Category: Health

MIL-OSI Australia: Arrest – Domestic violence – Tennant Creek

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested a male in relation to a domestic violence incident in Tennant Creek on over the weekend.

About 8:30pm Saturday 26 April 2025, police received reports of a domestic disturbance at a residence where a female was allegedly kicked to the head multiple times by her male partner, who was wearing steel cap boots at the time.

Police and St John Ambulance attended; however, the alleged offender fled prior to their arrival.

St John Ambulance conveyed the victim to Tennant Creek Regional Hospital for medical assessment, where she was later transported to Alice Springs Hospital for further treatment.

On 30 April 2025, police located and arrested the 46-year-old alleged offender who has been charged with Recklessly endanger serious harm, Threats to kill and Possess offensive weapon at night.

He has been remanded to appear in Tennant Creek Local Court on 1 May 2025.

If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to, 1800RESPECT (1800737732) or Lifeline 131 114.

MIL OSI News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: 2025-58 HAWAIʻI LEADS MULTISTATE LETTER URGING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO RESTORE TITLE X FUNDING
Source: US State of Hawaii

2025-58 HAWAIʻI LEADS MULTISTATE LETTER URGING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO RESTORE TITLE X FUNDING

Posted on May 1, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

DEPARTMENT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL

KA ʻOIHANA O KA LOIO KUHINA

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

ANNE LOPEZ

ATTORNEY GENERAL

LOIO KUHINA

HAWAIʻI LEADS MULTISTATE LETTER URGING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO RESTORE TITLE X FUNDING

News Release 2025-58

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 1, 2025

HONOLULU – Attorney General Anne Lopez today led a coalition of 20 attorneys general in sending a letter to the Trump Administration to express serious concern with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) decision to withhold tens of millions of dollars in Title X funding.

Signed into law by President Richard Nixon, Title X is the nation’s only federal program dedicated to family planning for low-income and uninsured individuals. On March 31, HHS issued letters to a wide range of grant recipients that fund nearly 25% of all Title X clinics, indicating that these grantees’ Title X grants were being withheld.

In today’s letter, the attorneys general write that the withholding of funds will lead to more unintended pregnancies, more sexually transmitted infections (STIs), increased rates of undiagnosed HIV, increased rates of cervical cancer and a higher burden on over-stretched state budgets.

“Hawai‘i has been deprived of all Title X funding, jeopardizing our residents’ access to vital healthcare,” said Deputy Solicitor General Caitlyn Carpenter. “We know from prior experience what happens when the federal government interferes with Title X. People experience an increase in serious health harms and states bear higher burdens. We urge Secretary Kennedy to reverse course and fully fund these critical programs.”

According to the letter, if state and local governments are not able to make up for the federal shortfall, patients will see a reduction in services as clinics close and providers are terminated. The letter goes on to explain that this will fall particularly hard on poor and rural communities that are the primary beneficiaries of the Title X programs. In many areas, a Title X clinic is the only source of prenatal services and screening for STIs.

In the letter, the attorneys general write that:
- Recent history demonstrates that cutting Title X grantees will worsen care. In 2019, the Trump Administration changed the rules governing Title X, leading to a mass loss of healthcare providers. Nationwide, the number of Title X patients fell more than 60%, from 3.9 million to 1.5 million. This recent history demonstrates what happens — and how quickly — when the federal government slashes access to Title X. In total, the Guttmacher Institute estimates that as a direct result of HHS’s action in withholding funds, at least 834,000 patients, representing 30% of the total population served, will lose care in the first year alone.
- The states will be harmed by HHS’s decision. While the 2019 rule was in effect, many states were forced to make emergency appropriations to cover for the loss of providers. Title X programs are a critical component of vital public health infrastructure. An important example is the role of Title X programs in detecting and preventing STIs. Between 2006 and 2010, 18% of all women who were tested, treated, or received counseling for an STI did so at a Title X clinic, as did 14% of women tested for HIV. States are once again faced with a choice: dip once again into general funds to make up the difference, or deal with a surge in new STIs and unintended pregnancies.
- There is no justification for the terminations. Although HHS suggested Title X grantees violated federal civil rights laws, HHS has provided absolutely no evidence supporting this suggestion.
This letter is led by Attorney General Lopez and Attorney General Rob Bonta of California. Joining the letter are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

A copy of the letter can be found here.

* * *

Media Contacts:

Dave Day

Special Assistant to the Attorney General

Office: 808-586-1284

Email: [email protected]

Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

Toni Schwartz
Public Information Officer
Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General
Office: 808-586-1252
Cell: 808-379-9249
Email: [email protected]

Web: http://ag.hawaii.gov

MIL OSI USA News –
May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI: Patria Reports First Quarter 2025 Earnings Results

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands, May 02, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Patria (Nasdaq:PAX) reported today its unaudited results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025. The full detailed presentation of Patria’s first quarter 2025 results can be accessed on the Shareholders section of Patria’s website at https://ir.patria.com/.

Alex Saigh, Patria’s CEO, said: “Patria is off to a very exciting start to 2025 as fundraising totaled a record $3.2 billion, highlighting the expanded reach of our investment platforms and distribution capabilities, and putting us in a strong position to achieve our $6 billion fundraising target for the year. We also reported 1Q25 FRE of $42.6 million, or $0.27 per share, representing year-over-year growth of 21% and 16%, respectively, despite the volatility in the region. Also, FEAUM grew 6% sequentially and 46% year-over-year, and we generated over $700 million of organic net inflows, reflecting an annualized organic growth rate of 9%. While a looming trade war and rising global economic concerns create potential headwinds, we believe we are well positioned to generate the $200 to $225 million of FRE we are targeting for 2025 as the increased diversification of our platform is paying off in terms of fundraising and profitable organic growth, enhancing our confidence in the three-year targets we introduced at our Investor Day back on December 9^th.”

Financial Highlights (reported in $ USD)

IFRS results included $13.6 million of net income attributable to Patria in Q1 2025. Patria generated Fee Related Earnings of $42.6 million in Q1 2025, up 21% from $35.1 million in Q1 2024, with an FRE margin of 55.1%. Distributable Earnings were $36.8 million for Q1 2025, or $0.23 per share.

Dividends

Patria declared a quarterly dividend of $0.15 per share to record holders of common stock at the close of business on May 14th, 2025. This dividend will be paid on June 12th, 2025.

Conference Call

Patria will host its first quarter 2025 earnings conference call via public webcast on May 2^nd, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. ET. To register and join, please use the following link:

https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/ah6qnzkp/

For those unable to listen to the live broadcast, there will be a webcast replay on the Shareholders section of Patria’s website at https://ir.patria.com/ shortly after the call’s completion.

About Patria

Patria is a global alternative asset management firm focused on the mid-market segment, specializing in resilient sectors across select regions. We are the leading asset manager in Latin America and have a strong presence in Europe through our extensive network of General Partners relationships. Our on-the-ground presence combines investment leaders, sector experts, company managers, and strategic relationships, allowing us to identify compelling investment opportunities accessible only to those with local proficiency. With 36 years of experience and over $45 billion in assets under management, we consistently deliver attractive returns through long-term investments, while promoting inclusive and sustainable development in the regions where we operate. Further information is available at www.patria.com.

Asset Classes: Private Equity, Solutions (GPMS), Credit, Real Estate, Infrastructure, and Public Equities

Main sectors: Agribusiness, Power & Energy, Healthcare, Logistics & Transportations, Food & Beverage and Digital & Tech Services

Investment Regions: Latin America, Europe and US

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “outlook,” “indicator,” “believes,” “expects,” “potential,” “continues,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “seeks,” “approximately,” “predicts,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words, among others. Forward-looking statements appear in a number of places in this press release and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our intent, belief or current expectations. Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update them in light of new information or future developments or to release publicly any revisions to these statements in order to reflect later events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. Further information on these and other factors that could affect our financial results is included in filings we have made and will make with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including but not limited to those described under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our most recent annual report on Form 20-F, as such factors may be updated from time to time in our periodic filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in our periodic filings.

Contact

Patria Shareholder Relations
E. PatriaShareholderRelations@patria.com
T. +1 917 769 1611

The MIL Network –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Gaza, Sudan & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations

Source: United Nations (Video News)

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

Highlights:

– Gaza
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Sudan
– Democratic Republic of the Congo
– Afghanistan
– Resident Coordinator – Maldives
– Briefing Today

GAZA
In a statement today, Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, said that the hostages in Gaza must be released, but international law is unequivocal: As the occupying power, Israel must allow humanitarian support in. Aid, and the civilian lives it saves, should never be a bargaining chip, he said.
Mr. Fletcher said that the humanitarian movement is independent, impartial and neutral and believes that all civilians are equally worthy of protection. But as the UN Secretary-General has made clear, the latest modality proposed by Israeli authorities does not meet the minimum bar for principled humanitarian support.
He called on the Israeli authorities to lift this brutal blockade and let humanitarians save lives. And he told the civilians of Gaza: We won’t give up, even if the world has given you every reason to give up on us.

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian warns that humanitarian operations continue to be stifled by severe movement restrictions inside Gaza, as well as military activity and attacks that jeopardize the safety of aid workers and their premises.
Recent strikes have reportedly hit residential buildings and tents sheltering displaced people, especially in Rafah and eastern Gaza City. As of this Tuesday, our humanitarian partners estimate that more than 423,000 people in Gaza have been displaced once again, with no safe place to go.
With most commodities unavailable, attacks on humanitarian convoys and looting are increasing, including two incidents in Gaza City yesterday. This not only endangers the lives of aid workers but also disrupts their operations.
The World Health Organization and its partners report severe shortages of vital medicines and medical equipment. They also warn that acute watery diarrhea cases have risen by 4 per cent compared to previous weeks, as the weather gets warmer and hygiene conditions continue to deteriorate.
Meanwhile, our colleagues on the ground have not been enabled to retrieve remaining stocks of desperately needed fuel located in areas that require coordination with Israeli authorities. Eight out of nine such attempts have been denied by the Israeli authorities since mid-April.
Our partners working to provide child protection support warn that children – who make up half of Gaza’s population – face escalating levels of trauma, violence and neglect, as ongoing military operations, mass displacement, and funding shortages disrupt education and critical child protection services.
Meanwhile, in the West Bank, today marks 100 days since the Israeli operation in northern areas began, causing a wave of deaths, injuries, destruction and displacement. To date, some 40,000 Palestinians remain displaced and unable to return to their homes.
The UN and our partners continue to respond to the deepening needs of displaced families, including by providing food, water and sanitation assistance, health services, psycho-social support and cash assistance. Since the beginning of the Israeli forces’ operation in the northern West Bank on 21 January, and as of yesterday, nearly 7,000 families have received a first round of cash assistance.

Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/ossg/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=01+May+2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbIzhVGa3mk

MIL OSI Video –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Progress in clearing longest waits
Source: Scottish Government

More than 105,500 procedures delivered last year with additional funding.

More than 105,500 appointments and procedures were delivered by health boards last year through an additional £30 million of targeted investment – exceeding a pledge to carry out 64,000 appointments by the end of March 2025.

The funding was targeted at the longest waits and, as seen in latest published data, there have been reductions in waiting lists across a number of specialities. Between March 2024 and December 2024 there has been:
- a 71% decrease in waits for Scopes at NHS Ayrshire & Arran
- a 52% decrease in Imaging waits at NHS Fife
- a 28% decrease in Ophthalmology waits at NHS Lothian
- a 23% decrease in Urology waits at NHS Lanarkshire
- a 10% decrease in Orthopaedic waits at NHS Highland.
Latest published statistics also show improved waiting times performance with diagnostic waits at their lowest since October 2021.

In April 2024 the Scottish Government funded NHS boards to deliver 64,000 procedures (40,000 diagnostic procedures, 12,000 surgeries and 12,000 new outpatient appointments) by the end of the year. By March 2025, 10,700 surgeries and 15,800 outpatients appointments were delivered. Almost 79,000 diagnostic procedures took place – delivering almost double the original pledge of 40,000.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said:

“We have delivered on our promise, exceeding our original target of 64,000 by more than 41,000 procedures – we have carried out nearly double the amount of diagnostic procedures originally pledged, with diagnostic waits now at the their lowest since October 2021. This is testament to hard work and dedication of our NHS staff and I thank them for their outstanding efforts.

“This is welcome progress and shows we are moving in the right direction. But we know many people are still waiting too long and we are determined do more. That is why we are investing record amounts in our health service, targeting waiting list backlogs and delivering 150,000 additional appointments.

“This government is focussed on taking the action needed to cut waiting lists and make it easier for patients to get access to the treatment they need. Next week the First Minister will publish our Programme for Government, setting out how we will build on recent progress and further reduce patient waits in the year ahead.”

Background

This is an update on progress previously reported in February this year – Pledge on waiting times exceeded – gov.scot

Written question and answer: S6W-37418 | Scottish Parliament Website
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UKHSA publishes new analysis of health inequalities in England
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

News story

UKHSA publishes new analysis of health inequalities in England

Data shows current state of health inequalities caused by infectious diseases, as well as environmental health hazards
As part of its commitment to achieving equitable health security outcomes for everyone, the UK Health Security Agency is publishing (Friday 2 May) comprehensive new data, the Health Inequalities in Health Protection report. The report provides a high-level summary of the current state of health inequalities in England caused by infectious diseases, as well as environmental health hazards.

The analysis mainly uses hospital admissions as a measure of infectious disease levels; key findings include:

people living in the 20% most deprived areas in England are almost twice as likely to be admitted to hospital due to infectious diseases than the least deprived

those living in the North-West are 30% more likely to be hospitalised for an infectious disease (3,600 per 100,000 admissions for Sept 23-Aug 24), compared to the England average (2,800 per 100,000)

areas of high levels of deprivation typically experience higher levels of air pollution than less deprived and less ethnically diverse areas

the scale of inequalities between ethnic groups varies by specific disease. For example, emergency admission rates for tuberculosis were 29 times higher for ‘Asian other ‘, 27 times higher for ‘Indian’ and 15 times higher for ‘Black African’, compared to ‘White British’

As well as the costs to the social, physical and mental health of our communities, it was estimated that inequalities in emergency infectious disease hospital admissions cost the NHS between £970 million and £1.5 billion in 2022-23.

People living in deprived communities experience higher emergency hospital admission rates, compared to the least deprived communities; the data show these are:

twice as high for respiratory diseases in general and up to seven times higher specifically for tuberculosis and six times higher for measles.

twice as high for invasive infections in general, and up to 2.5 times higher specifically for sepsis

1.7 times higher for gastrointestinal diseases

People from more deprived areas are also disproportionately impacted by radiation, chemical, climate and environmental hazards through their exposure, direct impact on their health, and the exacerbation of existing health conditions. Areas with high levels of deprivation typically have higher levels of air pollution than less deprived and less ethnically diverse areas.

Dr Leonora Weil, Deputy Director for Health Equity and Inclusion at UKHSA said:

The report reveals some stark facts on the state of inequalities in health security faced by some people, in particular those living in the most deprived communities and certain areas of the country, some ethnic groups, as well as excluded groups such as those experiencing homelessness.

These health protection inequalities – where there are poorer health outcomes based on where you live, your socio-economic status or ethnicity are avoidable, pervasive, and preventable. That is why it is so important to shine a light on these findings to increase action to support communities to live longer and in better health.

Going forward our data and analysis of the evidence will help us, and our partners apply a health equity lens to all our health security work, to inform how we better target effective health services and wider interventions to those most at need.

This report is just the start. We need to build on these insights, as only through persistent and dedicated effort across all health organisations will we make a real difference to helping all people live longer and in better health.

UKHSA’s approach to reducing health inequalities in health protection involves:

building our understanding of the people and places that experience these inequalities

taking a ‘people and place’ approach, working with local and national systems to support integrated, tailored and accessible interventions that better meet the needs of different communities and groups

working in partnership across national and local government, the NHS, the voluntary, faith and charity sector and communities themselves

equipping the UKHSA workforce with the capacity and capability to address inequalities in health protection in everything we do

Inclusion health groups, such as people seeking asylum, people in prison, people experiencing homelessness and people who inject drugs are often disproportionately impacted by a range of infectious diseases. For example, it is estimated that over 80% of people in England living with chronic Hepatitis C have an injecting drug history. However, inclusion health groups are often not visible in routine health surveillance data.

In addition to the social, physical and mental health costs to our communities, health inequalities also have a significant economic burden. It was estimated that inequalities in emergency infectious disease hospital admissions cost the NHS between £970 million and £1.5 billion in 2022-23. In a recent UKHSA report summarising infectious disease trends, it was estimated that infectious diseases were the primary reason for over 20% of hospital bed usage, at an annual cost of almost £6bn in 2023 to 2024.

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Published 2 May 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Programme for State Visit from Iceland, 6–8 May 2025

Source: Government of Sweden

Iceland’s President Halla Tómasdóttir is paying a State Visit to Sweden at the invitation of His Majesty the King. The President is accompanied by her spouse Björn Skúlason, Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir and Minister for Health Alma Möller, together with a delegation from the business sector.

MIL OSI Europe News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: New Abortion Pill Research Questions Health NZ Advice

Source: Family First

MEDIA RELEASE – 2 May 2025
Family First is calling on the Ministry of Health, Health New Zealand and Medsafe to respond to significant new research coming out of the United States that shows that almost one in nine women have serious adverse events after taking the abortion pill, mifepristone.

“The sheer scale of adverse events impacting women needs a response from New Zealand health officials, most importantly to let women know there are serious risks with the taking of these drugs” said Bob McCoskrie, Chief Executive of Family First.

The Ethics and Public Policy Center – a Washington DC-based institute – has released a report entitled “The Abortion Pill Harms Women: Insurance Data Reveals One in Ten Patients Experiences a Serious Adverse Event.”

The report analysed the all-payer insurance claims database which included 865,727 prescribed mifepristone-induced abortions from 2017 to 2023. Over this period of time, the researchers discovered that 10.93 percent of women experienced sepsis, infection, haemorrhaging, or other serious adverse events within 45 days following the use of the abortion drug, mifepristone.

“That mifepristone is regularly used and promoted here in New Zealand means the Ministry of Health, Health NZ, and Medsafe have a duty of care to inform women of the real risks of using the drug. Those importing the drug for use must also take responsibility for the real harms this research has uncovered. To continue saying the drug’s use is harmless is demonstrably false and putting women at risk of significant harm” said Mr McCoskrie.

While pro-abortion advocates will try and point to a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clinical trials study which indicated a 0.5% likelihood of adverse events, this FDA study is now well out of date; based only on clinical trials; and involving only a fraction of the number of people this new research has studied.

Family First is calling for New Zealand health officials to respond by prioritising women’s health, ensuring the risks of taking mifepristone are clearly spelt out, and that access to the drug is only under a physician’s supervision – not the current situation where the drugs can be obtained over the counter at pharmacies or even via home delivery where there may be very little supervision or after-care.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Two in custody following alleged Tasman Highway evade

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Two in custody following alleged Tasman Highway evade

Friday, 2 May 2025 – 4:00 pm.

Two people remain in custody and are assisting police with their inquiries following an alleged evade incident in Southern Tasmania earlier today.
Significant police resources were deployed after a vehicle allegedly evaded police at Colebrook just after 12.30pm.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter assisted by safely maintaining observations and reducing the risk posed to the public and police.
A blue Ford Courier ute was observed by the helicopter allegedly driving dangerously on the highway, travelling on the incorrect side of the road and into oncoming traffic.
The ute was successfully spiked by police before the alleged offenders were provided with another vehicle by a person known to them and they were again detected driving erratically in a silver Ford Laser.
The alleged offenders were safely taken into custody at Brighton just before 2pm after their sedan crashed into another vehicle and they unsuccessfully attempted to carjack another vehicle.
The driver and passenger of the vehicle the alleged offenders crashed into were taken to the Royal Hobart Hospital as a precaution.
Investigations are ongoing and police would like to thank members of the public who reported the vehicles during the incident.
Anyone with information about a blue Ford Courier ute or a silver Ford Laser driving dangerously on the Tasman Highway in the Colebrook, Lindisfarne or Risdon Vale areas between 12.30pm and 2pm should contact police on 131 444 and quote ESCAD 185-02052025
Dash cam footage can be uploaded here

MIL OSI News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: The MMR vaccine doesn’t contain ‘aborted fetus debris’, as RFK Jr has claimed. Here’s the science

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hassan Vally, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, Deakin University

Robert F. Kennedy Jr, the United States’ top public health official, recently claimed some religious groups avoid the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine because it contains “aborted fetus debris” and “DNA particles”.

The US is facing its worst measles outbreaks in years with nearly 900 cases across the country and active outbreaks in several states.

At the same time, Kennedy, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, continues to erode trust in vaccines.

So what can we make of his latest claims?

There’s no fetal debris in the MMR vaccine

Kennedy said “aborted fetus debris” in MMR vaccines is the reason many religious people refuse vaccination. He referred specifically to the Mennonites in Texas, a deeply religious community, who have been among the hardest hit by the current measles outbreaks.

Many vaccines work by using a small amount of an attenuated (weakened) form of a virus, or in the case of the MMR vaccine, attenuated forms of the viruses that cause measles, mumps and rubella. This gives the immune system a safe opportunity to learn how to recognise and respond to these viruses.

As a result, if a person is later exposed to the actual infection, their immune system can react swiftly and effectively, preventing serious illness.

Kennedy’s claim about fetal debris specifically refers to the rubella component of the MMR vaccine. The rubella virus is generally grown in a human cell line known as WI-38, which was originally derived from lung tissue of a single elective abortion in the 1960s. This cell line has been used for decades, and no new fetal tissue has been used since.

Certain vaccines for other diseases, such as chickenpox, hepatitis A and rabies, have also been made by growing the viruses in fetal cells.

These cells are used not because of their origin, but because they provide a stable, safe and reliable environment for growing the attenuated virus. They serve only as a growth medium for the virus and they are not part of the final product.

You might think of the cells as virus-producing factories. Once the virus is grown, it’s extracted and purified as part of a rigorous process to meet strict safety and quality standards. What remains in the final vaccine is the virus itself and stabilising agents, but not human cells, nor fetal tissue.

So claims about “fetal debris” in the vaccine are false.

It’s also worth noting the world’s major religions permit the use of vaccines developed from cells originally derived from fetal tissue when there are no alternative products available.

Are there fragments of DNA in the MMR vaccine?

Kennedy claimed the Mennonites’ reluctance to vaccinate stems from “religious objections” to what he described as “a lot of aborted fetus debris and DNA particles” in the MMR vaccine.

The latter claim, about the vaccine containing DNA particles, is technically true. Trace amounts of DNA fragments from the human cell lines used to produce the rubella component of the MMR vaccine may remain even after purification.

However, with this claim, there’s an implication these fragments pose a health risk. This is false.

Any DNA that may be present in this vaccine exists in extremely small amounts, is highly fragmented and degraded, and is biologically inert – that is, it cannot cause harm.

Even if, hypothetically, intact DNA were present in the vaccine (which it’s not), it would not have the capacity to cause harm. One common (but unfounded) concern is that foreign DNA could integrate with a person’s own DNA, and alter their genome.

Introducing DNA into human cells in a way that leads to integration is very difficult. Even when scientists are deliberately trying to do this, for example, in gene therapy, it requires precise tools, special viral delivery systems and controlled conditions.

It’s also important to remember our bodies are exposed to foreign DNA constantly, through food, bacteria and even our own microbiome. Our immune system routinely digests and disposes of this material without incorporating it into our genome.

This question has been extensively studied over decades. Multiple health authorities, including Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration, have addressed the misinformation regarding perceived harm from residual DNA in vaccines.

Ultimately, the idea that fragmented DNA in a vaccine could cause genetic harm is false.

The bottom line

Despite what Kennedy would have you believe, there’s no fetal debris in the MMR vaccine, and the trace amounts of DNA fragments that may remain pose no health risk.

What the evidence does show, however, is that vaccines like the MMR vaccine offer excellent protection against deadly and preventable diseases, and have saved millions of lives around the world.

Hassan Vally does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. The MMR vaccine doesn’t contain ‘aborted fetus debris’, as RFK Jr has claimed. Here’s the science – https://theconversation.com/the-mmr-vaccine-doesnt-contain-aborted-fetus-debris-as-rfk-jr-has-claimed-heres-the-science-255718

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Ending Taxpayer Subsidization Of Biased Media

US Senate News:

Source: The White House
class=”has-text-align-left”>By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered:
Section 1. Purpose. National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) receive taxpayer funds through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Unlike in 1967, when the CPB was established, today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse, and innovative news options. Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence.
At the very least, Americans have the right to expect that if their tax dollars fund public broadcasting at all, they fund only fair, accurate, unbiased, and nonpartisan news coverage. No media outlet has a constitutional right to taxpayer subsidies, and the Government is entitled to determine which categories of activities to subsidize. The CPB’s governing statute reflects principles of impartiality: the CPB may not “contribute to or otherwise support any political party.” 47 U.S.C. 396(f)(3); see also id. 396(e)(2).
The CPB fails to abide by these principles to the extent it subsidizes NPR and PBS. Which viewpoints NPR and PBS promote does not matter. What does matter is that neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens.
I therefore instruct the CPB Board of Directors (CPB Board) and all executive departments and agencies (agencies) to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS.
Sec. 2. Instructions to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. (a) The CPB Board shall cease direct funding to NPR and PBS, consistent with my Administration’s policy to ensure that Federal funding does not support biased and partisan news coverage. The CPB Board shall cancel existing direct funding to the maximum extent allowed by law and shall decline to provide future funding.
(b) The CPB Board shall cease indirect funding to NPR and PBS, including by ensuring that licensees and permittees of public radio and television stations, as well as any other recipients of CPB funds, do not use Federal funds for NPR and PBS. To effectuate this directive, the CPB Board shall, before June 30, 2025, revise the 2025 Television Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria and the 2025 Radio Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria to prohibit direct or indirect funding of NPR and PBS. To the extent permitted by the 2024 Television Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria, the 2024 Radio Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria, and applicable law, the CPB Board shall also prohibit parties subject to these provisions from funding NPR or PBS after the date of this order. In addition, the CPB Board shall take all other necessary steps to minimize or eliminate its indirect funding of NPR and PBS.
Sec. 3. Instructions to Other Agencies. (a) The heads of all agencies shall identify and terminate, to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, any direct or indirect funding of NPR and PBS.
(b) After taking the actions specified in subsection (a) of this section, the heads of all agencies shall identify any remaining grants, contracts, or other funding instruments entered into with NPR or PBS and shall determine whether NPR and PBS are in compliance with the terms of those instruments. In the event of a finding of noncompliance, the head of the relevant agency shall take appropriate steps under the terms of the instrument.
(c) The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall determine whether “the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio (or any successor organization)” are complying with the statutory mandate that “no person shall be subjected to discrimination in employment . . . on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex.” 47 U.S.C. 397(15), 398(b). In the event of a finding of noncompliance, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall take appropriate corrective action.
Sec. 4. Severability. If any provision of this order, or the application of any provision to any agency, person, or circumstance, is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order and the application of its provisions to any other agencies, persons, or circumstances shall not be affected thereby.
Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i)   the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or
(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
                              DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
    May 1, 2025.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Education – Whitireia and WelTec Celebrate Graduates in Lively Lower Hutt Ceremony

Source: Whitireia and WelTec

On 30 April Whitireia and WelTec proudly celebrated the Whakapōtaetanga (graduation) of ākonga (students) from Engineering, Business, IT, Health, Creative, and Hospitality. The event was the second of two graduation ceremonies to be held in 2025, celebrating over 1,000 graduates.

The ceremony was opened by the cultural leadership of Whitireia and WelTec Tamaiti Whangai Mentor and Jobs Broker Tame Ngaheke (Te Āti Awa). Te Ara Whānui Kura Kaupapa Māori o ngā Kōhanga Reo o Te Awa Kairangi performers welcomed the graduands as they took their places in the Lower Hutt Town Hall and set the scene for what was a moving ceremony.

Mayor of Lower Hutt Campbell Barry and Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy (as pictured) joined the celebrations to acknowledge the achievements of the graduates and their families.

Mayor Campbell Barry said, “It’s been fantastic to join today’s celebrations and see the pride across the community. Graduation is a major milestone-not just for the students, but for the whānau and friends who have supported them. Whitireia and WelTec graduates bring real skills and talent to our city and will play an important role in shaping Lower Hutt’s future. I’m proud to celebrate with them and look forward to seeing what they achieve next.”

The ceremony ran seamlessly under the guidance of Whitireia and WelTec Jobs Broker, Tui Bradbrook, as MC. It featured inspiring speeches from special guest Vanessa Stacey, Director of the NZ Fringe Festival, and international ākonga speaker, Sonam Narayan.

Vanessa Stacey shared career highlights and commented on the importance of working hard and taking opportunities as they come.

“We live in a world where we are constantly comparing ourselves. The only real commodity that you have is in your own individuality, your own sense of self. Please hold onto that as you take these first steps into the beginning of the rest of your lives.”

Representative of the ākonga body, Sonam Narayan shared her unique experience moving from a new country to join Whitireia and WelTec, and her life-changing journey through tertiary education.

Whitireia and WelTec Executive Director Mark Oldershaw congratulated the ākonga and thanked the families, friends, and the dedicated kaimahi (staff) who have supported them every step of the way.

“We look forward to seeing these talented graduates make their mark on the world, confident that the knowledge, skills, and connections they have gained will empower them to shape a brighter future for themselves and their communities.”

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: ER Report: A Roundup of Significant Articles on EveningReport.nz for May 2, 2025

ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 2, 2025.

Unexpected humour and reflections on a complex past: my top 5 films from the 2025 German Film Festival
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Claudia Sandberg, Senior Lecturer, Technology in Culture and Society, The University of Melbourne Foreign audiences often associate German cinema with tragedy, trauma and death. Certainly, major historical events such as the second world war and the Fall of the Berlin Wall — cornerstones of German film —

Explainer: what mental health support do refugees and asylum seekers get in Australia?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philippa Specker, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Refugee Trauma and Recovery Program, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock When Australia signed the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention, it committed to providing protection to people who have fled war, persecution and human rights violations. Refugees

Dark money: Labor and Liberal join forces in attacks on Teals and Greens for Australian election
Teals and Greens are under political attack from a new pro-fossil fuel, pro-Israel astroturfing group, adding to the onslaught by far-right lobbyists Advance Australia for Australian federal election tomorrow — World Press Freedom Day. Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon investigate. SPECIAL REPORT: By Wendy Bacon and Yaakov Aharon On February 12 this year, former prime

How the US ‘war on woke’ and women risks weakening its own military capability
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Bethan Greener, Associate Professor of Politics, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a visit with Michigan Air National Guard troops, April 29. Getty Images With US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s “proud” cancellation this week of the military’s Women, Peace

What are the symptoms of measles? How long does the vaccine last? Experts answer 6 key questions
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Phoebe Williams, Paediatrician & Infectious Diseases Physician; Senior Lecturer & NHMRC Fellow, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney fotohay/Shutterstock So far in 2025 (as of May 1), 70 cases of measles have been notified in Australia, with all states and territories except Tasmania and the Australian Capital

Logging devastated Victoria’s native forests – and new research shows 20% has failed to grow back
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Maldwyn John Evans, Senior Research Fellow, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University Old growth mountain ash forest in the Maroondah water supply catchment, Victoria. Chris Taylor Following the end of native logging in Victoria on January 1 2024, the state’s majestic forests might be

Schools today also teach social and emotional skills. Why is this important? And what’s involved?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kristin R. Laurens, Professor, School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology DGLImages/Shutterstock The school curriculum has changed a lot from when many parents and grandparents were at school. Alongside new approaches to learning maths and increasing attention on technology, there is a compulsory focus on

As Dutton champions nuclear power, Indigenous artists recall the profound loss of land and life that came from it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Josephine Goldman, Sessional Academic, School of Languages and Cultures, Discipline of French and Francophone Studies, University of Sydney Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s promise to power Australia with nuclear energy has been described by experts as a costly “mirage” that risks postponing the clean energy transition. Beyond this,

Grattan on Friday: Key markers on the bumpy road to this election
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra When we look back, we can see the road to election day has had a multitude of signposts, flashing red lights, twists, turns and potholes. Some came before the formal campaign; others in the final countdown days; some have been

NZ doctors defend nationwide strike action over recruitment
By Ruth Hill, RNZ News reporter Striking senior New Zealand doctors have hit back at the Health Minister’s attack on their union for “forcing” patients to wait longer for surgery and appointments, due to their 24-hour industrial action. Respiratory and sleep physician Dr Andrew Davies, who was on the picketline outside Wellington Regional Hospital, said

Gallery: Doctors, health workers challenge NZ government over national crisis
Asia Pacific Report Thousands of senior hospital doctors and specialists walked off the job today for an unprecedented 24-hour strike in protest over stalled contract negotiations and thousands of other health workers protested across Aotearoa New Zealand against the coalition government’s cutbacks to the public health service Te Whatu Ora. In spite of the disruptive

The Coalition’s costings show some savings, but a larger deficit than Labor in the first two years
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Bartos, Professor of Economics, University of Canberra The Coalition’s policy costings have been released, just two days ahead of the federal election. The costings show the Coalition would run up a larger budget deficit than Labor in the first two years of government, but make a

Tourism to the US is tanking. Flight Centre is facing a $100m hit as a result
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Anita Manfreda, Senior Lecturer in Tourism, Torrens University Australia Doubletree Studio/Shutterstock Flight Centre, one of the world’s largest travel agencies, has warned it could lose more than A$100 million in earnings this year, citing weakening demand for travel to the United States. In a statement to the

The rise of right-wing Christian populism and its powerful impact on Australian politics
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elenie Poulos, Adjunct Fellow, Macquarie University As Australians cast pre-poll votes in record numbers, it is not only political parties and candidates who are trying to influence votes. Australian Christian Right (ACR) groups have produced “scorecards” that rate party policies according to so-called Christian values. And they

Election quiz: have you been paying attention?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Digital Storytelling Team, The Conversation We’re at the tail end of five weeks of intense campaigning for the federal election. The major and minor parties, as well as independents, have thrown a slew of policies at the Australian people, most of which we’ve catalogued in our Policy

Major YouGov poll has Labor easily winning a majority of seats in election
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A YouGov MRP poll has Labor clearly winning a majority of seats in the federal election – 84 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives.

Which medications are commonly prescribed for autistic people and why?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hiran Thabrew, Senior Lecturer in Child Psychiatry and Paediatrics, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau Arlette Lopez/Shutterstock Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition. Someone may have social and communication differences, sensory issues and/or restricted, repetitive patterns of behaviour or interests. There has been increased awareness and an expanded

How do candidates skirt Chinese social media bans on political content? They use influencers
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fan Yang, Research fellow at Melbourne Law School, the University of Melbourne and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society., The University of Melbourne This election, social media has been a major battleground as candidates try to reach younger voters. As Gen Z and

Who would win in a fight between 100 men and 1 gorilla? An evolutionary expert weighs in
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Renaud Joannes-Boyau, Professor in Geochronology and Geochemistry, Southern Cross University Hung Hung Chih/Shutterstock The internet’s latest absurd obsession is: who would win in a no-rules fight between 100 average human men and one adult male gorilla? This hypothetical and strange question has taken over Reddit, TikTok, YouTube

The global costs of the US-China tariff war are mounting. And the worst may be yet to come
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kai He, Professor of International Relations, Griffith University The United States and China remain in a standoff in their tariff war. Neither side appears willing to budge. After US President Donald Trump imposed massive 145% tariffs on Chinese imports in early April, China retaliated with its own

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: New HHS Report Urges Therapy For Trans Youth

Source: Family First

MEDIA RELEASE
2 May 2025

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released a report urging exploratory therapy for youth with gender dysphoria rather than the chemicalisation and surgical intervention approach.

This is yet another nail in the coffin of radical gender ideology and the medical experiments being foisted on our vulnerable young people.

The report says that many of these children and adolescents have co-occurring psychiatric or neurodevelopmental conditions, rendering them especially vulnerable, and is published against the backdrop of growing international concern about pediatric medical transition. They say:

Health authorities have also recognized the exceptional nature of this area of medicine. That exceptionalism is due to a convergence of factors. One is that the diagnosis of gender dysphoria is based entirely on subjective self-reports and behavioral observations, without any objective physical, imaging, or laboratory markers. The diagnosis centers on attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that are known to fluctuate during adolescence. Medical professionals have no way to know which patients may continue to experience gender dysphoria and which will come to terms with their bodies.

The report clearly outlines the risks of significant harm:

Nevertheless, the “gender-affirming” model of care includes irreversible endocrine and surgical interventions on minors with no physical pathology. These interventions carry risk of significant harms including infertility/sterility, sexual dysfunction, impaired bone density accrual, adverse cognitive impacts, cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders, psychiatric disorders, surgical complications, and regret. Meanwhile, systematic reviews of the evidence have revealed deep uncertainty about the purported benefits of these interventions.

The report also says:

The “gender-affirming” model of care, as practiced in U.S. clinics, is characterized by a child-led process in which comprehensive mental health assessments are often minimized or omitted, and the patient’s “embodiment goals” serve as the primary guide for treatment decisions. In some of the nation’s 15 leading pediatric gender clinics, assessments are conducted in a single session lasting two hours.

The report rightly criticises the “gender-affirming” model of care recommended by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) – which is also the basis of NZ’s model via the activist group PATHA (Professional Association for Transgender Health Aotearoa), saying:

This model emphasizes the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, as well as surgeries, and casts suspicion on psychotherapeutic approaches for management of gender dysphoria… In the U.S., the most influential clinical guidelines for the treatment of pediatric gender dysphoria are published by WPATH and the Endocrine Society. A recent systematic review of international guideline quality did not recommend either guideline for clinical use after determining they “lack developmental rigour and transparency.”

Finally the report also calls out the harmful resistance to psychotherapy, including the mischaracterisation of such approaches as “conversion therapy” which actually affirms children in their biological body.

The rise in youth gender dysphoria and the corresponding demand for medical interventions have occurred against the backdrop of a broader mental health crisis affecting adolescents… There is a dearth of research on psychotherapeutic approaches to managing gender dysphoria in children and adolescents. This is due in part to the mischaracterization of such approaches as “conversion therapy.” A more robust evidence base supports psychotherapeutic approaches to managing common comorbid mental health conditions. Psychotherapy is a noninvasive alternative to endocrine and surgical interventions for the treatment of pediatric gender dysphoria. Systematic reviews of evidence have found no evidence of adverse effects of psychotherapy in this context.

Family First has written to the Director-General of Health Dr Diana Sarfati requiring the Ministry of Health to remove the reference to the PATHA Guidelines in the Position Statement on the Use of Puberty Blockers in Gender-Affirming Care issued by the Ministry on 21 November 2024.

The Guidelines for Gender Affirming Health care for Gender Diverse and Transgender Adults in Aotearoa New Zealand written by activists from PATHA makes statements on puberty blockers which are not supported by the findings from the Ministry’s own evidence brief, as summarised in the Position Statement on the Use of Puberty Blockers in Gender-Affirming Care, nor by other probative evidence.

Family First believes it is critical that the Ministry act immediately and make regulations under the Medicines Act to stop the prescribing of puberty blockers for delaying puberty in gender incongruent or gender dysphoric young people because there is insufficient quality evidence that puberty blockers are both safe and reversible and efficacious in the treatment of gender dysphoria.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Bonamici Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Educate Students About Danger of Accidental Fentanyl Poisoning

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

WASHINGTON, DC [5/1/25] – Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) introduced bipartisan legislation based on a successful Oregon program to protect students from accidental fentanyl poisoning.

The Fentanyl Awareness for Children and Teens in Schools (FACTS) Act is modeled on the Beaverton School District’s Fake and Fatal fentanyl awareness curriculum in Oregon, which has successfully prevented student deaths since its launch. The bill will also develop a federal interagency task force to fight the synthetic opioid crisis through education and prevention and improve federal education and health data collection efforts to understand and highlight the effects of synthetic opioids on youth.

Oregonians Jon and Jennifer Epstein lost their son Cal to fentanyl poisoning when he mistakenly took a fake pill, and they were instrumental in creating the Fake and Fatal curriculum and advocating for its expansion. Jon was Bonamici’s guest for the 2024 State of the Union.

“I continue to be inspired by Jon and Jennifer’s dedication to saving lives following the tragic loss of their son,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “The educational programs they helped create are already saving students by increasing awareness about the dangers of fake pills laced with fentanyl. The FACTS Act will build on that legacy by spreading this powerful and effective curriculum to reach students in schools across the country.”

“An accidental fentanyl poisoning forever changed our family,” said Jon and Jennifer Epstein. “Like many youth still today, Cal had no idea that something 50x more powerful than heroin was being made into fake pills that look exactly like real pharmaceuticals and sold on social media for a few bucks. Cal made a tragic mistake thinking that buying something like this online was safe; he had no idea the risk he was taking, and it turned out to be fatal. The FACTS Act will reduce the number of families from suffering the devastation ours did by giving youth trustworthy facts and information about today’s drug landscape and how to keep themselves and their friends safe. We’re incredibly grateful to Rep. Bonamici and the other members for bringing forward and supporting this valuable legislation; closing the knowledge gap and changing the perception of harm around off script medicine use will undoubtably save young lives and lessen the future burden of harmful substance use. There are no magic wands in this crisis, but upstream awareness, education, and primary prevention efforts are largely untapped mitigations with huge potential.

“As a mother who lost a child to this scourge, I am grateful to see members of Congress from opposite sides of the aisle introduce this legislation. I want to thank Representative Bonamici, Representative Wittman, Representative Neguse, and Representative Van Drew for introducing the Fentanyl Awareness for Children and Teens in Schools (FACTS) Act, which will bring awareness to this issue and save lives,” said Laura Didier, Outreach Coordinator at Song for Charlie.

The FACTS Act is cosponsored by Representatives Rob Wittman (R-VA), Joe Neguse (D-CO), and Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ).

“Far too many families in Virginia’s First District and across America have experienced the heartbreak of losing a loved one to accidental fentanyl poisoning,” said Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01). “I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the FACTS Act to help stop this crisis before it starts in schools —by giving students, parents, and educators the tools they need to recognize the dangers of counterfeit pills laced with deadly synthetic opioids. Education is prevention, and this bipartisan bill will help save lives by expanding access to proven awareness programs in schools across the country.”

“The harsh reality we are dealing with is fentanyl is destroying families and taking lives right here in our communities,” said Congressman Jeff Van Drew. “The FACTS Act is a proactive step to arm our students, teachers, and families with the knowledge and tools they need to fight back. By educating our youth about the dangers of counterfeit pills and synthetic opioids, we are giving them the power to make safer choices.”

Only 2 in 5 young Americans consider themselves knowledgeable about fentanyl, according to Song for Charlie. The organization, which is dedicated to raising awareness about fake pills, also found that only 36 percent of teens are aware that fentanyl is being used to create counterfeit pills.

The FACTS Act is endorsed by: Song for Charlie, National PTA, School Superintendents Association (AASA), American Psychological Association (APA), National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), National Association of Counties (NACo), National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

“The recent decline in youth fentanyl deaths indicate that public awareness campaigns are having a positive impact,” said Ed Ternan, President of Song for Charlie, a nonprofit that educates kids and families about the fentanyl crisis. “The FACTS Act facilitates the critical next step – implementing educational programs in classrooms and community centers across the country.”

“The solution to the problem of substance use by youth requires a collaborative effort,” said Yvonne Johnson, president of National PTA, the nation’s oldest and largest child advocacy association. “PTA applauds Representative Bonamici for reintroducing the FACTS Act. The bill would provide funding to establish and strengthen partnerships between public health agencies, nonprofit organizations and state and local education agencies to help raise awareness and prevent the use of fentanyl by children and teens.”

“Fentanyl education works,” said Dr. Gustavo Balderas, Superintendent of the Beaverton School District, where a robust fentanyl awareness program, called Fake & Fatal, has been in practice since April 2021. “When you intentionally and consistently inform students and their families about the dangers of fake pills made from deadly fentanyl, you equip them with the knowledge to make life-saving decisions. It is my hope that this legislation will provide other school districts around the country with the tools and encouragement to implement curriculum and support systems that save lives.”

A fact sheet on the FACTS Act can be found here and the full text can be found here.

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MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Schakowsky, Matsui, Bonamici, 63 House Democrats Demand Answers on the Disbandment of the Administration for Community Living

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Suzanne Bonamici (1st District Oregon)

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Doris Matsui (CA-07), and Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) led 63 House Democrats in a letter to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing their strong opposition to the elimination of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the unjustified termination of nearly half of the agency’s workforce.

“Established in 2012, the ACL was created to eliminate fragmentation in federal programs for aging and disability populations, improve access to quality healthcare and long-term services, and ensure consistent policies across federal agencies,” wrote the lawmakers. “ACL’s workforce plays a crucial role in managing and coordinating federal, state, and local programs aimed at helping seniors and people with disabilities remain healthy and thrive in their homes and communities.”

“We are gravely concerned about your arbitrary directive to dismantle the ACL and urgently request answers to understand the wide-ranging consequences this decision will have upon the health and wellbeing of older adults and individuals with disabilities,” continued the Members.

This letter is in response to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announcement to end ACL’s critical programs across the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This month, a draft budget proposal outlining the proposed elimination of ACL’s Aging Programs and Nutrition and Disability Services Programs from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) was made public.

Full text of the letter can be found here.

This letter has been endorsed by Justice in Aging, National Health Law Program (NHeLP), National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA), USAging, Caring Across Generations, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, and National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

In addition to Reps. Schakowsky, Matsui, and Bonamici, the letter was also signed by Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Jill Tokuda, Lucy McBath, Nanette Diaz Barragán, Dwight Evans, Paul Tonko, Debbie Dingell, Jesús G. “Chuy” García, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Danny K. Davis, Salud Carbajal, Henry C. “Hank” Johnson, Jr., Eric Sorensen, Mark Pocan, Juan Vargas, Sean Casten, J. Luis Correa, Brittany Pettersen, Terri A. Sewell, Sarah McBride, Stephen F. Lynch, Rashida Tlaib, Gwen S. Moore, James P. McGovern, Andrea Salinas, Bennie G. Thompson, David Scott, Haley M. Stevens, Mikie Sherrill, Betty McCollum, Seth Magaziner, Alma S. Adams, Ph.D., Nikki Budzinski, Adam Smith, Hillary J. Scholten, Delia C. Ramirez, Ritchie Torres, Shri Thanedar, Troy A. Carter, Sr., Seth Moulton, Greg Landsman, Greg Stanton, Gabe Amo, Angie Craig, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Jennifer L. McClellan, Eugene Simon Vindman, Becca Balint, Lois Frankel, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Ro Khanna, LaMonica McIver, Kevin Mullin, Maggie Goodlander, Judy Chu, Chellie Pingree, Val Hoyle, George Latimer, Mary Gay Scanlon, Dave Min, Steve Cohen, Kelly Morrison, and Donald S. Beyer Jr.

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MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Mushroom testing could be magic – UoA

Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

Scientists are researching how best to identify mushroom species as a basis for a potential drug-checking service.

Magic mushrooms are coming under the microscope, as scientists at the University of Auckland forage for evidence to support a drug-checking service with the goal of reducing harm.

Doctoral student Sam Lasham will research the science and the acceptability of such a service.

“We’d like to work out the effectiveness of a magic mushroom drug-checking service and the best way to run that, and, in the case of people who are seeking mental health benefits, reduce the risks and offer advice on safe consumption,” Lasham says.

Lasham’s interest grew out of his studies at the University of Otago in genetics and botany and focused on Aotearoa New Zealand’s indigenous mushrooms.

“I was using environmental DNA from soil across our native beech forests in the South Island to estimate where species were and what species were around.

“A lot of that research was focused on DNA sequencing and something called ‘DNA barcoding’, which is using short genetic sequences to identify species.

“That’s what has led into this, because the most important thing, from a safety perspective, is making sure you’ve got the right species of mushroom, and you haven’t got a common lookalike that’s poisonous.”

At the same time, Lasham became interested in illicit use of psilocybin mushrooms and the need for harm-reduction measures, founding Students for Sensible Drug Policy Aotearoa in Dunedin.

There has been increasing interest in the potential benefits of hallucinogenic mushrooms, including studies of microdosing for mental health and creativity at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

Magic mushrooms are typically either grown from spores or foraged, then prepared in various ways to preserve them and enhance their effects.

The active ingredient, psilocybin, is relatively benign, but mushrooms contain other pharmacologically active compounds.

Adverse effects can include nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, and headaches.
If foraging, the biggest risk is accidentally picking a poisonous look-a-like species.

“Galerina are the best example of this as they are very similar to Psilocybe subaeruginosa but they contain some of the same toxins (amatoxins) as the death cap mushroom,” Lasham says.

There are numerous reports of a syndrome termed ‘wood-lovers paralysis’, which seems to be caused by species of psilocybin mushrooms that grow on wood.

Lasham is based in the School of Pharmacy using the lab to identify the constituent parts of various types of mushrooms.

He is working in senior lecturer Dr Rhys Ponton’s research group, which holds the only drug-checking licence specifically for research purposes in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“People can bring their mushroom samples in and know they are legally protected while we are doing a full, confidential and free check of their drugs,” Lasham says.

“We can test the samples to make sure they’re not a poisonous species and also to tell them what dose they have got, which will be another innovation that’s not currently being offered in any drug-checking service.”

The researchers will interview and survey people across the country to see how mushrooms are being consumed, what mushrooms people are using, how they’re using them and what sort of effects they are getting.

An advisory group of people with lived experience of mushroom use will guide how the research is set up, implemented and interpreted.

The research is supported by funding from the HRC and Ember Innovations.

Success in the lab could enable a ‘know your mushrooms’ service to run in a similar way to current drug-checking services at festivals, events and in the community.

Find out more about the study here: http://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/fmhs/research/research-study-recruitment/research-study-recruitment–m—p-/magic-mushroom-drug-checking-study.html

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Explainer: what mental health support do refugees and asylum seekers get in Australia?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Philippa Specker, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Refugee Trauma and Recovery Program, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney

PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

When Australia signed the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention, it committed to providing protection to people who have fled war, persecution and human rights violations.

Refugees have often experienced severe traumatic events. This can include war, torture, kidnapping and witnessing the murder of loved ones.

Understandably, refugees are more likely than the general population to experience mental health problems. About 27% of adult refugees suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 30% from depression. Only 5.6% of Australians experience PTSD and 6.4% experience depression.

Australia has a humanitarian and legal responsibility to support the mental health of refugees and asylum seekers so they can recover and thrive.

Mental health problems are highly treatable when people have access to effective treatment. Addressing key barriers to accessing mental health services is in everyone’s best interest.

So, what mental health support is available for refugees when they arrive in Australia?

Different pathways

Much depends on how the person came to Australia and through which scheme they applied to be recognised as a refugee.

First, there are people who apply for and are granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) or Australia’s humanitarian program before arriving in Australia.

These people, often termed “humanitarian entrants”, represent the largest cohort of Australia’s refugees.

They are provided with permanent visas and join the government-run Humanitarian Settlement Program upon their arrival.

Humanitarian Settlement Program caseworkers can refer these people to internal or external mental health support services.

Importantly, people under Australia’s humanitarian program can also access vital services such as:
- Medicare
- Centrelink
- English-language classes.
They also have the right to work and study. This helps promote recovery, adjustment and wellbeing.

Some people apply for and are granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees before arriving in Australia.
John Wreford/Shutterstock

Second, there are people who sought asylum via alternate pathways.

This often means they arrived in Australia without a valid visa. Or, they may have held a non-refugee visa and subsequently applied for refugee status after arriving in Australia.

These people, termed “asylum seekers”, are in a much more precarious situation.

They face lengthy visa processing times, the possibility of being held in detention, and a greater likelihood of being granted only temporary visas.

Many people in this situation are restricted from accessing government-run settlement support, such as the Humanitarian Settlement Program and Centrelink.

This is a problem, because research shows people seeking asylum or holding temporary visas in Australia are especially likely to be experiencing mental health problems.

A range of services

That said, Australia has a range of mental health support services available to all refugees and asylum seekers.

This includes the Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT), a network of rehabilitation centres in every state and territory.

These specialised services provide holistic support including:
- psychological and counselling sessions
- community capacity building programs (such as work readiness and community garden initiatives), and
- advocacy.
Organisations such as Settlement Services International, Australian Red Cross, AMES and Beyond Blue also provide refugee-specific mental health supports and resources.

And some community-run social programs, such as Football United, focus on increasing social inclusion, which can help boost mental health.

Refugees have often experienced severe traumatic events.
PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

Barriers to access

Demand for specialised mental health services is high. That can mean long waiting times for all Australians, including refugees and asylum seekers.

Research has identified a number of barriers that especially affect refugees and asylum seekers. These include:
- stigma around mental health problems and help-seeking
- lack of knowledge on mental health
- language and cultural barriers, and
- logistical barriers (such as cost and travel distance).
Finally, some refugees (particularly asylum seekers or people with temporary visas) may not be as aware of mental health services as humanitarian entrants. The latter group are often connected with such services while part of the Humanitarian Settlement Program.

This puts the onus on such individuals to independently research what services are available and refer themselves.

That’s a tough ask for people also busy finding housing, learning English, enrolling children in school, and progressing their visa applications.

Why does this matter?

Refugees represent a significant portion of our society. By the end of this year, Australia will have welcomed 1 million refugees since the end of World War II.

International law dictates that survivors of torture and other forms of persecution under Australia’s protection have access to effective rehabilitation services.

More broadly, the psychological cost of trauma can make it harder for some refugees to adapt to life in Australia. PTSD and depression can be chronic conditions. Without effective treatment, mental health challenges can persist for decades.

Helping refugees recover from the psychological effects of trauma and displacement also promotes the prosperity of the wider community. That’s because refugees enrich Australian society by establishing local businesses, working, facilitating new trade links, volunteering and contributing to the community.

When refugees thrive, we all do.

Philippa Specker receives funding from an MQ: Transforming Mental Health Postdoctoral Scholarship (MPSIP15). She is an associate of the Human Rights Institute, UNSW.

Angela Nickerson receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Belinda Liddell receives funding from the Australian Research Council and National Health and Medical Research Council.

– ref. Explainer: what mental health support do refugees and asylum seekers get in Australia? – https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-mental-health-support-do-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-get-in-australia-255427
MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –
May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Grassley Reintroduce Bill to Help Students Navigate College Costs

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
WASHINGTON – Today, Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) reintroduced a bill to help students and families make informed decisions when choosing a college and taking out loans. From the initial college search, to the acceptance of financial aid, to counseling once in college, the bill would help students avoid sticker shock, find the best school for their budget and avoid taking out ill-advised and oversized loans. Senator Tuberville, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee and the Chairman of the Education and the American Family Subcommittee, emphasized the importance of transparency in the college decision-making process:
“More and more of our young people are finding themselves buried in student loan debt,” said Senator Tuberville. “Too many of our young people are falling behind on their life goals because they are carrying the burden of college loans for years after completing their degrees. This bill will help young people, who are considering pursuing higher education, understand if college is right fit for them and exactly what financial assistance they may need.”
BACKGROUND:
The Understanding the True Cost of College Act would create a universal financial aid offer form and standardize terms used to describe financial aid to allow students to more easily compare financial aid packages between schools. This move aims to prevent troubling findings by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that over 90% of college financial aid offer letters currently understate the price students would pay. A summary of the Understanding the True Cost of College Act is available HERE.
MORE:
Tuberville Introduces Legislation to Lower the Cost of Graduate School
Tuberville: No Student Loan Bailouts for Convicted Antisemitic Protestors
Tuberville, Marshall Request Expedited Review of Financial Aid Applications
Tuberville Joins Legislation to Protect Taxpayers From Biden’s Latest Student Loan Scam
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP and Aging Committees.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto, Rounds Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Tribal Courts Access to Electronic Evidence
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) reintroduced the Tribal Access to Electronic Evidence Act, bipartisan legislation to provide Tribal courts the same ability to issue warrants for electronic evidence – such as emails, social media messages, and other online communications – as their non-Tribal counterparts.

“All law enforcement agencies across the Silver State should have the same access to electronic evidence needed to deliver justice and closure to the victims of crimes and their families,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “It is time that Congress pass this commonsense, bipartisan legislation to give Tribes the tools they need to protect their communities.”

The commission created by Cortez Masto’s Not Invisible Act — which was signed into law alongside her Savanna’s Act in October 2020 — issued a report with dozens of recommendations to improve the federal response to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) crisis. One key congressional recommendation was to address the challenges Tribes face in accessing essential electronic information for criminal investigations. The bipartisan Tribal Access to Electronic Evidence Act would amend current law to:
- Include courts of federally recognized Tribes as “courts of competent jurisdiction” under the Stored Communications Act,
- Require Tribal courts to adhere to warrant procedures described in the Indian Civil Rights Act to access electronic information, and
- Recognize Tribes as a government entity under the federal statute.
This bipartisan bill has been endorsed by the National Native American Bar Association, the National American Indian Court Judges Association, and the National Native American Law Enforcement Association.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.

Senator Cortez Masto has long been a champion for Tribal communities. Last year, the Senate passed both her legislation to make it easier for Indian Health Services to recruit and retain doctors and her legislation to strengthen Tribal public safety. She repeatedly called on the Biden administration to do more to address the epidemic of violence against Native women and girls, including securing federal funding to protect Native communities, urging the administration to draft a plan to address this issue, and requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the federal response to this crisis.
MIL OSI USA News –
May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Third procedure room to expand endoscopy capacity in Hawke’s Bay
Source: New Zealand Government

Endoscopy services at Hawke’s Bay Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital are set to expand, with the addition of a third procedure room, Health Minister Simeon Brown announced today.

“Improving New Zealand’s health infrastructure is a top priority for the Government, to ensure all Kiwis can access timely, high-quality healthcare,” Mr Brown says.

“The hospital’s endoscopy unit currently has two procedure rooms and is operating at full capacity seven days a week. However, increasing demand means patients are waiting longer for essential procedures.

“A $1.3 million investment will fund a third procedure room, significantly increasing capacity for procedures such as colonoscopies, gastroscopies, and other vital diagnostic tests.

“Endoscopy is critical for the early detection and treatment of conditions such as bowel cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers, and gastrointestinal bleeding. Earlier diagnosis for patients leads to better health outcomes and can be lifesaving.

“This investment supports two of our key health targets: faster cancer treatment and shorter wait times for elective care. Once operational, the expanded unit will enable the hospital to meet current and future demand, as well as clear the existing backlog of patients.”

Recruitment is already underway to support the expanded service and increase the number of procedures delivered.

Today’s announcement builds on a series of recent investments in Hawke’s Bay’s healthcare infrastructure, including:
- $28.3 million for a new temporary inpatient unit
- $29.3 million to expand radiology services
- $37.2 million for the district’s first Linear Accelerator to enhance cancer care.
“These projects reflect our commitment to delivering better, faster, and more accessible healthcare. The expansion of endoscopy services is another important step in ensuring the people of Hawke’s Bay receive the care they need, when they need it,” Mr Brown says.

The new procedure room is expected to be completed by late 2025, with the expanded service fully operational by February 2026.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –
May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Reed Announces Additional $2.6 Million to Help RI Families Save on Home Energy Bills

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to help more Rhode Islanders reduce their home energy costs, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today announced that Rhode Island is getting an additional $2.6 million through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), after the Trump Administration finally released the remaining $400 million in LIHEAP aid this week to states nationwide.
Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee, helped provide a nationwide total of $4.1 billion for LIHEAP in FY 2025.
LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps low-income households with their home energy bills by providing payment and energy crisis assistance to pay for gas, electric, and other methods customers use to heat their homes.
This latest allocation brings Rhode Island’s FY 2025 appropriation for LIHEAP up to $26.6 million so far this year.
Last October, the Biden Administration released ninety percent of LIHEAP funds to states to give states time to properly plan and deploy these funds through the end of the fiscal year, which runs through September of 2025. This included an allocation of $534,784 in LIHEAP funds that Senator Reed helped include through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
“This latest infusion of federal LIHEAP funding will provide overdue support to families in need and help them cope with high energy costs. In addition to easing the strain on household budgets, the release of LIHEAP funds also helps local small businesses that supply home heating fuel to customers with fixed or limited incomes,” said Senator Reed.
LIHEAP is administered by states and accessed through local Community Action Agencies. Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources.
Nationwide, an estimated 6 million households received assistance with heating and cooling costs through LIHEAP over the last year, including over 28,200 Rhode Island households.
The average LIHEAP benefit covering about $500 in winter home heating costs for Rhode Islanders.
Rhode Islanders wishing to apply for LIHEAP may click here to reach the Rhode Island Department of Human Services website to get more information and links to an online application.
Senator Reed noted that while the release of these federal funds to states is good news, he remains deeply concerned about the Trump Administration decimating the LIHEAP staff at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the impact that could have on the federal government’s ability to effectively manage the program and assist states with LIHEAP going forward. Reed says he has no doubt that President Trump will once again try to eliminate LIHEAP altogether but vowed to work on a bipartisan basis to include LIHEAP funding in future Appropriations laws, just as he successfully did during the first Trump Administration.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Traffic Delays at Northcote

Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

Police are advising of delays for northbound traffic coming off the Auckland Harbour Bridge at Northcote.

A truck swerved across several lanes of traffic and into the median barrier at 9.20am.

The driver required medical treatment at the scene and been taken to North Shore Hospital.

One northbound lane remains closed and motorists are advised to expect delays as the scene is cleared.

ENDS.

Nicole Bremner/NZ Police

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health – Sydney to host major surgical event focused on innovation and excellence
Source: Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)

Sydney will host one of the largest surgical conferences in the southern hemisphere when the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) brings its 93rd Annual Scientific Congress (ASC) to the International Convention Centre from Saturday 3 to Tuesday 6 May 2025.

This year’s theme, Innovation. Precision. Excellence., reflects the event’s future-focused program and its role as a key connection and collaboration point for surgeons across all nine RACS specialties.

More than 1600 surgeons, Trainees and healthcare leaders from Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond are expected to attend, with 253 new Fellows – the largest cohort in recent years – to be formally welcomed at the Convocation Ceremony on Saturday evening.

“ASC 2025 is designed to inspire and challenge,” says congress convener Professor Henry Woo.

“It’s a chance for surgeons to connect across specialties and geographies, hear from international leaders, and explore how innovation and leadership are shaping the future of care—from operating theatres to entire health systems.”

This year’s program puts a spotlight on cross-disciplinary collaboration, with sessions covering robotics and AI in surgery, rural surgical innovation, Indigenous health, and leadership development.

Event highlights include:

Dr Glaucomflecken (Dr Will Flanary), a US ophthalmologist and viral medical comedian, presenting Dr Glaucomflecken’s incredibly uplifting and really fun guide to American healthcare on Sunday 4 May at 4pm. A cancer survivor and healthcare satirist, Dr Glaucomflecken brings a unique dual perspective as both clinician and patient. This ticketed plenary session is open to the general public.
A surgical affair: question time with Tony Jones, a high-profile panel session chaired by veteran journalist Tony Jones, follows directly after. The discussion will tackle elective surgery waitlists and workforce challenges, with panellists including Australian Medical Council President Dr Danielle McMullen, NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Health Dr Michael Holland MP, and Queensland Health Chief Medical Officer Associate Professor Catherine McDougall.

The Congress also features a strong line-up of international speakers:

Dr Callisia Clarke (USA) on diversity and political division in healthcare.

Dr Doug Anderson (USA) on the future of xenotransplantation.

Dr Ian Currie (UK) on innovations in organ donation and retrieval.

Dr Stephen Wexner (USA), one of the most cited colorectal surgeons globally.

Professor Hyung Seok Park (South Korea) on robotic breast surgery.

RACS ASC is recognised as the College’s flagship educational event and one of the most significant surgical meetings in the region. It showcases the latest in surgical research, innovation and practice, while providing a platform for shared learning, professional connection and leadership.

Media are welcome to attend keynote sessions, speaker interviews and selected panels.

Find out more about the RACS ASC: RACS Annual Scientific Congress: https://asc.surgeons.org

About the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)

RACS is the leading advocate for surgical standards, professionalism and surgical education in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The College is a not-for-profit organisation that represents more than 8000 surgeons and 1300 surgical trainees and Specialist International Medical Graduates. RACS also supports healthcare and surgical education in the Asia-Pacific region and is a substantial funder of surgical research. There are nine surgical specialties in Australasia being: Cardiothoracic Surgery, General Surgery, Neurosurgery, Orthopaedic Surgery, Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Paediatric Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Urology and Vascular Surgery. www.surgeons.org
MIL OSI New Zealand News –
May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Coons, Kiley, and Peters Reintroduce Landmark Legislation to Restore American Innovation

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, and Chris Coons (D-DE) and Representatives Kevin Kiley (R-CA) and Scott Peters (D-CA) reintroduced the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will restore patent eligibility to important inventions across many fields while also resolving legitimate concerns over the patenting of mere ideas, the mere discovery of what already exists in nature, and social and cultural content that everyone agrees is beyond the scope of the patent system. It also affirms the basic principle that the patent system is central to promoting technology-based innovation.
“Clear, reliable, and predictable patent rights are imperative to enable investments in the broad array of innovative technologies that are critical to the economic and global competitiveness of the United States, and to ensuring the national security of our great country,” said Senator Tillis. “Unfortunately, a series of Supreme Court decisions have rendered patent eligibility law unclear, unreliable, and unpredictable, resulting in U.S. inventors being unable to obtain patents in areas where our economic peers offer patent protection. This is particularly concerning in the economically critical areas of biotechnology and artificial intelligence. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation maintains the existing statutory categories of eligible subject matter, which have worked well for over two centuries, while addressing inappropriate judicially created eligibility limitations by creating clear rules for what is eligible. We cannot allow foreign adversaries like China to overtake us in key areas of technology innovation due to the current state of patent eligibility law. I look forward to continuing to work with all stakeholders on this important matter. Passing patent eligibility reform is one of my top legislative priorities.”
“When American innovators know their ideas are eligible for patent protection, they take the risks that push us into the future – whether that’s the next medical test or the latest AI technology,” said Senator Coons. “PERA restores clarity to the law on what can be patented and what cannot – guidance that federal courts have been requesting for years and that the Supreme Court has refused to provide. Congress must step up to provide America’s inventors with the stable legal foundation they need to produce the cutting-edge technologies that power our economy.”
“American innovators have been at a disadvantage in recent years because of the U.S. patent system,” said Representative Kevin Kiley. “Convoluted Supreme Court rulings and tests on subject matter eligibility have made it increasingly difficult for inventors to receive patents, leading to foreign companies overtaking our own. That’s why I’m proud to introduce the bi-partisan Patent Eligibility Restoration Act, which will dramatically reverse this trend, and unleash a tide of economic growth and job creation here at home.”
“For more than two centuries, a U.S. patent has guaranteed inventions will be protected from theft, helping the U.S. become the innovation capital of the world. San Diego, in particular, is the proud home of a thriving life sciences and technology ecosystem that has benefited from these protections,” said Representative Peters. “Over the last 15 years, however, several Supreme Court decisions have created confusion about what exactly is eligible for a patent. Innovators, consumers, and even the judges who adjudicate patent law have called on Congress to provide clarity on what can be patented. I look forward to working with Congressman Kiley, Senator Coons, and Senator Tillis to advance our Patent Eligibility Restoration Act and protect American innovation.”
“Congress has not made substantive changes to what subject matter is patentable in the United States since the Patent Act of 1793, making it difficult for courts, inventors, and the public to understand how 21st-century technologies fit within an 18th Century patent statute,” said Andrei Iancu, board co-chair of C4IP and former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and USPTO Director from 2018 to 2021. “I commend Congress for advancing PERA in order to finally modernize our patent laws and promote U.S. global leadership in biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and other modern technologies.”
“PERA provides the clarity needed to unlock the full potential of cutting-edge technologies and solidify U.S. leadership in scientific and technological breakthroughs,” said David Kappos, board co-chair of C4IP and former Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and USPTO Director from 2009 to 2013. “We cannot allow legal uncertainty to stall the next wave of American innovation.”
“Patent Eligibility is an important issue for cancer patients – both for life-saving, early diagnosis and for promising new treatments. PERA will provide the certainty needed to enable innovative breakthroughs to reach patients. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute applauds Congress for introducing and advancing this important bill – the patients are waiting.” – Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
“Passing PERA is essential if the US is to catch up to Europe and Asia, especially China,” said Judge Paul Michel (retired). “They make eligible for patenting many classes of inventions held ineligible here. The very uncertainty of the zone of eligibility is itself an obstacle to companies getting the investments they need to compete both domestically and globally. Only Congress can fix this chaotic mess because the courts are trapped in their own harmful precedents.”
“In my former court, which hears patent cases on appeal, concurring and dissenting opinions in patent eligibly cases have proliferated,” said Judge Kathleen O’Malley (retired). “Veteran jurists have described the state of affairs as ‘incoherent,’ ‘unclear,’ ‘fraught,’ and ‘inconsistent.’ The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act would return clarity to patent eligibly law and encourage continued innovation in key emerging technologies – technologies that are central to the United States remaining the world’s innovation leader.”
“NCLifeSci thanks Senator Tillis for reintroducing the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act of 2025, which restores the confidence in our nation’s patent laws by bringing much needed clarity to Section 101 of the Patent Act. Confidence that the life sciences industry needs to robustly invest in the future of medicine. For too long, fields like diagnostics, precision medicine, cell and gene therapy, RNA medicine, and digital health have been threatened by unclear and uncertain patent-eligibility standards that put America’s innovators at a disadvantage, and that discourage local investment. Through this legislation, our members – which include leading innovators who operate cutting-edge gene therapy manufacturing facilities here in North Carolina and research potential treatments and cures for Alzheimer’s and cancer —will be able to continue to take the bold risks and make the high levels of investment necessary to take fields like these to their next level, with the confidence that our patent laws will continue to hold up through future waves of technological progress.” – NC Life Sciences Organization
“The Innovation Alliance applauds Senators Tillis and Coons and Representatives Kiley and Peters for sponsoring the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act, which will provide much needed predictability and clarity to the hopelessly confused law of patent eligibility. The Supreme Court has provided no workable framework to guide patent owners or the courts, and it has repeatedly refused to clarify the law, rejecting requests by the Federal Circuit and others to do so time and again. Investment dollars are flowing out of the United States as a result, jeopardizing the future of America’s innovation economy. It is past time for Congress to act.” – The Innovation Alliance
“This bipartisan and much-needed bill would strike a decade of judicial tinkering that has needlessly turned the question of patent eligibility into a confusing mess and harmed the U.S. versus our economic competitors. While the U.S. has spent a decade holding back innovations in areas such as fintech, diagnostic solutions and medical devices trying to figure out whether they are ‘abstract’ or not, our competitors are moving forward and protecting these inventions. PERA would be particularly beneficial to American startups and innovators by providing the clarity needed to attract investment for new ventures in essential areas such as medical devices, diagnostics, manufacturing and a whole new range of advancements powered by software.”- Alliance of U.S. Startups & Inventors for Jobs
“AUTM – the association representing technology transfer professionals – thanks Senators Tillis and Coons and others for their leadership in introducing PERA. This legislation is crucially needed to address the ambiguities that the courts have created about what is, and what is not, patent eligible. At a time when the U.S. is competing for innovation leadership, its patent system needs to clearly delineate this process so that it can move forward on numerous discoveries that otherwise would wither on the vine.” – AUTM
“The reintroduction of the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA) marks a pivotal move toward restoring clarity and consistency in U.S. patent law. By providing clear statutory guidelines, PERA offers inventors, entrepreneurs, and research institutions the certainty needed to innovate confidently. We commend Senator Tillis and Senator Coons for their leadership on this critical issue and remain committed to collaborating with Congress to support a patent system that fosters transparency and predictability.” – American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA)
“The Coalition for 21st Century Patent Reform applauds Congress for reintroducing PERA. This legislation represents a significant step forward in clarifying patent eligibility while maintaining necessary standards on what is ultimately patentable. 21C applauds these efforts as they will make sure that the United States remains the most attractive place in the world to invest, invent, and grow.” – The Coalition for 21st Century Patent Reform (21C)
The following organizations support the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act: Innovation Alliance, C4IP, AUTM, AIPLA, IEEE-USA, USIJ, MDMA, BIO, NCLifeSci, Adeia, Nokia, Sisvel, Conservatives for Property Rights, Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund, U.S. Business & Industry Council, Center for a Free Economy, Center for Individual Freedom, American Policy Center, Less Government, 60 Plus Association, American Association of Senior Citizens, Frontiers of Freedom, Consumer Action for a Strong Economy, Center for American Principles, Prosperity for Us Foundation, Market Institute, Inventors Defense Alliance, Lauder Partners, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Heritage Action, 21C, Netlist, and FICPI.
Background:
Unfortunately, due to a series of Supreme Court decisions, patent eligibility law in the United States has become confused, constricted, and unclear in recent years. This has resulted in a wide range of well-documented negative impacts – inconsistent case decisions, uncertainty in innovation and investment communities, and unpredictable business outcomes.
As of 2021, all 12 then-sitting judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit lamented the state of the law. Witnesses and stakeholders from a wide array of industries, fields, interest groups, and academia have testified and submitted comments confirming the uncertainty and detailing the detrimental effects of patent eligibility confusion in the United States. There is now widespread bipartisan agreement in Congress and across all recent Administrations that reforms are necessary to restore the United States to a position of global strength and leadership in key areas of technology and innovation, such as medical diagnostics, biotechnology, personalized medicine, artificial intelligence, 5G, and blockchain.
The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act achieves this critical goal by restoring patent eligibility to important inventions across many fields, while also resolving legitimate concerns over patenting of mere ideas, the mere discovery of what already exists in nature, and social and cultural content that everyone agrees is beyond the scope of the patent system, which is a system aimed at promoting technology-based innovation. As a general approach, the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act maintains the existing statutory categories of eligible subject matter, which have worked well for over two centuries, but eliminates the overly malleable set of current judicial exceptions – replacing them with five specific, defined statutory exclusions. By eliminating and replacing the current judicial exceptions, the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act provides predictable patent eligibility for important computer-implemented technological developments and medical advances, creating a solid bedrock for America’s innovation future.
Full text of the bill is available HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Driver sought following fatal crash in Balmoral

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

Police are seeking the driver of a vehicle involved in a fatal crash in Balmoral overnight.

Just after 1am two vehicles collided on Dominion Road, near Wiremu Street.

“The crash has resulted in one vehicle colliding with the storefront of a restaurant, and the other vehicle coming to a stop a short distance away,” acting Detective Senior Sergeant Rebecca Kirk says.

“Immediately after the crash, the driver of the vehicle which crashed into the shop fled on foot from the scene.”

Police staff arrived on scene a short time later.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Kirk says the driver of the other vehicle was located deceased at the scene, with the passenger in a critical condition.

The passenger remains in Auckland City Hospital.

“Our enquiries are ongoing to identify and locate the driver of the vehicle who fled,” she says.

“I encourage that driver to do the right thing and contact Police or bring himself into the nearest Police station.”

A section of Dominion Road was closed overnight while the Serious Crash Unit examined the scene.

Anyone with information that can assist Police enquiries are asked to contact Police on 105 using the file number 250502/0011.

Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

ENDS.

Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Denounces Trump Administration for Gutting Family Planning Services

Source: US State of New York

EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James and a multistate coalition of 20 other attorneys general today called on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to immediately reinstate tens of millions of dollars in Title X funds, which provide federal funding to health centers for family planning and reproductive health care, including birth control and other non-abortion services. Last month, HHS recklessly cut off support for vital family planning and health care services across the country without reason, leading to the complete loss of federal family planning funding in several states. In a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Attorney General James and the coalition warned that the recent decision to withhold these Title X funds will have devastating public health consequences, including more unintended pregnancies, more sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and increased rates of undiagnosed HIV and cervical cancer.

“The federal administration continues to play politics with the lives of the American people,” said Attorney General James. “By slashing funding to necessary health care clinics and providers, they are putting millions of Americans at risk while forcing states to clean up the mess. This cruel and shortsighted attack on essential health care will have disastrous impacts in every corner of our country. My fellow attorneys general and I are calling on the administration to reverse this mistaken policy.”

On March 31, HHS notified several grant recipients, whose subgrantees constitute nearly 25 percent of all Title X clinics, that their funding was being terminated despite no clear evidence of wrongdoing. As a result, some states have seen a complete loss of Title X funding and many others, including New York, face significant reductions.

Attorney General James and the coalition argue that this decision will be catastrophic, as proven by the devastating impact of previous Title X cuts under the first Trump administration. The 2019 Title X cuts resulted in a more than 60 percent drop in the number of patients served, and half of all Title X clinics in New York lost federal funding. Clinics were forced to reduce services or shut down altogether, and patients ended up forgoing recommended tests, lab work, STI testing, clinical breast exams, and Pap tests in large numbers. Between 2018 and 2019, Title X clinics across the nation performed 90,386 fewer Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer; 188,920 fewer breast exams; 276,109 fewer HIV tests; over one million fewer STI tests; and provided 361,000 fewer patients with birth control.

Attorney General James and the coalition argue that low-income and rural communities will suffer the most as a result of these cuts. After the 2019 cuts, Title X providers saw 573,650 fewer patients under the federal poverty level and 324,776 fewer uninsured patients. As the population served by Title X is disproportionately low-income and more likely to be on Medicaid, the financial loss caused by these cuts will be primarily felt by the states. When the first Trump administration cut Title X grants, states suffered an enormous financial burden, including a $14.2 million emergency appropriation in New York to cover the loss in funds.

In New York and nationwide, Title X programs play a critical role in delivering affordable, lifesaving healthcare. A 2016 survey showed that Title X clinics were the only source of comprehensive medical care for 60 percent of their patients. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that as a direct result of these cuts, at least 834,000 patients – 30 percent of all Title X patients – will lose care annually. Guttmacher also anticipates higher rates of unplanned pregnancies, higher STI rates, and worse overall health.

In the letter, Attorney General James and the coalition assert that HHS has provided no legitimate evidence to justify the funding cuts, instead relying on vague accusations and political targeting of certain providers. Many of the notices that clinics and providers received point to “possible violations” of civil rights laws or the president’s Executive Orders, but the evidence provided fails to support any such claim. In one letter, HHS simply referenced a statement the grantee issued on racism in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd. The attorneys general allege that these allegations are a pretext for the administration to penalize reproductive health care providers it dislikes. Meanwhile, the harm to patients and already strained state budgets is immediate and measurable.

Attorney General James and the coalition are urging HHS to reinstate the withheld grants and restore full funding to the Title X program.

Joining Attorney General James in sending this letter are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: US diagnostic imaging market faces tariff-driven supply chain and capital risks, reveals GlobalData

Source: GlobalData

US diagnostic imaging market faces tariff-driven supply chain and capital risks, reveals GlobalData

Posted in Medical Devices

The US diagnostic imaging (DI) market is facing growing pressure as new US tariffs raise procurement risks and threaten supply chains. With high-value systems like computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) heavily reliant on global production, hospitals may delay capital spending amid uncertainty. Although domestic manufacturing offers some short-term protection, extended trade tensions could disrupt pricing, planning, and access to critical imaging equipment across the country, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Diagnostic imaging (DI), which is one of the MedTech industry’s most capital-intensive and strategically vital segments, relies on global production networks and long procurement cycles. Even in absence of major pricing shifts, the perceived instability surrounding policy may prompt hospitals to delay purchases or reassess capital planning, making the sector susceptible to long-term impacts.

GlobalData projects the US diagnostic imaging market to grow from $10.4 billion in 2024 to $15 billion in 2034. While domestic manufacturing may initially protect some vendors from the impact of rising tariffs, they could still face supply chain disruptions, requiring adjustments to manufacturing strategies, pricing structures, and capital expenditure planning if trade tensions continue.

Among the leading DI companies, GE Healthcare stands out with a comparatively large US production operation. GlobalData’s MedSource supply chain database shows that 21% of GE’s 510(k)-approved DI devices are manufactured exclusively in the US, well ahead of Siemens at 12% and Philips at 9%.

Ashley Clarke, Senior Medical Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “While a bigger domestic footprint does not make GE immune, it may reduce tariff exposure in the short-term. Devices with US-based final assembly can qualify for origin exemptions, helping maintain competitive pricing if trade volatility continues. GE may have greater pricing flexibility and margin protection, giving it a tactical advantage, but like other companies will still face challenges in raw material and parts procurement and production.”

High-value systems like CT and MRI systems, which together account for more than 20% of the US DI market, rely heavily on global production networks. According to MedSource, Siemens’ flagship SOMATOM CT systems are primarily built in Germany and China, while GE assembles its units in Wisconsin using international components. MRI systems follow similar trends, with components like coils sourced heavily from overseas.

Clarke continues: “The procurement planning for 2025 and beyond could face more scrutiny if pricing or access to key components becomes less certain.”

If trade disruptions extend into next year, both manufacturers and buyers will need to adapt. Vendors with high offshore exposure, particularly those relying on China, India, or EU-based services, may face pressure to localize or diversify production supply chains. With DI systems already representing one of the largest capital expenditures in hospital tech budgets, even modest cost shifts can trigger downstream effects.

Clarke concludes: “Providers are navigating broader cost pressures on other essential medical supplies, so even if DI equipment costs hold, there is growing incentive to delay high-cost imaging upgrades or replacements. Such delays in imaging infrastructure can limit access to timely diagnostics, raising risks for patient outcomes and placing additional strain on the already overburdened healthcare sector.”

MIL OSI Economics –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI: Diversified Royalty Corp. Announces Additions to the Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty Pool, May 2025 Cash Dividend and Q1 2025 Earnings Release Date

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diversified Royalty Corp. (TSX: DIV and DIV.DB.A) (the “Corporation” or “DIV”) and Mr. Lube Canada Limited Partnership (“Mr. Lube + Tires”) announced today that effective May 1, 2025 the Mr. Lube + Tires royalty pool (the “Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty Pool”) has been adjusted to include the royalties from six new flagship Mr. Lube + Tires locations and remove one flagship Mr. Lube + Tires location that has permanently closed. With the adjustment for these five net new locations, the Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty Pool now includes 149 flagship locations.

Sean Morrison, President and Chief Executive Officer of DIV, stated, “Mr. Lube + Tires continues to generate strong same-store-sales-growth across its franchise system and is well positioned to continue this impressive growth moving forward”.

Pamela Lee, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mr. Lube + Tires, stated, “Mr. Lube + Tires is proud of the performance of our franchisees in 2024. We continue to be focused on growing the Mr. Lube + Tires brand, strengthening the store level economics of our franchisees, and continuing to provide best-in-class service to our customers”.

Additions to the Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty Pool

Subject to certain performance criteria being met, and the LP Amendment as described further below, the Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty Pool is adjusted annually on May 1 (the “Adjustment Date”) to include new Mr. Lube + Tires locations that have been open since July 1 of the previous reporting period and to remove Mr. Lube + Tires locations that have been permanently closed during the previous year.

The initial consideration paid to Mr. Lube + Tires for the estimated net additional royalty revenue was $4.0 million, representing 80% of the total estimated consideration of $5.0 million. The initial consideration of $4.0 million was elected by DIV to be paid in the form of 1,460,419 Common Shares of DIV on the basis of the 20-day volume weighted average closing price of the Common Shares for the period ended April 24, 2025 of $2.7363 per Common Share.

The remaining consideration payable for the additional royalty revenue of the six new Mr. Lube + Tires locations added to the Royalty Pool on May 1, 2025 will be paid to Mr. Lube + Tires on May 1, 2026, the next Adjustment Date, and will be adjusted to reflect the actual system sales of these six new locations for the year ending December 31, 2025, net of the lost system sales of the one permanently closed Mr. Lube + Tires location removed from the Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty pool on May 1, 2025.

On May 1, 2023, the Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty Pool was adjusted to include royalties from five new flagship Mr. Lube + Tires locations. The initial consideration previously paid by DIV was $4.7 million, which represented 80% of the total estimated consideration for those five locations, which estimate was based on the forecast system sales of these five locations for year ending December 31, 2023. As a result of a previously-announced amendment (the “LP Amendment”) to the amended and restated limited partnership agreement (the “LP Agreement”) of DIV’s direct subsidiary ML Royalties Limited Partnership (“ML LP”), the remaining consideration payable for the additional royalty revenue of the five Mr. Lube + Tires locations (the “2023 True-Up Locations”) added to the Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty Pool on May 1, 2023 was to be paid to Mr. Lube + Tires on May 1, 2025 (as opposed to May 1, 2024), and adjusted to reflect the actual system sales of these five new locations for the year ending December 31, 2024 (as opposed to the actual system sales for the year ending December 31, 2023).

The actual system sales for the 2023 True-Up Locations added to the Royalty Pool on May 1, 2023 has now been determined for the year ended December 31, 2024 to be $10.1 million. The total consideration payable to Mr. Lube + Tires for the net additional royalty revenue of these 2023 True-Up Locations based on their actual system sales for the year ended December 31, 2024 is $7.1 million. After taking into account the $4.7 million previously paid by DIV to Mr. Lube + Tires on May 1, 2023 for the 2023 True-Up Locations, DIV paid Mr. Lube + Tires the remaining $2.4 million of cash consideration for the net additional royalty revenue of these 2023 True-Up Locations on May 1, 2025.

For further details with respect to the manner in which annual adjustments of the Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty Pool occur and the agreements underlying the procedures therefor, see DIV’s Annual Information Form dated March 24, 2025 as well as the LP Amendment, copies of each of which are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

May 2025 Cash Dividend

DIV is pleased to announce that its board of directors has approved a cash dividend of $0.02083 per common share for the period of May 1, 2025 to May 31, 2025, which is equal to $0.25 per common share on an annualized basis. The dividend will be paid on May 30, 2025 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 15, 2025.

Q1 2025 Earnings Release Date

DIV will release earnings results for the three months ended March 31, 2025 following the closing of regular trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange on May 14, 2025.

About Diversified Royalty Corp.

DIV is a multi-royalty corporation, engaged in the business of acquiring top-line royalties from well-managed multi-location businesses and franchisors in North America. DIV’s objective is to acquire predictable, growing royalty streams from a diverse group of multi-location businesses and franchisors.

DIV currently owns the Mr. Lube + Tires, AIR MILES®, Sutton, Mr. Mikes, Nurse Next Door, Oxford Learning Centres, Stratus Building Solutions and BarBurrito trademarks. Mr. Lube + Tires is the leading quick lube service business in Canada, with locations across Canada. AIR MILES® is Canada’s largest coalition loyalty program. Sutton is among the leading residential real estate brokerage franchisor businesses in Canada. Mr. Mikes operates casual steakhouse restaurants primarily in western Canadian communities. Nurse Next Door is a home care provider with locations across Canada and the United States as well as in Australia. Oxford Learning Centres is one of Canada’s leading franchisee supplemental education services. Stratus Building Solutions is a leading commercial cleaning service franchise company providing comprehensive janitorial, building cleaning, and office cleaning services primarily in the United States. BarBurrito is the largest quick service Mexican restaurant food chain in Canada.

DIV’s objective is to increase cash flow per share by making accretive royalty purchases and through the growth of purchased royalties. DIV intends to continue to pay a predictable and stable monthly dividend to shareholders and increase the dividend over time, in each case as cash flow per share allows.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute “forward-looking information” or “financial outlook” within the meaning of applicable securities laws that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or financial outlook. The use of any of the words “anticipate”, “continue”, “estimate”, “expect”, “intend”, “may”, “will”, ”project”, “should”, “believe”, “confident”, “plan” and “intend” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information and financial outlook, although not all forward-looking information and financial outlook contain these identifying words. Specifically, forward-looking information and financial outlook in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements made in relation to: the amount and timing of the payment for the remaining consideration payable to Mr. Lube + Tires for the additional royalty revenue from the six Mr. Lube + Tires locations added to the Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty Pool on May 1, 2025; DIV’s belief that Mr. Lube + Tires will continue to generate strong same-store-sales-growth across its franchise system and is well positioned to continue its impressive growth moving forward; Mr. Lube + Tires being focused on growing the Mr. Lube + Tires brand, strengthening the store level economics of its franchisees, and continuing to provide best-in-class service to its customers; the amount and timing of the May 2025 dividend to be paid to DIV’s shareholders; the timing of DIV releasing earnings results for the three months ended March 31, 2025; DIV’s objective to continue to pay predictable and stable monthly dividends to shareholders; and DIV’s corporate objectives. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events, performance, or achievements of DIV to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in such forward-looking information and financial outlook. DIV believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information and financial outlook are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In particular there can be no assurance that: Mr. Lube + Tires will continue to make royalty payments in the amounts and at the times required, or at all; the amount of, or timing of the payment for, the additional consideration payable to Mr. Lube + Tires for the six additional Mr. Lube + Tires locations added to the Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty Pool on May 1, 2025 will occur in the amount or at the time estimated; that transactions completed with Mr. Lube + Tires for the additions to the Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty Pool will be accretive to DIV shareholders; that Mr. Lube + Tires will realize any of the intended benefits of its growth strategy; that Mr. Lube + Tires will continue to grow its brand; that Mr. Lube + Tires will continue opening new stores, or that such stores will be successful if opened; that Mr. Lube + Tires will succeed in strengthening store level economics of its franchisees; that Mr. Lube + Tires will continue to provide best-in-class service to its customers; DIV will be able to make monthly dividend payments to the holders of its common shares; or DIV will achieve any of its corporate objectives. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned that forward-looking information and financial outlook included in this news release are not guarantees of future performance, and such forward-looking information and financial outlook should not be unduly relied upon. More information about the risks and uncertainties affecting DIV’s business and the businesses of its royalty partners can be found in the “Risk Factors” section of its Annual Information Form dated March 24, 2025 and in DIV’s most recently filed management’s discussion and analysis, copies of which are available under DIV’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

In formulating the forward-looking information and financial outlook contained herein, management has assumed that DIV will generate sufficient cash flows from its royalties to service its debt and pay dividends to shareholders; lenders will provide any necessary waivers required in order to allow DIV to continue to pay dividends; the performance of the Mr. Lube + Tires flagship locations in the Mr. Lube + Tires Royalty Pool will be consistent with DIV’s expectations; and the business and economic conditions affecting DIV and its royalty partners will continue substantially in the ordinary course, including without limitation with respect to general industry conditions, general levels of economic activity and regulations. These assumptions, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect.

To the extent any forward-looking information in this news release constitutes a “financial outlook” within the meaning of applicable securities laws, such information is being provided to provide investors with an estimate of the financial impact to DIV of transactions with Mr. Lube + Tires described in this news release.

All of the forward-looking information and financial outlook in this news release is qualified in its entirety by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, DIV. The forward-looking information and financial outlook included in this news release is presented as of the date of this news release and DIV assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law.

THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR THE ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Additional Information

Additional information relating to the Corporation and other public filings, is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

Contact:
Sean Morrison, President and Chief Executive Officer
Diversified Royalty Corp.
(604) 235-3146

Greg Gutmanis, Chief Financial Officer and VP Acquisitions
Diversified Royalty Corp.
(604) 235-3146

The MIL Network –

May 2, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Lankford, Hudson Unveil Bill to End Biden-Era ‘Social Cost’ Climate Models, Supercharge Trump’s American Energy Agenda

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford
WASHINGTON, DC — Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today introduced the Transparency and Honesty in Energy Regulations Act alongside Congressman Richard Hudson (R-NC), legislation that will eliminate the use of “social cost” metrics in federal rulemaking and reinforce President Donald Trump’s Unleashing American Energy executive order.
“Under President Trump, American energy dominance is back, and states like Oklahoma are fueling the charge,” said Lankford. “This bill pushes back on the Biden Administration’s war on American energy producers by ensuring federal rulemaking is grounded in facts—not flawed models or political agendas. It’s a necessary step to restore transparency, rein in government overreach, and keep American energy competitive.”
“The Biden-Harris Administration used every tool at their disposal to advance their radical green agenda,” said Hudson. “My bill ensures that going forward, no Administration can use inaccurate, unreliable standards to pass dangerous regulations.”
Background
The social cost of greenhouse gas metrics are theoretical measurements that try to put a price or economic impact on emissions. Measurement theories have been used by the federal government to determine the economic impact of potential federal regulations, even though they are unscientific and can result in more burdensome regulations.
Lankford’s bill would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, the Interior Department, the Council on Environmental Quality, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, and the Department of Health and Human Services from using the social cost of carbon, the social cost of methane, and social cost of nitrous oxide as rationales for their regulations.
The Washington Reporter published an exclusive on the legislation, which you can read HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

May 2, 2025