Category: Health

MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Patients get care closer to home as GP scheme expanded
Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

Press release

Patients get care closer to home as GP scheme expanded

Government confirms expansion of Advice and Guidance scheme, with more patients now receiving their care closer to home
More patients to get care in the community thanks to roll out of expanded scheme to keep patients off waiting lists

£80m available to support GPs in getting patients care in the right place, rather than being sent to hospitals

Expanded scheme marks latest step to deliver government’s Plan for Change to cut waiting lists after data shows 3 million extra appointments created since July

Tens of thousands of patients are receiving care closer to home, so they don’t have to be added to lengthy NHS waiting lists, as the government confirms the expansion of a GP scheme to shift care from hospital to community.

The scheme named “Advice and Guidance” sees GPs working more closely with hospital specialists to access expert advice quickly and speed their patients through the system, so they get care in the right place as soon as possible.

That means patients are being directed to more appropriate care – such as being prescribed medication, accessing blood tests or scans via their GP, or receiving care in a local women’s health hub or community physio service, rather than being put on long NHS waiting lists.

And new data shows that, between July and December 2024, around 660,000 treatments were diverted from hospitals and into the community thanks to the scheme – a 60,000 increase on the same period the previous year.

The government has pledged to expand the use of the system, with an ambition to increase diversions from the elective waiting list to up to 2 million by the end of 2025/26 – meaning that more patients will benefit from faster and more convenient care. The NHS is now rolling out payments to GPs across the country, replacing the previous approach which led to patchy provision and meant a postcode lottery for patients.

As a result of tough but necessary decisions made at the Budget, the government has been able to put £26 billion of investment into the NHS, which is funding the £80 million expansion of this efficient and effective “Advice and Guidance” service – alongside driving forward work to cut waiting lists and improve care for patients through the Plan for Change.

Thanks to the scheme, patients suffering from something as common as irritable bowel syndrome – which is estimated to affect up to 1 in 5 people – can avoid being added to already long waiting lists, which stand at almost 400,000 for digestive conditions. Instead, after an initial consultation with their family doctor, the GP can seek expert advice and refer the patient directly to dieticians to provide quicker care, closer to home – all without the patient having to set foot inside a hospital.

Health Minister Karin Smyth said:

By caring for patients closer to home, we save time and stop masses of people having to head to hospital for unnecessary appointments in the first place.

We are rewiring the NHS so that we are doing things differently, more efficiently and delivering better outcomes for patients. This scheme is a perfect example of how we are saving patients time and reducing pressure on key NHS services in the process.

It will take time to reverse the damaging neglect the NHS has suffered in recent years, but our Plan for Change is starting to deliver benefits for patients, with waiting lists cut by 219,000 since July, and 1,500 new GPs in post.

Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS national director for primary care and community services, said:

GPs have been working closely with specialist hospital teams to make sure patients get the right care and treatment.

Expanding this service with this new funding will help even more patients access the right support, closer to their home while reducing unnecessary waits for hospital care.

“Advice and Guidance” opens a channel between GPs and hospital specialists before patients are referred onto waiting lists for hospital care. It enables patients to get the right tests and treatment via their GP or local services within their community.

From April, GP practices can now claim for every request raised via the scheme in recognition of their vital role in helping to deliver the shift from hospital to community. The expansion of the scheme aims to standardise its use across the country and ensure it is being deployed consistently to get patients treated in the right place.

Many patients suffering from certain conditions, can and should be safely and effectively managed in an out-of-hospital setting. This means people can take more power over decision making, which can help to improve overall wellbeing and potentially even reduce healthcare costs.

Other examples of patients who stand to benefit from the expansion include:

Women seeking gynaecological care, including treatment for menopause symptoms where GPs may need specialist advice on which types of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to prescribe. Providing this treatment in the community saves patients being added to the waiting list for gynaecological care, which stands at more than 580,000.

Patients with ear, nose and throat (ENT) issues – 30 per cent of referrals to secondary care currently include many conditions which can and should be managed in an out-of-hospital setting, including tinnitus, ear wax removal, and simple ear infections. As of February 2025, the waiting list for ENT services is 634,000.

Professor Sir Sam Everington OBE, GP in Tower Hamlets since 1989, said:

Advice and guidance enables patients and GPs to get advice direct from a specialist, typically within a week for routine cases. This means that patients get their health problems sorted rapidly, preventing health deterioration and avoiding long waits to be seen. In my experience, over two-thirds of patients with kidney disease can be managed in this way with advice from a consultant and treatment by the GP, removing the enormous stress and uncertainty of waiting a long time.

Ruth Rankine, director of primary care at the NHS Confederation, said:

Advice and Guidance, if implemented effectively, can support improved patient care, streamlined referrals processes, and efficient use of resources. It can give the patient and their GP more control over their treatment options and support care closer to home.

For many conditions, we know that hospital treatment isn’t the best option so this measure will support a greater drive to provision of out of hospital services in line with the government’s priorities, and deliver more investment in primary and community services to provide more cost-effective support to patients.

Sharon Brennan, Director of Policy and External Affairs, National Voices, said:

If genuine shared decision-making sits at the centre of the advice and guidance service it has the potential to ensure, where appropriate, patients receive the most suitable care closer to home without having to anxiously sit on consultant waiting lists. To make sure patient develop trust in this new service, we must see real choice offered to patients about what best treatment routes are, and strong communication about what the service is and what it means in practical terms for patient care.

The government has set out its plan to reform and rebuild the NHS, with the ambition that 92% of patients will be waiting less than 18 weeks by the end of this Parliament.

The Plan for Change is already delivering tangible impacts for patients – with industrial action ended, NHS waiting lists falling, and over 3 million additional appointments delivered since July 2024.

We have also begun fixing the front door of the NHS, hiring an extra 1,500 GPs since October and changing the GP contract to help bring an end to the 8am scramble for appointments.

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Published 17 April 2025
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study of nitrogen fertilised grassland and pollen allergies
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

April 16, 2025

A study published in The Lancet Planetary Health looks at the impact of nitrogen fertiliser on pollen allergies.

Dr Roy Neilson, Soil Ecologist, The James Hutton Institute, said:

“Daelemans et al. take a novel approach of pollen assessment in considering the impact of nitrogen fertiliser application on pollen burden. Using a paired design at 25 grassland sites within a region of Belgium, and based on two sampling periods during May, the authors report that nitrogen-enriched grasslands had a 6·2-fold increase in pollen compared with their unfertilised paired grassland.

“The results of the study arguably support the importance of species-specific grass pollen monitoring given that a subset of grass species may have disproportionate influence on respiratory health responses during peak grass pollen concentrations¹. However, it is unclear how nitrogen driven increase in pollen will contribute to the predicted increase in pollen season severity by up to 60% due to a changing climate².

“Peaks in abundance of pollen occur at different times during the summer across the UK³ thus, it is unclear whether sampling in a single month as the study of Daelemans et al. would have the same outcome across the entire pollen season. Moreover, unlike tree pollen, a recent study reported that grass (Poaceae) pollen seasons are neither becoming more severe nor longer in the UK⁴.

“Adoption of Regenerative Agricultural principles⁵ such as reducing synthetic inputs (e.g., inorganic nitrogen-based fertiliser) has potential to contribute to the mitigation of the outcomes reported by Daelemans et al.”

References:

¹ Rowney, et al. (2021). Environmental DNA analysis reveals links between abundance and composition of airborne grass pollen and respiratory health. Current Biology, 31, 1-9.

² Kurganskiy, et al. (2021). Predicting the severity of the grass pollen season and the effect of climate change in Northwest Europe. Science Advances, 7, eabd7658.

³ Brennan, et al. (2019). Grass allergy season defined by spatio-temporal shifts in airborne pollen biodiversity. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 3, 750-754.

⁴ Adams-Groom, B., Selby, K., Derrett, S., Frisk, C.A., Pashley, C.H., Satchwell, J., King, D., McKenzie, G., and Neilson, R. (2022). Pollen season trends as markers of climate change impact: Betula, Quercus and Poaceae. Science of the Total Environment, 831, 154882.

⁵ British Ecological Society (2025). Regenerative Agriculture in the UK: An Ecological Perspective. London, UK.

Dr Roberto Picetti, Assistant Professor, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) said:

“This study highlights the impact of nitrogen pollution on allergies, which is an under-recognised pathway affecting human health.

“These findings are relevant to the UK, where nitrogen pollution remains a concern both in agricultural areas and in cities, and is already linked to other environmental and health problems, including respiratory illness, biodiversity loss, and air and water quality degradation.

“It builds on well-established research which continues to find a link between high levels of nitrogen and changes in plant communities and pollen abundance, and to increased immune responses in individuals who are allergic to grass pollen.

“This is a high-quality study that adds valuable evidence to an important and emerging area of public health. The conclusions are well grounded in the data, do not overstate the implications, and make a compelling case for further research and policy attention. Although observational studies are not able to account for every possible variable, this research uses a range of scientific approaches, such as ecology, molecular analysis and immunological testing, to strengthen its conclusions.

“This study is a valuable step towards understanding and addressing the growing problem of pollen allergies and supports the case for more comprehensive environmental policies that consider both the health and ecological impacts of nitrogen pollution.

“By reducing nitrogen pollution, we could help protect biodiversity and lessen the severity of pollen allergies.”

(from our friends at SMC Spain) Dr José Gómez Rial, Head of the Immunology Department at the Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela (CHUS), Servicio Gallego de Salud (SERGAS) (Spain), said:

“The study shows that nitrogen-enriched meadows produce up to six times more pollen than their unfertilised equivalents, and that this pollen has a greater capacity to activate immune cells in allergy sufferers, with a 5.1-fold increase in sensitivity in basophil activation tests and a 1.3-fold increase in specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels. Although the exact mechanism is not detailed in the article, it is plausible that excess nitrogen modifies the biochemical composition of pollen, increasing the quantity or proportion of allergenic proteins synthesised by the plant, which would enhance its capacity to activate the immune system.

“These findings have important implications for both ecology and health. On the one hand, they reveal that nitrogen pollution not only affects plant biodiversity but can also directly aggravate highly prevalent allergic diseases such as rhinitis or seasonal asthma. On the other hand, they emphasise the need to integrate public health into environmental policies: reducing nitrogen emissions and limiting the use of fertilisers would not only contribute to preserving ecosystems but could also reduce the burden of disease associated with respiratory allergies. The concept of One Health applies not only to human and animal health, but also to plant health and the environment”.

(from our friends at SMC Spain) Prof África González-Fernández, Researcher at CINBIO, Professor of Immunology at the University of Vigo (Spain), said:

“The experiment is well-reasoned, but they analyse few cases (25 people in rich areas and 25 in areas not enriched with fertilisers). It has not been done in other areas, and the in vitro trials were carried out with 20 subjects. There is a lack of healthy controls.

“There are studies from years ago on the increase in allergy and nitrogen fertilisers, as well as on NO2 levels and allergy. There is a lot of literature on the subject. Other studies have been carried out measuring IgE levels and they have included a basophil release test, which is currently used routinely in immunology laboratories in hospitals. They conclude that allergic patients recognise more proteins in the pollen of fertilised plants (enriched in nitrogen) than in those that are not fertilised, with more production of specific IgE and more release of mediators by basophils when exposed to fertilised pollen.

“The same authors wrote a review in 2023: Impact of environmental nitrogen pollution on pollen allergy: A scoping review. In Table 4 they describe the mechanisms by which NO2 would affect pollen and the allergic response.

“I see several limitations:
1. The low number of allergic patients.
2. They do not include control cases.
3. At high pollen concentrations, there are no in vitro differences in the basophil release study. They do not correlate these data with the actual pollen count that could be in the environment.
4. They have only taken into account serum levels of IgE antibodies against pollen, basophil release and immunoblot studies [a technique for the identification of proteins]. They have not studied cellular responses (T lymphocytes, NK cells) which they do carry out in other studies. As an example of immunological studies, a study was also carried out in Madrid years ago on the ability of pollen to activate lymphocytes and NK cells, and it has been seen (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1398-9995.2007.01438.x) that pollen-allergic asthmatic patients, when they live in more polluted areas, present more and more severe symptoms.
5. There is already previous data on pollen: Cuinica et al. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24361564/), Zhao et al. (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pce.12601), Chassard et al.(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25463703/) ”
‘The impact of ecosystem nitrogen enrichment on pollen allergy: a cross-sectional paired comparison study’ by Robin Daelemans et al. was published in The Lancet Planetary Health at 23:30 UK time on Wednesday 16^th April 2025.

Declared interests

Dr Roberto Picetti: No conflicts of interest to declare.

For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: 04.16.2025 Chairmen Cruz and Babin Lead State Delegation in Support of Relocating NASA HQ to Texas

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin (R-Texas-36) led a bicameral coalition of federal lawmakers representing Texas communities in sending a letter to President Trump urging his administration to move the headquarters for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from Washington, D.C. to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. The lease for NASA’s current DC office expires in 2028.
In the letter, the lawmakers argue that NASA is disconnected from the day-to-day work of its centers and hindered by bureaucratic micromanagement in Washington, D.C. Houston is well suited for NASA’s headquarters because of JSC’s substantial involvement in nearly everything that makes America a leader in space exploration. JSC maintains the largest NASA workforce, accommodates extensive research and development partnerships, and houses Mission Control, the NASA astronaut corps, and the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility.
Additionally, Texas boasts a strong business environment, low government regulation, a robust commercial space sector, and a cost of living that is less than half of the Washington, D.C. area. Moving the NASA headquarters to Texas will create more jobs, save taxpayer dollars, and reinvigorate America’s space agency.
Joining Sen. Cruz and Rep. Babin in sending the letter are Sen. John Cornyn and Reps. Jodey Arrington, John Carter, Michael Cloud, Dan Crenshaw, Monica De La Cruz, Jake Ellzey, Pat Fallon, Brandon Gill, Craig Goldman, Tony Gonzales, Lance Gooden, Wesley Hunt, Ronny Jackson, Morgan Luttrell, Michael McCaul, Nathaniel Moran, Troy E. Nehls, August Pfluger, Chip Roy, Keith Self, Pete Sessions, Beth Van Duyne, Randy Weber, and Roger Williams.
As the lawmakers wrote:
“From its founding in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a storied history of exploring new frontiers, making transformational discoveries, and reaching far into the great beyond. However, as NASA’s leadership has languished in our nation’s capital, the core missions of this critical agency are more divided than ever before. This seismic disconnect between NASA’s headquarters and its missions has opened the door to bureaucratic micromanagement and an erosion of centers’ interdependence. For NASA to return to its core mission of excellence in exploration, its headquarters should be located at a place where NASA’s most critical missions are and where transformational leadership from the ground up can be provided. In 2028 the lease for NASA’s current headquarters building in Washington, D.C. expires. We write to urge you to use this opportunity to reinvigorate our national space agency and move NASA’s headquarters from Washington D.C. to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas.
“Perhaps no city is more closely linked to America’s space program than ‘Space City.’ Some of the first words spoken on the surface of the moon called out to Houston which is home to numerous aerospace businesses. JSC in particular is the largest home of the NASA workforce, with more than 12,000 employees across its 1,620-acre facility and supporting more than 52,000 public and private jobs. As the pinnacle of human spaceflight development, Houston is home to Mission Control, the NASA astronaut corps, the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility, commercial space agreements, and extensive research and development partnerships. JSC plays a role in nearly everything that makes America a leader in space exploration.
“Houston is particularly well suited for NASA’s headquarters due in part to the unique strengths of the city and the state. Texas is the eighth largest economy in the world, with low government regulation and a strong business environment. Houston boasts a cost of living that is less than half that of the Washington, D.C. area ; three ‘R1: Doctoral Universities’ producing the high caliber professionals necessary for human spaceflight; and two major commercial service airports for easy connectivity around the country. In contrast, NASA’s current headquarters in Washington, D.C. is disconnected from the NASA centers across the country and thus much of the day-to-day work. Consolidating greater and greater levels of work and authority in Washington, D.C. has been a decades-long trend, resulting in decision making funneled up to bureaucrats at headquarters rather than empowering scientists and astronauts across the centers. This strategy has separated decision makers from the actual workforce and stands antithetical to NASA’s core function.
“Relatedly, for the United States to reach the surface of Mars, NASA must rely on a robust commercial space sector. Towards that end, no state offers greater economic and geographic benefits than Texas. The Lone Star State is home to more than 2,000 aerospace, aviation, and defense-related companies, with 18 of the 20 largest aerospace companies based in Texas. Notably, SpaceX relocated their entire company to Texas, establishing the town of Starbase, Texas, to develop, test, and launch SpaceX vehicles. Similarly, Blue Origin develops engines and rockets in West Texas, leading a new generation of spaceflight, and conducts its commercial sub-orbital flights there. Firefly Aerospace, in Cedar Park, recently sent photos of Earth from its Blue Ghost lunar lander on its voyage to explore the surface of the moon. Axiom Space, based in Houston, is building the next generation spacesuit for NASA and a commercial space station to succeed the International Space Station. In addition, the State of Texas recently stood up the Texas Space Commission to promote innovation in space operations and commercial aerospace and to attract commercial space ventures to the state. These are just a few of the ways Texas aerospace companies, projects, and institutions are transforming our nation’s leadership in the space economy.
“A central location among NASA’s centers and the geographical center of the United States, Houston offers the ideal location for NASA to return to its core mission of space exploration and to do so at a substantially lower operating cost than in Washington, D.C. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the great servants of NASA — who are focused on recommitting America’s space agency to its roots and exploring the final frontier — by relocating NASA’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Johnson Space Center.”
Read the full text of the letter HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: MEDIA ADVISORY: Sanders to Host Third Annual “Youth Chess Day” for Vermont Students

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders

BURLINGTON, Vt., April 16 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will hold his third annual Youth Chess Day for students grades 1-12 on Saturday, April 19 at Vermont State University in Randolph. Over the first two years of this event, more than 250 young Vermonters from across the state have come out to learn the game and compete.

“Chess is a game that I think all young people should have the opportunity to learn,” said Sanders. “It’s a game of strategy and quick thinking. Our Youth Chess Day gives young Vermonters the chance to improve their skills, make friends, and build community. I’m so glad we are holding this event for the third time. I look forward to seeing some familiar faces, seeing how players have progressed their skills over the last year, and to meeting some new students of the game.”

The day starts with a Learn-To-Play session for students in Grades 1-8 to learn how to play and to hone their skills. Lunch will be served and is free for all attendees. In the afternoon, more experienced players in grades 1-12 can test their knowledge in a recreational tournament. Students with all levels of experience are welcome and highly encouraged to attend.

Vermont students can register to participate by 12:00 p.m. on April 18 at https://www.sanders.senate.gov/events/. Advance registration is required.

Details:

What: Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Third Annual Youth Chess Day

When: Saturday, April 19, 11:00a.m. – 4:00p.m.

11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.: Learn-To-Play Session (Grades 1-8)

12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Lunch (free for all attendees)

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.: Recreational Tournament (Grades 1-12)

Where: Judd Hall, Vermont State University – Randolph, 124 Admin Drive, Randolph Center, VT

Participant RSVP: Vermont students, grades 1-12, can register to participate at https://www.sanders.senate.gov/events/. Students are strongly encouraged to register by 12:00 pm on April 18.

Press RSVP: Attendance is limited to student participants, their invited guests, and members of the press. Media members must RSVP by contacting press@sanders.senate.gov.

Details: All attendees are expected to follow Vermont Department of Health guidance, monitor symptoms, and are encouraged to take a rapid COVID-19 test prior to the event.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Cornyn, Texas GOP Colleagues Urge President Trump to Move NASA Headquarters to Houston

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn

AUSTIN – Today, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), along with Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Congressman Brian Babin (TX-36), led a letter to President Trump urging his administration to move the headquarters for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from Washington, D.C. to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas, when the D.C. office lease expires in 2028. For decades, Houston has been a leader in space exploration and innovation, and the lawmakers argue that relocating NASA’s headquarters to the Lone Star State will help save American taxpayer dollars and spur growth in the nation’s space sector.

The full text of the letter is available here and below.

The lawmakers wrote: “From its founding in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a storied history of exploring new frontiers, making transformational discoveries, and reaching far into the great beyond. However, as NASA’s leadership has languished in our nation’s capital, the core missions of this critical agency are more divided than ever before. This seismic disconnect between NASA’s headquarters and its missions has opened the door to bureaucratic micromanagement and an erosion of centers’ interdependence. For NASA to return to its core mission of excellence in exploration, its headquarters should be located at a place where NASA’s most critical missions are and where transformational leadership from the ground up can be provided. In 2028 the lease for NASA’s current headquarters building in Washington, D.C. expires. We write to urge you to use this opportunity to reinvigorate our national space agency and move NASA’s headquarters from Washington D.C. to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas.”

“Perhaps no city is more closely linked to America’s space program than ‘Space City.’ Some of the first words spoken on the surface of the moon called out to Houston which is home to numerous aerospace businesses. JSC in particular is the largest home of the NASA workforce, with more than 12,000 employees across its 1,620-acre facility and supporting more than 52,000 public and private jobs. As the pinnacle of human spaceflight development, Houston is home to Mission Control, the NASA astronaut corps, the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility, commercial space agreements, and extensive research and development partnerships. JSC plays a role in nearly everything that makes America a leader in space exploration.”

U.S. Representatives Jodey Arrington (TX-19), John Carter (TX-31), Michael Cloud (TX-27), Dan Crenshaw (TX-02), Monica De La Cruz (TX-15), Jake Ellzey (TX-06), Pat Fallon (TX-04), Brandon Gill (TX-26), Craig Goldman (TX-12), Tony Gonzales (TX-23), Lance Gooden (TX-05), Wesley Hunt (TX-38), Ronny Jackson (TX-14), Morgan Luttrell (TX-08) , Michael McCaul (TX-10), Nathaniel Moran (TX-01), Troy E. Nehls (TX-22), August Pfluger (TX-11), Chip Roy (21), Keith Self (TX-03), Pete Sessions (TX-17) , Beth Van Duyne (TX-24), Randy Weber (TX-14), and Roger Williams (TX-25) also joined the letter.

April 16, 2025

President Donald J. Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

From its founding in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a storied history of exploring new frontiers, making transformational discoveries, and reaching far into the great beyond. However, as NASA’s leadership has languished in our nation’s capital, the core missions of this critical agency are more divided than ever before. This seismic disconnect between NASA’s headquarters and its missions has opened the door to bureaucratic micromanagement and an erosion of centers’ interdependence. For NASA to return to its core mission of excellence in exploration, its headquarters should be located at a place where NASA’s most critical missions are and where transformational leadership from the ground up can be provided. In 2028 the lease for NASA’s current headquarters building in Washington, D.C. expires. We write to urge you to use this opportunity to reinvigorate our national space agency and move NASA’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas.

Perhaps no city is more closely linked to America’s space program than “Space City.” Some of the first words spoken on the surface of the moon called out to Houston which is home to numerous aerospace businesses. JSC in particular is the largest home of the NASA workforce, with more than 12,000 employees across its 1,620-acre facility and supporting more than 52,000 public and private jobs. As the pinnacle of human spaceflight development, Houston is home to Mission Control, the NASA astronaut corps, the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility, commercial space agreements, and extensive research and development partnerships. JSC plays a role in nearly everything that makes America a leader in space exploration.

Houston is particularly well suited for NASA’s headquarters due in part to the unique strengths of the city and the state. Texas is the eighth largest economy in the world, with low government regulation and a strong business environment. Houston boasts a cost of living that is less than half that of the Washington, D.C. area; three “R1: Doctoral Universities” producing the high caliber professionals necessary for human spaceflight; and two major commercial service airports for easy connectivity around the country. In contrast, NASA’s current headquarters in Washington, D.C. is disconnected from the NASA centers across the country and thus much of the day-to-day work. Consolidating greater and greater levels of work and authority in Washington, D.C. has been a decades-long trend, resulting in decision making funneled up to bureaucrats at headquarters rather than empowering scientists and astronauts across the centers. This strategy has separated decision makers from the actual workforce and stands antithetical to NASA’s core function.

Relatedly, for the United States to reach the surface of Mars, NASA must rely on a robust commercial space sector. Towards that end, no state offers greater economic and geographic benefits than Texas. The Lone Star State is home to more than 2,000 aerospace, aviation, and defense-related companies, with 18 of the 20 largest aerospace companies based in Texas. Notably, SpaceX relocated their entire company to Texas, establishing the town of Starbase, Texas, to develop, test, and launch SpaceX vehicles. Similarly, Blue Origin develops engines and rockets in West Texas, leading a new generation of spaceflight, and conducts its commercial sub-orbital flights there. Firefly Aerospace, in Cedar Park, recently sent photos of Earth from its Blue Ghost lunar lander on its voyage to explore the surface of the moon. Axiom Space, based in Houston, is building the next generation spacesuit for NASA and a commercial space station to succeed the International Space Station. In addition, the State of Texas recently stood up the Texas Space Commission to promote innovation in space operations and commercial aerospace and to attract commercial space ventures to the state. These are just a few of the ways Texas aerospace companies, projects, and institutions are transforming our nation’s leadership in the space economy.

A central location among NASA’s centers and the geographical center of the United States, Houston offers the ideal location for NASA to return to its core mission of space exploration and to do so at a substantially lower operating cost than in Washington, D.C. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the great servants of NASA — who are focused on recommitting America’s space agency to its roots and exploring the final frontier — by relocating NASA’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Johnson Space Center.

Sincerely,

/s/

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Bacon, Crow Reintroduce Legislation to Recognize Long-Term Risks of Military Firefighting, Strengthen VA Benefits for Veteran Firefighters

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Don Bacon (2nd District of Nebraska)

Bacon, Crow Reintroduce Legislation to Recognize Long-Term Risks of Military Firefighting, Strengthen VA Benefits for Veteran Firefighters

Bipartisan Legislation is Named after Veteran and Firefighter Michael Lecik

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Reps. Don Bacon (R-NE-02) and Jason Crow (D-CO-06) introduced H.R. 2244 the Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act, which provides veteran firefighters with the fair compensation, healthcare, and retirement benefits they’ve earned through their service. Rep. Bacon originally introduced this legislation in 2020 alongside former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA).

The bipartisan legislation is named after Virginia resident Michael Lecik, a former U.S. Air Force firefighter who was twice deployed to the Middle East. Following his military service, Lecik became a civilian firefighter and then became chief fire inspector at U.S. Army Garrison Fort Lee. He also volunteered as a firefighter with the Huguenot Volunteer Fire Department.

In February 2019, Lecik was diagnosed with multiple myeloma — a condition tied to the high-risk, carcinogenic workplace conditions that come with being a military firefighter. Lecik passed away in March 2021.

The Veterans Health Administration does not currently cover treatment costs related to diseases like Lecik’s, as the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — in many cases — does not recognize the direct service connection between military firefighting and cancer as a service-connected disability beyond one year following active duty. Bacon and Crow’s Michael Lecik Military Firefighters Protection Act would create the presumption that veteran firefighters who become disabled by serious diseases — including heart disease, lung disease, and certain cancers — contracted the illness due to their service in the military. Additionally, it would extend the window of time for veteran military firefighters with certain diseases to claim presumptive service-connection to 15 years. By creating this presumption, the VA would be able to provide equitable disability benefits and treatment cost coverage to veteran firefighters like Lecik.

“After nearly 30 years in the Air Force, I’ve witnessed hundreds of heroic military firefighters who put their own lives on the line by carrying us out of burning buildings or jets and exposing themselves to toxic substances and deadly fumes,” said Rep. Bacon. “Creating the presumption that those who become disabled from serious disease contracted the illness while serving in the military allows the VA to treat thousands of military firefighters that would normally not be covered. This bill changes that. I fully support this mission, and I will continue to work with Rep. Crow to not only get this over the finish line, but to honor the life of former USAF firefighter, Michael Lecik, to which this bill is named after.”

“I know from my days as an Army Ranger that military firefighters protect the safety of everybody in our ranks,” said Rep. Crow. “Too many of our military firefighters have been denied VA health care for conditions connected to their service, and that’s unacceptable. That’s why I’m introducing bipartisan legislation that expands their access to the care they deserve.”

A 2014 study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found that U.S. firefighters are more likely to suffer certain diseases and illnesses as a result of their career — and they experience higher rates of cancer than the general U.S. population. While many states have already recognized this link, the VA has not yet recognized this long-term presumptive disability — meaning thousands of U.S. veteran firefighters are left uncovered by the VA.

Click here to read the full bill text.

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MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Defraud Medicare of $3.3 Million

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

CONCORD – A Florida woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Concord in connection with her role in a conspiracy to defraud Medicare of $3.3 million, Acting U.S. Attorney Jay McCormack announces.

Yolanda Dupont, 38, of New Port Richey, Florida, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro scheduled sentencing for July 22, 2025.

According to court documents, Dupont and her co-conspirators owned and operated Allstar Medical Supply Corp., a purported durable medical equipment business in New Hampshire selling orthotic braces. As part of the conspiracy, Dupont served as the nominee owner of the business to conceal the identities of the true owners. Dupont certified that neither she nor Allstar would not submit false claims to Medicare. However, during the conspiracy, Dupont and her co-conspirators submitted, or caused the submission of, approximately $3.3 million in false and fraudulent claims for orthotic braces to Medicare. Medicare paid at least $1.6 million to Dupont and her co-conspirators for these claims. Ultimately, Medicare beneficiaries received orthotic braces that were medically unnecessary, ineligible for reimbursement, and often not wanted or needed.

The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Ward is prosecuting the case.

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MIL Security OSI –

April 17, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: With the end of Flybuys NZ, what happens to the personal data of nearly 3 million Kiwis?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lisa M. Katerina Asher, Doctoral Candidate, Business School, University of Sydney

JuSun/Getty Images

After almost three decades in New Zealand, loyalty programme Flybuys announced it would be closing in 2024. The company behind the scheme, Loyalty New Zealand, has since entered liquidation, leaving the future of one of Flybuys’ key assets uncertain.

That asset is a customer database containing sensitive personal information about millions of New Zealanders. So what happens to it matters.

Founded in 1996, some 2.9 million New Zealanders representing 74% of the nation’s households eventually signed up to Flybuys. Members collected points at affiliated retailers which they could then redeem through the Flybuys website.

But over the past decade, partners such as Air New Zealand, Mitre 10 and New World pulled out of the scheme to either join other loyalty programmes or start their own.

In May last year, Loyalty New Zealand announced it was closing Flybuys New Zealand and liquidators were called in to manage the company’s end. Flybuys Australia continues to operate, jointly owned by Coles Group and Wesfarmers (which owns retailers K-mart and Bunnings).

According to the first liquidator’s report from early April, Loyalty New Zealand is solvent. This means it is not bankrupt and can pay all debts in full.

Once creditors are paid, the remaining funds will go to shareholders – Z Energy, BNZ, IAG and Foodstuffs Ventures (NZ), a joint subsidiary of Foodstuffs North Island and Foodstuffs South Island.

However, the report is silent on Flybuys’ customer database. That data likely includes years of shopping histories, behavioural profiles and potentially sensitive demographic or inferred financial information.

When the end of Flybuys was announced, Loyalty New Zealand assured customers and retailers it would manage private data according to the New Zealand Privacy Act. But with the liquidation of the company, it is unclear what will now happen to this information.

While no one has publicly said the information will be sold, there is no assurance it will be deleted either. And the database is arguably Loyalty New Zealand’s most valuable, albeit intangible, asset. Unless liquidators explicitly commit to deletion, the data could potentially be transferred or sold.

Loyalty schemes such as Flybuys can gather a great deal of information on those who sign-up. That information can become a valuable – and potentially tradable – asset.
Zamrznuti tonovi/Shutterstock

Data ownership, privacy and sovereignty

The risks are far from theoretical. In March this year, DNA ancestry company 23andMe filed for bankruptcy. The genetic data held by the company was put up for sale as an asset, exposing users and their relatives to substantial privacy risks.

While privacy laws vary by country, the 23andMe case showed how personal data can make customers vulnerable. Flybuys’ data may not be genetic, but it is similarly rich, detailed and easily re-identifiable when combined with other datasets.

If sold or reused without proper controls or oversight, it might potentially expose former members to discriminatory insurance profiling, targeted scams, manipulative political advertising and algorithmic credit scoring.

In extreme cases, such data can be used to infer sensitive customer characteristics such as financial stress or health-related behaviours. This could lead to political profiling or surveillance captialism – the collection and commodification of personal data.

New Zealand’s Privacy Act 2020 is designed to protect personal information. If data is reused for purposes beyond its original intent, or transferred without proper consent, it may breach the law. But the act does not clearly prohibit the sale of data during a liquidation. Nor is it clear on how the rules could be enforced.

Australia’s Privacy Act 1988 offers even less protection. It allows companies to send personal data overseas if they take “reasonable steps” to ensure recipients follow similar privacy rules. This means Australian Flybuys’ data could be sent to countries such as the United States.

That is especially worrying given the power of US tech giants, which routinely collect, profile and monetise data with little oversight. In the wrong hands, Flybuys’ trove of shopping habits, preferences and behavioural patterns could be repurposed to build invasive consumer profiles without people’s knowledge or control.

Setting a global standard

If Flybuys New Zealand’s data is treated as an asset during the liquidation process, could set a precedent and shape future regulatory standards internationally.

We have seen this before. In November 2022, Deliveroo Australia entered voluntary administration, raising concerns about how it would handle its extensive customer data. Users were told they had six months to download their own information, but there was no clarity on whether the data would then be deleted, retained or sold.

This lack of transparency revealed a gap in Australia’s data protection laws during liquidation. While the ultimate fate of the data remains publicly unknown, experts have suggested it was transferred to Deliveroo’s UK-based parent company.

While Australia’s 1988 Privacy Act requires organisations to handle personal information responsibly, it does not clearly regulate the sale or transfer of data during insolvencies or liquidations. There is a legal grey area which leaves customers and consumers vulnerable, as their data could be treated as a tradable asset without their consent.

The need for ethical stewardship

Customer data accumulation is the product of a relationship built on trust that should end when the company and relationship does. Ethical stewardship demands deletion, not redistribution.

This aligns with global norms such as the “right to be forgotten” under the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.

When a company winds down, users should be clearly informed of their options: to retrieve their data, delete it or consent to its transfer. That decision should rest with the member or customer, not be made behind closed doors for potential financial gain.

The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. With the end of Flybuys NZ, what happens to the personal data of nearly 3 million Kiwis? – https://theconversation.com/with-the-end-of-flybuys-nz-what-happens-to-the-personal-data-of-nearly-3-million-kiwis-254568

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Lawler Calls For Action to Protect LIHEAP Amid Staff Layoffs Threatening New York Families

Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

Washington, D.C. – 4/15/2025… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) sent a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressing concern about the reported layoffs of staff responsible for administering the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which is a service that plays a vital role in assisting Hudson Valley families with their energy costs, particularly during the winter and summer months.

The letter primarily sought to address concerns about any potential disruption of funding distribution to states, territories, and tribal organizations, with an emphasis on the impact any disruptions could have on New York’s most vulnerable populations.

“Although the approximately 20 to 24 LIHEAP staff members represent only a small portion of the broader HHS layoffs, their departure raises serious concerns about the program’s capacity to operate effectively,” wrote Congressman Lawler (NY-17).

“In FY2023, LIHEAP staff within the Office of Community Services helped to administer $600 Million in vital funds to New Yorkers — providing energy assistance to approximately 1.1 million households, including 492,572 households with seniors, 391,776 households with individuals with disabilities, and 182,696 households that included a young child,” continued Lawler.

“I respectfully urge you to ensure that the necessary personnel and resources remain in place to support LIHEAP’s continued success,” the lawmaker concluded.

Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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The full letter can be found HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER: UNDER TRUMP AND GOP PLAN TO CRIPPLE MEDICAID, COUNTLESS WESTERN NY SENIORS COULD BE KICKED OUT OF NURSING HOMES, REHAB FACILITIES & LOSE HEALTHCARE; STANDING WITH BUFFALO SENIORS AND NURSES,…

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

JUST LAST WEEK Congressional Republicans Voted To Advance The Biggest Medicaid Cut In History — $880 BILLION — Which Could Force Nursing Homes Across Upstate NY To Close Or Lay Off Staff, As Well As Hospitals, Health Centers, Addiction Treatment Centers, Kicking Patients To The Curb

Lancaster’s Greenfield Health & Rehab Center Is 50% Funded By Medicaid, Paying For Seniors’ Care; GOP’s Dangerous Medicaid Cuts Would Impact 370,000+ WNYers, Forcing Families To Pick Up The Whole Bill To Keep Loved Ones In Facilities

Schumer: We Are In A Fight Of A Lifetime To Protect WNY Seniors & Their Families From Looming GOP Medicaid Cuts

Just a week after Congressional Republicans voted to advance the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer stood with Western NY seniors and nurses at GreenField Health & Rehabilitation Center to call on Congressional Republicans to block Trump’s plan to decimate Medicaid. The Republican plan to cut $880 billion from Medicaid would hurt more than 370,000 Western New Yorkers and millions more across the nation, forcing families to choose between taking their loved ones out of their homes and covering all the costs to keep them in facilities.

“Last week, House Republicans voted to advance the biggest Medicaid cut in history, putting places like GreenField that care for our seniors in danger. Buffalo’s nursing homes, addiction treatment centers, hospitals and more all depend on Medicaid to provide care. If these cuts go through, it would risk care for over 370,000 in Western NY,” said Senator Schumer. “This proposal to decimate Medicaid is not just heartless, it would mean Western NY’s seniors can’t get the care they need and might face the prospect of being kicked out of homes like this. It would be a gut punch to our hospitals like Erie County Medical Center, jeopardize funding to addiction treatment centers worsening the opioid crisis here in Western NY. We are in the fight of a lifetime to block the Republican plan to gut Medicaid by $880 BILLION. That’s why I’m demanding Congressional Republicans stand up and protect Western NY’s seniors and their families from this awful choice.”

Schumer said Western New York’s seniors and their families will face the worst when Republicans cut Medicaid. Over 370,000 people in Western New York have Medicaid for their insurance, and many of them are seniors who could be discharged from local nursing homes, rehab facilities, and assisted living care if Congressional Republicans Medicaid. Schumer explained that once Medicaid is forced to stop paying for senior care in these facilities, and once the facilities exhaust every possible way to keep seniors in place, many families could face a grueling dilemma: pay thousands of dollars out-of-pocket to keep ‘mom’ or ‘dad’ in care, or move them back home.

In Western New York’s 23^rd congressional district, Medicaid is a lifeline, covering nearly 70% of nursing home residents, 38% of children, close to half of all births, and nearly one-third of ER visits, outpatient surgeries, and clinic care. At Lancaster’s GreenField Health and Rehabilitation Center –50% of funding comes from Medicaid to ensure seniors can live there with dignity – the proposed cuts would deal a serious financial blow, not only to GreenField, but also to its parent organization, Lineage, which operates multiple senior care and health services across the region. Erie County Medical Center relies on over $800 million in revenue from Medicaid every year, which is 48% of the funding for Western NY’s premier Level 1 trauma center. For Catholic Health, Medicaid covers over $200 million in healthcare for patients across its four nursing homes and six hospital campuses. It would also risk some of the region’s most critical medical services, like addiction treatment which heavily relies on Medicaid, and experts say would be among the hardest hit under the GOP cuts worsening the opioid crisis.

The Congressional Republican proposal to cut $880 billion from Medicaid would mean that the costs of care shifts to states, which would result in slashed services, benefits, eligibility, and reimbursement rates. These agonizing decisions would happen at the state and local level, with county executives and state legislators forced to decide where to make up for the huge budget hole caused by Republicans slashing federal funding for Medicaid. Counties could even be forced to shoulder the burden of increased costs in Medicaid, using more local dollars to provide coverage because less federal funding will be coming in. This means legislators and county executives will have to decide who loses their Medicaid, what services will no longer be covered, or how much doctors will be paid. The senator said while some Congressional Republicans claim that this plan won’t cut Medicaid, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office found the GOP plan could not be reached without reducing the funding that goes to Medicaid. There is no way to protect Medicaid benefits if Republicans move ahead with these cuts.

Schumer added, “Trump wants these cuts for one reason: to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. It’s not looking out for your parents or grandparents. They have tried to hide their Medicaid cuts, use smoke and mirrors and claim this isn’t a cut, but the math shows this would hurt our seniors and families Medicaid, and places like Western NY the most.”

“New York State Nursing homes face a Medicaid deficit in funding of over $100 per day per resident. Nearly 70,000 nursing home beds in New York are at risk for closing under this growing funding deficit. Without proper reimbursement, the post acute system will crumble, and residents of our community not be able to get the care they need. Further cuts to the Medicaid system will put the entire health care system at risk. We need others at the Federal level to follow Senator Schumer’s lead in making sure these cuts are stopped,” said Dr. Christopher Koenig, President of Lineage Care Group.

“This idea to cut Medicaid is a shame. It shows we don’t value our elders. We don’t value our caregivers. If we did, we wouldn’t be talking about cutting this massively important funding—we’d be fighting to strengthen it. Cutting long term care Medicaid is a moral failure, not just a policy debate. I thank Senator Schumer for being here today and going to bat for healthcare workers and seniors all across Western New York and New York State,” said Sheri Scavone, Board Member of Niagara Lutheran and family member of affected patient.

“Medicaid is an essential part of the healthcare of millions of Americans and thousands of Erie County residents in nursing homes, rehab facilities and elsewhere, helping them to live dignified and meaningful lives. Under this cruel and heartless GOP plan, our loved ones who rely on Medicaid will be sacrificed, healthcare workers could lose their jobs, and healthcare facilities could close all so that billionaires can get more tax breaks,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “All Americans should be gravely concerned about this brazen theft, the biggest Medicaid cut in history, and all should stand and speak against it. An administration that robs from the poor to give to the rich, aided and abetted by a craven GOP majority that has abandoned American principles, is actively working to hurt Americans and we cannot just stand by and let it happen.”

Schumer detailed the scope of Medicaid enrollment throughout the country and warned that Medicaid serves as a lifeline for millions of seniors. More than 7 million New Yorkers are enrolled in Medicaid, and it is the primary payer for long-term care in the United States, including at nursing homes and for people living at home. Medicaid pays for services for 2 in 3 nursing home residents. Additionally, close to 4.5 million people across the country rely on Medicaid for home- and community-based services. Families will have nowhere else to turn if Medicaid is cut, and millions of people will be left trying to figure out how to access the care and services they rely on everyday.

Major reductions in Medicaid spending will have serious consequences for seniors and people with disabilities. Nearly 1 in 4 Medicaid enrollees are eligible for the program because they are ages 65 and older or have a disability. Proposals to limit federal spending on Medicaid will force states to consider dropping or limiting eligibility or coverage for seniors and people with disabilities to make up for a huge budget hole with fewer federal dollars coming to New York. Loss of Medicaid coverage poses unique challenges for seniors and people with disabilities, people who are likely to live on fixed incomes, have high health care spending, and rely on Medicaid for help with everyday life and for coverage of long-term care.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Russia: Putin and Sobyanin visited the new campus of Bauman Moscow State Technical University

Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin visited the new campus of the Moscow State Technical University (MSTU) named after N.E. Bauman. He familiarized himself with the research and development of teachers, students and postgraduates in the field of space exploration, as well as in other areas. The Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin reported to the head of state on the work of the Moscow Government to develop Russia’s leading engineering university.

Vladimir Putin also held a meeting at the university on the development of space activities, which was attended by representatives of departments related to this industry.

“Our focus today is on the development of the domestic space industry for the long term. Addressing this topic is always a special responsibility to the pioneers of space, to those people who set the highest bar for us,” said the Russian President.

Vladimir Putin congratulated veterans of the industry, cosmonauts and servicemen of the Russian Aerospace Forces on the recent Cosmonautics Day, and also thanked all employees of state enterprises, private space companies, scientific organizations and universities for their work. Particular attention was paid to the merits of the team of Bauman Moscow State Technical University, among whose graduates there is a whole galaxy of famous cosmonauts, outstanding scientists and designers.

“The best traditions of personnel training are developing and multiplying these days, and, as we have seen, in the new campus. Modern conditions are being created here for obtaining in-demand competencies. Of course, we will implement such projects in other cities of Russia,” Vladimir Putin emphasized.

Construction of the campus of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University

The project for the construction of a new educational complex of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University was implemented by the Moscow Government together with the Russian Government on behalf of Vladimir Putin. The new campus became the first facility in the country built under the federal project “Creation of a Network of Modern Campuses”. It became part of the national project “Science and Universities”, the implementation of which has been ongoing since 2025 within the framework of the national project “Youth and Children”This is one of the largest and most complex projects in the field of development of higher professional education.

“A total of 14 buildings with a total area of about 170 thousand square meters were built and restored in the shortest possible time. This was achieved through coordinated work – the facilities were built and designed in parallel. In almost 90 percent of cases, components and equipment from domestic manufacturers were used,” the Moscow Mayor said.

in his telegram channel.

Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @Mos_Sobyanin

In 2022 – early 2024, six facilities of the MSTU research cluster were opened.

The Life Sciences Engineering Cluster (formerly the Biomedical Systems and Technologies Center) is designed to implement modern educational programs, conduct research and development in the field of engineering and life sciences. Along with the educational programs of the Biomedical Engineering Faculty, research and development in the field of advanced biomedical engineering is conducted here. The building houses classrooms, including an office with a transformable partition, rooms for teachers, and a meeting room. Much space is allocated to advanced laboratories, including Biophotonics and Visualization of Living Systems, Neuroinfobionics, Rapid Prototyping, Cellular Technologies and Tissue Engineering, and Functional Hydrogels.

The Engineering Center for Ground Transport and Technological Systems is designed to carry out research and development work, as well as to implement educational programs in the field of creation and operation of ground transport and technological machines and complexes. The building houses laboratories, engineers’ offices, educational and laboratory premises, office premises for employees, a classroom, premises for scientific research and meetings. The KAMAZ-Bauman Scientific and Educational Center and several specialized laboratories operate here. In particular, the Wheeled Machines laboratory has been opened, conducting work in five key areas, such as Traction Electric Drives and Mechatronic Transmissions, Intelligent NTTS Systems, Hydraulic Testing, On-Board Storage Devices, and Acoustic Testing.

The multifunctional scientific and educational building is a new five-story building with an area of 20 thousand square meters, designed to accommodate research laboratories, scientific, administrative and educational spaces. The building houses seven departments of the university, as well as a complex of laboratories of mechanical engineering technologies, ground-based technological and launch equipment for rocket and space, vacuum and compressor technology. In total, 26 laboratories are open here, including laboratories of additive manufacturing technologies, reverse engineering and prototyping, research and certification of additive materials and additive manufacturing technologies.

The exhibition and educational media space “Palace of Technologies” is located in the building of an architectural monument – the restored two-story Phanagoria barracks built in the 18th century. The ceremonial halls of the palace are intended for holding ceremonies, international meetings, scientific and educational forums and other thematic events of congress and exhibition activities. The university’s specialized departments are located here – the information policy department and the organizational and protocol work department. In December 2023, the building hosted the first open day of the Faculty of Robotics and Complex Automation, which was attended by more than 200 people. Representatives of the faculty prepared lectures on the digital transformation of industry, robotics and engineering infrastructure of a modern industrial enterprise. Applicants and their parents were told about the admission rules, curricula of educational programs, as well as future employment, career and salary prospects.

The research center is a new six-story building with an area of 5.1 thousand square meters. The advanced engineering school “System Engineering of Rocket and Space Technology” operates on its basis. In addition, departments developing products for space and aviation have launched their activities here.

The multifunctional library building is a restored three-story building of the chemical laboratory of the Imperial Moscow Technical School, built in the 19th century according to the design of the architect Lev Kekushev. It trains IT specialists. It houses classrooms and computer labs for lectures, seminars and laboratory work, specialized laboratories for classes with senior students of the university’s industrial partners – IT companies, as well as coworking spaces and premises for teachers and postgraduate students of the departments. Since February 2024, the building has been hosting strategic sessions, scientific and practical conferences and other socially significant events. In addition, it was used as an accreditation center on the day of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University alumni meeting, which was attended by more than two thousand people.

Vladimir Putin and Sergei Sobyanin opened new buildings of Bauman Moscow State Technical University

By September 2024, work on several sites was completed.

The central cluster with a total area of about 51 thousand square meters includes five buildings of different heights – from four to six. The main task of the architects was to visually separate different functional areas without disturbing the overall harmony of the ensemble. To do this, they decided to detail the facades of the buildings with the help of scientific formulas. The facade glass looks different: in some places the formulas and equations are visible as clearly as possible, in others they are reflected, and in buildings with atrium spaces they can disappear depending on the viewing angle. All five buildings are united by a hovering dome roof – a membrane structure with an area of 2.5 thousand square meters, which will protect the ensemble and the inner courtyard from bad weather and make it more comfortable.

The center of the square is the “tree of knowledge” – an oak tree, around which an amphitheater for students and employees of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University is located. The inner courtyard is open to city residents, which made it possible to create a new center for meetings and communication.

The central cluster of Bauman Moscow State Technical University houses an innovation hub and a congress center, a cluster of “Environmental Protection Technologies – Green Territory”, a center of excellence and a scientific and educational cluster of digital transformation, a center of excellence and a scientific and educational cluster of “Digital Materials Science”, as well as a federal testing center.

The multifunctional complex “Quantum Park” with a total area of 13.8 thousand square meters houses research laboratories with advanced equipment, including world-class “clean rooms”, co-working spaces and transformable spaces for presenting scientific developments.

Today, it is one of the most advanced research complexes in the world. It is designed to solve practical problems at the intersection of quantum, photonic and fluid technologies that will determine the future of science and industry.

The Quantum Park building is one of the largest and at the same time the most equipped in the new cluster. “House of Light” was the working title of the new building. The architects sought to make it truly airy and luminous.

The Bauman Moscow State Technical University dormitory complex consists of the Spektr and Strela buildings. It is designed to accommodate about 2.3 thousand students.

According to Sergei Sobyanin, a small plot of land between the river and the city collector was chosen for its construction. Now the dormitories have everything necessary for a comfortable stay of students.

In addition to living quarters, the buildings with a total area of 60.5 thousand square meters house a multifunctional educational and leisure center, multimedia spaces and the necessary social infrastructure. An unusual form of faceted crystals was chosen for the student dormitory buildings: the monoform effect was achieved by increasing the size of the glass on the facades.

The flat facade of the building reflects the surrounding environment during the day: trees, clouds and sun. From the street, spectacular panoramic glass spanning the entire floor is visible. The windows inside the building are not only beautiful, but also fully functional: there are window sills and ventilation sashes.

The seven-story Spektr building on Gospitalnaya Embankment is designed for 550 students who live in single, double, triple and quadruple rooms. Some of the rooms have been adapted for people with disabilities. The residential units have a kitchen area, an entrance hall, a bathroom with a bathtub, and modern and functional furniture. The building houses the Novoselye information center. It processes documents for moving in and accepts requests for electrical, plumbing and furniture repairs. Public spaces include coworking spaces and rooms with individual work areas, music classrooms and rehearsal rooms. The Spektr building also has a modern canteen with 140 seats.

Sergei Sobyanin announced the completion of construction of two new buildings of Baumanka

Metro station and pedestrian bridges

Simultaneously with the construction of the research cluster, the Moscow Government implemented a set of measures to develop transport infrastructure and improve the territory in the area of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University.

Opened in 2020 Elektrozavodskaya station Large metro ring line. Thanks to the improvement of the adjacent territory, convenient approaches and access roads to it from residential buildings were provided.

In April 2022, a pedestrian bridge across the Yauza River was opened near the new station. The 111-meter-long artificial structure connected residential areas on the Semenovskaya and Rubtsovskaya embankments, providing convenient access for teachers and students of Bauman Moscow State Technical University, as well as local residents, to the Elektrozavodskaya metro station of the Arbatsko-Pokrovskaya and Big Circle Lines and the station of the same name on the third Moscow Central Diameter.

In September 2024, the construction of a 243-meter-long bicycle and pedestrian bridge across the Yauza River was completed. It provides a connection between the educational buildings of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, as well as unimpeded passage from Rubtsovskaya Embankment to the buildings of the N.N. Burdenko Main Military Clinical Hospital. The artificial structure was made in the form of open caissoned steel structures with lighting from the bottom. This gives a sense of the fluidity of the bridge and the river beneath it. The smooth lines of the structures compositionally continue the lines of the concrete supports.

The accent points of the bridge are the staircase and elevator units, made in the form of crystals. They harmoniously connect the appearance of the engineering structure with the architecture of the new campus buildings. In addition, the crystals have a symbolic connection with education and scientific activity. Cyclists and pedestrians can move along the bridge. There is a recreation area and a viewing area – a comfortable observation deck with an amphitheater. In addition to bike paths, the bridge is equipped with ramps for cyclists, stairways and elevators for people with limited mobility.

Moscow Mayor: 25 Tunnels, Overpasses, Bridges and Overpasses Built in 2024

Metallurg Stadium

The historic Metallurg stadium on the bank of the Yauza River was donated to Bauman Moscow State Technical University. It became the university’s main home arena.

According to Sergei Sobyanin, a complete reconstruction of the stadium is currently underway, within the framework of which a modern gym and changing rooms will be built here, and all the necessary infrastructure will be created.

The comprehensive renovation of the sports facility is planned to be completed in the third quarter of 2025. It will house a football and rugby field, a basketball and volleyball court, beach volleyball, workout and tennis areas. In addition, sports enthusiasts will be provided with a physical education and health complex and an administrative and household complex with volleyball courts that can be transformed for other sports (table tennis, basketball and mini-football), as well as a hall for the volleyball super league, exercise machines, comfortable locker rooms, coaches’ rooms, a room for storing sports equipment and a first aid station. In addition, the stadium will have an event venue, a recreation area, a pavilion-cafe with a summer terrace and a children’s play area.

The renovated Metallurg stadium will become a modern sports complex — Sobyanin

Improvement of neighborhoods in the area of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University

“Along with the construction of the research cluster, much was done to improve the transport infrastructure in the area of the university. The nearby neighborhoods were also improved,” said Sergei Sobyanin

in his telegram channel.

Source: Sergei Sobyanin’s Telegram channel @Mos_Sobyanin

Landscaping works were carried out in the areas located near the Bauman Moscow State Technical University complex of buildings and the Metallurg stadium. In particular, in 2023, landscaping of 14 objects was completed: Baumanskaya, 2-ya Baumanskaya, Malaya Pochtovaya and Ladozhskaya streets, as well as Staro-Kirochny, Denisovsky, Gardnerovsky, Brigadirsky, Maly Gavrikov, Gospitalny and Spartakovsky lanes, Proektiruyemy proezd No. 1106, the inter-yard area from Lefortovskaya Square to Gospitalny Lane, as well as Khomutovsky blind alley.

Comfortable conditions for pedestrians were created on the landscaped streets: sidewalks were widened where possible, new outdoor lighting supports with energy-saving lamps were installed, and comfortable public spaces with places to rest were arranged.

Four new pavilions with charging slots and information boards were installed at public transport stops. Convenient parking for 278 cars was arranged, and for cyclists – bicycle parking for 63 places.

During the additional landscaping work, lawns and flower beds with a total area of over 14 thousand square meters were laid out, and large trees and shrubs were planted.

Under the Clean Sky project, overhead cable lines were moved to underground collectors. In addition, storm drains were put in order, the asphalt pavement of the roadway was replaced, road signs and other infrastructure facilities were updated.

Sobyanin: A number of areas near universities in Moscow will be improved by 2024

In September 2024, the reorganization of the space between Lefortovo Embankment and Bauman Moscow State Technical University was completed. A convenient route from the main building of the university to the Faculty of Power Engineering and a new pedestrian path from Lefortovo Square to the embankment were created for students and teachers. The area in front of Lefortovo Palace was also transformed: an additional approach to the main building of the university was organized in place of the dilapidated buildings, the granite paving of the staircase near the building was renewed, benches were installed on the territory, a lawn was laid out and a video surveillance system was installed. The sidewalk along the embankment was widened, protective screens and lanterns with energy-efficient lamps were installed, and the parking area was reorganized.

Leading space university in Russia

Bauman Moscow State Technical University is rightfully considered the largest center for training personnel for the space industry. Among the university’s graduates are outstanding designers Sergei Korolev, Vladimir Barmin, Nikolai Pilyugin, many other managers and leading employees of industry enterprises, as well as 15 cosmonauts.

Today, more than 4.5 thousand students are studying at the university in areas related to space exploration. By the end of 2024, 90 percent of graduates in these specialties were successfully employed.

For the practice-oriented training of students and the implementation of research and development work on space topics, specialized divisions operate at Bauman Moscow State Technical University:

— educational and experimental center based at the Dmitrov branch;

— an educational and scientific youth space center with a flight control center, in which students develop microsatellites, payloads for space experiments, and special software and mathematical support;

— the design bureau “Breakthrough Space Research and Technology”, which implements the full cycle of spacecraft and their systems development, integration of target equipment from third-party developers and leading domestic scientific organizations. Currently, there are six satellites in orbit, designed for weather monitoring and forecasting. They are also used for marine navigation of ships, including in the Northern Sea Route zone;

— advanced engineering school “System Engineering of Rocket and Space Technology”. The federal project was created in 2022 on the initiative of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation with the aim of training specialists in the field of system design to solve breakthrough problems in the rocket and space industry, as well as to implement projects in the interests of high-tech companies. Special equipment and machinery have been purchased for specific educational and research purposes, which are already being used by teachers and students.

Today, 160 students are studying at the engineering school. The training includes practical work at enterprises of the state corporation Roscosmos and private space companies in the laboratories of the advanced engineering school, work with mentors in team projects. Students in interdisciplinary teams participate in the implementation of research and development work commissioned by industry enterprises. The school works in several areas, including the creation of the Russian orbital station and the production of a promising component base to ensure Russia’s technological sovereignty in space.

Which capital companies offer internship and practical training programs for university and college students

On cooperation with the Moscow Innovation Cluster

MSTU named after N.E. Bauman is a member Moscow Innovation Cluster. The university carries out research and development work for government and commercial customers in the field of creating spacecraft, electronic systems, and other strategically important areas. In particular, work is underway on the project of a small-sized descent vehicle “Zaryanka” – a system for delivering samples and materials for research from orbit of space stations.

On the development of the Moscow aerospace industry

Moscow is the center of the rocket and space industry of Russia, where over 40 enterprises, scientific and technical centers, laboratories and research institutes work. They employ over 30 thousand people. These are engineers and designers, developers and other specialists in related fields, thanks to whom almost everything is created in the city: from ultra-light cables to launch vehicles and components for spacecraft.

In 2024, manufacturers of aircraft, including spacecraft, and related equipment increased shipments by 11.7 percent compared to 2023: companies delivered products worth about 214.4 billion rubles. The revenue of enterprises in 2024 amounted to almost 200 billion rubles, and investments in fixed assets exceeded nine billion rubles.

The Khrunichev State Space Research and Production Center operates in Moscow. It is one of the basic enterprises of the Roscosmos state corporation, a leading domestic developer and manufacturer of space launch vehicles of various payload capacities and their components for federal and commercial programs. For example, it created the third stage, assembly units, payload fairing and other parts of the Angara-A5 heavy rocket, which was launched on April 11, 2024.

The development of control systems for rocket and space technology is carried out by the Scientific and Production Center for Automation and Instrumentation (NPCAI) named after Academician N.A. Pilyugin. Here they produced the control system for the Angara-A5 rocket, and for the Proton-M launch vehicle – a single hardware and software complex that ensures control of pre-launch preparation and flight mode. In addition, the Fregat upper stage, designed to launch spacecraft into various specified orbits, is equipped with an integrated inertial-satellite control system of JSC NPCAI.

A unique development of Moscow industrialists was space bread. The capital’s Research Institute of the Baking Industry is responsible for its production. This product, which can be stored for 15 months, is supplied to cosmonauts in the form of mini-loaves. In addition, flour flatbreads with onions, cheese and ketchup are prepared for them, as well as mini-muffins and rolls for tea.

The capital’s Spetskabel plant produces a cable for onboard computer networks using SpaceWire technology. Information is transmitted at a speed of 400 megabits per second, four times faster than similar products. It is manufactured using lightweight foam insulation technology, which makes the cable thinner and lighter than foreign analogues. Its operating temperature is from minus 198 to plus 200 degrees, which guarantees stable operation in extreme space conditions.

In the Moscow engineering center “Automated Control Systems” they test the electronic component base for products of the rocket and space industry in the components of ground simulators for training cosmonauts for flight, as well as in many other devices. They are tested, in particular, for resistance to shock loads and for determining the critical frequencies of the product.

Ventilation systems produced in the capital are used at key facilities in the space industry. Thus, the GalVent ventilation factory ensures a comfortable microclimate in the premises at the Vostochny and Plesetsk cosmodromes, the country’s scientific and production centers, and the center for the operation of ground-based space infrastructure facilities.

The Russian aerospace company Bureau 1440 is developing a low-orbit satellite constellation that will provide broadband Internet access with data transfer rates of up to one gigabit per second with minimal delays anywhere on Earth. The work is being carried out as part of the national project Data Economy.

Sobyanin: Moscow remains the center of Russia’s high-tech industry

A number of other companies also work in the Moscow space industry. For example, the N.A. Dollezhal Research and Design Institute of Power Engineering produces systems for the automation of reactors and nuclear space installations.

ExpertStroyProekt LLC produces antenna and telemetry systems, ground-based receiving telemetry stations, as well as command radio line equipment, space, rocket and aviation based for stationary monitoring of the Earth’s surface and its atmosphere, measuring, receiving and control radio engineering and optoelectronic testing complexes for rocket and aviation equipment.

The State Research Institute of Instrument Engineering produces drones and various devices of a wide range, on-board systems for space and aircraft.

The Kometa Corporation produces computing systems, automated control systems, spacecraft payloads, television systems, automatic equipment, radio measuring equipment, artistic castings and television surveillance systems. The Research Institute of Precision Instruments produces products for radio control of spacecraft.

The research and production enterprise (RPE) “Impulse” is creating a controlled thermostatic system for liquid fuel of a rocket engine under conditions of variable thermal load, and the RPE “Quantum” is creating autonomous power supply systems.

OOO Sputniks (Skolkovo) manufactures debugging tools and devices for microsatellites, and the scientific and production concern Barl develops and implements solutions in the field of remote sensing of the Earth and satellite communications.

The VNIIEM corporation is engaged in space systems for remote sensing of the Earth, and the scientific and production association Nauka creates life support systems.

The All-Russian Research Institute of Aviation Materials of the National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute” is producing a light-filtering gold coating for the Orlan spacesuit.

JSC Aeropribor-Voskhod produces aerometric, radio-electronic and navigation equipment, precision and working pressure gauges for aviation and space technology.

A large number of projects in this industry and the telecommunications sector are being implemented in the special economic zone (SEZ) Technopolis Moscow. At the Pechatniki site, one of the leading Russian developers of high-tech equipment, Neoros LLC, in partnership with Biforcom Tek LLC, produces transceivers used in telecommunications equipment. The Goodwin Concern produces a microcellular communication system used to service subscribers. Labs 1440 JSC (ICS Holding Company) has placed the production of components for a low-orbit satellite system.

At the Alabushevo site in Zelenograd, the Electroinvest group of companies launched the production of radiation-resistant secondary power sources.

The construction of the Moscow Photonics Center has been completed. Its production capacity will be 100 thousand photonic integrated circuits (PIC) per year. A PIC is a microchip designed for ultra-fast processing of light (photonic) signals, which increases the data transfer rate by 100 times. It is a basic element for the implementation of modern technologies of artificial intelligence, fifth-generation mobile communications (5G), biomedicine, lidars, radars and much more.

Another important project at the Alabushevo site is the construction of a photomask center, which is used to create integrated circuits. The enterprise’s capacity will allow it to produce up to 5.5 thousand photomasks per year.

Over the year, 30 high-tech production facilities have been launched in the Technopolis Moscow SEZ

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

Please Note; This Information is Raw Content Directly from the Information Source. It is access to What the Source Is Stating and Does Not Reflect

HTTPS: //vv.mos.ru/mayor/tkhemes/12629050/

MIL OSI Russia News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Mississippi Firm to Pay $1,207,600 to Resolve Disaster Recovery Claims

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston announced today that Horne LLP, of Ridgeland, Mississippi, has agreed to pay the United States $1,207,600 to resolve civil allegations that it received improper payments from federal disaster recovery grant funds in connection with disaster recovery services it provided in 2017 and 2018 in West Virginia.

On June 23, 2016, portions of the Southern District of West Virginia experienced extreme levels of rainfall, resulting in historic flooding over a vast swath of the region. Flood waters rushing across West Virginia’s mountainous landscape damaged or swept away thousands of homes, businesses, bridges and other infrastructure, leaving thousands of West Virginia residents homeless and at least 23 dead. Following a presidential disaster declaration issued in response to the flooding, Congress appropriated funds for disaster recovery in West Virginia to be administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the form of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds. These funds were made available to fund an array of recovery needs in West Virginia including housing rehabilitation and replacement for low income homeowners.

Soon after CDBG-DR funds were appropriated, Horne was selected by the West Virginia Development Office (WVDO) to develop the state’s Action Plan for use of the disaster recovery grant funds. Horne is an accounting and professional services firm specializing in administering state and federal disaster recovery programs across the United States. Horne’s contract with the State of West Virginia included task orders requiring Horne to assist the WVDO in developing a CDBG-DR Action Plan which were to be used to secure additional project funding and to provide program guidance, design and development services. The contract which provided for total compensation of $900,000 was approved by the West Virginia Department of Administration Purchasing Division (WVDAPD).

Although the contract provided for total compensation of $900,000, additional “task orders” were added to the contract that inflated the cost of the contract to more than $18,000,000. As a result of these additions, Horne was awarded responsibility for the housing rehabilitation program, which was later re-branded as “Rise West Virginia Housing Restoration Program” (WV-HRP or “RISE”).

The RISE program came under scrutiny in late 2017 when Horne’s contract was reviewed by the West Virginia Department of Administration Purchasing Division. During the review, it was discovered that Horne’s original contract price had ballooned from $900,000 to more than $18,000,000 without competitive bidding, review, or approval by the WVDAPD or the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office.

The administration of then-Gov. Jim Justice declared the additional work orders to be illegal, and that Horne could not be paid for any services competed under them. This prompted Horne to seek to sell the data it had generated through its operations in West Virginia to the government at a price intended to reflect the value of its prior services. Horne submitted an invoice totaling $6,739,575, and the invoice was paid on November 6, 2018, from the federal CDBG-DR funds.

After Horne transmitted its project data to state officials, investigators discovered that many of the services sold to the sate were problematic. In particular, investigators discovered that many of the “personal consultations,” included on Horne’s invoice at $950 each, were for cold calls that resulted in a finding of “no unmet need.” Despite a quick call confirming the homeowner had no need of Horne’s services, Horne created an applicant file for each person, complete with fictitious birthdates, social security numbers, and fake signatures on legal documents. Investigators also found that in some cases these personal consultations were actually performed by staff for Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), not Horne. Investigators found that approximately 48 of the physical property inspections, costing the government $1,850 each, were for vacant lots where an inspection was not required. Similarly, Horne billed $1,650 for each of 72 repair estimates where there was nothing to repair.

The Settlement Agreement announced today requires Horne to pay $1,207,600 to resolve the government’s claims.

“Thousands of West Virginians remained in need after historic flooding damaged or destroyed their homes, and the Horne firm took advantage of the situation,” said Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “This settlement agreement is a result of the excellent work by HUD-OIG and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations, our office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement and Health Care Fraud Investigative Specialist Tyler E. Japhet, and Assistant United States Attorney Gregory P. Neil.”

“The alleged actions of Horne, LLP undermine the mission of HUD’s disaster recovery efforts and takes critical resources away from those who need them the most,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG is committed to partnering with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to pursue accountability for those who seek to exploit federal programs.”

“The Commission on Special Investigations began investigating the handling of flood related disaster assistance in December of 2018,” said West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations Director Rick Eplin. “Investigators conducted interviews and documented conditions throughout 12 counties in West Virginia touched by the flooding. Investigators documented tragic stories from the families whose homes were destroyed by flood waters. They were struck by the resiliency of the citizens and their commitment to their communities. In the course of the investigation, it was determined that data collected by Horne did not accurately reflect the conditions and circumstances observed by CSI investigators. In partnership with the HUD Office of Inspector General and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia a positive resolution was achieved.”

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.

###

MIL Security OSI –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, Courtney, DeLauro, Hayes, 171 Colleagues Introduce Bicameral Legislation To Raise Minimum Wage To $17 By 2030, Benefitting Nearly 22 Million Americans

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and U.S. Representatives Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02), Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03), and Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.-05) joined 171 members of Congress and 85 organizations from across the country in introducing the Raise the Wage Act of 2025. This bicameral legislation would ensure American workers make a living wage, drive economic growth, and reduce income inequality by raising the minimum wage to $17 for all workers and gradually eliminating subminimum wages for tipped workers, workers with disabilities, and youth workers. The minimum wage in Connecticut is $16.35 per hour.

“It’s shameful that there are millions of people in this country who work full-time jobs and yet they can’t afford rent or pay for their groceries. Raising the federal minimum wage to $17 would help 42,000 workers in Connecticut keep up with the cost of living, but it’s just a start. Our economy is failing working people, and I will keep fighting for a future where hard work gives everyone in this country a fair shot at the American Dream,” said Murphy.

“Low wages have impoverished workers in our country for too long. Raising the minimum wage would drive much-needed economic growth, reduce wealth inequality, and raise 22 million Americans across the country out of poverty. I’m proud to support the Raise the Wage Act and I urge my colleagues to do the same because working class Americans deserve economic security,” said Blumenthal.

“American workers have gone for more than a decade without a raise in the federal minimum wage,” said Courtney. “At a pitiful $7.25 an hour, the current federal minimum wage does not provide working people with a paycheck that meets the true cost of living. Increasing the minimum wage and indexing it to inflation will go a long way to helping 42,000 Connecticut workers meet their basic needs. ”

“Working-class Americans are struggling with the high cost of living, and Democrats are moving policies to put more money in their pockets right now,” said DeLauro. “The Raise the Wage Act would ensure the minimum wage is $17 for all workers, strengthening economic security for workers across America – including the 42,000 minimum wage earners in Connecticut. I am proud to join my colleagues in championing this critical legislation.”

“Connecticut has been ahead of the curve in providing workers with a livable wage,” said Hayes. “The benefits of raising the federal minimum wage would be far-reaching, as there has been no change since 2009 at the federal level. A person who works should be paid a living wage that meets their basic needs.”

Last year, nearly one in four workers in the U.S. made less than $17 per hour. The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 would raise the federal minimum wage to $17 over five years, eliminate the tipped subminimum wage over seven years, eliminate the subminimum wage for workers with disabilities over five years, and eliminate the subminimum wage for youth workers over seven years. According to analysis by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), passing the Raise the Wage Act of 2025 would provide raises to over 22 million workers across the country by 2030.

In 2024, voters in Missouri and Alaska overwhelmingly voted to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. In 2022, voters in Nebraska voted to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. In 2020, Florida voted to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. As a result of inflation, $15 an hour a couple of years ago would be over $18 an hour today. Moreover, if the minimum wage had increased with worker productivity over the last 57 years, it would be over $23 an hour today, not $7.25 an hour.

Over the last 50 years, nearly $80 trillion in wealth has been redistributed from the bottom 90 percent of America to the top one percent. Today, the value of the current federal minimum wage – $7.25 per hour – is the lowest it has been since 1956 and has declined by over 32 percent since it was last increased in 2009. While approximately four million tipped workers in the U.S. depend on tips for as much as half of their income or more, the tipped sub-minimum wage has remained stagnant at just $2.13 per hour since 1991. The current median wage for at least 37,000 workers with disabilities is just $3.50 per hour.

Meanwhile, across every state in the country, a living wage for a worker in a family with two working adults and one child is greater than $17 per hour, according to the Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) Family Budget Calculator. Many of these low-wage workers face persistent economic insecurity, struggling to put food on the table and afford basic necessities, including housing, health care, and childcare.

Black and Hispanic workers disproportionately feel the burden of these low wages as compared to their white counterparts, and that disparity is even worse for women of color. Nearly 40 percent of Hispanic women and 35 percent of Black women make less than $17 per hour.

U.S. Senators Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also cosponsored the legislation.

More than 85 organizations endorsed the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, including Service Employees International Union (SEIU), AFL-CIO, American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, Communications Workers of America (CWA), Economic Policy Institute (EPI), Equal Pay Today, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), National Education Association (NEA), National Employment Law Project (NELP), The National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), One Fair Wage, Oxfam America, Patriotic Millionaires, UNITE HERE, United Autoworkers (UAW), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), United for Respect, and United Steelworkers (USW).

The full bill text is available HERE and a fact sheet is available HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal, 43 Colleagues Introduce Bill To Cut Taxes For Working Americans

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

April 16, 2025

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined 43 of their Senate colleagues in introducing the Tax Cut for Workers Act to give millions of working Americans a much-needed tax break. The bill is part of Senate Democrats’ comprehensive plan to bring relief to the American people, and it is being introduced with the senators’ American Families Act to permanently expand the Child Tax Credit.

“Donald Trump and Republicans’ sole priority is passing a massive tax break for the billionaires and corporations, while ordinary Americans get table scraps. This bill would give a tax break to the working families who actually need it – not billionaires trying to buy their seventh home or second yacht,” said Murphy.

“Connecticut workers deserve a break. They are struggling with soaring grocery prices, exorbitant electricity costs, and a myriad of challenges to their everyday budgets. Hard-working Americans need help, not Trump’s billionaire buddies. This bill makes sure tax breaks go to people who really need them,” said Blumenthal.

The existing Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) – the Worker Tax Cut – has been delivering tax relief for millions of workers for decades. This legislation would cut taxes for working class Americans without children, who currently receive a much smaller EITC than workers with children. It also extends eligibility for the tax cut to workers under the age of 25 and over the age of 64.

U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also cosponsored the legislation.

Full text of the bill is available HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee against Torture Commend Armenia on Proactively Addressing Issues in Prisons, Raise Questions on Ensuring Police Accountability for Excessive Use of Force and Tackling the Criminal Subculture in Prisons

Source: United Nations – Geneva

The Committee against Torture today concluded its consideration of the fifth periodic report of Armenia. Committee Experts commended the State on proactively addressing issues in its main prisons, while raising questions on ensuring the accountability of police officers for excessive use of force and tackling the criminal subculture within prisons.

Anna Racu, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the Committee welcomed the swift and constructive response by the Armenian authorities regarding the “quarantine” and disciplinary blocks at Artik Prison, which were promptly closed for refurbishment, ensuring that these areas no longer remained in a state of severe disrepair. This proactive approach to addressing immediate concerns was commendable.

Peter Kessing, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said it had been reported that there were still cases where the police used excessive force in conflict with the Convention. Were audio or video recordings of police interrogation mandatory? Were taped interrogations routinely reviewed to identify potential instances and acts of torture? What initiatives had Armenia taken to prevent excessive use of force, including lethal force, by the police in future demonstrations and protests?

Ms. Racu said in Armenia, the influence of the criminal subculture significantly undermined the reputation of the prison administration. What measures had been taken by the Government to break down the informal hierarchies and criminal gangs and networks that had an informal power in many of Armenia’s penitentiary institutions? What steps were being taken to ensure that all prisoners, regardless of their social status or affiliations, had equal protection under the law and were not subject to discrimination or abuse, including sexual abuse by other inmates or informal leaders? What measures were being taken to address corruption among prison staff?

The delegation said in 2023, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was established as a civilian oversight body over the police. It was responsible for areas of public safety, security and disaster risk management, and was driven by the objective of introducing human rights-based approaches in policing and public services. The large-scale use of video surveillance in police operations ensured accountability of the police. Patrol police wore body cameras all the time, acknowledged by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture as an important tool for the prevention of torture.

The delegation said Armenia had produced a draft bill which criminalised receiving or leading groups promoting the criminal subculture. Since 2024, significant structural reforms had been undertaken and a new operational department now functioned within the central penitentiary service, containing an intelligence unit which was equipped with tools used by criminal police. From 2022 to 2024, 60 criminal cases were initiated and nine came from penitentiary institutions. Addressing the criminal subculture was a top priority for Armenia’s Ministry of Justice, the police and penitentiary units.

Introducing the report, Anna Karapetyan, Deputy Minister of Justice of Armenia and head of the delegation, said based on its Constitution and ratified international treaties, Armenia had taken strong steps to establish legal provisions and capacities to combat torture and hold violators accountable. In 2021, the new Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes were adopted, followed by the adoption of the new Penitentiary Code in 2022. The new Criminal Code prescribed three levels of penalty according to the aggravating circumstances of torture and brought substantive changes to the procedure of initiating criminal investigations. While Armenia continued to uphold its human rights commitments domestically, the continued imprisonment, ill-treatment and torture of Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees held by Azerbaijan remained a concern.

In concluding remarks, Claude Heller, Committee Chairperson, thanked the delegation for the excellent and informative dialogue. The multilateral system was in deep crisis, at the political level and financially. However, despite all these restrictions, the Committee worked arduously, objectively and constructively to produce a positive impact on the lives of people in the States parties.

In her closing remarks, Ms. Karapetyan expressed sincere appreciation to the Committee for the excellent dialogue. The Committee’s comments and recommendations reinforced the shared responsibility held together for the prohibition of torture everywhere, under all circumstances.

The delegation of Armenia consisted of representatives from the Ministry of Justice; the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs; the Ministry of Internal Affairs; the Ministry of Health; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the Prosecutor General; the Investigative Committee; and the Permanent Mission of Armenia to the United Nations Office at Geneva.

The Committee will issue concluding observations on the report of Armenia at the end of its eighty-second session on 2 May. Those and other documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, will be available on the session’s webpage. Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, and webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.

The Committee will next meet in public on Thursday, 17 April at 3 p.m. to conclude its consideration of the eighth periodic report of France (CAT/C/FRA/8).

Report

The Committee has before it the fifth periodic report of Armenia (CAT/C/ARM/5).

Presentation of Report

ANNA KARAPETYAN, Deputy Minister of Justice of Armenia and head of the delegation, said based on its Constitution and ratified international treaties, Armenia had taken strong steps to establish legal provisions and capacities to combat torture and hold violators accountable. Armenia had made notable progress in preventing torture and ill-treatment through several strategic reforms. The 2020–2022 Human Rights Action Plan envisaged 15 actions, including installing audio-video recording in interrogation rooms, developing the relevant guidelines on the investigation of cases of torture, and wide-scale training for professionals in law enforcement, healthcare, and justice, among others.

The ongoing 2023–2025 Human Rights Action Plan reinforced the absolute right to be free from torture, including through strengthening the reporting mechanism, enhancing the capabilities of the relevant Department in the Investigative Committee, and improving the conditions of the detention facilities in penitentiary institutions and courts. The 2020–2022 Police Reform Strategy led to a significant achievement in strengthening civilian oversight of the police, through the establishment of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in 2023. The 2019–2023 and 2023-2026 Penitentiary and Probation Strategies, along with a dedicated 2021–2022 plan on suicide prevention, contributed to better detention conditions and medical documentation practices.

In 2021, the new Criminal and Criminal Procedure Codes were adopted, followed by the adoption of the new Penitentiary Code in 2022. The new Criminal Code prescribed three levels of penalty according to the aggravating circumstances of torture and brought substantive changes to the procedure of initiating criminal investigations. The new Criminal Procedure Code guaranteed the minimum rights of arrested persons, as outlined in article 110, which were aligned with international standards.

In 2021, the Government adopted a decree furthering the procedure of filling in and monitoring the medical examination protocol, which was extended to police detention facilities. In 2022, amendments were adopted to the Internal Regulations of Police Detention Facilities, making it mandatory to conduct medical examination of arrestees by ambulance in each case of admitting a new arrestee, regardless of the presence of bodily injuries or health complaints.

The adoption of the law on police guard in 2024 envisaged the establishment of the new police guard instead of the current police troops, shifting from a militarised service to the modern policing approach with a specialisation on crowd management. The law on advocacy ensured attorneys could communicate privately with clients, and detainees had the right to inform the third party of their detention. The new Penitentiary Code established the right of lawyers to freely meet their clients in prisons or detention facilities without requiring special permission for access. It was noteworthy that the Criminal Procedure Code required almost all types of investigative actions, including interrogations, to be audio and video recorded.

Following the dissolution of the Special Investigative Service in 2021, the mandate for investigating acts of torture was transferred to the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia, where a dedicated division consisting of eight investigators was responsible for handling such cases. Allegations of torture or ill-treatment committed by investigators of the Investigative Committee were reviewed by the Anti-Corruption Committee. By 2024, 386 criminal proceedings were investigated, with 133 terminated and one case involving four individuals referred to court. In recent years two torture verdicts had been rendered, although neither had entered into force yet.

Alleged police violence was investigated under other articles of the Criminal Code; three police officers had been convicted for obstructing lawful professional activities of journalists during 2018 protests and were dismissed from the police service as a result of disciplinary proceedings. Similarly, three police officers were dismissed from service for obstructing lawful professional activities of journalists during mass protests of 2015.

The new Criminal Code also introduced new types of preventive measures that acted as non-custodial alternatives to detention, such as house arrest and administrative supervision. In 2024, these alternative preventive measures were applied to 1,587 defendants. Similarly, the new Criminal Code provided the limitation of liberty as an alternative to incarceration. The Civil Code now included provisions for redress for torture victims. Victims also had the right to rehabilitation, including compensation for medical care, and access to free psychological and legal services. This year within the implementation of the Human Rights Strategy and deriving Action Plan, a study was developed regarding the possible directions of the establishment of the rehabilitation centre. The new Codes were currently undergoing a monitoring phase; necessary steps would be taken to address any potential shortcomings which may arise.

Armenia had made significant progress in countering domestic violence, in particular through the new Criminal Code which defined “close relative,” which included spouses and former spouses, as well as individuals in or formerly in marital relations.

While Armenia continued to uphold its human rights commitments domestically, the continued imprisonment, ill-treatment and torture of Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees held by Azerbaijan remained a concern. The Committee, in its most recent concluding observations on Azerbaijan, had expressed deep concern regarding Azerbaijan’s conduct and the ongoing detention of the 23 Armenian individuals, which remainedMs. Karapetyan concluded by stating that Armenia was fully committed to the full and effective implementation of the Convention.

Questions by Committee Experts

PETER KESSING, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said since Armenia’s last review by the Committee in 2017, progress had been made in prohibiting and preventing torture and ill-treatment. In particular, the Committee noted and commended the State party for the enactment of a fundamentally new Criminal Code, a new Criminal Procedure Code, and a new Penitentiary Code, which were very positive signs. Additionally, Armenia had joined the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and had undertaken significant reforms in the police, penitentiary, and justice sectors in recent years.

Could the delegation elaborate on specific cases and court decisions where Armenian courts had applied the principle in article 5 (3) of the Constitution and found that international law, including the Convention, took precedence over national law? Mr. Kessing commended Armenia and the Armenian Constitution for article 81, and the obligation to take the views of United Nations Committees into account when interpreting the Constitution, which illustrated a strong commitment to international law. Could cases be provided where the practice of the Committee had been taken into account when interpreting the Armenian Constitution?

It was reported that the definition of ‘State officials’ in Armenian law was narrow, and did not include staff working in psychiatric institutions or medical workers. Was this correct? Did this mean that those people working in psychiatric institutions or medical workers could not be investigated or prosecuted for torture? If this was the case, was Armenia considering amending and broadening the definition of ‘State officials’ in line with the obligation in the Convention against Torture? Pursuant to the new Criminal Code, no limitation periods were applicable to the offence of torture and the offence of abusing and exceeding public authority. Did this apply retroactively to past cases of torture? Was there still a statute of limitations in relation to civilian court cases concerning redress and compensation for torture?

Regarding the Virabyan case from 2012, could the delegation explain what decision the Armenian Court of Cassation had taken, after the court received the advisory opinion from the European Court of Human Rights in April 2022? Had the Armenian Court of Cassation handed down a decision? Had the police officer responsible for torturing Mr. Virabyan been held accountable? Could the delegation confirm that evidence and material extracted by use of torture or ill-treatment would always be excluded from court proceedings in Armenia? Were there concrete cases where Armenian courts had excluded torture-material?

According to the Council of Europe, Armenia had the second highest proportion of pre-trial detainees in Europe, with 53 per cent of the people in Armenian prisons being held in pre-trial detention; this was a very high rate. It was expected that the new Criminal Codes that entered into force during the second half of 2022 would help further reduce the number of remand prisoners. Had the necessary implementing laws and by-laws been adopted to ensure the full implementation of the new Criminal Codes? Had the new Criminal Codes reduced the number of remand prisoners? Could up to date information about the use of electric monitoring and other alternatives to detention be provided?

It had been reported that there were still cases where the police used excessive force in conflict with the Convention. What was the status of police reform? What concrete initiatives had been taken to date to reform the police? Were all individuals who were arrested informed about the reason for their arrest? Were audio or video recordings of police interrogation mandatory? Were taped interrogations routinely reviewed to identify potential instances and acts of torture?

What initiatives had Armenia taken to prevent excessive use of force, including lethal force, by the police in future demonstrations and protests?

Despite progress made by Armenia since the last review, it was reported that the quality of the investigations of police conduct remained a significant issue.

It was a positive sign that criminal cases concerning alleged police torture were initiated and investigated, but it was reported that torture cases often remained unsolved for many years and rarely led to criminal charges. Could updated information about the number of investigations into torture and ill-treatment over the last three years be provided?

The Committee had been informed that after the adoption of the new Criminal Codes, it was more difficult for lawyers to assist alleged victims of torture in court proceedings, due to the 30 per cent tax applied; was this correct? Could information about the legal and practical independence of the Investigative Committee of Armenia established in 2022 be provided? Was the Committee fully independent from the Police? Would Armenia take steps to ensure a more prompt and effective investigation of police complaints? Were alleged perpetrators of torture immediately suspended from their duties for the duration of the investigation?

During the last two examinations of Armenia by the Committee, the police’s excessive use of force in connection with a protest in March 2008 following the February elections, leading to the death of 10 people, was discussed. The Committee expressed its concern over the slow and ineffective investigation of the situation. What was the status of the investigation into the 2008 demonstration and later demonstrations? How many police officers had been identified and held accountable in disciplinary, civilian or criminal proceedings? What kind of sentences had they received? Had the victims been provided redress and compensation as required under the Convention?

The Committee was aware of reports alleging that Armenian forces had violated international humanitarian law and human rights law during the conflict. Had Armenia taken steps to ensure that alleged war crimes committed by Armenian forces during the conflict were promptly and impartially investigated by an independent body?

As part of a new expedited asylum procedure, there was a 15-day deadline for applying for asylum for asylum seekers arriving illegally to Armenia. Was this correct? If so, how many asylum requests had been rejected over the last three years due to the 15-day deadline? Was it correct that asylum seekers were being prosecuted for illegal entry in Armenia in conflict with domestic law and article 31 in the Refugee Convention that was ratified by Armenia? Would the State party take further measures to ensure that this practice was ended? What steps were taken to ensure that asylum seekers in detention had access to fair and efficient refugee status determination procedures, as well as appeals procedures with suspensive effect on the deportation order?

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia was established by law in October 2003, and since 2006 had been accredited “A” status by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institution. In October 2024, the institution reiterated its recommendation that a clear, transparent and participatory selection and appointment process for membership of the Human Rights Defender’s decision-making body must be included in relevant legislation. Had Armenia taken steps to implement this recommendation?

Was it true that the salaries of staff working in the Human Rights Defender’s office were lower than comparable positions in the public sector? What was the State party doing to remedy the situation? How many complaints of torture or ill-treatment had the Human Rights Defender received over the last three years? Could the Human Rights Defender recommend redress to a victim of torture or ill-treatment and criminal proceedings against alleged perpetrators of torture and ill-treatment? How did the State party follow-up on the recommendations of the national preventive mechanism?

The Committee hoped that Armenia would consider making a declaration under article 22 of the Convention and recognise the Committee’s competence to receive and consider individual complaints. This would provide redress to victims and assist Armenia in implementing the Convention and developing a justice system in line with international human rights law.

ANNA RACU, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said since Armenia’s last review by this Committee in 2016, there had been notable advancements in the country’s human rights framework. Significant reforms had been made, including amendments to national legislation and the adoption of policies aimed at improving detention conditions and aligning with international standards. These positive steps were a testimony of Armenia’s commitment to enhance its legal and institutional frameworks to combat torture and ill-treatment and different forms of violence.

The Committee welcomed the fact that periodic professional trainings on the Convention and European Committee for the Prevention of Torture were carried out for the police and prison staff. The Committee commended the positive initiative that jurisprudence of the European Court for Human Rights was included in the common core curricula for judges, prosecutors, prison staff and civil servants. The National Strategy for Human Rights Protection (2020–2022) and its action plan emphasised the importance of capacity building for law enforcement and prison staff, including training on human rights and torture prevention. Had there been any other specific strategic documents that envisaged capacity building activities for law enforcement, judges and prosecutors and other groups with specific competencies under the Convention?

It was positive that the Armenian Government had managed to establish a good cooperation with international partners. The Police Academy and Penitentiary Service Training Centre had incorporated elements of human rights education into their curricula, while the introduction of specialised training modules on the absolute prohibition of torture had been a step forward. However, some sources indicated that there were some issues that continued to affect the overall effectiveness of the training programmes.

What oversight mechanisms were in place to ensure police officers were adequately trained and disciplined for misconduct related to the use of force or mistreatment during arrest or detention? What measures were in place to ensure that training on the Istanbul Protocol and the prohibition of torture was effectively applied in practice? Were the training programmes based on practical aspects, which emerged from specific cases or recorded human rights violations? With respect to the courses held for medical personnel, were there plans to provide mandatory training on the Istanbul Protocol, given its importance for proper documentation of torture?

Had the State party implemented any training programmes focused on the prevention of torture and the appropriate use of force for military personnel, intelligence officers, and security guards, particularly in the context of ongoing tensions related to the military conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh? How many officers had undergone this training and was it mandatory?

Could information on recent developments or reforms aimed at improving the living conditions and the treatment of inmates be provided? Had measures been taken to enhance oversight and accountability within the prison system? It was encouraging to note the significant progress made, particularly the comprehensive refurbishment of Abovyan Prison, including the reconstruction of the wing for mothers with children and the installation of ventilation and heating systems in the main accommodation areas of Armavir Prison. These initiatives were important steps forward in enhancing the material conditions for inmates and improving their overall living environment. Furthermore, the Committee welcomed the swift and constructive response by the Armenian authorities regarding the “quarantine” and disciplinary blocks at Artik Prison, which were promptly closed for refurbishment, ensuring that these areas no longer remained in a state of severe disrepair.

This proactive approach to addressing immediate concerns was commendable. These efforts reflected a commitment to addressing longstanding issues in Armenia’s prison system, and the Committee looked forward to seeing the continued actions for the refurbishment of Artik and Armavir Prisons.

Despite these positive developments, there were some concerns. The activities of the “Kosh” and “Hrazdan” penitentiary institutions were suspended on 1 January 2022. Despite the ongoing discussions on the need to suspend the activities of the “Nubarashen” penitentiary institution, it continued to operate. Could the delegation’s views regarding these institutions be provided? Could detailed information regarding the number of inmates in Armenian prisons over the past four years be provided? What steps had been taken to address overcrowding, including the use of non-custodial measures and alternatives to detention?

Current legislation in Armenia allowed for the restriction of family communication for up to one month for any violation, which contradicted the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules) and European Prison Rules. What specific rehabilitation programmes were available for prisoners in Armenia? Could an update be provided on recidivism rates and the successful reintegration of former prisoners, as well as the approach of the Government on cooperation with civil society organizations for the benefits of inmates?

By transferring the competence of medical services to the Ministry of Justice and subsequently to the Ministry of Health, Armenia had taken important steps towards the independence of medical staff in detention. However, there were still some problematic areas. After the reform of medical prison services, how independent were the prison doctors from the prison administration? What systems ensured they could prioritise inmate health without external pressures? How was access to specialised medical treatment managed for inmates requiring complex care? What oversight mechanisms monitored the quality of healthcare services in prisons? What measures were implemented to prevent the spread of communicable diseases among inmates?

Could an update on harm reduction programmes for drug users, those with HIV and treatment for prisoners with disabilities be provided? What was the current level of medical equipment and medicines available in prisons? What specialised medical equipment and healthcare provisions were available for women in detention? What protocols were in place for documenting injuries from torture or violence, and could inmates and lawyers access these reports?

What rules and formal protocols existed for medical professionals to document injuries or signs of torture and ill-treatment? What training did medical professionals receive on identifying and reporting signs of torture and ill-treatment?

How were reports of torture and ill-treatment by medical professionals submitted to the competent authorities?

In 2023, there were 29 suicide attempts by 22 individuals, primarily concentrated in the “Nubarashen” and “Armavir” institutions. Submissions received from human rights non-governmental organizations indicated that many deaths were attributed to pre-existing health conditions and inadequate medical care. What were the delegation’s views on the effectiveness of the procedure for checking and assessing the risk of suicide and self-harm? What specific assessments were in place to identify individuals at risk? Were there cells with safe conditions with no easy access to means of killing oneself? What specific training programmes were provided to penitentiary staff regarding prevention and managing suicidal tendencies, self-harm behaviours, and instances of violence among inmates?

In Armenia, the influence of the criminal subculture significantly undermined the reputation of the prison administration. Despite the implementation of legislative amendments by the State to reduce the influence of the criminal subculture in penitentiary institutions and measures aimed at their practical application, the influence of the criminal subculture in places of deprivation of liberty still continued to exist. What measures had been taken by the Government to break down the informal hierarchies and criminal gangs and networks that had an informal power in many of Armenia’s penitentiary institutions? What steps were being taken to ensure that all prisoners, regardless of their social status or affiliations, had equal protection under the law and were not subject to discrimination or abuse, including sexual abuse by other inmates or informal leaders? What measures were being taken to address corruption among prison staff?

What specific measures had the Armenian Government implemented over the past few years to increase the number of prison staff? How had the Government addressed the issue of staff retention, including any changes to salaries, working conditions, or benefits aimed at reducing turnover among prison personnel?

What efforts were being made to ensure that staffing levels in penitentiaries met international standards, particularly concerning the ratio of staff to prisoners?

A Committee Expert said the Committee had received information that seven out of 10 children aged one to 14 years old were subject to psychological or corporal punishment. What was the State party doing to prevent violence against children? The Committee had also received reports which revealed concerning cases of violence against children with disabilities, including at a psychological care home in 2023, where a resident was restrained with chains. What measures had Armenia adopted to eliminate unauthorised physical restraints and other inhumane practices in care institutions?

Another Committee Expert asked if there were any Azerbaijanis who remained in Armenia’s custody? What procedures had been implemented to ensure any abuse of prisoners of war was fully investigated? Had there been any kind of arrangements aimed at ensuring the returning prisoner would be promptly investigated for torture cases by the receiving side? What measures had been taken to prevent discrimination and hate speech against those of Azerbaijani origin?

An Expert asked what training members of special teams received, and what were rules on the use of force? Was equipment deployed by special units certified? Was it imported or manufactured locally?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the monitoring of the Criminal Procedure Code had already led to 13 amendments. International law prevailed in Armenia. Evidence and materials obtained through torture were totally excluded from criminal cases. Currently, more than 52 per cent of inmates in penitentiary institutions were in pretrial detention. Audio and video recording in police stations were mandatory for every case.

Armenia had advanced legislation regarding asylum seekers and victims of trafficking. International law had almost been copied into the criminal legislation, particularly article 31 of the Geneva Convention on the status of refugees. A small limitation had been imposed in consultation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which related to the 15 days of applying for asylum for three groups of cases: unlawful entry to the country, if the person was being criminally prosecuted, and for those who had been apprehended. Under this rule, 14 cases of asylum had been rejected, five approved and five suspended.

The Human Rights Defender was ensured access to all penitentiary records. Most of the recommendations from the Human Rights Defender’s Office were taken into account when completing renovations and works in the penitentiary institutions. Currently, the Human Rights Defender could not initiate court cases but could provide briefs to the Constitutional Court. New legislation on discrimination was being developed which stipulated that the Human Rights Defender could recommend cases to court when it came to discrimination. Currently, Armenia was not discussing the possibility of implementing article 22.

The National Human Rights Action Plan provided for the relevant chapters for each individual who should receive training on torture prevention. Currently the Ministry of Justice was in the process of developing a single human rights training programme for staff at the penitentiary institutions. There were two key educational complexes which provided training to judges, the judiciary and police officers. Last year the Human Rights Defender’s Office provided training to all police detention facilities.

In 2024, a mother and childcare penitentiary institution was constructed. Currently, the sanitation facilities were adapted to meet the needs of pregnant women and children up to three years old. Food preparation for penitentiary institutions had been outsourced to a private company, which ensured dietary diversity. More than 95 per cent of the inmates were satisfied with the food provided.

From 2019, persons deprived of their liberty under the age of 19 were included in the general education programme to ensure the continuity of education. Surveys had been conducted among inmates to identify those without secondary education, and efforts had been made to provide them with secondary education or vocational training. Last year, an innovative workshop was opened for inmates, allowing them to make furnishings for other institutions, providing them with the necessary equipment and materials.

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said under Armenian law, amnesty did not apply to individuals who had committed the crime of torture. The term public official had been broadened to include any person who had the authority to act on behalf of the State. As such, all individuals operating in this capacity could be held criminally liable. All institutions which could be engaged in cases of torture were covered within the criminal legislation for criminal liability. Armenia had ratified the Rome Statute and remained fully committed to aligning its national legislation with the requirements of the International Criminal Court. Trainings for public officials, judges and members of the Investigative Committee were planned with international officials in this regard.

There had been a notable increase in detention motions of around 20 per cent in 2024, compared to previous years. The percentage of granted motions of detention had generally decreased. Legislative amendments and relevant trainings had been organised for the probation service, and they were being monitored. A thematic report on the practical challenges of alternative measures was developed in 2022 to see where the law could be improved. Work was being done to ensure that pro bono lawyers would be exempt from taxes.

Armenia had produced a draft bill which criminalised receiving or leading groups promoting the criminal subculture. Since 2024, significant structural reforms had been undertaken and a new operational department now functioned within the central penitentiary service, containing an intelligence unit which was equipped with tools used by criminal police. From 2022 to 2024, 60 criminal cases were initiated and nine came from penitentiary institutions. Addressing the criminal subculture was a top priority for Armenia’s Ministry of Justice, the police and penitentiary units.

The fight against corruption remained a top priority for the Armenian Government, and a strategy had been underway for the past three years. Individuals could submit anonymous reports via an online platform, directly accessible to the Ministry of Justice, under the whistleblowers law.

The penitentiary service guaranteed equal treatment, and the Criminal Code ensured equality for all convicted individuals. Any case of attempted suicide or self-harm was reported to investigative authorities. Mental health and suicide risk monitoring tools had been implemented in all penitentiary institutions since 2022. In every case of suicide, attempted suicide, or self-harm, a comprehensive analysis of the situation was undertaken. Since July 2024, a risk and needs assessment tool was introduced which supported the rehabilitation services.

In 2023, the Ministry of Internal Affairs was established as a civilian oversight body over the police. It was responsible for areas of public safety, security and disaster risk management, and was driven by the objective of introducing human rights-based approaches in policing and public services. The large-scale use of video surveillance in police operations ensured the accountability of the police. Under the new Criminal Procedure Code, the police were no longer authorised to conduct interrogations of persons accused of committing a crime. This responsibility had been transferred to the independent Investigative Committee. Patrol police wore body cameras all the time, acknowledged by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture as an important tool for the prevention of torture. Work was underway to provide the same equipment to community police.

In 2024, operations of nine out of 33 police facilities were discontinued, with an additional two terminated in 2025. Modernization and renovation works were planned for the remaining facilities to ensure compliance with international standards. In 2024, joint trainings on documenting and reporting torture were organised for police officers and medical professionals, with the support of the Council of Europe. Trainings based on the provisions of the Convention and the Istanbul Protocol were being developed and were expected to be scheduled this year.

Over the past 10 years, there had been several police officers dismissed due to exhibiting excessive use of force against journalists during demonstrations. To ensure the independence of medical professionals from the police, since 2022, medical examinations in police facilities were conducted exclusively by the doctors of ambulance services.

In 2024, the law on the police guard was adopted, which provided for the establishment of a new specialised police service with clear criteria for proportional use of force. This law and the relevant bylaws aimed to create the correct modus operandi for Armenian police officers, particularly in the context of mass demonstrations.

In 2024, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, in cooperation with the migration and citizenship service, had conducted trainings for penitentiary officials on cases of asylum. The Bar Association of Armenia provided the penitentiary service with leaflets and posters related to granting asylum, available in eight languages. They contained information about the grounds for granting asylum and rights of asylum seekers.

The criminal case of March 2008 remained ongoing, and the Committee had already been provided with information pertaining to this case. Taking into account the volume and complexity of the case, investigative teams had been set up to ensure the comprehensive investigation. Around 7,000 victims had been questioned over the course of the investigation. As part of the ongoing forensic examination being conducted, firearms were being submitted for study. More information would be provided in writing.

Concerning the case of Mr. Virabyan, the advisory opinion of the European Court of Human Rights was applied in the decision of the court of cassation. The Convention took precedence over domestic legislation, and this was applied in the case of Mr. Virabyan. In 2024, two convictions were rendered under the Criminal Code for police officials found guilty of the crime of torture, with the individuals sentenced to four years in prison.

Targeted interventions had been adopted in care home settings to prevent cases of abuse. A draft order addressing the submission of anonymous reports in care institutions was now in process. This would allow standardised information to be provided to beneficiaries about the clearly defined mechanism for submitting complaints.

In April 2024, a procedure was adopted for referring child victims of violence, and where necessary placing the child within a family, institution or support centre. Corporal punishment was prohibited in all settings, including the family setting. Children who had experienced violence were entitled to State support, and entities responsible for childcare were required to promptly report any instances of violence. In recent years, Armenia had made progress in expanding the welfare and rights of the child.

To strengthen the independence of medical personnel in penitentiary institutions, the penitentiary centre was founded independently in 2018. Medical examinations were carried out by a doctor, totally excluding the employees of penitentiary institutions and out of earshot of penitentiary staff. A preliminary examination of mental health and suicide risks was ensured. In cases of suspected torture and ill-treatment, all injuries were noted and documented.

The medical examinations of persons deprived of their liberty were organised in a timely manner, without undue delay. Upon entering the penitentiary institution, persons deprived of their liberty underwent a mental health screening within 24 hours, and psychologists and mental health staff were stationed at the centres. The law on reproductive health applied to everyone, including those in prisons. Tests were performed for all sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. If a positive result was received, medical staff would begin medical treatment.

The Ministry of Justice had implemented a wide range of awareness raising activities in all penitentiary institutions, including posters on combatting torture. Video material regarding the prohibition of torture was also disseminated publicly. Armenia was actively working to combat hate speech and had classified hate speech through technology as a distinct type of cybercrime. A comprehensive range of awareness raising activities to address the manifestations of hate speech had been implemented, including a month-long campaign in high traffic areas, such as the metro, highlighting the negative impacts of hate speech. Armenia was currently drafting a new strategy on combatting discrimination and hate speech, to address the possible issues which may arise during the investigation processes. This had stemmed from the human rights agenda of the Government.

Questions by Committee Experts

PETER KESSING, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, commended Armenia for the efforts made to comply with the Convention. What happened if a person was not able to comply with the 15 days of deadline in relation to asylum applications? Had any of the cases against police officers led to criminal proceedings? Regarding the March 2008 investigation, 17 years was a long time, and the Committee looked forward to receiving the written information from the delegation. Was it true that cases by the Investigative Committee were slow? Would the State take measures to make investigations more prompt? Was the committee fully independent from the police? Had Armenia undertaken any investigations into allegations of mistreatment of Azerbaijani soldiers and civilians on Armenian soil? The national mechanism to follow up on concluding observations was a positive step. Could more information on this mechanism be provided?

ANNA RACU, Committee Expert and Country Rapporteur, said the Committee was concerned about the lack of community services for psychiatric patients, and the lack of a mechanism for the deinstitutionalisation of children in social care homes. Could more information about the reform of social care homes in Armenia be provided? Which institution had oversight on psychiatric facilities? Did civil society organizations have access to monitoring visits? Did any complaints mechanisms exist in these institutions? How many complaints had been received and what had been the results? Could updated statistics be provided in cases where victims had been offered redress and compensation? How did the Government plan to ensure that compensation was accessible to victims, even in cases where perpetrators remained unidentified?

There were ongoing efforts by the Government to monitor violent incidents and deaths within the armed forces, but there was a significant lack of public oversight over the military units. The practice of non-statutory relationships among servicemen, which often resulted in bullying, violence and sexual abuse, persisted. What specific measures were being taken by the Armenian military management to address and prevent violence in the army? What steps was the Government taking to increase public oversight of the military? How did the Government plan to ensure that the military was held accountable for offences such as injuries and murders? What actions were being taken to provide psychological support for soldiers to prevent suicide and address mental health issues?

Armenia had made notable progress in addressing gender-based and domestic violence. The adoption of the 2017 law on violence in the family was a significant step forward. However, there were concerns about the high number of incidents of gender-based violence, particularly during the pandemic. It was important to ensure access to free health care services to victims and survivors, and shelters must be accessible to victims with disabilities. What measures were in place to address the gaps in the reporting system, particularly in rural and remote areas? What shelters were available for victims and survivors? How did Armenia intend to integrate the provisions of the Istanbul Convention into its domestic legislation? When would it be ratified?

Responses by the Delegation

The delegation said the independence and impartiality of the Investigative Committee was ensured through a special unit, tasked with investigating torture and abuse by officials. Regarding allegations of torture of Azerbaijanis soldiers, comprehensive investigations had been undertaken relating to videos received. However, the investigations remained ongoing. There were currently no prisoners of Azerbaijani origins in Armenia’s custody; all individuals had been returned. In stark contrast, Azerbaijan continued to hold Armenian nationals in its custody, in contrast to its national obligations. The closure of the Red Cross office in Azerbaijan had created a protection gap. International human rights organizations had reported grave human rights violations by Azerbaijani forces.

Armenia was establishing a mechanism for reporting and follow-up on human rights recommendations. The national mechanism would be a permanent structure which involved members of judicial and legislative branches of the Government.

If the applicant for asylum missed the 15-day deadline, the person was treated not as an asylum seeker, but as a foreigner. The law had been developed with assistance from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and non-governmental organization colleagues.

There were 67 disciplinary proceedings launched against police officers last year, with 27 resulting in finding no violations. As a result of one of the proceedings, three police officers were found guilty and dismissed from service.

The fight against gender-based violence was an ongoing process carried out with State and non-State parties and civil society actors. State financed shelter services were available which provided victims with safe accommodation and psychosocial and legal support. Over the past five years, the number of individuals receiving these services had increased, due to the increase in social workers. The law on the protection of domestic violence had undergone many changes, with almost 11 provisions amended. The provision concerning the reconciliation procedure had been annulled, and now stipulated for medical services to be provided to victims of violence based on the type of violence they had experienced.

Armenia had conducted awareness raising campaigns which focused on educating stakeholders on the importance of the Istanbul Convention as it pertained to gender-based violence. Recent legal reforms strengthened protections for victims, improved measures for reporting violence, and improved training for police and those dealing with victims. A new vulnerability assessment system was being launched, which would help families overcome extreme poverty.

Since 2014, the number of children in institutional care had been reduced five-fold from more than 2,000 to less than 400. There were now three crisis centres providing round the clock care to children. There had been a sharp increase in foster care placements over the last five years.

Regarding the armed groups, there were several main actors within the human rights action plan, including suicide and self-harm prevention groups, which operated within military units. Legal and human rights education efforts had also been strengthened, with training courses provided on torture and ill-treatment, targeting military personnel.

Closing Remarks

CLAUDE HELLER, Committee Chairperson, thanked the delegation for the excellent and informative dialogue. The multilateral system was in deep crisis at the political level and financially. However, despite all these restrictions, the Committee worked arduously, objectively and constructively to produce a positive impact on the lives of people in the States parties.

ANNA KARAPETYAN, Deputy Minister of Justice of Armenia and head of the delegation, expressed sincere appreciation to the Committee for the excellent dialogue. The Committee’s comments and recommendations reinforced the shared responsibility held together for the prohibition of torture everywhere, under all circumstances. Armenia was proud of the progress made but recognised that the journey for a torture-free society was ongoing. Armenia remained committed to working towards this goal.

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

CAT25.005E

MIL OSI United Nations News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Drugs

Source: US Food and Drug Administration

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Content current as of:
02/03/2023

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MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Human Rights Violations During Mozambique’s Post-2024 Election Crackdown

Source: Amnesty International –

Footnotes

[1] Open Observatory of Network Interference (OONI), “User Guide: OONI Probe Desktop App”, 25 October 2022, https://ooni.org/support/ooni-probe-desktop/

[2] Amnesty International, Mozambique: turn the page! A human rights manifesto for political parties and candidates, October 2019 election (Index: AFR 41/1019/2019), 17 September 2019, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr41/1019/2019/en/; Amnesty International, “Mozambique: Civil society calls for the unconditional and immediate release of the Gaza-18 election party delegates”(Index: AFR 41/1427/2019), 25 November 2019, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr41/1427/2019/en/; Amnesty International, “Mozambique police must only use live ammunition to protect life during demonstrations”(Index: PRE 01/301/2010 ), 1 September 2010, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pre01/301/2010/en/; Amnesty International,“Mozambique: authorities must launch a full and impartial investigation into the killing of journalist” (Index: AFR 41/2361/2015), 31 August 2015, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr41/2361/2015/en/; Amnesty International, Mozambique: media freedom in ashes (Index: AFR 41/2947/2020), 31 August 2020, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr41/2947/2020/en/; Amnesty International,“Mozambique: civil society groups call for the unconditional and immediate release of radio journalist” (Index: AFR 41/0205/2019 ), 11 April 2019, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr41/0205/2019/en/; Amnesty International, “What I saw is death”: war crimes in Mozambique’s forgotten cape (Index: AFR 41/3545/2021), 2 March 2021, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/afr41/3545/2021/en/; Amnesty International, “Mozambique: Torture by security forces in gruesome videos must be investigated”, 9 September 2020, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/press-release/2020/09/mozambique-torture-by-security-forces-in-gruesome-videos-must-be-investigated/

[3] Amnesty International, “What I saw is death” (previously cited); Amnesty International, “Mozambique: Authorities must promptly investigate arrest of journalist while covering demonstration”, 7 June 2024, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/06/mozambique-authorities-must-promptly-investigate-arrest-of-journalist-while-covering-demonstration/; Amnesty International, “Mozambique: Authorities must investigate killing of newspaper editor João Fernando Chamusse”, 15 December 2023, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/12/mozambique-authorities-must-investigate-killing-of-newspaper-editor-joao-fernando-chamusse/; Amnesty International, “Mozambique: Fears grow for election monitors secretly transferred to new prison”, 18 November 2019, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/11/mozambique-fears-grow-for-election-monitors-secretly-transferred-to-new-prison-2/; Caitlin Sturridge and others, Copping with the risk of conflict, climate and internal displacement in northern Mozambique: ‘We can’t just sit here with our arms crossed’, November 2022, https://media.odi.org/documents/USAID_CCD_Mozambique_final.pdf; Republic of Mozambique, Estratégia Nacional de Desenvolvimento (2015-2035), [National Development Strategy (2015-2035)], July 2024, https://www.mef.gov.mz/index.php/publicacoes/estrategias/397-estrategia-nacional-de-desenvolvimento/file; Human Rights Watch (HRW), Mozambique: abuses against media, activists before elections, 11 September 2024, https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/09/11/mozambique-abuses-against-media-activists-elections

[4] Africa News, “Frelimo’s candidate wins in Maputo amid ongoing vote count”, 14 October 2024, https://www.africanews.com/2024/10/14/frelimos-candidate-wins-in-maputo-amid-ongoing-vote-count/

[5] Times Live, “Africa: Frelimo extends 50-year rule in Mozambique as it retains power in disputed general elections”, 24 October 2024, https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2024-10-24-frelimo-extends-50-year-rule-in-mozambique-as-it-retains-power-in-disputed-general-election/

[6] Associated Press (AP), “Long-ruling party leads in Mozambique’s election as opposition candidate calls for strikes”, 16 October 2024, https://apnews.com/article/mozambique-election-frelimo-vote-6987692541d92a9c6a287be4af89a524

[7] The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), “Mozambique opposition lawyer shot dead”, 19 October 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4d3j1mm2yo

[8] Centre for Public Integrity (CIP), “Elvino Dias was killed preparing a draft of the PODEMOS appeal to the Constitutional Council: Mozambique elections 316- 20 October 2024”, 20 October 2024, https://www5.open.ac.uk/technology/mozambique/sites/www.open.ac.uk.technology.mozambique/files/files/Election-Bulletin-316_20Out24_Murders_Will-CNE-change-results.pdf

[9] Deutsche Welle (DW), “Mozambique: Police fire tear gas at opposition leader”, 21 October 2024, https://www.dw.com/en/mozambique-police-fire-tear-gas-at-opposition-leader/a-70561138; Venâncio Mondlane, “REVOLUÇÃO: Venâncio Mondlane anuncia nova manifestação [“REVOLUTION: Venâncio Mondlane announces new demonstration”], 22 October 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mG5g-SbnNy8

[10] Interview by voice call with lawyer, 12 February 2025; HRW, “Mozambique: Abuses against media, activists before elections”, 11 September 2024, https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/09/11/mozambique-abuses-against-media-activists-elections

[11] Integrity Magazine, “CNE confirma Daniel Chapo e Frelimo como vencedores das eleições de 9 de Outubro”, [“The National Electoral Commission confirms the victory of Daniel Chapo and Frelimo the winners of the 9 October elections”], 25 October 2024, https://integritymagazine.co.mz/arquivos/33773

[12] DW, “Mondlane: “Está-se a cometer crimes contra a humanidade”, [“Mondlane: “Crimes against humanity are being committed”], 26 October 2024, https://www.dw.com/pt-002/ven%C3%A2ncio-mondlane-est%C3%A1-se-a-cometer-crimes-contra-a-humanidade/a-70608646

[13] DW, Venâncio Mondlane anuncia “manifestação four by four”, [“Venâncio Mondlane announces “demonstrations four by four””], 2 December 2024, https://www.dw.com/pt-002/ven%C3%A2ncio-mondlane-anuncia-manifesta%C3%A7%C3%A3o-four-by-four/a-70938463; Al Jazeera, “Clanging pans: why Mozambique’s election protesters refuse to go away, 15 November 2024, https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/11/15/clanging-pans-why-mozambiques-election-protesters-refuse-to-go-away

[14] Al Jazeera, “Clanging pans: why Mozambique’s election protesters refuse to go away, 15 November 2024, https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/11/15/clanging-pans-why-mozambiques-election-protesters-refuse-to-go-away

[15] Al Jazeera, “Mozambique’s controversial election result upheld: What to know”, 23 December 2024, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/12/23/mozambiques-controversial-election-result-upheld

[16] Al Jazeera, “Chapo sworn in following Mozambique’s disputed presidential elections”, 15 January 2025, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/15/chapo-sworn-in-following-mozambiques-disputed-presidential-election

[17] BBC, “Injuries as Mozambique police fire on opposition protest”, 6 March 2025, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjd3y2eyxy3o

[18] Televisão de Moçambique (TVM)’s video of President Chapo’s address, 24 February 2025, on file with Amnesty International; Radio France Internationale – International French Radio (RFI), “Daniel Chapo vows to fight “terrorism and demonstrations”, 25 February 2025, https://www.rfi.fr/pt/%C3%A1frica-lus%C3%B3fona/20250225-daniel-chapo-promete-combater-terrorismo-e-manifesta%C3%A7%C3%B5es

[19] Amnesty International identified these units based on the uniforms apparent in visual evidence and description of uniforms provided in interviews with eyewitnesses and victims.

[20] Amnesty International, Kinetic Impact Projectiles in Law Enforcement – an Amnesty International Position Paper, March 2023, pg. 18; https://www.amnesty.nl/content/uploads/2023/03/Amnesty-position-paper-kinetic-impact-projectiles.pdf?x55122

[21] Interview by voice call with doctor, 17 February 2025; Interview by voice call with doctor, 22 February 2025.

[22] Interview by voice call with doctor, 17 February 2025; Interview by voice call with doctor, 22 February 2025.

[23] Interview by voice call with doctor, 17 February 2025; Interview by voice call with doctor, 22 February 2025.

[24] TV Mirramar, “Ordem dos medicos preocupada com aumento de feridos por armas de fogo” [“Order of Doctors concerned about increase in firearm injuries”], 29 October 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0YqkTsYGaI&t=52s; Interview by voice call with doctor, 17 February 2025.

[25] Interview by voice call with doctor, 17 February 2025; Interview by voice call with doctor, 22 February 2025.

[26] For instance, interview by voice call with victim’s relative, 21 and 27 February 2025; Interview by voice call with victim’s relative, 18 and 21 February 2025

[27] Interview by voice call with victim, 17 February 2025.

[28] Interview by voice call with victim’s relative, 17 February 2025.

[29] Plataforma DECIDE, “Preliminary report on the post-electoral context in Mozambique: 21 October 2024- 21 January 2025”, Undated, https://pdecide.org/blog/preliminary-report-on-the-post-electoral-context-in-mozambique-3-months

[30] TVM, “Police records” Bernardino Rafael reports 956 acts of violence and records 96 deaths”, 23 January 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTS1gRRNJmY

[31] BBC Africa, “President Chapo on Mondlane’s ‘parallel government”, 22 January 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqSIetyQHyQ

[32] Attorney General of Mozambique, Speech at the opening of the judicial year, 4 February 2025, on file with Amnesty International; Club of Mozambique, “Mozambique: 651 cases opened during post-elections protests- Attorney General”, 4 February 2025, https://clubofmozambique.com/news/mozambique-651-cases-opened-during-post-election-protests-attorney-general-275268/

[33] Venâncio Mondlane, Facebook post, “O que se falou no encontro? [What was said at the meeting?]”, 24 March 2025, https://www.facebook.com/venamondlane/videos/998522575570322/

[34] Amnesty International, Guidelines on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly (Index: ACT 30/8426/2024), November 2024, ACT3084262024ENGLISH.pdf

[35] HRC, General Comment 36: Article 6 (The Right to life), 30 October 2018, UN Doc. CCPR/C/GC/36, para. 7. The right to life is protected by article 6.1 of the ICCPR and article 4 of the ACHPR. Article 4.2 of the ICCPR also protects the right to life in exceptional circumstances, such as internal political instability or any other public emergency. See, also, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Resolution 1989/65: The Principles on the Effective Prevention and Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions, adopted on 24 May 1989.

[36] Amnesty International, Guidelines on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly (Index: ACT 30/8426/2024), November 2024, ACT3084262024ENGLISH.pdf

[37] UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials (Basic Principles), 7 September 1990.

[38] Amnesty International, Use of Force – Guidelines for Implementation of the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by law enforcement officials, August 2015, https://www.amnesty.org.uk/files/use_of_force.pdf; UN Basic Principles.

[39] HRC, Report of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, A/HRC/26/36, para 63.

[40] Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT), 10 December 1984. Mozambique ratified the CAT on 14 September 1999. United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body Database – Mozambique, https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/TreatyBodyExternal/Treaty.aspx

[41] Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment on extra-custodial use of force and the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, A/72/178, para. 46.

[42] HRC, General Comment No. 37, (previously cited), para. 78.

[43] UN Guidance on less-lethal weapons in law enforcement, 2020, https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/HRBodies/CCPR/LLW_Guidance.pdf, guideline 6.3; HRC, General Comment No. 37 (previously cited).

[44] UN Guidance on less-lethal weapons in law enforcement (previously cited), HRC, General Comment No. 37 (previously cited), para. 88; https://www.amnesty.nl/content/uploads/2017/07/guidelines_use_of_force_eng.pdf?x90620

[45] Amnesty International Guidelines on the use of force (previously cited), guideline 5b and p. 114

[46] African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission), African Commission Guidelines for the Policing of Assemblies by Law Enforcement Officials in Africa, para. 21.3.1 https://achpr.au.int/en/soft-law/guidelines-policing-assemblies-law-enforcement-officials-africa

[47] UN Guidance on less-lethal weapons in law enforcement (previously cited), guideline 6.3; Amnesty International, Guidelines on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly (previously cited), guideline 14.1.

[48] UN Guidance on less-lethal weapons in law enforcement (previously cited), guideline 7.5; Amnesty International, “Kinetic impact projectiles in law enforcement”, March 2023, https://www.amnesty.nl/content/uploads/2023/03/Amnesty-position-paper-kinetic-impact-projectiles.pdf?x36065

[49] UN Guidance on less-lethal weapons in law enforcement (previously cited), guideline 7.5; HRC, General Comment No. 37 (previously cited), para. 87; Amnesty International, “Kinetic impact projectiles in law enforcement”, March 2023, https://www.amnesty.nl/content/uploads/2023/03/Amnesty-position-paper-kinetic-impact-projectiles.pdf?x36065

[50] Amnesty International, “Chemical irritants in law enforcement”, June 2021, https://www.amnesty.nl/content/uploads/2021/07/Amnesty-position-paper-chemical-irritants.pdf

[51] Video published on the platform X on 27 November 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://x.com/Cidiachissungo/status/1861915616598167924

[52] Video sent to researchers via messaging app, on file with Amnesty International.

[53] Amnesty International, Guidelines on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly (Index: ACT 30/8426/2024), November 2024, ACT3084262024ENGLISH.pdf

[54] In addition to the PP and TP, one eyewitness identified the presence of the Rapid Intervention Police that day. Interview by voice call, 14 February 2025.

[55] In addition to the PP and TP, one eyewitness identified the presence of the Rapid Intervention Police that day. Interview by voice call, 14 February 2025.

[56] RFI, “Moçambique: Polícia confirma morte de um manifestante pró-Mondlane no Niassa” [“Mozambique: Police confirm death of pro-Mondlane protester in Niassa”], 28 October 2024, https://www.rfi.fr/pt/%C3%A1frica-lus%C3%B3fona/20241028-mo%C3%A7ambique-pol%C3%ADcia-confirma-morte-de-um-manifestante-pr%C3%B3-mondlane-no-niassa

[57] Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 11 February 2025; Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 14 February 2025; Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 17 February 2025.

[58] Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 11 February 2025; Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 14 February 2025.

^[59] Video provided by eyewitness; on file with Amnesty International

[60] Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 11 February 2025.

^[61] Videos provided by eyewitness, on file with Amnesty International

[62] Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 14 February 2025; Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 17 February 2025.

[63] Inerview by voice call with eyewitness, 27 February 2025.

^[64] Video provided by eyewitness; on file with Amnesty International

^[65] Video published on Facebook and YouTube, respectively, on 26 October 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1173170507612261, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj_AfHK_JcI

^[66] Video provided by eyewitness, on file with Amnesty International.

[67] Interview by voice call, 11 February 2025; Interview by voice call, 14 February 2025; Interview by voice call, 17 February 2025.

^[68] Video published on Facebook and YouTube, respectively, 26 October 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1173170507612261, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lj_AfHK_JcI

^[69] RFI, “Moçambique: Polícia confirma morte de um manifestante pró-Mondlane no Niassa” [“Mozambique: Police confirm death of pro-Mondlane protester in Niassa”], 28 October 2024, https://www.rfi.fr/pt/%C3%A1frica-lus%C3%B3fona/20241028-mo%C3%A7ambique-pol%C3%ADcia-confirma-morte-de-um-manifestante-pr%C3%B3-mondlane-no-niassa

^[70] Facebook profiles managed by Albino José Síbia. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084198734038 https://www.facebook.com/ShottasOficial, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100069938172987

^[72] Videos published on the platform X on 12 December 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://x.com/mozinforma/status/1867313710223831438

^[73] 360 Mozambique, “General Protests: Ressano Garcia Border Returns to Normal”, 16 December 2024, https://360mozambique.com/business/general-protests-ressano-garcia-border-returns-to-normal/

^[74] A section of the video posted on the platform X on 12 December 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://x.com/Cidiachissungo/status/1867262509016920434

^[75] Video posted on the platform X on 12 December 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://x.com/justicefrontil/status/1867281218351640723

^[76] Video posted on Facebook on 12 December 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1526742851326323

^[77] Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), “Albino Sibia (Mano Shottas)”, https://cpj.org/data/people/albino-sibia-mano-shottas/

[78] Mozambique ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) on 21 July 1993 and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) on 22 February 1989. See United Nations Human Rights Treaty Body Database – Mozambique, https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/TreatyBodyExternal/Treaty.aspx and ACHPR, https://achpr.au.int/en/charter/african-charter-human-and-peoples-rights/

[79] Interview by voice call with someone with intimate knowledge of the situation, 10 February 2025; Adriano Nuvunga, Facebook post: “CDD entra com uma acção contra o Estado mocambicano pelo assassinato Bárbaro do jovem blogueiro “Shottas”” [“CDD files a lawsuit against the Mozambican state for the barbaric murder of the young blogger “Shottas””], 30 December 2024, https://www.facebook.com/Prof.adrianonuvunga/videos/cdd-entra-com-uma-ac%C3%A7%C3%A3o-contra-o-estado-mocambicano-pelo-assassinato-b%C3%A1rbaro-do-/1029506992507642/

^[80] Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 10 February 2025; Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 27 February 2025; Miramar, “UIR invade cemitério e dispara no momento de luto” [“UIR invades cemetery and shoots during mourning”], 14 December 2024, https://miramar.co.mz/noticias/mocambique/uir-invade-cemiterio-e-dispara-no-momento-de-luto-14-12-2024-49489

^[81] Videos published on the platform X on 14 December 2024, on file with Amnesty International
https://x.com/mozinforma/status/1867929771835076734/video/1 https://x.com/Cidiachissungo/status/1867936730910703888
https://x.com/mozinforma/status/1867929771835076734/video/1

[82] Inerview by voice call with eyewitness, 27 February 2025.

[83] Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 27 February 2025.

^[84] Video published on Facebook on 14 December 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=595714569533356

[85] Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), “COMUNICADO- MISA condena baleamento de repórter pela UIR” [“-STATEMENT- MISA condemns the shooting of a reporter by the UIR”], 20 December 2024, https://www.misa.org.mz/index.php/destaques/noticias/327-comunicado-misa-condena-baleamento-de-reporter-pela-uir

[86] Interview by voice call with person known to the victim, 19 February 2025.

^[87] DW, “Vários mortos no regresso de Mondlane a Moçambique” [“Several dead on Mondlane’s return to Mozambique”]; 9 January 2025, https://www.dw.com/pt-002/v%C3%A1rios-mortos-no-regresso-de-mondlane-a-mo%C3%A7ambique/a-71257510; Observador, “Chegada de Mondlane a Maputo. Número de mortos em Moçambique sobe para três – como aconteceu” [“Mondlane arrives in Maputo. Death toll in Mozambique rises to three – as it happened”], 9 January 2025, https://observador.pt/liveblogs/mondlane-chegou-a-maputo-estou-aqui-presente-de-carne-e-osso/

^[88] Video published on YouTube on 9 January 2025, on file with Amnesty International. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnA0Ur-Eb8I

^[89] Video published on YouTube on 9 January 2025, on file with Amnesty International. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCVLf30Ajfs

^[90] Video published on Facebook on 9 January 2025, on file with Amnesty International. https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=1194732825606271

[91] Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 13 February 2025.

[92] Interview by voice call with “Pedro”, 1 March 2025.

[93] Interview by voice call with “Pedro”, 1 March 2025.

[94] Interview by voice call with “Pedro”, 1 March 2025.

[95] Interview by voice call with “Pedro”, 1 March 2025.

^[96] Videos published on the platform X on 9 January 2025, on file with Amnesty International. https://x.com/AllexandreMZ/status/1877368651554124233
https://x.com/Cidiachissungo/status/1877308762274329016
https://x.com/AllexandreMZ/status/1877304210435330388/video/1

^[97] Videos received via messaging app; on file with Amnesty International; Video published on Facebook on 21 October 2024, on file with Amnesty International.
https://www.facebook.com/tvsucessoofficial/videos/1049942656916240/

[98] Interview by voice call with an eyewitness, 12 February 2025.

^[99] Video published on Facebook on 21 October 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1049942656916240

[100] Interview by voice call with an eyewitness, 12 February 2025; Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 21 February 2025.

[101] Interview by voice call with an eyewitness, 12 February 2025.

^[102] Video published on Facebook on 21 October 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1049942656916240

^[103] Amnesty International reviewed videos and X-rays. The videos indicate the injury was caused by a tear gas canister. The X-rays clearly show a fracture in the tibia.

[104] Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 21 February 2025.

^[105] Videos sent via messaging app, on file with Amnesty International.

[106] Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 21 February 2025.

[107] VOA, “Jornalistas moçambicanos feridos em manifestação em Maputo” [“Mozambican journalists injured in protest in Maputo”], 21 October 2025, https://www.voaportugues.com/a/jornalistas-mo%C3%A7ambicanos-feridos-em-manifesta%C3%A7%C3%A3o-em-maputo/7830621.html

^[108] Publico, “Pelo menos 30 pessoas foram detidas nos confrontos em Maputo” [“At least 30 people were arrested in the clashes in Maputo”], 22 October 2024, https://www.publico.pt/2024/10/22/mundo/noticia/menos-30-pessoas-detidas-confrontos-maputo-2108971

^[109] Video published on Facebook on 21 October 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://www.facebook.com/tvsucessoofficial/videos/8571222766325965/

[110] Video published on Facebook on 21 October 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://www.facebook.com/tvsucessoofficial/videos/8571222766325965/

[111] Video published on Facebook on 21 October 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://www.facebook.com/tvsucessoofficial/videos/8571222766325965/

^[112] Videos sent via messaging app, on file with Amnesty International.

[113] Principle 5(c) of the UN Basic Principles (previously cited).

^[114] RFI, “Moçambique: Três mortos e dezenas de feridos nas manifestações” [“Mozambique: Three dead and dozens injured in protests”], 8 November 2024, https://www.rfi.fr/pt/%C3%A1frica-lus%C3%B3fona/20241108-mo%C3%A7ambique-tr%C3%AAs-mortos-e-dezenas-de-feridos-nas-manifesta%C3%A7%C3%B5es; Radio Renascença (RR), “Protestos em Maputo deixam 57 pessoas feridas por arma de fogo“ [“Protests in Maputo leave 57 people injured by firearms”], 8 November 2024, https://rr.pt/noticia/mundo/2024/11/08/protestos-em-maputo-deixam-57-pessoas-feridas-por-arma-de-fogo/400690/

^[115] Videos published on the platform X on 7 November 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://x.com/Cidiachissungo/status/1854544977507856444 https://x.com/wilkerDias13/status/1854464732637327870 https://x.com/wilkerDias13/status/1854464732637327870

^[116] Videos published on the platform X on 7 November 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://x.com/wilkerDias13/status/1854461552214114747/video/1
https://x.com/wilkerDias13/status/1854485342604104076

^[117] Video published on the platform X on 7 November 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://x.com/wilkerDias13/status/1854461552214114747/video/2

[118] Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 19 and 20 February 2025.

[119] HRC, General Comment No. 37 (previously cited), para 80; ACHPR Guidelines on the Policing of Assemblies in Africa (previously cited), para. 3.2; Amnesty International, Guidelines on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly (previously cited), guideline 7.5.

^[120] Videos published on the platform X on 27 and 28 November 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://x.com/Cidiachissungo/status/1861684733605806131 https://x.com/Cidiachissungo/status/1862014546333856026 https://x.com/Cidiachissungo/status/1861685433677013386

^[121] Video published on the platform X on 27 November 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://x.com/Cidiachissungo/status/1861931525492617413

^[122] Video published on the platform X on 27 November 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://x.com/Cidiachissungo/status/1861919381283827798

^[123] Videos published on the platform X on 27 November 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://x.com/Cidiachissungo/status/1861919381283827798

[124] Pictures published on the platform X on 30 November 2024, on file with Amnesty International. https://x.com/AllexandreMZ/status/1862832887285854247

[125] VOA, “Ministry of National Defence admits to having run over young man [sic] in protest in Maputo”, 27 November 2024, https://www.voaportugues.com/a/ministério-da-defesa-nacional-reconhece-ter-atropelado-jovem-em-protesto-em-maputo/7879042.html

[126] VOA, “Ministry of National Defence admits to having run over young man [sic] in protest in Maputo”, 27 November 2024, https://www.voaportugues.com/a/ministério-da-defesa-nacional-reconhece-ter-atropelado-jovem-em-protesto-em-maputo/7879042.html

[127] Interview by voice call with individual with intimate knowledge of the situation, 11 February 2025.

[128] Interview by voice call with individual with intimate knowledge of the situation, 11 February 2025.

[129] Plataforma DECIDE, “Preliminary report on the post-electoral context in Mozambique: 21 October 2024- 21 January 2025” (previously cited), pg. 2.

[130] Plataforma DECIDE, “Preliminary report on the post-electoral context in Mozambique: 21 October 2024- 21 January 2025” (previously cited), pg. 2.

[131] Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 12 February 2025; Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 19 February 2025.

[132] Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 12 February 2025; Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 19 February 2025.

[133] Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 12 February 2025; Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 19 February 2025.

[134] Plataforma DECIDE, “Preliminary report on the post-electoral context in Mozambique: 21 October 2024- 21 January 2025” (previously cited), pg. 2.

[135] Plataforma DECIDE, “Preliminary report on the post-electoral context in Mozambique: 21 October 2024- 21 January 2025” (previously cited), pg. 2.

[136] Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 12 February 2025; Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 19 February 2025.

[137] Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 12 February 2025; Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 19 February 2025.

[138] Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 12 February 2025; Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 19 February 2025.

[139] Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 12 February 2025; Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 19 February 2025.

[140] Interview by voice call with a victim of arbitrary detention, 12 February 2025.

[141] Interview by voice call with a victim of arbitrary detention, 12 February 2025.

[142] Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 12 February 2025; Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 19 February 2025; Interview by voice call with victim, 18 and 19 February 2025.

[143] Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 12 February 2025; Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 19 February 2025; Interview by voice call with a victim of arbitrary detention, 12 February 2025; Interview by voice call with a relative of a detainee, 18 and 21 February 2025.

[144] Interview by voice call with son of victim of detainee, 18 and 21 February 2025.

[145] Interview by voice call with son of victim of detainee, 18 and 21 February 2025.

[146] Interview by voice call with a victim of arbitrary detention, 12 February 2025.

[147] Interview by voice call with a victim of arbitrary detention, 12 February 2025.

[148] Interview by voice call with a lawyer, 12 February 2025.

[149] Interview by voice call with victim, 18 and 19 February 2025.

[150] Interview by voice call with victim, 18 and 19 February 2025.

[151] Photos of victim taken on 6 and 7 December 2024, on file with Amnesty International.

[152] Interview by voice call with victim, 18 and 19 February 2025.

[153] Interview by voice call with victim, 18 and 19 February 2025.

[154] ICCPR, Article 9.1; ACHPR, Article 6.

[155] ICCPR, Article 14; ACHPR, Article 7. See also the African Commission, Principles and Guidelines on the Rights to a Fair Trial and Legal Assistance in Africa.

[156] African Commission Principles and Guidelines on the Rights to a Fair Trial and Legal Assistance in Africa; article 1(e) and (g).

[157] For instance, ICCPR, Articles 7 and 10. Conditions of detention which violate article 10 of the ICCPR may also violate Article 7 of the ICCPR (prohibition of torture or other ill-treatment). See also, UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Interim report, 3 August 2009, UN Doc. A/64/215 paras 48, 55.

[158] The 1955 UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules); Rules 15; 16; 19; 20; and 19. See also the ACHPR Guidelines on the Conditions of Arrest, Police Custody and Pre-Trial Detention in Africa (the Luanda Guidelines), March 2015; and The UN Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners, 1990.

[159] Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Article 37(b).

[160] African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), Article 17.2(b). See also, ICCPR, Article 10.2(b).

[161] ICCPR, Article 9.1; ACHPR, Article 6; Constitution of the Republic of Mozambique, 16 November 2004, Article 59.1.

[162] ICCPR, Article 17.

[163] ICCPR, Article 2.3. See also, HRC, General Comment 31: The Nature of the General Legal Obligation Imposed on States Parties to the Covenant, 26 May 2004, UN Doc. CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add. 13.

[164] ICCPR, Article 9.5.

[165] CAT, Article 14. See also, Committee Against Torture, General Comment 3: Implementation of article 14 by States parties (Article 14), 13 December 2012, UN Doc. CAT/C/GC/3; UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Resolution 22/21: Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment: rehabilitation of torture victims, adopted on 12 April 2013.

[166] Photo of police complaint, on file with Amnesty International.

[167] Interview by voice call with victim, 18 and 19 February 2025 and correspondence on 1 April 2025.

[168] Integrity Magazine, “Moçambique enfrenta 18 horas de corte de internet em meio `a tensão pós-eleitoral [“Mozambique faces internet shutdown amid post-electoral tension”], 26 October 2024, https://integritymagazine.co.mz/arquivos/33806; Sahara Reporters, “Social media platforms down in Mozambique ahead of protests against disputed election results”, 31 October 2024, https://saharareporters.com/2024/10/31/social-media-platforms-down-mozambique-ahead-protests-against-disputed-election-results

[169] Internet Outage Detection & Analysis (IODA) and Cloudflare, “Mozambique’s post-election fallout: fatal protests and widespread internet shutdowns”, 26 February 2025, https://ioda-dev.inetintel.cc.gatech.edu/reports/mozambiques-post-election-fallout-fatal-protests-and-widespread-internet-shutdowns/

[170] Club of Mozambique, “Mozambique elections: Mondlane calls for week-long strike and a national march to Maputo”, 29 October 2024, https://clubofmozambique.com/news/mozambique-elections-mondlane-calls-for-week-long-strike-and-a-national-march-to-maputo-269757/

[171] IODA and Cloudflare, “Mozambique’s post-election fallout: fatal protests and widespread internet shutdowns”, 26 February 2025, https://ioda-dev.inetintel.cc.gatech.edu/reports/mozambiques-post-election-fallout-fatal-protests-and-widespread-internet-shutdowns/

[172] Netblocks, X post, 25 October 2024, https://x.com/netblocks/status/1849839619291988399

[173] IODA and Cloudflare, “Mozambique’s post-election fallout: fatal protests and widespread internet shutdowns”, 26 February 2025, https://ioda-dev.inetintel.cc.gatech.edu/reports/mozambiques-post-election-fallout-fatal-protests-and-widespread-internet-shutdowns/

[174] Netblocks, X post, 8 November 2024, https://x.com/netblocks/status/1854830014555914571

[175] IODA and Cloudflare, “Mozambique’s post-election fallout: fatal protests and widespread internet shutdowns”, 26 February 2025, https://ioda-dev.inetintel.cc.gatech.edu/reports/mozambiques-post-election-fallout-fatal-protests-and-widespread-internet-shutdowns/

[176] IODA and Cloudflare, “Mozambique’s post-election fallout: fatal protests and widespread internet shutdowns”, 26 February 2025, https://ioda-dev.inetintel.cc.gatech.edu/reports/mozambiques-post-election-fallout-fatal-protests-and-widespread-internet-shutdowns/

[177] Tmcel is a state mobile company that resulted from the merging of telecommunication company Telecomunicações de Moçambique (AS30619) and Mcel (mobile company).

[178] Netblocks, X post, 31 October 2024, https://x.com/netblocks/status/1851892913292071349

[179] OONI Probe testing of ‘www.facebook.com’, ‘www.instagram.com’ and WhatsApp services in Mozambique between 15 October and 18 November 2024.

[180] Club of Mozambique, “Mozambique Elections: Second internet shutdown – AIM”, 1 November 2024, https://clubofmozambique.com/news/mozambique-elections-second-internet-shutdown-aim-269982/

[181] Club of Mozambique, “Mozambique Elections: Second internet shutdown – AIM”, 1 November 2024, https://clubofmozambique.com/news/mozambique-elections-second-internet-shutdown-aim-269982/

[182] RFI, “Moçambique: Ministro justificou restrições na internet para impedir ’destruição’ do país” [“Mozambique: Minister justified internet restrictions to prevent “destruction” of the country”], 11 November 2024, https://www.rfi.fr/pt/%C3%A1frica-lus%C3%B3fona/20241111-mo%C3%A7ambique-ministro-justificou-restri%C3%A7%C3%B5es-na-internet-para-impedir-destrui%C3%A7%C3%A3o-do-pa%C3%ADs

[183] Text messages shared with researchers by Vodacom, Movitel and Tmcel clients, on file with Amnesty International. See also, HRW, “Mozambique: post-election internet restrictions hinder rights”, 6 November 2024, https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/11/06/mozambique-post-election-internet-restrictions-hinder-rights

[184] Ngani, “Manifestações pós-eleitoral: mais um apagão dos serviços de internet em Moçambique” [“Post-election demonstrations: another blackout of internet services in Mozambique”], 1 November 2024, https://ngani.co.mz/tech/01/11/2024/manifestacoes-pos-eleitoral-mais-um-apagao-dos-servicos-de-internet-em-mocambique/

[185] Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (Centro para Democracia e Direitos Humanos – CDD), “Depois da proibição do bloqueio pelo tribunal: submetida acção principal contra as operadoras de telefonia móvel por bloqueio de internet” [“After a blockage from court has been denied: a complaint against internet shutdown by mobile companies submitted down”], 18 December 2024, https://cddmoz.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Submetida-accao-principal-contra-as-operadoras-de-telefonia-movel-por-bloqueio-de-internet.pdf

^[186] Video sent by eyewitness, on file with Amnesty International.

[187] Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 11 February 2025; Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 14 February 2025.

[188] Interview by voice call with eyewitness, 11 February 2025.

[189] Interview by voice call with media professional, 12 February 2025.

[190] ICCPR, Article 19.2.

[191] ICCPR, Article 19.3(a)(b). See also the African Commission, Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, November 2019; the Johannesburg Principles on National Security, Freedom of Expression and Access to Information, 1 October 1995.

[192] ACHPR, Article 9.

MIL OSI NGO –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to Inaugurate Newly Developed 220-Bedded ESIC Hospital in Ranchi, Jharkhand Tomorrow

Source: Government of India

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to Inaugurate Newly Developed 220-Bedded ESIC Hospital in Ranchi, Jharkhand Tomorrow

Union Minister to Give Cash Benefits Certificates/Sanction Letters to ESI beneficiaries and Felicitate Construction Workers

Posted On: 16 APR 2025 4:14PM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, will inaugurate the newly developed 220-bedded ESIC Hospital at Namkum, Ranchi, Jharkhand on 17^th April 2025. This state-of-the-art facility marks a significant milestone in strengthening healthcare delivery under the Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme in the state of Jharkhand. Union Minister of State for Defence, Shri Sanjay Seth along with Shri Pradip Verma, Hon’ble Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Shri Rajesh Kachhap, MLA, Khijri, Ranchi and senior officers of ESIC will also be present on the occasion.

During the programme, Dr. Mandaviya will felicitate and give Cash Benefits Certificates/Sanction Letters to ESI beneficiaries. He will also felicitate construction workers who were involved in the construction of hospital.

Originally established in 1987, the ESIC Hospital in Namkum was founded with the primary objective of providing accessible, affordable, and quality healthcare services to insured workers and their families. For over four decades, it has played a vital role in serving the healthcare needs of industrial workers in Ranchi and the surrounding areas.

To further enhance healthcare services in the region, the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) approved the construction of a 200-bed hospital in June 2018. Construction commenced on 31st May 2018 and has since been completed, with the facility now upgraded to a 220-bedded hospital. In a significant development, ESI Corporation also approved the establishment of a Medical College with 50 MBBS seats in October 2024, with operations set to begin in near future.

The hospital is well-equipped with essential departments such as General Medicine, Surgery, Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology (Eye), and Dental, along with various support services. It offers both Outpatient (OPD) and Inpatient (IPD) care, effectively meeting the medical needs of ESI beneficiaries. The upgraded hospital will now also offer speciality and super-speciality treatments, greatly improving access to advanced healthcare services for residents of Ranchi and neighbouring districts.

The modernised facility is expected to benefit over 5 lakh Insured Persons (IPs) and their dependents, offering improved infrastructure and a broader range of medical services. The hospital complex features a Basement, Ground Floor, and four additional floors, spread across a 7.9-acre campus. New building has been constructed with a cost of 99.06 crore and spread 17559 sq meter area. It is a 4 storey building equipped with 03 modern Operation Theatres (OTs) and provision for one additional Operation Theatres (OTs). It has 34 wards and 6 isolation wards, 40 OPD rooms and enough space for all doctors, administrative officers and staff.

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Himanshu Pathak

(Release ID: 2122101) Visitor Counter : 58

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: India’s Retail Inflation Hits Six-Year Low
Source: Government of India

Posted On: 16 APR 2025 5:39PM by PIB Delhi

2024-25 Retail Inflation Drops to 4.6%, March Sees YoY Dip to 3.34%

Introduction

Retail inflation in India, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which reflects the cost of everyday goods and services, fell to a remarkable 4.6% in the fiscal year 2024-25, the lowest since 2018-19. This milestone highlights the effectiveness of the Reserve Bank of India’s pro-growth monetary policy, which has successfully balanced economic expansion with price stability. Notably, the year-on-year inflation rate for March 2025 dropped to 3.34%, a decline of 27 basis points from February 2025, marking the lowest monthly inflation rate since August 2019. These figures demonstrate a sustained effort to curb price rises while fostering economic growth.

The government’s strategic interventions have been pivotal in achieving this outcome. Key measures include bolstering buffer stocks of essential food items and releasing them periodically in open markets, alongside subsidised retail sales of staples like rice, wheat flour, pulses, and onions. Simplified import duties on critical food items, stricter stock limits to prevent hoarding, and reduced GST rates on essentials have further eased price pressures. Targeted subsidies, such as LPG support under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, have protected vulnerable households from rising food grain costs, ensuring that the benefits of lower inflation reach those who need it most.

What is Consumer Price Index?

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is one of the most important economic indicators used to measure changes in the general level of retail prices over time. It reflects how much households need to spend on a fixed basket of goods and services they typically consume, such as food, clothing, housing, and fuel. In India, the CPI is compiled by the National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) and is currently calculated using the base year 2012. By tracking the cost of this basket over time, the CPI shows how prices rise or fall, affecting the purchasing power of consumers and their overall welfare.

The CPI measures price changes by comparing the current cost of this fixed basket of goods and services to what it cost in a previous period. Since the contents of the basket are kept constant in terms of quantity and quality, any change in the index reflects only the change in prices. When prices increase, the CPI goes up, signalling inflation; when they fall, the CPI declines, indicating lower inflation or deflation.

Originally, CPI figures were developed to track changes in the cost of living for workers so that their wages could be adjusted in line with price movements. Over time, however, the CPI has evolved into a widely used macroeconomic tool. It is now a key benchmark for targeting inflation, monitoring price stability, and guiding monetary policy decisions by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). It also serves as a deflator in the National Accounts to measure real economic growth.

In India, along with the general CPI (CPI–Combined), segment-specific indices are also published to cater to different population groups:
- CPI (IW) – Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers
- CPI (AL) – Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers
- CPI (RL) – Consumer Price Index for Rural Labourers
These indices help in wage revisions, rural planning, and understanding inflation trends in specific segments of the population.

Key Highlights for March 2025
- Food Inflation: The year-on-year food inflation based on the Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) stood at 2.69% in March 2025, the lowest since November 2021. This marks a sharp decline of 106 basis points from the previous month.
- Rural food inflation: 2.82%
- Urban food inflation: 2.48%
- Drivers of Decline: The overall moderation in food prices was led by a drop in inflation across key categories such as vegetables, eggs, pulses and products, meat and fish, cereals and products, and milk and products.
- Rural Inflation: A notable fall was recorded in both headline and food inflation in rural areas.
- Headline inflation fell from 3.79% in February to 3.25% in March
- Food inflation dropped from 4.06% to 2.82%
- Urban Inflation: Headline inflation in urban areas saw a marginal rise to 3.43% in March, up from 3.32% in February. However, food inflation declined significantly from 3.15% to 2.48%.
- Housing Inflation: For the urban sector, housing inflation rose slightly to 3.03% in March 2025 from 2.91% in February.
- Fuel & Light: Inflation in this category rebounded to 1.48% in March from -1.33% in February, covering both rural and urban areas.
- Education Inflation: A moderate increase was noted in education-related inflation, rising to 3.98% from 3.83% the previous month.
- Health Inflation: Prices in the health segment saw a mild rise, with inflation at 4.26% in March, up from 4.12% in February.
- Transport & Communication: Inflation in this category increased to 3.30% in March 2025 compared to 2.93% in February.
- Items with Highest Inflation: In March 2025, the top five items with the highest year-on-year inflation were coconut oil (56.81%), coconut (42.05%), gold (34.09%), silver (31.57%), and grapes (25.55%).
- Items with Lowest Inflation: The items witnessing the steepest decline in prices were ginger (-38.11%), tomato (-34.96%), cauliflower (-25.99%), jeera (-25.86%), and garlic (-25.22%).
Retail Inflation Eases for Third Year in a Row

Retail inflation in India has followed a steady downward path over the past three financial years, falling from 6.7 percent in 2022–23 to 5.4 percent in 2023–24, and further to 4.6 percent in 2024–25. This consistent moderation highlights the combined impact of the Reserve Bank of India’s calibrated monetary policy and the Government of India’s focused interventions to ease supply-side constraints and stabilise prices of essential commodities. The declining trend has helped ease cost-of-living pressures and fostered a more stable environment for economic growth.

From High Prices to Stability: A Decade of Inflation Control

Between 2009–10 and 2013–14, India faced a prolonged period of high inflation, with the average annual rate remaining in double digits. Households across the country bore the brunt of steep increases in food and fuel prices, which eroded purchasing power and created a challenging environment for both consumers and businesses. Looking at a broader timeframe, the average annual inflation between 2004–05 and 2013–14 stood at 8.2 percent, reflecting a decade marked by considerable volatility in retail prices.

In sharp contrast, the ten-year period from 2015–16 to 2024–25 witnessed a marked decline in inflationary pressures, with the average rate coming down to 5 percent. This significant moderation reflects the sustained efforts of both the Government and the Reserve Bank of India to improve price stability through better supply-side management, fiscal prudence, and inflation-targeting monetary policy. The shift from a high-inflation era to a more stable pricing environment has provided greater certainty for consumers and strengthened the foundation for long-term economic growth.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the steady decline in retail inflation over recent years marks a crucial milestone in India’s economic journey, reflecting the success of coordinated efforts by the Government of India. From proactive monetary policies to targeted fiscal measures that safeguard consumers, especially the vulnerable, from volatile price swings, the approach has been both inclusive and effective. With inflation now at its lowest since 2018–19, India has not only reinforced macroeconomic stability but also created an enabling environment for sustainable growth. This trajectory underscores the country’s resilience and commitment to ensuring price stability without compromising on development goals.

References:

Click here to see PDF.

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Santosh Kumar/ Sarla Meena/ Saurabh Kalia

(Release ID: 2122148) Visitor Counter : 83

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –
April 17, 2025

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: LCQ17: Governance of Hospital Authority

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

LCQ17: Governance of Hospital Authority

(3) The HA Board endorsed the Extending Employment Beyond Retirement (EER) policy in September 2021 so as to attract more retirees who wish to continue to serve in the HA after retirement for training and knowledge transfer, as well as to alleviate the manpower issues. The numbers of staff working on a full-time (Note 2)/part-time (Note 3) terms after their retirement as at December in the past five years (i.e. from 2020 to 2024), by rank, are set out below:

Staff RankIssued at HKT 19:22

NNNN

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 17, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: News release on CRB treatments in Kona

Source: US State of Hawaii

News release on CRB treatments in Kona

Posted on Apr 16, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom





STATE OF HAWAIʻI

KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

ʻOIHANA MAHIʻAI

JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR

KE KIAʻĀINA

SHARON HURD
CHAIRPERSON

HAWAIʻI BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

DEAN M. MATSUKAWA
DEPUTY TO THE CHAIRPERSON

HAWAIʻI BOARD OF AGRICULTURE

HDOA CONTINUES COCONUT RHINOCEROS BEETLE TREATMENTS
IN KONA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NR25-08

April 15, 2025

HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture (HDOA), with the assistance of the County of Hawai‘i Public Works Department, have been working collaboratively since January 2025 to combat the coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB) after detections in the Kona area. The HDOA and Hawai‘i County crews completed the latest round of treatments on palm trees last week at Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport in the continuing effort to protect the island from CRB infestations.

“The staff of the Department of Agriculture remains dedicated to stopping the further spread of the coconut rhinoceros beetle, with emphasis in areas that are not known to be infested,” said Sharon Hurd, chairperson of the Hawai‘i Board of Agriculture. “We truly appreciate the concern and assistance of Mayor Kimo Alameda and the county’s public works crew in providing the resources to prevent CRB from taking hold on Hawai‘i Island. We also appreciate all the various agencies and organizations that work tirelessly in the fight against invasive species.”

Mayor Alameda emphasized the importance of the state and county working collaboratively to protect the island from the invasive species. “The introduction of the coconut rhinoceros beetle is a major concern, and we are committed to doing everything we can—alongside HDOA and our other partners—to stop its spread,” he said.

In September 2024, HDOA Plant Pest Control (PPC) personnel found a single CRB in a trap during routine monitoring in Waikoloa. This was the first detection of CRB on the island since October 2023 when a Waikoloa resident found six grubs (larvae) in a decaying palm tree stump. Increased surveillance continued throughout the island and more intensely on the Kona side.

In January 2025, Mayor Alameda and the County of Hawai‘i offered their resources and assistance to HDOA, including the use of their 75-foot boom truck to treat the crowns of palm trees. On January 14, the team treated a total of 38 trees in the Waikoloa area via crown treatments and 24 trees were treated via an injection system which provides systemic protection against CRB. HDOA’s Pesticides Branch was also at the site to assist. So far, there have been no further detections of CRB in Waikoloa.

On March 3, 2025, the Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) reported one adult CRB in a detection trap along the boundary of the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport. A day later, two more adult CRBs were found in traps at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawai‘i (NELHA).

After the detections, HDOA, county crews and airport staff targeted treatments at the airport over a period of three days in March. The county provided the use of two boom trucks and the team treated 128 trees on the airport grounds and injected 12 more trees that were inaccessible to the boom trucks. So far, there have been no further detections at the airport.

Last week, on April 7 and 8, crews began work at NELHA and treated 58 trees via crown treatments with about 14 trees treated via injections due to their close proximity to water.

All palms that were treated were tagged and surrounded with yellow tape to indicate treatment. Coconuts from treated trees should not be consumed. Questions regarding pesticide use may be addressed to HDOA’s Pesticides Branch at 808-973-9402.

Surveillance for CRB continues around Hawai‘i Island by HDOA, BIISC, University of Hawai‘i, the County of Hawai‘i and the state Department of Health Vector Control Branch.

Residents on all islands are asked to be vigilant when purchasing mulch, compost and soil products, and to inspect bags for evidence of entry holes. CRB grubs breed in decomposing plant and animal waste. An adult beetle is about 2-inches long, all black and has a single horn on its head.

Residents may go to the CRB Response website at:  https://www.crbhawaii.org/ to learn more about how to detect the signs of CRB damage and how to identify CRB life stages. Reports of possible CRB infestation may also be made to the state’s toll-free Pest Hotline at 808-643-PEST (7378).

# # #

Attachments: Photos:
Waikoloa treatment – boom truck
Waikoloa injection
Waikoloa treatment ground (treated trees marked with yellow tape and tagged)
CRB crown treatment – Kona Airport (Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport)
CRB crown treatment Kona Airport2 (Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport)
CRB injection – Kona Airport (Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport)
Treated trees

Media Contact:
Janelle Saneishi
Public Information Officer
Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture
Phone: 808-973-9560
Cell: 808-341-5528
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://hdoa.hawaii.govAloha,

Janelle Saneishi

Public Information Officer

Hawai‘i Department of Agriculture
ph: (808) 973-9560
email: [email protected]

Website: https://hdoa.hawaii.gov/

Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and/or privileged information. Any review, use, disclosure, or distribution by unintended recipients is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient(s), please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Chairmen Babin and Cruz Lead Texas Delegation in Support of Relocating NASA Headquarters to Houston

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Brian Babin (R-TX)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin (TX-36) and Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) led a bicameral coalition of federal lawmakers representing Texas communities in sending a letter to President Trump urging his administration to move the headquarters for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from Washington, D.C. to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. The lease for NASA’s current D.C. office expires in 2028.

In the letter, the lawmakers argue that NASA is disconnected from the day-to-day work of its centers and hindered by bureaucratic micromanagement in Washington, D.C. Houston is well suited for NASA’s headquarters because of JSC’s substantial involvement in nearly everything that makes America a leader in space exploration. JSC maintains the largest NASA workforce, accommodates extensive research and development partnerships, and houses Mission Control, the NASA astronaut corps, and the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility.

Additionally, Texas boasts a strong business environment, low government regulation, a robust commercial space sector, and a cost of living that is less than half of the Washington, D.C. area. Moving the NASA headquarters to Texas will create more jobs, save taxpayer dollars, and reinvigorate America’s space agency.

Joining Sen. Cruz and Rep. Babin in sending the letter are Sen. John Cornyn and Reps. Jodey Arrington, John Carter, Michael Cloud, Dan Crenshaw, Monica De La Cruz, Jake Ellzey, Pat Fallon, Brandon Gill, Craig Goldman, Tony Gonzales, Lance Gooden, Wesley Hunt, Ronny Jackson, Morgan Luttrell, Michael McCaul, Nathaniel Moran, Troy E. Nehls, August Pfluger, Chip Roy, Keith Self, Pete Sessions, Beth Van Duyne, Randy Weber, and Roger Williams.

As the lawmakers wrote:

“From its founding in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a storied history of exploring new frontiers, making transformational discoveries, and reaching far into the great beyond. However, as NASA’s leadership has languished in our nation’s capital, the core missions of this critical agency are more divided than ever before. This seismic disconnect between NASA’s headquarters and its missions has opened the door to bureaucratic micromanagement and an erosion of centers’ interdependence. For NASA to return to its core mission of excellence in exploration, its headquarters should be located at a place where NASA’s most critical missions are and where transformational leadership from the ground up can be provided. In 2028 the lease for NASA’s current headquarters building in Washington, D.C. expires. We write to urge you to use this opportunity to reinvigorate our national space agency and move NASA’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas.

“Perhaps no city is more closely linked to America’s space program than ‘Space City.’ Some of the first words spoken on the surface of the moon called out to Houston which is home to numerous aerospace businesses. JSC in particular is the largest home of the NASA workforce, with more than 12,000 employees across its 1,620-acre facility and supporting more than 52,000 public and private jobs. As the pinnacle of human spaceflight development, Houston is home to Mission Control, the NASA astronaut corps, the Lunar Sample Laboratory Facility, commercial space agreements, and extensive research and development partnerships. JSC plays a role in nearly everything that makes America a leader in space exploration.

“Houston is particularly well suited for NASA’s headquarters due in part to the unique strengths of the city and the state. Texas is the eighth largest economy in the world, with low government regulation and a strong business environment. Houston boasts a cost of living that is less than half that of the Washington, D.C. area ; three ‘R1: Doctoral Universities’ producing the high caliber professionals necessary for human spaceflight; and two major commercial service airports for easy connectivity around the country. In contrast, NASA’s current headquarters in Washington, D.C. is disconnected from the NASA centers across the country and thus much of the day-to-day work. Consolidating greater and greater levels of work and authority in Washington, D.C. has been a decades-long trend, resulting in decision making funneled up to bureaucrats at headquarters rather than empowering scientists and astronauts across the centers. This strategy has separated decision makers from the actual workforce and stands antithetical to NASA’s core function.

“Relatedly, for the United States to reach the surface of Mars, NASA must rely on a robust commercial space sector. Towards that end, no state offers greater economic and geographic benefits than Texas. The Lone Star State is home to more than 2,000 aerospace, aviation, and defense-related companies, with 18 of the 20 largest aerospace companies based in Texas. Notably, SpaceX relocated their entire company to Texas, establishing the town of Starbase, Texas, to develop, test, and launch SpaceX vehicles. Similarly, Blue Origin develops engines and rockets in West Texas, leading a new generation of spaceflight, and conducts its commercial sub-orbital flights there. Firefly Aerospace, in Cedar Park, recently sent photos of Earth from its Blue Ghost lunar lander on its voyage to explore the surface of the moon. Axiom Space, based in Houston, is building the next generation spacesuit for NASA and a commercial space station to succeed the International Space Station. In addition, the State of Texas recently stood up the Texas Space Commission to promote innovation in space operations and commercial aerospace and to attract commercial space ventures to the state. These are just a few of the ways Texas aerospace companies, projects, and institutions are transforming our nation’s leadership in the space economy.

“A central location among NASA’s centers and the geographical center of the United States, Houston offers the ideal location for NASA to return to its core mission of space exploration and to do so at a substantially lower operating cost than in Washington, D.C. Therefore, we strongly encourage you to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the great servants of NASA — who are focused on recommitting America’s space agency to its roots and exploring the final frontier — by relocating NASA’s headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Johnson Space Center.”

Read the full text of the letter HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister of State Smt. Savitri Thakur inspects key initiatives in East Khasi Hills District

Source: Government of India

Union Minister of State Smt. Savitri Thakur inspects key initiatives in East Khasi Hills District

MoS lauds local efforts in Child Welfare and Women’s Empowerment in Meghalaya

Posted On: 16 APR 2025 7:41PM by PIB Shillong

The Minister of State, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, Smt. Savitri Thakur, on her second day of her visit to Meghalaya conducted an official visit to East Khasi Hills District on April 16, 2025, to review the implementation of flagship schemes and engage with grassroots stakeholders.

As part of the visit, the Minister inspected the One Stop Centre, Shakti Sadan, in Mawroh. Eighteen residents, aged between 18 and 50 years, are currently housed at the facility and are participating in vocational training programs. The Minister interacted with the inmates and encouraged their efforts toward empowerment and rehabilitation.

The Minister also visited the Child Care Institution at Mawkasiang, where she engaged with staff, children, and caregivers. She commended the institution’s work in ensuring child protection and care and emphasized the need for continued psychosocial support and quality education for children in need of care and protection.

At the Anganwadi Centre in Mawsmai, the Minister reviewed services provided under the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, including nutrition, preschool education, and health check-ups. She praised the dedication of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers and encouraged sustained community participation in child welfare programs.

During her visit to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Sohra, the Minister assessed maternal and child health services, the availability of essential medicines, and the integration of health and nutrition schemes. She reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to improving healthcare access for women and children, especially in remote and tribal areas.

The visit also included an inspection of rural development projects under MGNREGS and PMAY-G. The Minister interacted with beneficiaries and reviewed the progress and impact of these initiatives. She appreciated the inter-departmental coordination contributing to enhanced rural livelihoods and infrastructure.

The Minister concluded her visit by commending the District Administration and local stakeholders for their dedicated efforts in strengthening institutional care, nutrition, and the overall empowerment of women and children in Meghalaya.

****

GD

(Release ID: 2122232) Visitor Counter : 81

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Second meeting of the Scientific Steering Committee for the National One Health Mission held on 15th April 2025

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 16 APR 2025 6:12PM by PIB Delhi

The second meeting of the Scientific Steering Committee for the National One Health Mission under the chairmanship of Prof. Ajay K. Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India for the National One Health Mission, was held on April 15, 2025 in Vigyan Bhawan.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary DHR and DG ICMR; Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary, Office of PSA; Shri Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, AYUSH; Dr. Rajan Khobragade, Additional Chief Secretary (Health), Kerala; Shri Dhananjay Dwivedi, Principal Secretary (Health), Gujarat; Dr. Ranjan Das, Director, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC); senior representatives from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR); Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC); PSA’s office, Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD); Department of Biotechnology (DBT); Department of Science and Technology (DST); Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO); National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS); Ministry of Ayush; NCDC; National Institute of One Health (NIOH); Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) and state representatives.

The committee discussed several important initiatives that contribute towards the implementation of the One Health mission and how these efforts can be recalibrated to maximise impact.

Gujarat and Kerala, the two states nominated to be the members of the Scientific Steering Committee showcased their programmatic initiatives and the existing governance mechanism. The Chair emphasised on the importance of state participation and mentioned the relevance of exploring different modalities for implementing the One Health approach. The states were encouraged to strategise and design pilot programs aligned to the initiatives of the mission.

Another important highlight of this meeting was the presentation of the outcomes of the Advisory and Review (A&R) committees constituted for the operationalisation of various work streams. The chairs of the four A&R committees – Bio-Safety Level (BSL) 3/4 Laboratory Network (Chaired by Lt. Gen.(Retd.) Madhuri Kanitkar), Technology enhanced integrated surveillance and outbreak investigation (Chaired by Dr NK Arora), Research and Development on medical countermeasures (Chaired by Dr Renu Swaroop)and Integration of databases and data sharing (Chaired by Dr Vijay Chandru) – apprised the steering committee of the preliminary roadmaps for achieving their respective mandates and emphasised on the need for adopting the One Health lens for all the interventions.

The meeting also discussed the funding mechanism for the projects under the mission, which were focused on surveillance methodologies, developing R&D countermeasures like vaccines, diagnostics and monoclonals for diseases of One Health importance; Plan for the animal disease mock drill; update on augmenting the state engagements by creating the cross-learning platform.

The chair emphasised that to take the activities of the mission to scale, continued collaboration, innovation, and adaptability is required from all the stakeholders.

During the meeting, a special edition of ‘Vigyan Dhara’ dedicated to the National One Health Mission which presents the vision of this multi-ministerial collaborative effort was showcased. Further a video encapsulating the vision, diverse stakeholders and overarching goals of the Mission was released in the meeting.

*****

MJPS/ST

(Release ID: 2122180) Visitor Counter : 102

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Physician Convicted at Trial for Illegal Distribution of Opioids and Healthcare Fraud Conspiracies

Source: US State Government of Utah

A federal jury convicted a medical doctor yesterday for his participation in conspiracies to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and to unlawfully distribute controlled substances.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Neil K. Anand M.D., 48, of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, conspired to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, health plans provided by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Independence Blue Cross (IBC), and Anthem, for “Goody Bags” of medically unnecessary prescription medications, which were dispensed to patients by in-house pharmacies owned by Anand. As the evidence at trial showed, the conspirators required patients to take the Goody Bags, which they did not need or want, to receive prescriptions for controlled substances. In total, Medicare, OPM, IBC, and Anthem paid over $2.3 million for the Goody Bags. Anand also conspired to distribute oxycodone outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. In furtherance of the conspiracy, unlicensed medical interns wrote prescriptions for controlled substances using blank prescriptions that were pre-signed by Anand. Anand prescribed 20,850 oxycodone tablets for nine different patients, as part of the scheme. After learning that he was under investigation, Anand concealed the proceeds of the fraud by transferring approximately $1.2 million into an account in the name of his father and for the benefit of his minor daughter.

Anand was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud; three counts of health care fraud; one count of money laundering; four counts of unlawful monetary transactions; and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 19 and faces a statutory maximum penalty of 130 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Kathleen Woodson of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (U.S. Postal Service OIG); and Special Agent in Charge of Investigative Operations Derek Holt of the OPM-Office of the Inspector General (OPM-OIG) made the announcement.

The HHS-OIG, U.S. Postal Service OIG, and OPM OIG investigated the case. FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office provided valuable assistance.

Trial Attorneys Paul J. Koob, Patrick J. Campbell, and Arun Bodapati of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

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

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: 5 Facts – Proposed Pandemic Agreement | United Nations

Source: United Nations (Video News)

In the early hours of Wednesday morning in Geneva, countries finalized a draft global agreement aimed at improving how the world prepares for and responds to pandemics. Developed after over three years of intergovernmental negotiations under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO), the draft outlines a framework for strengthening international collaboration, equity and resilience in the face of future global health threats.

UN News article: https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162301

WHO Press release: https://www.who.int/news/item/16-04-2025-who-member-states-conclude-negotiations-and-make-significant-progress-on-draft-pandemic-agreement

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsCAsxPoc1Q

MIL OSI Video –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Continues in the United Fight Against Human Trafficking, Joins Bipartisan Letter to Trump Administration

Source: US State of California

Wednesday, April 16, 2025

Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a bipartisan, multistate letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert Kennedy, Jr., advocating that the National Human Trafficking Hotline grant be awarded to an organization that demonstrates a willingness to work with law enforcement when they receive human trafficking tips from third parties.

“Attorneys General nationwide have put in significant effort to educate the public about recognizing the signs of trafficking and how to report suspected cases to the Nationwide Human Trafficking Hotline,” said Attorney General Bonta. “It is imperative that the Hotline collaborate with law enforcement to ensure those tips are promptly reported and acted upon. Law enforcement relies on third-party tips to determine if a vulnerable victim is at risk from a trafficker. Even the smallest tip from a concerned citizen can play a significant role in an investigation, leading to the dismantling of a trafficking ring, rescuing trafficking victims from a life of violence, and providing critical support for victims through shelters and service providers. This intelligence is instrumental in ensuring the safety of those affected by trafficking and allowing survivors to rebuild their lives with assistance from dedicated organizations.”

The letter outlines the crucial role the National Human Trafficking Hotline has played in the fight against human trafficking. However, in recent years, operators managing the Hotline have limited the way tips were shared with law enforcement agencies. The letter advocates for an approach that respects the wishes of victims while recognizing that an effective strategy to reduce human trafficking requires communicating third-party tips to law enforcement.

Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming in sending the letter.

A copy of the letter can be found here.

# # #

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: RIDOH Highlights Initiatives to Address STIs During STI Awareness Week

Source: US State of Rhode Island

In observance of National STI Awareness Week, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is highlighting some of the public health campaigns and interventions it has implemented, in partnership with community-based organizations, to address rising sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates in Rhode Island.

In March, RIDOH released its 2023 Rhode Island HIV, Sexually Transmitted Infections, Viral Hepatitis, and Tuberculosis Surveillance Report. This report indicated that after a drop in STI cases during the COVID-19 pandemic, total STI rates have started to rebound, with total syphilis and gonorrhea rates exceeding pre-pandemic levels in 2023. Preliminary 2024 data indicate similar trends. Additionally, after many years of declining numbers of HIV cases in Rhode Island, an above-average number of new HIV diagnoses were observed in 2024.

“It’s essential to avoid labeling or blaming any specific group, to support those at highest risk, and to ensure all communities remain vigilant,” said Director of Health Jerry Larkin, MD. “I am proud of the work that RIDOH continues to lead in innovative prevention and testing strategies that reach people where they are.”

Key Initiatives

– To help address the increase in HIV diagnoses, RIDOH continues to promote the Rhode Island PrEP Champions Network, which lists available PrEP services and showcases videos of trusted healthcare professionals from sexual health clinics and community health centers in Rhode Island. PrEP is short for pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV. Available in a daily pill or an injection every two months from a healthcare professional, PrEP significantly reduces a person’s chances of getting HIV. PrEP is for adults and adolescents without HIV who may be exposed to HIV through sex or injection drug use. The PrEP Champions Network now has participating clinics in every region of Rhode Island. These clinics can also help patients learn more about Doxycycline Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (Doxy PEP), a newly recommended STI prevention strategy that involves taking the antibiotic doxycycline after unprotected sex to prevent chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis.

Learn more, see videos from PrEP Champions, and find new frequently asked questions (FAQs) about PrEP posted at health.ri.gov/prep. Medical practices or healthcare professionals interested in joining the PrEP Champions Network can learn more at https://prep.soapboxx.com.

– Recognizing that consistent, correct use of condoms are important parts of safer sex, unplanned pregnancy prevention, and prevention of HIV and other STIs. RIDOH’s “Your Health, Your Choice: Know Your Options,” and “Your Guide to Safer Sex” web page at health.ri.gov/youroptions highlights the many options Rhode Islanders can consider to help prevent HIV and other STIs, as well as information on a variety of HIV and STI testing services.

– RIDOH is also currently promoting its “Healthy Beginning” campaign in English (health.ri.gov/healthybeginning) and Spanish (health.ri.gov/comienzosaludable), a bilingual community initiative to increase awareness and provide the support that expecting mothers need in order to access quality prenatal care and raising awareness about the importance of prenatal screening, including for congenital syphilis. The campaign is intended to help RIDOH address concerning trends in congenital syphilis rates being observed both nationally and in Rhode Island.

Tracking and analyzing rates of these diseases is complex work that requires time and significant coordination. The lag between 2023 and March 2025 is typical when assessing trends in this field. The data in the report represent the most accurate, comprehensive, up-to-date picture we have of HIV, STIs, viral hepatitis, and TB in Rhode Island.

MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Physician Convicted at Trial for Illegal Distribution of Opioids and Healthcare Fraud Conspiracies

Source: United States Attorneys General 1

A federal jury convicted a medical doctor yesterday for his participation in conspiracies to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and to unlawfully distribute controlled substances.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Neil K. Anand M.D., 48, of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, conspired to submit false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, health plans provided by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Independence Blue Cross (IBC), and Anthem, for “Goody Bags” of medically unnecessary prescription medications, which were dispensed to patients by in-house pharmacies owned by Anand. As the evidence at trial showed, the conspirators required patients to take the Goody Bags, which they did not need or want, to receive prescriptions for controlled substances. In total, Medicare, OPM, IBC, and Anthem paid over $2.3 million for the Goody Bags. Anand also conspired to distribute oxycodone outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. In furtherance of the conspiracy, unlicensed medical interns wrote prescriptions for controlled substances using blank prescriptions that were pre-signed by Anand. Anand prescribed 20,850 oxycodone tablets for nine different patients, as part of the scheme. After learning that he was under investigation, Anand concealed the proceeds of the fraud by transferring approximately $1.2 million into an account in the name of his father and for the benefit of his minor daughter.

Anand was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud; three counts of health care fraud; one count of money laundering; four counts of unlawful monetary transactions; and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 19 and faces a statutory maximum penalty of 130 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Kathleen Woodson of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (U.S. Postal Service OIG); and Special Agent in Charge of Investigative Operations Derek Holt of the OPM-Office of the Inspector General (OPM-OIG) made the announcement.

The HHS-OIG, U.S. Postal Service OIG, and OPM OIG investigated the case. FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office provided valuable assistance.

Trial Attorneys Paul J. Koob, Patrick J. Campbell, and Arun Bodapati of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

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

MIL Security OSI –

April 17, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Bausch + Lomb Announces Voluntary Recall of enVista Aspire™, enVista Envy™ and Certain enVista® Monofocal Intraocular Lenses in the U.S.

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

Summary

Company Announcement Date:
April 03, 2025
FDA Publish Date:
April 07, 2025
Product Type:
Medical Devices
Reason for Announcement:

Recall Reason Description
Increased frequency of reports of toxic anterior segment syndrome

Company Name:
Bausch + Lomb Corporation
Brand Name:

Brand Name(s)
enVista Aspire

Product Description:

Product Description
enVista Aspire™, enVista Envy™ and Certain enVista® Monofocal Intraocular Lenses

Company Announcement
Bausch + Lomb Corporation (NYSE/TSX: BLCO), a leading global eye health company dedicated to helping people see better to live better, today announced a voluntary recall of intraocular lenses (IOLs) on its enVista platform. This action was taken after the company received reports of complications, the cause of which could not immediately be explained.
“As much as we believe in the enVista platform, patient safety will always be our number one priority,” said Brent Saunders, chairman and CEO, Bausch + Lomb. “Surgeons and patients trust Bausch + Lomb, and I believe that this voluntary recall is the best thing we can do to honor that trust.”
The recall is in response to an increased number of reports of toxic anterior segment syndrome (TASS), and includes all lots of the following enVista Aspire, enVista Aspire Toric, enVista Envy and enVista Envy Toric, as well as enVista monofocal and enVista monofocal Toric IOL models in the U.S.
Impacted Product

Model Description
Model Identifier:
Lots
UDI-DI

enVista Monofocal IOL
All models starting with EE
ALL
Click here for UDI list

enVista Aspire IOL
All models starting with EA

enVista Envy IOL
All models starting with EN

enVista Monofocal Toric IOL
All models starting with ETE

enVista Aspire Toric IOL
All models starting with ETA

enVista Envy Toric IOL
All models starting with ETN

TASS, a potential complication in any cataract surgery, is an inflammatory reaction inside the eye that can have a variety of causes. When it occurs, this complication typically appears 12 – 48 hours after eye surgery. All enVista TASS cases reported to Bausch + Lomb to date responded quickly to treatment, and none have required removal of the lens.
“These reports represent only 1-2% of implanted lenses, with a positive prognosis for everyone involved,” Saunders continued. “We look forward to identifying a root cause and bringing the enVista platform back to market.”
Communications to eye care professionals are underway, with instructions for product return. Click here for a message from Saunders to customers, here for a copy of the U.S. version of the recall notice and here for a TASS fact sheet.
For Patients: Cataract surgery patients experiencing eye discomfort should contact their eyecare professional immediately.
For Eyecare Professionals: Please continue to closely monitor cataract surgery patients for at least 48 hours after surgery. Please instruct patients with new or worsening symptoms to contact your office immediately.
To report an adverse event, please contact Bausch + Lomb Customer Service at 1-800-338-2020, option 1, or submit a report to U.S. FDA’s MedWatch program (call 1-800-332-1088 to request a form). For more information about this recall, please contact Bausch + Lomb Customer Service at 1-800-338-2020, option 9, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Eastern, Monday through Friday.

Company Contact Information

Consumers:
Bausch + Lomb Customer Service
(800) 338-2020

Content current as of:
04/07/2025

Regulated Product(s)

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MIL OSI USA News –

April 17, 2025

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Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to Inaugurate Newly Developed 220-Bedded ESIC Hospital in Ranchi, Jharkhand TomorrowUnion Minister to Give Cash Benefits Certificates/Sanction Letters to ESI beneficiaries and Felicitate Construction Workers

News release on CRB treatments in Kona

Union Minister of State Smt. Savitri Thakur inspects key initiatives in East Khasi Hills DistrictMoS lauds local efforts in Child Welfare and Women’s Empowerment in Meghalaya

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to Inaugurate Newly Developed 220-Bedded ESIC Hospital in Ranchi, Jharkhand Tomorrow

Union Minister to Give Cash Benefits Certificates/Sanction Letters to ESI beneficiaries and Felicitate Construction Workers

Union Minister of State Smt. Savitri Thakur inspects key initiatives in East Khasi Hills District

MoS lauds local efforts in Child Welfare and Women’s Empowerment in Meghalaya