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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Microsoft Trustworthy AI: Unlocking human potential starts with trust

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft Trustworthy AI: Unlocking human potential starts with trust

    YouTube Video

    As AI advances, we all have a role to play to unlock AI’s positive impact for organizations and communities around the world. That’s why we’re focused on helping customers use and build AI that is trustworthy, meaning AI that is secure, safe and private.

    At Microsoft, we have commitments to ensure Trustworthy AI and are building industry-leading supporting technology. Our commitments and capabilities go hand in hand to make sure our customers and developers are protected at every layer.

    Building on our commitments, today we are announcing new product capabilities to strengthen the security, safety and privacy of AI systems.

    Security. Security is our top priority at Microsoft, and our expanded Secure Future Initiative (SFI) underscores the company-wide commitments and the responsibility we feel to make our customers more secure. This week we announced our first SFI Progress Report, highlighting updates spanning culture, governance, technology and operations. This delivers on our pledge to prioritize security above all else and is guided by three principles: secure by design, secure by default and secure operations. In addition to our first party offerings, Microsoft Defender and Purview, our AI services come with foundational security controls, such as built-in functions to help prevent prompt injections and copyright violations. Building on those, today we’re announcing two new capabilities:

    • Evaluations in Azure AI Studio to support proactive risk assessments.
    • Microsoft 365 Copilot will provide transparency into web queries to help admins and users better understand how web search enhances the Copilot response. Coming soon.

    Our security capabilities are already being used by customers. Cummins, a 105-year-old company known for its engine manufacturing and development of clean energy technologies, turned to Microsoft Purview to strengthen their data security and governance by automating the classification, tagging and labeling of data. EPAM Systems, a software engineering and business consulting company, deployed Microsoft 365 Copilot for 300 users because of the data protection they get from Microsoft. J.T. Sodano, Senior Director of IT, shared that “we were a lot more confident with Copilot for Microsoft 365, compared to other large language models (LLMs), because we know that the same information and data protection policies that we’ve configured in Microsoft Purview apply to Copilot.”

    Safety. Inclusive of both security and privacy, Microsoft’s broader Responsible AI principles, established in 2018, continue to guide how we build and deploy AI safely across the company. In practice this means properly building, testing and monitoring systems to avoid undesirable behaviors, such as harmful content, bias, misuse and other unintended risks. Over the years, we have made significant investments in building out the necessary governance structure, policies, tools and processes to uphold these principles and build and deploy AI safely. At Microsoft, we are committed to sharing our learnings on this journey of upholding our Responsible AI principles with our customers. We use our own best practices and learnings to provide people and organizations with capabilities and tools to build AI applications that share the same high standards we strive for.

    Today, we are sharing new capabilities to help customers pursue the benefits of AI while mitigating the risks:

    • A Correction capability in Microsoft Azure AI Content Safety’s Groundedness detection feature that helps fix hallucination issues in real time before users see them.
    • Embedded Content Safety, which allows customers to embed Azure AI Content Safety on devices. This is important for on-device scenarios where cloud connectivity might be intermittent or unavailable.
    • New evaluations in Azure AI Studio to help customers assess the quality and relevancy of outputs and how often their AI application outputs protected material.
    • Protected Material Detection for Code is now in preview in Azure AI Content Safety to help detect pre-existing content and code. This feature helps developers explore public source code in GitHub repositories, fostering collaboration and transparency, while enabling more informed coding decisions.

    It’s amazing to see how customers across industries are already using Microsoft solutions to build more secure and trustworthy AI applications. For example, Unity, a platform for 3D games, used Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service to build Muse Chat, an AI assistant that makes game development easier. Muse Chat uses content-filtering models in Azure AI Content Safety to ensure responsible use of the software. Additionally, ASOS, a UK-based fashion retailer with nearly 900 brand partners, used the same built-in content filters in Azure AI Content Safety to support top-quality interactions through an AI app that helps customers find new looks.

    We’re seeing the impact in the education space too. New York City Public Schools partnered with Microsoft to develop a chat system that is safe and appropriate for the education context, which they are now piloting in schools. The South Australia Department for Education similarly brought generative AI into the classroom with EdChat, relying on the same infrastructure to ensure safe use for students and teachers.

    Privacy. Data is at the foundation of AI, and Microsoft’s priority is to help ensure customer data is protected and compliant through our long-standing privacy principles, which include user control, transparency and legal and regulatory protections. To build on this, today we’re announcing:

    • Confidential inferencing in preview in our Azure OpenAI Service Whisper model, so customers can develop generative AI applications that support verifiable end-to-end privacy. Confidential inferencing ensures that sensitive customer data remains secure and private during the inferencing process, which is when a trained AI model makes predictions or decisions based on new data. This is especially important for highly regulated industries, such as health care, financial services, retail, manufacturing and energy.
    • The general availability of Azure Confidential VMs with NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs, which allow customers to secure data directly on the GPU. This builds on our confidential computing solutions, which ensure customer data stays encrypted and protected in a secure environment so that no one gains access to the information or system without permission.
    • Azure OpenAI Data Zones for the EU and U.S. are coming soon and build on the existing data residency provided by Azure OpenAI Service by making it easier to manage the data processing and storage of generative AI applications. This new functionality offers customers the flexibility of scaling generative AI applications across all Azure regions within a geography, while giving them the control of data processing and storage within the EU or U.S.

    We’ve seen increasing customer interest in confidential computing and excitement for confidential GPUs, including from application security provider F5, which is using Azure Confidential VMs with NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs to build advanced AI-powered security solutions, while ensuring confidentiality of the data its models are analyzing. And multinational banking corporation Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has integrated Azure confidential computing into their own platform to analyze encrypted data while preserving customer privacy. With the general availability of Azure Confidential VMs with NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs, RBC can now use these advanced AI tools to work more efficiently and develop more powerful AI models.

    Achieve more with Trustworthy AI 

    We all need and expect AI we can trust. We’ve seen what’s possible when people are empowered to use AI in a trusted way, from enriching employee experiences and reshaping business processes to reinventing customer engagement and reimagining our everyday lives. With new capabilities that improve security, safety and privacy, we continue to enable customers to use and build trustworthy AI solutions that help every person and organization on the planet achieve more. Ultimately, Trustworthy AI encompasses all that we do at Microsoft and it’s essential to our mission as we work to expand opportunity, earn trust, protect fundamental rights and advance sustainability across everything we do.

    Related:

    Commitments

    Capabilities

    Tags: AI, Azure AI Content Safety, Azure AI Studio, Azure Confidential Computing, Azure OpenAI Service, Copilot, GitHub, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Purview, Microsoft Trust Center, Responsible AI, Secure Future Initiative, Trustworthy AI

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Work starts on Stoke sports facility

    Source: City of Plymouth

    (l-r) Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet Member for Sport; Anita Frier, Principal of Stoke Damerel Community College; Warren Phillips, Technical Project Manager at the Football Foundation, join students Moyosore, Kassim and Eonan on site at Stoke Damerel Community College as work gets underway

    Work to improve a community sports facility has officially kicked-off.

    As part of the city’s ongoing investment in sports facilities, Stoke Damerel Community College is set to become home to three multi-surfaced pitches, providing space for several different sports.

    Work will focus on a brand new, 2G sand pitch, which whilst primarily suitable for hockey, is a multi-sports surface and can be used for a number of other activities.

    Also in the plans is a smaller 3G pitch, specifically targeted at football and rugby use, which has been supported by a £250,000 grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.

    A renovation and upgrade of and existing grass pitch is also set to get underway.

    The new additions will be for both school and community use with modern flood lighting to ensure that they can be used all year round

    The plans complement the work already underway to transform the former Brickfields Sports Centre into a new community health and wellbeing hub that will be operated by the Argyle Community Trust.

    Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport, Leisure and HR, joined representatives from Stoke Damerel Community College and the Football Foundation to see work begin.

    Sue said: “It’s always exciting to see projects that have been long in the planning get to the construction stage.

    “I know that these facilities will be so well-received, not just by Stoke Damerel Community College students, but also by the city’s large sporting community.

    “I look forward to seeing work complete and pitches in use by students and residents alike.”

    Dan Cole, Senior Assistant Headteacher of Stoke Damerel Community College, said: “Our new sports facilities will elevate our sports programmes, offering our students and community first-rate resources to train, compete, and stay active.

    “This is a significant step in advancing our commitment to fostering well-rounded students by encouraging both academic achievement and physical development”

    Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country.

    “Good quality playing facilities have a transformative impact on physical and mental health and play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening local communities.

    “We’re delighted that works are now underway to deliver the new 3G and grass pitches at Stoke Damerel Community College and we’re excited to see the new facilities in action.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Schools to mark National Day

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Education Bureau today held the “Love Our Home, Treasure Our Country” – Celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China & Joint School National Education Activities Kick-off Ceremony.

    The bureau announced that it will collaborate with Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Po Leung Kuk, the Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China, the Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society, Kowloon, Hong Kong Subsidized Secondary Schools Council, Hong Kong Direct Subsidy Scheme Schools Council, Hong Kong Aided Primary School Heads Association and Subsidized Primary Schools Council to jointly organise the “Love Our Home, Treasure Our Country 3.0” series of joint school national education activities in the 2024-25 school year.

    Deputy Chief Secretary Cheuk Wing-hing and Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin officiated at the kick-off ceremony attended by about 2,500 representatives from school sponsoring bodies and the bureau, principals, teachers, students and parents.

    Addressing the event, Mr Cheuk said that the “Love Our Home, Treasure Our Country 3.0” joint school national education activities will further expand the scale of the event.

    He noted that participating schools cover kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, special schools and sister schools on the Mainland, adding that joint school collaboration not only strengthens exchanges among schools but also combines strengths to develop resources, enabling a patriotic atmosphere and sentiments to extend continuously across school campuses in all districts of Hong Kong.

    Mr Cheuk highlighted that love for the country should be the value and sentiment of every Chinese national, and patriotic education and activities play an important role in nurturing the growth of patriotic sentiments.

    He thanked practitioners from the education sector for remaining steadfast in their roles, noting that through learning inside and outside the classroom, students are given the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the country’s history, culture and values from an early age, and experience the distinctiveness of traditional Chinese culture, thereby fostering their pride in being Chinese and enhancing their national pride and sense of responsibility and ownership.

    The kick-off ceremony featured a variety of rich programmes, including a performance by a 90-member joint school Chinese orchestra. In addition, over 100 students performed lion dances, martial arts and other dances. A choir composed of 75 principals from school sponsoring bodies, school councils and government schools marked the ceremony’s finale with a song to express their warm congratulations on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

    Highlights of the kick-off ceremony will be broadcast on RTHK TV 31 at 1.30pm on September 28.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Abraham Accords Caucus Introduces Bipartisan Resolution to Promote Peace and Tolerance in Education

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brad Schneider (D-IL)

    WASHINGTON – The Co-Chairs of the Abraham Accords Caucus, Representatives Brad Schneider (D-IL), Ann Wagner (R-MO), David Trone (D-MD), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), have introduced a bipartisan resolution encouraging the U.S. Department of State and civil society organizations to further the goals of the Abraham Accords by promoting peace and tolerance through education across the Middle East. The resolution emphasizes ongoing reforms to national curricula to reduce antisemitic content, combat hate speech, and foster mutual respect and understanding, particularly in countries such as Egypt, the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia.

    “The Abraham Accords have shown us the power of diplomacy and cooperation in the Middle East,” said Rep. Brad Schneider. “This resolution underscores the importance of educating future generations with the values of peace, tolerance, and coexistence. We have a responsibility to promote these principles and help ensure a stable and prosperous future for the region.”

    The resolution also calls for the U.S. to work with international organizations, such as the United Nations, to eliminate antisemitism and hate speech from educational materials, while encouraging reforms that promote inclusivity and respect.

    “As our partners in the Middle East educate the next generation of leaders, it is clear that peace and stability in the region depend on an end to antisemitism and hate speech—period,” said Rep. Ann Wagner. “This resolution advances that important mission and makes it clear antisemitism has no place in educational and other organizations throughout the Middle East. By rejecting bigotry and adopting educational curricula that affirm the importance of mutual respect, religious tolerance, and peaceful coexistence, we will deprive the Iranian regime and its proxies of the hatred that fuels their violent agendas.”

    “The education system influences the ideals of the next generation’s global citizens and leaders,” said Rep. David Trone. “Teaching unity over division will have similarly beneficial outcomes as the Abraham Accords: a more peaceful, stable, and strong Middle East.”

    “Education is a cornerstone of the foundation we are building to achieve long-lasting peace and prosperity in the Middle East,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. “Together, we must help the next generation open their hearts and minds to see each other with dignity and respect. Our bipartisan resolution is about embracing this change and rooting out the hatred that is standing in the way of a brighter future for us all.”

    This resolution represents a key effort by the Abraham Accords Caucus to strengthen and expand the gains made through the historic agreements, ensuring the next generation is equipped to build on the progress made toward peace and stability in the region.

    Full text of the resolution can be found here.

    The Abraham Accords Caucus aims to strengthen the Abraham Accords by encouraging and partnerships among the existing Abraham Accords countries and expanding the agreement to include countries that do not currently have diplomatic relations with Israel. The Caucus has successfully pushed for passage of the Israel Relations Normalization Act, DEFEND Act, and MARITIME Act as well as multiple NDAA provisions addressing diplomatic, military and intelligence cooperation. Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) co-chair the companion caucus in the Senate.

    The Abraham Accords, which were signed on September 15, 2020, resulted in peace and normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states—the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco—transforming the region, enhancing Israel’s security, creating economic opportunities for Arab states and advancing vital U.S. national security interests. The Accords built on the success of previous peace normalization agreements between Israel, Egypt and Jordan.

    The Caucus is supported by the Atlantic Council, the Abraham Accords Peace Institute, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, Hadassah—The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, the U.S.-Israel Education Association, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the Israel Policy Forum, CUFI Action, the Jewish Federations of North America and B’nai B’rith International.


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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New cancer diagnoses did not rebound as expected following pandemic

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    Media Advisory

    Tuesday, September 24, 2024

    What

    Cancer incidence trends in 2021 largely returned to what they were before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). However, there was little evidence of a rebound in incidence that would account for the decline in diagnoses in 2020, when screening and other medical care was disrupted. One exception was breast cancer, where the researchers did see an uptick in diagnoses of advanced-stage disease in 2021. The study appears Sept. 24, 2024, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

    A previous study showed that new cancer diagnoses fell abruptly in early 2020, as did the volume of pathology reports, suggesting that many cancers were not being diagnosed in a timely manner. To determine whether these missed diagnoses were caught in 2021, possibly as more advanced cancers, researchers from NIH’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) compared observed cancer incidence rates for 2021 with those expected from pre-pandemic trends using data from NCI’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program.

    A full recovery in cancer incidence should appear as an increase over pre-pandemic levels (also known as a rebound) to account for the missed diagnoses. The researchers looked at cancer overall, as well as five major cancer types that vary in how they are typically detected: through screening (female breast and prostate cancer), due to symptoms (lung and bronchus and pancreatic cancer), or incidentally during other medical procedures (thyroid cancer).

    Cancer incidence rates overall and for most specific cancers approached pre-pandemic levels, with no significant rebound to account for the 2020 decline. However, in addition to an uptick in new diagnoses of advanced breast cancer in 2021, the data also provided some evidence of an increase in diagnoses of advanced pancreatic cancer. Also, new diagnoses of thyroid cancers in 2021 were still below pre-pandemic levels.

    The researchers concluded that 2021 was a transition year that was still affected by new variants and new waves of COVID-19 cases, which continued to impact medical care. They said the findings highlight the need for ongoing monitoring to understand the long-term impacts of the pandemic on cancer diagnoses and outcomes.

    Who

    Nadia Howlader, Ph.D., Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute

    The Study

    “Impact of COVID-19 on 2021 Cancer Incidence Rates and Potential Rebound from 2020 Decline,” appears September 24, 2024, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

    About the National Cancer Institute (NCI): NCI leads the National Cancer Program and NIH’s efforts to dramatically reduce the prevalence of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, through research into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers. For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI website at cancer.gov or call NCI’s contact center, the Cancer Information Service, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).

    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ***MEDIA ADVISORY *** TOMORROW: Chair Bean to Hold Hearing on Improving Teacher Preparation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Aaron Bean Florida (4th District)

    WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, September 25, at 10:15 a.m., the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education, chaired by Rep. Aaron Bean (R-FL), will hold a hearing titled “Innovative Teacher Preparation: Properly Equipping America’s Educators.”

    “Communities across the U.S. are facing teacher shortages. In the 2023-2024 school year, 86 percent of public schools struggled to hire teachers,” said Chairman Bean. “Many teachers are deterred from the profession as well as the prospect of enrolling in preparation programs due to the steep price tag, prolonged time commitment, and lack of professional career opportunities. The nation’s preparation pipeline is failing to prepare teachers for the education environment, and our students are suffering the consequences. This hearing will shine a light on innovative teacher preparation initiatives and allow the Committee to consider meaningful reforms to ensure our educators have the necessary tools to be successful in the classroom.”

    What: 
    Subcommittee hearing titled “Innovative Teacher Preparation: Properly Equipping America’s Educators”

    When: 
    10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, September 25, 2024

    Where: 
    2175 Rayburn House Office Building

    Press: 
    The hearing is open to the press and will be live-streamed on the Committee’s YouTube page.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WFP and USAID spotlight local innovations to combat food insecurity in disaster-prone areas in the Philippines

    Source: World Food Programme

    QUEZON CITY – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are hosting the Preparedness and Response Excellence in the Philippines (PREP) Forum on September 24 – 25, highlighting local solutions to tackle food insecurity in disaster-prone areas. Supported by USAID and the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, this forum aims to enhance the Philippines’ emergency response and management capacities, supporting vulnerable Filipinos during natural disasters.

    “I am incredibly impressed at the speed of innovation in disaster management in the Philippines,” said USAID Philippines Deputy Mission Director Rebekah Eubanks. “As your friend, partner, and ally, the United States remains committed to strengthening our partnerships and working with the Philippine government to rebuild and restore lives following disasters.”

    Ahead of the forum, WFP launched the PREP Innovation Challenge in July to explore local solutions that tackle food insecurity. Participants in the challenge come from diverse sectors, including national Government, academia, private sector, and non-governmental organizations such as the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards Center, the Department of Science and Technology Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, CLIMBS Life and General Insurance Cooperative, and the Tarabang para sa Bicol, Inc.

    “What makes this year’s Forum special is our focus on innovation. WFP aims for the Forum to be a valuable platform where experts and stakeholders share solutions that will enhance the Philippines’ disaster management capacity. Innovative solutions can empower vulnerable communities to better prepare for and recover faster from climatic shocks and other crises,” said Regis Chapman, WFP Philippines Country Director.

    Going forward, WFP will collaborate with the local innovators to implement their solutions in at least one of the most disaster-prone provinces of the Philippines: Albay, Cagayan, Catanduanes, Dinagat Islands, Isabela, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Surigao del Norte. This joint venture will empower the most vulnerable communities to prepare for and recover faster from disasters and crises.

    The innovation challenge is part of WFP’s mission in the Philippines to help pilot and scale existing innovative approaches to improve food security in some of the most disaster-prone areas in close partnership with and support of the Government, donors, and partners.

    The Philippines is one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. For the third consecutive year, the Philippines ranked 1st worldwide due to its exposure and susceptibility to natural hazards. 

    #                 #                   #

    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on Twitter/X @wfp_media @wfp_philippines

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CT State Middlesex Honor Society Award Entries Featured in National Journals

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Sept. 23, 2024 (Middletown, Conn.) — The Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society chapter at CT State Middlesex, Beta Gamma Xi, recently published articles in two distinguished academic journals, Civic Scholar: Journal of Undergraduate Community College Research and Change Makers: Phi Theta Kappa Journal of Student Leadership.

    “Congratulations to the entire Beta Gamma Xi chapter. We’re proud of your achievement. Your work inspires us and highlights the extraordinary work done by PTK members,” said Susan Edwards, Ed.D., Senior Director of Honors Programs at Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, who notified Beta Gamma Xi c0-advisor, Lin Lin, Ph.D., about the Civic Scholar selection.

    The chapter’s Honors in Action team’s project Civic Scholar entry, “Nostalgia-Inspired Art: Integrating Nostalgia into Recreational Therapy,” was selected for publication as one of the 20 featured articles among 422 entries.

    In the article, the chapter explores the potential needs and well-being of the adult senior population due to advancements in technology that increased their lifespans and population. The PTK students examined how nostalgia, through recreational and music therapy, fosters social connections and improves moods. They partnered with the Middlesex Institute for Lifelong Education (MILE) to conduct a session where participants shared happy memories triggered by nostalgic music. Surveys showed that most felt the activity “made the day better.”

    The full Civic Scholar article is available online.

    The chapter’s College Project team’s Change Makers entry, “Understanding the Needs and Interests of Students at Meriden Campus,” was chosen as one of just 17 articles from over 450 submissions featured in the fourth edition of Change Makers.

    “We are incredibly proud of your students’ exceptional servant leadership in collaboration with your college administration for this College Project,” said Jennifer Stanford, Senior Director of Student Leadership at Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society.

    The goal of the Change Makers article provides insights from student experiences at the Meriden campus to help enhance service quality in line with the CT State Middlesex student-centered mission. This involved an online survey and in-person focus groups, targeting current Meriden students and students in the GEAR UP high school program. The survey addressed academic interests, desired activities and services, and barriers to their class-taking experiences.

    Read the full Change Makers article online.

    “Congratulations to our students and special thanks to Dr. Lin Lin for all she does for our PTK team,” said Kimberly Hogan, CEO, CT State Middlesex.

    Earlier this year, CT State Middlesex’s Beta Gamma Xi Chapter was honored as the Most Distinguished Chapter in the New England Region and recognized among the Top Distinguished Chapters nationally. These projects are part of the chapter’s efforts to achieve and maintain their Five Star Level Chapter status.

    More information about these projects:
    https://www.ptk.org/phi-theta-kappa-publishes-change-makers-student-leadership-journal/
    https://www.ptk.org/phi-theta-kappa-publishes-civic-scholar-undergraduate-community-college-research-journal/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bill to Study Transfer of Weitzman Museum Honoring American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution Passes House of Representatives

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

    “Jewish communities have made astounding contributions to America’s noble experiment in building a more perfect union. Sharing those achievements with everyone is what the late Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter and I had in mind when we created Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) nearly two decades ago. Educating all Americans, from all over the country, about these amazing Jewish impacts on our nation’s history, not only raises awareness but helps dispel harmful prejudices about our community,” said Wasserman Schultz.

    Washington DC – Today, U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Mike Turner (OH-10), Brendan Boyle (PA-2), and Max Miller (OH-7) announced that their bill, H.R. 7764, passed the House of Representatives late last night. H.R. 7764, the Commission to Study the Potential Transfer of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution Act, takes a critical step in transferring the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, a highly regarded museum dedicated to the history, culture, and contributions of Jewish Americans, to the Smithsonian Institution. The Weitzman, if transferred, would serve as the Smithsonian’s only museum dedicated specifically to the stories of Jewish Americans. Sen. Bob Casey (PA) leads the companion bill in the Senate.

    “Jewish communities have made astounding contributions to America’s noble experiment in building a more perfect union. Sharing those achievements with everyone is what the late Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter and I had in mind when we created Jewish American Heritage Month (JAHM) nearly two decades ago. Educating all Americans, from all over the country, about these amazing Jewish impacts on our nation’s history, not only raises awareness but helps dispel harmful prejudices about our community,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Taking this critical step to welcome the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History into the larger Smithsonian family would bring that vision closer to reality. This powerful institutional integration signals a strong commitment to address the dramatic rise in antisemitism by helping amplify the myriad ways Jewish Americans enriched a nation who’s very founding, fittingly, traces back to Philadelphia, the Weitzman Museum’s home city.”   

    “Tonight, we took one step closer to the Weitzman Museum becoming part of the world class Smithsonian Institution Museum family,” said Boyle. “The Weitzman is the only museum in the nation dedicated exclusively to exploring and interpreting the American Jewish experience. The Weitzman’s role in telling the tale of our nation’s history is significant. Bringing the Weitzman Museum fully into the Smithsonian family would give it expanded access to not only artifacts and documents, but robust educational resources, expertise and staff training to aid in the ongoing mission to preserve and promote the culture of American Jews. I encourage my Senate colleagues to pass this bill without delay.”

    “The Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia serves as a powerful reminder of the contributions that Jewish Americans have made to the fabric of the United States,” said Turner. “By bringing this museum and its collections into the Smithsonian, Congress will ensure that the story of Jewish Americans is shared with the widest possible audience.”

    “Now more than ever it is imperative that Jewish-American Heritage be celebrated and exhibited at the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, the Smithsonian Institution,” said Miller. “I am pleased to see this bill pass the House of Representatives, especially as we see a rise in antisemitism worldwide.”

    “It pains me to see that antisemitism in the United States has surged to what the FBI Director has described as ‘historic levels.’ We must do more to show the invaluable role Jewish Americans have played in our nation’s story. Now is the time for the Smithsonian to explore adding an American Jewish History Museum to its roster. The Weitzman Museum should be seriously considered as an option to fully recognize and share the whole story of American Jewish History as our preeminent institution dedicated to American Jewish history. I thank Representatives Wasserman Schultz and Boyle for leading us forward by introducing this bill and look forward to my colleagues in the Senate taking this bill up in their chamber,” said Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joe Morelle.

    “We are elated that the bill has reached this important milestone,” said Phil Darivoff, Trustee and Chair Emeritus of The Weitzman. “The remarkable bipartisan support which enabled this bill to pass thanks to the leadership of Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Mike Turner, Brendan Boyle, and Max Miller—along with nearly 100 co-sponsors on both sides of the aisle—demonstrates to all Americans the significant role that Jewish Americans have played in our nation and how critical it is to teach these stories to counter antisemitism, bigotry, and hate.”

    The Commission to Study the Potential Transfer of the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History to the Smithsonian Institution Act would create a commission to study the potential transfer of the Weitzman Museum to the Smithsonian Institution, which is the necessary first step to put the Weitzman Museum on a path toward acquisition by the Smithsonian. Specifically:

    ·      The commission will consist of eight members, with two members appointed by the majority and minority leaders of each chamber..

    ·      The commission will write a report to Congress with a recommendation on whether the Weitzman Museum should be transferred to the Smithsonian Institution. The report will also detail the current collections of the Museum; the impact of the Museum on educational and governmental efforts to study and counter antisemitism; the financial assets and liabilities of the Museum and costs of operating and maintaining the Museum; the governance and organizational structure of the Museum should it be transferred; and the impact such a transfer would have on the Smithsonian Institution.

    ·      The commission will not receive any federal funding and will accept private contributions to pay for its expenses.

    Read the entire bill here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Rectorate of the State University of Management visited Rostov-on-Don on a working visit

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    On September 24, 2024, a working meeting of the rector’s office of the State University of Management and the management of the Don State Technical University was held in Rostov-on-Don, at which the main areas of cooperation between the universities were approved.

    The meeting was attended by Rector Vladimir Stroyev and Vice-Rectors Maria Karelina, Vitaly Lapshenkov and Pavel Pavlovsky from the GUU side. DSTU was represented by Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation Inessa Efremenko, Vice-Rector for General Affairs Dmitry Dzhedirov and Vice-Rector for Youth Policy Andrey Guskov.

    The colleagues discussed issues of interaction within the framework of the previously signed cooperation agreement. Representatives of DSTU expressed interest in the developments of the State University of Management in the field of artificial intelligence and unmanned aerial vehicles. The State University of Management, in turn, proposed interaction within the framework of the project of the student Design Bureau, organized on the initiative of TMH.

    “Not a single university in our time can concentrate in itself the full range of knowledge and technologies in demand on the market. Only network educational programs and broad interaction with partners, including from the public sector and business, are capable of solving the problems facing modern universities,” Vladimir Stroyev noted.

    “We will cooperate with our Moscow colleagues in such areas as the creation of unmanned aerial vehicles for the agro-industrial complex and the digitalization of design documentation as part of fulfilling orders from business representatives,” said Inessa Efremenko.

    In addition, the parties clarified the areas of joint work within the framework of the project “Service Learning”, as well as issues of education, retraining and employment of SVO veterans.

    The delegation from the State University of Management was given a tour of the laboratories, experimental and museum spaces of DSTU.

    In the afternoon, the rector’s office of the State University of Management met with the director of the Rostov Regional Agency for Entrepreneurship Support – the operator of the “My Business” centers of the Rostov Region, Yana Kurinova, to discuss a joint network program for training in the framework of creative economies, as well as employment opportunities for veterans of the SVO.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 09.24.2024

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

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    The Rectorate of the State University of Management visited Rostov-on-Don on a working visit

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fewer than half of U.S. jails provide life-saving medications for opioid use disorder

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    News Release

    Tuesday, September 24, 2024

    NIH findings highlight critical gaps in treatment access in correctional facilities, where almost two-thirds of people have a substance use disorder.

    A new look into addiction treatment availability in the U.S. criminal justice system reveals that fewer than half (43.8%) of 1,028 jails surveyed across the nation offered any form of medication for opioid use disorder, and only 12.8% made these available to anyone with the disorder. With two-thirds of people who are incarcerated in U.S. jails experiencing a substance use disorder — in many cases, an opioid use disorder — the failure to make these medications widely available in criminal justice settings represents a significant missed opportunity to provide life-saving treatments in an environment where people in need of care can be easily reached.

    The study, published in JAMA Network Open and supported by NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), also found that most jails did offer some type of substance use disorder treatment or recovery support (70.1%). The most common reason jails cited for not offering medications for opioid use disorder was lack of adequate licensed staff (indicated by 49.8% of jails). In general, larger jails, those in counties with lower “social vulnerability” (lower levels of poverty and unemployment, and greater education, housing, and transportation access), and those with greater proximity to community-based providers of medications for opioid use disorder were more likely to offer these treatments.

    “Offering substance use disorder treatment in justice settings helps to break the debilitating — and often fatal — cycle of addiction and incarceration,” said NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D. “Though someone may be in jail for only a short time, connecting them to addiction treatment while they are there is critical to reduce risk of relapse and overdose, and to help them achieve long-term recovery.”

    The criminal justice system is a crucial point of intervention in the overdose crisis. Overdose is the leading cause of death among people returning to their communities after incarceration. A recent county-level study found that 21% of individuals who died of a fatal overdose had been in jail, a facility for short-term stays, where most people are awaiting trial, sentencing, or serving a short sentence.

    Research shows that medications for opioid use disorder — buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone — reduce opioid use, prevent overdose deaths, and support long-term recovery. Among people who were formerly incarcerated, access to these medications during incarceration or at release has been shown to reduce overdose deaths, increase use of community-based treatment, and decrease rates of reincarceration. However, access to medications for opioid use disorder in jails remains limited due to various barriers, including cost, staffing, and regulatory challenges.

    To update current knowledge of addiction treatment gaps in jails across the country, researchers at NORC at the University of Chicago invited a random sample of 2,791 jails to take a survey on availability of medications for opioid use disorder. These jails were selected to be representative of the over 3,500 jails in the U.S. The researchers collected data between June 2022 and April 2023 and received responses from 1,028 jails, 927 of which were included in analysis. More than half of the participating jails (55.6%) were located in non-metropolitan areas, and many jails offered contracted health care services (59.8%).

    The researchers found that more than half of the surveyed jails did not offer medications for opioid use disorder, and that those with direct or hybrid health care services were more likely to provide these medications than those relying on external facilities or with no onsite health care services. For those jails that did offer these medications, buprenorphine was the most commonly provided — available in 69.9% of jails that offered these medications — followed by naltrexone (54.5%) and methadone (46.6%).

    The researchers note that even within the jails that offer medications for opioid use disorder, most often these medications are only made available to people who are pregnant, or to those who were already receiving any of these medications at the time of their arrest. The research team is conducting additional analyses to better understand the barriers to universal medication availability within jails.

    “Data on health care gaps for people who are incarcerated provides a necessary knowledge base to help policymakers, public health officials, researchers, and communities assess where to allocate resources to improve care for opioid use disorder for this population,” said Elizabeth Flanagan Balawajder, senior research associate at NORC at the University of Chicago and the study’s corresponding author. “Our findings suggest that supporting areas such as staff training, infrastructure improvements, and partnerships with community treatment providers are key areas to improve substance use disorder treatment for people in jail.”

    While this study provides the most comprehensive overview to date of the availability of these medications in U.S. jails, its limitations include low rates of jail responses, reliance on self-reported data, and a lack of assessment of the quality or outcomes of addiction treatment programs. Future research will include evaluating the impact of providing these medications on health outcomes for the people in jail, as well as exploring sex, gender, race and ethnicity-related disparities in access to medications for opioid use disorder within the criminal justice system.

    This study was conducted by researchers in the NIDA-funded Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN), which is supported through the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative. The study included contributions from experts at the University of Illinois Chicago, Baystate Health, the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School-Baystate, the University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice, the Department of Medicine and Public Health Sciences at the University of Chicago, and NIDA.

    Under the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services has taken several steps that expand access to medications for opioid use disorder and addiction care to people who are incarcerated. For examples, see new guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, new funding opportunities through the Health Resources and Services Administration, and SAMHSA’s Adult Reentry Program Grants.

    The NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-term® and NIH HEAL Initiative® are registered service marks of the Department of Health and Human Services.

    If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug or alcohol conditions, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are ready to locate a treatment facility or provider, you can go directly to FindTreatment.gov or call 800-662-HELP (4357).

    About the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and advance addiction science. For more information about NIDA and its programs, visit www.nida.nih.gov.

    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIST Awards $6 Million to Carnegie Mellon University to Establish an AI Cooperative Research Center

    Source: US Government research organizations

    Credit: everything possible/Shutterstock

    GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has awarded $6 million to Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to establish a joint center to support cooperative research and experimentation for the test and evaluation of modern AI capabilities and tools. The center will be housed on the Carnegie Mellon campus, in Pittsburgh.

    “Artificial intelligence is the defining technology of our generation, and at the Commerce Department we are committed to working with America’s world-class higher education institutions, like Carnegie Mellon University, to advance safe, secure and trustworthy development of AI,” Raimondo said. “I am excited to announce this NIST award of $6 million for Carnegie Mellon to boost research of AI systems and support a new generation of scientists and engineers that will help advance American innovation globally.”

    The CMU/NIST AI Measurement Science & Engineering Cooperative Research Center will seek to advance AI risk management practices and evaluation approaches through stakeholder partnerships and translate assessment capabilities and methodologies into practice. 

    “This new cooperative research center will expand NIST’s knowledge base and fundamental research capacity in AI,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Laurie E. Locascio. “Through this partnership, we will strengthen our understanding of foundation models and support new research — and new researchers — in this rapidly evolving field.”

    The center will focus on foundational research and developing AI system-level tooling, metrics, evaluation procedures, development processes, and best practices to help AI builders consistently engineer safe AI systems. Its efforts will align with NIST AI priorities including better methods for measuring validity, reliability, safety, privacy and security; accountability, transparency, fairness and explainability; and generative AI evaluation at any stage of development or deployment.

    The grant to CMU was awarded through NIST’s Measurement Science and Engineering Research Grant Program, which supports collaborative research aligned with NIST’s research objectives. The program seeks to develop a diverse, world-class pool of scientists and engineers to engage in NIST’s measurement science and standards research and to promote understanding of measurement science and standards. 

    The new center’s work will support the NIST AI Innovation Lab (NAIIL), which is a component of NIST’s larger efforts on fundamental AI measurement research and guideline development.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PREPARED REMARKS: Sanders Leads HELP Committee Hearing with Novo Nordisk CEO on Outrageous Ozempic and Wegovy Prices

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    I want to thank Mr. Lars Jørgensen, the CEO of Novo Nordisk for being with us today for this very important hearing.
    The issue that we are discussing today is not complicated.  It has everything to do with the chart behind me which shows that Novo Nordisk’s diabetes drug Ozempic is sold in Canada for $155, in Denmark for $122, in France for $71 and in Germany for $59.
    In the United States Novo Nordisk charges us $969 – over 15 times more than they sell it for in Germany.
    Wegovy, Novo Nordisk’s weight loss drug is even more expensive.  As this chart shows, Wegovy is sold for $265 in Canada, $186 in Denmark, $137 in Germany and $92 in the United Kingdom.
    In the U.S., the list price for Wegovy is $1,349 a month – nearly 15 times as much as it costs in the United Kingdom.
    What we are dealing with today, is not just an issue of economics, it is not just an issue of corporate greed.  It is a profound moral issue.
    Novo Nordisk has developed game-changing drugs which, if made affordable, can save the lives of tens of thousands of Americans every year and significantly improve the quality of life of millions more. If made affordable.  If not made affordable Americans throughout this country will needlessly die and suffer. 
    As representatives of the American people, we cannot allow that to happen.
    And let’s be clear.  The outrageously high cost of Ozempic, Wegovy, and other prescription drugs is directly related to the broken, dysfunctional and cruel healthcare system in our country.
    While the current system makes huge profits for large drug companies like Novo Nordisk, huge profits for insurance companies, and huge profits for PBM’s, it is failing the needs of ordinary Americans. 
    In the United States today we spend almost twice as much, per capita, on health care as the people of any other country – nearly $13,500 for every man, woman and child – over 17% of our GDP.  
    Yet, despite this huge and unsustainable expenditure, we are the only major nation not to guarantee health care to all as a human right.
    Further, despite all of that spending, our healthcare outcomes are not particularly good.
    Today, over 85 million Americans are uninsured or under-insured, over 60,000 die every year because they don’t get to a doctor when they should, and our life expectancy, which is actually declining in many parts of this country, is far below most other wealthy countries. 
    So. What does all this have to do with Mr. Jørgensen, Novo Nordisk and our hearing today? A lot.
    The simple truth is that we pay, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs and that is a major factor in the healthcare crisis we are experiencing. How does that happen? What’s the connection?
    First, one out of four Americans are unable to afford the prescription drugs that their doctors prescribe.  
    Insanely, that means that millions of Americans go without the treatment their doctors prescribe.  The result: some will actually die and others will become much sicker than they should.  And millions will unnecessarily end up in emergency rooms or in hospitals at great expense to our health care system.  How crazy is that?
    Second, one of the reasons that hospital costs in this country are rapidly increasing has to do with the very high cost of prescription drugs. My local hospital in Burlington, a moderate sized hospital, told me that 20% of their budget is now devoted to the cost of prescription drugs – some of which now cost hundreds of thousands a year for the treatment of their patients.
    Third, a significant reason for the high cost of insurance policies in this country, and why insurance rates are going up, is due to the high cost of prescription drugs.  
    Yes.  Millions of Americans with decent health insurance pay minimal amounts for their prescription drugs.  That’s the good news.  
    The bad news is that they are paying a fortune in premiums, deductibles and co-payments for the insurance that covers those drugs.
    I should also add that if you’re a taxpayer in this country you’re paying higher taxes than you should because of the inflated costs that Medicare, Medicaid and other public health programs pay for prescription drugs.   
    That is the overview and why the issue that we’re discussing today is so very important. Now, let’s go to the particulars with regard to Novo Nordisk, Ozempic and Wegovy.
    Ozempic and Wegovy are different brand names for the same drug: semaglutide.  These drugs are transformative new treatments for diabetes and obesity that help people control their blood sugar and lose weight.
    Both are manufactured by Novo Nordisk and both are on track to be some of the best-selling and most profitable drugs in the history of the pharmaceutical industry.
    In fact, since 2018, Novo Nordisk has made nearly $50 billion in sales off of these two drugs. Importantly, 72% of that revenue coming from sales in the United States.
    In other words, the United States is Novo Nordisk’s cash cow for Ozempic and Wegovy.
    And given that these drugs will need to be taken over the course of a lifetime – Novo Nordisk can expect to receive tens of billions in sales and huge profits from these drugs year after year.  
    Now why does Novo Nordisk charge the American people such outrageously high prices for Ozempic and Wegovy?  Are they acting illegally by charging us such high prices?  Are they violating the law? 
    No.  They are not. What they are doing is perfectly lawful.  They are simply taking advantage of the fact that, until very recently, the United States has been the only major country not to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs.  In other words, Novo Nordisk and other drug companies can charge us as much as the market will bear – and that is exactly what they are doing.
    Now, in a few minutes when Mr. Jorgenson makes his presentation, I suspect that he will tell us that the healthcare system here is complex and that there is a difference between the list price and the net price as a result of the rebates that PBMs receive.
    And he’s right.
    But even factoring in all of the rebates that PBM’s receive, the net price for Ozempic is still nearly $600 – over 9 times as much as it costs in Germany.
    And the estimated net price of Wegovy is over $800 – nearly four and a half times as much as it costs in Denmark.
    What must also be understood is that not everybody can take advantage of the net price of these drugs.
    If you are uninsured you pay the full list price. 
    If you have a large deductible, you pay the full list price. 
    If you have co-insurance, the percentage of the price you pay at the pharmacy counter is based on the list price.
    And let’s be clear.  75% of Americans, over 190 million people, with insurance are unable to access Wegovy through their policies.
    Mr. Jorgensen may also tell us that Novo Nordisk is afraid that if it substantially reduced the list price for Ozempic and Wegovy, PBM’s may limit coverage for these drugs.
    Well, let me ease his concerns.  I am delighted to announce today that I have received commitments in writing from all of the major PBM’s that if Novo Nordisk substantially reduced the list price for Ozempic and Wegovy they would not limit coverage.  In fact, all of them told me they would be able to expand coverage for these drugs if the list price was reduced.  I ask unanimous consent to insert the letters I received from the PBM’s making this commitment into the record.
    Now, let me share with the Committee some other important information that we have uncovered as part of our investigation.
    Last week, I received a letter from over 250 doctors urging us to do everything we can to substantially reduce the price of these drugs.
    This should come as no surprise.
    What these doctors are telling us is that if the price of Ozempic and Wegovy is not substantially reduced, many of their patients who have diabetes and obesity will be unable to afford them.  Some of them will unnecessarily die and others will suffer a significant decline in their quality of life.  I ask unanimous consent to enter this letter into the record.
    Earlier this year, Dr. Alison Galvani, an epidemiologist at Yale university, conducted a study on Wegovy.  And what she found, and I hope Mr. Jorgensen pays attention to this, is that over 40,000 lives a year could be saved if Wegovy were made widely available at an affordable price to Americans who need this drug.  I ask unanimous consent to insert this study into the record. 
    A few months ago, Dr. Melissa Barber, a health care economist at Yale University, conducted a study on the cost of manufacturing Ozempic.  And what she found is that Ozempic can be profitably manufactured for less than $5 a month.
    We all know the cost of production is not the only expense for a drug company.  Pharmaceutical companies spend great sums on research and development to find new treatments with many of those products never coming to market.  We get that.  But it is important to know that this drug can be manufactured profitably for a few dollars a month.
    You may hear from Mr. Jørgensen that Novo Nordisk spent $21 billion on research and development since 2018.  I take his word on that.
    What he may not tell you is that Novo Nordisk spent $44 billion on stock buybacks and dividends over that same time period.
    In other words, since Ozempic came onto the market in 2018, Novo Nordisk spent over twice as much on stock buybacks and dividends than it spent on research and development.
    And let’s be clear.  Outrage over the high cost of Ozempic and other prescription drugs is not a partisan political issue. It’s not just Democrats.  It’s not just Republicans.  It’s not just Independents like me.  It’s the vast majority of the American people. 
    For example, Dale Folwell, the Republican treasurer of the state of North Carolina has told us that if he did not discontinue covering Wegovy for some 20,000 state workers in North Carolina he would have been forced to double health insurance premiums for teachers, firefighters and police officers in his state – regardless if they needed this drug or not.  He would have had to double health insurance premiums in the State of North Carolina.
    Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan also announced that it would have to discontinue covering Wegovy because it was too expensive. 
    Even Elon Musk, not someone who shares my political views, recently posted on Twitter and I quote: “Solving obesity greatly reduces risk of other diseases, especially diabetes, and improves quality of life. We do need to find a way to make appetite inhibitors available to anyone who wants them.”
    And he’s right.
    Further, not only must we be concerned about lack of access to these drugs we have also got to take a serious look at the financial implications of what happens if the prices of these drugs are not substantially reduced.
    Bottom line: If just half of the adults in our country with obesity took weight loss drugs like Wegovy at current prices the cost would be astronomical and would have a devastating financial impact on our country and on federal and state budgets.
    The best estimate that I have seen suggests that if half of the adults in our country took these weight loss drugs, it would cost $411 billion per year.  That is $5 billion more than what Americans spent on all prescription drugs at the pharmacy counter in 2022.
    In other words, the outrageously high price of these drugs could bankrupt Medicare and radically increase insurance premiums to absolutely unaffordable rates.
    This does not have to happen.
    Over the last several months, I and my staff have been talking to a number of major generic pharmaceutical companies.
    These are large companies that supply hundreds of millions of prescriptions to many millions of Americans.
    And what these CEOs have told me is something of enormous consequence. 
    They have studied the matter and they tell me that they can sell a generic version of Ozempic, the exact same drug that Novo Nordisk is manufacturing, to Americans for less than $100 per month.
    Yes.  That’s right.
    Novo Nordisk charges us $969 a month for Ozempic.  These generic companies can sell this same product for less than $100 a month – less than ten percent of what Americans are currently paying.
    Let’s be clear.  Nobody here is asking Novo Nordisk to provide charity to the American people. Novo Nordisk has already made billions of dollars in profit off of these products and, in the coming years, will make many billions more.
    All we are saying, Mr. Jørgensen, is treat the American people the same way that you treat people in countries all over the world. Stop ripping us off. 
    A few months ago President Biden and I wrote an op-ed which appeared in USA today. And here is what the president and I said: 
    “If Novo Nordisk and other pharmaceutical companies refuse to substantially lower prescription drug prices in our country and end their greed, we will do everything within our power to end it for them. Novo Nordisk must substantially reduce the price of Ozempic and Wegovy.  As Americans we must not rest until every person in our country can afford the prescription drugs they need to lead healthy, happy and productive lives.”
    That’s what President Biden and I wrote a few months ago.  And that’s what I believe.  Prescription drugs in this country must be affordable and we must not be forced to pay far higher prices than people in other countries pay for the same exact product.
    This is especially true when we face a national emergency in terms of the twin epidemics of diabetes and obesity which, if not addressed with lower cost drugs, could cost us tens of thousands of lives and an unimaginable amount of money.
    And if taking the kind of action that must be taken means standing up to the 1,800 well-paid pharmaceutical lobbyists here on Capitol Hill, including more than a few from Novo Nordisk, so be it.  If it means refusing to be influenced by the massive amounts of campaign contributions that come from the pharmaceutical industry.  So be it. 
    Congress and the Administration have a moral responsibility to act boldly and act now.  
    Senator Cassidy, you are now recognized for an opening statement.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown, Turner Announce Semiconductor Research Investment at the University Of Dayton

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and U.S. Representative Mike Turner (R-OH-10) announced a nearly $2 million investment in the University of Dayton to promote advanced manufacturing and provide state-of-the-art training and equipment for students training in the emerging semiconductor industry. Brown and Turner advocated for funding this project in the government funding package.
    “Ohio students and workers are going to lead in the industries of the future,” said Sen. Brown. “With this investment at the University of Dayton, we are expanding opportunities for Ohioans to get the training they need to get a good paying job, where they can build a life here in Ohio and help further our state’s leadership in this crucial growing industry.”
    “I am proud to have helped secure funding to enhance the incredible work being done by the University of Dayton to train and educate the next generation of workers. Semiconductors are an important part of the global electronics industry, our national security, and our local economy. In Congress, I will continue to work on a bipartisan basis to find ways to make the Miami Valley a place where accelerated advanced manufacturing can succeed,” said Congressman Mike Turner. 
    The funding was awarded through the National Institute of Standards and Technology and will help bolster the University of Dayton’s Southwest Ohio Integrated Microsystems Workforce & Research Center. This funding will help prepare students to lead the growing semiconductor supply chain throughout Ohio.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: TUV – the only party to call out Sinn Fein hypocrisy on lecturing people on democracy when Gerry Kelly sits on their benches or note the irony of calling for votes for 16 when you want to deny ANYONE in NI the right to vote on 300 areas of law

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    In today’s Assembly debate on votes for 16 year olds Timothy Gaston MLA said:

    “I oppose the motion for three simple reasons. First, in setting the voting age at 18, the UK is very much in line with international practice. If you look at the situation across the democratic world, you see that the average voting age is 18·03 years. While there are 16-year-olds in the workplace, the vast majority are still in education or vocational training until the age of 18. It is important to remember that, when it comes to issues such as signing a legally binding contract, one cannot do so until one is 18. Let us remember that you need to be 18 to buy alcohol, 18 to buy cigarettes and 18 to buy a knife, but those who tabled the motion want a 16-year-old to be able to vote.

    “Secondly, it would be remiss of me not to note the irony of the motion’s origin. Sinn Féin is in no position to lecture anyone on democracy. On its Benches, albeit from time to time, sits the Old Bailey bomber, Gerry Kelly. Let us not forget today that that bombing resulted in Frederick Milton dying from a heart attack and 150-plus being injured. Let us ask ourselves why that attack was carried out: because, on the same day, a border poll was held in Northern Ireland, and Mr Kelly knew that he would not like the outcome of that poll. On that same day, a young soldier, 21-year-old John Green, was shot by the IRA while guarding St Joseph’s Primary School on the lower Falls. Why was he guarding the school? Because it was being used as a polling station. Yet, Sinn Féin, in the motion, wants to lecture us on democracy.

    “Those are not the only points about the motion that I find ironic, which brings me to my final reason. Those who will trip through the Lobbies in support of the motion in a few moments’ time are also the most passionate advocates of the protocol, an arrangement that means that, when it comes to 300 areas of law — note that I said “300 areas of law” and not “300 laws” — no one in Northern Ireland, regardless of their age, has any vote on them. That is a democratic obscenity, yet those who champion votes for 16-year-olds loudest are silent when it comes to being ruled by people whom no one in Northern Ireland voted for.

    “We are just over a month away from the largest disenfranchisement operation of modern times and the facilitating of the first majoritarian vote in Stormont in over 50 years. It will also be the most controversial majoritarian vote in Northern Ireland’s 103-year history, a vote to disenfranchise 1·9 million people in 300 areas of law. A vote resigning us to the idea that the laws made in those areas will be made for us by the Republic of Ireland and 26 other states and not the UK or Northern Ireland’s MLAs who sit in the House; a vote that unbundles the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s single market for goods in favour of an all-Ireland single market for goods; and a vote that violates the cross-community consent and democratic provisions of the Belfast Agreement as international law, treating the people of Northern Ireland with complete contempt. Do not argue that the protocol is just and then lecture us on votes for 16-year-olds. It just does not wash. The real democratic deficit in this part of the UK is the failure to honour the biggest democratic mandate in British history: the mandate to leave the EU.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: TODAY: In Fresno, Governor Newsom to sign bills to boost affordable housing for California farmworkers

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Sep 24, 2024

    FRESNO – Today, Governor Newsom will gaggle after he signs legislation to boost access to affordable housing for California’s farmworkers, building upon his administration’s efforts to protect and support farmworkers across the state.

    WHEN: Tuesday, September 24th at approximately 3:00 p.m.

    GAGGLE LIVESTREAM: The Governor’s Twitter page, Facebook page, and YouTube page.

    **NOTE: This in-person press gaggle will be open to credentialed media only. Media interested in attending must RSVP to govpressoffice@gov.ca.gov by no later than 1:45 p.m., Tuesday, September 24. Location information will be provided upon RSVP.

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  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Saskatchewan Rejects Federal Oil and Gas Emissions Cap and Methane 75 Regulations

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on September 24, 2024

    Province Would Face Royalty and Tax Revenue Losses up to $7 Billion, Lost Government Revenues of $43 Billion, and up to 34,000 Job Losses by 2050, According to Independent Report

    In its new independent report, the Saskatchewan Economic Impact Assessment Tribunal has found that the federal oil and gas emissions cap and federal Methane 75 regulations would cause substantial economic damage to Saskatchewan.

    By 2050, with production caps and methane mandates in place, Saskatchewan’s oil production would fall by between 38 and 52 per cent, the province would face cumulative royalty and tax revenue losses of between $4.8 and $7.1 billion, and total lost government revenues would be up to $43.3 billion, according to the independent Report.

    “The Tribunal has, in several cases, relied on the same experts as the federal government and presented undeniable, quantitative data that these two federal mandates would be economically devastating to Saskatchewan,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre said. “These mandates will lead to industrial winners and losers across the country and represent a sweeping constitutional overreach into the province’s exclusive jurisdiction over natural resources. This report arms us with additional, independent evidence to constitutionally challenge the two mandates.”

    The Report also found that, with these federal mandates in place, Saskatchewan’s economy would contract by 4.3 per cent by 2030, by 6.4 per cent by 2050, and that there would be a cumulative GDP impact by 2050 of $230 billion. Employment losses by 2050, relative to the status quo, would range from between 12,800 and 34,000 people.

    “The Explorers and Producers Association of Canada (EPAC) remains fundamentally opposed to the imposition of a federal emissions cap on Canadian oil and gas production,” EPAC President and CEO Tristan Goodman said. “This is unnecessary and unacceptable given Canadian producers’ ongoing efforts to reduce emissions. A federal emissions cap will introduce further investment uncertainty and has a likelihood of being found unconstitutional as seen in recent Supreme Court decisions. EPAC supports the goal of reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector and we believe this is strictly provincial jurisdiction. We look forward to working with the province of Saskatchewan to achieve their methane emissions reduction target. Federal intervention is not required.”

    These two mandates will also not reduce any global emissions, according to the Report, and production cuts in Canada will simply be back-filled by jurisdictions with weaker environmental standards. Between 2015 and 2023, provincially-regulated methane emissions in Saskatchewan fell by two-thirds.

    The Economic Impact Assessment Tribunal conducted its analysis and developed this report under the authority of The Saskatchewan First Act, which came into force in September 15, 2023. The Report was released yesterday and can be accessed within the background documents at the bottom of this page.

    Additional information about the Economic Impact Assessment Tribunal can be found at:

    https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2023/november/28/government-announces-first-impact-assessment-tribunal.

    https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/news-and-media/2024/april/08/media-advisory.

    The Government of Saskatchewan would like to thank the Economic Assessment Tribunal for its independent, in-depth report. Members of the Tribunal are as follows:

    • Michael W. Milani (Chair);
    • Dr. Janice MacKinnon (Vice-Chair);
    • Kenneth From;
    • Dr. Stuart Smyth; and 
    • Estella Petersen.

    • Michael Milani, KC (Chair) is a senior partner (commercial and insolvency) at McDougall Gauley in Regina. Mr. Milani has previously served as Estey Chair in Business Law at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Law, as President of the Law Society and Federation of Law Societies of Canada, and is the current Chair of the Law Reform Commission of Saskatchewan. In a legal capacity, he has undertaken various green energy projects for SaskPower, including negotiating power purchase agreements for wind and solar energy, as well as agreements for the engineering, procurement and construction of combined cycle gas plants.
    • Dr. Janice MacKinnon (Vice-Chair) is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, member of the Order of Canada, and former Saskatchewan Finance Minister. In 2017, she was appointed to the federal advisory panel on NAFTA and the Environment and, in 2019, was appointed by former Alberta Premier Jason Kenney to chair the Blue Ribbon panel on Alberta’s finances. She is a Professor of fiscal policy at the School of Public Health at the University of Saskatchewan and a senior fellow and member of the National Council at the C.D Howe Institute.
    • Kenneth From is the former President and CEO of SaskEnergy. He is also a former CEO of the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC) and the Technical Safety Authority of Saskatchewan (TSASK). Mr. From also previously served as an officer and director of Raven Oil Corporation from 2012-2016 and as President of Prairie Hunter Energy Corporation. A professional engineer, he was President (2003-2004) of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS).
    • Dr. Stuart Smyth is a professor at the University of Saskatchewan in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. His research focuses on sustainability, agriculture and innovation. As U of S Agri-Food Innovation and Sustainability Enhancement Chair, Dr. Smyth has published over 100 academic articles and is recognized as a leading expert on barriers to innovation and regulatory efficiency.
    • Estella Peterson is an oil sands heavy equipment operator in Fort McMurray, AB. Originally from Saskatchewan and Treaty 4 Cowesess First Nation, Estella is part of Suncor Energy’s Aboriginal Ambassador program and is a freelance contributor, including to The Globe and Mail, on the economic importance of the natural resources sector to Indigenous communities.

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    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FACT SHEET: The United  States Commitment to Address the Global Mpox  Outbreak

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    “Now we face the mpox outbreak in Central and Eastern Africa. Mpox is different from COVID-19. But we will act quickly – and bring partners with us. We are prepared to commit at least $500 million – to support African countries to prevent and respond to mpox and donate up to one million doses of mpox vaccines. We call on governments, charities, and businesses to match our pledge – and make this a $1 billion commitment to the people of Africa.” —President Biden, September 24, 2024
    The United States has led global efforts to combat infectious diseases, including mpox, for decades. Most recently in 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration mounted a robust response to the spread of clade IIb mpox by making vaccines available to those at risk, making testing more convenient, and providing treatments to those who needed them both in the United States and worldwide. In response to the ongoing mpox outbreak in Eastern and Central Africa, with several cases outside the region, the United States is acting quickly and decisively to support the response, and to prepare for potential cases domestically. On September 16, the White House welcomed key partners and community stakeholders working on mpox in the United States and around the world to a roundtable with U.S. Government leadership to exchange ideas, feedback and recommendations to inform the U.S. response to this global crisis.
    This week, President Biden announced that the United States is committed to providingat least $500 million dollars, as well as one million mpox vaccine doses, to support African countries to prevent and respond to the current mpox outbreak. These investments will be delivered both bilaterally, through existing relationships with partner countries, as well as through multilateral institutions. United States investments in mpox preparedness and response will address a range of needs outlined in the Mpox Continental Preparedness and Response Plan jointly issued by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), including training frontline health workers, disease surveillance, laboratory diagnostic supplies and testing, clinical case management, risk communication and community engagement, infection prevention and control, and research. In addition to financial support and vaccines, the U.S. Government has surged dozens of staff, including epidemiologists, laboratorians, and risk communication experts to offer support to the mpox response in DRC and each of the countries surrounding DRC.
    BUILDING STRONGER, RESILIENT HEALTH SYSTEMS
    Investments in building stronger health systems are essential to a rapid and effective emergency response. Longstanding United States support, including through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), helped to strengthen the systems that are now supporting the mpox response.
    Ongoing global health and health security investments. Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, the United States has provided more than $50 billion to support global health and health security. The United States is the largest health donor in the Africa region, allocating more than $2.65 billion in bilateral health funding to countries in Central and Eastern Africa in FY 2023 alone.
    Global health security partnerships. In April 2024, the United States announced formal global health security partnerships with 50 countries, including Burundi, DRC, Kenya, and Uganda. Global health security investments make it possible for the United States to address country-identified gaps in their capacity to prevent, detect, respond to, and recover from health security threats. U.S. assistance to the government of DRC, which began in 2015, has bolstered the DRC’s efforts to contain five Ebola outbreaks since 2020, develop an antimicrobial stewardship work plan, and develop a community feedback system to address infectious disease threats.
    President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). For over 20 years, PEPFAR has supported more than 55 countries worldwide, saved more than 25 million lives, enabled 5.5 million babies to be born HIV-free, and prevented millions of new HIV infections. Longstanding PEPFAR investments in creating sustainable HIV care platforms have been leveraged for quick and effective response to cholera, COVID-19, Ebola, H1N1 influenza, tuberculosis, and other health threats. Given the increased risk of severe morbidity and mortality from mpox among people living with HIV, PEPFAR is ensuring program continuity to protect people living with HIV through the use of existing PEPFAR platforms through risk communication, laboratory and surveillance capacity, referral to care, HIV testing, and vaccination delivery to help prevent and respond to mpox.
    SUPPORTING MPOX TESTING, VACCINATION, TREATMENT AND CARE
    Mpox vaccine research and development. Since 2007, the United States, through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), has invested more than $2 billion in the JYNNEOS vaccine as part of smallpox preparedness. Additionally, U.S. Government research institutions led the development of the JYNNEOS vaccine through preclinical evaluation, clinical trials, and advanced clinical evaluation platforms. These investments directly led to product licensure for both smallpox and mpox. On September 13, WHO announced pre-qualification of the JYNNEOS vaccine for global use, including in the Africa region in response to ongoing mpox outbreaks.
    Mpox vaccine donation. This week President Biden pledged that the United States will donate up to one million doses of the mpox vaccine. The first U.S.-donated vaccine doses arrived in Nigeria in August (10,000 doses), and in DRC in September (50,000 doses). The next installment of the U.S. commitment, 300,000 vaccine doses, will be available immediately for disbursement in coordination with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and the WHO Access and Allocation Mechanism. Additional mpox vaccine doses will be delivered in tranches (totaling up to one million) pending country progress in administering the vaccines, in coordination with Gavi.
    Clinical care and protecting health workers. In DRC, the U.S. Government has procured and delivered medical kits containing antibiotics, oral hydration, and wound care supplies to support government facilities to offer mpox patients relief from their symptoms free of charge, which bolsters community trust and connection with the health care system. The U.S. Government is expanding health care worker capacity to treat mpox and offer psychosocial support to patients, while simultaneously training the workers to protect themselves through use of infection prevention and control best practices.
    Diagnostic tests and training. The U.S. Government is also supporting mpox-affected countries with laboratory expertise and diagnostic supplies. This includes: providing over 40,000 individual test assays and reagents that ensured that countries in the region had the capacity to detect clade I mpox when it crossed their borders; training dozens of laboratory personnel on the use of mpox test kits and procedures to enhance laboratory safety, hygiene, and waste management; strengthening the reach and availability of rapid diagnostic testing capacity; expanding specimen transportation routes; and establishing platforms for laboratory data management.
    Development and testing of effective therapeutics. The United States Government is leading the ongoing “Study of Tecovirimat for Human Mpox Virus” clinical trial for mpox treatment in the United States and other countries affected by clade II mpox.
    Identifying mpox research priorities. To help prioritize mpox research, the United States released an update on mpox research priorities, focusing on four objectives: (1) increasing knowledge about the biology of all clades, including how the virus is transmitted and how people’s immune systems respond to it; (2) evaluating dosing regimens of current mpox vaccines to stretch the vaccine supply and developing novel vaccine concepts; (3) advancing existing and novel treatments, including antivirals and monoclonal antibodies; and (4) supporting strategies for detecting the virus to facilitate clinical care and epidemiological surveillance.
    LEVERAGING STRONG MULTILATERAL PARTNERSHIPS
    As with investments in health systems, building stronger and more effective multilateral institutions between emergencies is essential to ensuring the world is prepared to respond effectively in times of crisis. The United States supports the critical roles of WHO and Africa CDC in leading the mpox response, and we call on those institutions to utilize the strong partnerships that are already in place, including with other multilateral institutions, to protect the health and wellbeing of people living in the affected countries.
    World Health Organization. Among his first acts in office, President Biden declared the United States would reengage with WHO, highlighting our nation’s commitment to advancing multilateral cooperation in a global health crisis. Beyond health emergencies, the United States is collaborating with WHO on a wide range of global health issues such as childhood immunization, nutrition, polio eradication, and strengthening the global health workforce to achieve universal health coverage. Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, the United States has provided nearly $1.9 billion of support to WHO. In addition, since March 2024, the United States has already provided more than $7.7 million to WHO to support mpox response activities, and $450,000 for building sustainable capacity for mpox elimination in DRC, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. 
    Africa CDC. The United States welcomes and supports the role of Africa CDC as a continent-wide public health institution, established in 2016. In 2022, the U.S. Government signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to Promote Public Health Partnership with the African Union, accompanied by a U.S.-Africa CDC Joint Action Plan outlining shared global health priorities and areas for collaboration. In addition to substantial U.S. bilateral and multilateral support aligned with Africa CDC’s five-year strategic plan and Agenda 2063, the United States provided more than $3 million in direct support to the Africa CDC in the form of in-kind assistance last year alone.
    Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Gavi holds essential expertise in effective vaccine procurement, distribution, and administration, which should be leveraged immediately in the mpox response. Since its inception in 2000, the United States Government has invested or announced: 1) over $3.6 billion to improve equitable access to new and underutilized vaccines in low- and middle-income countries; 2) a $4 billion dollar contribution to Gavi’s COVAX Advance Market Commitment; 3) an annual contribution to Gavi’s core budget, including $300 million in 2024 ; 4) and pledged at least $1.58 billion towards USG’s first-ever five-year pledge to Gavi’s next replenishment cycle, subject to Congressional approval. U.S. funding is included in Gavi’s $500 million First Response Fund, which is supporting procurement, delivery, and deployment of 500,000 JYNNEOS doses in response to the mpox outbreak. Finally, affected countries, WHO, Africa CDC, and Gavi recently established the Access and Allocation Mechanism (AAM) as a platform to increase equitable access to mpox response resources and contributions.
    The Quad. The Quad partnership was established in 2020 between the United States, India, Japan and Australia as a global force for good, including working together to help partners address pandemics and disease. During a September 21 Quad Summit, leaders agreed to coordinate efforts to promote equitable access to safe, effective, quality-assured mpox vaccines, including where appropriate expanding vaccine manufacturing in low and middle-income countries.
    Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). CEPI is working to accelerate the development of life-saving vaccines against emerging disease threats, and to transform capability for rapid countermeasure development in response to future threats.To date, the U.S. Government has invested $117 million through CEPI to accelerated the development of vaccines and other biologic countermeasures against epidemic and pandemic threats. CEPI has funded two scientific studies in Africa (the DRC and Uganda) focused on the JYNNEOS vaccine; it has also supported early clinical development of BioNTech’s next-generation mRNA-based pox vaccine and providing funding to support Bavarian Nordic’s MVA-BN® mpox vaccine clinical trials in DRC, Uganda, and Nigeria through the SMART trial.
    The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Global Fund is working to defeat HIV, TB and malaria and ensure a healthier, safer, more equitable future for all. The U.S. is the largest donor to The Global Fund, and President Biden led the largest Global Fund replenishment ever in 2022. In August 2024, in response to the evolving mpox outbreak, the Global Fund quickly pivoted to update its guidance in order to direct grant funds to help eligible countries to prevent, detect, and respond to mpox outbreaks. Earlier this month, Global Fund committed an additional $9.5 million to support DRC’s mpox response.
    UNICEF. As the lead UN agency for children, UNICEF works in over 190 countries to save children’s lives and to support health and development. To date, the U.S. has provided UNICEF with more than $1.4 million to support clade I mpox preparedness and response activities in DRC, Burundi, and the Republic of Congo. UNICEF supports risk communication and community engagement, clinical services, psychosocial support, and coordination.
    United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). As the lead UN agency for refugees, UNHCR provides vital protection and assistance to refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced and stateless people. Through UNHCR, the United States has provided nearly $9 million in humanitarian assistance this year to address urgent mpox-related needs among refugees, internally-displaced persons, host communities and other vulnerable populations in 14 countries throughout Africa.
    International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). IFRC is the world’s largest humanitarian network working in more than 190 countries through a network of more than 16 million volunteers. To date, the U.S. Government has provided IFRC with $800,000 to support clade I mpox preparedness and response activities in DRC. IFRC supports risk communication and community engagement, clinical services, psychosocial support, and coordination.
    EXPANDING HEALTH EMERGENCY FINANCING
    In addition to ongoing bilateral and multilateral support to build stronger health systems, respond to ongoing health challenges, and pivot to address the current mpox crisis, the United States supports expanded sources of financing for response to health emergencies. Many of these have been developed and launched since the COVID-19 pandemic to address gaps identified through that response.
    The Pandemic Fund. As the only multilateral fund fully focused on prevention and preparedness, the Pandemic Fund has a critical role to play in building capacity to end the current outbreak and prevent the next one. The Pandemic Fund has taken quick action to support mpox preparedness efforts, approving $129 million to support 10 countries impacted by the disease to strengthen laboratory, surveillance, and human resources capacities. The selected projects meet needs articulated in the joint WHO-Africa CDC Mpox Continental Preparedness and Response Plan for Africa. The awards will be implemented over multiple years enabling an effective transition from crisis to long term preparedness. To continue its critical work, the Pandemic Fund is engaged in a concurrent resource mobilization round, with the goal of raising at least $2 billion in new funding through 2026. The United States has committed to provide up to $667 million, subject to Congressional appropriations and the availability of funds.
    Gavi’s Day Zero Financing Facility. The United States has supported Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance in establishing the Day Zero Financing Facility, a suite of tools that will mobilize, for example, up to $2 billion in risk-tolerant surge and contingent capital to enable Gavi to quickly meet the demand for vaccines in a pandemic.
    U.S. Development Finance Corporation (DFC) Health Emergency Financing: The DFC finances private-sector led solutions to health services, supply chain, and technology challenges in low- and middle-income countries. These solutions improve health system resilience and pandemic preparedness through: 1) a $1 billion-dollar rapid financing facility applicable to a full spectrum of vaccines (COVID-19, childhood vaccine-preventable diseases, and future outbreaks); 2) investments in regional, Africa-based vaccine manufacturing, including Aspen Pharmacare (South Africa) and Institute Pasteur de Dakar (Senegal); and 3) a G7 Surge Financing Initiative for Medical Countermeasures that supports Gavi and regional vaccine manufacturers.
    Multilateral development bank (MDB) evolution. MDBs have a key role to play in helping countries address global challenges, such as climate change, pandemics, and fragility and conflict. The United States is working with other shareholders to evolve the visions, incentive structures, operational approaches, and financial capacity of the MDBs to equip these institutions to respond to global challenges with sufficient speed and scale. The United States is pleased to see the close coordination between the World Bank, IMF, and regional development banks with WHO and affected countries on how to best utilize or reprogram resources to aid the mpox response.
    —-
    To learn more about mpox, its signs and symptoms, vaccines, prevention, and treatments, please visit the U.S. CDC website.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New music pilot breaking down barriers for disadvantaged young people

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Tuesday, 24th September 2024

    Young people in Stoke-on-Trent showing musical talent from low income families are to be supported through music.

    Young Sounds UK, a music education charity, are leading a £5.8 million Music Opportunities pilot programme with backing from the Department for Education (DfE). The local programme will be managed and led by Stoke-on-Trent City Music Service.

    The programme will focus on 12 key regions, including Stoke-on-Trent, in giving children targeted support to progress their musical talent and interests. Up to 1000 young people will benefit from the programme nationally and in Stoke-on-Trent, the pilot will be active in 60 locations.

    This pilot is part of a new phase of Young Sounds: Connect, which has been running for 15 years and will now broaden its reach with the help of £2 million from the DfE.

    Children with musical potential will receive intensive support, free weekly lessons, personal bursaries and access to mentors. Those participating will also be able to attend termly Get Together events, meet aspiring and professional musicians and develop their skills.

    Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, Cabinet member for Education and Anti-Poverty, said: “I am delighted that Stoke-on-Trent has been identified as a key region for this pilot programme Young Sounds UK are doing, supported by the Department for Education.

    “Being from a low-income family should never be a barrier to pursuing your talents and interests. Being a child is all about expressing yourself and music is a great way of doing this.

    “I cannot wait to see children in Stoke-on-Trent realising their potential through this pilot.”

    Over the next four years, Young Sounds UK is aiming to create a scalable model that will reach more young people, drive innovation in the creative industries and secure the UK’s global reputation in the arts.

    For more information about Young Sounds UK and Stoke-on-Trent City Music Service and the amazing work they do, visit www.youngsounds.org.uk and www.stokecms.org.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Huffman, Obernolte Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Wildfire Resiliency

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Huffman Representing the 2nd District of California

    September 24, 2024

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representatives Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) and Jay Obernolte (R-CA) introduced the Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act to help local communities defend themselves from the growing danger of wildfires. This bill will empower communities to implement science-based methods for mitigating wildfire damage and provide funding to design and implement new Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Plans with community members, first responders, and relevant state agencies.

    “As our country grapples with the climate crisis, catastrophic wildfires have become an existential threat to the safety of our communities. California has been on the frontlines – with five of the six largest fires in the state’s history occurring in 2020 alone. The government should treat these natural disasters the same way as any other, providing resources and empowering communities to build resiliency,” said Representative Huffman. “My legislation builds on the investments we made last Congress so we can prepare our communities for worst-case scenarios while working to address the build-up of issues that make wildfires so much more destructive than ever before.”

    “Wildfires are becoming increasingly frequent and have devastated millions of acres across the West, endangering lives, property, and critical infrastructure,” said Representative Jay Obernolte. “Our local communities are best positioned to understand their own needs and challenges, and the Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act empowers them to take a proactive and coordinated approach to wildfire protection.”

    Provisions from Rep. Huffman’s bill, formerly known as the Wildfire Defense Act, were included in President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This included the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program, which helps communities, tribes, non-profit organizations, state forestry agencies, and Alaska Native corporations plan for and mitigate wildfire risks as the nation faces an ongoing wildfire crisis. USDA’s Forest Service worked with states and tribes through an interagency workgroup to develop the Community Wildfire Defense Grant program, originally announced in June of 2022. Grant proposals underwent a competitive selection process that included review panels made up of state forestry agencies and tribal representatives.

    Today’s bill builds on this success and goes even further by designating a targeted, specific grant program for home hardening within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and adds home hardening as an allowable project under the USFS program.

    “The Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act will promote community resilience in the places most at-risk from wildfire. We are pleased to see Representative Huffman and Senator Harris take decisive action to address the challenges posed by climate change and fire management. We hope other members of Congress will follow their lead,” said Ryan Henson, Policy Director for the CalWild.

    “Climate change is exacerbating wildfires, and we need to protect homes, families, and communities across the country,” said Earthjustice Senior Legislative Representative, Blaine Miller-McFeeley. “This legislation understands that mitigating wildfire risks must be grounded in the soundest science-based methods available while providing impacted communities with the resources they need to prepare for wildfire threats. In the face of worsening wildfires, we thank Rep. Huffman for making investments in community resiliency efforts.” 

    “The Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act is common sense legislation that encourages communities to work together to reduce wildfire risk near homes and communities.  In particular, prioritizing wildfire risk reduction that utilizes local workers and contractors will ensure that the economic benefits of resilience treatments flow to local communities, resulting in a win-win for people and the forest.”  Susan Jane Brown, Principal, Silvix Resources.

    Anna Medema, Associate Director of Legislative and Administrative Advocacy, Forests and Public Lands at Sierra Club said, “With the effects of the climate crisis only becoming more serious, it’s vital that we create and support fire-smart communities. From education and funding to community-scale planning, we need to make sure that the most at-risk places have the resources to help. The Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act will go a long way towards making our communities safer and protecting first responders.”

    “This bill would help communities adapt to extreme wildfire, a crisis supercharged by climate change,” said Bart Johnsen-Harris, Director of Federal Climate Change Policy at Trust for Public Land. “We applaud Congressman Huffman’s focus on bolstering resilience, which is critical to protecting people’s lives, their homes, businesses and communities.”

    “We thank Representative Huffman for this science-based bill that far surpasses others relying on the simplistic and false notion that logging our nation’s forests is the answer to managing wildfire,” said Robert Dewey, Vice President of Government Relations at Defenders of Wildlife. “Supporting healthy biodiverse ecosystems is the best way to increase our nation’s resiliency against the climate crisis and uncharacteristic wildfires.” 

    “The Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act embodies the crucial shift our agencies must take—moving from broad, misguided forest management strategies deep in the wildlands to a focus on defending communities and safeguarding lives. True wildfire preparedness starts with protecting homes, infrastructure, and the people who live there, not with logging far-off forests. This is the science-backed approach that saves lives and homes by emphasizing defensible space, home hardening, early detection, and community-driven planning,” said Jennifer Mamola, Advocacy and Policy Director for John Muir Project of Earth Island Institute 

    Specifically, the bipartisan Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Act will invest $1 billion per year to:

    • Establish guidelines for communities to conceptualize new Community Protection and Wildfire Resilience Plans (CPWRP) that are developed in coordination with community members, first responders, and relevant state agencies. CPWRPs will focus on implementing strategies and activities relating to:
      • Improving early detection technology, public outreach and education, alerts and warnings, evacuation planning, evacuation execution, and access for first responders
      • Addressing vulnerable populations, including the elderly and those with disabilities
      • Hardening critical infrastructure and homes
      • Applying community-scale defensible space across contiguous areas
      • Building local capacity to implement and oversee the plan
      • Deploying distributed energy resources like microgrids with battery storage
      • Implementing strategic land use planning
      • Educating community members
      • Coordinating with existing wildfire plans like a Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
    • Provide grants of up to $250,000 to develop a CPWRP and grants of up to $10 million to implement a CPWRP
      • Grants will be prioritized for low-income communities that are at high risk for fire or wildfire and communities recently impacted by a major wildfire.
    • Complete a report on all federal authorities and programs to protect communities from wildfires. 
    • Study how a CPWRP could be used as certification for insurance companies assessing community resilience.
    • Continuously update wildfire hazard maps.
    • Assess impediments to emergency radio communications across departments and agencies.
    • Allow for structure hardening to be covered under existing community wildfire protection programs.

    The bill is endorsed by Earthjustice, Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, Silvix Resources, Defenders of Wildlife, Trust for Public Land, Natural Resources Defense Council, John Muir Project of Earth Island Institute, Wild Heritage, Unite the Parks, Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Feather River Action!, Forests Forever, Climate Communications Coalition, Heartwood, Tahoe Forests Matter, Eco-Integrity Alliance, Friends of the Clearwater, and Sonoma County Climate Activist Network (SoCoCAN!, a network of 50+ Sonoma County climate groups and over 300 individuals).

    Additional Resources

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: The Miller Group Awards Rudy R. Miller Business – Finance Scholarship to Two Arizona State University Seniors

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Miller Group (TMG) announced it has awarded its 2024 Rudy R. Miller Business – Finance Scholarship (RRM Scholarship) to Arizona State University (ASU), W. P. Carey School of Business students Maxwell Fields and Ilya Illiashenko. Mr. Fields is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, a minor in Economics, and a Certificate in Applied Business Data Analytics. Mr. Illiashenko is pursuing Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance and Supply Chain Management.

    Mr. Fields has strong leadership skills and a passion for investment management. He co-founded and serves as vice president of the Financial Literacy and Market Economics Club at ASU. He is vice president of Sigma Nu, a leadership-focused non-profit fraternity and through multiple internships in the investment and financial industry, he gained valuable hands-on knowledge and he plans to enter the investment management sector upon graduation.

    Mr. Illiashenko serves as an associate for the Symposium Planning Committee for Scholars of Finance at ASU. His internships have included finance, investment, and real estate finance. At Teach for America, he led an SAT bootcamp for high school juniors from an underserved community achieving a 50% improvement in student engagement and a 30% increase in academic performance through data-driven strategies. Witnessing his mother’s lifelong dedication to reforming Ukraine’s healthcare system instilled a desire to address societal challenges and uplift communities. Mr. Illiashenko’s ultimate goal is to contribute to his home country of Ukraine’s development, fostering integrity, transparency, and a robust financial and healthcare landscape. He strives to bridge the gap between academic pursuits and real-world impact in Ukraine.

    Mr. Miller, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of TMG and affiliated entities, stated, “Our firm had a difficult time selecting one scholarship recipient this year due to the exceptional quality of applicants. We decided to select two superb students as co-recipients for our 2024 award. These two applicants stood out to me not only for their academic achievements, but also for their efforts outside of the university. We are honored to assist both recipients financially and with future individual mentoring and guidance by me.”

    “Ilya Illiashenko and Maxwell Fields are excellent candidates for the Rudy R. Miller Business – Finance Scholarship. In addition to their outstanding academic records, both candidates are notable leaders in a number of campus and community-based initiatives. I want to thank Rudy Miller for his continued recognition and financial support of academically accomplished student leaders like Maxwell and Ilya” remarked Laura Lindsey, Department of Finance Chair and the Cutler Family Endowed Professor, W. P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University.

    About Rudy R. Miller

    Mr. Rudy R. Miller, a former member of the U.S. Armed Forces, is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and investor in numerous industries. Mr. Miller is Chairman, President, and CEO of Miller Capital Corporation, an affiliate of The Miller Group of entities; for more information, including Mr. Miller’s biography, visit www.themillergroup.net.

    Mr. Miller instituted the annual Rudy R. Miller Business – Finance Scholarship Program in 2008 to support Arizona State University, W. P. Carey School of Business. Since inception, Mr. Miller has issued three additional ASU scholarships, not included in the annual award process, totaling 23 ASU scholarships to date. Mr. Miller had the honor to serve as a member of ASU’s Dean’s Council of 100, a national group of prominent business executives invited by the Dean to play a leadership role in shaping the future of the W. P. Carey School of Business.

    In 2023, Mr. Miller was selected by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to join two influential advisory boards for both the College of Aviation and the College of Business, Security and Intelligence. In addition to joining the advisory boards at Embry-Riddle, he established scholarships for students at both colleges and set up a fund to support simulator training to improve commercial pilot safety, the Rudy R. Miller Instrument Safety Currency Program (ISCP).

    His philanthropic endeavors include support for the non-profit arts community, selective universities, athletic foundations, and veterans’ projects. He is a member-sponsor of the Army Historical Foundation and the National Museum of the U.S. Army located at Fort Belvoir, VA. He served as Chairman of the Advisory Board of Thunderbird Field II Veterans Memorial, Inc. (Tbird2), an organization that honors veterans, from 2018 until March 2024. Mr. Miller developed its aviation scholarship program and process in 2018 and served as the first Chairman of the Scholarship Committee until June 2023. Tbird2 offers scholarships at six colleges, for both veteran and non-veteran students, including two 4-year universities, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Arizona State University, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.

    About The Miller Group

    MILLER, established in 1972 and headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, is comprised of several affiliated companies including Miller Capital Corporation, Miller Investments, Inc., and Miller Management Corporation. The Miller Group offers a broad range of services including venture capital and private equity investing, debt financing, financial advisory, and management consulting to public and private middle-market companies throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. A select group of current and past clients include: America West Airlines®, Bowlin Travel Centers, Inc.®, Capital Title Group, Inc., DELSTAR Companies, Inc., Legal Broadcast Network, LLC, Magma®, McMurry, Inc., Ritz Carlton Magazine®, Sequence Media Group, ServRx, Inc., Sunshine Minting, Inc.®, Telgian Holdings, Inc.®, and US Air Express.

    Official photographer for The Miller Group and its affiliated entities – Gordon Murray, 480 205-9691 (www.flashpv.com)

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/13c9e3e2-5ff6-45f6-8737-2e053c545299

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Regional Symposium and Policy Dialogue on Transforming Education

    Source: Caribbean Development Bank

    The Regional Symposium and Policy Dialogue on Transforming Education will take place from 2-4 October 2024 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Cayman Islands.

    Hosted by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in collaboration with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, UNESCO, and UNICEF, this event will bring together over 150 regional leaders, educators, and policymakers for thought-provoking discussions, expert presentations, and collaborative sessions aimed at addressing the most pressing challenges facing the Caribbean education sector.

    Held under the theme “Understanding, Leveraging, and Unlocking Our Full Potential”, the symposium will focus on leadership transformation, revamping teaching and learning methods, and expanding access to quality education. Key areas of focus are:

    1. Inclusive, equitable, safe, and healthy schools
    2. Learning and skills for life, work, and sustainable development
    3. Teachers and the teaching profession
    4. Digital learning and transformation
    5. Financing education

    The agenda will explore decolonising education, AI in education, building a culture of social and emotional learning, and the role of education in creating healthier societies, as well as other pressing issues impacting regional education systems.

    Regional leaders will use these discussions to develop the Agenda for Action, a consensus-driven roadmap for transforming education across the Caribbean.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Read More (Abraham Accords Caucus Introduces Bipartisan Resolution to Promote Peace and Tolerance in Education)

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative David Trone

    September 24, 2024

    WASHINGTON – The Co-Chairs of the Abraham Accords Caucus, Representatives Brad Schneider (D-IL), Ann Wagner (R-MO), David Trone (D-MD), and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), have introduced a bipartisan resolution encouraging the U.S. Department of State and civil society organizations to further the goals of the Abraham Accords by promoting peace and tolerance through education across the Middle East. The resolution emphasizes ongoing reforms to national curricula to reduce antisemitic content, combat hate speech, and foster mutual respect and understanding, particularly in countries such as Egypt, the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia.

    “The Abraham Accords have shown us the power of diplomacy and cooperation in the Middle East,” said Rep. Brad Schneider. “This resolution underscores the importance of educating future generations with the values of peace, tolerance, and coexistence. We have a responsibility to promote these principles and help ensure a stable and prosperous future for the region.”

    The resolution also calls for the U.S. to work with international organizations, such as the United Nations, to eliminate antisemitism and hate speech from educational materials, while encouraging reforms that promote inclusivity and respect.

    “As our partners in the Middle East educate the next generation of leaders, it is clear that peace and stability in the region depend on an end to antisemitism and hate speech—period,” said Rep. Ann Wagner. “This resolution advances that important mission and makes it clear antisemitism has no place in educational and other organizations throughout the Middle East. By rejecting bigotry and adopting educational curricula that affirm the importance of mutual respect, religious tolerance, and peaceful coexistence, we will deprive the Iranian regime and its proxies of the hatred that fuels their violent agendas.”

    “The education system influences the ideals of the next generation’s global citizens and leaders,” said Rep. David Trone. “Teaching unity over division will have similarly beneficial outcomes as the Abraham Accords: a more peaceful, stable, and strong Middle East.”

    “Education is a cornerstone of the foundation we are building to achieve long-lasting peace and prosperity in the Middle East,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. “Together, we must help the next generation open their hearts and minds to see each other with dignity and respect. Our bipartisan resolution is about embracing this change and rooting out the hatred that is standing in the way of a brighter future for us all.”

    This resolution represents a key effort by the Abraham Accords Caucus to strengthen and expand the gains made through the historic agreements, ensuring the next generation is equipped to build on the progress made toward peace and stability in the region.

    Full text of the resolution can be found here.

    The Abraham Accords Caucus aims to strengthen the Abraham Accords by encouraging and partnerships among the existing Abraham Accords countries and expanding the agreement to include countries that do not currently have diplomatic relations with Israel. The Caucus has successfully pushed for passage of the Israel Relations Normalization Act, DEFEND Act, and MARITIME Act as well as multiple NDAA provisions addressing diplomatic, military and intelligence cooperation. Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) co-chair the companion caucus in the Senate.

    The Abraham Accords, which were signed on September 15, 2020, resulted in peace and normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab states—the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco—transforming the region, enhancing Israel’s security, creating economic opportunities for Arab states and advancing vital U.S. national security interests. The Accords built on the success of previous peace normalization agreements between Israel, Egypt and Jordan.

    The Caucus is supported by the Atlantic Council, the Abraham Accords Peace Institute, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee, Hadassah—The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, the U.S.-Israel Education Association, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the Israel Policy Forum, CUFI Action, the Jewish Federations of North America and B’nai B’rith International.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cortez Masto Announce Nearly A Million Dollars in Federal Funding for Nevada Law Enforcement

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    This Funding Will Be Used By Law Enforcement Agencies To Hire More Officers, Purchase Essential Equipment, And Invest In Officer Mental Health
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) announced nearly one million dollars in federal funding for law enforcement agencies across Nevada to help them hire more officers, purchase essential equipment, and invest in officer mental health. The funding for these awards is made through the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program, Tribal Resources Grant Program, and Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act (LEMHWA), all of which offer various grant programs to support state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies. Earlier this year, Rosen-backed bipartisan legislation to expand the COPS Hiring Program was signed into law.
    “Nevada law enforcement works around the clock to fight crime, respond to emergencies, and keep our communities safe. That’s why I’ve been working across the aisle in the Senate to support them with the federal resources they need to do their jobs effectively and maintain their well-being,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to announce this federal funding is coming to law enforcement agencies across our state to help hire more officers, purchase equipment, and improve officer mental health and wellness.”
    “From hiring more police officers and purchasing new equipment to funding mental health programs, I’ll always fight to support our law enforcement,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “The COPS Office has a long history of helping keep our communities safe, and I’m proud of my work to bring as many of these resources as possible into the Silver State.”
    “I would like to thank Senator Rosen and our entire congressional delegation for their continued support in protecting the citizens and businesses of Sparks,” said Sparks Police Chief Chris Crawford. “This will allow the Sparks Police Department to build a team of officers to improve upon our crime reduction strategies.”
    “This grant will enhance the City’s ongoing commitment to providing vital mental health and wellness services to the men and women of the Henderson Police Department. We are grateful to Senator Rosen and the other members of Nevada’s congressional delegation for their support of our grant application and for this funding which will be used to assist officers and their families as they approach retirement and prepare to successfully transition from their law enforcement careers,” said Henderson Mayor Michelle Romero. “Studies have shown that police officers may be at a greater risk of experiencing challenges related to their mental well-being as they get ready to retire and this grant will help ensure we are offering those who serve and protect our community the full assistance they and their families need.”
    “The Lovelock Paiute Tribal Police Department is excited to announce that we have been selected and awarded the US DOJ COPS grant,” said Lovelock Colony Chief of Police Jeff G. Perry. “With the collaborative effort of our Tribal Police Department, Lovelock Paiute Tribal Council, Tribal Administrator, the grant award will be utilized to sufficiently staff 24-hour service to the Lovelock Indian Colony. This will increase safety efforts along with our proposed Lovelock Indian Colony Camera Program (LICCP). Our camera program will significantly reduce criminal activity and trespassing on the colony along with better staffing support towards future community policing services. These interactions will be positive and proactive in ways that build trust and cooperation among the residents and all who visit the Lovelock Indian Colony. Our proposal is to re-establish all components of the neighborhood watch program. Officers will again utilize teams, zones, area captains and area officers. In addition, this program will help to reduce the non-tribal criminal activity on the colony. Without this funding, we could not have achieved to operate at this capacity and continue our community-oriented policing efforts to greatly reduce criminal activity.”
    The awards are being distributed as follows:
    $500,000 from the COPS Hiring Program for the Sparks Police Department to hire more officers.
    $353,063 from the Tribal Resources Grant Program for the Lovelock Paiute Tribe to hire officers and invest in equipment.
    $43,308 from the LEMHWA Program for the City of Henderson’s mental health and wellness projects for law enforcement officers.
    Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto have been advocating to ensure Nevada’s law enforcement community has the resources it needs. Last year, they announced more than $1 million in COPS funding for Nevada law enforcement and public safety. Last month, they also highlighted nearly $1 million in federal community project funding they secured to provide mental health training and support to thousands of firefighters, law enforcement officers, and first responders. Earlier this month, bipartisan legislation that Senator Rosen co-sponsored to fund family support and mental health services for law enforcement officers passed the Senate. Senator Cortez Masto’s bipartisan bills to combat the crisis of law enforcement suicide and provide mental health resources to police officers have been signed into law by presidents of both parties.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Tecnológico de Monterrey university pioneers ambitious AI-powered learning ecosystem

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Tecnológico de Monterrey university pioneers ambitious AI-powered learning ecosystem

    Balleza, who participated in a pilot program for the AI assistant, says that he felt empowered and more confident in his studies after using the tool. Behind his experience was the dedicated work of the professors who produced the data for the tutor by integrating their educational material created for class with customized tutorial content specifically designed for it.

    Tecnológico de Monterrey, one of the oldest and most renowned colleges in Mexico and abroad, has often been at the forefront of innovation and technology in its 81-year-old history (it adopted computers as early as in the 1960s). The university’s headquarters are in the northern city of Monterrey, Mexico’s industrial powerhouse, just 100 miles south of Texas.

    “We knew from the beginning that AI was a phenomenon of such magnitude that the sooner we jumped on board and designed our own journey, the better,” says Carles Abarca, the university’s vice president for digital transformation.

    Users can access the AI systems through the university’s intranet on their computer or a phone app. The experience is customized depending on whether you are a professor, a student or a collaborator, the term that the university uses for its employees. It has been designed to be potentially available to the 35,000 employees of the institution, including 11,000 professors, and to all 90,000 students across more than two dozen campuses in Mexico.

    Carles Abarca, the Tecnológico de Monterrey’s vice president for digital transformation, says the institution had no doubt in embracing AI as an educational tool. Photo by Octavio Hoyos.

    Internal and external data

    The platform combines both internal and external data through its different features. Some tools are accessible to all employees and students, including a natural language chat that uses internal data to answer questions related to tuition, scholarships and campus shuttle schedules, among others, which students describe as a huge time saver. There is also a chat with access to external data and the ability to summarize texts and create images through prompts.

    A separate set of academic tools strictly focused on the learning process is used only by teachers, who produce all the data, and students. It is split into three interconnected components: Skill Studio, which enables professors to create teaching material, from exercises to mock tests to quizzes, and the Academic TECbot and Librarian TECbot, which work as personalized tutors for students.

    The library assistant can quickly find books and handbooks from more than 60 million sources of the university’s library and other licensed content.

    TECgpt launched a year ago and is already used by 3,000 users monthly. The academic tools have been in beta phase, but are expected to be accessible to all teachers and around 5,000 students between now and early 2025, Abarca says.

    Students who have participated in the pilot phase highlight how the platform helped them fill gaps in understanding quickly and efficiently. Professors say it helped them automate repetitive academic tasks and find more creative and innovative learning takeaways.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Trahan Slams Extreme Project 2025 Proposals During Speech on House Floor

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Democratic Policy and Communications Committee Co-Chair Lori Trahan (MA-03) spoke on the House floor ripping the dangerous proposals laid out in Project 2025, the blueprint for the next Republican president to eliminate presidential checks and balances, roll back women’s reproductive freedoms, and gut the middle class. 

    “Project 2025 will take us backwards to a time where life was great if you were wealthy or well-connected. But that same time was hard – it was hard for workers and parents like mine who wanted nothing more than to give their kids a better life than they had,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “That’s why I’m here to tell you that we can’t and we won’t go back. House Democrats will move our country forward with a vision where people are proud to be an American again.”

    Footage of Trahan’s remarks on the House floor can be accessed HERE or by clicking the image below. A transcript of her remarks as delivered is embedded.

    ——————————————

    Congresswoman Lori Trahan

    Remarks as Delivered

    Floor Speech on Project 2025

    September 24, 2024

    Mr. Speaker, I rise today to sound the alarm about the dangerous and extreme policies put forward in Project 2025, the self-described blueprint for the Republican president to take over total control of the federal government and our lives. Spanning more than 900 pages, Project 2025 lays out not a concept of a plan, but a plan, for Donald Trump or another GOP president to ignore the Constitution and unilaterally turn back the clock on working families, on women, and on our children.

    For families, Project 2025 calls to eliminate overtime pay and kick people with pre-existing conditions off their health care insurance. For women and girls, Project 2025 calls for taking the Republican abortion bans that are devastating women in Georgia and Texas and jeopardizing IVF in Alabama – and doing the same nationally. And for our children, Project 2025 calls for eliminating the Department of Education and defunding our public schools.

    Each and every one of these proposals would have been devastating for millions of Americans. I know that, Mr. Speaker, because every one of them would have ruined my life.

    My dad was a union ironworker. He picked up overtime whenever possible so that he could keep a roof over our heads and put food on the table. Like so many families, Project 2025 taking away the chance to work overtime could have meant us losing our home or going to bed hungry.

    And when my dad was diagnosed with MS at just 48 years old, he needed his health insurance to visit the doctor and afford his medications. Project 2025 allowing an insurance corporation to kick him off his health care coverage just because he was sick would have been a death sentence, just as it could be for millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions.

    When my husband and I decided to start our family but struggled to get pregnant, we were forced to turn to IVF, and we were so fortunate to have our two beautiful daughters. But as we saw in Alabama, Project 2025’s proposals that endanger IVF fertility treatments can be physically and mentally debilitating for couples turning to fertility treatment as their last hope.

    Finally, I am the proud product of Lowell Public Schools from elementary to high school. Like any public school student, I can tell you so many stories of teachers who made the most of the little resources they had to give us every opportunity to succeed. Ripping that lifeline away from working families, as Project 2025 proposes, is a horrible idea plain and simple.

    Project 2025 will take us backwards to a time where life was great if you were wealthy or well-connected. But that same time was hard – it was hard for workers and parents like mine who wanted nothing more than to give their kids a better life than they had. That’s why I’m here to tell you that we can’t and we won’t go back.

    House Democrats will move our country forward with a vision where people are proud to be an American again – proud because working families aren’t just getting by or making ends meet, but getting ahead. Because women have the freedom to make their own health care decisions without the fear of politicians getting in the way. And because our children can go to class and thrive while us moms and dads don’t have to worry about their school being defunded or worse, the next target of a deranged mass shooter.

    That should be something all of us can get behind. And it’s why I urge my Republican colleagues: Reject Project 2025, and work with us to build a future where people have every chance to get ahead.

    Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield back.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/INDONESIA – Father Alfonsus Widhiwiryawan appointed National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 24 September 2024

    Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – On 5 September 2024, Cardinal Luis Antonio G. Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization (Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches), appointed Father Alfonsus Widhiwiryawan (SX) National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Indonesia for a five-year term.The new National Director was born in 1979 and completed his novitiate and first religious vows at the Society of Saint Francis Xavier for Foreign Missions (Xaverians) in Jakarta. Ordained a priest in 2009, he studied philosophy and theology, obtaining a bachelor’s degree in theology and a canonical license in spirituality. He studied Italian language and culture in Parma, Spanish in Madrid and English in Glasgow.He was Vice Rector of the Pre-Novitiate of the Xaverians in Jakarta (2011-2023), Vice Assistant Priest in the Parish of St. Matius Penginjil in Bintaro (Jakarta), where he also worked as a teacher of religion at a state institute (2013-2015); Lecturer of Theology at STF Driyarkara in Jakarta and member of the Training Commission of the Xaverians of Indonesia (2012-2016). He was Lecturer of Biblical Institutions in Indonesia and Vice Rector of Philosophy Studies at the Xaverians in Jakarta (2015-2016), and he was Director of Animation and Missionary Vocation at the Society of St. Francis Xavier for Foreign Missions in Yogyakarta (2016-2021). In 2021 he was Rector of the Domus St. Francis Xavier in Padang (Central Sumatra). From 2022 to 2024 he headed the Youth Commission of the Diocese of Padang and was Diocesan Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies of the diocese; he was also assistant parish priest of the parish of St. Francis of Assisi in Padangbaru (Central Sumatra) and formator at the “Maria Nirmala” Minor Seminary in Padang. (EG) (Agenzia Fides, 24/9/2024)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Educational Activities in Space

    Source: NASA

    As students of all ages returned to school this month, crew members on the International Space Station continue to conduct a variety of educational programs and activities that support learning on the ground. These efforts are part of a wider commitment at NASA to engage, inspire, and attract future generations of explorers and to build a diverse future workforce equipped with skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

    One current activity is Robo-Pro Challenge 5, an educational program hosted by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) in cooperation with NASA. For the challenge, students create software programs to control NASA’s Astrobee and JAXA’s Internal Ball Camera, using image processing to move the free-flying robots through a series of coordinates to a target point. The challenge helps support computing and coding curricula, and the hands-on experience inspires the study of STEM subjects.

    Genes in Space is a national contest for students in grades 7 through 12 to design DNA analysis experiments for the space station. It is sponsored by the ISS National Lab and New England Biolabs in collaboration with Boeing and miniPCR bio. There have been more than a dozen contests to date, many producing significant results.
    Genes in Space-5 provided proof of concept of simultaneously amplifying multiple DNA sequences in space, expanding the possibilities for in-flight research and health monitoring.
    Genes in Space-6 used CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing for the first time in space, using the technique to generate breaks in the DNA of a common yeast, direct a method to repair the breaks, and sequence the patched-up DNA to determine whether its original order was restored.

    Genes in Space-9 validated technology used to synthesize proteins without needing living cells. This technique could produce proteins for research, vaccines, and development of diagnostic tests for environmental contaminants and infectious agents. Ultimately, such synthesis also could enable portable, low-cost devices for health monitoring, detection of environmental hazards on Earth and in space, and other applications.

    In addition to the Robo-Pro challenge, several other programs involve student coding. AstroPi, a program from ESA (European Space Agency), uses special computers, one equipped with an infrared camera and the other with a standard visible spectrum camera. European students write programs for the computers that address specific challenges such as measurement and calibration and image processing. One project successfully identified and computed the horizontal wavelengths of atmospheric gravity waves in clouds.

    Zero Robotics also is a competition where students write software to control one of the Astrobees, co-led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Innovation Learning Center, and other collaborators. Finalists have their code downloaded to the Astrobee platform and can observe its performance in space.

    High school students United with NASA to Create Hardware, or HUNCH, is a learning program where high school students design and fabricate real-world products for NASA. More than 2,500 students have participated to date, flying some 3,000 products to space, including a tape dispenser that can be operated with one hand, footpads, sleeping pad liners, and orange blackberry croissants and other food products.

    Through ISS Ham Radio, a collaboration with Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, students use ham radio to ask astronauts questions about life in space, career opportunities, and other space-related topics. Participating teachers report that the program has a significant and positive impact on students, increasing interest in all STEM areas. The experiences also help students make real-world connections among disciplines, learn problem-solving, and hone communication skills. To date, more than 100 crew members have communicated with over 1 million students from 49 U.S. states, 63 countries, and every continent.

    Developed through NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement, STEMonstrations are short educational videos demonstrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics topics in microgravity for grades K through 12. The videos are available online and every STEMonstration includes materials teachers can use to explore the topics in their classrooms. Six videos released in the past 12 months have been viewed 98,705 times to date across various social media platforms. The program provides students with a connection to NASA and scientific work conducted on the space station, inspiring the next generation of explorers and contributing to a diverse future workforce.

    Melissa GaskillInternational Space Station Research Communications TeamNASA’s Johnson Space Center

    Search this database of scientific experiments to learn more about those mentioned in this article.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Helping More Children With Complex Mental Health Needs

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced awards amounting to nearly $90 million over five years to help six providers across the state establish services that provide critical support to youth struggling with complex mental health issues. Administered by the State Office of Mental Health, the critical time transition program will serve youth between the ages of 11 and 17 to help them utilize one-on-one support, provide stability for the child and their family, and help the child avoid extended stays in emergency departments or psychiatric emergency programs.

    “By investing in these programs, we can help more children with complex mental health issues get the services they need,” Governor Hochul said. “New York State is taking a new approach to this issue by providing one-on-one support options locally across the state and in some instances, in a home-like setting where they can receive the level of care they need as they recover.”

    OMH awarded approximately $14.5 million over five years to each of the following six service providers, for a total of nearly $90 million across all of the providers. This includes $100,000 in start-up funding to each provider to help provide immediate support to get the program underway.

    • Northeast Parent and Child in Schenectady County
    • ACCESS CNY in Onondaga County
    • Hillside in Monroe County
    • Rehabilitation Support Services in Orange County
    • Essex County ARC in Essex County
    • Children’s Home of Wyoming Conference in Broome County

    These six service providers will use critical time intervention, an evidence-based practice that mobilizes support for individuals during periods of transition. These supports include mental health and behavioral treatment; interpersonal and rehabilitative skills training; vocational and educational planning; intensive family or caregiver education; coordination of all stakeholders and service providers; and, as needed, a transitional home-like environment to stay and receive support.

    Each transitional residential setting will have space to accommodate up to eight youth. These residences will accommodate children for up to 120 days as they adjust their support systems and prepare to return to their community.

    Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “It is always a priority to provide services for our youth in a community-based setting avoiding hospitals and emergency rooms. This Critical Time Transition Program will provide intensive services for youth and their families in a welcoming and healing community environment. This innovative program is a result of the forward-thinking approach Governor Hochul has demonstrated with her continued emphasis on strengthening our state’s mental health system.”

    Families with youth who have complex needs and are enrolling them in outpatient programs may need additional support that is not immediately available. These families often find themselves relying on extended stays at hospitals while they are waiting for services and if they believe they cannot safely care for their children at home.

    Children and teens having complex needs, including co-occurring developmental disabilities and mental health challenges, are more likely to experience discharge delays from higher levels of care waiting for the appropriate community services. Drawn out hospital stays can have a negative impact on outcomes for youth with complex behavioral needs, especially for ones that do not require this level of care.

    The Healthcare Association of New York State recently highlighted these challenges in a report released in February, indicating that a survey of 52 hospitals in 2022 found that more than 500 individuals – including children – remained in hospitals for a month or more after they were ready for discharge. Among other recommendations, the report called for crisis respite transition programs for people living with intellectual or developmental disabilities, so they can readily access essential care as they wait for placement in outpatient programs.

    The program model was created in close collaboration with other child-serving New York State agencies that are integral to solving this statewide issue. This includes the state Office of Children and Family Services, the State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, the State Department of Education and the Council on Children and Families.

    Office of Children and Family Services Commissioner Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden said, “Evidenced by this investment and several other initiatives, Governor Hochul has demonstrated she is listening to the families and service providers who are seeking relief for children that have specialized health care needs. The system grapples with prolonged hospitalizations involving children and youth with complex mental health needs, and there have been limited avenues post-stabilization. Yet with this new funding and the evidence-based model, the government and voluntary agencies will have additional resources to keep families together, promote well-being, and facilitate a healthy transition for children discharged from the hospital back into their communities.”

    Office for People With Developmental Disabilities Acting Commissioner Willow Baer said, “With this funding, Governor Hochul is addressing a gap in care that impacts too many young New Yorkers with co-occurring diagnoses, prolonging unnecessary hospitalizations and disruptions for families. OPWDD is proud to partner with the Office of Mental Health and the award recipients to build this innovative and much needed transitional approach to care.

    State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa said, “Students today are experiencing unprecedented levels of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and isolation. These challenges reflect the complex needs of young people, which demand equally complex solutions. Access to mental health services is essential for the well-being and development of our students. Together with Governor Hochul and our government partners, we are committed to taking meaningful steps to provide the vital support and resources necessary for our children to thrive.”

    Council on Children and Families Executive Director Vanessa Threatte said, “This funding will help ensure that children across New York – those who have suffered abuse, neglect, and trauma or whose complex psychiatric and intellectual and developmental needs require more specialized or intensive service – receive needed services. As the executive director of the Council on Children and Families, the state agency responsible for promoting cross-agency collaboration, I am especially excited about this new program and look forward to working closely with the dedicated group of providers to connect our state’s most vulnerable youth to services.”

    State Senator Samra G. Brouk said, “Our young people with unmet complex needs must receive care that seeks to minimize family trauma and prevents extended hospital stays. With Governor Hochul’s $90 million in support of critical youth mental health services, we are moving in the right direction – young people with unmet complex needs will finally receive one on one attention, critical time intervention, and competent care, but we also know that there is much more that needs to be done. I look forward to working with Governor Hochul and our community partners to ensure that our families receive the mental health and behavioral support they need to thrive.”

    Assemblymember Aileen Gunther said, “Our young people are the future, and this investment will provide more comprehensive, community-based care for those who are struggling. Strengthening these local support systems will provide immediate impacts for kids, while also taking a burden off our stressed emergency rooms and psychiatric emergency programs. I commend this funding and the Governor’s dedication to supporting our youth during this pivotal time in their lives.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: M2 Compliance Proudly Sponsors the 18th Annual Jewish Law Symposium

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Fort Lauderdale, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — M2 Compliance (“M2”), a global leader in regulatory compliance and SEC filing solutions, is honored to sponsor the prestigious 18th Annual Jewish Law Symposium, scheduled for September 26, 2024, at Birchwood Manor in Whippany, NJ.

    This year’s symposium will explore “The Ethics of War and Peace”, delving into pressing legal and ethical challenges drawn from both modern and ancient texts. The event will feature Alyza D. Lewin, Esq., President of the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, as the keynote speaker. Additionally, a compelling panel discussion will be hosted, featuring esteemed figures such as Dov Ben-Shimon, Executive Vice President & CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, Russell G. Pearce, Professor of Legal Ethics, Morality, & Religion at Fordham University School of Law, and Rabbi Shlomo Yaffe, Internationally Acclaimed Scholar, Author & Lecturer.

    As a corporate sponsor, M2 Compliance is committed to supporting initiatives that align with our core values of integrity and community engagement. M2 Compliance’s sponsorship is a reflection of our ongoing dedication to fostering thought leadership and collaboration within the legal industry.

    M2 Compliance’s UNLIMITED SEC Filings Program

    M2’s UNLIMITED SEC FILINGS program has reshaped the landscape of SEC compliance by providing unlimited, full-service EDGAR & iXBRL filing solutions for one annual fixed rate. Our program gives clients complete freedom and flexibility, ensuring their filing needs are met efficiently without the burden of unpredictable costs. What truly sets us apart is our unwavering commitment to providing unparalleled service at the most competitive rates in the industry, making us a trusted partner in your compliance journey. Clients that join M2 stay because the service is outstanding, and the pricing/product offered is unbeatable.

    About M2 Compliance:

    M2 Compliance has been serving the financial and legal industries for over 14 years and is recognized as the 4th largest SEC filing agency worldwide. Our innovative UNLIMITED SEC FILINGS program has revolutionized the industry by offering fixed-rate pricing, allowing clients to eliminate overage fees. As the fourth largest filing agency globally, we are proud to maintain a 99% client retention rate, driven by our ability to provide cost-effective solutions with faster turnaround times. Our clients trust M2 to meet their compliance needs 24/7, and our commitment to excellence keeps them with us year after year.

    For more information about M2 Compliance, please visit www.m2compliance.com or contact:

    David McGuire, CEO
    M2 Compliance, LLC
    501 East Las Olas Blvd., Suite 300
    Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301
    T: (754) 243-5120
    F: (754) 243-5135
    W: www.m2compliance.com

    Operated by McGuire Services, LLC, a Puerto Rico Organization

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