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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why a hotline is needed to help bring India and Pakistan back from the brink of a disastrous war

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Syed Ali Zia Jaffery, Deputy Director at the Center for Security, Strategy and Policy Research, University of Lahore

    Two weeks after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in Indian-administered Kashmir, that claimed 26 lives, India and Pakistan are getting perilously close to a dangerous military confrontation.

    Pakistan carried out two missile tests in three days over the weekend of May 3-5, while India announced that it will conduct on Wednesday May 7 its largest civil defence drill since the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

    The countries have closed their borders and shut down their airspace to each other and have suspended all trade. With both countries possessing nuclear weapons, the rising tension makes managing escalation particularly urgent.

    A key factor in the de-escalation of past crises has been Washington’s role as a third-party crisis manager. While the recent call for restraint from the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, shows US concerns over the gathering crisis, there are considerable uncertainties surrounding what role the US is prepared to play in de-escalation.

    US president Donald Trump remarked after the attack that he is “sure they’ll figure it out one way or the other … There’s great tension between Pakistan and India, but there always has been”, which appears to put the onus of de-escalation on New Delhi and Islamabad.

    What is needed now is robust, real-time crisis communication between the two nations. Instead, both sides appear ready to ratchet up tensions further, with inflammatory rhetoric, enhanced military preparedness and skirmishing along the so-called line of control which separates the two countries in Kashmir.

    The need to give reassurance to each party through empathetic communication is particularly important in the India-Pakistan context. First, the risks of escalation between India and Pakistan are greater than they were in 2019 after the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist bombing, which killed 40 Indian troops at Pulwama near to Kashmir’s main town of Srinagar.

    India identified the Pakistani state as responsible for the attack and responded with airstrikes against what it claimed was a JeM training camp at Balakot in north-western Pakistan. The absence of a trusted channel of communication brought both countries closer than ever to a missile exchange.

    Mike Pompeo, then secretary of state in the first Trump administration, claimed in a 2023 memoir that both sides had readied their nuclear deterrents. Whatever the veracity of Pompeo’s claims, it’s clear that mutual restraint is critical to avoiding miscalculations.

    But Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s delegation of greater operational freedom to the Indian military after the Pahalgam attack has raised concerns that India’s use of force could be more extensive than in 2019. Modi has vowed to pursue and punish the terrorists and their abetters “to the ends of the Earth”, a pledge that raises domestic political costs for him and his government if there is no military follow-through.

    Lessons from the Cuban missile crisis

    One important lesson from past nuclear standoffs – especially the Cuban missile crisis – is that leaders of adversarial nuclear states can sometimes forge empathetic channels of communication that help pull their countries back from the brink. There was no established hotline in October 1962. But US president John F. Kennedy and his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, exchanged a series of letters in which they acknowledged and expressed their shared vulnerability to nuclear war.

    There was no talk of nuclear jingoism or the manipulation of nuclear threats. Instead, as one of us (Nicholas) has argued in a study co-authored with US academic Marcus Holmes, the nuclear shadow that hung over the two leaders encouraged the development of mutual empathy and a bond of trust that were both critical to the peaceful resolution of the crisis.

    Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev and US president John F Kennedy established a leader-to-leader hotline in 1963.
    US State Department

    Kennedy and Khrushchev could have responded to the condition of mutual nuclear vulnerability with brinkmanship, and turned the crisis into what Thomas Schelling – one of the most prominent US nuclear strategists and an advisor to the Kennedy administration – called a “competition in risk-taking”. But instead, they recognised that competitive manipulations of risk could only lead to mutual disaster, which enabled them to avert a potential nuclear exchange.

    Indian and Pakistani leaders could take their cue from this episode. A recent report by the nuclear thinktank Basic (co-edited by Nicholas) urged policymakers to avoid viewing crises as “zero-sum tests of will”. Instead, they should see them as opportunities for cooperation to avert catastrophe.

    Why an India-Pakistan hotline is vital

    But the absence of a trusted confidential line of communication between the leaders of India and Pakistan is a major barrier to empathetic communication. It prevents the two reaching a proper appreciation of shared vulnerabilities that is so critical to crisis de-escalation. As Basic recommended in a 2024 report, the most important contribution to crisis de-escalation between the two countries would be to establish a leader-to-leader hotline.

    Schelling called the US-Soviet hotline agreement of 1963
    the “best single example” of a measure that increased confidence in mutual restraint on both sides, and virtually ruled out what he called the “anxiety to strike first”.

    Such a hotline between the highest levels of Indian and Pakistani diplomacy would be an important step towards preventing these crises from spinning out of control. More crucially, it could play a pivotal role in managing crises when they do occur, offering a vital channel for reassurance and de-escalation.

    Crucially, real-time, reliable and empathetic communication would allow each side to clarify the other’s intent, signal reassurance, correct misperceptions and demonstrate restraint.

    India and Pakistan should not see these mechanisms as concessions or signs of weakness, but as instruments for enhancing mutual security between two nuclear adversaries. In a nuclear age where the margin for error is vanishingly small, overconfidence and brinkmanship must give way to prudence and restraint.



    Read more:
    Moscow-Washington nuclear hotline has averted war in the past – but cool heads will be needed in Trump’s White House and Putin’s Kremlin

    Syed Ali Zia Jaffery is Deputy Director, Center for Security, Strategy and Policy Research, University of Lahore, and Associate Editor, Pakistan Politico Ali was a Visiting Fellow at the Stimson Center, Washington, D.C. Ali regularly writes on strategic issues for national and international publications, to include Routledge, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, South Asian Voices , The National Interest, The Atlantic Council, Asia-Pacific Leadership Network (APLN), CSIS, The Diplomat, Dawn, and 9DashLine, among others. Ali is an alumnus of Woodrow Wilson Center’s Nuclear Proliferation International History Project’s Nuclear History Boot Camp. He is also an alumnus of the International School on Disarmament and Research on Conflicts( ISODARCO). Ali often shares his perspectives on major strategic developments on national and international media. Ali is associated with the British American Security Information Council (BASIC) both as part of its Programme on Nuclear Responsibilities and the Emerging Voices Network. His research interests lie in the fields of nuclear deterrence, strategic stability, and geopolitics. He taught undergraduate level courses on foreign policy, national security, arms control& disarmament, and non-proliferation from 2018 until 2023. He is also a Graduate Research Assistant at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.

    Nicholas John Wheeler is a non-resident Senior Fellow at BASIC where he works on the Nuclear Responsibilities Programme with special reference to South Asia.

    – ref. Why a hotline is needed to help bring India and Pakistan back from the brink of a disastrous war – https://theconversation.com/why-a-hotline-is-needed-to-help-bring-india-and-pakistan-back-from-the-brink-of-a-disastrous-war-255727

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Are kids resilient? Societies and families need to offer supports and relationships to nurture resilience

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Elena Merenda, Assistant Program Head of Early Childhood Studies, University of Guelph-Humber

    “Kids are resilient.” You have heard this before, right? You might have even said it, with the best of intentions.

    Resilience sometimes seems like a buzzword and is used in ill-defined ways. If adults praise children’s resilience without addressing their needs, this leaves children vulnerable to harm.

    Resilience doesn’t mean being unaffected by adversity — it means having the tools, relationships and supports to cope with it.

    Part of my role as a child development specialist with expertise in therapeutic play, as well childhood loss and grief, is consulting work with families and educators. I see children acting out in classrooms, withdrawing at home or having difficulties processing and regulating emotions and behaviours. Finding the right supports for a child often means many things.

    Offering children the environments and relationships that build resilience includes:

    In the everyday, children need adults who are well enough to care for them and present enough to notice their struggles.

    Many families with deep needs

    The 2024 National Report Card on Child and Family Poverty from Campaign 2000, a network of organizations committed to ending child and family poverty in Canada, reveals that in 2022, nearly one in five children were growing up in poverty.

    The child poverty rate rose by two and a half percentage points from the previous year, representing the largest annual increase in child poverty on record. Lone-parent households, most of them led by women, are disproportionately affected, with one in five relying on social assistance.



    Read more:
    Child poverty is on the rise in Canada, putting over 1 million kids at risk of life-long negative effects

    As financial insecurity deepens and government supports like the Canada Child Benefit lose their effectiveness due to high costs of living, parents are under formidable financial pressure that impacts their parenting capacity and personal wellness.

    Mental health gaps

    Mental Health Research Canada’s 2023 report, Exploring the Mental Health Landscape of Canadian Parents, reveals that younger parents, especially those under 30, are facing self-reported elevated levels of anxiety and depression since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The data also suggests that parents of children under two years of age are more likely to receive a new mental health diagnosis, likely due to decreased contact with health-care providers during the pandemic.

    What happens when parents are overwhelmed? Children feel it, and they need support to bounce back from it.

    The pressures parents face are not isolated. In a 2025 study on the perceptions of kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2 educators in Ontario regarding their students’ developmental and academic skills and their own mental health during the 2021 to 2022 school year, teachers reported increased anxiety and slower developmental progress in children.



    Read more:
    From full-day learning to 30 minutes daily: The effects of school closures on kindergarteners

    Healthy development can’t be taken for granted

    If we only skim headlines that children displayed resilient capacities during the pandemic without looking deeper at how the pandemic also impeded healthy development, we are missing the full picture.

    It is only through longitudinal study — examining how kids are doing across time — that we’ll be able to fully understand impacts. For example, data from the Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth shows about one in five youth who felt their mental health was good in 2019 no longer felt that way four years later.



    Read more:
    Pandemic babies’ developmental milestones: Not as bad as we feared, but not as good as before

    The 2023 Raising Canada Report, based on research conducted by researchers at the University of Calgary and McGill University and published by the non-profit organization Children First Canada, reports on violence, poverty, mental health struggles and online sexual exploitation affecting Canadian children.

    The report reveals there were 40 child homicides in 2022, and rates of hospital visits for self-harm and suicide attempts among youth have doubled over the past decade.

    These alarming reports suggest many families and children are struggling, lacking the resources they need to process their experiences and heal.

    Building your child’s and your own resilience

    Parental burnout is real — and compassion for oneself is the first step in supporting children.

    A few minutes of undistracted time with your child matters.
    (Shutterstock)

    Here are a few strategies parents can try to use, even when worn down:

    Focus on connection. A few minutes of undistracted time with your child — reading a book, going for a walk or simply talking without a phone nearby — builds connection and safety. When children feel a sense of safety and connection with their parent, they are more likely to share their thoughts and emotions. When children feel safe enough to verbalize their emotions, they are more inclined to process challenging times.

    Name and normalize emotions. Help your child build emotional vocabulary by labelling feelings for them in your day-to-day interactions. Saying things like “I noticed you looked frustrated when your Lego broke. That’s OK. It’s hard when things don’t go as planned” helps children to learn how to identify and name their emotions which is the first step in taming emotions.

    Model self-regulation, and when you feel overwhelmed, label your feelings. Try saying, “I’m feeling really worried right now, so I’m going to take a few deep breaths.” This teaches children that big feelings are a normal human experience. It also models for children healthy coping strategies.

    Ask for help and accept support. Parenting shouldn’t be done alone. Ask for help. Find a community of like-minded parents who can talk through big and small moments with you. Let your child see that it’s OK to ask for help — this is how you build resilience.

    Elena Merenda 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. Are kids resilient? Societies and families need to offer supports and relationships to nurture resilience – https://theconversation.com/are-kids-resilient-societies-and-families-need-to-offer-supports-and-relationships-to-nurture-resilience-253789

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Elevating Professional Development: Inside the GES Priority Skills Initiative

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    News story

    Elevating Professional Development: Inside the GES Priority Skills Initiative

    We are excited to share a new approach to professional development for our economists across the Civil Service.

    We are excited to share a new approach to professional development for our economists across the Civil Service.

    First launched in November 2024, our new Priority Skills Learning and Development initiative focuses on five essential capabilities for economic excellence in government:

    • Communicating Economics
    • Data Analysis & Coding
    • Analytical Leadership
    • Application of Economic Theory
    • Econometrics

    The initiative combines flexibility with structure through two complementary learning pathways:

    1. The Priority Skills Web Portal

    This digital hub hosts over 150 curated resources spanning diverse formats:

    • Recommended books with peer reviews
    • Video tutorials and recorded lectures
    • Targeted podcasts and articles
    • Interactive courses
    • Specialist websites

    The portal enables personalised learning journeys, allowing economists to access materials at their own pace, whenever inspiration strikes.

    2. Structured Learning Programme

    Each priority skill receives dedicated focus through a three-month learning cycle:

    • Month 1: Learning Phase – Absorbing new concepts and frameworks.
    • Month 2: Practice Phase – Applying knowledge in professional contexts.
    • Month 3: Review Phase – Reflecting on implementation and refining approaches.

    Learning activities feature both internal GES experts and external academics, through writing workshops, coding webinars, video screenings, book club discussions and collaborative peer sessions.

    “The Priority Skills initiative provides new opportunities for economists to keep learning and demonstrates our commitment to a positive learning culture in the GES,” explains Tom Aldred, Head of the GES Team. “Better economists will help government to design better policies.”

    The initiative is already generating enthusiasm across departments. As one participant shared: “I came away motivated and ambitious about what could be shared with my team and put into practice.”

    Interested in joining a community of economists dedicated to professional excellence? Learn more about career opportunities with the Government Economic Service: https://ges-careers.hiringplatform.co.uk

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese and Russian students from Moscow music universities performed the music of Victory

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

    Moscow, May 6 (Xinhua) — Chinese and Russian students from Moscow music universities performed at a concert dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory on May 5 as part of the 14th Moscow Spring Festival. They performed Chinese and Russian songs from the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet People against Fascism.

    The concert program, compiled by Honored Artist of the Russian Federation Zuo Zhenguan, included musical masterpieces of China and Russia. Chinese and Russian students from the Gnessin Academy of Music, the Moscow Conservatory named after P. I. Tchaikovsky, the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts /GITIS/ and the Moscow State Pedagogical University performed excerpts from the legendary cantata by Xian Xinghai “Yellow River”, arias from operas by modern composers Luan Kai and Zhang Zhuo, as well as works by the classic Russian musician Sergei Rachmaninoff and Soviet songs about the war.

    The concert took place with the active support of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society, the Center for Russian-Chinese Musical Relations, the Center for International Humanitarian Cooperation and Development, and the Chinese Embassy in the Russian Federation. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Currency controls and debt in Argentina: the stakes are high if Milei’s latest economic gamble doesn’t pay off

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Matt Barlow, Lecturer International Political Economy, University of Glasgow

    Matias Lynch/Shutterstock

    In April, Argentina’s president Javier Milei partially lifted the capital and currency controls that had been in place since 2011. The move was possible with the support of a US$20 billion (£15 billion) IMF bailout and means Argentinians may now buy unlimited dollars again.

    Announcing the move in the capital Buenos Aires, Milei was flanked by American treasury secretary Scott Bessent. Milei took the opportunity to liken it to US president Donald Trump’s “liberation day”.

    While he is often associated with Trump for his abrasive rhetoric and right-wing populist support base, Milei’s liberation day was intended to reduce the role of the state in the economy – unlike the US’s approach of deepening it.

    The latest iteration of currency controls was implemented by then-president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to try to shore up the deteriorating value of the Argentinian peso.

    The controls, known locally as el cepo (the clamp), meant that citizens and businesses were limited in the amount of foreign currency they could purchase. At the same time, they were constrained in moving money out of Argentina. This was designed as a safeguard against capital flight, but in effect it stifled inward investment.

    These measures, coupled with a centrally controlled foreign exchange rate, created a lucrative black market for US dollars. Citizens were eager to exchange cash pesos for the traditionally safer US dollar.

    The currency controls were previously lifted by another advocate for market-friendly policies, president Mauricio Macri in 2015. But they were reimposed in 2019 at the end of his term to address a fall in value of the peso.

    Unlike Macri’s broad-brush removal, Milei is phasing out the controls. He is doing so in the context of less economic volatility and a more stable national budget.

    The measures announced this time mean that rather than being fixed, the peso will be able to float between a value of 1,000–1,400 pesos (64p-87p) per US dollar. Milei’s previous policy was a crawling peg, which meant that the peso was pegged to the dollar, but it was prevented from depreciating by more than 1% each month.

    However, this was costly. The central bank had to provide the liquidity and has spent US$2.5 billion since mid-March propping up the official rate of the peso.

    Floating it means its value is determined by the currency markets. This exposes it to volatility, but the currency band provides some security and the central bank can go back to focusing on building its reserves.

    For international companies, future capital can be repatriated out of Argentina (which had been a major barrier to investment). Under the previous restrictions, any profits made by international firms could not be moved out of the country.

    And while Argentinians can now buy unlimited dollars through banks, there is still a US$100 restriction on exchanging physical cash.

    Milei’s gamble

    Analysts have called Milei’s move bold and brave, but also described it as a high-stakes gamble. Recent attempts to do the same thing ended in capital flight, near bankruptcy and ultimately the re-imposition of controls.

    But it was also a step that he promised on the campaign trail in 2023. Back then, Milei argued that economic stability and deregulation were essential to attract investment into Argentina.

    So while the Trump administration looks inwards, Milei is opening Argentina to the private sector – especially in relation to its vast natural resources including shale oil and gas, and lithium.

    Extraction of Argentina’s shale oil and gas has slowed in recent years, but attracting foreign investment in infrastructure has been high on Milei’s priority list. Business, including US energy giant Chevron, seems cautiously optimistic.

    And increased foreign investment in Argentina’s lithium mining sector has raised hopes that the country could be a linchpin in the global energy transition. But at the same time it is deepening Argentina’s dependency on finite commodities.

    But what does all this mean for Argentinians right now? For many old enough to remember, it might seem like deja vu. Opening Argentina up to the forces of the market, reducing the regulatory role of the state and privatising major state assets while borrowing more from the IMF has precedent.

    It was the same approach followed by president Carlos Menem in the 1990s. This had initial success but over the course of the decade resulted in economic disaster, unsustainable debt (leading to the 2001 IMF debt default) and pushed nearly 60% of the population into poverty.

    The US$20 billion IMF loan package (alongside other borrowing) provides Argentina’s central bank with capital to lift the currency restrictions. Adding to the IMF debt burden (which already stood at more than US$40 billion in March 2025) has so far been well received by the markets.

    But market-friendly policies being well received by the markets is surely to be expected. What might the social costs be, however?

    Milei’s programme of deep austerity included cuts to salaries and welfare payments. These initially pushed poverty levels up to 53%, their highest point in two decades. Recent figures show that, while still frighteningly high, falling inflation has helped bring this down to 38%.

    But these figures mask the desperate reality of many. Reductions in state spending and the removal of subsidies mean that income levels for workers and pensioners are below 2023 levels. Many are taking on additional and more precarious work, and soup kitchens are proving essential.

    So for many citizens, the news about the partial lifting of currency controls is a moot point. For these people, buying dollars is not remotely feasible.

    One thing Argentinians are broadly united in is their disdain for the IMF. Borrowing from it has pushed Argentina to the brink previously – Milei will be hoping that by jettisoning one anvil, his deal with the IMF won’t chain him to a heavier one.

    Matt Barlow 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. Currency controls and debt in Argentina: the stakes are high if Milei’s latest economic gamble doesn’t pay off – https://theconversation.com/currency-controls-and-debt-in-argentina-the-stakes-are-high-if-mileis-latest-economic-gamble-doesnt-pay-off-255733

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder harms relationships for both sufferers and their partners – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sophie Hodgetts, Assistant Professor in Psychology, Durham University

    Until now, little has been known about the effect PMDD can have on relationships. simona pilolla 2/ Shutterstock

    An estimated 2% of people who menstruate are thought to have premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The condition causes severe emotional, mental and physical symptoms in the week or two before a person’s menstrual cycle – including brain fog, stomach cramps, bloating, mood swings, anger, sadness, low self-worth, anxiety and even thoughts of suicide.

    Although PMDD symptoms usually stop when the period starts, the condition can still make everyday life difficult. Research shows that PMDD is associated with people having a poor quality of life, missing work or school and withdrawing from social activities. The repercussions that PMDD has on a person’s life often persist beyond the symptomatic phase of the person’s cycle.

    Yet despite the prevalence of PMDD, little is known about how it affects life at home, as no studies have been done.

    My recent research is the first to shed light on how PMDD impacts life and relationships – from the perspective of both those with PMDD and their partners. Our findings showed that both PMDD sufferers and their partners experienced similarly poor life and relationship quality.

    My coauthor and I ran two studies that both used online surveys.

    In the first study, we asked people with PMDD to complete two questionnaires. The first was designed to tell us about their quality of life. They answered questions about four different areas of their life: their physical health, psychological health, social relationships and living conditions.

    The second questionnaire was designed to tell us about their relationship with their spouse by asking questions about different components of their relationship (including love, trust, intimacy, commitment and passion), as well as their overall satisfaction with the relationship. We compared their responses to a control group of people of menstruation age who did not have PMDD.

    Our results showed significantly lower quality of life in people with PMDD compared to people in the control group. This difference was evident in all four of the areas of life that we studied. We also found that participants with PMDD consistently reported lower quality of life when it came to their psychological health, social relationships and living conditions – regardless of their menstrual cycle phase.

    Relationship quality, too, was significantly lower for those with PMDD compared to the control group when it came to trust, intimacy and passion. However, when it came to love and commitment, people with PMDD and those without the condition reported similar levels of satisfaction.

    PMDD and partners

    In the second study, we compared the responses of people who are in a relationship with someone who has PMDD, with those who are in a relationship with someone who menstruates but does not have PMDD.

    Our study found PMDD is associated with poor relationship quality for both those with the condition and their partners.
    Roman Chazov/Shutterstock

    We used the same questionnaire as the previous study to investigate relationship quality. To study quality of life, we used a standard questionnaire that was designed for people who provide care or support for an adult. This asked questions about different areas of life that are relevant for familial carers, such as their support for caring, caring choices, any stress they experience, money matters, personal growth, sense of value, ability to care and satisfaction.

    We found that PMDD partners also had lower life quality compared to the control group. This difference was evident in every area of life except money matters (where both groups had similarly low scores). When it came to relationship quality, results from the PMDD partners echoed those from the PMDD patients – both reported lower relationship satisfaction in all areas except for love and commitment.

    Our study shows that PMDD is associated with poor life and relationship quality for both those with the condition and their partners. This highlights the need for support that goes beyond prescription drugs and managing symptoms. This support also needs to be available to the loved ones and partners of people with PMDD who provide care and support.

    These findings suggest that future research should aim to develop PMDD-specific interventions that support both the person with PMDD and their partner. My future research plans are to delve deeper into the aspects of relationships affected by PMDD. For instance, I am planning a follow-up study involving interviews and focus groups with PMDD sufferers and their loved ones, to better identify areas for intervention and inform the development of supportive strategies.

    There are many reasons why this kind of support is important. For instance, we know from research into other mood disorders (such as depression and anxiety) just how crucial good interpersonal relationships are for successfully managing these conditions in the long term.

    We also know that the partners and spouses of people with a mental illness often find themselves acting as a familial caregiver for their partner. Studies of other mood disorders have shown that familial caregivers are at a higher risk of developing mental illnesses themselves, when compared to the general population. Supporting familial caregivers is known to improve life for all involved.

    My research shows that PMDD isn’t just a problem for patients. It impacts daily life and relationship quality for both people in a relationship. This study provides a first step. Now that we have a better understanding of the wider effect that PMDD has, we can start to investigate how to support both people.

    Sophie Hodgetts 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. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder harms relationships for both sufferers and their partners – new study – https://theconversation.com/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-harms-relationships-for-both-sufferers-and-their-partners-new-study-255083

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: ‘Milkshake tax’: there’s growing evidence that expanding the UK’s sugar levy could help tackle obesity

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By David M. Evans, Professor of Sociotechnical Futures, University of Bristol Business School, University of Bristol

    Luis Molinero/Shutterstock

    The UK government is considering expanding its sugar tax on fizzy drinks to include milkshakes and other sweetened beverages, as part of new proposals announced in April 2025. The Treasury confirmed it plans to move forward not only with broadening the tax but also with lowering the sugar threshold that triggers it from 5g to 4g of sugar per 100ml.

    The changes, dubbed by critics as the “milkshake tax”, would end the current exemption for dairy-based drinks, as well as plant-based alternatives such as oat and rice milk. Chancellor Rachel Reeves first signalled the potential expansion in the 2024 budget, suggesting the soft drinks industry levy (SDIL), to give it its official name, could be widened to cover a broader range of high-sugar drinks.

    Based on our research into dietary change, conducted as part of the H3 project on food system transformation, we see this as a welcome and timely development.

    Not everyone shares this optimism. Opponents of what they see as “nanny state” interventionist policies argue that the SDIL has failed to deliver any real improvements to public health. In a UK newspaper’s straw poll, for example, 88% of respondents claimed the sugar tax has not significantly reduced obesity rates. Shadow Chancellor Melvyn Stride described the proposed expansion as a “sucker punch” to households, particularly given the ongoing cost of living crisis.

    Scepticism around these proposals is not surprising. Many people, regardless of political affiliation, are wary of additional taxation. And indeed, there is evidence suggesting that fiscal tools such as taxes and subsidies can be blunt instruments. They are also often regressive, placing a disproportionate burden on lower-income households.

    These concerns are valid – but they don’t quite apply to the SDIL.

    Crucially, the SDIL is not a tax on consumers. It is levied on manufacturers and importers, who are incentivised to reduce the sugar content of their products to avoid the charge. According to Treasury figures, since the introduction of the SDIL, 89% of fizzy drinks sold in the UK have been reformulated to fall below the taxable threshold.

    For instance, the Japanese multinational brewing and distilling company group Suntory invested £13 million in reformulating drinks like Ribena and Lucozade, removing 25,000 tonnes of sugar, making the products exempt from the levy. This means households aren’t priced out of soft drinks – they can simply choose reformulated and presumably cheaper versions.

    It’s true that the UK is still grappling with a serious obesity problem. In England alone, 29% of adultsand 15% of children aged two to 15 are obese.

    But the SDIL is having an effect. Excessive sugar consumption is consistently associated with rising obesity rates in the UK and globally. There has been a clear reduction in the sales of sugar from soft drinks, and the SDIL is reported to have generated £1.9 billion in revenue since its introduction in 2018.

    Early signs suggest health benefits, too. One study found a drop in obesity rates among 10 to 11-year-old girls following the levy’s implementation. Another analysis suggests that the greatest health benefits will be seen in more deprived areas, and that it may actually help to narrow some health inequalities for children in England.



    Read more:
    Child obesity is linked to deprivation, so why do poor parents still cop the blame?

    Shifting responsibilty

    The government’s 2016 announcement of the sugar tax gave manufacturers time to reformulate products before the tax’s introduction in 2018.

    Of course, the SDIL is no silver bullet. There are many contributing factors to the obesity epidemic, ranging from genetic predisposition to “obesogenic” environments – social contexts that promote unhealthy eating and sedentary behaviour, such as areas with a lot of fast food restaurants, limited access to healthy food options and a lack of pavements, parks, or safe places to exercise.

    Questions remain about the negative health effects of reformulated drinks, some of which still contain high levels of sweeteners or additives. And in the broader context of the need for food system transformation, focusing solely on soft drinks may be too narrow an approach.



    Read more:
    Are artificial sweeteners okay for our health? Here’s what the current evidence says

    But the SDIL’s success lies not just in outcomes but in its design. It shifts responsibility from individuals to industry, encouraging systemic change rather than simply blaming people for making “bad” choices. The government’s 2016 announcement of the levy gave manufacturers a two-year head start, allowing them to reformulate and get their products to market before it took effect in 2018.

    It’s also telling that the idea of taxing milkshakes has sparked such outrage, while most people now accept the high taxation of tobacco. That’s because smoking, as a public health issue, has matured: its risks are well understood and widely acknowledged. Obesity, meanwhile, is still catching up, despite posing similar health threats, including as a leading cause of cancer.

    In the UK, there’s still a strong social stigma around discussing diet and weight. But given the scale and urgency of the obesity crisis, it could be time to overcome this reluctance. Effective change will require bold, systemic policies – not just public awareness campaigns – but multipronged and targeted interventions that reshape the economic and cultural environments in which people make food choices.

    Expanding the SDIL may not be a cure-all, but the evidence so far suggests it’s a smart step in the right direction.

    David M. Evans receives funding from the UKRI Strategic Priorities Fund (grant ref: BB/V004719/1).
    He is affiliated with Defra (the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) as a member of their Social Science Expert Group.

    Jonathan Beacham receives funding from the UKRI Strategic Priorities Fund (grant ref: BB/V004719/1).

    – ref. ‘Milkshake tax’: there’s growing evidence that expanding the UK’s sugar levy could help tackle obesity – https://theconversation.com/milkshake-tax-theres-growing-evidence-that-expanding-the-uks-sugar-levy-could-help-tackle-obesity-255646

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Aspartame: the artificial sweetener is calorie-free but not risk-free – a nutritionist explains

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Hazel Flight, Programme Lead Nutrition and Health, Edge Hill University

    Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

    Sugar — sweet, satisfying, and everywhere. From fresh fruit and honey to processed table sugar and drinks, it sneaks into nearly everything we eat. While delicious, sugar delivers what nutritionists call “empty calories” — energy without any essential nutrients. And with overconsumption linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and dental problems, it’s no wonder health authorities are urging us to cut back.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting added sugar to less than 10% of daily calorie intake, while the BMJ suggests even lower: no more than six teaspoons (25g) per day for women and nine teaspoons (38g) for men.

    In response, many people are turning to non-nutritive sweeteners — sugar alternatives that deliver sweetness without the calories. These include popular options like aspartame, sucralose, stevia and monk fruit extract. Found in many diet drinks, sugar-free snacks and low-calorie foods, these sweeteners are designed to help manage weight and blood sugar levels.

    But not all that tastes sweet is sweet in effect. Let’s zoom in on one of the most controversial sugar substitutes: aspartame.

    Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that was discovered in 1965 and is 180–200 times sweeter than sugar. It was first regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1974 and approved for use in dry foods in 1981. Today, it’s estimated to be found in over 6,000 food and drink products and 600 pharmaceutical items.

    Aspartame was initially embraced as a tool to help reduce obesity and support diabetics, offering a sweet fix without the sugar spike. But despite decades of use, its safety is still the subject of intense scientific and public debate.

    Potential benefits

    Aspartame has a similar taste to sugar, albeit much more intense, but comes with almost no calories, making it attractive for those who’re weight-conscious. With obesity rates soaring globally, even small calorie savings can matter.

    Aspartame does not raise blood glucose levels, making it a preferred choice for those managing type 2 diabetes. However, other research has found potential associations with metabolic syndrome and diabetes risk, suggesting that aspartame should be used as part of a controlled diet rather than a straight swap for sugar.

    While assessments suggest that aspartame is safe within current intake guidelines, concerns persist.

    Potential risks

    Some people may experience side-effects like headaches, dizziness, or mood changes. There’s emerging evidence linking aspartame to neurodegeneration, strokes and even dementia.

    Aspartame can increase levels of phenylalanine and aspartic acid in the brain, which is a serious concern for people with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare inherited disorder where the body cannot break down phenylalanine. This causes it to accumulate in the blood and brain, potentially leading to brain damage. People with PKU must avoid aspartame completely.

    One study reported symptoms after consuming aspartame including irritability, migraines, anxiety and insomnia, especially with excessive consumption.

    In 2023, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified aspartame) as “possibly carcinogenic”, though it remains approved for consumption within existing safety limits. Some studies suggest a link to cancer, but conclusions remain mixed.



    Read more:
    Aspartame: popular sweetener could be classified as a possible carcinogen by WHO – but there’s no cause for panic

    It’s also advised that pregnant women avoid aspartame, as research suggests it may affect the placenta’s structure and function.

    Artificial sweeteners, despite being calorie-free, may trick the brain into craving more sweetness. This could lead to increased appetite and weight gain rather than weight loss. In fact, several studies have found a positive correlation between artificial sweetener use and obesity.

    Gut health matters

    Emerging evidence suggests that aspartame and other sweeteners may disrupt the gut microbiome, the community of bacteria that play a key role in digestion, immunity and even mood. This disruption can negatively affect digestive health and immune function, potentially increasing the risk of infections and other health issues.



    Read more:
    Artificial sweetener could harm your gut and the microbes that live there – new study

    Aspartame may offer a tempting sugar-free fix, but it’s not without its risks. The World Health Organization advises against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control and research continues to reveal complex links between aspartame and chronic diseases, from neurological issues to gut health concerns.

    Hazel Flight 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. Aspartame: the artificial sweetener is calorie-free but not risk-free – a nutritionist explains – https://theconversation.com/aspartame-the-artificial-sweetener-is-calorie-free-but-not-risk-free-a-nutritionist-explains-254318

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Student accommodation must be included in rent control measures

    Source: Scottish Greens

    06 May 2025 Education

    It’s time to end rip-off rents.

    More in Education

    Student accommodation must be included in the Scottish Government’s rent control measures, says Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer.

    This comes after the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee voted to force the Scottish Government to include student tenancies in planned rent controls, a shock defeat for the government.

    Mr Greer said:

    “Far too many students pay sky high rents for halls and other purpose built accommodation. They deserve the same rights as other renters, and I am glad that MSPs have backed plans to crack down on the accommodation operators ripping off students.

    “Students deserve the same protections as other renters. Their halls are their home, but in many cases the costs are simply out of control and what they get for their money is extremely poor.

    “Private providers, the likes of UNITE and Student Roost, account for over three quarters of purpose-built student accommodation. Their high rates are leaving many students reliant on food banks.

    “Thanks to the Scottish Greens this bill will deliver much needed rent controls and more protections for renters. Our MSPs will continue working with other parties to ensure students get the full benefits of that work and their housing costs are brought back under control.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Derry Schools Swing into Jazz with Live Music Now

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Derry Schools Swing into Jazz with Live Music Now

    6 May 2025

    As Derry enjoys its annual Jazz and Big Band Festival this weekend, the sound of swing is echoing through local schools thanks to a vibrant outreach programme funded by Derry City and Strabane District Council, delivered by Live Music Now. The initiative aims to ignite a passion for jazz in the next generation, ensuring the festival’s legacy resonates with young people across the city.

    Aisling McCallion, Festival Co-ordinator with Derry City and Strabane District Council, explained more: “Inspiring and providing opportunities for new talent is one of our main priorities at the City of Derry Jazz Festival and we want its legacy to filter down through the generations. Our local schools really support the festival and the Live Music Now programme provides a wonderful experience for all those who take part. The pupils have the opportunity to enjoy the unique experience of a live performance and to learn from some of our most talented local musicians.

    This year’s programme featured two key components. Firstly, “Jazz Labs” brought the infectious energy of jazz to seven schools. Professional jazz musicians Neil Burns, Victoria Geelan, Meilana Gillard and John Leighton delivered 19 engaging performances, introducing pupils to the fundamental elements of the genre and sparking their curiosity about the upcoming festival.

    Secondly, the “School of Jazz” programme provided a more intensive experience for aspiring young musicians in two local schools. Students at St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s College and St Joseph’s Boys School were honing their skills in improvisation and performance under the guidance of our seasoned jazz professionals. This immersive programme was designed not only to develop their musical talents but also to sow the seeds for future careers in music.

    The culmination of the “School of Jazz” was held within each school with a “Mini Jazz Festival “. These showcases will provide a platform for the young musicians to demonstrate their newfound skills, sharing the stage with their professional mentors and celebrating the vibrant sounds of jazz.

    St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s hosted their showcase on Thursday 1st May followed by St Joseph’s Boys School on Friday 2nd May. Head of Music at St Patrick’s and St Brigid’s College, Gareth Doherty said. “We had a great week working with Meilana and John. They gave an excellent concert workshop to our Year 9 pupils introducing them to jazz. Our GCSE music students and school band members had a great experience getting coached in performance skills and musicianship to perform together and showcase a number of songs to our own Year 8 pupils. Meilana and John were very encouraging and helped our students to perform and improvise with confidence. They have really flourished from the experience.”

    “This project is about more than just introducing jazz to schools,” says Margaret Kelly, Project Manager from Live Music Now Northern Ireland, “It’s about igniting a lifelong love of music, fostering creativity, and providing young people with the opportunity to connect with professional musicians. We hope to inspire the next generation of jazz artists and ensure that the City of Derry’s rich musical heritage continues to thrive.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Funding secured to explore new John Hume archive project

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Funding secured to explore new John Hume archive project

    6 May 2025

    The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council has warmly welcomed funding announced today for a scoping report to explore the further development of the John Hume archive, currently on loan to the Tower Museum from the Hume family.

    The team at the Museum received confirmation that the application to the Archives Revealed Scoping Grant programme was successful and work can now begin on the project, titled ‘Unlocking The John Hume Archive Collection’. The programme is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Pilgrim Trust, the Wolfson Foundation and The National Archives.

    The Tower Museum team have extensive experience working with archive and museum collections and have been carrying out the professional archive work to ensure the collection can become accessible to the public in the longer term and remain in the city for that process and beyond. A Scoping Report for this collection will help assess potential timelines to develop the collection and integrate the archive into wider engagement plans.

    John Hume’s significant political and personal archive dates between the 1960s-2000s, consisting of documents created and received throughout his time as a political representative during one of the most significant historic eras in Northern Ireland. The collection includes references to the Civil Rights campaign, the Troubles, international affairs and British and Irish relations. The documents include draft and final speeches, policy documents, publications, photographs, and ephemera collected at various events. The collection also captures John Hume’s roles and responsibilities throughout his career and is recognised as having immense value for a range of audiences.

    Welcoming the news, Mayor Lilian Seenoi Barr, said the collection would be of huge interest to visitors and a wonderful legacy for the people of the city. “I want to congratulate the Tower Museum Team on this announcement, which has the potential to develop a fascinating and internationally significant historic archive which will draw people to the city.

    “John Hume’s integral role in the Peace Process and his skill both as a local representative and a major driver of social change are documented in this archive and I know both the Hume family and the people of Derry and Strabane will be delighted to see work commence on exploring a comprehensive and fitting tribute to John Hume and his work.”

    Head of Culture with Derry City and Strabane District Council, Aeidin McCarter, explained more about the project: “The collection was deposited in 2024 in recognition of the archive experience and expertise of our team and the current successful display linked to John Hume’s Peace Prize Collection in the Guildhall. Conversations have been ongoing with the Hume Family and Ulster University other partners to develop plans to make the archive more widely accessible. We will now have the opportunity to look at the archive more closely and explore opportunities that will allow visitors, local and international, to learn more about the role John Hume played in the history of this very unique city.”

    Welcoming the news, the Hume family said: “We congratulate the Tower Museum team on this announcement and thank them for their hard work and dedication.  Our father was passionate about the study of history and specifically the history of Derry.  We are delighted that work is continuing on his archive, and very much hope that it can contribute to both understanding our past and help provide lessons for future generations.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Young Adults Urged To Help Shape the Future of The Lancaster District Young adults are being called on to help shape the future of the Lancaster district — fro..

    Source: City of Lancaster

    Young adults are being called on to help shape the future of the Lancaster district — from the types of homes we live in to where developments should happen and how transport needs can be met.

    Lancaster City Council and Lancaster University have teamed up to give 18 to 30-year-olds a real voice in major local plans through the Placemaking with Young Adults project.

    Young people’s views will help guide the council in its planning for better housing, jobs, transport, and the environment with their thoughts feeding directly into the Local Plan, a document which shapes how Lancaster, Morecambe, Heysham, Carnforth and the many villages and rural areas are likely to evolve during the next few decades.

    This project builds on earlier work carried out with young people which successfully helped to create Lancaster’s Sustainable Travel and Climate Strategies.

    Those interested can join walking workshops and interactive events in May and June – which will include sharing ideas regarding the development of the district and exploring ideas ranging from innovation in land use to boosting biodiversity.

    Those interested can join walking workshops and interactive events in May and June – which includes looking at sites around Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth to look at how they can be developed and explore ideas from innovation to biodiversity.

    “Planning is vital for managing how we live together, meet changing community needs, and carefully make the best use of land, said Mark Cassidy, Chief Officer, Planning and Climate Change at Lancaster city council.

    “The Local Plan sets the direction for how our district will grow and develop over the next 15 to 20 years, guiding everything from new housing to protecting important green spaces.

    “Young people’s voices are crucial in this process. Their ideas and aspirations will help shape policies that design a district which reflects what matters most to them and influences decisions which will ultimately affect their future.”

    Dr Mirian Calvo, Lecturer in Participatory Architecture at Lancaster University, said: “Partnering with Lancaster City Council allows us to support young voices at the core of our mission.

    “It’s vital that their perspectives influence planning, ensuring future environments meet their needs and values.”

    All age groups across the district will have the opportunity to have their say and influence the Local Plan as the plan-making process continues.

    The first ‘walkshop’ takes place on May 7 and places can be booked at https://www.trybooking.com/uk/EMSW

    For more information on the project see here: Shaping Tomorrow: Engaging Young Adults

    To keep in touch with the local plan updates and further chances to be involved, see:  Local Plan Review – Lancaster City Council

    Work shops dates:

    Carnforth Hub: Wednesday, May 7, 2025, 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM

    Lancaster Innovation Centre: Saturday, May 17, 2025, 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM

    Lancaster and Morecambe College: Wednesday, June 4, 2025, 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM

    The Storey, Lancaster City Centre: Saturday, June 28, 10.30AM – 3PM

    Last updated: 06 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell Leads Introduction of Bipartisan Legislation to Remove PFAS from Firefighter Gear

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI), co-chair of the PFAS Task Force, along with Representatives Sam Graves (R-MO), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Tom Kean, Jr. (R-NJ), Dina Titus (D-NV), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), and Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), today reintroduced the bipartisan Protecting Firefighters and Advancing State-of-the-Art Alternatives Act (PFAS Alternatives Act), to support development of next-generation PFAS-free turnout gear for firefighters and better protect firefighters from the dangers of their work. Sunday, May 4 was International Firefighters’ Day.  

    Studies have shown that all three layers of firefighter turnout gear contain Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), a class of fluorinated chemicals known as “forever chemicals.” PFAS chemicals are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic, and are linked to harmful human health effects, including reproductive and developmental harms, weakened immune systems, and cancer – the leading cause of firefighter death.

    “Firefighters’ jobs are already dangerous enough without worrying about the long-term health risks of being exposed to dangerous PFAS in their turnout gear,” said Dingell. “The PFAS Alternatives Act will remove this unnecessary occupational hazard and help protect firefighters as they work every day to protect us.”

    “America’s firefighters charge into danger to save the lives of others,” said Graves. “This bipartisan legislation will help develop the next generation of firefighting gear to keep them safe—while they work to protect our families, our communities, and our country.”

    “Firefighters risk their lives every day to keep us safe,” said Bonamici. “The dangers they face shouldn’t come from the gear meant to protect them. I’m grateful to join several of my colleagues to introduce this bipartisan legislation that will spur the development of turnout gear free from dangerous PFAS chemicals and improve the long-term health of the country’s firefighters.”

    “Our firefighters put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe, and their health and safety must remain a top priority,” said Kean. “That starts with ensuring their gear is free from harmful chemicals that pose serious long-term health risks. I’m pleased to once again co-lead the PFAS Alternatives Act to eliminate toxic substances from firefighter equipment and support the long-term well-being of these brave men and women.”

    “Firefighters put their health and safety on the line every day to protect our communities. They run in as others run out,” said Titus. “They shouldn’t have to worry about hazardous substances in their own turnout gear. I’m working with my colleagues to support the development of next-generation gear that is more resistant to soot and other chemicals while eliminating exposure to dangerous toxins like PFAS.”

    “Firefighters risk enough without being exposed to cancer-causing chemicals in the very gear meant to protect them,” said Fitzpatrick. “The PFAS Alternatives Act takes targeted, bipartisan action to eliminate these toxic substances and accelerate safer solutions. It’s time we matched our gratitude with real protections—as Co-Chair of the PFAS Task Force, I am committed to leading efforts like this to do exactly that.”

    “First responders deserve first rate gear.  They put their lives on the line every day to save ours.  We must not make those who risk their lives wear even riskier equipment and handle even more dangerous materials,” said Ivey. “PFAS are directly linked to cancer.  And as a kidney cancer survivor, I know the hardship, uncertainty and fear any family would experience being exposed to cancer causing materials.  I want to thank my colleagues for this bipartisan effort.”

    “Firefighters risk their lives to protect the community and in many cases they are exposed to toxic chemicals,” said Thompson. “The PFAS Alternatives Act is commonsense legislation that invests in safer, more effective equipment to better protect our first responders from these toxins.”

    The PFAS Alternatives Act would:
    – Accelerate the development of PFAS-free turnout gear through research, development, and testing of PFAS-free turnout gear materials.
    – Facilitate the development of safer turnout gear materials that reduces the dangers firefighters face, including enhanced protection against primary and secondary exposure to particulates and byproducts of combustion; reduced maintenance that includes contamination resistance and greater ease of cleaning; visible warning indicators to alert firefighters to hazardous exposures or the need for decontamination; and consideration of body composition in turnout gear design.  
    – Support guidance and training for firefighters on best practices for reducing harmful exposures through the proper wearing, cleaning, and caring for next-generation turnout gear.
    – Involve the firefighting industry in the development process by requiring grant applicants to utilize the leadership, experience, and knowledge of firefighters to ensure the next-generation turnout gear will be both effective and practical for the everyday demands of firefighting. 

    The PFAS Alternatives Act would authorize $25 million annually for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2029 to support the development of new materials, and an additional $2 million annually to support guidance and training.

    The PFAS Alternatives Act is endorsed by the International Association of Fire Fighters.

    “The science is clear. Exposure to toxic PFAS chemicals is driving alarming rates of cancer in the fire service,” said IAFF General President Edward Kelly. “The PFAS Alternatives Act is critical legislation that will help introduce next-generation, PFAS-free gear to better protect fire fighters and ensure we have a voice in developing the very products we rely on for safety. The IAFF is grateful to Rep. Dingell for championing this legislation, and we urge Congress to swiftly pass this bill.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: CNL Team Recognized With CNIC 2024 Ecosystem Innovation Award for Production of Promising New Medical Isotope

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHALK RIVER, Ontario, May 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology organization, is pleased to announce that it has been recognized by the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council (CNIC) alongside the Sylvia Fedoruk Centre and Advanced Cyclotron Systems Inc. for being the first in Canada to produce Actinium-225, a promising new medical isotope in the fight against cancer, using a cyclotron and Radium-226 targets. The team was honoured with this year’s CNIC Ecosystem Innovation Award at the annual awards ceremony held in Ottawa, Ontario on April 15th.

    The CNIC Awards are an annual celebration of the growth and success of Canadian isotope industry and the contributions and innovations of its members and leading Canadian individuals in government and industry. CNIC provides a platform for its community to nominate individuals and organizations who have demonstrated leadership and championed advocacy in the industry. Receiving the Ecosystem Innovation Award, which recognizes a major milestone or initiative in Canada’s isotope industry, recognizes CNL’s ongoing efforts to establish this first-of-a-kind production process in Canada, which brings a significant increase in the quantity of this material to market, and unlocks further research and clinical trials.

    “While Actinium-225 drugs have shown incredible potential to serve as a transformative cancer treatment, clinical trials and eventual drug approvals have been impeded by the tight supply scenario of Actinium-225,” commented Ram Mullur, CNL’s Vice-President of Isotopes. “More than seven years ago, CNL set out to address that challenge with the generator route of production of Actinium-225, and we are now moving ever-closer to industrial-scale production. This was enabled through the services and products provided by our collaborators, including the Sylvia Fedoruk Centre, and Advanced Cyclotron Systems. This achievement is also in support of Actineer, which is a joint venture founded in 2023 by ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM), a leading radiopharmaceutical biotech company, and CNL. On behalf of CNL, I want to thank the CNIC for recognizing CNL, our collaborators and partners, and the people who are working so hard to bring this vision to life.”

    “The Fedoruk Centre is proud to participate in this achievement with CNL. The work depended on access to the Saskatchewan Cyclotron Facility, which is owned by the University of Saskatchewan and operated by the Fedoruk Centre. Together, we have advanced the production of an exciting new medical isotope here in Canada,” commented John Root, Executive Director of the Fedoruk Centre. “We must thank the federal and provincial governments who funded the cyclotron and infrastructure to make this innovation possible.”

    “The first demonstration of Actinium-225 production by CNL using ACSI’s TR-24 Cyclotron and targetry system is an important milestone for both organisations. I believe that we will continue this successful collaboration in developing technology that will help in achieving worldwide reliable supply of Actinium-225,” stated Richard Eppich, President and CEO of ACSI.

    CNL is currently working as part of a network of organizations to establish a reliable, industrial-scale production process for Actinium-225. “CNL has come a long way in the last seven years, and this award recognizes all of the hard work we have put in to help achieve this unmet need in the radiopharmaceutical industry,” added Mullur. “But I am pleased to say that we are just getting started, and continue to refine, optimize and improve all aspects of the production process, from development through to the extraction and distribution of the final product. And with each step, our optimism continues to grow that this isotope has the potential to serve as a safe and effective treatment for a variety of cancers.”

    To learn more about CNL, including its work to produce Actinium-225, please visit www.cnl.ca.

    About CNL
    As Canada’s premier nuclear science and technology laboratory and working under the direction of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), CNL is a world leader in the development of innovative nuclear science and technology products and services. Guided by an ambitious corporate strategy known as Vision 2030, CNL fulfills three strategic priorities of national importance – restoring and protecting the environment, advancing clean energy technologies, and contributing to the health of Canadians.

    By leveraging the assets owned by AECL, CNL also serves as the nexus between government, the nuclear industry, the broader private sector and the academic community. CNL works in collaboration with these sectors to advance innovative Canadian products and services towards real-world use, including carbon-free energy, cancer treatments and other therapies, non-proliferation technologies and waste management solutions.

    To learn more about CNL, please visit www.cnl.ca.

    About the Sylvia Fedoruk Centre
    The Fedoruk Centre is a not-for-profit corporation with the University of Saskatchewan (USask) as its sole member and an independent board of directors appointed by the USask board of governors. The Fedoruk Centre board is responsible for providing high-level strategic direction and oversight of Fedoruk Centre operations.

    For more information about the Fedoruk Centre, visit: www.fedorukcentre.ca

    About Advanced Cyclotron Systems Inc.
    Advanced Cyclotron Systems, Inc. (ACSI) is a world leader in the design and manufacturing of cyclotron systems. With over 30 years of experience and more than 60 cyclotron systems installed, ACSI can provide a wide range of equipment and services worldwide. ACSI cyclotrons are used for the commercial production and distribution of PET and SPECT nuclides by internationally recognized companies and leading universities and research facilities. ACSI cyclotrons are designed, manufactured, and assembled in Richmond, Canada.

    ACSI offers a full spectrum of cyclotron systems ranging from PET cyclotrons to medium and high energy accelerators. All ACSI manufactured cyclotrons have variable energy and employ external ion source technology, offering the highest beam current output available on the market.

    The versatility, high beam current and exceptional quality of ACSI cyclotrons are the reasons why many of the world’s most prestigious universities and research centers, as well as some of the most successful commercial radioisotope producers have chosen ACSI cyclotrons to meet their radioisotope production needs.

    ACSI headquarters and manufacturing facility is located in Richmond, BC, Canada.

    For more information, please visit www.advancedcyclotron.com.

    CNL Contact:
    Philip Kompass
    Director, Corporate Communications
    1-866-886-2325
    media@cnl.ca

    Sylvia Fedoruk Centre Contact:
    Daniel Hallen
    USask Media Relations
    daniel.hallen@usask.ca  
    306-966-6922

    Advanced Cyclotron Systems Inc. Contact
    Alex Zyuzin
    Director of Research & Business Development
    azyuzin@advancedcyclotron.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/13192f18-235c-42e2-8bce-2e97b6df9c16

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to trial of online dialectical behavioural theory for emotion dysregulation in people with chronic pain

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Results from a trial published in JAMA Network Open looks at online dialectical behavioural theory for emotion dysregulation in people with chronic pain.

    Dr Whitney Scott, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Health Psychology, IoPPN, King’s College London, said:

    “This is an interesting trial that further highlights the importance of psychologically-based treatments to support the well-being of people with persistent pain. The online delivery format builds on a growing trend towards digital therapeutics to address significant challenges with treatment accessibility.

    “This is a relatively small trial that provides support for a larger study. It’s great to see that a larger trial is planned which can help to further understand the impact of the intervention, including in the longer-term. At present, while promising, there is a limit to what we can conclude from this study in terms of its impacts on future practice.

     “If the larger trial shows similar results, this will add to an established body of evidence showing the efficacy of psychologically-based treatments for people with pain. For example, there is already moderate quality evidence from a number of randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) that cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) improves distress in people with pain when compared to treatment as usual. The current RCT also uses a treatment as usual control group.

     “It’s also important to say that the iDBT-Pain treatment overlaps with elements of traditional CBT and other cognitive-behavioural approaches (mindfulness-based stress reduction, ACT). These treatments have already been widely studied and used in clinical practice to support people with persistent pain to respond more effectively to emotions. So, iDBT very much builds on the tools we already have to support people with pain.

     “The study reported good effects for emotion dysregulation, depression, and pain intensity that were maintained at 21-week follow-up. However, effects for anxiety and sleep problems were not maintained. No significant improvements were observed for pain interference with daily life. This is another key outcome in the pain field and one that is often the target of cognitive-behavioural treatments for people with persistent pain.

     “The online delivery format has the potential to increase accessibility for many people. However, this may not be true for everyone. It’s plausible that people with very high levels of emotion dysregulation, the key target of this intervention, may struggle with the remote format and may need an in-person format. Notably, people with ‘personality disorders’ were excluded which may represent individuals that particularly struggle with emotion dysregulation.”

     

    Dr Franziska Denk, Reader in Neuroscience, King’s College London, said:

    “To my mind, this paper will not significantly change our understanding of how to treat people with pain.

    “It has faced the same challenge faced by almost all behavioural intervention trials: how to placebo control effectively.

    “As it was carried out, this study ends up comparing apples and oranges: in the treatment group, we have people who are being listened to, affirmed and guided by medical professionals and their peers as part of an intensive 8-week treatment programme; in the ‘placebo’ group, we have people to whom nothing happens (as that is what ‘treatment in the community’ basically means). Obviously, the ones who are being cared for actively will fare better.”

     

    ‘Online Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for Emotion Dysregulation in People
    With Chronic Pain    ’ by Nell Norman-Nott et al. was published in JAMA Network Open at 16:00 UK time on Tuesday 6th May. 

     

    DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.6908

     

     

    Declared interests

    Dr Whitney Scott:I have received research funding from the International Association for the Study of Pain and National Institute for Health and Care Research for projects investigating online delivery of psychological treatment (specifically acceptance and commitment therapy) for people with persistent pain. I have received funds for travel to conferences where I have presented on some of this work. I also provide teaching on psychosocial aspects of persistent pain management as part of my paid employment.

    Dr Franziska Denk: I have no conflicts in relation to this paper.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mfume Joins Letter Demanding Back Education Dollars Cut by Trump

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)

    WASHINGTON, DC – As reported today in The Washington Post, Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.-07) joined a letter demanding that the Trump Administration release the $98 million promised for education funding in the state and urging the Department to work with the delegation to ensure Maryland receives this vital funding. This letter was led by Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) with the Maryland Democratic Delegation – U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and Representatives Steny Hoyer, Jamie Raskin, Glenn Ivey, Sarah Elfreth, April McClain Delaney, and Johnny Olszewski (all D-Md.) also signing on in support. 

    “Earlier this year, [Secretary McMahon testified that the President] wants to ‘return education to the states where it belongs.’ We believe that approving Maryland’s application for late liquidation of relief funds would do just that. We appreciate your offer to conduct a thorough review of the ESSER funds rescinded from Maryland and look forward to reaching a resolution in the best interest of the more than 860,000 students in our state who are depending on these Congressionally appropriated funds,” said the lawmakers. 

    “We stand ready to partner with the Department in ensuring the disbursement of this key funding to Maryland,” continued the lawmakers. 

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

    Dear Secretary McMahon:

    We write with deep concern regarding the Department of Education’s (the Department) recent letter to State Chiefs of Education, which modified the time period for states to liquidate obligations under the Education Stabilization Fund. The loss of these dollars would be catastrophic for the state of Maryland and its students. We appreciate the fact that the Department did leave an opportunity open for collaboration with states, affording them the chance to appeal for an extension to the liquidation period on a project-specific basis. As such, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has applied for an extension. We strongly support MSDE’s application and urge the Department to approve MSDE’s requests for full reimbursement.

    As you know, on January 22, 2025 – after President Trump was sworn into office – the Department approved MDSE’s late liquidation plan for American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds through March 28, 2026. Similarly, on March 17, 2025, the Department approved a late liquidation plan for the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) from MSDE through March 31, 2025. Yet on March 28, 2025, the MSDE received notice from the Department that the liquidation period for all pandemic recovery resources authorized in the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund was rescinded. This sudden reversal has caused a great deal of confusion and would hinder Maryland’s efforts to address pandemic learning loss.

    The impact of this reversal by the Department will indeed be devastating for Maryland schools. Pandemic relief funds were set to go towards capital projects including school heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning repair and replacement that have been delayed because of supply chain and construction issues, as well as new curricula and instructional materials that Maryland Local Education Agencies (LEAs) are still awaiting.

    As such, Maryland has submitted a late liquidation request to the Department for $98,706,860, which includes $42 million spent by LEAs that have not been submitted to the State for reimbursement, as well as $56.7 million remaining to liquidate. The remaining funding is obligated toward projects to provide temporary housing and mental health support for students experiencing homelessness; community school mental health services; tutoring and technology for students; professional development for staff; Grow Your Own projects, including tuition reimbursement programs for staff to attain teacher certifications; the replacement of older and non-working windows and doors; restroom repairs; and security camera updates to keep students safe. 

    MSDE and the state’s LEAs have utilized ESSER funds to recover reading scores, sustainably address the teacher shortages exacerbated by the pandemic, support student mental and emotional health, and fortify other key ingredients in learning. The state’s reapplication in compliance with the Department’s guidance issued on March 28, 2025, also includes key details of our educational systems’ efforts to modernize classroom infrastructure to mitigate the threat of infectious diseases. 

    We proudly represent a state that places tremendous emphasis on high-quality education and MSDE’s implementation of federal funds is fundamental to that mission. We urge the Department to approve MSDE’s latest reapplication for late liquidation of this vital funding. Like students across the country, the COVID-19 pandemic set young Marylanders back substantially on key metrics of student achievement. As your office has noted, recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results have revealed that “gaps are growing between higher-performing and lower-performing students.” Further, chronic absenteeism still is too high with the latest data indicating “a majority of students still attended schools with 20% or higher levels of chronic absence… in stark contrast to 2019, when slightly over a quarter of schools experienced such high levels of chronic absence.” Years after the COVID-19 pandemic, our schools and communities still have much work to do to help students recover.

    Again, we want to continue to be collaborative and work together to improve Maryland schools. As you noted in your testimony to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee earlier this year, President Trump wants to “return education to the states where it belongs.” We believe that approving Maryland’s application for late liquidation of relief funds would do just that. We appreciate your offer to conduct a thorough review of the ESSER funds rescinded from Maryland and look forward to reaching a resolution in the best interest of the more than 860,000 students in our state who are depending on these Congressionally appropriated funds. 

    We welcome a further conversation between the Department and the Maryland Congressional delegation on this process and would be happy to help support engagements between the Department and MSDE. We stand ready to partner with the Department in ensuring the disbursement of this key funding to Maryland.

    Sincerely, 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ciscomani Hosts Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer in Tucson

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

    Ciscomani, Chavez-DeRemer Visit Pima Community College and Attend Roundtable with the Arizona Builders Alliance 

    TUCSON, AZ — U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani yesterday hosted Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer in Tucson to tour successful job training programs at Pima Community College and discuss collaborative efforts to build a stronger workforce pipeline. 

    “I can’t say enough how important community colleges are in workforce development,” Secretary Chavez-DeRemer said. “They are critical.” 

    At Ciscomani’s alma mater, the congressman and Secretary Chavez-DeRemer got a first-hand glimpse of state-of-the-art programs that train students in automotive technology, advanced manufacturing and construction trades.  

    Ciscomani, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer visit Pima Community College 

    “No matter where I go throughout the district, one of the top issues I hear is about workforce and the importance of workforce development,” Ciscomani told Pima Community College administrators and business leaders. “Community colleges are essential institutions that train and equip the workers of tomorrow with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive as productive members of the workforce. Institutions like this are vital, and I am proud to host Secretary Chavez-DeRemer at my alma mater.” 

    The discussion included Pima Community Chancellor Dr. Jeffrey Nasse, Joe Snell, President and CEO of the Chamber of Southern Arizona, Acting Provost and Vice Chancellor of Workforce Development and Innovation Ian Roark and local business leaders.  

    “We’re honored to welcome Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Congressman Juan Ciscomani to Pima Community College today,” said Pima Community College Chancellor Nasse. “Their visit underscores the critical importance of workforce development and validates the work PCC is doing every day with our industry partners. At Pima, it’s all about building real pathways to good jobs—and we do that by working hand-in-hand with employers and with key partners like the Chamber of Southern Arizona to grow a strong, regional workforce ecosystem.”   

    Ciscomani and the secretary then joined a roundtable discussion with members of the Arizona Builders Alliance to identify ways to address the workforce shortage for skilled construction workers and promote policies that reduce unnecessary red-tape and empower workers and businesses.  

    “You’re building Arizona. You’re building this country,” Ciscomani said. “The current shortage of skilled construction workers is driving costs higher and causing project delays. Secretary Chavez-DeRemer and I are focused on promoting and expanding education programs that bolster the workforce of skilled construction workers, support high-demand, well paying jobs, and support the vital construction industry.”  

    Ciscomani, Secretary Chavez-DeRemer attend roundtable hosted by the Arizona Builders Alliance 

    “I am incredibly grateful to my good friend, Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer for her leadership, commitment to empowering our workers, support for workforce development efforts, and for taking the time to meet with educators, business leaders, and employees in my district,” said Ciscomani. “Secretary Chavez-DeRemer is a fantastic partner, and I look forward to continuing working with her to deliver on our promise to America’s workforce.” 

    Secretary Chavez-DeRemer’s visit to Arizona was the sixth stop on her “America at Work” nationwide listening tour. She is a former congresswoman and mayor who was sworn in as the nation’s 30th Labor Secretary on March 11, 2025. 

    “With strong growth in the construction industry thanks to President Trump, it’s critical the Labor Department continues our mission to upskill American workers by partnering with local leaders to fill these in-demand jobs,” said Secretary Chavez-DeRemer. “I enjoyed learning firsthand how educators and businesses in Tucson have developed pathways to successful, good-paying careers in construction and building trades. Thank you to my friend Congressman Ciscomani for showcasing these achievements and explaining the challenges facing Arizona’s 6th District. I look forward to collaborating on workforce solutions that continue growing our economy.” 

    Background:

    • Below is legislation Ciscomani has introduced to incentivize construction of affordable housing and develop and fund workforce development programs in community colleges:
      • In the 118th Congress, Ciscomani introduced the Grants for Resources in Occupational Workforce Training for Healthcare (GROWTH) Act (H.R. 6078) to provide additional funding to nursing programs at community colleges in order to address the national nursing workforce shortage.
      • In the 118th Congress, the Congressman introduced the Speeding Up Production of Essential Residences (SUPER) Demonstration Act (H.R. 9195) to utilize unused COVID-19 funds to create and fund a pilot program designed to reduce construction times by removing unnecessary regulatory requirements facing developers, which would in turn incentivize more private-sector investment.   
      • In February 2025, Ciscomani reintroduced the Creating Opportunities for New Skills Training at Rural and Underserved Colleges and Trade Schools (CONSTRUCTS) Act (H.R. 1055) to fund and develop residential construction education and certification program at community colleges, junior colleges, and trade schools.    

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: FCDO press release: Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Argentina

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    FCDO press release: Change of His Majesty’s Ambassador to Argentina

    Mr David Cairns has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Argentine Republic in succession to Mrs Kirsty Hayes who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Cairns will take up his appointment during September 2025.

    Curriculum vitae           

    Full name: David Seldon Cairns

    Date Role
    2019 to present Equinor, Vice President
    2015 to 2019 Stockholm, Her Majesty’s Ambassador and Director of Nordic Baltic Network
    2010 to 2014 FCO, Director, Estates, Security, Corporate Services
    2006 to 2010 Tokyo, Director of Trade and Investment
    2002 to 2006 Geneva, First Secretary WTO
    2000 to 2002 FCO, Private Secretary to Baronesses Scotland and Amos
    1999 to 1998 Tokyo, Second Secretary Commercial
    1993 to 1994 FCO, Security Policy Department
    1998 Pre-posting training (including Hebrew language training)
    1993 Joined FCO

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 May 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Investment in Derby’s SEND provision moves into next phase

    Source: City of Derby

    Derby City Council has set out proposals to improve and expand educational provision in Derby for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). 

    A programme of work is underway to create 400 additional specialist places in the city’s schools over the next two years, with an investment of £20m approved in 2024 via the SEND and Alternative Provision Sufficiency and Capital Investment Programme.

    Locally and nationally, the SEND system is experiencing increasing demand and is under significant pressure as the cost of provision outstrips funding provided by the Government. 

    Providing more places within the city will mean more children will access vital education within their own community, alongside their peers and close to their families, reducing the need for placements outside the area.

    The SEND and Alternative Provision Sufficiency and Capital Investment Programme, approved by Cabinet members last August, focuses on enhancing the learning environment at existing schools while also expanding their capacity for pupils with SEND.

    Four key schemes will be discussed at the upcoming Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 14 May. They are:

    • Increasing specialist places at St Andrew’s Academy
    • Upgrading Kingsmead School’s Wisgreaves Road site and creating a more inclusive environment
    • Enhancing play spaces and the overall environment at YMCA Stepping Stones Nursery
    • Developing a new entrance to Central Nursery School to improve safety and accessibility

    Councillor Paul Hezelgrave, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills, said:

    This programme supports children with additional needs to access the right support at the right time.

    These proposals will increase and improve the quality and quantity of provision within the city, creating greater opportunities for those young people to have access to school settings, with appropriate support, within their local communities, leading to more positive learning outcomes.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The winners of the term paper competition were awarded as part of the Architectural Seasons

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering – Yulia Kolmykova, “Historical Environment”

    The SPbGASU summed up the results of the term paper competition, which took place within the framework of the International Creative Forum “Architectural Seasons”. This year, the Grand Prix went to the creative group consisting of: Ye Zijian, Zhao Yongkang, Wu Zongda and Tian Hongxu, under the direction of Chen and Lu Honggui (Zhengzhou University, China).

    A total of 800 works were submitted to the competition. Students from the first to fifth years of the bachelor’s degree and the first year of the master’s degree participated. The winners were determined in two stages by voting, in which more than two thousand people took part.

    200 people reached the final. 42 students were awarded the title of laureate in 14 nominations. We asked the laureates from SPbGASU to tell us about their works.

    Religious building

    Arina Tereshchenko, fourth-year student of the Faculty of Architecture, first-degree laureate in the nomination “Religious Building” (supervised by Associate Professor of the Department of Architectural and Urban Heritage Elena Baulina and Senior Lecturer of this department Galina Fedotova):

    – The project is a temple complex inspired by traditional Armenian church architecture. The project uses natural materials that are resistant to climatic conditions and time – stone, basalt, tuff, which emphasizes the connection with the historical context. In addition to the main temple, the complex includes a chapel, a church clergy house, an educational center, and a baptistery. All elements are combined into a harmonious composition with a single architectural style. The project seeks not only to recreate the architectural appearance of the Armenian church, but also to create a living spiritual space that is relevant to the modern parish and open to dialogue between cultures.

    Blocked residential building

    Anna Kasyanova, a third-year student of the Faculty of Architecture, first-degree laureate in the nomination “Blocked Residential Building” (supervised by Associate Professor of the Department of Architectural and Urban Heritage Natalia Dubrovina, assistants of the department Gleb Bagayev and Ksenia Kakunets):

    – My main task in this project is to create a clear, pleasant image of a residential building, without unnecessary details, which would organically fit into the natural environment. The image is the most difficult part of my project. I spent more than three months selecting analogs, coming up with and drawing different versions of the house, architectural details. Over time, my experience increased, and I managed to create the final image of the house.

    Individual residential building

    Veronika Merkul, a second-year student of the Faculty of Architecture, first-degree laureate in the Individual Residential Building nomination (supervisors: Professor of the Department of Architectural Design Oleg Romanov; Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs, Associate Professor of the Department of Architectural Design Elena Voitsehovskaya; Senior Lecturer of the Department of Architectural Design Varvara Khmeleva):

    – In my project, I decided to follow such an architectural trend as dacha constructivism. It seemed to me that it could fully reflect the features of the design location, without claiming historicism. It was important to preserve the culture of the area, avoiding obvious remake. My decisions were influenced by the features of the site, which is located at the end of the street, due to which the house is visible from three sides and should form a dominant feature. Such elements as round or narrow rectangular windows, non-standard volumes on the roof (a reference to the surrounding pine trees) and other decor, according to my idea, should make each facade unique (so that you want to look at it), and spacious terraces encircling the main volume will allow you to fully enjoy the views of the Gulf of Finland. Under the roof, away from the household part of the building, there is an art studio, illuminated by two dormer windows. It was important that the style of the building reflect the creative interests of the owner.

    Public interior

    Gasan Abasov, fifth-year student of the Faculty of Architecture, first-degree laureate in the nomination “Public Interior” (supervised by associate professors of the Department of Architectural Design Igor Ivanov and Maria Yakunenkova):

    – The interior of the engineering center is a multifunctional space, including an entrance group with a cloakroom, a coffee shop, an exhibition space, an auditorium and a block with toilets, technical rooms and a warehouse. The dominant role in the interior of the main building of the engineering center is played by a reinforced concrete cube, as if hovering in the center of the space. It houses another exhibition area. The cube is crossed by a strip of ceiling, connecting the central building with the rest of the complex. The main source of natural light is a large-span wooden structure with stained glass glazing. Sunlight, passing through it, creates an interesting light and shadow pattern, which, in contrast to the minimalist interior, sets a bright rhythm.

    Residential interior

    Ekaterina Sokolova, third-year undergraduate student at the Faculty of Architecture, first-degree laureate in the Residential Interior category (supervised by Associate Professor of the Department of Architectural Design Fyodor Perov, Associate Professor and Academic Secretary of the Department of Architectural Design Olga Kokorina):

    – The main goal of the residential interior design project is to create functional and comfortable housing that is not only beautiful and convenient, but also meets the needs and preferences of its inhabitants. To do this, I studied the regulatory requirements for the design of residential buildings, as well as the expected life scenarios of people, their possible needs. When creating the project, I also took into account the features of the premises and its location.

    Historical environment

    Yulia Kolmykova, first-year student of the Master’s program at the Faculty of Architecture, first-degree laureate in the Historical Environment nomination (supervised by Associate Professor of the Department of Architectural and Urban Heritage Evgeniya Shuvaeva and Senior Lecturer of the Department of Architectural and Urban Heritage Darya Bobrova):

    – The cultural heritage site of regional significance – the Zapolye estate is located in the Luzhsky district of the Leningrad region. Before starting the work, I studied archival and bibliographic materials, identified the current problems of the territory. The objectives of the project were to increase the tourist potential of the territory, restore historical functions, and draw attention to the importance of preserving old Russian estates.

    To solve the tasks set, it is proposed to adapt this territory for a children’s agronomic camp and restore the preserved historical buildings. It is also planned to restore the parterre garden and historical alleys according to archival drawings. It is supposed to locate housing for pupils and employees, as well as sports grounds and parking lots on the unguarded territory.

    Hand-drawn graphics

    Nadezhda Nikolaeva, a second-year undergraduate student at the Faculty of Architecture, first-degree laureate in the Hand-drawn Graphics category (supervised by senior lecturers from the Department of History and Theory of Architecture Igor Khramov and Leonid Krupnik):

    – The Rostov Kremlin is depicted here, but despite its dominant position, it is not the main character. The Kremlin here is not just architecture: it is, first of all, an environment that creates an atmosphere and determines the laws of existence. The key characters are people and cows. Cows are a symbol of timelessness, well-being and tranquility, and people are the personification of progress and the change of eras. The essence of life is revealed in their interaction. Thus, the picture raises the question of the dialogue between architecture and time: something is eternal, and something changes, adapting to new realities.

    Architectural photography

    Artem Titov, a second-year master’s student at the Faculty of Architecture at St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, and a first-degree laureate in the Architectural Photography category, spoke about his series of works, Bosnian Patches:

    – Every year at the end of January, my friends and I go skiing. In search of ski resorts that we had not yet tried, we came across a little-known to Russian tourists complex in Bosnia and Herzegovina – the Jahorina ski resort, where the Winter Olympics were held in 1984. But going to another country with an interesting history just for skiing is pointless. So my friends and I put together a long route around the country, visiting several cities and architectural landmarks. Traditional wooden buildings, medieval stone structures and panel houses from the socialist period coexist here. I tried to capture all this diversity in my photos.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African women at higher risk of pre-eclampsia – a dangerous pregnancy complication

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Annettee Nakimuli, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Makerere University

    Pre-eclampsia is a danger to pregnant women. It’s a complication characterised by high blood pressure and organ damage, arising during the second half of pregnancy, in labour or in the first week after delivery.

    It plays a major role in about 16% of the deaths of pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa.

    And it’s on the rise: between 2010 and 2018, the incidence of pre-eclampsia in Africa jumped by around 20%.

    Pre-eclampsia usually occurs in young mothers during a first pregnancy. Girls under the age of 18 years are most at risk. The probability that a 15-year-old girl will die from complications of pregnancy is one in 150 in developing countries, versus one in 3,800 in developed countries, according to the World Health Organization.

    Not only does pre-eclampsia pose a serious health threat to women, it also harms babies. It contributes to stillbirth, preterm birth and low birth weight.

    Yet we still do not know enough about pre-eclampsia. This gap has driven my research into the disease.

    I conducted the first genetic case-control study on pre-eclampsia among African women in comparison to European women over a decade ago for my PhD research.

    My work revealed that both African and European populations have a gene (KIR AA genotype) that increases the chance of pre-eclampsia. However, African women are at greater risk of pre-eclampsia than other racial groups. This is because they’re more at risk of carrying a fetus with a C2-type HLA-C gene from the father. African populations have a higher frequency of this gene, which raises the likelihood of risky mother-fetus combinations.

    An additional finding from my research is that genetic protection from pre-eclampsia works differently across populations – and African populations carry unique protective genes. However, even with these additional protections, African women are at greater risk of developing severe pre-eclampsia due to the other challenges, like access to healthcare and socio-economic constraints.

    There’s inequality in the treatment of the condition too. In my experience, wealthier and better-educated African women often receive the necessary diagnosis and treatment. Poorer and less-educated African women too often do not.

    Pre-eclampsia research, especially in Africa, requires a lot more funding, as does broader research related to the maternal health of African women.

    Pre-eclampsia in Uganda

    Around 287,000 women worldwide die during pregnancy and childbirth every year. Shockingly, 70% of these are African women.

    Most of these deaths are preventable. For example, around 10% are the result of high blood pressure-related conditions during pregnancy.

    Uganda’s Ministry of Health recorded in 2023 that out of 1,276 maternal deaths reported, 16% were associated with high blood pressure.

    Hospitals are being overwhelmed by patients with the illness. For example, Kawempe National Referral Hospital in Kampala receives around 150 patients with the condition every month. It has set up a special ward to treat them.

    The maternal mortality rate (death due to complications from pregnancy or childbirth) in Uganda is 284 per 100,000 live births. In Australia it is 2.94. The neonatal mortality rate (death during the first 28 completed days of life) is 19 per 1,000 live births in Uganda against 2.37 in Australia. Infant mortality (death before a child turns one) is 31 per 1,000 live births in Uganda versus 3.7 in Australia, according to the WHO’s Global Health Observatory.

    This stark contrast highlights an enormous gap in care that the two countries’ pregnant mothers and babies receive.

    Part of the problem in Uganda, as in many developing countries, is persistent challenges in healthcare infrastructure. There are shortages of healthcare workers, medical supplies and facilities, particularly in the rural areas.

    Early detection is key

    As a clinician and researcher working at the centre of Uganda’s healthcare system, I witness mothers arriving at hospitals already in a critical condition, with limited options to treat the complications associated with pre-eclampsia. It is heartbreaking.

    The condition is both preventable and treatable if caught early. My research focuses on identifying biological signs of the likelihood of complications during pregnancy, using data analysis informed by Artificial Intelligence.

    These predictive biomarkers, as they are called, enable us to categorise patients based on their risk levels and identify those most likely to benefit from specific treatments or preventive measures.

    The precise causes of pre-eclampsia are not certain, but factors beyond genetics are thought to be problems with the immune system and inadequate development of the placenta. But much of what researchers know comes from work done in high-income countries, often with a limited sample size of African women.

    Consequently, the findings may not apply directly to the genetics of sub-Saharan African women. My research addresses this knowledge gap.

    Building on my findings about genetic determinants, I am leading a research team at Makerere University to design interventions tailored to specific prevention and treatment strategies for African populations.

    Raising pre-eclampsia awareness

    Research alone is not enough. There is an urgent need to bridge the gap between research and practice.

    During my fieldwork, I have witnessed first-hand how many Ugandan women are not aware of pre-eclampsia’s warning signs and miss out on vital prenatal care. These warning signs often include headache, disturbances with vision, upper pain in the right side of the abdomen and swelling of the legs.

    But we can develop screening algorithms so that healthcare professionals can rapidly diagnose women at higher risk early in their pregnancy. Timely intervention, including specific treatment and plans for delivery, would reduce the risk of adverse outcomes for both mother and baby.

    In my capacity as a national pre-eclampsia champion appointed by Uganda’s Ministry of Health, I am spearheading initiatives to raise awareness and improve access to maternal healthcare services.

    Through community outreach programmes and educational campaigns, we want to empower all women, rich and poor, with knowledge about the condition and encourage them to seek medical assistance at an early stage.

    More resources must be allocated to genetics research to realise our goals of prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of pre-eclampsia and its associated complications.

    This investment will drive the development of predictive technology for precise diagnosis, and enable timely intervention for at-risk mothers.

    Moreover, investigating the genetic roots of pre-eclampsia could lead to novel therapies that reduce the need for costly medical procedures or prolonged care for those affected.

    This would reduce the strain on already overburdened African healthcare systems.

    – African women at higher risk of pre-eclampsia – a dangerous pregnancy complication
    – https://theconversation.com/african-women-at-higher-risk-of-pre-eclampsia-a-dangerous-pregnancy-complication-249222

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: African women at higher risk of pre-eclampsia – a dangerous pregnancy complication

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Annettee Nakimuli, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Makerere University

    Pre-eclampsia is a danger to pregnant women. It’s a complication characterised by high blood pressure and organ damage, arising during the second half of pregnancy, in labour or in the first week after delivery.

    It plays a major role in about 16% of the deaths of pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa.

    And it’s on the rise: between 2010 and 2018, the incidence of pre-eclampsia in Africa jumped by around 20%.

    Pre-eclampsia usually occurs in young mothers during a first pregnancy. Girls under the age of 18 years are most at risk. The probability that a 15-year-old girl will die from complications of pregnancy is one in 150 in developing countries, versus one in 3,800 in developed countries, according to the World Health Organization.

    Not only does pre-eclampsia pose a serious health threat to women, it also harms babies. It contributes to stillbirth, preterm birth and low birth weight.

    Yet we still do not know enough about pre-eclampsia. This gap has driven my research into the disease.

    I conducted the first genetic case-control study on pre-eclampsia among African women in comparison to European women over a decade ago for my PhD research.

    My work revealed that both African and European populations have a gene (KIR AA genotype) that increases the chance of pre-eclampsia. However, African women are at greater risk of pre-eclampsia than other racial groups. This is because they’re more at risk of carrying a fetus with a C2-type HLA-C gene from the father. African populations have a higher frequency of this gene, which raises the likelihood of risky mother-fetus combinations.

    An additional finding from my research is that genetic protection from pre-eclampsia works differently across populations – and African populations carry unique protective genes. However, even with these additional protections, African women are at greater risk of developing severe pre-eclampsia due to the other challenges, like access to healthcare and socio-economic constraints.

    There’s inequality in the treatment of the condition too. In my experience, wealthier and better-educated African women often receive the necessary diagnosis and treatment. Poorer and less-educated African women too often do not.

    Pre-eclampsia research, especially in Africa, requires a lot more funding, as does broader research related to the maternal health of African women.

    Pre-eclampsia in Uganda

    Around 287,000 women worldwide die during pregnancy and childbirth every year. Shockingly, 70% of these are African women.

    Most of these deaths are preventable. For example, around 10% are the result of high blood pressure-related conditions during pregnancy.

    Uganda’s Ministry of Health recorded in 2023 that out of 1,276 maternal deaths reported, 16% were associated with high blood pressure.

    Hospitals are being overwhelmed by patients with the illness. For example, Kawempe National Referral Hospital in Kampala receives around 150 patients with the condition every month. It has set up a special ward to treat them.

    The maternal mortality rate (death due to complications from pregnancy or childbirth) in Uganda is 284 per 100,000 live births. In Australia it is 2.94. The neonatal mortality rate (death during the first 28 completed days of life) is 19 per 1,000 live births in Uganda against 2.37 in Australia. Infant mortality (death before a child turns one) is 31 per 1,000 live births in Uganda versus 3.7 in Australia, according to the WHO’s Global Health Observatory.

    This stark contrast highlights an enormous gap in care that the two countries’ pregnant mothers and babies receive.

    Part of the problem in Uganda, as in many developing countries, is persistent challenges in healthcare infrastructure. There are shortages of healthcare workers, medical supplies and facilities, particularly in the rural areas.

    Early detection is key

    As a clinician and researcher working at the centre of Uganda’s healthcare system, I witness mothers arriving at hospitals already in a critical condition, with limited options to treat the complications associated with pre-eclampsia. It is heartbreaking.

    The condition is both preventable and treatable if caught early. My research focuses on identifying biological signs of the likelihood of complications during pregnancy, using data analysis informed by Artificial Intelligence.

    These predictive biomarkers, as they are called, enable us to categorise patients based on their risk levels and identify those most likely to benefit from specific treatments or preventive measures.

    The precise causes of pre-eclampsia are not certain, but factors beyond genetics are thought to be problems with the immune system and inadequate development of the placenta. But much of what researchers know comes from work done in high-income countries, often with a limited sample size of African women.

    Consequently, the findings may not apply directly to the genetics of sub-Saharan African women. My research addresses this knowledge gap.

    Building on my findings about genetic determinants, I am leading a research team at Makerere University to design interventions tailored to specific prevention and treatment strategies for African populations.

    Raising pre-eclampsia awareness

    Research alone is not enough. There is an urgent need to bridge the gap between research and practice.

    During my fieldwork, I have witnessed first-hand how many Ugandan women are not aware of pre-eclampsia’s warning signs and miss out on vital prenatal care. These warning signs often include headache, disturbances with vision, upper pain in the right side of the abdomen and swelling of the legs.

    But we can develop screening algorithms so that healthcare professionals can rapidly diagnose women at higher risk early in their pregnancy. Timely intervention, including specific treatment and plans for delivery, would reduce the risk of adverse outcomes for both mother and baby.

    In my capacity as a national pre-eclampsia champion appointed by Uganda’s Ministry of Health, I am spearheading initiatives to raise awareness and improve access to maternal healthcare services.

    Through community outreach programmes and educational campaigns, we want to empower all women, rich and poor, with knowledge about the condition and encourage them to seek medical assistance at an early stage.

    More resources must be allocated to genetics research to realise our goals of prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment of pre-eclampsia and its associated complications.

    This investment will drive the development of predictive technology for precise diagnosis, and enable timely intervention for at-risk mothers.

    Moreover, investigating the genetic roots of pre-eclampsia could lead to novel therapies that reduce the need for costly medical procedures or prolonged care for those affected.

    This would reduce the strain on already overburdened African healthcare systems.

    Annettee Nakimuli receives funding from the Gates Foundation, GSK and the Royal Society.

    – ref. African women at higher risk of pre-eclampsia – a dangerous pregnancy complication – https://theconversation.com/african-women-at-higher-risk-of-pre-eclampsia-a-dangerous-pregnancy-complication-249222

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “This is their Victory.” The “Glagol” Theatre staged a play about the generation of victors

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

    On May 3, the People’s University Theatre “Glagol” of SPbPU hosted the premiere of the musical and poetic composition “Shards of Silence”, dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

    In the performance, staged by the artistic director of the theater by Konstantin Gershov based on poems about the war and memories of front-line soldiers, brought together actors of different generations – from experienced masters who graduated from the Polytechnic in the 80-90s of the last century, to first-year students. This musical and poetic performance became an immersion, a kind of bridge between the past and the present.

    “At the end of March, when the repertoire of “Glagol” was being put together until the end of the season, an idea was born to do something dedicated to the anniversary of our Victory,” says Konstantin Gershov. “I buried myself in poetry and documents. As a result, a script for a musical and poetic composition appeared, and during several rehearsals, the play “Shards of Silence” came into being, which intertwined poetry, music, songs, and the memories of front-line soldiers. Conventional theater intertwined with newsreels, familiar songs of the war years became visible. Parallel dramatic stories unfolded within them. The play was glued together from different genre “shards,” moods, conditions, and atmospheres. Those who had the opportunity and desire took part in the play. As a result, several generations of Glagolits and four first-year studio students came together in the common work, which makes me very happy as the theater’s artistic director. We dedicate the play “Shards of Silence” to our ancestors. This is their Victory. And our memory of this Victory.”

    Poems by Vladimir Agatov, Olga Berggolts, Vladimir Vysotsky, Semyon Gudzenko, Yulia Drunina, Mikhail Isakovsky, Boris Kovynev, Mikhail Kulchitsky, Boris Laskin, Vasily Lebedev-Kumach, Mark Maksimov, Alexey Markov, Alexander Mezhirov, Bulat Okudzhava, David Samoilov, Boris Slutsky, Konstantin Gershov, Sergey Slesarev, Alexander Tsirlinson and other poets were recited from the stage.

    The audience heard excerpts from letters and memoirs by Pavel Kogan, Alexey Panteleyev, Boris Polevoy, Vasily Subbotin, and Nikolay Chukovsky.

    The musical accompaniment included music by Nikita Bogoslovsky, Matvey Blanter, Dmitry Shostakovich, Vladimir Vysotsky, Frederic Chopin, Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Maria Bulat and other composers. The songs included “A Girl Sees Off a Soldier at the Position”, “Blue Handkerchief”, “The Morning Paints with Gentle Light”, “Three Tankers”, “Dark Night”, “Katyusha”, “It So Happened That the Men Left”, “How Disturbing the Memory is the September Evening”.

    Stasys Krasauskas’s engravings from the “Forever Alive” series, Sergei Larenkov’s photographs from the “Blockade Leningrad” series, and fragments from the film “Two Fighters” fit organically into the performance’s design.

    The production designer is Lyudmila Radchenko. Musical director is Maria Bulat. Sets by Dmitry Afinogenov and Lyudmila Radchenko, costumes and props by Lyudmila Radchenko. Assistant directors are Master’s student of IPMET Irina Smirnova (she is also a lighting designer) and ISI-2021 graduate Kirill Molev (he is also responsible for sound and video together with 3rd year IE student Mikhail Denisov).

    After the premiere, the actors shared their impressions of working in the play.

    Tatyana Mironova, 1995 GTF graduate, performer of the role of Woman: It can’t be called excitement, it’s something else, to the point of ringing in the ears, as if you’ve gone through a portal and feel everything differently. Thank you for the opportunity to be in such a project, to pronounce the names of grandfathers from the stage, for the memory, for the dedication, for this special energy!

    Darya Nonina, FEM-2001 graduate, performer of the roles of Woman and Mathematician: Those who went through the war, talked little about it. People avoided the topic. They were silent… Over time, they began to talk little by little. With fragmentary memories. Short. Sharp. The silence began to look like a panel of fragments. This composition, which we showed to the audience on May 3, is assembled from small and not so small details. Poems. Songs. Photos… I want to keep quiet after that Saturday. Although no… I want to say that the rehearsals went on as usual. Every now and then we would get a lump in our throats. But we managed. And then we got to the rehearsal of the finale. And I had to talk, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t say that my dad was a prisoner of a concentration camp. Because in the composition I also got a small role of a fascist mathematician, who had to dryly tell about the profit from each prisoner. On Friday evening it seemed that the composition was falling apart, crumbling, not fitting into a mosaic. And then Saturday came. What happened to us overnight? I don’t know… But all the participants suddenly connected with an invisible strong string, rallied, gathered, clenched into a fist. And the panel became voluminous, bright.

    Irina Gumarova, a 2016 graduate of the Polytechnic Institute of Humanities, performer of the roles of the Woman in Black and the Singer: It was a time of unity, open emotions. I have never seen the audience applaud so unanimously, with tears in their eyes. It was clear that this applause was intended for those whose lives fell on the terrible years of the war. It seemed that all our ancestors were standing next to us.

    Dmitry Fedorov, a first-year student at the Polytechnic Institute of Secondary Vocational Education, who plays the Soldier: Preparation for “Shards of Silence” was very interesting, educational and intensive. I learned a lot about the life of a Soviet soldier: how to wear a tunic, how to properly handle a carbine. I watched Soviet films about the war, about the horrors of those years. Many viewers cried that evening, which means that we were able to reach the hearts of the public.

    Igor Samoilov, student of the Institute of History and Culture, performer of the role of the Soldier: Work on this performance advanced my understanding of the Great Patriotic War, I began to treat this topic more seriously and responsibly, I began to understand more clearly what ordinary people with ordinary human souls actually went through in the forties, what a severe test our ancestors withstood. Now, I think I understand how it felt. The performance, composed by Konstantin Valentinovich, gives an opportunity to look into that time and experience it together with the characters of the production.

    Alina Buyanova, first-year student at the State Institute of Theatre Arts, performer of the role of the Girl: I am glad that my debut on the Glagol stage fell on such a performance. I never went backstage during a single rehearsal, I always stood behind the stage and watched. And every time – both during the rehearsals and during the performance – I was shivering from head to toe. Many episodes were chilling. In “Shards of Silence” I had the role of the Girl, a weightless and intangible image, a part of which lived in the soul of everyone during that harsh wartime, this is such a sincere and strong hope, a peaceful blue sky and tenderness. For me, this image is a contrast to the horrors of war.

    Pavel Sobolev, third-year student at the Institute of Theatre Arts, performer of the role of the Soldier: I could not even imagine that I, being a studio member, would take part in the premiere. The feelings before going on stage are frighteningly opposite: scary and incredibly interesting. There is a feeling: “The performance cannot be stopped! I will have to play, and there is nowhere to go!” And at the same moment comes a burning desire to go out and start playing my role. After the performance, feelings of joy and euphoria did not leave me, despite such a morally difficult production on an important topic. My heart was filled with a feeling of gratitude to the generation of people whose lives were affected by the war. It is important that we do not forget our heroes. It is nice that my family was present in the audience, who were touched by what was happening on stage.

    Tatyana Amirova, 3rd year student of the Institute of History and Culture, performer of the role of the Girl: My grandparents, great-grandparents were participants of the Great Patriotic War, I have heard stories about them since childhood. The war scared me (and still scares me), but the feat they accomplished delighted and amazed me to the depths of my soul. I could not imagine how they managed to survive this and preserve the human being in themselves. Thank you all for this performance. I am glad that I am part of such important work.

    From audience reviews

    Svetlana Viktorovna Tkacheva, foreign language methodologist at the State Budgetary Institution IMC of the Kalininsky District: The performance grabbed the hearts of the audience with a strong hand at the very beginning and did not let go until the end, and even the victorious march that sounded at the end did not make this grip easier. Because the fragments of war keep flying and flying, piercing our hearts and minds. The performance ended in an unusual and touching way – each performer, addressing the audience, named their grandfather, uncle, relative, who fought for Victory. I am sure that at that moment, each spectator mentally remembered their war hero…

    On May 10 and 17, to mark the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, the People’s University Theatre “Glagol” of the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University will present the play “Thirteen Women of Sergeant Major Vaskov Between the Premonition of Great Love and the Expectation of Sudden Death.” The play is based on the story by Boris Vasiliev “The Dawns Here Are Quiet…”.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Unleash your talent: take part in the stage production competition

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    The State University of Management invites students to take part in the III All-Russian competition of stage productions “Without a statute of limitations: in the mirror of historical truth”.

    The competition is organized by the Russian Historical Society, the History of the Fatherland Foundation, and the National Center for Historical Memory under the President of the Russian Federation.

    Theatrical and creative groups of higher education institutions of the Russian Federation, with the exception of universities professionally connected with the sphere of culture and art, may apply.

    The competition is held in two thematic areas:

    “National Heritage”: the theme is relevant for groups preparing creative numbers (stage productions) with elements of folklore, everyday life, music, choreography, etc. In this direction, the emphasis is on the preservation and promotion of the ethnocultural and historical heritage of the peoples of Russia. Participants can use various stage genres, forms, techniques, methods to present the traditions, customs, language, and culture of the peoples of our country. “The Feat of the Victorious People”: within the framework of this theme, dramatic and literary-musical stage productions can be presented, the plots of which are associated with the military and labor feat of the Russian people in various periods of history. The fundamental aspect of the thematic direction is the patriotic and heroic traditions of the people of Russia.

    Applications for participation are accepted on the official website until 18:00 on July 7, 2025.

    Based on the results of the competitive selection, creative teams that advance to the competition finals are determined.

    The finalists will present their stage productions at the festival, which will be held in Moscow in the fall of 2025.

    The competition is held with the aim of preserving the historical truth about the crimes of the Nazis and their accomplices committed against peaceful Soviet citizens in the occupied territories during the Great Patriotic War.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 05/06/2025

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Falmouth, Cumberland Students to Attend US Service Academies, Pingree Announces

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (1st District of Maine)

    Today, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) announced that the two Maine students she nominated to attend U.S. Service Academies have both been accepted. Falmouth High School senior Samuel Yoon will attend the Air Force Academy in Colorado and Greely High School senior Riley Record will attend the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York.

    “Being accepted to a U.S. Service Academy is an extraordinary achievement that speaks volumes about a student’s academic excellence, leadership, and character,” said Pingree. “Like all the Maine students I’ve had the honor of nominating, Samuel and Riley have shown an outstanding commitment to serving our country. I’m incredibly proud of their acceptance to the Air Force Academy and West Point, and I wish them all the best.”

    “My experience as captain [of my high school soccer team] has taught me the values of serving others and has reinforced my belief in the Air Force’s core values: Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do,” Samuel wrote in his letter requesting a nomination.“I have been fortunate to grow up in a caring family and community. I feel drawn to service, and the environment that the military provides is how I want to serve. The military’s emphasis on duty, honor, and selfless service resonates with me.”

    “It is truly the camaraderie, atmosphere, and service to country that drew me to the Academies. That camaraderie is something I have not felt elsewhere, and the universal ambition and drive of the students create an environment I wish to be a part of,” Riley wrote in her letter requesting a nomination. “I see the Academies as [a means] to dedicate my life to something bigger than myself, and to become a leader who will help people and my country. What I want most in my life is to have a purpose and be a part of an organization greater than a single entity, and the military would allow me this privilege.”

    To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, applicants must be nominated by an authorized nominating source, which includes Members of Congress.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: MEDIA ADVISORY: EMERGENCY PRESS BRIEFING FROM HUMANITARIAN ORGANISATIONS IN GAZA AS ISRAEL’S TOTAL SIEGE ON GAZA MARKS TWO MONTHS

    Source: Oxfam –

    What

    Today marks two months since Israel imposed a total siege on Gaza. Representatives from leading humanitarian organisations, including those who are in or just left the Gaza Strip, will brief the press on the devastating humanitarian impacts, as Palestinians facing starvation struggle to survive against the backdrop of a total siege which has blocked the entry of all aid – food, water, medicine, vital equipment – and commercial goods into Gaza.

    Panellists will share testimonies on the unimaginable suffering people are experiencing as aid stocks run out and malnutrition rates rise, and will renew their urgent call for a full and permanent ceasefire and the unfettered entry of aid.  

    The situation in Gaza has become increasingly dire since Israel broke the ceasefire on 18 March and renewed bombings and ground operations. People are risking their lives as they search for food, water and shelter under bombardment.  

    Areas of focus

    • Depletion of essential supplies and food stocks from markets and aid agencies, causing food prices to skyrocket.
    • The resulting acute hunger and malnutrition, especially among children.
    • The militarization of aid.
    • Targeting of medical facilities and the dire state of medical care.
    • The severe constraints of humanitarian aid delivery under Israel’s blockade of Gaza.

    When

    Friday, May 2, 2025 – 13:00 BST; 14:00 CET; 15:00 Gaza; 08:00 ET

    Where

    Please register in advance for this webinar:

    https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_81_sW6z3Tbqb_pPvEijgKg

    After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

    Who

    • Moderated by Jacqui Corcoran, Media & Comms Lead, Oxfam Jerusalem, Occupied Palestinian Territory
    • Gavin Kelleher, Humanitarian Access Manager, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). He has been working from Gaza for the past year, advising on navigating the deteriorating humanitarian access environment, and focusing on getting aid to the hardest-to-reach populations.
    • Ghada Alhaddad, Gaza Media & Communications Officer, Oxfam International. She holds a master’s degree in Public Affairs, which she earned through a Fulbright Scholarship. Ghada has worked in multimedia production since 2017, with various NGOs in Gaza and USA including Atfaluna Society for Deaf Children, Anera, and the IU Center of Excellence for Women & Technology. She is based in Gaza.
    • Rachael Cummings, Gaza-based Humanitarian Director, Save the Children. She has been working in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) since October 2023, initially based in Ramallah before relocating to Gaza in February. Rachael brings extensive experience in humanitarian public health. Prior to her current role, she served as the Director of Humanitarian Public Health at Save the Children in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, where she led the Emergency Health Unit’s COVID-19 response.
    • Amjad Shawa, Director, Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) and the deputy of the General Commissioner of the Independent Commission of Human Rights (ICHR). He worked as a teacher of the deaf from 1992 until 1999. He is a member of The Palestinian Resource Group on Conflict Transformation and is also co-founder and board member of a number of NGOs, and has written and spoken extensively on human rights and civil society issues. He is based in Gaza.
    • Dr. Fady Abed, Gaza-based dentist, Communications and Reporting Officer, MedGlobal. He supports nutrition and health programs by working closely with frontline teams to coordinate and document the response to rising malnutrition, providing firsthand insight into its impact on affected communities. He is based in Gaza.

    For more information and for interviews, please contact:

    Oxfam Media office | Media.OPTI@oxfam.org   

    Jacqui Crocoran | Oxfam Media Lead in Jerusalem, Occupied Palestinian TerritoryOxfam |  jacqui.corcoran@oxfam.org

    For real-time updates, follow us on X and Bluesky, and join our WhatsApp channel. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Launch of the UK–ADB Nature and Food Partnership

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    This session highlighted key initiatives, including the Central and South Asian Flyways, regenerative agriculture, natural capital and biodiversity credits, and the UK Conservation Learning Week. The launch event was held on the sidelines of the 58th Annual Meeting of the ADB Board of Governors in Milan, Italy.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Building the best future for Scotland

    Source: Scottish Government

    Programme for Government 2025-26.

    The NHS will deliver 100,000 additional GP appointments and Scotland will have a ‘best in UK’ cost-of-living guarantee, including the permanent abolition of peak rail fares, First Minister John Swinney announced as he set out a Programme for Government against a backdrop of global economic challenges. 

    Speaking one year since he was elected First Minister and one year before the end of this Parliament, Mr Swinney committed to a package of cost-of-living initiatives for households and businesses and a new Six Point Export Plan to unlock target markets. He set out plans to strengthen the NHS with the delivery of extra GP appointments for key health risks such as high blood pressure, and 150,000 more NHS appointments and procedures, including a 50% increase in surgical procedures such as hip and knee replacements.  

    Key announcements include:   

    • 100,000 enhanced service GP appointments by March 2026 for key risk factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, obesity and smoking as well as more than 150,000 extra appointments and procedures, including surgeries and diagnostic tests, and target cancer pathways to tackle backlogs against the 62-day referral to treatment standard 
    • The cost-of-living guarantee which includes ongoing free prescriptions, eye exams, bus travel for 2.3 million people, free tuition for students and more than £6,000 in early learning and childcare support for each eligible child 
    • ScotRail peak rail fares abolished and the general alcohol ban on ScotRail trains removed and replaced with time and location restrictions 
    • Winter fuel payments for pensioners restored 
    • A new Six Point Export Plan, with a focus on actions to unlock target markets, and showcase Scotland to global buyers 
    • A national regeneration fund that will support at least 26 projects to renew and restore communities, with a focus on delivering more local jobs 
    • More rights and stronger protections for tenants, helping deliver more than 8,000 affordable homes, including for social and mid-market rent, and removing barriers on stalled building sites with the potential to deliver up to 20,000 new homes 

    The First Minister said:  

     “This Programme for Government is focused on providing the best cost-of-living support across the UK, as well as delivering a renewed and stronger NHS.   

     “When I became First Minister a year ago, I heard loud and clear people’s concerns about the NHS which is why I am taking serious action to ensure the NHS meets the needs of the public.  

    “This PfG also shows decisive action to protect Scotland’s economy and maximise our economic potential in the face of global challenges.   

     “It is being published earlier than usual, in part because it allows a clear year of delivery on the NHS and other public services, but also due to the scale of the looming economic challenge.    

     “It is a programme for a better Scotland, for a stronger NHS and a more resilient and wealthier Scotland. It is a Programme for Government that gets our nation on track for success.”  

     Background  

    Read the Programme for Government 2025-26

    Read the First Minister’s statement to the Scottish Parliament, 6 May 2025

    The First Minister also confirmed Scottish Government plans to introduce six Bills over the course of the 2025-26 parliamentary year – alongside 2 Bills due to be introduced before summer recess and 14 Bills already before the Scottish Parliament – including:  

    Bills for introduction:  

    • Budget (No. 5)   
    • Children and Young People (Care)   
    • Contract (Formation and Remedies)   
    • Digital Assets    
    • Heat in Buildings   
    • Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures   

     Bills from Year 4 programme which will be introduced before summer recess:  

    • Building Safety Levy   
    • Crofting and Scottish Land Court   

    Scottish Government Bills currently proceeding through Parliament:   

    • Care Reform   
    • Children (Withdrawal from Religious Education and Amendment of UNCRC Compatibility Duty)   
    • Community Wealth Building   
    • Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews   
    • Education   
    • Housing   
    • Land Reform   
    • Leases (Automatic Continuation etc.)   
    • Natural Environment   
    • Regulation of Legal Services   
    • Scottish Languages   
    • Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance)   
    • UEFA European Championship   
    • Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform 

    A’ togail an ama ri teachd as fheàrr do dh’Alba

    Am Prògram airson Riaghaltas 2025-26.

    Bheir an NHS seachad 100,000 coinneamh a bharrachd le dotairean-teaghlaich. Gheibh Alba cuideachd gealladh gur i an dùthaich san Rìoghachd Aonaichte far am faigh daoine an dòigh-bheatha as fheàrr a dh’aindeoin staing nan cosgaisean bith-beò – mar eisimpleir, le bhith a’ cur às do na faraidhean rèile as daoire aig Rèile na h-Alba. Mhìnich am Prìomh Mhinistear Iain Swinney seo is e a’ cur an cèill Prògram airson Riaghaltas mu choinneamh dhùbhlain eaconamach na cruinne.

    ’S e a’ bruidhinn aon bhliadhna bhon a chaidh a thaghadh mar Phrìomh Mhinistear is aon bhliadhna gun crìochnaich a’ Phàrlamaid seo, thug Mgr Swinney seachad gealladh gun cuireadh an Riaghaltas an sàs iomairtean a thaobh chosgaisean bith-beò às leth dhachaighean is ghnothachasan. Gheall e gun dèigheadh Plana ùr fhoillseachadh anns a bheil Sia Puingean a thaobh Às-mhalairt, gus fosgladh margaidhean air a bheil Alba ag amas. Mhìnich e cuideachd planaichean gus an NHS a neartachadh le bhith a’ toirt seachad barrachd choinneamhan le dotairean-teaghlaich airson prìomh chunnartan slàinte leithid brùthadh-fala àrd. A thuilleadh air an sin, thèid 150,000 coinneamh is obair-mheadaigeach a bharrachd a thoirt seachad fon NHS, agus nam measg bidh àrdachadh de 50% ann an obraichean-lannsa leithid a bhith a’ toirt chruaichnean is ghlùinean ùra do dhaoine.

    Mar phàirt de na prìomh rudan a thèid a chur an cèill tha:

    • 100,000 coinneamhan le dotairean-teaghlaich tron tèid seirbheis aig ìre nas àirde a thoirt seachad. Bidh seo air a choileanadh ron Mhàrt 2026 is dèiligidh iad ris na prìomh rudan a chomharras cunnartan slàinte, mar eisimpleir: brùthadh-fala àrd, coileastarail àrd, àrd-ìre de shiùcar-fala, reamhrachd agus smocadh. Thèid cuideachd 150,000 coinneamh is obair-mheadaigeach a bharrachd a thoirt seachad. Am measg iad seo bidh obraichean-lannsa is deuchainnean diagnosach, is slighean leigheis airson aillse gus an tèid dèiligeadh ri cùisean air an deach maill a chur. Bidh seo a’ coileanadh na bun-inbhe a chanas nach bi neach a’ feitheamh barrachd air 62 latha eadar iad a bhith a’ faighinn iomradh airson leigheas agus an leigheas fhèin.
    • Gealladh a thaobh chosgaisean bith-beò far an lean daoine orra a bhith a’ faighinn òrduighean-chungaidhean saor an-asgaidh, deuchainnean sùla, siubhal air bus do 2.3 millean neach, oideachadh saor an-asgaidh do dh’oileanaich agus còrr air £6000 as fhiach de thaic airson tràth-ionnsachadh is cùram-cloinne do gach leanabh aig a bheil cothrom air.
    • Gun tèid cur às do na faraidhean as àirde aig Rèile na h-Alba. Bidh cuideachd an casg a tha ann an-dràsta a thaobh a bhith ag òl deoch-làidir air a thoirt air falbh is bacaidhean sònraichte a rèir àm agus àite air an cur ann.
    • Gun tèid pàigheadh connaidh a’ Gheamhraidh do pheinnseanairean a thoirt air ais.
    • Plana ùr anns a bheil Sia Puingean a thaobh Às-mhalairt, a chuireas fòcas air gnìomhan gus fosgladh margaidhean air a bheil Alba ag amas, agus gus an dùthaich a thaisbeanadh do cheannaichean na cruinne.
    • Maoin ath-bheòthachaidh nàiseanta a chuireas taic ri co-dhiù 26 pròiseactan gus ath-nuadhachadh is ath-thogail a thoirt air coimhearsnachdan, is far am bi fòcas air barrachd obraichean ionadail ùra a thoirt seachad.
    • Barrachd chòraichean is ceumannan dìona nas treasa do luchd-gabhail, a chuidicheas ann a bhith a’ toirt seachad còrr air 8,000 dachaigh aig prìs reusanta, is cuid dhiubh sin air an cur a-mach air màl sòisealta no meadhan na margaidh. Thèid cuideachd cur às do chnapan-starra a tha a’ fàgail gu bheil cuid a làraichean togail nan tàmh – rud aig a bheil an comas a bhith a’ toirt seachad suas ri 20,000 dachaigh ùr.

    Thuirt am Prìomh Mhinistear:

    “Tha am Prògram airson Riaghaltas seo a’ cur fòcas air a bhith a’ toirt seachad na taice as fheàrr anns an Rìoghachd Aonaichte a thaobh chosgaisean bith-beò, a thuilleadh air a bhith a’ toirt seachad NHS a tha nas làidire agus air ùrachadh.

    “Nuair a chaidh mo thaghadh mar Phrìomh Mhinistear o chionn bliadhna, chaidh na draghan a tha aig daoine mun NHS a dhèanamh soilleir dhomh is ’s ann air sgàth sin a tha mi a’ cur an sàs ghnìomhan cudromach a nì cinnteach gu bheil an NHS a’ coileanadh feumalachdan a’ phobaill.

    “Anns a’ Phrògram seo chithear cuideachd gu bheil sinn a’ leantainn ghnìomhan le cinnt gus eaconamaidh na h-Alba a dhìon is làn-chomas na h-eaconamaidh againn a thoirt gu buil an aghaidh dhùbhlain aig ìre na cruinne.

     “Tha am Prògram air fhoillseachadh nas tràithe na ’s àbhaist, gu ìre seach gu bheil seo a’ toirt bliadhna shlàn far an urrainn do gheallaidhean a bhith air an coileanadh a thaobh an NHS is seirbheisean poblach eile, ach cuideachd air sgàth meud an dùbhlain eaconamaich a tha romhainn.

    “’S e prògram a tha ann airson Alba nas fheàrr, NHS nas làidire agus Alba a tha nas seasmhaiche agus nas beartaiche. ’S e seo Prògram airson Riaghaltas tron tèid an dùthaich againn a thilleadh don rathad as soirbheachaile.”

     Cùl-fhiosrachadh

    Dhearbh am Prìomh Mhinistear cuideachd na planaichean aig Riaghaltas na h-Alba gus sia Bilean a thoirt a-steach don phàrlamaid thairis air bliadhna na pàrlamaid 2025-26. Tha iad seo a thuilleadh air dà Bhile a tha san amharc tighinn do Phàrlamaid na h-Alba ro fhosadh an t-samhraidh agus 14 Bile a tha mu thràth mu choinneamh na Pàrlamaid. Nam measg, tha:

    Bilean rin toirt a-steach: 

    • Buidseat (Àir. 5)  
    • Clann agus Daoine Òga (Cùram)  
    • Cùmhnant (Cruthachadh agus Leasachadh)  
    • Maoinean Didseatach
    • Teas ann an Togalaichean
    • Obraichean-maise air nach fheum Obair-lannsa

    Bilean bho phrògram Bliadhna 4 a thèid a chur don phàrlamaid ro fhosadh an t-samhraidh: 

    • Bile na Cìse airson Sàbhailteachd Thogalaichean
    • Bile na Croitearachd agus Cùirt Fearainn na h-Alba

    Bilean le Riaghaltas na h-Alba a tha sa Phàrlamaid:  

    • Bile airson Ath-leasachadh Cùraim  
    • Bile na Cloinne (A bhith a’ tighinn a-mach à Foghlam Creidimh agus Atharrachadh air Dleastanas Co-fhreagarrachd an UNCRC)
    • Bile airson Togail Beartas Choimhearsnachdan
    • Bile airson Ùrachadh Ceartas Eucorach is Sgrùdaidhean air Giùlan Mì-ghnàthach san Dachaigh
    • Bile an Fhoghlaim  
    • Bile an Taigheadais
    • Bile airson Ath-leasachadh Fearainn
    • Bile na Gabhalach (Fèin-leantainn msaa.)
    • Bile na h-Àrainneachd Nàdarra
    • Bile airson Riaghladh Sheirbheisean Lagha
    • Bile nan Cànan Albannach
    • Bile airson Foghlam agus Trèanadh Iar-sgoile (Maoineachadh agus Riaghladh)
    • Bile airson Co-fharpais Eòrpach UEFA
    • Bile airson Ath-leasachadh a thaobh Luchd-fulaing, Luchd-fianais agus Ceartas

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: TopLine Financial Credit Union Receives Statewide Recognition for Adult Financial Education Efforts

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MAPLE GROVE, Minn., May 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TopLine Financial Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based member-owned financial services cooperative, was named winner of the Desjardins Financial Education Award. The award, sponsored by the Minnesota Credit Union Network (MnCUN) recognized credit unions for superior adult financial education programs benefitting the credit union’s members and communities. The Desjardins award is named after credit union pioneer Alphonse Desjardins and emphasizes the movement’s longtime commitment to financial education.

    TopLine was awarded in the Desjardins Adult Category for the credit union’s Certified Credit Union Financial Counselors (CCUFC) designation. 37% of all TopLine employees have received their Certified Credit Union Financial Counselors (CCUFC) designation through Credit Union National Association’s (CUNA) Financial Counseling Certification Program (FiCEP). This supports TopLine’s commitment in providing financial expertise, guidance and resources that meet members’ individual needs to improve their financial wellness, creating a dynamic point of differentiation for the credit union.

    In addition, TopLine partnered with Knowledge of Financial Education (KOFE), a financial resource vendor to create an online, self-help Financial Learning Center that provides free resources, tools and financial guidance, which includes videos, downloadable publications, budgeting tools, live chats with financial counselors, calculators, webinars, podcasts, interactive courses, games and more.

    “We are honored to receive recognition for our dedicated efforts in providing financial education opportunities that enhance the financial well-being of our members and communities,” stated Mick Olson, President and CEO of TopLine Financial Credit Union. “Our commitment remains steadfast in assisting consumers by fostering sound financial habits through enhanced financial wellness guidance.”

    The Minnesota Credit Union Network is the statewide trade association that works to ensure the success, growth and vitality of Minnesota credit unions. For more information, visit www.mncun.org.

    TopLine Financial Credit Union, a Twin Cities-based credit union, is Minnesota’s 9th largest credit union, with assets of over $1.1 billion and serves over 70,000 members. Established in 1935, the not-for-profit financial cooperative offers a complete line of financial services from its ten branch locations — in Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Circle Pines, Coon Rapids, Forest Lake, Maple Grove, Plymouth, St. Francis and in St. Paul’s Como Park — as well as by phone and online at www.TopLinecu.com or www.ahcu.coop. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school or volunteers in Anoka, Benton, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Pine, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington and Wright counties in Minnesota and their immediate family members, as well as employees and retirees of Anoka Hennepin School District #11, Anoka Technical College, Federal Premium Ammunition, Hoffman Enclosures, Inc., GRACO, Inc., and their subsidiaries. Visit us on our Facebook or Instagram. To learn more about the credit union’s foundation, visit www.TopLinecu.com/Foundation.

    CONTACT:
    Vicki Roscoe Erickson
    Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer
    TopLine Financial Credit Union
    verickson@toplinecu.com | 763.391.0872

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fd3055e5-ac8f-4e5d-98be-c6e08644938c

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Pfluger’s ACES Act Passes Through the House

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman August Pfluger’s (TX-11) bipartisan, bicameral legislation seeking to lower military aviation cancer rates passed through the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 376-5. The Aviator Cancer Examination Study (ACES) Act directs the Secretary of the VA to study cancer incidences and mortality rates among aviators and aircrews who served in the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.

    The ACES Act was co-led in the House by Congressman and U.S. Navy veteran Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) and in the Senate by Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Senator Tom Cotton (R-AK), both veterans and members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

    To celebrate its passage on the House floor today, Rep. Pfluger, Rep. Panetta, Senator Kelly, and Senator Cotton released the following statements:

    “As a former fighter pilot, I know firsthand the risks that airmen and women take every day when they step into the cockpit, and I’ve fought alongside the best this nation has to offer. But I have also stood in hospital rooms watching far too many of my brothers and sisters fight their toughest battles not in the air, but in the hospital room against cancer,” said Rep. Pfluger. “The ACES Act is not just a bill—it’s a lifeline for those who have already given so much for our freedom, and it’s a message to every pilot who’s ever put on a uniform to protect our skies that we will fight to protect them in return. The ACES Act has been my top priority in Congress since I was elected, and I am thrilled that after years of advocacy, this legislation has finally passed through the House, and I urge its swift passage in the Senate.”

    “Many veterans face serious health risks, including increased rates of cancer potentially linked to aviation service,” said Rep. Panetta.  “The House’s passage of the ACES Act is an important step forward in our efforts to uncover the full scope of these diagnoses and ensure our military and VA providers have the data they need to respond. The Senate must act, and do so quickly, to provide our aviators and, ultimately, all of our veterans, with the care and answers they deserve.”

    “As a former Navy pilot, there are certain risks that we know and accept come with our service, but we know far less about the health risks that are affecting many aviators years later,” said Senator Kelly. “Veteran aviators deserve answers about the correlation between their job and cancer risks so we can reduce those risks for future pilots. I’m proud to lead this effort in the Senate and won’t rest until we get it across the finish line.”  

    “We owe it to past, present, and future aviators in the armed forces to study the prevalence of cancer among this group of veterans. I applaud the House for passing this important piece of legislation and look forward to leading the effort, along with Senator Kelly, to pass it through the Senate,” said Senator Cotton.
      

    Before its passage, Rep. Pfluger spoke on the House floor in support of this legislation, and his remarks can be viewed HERE. Read the full text of the legislation HERE.

    The passage of Rep. Pfluger’s legislation was also celebrated by several veteran organizations and advocacy groups, including Red River Valley Association (RRVA), With Honor Action, HunterSeven Foundation, the MACH Coalition, Fleet Reserve Association, the Wounded Warrior Project, and Veteran Prostate Cancer Awareness Inc. 

    Vince Alcazar, COL, USAF, ret., MACH Coalition Founder & Director said, “The Military Aviator Coalition for Health (MACH) celebrates the passage of H.R. 530, the Aviator Cancer Examination Study (ACES) Act. With three major Department of Defense studies in the last four confirming and quantifying significantly elevated cancer rates among U.S. military flyers, the ACES Act goes the next step. This bill would ask the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to apply their extensive Veteran health study capacity to determine what in the operating environments of military aviation is likely causing cancer. This study is essential. Without the ACES Act, military medicine will have no practical way of mitigating risk, and Veteran flyers will have no basis to correlate their service to potential cancer. This day was five years in the making. We recognize and praise the leadership of Congressman August Pfluger in leading this bill through three Congresses to today. Congressman Pfluger is an amazing champion of this work.”

    Theo Lawson, Assistant Director, Legislative Programs, Fleet Reserve Association, said, “The Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) wholeheartedly celebrates the passage of the ACES Act in the House and extends our sincere congratulations to Congressman August Pfluger, his staff, and the bill’s cosponsors for their incredible dedication in advancing this vital legislation. Understanding cancer is the first step to defeating it, and this bill brings us closer to uncovering the critical links between aircrew service and cancer risks. Their leadership ensures our sea service aviators and all aircrew members are better equipped to identify and combat this silent enemy. We look forward to continuing the fight alongside them until the ACES Act becomes law–honoring the sacrifices of our servicemembers and safeguarding future generations.”  

    Mario Marquez, Executive Director of Government Affairs, said, “On behalf of the 1.5 million veterans nationwide, The American Legion proudly supports the ACES Act. Research is critical to our understanding of the impacts of toxic exposures, from Agent Orange to harmful chemicals on aircraft. We applaud Representative Pfluger for prioritizing this critical issue and thank the House of Representatives for passing the ACES Act with resounding support. The American Legion urges the Senate to vote on this bill and continue to invest in research surrounding the impacts of toxic exposures.” 

    Background

    Pilots and aircrews have been found to have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer and melanoma, with possible links to non-Hodgkin lymphoma and testicular cancer.

    This legislation is critical as it would improve our understanding of the link between military service and cancer risks among Veteran aviators. By better understanding the correlation between aviator service and cancer, we can better assist our military and provide more adequate care for our veterans.

    In March, Rep. Pfluger participated in the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs legislative hearing on several bills, including Rep. Pfluger’s Aviators Cancer Examination Study (ACES) Act. Additionally, Rep. Pfluger’s good friend and fellow fighter pilot, who is actively battling cancer as a result of his service, Colonel Andy “Pablo” Shurtleff, appeared as a witness to the committee to share his story and explain the need and urgency for the ACES Act. 

    The ACES Act will help advance research on any correlation between aviator service and cancer rates to better assist veterans and active service members. The ACES Act was introduced in the 117th and 118th Congresses. 

    MIL OSI USA News –