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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jay Clayton Announces Selection Of Sean Buckley As Deputy U.S. Attorney

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the selection of Sean Buckley as Deputy U.S. Attorney. 

    Mr. Buckley joins the Office from Kobre & Kim, where he has served since 2018 and handled a wide variety of securities and other criminal and regulatory matters for companies and individuals.  Mr. Buckley previously served as a prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice for nearly a decade, where he was most recently the Co-Chief of the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. In that role, he oversaw complex international investigations involving terrorism financing, economic espionage, sanctions violations, and anti-money laundering matters across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

    From 2009 to 2018, Mr. Buckley served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, handling a wide range of national security and international criminal matters.

    Prior to joining the government, Mr. Buckley practiced at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP from 2003 to 2009.  Mr. Buckley received his A.B. from Princeton University, an M.A. from the University of Virginia Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.  He has been recognized with several honors, including the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award and the Assistant Attorney General’s Exceptional Service Award.

    “We are excited to welcome Sean Buckley back to the Office as the Deputy United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “Sean demonstrated exceptional leadership and case-making skills during his prior service in the Office. He is deeply respected by the New York Bar and embodies the commitment to professionalism and the safety of the people of New York that runs through our Office. We are fortunate to once again benefit from Sean’s tremendous intellect and strategic thinking.  With the combination  of Sean,  Amanda Houle, and Jeff Oestricher, I am confident that the Office could not have a more formidable and effective leadership team.”

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: What birds can teach us about repurposing waste

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Farrier, Professor of Literature and the Environment, University of Edinburgh

    Some birds use deterrent spikes to make their nests. Chemari/Shutterstock

    Modern cities are evolution engines. Urban snails in the Netherlands and lizards in Los Angeles have developed lighter shells and larger scales to cope with the heat island effect, where temperatures can be several degrees above the surrounding area.

    Artificial light makes an artificial dawn, shifting the time when birds sing, and has prompted urban bridge-dwelling spiders to develop an attraction to light, whereas ermine moths are losing theirs altogether. A mutation in the so-called “daredevil gene”, also found in downhill skiers and snowboarders, is making urban swans bolder and more tolerant of humans.

    Our urban environments are pushing many species to reimagine their bodies and behaviours to suit municipal living; but some are also reimagining our cities. There’s lots to learn from how nature adapts to city life.

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

    Anti-bird spikes are a hostile architecture for wildlife, designed to keep messy nature away from buildings. Yet, crows and magpies in Rotterdam, Antwerp and Glasgow strip the spikes away and use them to make their nests.

    It’s difficult to imagine finding ease in a nest that has all the comfort of a tangled ball of wire, but the birds occupy them contentedly, improvising shelter from materials intended to exclude.

    Evolutionary biologists call this process “exaptation”. For example, feathers originally evolved to keep bird-like dinosaurs like Archaeopteryx warm. These feathers were adaptations to colder temperatures and only later repurposed, or exapted, to allow flight.

    Exaptation places repurposing at the heart of evolution; what if we were to design our homes on the same basis?

    Repurposing waste

    The Waste House is a two-storey model home in Brighton, made almost entirely from household and construction waste. When I visited the Waste House while researching my book, Nature’s Genius: Evolution’s Lessons for a Changing Planet, I loved the sense of possibility found in a staircase made of compressed paper or carpet tiles lapped like slates round its outside walls.

    But what lingered most vividly were the little windows built into the inside walls, showing what materials they’d used as insulation: old duvets and bicycle inner tubes, and in one window a library of DVDs. One of these was a copy of Groundhog Day – a film where the same day repeats on an endless loop.

    Built in 2013–14 behind the University of Brighton’s faculty of arts building, Waste House is made from construciton and household waste.
    Hassocks5489/Wikimedia, CC BY-NC-ND

    We’re similarly stuck in a rigid pattern of extraction, consumption and waste that plays again and again, day after day. But rather than a loop, this pattern is stubbornly linear, with hundreds of millions of tonnes of usable materials flowing into the dead end of landfill every year.

    The problem is that so much of what we make is designed with a single use or purpose in mind. We tend not to think about what a material or an object could become at the end of its life. But exaptation teaches us to stop seeing things as they are, and instead imagine their potential to be something new.

    In Edinburgh, Pianodrome is a performance space that’s assembled entirely from old pianos. Audiences climb staircases made of soundboards, clutching bannisters that were piano lids and rest their heads against seatbacks conjured from reclaimed keyboards. Destined for landfill, these instruments have instead found a new life as space for people to gather and perform.

    But like all exapted features, their new life hasn’t erased the old. Pianodrome’s makers left the strings of the old piano harps in place, buried in the heart of the structure. Just as feathers still keep flighted birds warm, and spikes that kept birds from buildings help crows and magpies to protect their nests from predators, whenever a performance takes place inside it, pianodrome resonates like one giant instrument.

    An exaptive approach could help birth a circular economy, taking us out of this damaging loop of extraction and consumption, and finding value in what we currently discard. Leaving materials to waste imposes a barrier, a limit on what could be. But the birds who build their nests from anti-bird spikes teach us that what was once a barrier can become a shelter.

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

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    David Farrier 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. What birds can teach us about repurposing waste – https://theconversation.com/what-birds-can-teach-us-about-repurposing-waste-256519

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    June 3, 2025

  • Malaysians commend India’s resolute response to terrorism

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    An all-party Parliamentary delegation led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha on Monday held an engaging discussion with leading Malaysian think tanks and academia including Asia Europe Institute, Economic Club of Kuala Lumpur, Institute of Strategic and International Studies, and academia briefing them on the heinous April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam and outlining Operation Sindoor – India’s precise, measured, responsible, and non-escalatory response.

    The delegation elaborated on India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and emphasised that it will no longer make a distinction between terrorists and the States that support them.

    The discussion began with a think tank delegate describing the nine-member delegation as ‘Navaratnas’ from India while commending the ‘all party’ nature of the delegation. The deliberations focussed on India’s ‘new normal’ and new security doctrine in fight against cross-border terrorism and also ways to enhance international cooperation in a collective fight against terrorism in all its forms.

    The delegates also met senior representatives of Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) led by President Tan Sri Dato Sri SA Vigneswaran and Deputy President YB Datuk Seri M Saravanan, highlighting India’s unwavering stand against terrorism, as demonstrated during Operation Sindoor.

    The delegation conveyed India’s ‘new normal’ of responding firmly against any act of terror on Indian soil. MIC expressed solidarity with India’s position on the fight against cross-border terrorism.

    Earlier in the day, the delegation met with representatives from Democratic Action Party led by YB M. Kulasegaran, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) of Malaysia conveying India’s perspectives and national resolve against terrorism. The discussions centered on India’s resolute response to terrorism under Operation Sindoor. There was also emphasis on India’s zero tolerance to terrorism, and the view that “Water and blood cannot flow together”.

    They also interacted with YB M Kulasegaran, Deputy Minister of the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional reform) during the meeting with representatives.

    Additionally, they held constructive talks with the representatives of Parti Keadilan Rakyat led by YB Sim Tze Tzin in Malaysia. India’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism was outlined, reaffirming our national unity against cross-border threats. The party representatives appreciated the detailed explanation provided by the delegation and engaged in a constructive discussion on the way forward and the responsibilities each nation has in fighting the menace of terrorism.

    “As part of our diplomatic engagements in Malaysia, our All-Party Parliamentary Delegation held meaningful discussions with leaders of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) — the party of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim — and the Democratic Action Party (DAP), both key members of the ruling coalition. We conveyed India’s unwavering stance on cross-border terrorism, briefed them on the Pahalgam attack, and outlined our calibrated response under Operation Sindoor,” Jha said in a post on X.

    “The dialogue reflected shared democratic values and a strong commitment to peace, prosperity, and global security. We deeply appreciate the solidarity expressed by leaders from both parties, including YB Tuan M. Kulasegaran, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, and YB Saraswathy Kandasami, Deputy Minister of Unity, who reaffirmed that terrorism in any form is unacceptable and expressed Malaysia’s support for India’s principled stand against cross-border terrorism,” the post added.

    The delegation led by Jha also includes BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lal, Hemang Joshi, and Pradan Baruah, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha member John Barittas, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid, and Former Indian Ambassador to France, Mohan Kumar.

    After concluding visits to Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Indonesia, the delegation is in Malaysia for the last leg of the tour to highlight the significance of Operation Sindoor and India’s continued fight against Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism.

    (IANS)

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: ENG INTRODUCES COMPREHENSIVE LEGISLATION TO END PERIOD POVERTY AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO MENSTRUAL PRODUCTS

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

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) announced that she reintroduced her Menstrual Equity for All Act, a bold, whole-of-government approach to eradicating period poverty and improving access to menstrual products.

    Menstruation is a natural part of life for roughly half of the world’s population at one point or another. Yet, today, millions of people in the United States continue to experience period poverty. In fact, one in three American adults who menstruate report struggling to afford menstrual products, and one-third have missed school or work because they could not access these products. An estimated 86% of people who menstruate use tampons, up to 72% use pads, and 75% use panty liners. Most of them use these products on a monthly basis. It is estimated that an individual will spend over $6,000 on menstrual products in their lifetime. 

    “Period products are essential for millions of people who menstruate,” said Congresswoman Meng. “Access to these products is not only a health care right, but also a human right. It is unacceptable that they are still out of reach for more than half the population. This legislation takes critical steps toward ending period poverty by expanding access to menstrual products for individuals across a range of populations, such as in schools and universities, workplaces, and correctional and detention facilities, and through existing federal programs like the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and Social Services Block Grants. Without it, women, girls, and menstruators will continue to miss out on educational and career opportunities simply because they cannot afford period products. We must keep fighting for them.”

    Specifically, Meng’s Menstrual Equity for All Act would:

    • Give states the option to use federal grant funds to provide students in elementary and secondary schools with free menstrual products;
    • Incentivize institutions of higher education to create pilot programs that provide free menstrual products to students;
    • Ensure incarcerated individuals and detainees in federal, state, and local facilities (including immigration detention centers), have access to free menstrual products;
    • Allow homeless assistance providers to use grant funds that cover shelter necessities (such as blankets and toothbrushes) to also use those funds to purchase menstrual products;
    • Require Medicaid to cover the cost of menstrual products;
    • Direct large employers (with 100 or more employees) to provide free menstrual products for their employees in the workplace;
    • Require all public federal buildings to provide free menstrual products in the restrooms;
    • Provide states and localities with funds through the Social Services Block Grant program to support free menstrual products programs;
    • Eliminate the federal sales tax on period products; and
    • Create a pilot program within the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to help families in need access menstrual products.

    “We know that period supplies are basic essentials that all people who menstruate require to participate in daily life – going to work, school, and engaging in everyday events,” said Joanne Goldblum, CEO of the Alliance for Period Supplies. “The Menstrual Equity for All Act ensures equitable access to period supplies so that millions of people can earn, learn, and thrive. We thank Congresswoman Meng for championing the Menstrual Equity for All Act and fully support the bill as it offers a comprehensive solution to a major public health issue. Its passage is long overdue.”

    “The fact of the matter is that nearly 1 in 4 students across the country are unable to afford period products and a quarter of students are unable to do their schoolwork due to a lack of access to these products,” said Michela Bedard, Executive Director of PERIOD. “The Menstrual Equity for All Act will improve student success in and out of the classroom through expanded menstrual health education and period product access.”

    “Women’s Voices for the Earth applauds Congresswoman Meng for her longstanding commitment and leadership on menstrual equity,” said Debra Erenberg, Co-Executive Director, Women’s Voices for the Earth. All people who menstruate need and deserve access to safe and healthy intimate care products. We look forward to working with the Congresswoman to pass this groundbreaking piece of commonsense legislation.”

    Meng originally introduced her Menstrual Equity for All Act in 2017. Since then, she has led numerous efforts to improve access to menstrual products and promote menstrual health. Earlier this month, she introduced a resolution to designate May as “National Menstrual Health Awareness Month.” The resolution recognizes the impact that the stigmatization of menstruation has on the lives of women, girls and people who menstruate.

    This legislation was introduced with 61 cosponsors. It is supported by the Alliance for Period Supplies, The Center for Baby and Adult Hygiene Products, Days for Girls, The Flow Initiative, Helping Women Period, ISSA – The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association, Mass NOW, Mujeres and Menstruators United, National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs, Period Education Project, PERIOD., and Period Law.

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mike Levin Announces Funding to Complete Plan Combatting Beach Erosion in Oceanside

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Levin (CA-49)

    June 02, 2025

    Oceanside, CA – Today, Representative Mike Levin (CA-49) and the City of Oceanside announced $2.27 million in federal funding to complete the long-delayed Oceanside Special Shoreline Study, which addresses Oceanside’s eroding beaches. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will use the funding to complete a plan for a federal project mitigating beach erosion in Oceanside and to prepare the environmental documents required for the execution of the project.

    “I’ve been fighting to get more sand on Oceanside’s beaches since coming to Congress,” said Rep. Levin. “Frustratingly, Administrations of both parties have not got it done. This isn’t a partisan issue. It’s about the federal government taking responsibility and delivering a solution for the people of Oceanside. Now we’ve delivered the resources needed for the Army Corps to finish its plan and get more sand on the beaches. I’ll hold their feet to the fire to ensure this moves forward.”

    “Oceanside’s RE:BEACH project and the expected outcome of the Army Corps Shoreline Study are expected to complement each other,” said Jayme Timberlake, Oceanside’s Coastal Zone Administrator. “The Oceanside Mitigation Project would be expected to yield consistent sand to Oceanside’s coastline for the next 50 years, and the RE:BEACH Project is designed to specifically prolong these kinds of sand nourishment efforts. The RE:BEACH Project will help slow down or “speed bump” the transport of sand off the shore, possibly allowing for less frequent nourishment cycles. Additionally, a consistent sand nourishment project like is being proposed by the Army Corps would help reduce costs for other regional projects, making it more alluring to state funding agencies and participating coastal cities that will have to cost share.”

    Oceanside has been experiencing beach erosion since the construction of the Camp Pendleton Harbor in 1942. The federal government first acknowledged responsibility for these erosion challenges in 1953. The Water Resources Development Act of 2000 authorized the Army Corps of Engineers to complete a plan to mitigate the coastal erosion due to the construction of Camp Pendleton Harbor and to restore beach conditions. Congress required that plan be completed within 32 months. It remains uncompleted.

    When Rep. Levin entered office in 2019, the plan to mitigate erosion in Oceanside was stalled, and the Army Corps of Engineers had abandoned it. Rep. Levin passed legislative language into law in 2020 and 2024 requiring expedited completion of the plan. In 2022, Rep. Levin secured $1.8 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which the Army Corp of Engineers said would be enough funding to complete the plan. The Corps’ estimate was wrong, and the study was again not completed.

    With today’s funding announcement, the Army Corps says it can deliver a final plan next year.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sanders Announces Batesville as Arkansas’ Capital for a Day on June 5

    Source: US State of Arkansas

    TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS COME – GREETINGS:

    WHEREAS:  Batesville was founded where the rapids and bends of the White River headwaters turn into the navigable waters of the lower White, and during the 19th century the town became a center of steamboat shipping and agriculture, followed by light industry and rail transit;

    WHEREAS:  Arkansas College, now Lyon College, was founded in the town in 1872 and has become one of Arkansas’ premier small liberal arts colleges, attracting students, faculty, and business to Batesville. The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville opened in 1975 and prepares students for the workforce;

    WHEREAS:  Batesville’s downtown is home to many buildings on the National Register of Historic Places and visitors to the town can enjoy the Old Independence Regional Museum and the native son Mark Martin’s NASCAR Museum;

    WHEREAS:  Today, Batesville is known for its many festivals and small shops, growing economy, and friendly and hospitable attitude that welcomes students and tourists alike each year, part of the reason it was recently listed as one of the “100 Best Small Towns in America;”

    WHEREAS:  Governor Sanders’ “Capital for a Day” program highlights great cities around Arkansas like Batesville and brings senior state government officials into town to meet with their local counterparts; and

    WHEREAS:  Batesville will serve as the fourteenth “Capital for a Day” under Governor Sanders and will momentarily serve as Arkansas’ seat of government.

    NOW, THEREFORE, I, SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, Governor of the State of Arkansas, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of the State of Arkansas, do hereby name Batesville, Arkansas, our Capital for a Day on June 5th, 2025, and invite our senior state government officials to join me in a visit to the city. 

    IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed this 30th day of May, in the year of our Lord 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Natalia Díez Riggin Named Senior Advisor and Director of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Natalia Díez Riggin has been named Senior Advisor and Director of the agency’s Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs. Ms. Riggin has been serving as Acting Director since joining the SEC in January.

    “I’m pleased that Natalia will continue to lead this important office and serve as our primary liaison to Congress and other federal agencies as well as state governments,” said SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins. “She has been serving the Commission effectively since January and her experience will help guide the Commission as we return to our core mission that Congress set for us.”

    Prior to the SEC, Ms. Riggin served as a senior professional staff member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for Chairman Tim Scott of South Carolina. She previously was deputy legislative director for U.S. Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana as well as staff director for the Economic Policy Subcommittee of the Senate Banking Committee. Earlier in her career, Ms. Riggin served as a policy aide to U.S. Senator Mike Enzi of Wyoming and U.S. Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois.

    Ms. Riggin received a B.A. in political science and history from the University of Illinois Chicago.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Subsidized social housing promotes economic well-being for Canadian renters, new study finds

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Xavier Leloup, Professor in Urban Studies, Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS)

    The years following the COVID-19 pandemic were difficult for renters. The pandemic was followed by an economic recovery marked by inflation, population growth and rising interest rates. These increased the cost of financing for landlords and limited the ability of first-time buyers to access homeownership.

    Overall, these dynamics increased the shortage of affordable housing. Rents have risen sharply in many regions, and housing continues to be the main expense for many.

    Of course, access to affordable housing is an important factor in economic well-being — the ability to meet basic needs, absorb financial shocks, build assets and maintain financial means throughout one’s life.

    Research shows that higher housing costs are associated with greater material hardship, particularly among low-income households. Without affordable housing options, many are forced to make difficult trade-offs just to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table.

    Evolving housing policy in Canada

    Canada’s housing policies have evolved over decades, dating back to the end of the Second World War. This long history has led to the creation of various housing programs involving provincial, territorial and municipal governments.

    Today, housing interventions take a variety of forms and have undergone a revival since 2017, when Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government launched the National Housing Strategy (NHS). The objective of the strategy is to “ensure everyone in Canada has access to housing that meets their needs.”



    Read more:
    Canada’s National Housing Strategy: Is it really addressing homelessness and affordability?

    Rental housing is owned by four main types of landlords in Canada: the private sector, along with governments, co-operatives and non-profit organizations. Each of these sectors includes units subsidized by public programs, called social housing.

    At a time when the federal government intends to reinvest in social housing through the NHS, rising rents and the range of assistance available to low-income renters raises the following question: what type of assistance contributes the most to the economic well-being of Canadian renters?

    Types of rental housing and economic well-being

    Our recent study addressed this question by documenting the relationships between different types of rental housing and the level of economic well-being of tenants. We were particularly interested in households with working-age members aged 15 to 65.

    Our study is based on the first cycle of the Canadian Housing Survey in 2018. This sample represents all provinces, the Yukon and Nunavut. The study used various statistical methods to model the economic well-being of tenant households.

    We compared social housing tenants with other tenants who share the same profile — that is, lower-income households who tend to be older, in poorer health, less likely to have employment income, who are often single parents and who are more likely to have experienced homelessness.

    Our results showed that different types of social and non-market housing improve the economic well-being of tenants in different ways. Households living in co-operatives, non-profits and government-owned (also called public) social housing reported greater ease in securing their basic needs like food, clothing, housing and transportation.

    This positive effect was also observed for households renting in the private market who received a rent supplement — a program in place since the beginning of the 1970s that offers housing with rent representing 25 to 30 per cent of a household’s total income.

    However, no significant effect was observed for housing allowance programs, a form of in-cash assistance paid directly to households administrated by the provinces and territories, and now supported through the Canada Housing Benefit program.

    Paying rent on time

    Another important element of tenants’ economic well-being is their ability to pay rent on time. Some groups face greater challenges in meeting this obligation.

    Our study found that one-person households, single-parent households and households with children are more likely to skip rent payments. The same is true if the household’s main respondent identifies as LGBTQ+, is Indigenous, is unemployed, has a chronic illness or has experienced homelessness or eviction in the past.

    Our study also showed that tenants living in non-profit organizations, public social housing, who received a rent supplement while renting in the private market or who received a housing allowance were less likely to skip or postpone rent payments.

    These findings point to the stabilizing role of social housing and targeted financial support in helping vulnerable households avoid cycles of poverty and displacement.

    Improving the economic well-being of tenants

    The newly elected Liberal government is looking to make structural changes to housing policies by creating a new Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes. This entity would take on the development of new housing for Canadians.

    Our findings show that it’s important for Canada to produce social and non-market housing financed over the long term, with rents set according to households’ ability to pay. These social and non-market housing models have long existed in Canada and are the most likely to help low-income tenants pay their rent and other bills.

    The new government’s challenge appears daunting as organizations across the country call for more social housing at a time when Canada has relatively less social housing than it did 30 years ago.

    While Canada is facing renewed economic challenges, it is time to return to an ambitious social housing model to address the affordability crisis and ensure the economic well-being of all tenants.

    Xavier Leloup receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (grant number:1004-2019-0001).

    Catherine Leviten-Reid receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. She is affiliated with the Canadian Association for Policy Alternatives – Nova Scotia Office.

    – ref. Subsidized social housing promotes economic well-being for Canadian renters, new study finds – https://theconversation.com/subsidized-social-housing-promotes-economic-well-being-for-canadian-renters-new-study-finds-256208

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Cato T. Laurencin of UConn Receives Bioactive Materials Lifetime Achievement Award

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin, MD, Ph.D., KCSL, received the prestigious Bioactive Materials Lifetime Achievement Award at a ceremony held in May at a recognition ceremony in China. It was the highlight of the Westlake Advanced Regenerative Medicine Engineering Conference, which was the first international meeting on regenerative engineering, a field he founded and has pioneered.

    The Bioactive Materials Lifetime Achievement Award was established in 2020 to recognize excellence in research and development in the field. The award transcends individual honor, serving as a catalyst for advancing the field, fostering international collaboration, and inspiring innovation.

    Bioactive Materials is an international, peer-reviewed research publication covering all aspects of bioactive materials.

    The presentation ceremony was chaired by Prof. Zheng Yufeng of Peking University, editor-in-chief of Bioactive Materials. More than 300 experts and scholars from the global biomaterials and medical engineering fields convened to witness this milestone event. Bioactive materials have emerged as a core driver of medical revolution. At the event, Laurencin announced the beginning of the “Year of Regenerative Engineering.”

    Three eminent scholars spoke in celebration of Laurencin’s legacy and outstanding achievements in the field of regenerative engineering. Professor Robert Langer, F.R.Eng. Sc.D., (MIT), gave a moving tribute, “Dr. Laurencin is a distinguished scientist who has made groundbreaking discoveries in regenerative engineering, trained generations of students, demonstrated leadership across universities and globally, and inspired countless individuals as a role model.”

    Professor Liu Changsheng (Shanghai University), a 2021 Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, noted, “As a pioneer in regenerative engineering, Professor Laurencin has driven the integration of engineering and biology, enabled clinical translation of technologies, and pioneered polymeric biomaterials for musculoskeletal repair. His contributions are profound, and this award is well-deserved.”

    Professor Guillermo Ameer (Northwestern University) a 2022 Bioactive Materials Lifetime Achievement Award recipient said, “We look to Dr. Laurencin to continue leading the field of regenerative engineering as a role model, bridging gaps and advocating for equity for those with limited resources.”

    At UConn Laurencin is the University Professor and Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UConn School of Medicine, professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He is the chief executive officer of The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, a cross-university institute created and named in his honor at the University of Connecticut.

    Laurencin is the founder and pioneer of the field of Regenerative Engineering. He is an expert in biomaterials science, stem cell technology, and nanotechnology and was named one of the 100 Engineers of the Modern Era by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He received the Founder’s Award (highest award) from the Society for Biomaterials, the Von Hippel Award (highest award) from the Materials Research Society, and the James Bailey Award (highest award) from the Society for Biological Engineering and the Priestley Medal (highest award) from the American Chemical Society. He received the NIH Director’s Pioneer Award, NIH’s highest and most prestigious research award, for his field of Regenerative Engineering and the National Science Foundation’s Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation Grant Award.  Laurencin is the editor-in-chief of Regenerative Engineering and Translational Medicine, published by Springer Nature, and is the founder of the Regenerative Engineering Society. He is a fellow of the American Chemical Society, a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, a fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society, a fellow of the Materials Research Society, and a AAAS fellow. The American Association for the Advancement of Science awarded Laurencin the Philip Hauge Abelson Prize given ‘for signal contributions to the advancement of science in the United States’.

    Laurencin is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering, an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine, and an elected fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. He is the first surgeon in history elected to all four of these academies. He is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Active internationally, he is an elected fellow of the Indian National Academy of Sciences, the Indian National Academy of Engineering, the African Academy of Sciences, The World Academy of Sciences, and is an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

    Laurencin is the recipient of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, America’s highest honor for technological achievement, awarded by President Barack Obama in ceremonies at the White House. He is the first individual in history to receive one of the oldest/highest awards of the National Academy of Medicine (the Walsh McDermott Medal) and the oldest/highest award of the National Academy of Engineering (the Simon Ramo Founder’s Award).

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Civic Prayer Breakfast to start Stoke-on-Trent Day with unity, reflection and community spirit

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Monday, 2nd June 2025

    Stoke-on-Trent Day will begin with a powerful moment of reflection as faith leaders, civic figures and community members gather for the Centenary Civic Prayer Breakfast.

    The event is hosted by Saltbox, at the historic Kings Hall, Stoke from 7:30am to 10:00am.

    This year’s breakfast will take place on the first Stoke-on-Trent Day – marking the day that King George V declared Stoke-on-Trent a city on 5 June 1925.

    Stoke-on-Trent Day will be a yearly celebration on 5 June that celebrates the history, culture, the built and natural environment and the communities that make the city.

    This year’s breakfast marks a special milestone in more ways than one. Not only does it honour 100 years of city status, but it also reaffirms the city’s long-standing commitment to unity, collaboration and public service through one of the largest events of its kind in the UK.

    Last year, more than 300 faith leaders, civic representatives and community activists came together to pray for the city’s future and build relationships across the public, private and voluntary sectors. Since launching in 2010, the Stoke-on-Trent Civic Prayer Breakfast has become a national benchmark, inspiring similar events across the country.

    Lloyd Cooke, CEO of Saltbox said: “The Civic Prayer Breakfast is always a joyful and positive occasion and this year’s special Centenary Day event promises to be even more impactful with over 400 guests attending.”

    This year’s event features a keynote address by Robert Mountford, West Midlands Churches Ecumenical Officer, and a live interview with Dr Fiona Hibberts, Deputy Chief Nurse at University Hospitals North Midlands. Guests will also enjoy performances from Presence Worship’s Paul Critchley, members of the City of Stoke-on-Trent Symphony Orchestra, and the St Peter’s CofE Academy Gospel Choir.

    Tickets are £15, including a full English breakfast, individual table service and free parking.

    The Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Steve Watkins, said: “The Civic Prayer Breakfast is a chance to pause and reflect on what matters most – our people, our values and our shared future. In this Centenary Year, I’m proud that our city continues to lead the way in community collaboration and spiritual unity.”

    To book for the Civic Prayer Breakfast:

    By card: Call 07825 745142

    By cheque: Saltbox, Bemersley House, Gitana Street, Hanley, ST1 1DY

    In person: Methodist Book Centre, Gitana Street, Hanley, ST1 1DY

    Email enquiries: email@saltbox.org.uk

    For more Centenary events or to download the Stoke-on-Trent Day celebration toolkit, visit www.sot100.org.uk and follow #SOT100 on social media.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Bank of Canada Museum announces 2025 recipients of Award for Excellence in Teaching Economics

    Source: Bank of Canada

    The Bank of Canada Museum is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Award for Excellence in Teaching Economics, recognizing two remarkable educators who are helping students build real-world financial skills through innovative, community-focused learning.

    Angela Larocque, a middle school teacher from Forest Hills School in St. John, New Brunswick and Nicole Feisst, a high school educator from École Clément-Cormier in Bouctouche, New Brunswick are the winners of the Museum’s fourth annual award.

    Both teachers helped students connect their interests and ambitions to economic reality through programs that included input from parents and professionals in the local economy. By involving the community, these programs provided students with an approach to learning financial literacy that goes beyond the theoretical.

    Angela Larocque moved economic education outside the classroom through community-based financial literacy initiatives. These include “Idea Market,” an annual money-making entrepreneurship event, and “Money Matters,” a community financial literacy night. Money Matters brought together local businesses, banks, and financial experts, creating open, judgment-free conversations about money between families and financial institutions.

    Nicole Feisst created a comprehensive and personalized financial simulation for her grade 11 and 12 students. Each learner built a financial profile before navigating a realistic, and sometimes unpredictable, simulation of adult economic life. Local professionals offered real-time advice, grounding the experience in real-world insight.

    “Both Angela and Nicole’s projects are exemplary,” said Sharon Kozicki, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada. “What set their work apart this year was how they brought the wider community—including parents—into the learning process. They introduced economic and financial topics in ways that were grounded in real life, creating experiences that will have a lasting impact on the youth who participated.”

    Each winner receives a trophy along with a personal cash prize of $1,000 and another $1,000 for their school. More information on this year’s winners is available on the Museum’s website.

    Nominations came in from across the country and were reviewed by a selection committee made up of representatives from the Bank of Canada and other experts in the fields of economics and education, and a youth representative.

    Nominations for next year’s award will open in early 2026.

    Notes to editors

    • The Bank of Canada Museum creatively brings the work of the central bank to Canadians by demystifying the Bank’s key functions and interpreting Canada’s monetary heritage. It also provides access to Canada’s National Currency Collection which is comprised of over 130,000 objects.
    • The Museum supports teachers and students through free school programs, lesson plans and activities available on its Learn page.
    • For more information about the Museum and its services, visit the website.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Practical ways families can foster kids’ love of literacy during the summer months

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Kimberly Hillier, Sessional Instructor, Faculty of Education, University of Windsor

    Identifying sounds or letters in everyday print, or participating in the shared experience of exploring texts like recipes, signs or brochures, is one way to help children develop an appreciation and love of literacy. (Shutterstock)

    The dismissal bell will soon ring on the 2024-25 school year. The end of the school year is a time for reflection and when discussions about the “summer slide” or “summer slump” begin.

    These discussions may prompt concerns about regressions in academic skills gained throughout the school year — and what parents and caregivers can do to maintain these skills.

    Setting the stage for literacy success

    Although parents and caregivers should not be expected to deliver the same explicit, direct, systematic instruction at home as their children receive in school by trained educators (that is, clear, concise instruction that follows a pre-determined order based on research and attainment of prerequisite skills), there are ways that parents and caregivers can seamlessly continue to foster a love of literacy during the summer months.

    Cultivating a love of literacy is a fundamental component and foundation for early literacy success. A love of literacy can increase motivation and engagement, vocabulary and reading comprehension. Fostering a love of literacy is an accessible and practical way for families to be involved in the process of early literacy development.



    Read more:
    5 ways to support children’s early literacy skills and build family connections this summer

    Invite your child to write the grocery list or other to-do lists and focus on their willingness to participate, not their spelling.
    (Shutterstock)

    Fostering a love of literacy without pressure

    There are many ways that parents and caregivers can foster a love of literacy during the summer months, all without the pressures and demands of busy schedules and formal instruction.

    Summer break is a time to unwind, relax and strengthen family connections. This list below details some simple suggestions to infuse literacy into everyday tasks and routines.

    1. Incorporate literacy into everyday activities. Invite your child to create lists that not only keep them in the loop of summer activities, but also provide a way for them to practise their writing skills. Invite your child to write the grocery list, to-do lists, summer bucket lists or packing lists for day trips or vacations. Compliment their writing and focus on their willingness to participate, not their spelling or letter formation.

    2. Explore books for enjoyment and special interests. During the school year, students often practise their reading with books that are targeted to their current learning skill focus. Embracing books that are reflective of your child’s special interests can increase their background knowledge on a variety of topics, spark their curiosity and provide them with a sense of control over their reading selections.

    Reading or viewing books that align with special interests (also known as SPINs within the neurodiversity community) is particularly important for neurodiverse children. Particularly for neurodiverse children, spending time engaging in special interests can be a self-regulatory strategy and provides a sense of structure, familiarity, comfort, competence and happiness.

    3. Embrace low-stakes literacy learning opportunities. Reading aloud recipes, labels, brochures and textual signs or messages seen throughout our everyday environments (also referred to as environmental print) can provide great opportunities to focus on foundational literacy skills such as letter and sound identification. Identify the letters and sounds in the words, or point out which letters are capitalized. Activities that focus on phonemic awareness, such as “I spy,” can be a great way to practise this skill. Whether you’re at the park or going for a walk, invite your child to identify an object that begins or ends with a particular letter and/or letter sound.

    4. Incorporate games into family time. Board games are a great way to spend time as a family while simultaneously promoting children’s early literacy and language development skills. Board games also provide opportunities for children to develop social skills, enhance vocabulary, problem solve, think critically and practise impulse control.

    5. Get messy! The summer months are an opportune time to get outdoors and embrace the elements. Writing letters or words in the sand or with a variety of sensory tools can make learning more engaging. Chalk, paint, window markers, sand, sticks and other natural elements can all serve as multi-sensory learning tools. Getting messy while learning also promotes collaborative clean-up time, which strengthens everyday learning skills including responsibility, teamwork, accountability and organization.

    Integrating summer learning opportunities into quality family time can help children associate literacy with feelings of comfort and closeness of loved ones. As families continue to seek active ways to integrate quality into their busy schedules, these opportunities can leverage available time and continue to build a love of literacy in the process.

    Kimberly Hillier 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. Practical ways families can foster kids’ love of literacy during the summer months – https://theconversation.com/practical-ways-families-can-foster-kids-love-of-literacy-during-the-summer-months-254380

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Stein and North Carolina Department of Public Safety Promote Safe Gun Storage During NC S.A.F.E. Week of Action

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Stein and North Carolina Department of Public Safety Promote Safe Gun Storage During NC S.A.F.E. Week of Action

    Governor Stein and North Carolina Department of Public Safety Promote Safe Gun Storage During NC S.A.F.E. Week of Action
    lsaito
    Mon, 06/02/2025 – 10:00

    Raleigh, NC

    Governor Josh Stein proclaimed June 1-7 as the North Carolina S.A.F.E. Week of Action. Sponsored by the N.C. Department of Public Safety, this Week of Action seeks to unite communities, families, and organizations statewide in promoting the lifesaving importance of safe firearm storage.

    “Safely storing firearms can be the difference between life and death,” said Governor Josh Stein. “When people understand the risks, they are more likely to take action to protect themselves and their families. That’s what S.A.F.E. week is all about – keeping people safe from gun violence.” 

    According to FBI data, the rate of gun theft from vehicles is three times as high as it was 10 years ago. Gun thefts are also on the rise, with 10 North Carolina cities ranking in the top 100 U.S. cities for reported gun thefts from vehicles in 2022.  

    These trends highlight the urgent need for effective strategies to prevent gun-related tragedies. To reduce gun violence and needless tragedy, Governor Stein proposed more than $2.2 million for safe storage in his budget proposal. Research indicates that secure firearm storage is crucial to lowering the risk of gun violence. 

    “Every conversation and every gun lock distributed brings us closer to a safer North Carolina,” said North Carolina Department of Public Safety Deputy Secretary William Lassiter. “Our collective efforts are reaching families across the state and making a real impact.” 

    Organizations throughout North Carolina are highlighting NC S.A.F.E. during the Week of Action by hosting community events that emphasize the importance of safe gun storage. At these events, gun locks will be distributed to residents across the state. A complete list of events can be found here. Some key events include:

    • Press conferences with TSA at Charlotte Douglas International Airport
    • Community Day with Atrium Brenner’s Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem
    • Asheville Police Department: NC S.A.F.E. Awareness Event
    • Press conference with state and local officials in Elizabeth City  

    “As healthcare providers and safety advocates, our priority is protecting the health and well-being of every child,” said Dr. Becca Palmer, Assistant Pediatrics Professor at Wake Forest School of Medicine. “Safe firearm storage is a simple but powerful step we can all take to prevent tragedies and save lives.”

    To date, the NC S.A.F.E. campaign has earned more than 89 million ad impressions and nearly 332,000 visits to the NC S.A.F.E. website. The campaign has also distributed 130,000 free gun locks to help North Carolinians safely store their guns. In addition, the campaign launched the NC S.A.F.E. for Schools program to help school districts share safe storage resources with families in their community.

    Click here to learn more about NC S.A.F.E. and to download community resources.

    Click here to view Governor Stein’s proclamation designating NC S.A.F.E. Week of Action.

    Jun 2, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister’s, parliamentary secretary’s, K-12 education partners’ statement on Pride 2025

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care, alongside Jennifer Blatherwick, parliamentary secretary for gender equity; B.C. School Trustees Association; BC School Superintendents Association; BC Association of School Business Officials; BC Principals’ & Vice-Principals’ Association; BC Teachers’ Federation; CUPE BC; BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils; BC Teachers’ Council; BC Public School Employers’ Association; First Nations Education Steering Committee; First Nations Schools Association; Métis Nation BC and Alliance of BC Modern Treaty Nations have issued the following statement to mark Pride 2025 and celebrate the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in B.C.’s education system:

    “Pride Month is a time to celebrate diversity, embrace inclusion and honour the incredible ways 2SLGBTQIA+ friends, students, neighbours, colleagues and family members help make B.C. a wonderful place to call home.   

    “Pride is also a call to act. Many 2SLGBTQIA+ community members continue to face discrimination or exclusion today, and school can be one of the very first places a child experiences it. That’s why it’s up to all of us to make sure that every day, when students, staff and community members walk through the school doors, they’re welcomed for who they are. When we stand together, we send a strong message: everyone belongs, and discrimination and bullying have no place in our schools or communities. These are important messages for kids to see, hear and feel as they learn and grow. We know this support changes lives – and saves lives.

    “Honouring Pride means acknowledging both pain and progress, while recognizing our individual responsibility to build an inclusive future for every child and youth. By fostering a sense of belonging and safety for all students and staff in schools, we can create learning environments where young people can thrive, because they’re supported to be who they are as individual people.  

    “To all those helping to stand up and make B.C.’s schools more inclusive, welcoming spaces for all students, thank you. From colourful crosswalks to vibrant community events, the widespread support for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community is clear. There are hundreds of thousands of people taking part in Pride throughout the province recognizing the significance of supporting and being an ally. This reflects decades of dedication from many organizations and 2SLGBTQIA+ advocates fighting for human rights and continuing to lead the way, with a commitment to equality and inclusion that inspires and brings people together.

    “This month and every month, we will continue working together as partners to make sure B.C.’s schools are places where everyone can feel safe and free to be who they are.

    “As we celebrate Pride 2025, we encourage everyone to stand together – recognizing and honouring the contributions and resilience of 2SLGBTQIA+ students, families and educators in their communities, with love and pride throughout B.C.”

    Learn More:

    If you or a friend is experiencing discrimination or harassment related to sexual orientation or gender identity, get help here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/erase

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: CFTC Names Paul Hayeck as Acting Director of Division of Enforcement

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Commodity Futures Trading Commission Acting Chairman Caroline D. Pham today announced Paul G. Hayeck as the Acting Director of the Division of Enforcement. Hayeck has served at the CFTC for 25 years and has been a deputy director in the Division of Enforcement since 2013. He will continue to serve as the acting chief of the Division’s Complex Fraud Task Force.
    “I’ve been impressed with Paul’s deep expertise and skill since I was a CFTC enforcement intern over 15 years ago,” said Acting Chairman Pham. “Paul’s unwavering commitment to integrity and fairness is the kind of strong leadership we need at the CFTC. His accomplishments as Acting Chief of the Complex Fraud Task Force and his extensive experience at the CFTC make him well suited to lead the Division of Enforcement. I’ve never been more confident in the CFTC’s mission to protect our markets, hold fraudsters accountable, and help victims with Paul in charge.”
    “I want to thank Acting Chairman Pham for the opportunity to lead the Division as we get back to basics and focus our resources and abilities on our core mission to prevent fraud, manipulation, and abuse in our markets,” Hayeck said.
    Throughout his career, Hayeck has represented the CFTC in numerous federal courts as litigation counsel in cases involving a broad range of Commodity Exchange Act violations, including market manipulation and complex fraud, with a particular focus in energy trading cases. Among other noteworthy cases, Hayeck led the division’s litigation team in the landmark case of CFTC v. Parnon Energy Inc., et al. in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, which resulted in a favorable opinion for the CFTC regarding its jurisdiction. 
    Prior to joining the CFTC, Hayeck was a partner in a law firm in Boston where he focused on commercial litigation. He also previously worked as litigation counsel for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. In these positions, Hayeck frequently appeared in numerous federal and state courts. 
    Hayeck holds an LL.M. in banking law and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law. He is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in economics.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: ELLISON C. TRAVIS APPOINTED ACTING UNITED STATES ATTORNEY FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Ellison C. Travis has been appointed by President Trump as the Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana. Mr. Travis replaces April M. Leon, who has held the position since February 2025.

    Mr. Travis stated, “I am honored that President Trump has appointed me Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana. Our office will work every day with our federal, state, and local partners to execute Operation Take Back America, reduce violent crime, and enforce federal law in our district.”

    Mr. Travis served as Executive Assistant United States Attorney since July 2023. He previously served as Acting United States Attorney in 2021, as well as First Assistant United States Attorney from 2018-2023. Previously, he was with the Louisiana Department of Justice for over twenty years. During his tenure with the Louisiana Department of Justice, Mr. Travis served as the Director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Criminal Division (2017-2018), as an Assistant Attorney General in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (2002–2017), and as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division (1997–2002). Mr. Travis also served as an Assistant District Attorney (1990–1996). During his thirty-five years in public service, he prosecuted all manner of criminal matters, including violent crimes, financial crimes, and public corruption. Mr. Travis helped author and pass legislation to penalize those who commit electronic abuse of persons with infirmities and those who commit public program fraud. He also represented the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the state Legislative Task Force on Medicaid Fraud Prevention.

    Mr. Travis received his J.D. from Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and his B.A. in Economics from Louisiana State University.

    MIL Security OSI –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Pro-Trump candidate wins Poland’s presidential election – a bad omen for the EU, Ukraine and women

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Adam Simpson, Senior Lecturer, International Studies, University of South Australia

    Poland’s presidential election runoff will be a bitter pill for pro-European Union democrats to swallow.

    The nationalist, Trumpian, historian Karol Nawrocki has narrowly defeated the liberal, pro-EU mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, 50.89 to 49.11%.

    The Polish president has few executive powers, though the office holder is able to veto legislation. This means the consequences of a Nawrocki victory will be felt keenly, both in Poland and across Europe.

    With this power, Nawrocki, backed by the conservative Law and Justice party, will no doubt stymie the ability of Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his Civic Platform-led coalition to enact democratic political reforms.

    This legislative gridlock could well see Law and Justice return to government in the 2027 general elections, which would lock in the anti-democratic changes the party made during their last term in office from 2015–2023. This included eroding Poland’s judicial independence by effectively taking control of judicial appointments and the supreme court.

    Nawrocki’s win has given pro-Donald Trump, anti-liberal, anti-EU forces across the continent a shot in the arm. It’s bad news for the EU, Ukraine and women.

    A rising Poland

    For much of the post-second world war era, Poland has had limited European influence.

    This is no longer the case. Poland’s economy has boomed since it joined the EU in 2004. It spends almost 5% of its gross domestic product on defence, almost double what it spent in 2022 at the time of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

    Poland now has a bigger army than the United Kingdom, France and Germany. And living standards, adjusted for purchasing power, are about to eclipse Japan’s.

    Along with Brexit, these changes have resulted in the EU’s centre of gravity shifting eastwards towards Poland. As a rising military and economic power of 37 million people, what happens in Poland will help shape Europe’s future.

    Impacts on Ukraine

    Poland’s new position in Europe is most clearly demonstrated by its central role in the fight to defend Ukraine against Russia.

    This centrality was clearly demonstrated during the recent “Coalition of the Willing” summit in Kyiv, where Tusk joined the leaders of Europe’s major powers – France, Germany and the UK – to bolster support for Ukraine and its president, Volodymyr Zelensky.

    However, Poland’s unqualified support for Ukraine will now be at risk because Nawrocki has demonised Ukrainian refugees in his country and opposed Ukrainian integration into European-oriented bodies, such as the EU and NATO.

    Nawrocki was also backed during his campaign by the Trump administration. Kristi Noem, the US secretary of homeland security, said at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference in Poland:

    Donald Trump is a strong leader for us, but you have an opportunity to have just as strong of a leader in Karol if you make him the leader of this country.

    Trump also hosted Nawrocki in the Oval Office when he was merely a candidate for office. This was a significant deviation from standard US diplomatic protocol to stay out of foreign elections.

    Nawrocki has not been as pro-Russia as some other global, MAGA-style politicians, but this is largely due to Poland’s geography and its difficult history with Russia. It has been repeatedly invaded across its eastern plains by Russian or Soviet troops. And along with Ukraine, Poland shares borders with the Russian client state of Belarus and Russia itself in Kaliningrad, the heavily militarised enclave on the Baltic Sea.

    I experienced the proximity of these borders during fieldwork in Poland in 2023 when I travelled by car from Warsaw to Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, via the Suwalki Gap.

    This is the strategically important, 100-kilometre-long border between Poland and Lithuania, which connects the Baltic states to the rest of NATO and the EU to the south. It’s seen as a potential flashpoint if Russia were ever to close the gap and isolate the Baltic states.

    Poland’s conservative nationalist politicians are therefore less Russia-friendly than those in Hungary or Slovakia. Nawrocki, for instance, does not support cutting off weapons to Ukraine.

    However, a Nawrocki presidency will still be more hostile to Ukraine and its interests. During the campaign, Nawrocki said Zelensky “treats Poland badly”, echoing the type of language used by Trump himself.

    Poland divided

    The high stakes in the election resulted in a record turnout of almost 73%.

    There was a stark choice in the election between Nawrocki and Trzaskowski.

    Trzaskowski supported the liberalisation of Poland’s harsh abortion laws – abortion was effectively banned in Poland under the Law and Justice government – and the introduction of civil partnerships for LGBTQ+ couples.

    Nawrocki opposed these changes and will likely veto any attempt to implement them.

    While the polls for the presidential runoff election had consistently shown a tight race, an Ipsos exit poll published during the vote count demonstrated the social divisions now facing the country.

    As in other recent global elections, women and those with higher formal education voted for the progressive candidate (Trzaskowski), while men and those with less formal education voted for the conservative (Nawrocki).

    After the surprise success of the liberal, pro-EU presidential candidate in the Romanian elections a fortnight ago, pro-EU forces were hoping for a similar result in Poland, as well.

    That, for now, is a pipe dream and liberals across the continent will now need to negotiate a difficult relationship with a right-wing, Trumpian leader in the new beating heart of Europe.

    Adam Simpson 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. Pro-Trump candidate wins Poland’s presidential election – a bad omen for the EU, Ukraine and women – https://theconversation.com/pro-trump-candidate-wins-polands-presidential-election-a-bad-omen-for-the-eu-ukraine-and-women-257617

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: 05.28.2025 ICYMI: Sen. Cruz in Washington Post: Tax Bill is Republicans’ Chance to Shape the Next Generation of Americans

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Today, the Washington Post published an op-ed by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) describing transformative measures he is prioritizing in this year’s reconciliation bill, including his Invest America Act and Universal School Choice Act.
    Read excerpts of the op-ed below or the full op-ed here.
    Last month, Republican senators gathered in the Library of Congress to have an extended discussion and strategy session about the budget reconciliation process that is dominating conversations in Washington. I asked my colleagues two specific questions: In all of this massive bill, what will be its biggest legacy? What bold, transformational policies can we champion that will impact the next generation of Americans — policies we’ll still be talking about 10, 20, even 30 years from now?
    …
    That’s why I’m pushing my colleagues to include two major proposals in this year’s budget reconciliation package that I believe do exactly that.
    First, I’ve introduced legislation that would create a private investment account for every newborn child in America and seed it with the first $1,000. Each year, family, friends, or employers would be able to contribute up to $5,000 to this tax-advantaged account. Those accounts would be invested in exchange-traded funds or mutual funds based on the S&P 500.
    The accounts would do two things. First, children across America would experience the miracle of compounded growth. A child born this year who has the initial $1,000, plus $5,000 invested annually, would — at a historical average growth rate of 7 percent — have about $170,000 invested by age 18. By 35, the account would be worth $700,000. That powerful wealth accumulation would be utterly transformational for our next generation of children.
    …
    Equally important for success is education and ensuring that every American child has the right to choose their educational path. That’s why the second policy we should include in the One Big Beautiful Bill is to get the federal government behind school choice. We should give federal tax credits, dollar for dollar, for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations in the states and open up $10 billion annually in new scholarships that allow children and parents to be able to choose the K-12 school that best meets their needs.
    ….
    In his first term, President Donald Trump in his State of the Union address urged Congress to pass my legislation, the Universal School Choice Act. However, to do so we needed Democratic support in the Senate, and no Democrat was willing to stand up to the teachers unions. Now, under the reconciliation rules, we can finally pass the bill with our 53 Republican senators. And Democrats cannot block it.
    Versions of both of these ideas are included in the House reconciliation bill. But there will be a battle to keep them and to get them through the Senate. We must act boldly and get them to the president’s desk. Nothing else in the bill would leave as significant a legacy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Duke University Student Receives the SBB Research Group Foundation STEM Scholarship

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, June 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The SBB Research Group Foundation named Esther Hong Park a recipient of its STEM scholarship. The $2,500 award empowers students to create value for society by pursuing higher learning through interdisciplinary combinations of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

    Esther Hong Park, a first-year undergraduate student, studies biology at Duke University. Park also has contributed to the design of a new cost-efficient, modern chest tube to reduce complications in thoracotomies and serves as Hospitality Officer at Duke Remote Area Medical.

    “Esther is just starting out in her STEM career, but she’s already contributed so much. We are excited to see what she does as she continues her education,” said Matt Aven, co-founder and board member of the SBB Research Group Foundation.

    For eligibility criteria and more information on the Foundation’s STEM scholarship, please visit http://www.sbbscholarship.org.

    About the SBB Research Group Foundation

    The SBB Research Group Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that furthers the philanthropic mission of SBB Research Group LLC (SBBRG), a Chicago-based investment management firm led by Sam Barnett, Ph.D., and Matt Aven. The Foundation sponsors the SBB Research Group Foundation STEM Scholarship, supporting students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) degrees. In addition to its scholarship program, the Foundation provides grants to support ambitious organizations solving unmet needs with thoughtful, long-term strategies.

    Contact: Erin Noonan
    Organization: SBB Research Group Foundation
    Email: scholarship@sbbrg.org
    Address: 450 Skokie Blvd, Building 600, Northbrook, IL 60062 United States
    Phone: 1-847-656-1111
    Website: https://www.sbbscholarship.com/

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/344fa260-3041-4acd-82f7-8d01bc70ad4d

    The MIL Network –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Superior Energy Services Announces Appointment Of Neil Fletcher As Senior Vice President Of Business Development

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    HOUSTON, June 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Superior Energy Services, Inc. (the “Company”) today announced the appointment of Neil Fletcher as Senior Vice President of Business Development. This strategic leadership role underscores the Company’s commitment to an integrated, enterprise-wide approach to growth and customer engagement.

    In this newly created position, Mr. Fletcher will be responsible for driving business development and marketing initiatives across all business units. His focus will include expanding customer relationships, identifying new market opportunities, and enhancing cross-selling of both established and emerging products and services. He will report directly to Jim Brown, President and Chief Operating Officer.

    “Neil’s demonstrated leadership and strategic vision make him the ideal choice to drive integration and growth across our global operations and lead our business development efforts,” said Jim Brown. “I’m confident that under Neil’s leadership we will unlock new opportunities and deliver even greater value to our customers.”

    Mr. Fletcher joined the Company following its acquisition of Rival Downhole Tools, where he served as Chief Executive Officer. Most recently, he held the role of Senior Vice President of Global Operations within the Company’s rentals division, where he successfully led the integration of Rival and Stabil Drill—streamlining operations and aligning strategic goals across the organization.

    With more than two decades of experience spanning operations, sales, engineering, and business development throughout the Western Hemisphere, Mr. Fletcher brings a deep understanding of the energy services landscape. He holds an MBA in Global Energy from the University of Houston’s Bauer College of Business and a B.A. in Marketing from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

    This appointment marks a significant step in the Company’s ongoing transformation, as it continues to align its capabilities with the evolving needs of its global customer base.

    For more information about Superior Energy Services, please visit www.superiorenergy.com

    About Superior Energy Services
    Superior Energy Services serves the drilling, completion and production-related needs of oil and gas companies through a diversified portfolio of specialized oilfield services and equipment that are used throughout the economic life cycle of oil and gas wells. In addition to operations in North America, both on land and offshore, Superior Energy Services operates in approximately 47 countries internationally. For more information, visit: www.superiorenergy.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current views regarding the Company’s financial position and results, financial performance, liquidity, strategic alternatives (including dispositions, acquisitions, and the timing thereof), market outlook, future capital needs, capital allocation plans, business strategies and other plans and objectives of our management for future operations and activities. These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company’s management in light of its experience and prevailing circumstances on the date such statements are made. Such forward-looking statements, and the assumptions on which they are based, are inherently speculative and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties outside of the Company’s control, including but not limited to conditions in the oil and gas industry, U.S. and global market and economic conditions generally and macroeconomic conditions worldwide, (including inflation, interest rates, supply chain disruptions and capital and credit markets conditions) that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from such statements. We undertake no obligation to update these statements except as required by law.

    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Joanna Clark, Corporate Secretary
    1001 Louisiana St., Suite 2900
    Houston, TX 77002
    Investor Relations, ir@superiorenergy.com, (713) 654-2200

    The MIL Network –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: David Turrettini appointed Chief Executive Officer of CAST

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PARIS and NEW YORK, June 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CAST, the software mapping and intelligence technology leader, today announced the appointment of David Turrettini, who previously held leadership roles at AWS, Hewlett-Packard, and Boston Consulting Group, as Chief Executive Officer. Vincent Delaroche, who founded CAST in a Paris garage and, as CEO, led its expansion to serve clients in more than 60 countries, has been elevated to Chairman of the Board and Product Strategy Committee lead. The changes mark the completion of the succession planning process initiated in 2022 as the company charted out its next decade of growth.

    “CAST was born from the recognition that the software running our world is nearly invisible to the people running it,” said Vincent Delaroche, CAST Founder and Chairman of the Board. “CAST illuminated the hidden, inside world of software, enabling companies to understand, improve, and transform it. I have been proud to lead this team as we kept asking the big questions and delivering the intelligence that business and technology leaders need. Our mission continues, and in David we have a leader who shares our values and can help CAST seize the opportunities ahead.” 

    Prior to joining CAST, David Turrettini has built and scaled new technology businesses. He built AWS’s Migration Acceleration Program, created the Enterprise Applications on AWS and Mainframe Modernization Specialty Sales worldwide teams, and led the North America Private Equity BD team. In each of these roles, David created programmatic approaches that have helped thousands of customers drive digital transformations. Previously, at HP, David introduced and scaled delivery of cloud-based offerings worldwide. At BCG, David defined strategic growth initiatives for technology, health care, and financial services companies across Europe and the US.

    David holds an MBA from The Wharton School, and a B.A. in Economics and International Relations from Cornell University.

    “Vincent not only built CAST but launched the Software Intelligence category,” said David Turrettini, CEO of CAST. “From financial services to telecoms, manufacturing to defense, millions of lives have been improved because of CAST. Society runs on software, and it runs better because of Vincent’s ideas and the brilliant work of CAST’s team. I am honored to take on this role, and excited to help write the next chapter of this industry.”

    Through the analysis of more than 100 billion lines of code, CAST has built an exclusive 25+ year dataset including the formulation of 50,000 relationship heuristics. These heuristics – patterns of how software elements interact inside applications from nearly every industry – enable CAST to deliver vital intelligence to IT leaders and teams to understand, improve, and transform their software. CAST’s technology has evolved to be used by AI platforms, equipping agents with the insights they need to operate on existing codebases with high precision at scale.

    CAST’s software mapping and intelligence technology is used by top cloud providers AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud; the world’s leading consultancies and integrators, such as BCG and Accenture; the U.S. military; as well as global enterprises such as Marsh McLennan, Delta Airlines, Liberty Mutual, and Telefonica.

    About CAST
    Businesses move faster using CAST technology to understand, improve, and transform their software. Through semantic analysis of source code, CAST produces 3D maps and dashboards to navigate inside individual applications and across entire portfolios. This intelligence empowers executives and technology leaders to steer, speed, and report on initiatives such as technical debt, GenAI, modernization, and cloud. As the pioneer of the software intelligence field, CAST is trusted by the world’s leading companies and governments, their consultancies and cloud providers. See it all at castsoftware.com.

    The MIL Network –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn Law Students and Graduates Recognized with 2025 Awards

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    The faculty of UConn School of Law has recognized the many and varied achievements of its students and graduates with an array of prizes and awards.

    The recipients, announced at the end of the academic year, are honored for their academic and extracurricular accomplishments, which may include grades, class participation, clinical work, leadership, and community involvement. Many awards offer a financial component, while others provide books, certificates, memberships, and other gifts.

    The 2025 awards and recipients are:

    The Honorable Herbert Barall Family Law Award
    • Megan Ann Phillips ’25
    Established by friends and family of Judge Herbert Barall and awarded to a graduating student who has excelled in the study of family law and has shown a commitment to family law.

    The Honorable M. Joseph Blumenfeld Award
    • Casey Krieger ’25
    Established by friends of U.S. District Judge M. Joseph Blumenfeld and awarded to a student who has rendered outstanding service to clients in a clinic program.

    The Elihu Burritt Award
    • Devon Murphy ’25
    Awarded to the student with the highest academic average achieved at a semester abroad program sponsored by the UConn School of Law.

    The Robert S. Carey, Jr., JD ’76 Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Company Foundation (CATIC) Foundation Award in Real Property
    • Jennifer O’Brien ’25
    Awarded for outstanding work in real property law.

    The Clark-Janis International Award
    • Johanna Weber ’25
    Established by Professor Mark Janis and his wife, Janet Janis, in honor of their parents, Martha and Allan Clark and June and Henry Janis, and given to an international student for superior academic achievement.

    The Clinical Legal Education Association Certificate of Recognition
    • Whitney Krispin ’26
    Awarded for outstanding performance in a clinical program.

    The Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Externship Student Award
    • Sarina Bhargava ’25
    Awarded to a student for outstanding performance in an externship.

    The Connecticut Bar Association Labor and Employment Section Award for Excellence in Employment Law
    • Ian Russell ’26
    Awarded for outstanding achievement in the field of labor and employment law.

    The Connecticut Bar Association Real Property Section Memorial Award
    • Riley Morrill ’26
    Given to the student who has contributed substantially to the development of a sound body of law in the field of real property.

    The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities Award
    • Thomas Daniel Pelletier ’25
    Given to a student who, in the judgment of the faculty, has written the best paper addressing a problem in municipal law or another aspect of municipal government, or has completed an internship or service project in municipal government in Connecticut and demonstrates the greatest contribution to excellence in local government.

    Excellence in Taxation Award in Honor of Professor Pomp
    •     James Hallinan ’25
    Donated by Thomas Holmgren Class of 2013 to an outstanding student in taxation in recognition of Professor Pomp’s national reputation as the leading scholar, expert witness, and oral advocate in State and Local Taxation.

    The Maxwell Friedman Award
    • Elinor Schneider ’25
    Presented to a student for outstanding achievement in commercial subjects.

    The Thomas F. Gallivan, Jr. Memorial Award
    • Jackson Reis ’26
    Presented by the Law School Alumni Association for outstanding scholastic achievement in property law in honor of the late Thomas F. Gallivan, a lecturer at the Law School.

    The Hon. F. Herbert Gruendel ‘84 Award for Excellence in Moot Court 
    • Sophia Holt ’25
    • Joshua Maddox ’25
    Awarded to a student who has completed at least two years of study, meeting the following criteria: (a) Competed in a moot court competition at UConn Law or elsewhere. (b) Demonstrated commitment to the strength of the moot court experience at UConn Law by membership on the Moot Court Board or in other ways, and (c) Demonstrates promise as an appellate advocate.

    The Milton W. Horwitz Award
    • Bridget Casey ’25
    Awarded to a student who has excelled in the 1L Torts course and who demonstrates a dedication to the highest standards of morality and integrity of the profession.

    The Insurance Law Center JD Award
    • Lindie Gibbs ’25
    Presented to a graduating student who has excelled in the study of insurance law or rendered outstanding service to the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal or to the Insurance Law Society.

    The Insurance Law Center LLM Award
    • Daniel Delgado Jaramillo ’25
    Given to the student receiving a Masters of Laws (LLM) in Insurance Law who best exemplifies the law school’s commitment to scholarship in insurance law and service to the community.

    Olimpiad Ioffe Award
    • Taylor Spalding ’25
    Established by friends of Professor Olimpiad Ioffe to recognize a graduating student who has excelled in the study of comparative law or Eastern European law.

    Fleming James Jr. Award
    • Drake Freiberg ’25
    Established in honor of the late Professor Fleming James Jr. to recognize an upper-level student who has excelled in the study of labor law.

    Kathryn Mikolinski ’17 Memorial Award for Criminal Law
    • Sydney Fernandez ’25
    Awarded in memory of Kathryn Mikolinski ’17 to a graduating student who demonstrates excellence in the study or practice of criminal defense law or who best exemplifies dedication to protecting the rights of criminal defendants.

    The Distinguished Alumni Professor Kent Newmyer Award in American Legal History
    • Adelina Miceli ’25
    Established in honor of Kent Newmyer to recognize a student who demonstrates excellence in the study of American legal history.

    Joseph F. Noonan Memorial Award
    • Joy Hamer ’25
    Established in memory of Joseph F. Noonan ʼ48 to recognize a student who combines outstanding legal scholarship with a commitment to public service.

    The Alvin Pudlin Memorial First Amendment Fund Award
    • Aishah Stovall ’25
    Awarded to a student who advances the understanding and appreciation of the rights secured by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

    The Judge Robert Satter Award
    • William Fallon ’25
    Awarded in memory of Judge Robert Satter for contributions through a student’s efforts or written work to the advancement or preservation of civil liberties in America.

    George and Lorraine Schatzki Award
    • Grace Brunner ’25
    Awarded by fellow graduates Aaron and Sandra Gersten in honor of Dean George Schatzki to a student for outstanding service to the school.

    Paul Schneider LLM ’18 and Bryan Garcia Human Rights and Social Justice Award
    • Luis Salazar ’25
    • Zoe Allison ’25
    Awarded to two students with demonstrated achievement in and dedication to the area of domestic and/or international human rights and a commitment to advancing human rights and social justice.

    Thomas J. Staley Award
    • Amanda Hoey ’26
    Awarded in honor of Thomas J. Staley to a student for distinction in the study of labor law.

    William F. Starr Fellowship Award
    • Chelsea Connery ’24
    Established in honor of the late Professor William F. Starr to recognize the student in the previous year’s graduating class with the highest grade point average.

    William F. Starr First Year Award
    • Jackson Reis (Day Division) ’26
    • Drew David Derubeis (Evening Division) ’27
    Established in honor of the late Professor William F. Starr to recognize the students who achieved the highest grade point averages in last year’s day and evening divisions.

    Edward L. Stephenson Memorial Award
    • Malachi Bridges ’26
    Established in honor of the late Professor Edward L. Stephenson and awarded to a student for outstanding scholastic achievement in civil procedure.

    Terry J. Tondro Award
    • Savannah-Nicole Villalba ’27
    Awarded in honor of the late Professor Terry J. Tondro to a student for excellence in the study of land use, historic preservation, affordable housing or urban revitalization.

    UConn School of Law Award for Exceptional Achievement in Scholarship
    • Patrick Cline ’27
    • Tierney Kovacs ’27
    • Michela Zaccardelli ’27
    Awarded to three students for exceptional achievement in scholarship.

    UConn School of Law Award for Outstanding Service to the Law School
    • Brice Ashford ’25
    Awarded to a graduating students for outstanding service to the law school community.

    UConn School of Law International Award
    • Monica Mantilla Villamizar ’25
    Awarded to an international student receiving a Masters of Laws (LLM) in U.S. Legal Studies who best exemplifies the Law School’s commitment to distinguished scholarship in international studies and dedicated service to the community.

    UConn School of Law Pro Bono Award
    • Bridget O’Neil ’25
    Presented to a graduating student who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to pro bono work that benefits persons of limited means.

    Cornelius W. Wickersham Jr. Award
    • Alex Davenport ’25
    Given by the Federal Bar Council in honor of Cornelius W. Wickersham, Jr. for excellence in the study of constitutional law.

    Women Law Students Award
    • Lauren Moran ’25
    Awarded by WLSA to honor and support a University of Connecticut law student who is using legal skills to serve the community by promoting the interest of women.

    The 2025 awards were coordinated by a committee working at the request of Dean Eboni S. Nelson in consultation with faculty members in each subject area. The committee members were Professors Richard Pomp (Chair), Mathilde Cohen, Miguel de Figueiredo, Nadiyah Number, Jenny Kim, Alexandra Lombardi, Lisa Perkins, and Jessica de Perio Wittman, as well as Assistant Dean Christina Mohr.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    June 3, 2025

  • India launches ‘BharatGen’ AI model to revolutionize multilingual innovation at BharatGen Summit

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, unveiled ‘BharatGen,’ India’s first indigenously developed, government-funded, multimodal Large Language Model (LLM) designed for Indian languages, at the BharatGen Summit on Monday. Held as India’s largest Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) and LLM summit and hackathon, the event marked a milestone in India’s journey toward inclusive and ethical AI innovation.

    Developed under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) and led by the TIH Foundation for IoT and IoE at IIT Bombay, BharatGen integrates text, speech, and image modalities to deliver AI solutions in 22 Indian languages. Supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the initiative collaborates with leading academic institutions and innovators to create AI that is “ethical, inclusive, multilingual, and deeply rooted in Indian values and ethos,” as described by Dr. Singh.

    Speaking at the summit, Dr. Singh emphasized BharatGen’s potential to transform sectors like healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance by providing region-specific AI solutions. Highlighting a success story from his constituency, he shared how AI-powered telemedicine, with doctors communicating in patients’ native languages, has revolutionized healthcare in remote villages. “This builds trust and has a placebo-like psychological effect, connecting remote regions with superspeciality hospitals,” he said.

    Dr. Singh aligned BharatGen with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “India’s Techade,” emphasizing innovation for inclusion. He cited India’s AI-driven grievance redressal system, CPGRAMS, as a global benchmark studied by several countries. The minister also underscored the role of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (NRF) in boosting India’s R&D ecosystem and highlighted flagship schemes like PM MUDRA Yojana, PM SVANidhi, and PM Vishwakarma Yojana, which empower micro-entrepreneurs, artisans, and street vendors.

    The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was lauded for fostering interdisciplinary learning, enabling students to blend humanities and technology for enhanced employability and innovation. Dr. Singh also celebrated the rise of over 3,000 Agri-tech startups, including lavender cultivation in Jammu & Kashmir, as proof of innovation thriving beyond urban IT hubs.

    The summit saw the launch of the Generative AI Hackathon 2025, aimed at engaging student innovators to solve real-world challenges through AI. BharatGen’s execution involves 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs), with four upgraded to Technology Translational Research Parks (TTRPs), focusing on technology development, entrepreneurship, human resource development, and international collaboration. A significant MoU exchange ceremony further strengthened ties across government departments and research hubs.

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Cheaper food or a compromise on standards? Why the UK’s trade deal with the US is sounding alarm bells

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Manoj Dora, Professor in Sustainable Production and Consumption, Anglia Ruskin University

    I Wei Huang/Shutterstock

    British farmers and food safety campaigners have been sounding the alarm over the recent deal struck between the UK and US. The agreement offers unprecedented access to US agricultural exports such as beef and ethanol into the UK market.

    While some hailed this as a breakthrough after previous talks stagnated under Joe Biden’s administration, critics argue it could undercut domestic producers, introduce lower standards for food and even compromise public health. With the cost of living remaining high, cheaper US imports may look appealing to British consumers. But many fear the products may come at a longer-term cost.

    The UK government has insisted it will not compromise on standards. Hormone-treated beef and chlorine-washed chicken remain banned. But critics are sceptical. At the White House, US trade officials suggested food rules should be based on science, hinting at renewed pressure to permit products currently excluded by UK law.

    But public opinion in the UK strongly supports high food standards. Surveys show most UK consumers reject hormone-fed beef and chlorinated chicken, valuing animal welfare and food safety. Given this, any shift toward US-style practices could trigger a backlash.

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

    The deal’s language – promising to “enhance agricultural market access” – raises concerns that this may be only the first step. Food safety advocates fear a slow erosion of standards under commercial pressure.

    Under the terms of the deal, the UK will allow in 13,000 tonnes of US beef tariff-free — a huge change from the 1,000-tonne cap (with a 20% tariff) previously in place. In exchange, the US will grant a matching quota for UK beef.

    The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) welcomed improved US market access. But domestically, many farmers feel exposed.

    They worry that cheap US beef, even if hormone-free, will undercut UK cattle raised under stricter welfare and environmental rules. Feedlot beef from the American Midwest is typically cheaper, prompting fears of price pressure.

    The NFU says this could be a “disaster” for British farming. Supermarkets including Tesco and Sainsbury’s say they will continue sourcing 100% British beef, but farmers fear US meat could enter the wholesale and catering sectors.

    There’s also concern about ethanol – a biofuel typically sourced from crops such as corn or wheat and used primarily as a petrol additive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The UK has eliminated a 19% tariff and opened a quota of 1.4 billion litres of US corn ethanol.

    But this threatens domestic bioethanol plants, which purchase millions of tonnes of British wheat each year for ethanol production. It plays a crucial role in supporting UK arable farming and rural economies.

    The NFU has warned that this could destabilise farm incomes, reduce local feed supplies and endanger the production of CO², which is used widely in food packaging, refrigeration and the carbonation of drinks across the UK industry. The NFU said the deal overlooked the complex role these plants play in the UK’s food system.

    UK consumers have been feeling the effects of rising food prices.
    Steve Travelguide/Shutterstock

    But cheaper imports could ease grocery bills in the UK, a welcome prospect given food price inflation peaked at more than 19% in 2023. Cheaper beef might help households increase their protein intake. For lower-income families, for example, small savings on staples could really improve nutrition.

    However, not all cheap calories are healthy. Britons are already encouraged to eat less red meat on health grounds. Increased access to cheaper beef could nudge intakes beyond recommended levels.

    Restaurateur Henry Dimbleby, the UK government’s former food strategy lead, has argued that undermining domestic standards for short-term savings risks health and environmental setbacks.

    Not just any commodity

    Food safety is another issue. While the government says all imports will meet UK standards, future trade negotiations could challenge that. Country-of-origin labelling and enforcement will be essential for consumer confidence.

    There’s also the risk of more ultra-processed food entering the UK. The deal may increase imports of US cereals, drinks and snack foods. While not inherently unsafe, many health advocates worry about worsening rates of obesity and diabetes if heavily processed products become cheaper and more common in the UK.

    Trade can bring benefits — but food isn’t just another commodity. It intersects with health, environment and rural life. The NFU warns that Britain’s high standards shouldn’t be quietly traded away under pressure from US agribusiness.

    The UK government claims it has preserved food protections while expanding trade. What will be key is whether consumers see real savings, as well as whether supermarkets stick to British meat. If not, it remains to be seen whether UK farmers can compete or if they will be squeezed out.

    Crucially, UK regulators must hold the line if the US pushes harder. A prosperous deal should not just mean more trade — but safer, healthier and fairer food for all.

    Manoj Dora 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. Cheaper food or a compromise on standards? Why the UK’s trade deal with the US is sounding alarm bells – https://theconversation.com/cheaper-food-or-a-compromise-on-standards-why-the-uks-trade-deal-with-the-us-is-sounding-alarm-bells-257755

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: From period pain to heart disease, the gender health gap is real – here’s how to close it

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jennifer Bousfield, Senior Analyst, Health and Care Research Group, RAND Europe

    Dragana Gordic/Shutterstock

    For decades, women’s health has been chronically underfunded and under-researched. The consequences of this neglect are widespread and deeply damaging.

    Millions of women live with avoidable pain, delayed diagnoses, inadequate treatments and poor access to care. The ripple effects reach far beyond individual health: they impact families, workplaces and the wider economy.

    In recent years, some progress has been made. In 2022, the UK government launched the first ever women’s health strategy for England, which was a landmark recognition that the health needs of women have been systematically overlooked in research, policy and service design.

    The strategy pledged better support for menopause, increased funding for research, the creation of women’s health hubs, which provide a convenient location for women to access multiple services, such as gynaecology, sexual health, contraception an menopause care. These hubs aim to improve access, enhance experiences, reduce health inequalities for women and improved coordination across NHS services.

    But just two years later, that momentum is at risk of stalling.

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

    The government’s wider NHS reform efforts, coupled with cost-cutting, have included the withdrawal of national funding incentives for women’s health hubs. This decision has triggered concern across the health sector.

    These hubs were designed to bring together vital services – from menstrual and menopause support to contraception and fertility care – in one location. They have shown promise in narrowing gender health gaps.

    One of us (Jennifer) was involved in a recent evaluation by Rand Europe and the University of Birmingham, which found that women using the hubs reported overwhelmingly positive experiences, and collaboration between hub leaders and local healthcare services were key to their success. Yet many of these services are now at risk of being dismantled before they’ve had a chance to take root.

    This is not a marginal issue. Women make up 51% of the UK population. Still, for decades, they’ve been underrepresented in clinical research, resulting in diagnostic blind spots and treatments that don’t account for female physiology. Conditions like endometriosis, adenomyosis and heavy menstrual bleeding affect millions but remain understudied and are frequently dismissed.



    Read more:
    Symptoms of androgen excess in women are too often being overlooked – or dismissed as ‘just cosmetic’

    In other cases – such as heart disease and dementia – a lack of gender-specific understanding can be life-threatening.

    Innovation is booming — but is it reaching the right people?

    At the same time, women’s health is seeing a surge in innovation. The “femtech” sector is booming and expected to be worth US$117 billion globally by 2029 (£86 billion). From AI-powered diagnostic apps and menstrual tracking wearables, to 3D-printed pessaries, advanced ultrasonic imaging tools and new breast cancer therapies, the possibilities are exciting.

    But innovation alone isn’t enough – and it risks deepening existing inequalities if not implemented thoughtfully. The gender health gap persists, and disparities in healthcare access and outcomes are often worse for women based on geography, ethnicity or income. Without inclusive design, these shiny new tools could widen the divide rather than close it.

    There are growing concerns around bias in health technologies, particularly AI. If algorithms are trained on data that doesn’t reflect the diversity of the population, they can miss key symptoms, produce inaccurate results or fail to support women from minority backgrounds. Technology must be matched by transparency, oversight and inclusion.



    Read more:
    AI can guess racial categories from heart scans – what it means and why it matters

    Even the most advanced tools are meaningless without strong systems in place to govern them. Innovation must be embedded into accessible, well-funded services – and those services must be built around the real needs of women. Trust, relevance, and cultural sensitivity aren’t optional extras – they’re essential for success.

    As the UK government moves ahead with NHS reforms, it must not lose sight of the importance of women’s health. Getting this right means more than launching new apps or pilot schemes. It means long-term commitment and investment backed by evidence.

    At RAND Europe, our research points to two central challenges: a lack of equitable access to services and a disconnect between innovation and the needs of women.

    If we want to create meaningful, lasting change, three key priorities must be addressed:

    1. Sustainable funding: short-term pilots of new therapies or treatments often show promise, only to vanish when initial funding ends. Women’s health hubs, and similar services, need stable, long-term support to become embedded parts of the health system – not experiments at risk of collapse.

    2. Stronger cross-sector collaboration: progress depends on better coordination across the NHS, academia, industry, charities and the public. Working together can reduce the duplication of efforts, align priorities and drive real results.

    3. Accessible information and health literacy: for services and innovations to work, people need to understand them. Clear, reliable information is crucial – not just for women, but for healthcare professionals too. Empowering patients to make informed choices is key to improving outcomes.

    Women’s health is not a side issue. It’s a foundation of a healthy, fair society. Investing in it doesn’t just benefit women, it strengthens families, communities and the economy.

    The NHS ten-year plan presents a vital opportunity. If the ambitions of the women’s health strategy are to become reality, they must be baked into long-term planning with clear, measurable goals.

    Sonja Marjanovic receives grant and contract funding for wider portfolios of research on healthcare services and innovation. She works at RAND Europe, a not for profit policy research institute and she is a Trustee of The Nuffield Trust.

    Stephanie Stockwell receives grant and contract funding for wider portfolios of research on healthcare services and innovation. Stephanie Stockwell works at RAND Europe, a not f profit research institute and is on the committee for the physical activity for health division of the Chartered Society of Sport and Exercise Scientists.

    Jennifer Bousfield 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. From period pain to heart disease, the gender health gap is real – here’s how to close it – https://theconversation.com/from-period-pain-to-heart-disease-the-gender-health-gap-is-real-heres-how-to-close-it-252565

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Children need more say in their education – here’s why it matters

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Yana Manyukhina, Senior Researcher, Helen Hamlyn Centre for Pedagogy, UCL

    Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

    Education shouldn’t be a passive experience, with children simply absorbing the knowledge teachers pass on to them. Research shows that when children have an input into their learning – helping to decide topics to cover, or specific activities, or how they are assessed – they feel more motivated, engaged in learning and happier in school.

    But when we asked children about their opportunities to make choices in their education, they were often downbeat. “I’m a child and I can’t do anything,” one seven-year-old said.

    This powerful statement captures a sentiment we found repeatedly in research for our new book. We set out to understand how much agency children have in their education, and what difference it makes when they do.

    Our 40-month study, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, involved in-depth research across three contrasting primary schools in England: an independent (fee-paying) school, a community state school and an academy state school.

    Academy schools operate independently from local council control with greater curriculum flexibility, while community schools are run directly by local authorities. We spoke with children, observed lessons and interviewed teachers and headteachers.

    The findings were clear: when children have meaningful input into their learning, their motivation soars. But too often, particularly in core subjects such as English and mathematics, children feel like passive recipients rather than active participants in their education. “We don’t decide, we just do what we’re told to do,” one child said.

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

    Children across all three schools consistently expressed a desire for more choice in their education.

    When asked whether they had opportunities to make choices in their learning, one child at the independent school stated: “We don’t really get to choose what we do in the lessons.” This sentiment was echoed in the community state school, where children had no expectation that they could have input into the curriculum.

    They also distinguished between “work” (subjects such as English and mathematics) and “fun” (creative subjects such as art). They described how they enjoyed the latter while the former were subjects they simply “had to do”.

    Most revealing was the contrasting experience in the academy school, which had developed a distinctive approach to curriculum design involving direct pupil input. Here, children reported significantly higher levels of engagement. “I really enjoy school, and I really enjoy being able to pick what we do,” one child told us.

    These voices highlight a crucial point: children don’t expect complete freedom, but they do want meaningful opportunities to influence their experience of school.

    The power of structured freedom

    Our research led to the development of what we call “structured freedom” – a balanced approach that maintains necessary educational structures while creating space for children’s agency. This isn’t about abandoning standards or letting children do whatever they want. Instead, it’s about giving children opportunities for meaningful choice within clear frameworks.

    Children appreciated having choice in how they learned.
    Juice Verve/Shutterstock

    The academy school in our study demonstrated this approach most clearly. The starting point for each year’s curriculum was children helping to shape curriculum topics. They brought in items of interest, ranging from Coca-Cola bottles to pieces of rock. The teachers then connected these objects to required curriculum content through conversations with the children.

    The school maintained clear classroom structures but provided choices about learning activities and assessment methods. Children could select which skills to work on during lessons – whether knowledge-building, research or collaboration – and at what difficulty level. They also documented their learning journey creatively in topic books using photos, pictures, drawings, diagrams or stories.

    This balanced approach paid dividends. Teachers reported higher engagement among children, and genuine enthusiasm for learning across subjects.

    England’s national curriculum has a heavy focus on content – the topics to be taught – and limited attention to children’s agency. However, the national curriculum is under review. This provides a rare opportunity to place children’s agency at the heart of educational reform – not at the expense of standards, but as an essential component of achieving them.

    Our findings also suggest several important considerations for parents. Children who experience agency in their learning show greater motivation, engagement and more positive attitudes toward education.

    With rising concerns about children’s mental health and increasing school absenteeism, supporting agency offers a practical way to reconnect children with learning. Parents might consider asking schools about opportunities for children’s input into curriculum topics, teaching approaches and assessment methods.

    The schools in our study often struggled to enable children’s agency, but they also showed possibilities for the next national curriculum. Listening to children’s voices isn’t only about rights. It’s about creating more effective learning experiences that prepare children for an uncertain future.

    Yana Manyukhina received funding from The Leverhulme Trust for the research reported in this article. She has received funding from a range of organisations for research including from the Helen Hamlyn Trust.

    Dominic Wyse received funding from The Leverhulme Trust for the research reported in this article. He has received funding from a range of organisations for his research including from the Helen Hamlyn Trust.

    Dominic is currently an advisor for the development of the primary curriculum in Ireland and a member of the Literacy Expert Panel for the Welsh Government.

    – ref. Children need more say in their education – here’s why it matters – https://theconversation.com/children-need-more-say-in-their-education-heres-why-it-matters-256272

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: The four best non-lyrical vocal moments in pop music – from la la las to duh duh duhs

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Glenn Fosbraey, Associate Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Winchester

    My professional life revolves around the academic study of song lyrics. So it may seem like a strange move to write about how some of the most powerful and emotive vocal moments in popular music have come when singers reject words. But it’s impossible to ignore that sometimes a song needs something more universal, more innate and more guttural than language.

    Some vocalists have eschewed words entirely in their songs, like Ella Fitzgerald scatting throughout Flying Home (1945), or David Crosby da da dumming his way through Song With No Words (1971). More frequently, though, these wordless singalong moments appear as hooks.

    Think the “la la la las” of Elton John’s Crocodile Rock (1972); the “duh duh duh duhs” in The Fratellis’ Chelsea Dagger (2006); the “ooh-aah-aaahs” of Fun’s Some Nights (2012) and Coldplay’s Viva La Vida (2008); or the ear worm “eh, eheu, eheus” of Bastille’s Pompeii (2013).

    To paraphrase Ronan Keating (for the first and probably last time), sometimes singers say it best when they say nothing at all. And here are my four favourite examples of where they do just that.

    1. The Great Gig in the Sky by Pink Floyd (1973)

    When Richard Wright brought his song The Great Gig in the Sky to the studio during Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of The Moon recording sessions, the band felt something was missing. They wanted a “foreground element to make it really transcend”, and versatile session vocalist Clare Torry was brought in to provide it.

    The Great Gig in the Sky by Pink Floyd.

    Receiving little musical direction from the band apart from that they wanted the vocal to be wordless, she ad-libbed a few different ideas before leaving the studio, fully expecting nothing more to come of it. To Torry’s surprise, her vocal not only made it onto the finished record, but arguably became a pinnacle not just of the album, but of Floyd’s entire canon.

    With a jaw-dropping wail that elevated the track to near-celestial heights, Torry managed to express the full range of human emotion without relying on words. Her contribution was eventually recognised with a co-authorship credit alongside Wright.

    2. Anywhere by Rita Ora

    If my championing of non-lexical sounds in songs is to dabble in unfamiliar waters, then praising anything by Rita Ora is to sail into “here there be monsters” territory. And yet the hook of her 2017 song Anywhere is just so dang good that it demanded to be include here.

    Anywhere by Rita Ora.

    Heavily-treated and chopped-up by producers Alesso, Andrew Watt and Sir Nolan, Ora’s vocal flirts with decipherability as the occasional word emerges from the wonderful confusion, but then veers joyously off into digitised gibberish again.

    It’s a prime example of what a crucial role production can play in a song’s success. Such is the manipulation of her original take, even Ora herself admits that she has no idea what she’s singing. Sadly, public and media pressures eventually led her to reveal what the lyrics were before they were “chopped up”.

    If you really want to know, watch this Live Lounge performance. For me, though, the power of the song lies beyond language, so, in this case, ignorance is indeed bliss.

    3. Blue Moon by Elvis Presley (1956)

    There have been some great falsetto singers over the decades, with the likes of Frankie Valli, Brian Wilson, The Bee Gees, Smokey Robinson and Prince all true masters of the craft. My favourite ever example, though, comes from Elvis’s eponymous 1956 album and his cover of Blue Moon.

    Blue Moon by Elvis Presley.

    After spending the first two minutes of the track in the trademark croon of his lower register, Elvis then soars into wordless falsetto at various points in the last 30 or so seconds. It’s unexpected. It’s delicate yet somehow strong. And it’s musical heaven.

    4. Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones (1969)

    Similarly to The Great Gig in the Sky, The Rolling Stones wanted something that would transform their new song Gimme Shelter from good into great. The solution was soul and gospel singer Merry Clayton, who was brought in to sing the heavy, dark chorus, first alongside Mick Jagger, then solo. The rest, as they say, is history.

    I can’t include Clayton’s vocal itself in this list, seeing as it contains words, but I can include a by-product of it, which, for me, is one of the greatest, most natural moments ever caught on record: Mick Jagger’s reaction.

    Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones.

    At 3m 02s, when the intensity of Clayton’s third go-around of the line “rape, murder, it’s just a shot away” has caused her voice to crack under the strain, we hear Jagger whooping in the background, unable to contain his amazement and joy at what he was witnessing.

    Gimme Shelter’ has become one of the Stones’ most enduring tracks and is a staple of their live shows, which include some great performances of Merry’s section from Lisa Fischer and Chanel Haynes, and a not-so-great one from Lady Gaga. As with so many things, though, nothing will ever come close to the original.

    Glenn Fosbraey 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 four best non-lyrical vocal moments in pop music – from la la las to duh duh duhs – https://theconversation.com/the-four-best-non-lyrical-vocal-moments-in-pop-music-from-la-la-las-to-duh-duh-duhs-257386

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: California wildfire plan to ban most plants within 5 feet of homes overlooks some important truths about flammability

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Max Moritz, Wildfire Specialist, University of California Cooperative Extension; Adjunct Professor at the Bren School, University of California at Santa Barbara, University of California, Santa Barbara

    Photos after the Los Angeles fires in January 2025 show many yards where vegetation didn’t burn while neighboring houses did. AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

    One of the most striking patterns in the aftermath of many urban fires is how much unburned green vegetation remains amid the wreckage of burned neighborhoods.

    In some cases, a row of shrubs may be all that separates a surviving house from one that burned just a few feet away.

    As scientists who study how vegetation ignites and burns, we recognize that well-maintained plants and trees can actually help protect homes from wind-blown embers and slow the spread of fire in some cases. So, we are concerned about new wildfire protection regulations being developed by the state of California that would prohibit almost all plants and other combustible material within 5 feet of homes, an area known as “Zone 0.”

    Photos before and after the 2025 Palisades Fire show thick green vegetation between two closely spaced homes. The arrow shows the direction of the fire’s spread.
    Max Moritz; CAL FIRE Damage Inspection photos, CC BY

    Wildfire safety guidelines have long encouraged homeowners to avoid having flammable materials next to their homes. But the state’s plan for an “ember-resistant zone,” being expedited under an executive order from Gov. Gavin Newsom, goes further by also prohibiting grass, shrubs and many trees in that area.

    If that prohibition remains in the final regulation, it’s likely to be met with public resistance. Getting these rules right also matters beyond California, because regulations that originate in California often ripple outward to other fire-prone regions.

    Lessons from the devastation

    Research into how vegetation can reduce fire risk is a relatively new area of study. However, the findings from plant flammability studies and examination of patterns of where vegetation and homes survive large urban fires highlight its importance.

    When surviving plants do appear scorched after these fires, it is often on the side of the plant facing a nearby structure that burned. That suggests that wind-blown embers ignited houses first: The houses were then the fuel as the fire spread through the neighborhood.

    We saw this repeatedly in the Los Angeles area after wildfires destroyed thousands of homes in January 2025. The pattern suggests a need to focus on the many factors that can influence home losses.

    Shrubs in Zone 0 of a home did not ignite during the Eaton Fire, despite the home burning.
    Max Moritz

    Several guides are available that explain steps homeowners can take to help protect houses, particularly from wind-blown embers, known as home hardening.

    For example, installing rain gutter covers to keep dead leaves from accumulating, avoiding flammable siding and ensuring that vents have screens to prevent embers from getting into the attic or crawl space can lower the risk of the home catching fire.

    However, guidance related to landscaping plants varies greatly and can even be incorrect.

    For example, some “fire-safe” plant lists contain species that are drought tolerant but not necessarily fire resistant. What matters more for keeping plants from becoming fuel for fires is how well they’re maintained and whether they’re properly watered.

    How a plant bursts into flames

    When living plant material is heated by a nearby energy source, such as a fire, the moisture inside it must be driven off before it can ignite. That evaporation cools the surrounding area and lowers the plant’s flammability.

    In many cases, high moisture can actually keep a plant from igniting. We’ve seen this in some of our experimental work and in other studies that test the flammability of ornamental landscaping.

    With enough heat, dried leaves and stems can break down and volatilize into gases. And, at that point, a nearby spark or flame can ignite these gases and set the plant on fire.

    Plant flammability testing shows how quickly twigs, grasses, plants and leaves will burn at different moisture levels. The images on the right are from an experiment at the University of California’s South Coast Research and Extension Center to test flammability of a living but overly dry plant.
    Max Moritz (left); Luca Carmignani (right)

    Even when the plant does burn, however, its moisture content can limit other aspects of flammability, such as how hot it burns.

    Up to the point that they actually burn, green, well-maintained plants can slow the spread of a fire by serving as “heat sinks,” absorbing energy and even blocking embers. This apparent protective role has been observed in both Australia and California studies of home losses.

    How often vegetation buffers homes from igniting during urban conflagrations is still unclear, but this capability has implications for regulations.

    California’s ‘Zone 0’ regulations

    The Zone 0 regulations California’s State Board of Forestry is developing are part of broader efforts to reduce fire risk around homes and communities. They would apply in regions considered at high risk of wildfires or defended by CAL FIRE, the state’s firefighting agency.

    Many of the latest Zone 0 recommendations, such as prohibiting mulch and attached fences made of materials that can burn, stem from large-scale tests conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. These features can be systematically analyzed.

    But vegetation is far harder to model. The state’s proposed Zone 0 regulations oversimplify complex conditions in real neighborhoods and go beyond what is currently known from scientific research regarding plant flammability.

    Green lawns, trees and shrubs were still visible after the Eaton Fire burned homes in Altadena, Calif., in January 2025.
    Mario Tama/Getty Images

    A mature, well-pruned shrub or tree with a high crown may pose little risk of burning and can even reduce exposure to fires by blocking wind and heat and intercepting embers. Aspen trees, for example, have been recommended to reduce fire risk near structures or other high-value assets.

    In contrast, dry, unmanaged plants under windows or near fences may ignite rapidly and make it more likely that the house itself will catch fire.

    As California and other states develop new wildfire regulations, they need to recognize the protective role that well-managed plants can play, along with many other benefits of urban vegetation.

    We believe the California proposal’s current emphasis on highly prescriptive vegetation removal, instead of on maintenance, is overly simplistic. Without complementary requirements for hardening the homes themselves, widespread clearing of landscaping immediately around homes could do little to reduce risk and have unintended consequences.

    Max Moritz has nothing to disclose.

    Luca Carmignani has nothing to disclose.

    – ref. California wildfire plan to ban most plants within 5 feet of homes overlooks some important truths about flammability – https://theconversation.com/california-wildfire-plan-to-ban-most-plants-within-5-feet-of-homes-overlooks-some-important-truths-about-flammability-257109

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: DFN Project SEARCH interns celebrate graduation at Kings College A project which aims to increase the number of people with learning disabilities who secure employment in the north-east of Scotland held its annual graduation ceremony at the University of Aberdeen last week.

    Source: University of Aberdeen

    A project which aims to increase the number of people with learning disabilities who secure employment in the north-east of Scotland held its annual graduation ceremony at the University of Aberdeen last week.
    The DFN Project SEARCH programme celebrated the achievements of the class of 2024/25 at Kings College Conference Centre on Friday, 30 May.
    The programme is a collaborative project which provides real-life work experience, combined with training in employability and independent-living skills, to young people with learning disabilities and/or autistic spectrum conditions who want to go on to find paid employment.
    Samantha Waters, Chief Governance Officer and University Secretary, who presented the interns with their graduation certificates, said: “We are delighted to have hosted this unique programme at the University for 12 years. Graduation ceremonies are always special, and this event is a proud moment for the interns, their families, and all our colleagues in the University and beyond who have supported them over the last year.
    “Project SEARCH is instrumental in paving the way for change beyond education and the workplace and into society more generally. Our graduating interns are wonderful ambassadors for young people in the workplace who champion neurodiversity and we wish them every success in the future.”
    Neil Cowie, Principal of North East Scotland College, where the interns are registered students, said: “Graduation ceremonies are always one of the highlights of the calendar and, on behalf of everyone at NESCol and all of our project partners, our congratulations go to the class of 2025.
    “It is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the past year but also to look forward to the exciting next steps for a group who have shown great dedication, application and skill as they have progressed through the programme. My thanks go to all who have played their part in supporting and mentoring our interns over the past year – we all look forward to following the stories of our graduates as they thrive in the work and in life.”
    The ceremony also included contributions from senior representatives from Values Into Action Scotland (VIAS), which holds the licence to operate the DFN Project SEARCH programme in Aberdeen.
    Norma Curran, Chief Executive, said: “As an organisation, VIAS is very proud of the achievements of this year’s interns. It is almost impossible to articulate the growth that we have seen in them throughout the year. They are such amazing role models for DFN Project SEARCH University of Aberdeen and this amazing partnership. We are grateful to everyone involved for delivering this special programme for young people in the north-east of Scotland. We are excited to see interns next steps after graduation and wish them all well for a bright future.”
    Highlights from the ceremony included contributions from graduating interns and the premiere of a video showcasing highlights from their Project SEARCH journey.
    Thanks were extended at the ceremony to the representatives of all organisations which support the programme, including funders Aberdeenshire Council and Shell UK Ltd, and several local businesses who generously provided sponsorship and external placement opportunities.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 3, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Companies House appoints Luisa Fulci as Director of Transformation and Business Change

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    Companies House appoints Luisa Fulci as Director of Transformation and Business Change

    Luisa Fulci joins Companies House as Director of Transformation and Business Change during a key phase of digital and operational change.

    Companies House has appointed Luisa Fulci as its new Director of Transformation and Business Change.  

    Luisa brings a wealth of experience from both the public and private sectors. As Digital Customer and Commercial Services Director at Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, she led the modernisation of digital and commercial services across housing, adult social care, environmental services, public health and corporate operations. 

    Prior to this, Luisa spent 16 years at Royal Mail, where she held several senior leadership roles. As Commercial Director, she implemented major reform initiatives to customer services and delivered commercial and digital strategies that prioritised customer needs.  

    Luisa is currently a non-executive board member at HM Courts and Tribunals Service, having been appointed in April 2024. Her previous non-executive roles include board positions at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust and Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust. At CILEx Regulation, she also advised on digital transformation and aided efforts to improve diversity in the legal profession. 

    Luisa has joined the Executive team at Companies House at a significant period of renewal. Her appointment reflects the organisation’s commitment to improving digital processes, ensuring operational efficiency and creating quality services for customers and stakeholders. 

    Reflecting on her appointment, Luisa said:

    I’m delighted to be joining Companies House at such a pivotal time of change. I’m looking forward to collaborating with my new colleagues to build on the substantial work that has already begun to create a more modern, digital and customer-focused organisation.

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    Published 2 June 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    June 3, 2025
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