NewzIntel.com

Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CHP reminds public to take precautions against measles during travel

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    CHP reminds public to take precautions against measles during travel 
    According to the latest information released by the World Health Organization, over 127 000 measles cases (including at least 38 deaths) were reported in Europe and Central Asia last year, double the number of cases reported for 2023 and the highest number since 1997. Children under 5 accounted for more than 40 per cent of the cases, as childhood measles vaccination coverage remained suboptimal in some countries. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control also reported that the majority of paediatric cases have never been vaccinated against measles. In the ongoing measles outbreaks in North America, the United States and Canada have each recorded more than 200 cases so far this year, with cases mainly affecting children who were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status. In neighboring areas, measles outbreaks continued to occur from time to time in the past year in Southeast Asian countries including Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines.
        
    Hong Kong has recorded one imported measles case 
    The Controller of the Centre for Health Protection of the DH, Dr Edwin Tsui, reiterated that vaccination is the most safe and effective preventive measure against measles. Healthy people in general can enjoy long-term, even lifelong protection after receiving measles vaccination as recommended. Two doses of measles-containing vaccine can confer protection of up to 97 per cent.
     
         “The measles situation outside Hong Kong reflects the risk of outbreak due to inadequate vaccination coverage. Under the Hong Kong Childhood Immunisation Programme, the overall immunisation coverage in Hong Kong has been maintained at a very high level through the immunisation services provided by the DH’s Maternal and Child Health Centres and the School Immunisation Teams. As evidenced by the findings on vaccination coverage of primary school students and the territory-wide immunisation surveys conducted regularly by the DH, the two-dose measles vaccination coverage has remained consistently high, well above 95 per cent, and the local seroprevalence rates of measles virus antibodies reflect that most of the people in Hong Kong are immune to measles. On the whole, the risk of a large-scale outbreak in Hong Kong is low. However, as a city with a high volume of international travel, Hong Kong still faces the potential risk of measles importation. Locally, a small number of people who have not completed a measles vaccination (such as non-local born people including new immigrants, foreign domestic helpers, overseas employees and people coming to Hong Kong for further studies) are still at risk of being infected and spreading measles to other people who do not have immunity against measles, such as children under 1 year old who have not yet received the first dose of measles vaccine,” he said.
     
    Dr Tsui added that people born before 1967 could be considered to have acquired immunity to measles through natural infection, as measles was endemic in many parts of the world and in Hong Kong at that time. He urged people born in or after 1967 who have not yet completed the two doses of measles vaccination or whose measles vaccination history is unknown, to consult their family doctors as soon as possible to complete the vaccination and ensure adequate protection against measles. For those who plan to travel to measles-endemic areas, they should check their vaccination records and medical history as early as possible. If they have not been diagnosed with measles through laboratory tests and have never received two doses of measles vaccine or are not sure if they have received measles vaccine, they should consult a doctor at least two weeks prior to their trip for vaccination.
     
    The incubation period of measles (i.e. the time from infection to the onset of illness) is seven to 21 days. Symptoms include fever, skin rash, cough, runny nose and red eyes. When such symptoms appear, people should wear surgical masks, stay home from work or school, avoid crowded places and contact with unvaccinated people, especially those with weak immune systems, pregnant women and children under 1 year old. Those who suspect they are infected should consult their doctors as soon as possible and inform healthcare workers of their history of exposure to measles.
     
    For more information on measles, members of the public may visit the CHP’s thematic     webpageIssued at HKT 18:33

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: WSD seizes first Most Outstanding Award in Global Most Innovative Knowledge Enterprise (MIKE) Award (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    WSD seizes first Most Outstanding Award in Global Most Innovative Knowledge Enterprise (MIKE) Award (with photo)???
    The Global MIKE Award is the highest accolade in the field of knowledge management, organised by the Institute of Knowledge and Innovation, Southeast Asia (IKI-SEA) at Bangkok University. The independent judging panel consists of experienced industry experts and corporate management personnel. This year, a total of 19 organisations received this honor, with three organisations, including the WSD, receiving the Most Outstanding Award. The Global MIKE Award is the most prestigious of its kind in which entries were assessed by 36 international judges through rigorous adjudication. Since 2021, the WSD has consecutively won the Global MIKE Award and the Hong Kong MIKE Award, and last year achieved the Hong Kong Top Winner for the first time.
    Issued at HKT 17:45

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Child Boss in ‘Severance’ Reveals a Devastating Truth About Work and Child-Rearing in the 21st Century

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    In the second season of “Severance,” there’s an unexpected character: a child supervisor named Miss Huang, played by actress Sarah Bock, who matter-of-factly explains she’s a child “because of when I was born.”

    Miss Huang’s deadpan response is more than just a clever quip. Like so much in the Apple TV+ series, which has broken viewership records for the streaming service, I think it reveals a devastating truth about the role of work in the 21st century.

    As a scholar of childhood studies, I also see historical echoes: What constitutes a “child” – and whether one gets to claim childhood at all – has always depended on when and where a person is born.

    An age of innocence?

    Americans are deeply invested in the idea of childhood as a time of innocence, with kids protected by doting adults from the harsh realities of work and making ends meet.

    However, French historian Philippe Ariès famously argued that childhood, as many understand it today, simply did not exist in the past.

    Using medieval art as one resource, Ariès pointed out that children were often portrayed as miniature adults, without special attributes, such as plump features or silly behaviors, that might mark them as fundamentally different from their older counterparts.

    Looking at baptism records, Ariès also discovered that many parents gave siblings the same name, and he explained this phenomenon by suggesting that devastatingly high child mortality rates prevented parents from investing the sort of love and affection in their children that’s now considered a core component of parenthood.

    While historians have debated many of Ariès’ specific claims, his central insight remains powerful: Our modern understanding of childhood as a distinct life stage characterized by play, protection and freedom from adult responsibilities is a relatively recent historical development. Ariès argued that children didn’t emerge as a focus of unconditional love until the 17th century.

    Kids at work

    The belief that a child deserves a life free from the stress of the workplace came along still later.

    After all, if Miss Huang had been born in the 19th century, few people would question her presence in the workplace. The Industrial Revolution yielded accounts of children working 16-hour days and accorded no special protection because of their tender age and emotional vulnerability. Well into the 20th century, children younger than Miss Huang routinely worked in factories, mines and other dangerous environments.

    To today’s viewers of “Severance,” the presence of a child supervisor in the sterile, oppressive workplace of the show’s fictional Lumon Industries feels jarring precisely because it violates the deeply held belief that children are occupants of a separate sphere, their innocence shielding them from the dog-eat-dog environs of competitive workplaces.

    Childhood under threat

    As a child worker, Miss Huang might seem like an uncanny ghost of a bygone era of childhood. But I think she’s closer to a prophet: Her role as child-boss warns viewers about what a work-obsessed future holds.

    Today, the ideal childhood – access to play, care and a meaningful education – is increasingly under threat.

    As politicians and policymakers insist that children are the future, many of them refuse to support the intensive caregiving required to transform newborns into functioning adults. As philosopher Nancy Fraser has argued, capitalism relies on someone doing that work, while assigning it little to no monetized value.

    Child-rearing in the 21st century exists within a troubling paradox: Mothers provide unpaid child care for their own children, while those who professionally care for others’ children – predominantly women of color and immigrants – receive meager compensation for this essential work.

    In other words, economic elites and the politicians they support say they want to cultivate future workers. But they don’t want to fund the messy, inefficient, time-consuming process that raising modern children requires.

    The show’s name comes from a “severance” procedure that workers undergo to separate their work memories from their personal ones. It offers a darkly comic version of work-life balance, with Lumon office workers able to completely disconnect their work selves from their personalities off the clock. Each is distinct: A character’s “innie” is the person they are at the job, and their “outtie” is who they are at home.

    I see this as an apt metaphor for how market capitalism seeks to separate the slow, patient work required to raise children and care for other loved ones from the cold-eyed pursuit of economic efficiency. Parents are expected to work as if they don’t have children and raise children as if they don’t work.

    The result is a system that makes traditional notions of childhood – with its unwieldy dependencies, its inefficient play and its demands for attention and care – increasingly untenable.

    Capitalism’s ideal child

    Plummeting global fertility rates around the world speak to this crisis in child care, with the U.S., Europe, South Korea and China falling well below the birth rate required to replace the existing population.

    Even as Elon Musk frets about women choosing not to have children, he seems eager to restrict any government aid that would provide the time or resources that raising children requires.

    Accessible health care, affordable, healthy food and stable housing are out of the reach of many. The current administration’s quest for what it calls “government efficiency” is poised to shred safety net programs that help millions of low-income children.

    In the midst of this dilemma, Miss Huang offers a surreal solution to the problems children pose in 2025.

    She is, in many ways, capitalism’s ideal child. Already a productive worker as a tween, she requires no parent’s time, no teacher’s patience and no community’s resources. Like other workers and executives at Lumon, she seems to have shed the inefficient entanglements of family, love and play.

    In this light, Miss Huang’s clever insistence that she is a child “because of when I was born” is darkly prophetic. In a world where every moment must be productive, where caregiving is systematically devalued and where human relationships are subordinated to market logic, Miss Huang represents a future where childhood survives only as a date on a birth certificate. All the other attributes are economically impractical.

    Viewers don’t yet know if she’s severed. But at least from the perspective of the other workers in the show, Miss Huang works ceaselessly and, in doing so, proves that she is no child at all.

    Or rather, she is the only kind of child that America’s economic system allows to thrive.

    Originally published in The Conversation.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Backgrounder: World-class attractions in Manitoba receive federal support

    Source: Government of Canada News

    These nine projects, announced today, highlight the growing potential of tourism and cultural initiatives helping drive economic development in communities across Manitoba.

    The Tourism Growth Program (TGP) provides funding to support communities, small and medium-sized businesses, and not-for-profit organizations in developing tourism products and experiences in the Prairie provinces. Federal investment today totals $1,846,559.

    • 10144585 Manitoba Inc. (o/a Rosé Beach House) – $350,000 to expand a retro chic boutique hotel and increase tourism offerings in Winnipeg Beach, Manitoba.
    • Assiniboine Park Conservancy Inc. – $250,000 to develop and implement a winter activation program at Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
    • Churchill Chamber of Commerce – $250,000 to create an artificial intelligence powered northern lights tracker and enhance marketing in Churchill, Manitoba.
    • Exchange District Business Improvement Zone – $150,000 to expand the Lights on The Exchange / Allumez le Quartier public art festival in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
    • Falcon Trails Resort Inc. – $99,999 to enhance a recreational alpine and Nordic ski facility in southeastern Manitoba.
    • MASS Investments Inc. – $152,875 to create a glamping accommodation experience to increase tourism in Pinawa, Manitoba.
    • National Indigenous Residential School Museum – $350,000 to expand and enhance the National Indigenous Residential School Museum in Manitoba.
    • Pinawa Unplugged Ltd. – $118,685 to develop multi-day active tourism offerings and improve accommodations in Pinawa, Manitoba.
    • Tourism Industry Association of Manitoba – $125,000 to support export readiness activities for tourism operators in Manitoba.

    Related products

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: PEI Regional Energy and Resource Table Collaboration Framework and Associated Projects Receiving Federal Funding: Backgrounder

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The Canada-Prince Edward Island Regional Energy and Resource Table (Regional Table), a federal-provincial collaboration launched in 2022, supports PEI’s ambitious goal of becoming Canada’s first net-zero province. The Regional Table works through government collaboration with Indigenous Partners and input from regional stakeholders.

    The Collaboration Framework identifies three opportunity areas that have the potential to contribute significantly to building or expanding Prince Edward Island’s competitive advantage in a low-carbon economy:

    • Clean Electricity and Energy Storage – Scaling up renewable energy production and storage to meet the province’s growing demand for clean energy.
    • Clean Fuels – Accelerating the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources to power homes, businesses and industries.
    • Clean Technology Innovation– Expanding innovation in technologies that support the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future.

    To support advancement of the three priorities listed above, the federal government is also announcing today four investments totalling $2.7 million in the following projects:

    Project Name: Na’ku’set Park Capacity Building Project
    Recipient: Maritime Electric

    Location: Western PEI

    Funding Amount: $1.8 million

    Project Summary: Through its Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways program, NRCan will provide $1.8 million of the $2.5-million cost for advancing Indigenous expertise and capacity building associated with Na’ku’set Park, which is a proposed 32 MW grid-tied, utility-scale solar and battery storage project in Western PEI. This initial funding for the project, which will be majority-owned by Lennox Island First Nation, in partnership with Maritime Electric, will focus on pre-development activities (including preliminary studies, consultations, expertise and training) as well as Indigenous economic development guidance, workforce strategies and the integration of Indigenous people into the proposed project.

    Project Name: Mainland Transmission Connection Study

    Recipient: Maritime Electric

    Location: PEI

    Funding Amount: $300,000

    Project Summary: Through the Strategic Interties Predevelopment Program, Natural Resource Canada has provided $300,000 to Maritime Electric for a predevelopment study to inform optimal PEI- mainland transmission connections with New Brunswick .

    Project Name: Holland College Energy Management

    Recipient: Holland College

    Location: Charlottetown and Summerside

    Funding Amount: $307,000

    Project Summary: NRCan will contribute $307,000 toward Holland College’s $442,000 project for implementing an efficient energy management system — in accordance with ISO 50001 standards — for 13 campus buildings. This project will help Holland College reduce its energy costs by improving its energy performance and provide a model for improving energy efficiency across Canada.

    Project Name: PEI Home Energy Labelling Project

    Recipient: Government of Prince Edward Island

    Location: PEI

    Funding Amount: $285,000

    Project Summary: NRCan will contribute just over $285,000 toward the $383,100 cost of producing home energy labels, via virtual pre-retrofit assessments, for every home in PEI. The project will also provide updated home energy labels for 25 percent of homes sold annually. In addition, this project will create and maintain a live labelling system with digital building records for 100 percent of PEI homes.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Female Chinese astronaut sends Int’l Women’s Day greetings from space

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    This screen image captured at Beijing Aerospace Control Center on Jan. 20, 2025 shows Shenzhou-19 astronaut Wang Haoze working inside China’s orbiting space station. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Wang Haoze, China’s first female space engineer to work in the country’s space station, sent her greetings to women and girls in a video released by the China Manned Space Agency on the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8.
    “I hope that you can become the bright moon, as well as the twinkling stars. Become your own little sunshine, and grow up in the radiant and enchanting spring,” Wang said in a video recorded aboard the orbiting Tiangong space station.
    Wang is the third Chinese woman to participate in a crewed spaceflight mission.
    Together with other two Shenzhou-19 astronauts, Cai Xuzhe and Song Lingdong, Wang embarked on a six-month crewed spaceflight mission on Oct. 30, 2024.
    They are now halfway through their space journey, and their life in orbit is “busy and fulfilling,” according to Wang.
    In the video, she said, “In my spare time, I stare at Earth through the porthole. The blue planet and the vast universe are indescribably beautiful.”
    “Whenever I do this, I always think of an unyielding girl on Earth who believes that reading can change her destiny. She never bows her head and never gives up in the face of difficulty. She fearlessly embarks on a space journey toward an ocean of stars,” Wang said.
    “She is who I used to be, and she is also every woman who has dreams in her heart and pursues them persistently.”

    Chinese astronauts Cai Xuzhe (C), Song Lingdong (R) and Wang Haoze attend a see-off ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Oct. 30, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Born in 1990 in Luanping County, north China’s Hebei Province, Wang enrolled at Southeast University to major in thermal energy and power engineering, following her completion of the national college entrance examination.
    After graduating with a master’s degree, Wang joined the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation’s Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology and began her career in rocket engine research.
    She later signed up for the selection process for the country’s third group of astronauts. She was the only woman selected in that group and became China’s first female space engineer.
    She attributes the success of her space flight journey to her spiritual drive to “work harder than others.”
    To date, the Shenzhou-19 astronaut crew has carried out a significant number of scientific experiments and technological tests in orbit, and cooperated closely on two rounds of extravehicular activities in space, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Labor wins third successive landslide in WA election

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

    With 61% of enrolled voters counted in Saturday’s Western Australian election, the ABC is calling 40 of the 59 lower house seats for Labor, five for the Liberals and four for the Nationals, with ten remaining undecided.

    Vote shares are 41.8% Labor (down 18.1% since Labor’s massive 2021 win), 28.6% Liberals (up 7.3%), 5.1% Nationals (up 1.1%), 10.5% Greens (up 3.6%), 3.7% One Nation (up 2.4%), 3.1% Australian Christians (up 1.6%), 2.3% Legalise Cannabis (up 1.9%) and 3.6% independents (up 2.9%).

    While Labor had a big fall in its primary vote since winning 59.9% in 2021, this fall didn’t go directly to the Liberals and Nationals, with these parties’ combined votes up 8.4%.

    The ABC’s two-party estimate shows a Labor win by 58.3–41.7, an 11.3% swing to the Liberals and Nationals from the 69.7–30.3 Labor margin at the 2021 election, which was a record victory in Australia for either major party at any state or federal election.

    The Poll Bludger’s results have Labor leads in 45 of the 59 seats, the Liberals in seven, the Nationals in six and one independent lead. If these are the final numbers, Labor would lose eight seats from 2021, with the Liberals gaining five, the Nationals two and independents one.

    The Poll Bludger’s two-party estimate is a little worse for Labor than the ABC’s, with a Labor lead by 57.4–42.6, a 12.2% swing to the Liberals and Nationals. If the Poll Bludger’s two-party estimate is right, the final Newspoll and DemosAU polls will be correct, while if the ABC’s is right, they will have understated Labor.

    I said in my preview article that polls suggested that Labor would be well down on 2021, but that they would have a bigger win than in 2017 (41 of the 59 seats on a two-party vote of 55.5–44.5). The results show this will be the case. This will be the third landslide in a row for Labor in WA.

    Most seats have counted their pre-poll votes and postal votes that arrived before election day. Remaining votes will mostly be absent votes (pre-poll and election day). These votes were cast outside a voter’s home electorate, and need to be posted back to the home electorate before they can be counted. In past elections, absent votes have assisted Labor.

    There are also seats, such as Fremantle and Pilbara, where no two-candidate count has yet been provided. In those seats, the electoral commission initially selected the wrong two candidates and needs to re-do the two-candidate count. Fremantle is the only seat likely to be won by a non-major party candidate.

    Federal implications and the upper house

    I don’t think there are many federal implications from state elections, but this election will give a morale boost for federal Labor after losing the Queensland election last October and being narrowly behind the Coalition in the polls since December.

    When a state party is the same as the federal government, that party is federally dragged, and performs worse than it would if the opposite party held government federally. Labor’s big win does not suggest federal drag was a factor in WA.

    However, WA accounts for only 16 of the 150 federal seats. Victoria, where federal Labor is being dragged down by an unpopular state Labor government, has 38 seats.

    The Poll Bludger wrote that the Liberals had done poorly in swing terms since the 2021 election in affluent Perth seats, suggesting that affluent metropolitan federal seats won’t swing back to the Liberals, and teal independents should retain their seats.

    In my preview article, I wrote that during the last term Labor had scrapped the old very malapportioned upper house system, and all 37 upper house members will be elected by statewide proportional representation with preferences. A quota is 1/38 of the vote or 2.63%.

    In the upper house, 46.7% of enrolled voters have been counted, well behind the 61.3% in the lower house. Labor has 41.3%, the Liberals 27.9%, the Nationals 5.6%, the Greens 10.8%, One Nation 3.4%, Legalise Cannabis 2.8%, the Christians 2.6%, an independent group 1.3% and Animal Justice 1.1%.

    On current counts, Labor would win 15 of the 37 seats, the Liberals ten, the Nationals two, the Greens four, One Nation one, Legalise Cannabis one and the Christians one. That would leave three seats undecided, with Labor, the Liberals and the independent group ahead.

    However, there’s much more counting to go in the upper house, and the current counts don’t include below the line votes. The major parties do relatively badly on below the line votes and the Greens relatively well.

    Adrian Beaumont 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. Labor wins third successive landslide in WA election – https://theconversation.com/labor-wins-third-successive-landslide-in-wa-election-251721

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NYS Landmarks to be Lit Purple to Honor Women

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today directed landmarks across the State to be lit purple in celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8 and in recognition of Women’s History Month. The Governor has remained committed to furthering the fight for women’s rights and gender equality in New York and has prioritized women in the FY26 Executive Budget.

    “New York is the birthplace of the women’s rights movement and as New York’s first female and first mom Governor, I am committed to honoring the legacy of all those who fought tirelessly for equality,” Governor Hochul said. “At a time when so many seek to bring us backward, I’ll continue to stand strong against the ongoing threats to our fundamental freedoms — ensuring there are safeguards to reproductive care and continuing to fight for gender equity — all while advancing initiatives that will ensure a brighter future for all women and girls here in New York.”

    The landmarks to be lit include:

    • Albany International Airport Gateway
    • Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
    • Empire State Plaza
    • Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal
    • Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
    • Kosciuszko Bridge
    • Lake Placid Olympic Center
    • Moynihan Train Hall
    • MTA LIRR – East End Gateway at Penn Station
    • Niagara Falls
    • One World Trade Center
    • State Education Building
    • State Fairgrounds – Main Gate & Expo Center
    • The “Franklin D. Roosevelt” Mid-Hudson Bridge
    • The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building

    Prioritizing Women in the Budget
    New York State continues to be a safe haven for abortion access and reproductive rights. In the FY26 Executive Budget, the Governor proposed language to require hospitals to provide abortion services when they are medically necessary to stabilize patients undergoing emergency conditions. The Budget also includes an investment of $50 million to support abortion access and protect providers from violence or harassment.

    As a part of Governor Hochul’s Affordability Agenda — with the goal of putting more money back in New Yorkers’ pockets — the Budget includes record investments to support New York’s parents, making New York the best place to raise a family. The Governor proposed an $825 million expansion of the child tax credit over a two-year period, allowing eligible families to receive $1,000 for kids under 4-years-old and $500 for kids ages 4-16. This expansion will double the average credit allotted to families from $472 to $943, address child poverty in New York State and deliver relief to middle-class families whose incomes are too high to qualify for the child tax credit.

    As the first Mom Governor of New York, Governor Hochul understands how critical it is for new mothers to receive support and how expensive it is to raise a child. Since Governor Hochul took office, New York State has taken measures to drastically expand access to child care and affordability, investing over $7 billion in four years to help stabilize the child care industry. The Budget includes an additional $1.8 billion investment in child care assistance as well as $110 million to build or renovate existing child care centers in order to eliminate child care deserts.

    To combat maternal mortality challenges and to increase the pool of resources for new mothers, New York State is partnering with Baby2Baby — a nonprofit organization providing necessities for children living in poverty — to provide maternal health and newborn supply boxes that will include the following: screening tools for postpartum depression and anxiety, mental health information, self-care products, diapers, blankets and swaddles. The State and Baby2Baby will also provide 10 million diapers to low-income families, totaling a $9.5 million investment in the Budget for maternal and infant health resources — $8 million to supply postpartum boxes and $1.5 million for diapers.

    Governor Hochul has also advanced another nation-leading legislative proposal to improve maternal and infant health through the provision of a birth allowance — the New York State BABY (Birth Allowance for Beginning Year) Benefit — to low-income parents during pregnancy and at birth. To improve the economic security of some of New York’s most under-resourced households, Governor Hochul’s plan would provide a $100 per month benefit during pregnancy and a $1,200 benefit at birth for New Yorkers who receive public assistance.

    For additional proposals, including landmark investments in protecting survivors of gender-based violence, and to read the complete digital copy of the Budget Book, click here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Unions, Retirees Seek Emergency Relief to Block DOGE’s Unlawful Social Security Data Overreach

    Source: American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union

    AFSCME, Alliance for Retired Americans, AFT Challenge DOGE’s Illegal Access to Confidential, Private Data of Hundreds of Millions of Americans

    Baltimore, MD — Yesterday, a coalition of unions and retirees filed a motion for emergency relief to halt Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency’s” (DOGE) unprecedented, unlawful seizure of personal, confidential, private, and sensitive data regarding millions of Americans across the country from the Social Security Administration (SSA), in violation of the law. Today’s action builds upon a suit filed by Democracy Forward last month.
     
    Democracy Forward filed an amended complaint and motion for emergency relief on behalf of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Alliance for Retired Americans, and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
     
    Those filings reflect new facts showing DOGE’s ongoing campaign at SSA, including statements from the current Acting Commissioner, who was previously suspended from his role at the agency, that “outsiders who are unfamiliar with nuances of SSA programs,” are calling the shots. The filings underscore those threats: personnel from DOGE have accessed sensitive information and improper disclosure violates privacy and increases the risk of access by external actors, doxxing, identity theft, and financial crimes, among other risks.
     
    Tiffany Flick, who most recently served as Acting Chief of Staff to the former Acting SSA Commissioner before retiring last month, submitted a declaration in support of this lawsuit that outlines the significant steps taken by SSA career civil servants to protect sensitive data as members of DOGE descended on the agency. In it, she writes: “A disregard for our careful privacy systems and processes now threatens the security of the data SSA houses about millions of Americans.”
     
    “Working people spent their lives paying into Social Security,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “They deserve to know their benefits and personal information are in safe hands. We will not stand by as an unaccountable, unelected billionaire undermines the promise that they can one day retire with dignity. We look forward to moving this case forward in court and stopping these reckless efforts to invade the Social Security Administration.”
     
    “Time is of the essence. Every day that the DOGE team is allowed to root around in our personal and financial data the higher the risk of it getting into the wrong hands or the integrity of the data being compromised,” said Richard Fiesta, executive director of the Alliance for Retired Americans, a national grassroots advocacy organization. “We are asking the court to halt the DOGE team’s activities so the serious privacy issues and their potential consequences are fully addressed in a court of law before it’s too late.”
     
    “With every passing day Americans’ personal and financial data is further jeopardized by Elon Musk’s actions,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “Absent immediate relief, working families are at risk of having their private information stolen and exploited, all because an unelected billionaire has decided to raid this sensitive data for his own ends. The promise of Social Security is that if you work hard and play by the rules, you can retire with dignity and grace. Elon Musk is breaking that basic bond of trust and must be stopped immediately before he lays waste to the savings working people have spent their lives building up.”
     
    “Americans should be able to trust the government to protect their confidential data and yet – again – the Trump administration has shown a blatant disregard for the law and its obligations to the American people by granting unprecedented levels of access to unappointed and unvetted individuals,” said Democracy Forward President & CEO Skye Perryman. “On behalf of retirees and worker representatives, we urge the court to block the Trump administration’s unlawful attempt to access the private data of hundreds of millions of Americans across the country.”
     
    The SSA maintains the financial data, employment information, medical data, and personal addresses of millions of Americans. The lawsuit alleges that such seizure by DOGE is prohibited by and in violation of the many protections Congress and the Executive Branch have in place to protect against such data mining and misuse. These include the Internal Revenue Code, the Privacy Act, the Social Security Act, the Federal Information Systems Modernization Act, and the Administrative Procedure Act.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden, Bipartisan Colleagues Push to Protect the Rights of Oregon, America’s Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    March 07, 2025
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Congressional and labor leaders to reintroduce the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act). This bipartisan legislation protects the rights of workers in Oregon and nationwide to stand together and bargain for fairer wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces. The legislation was named in honor of late AFL-CIO President Richard L. Trumka.
    “As the son of a union machinist, I saw firsthand the difference a strong union can make in delivering the fair wages and robust workplace protections that every worker deserves,” Merkley said. “Workers across the nation are under threat by Trump and the billionaires and the big corporations he empowers. Passing the PRO Act would give America’s workers a fighting chance to improve their workplace with better pay, benefits, and safety through collectively bargaining for a better deal.”
    “This legislation is very timely and essential with Donald Trump, Elon Musk and their billionaire buddies targeting workers’ most basic rights and most basic protections that were secured over decades by unions,” Wyden said. “I strongly support the PRO Act because it would protect workers’ hard-earned and historic rights to unionize and advocate for better wages, benefits and working conditions that strengthen quality of life for them, their families and our communities.”
    “Americans believe in the power of unions and tens of millions of working people would become union members tomorrow if they could. But American labor law is broken, weighted on the side of the bosses and against the workers. In too many workplaces, in too many industries across the country, big corporations and billionaire CEOs still retaliate against us for organizing. They refuse to negotiate our contracts, force us to sit through hours of anti-union propaganda, and engage in illegal union-busting every day. Now they have an unelected, unaccountable, union-buster trying to illegally fire tens of thousands of our fellow workers in federal jobs and an administration rolling back the workplace protections. The PRO Act is long overdue, and the American people agree. We urge elected leaders of both parties to move this critical legislation forward so that all workers have the chance to stand together and build better lives for themselves and their families,” said AFL-CIO President and Oregonian Liz Shuler.
    Large corporations and the wealthy continue to capture the rewards of a growing economy while working families and middle-class Americans are left behind. From 1979 to 2023, annual wages for the bottom 90 percent of households increased just 44 percent, while average incomes for the wealthiest 1 percent increased more than 180 percent.
    Unions are critical to increasing wages and creating a strong economy that rewards hardworking people. Through the power of collective bargaining, the typical union worker earns 16 percent more than the typical non-union worker.
    The American people’s support for unions is surging. According to a 2024 Gallup poll, 70 percent of Americans approve of labor unions — remaining at near record highs. Despite growing support for unions, billionaire- and special interest-funded attacks on the rights of workers, unions and labor laws have eroded union density and made it harder for workers to organize. The share of American workers who are union members has fallen from roughly one in three workers in 1956 to a new low of 9.9 percent in 2024. The PRO Act restores fairness to the economy by strengthening the federal law that protects the right of workers to join a union and bargain for higher pay, better benefits and safer workplaces.
    The PRO Act would protect the right to organize and collectively bargain by:
    Bolstering remedies and punishing violations of the rights of workers through authorizing meaningful penalties for employers that violate their rights, strengthening support for workers who suffer retaliation for exercising their rights and authorizing a private right of action for violation of the rights of workers.
    Strengthening the rights of workers to join together and negotiate for better working conditions by enhancing their right to support secondary boycotts, ensuring unions can collect “fair share” fees, modernizing the union election process and facilitating initial collective bargaining agreements.
    Restoring fairness to an economy rigged against workers by closing loopholes that allow employers to misclassify their employees as supervisors and independent contractors and increasing transparency in labor-management relations.
    Merkley, Wyden, and Sanders introduced the legislation alongside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
    In the House, Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), and House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) led 210 Democratic and Republican cosponsors.
    Additionally, more than 18 organizations endorsed the PRO Act, including the AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Autoworkers (UAW), United Steelworkers (USW), Communications Workers of America (CWA), National Nurses United (NNU), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE), National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), the American Federation of Musicians, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA), Transport Workers Union (TWU), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT).
    Read the bill text here.
    Read a fact sheet here.
    Read a section-by-section summary here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville Continues Advocating to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
    “It’s time for America to move forward and stop falling back.”
    WASHINGTON – As Americans prepare to “spring forward” this weekend,U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) spoke on the floor about the many benefits of making Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent at the federal level. Sen. Tuberville has helped introduce the Sunshine Protection Act in the 117th, 118th, and 119th congresses.
    Nineteen states—including Alabama—have passed legislation to make DST permanent, but it must first be made permanent at the federal level.
    Read Sen. Tuberville’s remarks below or on YouTube or Rumble.

    “Well, it’s that time again. I think I’ve given this speech three or four times in the last few years.
    This weekend, all of America and my constituents back in Alabama will spring forward to Daylight Saving Time. And I’m working very hard to make this hopefully, possibly the last time that we move our clocks. I recently joined my colleague, Senator Rick Scott, to reintroduce, for the third time, the Sunshine Protection Act to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, at the federal level.
    Out of all the legislative efforts that I’ve been part of in my four years here in Congress, the thing I hear about the most from my people in Alabama is their desire to lock the clock. Daylight Saving Time should be a thing of the past—because it literally is a thing of the past. 
    First, introduced as a temporary measure during World War I, Daylight Saving Time was originally called, ‘Wartime.’ And it was a way to help conserve fuel during a very different time in this country. Following the end of World War I, in 1918, [the] Standard Time Act was enacted that discontinued Daylight Saving Time nationally, but individual states continued to spring forward and fall back.
    Then during World War II, there was a renewed federal push for full-time Daylight Saving Time, which then was repealed in 1945. Finally, in 1966, Congress passed legislation to establish national standards for Daylight Saving Time.
    All of this to say, changes to our clock might have made sense when it first began many, many years ago. For one, the American workforce culture and lifestyles are vastly different than they were a hundred years ago. Plus, disruptive time change can have serious consequences on human health. Studies have suggested that the disruption of sleep patterns due to the time changes increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and physical injuries. Northwestern Medicine found that the fallback and the spring forward are connected to a 6% spike in fatal car accidents and a 24% higher risk of heart attacks. […] Additionally, the long-term health effects linked to Daylight Saving Time include weight gain, cluster headaches, and depression. The time switch in the fall increases Seasonal Affective Disorder every single year. And a study published in 2017 found that the transition from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time increase the number of hospital visits for depression by 11%. 
    By making Daylight Saving Time permanent, Americans would enjoy more sunshine in the evenings. This is so important for many Americans who may not get a chance to get outside during the day. It would allow hard working Americans to go on a run after work or enable dads to play with their kids outdoors, neighbors grill and do things together outside. What a thought? Many studies have proven that extra sunlight in the evening can lead to improvements in mental health, physical fitness, economic growth, and well-being. 
    As a founding member of the Senate MAHA Caucus, I am very passionate about helping make Americans healthy again. An important part of this is making sure people get enough sleep and more sunlight. Did you know that Vitamin D from the sun is linked to preventing many diseases including cancer? It’s true, and many Americans don’t get nearly enough of Vitamin D, especially those who work at desk jobs and are inside for most of the day, and that has increased since the invention of what we call the computer. Locking the clock is an important first step to helping Americans live healthier lives. It’s a simple way we could positively impact the day-to-day life of all Americans. Our farmers are also greatly affected by Daylight Saving Time as additional sunshine during working hours means more time to work in the fields, which could translate into a more profitable bottom line for anybody that raises a crop. All you know, I’m all about helping our great farmers.
    More daylight in the evening could also decrease expensive energy consumption on farms by reducing the need for artificial lighting and heating. Back in the 1970s, we had an energy crisis. And we kept Daylight Saving Time because it saved millions and millions of gallons of fuel. Experts believe that the time change twice a year costs the U.S. economy more than 434 million dollars in lost productivity annually.
    It’s clear the evidence points to one conclusion, make Daylight Saving Time permanent. Nineteen states, including my state of Alabama, have already voted on past legislation to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. They just need Congress, which means us, to vote for it. If we vote for it, it changes, and we’d never have to move the clock again.
    President Trump has also expressed support for locking the clock. Congress should listen to the people and pass the Sunshine Protection Act to make Daylight Saving Time permanent. The change would improve our health, strengthen our economy and benefit our farmers. This is a no brainer.
    It’s time for America to move forward and stop falling back. I’m looking forward to working with my Senate colleagues to get it completely across the finish line, to lock the clock once and for all.”
    MORE:
    Tuberville Continues Leading Effort to Make Daylight Savings Time Permanent in the Senate
    Tuberville: “Daylight Saving Time should be a thing of the past.”
    Tuberville Continues Push to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent
    Tuberville: Let’s Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent
    Tuberville Urges Congress to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent
    Tuberville Continues Push to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent
    Tuberville: Daylight Saving Time Bill Passes Senate 
    Tuberville Pushes to Make Daylight Saving Time Permanent 
    Tuberville Joins Push to Permanently Adopt Daylight Saving Time
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Orezone Gold Files Final Short Form Prospectus in Connection With C$35 Million Bought Deal

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Final Short Form Prospectus is accessible on SEDAR+

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Orezone Gold Corporation (TSX: ORE, OTCQX: ORZCF) (the “Company” or “Orezone”) is pleased to announce that, further to its press release dated February 23, 2025 in respect of its bought deal offering of common shares of the Company (the “Common Shares”), it has filed a final short form prospectus dated March 7, 2025 (the “Final Prospectus”) with the securities commissions in all provinces of Canada, except Quebec, and has obtained a receipt therefor.

    The Final Prospectus qualifies the distribution of 42,683,000 Common Shares at a price of C$0.82 per Common Share (the “Offering Price”) for aggregate gross proceeds of C$35,000,060 and up to an additional 6,402,450 Common Shares at the Offering Price issuable upon exercise of the over-allotment option granted to the underwriter, all as more fully described in the Final Prospectus (the “Offering”). Closing of the Offering is expected on or about March 13, 2025, and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval, including final approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

    Access to the Final Prospectus and any amendment is provided in accordance with securities legislation relating to procedures for providing access to a short form prospectus and any amendment. The Final Prospectus is accessible under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. An electronic or paper copy of the Final Prospectus and any amendment may be obtained, without charge, from Canaccord Genuity Corp. by email at ecm@cgf.com by providing the contact with an email address or address, as applicable. Prospective investors should read the Final Prospectus in its entirety before making an investment decision.

    The securities referred to in this news release have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold within the United States absent U.S. registration or an applicable exemption from the U.S. registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities in the United States, nor in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Any public offering of securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus containing detailed information about the company and management, as well as financial statements.

    About Orezone Gold Corporation

    Orezone Gold Corporation (TSX: ORE OTCQX: ORZCF) is a West African gold producer engaged in mining, developing, and exploring its flagship Bomboré Gold Mine in Burkina Faso. The Bomboré mine achieved commercial production on its oxide operations on December 1, 2022, and is now focused on its staged hard rock expansion that is expected to materially increase annual and life-of-mine gold production from the processing of hard rock mineral reserves. Orezone is led by an experienced team focused on social responsibility and sustainability with a proven track record in project construction and operations, financings, capital markets and M&A.

    The technical report entitled Bomboré Phase II Expansion, Definitive Feasibility Study is available on SEDAR+ and the Company’s website.

    Contact Information

    Patrick Downey
    President and Chief Executive Officer

    Kevin MacKenzie
    Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations

    Tel: 1 778 945 8977 / Toll Free: 1 888 673 0663
    info@orezone.com / www.orezone.com

    For further information please contact Orezone at +1 (778) 945-8977 or visit the Company’s website at www.orezone.com.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains certain information that may constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian Securities laws and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws (together, “forward-looking statements”).  Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as “plan”, “expect”, “project”, “intend”, “believe”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “potential”, “possible” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may”, “will”, “could”, or “should” occur.  Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to closing of the Offering, and regulatory and TSX approval thereof.

    All such forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by management in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management and the qualified persons believe are appropriate in the circumstances.

    All forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, delays caused by pandemics, terrorist or other violent attacks (including cyber security attacks), the failure of parties to contracts to honour contractual commitments, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; unexpected failure or inadequacy of infrastructure, the possibility of unanticipated costs and expenses, accidents and equipment breakdowns, political risk, unanticipated changes in key management personnel and general economic, market or business conditions, the failure of exploration programs, including drilling programs, to deliver anticipated results and the failure of ongoing and uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, and other factors described in the Company’s most recent annual information form and management discussion and analysis filed on SEDAR+. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

    Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Colorado Celebrates 2 Million Free Books Delivered Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Today, Governor Jared Polis, Llama Llama (of Red pajama fame) and Dr Lisa Roy with the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) delivered the 2 millionth book through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at Westwood Early Learning Center. The program, launched by Dolly Parton in 1995 and expanded to Colorado in 2020, mails free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age 5 every month. 

    “Books are our windows into the world, and access to literature for children is a great way to improve reading, and inspire the next generation of poets, authors, and literary geniuses. I am excited to just a year later be delivering the 2 millionth book to Colorado children, thanks to Dolly’s successful Imagination Library initiative,” said Governor Polis. 

    “Early literacy is critical for a child’s cognitive development,” said Dr. Lisa Roy, executive director of the CDEC. “By fostering a love of reading early on, we set children up for lifelong success. This milestone marks a gateway to endless possibilities.” 

    Gov. Polis signed SB20-185 in July 2020, establishing the program statewide and expanding support for children in all Colorado ZIP codes with 30 programs covering portions of all 64 counties.

     Governor Polis speaks to a group of preschoolers at an Event to celebrate 2 million books distributed through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library 

    Governor Polis speaks at an Event to celebrate 2 million books distributed through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library 

    “In celebrating this milestone, we proudly recognize the dedication and efforts of over 55 community-based organizations all across Colorado that collaborate with us to ensure every young child in the state has access to books,” said Jack Tate, President and CEO of the Imagination Library of Colorado. “Championing early literacy is truly a statewide effort.” 

    In 2024, Gov. Polis signed HB24-1205, transferring program operations to the CDEC and enabling partnerships with eligible nonprofits to procure more books and expand the program’s reach. 

    As of March 2025, 27 percent of eligible children statewide are receiving Imagination Library books each month. This equates to 84,609 books mailed in March alone, with 13,537 containing Spanish/English content. Since the program began in Colorado in November 2021, over 2 million books have been mailed to children across the state. 

    “This is an amazing and incredibly generous program,” said one participating parent. “Not only have these books helped my child’s speech and literacy development, they have brought us all closer together as a family.” Another parent added, “We love getting bilingual books – it allows more members of our family to read to our little one.” 

    During the event, attendees also honored Dolly Parton and her family, remembering her husband, Carl Dean, who passed away on Monday. 

    Governor Polis, CDEC, and Imagination Library Colorado encourage all families with children ages 5 or younger to participate in the program. To learn more or sign up, visit the Colorado Imagination Library website at imaginationlibrarycolorado.org. 

    A collection of testimonials from parents across Colorado about the positive impact of the program is available here. 

    About Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library 

    Since launching in 1995, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has become the preeminent early childhood book gifting program in the world. The flagship program of The Dollywood Foundation has gifted well over 200 million free books in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and The Republic of Ireland. The Imagination Library mails more than 2.0 million high-quality, age-appropriate books each month to registered children from birth to age five. Dolly envisioned creating a lifelong love of reading, inspiring them to dream. The impact of the program has been widely researched and results suggest positive increases in key early childhood literacy metrics. Penguin Random House is the exclusive publisher for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. While the cost of the books is paid for by CDEC matched by private sources, The Dollywood Foundation provides the program and its administration. For more information, please visit imaginationlibrary.com. 

    About the Imagination Library of Colorado 

    The Imagination Library of Colorado is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, who is the statewide partner of The Dollywood Foundation and its flagship program, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Funding for the Imagination Library of Colorado and program books comes from the Colorado Department of Early Childhood matched by private sources. The mission of the Imagination Library of Colorado is to increase literacy by ensuring all young children across the state may participate in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library through the development, promotion, growth, and ongoing support of Imagination Library programs in all 64 counties. ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis Celebrates International Women’s Day

    Source: US State of Colorado

    GLENDALE – Today, Governor Polis and WorldDenver celebrated International Women’s Day, and presented Maria Garcia Berry with the Individual Award for International Women’s Day. 

    “International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on the achievements of the remarkable women in Colorado and around the world. I am honored to recognize my friend Maria Garcia Berry, a woman who has been a driving force in our state, by expanding leadership opportunities and global connections for women in Colorado,” said Governor Polis. 

    Maria Garcia Berry, a founding partner of CRL Associates, has been a driving force in expanding leadership opportunities and global connections for women in Colorado. A Cuban-American immigrant, she has led efforts to support immigrants and refugees in Denver while holding key leadership roles with the Cuba Study Group, the Cuba Emprende Foundation, and the Biennial of the Americas, where she serves as Board Chair. Maria played a crucial role in bringing Denver to the global stage at the first Cities Summit of the Americas in 2023.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy: Six Weeks In, This White House Is On Its Way To Being The Most Corrupt In U.S. History

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    [embedded content]

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Thursday spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to expose the unprecedented corruption of the Trump administration’s first six weeks in office. Murphy condemned Trump’s normalization of pay-to-play politics, where billionaire donors dictate policy and taxpayer money is funneled into the pockets of the president, Elon Musk, and the corporate elite.

    “In the first six weeks of the Trump presidency, Trump and Elon Musk and their billionaire friends have engaged in a stunning rampage of open public corruption,” Murphy said. “It’s not fundamentally different than what happened in Russia. These are efforts to steal from the American people to enrich themselves. And their strategy is to do it all out in the open, to do it at such a dizzying pace that the country just gets overwhelmed or anesthetized or dulled into a sense that we just all have to accept the corruption – or, maybe more charitably, that this is just how government works, that government is just corrupt, and so the fact that it’s happening out in the open instead of happening secretly, well, it’s really nothing new.”

    Murphy laid out more than 20 examples of blatant corruption from just the first six weeks of the Trump presidency, including:

    1. The launch of Trump’s meme coin, enabling anyone seeking to influence the administration to privately funnel money directly to the president.
    2. The gutting and manipulation of watchdog agencies like the NLRB, CFPB, and OSHA to benefit Elon Musk, the billionaires in Trump’s cabinet, and other elites.
    3. The Eric Adams quid pro quo and the weaponization of the DOJ to reinforce a system of political retribution and favoritism.
    4. The use of government contracts and stock deals to reward Trump’s allies, enriching them through taxpayer-funded opportunities and further consolidating political power.

    “This is how democracies die,” Murphy continued. “Democracies die when the very powerful people steal from us so regularly, so openly, so unapologetically, that we come to believe that it’s normal. And listen, I understand that many Americans may think that all of this stuff just used to happen quietly, and the only difference is that Trump and Musk are just putting it all out in the open. And I’m not saying that there haven’t been instances of corruption. Democrats and Republicans in this body have been accused of, and convicted of, acts of corruption. It has been a fact of life in American politics for a long time. But never before has the corruption happened this openly or this frequently. And so I lay it all out for you this afternoon in the hopes that it is not too late for us to decide to stand up, as a body and as a nation, to say that this isn’t okay.”

    He concluded: “The Trump meme coin is not okay. It’s not okay for people who have interest before the federal government to be able to anonymously funnel money to the president of the United States. It’s not okay for Elon Musk to have access to Department of Labor enforcement data, against him or his competitors, that nobody else gets access to. It’s not okay to just cancel contracts that were going to Musk’s competitors and substitute in his own business, just because he has the ability to do it as a friend of Donald Trump. The rule of law matters. Doing things by the rules matter. This level of corruption was not occurring behind the scenes prior. It is not just that the cover got pulled off of it all. And it’s our decision, as a body and as a country, to decide not to normalize this scale of corruption.”

    A full transcript of his remarks can be found below:

    MURPHY: “Mr. President, I’m a big Boston Red Sox fan. One of the most famous players in Red Sox recent history is Manny Ramirez. Manny Ramirez was a good baseball player, but he had a habit of doing some pretty ridiculous things on the field and off the field that were really detrimental to the team, some really bizarre on-field behavior – cutting off throws from other outfielders before they got to the infield – bizarre off-the-field behavior that disrupted the team. It became so regular that a phrase was adopted among the Red Sox fans: ‘That’s just Manny being Manny.’ Over the years it just was accepted that every year Manny Ramirez was going to do a whole bunch of stuff that was really detrimental to the team. And over time, it just kind of became accepted, that that was a fact of life, a way of life with Manny Ramirez. And as time went on, people reacted less hostilely. It barely got noticed in some cases when he was engaged in these detrimental forms of conduct. 

    “And I tell that story because it stands for kind of a universal concept: when bad behavior gets normalized, it no longer feels like bad behavior. Even if that behavior is hurting people. Today, the world is littered with corrupt governments, governments where the leaders and the really rich men who surround the leaders – the oligarchs – steal from people. That’s what they do, the leaders and the leaders’ friends just keep a hand constantly in the government treasury and they steal taxpayer dollars. They rig the rules of the economy in order to make themselves fabulously rich. They hurt the citizens of those countries. 

    “Vladimir Putin, for instance, has never had a job outside of government, but he’s reportedly worth $200 billion. One of his many houses cost $1.4 billion to build, supposedly the landscaping costs on an annual basis for that house are $2 million alone. That $1.4 billion house was paid for by money he stole from the Russian treasury. In other words, he stole it from the Russian people. Putin and his friends have been doing it for so long and doing it so openly and brazenly – Putin, for instance, wears a watch that retails for half a million dollars, even though his official salary is only $140,000. They’ve been doing this so openly and brazenly, they’re so public in their corruption in Russia, that it’s just accepted. It’s just mainstream, the fact that Putin and his cronies steal from the Russian people. 

    “That’s what’s happening in America today. And it’s heartbreaking for me to say this, but in the first six weeks of the Trump presidency, Trump and Elon Musk and their billionaire friends have engaged in a stunning rampage of open public corruption. It’s not fundamentally different than what happened in Russia. These are efforts to steal from the American people to enrich themselves. And their strategy is to do it all out in the open, to do it at such a dizzying pace that the country just gets overwhelmed or anesthetized or dulled into a sense that we just all have to accept the corruption – or, maybe more charitably, that this is just how government works, that government is just corrupt, and so the fact that it’s happening out in the open instead of happening secretly, well, it’s really nothing new. 

    “But this is not how government works. The things that have happened over the last six weeks are unprecedented. The president and his billionaire friends are not supposed to steal from us. They are not supposed to use their power and their access to power – their access to government levers – to rig the rules to enrich themselves. That has always been wrong. It is still wrong. And we do not have to accept this. 

    “And so in the next few minutes, I want to try out an exercise. I want to try to lay out for you as quickly as I can just some of the most significant instances of blatantly corrupt activity that’s happened in just the first six weeks of Trump’s presidency. When you see it all together, there is no way to avoid a simple conclusion. This White House is on its way to being the most corrupt in the history of the country. And just because they are doing it out in the open for everybody to see doesn’t mean that it’s not corrupt. 

    “My hope is that if you see it all in one place, the gravity of this moment may hit you. My hope is that my colleagues and the public choose not to normalize a president or his advisors using the Oval Office as a blunt mechanism to make themselves even wealthier. It is our decision – our decision – to have zero tolerance for corruption. It’s also our decision to just decide to become a place like Russia where our leaders are allowed to routinely steal from us. 

    “This is a heartbreakingly long list. This is just 20 or so examples of corrupt behavior in the first six weeks of the Trump presidency. So here it goes. We’re going to start on January 17. 

    “On January 17, Trump launches the meme coin. This is maybe the most corrupt of all of the acts, because what is the meme coin? The meme coin is essentially a mechanism by which Russian oligarchs or corporate CEO’s can literally send money privately directly to Donald Trump. Nobody knows who buys the meme coin, but Trump makes money when people buy it. And so it is just an open sewer valve that allows for anybody who is trying to influence the Trump administration to be able to secretly funnel money to Donald Trump. He reserves 80% of the coin. He waits to release that coin until the price jumps back up again, which essentially means he’s waiting for people who want favors from him to buy a bunch of the coin to inflate the value so that he releases more and makes more money. It’s a disgusting kind of corruption because this is essentially Trump just posting his Venmo for anybody secretly to wire him as much money as they want. We’ve never seen something like this before where anybody who has anything to gain from the Trump administration, through a manipulation of the value of Trump’s meme coin, can funnel money directly to the president, whisper in his ear, ‘That was me. That was me that purchased all that coin, that jumped up the value that allowed you to release new coin. Hey, take care of me on the back end.’

    “On January 20, when he’s sworn in, he institutes his new energy agenda. Now, open reporting suggested that during the campaign he met with the oil and gas industry and they cut a deal in which the oil and gas industry would give him a billion dollars of campaign contributions in order to receive favorable treatment when Trump was sworn in. And guess what happens on January 20? Trump unveils his energy strategy, and what does it do? It preferences oil and gas and it punishes oil and gas’ competitors. It, for instance, freezes all permits on wind projects, both for the land and the sea. It undercuts permitting processes, not for oil and gas but for oil and gas’ competitors. Oil and gas got exactly what they asked for. They gave a campaign contribution and they got the favorable treatment. Five days later, Trump fires 17 inspectors general. What do inspectors general do? They look for corruption inside of these agencies. What do you do if you are trying to engage in corruption, if you are trying to steal from the American people? You fire the inspectors general. 

    “Two days later, on January 27, Trump fires Gwynne Wilcox from the NLRB, the National Labor Relations Board. When she’s fired, the National Labor Relations Board cannot function any longer? Why does this matter? Because the person that’s been put in charge of reviewing the hirings and firings of these agencies is Elon Musk, who, by the way, has lots of cases before the NLRB. So do the people that are standing behind Trump during the inauguration. Almost all of them have active cases before the NLRB. The billionaires supporting Donald Trump now don’t have to worry about the NLRB because on January 27, the NLRB is rendered powerless. 

    “Three days later, on January 30, Trump awards more than $800,000 worth of stock to several of the board members of the Trump Media and Technology Group. This is the publicly traded company behind his social media platform. So now his Cabinet members – people like Kash Patel and Linda Mcmahon – are owning equity in Trump’s media platform; equity that can be cashed out, sold to people who want to buy them out of their interest at any time. Those people who might want to buy them out, Cabinet members, could be individuals with issues before the Department of Education, before the FBI. Yet another avenue in which people who have influence, who want to gain influence inside the Trump administration, have a conduit to be able to move cash from their pocketbooks, from their treasury, from their bank accounts, into the bank accounts of Trump cabinet members. 

    “Shortly thereafter, we start to see the weaponization of the DOJ. On February 23, a civil complaint from DOJ that had been pending against SpaceX– Elon Musk’s signature company – is dropped. Eight days later, the DOJ drops a case against a Republican Congressman. On February 19, two or three weeks later, the DOJ opens up something called Operation Whirlwind, which threatens anyone who dares to criticize the work of Elon Musk and DOGE. Over the course of the next three weeks, the DOJ is turned into an entity that drops cases against those who are loyal to Donald Trump and pursues aggressively investigations against those who are trying to criticize Donald Trump. 

    “On February 1, Trump fires the director of the CFPB and announces plans to shut down – to shutter – the Consumer Financial Protection Board. Again, very much like the NLRB, this is an agency that was, at the moment that it was rendered powerless, investigating Elon Musk and many of the biggest financial backers of Donald Trump. So once again, those that have access to Donald Trump, the billionaires that are close to him, now don’t have to worry about labor violations being investigated by the NLRB, now they don’t have to worry about consumer protection actions being taken against them by the CFPB.

    “On February 4, there is the first of two extraordinary meetings in the White House in which Donald Trump convenes his business partners – his business patterns – the Saudi Golf League and the PGA to try to negotiate a solution to the dispute between those two golf leagues. Why? Because Trump has a business interest in that dispute being resolved. The Saudi Golf League plays tournaments at Trump’s courses in the United States, so if the White House, using its official power, can try to negotiate a settlement between those two groups, Trump stands to make money. 

    “On February 6, something absolutely stunning happens. Pam Bondi, the AG, issues a memorandum in which she proposes to dull the criminal enforcement of the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

    If you are representing a foreign government before the United States, you have to register so that we know if you are acting on behalf of American interests or you are acting on behalf of foreign interests. In the prior Trump administration, Trump officials got in big trouble for secretly working for, and getting paid by, foreign governments without registering. Well, what does Trump announce? That they are going to limit the applicability of the enforcement of that statute, making it much easier for Trump’s friends – for his MAGA crowd, for the people who show up to Mar-a-Lago – to get paid quietly by foreign governments in order to influence Donald Trump.

    “On February 10, maybe aside from the meme coin, the most stunning act of corruption: the Eric Adams quid pro quo, in which Eric Adams, indicted for corruption, is let off the hook. His charges are dismissed in exchange for the mayor’s pledge of political loyalty to Donald Trump. They literally went on TV and announced the deal that we’re getting rid of the charges against Eric Adams, as long as the mayor pledges political loyalty to the President. That was so corrupt that six or seven DOJ officials resigned, because they refused to withdraw those charges, but the deal went through because the seventh, or the eighth, or the ninth official finally filed the withdrawal. 

    “And now in America, it is 100% clear that if you want to get away with corruption, if you want to steal from your constituents and you’re an elected official in this country, all you have to do is just sign up for political loyalty with Donald Trump, and he will instruct the Department of Justice to let you get away with it.

    “On February 10, Donald Trump directs the DOJ to pause enforcement of U.S. laws that prohibit companies from paying bribes overseas. Come on! Like, come on! He instructs the DOJ to pause enforcement of U.S. laws that prohibit companies to pay bribes overseas. Here’s an example: Goldman Sachs was engaged in outright bribery–they were paying bribes to Malaysian officials, so that they could get a contract to manage the resources of the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund. 

    “American companies should not be overseas bribing foreign governments. That compromises America’s reputation and America’s national security. But now, we are going to pause enforcement of the laws that stop American companies from bribing foreign governments, because corruption is now being normalized. This is what you do if you want to normalize corruption, is that you make it legal for American companies to engage in corruption overseas. That makes it easier for Trump to get away with corruption here.

    “Two days later, on February 12, the announcement comes out that the State Department is going to buy $400 million of armored Teslas. Okay, so now it’s getting even more blatant. It’s getting even more brazen. The State Department is just going to buy a whole bunch of product from Elon Musk, product they were not previously scheduled to buy. It is true that the Biden administration had a blueprint that was going to buy some electric vehicles, but it was around $483,000-worth of vehicles. Trump revises that blueprint of spending so that now the federal government is going to spend $400 million on armored Teslas from Elon Musk.

    “Let’s see: that’s February 12. That same day, Elon Musk’s people infiltrate the Department of Labor. And reporting suggests that during that infiltration, Elon Musk’s personal representatives get access to enforcement information at OSHA, not only against Elon Musk’s companies–and by the way, SpaceX has an employee injury rate that is nine times higher than the industry average–but also workplace safety violations against Elon Musk’s competitors. Here’s the message: if you are close to Donald Trump personally, if you support him politically, you can get secret access to enforcement data against your companies and your companies’ competitors. That’s what happens on February 12. 

    “Three days later, there’s some suspicious firings at the FDA. Again, related to Elon Musk’s personal financial interests. Elon Musk owns a medical device company called Neuralink. It is currently being reviewed by the FDA. And guess what? On February 15 and 16, all over a weekend, there are 20 people fired from the FDA’s Office of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices. Fired by DOGE, run by Elon Musk. Clear message: you’re going to get fired if you aren’t on the right side of Elon Musk’s application. Now, whether that was explicit or not, if the guy who is firing you has a pending application before your department, aren’t you going to think twice? Aren’t you going to think twice about ruling against his interests? This is why this is all unprecedented. Again, this feels normal because it’s been happening every day. But never before in American history have we allowed someone who has a pending application for approval of a medicine or a medical device to be able to personally decide who gets hired and who gets fired at the regulatory agency making the decision over that medical device.

    “But now, this stuff is happening every day. Because on February 15 as well, that same weekend, there’s an announcement that the FDA cuts are going to be even deeper, perhaps as big as 50%. That means that hundreds of drugs and devices won’t get approved at the FDA. And you know who benefits from that? The folks that are selling the snake oil products. And guess who’s selling the snake oil products? The people who work for Donald Trump, selling vita-gummy scams. The Director of the FBI is selling vaccine reversal pills. When the FDA gets gutted, it’s the people who sell those unregulated products who stand to gain.

    “On February 19, four days later, we find out that the IRS is going to be cut by 7,000 people. And the biggest chunk of the folks who are going to be laid off are the people who do the audits of the billionaires, and the millionaires, and the corporations. And so once again, Elon Musk and the people standing behind Donald Trump on Inauguration Day are going to get off, because the IRS just had its enforcement powers–its audit powers–absolutely gutted.”

    “That same day, on February 19, you start to receive word that advertising on Elon Musk’s platform is starting to grow again. And the reporting on February 19 indicates that American companies have come to the collective decision that they need to keep advertising on Elon Musk’s platform, because Elon Musk has so much regulatory power inside the federal government. That they need to make sure they’re paying Musk through Twitter and through X, so that if they ultimately need something from the federal government, they can get it. This, again, is why we have never, ever in the history of this country, allowed for the richest man in the world, somebody who controls major companies, to also have an official position inside the government. Because, of course, of course, it opens up these clear avenues where people are going to do business with him privately to try to curry favor with him publicly.

    “I’m not done. It just keeps going. The next day, on February 20, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’s monthly meeting is canceled and not rescheduled. And so we were very worried that Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who makes money off of his attacks on vaccines, would continue those attacks when he took over HHS. Because if faith in vaccines continues to plummet, it is very likely that RFK Jr. will make money. Why? Because the not-for-profit that he will likely return to, the company that he will return to after he leaves, makes money as vaccine misinformation spreads, and he also continues to collect fees for referring cases to a company that handles claims of personal injury due to vaccines. And so when the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is canceled, it is a clear indication that yes, this campaign of assault on vaccines is going to continue, which, not surprisingly, is likely to make RFK Jr. even more money.

    “On February 26, we see Trump’s MAGA hats, that are for sale on his website, displayed in the Oval Office. And it’s just a reminder that so many people inside Trump’s universe continue to sell merchandise on the side in order to make money. Donald Trump has always done this, and we’ve just accepted it, even though it is a kind of corruption in and of itself. But Kash Patel, the Director of the FBI, is still selling Kash-branded merchandise even while he’s going to run the FBI. Elon Musk and others are selling DOGE merchandise. So as they trumpet their brand inside the government, they’re making money off their brand outside of the government.

    “On February 26, maybe the third-most significant [instance] of brazen corruption happens. News breaks that Elon Musk is just going to have the FAA cancel a contract with Verizon that has been in the works for years, and instead just substitute in Starlink for Verizon. Just extraordinary that this is happening in plain view of everybody. Elon Musk takes his private company, uses his access to government to just shove out of the way his competitors, and instead insert himself and his company. Again, we’ve never seen this ever before in American history, and now it’s happening on a daily basis.

    “And now we get to this week. This week, Wired reports that guests are paying millions of dollars to dine with Donald Trump at Mar-A-Lago, and business leaders are being targeted with advertisements that sell access to a one-on-one meeting with the President of the United States for $5 million. Come on! Like, seriously! There’s advertisements that say if you’re a business CEO and you pay $5 million to Donald Trump, you can get a meeting with him. This isn’t okay! And yet, because it happens every single day, every single day they’re asking for us to pretend that this is normal. This is just six weeks. It’s just six weeks. And the last thing on the list is an offer to meet with the president for $1 million or $5 million. If any previous president had sent out an advertisement suggesting that you can meet with them for a payment to them of $1 million to $5 million, in and of itself we would deem that to be unacceptable. But Donald Trump and Elon Musk believe that because they have arranged this dizzying pace of corruption, in which not a day goes by in which something doesn’t happen inside our government in which Elon Musk or Donald Trump use their power in order to rig the rules to enrich themselves, that we are all going to feel that it’s normal.

    “This is how democracies die. Democracies die when the very powerful people steal from us so regularly, so openly, so unapologetically, that we come to believe that it’s normal. And listen, I understand that many Americans may think that all of this stuff just used to happen quietly, and the only difference is that Trump and Musk are just putting it all out in the open. And I’m not saying that there haven’t been instances of corruption. Democrats and Republicans in this body have been accused of, and convicted of, acts of corruption. It has been a fact of life in American politics for a long time. But never before has the corruption happened this openly or this frequently. And so I lay it all out for you this afternoon in the hopes that it is not too late for us to decide to stand up, as a body and as a nation, to say that this isn’t okay.

    “The Trump meme coin is not okay. It’s not okay for people who have interest before the federal government to be able to anonymously funnel money to the president of the United States. It’s not okay for Elon Musk to have access to Department of Labor enforcement data, against him or his competitors, that nobody else gets access to. It’s not okay to just cancel contracts that were going to Musk’s competitors and substitute in his own business, just because he has the ability to do it as a friend of Donald Trump. The rule of law matters. Doing things by the rules matter. This level of corruption was not occurring behind the scenes prior. It is not just that the cover got pulled off of it all. And it’s our decision, as a body and as a country, to decide not to normalize this scale of corruption. I yield the floor.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Hassan Presses FDA Commissioner Nominee to Lower Prescription Drug Costs and Protect Reproductive Health Care Medication

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
    WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan questioned Dr. Marty Makary, President Trump’s nominee to be Commissioner of the FDA, at a hearing in the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Senator Hassan pushed Dr. Makary to work with Congress to lower prescription drug costs for Granite Staters and Americans and protect access to life-saving medications that help manage reproductive health care, including abortion and miscarriage care.  
    To watch Senator Hassan’s hearing questions, click here.
    “President Trump has promised to help lower costs, but prescription drug prices are once again skyrocketing for Granite Staters and all Americans. In 2025, drug makers have increased the list prices of over 500 common medications,” said Senator Hassan. She then encouraged Dr. Makary to work with her to speed up the approval of generic drugs at FDA to lower costs for patients, including through her bipartisan Increasing Transparency in Generic Drug Applications Act.  
    Senator Hassan then moved on to address access to mifepristone – an essential drug used to manage miscarriages and medication abortion that is being threatened by Republicans across the country. Senator Hassan pressed Dr. Makary to acknowledge the safety and efficacy of the life-saving drug. “I shared with you that study…where scientists looked at – just so people know – over 100 studies of medication abortion, and found that the literature is clear that mifepristone is safe and effective,” said Senator Hassan.  
    Senator Hassan pressed Dr. Makary to ensure that he will not cave to political pressure to ban mifepristone: “The concern is whether you are going to unilaterally overrule the data that currently exists for political purposes, and for political reasons. And that’s what we’re looking for your reassurance on… We need to know that when you say you’re an independent scientist, that’s really what you mean, and then when the politics get heated around abortion that you won’t abandon that independence.”
    Senator Hassan has been a leader in standing up for a woman’s fundamental freedom to make her own reproductive health care decisions. She has also worked on a bipartisan basis to lower prescription drug costs for Americans, introducing bipartisan legislation that would streamline the FDA approval process and allow generic drugs to get to market faster. Senator Hassan also passed into law three bipartisan measures to increase access to generic and biosimilar medications. Additionally, Senator Hassan successfully pushed to cap insulin costs for those on Medicare as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, which became law in 2022. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Cosponsors Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Protect the Rights of American Workers to Organize

    US Senate News:

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

    Padilla Cosponsors Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Protect the Rights of American Workers to Organize

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and a bipartisan group of Senate and House colleagues in introducing the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO Act), comprehensive labor legislation to protect the rights of workers to stand together and bargain for fairer wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces. The legislation was renamed in honor of former AFL-CIO President Richard L. Trumka.

    The American people’s support for unions is surging. According to a 2024 Gallup poll, 70 percent of Americans approve of labor unions — remaining at near record highs. Despite this growing support, billionaire- and special interest-funded attacks on the rights of workers, unions, and labor laws have eroded union density and made it harder for workers to organize. The share of American workers who are union members has fallen from roughly one in three workers in 1956 to a new low of around one in 10 in 2024. The PRO Act restores fairness to the economy by strengthening the federal law that protects the right of workers to join a union and bargain for higher pay, better benefits, and safer workplaces.

    The legislation is led by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Bobby Scott (D-Va.-03), alongside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.-08), House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.-05), and Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.). It is cosponsored by every Democratic Senator.

    “As Donald Trump and Elon Musk take a chainsaw to the federal workforce and longstanding labor guardrails, the right to unionize is under attack,” said Senator Padilla. “Every worker deserves access to the protections offered by unions, which help level the playing field and fight against corrupt corporate power grabs by Trump’s billionaire donors. Unions help workers achieve improved working conditions, living wages, and broader benefits. I am committed to ensuring Congress does its part to protect workers and make it easier for them to bargain for fair compensation for their work. That starts with finally passing the PRO Act.”

    “Never before in the history of our nation have income and wealth inequality been greater than today. Workers are falling further and further behind. In response, millions of Americans have expressed their desire to join a union,” said Senator Sanders. “However, the billionaire class is fighting with all its might to put down attempts by workers to exercise their constitutional right to unionize. That includes the decision by President Trump to illegally fire National Labor Relations Board Member Gwynne Wilcox and effectively shut down the NLRB. Without a functioning NLRB, corporate bosses can illegally fire unionizing workers, flagrantly violate labor laws and render free and fair union elections near impossible. Supporting the immediate reinstatement of Member Wilcox and the swift passage of the PRO Act would be major steps toward building real worker power. The PRO Act is long overdue and I am proud to be introducing this bill in the Senate.”

    “Americans believe in the power of unions and tens of millions of working people would become union members tomorrow if they could. But American labor law is broken, weighted on the side of the bosses and against the workers. In too many workplaces, in too many industries across the country, big corporations and billionaire CEOs still retaliate against us for organizing. They refuse to negotiate our contracts, force us to sit through hours of anti-union propaganda, and engage in illegal union-busting every day. Now they have an unelected, unaccountable, union-buster trying to illegally fire tens of thousands of our fellow workers in federal jobs and an administration rolling back the workplace protections. The PRO Act is long overdue, and the American people agree. We urge elected leaders of both parties to move this critical legislation forward so that all workers have the chance to stand together and build better lives for themselves and their families,” said AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler.

    Large corporations and the wealthy continue to reap the rewards of a growing economy while working families and middle-class Americans are left behind. From 1979 to 2023, annual wages for the bottom 90 percent of households increased just 44 percent, while average incomes for the wealthiest 1 percent increased more than 180 percent.

    Unions are critical to increasing wages and creating a strong economy that rewards hardworking people. Through the power of collective bargaining, the typical union worker earns 16 percent more than the typical non-union worker.

    Specifically, the PRO Act would protect the right to organize and collectively bargain by:

    • Bolstering remedies and punishing violations of the rights of workers through authorizing meaningful penalties for employers that violate their rights, strengthening support for workers who suffer retaliation for exercising their rights, and authorizing a private right of action for violation of the rights of workers.
    • Strengthening the rights of workers to join together and negotiate for better working conditions by enhancing their right to support secondary boycotts, ensuring unions can collect “fair share” fees, modernizing the union election process, and facilitating initial collective bargaining agreements.
    • Restoring fairness to an economy rigged against workers by closing loopholes that allow employers to misclassify their employees as supervisors and independent contractors and increasing transparency in labor-management relations.

    Organizations endorsing the PRO Act include the AFL-CIO, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Autoworkers (UAW), United Steelworkers (USW), Communications Workers of America (CWA), National Nurses United (NNU), International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE), National Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART), the American Federation of Musicians, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers, Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA), Transport Workers Union (TWU), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT).

    Senator Padilla is a longtime advocate for protecting workers’ rights and fighting for their safety. Padilla recently introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to ensure that truckers are compensated fairly for the hours that they are on the clock, including overtime. Last month, Padilla joined every Democratic senator and a bipartisan group of 213 Representatives in urging President Trump to immediately reinstate National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Member Gwynne Wilcox and restore the NLRB’s ability to protect the rights of American workers to organize and collectively bargain. In 2023, Padilla announced the Asunción Valdivia Heat, Illness, Injury and Fatality Prevention Act to protect the safety and health of workers who are exposed to dangerous heat conditions in the workplace. He also cosponsored a pair of bills to hold companies who engage in union busting activities accountable and to protect striking workers’ access to health care. Additionally, he introduced the Fairness for Farm Workers Act, legislation to update the nation’s labor laws to ensure farm workers receive fairer wages and compensation. Padilla previously cosponsored the Nationwide Right to Unionize Act, legislation that would support the right to unionize by prohibiting states from banning union security agreements through “right-to-work” laws.

    A one-pager on the bill is available here. A section-by-section summary of the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA Announce Initial Cancelation of Grants and Contracts to Columbia University Worth $400 Million

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA Announce Initial Cancelation of Grants and Contracts to Columbia University Worth $400 Million

    WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Education (ED), and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the immediate cancellation of approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University due to the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. These cancellations represent the first round of action and additional cancellations are expected to follow. The Task Force is continuing to review and coordinate across federal agencies to identify additional cancellations that could be made swiftly. DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA are taking this action as members of the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. Columbia University currently holds more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA Announce Initial Cancelation of Grants and Contracts to Columbia University Worth $400 Million

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Members Of the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism Take Swift Action to Protect Jewish Students in Response to Inaction By Columbia University

    WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Education (ED), and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced the immediate cancellation of approximately $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University due to the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. These cancellations represent the first round of action and additional cancellations are expected to follow. The Task Force is continuing to review and coordinate across federal agencies to identify additional cancellations that could be made swiftly. DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA are taking this action as members of the Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. Columbia University currently holds more than $5 billion in federal grant commitments.

    On March 3rd, the Task Force notified the Acting President of Columbia University that it would conduct a comprehensive review of the university’s federal contracts and grants  in light of ongoing investigations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Chaos and anti-Semitic harassment have continued on and near campus in the days since. Columbia has not responded to the Task Force.

    “After the horrors of October 7th, Jewish students were shamefully targeted on American college campuses—including at Columbia University,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Any university which fails to account for the discrimination of its students will not be tolerated. Comply with federal anti-discrimination laws and take action to protect students or expect consequences.”

    “Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses – only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “Universities must comply with all federal antidiscrimination laws if they are going to receive federal funding. For too long, Columbia has abandoned that obligation to Jewish students studying on its campus. Today, we demonstrate to Columbia and other universities that we will not tolerate their appalling inaction any longer.”

    President Trump has been clear that any college or university that allows illegal protests and repeatedly fails to protect students from anti-Semitic harassment on campus will be subject to the loss of federal funding.

    “Freezing the funds is one of the tools we are using to respond to this spike in anti-Semitism. This is only the beginning,” said Leo Terrell, Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights and head of the DOJ Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. “Cancelling these taxpayer funds is our strongest signal yet that the Federal Government is not going to be party to an educational institution like Columbia that does not protect Jewish students and staff.”

    The decisive action by the DOJ, HHS, ED, and GSA to cancel Columbia’s grants and contracts serves as a notice to every school and university that receives federal dollars that this Administration will use all the tools at its disposal to protect Jewish students and end anti-Semitism on college campuses.

    “Anti-Semitism is clearly inconsistent with the fundamental values that should inform liberal education,” said Sean Keveney, HHS Acting General Counsel and Task Force member. “Columbia University’s complacency is unacceptable.”

    GSA will assist HHS and ED in issuing stop-work orders on grants and contracts that Columbia holds with those agencies. These stop-work orders will immediately freeze the university’s access to these funds. Additionally, GSA will be assisting all agencies in issuing stop work orders and terminations for contracts held by Columbia University.

    “Doing business with the Federal Government is a privilege,” said Josh Gruenbaum, FAS Commissioner and Task Force member. “Columbia University, through their continued and shameful inaction to stop radical protestors from taking over buildings on campus and lack of response to the safety issues for Jewish students, and for that matter – all students – are not upholding the ideals of this Administration or the American people. Columbia cannot expect to retain the privilege of receiving federal taxpayer dollars if they will not fulfill their civil rights responsibilities to protect Jewish students from harassment and anti-Semitism.”

    For more information, read the HHS, ED, and GSA joint press release from Monday, March 3rd.

    # # #

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Heinrich Join Colleagues in Urging USDA to Reinstate Hispanic-Serving Institution Fellowship Program That Has Served New Mexico Students and Educational Institutions

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Senator for New Mexico Ben Ray Luján
    Senators to USDA: “The Department’s decision to suspend EKDLG Fellowship Program threatens the U.S. agricultural workforce pipeline and the opportunities this program provides educators and students nationwide”
    NMSU Was Part of 2024 Fellowship Program That Supported our Nation’s Agricultural Workforce
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, and U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) joined U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and 9 of their colleagues in calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately reinstate its HSI E. Kika De La Garza (EKDLG) Fellowship Program. The program, suspended by the Trump administration, supports the nation’s agricultural workforce while uplifting professionals and students of all backgrounds at HSIs, including non-Latino students. Last year, staff at NMSU was selected for the 2024 EKDLG Fellowship Program.
    USDA established the nonpartisan EKDLG Fellowship Program in 1998, designing the program to strengthen educational partnerships between faculty, staff, and administrators from HSIs and USDA. These partnerships support professional development, workforce development, and exposure opportunities for Hispanic-Serving Institutions nationwide, offering critical insight and understanding of the federal government.
    “USDA’s partnership with HSIs and Hispanic Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACUs) plays a vital role in establishing a collaborative relationship and creating a nationwide network of educators working with USDA to help grow the next generation of the American agricultural workforce,” wrote the Senators.
    “The Department’s decision to suspend EKDLG Fellowship Program threatens the U.S. agricultural workforce pipeline and the opportunities this program provides educators and students nationwide,” continued the Senators. “We urge you to immediately reinstate the E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship Program, similar to Department’s reinstatement of the 1890 National Scholars Program, and to collaborate with Congress to ensure its long-term stability.”
    Programs like the USDA EKDLG Fellowship Program are built to help students reach their full potential and reinforce America’s agricultural workforce pipeline. The 2024 EKDLG Program included eight fellowships in Texas, six in Arizona, five in California, four in New York, two in Illinois, one in New Mexico, one in Colorado, one in New Jersey, one in Florida, one in Connecticut, and one in Washington.
    Hispanic-Serving Institutions are not-for-profit institutions of higher learning with 25 percent or higher total undergraduate Hispanic or Latino full-time students. There are 600 HSIs in the United States that enroll over 5.2 million Hispanic students, two-thirds of all Hispanic undergraduates, and 32.2 percent of total Pell Grant recipients — empowering and improving communities.
    In addition to Senators Luján, Heinrich, Padilla, and Klobuchar, the letter is also signed by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
    The letter is endorsed by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and UnidosUS.
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Secretary Rollins,
    We write to express our significant concerns about the suspension of the USDA Hispanic-Serving (HSI) E. Kika De La Garza (EKDLG) Fellowship Program and to ask that you immediately reinstate it.
    The EKDLG Fellowship Program was established in 1998 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the program has had consistent support from every presidential administration since its establishment. The program strengthens educational partnerships between faculty, staff, and administrators from HSIs and USDA.
    The EKDLG Fellowship Program is non-partisan and supports increasing the professional development, workforce development, and exposure opportunities for faculty, staff, and students nationwide. USDA’s partnership with HSIs and Hispanic Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACUs) plays a vital role in establishing a collaborative relationship and creating a nationwide network of educators working with USDA to help grow the next generation of the American agricultural workforce. These fellowships are open to faculty, staff, and administrators of all backgrounds that are employed at HSIs or Hispanic-Serving School Districts and students of all backgrounds are eligible to participate.
    HSIs are economic engines and shape our nation’s agricultural workforce. In 2022, HSIs enrolled 5.2 million students, including 66% of all Hispanic undergraduate students and over 31% of all college students in non-profit postsecondary institutions in the country. Programs like the EKDLG Fellowship Program equip educators with the tools to help students reach their full potential and support the nation’s agricultural workforce pipeline. For example, the list of 2024 EKDLG participants shows the program’s nationwide impact:
    1. University of Houston, Sugar Land, Texas
    2. New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico
    3. The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
    4. Arizona Western College, Yuma, Arizona
    5. Coastal Bend College, Beeville, Texas
    6. Adams State University, Alamosa, Colorado
    7. California State University, Chico, Chico, California
    8. Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey
    9. Texas A&M University, Kingsville, Texas
    10. Mesa Community College, Mesa, Arizona
    11. Hartnell College, Salinas, California
    12. Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
    13. City Colleges of Chicago, Harold Washington College, Chicago, Illinois
    14. Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
    15. Maricopa Community Colleges, Tempe, Arizona
    16. University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
    17. Waubonsee Community College, Sugar Grove, Illinois
    18. Northern Arizona University, Yuma, Arizona
    19. University of California, Santa Barbara, California
    20. Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, California
    21. University of Texas, San Antonio, Texas
    22. CUNY New York City College of Technology, Brooklyn, New York
    23. CUNY Hunter College, New York, New York
    24. Florida International University, Miami, Florida
    25. California State University, Fresno, California
    26. Arizona State University, Mesa, Arizona
    27. Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
    28. The University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, Texas
    29. Mt. Adams School District #209, White Swan, Washington
    30. The Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, New York, New York
    31. John Bowne High School, Flushing, New York
    The Department’s decision to suspend EKDLG Fellowship Program threatens the U.S. agricultural workforce pipeline and the opportunities this program provides educators and students nationwide.
    We urge you to immediately reinstate the E. Kika De La Garza Fellowship Program, similar to Department’s reinstatement of the 1890 National Scholars Program, and to collaborate with Congress to ensure its long-term stability.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Wah Fu Education Group Ltd. Announces Financial Results for the First Half of Fiscal Year 2025

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BEIJING, March 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wah Fu Education Group Limited (“Wah Fu” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ:WAFU), a provider of online education and exam preparation services, as well as related training materials and technology solutions for both institutions and individuals, today announced its unaudited financial results for the six months ended September 30, 2024.

    Financial Highlights for the Six Months Ended September 30, 2024

        For the Six Months Ended
    September 30,    		  
    ($’000, except per share data)   2024     2023     % Change  
    Revenue   $ 2,799     $ 3,648       (23.3 )%
    Gross profit   $ 1,572     $ 2,063       (23.8 )%
    Gross margin     56.1 %     56.6 %     (0.5 )pp
    (Loss) income from operations   $ (571 )   $ 273       (309.5 )%
    Operating (loss) profit margin     (20.4 )%     7.5 %     (27.9 )pp
    Net (loss) income   $ (581 )   $ 125       (566.3 )%
    Basic and diluted (loss) earnings per share   $ (0.12 )   $ 0.05       (343.3 )%
                             

    * pp: percentage points

    • Revenue decreased by 23.3% year-over-year to $2.80 million for the six months ended September 30, 2024 from $3.65 million for the same period of the prior fiscal year. The decrease in revenue was primarily attributable to a decrease in self-taught higher education exams included in our Business-to-Business-to-Customer (“B2B2C”) revenue from our online education services.
    • Gross profit decreased by 23.8% to $1.57 million for the six months ended September 30, 2024 from $2.06 million for the same period of the prior fiscal year. Gross margins were 56.1% and 56.6% for the six months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively. The decrease in gross profit of online education services was primarily due to the decrease in revenue.
    • Loss from operations was $0.57 million for the six months ended September 30, 2024 when it was income from operation of $0.27 million for the six months ended September 30, 2023. Operating loss margin was 20.4% for the six months ended September 30, 2024, compared to operating profit margin of 7.5% for the same period of the prior fiscal year.
    • Net loss was $0.58 million or, loss per share of $0.12 for the six months ended September 30, 2024, compared to net income of $0.13 million, or income per share of $0.05, for the same period of the prior fiscal year.

    Unaudited Financial Results for the six months ended September 30, 2024

    Revenue

    For the six months ended September 30, 2024, revenue decreased by $0.85 million, or 23.3%, to $2.80 million from $3.65 million for the same period of the prior fiscal year. The decrease in revenue was primarily due to the decrease of revenue from self-taught higher education exams included in our Business-to-Business-to-Customer (“B2B2C”) revenues from our online education services.

    For the six months ended September 30, 2024, revenue from providing online education services decreased by $0.99 million for the same period of the prior fiscal year. The decrease was mainly due to a decrease in self-taught higher education exams included in our Business-to-Business-to-Customer (“B2B2C”) revenues. During the six months ended September 30, 2024, due to the implementation of local policies in Hunan province, some universities canceled the self-study examination, thus the courses provided to self-study examination decreased, the revenue from Business-to-Business-to-Customer (“B2B2C”) decreased gradually.

    Cost of revenue

    Cost of revenue decreased by $0.35 million, or 22.4%, to $1.22 million for the six months ended September 30, 2024 from $1.57 million for the same period of the prior fiscal year. The decrease in overall cost of revenue was mainly due to decrease in cost of revenue for online education services. Cost of revenue mainly comprised of salaries and related expenses for our teaching support, course and content development, website maintenance and information technology engineers and other employees, fees paid to our course lecturers, depreciation and amortization expenses, server relocation and bandwidth leasing fees paid to third-party providers and other miscellaneous expenses. As the decrease of online education service revenue, cost related to online education service deceased for the six months ended September 30, 2024 compared to the same period last year.

    Gross profit

    Gross profit decreased by $0.49 million, or 23.8%, to $1.57 million for the six months ended September 30, 2024 from $2.06 million for the same period of the prior fiscal year. Gross margin decreased by 0.5 percent to 56.1% for the six months ended September 30, 2024 from 56.6% for the same period of the prior fiscal year. The decrease of gross profit was mainly due to the decrease of online education service revenue from self-taught higher education exams.

    Operating expenses

    Selling expenses decreased by $0.05 million, or 6.0%, to $0.76 million for the six months ended September 30, 2024 from $0.80 million for the same period of the prior fiscal year. This decrease was primarily due to the decrease in salaries for our sales department since our revenue decreased.

    General and administrative expenses increased by $0.40 million, or 40.71%, to $1.39 million for the six months ended September 30, 2024 from $0.99 million for the same period of the prior fiscal year. General and administrative expenses increased mainly due to the increase of provision for bad debts.

    Total operating expenses increased by $0.35 million, or 19.72%, to $2.14 million for the six months ended September 30, 2024 from $1.79 million for the same period of the prior fiscal year.

    Income (loss) from operations

    Loss form from operations was $0.57 million for the six months ended September 30, 2024 when it was an income of $0.27 for the six months ended September 30, 2023. Please see above for a detailed description of such Income (loss) from operations.

    Other income (expenses)

    Total other income expenses, including interest income, net of other expenses, net other income was $0.08 million for the six months ended September 30, 2024 when it was a net expense of $0.09 million in the same period of the prior fiscal year.

    Income before income taxes

    Loss before income taxes was $0.49 million for the six months ended September 30, 2024, compared to income before income taxes of $0.18 million for the same period of the prior fiscal year.

    Net income (loss) and earnings (loss) per share

    Net loss was $0.58 million for the six months ended September 30, 2024, compared to net income of $0.12 million for the same period of the prior fiscal year. Net loss margin was 20.7% for the six months ended September 30, 2024, compared to net profit margin of 3.4% for the same period of the prior fiscal year.

    After deducting non-controlling interests, net loss attributable to the Company was $0.55 million, or loss of $0.12 basic and diluted share, for the six months ended September 30, 2024. This compared to net profit of $0.23 million, or profit of $0.05 per basic and diluted share, for the same period of the prior fiscal year.

    Weighted average numbers of shares outstanding were 4,410,559 and 4,440,085 for the six months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.

    Financial Condition

    As of September 30, 2024, the Company had cash of $10.15 million, compared to $11.05 million as of March 31, 2024. Total working capital was $10.56 million as of September 30, 2024, compared to $10.75 million as of March 31, 2024.

    Net cash used in operating activates was $1.19 million for the six months ended September 30, 2024 compared to net cash used in operating activities of $0.10 million for the same period last year. Net cash used in investing activities for the six months ended September 30, 2024 was $0.04 million. There was no cash used in or provided by investing activities for the six months ended September 30, 2023. There was no cash used in or provided by financing activities for the six months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.

    Subsequent Events

    On January 21, 2025, Wah Fu Education Group Ltd. (the “Company”) amended and restated its memorandum and articles of association, including

    • Creation of a new class of Class A shares with each Class A share being entitled to fifteen (15) votes on all matters subject to vote at general meetings of the Company. Any Class A Shares which are fully paid may be converted into ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis at the option of the holder of such Class A Shares upon giving five days’ notice by such holder to the Company.
    • The maximum number of shares that the Company is authorized to issue was increased from 30,000,000 ordinary shares of US$0.01 par value each to 600,000,000 shares divided into 500,000,000 ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.01 each and 100,000,000 Class A shares with a par value of US$0.01 each.
    • The redemption of 1,488,000 ordinary shares held by HFGFR Inc. and reissue of 1,488,000 Class A Shares to HFGFR Inc. were approved.

    Management has evaluated subsequent events through March 7, 2025, the date which the financial statements were available to be issued. All subsequent events requiring recognition as of September 30, 2024 have been incorporated into these financial statements and there are no subsequent events that require disclosure in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 855, “Subsequent Events.”

    About Wah Fu Education Group Limited

    Headquartered in Beijing, China, Wah Fu Education Group Limited provides online training and exam preparation services, as well as related training materials and technology solutions for both institutions, such as universities and training institutions, and students. For more information about Wah Fu, please visit www.edu-edu.cn.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are not statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as “may, “will, “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: the Company’s goals and strategies; the Company’s future business development; product and service demand and acceptance; changes in technology; economic conditions; the growth of the online training industry in China and the other markets the Company serves or plans to serve; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and the other markets the Company serves or plans to serve and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).  For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

    For more information, please contact:

    Raincy Du
    ir@edu-edu.com.cn

    WAH FU EDUCATION GROUP LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES
    CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                 
        As of
    September 30,    		     As of
    March 31,    		  
        2024     2024  
        (Unaudited)        
    ASSETS            
    CURRENT ASSETS:            
    Cash   $ 10,145,053     $ 11,045,708  
    Accounts receivable, net     646,487       1,039,580  
    Other receivables, net     1,014,317       188,441  
    Loan to third parties, current     514,634       524,969  
    Loan to related parties     1,778,524       1,778,524  
    Other current assets     59,728       95,583  
    TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS     14,158,743       14,672,805  
                     
    Loan to third parties, noncurrent     215,229       194,229  
    Property and equipment, net     464,073       485,660  
    Intangible assets, net     1,918       7,456  
    Long-term investment     142,499       138,498  
    Operating lease right-of-use assets     237,865       341,895  
    Long-term rent deposit     45,735       53,303  
    Deferred tax assets, net     231,919       262,577  
    TOTAL ASSETS   $ 15,497,981     $ 16,156,423  
                     
    CURRENT LIABILITIES:                
    Due to related parties   $ 315,512     $ 315,512  
    Deferred revenue     1,575,010       1,818,426  
    Operating lease liabilities, current     197,316       260,283  
    Taxes payable     1,003,350       969,595  
    Other payables     300,018       176,257  
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities     165,348       173,791  
    Accounts payable     39,023       210,348  
    TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES     3,595,577       3,924,212  
                     
    Operating lease liabilities, noncurrent     39,377       72,975  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES     3,634,954       3,997,187  
                     
    COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES                
                     
    EQUITY                
    Ordinary shares, $0.01 par value, 30,000,000 shares authorized; 4,410,559 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2024 and March 31, 2024     44,106       44,106  
    Additional paid-in capital     5,124,236       5,124,236  
    Statutory reserve     867,530       867,530  
    Retained earnings     5,813,559       6,362,554  
    Accumulated other comprehensive loss     (923,282 )     (1,248,648 )
    Total shareholders’ equity     10,926,149       11,149,778  
    Non-controlling interest     936,878       1,009,458  
    TOTAL EQUITY     11,863,027       12,159,236  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY   $ 15,497,981     $ 16,156,423  
    WAH FU EDUCATION GROUP LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES
    UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
     
        For the Six Months
    Ended
    September 30,    		  
        2024     2023  
                 
    REVENUE   $ 2,799,328     $ 3,647,954  
                     
    COST OF REVENUE AND RELATED TAX                
    Cost of revenue     1,217,472       1,569,477  
    Business and sales related tax     10,083       15,606  
                     
    GROSS PROFIT     1,571,773       2,062,871  
                     
    OPERATING EXPENSES                
    Selling expenses     756,639       804,790  
    General and administrative expenses     1,386,486       985,346  
    Total operating expenses     2,143,125       1,790,136  
                     
    (LOSS) INCOME FROM OPERATIONS     (571,352 )     272,735  
                     
    OTHER(EXPENSES) INCOME                
    Interest income     99,809       98,240  
    Other expenses     (19,254 )     (190,929 )
    Total other income (expense), net     80,555       (92,689 )
                     
    (LOSS) INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAX PROVISION     (490,797 )     180,046  
                     
    PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES     89,953       55,492  
                     
    NET (LOSS) INCOME     (580,750 )     124,554  
                     
    Less: net loss attributable to non-controlling interest     (31,755 )     (102,575 )
                     
    NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO WAH FU EDUCATION GROUP LIMITED   $ (548,995 )   $ 227,129  
                     
    COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME                
    Net income     (580,750 )     124,554  
    Other comprehensive loss: foreign currency translation gain (loss)     284,541       (732,741 )
    Total comprehensive loss   $ (296,209 )     (608,187 )
    Less: Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to non-controlling interest     (40,825 )     2,352  
                     
    COMPREHENSIVE LOSS ATTRIBUTABLE TO WAH FU EDUCATION GROUP LIMITED   $ (255,384 )   $ (610,539 )
                     
    (Loss) earnings per ordinary share – basic and diluted   $ (0.12 )   $ 0.05  
    Weighted average shares – basic and diluted     4,410,559       4,440,085  
    WAH FU EDUCATION GROUP LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES
    UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATION STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
     
        Ordinary Shares     Additional
    Paid-in    		     Statutory     Retained     Accumulated
    Other
    Comprehensive    		     Shareholders’     Non-controlling     Total  
        Shares     Amount     Capital     Reserves     Earnings     Income (Loss)     Equity     Interest     Equity  
                                                           
    Balance at March 31, 2024   4,410,559     $ 44,106     $ 5,124,236     $ 867,530     $ 6,362,554     $ (1,248,648 )   $ 11,149,778     $ 1,009,458     $ 12,159,236  
                                                                           
    Net loss   –       –       –               (548,995 )     –       (548,995 )     (31,755 )     (580,750 )
    Foreign currency translation adjustment   –       –       –       –       –       325,366       325,366       (40,825 )     284,541  
                                                                           
    Balance at September 30, 2024   4,410,559     $ 44,106     $ 5,124,236     $ 867,530     $ 5,813,559     $ (923,282 )   $ 10,926,149     $ 936,878     $ 11,863,027  
                                                                           
    Balance at March 31, 2023   4,440,085     $ 44,401     $ 5,123,941     $ 867,530     $ 6,417,842     $ (752,391 )   $ 11,701,323     $ 1,328,660     $ 13,029,983  
                                                                           
    Net income (loss)   –       –       –               227,129       –       227,129       (102,575 )     124,554  
    Appropriation of statutory reserve   –       –       –       40,339       (40,339 )     –       –       –       –  
    Foreign currency translation adjustment   –       –       –       –       –       (735,093 )     (735,093 )     2,352       (732,741 )
                                                                           
    Balance at September 30, 2023   4,440,085     $ 44,401     $ 5,123,941     $ 907,869     $ 6,604,632     $ (1,487,484 )   $ 11,193,359     $ 1,228,437     $ 12,421,796  
    WAH FU EDUCATION GROUP LIMITED AND SUBSIDIARIES
    UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
     
        For the six months
    ended September 30,    		  
        2024     2023  
    Cash flows from operating activities:            
    Net (loss) income   $ (580,750 )   $ 124,554  
    Adjustments to reconcile net (loss) income to net cash used in operating activities:                
    Depreciation and amortization     45,344       37,158  
    Non-cash lease expense     110,983       122,276  
    Loss from disposal of property and equipment     3,245       –  
    Provision for doubtful accounts     127,686       194,014  
    Interest income from loan to third parties     (14,995 )     1,445  
    Deferred tax benefit     37,262       –  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities:                
    Accounts receivable, net     284,584       (225,539 )
    Other receivable, net     (782,810 )     (33,407 )
    Other current assets     37,521       (112,254 )
    Deferred revenue     (288,352 )     (115,033 )
    Taxes payable     5,601       (12,102 )
    Accounts payable     –       (131,131 )
    Other payable     116,056       (1,551 )
    Operating lease liabilities     (103,468 )     58,915  
    Accrued expenses and other liabilities     (185,969 )     (7,708 )
    Net cash used in operating activities     (1,188,062 )     (100,363 )
                     
    Cash flows from investing activities:                
    Purchase of property and equipment     (8,281 )     –  
    Repayment received for loans to third parties     24,845       –  
    Purchase of ownership of a subsidiary     (53,733 )        
    Net cash used in investing activities     (37,169 )     –  
                     
    Effect of exchange rate fluctuation on cash     324,576       (1,045,602 )
                     
    Net decrease in cash     (900,655 )     (1,145,965 )
    Cash at beginning of the period     11,045,708       12,567,463  
    Cash at end of the period   $ 10,145,053     $ 11,421,498  
                     
    Supplemental cash flow information                
    Cash paid for income taxes   $ (49,575 )   $ (37,190 )
                     
    Non-cash financing activities                
    Right of use assets obtained in exchange for operating lease obligations   $ –     $ 200,115  

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Astronaut Tracy Dyson Speaks to Students

    Source: NASA

    NASA Astronaut Tracy Dyson points to the Expedition 71 patch on her flight suit on Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Dyson and her fellow Expedition 71 crewmates Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps answered questions from students at Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School in Washington.
    While aboard the International Space Station, Dyson conducted dozens of scientific and technology activities to benefit future exploration in space and life back on Earth. She remotely controlled a robot on Earth’s surface from a computer aboard the station and evaluated orbit-to-ground operations. She operated a 3D bioprinter to print cardiac tissue samples, which could advance technology for creating replacement organs and tissues for transplants on Earth. Dyson also participated in the crystallization of model proteins to evaluate the performance of hardware that could be used for pharmaceutical production and ran a program that uses student-designed software to control the station’s free-flying robots, inspiring the next generation of innovators.
    Image credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Announces Town Halls in Linn, Clackamas, Crook and Deschutes Counties

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    March 07, 2025
    U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum will co-host senator’s upcoming open-to-all town halls in Linn and Clackamas counties
    Portland – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will hold town halls on Sunday, March 16 in Linn and Clackamas counties with U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum, and two more on Tuesday, March 18 in Crook and Deschutes counties.
    Heading into these four open-to-all town halls, Wyden has held 1,106 open-to-all town halls in keeping his promise to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon’s 36 counties. 
    “Given the unprecedented times, it’s more important than ever that elected officials meet with Oregonians in their communities for direct conversations to hear their opinions and answer their questions,” Wyden said. “I’m glad Congresswoman Bynum will be joining me in Linn and Clackamas counties, and look forward very much to those discussions on March 16 as well as those in Crook and Deschutes counties on March 18.”
    “The more I hear from Oregonians, the better job I can do representing and fighting for you,” said Rep. Bynum. “That’s why my office aims to answer every call, respond to every message, and fill my calendar with constituent meetings. I’m super excited for these town halls to continue that conversation. See you in Linn and Clackamas counties next weekend – and I’ll be hitting the rest of the district soon!”
    The schedule for the town halls with both Wyden and Bynum on Sunday, March 16 is as follows:
    Linn County, 1 pm, Linn-Benton Community College Activities Center, 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW, Albany
    Clackamas County, 5:30 pm, Clackamas Community College, Randall Hall Gym, 19600 Molalla Ave., Oregon City
    The schedule for the town halls with Wyden on Tuesday, March 18 is as follows:
    Crook County, 1 pm, Crook County Fairgrounds, Grizzly Mountain Pavilion, 1280 S Main St., Prineville
    Deschutes County, 6 pm, Sisters High School gymnasium, 1700 W. McKinney Butte Rd., Sisters
    Although these were the largest venues available for these four town halls on these dates, space may still be limited. Doors will open one hour before the town hall start times for attendees. For everyone’s security, backpacks and large bags will not be allowed in the town hall.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gender Parity ‘Non-Negotiable’, Secretary-General Tells Group of Friends

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Group of Friends on Gender Parity, in New York today:

    I am very pleased to join you today and with the permission of the distinguished Ministers for Social Development of Qatar and for Education of Rwanda.  I want to express my deep gratitude to Her Excellency Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations, and His Excellency Ernest Rwamucyo, Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations, for what has been their remarkable leadership and their continued support and commitment to gender equality — at the United Nations and beyond.

    The Group of Friends has been a driving force in our journey towards gender parity.  I look forward to our continued and strengthened partnership during this pivotal year — to celebrate hard-won achievements, confront persistent and emerging challenges, and most importantly, accelerate action to achieve gender equality.

    2025 is meant to be a year of celebration:  25 years since the adoption of UN Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) on women, peace and security, and 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the fourth World Conference on Women — milestones which ignited global action.

    But, the truth is, 2025 is also a year of reckoning.  Five years from 2030, we are far from delivering on the promises of the Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 5:  achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.

    The environmental and climate crises are disproportionately affecting them, and women across the globe continue to endure the worst impacts of war while being excluded from most of the peace talks.

    Political representation is also stagnating.  In 2024 — a year that saw a record number of elections worldwide — only five women were elected as Heads of State.  Worse, we are witnessing an aggressive backlash against gender equality — threatening hard-won progress on women’s human rights and fundamental freedoms.

    We cannot afford to stand still.  We must push back against this pushback.  We must secure women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in all decision-making processes — including on peace and security and humanitarian action.  We must protect, support and amplify the voices of civil society and grass-roots organizations, who are on the front lines of defending women’s rights worldwide.

    We must renew our commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action under the Beijing+30 framework — and I call on everyone to accelerate its full and effective implementation.

    Last September, Member States have adopted the Pact for the Future.  The Pact reaffirms that gender equality holds the key to unlock progress on the 2030 Agenda and sustainable development.

    It calls for greater investment in the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals], expanding debt-relief measures and strengthened support from multilateral development banks so that Governments can invest in the programmes their people need — including education, training, job creation and social protections that foster gender equality.

    And the Global Digital Compact calls for closing the gender digital divide, ensuring women and girls everywhere can access and benefit from the opportunities of a rapidly evolving global economy.

    Gender equality is a thread that runs through the Pact, and I call on all Member States to spare no effort to implement its commitments.  This includes the revitalization of the Commission on the Status of Women to promote the full and effective implementation of the Platform for Action.

    As we look to the challenges all around us, we must also look inside our Organization.  With four years left to reach my goal of a 50-50 balance across the UN system by 2028, I am proud of how far we’ve come.

    With the support of so many of you today, we have seen historic breakthroughs since I launched the system-wide strategy on gender parity. In 2017, only five United Nations entities had reached parity.  Today, that number is 28 — a testament to our collective institutional efforts.

    We are seeing an unprecedented number of women serving in the UN system.  We have achieved — and more importantly, maintained — gender parity among senior leadership and resident coordinators since 2020.  And for the first time in the UN’s history, we have also reached parity in the international professional categories.

    Despite these significant strides, progress remains uneven – with critical obstacles along the way.  We still see concerning gaps at the P-5 and D-1 levels [and D-2 levels]. This threatens to undermine our future pipeline of senior leaders.

    Progress has also been slow in non-Headquarters and field locations.  While we have sustained gender parity among Resident Coordinators, women make up only 14 per cent of [resident coordinators] at the Assistant Secretary-General level. And in a majority of peacekeeping operations, the share of women does not exceed 35 per cent.

    We must nurture and promote talent everywhere — and at every level.  But, achieving gender parity is not about numbers alone.  Representation without transformation is not enough.  Lack of parity perpetuates power structures that go against gender equality.

    Too many institutions, including our own, remain shaped by patriarchal systems of power that restrict women’s equal access to leadership, economic opportunities and legal protections.  If we want a UN that truly represents the people it serves, our organizational culture, policies and decision-making must continue to evolve.

    The UN is committed to leading by example — ensuring a workplace built on the principles of dignity, equality and respect.  The field-specific enabling environment guidelines, the UN system-wide Knowledge Hub on Addressing Sexual Harassment and the UN system-wide Dashboard on Gender Parity are helping us steer organizational change.

    And more than 650 UN Gender Focal Points across the entire UN system are working alongside leadership to dismantle barriers and build truly inclusive and supportive workplaces.  But, we must do more.

    That’s why I launched the UN system-wide Gender Equality Acceleration Plan, establishing a robust governance that ensures coordination across 43 UN entities and integrating reporting into existing accountability frameworks to raise the bar for gender mainstreaming.

    A more gender-equal UN will be a more effective UN. One that serves all women and girls, champions political commitment, mobilizes investments, strengthens partnerships and ensures real accountability — and one that reflects the more equal world we want to shape.

    Gender equality is more than an aspiration.  It is a human right and a fundamental requirement for breaking cycles of poverty, violence and inequality.  Advancing gender equality paves the way for a more just, peaceful and sustainable future for all.

    The road will require bold leadership and collective action to break barriers, to safeguard women’s rights and freedoms and drive true, lasting transformation.  In this context, gender parity is non-negotiable.

    We must serve — and deliver for — all women and girls.  So let us pursue our collective efforts, turn commitments into ambitious results and push forward, together.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: $50 Million Effort to Fight Poverty in Upstate New York

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today announced new steps to fight poverty in Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse, three communities chosen because they include some of the highest poverty rates out of anywhere in New York State. Governor Hochul’s FY 2025 Budget allocated $50 million for this antipoverty programming, which is now being utilized by community-based groups in these communities.

    “Every family should have the opportunity to grow and thrive in New York, and I’m committed to delivering the resources to make that a reality,” Governor Hochul said. “As the first Governor from Upstate New York in nearly a century, I know many of our neighbors struggle to make ends meet. Working together, we’re going to fight poverty and lift up the families who need it most.”

    The cities of Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse are investing $50 million included in the FY 2025 Budget to bring much-needed resources to help families living in poverty increase earnings and improve family well-being. Each locality sought and received community input while working with their county Department of Social Services to develop and finalize their plans.

    The Monroe County Department of Human Services will use $25 million to implement three targeted strategies to strengthen low-income families’ financial footing and reduce poverty in the city of Rochester. The strategies include a monthly cash incentive program for pregnant women who agree to participate in activities that support maternal health, as well as rental subsidy and upward mobility mentoring programs.

    • Beginning within 180 days of their expected delivery date, up to 200 Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)-eligible pregnant women in certain ZIP codes in Rochester will be eligible to receive a cash incentive of $1000 per month for up to two years, as well as case management support, prenatal healthcare referrals, and services to reduce maternal morbidity and infant mortality. Participants will also be required to carry out other activities that support mental health and promote self-sufficiency and upward mobility.
    • The rental subsidy program will provide a monthly supplement to 100 families currently receiving Temporary Assistance that live in designated zip codes in Rochester over two years. Families receiving the subsidy will also receive case management, financial counseling and support necessary to increase their income so that their total monthly rent does not exceed 30 percent of their monthly income.
    • The Upward Mobility Mentoring program will provide up to 1,200 TANF-eligible families with direct support and cash assistance with the aim of having a meaningful and sustainable impact on families’ long term economic potential. This program will address five pillars of upward mobility: family stability, well-being, financial management, education/training, and employment/careers. Every enrolled family will create individualized life plans for upward mobility and participate in coaching and financial counseling to maximize the potential for their long term success.

    The Onondaga County Department of Social Services will use $12.5 million to focus on addressing generational poverty, promoting housing stability, improving school attendance rates and distributing free diapers to families that are eligible for Temporary Assistance.

    • The existing 2Gen Onondaga pilot project will be expanded, providing intensive case management and trauma-informed goal-setting for Syracuse families with children who receive Temporary Assistance to better promote family well-being. The program also encourages continued employment by providing payments to help ease the perceived effects of “benefits cliffs.” Participating households whose income exceeds eligibility for assistance will continue to receive their monthly benefit for 12 months, after which the benefit will be slowly reduced to zero. Additionally, the plan will support non-custodial parents by helping them reduce their child support orders to better reflect what they can afford and connecting them with employment and parenting programs.
    • The Central New York Centralized Housing Assistance and Network for Community Engagement (CNY CHANCE) program is designed to help alleviate an increasingly tight housing market. The program includes a range of efforts to promote housing stability, including the creation of a housing database, landlord engagement and incentives, and advocacy for affordable housing development, among others.
    • Full-time attendance liaisons will be embedded in the Syracuse City School District to support students from families who are receiving or eligible to receive Temporary Assistance that are struggling with attendance issues. The liaisons will provide continuous support to families and work to resolve issues that are contributing to chronic absenteeism.
    • Onondaga County will work with the CNY Diaper Bank to provide free diapers to any family with a child under age 4 who lives in the City of Syracuse and is eligible for Temporary Assistance.

    The Erie County Department of Social Services will use $12.5 million to support upward mobility for TANF-eligible families experiencing poverty who reside in the city of Buffalo. The goal of the incentive-based program is to improve employment outcomes for families and children and reduce child poverty. Program components include life coaches, career coaches, financial literacy services, linkage to support and resources, and direct cash incentives.

    • Direct cash payments would be provided as an incentive for up to 600 participating families. The families could receive up to 29 incentive payments totaling $16,000 per family if they meet certain benchmarks, including engagement with career and life coaches, making progress toward identified goals, enrollment in training and/or education/upskilling activities, and attainment and retention of employment.
    • Savings accounts will be opened for up to 300 participants and every dollar deposited by the participant will receive a $3 match up to $3,000.
    • Approximately 115 participants will receive assistance in obtaining a driver license, as a first step toward car ownership.
    • Participants will also have access to various workforce development programs, including subsidized job placement, on-the-job training, industry-specific career pathways programs, and pre-apprenticeships, among others.

    This initiative builds on Governor Hochul’s commitment to making New York the best, most affordable place to start and raise a family. The Governor’s historic investments in her 2025 State of the State and FY 2026 Executive Budget will advance innovative actions to best address the needs of every child and family in New York:

    • Governor Hochul’s expansion of the Child Tax credit to $1,000 or $500 per child will help address the economic challenges that families are facing and is projected to significantly reduce child poverty in New York State. When fully implemented, this historic investment could reduce child poverty statewide by up to 8.2 percent. This would build on the progress this Administration has already made reducing child poverty through actions in recent budgets. Combined with other measures like expanding subsidized childcare, this Administration’s actions to date are estimated to reduce child poverty by up to 17.7 percent.
    • The Governor also proposed New York’s first-ever inflation refund that will put $3 billion back in the pockets of 8.6 million taxpayers. By the end of 2025, New York State will send direct payments to everyday New Yorkers. Joint tax filers who make $300,000 or less will receive a $500 payment, while all single New York taxpayers who make $150,000 or less will receive a $300 payment. These one-time payments will provide New Yorkers with much-needed financial relief in 2025.
    • Governor Hochul will partner with Baby2Baby to provide maternal health and newborn supply boxes to Medicaid-enrolled expectant mothers and those reached through community organizations and hospitals in low-income areas. The boxes will include resources, educational materials, self-care products, and diapers, reaching approximately 100,000 families at full implementation.
    • Governor Hochul will also provide millions of diapers annually and expand maternal behavioral health services. Additionally, the Governor will co-locate mental health services into OBGYN practices in high-needs communities.
    • Building on the Governor’s support for pregnant women and infants, the New York State BABY (Birth Allowance for Beginning Year) Benefit will provide a $100 monthly benefit during pregnancy and a $1,200 benefit at birth to low-income public assistance recipients. This will increase household income for thousands of New York families.
    • Additionally, to take action against pervasive appraisal bias through the housing industry that has unjustly stripped families in communities of color out of the opportunity to purchase a home, Governor Hochul proposed a suite of actions to make discriminatory appraisal practices unlawful, enforce anti-discrimination principles in appraisals, and diversify the appraiser workforce.

    New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Barbara C. Guinn said, “Poverty is a reality that affects the lives of far too many children and their families, limiting their opportunities and potential. Research shows that the focused support and assistance contained in these locally-driven anti-poverty initiatives—from rental subsidies, maternal health support, financial coaching, school attendance incentives, to cash assistance—are effective at improving family well-being and the economic security of children and families. We look forward to the implementation of these programs in Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse and are grateful to Governor Hochul for prioritizing an agenda that uplifts working families and makes our state more livable and affordable for all New Yorkers.”

    Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer said, “From boosting financial literacy to job-training to improving parenting skills and support for steady housing in Buffalo and Rochester and Syracuse, this is an investment in our children, in our future, and building a better life for families that need a helping hand. I will always fight to deliver resources to New York’s families to give all our children the best opportunities for a bright future and support Governor Hochul’s efforts to achieve these goals.”

    Representative Joe Morelle said, “Lifting children and families out of poverty has always been one of my top priorities. This marks a vital step forward in our efforts to lower costs by making high-quality healthcare and housing opportunities more affordable and putting money directly in the pockets of those who need it most. I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for her leadership on this important issue, and I look forward to working with her and Monroe County Executive Adam Bello to implement Project Prosper throughout Rochester.”

    Representative Timothy Kennedy said, “This important anti-poverty initiative will uplift hardworking parents and help ensure their children thrive. This funding will connect families with resources that have the potential to change their lives. In Washington, I will continue fighting for working households to make New York more affordable and to provide those families with access to new opportunities.”

    Representative John W. Mannion said, “Every child deserves a chance to succeed, and I’m committed to lifting our communities out of poverty, especially in urban centers like Syracuse. It’s a generational challenge – but also an opportunity to make meaningful investments in our schools, create environments of hope, deliver stable housing, and bring successful programs to scale. I join Governor Hochul in this effort and commend her leadership for making these life changing investments in Onondaga County.”

    State Senator Christopher Ryan said, “I want to extend my gratitude to Governor Kathy Hochul for her commitment to addressing the needs of children and families in Syracuse and Central New York. The $50 million investment across Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse will provide vital resources to help reduce poverty and improve the well-being of families who need it most. This initiative, built on strong collaboration between state, county and local leaders, ensures that our region’s efforts are guided by the real needs and input of the families we serve. I’m proud to support this transformative approach, and I look forward to working together to create lasting change for our children and families in Syracuse and throughout Central New York.”

    State Senator April N.M. Baskin said, “If the cycle of poverty is not broken early in a child’s life, the devastating effects are often felt for a lifetime. This investment in Buffalo and other upstate cities is critical because our communities are among the poorest, setting children back before they even have a chance to start. Resources from these vital funds can dramatically and positively help area kids thrive, enhancing their lives and their families as well.”

    State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, “Child poverty rates across Upstate New York are abhorrent, especially in the City of Rochester where nearly half of our children live below the poverty line. Thank you Governor Hochul for your partnership in bringing funding to local organizations in the communities who need it most, combatting our unacceptable child poverty rates, and paving the way towards a brighter future for the next generation of New Yorkers.”

    State Senator Sean Ryan said, “As the federal government works to slash programs that New Yorkers depend on and fails to deliver on the promise of lowering costs, we’re working hard in New York to uplift our most vulnerable communities. This State funding will protect families in need and add one more tool to help Buffalo address the unconscionably high rate of childhood poverty that has plagued our city for too long. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued efforts to address this critically important issue.”

    State Senator Rachel May said, “Many families in Central New York struggle to make ends meet. With rising rents and persistently high food prices, meeting the basic needs for meals, utilities, and other essentials has become increasingly difficult. Governor Hochul’s announcement of $50 million in funding for anti-poverty programs will significantly help address the fundamental causes of poverty in our region. Thank you to Governor Hochul and my colleagues in the Senate Majority who continue to lift more of our neighbors out of poverty.”

    Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, “Reducing poverty is one of the most important measures the State can take to help struggling families maintain their health, home, and well-being. I welcome Governor Hochul’s commitment to reducing poverty in the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse and look forward to seeing the positive results in my community and beyond.”

    Assemblymember Al Stirpe said, “Governor Hochul’s announcement today shows a true commitment to fighting one of the hardest battles our local communities continue to face. Syracuse has long had some of the highest rates of child poverty across the nation and it is paramount that we take responsibility to combat this longstanding and generational issue. I want to thank Governor Hochul for her leadership which has made these resources possible for Onondaga County, helping lift our children and families most in need and demonstrating an enduring dedication to the welfare of our future generations.”

    Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi said, “I am grateful to Governor Hochul for targeting these anti-poverty funds precisely where we need them, in Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo which unfortunately retain some of the highest rates of child poverty in the country. Thank you to Speaker Heastie, Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and all of my colleagues for working with the executive to provide this assistance to our upstate communities, families and children.”

    Assemblymember William Magnarelli said, “Syracuse has one of the highest rates of child poverty in the nation with about half of the children in the city falling below the poverty line. By investing in Syracuse and other Upstate cities, the Governor is committed to improving the well-being of our communities through increasing opportunities to access housing, childcare, jobs and transportation.”

    Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson said,“As the prime Assembly sponsor of the Child Poverty Reduction Act, I applaud the Governor for this additional $50 million investment to address the needs of children and families living in poverty, which prioritizes uplifting families through opportunity and resources. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for your continued and renewed support and partnership to make Rochester a city of prosperity, opportunity and equity, so we can finally end the epidemic of children and families living in poverty.”

    Assemblymember Sarah Clark said, “We know that systemic poverty is at the heart of many of our most pressing issues statewide. Serving in a region that has one of the highest child poverty rates in the state is a constant reminder of how much more we need to be investing in children and families, which is my top priority in the Assembly. I am grateful to Governor Hochul for announcing $50 million investments into our most marginalized communities here in Upstate New York. These funds will help lift families out of generational poverty and ensure the most pressing needs of our children are better met.”

    Assemblymember Pamela Hunter said, “Investing in our children and families is the foundation of a stronger, more prosperous New York. Throughout my time in office, childhood poverty in Syracuse has been one of the most pervasive and difficult issues to address. With this $50 million commitment, we are taking decisive action to break the cycle of poverty and provide real opportunities for families in Rochester, Buffalo, and here in Syracuse. By prioritizing locally driven solutions, we are ensuring that those closest to the challenges have the resources they need to create lasting change. I applaud Governor Hochul for her leadership and for recognizing that lifting up our most vulnerable communities is not just the right thing to do—it is essential for the future of our state.”

    Monroe County Executive Adam Bello said, “Project Prosper will create strategic initiatives to connect families to stable housing, employment support, childcare, assistance for pregnant women that will improve maternal and infant health outcomes, and targeted rental subsidies to help families secure stable housing. This funding will provide real, measurable pathways out of poverty in targeted zip codes throughout our community. We are grateful to Governor Hochul for this $25 million investment and for taking many of the recommendations of the community-driven Rochester-Monroe County Anti-Poverty Initiative and turning them into reality.”

    Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz said, “Reducing poverty among families and children helps them on a path to a better, healthier and more productive life. This funding will help TANF-eligible families gain access to the support and services they need to gain new skills, improve their financial literacy and build towards a better future. I thank Governor Hochul for her continuing focus on reducing poverty rates and making Buffalo, and New York State, a great place to raise a family.”

    Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said, “My administration has worked tirelessly to reach and connect with the members of our community living in poverty to the resources they need in a comprehensive and holistic way. From our successful 2Gen Onondaga Pilot project that works to break the generation cycle of poverty to working with our schools to support our kids without adding additional challenges for parents looking to find or keep employment, Onondaga County is making real progress when it comes to finally addressing the root causes of poverty. There is still much more work to do and thanks to these state funds we will be able to build on and scale up our efforts in a truly substantive way. Thank you to New York State and all of the community partners who helped make today possible.”

    Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans said, “Project Prosper combines the resources of New York State, Monroe County and the City of Rochester to support our most vulnerable residents and address some of the debilitating consequences of poverty: infant mortality, rent burden, and economic stagnation. I want to thank Governor Kathy Hochul for delivering this funding, along with the many community-based organizations whose insights helped us design these innovative strategies. Thanks to Governor Hochul and our partnership with Monroe County, we are giving the residents of Rochester’s poorest neighborhoods the investments they deserve.”

    Buffalo Mayor Christopher P. Scanlon said, “As a father of three, I know firsthand the challenges that families face in ensuring their children have the opportunities and support they need to thrive. Governor Hochul’s investment in Buffalo will provide critical resources to lift families out of poverty, creating a pathway to economic stability and brighter futures for our children. This funding is not just about financial assistance—it’s about empowering families with the tools to succeed, from career coaching to financial literacy and workforce development. I want to thank the Governor for her investment in families in the City of Buffalo and I look forward to seeing its impact on families across our city.”

    Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said, “The programs receiving support in the City of Syracuse address the child’s home and education and the parent’s ability to meet current needs while expanding their capacity to escape poverty through employment. It is this type of holistic approach that creates both a pathway out of poverty and the support for the family to successfully navigate that path. I am grateful to Governor Hochul for committing these resources to fight childhood poverty in Syracuse and to our partners at Onondaga County for working with us on these programs.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Daylight saving time and early school start times cost billions in lost productivity and health care expenses

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh

    Daylight saving time kicks in on March 9, 2025, but some say it leads to more heart attacks, depression and car accidents. Lord Henri Voton/E+ via Getty Images

    Investigations into the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster revealed that key decision-makers worked on little sleep, raising concerns that fatigue impaired their judgment. Similarly, in 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil spill resulted in a massive environmental catastrophe. The official investigation revealed the third mate, in charge of steering the ship, was running on too little sleep, among other problems.

    While these specific disasters were not caused by daylight saving time, they are conclusively linked to fatigue, based on postaccident investigations and reports. They underscore the well-documented dangers of sleep deprivation and fatigue-related errors. Yet a vast body of research shows that every year, the shift to daylight saving time needlessly exacerbates these risks, disrupting millions of Americans’ sleep and increasing the likelihood of accidents, health issues and fatal errors.

    Imagine a world where one simple decision – keeping our clocks aligned with the natural cycle of the Sun – could save lives, prevent accidents and improve mental well-being. It’s not just about an hour of lost sleep; it’s about how small disruptions ripple through our health, our workplaces and even our children’s futures.

    I’m a neurologist who specializes in sleep health. I’ve seen firsthand the negative impacts of poor sleep; it has enormous personal and economic consequences.

    Yet despite overwhelming research supporting better sleep policies – such as delaying school start times to align with adolescent biology and the adoption of permanent standard time – these issues remain largely overlooked in public policy discussions.

    Sleep deprivation comes with real costs

    Chronic sleep deprivation does more than leave people tired. It costs an estimated US$411 billion annually in lost productivity and health care costs. Poor sleep leads to workplace mistakes, car accidents and long-term health issues that strain businesses, families and the economy as a whole.

    Fortunately, there’s a fix. Smarter sleep policies – such as permanent standard time and later school start times – can boost efficiency, improve health and save lives.

    Sleep-deprived teens have lower test scores and graduation rates.
    skynesher/E+

    Up before dawn

    Teenagers are the most sleep-deprived age group in the U.S. Multiple studies and surveys show that anywhere from 71% to 84% of high school students report getting insufficient sleep.

    This is largely due to early school start times, which force teens to wake up before their biological clocks are ready. If you have a teenager, you probably see it every day: The teen struggling to wake up before sunrise, rushing out the door without breakfast, then waiting in the dark for the school bus.

    More than 80% of public middle and high schools in the U.S. start before 8:30 a.m., with 42% starting before 8 a.m. and 10% before 7:30 a.m. As a result, some districts have bus pickups as early as 5 a.m.

    Teenagers are going through a natural shift in their circadian rhythms by about two hours. This shift, driven by hormones and biology, makes it hard for them to fall asleep before around 11 p.m. The bodies of teens aren’t wired for these schedules, yet schools and society have designed a system that forces them to function at their worst.

    Declining scores, drowsy driving and depression

    Sleep-deprived teens have lower grades and test scores, more car crashes caused by drowsy driving, more alcohol and drug use and higher rates of depression, anxiety suicide and aggressive behavior, including carrying weapons.

    Along with the health benefits, studies have found that moving school start times to 8:30 am or later could add $8.6 billion to the economy within two years, partly by increased graduation rates.

    While concerns about increased transportation costs exist, such as the need for additional buses or drivers due to staggered school start times, some districts have found that optimizing bus routes can offset expenses, making the change cost-neutral or even cost-saving. For instance, a study in Boston found that reorganizing bus schedules using advanced algorithms reduced the number of buses needed and improved efficiency, which allowed high school students to start later and better align with their natural sleep cycles. This change not only supported adolescent sleep health but also saved the district $5 million annually.

    Studies show that daylight saving time does not reduce energy use.

    More heart attacks, car wrecks and suicide

    Every March, most Americans shift their clocks forward for daylight saving time. Studies show this change disrupts sleep and leads to measurable adverse outcomes, including a significant increase in heart attacks. These effects linger for days after the shift, as sleep-deprived workers struggle to adjust.

    The mental health impact is also severe. Suicide rates increase in the weeks following the switch, particularly for those already vulnerable to depression.

    Unlike daylight saving time, standard time follows the body’s natural circadian rhythm, which is primarily regulated by exposure to sunlight. Our internal clocks are most stable when morning light exposure occurs early in the day, signaling the body to wake up and regulate key biological functions such as hormone production, alertness and metabolism. In contrast, daylight saving time artificially extends evening light, delaying the body’s release of melatonin and making it harder to fall asleep at a biologically appropriate time.

    Studies have found that adopting permanent standard time could prevent up to 5,000 suicides annually by reducing seasonal depression, decrease errors, injuries and absenteeism in the workplace and make roads safer, potentially preventing 1,300 traffic deaths each year.

    Times are changing

    The U.S. tried permanent daylight saving time in 1974. It was so unpopular that Congress repealed it within nine months.

    Russia tried it too, in 2011, but switched back three years later. The United Kingdom dropped permanent daylight saving time in 1971 after three years, and Portugal in 1996 after four. All of these countries found that the switch caused widespread public dissatisfaction, health concerns, more morning car accidents and disrupted work schedules. No country is currently on year-round daylight saving time.

    These examples provide real-world evidence that permanent DST is undesirable due to public dissatisfaction, safety concerns and negative health effects – all three countries attempted it and ultimately reversed course. Since 2022, there has been renewed debate, largely driven by former U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s Sunshine Protection Act, which aims to make DST permanent.

    However, the name is misleading because it doesn’t “protect” sunshine but rather eliminates critical morning light, which is essential for regulating circadian rhythms. Major health organizations, along with the National Safety Council, strongly oppose permanent DST due to its well-documented risks.

    There are signs that suggest the U.S. is finally waking up to these problems. Out of 13,000 school districts, 1,000 have independently adopted later school start times. California and Florida have enacted laws requiring high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. California’s mandate went into effect in 2022, and Florida’s is set to begin in 2026.

    Permanent standard time and later school start times are not radical ideas. They’re practical, evidence-based solutions based on human biology. Implementing these changes nationally would require congressional action. However, current federal law already allows states to adopt permanent standard time, as Arizona and Hawaii have done, setting a precedent for the rest of the country.

    Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Daylight saving time and early school start times cost billions in lost productivity and health care expenses – https://theconversation.com/daylight-saving-time-and-early-school-start-times-cost-billions-in-lost-productivity-and-health-care-expenses-248280

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Ministry of Education observes International Women’s Day

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 7:50PM by PIB Delhi

    Ministry of Education celebrated International Women’s Day at its premises at Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi today, bringing together women employees from all departments to acknowledge their contributions, share inspiring stories. The event aimed to recognize the contributions of women in the Ministry of Education and promote their well-being through an interactive session. 

    Secretary, Department of Higher Education Shri Vineet Joshi; Additional Secretary, Sunil Kumar Barnwal; Additional Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy Shri Anandrao Vishnu Patil; Joint Secretary, Higher Education, Smt. Rina Sonowal Kouli; graced the occasion with their presence. The event was further honored by the participation of the Vice Chancellor of NIEPA Shashikala Wanjari, who attended as the Guest of Honour.

                                

    During the event, Shri Vineet Joshi, highlighted the dedication and efficiency of women in task execution, emphasizing their responsiveness and sense of responsibility. He emphasized the Ministry’s commitment to maintaining a gender-inclusive workforce, ensuring equal opportunities for all. He highlighted the leadership demonstrated by women across various roles, acknowledging their contributions in strengthening the institution.

                              

                     

    Prof. Shashikala Wanjari emphasized the extraordinary role of women in the Indian context, drawing inspiration from figures like Ahilyabai Holkar and Jijabai. She highlighted how these icons efficiently managed both family and administration, setting an example for society.            

    To inspire and empower the attendees, Dr. Jitendra Nagpal, psychiatrist at Moolchand Hospital, delivered a session focusing on the general well-being and professional growth of women employees. The session provided valuable insights on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

    All women employees of the Ministry of Education joined the celebration, reflecting the ministry’s commitment to acknowledging the hard work and dedication of its female workforce.

    *****

     

    MV/AK

    MOE/DoHE-DoSeL/7 March 2025/4

    (Release ID: 2109225) Visitor Counter : 76

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Post event press release of Kolkata roadshow held on 7th March, 2025

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 07 MAR 2025 6:29PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) hosted the North East Trade and Investment Roadshow in Kolkata today. The roadshow evoked strong interest from potential investors who are eager to explore opportunities in the North Eastern States. The event was attended by the Hon’ble Minister of State for MDoNER & Ministry of Education, Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, along with senior officials from MDoNER, North Eastern Council and North Eastern States. The event marked another milestone in a series of successful roadshows across India and showcased the untapped potential of the North East India.

    Hon’ble Minister of State, MDoNER while addressing the Kolkata Roadshow highlighted the immense potential of North Eastern region. Sharing the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister, he explained how North Eastern States offers great aspects for investment opportunities and building a “Viksit Bharat” together.

     He highlighted the major development initiatives in the infrastructure sector that have taken place in the North Eastern Region under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister during the last 10 years, inter-alia, including expanding air, road and rail connectivity, waterways etc.  He also underlined that each of the eight states of the North East embodies unique strengths, resources and opportunities, making the region an invaluable asset in India’s growth story. From its rich cultural diversity to its natural beauty and strategic location, the North Eastern Region holds immense potential to emerge as one of the country’s leading economic powerhouses. Its proximity to Southeast Asia also positions the North Eastern Region as a gateway to South East Asian countries, aligning perfectly with India’s Act East Policy.

    He further stated that this roadshow serves as a vital platform for fostering policies that empower industries, attract investments and create an ecosystem conducive to sustainable growth, with key focus on areas like like IT & ITES, Healthcare, Agri and allied, Education & Skill Development, Sports & Entertainment, Tourism & Hospitality, Infrastructure and logistics; Textiles, Handlooms and Handicrafts and Energy. By forging stronger ties between Kolkata and the North East, it is aimed to create a synergy that leverages the strengths of both regions, fostering mutual growth and prosperity. He invited the dynamic business community of Kolkata to explore the potential of North Eastern Region and consider the North East not only as an investment destination but also as a region with a unique story and limitless potential. In his concluding remarks he invited investors to the North Eastern Region and play a key role in shaping the future of the region.

    Shri Dharmvir Jha, Statistical Adviser, MDoNER in his address on advantage North East and Opportunities for Investment and Trade emphasized that North Eastern Region has rich untapped potential. He informed that during the last 10 years there is a remarkable improvement in connectivity to the North Eastern Region whether it’s air, rail, road or waterways. Over the past decade, the government has successfully completed numerous pending projects, benefiting local communities and millions of people through various schemes/initiatives. He also highlighted the opportunities in the region in various sectors like IT & ITES, Healthcare, Agri and allied, Education & Skill Development, Sports & Entertainment, Tourism & Hospitality, Infrastructure and logistics; Textiles, Handlooms and Handicrafts and Energy. He stated that with ample opportunities across multiple sectors, North East India welcomes investors to explore its vast potential and be part of its growth journey.

    The representative of Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, gave a detailed presentation on the UNNATI Scheme, providing attendees with a comprehensive understanding of its benefits and associated incentives. He underlined that the UNNATI Scheme offers incentives to attract investors and manufacturing companies, supports the ‘Act East Policy,’ and promotes domestic manufacturing and services to reduce import dependence and enhance exports.

    Senior officials representing the North Eastern States shared actionable insights into emerging opportunities across various sectors. The Kolkata roadshow drew strong participation from industry leaders, further reinforcing the investment appeal of North East India. The event also featured several B2G meetings, providing investors with a platform to discuss their investment plans in the North Eastern Region. During the roadshow, investment interests of worth INR 12,516 cr were received in the form of intents/ MoUs.

    The Kolkata roadshow concluded on a positive note, with participants expressing keen interest in exploring collaborative ventures in the North Eastern Region. The event not only fostered meaningful dialogue but also laid the groundwork for future partnerships, driving economic growth and sustainable development in the region.

    *****

    Samrat/Dheeraj/Allein

    (Release ID: 2109184) Visitor Counter : 52

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Equity Now Lecture Series Asks: ‘Is Sustainability Dead?’

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Professor John Mandyck, the CEO of the Urban Green Council and the former Chief Sustainability Officer at United Technologies, will speak on the topic, “Is Sustainability Dead?’’ next month.

    The presentation is part of the Equity Now speaker series and it will be livestreamed at 6 p.m. March 27. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the university are welcome to participate. Pre-registration is required.

    With the United States again out of the Paris Climate Treaty and the Trump administration favoring fossil fuels, it’s easy to wonder if the sustainability movement is over. It’s definitely not, according to Mandyck.

    “Climate disruption now impacts everyone, everywhere,’’ Mandyck said. “There’s no escaping it and the trillions of dollars of damage from fires, floods, and extreme weather. Climate denialism and political short-termism cannot wish away these impacts that are shifting markets and investments as they scramble to manage growing risk.’’

    Mandyck Highlights Three Reasons for Optimism

    John Mandyck (contributed photo)

    Mandyck will discuss his recent article, published in The Harvard Business Review, that predicts that despite strong headwinds, sustainability efforts will grow, for three key reasons.

    States and cities will lead the way. Mandyck argues that history has shown that U.S. cities and states step up to fill sustainability voids. In 2019, for example, New Yor City passed a law that places carbon caps on large buildings, as a counter-response to Trump’s first-term environmental policies. More recently, 350 U.S. mayors recommitted to climate action in anticipation of changing national policy.

    China will drive sustainability demand. Although it is the world’s largest carbon polluter, China’s growth in the sustainability arena continues to lead the world, Mandyck said. Almost half of the world’s solar and wind capacity already resides in China, with more renewable energy technology under development. China’s leadership will yield more affordable clean-energy technology for the world and China may possibly emerge as a stronger diplomatic force for climate negotiations as the U.S. turns its attention elsewhere.

    Climate risk, extreme weather, will move markets. Climate denialism will not slow the growing disruption of extreme weather, Mandyck said. The news has been filled with articles about floods, fires, and other weather-created disasters, which are causing economic hardship and human disruption at a rapid pace. In Florida alone, the average homeowner’s insurance costs rose close to 60 percent from 2019 to 2023. This has further focused the business community in favor of addressing climate change, and lenders are looking closely at the sustainability risks associated with each big investment.

    Students Still Face A Bright Future in Sustainability Careers

    Mandyck’s advice to students interested in pursuing careers in sustainability is to stay-the-course.

    “The global need for sustainability grows every day, and so will careers,’’ he said. “Terminology and semantics may change in the short-term, but the long-term direction is clear. Even the federal government cannot pull the full nation in retreat, with the state and local governments pressing forward and filling voids.’’

    Mandyck leads the Urban Green Council, a nonprofit organization based in New York City, dedicated to decarbonizing buildings for healthy and resilient communities. Since 2018, he has helped triple the organization’s reach with research, public policy development and education, shaping some of the world’s foremost climate laws for real estate and buildings.

    He retired as the global Chief Sustainability Officer for United Technologies after a 25-year career there. He’s an adjunct professor for sustainability at the School of Business and served as a visiting scientist at Harvard University. He’s the co-author of the book Food Foolish, which explores the hidden connection between food waste, hunger, and climate change.

    The Equity Now speaker series is produced by the UConn School of Business in coordination with the Academy of Legal Studies in Business, Virginia Tech, Indiana and Temple universities. This is the fourth of five programs offered during the 2024-25 academic year. To register for the program, please visit: the registration page

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks to the Group of Friends on Gender Parity and the Circle of Women Permanent Representatives [as delivered]

    Source: United Nations – English

    xcellencies, Dear Friends,

    I am very pleased to join you today and with the permission of the distinguished Ministers of Social Development of Qatar and of Education of Rwanda, I want to express my deep gratitude to Her Excellency Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, and His Excellency Ernest Rwamucyo, Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations, for what has been their remarkable leadership and their continued support and commitment to gender equality – at the United Nations and beyond.

    The Group of Friends has been a driving force in our journey towards gender parity.

    I look forward to our continued and strengthened partnership during this pivotal year – to celebrate hard-won achievements, confront persistent and emerging challenges, and most importantly, accelerate action to achieve gender equality.

    Excellencies,

    2025 is meant to be a year of celebration.

    25 years since the adoption of the UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security;

    And 30 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action at the Fourth World Conference on Women – milestones which ignited global action.

    But the truth is, 2025 is also a year of reckoning.

    Five years from 2030, we are far from delivering on the promises of the Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 5: achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.

    The environmental and climate crises are disproportionately affecting them.

    And women across the globe continue to endure the worst impacts of war – while being excluded from most of the peace talks.

    Political representation is also stagnating.

    In 2024 – a year that saw a record number of elections worldwide, only five women were elected as Heads of State.

    Worse – we are witnessing an aggressive backlash against gender equality – threatening hard-won progress on women’s human rights and fundamental freedoms.

    We cannot afford to stand still.

    We must push back against this pushback.

    We must secure women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in all decision-making processes – including on peace and security and humanitarian action.

    We must protect, support and amplify the voices of civil society and grassroots organizations, who are on the front lines of defending women’s rights worldwide.

    We must renew our commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action under the Beijing+30 framework – and I call on everyone to accelerate its full and effective implementation.

    Last September, Member States have adopted the Pact for the Future.

    The Pact reaffirms that gender equality holds the key to unlock progress on the 2030 Agenda and sustainable development.

    It calls for greater investment in the SDGs, expanding debt relief measures, and strengthened support from Multilateral Development Banks so that governments can invest in the programmes their people need — including education, training, job creation and social protections that foster gender equality.

    And the Global Digital Compact calls for closing the gender digital divide, ensuring women and girls everywhere can access and benefit from the opportunities of a rapidly evolving global economy.

    Gender equality is a thread that runs through the Pact — and I call on all Member States to spare no effort to implement its commitments.

    This includes the revitalization of the Commission on the Status of Women to promote the full and effective implementation of the Platform for Action.

    Excellencies,

    As we look to the challenges all around us, we must also look inside our organization.

    With four years left to reach my goal of a 50/50 balance across the UN System by 2028, I am proud of how far we’ve come.

    With the support of so many of you today, we have seen historic breakthroughs since I launched the System-wide Strategy on Gender Parity.

    In 2017, only five United Nations entities had reached parity.

    Today, that number is 28 – a testament to our collective institutional efforts.

    We are seeing an unprecedented number of women serving in the UN System.

    We have achieved and, more importantly, maintained gender parity among senior leadership and Resident Coordinators since 2020.

    And for the first time in the UN’s history, we have also reached parity in the international professional categories. 

    Excellencies and Friends,

    Despite these significant strides, progress remains uneven – with critical obstacles along the way.

    We still see concerning gaps at the P5 and D-1 levels [and D-2 levels].

    This threatens to undermine our future pipeline of senior leaders.

    Progress has also been slow in non-headquarters and field locations.

    While we have sustained gender parity among Resident Coordinators, women make up only 14 per cent of RCs at the Assistant Secretary-General level.

    And in a majority of peacekeeping operations, the share of women does not exceed 35 per cent.

    We must nurture and promote talent everywhere – and at every level.

    But achieving gender parity is not about numbers alone.

    Representation without transformation is not enough.

    Lack of parity perpetuates power structures that go against gender equality.

    Too many institutions, including our own, remain shaped by patriarchal systems of power that restrict women’s equal access to leadership, economic opportunities, and legal protections.

    If we want a UN that truly represents the people it serves, our organizational culture, policies and decision-making must continue to evolve.

    The UN is committed to leading by example – ensuring a workplace built on the principles of dignity, equality, and respect.
     
    The Field-specific Enabling Environment Guidelines, the UN System-wide Knowledge Hub on addressing sexual harassment, and the UN System-wide Dashboard on Gender Parity are helping us steer organizational change.

    And more than 650 UN Gender Focal Points across the entire UN System are working alongside leadership to dismantle barriers and build truly inclusive and supportive workplaces.

    But we must do more.

    That’s why I launched the UN System-wide Gender Equality Acceleration Plan – establishing a robust governance that ensures coordination across 43 UN entities and integrating reporting into existing accountability framework to raise the bar for gender mainstreaming.

    A more gender-equal UN will be a more effective UN.

    One that serves all women and girls, champions political commitment, mobilizes investments, strengthens partnerships, and ensures real accountability.
    And one that reflects the more equal world we want to shape.

    Excellencies, dear friends,

    Gender equality is more than an aspiration.

    It is a human right and a fundamental requirement for breaking cycles of poverty, violence and inequality.

    Advancing gender equality paves the way for a more just, peaceful, and sustainable future for all.

    The road will require bold leadership and collective action.

    To break barriers.

    To safeguard women’s rights and freedoms.

    And drive true, lasting transformation.

    In this context, gender parity is non-negotiable.

    We must serve – and deliver for – all women and girls.

    So let us pursue our collective efforts, turn commitments into ambitious results, and push forward, together.

    And I thank you.
     

    MIL OSI Africa –