Category: Health

MIL-OSI Analysis: Toxic algae blooms are lasting longer than before in Lake Erie − why that’s a worry for people and pets

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Gregory J. Dick, Professor of Biology, University of Michigan

A satellite image from Aug. 13, 2024, shows an algal bloom covering approximately 320 square miles (830 square km) of Lake Erie. By Aug. 22, it had nearly doubled in size. NASA Earth Observatory

Federal scientists released their annual forecast for Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms on June 26, 2025, and they expect a mild to moderate season. However, anyone who comes in contact with toxic algae can face health risks. And 2014, when toxins from algae blooms contaminated the water supply in Toledo, Ohio, was a moderate year, too.

We asked Gregory J. Dick, who leads the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research, a federally funded center at the University of Michigan that studies harmful algal blooms among other Great Lakes issues, why they’re such a concern.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s prediction for harmful algal bloom severity in Lake Erie compared with past years.
NOAA

1. What causes harmful algal blooms?

Harmful algal blooms are dense patches of excessive algae growth that can occur in any type of water body, including ponds, reservoirs, rivers, lakes and oceans. When you see them in freshwater, you’re typically seeing cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae.

These photosynthetic bacteria have inhabited our planet for billions of years. In fact, they were responsible for oxygenating Earth’s atmosphere, which enabled plant and animal life as we know it.

The leading source of harmful algal blooms today is nutrient runoff from fertilized farm fields.
Michigan Sea Grant

Algae are natural components of ecosystems, but they cause trouble when they proliferate to high densities, creating what we call blooms.

Harmful algal blooms form scums at the water surface and produce toxins that can harm ecosystems, water quality and human health. They have been reported in all 50 U.S. states, all five Great Lakes and nearly every country around the world. Blue-green algae blooms are becoming more common in inland waters.

The main sources of harmful algal blooms are excess nutrients in the water, typically phosphorus and nitrogen.

Historically, these excess nutrients mainly came from sewage and phosphorus-based detergents used in laundry machines and dishwashers that ended up in waterways. U.S. environmental laws in the early 1970s addressed this by requiring sewage treatment and banning phosphorus detergents, with spectacular success.

How pollution affected Lake Erie in the 1960s, before clean water regulations.

Today, agriculture is the main source of excess nutrients from chemical fertilizer or manure applied to farm fields to grow crops. Rainstorms wash these nutrients into streams and rivers that deliver them to lakes and coastal areas, where they fertilize algal blooms. In the U.S., most of these nutrients come from industrial-scale corn production, which is largely used as animal feed or to produce ethanol for gasoline.

Climate change also exacerbates the problem in two ways. First, cyanobacteria grow faster at higher temperatures. Second, climate-driven increases in precipitation, especially large storms, cause more nutrient runoff that has led to record-setting blooms.

2. What does your team’s DNA testing tell us about Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms?

Harmful algal blooms contain a mixture of cyanobacterial species that can produce an array of different toxins, many of which are still being discovered.

When my colleagues and I recently sequenced DNA from Lake Erie water, we found new types of microcystins, the notorious toxins that were responsible for contaminating Toledo’s drinking water supply in 2014.

These novel molecules cannot be detected with traditional methods and show some signs of causing toxicity, though further studies are needed to confirm their human health effects.

Blue-green algae blooms in freshwater, like this one near Toledo in 2014, can be harmful to humans, causing gastrointestinal symptoms, headache, fever and skin irritation. They can be lethal for pets.
Ty Wright for The Washington Post via Getty Images

We also found organisms responsible for producing saxitoxin, a potent neurotoxin that is well known for causing paralytic shellfish poisoning on the Pacific Coast of North America and elsewhere.

Saxitoxins have been detected at low concentrations in the Great Lakes for some time, but the recent discovery of hot spots of genes that make the toxin makes them an emerging concern.

Our research suggests warmer water temperatures could boost its production, which raises concerns that saxitoxin will become more prevalent with climate change. However, the controls on toxin production are complex, and more research is needed to test this hypothesis. Federal monitoring programs are essential for tracking and understanding emerging threats.

3. Should people worry about these blooms?

Harmful algal blooms are unsightly and smelly, making them a concern for recreation, property values and businesses. They can disrupt food webs and harm aquatic life, though a recent study suggested that their effects on the Lake Erie food web so far are not substantial.

But the biggest impact is from the toxins these algae produce that are harmful to humans and lethal to pets.

The toxins can cause acute health problems such as gastrointestinal symptoms, headache, fever and skin irritation. Dogs can die from ingesting lake water with harmful algal blooms. Emerging science suggests that long-term exposure to harmful algal blooms, for example over months or years, can cause or exacerbate chronic respiratory, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal problems and may be linked to liver cancers, kidney disease and neurological issues.

The water intake system for the city of Toledo, Ohio, is surrounded by an algae bloom in 2014. Toxic algae got into the water system, resulting in residents being warned not to touch or drink their tap water for three days.
AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari

In addition to exposure through direct ingestion or skin contact, recent research also indicates that inhaling toxins that get into the air may harm health, raising concerns for coastal residents and boaters, but more research is needed to understand the risks.

The Toledo drinking water crisis of 2014 illustrated the vast potential for algal blooms to cause harm in the Great Lakes. Toxins infiltrated the drinking water system and were detected in processed municipal water, resulting in a three-day “do not drink” advisory. The episode affected residents, hospitals and businesses, and it ultimately cost the city an estimated US$65 million.

4. Blooms seem to be starting earlier in the year and lasting longer – why is that happening?

Warmer waters are extending the duration of the blooms.

In 2025, NOAA detected these toxins in Lake Erie on April 28, earlier than ever before. The 2022 bloom in Lake Erie persisted into November, which is rare if not unprecedented.

Scientific studies of western Lake Erie show that the potential cyanobacterial growth rate has increased by up to 30% and the length of the bloom season has expanded by up to a month from 1995 to 2022, especially in warmer, shallow waters. These results are consistent with our understanding of cyanobacterial physiology: Blooms like it hot – cyanobacteria grow faster at higher temperatures.

5. What can be done to reduce the likelihood of algal blooms in the future?

The best and perhaps only hope of reducing the size and occurrence of harmful algal blooms is to reduce the amount of nutrients reaching the Great Lakes.

In Lake Erie, where nutrients come primarily from agriculture, that means improving agricultural practices and restoring wetlands to reduce the amount of nutrients flowing off of farm fields and into the lake. Early indications suggest that Ohio’s H2Ohio program, which works with farmers to reduce runoff, is making some gains in this regard, but future funding for H2Ohio is uncertain.

In places like Lake Superior, where harmful algal blooms appear to be driven by climate change, the solution likely requires halting and reversing the rapid human-driven increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Gregory J. Dick receives funding for harmful algal bloom research from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, the United States Geological Survey, and the National Institutes for Health. He serves on the Science Advisory Council for the Environmental Law and Policy Center.

– ref. Toxic algae blooms are lasting longer than before in Lake Erie − why that’s a worry for people and pets – https://theconversation.com/toxic-algae-blooms-are-lasting-longer-than-before-in-lake-erie-why-thats-a-worry-for-people-and-pets-259954

MIL OSI Analysis –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Exclusive: High-quality development has become a common value uniting Central Asian countries and China – Uzbek expert

Translation. Region: Russian Federal

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

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

Tashkent, June 26 (Xinhua) — The key driving force behind the continuous deepening of cooperation between Central Asian countries and China is the shared focus on high-quality development as the main goal, Davron Toshpulatov, senior risk manager at Uzbekistan Mortgage Refinancing Company and Doctor of Economics, said in an interview with Xinhua.

According to him, from the point of view of the states of the region, including Uzbekistan, such a format of interaction not only corresponds to the tasks of modernization and structural reforms, but also opens the way to sustainable development. The expert emphasized that high-quality development has become a common value uniting the countries of Central Asia and China.

“Currently, Uzbekistan is going through an important stage of deep economic transformation, improving the business climate and modernizing the manufacturing sector,” noted D. Toshpulatov. In his opinion, the Chinese experience, especially in such areas as infrastructure development, poverty alleviation, green transition and innovation, serves as a practical guide for Uzbekistan. “It is especially valuable that the Chinese side shares its knowledge and technologies with us on the basis of openness and equal partnership,” he added.

D. Toshpulatov pointed out that cooperation covers a wide range of areas – from the construction of transport hubs and industrial parks to green energy and the digital economy. He cited such illustrative examples as Uzbek-Chinese industrial cooperation projects, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, as well as initiatives in the field of electric vehicles and renewable energy. “We receive not just technologies, but also an impetus for the modernization of local industries, the transition to a sustainable, innovative and inclusive economy,” the Xinhua interlocutor emphasized.

As the expert noted, it is equally important that China consistently promotes the concept of human-centered development. “This fully coincides with Uzbekistan’s goals in such areas as human capital development, professional education, healthcare and social stability,” he said. D. Toshpulatov cited the opening of the Lu Ban Workshops and cooperation in youth training as examples. According to him, these are practical steps that actually improve people’s living standards and strengthen the social base of modernization.

“Looking to the future with optimism, I am convinced that under the banner of high-quality development, Uzbekistan and China will continue to deepen their pragmatic partnership, jointly forming a green, intelligent, efficient and inclusive regional community,” the expert concluded. Such joint modernization, he added, is based on mutual understanding and mutual benefit, and this is the path that meets the strategic interests of Uzbekistan. –0–

MIL OSI Russia News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: US Department of Labor renews national emphasis program to address amputations in manufacturing
Source: US Department of Labor

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration is renewing its National Emphasis Program on Amputations in Manufacturing Industries focused on preventing amputations in manufacturing workplaces.

Under the renewed program – which aims to find and reduce dangers that could lead to amputations and other injuries in the manufacturing sector – OSHA will conduct inspections of manufacturing facilities to ensure compliance with safety practices while operating, servicing, or maintaining machines. This includes controlling dangerous energy sources and making sure machines are properly guarded to prevent amputations. The program looks at companies using machinery that pose a risk of amputation.

Significant changes in the updated emphasis program include:
- An updated list of North American Industry Code System establishment codes identified for inclusion in the program.
- Allowing establishments that had an inspection under the NEP in the previous 24 months and did not report an amputation to be deleted from the programmed inspection list.
- Revisions to the OSHA Information Systems coding instructions.
The updated program will replace the previous version that is set to end on June 27, 2025, and will be in place for five years from the effective date.

Learn more about OSHA and protecting workers from amputations.

MIL OSI USA News –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Michigan Doctor Sentenced to Four Years for $6.3M Medicare Fraud Scheme

Source: US State of North Dakota

A Michigan doctor was sentenced today to four years in prison for a $6.3 million Medicare fraud scheme in which elderly and disabled patients were sent thousands of orthotic braces that they did not need.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sophie Toya, M.D., 56, of Bloomfield Hills, prescribed over 7,900 orthotic braces to more than 2,600 Medicare patients during a six-month period. The patients were solicited through deceptive television commercials offering free back braces. When they called the advertised telephone number, they were persuaded to accept braces for other parts of their bodies, with the promise that Medicare would pay. Toya spoke to some of these patients briefly over the phone, and she had no contact at all with the others. Toya nonetheless signed orders prescribing more than 7,900 braces, including prescribing four or more braces to nearly 1,000 patients.

Toya prescribed as many as 136 braces in a day, 12 braces for a single patient, and numerous braces for undercover agents posing as Medicare beneficiaries after speaking with them by telephone for less than a minute. The prescriptions and accompanying medical records signed by Toya falsely represented that the braces were medically necessary and that she diagnosed the beneficiaries, had a plan of care for them, and recommended that they receive certain additional treatment. In the case of one patient, to whom Toya prescribed five braces for which Medicare was billed $3,883, she falsely attested that she evaluated the patient and that the patient was mobile when, in fact, the patient had long been confined to a wheelchair, could not walk or stand, and was suffering from a dangerous spinal infection that could not be treated by braces but instead required spinal surgery.

Toya’s false prescriptions were used by brace supply companies to bill Medicare more than $6.3 million. Toya was paid approximately $120,000 by purported telemedicine companies in exchange for signing the fraudulent prescriptions.

On May 10, 2024, Toya was convicted following an eight-day trial on one count of health care fraud and five counts of false statements relating to health care matters. Toya was also ordered to pay $3,606,935 in restitution and $120,475 in forfeiture.

Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director in Charge Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Division; and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.

The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. The case was charged as part of Operation Rubber Stamp, a coordinated nationwide law enforcement operation that targeted medical professionals who participated in fraudulent telemedicine schemes.

Assistant Chief Rebecca Yuan and Trial Attorney Chris Wenger of the National Rapid Response Strike Force of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Michigan Doctor Sentenced to Four Years for $6.3M Medicare Fraud Scheme

Source: United States Attorneys General 1

A Michigan doctor was sentenced today to four years in prison for a $6.3 million Medicare fraud scheme in which elderly and disabled patients were sent thousands of orthotic braces that they did not need.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Sophie Toya, M.D., 56, of Bloomfield Hills, prescribed over 7,900 orthotic braces to more than 2,600 Medicare patients during a six-month period. The patients were solicited through deceptive television commercials offering free back braces. When they called the advertised telephone number, they were persuaded to accept braces for other parts of their bodies, with the promise that Medicare would pay. Toya spoke to some of these patients briefly over the phone, and she had no contact at all with the others. Toya nonetheless signed orders prescribing more than 7,900 braces, including prescribing four or more braces to nearly 1,000 patients.

Toya prescribed as many as 136 braces in a day, 12 braces for a single patient, and numerous braces for undercover agents posing as Medicare beneficiaries after speaking with them by telephone for less than a minute. The prescriptions and accompanying medical records signed by Toya falsely represented that the braces were medically necessary and that she diagnosed the beneficiaries, had a plan of care for them, and recommended that they receive certain additional treatment. In the case of one patient, to whom Toya prescribed five braces for which Medicare was billed $3,883, she falsely attested that she evaluated the patient and that the patient was mobile when, in fact, the patient had long been confined to a wheelchair, could not walk or stand, and was suffering from a dangerous spinal infection that could not be treated by braces but instead required spinal surgery.

Toya’s false prescriptions were used by brace supply companies to bill Medicare more than $6.3 million. Toya was paid approximately $120,000 by purported telemedicine companies in exchange for signing the fraudulent prescriptions.

On May 10, 2024, Toya was convicted following an eight-day trial on one count of health care fraud and five counts of false statements relating to health care matters. Toya was also ordered to pay $3,606,935 in restitution and $120,475 in forfeiture.

Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director in Charge Jose A. Perez of the FBI Criminal Division; and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.

The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. The case was charged as part of Operation Rubber Stamp, a coordinated nationwide law enforcement operation that targeted medical professionals who participated in fraudulent telemedicine schemes.

Assistant Chief Rebecca Yuan and Trial Attorney Chris Wenger of the National Rapid Response Strike Force of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

MIL Security OSI –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: New Warren Report: “Bad Medicine: RFK Jr.’s Dirty Dozen Antivax Attacks”
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
June 26, 2025

As key vaccine panel meets, Sen. Warren highlights a dozen actions by RFK Jr. to undermine access to vaccines, endangering millions of Americans

“By breaking promises, distorting facts, and pushing out mainstream vaccine experts and disregarding their views while installing anti-vaccination zealots, RFK Jr. has jeopardized the health of millions.”

Report (PDF)

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) published a new report entitled “Bad Medicine: RFK Jr.’s Dirty Dozen Antivax Attacks,” underscoring the key ways Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK Jr.) has undermined vaccine access and confidence in vaccines and jeopardized Americans’ health. The report was published during the first meeting of the new Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which RFK Jr. gutted and replaced with members who will advance his own anti-vaccine agenda.

“Americans should watch carefully to ensure that RFK Jr. and his hand-picked committee do not further undermine public health,” wrote Senator Warren.

Senator Warren’s “dirty dozen” list of anti-vaccine activities that occurred under RFK Jr.’s watch includes:

“Burying” a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that “emphasized the importance of vaccinating people against the highly contagious and potentially deadly disease,” measles. The report, originally set to be released amidst a growing measles outbreak, found that the risk of contracting measles was high in communities near outbreaks with low vaccination rates.

Promoting pseudoscience remedies and falsehoods while downplaying threats from measles as an outbreak swept across the country. Kennedy falsely claimed that the measles vaccine had not been “safely tested” and that its protection was short-lived. Kennedy pushed false information on X that “cod liver oil” and “Vitamin A” would be an effective treatment. As a result, some unvaccinated children who “were given so much Vitamin A…had signs of liver damage.” After the first death from the disease, he claimed that the outbreak was “not unusual” and failed to mention vaccination as a key to stopping the outbreak.

Ending the “Let’s Get Real” vaccine campaign, which provided resources and information to health care providers for communicating and working with hesitant parents.

Removing the COVID vaccine from the CDC’s recommended immunization schedule for healthy children and pregnant women, without consulting CDC experts.

Commissioning and publishing the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) report, advancing scientifically dubious assertions, filled with distorted research and inaccurate claims about vaccine safety. The MAHA report misleadingly claimed that vaccines are responsible for “many possible adverse events for which there is inadequate evidence to accept or reject a causal relationship.” The MAHA report also cited multiple studies that did not exist, and researchers whose papers were cited indicated that the report had misinterpreted their findings.

Canceling a promising study to develop a Bird Flu vaccine, even as the newest strain of the disease spreads, infecting more than 70 people, and public health officials become increasingly concerned about a broader outbreak.

Ending funding for a broad swath of HIV vaccine studies, potentially setting back US-led efforts to end the global AIDS pandemic by a decade.

Reneging on his promise to “work within the current vaccine approval and safety monitoring systems and maintain the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices without changes,” on February 20th, Kennedy canceled ACIP’s first public meeting of 2025, before firing all the members of the panel on June 9th. ACIP is an independent panel of experts that makes recommendations to the CDC on vaccines. Kennedy also removed the staffers who oversaw ACIP and were responsible for vetting nominees for ACIP membership, effectively leaving the CDC’s chief of staff, a Trump Administration political appointee, in charge of the committee’s planning.

Breaking his pledge not to appoint ideological anti-vaxxers to ACIP, Kennedy named eight new members to the panel, of which at least half are vaccine skeptics. According to various CDC officials, Kennedy circumvented the CDC’s process to select his new committee members.

Announcing in his first address to agency staff as HHS secretary, Kennedy said he would use the Make America Healthy Again commission to investigate the childhood vaccination schedule, despite his baseless claims that it contributes to poor health outcomes.

Hiring David Geier, a known vaccine skeptic who has promoted the debunked link between immunizations and autism, to study the theory. More than a decade ago, state regulators disciplined Grier for practicing medicine without a license.

Forcing Dr. Peter Marks, the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) top vaccine official and head of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, to step down after Dr. Marks refused to comply with Secretary Kennedy’s wish for “subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies.”

“During his tenure as the HHS Secretary, RFK Jr. has systematically weakened the nation’s vaccine system, stoking parents’ fears and using his position to push his anti-vaccine agenda and limit access to vaccines,” wrote Senator Warren. “Vaccines are vital to protecting the lives of millions, and if Secretary Kennedy is successful in dismantling the nation’s vaccine system, the nation will face an extraordinary public health crisis.”

This week, Senator Warren slammed RFK Jr. for his “reckless” and “shortsighted” decision to fire all 17 independent members of the ACIP and replace them with his own hand-picked nominees. Ahead of today’s meeting, Senator Warren pressed RFK Jr. on his conflicts of interest and those of his appointees, raising concerns about their ability to make public health decisions that benefit Americans rather than line their own pockets.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: In Dialogue with Chad, Experts of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Commend the 2023 Constitution, Ask about Low Birth Registration Rates and Harmful Cultural Practices

Source: United Nations – Geneva

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women today concluded its consideration of the fifth periodic report of Chad on its implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, with Committee Experts welcoming the adoption of the 2023 Constitution, and raising questions about low birth registration rates and harmful cultural practices, including female genital mutilation and child marriage.

Several Committee Experts, including Brenda Akia, Committee Rapporteur for Chad, commended the passing of the 2023 Constitution, which promoted the elimination of discrimination against women and girls, prohibited harmful practices such as female genital mutilation, and gave women and men the equal right to confer nationality to their children.

A Committee Expert expressed concern about the extremely low rate of birth registration – over four million women and children in the State were not registered. How was the State party addressing barriers that prevented civil registration, and ensuring that registration services remained affordable?

The prevalence of female genital mutilation was alarmingly high, one Committee Expert said, noting that the rate was higher in urban areas, at over 40 per cent, than in rural areas. How was the State party working to eliminate female genital mutilation?

Another Committee Expert said Chad had one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world; 60 per cent of girls were married before the age of 18 and 30 per cent before the age of 15. How did the State party reintegrate girls who were married into the school system?

Introducing the report, Youssouf Tom, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals and Human Rights of Chad and head of the delegation, said the 2023 Constitution guaranteed equality before the law for all, and required the State to ensure the protection of women’s rights in all areas of private and public life, and promote better representation of women in elected assemblies, institutions and public administrations.

On birth registration, the delegation said Chad had created birth registration centres nationwide with the support of United Nations agencies. Magistrates could go to refugee camps to issue replacement birth certificates, and the Government was considering making these free of charge.

The Government had taken several measures to combat harmful practices and drive change in communities, the delegation said. It had trained 1,500 traditional and religious leaders on women’s rights. These leaders had signed an agreement to eradicate traditional harmful practices, including female genital mutilation.

The delegation also reported that, in 2015, the Government adopted legislation outlawing child marriage. The State party was working on strengthening awareness raising campaigns in remote areas to deter parents and community leaders from marrying children off. As soon as the Government became aware of child marriages, prosecutors acted to penalise facilitators.

In closing remarks, Mr. Tom said that since ratifying the Convention in 1995, Chad had worked tirelessly to eradicate discrimination against women, adopting laws, plans and strategies toward this aim. Despite facing issues that hindered the socio-economic development of women, the Government would exert further efforts to ensure the full implementation of the Convention domestically.

In her concluding remarks, Nahla Haidar, Committee Chair, said that the dialogue had enabled the Committee to better understand the situation of women in Chad. The Committee thanked the State for its efforts and called on it to implement its recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls in the country.

The delegation of Chad consisted of representatives from the Office of the President; Office of the Prime Minister; National Assembly; Ministry of Defence; Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Women and Children; Ministry of Health; General Directorate for the Promotion of Gender and the Empowerment of Women; General Directorate for the Protection and Promotion of Women’s Rights; Directorate for Girls’ Education Development and Gender Promotion; and the Permanent Mission of Chad to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Committee will issue the concluding observations on the report of Chad at the end of its ninety-first session on 4 July. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage. Meeting summary releases can be found here. The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

The Committee will next meet at 10 a.m. on Friday, 27 June to consider the fifth periodic report of Botswana (CEDAW/C/BWA/5).

Report

The Committee has before it the fifth periodic report of Chad (CEDAW/C/TCD/5).

Presentation of Report

YOUSSOUF TOM, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals and Human Rights of Chad and head of the delegation, expressed gratitude to the various agencies of the United Nations system based in N’Djamena for their support, which had contributed to the country’s return to constitutional order with the organisation of legislative and provincial elections. Chad was committed to implementing the Convention.

The Government of Chad had established a Ministry of Women, which worked to guarantee gender equality and protect women’s rights, mainstreaming women’s affairs into all Government policies and programmes. The Ministry was committed to protecting women and children from all forms of violence and discrimination; contributing to the promotion of reproductive health and education; conducting awareness-raising campaigns on the rights of women and children; and devising and implementing national policies and strategies on gender, child protection, and the socio-economic development of women, children and the family.

Since ratifying the Convention in 1995, Chad had taken legislative and administrative measures to improve the conditions of women and to eliminate all forms of discrimination against them. The 2023 Constitution guaranteed equality before the law for all, and required the State to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women, ensure the protection of their rights in all areas of private and public life, and promote better representation of women in elected assemblies, institutions and public administrations.

In this spirit, the February 2024 law on the Electoral Code set a quota of at least 30 per cent women on the lists of candidates for legislative, provincial and communal elections. As a result, more than 30 per cent of members of the fourth legislature were women. This was a major step for the Government towards achieving the desired objective of parity.

The January 2025 ordinance on the prevention and punishment of violence against women and girls was a formidable weapon for the protection of Chadian women against all forms of violence.

Over the past five years, primary level curricula had been adapted to the educational realities of the country, with the inclusion of themes related to peace, human rights and democracy. To effectively combat gender stereotypes, initiatives had been put in place to improve teacher training and promote girls’ access to education and their retention in school. The women’s empowerment and demographic dividend in the Sahel project was strengthened in 2024 to improve girls’ access to education and fight gender-based violence. This programme had enabled 127,000 vulnerable adolescents to benefit from educational support, including tuition fees and school kits.

Chad currently hosted more than one million refugees and displaced persons, who were pouring into Chadian territory in large numbers. The Government was working to provide care, particularly to the women and children within this group, but economic and financial difficulties made this challenging.

Through the dialogue with the Committee, the Government aimed to present its efforts to combat all forms of discrimination against women in Chad, as well as the difficult economic conditions and crises related to climate change that the country faced. Recommendations and guidance from Committee Experts would help the State to achieve its objectives.

Questions by a Committee Expert

BRENDA AKIA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Chad, said that the dialogue was an important opportunity to assess efforts to advance the rights of women and girls in Chad. The State party had made progress in this regard. The Committee congratulated the State party on passing the 2023 Constitution, which expressly required equality before the law and promoted the elimination of discrimination against women and girls. However, humanitarian and climate crises were undermining the Government’s efforts.

What progress had the State party made in eliminating discriminatory legal provisions and aligning the legislation with the Convention? Legislation did not address discrimination based on disability. What progress had been made in adopting the draft Family Code, which would address this issue? What awareness raising campaigns on the Convention had been carried out? Had the Convention been translated into local languages?

What was the State party doing to promote access to justice for women and girls affected by conflict-related violations? The Committee welcomed the State party’s national action plan on women, peace and security. How were women and non-governmental organizations involved in developing the women, peace and security agenda? How was the State party ensuring security around displacement sites and refugee camps, reducing the circulation of firearms, and promoting security in the country? How did the State party ensure that customary laws did not take precedence over common law? Why had it not yet ratified the Maputo Protocol?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the Family Code had been submitted to the Council of Ministers, where it was being debated. A national mechanism for the promotion of the rights of women had been set up to help the State party draft reports on the subject. It was made up of State and non-State actors.

Awareness raising campaigns were being held to help civil society actors and religious leaders promote women’s rights. Chad had set up centres that provided care to victims of gender-based violence, offering various counselling services. It had also set up an information tool that supported decision-making on policies for women. The Government adopted an ordinance in January that allowed for the punishment of all types of gender-based violence committed against women in the State.

Chad was in the process of ratifying the Maputo Protocol. It had implemented several measures to support access to justice for women, including establishing justice offices in rural areas.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said that Chad had established comprehensive gender machinery, including the National Observatory for Gender Equality. The State party had also adopted a national action plan on gender equality. However, the national machinery was significantly constrained by inadequate resources. What resources had been allocated to the national machinery? What measures were in place to strengthen the effective coordination of national and regional mechanisms on gender equality? Had the State party assessed the achievements of the national action plan on gender equality? How did it ensure that the plan’s objectives were incorporated into all State policies?

Chad’s data collection system was insufficient. What efforts were being made to strengthen data systems, including to monitor the progress of the national machinery for women’s rights?

It was disappointing that the National Human Rights Commission’s accreditation by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions had recently been deferred. What strategies would the Commission implement to enhance the accessibility of its complaints’ mechanisms for women?

One Committee Expert asked if the State party had considered implementing special measures to tackle poverty and food insecurity affecting women and girls. Were women involved in designing policies on climate change and land use? How was the State party training peasant women to improve their access to livelihoods? Did it have measures promoting access to nutrition for pregnant women? What programmes were in place to eradicate illiteracy amongst women and promote access to education? Were there affirmative actions aimed at refugee and migrant women?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said Chad had an Observatory for the Promotion of Gender Equality attached to the Prime Minister’s Office, which had allowed the State to collect data on women’s representation in decision-making. The Observatory was run by a civil society representative.

Within the National Assembly, 38 per cent of members were women, and over 30 per cent of members of national councils were women. Four national commissions were run by women.

The Government planned to carry out an assessment of its national action plan on gender equality in the coming days, in preparation for a second iteration of the plan. Progress had been made in the implementation of the plan. A first action plan on child marriage and female genital mutilation was implemented from 2019 to 2023, and a related roadmap from 2023 to 2027 was now being implemented.

Chad was promoting gender equality in education, including through programmes supporting girls’ access to education. Under these programmes, school fees were paid, school and hygiene kits were provided to girls, and the capacity of education providers to support girls was strengthened. A strategy to expedite education for girls from 2024 to 2028 was currently being implemented.

The National Human Rights Commission’s complaints mechanisms was introduced in the first half of this year; it had received over 3,000 complaints thus far. The Commission was independent in terms of its activities and resources. Work was being done to update it from “B” to “A” status under the Paris Principles by October of this year.

Civil society organizations had set up legal clinics to deal with complaints related to violence against women. The State party was working to make the transitional justice system operational. Customary justice did not take precedence over the modern justice system.

There was no legal discrimination against women in terms of access to resources, but there were some communities in which women were in practice given less access to land than men. Awareness raising campaigns were being carried out in these communities to promote women’s access to land.

Questions by Committee Experts

BRENDA AKIA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Chad, asked how the State party trained duty bearers responsible for assessing complaints filed with the National Human Rights Commission. Reportedly, many cases involving women and girls were handled in the customary justice system. Were religious and traditional leaders trained on the Convention?

Another Committee Expert asked if there were affirmative actions that ensured women’s participation at all levels of the State administration, including in bodies developing transitional justice measures.

One Committee Expert welcomed Chad’s efforts to reform its legal framework, including its 2023 Constitution, which prohibited harmful practices such as female genital mutilation. However, harmful traditional practices and patriarchal attitudes continued to harm women’s rights, and discriminatory gender stereotypes persisted in the media, education and the justice system. What steps had been taken to address harmful gender stereotypes and norms? Was the State party considering a national action plan to eliminate such stereotypes? The prevalence of female genital mutilation was alarmingly high, and was higher in urban areas, at over 40 per cent, than in rural areas. How was the State party working to eliminate female genital mutilation?

Chad had yet to adopt a law on gender-based violence. There was limited access to support services for survivors of violence, particularly in rural areas. What measures were in place to ensure access to support services in these areas? How was the State party training officials that supported victims of gender-based violence? Gender-based violence was widespread in internally displacement camps, which had limited access to support services. What measures were in place to protect women in such camps?

Another Committee Expert said Chad was experiencing instability, with the ongoing war in Sudan leading to a massive influx of refugees. In this context, it was welcome that the State party had adopted an ordinance on combatting trafficking in persons, amended the Criminal Code to make trafficking an offence, and trained public officials to combat trafficking. However, criminal networks exploited women and girls in sex trafficking networks in Chad, and victims of trafficking were at risk of being recruited in armed groups. How many shelters had been established for victims of trafficking? Were anti-trafficking measures effective? How many non-governmental organizations were working on trafficking issues? How many court cases had been heard that related to trafficking? The Committee welcomed that the State party had ratified the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the Government had taken several measures to combat harmful practices and drive change in communities. It had trained 1,500 traditional and religious leaders on women’s rights. These leaders had signed an agreement to eradicate traditional harmful practices, including female genital mutilation.

“Dia” was a civil reparation system used for friendly settlement of disputes. If friendly settlements could not be reached, parties turned to the justice system. Victims and their relatives could lodge complaints with the courts directly.

Chad was a haven of peace surrounded by States at war. The Government had passed laws defining the rights of refugees in response to the influx of refugees. Refugees enjoyed similar rights to those of Chadians. Land was given to refugee women.

Chad had become a country of transit for trafficking in persons. The State criminalised trafficking in 2018 and validated an ambitious national action plan to combat trafficking in persons this year. It called for support in implementing this plan.

The Government had launched the “positive parenthood programme” which aimed to combat harmful social norms, and there were also national strategies to combat gender stereotypes. Multi-sectoral centres for victims of gender-based violence provided medical care, legal aid, and social reintegration services in many areas of the State. The Government sought to cover the entire territory of the State with these centres. Victims of rape were provided with medical treatment free of change and the Government was working to ensure accountability for acts of rape.

Chad had taken measures to address all forms of violence against persons with disabilities. A 2019 law implemented protection measures for persons with disabilities and exempted such persons from paying education fees. A 2023 policy created a national protection system for persons with disabilities.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert commended Chad’s progress in promoting the representation of women. Chad’s Electoral Code guaranteed equality between men and women in terms of the right of vote and stand for election. Minimum quotas of 30 per cent women candidates in all regional and national elections had been in place since 2018. However, there was a lack of parity in decision-making systems. What awareness raising campaigns were in place that promoted women’s participation in decision-making? How many women were appointed to senior positions in the public service and in private sector companies? What was the timeline for adoption of a 50 per cent quota for women in all decision-making systems? The State party needed to implement the Committee’s general recommendation 40 on women’s representation.

One Committee Expert commended that the 2023 Constitution gave women and men the equal right to confer nationality to their children. The Committee was concerned by the extremely low rate of birth registration – over four million women and children in the State were not registered. The lack of legal identity documents significantly increased women’s vulnerability. Would the Government’s next migration plan include measures to promote women’s access to identity rights and birth registration? How was it addressing barriers, including in conflict and refugee settings, that prevented civil registration, and ensuring that registration services remained affordable? Were there awareness raising campaigns informing women of their rights to registration and nationality?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said women participated in decision-making positions in Chad. The Senate had 32 per cent women representatives, and 45 per cent of members of the National Human Rights Commission were women. Chad was developing a law that promoted the recruitment of women in the civil service. A high number of women health workers had been trained, many non-governmental organizations in Chad were headed by women, and an increasing percentage of university students were women. The State was moving towards gender parity in decision-making bodies.

Chad had created birth registration centres nationwide with the support of United Nations agencies. Magistrates could go to refugee camps to issue replacement birth certificates, and the Government was considering making these free of charge. The Government organised exceptional birth registration campaigns.

Questions by Committee Experts

BRENDA AKIA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Chad, said that the Committee looked forward to the State party’s work to make birth registration free.

Another Committee Expert welcomed that Chad’s Constitution provided for free and compulsory primary education, and that the Government had criminalised refusal to enrol girls in school due to pregnancy. The secondary school enrolment rate was less than 30 per cent for girls, and many schools lacked sufficient hygiene facilities for girls. Corporal punishment was prevalent in schools and there was a lack of reporting mechanisms. Educational instruction was largely in French and Arabic, which were not the first languages of many girls in rural communities. What budget allocations were earmarked for girls’ education? How did the State party ensure equal access to education and promote access to education for girls from minority language communities and girls with disabilities? How was it addressing the shortage of women teachers?

Chad had one of the highest rates of child marriage in the world; 60 per cent of girls were married before the age of 18 and 30 per cent before the age of 15. How did the State party reintegrate girls who were married into the school system?

One Committee Expert welcomed the Government’s efforts to promote women’s right to equal employment. Labour laws prohibited gender discrimination in both the public and private sectors and the Criminal Code prohibited workplace sexual harassment. However, the female labour participation rate was 44 per cent for women in 2022, compared to over 70 per cent for men, and there was a lack of formal recruitment channels for women. There was an absence of provisions ensuring access to social protection for marginalised women.

Were there targeted programmes aiming to enhance women’s participation in the labour market? What measures would the State party take to ensure equal pay for equal work? Were there laws or policies that protected women’s right to paid maternity leave, and the rights of women working in informal sectors? Were there mechanisms for victims of workplace sexual harassment to file complaints?

A Committee Expert said the gender equality action plan strengthened women’s access to sexual and reproductive health rights. However, child and maternal mortality rates remained high, as did the prevalence of infectious diseases. Over 50 per cent of maternal deaths were due to unsafe abortions. There was also a high rate of early pregnancy and a low rate of use of modern contraceptives. What measures were in place to address these issues?

How would the State party improve health infrastructure and the skills of health personnel? How was it strengthening family planning programmes and education on sexual and reproductive health rights? How would it increase access to emergency obstetric care? When would abortion be decriminalised? What steps were being taken to ensure the financial sustainability of the health sector for the next three to five years, given cuts in international aid?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the Department for the Development of Education of Girls sought to improve access to education and promoted gender parity. Much progress had been made in improving school enrolment rates for girls through Government policies. In 2024, girls’ primary enrolment rate rose to 83 per cent. School and hygiene kits had been made available to all girls. The State party had a partnership agreement with the United Nations Children’s Fund on boosting girls’ access to education. Schools that refused to enrol girls who were pregnant were penalised. In 2025, enrolment in universities and public schools had been made free through an investment by the Government of three billion CFA francs.

There were many female teachers in urban areas, but it was difficult to send women to rural areas in the north, where conditions were harsh, and separate them from their husbands and children. The Government had adopted strategies to encourage newly qualified women teachers to work in remote provinces.

The State party organised awareness raising campaigns in schools nationwide to prevent violence against children. School clubs referred complaints of violence to the authorities.

In 2015, the Government adopted legislation outlawing child marriage. This legislation was being applied but its effects were not yet sufficient. The State party was working on strengthening awareness raising campaigns in remote areas to deter parents and community leaders from marrying children off. As soon as the Government became aware of child marriages, prosecutors acted to penalise facilitators. In one case, a member of parliament who was involved in a child marriage was penalised.

The State party was reviewing the Labour Code to strengthen protections for the rights of women workers. The national office for the promotion of employment and other bodies supported women in rural areas, and programmes were in place that promoted the social empowerment and employment of women in the Sahel. Women business owners who created employment were exempt from paying taxes for five years. Women earned the same salaries as men in the same level positions in the civil service. Complaints of workplace sexual harassment were passed on to the justice system by labour inspectors, who visited businesses periodically. Free legal aid was provided to victims of workplace harassment.

Chad took health matters seriously. HIV transmission rates had significantly dropped and Chad had modernised healthcare centres. Health establishments had been provided with significant resources to ensure access to quality healthcare for all women. The State party sought to promote universal access to healthcare and to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates, allocating significant resources to these aims. The universal healthcare scheme was currently in the pilot phase, which focused on providing healthcare to women free of charge.

Chad was not able to decriminalise abortion overnight. This would be a long and hard process.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert called on the State party not to delay the decriminalisation of abortion for too long. Women needed to be free, including to decide for themselves regarding abortion.

BRENDA AKIA, Committee Expert and Rapporteur for Chad, said that the State party needed to urgently prioritise bringing down the high maternal mortality rate. Conditions in prions in Chad were reportedly poor. How was the State party implementing the Nelson Mandela Rules, the Bangkok Rules and the Tokyo Rules? How were women human rights defenders protected from threats, including from terrorism?

Another Committee Expert applauded the five-year tax moratorium for women-led businesses, as well as strategies such as the microfinancing policy for women entrepreneurs. However, social and cultural prejudices inhibited women’s access to sufficient living conditions, nutrition, housing and social life. Did the national systems assign value to women’s unpaid labour, particularly domestic work? Was there a database on entrepreneurship grants which would allow for tailoring of support projects for women? How was the State party supporting access to venture capital and startup funds at low interest rates for women? How were different categories of women supported to participate in agricultural industries, access formal work, and exit poverty?

How was the State party supporting women’s access to the internet? Some 44 per cent of the population was living in poverty. What national policies addressed poverty? Could the delegation provide data on social safety net policies? What plans were in place to encourage women’s leadership and participation in sports activities, and to bolster sports infrastructure for women?

One Committee Expert said women constituted more than 60 per cent of Chad’s agricultural workforce; 2026 had been declared the year of the woman farmer. The women of Chad were responsible for up to 80 per cent of food production but owned only 30 per cent of the land. Could women become chiefs? How could the State party scale up women’s collectives? How were e-vouchers for seeds employed, and what other agri-tech measures were being pursued? Were women engaged in cross-border trade in Africa?

Land disputes in southwestern Chad last week had resulted in the deaths of seven women and children. There had recently been an increase in armed violence between farmers and herders, which affected women. Chad’s women walked miles to collect water. Refugee populations were highly exposed to extreme weather events. How did the State party implement the Kampala Convention, which addressed protection and assistance for internally displaced persons?

Chad’s Vision 2030 called for the implementation of wealth redistribution policies for women and persons with disabilities. What steps had been taken to actualise this vision?

The shrinking of Lake Chad was a global tragedy. Its surface had decreased by 90 per cent since 1960. How were women involved in climate adaption policies that were integral to fighting desertification?

Would the State party consider decriminalising homosexuality?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said Chad had created an information gathering system that collected data on women and children, and was preparing to conduct a national survey. A project granting loans with zero interest to rural women was in place and a consultation framework for rural women had been set up. The Government had assisted many villages to dig wells to prevent women from travelling long distances to obtain water. Credit programmes provided funding to women in all of Chad’s provinces. The State needed support in developing the water and electricity infrastructure.

Chad was providing various forms of support for widows and orphans. Awareness raising campaigns and workshops were being carried out that promoted sharing of domestic chores, and involving women in conflict resolution processes.

Chad had created a sports federation for women, which had promoted the participation of girls in sports. Stadia and other sports infrastructure were being constructed in major neighbourhoods to encourage the development of sport.

The State party had organised the operationalisation of women in the agriculture chamber. Most women worked in the agricultural sector. The State party had adopted a national social security scheme that covered all vulnerable persons.

This month, the Government submitted a draft revision to the Land Code that promoted women’s access to land. This law addressed the issue that many women in rural areas struggled to access land.

An agency that was dedicated to women with disabilities had been set up. The law on the protection of persons with disabilities exempted persons with disabilities from paying enrolment fees. Women with disabilities had been assisted in accessing employment and loans. Some women with disabilities had been elected as members of parliament. Training workshops had been organised to support the manufacturing of mobility devices that enabled women with disabilities to travel to work and school.

The Lake Chad region was an area of conflict where the Boko Haram terrorist organization operated. Global warming reduced resources, creating disputes between the populations. Climate change adaption plans included measures to prevent related conflicts. Weapons were circulating across the country, which was surrounded by zones of tension. The Government had taken measures to address this issue, including in the United Nations Security Council and through disarmament programmes.

The Ministry of the Environment led reforestation activities in the “green belt” to combat deforestation, and many women contributed to these activities through Government funding, planting thousands of trees per year. Chad had a gender action plan on climate change that would soon be evaluated. The Ministry of Education had updated the school syllabus to address climate change.

The Government had addressed the issue of access to drinking water, setting up a Water Ministry that was leading the construction of wells and pumps. Some 52 per cent of the population now had access to drinking water.

The State party was considering devising a law on the protection of human rights defenders and setting up an alert system regarding violence against human rights defenders.

Efforts had been made to humanise places of deprivation of liberty and protect the rights of women in detention. A nationwide survey of detention conditions would be carried out in coming days. The State party was working to raise awareness of the Nelson Mandela Rules, the Bangkok Rules and the Tokyo Rules. The Ministry of Justice worked to protect health conditions of detainees.

Questions by Committee Experts

A Committee Expert said there were high levels of forced marriage and polygamy in Chad, and women had unequal access to property in cases of divorce and inheritance. How was the State party preventing forced marriage and polygamy? How did it ensure the equal distribution of inheritance to widows? Were there legal protocols protecting women and children from domestic violence? Was mediation used in cases of domestic violence? How did the State party ensure that family court proceedings were in line with the Convention? What efforts had been made to strengthen laws on marriage and family relations?

NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, said that there was societal resistance to certain civil laws in several countries due to differing religious beliefs. The State party needed to address this resistance through awareness raising campaigns that directly targeted traditional and religious leaders.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said Chad was speaking out against child and forced marriage and implementing measures to support victims. It had a roadmap for eliminating child and forced marriage, which included awareness raising measures targeting traditional and religious leaders. Chad had adopted a law that punished perpetrators of child and forced marriages, and there were cases in which people were prosecuted for facilitating such marriages. Polygamy was illegal but still existed in some communities. The Government was liaising with the public to achieve the goal of eradicating polygamy.

Issues of succession and inheritance were typically determined following traditional law, but where a conflict emerged between traditional and modern law, modern law prevailed, and the case was brought to a civil court.

Bodily harm was a crime under the Criminal Code. Persons who were the victims of such acts, including in their homes, were entitled to press charges against perpetrators, and the public prosecutor was also empowered to launch proceedings in such cases.

Concluding Remarks

YOUSSOUF TOM, Minister of Justice, Keeper of the Seals and Human Rights of Chad and head of the delegation, said that the dialogue had been constructive. The Government, since ratifying the Convention in 1995, had worked tirelessly to eradicate discrimination against women, adopting laws, plans and strategies toward this aim. The Committee had shown that it was committed to the well-being of women in Chad.

Despite facing issues that hindered the socio-economic development of women, the Government would further invest in including women at all levels of decision-making bodies and would exert further efforts to ensure the full implementation of the Convention domestically. The Committee was welcome to conduct a working visit to assess conditions on the ground in Chad. Chad was committed to fulfilling its international human rights obligations.

NAHLA HAIDAR, Committee Chair, thanked the delegation for the answers they had provided in the dialogue, which had enabled the Committee to better understand the situation of women in the country. The Committee thanked the State for its efforts and called on it to implement its recommendations for the benefit of all women and girls in the country. The Committee keenly awaited Chad’s next periodic report.

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Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media;
not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

CEDAW25.018E

MIL OSI United Nations News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – EU dependency on US pharmaceutical imports and lack of adequate substitutes – P-001596/2025(ASW)
Source: European Parliament

Certain medicinal products and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are imported into the EU from third countries, including the United States, and some of these imports play a critical role in the EU healthcare system.

While comprehensive data or classification of such pharmaceutical dependencies for each medicinal product is not yet available , the Commission is aware that, in specific cases, there may be limited or no immediately adequate substitutes produced within the EU.

This is for instance the case for certain plasma-derived medicinal products, where supply chains are highly complex, with different stages of production processes often happening in several different countries.

Broader supply chain vulnerabilities were examined under the Structured Dialogue on security of medicines supply[1], with findings presented in the 2022 Commission Staff Working Document on the vulnerabilities of the global supply chains of medicines[2].

In April 2023, the Commission proposed a new EU pharmaceutical legislation[3], which introduces the EU-level identification of critical medicines and the analysis of the vulnerabilities in their supply chains. It also includes regulatory measures to strengthen their supply security.

To complement these efforts, the Commission adopted the proposal for a Critical Medicines Act[4] on 11 March 2025, which proposes additional measures to reinforce EU manufacturing capacities and diversify supply sources for critical medicines.

Together, these initiatives aim to increase the resilience of the EU pharmaceutical sector while supporting patient access to critical medicines.
- [1] https://ec.europa.eu/health/human-use/strategy/dialogue_medicines-supply_en.
- [2] https://health.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-10/mp_vulnerabilities_global-supply_swd_en.pdf.
- [3] COM/2023/193 final; COM/2023/192 final.
- [4] COM(2025) 102 final.
MIL OSI Europe News –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Griffith Announces More Than $1 Million HHS Grant to Clinch Valley Community Action, Inc.

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Clinch Valley Community Action, Inc., based in North Tazewell, Virginia, a $1,026,248 grant. The funding supports the organization’s Head Start program. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“Southwest Virginia children and families receive access to Head Start through groups like Clinch Valley Community Action.

“This grant for more than $1 million helps Clinch Valley Community Action tend to the Head Start needs of Southwest Virginia communities.”

BACKGROUND

According to its website, the Clinch Valley Community Action Head Start program operates eight classrooms in Tazewell County that serve 157 children.

Outside of Tazewell County, Clinch Valley Community Action offers Head Start programs to Bland, Smyth and Wythe Counties.

In a recent Health Subcommittee hearing with Congressman Griffith present, HHS Secretary Kennedy noted President Trump’s Budget request recommends Head Start continue to receive funding equal to the FY 2025 enacted level.

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MIL OSI USA News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Griffith Announces More Than $4 Million HHS Grant to People Incorporated of Virginia

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA)

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded People Incorporated of Virginia, based in Abingdon, Virginia, a $4,059,715 grant. The funding supports head start and early head start projects. U.S. Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement:

“People Incorporated is a provider of head start services in Southwest Virginia.

“This grant for more than $4 million helps People Incorporated administer head start and early head start services.”

BACKGROUND

According to its website, People Incorporated of Virginia offers early head start services to Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell and Washington Counties as well as the City of Bristol.

People Incorporated lists five head start centers based in Southwest Virginia.

Last year, Congressman Griffith entered formal remarks in the Congressional Record to celebrate the organization’s 60^thanniversary.

In a recent Health Subcommittee hearing with Congressman Griffith present, HHS Secretary Kennedy noted President Trump’s Budget request recommends Head Start continue to receive funding equal to the FY 2025 enacted level.

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MIL OSI USA News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Trahan, Bacon Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Strengthen Postpartum Care for New Mothers

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

WASHINGTON, DC – On Tuesday, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, and Congressman Don Bacon (R-NE-02) introduced H.R. 4074, the Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act. This legislation seeks to improve maternal postpartum health by directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue guidance on the coverage of Pelvic Health Physical Therapy (PHPT) for postpartum mothers under the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act.
“Far too often, women’s postpartum health concerns are overlooked or dismissed, despite the serious and lasting impact they can have on quality of life,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “The Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act is a commonsense step toward making Pelvic Health Physical Therapy more accessible for new mothers, especially those who rely on Medicaid. By ensuring that women receive the care and support they need after giving birth, we’re investing in stronger families and healthier communities.”
“As a husband, father, and grandfather, I recognize the importance of supporting postpartum women,” said Congressman Bacon. “Our care for women should extend to postpartum recovery, to ensure that they are living without pain or discomfort, especially when the therapy available is highly effective.”
Quality postpartum care for mothers is vital for their long-term health and well-being, and many suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction and diastasis recti abdominis, conditions that can be severely painful. This is treatable with Pelvic Health Physical Therapy, but many women are unaware of the therapy available to them. When working with a Pelvic Health Physical Therapist, women receive a treatment plan to improve muscle control and mobility, aid in tissue repair and recovery from cesarean sections.
H.R. 4074 would be a step towards making quality postpartum care available to all women. With approximately three million births in the United States every year, there are three million women who could benefit from Pelvic Health Physical Therapy in their recovery. The bill is supported by health care professionals and physical therapists, including the American Physical Therapy Association.
“APTA Pelvic Health is proud to continue our collaboration with Congress in advancing the recognition of pelvic health physical therapy for women during both prenatal and postnatal care,” said Kim Parker-Guerrero, PT, DPT, president-elect of the academy. “This important legislation will ensure new mothers have access to the vital education and support needed to engage with pelvic health physical therapy, helping to prevent issues that might arise without early intervention and care.”
“I’m excited for the reintroduction of the perinatal bill, H.R. 4074,” said Gail Zitterkopf, PT, DPT, government relations chair for APTA Pelvic Health. “This grassroots-inspired bill will positively impact and enhance lives through ensuring pelvic health physical therapy for those who are pregnant.”
The text of the legislation can be found HERE.
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MIL OSI USA News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: TikTok Unveils Expansion of Global Mental Health Fund and Innovative Safety Tools to Champion Digital Well-Being in Africa
TikTok (www.TikTok.com) today hosted its inaugural Digital Well-being Summit in Johannesburg, bringing together policymakers, mental health experts, NGOs, and industry leaders across Sub-Saharan Africa. Delegates from South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and beyond gathered to further strengthen efforts to support and protect community well-being on the platform. The summit provided a platform for open dialogue on enhancing online safety tools, promoting digital literacy and access to experts, fostering a balanced online environment.

A comprehensive suite of new tools and partnerships were introduced, including the expansion of TikTok’s global $2.3 million mental health fund to Sub-Saharan Africa, expanded local in-app helplines, and an industry-first meditation feature for all TikTok users. The event also spotlighted ongoing efforts such as TikTok’s #MentalHealthMatters campaign, which continues to promote positive mental health practices across the globe. Together, these actions are designed to support balanced digital habits, providing communities with access to reliable information.

“We commend the private sector’s efforts to foster digital literacy and create a safer online environment for all. Such efforts reflect the government and the private sector’s collective responsibility to inspire creativity, empower communities and connect young people to the digital world,” added Hon. Minister Siviwe Gwarube, Minister of Basic Education, South Africa.

Bringing in-app meditation to our entire community

As part of its commitment to empowering users to manage their online experience, TikTok has introduced a guided meditation experience in Sleep Hours – an in-app well-being experience automatically enabled at 22:00 for all users under the age of 18. Anyone above this age can choose to turn it on. This feature, the first of its kind in the industry, was piloted in March 2025 and is available worldwide.

Research shows that mindful meditation can improve sleep quality, helping young users wind down and build healthier night-time routines. The introduction of this tool reinforces TikTok’s mission to support digital well-being by fostering better sleep hygiene and emotional regulation, particularly for teens and adolescents navigating the pressures of a hyper-connected world.

“People come to TikTok to learn, share their experiences, and connect with communities around the world. That’s why we’re proud to introduce tools that not only support digital wellbeing, but also empower our community, especially young users, with a safe, supportive space to explore and navigate complex emotions,” said Valiant Richey, TikTok Global Head of Trust and Safety Outreach and Partnerships.

TikTok’s Mental Health Education Fund Expands to Support African Organsiations

At the summit, TikTok also announced the expansion of its $2.3 million global Mental Health Education Fund to include organisations from Sub-Saharan Africa for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the platform’s commitment to supporting mental health education across the continent.

With this expansion, three Sub-Saharan African organisations have been selected as inaugural regional recipients, including the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative, and Kenya’s Mental360. These organisations will receive funding and platform support to develop locally relevant, evidence-based content that raises awareness, reduces stigma, and encourages open dialogue around mental health in African communities.

TikTok created the Mental Health Education Fund in 2023 to support organisations in creating authoritative, engaging and uplifting mental health content. Globally, the Fund has so far helped organisations gain more than 173 million impressions on their content, more than 600,000 new followers for their accounts, prompted more than 200,000 web visits, and helped recruit 486 new volunteers, thanks to a combined $7.3 million in ad credit donations.

Expansion of In-App Mental Health Helplines Across Africa

Building on a successful pilot in France and subsequent rollout across European countries, TikTok is expanding in-app helpline resources across Africa. In the coming weeks, users of some countries in Africa will have access to local helplines in-app that provide expert support when reporting content related to suicide, self-harm, hate, and harassment. This feature builds on existing capabilities that direct users to mental health resources when they report bullying and harassment, further strengthening access to timely and relevant support on the platform.

These partners can offer assistance including counselling, advice, free psychological support, and other essential services to those in need. While TikTok reviews reported content and removes violations of Community Guidelines, users can connect with these partner organisations to receive personal support, should they need it.

TikTok announces Mental Health Ambassadors to support online wellbeing in Africa

As part of its ongoing partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), TikTok has officially introduced its new Mental Health Ambassadors, a diverse group of verified healthcare professionals from the WHO Fides Network.

The inaugural cohort of Mental Health Ambassadors includes:
- Sanam Naran: (South Africa)
- Dr Claire Kinuthia (Kenya)
- Doctor Wales (Nigeria)
- Doctor Siya (South Africa)
Commitment to Digital Safety and Innovation

The Digital Well-Being Summit underscores TikTok’s broader strategy to proactively address digital harms through innovation, collaboration, and empathy. By combining safety technology, expert partnerships, and community engagement, TikTok continues to lead the way in creating responsible, empowering online environments for African users.

“At Spectra, we are excited to be partnering with TikTok and believe technology should enhance human wellbeing and ensure safety at every touchpoint. Our partnership with TikTok for the Summit reflects our shared vision of creating digital environments that are not only innovative, but also secure and supportive. Together, we’re advancing solutions that prioritise both mental health and online safety for communities everywhere.” Yusuf Akoojee, Marketing Director at Spectra.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of TikTok.

Additional information:
https://apo-opa.co/4emljGR

Media contacts:
Keagile Makgoba
Head: Communications, Sub-Saharan Africa
keagile.m@tiktok.com

Pereruan Kenana
Kenya & East Africa Communications Lead
pereruan.kenana@tiktok.com

Itumeleng Morule
South Africa & Southern Africa Communications Lead
itumeleng.morule@tiktok.com

About TikTok:
TikTok is the leading destination for short-form mobile video. Our mission is to inspire creativity and bring joy. TikTok’s global headquarters are in Los Angeles and Singapore, and its offices include New York, London, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Dubai, Jakarta, Seoul, and Tokyo.

About Spectra:
Spectra creates experiences through devices that offer timeless design, effortless sophistication, and empowering innovation.

Every product in our collection is a testament to precision, style, and unparalleled functionality. From our sleek smartphones to our sophisticated watches and versatile tablets, each Spectra product balances performance with unmatched style.

MIL OSI Africa –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Preparedness strategy for avian influenza outbreaks – E-002453/2025
Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002453/2025/rev.1
to the Commission
Rule 144
Leire Pajín (S&D), César Luena (S&D), Nicolás González Casares (S&D)

The WHO has been warning that there could be an unprecedented spread of the avian influenza virus. The situation, especially in the United States and the Americas as a whole, is very worrying, and we need to step up precautionary measures as a result, since there is a high risk of human-to-human transmission. From the start of 2003 to 22 April 2025, a total of 973 cases of avian influenza in humans, of which 470 were fatal (case fatality rate of 48 %), have been reported from 25 countries globally.

As it faces this situation, the EU must step up precautions and be prepared. We would therefore like to ask the Commission the following questions:

1.How is the Commission stepping up its prevention, preparedness and response efforts in this area in conjunction with its Member States, and what cooperation mechanisms does it have with third countries?

2.How is the One Health approach being integrated into the preparedness strategy to cover the risk to food security and nutrition?

3.What progress has been made with regard to developing or acquiring H5N1 vaccines, both for animals and for humans?

Submitted: 18.6.2025
Last updated: 26 June 2025
MIL OSI Europe News –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Councillors endorse partnership commitment for new North Coast Care Facility

Source: Scotland – Highland Council

Highland Councillors have restated their commitment to a partnership between the Council, NHS Highland and WildLand to see a new North Coast Care Facility developed in Tongue in Sutherland at today’s meeting of The Highland Council.

The development which compliments WildLand’s creation of new housing in the area is underpinned by the Council’s partnership with NHS Highland, who have developed a full business case for a future health and care facility in Tongue.

At the meeting in Council headquarters today Members agreed that the partnership with WildLand remains the most economically advantageous option for the delivery of the North Coast Care Facility; and agreed that The Highland Council will complete a legal agreement with WildLand and NHS Highland to formalise their joint commitment to the project.

Chair of Highland Council’s Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Committee, Cllr David Fraser said: “A lot of work has been done over recent years to bring us to this point where Council can confirm and restate its agreement to progress this project. I would like to pay tribute to current and previous local members and community representatives for their unwavering commitment to seeing this project through to this point and beyond.

“With partners, this development aligns well with the Council’s work in relation to establishing Community Points of Delivery (PODs) which are part of the Council’s Highland Investment Plan.

“I am very pleased that the decisions made today bring us closer to providing much needed health and social care facilities and new housing for the Sutherland communities.”

David Park, NHS Highland’s Deputy Chief Executive said: “We welcome the agreed commitment by The Highland Council and we will continue to work together and with the local community members to progress this important integrated redesign of local care services.”

Tim Kirkwood, Chief Executive of WildLand Limited, said “With the unstinting backing of our founders Anne and Anders Holch Povlsen, our team at WildLand has been committed to this for a number years and welcome the decision made by The Highland Council, a significant milestone in a vital project for the North Coast. We look forward to concluding the legal agreements in the near future with an aim to breaking ground next year.”

26 Jun 2025

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MIL OSI United Kingdom –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: UN Charter, Palestine, Ukraine & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (26 June 2025)

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
Briefings Tomorrow
UN Charter
Occupied Palestinian Territory
UNIFIL
Ukraine
Security Council
International Day against Drug Abuse
International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

BRIEFINGS TOMORROW
Tomorrow will be a busy day.
There be no Noon briefing, but at 11:30 a.m., Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, will be at the Security Council stakeout to speak about the situation in the Middle East and Gaza and he will take some questions.
Then, at noon, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, will be in the briefing room to brief about his recent travels to the Middle East.
Then at 12:45 p.m., the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, will brief reporters on the launch of the Secretary-General’s debt recommendations, ahead of the Sevilla Conference. She will be joined virtually by Rebeca Grynspan, the Head of UN Trade and Development as well as the Secretary-General’s Expert Group on Debt.

UN CHARTER
The Secretary-General spoke at the special General Assembly session this morning and he said that the UN Charter is a declaration of hope — and the foundation of international cooperation for a better world. And from day one, he added, the United Nations has been a force of construction in a world often marked by destruction.
Mr. Guterres said that upholding the purposes and principles of the Charter is a never-ending mission. But he warned that today, we see assaults on the purposes and the principles of the UN Charter like never before.
On and on, he said, we see an all too familiar pattern: Follow when the Charter suits, ignore when it does not. But the Secretary-General said the Charter of the United Nations is not optional, and it is not an à la carte menu. We cannot and must not normalize violations of its most basic principles.
He urged all Member States to live up to the spirit and letter of the Charter, to the responsibilities it demands and to the future it summons us all to build.

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that civilians continue to be killed and they continue to be injured daily – whether in Israeli air strikes, shelling, or while trying to just find food for their families. These tragic events must not be accepted as normal, ever.
This afternoon, our partners working on health reported a mass casualty incident following a strike in Deir al Balah – with Al Aqsa Hospital said to have received more than 20 people killed and some 70 injured. Additional wounded patients were transferred to Nasser Medical Complex and two other medical facilities.
Our partners working on health also tell us an increase in preventable diseases is being seen. In just the past two weeks alone, over 19,000 cases of acute watery diarrhoea have been recorded, alongside over 200 cases each of acute jaundice syndrome and bloody diarrhoea.
These outbreaks are directly linked to the lack of clean water and the lack of sanitation in Gaza, underscoring the urgent need for fuel, the urgent need for medical supplies, the urgent need for water, the urgent need for sanitation and the urgent need for hygiene items. All of this to prevent any further spread of the collapse of the public health system, which is already in dire, dire situation.
In a social media post, the World Health Organization noted that yesterday, it delivered its first medical shipment into Gaza since 2 March, when Israel imposed a full blockade on the Strip. Nine trucks carrying essential medical supplies, some 2,000 units of blood, and 1,500 units of plasma were transported from Kerem Shalom.
These supplies will be distributed to priority hospitals in the coming days. The blood and plasma were delivered to Nasser Medical Complex’s cold storage facility for onward distribution to other hospitals facing critical shortages amid the growing influx of patients we have been speaking about.
However, WHO reminds us that all these medical supplies are only a drop in the ocean of what is actually needed.

Full Highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=26%20June%202025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M76bPwsxM0s

MIL OSI Video –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: UN Charter, Palestine, Ukraine & other topics – Daily Press Briefing (26 June 2025)

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Noon Briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
Briefings Tomorrow
UN Charter
Occupied Palestinian Territory
UNIFIL
Ukraine
Security Council
International Day against Drug Abuse
International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

BRIEFINGS TOMORROW
Tomorrow will be a busy day.
There be no Noon briefing, but at 11:30 a.m., Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, will be at the Security Council stakeout to speak about the situation in the Middle East and Gaza and he will take some questions.
Then, at noon, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, will be in the briefing room to brief about his recent travels to the Middle East.
Then at 12:45 p.m., the Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, will brief reporters on the launch of the Secretary-General’s debt recommendations, ahead of the Sevilla Conference. She will be joined virtually by Rebeca Grynspan, the Head of UN Trade and Development as well as the Secretary-General’s Expert Group on Debt.

UN CHARTER
The Secretary-General spoke at the special General Assembly session this morning and he said that the UN Charter is a declaration of hope — and the foundation of international cooperation for a better world. And from day one, he added, the United Nations has been a force of construction in a world often marked by destruction.
Mr. Guterres said that upholding the purposes and principles of the Charter is a never-ending mission. But he warned that today, we see assaults on the purposes and the principles of the UN Charter like never before.
On and on, he said, we see an all too familiar pattern: Follow when the Charter suits, ignore when it does not. But the Secretary-General said the Charter of the United Nations is not optional, and it is not an à la carte menu. We cannot and must not normalize violations of its most basic principles.
He urged all Member States to live up to the spirit and letter of the Charter, to the responsibilities it demands and to the future it summons us all to build.

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
Turning to the situation in Gaza, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tells us that civilians continue to be killed and they continue to be injured daily – whether in Israeli air strikes, shelling, or while trying to just find food for their families. These tragic events must not be accepted as normal, ever.
This afternoon, our partners working on health reported a mass casualty incident following a strike in Deir al Balah – with Al Aqsa Hospital said to have received more than 20 people killed and some 70 injured. Additional wounded patients were transferred to Nasser Medical Complex and two other medical facilities.
Our partners working on health also tell us an increase in preventable diseases is being seen. In just the past two weeks alone, over 19,000 cases of acute watery diarrhoea have been recorded, alongside over 200 cases each of acute jaundice syndrome and bloody diarrhoea.
These outbreaks are directly linked to the lack of clean water and the lack of sanitation in Gaza, underscoring the urgent need for fuel, the urgent need for medical supplies, the urgent need for water, the urgent need for sanitation and the urgent need for hygiene items. All of this to prevent any further spread of the collapse of the public health system, which is already in dire, dire situation.
In a social media post, the World Health Organization noted that yesterday, it delivered its first medical shipment into Gaza since 2 March, when Israel imposed a full blockade on the Strip. Nine trucks carrying essential medical supplies, some 2,000 units of blood, and 1,500 units of plasma were transported from Kerem Shalom.
These supplies will be distributed to priority hospitals in the coming days. The blood and plasma were delivered to Nasser Medical Complex’s cold storage facility for onward distribution to other hospitals facing critical shortages amid the growing influx of patients we have been speaking about.
However, WHO reminds us that all these medical supplies are only a drop in the ocean of what is actually needed.

Full Highlights:
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=26%20June%202025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M76bPwsxM0s

MIL OSI Video –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: RIDOH and DEM Lift Advisory at Worden Pond and Recommend Avoiding Contact with Wilson Reservoir

Source: US State of Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) have lifted the advisory recommendation for recreational activities at Worden Pond in South Kingstown. The harmful algae bloom (HAB) caused by blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) has cleared. Recent testing shows algae levels are low and no toxins were detected, meeting safety guidelines.

RIDOH and DEM are also advising people to avoid contact with Wilson Reservoir in Burrillville due to harmful algae blooms (HABs). HABs are caused by blue-green algae, also known as cyanobacteria, which are naturally present in bodies of water. HABs can produce toxins which can be harmful to humans and animals. Toxins and/or high cell counts have been detected by the RIDOH State Health Laboratory from water samples collected by DEM at this location.

Use caution in all areas of Wilson Reservoir as HABs can move locations in ponds and lakes. All recreation, including swimming, fishing, boating and kayaking, is high risk to health and recommended to be avoided at this location. People should not drink untreated water or eat fish from affected waterbodies. Pet owners should not allow pets to drink or swim in this water. This advisory recommendation remains in effect until further notice.

Skin contact with water containing blue-green algae can cause irritation of the skin, nose, eyes, and throat. Symptoms can include stomachache, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Less common symptoms can include dizziness, headache, fever, liver damage, and nervous system damage. Young children and pets are at higher risk for health effects associated with HABs because they are more likely to swallow water when they are in or around bodies of water. People who have had contact with these ponds and experience those symptoms should contact their healthcare provider.

To report suspected blue-green algae blooms, contact DEM’s Office of Water Resources at 401-222-4700 Press 6 or DEM.OWRCyano@dem.ri.gov and if possible, send a photograph of the reported algae bloom. For more information and the Cyanobacteria Tracker Dashboard that lists current advisories and data, visit: www.dem.ri.gov/bluegreen

MIL OSI USA News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Expanding Indigenous employment supports
Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)
Indigenous Peoples are foundational to Alberta’s economic success – past, present, and future. Their contributions span every sector, from natural resources and small business to innovation, tourism and skilled trades. Ensuring Indigenous participation at every level of the economy is essential to building a strong, prosperous province.

Alberta’s government is investing more than $20 million in Indigenous-led employment services that support pathways to opportunity, prosperity and self-determined success.

“Our partnerships with Indigenous communities and organizations are an essential part of Alberta’s prosperity. By investing in Indigenous-led employment services, we’re not just supporting individuals – we’re strengthening communities and building a more inclusive, resilient economy in Alberta.”

Jason Nixon, Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services

“Alberta’s economy is thriving, and Indigenous Peoples are shaping its future. Their knowledge, innovation and leadership strengthen our workforce and enrich our communities. Partnering with Indigenous talent isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s a smart investment in a stronger, more inclusive Alberta.”

Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Indigenous Relations

This funding supports Indigenous employment programs across the province to provide culturally grounded, community-driven services that connect Indigenous job seekers with the tools, training and opportunities to thrive in the workforce.

Specialized employment supports help remove barriers for Indigenous job seekers and match the needs and strengths of participants and employers. Supports include career consulting, liaising with employers and employment advisors, supporting the creation of employment opportunities, and on-the-job coaching to help participants maintain long-term, meaningful employment.

“Culturally grounded, Indigenous-led employment supports are key to advancing Indigenous participation in Alberta’s economic success. This partnership between Alberta’s government and Indigenous employment services has allowed us to connect more individuals with stable, meaningful employment – creating lasting opportunity and shared prosperity.”

Lovette Ferguson, senior manager, Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society

Quick facts
- Examples of the province’s investments in Indigenous employment supports include:
  
  $4 million to the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society
  
  $1.5 million to Frog Lake Employment and Training
  
  $1.5 million to Maskwacis Employment Centre Society
  
  $1.2 million to Tsuut’ina Nation
  
  $1.1 million to Community Futures Treaty 7
  
  $1 million to Siksika Family Services Corporation
  
  More than $752,900 to Saamis Employment and Training Association
  
  More than $707,000 to Stoney Tribal Administration
  
  Almost $613,000 to Stoney Nakota, Tsuut’ina Tribal Council
  
  More than $551,300 to Aboriginal Futures Career and Training Centre
  
  More than $517,200 to Piikani Employment Services
  
  $300,000 to Chard Metis Community Association
  
  $300,000 to Conklin Resource Development Advisory Committee
  
  $211,900 to Willow Lake Métis Association
  
  $180,000 to Lesser Slave Lake Indian Regional Council
Related information
- Employment services
- Disability Related Employment Supports
- Training and employment services
- Employment services directory search
Related news
- A new mission: helping heroes find civilian success (June 17, 2025)
- Boosting job support for parents (May 29, 2025)
- Helping young Albertans find jobs (May 26, 2025)
- Investing to help Albertans get hired (April 30, 2025)
MIL OSI Canada News –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: PDAAG Roger P. Alford Delivers Remarks to the International Association of Privacy Professionals

Source: United States Attorneys General

Good afternoon. I am pleased to be here today. It is an honor to represent the United States and work with the Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater and the amazing attorneys, economists, and staff and the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice. I also want to thank the IAPP for inviting me to participate in this 2025 Digital Policy Leadership Retreat and Jonathan Zittrain and David Sanger for joining this discussion on such an important and timely topic.

The world today has indeed become a digital world. Almost every company has some digital presence and almost every product sector is touched by digital platforms. Every day, platforms are connecting users and consumers in new and exciting ways. They are introducing novel commercial relationships with ever sophisticated algorithms. While we welcome these changes, we also recognize that these innovations introduce a range of competition issues. At the Department of Justice, we are watching these developments closely, scrutinizing the competitive implications of digital conduct.

The topic for my speech today is where we go from here in applying antitrust law and policy in the digital world. I won’t bury the lede. We are heading towards a better future for the American people that maximizes their consumer welfare in digital markets through the vigorous enforcement of the antitrust laws. In fact, thanks to recent enforcement efforts, we are already beginning to see that world unfold.

Many doubted that would ever be possible. When digital markets first emerged, enforcers had for decades been accustomed mostly to smokestack industries. Products rolled off assembly lines with similar features and prices year after year. These things could be measured and scrutinized quantitatively. We came to think that’s all antitrust enforcers should do.

In contrast, digital markets offered zero price goods, with consumers trading their time and data for services. They were often defined by innovation and dynamism. Those looked like square pegs that didn’t fit the round holes of traditional antitrust analysis.

We had become so used to smokestack industries that many assumed consumer welfare should always be measured in the prices and outputs of the goods that rolled off the assembly line. Privacy, attention, choice, and innovation were afterthoughts. And so some suggested that there could be no antitrust enforcement in many digital markets because traditional measures of consumer welfare were difficult to apply.

Others accepted that premise, but pushed for a divorce between antitrust enforcement and the consumer welfare standard. They thought that to adequately protect competition in digital markets, antitrust needed to abandon its core focus on consumer welfare and have an essentially unlimited lens on its mission to include citizen welfare or a nebulous public interest standard.

We now know that there is a third way. Consumers’ welfare is not merely about the price they pay. Consumers benefit when their privacy is better protected. They pay for digital services in time, attention, and data. Consumer welfare rises when companies innovate, and new technologies disrupt incumbent technologies.

The answer was not to abandon antitrust in digital markets, or to abandon consumer welfare. The answer was to recognize the many dimensions of the competitive process that maximizes consumer welfare online.

I’d like to spend my time today talking about how that principle has played out in recent cases and will continue to inform our work in digital markets in the years to come.

First, our recent successes in protecting consumers from monopoly abuse in digital markets unequivocally demonstrate the continued vitality of the consumer welfare frame in protecting the American people online.

As many of you are aware, the Department of Justice has been vigorously enforcing the antitrust laws against the exclusionary and unlawful conduct of Big Tech for some time now, going back to the first Trump Administration. The DOJ currently has two large, ongoing litigations against Google in particular.

These are historic monopolization cases in which the DOJ earned landmark wins in federal district courts in Washington D.C. and Virginia, finding that Google is a serial monopolist — in general search, in search text advertising, and in multiple segments of the ad-tech stack. These rulings recognize that Google has abused its monopoly status by controlling how digital advertisements are placed on the free and open internet.

The DOJ has proven that Google repeatedly broke the law against monopolization. In response, we have proposed remedies tailored to restore competition and address the competitive harms of Google’s monopoly abuses.[1] In the Google Search case, a decision is expected by the end of the summer, following a three-week remedy hearing this spring. In Google Ad Tech, a remedies hearing is scheduled for early fall. We are hopeful that the federal courts in both cases will issue strong rulings that adopt structural and behavioral remedies to restore competition. Historic monopolization cases call for historic remedies, and our digital freedoms deserve nothing less.

The Google cases represent a bipartisan consensus in favor of vigorous antitrust enforcement. Beginning in the first Trump Administration, these cases reflect an historic commitment by both Republican and Democratic Administrations and almost every State Attorney General to protect consumers from monopoly abuse.

Both of these cases were won with evidence presented within a consumer welfare frame, expanded to account for the unique properties of digital markets. We defined consumer welfare broadly to include not only price, but also quality, output, innovation and anything else that impacts consumers. And we recognized that consumer welfare impacts do not always need to involve the kind of quantitative evidence available in a price-focused case, but that qualitative non-price evidence can be equally valuable.

Judge Mehta’s opinion in Google Search is a great example of the modern approach to addressing all of the determinants of consumer welfare. It mentions privacy 55 times. For example, when assessing the relevant market, it notes how Google compares its privacy to Duck Duck Go.[2] And its overall market definition approach appropriately takes account for the full range of qualitative evidence that bears on defining competition in search. Meanwhile, the Google Ad Tech opinion reminds its readers that the antitrust laws are a “consumer welfare prescription,” and then goes on to examine the many unique attributes of consumer welfare, beyond price and output, in the ad tech markets Google monopolized there.[3]

While we assess the full range of determinants of consumer welfare, that does not mean our analysis is unlimited. The ultimate question for antitrust law remains economic competition in a relevant market. The law does not permit an untethered overall public interest analysis that asks courts to weigh effects across markets or to include non-competition values.

For that reason, we consistently reject arguments that we should excuse harm to competition in order to protect a national champion firm on the theory that this will somehow benefit national security. We don’t accept the premise that shielding our businesses from competition somehow makes us stronger. That’s the Chinese and Russian way. The American way of winning the global economic competition is with strong competition in our domestic firms that makes our companies stronger to compete abroad. That premise has served us well for centuries, and we do not intend to abandon it now.

Let me offer a word of thanks to those who prosecuted these cases. The incredible attorneys, economists, and staff at the Antitrust Division that prosecuted the Google Search case deserve particular mention. Following a ten-week liability trial in 2023 and then a three-week remedies trial in 2025, they outlawyered the other side by presenting strong legal theories in support of critical remedies designed to ensure that our digital spaces will be free and open. No matter what the federal court orders in the remedies phase, the leadership at the Division is incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication of the public servants who have litigated that case.

As Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater has said, “The Google Search case matters because nothing less than the future of the internet is at stake here. Are we going to give Americans choices and allow innovation and competition to thrive online? Or will we maintain the status quo that favors Big Tech monopolies? If Google’s conduct is not remedied, it will control much of the internet for the next decade and not just in internet search, but in new technologies like artificial intelligence.”[4]

As for the Google Ad Tech case, the extraordinary attorneys have won a landmark liability ruling and we anticipate that they will present a strong case for robust remedies in the digital ad tech space. As Attorney General Pam Bondi has said, the ruling in the Antitrust Division’s favor in April in that case was “a landmark victory in the ongoing fight to stop Google from monopolizing the digital public square.” I could not agree more. We are fortunate to have such quality attorneys working to protect the American public.

Let me now turn to some of our thinking about how we will protect consumer welfare in digital markets in the future. Digital technologies have significant implications for virtually all the monopoly conduct and cartels that the DOJ analyzes today. The DOJ has an obligation to husband our resources to enforce the laws where it matters most, to protect markets that most directly impact the average American, markets such as healthcare, housing, agriculture, education, and insurance. Let me focus on just a few of those digital markets.

In healthcare, in particular, we have a mandate to use our resources to ensure American markets in health sectors are more competitive, innovative, affordable, and provide higher quality to patients and consumers. For years, we have witnessed consolidation across healthcare leading to higher prices and lower wages for healthcare workers. We see pharmacy benefit managers and brand name monopolies driving up prescription drug prices. Consolidation and roll-ups of physician practices and hospitals often increase health care costs, raising prices for services, and deteriorating patient outcomes. And algorithms and data increase complexity by playing an ever-larger role in health care markets and practices. We are even seeing algorithmic management technologies gaining a foothold in the health care labor sector, one of the largest labor sectors in the country.[5]

Our recent Las Vegas nursing case is an example of the Department of Justice protecting Americans’ pocketbooks in the health sector. In that case, the Division successfully prosecuted a three-year conspiracy to fix the wages of nurses — capping their wages. As AAG Slater has stated: “Wage-fixing agreements are nakedly unlawful attempts at unjustly profiting off American workers…. The nurses here deserved better, and under President Trump’s leadership, they will be protected.”[6]

The DOJ is committed to combatting monopoly abuse and collusion in the health care sector. This includes collusion that is accomplished by digital algorithms. Our recent statement of interest in the In re Multiplan Health Insurance Provider Litigation is an example.[7] In that case, competitors used a common pricing algorithm to share confidential information to set prices. Such algorithmic sharing of confidential information on digital platforms should be challenged as a violation of the antitrust laws.

The DOJ is focused on algorithmic collusion in housing markets as well. The Division is litigating an ongoing case against RealPage and large landlords for algorithmic collusion affecting the rental prices for millions of Americans.[8] In this case, RealPage has introduced a digital platform that made it easier for landlords to coordinate to dramatically increase rental prices for the average American. RealPage and large landlords actively participated in the illegal pricing scheme, setting their rents by using each other’s competitively sensitive information via common pricing algorithms.[9]

These cases are examples of a growing trend. If we do not take a strong stand now against algorithmic collusion, we will see this new form of price fixing destroying effective competition across a whole range of digital markets.

And still there is more. Algorithmic collusion is only a subset of the issues that algorithms raise for antitrust enforcement. We can see on the horizon new concerns that will be extremely difficult for enforcers to address using traditional antitrust law. Academic work is already exploring how artificial intelligence can be instructed to profit maximize and learn to set prices in a manner consistent with collusion. We are on the verge of autonomous algorithmic collusion.

Regardless of the digital sector, we at the DOJ will follow the facts and apply the law in connection with algorithmic pricing and potential collusion. These issues provide an opportunity for our enforcers to engage critically with the practical realities of how complex technologies are affecting Americans’ lives today and in the future. Artificial intelligence holds so much promise, but it also presents unique challenges. Will these technologies empower anticompetitive behavior targeted at unsuspecting digital citizens? The DOJ must meet this moment and fulfill its mandate to protect competition for the American people.

Let me conclude with a few thoughts about the Antitrust Division’s agenda with respect to mergers in the digital space.

When President Trump announced that Gail Slater would lead the Antitrust Division, he reiterated that Big Tech has stifled Little Tech innovation and competition. We are pro Little Tech and welcome Little Tech innovation. We will bring the antitrust laws to bear on Big Tech to answer for their abuses, but we are open and receptive to procompetitive mergers, especially in Little Tech. We want innovative start-ups to see exit opportunities other than acquisitions by the largest, most dominant players, whose acquisition strategies are often driven as much by their desire to entrench their existing power as they are to drive innovation. The enforcers at the DOJ work tirelessly to promote a competitive landscape to ensure that new ideas get funding, so that startups can compete on the merits and disrupt incumbents.

An embrace of Little Tech recognizes the benefits of venture capital and digital mergers. We want to see venture capital funds flowing to support innovative companies. In healthy, competitive markets, venture capital funds should flow freely.

During AAG Slater’s tenure at the Division, we will challenge anticompetitive mergers. That is already evident in these early months. But the vast majority of mergers do not raise competition concerns, and those that do often can be resolved through negotiation, settlements, and consent decrees. We are committed to providing clear guidance to merging parties on their proposed transactions, welcoming most mergers and only challenging the problematic ones.

In conclusion, let me state what an honor it is for me to return to the Antitrust Division and serve as Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General to AAG Slater. As part of the Republican realignment, President Trump and Assistant Attorney General Slater have a clear vision for robust antitrust enforcement over the next four years. Our paramount focus will be to put consumer welfare first, accounting for the wide range of harms and benefits to consumers and workers that can arise in modern markets.

Yes, competition brings lower prices. But it also brings better quality, improved privacy options, lower advertising loads, greater data portability, more choice, and increased innovations. Competition maximizes consumer welfare by driving businesses to deliver everything consumers want. That makes it the critical tool to protect consumers in our free market system, even in a changing world.

Thank you.

[2] See United States v. Google LLC, 747 F. Supp. 3d 1, 54-55 (D.D.C. 2024).

[3] See United States v. Google LLC, 23-cv-108, 2025 WL 1132012 (E.D. Va. Apr. 17, 2025) (“Google AdTech”).

MIL Security OSI –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Tonko Demands Trump Withdraw Executive Order Attacking Public Science

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Paul Tonko (Capital Region New York)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Paul D. Tonko led more than 20 members in the House in a letter today calling President Trump to withdraw his Executive Order, Restoring Gold Standard Science. The lawmakers call out the hypocrisy of Trump’s claim to boost scientific standards while slashing federal science programs, attacking scientists and experts, and eroding trust in public science.

“Your administration has proposed slashing the National Institutes of Health budget by nearly 40%, removed and altered essential technical resources targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that strengthen the rigor and reach of American science, and cast entire disciplines including climate science, public health, and gender equity, as invalid,” the letter reads. “This order continues that pattern, masking efforts to assert political control over science under the guise of accountability.

“If your administration were genuinely committed to trustworthy, reproducible science, you would begin by adequately funding it. This Executive Order is not a return to “gold standard” science. It is a hollow public relations stunt from an administration that has repeatedly weakened America’s scientific credibility and further eroded trust in evidence-based policymaking. We urge you to withdraw this order and instead support policies that meaningfully uphold the independence, integrity, and funding of American science — not just in rhetoric, but in practice.”

Tonko has long been a champion and advocate for protecting scientific standards and protecting independent science. He is the author of the Scientific Integrity Act, bipartisan legislation that sets clear, enforceable standards for federal agencies and federally-funded research to prevent meddling in public science by political and special interests.

A fact sheet of the Scientific Integrity Act can be found HERE.

The full letter can be read HERE and below:

The Honorable Donald J. Trump
President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500.

Dear President Trump:

We write to express profound concern with your recent Executive Order, Restoring Gold Standard Science. While the principles of transparency, integrity, and reliability this order claims to champion are indeed crucial to good science, it is difficult to take a call for scientific integrity seriously from an administration that has consistently undermined the very foundations of the U.S. research enterprise. This Executive Order does not restore high scientific standards; it cloaks political interference in the language of pro-science reform.

Your administration has proposed slashing the National Institutes of Health budget by nearly 40%, removed and altered essential technical resources, targeted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives that strengthen the rigor and reach of American science, and cast entire disciplines including climate science, public health, and gender equity, as invalid. This order continues that pattern, masking efforts to assert political control over science under the guise of accountability.

One of the most concerning elements of the order is the requirement that agencies publicly release all “data, analyses, and conclusions” underpinning major policies. While transparency is a fundamental scientific value, this language closely mirrors the flawed Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science rule from your first term, a rule that sought to exclude essential studies from Environmental Protection Agency policymaking unless raw data, including sensitive medical information, was made public. Such an approach does not enhance scientific integrity; it undermines it, while also weakening public health protections.

Even more alarming is the provision granting political appointees sweeping power over the interpretation, use, and communication of federal scientific research. By authorizing senior political staff to investigate alleged violations, impose disciplinary action, and unilaterally “correct” scientific outputs, the order invites ideological enforcement and suppresses dissent. That is not scientific integrity — it is its undoing.

True scientific integrity means protecting the independence of science from external manipulation. That’s why the Biden administration required federal agencies to update and strengthen their scientific integrity policies, creating a government-wide framework to safeguard objectivity and shield science from undue influence. Your Executive Order seeks to dismantle that progress. By rolling back policies to 2021 standards, it strips scientists of strong institutional protections and leaves agencies without real accountability.

If your administration were genuinely committed to trustworthy, reproducible science, you would begin by adequately funding it. The so-called replication crisis is not rooted in malicious intent, it is the result of systemic underinvestment and perverse incentives. Researchers, especially those early in their careers, face precarious employment, low pay, and pressure to prioritize novelty over rigor. Yet your Executive Order ignores these structural issues entirely. Instead, it doubles down on austerity, depriving scientists of the time, resources, and institutional support they need to do robust and verifiable research.

You claim scientists are afraid to ask, “inconvenient questions.” But it is your administration’s policies, proposed funding and personnel cuts, and dismissal of widely accepted peer-reviewed science that have created a chilling effect. You are cultivating an environment where researchers fear professional retaliation or public vilification for producing evidence that challenges political narratives. That is the very definition of politicizing science.

Moreover, if you were truly concerned about protecting science from corporate influence, you would be increasing public investment in research to guard against private sector capture. Pulling federal support doesn’t reduce the sway of Big Pharma or Big Ag, it strengthens their influence, allowing profit-driven interests to dictate research priorities at the expense of the public good.

Buzzwords like “transparency” and “interdisciplinary research” cannot substitute for real commitment to the scientific enterprise. Genuine scientific progress demands sustained investment in people, infrastructure, and the freedom to follow the evidence wherever it leads, without censorship, coercion, or fear. Yet your administration has steadily dismantled the conditions necessary for such progress to flourish.

This Executive Order is not a return to “gold standard” science. It is a hollow public relations stunt from an administration that has repeatedly weakened America’s scientific credibility and further eroded trust in evidence-based policymaking.

I urge you to withdraw this order and instead support policies that meaningfully uphold the independence, integrity, and funding of American science — not just in rhetoric, but in practice.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Eritrea: Cataract Surgery for Over 700 Citizens

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Cataract surgery is being conducted for 700 citizens from across the country at Berhan Aini National Referral Hospital from 23 to 26 June.

Nurse Gebrezgiabhier Haile, head of health services at the hospital, stated that cataract surgery has already been performed on 500 patients, with an additional 200 surgeries planned in the coming days.

He noted that the program is part of the national plan to conduct cataract surgery for 5,000 patients annually across all regions of the country.

Highlighting that cataract surgery was previously carried out in collaboration with foreign experts, Nurse Gebrezgiabhier explained that the current program is being conducted entirely through internal capacity. He also noted that similar surgeries have been recently carried out in the sub-zones of Afabet, Massawa, and Ghinda in the Northern Red Sea Region, as well as in the Assab sub-zone of the Southern Red Sea Region.

Nurse Gebrezgiabhier further indicated that similar cataract surgeries are planned for next month in the Gash Barka cities of Golij, Barentu, and Teseney, with additional surgeries to follow in August in Asmara.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.

MIL OSI Africa –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murphy Celebrates 3 Years of Gun Violence Reduction Under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

June 25, 2025
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Wednesday celebrated the third anniversary of his landmark Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), the first comprehensive gun safety legislation passed in three decades. The bill made significant investments in our background check system, boosted prosecutors’ enforcement capabilities, supported domestic violence victims by preventing abusers from purchasing guns, and invested billions of dollars into schools, mental health, and community-based violence intervention programs.

“Three years ago, after the horrific tragedies in Uvalde and Buffalo, Democrats and Republicans came together to address a gun violence epidemic that has devastated families and communities across the country. The gun violence prevention movement beat the gun lobby, and we found compromise on common sense solutions supported by the American people. And it worked. In the last two years, this country has seen significant drops in violent crime, gun deaths and injuries, and mass shootings. Now, President Trump is trying to gut the very mental health and violence prevention programs that have helped save countless lives. But our movement is stronger than this President and the congressional Republicans who enable him, and we will keep fighting to make all of our communities safer,” said Murphy.

Since BSCA’s passage, there has been a historic decrease in gun violence, including a 24% drop in mass shootings and a 12% reduction in gun violence-related deaths.

BSCA’s accomplishments include:

Expanding background checks and cracking down on loopholes that allowed domestic abusers to buy guns.

Creating stiff penalties for “straw purchase” gunrunners that buy weapons on behalf of criminals.

Investing over half a billion dollars towards increasing the number of mental health personnel in schools.

Providing millions in grants to community-based nonprofits that directly provided counseling and support to at-risk youth and families traumatized by gun violence.

Expanding mental health service for thousands of students in rural communities.

Supporting implementation of the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.

On day one of his presidency, President Trump shut down the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention responsible for coordinating efforts across the federal government and working with states and local governments to identify available resources for impacted communities. On April 30^th, the Department of Education (ED) notified grant recipients of the School-Based Mental Health Services (SBMH) and Mental Health Service Professional (MHSP) Grant Programs, which BSCA funded, that their funding would not be continued after this fiscal year.
MIL OSI USA News –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: $40 Million to Launch Empire AI Beta Supercomputer

Source: US State of New York

overnor Kathy Hochul today announced that the Empire State Development (ESD) Board approved $40 million to launch Empire AI Beta, the second phase of the supercomputer powering New York’s nation-leading Empire AI initiative. Empire AI Beta will be 11 times more powerful than current capacity, allowing hundreds of researchers from the now 10 member institutions to continue to advance AI research for public good. Empire AI is now backed by over $500 million in public and private funding, including up to $340 million in state capital funding secured by Governor Hochul.

“With Empire AI, New York is leading in emerging technology and ensuring the power of AI is harnessed for public good and developed right here in this great state,” Governor Hochul said. “The launch of Beta will supercharge our efforts to advance responsible AI development by some of our brightest minds at research institutions focused on purpose, not profit.”

The funding approved today by ESD will allow the Empire AI consortium to purchase the equipment needed to power the second-phase supercomputer, housed at the University of Buffalo. Empire AI Beta will use NVIDIA’s state-of-the-art Blackwell AI supercomputing platform. The new Beta system will dramatically accelerate Empire AI’s computing performance from the current Alpha system: 11-fold in AI training, 40-fold in AI inference, and an 8-fold increase in data storage. Empire AI Beta also is expected to be among the first academic deployments of NVIDIA DGX SuperPOD with DGX GB200 systems. While both the Alpha and Beta systems are running only fractions of Empire AI’s eventual computing power, the new Beta system will propel Empire AI to become one of the most advanced academic computers in the world.

Empire AI is now backed by over $500 million in public and private funding, and made up of 10 member universities and research institutions. As part of Governor Hochul’s FY26 Budget, the Governor secured $90 million in new capital funding to substantially increase the computing power of Empire AI, expand access for SUNY researchers, and support the addition of new members including the University of Rochester, the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. They join the seven founding members of Empire AI, SUNY, CUNY, Columbia University, Cornell University, NYU, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the Flatiron Institute.

The new Beta system builds on the successful 2024 launch of Alpha, which was made possible by philanthropic support from the Simons Foundation. Planning and development of the full-scale Empire AI computing center is underway. Empire AI Alpha and Empire AI Beta allow member institutions to conduct critical AI research as soon as possible until the full-scale system is complete.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “As AI research, development and usage grows, New York tech leaders are exploring new ways to utilize these advancements in ways that will generate solutions to complex issues and support positive growth. The $40 million in funding approved today by ESD’s Board of Directors represents a significant step forward that will increase the capacity of Empire AI and further enhance the AI research happening throughout our state.”

Empire AI Interim Executive Director Robert Harrison said, “With the launch of Beta, Empire AI is unleashing a game-changing level of computational power to serve researchers across New York. From cancer diagnostics to climate modeling, this system will accelerate innovation across fields — while putting New York at the forefront of responsible AI development. Thanks to the vision of Governor Hochul and our expanding roster of top-tier academic partners, we are building something truly unprecedented: a public AI research powerhouse designed to benefit everyone.”

NVIDIA Head of AI State Initiatives Michael Isadore said, “Democratizing access to accelerated computing for academic research creates economic growth and scientific discovery across industries. The team at Empire AI aims to empower researchers across New York State with leading-edge NVIDIA infrastructure, enabling groundbreaking advancements in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.”

Assemblymember Steve Otis said, “Governor Hochul’s nation leading Empire AI Consortium depends upon increased computing power to serve the academic institutions and researchers that are part of this initiative. Today’s announcement delivers on that promise with funding supported by the Governor and the Legislature in this year’s budget. Our Assembly Science and Technology committee has visited the AI team in Buffalo and was very impressed with the public purpose, focus of the AI initiatives already undertaken. There is no doubt that new advances are on the horizon thanks to the work of the Empire AI Consortium.”

Expanding Artificial Intelligence Across New York State
Access to the computing resources that power AI systems requires significant investment, making it difficult to obtain. As a result, researchers, public interest organizations, and small companies are being left behind, which has enormous implications for AI safety and society at large. Empire AI is bridging this gap and accelerating the development of AI centered in the public interest for New York State. Enabling this pioneering AI research and development is also helping educational institutions nurture the next generation of talent that will create AI-focused technology startups, driving job growth.

By increasing collaboration between New York State’s world-class research institutions, Empire AI is creating efficiencies of scale not achievable by any single university, empowering and attracting top notch faculty, expanding educational opportunity, and enabling responsible innovation that will significantly strengthen our state’s economy and our national security.

The initiative is currently funded by over $500 million in public and private investment, including up to $340 million in State capital grant investment and $25 million over ten years in SUNY operating funding. The project will also receive more than $200 million from the founding institutions as well as philanthropic backers such as Tom Secunda and the Simons Foundation. Empire AI has positioned New York as the national model in responsible AI innovation, with its leading research institutions pioneering safe, equitable, and accessible AI research and development that is benefiting every corner of New York. For more information about Empire AI, visit empireai.edu.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI: INTESI GROUP S.p.A. and iGrant.io Enhance EUDI Wallets with Integrated Solution
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Stockholm / Milan, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — iGrant.io, a Swedish provider of EU Digital Identity Wallet infrastructure, and Intesi Group S.p.A., a European Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP), have entered into a strategic partnership to enable document signing and the issuance and management of Qualified Electronic Attribute Attestations (QEAAs) using EU Digital Identity Wallets (EUDI Wallets).

Intesi Group and iGrant.io partnership

This collaboration delivers the first fully integrated solution combining qualified electronic signature and legally recognised issuance of QEAAs within the iGrant.io Organisation Wallet Suite, also referred to by the European Commission as the European Business Wallet.

Two Game-Changing Capabilities, One Seamless Offering

1. Effortless Document Signing via EUDI Wallets

By integrating Intesi Group’s Qualified Electronic Signature and Seal services into iGrant.io’s Organisation Wallet Suite, organisations can enable users to sign documents using their EUDI Wallets with a one-click experience. This ensures legally valid, cross-border transactions across all sectors, including public administration.

2. Issuance of Qualified Electronic Attribute Attestations (QEAAs)

QEAAs represent verifiable credentials that establish legal roles, mandates, or affiliations. These are issued to EUDI Wallets through iGrant.io’s Organisation Wallet Suite, which provides the credential issuance and delivery framework. The underlying qualified infrastructure, including certificate lifecycle management and Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), is provided by Intesi Group..

The result? A future-proof solution that:

● Delivers high assurance identity and credential services fully compliant to the European Digital Identity Framework.

● Leverages EU Trust List mechanisms to validate QTSP status and ensure legal recognition

“This partnership enables a production-ready, one-stop-shop solution for signing and credential issuance within the EUDI Wallet ecosystem,” said Lotta Lundin, CEO of iGrant.io. “By embedding Intesi Group’s capabilities into the Organisation Wallet Suite, we accelerate real-world adoption of what the EU refers to as the European Business Wallet”.

“The EUDI Wallet represents a landmark opportunity for Europe to lead the world in digital identity. Intesi Group is excited to join forces with iGrant.io to provide a practical, legally sound, and easy-to-implement solution that empowers businesses and citizens to thrive in this new era. Together, we’re making the vision of a truly interconnected European digital economy a reality. ” said Paolo Sironi, CEO of Intesi Group.

This cutting-edge solution is already making waves in key European programmes like the European Digital Identity Wallet Consortium (EWC) and CRANE PCP, revolutionizing use cases including:
- Legal Person Identification (LPID) and business registry onboarding: Streamlining and securing the verification process.
- Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) and payment verification: Reducing fraud and boosting consumer trust.
- Remote patient monitoring and consent-based data exchange under the European Health Data Space (EHDS): Protecting patient privacy while enabling seamless access to vital medical information.
About iGrant.io:

iGrant.io is a Swedish provider of EU Digital Identity Wallet infrastructure, empowering individuals and organizations to manage and share their digital identities securely and seamlessly.

About Intesi Group:

Intesi Group is a leading European Qualified Trust Service Provider (QTSP), offering a wide range of digital trust services to ensure secure and legally compliant electronic transactions.

For more information, contact:

iGrant.io
Lotta Lundin – CEO
lotta@igrant.io
www.igrant.io

Intesi Group
Paola Monti – Head of Marketing and Communication
marketing@intesigroup.com
intesigroup.com

The MIL Network –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Appointment of Lord and Lady Justices of Appeal: June 2025
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Press release

Appointment of Lord and Lady Justices of Appeal: June 2025

His Majesty The King has approved the appointment of six Lord and Lady Justices of Appeal.
His Majesty The King has approved the appointment of six Lord and Lady Justices of Appeal.

His Majesty The King has been pleased to approve the appointments of Mrs Justice Cockerill, Mr Justice Dove, Mr Justice Foxton, Mrs Justice May, Mr Justice Miles and Mrs Justice Yip as Lord and Lady Justices of Appeal.

These appointments will fill vacancies within the Court of Appeal.

Further information

The appointment of Lord and Lady Justices of the Court of Appeal are made by His Majesty The King on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Lord Chancellor following the recommendation of an independent selection panel.

Background

The selection panel was chaired by the Lady Chief Justice, Baroness Carr (Chair). The other panel members were the Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos; Helen Pitcher OBE (Chair of the Judicial Appointments Commission); and two lay Judicial Appointments Commissioners, Susan Hoyle and the Rt. Rev. Dr Barry Morgan.

In accordance with section 79 of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 as amended by the Crime and Courts Act 2013, the panel determined the selection process to be followed. In accordance with s10(3) of the Senior Courts Act 1981, the selection exercise was open to applicants that satisfied the judicial eligibility condition on a 7-year basis or were Judges of the High Court.

Biographical notes

Mrs Justice Sara Cockerill: was Called to the Bar (Lincoln’s Inn) in 1990 and took Silk in 2011. She was appointed as a s9(4) Deputy High Court Judge (King’s Bench Division) in 2016 and as a High Court Judge appointed to the King’s Bench Division in 2017. She was Judge in Charge of the Commercial Court between 2020 and 2022.

Mr Justice Ian Dove: was Called to the Bar (Inner Temple) in 1986 and took Silk in 2003. He was appointed as a Fee-Paid Immigration Adjudicator (now a Fee-Paid Judge of the First-Tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber)) in 2000, a Recorder in 2003 and authorised as a Deputy High Court Judge to hear cases under section 9(1) of the Senior Courts Act 1981 in 2008. He was appointed as a High Court Judge to the King’s Bench Division in 2014, and as a Member of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in 2015. From 2018 to 2021 he served as a Presiding Judge on the Northern Circuit. He was appointed the President of the Upper Tribunal, Immigration and Asylum Chamber in October 2022, and in February 2025 he was appointed the Deputy Senior President of Tribunals.

Mr Justice David Foxton: was Called to the Bar (Gray’s Inn) in 1989 and took Silk in 2006. He was appointed as a Recorder in 2009, as a s9(4) Deputy High Court Judge (King’s Bench Division and Chancery Division) in 2016 and as a High Court Judge to the King’s Bench Division in 2020.

Mrs Justice Juliet May: was Called to the Bar (Inner Temple) in 1988 and took Silk in 2008. She served as a part time judge of the Mental Health Tribunal (England) between 2002 and 2008. She was appointed as a Recorder in 2000, a Circuit Judge in 2008, authorised to hear cases under section 9(1) of the Senior Courts Act 1981 in 2013 and as a High Court Judge in the King’s Bench Division in 2015.

Mr Justice Robert Miles: was Called to the Bar (Lincoln’s Inn) in 1987 and took Silk in 2002. He was appointed as a s9(4) Deputy High Court Judge in 2006 and as a High Court Judge in the Chancery Division in 2020.

Mrs Justice Amanda Yip: was Called to the Bar (Gray’s Inn) in 1991 and took Silk in 2011. She was appointed as a Recorder in 2008, authorised to hear cases under section 9(1) of the Senior Courts Act 1981 in 2013 and was appointed as a High Court Judge to the King’s Bench Division in 2017. She has been the Deputy Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales.

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Published 26 June 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressional Prior Authorization Reform Leads Applaud New Prior Authorization Announcement
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (1st District of Washington)

Today, Representatives Suzan DelBene (WA-01), Mike Kelly (PA-16), John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13), Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06), and Senators Roger Marshall, M.D. (KS) and Mark Warner (VA), co-leads of the bipartisan Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, released the below joint statement following a series of commitments from some of the largest private health insurance companies to ease the Medicare Advantage prior authorization process.

“We applaud these commitments, which aim to improve health care access for millions of Americans by easing the Medicare Advantage prior authorization process,” the lawmakers said. “We encourage our House and Senate colleagues to carry this momentum forward and to pass our life-changing legislation, the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, to ensure this progress becomes law.”

Under the announcement, participating health plans commit to:
1. Standardize electronic prior authorization submissions using Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR®)-based application programming interfaces.
2. Reduce the volume of medical services subject to prior authorization by January 1, 2026.
3. Honor existing authorizations during insurance transitions to ensure continuity of care.
4. Enhance transparency and communication around authorization decisions and appeals.
5. Expand real-time responses to minimize delays in care with real-time approvals for most requests by 2027.
6. Ensure medical professionals review all clinical denials.
In May 2025, the lawmakers reintroduced the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act.

MIL OSI USA News –
June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: WAYNE COUNTY – Shapiro Administration to Highlight Devastating Impacts of Proposed Federal Cuts to Medicaid on Rural Communities

Source: US State of Pennsylvania

June 27, 2025 – Honesdale, PA

ADVISORY – WAYNE COUNTY – Shapiro Administration to Highlight Devastating Impacts of Proposed Federal Cuts to Medicaid on Rural Communities

Officials from the Shapiro Administration will join rural health care leaders at Wayne Memorial Hospital to highlight the dangers of proposed federal Medicaid cuts and their negative impact on rural health care providers and residents across the state.

Proposed federal funding cuts could jeopardize health coverage for over 300,000 Pennsylvanians, drive up health care costs, and put hospitals at risk of closure, especially in rural communities. The loss of coverage is likely to result in Pennsylvanians delaying necessary health care and could significantly increase medical costs over time.

Ensuring rural Pennsylvanians have access to quality health care is a top priority for Governor Josh Shapiro. His proposed 2025-26 budget makes common-sense investments in rural health aimed at keeping rural hospitals open and recruiting more high-quality professionals to these facilities.

WHO:
Department of Health Secretary Dr. Debra Bogen
Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Michael Humphreys
Department of Human Services Special Advisor Sara Goulet
Wayne Memorial Hospital CEO Jim Pettinato
Wayne Memorial Community Health Centers Chief Quality Officer Kara Poremba
Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania CEO Nicole Stallings

WHEN:
Friday, June 27; 11:00 AM

WHERE:
Wayne Memorial Hospital
David Katz Conference Room (2nd Floor)
601 Park Street
Honesdale, PA 18431

MEDIA RSVP:
Media interested in attending must RSVP with the name of the reporter and photojournalist to ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Former HUD Employee, Who Moonlighted for Two Other Federal Agencies, Admits Making False Claims

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Defendant Caused an Estimated Loss to the U.S. Government of $225,866

           WASHINGTON – Crissy Monique Baker, 45, a federal employee from Fairfax, Virginia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to making false, fictitious, or fraudulent claims in connection with claiming to work more hours for the government than she actually did.

           The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Acting Inspector General Stephen Ravas of AmeriCorps Office of Inspector General, and Special Agent in Charge Michael Smith with Office of the Inpsector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

           Between October 2021 and May 2025, Baker worked as a management and program analyst for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. According to court documents, from October 2021 through July 2024, Baker held multiple full-time government contractor positions to perform human resources services for other federal agencies but did not seek approval from HUD to engage in this outside employment. Through this years-long scheme, Baker billed the government more than 24 hours in a single day between her employment with the federal government and contractors. The estimated loss to the government was $225,866.

           Between September 2021 through April 2023, Contractor-A employed Baker to perform full-time work as a human resources assistant for AmeriCorps. From May 16, 2022, until Dec. 2, 2022, Contractor-B employed Baker to work fulltime as a human resources specialist for the National Institutes of Health.

           Because of her scheme, Baker willfully caused the contractors to submit false claims to the U.S. Government for hours that she did not actually work. In addition, Baker submitted timesheets to HUD certifying that she worked hours for the government agency that she never actually did. For example, in June 2022, Baker certified through timesheets to HUD, Contractor-A, and Contractor-B, that she worked 26 hours per day on 13 workdays out of a total of 21 workdays that month.

           Baker teleworked in all three positions, so she was able to conceal her employment with HUD and the two contarctors from each other.

U.S. District Court Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan scheduled sentencing for Sept. 30, 2025.

           This case was investigated by the Offices of the Inspector General for the following agencies: AmeriCorps; Housing and Urban Development; the Department of Energy; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; the Department of Homeland Security; the General Services Administration; the Department of Health and Human Services; and the Department of Treasury (Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration), the Department of Defense (Defense Criminal Investigate Service), and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, along with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

           The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Will Hart and Kondi Kleinman.

25cr172

MIL Security OSI –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Remote Patient Monitoring Company Settles False Claims Act Lawsuit for $1.29 Million

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

ATLANTA – Health Wealth Safe, Inc. and Dr. Subodh Agrawal have paid $1.29 million to settle allegations that they knowingly caused false claims to be presented to Medicare.

“Knowingly billing Medicare for services that do not meet Medicare’s requirements is a fraud against taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Our office will continue to enforce the False Claims Act to recover government payments that result from such misconduct.”

“Healthcare professionals have a sworn duty to prioritize patient health and to ensure all services billed to the federal government are fully compliant with program requirements,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to safeguard the integrity of the Medicare program.”

The investigation began when former employees of Health Wealth Safe, Inc. (“Health Wealth”) filed a whistleblower lawsuit under the False Claims Act referred to as a qui tam suit. The False Claims Act is a federal law that imposes civil liability on any person who submits false claims to the federal government or its contractors. The law imposes treble damages and civil penalties on those who submit false claims. Under the law, whistleblowers (also called “relators”) who bring fraud to the government’s attention share in any recovery obtained by the government.

The United States alleged that, at the direction of owner Dr. Subodh Agrawal, Health Wealth caused claims to be presented to Medicare for remote physiologic monitoring (RPM) services that were not reimbursable. RPM involves the use of non-face-to-face technology to monitor and analyze a patient’s physiological metrics, such as oxygen saturation, blood pressure, weight, and blood-sugar or blood-oxygen levels. For monitoring services to be covered by Medicare, the monitoring devices must automatically report readings to the monitoring company without further human intervention. The United States alleged that Health Wealth knowingly billed for RPM services even though it failed to provide patients with devices that met these requirements between September 2019 and January 2021.

The settlement resolved the underlying lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, United States ex rel. Chavous v. Health Wealth Safe, Inc., No. 1:22-cv-02553. The relator will receive $238,650 from the settlement in this matter, plus attorney’s fees.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.

The civil settlement was reached by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony DeCinque.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

MIL Security OSI –

June 27, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: PadChest-GR: A bilingual grounded radiology reporting benchmark for chest X-rays
Source: Microsoft

Headline: PadChest-GR: A bilingual grounded radiology reporting benchmark for chest X-rays

In our ever-evolving journey to enhance healthcare through technology, we’re announcing a unique new benchmark for grounded radiology report generation—PadChest-GR (opens in new tab). The world’s first multimodal, bilingual sentence-level radiology report dataset, developed by the University of Alicante with Microsoft Research, University Hospital Sant Joan d’Alacant and MedBravo, is set to redefine how AI and radiologists interpret radiological images. Our work demonstrates how collaboration between humans and AI can create powerful feedback loops—where new datasets drive better AI models, and those models, in turn, inspire richer datasets. We’re excited to share this progress in NEJM AI, highlighting both the clinical relevance and research excellence of this initiative.

A new frontier in radiology report generation

It is estimated that over half of people visiting hospitals have radiology scans that must be interpreted by a clinical professional. Traditional radiology reports often condense multiple findings into unstructured narratives. In contrast, grounded radiology reporting demands that each finding be described and localized individually.

This can mitigate the risk of AI fabrications and enable new interactive capabilities that enhance clinical and patient interpretability. PadChest-GR is the first bilingual dataset to address this need with 4,555 chest X-ray studies complete with Spanish and English sentence-level descriptions and precise spatial (bounding box) annotations for both positive and negative findings. It is the first public benchmark that enables us to evaluate generation of fully grounded radiology reports in chest X-rays.

Figure 1. Example of a grounded report from PadChest-GR. The original free-text report in Spanish was ”Motivo de consulta: Preoperatorio. Rx PA tórax: Impresión diagnóstica: Ateromatosis aórtica calcificada. Engrosamiento pleural biapical. Atelectasia laminar basal izquierda. Elongación aórtica. Sin otros hallazgos radiológicos significativos.”

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This benchmark isn’t standing alone—it plays a critical role in powering our state-of-the-art multimodal report generation model, MAIRA-2. Leveraging the detailed annotations of PadChest-GR, MAIRA-2 represents our commitment to building more interpretable and clinically useful AI systems. You can explore our work on MAIRA-2 on our project web page, including recent user research conducted with clinicians in healthcare settings.

PadChest-GR is a testament to the power of collaboration. Aurelia Bustos at MedBravo and Antonio Pertusa at the University of Alicante published the original PadChest dataset (opens in new tab) in 2020, with the help of Jose María Salinas from Hospital San Juan de Alicante and María de la Iglesia Vayá from the Center of Excellence in Biomedical Imaging at the Ministry of Health in Valencia, Spain. We started to look at PadChest and were deeply impressed by the scale, depth, and diversity of the data.

As we worked more closely with the dataset, we realized the opportunity to develop this for grounded radiology reporting research and worked with the team at the University of Alicante to determine how to approach this together. Our complementary expertise was a nice fit. At Microsoft Research, our mission is to push the boundaries of medical AI through innovative, data-driven solutions. The University of Alicante, with its deep clinical expertise, provided critical insights that greatly enriched the dataset’s relevance and utility. The result of this collaboration is the PadChest-GR dataset.

A significant enabler of our annotation process was Centaur Labs. The team of senior and junior radiologists from the University Hospital Sant Joan d’Alacant, coordinated by Joaquin Galant, used this HIPAA-compliant labeling platform to perform rigorous study-level quality control and bounding box annotations. The annotation protocol implemented ensured that each annotation was accurate and consistent, forming the backbone of a dataset designed for the next generation of grounded radiology report generation models.

Accelerating PadChest-GR dataset annotation with AI

Our approach integrates advanced large language models with comprehensive manual annotation:

Data Selection & Processing: Leveraging Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service (opens in new tab) with GPT-4, we extracted sentences describing individual positive and negative findings from raw radiology reports, translated them from Spanish to English, and linked each sentence to the existing expert labels from PadChest. This was done for a selected subset of the full PadChest dataset, carefully curated to reflect a realistic distribution of clinically relevant findings.

Manual Quality Control & Annotation: The processed studies underwent meticulous quality checks on the Centaur Labs platform by radiologist from Hospital San Juan de Alicante. Each positive finding was then annotated with bounding boxes to capture critical spatial information.

Standardization & Integration: All annotations were harmonized into coherent grounded reports, preserving the structure and context of the original findings while enhancing interpretability.

Figure 2. Overview of the data curation pipeline.

Impact and future directions

PadChest-GR not only sets a new benchmark for grounded radiology reporting, but also serves as the foundation for our MAIRA-2 model, which already showcases the potential of highly interpretable AI in clinical settings. While we developed PadChest-GR to help train and validate our own models, we believe the research community will greatly benefit from this dataset for many years to come. We look forward to seeing the broader research community build on this—improving grounded reporting AI models and using PadChest-GR as a standard for evaluation. We believe that by fostering open collaboration and sharing our resources, we can accelerate progress in medical imaging AI and ultimately improve patient care together with the community.

The collaboration between Microsoft Research and the University of Alicante highlights the transformative power of working together across disciplines. With our publication in NEJM-AI and the integral role of PadChest-GR in the development of MAIRA-2 (opens in new tab) and RadFact (opens in new tab), we are excited about the future of AI-empowered radiology. We invite researchers and industry experts to explore PadChest-GR and MAIRA-2, contribute innovative ideas, and join us in advancing the field of grounded radiology reporting.

Papers already using PadChest-GR:

For further details or to download PadChest-GR, please visit the BIMCV PadChest-GR Project (opens in new tab).

Models in the Azure Foundry that can do Grounded Reporting:

Acknowledgement
- Authors: Daniel C. Castro (opens in new tab), Aurelia Bustos (opens in new tab), Shruthi Bannur (opens in new tab), Stephanie L. Hyland (opens in new tab), Kenza Bouzid (opens in new tab), Maria Teodora Wetscherek (opens in new tab), Maria Dolores Sánchez-Valverde (opens in new tab), Lara Jaques-Pérez (opens in new tab), Lourdes Pérez-Rodríguez (opens in new tab), Kenji Takeda (opens in new tab), José María Salinas (opens in new tab), Javier Alvarez-Valle (opens in new tab), Joaquín Galant Herrero (opens in new tab), Antonio Pertusa (opens in new tab)
MIL OSI Economics –
June 27, 2025