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Category: DJF

  • MIL-Evening Report: Video games can help trans players feel seen and safe. It all starts with design

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Toups Dugas, Associate Professor of Human-Centred Computing, Monash University

    Shano Liang

    There is a comfort in finding and being yourself. Video games offer opportunities for this comfort. They allow people to exist in safe spaces, to develop community, and to explore the self – as well as the potential self.

    Our recently published study explores how video games can elicit feelings of gender euphoria for transgender people. This could be a result of a player developing a connection with a character they feel represented by. Or, they may simply appreciate the experience of a world in which they exist as their actual gender.

    Far from just providing an escape, our research shows video games can play a major role in fostering inclusion for trans people, and in promoting the joy of being trans.

    Why gender euphoria matters

    Much of the discourse around transgender and gender diverse identities is damage-centred. People have come to understand transness through a medicalised lens that emphasises gender dysphoria.

    Gender “dysphoria” refers to a person’s feelings of disconnection and dissatisfaction with their experience of gender, whether it’s their body, how others treat them, or how they present themselves to the world. For further reading, we recommend The Gender Dysphoria Bible (an online community resource), or Susan Stryker’s book Transgender History.

    Gender “euphoria” refers to feelings of excitement, completeness and affirmation that come when someone truly experiences their gender identity. For cisgender people, gender euphoria is often unremarkable. But for transgender people, discovering this feeling – especially in a hostile world – can be profound and lifesaving.

    In Cyberpunk 2077, Claire’s car interior displays the trans pride flag, signalling to the player that her identity is not a secret, nor a source of shame.
    Michelle Cormier/Monash University, CC BY-SA

    While gender “euphoria” is an old term used by the trans community to understand the potential for happiness, researchers have only recently begun studying it.

    As a group of longtime gamers and trans people, we knew of many games that offered this experience to us. And as researchers and game designers, we had the tools to tease apart these games to understand what makes them meaningful.

    Our study contributes language and a framework for analysing gender euphoria in video games. We hope it will help with developing games that are more inclusive and meaningful for trans players.

    A reflexive thematic analysis

    We used a qualitative research method called reflexive thematic analysis, which involves drawing from one’s own experiences as a source of data that frames the analysis.

    We developed a list of games that were known for trans themes, and/or authored by trans designers, and/or which we had personally found comfort in playing. The list included both indie and mainstream games, such as Cyberpunk 2077, Anna Anthropy’s dys4ia, Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Celeste.

    While analysing the games, we looked at the art, narratives, choices offered to players, and how characters were represented.

    We also identified various “themes” relating to trans experiences which were common among the games. We organised these themes into the categories of design, dynamics and experiences, building on prior design theory.

    A three-pronged framework

    Design elements are what the game maker creates, such as the main story, or how you can manipulate a character. Certain games can be designed in a way that normalises transgender people, such as by offering a range of gender expressions for players, or by allowing trans identity disclosure during play.

    In the game Celeste, the trans pride flag behind Madeline’s computer, and the pill bottle beside her bed, are intentional design choices that help the player understand Madeline’s identity.
    Michelle Cormier/Monash University, CC BY-SA

    The dynamics of a game refer to how it unfolds as a result of the design and players’ decisions. Dynamics, for instance, might address how players come to discover a trans character, or how they might encounter pain and healing through the story.

    And experiences are the emotions players feel as a result of playing, such as the excitement of finishing a level, or sadness over the loss of a beloved character. For trans players, gender euphoric experiences centre on the self and how it relates to the broader world.

    Although it has some issues with trans representation, the game Cyberpunk 2077 is a good example for understanding how we sorted our themes into these three categories.

    The character Claire Russel is designed as a woman street racer, whose trans identity is not made explicit. The player’s interactions with Claire create certain dynamics, after which her character confides she is transgender. This offers the player the experience of having comfortable interactions with a transgender character, and of understanding how the character relates to the larger game world.

    During an emotionally charged scene, Claire speaks candidly to the player about her past.
    Michelle Cormier/Monash University, CC BY-SA

    Unexpectedly, we found expressions of pain (including gender dysphoria) were an important aspect of some of the trans-inclusive games we analysed.

    The games created gender euphoric experiences for players by acknowledging the painful parts of the transgender experience, and then providing opportunities to resolve or live through them.

    Moving towards trans-inclusivity

    Of course, there is more to do. While our reflexive analysis centred trans-femme experiences, there is a range of gender identities out there. More work is needed to see what other designs, dynamics and experiences should be on offer for trans players.

    Gender euphoria is a salve to the unnecessary pain the world brings to trans people. It is therefore a worthy design goal – not just in video games, but in all kinds of interactive systems.

    If we want trans joy in the world, we will have to design for it.

    Phoebe Toups Dugas is affiliated with Monash University and is undertaking volunteer work with Transgender Victoria.

    Michelle Cormier is affiliated with Monash University and is managing a community project for Transgender Victoria as a volunteer.

    – ref. Video games can help trans players feel seen and safe. It all starts with design – https://theconversation.com/video-games-can-help-trans-players-feel-seen-and-safe-it-all-starts-with-design-257901

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The ancients also had to deal with a cost-of-living crisis. Here’s how they managed

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Konstantine Panegyres, Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History, The University of Western Australia

    Louis Le Brun, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    Talk to anyone today, and they will probably have something to say about how expensive life has become. While the rate of inflation has slowed, prices for many goods and services are still much higher than pre-pandemic.

    Cost-of-living crises are not new. They have occurred at various times and places throughout the millennia.

    If we look at cost-of-living pressures in ancient Greek and Roman times and how people back then dealt with them, we can learn something about how to face our own issues.

    ‘The price of land has gone up’

    The cost of living was a conversation topic in antiquity, especially the price of land and food.

    The Roman writer Pliny the Younger (circa 61–113 CE) in one of his letters remarked to his friend about the rising cost of real estate:

    Have you heard that the price of land has gone up, particularly in the neighbourhood of Rome? The reason for the sudden increase in price has given rise to a good deal of discussion.

    The ancient Greek scholar Athenaeus, who lived in Naukratis, in Egypt, around 200 CE, wrote a long book called The Learned Banqueters, depicting a dinner party.

    The characters at this dinner party often complain about the price of food and goods. For example, one character complains about the price of fish:

    I don’t think I’ve ever seen fish more expensive. Poseidon, if you got 10% of what’s spent on them every day, you’d be far away the richest god there is!

    People often said that fish was exorbitantly expensive and thought fish sellers were trying to rip them off.

    In fact, the poet Antiphanes (circa 408–330 BCE) complained “there’s no group more abominable” than fish sellers and money lenders.

    How to lower costs?

    Ancient people were well aware that a cost-of-living crisis can cause political disturbances.

    As the Roman poet Lucan (39–65 CE) wrote:

    the causes of hatred and mainsprings of political popularity are determined by the price of food.

    So, how did ancient leaders deal with this sort of problem?

    One solution was for the ruler to cover the cost of inflation.

    For example, the Athenian statesman Demosthenes (384–322 BCE) mentions a problem with the price of grain that was solved by boosting imports:

    When grain earlier advanced in price and reached sixteen drachmae per medimnus, we imported more than ten thousand medimni of wheat, and measured it out at the normal price of five drachmae a medimnus.

    Alexander Severus helped trim the cost of meat.
    Creative commons, CC BY

    Another solution was to put extreme regulations on the market.

    For example, the Roman emperor Alexander Severus (ruled 222–235 CE) was once faced by a group of angry citizens.

    They demanded a reduction in the price of beef and pork, which had become unaffordable.

    Alexander Severus “did not proclaim a general reduction in prices”, says the anonymous biographer who recounts this anecdote. Instead, the emperor

    ordered that no one should slaughter a sow or a suckling pig, a cow, or a calf. In two years or even in little more than one year, there was such an abundance of pork and beef that while a pound previously cost eight minutili, the price of both these meats was reduced to two and even one per pound.

    The city is so expensive

    The Greek writer Plutarch of Chaeronea (46–119 CE) records a story about the famous philosopher Socrates (circa 470–399 BCE), who lived in Athens.

    One day, according to Plutarch, a friend of Socrates complained to him about “how expensive the city was”:

    Chian wine costs a mina, a purple robe three minae, a half-pint of honey five drachmas!

    In response, Socrates took his friend by the hand and told him to search for bargains or for cheaper items, saying:

    A sleeveless vest for ten drachmas! The city is cheap!

    Socrates’ point was that even in expensive times it’s still possible to find bargains to save money. You just have to look harder for them and lower your standard of living. It can be difficult to do that, but it’s necessary.

    Socrates also gave out employment advice for people who were struggling.

    According to Socrates’ friend, the historian Xenophon of Athens (430–350 BCE), when a poor veteran came to Socrates complaining about lack of money and asking how to cope with expenses, Socrates told him to

    take up some kind of work at once that will assure you a living when you get old.

    Socrates thought making sure you still have money when you
    are old is more important than fully enjoying your current job. You will likely have to put up with things you don’t like to achieve security.

    From ancient to modern

    Most ancient people would probably have said that during a cost-of-living crisis it’s best to be patient, live simply, and wait for better times to come.

    As Pliny the Younger (circa 61–113 CE) once wrote in one of his letters, “my income is small or precarious, but its deficiencies can be made up by simple living”.

    If politicians cannot solve the problems, then it is up to us to cope with them as best as we can.

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

    – ref. The ancients also had to deal with a cost-of-living crisis. Here’s how they managed – https://theconversation.com/the-ancients-also-had-to-deal-with-a-cost-of-living-crisis-heres-how-they-managed-257896

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: IAEA Launches Management System Advisory Service to Support the Introduction of Nuclear Power, Conducts First Mission to Saudi Arabia

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

    An IAEA team of experts visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to conduct the first IAEA Management Systems Advisory Service (IMSAS) mission. (Photo: DNEC).

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conducted its first-ever management systems advisory service in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 19 to 22 May 2025.

    The IAEA Management Systems Advisory Service (IMSAS) was established to support newcomer countries in developing robust and effective nuclear infrastructure, in response to findings from the Agency’s Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) missions that highlighted inconsistencies in the implementation of management systems among countries embarking on new nuclear power programmes.

    As part of the IAEA’s broader commitment to support countries in introducing nuclear power in their energy mix, IMSAS helps nuclear organizations develop and maintain management systems appropriate to the current phase of the nuclear power programme. A management system is a set of interrelated or interacting elements — including organizational structure, responsibilities, resources, and processes — established to achieve organizational objectives in an efficient and effective manner.

    Saudi Arabia is embarking on a nuclear power programme as part of its strategy to transition towards a diversified energy sector and building national capabilities in advanced energy technologies, all as part of its Vision 2030. In support of this plan, Saudi Arabia is following the IAEA’s Milestones Approach and actively cooperates with the IAEA through a coordinated Integrated Workplan to support its nuclear infrastructure development.

    In November 2024, Duwayhin Nuclear Energy Company (DNEC), which is designated as the owner/operator for the first nuclear power plant, requested the IAEA to conduct the IMSAS mission to review whether the current management system in DNEC is appropriate and adequate to support its current and planned activities.

    During its review, the IMSAS team – comprised of four external experts from Hungary, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as well as three IAEA staff members – reviewed documentation and conducted technical discussions with the DNEC in Riyadh.

    “The IMSAS team found that DNEC has a well-developed management system that effectively supports the organization in carrying out its current and future activities. We commend DNEC on the efforts undertaken to date to develop its management system, which will help support the safe and effective implementation Saudi Arabia’s nuclear power programme,” said Liliya Dulinets, Section Head of the IAEA Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section.

    In its draft final report, issued at the closing session, the mission team identified four good practices by DNEC. These included the development of its management system using a structured, project-based approach that ensures effective planning and coordination; the clear documentation of governance and management frameworks, which provides staff with a solid understanding of roles and responsibilities; and the transition to a fully electronic management system to enhance accessibility and usability.

    Two recommendations and four suggestions were also noted. These included opportunities for improvement related to enhancing the consistency of the management system documentation, formalizing the approach to process development, and elevating the level of ownership of the management system within the organization.

    “Our objective in requesting the mission was to have the IAEA conduct a cold-eye review of how we manage our day-to-day operations, particularly our management system,” said Khalid Al Gazlan, DNEC CEO. “The results of the mission were excellent, and the recommendations and suggestions provided will greatly support our continuous improvement efforts. We remain committed to cooperating with the IAEA through the Integrated Work Plan across all phases of our project, to ensure the establishment of a competent Owner-Operator; we thank the IAEA and the IMSAS team for this constructive and productive mission. This mission was a testament that the Kingdom is moving confidently towards building a sustainable civil nuclear program, supported by national competencies and strong international partnership.”

    The final mission report will be provided to DNEC within three months.

    About IMSAS

    IMSAS was established to support the review of management systems in countries embarking on new nuclear power programmes. It provides a structured approach for the self-assessment of the management systems of the regulatory body and owner/operator organization, as well as an independent review conducted by IAEA and international experts.

    IMSAS missions help organizations develop and maintain effective management systems consistent with the current phase of the nuclear power programme. It assists these organizations in aligning their management systems with IAEA standards and international good practices to support the implementation of current and planned activities. Additionally, IMSAS enables the identification of strengths and weaknesses through a combination of self-assessment and independent review, providing recommendations for improvement and highlighting good practices.

    The IAEA offers its Member States a wide array of review services. For the introduction of nuclear power, the Agency’s peer review service include, for example, the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) and the Stakeholder Engagement Advisory Service for Nuclear Power Programmes (SEAS).

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy, Daines, colleagues to Trump admin: New trade deals can benefit American farmers, energy producers and manufacturers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)

    WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and 53 other lawmakers in sending a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick recognizing the Trump administration’s efforts to secure deals with foreign countries that level the playing field for American farmers, energy producers and manufacturers.

    The letter specifically highlights the momentum for engaging in trade negotiations that President Donald Trump’s 90-day pause on implementation of certain tariffs presents and notes the potential for agreements that lower trade barriers on American goods.

    “We write to you to express our strong support for ongoing trade negotiations to level the playing field for American producers and manufacturers. President Trump’s decision to pause the implementation of certain reciprocal tariffs creates momentum to secure meaningful and enforceable agreements for U.S. agricultural producers, energy producers, and manufacturers,” the lawmakers began.

    “International trade is fundamental to the continued success and vitality of U.S. industry, particularly agriculture. Many of the commodities grown in the U.S. are dependent on access to export markets, including grains, oilseeds, specialty crops, and livestock products,” they added.

    “Certain barriers may require long-term negotiations. However, we are confident in your ability to utilize this 90-day pause to come to agreements that can benefit all American industries while providing opportunity for continued dialogue,” the members of Congress continued.

    “We applaud the President for seeking to renew American leadership in global trade and secure meaningful market access for American industries. We look forward to working together on a trade policy agenda that strengthens American industry, agriculture, and rural communities,” they concluded. 

    Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) and 43 members of the House of Representatives also joined the letter.

    The full letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Making the UK the best place to do business: Modern Industrial Strategy set to deepen global collaboration

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    World news story

    Making the UK the best place to do business: Modern Industrial Strategy set to deepen global collaboration

    Modern Industrial Strategy will make the UK the best country to invest in and grow a business, delivering on the Plan for Change.

    UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy

    • Strategy developed in partnership with business, marking a new era of collaboration between government and high growth industries.
    • New Industrial Strategy to unlock billions in investment and support 1.1 million new well-paid jobs over the next decade. *New Global Talent Taskforce and £54m fund will attract world-class researchers, top talent and their teams to the UK.
    • Electricity costs for thousands of businesses to be slashed by up to 25%.

    The plan focuses on 8 high growth sectors, including Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Digital and Technologies, Financial Services and Life Sciences, where there is potential for faster growth.

    The modern Industrial Strategy unveiled today, Monday 23 June, sets out a ten-year plan to boost investment, create good skilled jobs and make Britain the best place to do business.

    It includes targeted support for the areas of the country and economy that have the greatest potential to grow, while introducing reforms that will make it easier for all businesses to get ahead.

    The Strategy’s bold plan of action includes:

    • Slash electricity costs by up to 25% from 2027 for electricity-intensive manufacturers in growth sectors and foundational industries in their supply chain, bringing costs more closely in line with other major economies in Europe.

    • Unlocking billions in finance for innovative business, especially for SMEs by increasing British Business Bank financial capacity to £25.6 billion, crowding in tens of billions of pounds more in private capital. The includes an additional £4bn for Industrial Strategy Sectors, crowding in billions more in private capital. By investing largely through venture funds, the BBB will back the UK’s most high-growth potential companies.

    • Reducing regulatory burdens by cutting the administrative costs of regulation for business by 25% and reduce the number of regulators. 

    • Boosting R&D spending to £22.6bn per year by 2029-30 to drive innovation across the IS-8, with more than £2bn for AI over the Spending Review, and £2.8bn for advanced manufacturing over the next ten years. This will leverage in billions more from private investors. Regulatory changes will further clear the path for fast-growing industries and innovative products such as biotechnology, AI, and autonomous vehicles.

    • Attracting elite global talent to our key sectors, via visa and migration reforms and the new Global Talent Taskforce. The Taskforce and a £54m Global Talent Fund will support top talent to relocate to the UK.

    • Deepening economic and industrial collaboration with our partners, building on our Industrial Strategy Partnership with Japan and recent deals with the US, India, and the EU.

    • Reducing planning timelines and cutting costs for developers, by hiring more planners, streamlining pre-application requirements and combining environmental obligations, removing burdens on businesses as well as accelerating house building. 

    • Revolutionising public procurement and reducing barriers for new entrants and SMEs to bolster domestic competitiveness.

    • Supporting the UK’s city regions and clusters by increasing the supply of investible sites through a new £600m Strategic Sites Accelerator, enhanced regional support from the Office for Investment, National Wealth Fund, and British Business Bank, and more.

    • Upskilling the nation with an extra £1.2 billion each year for skills by 2028-29, and delivering more opportunities to learn and earn in our high-growth sectors including new short courses in relevant skills funded by the Growth and Skills Levy and skills packages targeted at defence digital and engineering.

    • Supporting 5,500 more SMEs to adopt new technology through the Made Smarter programme while centralising government support in one place through the Business Growth Service.

    The plan focuses on 8 sectors where the UK is already strong and there’s potential for faster growth: Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, Financial Services, Life Sciences, and Professional and Business Services. Each growth sector has a bespoke 10-year plan that will attract investment, enable growth and create high-quality, well-paid jobs. 

    Five sector plans have been published in tandem:

    Advanced Manufacturing

    Backing the Advanced Manufacturing sector with up to £4.3 billion in funding, including up to £2.8 billion in R&D over the next five years, with the aim of anchoring supply chains in the UK – from increasing vehicle production to 1.35, to leading the next generation of technologies for zero emission flight.

    Clean Energy Industries

    Doubling investment in Clean Energy Industries by 2035, with Great British Energy helping to build the clean power revolution in Britain with a further £700 million in clean energy supply chains, taking the total funding for the Great British Energy Supply Chain fund to £1 billion.

    Creative Industries

    Maximizing the value of the UK’s Creative Industries through a £380 million boost for film and TV, video games, advertising and marketing, music and visual and performing arts will improve access to finance for scale-ups and increase R&D, skills and exports.

    Digital and Technologies

    Making the UK the European leader for creating and scaling Digital and Technology businesses, with more than £2 billion to drive the AI Action Plan, including a new Sovereign AI Programme, £187 million for training one million young people in tech skills and targeting R&D investment at frontier technologies such as cyber security in Northern Ireland, semiconductors in Wales and quantum technologies in Scotland. 

    Professional and Business Services

    Ensuring the UK’s Professional and Business Services becomes the world’s most trusted adviser to global industry, revolutionising the sector across the world through adoption of UK-grown AI and working to secure mutual recognition of professional qualifications agreements overseas.

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

    This Industrial Strategy marks a turning point for Britain’s economy and a clear break from the short-termism and sticking plasters of the past.

    In an era of global economic instability, it delivers the long-term certainty and direction British businesses need to invest, innovate and create good jobs that put more money in people’s pockets as part of the plan for change.

    This is how we power Britain’s future – by backing the sectors where we lead, removing the barriers that hold us back, and setting out a clear path to build a stronger economy that works for working people. Our message is clear – Britain is back and open for business.

    Regarding the launch of the New Industrial Strategy, British Ambassador to Chile, Louise de Sousa, said:

    The UK’s modern Industrial Strategy is our ten-year plan to strengthen infrastructure, reduce costs for businesses and simplify regulation.

    With a highly skilled workforce and unrivalled global business connectivity, the UK provides an ideal location to scale, invest and grow business, by accessing the G7’s lowest corporation tax and a generous R&D tax.

    This being and internation strategy from the start, the plan will provide local businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators the stability and ease needed to make long-term investment decisions, which, in turn will help strengthening the already strong economic ties between UK and Chile.

    The Industrial Strategy is a 10-year plan to promote business investment and growth and make it quicker, easier and cheaper to do business in the UK, giving businesses the confidence to invest and create 1.1 million good, well-paid jobs in thriving industries – delivering on the UK Government’s Plan for Change.

    Further information

    If you want to know more about this matter, please contact the Communications Office.

    For more information about the activities of the British Embassy in Santiago, follow us on:

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China calls on SCO member states to deepen cooperation in law enforcement and security

    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 24 (Xinhua) — Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong on Tuesday called on member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to deepen practical cooperation in law enforcement and security and promote the building of a closer SCO community with a shared future.

    Wang Xiaohong made the relevant statements at the 20th meeting of the secretaries of the security councils of the SCO member states, where he delivered a keynote speech. The minister noted that China is ready to make a new, even greater contribution to security and stability in the region and around the world together with all member countries.

    Wang Xiaohong recalled that the Global Security Initiative put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping advocates a new type of security path that involves dialogue instead of confrontation, partnership instead of alliances, and win-win instead of zero-sum. China stands ready to actively implement this initiative together with all member states, fully promoting the “Shanghai spirit,” the minister emphasized.

    During the meeting, Wang Xiaohong put forward a five-point proposal, calling on SCO member states to, first, adhere to genuine multilateralism and propose solutions to global problems; second, stand together in both calm and dangerous times, and avoid interference from extra-regional forces; third, focus on common concerns and strengthen regional counter-terrorism capabilities; fourth, improve cooperation mechanisms and strengthen a common platform to combat new types of transnational crime; fifth, deepen exchanges and mutual learning, generating experience for building a human security community. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Mongolia and Uzbekistan signed a package of documents on cooperation

    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

    ULAN BATOR, June 24 (Xinhua) — Mongolia and Uzbekistan have signed a package of documents on further development of bilateral relations and cooperation, the press service of the President of Mongolia said on Tuesday.

    Documents, including a joint declaration on the establishment of comprehensive partnership relations between Mongolia and the Republic of Uzbekistan and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of mineral resources, were signed in Ulaanbaatar.

    President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, accompanied by a high-ranking delegation, arrived in the capital of Mongolia on Tuesday afternoon for a two-day state visit at the invitation of Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh.

    This is the first state visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Mongolia since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 1992. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Death toll in Iran from Israeli strikes exceeds 600 – Health Ministry

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    TEHRAN, June 24 (Xinhua) — The death toll from Israeli strikes on Iranian territory over the past 12 days has reached 606, with 5,332 injured, Iranian Health Minister Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi said on Tuesday.

    He said the past 24 hours had seen “the most horrific attacks and acts of aggression” by Israel since the airstrikes began on June 13, killing 104 people and wounding 1,342.

    The Israeli Health Ministry has reported 28 deaths and 3,238 wounded on the Israeli side since the start of the conflict.

    On Monday evening, US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire between the two sides would go into effect on June 24 at around 04:00 GMT.

    Although Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire, within hours of it beginning both sides reported truce violations, vowing to strike back at each other. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Iran ready to resolve issues at negotiating table — president

    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

    TEHRAN, June 24 (Xinhua) — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Tuesday that his country is ready to resolve issues within the international framework and at the negotiating table.

    According to a statement published on the website of the presidential office, M. Pezeshkian reported this during a telephone conversation with the President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

    According to M. Pezeshkian, Iran expects the UAE to convey to the US that the Islamic Republic is only seeking its legitimate rights and is in no way seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

    The President stressed that the Iranian side is capable of responding to Israeli attacks, while expressing hope that the ceasefire between Iran and Israel will be maintained.

    He also expressed his country’s readiness to deepen relations with the UAE and stressed the importance of regional stability.

    “We consider the people of the UAE and other countries in the region to be our brothers and respect the territorial integrity of all states. We believe that we will be able to develop the region exclusively through stability and peace, and, of course, in the absence of foreign interference,” M. Pezeshkian said.

    The UAE President, in turn, stated that self-defense is a natural right of all states, emphasizing that Iran, the UAE and other countries in the region will always remain neighbors to each other. “We must understand how we can guarantee a better future for our peoples through bilateral relations,” Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan noted.

    He expressed the UAE’s support for Iran in the face of current challenges. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China’s Innovation-Driven Growth Gains Momentum: Report

    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 24 (Xinhua) — The results of innovation-driven development are becoming more evident every day, and the strategy of driving development through innovation is gaining momentum, a State Council report said Tuesday.

    Beijing, Shanghai and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area have made remarkable progress in becoming international hubs for scientific and technological innovation, according to a report submitted by the State Council to the current session of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.

    In 2024, the integrated circuit industry saw rapid growth, with production increasing by 22.2 percent and its export value exceeding 1.1 trillion yuan (about 153 billion US dollars), reaching a historical high.

    The report states that new batches of high-tech domestically produced equipment have been put into operation, including high-power tractors with continuously variable transmission and large-capacity liquefied natural gas tankers.

    The report shows that China’s scientific, technological and industrial innovation are deeply integrated, and the country’s construction of a modernized industrial system is progressing at an accelerated pace.

    China has also made progress in promoting green and low-carbon development, with energy consumption per unit of GDP falling by more than 3 percent in 2024. The report emphasizes that China has created a good foundation and favorable conditions for cultivating productive forces of new quality. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Right Time, Right Skills

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Washington, DC – May 23rd was a busy day for Deputy U.S. Marshals Christopher Barton and Seth Howlett, assigned to the Eastern District of Texas – Beaumont Division. After successfully clearing three felony warrants in the morning, they came upon an accident on the Purple Heart Memorial Bridge near Jefferson County, Texas, and noticed traffic had just begun to slow.

    As they were driving by, the deputies noticed there was a man lying on the side of the highway with no law enforcement or medical services on the scene. The deputies immediately activated their emergency lights and pulled over to assess the situation.

    A motorcycle and SUV had been involved in an accident.  After exiting their vehicle and arriving at the motorcycle, the deputies noticed the motorcycle rider was unresponsive and had visible serious injuries, to include severe bleeding from his leg.

    “My main goal was to activate my emergency lights and get people away from that area to prevent additional accidents,” Barton said. “And then when we rolled up, clearly he had a compound fracture, so we were able to help.”

    “Initially, it appeared that there wasn’t much we could do for him; it was pretty bad. You could just tell from looking at him,” Howlett said.

    The deputies jumped into action, accessing their modified individual first aid kit and swiftly applying a tourniquet to the upper portion of the rider’s leg that was afflicted with the compound fracture – effectively stopping the bleeding.

    As the rider regained consciousness, he was immediately reassured by deputies Barton and Howlett that he was in good hands.

    Due to the gridlocked traffic on the bridge because of the accident, the responding emergency medical team was delayed. 

    “There just wasn’t anybody out on the scene. So, we were just trying hold the line until more support arrived,” Barton said. “Thankfully, we were able to help. He’s very, very lucky to be alive.”

    While Deputy Howlett stayed with the rider, offering continued encouragement, Deputy Barton ran to the ambulance and relayed the critical situation to the EMTs, who rushed a backboard to the injured rider.

    Deputies later learned the individual was airlifted from the scene to a level one trauma center and underwent multiple surgeries for two broken legs, two broken arms, a broken collar bone, broken ribs, a broken nose, and a broken pelvis. 

    “I’m not going to say the tourniquet saved his life, but I am sure he needed every drop of blood to help get himself healed,” Barton said. “I’m just happy for him and his family that he’s still around.”

    For Barton, years of work with the Bureau of Prisons combined with the USMS training allowed him to act quickly.

    “I worked for the Federal Bureau of Prisons for 21 years, responded to a lot of stabbings and serious assaults,” Barton said. “So, there’s been times where I’ve had to apply direct pressure to open wounds that are profusely bleeding, conduct CPR chest compressions and things of that nature.”

    Both men have responded to accidents or people in distress before, for Howlett, he said his muscle memory from training at the USMS Academy kicked in. 

    “What they say at the Academy all the time is, ‘You don’t rise to the occasion, you fall back to the level of training that you have,’” Howlett said. “We should always set the bar of our training to the highest point possible, so that whenever we get into the stressful situation, it becomes instinctual.”

    Howlett joined USMS last year and says there is a responsibility that comes with being a public servant.

    “We are public servants at the end of the day, whether we’re law enforcement officers, although we don’t wear necessarily a uniform or drive a marked police vehicle, we are public servants, and we have a duty to the public to help, to serve, and to protect, and so I take that very seriously,” Howlett said.

    For Barton, this dedication to serve is attributed to the fact that everyone is human.

    “I would also encourage people not to lose sight of their humanity.  Everyone is somebody’s family member, right?” Barton said “We’re all human first. I don’t care who you are, what your pay grade is, we are all human.”

    This incident is an example of one of many law enforcement professionals and Deputy U.S. Marshals quietly respond to, day in and day out, serving their communities.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Carlisle Man Indicted for Arson

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that John Petonyak, age 46, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, was charged on June 18, 2025, by a federal grand jury with two counts of arson.  

    According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on August 11, 2021, Petonyak maliciously set fire to materials associated with two buildings in Carlisle:  The Gingerbread Man, located on S. Court House Avenue; and the Faye’s Kitchen, located on S. Hanover Street.   

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Carlisle Police Department; and the Pennsylvania State Police.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Ford is prosecuting the case.

    Petonyak faces a maximum penalty of 40 years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

    Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Third Anniversary of Overturn of Roe v. Wade, Welch Joins Senate Democrats in Introducing Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and the entire Senate Democratic caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion across the country and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans.  
    The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration further attacks a woman’s right to choose and Congressional Republicans barrel ahead with a tax cut bill that defunds Planned Parenthood. Put together, Trump and Congressional Republicans’ assault on Americans’ reproductive rights is a backdoor national abortion ban, ripping away millions of women’s access to abortion care and right to control their bodies.     
    “The Supreme Court’s draconian Dobbs decision is one that will live on in infamy—for the first time leaving women in this country with fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers. Three years later, President Trump and Congressional Republicans are still trying to claw back access to abortion care and take away patients’ rights to make vital choices about their health. I’m proud to join Senate Democrats in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act to put choice back in the hands of patients and restore abortion rights nationwide,” said Senator Welch. 
    “First, Donald Trump and Republicans overturned Roe v Wade. Now, they are continuing their crusade for a national abortion ban, stripping away a woman’s right to choose and control her body, healthcare, and future. Republicans continue to show that they will stop at nothing in their pursuit to stop a woman from having the right to choose,” said Senator Baldwin. “In Wisconsin, we’ve seen how these attacks on women’s reproductive rights and freedoms have hurt our neighbors, friends, and families – and we won’t stand for it. The Women’s Health Protection Act is a necessary step to restore Americans’ constitutional right to choose what’s best for their families, stop Congressional and state-level Republicans from further putting themselves between a doctor and a woman, and once and for all, give women their rights and freedoms back.”  
    “This issue is about more than health care; it is about women’s rights, individual rights, and human rights. The foundation of the Women’s Health Protection Act is simply the right to make your own health care decisions. Three years after Dobbs, American women don’t have that right. Today, thanks to Republican lawmakers and conservative courts, a woman in America might walk into an ER and faint, bleeding, and be refused treatment. That woman might die,” said Senator Blumenthal. “By restoring abortion access and implementing basic protections against medically unnecessary restrictions on health care, the Women’s Health Protection Act overturns the death sentence handed down by Dobbs.” 
    “Three years ago, Donald Trump and Republicans succeeded in overturning Roe, ripping away a Constitutional right for the first time in American history, and causing a full-blown health care crisis in our nation. Since then, we have seen with painful clarity how Republican abortion bans are putting women’s lives in danger, forcing providers to close their doors, decimating access to maternal health care, and forcing women to remain pregnant—no matter their circumstances,” said Senator Murray. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the Women’s Health Protection Act to restore the right to abortion and end the national nightmare Republicans created by overturning Roe. Democrats will never stop fighting to restore abortion access nationwide—nothing less.” 
    President Trump appointed the Supreme Court Justices who ruled in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case to overturn Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent. Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. Additionally, state legislatures across the country have introduced hundreds of bills to include medically unnecessary restrictions that limit access to abortion care.  
    In his second term, President Trump has continued to relentlessly attack reproductive rights, including freezing Title X funding for clinics that offer reproductive care, cutting Biden-era emergency abortion protections, pardoning anti-abortion extremists, and fighting to defund Planned Parenthood. Additionally, the House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood – threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk. 
    The Women’s Health Protection Act creates federal rights for patients and providers to protect abortion access. Specifically, the Women’s Health Protection Act would: 
    Prohibit states from imposing restrictions that jeopardize access to abortion earlier in pregnancy, including many of the state-level restrictions in place prior to Dobbs, such as arbitrary waiting periods, medically unnecessary mandatory ultrasounds, or requirements to provide medically inaccurate information. 
    Ensure that later in pregnancy, states cannot limit access to abortion if it would jeopardize the life or health of the mother. 
    Protect the ability to travel out of state for an abortion, which has become increasingly common in recent years. 
    The legislation is sponsored by the entire Democratic caucus, including Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). 
    Learn more about the Women’s Health Protection Act. 
    Read and download the full text of the bill. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Vermont Delegation, Governor Scott Celebrate New Funding for Northern Border Regional Commission Awards 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    BURLINGTON, VT – Today, the Vermont Congressional Delegation, Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representative Becca Balint (VT-At Large), along with Governor Phil Scott and the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) announced NBRC’s Spring 2025 Catalyst Program awardees. Eleven projects in Vermont will receive a cumulative $13.7 million in funding to support initiatives that will increase market access for Vermont food producers, renovate historic and community gathering sites, and upgrade aging infrastructure and municipal drinking water systems. 
    Established in 2008, the NBRC is a Federal-State partnership in northern Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York, designed to stimulate economic growth and inspire collaboration to improve rural economic vitality across the four-state NBRC region. 
    “The Northern Border Regional Commission plays a crucial role in supporting rural economies and communities in Vermont. These funds will be a catalyst for economic growth in rural communities across our state–from renewing vital drinking water infrastructure to renovating historic buildings and community gathering spaces,” said the Vermont Congressional Delegation. “We’re pleased to see these projects receive funding to help communities in every corner of the Green Mountain State grow and thrive.” 
    “Investing in our communities and fixing aging infrastructure, is key to addressing many of the housing and affordability challenges we’re facing in the state,” said Governor Scott. “I want to thank the congressional delegation for their advocacy for this funding as well as the Agency of Commerce and Community Development and NBRC for their work to support these important projects.” 
    “The slate of awards approved by the Commission represent a generational investment in local economies across Northern New England and New York. This public investment in infrastructure will directly lead to the creation of new jobs and businesses, housing construction and improved economic opportunity and vitality in rural communities,” said NBRC Federal Co-Chair Chris Saunders. 
    “This grant will have a huge impact on our community, and we are so grateful that this resource exists to make these improvements possible. With these funds, the Bolton Valley community will be able to move forward with a much-needed wastewater plant upgrade and set the stage for new residential development. These funds will move the needle on these projects. We truly cannot overstate the impact,” said Lindsay Deslauriers, President, CEO of Bolton Valley Water and Community Development Co. 
    When evaluating potential projects, the Catalyst Program considers project readiness, economic impacts, impacts on Vermont’s skilled workforce, project location, regional input and priorities, and the project’s transformational nature. Awarded projects in the 2025 Catalyst Spring Competition will support essential transportation and water and wastewater infrastructure, expand access to child care, and restore vital economic and social hubs for the rural communities, and more. 
     The 2025 Catalyst Spring Competition Awardees include:  
    Bennington County Industrial Corporation (Bennington County) – $3,000,000: 
    Develop essential transportation and water/wastewater infrastructure, supporting long-term economic revitalization in the Putnam Block of downtown Bennington. 
    Bolton Valley Water and Community Development Co. (Chittenden County) – $3,000,000:  
    Upgrade the community wastewater plant and construct a new road to support housing and economic growth.  
    Rutland City (Rutland County) – $3,000,000:  
    Modernize Downtown Rutland’s infrastructure, enhancing economic growth and resilience.  
    Town of Highgate (Franklin County) – $1,000,000:  
    Construct a community wastewater system, enhancing infrastructure for residents, businesses, and public spaces in Highgate Center. 
    Town of Rochester (Windsor County) – $1,000,000:  
    Re-purpose the former Rochester High School into a multi-use community hub.  
    Town of Woodstock (Windsor County) – $868,858.52: 
    Upgrade its municipal drinking water system, increasing pressure and capacity to support new housing and business development.  
    Benson Village Trust, Inc. (Rutland County) – $500,000:  
    Rebuild the Benson Village Store, restoring a vital economic and social hub for the rural community of Benson, Vermont.  
    Food Connects (Windham County) – $499,385.50:  
    Expand its storage and distribution infrastructure, increasing market access for Vermont food producers and supporting rural economic development. 
    Canaan Naturally Connected, Inc. (Essex County) – $449,044.00:  
    Renovate a historic Episcopal Church into the Canaan Community Center, a vital hub for economic and social engagement in rural Essex County, Vermont. 
    Southeast Vermont Transit, Inc. (Windham County) – $282,078.00: 
    Convert Springfield, Vermont’s fixed-route bus system, into a free, on-demand micro transit service.  
    Sage Mountain Botanical Sanctuary (Orange County) – $100,000:  
    Conduct a feasibility study for expanding childcare facilities and outdoor recreation infrastructure, addressing critical service gaps in rural Vermont.  
    Read more from NBRC here. The NBRC’s grants management system will open for Fall Round pre-applications in August 2025. Learn more about how to apply here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Condemns Trump Administration’s Unlawful Withholding of Federal Funding Over Immigration Policy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla Condemns Trump Administration’s Unlawful Withholding of Federal Funding Over Immigration Policy

    WATCH: Padilla slams Trump Administration’s dangerous overreach that is harming American communitiesWASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, addressed a spotlight hearing entitled, “Defending the Rights of the People: States and Congressional Allies Fight Back Against Trump’s Constitutional Abuses,” to warn against the dangers of the Trump Administration’s unprecedented withholding of federal funding over disagreements in immigration policy, which is hurting American communities, the economy, and public safety. Padilla questioned a panel of state attorneys general who are combating the Trump Administration’s egregious and unlawful actions through litigation.
    As President Trump attacks our constitutional order to advance his own interests and fails to confront political violence, the legislative branch and state governments must play a central role in defending the rule of law and protecting the American people. Padilla spoke about the importance of the legislative branch using its power to prevent the Trump Administration’s dangerous overreach. He highlighted that California contributes about $83 billion more in funding to the federal treasury than it receives, yet the Trump Administration has repeatedly targeted the state and threatened to withhold federal funding to implement their “un-American,” radical agenda.
    Padilla called out his Republican colleagues for expressing so many concerns about states’ autonomy when it comes to issues like gun ownership and reproductive rights, only to roll over as Trump has attacked blue states over political disagreements, particularly on immigration.
    “As we sit here today, we witness a Trump Administration and a Donald Trump that is running roughshod over states that he disagrees with, and it’s been curiously quiet on the other side of the aisle right now. I wonder to myself, where’s the outrage over Donald Trump’s threat to withhold funds from states … just based on any particular item of his agenda that a state disagrees with? Where’s the outrage when the Trump Administration ignores the law about spending levels that Congress, on a bipartisan basis, authorized and acted upon? Where’s the outrage when the President seeks to make it harder for eligible citizens to register and to vote?”
    “Where’s the outrage when the President sends armed forces into a state, into communities domestically, over the objections of the governor of that state, let alone local mayors and local law enforcement, all in order to stoke tensions that have already been heightened after a series of increasingly aggressive, performative, cruel immigration raids in places like restaurants, agricultural fields, construction sites?”
    Padilla blasted the Trump Administration for trying to withhold federal funding from states like California if they do not enforce the President’s cruel immigration policies, and he clarified that immigration enforcement is the job of the federal government, not of state and local law enforcement. He heard from New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin about the dangers of the Trump Administration’s cuts to law enforcement funding and coordination, making communities less safe. Padilla detailed that President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops and active-duty Marines to Los Angeles has also made local law enforcement’s job more challenging while inflaming tensions. He also emphasized that indiscriminate immigration enforcement and punishing sanctuary cities further threatens public safety by keeping immigrants from reporting crimes out of fear.
    “That’s been the situation, the concern, frankly, in Los Angeles these last couple of weeks between the increasingly cruel and extreme ICE raids and detention, immigration enforcement actions, et cetera, but the way the Administration has gone about it raises the tensions in Los Angeles over the objections of local leadership and local law enforcement, the federalization of National Guard troops, and deployment into our communities. … What I hear from local law enforcement is that it makes the job of local law enforcement harder because there’s no communication, no coordination. So not only is it unnecessary, it’s frankly counterproductive, and putting [the] general public and law enforcement officials in danger.”
    “I think there’s a big either misunderstanding, intentionally or unintentionally, of what sanctuary policy represents, because that’s what the Administration is holding against the state of California and so many others. All sanctuary means is a state or a local jurisdiction would not commit their state or local resources for the enforcement of federal immigration laws. It is a job of the federal government to enforce federal laws, not state and locals to do that work.”
    Video of Senator Padilla’s full remarks is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: On Third Anniversary of Roe Being Overturned, Padilla Joins Senate Democrats in Introducing Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    On Third Anniversary of Roe Being Overturned, Padilla Joins Senate Democrats in Introducing Bill to Restore Abortion Access Nationwide

    Women’s Health Protection Act comes as Trump and Congressional Republicans escalate attacks on reproductive freedom and advance a national abortion ban
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — On the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined the entire Senate Democratic caucus in introducing the Women’s Health Protection Act of 2025, legislation to guarantee access to abortion nationwide and restore the right to comprehensive reproductive health care for millions of Americans. The bill’s introduction comes as the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans continue their attacks on a woman’s right to choose, including legislation that would defund Planned Parenthood.
    Together, Trump and Congressional Republicans’ assault on Americans’ reproductive rights is effectively a backdoor national abortion ban, ripping away millions of women’s access to abortion care and their right to control their own bodies. The Women’s Health Protection Act is led by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Patty Murray (D-Wash.).
    “Reproductive health care and access to safe abortion services are fundamental rights,” said Senator Padilla. “In the three years since the Supreme Court stripped away the right to an abortion for millions of women, Republicans have repeatedly attacked women’s bodily autonomy and safety as President Trump continues his cruel assault on reproductive liberty. The Women’s Health Protection Act will safeguard reproductive freedoms and ensure that a woman’s health care decisions stay between her and her doctor. We must restore the rights of millions of Americans to access reproductive health care, regardless of where they live.”
    “First, Donald Trump and Republicans overturned Roe v Wade. Now, they are continuing their crusade for a national abortion ban, stripping away a woman’s right to choose and control her body, healthcare, and future. Republicans continue to show that they will stop at nothing in their pursuit to stop a woman from having the right to choose,” said Senator Baldwin. “In Wisconsin, we’ve seen how these attacks on women’s reproductive rights and freedoms have hurt our neighbors, friends, and families – and we won’t stand for it. The Women’s Health Protection Act is a necessary step to restore Americans’ constitutional right to choose what’s best for their families, stop Congressional and state-level Republicans from further putting themselves between a doctor and a woman, and once and for all, give women their rights and freedoms back.”
    “This issue is about more than health care; it is about women’s rights, individual rights, and human rights. The foundation of the Women’s Health Protection Act is simply the right to make your own health care decisions. Three years after Dobbs, American women don’t have that right. Today, thanks to Republican lawmakers and conservative courts, a woman in America might walk into an ER and faint, bleeding, and be refused treatment. That woman might die,” said Senator Blumenthal. “By restoring abortion access and implementing basic protections against medically unnecessary restrictions on health care, the Women’s Health Protection Act overturns the death sentence handed down by Dobbs.”
    “Three years ago, Donald Trump and Republicans succeeded in overturning Roe, ripping away a Constitutional right for the first time in American history, and causing a full-blown health care crisis in our nation. Since then, we have seen with painful clarity how Republican abortion bans are putting women’s lives in danger, forcing providers to close their doors, decimating access to maternal health care, and forcing women to remain pregnant—no matter their circumstances,” said Senator Murray. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the Women’s Health Protection Act to restore the right to abortion and end the national nightmare Republicans created by overturning Roe. Democrats will never stop fighting to restore abortion access nationwide—nothing less.”
    President Trump appointed Supreme Court Justices who ruled in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case to overturn Roe v. Wade and nearly 50 years of precedent. Since the Dobbs decision, 19 states have banned abortion or severely restricted women from being able to access the procedure, leaving one in three American women without access to safe, legal abortion care. Additionally, state legislatures across the country have introduced hundreds of bills to include medically unnecessary restrictions that limit access to abortion care.
    In his second term, President Trump has continued to relentlessly attack reproductive rights, including freezing Title X funding for clinics that offer reproductive care, cutting Biden-era emergency abortion protections, pardoning anti-abortion extremists, and fighting to defund Planned Parenthood. Additionally, the House-passed Republican budget bill kicks 16 million people off their health insurance and defunds Planned Parenthood — threatening the closure of 200 health centers across the country and putting access to vital reproductive care for millions of families at risk.
    The Women’s Health Protection Act creates federal rights for patients and providers to protect abortion access. Specifically, the bill would:
    Prohibit states from imposing restrictions that jeopardize access to abortion earlier in pregnancy, including many of the state-level restrictions in place prior to Dobbs, such as arbitrary waiting periods, medically unnecessary mandatory ultrasounds, or requirements to provide medically inaccurate information;
    Ensure that later in pregnancy, states cannot limit access to abortion if it would jeopardize the life or health of the mother; and
    Protect the ability to travel out of state for an abortion, which has become increasingly common in recent years.
    In addition to Senators Padilla, Baldwin, Blumenthal, and Murray, the legislation is sponsored by the rest of the Democratic caucus, including Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    Senator Padilla is a staunch defender of reproductive rights. Three years ago, Padilla sharply rebuked the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. He also criticized the ongoing attacks on reproductive health care access in 2023 during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled “The Assault on Reproductive Rights in a Post-Dobbs America.” On the two-year anniversary of the Dobbs ruling, Padilla joined the Women’s March Foundation and advocates from Planned Parenthood California and Los Angeles to deliver remarks at a reproductive rights rally at Los Angeles City Hall as part of the National Walk-Out for Women.
    As a cosponsor of the Women’s Health Protection Act, Padilla is fighting to protect abortion access throughout the United States. In 2023, he and Senator Murray introduced legislation to protect doctors who provide abortions from attempts to restrict their practice and create uncertainty about their legal liability. While Republican-led state legislatures work to deny reproductive rights, he’s also fighting to protect patients’ rights to travel freely between states to access abortion care.
    A one-pager on the bill is available here.
    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Rand Paul Cosponsors Accountability Reporting for NATO Freeloaders

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul

    As NATO convenes today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul cosponsored legislation by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) addressing inadequate burden sharing among the United States’ allies and NATO member nations.

    The Allied Burden Sharing Report Act and the NATO Burden Sharing Report Act would incentivize delinquent nations to contribute their fair share for defense measures by requiring the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to compile annual reports on allied nations’ defense contributions and their ability to fulfill commitments. U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) cosponsored both pieces of legislation.

    “Our NATO allies expect the U.S. to be the sugar daddy and the world’s policeman while they sit back and let us do the heavy lifting. President Trump was right, it’s time for them to pull their own weight. Congress must stop giving blank checks to our allies and start demanding accountability. That’s why I’m pushing for the NATO Burden Sharing Report Act and the Allied Burden Sharing Report Act, to show the American people exactly who’s paying the bills and who’s shirking their share,” said Sen. Paul.

    “America has shouldered the burden of NATO freeloaders for decades,” said Senator Mike Lee. “Year after year, our so-called allies shirk their commitments while we pay for the conflicts raging in their backyards. By imposing annual reporting requirements, my legislation will identify delinquent allies – promoting accountability and putting them on notice to pay their fair share.”

    Background:

    NATO allies committed to spending 2% of their annual GDP on defense measures over a decade ago, but many have failed to deliver – instead allowing the U.S. to carry the burden of European security. Even as conflict in Ukraine continues in their own backyards, a significant portion of NATO members remain delinquent on their defense commitments. It is unreasonable for the U.S. to continue subsidizing the security of a peripheral theater, while allies neglect to carry their fair share.

    As the alliance convenes today, President Donald Trump has rightfully demanded greater burden sharing and higher defense spending. As the Summit opens, Senator Lee is introducing two pieces of legislation to support this burden sharing agenda. The Allied Burden Sharing Report Act and NATO Burden Sharing Report Act require regular reporting on allies’ contributions to the common defense.

    These bills promote burden sharing accountability, removing any doubt as to who the delinquent allies are and equipping Congress with the information it needs to perform necessary oversight.

    The Allied Burden Sharing Report Act:

    Requires DOD to prepare an annual report on the defense spending of all 59 U.S. allies – including:

    • Annual defense spending of each allied nation, both as a nominal figure and percentage of GDP
    • Activities of each allied nation that contribute to military or stability operations in which the Armed Forces of the U.S. are a participant or could be called upon per the obligations of a cooperative defense agreement of which the United States is a signatory
    • Any limitation placed by an allied nation on the use of such contributions
    • Any actions undertaken by the U.S. or by other countries to minimize such limitations

    The NATO Burden Sharing Report Act:

    Applies only to NATO member countries and includes all of the above reporting requirements plus:

    • A description of each member’s hard vs. soft power contributions for Ukraine
    • Defense industrial base health and comparative advantages
    • Size and structure of armed forces
    • Any areas where the country would be fully reliant on allied assets
    • FMS deliveries or contracts in the previous year
    • Any change in defense spending over the previous year and anticipated future spending

    Coutesy of Sen. Mike Lee: One-Pager | Bill Text – Allies | Bill Text – NATO

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Rand Paul Introduces Collegiate Sports Integrity Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Rand Paul

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    June 24th, 2025

     Contact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-434

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the Collegiate Sports Integrity Act, legislation to restore free-market principles to college athletics by exempting intercollegiate athletic conferences, associations, and participating schools from federal antitrust laws.

    Antitrust laws have empowered judges—not students, not schools—to dictate the rules of college sports. This bill puts decision-making back where it belongs: in the hands of the people directly involved. By removing these restrictions, the Collegiate Sports Integrity Act allows schools and student-athletes to voluntarily negotiate fair, flexible agreements that reflect their own values—not a federal mandate.

    “This is about economic liberty,” said Dr. Rand Paul. “College athletes and schools should be free to come to the table and make their own deals—without unelected judges micromanaging every detail. Whether it’s compensation, eligibility, or academic standards, Washington shouldn’t be calling the plays.”

    The Collegiate Sports Integrity Act explicitly exempts intercollegiate athletic conferences, interstate athletic associations, and the colleges competing in them from antitrust liability. This ensures that evolving athletic models—regardless of structure—remain protected and governed by voluntary agreement, not courtroom fiat.

    The legislation comes amid growing legal uncertainty following a wave of rulings, including a December 2024 decision striking down NCAA eligibility rules and a June 2025 settlement opening the door to direct payments to athletes. Rather than allowing a patchwork of court-imposed mandates, the bill reasserts the primacy of freedom of contract in higher education athletics.

    Read the bill HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Only diplomacy can achieve a lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear threat: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Speech

    Only diplomacy can achieve a lasting solution to the Iranian nuclear threat: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on UN Security Council resolution 2231.

    Let me start by welcoming the announcement by President Trump of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

    But the situation remains extremely fragile. We call on all sides to respect the ceasefire in full. 

    Our priority remains stability in the Middle East, and we are clear that restarting this conflict is in no one’s interest.

    Now is the time for a return to diplomacy. 

    We, along with our partners, are clear that only diplomacy can achieve a durable solution to the Iranian nuclear threat.  

    We urge Iran to take this opportunity to engage in negotiations now. It is critical that Iran does not miss this window for diplomacy. 

    President, as we know, Iran’s nuclear programme has been far beyond any credible civilian justification, including an enriched uranium stockpile 40 times the limit set by the JCPoA.

    It is urgent that the IAEA have full access, especially on Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile.

    We have been clear that Iran cannot develop or acquire a nuclear weapon.

    The UK, alongside our E3 partners, stands ready to support efforts towards a negotiated solution. 

    We will use all diplomatic levers at our disposal to support a negotiated outcome and ensure Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon.

    President, finally, we commend the IAEA and the Director-General for their vital work, including under the mandate of UN Security Council resolution 2231.

    They have displayed professionalism and impartiality, and they have our full support.

    We urge Iran to cooperate with the IAEA in the interests of both safety and diplomacy.

    Colleagues, we urge all parties to urgently pursue a deal that establishes international confidence long term that Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful.

    This ceasefire is the first step towards that.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM meeting with President Macron of France and Chancellor Merz of Germany: 24 June 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    PM meeting with President Macron of France and Chancellor Merz of Germany: 24 June 2025

    The Prime Minister spoke to the French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the NATO Summit in The Hague this evening.

    The Prime Minister spoke to the French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the NATO Summit in The Hague this evening.

    The leaders reflected on the volatile situation in the Middle East. Now was the time for diplomacy and for Iran to come to the negotiating table, they agreed.

    Turning to Ukraine, the leaders discussed the need to apply more pressure on the Kremlin, including through further sanctions.

    Discussing Gaza, the Prime Minister reiterated that the situation was intolerable and all sides needed to work towards an urgent ceasefire.

    The leaders looked forward to speaking again this evening.

    Updates to this page

    Published 24 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IAEA Launches Management System Advisory Service to Support the Introduction of Nuclear Power, Conducts First Mission to Saudi Arabia

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

    An IAEA team of experts visited the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to conduct the first IAEA Management Systems Advisory Service (IMSAS) mission. (Photo: DNEC).

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conducted its first-ever management systems advisory service in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 19 to 22 May 2025.

    The IAEA Management Systems Advisory Service (IMSAS) was established to support newcomer countries in developing robust and effective nuclear infrastructure, in response to findings from the Agency’s Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) missions that highlighted inconsistencies in the implementation of management systems among countries embarking on new nuclear power programmes.

    As part of the IAEA’s broader commitment to support countries in introducing nuclear power in their energy mix, IMSAS helps nuclear organizations develop and maintain management systems appropriate to the current phase of the nuclear power programme. A management system is a set of interrelated or interacting elements — including organizational structure, responsibilities, resources, and processes — established to achieve organizational objectives in an efficient and effective manner.

    Saudi Arabia is embarking on a nuclear power programme as part of its strategy to transition towards a diversified energy sector and building national capabilities in advanced energy technologies, all as part of its Vision 2030. In support of this plan, Saudi Arabia is following the IAEA’s Milestones Approach and actively cooperates with the IAEA through a coordinated Integrated Workplan to support its nuclear infrastructure development.

    In November 2024, Duwayhin Nuclear Energy Company (DNEC), which is designated as the owner/operator for the first nuclear power plant, requested the IAEA to conduct the IMSAS mission to review whether the current management system in DNEC is appropriate and adequate to support its current and planned activities.

    During its review, the IMSAS team – comprised of four external experts from Hungary, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as well as three IAEA staff members – reviewed documentation and conducted technical discussions with the DNEC in Riyadh.

    “The IMSAS team found that DNEC has a well-developed management system that effectively supports the organization in carrying out its current and future activities. We commend DNEC on the efforts undertaken to date to develop its management system, which will help support the safe and effective implementation Saudi Arabia’s nuclear power programme,” said Liliya Dulinets, Section Head of the IAEA Nuclear Infrastructure Development Section.

    In its draft final report, issued at the closing session, the mission team identified four good practices by DNEC. These included the development of its management system using a structured, project-based approach that ensures effective planning and coordination; the clear documentation of governance and management frameworks, which provides staff with a solid understanding of roles and responsibilities; and the transition to a fully electronic management system to enhance accessibility and usability.

    Two recommendations and four suggestions were also noted. These included opportunities for improvement related to enhancing the consistency of the management system documentation, formalizing the approach to process development, and elevating the level of ownership of the management system within the organization.

    “Our objective in requesting the mission was to have the IAEA conduct a cold-eye review of how we manage our day-to-day operations, particularly our management system,” said Khalid Al Gazlan, DNEC CEO. “The results of the mission were excellent, and the recommendations and suggestions provided will greatly support our continuous improvement efforts. We remain committed to cooperating with the IAEA through the Integrated Work Plan across all phases of our project, to ensure the establishment of a competent Owner-Operator; we thank the IAEA and the IMSAS team for this constructive and productive mission. This mission was a testament that the Kingdom is moving confidently towards building a sustainable civil nuclear program, supported by national competencies and strong international partnership.”

    The final mission report will be provided to DNEC within three months.

    About IMSAS

    IMSAS was established to support the review of management systems in countries embarking on new nuclear power programmes. It provides a structured approach for the self-assessment of the management systems of the regulatory body and owner/operator organization, as well as an independent review conducted by IAEA and international experts.

    IMSAS missions help organizations develop and maintain effective management systems consistent with the current phase of the nuclear power programme. It assists these organizations in aligning their management systems with IAEA standards and international good practices to support the implementation of current and planned activities. Additionally, IMSAS enables the identification of strengths and weaknesses through a combination of self-assessment and independent review, providing recommendations for improvement and highlighting good practices.

    The IAEA offers its Member States a wide array of review services. For the introduction of nuclear power, the Agency’s peer review service include, for example, the Integrated Nuclear Infrastructure Review (INIR) and the Stakeholder Engagement Advisory Service for Nuclear Power Programmes (SEAS).

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal, Booker, and Barragán Reintroduce Legislation to Eliminate Barriers to Health Care for Immigrants

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

    WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, along with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Representative Nanette Barragán (CA-44), today introduced the Health Equity and Access under Law (HEAL) for Immigrant Families Act. This bicameral bill, co-sponsored by 55 members of Congress and endorsed by more than 100 organizations, removes unnecessary and cruel barriers to health care for millions of immigrants of all statuses.

    Immigrants in the United States are far more likely to be uninsured than U.S. citizens. In 2023, half of all undocumented immigrant adults and one in five lawfully present immigrant adults were uninsured. Just 6 percent of naturalized citizen adults and 8 percent of U.S.-born citizens are uninsured.

    “Health care is a human right that must be accessible to everyone — regardless of immigration status,” said Representative Jayapal. “As a proud immigrant myself, I know that the HEAL Act is a necessary first step to allow more people across America to access the health care they need to live, making all of our communities healthier. As Republicans in Congress work to strip health coverage away from millions of Americans and further decimate our already broken immigration system, we’re working to ensure everyone in this country is able to see a doctor when they need it.”

    “Everyone deserves access to comprehensive, affordable, quality care, and the HEAL Act lifts unnecessary barriers to medical care for immigrants,” said Senator Booker. “A more equitable health care system will help create healthier communities and ensure that all families, regardless of immigration status, have access to the care they need.” 

    “Access to healthcare shouldn’t depend on your immigration status,” said Representative Barragán. “Healthcare is a basic human right, and it’s time we break down the needless barriers that keep immigrant families from the care they need to survive and thrive. The HEAL Act is a step toward addressing racial health disparities and expanding quality healthcare to everyone in our communities.”

    “Withholding health care from immigrants is cruel and doesn’t make our communities safer or healthier,” said Senator Warren. “While the Trump administration continues playing political games with immigrant families, Democrats are fighting to make sure a person’s immigration status doesn’t prevent them from getting life-saving care.”

    “As the Trump Administration guts access to health care and basic services for immigrant communities, breaking down barriers to health care for immigrants isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s critical for protecting our public health and economy,” said Senator Padilla. “California is the fourth-largest economy in the world not despite immigrants, but because of their contributions to our workforce. Everyone deserves access to affordable, quality health care no matter their immigration status, and I will keep fighting to continue expanding coverage for these hardworking members of our communities.”

    The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act will:

    • Restore Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) eligibility to lawfully present immigrants;
    • Remove discriminatory Medicare restrictions based on length of U.S. residency for green card holders;
    • End the exclusion of undocumented immigrants from Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces
    • Ensure access to public and affordable coverage for Deferred Action Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients;
    • Create a state option to expand Medicaid and CHIP to immigrants regardless of immigration status.

    “Rep. Jayapal and Sen. Booker continue to be courageous and powerful champions for immigrant communities by reintroducing the HEAL for Immigrant Families Act,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, executive director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. “While immigrant families are currently being attacked and torn apart, this bill promotes a vision for what we want for our collective future. A future that supports immigrant communities by removing long standing systemic barriers to health coverage to help our communities access affordable health care. We are especially grateful that Sen. Booker and Rep. Jayapal are introducing this critical legislation today as we mark three years since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned the constitutional right to abortion. That decision has disproportionately harmed immigrant communities, for whom abortion bans, misinformation, and the threat of being detained and separated from our families has increased the barriers that keep us from getting the health care we need,” said Lupe M. Rodríguez, Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. “We urge Congress to protect immigrant communities and pass this bill.”

    “The reproductive justice movement teaches us that true justice means being able to have children, not have children, and raise our families in safe, supportive communities,” said Sung Yeon Choimorrow, executive director, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF). “None of that is possible without health care. In a country that has always been shaped by immigrants, we cannot keep allowing people and families, including the Asian American immigrants who make up more than a quarter of immigrants in the U.S., to be shut out from basic health care because of harmful, outdated policies. These are our mothers, our sisters, and our neighbors. The HEAL Act tears down the barriers facing our communities and reaffirms that everyone deserves the right to care, regardless of background, income, or immigration status.”

    “Everyone deserves access to health care, no matter who they are or where they come from,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Action Fund. “It is unacceptable and cruel that many are denied affordable, high-quality, and comprehensive health care because of their immigration status. Amid the ongoing attacks on our immigrant communities and our health care, I thank Reps. Jayapal and Barragán and Senator Booker for reintroducing this critical bill that would break down unjust barriers to care for our immigrant families.”

    “As a physician, I’ve witnessed the barriers immigrant families face when trying to access health care. Insurance coverage is a cornerstone of meaningful access; without it, care remains out of reach for too many,” said Dr. Jamila Perritt, MD, MPH, FACOG, President and CEO, Physicians for Reproductive Health. “At a time when attacks on immigrant communities are escalating, we must act now to ensure that everyone—regardless of status—has the right to timely, compassionate, and comprehensive health care. That’s why I join physicians across the country in calling for a swift passage of the HEAL Act. Expanding health coverage to immigrant communities ensures they receive the care they deserve, regardless of their immigration status. Health is a human right and no one should be excluded from receiving healthcare. Congress must pass HEAL – our patients are counting on it.”

    “With immigrant families under constant attack, it’s more important than ever to work toward a better, more inclusive future when everyone can get the care we all need,” said Adriana Cadena, campaign director, Protecting Immigrant Families Coalition. “We are proud to champion the HEAL Act – a critical step toward that better future.” 

    “Now more than ever, it is critical to affirm that everyone—including immigrants—should have access to health care coverage,” said Wendy Cervantes, Director, Immigration and Immigrant Families, CLASP. “Immigrants already face many restrictions to such care and an onslaught of attacks on them and their families’ health and well-being, ranging from the fear created by the Administration’s mass deportation efforts to the deeply harmful budget reconciliation bill currently under consideration. The HEAL for Immigrant Families Act is a critical step in moving us back in the right direction by giving children and families access to the health care they need to thrive. CLASP is grateful to Representative Jayapal and Senator Booker for their leadership in promoting a vision that supports health care for all.”

    The legislation is also co-sponsored by U.S. Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Troy Carter (LA-02), Greg Casar (TX-35), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr. (GA-04), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM-03), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Delia Ramirez (IL-03), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Terri Sewell (AL-07), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Melanie Stansbury (NM-01), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24), and U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Edward Markey (D-MA), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT).

    The legislation is endorsed by AAPI Equity Alliance; AAPI NJ; Advocates for Youth; AFL-CIO; Alianza Nacional de Campesinas; All* Above All; Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment; American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU); American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; American Muslim Health Professionals (AMHP); Amica Center for Immigrant Rights; Arkansas Black Gay Men’s Forum; Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF); Asian American Federation of Florida; Asian Americans United (AAU); Asian Caribbean Exchange; Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence; Asian Pacific Islanders Civic Action Network, Massachusetts; Asian Texans for Justice Action Fund; ASISTA; Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations; Autistic Women & Nonbinary Network; Ayuda; CA LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network; California Partnership to End Domestic Violence; CASA; Catholics for Choice; Center for Gender & Refugee Studies; Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law; Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Center for Reproductive Rights; Center for Victims of Torture; Children’s HealthWatch; Cleveland Jobs with Justice; Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA); Coalition on Human Needs; Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking; Community Catalyst; Doctors for America ; End SIJS Backlog Coalition; Equality California; Esperanza United; First Focus Campaign for Children; Florida Asian Services ; Freedom Network USA; Georgia Conservation Voters; Global Refugee Awareness Healing Center; Global Urban Cultural Community; Guttmacher Institute; Haven Services Inc. dba Haven Neighborhood Servic; Health Action New Mexico; Healthy Teen Network; Her Justice ; Hispanic Federation; Ibis Reproductive Health; ICAH (Illinois Caucus for Adolescent Health); Immigrant Legal Resource Center; Immigrant Welcome Network Johnson County; Immigration Institute of the Bay Area; In Our Own Voice: National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda ; Inclusive Counseling; Indivisible; Institute for Women’s Policy Research; Ipas US; Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health; Justice for Migrant Women; Justice in Aging; KAN-WIN; Kids in Need of Defense (KIND); Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA); Laotian American National Alliance (LANA); Latino; Legal Voice; Maine Equal Justice; MANA, A National Latina Organization; Midwest Access Coalition; Moonbow; National Abortion Federation; National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA); National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF); National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health; National Council of Jewish Women; National Employment Law Project; National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association; National Health Care for the Homeless Council; National Health Law Program; National Immigration Law Center; National Korean American Service and Education Consortium; National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice; National Network of Abortion Funds; National Network To End Domestic Violence ; National Organization for Women ; National Partnership for New Americans; National Partnership for Women & Families; National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance; National Women’s Law Center Action Fund; NIRH Action Fund; NIWAP, Inc.; Northwest Health Law Advocates (NoHLA); Oasis Legal Services; OCA South Florida Chapter; Our Justice; Oxfam America; People Power United; Physicians for Reproductive Health; Planned Parenthood Federation of America; Plascencia Consulting; Population Connection Action Fund; Positive Women’s Network-USA; Power to Decide; PowHerNY; Prevention Institute; Protecting Immigrant Families; QASPIRA Association; Religious Community for Reproductive Choice; Reproductive Freedom For All; Reproductive Health Access Project; Reproductive Justice Action Collective (ReJAC); Sadhana: Coalition of Progressive Hindus; Sarin Gal; Shriver Center on Poverty Law; SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change; Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF); SiX Action; South Asian Public Health Association (SAPHA); South Asian SOAR; State Voices Florida; Survivor Justice Center; The Children’s Partnership; The National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health (NPWH); The TransLatin@ Coalition; UCSF Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health; UnidosUS; Union for Reform Judaism; United Parent Leaders Action Network; URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity; Voices for Utah Children; Women of Reform Judaism; Women’s Law Project; Women’s Refugee Commission.

    Issues: Health Care, Immigration

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Ruiz Slams Secretary Robert F. Kennedy for False Citations in the MAHA Report

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raul Ruiz (36th District of California)

    Washington, DC – During today’s House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25) directly challenged Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over his role in leading the Make American Health Again (MAHA) Commission and the commission’s release of a report riddled with inaccuracies and misinformation.

    Congressman Ruiz pressed Kennedy on whether he had reviewed and fact-checked the report’s sources prior to publication:

    Congressman Ruiz: “Mr. Secretary Kennedy, you’re listed as the chair of the [MAHA] Commission. Did you read the report and fact check its sources prior to publication?”

    Secretary Kennedy: “All of the factual studies…”

    Congressman Ruiz: “Did you read the reports and did you yourself fact check them, sir?”

    Secretary Kennedy: “I did not fact check.”

    Video and Photos can be found here.

    Congressman Ruiz, an emergency medicine physician and longtime advocate for public health and science-based policy, condemned the MAHA report for misleading the public and undermining trust in medical science.

    “While public health leaders work around the clock to protect families and children, this kind of dishonesty from the Secretary of Health and Human Services is unacceptable,” said Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz. “Secretary Kennedy’s entire agenda is built on misrepresentations and falsehoods, citing studies that don’t exist to push dangerous personal beliefs and vendettas. This violates basic scientific rigor, honesty, and trust in his agenda. Kennedy must be held to a higher standard when lives are at stake.”

    The hearing comes as Kennedy continues to spread dangerous misinformation about vaccines and public health, claims that have been widely discredited by the medical community.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: On Third Dobbs Anniversary, Pressley, Democrats Continue Fight for Reproductive Justice, Condemn GOP Attacks on Abortion Care

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    “I want my daughter and all of our children to grow up in a world where they are limitless. Where they have every right and freedom that we grew up with and more. Where they get the healthcare they need, and where they can survive a pregnancy if they choose to become parents.”

    “I affirm and believe deep in my bones that these harmful bans and this unjust status quo are not an inevitability, and they are not where this story ends. A more just America is possible.”

    Video (YouTube)

    WASHINGTON – On the third anniversary of the devastating Dobbs decision, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Co-Chair of the Reproductive Freedom Caucus, joined House Democratic Leadership for a press conference to mark the somber anniversary and renew her calls for comprehensive legislation to protect abortion care and expand access to reproductive healthcare.

    In the three years since Dobbs, Republicans at every level of government have advanced cruel abortion bans and other policies that have criminalized patients, providers, and prescribers, denied care to those in need, and robbed many of their lives.

    A transcript of Congresswoman Pressley’s remarks at the press conference is available below and the video is available here.

    Transcript: On Third Anniversary of Dobbs, Pressley, Democrats Continue Fight for Reproductive Justice, Condemn GOP Attacks on Bodily Autonomy
    U.S. House of Representatives
    June 24, 2025

    Good afternoon. Thank you to my esteemed colleagues and all of our partners in good. Thank you to the movement.

    This is really a somber day. This attack on bodily autonomy, on healthcare was really the first domino to fall, the first attack in this extremist march towards an abortion ban. And what is that really? A nation of forced birth.

    A nation of forced birth while Republicans seek to deny Medicaid and healthcare when 40% of births are covered through Medicaid.

    A nation of forced birth when there is already a Black maternal morbidity crisis.

    My grandmother, my father’s mother, died in the 1950’s giving birth to my father’s youngest brother. And in 2025, we still see that Black women are still 3 to 4 times more likely to die in childbirth or post-birthing complications.

    A nation of forced birth without universal childcare or paid leave.

    An administration that is hostile towards the women of this country and working actively to degrade Head Start.

    A nation of forced birth.

    Three years ago, I was in the bleachers at our daughter’s 8th grade graduation, filled with immense pride and hope that this milestone that she had achieved.

    And while at that graduation learned in real time that Roe had been struck down. And I was immediately filled with dread and a heaviness, sobered by the fact that my daughter would be going to sleep with fewer rights than she woke up with that morning.

    In the three years since, we have heard horrific testimony in this climate of the criminalization of patients, providers, and prescribers, and their loved ones who have been denied care, denied their dignity, and even robbed of their lives.

    Reproductive freedom, abortion care, health care – this is an issue of consequence to millions in this country. Many have been directly impacted, lives have been lost, and more will continue to be.

    Amber Thurman was a 28-year-old mother and a medical assistant. She sought medical care out of state due to an abortion ban. And when she needed follow up care, she was turned away. A D&C, a standard medical procedure was discussed and deferred. Amber died on a hospital gurney leaving behind her 5-year-old son.

    Adriana Smith was a 30-year-old mom to a vibrant six-year-old and nurse at Emory Hospital. She was sent home from the hospital without the care she needed. She woke up gasping for air, arrived at the hospital and shortly thereafter was declared brain dead. The blood clots the doctors had missed had claimed her life.

    To be a Black woman in America navigating our health care system so often means to have your pain dismissed, delegitimized, denied, to be gaslit by the health care system.

    Not only was Adriana’s pain dismissed and her son robbed of his mother, but all of this is because of an extreme abortion ban in Georgia, the hospital stated that they could not take her off of life support.

    And because she was nine weeks pregnant when she was declared brain dead, about a month past a missed period, the hospital would not allow Adriana’s family to make sensitive end-of-life medical decisions for her. And the hospital made her body an incubator.

    This week, baby Chance posthumously came into this world via emergency C section and remains in the NICU. Adriana’s family was finally able to lay her to rest and pick up the pieces as they navigate their deep grief.

    These stories are chilling, and you’ll hear many more of them as there are abortion storytellers making their way through our offices and the corridors of Congress this week.

    These stories are uncomfortable, challenging all of us to sit in the discomfort so that we never grow complacent or wane in this fight.

    My daughter asked me three years ago why do you always say, “When we fight, we win?” And I told her because it’s true. And I will not be a liar to my kid.

    There are those who aim to rob families across this country of essential abortion care in their home communities and they’re complicit in this harm.

    They are using every tool – the courts, executive actions, and legislation – from state houses to Congress, and notably through this Big Ugly Bill as it makes it way through the Senate as we speak.

    The cruelty is the point.

    At this point, Republicans can’t deny that they are actually in the business of making people across America sicker, poorer and more vulnerable.

    Today, Democrats stand before the American people reaffirming our commitment. I’m so grateful of this steadfast commitment of our leadership.

    We will use every tool we have to fight for your healthcare. Abortion care is essential healthcare.

    From local mutual aid efforts to fighting like hell in the courts and in the halls of Congress, we won’t cede anything. Because lives depend on it and your families deserve it.

    No one should come between a family and their medical providers.

    As I close, three years later, today our daughter in a couple days turning 17. She reminds us by the hour.

    And as we’re looking at colleges, one key factor that has shaped her decision is her ability to access healthcare. Shamefully, that is now a part of our calculus.

    I want my daughter and all of our children to grow up in a world where they are limitless.

    Where they have every right and freedom that we grew up with and more.

    Where they get the healthcare they need, and where they can survive a pregnancy if they choose to become parents.

    And that is why I affirm and believe deep in my bones that these harmful bans and this unjust status quo are not an inevitability, and they are not where this story ends.

    A more just America is possible. And we remain strident in our advocacy that everyone receives the care and dignity they deserve.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Global rankings fuel hype, but students have more to consider when choosing a uni

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kylie Message, Professor of Public Humanities and Director of the ANU Humanities Research Centre, Australian National University

    At this time of year, many year 12 students are seriously turning their minds to the future. Should they go to university next year? If so, which one?

    June is also the start of the global ranking season. Last week saw the release of the QS Quacquarelli Symonds 2026 world university rankings, amid reports of a “wake-up call” for Australian universities. About 70% of Australian universities fell in the rankings albeit only by small margins.

    Should students be worried about this? What should they – and the rest of us – understand about global rankings?

    What are rankings?

    Global university rankings aim to evaluate all universities in the world through a a single comparative framework.

    Apart from QS, other high-profile global rankings include those by Shanghai Ranking and the Times Higher Education.

    Each ranking system has a slightly different focus and methodology.

    QS looks at student-to-staff ratios, student employability, the reputation of the university as an employer, sustainability, global engagement and academic citations. It also ranks specific subjects across universities, which can be helpful if you want to know about the quality of teaching in a particular discipline or field.

    It is comprehensive. QS included 36 of Australia’s 43 universities in their latest assessment. These universities were also compared to more than 1,400 other institutions across 105 other countries.

    What impact do rankings have?

    These rankings are promoted as objective indicators and markers of prestige. They can be very influential in terms of attracting potential donors and students.

    One analysis suggests academic rankings are more influential than are research results for attracting philanthropic investment in Australian universities.

    The rankings can also directly affect the resources available for students.

    We know rankings can influence where international students (and the resources that accompany them) go. Australian universities have long relied on fees from international students to support funding shortfalls.

    Rankings are not everything

    But global rankings have many critics. They may include a lot of information but this is not necessarily what students in diverse situations and locations need.

    The rankings also do not reflect how much time and how many resources some universities put into the information that goes back to the ranking process.

    In November 2023, an independent expert group, convened by the United Nations issued a statement criticising the rankings system.

    It said “the very idea of global university rankings is fundamentally flawed”.

    It is simply not possible to produce a fair and credible global league table of universities given their multiple missions and their diverse social, economic and political contexts around the world.

    It also noted the rankings advantaged “historically privileged institutions”.

    The statement also said there was a bias towards the English language, certain types of research, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. “This undermines the importance of teaching and of the humanities and social sciences,” it said.

    A bias against regional unis?

    The rankings also do not favour regional universities, which is particularly relevant for Australian students.

    The QS 2026 survey shows four regional Australian universities slipped in rank and all are positioned outside the global top 400.

    This shows how global rankings are a blunt instrument and don’t account for the broader place of universities in regional areas. Here they play a vital role in their communities, driving economic growth and providing essential services.

    What should prospective students consider?

    Although universities within countries are ranked as better or worse than each other in a global league table, it is important to recognise specific national factors are not considered in the rankings. And individual student experience is rarely taken into account.

    Student experience includes the quality of teaching and the types of support individuals have access to, as well as the facilities and the culture on and around campus. We also know student experience continues to be affected by loneliness in the post-Covid era.

    So prospective students should be careful when it comes to making a decision about where to go to university. Rankings are a useful tool but so is talking to friends and family and going to open days.

    More than anything else, Year 12 students should know this is not the most important decision of their lives. They can take a gap year or change degrees. In fact many students do one or both of these things.

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

    – ref. Global rankings fuel hype, but students have more to consider when choosing a uni – https://theconversation.com/global-rankings-fuel-hype-but-students-have-more-to-consider-when-choosing-a-uni-259443

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How old are you really? Are the latest ‘biological age’ tests all they’re cracked up to be?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University

    We all like to imagine we’re ageing well. Now a simple blood or saliva test promises to tell us by measuring our “biological age”. And then, as many have done, we can share how “young” we really are on social media, along with our secrets to success.

    While chronological age is how long you have been alive, measures of biological age aim to indicate how old your body actually is, purporting to measure “wear and tear” at a molecular level.

    The appeal of these tests is undeniable. Health-conscious consumers may see their results as reinforcing their anti-ageing efforts, or a way to show their journey to better health is paying off.

    But how good are these tests? Do they actually offer useful insights? Or are they just clever marketing dressed up to look like science?

    How do these tests work?

    Over time, the chemical processes that allow our body to function, known as our “metabolic activity”, lead to damage and a decline in the activity of our cells, tissues and organs.

    Biological age tests aim to capture some of these changes, offering a snapshot of how well, or how poorly, we are ageing on a cellular level.

    Our DNA is also affected by the ageing process. In particular, chemical tags (methyl groups) attach to our DNA and affect gene expression. These changes occur in predictable ways with age and environmental exposures, in a process called methylation.

    Research studies have used “epigenetic clocks”, which measure the methylation of our genes, to estimate biological age. By analysing methylation levels at specific sites in the genome from participant samples, researchers apply predictive models to estimate the cumulative wear and tear on the body.

    What does the research say about their use?

    Although the science is rapidly evolving, the evidence underpinning the use of epigenetic clocks to measure biological ageing in research studies is strong.

    Studies have shown epigenetic biological age estimation is a better predictor of the risk of death and ageing-related diseases than chronological age.

    Epigenetic clocks also have been found to correlate strongly with lifestyle and environmental exposures, such as smoking status and diet quality.

    In addition, they have been found to be able to predict the risk of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

    Taken together, a growing body of research indicates that at a population level, epigenetic clocks are robust measures of biological ageing and are strongly linked to the risk of disease and death

    But how good are these tests for individuals?

    While these tests are valuable when studying populations in research settings, using epigenetic clocks to measure the biological age of individuals is a different matter and requires scrutiny.

    For testing at an individual level, perhaps the most important consideration is the “signal to noise ratio” (or precision) of these tests. This is the question of whether a single sample from an individual may yield widely differing results.

    A study from 2022 found samples deviated by up to nine years. So an identical sample from a 40-year-old may indicate a biological age of as low as 35 years (a cause for celebration) or as high as 44 years (a cause of anxiety).

    While there have been significant improvements in these tests over the years, there is considerable variability in the precision of these tests between commercial providers. So depending on who you send your sample to, your estimated biological age may vary considerably.

    Another limitation is there is currently no standardisation of methods for this testing. Commercial providers perform these tests in different ways and have different algorithms for estimating biological age from the data.

    As you would expect for commercial operators, providers don’t disclose their methods. So it’s difficult to compare companies and determine who provides the most accurate results – and what you’re getting for your money.

    A third limitation is that while epigenetic clocks correlate well with ageing, they are simply a “proxy” and are not a diagnostic tool.

    In other words, they may provide a general indication of ageing at a cellular level. But they don’t offer any specific insights about what the issue may be if someone is found to be “ageing faster” than they would like, or what they’re doing right if they are “ageing well”.

    So regardless of the result of your test, all you’re likely to get from the commercial provider of an epigenetic test is generic advice about what the science says is healthy behaviour.

    Are they worth it? Or what should I do instead?

    While companies offering these tests may have good intentions, remember their ultimate goal is to sell you these tests and make a profit. And at a cost of around A$500, they’re not cheap.

    While the idea of using these tests as a personalised health tool has potential, it is clear that we are not there yet.

    For this to become a reality, tests will need to become more reproducible, standardised across providers, and validated through long-term studies that link changes in biological age to specific behaviours.

    So while one-off tests of biological age make for impressive social media posts, for most people they represent a significant cost and offer limited real value.

    The good news is we already know what we need to do to increase our chances of living longer and healthier lives. These include:

    • improving our diet
    • increasing physical activity
    • getting enough sleep
    • quitting smoking
    • reducing stress
    • prioritising social connection.

    We don’t need to know our biological age in order to implement changes in our lives right now to improve our health.

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

    – ref. How old are you really? Are the latest ‘biological age’ tests all they’re cracked up to be? – https://theconversation.com/how-old-are-you-really-are-the-latest-biological-age-tests-all-theyre-cracked-up-to-be-257710

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Salinas, Ansari Statement on the Trump Administration’s Decision to Rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule

    Source: US Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06)

    Washington, DC – Today, Reps. Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) issued a joint statement on the Trump Administration’s decision to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule:

    “We are deeply disappointed by the Trump Administration’s damaging decision to roll back critical environmental protections for nearly 60 million acres of our nation’s most pristine forests.

    For more than two decades, the Roadless Rule has provided commonsense guidelines to protect critical untouched ecosystems within our national forests without jeopardizing wildfire prevention and response. The Administration’s decision is a bad deal for our climate, threatened species, and for all of us who cherish America’s natural wonders.

    Together, we introduced the Roadless Area Conservation Act to codify the Roadless Rule and ensure consistent, dependable protections for these critical landscapes. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to reverse this disastrous decision.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ciscomani Urges the Senate to Protect Medicaid

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Juan Ciscomani (Arizona)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani and 15 colleagues are urging Senate and House leaders to protect Medicaid, firmly opposing legislation that limits access to Medicaid coverage for vulnerable individuals or jeopardizes the ability for hospitals to provide care.

    “Throughout the budget process, we have consistently affirmed our commitment to ensuring that reductions in federal spending do not come at the expense of our most vulnerable constituents,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson. “We write to reiterate that commitment to those we represent here in Washington… The proposal released by the Senate Finance Committee on June 16 includes provisions that go beyond H.R. 1. The House’s approach reflects a more pragmatic and compassionate standard, and we urge that it be retained in the final bill.”

    The lawmakers continued: “Protecting Medicaid is essential for the vulnerable constituents we were elected to represent. Therefore, we cannot support a final bill that threatens access to coverage or jeopardizes the stability of our hospitals and providers.”

    In April, Ciscomani joined a letter to House Republican leadership making it clear that they would not support a reconciliation package that reduces Medicaid coverage for those who need it and who have limited options for health coverage, such as single mothers, those with disabilities, the working poor, and the elderly.

    Following this letter, Ciscomani met with the White House, Republican leadership, and the Energy and Commerce Committee to prevent changes to the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), a decrease in Arizona’s provider tax, and per capita caps from being included in the final House reconciliation package. Those provisions were not included in the bill that Ciscomani voted for. 

    In February, Congressman Ciscomani was among members of the Congressional Hispanic Conference who sent a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson, saying that cutting Medicaid “would have serious consequences, particularly in rural and predominantly Hispanic communities where hospitals and nursing homes are already struggling to keep their doors open.”

    The most recent letter was written by Congressman David Valadao (R-CA) and includes Reps. Rob Bresnahan (R-PA), Chuck Edwards (R-NC), Young Kim (R-CA), Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Michael Lawler (R-NY), Jen Kiggans (R-VA), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), Don Bacon (R-NE), Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Rob Wittman (R-VA), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), and Jeff Hurd (R-CO).

    Find the full letter here or below:

    Dear Speaker Johnson and Majority Leader Thune, 

    As Members of Congress who helped secure a Republican majority, we believe it is essential that the final reconciliation bill reflects the priorities of our constituents—most importantly, the critical need to protect Medicaid and the hospitals that serve our communities. Throughout the budget process, we have consistently affirmed our commitment to ensuring that reductions in federal spending do not come at the expense of our most vulnerable constituents. We write to reiterate that commitment to those we represent here in Washington.

    We support the Medicaid reforms in H.R. 1, which strengthen the program’s ability to serve children, pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities. The proposal released by the Senate Finance Committee on June 16 includes provisions that go beyond H.R. 1. The House’s approach reflects a more pragmatic and compassionate standard, and we urge that it be retained in the final bill.

    The Senate proposal also undermines the balanced approach taken to craft the Medicaid provisions in H.R. 1—particularly regarding provider taxes and state directed payments. The Senate version treats expansion and non-expansion states unfairly, fails to preserve existing state programs, and imposes stricter limits that do not give hospitals sufficient time to adjust to new budgetary constraints or to identify alternative funding sources.

    We are also concerned about rushed implementation timelines, penalties for expansion states, changes to the community engagement requirements for adults with dependents, and cuts to emergency Medicaid funding. These changes would place additional burdens on hospitals already stretched thin by legal and moral obligations to provide care.

    Protecting Medicaid is essential for the vulnerable constituents we were elected to represent. Therefore, we cannot support a final bill that threatens access to coverage or jeopardizes the stability of our hospitals and providers.

    We appreciate your ongoing leadership in advocating for our members’ priorities as you engage in negotiations with the Senate. We look forward to discussing these issues further and working together toward a solution that reflects our conference’s goals.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty, Tim Scott, Lummis, Tillis Release Principles for Market Structure Legislation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty

    WASHINGTON—Today, United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Banking Committee, joined Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) in releasing a set of principles for the development of comprehensive market structure legislation. These principles will guide discussions and negotiations as the senators engage with industry participants, legal and academic experts, and government stakeholders on the bill text.

    “For too long, a lack of clear regulatory authority has forced digital asset innovation beyond our borders and subjected issuers, exchanges, and developers to crippling uncertainty,” said Senator Hagerty. “By working towards a reasonable, light-touch market structure framework, we can help bolster our nation’s economy and protect American consumers.”

    “Since taking over as Chairman, I’ve led a new approach to digital assets regulation, and we’ve delivered results for the industry and the American people,” said Chairman Scott. “We have more work to do, and I look forward to building on the success of the GENIUS Act and advancing market structure legislation here in the Senate. These principles will serve as an important baseline for negotiations on this bill, and I’m hopeful my colleagues will put politics aside and provide long-overdue clarity for digital asset regulation.”

    “America desperately needs digital asset legislation that promotes responsible innovation and protects consumers,” said Senator Lummis. “While the European Union and Singapore have established clear regulations, the U.S. continues to sit on the sidelines while the digital asset industry seeks greener pastures. That changes today. I am partnering with Chairman Scott to provide principles for market structure legislation to finally draw the line between a security and a commodity and ensure the U.S. remains at the helm of global financial advancement.”

    “As Congress considers a regulatory framework for digital assets, our top priority must be providing legal clarity and certainty without stifling innovation,” said Senator Tillis. “These principles strike the right balance by protecting consumers, promoting innovation, and clearly defining the roles of regulators in a rapidly evolving market.”

    The market structure principles state:

    Legislation Should Clearly Define the Legal Status of Digital Assets

    • A clear, economically rational line distinguishing digital asset securities from digital asset commodities should be fixed in statute, contemplating existing law and providing predictability, enhanced legal precision, and much-needed regulatory certainty.

    Jurisdiction Should Be Clearly Allocated Among Regulators

    • Regulatory authority should be clearly allocated in statute, preventing an all-encompassing regulator from emerging.
    • Legislation should acknowledge that not all distributed ledger technology should be regulated equally.
      • Legislation should recognize the different risks and benefits between centralized firms, decentralized finance protocols, and non-custodial software platforms.
      • For similar reasons, self-custody of digital assets should be explicitly preserved.
      • Likewise, the use of distributed ledger technology and smart contracts for other, non-financial purposes, such as to manage health data, should not be regulated like financial products.

    Regulation Should be Modernized to Foster Innovation

    • Regulations should be modernized to account for the unique nature of digital assets and distributed ledger technology.
      • A new SEC exemption for certain digital asset fundraising should be included in legislation.
      • The SEC should revisit its burdensome registration requirements for digital asset issuers, and instead provide a clear, appropriately tailored pathway to compliance for good faith, innovative actors.
      • Clear, pro-innovation principles regarding the trading of digital assets on the secondary market should be established.
    • Legislation should not apply principles designed for centralized firms to decentralized protocols.
      • Tokenization should be recognized as an evolution of financial infrastructure that enhances efficiency, transparency, and liquidity, rather than a fundamental change to the nature of the underlying asset.

    Regulation Should Protect Those Who Purchase or Trade Digital Assets

    • Centralized digital asset intermediaries should be subject to innovation-friendly registration and risk management requirements similar to that of other centralized intermediaries today.
      • Requirements could include illicit finance compliance, clear and right-sized capital, custody and segregation requirements, and appropriate enforcement authority.
    • Legislation should also ensure that customer funds are protected during bankruptcy.

    Illicit Finance Measures Should Be Targeted and Pro-Innovation

    • A small, common-sense package of measures directed at preventing money laundering and sanctions evasion with digital assets should be included.
    • Potential provisions can and should be targeted and pro-innovation. This could include requiring the adoption of examination standards and clarifying that the Bank Secrecy Act and International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) extends to entities abroad with U.S. touchpoints.
    • Reforms should also consider the ways digital assets and distributed ledger technology can improve transparency, efficiency, and the detection of illicit activity, including money laundering.

    Federal Financial Regulators Should Welcome Responsible Innovation

    • Federal financial regulators should take common-sense steps to respond to responsible innovation, including potentially through increased use of no-action guidance, sandboxes, safe harbors, coordination, and appropriate application requirements.
    • Federal financial regulators should provide clear guidance affirming that many crypto-related activities are permissible for banks and other financial institutions, provided they do not threaten the safety and soundness of the institution.
    • Clear guidance will also improve and better enforcement by establishing well-defined rules and expectations, fostering accountability, and enabling consistent application of regulations, leading to better understanding and compliance.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Booker, Merkley, Schumer, Wyden Call on Congressional Leadership to Backtrack on Devastating Health Care Cuts That Will Saddle More Working Families with Medical Debt

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Cory Booker

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) along with Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) called on Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to reconsider the devastating health care cuts in the House-passed “One Big, Beautiful Bill.” Recent analysis published by Third Way, a centrist think tank, shows that nearly 5.4 million American people – including 2.2 million people on Medicaid and 3.2 million people with coverage through the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces – will go into medical debt. In addition, the medical debt totals for American households will increase by $50 billion—a 15% jump.

    “According to a recent Gallup survey, 31 million Americans report having to borrow nearly $74 billion between 2023 and 2024 to pay for health care, and 58 percent of Americans believe they would experience medical debt if faced with a health event. All of which would be exacerbated by the proposed health care cuts,” wrote the senators.

    “The impact is significant to individuals and to our economy. Medical debt makes it more difficult for individuals to accumulate good credit and access stable housing. Survey data indicates that more than a third of adults with medical debt report negative credit score impacts, and some report losing their homes through foreclosure or eviction as a result. In addition, medical debt decreases consumer spending, which would hinder economic growth, at a time when economists estimate a 40 percent probability the U.S. enters a recession in 2025,” the senators continued.

    To read the full text of the letter, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –