NewzIntel.com

Category: Health

  • MIL-OSI Global: When Canadian snowbirds don’t flock south, the costs are more than financial

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Valorie A. Crooks, Professor, Department of Geography, Simon Fraser University

    Every winter, hundreds of thousands of older Canadians spend the winter in the United States. But in recent weeks, we’ve seen many Canadian snowbirds shifting their attention to other matters.

    First, stories started to emerge from those who said they would no longer participate in this seasonal migration because of political events in the U.S. Another related concern was the weakened Canadian dollar. This trend has prompted some to consider selling their winter properties in the U.S.

    More recently, attention has shifted to the potential for changed border rules to lessen snowbirds’ access to the U.S. for long stays. Snowbirds are concerned about administrative and procedural requirements that may ultimately make cross-border travel less convenient.

    During the COVID-19 pandemic, some Canadian snowbirds experienced challenges crossing into the U.S. for the winter or returning to Canada. Closures of borders to non-essential travel did not dissuade some from planning to winter in the U.S.

    Drawing on research in snowbird communities, we found out that affordability and ease of movement are two important enablers of long-stay seasonal travel.

    Because of this, it’s not surprising that we’re hearing from snowbirds again in light of recent developments.

    CBC News reports on Québec snowbirds reaction to the Donald Trump administration’s new measures for travellers to the U.S.

    Economic and political disruptions

    While COVID-era travel disruptions didn’t stop some snowbirds from going south for the winter, the current economic and political disruptions are another story. Florida is a popular destination for Canadian snowbirds. In fact, a 2023 survey named eight of the 10 best American destination communities as being in Florida.

    If Canadian snowbirds are talking about cancelling travel plans and selling properties, people in Florida should be paying attention.

    Instead, in early March, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis downplayed what it would mean for Canadians to avoid travel to the state. Citing a recent tourism industry report, he noted that only 3.3 million of the 142.9 million visitors to Florida in 2024 were from Canada.

    DeSantis went on to say “that’s not much of a boycott, in my book.” But 91.5 per cent of Florida’s annual visitors were from the U.S. This means that the 2.3 per cent of visitors who were Canadian were actually a substantial portion of the states’s international visitors.

    DeSantis’s recent comments were also not in line with concerns raised during the COVID-19 pandemic that signalled substantial negative economic impacts for the state if Canadian snowbirds did not arrive for the winter.

    Community members

    Aside from these economic impacts, something we’ve learned through our years of research with Canadians who winter in the U.S. is that many become vital members of destination communities. From participating in public health outreach programs to volunteering at local hospitals, our research has shown that many embrace opportunities to be active in the places they reside for the winter.

    Any drop in the numbers of seasonal travellers going to U.S. destinations will have social costs for communities beyond the quantifiable economic losses.

    Many popular U.S. destination communities for snowbirds have health systems that are designed to expand and retract with dramatically different seasonal populations. Our research has observed this most closely in Yuma, Ariz., where entire areas of the main local hospital are closed in the summer and staffed seasonally in the winter.

    Additionally, some of the seasonal nursing staff who arrive for the winter are from Canada. Any retreat from these destinations by Canadian snowbirds may have significant implications for health systems and allied sectors. This can ultimately impact the quality of care they can provide to a more limited local patient base.

    Intangible impacts

    While the economic impacts of the seeming loss of long-stay older Canadians in these communities are important to consider, there will be other — less measurable but no less important — impacts. Just as the long friendship between the U.S. and Canada is now being tested, blended snowbird communities of older North Americans are at risk of diminishing.

    Business owners in U.S. destinations spoke up about losses when fewer Canadian snowbirds went south during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some Canadian business sectors and communities discovered opportunities emerging from these shifts in consumer’ movements.

    As snowbirds debate whether to navigate new border complexities and return to the U.S. next winter, we must be attentive to the stories behind the numbers to understand the true impacts of their decisions. And as comments made by DeSantis and other politicians have made clear, Canadian snowbirds are now faced with new economic and emotional considerations.

    Valorie A. receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, BC Women’s Health Research Institute and MITACS.

    Jeremy Snyder receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

    – ref. When Canadian snowbirds don’t flock south, the costs are more than financial – https://theconversation.com/when-canadian-snowbirds-dont-flock-south-the-costs-are-more-than-financial-252125

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: expert reaction to study on first genetically modified pig-to-human liver transplantation

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in Nature looks at a genetically modified pig-to-human liver xenotransplantation.

    Prof Peter Friend, Professor of Transplantation, University of Oxford, said:

    “This is an important study because it advances the field of xenotransplantation from non-human primates to human, enabling assessment of transgenic xenografts in the context of human immunological and physiological systems.

    “This is a very elegant surgical technique which allows the insertion of a (relatively small) xeno-liver with limited disruption to the anatomy of the existing liver (i.e. it is potentially feasible in a clinical setting as a temporary bridging technique).

    “The genetic modifications are similar (although not identical) to those used in the recently reported heart and kidney clinical xeno-transplants, and also the xeno-liver cross-circulation studies performed at the University of Pennsylvania.

    “The presence of the brain-dead donor’s native liver means that we cannot extrapolate the extent to which this xenograft would have supported a patient in liver failure. However, this study does demonstrate that these genetic modifications allow the liver to avoid hyperacute rejection and (significantly) that the thrombocytopenia associated with liver xenotransplantation is self-limiting, with the platelet count recovering within 7 days. The mechanism of this phenomenon is not fully understood.

    “Although the maintenance of normal coagulation parameters (e.g. INR) is reassuring, because the clotting factors produced by the xenograft were not measured directly, the data do not definitively prove that this is a function of the xenograft rather than the native liver.”

     

     

    Comments provided by our friends at SMC Spain:

    Rafael Matesanz, creator and founder of the National Transplant Organisation (Spain), said:

    “A frequent approach in the development of xenotransplants of different organs, before moving on to the clinical phase, is to perform them in patients in brain death but with haemodynamic stability, so that the evolution of the organ and the impact on the deceased person’s organism can be assessed at least in the short term, but with circulation maintained.

    “At least three kidney transplants have been performed in the United States since 2021 – one with up to 61 days of follow-up in brain-dead patients – and two heart transplants, which served to accumulate a number of useful lessons. In both modalities, they preceded the first clinical experiences in living people, which so far have resulted in two heart transplants (both deceased) and four kidney transplants, two of which have survived after several months of evolution.

    “The team at the Xi’an Military Hospital in China has had extensive experience in experimental transplantation of all types of organs from pigs to monkeys for more than a decade. This is the world’s first case of a transplant of a genetically modified pig liver into a brain-dead human. The ultimate goal of the experiment was not to achieve a standard liver transplant, but to serve as a ‘bridge organ’ in cases of acute liver failure, while awaiting a human organ for a definitive transplant. The experience lasted 10 days and the porcine organ remained in good condition, with acceptable basic metabolic function and no signs of acute rejection, indicating that the procedure was successful for its intended purpose and could be used in vivo in the near future.

    “In short, this is an important experiment, which opens up a different path to what has been tried so far in both vital organs (heart) and non-vital organs (kidney), such as the temporary replacement of the diseased liver until a human liver can be obtained for the definitive transplant’.”

    Iván Fernández Vega, Professor of Pathological Anatomy at the University of Oviedo (Spain), Scientific Director of the Principality of Asturias Biobank (BioPA) and Coordinator of the Organoid hub of the ISCIII Biomodels and Biobanks Platform, said:

    “I found the work very relevant, but we have to be cautious. The study represents a milestone in the history of liver xenotransplantation, describing for the first time a transplantation of a genetically modified porcine liver into a human being (in this case, a brain-dead human).The quality of the work is very high, both in terms of scientific rigour and the exhaustive clinical, immunological, histological and haemodynamic characterisation of the procedure. Sophisticated genetic modifications have been applied to the graft to prevent hyperacute rejection, one of the most critical complications in preclinical models of xenotransplantation.

    “The clinical implications are highly relevant, as optimising this approach could expand the pool of available organs and save lives in liver emergencies. This work complements and extends the existing evidence on previous pig-to-human heart and kidney xenotransplantation. It provides several relevant novelties:

    • It is the first study to demonstrate that a genetically modified porcine liver can survive and exert basic metabolic functions (albumin and bile production) in the human body.
    • It shows that there was no major coagulation dysfunction, in contrast to what was observed in other models, such as the first human cardiac xenotransplantation, where microthrombi and severe disorders were detected.
    • He points out the need to assess possible myocardial damage in early postoperative phases, given the early elevation of AST and cardiac enzymes, which can be confused with liver damage.
    • The use of xenograft as a bridging therapy is proposed, especially in patients with acute liver failure awaiting a human graft, although not as a definitive solution, as bile and albumin production was limited for long-term support.

    “However, the study has relevant limitations:

    • A major limitation of the study is that it is a single case (n=1), which precludes drawing generalisable conclusions or establishing robust patterns of clinical and immunological response. Although this is a pioneering advance, studies with a larger sample and in living recipients will be necessary to confirm the safety, efficacy and reproducibility of the procedure.
    • Limited duration of follow-up (10 days), by decision of the recipient’s family, which prevents assessment of medium- and long-term viability of the graft. Therefore, it does not add information in relation to acute and chronic rejection of xenotransplantation.
    • Only basic liver functions (albumin synthesis and bile secretion) were assessed, with no data on other complex liver functions such as drug metabolism, detoxification or immune function.
    • The heterotopic helper transplantation procedure would not allow resection of the original liver, which invalidates it as a strategy for example in patients with hepatocarcinoma awaiting transplantation.”

    ‘Gene-modified pig-to-human liver xenotransplantation’ by Wang et al. was published in Nature at 16:00 UK time on Wednesday 26th March.

    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08799-1

    Declared interests

    Iván Fernández Vega “He declares that he has no conflicts of interest.”

    Prof Peter Friend: “Please note I have an association with OrganOx Ltd, a spin-out company from the University of Oxford: I am a co-founder and Chief Medical Officer. OrganOx manufactures a liver perfusion device for use in liver transplantation (the OrganOx metra); this is being adapted for potential use in liver support using extra-corporeal liver perfusion. OrganOx is now working in collaboration with eGenesis, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Oxford to test the use of genetically-modified pigs as a source of organs for extra-corporeal liver support.”

    For all other experts, no reply to our request for DOIs was received.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Daily physical activity, even at light intensities, linked to lower cancer risk

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    News Release
    Wednesday, March 26, 2025

    NIH study finds number of steps taken daily may be more important for cancer risk than the intensity of activity.
    What
    In a prospective cohort study of more than 85,000 adults in the United Kingdom, researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and University of Oxford found that individuals who engaged in light- and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity daily physical activity had a lower risk of cancer than individuals who were more sedentary. The findings, published March 26, 2025, in British Journal of Sports Medicine, are among the first to evaluate the cancer risk reduction associated with light intensity activities such as doing errands and performing household chores.
    Previous studies have shown an inverse association between physical activity and cancer risk, but most of these studies relied on self-reported questionnaires, which may not accurately capture the intensity of different activities. Earlier studies that used objective measures were focused on higher-intensity physical activity. In the new study, led by researchers from NIH’s National Cancer Institute, participants in the UK Biobank study (median age of 63) wore wrist accelerometers that tracked total daily activity, activity intensity, and daily step count over a period of one week. The researchers then looked at the relationship between the daily averages and incidence of 13 cancer types, including breast and colorectal cancer, previously associated with physical activity.
    After a mean follow-up of 5.8 years, 2,633 participants had been diagnosed with one of the 13 cancer types. Individuals with the highest total amount of daily physical activity had a 26% lower risk of developing cancer than individuals who had the lowest amount of daily physical activity. The researchers also explored the impact of replacing daily sedentary time with light- and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity and found that this shift was associated with a reduced risk of cancer. The associations between physical activity and cancer risk remained even after researchers adjusted for demographic factors, lifestyle factors, body mass index (BMI), and other health conditions.
    Higher daily step count, but not the pace of the steps (step intensity), was also associated with a lower risk of cancer. Compared with cancer risk in those taking 5,000 steps per day, cancer risk was 11% lower for those taking 7,000 steps per day and 16% lower for those taking 9,000 steps per day. Beyond 9,000 steps, the risk reduction plateaued. The researchers suggested that less physically active individuals may lower their cancer risk by incorporating more walking, at any pace, into their daily routine.
    Who
    Alaina Shreves, M.S., Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, and Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford
    Reference
    “Amount and intensity of dail total physical activity, step count and risk of incident cancer in the UK Biobank” appears March 26, 2025, in British Journal of Sports Medicine.
    About the National Cancer Institute (NCI): NCI leads the National Cancer Program and NIH’s efforts to dramatically reduce the prevalence of cancer and improve the lives of people with cancer. NCI supports a wide range of cancer research and training extramurally through grants and contracts. NCI’s intramural research program conducts innovative, transdisciplinary basic, translational, clinical, and epidemiological research on the causes of cancer, avenues for prevention, risk prediction, early detection, and treatment, including research at the NIH Clinical Center—the world’s largest research hospital. Learn more about the intramural research done in NCI’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI website at cancer.gov or call NCI’s Cancer Information Service, at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).
    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®
    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Medicare Advantage Provider Seoul Medical Group and Related Parties to Pay Over $62M to Settle False Claims Act Suit

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Seoul Medical Group Inc. and its subsidiary Advanced Medical Management Inc., headquartered in California, have agreed to pay $58,740,000 and their former president and majority owner, Dr. Min Young Cha, has agreed to pay $1,760,000 for allegedly violating the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false diagnosis codes for two spinal conditions to increase payments from the Medicare Advantage program. Renaissance Imaging Medical Associates Inc., a California-based radiology group that worked with Seoul Medical, has also agreed to pay $2,350,000, for allegedly conspiring with Seoul Medical Group in connection with the false diagnoses for the two spinal conditions.

    Under Medicare Advantage, also known as the Medicare Part C program, Medicare beneficiaries have the option of enrolling in managed care insurance plans called Medicare Advantage Plans (MA Plans) and the MA Plans contract with healthcare providers, such as Seoul Medical Group, to provide the Medicare-covered benefits. MA Plans are paid a per-person amount to provide the care to their enrollees and, in turn, the MA Plans pay the providers. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the Medicare program, adjusts the payments to MA Plans based on demographic information and the health diagnoses of each plan beneficiary. The adjustments are commonly referred to as “risk scores.” In general, a beneficiary with diagnoses that are more expensive to treat will have a higher risk score, and CMS will make a larger risk-adjusted payment to the MA Plan for that beneficiary.

    Seoul Medical Group is a healthcare provider that started in 1993 in Los Angeles and has since expanded into at least six states and has employed at times 150 primary care providers and 1,000 specialists. Dr. Min Young Cha started Seoul Medical Group and until 2023 was president and majority owner.

    Allegedly, from 2015 to 2021, Seoul Medical Group and Dr. Cha submitted diagnoses for two severe spinal conditions, spinal enthesopathy and sacroiliitis, for patients who did not suffer from either of these conditions. When Seoul Medical Group was questioned by an MA Plan about its use of spinal enthesopathy, Seoul Medical Group enlisted the assistance of Renaissance Imaging Medical Associates to create radiology reports that appeared to support the spinal enthesopathy diagnosis. Both diagnoses resulted in an increase in payment from CMS to the MA Plan, and the MA Plan then passed along a portion of the increased payment to Seoul Medical Group.

    “Medicare Advantage is a vital program for our seniors and the government expects healthcare providers who participate in the program to provide truthful and accurate information,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s result sends a clear message to the Medicare Advantage community that the United States will zealously pursue appropriate action against those who knowingly submit false claims for taxpayer funds.”

    “My office is committed to ensuring that healthcare providers are held accountable for unlawful misrepresentations to Medicare and other healthcare programs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally for the Central District of California. “As this settlement makes clear, we will diligently pursue those who defraud government programs.”

    “Providers who game the Medicare program to increase profit undermine the foundation of care and diminish patient trust in the nation’s public health care system,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and rigorously probe false claims to the fullest extent possible.”

    The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Paul Pew, the former Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Advanced Medical Management. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery.  The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Pew v. Seoul Medical Group, Inc., et al., No. 2:20-cv-05156 (C.D. Cal.). The relator’s share of the settlement has not yet been determined.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, with assistance from the Department of HHS-OIG.

    The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

    The matter was investigated by Fraud Section Attorneys J. Jennifer Koh and Robbin O. Lee and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Paik for the Central District of California.

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Improved bus service to leave residents Mickle-over the moon

    Source: City of Derby

    Mickleover residents will soon see improvements to a local bus service thanks to a collaboration between Derby City Council and trentbarton.

    trentbarton’s mickleover service will see its frequency increased to every 7-8 minutes Monday to Saturday. On Sundays the timetable will begin earlier, giving travellers more flexibility.

    The Council is carrying out an ongoing review of the city’s bus network as it works to make Derby a better connected, sustainable city, and enhance links to key destinations such as the Royal Derby Hospital.

    This work follows improvements to trentbarton’s Ilkeston flyer service through Spondon, which saw its frequency increased in 2024.

    These enhancements have been funded by the National Bus Strategy: Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), which calls for Local Transport Authorities to deliver better bus services and implement measures to improve public transport. Derby’s BSIP can be viewed on the Derby City Council website.

    Councillor Carmel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport, and Sustainability, said:

    As cabinet member I am committed to listening to our communities who say they want a greener, better-connected Derby. 

    We know we need to reduce our carbon emissions across the city. For this we need quality, reliable bus services, an essential and greener mode of transport, for our communities.

    Our vision is to provide a reliable, accessible and simple bus network that will deliver much-improved connectivity for residents and visitors alike.

    These improvements are only possible through collaboration with our partners and I’m glad that we’ve once again been able to work with trentbarton to deliver the services our city needs.

    Tom Morgan, trentbarton managing director, said: 

    It’s always exciting to be boosting a service and the Mickleover is getting a range of enhancements to improve the customer experience. This follows a £1.3m investment made in the last 12 months bringing brand new vehicles with the highest of specification and customer comforts.

    “We believe the positive changes will provide extra reasons for people to choose to travel by bus, the greenest public transport choice.

    Work to improve bus services sits alongside a wider programme around the city as the Council continues to invest in local transport and build a network to be proud of. This includes upgrades to traffic signalling and active and sustainable travel infrastructure such as cycle lanes and EV charging points.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Spring Statement 2025 speech

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Speech

    Spring Statement 2025 speech

    Spring Statement 2025 speech as delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

    Mr Speaker, [political content redacted]. 

    To provide security for working people. 

    And to deliver a decade of national renewal. 

    That work began in July – and I am proud of what we have delivered in just nine months. 

    Restoring stability to our public finances…  

    … giving the Bank of England the foundation to cut interest rates…  

    … three times since the General Election.  

    Rebuilding our public services… 

    … with record investment in our NHS… 

    … bringing waiting lists down for 5 months in a row.   

    And increasing the National Living Wage… 

    … to give 3 million people a pay rise from next week.  

    Now our task is to secure Britain’s future… 

    … in a world that is changing before our eyes.  

    The threat facing our continent was transformed when Putin invaded Ukraine. 

    It has since escalated further…  

    … and continues to evolve rapidly.  

    At the same time, the global economy has become more uncertain…  

    … bringing insecurity at home… 

    … as trading patterns become more unstable… 

    … and borrowing costs rise for many major economies.  

    Mr Speaker, the job of a responsible government is not simply to watch this change. 

    This moment demands an active government. 

    A government not stepping back, but stepping up.  

    A government on the side of working people…  

    … helping Britain to reach its potential.  

    We have the strengths to do just that… 

    … as one of the world’s largest economies … 

    … an ally to trading partners across the globe…  

    … and a hub for global innovation.  

    These strengths… 

    … and the progress we have made so far… 

    … mean we can act quickly and decisively in a more uncertain world… 

    … to secure Britain’s future… 

    … and to deliver prosperity for working people. 

    Mr Speaker, as I set out at the Budget last year… 

    … I am today returning to the House to provide an update on our public finances… 

    … supported by a new forecast from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility… 

    … ahead of a full Spending Review in June. 

    I will then return to the House in the autumn to deliver a budget… 

    … in line with our commitment to deliver just one major fiscal event a year. 

    So let me turn now to the OBR’s forecasts… 

    … and I want to thank Richard Hughes and his team for their dedicated work. 

    The increased global uncertainty has had two consequences. 

    First, on our public finances. 

    And second, on our economy. 

    I will take each in turn.  

    In the autumn, I set out new fiscal rules that would guide this government. 

    These fiscal rules are non-negotiable. 

    They are the embodiment of this government’s unwavering commitment… 

    … to bring stability to our economy… 

    … and to ensure security for working people. 

    [political content redacted]

    But we must earn that trust every single day.  

    The two fiscal rules that I set out at the Budget were… 

    First, our “Stability Rule”, which ensures that public spending is under control… 

    … balancing the current budget by 2029-30… 

    … so that day-to-day spending is met by tax receipts.  

    Second, our “Investment Rule” to drive growth in the economy… 

    … ensuring that net financial debt falls by the end of the forecast period…  

    … while enabling us to invest alongside business. 

    Turning first to the Stability Rule, the OBR’s forecast shows that… 

    … before the steps that I will take in this statement…  

    … the current budget would have been in deficit by £4.1bn in 2029-30… 

    … having been in surplus by £9.9bn in the autumn…  

    … as the UK, alongside our international peers like France and Germany… 

    … has seen the cost of borrowing rise during this period of heightened uncertainty in global markets. 

    As a result of the steps that I am taking today… 

    … I can confirm that I have restored in full our headroom against the “stability rule”…  

    … moving from a deficit of £36.1bn in 2025-26 and £13.4bn in 2026-27… 

    … to a surplus of £6.0bn in 2027-28, £7.1bn in 2028-29 and a surplus of £9.9bn in 2029-30. 

    [political content redacted]

    That means that we are continuing to meet the Stability Rule two years early…  

    … building resilience to shocks in this, a more uncertain world.  

    The OBR forecast that the “investment rule” is also met two years early… 

    … with net financial debt of 82.9% of GDP in 2025-26 and 83.5% in 2026-27… 

    … before falling from 83.4% in 2027-28, to 83.2% in 2028-29 and 82.7% in 2029-30…  

    … providing headroom of £15.1bn in the final year of the forecast… 

    … broadly unchanged from the autumn.  

    [political content redacted]

    … debt interest payments now stands at £105.2bn this year… 

    … Mr Speaker, that is more than we allocate on Defence, the Home Office and Justice combined. 

    [political content redacted]

    So the responsible choice is to reduce our levels of debt and borrowing in the years ahead… 

    … so that we can spend more on the priorities of working people. And that is exactly what this government will do. 

    Mr Speaker. 

    I said that our fiscal rules were non-negotiable. 

    And I meant it. 

    I will always deliver economic stability. 

    And I will always put working people first.  

    [political content redacted]

    I said it at the Budget. 

    And I say it again today. 

    Let me now set out the steps the government has taken.  

    At the Budget we protected working people… 

    … by keeping our promise not to raise their rates of National Insurance, income tax or VAT. 

    At the same time, we began to rebuild our public services…  

    [political content redacted]

    Ours were the right choices, the right choices for stability and the right choices for renewal… 

    … funded by the decisions that we took on tax.  

    As I promised in the autumn, this Statement does not contain any further tax increases.  

    But when working people are paying their taxes, while still struggling with the cost-of-living…  

    …it cannot be right that others are still evading what they rightly owe in tax.  

    In the Budget, I delivered the most ambitious package of measures that we have ever seen… 

    … to cut down on tax evasion… 

    … raising £6.5bn per year by the end of the forecast.  

    Today, I go further… 

    … continuing our investment in cutting-edge technology … 

    … investing in the HMRC’s capacity to crack down on tax avoidance… 

    … and setting out plans to increase the number of tax fraudsters charged every year by 20%. 

    These changes raise a further £1bn… 

    … taking the total revenue raised from reducing tax evasion under this [political content redacted] government to £7.5bn… 

    … figures verified by the Office for Budget Responsibility…  

    … and I want to thank my Honourable Friend the Exchequer Secretary for his continued work in this area.  

    Mr Speaker, last week my Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, set out this government’s plans to reform the welfare system.  

    [political content redacted]

    We believe that if you can work, you should work… 

    … but if you can’t work, you should be properly supported.  

    This government inherited a broken system.  

    More than 1,000 people are qualifying for Personal Independence Payments. 

    And 1 in 8 young people are not in employment, education or training. 

    If we do nothing, we are writing off an entire generation.  

    That cannot be right and we will not stand it.  

    It is a waste of their potential and it is a waste of their futures and we will change it. 

    As my Right Honourable Friend said in her statement last week… 

    … the final costings would be subject to the OBR’s assessment. 

    Today, the OBR have said… 

    … that they estimate the package will save £4.8bn in the welfare budget… 

    … reflecting their judgements on behavioural effects and wider factors. 

    This also reflects final adjustments to the overall package… 

    … consistent with the Secretary of State’s statement last week… 

    … and the government’s Pathways to Work Green Paper. 

    The Universal Credit Standard Allowance will increase from £92 per week in 2025-26 to £106 per week by 2029-30… 

    … while the Universal Credit Health element will be cut for new claimants by 50% and then frozen.  

    On top of this, we are investing £1bn to provide guaranteed, personalised employment support to help people back into work… 

    … and £400m to support the Department for Work and Pensions and our Job Centres to deliver these changes effectively and fairly… 

    … taking total savings after that for the package to £3.4bn. 

    Whilst spending on disability and sickness benefits will continue to raise, these plans 

    mean that welfare spending as a share of GDP will fall between 2026-27 and the end of the forecast period.  

    [political content redacted]

    We are reforming our welfare system… 

    … making it more sustainable… 

    … protecting the most vulnerable… 

    … and supporting more people back into secure work lifting them out of poverty.  

    Mr Speaker, at the Budget, I fixed the foundations of our economy to deliver on the promise of change. 

    That work has already begun. 

    2 million extra appointments in our NHS. 

    Waiting lists down.  

    New breakfast clubs opening across England. 

    The largest settlements in real terms for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the history of devolution.  

    Asylum costs, falling. 

    Promises made, promises kept.  

    [political content redacted]

    At the Budget… 

    … alongside providing an increase in funding for this year and next… 

    … I set the envelope for the Spending Review… 

    … which we will deliver in June… 

    led by my RHF the Chief Secretary to the Treasury 

    … to set departmental budgets until 2028-29 for day-to-day spending… 

    … and until 2029-30 for capital spending.  

    Today, I am reflecting two steps that we have taken in our spending plans.  

    First, because we are living in an uncertain world… 

    … as the Prime Minister has set out… 

    … we will increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, reducing overseas aid to 0.3% of Gross National Income. 

    This means we save £2.6bn in day-to-day spending in 2029-30… 

    … to fund our more capital-intensive defence commitments.  

    Second, in recent months, we have begun to fundamentally reform the British state… 

    … driving efficiency and productivity across government… 

    … to deliver tangible savings… 

    … and improve services across our country. 

    Earlier this month, the Prime Minister set out our plans to abolish the arms-length body NHS England… 

    … and ensure that money goes directly to improving the service for patients. 

    My Right Honourable Friend the Health Secretary is driving forward vital reforms to increase NHS productivity… 

    … bearing down on costly agency spend… 

    … to save money so that we can improve patient care. 

    And my Right Honourable Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is taking forward work to significantly reduce the costs of running government… 

    … by 15%, worth £2bn, by the end of the decade. 

    This work shows that we can make our state leaner, and more agile… 

    … delivering more resources to the frontline…  

    … while ensuring we control day-to-day spending to meet our fiscal rules. 

    Today, I build on that work… 

    … by bringing forward £3.25bn of investment… 

    … to deliver the reforms that our public services need…  

    … through a new Transformation Fund.  

    That is money brought forward now… 

    … to bring down the costs of running government by the end of the forecast period…   

    … by making public services more efficient, more productive and more foucssed on the user. 

    I can confirm today the first allocations from this fund… 

    … including funding for Voluntary Exit Schemes to reduce the size of the Civil Service… 

    … pioneering AI tools to modernise the state… 

    … investment in technology for the Ministry of Justice to deliver probation services more effectively… 

    … and up-front investment so we can support more children in foster care… 

    … to give them the best possible start in life… 

    … and reduce cost pressures in the future. 

    Our work to make government leaner… 

    … more productive… 

    … and more efficient… 

    … will help deliver a further £3.5bn of day-to-day savings by 2029-30. 

    Overall, day-to-day spending will be reduced by £6.1bn by 2029-30…  

    … and it will now grow by an average of 1.2% a year above inflation…  

    … compared to 1.3% in the Autumn. 

    Mr Speaker, I can confirm to the House that day-to-day spending will increase in real terms, above inflation, in every single year of the forecast.  

    And in the Spending Review, apart from the reduction in overseas aid… 

    … day-to-day spending across government has been fully protected.   

    I can also confirm our approach to capital investment.  

    In the Autumn Budget I announced £100bn of additional capital spending…  

    … to crowd in investment from the private sector… 

    … to fix our crumbling infrastructure…  

    … and to create jobs in every corner of our country. 

    [political content redacted]

    Today, I am instead increasing capital spending … 

    … by an average of £2bn per year compared to the Autumn…  

    … to drive growth in our economy… 

    … and to deliver in full our vital commitments on defence. 

    This government will ensure that every pound we spend will deliver for the British people… 

    … by increasing productivity… 

    … driving growth in our economy… 

    … and improving our frontline public services.  

    Mr Speaker, let me turn now to the impact of increased uncertainty on our economy. 

    To deliver economic stability, we must work closely with the Bank of England… 

    … supporting the independent Monetary Policy Committee to meet their 2% inflation target.  

    There have been three interest rate cuts since the General Election and today’s data showed that inflation fell in February. 

    [political content redacted]

    … the OBR forecast that CPI inflation will average 3.2% this year… 

    … before falling rapidly to 2.1% in 2026 and meeting the 2% target from 2027 onwards… 

    … giving families and businesses the security that they need… 

    … and providing our economy with the stable platform it needs to grow. 

    Mr Speaker… 

    … earlier this month, the OECD downgraded this year’s growth forecast for every G7 economy, including the UK. 

    And the OBR have today revised our growth forecast for 2025… 

    … from 2% in the autumn… 

    … to 1% today. 

    I am not satisfied with these numbers. 

    That is why we on this side of the house are serious about taking the action needed to grow our economy.  

    Backing the builders, not the blockers…  

    … with a third runway at Heathrow Airport… 

    … and the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.  

    Increasing investment… 

    … with reforms to our pension system… 

    … and a new National Wealth Fund.  

    And tearing down regulatory barriers… 

    … in every sector of our economy. 

    That is a serious plan for growth. 

    That is a serious plan to improve living standards.  

    That is a serious plan to renew our country.  

    Mr Speaker, a changing world presents challenges.  

    But it also presents new opportunities.  

    For new jobs. 

    … and new contracts… 

    … in our world-class defence industrial centres… 

    … from Belfast to Deeside, and from Plymouth to Rosyth. 

    In February, the Prime Minister set out our government’s commitment to increase spending on defence to 2.5% of GDP from April 2027… 

    The biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War 

    …and an ambition to spend 3% of GDP on defence in the next parliament. 

    That was the right decision in a more insecure world… 

    … putting an extra £6.4bn into defence spending by 2027. 

    But we have to move quickly in this changing world. 

    And that starts with investment. 

    So today I can confirm that I will provide an additional £2.2bn for the Ministry of Defence in the next financial year… 

    … a further downpayment on our plans to deliver 2.5% of GDP by 2027.  

    This additional investment is not just about increasing our national security…  

    … but increasing our economic security, too.  

    As defence spending rises, I want the whole country to feel its benefits. 

    So I will set out the immediate steps that we are taking to boost Britain’s defence industry… 

    … and to make the UK a defence industrial superpower.  

    We will spend a minimum of 10% of the Ministry of Defence’s equipment budget on novel technologies … 

    … including drones and AI enabled technology… 

    … driving forward advanced manufacturing production in places like Glasgow, in Derby and in Newport… 

    … creating demand for highly skilled engineers and scientists… 

    … and delivering new business opportunities for UK tech firms and start-ups.  

    We will establish a protected budget of £400m within the Ministry of Defence… 

    … a budget that will rise over time for UK Defence Innovation… 

    … with a clear mandate to bring innovative technology to the front line at speed. 

    We will reform our broken defence procurement system… 

    … making it quicker, more agile and more streamlined…. 

    … and giving small businesses across the UK better access to Ministry of Defence contracts. 

    Something welcomed by the Federation of Small Businesses. 

    We will take forward our Plan for Barrow, a town at the heart of our nuclear security… 

    … working with my Honourable Friend the Member for Barrow and Furness…  

    … and providing £200m, supporting the creation of thousands of jobs there. 

    We will regenerate Portsmouth naval base, securing its future…   

    … as called for by my Honourable Friend the Member for Portsmouth South. 

    We will secure better homes for thousands of military families… the homes that they deserve [political content redacted]. 

    … homes for our military families in the constituencies of my Honourable Friends for Plymouth Moor View, Plymouth Sutton & Devonport, York Outer and in Aldershot.  

    That is the difference that this [political content redacted] government is making.  

    Finally, Mr Speaker, we will provide £2bn of increased capacity for UK Export Finance… 

    … to provide loans for overseas buyers of UK defence goods and services… 

    Because I want to do more with our defence budget so we can buy and make and sell things here in Britain.  

    … giving further opportunities for our world leading defence companies and those who work in them… 

    … to grow and create jobs here in Britain… 

    … as military spending rises right across Europe.  

    To oversee all of this vital work… 

    … my Right Honourable Friend the Defence Secretary and I will establish a new Defence Growth Board… 

    … to maximise the benefits from every pound of taxpayers’ money that we spend. 

    And we will put defence at the heart of our modern industrial strategy… 

    … to drive innovation that can deliver huge benefits back into the British economy. 

    Mr Speaker, that is how we make our country a defence industrial superpower… 

    … so the skills of the future… 

    … the jobs of the future… 

    … and the opportunities of the future… 

    … can be found right here in the United Kingdom.  

    Mr Speaker, [political content redacted] there are no shortcuts to economic growth. 

    It will take long-term decisions.  

    It will take hard yards. 

    It will take time for the reforms that we are introducing to be felt in the everyday economy. 

    It is right that the Office for Budget Responsibility consider the evidence… 

    … and look carefully at measures before recognising a growth impact in their forecast.  

    But, Mr Speaker, I can announce to the House…  

    … that the OBR have considered – and have scored – one of the central planks of our plan for growth.  

    In my first week as Chancellor, I announced that we were pursuing the most ambitious set of planning reforms in decades… 

    … to get Britain building again. 

    And in December – we published changes to the National Planning Policy Framework… 

    … driven forward tirelessly by my Right Honourable Friend the Deputy Prime Minister…  

    … reintroducing mandatory housing targets… 

    … and bringing “grey belt” land into scope.  

    The OBR have today concluded that these reforms will permanently increase the level of real GDP… 

    … by point 0.2% by 2029-30… 

    … an additional £6.8bn in our economy… 

    … and by point 0.4% of GDP within 10 years… 

    … an additional £15.1bn in our British economy. 

    Mr Speaker, that is the biggest positive growth impact that the OBR have ever reflected in their forecast, for a policy with no fiscal cost.  

    And taken together with our plans to increase capital spending that we set out in the Budget last year… 

    … this government’s policies will increase the level of real GDP by point 0.6% in the next ten years.  

    Mr Speaker, that is the difference that this [political content redacted] government is making. 

    Policies to grow our economy.

    [political content redacted]

    The OBR have concluded that our reforms will lead to housebuilding reaching a forty-year high… 

    …  of 305,000 a year by the end of the forecast period.  

    And changes to the National Planning Policy Framework alone… 

    … will help build over 1.3 million homes in the UK over the next five years… 

    … taking us within touching distance…  

    … of delivering our manifesto promise to build 1.5 million homes in England in this parliament. 

    [political content redacted]

    The impact on our economy goes further still.  

    [political content redacted]

    We need economic growth.  

    So I can today confirm… 

    … that the effect of our growth policies… 

    … including our planning reforms… 

    … means an additional £3.4 billion to support our public finances and our public services by 2029-30. 

    The proceeds of growth. 

    [political content redacted]

    Mr Speaker, earlier this week…  

    … we provided an additional £2bn of investment in social and affordable homes next year… 

    … delivering up to 18,000 new homes… 

    … and allowing local areas to bid for new developments across our country… 

    … including sites in Thanet, in Sunderland and in Swindon.  

    More security for families across our country. 

    [political content redacted]

    And to build these new homes… 

    … we need people with the right skills. 

    Earlier this week, my Right Honourable Friend the Education Secretary announced more than £600m… 

    … to train up 60,000 more construction workers…  

    … including with 10 new Technical Excellence colleges across every region of our country… 

    … giving working people the chance to fulfil their potential.  

    New opportunities for our young people. 

    [political content redacted]

    Mr Speaker, all this is just the start.  

    The Planning and Infrastructure Bill passed its second reading on Monday. 

    [political content redacted]

    Once this Bill completes its passage… 

    … it will help deliver the homes and infrastructure our country badly needs. 

    [political content redacted] 

    And today, I can confirm to the House… 

    … that the OBR have upgraded their growth forecast next year… 

    … and every single year thereafter…  

    … with GDP growth of 1.9% in 2026, 1.8% in 2027, 1.7% in 2028, and 1.8% in 2029.  

    Mr Speaker, 

    By the end of the forecast… 

    … our economy is larger compared to the OBR’s forecast at the time of the Budget.

    [political content redacted]

    But Mr Speaker, this isn’t just about lines on a graph. 

    It is about improving people’s lives. 

    Working people are still feeling the pinch after a cost of living crisis [political content redacted] that saw prices spiral. 

    So I am pleased that the OBR confirm today … 

    … that Real Household Disposable Income…  

    … will now grow this year at almost twice the rate expected in the autumn.  

    [political content redacted]

    … and after taking into account inflation… 

    … the OBR say today… 

    … that people will be on average over £500 a year better off under this [political content redacted] government. 

    That will mean more money in the pockets of working people. Higher living standards. 

    [political content redacted]

    Mr Speaker, the world is changing. 

    We can see that… 

    … and we can feel it. 

    A changing world demands a government that is on the side of working people. 

    Acting in their interest. 

    Acting in the national interest.  

    Not retreating from challenges.  

    Not stepping back.  

    But a government with the courage to step up…  

    … to secure Britain’s future…  

    … and to seize the opportunities that are out there before us. 

    I am impatient for change, the British people are impatient for change, [political content redacted].

    And we are beginning to see change happen.  

    Our Plan for Change is working. 

    Defence spending is rising. 

    Waiting lists are falling. 

    Wages are up.  

    Interest rates are cut. 

    [political content redacted]

    And today, Mr Speaker… 

    … the OBR confirm… 

    … that our plan to get Britain building… 

    … will drive growth in our economy… 

    … and put more money in people’s pockets. 

    There are no quick fixes. 

    But we have taken the right choices.  

    [political content redacted]

    Delivering security for our country and security for working people.  

    That is what drives this government. 

    That is what drives me as Chancellor. 

    And that is what drives the choices that I have set out today.  

    And I commend this statement to the House.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Women in Gaza cut off from accessing maternal health supplies as aid blockade enters fourth week

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    Gaza – March 25, 2025 – The ongoing aid blockade on Gaza is severely undermining access to essential health care for women and girls, as supplies run dry and hospitals once again come under attack. This marks the longest suspension of aid to Gaza since 7 October 2023. 

    In March 2025, the Ministry of Health reported critical shortages of three essential maternal health drugs: medicines used to induce or augment labour; blood plasma to treat women who are hemorrhaging, and medicine to treat pre-eclampsia- all vital to preventing maternal deaths and complications. 

    Meanwhile, 54 ultrasounds to monitor fetal health; nine incubators that keep premature and low-birth-weight newborns alive; and 350 midwifery kits that would enable community midwives to manage safe deliveries for more than 15,000 women, are all languishing at the border. Lab reagents and antibiotics, supplies to prevent and control infection, and other basics are running dangerously low. Supplies of folic acid, multivitamins, and other crucial supplements are nearly depleted, increasing the risk of birth defects, anemia, and other pregnancy-related complications.

    “This blockade is not only denying pregnant women and newborns essential medical care but also stripping them of their fundamental right to life. We urgently call for an immediate lifting of restrictions on medical supplies, fuel, and food and unimpeded access to healthcare for all, in line with international humanitarian law,” said Laila Baker, Regional Director for the Arab States at UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency.  

    Pregnant women and newborns in Gaza are facing higher than normal rates of complications, driven by widespread malnutrition compounded by the ongoing aid blockade, according to data from health facilities and partners. Around 520 babies – one in five – born since the latest aid blockade was imposed on 2 March, have required advanced medical care that is increasingly scarce.

    Between 10 and 20 per cent of all pregnant mothers in Gaza are malnourished, according to the latest nutrition assessments.

    On top of the deadly denial of critical supplies comes a resumption of attacks by Israel on healthcare facilities, staff and patients, including an attack on Nasser Hospital – one of the only remaining hospitals in Gaza where women can access maternal healthcare services. Al-Shifa and Al-Quds hospitals in the North and Emirati field hospital in Rafah are no longer fully operational, following repeat attacks.  

    “Women’s lives, and the lives of their babies hang in the balance,” said Ms. Baker. “All women have the right to access healthcare when they give birth – to deny this is to deny them their humanity.” Women and girls need a permanent end to hostilities and a pathway to peace.

    For more information, please contact:

    Eddie Wright (New York): ewright@unfpa.org;

    Samir Aldarabi (Cairo): aldarabi@unfpa.org.

    About UNFPA:

    UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Federal Debt and the Statutory Limit, March 2025

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    The debt limit—commonly called the debt ceiling—is the maximum amount of debt that the Department of the Treasury can issue to the public or to other federal agencies. The amount is set by law and has been increased or suspended over the years to allow for the additional borrowing needed to finance the government’s operations.

    On June 3, 2023, lawmakers suspended the debt limit through January 1, 2025. On January 2, 2025, that limit was reinstated at $36.1 trillion—the amount of debt outstanding on the previous day. At that time, a scheduled redemption of securities held by a Medicare trust fund lowered outstanding debt by $54 billion, giving the Treasury room for additional borrowing. That redemption forestalled the beginning of a “debt issuance suspension period” until January 21, 2025. During such a period, the Treasury can pause investments in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund (CSRDF) and the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund (PSRHBF) to free up room to borrow additional funds without breaching the debt ceiling. In addition, other well-established “extraordinary measures” are available to the Treasury to supplement cash balances and finance ongoing government operations.

    The Congressional Budget Office estimates that if the debt limit remains unchanged, the government’s ability to borrow using extraordinary measures will probably be exhausted in August or September 2025. The projected exhaustion date is uncertain because the timing and amount of revenue collections and outlays over the intervening months could differ from CBO’s projections. If the government’s borrowing needs are significantly greater than CBO projects, the Treasury’s resources could be exhausted in late May or sometime in June, before tax payments due in mid-June are received or before additional extraordinary measures become available on June 30. Conversely, if borrowing needs fall short of the amounts in CBO’s projections, the extraordinary measures will permit the Treasury to continue financing government activities longer than expected.

    If the debt limit is not raised or suspended before the extraordinary measures are exhausted, the government will be unable to pay all of its obligations. As a result, it would have to delay making payments for some activities, default on its debt obligations, or both.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NCDHHS Partners with Hazel Health to Provide Virtual Mental Health Services for K-12 Students in North Carolina

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: NCDHHS Partners with Hazel Health to Provide Virtual Mental Health Services for K-12 Students in North Carolina

    NCDHHS Partners with Hazel Health to Provide Virtual Mental Health Services for K-12 Students in North Carolina
    jwerner

    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced students across North Carolina will soon have access to high-quality, virtual mental health care through Hazel Health. This initiative, supported through an investment by UnitedHealthcare, is part of a broader effort announced last year to provide virtual school-centered mental health care for up to one million students across select states nationwide.

    Through this initiative, nearly 400,000 students – amounting to almost 30% of North Carolina’s K-12 student population – will have access to Hazel Health’s mental health services. Once Hazel is implemented, any student who is enrolled within participating districts will be able to access one of Hazel’s on-staff, licensed therapists before, during and after the school day. Hazel Health services will go live in late March 2025, beginning with Harnett County Schools and Durham Public Schools, with more districts to be added in the coming weeks.

    “Services like school-based telehealth are critical to improving access to mental health care because they meet children and families where they are with the care they need,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “We look forward to partnering with our public schools and Hazel Health to further the department’s ongoing work to transform North Carolina’s mental health system and create better outcomes for children and families.”

    More than 1 in 3 high school students in North Carolina have reported feeling sad or hopeless, along with almost 1 in 3 middle school students.  While there are early signs signaling improvement, the numbers still paint a grim picture of the health and wellbeing of our nation’s youngest generation.

    “Many children in schools lack access to essential mental health services, with barriers ranging from provider shortages to cost,” said Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW, Director of the NCDHHS Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services.  “Schools are an essential part of a child’s life, so expanding access to direct mental health care in school addresses the gap in care and can improve a child’s wellbeing, academic performance, social relationships and long-term development.” 

    “Mental health challenges—such as anxiety, depression, and trauma—can severely impact a child’s ability to learn, socialize, and thrive,” said Yvonne Copeland, Director of the NCDHHS Division of Child and Family Well-being. “Many students face barriers to accessing professional mental health support, including transportation issues, long wait times, stigma, and financial constraints. By bringing tele-behavioral health care services to schools, we can remove those barriers and address concerns earlier, setting children up for long-term success.”

    “School-based healthcare is essential to removing obstacles to care, such as transportation and time limitations, to allow for early identification and treatment of behavioral conditions for children of all ages,” said Anita Bachmann, CEO, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of North Carolina. “We are honored to collaborate with NCDHHS and Hazel Health to ensure that students in select districts – including Harnett and Durham Public Schools – have access to critical mental health services to help them be successful in and out of the classroom.”

    “The cross-functional, public-private partnership in North Carolina shows a deep commitment to ensuring that all students have access to the mental health support they need,” said Andrew Post, President, Hazel Health. “When we prioritize student wellbeing and health now, we’re doing more than boosting their academic achievements – we’re building the groundwork for them to thrive throughout their entire lives.”

    Hazel Health, the nation’s largest provider of school-centered telehealth, serves over 5 million students in 18 states. A third-party study conducted by Clemson University found that 75% of students who participated in Hazel’s online therapy program experienced clinically significant reductions in depression and anxiety after an average of six sessions. Additionally, early research also indicates that Hazel’s therapy program can combat chronic absenteeism. One emerging data point: 68% of students who engaged with Hazel’s therapy program improved their attendance–and over 30% had zero absences!–since their referral to Hazel.
    To learn more, please visit hazel.co.

    About Hazel Health
    Hazel Health is the nation’s largest and most trusted provider of school-based telehealth. By partnering with districts and health plans across the country, Hazel transforms schools into the most accessible front door to pediatric healthcare. Today, Hazel’s licensed providers deliver teletherapy and virtual care (in school or at home) to over four million K-12 students, regardless of their ability to pay. Hazel aims to remove all barriers to the mental and physical health care that children need to thrive in school, at home, and in life. Learn more at hazel.co.

    About the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
    NCDHHS manages the delivery of health and human services for all North Carolinians, especially our most vulnerable populations – children, people with disabilities, older adults, and low-income families. Our vision is to advance innovative solutions that foster independence, improve health and safety, and promote well-being in every community across the state. The department works closely with health care professionals, community leaders and advocacy groups; local, state and federal entities; and many other stakeholders to make this happen. Visit ncdhhs.gov.

    El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte anunció hoy que los estudiantes de Carolina del Norte pronto tendrán acceso a atención de salud mental virtual de alta calidad a través de Hazel Health. Esta iniciativa, respaldada a través de una inversión de UnitedHealthcare, es parte de un esfuerzo más amplio anunciado el año pasado para proporcionar atención de salud mental virtual centrada en la escuela para hasta un millón de estudiantes en determinados estados del país.

    A través de esta iniciativa, casi 400,000 estudiantes, que representan casi el 30% de la población estudiantil de grados K a 12 de Carolina del Norte, tendrán acceso a los servicios de salud mental de Hazel Health. Una vez que Hazel se haya implementado, cualquier estudiante que esté inscrito dentro de los distritos participantes podrá acceder a uno de los terapeutas con licencia en el personal de Hazel antes, durante y después del día escolar. Los servicios de Hazel Health comenzarán a funcionar a fines de marzo de 2025, comenzando con las Escuelas Públicas de los condados de Harnett y las escuelas públicas del condado de Durham, y se agregarán más distritos en las próximas semanas.

    “Los servicios como la telesalud escolar son fundamentales para mejorar el acceso a la atención de salud mental, ya que reúnen a los niños y las familias donde se encuentran con la atención que necesitan”, dijo Dev Sangvai, secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte. “Esperamos colaborar con nuestras escuelas públicas y Hazel Health para promover el trabajo continuo del departamento para transformar el sistema de salud mental de Carolina del Norte y crear mejores resultados para los niños y las familias”.

    Más de 1 de cada 3 estudiantes de secundaria en Carolina del Norte han informado sentirse tristes o desesperanzados, junto con casi 1 de cada 3 estudiantes de secundaria. Si bien hay señales tempranas que indican una mejora, los números aún pintan un panorama sombrío de la salud y el bienestar de la generación más joven de nuestra nación.

    “Muchos niños en las escuelas carecen el acceso a servicios esenciales de salud mental, con barreras que van desde la escasez de proveedores hasta el costo”, dijo Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW, directora de la División de Salud Mental, Discapacidades del Desarrollo y Servicios de Uso de Sustancias de NCDHHS.  “Las escuelas son una parte esencial de la vida de un niño, por lo que ampliar el acceso a la atención directa de salud mental en la escuela aborda las carencias en la atención asistencial y puede mejorar el bienestar, el rendimiento académico, las relaciones sociales y el desarrollo a largo plazo de un niño”.

    “Los problemas de salud mental, como la ansiedad, la depresión y el trauma, pueden afectar gravemente la capacidad de un niño para aprender, socializar y prosperar”, dijo Yvonne Copeland, directora de la División de Bienestar Infantil y Familiar de NCDHHS. “Muchos estudiantes enfrentan barreras para acceder al apoyo profesional de salud mental, los problemas de transporte, largos tiempos de espera, estigma y limitaciones financieras. Al llevar los servicios de atención médica teleconductual a las escuelas, podemos eliminar esas barreras y abordar las preocupaciones antes, preparando a los niños para el éxito a largo plazo”.

    “La atención médica escolar es esencial para eliminar los obstáculos a la atención, como el transporte y las limitaciones de tiempo, para permitir la identificación temprana y el tratamiento de las condiciones de comportamiento de los niños de todas las edades”, dijo Anita Bachmann, CEO de UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of North Carolina. “Nos sentimos honrados de colaborar con NCDHHS y Hazel Health para garantizar que los alumnos de las escuelas en distritos seleccionados incluso las escuelas públicas de Harnett y Durham, tengan acceso a servicios críticos de salud mental para ayudarlos a tener éxito dentro y fuera del aula”.

    “La asociación multifuncional público-privada en Carolina del Norte muestra un profundo compromiso para garantizar que todos los estudiantes tengan acceso al apoyo de salud mental que necesitan”, dijo Andrew Post, presidente de Hazel Health. “Cuando priorizamos el bienestar y la salud de los estudiantes ahora, estamos haciendo más que aumentar sus logros académicos: estamos sentando las bases para que prosperen durante toda su vida”.

    Hazel Health, el mayor proveedor nacional de telesalud centrada en la escuela, atiende a más de 5 millones de estudiantes en 18 estados. Un estudio de terceros realizado por la Universidad de Clemson encontró que el 75% de los estudiantes que participaron en el programa de terapia en línea de Hazel experimentaron reducciones clínicamente significativas en la depresión y la ansiedad después de un promedio de seis sesiones. Además, las primeras investigaciones también indican que el programa de terapia de Hazel puede combatir el ausentismo crónico. Un dato emergente: el 68% de los alumnos que participaron en el programa de terapia de Hazel mejoraron su asistencia, ¡y más del 30% tuvieron cero ausencias!, desde su remisión a Hazel.
    Para obtener más información, visite hazel.co.

    Acerca de Hazel Health
    Hazel Health es el proveedor de telesalud escolar más grande y de mayor confianza del país. Al asociarse con distritos y planes de salud en todo el país, Hazel transforma las escuelas en la puerta de entrada más accesible a la atención médica pediátrica. Hoy en día, los proveedores con licencia de Hazel brindan teleterapia y atención virtual (en la escuela o en el hogar) a más de cuatro millones de estudiantes de grados K a 12, independientemente de su capacidad de pago. Hazel tiene como objetivo eliminar todas las barreras a la atención de salud mental y física que los niños necesitan para prosperar en la escuela, en el hogar y en la vida. Más información en hazel.co.

    Acerca del Departamento de Salud Y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte
    NCDHHS gestiona la prestación de servicios de salud y humanos para todos los habitantes de Carolina del Norte, especialmente nuestras poblaciones más vulnerables: niños, personas con discapacidades, adultos mayores y familias de bajos ingresos. Nuestra visión es avanzar en soluciones innovadoras que fomenten la independencia, mejoren la salud y la seguridad, y promuevan el bienestar en todas las comunidades del estado. El departamento trabaja en estrecha colaboración con profesionales de la salud, líderes comunitarios y grupos de abogacía; entidades locales, estatales y federales; y muchas otras partes interesadas para que esto suceda. Visite ncdhhs.gov.

    Mar 26, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Medicare Advantage Provider Seoul Medical Group and Related Parties to Pay Over $62M to Settle False Claims Act Suit

    Source: United States Attorneys General 1

    Seoul Medical Group Inc. and its subsidiary Advanced Medical Management Inc., headquartered in California, have agreed to pay $58,740,000 and their former president and majority owner, Dr. Min Young Cha, has agreed to pay $1,760,000 for allegedly violating the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false diagnosis codes for two spinal conditions to increase payments from the Medicare Advantage program. Renaissance Imaging Medical Associates Inc., a California-based radiology group that worked with Seoul Medical, has also agreed to pay $2,350,000, for allegedly conspiring with Seoul Medical Group in connection with the false diagnoses for the two spinal conditions.

    Under Medicare Advantage, also known as the Medicare Part C program, Medicare beneficiaries have the option of enrolling in managed care insurance plans called Medicare Advantage Plans (MA Plans) and the MA Plans contract with healthcare providers, such as Seoul Medical Group, to provide the Medicare-covered benefits. MA Plans are paid a per-person amount to provide the care to their enrollees and, in turn, the MA Plans pay the providers. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the Medicare program, adjusts the payments to MA Plans based on demographic information and the health diagnoses of each plan beneficiary. The adjustments are commonly referred to as “risk scores.” In general, a beneficiary with diagnoses that are more expensive to treat will have a higher risk score, and CMS will make a larger risk-adjusted payment to the MA Plan for that beneficiary.

    Seoul Medical Group is a healthcare provider that started in 1993 in Los Angeles and has since expanded into at least six states and has employed at times 150 primary care providers and 1,000 specialists. Dr. Min Young Cha started Seoul Medical Group and until 2023 was president and majority owner.

    Allegedly, from 2015 to 2021, Seoul Medical Group and Dr. Cha submitted diagnoses for two severe spinal conditions, spinal enthesopathy and sacroiliitis, for patients who did not suffer from either of these conditions. When Seoul Medical Group was questioned by an MA Plan about its use of spinal enthesopathy, Seoul Medical Group enlisted the assistance of Renaissance Imaging Medical Associates to create radiology reports that appeared to support the spinal enthesopathy diagnosis. Both diagnoses resulted in an increase in payment from CMS to the MA Plan, and the MA Plan then passed along a portion of the increased payment to Seoul Medical Group.

    “Medicare Advantage is a vital program for our seniors and the government expects healthcare providers who participate in the program to provide truthful and accurate information,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s result sends a clear message to the Medicare Advantage community that the United States will zealously pursue appropriate action against those who knowingly submit false claims for taxpayer funds.”

    “My office is committed to ensuring that healthcare providers are held accountable for unlawful misrepresentations to Medicare and other healthcare programs,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph T. McNally for the Central District of California. “As this settlement makes clear, we will diligently pursue those who defraud government programs.”

    “Providers who game the Medicare program to increase profit undermine the foundation of care and diminish patient trust in the nation’s public health care system,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners and rigorously probe false claims to the fullest extent possible.”

    The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Paul Pew, the former Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Advanced Medical Management. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery.  The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Pew v. Seoul Medical Group, Inc., et al., No. 2:20-cv-05156 (C.D. Cal.). The relator’s share of the settlement has not yet been determined.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, with assistance from the Department of HHS-OIG.

    The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

    The matter was investigated by Fraud Section Attorneys J. Jennifer Koh and Robbin O. Lee and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Paik for the Central District of California.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why your medical condition might be named after a food

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adam Taylor, Professor of Anatomy, Lancaster University

    “Strawberry nose” can refer to a skin disorder called rhinophyma or large pores or blackheads on the nose Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock

    From watermelon stomach to chocolate cysts, you might wonder why doctors decided to name some ailments after foods – after all, it’s enough to put you off your dinner.

    When early physicians and surgeons were studying the body to understand normal function or disease, they lacked modern microscopic and molecular imaging and diagnostic techniques. Instead, they had to rely on basic observational skills and often used easily recognised descriptors to explain the appearance of organs and diseases.

    Food, then, became a convenient way to communicate the appearance of the body – in health and in sickness. This practice is known as eponymophilia and it continues today, particularly in pathology – the study of disease.

    There are lots of eponyms to describe the female reproductive system. Many healthcare workers describe healthy ovaries, for instance, as almond shape and size, while the shape of a typical uterus is often likened to an upside-down pear.

    Different shapes can be down to normal anatomical variation but can also be a sign of disease. Knowing these shapes and sizes allows for rapid identification during imaging assessments or medical examinations.

    Following childbirth and the cutting of the umbilical cord, the mother must deliver the afterbirth. According to 16th century anatomist, Matteo Realdo Colombo, the afterbirth looked like a “flat-cake”, and so he named it “placenta”, which comes from the Latin word for a type of cake.



    Read more:
    How a 16th century Italian anatomist came up with the word ‘placenta’: it reminded him of a cake

    Doctors examine the placenta carefully post-delivery to make sure none is left inside the mother – a condition known as retained placenta – which happens in 0.1-3% of births. Retained placenta can cause post-partum haemorrhage and and even the death of the mother, so checking the placenta looks like a “flat-cake” can save lives.

    While some eponyms, like the flat-cake placenta, seem straightforward, others can seem rather unkind. Take the common descriptions of Cushing’s syndrome for instance.

    People with Cushing’s often have a larger than average abdomen and lean legs, known as “lemon on matchstick” and can develop a “moon face” and a “buffalo hump”.

    Cushing’s disease is caused by long-term exposure to high levels of cortisol, a hormone the body makes to regulate its response to stress. It can develop naturally from tumours forming in the adrenal or pituitary glands, which produce cortisol.

    More commonly, however, it’s caused by some medicines, such as steroids – which contain a synthetic version of cortisol.

    Some eponyms can also function as euphemisms – making a serious, even threatening condition sound less worrying. Take “milky leg syndrome” or “milk leg”, for instance – deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the iliac veins in the pelvis or the femoral veins at the top of your legs.

    The blockage prevents venous drainage – when veins drain deoxygenated blood and return it to the heart – from the legs, which causes painful, pale and swollen legs.

    Research suggests that 75% of cases of milk leg occur in the left leg and men are more likely to develop the condition than women. There are a number of risk factors, including previous vein blockage, obesity and pregnancy.

    If not treated promptly, the condition can progress to phlegmasia cerulea dolens – a rare but serious complication of DVT causing fluid build-up that prevents arteries from delivering blood into the tissues – which can lead to tissue death and venous gangrene. Sadly, once venous gangrene has set in, amputation and death are common outcomes.

    While this all sounds grim, spare a thought for those who suffer from “hot potato voice”, which describes the sound of someone who has an obstruction somewhere in the upper part of their airway. This blockage prevents the person from forming sounds properly and can be caused by an abscess in or around the tonsils, or a stone lodged in the throat.

    Before I go on, it’s only fair to warn you that if you’re eating or drinking or you haven’t got the stomach for more graphic descriptions, you might not want to read any further.

    Not for the faint-hearted

    Pea soup diarrhoea is an apt description of a deeply unpleasant infection: salmonella. Salmonella – or food poisoning – is an infection with salmonella bacteria that causes diarrhoea, high temperature and stomach pains. It can be transmitted from person to person through contaminated food or water or from touching infected animals, their faeces, or their environment.

    Thankfully, most healthy people recover fully by drinking plenty of fluids and resting. Younger or older people are at greater risk of more severe illness, as are immunocompromised people, and they may be prescribed antibiotics to help them recover from the infection.

    While diarrhoea can look like pea-soup, some STIs can look like cauliflower. Yes, sexually transmitted warts caused by the human papilloma virus can have a “cauliflower-like appearance”.

    They are typically seen on the external genitalia, around the anus and may be present internally too. Certain types of cancers, such as squamous cell carcinomas, also have a cauliflower-like appearance as they develop.

    The thick, white odourless discharge that can be a symptom of thrush is often likened to cottage cheese.

    The vagina usually self-cleans by producing a white or clear discharge. The white colour is most common at the beginning or end of the menstrual cycle; however, if the consistency becomes clumpy or curd-like, this is often a sign of infection.

    Most commonly, it’s a yeast infection but could also be a sexually transmitted disease, such as chlamydia. If there is a problem, this discharge is usually associated with other symptoms such as discomfort, pain, itching or an unpleasant smell.

    While some of these descriptions may seem unpleasant, they can be helpful to identify abnormalities and medical conditions. Food eponyms can help avoid confusion so doctors know what they’re looking for during examinations or surgery.

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

    – ref. Why your medical condition might be named after a food – https://theconversation.com/why-your-medical-condition-might-be-named-after-a-food-247543

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: MissionSquare Retirement Earns 2024 Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation™ for the second year in a row

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Washington, D.C., March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cigna Healthcare has selected MissionSquare, an organization that advocates for retirement security and financial well-being, as a recipient of their 2024 Gold Healthy Workforce Designation for demonstrating a strong commitment to improving the health and vitality of its employees through a workplace well-being program.

    The award highlighted MissionSquare’s senior leadership for actively endorsing wellness initiatives. The program effectively promotes vitality on multiple fronts, employing various communication methods such as departmental and leadership meetings. To encourage participation, MissionSquare also provides incentives for engaging in wellness activities.

    “We are proud to have achieved Cigna’s Gold designation, highlighting our work to promote employee health and well-being,” said Lisa Raff, Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer at MissionSquare. “This recognition reflects our ongoing efforts to provide activities, tools, and resources to help our employees thrive, and we’re honored to be acknowledged by Cigna.”

    MissionSquare’s innovative well-being program takes a holistic approach to employee health and productivity. Going beyond standard paid time off (PTO), the comprehensive initiative emphasizes relaxation, personal days, and holidays, aiming to cultivate a healthier and more productive workforce. By prioritizing the overall health of their team, MissionSquare not only elevates their employees’ quality of life but also establishes a new industry standard. 

    Vitality is defined as the capacity to pursue life with health, strength and energy. It is both a driver and an outcome of health and work/life engagement, and Cigna Healthcare believes it is not only essential to individuals, but also a catalyst for business and community growth. Research conducted as part of the Evernorth Vitality Index confirms that those with higher vitality experience better mental and physical health along with higher levels of job satisfaction and performance. An opportunity remains for employers as less than one in five U.S. adults report having high levels of vitality. A workplace well-being program that takes a comprehensive approach to employee health can be critical in boosting vitality and building a workforce that experiences better overall health and job productivity.

    “Higher vitality is linked to a more motivated, connected, and productive workforce,” said Kari Knight Stevens, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, The Cigna Group. “Employers that foster vitality will fuel a healthier workplace and drive business and economic growth. That’s why we’re proud to recognize employers for their efforts to prioritize multiple dimensions of wellness, build a culture of health, and boost employee engagement.”

    The Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation evaluates organizations based on the core components of their well-being program, including leadership and culture, program foundations and execution, policies and accommodations, and additional areas. Organizations recognized with this designation set the standard of excellence for organizational health and vitality.

    About MissionSquare Retirement
    Since our founding in 1972, MissionSquare Retirement has been dedicated to simplifying the path to retirement security for public service employees. As a mission-based financial services company, we manage and administer over $72 billion in assets.* Our commitment to delivering results-oriented retirement plans, education, investments, and financial education sets us apart. Explore how we enable public service workers to build a secure financial future. Visit www.missionsq.org or follow the company on Facebook, LinkedIn, and X.

    *As of December 31, 2024. Includes 457(b), 401(k), 403(b), Retirement Health Savings plans, Employer Investment Program plans, affiliated IRAs, and investment-only assets.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: No aid has reached war-torn enclave for more than three weeks

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    It has now been three and a half weeks since Israel imposed a complete blockade on all aid into Gaza, despite daily efforts by UN humanitarians to secure fresh access, they said in an update from the shattered enclave.

    And as supplies of food, medicine and other supplies run low, aid teams are increasingly concerned about growing anxiety in bread lines outside the enclave’s remaining bakeries.

    “Most attempts by humanitarian organizations to coordinate access with Israeli authorities within #Gaza result in #AccessDenied,” the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said in an online post.

    Five out of seven such attempts were denied on Monday and six out of nine were rejected on Tuesday, it explained.

    Hospitals need protection

    Medical teams in Gaza are also exhausted “and urgently need protection and reinforcement” from ongoing strikes across the Strip, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, said on Wednesday.

    It cited new reports of attacks against health workers, ambulances and hospitals and warned of “hundreds of casualties, a severe drop in medical stocks and a lack of equipment, blood units and personnel” since the ceasefire ended.

    “No one is safe. The world must have zero tolerance for atrocities,” the UN agency insisted.

    Nearly 800 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in recent days following the resumption of Israeli bombardment on 18 March, according to the health authorities. This includes a reported 38 individuals killed in the last 24 hours.  

    In just the last week, eight aid workers have been killed in the enclave, bringing the total killed in Gaza to 399. That number includes at least 289 UN personnel, OCHA said, with staffers from the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) killed last Wednesday in an apparent Israeli tank strike on a United Nations compound in Deir al-Balah that also seriously wounded six others. Israel denied responsibility for the attack.

    Three of those injured worked in support of the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) which is involved in clearing unexploded ordnance in Gaza.

    OCHA noted that on 20 March, the Israeli military re-deployed along the eastern and central part of the “Netzarim corridor” in Gaza. Movement between the north and south of Gaza was only allowed via the Al Rashid coast road.

    Evacuation order misery

    These military activities and new displacement orders issued by the Israeli military have triggered “new waves” of displacement across Gaza, with more than 142,000 people likely uprooted between 18 and 23 March, the UN aid office said.

    “Israeli evacuation orders have covered 55 square kilometres across six areas of the #Gaza Strip – nearly the size of Manhattan,” OCHA said in an online post.

    Around 15 per cent of the enclave has been impacted by evacuation orders – in addition to “no-go zones” that run along borders and in central Gaza.

    The Israeli Government’s decision to ban the entry of humanitarian aid and any other supplies via all land crossings into Gaza is the longest such closure since October 2023, OCHA added, warning that gains made during the ceasefire to support survivors “have been reversed”.

    To date, at least 50,000 Palestinians have been confirmed dead by local authorities with 113,828 wounded since the war erupted on 7 October 2023, in response to Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel that left more than 1,100 dead and more than 250 taken hostage. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Medetomidine is replacing xylazine in Philly street fentanyl − creating new hurdles for health care providers and drug users

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kory London, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University

    Medetomidine is now a key ingredient in street fentanyl sold in Philly. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

    Philadelphia’s street opioid supply – or “dope” market – is constantly changing. As health care workers and researchers who care for people who use drugs in our community, we have witnessed these shifts firsthand.

    New adulterants are frequently added to the mix. They bring additional and often uncertain risks for people who use drugs, and new challenges for the health care providers and systems who treat them.

    The latest adulterant to dominate the supply is medetomidine.

    What is medetomodine?

    Medetomidine, pronounced meh-deh-TOH-muh-deen, is a drug used in veterinary medicine for sedation, muscle relaxation and pain relief, often during surgery. It is an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, which essentially means it works by slowing the release of adrenaline in the brain and body.

    In May 2024, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office began testing for medetomidine in people who died from fatal overdoses. By the end of the year, 46 of the deceased had tested positive for the substance, in addition to fentanyl and other known chemicals.

    In fact, medetomidine is quickly becoming more common in Philadelphia’s street opioid supply than even xylazine, a non-FDA-approved sedative linked to skin ulceration, chronic wounds and amputation.

    Xylazine was first detected in Philadelphia street drugs in 2006 and became increasingly common starting in 2015. By early 2023, xylazine was detected in 98% of tested dope samples in the city.

    However, its presence is steadily dropping, according to local drug-checking program data. The Philadelphia Department of Public Health says medetomidine has emerged as a primary adulterant and is now twice as common as xylazine in drug-checked samples.

    Recent studies show even more unusual substances entering the street fentanyl supply, such as the industrial solvent BTMPS.

    At the same time, hospital and behavioral health providers are reporting more common presentations of severe withdrawal symptoms among people who use drugs in Philadelphia.

    Risks of medetomidine

    While medetomidine’s sedating effects are similar in mechanism to xylazine, it is upward of 10-20 times more potent. It suppresses brain signals in the central nervous system, leading to deep sedation.

    Since medetomidine is so powerful and does not act on opioid receptors, a person who overdoses on it often does not respond to the opioid-reversal drug naloxone, which goes by the brand name Narcan, in the manner we commonly expect from people who appear to have overdosed on opioids.

    When patients overdose on a combination of opioids and medetomidine, providing naloxone will help individuals start breathing again but does not reverse the sedation caused by the medetomidine.

    From our clinical experience, after patients start to breathe normally, providing additional doses of naloxone does not seem to help and even risks prompting opioid withdrawal symptoms.

    Additionally, medetomidine presents serious clinical challenges for health care workers treating patients in withdrawal. These patients often experience symptoms such as rapid heart rate, severe spikes in blood pressure, restlessness, disorientation and confusion, and severe vomiting. While many of these symptoms were similar, if less intense, for those withdrawing from opioids and xylazine, the number of patients we are seeing is unprecedented – as is the severity of their symptoms.

    While published data on humans’ withdrawal from medetomidine is limited, clinicians are drawing comparisons to dexmedetomidine, a related drug used in humans that has shown similar features when withdrawn too quickly.

    Researchers and clinicians in Philadelphia’s hospitals, including us at Thomas Jefferson University, are analyzing emerging clinical data. This data suggests that existing protocols that effectively controlled withdrawal symptoms in the era when xylazine was common are no longer adequate in the era of medetomidine. New protocols have been developed based on the guidance of local experts and are being tested.

    When patients overdose on a combination of opioids and medetomidine, providing naloxone can help individuals start breathing again but does not reverse the sedation caused by the medetomidine.
    AP Photo/Alex Brandon

    Approaches to drug testing

    The rise in severe withdrawal symptoms has prompted expanded testing for adulterants such as medetomidine in Jefferson’s emergency departments.

    Currently, drug testing involves two primary approaches. Qualitative analysis determines the presence or absence of substances. For example, fentanyl and xylazine test strips are commonly used by harm reduction groups and people who use drugs. Unfortunately, they can be unreliable and prone to user error, expiration, misinterpretation and false positives or negatives. This technology is also commonly used in urine drug-testing kits sold over the counter.

    Quantitative analysis, on the other hand, is a more sophisticated approach to drug testing. It uses complex technology such as liquid-phase chromatography and mass spectrometry to separate the individual components of a sample and determine their concentration. This form of testing is more expensive and requires specialized equipment and analysts to perform the tests and interpret the results.

    Hospitals in the city have begun selectively testing urine and blood samples from patients who present with suspected medetomidine exposure. The labs are looking for the presence of certain drugs and their related byproducts, and also trying to identify distinct concentrations that might be associated with overdose, intoxication and withdrawal.

    Implications for public health

    We believe Philadelphians should be aware of these recent changes in the street drug supply and how people in their communities may react to exposure to medetomidine.

    Naloxone is still recommended for a person showing signs of opioid overdose – such as excess sedation, shallow or absent breathing and small pupils. Narcan is freely available at pharmacies around the city. But if the patient starts breathing but does not immediately wake up, additional doses of naloxone should be avoided.

    As always, contact 911 for expert assistance and to get patients to an emergency department to complete their care.

    Patients who use large amounts of drugs may suffer from severe withdrawal symptoms. Typical medications given to those in opioid withdrawal, such as buprenorphine or methadone, may not be sufficient to treat this constellation of symptoms. Even medications and regimens tailored for xylazine may not be effective.

    Patients with severe withdrawal symptoms need to be seen in the emergency department, given the risk of undertreating this emerging condition.

    Read more of our stories about Philadelphia.

    Kory London receives funding from The Sheller Family Foundation.

    Karen Alexander receives funding from the National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

    – ref. Medetomidine is replacing xylazine in Philly street fentanyl − creating new hurdles for health care providers and drug users – https://theconversation.com/medetomidine-is-replacing-xylazine-in-philly-street-fentanyl-creating-new-hurdles-for-health-care-providers-and-drug-users-251753

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Gaston writes to Unionist members of the Executive calling for action to prevent Sinn Fein solo run on Irish signage

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    Statement by TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston:

    “I have today written to all unionist Ministers calling on them to take action on the decision to impose Irish language signage at Grand Central Station. A loyalist part of Belfast, which has already been treated abominably by the whole saga around the station, should not suffer the added indignity of Grand Central being branded with Irish language signage. It is now incumbent on Unionists to unitedly show that they will not tolerate this.”

    The text of Mr Gaston’s letters to the deputy First Minister, the Communities Minister, the Education Minister and the Health Minister reads as follows:

    Dear Minister,

    I write in respect of the decision to impose Irish Language signage on Belfast Central Station. This decision has been taken, it appears, without approval from the Executive committee operating on a cross-community basis.

    It is beyond any rational dispute that the imposition of this decision, given the ongoing controversy around Irish language signage being imposed without any cross-community consent, particularly in the Belfast area, is significant and controversial within the meaning of section 20 (4) of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, read in conjunction with the Ministerial Code made pursuant to section 28A (5) of the 1998 Act.

    The consequence is that as a matter of law pursuant to section 28A (10) of the 1998 Act the Infrastructure Minister is deprived of lawful authority to take the decision.

    Therefore, I ask that each unionist Executive Minister take steps to ensure the Infrastructure Minister understands clearly that there is no lawful power to continue with the imposition of the relevant decision. Whilst it is not determinative, and even if unionist Ministers somewhat extraordinary shirked their responsibility to stand together on this issue and meekly rolled over to the latest aggressive Irish language demands, nevertheless the views of other Ministers as to whether a matter is significant and controversial is a weighty factor (see paragraph [13] Re Bryson’s application [2022] NIQB 4 and Re Safe Electricity A&T Ltd and Woods’ Application [2021] NIQB 93, at paragraphs [76] and [82]). Therefore, I trust unionist Ministers will take the necessary steps in respect of this matter to require referral to the Executive committee, notwithstanding that TUV has ourselves lodged a petition to require such a referral. This ensures that even if unionist Ministers roll over on this issue, every unionist MLA has the power to nevertheless require the matter to be referred to the Executive.

    However, of importance, it is unionist Ministers in the Executive who ultimately have the power to prevent this decision having legal effect.

    Yours sincerely,
    Timothy Gaston MLA

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dr. Cato T. Laurencin Appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St. Lucia

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Pioneer in regenerative engineering Professor Cato T. Laurencin, is now Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin.

    Dr. Cato T. Laurencin at the ceremony.

    Laurencin is internationally recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to the field of regenerative engineering that he founded, along with groundbreaking work in orthopaedic surgery, polymer science chemistry and engineering, and musculoskeletal repair and regeneration.

    Laurencin is the first surgeon in the world elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Medicine, and the National Academy of Inventors. He earned his B.S.E. in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University, his M.D. from the Harvard Medical School, Magna Cum Laude, and his Ph.D. in Biochemical engineering/Biotechnology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

    “St. Lucia is an extraordinary country, with extraordinary people,” said Laurencin. “The country has more Nobel Prize winners per capita than anywhere in the world. In being Knighted through the auspices of King Charles III, I am proud to be included among fellow Knights such as the late Sir Derek Wolcott, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature.”

    Professor Sir Cato T. Laurencin receiving the medal of the Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Lucia.

    Laurencin is the Chief Executive Officer of The Cato T. Laurencin Institute for Regenerative Engineering, a cross-university Institute at UConn created in his honor. He is the University Professor and Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Endowed Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at UConn School of Medicine. In engineering, he is professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, professor of Materials Science and Engineering and professor of Biomedical Engineering at UConn.

    Sir Laurencin’s Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Lucia medals.

    His research has successfully translated to and influenced technologies affecting millions of patients. His contributions to science include over 500 scientific articles, numerous patents, and he has written or edited 17 books. He received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, America’s highest honor for technological achievement, in ceremonies at the White House. In 2023 he was named Inventor of the Year by the Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation.

    Laurencin received Knighthood on the recommendation of the Prime Minister and the Government of St. Lucia. “I’m proud that we have established an MOU between the University of Connecticut and Sir Arthur Lewis Community College in St. Lucia and have a number of collaborations established. I’m especially proud that my donated autobiography ‘Success is What You Leave Behind’ sits in schools and libraries throughout the country.”

    Laurencin received the NIH Director’s Pioneer Grant Award, and the NSF Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation Grant Award for his work in Regenerative Engineering. He has received the highest awards of the Biomedical Engineering Society, the Materials Research Society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineering, and the American Chemical Society, which awarded him the Priestley Medal. The American Institute of Chemical Engineers established the Cato T. Laurencin Regenerative Engineering Founder’s Award, honoring his pioneering efforts in the field.

    “My father, the late Cyril Laurencin, was born in St. Lucia and was a distinguished carpenter. He asked me to promise to make a difference in the world, and to pay special attention to making a difference in the lives of St. Lucians. Receiving Knight Commander of the Order of St. Lucia shows a promise kept.”

    Laurencin was born in America but also became a citizen of St. Lucia. Thus, his Knighthood is not an honorary one.

    The University of Connecticut congratulates Sir Cato Thomas Laurencin.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 4 College of Engineering Faculty Elected to CASE

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    For being “leading experts in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine,” the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) is welcoming four faculty from UConn’s College of Engineering (CoE) into its membership.

    They are among 12 inductees from UConn, and 36 statewide. The new members will be introduced at the Academy’s 50th Annual Dinner on May 28.

    Election to CASE is open to scientists and engineers who work or live in Connecticut based on scientific distinction achieved through significant original contributions in theory or applications, unusual accomplishments in the pioneering of new and developing fields of applied science and technology, or both.

    The 2025 CASE inductees from the CoE include:
    • Omer Khan, professor of electrical and computer engineering

    • Ji-Cheng “JC” Zhao, dean of the College of Engineering; professor of materials science and engineering

    • Guoan Zheng, Collins Aerospace Professor of Engineering Innovation in the Department of Biomedical Engineering; and director of the UConn Center for Biomedical and Bioengineering Innovation

    • Xiao-Dong Zhou, Connecticut Clean Energy Fund Professor in Sustainable Energy; the Nicholas E. Madonna Chair in Sustainability; director of the Center for Clean Energy Engineering; and professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, materials science and engineering, and mechanical engineering

    “CASE is honored to have these outstanding scientists and engineers join us as we seek to fulfill our mission to provide evidence-based advice to inform policy and promote innovation in Connecticut,” says CASE President Amy Howell.

    Brief bios of the 2025 CASE Fellows are below:

    Omer Khan

    Omer Khan leads the Computer Architecture Group (CAG) and serves as an associate director of the Connecticut Advanced Computing Center (CACC). His research interests include computer architectures and methods that exploit parallelism, locality, resiliency, and privacy suitable for high-performance applications, such as graph intelligence problems. He has contributed architectural advancements for futuristic massively parallel microprocessors that substantially enhance system level performance and efficiency.

    Most recently, Khan and his colleagues took a hardware-architecture-algorithm approach to develop a new system architecture that helps optimize multiple goals at once, like finding the best trade-off between speed and fuel efficiency for autonomous vehicles. They propose Ordered Parallel Multi-Objective Search, or OPMOS, that exploits massive parallelism to achieve huge improvements in performance.

    “OPMOS is a unique approach that brings together algorithmic optimizations and architectural insights to rapidly accelerate these computationally hard multi-objective graph intelligence problems,” Khan explains. “This means exact solutions that used to take hours to generate can be found in seconds. This allows decision-makers to have access to real-time information, leading to better decision-making in high-impact application scenarios.”

    As a complementary research effort, Khan is addressing the computational complexity problem in artificial intelligence applications, such as autonomous systems, social influence, and chip design that must handle increasingly large and sparse graph-based data.

    “Efficient processing of sparse graph problems is extremely challenging since the underlying computations require complex mathematical operations whose processing suffers from performance scaling challenges on existing hardware processing units,” Khan explains. Khan and his colleagues are developing parallel hardware architectures that exploit sparsity for performance to reduce computational complexity without compromising accuracy.

    Prior to joining UConn, Khan spent several years in the semiconductor industry as a high-performance processor architect.

    Khan has a BS in electrical and computer engineering from Michigan State University (2000) and a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (2009).

    Ji-Cheng “JC” Zhao

    Ji-Cheng “JC” Zhao is an expert on design of advanced alloys and coatings, additive manufacturing (3D printing) of alloys and composites, high-throughput materials science methodologies, and computational thermodynamics and kinetics. He previously served as a director at the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy), managing approximately $100 million in projects to develop energy-efficient and green technologies.

    Before working in academia and government, Zhao was a senior materials scientist and project leader at General Electric (GE) Research Center where he invented new materials and processes, mostly for gas turbines and jet engines, leading to 48 U.S. patents.

    As dean of engineering at UConn, Zhao is working to expand the College’s research footprint, launch impactful educational programs, and advance relationships with local, national, and international partners.

    Zhao is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Academy of Inventors, ASM International, the Materials Research Society, and the Minerals, Metals, and Materials Society.
    Zhao has a BS in materials science and engineering from Central South University in Hunan, China (1985) and a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering from Lehigh University (1995).

    Guoan Zheng

    Guoan Zheng is an expert on biomedical optics and instrumentation, computational imaging, microscopy, and chip-scale imaging. At UConn’s Smart Imaging Laboratory, he leads a team of researchers who are developing a new technique called Synthetic Aperture Ptycho-Endoscopy (SAPE), which achieves outstanding resolution and visibility in endoscopic images. Since its inception in 2013, the laboratory has been supported by NSF, NIH, DOE, Connecticut Innovations, and partnerships with multiple industry leaders.

    Zheng is also the inventor of Fourier ptychography, a transformative microscopy technique that has become a global standard, now widely adopted across numerous laboratories worldwide. The technique is featured as a chapter in the most widely read textbook on Fourier optics.

    He’s also a member of Optica and SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics.

    Zheng holds a BS in electrical engineering from Zhejiang University (2007); and a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the California Institute of Technology (2013).

    Xiao-Dong Zhou

    Xiao-Dong Zhou is passionate about reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the development of advanced materials and innovative, efficient processes. He’s an expert on nonequilibrium thermodynamics, electrochemistry, thermodynamics and electrochemistry in fuel cells, electrolyzers, and batteries, and studies ways small molecules—such as oxygen, water, carbon dioxide and methane—can be used to create value-added commodities.

    At UConn, Zhou serves as a special advisor on sustainable energies to President Radenka Maric and Vice President for Research Pamir Alpay. In this role, he provides guidance and contributes to the development of sustainable energy strategies and initiatives across the university.

    Zhou currently serves as the technical editor of the Journal of The Electrochemical Society, and an associate editor of the Journal of the American Ceramic Society and the International Journal of Ceramic Engineering and Science. Since 2017, Zhou has secured more than $23 million in grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Department of Energy.

    Zhou received his BS in chemical engineering from East China University of Science and Technology and his Ph.D. in ceramic engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla.

    In 2012, CASE elected Pamir Alpay, vice president for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship and professor of materials science and engineering to its membership. He’s among 20 engineering faculty from UConn—including the four new inductees—who are CASE members.

    “We’re thrilled to have Professors Zhao, Zheng, Khan, and Zhou join our membership at the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering,” Alpay says. “This achievement is a testament to their contributions to research and innovation, and their dedication to advancing knowledge in engineering fields. Their work continues to inspire excellence within our academic community at the CoE.”

    The CoE faculty are among 12 newly elected CASE members at UConn. One third of all new inductees statewide are UConn faculty. Others 2025 inductees include:

    • Gerald Berkowitz, professor of horticulture, University of Connecticut College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources
    • Ming-Hui Chen, department head of statistics; Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor, University of Connecticut College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
    • Jie He, professor of chemistry, University of Connecticut College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
    • Guozhen Lu, professor of mathematics; director of Mathematical Sciences Research Collaboratory, University of Connecticut College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
    • Xiuling Lu, professor of pharmaceutical sciences; associate director of the Kildsig Center for Pharmaceutical Processing Research, University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy
    • Vijay Rathinam, professor of immunology, University of Connecticut Health Center School of Medicine
    • Kumar Venkitanarayanan, professor of animal science; associate dean for Research and Graduate Studies, University of Connecticut College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources
    • Jing Zhao, professor of chemistry, University of Connecticut College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

    UConn Engineering continues to have a strong presence in CASE membership. Khan, Zhao, Zheng, and Zhou join 16 other faculty from the College of Engineering who are already members of CASE.

    CASE was chartered by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1976 to provide expert guidance on science and technology to the people and to the state of Connecticut, and to promote the application of science and technology to human welfare and economic well-being.

    For more information about CASE, visit https://ctcase.org.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Chancellor delivers security and national renewal in a new era of global change

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    Press release

    Chancellor delivers security and national renewal in a new era of global change

    Chancellor vows to bring about “new era of security and national renewal” as she delivered a Spring Statement to kickstart economic growth, protect working people and keep Britain safe.

    • People to be on average £500 a year better off by the end of this parliament compared to under the previous government, putting more money in people’s pockets.

    • OBR forecast concludes government’s landmark planning reforms will result in a £6.8 billion boost to the economy and housebuilding at its highest level in over 40 years by 2029-30.

    • Growth at the heart of Plan for Change as £13 billion of additional capital spend allocated alongside £2.2 billion defence funding boost next year.

    People will be on average £500 a year better off from 2029, relative to OBR’s autumn forecast, helping to deliver the Plan for Change as the Chancellor today (Wednesday 26 March) announced a Spring Statement to grasp the opportunities in a changing world.

    The OBR has also today concluded that the government’s landmark planning reforms will result in UK housebuilding reaching its highest level in over 40 years, bringing the UK one step closer to its Plan for Change mission to build 1.5 million homes.

    The economy will be 0.2% larger in 2029-30 because of the reforms – worth around £6.8 billion in today’s money – growing to 0.4% over the next ten years. This represents the biggest positive growth effect it has ever forecasted for a policy that comes at zero-cost to taxpayers. The reforms will secure over 170,000 new homes for hard working families and leave borrowing £3.4 billion lower in 2029-30.

    The Chancellor also set out how the government is protecting national security and maximising the growth potential of the UK defence sector by confirming a £2.2 billion increase in the defence budget in 2025-26 while ensuring UK defence is on the cutting-edge of technology and innovation.

    But growth is still not where it should be, so at this Spring Statement, this government has gone further and faster to kickstart growth by training up to 60,000 young people to get Britain building again; increasing capital investment by £13 billion over this parliament; and fixing public services by tearing out waste from its roots.

    Growth

    Kickstarting economic growth is the number one mission of this government, putting more money in people’s pockets. The government has already made considerable progress; supporting a third runway at Heathrow; revitalising the Oxford Cambridge Growth Corridor, launching the National Wealth Fund and making the right choices on public investment to drive growth across the UK.

    The actions of this government across the Autumn Budget and Spring Statement, if sustained, lead to a 0.6% rise in the level of real GDP by 2034-35, signalling the government’s growth plan is working.

    The OBR concluded that the stability rule is met by £9.9 billion and the investment rule is met by £15.1 billion. Both rules are met two years early, meaning from 2027-28 the government is only borrowing for investment and net financial debt is falling.

    The government is not satisfied with short-term growth figures, and is going further and fast today to improve this.

    • To go further and faster to get Britain building, the Chancellor has today announced a further £13 billion of capital investment over the Parliament to go further on growth, on top of the £100 billion uplift announced at Autumn Budget. This will deliver the projects needed to catalyse private investment, boost growth and drive forward the UK’s modern industrial strategy – unlocking the potential of the Oxford Cambridge Growth Corridor which could add up to £78 billion to the UK economy by 2035.

    • Taken together, this greater capital investment more than offsets the modest savings on day to day spending and means the total departmental spending will increase over the next five years, when compared with plans in the Autumn.

    • Over this Parliament, the government is funding a £625 million package to boost skills in the construction sector, which is expected to provide up to 60,000 more skilled construction workers to support the government’s plans to deliver 1.5 million homes in England over the parliament and progress vital infrastructure projects,

    • As part of this, the government is providing further support to scale up existing construction skills pathway over this Parliament through £100 million for 35,000 additional training places in construction-focused Skills Bootcamps, supporting trainees, ‘returners’, and existing employees to succeed in the sector. Building on the £40 million investment in the new Growth and Skills Levy at Autumn Budget 2024, the government is also providing a further £40 million to support up to 10,000 more young people to access new construction Foundation Apprenticeships, which will provide a key entry route into a thriving industry.

    • The government is ensuring there are enough skilled construction workers in the system, with £100 million to deliver 10 Technical Excellence Colleges specialised in construction across every region in England, and £165 million to increase funding for training providers delivering construction courses for 16-19-year-olds and adults.

    • The government is committed to supporting employers to unlock further investment in training to deliver more skilled construction workers, and is providing £100 million, alongside a £32 million contribution from the Construction Industry Training Board to deliver up to 40,000 industry placements in construction each year.

    • Supported by the construction skills package, the government confirmed this week that there will be a £2 billion injection of new grant funding to deliver up to 18,000 new social and affordable homes. The new funding will only support developments on sites that will deliver in this Parliament, getting spades in the ground quickly to build homes in places such as Manchester and Liverpool.

    Defence

    The world is changing before our eyes, reshaped by global instability, including Russian aggression in Ukraine. Europe is facing a once-in-a-generation moment for its collective security, with conflicts overseas undermining security and prosperity at home. 

    A month ago, the PM announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War as a result of the changing global picture, now reaching 2.5% of GDP by April 2027, and with an ambition to reach 3% in the next Parliament subject to economic and fiscal conditions.

    We are going further and faster to protect our national security and maximise the economic growth potential of the UK defence sector.

    • Increasing the defence budget by £2.2 billion in 2025-26, taking additional spending on defence to over £5 billion since the Autumn Budget.

    • This raises spending on defence to 2.36% next year and will be invested in fitting Royal Navy ships with Directed Energy Weapons five years earlier than planned, providing better homes for military families and modernising His Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth.

    • Setting a minimum 10 percent ringfence for equipment spending on emerging technologies like drones and autonomous systems, dual-use technology, and AI-powered capabilities, so that British troops have the tools they need to fight and win in modern warfare.

    • Getting this new tech into the hands of our armed forces quicker by cutting away bureaucracy, with a new UK Defence Innovation unit within the Ministry of Defence spearheading efforts to identify promising technology and ensure these get to the frontline at speed, while also bolstering the UK tech sector and crowding in private investment.

    • Creating bespoke procurement processes for different types of military equipment, learning lessons from our rapid support for Ukraine to drive faster timescale targets for operationalising new tanks, aircraft and other essential tools for modern warfare.

    • This government is determined to transform the defence sector into an engine for growth by focusing this investment on where it boosts the productive capacity of the economy such as investment in innovation and novel technologies. As a result of the increase in defence spending to 2.5%, the government estimates this could lead to around 0.3% higher GDP in the long run, equivalent to around £11 billion of GDP in today’s money.

    • The government’s investment in defence will also support its number one mission to deliver economic growth. UK citizens will be protected from threats at home whilst creating a stable environment in which businesses can thrive, and supporting highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the whole of the UK.

    Reform

    The government is determined to make the public sector more productive and to improve services for working people. But the changing world means we need to go further and faster to ensure we can deliver the public services that working people care most about.

    The government has shown its commitment to taking the difficult decisions required to drive efficiencies and reform the state – including announcing that the world’s largest quango, NHS England, will be brought back into the Department for Health and Social Care, reducing bureaucratic inefficiencies and duplication; and driving out wasteful government spend through cancelling thousands of government credit cards.

    Getting more people into jobs is also central to the government’s growth mission. This broken welfare system that is letting people down by asking them to prove what they can’t do, rather than focusing on what they could do with the right support – trapping people due to fear of trying work, lack of support and poor financial incentives.

    The social security system will always protect those who can never work, that is why this government is proposing an additional premium that will safeguard their incomes. And will end reassessments for people with the most severe, life-long conditions to give them dignity and security.

    Helping more people into work is a central aim of these reforms and which is why the government is tackling incentives to be inactive by abolishing the WCA, rebalancing Universal Credit, and investing more into employment support.

    We will always support those with long term health conditions through the Personal Independence Payment, which will remain an important non-means tested benefit for disabled people and people with long term health conditions.  But these reforms will make the system more targeted and sustainable to ensure the safety net is there for those who need it most.

    The OBR have now set out their final assessment of costings and confirmed this welfare package will reduce welfare spending by £4.8 billion in 2029-30.

    The government will modernise the Civil Service into a more productive and agile organisation that can effectively deliver the Plan for Change, underpinned by a digital revolution, while cancelling thousands of government procurement cards. Today, the Chancellor has gone further.

    • The Chancellor has confirmed the creation of a £3.25 billion Transformation Fund to support the fundamental reform of public services, seize the opportunities of digital technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI), and transform frontline delivery to release savings for taxpayers over the long-term.

    • The Fund will invest in vital public services and accelerate the modernisation of the state by taking the next step to reform the children’s social care system through an additional £25 million for the fostering system. This will include funding the recruitment of a further 400 new fostering households, providing children with stability and addressing cost pressures on local government.

    • The fund will also support the managing offenders in the community, by providing £8 million for new technology so probation officers can focus on reducing reoffending, rather than filling out forms.

    • In addition, it will provide £42 million for three pioneering DSIT-led Frontier AI Exemplars. These Exemplars will test and deploy AI applications to make government operations more efficient and effective and improve outcomes for citizens by reducing unnecessary bureaucracy.

    • To create an agile and productive state we are also providing £150 million for government employee exit schemes. This will support a leaner and more efficient Civil Service, helping to reduce administration costs by 15% by the end of the decade.

    • The Chancellor also announced a package of measures to close the tax gap, raising £1 billion per year by 2029-30. The UK tax gap was estimated to be around £40 billion in 2022-23.

    • The Spring Statement earmarks around £80 million in new money for third party debt collectors to bring in £1.3 billion over the next five years – a return of around £16 for every pound spent for UK public services and investment projects. HMRC will also receive £4 million in new funding to pilot a new test and learn programme with the private sector to improve the tax collection agency’s approach to recouping older unpaid tax debt. Ministers will decide whether to proceed with a larger exercise later this year based on the results of this test.

    • An additional 600 staff will also be recruited into HMRC’s debt management teams. This means that for every £1 spent on these staff, over £13 of debt is expected to be recovered. The staff will work with the private sector to make collecting tax debt more efficient including through automating admin processes.

    • The Spring Statement also announces £100 million in new funding for HMRC to recruit a further 500 compliance officers from April 2025. This will raise £241 million in unpaid tax over the next five years.

    • Late payment penalties for VAT and Making Tax Digital for income tax Self Assessment will increase to incentivise taxpayers to pay on time. This will be from 2% to 3% at 15 days, 2% to 3% at 30 days, and 4% to 10% from day 31. This will take effect from April 2025.

    • As announced in the autumn, Making Tax Digital for income tax Self Assessment will be extended to sole traders and landlords with income over £20,000. The Spring Statement confirms that this additional group will join Making Tax Digital from April 2028. This will build on the existing plan which will see sole traders and landlords with income above £50,000 joining from April 2026, and those with income above £30,000 joining from April 2027.  Around 4 million businesses have an income below the £20,000 threshold.

    Looking Forward

    This Spring Statement builds on the Autumn Budget and the decisions taken since required to deliver stability to the British economy and kickstart economic growth.

    The government will set out its plans for spending and key public sector reforms at the Spending Review which will conclude on 11 June 2025.

    This will not be a business-as-usual Spending Review. The government has fundamentally reformed the process to make it zero-based, collaborative, and data-led, in order to ensure a laser-like focus on the biggest opportunities to rewire the state and deliver the Plan for Change.

    At the Spending Review, the Budget in the autumn and across the Parliament, the government will continue to prioritise growing the economy to deliver change.

    More information

    • The OBR concludes planning reforms will bring housebuilding to its highest level in 40 years.

    • Government calculations for the long-run impacts of higher defence spending are based on estimates from Antolin-Diaz and Surico (2025), forthcoming in the American Economic Review (AER), of the GDP impact of higher defence spending on GDP. Their estimates of the GDP multiplier stabilise after ten years at around 1.6, which is assumed to reflect an appropriate long-run multiplier for potential output, as any demand-side effects are likely to have dissipated at the ten-year horizon.

    • Defence spending as a share of GDP is set to rise from 2.3% to 2.5%, an increase of 0.2 percentage points. Applying an elasticity of 1.6 to this change implies a long-run increase in the level of potential output of approximately 0.3%. A long-run increase to the level of potential output of 0.3% is equivalent to around £11 billion of GDP in the long run, in today’s prices.

    Updates to this page

    Published 26 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 26 March 2025 Departmental update United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016–2025) extended to 2030

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The resolution also calls on the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to continue to lead and monitor the implementation of the Decade and to further strengthen efforts in advancing the global nutrition agenda.

    “The world is off track to end hunger and malnutrition by 2030 and all countries need to scale up implementation of national commitments and increase investments for nutrition. Therefore, the decision by the General Assembly to extend the Decade for Action on Nutrition is an important step and would be well supported by the alignment of the 6 World Health Assembly global nutrition targets to 2030. WHO remains committed to fully deliver its mandate in this crucial endeavour,” said Werner Obermeyer, Director of the WHO Office at the United Nations.

    Ending hunger and all forms of malnutrition is among the most urgent and pervasive development challenges. Most countries face multiple burdens of malnutrition and diet-related NCDs such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and obesity. The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition is a commitment by United Nations’ Member States to undertake sustained and coherent implementation of policies, programmes and increased investments to eliminate malnutrition in all its forms and in all countries, leaving no one behind. 

    The Decade of Action on Nutrition supports coordinated country action across six areas:

    • sustainable, resilient food systems for healthy diets
    • aligned health systems providing universal coverage of essential nutrition actions
    • social protection and nutrition education
    • trade and investment for better nutrition
    • safe, supportive environments across all ages
    • strengthened governance and accountability for nutrition.

    Extending the Nutrition Decade will allow FAO and WHO to continue reporting on nutrition action and inform the General Assembly on progress through biennial reports for the next five years.

    The adoption of this resolution coincides with the Nutrition for Growth Summit, taking place 27–28 March 2025 in Paris where the global nutrition community will be discussing how to align policies and resources to close the funding gap for nutrition. 

    Read the full text of the resolution. 

    “,”datePublished”:”2025-03-26T13:14:01.0000000+00:00″,”image”:”https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/topics/nutrition-and-food/malnutrition/woman-selling-food-in-an-outdoor-market.jpg?sfvrsn=34e4a0e7_4″,”publisher”:{“@type”:”Organization”,”name”:”World Health Organization: WHO”,”logo”:{“@type”:”ImageObject”,”url”:”https://www.who.int/Images/SchemaOrg/schemaOrgLogo.jpg”,”width”:250,”height”:60}},”dateModified”:”2025-03-26T13:14:01.0000000+00:00″,”mainEntityOfPage”:”https://www.who.int/news/item/26-03-2025-united-nations-decade-of-action-on-nutrition-(2016-2025)-extended-to-2030″,”@context”:”http://schema.org”,”@type”:”NewsArticle”};
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    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Broadcom Simplifies and Accelerates Private Cloud Lateral Security with VMware vDefend Innovations

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALO ALTO, Calif., March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) today introduced new updates to VMware vDefend that enable organizations to up-level security planning and assessment, simplify lifecycle management and operations, and seamlessly scale security across application environments. As organizations develop security plans for VMware Cloud Foundation(R) (VCF), these new technologies and guidance tools enable improved time-to-implementation and help efficiently maintain security operations for all critical and non-critical applications.

    “Organizations often navigate thousands of applications to power their business. This complexity makes it difficult to maintain visibility and lateral security across all applications,” said Umesh Mahajan, vice president and general manager, Application Networking and Security Division, Broadcom. “VMware vDefend simplifies how organizations achieve zero trust and private cloud security goals by cutting through complexity and providing a comprehensive lateral security implementation. The latest vDefend innovations further this efficiency by offering real-time security assessments, a next-generation security services platform to simplify operations, and micro-segmentation as code to further improve security operations.”

    VMware vDefend is available as an Advanced Service for VMware Cloud Foundation.

    Robust Private Cloud Security Planning and Assessment with Security Intelligence
    It is essential for security teams to quickly detect and investigate potential breaches in their environment. This requires a proactive approach to security planning and rapid time-to-implementation across all application workloads. To support this, VMware vDefend introduces a Security Segmentation Assessment and Report in its Security Intelligence tool for lateral security visibility and threat analytics. It provides a real-time assessment of an organization’s security segmentation posture for implementing a zero trust private cloud initiative. The assessment analyzes application traffic to deliver timely, data-driven insights related to application interactions, pinpointing potential security gaps due to insecure network protocols and inappropriate application communication, measuring progress with a security segmentation score, and offering actionable and easy-to-implement policy recommendations. This assessment, along with rule recommendations, help organizations rapidly roll out lateral security protection on VMware vDefend Distributed Firewall across all their applications and stay ahead of potential breaches. The Security Segmentation Assessment Report is available today.

    Simplified Security Operations
    To establish a sophisticated security plan, organizations need a consistent, reliable platform and an optimized approach to micro-segmentation that allows customers to apply security as part of the application deployment process. vDefend addresses these needs by introducing new updates, including:

    • Updates to Security Services Platform (SSP): SSP is a self-contained and scale-out platform that simplifies deployment of Security Intelligence as well as advanced threat prevention tools such as Network Detection and Response and Malware Prevention. The new SSP architecture greatly streamlines the user experience with a simplified network design, streamlined life cycle management, tailored user profile for security administrators, and easier workflows for configuration and deployment. The enhanced scale-out capability ensures that visibility and threat prevention automatically extend to large-scale VCF deployments.
    • Micro-segmentation as Code: vDefend Distributed Firewall offers an optimized and streamlined approach to micro-segmentation. It is built into the hypervisor and applies security to every workload with an API-driven model that plugs into automation frameworks. This allows customers to apply lateral security as part of the application deployment process and seamlessly scale micro-segmentation across application environments. It features a declarative context-based model to deploy the full intent of customers’ vDefend security policy in a single, simplified manner and includes built-in automation that eliminates the need for external scripting. This rich policy model applies to both virtual machines and container workloads to ensure consistent lateral security protection.
    • Network Detection and Response Enhancement for Air-Gapped Environments: The Network Detection and Response (NDR) capability of VMware vDefend now supports mechanisms for organizations to securely update threat intelligence in on-premises operations without external network access. This ensures that all detection, correlation, and response activities are executed with higher fidelity within the closed network leveraging both internally and externally sourced threat intelligence. NDR provides an additional layer of protection against targeted attack campaigns in sensitive, high-security or classified environments and supports industries with strict regulatory compliance.
    • VMware Validated Solutions design for secure VCF: This best practice design guide1 with prescriptive use case guidance enables security teams to rapidly roll-out zero trust lateral security for VCF’s management components and application workloads.

    These capabilities are available today.

    Third-Party Validation
    Third-party research reports outline the impact and value of vDefend. vDefend recently received an AAA rating for Advanced Threat Prevention in the SE Labs Advanced Security Test Report. The SE Labs methodology tests full chains of attack, including complex, multi-staged ransomware threats, and uses a variety of tools and techniques commonly employed by threat actors to analyze the performance of vDefend Advanced Threat Prevention. An AAA rating is the highest rating vendors can receive and indicates the use of best-of-breed threat detection algorithms.

    Additionally, a recently commissioned Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Broadcom, revealed that a composite organization representative of interviewed customers with experience using VMware vDefend:

    • Reduced their cyber breach risk by 40%
    • Cut security operations expenses by 25%
    • Avoided a 12% increase in cyber insurance premiums

    The study also showed that the composite organization realized a 116% return on investment using VMware vDefend. The full study can be accessed here.2

    Supporting Quotes

    “Deep application-level visibility and micro-segmentation for a zero trust private cloud is critical for us,” said Sarita Akula , senior manager, Infrastructure Platforms at University of Arts, London. “In a very short time, we enabled Security Intelligence’s application analytics with SSP, successfully segmented certain critical applications, and laid the groundwork for enabling advanced threat detection and prevention capabilities of vDefend.”

    “vDefend has been a critical technology in our journey to Zero Trust security for health care applications,” says Tyler Wertenbruch, IT technical manager at St. John’s Health. “With vDefend’s micro-segmentation-as-code capabilities, we were able to apply lateral security during the application on-boarding process, enabling us to ensure that security remains up to date and maintain a strong Zero Trust posture. We are looking forward to leveraging Security Intelligence’s enhancements for deeper visibility and assessment of our application environment.”

    “VMware vDefend’s Security Intelligence hosted on the enhanced Security Services Platform has become a critical tool for quickly securing our customers’ business applications”, said Michael Law, managing consultant engineer at CDW, “These vDefend enhancements for lateral security are unmatched in the industry.”

    Additional Resources

    About Broadcom
    Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) is a global technology leader that designs, develops, and supplies a broad range of semiconductor, enterprise software and security solutions. Broadcom’s category-leading product portfolio serves critical markets including cloud, data center, networking, broadband, wireless, storage, industrial, and enterprise software. Our solutions include service provider and enterprise networking and storage, mobile device and broadband connectivity, mainframe, cybersecurity, and private and hybrid cloud infrastructure. Broadcom is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, CA. For more information, go to www.broadcom.com.

    (1)   1VMware Validated Solutions: Lateral Security for VMware Cloud Foundation with VMware vDefend, March, 2025
    (2)   2Forrester Consulting, The Total Economic ImpactTM Of Broadcom VMware vDefend, March, 2025

    Media Contact:

    Heather Haley
    Broadcom Global Communications
    heather.haley@broadcom.com
    925-856-8042

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Instant launches Financial Wellness program, offering hourly workers financial empowerment resources

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ATLANTA, March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Instant Financial, a fintech company modernizing payments and earned wage access for hourly workers and their employers, today introduced its Financial Wellness program. With 65 percent of Americans living paycheck to paycheck, Instant’s Financial Wellness program is designed to help frontline employees achieve financial independence through tools that promote saving, build credit, and enhance financial health and well-being. The service is available to workers whose employers already partner with Instant for earned wage access, digital tips, and instant payments via banks, mobile wallets, or paycards. Instant’s solutions enable these workers to receive their wages at the end of each shift, or whenever they need them, rather than waiting weeks for payday.

    “Instant Financial is proud to offer financial wellness tools to our employers and current and future workers who receive earned wage access through our app,” said CEO Tal Clark. “Our mission has always been to give frontline employees opportunities for financial freedom, and today’s launch is a huge step toward that goal.”

    Benefits in Instant’s Financial Wellness program include:

    • Health and Well-being Access – Powered by Welcome Tech and designed for banked and unbanked individuals, Instant’s users can access a healthcare package consisting of telemedicine, prescription discounts, mental health support, and discounts on dental and vision care at a monthly cost of $35 per household.
    • Credit Building – Powered by MoneyLion, users may improve their credit scores by making on-time loan or credit card payments, which are then reported by MoneyLion to one or more of the major credit bureaus.
    • Free Rent Reporting – Powered by Self, users may improve their credit scores by making on-time rent payments, which are then reported by Self to the three major credit bureaus. Payment history makes up 35 percent of credit scores, but most apartments in the U.S. do not report rent payments to credit bureaus. 
    • Financial Education – Powered by Visa’s Practical Money Skills program, users get access to a multitude of financial education resources and can learn about basics on budgeting, saving, banking, and other financial tools.
    • High-Yield Savings Accounts – Powered by MoneyLion, users can choose from the top high-yield savings accounts offered from leading institutions with no monthly fee.

    “We’ve partnered with Instant Financial since 2017, offering daily digital tip payouts to thousands of our workers, so it’s become an integral part of our employee benefits,” said Robert Linder, CFO at Lazy Dog. “We’re always looking for meaningful ways to reduce financial stress for our team members, and we are excited about the potential of Instant’s Financial Wellness program to provide important tools to save more, improve credit, and take care of mental and physical well-being.”

    This announcement follows the recent launch of Instant Direct, which allows employees to choose between transferring funds to their bank accounts or using the Instant Card, based on their individual needs and circumstances. Today, Instant is the only platform offering an all-in-one solution that includes earned wage access, digital tips, and payroll cards, and it has helped workers in restaurants, retail, hospitality, and beyond access $7.5 billion+ in earnings at no or low cost. Customers like Sun Holdings, Church’s Chicken, and Bloomin’ Brands rely on Instant for their modern payroll solutions, which helps them better recruit and retain their frontline workforce.

    “Financial security goes beyond just receiving a paycheck—it’s about having access to the tools and resources needed to build a better future,” said Amir Hemmat, co-founder and CEO of Welcome Tech. “Through our partnership with Instant, we’re helping workers take control of their financial and personal well-being.”

    For more information about the Instant Financial Wellness program or to explore modern payroll solutions for your business, visit instant.co.

    About Instant
    Instant Financial is a fintech company modernizing payments and earned wage access for hourly workers and their employees. We provide earned wage access, digital tips, and instant payments via banks, mobile wallets, or paycards, along with financial wellness services—giving frontline workers control over how and when they get paid. As the first company to offer earned wage access through a paycard, Instant has helped workers in restaurants, retail, hospitality, and beyond access over $7.5 billion in earnings at no or low cost. With 79% of employees wanting same-day pay, our award-winning solutions turn every workday into payday, helping employers improve recruitment and retention. Learn more at instant.co.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/96cc688b-3131-4f19-89d8-1652eca1dc26

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: COVID-19 Spring Booster offer26 March 2025 Eligible Islanders are encouraged to stay protected this spring and take up the offer of a COVID-19 spring booster vaccination. The vaccines are free of charge and will be available at GP surgeries from… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    26 March 2025

    Eligible Islanders are encouraged to stay protected this spring and take up the offer of a COVID-19 spring booster vaccination. The vaccines are free of charge and will be available at GP surgeries from Tuesday 1 April and will be offered until the end of June.

    Islanders who are eligible for the Spring Booster include: 

    • those aged 75 and over 
    • those aged 6 months and over who are Immunosuppressed 
    • residents in care homes for older people.

    Islanders will need to contact their GP surgeries to make an appointment. Delivery may vary practice to practice. Those who are residents in care homes will be vaccinated where they reside. Visit gov.je/SpringBooster ​for more information. 

    Primary Care Representative, Bryony Perchard, said: “While most people who get COVID will have a mild illness, those in older age groups and with certain health conditions are at a higher risk of developing serious illness and being hospitalised. Vaccination not only reduces the chances of the getting ill but also makes any infection less unpleasant. I urge all those who are eligible to not let their defences against COVID-19 fade by booking an appointment with their doctor.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Come along to a free fun-filled family event by Connect Me26 March 2025 Cycling lessons, a Mother’s Day and Easter craft workshop, a healthy wrap-making station, and storytelling sessions, are just some of the fun activities planned for the first Connect Me event aimed… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    26 March 2025

    Cycling lessons, a Mother’s Day and Easter craft workshop, a healthy wrap-making station, and storytelling sessions, are just some of the fun activities planned for the first Connect Me event aimed at families this weekend. 

    Over 30 organisations including charities and government services, will gather at St Clement’s School between 10am and 2pm on Saturday 29 March, so you can try something new and enjoy a nutritious snack, whilst gaining awareness about what’s on offer in the Island. 

    Connect Me events, previously known as Closer to Home, are organised by the Local Services team within the Employment, Social Security and Housing department, to make activities and services accessible for Islanders of all ages. Events are organised in various locations around the Island and provide advice, support and activities free of charge. 

    From tips on how to make a healthy lunchbox and meeting the community policing team, to graffiti art and short talks on Mental Health and Parenting, there is something for everyone at this free event. 

    Local Services Manager, Laura Kangas-Hamon, said: “We are excited to bring the Connect Me event to St Clement’s School to bring activities and joy to children and families, while also providing valuable services to Islanders. 

    “By working in partnership with the school, charities, community organisations and government teams, we aim to bring people and services together and create a sense of community. We are offering not only activities, but also the support and resources that can help enhance the wellbeing of everyone. 

    “We understand that family life can be busy, and reaching out to various organisations can be challenging. This event brings them all together in one place, making it easier for families to connect and access the services they need.” 

    For more information and to view the full list of participating agencies, please visit gov.je​.​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Social Workers Are a Vital Part of Care Teams

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Broadly defined, sometimes overlooked and often misunderstood, social work is a crucial component in health care.

    It can even be life-saving.

    “I had a patient who wrote a message in [UConn Health’s patient portal] MyChart to their physical therapist saying, ‘I’m not coming in today, because I think I’m going to end my life,’” says Rachel Boxwell, a licensed clinical social worker who supports many of UConn Health’s outpatient practices. “The physical therapist lets me know, and I’m able to call the patient. They’re sitting in their car, we have a conversation, try to figure out what’s going to be the next step to keep them safe.”

    It’s possible that intervention prevented a suicide, and is an example of how social workers can support patients even outside of scheduled face-to-face interactions.

    Eleanor Szmurlo ’17 MSW is a licensed clinical social worker who supports UConn Health’s outpatient practices. (Photo provided by Eleanor Szmurlo)

    UConn Health employs 35 social workers. Collectively they work with patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

    Boxwell works in tandem with Eleanor Szmurlo ’17 MSW to cover more than 50 of UConn Health’s outpatient practices as part of UConn Health’s population health team.

    “I previously worked as a substance abuse counselor and have seen first-hand how stigma can prevent people from getting appropriate care,” Szmurlo says. “In my role supporting the outpatient clinics, I have the opportunity to show compassion and care to our patients and to connect them with the supports they need to live happier, healthier lives.”

    Amanda Mundo works with hospitalized patients, primarily on the fourth floor of UConn’s John Dempsey Hospital, a medical-surgical floor.

    Amanda Mundo is a licensed clinical social worker in UConn’s John Dempsey Hospital. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)

    “I go through the entire floor and look at every single patient and familiarize myself with those I’m not familiar with yet,” Mundo says. “In this setting, social work is a universal service available to all patients where we offer both ‘case finding,’ where we’ll review patients’ charts, see if there’s anything documented in an area that we feel we could help, and we also get consultations from the team. Once I go through the list in the morning of the whole floor, I triage to see who might need to be seen first, and build my day from there.”

    Five stories below her, in the Connecticut Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UConn Health, Brittney Niro works with every parent whose child is admitted to the NICU.

    Brittney Niro is a licensed clinical social worker in the Connecticut Children’s NICU at UConn Health. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)

    “I assist families with psychosocial needs and community resources,” Niro says. “Parents don’t anticipate a NICU stay, even if they are counseled on it or prepped. The reality hits once their baby is admitted to the NICU. I value being a part of a multidisciplinary team and providing emotional support and resources during their baby’s NICU stay.”

    Niro also facilitates a support group for NICU parents.

    Many of the inpatient social workers report to Lori Pawlow, UConn Health nursing director who oversees case management.

    “Social work services span from birth to end of life,” Pawlow says. “They are present to provide support during the most vulnerable times in patients’ and families’ life experiences. They help by supporting them and guide them in difficult life choices. One very important aspect of the work that social workers do is that they approach all situations in a holistic manner that supports individuals and the whole family. We are very fortunate to have such a talented and dedicated team of social workers here at UConn Health.”

    How patients find their way to a social worker will vary. In the outpatient setting, providers can refer patients to social workers. When that happens, Szmurlo or Boxwell will contact the patient and evaluate their psychosocial needs.

    Rachel Boxwell is a licensed clinical social worker who supports UConn Health’s outpatient practices. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)

    “If you’re having a housing challenge, that could really be exacerbated if you are wheelchair-bound or you need certain levels of accessibility,” Boxwell says. “Or you might need home care, and in theory that sounds simple, but if you can’t self-direct your care due to mental health or cognitive decline, those have additional barriers. So I really can assess all of those, help identify what resources are available to our patients, and really talk it through and help them make an informed decision. Sometimes a resource can sound great, but it’s not a great fit for our patients for reasons like medical complexity, their cognitive ability, maybe a familial relationship, where they live and who they live with.”

    Anne Horbatuck is chief operating officer of the UConn Medical Group and vice president for ambulatory operations.

    “Social workers play a vital role in our outpatient clinic settings,” Horbatuck says. “They address social, emotional, and environmental factors that impact patients’ health. They provide counseling, connect patient with community resources and support care coordination to improve treatment outcomes. Their involvement helps reduce barriers to care, enhance patient well-being and promote a more holistic approach to health care. Rachel and Eleanor cover our UMG clinics along with many others that are department-based. We thank them for all for all they do.”

    Why Social Work

    Boxwell, who arrived at UConn Health in 2022, has been a social worker since 2016. She found her way to the profession after a year of teaching high school English in Malden, Massachusetts.

    “A lot of my students were living in shelters, were teenage parents, were in foster homes, and getting them to the point where they’re even in a spot where they could actually be present in class was social work, was connecting them to resources, was meeting their psychosocial needs,” Boxwell says. “And I realized I had a passion for it, and there was such a need for that.”

    From left: Brittney Niro, a social worker in the Connecticut Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UConn Health, speaks with nurse colleagues Jacqueline Calderon and Tess Connor at their NICU nurse’s station. (Photo by Chris DeFrancesco)

    Niro has been a social worker since 2009 and joined UConn Health in 2018 as an inpatient social worker on the sixth floor of John Dempsey Hospital. She moved to the NICU in 2022.

    “What draws me to the profession is helping families navigate during a vulnerable time,” Niro says. “I knew I wanted to be in the helping profession; I was involved as a peer advocate during high school. The peer advocate program allowed me to be a peer support for younger peers, and I had a mentor who suggested, ‘You’d be a great social worker, you really should look into social work.’”

    Mundo joined UConn Health two years ago and has been a social worker since 2016.

    “I like relating with people and really being able to build relationships,” Mundo says. “Being able to be there for someone in a moment of need or vulnerability is an honor and not something that everyone has the opportunity to do. You can really make a big difference even with seemingly smaller gestures or tasks.”

    She says every day on the job is different.

    “It ranges from smaller tasks such as helping a patient to get clothing, helping to coordinate transportation home, to helping them make a phone call that they’ve been really struggling to make, to more serious matters such as substance use, safety issues, crisis intervention, and end-of-life hospice,” Mundo says.

    Szmurlo, who graduated with a Master of Social Work from the UConn School of Social Work in 2017, has spent her nearly three years at UConn Health in an outpatient role.

    “The social and medical systems we work with can be overwhelming and complicated to manage when things are going well — even more so when people are undergoing a health crisis,” Szmurlo says. “By helping patients navigate services, we can make this less overwhelming and reinforce to patients that UConn Health is here to treat the whole person.”

    Misperceptions

    Boxwell and Mundo both say it’s common for people to associate their profession with child protective services and people whose job is to separate children from their families.

    “Of course, part of our role is to assess for safety, but our job is so much more than that,” Mundo says. “It’s very multifaceted. It can range from smaller, simple tasks to really intense clinically, emotionally draining, and taxing interactions. A lot of people don’t know what we do day-to-day. A lot of it is behind the scenes, but it does make a really big difference, for the medical team and for the patients.”

    She says it’s about an even split between those who understand the social worker is there to help and those who would rather not have an interaction with a social worker, as they may not understand a social worker’s role in this setting.

    Niro points out that patients or families may not always realize that social workers are independently licensed clinicians.

    “We can diagnose and assess mental health needs,” Niro says. “A social worker can be an autonomous, independent mental health professional. Sometimes the term ‘social work’ is used to explain many different roles and responsibilities. Being a medical social worker is a rewarding career.”

    What I find most rewarding about being a social worker is being able to be there for people when they’re at their most vulnerable. &#8212 Amanda Mundo

    ‘An Honor’

    Niro says she appreciates the multidisciplinary team approach, working with nurses, physicians, advanced practice providers and others, and the comradery that naturally comes with it.

    “I find my job to be rewarding in the sense that families need someone to be in their corner,” Niro says. “I truly enjoy being a constant support and advocate to each family during a challenging time.”

    “What I find most rewarding about being a social worker is being able to be there for people when they’re at their most vulnerable,” Mundo says. “It’s really an honor to be there for someone when they need it the most and to be that support when oftentimes a lot of patients don’t have any support.”

    Similarly, Szmurlo says, “It’s an honor to be a social worker and to be able to support people through some of the most difficult times in their lives.”

    Boxwell says what may seem like a small thing can make big difference in the lives of patients and families who have been struggling.

    “It can be life-changing for them, and knowing the ripple effect that that then can have on their life — not just their quality of life, but their relationships with others, their ability to be financially solvent, to then be able to have a solvent retirement, to not be concerned about what’s going to happen with their disease process because they know they have a team to support them, being able to relieve folks of that — it’s a great feeling,” Boxwell says. “You have changed that person’s life for the better, and that will continue having a ripple effect.”

    March is National Social Work Month.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Biochar and Microbe Synergy: A Path to Climate-Smart Farming

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Most people probably don’t think about soil as a living thing. But it is filled with millions of tiny organisms that play a critical role in everything soil does – including sequestering carbon.

    Soil contains a diverse array of microorganisms including fungi and bacteria that perform vital functions such as breaking down organic matter, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration.

    “Microbes — you may not see them with the naked eye, but that doesn’t mean they’re not important,” says Yogesh Kumar ‘27 (CAHNR), a Ph.D. student in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment.

    Thanks to these microbes, soil holds onto a tremendous amount of the earth’s carbon. By supporting the functioning of these microorganisms, a substance known as biochar can improve soil’s ability to serve as a much-needed carbon sink.

    Biochar is a charcoal-like substance made by burning organic waste, such as, generated by forestry and agriculture. Biochar has recently emerged as a “Climate-Smart Agriculture” practice given its potential to improve soil health, nutrient and available water holding capacity, resilience, and agricultural sustainability without the negative environmental consequences associated with traditional fertilizers.

    A team in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources is developing a fuller picture of its environmental and agricultural benefits.

    Their recent publication in Biochar highlights how biochar supports soil microbes.

    Kumar is the lead author on the paper. Other authors include Wei Ren, associate professor of natural resources and the environment; Haiying Tao, associate professor of soil nutrient management and soil health; and Bo Tao, assistant research professor of natural resources and the environment.

    The researchers looked at data from hundreds of field studies conducted all around the world to determine biochar’s impact on soil microbes.

    On average, biochar application improved soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) by approximately 21%.

    “When we conducted global data analyses, we found how biochar as a stable carbon influences soil features, particularly microbial activities leading to changes in microbial carbon,” Ren says. “That in turn influences soil’s physical and chemical characteristics and carbon storage.”

    A piece of biochar has many tiny pores all over its surface. Microorganisms move into these holes and feed on the carbon, nitrogen, and other essential nutrients the biochar provides. This is especially important in nutrient-deficient soil or soil with a suboptimal pH which would not otherwise be able to support a diverse population of microbes.

    “It provides food, nutrients, and a habitat for those microbes,” Kumar says.

    The researchers also found that biochar is more effective when used in combination with other management practices, like the use of compost or manure.

    By limiting the scope of their analysis to field studies, which take place in real-world conditions, rather than controlled greenhouse environments, this work has clearer and more immediate implications for farmers.

    “That helps us understand the reality of the situation with weather or soil or other environmental factors interacting with biochar,” Ren says.

    This group’s previous work has looked at how biochar impacts other factors like crop yield and greenhouse gas emissions.

    “We want to have a complete understanding of biochar as an effective climate smart agricultural practice,” Ren says.

    Biochar is particularly attractive to farmers in the Northeast, which has smaller operations than other parts of the country, like the Midwest. Biochar is still expensive for farmers to implement, making it difficult to apply at a larger scale.

    “Although biochar is more expensive than other practices, they see the long-term benefits for the savings in water and nutrient inputs and the long-term carbon storage,” Ren says. “In the northeast region, our farmers and our growers have already shown interest.”

    Further, biochar is most effective in climates with an average annual temperature below 59 degrees Fahrenheit and about 20 to 40 inches of rain, like Connecticut and other parts of the region.

    Given this interest, the next steps in this research are to collaborate with local farmers to conduct pilot studies of biochar.

    In addition to supporting field studies, the group is also using this work to develop models that can predict the long-term impacts of biochar on soil health and other key metrics.

    The ultimate goal of this work is to develop a regional bioeconomy in which organic waste is collected, turned into biochar, and reused to grow more crops while keeping the soil healthy.

    “We do want to collaborate with our field scientists, people with diverse backgrounds in climate and land use, and socioeconomics,” Ren says. “We want to propose an interdisciplinary program to promote region bioeconomy development.”

    This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Ensuring a Vibrant and Sustainable Agricultural Industry and Food Supply.

    Follow UConn CAHNR on social media

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Xsolis Announces Its Return as Platinum Sponsor of the American Case Management Association (ACMA) National Conference for the 7th Consecutive Year

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FRANKLIN, Tenn., March 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xsolis, an AI-driven technology company that reduces administrative waste by enabling collaboration between healthcare providers and payers, announces its return as Platinum Sponsor of the American Case Management Association (ACMA) National Conference for the 7th consecutive year. The ACMA National Conference will take place April 3-6 at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado, and features leaders and professionals affiliated with case management and transitions of care.

    “Xsolis continues to support the case management community and the ACMA organization by solving some of the industry’s most pervasive operational issues like staffing shortages and revenue challenges with our AI-driven solutions,” said Joan Butters, co-founder and CEO of Xsolis. “The ACMA National Conference provides unique opportunities for Xsolis leadership to exchange ideas with clients and other leaders who are changing the industry with more efficient authorization processes and payer-provider collaboration.”

    As a Platinum Sponsor, Xsolis will present several opportunities for attendees to engage with its leaders and solutions, including a Platinum Speaking Session, which will be held at Maple 1-2:

    • Friday, April 4, 2025, 3:30 pm MT: Accelerating Concurrent Authorization & Optimizing Length of Stay Timelines Through AI-Powered Health Plan Collaboration featuring Hoa Cooper, RN, DNP, Vice President, Care Management at OSF Healthcare; Matthew Gorman, DO, MBA, Medical Director, Care Management at OSF Healthcare; and Heather Bassett MD, Chief Medical Officer at Xsolis

    Informational in-booth client speaker sessions will also be held at Xsolis Booth 401:

    • Friday, April 4, 2025, 1 pm MT: Southern Star: A Health System’s Rise with AI-Powered Efficiency & Collaborative Care featuring Kayla Long, MSN, RN, ACM, Director of Case Management at UMC Health System
    • Friday, April 4, 2025, 5 pm MT: Optimized Discharge Planning & Length of Stay Management with AI-Powered Insights featuring Hoa Cooper, RN, DNP, Vice President of OSF HealthCare Management
    • Saturday, April 5, 2025, 12 pm MT: AI-Facilitated Payer-Provider Collaboration: Unlocking Efficiency, Coordination, & Improved Results featuring Pam Foster, MBA, MSW, Vice President of Care Coordination at HonorHealth

    Xsolis is also proud to be the Premier Partner of the ACMA Case Management Hero Award, which was established to recognize case management professionals who continually deliver exemplary service for their patients and families, but also face a major life challenge and could benefit from ACMA’s support.

    The ACMA National Conference features exceptional learning opportunities with over 80 practitioner-led breakout sessions, inspiring keynotes and a vast exhibit hall showcasing supporting and affiliated industry companies. The conference is known for quality educational content and is an opportunity to share knowledge, learn and network with nurses, social workers, physicians, health plan and other health care professionals affiliated with case management and transitions of care.

    To learn more about ACMA activities with Xsolis, visit https://www.xsolis.com/2025-acma-national/.

    About Xsolis 

    Xsolis is an AI-driven technology company that reduces administrative waste by enabling collaboration between healthcare providers and payers. Dragonfly®, its AI-driven proprietary platform, is the first and only solution to use real-time predictive analytics to continuously assign an objective medical necessity score and assess the anticipated level of care for every patient, enabling more efficiency across the healthcare system. Xsolis is headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee. For more information, visit www.xsolis.com.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: GE Healthcare’s new ultrasound system represents significant addition in breast cancer screening space, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    GE Healthcare’s new ultrasound system represents significant addition in breast cancer screening space, says GlobalData

    Posted in Medical Devices

    GE Healthcare has announced the launch of a new automated whole-breast ultrasound (AWBU) system, designed to enhance cancer screening effectiveness in individuals with dense breast tissue. This advanced imaging technology aims to improve early detection rates and diagnostic accuracy, addressing the challenges posed by dense breasts in traditional mammography. The introduction of GE Healthcare’s new automated whole-breast ultrasound system represents a significant step forward in breast cancer screening, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    AWBU is a medical imaging technique that automates the acquisition of volumetric ultrasound data of the entire breast. Unlike traditional hand-held ultrasound, AWBU standardizes the imaging process, reducing operator dependency and allowing for consistent and reproducible results. This method enables the visualization of selected scan planes and the display of data as a volumetric image, facilitating comprehensive analysis.

    Graysen Vigneux, Medical Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “For patients with dense breast tissue, where mammography alone may be insufficient, this technology provides a critical additional layer of detection, improving diagnostic accuracy and potentially saving lives.”

    Studies have consistently demonstrated that supplementary ultrasound screening, when added to mammography, increases the detection rate of breast cancer, particularly in women with dense breast tissue. Dense breasts can obscure tumors on mammograms, making additional imaging modalities like AWBU crucial for effective screening.

    GE Healthcare’s new AWBU system offers several advantages over traditional hand-held ultrasound, including standardized imaging and reduced operator dependency. However, it is important to note that some AWBU techniques may employ lower frequency transducers, potentially resulting in lower spatial and contrast resolution compared to hand-held devices.

    Vigneux concludes: “Early detection remains the cornerstone of improving breast cancer outcomes, and for women with dense breast tissue, automated whole-breast ultrasound offers a promising advancement. This technology enhances the ability to identify tumors that might otherwise be missed, leading to earlier intervention and better treatment options.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Arrests – Crime series – Greater Darwin Region

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested five males in relation to a crime series across the Greater Darwin Region overnight.

    Earlier in the night, a group of alleged offenders attended a residence on Westralia Street in Stuart Park, where they gained entry whilst armed via a dog door and subsequently stole two vehicles.

    About 1:15am, police received reports of one of the vehicles ramming a residential gate in Moulden whilst brandishing a machete and hammer, allegedly threatening residents. A short time later the group attended a government facility where the group attempted to damage the gate and security screens.

    The second stolen motor vehicle was recovered in Coconut Grove.

    Around 3am, the group were observed by police CCTV operators within one of the stolen motor vehicles nearby a commercial premises in Fannie Bay. Strike Force Trident members were nearby and a pursuit was initiated after the group failed to follow police directions. The vehicle lost control a short time later and crashed into a power pole at the intersection of Nadpur Street and Dickward Drive. All of the offenders self-extracted from the vehicle and fled by foot into the mangroves whilst additional Strike Force Trident, Darwin general duties and Dog Operations Unit members set up a cordon.

    Patrol Dog Fitzy tracked three of the offenders with the first located hiding up in a tree who surrendered to police without incident. The second was found lying in a pool of water in an attempt to conceal himself and again surrendered upon being discovered. The third was located hiding in thick vegetation and was apprehended by PD Fitzy.

    Patrol Dog Drax deployed from the cordon in a different direction and located articles of clothing from the offenders and as Drax was indicating direction of travel the offender surrendered to a member of Strike Force Trident.

    Patrol Dog Cheeko was also deployed and tracked the fifth offender into thick grassland where he was located hiding in the verge of the mangroves.

    This is another great example of the effectiveness of the Dog Operations Unit in tracking and apprehending offenders involved in violent criminal offending and the close working relationship with SF Trident.

    The five males arrested, aged 13, 14, 15, 16 and 19-years-old were all transported to the Royal Darwin Hospital for medical assessment.

    Strike Force Trident have carriage of the investigations and charges are expected to follow.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The Polytechnic hosted a forum of student dormitory councils

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    At the end of March, more than 200 people gathered at the student council forum, the largest and most significant event for all activists of the student self-government of SPbPU dormitories. The event was held in the Student Club. The forum was organized by United Student Council of SPbPU Dormitories.

    The forum is not just an event within the walls of the Polytechnic University, it is a platform that has been uniting hundreds of people, dozens of student councils of dormitories and several universities for the fourth year. The forum is aimed at improving the quality of the results of our self-government, interaction and exchange of experience, increasing legal literacy, as well as creating connections between members of our organization, – noted the chairman of the United Student Council of the Polytechnic Dormitories Thomas Shochenmayer.

    This year the event was held on four tracks.

    Track one was a student council competition, where teams demonstrated their experience in self-government and developed competencies.

    Track two is a competition for class leaders, in which the students presented their projects to improve the quality of life of students in dormitories.

    Track three is the SPbPU OSS award. Its goal is to stimulate the work of student councils, identify and encourage best practices in 11 nominations (Leisure, Comfort, Adaptation, Rights, Self-realization, Health, Ecology, Safety, Work with foreign students, Information work, Corporate culture).

    Track 4 – “Lead with your heart”. A track aimed at improving the communication skills of potential leaders to improve their effectiveness in interacting with administrative bodies and other student organizations, as well as providing participants with effective tools for managing in dormitories.

    The training covered the most relevant topics for activists.

    “Values and motivation” (Anna Kalugina, director of the psychological support center “Tochka Opory”). “Teamwork and healthy communication” (Angelina Kulanova, acting director of the Student Club). “Grants without panic, or how to win from A to Z” (Maxim Ruzakov, head of the cultural and mass department of the OSS). “The art of negotiations” (Thomas Shochenmayer, chairman of the OSS SPbPU).

    The guys learned about team building, values and motivation for their activities. In practice, they solved cases, learned to negotiate, and also experienced the entire life cycle of the Dormitory Council.

    The forum has become larger. More strong teams, real leaders have appeared. It is now much more difficult to determine the best. New nominations have been added. The interest from universities in St. Petersburg and other cities has grown, – said Galina Melekhova, Deputy Director of the SPbPU Student City for Educational Work.

    The event was attended by over 30 guests from other universities: SPbGLTU, NovSU, SPSU and VShTE. They took part in the training track, and the chairmen of the student councils of the Mining University and the Higher School of Technology and Energy became experts of the competition.

    Director of the SPbPU Student City Vyacheslav Olshevsky emphasized: From year to year, the level of the forum is noticeably growing, gaining momentum, being brighter, more powerful, stronger. The guys get the necessary skills, pump up their competencies in various areas, especially in student self-government.

    All teams tried very hard to win, their performances were very bright, memorable. The jury had a difficult task: to determine the best among the best.

    Winners of the student council competition.

    1st place – hostel #3 2nd place – hostel #19 3rd place – hostel #6

    The team of foreign students from Dormitory No. 13 has been an active participant in the forum for the second year. Their projects were recognized as the best in three award nominations at once. The other winners were the teams from Dormitories No. 6 and No. 16.

    Svetlana Bakhtina from dormitory #6 won the competition among the seniors. Felix Zhumaliev from dormitory #11 came in second, and Karina Mokerova from dormitory #5 came in third.

    Link to the SSO forum group

    Photo: SPbPU Youth News Service

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: MOFA sincerely thanks Belgian Chamber of Representatives for adopting resolution backing Taiwan and highlighting fact that UNGA Resolution 2758 takes no position on Taiwan

    Source: Republic of Taiwan – Ministry of Foreign Affairs

    MOFA sincerely thanks Belgian Chamber of Representatives for adopting resolution backing Taiwan and highlighting fact that UNGA Resolution 2758 takes no position on Taiwan

    • Date：2025-03-21
    • Data Source：Department of European Affairs

    March 21, 2025  

    No. 079  

    The Chamber of Representatives of Belgium adopted a resolution on March 20 expressing concern over the growing threat of China to Taiwan. It passed with an overwhelming majority of 126 votes in favor, none against, and 13 abstentions. The resolution called on the government of Belgium to condemn through diplomatic channels China’s increasingly aggressive stance toward Taiwan and to demand that China alleviate tensions, end all provocations, and respect the status quo across the Taiwan Strait. It further noted that United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 did not take a position on Taiwan, and urged the Belgian government to clarify this fact at the United Nations. 

     

    In addition, the resolution advocated for the Belgian government to work with European partners to play an active role in the Taiwan Strait and the Indo-Pacific region, and pursue an economic agreement with Taiwan at the European Union-level to strengthen supply chain resilience. It also called on all levels of government in Belgium to collectively foster economic, scientific, and cultural cooperation with Taiwan; support Taiwan’s participation in the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and other international organizations; and continue to enhance civil society and media exchanges with Taiwan to jointly combat disinformation. 

     

    The resolution was introduced by Representative Els Van Hoof, Co-president of the Belgium-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group. The Belgian Chamber of Representatives adopted Taiwan-friendly resolutions in November 2015 and July 2020. This latest resolution was the first to condemn China’s threats against Taiwan and the first to be passed by the current Belgian parliament since it opened last July, which was of special significance to the advancement of Taiwan-Belgium relations. 

     

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung thanks the Belgian Chamber of Representatives for its support and emphasizes that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will build on the existing solid foundation to steadily deepen substantive exchanges and friendly cooperation between Taiwan and Belgium. (E) 

    MIL OSI China News –