NewzIntel.com

Category: DJF

  • MIL-OSI USA: Letlow Honors LSU Baseball on Floor of U.S. House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-05)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Louisiana Congresswoman Julia Letlow honored LSU’s national champion baseball team on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

    On Sunday LSU captured their eighth NCAA Division I baseball title, capping off a 53-win season with an undefeated College World Series run. Letlow’s 5th Congressional District includes LSU’s campus.

    To see a full video of Congresswoman Letlow’s remarks, click HERE. A full transcript can be found below.

    Congresswoman Letlow Remarks:

    I rise to congratulate the Louisiana State University baseball team for taking home their eighth national title.

    Under the leadership of Coach Jay Johnson, LSU captured their second title in three years. The Tigers triumphed through their championship season with 53 wins and an undefeated College World Series.

    Coach Johnson and his team exemplified excellence on and off the field, making Louisiana proud of not only their athleticism – but also their upstanding character and service to the Baton Rouge community. 

    As LSU’s representative in Congress, I joined my constituents in following the team’s journey to yet another championship. 

    ESPN this week referred to LSU as the “Greatest Ever College Baseball Program.” I couldn’t agree more!

    This victory wasn’t just about raising the trophy at the end. It was a testament to the resilient, winning spirit of our state. 

    To the players, coaches, and staff: thank you for inspiring a new generation of Tigers to dream big. And thank you for representing Louisiana with honor on the national stage.

    Congratulations and Geaux Tigers!
                                                                          ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Message by Minister Guilbeault to Canadians on Canada Day 2025

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    OTTAWA, June 26, 2025

    In just a few days, Canada will mark the 158th anniversary of our Confederation. This day is an occasion for all Canadians to celebrate who we are with pride and conviction, as well as to look back on our shared history with reflection, and to the future with hope and determination.

    This year, more than ever, Canada Day holds special meaning. Over the past few months, we have seen Canadians come together in a tremendous display of unity. Whether by buying Canadian, exploring our country, cheering on our sports teams, or celebrating our artists, Canadians have shown inspiring solidarity.

    This July 1, it is your day, Canada. I invite all Canadians to experience a 100% Canadian day—celebrating with family and friends and taking part in the festivities and free activities organized in their communities all across the country!

    Wherever you are, don’t miss out:

    • Experience the highlights of the day: Watch the national noon ceremony and national evening show live on CBC and Radio-Canada platforms, or join the celebrations in person at LeBreton Flats Park in Ottawa—or on giant screens on Parliament Hill and in front of the Supreme Court of Canada.
    • Enjoy free activities across the country: From four official sites in Ottawa–Gatineau to hundreds of venues all across Canada!
    • Take part in the O Canada! Station initiative: Until July 2, share what makes you proud to be Canadian by recording a short video for a chance to win one of two unforgettable VIA Rail trips, valued at up to $15,000 each.
    • Immerse yourself in Canadian music: Listen to the Official Canada Day Playlist featuring the incredible Canadian artists performing this year.
    • Be part of the conversation: Share your Canada Day pride with the hashtag #CanadaDay.
    • Celebrate all summer long: Keep choosing Canada with the Canada Strong Pass, offering discounts and free access to some of our country’s most iconic destinations and experiences.

    Visit the Canada Day website for all the details.

    On July 1, let’s come together—our hearts, our voices and our energy—to celebrate all that it means to be Canadian.

    Happy Canada Day, Canada!

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Guthrie Votes to Fully Fund Department of Veterans Affairs and Support Military Infrastructure Projects

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brett Guthrie (2nd District Kentucky)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Guthrie (KY-02) issued the following statement following the House passage of H.R. 3944, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2026 yesterday evening.

    “Our nation owes a true debt of gratitude for those who have chosen to serve our nation in uniform. Last night, the House took a step to ensure that our veterans have access to the benefits that are owed to them and that our active duty servicemembers have the highest quality facilities to support their mission,” said Congressman Guthrie. “This legislation also includes significant funding to upgrade existing infrastructure at Fort Knox, ensuring local soldiers are in the best possible position to carry out their duties in Kentucky and beyond.”

    Specific information about the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2026, before adoption of amendments, can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Allen Introduces the Employee Rights Act of 2025

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Rick Allen (R-GA-12)

    Today, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions (HELP), introduced the Employee Rights Act of 2025 (ERA). This legislation seeks to modernize outdated federal labor laws to meet the needs of today’s workers.

    The ERA represents the Republican vision for the future of the American workforce—promoting growth, freedom, and innovation—while also ensuring our laws protect workers and guarantees unions are acting in the best interest of union members. After introducing the bill, Congressman Allen issued the statement below:

    “Following a four-year assault on workers’ choices and freedoms under the Biden-Harris Administration, the Employee Rights Act puts 21st-century workers first by advancing commonsense labor policies,” said Congressman Allen. “To rebuild a vibrant, pro-growth economy, Congress must empower workers to achieve the American Dream through a variety of innovative pathways, not limit their choices with burdensome regulations and policymaking. I am grateful for Chairman Walberg’s support of this legislation to modernize our outdated labor laws and put the American worker back in the driver’s seat.”

    “With Republicans leading the way, our economy is booming like never before—but our federal labor laws are stuck in the past,” said Chairman Walberg. “After years of Biden-Harris efforts to manipulate labor laws to favor activists and union leaders, we need updated policies that protect workers’ independence and interests in today’s evolving workforce. The Employee Rights Act is another strong step in reversing policies that undermine workers’ independence and fail to hold union leadership accountable to their members. I will always support giving workers the right to choose their own path to success.”

    “The Employee Rights Act is the most comprehensive labor legislation of this Congress, from protecting the secret ballot and unionization elections, to safeguarding workers from harassment and protecting their privacy, to putting workers in control of their own destiny. It truly puts the American worker first. We applaud Representative Allen for his steadfast leadership and support of worker freedom,” said F. Vincent Vernuccio, President of the Institute for the American Worker.

    To read the full bill text, CLICK HERE.
    To read a one-pager on the bill, CLICK HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PRESS RELEASE: Reps. Barragán and Lofgren Lead Democrats’ Response to Rep. Kim’s Distorted, Partisan Resolution Regarding Trump’s Authoritarian Response to the LA Protests

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    June 25, 2025

    Contact: Jin.Choi@mail.house.gov

    Reps. Barragán and Lofgren Lead Democrats’ Response to Rep. Kim’s Distorted, Partisan Resolution Regarding Trump’s Authoritarian Response to the LA Protests 

    Washington, D.C. —  Today, Representatives Nanette Barragán (CA-44) and Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation, led Democrats in introducing a resolution to condemn Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard and Marines during the LA protests, while reaffirming support for state and local law enforcement and the people’s First Amendment right to peacefully protest. This resolution provides a fact-based response to Representative Young Kim’s distorted, partisan, and misleading resolution that House Republican leadership will have the House vote on later this week. 

    Rather than working on a bipartisan basis to condemn violence, defend the peaceful expression of First Amendment rights, and thank members of law enforcement, Rep. Kim’s resolution instead falsely claims that violence was widespread across LA and that California’s leadership has “prioritized protecting illegal immigrants and violent individuals over United States citizens” among other highly partisan claims. 

    In contrast, the Barragán-Lofgren resolution accurately notes that violence in LA was limited and under control by local and state law enforcement. When communities exercised their First Amendment right to assemble and protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids, President Trump wrongfully deployed the National Guard and active-duty members of the U.S. Marine Corps in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act and without the consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom or local officials. Democrats’ resolution commends the state and local law enforcement officers who have worked to protect public safety and maintain peace, supports Americans’ right to protest peacefully, condemns acts of violence, and supports the military servicemembers in the Marines and National Guard while objecting to their current deployment to Los Angeles County. 

    “Our communities have been terrorized by Donald Trump and Stephen Miller’s indiscriminate mass deportation ICE operations — in response, people spoke up and protested to express their fear, anger, and anxiety,” said Rep. Nanette Barragán. “State and local law enforcement had the situation under control and the Trump Administration intentionally escalated the situation when they deployed troops into Los Angeles. Our resolution makes clear that we will not stand by while the federal government tries to intimidate Californians into silence through a show of military force. We must protect the right to protest, condemn violence, and reject authoritarian tactics that have no place in America.”

    “Rep. Kim’s resolution regarding the L.A. protests is not just misguided, inaccurate, and disingenuous: it’s dangerous,” said Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation. “President Trump’s deployment of Marines and the National Guard in response to largely peaceful protests was unprecedented and wrong. Trump’s refusal to coordinate with state and local officials in deploying active-duty troops also put both protestors and state and local law enforcement officers at risk. House Republicans should be conducting vigorous oversight of the shocking deployment of servicemembers – a blatant attempt to take over states’ law enforcement responsibility – not reflexively jumping to providing justification for Trump to send troops into other communities or defending his dangerous attempt to squash constitutionally-protected dissent.”

    “Communities throughout California have been upended by ICE raids where masked ICE agents are using excessive force to go after people without probable cause. People want safer communities, not to see elementary school students and sick people at hospitals deported without due process. Instead of deescalating violence, Trump has fomented it. By deploying Marines and the National Guard against protestors in LA, Trump exacerbated a situation that local officials had under control. The resolution introduced by Rep. Kim does not accurately state the facts of the situation and instead falsely lays blame on Californians for Trump’s escalatory actions. By introducing a resolution with the correct facts, Democrats are standing up for Californians, including our law enforcement officials, who have been repeatedly demonized by partisan hacks looking to score cheap political points,” said Rep. Lieu. 

     “There was only one reason Trump deployed the National Guard and Marines in Los Angeles: to launch his pathetic, made-for-TV reality show to justify his authoritarian crackdowns and cruel ICE raids,” said Rep. Kamalger-Dove. “But Angelenos know our city is not on fire.  We see right through the reality TV president’s theatrics that are meant to distract from this Administration’s tanking of our economy, devastating cuts to Medicaid, and the brutality and inhumanity of its mass deportations. If you pan away from the set, you won’t see Trump’s toy soldiers or violence, but real people hurting from his policies. Let’s focus the camera back on that.”

    “The Trump Administration is using our military service members as political pawns to create a false narrative of uncontrolled violence, trample on legal precedent, and perpetuate fear and hate in our communities,” said Rep. Cisneros. “Last week, I led a letter with over 34 of my colleagues demanding that the President withdraw troops from L.A. and allow our local officials and law enforcement to do their jobs.  I’m proud to join California Democrats in demanding answers from the Administration.”

    “As a proud born-and-raised Angeleno, Los Angeles will always be home. The Republican resolution we are voting on this week is a distorted and inaccurate attack on Los Angeles and our great state,” said Congresswoman Luz Rivas. “I thank Representatives Barragan and Lofgren for leading our California colleagues in introducing this resolution that reaffirms our support for peaceful protest and condemns President Trump’s mobilization of the National Guard and Marines on American soil. The President’s unprovoked and politically-motivated escalation of our military sowed more chaos and harm across our communities. My California House Democratic Caucus colleagues will continue to support the Constitutional right to peacefully protest the Trump Administration’s heartless immigration agenda while also swiftly condemning any acts of violence. Our Republican colleagues – especially our California Republican colleagues – need to do the same.”

    “Trump’s deployment of Marines to Los Angeles was a dangerous overreach that bypassed both state and local authority. We all condemn violence. Californians have a right to protest peacefully — and the Governor’s office assured me that local law enforcement had the capacity to get the situation under control,” said Congresswoman Laura Friedman (CA-30). “The Republican resolution isn’t about safety — it’s political theater aimed at stripping Americans of their rights. Instead of targeting violent criminals, Trump is going after hardworking community members and using military force to intimidate dissent. Our resolution makes clear: we won’t let fear or federal overreach silence Californians exercising their constitutional rights.”

    “This week, Republicans are forcing a vote on a partisan resolution to legitimize Trump’s unacceptable attacks on our community in Los Angeles and to excuse his warrantless mass ICE raids, his takeover of our National Guard, and his deployment of U.S. Marines on the streets of Southern California. This is just wrong. I’m proud to instead join my California Democratic colleagues in introducing this resolution to stand up to Trump’s attacks on California, defend our constitutional rights to due process and free expression, and thank the state and local law enforcement officers who have worked to protect public safety and prosecute those committing acts of violence and vandalism,” said Rep. Chu.

    The resolution is cosponsored by: Reps. Aguilar, Bera, Brownley, Bynum, Carbajal, T. Carter, Chu, Cisneros, Correa, Costa, Dean, DelBene, DeSaulnier, Doggett, Espaillat, Friedman, Garamendi, R. Garcia, S. Garcia, J. Gomez, Gray, J. Hayes, Huffman, Ivey, Jacobs, Hank Johnson, Kamlager-Dove, T. Kennedy, Khanna, Landsman, Larsen, Latimer, Leger Fernandez, Levin, Liccardo, Lieu, Lofgren, Matsui, McCollum, Min, Morelle, Mullin, Panetta, Pelosi, Peters, Pettersen, Rivas, Ross, Ruiz, Salinas, L. Sanchez, Sherman, Simon, Swalwell, Takano, Thanedar, Thompson, N. Torres, Tran, Vargas, Waters, Whitesides. 

    The text of the resolution can be found HERE. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Frontex hosts the Annual European Coast Guard Event 2025 in Gdańsk

    Source: Frontex

    Gdańsk, 24–26 June 2025 – Over 100 coast guard experts and decision-makers from across Europe gathered in Gdańsk for the 8th Annual European Coast Guard Event, hosted by Frontex in partnership with the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) and European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). Held under the Tripartite Working Arrangement, the event provided a space for open dialogue, fresh ideas, and closer cooperation between EU agencies and national maritime authorities.

    This year’s edition focused on strengthening interagency services and building more effective partnerships to respond to shared challenges at sea.

    Deep dive into Multipurpose Maritime Operations

    AECGE 2025 was fully dedicated to Multipurpose Maritime Operations (MMOs) – the flagship operational model for joint EU agencies–Member States coast guard cooperation. Since 2019, a total of 16 such operations have taken place in key European maritime basins. Just days before the event, MMO Baltic Sea 2025 operation was launched, bringing together seven Member States and showing how far tripartite cooperation has come, in both scale and ambition.

    MMOs are increasingly recognised by the Member States as valuable operational instruments, particularly in the current dynamic geopolitical landscape and in light of emerging maritime risks. They support joint situational awareness, cross-sector response capabilities, and operational solidarity across borders. The European Union Maritime Security Strategy (EUMSS) identifies the MMO model as a reliable tool for fostering interoperability – especially relevant in addressing complex, evolving threats.

    Participants took part in hands-on breakout sessions aimed at shaping the future of multipurpose operations. Together, they explored how to: 

    •  Bring more countries and authorities into the fold

    •  Improve planning and coordination between agencies

    •  Boost participation in joint trainings and exercises

    •  Tailor the length and scope of future operations to real-world needs

    MME BRACE 2025: Joint exercise in the Bay of Gdańsk

    On the second day of the event, theory met practice with the execution of MME BRACE 2025, a Multipurpose Maritime Exercise held in the Bay of Gdańsk. The exercise was developed and coordinated by Frontex and the Kashubian Border Guard Squadron of the Polish Maritime Border Guard, with participation from EFCA, EMSA, and other national maritime authorities.

    Under the leadership of Frontex, MME BRACE 2025 brought together Poland’s Border Guard, search and rescue, fisheries, and maritime security communities, along with operational experts from EU agencies. The drill tested real-time coordination in complex scenarios involving several coast guard functions.

    It demonstrated the MMO concept’s potential to strengthen joint response capabilities, interoperability, and cross-sectoral trust between EU and national actors.

    Celebrating cooperation, shaping the future

    AECGE 2025 also marked the 20th anniversaries of Frontex and EFCA, highlighting two decades of service in support of Europe’s coast guard authorities.

    An official handover of the TWA chairmanship from Frontex to EMSA took place at the historical Ziółkowski Pier, underscoring the agencies’ shared commitment to continuity and operational excellence.

    MMOs remain a cornerstone of EU-level support for the Member States in the maritime domain. Under the Tripartite Working Arrangement, Frontex, EFCA, and EMSA reaffirmed their joint commitment to a more safe, secure, and sustainable maritime environment.

    In a world of fast-moving changes and growing complexity, unity remains our greatest strength. In line with the event’s motto – Together we navigate tomorrow – it is the spirit of cooperation that allows us to anticipate challenges, act with confidence, and navigate safely, whatever the future may hold.   

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Veteran Services Department Congratulates Local 1125 Retiree on VA Accreditation

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM Local 1125 (District 725) member Bob Svenson recently received his long awaited notice that he has cleared the bar and is now a fully accredited Veterans Administration claims representative. He is now able to represent veterans seeking help with VA claims.

    The status is hard to achieve because it allows these representatives to act much like an attorney, representing veterans in the claims process, and more.  

    “Many times the VA will come back and say your condition is not service connected and the veteran will just walk away,” said Svenson, a disabled U.S. Navy veteran. “Maybe one percent of those people will say, ‘Nope,’ and they’ll fight for it. I want to help everyone fight to get what they deserve.”

    “Bob fought hard for this accreditation and the VA does not make it easy because it’s a very serious process when processing benefits from the VA,” said IAM Assistant Veterans Services Coordinator Bryan Stymacks. “He was banging on doors and making calls to people that could push the VA to act on his application. It takes three to five years sometimes to get through the process to be accredited.”

    The IAM Union launched its Veterans Services Program in January 2021 with one accredited VA claims representative. So far, that representative, IAM Veterans Services Coordinator Rich Evans, has successfully gained more than $406,000 in monthly benefit increases, providing ongoing support to veterans and their 155 spouses and 259 children. The cumulative total of backpay recovered since the start of the program now stands at nearly $3.6 million.

    “I sought accreditation on my own from the VA in 2016 and I know how hard it is to fight within the VA system”, said Evans. “So now there are two accredited claims representatives within the IAM Veterans Services Program, and we could probably use about 20.”

    The IAM offers representation to IAM members and their families free of charge. Also the first labor organization to be recognized by the VA as a Veterans Service Organization (VSO), much like the DAV and American Legion.  Accredited representatives can demand thousands of dollars to help with a claim, but the IAM views the representation as a guaranteed benefit of IAM membership.

    The IAM Veterans Services Department continues to grow and and expand its services to military veteran members, many of whom do not realize that benefits like VA Healthcare can work as a supplement to other health insurance, reducing the out of pocket costs for healthcare for the veteran and enrolling the veteran in the proper programs as they become eligible for Medicare at retirement age. You can find out more here: IAM Veterans Services Intake Form

    “I have three sets of families; my family that’s blood, my next family is my union family, and then it’s my military,” said Svenson. “I don’t care where on the spectrum they are, those are my families – you don’t mess with them.”

    Svenson has been a member of the IAM Veterans Steering Committee since he attended the first veteran’s service training course at the Winpisinger Center in 2020. He is very active in the veterans councils in the western United States, and is based in San Diego with several roles at Local 1125.

    The post IAM Veteran Services Department Congratulates Local 1125 Retiree on VA Accreditation appeared first on IAM Union.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Update 298 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

    Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) remains reliant on one single off-site power line to receive the external electricity it needs to cool its six reactors and their spent fuel, some seven weeks after it lost the connection to its last back-up power line, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.

    “The extremely fragile external power situation as well as challenges related to the availability of cooling water after the Kakhovka dam was destroyed two years ago underline the fact that nuclear safety remains highly precarious at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. There are many important issues that must be addressed before it will be feasible to restart the plant,” Director General Grossi said.

    The 330 kilovolt (kV) power line was disconnected on 7 May due to military activities some distance away from the ZNPP, leaving Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP) dependent on one 750 kV line. Before the conflict, it had access to ten off-site power lines. Its six reactors have been in cold shutdown since 2024, but still require cooling water for their reactor cores.

    Almost every day over the past week, the IAEA team based at the ZNPP has continued to hear explosions at various distances away from the site, a constant reminder of the close proximity to the frontline of the conflict.

    The IAEA team has continued to conduct walkdowns across the site as part of the Agency’s mission to monitor and assess nuclear safety and security there.

    Elsewhere in Ukraine, the IAEA teams at Ukraine’s three operating NPPs – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and the South Ukraine – and the Chornobyl site reported hearing air-raid alarms over the past week. The teams at the Chornobyl site and the Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs have all rotated in recent days. Early on 21 June, the IAEA team at the South Ukraine NPP observed a drone around one kilometre from their hotel.

    Two new deliveries of equipment have taken place under the IAEA’s comprehensive assistance programme for nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, bringing the total number of such shipments to 142 since the start of the armed conflict.

    The State Enterprise Ukrainian Geological Company received portable radiation detection and monitoring devices within the framework of the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to the Kherson Oblast (ISAMKO) programme in response to flooding caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in mid-2023. The two deliveries were supported with funds from Japan.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Defense Ministry Opposes Using China as Pretext for NATO Expanding East

    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, June 26 (Xinhua) — Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang on Thursday strongly objected to NATO using China as a pretext for “expanding eastward into the Asia-Pacific region.”

    He made this statement at a press briefing, commenting on recent statements by the NATO Secretary General.

    Zhang Xiaogang noted that China has consistently followed the path of peaceful development and pursued a defense policy that is defensive in nature.

    China’s development of military potential is aimed solely at protecting its sovereignty, security and development interests, Zhang Xiaogang emphasized, adding that China’s cooperation with Russia is not directed against third parties, but at the same time does not accept the interference and influence of third parties.

    NATO, on the other hand, is engaged in instigation and fanning flames in various parts of the world to create unrest and provoke wars, thereby living up to its nickname of “war machine,” a senior Chinese military official said.

    In recent years, NATO has expanded its powers and authority beyond the geographical boundaries stipulated in its treaty, causing high concern among countries in the region, Zhang Xiaogang added.

    China calls on NATO to rethink its actions, change its course and make a greater contribution to global security and stability, a Chinese Defense Ministry official concluded. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s remarks to the General Assembly on the Informal Plenary Meeting on the 80th Anniversary of the UN Charter [bilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English and all-French]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    Eighty years ago, from the ashes of war, the world planted a seed of hope.

    One Charter, one vision, one promise: that peace is possible when humanity stands together.

    The UN Charter is a declaration of hope — and the foundation of international cooperation for a better world.

    And from day one, the United Nations has been a force of construction in a world often marked by destruction.

    A meeting ground where the fiercest rivals can come together to solve global problems.

    An institution where the smallest are represented alongside the most powerful.

    A platform where voices of people everywhere can be heard.

    A place grounded in the principles and letter of the Charter and other rules of international law.

    And an engine of progress for human rights, sustainable development and humanitarian action.

    The Charter has given us the tools to change destinies, save lives, and deliver hope to the most desperate corners of the world.

    And we can draw a direct line from the creation of the United Nations and the prevention of a third world war.

    Excellencies,

    Upholding the purposes and principles of the Charter is a never-ending mission. 

    Over the decades, we have celebrated the end of wars — while witnessing the start of others.

    We have delivered lifesaving aid to people in desperate need — while watching more humanitarian disasters unfold.

    We have seen progress towards denuclearization — and simultaneously renewed steps to rearmament.

    We had seen the progression of democracy, human rights, and adherence to international law — while unfortunately now seeing a troubling trend in the opposite direction.

    We have rallied behind the Sustainable Development Goals — and also seen growing gaps in inequalities.

    We have mobilized for climate action — and also are enduring record heat and climate chaos.

    We have witnessed the breathtaking rise of digital technology and artificial intelligence, which hold so much potential for humanity — while we still work to ensure this technology is managed responsibly and safely.

    Excellencies,

    We must continue to advance our work across all these fronts.

    But let’s be clear:  Today, we see assaults on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter like never before.

    The threat or use of force against sovereign nations.

    The violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

    The targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure.

    The weaponization of food and water.

    The erosion of human rights.

    On and on, we see an all too familiar pattern:

    Follow when the Charter suits, ignore when it does not.

    The Charter of the United Nations is not optional.  

    It is not an à la carte menu.  

    It is the bedrock of international relations. 

    We cannot and must not normalize violations of its most basic principles. 

    Excellences,

    Aujourd’hui plus que jamais, nous devons respecter et renouveler notre engagement envers le droit international — en paroles comme en actes.

    Afin de nous adapter à un monde numérique et de plus en plus multipolaire.

    Afin de faire face aux chocs mondiaux avec unité et détermination.

    Afin d’ouvrir grand nos portes — à la société civile, aux jeunes, au secteur privé.

    Et afin de repenser notre manière d’agir, en bâtissant un multilatéralisme plus fort, renouvelé, inclusif et en réseau — en somme, un multilatéralisme adapté au XXIème siècle.

    En septembre dernier, les États Membres ont adopté le Pacte pour l’avenir, réaffirmant l’engagement du monde en faveur du droit international et de la Charte des Nations Unies.

    En cet anniversaire, j’invite tous les États Membres à être à la hauteur :

    De l’esprit et de la lettre de la Charte.

    Des responsabilités qu’elle nous confie.

    Et de l’avenir qu’elle nous appelle à construire.

    Pour la paix. Pour la justice. Pour le progrès. Pour « nous les peuples ».

    Merci

    ***
    [All-English]

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

    Eighty years ago, from the ashes of war, the world planted a seed of hope.

    One Charter, one vision, one promise: that peace is possible when humanity stands together.

    The UN Charter is a declaration of hope — and the foundation of international cooperation for a better world.

    And from day one, the United Nations has been a force of construction in a world often marked by destruction.

    A meeting ground where the fiercest rivals can come together to solve global problems.

    An institution where the smallest are represented alongside the most powerful.

    A platform where voices of people everywhere can be heard.

    A place grounded in the principles and letter of the Charter and other rules of international law.

    And an engine of progress for human rights, sustainable development and humanitarian action.

    The Charter has given us the tools to change destinies, save lives, and deliver hope to the most desperate corners of the world.

    And we can draw a direct line from the creation of the United Nations and the prevention of a third world war.

    Excellencies,

    Upholding the purposes and principles of the Charter is a never-ending mission. 

    Over the decades, we have celebrated the end of wars — while witnessing the start of others.

    We have delivered lifesaving aid to people in desperate need — while watching more humanitarian disasters unfold.

    We have seen progress towards denuclearization — and simultaneously renewed steps to rearmament.

    We had seen the progression of democracy, human rights, and adherence to international law — while unfortunately now seeing a troubling trend in the opposite direction.

    We have rallied behind the Sustainable Development Goals — and also seen growing gaps in inequalities.

    We have mobilized for climate action — and also are enduring record heat and climate chaos.

    We have witnessed the breathtaking rise of digital technology and artificial intelligence, which hold so much potential for humanity — while we still work to ensure this technology is managed responsibly and safely.

    Excellencies,

    We must continue to advance our work across all these fronts.

    But let’s be clear:  Today, we see assaults on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter like never before.

    The threat or use of force against sovereign nations.

    The violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

    The targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure.

    The weaponization of food and water.

    The erosion of human rights.

    On and on, we see an all too familiar pattern:

    Follow when the Charter suits, ignore when it does not.

    The Charter of the United Nations is not optional.  

    It is not an à la carte menu.  

    It is the bedrock of international relations. 

    We cannot and must not normalize violations of its most basic principles. 

    Excellencies,

    Now more than ever, we must respect and re-commit to international law — in words and deeds.

    To adapt to the digital, increasingly multipolar world.

    To respond to global shocks with unity and resolve.

    To open our doors wider — to civil society, to young people, to the private sector.

    And to update how we work and build a stronger. renewed, inclusive, networked multilateralism — one that is tuned to the 21st century.

    Last September, Member States adopted the Pact for the Future, which reaffirmed the world’s commitment to international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

    On this anniversary, I urge all Member States to live up:

    To the spirit and letter of the Charter.

    To the responsibilities it demands.    

    And to the future it summons us to build.

    For peace. For justice. For progress. For we the peoples.    

    Thank you.

    ***

    [All-French]

    Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Il y a 80 ans, sur les ruines laissées par la guerre, le monde a fait germer l’espoir.

    Une Charte, une vision, une promesse : la paix est possible lorsque l’humanité fait bloc.

    La Charte des Nations Unies est une déclaration d’espoir et le fondement de la coopération internationale pour un monde meilleur.

    Et depuis sa création, l’Organisation des Nations Unies est une force constructive dans un monde souvent marqué par la destruction.

    Un lieu de rencontre où les adversaires les plus féroces peuvent s’unir pour régler des problèmes mondiaux.

    Une institution où les plus petits sont représentés aux côtés des plus puissants.

    Un forum où, de partout, la voix de tous et toutes peut être entendue.

    Un lieu ancré dans les principes et la lettre de la Charte et des autres règles du droit international.

    Et une force motrice pour les droits humains, le développement durable et l’action humanitaire.
     
    La Charte nous a donné les moyens de changer des destins, de sauver des vies et d’apporter de l’espoir dans les endroits les plus éprouvés du monde.

    Nous pouvons établir un lien direct entre la création de l’Organisation des Nations Unies et la prévention d’une troisième guerre mondiale.

    Excellences,

    Défendre les objectifs et principes de la Charte est une mission sans fin.

    Au fil des décennies, nous avons vu avec satisfaction des guerres prendre fin – mais en avons vu d’autres éclater.

    Nous avons apporté une aide vitale à des personnes qui en avaient désespérément besoin – tout en assistant à de nouvelles catastrophes humanitaires.

    Nous avons constaté des progrès vers la dénucléarisation – et observé dans le même temps des mesures de réarmement.

    Nous avons assisté à des avancées en matière de démocratie, de respect des droits humains et du droit international – mains nous constatons malheureusement aujourd’hui une tendance troublante dans la direction opposée.

    Nous avons fait cause commune concernant les Objectifs de développement durable – tout en voyant les inégalités se creuser de plus en plus.

    Nous nous sommes mobilisés en faveur de l’action climatique – et connu dans le même temps des records de chaleur et le chaos climatique.

    Nous avons assisté à l’essor époustouflant de la technologie numérique et de l’intelligence artificielle, qui recèlent un immense potentiel pour l’humanité – tout en continuant d’œuvrer pour que cette technologie soit exploitée de manière responsable et sûre.

    Excellences,

    Nous devons continuer à faire avancer notre travail sur tous ces fronts.

    Mais soyons clairs : aujourd’hui, nous assistons à des attaques contre les buts et principes de la Charte des Nations Unies comme jamais auparavant.

    La menace ou l’usage de la force contre des nations souveraines.

    La violation du droit international, y compris du droit international humanitaire et du droit international des droits humains.

    La prise pour cible de civils et d’infrastructures civiles.

    L’instrumentalisation de la nourriture et de l’eau.

    L’érosion des droits humains.

    Encore et encore, nous observons un schéma bien trop familier :

    Suivre la Charte quand cela nous arrange, l’ignorer quand elle dérange.

    La Charte des Nations Unies n’est pas optionnelle.

    Ce n’est pas un menu à la carte.

    C’est le fondement des relations internationales.

    Nous ne pouvons pas et ne devons pas normaliser les violations de ses principes les plus fondamentaux.

    Excellences,

    Aujourd’hui plus que jamais, nous devons respecter et renouveler notre engagement envers le droit international — en paroles comme en actes.

    Afin de nous adapter à un monde numérique et de plus en plus multipolaire.

    Afin de faire face aux chocs mondiaux avec unité et détermination.

    Afin d’ouvrir grand nos portes — à la société civile, aux jeunes, au secteur privé.

    Et afin de repenser notre manière d’agir, en bâtissant un multilatéralisme plus fort, renouvelé, inclusif et en réseau — en somme, un multilatéralisme adapté au XXIème siècle.

    En septembre dernier, les États Membres ont adopté le Pacte pour l’avenir, réaffirmant l’engagement du monde en faveur du droit international et de la Charte des Nations Unies.

    En cet anniversaire, j’invite tous les États Membres à être à la hauteur :

    De l’esprit et de la lettre de la Charte.

    Des responsabilités qu’elle nous confie.

    Et de l’avenir qu’elle nous appelle à construire.

    Pour la paix. Pour la justice. Pour le progrès. Pour « nous les peuples ».

    Merci.

    ***

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Seeks USD 100M to Sustain Critical Services After Assisting 26M People in 186 Countries in 2024

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Geneva, 26 June 2025 – As the International Organization for Migration (IOM) presents its 2024 Annual Report to the Standing Committee on Programmes and Finance (SCPF), the Organization has simultaneously launched a global Resilience Campaign, calling on all its Member States for USD 100 million in flexible funding to protect its core humanitarian operations and maintain critical support for people on the move.

    “In a world where crises are escalating and resources are stretched thin, it’s critical that we protect the systems and solutions that are already saving lives,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “Our teams are on the frontlines, delivering results day in and day out. But to sustain this impact, we need more than just commitment – we need support.”

    The Annual Report launched today at the SCPF reveals that IOM assisted more than 26.4 million people in 2024, delivering life-saving aid, fostering solutions to displacement, facilitating safe migration, and supporting recovery and resilience efforts across 186 countries. These results were achieved in a year marked by compounding crises and financial uncertainty, making sustained investment more important than ever.

    The campaign, titled From Reform to Resilience: Securing What We Built Together, comes in response to potential shortfalls in Operational Support Income, the funding stream that enables IOM’s essential systems, such as global data tools that informed 91 percent of Humanitarian Needs Overviews and Response Plans in 2024. With only five percent of IOM’s total income coming from flexible sources, the Organization’s ability to maintain these services is at risk.

    “We are asking that donors and Member States provide just 5 to 10 per cent of existing contribution as flexible funding,” DG Pope added. “Flexible funding is what allows us to act fast in crises. It’s what allows us to support the most vulnerable, not just the most visible. It ensures the institutional stability you asked us to build.”

    In 2024, IOM undertook significant structural realignment measures to increase efficiency, shifting more resources to the field and reducing institutional costs. Efforts that generated USD 38 million in savings include automation, enhancing procurement processes, and staff relocations to lower-cost duty stations.

    Over 6.2 million people received emergency health assistance, nearly 3 million were supported with protection services, and 1.5 million migrants and displaced persons accessed mental health and psychosocial care.

    In fragile and conflict-affected contexts, IOM supported the safe relocation of tens of thousands of individuals and provided recovery assistance to 2.8 million people. As climate-related disasters intensified, almost 900,000 people received support to recover and adapt. Meanwhile, IOM enabled over 220,000 people to move safely and with dignity, and helped nearly 60,000 return voluntarily to their countries of origin.

    IOM’s 2024 Annual Report also highlights the Organization’s growing engagement with governments and the private sector to facilitate safe pathways for regular migration. In 2024, IOM worked with 145 governments to strengthen migration governance and expanded its corporate partnerships, reaching over one million people through joint initiatives with 33 new private sector partners.

    Presented to Member States at the SCPF, the Annual Report not only affirms the scale and scope of IOM’s global operations but also makes clear that the ability to sustain these efforts depends on continued, flexible funding. The Resilience Campaign is a call for solidarity and action. 

    “Behind every figure in the report is a person seeking safety, dignity, and a chance to rebuild. Whether it’s a family displaced by conflict or a community recovering from disaster, flexible support ensures IOM can remain present and responsive. With continued backing, these efforts can go further and reach those who need them most,” DG Pope said.
     

    Note to Editors:

    The full report will be published next week and made available on IOM’s website.

    For more information, please contact IOM Media Centre. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World Bank Group, IAEA Formalize Partnership to Collaborate on Nuclear Energy for Development

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

    Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, sign a partnership agreement to collaborate on the safe, secure and responsible use of nuclear energy for development. (Photo: M Arnaldo/World Bank)

    The World Bank Group and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) sealed an agreement today to work together to support the safe, secure and responsible use of nuclear energy in developing countries. The partnership agreement, signed by World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, formalizes multiple engagements between the two institutions over the last year, and marks the World Bank Group’s first concrete step to reengage with nuclear power in decades.

    The agreement also reflects a new, broader approach by the World Bank Group to electrification—one that prioritizes accessibility, affordability, and reliability, while managing emissions responsibly. With electricity demand in developing countries expected to more than double by 2035, this approach aims to help countries deliver the energy people need by enabling pathways that best fit their national context, including development objectives and Nationally Determined Contributions.

    Nuclear energy provides continuous baseload power, enhancing grid stability and resilience. Reliable baseload electricity is essential for job-generating sectors such as infrastructure, agribusiness, healthcare, tourism, and manufacturing. Nuclear power is also a source of high-skilled employment and stimulates investment across the broader economy. In addition, it can adjust to changes in electricity demand and support frequency regulation, enabling greater integration of variable renewable energy sources.

    “Jobs need electricity. So do factories, hospitals, schools, and water systems. And as demand surges—with AI and development alike—we must help countries deliver reliable, affordable power. That’s why we’re embracing nuclear energy as part of the solution—and reembracing it as part of the mix the World Bank Group can offer developing countries to achieve their ambitions. Importantly, nuclear delivers baseload power, which is essential to building modern economies,” said World Bank Group President Ajay Banga. “Our partnership with the IAEA marks an important step, and I’m grateful to Rafael for his personal commitment and leadership in making this possible. Together, we’ll deepen our expertise, support countries that choose nuclear, and ensure that safety, security, and sustainability guide every step forward.”

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

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

    • Build knowledge related to the nuclear field: Expand the World Bank Group’s understanding of nuclear safety, security, safeguards, energy planning, new technologies, fuel cycles, reactor lifecycles, and waste management.
    • Extend the lifespan of existing nuclear power plants: Support developing countries in safely extending the life of existing nuclear reactors-one of the most cost-effective sources of low-carbon power-as many global reactors near the end of their original 40-year design life.
    • Advance SMRs: Accelerate the development of small modular reactors (SMRs), which offer flexible deployment, lower upfront costs, and potential for wide adoption in developing economies.

    Thirty-one countries currently operate nuclear power plants, which combined produce about 9% of the world’s electricity, amounting to almost a quarter of all low-carbon power globally. More than 30 other countries, most of them in the developing world, are considering or already embarking on the introduction of nuclear power and are working with the IAEA to develop the necessary infrastructure to do so safely, securely and sustainably.

    “SMRs have great potential to cleanly and reliably power progress and fight poverty, but financing remains a roadblock,” Director General Grossi said. “Today’s agreement is a crucial first step to clearing that path.”

    Contacts

    World Bank Group (London): David Young, (202) 473-4691, dyoung7@worldbankgroup.org;

    International Atomic Energy Agency (Vienna): Jeffrey Donovan, +43 699 165 22443, j.r.donovan@iaea.org

    About the World Bank Group: The World Bank Group works to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet through a combination of financing, knowledge, and expertise. It consists of the World Bank, including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA); the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org, ida.worldbank.org/en/home, www.miga.org, www.ifc.org, and www.icsid.worldbank.org. 

    About the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): The IAEA is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to prevent its use for military purposes. The IAEA supports its member states in developing robust and sustainable nuclear safety and security infrastructures and applies safeguards to verify the peaceful use of nuclear material and technology.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Update 298 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

    Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) remains reliant on one single off-site power line to receive the external electricity it needs to cool its six reactors and their spent fuel, some seven weeks after it lost the connection to its last back-up power line, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.

    “The extremely fragile external power situation as well as challenges related to the availability of cooling water after the Kakhovka dam was destroyed two years ago underline the fact that nuclear safety remains highly precarious at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. There are many important issues that must be addressed before it will be feasible to restart the plant,” Director General Grossi said.

    The 330 kilovolt (kV) power line was disconnected on 7 May due to military activities some distance away from the ZNPP, leaving Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP) dependent on one 750 kV line. Before the conflict, it had access to ten off-site power lines. Its six reactors have been in cold shutdown since 2024, but still require cooling water for their reactor cores.

    Almost every day over the past week, the IAEA team based at the ZNPP has continued to hear explosions at various distances away from the site, a constant reminder of the close proximity to the frontline of the conflict.

    The IAEA team has continued to conduct walkdowns across the site as part of the Agency’s mission to monitor and assess nuclear safety and security there.

    Elsewhere in Ukraine, the IAEA teams at Ukraine’s three operating NPPs – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and the South Ukraine – and the Chornobyl site reported hearing air-raid alarms over the past week. The teams at the Chornobyl site and the Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs have all rotated in recent days. Early on 21 June, the IAEA team at the South Ukraine NPP observed a drone around one kilometre from their hotel.

    Two new deliveries of equipment have taken place under the IAEA’s comprehensive assistance programme for nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, bringing the total number of such shipments to 142 since the start of the armed conflict.

    The State Enterprise Ukrainian Geological Company received portable radiation detection and monitoring devices within the framework of the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to the Kherson Oblast (ISAMKO) programme in response to flooding caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in mid-2023. The two deliveries were supported with funds from Japan.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Publishes Data on Broker-Dealers, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Business Development Companies

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Economic and Risk Analysis (DERA) has published new reports and data on broker-dealers, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and business development companies (BDCs).

    Today’s reports provide the public with information about the changes in broker-dealer and M&A activity over time. In addition, the BDC data allow the public to conduct its own analysis of data filed with the Commission.

    “It is important to understand the current status of markets and how they have been changing,” said Robert Fisher, Acting Chief Economist and Director of the SEC’s Division of Economic and Risk Analysis. “Providing such information helps all of us to understand how the markets are functioning.”

    The three reports and data issued today are:

    • Broker-Dealer Activity in the United States provides information on registered broker-dealers and their activities over the period 2010-2024, including an analysis of the industry, the structure of activity of different types of broker-dealers, and the revenues and expenses of broker-dealers. As of 2024, there were approximately 3,340 broker-dealers with total assets of approximately $6.4 trillion. The number of broker-dealers declined by approximately 30% from 2010 to 2024, but assets grew by approximately $1.7 trillion. These results show a trend of industry consolidation, with a declining fraction of market participants responsible for a larger asset pool by the end of the sample period.
    • Analysis of Merger & Acquisition Activity provides a recent analysis of the U.S. mergers and acquisitions market, including an analysis of the characteristics of a typical deal and the geographic location of the acquirers and targets. The market has exhibited cyclicality such that years with favorable overall market performance were generally associated with higher deal volume. The average deal value was $3.5 billion, while the median deal value was $0.5 billion. The average acquirer had assets of $40 billion, but the median was close to $7 billion. In contrast, targets were significantly smaller, with the average target reporting assets of $5 billion and the median target reporting assets of $1 billion. Close to three-quarters of the deals involved acquirers and targets in the same two-digit Standard Industrial Classification industry and approximately a third of the deals involved targets and acquirers headquartered in the same state.
    • Business Development Company Data Sets provide data extracted from disclosures filed by BDCs with the Commission. The BDC Data Sets provide a schedule of investments report, detailed financial data sets, and a summary non-financial data set.

    DERA integrates financial economics and rigorous data analytics into the SEC’s core mission. It conducts detailed, high-quality economic and statistical analyses to advise on Commission matters and helps identify and respond to issues, trends, and innovations in the marketplace.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Publishes Data on Broker-Dealers, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Business Development Companies

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Economic and Risk Analysis (DERA) has published new reports and data on broker-dealers, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and business development companies (BDCs).

    Today’s reports provide the public with information about the changes in broker-dealer and M&A activity over time. In addition, the BDC data allow the public to conduct its own analysis of data filed with the Commission.

    “It is important to understand the current status of markets and how they have been changing,” said Robert Fisher, Acting Chief Economist and Director of the SEC’s Division of Economic and Risk Analysis. “Providing such information helps all of us to understand how the markets are functioning.”

    The three reports and data issued today are:

    • Broker-Dealer Activity in the United States provides information on registered broker-dealers and their activities over the period 2010-2024, including an analysis of the industry, the structure of activity of different types of broker-dealers, and the revenues and expenses of broker-dealers. As of 2024, there were approximately 3,340 broker-dealers with total assets of approximately $6.4 trillion. The number of broker-dealers declined by approximately 30% from 2010 to 2024, but assets grew by approximately $1.7 trillion. These results show a trend of industry consolidation, with a declining fraction of market participants responsible for a larger asset pool by the end of the sample period.
    • Analysis of Merger & Acquisition Activity provides a recent analysis of the U.S. mergers and acquisitions market, including an analysis of the characteristics of a typical deal and the geographic location of the acquirers and targets. The market has exhibited cyclicality such that years with favorable overall market performance were generally associated with higher deal volume. The average deal value was $3.5 billion, while the median deal value was $0.5 billion. The average acquirer had assets of $40 billion, but the median was close to $7 billion. In contrast, targets were significantly smaller, with the average target reporting assets of $5 billion and the median target reporting assets of $1 billion. Close to three-quarters of the deals involved acquirers and targets in the same two-digit Standard Industrial Classification industry and approximately a third of the deals involved targets and acquirers headquartered in the same state.
    • Business Development Company Data Sets provide data extracted from disclosures filed by BDCs with the Commission. The BDC Data Sets provide a schedule of investments report, detailed financial data sets, and a summary non-financial data set.

    DERA integrates financial economics and rigorous data analytics into the SEC’s core mission. It conducts detailed, high-quality economic and statistical analyses to advise on Commission matters and helps identify and respond to issues, trends, and innovations in the marketplace.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Wilson praises SCOTUS decision upholding South Carolina’s authority in Planned Parenthood CaseRead More

    Source: US State of South Carolina

    (COLUMBIA, S.C.) – South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson today applauded the United States Supreme Court for ruling in favor of South Carolina in Medina v. Planned Parenthood, affirming that states, not abortion providers, decide who participates in their Medicaid programs.

    “I want to thank the six Justices who stood up for the Constitution and the rule of law,” said Attorney General Wilson. “The Supreme Court just slammed the door on Planned Parenthood’s latest attempt to force its radical agenda through the courts on our state. South Carolina, not federal judges or D.C. activist groups, gets to decide how we run our Medicaid program.”

    In a 6–3 opinion authored by Justice Gorsuch, the Court held that the Medicaid Act’s “any qualified provider” language does not give private individuals or organizations the power to sue states under federal civil rights law. The Court emphasized that Medicaid is a  cooperative partnership between the states and federal government, not an entitlement program for politically connected providers.

    “Planned Parenthood and its allies tried to turn Medicaid into a weapon to force their agenda on our State. The Court just told them: No,” Wilson said. “This is about who runs South Carolina—our elected leaders, or out-of-state activists and unelected judges. We’re glad the Court got it right.”

    Attorney General Wilson pledged to keep fighting for the rule of law and thanked Governor McMaster and his team for taking a principled stand in this case.

    You can read the Court’s full opinion here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: World Bank Group, IAEA Formalize Partnership to Collaborate on Nuclear Energy for Development

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, sign a partnership agreement to collaborate on the safe, secure and responsible use of nuclear energy for development. (Photo: M Arnaldo/World Bank)

    The World Bank Group and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) sealed an agreement today to work together to support the safe, secure and responsible use of nuclear energy in developing countries. The partnership agreement, signed by World Bank Group President Ajay Banga and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, formalizes multiple engagements between the two institutions over the last year, and marks the World Bank Group’s first concrete step to reengage with nuclear power in decades.

    The agreement also reflects a new, broader approach by the World Bank Group to electrification—one that prioritizes accessibility, affordability, and reliability, while managing emissions responsibly. With electricity demand in developing countries expected to more than double by 2035, this approach aims to help countries deliver the energy people need by enabling pathways that best fit their national context, including development objectives and Nationally Determined Contributions.

    Nuclear energy provides continuous baseload power, enhancing grid stability and resilience. Reliable baseload electricity is essential for job-generating sectors such as infrastructure, agribusiness, healthcare, tourism, and manufacturing. Nuclear power is also a source of high-skilled employment and stimulates investment across the broader economy. In addition, it can adjust to changes in electricity demand and support frequency regulation, enabling greater integration of variable renewable energy sources.

    “Jobs need electricity. So do factories, hospitals, schools, and water systems. And as demand surges—with AI and development alike—we must help countries deliver reliable, affordable power. That’s why we’re embracing nuclear energy as part of the solution—and reembracing it as part of the mix the World Bank Group can offer developing countries to achieve their ambitions. Importantly, nuclear delivers baseload power, which is essential to building modern economies,” said World Bank Group President Ajay Banga. “Our partnership with the IAEA marks an important step, and I’m grateful to Rafael for his personal commitment and leadership in making this possible. Together, we’ll deepen our expertise, support countries that choose nuclear, and ensure that safety, security, and sustainability guide every step forward.”

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

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

    • Build knowledge related to the nuclear field: Expand the World Bank Group’s understanding of nuclear safety, security, safeguards, energy planning, new technologies, fuel cycles, reactor lifecycles, and waste management.
    • Extend the lifespan of existing nuclear power plants: Support developing countries in safely extending the life of existing nuclear reactors-one of the most cost-effective sources of low-carbon power-as many global reactors near the end of their original 40-year design life.
    • Advance SMRs: Accelerate the development of small modular reactors (SMRs), which offer flexible deployment, lower upfront costs, and potential for wide adoption in developing economies.

    Thirty-one countries currently operate nuclear power plants, which combined produce about 9% of the world’s electricity, amounting to almost a quarter of all low-carbon power globally. More than 30 other countries, most of them in the developing world, are considering or already embarking on the introduction of nuclear power and are working with the IAEA to develop the necessary infrastructure to do so safely, securely and sustainably.

    “SMRs have great potential to cleanly and reliably power progress and fight poverty, but financing remains a roadblock,” Director General Grossi said. “Today’s agreement is a crucial first step to clearing that path.”

    Contacts

    World Bank Group (London): David Young, (202) 473-4691, dyoung7@worldbankgroup.org;

    International Atomic Energy Agency (Vienna): Jeffrey Donovan, +43 699 165 22443, j.r.donovan@iaea.org

    About the World Bank Group: The World Bank Group works to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet through a combination of financing, knowledge, and expertise. It consists of the World Bank, including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA); the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). For more information, please visit www.worldbank.org, ida.worldbank.org/en/home, www.miga.org, www.ifc.org, and www.icsid.worldbank.org. 

    About the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): The IAEA is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to prevent its use for military purposes. The IAEA supports its member states in developing robust and sustainable nuclear safety and security infrastructures and applies safeguards to verify the peaceful use of nuclear material and technology.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Update 298 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) remains reliant on one single off-site power line to receive the external electricity it needs to cool its six reactors and their spent fuel, some seven weeks after it lost the connection to its last back-up power line, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.

    “The extremely fragile external power situation as well as challenges related to the availability of cooling water after the Kakhovka dam was destroyed two years ago underline the fact that nuclear safety remains highly precarious at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. There are many important issues that must be addressed before it will be feasible to restart the plant,” Director General Grossi said.

    The 330 kilovolt (kV) power line was disconnected on 7 May due to military activities some distance away from the ZNPP, leaving Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP) dependent on one 750 kV line. Before the conflict, it had access to ten off-site power lines. Its six reactors have been in cold shutdown since 2024, but still require cooling water for their reactor cores.

    Almost every day over the past week, the IAEA team based at the ZNPP has continued to hear explosions at various distances away from the site, a constant reminder of the close proximity to the frontline of the conflict.

    The IAEA team has continued to conduct walkdowns across the site as part of the Agency’s mission to monitor and assess nuclear safety and security there.

    Elsewhere in Ukraine, the IAEA teams at Ukraine’s three operating NPPs – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and the South Ukraine – and the Chornobyl site reported hearing air-raid alarms over the past week. The teams at the Chornobyl site and the Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs have all rotated in recent days. Early on 21 June, the IAEA team at the South Ukraine NPP observed a drone around one kilometre from their hotel.

    Two new deliveries of equipment have taken place under the IAEA’s comprehensive assistance programme for nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, bringing the total number of such shipments to 142 since the start of the armed conflict.

    The State Enterprise Ukrainian Geological Company received portable radiation detection and monitoring devices within the framework of the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to the Kherson Oblast (ISAMKO) programme in response to flooding caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in mid-2023. The two deliveries were supported with funds from Japan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Update 298 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) remains reliant on one single off-site power line to receive the external electricity it needs to cool its six reactors and their spent fuel, some seven weeks after it lost the connection to its last back-up power line, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said today.

    “The extremely fragile external power situation as well as challenges related to the availability of cooling water after the Kakhovka dam was destroyed two years ago underline the fact that nuclear safety remains highly precarious at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. There are many important issues that must be addressed before it will be feasible to restart the plant,” Director General Grossi said.

    The 330 kilovolt (kV) power line was disconnected on 7 May due to military activities some distance away from the ZNPP, leaving Europe’s largest nuclear power plant (NPP) dependent on one 750 kV line. Before the conflict, it had access to ten off-site power lines. Its six reactors have been in cold shutdown since 2024, but still require cooling water for their reactor cores.

    Almost every day over the past week, the IAEA team based at the ZNPP has continued to hear explosions at various distances away from the site, a constant reminder of the close proximity to the frontline of the conflict.

    The IAEA team has continued to conduct walkdowns across the site as part of the Agency’s mission to monitor and assess nuclear safety and security there.

    Elsewhere in Ukraine, the IAEA teams at Ukraine’s three operating NPPs – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and the South Ukraine – and the Chornobyl site reported hearing air-raid alarms over the past week. The teams at the Chornobyl site and the Rivne and South Ukraine NPPs have all rotated in recent days. Early on 21 June, the IAEA team at the South Ukraine NPP observed a drone around one kilometre from their hotel.

    Two new deliveries of equipment have taken place under the IAEA’s comprehensive assistance programme for nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, bringing the total number of such shipments to 142 since the start of the armed conflict.

    The State Enterprise Ukrainian Geological Company received portable radiation detection and monitoring devices within the framework of the IAEA Support and Assistance Mission to the Kherson Oblast (ISAMKO) programme in response to flooding caused by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in mid-2023. The two deliveries were supported with funds from Japan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Career Criminal on Federal Supervision for a Prior Criminal Conviction is Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Robbery and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon

    Source: US FBI

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Terry Sherwood Slade, 55, was sentenced to 188 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release today after he was convicted of Hobbs Act robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Slade was also ordered to serve an additional 12 months and a day for violating his supervised release.

    According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, on November 20, 2023, while Slade was under federal supervision for a prior robbery conviction, he entered the House of Clouds Smoke Shop located in Charlotte and requested cigarettes from the store’s employee. When the store employee opened the register, Slade demanded money and threatened to shoot her. Slade then put his hand in his jacket pocket and gestured toward the employee. He then walked behind the counter into the employee area and took money from the register along with cigarettes and fled the scene.

    According to court records, on December 3, 2023, Slade entered Nick’s Arcade located in Charlotte. Upon entering the store, Slade approached a security guard and grabbed her firearm.  Following a brief struggle between Slade, the security guard, and a cashier, Slade grabbed the security guard’s firearm and pointed the weapon at the two employees. While armed, Slade went to the arcade’s private office and stole cash located in a safe before fleeing the scene.

    On December 13, 2023, an individual contacted the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) to report he had been shot at by a man with whom he’d previously had an argument. During the investigation, the victim identified Slade as the shooter. CMPD officers arrested Slade. At the time of the arrest, Slade possessed the firearm he’d taken from security guard during the arcade store robbery. CMPD analyzed a cartridge collected at the scene of the reported shooting and determined it matched the security guard’s firearm found on Slade when he was arrested.

    In September 2024, Slade pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon. Court records indicate that Slade has a prior federal conviction for Hobbs Act robbery, and multiple state felony convictions in North Carolina, including for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury and Common Law Robbery. Slade was sentenced as an armed career criminal.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for the investigation of this case and thanked the U.S. Probation Office for its assistance.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Career Criminal on Federal Supervision for a Prior Criminal Conviction is Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Robbery and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon

    Source: US FBI

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Terry Sherwood Slade, 55, was sentenced to 188 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release today after he was convicted of Hobbs Act robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Slade was also ordered to serve an additional 12 months and a day for violating his supervised release.

    According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, on November 20, 2023, while Slade was under federal supervision for a prior robbery conviction, he entered the House of Clouds Smoke Shop located in Charlotte and requested cigarettes from the store’s employee. When the store employee opened the register, Slade demanded money and threatened to shoot her. Slade then put his hand in his jacket pocket and gestured toward the employee. He then walked behind the counter into the employee area and took money from the register along with cigarettes and fled the scene.

    According to court records, on December 3, 2023, Slade entered Nick’s Arcade located in Charlotte. Upon entering the store, Slade approached a security guard and grabbed her firearm.  Following a brief struggle between Slade, the security guard, and a cashier, Slade grabbed the security guard’s firearm and pointed the weapon at the two employees. While armed, Slade went to the arcade’s private office and stole cash located in a safe before fleeing the scene.

    On December 13, 2023, an individual contacted the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) to report he had been shot at by a man with whom he’d previously had an argument. During the investigation, the victim identified Slade as the shooter. CMPD officers arrested Slade. At the time of the arrest, Slade possessed the firearm he’d taken from security guard during the arcade store robbery. CMPD analyzed a cartridge collected at the scene of the reported shooting and determined it matched the security guard’s firearm found on Slade when he was arrested.

    In September 2024, Slade pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon. Court records indicate that Slade has a prior federal conviction for Hobbs Act robbery, and multiple state felony convictions in North Carolina, including for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury and Common Law Robbery. Slade was sentenced as an armed career criminal.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for the investigation of this case and thanked the U.S. Probation Office for its assistance.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Crips Member Receives Six Years in Prison

    Source: US FBI

    RALEIGH, N.C. – A Greenville gang member was sentenced to 72 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.  Leonard Williams Jr., 36, pled guilty to the charges on February 18, 2025. 

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force conducted several controlled purchases of cocaine from Williams Jr. during July and August 2024. On August 12, 2024, law enforcement searched a residence associated with Williams Jr. on Ward Street and found more than an ounce of cocaine and a loaded .40 caliber handgun in the bedroom.  According to law enforcement, Williams Jr. is a validated member of the 83 set of the Crips street gang.  Williams Jr. has a prior conviction from 2016 for conspiracy to commit second degree murder.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-00072.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Crips Member Receives Six Years in Prison

    Source: US FBI

    RALEIGH, N.C. – A Greenville gang member was sentenced to 72 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.  Leonard Williams Jr., 36, pled guilty to the charges on February 18, 2025. 

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force conducted several controlled purchases of cocaine from Williams Jr. during July and August 2024. On August 12, 2024, law enforcement searched a residence associated with Williams Jr. on Ward Street and found more than an ounce of cocaine and a loaded .40 caliber handgun in the bedroom.  According to law enforcement, Williams Jr. is a validated member of the 83 set of the Crips street gang.  Williams Jr. has a prior conviction from 2016 for conspiracy to commit second degree murder.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-00072.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth, Booker Renew Push to Ban the U.S. Sale and Manufacturing of “K-Leather” and Protect Kangaroos from Largest Commercial Slaughter in the World

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    June 25, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) reintroduced legislation to ban the sale and manufacturing of products made from kangaroo skin, also known as “k-leather.” After years of the two lawmakers leading the charge on this issue, this week Mizuno and UMBRO joined cleat manufacturing giants—including Nike, Adidas, Puma and ASICS—in pledging to halt production of k-leather in their soccer cleats and other products. To help build on this momentum, reverse this inhumane trend and safeguard the kangaroo species from commercial exploitation, Senators Duckworth and Booker are introducing the Kangaroo Protection Act, which would help protect millions of wild kangaroos and their innocent babies who are needlessly killed every year for the use of their leather in commercial products. Additionally, this legislation would empower the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with other agencies, to issue civil and criminal penalties of fines up to $10,000 and other regulations.
    “The mass killing of millions of kangaroos to make commercial products is needless and inhumane,” said Senator Duckworth. “While it is encouraging that more and more cleat manufacturers are pledging to stop using k-leather, the U.S. must stop incentivizing this cruel practice once and for all. I’m proud to reintroduce this bill with Senator Booker that would help prevent the deadly exploitation of kangaroos and promote the use of more humane alternatives to k-leather.”
    “We should not allow the unnecessary killing of animals just so that big corporations can maximize profits,” said Senator Booker. “This legislation will help conserve the kangaroo species by ensuring that no one in the United States can distribute kangaroo products for commercial gain.”
    The commercial slaughter of kangaroos isn’t just widespread—it’s unnecessarily cruel. It uses similar killing methods and is ten times larger than the infamously brutal Canadian seal hunt, which prompted the United States to ban the import of seal pelts in 1972. Despite having similar import bans for other animals, the U.S. is currently the second largest commercial market for k-leather products in the world. The Senators’ proposed legislation would help change that.
    Copy of the bill text is available on Senator Duckworth’s website.
    “It’s profit from the sale of skins and other body parts that drives the killing of more than a million kangaroos a year in their native habitats in Australia,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. “Senator Duckworth’s bill is a tremendous complement to the decisions by all the big athletic shoe brands to halt sourcing of kangaroo skins for cleats and her measure has the potential to spare the lives of hundreds of thousands of the iconic marsupials every year.”
    This legislation is supported by 13 Hands Equine Rescue Team (Clinton Corners, NY), A Place Called Hope (Killingworth, CT), A Voice for the Voiceless (Louisville, KY), Alaqua Animal Refuge & Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, (Freeport, FL), Albuquerque Vegan (NM), Alliance for Animals (Madison, WI), Allied Scholars for Animal Protection, Angels Grove Ranch and Horse Rescue (Bush, LA), Animal & Earth Advocates (Seattle, WA), Animal Advocates of South Central Pennsylvania, Animal Alliance Network, Animal Behavior and Healing (Portland, ME), Animal Care Society (Mathews, VA), Animal Education & Rescue (Libertyville, IL), Animal Kindness Foundation (Las Vegas, NV), Animal Protection Affiliates (NV), Animal Protection League of New Jersey, Animal Protection New Mexico, Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, Animal Rights Initiative, Animal Rights Maine, Animal Save Movement, Animal Welfare Society (Kennebunk, ME), Animal Wellness Action, Animal Wellness Foundation, Animals’ Angels, Anonymous for the Voiceless – Las Vegas (NV), Arizona Humane Society, Arrow Fund (Louisville, KY), Associated Humane Societies, Ballydídean Farm Sanctuary (Clinton, WA), Basin and Range Watch (NV), Berkeley Animal Rights Center (CA), Berkshire Voters for Animals (MA), Bleating Hearts Sanctuary (Golden, CO), Blissful Dreams Rescue Ranch (Huger, SC), Boulder Bear Coalition (CO), Bucky’s Bull Rescue (Cedar Grove, WI), Cedar Cove Conservation & Education Center (Louisburg, KS), Center for, Ethical Science, Charleston Carriage Horse Advocates (SC), Chicago Alliance for Animals (IL), Christian Animal Rights Association, Citizens for Alternatives to Animal Research and Experimentation (CAARE), Climate Save Movement, Coalition for NYC Animals, Inc. (NY), Coalition to Ban Horse-Drawn Carriages (NY), Colorado Voters for Animals, Compassionate Action for Animals (Minneapolis, MN), Compassionate & Responsible Tourism (NY), Connecticut Votes for Animals, DC Voters for Animals, Dead Broke Farm (Raleigh, NC), Defend Them All Foundation (Portland, OR), Difference Makers Media (Wilmette, IL), Direct Action Everywhere (Berkeley, CA), EarthAction, Emerald City Pet Rescue (Seattle, WA), Endangered Habitats League (West Hollywood, CA), Endangered Species Coalition, Environmental Protection Information Center (CA), Equine Collaborative International, Equine Voices Rescue & Sanctuary (Amado, AZ), Erika’s Equine Center (Nerstrand, MN), Exotic Avian Sanctuary of Tennessee, Fair Start Movement, Fayette Regional Humane Society (Washington Court House, OH), Federation of Humane Organizations of West Virginia, Fish Feel, Footloose Montana, Forever Home Beagle Rescue (Pittsburgh, PA), Four Paws USA (Boston, MA), Friends of Animals of Metro Detroit (MI), Friends of the Merry Meeting Bay (Richmond, ME), Friends of the Wisconsin Wolf and Wildlife, Friends of Washoe (Ellensburg, WA), Georgia Animal Rights and Protection, Georgia Equine Rescue League, Ginger’s Pet Rescue (Seattle, WA), Global Coalition of Farm Sanctuaries, Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, Good Karma Pet Rescue (Pompano Beach, FL), Great Spirit Animal Sanctuary (Snowflake, AZ), Green Mountain Animal Defenders (Burlington, VT), Grit and Grace Farm & Wildlife Rehabilitation (Cynthiana, KY), Hanaeleh Horse Rescue and Advocacy (Trabuco Canyon, CA), Harmony Farm Sanctuary (Bend, OR), Heart of Alabama (Killen, AL), Heartland Equine Rescue (IN), Heartwood Haven (Roy, WA), Hope Haven Farm Sanctuary (Sewickley, PA), Hot Springs Village Animal Welfare League (AR), Hotchkiss Humane Society (CT), Houston Animal Activism (TX), Howling for Wolves (Hopkins, MN), Humane Action Pennsylvania, Humane Action Pittsburgh (PA), Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh (PA), Humane Long Island (NY), Humane Society of Central Arizona, Humane Society of Huron Valley (MI), Humane Voters of Washington, In Defense of Animals, In-Sync Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center (Wylie, TX), Indiana Skunk Rescue (North Salem), Indraloka Animal Sanctuary (Dalton, PA), Indraloka Sanctuary Children’s Programs (Dalton, PA), Iowa Farm Sanctuary, Jefferson County Humane Society (OH), Jewish Vegan Life, Keepers of the Wild (Valentine, AZ), Kentuckians Vote for Animals, Kindred Spirits, Rescue Ranch (Darlington, PA), Klamath Forest Alliance (CA), LA Animal Save (Los Angeles, CA), Lancaster Farm Sanctuary (PA), League of Humane Voters – Georgia, League of Humane Voters – New Jersey, Liberty Equine (Park City, UT), Los Angeles Alliance for Animals (CA), Luvin Arms Farm Animal Sanctuary (Erie, CO), Madrean Archipelago Wildlife Center (Canelo, AZ), Magical Creatures Sanctuary (Laupahoehoe, HI), Maine Animal Coalition, Maine Friends of Animals, Marley’s Mutts (Tehachapi, CA), Maryland Votes for Animals, Inc., Massachusetts for Elephants, Massachusetts Society for the, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals – Angell, Mauritius Primate Rescue, Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals (NY), Michelson Center for Public Policy, Misfits Coven Animal Haven (Pittsburgh, PA), Mississippi Animal Rescue League, Monmouth County SPCA (Eatontown, NJ), My Pegasus Project (Duncanville, TX), Nevada Paws – The Link, New Hampshire Animal Rights League, Noah’s, Lost Ark Animal Sanctuary (Berlin Center, OH), North Country Animal League (Morrisville, VT), Northeast Equine Rescue (West Newbury, ME), NYC Plover Project (New York City, NY), NYCLASS (New York City, NY), Ocean Conservation Research, Oceanic Preservation Society , OceansWide (Newcastle, ME), Off the Plate Farm Animal Sanctuary (Montgomery, VT), Oregon Animal Rescue, Oregon Horse Rescue, Out to Pasture Animal Sanctuary (Estacada, OR), Off the Table Farm Sanctuary (Westfield, WI), Open Sanctuary Project, Ozarks, Kat and K9 Shelter (Sunrise Beach, MO), Palm Springs Animal Shelter (CA), Panhandle Equine (Cantonment, FL), Partnership to Ban Horse Carriages Worldwide, Pasado’s Safe Haven (Sultan, WA), Patchwork Pastures (Wantage, NJ), Pawsitive Beginnings, Inc. (Key Largo, FL), Peace Ridge Sanctuary (Brooks, ME), Peaceful Planet Foundation, Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary (Deer Trail, CO), People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Phoenix Zones Initiative, Piedmont Farm Animal Rescue (Pittsboro, NC), Pigsburgh Squealers (Tarentum, PA), Pittie Posse Rescue (ME), Pittsburgh Vegan Society (PA), Plant Based in Baja (CA), Plant-Based Treaty, Plant Peace Daily (Glorieta, NM), Pollination Project (Marin County, CA), Possums Welcome (San Rafael, CA), Potter’s Angels Rescue (Montpelier, VT), Pride & Joy Horse Rescue (Fargo, ND), Project Animal Freedom (Eureka, MO), Protect Our Wildlife Vermont, Rainbow Meadows Equine Rescue (Junction City, KS), Red Robin Song Animal Sanctuary (West Lebanon, NY), Revolution Philadelphia (PA), Rise for Animals, Rocket, Dog Rescue (Oakland, CA), Rowdy Girl Sanctuary (Waedler, TX), Safe Haven Wildlife Sanctuary (Imlay, NV), Sanctuary Education Advisory Specialists (East Hartford, CT), Santa Fe Vegan (NM), Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center (CA), Save Our Sky Blue Waters (Duluth, MN), Save Your Ass Long Ear Rescue (South Acworth, NH), SHARK (Showing Animals Respect and Kindness), Social Compassion in Legislation (Laguna Beach, CA), Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA), Southern Cross Animal Rescue, (Laurel, MS), SPCA International, SPCA of Hancock County (ME), Species United (Brooklyn, NY), Spirit’s Promise Equine Rescue (Riverhead, NY), Stray Dog Support, Inc., Supporting and Promoting Animal Ethics for the Animal Kingdom (SPEAK) (Tucson, AZ), Switch4Good (Irvine, CA), Tahoe Wolf Center (CA), TevaLand Sanctuary Farm (Hillburn, NY), Texas Humane Legislation Network, The Animal Law Office (San Rafael, CA), The Buddy Fund (New York City, NY), The Center for a Humane Economy, The Parrot Club (Hartford, CT), The Urban Wildlands Group (Los Angeles, CA), The Wild Animal Sanctuary (Keenesburg, CO), Their Turn, Think Wild (Bend, OR), Trailsafe Nevada, Tulsa Vegan Guide (OK), Turtle Island Restoration Network (CA/TX), Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry (Boulder, CO), Urban Acres Horse Farm (Omaha, NE), Urban Wildlife Research Project (CA), Vegan Organic Network, Vegan Pittsburgh (PA), Veganville Animal Sanctuary (Seaside, OR), VegMichigan, VENDX (Edgewater, FL), Vermont Wildlife Patrol, Victorian Kangaroo Alliance, Voice for Animals (York, ME), Voices of Wildlife in New Hampshire, Voters for Animal Rights (Brooklyn, NY), West Virginia Voters for Animal Welfare, Western Massachusetts Animal Rights Advocates, Western Wildlife Outreach (WA), WildAid (San Francisco, CA), Wildcare Oklahoma, Wildcat Creek Wildlife Center, Inc. (Delphi, IN), Wildlife for All, Wildlife in Crisis (Weston, CT), Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Inc. (San Antonio, TX), Wildlife Watch, Inc., World Vegan Vision (Paterson, NJ), Wynnwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (Elizabethton, TN), Wyoming Untrapped and Wyoming Wildlife Advocates.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Joins Hirono, Wyden, Colleagues in Demanding Answers on Trump’s Rescission of EMTALA Abortion Care Guidance, Urging HHS to Reverse Decision

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    June 25, 2025
    The Trump Administration’s rescission of EMTALA guidance that reaffirmed nationwide access to emergency abortion care puts patients’ lives in jeopardy and sows chaos for hospitals and providers across the country
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – On the three-year anniversary this week of the Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) and their colleagues in condemning the Trump Administration’s recent rescission of guidance that reaffirmed hospitals and providers’ obligations under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) to provide medically necessary emergency abortion care, regardless of where the patient lives. The letter, sent to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, urges HHS to immediately reverse its decision to rescind this lifesaving guidance.
    “While EMTALA remains binding federal law, the rescission will create further confusion for hospitals and providers, especially in states with abortion bans, and will result in medically-necessary care being withheld from pregnant patients in crisis,” wrote the Senators. “When doctors are forced to navigate the complex legal interplay of state abortion bans and federal EMTALA protections, pregnant people experience care delays and may receive substandard care.”
    In 1986, Congress enacted EMTALA to require Medicare-participating hospitals to provide necessary stabilizing treatment for any individuals—including pregnant women—experiencing emergency medical conditions. The federal law clearly requires hospitals to offer abortion care in cases where it was deemed medically necessary to prevent serious harm to patients’ health and life. However, since the conservative majority on the Supreme Court handed down the Dobbs decision, more than twenty states have passed laws to ban or severely restrict access to abortion, disrupting decades of certainty for hospitals regarding their legal obligation to provide necessary emergency abortion care under federal law.
    In their letter, the Senators assert that by rescinding this guidance—accompanied by the ensuing fear and confusion for hospitals and providers—HHS has needlessly put pregnant patients at severe risk of harm, medical complications, lasting health consequences and preventable death.  
    “This abrupt decision will further the chaos and confusion that hospitals, physicians, and patients have experienced since the Dobbs decision and will result in negative and deadly consequences for women and families across the United States,” the Senators concluded.
    In addition to Duckworth, Hirono and Wyden, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Tina Smith (D-MN) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).
    The full text of the letter is available on Senator Duckworth’s website and below.
    Dear Secretary Kennedy and Administrator Oz:
    We write to express our strong disapproval of your recent rescission of guidance that reaffirmed hospitals and providers’ obligations under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) to provide life-saving abortion care to patients experiencing medical crises. On June 3, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS” or “the Department”) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS” or “the Agency”) rescinded July 2022 guidance that reminds hospitals of their longstanding obligation under EMTALA and that protects pregnant women’s access to emergency abortion care, regardless of where they live. While EMTALA remains binding federal law, the rescission will create further confusion for hospitals and providers, especially in states with abortion bans, and will result in medically-necessary care being withheld from pregnant patients in crisis.
    In 1986, Congress enacted EMTALA to require Medicare-participating hospitals to provide necessary stabilizing screening and treatment for any individuals—including pregnant women—experiencing emergency medical conditions. Under the law, hospitals are required to treat conditions determined by health care providers that, absent immediate medical attention, could reasonably result in placing the patient’s health in serious jeopardy, serious impairment to bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ. EMTALA clearly requires hospitals to offer abortion care for cases in which their health care providers determine it medically necessary to prevent serious harm to their patients’ health and life, including in, but not limited to, cases of ectopic pregnancy, complications of pregnancy loss, or emergent hypertensive disorders, such as preeclampsia with severe features. Since enacting EMTALA, Congress and administrations of both parties have consistently recognized that stabilizing care under the statute includes abortion. As a result, up until a few years ago, medical providers have not had to worry about the government interfering with their clinical judgement to provide necessary stabilizing medical care to pregnant women in emergencies.
    Following the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health (Dobbs) in June 2022, 22 states passed laws to ban or severely restrict access to abortion, including 6 states with no exception for the health of the pregnant person. This has disrupted decades of certainty that hospitals are required to provide access to emergency abortion care under federal law, sowing chaos for patients and providers alike, and forcing doctors to play lawyers and lawyers to play doctors. When doctors are forced to navigate the complex legal interplay of state abortion bans and federal EMTALA protections, pregnant people experience care delays and may receive substandard care. In response to the confusion caused by these restrictive abortion bans, HHS Secretary Becerra issued guidance in July 2022 restating hospitals’ legal obligation under federal law to provide stabilizing treatment, including necessary abortion care, to pregnant patients in emergency situations. Even with such guidance in place, physicians across the country report that hospitals fail to meet the challenge of supporting doctors in navigating this extraordinary legal environment and, in many cases, hospitals continue to rely on guidance developed pre-Dobbs. While Republican-led states and anti-abortion groups have tried to challenge proper meaning and scope of the federal law, EMTALA has always and will continue to protect emergency abortion care and preempt all state laws to the contrary.
    The Trump administration’s decision to rescind this guidance will create more confusion, fear, and stress for hospitals and their staffs about what care they are legally required to provide pregnant patients whose lives are or could be in danger. Moreover, it will undermine patients’ faith that their doctor will be able to act in their best interest in the event of an emergency. State abortion laws with vague medical exceptions and criminal penalties force hospitals and physicians to delay and deny emergency abortion care for pregnant patients, placing patients at higher risk for medical complications, lasting health consequences, and avoidable death.
    By rescinding the guidance, HHS has needlessly put pregnant patients at severe risk of harm and preventable death. Given the threat to women’s lives following the rescission of this guidance, we request information and responses to the following questions by July 3, 2025, at 5:00pm ET.
    In your recent announcement regarding the decision to rescind the July 2022 guidance, you stated that the July 2022 guidance “d[id] not reflect the policy of this Administration” with respect to EMTALA.
    What is the Administration’s policy related to EMTALA for pregnant patients who are experiencing emergency medical conditions that could result in serious bodily harm or death?
    When did the Administration develop this policy related to EMTALA?
    Which stakeholders and individuals did the Administration consult in the development of this policy?
    In the same announcement, you stated that “CMS would continue to enforce EMTALA … [for] all individuals who present to a hospital emergency department seeking examination or treatment.”
    How will CMS enforce EMTALA, specifically for pregnant patients or patients experiencing pregnancy loss who are facing life-threatening or other serious emergency medical situations?
    How will CMS and its remaining regional offices adjudicate on and refer for investigation EMTALA complaints involving delayed or denied necessary emergency abortion care? 
    Does CMS and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) have sufficient resources and personnel to investigate violations of EMTALA? Please provide detailed information on the number of employees and federal funding that HHS has available to investigate complaints of EMTALA violations.
    Please provide a list of EMTALA complaints since June 24, 2022, involving delayed or denied necessary emergency abortion care by state, hospital, incident date, nature of allegation, investigation status, recommended action by surveyors, and final action in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 USC § 552a).
    The announcement also stated, “CMS will work to rectify any perceived legal confusion and instability created by the former administration’s actions.”
    Did CMS provide any advance notice to states – including state survey agencies – about the decision to rescind the July 2022 guidance before it was announced?
    Did CMS provide any advance notice to hospitals about the decision to rescind the July 2022 guidance before it was announced?
    Did CMS provide any advance notice to professional physician organizations about the decision to rescind the July 2022 guidance before it was announced?
    What specific steps will CMS take to address the legal confusion of patients, hospitals, and physicians caused by state abortion bans conflicting with federal law?
    Has the Administration created any materials to educate patients, hospitals, and physicians about this policy? If so, please produce them.
    The July 2022 guidance reaffirmed the longstanding legal and professional obligation hospitals have to provide patients with emergency abortion care under EMTALA.
    Will CMS issue new guidance making it clear to hospitals that they are legally required to follow EMTALA by providing stabilizing treatment for patients experiencing a medical emergency, including where that treatment is an abortion?
    Will CMS issue updates or require changes to the Medicare provider agreements for hospitals?
    Will CMS issue new guidance to state survey agencies related to EMTALA investigations?
    This abrupt decision will further the chaos and confusion that hospitals, physicians, and patients have experienced since the Dobbs decision and will result in negative and deadly consequences for women and families across the United States. HHS should immediately reverse its decision to rescind the guidance.
    Sincerely,
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Hosts Telephone Town Hall, Highlighting Negative Impacts of Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ on Illinois

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    June 25, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) tonight hosted a telephone town hall to answer Illinois constituents’ questions and discuss how Donald Trump and Republicans’ “Big Beautiful Bill” will profoundly harm Illinoisans. In tonight’s town hall, Duckworth highlighted how Senate Republicans are currently trying to jam through this legislation—that no one has seen final text for—in order to give Trump and his billionaire buddies a massive tax cut paid for by increasing taxes on and cutting basic needs services for the most vulnerable Americans and the middle class. Photos from tonight’s telephone town hall are available on the Senator’s website.
    “Donald Trump’s so-called Big, Beautiful Bill throws middle class families under the bus and increases taxes on low-income families in order to fund another monstrous tax cut for Trump’s billionaire Mar-A-Lago buddies,” Duckworth said. “This bill lets Republicans off the hook from having to earn a single Democratic vote to pass their deeply unpopular ‘well, we’re all going to die’ agenda that cuts Medicaid, guts critical food assistance programs and explodes our deficit and debt by trillions of dollars—selling out the middle class to enrich billionaires like Donald Trump.”
    If Republicans’ plan is passed, hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans would be at risk of losing health coverage through Medicaid and food assistance through SNAP, and dozens of rural hospitals and nursing homes in our state would likely close—cutting off or restricting access to critical services for entire communities, including Illinoisans with private insurance. As a result of these cuts and other irresponsible slashes by Republicans, thousands of jobs across the clean energy, agriculture and medical industries are at risk.
    Duckworth hosted her last town hall in May in McHenry County, focusing on Veterans and all of the ways Donald Trump and his Administration are hurting our nation’s Veterans.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: AI innovation and insights for educators on display at ISTELive 25 June 29-July 2

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: AI innovation and insights for educators on display at ISTELive 25 June 29-July 2

    Learn about AI features for educators coming to Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Chat for teens, and insights from the 2025 AI in Education Report.

    We’re announcing new AI features for educators coming to Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot+ PCs, general availability of Copilot Chat for teen students, our 2025 AI in Education Report, and more.

    We’re inspired by innovative teaching, leading, and learning and excited to share new insights, features for educators and students, and resources to help you get started. Join us in-person at ISTELive 25 and ASCD Annual 25, June 29 – July 2, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas to explore the latest from Microsoft Education with solutions that spark joyful learning and equip educators with AI skills.

    Explore details in the Tech Community blog

    Insights from the 2025 AI in Education Report

    In times of change and innovation, the need for insights and examples of impact becomes increasingly important. That’s why we’re sharing the 2025 AI in Education Report which highlights key findings across AI usage, concerns, and opportunities alongside learnings and progress from global institutions.

    Read the 2025 AI in Education Report

    According to the report, AI in education is advancing daily with over 80% of surveyed educators using AI this year, up 21 points from last year as its role expands from just an assistant to a thought partner and force multiplier. At the same time, approximately one in three surveyed United States K-12 educators still lack confidence in using AI effectively and responsibly and more than half of surveyed students report that they have not received AI training.1

    It’s critical to engage with students, educators, and all community stakeholders to address challenges, learn together, and co-develop the path forward. Further, we need to collectively prepare for an AI-powered future and support students in building relevant AI skills as every industry and discipline evolves. Read the report for an overview and even more insights.

    Teachers are saying, ‘I need training, it needs to be high quality, relevant, and job-embedded…’ In reality, people require guidance and that means teachers and administrators going through professional development.

    Pat Yongpradit, Chief Academic Officer, TeachAI

    Enhancing instruction with Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Learning Zone

    Microsoft 365 Copilot delivers the latest AI innovations whether through reasoning agents like Researcher and Analyst, or advanced functionality like Copilot Tuning. Institutions such as Brisbane Catholic Education and Miami Dade College are saving time to reinvest into meaningful work and beginning to explore new capabilities like agents. We’re also collaborating with Learning Management System (LMS) providers like Canvas and Moodle to take the power of agents a step further by supporting integration with Copilot through open-source, customizable samples.

    We told our staff: you have permission to try, and permission to fail. That opened the door for teachers to test Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat without fear of judgment or wasted time. And guess what? Most of the time, those experiments don’t fail—they spark new ways of thinking.

    Shane Tooley, Assistant Principal Curriculum, St. Peter Claver College, Brisbane Catholic Education

    We recently introduced the updated Microsoft 365 Copilot app, your hub for the latest functionality and later this year in preview, for AI-powered features for educators. In one place, educators will be able to easily create lesson plans, draft materials like quizzes and rubrics, and quickly make modifications like translation, adjusted reading levels, length, difficulty, alignment to relevant standards, and more.

    We’re announcing Microsoft Learning Zone, a free, AI-powered learning app and the first Copilot+ PC experience purpose built for educators to create personalized, adaptive learning activities.2 Formerly known as the code name Project Spark, the experience will launch in public preview later this summer on Copilot+ PCs, including Microsoft Surface, and across the Windows ecosystem. It’s powered by new AI innovation, learning science, educator input, and features like lesson creation, customizable tools to meet learning goals, and data-driven insights.

    Microsoft Learning Zone is built on collaborations with organizations such as NASA, The Economist Educational Foundation, PBS NewsHour, Figma, and Minecraft Education to bring real-world relevance into the classroom. It also includes integration with Kahoot! to generate interactive games and OpenStax for content from vetted open educational resources.

    Using Microsoft Learning Zone in the classroom has been an exciting opportunity to explore innovative ways to engage students. I was impressed by the app’s intuitive layout and how easily I could edit and share content with my class. While still in its early stages, Learning Zone shows great potential for helping teachers create AI-driven educational resources.

    Terry Borko, Teacher of Social Studies and Media, Red Deer Lake School

    Preparing students for academic and career success

    Students at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and University of South Carolina are already seeing academic and career preparedness gains with Microsoft 365 Copilot. Copilot Notebooks are now included, and we’re looking forward to bringing even more value with a study guide experience, in preview later this year. Study guide creation is designed to help students, or educators, turn scattered materials into an organized study space with engaging learning activities and content like podcasts instantly. It will include flashcards, fill in the blanks, matching exercises, quizzes, and the ability to review progress.

    In some job interviews recently, I’ve actually been asked about my experience with AI and if I know how to use it efficiently to help manage workflows. Copilot will really help students stay at the forefront of today’s changing world and make them more marketable.

    Emma Ernst, Public Relations Student, University of South Carolina

    In May 2025, we announced that teen student availability for Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot would be coming this summer. We’re now sharing that general availability is expected in late July 2025. To prepare, administrators should review guidance to enable Copilot Chat for students and help ensure appropriate access.

    Enable Copilot Chat access for students

    Copilot Chat is included with Microsoft 365 at no additional cost and offers secure AI chat powered by GPT-4o with the ability to maintain IT control through enterprise data protection and management. It also includes features like file upload, image generation, Copilot Pages, and agents. We’re optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead to help students increase their agency and build skills to prepare for future success. Read more about use cases, reflections, and advice from our global private preview educators and students in the announcement blog and from Johns Creek High School in the following video.

    We’re looking forward to continuing to add education value to Microsoft 365 Copilot and you can review the details, learn about additional updates like the Microsoft 365 Education Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI®), and join our preview communities through the Education Tech Community blog.

    Explore details in the Tech Community blog

    As AI usage and innovation increases, so does the need for training resources that empower educators and students alike. We’re continuing to provide opportunities to build essential skills—from immersive activities in Minecraft Education AI Foundations, to equipping preservice educators with ISTE+ASCD, providing hands-on cybersecurity experience for students, and offering GitHub Certifications on Microsoft Learn and Pearson VUE.

    We’ll also continue highlighting new evidence of impact such as the recent World Bank study in Nigeria, where a pilot program deployed Copilot, which stated that a “cost-effectiveness analysis revealed substantial learning gains, equating to 1.5 to years of ‘business as usual’ schooling, situating the intervention among some of the most cost-effective programs to improve learning outcomes.”

    Additional resources

    • Microsoft Education AI Toolkit – Designed to guide school leaders through the process of planning for and integrating AI across the institution.
    • 2025 AI in Education Report – Learn more about the latest insights on AI in Education from Microsoft.
    • AI strategies from the frontlines of higher education – Read the recent IDC White Paper, sponsored by Microsoft and explore perspectives from academic and IT leaders.
    • AI Classroom Toolkit – Try this creative resource to introduce AI to teen students that blends engaging narrative stories with instructional information for an immersive and informative learning experience.
    • Copilot Chat Adoption Kit – Review the collection of resources for IT, educators, and parents and caregivers to get started with Copilot Chat.
    • Minecraft Education AI Foundations – Build AI literacy with Agent and Chicken! AI Foundations offers accessible on-ramps with lessons, immersive content, parent resources, and fun animated videos. Stay tuned for new content coming later this year and join the training cohort to learn more.

    Learning from others

    1 Survey Data – 2025 AI in Education Report

    2 Microsoft Learning Zone is available with a Copilot+ PC and Microsoft Education license (A1, A3, A5). Initial availability will be English only.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: AI innovation and insights for educators on display at ISTELive 25 June 29-July 2

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: AI innovation and insights for educators on display at ISTELive 25 June 29-July 2

    Learn about AI features for educators coming to Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Chat for teens, and insights from the 2025 AI in Education Report.

    We’re announcing new AI features for educators coming to Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot+ PCs, general availability of Copilot Chat for teen students, our 2025 AI in Education Report, and more.

    We’re inspired by innovative teaching, leading, and learning and excited to share new insights, features for educators and students, and resources to help you get started. Join us in-person at ISTELive 25 and ASCD Annual 25, June 29 – July 2, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas to explore the latest from Microsoft Education with solutions that spark joyful learning and equip educators with AI skills.

    Explore details in the Tech Community blog

    Insights from the 2025 AI in Education Report

    In times of change and innovation, the need for insights and examples of impact becomes increasingly important. That’s why we’re sharing the 2025 AI in Education Report which highlights key findings across AI usage, concerns, and opportunities alongside learnings and progress from global institutions.

    Read the 2025 AI in Education Report

    According to the report, AI in education is advancing daily with over 80% of surveyed educators using AI this year, up 21 points from last year as its role expands from just an assistant to a thought partner and force multiplier. At the same time, approximately one in three surveyed United States K-12 educators still lack confidence in using AI effectively and responsibly and more than half of surveyed students report that they have not received AI training.1

    It’s critical to engage with students, educators, and all community stakeholders to address challenges, learn together, and co-develop the path forward. Further, we need to collectively prepare for an AI-powered future and support students in building relevant AI skills as every industry and discipline evolves. Read the report for an overview and even more insights.

    Teachers are saying, ‘I need training, it needs to be high quality, relevant, and job-embedded…’ In reality, people require guidance and that means teachers and administrators going through professional development.

    Pat Yongpradit, Chief Academic Officer, TeachAI

    Enhancing instruction with Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Learning Zone

    Microsoft 365 Copilot delivers the latest AI innovations whether through reasoning agents like Researcher and Analyst, or advanced functionality like Copilot Tuning. Institutions such as Brisbane Catholic Education and Miami Dade College are saving time to reinvest into meaningful work and beginning to explore new capabilities like agents. We’re also collaborating with Learning Management System (LMS) providers like Canvas and Moodle to take the power of agents a step further by supporting integration with Copilot through open-source, customizable samples.

    We told our staff: you have permission to try, and permission to fail. That opened the door for teachers to test Microsoft 365 Copilot and Copilot Chat without fear of judgment or wasted time. And guess what? Most of the time, those experiments don’t fail—they spark new ways of thinking.

    Shane Tooley, Assistant Principal Curriculum, St. Peter Claver College, Brisbane Catholic Education

    We recently introduced the updated Microsoft 365 Copilot app, your hub for the latest functionality and later this year in preview, for AI-powered features for educators. In one place, educators will be able to easily create lesson plans, draft materials like quizzes and rubrics, and quickly make modifications like translation, adjusted reading levels, length, difficulty, alignment to relevant standards, and more.

    We’re announcing Microsoft Learning Zone, a free, AI-powered learning app and the first Copilot+ PC experience purpose built for educators to create personalized, adaptive learning activities.2 Formerly known as the code name Project Spark, the experience will launch in public preview later this summer on Copilot+ PCs, including Microsoft Surface, and across the Windows ecosystem. It’s powered by new AI innovation, learning science, educator input, and features like lesson creation, customizable tools to meet learning goals, and data-driven insights.

    Microsoft Learning Zone is built on collaborations with organizations such as NASA, The Economist Educational Foundation, PBS NewsHour, Figma, and Minecraft Education to bring real-world relevance into the classroom. It also includes integration with Kahoot! to generate interactive games and OpenStax for content from vetted open educational resources.

    Using Microsoft Learning Zone in the classroom has been an exciting opportunity to explore innovative ways to engage students. I was impressed by the app’s intuitive layout and how easily I could edit and share content with my class. While still in its early stages, Learning Zone shows great potential for helping teachers create AI-driven educational resources.

    Terry Borko, Teacher of Social Studies and Media, Red Deer Lake School

    Preparing students for academic and career success

    Students at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and University of South Carolina are already seeing academic and career preparedness gains with Microsoft 365 Copilot. Copilot Notebooks are now included, and we’re looking forward to bringing even more value with a study guide experience, in preview later this year. Study guide creation is designed to help students, or educators, turn scattered materials into an organized study space with engaging learning activities and content like podcasts instantly. It will include flashcards, fill in the blanks, matching exercises, quizzes, and the ability to review progress.

    In some job interviews recently, I’ve actually been asked about my experience with AI and if I know how to use it efficiently to help manage workflows. Copilot will really help students stay at the forefront of today’s changing world and make them more marketable.

    Emma Ernst, Public Relations Student, University of South Carolina

    In May 2025, we announced that teen student availability for Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot would be coming this summer. We’re now sharing that general availability is expected in late July 2025. To prepare, administrators should review guidance to enable Copilot Chat for students and help ensure appropriate access.

    Enable Copilot Chat access for students

    Copilot Chat is included with Microsoft 365 at no additional cost and offers secure AI chat powered by GPT-4o with the ability to maintain IT control through enterprise data protection and management. It also includes features like file upload, image generation, Copilot Pages, and agents. We’re optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead to help students increase their agency and build skills to prepare for future success. Read more about use cases, reflections, and advice from our global private preview educators and students in the announcement blog and from Johns Creek High School in the following video.

    We’re looking forward to continuing to add education value to Microsoft 365 Copilot and you can review the details, learn about additional updates like the Microsoft 365 Education Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI®), and join our preview communities through the Education Tech Community blog.

    Explore details in the Tech Community blog

    As AI usage and innovation increases, so does the need for training resources that empower educators and students alike. We’re continuing to provide opportunities to build essential skills—from immersive activities in Minecraft Education AI Foundations, to equipping preservice educators with ISTE+ASCD, providing hands-on cybersecurity experience for students, and offering GitHub Certifications on Microsoft Learn and Pearson VUE.

    We’ll also continue highlighting new evidence of impact such as the recent World Bank study in Nigeria, where a pilot program deployed Copilot, which stated that a “cost-effectiveness analysis revealed substantial learning gains, equating to 1.5 to years of ‘business as usual’ schooling, situating the intervention among some of the most cost-effective programs to improve learning outcomes.”

    Additional resources

    • Microsoft Education AI Toolkit – Designed to guide school leaders through the process of planning for and integrating AI across the institution.
    • 2025 AI in Education Report – Learn more about the latest insights on AI in Education from Microsoft.
    • AI strategies from the frontlines of higher education – Read the recent IDC White Paper, sponsored by Microsoft and explore perspectives from academic and IT leaders.
    • AI Classroom Toolkit – Try this creative resource to introduce AI to teen students that blends engaging narrative stories with instructional information for an immersive and informative learning experience.
    • Copilot Chat Adoption Kit – Review the collection of resources for IT, educators, and parents and caregivers to get started with Copilot Chat.
    • Minecraft Education AI Foundations – Build AI literacy with Agent and Chicken! AI Foundations offers accessible on-ramps with lessons, immersive content, parent resources, and fun animated videos. Stay tuned for new content coming later this year and join the training cohort to learn more.

    Learning from others

    1 Survey Data – 2025 AI in Education Report

    2 Microsoft Learning Zone is available with a Copilot+ PC and Microsoft Education license (A1, A3, A5). Initial availability will be English only.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New Initiative Sets Out to Ensure 10 Million Safer Births Under the Patronage of Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    Under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Mary of Denmark, UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, and Danish NGO Maternity Foundation announced the 10 Million Safer Births Initiative in Abuja, Nigeria on 24 June, 2025. The initiative is driven by an ambitious commitment to support 10 million births across Sub-Saharan Africa by the end of 2030.

    Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 70 per cent of all maternal deaths worldwide. Despite a 40 per cent decline in the global maternal mortality rate since 2000, progress has slowed, and multiple global crises now threaten to reverse these gains. Every two minutes, a woman dies from pregnancy or childbirth-related causes, and for every woman who dies, 20-30 suffer acute to severe disability — most of which are preventable.

    Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark announced her patronage of the 10 Million Safer Births Initiative.

    “No woman should risk life to give life,” said The Queen. “I am honoured to announce my patronage of this very concrete initiative, which aims to ensure 10 million safer births by end 2030 across Sub-Saharan Africa.”

    ​​The first phase of the initiative will be able to deliver targeted support to midwives and frontline health workers to strengthen maternal and newborn care in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.  

    The support will include the scaling up of Maternity Foundation’s widely used Safe Delivery+ programme, which includes the free Safe Delivery App. The app provides healthcare professionals, particularly midwives in low-resource settings, with access to evidence-based guidelines and video demonstrations on preventative, routine, and emergency maternal and newborn care, on their mobile devices. This enables them to prevent or manage life-threatening situations more effectively, ultimately improving maternal and newborn health and survival rates. 

    The Government of Denmark and the Gates Foundation are supporting the initiative.  Denmark will provide a DKK 32 million (USD 4.9 million) investment. The Gates Foundation intends to allocate an additional USD 1.5 million as part of its support to scaling up midwifery models of care under the Midwifery Accelerator initiative.

    “Denmark is proud to support this bold, innovative initiative,” said Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen. “Every woman has the right to give birth safely, and we are committed to making that a reality.”

    “Healthy mothers and babies are the foundations of vibrant communities—and midwives play a key role in helping them thrive,” said Dr. Paulin Basinga, Africa Director of the Gates Foundation. “The 10 Million Safer Births initiative is about more than saving lives—it’s about equality. Too many women in Africa face life-threatening risks in childbirth simply because of where they live. By coming together across sectors and borders, we have a real opportunity to close that gap and transform care at the very start of life.”

    “Access to quality midwifery care can spell the difference between life and death for women and their babies,” said UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem. “The 10 Million Safer Births Initiative will give midwives the tools to save lives in some of the most challenging settings. UNFPA is grateful to Her Majesty Queen Mary of Denmark and the Danish Government and Gates Foundation supporting this important effort to make childbirth safer.”

    “We will not close the gap in maternal mortality by 2030 by doing the same as we always did. We need to rethink the way things are done. This initiative brings together innovation, data, and collaboration across sectors to strengthen maternal care where it’s needed most.,” said Anna Frellsen, CEO of Maternity Foundation. “Together, we can transform outcomes for millions of women and their newborns.”

    The 10 Million Safer Births Initiative is a flagship programme implemented through UNFPA’s Maternal and Newborn Health Fund, which provides catalytic support to ensure that every woman, adolescent girl and newborn can access quality sexual, reproductive, maternal and newborn health services. 

    Further information, please contact:

    About the 10 Million Safer Births Initiative

    UNFPA and Maternity Foundation have launched the 10 Million Safer Births Initiative to improve access to quality care for mothers and support at least 10 million safer births across Sub-Saharan Africa by the end of 2030. The initiative builds upon the partners’ longstanding collaboration and combines UNFPA’s expertise in strengthening health systems and advancing care provided by midwives and Maternity Foundation’s proven digital Safe Delivery+ programme to build the capacity of healthcare professionals, such as midwives. The first phase begins in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Tanzania in collaboration with the national governments, with plans to scale across the region. 

    About the partners

    UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, working in over 150 countries to ensure every pregnancy is wanted and every childbirth is safe. Through its Maternal and Newborn Health Fund and Start With Her strategy, UNFPA supports midwives, emergency care, family planning, and maternal death surveillance to improve maternal outcomes. HM The Queen of Denmark is Patron of UNFPA.

    Maternity Foundation is an international NGO advancing safer births in fragile and remote settings. Its Safe Delivery+ programme has reached over 455,000 health professionals globally, supported by the Safe Delivery App—a free, evidence-based, offline-capable tool for midwives and frontline providers. HM The Queen of Denmark is Patron of Maternity Foundation.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada celebrates National Shipbuilding Strategy milestones at Irving Shipbuilding

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    June 26, 2025 – Halifax, Nova Scotia 
     

    Through the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), the Government of Canada is committed to strengthening its sovereign shipbuilding capabilities and supply chains so that the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) and the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) are equipped to conduct operations at home and alongside allies in an increasingly complex environment.  

    Today, the Honourable Kody Blois, Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Honourable Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement, joined Vice-Admiral Angus Topshee, Commander of the RCN, and other dignitaries to celebrate significant progress on the Arctic and offshore patrol ships (AOPS) and River-class destroyers (RCD) being constructed at Irving Shipbuilding Inc. (ISI). The AOPS and RCD are critical NSS initiatives that will bolster Canada’s naval strength and economic resilience for decades to come.

    Parliamentary Secretary Blois commended ISI on its AOPS project achievements. The AOPS project for the RCN will be completed this year, with delivery of the sixth and final ship, the future His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Robert Hampton Gray, anticipated this summer.

    The AOPS project for the CCG is also progressing, with the launch of the first ship, the future Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Donjek, anticipated in 2026. Construction of the second ship, the future CCGS Sermilik, continues to advance.

    In addition, ISI is pivoting to the future and ramping up production for the RCD project. Parliamentary Secretary Blois highlighted that full-rate production on the first RCD, the future HMCS Fraser, is now underway, with delivery of this ship anticipated in the early 2030s. The shipyard will continue to integrate lessons learned from the earlier production of an RCD test module, as well as the AOPS project, into the construction process.

    Beyond new ship construction, ISI is supporting the ongoing operational readiness of the RCN’s Halifax-class frigates until the arrival of the RCD. The shipyard is conducting repair and maintenance activities on HMCS Halifax, with anticipated completion next year.

    This year marks the 15th anniversary of the NSS. Since its inception, the strategy has revitalized Canada’s marine industry, fostered innovation and created a skilled workforce. NSS contracts awarded between 2012 and the end of 2024 are estimated to have contributed close to $38.7 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) and created or maintained approximately 21,400 jobs annually between 2012 and 2025.

    The Government of Canada remains committed to advancing shipbuilding projects that equip the RCN, the CCG and Transport Canada with modern, capable vessels. The NSS will continue to evolve through the integration of lessons learned and close collaboration with industry partners to continue to deliver important benefits for Canadians.

    MIL OSI Canada News –