
November 4, 2016: Two Pakistani Nationals Sentenced for Conspiring to Illegally Ship Pharmaceuticals into the United States

01/09/2018
November 29, 2016: Eight Defendants Convicted For Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute Counterfeit 5-Hour Energy Drink

01/09/2018
September 11, 2017: Three Florida Residents Arrested After Law Enforcement Discover Steroid and Fake Prescription Drug Lab

01/09/2018
June 21, 2017: Counterfeiters Sentenced for Convictions in Nationwide Conspiracy to Distribute Fake 5-Hour Energy Drink

01/09/2018
May 31, 2017: Drug Trafficking Organization Faces Indictment For Involvment In Manufacturing Fake Prescriptions Drugs With Fentanyl

01/09/2018
July 6, 2016: New Jersey Medical Device Manufacturer Admits Selling Contaminated Ultrasound Gel; Court Orders Permanent Injunction

01/09/2018
June 26, 2017: Owner of New England Compounding Center Sentenced for Racketeering Leading to Nationwide Fungal Meningitis Outbreak

01/09/2018
June 21, 2016: Two Pharmacists Sentenced to Prison for Adulteration of Drugs in Connection with Alabama-Based Compounding Pharmacy

01/09/2018
February 14, 2017: Two Miami-Dade Women Charged in Connection with Their Operation of a Spa Performing Illicit Silicone Injections

01/09/2018
June 22, 2017: Pharmacy Owner and Director of Compliance Charged with Defrauding United States and Distributing Adulterated Drugs

01/09/2018
April 12, 2017: Owners of Two Los Angeles-Area Drug Wholesale Companies Arrested in $20 Million Federal ‘Structuring’ Conspiracy

01/09/2018
December 2, 2016: Former Police Officer Sentenced in White Plains Federal Court to 8 Years in Prison for Selling Date Rape Drug

01/09/2018
February 7, 2017: Randallstown Woman Pleads Guilty to Injecting Non-Medical Grade Silicone into the Bodies of Victim Customers

01/09/2018
August 30, 2017: Miami-Dade Resident Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Prison for Operating a Miami Spa Performing Illicit Silicone Injections

01/09/2018
March 28, 2017: 3 Canadians and their Vancouver Company Charged with Conspiring to Sell Foreign-Made Drugs to Western Pennsylvania Pharmacists

01/09/2018
March 9, 2017: Internet Business Owner Indicted for Selling Non-FDA Approved and Misbranded Versions of Botox and Juvederm Related Products

01/09/2018
June 8, 2017: Houston, Texas Man convicted of Smuggling Korean Human Growth Hormone Drugs to Local Patients and Professional Wrestlers

01/09/2018
February 16, 2017: Oncology Practice, Doctor and Practice Manager Pay $1.7 Million to Resolve Allegations They Billed Medicare for Illegally Imported Drugs

01/09/2018
June 27, 2017: Physician and Wife to Pay $1.2 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations That They Billed Medicare and Medicaid for Unapproved Drugs

01/09/2018
December 13, 2016: O.C. Man Charged with Selling Pet Meds Without a Prescription, Some of Which Were Not Approved for Distribution in the United States

01/09/2018
September 6, 2017: Bronx Pharmacist Pleads Guilty To Illegally Selling Millions Of Prescription Pills On The Internet And Agrees To Forfeit $9 Million

01/09/2018
November 10, 2016: Nurse Who Operated Spa in Laguna Niguel Agrees to Plead Guilty to Illegally Dispensing Botox Not Approved for Use in United States

01/09/2018
March 30, 2017: Lincoln Mother and Son Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Misbranded Substances, Drug Paraphernalia, and Related Financial Crimes

01/09/2018
January 12, 2017: Baxter Healthcare Corporation to Pay More than $18 Million to Resolve Criminal and Civil Liability Relating to Sterile Products

01/09/2018
September 20, 2017: Miami-Dade Resident Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Prison for Managing a Miami Spa Performing Illicit Silicone Injections

01/09/2018
May 23, 2017: Citizen of Pakistan and United Kingdom Sentenced For International Wire Fraud Scheme That Sold False Cures For Multiple Illnesses

01/09/2018
April 18, 2017: SCM True Air Technologies, of Ohio and Kentucky, and Its Former Company President – Guilty of Delivering Misbranded Medical Devices from Unregistered Facilities to a Georgia V.A. Medical Center and Obstructing an FDA Investigation into their Conduct

01/09/2018
November 28, 2016: Iowa Cancer Clinic and Oncologist to Pay More Than $176,000 To Settle False Claims Act Allegations They Recklessly Billed for Cancer Drugs That Were Unapproved, Misbranded, or Counterfeit and Improperly Upcoded Office Visit Claims

01/09/2018
September 9, 2016: Owner of Major Online Colored Contact Lens Business Pleads Guilty in Largest-Ever Investigation of Counterfeit and Misbranded Contact Lenses in the United States

01/09/2018
November 7, 2016: Medical Device Maker Biocompatibles Pleads Guilty to Misbranding and Agrees to Pay $36 Million to Resolve Criminal Liability and False Claims Act Allegations

01/09/2018
September 26, 2017: Houston, Texas Man Sentenced to 40 Months and a $95,000 Fine for Smuggling Korean Human Growth Hormone Drugs to Local Patients and Professional Wrestlers

01/09/2018
December 7, 2016: GNC Enters Into Agreement with Department of Justice to Improve Its Practices and Keep Potentially Illegal Dietary Supplements Out of the Marketplace

01/09/2018
September 27, 2017: Amerisourcebergen Specialty Group Pleads Guilty to Distributing Misbranded Drugs and is Sentenced to Pay $260 Million to Resolve Criminal Liability

01/09/2018
December 5, 2016: Medical Device Saleswoman Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Charges Relating to the Transport of Stolen Medical Devices and Money Laundering

01/09/2018
May 26, 2017: Florida Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Causing the Death of One Victim and Hospitalization of Others by Injecting them With Liquid Silicone

01/09/2018
September 11, 2017: Owner of O.C. Pet Products Company Pleads Guilty to Selling Pet Meds without Prescriptions, Some of Which Were Not Approved for U.S. Sale

09/17/2018
September 8, 2017: Galena Biopharma Inc. to Pay More than $7.55 Million to Resolve Alleged False Claims Related to Opioid Drug

01/24/2018
September 25, 2017: U.S. Attorney Charges Pharmacy Tech for Tampering with Opioids

01/24/2018
January 13, 2017: Two Louisiana Men Sentenced for Roles in On-line Pharmacy Scheme

01/24/2018
May 17, 2017: Gardner Man Charged with Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit Steroids

01/24/2018
September 11, 2017: Knoxville Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud the FDA

01/24/2018
February 15, 2017: Hampton-Based Spice Dealer Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison

01/24/2018
July 13, 2017: Four Charged in Counterfeit Body Building Steroid Conspiracy

01/24/2018
September 20, 2017: Registered Nurse Sentenced for Tampering with Fentanyl

01/24/2018
June 28, 2017: Registered Nurse Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Fentanyl

01/24/2018
August 7, 2017: Notification of Stolen Sterile Prescription Injectable Products

01/17/2018
September 22, 2017: Drug Maker Aegerion Agrees to Plead Guilty; Will Pay More Than $35 Million to Resolve Criminal Charges and Civil False Claims Allegations

01/16/2018
June 30, 2017: Bath County Man Sentenced For Misbranding Drugs and Obstructing Justice

01/16/2018
June 21, 2017: Gardner Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Traffic Counterfeit Steroids

01/16/2018
August 28, 2017: Costa Rican Defendant Appears in Federal Court to Face Fraud Charges

01/16/2018
July 17, 2017: Leader of $17 Million Health Insurance Fraud Scheme Ordered to Prison

01/16/2018
August 30, 2017: Two Charged in Federal Court with Smuggling Counterfeit Cigarettes

01/16/2018
May 31, 2017: Men Sentenced to Combined 60 Years for Selling Spice in Hampton Roads

01/12/2018
July 19, 2017: Texas Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Import Prescription Drugs

01/12/2018
March 13, 2017: Vice-President of SK Labs Found Guilty of Conspiracy, Mail Fraud Charges

01/12/2018
March 2, 2017: Bath County Man Convicted of Obstructing Justice and Selling Misbranded Products

01/12/2018
February 6, 2017: Arizona Man Sentenced for Trafficking in Pet Products with Counterfeit Labels

01/12/2018
January 17, 2017: Tampa-Area Medical Device Salesman Guilty of Selling Expired Lap-Band Devices

01/12/2018
August 1, 2017: Two Kansans Sentenced for Operating Multimillion-Dollar Designer Drug Business

01/12/2018
June 15, 2017: Gloucester Woman Charged with Conspiracy to Traffic Steroids and Launder Money

01/12/2018
June 15, 2017: Two Kansans Sentenced for Operating Multimillion-Dollar Designer Drug Business

01/12/2018
May 15, 2017: Vitamin Shop Owner Guilty of Selling Misbranded Drugs and Controlled Substance

01/12/2018
July 17, 2017: Gloucester Woman Pleads Guilty to Her Role in Counterfeit Steroid Trafficking Scheme

01/12/2018
July 28, 2017: Westerly Resident to Plead Guilty to Trafficking Steroids, Money Laundering Charges

01/12/2018
September 5, 2017: New Hampshire Residents Plead Guilty to Conspiracy Involving Misbranded Drugs

01/12/2018
April 3, 2017: Printing and Packaging CEO Pleads Guilty to Trafficking in Counterfeit Labels and Packaging

01/12/2018
March 14, 2017: Woman Admits to Causing the Death of Another Person by Injecting Her with Liquid Silicone

01/12/2018
April 12, 2017: Former Medical Product Distributor Charged with False Statements about Hormone Shipments

01/12/2018
September 22, 2017:Woman Admits to Illegally Selling Prescription Drugs Not Approved for Use in the US

01/12/2018
June 13, 2017: Cherry Hill Doctor and Son Admit Defrauding Medicare, Agree To $1.78 Million Settlement

01/12/2018
September 25, 2017: Pharmacy Manager Pleads Guilty to Illegal Prescription Drug Diversion and Money Laundering

01/12/2018
July 28, 2017: Tampa Woman Sentenced to Prison For Misbranded Drugs Used in Connection with Buttocks Injection

01/12/2018
March 28, 2017: Former Atlantic County, New Jersey, Man Charged with Smuggling and Dispensing Misbranded Drugs

01/12/2018
September 12, 2017: Former Paramedic Pleads Guilty to Stealing Pain-killing Drugs, Replacing Vials with Water

01/12/2018
May 15, 2017: Printing and Packaging Business Owner Convicted of Trafficking in Counterfeit Veterinary Labels

01/12/2018
July 14, 2017: Senior Executives of Medical Drug Re-Packager Plead Guilty to Defrauding Healthcare Providers

01/12/2018
February 16, 2017: Atlanta Man Convicted of Illegally Importing and Distributing Male Enhancement Products from China

01/11/2018
September 25, 2017: Millions of Medicines Seized in Largest INTERPOL Operation Against Illicit Online Pharmacies

01/11/2018
January 3, 2017: Notification of Stolen Reckitt Benckiser Retail, Non-Prescription, Consumer Healthcare Products

01/09/2018
August 1, 2017: Radford Nurse Who Tampered with Liquid Morphine Intended for Nursing Home Patients Sentenced in Federal Court

01/09/2018
September 11, 2017: Three Florida Residents Arrested After Law Enforcement Discover Steroid and Fake Prescription Drug Lab

01/09/2018
June 21, 2017: Counterfeiters Sentenced for Convictions in Nationwide Conspiracy to Distribute Fake 5-Hour Energy Drink

01/09/2018
May 31, 2017: Drug Trafficking Organization Faces Indictment For Involvment In Manufacturing Fake Prescriptions Drugs With Fentanyl

01/09/2018
June 26, 2017: Owner of New England Compounding Center Sentenced for Racketeering Leading to Nationwide Fungal Meningitis Outbreak

01/09/2018
February 14, 2017: Two Miami-Dade Women Charged in Connection with Their Operation of a Spa Performing Illicit Silicone Injections

01/09/2018
June 22, 2017: Pharmacy Owner and Director of Compliance Charged with Defrauding United States and Distributing Adulterated Drugs

01/09/2018
April 12, 2017: Owners of Two Los Angeles-Area Drug Wholesale Companies Arrested in $20 Million Federal ‘Structuring’ Conspiracy

01/09/2018
February 7, 2017: Randallstown Woman Pleads Guilty to Injecting Non-Medical Grade Silicone into the Bodies of Victim Customers

01/09/2018
August 30, 2017: Miami-Dade Resident Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Prison for Operating a Miami Spa Performing Illicit Silicone Injections

01/09/2018
March 28, 2017: 3 Canadians and their Vancouver Company Charged with Conspiring to Sell Foreign-Made Drugs to Western Pennsylvania Pharmacists

01/09/2018
March 9, 2017: Internet Business Owner Indicted for Selling Non-FDA Approved and Misbranded Versions of Botox and Juvederm Related Products

01/09/2018
June 8, 2017: Houston, Texas Man convicted of Smuggling Korean Human Growth Hormone Drugs to Local Patients and Professional Wrestlers

01/09/2018
February 16, 2017: Oncology Practice, Doctor and Practice Manager Pay $1.7 Million to Resolve Allegations They Billed Medicare for Illegally Imported Drugs

01/09/2018
June 27, 2017: Physician and Wife to Pay $1.2 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations That They Billed Medicare and Medicaid for Unapproved Drugs

01/09/2018
September 6, 2017: Bronx Pharmacist Pleads Guilty To Illegally Selling Millions Of Prescription Pills On The Internet And Agrees To Forfeit $9 Million

01/09/2018
March 30, 2017: Lincoln Mother and Son Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Misbranded Substances, Drug Paraphernalia, and Related Financial Crimes

01/09/2018
January 12, 2017: Baxter Healthcare Corporation to Pay More than $18 Million to Resolve Criminal and Civil Liability Relating to Sterile Products

01/09/2018
September 20, 2017: Miami-Dade Resident Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Prison for Managing a Miami Spa Performing Illicit Silicone Injections

01/09/2018
May 23, 2017: Citizen of Pakistan and United Kingdom Sentenced For International Wire Fraud Scheme That Sold False Cures For Multiple Illnesses

01/09/2018
April 18, 2017: SCM True Air Technologies, of Ohio and Kentucky, and Its Former Company President – Guilty of Delivering Misbranded Medical Devices from Unregistered Facilities to a Georgia V.A. Medical Center and Obstructing an FDA Investigation into their Conduct

01/09/2018
September 26, 2017: Houston, Texas Man Sentenced to 40 Months and a $95,000 Fine for Smuggling Korean Human Growth Hormone Drugs to Local Patients and Professional Wrestlers

01/09/2018
September 27, 2017: Amerisourcebergen Specialty Group Pleads Guilty to Distributing Misbranded Drugs and is Sentenced to Pay $260 Million to Resolve Criminal Liability

01/09/2018
May 26, 2017: Florida Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Causing the Death of One Victim and Hospitalization of Others by Injecting them With Liquid Silicone

01/09/2018
September 11, 2017: Owner of O.C. Pet Products Company Pleads Guilty to Selling Pet Meds without Prescriptions, Some of Which Were Not Approved for U.S. Sale

12/21/2017
December 19, 2017: Senior Executives of Medical Drug Repackager Sentenced for Defrauding Healthcare Providers

12/21/2017
December 20, 2017: Fitchburg Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Counterfeit Steroid Conspiracy

12/18/2017
December 18, 2017: Cherry Hill Doctor and Son Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Medicare

12/14/2017
December 12, 2017: Iserve Technologies, Inc. Pled Guilty in Connection with Guilty Pleas of Former Exec and Manager of Med-Fast Pharmacy Inc.

12/04/2017
November 30, 2017: Lynn Man Pleads Guilty to Counterfeit Steroid Conspiracy

12/04/2017
November 30, 2017: Paramedic Sentenced for Stealing Fentanyl from Ambulance Company

12/04/2017
November 28, 2017: Champaign, Illinois, Resident Guilty of Producing and Selling Over 80,000 Homemade Tramadol Capsules to Customers Without Verifying Prescriptions

12/04/2017
November 29, 2017: Knoxville Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Defraud the FDA

11/27/2017
November 21, 2017: Williamsville Couple Pleads Guilty

11/27/2017
November 22, 2017: Former Pharmacy Compliance Director Pleads Guilty to Introducing Adulterated Drugs into Interstate Commerce and Conspiracy to Defraud the United States

11/27/2017
November 20, 2017: Vitamin Shop Owner Sentenced for Misbranded Drugs and Controlled Substance Conviction

11/21/2017
November 20, 2017:Queensbury Oncologist and Office Manager Plead Guilty in Connection with Administering Unapproved Drugs

11/21/2017
November 16, 2017: Palmer Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Import Prescription Drugs from Pakistan

11/20/2017
November 7, 2017: Federal Jury Convicts Lake Charles Veterinarian, Pharmacy in Race Horse Doping Conspiracy

11/06/2017
November 3, 2017: Vero Beach Orthopedic Surgeon Charged in Drug Conspiracy Resulting in Death

11/06/2017
November 3, 2017: Five Charged in Alleged Opioid Prescription, Healthcare Fraud Scheme

11/06/2017
November 1, 2017: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Misbranded Animal Drugs Containing Steroids

11/01/2017
November 1, 2017: FDA Supervisor and Local Businessman Charged in Bribery Scheme

11/01/2017
November 1, 2017: Pair Sentenced on Federal Conspiracy

10/31/2017
October 31, 2017: South Korean Maker of Contact Lenses, Company CEO Charged with Smuggling Products into U.S. by Failing to Declare Full Value

10/31/2017
March 28, 2017: Oakland Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Conspiracy to Manufacture Counterfeit Drugs

10/30/2017
October 27, 2017: Central Kentucky Pharmacist Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Oxycodone and Money Laundering

10/26/2017
October 26, 2017: Founder and Owner of Pharmaceutical Company Insys Arrested and Charged with Racketeering

10/26/2017
October 25, 2017: Five Chinese Citizens and Four Chinese Companies Indicted in Scheme to Sell Mislabeled Dietary Supplements

10/26/2017
October 25, 2017: Supervisory Pharmacist of New England Compounding Center Convicted of Racketeering Leading to Nationwide Fungal Meningitis Outbreak

10/17/2017
October 16, 2017: Omak, Washington Nurse Sentenced to Federal Prison for Adulterating and Misbranding Pain Medications

10/10/2017
October 4, 2017: Med-Fast Pharmacy Inc. and Former Exec Agree to Resolve Criminal and Civil Charges

10/03/2017
October 2, 2017: Compounding Pharmacy Owner Charged with $10 Million Health Care Fraud

10/02/2017
September 29, 2017: Randallstown Woman Sentenced To 2 Years In Prison For Injecting Non-Medical Grade Silicone Into The Bodies Of Victim Customers

09/28/2017
September 20, 2017: Pair Plead Guilty to Federal Conspiracy Charge

08/29/2017
August 28, 2017: Shrewsbury Man Pleads Guilty to Operating Counterfeit Steroid Scheme

08/18/2017
August 18, 2017: Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Steroids, Money Laundering

07/18/2017
July 6, 2017: North Olmsted Man Charged with Selling Misbranded Drugs

07/03/2017
June 28, 2017: Former VA Nurse Re-Sentenced for Stealing and Tampering with Patient Medications

07/03/2017
June 28, 2017: Distributor of Counterfeit Medications Arrested

06/28/2017
June 23, 2017: Monterey Park Woman Arrested on Federal Charges after Allegedly Injecting Foreign Substances into Woman for Buttocks Enhancement

06/26/2017
June 22, 2017: Paramedic Pleads Guilty to Removing Liquid Fentanyl from Ambulance

06/19/2017
June 16, 2017: Leawood Woman Charged With Importing Misbranded Drugs

06/09/2017
June 9, 2017: Providence Nurse Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Oxycodone

04/24/2017
April 19, 2017: Radford Nurse, Who Tampered with Liquid Morphine Intended for Nursing Home Patients, Pleads Guilty

04/13/2017
April 12, 2017: Six Charged with Trafficking Counterfeit Steroids

04/06/2017
April 5, 2017: Worcester Nurse Sentenced for Drug Tampering

03/30/2017
March 22, 2017: Diamond Bar Man Pleads Guilty to Smuggling ED Drugs that Were Sold as ‘Herbal Enhancement’ Products without Prescriptions

03/27/2017
March 22, 2017: Owner of New England Compounding Center Convicted of Racketeering Leading to Nationwide Fungal Meningitis Outbreak

01/19/2017
January 18, 2017: Owner of Major Online Colored Contact Lens Business Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison in Largest-Ever Scheme to Import and Sell Counterfeit and Misbranded Contact Lenses Prosecuted in the United States

01/19/2017
January 13, 2017: Paramedic Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Drugs

01/17/2017
January 11, 2017: Worcester Nurse Pleads Guilty to Drug Tampering

02/20/2018
August 19, 2016: Pharmacy Owner and Medical Doctor Charged in an Internet Scheme to Dispense Medications to Customers without Valid Prescriptions

01/24/2018
December 6, 2016: Two Sentenced for Trafficking in Counterfeit Viagra and Cialis

01/24/2018
December 9, 2016: Carroll County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Conspiracy Charge

01/24/2018
July 18, 2016: Cincinnati Man Sentenced for Illegally Importing Drugs into U.S.

01/24/2018
July 7, 2016: Johnston Resident Charged with Drug Trafficking, Money Laundering

01/24/2018
January 7, 2016: Former Nurse Pleads Guilty to Stealing Narcotics from Hospital

01/24/2018
December 8, 2016: Pharmaceutical Executives Charged in Racketeering Scheme

01/24/2018
December 2, 2016: Woman Arrested For Injecting Adulterated Liquid Silicone

01/24/2018
June 27, 2016: Hampton-Based Spice Retailer and Wholesaler Pleads Guilty

01/24/2018
May 31, 2016: Worcester Nurse Indicted on Federal Drug Tampering Charges

01/16/2018
October 11, 2016: Foreign National Pleads Guilty To International Wire Fraud Scheme

01/12/2018
December 20, 2016: New England Compounding Center’s National Sales Director Pleads Guilty

01/12/2018
December 27, 2016: Providence Nurse Charged in Connection with Tampering with Oxycodone

01/12/2018
January 20, 2016: Businessman Sentenced for Marketing and Selling Unapproved Remedies for Cancer

01/12/2018
June 2, 2016: Additional Criminal Charges Brought Against Indicted Penn National Horse Trainer

01/12/2018
August 15, 2016: Second Trafficker Convicted of Distributing Dangerous Counterfeit Viagra and Cialis

01/12/2018
October 12, 2016: Colombian National Charged for Unlawfully Injecting Silicone into Victims Bodies

01/12/2018
September 22, 2016: Hoover Man Charged for Marketing Misbranded Male Enhancement Drugs from China

01/12/2018
September, 22, 2016 Hoover Man Charged for Marketing Misbranded Male Enhancement Drugs from China

01/12/2018
August 2, 2016: Colombian National Charged for Unlawfully Injecting Silicone into Victims’ Bodies

01/12/2018
December 13, 2016: Tampa Resident Indicted for Involvement with Tricare Health Care Fraud Scheme

01/12/2018
September 29, 2016: New York Man Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Illegally Manufacture Designer Steroids

01/12/2018
July 1, 2016: New Hampshire Couple Indicted On Two Counts Of Illegal Distribution Of Prescription Drugs

01/12/2018
June 22, 2016: Former Nurse Sentenced to 82 Months for Stealing and Tampering with Patient Medications

01/12/2018
December 19, 2016: New York Man Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Term for Selling Unsafe Dietary Supplements Online

01/12/2018
July 29, 2016: Majority Owner of NECC and Husband Plead Guilty to Illegal Cash Withdrawals Following Outbreak

01/12/2018
July 20, 2016: Former Acclarent, Inc. Executives Convicted of Crimes Related to the Sale of Medical Devices

01/12/2018
June 6, 2016: Pharmaceutical Companies To Pay $67 Million To Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Relating To Tarceva

01/11/2018
July 22, 2016: Medical Device Manufacturer Acclarent Inc. to Pay $18 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

01/11/2018
November 15, 2016: Miami-Dade Resident Sentenced to Fifteen Months in Prison for Distributing Contaminated Cheese

01/09/2018
November 4, 2016: Two Pakistani Nationals Sentenced for Conspiring to Illegally Ship Pharmaceuticals into the United States

01/09/2018
November 29, 2016: Eight Defendants Convicted For Conspiracy to Manufacture and Distribute Counterfeit 5-Hour Energy Drink

01/09/2018
July 6, 2016: New Jersey Medical Device Manufacturer Admits Selling Contaminated Ultrasound Gel; Court Orders Permanent Injunction

01/09/2018
June 21, 2016: Two Pharmacists Sentenced to Prison for Adulteration of Drugs in Connection with Alabama-Based Compounding Pharmacy

01/09/2018
December 2, 2016: Former Police Officer Sentenced in White Plains Federal Court to 8 Years in Prison for Selling Date Rape Drug

01/09/2018
December 13, 2016: O.C. Man Charged with Selling Pet Meds Without a Prescription, Some of Which Were Not Approved for Distribution in the United States

01/09/2018
November 10, 2016: Nurse Who Operated Spa in Laguna Niguel Agrees to Plead Guilty to Illegally Dispensing Botox Not Approved for Use in United States

01/09/2018
November 28, 2016: Iowa Cancer Clinic and Oncologist to Pay More Than $176,000 To Settle False Claims Act Allegations They Recklessly Billed for Cancer Drugs That Were Unapproved, Misbranded, or Counterfeit and Improperly Upcoded Office Visit Claims

01/09/2018
September 9, 2016: Owner of Major Online Colored Contact Lens Business Pleads Guilty in Largest-Ever Investigation of Counterfeit and Misbranded Contact Lenses in the United States

01/09/2018
November 7, 2016: Medical Device Maker Biocompatibles Pleads Guilty to Misbranding and Agrees to Pay $36 Million to Resolve Criminal Liability and False Claims Act Allegations

01/09/2018
December 7, 2016: GNC Enters Into Agreement with Department of Justice to Improve Its Practices and Keep Potentially Illegal Dietary Supplements Out of the Marketplace

01/09/2018
December 5, 2016: Medical Device Saleswoman Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Charges Relating to the Transport of Stolen Medical Devices and Money Laundering

12/15/2016
December 13, 2016: Conagra Subsidiary Sentenced in Connection with Outbreak of Salmonella Poisoning Related to Peanut Butter

12/13/2016
December 9, 2016: Two South Florida Residents Charged with Conspiring to Misbrand and Sell Expired Gastric Banding Systems

11/21/2016
November 18, 2016: Palm Harbor Oncologist Convicted Of Buying Unapproved Cancer Medications From Foreign Sources And Defrauding Medicare

11/08/2016
November 4, 2016: University Hospital Nurse Arrested Following Grand Jury Indictment for Illegally Obtaining and Tampering with Fentanyl and Hydomorphone

10/17/2016
October 11, 2016: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Manufacturing, Distributing Performance Enhancing Drugs

09/26/2016
September 9, 2016: Medical Device Saleswoman Convicted on Charges of Conspiring to Transport Stolen Medical Devices in Interstate Commerce, Money Laundering and Other Charges

08/19/2016
August 19,2016: North Carolina Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Providing Silicone Buttocks Injections Resulting in the Death of a Client

07/26/2016
July 25, 2016: Three Charged with Manufacturing, Distributing Performance Enhancing Drugs

06/20/2016
June 20, 2016: R.I. Businessman Pleads Guilty to Running International Scheme to Label and Sell Misbranded Drugs

06/08/2016
June 2, 2016: President of Pharmaceutical Companies Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Long-Running Scheme to Sell Misbranded and Unapproved Chemotherapy and Other Prescription Drugs

05/27/2016
May 26, 2016: Owner of “The Wholesale Source” Convicted for Selling Unsafe Dietary Supplements Online

05/27/2016
May 27, 2016: North Carolina Man Admits Receiving and Selling Misbranded Silicone for Buttocks Injections Resulting in the Death of a Client

05/23/2016
May 9, 2016: California Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Unapproved Drug in Rhode Island

05/19/2016
May 18, 2016: Woman Charged with Illegally Administering Silicone Injections

05/16/2016
May 13, 2016: Two Key Players in Illegal Online Pharmacy Scheme Sentenced to Prison

05/16/2016
May 12, 2016: Windsor Mill Woman Indicted for Allegedly Injecting Non-Medical Grade Silicone into the Bodies of Victim Customers

05/09/2016
May 9, 2016: Owner of Bodybuilding Drug Companies Sentenced for Selling Misbranded Drugs

05/09/2016
May 9, 2016: Lodi Oncologist and Office Administrator Pay $300,000 to Settle False Claims Act Allegations

05/06/2016
May 5, 2016: Florida Man Sentenced To Prison For Illegal Diet Pill Scheme

05/05/2016
May 4, 2016: Former Buffalo Nurse Sentenced For Stealing Pain Medications Intended For Patients From Local Hospital

05/04/2016
April 28, 2016: Jury Convicts Former Police Officer For Selling Date Rape Drug

05/04/2016
May 3, 2016: Gainesville Physician Convicted of 162 Counts of Health Care Fraud

05/02/2016
April 29, 2016: Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Arrest Of Black Market Distributor Of Diverted HIV Medications Worth Approximately $4 Million

04/20/2016
April 20, 2016: Norfolk Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Distributing Insulin

04/14/2016
April 7, 2016: Former Nurse Sentenced for Stealing Narcotics from Hospital

04/06/2016
April 4, 2016: Former Carlsbad Resident Jailed for Sale of Unapproved “Energy Wave” Medical Devices

03/24/2016
March 23, 2016: Federal Jury Convicts Destrehan Woman in Scheme to Sell Illegal and Mislabelled Diet Pills

03/24/2016
March 23, 2016: Detroit-Area Physician Sentenced to 45 Months in Prison for Role in $5.7 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

03/21/2016
March 18, 2016: Bookkeeper for Online Pharmacy Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Money Laundering

03/11/2016
March 8, 2016: Cincinnati Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Importing Drugs into U.S.

03/08/2016
March 7, 2016: Tehachapi Doctor Sentenced to 6 Months in Prison for Defrauding Patients and Insurers by Implanting Unapproved IUDs

03/08/2016
March 4, 2016: First of Seven Defendants Who Operated Illegal Online Pharmacy Sentenced to Prison

03/04/2016
March 4, 2016: Mumbai, India, Man Sentenced on Misbranding Charge

03/03/2016
March 1, 2016: Principal of Dietary Ingredient Companies Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Fraud and Meth Precursor Scheme

02/29/2016
February 26, 2016: Florence Man Sentenced for Smuggling and Distributing Prescription Drugs

02/25/2016
February 17, 2016: Danville Man Pleads Guilty to Manufacturing and Distributing Illegal Dietary Supplements

02/24/2016
February 24, 2016: Former VA Nurse Pleads Guilty To Stealing Controlled Substance From Hospital Syringes

02/24/2016
February 17, 2016: Two Men Sentenced For Involvement in Scheme to Distribute Misbranded Drugs

02/23/2016
February 10, 2016: Las Vegas Resident Indicted For Running Counterfeit and Misbranded Contact Lens Operation

02/19/2016
February 17, 2016: United States And Vermont Doctor Resolve Matter Involving Non-FDA Approved Drugs And False Claims

02/19/2016
February 16, 2016: Swedish Medical Center Surgical Tech/Technologist Indicted by Federal Grand Jury in Denver on Charges of Tampering with a Consumer Product and Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Deceit

02/19/2016
February 10, 2016: Owner of Cancer Treatment Clinic Convicted of Providing Fraudulent Medical Treatments to Patients

02/04/2016
January 28, 2016: Federal Criminal Charges Filed Against Two Pharmacists for Adulteration of Drugs in Connection with Alabama-Based Compounding Pharmacy

02/02/2016
February 1, 2016: Pakistani Man Makes Appearance in U.S. District Court in Denver Following Indictment and Arrest for Sale and Distribution of New, Misbranded and Counterfeit Prescription Drugs

02/02/2016
February 1, 2016: Worcester Nurse Sentenced for Stealing Oxycodone from Patients

02/02/2016
January 22, 2016: Counterfeit Cigarette Smuggler Receives Jail Sentence

02/02/2016
January 5, 2016: Two Defendants Sentenced to Prison in Conspiracy to Distribute Over $6.6 Million in Contraband Cigarettes

MIL OSI USA News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: ICE Boston arrests Dominican fugitive charged with firearms, drug crimes in Massachusetts

Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

May 21, 2025Boston, MA, United StatesEnforcement and Removal

BOSTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, arrested a 44-year-old Dominican national charged in Boston with fentanyl trafficking and possession of a firearm. Officers with ICE Boston and CBP Boston arrested Julio Soto-Heredia in Boston May 18.

Additionally, Soto-Heredia has been charged by Dominican authorities for firearms trafficking crimes in the Dominican Republic.

“Julio Soto-Heredia attempted to flee justice in the Dominican Republic by hiding out in Boston,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Boston acting Field Office Director Patricia H. Hyde. “If that weren’t bad enough, Soto-Heredia apparently illegally armed himself and attempted to peddle poison in our Massachusetts neighborhoods. ICE Boston will not stand idly by while illegal alien offenders victimize the residents of our New England communities. We will continue to prioritize public safety by arresting and removing criminal alien offenders.”

Soto-Heredia remains in ICE custody.

Members of the public with information about suspected immigration violations or related criminal activity are encouraged to contact the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or submit information online via the ICE Tip Form.

Learn more about ICE’s mission to increase public safety in our communities on X at @EROBoston.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Sunday Announces Expansion of LETI Treatment Program in Cumberland and Perry Counties

Source: US State of Pennsylvania

May 22, 2025 – Carlisle, PA

ADVISORY – Attorney General Sunday Announces Expansion of LETI Treatment Program in Cumberland and Perry Counties

WHO:
Dave Sunday, Attorney General of Pennsylvania
Sean McCormack, Cumberland County District Attorney
Clay Merris, Perry County District Attorney
Brenda Iliff-Lawver, Cumberland-Perry Drug & Alcohol Commission
Christopher Raubenstine, Silver Spring Township Chief of Police
Person in Recovery

WHEN & WHERE:
11:00 AM, Thursday, May 22, 2025

Historic Cumberland County Courthouse
2 Courthouse Sq, 2nd Floor, Carlisle, PA
17013

MEDIA RSVP:
Credentialed media must RSVP to press@attorneygeneral.gov. Media may arrive beginning at 10:30 AM.

WHAT:
Attorney General Dave Sunday announces the expansion of the Law Enforcement Treatment Initiative (LETI) in Cumberland and Perry Counties. PA LETI is a law enforcement-led treatment initiative that will allow Pennsylvanians in Cumberland and Perry Counties seeking treatment for substance use disorder to use their local law enforcement, county officials, and community stakeholders, to contact the Cumberland-Perry County Drug and Alcohol Program, Single County Authority for treatment services without the threat of arrest.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Microsoft leads global action that’s disrupting a favored cybercrime tool

Source: Microsoft

Headline: Microsoft leads global action that’s disrupting a favored cybercrime tool

Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) and international partners are disrupting the leading tool used to indiscriminately steal sensitive personal and organizational information to facilitate cybercrime. On Tuesday, May 13, Microsoft’s DCU filed a legal action against Lumma Stealer (“Lumma”), which is the favored info-stealing malware used by hundreds of cyber threat actors. Lumma steals passwords, credit cards, bank accounts, and cryptocurrency wallets and has enabled criminals to hold schools for ransom, empty bank accounts, and disrupt critical services.

Via a court order granted in the United States District Court of the Northern District of Georgia, Microsoft’s DCU seized and facilitated the takedown, suspension, and blocking of approximately 2,300 malicious domains that formed the backbone of Lumma’s infrastructure. The Department of Justice (DOJ) simultaneously seized the central command structure for Lumma and disrupted the marketplaces where the tool was sold to other cybercriminals. Europol’s European Cybercrime Center (EC3) and Japan’s Cybercrime Control Center (JC3) facilitated the suspension of locally based Lumma infrastructure.

Between March 16, 2025, and May 16, 2025, Microsoft identified over 394,000 Windows computers globally infected by the Luma malware. Working with law enforcement and industry partners, we have severed communications between the malicious tool and victims. Moreover, more than 1,300 domains seized by or transferred to Microsoft, including 300 domains actioned by law enforcement with the support of Europol, will be redirected to Microsoft sinkholes. This will allow Microsoft’s DCU to provide actionable intelligence to continue to harden the security of the company’s services and help protect online users. These insights will also assist public- and private-sector partners as they continue to track, investigate, and remediate this threat. This joint action is designed to slow the speed at which these actors can launch their attacks, minimize the effectiveness of their campaigns, and hinder their illicit profits by cutting a major revenue stream.

Heat map detailing global spread of Lumma Stealer malware infections and encounters across Windows devices.

Splash page displayed on 900+ domains seized by Microsoft.

What is Lumma?

Lumma is a Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS), marketed and sold through underground forums since at least 2022. Over the years, the developers released multiple versions to continually improve its capabilities. Microsoft Threat Intelligence shares more details around the delivery techniques and capabilities of Lumma in a recent blog.

Typically, the goal of Lumma operators is to monetize stolen information or conduct further exploitation for various purposes. Lumma is easy to distribute, difficult to detect, and can be programmed to bypass certain security defenses, making it a go-to tool for cybercriminals and online threat actors, including prolific ransomware actors such as Octo Tempest (Scattered Spider). The malware impersonates trusted brands, including Microsoft, and is deployed via spear-phishing emails and malvertising, among other vectors.

For example, in March 2025, Microsoft Threat Intelligence identified a phishing campaign impersonating online travel agency Booking.com. The campaign used multiple credential-stealing malware, including Lumma, to conduct financial fraud and theft. Lumma has also been used to target gaming communities and education systems and poses an ongoing risk to global security, with reports from multiple cybersecurity companies outlining its use in attacks against critical infrastructure, such as the manufacturing, telecommunications, logistics, finance, and healthcare sectors.

Example of phishing email impersonating Booking.com and fake CAPTCHA verification prompt. (Source:Microsoft – Phishing campaign impersonates Booking .com, delivers a suite of credential-stealing malware)

The primary developer of Lumma is based in Russia and goes by the internet alias “Shamel.” Shamel markets different tiers of service for Lumma via Telegram and other Russian-language chat forums. Depending on what service a cybercriminal purchases, they can create their own versions of the malware, add tools to conceal and distribute it, and track stolen information through an online portal.

Different tiers of service for Lumma, as well as Lumma’s logo used on marketing material. (Source: Darktrace – The Rise of MaaS & Lumma Info Stealer)

In an interview with cybersecurity researcher “g0njxa” in November 2023, Shamel shared that he had “about 400 active clients.” Demonstrating the evolution of cybercrime to incorporate established business practices, he effectively created a Lumma brand, using a distinctive logo of a bird to market his product, calling it a symbol of “peace, lightness, and tranquility,” and adding the slogan “making money with us is just as easy.”

Shamel’s ability to operate openly underscores the importance for countries worldwide to address the issue of safe havens and to advocate for the rigorous enforcement of due diligence obligations under international law.

Continuing to work together to disrupt prolific cybercrime tools

Disrupting the tools cybercriminals frequently use can create a significant and lasting impact on cybercrime, as rebuilding malicious infrastructure and sourcing new exploit tools takes time and costs money. By severing access to mechanisms cybercriminals use, such as Lumma, we can significantly disrupt the operations of countless malicious actors through a single action.

Continued collaboration across industry and government remains imperative. We are grateful for the partnership with others across government and industry, including cybersecurity companies ESET, Bitsight, Lumen, Cloudflare, CleanDNS, and GMO Registry. Each company provided valuable assistance by quickly taking down online infrastructure.

Finally, we know cybercriminals are persistent and creative. We, too, must evolve to identify new ways to disrupt malicious activities. Microsoft’s DCU will continue to adapt and innovate to counteract cybercrime and help ensure the safety of critical infrastructure, customers, and online users.

Organizations and individuals can protect themselves from malware like Lumma by using multi-factor authentication, running the latest anti-malware software, and being cautious with attachments and email links. More information for security professionals can be found here.

Tags: cyberattacks, cybersecurity

MIL OSI Economics –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: SHOWN IN THE OVAL OFFICE: Proof of Persecution in South Africa

Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

SHOWN IN THE OVAL OFFICE: Proof of Persecution in South Africa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLDl3mblm-c

MIL OSI Video –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: President Trump Brings TV Into Oval Office to Show South African President Proof of Persecution

Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

President Trump always brings the receipts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDF4GMBwbGE

MIL OSI Video –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Small Business Democrats Call Out Trump Admin for Turning Back on Small Businesses, Blocking Funding to Help Entrepreneurs Grow

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
SBA is currently blocking funding that supports small businesses, plans to cut $167 million from future programs
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper, along with his Democratic colleagues on the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, called on Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler to stop hurting small businesses and release entrepreneurial development program funding.
“Gutting counseling and training services for women, veterans, and underserved small businesses is not how we can grow our economy,” wrote the senators. “We strongly condemn the President’s budget and call on SBA to immediately release entrepreneurial development program funding owed to counseling and training providers.”
SBA’s entrepreneurial development programs provide free or low-cost counseling and training to support the small business owners, specifically targeting veterans, women, and other underserved entrepreneurs. Last year alone, SBA counseled and trained more than 744,000 small businesses, supported the creation of 33,240 new businesses, and supported over one million jobs.
The Trump administration’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 cuts $167 million dollars from SBA’s entrepreneurial development programs and $111 million from the agency’s budget for the cost of staff and other administrative expenses. The proposed budget would eliminate 15 entrepreneurial development programs, which would mean the closure of more than 150 WBCs, 250 SCORE chapters, and 31 VBOCs.
To better understand SBA’s budget plans and the extent to which entrepreneurial development program funding has been delayed or mismanaged, the lawmakers request written responses to the following questions no later than May 30:
With the elimination of all but one of its entrepreneurial development programs under President Trump’s proposed budget, what is SBA’s plan to provide quality counseling and training to America’s 34 million small businesses?
Why does the Administration believe that women and veteran entrepreneurs do not merit specialized assistance given the unique challenges they face?
Why has SBA failed to distribute appropriated funding to its entrepreneurial development programs, specifically the SBDC, WBC, VBOC, and SCORE programs
Please identify every payment, by program, to SBA’s entrepreneurial development programs that are currently past due.
Please provide a detailed timeline for disbursement, by program, of the delayed payments identified in response to the previous question.
Full text of the letter HERE and below.
Dear Administrator Loeffler:
Gutting counseling and training services for women, veterans, and underserved small businesses is not how we can grow our economy. As if the Trump Administration’s disastrous and destructive tariff policy had not caused enough harm to the nation’s entrepreneurs, the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget for the Small Business Administration (SBA) proposes to eliminate the vast majority of SBA’s entrepreneurial development programs. Additionally, SBA is currently blocking funding Congress has already appropriated for these programs. We strongly condemn the President’s budget and call on SBA to immediately release entrepreneurial development program funding owed to counseling and training providers.
SBA’s entrepreneurial development programs provide free or low-cost counseling and training to America’s 34 million small businesses, with specific assistance targeting veterans, women, and other underserved entrepreneurs. In FY 2024 alone, SBA counseled and trained more than 744,000 small businesses, supported the creation of 33,240 new businesses, and supported over one million jobs. SBA’s resource partners, which include Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), SCORE, and Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOCs), have long had bipartisan support and provide critical, costeffective assistance that catalyzes local economic growth. These programs work together to provide holistic aid to entrepreneurs in all states, creating an ecosystem of support for small businesses at every stage of development.
On May 2, 2025, President Trump released a summary of his proposed budget for FY 2026 that cut $167 million dollars from SBA’s entrepreneurial development programs and $111 million from the agency’s budget for the cost of staff and other administrative expenses.
Specifically, the proposed budget does away with 15 entrepreneurial development programs, which would mean the closure of more than 150 WBCs, 250 SCORE chapters, and 31 VBOCs. Only the SBDC program would survive. The President’s decision to eliminate dedicated veterans counseling services is particularly shocking. Although President Trump proposed $10 million in additional funding for SBDCs to serve veteran small businesses, that amount is still 46 percent less than SBA’s current level of funding for veteran services.
Equally troubling are reports that the SBA is blocking previously appropriated funding from reaching its entrepreneurial development programs. The Senate Committee on Appropriations released a report exposing the wide variety of federal funding that President Trump, Elon Musk, and Russ Vought have illegally withheld. The report revealed that, under President Trump, SBA has failed to expend at least $30 million that Congress approved to carry out small business counseling and training programs. Additionally, the Administration has attempted to renege on contracts to grantees in the Regional Innovation Clusters (RIC) program, which provides direct support, accelerators, and other services to support small innovators. Of the 25 RIC awardees across the country, it appears that the Administration unjustifiably terminated at least 20 of their contracts.
We are now five months into the second Trump presidency and it is unacceptable that the Trump SBA is incapable of properly managing its congressionally mandated responsibilities. Congress holds the power of the purse, and the executive branch must comply with the law, including duly enacted appropriations acts. SBA’s continued delays and cancellation of congressionally mandated spending not only goes against congressional intent but jeopardizes the viability of small businesses across the country.
Federal funding is subject to the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, meaning that the funds Congress appropriates to federal agencies cannot be temporarily withheld from obligation or expenditure without a presidential special message and cannot be cancelled without congressional approval. The Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is required to report when a president has failed to disclose an impoundment to Congress. For this reason, GAO is currently investigating 39 federal agencies that are not expending appropriated funds. If SBA is unwilling or unable to release the funds appropriated for its entrepreneurial development programs, we will be requesting that GAO perform a formal review and pursue potential enforcement actions.
We strongly reject President Trump’s budget proposal and demand that SBA release delayed payments to its entrepreneurial development programs. To better understand SBA’s budget plans and the extent to which entrepreneurial development program funding has been delayed or mismanaged, we request written responses to the following questions no later than May 30:
With the elimination of all but one of its entrepreneurial development programs under President Trump’s proposed budget, what is SBA’s plan to provide quality counseling and training to America’s 34 million small businesses?
Why does the Administration believe that women and veteran entrepreneurs do not merit specialized assistance given the unique challenges they face?
Why has SBA failed to distribute appropriated funding to its entrepreneurial development programs, specifically the SBDC, WBC, VBOC, and SCORE programs
Please identify every payment, by program, to SBA’s entrepreneurial development programs that are currently past due.
Please provide a detailed timeline for disbursement, by program, of the delayed payments identified in response to the previous question.
Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Saskatchewan Provides Nearly $1 Million to Support Young Entrepreneurs

Source: Government of Canada regional news

Released on May 21, 2025

The Saskatchewan Young Entrepreneurs Bursary applications are now open, supporting business sustainability and growth across the province

Today, Minister of Trade and Export Development Warren Kaeding, along with Saskatchewan Chamber CEO Prabha Ramaswamy launched the new Young Entrepreneur Bursary that will support up to 57 local young entrepreneurs with bursaries of $5,000 to foster business development.

The province will provide Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce with $285,000 per year, for three years, plus administration costs to support entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 years of age who have been in operation for 10 years or less. Applications open today through to July 14, 2025 and will be awarded in the fall.

“The New Young Entrepreneur Bursary promotes business development and innovation, creating opportunities for small business owners and entrepreneurs across our Province,” Kaeding said. “Collaboration between government and organizations like Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce is an important component of Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan and our commitment to ensure the province remains one of the best places in Canada to start and grow a business.”

The funding will be administered by the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce with support from local chambers across the province.

“Saskatchewan’s future depends on the bold ideas and determination of its next generation of entrepreneurs,” Ramaswamy said. “The Young Entrepreneur Bursary Program ensures that emerging business leaders have the support they need to pursue their vision and contribute to a thriving provincial economy. We are proud to partner with the Government of Saskatchewan to reduce financial barriers and champion the growth of our province’s entrepreneurial talent.”

The bursary will encourage the next generation of entrepreneurship and support economic development across the province, creating jobs and opportunities, while ensuring we continue to build resilient and vibrant communities for years to come.

Saskatchewan is committed to fostering a competitive business environment where all businesses can succeed. The Government of Saskatchewan supports small businesses through low tax rates, reduced red tape and streamlined regulations. This promotes growth and innovation that enhances the quality of life for people across the province.

The innovative businesses and government support across the province are vital to the province’s recent economic success.

Statistics Canada’s latest GDP numbers indicate that Saskatchewan’s 2024 real GDP reached an all-time high of $80.5 billion, increasing by $2.6 billion, or 3.4 per cent. This ranks Saskatchewan second in the nation for real GDP growth, and above the national average of 1.6 per cent.

Private capital investment in Saskatchewan increased last year by 17.3 per cent to $14.7 billion, ranking first among provinces. Private capital investment is projected to reach $16.2 billion in 2025, an increase of 10.1 per cent over 2024. This is the second highest anticipated percentage increase among the provinces.

For more information visit : https://saskchamber.com/initiatives/young-entrepreneur-bursary/

-30-

For more information, contact:

MIL OSI Canada News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Statement of Commissioner Kristin N. Johnson on Her Departure from the CFTC

Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

It has been an honor and privilege to serve as a Commissioner at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Having completed my full term, I have notified the President of my intent to step down as a CFTC Commissioner later this year. Although this is a difficult decision, I am proud of the work that I have accomplished and am deeply grateful for the chance to develop meaningful relationships with staff and current and former Commissioners during my tenure at the CFTC.
I am exceptionally fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve our great nation and am honored that President Joseph R. Biden nominated me to serve in two critical roles as a financial market regulator. In addition to nominating me to serve a three-year term as a CFTC Commissioner in the fall of 2021, last summer, President Biden nominated me to serve as Assistant Secretary for Financial Institutions at the United States Department of the Treasury.
As a graduate of Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, the invitation to return to Washington, D.C. as a CFTC Commissioner resonated with my life-long commitment to be “in service of others.” When I accepted the nomination to serve as a CFTC Commissioner, I requested a three-year leave of absence from Emory University School of Law where I serve as Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law. On March 28, 2022, I was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. On March 30, 2022, not long after teaching my last class for the semester at Emory Law School, I was sworn in to serve as a CFTC Commissioner.
This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the CFTC, a small-but-mighty agency that works daily to advance effective supervision and oversight in derivatives markets. In 1974, Congress passed and Former President Gerald Ford[1] signed into law the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Act creating the CFTC. A few months later, on April 15, 1975, four of the first five Commissioners, including the first Chairman of the Commission, were sworn in to service.
As the Commission celebrates this important milestone, I celebrated my third anniversary at the Commission. A few days after my third anniversary, my term expired.
Our derivatives markets operate as a critical resource for price discovery, risk management, and hedging functions for many sectors in our economy but, most notably, the agriculture, energy, and financial services sectors. One of the greatest strengths of our federal government and, more specifically, the federal agencies that supervise many of the largest global financial market participants in the world, is the intellectual leadership of our regulators.[2] Over the last several decades significant events have tested the resilience of our markets. In each instance, the Commission and its regulations developed through robust engagement among the Commissioners—with the support of the Commission staff—have served to address liquidity and default risk management concerns and to enhance the integrity and stability of our derivatives markets.
I have endeavored to support the Commission’s work through constructive, substantive engagement with my fellow Commissioners, Commission staff, and the diverse businesses that we supervise. I am deeply committed to encouraging the Commission to develop well-informed, research-based, data-driven regulatory solutions that are well-tailored and fit-for-purpose. Thoughtful, effective regulation ensures that our markets are resilient even during periods of significant or persistent challenges.
It has been a privilege to serve alongside my fellow Commissioners and to have had the opportunity to work with the exceptional and indefatigable staff at the Commission. The Commission staff works tirelessly to support the Commission in tackling complex and consequential issues through careful and thoughtful deliberative processes. I am confident that the Commission will continue to do important work protecting investors and customers, combatting fraud and market manipulation, and ensuring market integrity and stability.
A Survey of Service
Serving in leadership at the Commission, I have enjoyed driving intellectual and policy developments on several critical issues facing our markets. I led the Commission by advancing proposed and final rules that enhance risk management for derivatives clearing organizations (DCOs), cyber-resilience, and effective recovery, resilience, and wind-down regulations.
I have strongly advocated for careful reflection regarding the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in financial markets and advocated for a number of policies and strategies to enhance the Commission’s ability to better understand industry integration of AI, including information gathering; the creation of an inter-agency task force encouraging domestic and international harmonization and collaboration on guidance or policies addressing the adoption of AI; the creation of a CFTC AI Fraud and Market Manipulation Task Force; and efforts to ensure sufficient human capital and financial resources to enable the Commission staff to keep pace with rapidly-evolving AI technologies.
In the wake of a crypto-crisis in the fall of 2022, I delivered a keynote address at the inaugural Digital Assets @Duke conference, where I called for the Commission to organize roundtables and convene discussions to better understand the type of regulatory interventions that may lead to effective supervision of rapidly developing and evolving decentralized finance markets.[3] I encouraged the Commission to begin a multi-stakeholder dialogue on digital asset markets that would help to prepare the Commission staff to create regulation to carry out a Congressional mandate and, at the same time, offer educational workshops on foundational issues such as corporate governance, resolution planning, and customer protection features of CFTC regulation.[4] These regulatory pillars are hardwired in our supervision and should be part of the regulatory architecture for any novel assets or markets that come under Commission supervision. Same risks, same rules. Moreover, these governance and operational guardrails have historically served to ensure that firms are able to withstand anticipated shocks (for example, by promoting enterprise risk management) and that markets remain resilient—even in times of significant distress.
I am proud to have served as Sponsor of the Market Risk Advisory Committee (MRAC). I am grateful for the hard work of Alicia Crighton (Chair of the MRAC), the members of the MRAC, and the members of the MRAC Subcommittees—the Market Structure, Central Counterparty Risk & Governance, Interest Rate Benchmark Reform, Climate-Related Market Risk, and Future of Finance Subcommittees.
As Sponsor of the MRAC, I led the Commission in taking on, in real-time, emerging cyber defense and cyber resilience concerns. In March of 2023, the MRAC hosted a first-of-its-kind hearing to examine cyber threats and potential solutions in derivatives markets. Over the last three years, the MRAC has submitted three sets of recommendations and a cutting-edge report to the Commission. The recommendations and report address system safeguards, critical third-party service providers and cyber resilience for institutions at the center of our market infrastructure; the efficacy of recovery, resilience, and wind-down policies for intermediaries in our markets; risk management related to the cash-futures basis trade; and a report on the state of the futures commission merchant market.
The central tenants of the Commodity Exchange Act inform the CFTC’s mandate—to prevent fraud and market manipulation, protect investors and customers, and ensure the stability and integrity of our markets. In order to deter escalating or future misconduct, I have strongly supported efforts to ensure that the Commission upholds this mandate, enhances customer protection, and holds bad actors accountable.
Artificial Intelligence in Financial Markets
While derivatives transactions in financial markets date back to ancient Greece, none of the Greek philosophers who lived two thousand years ago had the ability to generate a philosophical tome or literary masterpiece by simply typing a few questions into ChatGPT.[5] Simply stated, today’s financial markets are evolving at an unprecedented and accelerated pace. I arrived at the Commission deeply committed to advancing the Commission’s understanding of AI and AI use cases relevant to our markets. During my tenure at the Commission, I partnered with leadership across the industry, government regulators, public interest advocates, academics, and Commission staff to initiate a dialogue on the increasing adoption of AI by our market participants as well as the incorporation of AI in regulatory oversight and supervision.
Information-Gathering
In January 2024, I rolled up my sleeves during a winter storm and worked in collaboration with talented CFTC senior staff to develop the Commission’s first request for comment on AI in CFTC-regulated markets.[6] Later in the year, I represented the Commission in the development of the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s request for information on AI.[7] I also represented the Commission by serving in an association of federal regulators across government agencies engaged in understanding the implications of integrating AI in government supervision and regulation.
In June of 2023, I joined a group of market regulators reflecting on the integration of AI in supervisory technology (SupTech) at the International Organization of Securities Commissions’ (IOSCO) Annual Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. Days after IOSCO’s Annual Meeting in June 2023, I launched an annual international roundtable to explore AI and other novel technologies and the impact of these technologies on market structures with the former U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra, Julissa Reynoso Pantaleón.[8] I have served as a keynote speaker at dozens of industry and trade association conferences as well as academic institutions including Yale, Stanford, Duke, New York University, the University of Pennsylvania, Georgetown, the University of Chicago, and Cornell Law Schools, as well as Rice University’s Baker Institute, among other institutions where I have been fortunate to engage in thoughtful conversations with leading experts representing diverse viewpoints.
My engagement with market participants, U.S. market and prudential regulators, and global market regulators around the world has left me with the impression that we are still in a learning phase and are continuing to develop more precise understandings of the power, potential, and limits of developed and developing applications of AI, including generative and agentic AI. I have, however, advocated for a few accessible policy initiatives that the Commission should begin to take steps to introduce.
An Inter-Agency Task Force – Collaboration and Coordination
Over the last three years, I have advocated for AI policy priorities that must be at the center of the CFTC and other regulators’ policy agenda.[9] I have called for coordination among regulators to ensure that regulators are informed and have the depth of expertise to respond effectively to emerging technologies. I have asked the Commission and other financial market regulators to create an Inter-Agency AI Task Force to establish a pathway for open dialogue through deep dive, public and closed-door roundtables among the Commission, market participants, other market and prudential regulators, and public interest advocates.[10] Shortly after the announcement of my proposal, the Commission named its first Chief AI Officer.
CFTC AI Fraud and Market Manipulation Task Force
Our markets are faced with increasingly sophisticated forms of AI driven fraud. Evidence suggests that hackers are repurposing AI-based tools previously used in cyber defense tactics to identify weaknesses in networks and cybersecurity applications. These weaknesses open back doors for cyber-attacks. Generative AI may enable sophisticated actors to execute more convincing phishing campaigns. Deep fakes and similar campaigns may be more difficult to detect, especially for less sophisticated consumers and retail participants.
I have encouraged the Commission to create an internal AI task force within the Division of Enforcement and introduce heightened civil monetary penalties in instances where bad actors use AI to engage in fraud or market manipulation. In conversations with regulators in jurisdictions around the world, I have advocated for regulators to better understand AI as a SupTech resource that may enhance our ability to more precisely target AI fueled cyber and fraud attacks that threaten to upend the integrity and stability of domestic and global financial markets causing severe market disruption.
Human Capital and Financial Resources
The CFTC continues to punch above its weight. The agency, however, must have both financial and human resources to keep pace as industry participants integrate increasingly complex iterations of AI. As our markets become more complex and reflect the incorporation of and reliance on novel technologies, the Commission must have the resources to effectively supervise more sophisticated markets. I believe that the Commission would benefit from increased resources dedicated to enabling several of the Divisions within the Commission to prepare for and meet the challenges of regulating innovative trading, clearing, and settlement technologies.[11]
The Market Risk Advisory Committee
In my role as Sponsor of the MRAC, I have convened stakeholders with diverse perspectives to address critical, complex issues facing our markets. Under my leadership and working in collaboration with industry executives representing exchanges, clearinghouses, futures commission merchants, as well as public interest advocates, academics, and many others, the MRAC examined many of the most pressing risks across our financial markets, including systemic issues that could threaten the stability of derivatives markets.
During my time as Sponsor, the MRAC has focused on increasing concerns presented by cyber threats; the significance of critical third-party service providers such as cloud-based service providers; the introduction of artificial intelligence in market infrastructure and commercial and retail transactions; and novel and nascent issues that arise with the introduction of decentralized financial products such as digital assets or cryptocurrency and other emerging markets.
In March of 2023, the MRAC hosted a first-of-its-kind post-mortem on the implications for markets following the cyberattack on back-office service provider ION. The hearing included presentations by Matthew Cronin of the White House’s Office of the National Cyber Director; Tom Sexton, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Futures Association; Walt Lukken, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Futures Industry Association; Julie Holzrichter of CME Group; Amanda Olear, Former Director of the Market Participants Division of the CFTC; Greg Ruppert, Executive Vice President of FINRA; Ashwini Panse of Intercontinental Exchange; Suyash Paliwal, Former Director of the CFTC Office of International Affairs (OIA); and Senior Special Counsel Kirsten Robbins of the CFTC OIA, among others.[12]
At the MRAC’s most recent meeting, the Committee voted to submit recommendations on many issues—a report and recommendation on the need to evaluate our regulations governing critical third party service providers (particularly in areas marked by concentration risks due to a limited number of competitive service providers); cyber resilience for derivatives clearing organizations; and best practices for managing market, liquidity, counterparty credit, and other risks related to the cash futures basis trade.[13] In addition to these significant contributions, the MRAC advanced important recovery and resolution proposals and published a cutting-edge report on concentration risk engendered by a decline in the market for futures commission merchant services over the last two decades.[14]
The MRAC’s work on each of these critical questions will help the Commission to address emerging issues and enhance the Commission’s ability to promote the stability and integrity of derivatives markets.
The Importance of Public Service
I began my legal career as a law clerk for the Honorable Judge Joseph A. Greenaway Jr. I am thankful that the Judge was willing to take a chance on me; the Judge hired me as a second-year law student to serve as his law clerk upon my graduation from law school. Having spent the better part of his career as a federal prosecutor and later a federal judge, Judge Greenaway taught me to value public service and the importance of building relationships in the communities in which we serve.
I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to serve the CFTC community. Every well-developed proposed or final rule review, open or closed meeting briefing and engagement, advisory committee meeting agenda, and policy initiative advanced by my office benefited tremendously from the tireless work and commitment of my current and former staff. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who served my office in any counsel, policy advisor or law student intern role. I am also grateful to the incomparable executive assistants who supported the administrative functions of the office.
About Commissioner Johnson
Immediately prior to joining the Commission, Commissioner Johnson served as a tenured professor with an endowed professorship (Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Law) and Associate Dean for Faculty Research at Emory University School of Law. Commissioner Johnson also held a named professorship and served as Associate Dean for Faculty Research at Tulane University School of Law. Prior to law teaching, Commissioner Johnson served as a lawyer in private practice at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLC’s New York and London offices supporting the mergers and acquisitions, private credit and public and private capital markets practices. Upon leaving private practice, Commissioner Johnson joined J.P. Morgan Chase as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel in the Treasury Services Division supporting private funds. Before attending law school, Commissioner Johnson served as an analyst at Goldman Sachs in the Asset Management Division.
Commissioner Johnson is the co-author of two forthcoming books—The Cambridge University Press Handbook on Artificial Intelligence & The Law and Artificial Intelligence & The Law: Cases and Materials. Her recent work examines the implications of emerging innovative technologies including distributed digital ledger technologies that enable the creation of digital assets or cryptocurrency as well as networked, centralized and decentralized transaction-enabling infrastructure. Her early scholarship focuses on financial market disruptions that may create systemic risk concerns, with particular emphasis on the origination of derivatives and other complex financial products as well as secondary market trading, clearing, and settlement. She has testified before Congress on the benefits and risks of integrating emerging technologies such as blockchain or distributed digital ledger technologies and AI in financial markets.[15]

[3] Keynote Address of Commissioner Kristin Johnson at Digital Assets @ Duke Conference, Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering and Duke Financial Economics Center, Mitigating Crypto-Crises: Applying Lessons Learned in Governance, Risk Management, and Compliance (January 26, 2023), https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/opajohnson2.

[4] See Kristin N. Johnson, Commissioner, CFTC, Federal Reserve of Chicago Financial Markets Group Fall Conference, Investing in Investor Protection (Nov. 16, 2022), available on file with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago; see also Nahiomy Alvarez, Nomaan Chandiwalla, Alessandro Cocco, 2022 Financial Markets Group Fall Conference–Recap, https://www.chicagofed.org/publications/blogs/ chicago-fed-insights/2023/2022-fmg-fall-conference-recap (Feb. 6, 2023).

[5] Kristin N. Johnson, Regulating Cryptocurrency Secondary Market Trading Platforms, 1/8/2020 U. Chi. L. Rev. Online 1 (2020).

[7] See U.S. Department of the Treasury, Artificial Intelligence in Financial Services (Dec. 2024), https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/Artificial-Intelligence-in-Financial-Services.pdf (Treasury December Report).

[15] In April of 2021, Commissioner Johnson testified before the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions. In July of 2019, she testified before the House Financial Services Committee Artificial Intelligence Task Force on the implications of integrating artificial intelligence in financial technology (fintech) platforms.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NEW: Republicans’ Bill Will Rip Away Health Insurance from Over 228,000 Wisconsinites

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) slammed President Trump and Republicans’ bill that will cut Medicaid and attack the Affordable Care Act after a new report revealed their plan will terminate health insurance for 228,000 Wisconsinites. Overnight, House Republicans started the process to advance the GOP bill that will kick roughly 13.7 million Americans, including over 228,000 Wisconsinites, off of Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to pay for Republicans’ tax breaks for the top one percent.

“Donald Trump came into office promising to lower costs for families. Instead, Republicans are about to jack up the cost of health care for hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites, all so the wealthiest Americans can get richer,” said Senator Baldwin. “Gutting Medicaid would be devastating for countless families in Wisconsin, and I won’t stand idly by while Republicans try to take away health care from Wisconsinites.”

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO)’s analysis of House Republicans’ legislation, cuts to Medicaid and the ACA would result in roughly 13.7 million people losing their health insurance by 2034. Using CBO’s analysis, a new report shows that in Wisconsin, 228,659 people would lose their coverage, including 81,308 Wisconsinites who rely on Affordable Care Act tax breaks to afford their insurance and 147,351 Wisconsinites on Medicaid.

The Republican plan would roll out new work reporting requirements designed to kick Wisconsinites off their health insurance, which, combined with other provisions, would jeopardize care for nearly 150,000 Wisconsinites. The Republican plan would also allow the ACA Premium Tax Credits, which save Americans on average $700 each year on their coverage, to expire, jacking up the cost of coverage and putting insurance out of reach for over 80,000 Wisconsin families. Senator Baldwin leads legislation to make these enhanced tax credits for working families permanent.

In Wisconsin, over 1.2 million are enrolled in Medicaid. About 1 in 3 children in both Wisconsin’s rural and metro communities have Medicaid coverage. Severe cuts to Medicaid will also jeopardize rural hospitals and clinics’ ability to keep their doors open. Over 12 million rural Americans rely on Medicaid for health care.

Senator Baldwin has been leading the charge to fight back against cuts to Medicaid. In March, Senator Baldwin kicked off her “Hands Off Medicaid Tour” where she held roundtable discussions statewide calling out Republicans’ plan to slash Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy. During each stop, Senator Baldwin heard directly from Wisconsinites who depend on Medicaid and highlighted the dire consequences cuts to the lifesaving program would mean for them and their loved ones.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Reveals Which Phone Companies Protect Privacy by Telling Customers About Government Surveillance

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
May 21, 2025
Wyden Inquiry Also Finds Wireless Carriers Did Not Follow Through on Requirement to Notify Senate of Surveillance Demands
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today revealed which wireless carriers protect the privacy of their customers by notifying them about government surveillance requests for their information, in a letter he sent to his colleagues today. He urged senators to choose a phone company that will notify them about government surveillance requests.
“If law enforcement officials, whether at the federal, state, or even local level, can secretly obtain Senators’ location data or call histories, our ability to perform our constitutional duties is severely threatened,” Wyden wrote. “This kind of unchecked surveillance can chill critical oversight activities, undermine confidential communications essential for legislative deliberations, and ultimately erode the legislative branch’s co-equal status.”
Wyden referenced a 2024 report by the Department of Justice (DOJ) Inspector General, which revealed that during the first Trump Administration, the DOJ secretly obtained the phone records of several members of Congress and dozens of congressional staff, both Republican and Democrats, as part of a leak investigation.
Wyden learned that the largest phone companies — Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile — failed to establish systems to notify senators about government surveillance requests in violation of their contracts with the Senate. He urged senators and staff to consider switching mobile carriers for their campaign and personal phones to carriers that will notify them about government surveillance demands.
“While AT&T and Verizon only provide notice of surveillance of phone lines paid for by the Senate, T-Mobile has informed my staff that it will provide notice for Senators’ campaign or personal lines flagged as such by the [Senate Sergeant at Arms],” Wyden wrote. “Three other carriers — Google Fi Wireless, U.S. Mobile, and Cape — have policies of notifying all customers about government demands whenever they are allowed to do so. The latter two companies adopted these policies after outreach from my office.”
Beyond members of Congress, journalists, political activists, people seeking reproductive health care and other law-abiding Americans who could be targeted by the government all have reason to be concerned about secret surveillance of their communications and location data. Wyden’s office also surveyed phone carriers to learn which companies notify their customers about surveillance. His findings are summarized in the chart below. While it is the norm among tech companies to notify customers about government demands, absent a gag order issued by a judge, most phone companies choose to not notify their customers.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Rediscovering lost Gaelic words
Source: Scottish Government

Funding for Gaelic cultural projects.

An online dictionary which has rediscovered lost Gaelic phrases and word meanings is one of 12 projects set to benefit from Scottish Government funding.

Faclair na Gàidhlig (the Historical Dictionary of Scottish Gaelic) seeks to provide a better understanding of Gaelic’s history and culture. It is the first dictionary of the language which aims to detail the origins and meanings of every known Gaelic word. Compilers expect that it will contain more than 100,000 entries.

As part of the initiative, researchers have investigated historical manuscripts dating back to the 12th Century.

Rediscovered phrases and word meanings include:
- the phrase “Ciod fo na rionnagan” (“what under the stars”), which was used in the early 1900s to emphasise a point similar to “what on earth”
- the Gaelic word for prickly pear fruit, “peur stobach”, was first used in a letter documenting a visit to Saint Helena in 1900
- “uircean”, which is the Gaelic word for “piglet”, also used to mean “whale calf” in the 1800s
The investment will build on 20 years of work by helping Faclair na Gàidhlig to reach new audiences including learners, researchers, writers and speakers of Gaelic.

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic Kate Forbes announced the funding as part of a wider £500,000 package to support the language’s growth across Scotland. The investment will also support the publication of Gaelic language books, local mòd events throughout Scotland and Gaelic cultural activities including a summer school and musical events.

Ms Forbes said:

“The dictionary initiative is providing researchers, writers, speakers and learners of Gaelic with new insight into the language and it will be a valuable resource for future generations.

“Gaelic is a core part of Scotland’s culture, heritage and history. To support the language’s growth across Scotland, I am announcing funding for a range of Gaelic publishing, education, arts and community projects today.

“This will build on measures set out in the Scottish Languages Bill to strengthen Gaelic education provision and our investment of £35.7 million in initiatives to promote the language in 2025-26.”

Ola Szczesnowicz, Senior Editor of Faclair na Gàidhlig, said:

“Faclair na Gàidhlig will be the most comprehensive dictionary of Scottish Gaelic compiled on historical principles, similar to the Oxford English Dictionary. This is a big undertaking, and we welcome the Scottish Government’s funding to help continue our work. Our dictionary entries are already going online, freely available to Gaelic speakers and everyone interested in the language.”

Background

Audio clips to assist with the pronunciation of Gaelic words are available from LearnGaelic’s website online.

Faclair na Gàidhlig is available to read online.

The initiative is based at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture. It involves the universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde. Scottish Government funding for Faclair na Gàidhlig is delivered through the Scottish Funding Council and Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

Organisations which will benefit from funding include:
- Comunn na Gàidhlig, which has been allocated £134,190 to promote Scottish Gaelic language and culture
- An Comunn Gàidhealach (organisers of the Royal National Mòd) will benefit from £74,000 to support the organisation of local mòd events
- Fèisean nan Gàidheal (National Association of Scottish Gaelic Arts Youth Tuition Festivals) will be provided £37,000 to support Gaelic music
- Tobar an Dualchais is to receive £35,000 to support the ongoing collection of online materials in Gaelic and Scots including songs, stories and rhythms
- Ceòlas is to receive £30,000 to support Gaelic cultural activities including its summer school and musical events
- Comhairle nan Leabhraichean (Gaelic Book Council), which will receive £49,000, and Acair Publishing, which will be provided £30,000, to support the publication of Gaelic books
- Ainmean Àite na h-Alba (Gaelic Place-Names of Scotland) has been allocated £20,000 to continue its work as the national advisory partnership for Gaelic place-names in Scotland
- Faclair na Gàidhlig will receive £17,500 to reach new audiences in collaboration with other Gaelic organisations
- Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle (Islay Gaelic Centre) has been allocated £17,500 to host Gaelic classes, exhibitions and early years groups
- Theatre gu Leòr will benefit from £10,000 to deliver Gaelic theatrical performances across Scotland
Faclan Gàidhlig caillte air an lorg às ùr

Maoineachadh airson pròiseactan cultarail Gàidhlig

’S e faclair air-loidhne a tha air abairtean is brìghean Gàidhlig caillte a lorg às ùr aon de 12 pròiseactan a tha gus buannachd fhaighinn à maoineachadh le Riaghaltas na h-Alba.

Tha Faclair na Gàidhlig airson a bhith a’ toirt seachad tuigse nas fheàrr de dh’eachdraidh is cultar na Gàidhlig. ’S e a’ chiad fhaclair den chànan a bhios ag amas mìneachadh a thoirt seachad air tùs agus brìgh a h-uile facal Gàidhlig air a bheil eòlas againn. Tha an fheadhainn a tha an sàs san fhaclair an dùil gum bi còrr air 100,000 facal is abairt ann.

Mar phàirt den iomairt, rinn luchd-rannsachaidh sgrùdadh air làmh-sgrìobhainnean a’ dol cho fada air ais ris an 12mh Linn.

Am measg nan abairtean is brìghean a chaidh a lorg às ùr tha:
- an abairt “Ciod fo na rionnagan”, a chaidh a chleachdadh tràth san 12mh Linn ann an seagh coltach ri “dè fon ghrèin” san latha an-diugh
- chaidh “peur stobach” a chleachdadh son a’ chiad uair mar ainm Gàidhlig airson “prickly pear fruit” ann an litir ag aithris air turas gu St Helena ann an 1900
- bha “uircean”, a tha mar as trice a’ ciallachadh muc òg, air a chleachdadh sna 1800an mar fhacal airson cuilean na muice-mara
Bidh an tasgadh-airgid a’ togail air 20 bliadhna de dh’obair le bhith a’ cuideachadh Faclair na Gàidhlig ann a bhith a’ ruighinn luchd-leughaidh ùr – nam measg luchd-ionnsachaidh, luchd-rannsachaidh, sgrìobhadairean agus luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig.

Chaidh maoineachadh a’ phròiseict fhoillseachadh leis an Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear agus Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson na h-Eaconamaidh agus na Gàidhlig, Ceit Fhoirbeis, mar phàirt de phacaid nas motha luach £500,000 gus taic a chur ri fàs na Gàidhlig air feadh Alba.

Cuiridh an tasgadh-airgid taic cuideachd ri bhith a’ foillseachadh leabhraichean Gàidhlig, a’ cumail thachartasan airson nam Mòd ionadail air feadh Alba is cuideachd cur-seachadan cultarail Gàidhlig – nam measg sgoil samhraidh agus tachartasan ciùil.

Thuirt a’ Bh-uas. Fhoirbeis:

“Tha iomairt an fhaclair a’ toirt sheallaidhean ùra air a’ chànan do luchd-rannsachaidh, luchd-labhairt agus luchd-ionnsachaidh is bidh e na stòras luachmhor do ghinealaichean ri thighinn.

“Tha a’ Ghàidhlig na prìomh phàirt de chultar, dualchas agus eachdraidh na h-Alba. Gus taic a chur ri fàs a’ chànain, tha mi an-diugh a’ cur an cèill maoineachadh airson measgachadh de phròiseactan Gàidhlig ann am foillseachadh, foghlam, na h-ealainean agus aig ìre na coimhearsnachd.

“Bidh seo a’ togail air na ceumannan a tha an lùib Bile nan Cànan Albannach gus foghlam Gàidhlig a neartachadh, agus cuideachd air an tasgadh-airgid as fhiach £35.7 millean a tha sinn a’ cur ri iomairtean gus an cànan a bhrosnachadh ann an 2025-26.”

Thuirt Ola Szczesnowicz, Àrd-dheasaiche Fhaclair na Gàidhlig:

“Bheir Faclair na Gàidhlig seachad am faclair as mionaidiche a chaidh a chruthachadh don Ghàidhlig a rèir phrionnsapalan eachdraidheil, coltach ri Faclair Eachdraidheil Oxford anns a’ Bheurla. ’S e obair mhòr a tha seo agus tha sinn a’ cur fàilte air maoineachadh Riaghaltas na h-Alba is e gar cuideachadh ann a bhith a’ leantainn na h-obrach. Tha faclan is abairtean an Fhaclair mu thràth a’ dol air-loidhne is iad ri fhaighinn gu saor an-asgaidh do luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig agus duine sam bith aig a bheil ùidh sa chànan.”

Cùl-fhiosrachadh

Gheibhear criomagan-fuaime air-loidhne aig LearnGaelic gus cuideachadh le bhith a’ fuaimneachadh nam facal Gàidhlig.

’S urrainnear Faclair na Gàidhlig a leughadh air-loidhne.

’S ann aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Ionad Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig, a tha an iomairt stèidhichte. Tha oilthighean Obar Dheathain, Dhùn Èideann, Ghlaschu agus Shrath Chluaidh an sàs sa phròiseact. Tha am maoineachadh a tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba a’ toirt dha Faclair na Gàidhlig air a thoirt seachad tro Chomhairle Mhaoineachaidh na h-Alba agus Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

Am measg nam buidhnean a gheibh buannachd às a’ mhaoineachadh seo tha:
- Chaidh £134,190 a chomharrachadh do Chomunn na Gàidhlig, gus cànan agus cultar na Gàidhlig a chur air adhart
- Thèid £74,000 a thoirt don Chomunn Ghàidhealach (leis a bheil Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail) gus taic a chur ri bhith ag ullachadh tachartasan nam Mòd ionadail
- Gheibh Fèisean nan Gàidheal £37,000 airson taic a chur ri ceòl Gàidhlig
- Tha Tobar an Dualchais gus £35,000 fhaighinn gus taic a chur ris an obair leantainnich aca a’ cruinneachadh stuthan air-loidhne sa Ghàidhlig agus Albais. Am measg seo tha òrain, sgeulachdan agus ruitheaman
- Tha Ceòlas gus £30,000 fhaighinn a chuireas taic ri cur-seachadan cultarail Gàidhlig mar an sgoil samhraidh aca
- Acair, a gheibh £30,000, agus Comhairle nan Leabhraichean, a gheibh £49,000, gus cuideachadh le bhith a’ foillseachadh leabhraichean Gàidhlig
- Chaidh £20,000 a chomharrachadh airson Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba, gus an cùm iad orra leis an obair aca mar a’ bhuidhinn-chomhairleachaidh nàiseanta airson ainmean-àite Gàidhlig ann an Alba
- Gheibh Faclair na Gàidhlig £17,500 gus luchd-leughaidh ùr a ruighinn ann an com-pàirt le buidhnean Gàidhlig eile
- Chaidh £17,500 a chomharrachadh airson Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle gus an urrainn dhaibh clasaichean, taisbeanaidhean agus buidhnean tràth-bhliadhnaichean
- Thèid £10,000 a thoirt do Theatre gu Leòr airson dealbhan-cluiche a lìbhrigeadh air feadh Alba
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Wang Yi to chair 3rd China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting /more details/

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, will chair the third China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting to be held in Xiamen, east China’s Fujian Province, from May 28 to 29, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Wednesday.

As noted by the official representative, the heads of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and representatives of 11 Pacific island states that have diplomatic relations with China have been invited to take part in the event, namely: the President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kiribati Taneti Maamau, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Niue Dalton Tagelagi, the Crown Prince and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tonga Tupoutoa Ulukalala, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Nauru Lionel Aingimea, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federated States of Micronesia Lorin Robert, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the Solomon Islands Peter Chanel Agovaka, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Foreign Trade of Vanuatu Mark Ati, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration of Papua New Guinea Justin Tkachenko, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration of the Cook Islands Tingika Elikana, the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Fiji Lenora Kerekeretabua, the representative of the Government of Samoa, the Ambassador of Samoa to China Luamanuvae Mariner, as well as the Deputy Secretary General of the Forum Pacific islands of Esala Nayashi.

At a regular press briefing, Mao Ning said China and the Pacific island countries are comprehensive strategic partners committed to mutual respect and common development, adding that the two sides have continuously deepened and developed friendly ties and cooperation in recent years.

Mao Ning noted that the upcoming meeting will be held in China for the first time in an offline format. According to her, the parties will discuss in detail the comprehensive exchanges and cooperation between China and the Pacific island countries, as well as international and regional issues of mutual interest.

China attaches great importance to relations with the Pacific island countries and hopes that this event will contribute to the active implementation of the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two sides, strengthening cohesion and cooperation, joining efforts for development and prosperity, and jointly building an even closer community with a shared future for China and the Pacific island countries, the official representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry added. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Foreign Ministers of China, Afghanistan and Pakistan held an informal meeting in Beijing /more details/

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Afghan Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi held an informal meeting in Beijing on Wednesday.

The meeting was chaired by Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee.

The foreign ministers of the three countries positively assessed the achieved results of the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral dialogue and held an in-depth discussion on issues of further using the potential of the trilateral mechanism and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation.

As Wang Yi noted, summing up the meeting, the foreign ministers agreed that the three countries should strengthen political mutual trust and firmly adhere to the principles of good-neighborliness and friendship.

China supports Afghanistan and Pakistan in pursuing development paths that suit their national conditions and safeguarding their sovereignty, security and national dignity, he said.

Wang Yi said that the ministers agreed to hold the 6th trilateral dialogue of the foreign ministers of China, Afghanistan and Pakistan in Kabul in the near future.

As the Chinese diplomat emphasized, Afghanistan and Pakistan expressed their desire to raise the level of their bilateral diplomatic relations and agreed in principle to mutually appoint ambassadors as soon as possible.

Wang Yi said China welcomes this progress and is willing to make further contributions to improving Afghan-Pakistani relations.

Discussing the deepening of the joint construction of the Belt and Road, the ministers agreed to promote the expansion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan and strengthen the development of regional infrastructure connectivity.

Wang Yi also said that China and Pakistan have voiced their support for Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development, as well as their intention to expand trade with Afghanistan to help strengthen the country’s capacity for independent development.

According to the head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the three countries agreed to counter terrorism in all its forms, cooperate in law enforcement and security, jointly combat terrorist forces that are of concern to each side, remain vigilant against external interference in the internal affairs of states in the region and prevent such interference.

The ministers also called for efforts to safeguard peace and stability in the region to create a positive external environment conducive to the development and rise of the three countries. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: China opposes unjustified European sanctions against Chinese companies – Chinese Foreign Ministry

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) — China strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed the European Union’s groundless sanctions against Chinese enterprises, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Wednesday.

Mao Ning made the statement at a regular briefing for journalists, commenting on a new package of restrictions against Russia announced by the European Union and Great Britain. This time, the sanctions list also includes companies from China and the United Arab Emirates.

Speaking about the Ukrainian crisis, the official representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry noted that China is firmly committed to advancing peace talks. China has never provided lethal weapons to the parties to the conflict and strictly controls the export of dual-use goods, she recalled.

Normal exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Russian enterprises should not be disrupted or affected, Mao Ning stressed, noting that most countries, including European countries and the United States, continue to trade with Russia.

The European side must stop applying double standards to trade and economic cooperation with Russia and harming the legitimate interests of Chinese companies. China will take all necessary measures to resolutely protect its legitimate rights and interests, the Chinese diplomat added. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: China publishes plan to protect rivers and lakes

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

BEIJING, May 21 (Xinhua) — Chinese authorities have released an action plan to protect and develop beautiful rivers and lakes for the 2025-2027 period, focusing on improving the quality of aquatic ecosystems.

A document jointly released Wednesday by China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment and other government agencies sets targets to make significant progress in developing beautiful rivers and lakes by 2030 and to generally complete the process by 2035.

The plan aims to promote targeted, science-based and legal pollution control, coordinate water resources management, aquatic environment and aquatic ecology, and establish an integrated environmental management system in the upper and lower reaches of key river basins to improve the health of river and lake ecosystems.

The national list of beautiful rivers and lakes to be protected and developed includes 2,573 rivers and water bodies, including main channels of large rivers, important tributaries, key lakes and reservoirs that perform important ecological functions, have sensitive and fragile ecological environments or attract wide public attention.

The plan contains 19 specific measures aimed at strengthening and deepening the management of the aquatic environment, ensuring basic environmentally safe water use, and comprehensively promoting efforts for protection and development. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Former Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong Dies at 88

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –

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

HANOI, May 21 (Xinhua) — Former Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong died on Tuesday at the age of 88 after a long illness, the Vietnam News Agency reported on Wednesday.

Tran Duc Luong was born in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Ngai in 1937. He served as President of Vietnam from September 1997 to June 2006. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: The Procurement Ombud Examines the Concept of Best Value in Procurement

Source: Government of Canada News (2)

Ottawa, Ontario – May 21, 2025

The Office of the Procurement Ombud (OPO) published a new research study that examines the important and often misunderstood concept of Best Value in procurement. Traditionally focused on either lowest price or the highest combined score of price and technical merit, Best Value has evolved to include broader government objectives such as reconciliation, diversity, and environmental sustainability by considering full life-cycle costs and non-financial objectives. At its core, Best Value is now about securing the right goods and services at a fair price while advancing public policy goals.

This report explores the origins of the concept of Best Value, its importance, and best practices in Canada and internationally. The report also provides recommendations to procurement practitioners and policy makers on how to effectively face the challenges linked to the implementation of Best Value in Canada.

As Canada is committed to an fair, open and transparent procurement process, Best Value considerations in procurement help guarantee sound stewardship of taxpayer funds and achieve other broader public benefits and strategic policy goals.

MIL OSI Canada News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: NEW: 267,788 Bay Staters Slated to Lose Health Coverage Under GOP Reconciliation Bill

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, highlighted a new report from the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee that found 267,788 Massachusetts residents would lose health coverage if the health provisions of the Republican reconciliation package are passed into law.
“Republicans claim they’re targeting waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid, but 267,788 Massachusetts residents aren’t line items to be slashed. They’re children with complex medical needs, seniors in nursing homes, and working families doing their best to stay healthy and make ends meet,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “These are our neighbors, not numbers on a spreadsheet in Washington that can be used to pay for tax cuts for billionaire campaign donors. Donald Trump’s so-called ‘big, beautiful bill’ is nothing more than a cruel attack on the care they rely on to survive.”
According to the Joint Economic Committee, Republican cuts to the Affordable Care Act will result in 100,800 Massachusetts residents losing coverage. Additionally, their decision to cut $715 billion from Medicaid will result in 166,978 Massachusetts residents losing health coverage through MassHealth. The full analysis, including congressional district-level data, can be accessed HERE.
Last week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee marked up House Republicans’ reconciliation package that will cut $715 billion from Medicaid and eliminate health coverage for at least 13.7 million Americans. Democrats on the Committee offered multiple amendments to prevent these cuts from moving forward, but all of them were rejected by Republicans along party line votes.
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MIL OSI USA News –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Media Invited to Attend IAEA’s International Stakeholder Engagement Conference for Nuclear Power Programmes

Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will host the International Conference on Stakeholder Engagement for Nuclear Power Programmes next week, providing a global platform to exchange good practices, experiences, challenges and lessons learned related to stakeholder engagement for nuclear power programmes.

The conference, which is open to media, will take place from 26 to 30 May at the IAEA in the M-Building of the Vienna International Centre (VIC). The conference will also be livestreamed.

A dialogue between IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi and Robert Stone, director of the documentary Pandora’s Promise, will open the conference on Monday, 26 May, at 10:00. Isabelle Boemeke, nuclear energy influencer, will moderate the session.

Over 500 participants from about 80 countries and 13 international organizations are registered to participate in the event.

Stakeholder engagement is an essential part of nuclear power programmes. It aims to enhance public confidence, strengthen communication and support informed decision making through strong, long-term relationships with stakeholders. The conference will cover development and implementation of stakeholder engagement strategies; managing changing landscapes; crisis communication and emergency preparedness; outreach and media relations. A series of side events will highlight the roles of private philanthropy, gender perceptions and art in shaping stakeholder engagement. See the full programme here.

Nuclear Communities and Mayors in Focus, a unique platform for open dialogue and the exchange of ideas among municipal leaders from around the world, will take place in the afternoon of Tuesday, 27 May. A family photo will be taken at 13:30.

The conference will also feature art submitted for the contest, NuclearPop! Redefining Nuclear Energy in Popular Culture, in the Rotunda of the VIC.

Accreditation

All journalists – including those with permanent accreditation to the Vienna International Centre (VIC) – are requested to inform the IAEA Press Office of their plans to attend the conference in person. Journalists without permanent accreditation to the VIC must send copies of their passport and press ID to press@iaea.org by 12:00 CEST on Friday, 23 May.

Journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation are encouraged to request it at UNIS Vienna.

MIL Security OSI –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: How male anatomy became the default in medicine – and why that’s a problem

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michelle Spear, Professor of Anatomy, University of Bristol

Imagine waking up from surgery to discover that the implants designed to save your life were too large, too rigid, and never meant for someone like you. Imagine arriving at the emergency department with chest pain, only to be sent home because your symptoms don’t match the “classic” heart attack signs taught to doctors.

Picture taking a routine dose of medication and experiencing severe side-effects, only to learn that the drug was never tested on women during its clinical trials. Or recovering from a fracture, only to find that the rehabilitation plan you’re following doesn’t align with how your bones heal.

This isn’t the story of a medical mishap. It’s the consequence of centuries of anatomical science using one model for every body: the male.

From textbooks to medical devices, the female form has often been an afterthought, leading to treatments that don’t fit, symptoms that go unnoticed, and lives put at risk. How did anatomical science come to overlook half the population? And what are the consequences of this oversight today?

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

To understand how this situation came about, we must go back to the roots of modern anatomy.

Early anatomical texts, such as those by Andreas Vesalius in the 16th century, were based almost exclusively on male bodies. Female anatomy was included only when it differed in obvious reproductive ways, often cloaked in language that presented the female form as a deviation or inversion of the male norm.

By the 19th century, with the institutionalisation of medical schools and dissection, anatomical teaching still relied predominantly on male cadavers. This wasn’t simply due to availability. It was also cultural.

The male body was perceived as universal, rational, and worthy of study, while the female body was seen as variable, emotional, and biologically preoccupied with reproduction. The “ideal body”, in anatomical terms, was male.

Even when women were studied, it was often through a lens of pathology or deviation: hysteria, wandering wombs, and fragile constitutions – the femme fragile.

This historical lens cast a long shadow: well into the 20th century, and in many respects still today, anatomical models, surgical techniques, and medical training continue to prioritise the male form.

When ‘normal’ doesn’t fit

The implications of this anatomical bias are not just theoretical. They affect everyday clinical practice and outcomes. For example, women experiencing heart attacks often report symptoms like fatigue, nausea, or jaw pain – symptoms not listed in the “typical” presentation historically taught to doctors. As a result, they are more likely to be misdiagnosed or dismissed, leading to higher mortality rates.

Read more:
Are heart attack symptoms sexist?

Orthopaedic implants, such as hip and knee replacements, have also been shown to potentially underperform in women, in part because they were designed around male bone dimensions and joint angles.

Even crash test dummies – the silent arbiters of car safety design – were based on male physiology until disturbingly recently. When a “female” dummy was finally introduced, it was essentially a scaled-down man, not a biologically accurate model. Women’s bodies are still not standard or required in car safety tests.

Then there’s the world of pharmaceuticals. Until the early 1990s, women were routinely excluded from clinical trials due to concerns about hormonal fluctuations and potential pregnancy risks. As a result, the dosage, metabolism, and side-effect profiles of countless medications were understood only in male bodies – sometimes with dangerous consequences.

In 2013, the US Food and Drug Administration halved the recommended dose of the sleep aid zolpidem (Ambien) for women after discovering that they were far more affected by it than men. Something that could have been predicted had women been included in the initial studies.

Artificial joints underperform in women – because they’re based on male anatomy.
Sylvie Pabion Martin/Shutterstock.com

Anatomy and inclusion

Bones, muscles, blood vessels, fat distribution, and even immune responses vary between sexes. Female skeletons are generally lighter, with different angles in the pelvis and knees. Tendons and ligaments respond differently to stress and hormones, affecting injury risk and recovery.

Pain perception and response to analgesics differ, too. Not just because of socialisation, but because of real, measurable differences in anatomy and neurobiology.

Anatomical diagrams in textbooks still depict male figures as standard, with female anatomy relegated to the reproductive chapter.

Simulation models for surgical training rarely reflect the full range of female body types or internal variation. If the first step of medicine is to know the body, we must ask: whose body are we really teaching?

Change is coming. More researchers are calling for sex-disaggregated data in studies, and journals increasingly require it

New generations of anatomists, doctors, and designers are beginning to challenge the one-body-fits-all paradigm. We’re finally starting to build a model of medicine that sees all bodies clearly, from the inside out.

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

– ref. How male anatomy became the default in medicine – and why that’s a problem – https://theconversation.com/how-male-anatomy-became-the-default-in-medicine-and-why-thats-a-problem-255648

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Universal vaccines could reshape how we fight future outbreaks – but a broad approach is needed

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Antony Black, Lecturer, Life Sciences, University of Westminster

raker/Shutterstock.com

Every year, the race begins anew. Scientists scramble to track mutating viruses, pharmaceutical companies reformulate vaccines and public health systems brace for another season of jabs and logistics.

This relentless cycle is our frontline defence against threats like flu and COVID – but it comes at a steep price. Globally, billions are poured into strain and variant surveillance, vaccine development and distribution, leaving already-stretched health systems — particularly in lower-income countries – struggling to keep pace.

That’s why scientists have long aimed to develop universal vaccines – ones that protect against all major forms of a virus, including both seasonal and pandemic types. But designing these vaccines has proved to be tricky.

The difficulty lies in the way viruses mutate. Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) change rapidly, allowing them to escape the immune system’s memory responses triggered by past infections or vaccinations. To make a universal vaccine, researchers must identify parts of the virus that stay the same across different strains and variants – known as “conserved regions”.

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These conserved regions are harder for the immune system to recognise, so scientists are developing strategies to enhance the body’s response to them. One approach removes the rapidly mutating parts of the virus from the vaccine entirely, helping the immune system focus on the parts that don’t change.

Another strategy involves “mosaic” vaccines, which combine elements from many virus strains to trigger a broad, protective immune response.

Several technologies used to deliver these vaccines are at various stages of development. For example, mRNA vaccines use lab-made strands of messenger RNA (a type of genetic material) to instruct cells to produce viral proteins to trigger an immune response.

Another type relies on “viral vectors” – harmless viruses that deliver genetic material into human cells to stimulate immunity. Both types of vaccines were gamechangers during the COVID pandemic.

Other technologies include nanoparticles, which use synthetic biological particles to improve delivery and immune response. And “virus-like particles”, which trigger immune responses by imitating the structure of viruses, but don’t contain any genetic material.

Researchers are also using powerful computational tools to design vaccines that could work across multiple strains.

These platforms aren’t just being explored for flu and COVID – similar efforts are underway for other fast-evolving viruses, such as HIV.

Cash injection

Earlier this month, the US government announced a US$500 million (£377 million) investment to accelerate research into universal vaccines. After years of underfunding, experts say this backing is long overdue – especially following the COVID pandemic, which temporarily shifted focus to emergency vaccine production.

The rapid development of COVID vaccines showed how targeted funding and global collaboration can lead to scientific breakthroughs. A similar approach could now help bring universal vaccines closer to reality by supporting early research, funding clinical trials and improving manufacturing and distribution systems.

However, the investment has not been without controversy. Some scientists have raised concerns that the funding may be overly directed toward a narrow set of researchers or outdated methods, rather than being open to the most promising technologies.

Critics argue that a broad, flexible portfolio of vaccine strategies – rather than a single approach – is the key to success.

Ultimately, the goal of a universal vaccine is not just scientific. It’s also practical and global: reducing the burden on health systems, lowering costs and transforming how the world responds to future outbreaks.

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

– ref. Universal vaccines could reshape how we fight future outbreaks – but a broad approach is needed – https://theconversation.com/universal-vaccines-could-reshape-how-we-fight-future-outbreaks-but-a-broad-approach-is-needed-256656

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Teachers knew what children needed to recover from the pandemic – but their insights were ignored

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Alice Bradbury, Professor of Sociology of Education, UCL

PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

Five years have passed since schools and nurseries closed in England as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns. This unprecedented disruption to children’s normal routines created considerable concern – both at the time and in the years since.

But based on our research into the impact of school closures on children, we believe that many of the long-term effects have been misdiagnosed or ignored. Funding has been channelled in the wrong direction, hampering real recovery.

We researched what was happening in primary schools during the pandemic. We used surveys, interviews and school-based case studies to collect insights from school staff and parents.

Our survey data and case studies showed that teachers recognised straight away how the pandemic was affecting the children they taught and their families.

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Schools knew that not receiving free school meals and being confined to inadequate housing during lockdown would affect children’s health and nutrition. They saw that some children would be exposed to greater risk from being at home, and that they needed to take action. They also recognised that children living in poverty would be affected the most.

We also conducted two systematic literature reviews which assessed the findings of a large range of scholarly research. In one, we reviewed the evidence for how schools recover from sudden closures due to natural disasters or epidemics. In the other, we assessed studies published towards the end of the pandemic on the harm done to pupils.

Priorities for recovery

We wanted to know the key areas to focus on to help children recover from the disruption of lockdown. Our own research in schools arrived at similar answers to the review of research on school closures associated with natural disasters.

First, it is important to recognise the value of local knowledge. Recovery strategies that are decided without insight into the local context may be poorly designed and unable to address the actual issues facing particular schools.

Second, schools need to have the freedom to reset the pace at which the curriculum is taught, as both pupils and staff needed time to process what had happened during the pandemic. Rushing to catch up would prove counter-productive. And third, government responses need to make staff and pupil welfare a priority, and help repair wellbeing.

Our review of the evidence of harm to pupils, published as the pandemic ended, found negative effects on physical health and nutrition, mixed effects on mental health and uncertainty about effects on learning.

We saw how far the impact of COVID-19 on employment, and the prevalence of household bereavements, varied from place to place. We advised the Department for Education that insights from local communities were needed to help recovery, and that without them, centrally designed schemes might be unsuccessful.

But instead, the government focused its immediate efforts on a time-limited national tutoring programme, intended to counter “learning loss” – to help pupils recover the knowledge they missed out on learning during school closures and to close the attainment gap.

But the programme was poorly reviewed. Funding for tutors with no knowledge of the school or its pupils led to disappointing uptake and an early switch to a school-led funding route.

The government’s appointed “catch-up tsar”, Kevan Collins, resigned early on. He commented that the “support announced by government so far does not come close to meeting the scale of the challenge”. This has proved true.

Lasting consequences

Five years on, it is not in the areas of learning loss that the long-term effects are being most felt. Evidence of learning loss is mixed, with exam results showing near recovery to pre-pandemic standards.

Rather, it is the complex interactions between pupil absence and exclusions, the ongoing impacts on children with special educational needs and disabilities (as the strongest predictor of persistent absence) and the impacts on wellbeing that are most clearly indicative of an ongoing problem.

Children’s wellbeing should be a key focus of continuing pandemic recovery.
New Africa/Shutterstock

A recent report from the charities The Institute For Public Policy Research and The Difference has found that absence and suspensions are two-thirds higher in England than before the pandemic. The findings suggest that this is the “lost learning” we should be concerned about.

This has been compounded by a cost-of-living crisis that is deepening child poverty.

Schools need support to help get past the consequences of the pandemic. This means a better funding formula that resources them properly for what they do – including the role they play in addressing child poverty. Teachers’ expertise needs to be recognised, and they need to feel valued.

What’s more, the social value of primary school matters. It should not be seen only as preparation for an academic secondary school curriculum. Room for play, for physical activity, for arts and self-expression would greatly enrich this phase and set good foundations for the later years.

While it may be many years until we really understand what the pandemic meant for children, we can at least use what we know now to inform the long process of recovery.

Alice Bradbury receives funding from the Helen Hamlyn Trust which funds the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy at UCL. She has also received research funding from the Economic and Social Research Council and Department of Education/SAGE for the research discussed here. She is a member of the Labour Party and the Universities and College Union.

Gemma Moss receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council for the research discussed here.

Sinead Harmey receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council for the research discussed here.

– ref. Teachers knew what children needed to recover from the pandemic – but their insights were ignored – https://theconversation.com/teachers-knew-what-children-needed-to-recover-from-the-pandemic-but-their-insights-were-ignored-253181

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Israel allows a ‘limited’ amount of aid back into Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is desperate

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sarah Schiffling, Deputy Director of the HUMLOG (Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management Research) Institute, Hanken School of Economics

After 11 weeks of blockading the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the Israeli government asked the UN to resume “limited” aid deliveries on May 18. The move came amid growing international outrage over what the UN secretary-general, António Guterres, has called a “policy of siege and starvation” in Gaza that “makes a mockery of international law”.

Israel cleared nine aid trucks on Monday, May 19, only five of which entered Gaza. The Israeli military says closer to 100 trucks were inspected the following day. But, according to the UN, none of this aid has been distributed yet.

It also goes without saying that even 100 aid trucks per day will not satisfy the desperate needs of Gaza’s 2.1 million inhabitants. The British, French and Canadian leaders have criticised Israel’s decision to allow a “basic amount of food” to enter the territory as “wholly inadequate”.

The blockade has caused the already desperate humanitarian situation in Gaza to deteriorate further. Food security experts from the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification platform say the entire territory is now facing crisis levels of food insecurity, with 22% of the population at risk of starvation.

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The World Food Programme ran out of supplies in Gaza in late April. Other organisations have had the same problem. This has caused 60% of community kitchens, which many Gazans rely on for a daily meal, to close down. Many food items are now unavailable and diets are extremely limited, largely consisting of bread and pulses.

Prices of what little food is available have also skyrocketed. The price of wheat flour, for example, has risen by more than 4,000% since the start of the 11-week long blockade. And with 90% of households in Gaza experiencing financial hardship, it is impossible for many people to buy essentials.

Cooking oil is no longer available and firewood has become scarce. The majority of people now burn waste, making cooking unsafe and unhealthy. On top of this, the healthcare system is on the brink of collapse and access to clean drinking water is very limited.

At the same time, the efforts of humanitarian organisations to combat malnutrition have nearly come to a standstill because they lack necessary supplies. Malnutrition makes people more susceptible to disease.

Militarising aid delivery

The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said it was necessary to resume aid to Gaza because Israel’s allies would not tolerate “images of mass starvation”. The move has still been criticised by some Israeli politicians, with hardline defence minister Israel Katz calling it a “grave mistake”.

For now, aid will enter Gaza through established mechanisms. But the US and Israel are backing a proposal for a new aid delivery system involving private companies. The system will be managed by a newly formed independent American aid organisation called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which expects to become operational by the end of May.

The GHF plans to set up what it is calling “secure distribution sites” in southern and central Gaza. From these sites, it will distribute food, hygiene kits and medical supplies initially to 1.2 million people – eventually scaling-up operations to cover the whole population. The GHF says it will coordinate with the IDF but that its sites will be protected by private military contractors.

While the GHF claims to have secured funding and be in the process of procuring large amounts of goods, no details are currently available to the public on this massive undertaking. The plan has received widespread criticism and has been rejected by the UN.

The main criticism of the plan is that it violates so-called humanitarian principles. It is generally accepted that humanitarian action is based upon four main principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.

The principle of humanity states that suffering must be addressed wherever it is found, with a special focus on the most vulnerable people. Neutrality means that, in an armed conflict, humanitarian aid should not favour any side.

Impartiality requires that humanitarian aid is provided based solely on need without any discrimination. And independence means that humanitarian objectives should be autonomous of political, economic, military or other objectives.

Humanitarian bodies argue that the GHF’s plan does not stand up to these principles. It would force people to travel long distances to acquire heavy aid goods, so excludes those who are less mobile and more vulnerable.

Meanwhile, humanitarian organisations have rejected the plan as a “humanitarian cover for a military strategy of control and dispossession”. They have raised concerns that the limited number of food distribution sites, as well as their location, could encourage the forced displacement of Palestinians from northern Gaza.

Satellite images showing the construction of sites in Gaza that are expected to be used as aid distribution centres also suggest they will be close to Israeli military bases. While private security contractors will secure the distribution sites, the mere presence of military forces so close by may make people hesitant to approach for fear of being targeted.

UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations have refused to participate in the proposed plan. Any involvement with a plan that is allegedly aligned with Israel’s military strategy could undermine the ability of the UN to play a meaningful humanitarian role in Gaza in the future. And it would also be seen as an endorsement of the militarisation of aid delivery around the world.

As humanitarian experts point out, there is already an established system for providing aid to Gaza. Humanitarian organisations have the people, distribution networks and the necessary goods – 160,000 pallets full of them – in place. Almost 9,000 aid trucks are ready to be dispatched across the border as soon as Israel allows it.

During the ceasefire earlier in 2025, UN agencies and humanitarian organisations demonstrated how quickly they could scale-up a predictable and accountable delivery of aid to those in need all across Gaza. This can be done again.

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

– ref. Israel allows a ‘limited’ amount of aid back into Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is desperate – https://theconversation.com/israel-allows-a-limited-amount-of-aid-back-into-gaza-where-the-humanitarian-situation-is-desperate-257137

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Lilo & Stitch: can Disney’s latest live-action animation remake reignite interest in the genre after Snow White box-office disaster?

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura O’Flanagan, PhD Candidate, School of English, Dublin City University

Lilo & Stitch (2025) is another release in a long line of “reimaginings” of Disney animated features. Described as “live-action” they rework animations with humans and real-life settings (and the occasional animated character). These, for the most part, have been lucrative and successful for the studio. However, Disney’s mining of their own back catalogue has also yielded controversy and backlash.

Following the troubled release of Snow White earlier this year – a film that failed to recoup its $270m (£201m) budget – it was announced that the production of a live action version of Tangled had been put on hold. Could Lilo and Stitch reignite confidence in the commercial viability of Disney’s recent live-action trend?

The animated Lilo & Stitch (2002) was a hit when it was released, earning US$273m (£204m) at the box office on its $80m budget. Stitch has become a symbol of the Disney corporation in the decades since the film was released, rivalling Mickey Mouse himself as the Disney mascot most merchandised around the world.

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

The film seems like an obvious candidate for a live-action rendition. The trailers show Stitch unchanged. He is roguish, naughty, lovable, hilarious and full of personality. This begs the question: what is the point, then? The cynical response to this is lucrative merchandise. But cynicism has no place in Disney films, so let’s dive in.

The live-action Lilo & Stitch recreates a lot of the charm of the original animated film from 2002. Stitch (the original creator and voice, Chris Sanders) is a chaotic monster, who, when exiled from his home planet, escapes to Earth where he joins Lilo’s family in Hawaii.

Recently orphaned, six-year old Lilo (Maia Kealoha) and her older sister and guardian, Nani (Sydney Adugong) struggle to maintain family life, and face the prospect of being separated by a social worker (Tia Carrere). Stitch’s arrival creates new upheaval as Nani attempts to keep the family together.

The film’s strengths lie in the ways in which it echoes the original film. Hawaii’s beaches and surf are stunning onscreen, and an animated Stitch blends flawlessly with his real-life surroundings as he creates a whirlwind of mayhem everywhere he goes.

Newcomer Maia Kealoha shines as Lilo, and there is magic onscreen when she shares scenes with Stitch. Their adventures together possess an undeniable charm, representing the film’s most compelling and memorable moments. Children will be delighted by Stitch’s hilarious naughtiness, and his journey to understanding and acceptance is heartwarming and well-paced.

The threat of familial separation is portrayed as nuanced, complicated and less apocalyptic than in the original animated film. The social worker played by Tia Carrere (who voiced Nani in the animation) is a warm and empathetic presence, and her interactions with Nani have gravity and credibility.

Although this is a welcome change, these scenes lack the energy of the Lilo and Stitch hijinks. They do add a degree of depth, but ultimately slow the story down, making the emotional moments feel unearned and somewhat lacking.

The other central adults in the film, two alien hunters posing as humans played by Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnusson, feel out of place. The filmmakers’ decision to transform them from animated form into human form just doesn’t work in the world of the film. Their oafish and exaggerated physical performances are too jarring in a real-world setting, and would have been better remaining as vocal performances accompanying animation onscreen.

Their home planet, Planet Turo is spectacularly animated. Hannah Waddingham gives a wonderful vocal performance as the grand councilwoman and new a comedic character resembling a pink axolotl (an amphibious salamander), makes this film feel very of the moment, given the recent media interest in this strange little creature.

The film ultimately falls down in the final act as the strands of story come together in an overly complicated way. Changes to the ending create a sluggish finale which lacks the emotional payoff of the original.

Overall, though, the new Lilo and Stitch is a joyful summer adventure that offers plenty of fun for children. Every scene where Stitch is onscreen is delightful. A modern cinematic icon, he is largely unchanged from the original 2002 film. The film updates the original through masterful depiction of Stitch’s interactions with humans onscreen.

Stitch’s successes as a character in the original film are replicated here – his narrative arc, his design, his voice and his behaviour. The essence of what made Stitch an icon remains.

Where the film is lacking is in over-complication of plot. There’s nothing wrong with refreshing the plot, as long as the heart, pacing and charm of the original remain intact. Perhaps Disney should turn their focus to what audiences loved about the original films, and what made the stories and characters so memorable.

So, could the live-action Lilo and Stitch reignite confidence in this burgeoning genre? If Disney recognises that returning to source material with a modern touch means upholding the central elements key to these films’ enduring legacy, then maybe it can. Just don’t mention Snow White. And the merchandising opportunities can’t hurt them either.

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

– ref. Lilo & Stitch: can Disney’s latest live-action animation remake reignite interest in the genre after Snow White box-office disaster? – https://theconversation.com/lilo-and-stitch-can-disneys-latest-live-action-animation-remake-reignite-interest-in-the-genre-after-snow-white-box-office-disaster-257281

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Lilo & Stitch: can Disney’s latest live-action animation remake reignite interest in the genre after Snow White box-office disaster?

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Laura O’Flanagan, PhD Candidate, School of English, Dublin City University

Lilo & Stitch (2025) is another release in a long line of “reimaginings” of Disney animated features. Described as “live-action” they rework animations with humans and real-life settings (and the occasional animated character). These, for the most part, have been lucrative and successful for the studio. However, Disney’s mining of their own back catalogue has also yielded controversy and backlash.

Following the troubled release of Snow White earlier this year – a film that failed to recoup its $270m (£201m) budget – it was announced that the production of a live action version of Tangled had been put on hold. Could Lilo and Stitch reignite confidence in the commercial viability of Disney’s recent live-action trend?

The animated Lilo & Stitch (2002) was a hit when it was released, earning US$273m (£204m) at the box office on its $80m budget. Stitch has become a symbol of the Disney corporation in the decades since the film was released, rivalling Mickey Mouse himself as the Disney mascot most merchandised around the world.

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

The film seems like an obvious candidate for a live-action rendition. The trailers show Stitch unchanged. He is roguish, naughty, lovable, hilarious and full of personality. This begs the question: what is the point, then? The cynical response to this is lucrative merchandise. But cynicism has no place in Disney films, so let’s dive in.

The live-action Lilo & Stitch recreates a lot of the charm of the original animated film from 2002. Stitch (the original creator and voice, Chris Sanders) is a chaotic monster, who, when exiled from his home planet, escapes to Earth where he joins Lilo’s family in Hawaii.

Recently orphaned, six-year old Lilo (Maia Kealoha) and her older sister and guardian, Nani (Sydney Adugong) struggle to maintain family life, and face the prospect of being separated by a social worker (Tia Carrere). Stitch’s arrival creates new upheaval as Nani attempts to keep the family together.

The film’s strengths lie in the ways in which it echoes the original film. Hawaii’s beaches and surf are stunning onscreen, and an animated Stitch blends flawlessly with his real-life surroundings as he creates a whirlwind of mayhem everywhere he goes.

Newcomer Maia Kealoha shines as Lilo, and there is magic onscreen when she shares scenes with Stitch. Their adventures together possess an undeniable charm, representing the film’s most compelling and memorable moments. Children will be delighted by Stitch’s hilarious naughtiness, and his journey to understanding and acceptance is heartwarming and well-paced.

The threat of familial separation is portrayed as nuanced, complicated and less apocalyptic than in the original animated film. The social worker played by Tia Carrere (who voiced Nani in the animation) is a warm and empathetic presence, and her interactions with Nani have gravity and credibility.

Although this is a welcome change, these scenes lack the energy of the Lilo and Stitch hijinks. They do add a degree of depth, but ultimately slow the story down, making the emotional moments feel unearned and somewhat lacking.

The other central adults in the film, two alien hunters posing as humans played by Zach Galifianakis and Billy Magnusson, feel out of place. The filmmakers’ decision to transform them from animated form into human form just doesn’t work in the world of the film. Their oafish and exaggerated physical performances are too jarring in a real-world setting, and would have been better remaining as vocal performances accompanying animation onscreen.

Their home planet, Planet Turo is spectacularly animated. Hannah Waddingham gives a wonderful vocal performance as the grand councilwoman and new a comedic character resembling a pink axolotl (an amphibious salamander), makes this film feel very of the moment, given the recent media interest in this strange little creature.

The film ultimately falls down in the final act as the strands of story come together in an overly complicated way. Changes to the ending create a sluggish finale which lacks the emotional payoff of the original.

Overall, though, the new Lilo and Stitch is a joyful summer adventure that offers plenty of fun for children. Every scene where Stitch is onscreen is delightful. A modern cinematic icon, he is largely unchanged from the original 2002 film. The film updates the original through masterful depiction of Stitch’s interactions with humans onscreen.

Stitch’s successes as a character in the original film are replicated here – his narrative arc, his design, his voice and his behaviour. The essence of what made Stitch an icon remains.

Where the film is lacking is in over-complication of plot. There’s nothing wrong with refreshing the plot, as long as the heart, pacing and charm of the original remain intact. Perhaps Disney should turn their focus to what audiences loved about the original films, and what made the stories and characters so memorable.

So, could the live-action Lilo and Stitch reignite confidence in this burgeoning genre? If Disney recognises that returning to source material with a modern touch means upholding the central elements key to these films’ enduring legacy, then maybe it can. Just don’t mention Snow White. And the merchandising opportunities can’t hurt them either.

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

– ref. Lilo & Stitch: can Disney’s latest live-action animation remake reignite interest in the genre after Snow White box-office disaster? – https://theconversation.com/lilo-and-stitch-can-disneys-latest-live-action-animation-remake-reignite-interest-in-the-genre-after-snow-white-box-office-disaster-257281

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Did humans evolve to prefer religion? Research shows many atheists intuitively favour faith

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Will Gervais, Reader in Psychology, Brunel University of London

Wikipedia, CC BY-SA

Many atheists consider themselves to be highly rational people who rate evidence and analytical thinking above religion, superstition and intuition. They might even argue that atheism is the most rational worldview.

But that doesn’t make them immune to having intuitive beliefs themselves. Science suggests the link between rationality and atheism is far weaker than is often assumed.

A study my colleagues and I conducted, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that even avowed atheists in some of the most secular countries on Earth might intuitively prefer religion to atheism. We argue this new evidence challenges simplistic notions of global religious decline and the beginning of an “atheist age”.

In his 2007 book, Breaking the Spell, the philosopher Daniel Dennett speculated that, although atheists lack belief in god(s), many of them may retain what he dubbed “belief in belief”. This is the impression that religious belief is a good thing, and the world would be better off with more of it.

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

But is this true? Our research investigated belief in belief among around 3,800 people in eight of the world’s least religious countries: Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Vietnam. To test for belief in belief, we turned to the “Knobe effect”, a task honed by experimental philosophers for evaluating judgements of morality and intent.

The classic Knobe effect demonstration goes something like this. Imagine a CEO mulling a new policy for their company that will increase revenue, but will also harm the environment. The CEO declares that they don’t care one way or another about the environment, they care only for the bottom line. They adopt the policy, money is made, environmental harm occurs. Here’s the crucial question: did the CEO intentionally harm the environment?

Most people (upwards of 80% in Knobe’s first demonstration) report that the CEO did, in fact, intentionally harm the environment. However, if people receive an identical vignette in which the environment is incidentally helped rather than harmed, people’s intuitions entirely reverse, with only around 20% of people thinking the CEO intended to help.

This reveals a stark asymmetry, whereby people intuitively feel that harmful side effects are intentionally caused, whereas helpful ones are not.

We presented participants with a modified Knobe effect vignette in which a journalist publishes a story that sells a lot of papers. The story either leads to more atheism in the world, or to more religious faith. Crucially, we asked our participants to rate whether the ensuing religious shifts were intentionally caused by the journalist.

Vignettes used in experiment.
Author, CC BY-SA

So, would our participants view increasing societal atheism as more intentionally caused (like harming the environment) or incidental (like helping the environment)?

Overall, our participants’ odds of rating the religious outcome as intentionally caused were about 40% higher when the news story created more atheists, as opposed to more believers. This effect persisted across most countries in our sample, and was even evident among participants who were themselves atheists.

People are more likely to judge that a news story intentionally created atheists (purple) than believers (turquoise)
Author, CC BY-SA

Participants in the original Knobe effect studies viewed environmental pollution as an intentionally caused insult. Our participants intuitively viewed creating more atheists as similarly intentionally caused – a spiritual rather than environmental pollution, perhaps.

This sounds a lot like belief in belief. Dennett illustrated this as suggesting “belief in God is a good state of affairs, something to be strongly encouraged and fostered wherever possible: If only belief in God were more widespread!”

Why might intuitions favouring religion persist among atheists in some of the world’s least religious societies?

10,000+ years of religion

Over the past few decades, markers of religious commitment – self-reported religious attendance, belief in god(s), private prayer – have steadily declined in some parts of the world. This rapid secularisation stands against a backdrop of more than 10,000 years of potent religious influence.

My recent book Disbelief: The Origins of Atheism in a Religious Species asks how a species as historically religious as Homo sapiens could nonetheless have rising numbers of atheists. It ultimately provides important context for our new study’s results.

A consideration of religion’s deep history gives us hints as to why belief in belief might exist among atheists in secular countries today. One prominent theory holds that religions may have helped unlock our species’ cooperative potential, allowing us to expand from our humble origins to become our planet’s dominant species.

As religions reshaped our lives to boost cooperation, people increasingly came to view religion and morality as largely synonymous. Over cultural evolutionary time, the association between religious belief and moral goodness has become deeply culturally ingrained. This has left its trace on individual intuitions – as illustrated in the recent study by me and my co-authors and those by other researchers.

Because religions have exerted tremendous influence on our societies for millennia, it would be genuinely surprising if some latent religious trace didn’t culturally linger as overt expressions of faith decline. Our newest results are consistent with this possibility.

Belief may be wavering in many countries, but belief in belief persists, complicating any conclusion that we’ve truly entered an “atheist age”.

Will Gervais has received funding from various organizations over the years, including The Leverhulme Trust and the John Templeton Foundation

– ref. Did humans evolve to prefer religion? Research shows many atheists intuitively favour faith – https://theconversation.com/did-humans-evolve-to-prefer-religion-research-shows-many-atheists-intuitively-favour-faith-256391

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Why the UK government is opposing universities on immigration

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Chris Millward, Professor of Practice in Education Policy, University of Birmingham

PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

The UK government has announced its plans for controlling immigration, and these include new rules for international students.

The recent white paper on immigration proposes that most graduates will be allowed to stay in the UK for 18 months after their course finishes. This is six months less than currently permitted.

There will be a higher bar for universities to sponsor visas, excluding those universities at which higher numbers of students fail to complete their courses. The white paper also proposes a 6% levy on universities’ income from international students.

Universities think these changes will worsen their financial problems. However, this appears less important to the government than controlling immigration.

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Universities are one of the UK’s strongest global assets, generating influence alongside export income. After the general election last year, science minister Peter Kyle vowed Labour would end what he termed the “war on universities” conducted by the previous Conservative government. That included a more welcoming approach to international students.

One reason for the change in tone and policy signalled by the white paper is common to other popular destinations for international students: the rise of nationalist parties opposed to immigration. But there is another reason specific to the UK, which is the government’s aim to reform higher education.

Politics and immigration

Two weeks before the release of the immigration white paper, the Reform party secured control of ten local authorities across England, winning 677 seats. The party’s rising popularity will be of increasing concern to the Labour government.

Reform is concerned about the effects of immigration on communities and wages. This affects international students because they figure within immigration statistics and increasingly stay for work.

Like nationalist and anti-immigration parties in other countries, Reform also gains more support from voters without a university degree.

In the US and Netherlands, similar movements have taken steps to reduce university funding and international students once in power. But these policies are not confined to nationalist parties.

Canada and Australia’s Liberal and Labour governments also signalled caps on international student recruitment before their re-election earlier this year.

This appears to be the strategy adopted by the UK’s Labour party – that it wants to assure voters who are more concerned about immigration than university finances.

Higher education policy

Alongside this, the government thinks employers are too reliant on migrant labour, and universities on international students. It wants them to focus more on developing the UK workforce. That requires employers to invest in skills development, and universities to provide courses that build crucial capabilities for the future.

The white paper states that “at a time when skills matter more than ever to the economy and people’s employment prospects, there has been a long-term lack of coordination or investment to deliver the skills and capabilities our economy needs”.

In England, coordinated higher education investment is difficult because most government funding is routed through loans to students. This encourages universities to meet demand from young people, which does not necessarily align with economic and public service priorities.

After years of anaemic economic and productivity growth but repeated increases to the minimum wage, one-tenth of graduates now earn little more than that threshold.

Higher education policy is increasingly focused on key skills.
goodluz/Shutterstock

In response, the last government encouraged young people to take apprenticeships rather than university degrees. It also allowed student maintenance loans and fees to decline in value in real terms.

Universities filled the gap in their income with international students – particularly one-year taught postgraduates from Nigeria and India who often bring family members then stay for work. This made universities reliant on short-term income, while increasing immigration statistics.

Changes to family visa rules, combined with a global economic downturn and geopolitical tensions, have led universities to forecast a 21% reduction in new international student entrants this year. And 44% of universities are expecting to be in financial deficit.

Unlike its predecessor, the government accepts that UK student fees should increase with inflation, so has allowed this for the first time since 2017. But it wants a change from universities in return. Rather than relying on international students, they should make efficiencies and focus on courses that align with government priorities.

In a system mostly financed by student fees, there are few levers for influencing this. The Office for Students, which regulates higher education, has been asked to focus on managing quality and financial risks rather than policy.

Its funding for strategic priorities has been reduced. There are, though, three measures highlighted within the white paper that could become influential.

First, the government is reforming the apprenticeships levy, so it can be used more flexibly for workforce development priorities. Second, the tightening of sponsorship rules aims to drive international recruitment towards courses supplying the highest levels of skills and knowledge. Third, the proposed levy on international student income equips the government to invest in priority courses, rather than relying on student choice.

The first measure is already being implemented. A new organisation, Skills England, has been established to determine priorities for investment.

This may include funds from the proposed levy on international student income, though the precedent of Australia suggests that may be difficult. Regardless, there is a mood in government for higher education reform.

Chris Millward is a member of staff at the University of Birmingham. He is also a board member of MEDR, the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research in Wales, and a Trustee of the Academy of Social Sciences. All of these organisations are affected by the issues addressed in this article.

– ref. Why the UK government is opposing universities on immigration – https://theconversation.com/why-the-uk-government-is-opposing-universities-on-immigration-256526

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 22, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre explores what its like being human in relation to other human beings

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Leigh Wilson, Professor of English Literature, University of Westminster

The French writer Anne Serre has been very clear in interviews that she has no truck with a type of fiction that is fashionable in the UK at the moment. Readers drawn to fiction that blurs the line with autobiography – what Serre calls “the story of someone’s life, or of an episode in that life, passing itself off as a novel” – are, in her view, being “sold a lemon”.

She is clear, too, about her reason: “The whole point of a novel should be that we don’t know who is speaking.” This seemingly simple claim undoes so much new fiction in English – fiction as memoir, fiction in the first person, autofiction in which you always know who is speaking.

This feeling of Serre’s also underpins and invigorates A Leopard-Skin Hat, her fourth work, which has been translated by Mark Hutchinson and was nominated for the International Booker prize.

Published in France in 2008 as Un chapeau léopard, A Leopard-Skin Hat is a novel about a friendship between its protagonists, a woman called Fanny and a man known throughout only as “the Narrator”. However, while he is a writer, he is not the narrator of this novel.

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The narrator of A Leopard-Skin Hat is not named, although they do sometimes refer to themselves as “I”. Other than this, they are a mystery. What they tell us, though, is the story of Fanny and the Narrator’s friendship over 20 years, years during which the Narrator sees Fanny gradually lose the fight against madness (the novel’s word) and, in the end, death.

We know early on that Fanny will die at the age of 43, that isn’t a mystery, but what the novel centres on is how mysterious others are to us, and how we narrate to try to understand people who are not us, but whom we love.

What is most extraordinary about Serre’s novel is the way it shows us two friends doing very ordinary things – going out for dinner, going on holiday, walking in the countryside and swimming in lakes – but shows us through this the strangeness and complexity of friendship, love and of life.

It’s not just the mysterious narrator, though, that distinguishes Serre’s novel from so many of the orthodoxies of contemporary fiction in English. Against the advice of every creative writing course, A Leopord-Skin Hat tells rather than shows.

It is largely written in the tense that in English is known as the past habitual, which uses the conditional or a description of what used to happen. What the narrator tells us is hardly ever rooted in “scenes”, where we enter into the present of the world of the novel and listen to characters talking to each other. Describing Fanny’s pilfering of the titular leopard-skin hat, for example, we are told: “She would tell you about the theft with the amused and somewhat shamefaced air of a little girl and, were she to put on the hat, would resemble the woman she might have been”.

There is no dialogue in the novel until the last two pages. Its use of the past habitual and the almost absence of dialogue could make for a coolness or a lack of emotional engagement, but its effect is the opposite.

The narrative position is not tricksy. Actually, the best writing that experiments with narrative position – from Virginia Woolf, through W.G. Sebald to Lucy Ellman’s Ducks, Newburyport – does so in order to represent as faithfully as possible what it is like to be a human being in relation to other human beings. At the centre of such experiments is the question, how can we know other people?

While Fanny’s death is the melancholy heart of the novel, in its final, amazing chapter – which switches from the past habitual to the present tense – the narrator recounts Fanny’s experiences after death, as the narrator character cannot, and as only the unknown narrators of novels can. As she ascends into the sky, Fanny becomes Fanny:

Here she is, then, continuing her ascent, her hand still on her head, her blue eyes wide open and inhabited at last. Inhabited by someone who nobody ever saw on earth, I can assure you. Someone not unlike the woman in the leopard-skin hat, only better; less mysterious, fully present from head to toe. For the first time in I don’t know how long, Fanny is once again the woman she used to be.

The unknown narrators of novels can tell us who other people really are; we can never know that ourselves. All we can do is read novels and love those other people anyway.

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

– ref. A Leopard-Skin Hat by Anne Serre explores what its like being human in relation to other human beings – https://theconversation.com/a-leopard-skin-hat-by-anne-serre-explores-what-its-like-being-human-in-relation-to-other-human-beings-257167

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

May 22, 2025