NewzIntel.com

Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Senators Press RealPage on Multi-Million Lobbying Campaign and House Republicans’ Provision Blocking States from Protecting Renters

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    May 29, 2025

    RealPage has been scrutinized for use of AI algorithms that drive up costs for renters 

    Provision would block state and local efforts to protect renters from artificial price hikes powered by AI pricing tools

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) sent a letter to Dana Jones, CEO and President of RealPage, expressing concerns regarding RealPage potentially benefiting from a provision on artificial intelligence (AI) included in the House Republicans’ budget reconciliation package. The provision would prohibit the enforcement of any state or local laws on AI for the next ten years.

    RealPage’s YieldStar and AI Revenue Management (AIRM) tools use black box algorithmic pricing schemes to unfairly hike rents at a time when Americans face a national housing affordability crisis. Several states and cities have passed or are considering laws limiting the use of AI-enabled pricing software.

    “[M]ore Americans than ever before are now paying over 30 and 50 percent of their income on housing,” wrote the senators. “In light of this, we seek information on RealPage’s lobbying efforts, and on how the Republicans’ reconciliation provision would help the bottom line of RealPage and other large corporations by allowing them to take advantage of consumers.” 

    Last week, the Republican-controlled House passed a reconciliation bill that cuts Medicaid and rips away health care coverage for millions of Americans, all to pay for trillions of dollars in giveaways for billionaires. In what has been described as a “massive artificial intelligence giveaway,” the bill also includes a provision that would block state- and local-level efforts to curb the harms of products like YieldStar and AIRM, the cornerstones of RealPage’s business model. 

    The Department of Justice (DOJ) has already sued RealPage for “its unlawful scheme to decrease competition among landlords in apartment pricing,” which the DOJ asserts constitutes unlawful price-fixing. Since the DOJ lawsuit was filed in August 2024, RealPage has amped up its lobbying efforts on AI-related issues, nearly doubling its lobbying spending from $4.8 million in 2020 to nearly $9 million in 2024. The senators point out that following these investments, House Republicans worked to “nullify existing and future state efforts to address the harms from AI.” 

    “The net result will be that Americans will lose important protections against the misuse of AI tools,” warned the senators. “This will directly benefit RealPage and similar companies, at the expense of renters who will be forced to pay higher costs for rent and other daily needs.”

    The senators have previously written letters in November 2022, March 2023, September 2024, and February 2025 raising the alarm about RealPage’s YieldStar and AIRM products. Due to RealPage’s potential involvement in this harmful measure, the senators requested a response to their questions by June 10, 2025. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Joins Bicameral Legislation to Require the Supreme Court to Adopt Binding and Enforceable Code of Ethics

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    Congress, the executive branch, all lower federal courts, and every state supreme court have ethics guardrails and a mechanism for enforcing ethics rules
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and U.S. Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA-04) in reintroducing the bicameral Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act, legislation to require Supreme Court justices to adopt a binding code of conduct and create a mechanism to investigate alleged violations of the code of conduct and other laws. The SCERT Act would improve disclosure and transparency when a justice has a connection to a party or amicus before the Court, end the practice of justices ruling on their own conflicts of interests, and require justices to explain their recusal decisions to the public. 
    “Vermonters I talk with don’t understand why Supreme Court justices are allowed to accept lavish private airplane travel and yacht vacations from billionaires. It’s no surprise that these ethical problems have shattered public trust in our nation’s most powerful court,” said Senator Welch. “This ethics legislation is unfortunately necessary, because the Supreme Court will not do what it has the responsibility to do. This is a long-overdue step, and one my Republican colleagues should support.” 
    “Supreme Court justices have repeatedly gotten caught red-handed receiving extravagant gifts from politically active billionaires and refusing to report the gifts as required by law. It’s not even clear proper taxes were paid. Despite these ethical problems, the Court does not allow basic fact-finding regarding the justices’ behavior, or any neutral process to resolve ethics questions,” said Senator Whitehouse. “This Court has repeatedly proven that it cannot police itself, so it’s time for fair and transparent guardrails, with clear procedures for receiving, investigating, and resolving ethics complaints. With Trump’s persistent improper pressure on the judiciary, it’s now urgent to get this right.” 
    “A judiciary whose members are accountable for their conduct, that is transparent to its citizens, and that is free from bias or partiality is truly independent,” said Representative Johnson. “Americans need to feel confident that when serious concerns arise, the judiciary can diligently investigate and correct judicial misconduct, no matter who might be implicated. That is a judiciary whose judgements will be accepted, observed, and respected. An independent judiciary is crucial to our democracy now more than ever.” 
    In the last two years, reporting from ProPublica and the New York Times has exposed Justice Clarence Thomas’s long record of accepting undisclosed gifts from politically active right-wing billionaires. Further reporting from ProPublica found that Justice Samuel Alito accepted private jet travel to an all-expenses-paid vacation from a hedge fund billionaire who had contributed over $80 million to Republican political organizations and had business before the Court. Justice Alito’s luxury vacation was organized by Leonard Leo, the engineer of the current right-wing Supreme Court supermajority at the behest of a cadre of right-wing billionaires and special interests. 
    The SCERT Act would address these ethical shortfalls and help restore Americans’ faith in the judicial branch. The bill would: 
    Develop a Process for Enforcement of a Code of Conduct 
    Require the Supreme Court to adopt a code of conduct within 180 days; 
    Require the Supreme Court to publish its code of conduct and any other rules or procedures related to ethics, financial disclosure, and judicial misconduct; 
    Require the Supreme Court to create a transparent process for the public to submit ethics complaints against the justices, and for a random panel of chief judges from the lower courts to investigate and make recommendations based on those complaints; 
    Require safeguards modeled on the lower courts’ complaints process to deter and punish frivolous ethics complaints. 
    Improve Gift Rules and Transparency 
    Require the Supreme Court to adopt rules requiring disclosure of gifts, travel, and income received by justices and law clerks that are at least as rigorous as the House and Senate disclosure rules; 
    Require the rules for what gifts justices can accept to be as restrictive as Congress’s; 
    Require greater disclosure of amicus curiae funding; 
    Require parties and amici curiae before the Supreme Court to disclose any recent gifts, travel, or reimbursements they’ve given to a justice; 
    Require parties and amici curiae before the Supreme Court to disclose any lobbying or money they spent promoting a justice’s confirmation to the Court. 
    Strengthen Recusal Requirements 
    Create new recusal requirements governing gifts, income, or reimbursements given to judges; 
    Create new recusal requirements governing a party’s lobbying or spending money to campaign for a judge’s confirmation; 
    Ensure that requests for a judge to recuse are reviewed by a panel of randomly selected, impartial judges, or by the rest of the justices at the Supreme Court; 
    Require written notification and explanations of recusal decisions; 
    Require the judiciary to develop rules explaining when a judge’s connection to an amicus curiae brief might require recusal; and 
    Require the Federal Judicial Center to study and report to Congress every two years on the extent to which the judiciary is complying with recusal requirements. 
    Late last year, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts released a report that found every state supreme court (or equivalent high court) subjects its judges or justices to ethics reviews—similar to the processes that apply to all federal judges except the Supreme Court under the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act. The SCERT Act would eliminate this loophole by establishing an ethics review process for the Supreme Court. 
    In addition to Senators Welch and Whitehouse, the legislation is cosponsored by Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).  
    The Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act is endorsed by Accountable.US/Accountable.NOW, Common Cause, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Citizens United/Let America Vote, Demand Justice, Fix the Court, New York City Bar Association, People’s Parity Project, League of Conservation Voters, Court Accountability Action, Free Law Project, American Governance Institute, Lawyers for Good Government, Public Citizen, and Stand Up America.  
    As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Welch continues to push for transparency and ethics reform at the U.S. Supreme Court. Last year, Senator Welch led his colleagues in introducing the High Court Gift Ban Act, bicameral legislation that would ban Supreme Court Justices from receiving gifts valued at over $50 and help strengthen ethical standards of the Supreme Court. In October 2011, Senator Welch joined 45 of his then-House colleagues in sending a letter to the House Judiciary Committee urging the investigation of outstanding ethical questions surrounding the court. 
    Read and download the full text of the SCERT Act. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Building on Previous Success Bringing Investments Home to Illinois, Duckworth Returns to Taiwan to Help Bring Jobs to our State

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    May 29, 2025

    [TAIPEI, TAIWAN] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) traveled to Taiwan this week to underscore Illinois’s preparedness for additional international investments similar to those she’s already successfully secured in her previous international travels. On this trip, Duckworth met with the Island’s representatives, economic leaders and corporate and business leaders to highlight how Illinois is an ideal location for Taiwanese business expansion. Photos from Taiwan are available on the Senator’s website.

    “In Taiwan this week I’m continuing my work of championing Illinois abroad,” Duckworth said. “Illinois is ideally situated for greater investment from international business—we’re already a hub of agriculture, manufacturing and transportation, and in the coming years we’re going to be a national and international leader for quantum technology. As I’ve traveled across Asia and Europe, I’m proud I’ve been successful in promoting Illinois on a global level and bringing home investment, and I hope to continue that success after this trip.”

    During Duckworth’s visit she met with Hon Hai Research Institute, the research division of the microelectronics manufacturer, which recently visited Chicago to learn more about Illinois’s growing quantum and microelectronics industry. Duckworth also met with leaders including President Lai Ching-te, Vice President Hsiao Bi-Khim, Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung, Defense Minister Wellington Koo and National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu.

    As a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Duckworth has extensively championed Illinois abroad. In Taiwan previously she helped secure a commitment from Taiwan to purchase an estimated $2.6 billion of Illinois’s corn and soybeans, and following an official visit to Japan, Japan announced a regulatory change that will lead to an increase in imports from U.S. biofuel producers, supporting our farmers and growing Illinois’s economy. Since becoming a member of SFRC Duckworth has also traveled to Laos and Vietnam, Sweden and the Netherlands, Romania and the United Kingdom and the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.

    Following her meetings in Taiwan, Duckworth is now continuing onto Singapore for this year’s Shangri-la Dialogue.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER WARNS: UNDER CLEAN ENERGY TAX HIKE IN GOP PLAN THAT PASSED HOUSE LAST WEEK, NEW YORK COULD LOSE A STAGGERING 20,000+ JOBS & SEE HIGHER MONTHLY ENERGY BILLS; SENATOR SOUNDS ALARM AND DEMANDS…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Last Week, The House GOP Rushed To Pass Trump’s Tax Giveaway To Billionaires, That Guts Food Assistance And Medicaid, AND Also Kills The Fed Clean Energy Investments NY Companies Are Using To Lower Energy Costs, Create Good-Paying Union Jobs & Bring Manufacturing Back From China

    Since The Inflation Reduction Act Passed Three Years Ago, NY Companies Have Announced Over $5 BILLION In Clean Manufacturing Investments Creating Thousands Of Good-Paying Jobs From Long Island To Buffalo; Senator Warns What Will Happen If GOP Doesn’t Back Off Plan To Kill Clean Energy And Manufacturing

    Schumer: Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Is An Ugly Mess That Means Bigger Electric Bills & Big Job Losses For New York

    Just a week after House Republicans passed Trump’s devastating bill to kill clean energy incentives so they could give tax breaks to billionaires, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer revealed how tax hikes on clean energy tucked in the bill would be a gut punch to New York’s economy.

    Schumer said new data studies from NERA Economic Consulting shows that repealing the clean energy tax credits could cause New York to lose up to 20,300 jobs as clean energy projects are cancelled or scaled back due to lack of incentive, with a whopping nearly $3.5 billion hit to the state’s GDP and New Yorkers paying up to $650 in higher energy costs each year by 2032 if these devastating cuts become law.

    “Higher energy bills and many thousands fewer jobs, that’s what New York gets under Trump’s reckless tax bill, which is a giveaway to billionaires and corporations. Already, thousands of New Yorkers were making improvements to their homes to lower their electric bills and make their homes warmer in the harsh winters, now they lose all that support. Thousands of new jobs building clean energy projects in every corner of the state and bringing manufacturing back from China will all be vaporized by the GOP’s ugly budget bill. It is a gut punch to New York and a gift to China, which wants to dominate clean energy manufacturing,” said Senator Schumer. “Losing these clean energy projects means losing cheaper electricity for families and businesses. We need more energy production from many sources including wind and solar and water; we need America to be energy independent and to manufacture clean energy technology here, not overseas, and eliminating these tax credits radically and irresponsibly rolls back all the progress we have made in recent years. It turns America’s clean energy boom into a bust.”

    Schumer explained that the bill which passed the Republican House last week would kill clean energy incentives created in the Inflation Reduction Act, these tax credits are already benefiting hundreds of New York businesses with ongoing projects and families who are using them to help improve their homes and lower their electric bills. These cuts are broad and deep to New York’s clean energy sector, Schumer specifically highlighted how the bill would:

    • Eliminates the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit, which provides families in New York up to $3,200 to help weatherize their homes for better protection in the harsh winters and make improvements to make their homes more energy efficient to lower their electric bills with qualifying items like doors, windows, better insulation and heat pumps.
    • Eliminates the Residential Clean Energy Credit, which gives New York families a 30% discount on home energy improvements, like solar panels, heat pumps, or energy storage, that help lower energy bills and keep the lights on during power outages.
    • Eliminates the Clean Electricity Investment & Production Credits that support more cheap, clean electricity. With natural gas turbines on a five-year delay, the IRA’s clean electricity tax credits have ensured a robust buildout of wind and solar power while helping keep electricity prices from increasing and spurring demand for American-made energy products.
    • Sabotages the Advanced Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit that has generated a more than five-fold increase in investment in manufacturing in the solar and EV supply chains, creating thousands of jobs and shifting these industries out of China to the U.S.
    • Eliminates the IRA’s Electric Vehicle Tax Credits that make it cheaper to buy new and used electric and plug-in hybrid cars, and has led to a massive onshoring of EV and battery supply chain manufacturing, undercutting China and bolstering American companies.
    • Eliminates the New Energy-Efficient Home Credit that makes it cheaper to build new, highly efficient and affordable homes, expanding the housing supply while reducing energy costs.
    • Eliminates the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit that supports American-made clean hydrogen, led by New York companies like Plug Power and Air Products, to be used for clean manufacturing and agriculture.

    Schumer said that clean energy investments from the Inflation Reduction Act have created the biggest clean energy boom in American history, but now with many of these core provisions being clawed back or eliminated it risks all the progress that has been made in New York and across the country. The senator said if NY energy projects are forced to stop or scale back, energy costs would increase for families and businesses across the country. With electricity demand surging in New York and across the country, clean energy sources like wind and many other sources of clean power are often the most efficient sources of new electricity, much cheaper than traditional alternatives like natural gas and oil. NERA Economic Consulting estimates costs for New York families could increase by $650 a year, as the Republican plan to gut the clean electricity production and investment tax credits makes it more expensive to provide more electricity, while simultaneously killing the Residential Clean Energy and Energy Efficient Home Improvement tax credits makes it more costly for families to make their homes more efficient and reduce their energy bills.

    Schumer added, “Democrats are united in opposing this cruel and counterproductive bill, and these ill-conceived elimination of energy tax credits so they can put more money in the pockets of billionaires. We need the GOP to block these cuts, otherwise it will be American families and our manufacturing future paying the price.”

    The Clean Economy Tracker estimates the Inflation Reduction Act’s incentives have spurred over $5 billion worth of investments in clean manufacturing in New York, creating over 7,200 jobs. Schumer said if this House Republican plan goes through, many of the clean energy projects spurred by the IRA could be forced to scale back or even stop and the workers building the future of American energy would be laid off, and projects that otherwise would have come online will never come to fruition. That would impact both major NY employers and manufacturers in the clean energy, manufacturing, electric vehicle, battery, research sector and our small businesses. One example is Geothermal Works in the Hudson Valley, a small Westchester based family business with that helps homes get updated with heat pumps and geothermal systems to lower their electric costs, who said that if the current clean energy cuts go through in the GOP bill it would shutter their business and force them into early retirement.

    Below are just some examples of projects spurred by the Inflation Reduction Act in New York State that show why eliminating these provisions could be so harmful:

    • Off Long Island, Equinor invested $5 billion in building a massive offshore wind farm project, Empire Wind, that will provide power for hundreds of thousands of homes in New York State, and is supported by tax credits for offshore wind projects created by the Inflation Reduction Act .
    • In the Capital Region, Plug Power invested $125 million in a new green hydrogen fuel cell factory in 2023, creating new good paying jobs to boost production of clean hydrogen fuel cells with support from the Fuel Cell Production Tax Credit. Additionally, the company is poised to harness the Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act, to spur further growth both in the Capital Region and at Plug’s Henrietta, NY Gigafactory in the Finger Lakes that manufactures Electrolyzers. GE Vernova invested $50 million in a new manufacturing line for its onshore wind business in 2023, hiring 200 new workers with support from a production tax credit for U.S. wind turbine manufacturing created by the Inflation Reduction Act.
    • In Western New York, Viridi Parente a fast growing company on Buffalo’s East Side has added hundreds of good-paying jobs growing the domestic battery manufacturing industry with support from clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act, such as the Advanced Manufacturing Production tax credit. Solar Liberty Energy Systems and PanelClaw are installing thousands of solar panels at homes and businesses. Solar Liberty Energy Systems is helping customers navigate available federal clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce the burden of installation costs while PanelClaw is producing racking systems with help from the American Domestic Manufacturing Bonus tax credit created by the Inflation Reduction Act.

    Since Trump was elected, approximately $14 billion worth of manufacturing projects have been outright cancelled, representing more than 13,000 jobs lost. If the GOP plan to raise taxes on energy goes through, those cancellations could balloon to threaten more than $800 billion in private investment in domestic clean energy made in the past three years across the country, according to the Clean Investment Monitor. NERA Economic Consulting estimates that New York could lose an estimated 20,300 jobs if these tax breaks are killed. Schumer said the House Republican bill would repeal the very parts of the Inflation Reduction Act that have helped companies grow in New York and spurred millions of investments, many of which are in Republican districts.

    Repealing the clean energy tax incentives would also be a disaster for America and Schumer said that would cede energy manufacturing leadership to China, which already produces a significant amount of the world’s clean technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries. If companies can no longer support clean energy manufacturing in the United States, they will bring these projects to America’s competitors, and jobs that would’ve otherwise been created in America will be created in countries like China. This will destabilize American supply chains and make American families and businesses reliant on China for cheap energy.

    “No matter which way you slice it, the House Republican bill is bad news for New Yorkers. Shutting down projects, killing jobs, and increasing electricity bills would be devastating for our state, which is why we need Republicans to stand up to this bill to save investments in homegrown American energy,” concluded Schumer.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyoming Army Guard 2-300th Field Artillery Regiment Returns Home (Cheyenne)

    Source: US State of Wyoming

    Cheyenne, WY – The Wyoming National Guard invites media representatives to cover the second of two groups of redeploying Soldiers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 300th Field Artillery Regiment.  Details are further below.

    The 2-300th deployed last summer to several Middle Eastern countries to support Operations Spartan Shield and Inherent Resolve.

    This deployment marked their eighth deployment in the past 20 years.  While earlier deployments for the command typically saw only portions of the unit depart, this mission represented the first time the battalion had deployed as an entire command for a field artillery mission since the Korean War.

    Overall, more than 360 2-300th Soldiers deployed, representing batteries headquartered in the Wyoming communities of Torrington, Gillette, Lander and Casper.

    Returning 2-300th Soldiers will be greeted by senior WY National Guard and government leadership on the tarmac as they debark the aircraft at the Casper-Natrona County International Airport before departing for home with their families and loved ones.

    Event Details:

    • Time and Date: 1:30pm (approx.), May 30th, 2025.
    • Location: Casper-Natrona County International Airport, 8410 Airport Pkwy, Casper, WY 82604
    • Program: Returning Soldiers will deplane and be greeted by senior command and government leadership before departing the airport with families and loved ones.
    • Contact: For more information and to RSVP, please contact the Wyoming National Guard, Chris Hyde, at 443-883-2698, or email at wyoguard@gmail.com.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: DHS Condemns Biden Administration Failures in the Wake of the Lahaina, Hawaii Fires

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Report reveals 1 in 6 survivors were forced to engage in sexual acts in exchange for basic necessities like food and housing

    WASHINGTON – A new report about the aftermath of the August 2023 Lahaina, Hawaii, fires reveals FEMA’s horrific neglect and mismanagement under the Biden Administration.   

    According to the report, issued by Filipino Hawaiian advocacy group Tagnawa, conditions for survivors in the aftermath of the fire were both appalling and inhumane. 1 in 6 survivors were forced to engage in sexual acts in exchange for basic necessities like food and housing and some women had to sleep in cars because they felt unsafe in FEMA-coordinated shelters. 

    “1 in 6 survivors of the Lahaina Fires were forced to engage in sexual acts in exchange for basic necessities like food and housing. These women — our fellow American citizens — were so desperate for food that they had to resort to such extreme measures just to feed themselves in our own country. That’s unacceptable. That is unAmerican,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “While American citizens from Hawaii to North Carolina suffered, Biden and Mayorkas used FEMA as a piggy bank, spending hundreds of millions of American taxpayer dollars to housing illegal aliens, including at the Roosevelt Hotel that served as a Tren de Aragua base of operations and was used to shelter Laken Riley’s killer.” 

    This is yet another outrageous example of the gross mismanagement and poor treatment of Americans under the prior administration. 

    This will never happen again under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Noem.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Kyrgyzstan: Detention of Kloop media staff intensifies crackdown on independent journalism

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Reacting to the security service raids on Kloop Media and the detention and interrogation of its current and former staff members, including cameraman Aleksandr Aleksandrov, journalist Abdil Aitbay Tegin and former employee Zhoomart Duulatov, by the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) in Bishkek, Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, said:

    “The detention of Kloop journalists is yet another stark example of how Kyrgyzstan’s security apparatus is being used to crush dissent and dismantle independent journalism. These actions are clearly intended to intimidate critical voices.”

    “Detaining journalists for their work, denying access to legal counsel and carrying out warrantless searches of homes violates both Kyrgyzstan’s own legal obligations and international human rights standards. These arrests are part of a broader, intensifying campaign of harassment against media outlets that dare to report on corruption and abuse of power.

    Detaining journalists for their work, denying access to legal counsel and carrying out warrantless searches of homes violates both Kyrgyzstan’s own legal obligations and international human rights standards

    Marie Struthers, Amnesty International’s Director for Eastern Europe and Central Asia

    “The Kyrgyzstani authorities must immediately release Aleksandr Aleksandrov, Zhoomart Duulatov and Abdil Aitbay Tegin, and end the persecution of Kloop Media and other independent media outlets and professionals.”

    Background

    On 28-29 May, GKNB officers conducted coordinated raids in Bishkek and Osh, targeting current and former staff of the independent outlet Kloop Media, known for its investigative journalism and anti-corruption reporting. At least eight individuals were taken for questioning, among them journalists Aiday Erkebaeva, Zyyagul Bolot-kyzy, Aleksandr Aleksandrov and Abdil Aitbay Tegin, and former editorial staff Zara Sydygalieva and Zhoomart Duulatov.

    According to their lawyer, authorities denied the detainees access to legal counsel for more than six hours. Aleksandrov and Duulatov remained in custody for 48 hours, reportedly facing accusations of “inciting mass unrest” and alleged links to “anti-state activities,” though no formal charges have been disclosed.

    In February 2024, a Bishkek court ordered the liquidation of the Kloop Media Foundation, citing claims that its reporting “undermines trust in government institutions.” The outlet has since been blocked in Kyrgyzstan but continues publishing. In January that year, 11 journalists associated with the Temirov Live media project, another independent media outlet, were arrested, with two receiving prison sentences of up to six years for their reporting.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Lead the Charge to Establish Binding Code of Ethics for U.S. Supreme Court

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)

    May 29, 2025

    Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act would require the Supreme Court to adopt a binding and enforceable code of ethical conduct; Congress, the executive branch, all lower federal courts, and every state supreme court have ethics guardrails and a mechanism for enforcing ethics rules

    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today they joined their colleagues to reintroduce the bicameral Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency (SCERT) Act. The legislation would require Supreme Court justices to adopt a binding code of conduct and create a mechanism to investigate alleged violations of the code of conduct and other laws. Led by U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and U.S. Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA), the SCERT Act would improve disclosure and transparency when a justice has a connection to a party or amicus before the Court, end the practice of justices ruling on their own conflicts of interests, and require justices to explain their recusal decisions to the public.

    “All Supreme Court justices should be held to a binding code of ethics, just like all other federal judges, the executive branch, and Members of Congress,” said Merkley. “Thanks to the Federalist Society, the highest court in the land has become compromised, pushing a right-wing, corporate viewpoint above all else. To restore a government in service of the people—not the powerful—it’s clear we need to pass the Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act.”

    “It’s imperative the U.S. Judicial Branch serve its Constitutional duty to uphold laws set by Congress, not accept lavish gifts from constituents scheming to curry favor with the court,” said Wyden. “I’ve been watchdogging Clarence Thomas’ unethical acceptance of gifts and sounding the alarm that he and any other judge who won’t recuse themselves in cases where they have a vested interest are compromising their oaths to defend the Constitution. If they won’t recuse themselves, we must prevent any egregious breach of ethics by passing the Supreme Court Ethics, Recuse and Transparency Act.”

    In the last two years, reporting from ProPublica and the New York Times has exposed Justice Clarence Thomas’s long record of accepting undisclosed gifts from politically active right-wing billionaires. Further reporting from ProPublica found that Justice Samuel Alito accepted private jet travel to an all-expenses-paid vacation from a hedge fund billionaire who had contributed over $80 million to Republican political organizations and had business before the Court. Justice Alito’s luxury vacation was organized by Leonard Leo, the engineer of the current right-wing Supreme Court supermajority at the behest of a cadre of right-wing billionaires and special interests.

    The SCERT Act would address these ethical shortfalls and help restore Americans’ faith in the judicial branch. The bill would:

    Develop a Process for Enforcement of a Code of Conduct

    • Require the Supreme Court to adopt a code of conduct within 180 days;
    • Require the Supreme Court to publish its code of conduct and any other rules or procedures related to ethics, financial disclosure, and judicial misconduct;
    • Require the Supreme Court to create a transparent process for the public to submit ethics complaints against the justices, and for a random panel of chief judges from the lower courts to investigate and make recommendations based on those complaints;
    • Require safeguards modeled on the lower courts’ complaints process to deter and punish frivolous ethics complaints.

    Improve Gift Rules and Transparency

    • Require the Supreme Court to adopt rules requiring disclosure of gifts, travel, and income received by justices and law clerks that are at least as rigorous as the House and Senate disclosure rules;
    • Require the rules for what gifts justices can accept to be as restrictive as Congress’;
    • Require greater disclosure of amicus curiae funding;
    • Require parties and amici curiae before the Supreme Court to disclose any recent gifts, travel, or reimbursements they’ve given to a justice;
    • Require parties and amici curiae before the Supreme Court to disclose any lobbying or money they spent promoting a justice’s confirmation to the Court.

    Strengthen Recusal Requirements

    • Create new recusal requirements governing gifts, income, or reimbursements given to judges;
    • Create new recusal requirements governing a party’s lobbying or spending money to campaign for a judge’s confirmation;
    • Ensure that requests for a judge to recuse are reviewed by a panel of randomly selected, impartial judges, or by the rest of the justices at the Supreme Court;
    • Require written notification and explanations of recusal decisions;
    • Require the judiciary to develop rules explaining when a judge’s connection to an amicus curiae brief might require recusal; and
    • Require the Federal Judicial Center to study and report to Congress every two years on the extent to which the judiciary is complying with recusal requirements.

    A recent report from Senator Whitehouse found every state supreme court (or equivalent high court) subjects its judges or justices to ethics reviews—similar to the processes that apply to all federal judges except the Supreme Court under the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act. The SCERT Act would eliminate this loophole by establishing an ethics review process for the Supreme Court.

    Congress has an appropriate and well-established role in oversight of the judiciary and updating ethics laws that apply to federal officials, including federal judges and justices. Congress passed the Ethics in Government Act and judicial recusal law, which expressly apply to Supreme Court justices. Congress created through statute the Judicial Conference, which administers financial disclosure laws for the entire judiciary. Congress also has the authority to regulate and make exceptions to which cases justices can hear, outside of a small category of cases required by the Constitution.

    In addition to Merkley and Wyden, the legislation was cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Richard Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Peter Welch (D-VT).

    The legislation was endorsed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), Fix the Court, Public Citizen, Demand Justice, Accountable.US/Accountable.NOW, Common Cause, End Citizens United/Let America Vote, New York City Bar Association, People’s Parity Project, League of Conservation Voters, Court Accountability Action, Free Law Project, American Governance Institute, Lawyers for Good Government, and Stand Up America.

    Full text of the bill is available by clicking here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Opens Disaster Loan Outreach Center in Hardy

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today the opening of a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) in Sharp County to assist small businesses, private nonprofit (PNP) organizations and residents who sustained economic losses and physical damage from severe storms, tornadoes and flooding occurring April 2-22.

    Beginning Friday, May 30, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center in Hardy to answer questions and assist with the disaster loan application process. No appointment is necessary, walk-ins are welcome. Those who prefer to schedule an in-person appointment in advance can do so at appointment.sba.gov.

    The center’s hours of operation are as follows:

    SHARP COUNTY
    Disaster Loan Outreach Center
    Hardy Fire Station
    203 Church St.
    Hardy, AR  72542

    Opens at 9 a.m., Friday, May 30

    Mondays – Fridays, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
    Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

    “When disasters strike, SBA’s Disaster Loan Outreach Centers perform an important role by assisting small businesses and their communities,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the U.S. Small Business Administration. “At these centers, our SBA specialists help business owners and residents apply for disaster loans and learn about the full range of programs available to support their recovery.”

    Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.

    Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.

    Applicants may be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damage, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows to help protect property and occupants from future disasters.

    The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and private nonprofit organizations impacted by financial losses directly related to these disasters. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.62% for nonprofits, and 2.75% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA determines eligibility and sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to return physical damage applications is July 21, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 23, 2026.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Colorado Recognized for National Climate Leadership, Receiving A-List Top-Status in Environmental Reporting and Data Transparency

    Source: US State of Colorado

    STATEWIDE – CDP, a global non-profit running the world’s only independent environmental disclosure system, named Colorado to its 2024 CDP A-list Thursday. Colorado is one of only two states to receive this designation (out of 92 states and regions that disclosed). In addition, 37 U.S. cities also received the designation, including Aspen, Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, and Lakewood. 

    To receive this top-status A-list recognition, states and local governments had to meet rigorous criteria, including publishing an emissions inventory, a climate risk and vulnerability assessment, and a climate action plan through CDP. A-listers also had to be working to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or sooner and tracking progress toward that goal. 

    Data transparency, quality, and accessibility are key parts of Colorado’s environmental justice strategy. These not only hold Colorado accountable to achieving our goals and addressing historical inequities in disproportionately impacted communities, but also help the state, local governments, and businesses make decisions that reduce emissions, improve air quality, and save Coloradans money. 

    “Colorado is a national leader in climate action, and our data plays an important role. Data helps Colorado to make the right decisions to help save people money and maximize environmental, economic, and health benefits in our communities. We appreciate CDP’s recognition and look forward to demonstrating the ongoing benefits of our climate work,” said Governor Polis. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Westland Insurance unveils essential wildfire guide to prepare for 2025 fire season

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Surrey, BC/Territories of the Coast Salish (Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo, Tsawwassen First Nations), May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As we enter the 2025 wildfire season, with multiple wildfires being monitored across the country, Westland Insurance is releasing an essential guide to wildfire preparedness and recovery to educate Canadians to take immediate steps to safeguard their families, car, homes, and businesses, helping them face the season with greater resilience and confidence. 

    The guide provides practical, easy-to-understand advice on how to prepare for, respond to, and recover from wildfires. It highlights several items for consideration, including:

    • Prevention tips on making homes more fire-resistant by creating a wildfire protection plan, including effective landscaping and securing entry points.
    • Detailed steps for preparing an emergency kit tailored to individual family or business requirements.
    • Suggestions for staying informed with real-time wildfire updates and evacuation notices in each province.
    • AAdvice on actions to take during necessary evacuations and accessing emergency support. 

    Westland Insurance is committed to helping Canadians stay one step ahead this wildfire season. With the release of its wildfire guide, the company is empowering individuals and businesses to take meaningful action before, during, and after a wildfire. Whether it’s reviewing insurance coverage, navigating the claims process, or simply knowing where to start, Westland’s trusted advisors are available to support local communities in protecting what matters most and rebuilding with confidence. 

    Learn more about wildfire preparedness and explore the full range of comprehensive insurance solutions by visiting www.westlandinsurance.ca. 

    – 30 -  

    About Westland Insurance Group   

    Westland Insurance Group is one of the largest and fastest growing insurance brokers in Canada. Trading over $4 billion of premium, Westland continues to expand coast to coast. Westland’s brokers provide expertise and advisory-based services across commercial, personal, employee benefits, farm, and specialty insurance segments. The company’s mission is to protect individuals, businesses, and communities across Canada with trusted advice and tailored insurance solutions. As a Canadian-based company, Westland is proud to support local communities, Canadian jobs, and a strong economy. For more information, please visit westlandinsurance.ca. 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Sierra Leone Woman Peacekeeper Wins Top UN Police Honour | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Superintendent Zainab Gbla of Sierra Leone has been awarded the 2024 UN Woman Police Officer of the Year for her innovative community engagement initiatives that helped strengthen relations between host communities and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). In an area that had no schools when she arrived, she initiated an educational program, providing materials and visual aids for teaching disadvantaged children. She also established a mentorship program for girls. Projects she also initiated to support crop cultivation and livestock sale at the local markets gave the women sustainable sources of income, allowing them to provide for their families and send their children to school in Abyei town.

    Currently serving as UNISFA’s Chief Police Training Officer, Chief Superintendent Gbla spent her teenage years displaced within her home country of Sierra Leone and later as a refugee in Guinea – experiences that motivated her to enter the police service and to empower women affected, like her, by conflict.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mPOOWbiH4M

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes

    Source: European Investment Bank

    EIB

    • EIB Global and Kazakhstan Housing Company sign accord to promote energy-efficient homes in country.
    • Agreement comes in wake of first EU-Central Asia summit. 
    • The company will also benefit from technical assistance provided under the joint EIB and GIZ initiative, FELICITY II. 

    The European Investment Bank’s development arm (EIB Global) and state-owned Kazakhstan Housing Company JSC are teaming up to increase the number of energy-efficient and sustainable homes in Kazakhstan.

    EIB Vice-President Kyriacos Kakouris and Altay Kuzdibayev, chairman of the management board of Kazakhstan Housing Company, signed a memorandum of understanding today in the Kazakh capital Astana for financing to build energy-efficient homes.    

    “We will work closely with Kazakhstan Housing Company to explore financing opportunities for housing projects that meet high energy-efficiency standards,” said EIB Vice-President Kakouris. “The agreement reflects a commitment by the European Union and the bank to deepening our strategic partnership with central Asia. Contributing to the sustainable future of the region through initiatives like this one is a high priority for us.”

    This new accord is part of an initiative – FELICITY II Cities Advisory Facility – undertaken jointly by the EIB and German development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The initiative is supported by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany to support low-carbon investments in countries in eastern Europe and central Asia.  

    “Improving people’s quality of life and developing a modern, comfortable urban environment are the key priorities of Kazakhstan Housing Company. Signing a memorandum with EIB Global is an important step in the implementation of long-term international cooperation initiatives that are in line with both national priorities and global climate challenges. We are confident that this partnership will contribute to the formation of a new standard of housing and the development of sustainable and energy efficient housing projects in Kazakhstan,” said Kazakhstan Housing Company Management Board Chairman Kuzdibayev.

    The memorandum of understanding builds on the first EU-Central Asia summit held in April 2025, when government leaders pledged to strengthen ties between the two regions. During the summit, EIB Global announced plans to expand its strategic investments in sustainable development across central Asia.

    GIZ, which was represented at today’s signing event in Astana, , in cooperation with the German Energy Agency (dena) will offer technical assistance to Kazakhstan Housing Company under FELICITY II.

    Cooperation between the EIB and Kazakhstan Housing Company creates a real opportunity to accelerate the low-carbon transformation of Kazakhstan’s building sector, which accounts for a third of the country’s energy use,” said GIZ Project Director André Fabian. “It will also stimulate the market for energy-efficient construction and foster the uptake of innovative technologies and services.” The signing took place during the Astana International Forum, an annual conference that promotes global dialogue and attracts leaders of governments, international organisations, businesses and academic institutions. At the Forum, EIB Vice-President Kakouris participated in panel discussions on water security, global trade and climate action.

    Background information

    About EIB Global

    The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by the Member States. It finances investments that pursue EU policy objectives.

    EIB Global is the EIB Group’s specialised arm devoted to increasing the impact of international partnerships and development finance, and a key partner of Global Gateway. It aims to support €100 billion of investment by the end of 2027 – around one-third of the overall target of this EU initiative. Within Team Europe, EIB Global fosters strong, focused partnerships alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. EIB Global brings the EIB Group closer to people, companies and institutions through its offices across the world.

    Photos of EIB headquarters for media use are available here

    Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes
    Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes
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    Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes
    Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes
    ©EIB
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    Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes
    Kazakhstan to get EIB Global support for energy-efficient homes
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Focus on Planning Enforcement with new charter adopted

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Members of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee have agreed to adopt the 2025 Planning Enforcement Charter that captures all planning enforcement policy and procedures. It explains how the enforcement process works, the Council’s roles and responsibilities and the service standard that have been set.  

    Building work, engineering works or the use of buildings or land for an alternative use, in planning legislation, is known as ‘development’. Some smaller scale development does not require planning permission however, most does. Sometimes, “developers” (which can be a company or individual and includes householders) undertake work without the benefit of planning permission or fail to keep to the terms of the permission they have been given.

    Where this happens, the Council has powers to take enforcement action against such unauthorised development, if it considers it is in the public interest to do so.

    Committee Chair, councillor Ken Gowans said: “Planning enforcement is one of the more complex parts of the planning system. The charter clearly explains in detail how the enforcement process works in Highland and includes information about the role that the public play in reporting unauthorised development and assisting us to investigate breaches of planning control.

    He added: “The Charter will ensure that our procedures are fair, reasonable, consistently applied, and transparent. It will also mean all interested parties are fully aware of the procedures involved in the process, the powers available to us as a Council and equally importantly the limits of those powers.”

    The Council regularly monitors progress of development to ensure planning controls are being followed. Given the size of the Council area, there is also a role for the pubic in alerting the Council to any problems that they become aware of.

    The committee also noted progress being made to enhance the Council’s Enforcement Team. There will be 4 full-time Planning Enforcement Officers working under the Principal Planning Enforcement Officer. The team will be supported by  3 access officers, on a part-time basis, whose role is to gather information to assist planning enforcement officers as well as to investigate some potential breaches of planning control.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Highland Council Showcases Regional Strengths at UKREiiF 2025

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    The Highland Council has taken part in the UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) 2025 in Leeds, joining forces with the Scottish Cities Alliance to spotlight Scotland’s collective strengths in sustainable development and innovation. This year marked the Council’s most proactive engagement yet, presenting the Highlands as a region of strategic opportunity within a united national vision.

    As co-host of the ‘Team Scotland’ pavilion, the Council worked alongside partners from across Scotland to highlight the Highlands’ unique contributions to the country’s green economy – particularly in renewable energy, infrastructure, and inclusive growth. The collaborative spirit of the event drew interest from investors, developers, and policymakers eager to explore Scotland’s potential.

    Leader of The Highland Council,  Councillor Raymond Bremner officially opened the “Scotland’s Energy Transition” panel session, setting the tone for a series of forward-looking discussions.

    He said: “UKREiiF 2025 has been an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how the Highlands are contributing to Scotland’s shared ambitions for sustainable investment and inclusive prosperity

     “We’re proud to be part of a national effort that’s not only attracting investment but also delivering real social and environmental value.

    “Attending major events like UKREiiF is a fantastic opportunity to raise the profile of the Highlands on a national and international stage. There’s a real buzz around what’s happening in our region – from renewable energy and the Green Freeport to infrastructure housing – and we’re seeing huge interest from investors and partners who want to be part of that journey. It’s also a chance to champion the incredible businesses and communities that are driving progress here. It’s great to be showcasing the Highlands as a place of ambition, collaboration, and opportunity.”

    Throughout the forum, Highland Council representatives participated in key conversations on energy transition, infrastructure provision, and regeneration. In partnership with Inverness & Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and other Scottish stakeholders, the Council underscored the Highlands’ vital role in helping the UK meet its net zero targets.

    With significant investment already underway and more opportunities emerging, the Council’s presence at UKREiiF 2025 reaffirmed its commitment to working collaboratively to build a resilient, inclusive, and prosperous future for Highland communities—and for Scotland as a whole.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cruise ship levy will mitigate tourism pressures and support infrastructure

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    The Highland Council has issued its support to a Scottish Government proposal to give local authorities the power to create a cruise ship levy in the area.

    A meeting of the council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday (29 May) heard that such a levy could provide additional funds to mitigate the impacts of tourism and ensure the area remains a world leading and sustainable tourism destination.

    Chair of the Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Councillor Ken Gowans, said: “As agreed at today’s E&I Committee, The Highland Council supports the introduction of discretionary powers for local authorities to implement a cruise ship levy, recognising its potential to generate recurring revenue to mitigate tourism-related pressures and sustain local infrastructure.

    “Such a levy would empower communities to reinvest in services and help develop the Highlands as a world-class, sustainable destination all at no cost to Highland Council taxpayers, something everyone across our communities will welcome.

    “Should such powers be granted, the Council will then undertake further extensive analysis and engagement to inform future decision-making.”

    While the growth of the cruise ship sector has been welcomed and contributed to the economy, as with all visitors, cruise ship passengers can place significant pressure on local infrastructure and services.

    The Scottish Government has undertaken a public consultation to seek views on a proposal to provide local authorities with discretionary powers to implement a levy on cruise ships.

    The primary aim of a cruise ship levy is to ensure that local authorities experiencing pressures from the industry have additional funds to address these pressures and help contribute towards a thriving and sustainable tourism sector.            

    If implemented, such powers would be the first in the UK although cruise ship levies are already in place internationally, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dubrovnik and Venice.

    Members agreed that any levy should be based on the number of passengers per ship, and cruise ship operators would be the most suitably placed to collect the levy from passengers for remitting to the local authority.

    The committee said local authorities should decide the rate of any levy, with revenue raised retained and used strategically within that same area. This would enable funds to be dispersed where visitors visit within the implementing local authority area and improve the wider tourist experience.

    The Scottish Government’s consultation also proposes that local authorities with islands be given the power to charge a levy on those arriving to visit an island, regardless of the means of transport by which they arrived.

    In response, The Highland Council has strongly encouraged the Scottish Government to not focus solely on islands and instead to introduce a point of entry levy for all of Scotland, enabling all Scottish local authorities to exercise their discretion to introduce a Point of Entry levy within their geographical boundaries.

    In addition to responding to the Scottish ‘Government’s consultation, The Highland Council is preparing a proposition based on a means of having the ability to charge at points of entry into the Highlands, which will go some way to address the impacts of motorhomes and campervans.

    The Scottish Government’s consultation closes on 30th May 2025.

    • In 2023 passenger numbers to Highland ports reached almost 300,000 and the gross tonnage of cruise vessels hit the 10,000,000 GT mark.
    • Within Highland there are 16 ports and harbours with cruise ship activities. These range in type, size and capacity from the Port of Cromarty Firth in Invergordon, which is a trust port and the busiest cruise ship port in Scotland, to Shieldaig which is a rural municipal harbour accommodating only one or two small cruise ships each year.
    • Scottish Government research indicates that although highly seasonal, significant increases in passenger numbers demonstrate the cruise ship sector is growing three times faster than the rest of the tourism sector.
    • In 2019, 893 cruise ships docked in Scottish ports, carrying 817,000 passengers and by 2024 this had increased to 1,000 cruise ships carrying 1.2 million passengers with the busiest day seeing 9,600 visitors arrive in the Port of Invergordon.
    • Existing levy rates across European ports range from approximately €3-14 per passenger
    • In 2019 The Highland Council engaged in a public visitor levy consultation, the outcome of which resulted in a decision to support ‘in principle’ the introduction of a visitor levy.
    • The consultation found that nearly 70% of respondents believed that cruise ship passengers should be included in a Highland visitor levy, just behind those ‘Overnight Visitors staying in paid accommodation’ (74%) and ‘Motorhome Users (not staying at paid sites)’ (84%).

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Spring legislative session focuses on standing strong for B.C., growing economy

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    In the face of global instability, the first session of the 43rd parliament focused on growing a stronger, more self-sufficient economy that supports good-paying jobs and protecting the services British Columbians rely on.

    “In this time of rapid change and disruption, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than right here in British Columbia,” said Premier David Eby. “We have everything we need to build lasting prosperity, including the abundant natural resources, clean energy and critical minerals and metals the world needs. That’s why we are taking action to leverage our strengths. B.C. will emerge from this global transition as Canada’s economic engine.”

    Key actions during the spring session include:

    Standing strong for B.C. and Canada: Standing up to the Trump administration by passing a new law to respond quickly to tariff threats, including by removing interprovincial trade barriers, pulling American liquor from store shelves and directing government to cancel contracts with U.S. companies and support suppliers from Canada and trusted trading partners.

    Growing the economy and creating good jobs: Expediting major natural-resource and renewable-energy projects in partnership with First Nations equity owners, while passing new laws to get vital public infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, built faster and create good jobs throughout the province. Government also outlined a new vision for mining development in the northwest focused on generating tens of billions of dollars in investment and creating thousands of family-supporting jobs.

    Helping people with costs: Eliminating the consumer carbon tax, while ensuring big polluters pay their fair share. Delivering a fifth ICBC rebate to drivers, while maintaining basic car insurance rates through to 2026, marking six years in a row with no increases. Seniors with low incomes are also receiving more financial help to pay their rent.

    Strengthening health care: Recruiting more doctors, nurses and other health-care professionals from the United States by fast-tracking credential recognition for nurses and launching a targeted marketing campaign, while introducing legislation to prohibit employers from requiring employees who are sick to provide a doctor’s note, freeing doctors to spend more time treating patients.

    This session, the B.C. government also launched the Clean Power Action Plan to harness B.C.’s clean-electricity advantage through a second call for power to power 500,000 homes, building on the first call for power that attracted $6 billion in private-sector investment. In addition, government has opened hundreds of new homes for families, delivered a relief package to tree-fruit growers and made heat pumps more affordable for low- and moderate-income households.

    The legislature has passed 13 pieces of legislation this session, including two members’ bills. The Supply Bill will be introduced and passed on Thursday, May 29, 2025, bringing the total to 14 pieces of legislation. Three other bills will be considered in the fall session.

    “The challenges our province and country faces are best met with a united front,” said Mike Farnworth, government house leader and Minister of Transportation and Transit. “This past session, our government has worked closely with the Green Party caucus to put B.C. first and work together on our shared priorities. We’re removing barriers to interprovincial trade, reducing everyday costs for British Columbians and addressing the shift in the global economy by leveraging our province’s many advantages.”

    Learn More:

    To learn more about the legislation introduced this spring, visit: 
    https://workingforyou.gov.bc.ca/legislation

    To learn more about the government’s new vision for mining development in the northwest, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025PREM0059-000496

    To learn more about the government’s efforts to recruit health-care workers from the U.S., visit: 
    https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025HLTH0020-000443

    To learn more about the Clean Power Action Plan, visit:
    https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025ECS0018-000412

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Medical, Dental and Funeral Assistance for Survivors of May Tornadoes in Kentucky

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Medical, Dental and Funeral Assistance for Survivors of May Tornadoes in Kentucky

    Medical, Dental and Funeral Assistance for Survivors of May Tornadoes in Kentucky

    FRANKFORT, Ky

    – If you sustained injury, illness or death of a loved one due to the severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes from May 16-17 in Kentucky, you may be eligible for medical, dental and/or funeral assistance from FEMA

    Medical/dental assistance can help cover uninsured expenses for medical care related to disaster-caused injury or illness

    This funding can also be used to help replace medical/dental equipment, breastfeeding equipment or prescribed medicine damaged or lost due to the severe storms and tornadoes

    If you had funeral or burial expenses because of the severe storms and tornadoes of May 16-17, funeral assistance may be available from FEMA

    Eligible Funeral ExpensesFEMA’s Other Needs Assistance (ONA) program provides assistance with certain eligible disaster-caused funeral expenses

     Eligible expenses may include cost of transfer of remains, casket or urn, funeral services, death certificates, burial plot, cremation, interment, cost of reinterment if disinterment is caused by the disaster, and/or occurs in a family cemetery on private property

     Eligibility Criteria for Funeral AssistanceTo verify eligibility, FEMA will need:An official state-issued death certificate or a signed statement from a medical examiner, coroner or other certifier stating that the death was directly or indirectly related to the disaster

    Evidence of an unmet funeral expense – a receipt or verifiable estimates for funeral expenses that indicate the applicant incurred, or will incur, eligible interment, reinterment or funeral expenses

    Confirmation that funeral expenses have not been paid using other resources

    By law, FEMA cannot provide you a grant when any other source – Social Security or Veterans Affairs benefits – has covered expenses for the same disaster-related need

    How To Apply for FEMA AssistanceTo request medical/dental or funeral assistance you must first apply with FEMA

    Survivors in Caldwell, Laurel, Pulaski, Russell, Trigg and Union counties who have disaster-caused damage or loss from the May tornadoes can apply for federal disaster assistance under the major disaster declaration DR-4875 in several ways: Online at DisasterAssistance

    gov

    Visit any Disaster Recovery Center

    To find a center close to you, visit fema

    gov/DRC, or text DRC along with your Zip Code to 43362 (Example: “DRC 29169”)

    Use the FEMA mobile app

    Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

    It is open 7 a

    m

    to 10 p

    m

    Eastern Daylight Time

    Help is available in many languages

    If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service

     FEMA works with every household on a case-by-case basis

    For more information about Kentucky tornado recovery, visit www

    fema

    gov/disaster/4875

    Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x

    com/femaregion4

     
    martyce

    allenjr
    Thu, 05/29/2025 – 16:18

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Walmart Family Mobile introduces most affordable plans yet with new features to support families during economic challenges

    Source: Verizon

    Headline: Walmart Family Mobile introduces most affordable plans yet with new features to support families during economic challenges

    NEW YORK – Walmart Family Mobile, a leading prepaid brand powered by Verizon’s award-winning network and available exclusively at Walmart, is proud to introduce its most affordable plans yet, designed to help families stay connected without compromising their budget. With inflation continuing to impact household finances across the country, Walmart Family Mobile helps families save money during times of financial uncertainty.

    New Plans and Features:

    • New $19.88 Plan: Introducing a more affordable entry-level option with 4GB of data, making it easier for families to choose the right plan for their needs–with family plans starting as low as $19.88/month per line. 
    • New $34.88 Plan: A high-value option with 20 GB of high-speed data, giving customers plenty of data to stay connected while staying on budget.
    • Enhanced $24.88/8GB Plan: Offering more data at a competitive price, providing better value for money. 
    • Improved Family Line Pricing: Reduced the price to add a line from $24.88 to $19.88 for customers adding a line on the new plans. Available to new and existing customers.
    • Introducing Family Mobile Peace of Mind For All Plans: Helping families in tough times to stay connected, with up to six (6) times per year of unlimited talk and incoming text messages for just $1/mo plus taxes and fees.
    • Employee Discount: Walmart employees get 33% off all Walmart Family Mobile plans, starting as low as $13.32/month per line.

    Lifeline Value for Families in Need

    Walmart Family Mobile’s Lifeline discount program lowers monthly phone service costs for eligible low-income customers, providing critical and affordable mobile connectivity for families in need. Qualified customers can access plans for as low as $5.88/month in California and $9.88/month in other states, helping ease financial burdens without sacrificing connectivity they can rely on. To further support enrollment and outreach, Walmart Family Mobile will also award grants to community partners to help eligible customers enroll in Lifeline.

    Family Mobile Peace of Mind

    When unexpected challenges arise, Family Mobile Peace of Mind is there to keep families connected to what matters most. The Family Mobile Peace of Mind feature provides up to six months of unlimited talk and incoming text messages for $1/month plus taxes and fees, helping customers stay in touch with loved ones and employers in case of emergency. This feature is available for all customers who have been with Walmart Family Mobile for 90 days or longer.

    “Walmart Family Mobile’s new plans and features underscore our unwavering commitment to supporting families through economic hardships,” said Nancy Clark, President of Verizon Value Brands. “In these challenging times, connectivity is not just a convenience—it’s a necessity. Through these offers and partnerships, we want to make a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most by providing affordable and reliable mobile services.”

    United Way Worldwide and Goodwill Industries International Partnerships

    As part of the brand’s commitment to supporting families, Walmart Family Mobile is also partnering with United Way Worldwide and Goodwill Industries International (GII) to provide resources that connect families to basic needs.

    Walmart Family Mobile will be supporting United Way’s work with 211, a free, 24/7 service that connects individuals to critical local resources, such as Lifeline, with professional Community Resource Specialists handling over 42,000 calls daily in more than 180 languages.

    The brand is also working with GII at both the national and local level:

    • As a keynote sponsor of Goodwill’s Mission Optimization Learning Event, Walmart Family Mobile will equip event attendees with training and resources to benefit over 2,500 Career Navigators across the Goodwill network.
    • Walmart Family Mobile will also provide dedicated funding and support to local Goodwill organizations who serve Atlanta and Los Angeles.
    • To celebrate these new partnerships and reinforce the brand’s commitment to ensuring working families can stay connected, Walmart Family Mobile will also identify two families within the Goodwill network in need of a lifeline and provide them with new devices and 12 months of service at no cost.

    Walmart Family Mobile remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting families through economic challenges by offering affordable and reliable mobile services, because staying connected shouldn’t come at a high cost, especially when it matters most. For more information on Walmart Family Mobile, visit www.myfamilymobile.com.

    About Walmart Family Mobile 

    Walmart Family Mobile provides quality no-contract wireless solutions to value-conscious consumers and is available exclusively at Walmart and Walmart.com. Walmart Family Mobile is part of the Verizon Value portfolio of prepaid brands, which includes Total Wireless, Visible, Tracfone, Simple Mobile, SafeLink, Straight Talk, and Verizon Prepaid. 

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Schrier Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Support Washington Farmers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08)

    WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Kim Schrier, M.D. (WA-08) introduced bipartisan legislation to permanently fix the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) and provide crucial support for Washington farmers and growers. Representatives Rick Larsen (WA-02), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), and John Moolenaar (MI-02) joined Congresswoman Schrier in introducing this bill. 

    “Washington farmers work tirelessly to provide our state and the entire world with high-quality produce. At a time when changes in the climate, input costs, tariffs, and the economy have taken their toll on Washington agriculture, we must ensure that farmers have the scientific research and expertise they need to feed the world,” said Congresswoman Schrier. “This bill will allow Washington State University and other agricultural research institutions access to federal specialty crop research funding without the sometimes impossible hurdle of matching federal funding dollar for dollar. Federal support should make it as easy as possible to pursue scientific endeavors, including research that will sustain our food system and family farms.”

    The SCRI finances research projects that directly benefit Washington farmers. SCRI has funded projects to combat fungicide resistance in wine grapes, prevent pestilence in onions, and improve precision irrigation for fruit growers. Before 2019, the Secretary of Agriculture was able to waive SCRI’s matching funds requirement when it was prohibitively expensive for research institutions, but the 2018 Farm Bill eliminated this authority.

    Congresswoman Schrier’s bill permanently fixes this issue by once again allowing the Secretary of Agriculture to waive the matching requirement. Representative Schrier has long been focused on this issue, having previously introduced similar legislation in past Congresses, and currently leads a bipartisan funding letter to fix this problem on a temporary basis in annual appropriations legislation. 

    “In Northwest Washington, the Specialty Crop Research Initiative empowers farmers to foster innovation and feed the world,” said Congressman Larsen. “Research into berries, spinach, cabbage seed and other specialty crops is a critical part of our region’s economy and character.”

    “Specialty crops are the backbone of the agriculture industry in Central Washington, and our local research institutions play a key role in innovating industry practices,” said Congressman Newhouse. “Ensuring the Specialty Crop Research Initiative is equal access by waiving the matching funds requirement allows our research institutions to equally compete for funding and support a stronger, smarter specialty crop industry. I thank my colleagues for joining this effort as we work to ensure research institutions are equipped to meet the challenges facing the industry.”  

    “Farmers in Michigan’s Second District grow some of the most diverse specialty crops in the nation. Unfortunately, provisions left out of the last Farm Bill put specialty crop farmers at a disadvantage, limiting the availability of critical research to improve irrigation, and protect their harvests,” said Congressman Moolenaar. “Investing in the Specialty Crop Research Initiative is a commonsense, bipartisan proposal to ensure our farmers can continue to grow the apples, cherries, asparagus, and blueberries families enjoy every day.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Minority Leader Harold Jones II Appointed Chairman of Senate Study Committee on Improving Family Caregiver Services

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (May 29, 2025) — Last week, Lt. Governor Burt Jones appointed Minority Leader, Sen. Harold Jones II (D–Augusta), as Chairman of the Senate Study Committee on Improving Family Caregiver Services.

    “I want to thank Lt. Governor Burt Jones for appointing me Chair of the Senate Study Committee on Improving Family Caregiver Services,” said Sen. Jones. “This issue is critically important to families across Georgia. Every day, people across our state bring a loved one home from the hospital and instantly find themselves in the role of a health care provider, often without the training or support they need. Our goal with this committee is to determine how the State can better assist families as they care for their loved ones at home. I look forward to hearing directly from people across Georgia as we work to address this pressing issue.”

    The Senate Study Committee on Improving Family Caregiver Services is tasked with determining policy goals and identifying legislative action to improve family caregiving. Additional Senate members appointed to the committee include Sen. Chuck Hufstetler (R–Rome), Sen. Larry Walker III (R–Perry), Sen. Ben Watson (R–Savannah) and Sen. Kenya Wicks (D–Fayette).

    More information about Senate Study Committees can be found here.

    # # # #

    Sen. Harold V. Jones II serves as the Democratic Leader. He represents the 22nd Senate District, which includes portions of Richmond County. He may be reached at 404.656.0036 or via email at harold.jones@senate.ga.gov.

    For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Microsoft reaches key milestones of its 2030 sustainability goals

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Microsoft reaches key milestones of its 2030 sustainability goals

    Today, Microsoft published its 2025 Environmental Sustainability Report. This report covers our fiscal year 2024, and measures progress against our 2020 baseline. You can read the foreword below and explore the report in its entirety here.

    As Microsoft continues to grow and innovate, our commitment to environmental sustainability remains a core value. This year, we reflect on our progress towards our ambitious 2030 goals: to be carbon negative, water positive, and zero waste, while protecting ecosystems. As we enter the second half of the decade, Microsoft remains steadfast in our dedication to achieving the company’s 2030 environmental sustainability commitments.

    Since we announced our goals in 2020, we have made meaningful progress while seeing major changes in both the technology sector and in our understanding of what it will take to meet our goals. We are learning as we go, and we are proactively working to address sustainability challenges and accelerate solutions. We remain resolute in our commitment not only to meeting our climate goals but also to empowering others with the technology they need to build a more sustainable future.

    At the heart of our approach is an understanding that sustainability is not simply a set of isolated initiatives, but a fundamental principle that must be integrated into every aspect of our business. Our cross-company Climate Council brings together leaders from across Microsoft to drive innovation, accelerate progress, and identify ways to build sustainability into our operations, products, and partnerships.

    We remain pragmatically optimistic because of the promise of new sustainability technologies, innovations in AI, and market solutions that are emerging which can accelerate progress across challenging sectors like steel, concrete, and energy transitions. This annual report is our opportunity to share our learnings to help accelerate these markets, be transparent about our progress, and explore how we can ultimately scale solutions across our value chain.

    We are sharing details about the progress made in each of our core commitment areas: carbon negative, water positive, zero waste, and protecting ecosystems. Our report also highlights a number of our breakthrough innovations, drawing insights from the leading edge of climate innovation.

    Our progress

    In 2020, Microsoft made bold sustainability commitments. At this halfway point to our 2030 goals, we are reaching key milestones and making progress that includes:

    • Ecosystems. In 2022, we met our target of protecting more land than we use by 2025, a target we’ve since exceeded by more than 30%. AI innovation is now driving biodiversity conservation through research efforts led by the AI for Good Lab and tools like the Microsoft Planetary Computer.
    • Zero waste. We exceeded our annual target to divert 75% of construction and demolition waste six years early by diverting 85% of this waste in FY24. We have also surpassed our target for our reuse and recycling rate for servers and components, reaching 90.9%. The Surface Copilot+ PCs now feature our most sustainable packaging design yet. Packaging from over 30,000 server racks was processed through recycling programs in FY24—diverting over 2,500 metric tons of waste from landfills.
    • Water positive. We met our target to provide more than 1.5 million people with clean water and sanitation solutions. We are also on track to replenish more water than we consume across global operations and improve datacenter water use efficiency, including through a new innovative datacenter design that optimizes AI workloads and consumes zero water for cooling to avoid the use of an estimated 125,000 cubic meters annually per facility.
    • Carbon negative. To date, we have contracted 34 gigawatts (GW) of carbon-free electricity (CFE) across 24 countries, about an eighteenfold increase since 2020. We have also entered long-term agreements to procure nearly 30 million metric tons of carbon removal since the start of this program.

    Carbon negative: a marathon, not a sprint

    As we remain focused on sustained progress towards our 2030 goals, it has become clear that our journey towards being carbon negative is a marathon, not a sprint. While our total emissions (Scope 1, 2, and 3) have increased by 23.4% compared to our 2020 baseline due to growth-related factors such as AI and cloud expansion, we are encouraged by the fact that this increase has been modest compared to the 168% increase in energy use and 71% revenue growth that has taken place over the same period.

    For Microsoft to be carbon negative by 2030, we will need to reduce our value chain emissions. Starting with our direct operational emissions, as we shared earlier this year, since 2012 our carbon strategy has included a combination of procuring environmental attributes leveraging our corporate carbon fee and overall carbon emissions reduction efforts. This enabled us to decrease our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 29.9% from our 2020 baseline in FY24. At the same time, as we shift away from procuring non-additional environmental attribute certificates, we recognize that we must also bring more carbon-free electricity onto the grids where we operate.

    We are also implementing strategies to reduce our Scope 3 emissions by 2030, which increased in FY24 by 26% from our 2020 baseline. We are prioritizing addressing these emissions through supplier engagement programs including establishing standards via our Supplier Code of Conduct. Through the latter, select large-scale Microsoft suppliers are required to transition to 100% carbon-free electricity for their delivered goods and services as well as forthcoming guidance, launching in July, to target usage of sustainable aviation fuel, where possible, for Microsoft business-related air travel by 2030. We also remain committed to developing and supporting innovative solutions to reduce emissions from key datacenter and operational inputs including building materials, chips, and fuels, focusing on long-term solutions over short-term stopgaps. To do this, we have been adapting our strategies to use new sustainability technologies and address the challenges of expanding energy demand.

    We see significant progress in several key areas, demonstrating potential for global impact:

    Powering operations with carbon-free electricity (CFE):

    In 2024, Microsoft contracted 19 GW of new renewable energy across 16 countries through power purchase agreements (PPAs), which are central to our carbon reduction strategy, driving down our Scope 2 emissions. Microsoft has taken a first-mover approach to making long-term investments to bring more CFE online.

    We continue to advocate for expanding clean energy solutions globally to support not only our power needs but also those of our supply chain. We are addressing challenges with permitting, interconnection delays, and fluctuating interest rates by innovating through circularity and contracting. For example, we signed groundbreaking PPAs with Engie requiring that 100% of photovoltaic modules will be reused or recycled.

    Transforming datacenters and campuses:

    In FY24, we launched our first datacenters constructed with mass timber, a strong, ultra-lightweight wood in a hybrid construction model. This approach is projected to reduce the embodied carbon footprint of these new datacenters by up to 65% compared to typical precast concrete. We also doubled our rate of power savings and are transitioning from traditional air-cooled datacenters to chip-level liquid cooling designs at all owned datacenters. As the World Economic Forum highlighted in Innovation and Adaptation in the Climate Crisis, “Data-driven and digital technologies are uniquely suited to build adaptive capacity.”

    We believe technology can be a powerful tool to address some of society’s toughest challenges, including environmental sustainability. As demand for AI and cloud services grows, we are advancing how we design, build, and operate our datacenters and campuses. Decarbonizing the built environment is a crucial element in this process.

    Accelerating carbon removal initiatives:

    In FY24, Microsoft signed long-term agreements to procure more carbon removal than all previous years combined, achieving nearly 22 million metric tons in contracts for carbon removal. We are committed to helping build the markets we buy from, translating leading science into commercial innovation and regularly updating our Criteria for High-Quality Carbon Dioxide Removal. We also know we cannot accelerate this market alone, which is why we co-founded the Symbiosis Coalition with industry partners. The Symbiosis Coalition is targeting up to 20 million metric tons of high-quality, nature-based carbon removal credits by 2030.

    Improving operational efficiency and logistics:

    In FY24, among facilities that manufacture devices for Microsoft, we saw a tenfold increase over the previous year in transitions to 100% CFE. This was accomplished, in part, by partnering with 3Degrees to launch the Supplier REach portal to support suppliers making their CFE transition. Our drive to reduce datacenter emissions extends to transforming the logistics operations of these facilities.

    Through strategic partnerships and targeted initiatives, Microsoft continues to reduce emissions across transportation, warehousing, and the broader logistics supply chain, setting new benchmarks for operational efficiency and environmental impact. We adopted alternative fuels and electric vehicles to reduce emissions, collaborating with several leading logistics service providers (LSPs).

    Renewable diesel is now in use in our road freight operations in Europe and California, cutting emissions by 50% for these shipments while keeping existing equipment in use. We also have partnered with airlines and shipping lines to expand the use of sustainable aviation and marine fuels. These efforts have reduced emissions by over 17,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions, comparable to avoiding the combustion of nearly 40,000 barrels of oil.[1]

    Accelerating global solutions

    At Microsoft, we understand that driving meaningful sustainability progress goes beyond our own practices and requires global collaboration, investment, and innovation. Across our operations, we are working to empower customers, build impactful partnerships, and invest in breakthrough solutions that drive progress worldwide.

    • Investing in innovation: A hallmark of this effort has been our Climate Innovation Fund (CIF)—our $1 billion commitment set in 2020 to advance innovation beyond Microsoft’s four walls. To date, CIF has made significant investments in innovative climate technologies including commercial direct air capture technologies, sustainable aviation fuel, industrial decarbonization, and more. CIF has invested over $793 million in capital in new climate technologies, expanding to 63 investments across CFE, sustainable fuels, carbon removal, and advanced building materials.
    • Empowering customers: We help customers and organizations centralize, analyze, and act on their data with AI-powered platforms for advanced analytics and reporting insights. For example, the Howden Resilience Laboratory supported by Microsoft and our Planetary Computer uses technology and data platforms to help investors understand climate risks to critical infrastructure, improve resilience, and contribute to better-informed investment decisions.
    • Partnering for impact: Partnering to scale our impact is a critical component of our sustainability efforts. Today GitHub fosters a thriving community that is home to over 150 million developers and 60,000 climate-focused open-source projects, advancing climate technology, greener software, and device sustainability. Xbox has made significant investments not only to reduce the environmental footprint associated with the production of our devices, accessories, and console packaging, but also to reduce the energy usage of the console itself. For example, Xbox became the first console to release a dedicated energy consumption and carbon emissions measurement tool designed for game creators.
    • Accelerating AI for sustainability: Our AI for Good Lab, sustainability science, and research teams collaborate globally to accelerate solutions and develop climate resilience with AI. For example, we have partnered with the United Nations to apply AI to climate challenges through programs like the Early Warnings for All initiative, which seeks to better understand which populations may be at risk of extreme weather events and other threats. By sharing our progress, tools, and learnings with the world, we aim to accelerate the pace of innovation, improve overall operational efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and find new solutions with long-term results.

    Sustained momentum and future impact

    There is no issue today that connects everyone on the planet more than climate change. As we strive to build a more sustainable future, we remain inspired by the dedication of our employees and partners and committed to transparency, accountability, and collaboration.

    While the road to a sustainable future is challenging and not linear, we are encouraged by the progress we have made in FY24. By strategically focusing on CFE, carbon removal, water stewardship, waste reduction, and ecosystem protection, we are building an efficient, sustainable engine that drives us closer to our commitments.

    We encourage you to read further to learn more about our progress and learnings across all of these areas, and we look forward to engaging in continued dialogue as we learn and develop new ways to help us meet our goals. We will continue to adapt our strategies, utilize emerging sustainability markets, and scale innovative technologies for even greater impact.

    We recognize that achieving our ambitious goals requires sustained momentum, and we are dedicated to driving that momentum forward.

    [1] This estimate is calculated based on the EPA estimate of the typical passenger vehicle emitting 4.6 tons of carbon dioxide per year.

    Tags: Environmental Sustainability, Environmental Sustainability Report, Microsoft Sustainability Manager, sustainability

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Surge of ICE agreements with local police aim to increase deportations, but many police forces have found they undermine public safety

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By W. Carsten Andresen, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, St. Edward’s University

    A Kinney County sheriff’s deputy arrests an undocumented immigrant who was pulled over in March 2023 in Brackettville, Texas. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

    During his first few months in office, President Donald Trump has been establishing a framework for deporting undocumented immigrants en masse. It’s something he has previously vowed will be “the largest deportation operation in the history of our country.”

    Part of that operation includes what’s known as the federal 287(g) program. Established in 1996, it allows U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, whose work is normally carried out by federal officials, to train state and local authorities to function as federal immigration officers.

    Under 287(g), for example, local police officers can interview people to determine their immigration status. They can also issue immigration detainers to jail people until agents with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement take custody.

    “Illegal immigration has wide-ranging consequences, including a troubling surge of dangerous drugs into our state,” T.K. Waters, sheriff of Jacksonville, Florida, said in a February 2025 statement to explain his office’s participation in 287(g). “We remain committed to partnering with President Trump’s administration and our federal counterparts to secure our borders, protect Floridians, and establish a framework for the rest of the nation to follow.”

    Local police authorities across the country – from Jackson County, Texas, to Frederick County, Maryland – are participating in 287(g) for similar reasons.

    Since Trump began his second term in January, ICE has increased 287(g) agreements from 135 in 25 states in December 2024 to 628 in 40 states as of May 28, 2025.

    As a criminal justice scholar, I believe the surge of 287(g) agreements sets a dangerous precedent for local policing, where forging relationships and building the trust of immigrants is a proven and effective tactic in combating crime. In my view, the expansion of 287(g) will erode that trust and makes entire communities – not just immigrants – less safe.

    Past federal-local cooperation

    There is a long history of federal authorities collaborating with local police to enforce immigration laws.

    During the Great Depression, federal officials blamed Latinos for taking American jobs, and local agencies helped them deport up to 1.8 million people to Mexico. It’s estimated that 60% of those deported were U.S. citizens.

    In the early 1930s, local police participated in immigration raids in California and other states. As author Adam Goodman details in his book “The Deportation Machine,” state and local government agencies, including social workers, welfare agencies and police, acted as “de facto immigration agents.”

    Trump’s mass deportation plan mirrors President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s 1954 federal immigration initiative, which resulted in 1.3 million deportations.

    As author Natalia Molina notes in her book “How Race is Made in America,” local police often served as “immigration cops” in Eisenhower’s program because the federal government “did not have enough agents to cover such a large territory” as the U.S.

    During his two terms, President Barack Obama deported over 5 million people and used the 287(g) program to help him do that, primarily to target jailed or recently arrived undocumented people. Obama’s use of 287(g) peaked at 76 agreements during his first term but dropped to 35 during his second term.

    A Justice Department investigation launched in 2008 found the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona engaged in unconstitutional law enforcement actions against Latinos. The Justice Department found that the sheriff’s office engaged in a pattern of “unlawful seizures, including unjustified stops, detentions, and arrests, of Latinos in violation of the Fourth Amendment.”

    Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio looks on as inmates are moved in Phoenix, Ariz., in April 2009.
    Joshua Lott/Getty Images

    Power of local policing

    Forty states have adopted 287(g) agreements as of May 2025.

    This could have effects outside of the immigration laws.

    In the past 45 years, many law enforcement professionals in urban areas have highlighted the importance of forging relationships and building trust with immigrant communities. That’s because the police depend on the participation of all citizens to prevent crime and solve criminal investigations.

    But police departments across the U.S. have found that 287(g) partnerships erode that trust.

    In 1979, Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates created Special Order 40 that prohibited local officers from enforcing immigration laws in response to community complaints alleging discrimination against Latinos. Gates issued the order “to encourage immigrants to cooperate with police and build community trust.”

    Other large police departments followed. In places such as Chicago and San Francisco, they shifted focus from helping federal immigration officials to prioritizing community relationships.

    William Bratton, who led six police departments, including in Boston, Los Angeles and New York, criticized 287(g) in a 2009 op-ed. He said that deputizing local officers to enforce immigration laws immediately “undermines their core public safety mission.”

    Conservative police scholar George Kelling, co-author of the broken windows theory, which presumes that visible signs of disorder can lead to crime, also expressed support for local police agencies prioritizing their community relationships.

    In a 1999 study, Kelling highlighted a San Diego police memo announcing its refusal to enforce federal immigration laws. The San Diego Police Department, he wrote, “thought through its values, mission, and functions and elaborated a policy that put public safety and harmony above aggressive attempts to ferret out undocumented aliens.”

    During Trump’s first administration, some police chiefs echoed Bratton and Kelling. They warned that employing local officers to enforce immigration measures could spark fear and damage public safety.

    Former Seattle Police Chief Kathleen O’Toole stated in 2016 that Seattle police officers were prohibited from “inquiring about a person’s immigration status.”

    And former Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn announced in 2016 that his department does not enforce immigration law.

    He added, “It is our opinion, our strongly held belief that our responsibility is to protect the residents of our city. To protect them, they must trust us, they must be willing to report crimes, they must be willing to be witnesses.”

    A Cameron County sheriff’s officer puts handcuffs on a suspected undocumented immigrant detained during a traffic stop in South Texas.
    Robert Daemmrich Photography Inc/Corbis via Getty Images

    Consequences of 287(g)

    President Trump has frequently linked immigrants with higher crime rates, calling them murderers and rapists.

    But multiple studies have found that undocumented people commit fewer crimes than U.S. citizens.

    Although the Trump administration is expanding the use of local police in immigration enforcement, research casts doubt on using mass deportation as a crime reduction strategy.

    A 2018 study on 287(g) from the libertarian Cato Institute found no evidence that ICE-led partnerships with local police decreased crime rates.

    And a 2014 study on the Secure Communities Program, which calls for local police agencies to share arrestee information with federal immigration officials, found that this program has “no discernible impact” on crime in medium and large municipalities.

    The Trump administration’s expansion of 287(g) ignores the shift that some big city police departments have made away from immigration enforcement in favor of community policing. And I believe it threatens to undermine the relationship between local police and the increasingly diverse communities they serve.

    W. Carsten Andresen was employed in the past (2000-2003) at The Police Institute, a Rutger’s University Think Tank run by George L. Kelling.

    – ref. Surge of ICE agreements with local police aim to increase deportations, but many police forces have found they undermine public safety – https://theconversation.com/surge-of-ice-agreements-with-local-police-aim-to-increase-deportations-but-many-police-forces-have-found-they-undermine-public-safety-255937

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Lawler, Riley Introduce Bill to Support Veterans Exposed to PFAS

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

    Washington, D.C. – 5/29/25… Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) and Congressman Josh Riley (NY-19) introduced the VET PFAS Act today, bipartisan legislation that ensures veterans and their families exposed to toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) at military installations receive the health care and disability benefits they have earned through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

    The VET PFAS Act will:

    • Designate PFAS exposure as a service-connected condition for affected veterans;

    • Require the VA to provide health care and benefits for medical conditions associated with PFAS exposure;

    • Ensure military families have access to the care and support they need.

    “Our veterans have sacrificed so much in defense of our freedoms. We must honor that sacrifice with concrete action to support them once they’ve come home,” said Congressman Lawler, a member of the Bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force. “Too many of our brave veterans were stationed at military facilities where they were unknowingly exposed to toxic PFAS chemicals. The VET PFAS Act will deliver long-overdue care to those who have already given this nation so much.”

    “In Upstate New York’s 19th District, we have over 30,000 veterans who answered the call to serve our nation, and we owe them more than just our thanks; we owe them the care they need,” said Congressman Josh Riley. “The VET PFAS Act is about stepping up and ensuring these servicemembers and veterans finally get the healthcare and benefits they’ve earned, without further delay.”

    Studies have linked PFAS exposure to serious health risks, including cancer, liver and kidney disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, thyroid disorders, and other chronic conditions. With PFAS contamination documented at more than 700 military bases across the globe, the burden falls disproportionately on veterans and their families.

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

    ###

    Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Housing targets deliver more than 16,000 homes, new priority communities added

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    More people are finding homes as the Province and municipalities boost housing delivery through targets, with new communities joining the program.

    Housing targets have delivered 16,130 net new homes, built across the first 30 priority municipalities. In 2023, the Province implemented the Housing Supply Act, which enabled government to establish housing targets for communities based on areas of greatest need and highest projected growth. Achieving the targets within five years will help communities address projected population growth and local housing demands.

    “I appreciate that these communities in the next group are already making progress in building more housing for people. Setting housing targets allows us to further align with our broader goals as a province,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs. “As we add new communities to the housing targets program to keep up with demand, we will continue to work together with municipalities to make sure more people can find homes that fit their needs and budgets. We’re also delivering real results – more than 16,000 homes have now been built through housing targets and thousands more are on the way.”

    A fourth group of priority communities will soon be given housing targets, after targets were announced in 2024 for the second and third sets of priority communities. Many in the fourth group are already leaders in building more homes. By joining the housing targets program, they will demonstrate that all communities, big and small, have a vital role to play in addressing the housing crisis.

    The group will include Burnaby, Coquitlam, Courtenay, Township of Langley, Langford, Penticton, Pitt Meadows, Richmond, Squamish and Vernon. Targets for these communities will be set following consultation and will reflect 75% of each municipality’s estimated housing need.

    “Burnaby has been proactive in delivering the housing our community needs,” said Mike Hurley, mayor of Burnaby. “By streamlining our planning process and reducing barriers, we’ve increased our housing starts. In 2024, we issued permits for more than 2,300 homes, and so far this year we have issued permits for more than 4,000 more.”

    In addition, to ensure people benefit from more homes being built faster, the Province is expanding the list of communities that may receive housing targets. Twelve communities with high demand, low vacancy rates and limited housing availability are being added to the list. Three of these communities are already included in the fourth set of priority communities receiving targets.

    The new communities joining the list are Coldstream, Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland, Lake Country, Parksville, Peachland, Penticton, Qualicum Beach, Salmon Arm, Summerland, and Vernon. Many of these communities are already taking steps to increase housing supply. Joining the program will support them in accelerating homebuilding and meeting the needs of their growing populations.

    “Over the past two years, Penticton has advanced development by refining key policies and building strong partnerships with industry and community organizations,” said Julius Bloomfield, mayor of Penticton. “These efforts are delivering results, with many new housing units already approved and built. We welcome provincial support to help accelerate solutions that meet the urgent need for housing.”

    Building on the progress of the first 10 communities announced in 2024, which reported more than 8,300 homes built in their first year of targets, six-month progress reports from the second and third sets of priority communities show more than 7,800 net-new homes have been built. Many communities, including Central Saanich, Esquimalt, New Westminster and Kelowna, are trending toward exceeding their first-year housing targets. This shows strong local commitment to building the homes people need and planning for future growth aligned with the Province’s new housing policies.

    “Affordable housing is a top priority for our council, and locally we are taking action, already surpassing 38% of our five-year housing target in the first year,” said Tom Dyas, mayor of Kelowna. “As we increase housing options, we look forward to partnering with the Province to align infrastructure delivery with community growth.”

    Other communities are on track to meet their first-year targets with projects in the works. The Province will continue to support them as they accelerate approvals and meet the new provincial requirements, and will also monitor progress and consider next steps for municipalities that do not meet housing targets.

    The housing targets program is part of the Province’s Homes for People action plan to deliver more homes in B.C., building on its historic $19-billion housing investment. Since 2017, the Province has nearly 92,000 homes delivered or underway throughout B.C.

    Quotes:

    Nathan Pachal, mayor, City of Langley –

    “Langley City is proud to deliver a variety of housing for various needs. With an official community plan that aligns with provincial housing goals, we remain focused on getting homes built while preserving walkability and livability in our city. To support timely, high-quality housing delivery, we will continue to streamline our development processes, which remain among the most efficient in Metro Vancouver.”

    Patrick Johnstone, mayor, New Westminster –

    “Meeting the Province’s one-year housing target demonstrates New Westminster city council’s and staff’s commitment to addressing local needs across the housing spectrum. Staff’s work to streamline permitting, develop new funding tools and update zoning bylaws builds on our record of strong leadership in tackling the housing crisis.”

    Quick Facts:

    • To facilitate implementation of the housing targets and other initiatives, the Province has provided local governments with a range of resources and supports, such as:
      • the historic $1-billion Growing Communities Fund to help all 188 local governments address population growth;
      • $51 million in grant-based funding to support activities or projects, such as updating existing zoning bylaws, housing needs reports and official community plans; and
      • $10 million for a second intake of the Local Government Development Approvals Program administered by the Union of BC Municipalities.

    Learn More:

    To learn more about municipal housing targets, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/local-governments-and-housing/housing-targets

    To learn about the steps the Province is taking to tackle the housing crisis and deliver affordable homes for people in British Columbia, visit: https://strongerbc.gov.bc.ca/housing/

    A backgrounder follows.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As GOP Tries to Gut Medicaid and Attack Reproductive Healthcare, Pressley Reintroduces Bill Affirming Equitable Access to Reproductive Healthcare for People with Disabilities

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07)

    Resolution Designates “Disability Reproductive Equity Day” in May, Calls for Disability and Reproductive Justice Amid Trump’s Attacks on Healthcare

    This Month, Pressley Delivered Keynote at Center for American Progress’ Reproductive Equity Summit

    Resolution Text

    WASHINGTON – Today, as Republicans advance deep cuts to Medicaid and continued attacks on reproductive healthcare, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), in partnership with disability justice and reproductive justice advocates, reintroduced a resolution demanding equitable access to reproductive and sexual healthcare for people with disabilities, and designating a day in May as “Disability Reproductive Equity Day.”

    With Donald Trump and Republicans attempting to rip away healthcare for millions through cuts to Medicaid – which would be devastating for people with disabilities – the Disability Reproductive Equity Day resolution presents an affirmative vision for healthcare equity and demands increased access to reproductive and sexual healthcare for those with disabilities.

    The resolution enumerates the unique, discriminatory barriers that people with disabilities face in accessing critical reproductive and sexual healthcare, and calls for equitable access to healthcare and the right to reproductive and sexual health, autonomy, and freedom.

    “Bodily autonomy should be a fundamental right. The paths to true reproductive justice and disability justice are inextricably linked, and together we are pressing for the reproductive and sexual healthcare needs of people with disabilities,” said Rep. Ayanna Pressley. “While Donald Trump and Republicans push their Big, Ugly Bill that would strip healthcare from people with disabilities and those seeking reproductive healthcare, we are fighting back and recommitting ourselves to disability justice, to healthcare equity, and to reproductive freedom. I am proud to reintroduce the Disability Reproductive Equity Day resolution with disability justice and reproductive justice partners to demand a more just America.”

    The Disability Reproductive Equity Day resolution is endorsed by: National Partnership for Women & Families, Disability Culture Lab, American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), New Disabled South, U.S. Gender and Disability Justice Alliance, The Reproductive Justice Collective at the Center for Racial and Disability Justice (CRDJ), Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network, Lurie Institute for Disability Policy at Brandeis University, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the National Women’s Law Center, and the National Health Law Program.

    “Self-determination and bodily autonomy are core values of both the reproductive rights and disability rights movements, yet for too long, the discrimination and systemic barriers disabled people face when seeking sexual and reproductive health care have been ignored. People with disabilities have continually been denied the right of deciding if, when and how to start their families,” said Rolonda Donelson, Huber Reproductive Health Equity Legal Fellow for the National Partnership for Women & Families.

    “The National Partnership for Women & Families is proud to endorse the resolution to support the second-ever Disability Reproductive Equity Day, and we’re grateful to Rep. Ayanna Pressley for continuing the fight for the reproductive health care and rights of disabled people.”

    “Disability reproductive equity isn’t a niche issue; it’s a fundamental matter of human rights and public health. Disabled folks must be able to make informed choices about our bodies,” said Keidra Chaney, Program Director at Disability Culture Lab. “We need access to comprehensive reproductive health care without barriers, and to be able to parent without fear of discrimination or state interference. The current rise in eugenic laws that make even these basic rights impossible are an attack on disabled lives and reproductive rights. Disability justice and reproductive justice are one fight: we demand policies that prioritize our lives, freedom, access, and bodily autonomy.”

    “For disabled people, as for all people, access to comprehensive and quality sexual and reproductive healthcare is essential for their autonomy, their health and well-being, and their capacity for self-determination. No lawmaker or politician should be able to substitute their personal opinion for medical facts or treatments,” said the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD). “AAPD thanks Rep. Pressley for her leadership and joins her in calling on Congress to recognize Disability Reproductive Equity Day and to work to ensure that all people have the right to make the decisions that are best for them and their families.”

    “New Disabled South and New Disabled South Rising endorse the reintroduction of the resolution designating a day in May as Disability Reproductive Equity Day. Disabled people deserve reproductive health equity just like nondisabled people. Disability justice includes reproductive justice and reproductive justice must include disabled people along with all of their reproductive and sexual health needs. Disabled people should have full bodily autonomy and access to equitable reproductive healthcare. We call upon lawmakers to not only acknowledge the historic reproductive wrongs committed against disabled people in the name of eugenics, but to ensure that disabled people have access to the full range of reproductive healthcare services.”

    “The US Gender & Disability Justice Alliance strongly supports the designation of Disability Reproductive Equity Day. Disabled people are whole people, with the right and the capacity to live full, self-determined lives that include love, family, pleasure, and parenting. Our bodies and choices have long been targeted by policies rooted in ableism, eugenics, and control. We call on Congress to recognize that disability is not a limitation of worth, but a powerful part of human diversity, and to honor our right to access reproductive and sexual health care with dignity and respect.”

    “The Reproductive Justice Collective at the Center for Racial and Disability Justice (CRDJ) recognizes the critical importance of affirming reproductive autonomy, equity, and justice for disabled individuals, particularly in the context of historic and ongoing reproductive oppressions rooted in ableism, racism, and structural inequality. Our research, policy briefs, and Reproductive Justice Toolkit emphasize the urgent need to dismantle systemic barriers to reproductive health, which disproportionately impact disabled people of color, including: coerced sterilization, restricted parental rights, inaccessible reproductive health care, inadequate sexual education, increased surveillance and criminalization. The national designation of Disability Reproductive Equity Day is an essential step towards acknowledging and addressing these inequities, and it aligns deeply with our commitment to intersectional, community-led strategies that uplift dignity, autonomy, and justice for all disabled people.”

    “The Autistic Women and Nonbinary Network applauds the introduction of Disability Reproductive Equity Day. Autistic children become autistic adults and deserve the same rights to bodily, sexual, and reproductive freedom as anyone else. We urge lawmakers to recognize and honor our ability to make decisions for ourselves–especially these most personal and private decisions. Autistic people and all people with disabilities deserve the dignity and respect to make our own decisions, especially regarding sexual and reproductive health.”

    “Reproductive equity cannot exist without disability justice. Disabled people—especially those who are multiply marginalized—have long been excluded from conversations about reproductive health, rights, and autonomy. We applaud Representative Pressley’s leadership in recognizing that the reproductive freedom of disabled people is essential to a just and equitable future,” said Dr. Monika Mitra, Director, Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, Brandeis University.

    “People living with disabilities deserve inclusive, respectful, accessible care, including sexual and reproductive health care, but right now House Republicans are trying to gut Medicaid, threatening access to life-saving care. People with disabilities — especially those who are Black, Latino, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, or have low incomes — already face significant barriers to reproductive care, which are exacerbated by abortion and gender-affirming care bans and other restrictions.  In the face of these attacks, we thank Rep. Ayanna Pressley for reintroducing the vital Disability Reproductive Equity Act. Reproductive rights and disability rights are inextricably linked. Everyone deserves the freedom to make decisions about their own bodies, lives, and futures,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

    “We proudly support the resolution recognizing Disability Reproductive Equity Day. Today, disabled people are facing urgent threats to our access to sexual and reproductive health care, from a reconciliation bill that could kick millions of disabled people off of Medicaid to this administration’s ongoing attacks on reproductive rights. That makes it even more critical than ever that we reaffirm our vision: a future where disabled people are empowered to make decisions about our reproductive rights and care and live with dignity and self-determination,” said Ma’ayan Anafi, senior counsel for health equity and justice at the National Women’s Law Center. “This resolution celebrates disabled people and uplifts their leadership in the movement towards reproductive freedom. We thank Rep. Pressley for her continued commitment to advancing equity and justice for all.”

    “For too long, the United States has denied people with disabilities equitable access to affordable and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care, subjecting us to coverage gaps, discrimination, coercion, and violence. Proposed Medicaid cuts such as work requirements in the reconciliation bill, as well as ongoing attacks on the Affordable Care Act’s preventive services mandate and health care nondiscrimination protections, threaten to intensify structural barriers. The National Health Law Program is grateful to Representative Pressley for her commitment to safeguarding current rights and forging a future in which all people with disabilities have access to high-quality sexual and reproductive health care.”

    A copy of the resolution text can be found here.

    Earlier this month, at the Center for American Progress’ Disability Reproductive Equity Summit, Rep. Pressley spoke of the importance of intersectional policymaking and affirming disability rights and reproductive rights as the human rights that they are.

    Rep. Pressley has been a longtime advocate the disability community and has championed policies that promote disability justice. In addition to being an original co-lead of the Disability Reproductive Equity Day resolution, Rep. Pressley is a co-lead of the Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act, legislation that would eliminate barriers and strengthen access to reproductive health care for people with disabilities.

    Rep. Pressley has also been an outspoken critic of Republican’s harmful budget reconciliation bill, which would make harmful cuts to Medicaid and threaten the reproductive healthcare access for millions in America, including those with disabilities.

    • On May 6, 2025, Rep. Pressley joined the Disability Justice Initiative at the Center for American Progress in kicking off their Disability Reproductive Equity Summit to develop an agenda for disability reproductive justice.
    • On August 14, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding Biden-Harris Administration for finalizing its proposed rule to improve access to medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) for people with disabilities. The DOJ’s final rule followed an April letter by Rep. Pressley and 11 of her colleagues urging it to strengthen and finalize its proposed rule, and underscoring the need for health care facilities to have functional and accessible MDE for people with disabilities.
    • On May 23, 2024, Rep. Pressley held a press conference alongside colleagues and reproductive justice and disability justice advocates to unveil the Disability Reproductive Equity Day Resolution.
    • On May 2, 2024, Rep. Pressley issued a statement applauding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) finalized rule that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. 
    • On April 4, Rep. Pressley led her colleagues in urging the Department of Justice (DOJ) to strengthen and quickly finalize its proposed rule to improve access to medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) for people with disabilities.
    • On December 12, 2023, Rep. Pressley wrote to the Biden-Harris Administration seeking data on the housing needs for aging adults, people with disabilities, and Medicaid beneficiaries.
    • On September 29, 2022, Rep. Pressley and Rep. Cori Bush introduced the Reproductive Health Care Accessibility Act, legislation that would eliminate barriers and strengthen access to reproductive health care for people with disabilities.
    • On June 25, 2022, Rep. Pressley applauded the passage of H.R. 2543, which included several key amendments championed by Rep. Pressley to advance disability and economic justice.
    • On May 24, 2022, in a House Financial Services subcommittee hearing, Rep. Pressley discussed the crisis of Long COVID as a disability justice issue and outlined how the status quo has relegated disabled Americans—including those with Long COVID—to a second-class standard of living.
    • On April 14, 2020, Rep. Pressley urged Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker to rescind the Crisis of Care standards that have disproportionately harmed communities of color and the disability community in Massachusetts.
    • On March 29, 2022, in a historic committee hearing on Medicare for All, Rep. Pressley highlighted Medicare For All as a disability justice issue and questioned Ady Barkan, founder of Be A Hero and leading advocate for Medicare for All, about how tying health coverage to employment perpetuates deep inequities for people with disabilities.
    • On February 25, 2021, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Katie Porter, and their colleagues introduced the Mental Health Justice Act to reduce violence against individuals with mental illness and disabilities.
    • On March 30, 2021, she led her colleagues on a letter with 107 of their colleagues to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris calling for an historic investment of $450 billion in home- and community-based services (HCBS) in the Build Back Better infrastructure package.
    • On September 18, 2022, Rep. Pressley, Dr. Subini Ancy Annamma, and Villissa Thompson published an op-ed in Teen Vogue in which they called for an end to the policies and systemic injustice that result in the overcriminalization of Black girls with disabilities in schools.
    • On July 29, 2020, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and Senators Chris Murphy and Elizabeth Warren unveiled the Counseling Not Criminalization in Schools Act to end the over-policing of K-12 schools and stop the criminalization of students, including those with disabilities.
    • In early 2020, she worked with advocates to challenge Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker’s crisis standards of care and release updated guidelines with input from the disability community.
    • On October 11, 2019, Rep. Pressley and her colleagues introduced the Improving Access to Higher Education Act to help improve college access and completion for students with disabilities.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kugler, Opening Remarks

    Source: US State of New York Federal Reserve

    Thank you, Olesya, and thank you for the invitation to speak to you today. It is such a pleasure to contribute to this conference.
    Our profession has increasingly recognized, especially after the Global Financial Crisis, that research in the interdisciplinary topics between macroeconomics and finance is indispensable both for monetary policy and for promoting financial stability. As a researcher myself, and having spent many years in academia, I place great value on the social contribution of research and its potential to improve policymaking.
    I want to express my appreciation for your efforts in using macro-financial data and theoretical models to enlighten us on several critical issues. For instance, let me cite a few topics of the conference that shed light on important issues:

    The work on the transmission of monetary policy to both households and firms provides insights into how policy decisions ripple through the economy, a topic I recently addressed in a speech at the University of Minnesota. In this speech, I discussed my approach to monitoring monetary policy transmission and highlighted some of its key elements, such as the long and variable lags associated with policy effects.
    The exploration of the neutral rate of interest—that which neither slows nor stimulates economic activity—provides another angle to this important concept. This is a topic I have addressed in previous remarks, and I am especially interested in the potential factors that can affect the neutral rate.
    The work on how and why financial conditions faced by firms and households change with data releases and underlying macroeconomic conditions also enhances our grasp of the complex interplay between economic indicators and real-world financial experiences.
    The research on the functioning of the Treasury securities market and how it is affected by regulatory constraints sheds light on a crucial aspect of our financial system.

    I commend you for pushing ahead with a research agenda that furthers our understanding of topics so relevant to our monetary policymaking.
    In the spirit of stimulating your research appetite, I’d like to mention some topics that have captured my attention recently. These represent emerging challenges and opportunities in the field, and I believe they warrant further investigation.
    First, recently, I have been paying attention to the possible interaction between the financial vulnerabilities of firms and their exposure to trade. As global economic tensions rise and supply chains evolve, understanding how a company’s financial health intersects with its international trade exposure becomes increasingly crucial. This research could provide valuable insights for both policymakers and business leaders navigating an uncertain global economic landscape.
    Second, lately, I have been monitoring the financial stability implications of the potential lower desirability of U.S. financial assets in flight-to-safety events. Traditionally, U.S. assets have been seen as a safe haven during times of global economic uncertainty. One notable example of this was during the Global Financial Crisis. However, we recently saw instances in which the VIX went up, stock prices went down, long-term yields from U.S. Treasury securities went up, and the U.S. dollar depreciated against the currencies of advanced foreign economies (AFEs), with a notable role for the euro. Importantly, the historical relationships and the observed moves in the VIX and interest rates of AFEs would have been associated with a decrease in long-term yields from U.S. Treasury securities and an appreciation of the dollar. As the global economic landscape shifts, it is crucial to examine how possible changes in the role of U.S. financial assets as a safe haven might affect financial stability both domestically and internationally.
    Lastly, I have been keenly interested, for some time now, in how stresses in the commercial real estate (CRE) sector could potentially spill over to the rest of the U.S. economy. The CRE sector continues to face challenges from low vacancy rates and valuation losses, especially in urban centers for the office sector. Another challenge is that some banks, insurers, and securitization vehicles continued to have concentrated exposures to CRE. As we have seen in past crises, such as the Global Financial Crisis, vulnerabilities in specific sectors can have far-reaching consequences for the financial system. Understanding potential vulnerabilities and potential domino effects are vital for maintaining overall economic stability and crafting preemptive policies.
    These, I believe, represent some of the most pressing questions facing our field today. They offer rich opportunities for groundbreaking research that could significantly influence future policy decisions.
    In conclusion, I want to reiterate my gratitude for the vital work you are all doing. Your research not only advances our understanding, but it also provides a solid foundation for informed policymaking. As we navigate the complex interplay of macroeconomics and finance in an ever-changing global landscape, the importance of your work cannot be overstated.
    I encourage you to continue pushing the boundaries of our knowledge, to ask the difficult questions, and to pursue the answers with rigor and dedication. Your efforts today will shape the policies of tomorrow, influencing the economic well-being of millions.
    Thank you for your attention, and I look forward to the insightful discussions and presentations that will unfold during this conference.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Travel with intention: Here’s a guide to ‘soft adventure’ experiences across Canada this summer

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Moira A. McDonald, Associate Professor, Director, School of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Royal Roads University

    A growing number of Canadian travellers are embracing “soft adventure” travel. This trend blends a desire for active engagements in nature and educational and culturally relevant experiences with the chance to reset and relax.

    Low-risk outdoor activities such as wine tasting, canoeing, fishing, whale-watching and cycling are all examples of this growing trend. This shift reflects a “growing desire for peace of mind and rejuvenation” among Canadians in their travel experiences.

    A recent survey found 61 per cent of Canadians plan to focus on “soft travel” or “calm-cations” in 2025. While this trend spans all age groups, it’s particularly strong among Gen Z, with 81 per cent showing a preference for it.

    At the same time, many Canadians are searching for travel opportunities closer to home amid tensions between the two countries.

    In these times of global uncertainty, soft adventure tourism offers affordable options for Canadians and international visitors to explore and experience all that Canada has to offer. As tourism experts, we have some suggestions for destinations that provide travellers with a chance to pause, breathe and recharge.

    The West Coast

    Along the coast of Vancouver Island, orcas, humpback whales, sea lions, seals and porpoises draw visitors each summer. Tourism operators offer whale-watching tours all over the island, giving travellers a chance to experience its marine life firsthand. Just a day trip from Victoria, the Kinsol Trestle is a chance to walk or cycle through nature.

    For a closer look at the region’s wildlife, travellers can join sea kayaking tours in Port McNeill on Vancouver Island with Kingfisher Wilderness Adventures. Here, visitors might spot grizzly bears and they can hear stories from Kwakwaka’wakw First Nations guides and interpreters.

    British Columbia is home to more than 200 distinct Indigenous communities that offer tourism experiences ranging from pristine beaches to savouring cuisine in award-winning restaurants and more.

    On the mainland, Harrison Hot Springs, B.C. offers visitors the chance to relax in mineral hot springs for a nominal fee. Other soft adventure experiences include beach-front maintained trails for walking and hiking, as well as picnicking locations. Visitors can take the short drive to Rosedale, B.C., where a brief hike brings them to the base of Bridal Veil Falls Park.

    The Prairie provinces

    Alberta’s landscapes have served as the backdrop for many films and television series, including Brokeback Mountain, Game of Thrones, The Last of Us and The Revenant. For film tourism enthusiasts, the province offers no shortage of iconic film locations to explore. Some scenes of Game of Thrones’ final season were shot in Banff National Park.

    In Saskatchewan, Lake Diefenbaker is known for golfing, boating and walleye fishing. It’s the largest body of water in the southwest of the province, and it offers an opportunity to traverse a picturesque parkland while witnessing wildlife like elk, caribou, cougar and lynx.

    In Manitoba, Churchill offers sightings of both beluga whales and polar bears. Each summer, hundreds of belugas enter the Churchill River, and the town offers kayaking, boat tours and paddleboarding to see them.

    While you’re in Churchill, you can also see the northern lights up to 300 nights a year, along with numerous historic sites like the Prince of Wales Fort.

    Central Canada

    With 250,000 freshwater lakes, remote canyons, more than 1,200 canoe routes and 22 diveable historic shipwrecks, Ontario is filled with soft adventure travel opportunities. Travellers have countless ways to connect with nature and history in the province.

    In Tobermory, a harbour village on the province’s Bruce Peninsula, travellers can take guided tours to explore underwater shipwrecks, as well as visit the region’s distinctive “flowerpot” rock formations and natural grottos.

    A diver swims near the City of Cleveland shipwreck in Tobermory, Ont. The City of Cleveland was a 255 foot long wooden steamer that was built in Cleveland in 1882 and sunk in 1901 near Fitzwilliam island.
    (Shutterstock)

    Québec offers an experience that at times feels distinctly European. In Old Montréal and the Old Port, cobblestone streets and artisan vendors make it feel like you’re stepping into the past. Both locations are steeped in history and culinary excellence.

    Atlantic Canada

    In New Brunswick, Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park, nestled along the Bay of Fundy, offers guided tours for travellers. Visitors are encouraged to check the tidal wave schedule to see the rock formations known as sea stacks, which are caused by tidal erosion.

    Nova Scotia’s capital, Halifax, is a vibrant coastal city known for its lively nightlife and flourishing culinary scene. Across the harbour in Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, visitors can go bird watching or take part in a cycling adventure on the easy-to-moderate Salt Marsh Trail. A visit to Peggy’s Cove is a must.

    The province is also home to tourism initiatives that reflect the region’s diverse cultural heritage. Among these is Elevate and Explore Black Nova Scotia, which is designed to enrich the travel experience for Black people visiting or living in the province.

    Over on Prince Edward Island, visitors can explore Lucy Maud Montgomery’s birthplace, the author of beloved childhood classic Anne of Green Gables, in Cavendish. Nearby at the museum, visitors can reimagine Anne Shirley’s iconic adventures in a return to the magic of storytelling and place, before making their way to Greenwich Beach via the boardwalk through P.E.I.’s largest sand dunes.

    In Newfoundland and Labrador, Gros Morne National Park offers visitors views of “soaring fjords and moody mountains” alongside the chance to spot puffins in their natural habitat. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park also provides opportunities for fishing.

    If closer to historical Gander, take a ferry excursion to Fogo Island, which offers bird watching and boat trips.

    The Northern Territories

    In the Yukon, travellers can engage with Indigenous tourism, arts and culture through experiences offered by the Yukon First Nation and Tourism Industry Association.

    Visitors to the Yukon can cool their feet in the cold mountain streams while trying their hand at gold panning in historic Dawson City. Once a hub of the 19th-century Klondike Gold Rush, it still features several preserved frontier-style buildings.

    In the Northwest Territories, travellers can witness the aurora borealis and take guided photography tours to see wildlife up close. Further east, Nunavut offers a range of adventure tourism opportunities, including sea kayaking, whitewater kayaking and canoeing.

    Together, these northern destinations offer travellers a chance to immerse themselves in the natural beauty, history and living cultures of Canada’s North while embracing the slower pace and meaningful experiences at the heart of soft adventure travel.

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

    – ref. Travel with intention: Here’s a guide to ‘soft adventure’ experiences across Canada this summer – https://theconversation.com/travel-with-intention-heres-a-guide-to-soft-adventure-experiences-across-canada-this-summer-257190

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 05.29.2025 Sen. Cruz Introduces Bill to Bolster Military Readiness and Improve Aviation Safety

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) introduced the Helicopter Operational Versatility and Enhanced Readiness (HOVER) Act. The bill invests in Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) conversion, enabling the Army to leverage proven technology that reduces pilot workload, mitigates human error, and enhances survivability in complex operational environments.
    Sen. Cruz said, “Peace through strength requires ensuring that our military has access to and is leveraging the best cutting-edge technology. The HOVER Act allows the U.S. Army to modernize its fleet with such technology, boosting military readiness and American national security. I urge my colleagues to swiftly pass this bill to ensure our military remains the strongest and most effective in the world.”
    Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Rep. Jake Ellzey (R-Texas-6).
    Rep. Ellzey said, “As a former helicopter pilot, I understand firsthand the demands and risks associated with complex missions in challenging environments. The HOVER Act is a step forward in aviation safety and mission effectiveness. By integrating Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) technology into Black Hawks, we will not only reduce pilot workload but also enhance situational awareness and increase survivability in high-risk conditions. This legislation is about giving our pilots the tools they need to be successful. It gives them the ability to execute their missions safely and effectively and come home to their families.”
    BACKGROUND
    This bill would:

    Authorize funds for the conversion of at least three Army Black Hawk helicopters into OPVs.  

    Direct the Secretary of the Army to conduct a two-year operational experimentation program to evaluate OPVs. 

    Require the Secretary of the Army to submit a report to the House and Senate Armed Services Committees within 12 months on the progress, findings, and recommendations for OPVs. 

     Click here to read the full bill text.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • Sinner crushes Gasquet at Roland Garros to end Frenchman’s career

    Source: Government of India

    Source: Government of India (4)

    World number one Jannik Sinner sent Frenchman Richard Gasquet into retirement with a 6-3 6-0 6-4 hammering in the battle of generations at the French Open on Thursday to ease into the third round.

    It was the second time in as many years in Paris that the 23-year-old beat local hero Gasquet, who said he would end his career that started over two decades ago and yielded 16 tour-level singles titles after his home Grand Slam.

    With his team watching on in matching white T-shirts that read “Merci Richard” the 38-year-old soaked up his ovation and video messages from peers including Novak Djokovic and the recently retired Rafa Nadal on the big screen.

    “I’d like to thank Jannik for his kindness and the player that he is and I know he’ll have a great career.” Gasquet said.

    “I have great memories with all of you. You all supported me in defeat and victory … I began playing in a club in the south and travelled and played across France. So I remember all the tournaments I played in, not just Roland Garros.

    “We always had a welcome here that was extraordinary. I’d like to thank the federation. Tennis finishes for me today.”

    Gasquet, who made his French Open debut in 2002 when top seed Sinner was still in a crib, drew huge roars from the Court Philippe Chatrier crowd when he unleashed his single-handed backhand on the Italian early in the match.

    Fans were slightly more subdued when Sinner raced ahead 4-1 and won the opening set, before they were almost silenced when he dished out a bagel in the next set to leave Gasquet with a mountain to climb.

    Sinner faced more resistance in the first eight games of the next set as Gasquet mounted an unlikely comeback attempt, but he broke for a 5-4 lead and promptly closed out the match, before paying tribute to his opponent.

    “We have a good relationship off the court. We’re different generations, but it’s your moment,” Sinner said.

    “Congrats to your family, your team. Without great people around each player, it’s impossible to make such an incredible career. You played in such an incredible era of tennis and everyone will recognise you, even after your retirement.”

    Victory ensured U.S. and Australian Open champion Sinner became the first man born in 1990 or later to record 16 straight wins at Grand Slams. He will next play Czech Jiri Lehecka.

    (Reuters)