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Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Passes Rep. Young Kim’s Bipartisan Bill to Support Small Businesses 

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)

    Washington, DC – Today, the House of Representatives passed the Improving Access to Small Business Information Act (H.R. 3351), a bipartisan bill led by U.S. Representatives Young Kim (CA-40) and Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), to streamline federal regulations and better support small businesses. 

    This bill specifies that certain actions of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Office Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation (Advocate) —such as conducting field surveys—are not a collection of information under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). This allows the Advocate to prioritize facilitating access to capital without bureaucratic delays. 

    Watch Rep. Kim speak on the floor in support of the bill HERE. 

    “California is home to over 4.2 million small businesses. Burdensome regulations are getting in the way of the federal government collecting basic data on small business challenges, hurting our government’s ability to support entrepreneurs,” said Rep. Young Kim. “The Improving Access to Small Business Information Act cuts through unnecessary red tape so the Office of the Advocate can ask the right questions, collect timely feedback, and do its job — help small businesses access capital and grow.” 

    The Improving Access to Small Business Information Act passed the House with strong bipartisan support and now heads to the Senate for consideration.  

    Read more about the bill HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: House Passes Bill to Secure Unique Zip Code for North Tustin

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)

    Washington, DC – Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3095, a bipartisan bill to direct the United States Postal Service (USPS) to designate single, unique zip codes for certain communities, including North Tustin in California’s 40th District. 

    U.S. Representative Young Kim (CA-40) joined a bipartisan delegation led by Rep. Lauren Boebert (CO-04) to introduce the bill in May. She also cosponsored the bill in the 118th Congress, which passed the House. 

    Watch Rep. Kim speak in support of the bill on the House floor here. 

    “Our North Tustin community has been a pillar of Orange County, but its status as an unincorporated area causes confusion for taxes and USPS. A unique zip code would provide certainty for residents who have called North Tustin home for decades,” said Congresswoman Kim. “I thank Rep. Boebert for working with my office to include North Tustin in this important initiative and am hopeful we can get this through the finish line for our community.” 

    “I am pleased to see this zip code change moving ahead and thank Congresswoman Kim for working with my office to prioritize this issue facing our shared constituency,” said Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner (Third District). “For far too long, our constituents in North Tustin have been subjected to excess local taxes solely because of their zip code. They never voted for the taxes, raising a constitutional concern of taxation without representation. I appreciate Congresswoman Kim’s persistent work to solve this problem through legislation.”  

    “The residents of North Tustin, CA are very grateful to Congresswoman Young Kim for co-sponsoring a bill that will create a unique ZIP code for North Tustin. Until 1996, North Tustin had a unique ZIP code. Expanding the area of the ZIP code into neighboring communities created many problems and confusion. We really applaud our Congresswoman for supporting our community,” said Richard Nelson, President, Foothill Communities Association.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Cyclone reinsurance pool lowering premiums in high risk areas but affordability concerns remain

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The Australian Government’s cyclone reinsurance pool has lowered insurance premiums for customers facing medium to high risk of cyclone, the ACCC’s fourth insurance monitoring report has found.

    However, premiums remain very high for many households and small businesses and are generally rising in most parts of the country. 

    Despite the pool commencing in 2022, it has taken time for the impact of the pool to be reflected in premiums. This is the ACCC’s first insurance monitoring report with all eligible insurers participating in the pool. 

    “With most customers now experiencing ‘post-pool pricing’, we now have a more complete picture of the pool’s potential to achieve its intended outcomes,” ACCC Commissioner Peter Crone said.

    “Our analysis shows the pool is lowering premiums of policyholders who live in areas with higher cyclone risk, as it was designed to do. However for many consumers in northern Australia, high cyclone risk may not be the key reason, or the only reason, that their insurance premium is unaffordable.” 

    Reductions for some consumers facing higher risk of cyclone

    The ACCC’s analysis of average premiums before and after insurers made pricing changes due to the pool shows there have been premium reductions for consumers and small businesses facing the highest risk of cyclone.

    “Our analysis suggests premium reductions for those at higher cyclone risk were driven by reduced reinsurance costs brought about, in large part, by the reinsurance pool,” Mr Crone said.

    The report found the average home and contents insurance premium (as measured on a per $100,000 sum insured basis) in medium to high cyclone risk areas decreased by 11 per cent compared to premiums before the reinsurance pool took effect.

    In contrast, average premiums for low-risk properties and properties at no risk of experiencing a cyclone increased by four per cent and seven per cent respectively.

    Premium reductions for home and contents insurance were most prominent in coastal areas of north Western Australia and north Queensland, particularly in Mackay, Cairns, and Townsville (where the median premiums reduced by approximately 15 per cent). The median premium also decreased by nine per cent in Karratha. 

    The average small business premium (also measured on a per $100,000 sum insured basis) in medium to high cyclone risk areas decreased by 24 per cent after insurers entered the pool.

    The report found the effect of the pool on strata insurance was less pronounced but still material. Overall, it found a seven per cent reduction in the average strata insurance premium (on a per $100,000 sum insured basis) in medium to high cyclone risk regions.

    For strata insurance, the ACCC found significant savings for those paying the highest premiums in Townsville (down 28 per cent), Karratha (down 23 per cent), Mackay (down 19 per cent) and Cairns (down 17 per cent).

    Australians still facing high and rising premiums

    Despite the pool leading to falls for some customers in higher cyclone risk regions, the price of home and strata insurance across Australia is generally high and rising.

    The ACCC found that the average home and contents premium in north Queensland and the Northern Territory is now over $3,000 per year, while in north Western Australia the average premium is over $4,600.

    Strata premiums remain very high across northern Australia and especially in north Western Australia, where the average premium increased by 18 per cent to be more than $18,000 (per policy). 

    Although average premiums remain much higher in northern Australian regions, premiums again rose more sharply in the rest of Australia in 2023-24, up 18 per cent for home and contents insurance.

    “Insurers have indicated that a range of factors including building material and labour cost inflation and extreme weather events are contributing to the very high insurance premiums that consumers are facing,” Mr Crone said.

    “We have heard about a range of ways that households and small businesses are responding to high premiums, from increasing their excesses to reducing coverage. Many stakeholders were concerned that people were being left underinsured or were dropping insurance altogether.”

    Insurance availability relatively unchanged

    The initial design of the reinsurance pool was intended to encourage insurers to enter or expand into northern Australian insurance markets by providing a stable and lower cost means to manage their cyclone risk exposure.

    However, the ACCC found that there remains limited appetite from insurers to expand services or increase their exposure in certain cyclone prone regions.

    There have been some smaller changes involving insurers lifting cyclone-specific embargoes, and changing underwriting controls and exposure limits, however these changes have not been substantial.

    No new insurers have entered northern Australian markets following the pool’s commencement.

    Insurers could be doing more to incentivise private mitigation

    One of the objectives of the reinsurance pool was to incentivise private risk mitigation, to improve insurance affordability and property resilience over time. The ACCC found there are limited signs of this occurring. 

    While we found the majority of insurers do have a framework in place to recognise private mitigation, communication by insurers about mitigation is typically quite limited.   

    “Improving the resilience of properties and communities to natural hazards through better mitigation is a critical issue if risks are to be reduced and affordability improved, now and into the future,” Mr Crone said.

    Background

    Reinsurance is taken out by insurers, typically to protect insurers from significant natural peril events impacting their portfolios, such as cyclones.

    The Australian Government established the cyclone reinsurance pool in 2022 to help make insurance more affordable for households and some small businesses who are at higher risk of cyclones. The pool is operated by the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation (ARPC).

    The pool provides reinsurance to insurers in relation to cyclone and cyclone-related flooding risks covered by home, contents, strata and small business insurance (up to a sum insured of $5 million) throughout Australia.

    Large insurers were required to join the pool by the end of 2023 and small insurers were required to join by the end of 2024. A list of the insurers that have joined the pool is on the Australian Reinsurance Pool Corporation website.

    The ACCC has been directed to monitor prices, costs, and profits of relevant insurance products, before and after the introduction of the pool.

    The ACCC is required to provide a report at least once each calendar year during the period 1 January 2022 to 30 June 2026.

    The ACCC has brought forward the publication of this fourth monitoring report to allow it to inform the government’s legislated review of the Terrorism and Cyclone Insurance Act 2003, the act establishing the cyclone reinsurance pool, which is due to commence after 1 July 2025.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Emil Bove’s appeals court nomination echoes earlier controversies, but with a key difference

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Paul M. Collins Jr., Professor of Legal Studies and Political Science, UMass Amherst

    Emil Bove, Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as a federal appeals judge for the 3rd Circuit, is sworn in during a confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., on June 25, 2025. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images

    President Donald Trump’s nomination of his former criminal defense attorney, Emil Bove, to be a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, has been mired in controversy.

    On June 24, 2025, Erez Reuveni, a former Department of Justice attorney who worked with Bove, released an extensive, 27-page whistleblower report. Reuveni claimed that Bove, as the Trump administration’s acting deputy attorney general, said “that it might become necessary to tell a court ‘fuck you’” and ignore court orders related to the administration’s immigration policies. Bove’s acting role ended on March 6 when he resumed his current position of principal associate deputy attorney general.

    When asked about this statement at his June 25 Senate confirmation hearing, Bove said, “I don’t recall.”

    And on July 15, 80 former federal and state judges signed a letter opposing Bove’s nomination. The letter argued that “Mr. Bove’s egregious record of mistreating law enforcement officers, abusing power, and disregarding the law itself disqualifies him for this position.”

    A day later, more than 900 former Department of Justice attorneys submitted their own letter opposing Bove’s confirmation. The attorneys argued that “Few actions could undermine the rule of law more than a senior executive branch official flouting another branch’s authority. But that is exactly what Mr. Bove allegedly did through his involvement in DOJ’s defiance of court orders.”

    On July 17, Democrats walked out of the Senate Judiciary Committee vote, in protest of the refusal by Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, to allow further investigation and debate on the nomination. Republicans on the committee then unanimously voted to move the nomination forward for a full Senate vote.

    As a scholar of the courts, I know that most federal court appointments are not as controversial as Bove’s nomination. But highly contentious nominations do arise from time to time.

    Here’s how three controversial nominations turned out – and how Bove’s nomination is different in a crucial way.

    Robert Bork testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee for his confirmation as associate justice of the Supreme Court in September 1987.
    Mark Reinstein/Corbis via Getty Images

    Robert Bork

    Bork is the only federal court nominee whose name became a verb.

    “Borking” is “to attack or defeat (a nominee or candidate for public office) unfairly through an organized campaign of harsh public criticism or vilification,” according to Merriam-Webster.

    This refers to Republican President Ronald Reagan’s 1987 appointment of Bork to the Supreme Court.

    Reagan called Bork “one of the finest judges in America’s history.” Democrats viewed Bork, a federal appeals court judge, as an ideologically extreme conservative, with their opposition based largely on his extensive scholarly work and opinions on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

    In opposing the Bork nomination, Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts took the Senate floor and gave a fiery speech: “Robert Bork’s America is a land in which women would be forced into back-alley abortions, blacks would sit at segregated lunch counters, rogue police could break down citizens’ doors in midnight raids, schoolchildren could not be taught about evolution, writers and artists could be censored at the whim of government, and the doors of the federal courts would be shut on the fingers of millions of citizens for whom the judiciary is often the only protector of the individual rights that are the heart of our democracy.”

    Ultimately, Bork’s nomination failed by a 58-42 vote in the Senate, with 52 Democrats and six Republicans rejecting the nomination.

    Ronnie White

    In 1997, Democratic President Bill Clinton nominated White to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. White was the first Black judge on the Missouri Supreme Court.

    Republican Sen. John Ashcroft, from White’s home state of Missouri, led the fight against the nomination. Ashcroft alleged that White’s confirmation would “push the law in a pro-criminal direction.” Ashcroft based this claim on White’s comparatively liberal record in death penalty cases as a judge on the Missouri Supreme Court.

    However, there was limited evidence to support this assertion. This led some to believe that Ashcroft’s attack on the nomination was motivated by stereotypes that African Americans, like White, are soft on crime.

    Even Clinton implied that race may be a factor in the attacks on White: “By voting down the first African-American judge to serve on the Missouri Supreme Court, the Republicans have deprived both the judiciary and the people of Missouri of an excellent, fair, and impartial Federal judge.”

    White’s nomination was defeated in the Senate by a 54-45 party-line vote. In 2014, White was renominated to the same judgeship by President Barack Obama and confirmed by largely party-line 53-44 vote, garnering the support of a single Republican, Susan Collins of Maine.

    Ronnie White, a former justice for the Missouri Supreme Court, testifies during an attorney general confirmation hearing in Washington in January 2001.
    Alex Wong/Newsmakers

    Miguel Estrada

    Republican President George W. Bush nominated Estrada to the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 2001.

    Estrada, who had earned a unanimous “well-qualified” rating from the American Bar Association, faced deep opposition from Senate Democrats, who believed he was a conservative ideologue. They also worried that, if confirmed, he would later be appointed to the Supreme Court.

    Miguel Estrada, President George Bush’s nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, is sworn in during his hearing before Senate Judiciary on Sept. 26, 2002.
    Scott J. Ferrell/Congressional Quarterly/Getty Images

    However, unlike Bork – who had an extensive paper trail as an academic and judge – Estrada’s written record was very thin.

    Democrats sought to use his confirmation hearing to probe his beliefs. But they didn’t get very far, as Estrada dodged many of the senators’ questions, including ones about Supreme Court cases he disagreed with and judges he admired.

    Democrats were particularly troubled by allegations that Estrada, when he was screening candidates for Justice Anthony Kennedy, disqualified applicants for Supreme Court clerkships based on their ideology.

    According to one attorney: “Miguel told me his job was to prevent liberal clerks from being hired. He told me he was screening out liberals because a liberal clerk had influenced Justice Kennedy to side with the majority and write a pro-gay-rights decision in a case known as Romer v. Evans, which struck down a Colorado statute that discriminated against gays and lesbians.”

    When asked about this at his confirmation hearing, Estrada initially denied it but later backpedaled. Estrada said, “There is a set of circumstances in which I would consider ideology if I think that the person has some extreme view that he would not be willing to set aside in service to Justice Kennedy.”

    Unlike the Bork nomination, Democrats didn’t have the numbers to vote Estrada’s nomination down. Instead, they successfully filibustered the nomination, knowing that Republicans couldn’t muster the required 60 votes to end the filibuster. This marked the first time in Senate history that a court of appeals nomination was filibustered. Estrada would never serve as a judge.

    Bove stands out

    As the examples of Bork, Estrada and White make clear, contentious nominations to the federal courts often involve ideological concerns.

    This is also true for Bove, who is opposed in part because of the perception that he is a conservative ideologue.

    But the main concerns about Bove are related to a belief that he is a Trump loyalist who shows little respect for the rule of law or the judicial branch.

    This makes Bove stand out among contentious federal court nominations.

    Paul M. Collins Jr. does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Emil Bove’s appeals court nomination echoes earlier controversies, but with a key difference – https://theconversation.com/emil-boves-appeals-court-nomination-echoes-earlier-controversies-but-with-a-key-difference-261347

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: £63 million lift-off for clean aviation fuels

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    £63 million lift-off for clean aviation fuels

    Winning 17 companies will share £63 million to accelerate sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production and support 1,400 jobs in the UK.

    • 17 UK companies developing sustainable aviation fuel to receive share of new £63 million funding boost, supporting around 1,400 jobs  
    • latest investment builds on this year’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) drive, which will help position the UK as the world leader in homegrown sustainable aviation fuel production 
    • latest investment supports greenlighting of multiple airport expansion schemes to kickstart economic growth and deliver on our Plan for Change

    Passengers are a step closer to greener flights as the Aviation Minister today (22 July 2025) announced the 17 cutting-edge UK companies that will share £63 million to accelerate sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production.  

    The boost will support around 1,400 jobs and secure Britain’s position as the global leader in the green aviation market – critical to provide the clean fuel that’s essential to realise sustainable growth in the aviation sector.  

    Today’s investment means government has provided £198 million to date through the Advanced Fuels Fund (AFF) to scale up cleaner aviation technologies. Creating a clean aviation ecosystem will help power the next generation of airport infrastructure and capacity scale up, kickstarting economic growth and delivering the UK’s clean energy superpower ambitions to deliver on the Plan for Change. 

    Low carbon fuel production could add up to £5 billion to the economy by 2050, position the UK as a global hub for SAF production and enable the UK to go further and faster with expansion plans.

    Aviation Minister, Mike Kane, said: 

    This £63 million is lift off for Britain’s green aviation revolution. We’re not just backing brilliant British innovation, we’re creating thousands of high-skilled jobs and positioning the UK at the forefront of the global sustainable aviation market.

    From the labs of Sheffield to the runways of the future – this is how we kickstart economic growth, secure energy independence and make Britain a clean energy superpower.

    SAF is an alternative to fossil jet fuel which reduces greenhouse gas emissions on average by 70% on a lifecycle basis, from feedstock to biofuel, making it the key technology that will allow UK aviation to grow capacity while achieving net zero commitments.  

    The SAF Bill will help secure the future of the aviation sector by boosting green fuel production in the UK and delivering cleaner flights. This bill will give investors the confidence to back sustainable aviation fuel production. It will help grow the sector, providing good green jobs and enabling the delivery of carbon savings. 

    Announcing the new funding at the University of Sheffield’s Energy Innovation Centre – which just received £1.5 million in this latest round – the Aviation Minister, Mike Kane, saw firsthand the groundbreaking work on aircraft engine testbeds and revolutionary aviation fuels.

    Professor Mohamed Pourkashanian, Managing Director of the University of Sheffield’s Energy Innovation Centre, who is leading the project, said:

    It is fantastic to see the University of Sheffield playing a leading role in the development of sustainable aviation fuel and supporting the aviation industry in its efforts to reduce its emissions. At Sheffield, we have some of the most advanced SAF research facilities in Europe and are excited to work with partners from the industry to help them test and develop new fuels and next generation clean energy technologies.

    The AFF winners include a range of companies and are spread across the country, such as OXCCU Tech, which is developing a demonstration plant at Oxford Airport, to LanzaJet, which is building a commercial-scale plant in Teesside.

    Andrew Symes, CEO and Co-Founder of OXCCU, said:

    Support from the Advanced Fuels Fund is a key step in scaling our technology. This funding enables the detailed design and construction of OX2, our demonstration plant launching in 2026, and builds on the successful delivery of OX1. It brings us closer to producing lower-cost, lower-carbon aviation fuel and supports the UK’s ambition to become a global leader in SAF production.

    Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of LanzaJet, said:

    We’re proud that Project Speedbird, developed in partnership with British Airways, has been recognised by the Department for Transport as part of its continued commitment to advancing SAF in the UK.

    This support demonstrates confidence in LanzaJet’s technology and the critical role ethanol-to-SAF can play in delivering economic growth, creating jobs and decarbonising air travel. Project Speedbird is vital to building a national SAF industry in the UK and to unlocking opportunity and innovation in the region.

    We thank DfT for its leadership and vision in accelerating the transition to net-zero aviation.

    Aviation, Europe and technology media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Boost in support for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome or ME

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    Boost in support for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome or ME

    Better care for patients living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, with plans to invest in research and offer closer to home.

    • Better care closer to home for patients living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

    • Plan outlines clear steps to improve care for patients, by investing in research and offering access to care in the community 

    • Actions build on government’s wider 10 Year Plan to rebuild the NHS and put patients’ needs at the heart of care

    Patients living with debilitating conditions are set to receive improved care closer to home, thanks to government plans published today. 

    The government has committed to changing attitudes and transforming care for patients with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/ CFS).

    The condition affects approximately 390,000 people in the UK, causing debilitating fatigue, sleep problems and difficulties with thinking, concentration and memory. The impact of this condition varies between cases, but severe ME/CFS, which is thought to affect a quarter of those diagnosed, leave patients housebound or unable to work.

    The plan published today provides the foundations for significant improvements in all key areas that affect people living with ME/CFS in England, many of whom currently struggle to access appropriate care tailored to their complex condition.

    As a priority, the plan will introduce new training for NHS healthcare professionals, featuring up-to-date learning resources to increase understand and ensure signs aren’t missed. This will help combat the stigma faced by people living with ME/CFS, which stems from a lack of awareness about the condition.

    The rollout of neighbourhood health services as set out in the government’s 10 Year Health Plan will also see ME/CFS patients able to access care closer to home, with specially-trained staff able to support those with complex needs.

    Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Ashley Dalton, said:  

    ME/CFS is a debilitating illness that can severely limit patients’ ability to participate in everyday activities, maintain employment, or enjoy family and social life.  

    Today’s plan will help tackle the stigma and lack of awareness of this condition through improved training for NHS staff.

    And through our neighbourhood health services, we will ensure patients suffering from the effects of ME/CFS can access quality care, closer to home, as pledged in our 10 Year Health Plan.

    Our Plan for Change is transforming how patients experience care and this plan represents a comprehensive approach to addressing the long-standing gaps in care and support for people with these conditions, with patient access to appropriate care at its heart.

    Sonya Chowdhury, Chief Executive, Action for ME said:

    This is an important step for the ME community, long overlooked and under-served. The Plan must not be a token gesture—it requires a sustained, strategic commitment to care, funding, and research. Without it, meaningful outcomes for people with ME will not be achieved.

    The plan includes increased funding for research, awarded through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, into how existing medicines can be used to for ME/CFS. This initiative aims to give patients access to a wider range of potential treatments.

    It will also address the specific needs of children and young people, ensuring they receive appropriate and timely support in education settings.  

    Recognising that ME/CFS affects people’s ability to work, the plan includes wider government initiatives to address issues with benefit assessment processes and provide support to help patients with long-term conditions and disabilities find and maintain meaningful employment where possible.  

    Offering care closer to home forms part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan to rebuild the NHS, putting patients’ needs first and delivering effective, accessible treatment. 

    The government will continue to work with stakeholders and build on the foundations of actions in the Final Delivery Plan well beyond its publication, reaffirming our commitment to ongoing development and improvement. This all forms part of the government’s Plan for Change to build an NHS fit for the future and one which offers the highest-quality, personalised care.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: MHRA announces proposals to improve access to world’s best medical devices for patients and to boost economic growth in Britain’s med tech sector

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    MHRA announces proposals to improve access to world’s best medical devices for patients and to boost economic growth in Britain’s med tech sector

    The MHRA has now published the government’s response to its public consultation on future routes to market for medical devices – designed to modernise regulation

    The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has today announced important new steps to secure access for patients to the latest medical technologies available in Europe and other advanced countries.

    As well as improving patient access to technologies, the proposals will boost med tech industrial growth by reducing duplicative regulatory costs faced by manufacturers and instead focuses the domestic approvals route (UKCA) on first-in-market innovative technologies, including AI as a medical device.  

    The MHRA has now published the government’s response to its public consultation on future routes to market for medical devices in Great Britain (GB), designed to modernise regulation and improve patient access to the latest innovative technologies.

    In direct response to stakeholder feedback, the MHRA is also announcing its intention to consult later this year on the indefinite recognition of CE-marked medical devices.

    In parallel, new international reliance routes will be introduced to allow swifter access to medical devices from trusted regulators in Australia, Canada, and the United States. This will allow eligible products to follow a streamlined pathway to market, helping bring the latest technologies to patients more quickly.

    The MHRA will support removing the requirement for physical UKCA markings on products and packaging once unique device identification (UDI) requirements are in place. This will reduce barriers to entry to the market while strengthening traceability and safety monitoring.

    These measures reflect the government’s commitments in the UK’s Life Sciences Sector Plan and Industrial Strategy, and the 10 Year Health Plan for England, to reduce unwarranted barriers to market entry and to deliver transformative technologies to patients faster.

    Today’s announcement forms part of our broader regulatory reform programme for medical devices that will see improvements in patient safety through our new post-market surveillance requirements, the creation of streamlined and risk-proportionate routes for faster market entry for products that have already undergone assessment in comparator regions, and a refocusing of the UKCA domestic pathway on innovative technologies including AI.

    Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting MP, said:

    Our 10-Year Health Plan will seize the opportunities provided by new technology, medicines and innovation to deliver better care for patients, whether these originate at home or abroad.

    It makes perfect sense that medical devices approved for use on patients in a country whose safety regulations we trust can also be used here – without red tape or bureaucracy delaying devices which can benefit NHS patients now.

    We will look around the world to bring the best life-saving devices to Britain quickly and safely and build a modern health service that is fit for the future.

    Minister of State for Science, Lord Patrick Vallance MP, said:

    The MHRA’s new international reliance routes are excellent news for patients, who will now gain rapid access to new medical devices which have been approved as safe by our trusted regulatory partners. This is precisely the sort of streamlining of red tape that the Life Sciences Sector Plan calls for.

    By making quick, informed, sensible decisions enabled by international reliance, the MHRA will be able to better target its resources, focusing on regulatory activity and scientific advice that will advance the development of innovative new medical products – ultimately helping patients, and supporting med tech businesses to grow.

    Lawrence Tallon, MHRA CEO, said:

    Our focus is on ensuring that patients benefit from the earliest possible access to safe and effective medical technologies that meet their needs and deliver significant clinical benefit.

    By reducing regulatory duplication, improving traceability and aligning with international best practice, we are delivering on the Government’s promise to make this the best place in the world to market medical devices and a global leader in life sciences.

    Professor Tom Clutton-Brock, Professor of Anaesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine at the University of Birmingham and Chair of the Interim Devices Working Group (an expert advisory committee to the MHRA), said:

    The proposed changes to the regulations represent the most significant advances since their original introduction. When enacted, we will lead the world in streamlining medical device approvals.

    The rapid advances in medical and healthcare technology make balancing the need for innovation against both short-term and long-term safety a real challenge.  After the EU exit there was a clear need to update our regulations to keep pace with other countries. After extensive consultation, the MHRA has listened carefully and published its response.

    Simplification for low-risk devices and the carefully controlled reliance and recognition of regulatory approval from other countries will support safe innovation. This will benefit patients, clinicians and our MedTech and HealthTech industries.

    The MHRA intends to notify the World Trade Organization of these changes later this year and will continue engaging with international partners and industry to implement the reforms. 

    Summary of the consultation response:

    The MHRA’s 2024 public consultation on medical device regulation focused on the following areas: international reliance, UKCA marking, and the regulation of in vitro diagnostic (IVD) devices.

    Measures being taken forward include:

    • International reliance routes will allow certain devices that have approvals or certifications from trusted regulators in Australia (TGA), Canada (Health Canada), and the United States (FDA) to follow a streamlined pathway to the GB market. This includes specific software and implantable devices that meet GB equivalence criteria.

    • The government will consult later this year on proposals to indefinitely recognise CE marked medical devices, which continue to be recognised in GB under existing transitional arrangements until 30 June 2028 or 2030 (depending on the device classification and legislation complied with).

    • Physical UKCA marking requirements will be removed once Unique Device Identification (UDI) is in place. This aims to reduce burdens on manufacturers while improving traceability and post-market surveillance.

    • Class B IVD devices will be subject to a more risk proportionate approach, requiring manufacturers to self-declare conformity with the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 and hold ISO 13485 quality management system certification before placing products on the GB market.

    The response to a fourth proposal, to extend four pieces of assimilated EU law, was published in February 2025 and has subsequently been actioned.

    Notes to Editors

    • The consultation response is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-medical-devices-regulations-routes-to-market-and-in-vitro-diagnostic-devices
    • The consultation, “Future regulation of medical devices and IVDs – routes to market”, ran from 30 November 2024 to 29 January 2025. It sought views on four legislative proposals to update the Medical Devices Regulations 2002 (as amended).
    • These reforms are part of a broader programme to modernise medical device regulation in Great Britain following the UK’s departure from the European Union. They align with the ambitions of the Government’s Life Sciences Sector Plan and 10-Year Plan for the NHS in England.
    • ISO 13485 is an internationally recognised standard that sets out requirements for a quality management system (QMS) specific to the medical device industry. It ensures that manufacturers demonstrate consistent design, development, production, and post-market support for medical devices.
    • The MHRA will publish further information in due course about the next steps, including updates on the planned Pre-Market Statutory Instrument and a future consultation on the indefinite recognition of CE-marked devices.
    • The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are acceptably safe. All our work is underpinned by robust and fact-based judgements to ensure that the benefits justify any risks.
    • The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health and Social Care.

    For media enquiries, please contact the newscentre@mhra.gov.uk, or call on 020 3080 7651.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 July 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Yuri Trutnev: Buryatia on “Far East Street” will tell about the sacred lake

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –

    An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    The Republic of Buryatia will traditionally take part in the exhibition “Far East Street”, which will be held from September 3 to 9 as part of the tenth, anniversary Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. This year, the region’s exposition is called “Baikal. Buryatia. Code of the Future”. The organizer of the exhibition is the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in the Far Eastern Federal District.

    “Baikal is a unique place of power, it is not for nothing that it is called the sacred sea. It is a calling card not only of Buryatia, but of our entire country. It is a national and world treasure. But it is not only the natural beauty that attracts people to Buryatia. Those who come to the republic know the unique culture and traditions of the region. Thanks to the program of renovation of Far Eastern cities, the appearance of Ulan-Ude and Severobaikalsk is changing, the quality of life of people is improving. New enterprises are opening in the republic, highly qualified jobs are being created. Participants and guests of the Eastern Economic Forum will be able to learn about what Buryatia is famous for,” said Deputy Prime Minister – Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in the Far Eastern Federal District, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Eastern Economic Forum Yuri Trutnev.

    The goal of the Buryatia pavilion is to show the potential for the development of environmentally sustainable tourism, digitalization and the introduction of advanced technologies in the region. The space will feature virtual tours, master classes and other events.

    The republic’s exposition will be presented by two pavilions. There will also be an outdoor exhibition area and a site for master classes. A new space will appear – a spiritual cleansing zone. A Buryat yurt will be installed, inside which a center of oriental medicine will be located – traditional methods of treatment will be presented. In addition, visitors to the exhibition will be able to compete in national sports and take part in the games of the peoples of Buryatia. A separate space will be opened demonstrating the region’s contribution to the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and support for a special military operation.

    “Between the main pavilion, where the republic’s tourism and investment activities will be presented, and the yurt, there will be an installation imitating a corridor with tied hii morin, and a khurde drum will also be installed. A new cultural program has also been developed, it will be called “My Buryatia” and will introduce the guests of the EEF to the multifaceted culture of our amazing republic. Two of our famous groups will present their colorful numbers – the Buryat National Song and Dance Theater “Baikal” and the Municipal Theater of Folk Music and Dance “Zabava”, – noted the head of the Republic of Buryatia Alexey Tsydenov.

    In the Tourism zone of the main pavilion, visitors will be able to view virtual tours, take part in interactive games, and complete the Feel Buryatia quest. The site will emphasize the importance of preserving the unique ecosystem of Lake Baikal and demonstrate initiatives in ecotourism and biodiversity conservation. The space will feature travel companies and guides from Buryatia, who will introduce visitors to the stand to the region’s tourism opportunities.

    In the “Live in the Far East! – Live on Baikal!” zone, visitors to the exhibition will be able to obtain information about the “Far Eastern hectare” and other initiatives. Multimedia screens will present investment projects of the region, including ongoing and promising proposals in the field of tourism, subsoil use and public-private partnership. Key initiatives and opportunities for cooperation within the framework of master plans and integrated development of territories will also be shown.

    Innovative technologies and digital solutions will be presented in the “Code of the Future” zone. The space will demonstrate the integration of modern technologies into the development of the region. The exhibition will include innovative projects in the field of biotechnology, processing of medicinal herbs and digital solutions for the management of natural resources and tourism infrastructure.

    In addition, the second pavilion of the regional exposition will house a gallery of artisans with a variety of folk art and crafts, as well as factories and plants producing ethnic-style products with the theme of Lake Baikal from natural materials. The tasting area will introduce guests to the variety of flavors of locally produced products. A presentation of goods made by local manufacturers and presented on popular marketplaces is also expected.

    The exhibition “Made in Buryatia” will be significantly expanded. And on the second floor of the regional pavilion there will be an art gallery organized by the National Museum of the Republic of Buryatia.

    In the outdoor part of the exhibition, the flagship of the republic’s industry, the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, will present a model of the Ka-226T helicopter. Also planned on the site are performances by artists of the Baikal Song and Dance Theatre, the musical project “That’s How Buryatia Sounds” and the ethno group “Daida”. In addition, the national orchestra will introduce guests of the pavilion to the music of nomads and the endless picturesque Buryat steppes, and artists of the Zabava Theatre will introduce them to the traditions of the Transbaikal Cossacks.

    The 10th Eastern Economic Forum will be held on September 3–6 at the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok. During these days, the exhibition will be available to forum participants, and on September 7, 8, and 9, it will be open to everyone. The EEF is organized by the Roscongress Foundation.

    Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

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    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: People in B.C. urged to practise water safety

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    In recognition of National Drowning Prevention Week, the BC Coroners Service, together with the Lifesaving Society and B.C. Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), is sharing helpful reminders and promoting water safety awareness.

    In 2024, there were 98 accidental drowning deaths in British Columbia, with 52 of these deaths recorded from June to September, according to a new report from the BC Coroners Service.  That’s an 18% decrease from the 119 deaths reported in 2023.

    “This report, which covers a 10-year period, highlights that accidental drowning deaths continue to see an unfortunate upward trend during our warm summer months,” said Dr. Jatinder Baidwan, chief coroner, BC Coroners Service. “It is our hope that by providing regular information and details about how these deaths occur, we can help British Columbians make safer choices while enjoying water-related activities.”

    The data collected found most deaths occurred in rivers and creeks (33%) and lakes and ponds (24%), with the most common circumstances involving an unintentional fall into water (22%), swimming (18%) and bathing (14%). As in previous years, the data collected for 2024 shows the majority of accidental drowning deaths were residents of B.C. (95 of 98). 

    “It is crucial that parents and caregivers properly supervise children at the lake, beach, pool or in the bathtub at home, keep young children within arm’s reach, wear a lifejacket or PFD while boating no matter your age or ability, and stay sober on the water,” said Lenea Grace, executive director, Lifesaving Society – B.C. & Yukon Branch. “Many drowning victims never intend to go into the water at all. For this reason, we urge the public to be WaterSmart this summer and to take swim lessons and lifesaving training to help prevent future tragedies.”

    From 2014-23, alcohol and/or drugs were determined to be a contributing factor in 40% of accidental drowning deaths.

    “Anyone can drown, even people who know how to swim. Remember, alcohol and other recreational substances don’t mix with any water activities and intoxication puts you at a significant risk of drowning,” said Brian Twaites, paramedic public information officer, BCEHS. “When on or in the water, stay sober and stay safe.”

    While the data in the report is considered preliminary and subject to change, additional notable findings from the report include:

    • 77% of the 2024 deaths were male;
    • 20% of those who died were 50-59, followed by those age 60-69 (15%) and 70+ (15%); and
    • 34% of all accidental drowning deaths occurred in the Interior Health region.

    Learn More:

    To read the BC Coroners Service Accidental Drowning Deaths Report 2014-2024, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/birth-adoption-death-marriage-and-divorce/deaths/coroners-service/statistical/250703_accidentaldrowningwebreportposting_2014-2024.pdf

    To learn how to be water smart, visit: https://www.lifesaving.bc.ca/watersmart

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: LEADER JEFFRIES: “THE ONE BIG UGLY BILL IS A COMPLETE AND TOTAL FAILURE”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)

    Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries held a press conference where he emphasized that Donald Trump and House Republicans One Big Ugly Law will drive up costs and rip healthcare and nutritional assistance from millions of Americans to reward their billionaire donors.

    LEADER JEFFRIES: Good afternoon, everyone. Donald Trump is deeply unpopular. The American people clearly recognize that the Trump administration is in free fall and are actively hurting everyday Americans in order to reward their billionaire donors with massive tax breaks. The One Big Ugly Law is deeply unpopular. The American people clearly recognize that Donald Trump and House Republicans have not done a thing to make life better for them and meaningfully lower the high cost of living in the United States of America. Instead, what Donald Trump and Republicans have done is to rip away healthcare from more than 17 million people and steal food from the mouths of hungry children, seniors and veterans while skyrocketing the nation’s debt by more than $3 trillion and setting the country on a course toward possible bankruptcy. The One Big Ugly Bill is a complete and total failure, substantively and in the minds of the American people.

    House Democrats will continue to focus on the issues that matter, like driving down the high cost of living in the United States of America, because we recognize that for far too long, the cost of living in this country has been too high. Housing costs are too high. Grocery costs are too high. Utility costs are too high. Childcare costs are too high. Insurance costs are too high. America is too expensive. There are far too many people in this country struggling to live paycheck to paycheck. That should not be the case in the wealthiest country in the history of the world. Imagine an America where when you work hard and play by the rules, everyone can afford to live the good life. That’s the America that House Democrats are working hard to bring about. Good-paying jobs, good housing, good healthcare, good education for your children and a good retirement. When you work hard in this country and play by the rules, you should be able to afford to live the good life, but our system is broken and Republicans are making it worse.

    Full press conference can be watched here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Norma Torres Demands Answers After ICE Detains Multiple People at Ontario Grocery Store

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Norma Torres (35th District of California)

    July 21, 2025

    Ontario, CA — Today, Congresswoman Norma J. Torres responded to alarming reports that ICE agents detained multiple individuals at a Stater Bros supermarket in her district, following an alleged assault on an ICE agent.

    Congresswoman Torres’s staff was on site as the incident unfolded. When they attempted to speak with store management to gather information, they were dismissed and told to “take it up with corporate.” Her office has also received credible information that ICE agents were given access to an employee-only warehouse in the back of the store, but no explanation has been provided for why that occurred.

    “My team was present when ICE detained individuals inside the Stater Bros store in Ontario. When we sought answers from Stater Bros, we were dismissed and told to contact their corporate office. We have also received reports that ICE accessed employee-only areas of the store, which should never be allowed without a warrant,” said Congresswoman Norma Torres. “Let me be clear: ICE cannot continue operating in our communities without transparency and due process. I will get to the bottom of what happened and I won’t stop until the public has answers and accountability. Since January, ten people have died in ICE custody, a sobering reminder of the agency’s lack of oversight and accountability, and why we continue to fight.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: North Carolina Zoo Grieves Giraffe Leia

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: North Carolina Zoo Grieves Giraffe Leia

    North Carolina Zoo Grieves Giraffe Leia
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    The North Carolina Zoo is grieving the loss of Leia, a 15-year-old giraffe, who has been a beloved part of the Zoo family since 2010. Grief counselors have been on site to support staff members during the grieving process. Leia’s death is especially raw as she passed away Tuesday, only a day after the Zoo’s long-time Director and CEO Pat Simmons.

    On the morning of her death, Leia underwent a planned medical procedure to address a foot injury. Medical staff expected Leia to make a full recovery before she experienced acute aspiration following the procedure. Aspiration is a recognized complication that can sometimes occur with the use of anesthesia in both humans and animals, and is generally considered the most common complication with giraffe surgical procedures. A necropsy, or animal autopsy, was performed on Leia and results confirmed aspiration as the official cause of death.

    Zoo team members, particularly the caretakers, the Zoo’s medical staff, entertainment staff and volunteers who formed a special bond with Leia over the years are heartbroken. The Zoo respectfully requests privacy and compassion for affected staff as they continue to mourn.

    “We are so grateful to the community and our loyal supporters for the outpouring of love during this incredibly challenging time,” says Deputy Director Diane Villa. “Your warmth and kind words are a comfort to us all as we navigate loss and begin our journey toward healing.”

    About the North Carolina Zoo  
    At the North Carolina Zoo, we celebrate nature. As the world’s largest natural habitat Zoo, we inspire a lifelong curiosity about animals in the hundreds of thousands of people who visit our Zoo each year. Our dedicated team of experts provides exceptional, compassionate care for the more than 1,700 animals and 52,000 plants that call our Park home. We also lead efforts locally and globally to protect wildlife and wild places because we believe nature’s diversity is critical for our collective future. The North Carolina Zoo invites all of our guests to witness the majesty of the wild in the heart of North Carolina and welcomes everyone to join in our mission to protect nature’s diversity. Visit NCZoo.org to begin your life-changing journey.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.
    Jul 18, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rehabilitation of Sea Turtle Captures Hearts and Exemplifies N.C. Aquarium Mission

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Rehabilitation of Sea Turtle Captures Hearts and Exemplifies N.C. Aquarium Mission

    Rehabilitation of Sea Turtle Captures Hearts and Exemplifies N.C. Aquarium Mission
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    The newest sea turtle patient at the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island is quickly capturing hearts across the Outer Banks. In late June a small juvenile green sea turtle, nicknamed “Lucky Duck,” arrived at the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (S.T.A.R.) Center at the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island with visible injuries from an apparent shark bite. The mission of the Aquarium, to inspire appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments, is lately exemplified by Lucky’s Duck’s survival and rehabilitation. The Aquarium is part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

    On June 25 a radiograph revealed a fractured carapace and additional health complications for Lucky Duck. Upon closer inspection, Aquarium veterinarians and sea turtle aquarists at the S.T.A.R. Center discovered Lucky Duck’s intestinal tract was flooded with ingested micro-plastics. To demonstrate the severity and amount of plastic Lucky Duck ingested, the striking variety of defecated debris was placed on display at the Aquarium to raise public awareness about the damage single-use plastic can cause for wildlife.

    Contending with difficulties caused by both natural and man-made encounters, Lucky Duck came by its nickname naturally having survived these difficulties and being rescued oceanside by a visitor to the Outer Banks by notifying Aquarium partner, N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles).

    Since arriving at the Aquarium, Lucky Duck has been on a steady diet of protein and lettuce—roughage—to help it defecate the ingested plastic. When plastics enter a sea turtle’s environment, it presumes the plastics to be part of the environment. Plastic grocery bags in water, for example, appear as jellyfish to a sea turtle. A sea turtle with a belly full of micro-plastics will expend energy trying to digest the plastic, which wastes valuable nutrients and weakens the sea turtle. At the Aquarium, Lucky Duck is receiving quality food and nutrients to restore its health, which is especially important as it recovers from trauma wounds due to the apparent shark bite. Lucky Duck is healing nicely, swimming, and navigating excellently. The Aquarium is pleased to share this progress report with the public.

    Responding to the impact of Lucky Duck’s story, Leslie Vegas, husbandry curator at the Aquarium said, “Working with the team that cares for the animals is so rewarding, whether the animals are rehab patients or permanent residents at our facility. Lucky Duck’s story is one of many that can inspire folks to appreciate all the animals we are lucky enough to care for at the Aquarium. They each have unique stories that teach us the importance of conservation work.”

    The S.T.A.R. Center, founded at the Aquarium in 2014, rehabilitates rescued sea turtles year-round. In recent years, sea turtle patients have been treated at the Aquarium for assorted problems, including cold-stunning, eye injuries, kidney failure, pneumonia, frostbite, infections, and injuries from boat strikes and ingested fishing hooks. When sea turtle patients are cleared by Aquarium veterinarians, the Aquarium releases recovered sea turtles back into their natural environment. Sea turtles have been released by the Aquarium oceanside, offshore into the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, and into the Croatan Sound—the Aquarium’s aquatic backyard. Dedicated in 1976, the Aquarium is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026.

    About the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island
    Located on the Outer Banks in Manteo, N.C., the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island is part of N.C. Aquariums, which includes four attractions along North Carolina’s coast and is a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The 63,000 square-foot facility on 16 acres overlooks the Croatan Sound and houses over 2,200 animals. Over 319,000 guests visit the Aquarium each year to see the 285,000-gallon “Graveyard of the Atlantic” shark and ocean habitat, visit the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (S.T.A.R.) Center, and learn why North Carolina’s waterways are so special. As an educational attraction, the mission of N.C. Aquariums is to inspire appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments. The Aquarium is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. For more information, please visit www.ncaquariums.com/roanoke-island.

    About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
    The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

    The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.

    Jul 21, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Cassidy Outlines How the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Supports the American Dream in Op-Ed

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) penned an op-ed in State Affairs outlining the ways President Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill supports the American Dream for Louisianans by boosting take-home pay, expanding school choice, and creating high-paying jobs throughout the state.  
    “Republicans promised to create jobs, lower costs, and build a better future for Americans. We wasted no time doing it. I voted to pass President Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill to give Louisianans a better chance at a good education, high-paying jobs, and a chance at the American Dream,” wrote Dr. Cassidy. 
    Read the full op-ed here or below.
    Here’s How the ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill’ Supports the American Dream
    I voted to pass President Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill to preserve the American Dream for Louisianans. Low taxes, more of your paycheck, a safe community, high-paying jobs and a good education. That’s the American Dream.
    How are we accomplishing this? First, by ensuring Louisianans keep more of their paychecks and have a better chance at financial stability. We cut taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security. We extend the Child Tax Credit, making it easier for moms and dads to start and sustain a family. 
    Our agenda supports our military and makes President Trump’s quick work to secure the southern border permanent.
    As for jobs, the bill boosts U.S. manufacturing, strengthening Louisiana businesses and creating permanent, better-paying jobs throughout our state. One way it accomplishes this is by cracking down on China and other countries abusing our trade loopholes and stealing our jobs. I introduced legislation last Congress to correct that. President Trump and I worked together to achieve that goal. 
    I promised to deliver higher paychecks and lower costs for people in my state, and that’s what we delivered. We cut taxes on tips for beauty industry small businesses.
    Along with better jobs, I fought for a historic school choice expansion in President Trump’s agenda—now law. I also secured a provision to eliminate inflationary loan programs that have resulted in higher tuition costs. Thanks to increased access to Pell Grants, more low-income Americans will now be able to attend college, and the 87 percent of Americans who choose not to attend college will no longer have to worry about shouldering the cost of others’ loans.
    Louisianans pursuing a career or technical-based education will also benefit from this legislation through Workforce Pell Grants. President Trump and I agree—it’s time to bring skilled jobs back to America from China and Mexico.
    We eliminate the $200 tax stamp for short-barreled firearms.
    We raise the annual cap on offshore energy revenue sharing with Gulf states from $500 million to $650 million through 2034.
    We hold more lease sales in the Gulf of America—something the Biden administration refused to do.
    We invest $389 million in America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve to bolster U.S. energy security.
    We unleash American energy by allowing energy companies to deduct costs, including labor and safety, associated with oil and gas exploration.
    We expand access to direct primary care arrangements by allowing the use of Health Savings Account—or HSA—dollars to pay for such services.
    Republicans promised to create jobs, lower costs, and build a better future for Americans. We wasted no time doing it. I voted to pass President Trump’s One, Big, Beautiful Bill to give Louisianans a better chance at a good education, high-paying jobs, and a chance at the American Dream.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Oil and Natural Gas Trades Urge Congress to Push Permitting Reform

    Source: Independent Petroleum Association of America

    Headline: Oil and Natural Gas Trades Urge Congress to Push Permitting Reform

    Jul 21, 2025 Oil and Natural Gas Trades Urge Congress to Push Permitting Reform

    WASHINGTON — A group of eight oil and natural gas trade associations today called on lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives to “take swift action on permitting reform.” In a letter to Chairman Bruce Westerman ahead of an oversight hearing tomorrow in the House Natural Resources Committee, the coalition underscored the need to streamline the process to approving federal permitting for energy production, expressed their priority principles, and pointed to recent legislative proposals as vehicles for a bipartisan path forward.

    The coalition, comprised of Energy Workforce & Technology Council, Gulf Energy Alliance, International Association of Drilling Contractors, Independent Petroleum Association of America, National Ocean Industries Association, Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, U.S. Oil & Gas Association, and Western Energy Alliance, warns that delays in reform threaten America’s economic growth.

    The following are statements from members of the coalition:

    • Dan Naatz, COO and EVP of the Independent Petroleum Association of America: “The Biden Administration used the federal permitting process as a tool to hamper production and took every action to create greater hardship for America’s oil and natural gas producers. IPAA encourages legislators to act quickly to reform our current outdated permitting system and set the course straight to unleash America’s full energy potential. Reform is critical to bolster America’s energy security and build energy infrastructure to support our nation’s projected energy demands in the coming years.”
    • Melissa Simpson, president of Western Energy Alliance: “Across the political aisle everybody knows the federal energy permitting process is broken, particularly on federal lands in the West. Oil and natural gas require multiple federal approvals for everything from exploration and leasing to drilling, transportation, and export. Incremental progress has been made over the past few years, and the path to reform has been established. It’s now up to Congress to act. We hope lawmakers will move quickly to remove impediments, create interagency collaboration for simultaneous reviews, and improve the delivery of energy to all Americans.”
    • Tim Tarpley, president of Energy Workforce & Technology Council: “The current permitting system is a chokepoint for domestic energy development. Our members are ready to build, drill, and deliver, but red tape and frivolous lawsuits holds back investment, innovation, and jobs. Congress must cut through the bureaucracy and enact reforms to ensure the U.S. remains the global leader in energy production.”
    • Erik Milito, president of the National Ocean Industries Association: “Permitting reform must be at the top of the national energy agenda. Offshore companies work within one of the most complex and highly regulated environments in the world. If we want to unlock the full potential of American energy, support good-paying jobs, and strengthen our national security, we need a permitting system that matches the scale, urgency, and innovation of today’s offshore energy industry.”
    • Karr Ingham, Economist, president, Texas Alliance of Energy Producers: “While we don’t have much in the way of production on federal lands and waters in Texas, access to markets for Texas and U.S.-produced crude oil and natural gas is critical and has long been hampered by abuses in the permitting process. Additional pipeline and export capacity, including new LNG export facilities, is required to support the extraordinary growth in production accomplished by the U.S. domestic oil and gas industry. Moving products to domestic and global markets more quickly meets growing energy needs at home and abroad, meets those needs in much cleaner fashion compared to non-U.S. production, and reduces the need to flare natural gas.”
    • Tim Stewart, president of the U.S. Oil & Gas Association: “We need to get back to building things in this country. Thankfully, the Supreme Court has clarified that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is a procedural statute designed to assist agencies in deciding rather paralyzing them. It’s time to end decades of permitting delays, driven by misuse of NEPA to obstruct not just a final decision but the ‘next step’ of every step of the regulatory process. Chairman Westerman is providing a badly needed a course correction to align permitting with NEPA’s statutory intent with common sense so we can start building big things like we used to.”

    The full letter to Chairman Westerman detailing the coalition’s call for action is available here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Presidential Message on the 81st Anniversary of the Liberation of Guam

    US Senate News:

    Source: US Whitehouse
    Today, on the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Guam from Imperial Japanese control, our Nation proudly honors the strength, courage, and unbreakable resilience of every hero of liberty who gallantly fought to free the people of Guam and establish a foothold from which we would win the Second World War.
    On July 21, 1944, American forces stormed the beaches of Guam to conquer tyranny and restore the righteous promise of American sovereignty in the Pacific.  As Imperial Japanese forces tried to hold their ground, they struggled to withstand the full might of the U.S. Armed Forces.  After three weeks of gruesome and blood-soaked warfare in jungles, caves, and rugged hills, America triumphed—regaining control of Guam and putting U.S. forces within striking distance of ending the war in the Pacific.
    As we commemorate America’s hard-earned victory in Guam, our Nation also solemnly pays tribute to the more than 1,200 Service members and more than 1,000 residents of Guam who made the ultimate sacrifice to liberate the American territory.
    To this day, the liberation of Guam remains etched upon our Nation’s history as a bold reassertion of American sovereignty at a time when our future and our freedom were in peril.  Under my leadership, the United States remains committed to upholding a foreign policy of peace through strength—and we will never waver in defending our interests, our citizens, our territory, and our glorious way of life from all enemies, foreign and domestic. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan Recognizes “Riverboat Discovery” Co-Founder Mary Binkley as “Alaskan of the Week”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan

    07.21.25

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) recognized longtime Fairbanks resident and tourism pioneer Mary Binkley on the Senate floor last week. For 75 years, Mary has been a central figure in Alaska’s visitor industry, co-founding the iconic Riverboat Discovery and helping to showcase the culture, history, and beauty of Interior Alaska to generations of travelers. She was recognized as part of Sen. Sullivan’s series, “Alaskan of the Week.”

    Click here or the image above to watch Sen. Sullivan’s remarks.


    Tribute to Mary Binkley

    Mr. President, what I really want to do is do something that I think is probably the best highlight of Thursday speeches in the Senate—I think the pages all certainly agree; they are all nodding—for the people watching across America. It is the “Alaskan of the Week.” This is a great tradition. I have been doing it for many, many years. I try to get down here on the Senate floor on Thursday, wrapping up—not every week but a lot of weeks. And I like to talk about an Alaskan who is doing something really important for our State, community, maybe the country, maybe the world, and then talk a little bit about what is going on back home. So I am going to do that.

    But we also had another neat tradition today here in the Senate: our Thursday lunch group in the Senate on the Republican side. One Senator hosts lunch for his or her colleagues and talks a little bit about their home State. Today was my opportunity to host. I am not bragging, but I do think when Senator Murkowski and I—and by the way, Senator Collins, with Maine lobster—but when Senator Murkowski and I host, we have good attendance because we have great seafood: fresh halibut, fresh salmon. We did that. I did that again today. It was great. The whole room was decorated with Alaskan perfect peonies. We have great peonies in Alaska too—holy cow. So this is a perfect time for the “Alaskan of the Week.”

    First, I want to give a little snapshot of what is going on back home, what life is like in Alaska right now. The midnight sun is out. A few weeks ago, I was in Fairbanks, the home of Mary Binkley, who is our Alaskan of the Week—we are going to talk a lot about Mary—and we had our famous Midnight Sun Baseball Game. Thousands of baseball fans across the world, literally, come to see this game, which started in 1906. Some minors, some military guys came together for a baseball game in 1906. It is going strong more than 100 years later.

    This year, the Fairbanks Goldpanners played the Glacier Pilots, an Anchorage baseball team that is part of the Alaska Baseball Summer League. Now, this is one of the premier collegiate summer baseball leagues in the country. It is something a lot of people don’t know about. I was talking a little bit about it at our lunch today. Great college players come to Alaska to play baseball under the midnight sun, and so many of them have gone on to do great things. So many of them have not only gone on to the majors; so many of them have gone on to the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been some of America’s greatest players. Think about it. All these guys came up to Alaska to play summer baseball: Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Tom Seaver, Dave Winfield, Randy Johnson, Andy Messersmith. This is hall-of-fame baseball. And we get that in Alaska. It is really a great league. So if you are a baseball fan, make sure you come up to Fairbanks for next year’s game.

    We were also in Fairbanks a couple of weeks ago, and I had the opportunity to run the Midnight Sun Run 10K. It is a great run—again, people from all over the world. We had 4,000 runners this year. I do it every year. I am definitely getting slower, but it is one fun 10K. It is great. So come on up if you are a racer. You will love that one too.

    So while you are in Fairbanks, if you come up for a game or the 10K, make sure you get out on Fairbanks’ beautiful rivers, the lifeblood of the community. When you do so, on a sunny summer day on the Chena River or the Tanana, chances are you will spot a vintage-style sternwheel paddleboat belonging to Riverboat Discovery gliding along the channel, carrying passengers through one of the most scenic river routes in Alaska—really, in the world. If you are one of those lucky passengers, there is a good chance you will catch sight of a familiar figure waving from the shore, and that is 99-year-old Mary Binkley, cofounder of Riverboat Discovery and our Alaskan of the Week.

    So let’s dive into the Alaska institution that is Riverboat Discovery. This year, we will celebrate—the Binkley family will celebrate—the 75th anniversary of this incredible institution. Now, it is made up of three iconic paddleboats: Discovery I, Discovery II, and Discovery III. Riverboat Discovery shows off the best of Alaska’s interior landscape, including a bush plane demonstration, a visit to a recreated Athabascan Native village, and learning about traditional subsistence lifestyles. For tourists, it is a 3-hour snapshot of Alaskan history. For locals, it is a beloved institution and a summer job for many young Fairbanksans, including my sister-in-law Janine, who many, many years ago worked for Riverboat Discovery.

    While Riverboat Discovery preserves the history of the interior, the Binkley family, who has owned and operated Riverboat Discovery for 75 years, has its own great history of Alaskan grit and innovation and hospitality and generosity. The center of that history and that great family, the Binkleys, is Mary Binkley, our Alaskan of the Week.

    She was born in Vernonia, OR, in 1926—the youngest of six children. You know that is a tough time in our country’s history. Mary’s story began in hardship. Her mother passed away soon after her birth. Her father, a logger, couldn’t raise the children alone. Her siblings were scattered, but they were bonded for life.

    Her brothers, who went on to become fishermen off the coast of rugged Kodiak, AK—rugged but beautiful Kodiak, AK—wanted something for their baby sister Mary. They scraped together a college scholarship fund, determined that Mary would be the first in the family to attend college. Isn’t that great—brothers taking care of the little sister?

    So Mary, from Oregon, journeyed north to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where she had a cousin who was a professor there. It was at UAF, as we call it in Alaska, that she met a young, handsome riverboat captain named Jim Binkley, a third-generation steamboater from Wrangell, AK. They married back in Mary’s home State of Oregon in 1946 but quickly returned to Fairbanks that same year.

    With nothing more than a $4,000 loan and a dream, Jim and Mary purchased their first vessel, the Godspeed, and began a river cruise business that would become synonymous with Fairbanks tourism and the interior Alaska river culture. Mary greeted every guest personally, often serving as a tour guide, a deckhand, and a hospitality manager all in one. To her, they weren’t just tourists; they were her guests.

    She worked alongside her husband Jim, the captain. And the popularity in Alaska—in America—of this riverboat cruise on one of Fairbanks’ great rivers grew and kept growing. By 1955, the Godspeed could no longer keep up with the demand, so Jim built the Discovery I in his backyard with Mary by his side. Jim called her his “lifeline and anchor.”

    Mary did it all: first mate, deckhand, ticket taker, mother of four kids—who, by the way, have grown up to be pillars of the Alaska community in so many ways. I could do whole speeches on the Binkley kids. Later, she was a grandmother while watching three generations of Binkleys get involved in this great family business. And they have expanded into other things really important to Alaska. Taking tickets with Mary remains a rite of passage for Binkley grandchildren to this day.

    As the tour company expanded, Mary remained its heart—greeting travelers on the riverbanks, hiring Alaska Native guides to share their knowledge and traditions of Native Athabascan life during Chena Village visits, and helping to craft that Alaskan hospitality that guests feel to this day. “My grandma has the ability to make meaningful connections with perfect strangers,” her granddaughter Kai recently said. “She treats them less like tourists and more like family.” That is Mary. Everybody who meets her thinks she is incredible.

    So this fleet, the Binkley fleet, would grow and continue to grow to Discovery II, launched in 1971, which was a converted freighter; then Discovery III, in 1987, a grand, 900-passenger vessel, launched fittingly on the Fourth of July in Fairbanks. That day, as the boat pulled away from the dock, generations of Binkleys waved from the deck. Waving from the shore was Mary, and she still is waving from that same Fairbanks riverbank at 99 years young.

    So what began in 1950 as a modest river tour on a converted missionary boat has grown into the cornerstone of Fairbanks’ tourism economy, and Mary has been at the center of it all—welcoming guests, sharing the experience, and setting a tone of genuine hospitality that endures to this day. At 99 years young, Mary is still part of the fabric of the business, waving from the riverbank as Discovery III rounds the river bend.

    This weekend, the Binkley family will gather together to celebrate 75 years of operation but, more importantly, 75 years of a family legacy with Mary at the front and center. More than 500 family members and friends and guests from across America and from across Alaska will join Mary at Steamboat Landing this Saturday for a nighttime cruise on the Discovery III, which will be a fitting celebration for this incredible woman and incredible family behind an Alaskan institution.

    So congratulations, Riverboat Discovery, to 75 years. And to Mary: Congratulations on one of the most prestigious awards you can ever receive—the Alaskan of the Week from the U.S. Senate.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 21 July 2025 News release WHO operations compromised following attacks on warehouse and facility sheltering staff and families in Deir al Balah, Gaza

    Source: World Health Organisation

    WHO condemns in the strongest terms the attacks on a building housing WHO staff in Deir al Balah in Gaza, the mistreatment of those sheltering there, and the destruction of its main warehouse.

    Following intensified hostilities in Deir al Balah after the latest evacuation order issued by Israeli military, the WHO staff residence was attacked three times today. Staff and their families, including children, were exposed to grave danger and traumatized after airstrikes caused a fire and significant damage. Israeli military entered the premises, forcing women and children to evacuate on foot toward Al-Mawasi amid active conflict. Male staff and family members were handcuffed, stripped, interrogated on the spot, and screened at gunpoint. Two WHO staff and two family members were detained. Three were later released, while one staff member remains in detention. Thirty-two people, including women and children, were collected and evacuated to the WHO office in a high-risk mission, once access became possible. The office itself is close to the evacuation zone and active conflict.

    WHO demands continuous protection of its staff and the immediate release of the remaining detained staff member.

    The latest evacuation order has affected several WHO premises. As the United Nations’s (UN) lead health agency, WHO’s operational presence in Gaza is now compromised, crippling efforts to sustain a collapsing health system and pushing survival further out of reach for more than two million people. 

    Most of WHO’s staff housing is now inaccessible. Last night, due to intensified hostilities, 43 staff and their families were already relocated from several staff residences to the WHO office, under darkness and at significant risk.

    WHO’s main warehouse located in Deir al Balah is within the evacuation zone, and was damaged yesterday after an attack caused explosions and fire inside – part of a pattern of systematic destruction of health facilities. It was later looted by desperate crowds.

    With the main warehouse nonfunctional and the majority of medical supplies in Gaza depleted, WHO is severely constrained in adequately supporting hospitals, emergency medical teams and health partners, already critically short on medicines, fuel, and equipment. WHO urgently calls on Member States to help ensure a sustained and regular flow of medical supplies into Gaza.

    The geographical coordinates of all WHO premises, including offices, warehouses, and staff housing, are shared with the relevant parties. These facilities are the backbone of WHO’s operations in Gaza and must always be protected, regardless of evacuation or displacement orders. Any threat to these premises is a threat to the entire humanitarian health response in Gaza.  

    In line with the UN’s decision, WHO will remain in Deir al Balah, deliver and expand its operations.

    With 88% of Gaza now under evacuation orders or within Israeli-militarized zones, there is no safe place to go.

    WHO is appalled by the dangerous conditions under which humanitarians and health workers are forced to operate. As the security situation and access continue to deteriorate, red lines are repeatedly crossed, and humanitarian operations pushed into an ever-shrinking space to respond. 

    WHO calls for the immediate release of the WHO staff member detained today, and the protection of all our staff and its premises. We reiterate our call for the active protection of civilians, health care and its premises and for rapid and unimpeded flow of aid, including food, fuel and health supplies, at scale into and across Gaza. WHO also calls for the unconditional release of hostages. 

    Life in Gaza is being relentlessly squeezed, and the chance to prevent loss of lives and reverse immense damage to the health system slips further out of reach each day. A ceasefire is not just necessary, it is overdue. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Community-led service supports people in crisis in Kamloops

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    People experiencing a mental-health or substance-use crisis in Kamloops now have access to more services to help them stabilize and connect to the support they need.

    “When someone is in crisis, being met with understanding and compassion can change everything,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “This service in Kamloops brings together health-care professionals and people with lived experience to offer support that is timely and empathetic, and it’s making a meaningful difference.”

    Crisis Response, Community-Led (CRCL, pronounced “circle”), formerly known as Peer Assisted Care Teams, is a mobile, community-led crisis service that serves people 13 and older who are experiencing a mental-health or substance-use crisis. This might include thoughts of suicide or self-harm, feelings of grief, distress, panic or anxiety, and/or acting in ways that are distressing.

    The team is a combination of mental-health professionals and people with lived experience, who are trained in providing trauma-informed, culturally safe crisis support.

    “Launching the CRCL service in another community is a crucial advancement in building a comprehensive crisis support network across B.C.,” said Jonny Morris, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division (CMHA BC). “We commend the Province for recognizing the critical need for community crisis response in our communities. These highly skilled crisis response teams have proven their ability to change and save lives across B.C., and we’re confident Kamloops will experience these same vital benefits.”

    The CRCL team helps de-escalate, ensures and plans for the immediate safety of the person in crisis, and connects them to services to support their longer-term needs. This service also helps free up policing resources to focus on crime and aids in preventing unnecessary demand on hospital emergency departments by supporting people in community.

    The Kamloops CRCL is a partnership between CMHA BC and the Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society, which delivers the service locally. The service soft-launched with a small number of community partners in February 2025. Since then, approximately 50 people have been supported. The team is available noon until 8 p.m., Monday to Friday and can be reached at 778 740-2725.

    “CRCL humanizes mental health by meeting people first as human beings, and not just as cases in crisis,” said Amanda McGillvray, a CRCL Kamloops worker. “I’ve had the privilege of supporting people in some of their most vulnerable moments, and those moments of trust, respect and simple kindness have stayed with me. CRCL reminds us that dignity, empathy and safety should be at the heart of every crisis response, and no one should have to navigate that experience alone.”

    In addition to Kamloops, five CRCLs are in operation in Victoria, North Vancouver and West Vancouver, New Westminster, Prince George and the Comox Valley.

    Expanding CRCL is part of the Province’s Safer Communities Action Plan and supports the plan’s goal of creating safe, healthy communities for everyone. Enhancing supports for people living with mental-health and substance-use challenges is an integral part of government’s work to build a full continuum of mental-health and substance-use care.

    Quotes:

    Amna Shah, parliamentary secretary for mental health and addictions –

    “In a mental-health or substance-use crisis, feeling supported and safe can make all the difference. In Kamloops, compassionate crisis responders will be there to listen, understand and guide people toward the care and support that can make a real difference.”

    Cal Albright, executive director, Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society –

    “The Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society has a mission statement that in part provides culturally and inclusive programs and services. We are honoured to provide a much-needed mental-health crisis program we call CRCL to all people of Kamloops. We know the stress of daily living – whether you’re homeless or a university student, and are available to assist everyone in their crisis.”

    Quick Facts:

    • CRCL launched in 2021 in North Vancouver and West Vancouver, and in January 2023, expanded to Victoria and New Westminster.
    • In July 2023, government announced the expansion of CRCL to Comox Valley, Prince George and Kamloops.
    • Collectively, CRCL teams have responded to more than 10,000 calls since January 2023.
    • In 2024, teams responded to almost 6,000 calls, 99% of which were handled by CRCL teams and did not require police involvement.
    • CRCL is creating a growing specialized workforce of crisis responders in B.C., employing more than 125 people in six communities throughout B.C.

    Learn More:

    Learn about CRCL: https://crcl.ca/

    Learn about mental-health and substance-use supports in B.C.: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca/

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Community-led service supports people in crisis in Kamloops

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    People experiencing a mental-health or substance-use crisis in Kamloops now have access to more services to help them stabilize and connect to the support they need.

    “When someone is in crisis, being met with understanding and compassion can change everything,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “This service in Kamloops brings together health-care professionals and people with lived experience to offer support that is timely and empathetic, and it’s making a meaningful difference.”

    Crisis Response, Community-Led (CRCL, pronounced “circle”), formerly known as Peer Assisted Care Teams, is a mobile, community-led crisis service that serves people 13 and older who are experiencing a mental-health or substance-use crisis. This might include thoughts of suicide or self-harm, feelings of grief, distress, panic or anxiety, and/or acting in ways that are distressing.

    The team is a combination of mental-health professionals and people with lived experience, who are trained in providing trauma-informed, culturally safe crisis support.

    “Launching the CRCL service in another community is a crucial advancement in building a comprehensive crisis support network across B.C.,” said Jonny Morris, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division (CMHA BC). “We commend the Province for recognizing the critical need for community crisis response in our communities. These highly skilled crisis response teams have proven their ability to change and save lives across B.C., and we’re confident Kamloops will experience these same vital benefits.”

    The CRCL team helps de-escalate, ensures and plans for the immediate safety of the person in crisis, and connects them to services to support their longer-term needs. This service also helps free up policing resources to focus on crime and aids in preventing unnecessary demand on hospital emergency departments by supporting people in community.

    The Kamloops CRCL is a partnership between CMHA BC and the Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society, which delivers the service locally. The service soft-launched with a small number of community partners in February 2025. Since then, approximately 50 people have been supported. The team is available noon until 8 p.m., Monday to Friday and can be reached at 778 740-2725.

    “CRCL humanizes mental health by meeting people first as human beings, and not just as cases in crisis,” said Amanda McGillvray, a CRCL Kamloops worker. “I’ve had the privilege of supporting people in some of their most vulnerable moments, and those moments of trust, respect and simple kindness have stayed with me. CRCL reminds us that dignity, empathy and safety should be at the heart of every crisis response, and no one should have to navigate that experience alone.”

    In addition to Kamloops, five CRCLs are in operation in Victoria, North Vancouver and West Vancouver, New Westminster, Prince George and the Comox Valley.

    Expanding CRCL is part of the Province’s Safer Communities Action Plan and supports the plan’s goal of creating safe, healthy communities for everyone. Enhancing supports for people living with mental-health and substance-use challenges is an integral part of government’s work to build a full continuum of mental-health and substance-use care.

    Quotes:

    Amna Shah, parliamentary secretary for mental health and addictions –

    “In a mental-health or substance-use crisis, feeling supported and safe can make all the difference. In Kamloops, compassionate crisis responders will be there to listen, understand and guide people toward the care and support that can make a real difference.”

    Cal Albright, executive director, Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society –

    “The Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society has a mission statement that in part provides culturally and inclusive programs and services. We are honoured to provide a much-needed mental-health crisis program we call CRCL to all people of Kamloops. We know the stress of daily living – whether you’re homeless or a university student, and are available to assist everyone in their crisis.”

    Quick Facts:

    • CRCL launched in 2021 in North Vancouver and West Vancouver, and in January 2023, expanded to Victoria and New Westminster.
    • In July 2023, government announced the expansion of CRCL to Comox Valley, Prince George and Kamloops.
    • Collectively, CRCL teams have responded to more than 10,000 calls since January 2023.
    • In 2024, teams responded to almost 6,000 calls, 99% of which were handled by CRCL teams and did not require police involvement.
    • CRCL is creating a growing specialized workforce of crisis responders in B.C., employing more than 125 people in six communities throughout B.C.

    Learn More:

    Learn about CRCL: https://crcl.ca/

    Learn about mental-health and substance-use supports in B.C.: https://helpstartshere.gov.bc.ca/

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Engineer Pleads Guilty to Stealing for Chinese Government’s Benefit Trade Secret Technology Designed for Missile Launch and Detection

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A Santa Clara County man and former engineer at a Southern California company pleaded guilty today to stealing trade secret technologies developed for use by the U.S. government to detect nuclear missile launches, track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, and to allow U.S. fighter planes to detect and evade heat-seeking missiles.

    Chenguang Gong, 59, of San Jose, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets. He remains free on $1.75 million bond.

    According to his plea agreement, Gong – a dual citizen of the United States and China – transferred more than 3,600 files from a Los Angeles-area research and development company where he worked – identified in court documents as the victim company – to personal storage devices during his brief tenure with the company last year.

    The files Gong transferred include blueprints for sophisticated infrared sensors designed for use in space-based systems to detect nuclear missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles, as well as blueprints for sensors designed to enable U.S. military aircraft to detect incoming heat-seeking missiles and take countermeasures, including by jamming the missiles’ infrared tracking ability. Some of these files were later found on storage devices seized from Gong’s temporary residence in Thousand Oaks.

    In January 2023, the victim company hired Gong as an application-specific integrated circuit design manager responsible for the design, development and verification of its infrared sensors. Beginning on approximately March 30, 2023, and continuing until his termination on April 26, 2023, Gong transferred thousands of files from his work laptop to three personal storage devices, including more than 1,800 files after he had accepted a job at one of the victim company’s main competitors.

    Many of the files Gong transferred contained proprietary and trade secret information related to the development and design of a readout integrated circuit that allows space-based systems to detect missile launches and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles and a readout integrated circuit that allows aircraft to track incoming threats in low visibility environments.

    Gong also transferred files containing trade secrets relating to the development of “next generation” sensors capable of detecting low observable targets while demonstrating increased survivability in space, as well as the blueprints for the mechanical assemblies used to house and cryogenically cool the victim company’s sensors. This information was among the victim company’s most important trade secrets that are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Many of the files had been marked “[VICTIM COMPANY] PROPRIETARY,” “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY,” “PROPRIETARY INFORMATION,” and “EXPORT CONTROLLED.”

    Law enforcement also discovered that, between approximately 2014 and 2022, while employed at several major technology companies in the United States, Gong submitted numerous applications to ‘Talent Programs’ administered by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The PRC government has established these talent programs as a means to identify individuals who have expert skills, abilities, and knowledge of advanced sciences and technologies in order to access and utilize those skills and knowledge in transforming the PRC’s economy, including its military capabilities.

    In 2014, while employed at a U.S. information technology company headquartered in Dallas, Gong sent a business proposal to a contact at a high-tech research institute in China focused on both military and civilian products. In his proposal, translated from Chinese, Gong described a plan to produce high-performance analog-to-digital converters like those produced by his employer. In another Talent Program application from September 2020, Gong proposed to develop “low light/night vision” image sensors for use in military night vision goggles and civilian applications. Gong’s proposal included a video presentation that contained the model number of a sensor developed by an international defense, aerospace, and security company where Gong worked from 2015 to 2019.

    Gong travelled to China several times to seek Talent Program funding in order to develop sophisticated analog-to-digital converters. In his Talent Program applications, Gong underscored that the high-performance analog-to-digital converters he proposed to develop in China had military applications, explaining that they “directly determine the accuracy and range of radar systems” and that “[m]issile navigation systems also often use radar front-end systems.” In a 2019 email, translated from Chinese, Gong remarked that he “took a risk” by traveling to China to participate in the Talent Programs “because [he] worked for…an American military industry company” and thought he could “do something” to contribute to China’s “high-end military integrated circuits.”

    According to his plea agreement, the intended economic loss from Gong’s criminal conduct exceeds $3.5 million.

    U.S. District Judge John F. Walter scheduled sentencing for Sept. 29, at which time Gong faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

    The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office through the Counterintelligence Task Force in partnership with the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service and Homeland Security Investigations is investigating this matter. The FBI’s San Francisco Field Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California also provided substantial assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys David C. Lachman and Nisha Chandran for the Central District of California and Trial Attorney Brendan Geary of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: Houthi-Israel tensions, Sudan cholera cases rise, deadly attacks in Ukraine

    Source: United Nations 2

    These strikes occurred while the UN Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement – established in 2018 to support the ceasefire between the Government of Yemen and the Houthis – was patrolling at locations to the northern parts of the Port. 

    The Secretary-General also expressed deep concern about the continuing missile and drone strikes conducted by the Houthis against Israel. 

    Risk of further escalation

    Concerned about the risk of further escalation, the UN recalled that international law, together with international humanitarian law, must be respected by all parties at all times, including the obligations to respect and protect civilian infrastructure. 

    “The Secretary-General remains profoundly concerned about the risk of further escalation in the region,” said Mr. Dujarric. 

    As the UN Chief reiterated his call for “all involved to cease all military actions and exercise maximum restraint,” he also renewed his call for the immediate and unconditional release of all UN and other personnel arbitrarily detained by the Houthi authorities. 

    Sudan: Crisis worsens as cholera and floods drive needs higher  

    The humanitarian crisis in Sudan continues to deepen as cholera spreads, flooding displaces communities, and thousands of people return to areas with little to no support, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

    In the locality of Tawiola, in North Darfur State, over 1,300 confirmed cases of cholera in just one week were reported on Sunday by an association of Sudanese doctors. 

    While local and international partners have set up cholera treatment centres, the current capacity is far from sufficient to cope with the rising caseload.  

    As Tawila hosts several hundred thousand displaced people, partners on the ground have been struggling to keep pace with the growing needs, notably as such needs are set to increase as the upcoming rainy season sets in. 

    Vulnerable returnees 

    Across Sudan, people returning to their communities face serious challenges, including the lack of essential services and the threat posed by explosive remnants of war. 

    In White Nile State, some residents have begun returning after being displaced for a year. Yet, an assessment by OCHA and its partners last week found that health, water, sanitation and hygiene support is urgently needed, even more so ahead of the rainy season.

    Similarly, in eastern Sudan, OCHA warns that many families returning to Kassala State are struggling to cope with the impact of heavy rains and flooding, as heavy rains destroyed more than 280 homes in the village of Tirik earlier in July. 

    Additionally, as insecurity continues to impede the work of humanitarians, challenges faced by returnee families often lead them to return to displacement sites, undermining the sustainability of return efforts. 

    In this context, OCHA called for increased international support to meet soaring needs across Sudan. 

    Ukraine: At least 20 civilians reportedly killed in recent attacks  

    In Ukraine, attacks over the weekend and into Monday reportedly killed over 20 civilians and injured more than 100 others, including several children, according to authorities.

    The strikes affected the capital Kyiv, as well as western and front-line regions, damaging homes, schools, and a health facility.

    In Kyiv, a kindergarten, metro stations, shops and residential buildings were hit. 

    The Ivano-Frakivsk region in western Ukraine which hosts many displaced people and had previously been less affected by hostilities, suffered the largest attack since the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.  

    Frontline regions  

    Meanwhile, in areas near the frontlines in the Donetsk, Dnipro and Kherson regions, hostilities caused civilian casualties and further damage to schools, a health facility, and apartment buildings. Odesa, Kharkiv, Sumy and other regions also reported that homes and shops were destroyed.  

    With support from UN agencies, and coordinating with local authorities and first respondents, humanitarian organizations on the ground continue to provide shelter materials, non-food items, legal aid, psychosocial support and assistance for children across the country.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Female technician completes EV training at EIT

    Source: Eastern Institute of Technology

    25 seconds ago

    A female technician at Andrew Simms Motor Group in Auckland has completed electric vehicle training through EIT to meet growing demand in the workshop.

    Lezani Oosthuizen-Meyer, who joined the dealership in 2023, recently completed the NZ Certificate in Electric Vehicle Automotive Engineering [Level 5] through EIT via distance learning, while working full-time in the service department.

    Auckland technician Lezani Oosthuizen-Meyer completed the NZ Certificate in Electric Vehicle Automotive Engineering [Level 5] through EIT while working at Andrew Simms Motor Group.

    Originally from South Africa, the 35-year-old has more than a decade of experience in the automotive industry, including experience with both passenger vehicles and heavy transport.

    Her enrolment is part of a wider upskilling initiative at Andrew Simms, which, since 2023, has chosen EIT as its preferred provider for EV training across its six Auckland dealerships.

    “We’re seeing more and more EVs coming through, so my managers encouraged me to do the course, and it was a really good experience.”

    Delivered through a mix of online learning and in-person block courses, the level 5 programme is designed to equip qualified technicians with the skills and safety knowledge required to service and repair high-voltage electric vehicles.

    Lezani said the support from her EIT tutor Scott Cunningham made a big difference.

    “Scotty was very knowledgeable and helped me a lot. Even now, if I have questions, I can call him, and he’ll talk me through it.”

    Having previously trained in both South Africa and New Zealand, Lezani said the EIT course offered more depth than anything she had done before.

    “It broke everything down really clearly,” she said. “I already had experience working with modules and diagnostics, but this gave me a much better understanding of high-voltage systems.”

    While juggling study, work, and parenting a four-year-old was a challenge, she said it was manageable and worth it.

    “Sometimes I’d get home late, give my son a bath and get him to bed, then go straight into the online classes,” she said. “It was tiring, but it’s added to what I can do in the workshop.”

    As one of the few women in the trade, Lezani said she’s noticed a more inclusive culture in New Zealand compared to South Africa, where opportunities were limited.

    “I’ve seen more women in the industry here, which is really encouraging,” she said.

    Now looking to take a break from study, she hopes to explore opportunities in management in the future.

    “For now, I’m focused on work and family, but I’d definitely recommend the course to others. It’s a good investment in your future.”

    Tim Jagusch, EIT School of Trades and Technology Assistant Head, said Lezani’s journey is a powerful example of what’s possible when determination meets opportunity.

    “At EIT, we’re proud to support learners like her; people who are not only advancing their own careers but also helping to shape the future of the automotive industry. Her success reflects the strength of our partnerships with industry leaders like Andrew Simms Motor Group and the value of flexible, high-quality training. We congratulate Lezani on her achievement and look forward to seeing more technicians take up the challenge of EV training.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Pillen Issues Disaster Declaration for Dawson County Following June Storms

    Source: US State of Nebraska

    . Pillen Issues Disaster Declaration for Dawson County Following June Storms

    LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen issued a disaster declaration for Dawson County as a result of last month’s storms that hit the area. The June 29th and 30th severe thunderstorms brought exceptionally high winds and heavy rain, which caused significant damage to public property and infrastructure, including millions of dollars of damage to NPPD infrastructure. 

    Governor Pillen has directed the Nebraska Adjutant General,  Major General Craig W. Strong – who also serves as State Disaster Coordinator – to activate appropriate State emergency plans. 

    The emergency disaster declaration will free up state funds and resources to assist the area as they work to address damage and other issues.

    The State of Nebraska is likely to seek a Presidential Disaster Declaration to aid recovery from these storms. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Sues Trump Administration for Gutting Critical Social Services

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today led a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in suing the federal administration to stop its unlawful attempt to gut lifesaving health, education, and social service programs for low-income families. Earlier this month, in a chaotic reversal of decades of agency policy, the administration issued sweeping new directives barring many safety net programs from serving all residents, regardless of immigration status. The changes threaten access to core services such as Head Start, Meals on Wheels, child welfare programs, domestic violence shelters, housing assistance, mental health treatment, food banks, and community health centers. Attorney General James and the coalition are asking the court to halt these policies and act quickly to prevent the collapse of some of the nation’s most vital public programs.

    “For decades, states like New York have built health, education, and family support systems that serve anyone in need,” said Attorney General James. “These programs work because they are open, accessible, and grounded in compassion. Now, the federal government is pulling that foundation out from under us overnight, jeopardizing cancer screenings, early childhood education, primary care, and so much more. This is a baseless attack on some of our country’s most effective and inclusive public programs, and we will not let it stand.”

    Starting on July 10, four federal agencies – the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Education (ED), Labor (DOL), and Justice (DOJ) – issued a coordinated set of rules and guidance documents reinterpreting the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), a 1996 law governing access to public benefits. For nearly three decades, under both Democratic and Republican administrations, federal agencies interpreted PRWORA to allow states to offer a wide range of essential services without regard to immigration status.

    That changed abruptly with new notices issued under the president’s executive order, “Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Open Borders.” The new policies redefine broad swaths of federally funded programs as restricted “federal public benefits,” now subject to immigration verification. These rules took effect immediately or with little notice, bypassing public input and ignoring real-world consequences. The policies apply not just to undocumented immigrants, but also to some people with legal status, including student visa holders, temporary workers, and exchange visitors. In addition, the attorneys general warn that even U.S. citizens and lawful residents could be denied services, as many low-income individuals lack government-issued identification.

    Attorney General James and the coalition argue the policies are already causing significant disruption. The notices started to take effect almost immediately, and state programs face the risks of enforcement, endangering their federal funding. Providers, including those serving children, pregnant patients, refugees, and other vulnerable populations, are ill-equipped to implement the new policies under any timeline. Children in foster care, domestic violence survivors, people leaving homelessness, and many other vulnerable communities could lose access to some of their most critical supports. Although some charitable organizations remain exempt from the requirement to verify immigration status, states and their subgrantees are not. The attorneys general assert that in its rush to inflict harm on immigrant communities, the administration is poised to harm tens of thousands of low-income families, workers, and children, including U.S. citizens and lawful residents.

    In New York, the consequences are especially alarming:

    • Community Health Centers: New York’s 850 community health centers provide primary and preventative care to 2.4 million low-income residents, regardless of insurance or immigration status. These centers are often the only healthcare provider available in underserved communities. Without federal funding or reimbursement for treating patients whose status cannot be verified, many centers could be forced to close – leaving entire communities without access to vaccines, mammograms, wellness exams, and chronic disease care.
    • Title X Family Planning Clinics: Title X clinics provide low- or no-cost reproductive care, STI testing, cancer screenings, and wellness exams to over 300,000 New Yorkers each year. In 2024, the state received more than $11 million in Title X funding – all of which may now be at risk unless clinics begin screening for verifying immigration status, a step providers call unworkable and deeply harmful.
    • Anti-Poverty Programs: New York receives approximately $65 million annually through the Community Services Block Grant, which supports food, housing, utility assistance, and more. In 2023, the state’s Community Action Agencies served more than half a million New Yorkers, distributed 1.5 million boxes of food, and provided before- and after-school programs for over 200,000 students. Under the new rules, far fewer people will access these critical anti-poverty services – either because they lack ID or because they fear immigration-related repercussions.
    • Early Childhood Education: Head Start provides early education to 43,000 low-income children at nearly 1,000 sites statewide and receives approximately $700 million in federal funding. New York’s Head Start providers warn that they may not have the ability or capacity to feasibly implement immigration screening. These programs are particularly fragile: when federal funding was temporarily frozen in January 2025, several centers shut down within days, forcing parents to miss work and threatening job stability.
    • Behavioral Health: New York receives nearly $180 million annually in federal mental health and substance use block grant funding to support critical programs like crisis intervention teams, substance use disorder treatment, school-based mental health services, peer support networks, the 988 suicide and crisis lifeline, and jail diversion initiatives. These services are now at serious risk under the new federal rules. For many individuals with serious mental illness – including those experiencing homelessness – immigration status screening and documentation requirements may pose an insurmountable barrier to care. The New York Office of Mental Health also warns that these changes could severely undermine the state’s mental health infrastructure and further worsen the nationwide youth mental health crisis.
    • Adult Education Services: More than 80,000 New Yorkers use Adult Career and Continuing Education Services (ACCES) each year to build literacy, earn high school equivalency diplomas, and gain career training. These programs are especially vital for new Americans and are essential to addressing workforce shortages. The administration’s rules would exclude thousands of learners overnight and destabilize the entire system. Providers warn they cannot implement the new requirements without gutting their mission and ability to serve.

    The attorneys general argue that the federal government acted unlawfully by issuing sweeping new mandates without following the required rulemaking process, in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act. They also argue the administration grossly misread PRWORA, improperly applying it to entire programs rather than individual benefits, and generally failed to consider the sweeping and devastating impacts these changes would have on states. Finally, they assert the rules violate the Constitution’s Spending Clause, which requires the federal government to provide clear and fair notice of any new conditions on funding before states accept those funds.

    Attorney General James and the coalition are asking the court to declare the new rules unlawful, halt their implementation through preliminary and permanent injunctions, vacate the rules and restore long-standing practice, and prevent the federal government from using PRWORA as a pretext to dismantle core safety net programs in the future.

    Joining Attorney General James in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Brown files lawsuit to block federal restrictions on public benefits

    Source: Washington State News

    SEATTLE – Attorney General Nick Brown today joined a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in suing the federal administration to stop its unlawful attempt to restrict access to critical health, education, and social service programs.

    Earlier this month, in a chaotic reversal of agency policy, the administration issued notices prohibiting state safety net programs from serving all residents, regardless of immigration status. The change threatens access to critical services like Head Start, Title X family planning, adult education, mental health care, and Community Health Centers. Brown and the coalition are asking the court to halt the new federal rules and act quickly to ensure continued access to some of the nation’s most crucial social services programs.

    “Congress designed these services to be widely accessible to people in this country. But now the Trump administration wants to do an immigration check as preschoolers file into the classroom, ready to learn their ABCs,” Brown said. “These notices impose unworkable requirements on state agencies and providers that are plainly intended to damage these vital support systems and intimidate vulnerable people.” 

    Starting on July 10, the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Education (ED), Labor (DOL), and Justice (DOJ) issued a coordinated set of rules and guidance documents that reinterpret the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA). The agencies’ new interpretation restricts states from using federal funds to provide services to individuals who cannot verify immigration status – a major shift from long-standing federal practice under both Republican and Democratic administrations. The rules took effect immediately or with minimal notice and affect not only undocumented immigrants, but also some lawful visa holders and, in practice, even U.S. citizens who lack access to formal documentation. 

    These new directives are already causing major disruptions. Because the HHS, ED, and DOL rules took effect last week, state programs are now expected to comply immediately, despite having no infrastructure in place to do so. Most providers cannot implement dramatic regulatory changes overnight and, as a result, they now face a dramatic loss of federal funding. Many crucial state programs must now institute immigration verification measures – including Head Start, Title X Clinics, community health centers, anti-poverty resources, adult education programs, and critical mental health and substance use services – but some providers warn that they will not be able to change their practices no matter how much time and money they have to do so and therefore face closure. 

    In Washington, the new guidance threatens the operation of community health clinics and providers that serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance abuse, regardless of their ability to pay, place of residence, age, or immigration status. It creates new burdens for the state’s WorkSource centers, which allow local providers such as community colleges, school districts, non-profits, and tribal governments to deliver services such as job search assistance and help employers find workers to fill roles. Non-profit agencies that provide support to families with housing, energy assistance, training, emergency services, nutrition, employment, and financial management will be severely impacted if the new notices take effect. 

    These programs serve broad populations, including U.S. citizens, lawful residents, and new immigrants, and are not designed to collect or verify immigration status. Providers warn that the new rules could deter people from seeking help, lead to service cutoffs, and destabilize systems already stretched thin. Many of these programs, which prevent the spread of communicable disease or promote economic development, exist for the benefit and protection of the broader community, which will be harmed by the effects of the new guidance. 

    The lawsuit argues that the federal government acted unlawfully by issuing these changes without following required procedures under the Administrative Procedure Act, and by misapplying PRWORA to entire programs rather than to individual benefits. The changes also violate the Constitution’s Spending Clause by imposing new funding conditions on states without fair notice or consent. 

    The coalition is asking the court to declare the new rules unlawful, halt their implementation through preliminary and permanent injunctions, vacate the rules and restore the long-standing agency practice, and prevent the federal government from using PRWORA as a pretext to dismantle core safety net programs in the future. 

    Joining Brown in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.

    A copy of the complaint is available here. A copy of the motion for a preliminary injunction is available here.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Email: press@atg.wa.gov

    Phone: (360) 753-2727

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Announces George Botic to Serve as Acting Chair of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that it has designated George R. Botic to serve as Acting Chair of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, effective July 23, 2025. Current PCAOB Chair Erica Y. Williams has resigned from the Board, effective July 22, 2025.

    “I thank Erica Williams for her dedicated service on the Board, and I look forward to working with George Botic as Acting Chair,” said SEC Chairman Paul Atkins.

    “I am honored to work with the SEC and the staff of the PCAOB as Acting Chair to ensure that we meet the mission established by Congress,” said Mr. Botic.

    Mr. Botic is a Certified Public Accountant and became a PCAOB Board Member on October 25, 2023. Prior to joining the Board, he served as the Director of the PCAOB’s Division of Registration and Inspections, where he oversaw the registration and inspection of all domestic and foreign accounting firms that audit public companies whose securities trade in the U.S., as well as all broker-dealer audits. He previously served in various roles at the PCAOB, including as its Director of the Office of International Affairs, Special Advisor to former Chairperson James R. Doty, and Deputy Director of the Registration and Inspections Division. Earlier in his career, Mr. Botic was a Senior Manager with PricewaterhouseCoopers. He is a graduate of Shepherd University and received a Master of Accountancy from Virginia Tech.

    The PCAOB was established by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and oversees the audits of the financial statements of public companies, brokers, and dealers through registration, standard setting, inspection, and disciplinary programs. Under the Act, the Commission selects members and the Chairperson of the Board.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom calls for immediate withdrawal of all soldiers in Los Angeles

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jul 21, 2025

    What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom calls on the President to send every soldier home now – this dangerous militarization must end.

    Los Angeles, California – As pressure continues mounting for the President to end the unlawful deployment of soldiers in Los Angeles, with the remaining Marines in the area withdrawing, 2,000 federalized National Guard members still remain – away from their families, communities and civilian jobs as doctors, police, and teachers.

    The women and men of the California National Guard deserve more than to continue serving as puppets in Trump and Stephen Miller’s performative political theater. There was never a need for the military to deploy against civilians in Los Angeles. The damage is done, however. We, again, call upon them to do the right thing and end the militarization once and for all.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    End the militarization now

    For over a month, about 4,000 National Guard members have been serving as political pawns for the President in Los Angeles, pulled away from their families, communities, and civilian jobs. While half are now demobilizing and the deployed Marines are being sent home, many remain without a clear mission, direction, or a timeline for returning to their communities. California urges Trump and the Department of Defense to end this theatrical deployment and send all remaining guardsmembers home immediately.

    Community leaders, public officials, veterans and others agree – the federal government’s actions in California not only have a chilling effect on the state’s society and economy, but also continue to undermine the valuable contributions from members of the military while in and out of uniform. 

    Republican and Democratic former governors agree—Trump’s federalization violates the critical balance between state and federal government. Recently, a bipartisan group of 25 former governors filed a brief in support of Newsom v. Trump, urging the court to enforce state sovereignty and block the unprecedented federalization of the National Guard. 

    Police off the streets, teachers out of classrooms

    Of the over 4,000 California National Guard members sent to Los Angeles under Trump’s order, the California National Guard estimates that their servicemembers have been pulled from essential civilian duties such as medical and first responders, service workers, building trades contractors, law enforcement personnel, corrections officers, civil service and government workers, technology specialists, educators and teachers, and agriculture workers.

    Drugs arriving at the border, fewer soldiers to stop them

    Typically, under the Governor’s command, nearly 450 servicemembers are deployed statewide, including at ports of entry, to combat transnational criminal organizations and seize illegal narcotics. CalGuard’s servicemembers dedicated to the state’s Counterdrug Task Force have been reassigned by President Trump to militarize Los Angeles. The consequences are dire – CalGuard’s efforts help ensure the public safety of communities statewide.

    High-ranking U.S. military officials agree

    Retired four-star admirals and generals and former secretaries of the Army and Navy filed another amicus brief outlining the grave risks of Trump’s illegal takeover of the CalGuard. Several veterans and veteran rights’ groups came together to decry Trump’s militarization of California. 

    Economic impact of cruel immigration policy

    Governor Newsom recently met with local restaurant owners in the City of Bell and faith leaders in Downey to discuss the economic impact these indiscriminate immigration actions have had on their small business.

    Trump’s actions have a ripple effect – the state’s economy is likely to contract later this year due to fallout from global tariffs and immigration raids in Los Angeles and other cities that have rattled key sectors, including construction, hospitality, and agriculture, according to a UCLA Anderson forecast. Mass arrests, detentions and deportations in California could slash $275 billion from the state’s economy and eliminate $23 billion in annual tax revenue. The loss of immigrant workers, undocumented and those losing lawful status under the Trump administration, would delay projects (including rebuilding Los Angeles after the wildfires), reduce food supply, and drive up costs. Undocumented immigrants contributed $8.5 billion in state and local taxes in 2022 — a number that would rise to $10.3 billion if these taxpayers could apply to work lawfully.

    Recent news

    Jul 19, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom has approved the prepositioning of firefighting resources in Sierra and Plumas counties in response to critical fire weather conditions forecasted to impact Northern California starting Sunday, July 20, through Tuesday, July 22,…

    Jul 19, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom and Acting Governor Eleni Kounalakis issued the following statement regarding the deaths of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Detectives Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus, and William Osborn:“Detectives Kelley-Eklund,…

    Jul 17, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the deployment of 3 additional Urban Search and Rescue Team (US&R) members to Texas to assist with ongoing response efforts related to severe flooding impacts.  A total of 42 California US&R members are…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: More primary care on the way for rural Alberta

    Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring Albertans receive the care they need when and where they need it. To strengthen rural health care, grants under two programs have been awarded. These grants support medical resident physicians training in rural and remote communities and help primary care clinics across rural Alberta grow their teams.

    The initiatives include a $16-million pilot bursary program that supports 74 family medicine residents expected to begin practising in rural Alberta between now and July 2027. At the same time, the Rural Team Recruitment Grant will provide $6 million over two years to help clinics hire additional health professionals – such as nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists – expand care teams and improve access.

    “This is a great example of how we’re delivering real improvements in primary health care. Our bursary program will help bring more family doctors to rural communities, and the team-based care grants mean Albertans will have better access to health professionals who can support their needs. Physicians are choosing to practise in Alberta in record numbers, especially family doctors, and we’re working to make sure they increase access for patients in rural Alberta as well as in the cities.”

    Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Primary and Preventative Health Services

    The Rural Team Recruitment Grant helps clinics and community organizations increase their capacity by hiring non-physician health professionals. These multidisciplinary teams significantly improve access to primary care by ensuring a range of health services are available locally.

    In the first round of funding, 29 clinics across the province will receive support. This includes clinics in Consort, Drumheller, Stettler, Crowsnest Pass, Cold Lake, Grande Cache, Peace River, Delburne, Drayton Valley, Barrhead and Bashaw. Approximately 52 new full-time health professionals are expected to be hired, with a second intake for the grant program opening soon.

    “The Rural Team Recruitment Grant is a meaningful step forward for health care in rural Alberta. When clinics can hire more team members, people get access to the care they need faster and closer to home.”

    Ron Wiebe, parliamentary secretary for rural health (north)

    The Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary Pilot Program is helping attract and retain doctors in Alberta’s rural and remote communities. It provides bursaries of $125,000 for rural placements and $200,000 for remote placements to residents who commit to working in eligible communities after completing their training.

    Bursaries are available to medical students from any Canadian university who have matched to a family medicine residency program at the University of Alberta or the University of Calgary. Residents can apply at any point during their training. Applications are being accepted until early 2026 or until all funding is committed.

    Resident physicians are more likely to stay and practise in the communities where they complete their residency, making this program a key step toward building sustainable, long-term access to primary care in rural and remote areas.

    “This bursary is an investment in Alberta’s future. It gives resident physicians the support they need while helping rural and remote communities attract and keep family doctors.”

    Justin Wright, parliamentary secretary for rural health (south)

    “This bursary is a significant step in strengthening retention in rural and remote family medicine practice. Resident physicians are the future of our physician workforce; fair and competitive retention initiatives will ensure all Albertans have access to the high-quality health care they deserve.”

    Dr. Sia Zare-Zadeh, president, Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta (PARA)

    Quick facts

    • These programs are key components of the Rural Health Action Plan and align with the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Care System (MAPS) report.
    • Funding is through the Canada-Alberta agreement to improve health care, including in rural and remote areas.

    Related information

    • Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System (MAPS)
    • Primary health care grants
    • Rural and Remote Family Medicine Resident Physician Bursary
    • Rural Health Action Plan

    Related news

    • Strengthening primary health care across Alberta (Nov. 5, 2024)
    • Leading primary care into the future (Oct. 15, 2024)
    • Improving health care in rural and remote Alberta (Oct. 3, 2024
    • Strengthening health care: Improving access for all (Oct. 18, 2023)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Directives issued to get more homes built in Oak Bay, West Vancouver

    Ministerial directives have been issued to the districts of Oak Bay and West Vancouver to continue helping the communities improve local processes and build more homes people need.

    This year, advisers were appointed in the districts of Oak Bay and West Vancouver to provide recommendations for what these councils can do to deliver more homes for people faster and improve affordability in their communities. Oak Bay and West Vancouver are two of the most unaffordable places in British Columbia.

    The Province consulted with the districts, which had 30 days to provide feedback about the proposed ministerial directives.

    Feedback from both districts helped inform the final directives, and they align with many current council initiatives.

    The directives to the District of Oak Bay are it must:

    1. amend its Development Application Procedures Bylaw to delegate minor development variance permits to municipal staff by Dec. 31, 2025; and
    2. amend its Parking Facilities Bylaw for sites containing multiple units, to a minimum of one parking stall per unit where the bylaw currently requires a minimum of more than one parking stall per unit, by Dec. 31, 2025.

    Additionally, Oak Bay must provide updates on work toward:

    • meeting the Dec. 31, 2025, deadline for updating its official community plan, with a focus on housing; and
    • amending its Building and Plumbing Bylaw in relation to blasting activities, in consultation with the development community.

    The directives to the District of West Vancouver are it must:

    1. amend its Official Community Plan Bylaw to increase density in the Park Royal-Taylor Way area by Dec. 31, 2025. The amendments must provide development regulations and an accompanying schedule that defines the area and provides for the minimum required densities;
    2. amend its Official Community Plan Bylaw to provide for increased density in the single-family and duplex prescribed areas adjacent to Ambleside and Dundarave, by Dec. 31, 2025; and
    3. adopt the proposed Ambleside Centre Local Area Plan by Dec. 31, 2025.

    Additionally, West Vancouver must:

    • identify in future annual progress reporting the type of development applications and number of housing units considered and rejected under the Preliminary Development Proposal and Public Consultation Policy.

    Housing targets have delivered 16,130 net-new homes built across the first 30 priority municipalities since the legislation was passed in 2023. 

    Through a historic $19-billion investment, the Province has delivered 93,250 homes in B.C. since 2017, including more than 7,200 units in Greater Victoria and nearly 400 units in West Vancouver.

    Quick Facts: 

    • West Vancouver delivered 58 of its 220 net-new units Year 1 housing target.
    • Oak Bay delivered 16 of its 56 net-new units Year 1 housing target.

    Learn More:

    To view the directive letter to Oak Bay, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/OakBay_Murdoch_Signed_Final.pdf

    To view the directive letter to West Vancouver, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/WestVan_Sager_Signed.pdf

    MIL OSI Canada News –